Dummy : "do you love the color of the sky?"

 

Not sure how much indie rock I have covered this year; it feels like not enough, as every album turns out to be noise rock or metalcore these days, so here we go. It starts with a driving pop ditty with electronic drums dancing around it, then mellows out for the second song, which has the more indifferent male vocal tones you associate with indie rock. In some ways, it makes me think of a less depressed, more electronic version of Jesus and Mary Chain. The poppier opening trakc wa more unique.

 There are more 90s dream-pop things going on with "Full Spectrum Dominance" that did not match up with that song title. It's a good song, though. When it comes to the quirky Squeaky Wheel," the emphasis seems to be on the beat rather than vocals, going for more of a sound than songwriting. "Touch the Perfect Speed" finds the male vocals returning. It's more upbeat and closer to what you expect from this sort of thing. "Song of Mana" is moodier and more intersting than the previous song. It wanders out into re-mix like jam. "Omen Globe" is another dancey tune. It's more upbeat, like the Sugarcubes. 

"N of 1" has more of that 90s breakbeat. Her vocals balance it out. She is, in fact, not ready for another one of those block rocking beats. She is singing about the anti-Christ, which is intersting. "Heavens What You Make of It" sounds like it came from the more stoned side of 90s alternative radio. I like what they are doing here; I'm unsure how much I will listen to this one, as I am loaded down with dream pop, but I appreciate the thoughts. Enough, in fact, to give it a 9, putting it in the upper tiers of this year's indie rock so far. 

Sicksense : "Funerals"

 This had been on my to-do list for a second, but it is going to be the last nu-metal-to-metalcore album I review for a while unless something really wows.  Canada jsut loves this shit; it has all the elements from this era of the 90s that you could want: rap and female pseudo-goth drama. The first song works for the novelty of what they are doing, but I'd like to see different sonic colors. 

"Newsflash' starts off more like 311. It is almost too upbeat when left to its own devices before the crunch kicks in with its detuned weight. It is not as effective as what they do on the first song, but doesn't suck either."Sellers Remorse" feels like it's a continuation of the previous song, as they really have two major dynamics to employ, then things begin to sound the same. The riffing is generic and carries the typical nu-metal bounce even if it is a well-produced take on the genre.

The last song is a power ballad of sorts that no one really needed. It drags on for little reason and feels like an interlude in a Disney musical even when the drums kick in.I will give this an 8, as they are good at what they do, the chick has a decent voice, and it kinda hot. The rapping works most of the time, theey could stand to be a little darker, but oh well, I am sure some kid will like this.  

 

Violent Omen : "Locomotive of Chaos"

 This is the 4th full-length by the Ukrainian thrash band that is as technical as they are aggressive, creating something that sounds likea cross between Kreator and Possessed at times. Some ripping guitar abounds, but this attacks your ear with more of a crazed frenzy than the kind of hooky riffs that landed thrash on Headbangers Ball. They do move closer to that direction at times on "The 24 Faces of Lunacy' which at times sounds more like if the Mothers of Invention were a thrash band

"Killdozer Rampage" finds them racing off at a rapid rate but still remembering they are writing songs and not just shredding. "Path of Illumination" finds the crazed snarl of vocals screaming out over some of the most nuanced and melodic playing yet on this album, not unlike 'Master of Puppets' era Metallica to some extent.  "Shared Sky" had more groove but also the kind of mathy twists and turns Coroner uses. 

There is a more Carcass vibe to "Unit 731' that finds some of the guitar showboating taken to extremes in a few sections. Granted, an audience of young would-be shredders might appreciate this. I certainly put much more stock in this as a kid. If you did not get enough prog-infected thrash they are dialing up both the prog andd the thrash for the last song "Telling Lies"; I will give this speed fest a 9, as it balances its fury andd chops well. If you like technical thrash, then these guys have you covered. 

pst442

Beaten to Death : "Vntrve"

 

At first you might think this band from  Norway has clearly outgrown grindcore. They are too groovy on the opening track, though they get back to the insane screaming andd blasting on the second song. I enjpyed their previous album 'Sunrise Over Rigor Mortis," so I was excited to check this one out. It feels a little more organic than the last album, like they just stuck a mic in the jam space and started recording, which, for what they do, is not a band sound. The bass gets a nu-metal thumping at times. When they lock into some of the more blast parts, it feels more death metal than not. The vocals are tormented but less angry this time around. 

"The Tolerator" has a thrashier riff that meets the more chaotic choices of the drummer.  You can hear some of the hardcore influence buried in here. Most of the songs now have them venturing out past the two-minute mark. There is even a touch of rock n roll at times. 'Scroll On Homeboy" starts with a mean riff that deserves the title; they return to it, and it seems like it's obviously a jab at Pantera, given they use their song titles and lyrics in the song.  Granted, these guys would exist without Pantera, so the joke is on them. "Sunburnt Satanist" has a laugh at black metal, which, given where they are from, makes sense.

"Fuck the Moon" is chaotic, with another touch of black metal about it, which is something I did not hear much on the previous album. "Du er ug Mod" is darker and more punk, but works for what it is. It is only moderately spastic. It feels like a more deliberate song structure.  "My Dying Little Pony" races around a syncopated shuffle. "Momento Sugo" is too brief to establish it as more than an idea. "Satan Spawn the K-pop Demon" jabs at Deicide. The title track closes the album with a more straightforward pounding. The riffs are pretty mean. I will give this one a 9.5 and see if it grows on me, if you are looking for fun chaos here you go.

pst441

BRYMIR : "What We Leave Behind"

Here's a death metal band from Finland that embraces a racing thrash style of the genre that is very grandiose, with layers of Viking choruses in the background, but better than what Amon Amarth is doing. This is due to the aggression they hit these songs with. The first actual song is pretty fast, which works for an introduction that kicks the door in, but hopefully they won't try to maintain this speed for the duration of the album. Not the most original take, but they are throwing themselves into this with a great deal of conviction. 

It is a very cleanly produced album, as the solos all stand out and you are never lost in a wall of dense sound barreling at you. You are going to hear this year. They are technically proficient and armed with the drive to do this, but in two songs it seems to be littlei nth way of dynamics, as they never take their foot off the gas. The title track eases into it rather than starting out at hyper speed from the jump, but they do kick in when the verse is off to the races. It comes across as too happy for my tastes despite the anger of the main vocal snarling with conviction. "True Darkness' takes away all the flowery symphonic atmosphere to hit more likea post-Vincent Morbid Angel blast fest.

"Buried Legion" has an almost Dimmu Borgir-like feel.  There is not a great deal that I am hearing to set these guys apart. Sure, they can play their instruments, but at the end of the day, it boils down to what sets these guys apart from other death metal albums I own that makes me want to listen to this rather than Frozen Soul or At the Gates? For someone like me who has already reviewed 450 albums so far this year, there is not a great deal of time to waster when it comes to listening to music on my own time, so to move to the head of the pack you have to stand out and have songs that hook me in. With the rise of AI this is more important, as there is not much here to separate them from AI songs doing something similar with sweeping harmony parts. 

This album is also not that dark, and some of the big anthemic chorus sections sweeping in brighten it up further, which is odd considering how most music from Finland is dark given the prevelence of alcoholism in that country. The album cover is way darker than the music inside. 'The Roaring Kind' is a chug away from sounding like an anime opening theme. The abundance of guitar solos and synths plays into this. Just fast playing does not equate to heavy; the more purposeful riffs employed here are stifled by major keys, the same problem power metal has: "How Much is the Fish"  almsot sounds like a joke; there is too much folk metal in it.  I will give this album a 7. If death metal is too dark and intense for you then this is a good entry point.Out on Napalm Records.  

pst440

ARMS "I Wish You Were Down Here With Me"

The album opens with a raw, frenetic brand of core screamed hardcore, not unlike The Locust or Converge in it's chaotic intentions. They kept the intensity up with the more double-bass-propelled assault for "In A Glass Cage' as the use of effects on the vocals feels more like early Today is the Day, but with more of a metallic energy. "Call My Fucking Name" finds the moan Deftones-like vocal coming in; this song is more experimental but also less focused. They continue this vibe in a more pummeling fashion for "Say I  For Me".  Dynamically, this song works a little better than the previous song, but the frantic riff shifting can be alot to keep up with if you are not ready for it. 

"Ero Guro" finds them converting over to the more nu-metal groove that leans into this Deftones/ Glassjaw vibe, with a more atmospheric haze haunting the song with a sensual slither. Normally I am not down with bands borrowing this heavilly from a band I already like, but it works well enough here. "Placebo Fuck" sounds like neither Placebo nor fucking. It is very chaotic and in your face, so more like jackhammer on meth fucking. They do go into a more Jesus Lizard tension with a riff it breaks down into. Some actual singing comes in midway through the song, but it sits way back in the mix. 

"Nubile Contagion" carries more of a rock n roll groove. It makes for a more crazed syncopation, and it goes into the kinda crazed borderline nu-metal/powerviolence-inflected math-core that is this album's lifeblood. At two minutes, "I Wish" is a more finely coiled punch. "You Were Down" is more effective as it's heavier and more deliberate. It feels more harrowing. At almost 7 minutes long, "Here With Me"  feels almost more like Dillinger Escape Plan in how it weaves and bobs through the labyrinth of angry riffs. The sung vocals return, and a guitar solo surfaces as well. 

"Salo" opens with an electronic thump that helps to break things up. The main riff sounds like it could be from a Rob Zombie song. I also enjoy the darker mood created on "Pass Away" as it's doomy and thus more foreboding. This makes the parts where they come in with the screaming andd temper tantrums more effective.. Overall, this Orlando-based band takes familiar elements and makes them their own. I will give this album a 9,5, and see how often i return to it, but if you are into chaotic metalcore that understands the assignment when it comes to the hardcore side of the equation, then this might be your bag of tricks. The album doesn't drop until December 4th, so hopefully the track below can keep you statisfied til then. 

pst439

Slothrust : "What They Grow in the Garden"

I am not sure I am as current on all their most recent releases, as it looks like some might have slipped between the cracks. This album, however, finds them returning to a more rock sound after some interesting flirtations with experimental pop. In some ways, it makes me think of Forget Cassettes. The drumming is a little more prog, with weird timing that keeps you guessing. "Smile" finds a Muse-like tension lurking in the song's pulse. Her voice accentuates this well. The chorus is heavier than what you expect from them. Lyrically, there seem to be some intersting lyrical themes regarding mental health. 

The more aggressive rock brooding still laces "Ring the Bell," which has a 90s alternative feel.  It's intersting that they are on Equal Vision this time around, as it was once a hardcore label. There is a more post-hardcore feel to "Twusted Paradise," though her vocals smooth this out. "Hearst Castle" has more of a reggae feel to the guitar, as she narrates a story with a Tom Waits-like cadence. Though not adopt a gravelly vocal tone. Not what I expected from them, but they are known for switching it up dramatically. "00101001" is more of a ballad until the shift in the chorus to a more alt-rock crunch. Once again, you can draw comparisons to Muse here. 

"What a Night" opens with a more atmospheric piano line before it gradually gains momentum. Her voice glides over it in a higher, lighter fashion. Then a burly Muse-like bass line collides with it to bring things to a crescendo for a few measures of this slow burn with moments of release. I like Muse's new album and see them as a prog band packaged for pop, which can also be said of how the band is evolving, though they started with a grungey sound. "Absoulte Power" has a somewhat more roots-blues-based backbone. It remidns me of something you might hear in a New Orleans dive bar. There are several layers of instrumentation sitting at the back of the mix. 

"Keep Us Thirsty" expands and contracts with more rock tension. The drumming on this album is pretty great. "The Lake" is a more typical rocker, though with syncopated interplay. "Dystopian Cemetery" closes the album. It builds like a boozy showtime power ballad. Lyrically, it's pretty intersting. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. They continue to be ambitious even if they are falling into a more accessible rock side of alternative rather than the grunged-out rock they once were, but such is the nature of growth. 

psat438