Crashdiet : " Automaton"

 

This band has been in my awareness for some time, as I have watched the hair metal revival of the mid 2000s from the corner of my eye. Though I have really only been impressed with Vains of Jenna. Like most of the higher quality stuff in this vein, this band is from Northern Europe. These Swedes have been at it for over 20 years, so are still going pretty strong as this has a big sound and is very polished. The first song makes me think of a power metal version of Bon Jovi. The second second is more upbeat, though not as power metal in it's intentions as "No Man's Land". In the 80s there were plenty of bands that kind of bridged the gap between power metal and hair metal , Queensryche being one of them. 

As far as songwriting goes , I think "Darker Minds" is stronger than the two previous songs, though the ghosts of Myspace haunt their overall sound..   "Dead Crusade" is a more accurate take on the 80s sound though pumped up with a really well produced guitar sound, well at least for this sort of thing. Sometimes this plays against them as the song "Powerline" is to happy for my tastes and reminds me more of bands like Europe. They bounce back from this with an almost "Cowboys From Hell" like aggression to "Resurrection of the Damned".  Generally this hovers near the edge of what kids these days consider metal, largely I would agree this albums drifts more into hard rock territory.  The bright melodic choruses contribute to this. Their singer has a decent set of pipes on him though not a great deal of grit to his voice. With that said this is still a heavier album than the new Ghost. 

"Shellshock " does not work as well to keep the cheese that normally coast this sort of thing from beginning to ripen upon it. Perhaps it is the gang vocals on the chorus. The guitar tone on "Unbroken" is too Dragon Force for my tastes. I think the melodies are a little heavy handed on this one. It closes with the ballad "I Can't Move On" , which has some great guitar playing and his voice excels here. Of all the sounds they have brought to the table here it might not be the one I prefer the most as it is more like Extreme , but they make it work. I will give this album a 9 as for what they are doing they have excelled at it, the things I do not like about it are more stylistic choices. 

Famyne : "II: The Ground Below"

While you can hear echoes of Candlemass in lead singer Tom Vane's delivery, they have carved their own dark doomy place out with the impressive sonics here. The grungy touches that reach out from the 90s claim "Solid Earth", giving it almost more of a hard rock feel despite the pounding the drums and the guitar team up to bring. The moments like the droning simmer of "Gone" that find this band stepping away from the confines of the genre and taking things in a more sonic direction that I deeply appreciate. They continue down a less travelled path with "A Submarine" which might come closer to Katatonia sonically than doom. It has a hazy wandering feel. The powerful wail of his vocals adding to the dynamic swell the song builds into. 

"Babylon" lurches with a heavier crunch that recalls more traditional doom, with the band really worshipping at the altar of Black Sabbath. Midway into it ebbs down to a more broken-down take on the verse where the bass holds things down before the guitar teases a solo. Vane's vocals grow more dramatic and his vibrato, warbles with more force as the album carries on. "Once More" makes me think of what it might have sounded like if the Scorpions decided to right a goth song in the late 80s . Which while heavier would have tipped the scales for this album in a more metallic direction, I am fine with goth Scorpions. Sure there is grunge influence to this album, but what I appreciate it there is never a moment where it sounds like Alice In Chains. 

They do return with the more metallic crunch I was waiting for on 'the Ai" . It moves with more groove than what you might expect from doom, though it is closer to traditional doom if you think of the sound in terms of a band like Trouble/. there is a great deal of hook to the riff's swagger which is also welcomed and makes this one of the album's best songs. The last song, also works off a heavy dynamic which is more hypnotic than the previous though equally effective for what they are doing here. It has a darker vibe to it for sure. I will go ahead and round this up to a 10 and see how it sits with me, so far it has earned a great deal of repeat listens and if you are looking for new doom, but wat something more upbeat than say Mournful Congregation then this should work for you. 

Rammstein : "Zeit"

 

The band's 8th album came about as a result of their touring being cancelled due to the pandemic. The 9bum opens with synths overpowering guitars in the mix, which I can appreciate due to the fact that it is not the band just rehashing the classics. The title track is a dramatic power ballad which works well enough, I prefer the first song as this one follows a safe formula. There is a less ballad like feel to "Schwarz". It is not until "Giftig" that follow that is band is back in a direction with more in common with their harder driving classic sound that could be defined as industrial, where the two previous songs might have more in common with VNV Nation. 

"Zick Zack" fins the band back in a more comfortable groove. The guitar reminds me more of Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction".  The vocals are more sung in the chorus, which I prefer over his more typical almost spoken narrative. Not unlike the tone of the singles from their previous album "OK" flirts closely with mainstream rock n roll, though through a filter of Liabach.  After this they go into an introspective moment full of teenage girl drama that feels more like Evanescence, but his purr keeps things marginally darker. It is not until the predictably named "Angst' that the guitars are crunching down with more menace. 

Then things take an odd turn with the feel of a 1940s marching band during a press clip brightens up the edges of "Dicke Titten". It is out to rock more often than not which with these guys is all I am asking for here if we can keep the pianos out o the studio that would be great. "Lagen" took a couple listens to grow on me while it does work off a more subdued dynamic, I love what they do with the vocal effects on this one. I f I had to guess and not check the credits on Wiki, my best would be on a pop producer from Europe was on the board. But no, it's Olsen who they have worked with before. This album is more polished, the last song is what it might sound like if Disney made an animated musical about Nazis being the good guys in another reality. I will give it a 9.5, and see how it sits with me, these guys are total pros, so I was pretty sure they were not going to just put out garbage and they have stuck to their standard though perhaps more sentimental.   

Devil Master : " Ecstasies of Never Ending Night"

 

Right from the first song you can tell more love was put into the production of this album than the rawer more punk vibes of their previous work. Despite the more atmospheric darkness teased on the intro piece, it is back to more thrashing and coarsely barked vocals. They seem to care about the vocal placement more though they still remind me of Possessed in this regard.  They recorded this analog to tape which contributes to the organic warmth but have a bigger and more polished sound overall. I think it owes more to thrash than black metal.  "Vigor of Evil" attempts a guitar melody that sounds like bag pipes, it is rawer and more straight forward in the feral nature of the attack here, 

"Acid Black Mass" finds them reverting more to their old punk ways and the results are not as interesting. They back off from the overt metallic attack with "Abyss In Vision"  it has more of a post - punk groove. Kind of drones but is more interesting than when they are more punk. But since they leave it as an instrumental it makes me wonder about their potential for melody. The guitars pull of early Iron Maiden like harmonies better on "Shrines in Cinder" there are spoken vocals at one point but the momentum of the song has already carried it away. The bits on less punk guitar thrown into "Funerary Gyre" give another color to the chaos t hat ensues 

The guitars create a darker mood going into " Precious Blood of Christ Rebuked". Bui once they get into the verse of the song and the vocals come in it goes back to sounding like everything else they have done on this album. here is a cool riffs that emerges, but the rule around here is cool riffs alone do no a good song make, I might have dug these guys more as a teenager , but I ask a little more of music now. They do bring a little more to the table for the last song which is also the albums best as it integrates more of the death rock sounds they have been toying with while still rooted in a metal gallop.  I will give this an 8.5 , as they have matured  and is more than just wanting to be Venom thanks to the darker urges propelling some of the songs.  

Christian Death : "Evil Becomes Rule"

The band's 15th album, I like the Valor albums and I like the Rozz albums I think Valor has carried the spirit of what the band was doing over the years. They continue to move in a less punk more metallic and darker direction, though it wonderfully melodic and there is an excellent choice in sonic colors on "New Messiah". I often talk about how darkness is heavy and a case in point for that is heard on the song "Elegant Sleeping" . The song transitions into some with a more punk tinged mood to it. I tis also the first with Maitri taking over the vocals. "Blood Moon" follows the tried and true goth rock formula of a bass line carrying the song with guitars as atmosphere creating a backdrop for the vocals and then expanding at the chorus, it proves to be once again effective here. 

"Abraxas We Are" is the first song that I feel is not as effective, in some part due to the production of the guitars, but it still might grow on me, the chorus works when they give more of a refrain, there are just sections of guitar that could sound more flowing. Perhaps I am nitpicking a bit, but since they are one of my favorite bands that means they are held under greater scrutiny rather than given a pass. I like the use of sample on the album .  "the Warning " is more driving. The drummer on it might be the albums best , as it is one of the heavier songs so far.  It is not surprising "Beautiful" was one of the lead singles as it is one of the more accessible songs by far , though it is very well written. 

They continue to stay true to who they are with the creepy pacing of the lingering bass plod powering "Rise and Shine". They indulge themselves in a more lingering creepiness before eases into the title track. The equally dark " Who I Am?" is brooding and foreboding.  The bass tones on this album are great but, on this song, go above and beyond. This is followed by an outro, which is more sound than song. O will round this up to a 10 as all I really need from these guys are good songs that are dark and true to who they are and they have succeeded on that front for sure. This album is being released on Season of Mist.  

 

Cancer Bats : " Psychic Jailbreak"

 One of those hard-core bands that I assumed were more rock n roll than they were, the opening track is pretty mean. They are not just hitting you with hyper aggression and break downs so if that is what your idea of hard core is, then they might not live up to it, but they are burly enough to fit into my broader definition of punk. There is a touch of their more metal side that comes out on "the Hoof:" though the verses are pretty solidly punk. The fist fledged commitment to rock n roll rather than hard core comes with "Lonely Bong" that reminds me of a cross between Clutch and Gwar. I like how he gets close to singing while still maintaining his raging yowl.  

"Friday Night" continues to find the band busting out rippers. "Hammering On" is more deliberate and just a better song. Is there more of bluesy doom vibe? Yes, so that might explain why it is my favorite song so far. While it is rowdy and full of energy the song "Crocodiles" doesn't resonate as strongly with me and sounds like and explosion more than something I would return to repeatedly. The spit fire vocals continue a pretty relentless attack though the guitars are more well planned on " Shadow of Mercury". Lyrically I appreciate it as an ode to chaos.  The rallying cry of not letting the bastards win on "Keep On Breathing" doesn't resonate as much with me, as I am not keen on punk rock pep rallies and want chaos and destruction.  

"Pressure Mind" is very in your face punk with the sonic balls of metal. This is perhaps where the genres collide, when it comes to the attack of the guitar. The guitar grooves all of the abrasion away. This is where the rock influence comes in. While explosive in the dynamic shift there is a more understated tension on the verses, making this song more effective than the just in your face all the time tunes on here. While it slows to a more deliberate chorus, the last song rages more than not with a juggernaut assault of guitar. There are some cool riffs, but ya know the rule here is cool riffs alone does not a good song make. Even with that said, these guys are great at what they do and most of the song are heavy and catchy so I will give this one a 9     

Mournful Congregation: " The Exuviae of Gods - Part I"

 First it should be known this Australian band is one of if not the best funeral doom bands. In saying that it means my expectations are high.  What I hope for was a new full-length album, since it has been four years since their last release. The reality I am facing is that this is the first of a two-part series of EPS. We are getting three songs. One of these being a reworking of a song from their 1995, demo tape. Which considering that was 27 years ago makes this for all practical purposes a new song. The next part which is something I have come to accept with these guys is that the first song is fourteen minutes long and the last is almost sixteen. With this genre of music these lengths are easier to swallow as they are playing at such a slower tempo the drone is in the hesitation. Any band that is not funeral doom and writing sixteen-minute songs, I would take as overindulgence or too sprawling. 

The first song feels like a step backwards if we consider where they left off. It was their "Book of Kings" album that made me a fan and it was sonically heavy as much as it was metal heavy. Here it almost feels like sluggish death doom as all of the metal trappings used by so many other bands are all in play. Where they win out at the end of the day is that they are great musicians who breathe new life into what would otherwise just be super slow death metal, with some melancholy to. On the last song, there is more of a ebb and flow rather than a steady stream of heavy, which gives it more of a doom feel, however on the first song I think it is written in a way that allows the guitar to shine more. 

With three songs I am surprised to find the title track is a rather mellow instrumental, played any other way it would be more of a interlude rather than a free standing work of it's own. Yet in the seven minutes dedicated to this they unfold some pretty stunning guitar work. I might have preferred this to have been part of a song with vocals but for what it is it works well. The last song which is from 1995, it is amazing that they were playing this sort of thing , back then as the 90s were not the best time for doom, sure it existed and you have bands like My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost defending the faith but for the most part it was a more Sabbath infused genre. The vocals were more low and spoken bringing Evoken to mind. As a whole this is great but not a perfect effort for them, I will give it a 9 as they have done better , but even just waking up from their 4 year break to crank this out is still more impressive than what most doom bands will do. 

Undeath : " It's Time ... To Rise From the Grave".

 

For all the hype surrounding this band that has been heralded as the future of death metal, they seem to owe a great deal to Cannibal Corpse. While I try to avoid getting entrenched in a band's politics and try to allow the music to do all the talking, there is no escaping the shift-laced facts here when it comes to how the band's frontman Alex Jones clapped back at Chris Barnes, who disparaged the death metal round table Jones was part of.  Jones called Barnes' whose vocal style he emulates a curmudgeon and called him a ghoulish anti-vaxxer saying that if Barnes had not aligned himself with those views, he would have been a respected member of the death metal community. This pretty much proves Barne's point, after all, why would anyone in a death metal band not worship death and celebrate it? Three songs into this band's album it is clear to see Jones is only trying to go with the herd and distance himself from the man he is imitating. 

"Rise from the Grave" might have some impressive guitar playing on it, but as a whole, their sound does little to solidify their own identity. It is not to say while following the Cannibal Corpse blueprint they are not able to write some decent songs as "Necrobionics" proves this. Then by "Enhancing the Dead" all the song begins to sound the same as it is a blur of color by number stock Cannibal Corpse riffs. "the Funeral Within" does nothing to shift this. While death metal can be monochrome in it's uniform aggression , they have already proven themselves capable of leaning into the groove with "Necrobionics" , so did they just strike it lucky the one time and are unable to be more consistent songwriters. They try to combat this by getting more aggressive and it does nothing to make their songs any more interesting only making them sound like Cannibal Corpses warmed up leftovers. 

I typically even prefer the more recent Cannibal Corpse albums to what is going down here the last two songs, are heavy, yes, and these guys are polished at what they do but not enough to earn the hype they have received. "Bone Wrought" is less about the groove and more about just being brutal for the sake of it. A similar could be said for the last song but it is a little angrier, when they get more deliberate it fall into place. Sure the guitar solos are great but do they hold up against Cannabis Corpses. Not well I will give this album a 7.5, it doesn't suck, but is far from an album of the year status. 

   

Darkher : "the Buried Storm"

 Not our first dance with this British songstress When this trend started a year ago it was fresh, dark folk heavy on atmosphere. Now there are a dozen of them. That is a conservative guess. The main problem, which I had with the previous alum is how much she sounds like Chelsea Wolfe. The sounds she summons are impressive enough to hold back complaints on the opening track, but when it comes to the whole album it is dependent on how much of her, we really hear and how much of her Chelsea Wolfe tribute we get. However, the first two songs running together is not a good sign as it means the sound is too uniform no matter how doomy they get.  The more folk side and less doomy side might be her best bet. "Unbound" kind of gets blow away by a light breeze. 

She executes more clearly on "Where the Devil Waits" but this also finds her more in Wolfe mode. To some extent she powers through and coasts her songs over on atmosphere so thick you forget about other comparisons that night be drawn. "The Seas" is such a fragile song it is almost not there due to it's dreamy atmosphere. I do think it was a smart move to lean into the string section, If I was here I would be doing everything in my power to distance myself from the Chelsea Wolfe sound, the way this album is produced doesn't lend it self to this goal. 

"Immortals " is aided by the songs' emotional urgency. There are things song writing wise that separates her from Chelsea Wolfe. The lyrics are pretty strong to this one as well. It might be the album's best track, when she leans more into a post rock drone and less of a doom thing there is more of an original sound.  The last song buzzes with tension, but does not really go anywhere, Sonically this album is an improvement and shows growth , but I am stull going round this down to an 8 as  it bears too much that sounds like well if you made it this far into the review you know what i am doing to say 

Helms Alee : "Keep This Be the Way"

 There is more of a storming drive to the electronic pump of the opening track. They had begun to sound more like Gold, and the same can be said of this album to some extent, given the fact Gold has changed as well. This album is more experimental, and the vocals are not the vehicle for melody all the time, though they lock into a more aggressive sludge attack by the time we get halfway into the second song. This anchors there songwriting more and gives the needed dynamic to make for a more compelling listen. The same cannot be said about the more atmospheric "How Do You Party Hard ? " which wanders in it's atmosphere in a manner more like Blonde Redhead , never exploding in the way we might hope for. Even then it does grow on me more with the second listen and I can appreciate what the guitars are going for.  

The sonic temper tantrum that is "Tripping Up the Stairs" doesn't come together until the proggy howl of the last minute. It is a interesting exploration of sound and I appreciate the experimentation paying off in that way, which is all I am really asking for when bands go off on tangents. The male vocals have improved since the last album. There is more to his singing on "Big Louise". Even if it is a dramatic space ballad. Synths play a bigger role than guitars.  Comparisons can be drawn to Kylesa, with the psychedelic moods on songs such as "Do Not Expose to the Burning Sun" which from a song writing perspective is one of the album's best songs. The melodies are hypnotic but melodic. It builds into the kind of sonic heaviness I am always seeking in my music. Things get heavy in a more conventional sludge way. The indie rock strum of the one minute "the Middle Half" is more of an interlude than an actual song so will not be counted in the final grade of this review. 

Then there are moments when they step away from their wheel house and go off into the kind of  pop that a cult from the 60s might have made. This winds it's way into being some sort of drugged out take on stoner shoe gaze. The hook forms what might be a chorus if this was written in a more conventional  manner.  They take a more grunge tinged crunch on the brooding bass driven "Three Cheeks to the Wind" . This is very pleasing to my ears and fans of more obscure 90s rock bands will also appreciate this song.  There is more atmosphere and less drive to the last song, which still has a impending storm vibe that keeps you entranced. I will round this one down to a 9, which is still better than most , even when the band is not as focused and wandering into chaotic sounds. This album comes out April 29th, 

   

The 420 Playlist

Before you start this day off with same boring old tunes all the bong worshippers today will be, ya know the ones, Bob Marley, Cypress Hill , Pepper  and the mix of jams bands the jeep driving masses will be playing today here is a mix of classics with a wider range of sonic colors, a sprinkle of electronic music, metal, rock and country with a haze of the mind altered weirdness  , sp here you go smoke'em if you got em.

Sublime- "Smoke Two Joints"

   

 Shpongle - "Dorset Perception" 

   

 the Butthole Surfers- "Sweat Loaf"

 

Sleep- "Dope Smoker"

   

 Queens of the Stone Age- "Feel Good Hit of the Summer"

   

 Blind Melon- "Galaxie"

   

 Placebo- "Pure Morning"

   

 Fistula- "Too Many Devils and Drugs"

   

 Lords of Acid- " Marijuana in Your Brain"

   

 Sturgill Simpson- " Turtles All the Way Down"

 

Fontaines D.C. : " Skinty Fia"

This Irish band now perhaps lives in a sonic zip code closer to Radiohead than any type of shoegaze or post-punk revivalists.  They slip away from the more hypnotizing drone it's a slinky groove for "Big Shot".  The vocals are moody but with an underlying attitude. Their singer chooses some interesting placement with his phrasing. This can be felt in the with the lyric bob in and out of the guitars staccato jangle. "How Cold Love is " flirts with their punk rock youth and guides it with a smoky groove that invokes dive bars past midnight.  This album is very dynamic as the more upbeat street musings of "Jackie Down the Line" holds most of its grit in the lyrics, with the music bringing the Pixies to mind, though the vocals are less quirky and more matter of fact. 

The Pixies influence I am detecting does not stop with that song, the prominent plod of the bass line mixes them with Jesus and the Mary Chain, the later setting more of the tone for the mood. This band's strength lies in their song writing, like many artists the Beatles certainly being one of them in how they covered a great deal of ground stylistically while retaining their identity, rather than coming across that they were just trying on musical hats. This is not to say some of these genres they dip into are not in my mind tied closely to other artists, a problem the Beatles did not have. An example being the brand of dancey Brit pop they bob into on "Roman Holiday" carries it's ambiance in the same manner as Stone Roses. It's not until the accordions come out on "the Couple Across the Way" that they overstep things. This kind of folk does not play to their strengths. 

They pull out another dancey groove on the title track. He is not rapping on this , but his vocals are more spoken than sung. I mean if it wasn't white people doing in this in 2022 then perhaps we could call it rap, I mean if you have to work off that kind of flawed logic. He stays in the more staccato spoken vocal delivery for "I Love You" which reminds me of Idles more melodic moments.  It is another song that makes the case for them being a punk band, though I prefer the darker sonics they stir up on the last song. The guitars are a little more aggressive. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me . The first half is notably stronger , but except for the accordion folk moment the tracks that do not slap as hard are still better than most indie rock coming out,  

 

Ibaraki : "Rashomon"

 

Matt from Trivium and Emperor mastermind Ihsahn  collaborated on this album. It is not secret I am more into the Ihsahn side of this equation, which is the half brining more of a progressive side to thing, Trivium just strikes me as Sirrus radio ready mainstream metal. The songs are well written, though not as black metal as press buzzing about this album might lead you to believe.  Things get heavier on the second song, though I am not really blown away by it as when it comes to metal these days this just sounds like a more polished and better version of what is already out there. I would prefer a Ihsahn solo album, the transitions from clean vocals and the typical screaming, is somewhat formulaic. The more screamed vocals even more so, they have almost a more hard-core cadence to them. 

The more melodic "Jigoku Dayu" is an improvement, though I cannot say even in this direction I am not finding my opinion of Matt Heafy swayed. Rightfully so as the song winds up where I assumed it would. He is effective at doing what he set out to do here, what he set to do just is not very original.  It doesn't feel like it flows as well on "Tamashii" . Nergal guests on "Akumu" which is heavier and more focused but offers little surprises. When it's not circling the same angry stomping grounds there are some cool guitar passages on "Komorebi". "Ronin" which features the vocals of  Gerad Way from My Chemical Romance, goes from an almost power metal vocal dramatic to Way's harsher black metal vocals, when people online were surprised by this , it is obvious they did not pay attention to My Chemical Romance's first album.

 Is Heafy is more than just just a decent guitarist? Yes. Does he do anything original ? Not really. Sure things get more progressive by the end of the song , but this is clearly one of those sections that is Ihsahns's doing. The plus side is when Ihsahn makes his presence known it is very tangible, I just wish there was more of that.  Overall I like this more than I would a Trivium album, but not as much as an Emperor one, things sound great, and his singing has improved over the years, but not the most original thing, as even the more melodic parts feel like they are being barrowed from Opeth so i will give this album an 8. 

  

6.9

3rd Secret : "s/t"

 Combining members of Soundgarden and Nirvana, and technically Pearl Jam as well considering Matt Cameron is also in Pearl Jam. It opens sounding more like the Sundays. The familiar sounds of grunge do not occur until the second song " I Choose Me". Energy wise I think the Pretty Reckless carried the torch better with last year's album. They smooth groove and smoother melodies is doing something different while being familiar and it's still pretty effective.  "Last Day of August" is well played guitar wise, but the overall vibe of the song sounds like a folk version of Hole.  "Winter Solstice" continues even further in a hippy direction with more of a folk feel than anything rock. 

"Lies Fade Away" finds a return to distorted guitar and more driven drumming. There is more of tension than heaviness.  Soundgarden's later work is what this comes closest to. There is none of the raw punk feel of Nirvana.  The 60s swagger of  " Live Without You" works well, but if these were some pot smoking witches from Sweden then it would add up more easily.  The same can not be said from the pola induced chaos of "Right Stuff' which seems unsure of which way it wants to go.  "Dead Sea" finds it back to the more Arizona hippy take on what Hole did. The melancholy melody is fine, but not the albums best or worst song.  They remember they were in rock bands again on "Diamond in the Cold" . I like the almost middle eastern drone that possesses the song going into it. 

"Somewhere in Time" is a more slinky rock song that has more in common with Alice in Chains than their other bands.  The riff reminds me a little on  Lynyrd Skynyrd's "On the Hunt". "the Yellow Dress' is back to a darker form of folk music, At this seven minute song builds it does so like a storm over the desert , ya know kinda of like the Doors.  It wanders around for half the song. This is not what I expected and perhaps that fact needs to grow on me, I will give this album an 8.5, do not go into this expecting for any of these guys to be picking up where they left off. 

Master Boot Record : "Personal Computer"

 The album starts as expected things do not go into a more aggressive and experimental direction for Victor Love until the second song. When it come to the frequencies being manipulated in order to create this sort of thing who is to tell how much manipulation is and how much is shredding. The second song does work int a more glitched out sound at times. "80286" is more punishing in the sounds it hits you with a kind of finds the balance between the retro synth thing and a thrashing attack. I would not call this metal, but it is synth wave for metal heads without a doubt and pretty progressive in the arrangements. The song that comes after it has more ebb and flow though the more synth wave sounds that begin to blur everything together at this point and make me feel like I am listening to one long song. It is not until the lower more blown out sounding synths that this is broken up with heavy. 

There are some moments where he falls into a trap not unlike a band such a Dragonforce falls into to where the shredding speed sounds almost too happy, like Europe that is being played twice as fast. This is not heavy. There is a heavier riff that is evolves into but the rule here is " cool riffs alone does not a good song make". "80486" falls back into the more foot on the monitor rocking at you guns blazing that we have herd this album fall into already. The heavy moments begin to all fall at the end of the song making it feel a little formulaic. I do like the more head banging attack of the song that follows it. It might be the best song on the album. Their is more weight and less notes.  It took seven songs for me to get lost and wonder where in the album I was which is better than most projects doing this sort of thing,

Things get bright and epic, and I begin to check out. The formula shifts and the more interesting darker side begins coming out in the middle of the song though all the shredding is high on the treble end which plays into the brighter sound. The dynamics shift up a little ass the sounds change to a more harpsicord like piece. I will give this album an 8, it's a good at what it does, if you like what it does , very effective, more sound than song when the shredding comes. It drops May 13th on Metal Blade.         

Parabola West : "Stars Will Light the Way"

 Atmospheric pop with a moody edge to it would be the best way to describe what happens when this album really gets underway. Amy Tucker West is the singer songwriter who is an American now based in New Zealand, because well the "Lord of the Rings" was shot there and America sucks, it makes sense to get the hell out, this kind of music that goes from atmospheric pop to more traditional culturally appropriated Northern European folk.  Wear corn rows and get cancelled, pretend you're a Viking siren and no one bats an eye. She is pretty convincing on "Hannah" . After this is there more of a slinky electronic feel coupled again a more sultry folk cadence, owing more to say Imogen Heap than any of the dark folk songstresses who gained popularity in recent years. 

There is more of a quirky pop bounce to what sounds like harps and electronic of "No One Can Get Me Here" something happier in the vibe of this song that makes it not connect as strongly with me, but still very well done. There is less holding "the Best Thing" together, the minimalism does give way to a beat that give the song more of a spine. It is just not what I typically set out to hear from this kind of music, but it does grow on me. The piano centered "Come to Me" is less experimental but offers a backdrop her voice is able to emote around with flowing melody. Sure it is more of a ballad but well crafted. I am open to most forms of music if they are effective,. 

"the Edge" bursts forth with an 80s beat that surprised me though is congruent with her pop tendencies and works well/. The piano centered folk melodies of " While the Watchman Sleeps" has a pretty graceful melody and it's one of those songs that will have to grow on me, but I know it's well crafted. There is a hint of Kate Bush, to what she does , more so than Tori Amos though that is also in the sonic zip code where she is goin. This feels very 90s in many ways. "Flowers'' is a more fragile song.. It could use a more percussive backbone to rein in the ambiance. I first imagined that "Bippity Boppity" would be a Disney song. , it is as well written as one and a stronger note to end on. The lyrics do make note of the fact there are not prince coming to save you like in fairy tales/. A message I can get behind. I will give this album a 9.5, which is impressive for a new comer who dropped from the sky into my in-box, with little label backing,. If you like 90s Lilith Fare styled pop with Renn Fest tendencies then this is for you.     

Northlane : "Obsidian"

 

In the realm of what I expect from a so-called modern metal core band, these Australians check off all the boxes, though it is tempered with a progressive pop sense of melody.  The guitar tone when things come down with more weight in an attempt to get heavier, strikes me as just being too processed. If it had a more organic production quality, I think it would be heavier, though the edges of the songs dance with the bristle of electronic effects so these guys are readying themselves for the meta verse. All of this holds up pretty well though there is a happier dancier under current to echo chamber that begins to wear on me. They need to move in a darker direction rather than a more upbeat one to appeal to me, though I am not their fan base. 

"Carbonized" really strikes me as being nu-metal, with the bouncy cadence of the vocals factoring in high in this regard. The more 30 Seconds to Mars like vocals are more appealing to me, the tough guy screams are not believable. They continue to push things in an almost Linkin Park direction by the time we get to "Abomination" to their credit this is more listenable than if they sounded more like Suicide Silence or any of the bands in that zip code "Plenty" just kind breezed past me, I had to go back and listen to it again, not sure my opinion of it was any more well informed though I did focus in more on the groove amid some of the other sonic collisions at work here. They are very effective at what they are doing.  I can say there is a trend where the deeper into this album I get the less the songs grab me and the more the songs begin to sound the same even with the more pop feel driving "Is this a Test: 

By the time we get to "Xen" these guys are the best argument for my belief that metal core is the new nu-metal. "Cypher"' gets harder and the vocal form hooks amid what they are doing which varies in atmosphere and bouncing metallic crunch. But I cannot shake the Linkin Park comparison, good thing they do not have a rapper.  "Nova' was playing then it just kind of faded into the background. It has a 90s easy listening electronic feel I am thinking of Savage Garden in this regard. "Inamorata" might not present a case against them being nu-metal, the groove it moves with makes it one of the album's best songs.  I am less impressed by the title track that sounds like a more atmospheric version of Meshuggah. The last song kind of throws all of the elements into a last hail Mary kind of thing, not that it is epic or too busy, but it sums their sound up leaning into the atmospheric tendencies. In terms of song writing and hooks it is more about the sound.  I will give this album an 8.5, a fun listen, not my thing, but they were good background music and I respect where they are trying to go with this. 

Carpenter Brut : "Leather Terror"

 The French synth wave project comes perhaps their closest yet to making a rock album with the more aggressive percussion leading into the album. One thing that makes this album stand out are the guest vocal appearances. The first is from Gunship an artist not far removed from what this project already does so it sounds like an extension of their natural direction though the vocal melody gives this a more accessible feel, connecting modern songwriting with retro sounds. Fromer Dillinger Escape Plan singer Greg Puciato,  handles the vocals for "Imaginary Firer". It might seem like an odd pairing if you are unfamiliar with his solo work, which does fall along the lines of a surreal retrofitted new wave sound similar to this. His voice flows very well with what they are doing here.    

Ulver is my favorite guest artist when it comes to their work apart from this. But here the ballad kind of falls little flat and I was hoping for more. I was not expecting anything from their black metal past, but more along the lines of their last album. Where "Day Stalker" sounds like this band is just clocking in for business as usual, "Night Prowler" is a more driven song that reminds me a little of Lords of Acid's first album. French singer Persha helps them to create a very authentic 80s feel that works well for what they7 are going for here. This could be the theme song to an 80s sci-fi movie.  Granted a very cheesy one, "Color Me Blood" kinda of feels like they are going to the well too many times as this worked on "Night Prowler " but more of the same falls flat.  

Sylvaine's voice works well with what they are doing on "Stabat Mate". When more electronic elements begin to pervade it works well as it brings her into their world and out of her comfort zone. This carries over into the following song. This finds them with a groove that plays more to the project's strengths without being redundant. Jonka from Tribulation joins them on the last song and adda a snarl to the proceedings. I think they should have produced his voice a little differently to blend it better, as this should be my favorite song but is not. I will give this album a 9 overall it is a great deal of fun, not perfect, but the strongest moments blanked those that did not connect with me as much. It could have been darker but I think it shines in regard to what they set out to do. 

SOMALI YACHT CLUB : "the Space"

This band from the Ukraine is possessed with a harder rocking pulse than what you might call shoe-gaze, but not really post-either this atmospheric band brings to mind what Stone Roses might have sounded like if they were into metal. Dreamy in the languid pace the opener sets the stage and bedazzles with some smooth guitar tones. the second song "Pulsar" has more of a grooving motion. Though it still embraces as the soaring shimmer they hinted at when the album opens in fact more dynamics are employed with this song as well as more conventional approaches to melody.  

The third track "Obscurum" makes me think of Jesu trying to take a turn to conform to the indie rock standards of the 90s. No that did not actually happen, so this is a fair assessment of what that might have sounded like. The guitar is more sonically adventurous in terms of playing something in the zip code of a guitar solo which is not really what Jesu was about. On the song "Gold" the vocals gain a but more rock swagger bringing Pink Floyd to mind, though there is a more post hard core feel to how the song flows. Think the more relaxed moments of say Minud the Bear here. Things do not get noticeably heavier until the more determined pound to the riff of "Echo of Direction". This is balanced out by twinkling guitars. I would not say this band is dark as the are introspective. The vocals are a more somber chant. There is ever a touch of prog to the direction they allow the guitars to wander. However the wander off into the ambiance so far that the song kind of disappears direction wise into it. They do eventually lock back in. 

The fact this album ends with an over 12 minute song is not surprising , in fact I am impressed they have held it together with reasonably plotted songs up until this point. This song gets about five minutes into things before it shifts into a break down of sorts. This is the first song where I have heard hints of music that might be thought of as classic rock. It also shows the singer can reach up to hit some higher notes. While well played and more of a simmering jam, the title "Momentum" almost seems to be ironic here. The song does gain some around 8 minutes in, once again touching on more of a Pink Floyd like mood. I will give this album a 9.5, it is pretty impressive even when it gets side tracked in it's explorations.  Comes out April 22nd on Season of Mist.    

Zola Jesus : " Arkhon"

 

One of my favorite singers of the past decade, I breathed a sigh of relief when I pressed play and found this album is another step into the darkness instead of taking a poppier turn. This time rather than taking everything on herself she worked with producer Randall Dunn, and former David Bowie drummer Matt Chamberlin.  The former's influence can be felt the most. The second song moves with a more organic fluidity to its groove. Are some of her vocal passages more accessible here? Yes, but I am not sure I would call this pop music as it is more complex in both arrangement and laying.  Something similar could be said of "Undertow". How her vocals sit in the mix, is not pop either nor is the ambiance weaved in the song. 

"Into the Wild" sets her voice more against ambiance than groove. It reminds me musically of Bjork in the intangible sparseness that floats around her voice, which has greatly matured. The song doesn't really become solid until the last minute. "Dead and Gone" is a little more dramatic and straightforward, with strings backing her. It showcases her belting it out in a more conventional sense. "Sewn" is a more interesting song due to the darker sonics and actual groove that moves it.  When it comes to the more delicate piano ballad " Desire" it is hard to deny her vocal talent. It almost reminds me more of something Kate Bush might do. Is it what I prefer when it comes to her music? No, I want something more like the previous song, but I can not fault her for doing this and respect her talents.  

"Fault" reminds me the most of her earlier work, though gone are any of the 80's Siouxsie and the Banshees ghosts haunting the sounds. "Efemra" falls someone between her past and present. In so doing it is a highly effective song as it reaches a blend of sonic colors she excels at . The vocals sit back in the reverb, but are stil forward enough in the mix to be the focal point. This album is very well produced as it aids in creating a sonic balance. I had to hear the last song few times before it sunk in,. There is almost a shoe gaze like vibe to it's haze. I approve of this as it offers a more surreal swirl of shadows to envelope her.  I will round this up to a 10, which makes it perhaps take more warming up to in some places than her past work, but she is much more sure of her voice.This album comes out May 20th on Sacred Bones .   

Pinch Points : "Process"

 

This Australian punk bands, makes fun of a post-covid isolation culture that their generation in many ways embrace. But punk is supposed to be about giving the middle finger to the system, it is going to take more than one song to see what side they fall on when it comes to the system. The post -punk tag gets thrown around their Bandcamp page, but they are less tension and moody and more upbeat.  "Stock It" tends to follow the path the created for themselves on the first song. There is a little more rock n roll vibe to how the guitar is handled/. "Copper" is less impressive even with the gang vocals.  

"Am I Okay" jangles on with a similar feel to the frantic formula that seemed to be embedded in what they do. This formula begins to grow tiring as the songs begin to sound like they have a uniform bounce to them. "Haruspex' finds them lecturing you about male behavior. I am not sure how bad things really can be in Australia in this regard when they talk about how scared they are riding the bus, perhaps they need to ride a bus in Atlanta for some perspective e on how good they have it. The song itself sounds like a microwaved Kinks riff.  "Virga" is little more interesting musically.  They mention koalas so their appreciation of where they live shifts with the song. One thing about this album is while the production is very clean and crisp, for punk it could stand to dirty itself up a bit. "King Rat" is the first song that reminds me of Idles in the way it attacks. I had read comparisons to Idles before giving this album a shot and did not here it up until this song. 

"Kompromat" has a more thudding bass line and some groove to it. The lyrics are about cancel culture, this band is raging for the machine in this regard, and most of the lyrical points would be null if they were into the chaos and anarchy that punk is supposed to be about. "Capital" is frantic but without balls to drive and seems like a mess. It was the first song that I could not make it through. The last song is not any better but it could be they have just all worn thin on me by this point. I want punk to be about nihilism and not relentlessly positive so this just is not for me in that regard.  I will step back from M My preferences and look at this work in terms of if they were effective at what they set out to do and based of that will give this album a 7.  Not top to punk albums of the year by any means , but if you want peppy punk with a hint of social policing then this is for you. 

Woorms : " Fatalismo"

This band from Louisiana got Steve Austin of Today is the Day fame to really dial things in for them on their third album. It mixes the definition of sludge from the 90s with a Clutch style blues drenched swamp rock . The have pocket tight grooves , but do not forget to use atmosphere even amid their most banging angular barrages. Sure the burly bass tones of  "This is Nothing Short of Character Assassination"  give their sound some big balls that bowl you over. They are not just in your face bluster, not that there is a shortage of that. There is also dynamic songwriting. The sole mission is not just to be heavy. The drumming is also pretty stellar. 

"For the Time Bean: is the first song that sounds like they are just overindulging in rowdy grooves. The they turn around on "Mezzo Mort" and prove they can give their sound some breathing room and write a fucking great song. There are equal measures of punk and Sabbath influence  there. Things continue to improve with the darker mood and syncopation to "And Heck Followed With Him" . The vocals are not great, the a gravelly bellow most of the time, but serve as a fitting narrative. It is more important how the notes he yells falls in the gaps rather than the notes themselves. "Lunge Meat" does find him coming closer to actual singing. The tightly coiled guitar is cool enough to distract you from the vocals. 

Even with the flourishes of saxophones coloring the edges of "Grease Him Full and Well" the groove carries a shadow that appeals to me more than some of the more boogie down jams they bounce off your ears. 'Dead Dead Man" is a somewhat jammed out instrumental that languishes in it's ambiance. The build in the last minute is pretty impressive and a testament to their musical prowess in doing the sonics of heavy. The point is pounded home on "Red Meat for the Faithful" but the song itself did not grasp my attention as tightly, overall however this is an unexpected treat and this band really proved themselves to me with this album so I will give it a 9.5 . 

Elusive God: " Trapped In A Future Unknown"

Croatia is not the first place I think of when it comes to doom. These guys make a pretty convincing argument for it, though they pull from a broad definition of the genre. Perhaps flirting with an epic Iron Maiden infused power metal dynamic in the gallop that drives the riff. The guitar care about, mood and melody so that plays into their favor. The bellowing vibrato of the vocals is not as tightly tied to hooks as Iron Maiden, instead coax the riffs on like a dramatic cheerleader accenting them. "Shadow, Beast, Devil" slows down to a doomier simmer.  They do give the vocals a little more room to breathe with this one. Not many singers are very effective at replicating what Bruce does and granted this is not the most soaring tribute, think more along the lines of post "Fear of the Dark" era. It is more aggressive than your average power metal singer, which is the tone Bruce set for others to follow for the same could be said of him. 

There is a more modern sludge crunch to the attack of " Worthless Words" . The phrasing of the vocals is still a little stiff.  The guitar solo really rips if you are into that sort of thing.  "Deception and Greed" is more deliberate , but moves in more of triumphant power metal manner, than the kind of trudging of doom. There are darker passages on this song, but it reminds me of Nevermore. "Price to Pay"  is more straightforward , thus less dynamic. For me this kind of music needs to be darker,. But Iron Maiden is one of your favorite bands you say, how can you not like power metal? These guys are darker than your average power metal bands o they have that in their favor. Let us consider some of Maiden's darker moments "Hallowed Be Thy Name " , " Children of the Dammed" OR "Fear of the Dark" .  Nothing on here comes close to those melodies .

"Where is the Sun" does have hookier guitars. The chorus to this song works better, while keeping the more lumbering tempo. These elements all falling into place might make it one of the album's best songs for sure. The guitar solo toward the end of this song adds to the melodic nature of the song rather than wanking so that is a win in my book. The album ends strong with "Dreaming of Reality" which is pretty close to what I would want from a dark power metal band, I guess Iced Earth already fits that bill, I would say these guys are not as heavy as Iced Earth. I will give this album an 8, they have potential for sure , the vocals could add some hook to their melodies rather than just belting them at you.   

Nightfell : "Never Comes the Storm"

Here is a band whose first album, really caught my ear and I have been following them ever since. They have never really let me down, though what they do can vary album to album as they continue to  juggled both sides of the death doom equation. More often than not they fall on the death metal side, but they are one of the few death doom bands who truly capture the mournful doom sound the right way while maintaining their aggression. The opening track of their fourth album displays a greatly matured song writing approach brining a wider range of dynamics to a band whose skills in this area already typically outclassed their peers. 

Perhaps their writing is not as prolific and is a matter of quality over quantity, as there are more pieces in the two-and-a-half-minute range than actual songs, these are more like interlude or intro pieces. Out of six songs only three of them are actual songs. he second of these songs is the title track. It is a more straightforward death metal attack. It starts off with more of a up-tempo though not blasting pace. The vocals are a powerful growl. I like this guys' growl he really does it right, rather than just defaulting to something because he can not sing. The middle section of this song simmers down into a slower pulse. It  picks back up after this section with renewed aggression.   

They take more chances on the last song. It is more doom like in many ways, the gang chanted vocals are certainly different, and it can not be said the band is not capable of summing a very large sound. There is a very doomy riff which is cool and it does seem like the mood they are in for this song,. They take a weird turn in the middle of the song and allowed a sample from what seems to be a horror movie take over the narrative .Then when the song comes out of this it goes back into a variation of the gang chant vocal riff. It sounds like they break out bag pipes and everything at the end here which is going overboard unless you are Korn I guess, though I guess there are bag pipes often played at funerals . I will give this a 9 for the songs they do bring to the table are solid as usual, I just wish this was a full length instead of an ep when you consider the actual songs presented.    

Lunar Chalice : "Trascendentia: The Shadow Pilgrimage

 

Sometimes I click on random black metal promos in my in-box and hope for the best. This German band is on Iron Bonehead, a record label with a better track record than most. Yes, things do get dark and creepy, but there is a great deal of your typical blasty nastiness as well. Clean vocals that sound like a monk chanting in the distance pop up at some point. They are even more distant on the second song which is even faster and meaner with it's blasting thus causing them to sound more like everyone else who does this sort of thing.  When it does slow so you can discern the nuance in the guitar what they are doing is pretty decent. For black metal this is well produced. I can say they better switch things up by the next song or I am going to get bored. 

They break things up with some haunted house level ambiance, but I find myself  at the same point I get with most extreme metal bands when I am dulled by the sonic intensity as say "But can you write a fucking song?" The answer is not directly forthcoming. The snarl of the vocals might be more deliberate, but the are just racing forward at a blinding speed with little to hook me in.  Four minutes it slows into something that solves this problem, though the rule around here is 'cool riffs alone does not a good song make" In other words almost too little too late. Things slow down into more of a throb for "Astral Stargate" . This works for a time and finds them moving in better direction but then things speed back up into the typical blasting. 

The devil spanking song, pretty much blasts ahead like all the others. I thought it would be darker and dirtier, to set the mood.  I already had a spoiler alert from the promo that let me know they were going for more of a neo folk thing on the last song. They captured some pretty cool sounds for this. It does not turn them into Death in June, as the vocals snarl over the strum of the guitar.  This works for what it is I think hearing some of this stuff worked into their black metal sound would have been cool, as it stand I will give this album a 8.5, if you are looking for some great black that does things different yet still the same then these guys are worth your time they know how to create a mood better than most.This album comes out June first on Iron Bonehead.  

Iron BoneHead Productions · Lunar Chalice - Calix Cum Velum

UFOMAMMUT : "Fenice"

The Italian band's 9th album finds them continuing further down a darker, heavier and more experimental path. Even better is the fact they are not taking the most obvious routes to get to these places, which is more progressive than bands who throw a bunch of notes and solos in to be labelled as such. it carries a more sludge like weight to it's crunch. It was almost the end of the song before I realized it was an instrumental.  The second track is more of a interlude, with the next actual song being "Pyschostasia" which is almost more of a shoe gaze sounding song in the way it hypnotically drones on. I can hear a little Hawkwind influence in their so it is not like they just went straight up My Bloody Valentine with it. The vocals help for ma trippy background layer than demanding the spotlight. It does build into something more dynamic and rocks out. 

"Metamorpheonix" has a great sound. As a song it builds off onr drone and gradually increases the intensity int a swell. The vocals present but in more of a manner than reminds me of old Pink Floyd. It crashes into the song after it "Pyramind" which took a couple listens to figure out where one song ended and the other began.  It takes a about two minutes into this song before it ebbs down enough to take a turn to developing itself into something rather than just running off the momentum established in the previous song. If you are a regular reader here then you know how I feel about bands being sonically heavy rather than just heavy metal. You can have booth and in some places what is going down here touches upon it. 

 I would say they are rocking in a direction towards space rock here, so might owe more to say Hawkwind than Slayer. The sounds like they re calling out to you from another dimension rather than just being the narration of a song. The vocals go into a more commanding scream in the last minute of the song. 

This is not going down as their most melodic album by any means. Their trippiest , well so far it looks that way. I guess with everything going on in the world today some mind expansion is in order. "Empyros" does make an attempt to be a song, it is pretty short and sweet and feels more like they had a cool idea that they wanted on the album, so I will let it count as a song on this album for the purpose of this review. Even then in scoring this album I will still go ahead and round this up to a 9.5, since it is once of those lucky accidents where a band decides to grow in the direction of my musical tastes. This album is being released May 6th on Neurot Records. 

Nekrogoblikon : " The Fundamental Slimes and Humours"

 

It is not surprising that a gimmick like this could have come from Los Angeles. Where else would someone think, "Oh what about some glorified nu-metal for the kids that play Dungeons & Dragons? " the thing about albums, is when you are not watching clowns on stage then it boils down to are these good songs or not. I think the joking, is what doesn't make me take the more metallic elements that serious. At best they are like System of a Down, with Axl Rose influenced vocals thrown in. To have a goblin in the band things are too bouncy and happy. The vocals are well produced, and they have captured sounds, but what they are woven into leaves something to be desired. I was expecting something more folk metal, as it is this is way too happy for me , even in the tongue and cheek death metal parts. Can they play fast ? Yes, but that does not mean they are heavy. "Yin" is almost hard to listen to as it borders on obnoxious. 

The more groove oriented "Supernove" is a chaotic mess in terms of song writing. I am a huge Mr. Bungle fan so , ok with breaking from norms, but they have melodies that hook you in, here that is not happening.  So far the best song is "Bones" which sounds like Muse colliding with Slipknot. "Going to Die" doesn't work as well as it sounds like circus music written by Steel Panther. " A Lesson in Hate" comes close to being death metal but clowns around too much. It is more metal than everything on this album we have heard up to this point  "This is It' is more of a chaotic mess than the more traditional powerish metal like thing they have going on with "Fancy Wind" .

There is a more 80s feel that collides with the modern metal foolery with "Carousels" . Yes these guys can play their instruments well, they are just not doing it in a way where this is heavy and if not for the guitar tones and snarling vocals it would not be metal. As it is they teeter this line. in terms of songwriting "No Such Thing as a Key" is perhaps the second song that works for me. Still they are skilled enough at what they do for me to give this album a 7.5, for people who are into this kind of thing. This is more than generous on my part, and takes into account this is just not for me. 

Ryan Adams : " Chris"

His 19th album. He is a great songwriter and has been around the block a few times. At this point he is who I listen to when most people would listen to Bruce Springsteen. These songs fall somewhere between his country folk and rock leanings. The strum of the second song, falls very comfortably into his wheelhouse so much so you might dismiss it as him just dialing it in, but there is something more urgent about the delivery than what people who dial it in normally do. Maybe he is just faking it. There is more of a rock swagger in the guitar to "Flicker in the Fade".  This might not be Adams at his most inspired. He is a songwriter, and he cranks albums out it seems once a year, but his dialing it in is better than most can they do when they try their hardest. 

The title track is reflective enough to convince the emotion he is putting into this song is genuine, which really is all I need from him. He replicates this without being a carbon copy but milks the vibe again on "About Time: that follows.  His singing voice is on the more emotive end of decent when he uses it right. He could do more if he wanted, is the feeling I get but he serves the song in a very safe middle register he is most comfortable in.  He picks up to a more deliberate strum and a more commanding narrative for "Aching For More" .  He continues down the reflective place I want from him on "Say What You Said". When I say his name many people think I am saying Bryan Adams, but I can hear where Byran Adams might write a song like "So Helpless" as it is more frantic rock that sounds somewhat 80s. There is a more introspective almost balladic tone to "Crooked Shake" . It reminds me a little of Neil Young. 

He is back in the darker moodier place of urgency I like for him to be in with "Dive" . Granted much of this might lie in the fact it reminds me of the Taylor Swift cover album he did. This was not my introduction to him but the album I listened to the most .  "Was I Wrong" is a much simpler folk song. The contrasts the much more up tempo strum of "Look Out". With 18 songs on this album it is surprising how little filler there is on this album. Not every song as as equally a slapper as the kids say these days, but it is not just him trying to come up with something to go on tour with. The deeper into the album you go the more the folk begins to come out, but it is well done.  The arrangement of "Replaced" give his melody something to work with and is a stand out amid the more folk latter half of the album. "Spinning Wheel' flirts with country to some extent, it is very well written no matter the genre. The album closes with the more John Mellancamp like "Letting the Light in" .  I will give this one a 9.5, as he stays snuggly within his wheelhouse which he is spinning into the kind of perfect that is gong to place his writing over time next to his idols.