ORNAmuseMENT: Press

Bi-Coastal Rocker Brings the Five Alarm Fire

OrnaMent: "Demolicious"

Orna Ment, who describes herself as a "Bi-Coastal" rocker has an intriguing name. It's fun to say and fun to read. But pop in her disc, "Demolicious" and I know you will agree there's more to this rocker than meets the eye. Window dressing she certainly is not.

Her musical style is so unique I genuinely struggled to adequately describe her songs. There's some of Tool's knack for assymertical time signatures, along with vocal chops on par with Melissa Ethridge. Think "Come to My Window" caliber!

Orna's vocal delivery also calls up eerie and haunting overtones all her own. On the killer opening track "Five Alarm Fire" Orna starts off in a gravely whisper that builds to James Hatfield-worthy intensity in the chorus "Fulfillment is all I require/to put out this fire alarm fire." And the first line of the second verse "talk talk talktalk is Cheap." Daaamn.

More killer lines you say? Lots of 'em! "Recoiling like a vampire." "Oh, sweet talking red-eyed liar." "I walk inspite of sunlight." And that's all in the first song! Orna has the poet's gift of rhyme with the rapper's gift of flow, wrapped up in a spiky rock riff and with a rich soulful filling. I could listen to these tracks over and over – great driving music here folks!

Along with her killer word "shkills" Orna also displays a good ear for arrangement. "Demolicious" opens with the tight asymmetrical hooks of "Five Alarm Fire." She pulls you in, but the groove never lets you settle down or forget the song is playing. "Fire" goes from menacing to really-really-pissed-off and back again, and takes you along for the ride.

Then comes track number two, "Tree of Woe." Just as angular, but a smidge less pissed off, "Woe" has an enticing melody that congures the "cold winters day" she sings about to the tee. The "steel bars" and the victims who "may forgive/ so they can get by." Rarely have I seen such a seamless marriage of lyric and guitar-lick.

"Minus One," Orna's Zeppelin-meets-Bjork acoustic closer, is a meandering meditation on love lost. Again, her lyrics and precise, aching riffage synch-up with chilling effect. "Dawn breaks/ and the blood of the sky ribbons" delivered over a snaking lead, instrument and voice stripped bare of any decoration.

"Demolicious" is a rock solid offering from a gifted professional. Her trekking from coast to coast seems to have added to the depth and character of her performance.

Also available from OrnaMent: "Lachrymose."
Find her rocking a café or bar near you in California or Baltimore.
Find her online at
www.ornamusement.com
www.staticchain.com/ornamusement
www.myspace.com/ornamusement1

ROCK ON.