My favorite color: The Color Red rocks

The Color Red

Clear

RCA Records

With a lighter sound…

The Color Red

Clear

RCA Records

With a lighter sound that seems hard and a harder sound that seems even harder, The Color Red from Riverside, Calif., brings a decidedly different sound to the alternative rock scene.

With the exception of Creed and Nickelback, using harmony is something that most rock bands don’t usually do. The Color Red has been compared to both of these bands, but lead singer Jon Zamora doesn’t want to be compared to them.

Formed in 1994, The Color Red has seen a number of changes in members and in their sound. After the 1999 release of their first album, Below the Under, The Color Red got to see how the other side lives, sharing the stage with the likes of No Doubt, 311, Papa Roach and The Offspring. Below the Under didn’t fare well on a small label, and now with the release of their second album, Clear, on RCA Records, they look to finally reach the rock star status their first album couldn’t bring them.

From the start of the album Zamora’s voice rings in the listener’s ear, and on “Sore Throat,” a song that Zamora sings about being on stage and letting it all go in front of a sea of people, the guitars rip through as Zamora sings and screams his heart out.

The unique element of this CD is that the songs are distinctive and have facets that appeal to different audiences. The Color Red’s vocals are soft harmonies on one track and the next one is much heavier, a technique very different from other bands that use harmonies. After a few spins of this album the songs actually become catchy, making it hard to turn off.

You can catch The Color Red live in concert Saturday night at Metropol, playing with Flaw and 3rd Strike. For more information call (412) 261-2221.