Code Orange : "the Above"

 I have been pretty invested in this band's career since being blown away by their 2017 album "Forever".  They broke away from the conventions of hard core , which they continued to perfect with "Underneath". This set pretty high expectations for this album. The nu-metal elements have been dialed up . On a song like "Theater of Cruelty" this is exaggerated by the band moving in a more Deftones like direction. I prefer that to the more Ghostmane like feel of the opening track. There is plenty on this album that might take getting use to before I formalize my feelings about it. There is a delicate balance of not wanting them to recycle songs, but also not wanting them to abandon what made them who they are. 

"Take Shape" was one of the lead singles from the album. At first, there is an almost Korn-like feel, until you get to the chorus and they stomp into a more authentic take on their brand of industrial strength anthems. Billy Corgan's contribution is more of an exercise in vanity than adding value. "the Mask of Sanity Slips" works off more of a 90s alternative rock feel, just pumped up when it needs to be. The soft-to-loud dynamic flows well, and colors things in a Marilyn Manson-like hue .  When they hit the right grooves they really get them right. By my third listen to the Reba Meyers fronted "Mirror" that it connected with me. It is more like the female-fronted alt-pop of the 90s, like a less sexy version of Garbage. They remind you that they have not forgotten how to hit you with crushing heaviness on " A Drone Opting Out of the Hive" , which also reminds me of Deftones. 

Reba brings her voice back to the spotlight on "I Fly" .  "Splinter the Soul" works off a similar 90s rock vibe that we have heard earlier in the album.  They bring back their brand of heavy on "the Game".  They used "Grooming My Replacement" . The programmed drums of "Snapshot" creates a greater sense of motion, while embracing many of the nu-metal like elements they have flirted with already. While Billy Corgan was already on "Take Shape" they bang out something that sounds more like Smashing Pumpkins than the band Corgan parades around as the Pumpkins on "Circle Through". This might be the band's most rock n roll moment to date. 

I think what I wrestle with on this album, is how it is not as dark as the past two albums. This is not to say there is not a shadow cast by "But a Dream". A great deal of this is thanks to the bass line. They remember the band they use to be as the song progresses. The title track closes the album. This starts off with a more electronic pulse before building into something more like 30 Seconds to Mars, than the industrial menace that once flowed through the veins of their sound, I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, given the changes that have taken place. Either way as it stand this is in the upper tier of mainstream rock music. 

death pose : "Midnight Society"

 This Chicago band is being marketed as noise rock, when they are a hard-core band. There is a more angular dance with the riffs , but the vocal narrative has the mic out in the crowd, along with the explosive energy that pervades the song. They are likely a hard-core band that is into math rock, or a noise rock band with a hard-core singer, though the latter does not explain the punchy manner they attack their songs. This is their debut album, so they could still find themselves settling into who they are. Though they are already bringing breakdowns two songs in so I think it's settled. 

What this also gives a glimpse into, is how hardcore does not have to be strictly defined by the status quo. In fact is not what hardcore is supposed to be raging against. The pace picks up for "Double Hockey Sticks", the chorus is more sung than shouted. It gives things a more 90s post-hardcore feel. "Gardens of Salt" stomps along a more conventional hardcore path though they let their chords ring out with more dissonance. A cool metallic groove  keeps "Not Waving' moving in it's own direction. The metal influence continues to shine through in the guitars of "Love Thy Neighbor, Berate Thy Hostess".  Lyrically this is the best song yet. It makes fun of Christians in the real world. Things are not as air tight on "Imperfect Contrition".  The vocals are the most purposeful part of the song. 

"Untitled" is more of an instrumental interlude than a song. "Steady as Ever"  is the first song I can hear the noise rock feel they are trying to project, though vocals are punchy and punk. " Revisionist" gets a little darker and has more of a metal feel. I like how the vocals handle the verses. It comes closer to singing, while maintaining a more aggressive stance. It reminds me a little of Mastodon in this regard. The retain the metal influence for "Quadrophenia pt 2".  It finds a heavy groove to run off of.  "the Riverside" is another angular pounding that thrashes in a more punk fashion.  " This Side of Tomorrow" shows a more melodic side of the band, but if Converge can do that does not mean they are not still a hard core band .  I will give this a 9.5, it's one of the most interesting hard core albums I have heard this year. There might be angrier hard core band, but not many as adventurous. This drops October 20th on Brutal Panda Records. 

the Night Eternal : "Fatale"

The buzz around this band from Germany  is that they plays a darker take on 80s  Metal that pays homage to Mercyful Fate and Candlemass, though by way of bands like Unto Others and In Solitude. Do not get your hopes up with you came here for the supposed goth side of the equation as there is none , it is pretty much a straight up retro metal album The singer croons in a dramatic baritone. The second track gallops in manner that takes you back to the proto thrash of  Diamond Head.  They album is mixed in a way that focuses on capturing the sound of the era. They are so preoccupied with this rather than that being the natural organic flow of their playing that the song writing feels like they are just checking off the required boxes . Their singer defaults his melodies to the most expected places. When he tries to reach up into a falsetto it's a struggle for him. 

Lyrically it feels like they are just meeting the required tropes, rather than me feeling like they are believing one phrase that is being uttered. "We Praised Death" is only marginally creepier than what they have done on the first two songs, and most of that lies in how the guitar rings out. The vocals are well produced in the use of effects and layering, which in a large part compensates for the weakness of the singer. It is a shame because dark metal with an 80s flare is might preferred choice of music. It teaches me not to get my hopes up for this sort of thing. The guitar solos do not add anything to the compositions. 

"Ionean Sea' finds the guitar harmonies galloping over misty mountains better traversed by Iron Maiden. In fact the music is not really that much darker than Dianno era Maiden. I originally was going to hold this one back for the Gothtober features, but it is no where dark or ethereal enough to be adjacent to goth. In places the vocals feel more adlibs, as they wander lost over the song structure without any thing to hook you. Which is one of the main ways they are separated from the likes of In Solitude. The vocals work better when he leans into his lower register. It does create more of a Danzig croon, but has more power down there than the warbling from previous in the album. It might even make "Stars Guide My Way" the album's best song. Even the guitar solo serves more purpose.

"Run With the Wolves" finds them back in the new wave of  British Heavy Metal, though the riffing owes more to Judas Priest as it is less progressive than the Maiden flavored twin harmony epics, and works more off palm muted guitars. They hold back on most of the choruses rather than going for the big stadium anthems. I think what worked when In Solitude did this was they had a raw punk attitude about them. This is much more polished from a production stand point. "Prometheus Unbound" was also the title of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein novel.  But it misses the metaphor and goes for the myth. There is more of a thrashing feel to the song. "the Requiem" is more of an interlude. The album closes with "Between the Worlds" which starts off with a riff that sounds like it was lift from "Hallowed Be Thy Name".  I will give this album a 7.5, as it does a good job of capturing this era of metal, and musically executed in a convincing enough manner, though this album is no where near as dark as the hype of it suggests./

:

7

Year of the Knife : "No Love Lost"

Year of the Knife has raised the bar pretty high for themselves with an opening song ripping it as hard as "Sometimes" does. It proves that Madison Watkins can cut it as their vocalist. She has an abrasive scream that gets the proper emotion across.  The second song features a guest vocal by Devin Swank of  Sanguisugabugg. They are not as death metal as Devin's band but prove that Metal Core does not have to conjure images of the last days when Myspace ruled the Earth. "Mourning the Living" does this louder for the people in the back of the memo on the first two songs in regards to this. 

This however does not mean that all songs are equally inspired.  "Alice" does not raise the question I have to most bands who hit you with this kind of heavy, regarding their ability as songwriters once your ears stop ringing enough for you to pay attention. It is more of a matter regarding the level of intensity that never seems to ebb.  What happened at this point during my first pass through the album, is my ears began to be numbed out by the feral gnashing of teeth that were coming at  them. The brief spastic burst of grindcore that crams Full of Hell's Dylan Walker into, conveys the kind of temper tantrum that style of music is known for. I am more impressed by the hammering groove that "Your Control" unleashes, as it gives you more to bang your head to.

Kurt Ballou has really dialed their guitar sound in. It gives the riffs to "Heaven Denied" a sharper edge. Though Madison's vocals are beginning to feel a little uniform in the single-minded nature they paint the songs in the coat of rageful red. Yet they do not relent in the sonic beatings they lash out with. They go into the last song with a more deliberate menace which speeds up in time for the vocal. The gang vocals injected into the song give more of a hardcore feel. This is also a moment where it feels like the drummer's moment to shine. I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me, despite being possessed by hate that is singular in focus, the energy and execution pull it through. 

The Menzingers : "Some of It Was True"

They set the bar really high for themselves on "Hello Exile", its country leanings carried a convincing twang. It was one of those albums I really wore out. The strummed intro to the first song is deceptive as the song builds into a punk bar anthem once the drums kick in and the pace picks up. Lyrically it retains the charm of albums past.  They reach a new level of songwriting with tons of conviction poured into the voice of Greg Barnett, which has both the quiver of nervous vibrato and the more punk snarl to punch out the songs accents. The vocal lines for "Nobody Stays" are brighter creating more emphasis on an almost pop punk sound. It took a few listens to grow on me. 

They go in a more interesting direction on "Some of it Was True". It works off a speculative dynamic that allows the vocal room to muse. Another lyrically sharp gem from these guys. There is twang to the rocking drive of "Try". The song slows into a more melodic dynamic that flows impressively. There is a more accessible current to what they are doing on this album, I mean it's being mix by Jon Low who has a much higher hourly rate having worked on Taylor Swift albums. "Come on Heartache" is so polished it feels more like modern-day Weezer, though it's the country tremble to Barnett's voice that sells me on it. His voice has a unique quality that keeps them from blending in to the other punk influence band bleeding into the mainstream. 

"Ultraviolet" almost has a Bruce Springsteen feel. The guitar are mixed similar to some of the 80s radio hits, so the vocals are the rightful focus. "Take it to Heart" has a dirtier guitar sound, and the song punches in a manner that allows Greg to tense his vocals chords up into more cathartic outbursts. "Love at the End" is more upbeat. The drummer shows restraint and creates a pretty cool groove, though it's kind of sonically middle of the road for what they do . The pop punk undercurrent is present again, making this feel slightly contrived and more like filler when set against the honesty this album has shown at it's heights. "Alone in Dublin" has the rawer more organic rock feel I want from them . The complex nuances of emotions in his vocal phrasing makes this one a winner. 

"High Low"  finds the vocals returning to more of a pop punk place. It's a little more hopeful than I prefer for these guys to sound. The guitars sound great, but perhaps too good. The song could use more rough edges. It weird how songs like "I Didn't Miss You" are allowed to retain the edge giving  these guys heart , where A-List production teams threatens to mix them into something closer to the homogenized masses of the radio. "Runnin" feels like the middle ground between the raw hungry band they were, and the band that is being fine tuned to sit next to the National on Spotify playlists. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. Despite the changes in the streamlined commercial production choices, their record company wanted, the band wins the wrestling match more often than not to retain their sense of identity.  

Kylie Minogue : "Tension"

First time I have sat down to consume one of her albums in a single sitting for review. This is Kylie's 16th album. 15 song writers and 9 Producers which is more than legit rock bands , but these days  pretty par for the course when it comes to pop music, and more respectable than artists like Doja Cat and Lizzo who have over 25 of each.  Minogue's brand of dance music is more complex than what either of those artists are doing. She also has more of a European fan base, with more progressive tastes. The most remarkable thing, might be also due in part to her producers, but Minogue, does not sound like she is 55. Her voice is light and high almost like her barely 20-something pop counterparts in the States. House is a strong element to her music that can be felt on the opening song. 

"Hold On to the Now" sounds like if the Spice Girls went into the future and given the secret to what would make pop music work in 2023. Does not sound like her vocal performance is as inspired as the first song. "Things We Do For Love" nods in the direction of Madonna's influence on the genre, though it has a very youthful hook to it. The title track has a synth line that sounds like it was pulled from a 90s gay club. Which I think finds her appealing to queens old and young. I wonder how many are going to speculate how she drank vocally from the fountain of youth. This album is like hearing the portrait of Dorian Gray tell you age is nothing but a number which seems to be proving true for her. The carefree "One More Time"  even with all the songwriters aboard feels like filler. 

"You Still Get Me High" sounds like her producers have been listening to Taylor Swift. It gets supper peppy for the kids on the chorus, which makes it harder to take the song as seriously. The same thing could be said for the rapping going into "Hands". Though in the moments on the verses she sings on a lower voice, the closer I think we are to hearing what she sounds like beyond the smoke and mirrors. "Green Light' comes the closest to bringing back more of a disco sound. This is aided by the sax solo that flirts with the song.  It also might be the albums best song.  She wants to pretend the more commercial Euro-House sound of the 90s is the way to go on  "Vegas High" and ends up sounding like Aqua. 

"10 Out of 10" is most likely playing on the Sirrus radio of most Hair Salons today. If this song is not playing at the next gay bar you go ask for your money back, since there has not been many gay anthems this year and this feels like the one you have been waiting on. "Story" closes the album and once again there is the sense the was written for a much younger artist, but Kylie proves she can still get her voice up there. It sounds like this is being doing without too much studio magic. The deluxe edition came with a second disc, but for the purpose of this review I am just reviewing this album presented on this disc.  I will give this album a 9, it's much better than the new Doja Cat if we are to compare pop music, though is still the part of the big entertainment industry and is rolled off the assembly line with a rainbow gloss is the gay album that surpasses Sam Smith's album in every way.

Ruin Lust : "Dissimulant"

 We have reviewed this New York band several times. This time have are straying from black metal in favor of a blown sound that owes more to death metal, but played with the attitude of grind-core. When bands that this heavy get reviewed the heaviness normally impresses me so much that the first song blows by, then on the second song I have to ask if they can actually write songs? Since this is not our first stroll around the block , we know these guys are capable of more than just menacing your ears with sonic sadism, though the second song does not clue you in on this . "Clinamen" is marginally more nuanced, and offering a little more breathing room rather than just bashing your ears in the whole time. 

There is a more traditional death metal rumble to "Thrall".  The riffs ring out a little more. The drums are however unrelenting. Guitar solos dive bomb out from the feedback tinged corners. The title tracks blasts out at you with even more rage. This does begin to color the album with a rather uniform shade of angry. There is pounding and more pounding. The production is raw, yet every thing must have been recorded at maximum volume to capture this feel. I had to go back and give "Purge' another listen after the dust cleared to get a grip on what happened. They did not let up on the abrasive speed, the low growl of the vocals buried in the background is just another texture. Things collapse into a doomy more minimal passage they simmer their rage upon. The guitars could have taken this opportunity to explore creepier chord voicings, but what we get plays it safely into the black. 

"Infinite Regress" is aptly name as it  describes the sonic scope of the singular aggression infusing it. The buzz of "Chemical Wind" closes the album. There is a darker atmosphere haunting it which helps to set it apart from the rest of the album until they converge upon a blinding burst of razor cutting riffs. I will give this album a 7.5, it might be heavier than their previous work, but this sacrifices any nuance to the songwriting process. Almost to full of rage to head bang to. This is being released by 20 Buck Spin who is also releasing the new Gravesend, which is even more dense and angry, so I guess that is the direction the label wants to go cool grindcore with decreasing musical value.  

Gravesend : "Gowanus Death Stomp"

 This is the second album by the New York band who is aspiring to capture the dark underbelly of the city in their music. This trio bashes out crushingly heavy music that could be blackened death metal, with grind core tendencies. They lash out on the second song with a more feral fury than they did on the first song. It is a powerful sonic statement, but I am hoping that heavy is not the only tool at their disposal , because I will be bored by the next song if the dynamics do not shift. Most of these songs do not break the three minute mark so it is not like this kind of assault' is being dragged on. There is more of a death metal buzz to the riff leading into "Festering in Squalor". 

There is a more thrashing feel to "Code of Silence". The vocals stay at the same dry mid ranged rasp. It is produced in a raw that sounds like it's coming from a blown p/a speaker. When they let the riffs groove a bit it works in their favor. The title track kind of works off a similar groove, it almost sounds like the same song. It feels like a great deal of this album is about being homeless. "Streets of Destitution" finds more double bass hammered atop everything , but they attack you in a very similar manner as they did at the beginning of the album. "Make Bones" is another one that blasts at you in a more frantic grind core like manner than black metal. Though they do tap into a more blackened feel with the sonic charge of "Crown of Tar". Yes, it's intense, but not breaking any new ground in songwriting for the genre.

At this point in the album the rule around here that "cool riffs alone does not a good song make" hits hard, as that is all that really separates "30 Caliber Pesticide' from the previous song. Though it is more than the rush grind-core riff propelling "the Third Rail" has to offer. "Mortsafe" makes more out the riffs for the gut wrench death metal it offers. But the vocals are very monotonous at this point . They go into a blasting mode that forces me to go back and give another listen to "Lupara Bianca" in order to hear what happened. "Carried By Six" is another round of raw feral gnashing of teeth that explodes in another flurry of motion. Their drummer is a monster as someone playing this sort of thing would have to be, and is perhaps the most redeeming aspect of their sound. Things slow to a doomy pace midway into the song but it is too little too late.  I will give this album a 7, the vocal grate on me after time , but they have a impressive sound that is dense and dark. 20 Buck Spin is dropping this in late October. 

PAWS : " s/t"

 This is the Scottish band's 5th album. They are an interesting blend of noisy catharsis disguised as indie rock, The overall jangle of what they do sometimes blends together thus causing me to give the more thoughtful tone of "Plans" another listen to fully digest. It works off a similar formula that fueled this sort of thing since the Pixies. Lyrics are one of their key selling points as this song bears the line "I've spent half my life with the sole intention of breaking them ".  Then it ambles off into an odd jam. The soul-baring honesty of the lyrics rivals that of Death Cab for Cutie on the song "Uncertain". This does feel like a lost gem from the early 2000s.  

There is a more grunge-tinged swagger to "One Nation Under DOG" , so I have to give "Unfiltered" an additional listen of two to figure out what is going on with it. Would not call it punk, but the influence of that kind of reckless energy touches it. "Sound Aye No Bother" falls into that lost era where Shoe Gaze touched upon emo to become post-rock. An instrumental is not what I expected from this album, but it works. There is also a more introspective simmer that rides out the subdued tension to "Elemental Attributes" it is moody,but not dark, and coasts on a more detached shade of gray. Great guitar tones are captured on this album.

The pace picks up to a brisk shimmy with "Starfuckers". Female vocals also join in on the angular build where a chorus would be. Instead, a hushed tension carries the song. "SAHD" is another melodic, yet introspectively tense shoe-gazing piece of jangle. The last song works on more of the band's more Pixies like tendencies. I will give this album a 9 as it touches on nostalgia for a time and place in music that was dear to me. It drops October 27th . 

Doja Cat : "Scarlet"

You might wonder why I am reviewing the new Doja Cat, you might be more surprised to know I listened to her "Hot Pink" album quite a bit and found it leaned more in the direction of Grimes. Things have changed and Doja is more embedded in the industry and the machine that pumps out empty soulless music to the masses. If you think music is all a matter of opinion then lest us look at the facts . Hot Pink" had  15 producers  13 songwriters compared to this album which sadly boasts  27 producers and 33 songwriters.  For some perspective "Darkside of the Moon" only had three people  who were not in Pink Floyd, if you are counting the singer guesting on "Great Gig in the Sky". I know there is someone dumb enough to say 

"But could Pink Floyd make a video like Demons?" 

I guess you have never seen "The Wall".  But we are not here to talk about live shows or videos, just the music on the album.  So let's continue..."Paint the Town Red" works off a sample of Dionne Warwick's "Walk on By"  Upholding a legacy of the music machine since Burt Bacharach and Hal David, wrote the song for Dionne Warrick, but it only took a team of three in 1963, without the use of the technology  producers use today.  This finds her crossing over into just a streamlined radio friendly version. She sings the chorus, so singing her own hooks makes her worth more than rappers who don't but it's still a very low bar, as lyrically she is not doing anything different than Cardi B.  'Demons" is more aggressive. Lyrically it can be summed  up as masturbatory ego stroking, of a fictional persona she is playing.  The production is very different, as the vocals are given a filter to create the illusion that they are underproduced, so more like is given to the mix that has layers. It does not take a genius to know that   "Wet  Vagina" is just a ratchet version of 'WAP" . 

"Fuck the Girls" is ok for what it is , there is enough groove and hook, which is about all this sort of thing is worth. When she raps that "ya'll really phoned it in with the music lately"  it is hard to take seriously with four dozen producers working on this album. How many focus groups did this album in particular have to go through before it was released?  You would think we the team of songwriters on this that there would not be songs that lacked focus like "97'  thought given her track record the more experimental moments see most likely had more of a hand in. The chant of "looks like we don't give a shit" applies to how inspired the song is. 

"Gun" is about as bland as gets and lacks any personality of it's own, making her sound like another faceless corporate pawn. "Go Off" has more identity, but is not as good as "Shutco" that samples 10CC's "I'm Not in Love".  Some of the vocal layers on this album also draw inspiration from the song "Agora Hills" is another one of the lead singles from this album ,so it's one of the more meticulously constructed since there was more marketing money riding on it.  "Can't Wait" sounds like microwaved Lauryn Hill. By the time it gets to the jazzy musings of "Often" this album is becoming something to be endured rather than enjoyed. This song wanders and never finds it's way. If the purpose of this album was to defend her cred as a rapper then "Love Life" is not helping. The layers of sung vocals are more interesting, but lyrically her verses are bland. "Skull and Bones" had me thinking it was a continuation of the previous song.

"Attention" works better when she is singing than rapping. Rapping is not her strong suit, but that is how she wants to market herself. "Balut" makes me think of some of the atmospheric jazzy takes on hip hop during the 90s, but is less impressive. She does hit harder with her raps on 'WYM Freestyle" which is what she should have been doing this entire time and I might have been more impressed. I will round this down to a 6.5, it's polished and some of the songs are alright if you want mindless entertainment, she proves she is a better singer than a rapper, and this is the best an artist can sound when they are driving their career in the wrong direction. Would like to hear this with half the producers and songwriters, and then it might just sound like less than inspired pop music.

Bully : "Lucky For You"

This album came out back in June, but it's the time of year for me to catch up on things that fell under the radar earlier. We reviewed 2017's "Losing" album, not a great deal has changed in terms of what she does. There is a more refined production quality to the latest Sub-Pop release. The opening track is more of a riot grrrl tempo, jangles to much to be punk and smoothed out by the almost HAIM like vocal harmonies, are are a benefit of the refined production. Their some dream pop sounds leading into "Days Move Slow" . The tempo does not relent, where I can here they could break from this almost Nirvana like pacing by a few bps and let the song breath, but we get what we get here.

Things slow for "A Wonderful Life" and prove my previous theory regarding how the melodies might benefit from sacrificing a few bpms. We also get some more interesting guitar tones, and textures added to the song. 'Hard to Love" puts angst where some more polishing of the melodies into hooks could have taken place. I think I preferred the grunge tendencies of the previous album more. "Change Your Mind" sounds like Sheryl Crow covering No Doubt in a more aggressive manner. The more reflective moments proving to be the strongest. She does reach perfection at times with songs like "How Will I Know" that blends an infectious yet thoughtful melody with a volatile rock sense . 

The fuzzed out speculation of  " A Love Profound" is very effective in the hypnotic mood it creates. It flirts with shoe gaze in a round about way. Soccer Mommy joins the fun on "Lose You". It carries a casual 90s alt pop beat on the verses building into a more Veruca Salt like vibe for the chorus. It's a winning combination. There is a less focused strum to the wandering "Ms. America". "All This Noise" wants to be punk, and while it's influenced by punk, I am not sure it measures up to what we think of as punk here. Overall this album is pleasing to my ears I will give it an 8.5, as I do not feel it is where "Losing" was . 

Prong : "State of Emergency"

When I first heard "Beg to Differ" it was clear these guys were taking music in another direction as their staccato stomp was outside of where thrash was. While the opening track of their new album does not take anything in a new direction, it does highlight what they did. The vocals of the title track that follows this finds Tommy Victor's voice sounding as urgent as ever with little wear and tear from the years. It is melodically barked, so he is not belting it out like a Bruce Dickinson but pulls off what he needs to do to sell me on this. This is album thirteen for the band. The last album I heard from these guys was  " X - No Absolutes" which I gave an 8, back in 2016 when it came out. This time around Victor feels a little more inspired. 

"Breaking Point' stomps with more of a hardcore influence. It holds up well given today's musical climate. "Non-existence' uses a method of groove that keeps the album's momentum going. Victor reminds you he knows a thing about hooks. "Light Turns Black " feels like they are going to the well again with the formula that just worked for the previous song. The drumming feels a little more Slayer. You can not say this album is not in your face, in almost to a fault. The point continues to be pounded home with "Who Told Me". It is still effective given the sonic nuances they are thoughtful enough to sprinkle over the proceedings. The sheer weight of the chugged riffs this album is powered by will be enough for some. 

The chug slows to a more deliberate crunch going into "Obeisance".  I can hear more of a Killing Joke influence on this one. The is more atmosphere at the edges of the song to bring this out. Victor sings in a more post-punk manner than his metal bark on "Disconnected". This change of the formula is really all the need, and it makes this song stand out. "Compliant' falls into a head-bobbing groove some where between hardcore and nu-metal, which works better than the more cross-over thrash of "Back". They close the album with a cover of Rush's "Working Man" , they slow it down, and Victor sings an octave lower than Geddy which really only takes inspiration from the riff rather than being a cover of the song. Overall I will give this album a 9, it is way better than expected, they do not have to try very hard to blend into the current metal landscape. This drops October 5th. 

Mad Honey : "Satellite Aphrodite"

Oklahoma is not my first guess for where Shoe Gaze is going to be coming from, but judging by the opening track to this album it is as good of a place as any. The lazy strum of  "Tuff's Last Stand" is deceptive of what is to come. There is a hazy web of effects and dense dreamy layers of guitar that recalls the early 90s soaking the rest of the album. Some verses are allowed to breathe amongst soft to louder dynamics in play. Vocalist Tiff Sutcliffe has plaintive coo that cuts through the layers of guitars swirling around her voice most of the time. The lead single "Fold" moves the most gracefully and eagerly embraces hooks amid the sonic wonderment they paint your ears with.

The effects are shed to some extent on "Larkspur" which strips things done so her vocals take center stage. This tells me they are more invested  in songs than a sound, which is a good sign. The cloud of oddly contoured feedback returns to lend it's hypnotic powers to "Eileen". The drummer is good about keeping these song moving, where they could get easily lost is a glassy eyed drone. When it comes to shoe gaze,  Lush might the be the most appropriate point of comparison. "E.T.Y.N" moves with more of a 90s alt pop feel. It's light and breezy while reflecting into more of a gray mood. Sutcliffe has a subtle way with melodies that paint an alluring narrative around these day dreams.  

The have done a weird layering with pitch shift vocal harmonies at varied points earlier in the album, which was more of an underlying texture, however this comes to the forefront on " r u feeling it?". It does lean more toward the sound focused side of what they do than the song focused side, but it is effective to switch things up. The guitars also have their most My Bloody Valentine moment on this song. Her vocals hold "Psycho" together, which is oddly titled given the sweetly sentimental guitar melody running through it. 

The sleepy strum of "Kamakura" is the first moment that despite the interesting layers of harmonies that it builds into still does not resonate as strongly with me. The drums arrive for "Concentration" and give things a much stronger focus than the previous song, despite the mood being more distant. The title track floats on the same feel as "Concentration" but not driven by the drum and allowed to drift further out to sea. I will give this album a 9.5, as the strongest suits anchor the airy tendency to float away as the focus on writing moving songs. 

the National : "Laugh Track"

The second album from these guys this year was a bit of a surprise. Songs that did not fit what they were doing on 'the First Two Pages of Frankenstein" and were further fleshed out on tour. Where the previous album was more introspective pop, they allow the drums to take the wheel and steer them into a more rock direction. This is not to say they do not indulge in similar sonics on song like "Weird Goodbyes", which features Bon Iver. They largely shed the Taylor Swift influence on this album. Matt's mellow yet resonate baritone gives plenty of room to muse. When Justin Vernon chimes in, his voice is mixed as a background layer and does not step into the spotlight. 

"Turn off the House" feels like a folky ballad that has a brisk current of drummer rolling under it . The works to make this not feels like slow song, but rather a song that is lazing about behind itself. It takes a second listen to really take in the song's nuances. Many of them hide in the lyrics. "Dreaming" is another song that I had to listen to a few times before it sank it. It works off a hypnotic pop drone. There is a more laid back twang to the title track that features Phoebe Bridgers. She just kind coasts as a more delicate layer under his voice.  "Space Invader" has all the right accents in all the right places, making it's sleepy mood work. The jammy build up in the songs second half is cool and would work well live. 

"Hornets" works off a more country inspired strum. Lyrically reflective, the clever play of words proves to be their strength. "Coat on a Hook" works more off the ambient shimmer of the guitar that trickles around the vocals. The first song on this album that feels like filler, though it still works for what they do. "Tour Manager "works off a more reserved and introspective drone. The country amble of  "Crumble" feels like it was designed for Rosanne Cash who lends her voice to this song, though that has always been a subtle influence to what they do. The last song feels like if Nick Cave was trying to write electronic music, it's not the album's strongest song, though I like how it gradually builds. I will give this album a 9.5, it continues to show that these guys are great songwriters, capable of a wider range than given credit for. 

Capra : "Errors"

 

There is been a trend of female fronted hard core bands cropping up more this year. This is the second album from these kids and from the opening track it seems it might be a ripper. It is on Metal Blade, so there is enough cross over into metal to warrant. Most of that can be found in the guitar. Those grooves are more interesting than when they default into the more straight forward punk feel on "Tied Up" .  Lotus' angry yells follow a similar pattern regardless of if the rest of the band is in more of a metal mode or punk outburst. I appreciate the effort of the guitarist to make things rather sonic. They are quick to jerk a riff around on you, and incorporate a mathy angular twist to thing. 

Crow does ride the groove of "Silana" better with where she puts her words than she did with the previous song. There is a fun 90s vibe to the energy of the song. There break downs stomp , but the songs are not reliant on them. 'Trauma Bond" proves that when they lean into the groove of the riffs they are at their most potent as a band. When they speed things up they end up sounding like every other punk band. Sometimes deciding what balance to achieve in this regard  plays to their favor. The use of backing gang vocals comes sparingly into play which is another wise choice on their part as it makes those moments more memorable. However four songs in her vocals begin to feel like she is a one trick pony. 

"Loser" is more up tempo, which finds her resorting to a similar style of shouting that falls under a more typical color by numbers style of hard core. The guitar riffing is what ends up providing the songs most redeeming moments. As a band they are very polished, so say they are tight, should never be an issue as you should not be releasing albums on an actual label if that is not the case. The deliberate drumming of "Kingslayer". The more thrashing feel is pretty effective. Crow's cadence shifts a little, but she doesn't come any closer to singing. I also notice during the song, she doesn't really allow her voice to crack into a scream or drop into a growl, it's sits tonally like a more forceful take on her speaking voice. This begins to make everything feel dynamically flat. 

The singer from Walls of  Jericho joins them on "Human Commodity" which is added by perhaps the album's most powerful riff.  "Transplant" just blasts by without really gripping me in a manner that demands my attention, which I think the point of hard core is that it is music that grabs your attention. "Obligatory Existence"  continues to find the album losing steam, though the riffs have a little more hook to them, yet Crow remains a angry girl just screaming over things without contributing to giving the song more form or function. "Nora" is more sonic and finds the band attacking with a more sonic black metal like blast. If this had been George Clarke from Deafheaven on this track it would have really slapped, but instead we are getting what we get here. This album sounds great overall, and there are some cool guitar riffs captured in what at first were entertaining songs but the vocals began to fall flat and bore me, so I will give this album an 8, which is still better than most hard core bands, but not at the top of the heap, though these kids have potential. 

Home Front : "Games of Power"

 

This Canadian band starts things off with a brand of post punk that puts the emphasis on punk, while keeping things bleakly tense. More electronic elements creep into the racing pace of "Real Eyes" while the vocal form a chanted hook. What is becoming clear about this impressive debut album is rather  than pick one band to pay homage to, these guys are clearly inspired by the 80s. however the pulled from a mix tape of the decades more thoughtful punk moments. Despite synths this song charges in a rowdier punk direction with a huge gang chorus. The bass player is who seems most determined to make things post-punk, while the vocals are normally punk, sometimes this is done in a manner that owes more to the Ramones or Iggy Pop.

"Overtime" has a more indie rock feel in how they back off and sing more. Regardless of genre, which is a phrase that could apply to the bulk of this album, they have a knack for writing catchy tunes. 'Contact' finds the beat owing the most to the 80s. though the reverb heavy guitar sound is not far behind. One of least punk songs, I have heard from this album so far due to it's more introspective new wave pulse. Things go in a more Joy Division direction on "End Transmission", before taking things to the dance floor on the title track. 

"Face Value" continues in more new wave revivalist direction . The vocals are more melodic than the punk shouting earlier in the album. I would not say they really capture the anthemic John Hughes sound. To their credit the arrangement shifts and the song becomes more focused on the guitars. This creates a very effective dynamic. "Born Killer" finds a repetitious chant as the back bone of the song. It has a paranoid twitch to it. Things end in a interesting direction as the ambiance makes me think of a cross between Gary Numan and Pink Floyd, fans of Drab Majesty will appreciate it. It will give this album a 9, as it is not hooky enough to draw me in for repeat listens but you have to respect the scope of what they are doing and the talent to pull this off. 

Live Review : Cold Cave @ the Orpheum in Tampa

 My first time in the relocated Tampa venue that moved from Ybor City to the north suburbs. It falls at just under a 1000 in capacity. An out side bar to cater to smokers/ vapers  with a food truck in the back. This was the band's 6th stop on the first leg of this tour. Los Angeles based singer Riki opened , who performed her set with enthusiasm. She handled both cuing up her beats as well as providing a oddly choreographed performance, that she sold with her deliberate movements and the charisma in which they were delivered with, that compensated for her breathy singing that was somewhat pitchy, as the translation of her style that was weathered from the first week on the road. Sounds great in the studio, but translating to projecting it into a club PA is more demanding , which is why more belted rock singing works better in this environment. She was entertaining regardless. 

Cold Cave has come off high profile tours opening for the Cult, and Depeche Mode. They have had to prove themselves to much larger audiences than what was gathered this Wednesday night at the Orpheum, to crowds not familiar work their work, while this evening seemed to be largely fans who knew the words. They have not been the most ardent road warriors over the years, so this helped further refine their live show, so they took the stage with a professional attitude that still upheld the band's mystique. They opened with "Prayer From Nowhere" from their most recent 2021 album. They followed this up with the title track from their debut album. This showed the kind of balanced set list, more bands could learn from. The dished out their legacy in equal portions. In researching their set lists over this leg of the tour is is some variation but staples like "Glory" are pretty consistent, which kept the crowd dancing. 

The more obscure "People are Poison" did not diminish the energy, as Wesley's wife Amy Lee churned the song's bass play line.. They followed this up with " A Little Death to Laugh' to keep the cold wave vibes authentic and the mood bleak. The pulse of "Nothing is True But You" was crowd pleasing. Their older material like "Youth and Lust" holds up very well, and he sung it with compelling attitude. I have always felt that "Cherish the Light Years" is their best album, and a song like "Confetti" in the live environment  certainly supported this claim. It was also one of his best vocal performances of the evening. The live version of "Underworld USA" reminded me what a good song it is. 

I would have expected "the Great Pan is Dead' as the set's opener but it came late in the second half. It still worked in terms of delivery the intensity the song carries. They followed it up with another song from 'Cherish the Light Years" with "Villains of the Moon".   He was every ounce as emotive in his delivery live as on the album. "Promise Land" from their last EP worked well to close out their set, as it delivered the goth club vibes.  They left the stage briefly to play "Catacombs" that found the jangle of guitar cutting through more live. This was followed by the angular synths of "Life Magazine" found Amy taking over on vocals . The last song of the encore was the driving dance floor slapper "Icons of Summer".  If you have not yet seen Cold Cave live and like dark music of any variety, I strongly suggest catching them when they come your way. 

Explosions in the Sky ; "End"

 The Texas post-rock band's 8th album proves that to have had such a lasting career as an instrumental band they must be doing something right,. I listen to most music for vocals so it is normally hard to sell me on something like this. I came aboard as a fan in 2007 thanks to their album "All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone" which has enough melancholy and longing in the guitars that it won me over. That same feeling is hinted at in this album's second song "Moving On". The album opens on a much different note with lighter more electronic passage working movements closer to grooves than the cinematic majesty expected from these guys. But it still works as a song, and proves they have a desire to keep pushing the boundaries of what they do. 

There is more of a distant ambient twinkle to "Loved Ones" .  The soft to loud builds that were at the heart of their earlier work has been replaces by a more explorative pondering. It is hinted at on "Love Ones" but done in a less dramatic fashion. "Peace or Quiet' does bring it back closer to the sonic drama of their earlier work with the guitars really infused with emotion. Once again I am four songs into their album, as they have taken me off on a journey that keeps me engaged to the point that I never find the lack of vocals to be a detriment to the song. "All Mountains" finds the effects the guitars play with to create a new swathe of wonderment. The ambiance sometimes threatens to take the song floating away, though never long enough to kill the momentum of the song.

"the Fight" is a spacious piece of sonic sparkle that dances around the some what lonely mood.  There is one droning guitar part that plays against the plod of bass, to create something unique within the boundaries of what they do once the build up begins to crank itself to life. The jangle of the guitars helps to pick up the pace once the drums come in. It is certainly what fans of this band are wanting. The last song opens with a more delicate piano line. It hesitates on the pitter patter of the song's melodic  pulse midway in. It sounds like ping pong being played by robots in heaven. I  will give this album a 9.5, these guys continue to take your breath away without doing it the same way twice and secure there place the top tier of this genre. 

Wolves in the Throne Room : "Crypt of Ancestral Knowledge"

 

The 9th studio release from the band finds them continuing down a more refined sonic path. From the first song it is evident the band's sense of dynamics remains intact . The intensity constricts into a metallic thrashing in equal portion to the more expansive dark pathways of sound they lead you through. There is a cool guitar melody that sits in the same space a guitar solo would, but approaches it from a much more melodic direction .At under 7 minutes it a fairly conservative journey when compared to some of the epic ground they have covered in the past.  I think the most powerful statement scaling things back to some capacity makes is refusing to write the same songs twice.

 They have been growing away from the confines of the black metal genre for sometime now. The vocals to "Twin Mouthed Spring" start with more of a whisper before lower growls couple it up. Then they break off into a more folk direction with acoustic guitars coming out. Just over midway into the son g they explode into the blast beats you might have been waiting, this is counterbalanced by the soaring melodies above it that are now what we think of as Cascadian black metal. I like they despite the shimmer there remains a strong sense of melancholy along with a darker vibe haunting the mood. 

"Initiates of the White Hart" opens with more of a neo - folk feeling. It basks in this atmosphere for the duration of the song, it is too complex of a melodic flow to consider how it hangs on the melody droning, but it does not progress in the expected fashion. Then the last track is an ambient passage that feels like something to meditate to rather than a fully formed song. Since I am a little disappointed that after the first two songs were so strong that they would piddle around with folk atmosphere for the second two songs, but even there are some interesting moods created, even if it is not what I would have preferred so I will give this album an 8. 

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DRAIN : "Living Proof"

I am in the process of trying to catch up on all of the hard core albums I might have missed out on earlier in the year. The first thing that strikes me about how this Santa Cruz band opens their album is how influenced they are by Pantera. They have a punk energy to them, but the second song feels more like thrash meets nu-metal in places, as the first riff has an almost White Zombie like groove to it. The whole song does not hook you in like the first. It's a good thing these songs are averaging around two minutes, so they are not boring me yet despite dishing out much of the same flavor when it comes to "Devil's Itch". It has a cool groove here and there, but the rule for this blog that applies to every genre is "Cool riffs alone does not a good song make". 

I will say I just reviewed the new Buggin album, and I can say these guys are more convincing than the Chicago band. DRAIN is hands down more in your face and aggressive. Their riffs are also more biting. Even when they are throwing them at you in a manner that is not their most inspired. They do cram a great deal of those riffs into these compact songs. Ironically going into "Imposter" they say "imitation is the lowest form of flattery" , which is funny as I would not say these guys are all that original. They have many strengths as a band and originality is not one of those strengths. The hip hop intermission is an odd choice but it does offer another sonic color. The thrash grooves they answer this verse with is pretty stock break down thrash.

The buckle down and head bang into a taunt groove for "Weight of the World" The screamed exclamations of their vocalist work well most of the time, sometimes he drops down into more of a growled accent. Sometimes it is more of a rasped scream. "Watch You Burn" is what metal core meant in the 90s, as it leans into the Pantera vibes again, though coupled with a break down feel. There is actual singing when they cover "Good Good Things" by the Descendants. They should have incorporated more of what makes this work so well, which is melody into the other songs.  The title track that closes the album just stomps to double down on what they have already made it known they do. I will round this down to an 8, might not be the most original thing I have heard, but it is fun. 

Buggin : "Concrete Cowboys"

 This band from Chicago set out to not be another beat down hardcore band. They succeeded in that. They are more of a hard core band than a punk band. I have read a great deal trying to describe this band as playful. They are not as serious as Integrity. They are still pretty angry. They are fun and at first their thrashing way inspired me to nod my head to the riffs, but about four songs in it all starts to sound the same. The songs are really well produced. Their singer's voice is aggressive enough to convince me she means it. The dive bombing riffs have ample metal influence. 

However by "Poser Bulldozer" I am beginning to get bored. The chorus works well enough, but every hard core cliché has been milked in the first five songs already, so they need to start showing me more sonic colors. They meet me half way with the riff that leads into "Hard 2 Kill" though there vocalist has begun to sound like she is rapping when it comes to spitting it out to the more up tempo sections. "Not Yours" finds her angry when it comes to the finer points of defining relationships and perhaps social interaction. 

The title track does not veer from what they have already established as their sound throughout the first eight songs. There is a breakdown where they try to get funky with it , but that never comes about. The guitar solos are lackluster color by numbers rock n roll. By the time it gets to "Redacted" this album is becoming something I am enduring for the sake of the review rather than enjoying like the first couple songs. "Kick Rocks" tries faster rather than better for mixed results, it does make the break downs stand out. The last song "Youth" is pretty stereotypical hardcore punk,  I will give this album a 5.5, it starts good then falls apart, hard to believe Revolver listed this in their best hardcore albums of the year so far, guess their writers do not know shit about hardcore. 

Scowl : " Psychic Dance Routine "

 

This Baltimore band is pretty impressive. They go from a metallic rasped take on hard core, to a sultry grunged out version of 90s alt rock. They take this side of the band further  on the title track by cranking out a  a more purposeful rock hook, that struts with more than it's fair share of attitude. There is some palm muted tension , but the vocals of Kat Moss, are given plenty of room to breathe. They should have the queens share of the spotlight, since it is her voice that elevates what the band is doing over the hundreds of bands playing 90s influenced punk rock these days. 

It does not matter if she is pouring the sugar on the melody or spitting razors at you with her snarl, both carry a unique personality that shines out, illuminating the song that might have gotten mired down in the more typical tropes. There is a more Veruca Salt feel to the upbeat rock drive that picks up the tempo for "Opening Night". I think another strength of the band is to get in and out keeping the songs to the point while still allowing for some dynamic ebb and flow. The only way this plays against the band is it leaves you wanting more, which is better than wearing you out or making you bored. 

They close things in perhaps the most aggressive outburst from the band. I appreciate where the energy is coming from, but it is the least interesting of the songs, but even then there is more than enough to keep you engaged, the band has already raised the bar for themselves when it comes to songwriting, so when they make an outburst like "Sold Out" it might be better than what their peers can do , but  Scowl and do a little better, so I would not write the song off as filler either. I will give this a 9, I wish it was more of a full length and less of an  EP, but would also prefer quality over quantity if that was the goal then they hit it with room to spare.  

CIRITH UNGOL : "the Dark Parade"

The 6th album by this band has been a long time coming.  More of the band's lineup is intact than most bands whose careers reach back to the 70s. Greg Lindstrom and Robert Garven formed the band back in 1971. With vocalist Tim Baker joining them for their first album. Baker's snarl still works really well. Does he still have the Rob Halford-like wail that he carried for "Frost and Fire"? No, he is 66 years old. Rob Halford does not sound like Rob Halford did in 1981. I think the weathered pipes of Baker sound more metal now.  These guys have gotten a helluva a lot heavier if you compare this to their earlier work. More importantly to my ears, they also sound darker.  There is a less proto-doom sound and more of a crushing thrashed-out power metal feel. 

The guitars rip and thanks to excellent production find the guitars dialed in with just the right crunch, that is organic enough to honor the time they are from, but holding the sonic weight of their younger peers. They are not galloping like they once did, but digging into a more deliberate chug for songs like "Looking Glass" that is more mid-paced, almost finding a groove that brings Testament's cover of "Nobody's Fault to" to mind. The only Sabbath comparisons I have heard on this album are in the solo section to this song and it reminds me more of the Dio Sabbath years. The guitar player is killing it when it comes to solos. They are kind of jammed out and extended at times, but it works for what they are doing. Baker even dips down into more of a growl at times. 

The title track is the first that finds the band sounding their age. It is also slower and moving in a more doom-oriented direction. They have already proven themselves better than this on this album, so it feels a little like filler to me. Granted their filler is better than what most bands can muster on a good day. When they put their minds to a riff like the one that powers "Distant Shadows" they prove they are one of the most underrated classic metal bands ever. There are moments of clean melodic guitars used to provide a dynamic shift, which generally works well. They are more bombastic on the last song, though not as catchy as they were on the previous album. The weight they hit you with is impressive as it at times reminds me of bands like Dark Angel and Forbidden. I will give this album a 9.  It drops on Metal Blade on October 20th and is a lesson for older bands on how to stay vital. 

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Deadly Carnage : "Endless Blue"

 I was reluctant to check this band out due to their name. Even if you are a death metal band Deadly Carnage is a little too on the nose. The sung vocals of the first song sound like they are from a prog album, as they dance around the flowery atmosphere. The drummer foreshadows the fact fact they are a metal band, if the name did not clue you . When things kick in they still retain a relaxed shimmer. The drummer remains committed to being in a metal band , when everyone else hesitates. The first two songs drifts together, meaning they have a rather uniform sound that they take for a long walk on the beach. I can hear that these guys are talented, but there could be more here to grab me as midway into the second song I can feel myself beginning to get bored. 

To their credit they keep the songs compact, and cover a great deal of ground. The blast beats are not really convincing as there is nothing about what I heard in the first two songs that is all that heavy. They sound like they are from France more than Italy. I don't know but Italian metal bands seem to have more interest in horror movies, these guys sound like they took OxyContin at the crystal shop. Things get more deliberate on "the Clue". There is still a great deal of shimmer than I am not hearing being balanced out by a meatier contrast. Are they skilled at their instruments? Yes. Are they getting the sound they are seeking from these songs? Sounds like it to me. Is this enough to warrant 'the Clue" being an instrumental ? No. 

"Blue Womb" finds the band drifting even further out into the ether. The tempo builds a little as things coagulate but never rock out . The first metal powered chug appears on "Mononoke" . It is also a little darker which helps the over all dynamics of the album. There is more of a languid strum to "Swan Season" which might be the album's most Alcest like moment thus far. The drums certainly want to build things up on this one. In some ways the rest of the band complies in doing so, though the vocals never have any grit to them, and prevent the overall mood from getting grim enough. Not saying they have to resort to the typical black metal screaming. Just something with more balls to it. "Moans, Grief and Wails" gets more metallically intense and wants to go in a heavier direction. 

There is a lingering folk melody to the last song. Two minutes in and I had resigned myself to the fact that this was as heavy as the song was going to get,  no matter how the drummer teased my ears. In fact the intensity drops out as they wander off into new age music. I will give this album an 8, as they are good at what they do, however what they do has a ceiling in terms of how hard the dynamics are willing to go. If you like prog rock you are more likely to enjoy this album than if you are into black metal. 

the Beaches : "Blame My EX"

This Canadian indie rock has a great pop sensibility to what they do. Their hooky lyrics get real while making fun teenage pop culture life. They proclaim to not let them near your dad, and they you to blame their ex Brett. "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Paranoid"  works of  the clever passive aggression that propels HAIM to the top of the charts. These gals are listening to the Smiths rather than Fleetwood Mac, which factors into the cutting lyrics. This also plays a role in the melodic jangle of guitar that makes up these songs. The fact they are releasing this album independently means they are writing these infectious songs without the aid of a team of producers, while they are shoulder to with the likes of Miley when it comes to weaving these melodies together. 

This is not to say all they touch is perfect. "Everything is Boring" works for what they are doing , but does not have me as submersed in their spell as the first three songs. "My Body ft Your Lips" takes a lazy stroll through sexuality and drug use. "Kismet" is more playful but not as effective in the mood it creates with it's upbeat strut. The lyrics are almost silly. "Shower Beer" keeps the party going in a better direction than the previous song. The tense jangle of the guitars works really well. It is hard to know which of the lyrics are a joke or a serious declaration of who they are. 

I really like what she does with her voice on the verses of "Edge of the Earth" . The vocals fit just right over the almost disco-inspired riffs. I guess being a bass player helps her in this regard, as she is also locked in with the beat vocally as well. Not the most impressive range, but she found herself in all the right places of the song at all the right times. The acoustic strum of "If a Tree Falls" finds the band making the most of this change in mood. The vocals are really well produced, and this is done without an entire team of producers. 'Cigarette' has an almost post-punk celebration in the release of its tension. I will give this album a 9.5, it's a lot of fun, and worth repeat listens for sure. 

Graf Orlock : "End Credits"

This hard core band has made a concept album of sorts that pays homage to post-apocalyptic science fiction. This is not done in a grandiose fashion, uses the grit they normally offer. "Mega City Blues" is a direct nod to Judge Dredd, which aside from Anthrax's icon "I am the Law" does not get enough acknowledgement from heavy music. They give less shits on "Dead Out of the Sun" that finds them converge upon a pretty mean chug. They do not shy from crusty blast beats. 

They tackle Snow Piercer with "Those Bastards in the Front Sections". It is a song attacked with thrashing aggression. The vocals are a more metallic snarl most of the time. It is fair to say these guys are a metallic hard core band more often than not. Almost cross over thrash at times, but with a raw anger that casts aside aspirations of things like guitar solos. They begin to scream about "Waterworld" on "Unloading an Unwanted Passenger". The break down on this song is mean as all hell. They come close to melody at times. 

They close the album with an ode to "Children of  Men". I think their rather high brow taste in movies, aside from perhaps the cult following of Waterworld, speaks a great deal to how they handle the songs, and where they create their own art from. This was recorded live to tape, and you can get that sense from how compressed everything is. The melody that does emerge upon occasion flow rather organically and never feels contrived. I will give this album a 9, as it is so raw and in your face it is not possessed by any of the darkness or nuance I listen for in all music , hard core included, but this is so well done and honest , it deserves this score as it is a great album for what they are doing.