Motivated by a lingering feeling that they had some unfinished business to take care of, 90s alternative rock band Acid Test have released a powerful, delightfully raw and insistent new six-song EP called “Jus’ Rite”.  Propelled by a desire to rekindle a fulfilling musical partnership the band is taking their energetic new music and live show for a spin in 2018 at shows and festivals in Ontario and Quebec, including a showcase at Indieweek in Toronto on November 10th. 

Twenty-five years after the release of their major label debut album Drop (Sire/Warner), the wizened and revitalized band, comprised of original members Lucy Di Santo (vocals), guitarist Steve Fall, keyboardist/producer Adam (Atom) Percy, and new drummer Tim van de Ven are picking up from where they left off. 

Acid Test’s new music is as adventurous, as genre-bending, edgy and visceral. But there is also a gravitas and vibrancy to the songs – something that has come through the lives each of the band members have lived over the intervening two decades before the initial thought of a reformation took hold in 2012, after the death of former member Mike Harland in 2012. 

The EP is named Jus’ Rite in Harland’s honour, and the result of their inspired writing and recording sessions are songs that are a remarkable blend of edgy grit and superlative production values. The visceral emotion of Di Santo’s vocal performances are bracketed by a musical dynamic that indeed hearkens back to the core of Acid Test’s influences, but with a forward-thinking vibe that will appeal to a wide and diverse array of music lovers. 

This is typified with the first single, Slipping Away - already getting solid airplay on CBC, Stingray, and across Canadian radio - which sees the band’s in-your- face attitude on full display. With a renewed sense of purpose, the members of Acid Test are excited by what lies ahead, including the opportunity to reconnect with fans and lure new ones into the fold with their upcoming shows in November. 

The music on Jus’ Rite is vital, relevant, filled with powerful emotional and musical statements, and a dynamic that ranges from contemplative to kick ass and everything in between. It can be boldly proclaimed that Acid Test is back, and they are ready to tackle that unfinished business.