WitchHands : "Nox Nihili

The death rock revival was more short-lived than I would have liked. We did get the likes of Alaric and Atriarch from it, and Astari Nite started off in that vein but has integrated more 80s sounds. So any addition to the genre is welcome. This is a re-imagining / re-recording of their first album, which I do not recall hearing, so this might as well be new. This death rock band leans into the more punk side of the genre. The vocals are belted with moments of creepy crooning. The pace picks up to more of your standard punk fare on the second song. I am not sure Wilson Pickett is best translated over into this sort of thing.

"Belle" creeps to life at first, but the vocals come in and bring a more bellowing explosion. The bombastic manner things are built is not unlike Killing Joke. The is more of a punk attack to "Demons". This makes the raw nature of the vocal make more sense. I can also hear how New Model Army might be an influence at certain points. "Ozymandias" finds the vocals taking on a more gruff bark. The drummer holds everything together, I am surprised the bass in not more crucial to the mix as that defined Christian Death's sound. 

"Night Falls" finds the guitar bringing a darker pulse. The song does build off this more melancholy pulse.  From this point on, the album pretty much goes in a more punk direction. The lyrics to getting more horror-oriented, which I can appreciate. The title track closes the album. It finds a pretty effective groove that is the first song that has a metallic edge to it, though this does give more of a Killing Joke vibe. I will give this album an 8, it's fun and very raw punk in its aesthetic. 

LIGHTS OF VIMANA : "Neopolis"

 I am always impressed when a band takes me somewhere different than where I expected and the album to go. This band does that. They are a doom supergroup featuring SLOW, Pantheist, and Void of Silence members. The ambiance they invoke leans into cinematic waves of synths. At times, they create an almost krautrock feel, which is where they diverge from my expectations. The opening track finds mournful sung vocals coming in with a low funeral doom-like growl, offering a call and response. It feels like the song should have ended at the eight and a half minute mark, yet they hold it together with fragile atmosphere. A pretty massive chug comes from this, which works to bring things to a climax. 

"Endure" feels more like early Katatonia. Though it builds into a much heavier vision of death doom, with the growled vocals sounding larger than life amid the boom of the mix, that brightens for guitar melodies.  The guitar solo is very tasteful. The ebb and flow of dynamics remains balanced to place the focus on the song. "Reals" leans into the atmosphere more than the previous song. The guitar playing is still pretty impressive. They jam off of a great deal of interesting sounds, but things tend to drift in this neon cloud the song floats on. The overall sound is still impressive. 

The neon cloud keeps floating in the title track, and while it's easy to get lured into the splendor it invokes, not a song that hooks me in, though to their credit, this is an album that you can leave on and just let play. The vocals hook in a little more solidly to "Remember Me".  The song itself is pretty epic, though, sticking with the common theme of this album, the atmosphere builds its climax, though they do keep more of a metal backbone here than most.  I will give this album a 9, as there is a great mood, and it does's own thing, which can be a rarity in doom that often relies too heavily on sounds of the past.

Drops June 13th on Dusktone. 

Chepang : "Jhyappa"

Based in New York, this grindcore band is from Nepal, and use the ethnic tones of their culture as window dressing for the music. The first actual song is just over a minute, and finds these guys riding cool riffs rather than using their time as wisely as some of the grind core bands we have praised in the past. "Gatichad" is three and a half minutes long, which gives them more time, though the vocals are just screamed as a texture, sometimes doubled with lower death metal growls. They are more metal and less punk than a band like GISM. 

The main emphasis of "Ek Hajar Jhut" is the fast blasting section, though they do bring it down to a more deliberate pace. The production is raw enough to capture the feel of what they are doing. "Khel' has some heavy chugs that are brought to a chaotic boil. "Drivya Shatki" is a little more deliberate, but it doesn't get anything we haven't already heard on this album from them on it. The song after it is more tediou and punk, though just over a minute, so the ambush of stiff riffing does not last the song. 

"Niryana" is more like death metal with a hardcore accent of gang vocals chiming in. "Bidhai" is an instrumental outro, but it might be the album's best-written composition, almost making it feel like a waste of fine riffing. I will give this an 8. it works for what it is, though I think people will hype this up as the band plays up the immigrant angle, which got them recognition in the hipster circles of New York. It drops May 23rd on Relapse Records. 

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Peter Murphy : " Silver Shade"

At 67, Murphy looks older than he sounds. The album up with an upbeat song that would not have been out of place on his 89 classic "Deep". It carries the new wave bounce, though not as dark as Bauhaus, it is true to the era. He keeps the '80s pulse going with "Hot Roy," which captures the late '80s synth pulse perfectly. Perhaps he is paying a great deal of service to his fan base, which is wise. His pipes stay fluid even when going up into the wavering vibrato of his upper register. 

Morrissey could stand to take notes here as Metropolis Records quietly dropped this album without a great deal of fanfare, and you can't tell me these guys or someone like Cleopatra would not release a new Moz album. "Sherpa" has "Cuts You Up" energy. However, the hook is not as sharp as that song. This song has a very raw, organic production sound that is interesting. The title track grooves with a little more of a smouldering slither. It rides the synth bass tone hard. Not really going to pop hooks on the choruses, but they work. Some of his later solo work has been more along the lines of Dead Can Dance, so this is a welcome return to the punk-inflected roots. 

"The Artroom Wonder" has more of a disco pulse to it. If it were not for his trembling baritone, this could almost be a Depeche Mode song. Not as funky as 'Stayin' Alive" but heading in that direction. There is more of a 90s hip grinding to the tension of the pulse to "The Meaning of My Life", voice swelling to a more powerful climax on the chorus here. The song structure is often simple on this album, but dynamically effective. "Xavier New Boy" is marginally darker and more reflective as it unfolds in a dramatic build.  He is back in motion for "Cohita is Lame". This perhaps feels more like Bauhaus than the songs before it, even with the synth riff 

The most guitar-driven rock moment so far comes from "Soothsayer."  Then things switch over to a more exotic Middle Eastern flavor tango for "Time Waits," which is more like his more recent solo efforts. The dramatic ballad "The Sailmaker's Charm" does not connect as much with me as the previous songs. The is a slight Beatles vibe to it at times. Though it might be more compelling that the ballad he does a duet with Boy George on. This is another one where I can hear a Beatles-like atmosphere in the background. Boy George's voice has not held up as well as Murphy's. Despite this, the rest of the album nails it pretty hard, and it's impressive that he found his way back to this place and delivered in this manner I will give it a 9.5, way more impressive than Billy Idol's new one. 

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Activity : "A Thousand Years In Another Way"

 The last album reviewed by this band was their previous effort, "Spirit in the Room". This one starts off with a tenser, more brooding vibe. The fragile vocals still bring Radiohead to mind. They employ swathes of sonic noise to create the atmosphere here. The second song features female vocals and is more atmospheric, but in an almost whimsical manner. "We Go Where We Are Not Wanted' is more like the more experimental post- "Ok Computer" era of Radiohead. Their sounds are well-layered, but the beat brings this comparison further to mind. 

There is a more conventional song structure to the lazy strum of "Your Dream," which seems to find them more well-fitted into their own identity as artists. Midway into the song, the drugs begin to kick in. The mood reminds me more of Blonde Redhead. It makes sense that "Scissors" would be the lead single for this album as it finds the best balance of all the band's varied elements. "Heavy Breathing' drips out of this song, and is a more atmospheric jam. 

"Her Alphabet" drifts more deeply into its own cloudy ambiance. "I Came Here to Hurt" sounds like a Smashing Pumpkins ballad, but without any of the band's '90s grunge influence. It ambles with more of an indie rock shuffle. It builds a little in the final minute, but nothing that we would refer to as heavy here. The last song does not deviate from the mood of the album, which is a wistful ambiance with an introspective undertone. Perhaps a little more sedate and less dynamic. I will give this one a 9, as I think their songwriting has improved and they captured some impressive sounds. 

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Who Not to Miss At Welcome to Rockville 2025 (a curated guide)

 

Lots of bands are playing throughout the weekend at Welcome to Rockville this year, with festival set times compressed, you need to make the most of your time, while still giving yourself time to rest, so you make it to Sunday. Here is a guide to getting the most from your money, with the bands that are going to give you your money's worth. Let's face it, tickets for the entire weekend are expensive, even on the payment plan. from. I am not suggesting the most popular bands, so if you want to avoid the crowded stages, this list is for you. Given the fact that I hate most radio rock, we are going to be avoiding that and picking the most interesting artist who delivers consistently live. You can argue these picks all you want, but can the 2 million that read this blog be wrong? So let's jump into it...

Thurs

Inferno Stage 

Frozen Soul

 1 to 1:25 

Saw these guys open for Amon Amarth and Cannibal Corpse, they are crushing. 

Garage Stage

Candy

2:10 to 2:35 

This band is kicking off our campout at the Garage Stage, which is always a solid plan to find a spot and get comfy. High energy, hard-core that is willing to experiment, they are filling the void left by Code Orange, who just went on indefinite hiatus.  

Harm's Way

3:05 to 3:30

This band's burly metallic stomp blends hardcore fury with industrial weight; they are incredible. 

Full of Hell

4:00 to 4:30

Last conert I went to saw these guys blowing Better Lovers of the stage with their spastic blend of blackened grindcore drenched in bizarre sounds. 

Converge

5 to 5:30

Have seen this band multiple times, they always bring it, the godfathers of metalcore. 

HEALTH

6 to 6;35

The perfect blend of detached androgynous vocals muses over the end of the world, while bringing the beats to bring said apocalypse. 

Quicksand

7:05 to 7:45

Ok, no Deftones. You are getting one of their ex-bass players and a band that influenced them. 

Apex Stage 

The Pretty Reckless 

8:00 to 9:00

Thankfully replacing 3Doors Down, the sultry Taylor Momsen and friends have impressed me with their last couple of albums, and by this point, you will want to switch things up a bit, and they promise to be a fun live band. 

Octane 

Rob Zombie 

9:05 to 10:15

Sure, he now makes big, dumb music for people who drink domestic beer and like goth girls, but he is also a total pro who puts on a great show

Friday

Vortex Stage

Left to Suffer

12:35 to 1 

Their take on metal-core is fresh, but legit, worth waltzing through the gates at noon for. Then you have most of the day to relax and just take in the sights as this is the weakest lineup of the weekend. 

Octane Stage

Bush 

5:15- 6:00

One of the last great bands from the grunge era was not even from Seattle; these guys continue to put out great stuff that is better than what most of their peers who are still alive from this period are doing.

Inferno Stage

Jinjer

6:45- 7:25

At this point, does this band need an introduction? They are great at what they do, and bring live harder than other bands playing at this time slot.  

Aliee in Chains was supposed to play the 7:50 -8:50 slot, but cancelled, so I suppose as a default, if you have to check a band out, go see Killswitch Engage, but I felt like the last Killswitch album was so mediocre it bored me, so I can't stand my recommending a band I personally would not stand through, so take a break and position your self to be near the Vortex Stage for my next recommendation.  

Vortex Stage

Knocked Loose

9:10 - 10:00

If you have a friend who would pick Good Charlotte over these guys, you need to get new friends. Ending their set at 10 gives you time to get out while the idiots at the main stage are watching Billie Joe try to pass off 90s pop music as punk

Saturday 

Vortex Stage

Havok

2:30 - 2:55

Hope you enjoyed sleeping in, eating breakfast, and hitting the gym before your casual stroll in to get really woken up by these thrashers. You also get to camp out at this stage for the bulk of the day. 

Nails

3:35 -4:05

The second heaviest band of the weekend

Obituary 

6:05 - 6:40

Florida legends always deliver

Acid Bath

7:30- 8:10

These guys were the main reason I wanted to go, but they booked a show in St. Pete! Any metal band out after 1991 owes them a debt of gratitude. Dax Riggs is the most underrated metal singer ever. 

Octane Stage

Pierce the Veil 

9:05 - 10:15

You're are not gonna want to see another heavy band after Acid Bath, and these guys might be a pop band, but they are a lot of fun, and write cute lil tunes to smoke one to. 

Sunday

Vortex Stage 

Sanguissugabogg

1:35 to 2 

The heaviest band of the weekend

Gatecreeper

2:35- 3:05

Keeping the death metal day going, these guys are sure to be headbanging fun. 

Garage Stage 

200 Stab Wounds 

4:00- 4:30

Their last album was killer, and they are the future of death metal. 

Deafheaven 

7:05- 7:45

It was hard to consider Deftones heavy after seeing Deafheaven play before them a few years ago. 

Powertrip 

8:15 - 9;05

Never saw them with their original vocalist, but can't imagine his more hardcore-leaning delivery would be hard to replicate. 

Apex Stage 

Korn 

10:20- 11:50

Haven't seen these guys since "Life is Peachy," and while their output has been a mixed bag in recent years, they should still be fun. 

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Pixel Grip : "Perceptide the Death of Reality"

 This interesting electronic band has been on my radar for a minute. Their new album opens with an atmospheric pop song that simmers in introspection. The alluring vocals of Rita Lukea, give everything a sex dripping sheen, as they jump into dark 90s techno for the second song. She grinds her hips into the dance floor for "Stamina" as she asks daddy to come over and fuck her over and over to this dark wave influenced throb. Works for me. They are not just here for your erotic delight, as Rita gets angry on "Reason to Stay," which is more industrial influenced than actual industrial music. 

Imagine a world where Lady Gaga did no have a team of producers writers her songs for her and she did not give a shit about keeping up with the jones on the radio, the results might be similar to "Insignificant". Things begin to darken for "Noise," making me think of Chelsea Wolfe's more electronic output as the vocals occupy a more ghostly place, though this one has a more dancey groove than what Chelsea does. "Moment With God" moves with a more '90s alt energy. 

They dance closer to the kind of brooding sonic throb that bands like Boy Harsher make on "Split". Rita's vocal range is wider, giving her the chance to add some brighter emotional colors to her delivery.  "Last Laugh" has an awesome groove, making it one of the album's best songs. "Work or Shut Up" is on the more booty-shaking end of the '90s electro spectrum. "Jealousy is Lethal" has a playful melody that is more pop than not. 'Gonna Be Faster" is more like an indie pop ballad. I will give this album a 9.5, I really like this album a lot , if you are looking for something that is pop, but not in the pre-packaged radio friendly box, with darker 90s vibes then this album is for you as well. 

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