Review by Adam M on January 23, 2011.

This EP is good old-fashioned Hard Rock that has a good deal of vitality and passion associated with it. The songs are structured around the guitar riffs, which are meaty and catchy simultaneously. There isn’t really a lot of playing time devoted to the three songs here, so Ape must do their best to make the tunes stand out. They manage to do so reasonably well on "...And Then There Were Two".

There is Groove to be found and some small changes of tempo that keeps the listeners interest held up. However, the amount of variety is limited and the band doesn’t have the greatest amount of room to give each track its own distinctive flair. 'Sell Out' was a very good closing track and perhaps the most interesting of what was to be found on the EP as a whole. Despite the slight lack of flair, the band will appeal to both Rock and Metal fans because it straddles the two genres without ever becoming overly involved in either. Comparisons can be made to outfits like the grunge band Alice In Chains, but even then there’s a more metallic nature to be found here than what that group delivers.

The EP is solid, though unspectacular and leaves the listener wanting a greater taste of what Ape can fully achieve. There is still some enjoyment to be had here. Ape is a good Hard Rock or Metal outfit that shows the ability to perform songs that have a strong rhythm. The songs are accessible, but are involved enough to be appreciated on a slightly higher level. There is nothing overly phenomenal to be found on "...And Then There Were Two", however, so it only gets a moderate recommendation.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7.5
Atmosphere: 7
Production: 7
Originality: 6.5
Overall: 7

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Kate on March 30, 2011.

Hailing from North Carolina, The Sign Of The Southern Cross carries the heaviness of Pantera and the southern blues swagger of Corrosion Of Conformity. Vocalist and founder of the band, Seth Uldricks has the grit and melody of a young Phil Anselmo but still carries his own style and can tell that the whole band is ready to carve out their own niche in the metal scene.

The first and self-titled track from this EP is fast, raw, gritty and dirty. Seth’s vocals and harsh and aggressive which make Ryan Sturm’s chugging riffs on guitar and Thomas Whites pounding drum action compliment him perfectly. The second track, 'If You Find Yourself Looking Back', slows down but is a nice change, you get to hear a little bit more of Seth’s vocals which are powerful and deep. I don’t want to make another Anselmo comparison here because there’s more to it than that, Uldricks definitely has got style. These guys have soul and put 110% into their music. The last track goes 'Doomswagger' gets back into the dirt and grit with a groove that makes you wanna bang your head until you just can’t anymore. Once I heard the first track, I was hooked and made me want to check out some of the earlier releases which I was just as impressed with.

You definitely want to check these guys out; go to their MySpace page, go to their ReverbNation page. Buy this EP; The Sign of the Southern Cross is a band that deserves your support!

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 8.0
Atmosphere: 7.0
Production: 7.0
Originality: 7.5
Overall: 8.0

Rating: 7.5 out of 10