This electronic artist from Manchester plays a dark mix of dream-pop that warbles its way into something that is vvitch house adjacent at times. The opening track mesmerizes you with its sound, then the second song finds him proving he can write songs as well, but in such a way that it sets the tone for the rest of the album. "The Words' is more upbeat and comes across like a lo-fi version of early Cold Cave. But it still works, though I hope the rest of the album is not in this direction, but more like the first two songs. I would be more likely to call this cold wave than dark wave as it's not as dark and less dramatic, with the dream pop atmosphere he dips into from time to time softening the mood.
"Real Life" finds the synths coming more forward, before they really head out to the dance floor on "Power Blue" which is weird enough for me to like it. I can hear Cold Cave comparisons, with his voice being the main thing that separates the two, as it's a more delicate touch than the cavernous croon Wesley employs. The groove darkens on ''Follow Me Home", I can easily hear this fitting into a goth night DJ set. It was pointed out to me that they also might be compared to Drab Majesty, but this is more driving dance music.
There is a more early Depeche Mode feel to " Love Like Glue". It is another dance floor banger. I think the fact there is a diverse range of sounds on this album rather than just painting himself into a corner."Sweetness and Light" finds them getting into murkier waters as they float into a shoegaze haze. Their darkest. Moment closes the album. If it wasn't for the vocals, this might cross over into gth whih would be the second song to really do so. Just so we are clear, this is not a goth album, but it is adjacent enough to appeal to the cross-section of the fan base that is into the newer indie electronic music. I think it captures a great mood as I am a sucker for hypnotic, drugged-out music so I wil give it a 9.5.
This band took the number five spot on our top 10 Doom albums of 2023 with their last album "The Loss of Beauty" so they have a great deal to live up to based on the magnitude of their legacy, as their 2017 "Black Drapes of Tomorrow" made the top 10 best prog albums of that year, showing how their style has changed over the years. The opening track to their 5th album is a little more straightforward but powerful and melodic. The emphasis feels like it is more placed on songwriting, though the second song sounds more like My Dying Bride, so perhaps this is another step into a different corner of doom. "Bleed to Life" is somewhat in line with this sthought has it feels almost like H.I.M. It is well written, so I have few complaints.
The title track follows the path laid out by the previous song. There is more rock drive on this album than doom despair. Growled vocals surface when this song builds up. There is also another factor that has not held as much of a prescence this time around. There is a slight return to death metal on "Dreaming of a Scar' which is effective as the album was beginning to get dynamically flat, working off the same vibe. This sounds like it could be 80s-era Sentenced. The tow vocals styles balance each other out. We are back to the more melancholic metal for "Society is the Murderer".
The flirt with death-doom for the crushing mood of "The Numbing Void," which feels like a step sideways. The drums pound on as a driving force for "Another Breath" that feels more like Paradise Lost. The last song follows a similar formula, though it leads off in a more melodic direction, but still has the dark Euro-metal of the 90s feel. This might not be the most original formula in play, however, it is entertaining and sounds great I will give this album a 9.
There is something hypnotic about this project that matters, early 90s dream pop with a more narcotic electronic pulse. It's like Stone Roses remixes without the guitar solos. The title track that opens the album drew me in; now the challenge is, can they keep my interest? Where the second song floats in a bong-laden haze with nothing grounding it by the surreal atmosphere it flows through, "The Ice Melted, We Had to Swim" has more of a backbone with its solid pulse. The formual for their songwriting seems to be to get high and jam.
There are some exotic Indian influence chord progressions to "From a Different Place" to continue to mesmerize as this album keeps dripping past you in it's lsd drenched ooze.It can't be argued that they do not have a cool sound, but I am going to need them to hook me in. Instead, they fall into the ambiance as the more krautrock bubbling of "Moment Moment Moment Moment" unwinds into another slow burn. This vocal style works for a few songs, but midway into the album, you need to hear more. The are jsut another layer in this drone. Speaking of drones, I hope yo uare not sobering up soon as things jam on with "Open Flame," which sounds cool, but it wanders around.
The atmosphere does not diminish for the last song if yo uare waiting for them to rock out, it is not happening. They instead float around in the smoky haze of the ethereal guitars. While this album was in many ways a pleasant surprise it's good for the rainy morning when yo uare not waking or the afternoons that you get really stoned, for that I am going to give it an 8.5, as this is the album they wanted to make, it's just something you have to be into the proper headspace for.
Tampa Metal's legned drumm/vocalist Mike Browning, who passed at the age of 62 on July 13th.From liver failure, which would not be a huge surprise to those who knew him and his tenouw lifestyle,. The deaths caused by the rock ' n ' roll lifestyle are sometimes slower coming than others. He played in the earliest incarnation of Morbid Angel that went by the names Ice and Heretic before settling on the name they are famous for. He played on "Abominations of Desolation," which would not see the light of day until 91. He would be replaced by Terrorizer drummer Pete Sandoval as the classic lineup of the band took form. He played briefly in a band called Incubus, not the stoner Faith No More wannabes, then formed Nocturnus, which included in its earliest line-ups the bass player for Agent Steel and Vincent Crowley of Acheron.
What set these guys apart from the pack when it came to the Tampa death metal scene of the 90s was that they had sci-fi themes, and keyboards were very dominant to aid in this atmosphere. When I bought their masterpiece "The Key" as a teenager, I was surprised that the drummer was also the vocalist. They felt like a death metal version of Coroner to me due to their technical prowess. To this day, that album still sounds great. I recently got the full dynamic range mix, and it holds up against anything today. It is an album that shows they were at one time able to stand toe to toe with Morbid Angel, who are more consistent in their releases as until recently I had not paid much attention to wehre they band was after "The Key," which is their best formula
I know they have had other vocalists to allow Browning to focus on drums, but his voice is a signature of the band. Their later work had a high bar to live up to when it came to being weighed against "The Key," but you gotta give him props for sticking to what he loved. He was one of the most important figures in the Tampa death metal scene, and here is to hoping Tom Morris has some songs from the Key session buried until Mike's page in the Necronomicon is turned, and it shall come down in a demon comet to be made an MP3. If you are a death metal fan, go listen to "The Key".
Here is a band that has been getting a bit of a buzz over in the UK. They blend post-punk tension and deadpan vocals with electronic beats to provide more drive. The first song impresses me with how it moves and the scope of their sound, but the vocals might begin to bore me a few songs in, so let's see if they can counter-balance this with their expectations. Things get dancier on the second song, but the limited vocal range makes the vocals feel like an afterthought. I would say he is even more limited range-wise than Justin from She Wants Revenge, though they have a similar thing going on; however, they are not even that dark. He does go up a half step for one phrase on the second song, but that is not much.
Perhaps if they used less bright major sounding chord progressions, it would distracct me from the dry drum sound. I think back when I reviewed the Secrecy album, I made it pretty clear about what I want from post-punk, so it's nothing against the genre, it is how you play to those expectations. There is a better groove to the song "Burning". The one after this follows a similar path, and it puts a great deal of weight on the bass player who is carrying these songs 'Encouragement" might be a slight rip-off of Interpol, but it's the best song so far.
The guitar player wakes up an add more atmosphere to "I Remember Everything".Then they strut out onto the dance floor with "Obligations," which makes me understand why people like these guys , because htey can dance to them."Song For Someone" is a more melancholy ballad that is limited by his vocal range. There are occasions where the instrumentation is able to convey the emotion and compensate for what the vocals lack, but this is what keeps them from being on the tier of a band like the Twilight Sad, who can use both to a more powerful effect. When you have a song called "Does the Devil Know My Name," I expect it to be your darkest song not one of the most dancey. i will give this album an 8 as they might not be a goth band but they can make people dance and that is going to be their fan base, people who missed Interpol the first time around and are too young to know the difference.
I listen to a great deal of death metal these days, so it's great to hear a band that takes on its own personality amid a genre that can be rather uniform in its sound and dynamic scope due to the common focus on aggression. This is a weird concept album that has the crazy spirit of Acid Witch if they were not obsessed with Halloween and were more focused on Carcass-like medical horror. The second song has some thrash moments to it. "The Autopsy" takes a more frantic approach that brings them a little closer to the more extreme fringe of death metal. The higher shrieked vocals hold more in common with Deicide as they accelerate the pummelling.
They are marginally more deliberate about "the Snaguine Fiend". Partially due to the speed at which they attack these songs, they keep the songs typically around the four-minute mark or less. After some moments getting mired down in the genre's need for speed, "Among the Offal" finds them back on track with songwriting that helps set them apart. They maintain this songwriting streak with " Anatomical Incantations," which does have faster sections, but it is balanced out by the passages of more grooving riffage. There are echoes of old Morbid Angel and Carcass, without being a blatant tribute to either. Though thematically they lean in a more Carcass direction, as I mentioned before.
The title track does not stand out as much as the previous two songs, mainly because it stays locked in such a thrashing speed. The last song, "Stitch By Stitch," has a more purposeful accent on the blazing fast chorus to differentiate it. While this is not the best death metal album of the year so far or offer a challenge to the albums that were on that list it does carve out their own place to carry the torch one Carcass retires, and for that I will give this a 9.It drops on Everlasting Spew Records September 11th.
This Chicago-based band plays a fairly straightforward version of classic rock that leans towards power, though the opening track has more of an edge similar to Iced Earth. It's hooky in the manner of the 80's heyday of metal worked off. before losing its way in the 90s. They carry the heft of thrash without having to build speed. 'Aquarius Betrayed" is driven by what feels more like a pumped-up rock riff, before the palm-muted chugs. It's an intersting juxtaposition of sounds as I can also hear some Dokken influence in the guitar playing. They punch in harder in on the chorus, which does not work as well as their approach of the opening track, but they are melodic and dynamic enough to compensate. Midway into the song, they find their groove.
"Above Soil Beneath Sky" feels like a more modern approach to power metal. This places a great deal of weight on the vocal melodies, which find their singer always trying but not really nailing all the hooks. If you are into guitar solos they have them, and they are pretty catchy. They are dynamic songwriters, so that is in their favor. The common problem with power metal is anthemic does not equate to hooky. "Giving Up the Ghost " has a cool deliberate riff that I have high hopes for. The vocals work well with the riff, and that is all I am asking for here. The chorus is more fluid, proving my previous point.
They continue to prove themselves to be darker than your average power metal band, which is not a high bar, but what they are doing works, until they lean too far into the more rock n roll side. The bass leads into "Silent Wars," and the guitar falls in behind it in a more Ratt-like manner. Though you could also compare it to Ozzy. The chorus works for what they are doing but places them solidly in the 80s revival feel. "When Prophecy Fails" races along in a manner that doesn't resonate as much with me. They set up the last song to be a power ballad. I will give this album a 9, the yare solid muscians doing better than what most bands in this genre are doing , so if you want darker power metal with balls this is for you.
My affinity for this kind of rap music lies in the time I spent in Atlanta. I really love his album 'Evol," but he has not really wowed me with anything that came after, though I do like his work that came before that album. From what I have heard is that the ritics what something more introspective from him, but they feel he is doing his same old, same old, and I think the reason they don't like this is that it glorifies they hyper masculine gangster mythos, which, if he were white, would get called toxic masculinity. I think what he is doing here is what works for him and is true to who he is. There might be other conversations you want to have about what that is, but I don't care. I listen to a band that sings about raping corpses, so I obviously do not care.
The first few songs are pretty consistent with what he does, though as you get deeper into the albums, the lean begins to kick in and things mellow out. The beat is more subtle with less boom, and his lyrical flow begins to mellow as well into autotuned singing by the time we get to "California Girls" . He finds himself making trap ballads on "Weight Up". His vocals are less a jumbled murmur, which makes his voice more likea droning instrument riding the beat. Symphonic synths cascade in the background. Lyrically, things get silly on "Konnichiwa. but the pattern the lyrics are spit in gives the song more heft
"Trenchcoat' is almost an interlude.. "Snow in Skyami," it's back to the drugs, and if you are the pearl-clutching type that cares about misogyny in music, there is plenty on display. The drug songs tend to be darker.. "Build a Bitch" is pretty silly lyrically. "Radio" is ironically the catchiest. Despite that, in the song he declares it is not for radio. "2018" sounds like crack head is chanting at the beginning. It feels like he is trying to be Young Thug here. It is back to business on "Money Over Everything". The album starts to regain its momentum here..
With 22 songs on this album, there are bound to be some less inspired moments, "If I Could" being one of these. The influence of Yung Thug crops up again on "Big Moment." This album is not littered with guest spots and collaborations, so it's up to him to deliver all. "Cast a Spell' finds him once again going in a more Yung Thug like direction. It's an auto-tuned ballad. "Kick" has a more interesting backing track than most of the songs on this album. The backing track to 'Hollywood" sounds like it could be a song by The Weeknd with its more 80s synth feel, suited considering the direction that artist went in. The Weeknd vibes continue on "The Closer I Get", he has 9 different producers on this album ot assist with the beats, which explains the range of sound brought to the table here
"Alice" is one of the album's hookiest songs and the closest to pop this album gets with it's ywewerk inducing beat. "Eye to Eye" balances things between the more trap ballad feel and his moving lyrical grooves. Despite the more trap ballad feel of some songs, I think he finds himself on this album, or at at least settles in with his persona and delivers what you want from him without compromising to conform to polite society so I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me.
This project feels a little contrived to me. I think the folk elements of what they do work, but the metal side sounds like a Temu version of Black Album-era Metallica. If they were jsut a Mongolian band playing metal, it would be one thing, but they are being marketed like it's It's a Small World of Metal. The fact that they are dressed like extras from Dr Strange only makes the point clearer. You mean to tell me they just broke out of their homeland, which has little contact with the music industry, or they were founded and developed? Almost liek the male version of Babymetal
It opens with the most commercial song, Nothing. More guests on "Lost Soul," which is well written and produced, though nothing groundbreaking. But for big dumb metal for the summer festival beer-drinking crowd, it works."The Men" would sound like Nickelback if it were not dressed up as folk metal. There is a little more nuance to "Echoes of My Father", but vocals are not these guys' strength. The song " Shadow " was such generic metal that it just faded into the back, and I had to give it a second listien to pay more attention to what is going on, which is not much. The first song that grabs me is "The Real You"; the riff is kind of thrashy and feels more like actual metal. Though the vocals continue to be weak.
There is more swubg in the groove to "the Gray Hun" but it makes it sound more like warmed-over Metallica. At their best vocally, you can tell it's taking a great deal of love from the producers. They go for a more melodic tone on "Universe," but the vocals hold them back; it feels like it is for a Disney movie. I think another thing I don't like about what they do is that none of this sounds dark; there are more introspective moments, but just anthemic rousing, which is also the thing I do not like about most power metal. I will give this album an 8 in trying to hear this from the perspective of a fan, thanks to the production and couple trong songs, but this whole thing feels highly contrived,
This Danish death metal trio is releasing a pummeling grind that carries hints of Morbid Angel in places but delivers it more brutally. They do not let angular riffing and dissonance stop them from finding a groove on the opening track. "A Hidden Creature" feels like it carries elements of crust punk into the dense blast ridden fray the song evolves into. The drums are hyper fast. When they slow down and let the organic ambiance of the chords ring out, it plays to their favor. The way the riffs modulate is very subtle but effective. There is a burly sonic quality that would almost feel like sludge if it were not for the frantic drumming when they storm into "From the Giants Snout"
. The vocals are typically in a lower, guttural, almost gurgle, that paints them into the singular, focused aggression death metal is known for. Later in the album, as it becomes apparent that there are effects on them, they feel like they are at peak form. Production-wise, this album si very organic and raw. The vocals sit under the guitar, but the mix lends itself to making room for the bass. The riffs take on the more machine-like grinding sound that Morbid Angel made famous on " Dog Hunter". The gutiar is more deliberate here than most of the songs so far. Though when they go into blasting, it feels like an easy default. A clean strum of guitar leads into " Of God's Neglect"., this contrast helps them to find a darker place to go into. When they lean into this sonic heaviness, I think it's clear that it's heavier than metal blasting. This song is followed by an almost grindcore-like spasm of riffs that is not crafted as well as "Of God's Neglect".
They see-saw back into creepier, more deliberate moods as the album prgresses that are much more intersting. Even when the drummer lays the double bass on thick, they stay the course for the duration of the passage, as they are going to, of course, speed up at some point. They wrestle against their need for speed on "Reversed Head Renewal". They reach a better balance on the title track that closes the album and keep the blast to dynamic bursts in a more call and response manner., I will give this album a 9, as it works well sonically and is more interesting than most.
This band had been buzzing around the post-punk side of the goth scene, and I am a little confused why, as this is just straight-up punk rock with a little tear in their guitar melodies, but still just punk. There is a bit of shadow underlying what they are doing, thanks to the reverb in the otherwise raw production of this album. This sounds like it could have come from 1978, otherwise.The vocals are more melodic on "Pin Drop". They begin flirting with some Halloween moods on "5-Mile Ponytail". The bass line is to thank for the bulk of this, along with the sample running through this song.
"White Cadillac" has more groove to it. The title track is more of a bouncy punk song. "50's Guy's Eyes" cruise along with the same upbeat level of enthusiasm. There is a sullen element that reminds me of the early Iceage. 'Duck and Cover' finds them banging and clanging through things, in a more lo-fi and reckless manner. The guitar tone was great at the start of the album, and it begins to get kind of jangly by the time we get to "Duck and Cover." You can also hear how they have allowed themselves to be influenced on some level by Turnstille. Hey, a kid has got to make a living.
The song is typically somewhere within a stone's throw of two minutes, which works well for what they do. The electronic drum sound to "The Mess" adds a much-needed shift in sonic color. The rapped vocals are a little weird. There is a bit of shoegaze atmosphere to "The Kockroach" that ambles along well. "Down Doggy" is more of a punk mess. It's only a minute long. "Flailing on the Tracks" is marginally creepier with its echoing boom. The vocals are more nuanced, which works for me. "Banned From Paradise" is punk with lo-fi electronic elements sprinkled in. The last song is just punk, and it works for what that is. I think if I just went into this expecting a punk album, I might have been mroe satisfied, but I can hear the appeal so I will give it an 8.5.It is being released on Epitaph because it is a punk album.
This prog rock band from Israel blends some interesting sides of the genre; you can hear elements of Muse, System of a Down, along with more traditional suspects like Dream Theater. In this regard, you could sum it up by simply using Pain of Salvation as a reference. There is some System of a Down-like weirdness, but Pain of Salvation has used that sort of thing at times, depending on the era. It is grandiose and dynamic, but not too melodramatic to give it a more Dream Theater ballad sound; I am only two songs into the album.
The more ethnic folk elements a band like Orphanlands uses are not present, though hinted at on the darker "Mechanical Prayers " that launches into a happier chorus that sounds like it would be the theme song to an anime.. "Calypso" carries a darker Queensryhe feel. It goes from brooding to grooving well. In a weird dynamic contrast, the song "Anger" does not sound that angry. Instead, it works on an electronic pulse. Even though Bumblefoot plays on the first song, this song has the best guitar solo, as it is the most melodic and memorable.
"Sanctified" goes into a tenser creep that works well with a slow build, with "Empire" era tendencies. "Uman" has a more rock feel, like almsot feels like Devo. Vocally, it's more System of a Down, and it's too upbeat for my tastes. The vocal contrast from a light falsetto to more aggressive singing- not sure I would call it harsh, but it's a wide dynamic vocal shift that I normally would be into; this one takes me a little bit for it to grow on me. The lyrics to the last song "Trust ' might be the album's best, but the delivery is once again too happy for my personal tastes. I will give this album a 9, it sounds a great deal like Pain of Salvation, but to pull that off is impressive and they still have their own thing going on so if you are wanting some early 2000's flavored prog rock this is your best bet.Out on Willowtip Record September 18th.
I guess the fact Dream Theater's keyboardist is on tis album should have been the clue this would be more progressive than I expected since I'm here for the Steve Tucker factor. Sonny from Incantation is the brainchild of this project; he got the idea on the tour I caught with them opening up for Morbid Angel. The drummer from Cryptopsy is driving this manic machine. He gets pretty blasty in the face of the angular riffs coming at you on "Power Obsessed". Tucker does a great job of approaching this differently than he did with Morbid Angel, as he navigates tricky tempo changes.This does cross over into technical death metal.
There is more of a haos to "Raize Demon Breath".I suppose the shreddy aspect of it is impressive to those of you into that sort of thing. Tucker's layered and articulated approach to the vocals is the most interesting aspect. "Psionice Being" bleeds out of the previous song; it is a mix of darker Morbid Angel riffing around prog keyboard harmony runs. "Nine Walls" perhaps packs even more twists and turns into things/. As an instrumental without the harsher growls to rein it in, things go deep into prog. Rapid-fire riffing and sweeping guitar solos become this album's dominant force, the further into the songs you go. There is a talent on display here, but nothing hooks me in.
The vocals return for "The Axes of Voivode" it does not have as much purposeful groove as what Tucker had to work with earlier in the album. The second part of this second is not much different than the first perhaps with more furious blasting from the drums. I like Tucker's vocal approach on this album and there is no denying the chops at play here though I feel at times this can come to their detriment and counterbalances the heaviness. I will give this album an 8.5, it's Tucker's vocals that will bring me back for repeat listens
I've been a fan of these guys for as long as I have listened to music. In my early teen years along with David Bowie they were one of the only non-metal bands I listened to though in hindsight you could include Kiss and Alice Cooper to that list, bands the Stones influenced. They drew the distinction between the Beatles' pop music and their rock music by calling them a rock band with balls. For that reason, I am always hoping these guys will go out on a high note. This is album 25, what more could they want? I think it's either Mick's or Keith's death that will be the end of this band. Their last album was great, so it's not a matter of quality. This was, in fact, recorded during those sessions. The boys are both 82, well past the age anyone should be making rock n roll
. "In the Stars" is plugged into their classic attitude. The opening track had a more blues-based feeling than the previous album. The fact that an 82-year-old man gets up into his falsetto is crazy. Steve Jordan plays drums for every song but track 8, which has a Charlie Watts take on it. "Mr Charm" stays true to what they do. "Divine Intervention" is not my favorite song so far, but it is a representation of what the band is about and conveys that. They dig into their countryside for 'Ringing Hollow". It sounds like they haven't aged a day when they go to this place.
The song I was looking forward to is "Never Want to Lose You' which finds Smith contributing backing vocals and synths. A big compliment to Smith as both Paul McCartney and Bruno Mars are on this labum but not sining with Paul playing bass, and Mars playing cowbell, which shows how seriously they take him. It does not bear any semblance of the Cure but finds Smith blending with what they do. He sits behind Mick in the mix until they do a call and response.
They dig back into rock with more earnestness on "Hit Me in the Head." The Amy Winehouse cover is weird but works for what they do. Richard's voice has not aged as well as Jagger's, but he makes it through "Some of Us". "Covered in You" finds them getting back into their strut. This might be the album's best song. "Side Effects" was well produced, and if you pay close attention, you hear how they give Mick's voice some love in post-production. It is the first song that feels like filler. I was expecting "Back in Your Life" to be a ballad, and it is. Despite Mick sounding great, the verses don't really grab me, though the chorus gets the job done. It is loaded down with guitar solos so if that is why you showed up then it is worth it.
The album closes with a Chuck Berry cover. Which makes sense given Richards' friendship with him, but leans all the way into their blues roots. While it's more rooted in their classic sound and the production is marginally more organic, it's on par with "Hackney Diamonds," meaning not their classic work but better than msot of the post-"Steel Wheels" material, so I will give it a 9.5.
This British thrash band dropped this EP back in March, and I am just now catching up with them. They set themselves apart from thrash revival bands by blending some of the darker corners of the genre that it evolved into by the time the 90s rolled around. Pre-nu-metal leaning Prong can be heard in the thunderous syncopation they lock into. There is also ample hardcore influence they ride the line between in a very organic manner. The vocals howl in a baritone bark. They have a dark and commanding groove that moves them on the opening track. They do not forget to keep things at a head-banging tempo while not dumbing it down.
There is a very deliberate chug to "228". I appreciate the restraint they use as they never pour on the speed and forsake the purpose of the song, making this catchier. While I can hear the influence of both S.O.D and Sepultura here, there is never a sense of nostalgia like they are paying homage to an era. Instead of trying to capture a retro sound, their energy has been invested in focusing on songwriting. The guitar solo on this song is very melodic and provides depth rather than just spastic chaos. "Johnny Volcano" finds them getting even more melodic, as an eerie atmosphere precedes the more bludgeoning crunch that recalls post-"Seasons" Slayer. The vocals remind me a little more of Integrity here. In the closing moments of the song, the vocals are sung rather than bellowed.
They close this album out with the emphasis on groove. It reminds me of the mid-90s when the rising tide of bands like Korn caused the old guard to pivot in order to remain relevant. Clearly, it's an era of metal that was enduring. The riff shifts at the end to pound the point home memorably. These guys excelled at being true to the genre, while doing their own thing and crafting some catchy tunes that hold up against the thrash bands of both today and the golden years of the genre. I will give this a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, so highly recommended to fans of the genre looking for something new rather than jsut reheating leftovers like a band like Municipal Waste tends to do. Should appeal to fans of Sacred Reich and Power Trip in equal measure.
This British band has a bigger buzz across the pond than in the States, as this dropped a week or so ago with little fanfare here. They are very familiar with what they do. It gets labelled as post-hardcore, but is closer to nu-metal as the Deftones worship is tempered by the overwrought melodies, not unlike the Used. They are energetic and explosive, but not that original, as this would have been a banger over 20 years ago. Though I guess there is a new generation of kids discovering this sort of thing. There are some interesting choices in the vocal production. The riffs are hard-hitting, and they have more get-up-and-go than Deftones do now. Though they are not solely chasing an era long gone, as they prove they can also bust out the kind of emo-blaads Chino peddles more often than not these days with their song "Adapter".
The more screamed metal core is busted out for "Nostalgia Kills," which also features the singer from Underoath, so I guess they are making him feel at home here. It works for this song, but an entire album of this sort of thing would be tiresome. By the time we get to "Hospice," things begin to sound the same, and you get the feeling you are busting out HTML for your Myspace profile. There is more of the punk side of the Used once raced off into on "lip critic' which might be the most tired style they parade out so far.
"Male Bomb" might be more impressive if I were not already a fan of Glassjaw, making these guys seem likea Temu version of the band. The guitar melody to "Dull Blade Disguise" works better, but their influences threaten to overtake them even at their most creative. There is some impressive bass playing on this song. At almost four and a half minutes, this is the album's longest song, and I am not sure if the extra time is warranted."Classic Death Pose' is more of a temper tantrum made song. There is a cool riff buried amid the chaos here. They do make the most of the s ong's two minutes.
"Adult Diamond' is a more well-written emo-ballad which seems to be their strength rather than trying to fool anyone into thinking they are hardcore adjacent."Human Props" find them splitting the difference between Glassjaw and Deftones. The breakdown is kinda cool, but a song should not live or die by its breakdowns."Treading" is one of the album's best songs as it's catchy than the bulk of them. I will give this album an 8.5, as they are talented at what they are doing; I have just already heard this back in the late 90s. Released on Sumerian Records.
Self-identifying as blackened hardcore, this Canadian band puts a particular set of expectations on itself. The vocals' scowl is black metal, as is the guitar playing that opens the album. Are there some deliberate chugs? Yes, but Watain does that as well. The production is where the lines are a bit blurred, as it is very in-your-face, with little atmosphere. For Black Metal, I like what they are doing on the opening track. Let's hear if the rest of the album can hold up. The second song, "God and Politics," finds that they are not screaming about the devil, so perhaps that is where the hardcore is coming in. It is very blasty and in your face. It does not feel as effective as the first song. There is a more deliberate riff that surfaces, but the vocals become obligatory screaming with little purpose.
The more they race through things with the fast and furious speed adopted by most black metal bands, the more they are going to lose my interest, which is why I am looking for black metal bands that are true to bringing sonic darkness but taking a different approach. They go darker and more dissonant with a deliberate riff leading the way into "Indoctrinated," which finds them exploding out of this in some more raging but also more typical.
"Summer Wanes' is the first song with a hardcore feel going into but they blast this away. A lower growled vocal comes in on this one to balance the scowling vocal out some. The blast part gets old fast to me. There is a bit of a breakdown section, and while I am glad this is not just black metal with breakdowns, I could stand to hear more hardcore here. There is a catchier riff that comes in the final act of this one. They have a great deal of ground to make up in the last song. The abrasive beating they throw themselves into. They are decent musicians, and perhaps this might be a good starting point for metalcore kids getting into black metal. I will give it a 7.5
This quirky band from the UK is hard to pin down, though they have a sense of 90s alt-pop about them. Too progressive to be BritPop or Dream Pop, there are those elements in play as a violin dances around what they do whih might be simplified without the layers they have so cleverly added. The whimsy of what they do takes you by surprise, but after the first song, I began to wonder what kind of songwriters they are. This is not easily answered in "Canyons" as it is not as hooky as the first song, but is more dynamic.. So I give them a pass for the willingness to be marginally more explosive.
The vocals are handled by three people, Billy Ward, who sings "Goddamn Lizard Man" with a smoky baritone in the vein of Leonard Cohen. Vera and Emmie handle the vocals most of the time. The guitar adds more rock to this one, but I am not feeling that it is their stock and trade. "Lighter" is a more delicate ballad. It is more atmospheric than what pop normally does with a jazz underpinning. The movement that drives "Nosedive" carries the tension of 90s indie rock, and proves they can write songs. Ironically, "Get Up and Dance" is not a dance song at all, but I like it as it's darker and moodier.
"Snake Bite" is more of an abstract ballad that feels like upbeat trip-hop that turns into more of a show tune."Flick of the Wrist" is back to a more Nice Cave-like place as the male vocals are the dominant force. It is not as dark as Nick Cave. They continue down this path but with a more rock emphasis on 'the Thing" . "Still Angry" feels like it would have been a pop song from the 90s. The last song kind of meanders, but I appreciate where they are going with it. A great deal of this album makes me think of HAIM jamming with the Dave Matthews band whichc should let you know there is no lack of tlanet here, I will give it a 9.
This album came out in April, and I am just now catching up with it. This hybrid of SLAM and metal core carries a great deal of deliberate groove. The vocals are sometimes a gurgled death growl, at others a higher pitched scream, and then sometimes a more spoken rap. This finds them flirting with the line between hardcore and nu-metal. Despite its clever title, "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off" is all abrasive metallic force without anything to really hook me in.
Then things take a wild turn as "Closed Curtains Close Caskets' is a rap song. They are more deliberately catching a groove for "Dog 2 God". This is a pounding with a purpose that I can get behind. There is some creepy dissonance to the guitars, so the yare working on more levels than we have heard from them up to this point. The vocals are screamed, but you can still discern what is going on. They have an eponymous song on this album that is more syncopated and has a call and response between the lower gurgle and the scream, with a more drugged-out nu-metal vocals muttering in the din. There is a even actual singing which works well in this context.
One thing I like about this album is that it is dark. The last two tracks are pretty short, so they are almost like two thoughts' worth of an outro. It is a shame because 'Consequence" has a cool that would have been fun to hear them develop it further..The tits track that closes the album is under a minute. I will give this album a 9, as they are tapping into something cool here. I just wish they would grow the songs out, as the promise is there. As is, if you are a kid looking to do your karate dancing to heavy shit, this band has you covered.
You can't cancel muthafokers from the Zef side. This album might have come out a little more under the radar since we know how the music press likes to play it safe with whatever the mainstream narrative is supposed to be, leaving actual punk rockers like myself, who give the middle finger to all establishments, no matter the side of the fence they are on, to cover this one. It's a weird one, leaning more on the electronic music side of things tahn hip-hop, though they have always been more experimental than what the idiot-appeasing assembly line pumps out. They are more atmospheric than what we have typically heard from them before, though they had begun to head in this direction.
"Tigers Don't Cry" was one of the lead singles. It's not as high energy as something like "I Fink Ur Freaky" with Ninja finally bringing it on this one, where the first two songs Yolandi carried. He brings more of an edge, and his lines carry more aggression, not to say Yolandi is not capable of bringing the tude as we have heard her go off in the past. The backing tracks are more like chilled-out 90s rave music. "Brutal" finds them building momentum and beginning to get in your face. There is more dynamic ebb and flow here. Yolandi finds herself getting marginally more aggressive. The title track has a groove that works well.
"Hippie" is almost too happy with its techno bounce. This is the effect that smoking pot has on them these days. "Misfit" sounds cool even though the vocals are more of just a droning texture thrown in. There is a more experimental feel to this album that I respect. "UIT DE HEMEL" is more ambient, with her vocals grounding the song.. The hypnotic pulse of 'Chosen" is darker and hooks me in faster. The last song "ZWARTE" is more of an ambient outro. I like this album, and glad they are back. I just wish there were more high-energy grooves on here and they were less stoned and more angry, but this is where they are at in life, so here we go.I will give it a 9.5 and see how it grows on me.
The atmosphere of this album's opening track feels more black metal, leaving me waiting for them to blast into the brutality, which they do on "Martyr". The gurgled vocals dominate the mix, as everyone else has a spasm under them. There are breaks of ambaince even in this, which I appreciate as it's these creepy moments that are more unsettling..They show a willingness to experiment, which goes a long way with me. Without that, I would be bored even before the first proper song was over. They are not compromising the heaviness by breaking it up and are certainly on the more extreme end of the genre.
There is some grindcore influence, and they keep their songs typically under the three-minute mark. Though they cram a great deal in over the span of a minute. "Exterminating Prone" is a little more straightforward in regards to what kids expect from death metal these days. Their drummer pulls this off impressively, and that is coming fro ma genres where you have to be a beast to keep up, but he plays with finesse as well. There is, however, little in terms of groove in their attack. The little bit that does begin to develop gets lost in the rapid-fire shuffle of the riff.
"Scorn of My Flesh" is where things begin to blur and are not helped by the rapid-fire intro to "Gorging Green' though to their credit, this song does a better job of finding its footing. It is still a collision of sound. This is certainly death metal for the karate-kicking kids. The title track is more like Cannibal Corpse's brand of raw, bloody death metal. . This means more groove than the brutal first hammering of the last song.I will give this one an 8, it has more atmosphere than your average band of this kind.
Their last album 'Other Worlds' did not live up to the height they hit with their songwriting on "Death By Rock N Roll," which ight be why there is less fanfare with the release of this album. The opening track "For I Am Death," however, delivers pretty solidly with Taylor Momsen dialed in where she needs to be to carry this band. "When I Wake Up" might not be as hooky, but it works when it comes to straight-up rock n roll. There is a pretty heartfelt performance to "Love Me".The song s is pretty dynamic even if it brushes against some common tropes.
The strum of "Dragonfire" has a more rootsy blues-based sound. It opens things up for her to belt it out more easily, as the band is allowed to stretch out a bit. The title track is the darkest so far and has a bit of Alice Cooper influence in the guitar playing, so it is not surprising that it is my favorite song so far. The album is broken up by interludes called "Life Evermore". "About You" is more of a punk-influenced ditty that works for what it is. "Spell On You" is not the Screaming Jay Hawkins song, but it's an angsty grunge banger. They use the 90s production style but do not feel the need to check off the grunge boxes for"Rollercoaster of Life." While this works for the verses, the chorus is not the strongest as it's too happy.
Taylor is at her best with some brooding introspection in the equation, which finds its balance on " Eye of the Storm". She tackles the introspective part from another angle on "Devil in Disguise." This shows another side of her voice with its folky feel. She doesn't always have to rock out to keep me happy. I was not expecting what they do on "Dark Days," so that gets points for not following the most obvious paths and spreading things out dynamically.. I think this album is better than her last and touches on the kind of magic that worked so well on "Death By Rock n Roll," so I will give it a 9.5, out on Fearless Records.
I really liked the nu-metal-tinged pop of "Ignore You"; it earned a 9 here. But this trip into the studio, they have refined what they were doing there and made it heavier; there is less pop-punk in the mix. Though some of the emphasis is still on hooky, infectious vocals, after hearing the first few singles, I was looking forward to this album. Anna Shields has more emphasis placed on her.. She is a strong front woman and should be front and center for more reasons than what might seem to the two that are most in your face. The first track is more of an intro, building into the title track here. There are more electronic elements driving things, but her vocal lines are airtight. You hear this song and can't imagine why they are not already on bigger stages.
"Freak Like Me" is more dynamic, and there is a sexual element not only in the lyrics but in the groove, and is seems perhaps in showing more skin in their promo materials, she has grown into her own skin, and this is displayed in a more confident vocal performance. This defines girl power to me , as its not something that should prudishly repress the sex image and empower objectification. The lyrics might also be alluding to this. While many women trying to pull this off simply make videos that are better to watch with the sound muted, this is a well-balanced presentation, as the songs here matter.
"Fury" finds the chug of guitars laying down the foundation for her vocals to dance over. She is not trying to be Katy Perry, but the pop melding with metal hee works organically and benefits from stellar production. It makes sense that this is an ep as these songs were given meticulous attention to detail in the mix and a whole album of this might have pushed this back to a 2027 release. It also ensures that there is no filler. There are some interesting sounds on "Boom: that carries a more 90s alternative feel. It makes me think of bands I used to love, like the Guano Apes. The last song might be the msot melodic, and while it might not be as hooky as some of the earlier songs, it still works. I think they nailed what they do and presented a perfect sonic picture as who they are as a band, so I will give this one a 10.
They are dialing more into the progressive side of what they do here, with the guitars taking on more of a riffy feel. The vocals are coming forward in the mix and not just being atmospheric elements that coast in the dream-like haze as things get more defined n the opening track. With this comes some heavier chug that holds more weight than what we are used to hearing from these guys. The sax returns to drive the prog point home, even in the face of harder-rocking riffs surfacing. Even though they have gone further into prog, only the last song goes over the five-and-a-half-minute mark.
"Cloudfall" kicks the door in to tell you they are not fucking around with any shoegazing and came to rock. The chords that ring out here remind me of solo Ozzy.. They lean back into something more akin to what they once did on "Aerial Birth," while it's consistent with what they used to do, it dials the dynamics down to a much lower-energy place than where they have taken you for the bulk of the album so far. After a brief instrumental interlude, they come back heavier for " The Vessel. "The main verse riff is pretty hooky and reminds me a little of Matodon. The strummed guitar feels more Smashing Pumpkins in this contet.
Some of the album's most interesting guitar work goes down on "Escher". Here, they prove that bringing the vocals to the forefront can be an asset for them. "Primal Thread' falls along the line of your average atmospheric rock in 2026. The last song drifts more toward their more familiar shoegazing sound; it does not grip me like some of the other songs do. As a whole, I would say while this album rocks harder, it is not as dark and holds less drugged-out melancholy than their previous work , but the songwriting has been sharpened to a more accessible point, which often works in their favor. I will give this album a 9.5, and see how it grows on me.Out on Sargent House.
These Tasmanian devils play a blistering form of death metal that carries technical finesse as well as scowling fury. There is a rock n roll swagger to the more progressive side of what they do. It is my first time digging into these guys, so surprised that there is not a harsh blast of time signatures that flash before my eyes before i can form thoughts about them. 'Gathering a Venomous Herd" finds them picking up some speed, as the snarl of the vocals makes more of a declaration. There has not been a barrage of guitar solos, so that is impressive. It finds them going in an almsot more of a thrash direction.
"A Sword of Me" features some tight, airtight picking.. The vocals are layered with perhaps a more death metal sound buried somewhre in the mix. The focus is on the form and function, rather than on hooks.. The harsher vocals are spit out with rapid-fire intent. "No Time For the Week" tries to give things more space, but they are picking at such a hyper fast spped it is not attainable. To their credit, the drums are locked in almost as snuggly has what Meshuggah does. Just fewer time signature changes. The more melodic intro is needed to "Pillars Fall" as everything had begun to run together. They don't linger when the build comes and throw themselves back into the high-speed chugging. But the breather helped and reframed what they are doing.
Until they speed off there is a bit of a hook in the main riff of "Annihilation Pulse". It is better than what the album descends to when they start doing palm-muted chugging on "No Blade of Grass," which becomes almost indistinguishable from what they do on "Embrace the Curse" that follows. This puts a great deal of pressure on the last song, "Forging the Crown," to do something different, but this is not really what happens. There is a guitar melody in the background, but the emphasis is on the racing riff. The most interesting parts feel more like thrash than death metal. For my tastes, this is too busy and not dark enough, but if yo uare into more technical metal but want it to not jerk you around with time signature changes, then you might already be a fan of this band. If not, give them a shot. I will give this album an 8; it's being released on Metal Blade.
If there is one thing I like in my music, it is darkness, and this band from Belgium continues to scratch that itch. Over the years, they have done it in different ways on 2014's "Nothing but the Whore" that took a more blackened approach, then went goth in 2017 with "Not For Music," and now here we are, splitting the difference between the two with something that carries a hazy throb..The heavily affected vocals sound like the devil commonly does in horror movies. The icy guitar buzzing in the title track finds them in a more black metal space. It can capture melody or jsut hold the creepy tension; either works well.
They are discordant and angular but still flow like syrupy shadows. Heavily atmospheric, they take a more unsettling approach to being heavy. More of 207's goth grooves bubble up in places. The vocals are more whispers than screams or growled/. There are a few ambient interludes which might have worked better just as intros to songs. Granted "Words to Wind" is already almsot eight and a half minutes long, so maybe that is where they were trying to trim the fat.
For a metal drummer, there is a great deal of restraint in place, as it patters around more like jazz than looking for something to blast into. It moves through the murk with jazzy grace. Then midway itno the songs, thigns threaten to come to a boil but instead just fade into heavy breathing. It feels like this is where the song would have ended, but no there are still three minutes for them to fade in and slowly build things up.
If you ever wonderer what it would be like if Tom Waits made a goth album well, "When the Whole Arrives' is a pretty good guess. Double bass drums to come in and try to anchor the song, but it's abstact arragnement has already soared off. The guitar is more defined on "The Clash of Forces"". It carries more drive and conforms more to metal expectations. Then it ebbs down to less tangible concepts for 'the Next in Line." It takes over half the song to build it up into something with movement.. It's almost shoegaze, but with much darker shoes being gazed upon.
There is a more bubbling chaos for "All For Nthing". Some of the issue is the mix as the guitar are getting a little song, unless they are given the space to ring out.. By the three minute makr it builds to blast beat pattering under it all. Reveb heavy sung vocals also join in to flaot off with them into the storm clouds. I will give this album an 8, it captures a nice mood, but could be more song-focused
This is the third album I've reviewed by this band, and with each one, they seem to be getting it a little more dialed in. The album has four songs, two of which are over thirteen minutes. The second and last song, respectively.The seven and a half minutes. opening track to this one finds them taking the post-industrial throb and jamming it out with a hypnotic drone that adds layers of sound to build it dynamically. Not complex arrangements, really just taking the theme and running with it. The baritone vocals calling out amid it all. It works in this context, but not sure I would want an entire album of this.
The second song, "Conditions of Freedom," finds the bass line opening things up, and strummed guitars adding texture. The vocals are less ominous and sound like Interpol trying to pay tribute to Swans, as they are more of a chant than a verse-chorus arrangement. The Swans' influence is much more present here than on the first song, but not as obvious to the common ear as on their last album. Midway into the second song, they ease the build down and add more dynamics. It also gets moodier. before bringing it back in with a pound that recalls Swan's earlier angrier days.
"The Importance of Risk" is more rooted in their own identity. The bass line grooves more. The vocals shift away from the Michael Gira influence and toward more of a stoned speculation. There is a bit of a hypnotic drone even here, which is just this band's thing. The vocals are a narrative, but not adding a great dealaside a human element. There is a little brighter, more hopeful mood to the title track that closes the album. The guitar melody that comes in brings a more melancholic edge. This might be the album's melodic moment that also brings a tinge of Pink Floyd to things for this reason.They also get closest to their momst metal moment on this album with the riff it all builds up into . I will give this album a 9, as I think they continue to grow as a band.
This Nashville-based band nails the shoegaze sound, which is apparent from all the key elements being in place. The reverb warble of guitars and the breathy coo of the vocals, but just dialing in a sound is no feat, so how are their songs? This is the question that really matters. The first two songs show they are not afraid of their distortion pedals, but it's the indie rock groover mixed with a narcotic pulse on "Tilt of the World" that sells me on what they are doing. This album does sound great through headphones, so they have taken great care in capturing these songs in the studio.
They back off into a dreamier haze with "Soft Gauze of Time," and they bring in a dynamic shift and very deliberately chug up some power chords to contrast how the song opened. The guitar players have a decent sense of melody and carry the weight when the vocals get lost in the mix. I think the whispery vocals will get old for me before the guitar tones. They are smart to keep the songs all under the four and a half minute mark, rather than sprawling everything out into a drone.
"Dog in the House of Plenty' is nap-inducing even with the sonic heft of the bass and the guitars' more feed back biting tones. For fans of shoegaze, we have to not just settle for what we have heard done before, as this is what separates quality from quantity. Thankfully, they give things more space with the bass line to "Half Measures". It is a little darker and does not rely on drifting in the same clouds. There is a slight angular swagger in the verse riff.
They are going in a heavier direction with "Solvent Sound", it is a subtle shift, but it works, as the drums give more of a punch in their accents. The syncopation the bass line creates works well and gives the guitar more room.. They jam out the fade-out ending of this one. The last song, "Return" is the first one that actually legit rocks out. By rock out, it's in a doomy way. I will give this album a 9, as they carve their own place out in this genre that is becoming overcrowded in 2026, but they earn a spot. Dropping July 24th on Profound Lore.
It's been made clear over the years that one of my favorite bands from the late 90s is Planesmistakenforstars, and this trio follows a similar emotional path that might be a little more married to punk than the misery Planes brough later in their careers. Depending on what moment you are at on any given song, the notable influences might also include Hot Water Music and the Get Up Kids. They don't get into anything explosive enough to be hardcore adjacent until "Foam Cup pt3". They also touch on this kind of energy with 'Sunburn". Even in the compact arrangement written they cram a great deal of dynamics into it.
The beginning experimenting in a manner more Cursive on "Paris , WI" which is all emotion with the piano and trumpet replacing the instrumentation of punk. It almsot feels more like an interlude, but reminds you of a time when bands experimented more. "Unarrest Me" has a more Fugazi-like bass line. When everything kicks in, it's more frantic and chaotic but highly effective. The vocals are howled with more tension as it's about having a run-in with the cops. "Debilitated" works off a burly bass line but is the least hooky and most confrontational song thus far.
They return to their more adventurous melodic side with "Juneberry." which brings Bright Eyes to mind, as it crosses over into indie rock. The guitar takes on a country twang at the outskirts of the song. They toss aside all restraint fwhen they lunge into "Cages," though they shift the dynamics after the initial temper tantrum. You can hear how a band like Converge would have come from this scne. Despite the last song 'Pray for Peace' unleashed a more feral vocal performance and a great deal of drive, it is very deliberate and never finds its feet, flying out from under it. Even the blast beats work in the dynamic spectrum of where they have taken you. . I will give this a 9.5, as it's almost perfect in how it takes you back to the late 90s but retains it's identity through experimentationDrops on Death Wish Inc.
The band's 2019 album "Hello Exile" became the high-water mark against which the album that followed would be weighed, as it balanced country-drenched Americana with the band's punk roots in a way that was honest and carved out its own niche. They seemed to be trying to find their way back in that direction on this album. The opening track "Chance Encounters" gives more drive by finding its strum for Greg Barnett's voice to bleat out his emotional croon. This is accented by Tom May's grittier approach.
"Better Angels" might take some time to grow on me, as it does not connect with me in the same manner as the opening track or "Romanticism". There is something about 'Other People's Money" that makes me think this is what it might sound like if the Dropkick Murphys wrote songs for the radio/ "Gasoline and Matches" puts indie rock in the back of it's beat up pick up tuckand takes a drive out into wide-open farmlands, which is the best plae for these guys. The vocals are pretty heartfelt here. "the Fool" just kinda of breezes along with a more casual strum, that crooses over into a late 90s puink feel. I had to listen to it twice before it clicked with me.
"Nobody's Heroes' taps into their more reliable songwriting magic."Breath With Me" follows this path as well, though is marginally more anthemic as the tempo finds a little more vigor. The synths that ring out going into "When She Enters My Dreams" give things more of an 80s feel. There is a great vocal performance on this one. "Parade Day' might stand out more if they had not already loaded this album down with some high-powered emotional punches that a re more memorable. They turn up the dials a little for the title track and hold some of the punk influence that steers them toward Social Distortion. I will give this album a 9.t as it finds the band recapturing the balance of sounds that works best for them and polishing them more with the production value being even bigger using Turnstile's producer.Out July 7th on Epitaph
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