Music:
Member Since: 2/20/2006
Band Website: gratiz3.com
Band Members: Paul Salisbury - Vocals/Guitar
Ben O'Hare - Drums
Martyn Cain - Bass
GRATIZ 3 is a massive blend of musical layers supplied by singer-guitarist Paul Salisbury, and a seriously impressive rhythm section featuring bass player Martyn Cain and drummer Ben O'Hare.
After a handful of band line-ups and the occasional change in musical direction, the trio have built up a fearsome reputation as one of the most intense and powerful bands on the local scene.
Gratiz 3 have been writing and performing constantly for the last six months, Their EP 'The Measure Of Time . . . hears the band's sound take on a more cohesive, professional approach.
They have become the latest local band to link themselves with the successful Ballagroove label, which has released the EP. This has allowed the songs to grow more and to match the stunning prowess of their live set.
The most striking aspect of this recording is that the band have forged themselves a very real, unique sense of identity.
Although you can pick out the sort of bands that have influenced Paul's song writing — bands such as U2, Muse, Placebo, Jeff Buckley & Doves — make no mistake that Gratiz 3 are very much an original band in their own right, and have created some amazing musical moments on this EP.
Opening track Vapour Trails and third song in Fear Of Being Lost come laden with anthemic choruses, swirling melody lines and crunching riffs, backed up by some of the best drumming you'll hear, while the fourth track They is one of their catchier songs, mixing light, melodic verses with trademark intense guitars.However, the absolute highlight is My Own Cage. Salisbury's guitars rise and fall like a pulse and build to an incredible instrumental seizure towards the end!If any of these songs can demonstrate Salisbury's huge talents as a singer-songwriter, it's this.This has long been a live favourite and nothing here diminishes from the emotional punch it delivers onstage.This truly is an EP worth having and placing alongside anything else in your music collection.
The Independent
"Gratiz 3 are not exactly shrinking violets. 'Vapour Trails' is a dandy blend of solid and sinuous guitars, a good rhythm section and a melody that surfs on the pile-driving sound. 'My Own Cage' is equally subtle, without ever losing a deep rock groove which connects U2 to Nine Inch Nails with aplomb. 'They' pumps out a heavy riff on a track that shows some influences of Nirvana to good effect. Gratiz 3 tolerate no nonsense, and make no apology."
Hot Press Magazine Nov 2006
Gratiz we f*****g amazing. I've not seen them for quite a while, but they were just brilliant. So tight, the songs so superbly crafted and often pretty epic, and the band were bursting with energy on stage. The new one they played about three songs in was quite simply pop/dance genius, and lyrically it's pretty subversive too. I liked it. I liked it a lot. And it's got succesful single written all over it.
Gratiz 3 with 4 Day Hombre!
Once again we got the chance to compare one of our own progressing bands against one of the UK's and as before it was obvious if we weren't in the middle of the irish sea, a band like Gratiz would be knocking on the door of success. I took great pride in answering "downstairs" when a punter asked me where Gratiz3 were from.
Manager 'The CornerHouse'
first time i saw gratiz 3, and i was blown away.
Gratiz were excellent, very, very impressive set
"Live Gratiz3 turn into a subtle power play which keeps the band dynamic at taut as the tunes, it's a breathless chase to follow each song through its twists and turns, soothed by snatches of melodic sweetness one second; unsettled by jagged riffs the next."
Liz Corlett - Journalist
"They are original, no compromising"
Mannin Media
"Gratiz3 have sparked something of a creative rebirth., with a brace of new songs; and a contagious self-belief they've got their sights trained on surprising old fans and stunning new ones. There's no excuse for missing out on the live shows and there's no substitute for Gratiz3"
MT Magazine
Influences: Muse, Editors, Leaves, Dark Star, Jeff Buckley, A Perfect Circle, Nine Black Alps, My Vitriol, Aqualung, Morning Runner, Tool, Tom McRae, Massive Attack, Idiot Pilot, Placebo, U2, Brian Eno, Flood, Youth, Chris Sheldon,
Sounds Like: us...
...but... also....
'U2 meets Nine Inch Nails' - Hot Press Magazine
'like Placebo shagging Muse'
Type of Label: None
