Fresh, for now, as a progressive rock market band, the Swiss trio named COWBOYS FROM HELL is yet an interesting-looking new group, with their debut album (recorded in 2007 but released only up in the first months of 2008) sounding pretty slick. Combining the ideal of entertaining fresh music with those of funk-jazz sessions, creative band strumming and deep, at times improvised, rock, the result of their music and activity goes overall the same, with only a slight detail that the "fun" in their music is worthwhile and pleasant, but shining through are the impressions that, however described, the band is close to a progressive art rock booking, musically and essentially.

Saxophonist and electronic-effects-passionate Christophe Irniger, bassist Richard Pechota and drummer Chrigel Bosshard form the bit unconventional in sound and heartbeat ensemble, playing as COWBOYS FROM HELL since at least 2006 - based on what concerts/appearances feedback tell us. Each artist comes with a powerful background - even with proper studies as an instrumentist - COWBOYS FROM HELL being, relatively, one out of many bands, collaborations and practices for each member aside.

The band is already prodigious thanks to a healthy number of concerts, which - despite not being part of incredibly notable festivals, nor describing entirely the affinity for progressive rock - create the solid ground for the positive credits they've received so far. Not just once, the trio has been regarded (or simply gave the impression) that, on stage, they electrify and groove through their music. Reshaped in a first major studio recording ("Monster Rodeo"), the effort seems to have the same qualities. Styles and dynamic tones are explored under a regular sign of variety, a boosting blend of rock, jazz and funk steams through the pores of the music (electronic and groove snaps combining hard with the primary styles) and the artistic side in the entire tune 'n' groove soon manages to escape any hard-boiled, technical or stirred-up flaws.

Whether it's hard or not to point out what influences are precisely behind COWBOYS FROM HELL's mature spirit, dishing through the music is the essential part. The band name is taken for sure from metal band Pantera's fifth or so album, couple of more motives and titles softly paraphrase Rage Against The Machine or such, whilst their music is often described as "pleasing" for Zappa, flash-jazz and groove-rock fans. Inside an album made of original compositions and jams, two Simon & Garfunkel and John Carpenter interpretations are squeezed.

Young and breakthroughing, COWBOYS FROM HELL's stuff hides a deep and powerful essence inside a 'funk-rocking' and "electrically charged instrumental" orientation, an essence that can be considered, in modern terms and bottomed-up forms, progressive.

(sources includes reviews, notes)
:::Victor "Philip" Parau (Ricochet):::



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