Formed in 2011 with a core of vocalist Fraser Coombes, Regan Aspden (guitars) and Billy Dickson (bass), Hamilton quartet Checaine have been forging this debut album since 2012.

It serves as much as a landmark in the band’s lineage as it does a watermark in up and coming Kiwi hard rock. ‘Turn The Stone’ retains a harder edge to fit somewhere at the heavier end of the genre, and individual performances are genuine in nature, lending a live, jammed-out feel to the record.

In tracks Open Case and Ball and Chain, Stateside contemporaries such as Alterbridge and Fuel are referenced heavily, while Time Bomb is more reminiscent of the likes of Avenged Sevenfold’s harder rocking moments. Coombes’ vocals consistently soar above the band, serving as an easy focal point for the listener, while attention is occasionally grabbed by bombastic riffing, smooth lead lines and drum arrangements rich in double kicks and cymbal hits.

Fans of hard rock in the American style will likely not be disappointed by Checaine’s freshman offering, and while leaving room to further grow into their own sound, Checaine have confidently marked a very purposeful point #1 in their journey as a band.