With darker synths opening the album with a groove, it feels like they are expanding from the militant industrial anthems. Granted, that is still embedded in who they are, but it reminds me of their earlier work. Andy has become a better vocalist over the years. Not a great one, but able to apply more vocal color. There is a coldwave-like feel to the first three songs, with more drive; it's more electronic than industrial, but it works for me. "Born Destroyer" finds the more familiar aggression creeping back in.
"Feraline" finds a more balanced approach employed. The synths are moderately aggressive but more focused on you doing a stompy goth dance. Not only some of the latter-era Skinny Puppy songs. "Rise" is the first song that finds them stepping back into a more Post-Rammstein-flavored industrial. But it is not a deal-breaker. "Venom" shows that being more conventional and industrial is not a bad thing, and it works when done well, putting songwriting at the forefront. With songs like the more spoken word thumper "stfu" this can be hit or miss. Though on second listen even that one begins to grow on me with its 90s sensibilities.
"Each Scar a Vision" has a more dancefloor-churning throb, with the aggression dialed back."Only Here For a Good Time" holds the cold wave tension as the beat pushes things forward. Lyrically this album is darker than it is sonically, as heard on "The Way We Want to be Seen". It holds more in common with Nine Inch Nails musically, though Andy talks his way through it. "Demons Wanna Be Cummon" holds a similar groove but is sonically more dynamic. The last song is more guitar-oriented and has a maringally more organic feel. I think this album is a step forward for this band, as the songwriting is a notch better, so I will give it a 9.5 and see how it sits with me.
If these guys did not do Rhea Ripley's entrance music, I would probably not review this album, as I have been less than impressed with their arena-ready nu-metal dressed up as goth. So here ya go, Rhea, I'm doing this for you. The title track is what I expect from them, but it does have a groove and the massive sound that finds them headlining at festivals. The sung vocal hook is predictable but works for what they do. It has the big breakdown that is heavier than you might guess these guys get, unless you are a fan, then you know what to expect here. The second song has more electronic elements in play, but when the verse really kicks in, it's along the lines of Linkin Park, but with a more emotive vocal that goth kids might like. However, the anthemic chorus jsut sucks. It's kind of a crucial thing to go too commercial with, as it shits on the other cool stuff going on.
Eminem's frequent collaborator Skylar Gray shows up on "R.I.P". She does what she does for Slim Shady, so that is not a surprise. Chris Motionless' voice sounds better than what I have heard from him in the past. "Fight Like Hell" sounds like all the rock festival metalcore bands. To their credit, he sings more often than not, though the chorBut it cerus is kinda dumb; the rapped second verse is better than what I assumed him to be capable of. Though it paints them into the nu-metal corner. Cory Taylor shows up for "Playing God," so there is another nu-metal point on the board. His vocals are pretty dominant, and Chris does a good job of blending with him. They do have a predictable songwriting formula in place. But the masses are stupid and won't notice. Hey, I never said Rhea had the best taste in music.
"All That I've Ever Known" has more of that Linkin Park feel I picked up on earlier.. It also has another big dumb chorus. The singer of Dark Divine shows up on "Blood Rave". This is a more modern take on nu-metal run through a synth wave filter. The hooks are poppy but work for what they are doing. Some elements seem to draw inspiration from the Faint that is very subtle. "Love at First Bite" tries to play into the vampire imagery, but is not far from what a synth wave band like "Gunship" does. Singing by vampires does not mean this is not pop, but lucky for them, I like pop music. "Count Back From Zero" sounds like they are drawing inspiration from Strvngers who were doing this sort of thing almsot a decade ago, ironic that is what this album is called. But Strvngers have not done anything new in a while.
"Blood Pact" is on the more predictable side of metalcore when it's in its heaviest moments, as it sounds like they are more inspired by synth pop. At times, this finds them sounding more like Korn. "Afraid of the Dark" blends the synth wave sounds with the more metal core past of the band. When they try to play heavy, it feels like they are trying too hard and just touching on the most expected tropes/ As expected, they pull off a convincing cover of Cory Hart's "Sunglasses at Night". Motionless does not have the greatest falsetto, but the song works. This album is better than expected. I will give it a 9, feels like Spirit Halloween" if you are a teenager, I can see how this might get you pumpoed for Halloween, but it's not a goth album.
I reviewed the Prevail" EP single earlier in the year. Now unpacking the new ep. Three of those songs are, of course, on here, and with a second listen, my thoughts have not changed alot. It's going to be up to the vocals to impress me more. I do like when they are layered more on the second song, "Western Horror Story," which wa also on the three-song single. "Space" is a new one and a little more atmospheric in how the guitars sit in the mix. There is a Cure vibe to it for sure. The breathy whisper of the vocals is kind of anti-climactic. The girl's voice is more expressive; she needs to take the mic more.
The title track finds the guitars locking into a similar post-punk drive that held a similar tension to the previous songs. The vocals are not straying too far from what we've heard already. This song has more energy behind it and packs a more solid punch.I do like it when they rock out. "Closer" to you maintains the momentum established, so if yo are just grooving, you might not notice. It is the more nuanced mood of the guitar in "Satisfy" that catches my ear. They make this one more dynamically and compensate for the vocals, proving they can write great songs when they set their sights on it.
"A Perfect End" was on the three-song single, and it closes the album here, so let's see if a second listen changes my mind on it. It is darker than the bulk of this album, and the guitar melody that runs through it is catchy, but much like Boy Harsher, the monotone vocals are just a breathy whisper in the drone. I will give this one a 9, which is higher than what the single got, so the extra songs added more textures and did not make the dull vocals a factor, as I had more sound to choose from.If you like post-punk, it is worth your time.
While capturing the dark mood you want from Tricky, this album features singer Mitch Sanders, who opens the album. Sanders employs a light Thom Yorke-like falsetto. This song drones a bit with an organic bass line. They are both from Bristol, but on the second song, there is a more Brit pop feel with rock guitar that crashes in, and some of the moody electronic elements sink to the bottom of the mix. Tricky's trademark low, gravelly whispered croak is layered under Sanders' main vocal. He does step up and take over the mic in a manner that makes this sound more like his album on "Be Still In the Pain". When Run Red Rambo's rap comes, it makes things click into place much better.
Things get maringally more experimental on "I Tried". It's clear after three songs in that this album is going to be widely different from what we typically expect from him. In reviewing this, I have to put aside the fact that I am a fan of albums like "Post-Millennium Tension" and try to listen to this with fresh ears, not colored by past expectations. There is more of a Brit -pop feel to "So Cold." It begins to feel like they have pushed things a little too far from Sonic's zipcode that Tricky normally resides in with "Paris Maybe". I don't have a problem with this collaboration; it just sounds more like a Mitch Sanders album than a Tricky album. Aside from the hometown connection,
I am not sure what drew him to this guy. I think a more intersting album might have been made with a collaboartion with Joji, Chelsea Wolfe, or Xiu Xiu."Cannon Fodder" is almost too abstract and vocal-centered."Because I Don't Know" at least has his vocal sitting in a more appropriate place, even with the weird synth groove. "Marinade" at least has Tricky's voice coming to the forefront. Musically, it has more in common with the Beatles. "Radana" features the rapper of the same name, which feels more like a Tricky song, and Sanders' voice works well in the hook. "Piano" feels like a James Blake ballad of sorts. "Frontier Town" sounds like it's from a movie soundtrack. They strip things down to an acoustic guitar for 'Hengrove Blues," which works well enough for what it is. Good songs are good songs even if this is a wild left turn, so I will give it a 9; it's just not the album I was expecting.
This Swedish trio is thrashing out this time around. By the second song, there is more rock n roll swagger as the chords ring out with a more western feel. Then they got full throttle while still flirting with reverb-heavy rock guitars. It brings Kvelertak to mind. I am not sure I would call this black n roll, though it is heading in that direction, and the vocals are unrepentant in their attitude and snarling. If it were an entire album like the rowdiness summoned on "You Gotta Possess Me" I would get bored, but hopefully this exorcism of energy allows them to approach the rest of the album with more dynamics and nuance.
The western sounds that open "In Search of Oblivion' do resurface to add more atmosphere to the furious rocking, but it is mainly focused on the uptempo thrash rock.. These elements they are experimenting with should have been given more space in a manner that would hold greater bearing on the direction they were heading on "Rotting Chapels," and it would have been more intersting. Not sure why Western music is being blended with black metal with such frequency in the past few years, but that is where we are at.
"Bleeding Ages" brings these elements to this album for the first time, adding a spooky post-punk vibe. At various points in the album, these western sounds clang out in a manner that evokes a rockabilly feel. I would not be surprised if the Cramps were an influence on them. At times, the feral energy gets the best of them, "Volatile Insight " being one of those moments. Their fascination with rootsy American music goes so far that they bust out slide guitar on " Ain't Fit To Live".The more deliberate beat is what sets this song apart. It gives things an almost Aerosmith feel.
The sung vocals on "Wasteland Strider' are an improvement and a needed dynamic shift. Midway into this song, it takes an awesome turn into a cool groove, the best song of the album so far."Wanderlust" shows none of the restraint or melody the previous song had. Overall, this is a great direction for the band and a step forward. I will give it a 9.5 and see if it grows on me. It drops October 30th on Reigning Pheonix Music.
This electronic artist from Manchester plays a dark mix of dream-pop that warbles its way into something that is vvitch house adjacent at times. The opening track mesmerizes you with its sound, then the second song finds him proving he can write songs as well, but in such a way that it sets the tone for the rest of the album. "The Words' is more upbeat and comes across like a lo-fi version of early Cold Cave. But it still works, though I hope the rest of the album is not in this direction, but more like the first two songs. I would be more likely to call this cold wave than dark wave as it's not as dark and less dramatic, with the dream pop atmosphere he dips into from time to time softening the mood.
"Real Life" finds the synths coming more forward, before they really head out to the dance floor on "Power Blue" which is weird enough for me to like it. I can hear Cold Cave comparisons, with his voice being the main thing that separates the two, as it's a more delicate touch than the cavernous croon Wesley employs. The groove darkens on ''Follow Me Home", I can easily hear this fitting into a goth night DJ set. It was pointed out to me that they also might be compared to Drab Majesty, but this is more driving dance music.
There is a more early Depeche Mode feel to " Love Like Glue". It is another dance floor banger. I think the fact there is a diverse range of sounds on this album rather than just painting himself into a corner."Sweetness and Light" finds them getting into murkier waters as they float into a shoegaze haze. Their darkest. Moment closes the album. If it wasn't for the vocals, this might cross over into gth whih would be the second song to really do so. Just so we are clear, this is not a goth album, but it is adjacent enough to appeal to the cross-section of the fan base that is into the newer indie electronic music. I think it captures a great mood as I am a sucker for hypnotic, drugged-out music so I wil give it a 9.5.
This band took the number five spot on our top 10 Doom albums of 2023 with their last album "The Loss of Beauty" so they have a great deal to live up to based on the magnitude of their legacy, as their 2017 "Black Drapes of Tomorrow" made the top 10 best prog albums of that year, showing how their style has changed over the years. The opening track to their 5th album is a little more straightforward but powerful and melodic. The emphasis feels like it is more placed on songwriting, though the second song sounds more like My Dying Bride, so perhaps this is another step into a different corner of doom. "Bleed to Life" is somewhat in line with this sthought has it feels almost like H.I.M. It is well written, so I have few complaints.
The title track follows the path laid out by the previous song. There is more rock drive on this album than doom despair. Growled vocals surface when this song builds up. There is also another factor that has not held as much of a prescence this time around. There is a slight return to death metal on "Dreaming of a Scar' which is effective as the album was beginning to get dynamically flat, working off the same vibe. This sounds like it could be 80s-era Sentenced. The tow vocals styles balance each other out. We are back to the more melancholic metal for "Society is the Murderer".
The flirt with death-doom for the crushing mood of "The Numbing Void," which feels like a step sideways. The drums pound on as a driving force for "Another Breath" that feels more like Paradise Lost. The last song follows a similar formula, though it leads off in a more melodic direction, but still has the dark Euro-metal of the 90s feel. This might not be the most original formula in play, however, it is entertaining and sounds great I will give this album a 9.
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