It takes some balls to have the drive to start your own band, write your own songs and then perform them. No one can doubt the determination or confidence it takes. It’s one thing playing covers or simply second fiddle in someone else’s band but there’s no hiding place when it’s your band. For Cormac Walsh of Orkka, this was the step that had to be made after spending his time in various cover bands.

Walsh is lead guitarist, main songwriter and lead singer of the band. Vocally he sounds like Neil Young, albeit with a lo-fi tone. On the downside, it comes across as somewhat impassive. This is part of the problem with the ‘Feeding Frenzy’ EP, in that his singing voice is not particularly interesting. It’s difficult to get excited about the music when there is a lack of atmosphere or emotion in the lead vocalist’s voice. There are legions of rock bands whose singers haven’t had the best of singing voices, but the production or musical style was sufficiently crafted to ensure this wasn’t as a problem.

Musically the playing on the EP is loud, rough around the edges and played at speed. That’s how it progresses from opening track Bigger Than Me. It should tick the right boxes for producing thrilling rock music. But that in itself just isn’t enough. Bigger Than Me requires keener dynamics which are sadly missing. Breakdown is pacey yet too derivative. The riffs don’t have any really shifts in tone or breaks. As such the song just zips past merrily leaving you wondering “what was that all about?”

Title track Feeding Frenzy has a weighty, hefty intro before providing quickly switching to a more melodic verse. It’s the standard quiet/loud/quiet/loud grunge template without any real surprises. It’s not unpleasant listening, but at the same time it doesn’t grab your attention. Final track Paper Cuts falls into the same category as Feeding Frenzy.

This is grunge, but without the vigour that the best bands brought. A lack of polish isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but to compensate for it there needs to be a greater edge and that isn’t present on the ‘Feeding Frenzy’ EP. This Orkka has a lack of teeth.