The Top 10 Rock Albums of 2025

Rock music continues to be one of the last vestiges of picking up instruments and playing songs the artist has written.  With metal having a more loyal market, it feels like less straight-up rock music is coming out, but then again, it's not something I always look for. There is a very specific feel of moodiness, melody, and underlying mental health issues I seek out from rock music, and these albums touch on varied corners of that sound.  In fact, this year's list is more varied than last year's list. After I sort through the top 10 albums of all the respective genres, I use those lists to compile the top 20 albums of 2025. 

 The fact that these bands made it on the list speaks to how great these albums are, so it's not a slight that the number 8 album is above the 9th album; there is something that just gives it an edge that makes me want to listen to it more. After all, we can try to look cool and pick the hippest bands for a list, but at the end of the day, what makes an album the best is that it makes you want more, and you look forward to listening to it again. You might find your next favorite on this list. I included links to reviews of these albums if you want to check out the audio on these guys. Anyway, here are the top 10 Rock albums of 2025.

10-Wet Leg-"moisturizer." 

This quirky power pop band from the Isle of Wight has an odd New Wave vibe to their take on indie rock. They shift slightly from song to song, with subtle hints of punk influences, with a little drive in its strummed shuffle. Their singer has a detached apathy to her voice that carries its own sex appeal.

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/wet-leg-moisturizer.html

9-Buckcherry- "Roar Like Thunder."   

I have at least heard the bulk of Buckcherry's 10 albums leading up to this one, so I doubt there is going to be a great deal of surprise with album 11. They intend for this album to be fun and lift your spirits, and I am not sure if that is what I want from this band. I prefer them when they are wrestling with the fact that they love cocaine.  It has more of the Hollywood sleaze to it, taking you back to the 80s, which is where their sound originated. They have never been a metal band; they just play a sometimes explosive style of rock n roll. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/06/buckcherry-roar-like-thunder.html

8-Haunt- "Ignite"

Their 2022 album "Windows To Your Heart' was the last album I checked out by these guys. I was a devoted follower since, for all practical purposes, they are a revamped Beastmaker. But they have been moving in an increasingly slick A0R proto-metal direction. Things have not changed. Trevor Church continues to smooth into a sugary tenor that brings Ghost to mind, but his songwriting has an urgency Ghost lacks. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/08/haunt-ignite.html

7-Skunk Anasie-"The Painful Truth." 

One of my favorite bands from the 90s, who in America were always a best-kept British secret. In my mind, they will always have to measure up against their 1999 album 'Post Orgasmic Chill". Skin's vocals are still on point. They have mellowed into a shimmering pop pulse, with electronic elements becoming hard to decipher from where guitars are plugged into amps, but a the end of the day, they pull it off in a way that does not matter much to me how they got here.

 https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/skunk-anansie-painful-truth.html

 

6-LA Guns -"Leopard Skin."

If Tracii Guns and Phil Lewis are both in the band it's L.A. FUCKING Guns to me. The past few albums have held up their legacy, so here's to hoping this one does, and the first two songs find them staying true yet not stagnant. They have the sleazy vibes from their era, but more slathered in blue grooves. It's more rock n roll than metal.  Phil Lewis sounds great. Amazingly, he is 68 years old. Holy shit. That is four years older than Vince Neil, and he sounds better than Neil has since "Dr. Feelgood". 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/04/la-guns-leopard-skin.html

5-Hellacopters-"Overdriver"

This album feels more like lost classics from 70s rock radio. The singer places his voice in all the right places to compensate for his limitations, which is a skill in and of itself, as the melodies work really well, and everyone in this band is serving the song with zero overplaying. Granted, if you mainly listen to punk, all of this might seem like overkill to your ears, but it works for what is going on here, regardless. I can hear less dramatic traces of Meatloaf, but aside from a little ELO, I do not hear them heavily tipping their hat to their influences. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-hellacopters-overdriver.html

4-Chokecherry-"Ripe Fruit Rots and Falls." 

 I was a big fan of the band's 2024 EP "Messy Star." They are back with a marginally more shoegazing effort that is still rooted firmly in the sounds of the '90s. The jangling grunge drive provides the backbone. There is more punk energy, but the smooth croon of her vocals balances this out. Even when they amble along, with a dreamy slacker attitude, they are still rocking out with more intention than their peers. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/12/chokecherry-ripe-fruit-rots-and-falls.html

 

3-Jaye Jayle- "After Alter" 

Jaye Jayle went from being Evan Patterson’s solo project that explored sounds outside of what he did in Young Widows, and has now become a full-fledged band. Some of the arrangements are more minimalist, though it's not underproduced as they captured some interesting drum sounds, and the overall mix leans into the ambiance by giving all the instrumentation a great deal of open space, even when things begin to come together dynamically. If Josh Homme wrote songs for Queens of the Stone Age with no radio aspirations, the result might be similar. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/jaye-jayle-after-alter.html

  2-AVATARIUM-"Between You, God, the Devil and the Dead." 

The 6th album from the band formed by Leif Elding from Candlemass, their singer, gives them a more blues-based rock feel. It makes them less metal, but also creates a more Deep Purple feel, setting them apart from all the bands that sound like Sabbath. The production is very organic without being tribute band-level retro. Memorable vocal melodies and thoughts are put into the songwriting. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/01/avatarium-between-you-god-devil-and-dead.html

1-Alice Cooper -The Revenge of Alice Cooper." 

The first album with the original Alice Cooper band since "Muscle of Love".  Bob Ezrin is also producing it.  Does it perfectly capture the fire enough that it picks up where they left off on "Muscle of Love"? Almost, it is pretty energetic for a band in their mid-70s who have not played together since the 70s.  not at the level of his most classic work, but way better than other rockers close to his age are doing, it's closer to "Muscle of Love" than it is "Love it to Death" s it's not what I expected, but still congruent with what these guys used to do. 

https://abysmalhymns.blogspot.com/2025/07/alice-cooper-revenge-of-alice-cooper.html

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Miranda and the Beat : " Can't Take It"

 

Was a fan of their 2023 album, so looking forward to sinking my ears into this one. It carries a darker mood from the beginning, as their garage punk clashes with new-wave leanings. It is raw and less produced like a 1950s pop album. The second song "These Days" is less intense and more simmering. Miranda Zipse delivers an equally interesting vocal performance to the more brooding song. She displays her upper range slightly for dramatic effect. I like the streak contrast of the first two songs to establish the fact that she might take things in any direction she damn well pleases. 

"Earthquake Water" brings back the more frantic punk feel, perhaps even more desperate than the opening track, Her vocals have a purpose rather than the normal punk shouting. "Anxiety" finds the manic mood conveying the message well. "El Lobo Negro" takes things in a darker Spanish direction, though the chanted vocals sound somewhat gleeful. Then it gets stripped down to just Zipse and the strum of an acoustic guitar. If a depressed Amy Winehouse got lost in Mexico as similar song might have been written. "I Tried" works well to find an honest emotive place for her voice, while still shifting into more explosive rock."In My Life" works off a reverb-heavy surf rock style, that calls some of the 1950s pop. 

"New York Video" works more of a frantic punk pace, filled with 70's new wave vibes. In fact, this is where the album begins to take a turn in a more punk direction. "Manipulate Me" pulls from a similar era of punk. However, the vocals have more 80s aggression to them which bands like 45 Grave or the Plasmatics were about. Then it's back to 1950's 1950-styled pop on "Up in Smoke", it works but it feels like "The Secrets" is more inspired as it takes a nod toward the shadows. I will give this album a 9 it takes more chances and covers greater ground stylistic choices that typically pay off.  Solid punk rock n roll with a 50s flair. 

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The Black Crowes : "Happiness Bastards"

 

Their 1994 album "Amorica" was the last album I bought by this band. I appreciated the turn they took away from being a Led Zeppelin / Rolling Stones hybrid.  In the next 30 years, it is not surprising that cannabis advocate Chris Robinson's voice might not retain the same piercing tenor quality. Smoking anything will do that to you. He is still plenty soulful which has really given the spotlight on "Cross Your Fingers", The band which is really the Robinson Brothers, and bassist Sven, still possess a great deal of authentic rock swagger. 

What was last with age is the firey explosive energy that made them shake their money-makers, to begin with. The opening track is upbeat, but not as hard rockin' as they once were. The guitars are produced in such a way that on "Rats and Clowns" it feels like they are certainly trying to turn the clock back to the early 90s. "Wanting and Waiting" proves that they still can groove in a meaningful manner. The first Southern rock ballad comes by way of "Wilted Rose". Lainey Wilson lends her voice to the song without taking the spotlight from Chris. They use an impressive dynamic build to jam this song out which is the sort of thing that became the band's forte. 

"Dirty Cold Sun" is the kind of boogie you expect from the band. Takes fewer chances than some of their previous work and stick to the blues-drenched formulate they have been working off for decades.  The second half of the album sticks much closer to the barroom take on gospel this rocked out a little more on "Flesh Wound" which also benefits from the flourishes of the piano. They get back to a more riff-driven strut for the more effective "Follow the Moon" which might be the band's best song. They close the album with the Bob Dylan-like ballad "Kindred Heart". I will give this album an 8.5, not on the level of their more classic work, but they are still able to do what they do in a way that still is relevant in 2024. 

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The Rolling Stones : "Hackney Diamonds"

 This is the Stones's 26th album. They are arguably the greatest rock band ever.  However, this legacy gets threatened with every album they decide to drag their career out with. Keith is having to adapt his playing around his arthritis. Richards is 79, and Jagger is 80. Supplemented by producer Andrew Watt, who helped write three songs. The Jagger / Richards songwriting machine keeps rolling. Don Was who makes more sense for the band than the pop producer Watt, who has also worked with Iggy Pop and Ozzy. Jagger sounds more youthful than any other 80-year-old could ever dream. I guess that deal with the Devil he made worked out wonderfully. The first two songs are slicker than the Stones in my mind's eye who made 'Sticky Fingers" but growing up I liked "Dirty Work" and "Undercover" which were poppy at the time. "Steel Wheels" was the last album I spent much time with. 

They can invoke the gritty Blues-based dive bar feel with the punchy "Bite My Head Off". Paul McCartney plays bass on this one, which settles the debate since he is now playing for these guys. There is a classic palm-muted shuffle for the more brooding "Whole Wide World". It rocks more convincingly than you could anticipate them doing at this late in the game. They go for a more laid-back honky tonk sound on "Dreamy Skies' and it feels like they are trying a little too hard. It is better than most bands can do, but the bar is high for these guys as we have heard them do this better already. They used a Charlie Watts drum track on "Mess It Up". Is it on the poppier side of what they do? Yes, but it works. There is a touch of disco to it, and truth be told Disco Stones are some of my favorite albums. Jagger can still go into falsetto at 80, I want to hear zero excuses about your favorite aging rock singers. 

"Live By the Sword" is another that uses a Charlie Watts drum track. Elton John also bangs on the ivories in the background to fill in the gaps. Hardly anything that displays his chops but works for the song. It's really well produced, as you would expect from the biggest rock band in the world. "Driving Me to Hard" feels more authentic to who they are. "Tell Me Straight" is a ballad sung by Keith Richards, is also in a pretty good voice for what he does. Though he sounds a little more like Boby Dylan now.  Jagger sounds at his best on "Sweet Sounds of Heaven" which is a gospel-inflected ballad that Lady GaGa lends her voice to. At times I wonder if it's not Ronnie Wood who is pulling off some of these licks. Lyrically this album is far from their strongest, so it's the vocal performances and playing that is selling it. The last song is an ode to blues we heard done more effectively with "Exile on Main St". Overall this exceeded my expectations considering where these guys are in life I will give this a 9.5. 

  

Gothtober - Twin Temple : "God is Dead

 This Duo from California returns with their "Satanic" doo-wop. The band claimed their debut album that dropped back in 2019 was recorded in a day and a half , live with only two or three takes. If that is case then this album only took half a day. There is a rawer sound to what unfolds here, though more orchestration, and arrangements that recall Phil Spector's "wall of sound". They are true to the era they are paying homage to, The way they nailed the sound this time with the lo-fi production that still allows the vocals to stand out, takes the sting out of the lyrics, as this could fit on a Sirrus radio oldies station and almost go unnoticed. 

There is more of a Halloween like tango to the swagger of "Lets Have a Satanic Orgy".  It struts like a sexier version of the monster mash. The guitar playing on this one is pretty note worthy as well. "Two Sinners" borrows a great deal from the Everly Brothers ' "(Till) I Kissed Ya" , but kids these days lack the musical history to dig back to that. "Black Magick" does not take so directly, but still pays heavy tribute to artists of this era, without borrowing from anyone specific. Though at this point in the album they begin to feel a little like a cover band. 

"Spellbreaker" is more like the songs from the first album, with more of an Amy Winehouse feel, added are "Leader of the Pack" like backing vocals. You hear her belt it out from her guts and but a bit of grit to her voice on this one. "Be Slut" is pretty much poodle skirt era rock n roll. While her voice is soulful enough , I don't feel there is anything to the melodies that is a riff off something else, and sax solo feels cut and pasted. The title track works better, sure it's a typical pop ballad from the 50's but it works well, and gives her voice more to work with. The dirtier production works well this time around and despite not being the most original thing I have heard, it's executed in a manner that is convincing enough to win me over despite this so I will give the album a 9. 

Les Deuxluxes : "Lighter Fluid"

This Canadian dup is straight up rock n roll, with an AC/DC  like riff driving the song. This is off set by the smoooth vocals of their singer Anna  Frances Meyer.   Étienne Barry handles the bulk of the other instruments though Meyer plays guitar as well. "For I Myself" is the next stand out to me. Sometimes what they do get's more on the garage rock side than what I normally listen to. Though over all this is just rock without the need for other labels. Some of the lyrics are sung in French. Most of the songs stay pretty up beat. The album sounds great though it's an odd mix and supposed not having the bass up in your face leaves more breathing room for the vocals but there is a great deal of midrange,

"Beware of the Dog" is mariginally darker , but it is enough of a shadow for me. Midway into the song there is a more jammy feel. Meyer's voice drips of sex , but not in the overt maner you might expect. It might seem silly to think that the facgt she is physically really hot would factor into this, but I think it does . It brings a diferent kind of charismatic energy to the preformance. To deny this is like saying someone's life experiences are not conveyed in music. Music is vibration and the vibration we carry is projected through it. She somes times takes more of a 60s approach to her melodies. It also gives her room to play around with her voice. They throw in a Stooges cover  of "Down on the Street / Loose". . They play it more like AC/DC. It is also funny hearing the lyrics from a female perspective.  Barry add his voice to this one. He sounds like a younger Iggy at times. We get a more foot on the monitors rock solo out of him as well.I would not call it a ballad but they back off for the song that follows , which is sung in French. "Encender" is more atmosphere in it's mood with the vocals kind of floating around it.

The guitar picks up for a return to rocking on "Everything of Beauty". This is big on the 60s vibes. It also highlights what a great voice Meyer has. The lyrics are more of the hippy side. The last song continues on with the 60s pop, but closer to what say Lana Del Rey at first until the more rock chords come crashing in . I will give this a 9. These guys are onto something that is truly their own and are having fun while doing so. It might be happier than what I normally listen to but I dig it.

LA Witch : "Play With Fire"

This trio of gals falls some where between the Donnas and Hole. Their is grungy jangle to their sound and by the second song the vocals have taken on a more despondent moan. Granted Hole also had a despondent moan so it leans from the punk to grunge more . The first two songs are pretty pleasing then when things are giving more space on "Dark Horse" they do not feel held together as well. The chords rings out in a more rambing western rock feel on " I Wanna Lose" though the chorus is underwhelming. There is more of a an old punk Runawways feel to "Gen-Z" . The guitars do the heavy lifting for the vocals on this one. The more punk flavor benefits ' Sexorexia". WHile her voice works , her pipes are fairly limited and work more off attitude which makes this song work.

Evne without the most stellar voice melodic moments do benefit them as proven on the moodier "Maybe the Weather". Once again this finds the guitar compensating for the vocals , but in a more balanced fashion this time around. There is more of a post punk tension to "True Believer" . This gives a little darker feel to the song.  I am not sure what happens on the last song, but it gets too nosiy and has nothing to really hold it together. I appreciate when it ebbs down to the bass groove and the lower vocal chant, but the guitar which has been the glue of this album falls in to chaos taking the song with it.

I will give this album an 8.5 , except for the last song everything is solid and might just take time to grow on me. The album starts strong and I think they have a ton of potential. It is not their first album, and there are some things they truly have dialed in here.  I think if they moved from the more garage songs to writing "pop" songs they could do it in a way that still maintained their dark punk sense. Until then this is what we get.

Motorhead : " Bad Magic'

I know Motorhead is the sacred cow of metal. People blindly accept Lemmy as god. He does get credit for being in Hawkwind. He is an easy guy to like, but does that make him really a metal icon musically? Is Motorhead even metal? And the million dollar question is has Motorhead put out anything worthwhile in the past 20 years? Why does that matter ? Well for someone to truly be a great artist everything they touch shows it. But Lemmy is old enough to be my grand dad you say, you have to cut him some slack...why when David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Robert Fripp, David Gilmore and a host of others who are older or his peers still do so should Lemmy or he is more myth than legend Can they still make good music? Well the first song is pretty dialed in color by numbers punching the clock. The second song improves as His bass tone is dialed in on "Thunder & Lightning".


I am not expecting Lemmy to be able to sing , but I am expecting more than a second rate "Cat Scratch Fever" on "Fire Storm Hotel". Former King Diamond drummer Mikkey Dee, shows he still has it on the intro to "Shoot Out Your Lights" at this point he has been in the band almost as long as Philthy and truth be told Lemmy is the only original member though the guitarist joined in the mid eighties. The would be a really heavy Motley Crue song. The songs are like punk, three minutes in and out. "The Devil" sounds like bad solo Ozzy, but it's better than the previous song. It's funny that the same people who make fun of cock rock are the same ones who will champion Motorhead, but "Electricity" sounds not different from Faster Pussycat to me except for the fact its' Lemmy rather than Taime Downe on the mic.  I would really like this album to just be half as good as "Orgasmatron" is that too much to ask?

"Evil Eye" has more of his rumbling bass, which along with the drumming are the best parts of this album. It's actually a pretty decent song. This album flys by... some of this is because the songs are pretty brisk . By the time we are at "Teach Them How to Bleed" I notice that Lemmy is not trying in the lyrical department and this sounds like as song I have already heard them play and not just on this album. The do cheese the right way when they pull out the power ballad " Till the End" . Lemmy comes close to singing and guitar solos wail out of every corner, thats how you rock. Feeling a little self conscious after that one they come back doing what they do with "Tell Me Who To Kill" . His bass playing is great on this one and I'm always drawn to it, but the song itself is nothing special, just rehashed rock chords.

"Choking on Your Screams" gets a little closer to classic Motorhead. The hit you with more groove. The lyrics improve, they are a "Orgasmatron' like narrative. The more straight up rock of "When the Sky Comes Looking For You" is a mixed bag. At it's core it's nothing new. They close the album with a cover of "Sympathy for the Devil" . Not sure if this is needed as they play it pretty straight and don't metal it out like these supposed metal gods should . It's not terrible and the classic Motorhead moments balance out the more  color by numbers clock punching, but it's a close margin. I'll give it a 6.5 and doubt I'll need to listen to it again.

Terrible Feelings : "Tremors"

I went into this album with apprehension. I am sick of these punk bands that throw a girl who wants to be Siouxsie at the mic and only get part of the equation right. I was not sure why I was even giving them a shot, except for the fact there isn't much else new around. There is more of a occult rock 70s vibe to this than post-punk. There is an organic quality like the Estranged. The drums are real and the guitar has some swagger to it. Songs like "Demon Tonight" support the occult rock leaning despite the frantic punk strum of the guitar. That is not to say there is not an 80s element to this as there is in the vocal melodies. There is something in opening notes to "The Devils Watching" that reminds me of "Pet Cemetary" by the Ramones. This returns in the bridge .

By the time we get to "Deadbeat" you can't deny that many of these songs operate under a very similar formula. Sometimes the punk is stronger and sometimes the witchy 70s dominates. the songs lean more toward punk in the fact they are short and punchy. The first dynamic shift the album takes is on "Down the Road". This is not the albums most compelling song.There is a little Patti Smith hidden in country like twang on "Bastard Child" . The song that follows is only a few degrees more punk carrying a similar twang and better lyrics. "Even Mothers" kinda blows by me like filler, but "Sin City" is a strong song. The album comes to an end on "Vultures Lament",this is the first song where I can hear the post -punk and its mainly in the drums. Regardless it does get darker and this is one of the better songs on the albums. It breaks away from the clanging formula the others began to follow, leaving only the passion the pound their instruments with to make up the difference.

I'll round this up to an 8. At times I was split as to if I wanted to go ahead and load this onto the iPod. While I enjoyed the listens I got I a not sure how this would grow on me as by the sort of music I normally listen to this comes up a little short on the dynamic side. That said these guys play with a ton of passion and if you are into darker punk with a fair amount of rock n roll in it then this is an album to not miss. Some of the vocals melodies will stick with you and expect bigger and better things from this band going forward.

7.6

Sept 27th

Larusso: " Life In Static"

This takes me back to the late 90's before Jimmyeatworld was a house hold name and pop punk had merged with the form of introspective punk Rites of Spring spawned that would be called emo. A word that now creates images of dyed hair teenagers that cut themselves, which looks more like goth, than where bands like Sunny Day Real estate came from. This band doesn't have as much in common with Sunny Day as they do bands like the Get-Up Kids and perhaps even the more refined pop hooks of Dashboard Confessional.

The lyrics are sung with conviction. I think this kind of pop music is a much more welcome memory than what currently resides on the radio. The vocals are sweeter than monotone , but there is the reluctance that characterized some of the more indie rock flavored flavored bands of this type, like Taking Back Back Sunday's less frantic moments or Sparta.

"the Voice might be the lead single from this album, but much like early Taking Back Sunday, every song tends to hit with a blend of punk punch and pop hooks. Bands like La dispute and the World is a Beautiful Place, also help propel the sort of emo revival that this band could benefit from, though they are more middle of the road and less experimental than either of those bands not venturing into the more screamo elements that were sometimes married with this sort of thing.

It only takes me until "Daniel WIth an L' to be convinced these guys are more effective than original with what they do. I like the very sonic chords they use. The vocals work around them  in a keenly honed ear for detail when it comes to the composition of these songs which is pretty air tight. Sure back in the days of Myspace, you could find a hundred bands that tread similar ground, but they have since all grown beards after they bought the second Brand New album and are off making post-rock now.

Often these guys are too optimistic for me both lyrically and the general feel of the melodies.But at one time I would have more eagerly latched onto this sort of thing, so I can appreciate what is going on here, I think I prefer the more bitter approach the Get Up Kids took. Sure more teeth could be used at times, but the songs ebb and flow well and they capture some pretty interesting guitar sounds in the more shimmering moments. So if you are currently not medicated for depression and you do not require such chemical enhancements then you might find this inspiring. You will find it an even better soundtrack if you live somewhere on the west coast, as the forecast is pretty sunny with a twenty percent chance of romance. Though the ambiguity in the metaphor of the lyrics keeps this from being just for teenage girls.

It's on "Places" where I realize the more straight up pop rock elements of what they do , were out hipstered by bands like Pinback and Minus the Bear, who introduced a more math rock element to this sort of thing, so it might sound a little straight forward if you are a fan of things that teeter more closely to the progressive elements of math rock as these guys root their sound more firmly in 4/4. I think where their chops are most polished is in the songwriting department.

The sugary strum of acoustic guitars on " Set Phasers to Stun" shuts the door  on any expectations for hardcore roots that once linger beneath this sort of thing . So no break down or gang vocals , some oohhs and ahhs, but this is about having fun more than making a rebellious statement. Its highly doubtful that any of these guys own any Converge. At their most rocking moment on "Collision Course" they are only as punchy as Jimmy Eat World or Saves the Day..

The balladry on " Take Me Away" costs these guys a little bit of their momentum and takes them closer to Postal Service's musical zip code, but it is well written and the addition of the female vocals doesn't come across as too melodramatic, though I can hear these guys providing the back ground music to CW shows to come Even the attempts to rock with conviction on "Dear Pandora" only further the hypothesis that I am too old and jaded for this sort of thing, but I suppose that is what comes with music journalism. . This does not take away from what these guys do, as they do it better than many of the Myspace bands that had a million of friends back in the early 2000s.

I was positive they were saving the breakdowns for the albums closer and give a big stag diving finish on "Chemical", but instead they go more the Dashboard route, but with some cool and well thought out harmonies coating everything. This lets me walk away knowing that if I am ever in a great mood and want something that is super catchy then I know where to look. However if you are under 30 and didn't catch the this sort of thing on the first go around then it's worth your time. If you did catch the first wave of this kind of Myspace rock and miss those days then it is also worth your times as these guys are pretty legit when it comes to capturing that vibe and giving their own well written spin to it.

Lovesick Saints: War Story/Dia De Los Muertos"

This Arizona band carries their influences on the slightly darker side of pop punk, it has a more Social Distortion angle to it, but without all the things I dislike about Social Distortion which is namely Mike Ness' voice.From a songwriting perspective Face to Face would be an apt comparison, as they give a finer eye to detail in the songwriting that is not just one to three go.

From the bag pipes at the beginning of "War Story" you might expect them to go all Dropkick Murphy's on your ass, but instead they stick to their slick hook filled style that continues to fall some where in between Social Distortion and the sneer of Green Day that surfaces in the vocal delivery Their strength seem to be the thoughtfully layered guitars , that carry melodies just as infectious as the vocals and sometimes even more so. They have a good guitar tone, that carries enough sonic scope to give the melodies more depth.


The palm muted chug at the beginning of "This ain't It " sets the songs up to become my favorite on this album, and it is dark enough that fans of Beastmilk might have something to latch their fangs into. I am pretty picky when it comes to punk rock and generally go for it when it meets the blurred line of goth, bands like the Damned, Samhain, T.S.O.L among others who took a turn for the darker once they learned how to play their instruments. the Saints here come close enough, though not moody enough to be post-punk, nor are they going for that. The darkest moment comes via " Empty". The guitar is picked out in a way that reminds me a little of the Dead Boys, though not a sleazy or drugged out. This song also has the most thoughtful and honest lyrics .

 They play their instruments well, so might lose cred for not being raw enough for some and giving a damn about their song writing rather than the two part formula most take on. All six songs do clock in at 21 minutes so they aren't being indulgent and keep things to the point. We can go round and round for hours about how punk this is or isn't , but like many of the sub-genres of metal you just have to say for the sake of sanity this is punk or it isn't. If you think Social D is punk then this is punk. It is after all just a label and one the band is not a slave too when constructing their sound. The title track burns with enough get up and go to convince most, though there is some rock n roll to these guys as well.

These guys are polished at what they do, it's good west coast flavored punk, I would be interested in hearing where these guys might go on a full length because there is a fair amount of variety on this ep. So if you are looking for new punk with a melodic edge check these guys out.



 

Up From the Underground: Arc&Stones

This E.P.  from the New York band is the surprisingly  soulful "Silence".  It's  90's  vibe  brings to mind a wide array of bands who once used a similar vocal approach, Maroon 5 the most recent of these . However, Arc&Stones don't have the Stevie Wonder funk going on, and more of grunge leaning, so think somewhere between Sevendust's more acoustic based moments and Chris Cornell solo work but with none of his Robert Plant worship.

One similarity to Temple of the Dog era Cornell, is they are quick to head to the balladry. The second song of this e.p."Say Goodbye" is piano heavy until it goes to the bridge where the guitars sweep in. The vocal trills might be appreciated to some one with a secret love of radio pop. The most "indie rock" element of this band is their guitars which use ample effects. The chorus of this one busts into some unexpected  cock-rock lite, none of the Motley Crue grime, think Sixx A.M. very slick and f.m radio ready, when radio was a thing. I guess in today's terms they would pop up on your Chris Cornell Pandora station.

It stays on the middle of the road side of power ballads, by the third song , I wonder if these guys area Christian rock band , if not its a market they need to explore or add a slide to make this cross over into country markets. There isn't enough raw blues to this to appeal to the Jack White fans who even they might suspect this of being a Christian band. The singer is really missing his calling as an American Idol contestant.

They switch up the guitar tones to try and make me eat my words, but it really reconfirms my suspicions, they need to develop a drinking habit or some vices next time they head into the studio. Because rock is like funk in that you can't fake. They are talented players sure, and if they weren't trying so hard to convince themselves they are making pop music they might write a decent song or two. It's like buying a pair of 500.00 dollar per-distressed jeans, they are not going to feel the same because they haven't been worn in by hard work .

They close it out with "Rise", I appreciate the production of this one the most and there's a solid groove to it, this seems to be the direction they have been trying to achieve most of the album. Granted it  rocks  like watered down Shine Down, but is more honest and sounds like an actual rock band. They played their first show a year ago so they still have some more blood, sweat and beers to fully find themselves.