November is Doom : Fatima : "Eerie"

This French band immediately impressed me with the first song. The urgent vocals and ominous ambiance, all worked perfectly. The guitar carries the needed metallic punch to drive the point home as the bass anchors this down, with a unique songwriting approach. It's pretty haunting and sets high expectations for the rest of the album. Some 90s elements are lurking under the surface here, and perhaps this is the icing on the cake for me. They bring plenty of power to the overdriven wall of fuzz that leads into the second song.

At this point in the album, I begin to hear how they are following the path created by countrymen Hangman's Chair. This is finds since those guys are one of my favorite bands. There is a little more of a Soundgarden feel going into the trippier "Miracle of the Sun" which finds a warmer sense of melody creeping into things. There is a lighter vocal employed on this as well. The bass keeps "Portuguese Man O War" moving as the vocals are locked in a more hypnotic chant. The lumber of the riffs retains the established heaviness. "Cyclops Cave" has a sludged-out grunge drive as the pace picks up into a palm-muted chug. More in common with the Melvins than Nirvana. 

Speaking of influences I appreciate the Cure-like feel of "Hypericum". The bass brings the slinky groove, while they bring more melancholic tones to the chorus. This album likes taking you through exotic Middle Eastern chord progressions, while "Three Eyed Enoch" flirts with this, it commits to the gloomy more doom-ridden stomp. It shifts into a more grunge jangle at times, but the thread of doom remains tied to the song as a whole. The album ends with a moodier post-grunge power ballad. I'll round this up to a 10 this falls along similar lines as Hangman's Chair or O Zorn ! as it's dark heavy and downtrodden and might not be an actual doom album, but moody enough to appeal to both fans of doom and grunge.

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choke cherry : "Messy Star'

This band carries a raw grunge edge to their otherwise trippy take on "dream pop' that leans into the pop hooks. The opening song rocks out more and the dense guitar riffs pack more of a punch. One-half of the songriting dup fronted a hard-core band so the value of laying the smack down as needed is preserved on her. They might not go into screaming breakdowns, but they know what being heavy is worth. The title track works off some subtle hooks that are highly effective. The loud-to-soft formula is very 90s but cements their songs as being authentic to that era which they pay homage to. 

The jangled strum of "I Know You" sets the stage for the thoughtful verses. The chorus is not as big and radio-ready as the previous songs but still works well for what they are doing here,as here vocal is the guidepost. The guitar phrasing on this one is very clever. Dynamically there are no surprises with this one but it is a well-thought-out idea that works as a song. They kick in a get rowdier, but when you accept grunge is part of who they are it is a logical progression. 

"Mirror Mirror" rocks out in a harder fashion, with the vocals taking on a more aggressive shouted cadence. Some of the more nuanced vocal colors work really well for me here. It bounces more than it stomps, but they are not trying to be a metal band, so that does not factor in as much. The palm-muted crunch in the climax of the song is pretty effective. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me. It drops on October 25th on Fearless Records. 

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Gothtober- Death Doula : "Love Spells"

 

Post-punk has been over-used. During the 90s it was not used a great deal, but many bands influenced by post-punk flourished, though they did not adopt the genre. This can be said of the moody styling of this Portland band. There is a grungy jangle to what they do and a Mazzy Star-like longing, though their singer projects her alto rather than fading into the haze.  There is a jangle to the guitar, as the vocals unfold with a slithering ghost of a purpose. "Poet for hire" works off a groove that leads the melancholy melody into a dynamic tug-of-war as punk tendencies want to explode creating more of a grunge-out tension. 

They weave the atmosphere in and out of the songs in a sometimes surreal manner that always seems to hold sonic depth. The darkness in her clever phrasing lurks in how she restrains the emotions. It's like someone who does not allow themselves to cry but finds music a better outlet to explore their feelings as they are in control of creating it. "Disembark" rolls into the bass line like a storm building in the distance. They might take a great deal of influence from the 90s alternative, but they do not adhere to the radio rock formula of soft verse to loud chorus that most of the bands of that era did.  

"Entanglements" finds the jangle of guitar picking the pace up. They touch on more overt post-punk riffing in this one, but the drummer does not lay on the hi-hat for a disco pattern like most of those bands do. This might be the album's most dynamic song so far. "Insatiable Beings"  carries an even more depressive brooding.     It reminds me a little of Veruca Salt in some ways.  There is an inner struggle in the vocals that is passive-aggressive. It "Dirty Shirt" has a narcotic slur to it. The first song that ambles more than finds its groove. 

There is more of a shoe-gazing shuffle to the expansive "Loom". I like how the vocals flow in this song. The last song slinks around , though it does have some of the album's most interesting lyrics. I will give this album a 9.5, it sounds great , pulls familiar sounds from the past forward in a new way, and has a great deal of heart even in the moments where it wanders a bit. It might not be the darkest album I am reviewing this month but it has great deal of heart when venting it's depressive moments. 

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the Jesus Lizard : "RACK"

Noise rock became the label that most would define these guys with, though when "Pure" came out in 1989, I remember thinking they played their instruments too well to be a punk band, thought this was a time when music was shifting and the "alternative" label meant something more than a marketing slogan. There is much more of a rock n roll feeling possessing this album. Yow's voice sits back in the mix on the first song, but when he takes the spotlight on "Armstice Day" it's evident he still has his voice. There is a cool tension lurking under the surface of the rock facade. 

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More punk attitude seeps into "Grind". The guitar tones feel brighter and more organic, they are not playing with the same pent-up aggression they gave their 90s a subtle metallic edge.  "What If ?" is driven by a creeping introspection that serves as a fitting counterpoint to the rowdier "Lord Godiva". This finds Yow coming closest to his famous howl, as for the first four songs he has kept the mood pretty civil. "Alexis Feels Sick" is closer to what I want from these guys as it has an unhinged mood with an inner darkness smirking at you. 

Things got back more to a frantic syncopation, before tightening the reins into a groove for "Falling Down", which might not be as explosive as their earlier work, but is still effective. "Dunning Kruger" is much more rock n roll, it would have almost fit on rock radio in the mid-90s. The band themselves said this was some of their hookier songwriting, so this must have been one of the songs they were referring to. Not what you go into this album expecting if you are measuring them against the past but it works. "Moto(R)" bleeds from a similar vein as the previous song, a little happier than what I associate with these guys, and not as catchy as "Dunning Kruger" 

By the time we get to "Is That Your Hand?" they are beginning to bore me, but then I really like "Swan the Dog" as it has darker more melodic leanings and is a great example of how they can bring the sound we expect as fans and marry it to these more mature rock leanings the album goes into. These guys have been critical darlings for the bulk of their career, so you are going to read a lot of inflated praise of this album, I like the album but wish it was darker, and the more rock n roll direction takes some getting use to at times, so I will give it a 9, which is still better than the bulk of rock music coming out these days. 

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Abrams : "Blue City"

 

I really dug the Denver-based band's 2022 album. I looked forward to this one's release, but it slipped under the radar.  This time around there is a heavier more grunge-tinged aggression that sometimes reminds me of Filter and makes me think of Soundgarden. The big guitar sound swirls around the songs. They are big and anthemic in their attack with nuanced verses that groove while leaving enough room for the vocals to howl and croon around.  It's when they reach the balance of melody, groove, and dynamics that the band really shines which is heard on "Etherol" which sounds like a long-lost classic from the 90s. It is the kind of song that proves what they are capable and the rest of this album is going to be weighed against. 

They get this place on the more shadowy and introspect 'Lungfish" whose melancholy rings true. The vocals begin to step into their place center stage, allowing the guitars to play a less riffy role until we get to the chorus of "Wasting Time". They still manage to conjure a hypnotic throb. The dynamic are familiar as it falls somewhere between Failure and Tool.  But the less proggy pretentious days of Tool and the more brooding side heard on "Undertow". Unlike Tool the vocals are tightly harmonized. There is more of a stoned fuzzed-out vibe to the rock n roll grooves of "Death Om". It's not a straight-up boogie-down shuffle, but looks longingly in that direction. The syncopated creep of "Turn it Off " is back to a more grunged out sound, but focuses more on the guitar than the vocals. 

The vocals should always be the focal point, and when they create space on a song like "Narc" it really plays to their strength as a band. This is also a more atmospheric and progressive place so my personal tastes might reflect the preference. Their pendulum swings back in a more rock direction for "Crack Aunt" the vocals just coast over the winding riffs. Then it swings back in a direction that best serves who they are as a band on the title track. It has all the dynamics and melody you might want from these guys, I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me, This album is an improvement over their last album as their songwriting hones in on the sounds that are most effective for them as a band. 

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Sunnata : "Chasing Shadows"

last album earned the number three spot on 2021's Top 10 Sludge Albums list. The vibes are more psychedelic on 'Chasing Shadows". The Polish band continues to push their sonic boundaries but with less aggression. In fact, it feels, more like grunge at times, as the droning baritone vocals remind me a little of Mark Lanegan this time around. It sounds great so I am not going to complain about this not being as metal as past releases since it has progressed in a very organic manner, and things are still intense. The vocals build into a more throaty belt, but not a growl. 

"Torn" is largely the band jamming around a sustained tension. While the vocals are improved from the previous album and crooned with palpable melancholy, they do not really give the song structure but add another layer of sound. The winding spiral of the guitar lures you into "Wishbone". This finds the band stepping into the direction of progressive, not a huge surprise considering their previous album did not conform to what you expect from the sludge or doom genres. The chorus to "Wishbone" finds a hookier dynamic in place. The vocal layering to "Saviours Raft" slants the song in the Alice In Chains direction. Though unlike Alice in Chains it drones of a jam more than creating vocal hooks. They do build the song really well into a heavier pound, that is still not quite metal.  

There is more of a hypnotic chant to "The Tide" which finds them highly effective at creating a mood, though it's more of a song to zone out to rather than an earworm you return to. "Hunger" is more brooding in its storm-building tension. The bass payer is the key to this here and in other songs, with a hefty tone that holds the backbone down. Even a simple strum is an effective blueprint for them to follow 'the Sleeper" combines the brooding grunge melodies with the pulse of early Pink Floyd's dark speculations. The last song is the album's most experimental moment rides an odd ambient groove. I will give this album a 9 it achieves what it set out to do here, which is create its own sound that is possessed by a surreal intensity. 

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O Zorn ! : "Vermillion Haze"

 In the 90s as metal bands scrambled to find where they belonged in the turning tide of alternative rock, there were some beautiful mistakes made, and bands were allowed to experiment with darker forms and more emotionally vulnerable corners of angst. This band sounds like they could have crawled from that period. This is the time when Kyuss and Monster Magnet emerged, both of whom are not far removed from the Sonic zip code from which these guys rock. There is an expansive drone to the riffs that carry a hypnotic pulse as the baritone croon muses amid the grunge-tinged passages. 

Where bands who would later try to jump on the more anthemic radio ruling side of grunge, would try too hard and sell themselves out with the way they wrote overt choruses, these guys just cut themselves and allow the songs to bleed from it. It is heavy with mood rather than hammering at you. The more rockin' riff to "Never Saw it Coming" rides the line between Alice in Chains and Godsmack but with none of the beer-drinking bravado. This album is really well produced as it feels like they just plugged into their amps and played despite the overdubs haunting the tracks. "I See Through You" is the first song where things are not as hooky vocally and come from more of a pained bellow. The wall of sound even pounds on your ears in a manner that grows on you. 

"New Suffer" finds the vocals having more purpose in their impassioned pleas.  They are labeled stoner rock and sludge, while there is melancholy lumber, these feel more like dense grunge. 'I Got Mine" wanders a bit in introspection. It is still a powerful dynamic song.  They are great at creating an atmosphere in the midst of rocking out. They do this more powerfully on "Cloud None". It broods in more shades than just flannel. The more Alice in Chains-like vocal intervals. The song moves, but not grooves instead flowing on the surreal current of riffs they love churning out. It builds in intensity with subtle grace. The twist ending is breaking down into a tribal pulse of drums. I will give this album a 9.5, it was not what I expected and exceeded any hopes I had for it, I can see it growing on me in the best ways possible, if you like grunge, but not the kind for jocks then this will be up your alley. 

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Sundrifter : "An Earlier Time"

The stoner rock genre has gone through some changes since its inception in the 90s. It has evolved from being more than Black Sabbath tribute bands who also happen to listen to Thin Lizzy. These guys have gone on to fall under the desert rock tag, but their new album feels like it's from Seattle. They owe more to Soundgarden than Kyuss. There is a sinewy shadow side that Craig Peura's croon raises into more of a passionate wail over. With Chris Cornell in his grave, there is still certainly a void left for this sort of thing. The comparisons to Sound Garden could be more pronounced despite the move into a more surreal sonic space on the second song. It starts off as a heavier song, with a pounding riff before rocketing into an unknown cosmos. 

"Nuclear Sacrifice" might be a heavier more driving song, but it is also much less interesting in terms of its more droning arrangement. "Prehistoric Liftoff" splits the difference and falls between the weighted chugs and the more atmospheric side of the band, but it's not all that catchy either. On "Begin Again" this shift into a more Queens of the Stone Age direction, a pounding under current to wandering vocals that dance around the space swirl of the melodies. They do at least prove they are influenced by artists who are not Sound Garden. 

"Almost Home" is not a ballad but has the relaxed amble that was popular on the airwaves when alternative rock dominated the 90s music scene. This song feels like it is who the band is as it does not lean too heavily on either bandwagon, which they were tailing earlier in the album.  The last track is more of an ambient outro than a song that has the kind of working pieces the guys  I will give this an 8.5, it's pretty solid, but for my tastes does not allow me to hear who these guys are, though the two bands they picked to emulate are two of the best, so they shot for the stars, I think they needed more moments like "Almost Home" which is the strongest song, though the first few are pretty powerful. If you like grunge and smoke a ton of weed then this album sound provide a fitting soundtrack for you particularly if you are too young to realize where you have heard these sounds before. 

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Auralayer : "Thousand Petals"

 One thing I like about this time of year is it is when I get to catch up on bands I might have missed. This band from Greenville is one of those that passed under my radar. They are a stoner rock band that flirts with metal at times, at least on the opening track. The sung vocals have a retro feel. "All My Time" is a straight-ahead rocker, but "Christ Antler" recalls when grunge became more adventurous in the mid-nineties, and puts the band in a more unique sonic space. The drumming works really well on this one. 

"Faith to Reason' has more stomp to it, but sounds like it would have come from any band playing bars in the mid-90s. A heavier riff crops up with more chug to it but the rule here is... cool riffs alone does not a good song make. 'Shelf Black" sounds like if the Foo-fighters were depressed alcoholics who did not care if they were played on the radio. On a song like "Peacemonger," you might roughly trace it back to the Black Sabbath influence, but most of this lies in the fuzzed-out guitar tone. 

They might call themselves "power doom" but a song like "You Walk" is grunge, with more of a Melvins meets Soundgarden-like attitude. "Dance to Thrash" has more movement to it, that roughly explores a rumbling punk feel. The last song launches into a more driven punk-fueled version of what they do. While this band is onto something here, they need to place the focus on the more interesting grunge sounds they touched. I will give this album an 8, as it takes more steps in the right places than not. 

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 . 

Foo-Fighters : "But Here We Are"

 

This is the band's 11th album. Sure Taylor Hawkins is dead, but truth be told the last album I paid attention to by these guys was 97's "the Color and the Shape". While they are one of the world's biggest bands, and very radio dominate, there music largely strikes me as being bland. I figured I would give this album a shot and at least try to make a definitive analysis about what I do not like about this band. Grohl played all the drums in the studio, this give his trade mark post- Nirvana rock n roll bombast. There songs are normally to bring and happy, which are qualities that are held in the first two songs, along with choruses that try to hard to be anthemic. Before we go any further let me emphasis that any connection sonically to what Nirvana did, has been buried long before Hawkins. 

Things improve with the slower moodier groove of "Hearing Voices". Lyrically you can hear how Taylor Hawkins death is the underlying theme of the songs. The bass line might be the best part of the song. The title track is pretty upbeat with it's staccato bounce. It feels more like they are punching the old song writing clock and doing what the Foo Fighters are expected to do since they are part of a larger money making machine. There is a slight Rush feel to the timing, but none of the interesting arrangements every thing works off the mainstream radio format. "the Glass" is the most bland moment so far . When comparing them to the state of the music industry as a whole, you have to applaud the fact there are no outside songwriters and only one producer. 

"Nothing at All" sounds like if Elvis Costello was trying to make grunge. Grohl's daughter joins him on the poppy simmer of the introspective "Show Me How".  If he guested on a Phoebe Bridgers song the result would be similar. Grohl has used the same soft ballad voice since the first album, which he defaults to on another bland ballad called "Beyond Me". By the time I get to 'the Teacher' it seems that Grohl has continued to coast on recycling song ideas for the past twenty years and this album is a continuation of that. Granted at ten minutes the song offers more indulgence in the stock tropes he typically employs and repackages them into one song that has me bored by seven minute mark. 

Working man power ballads for Gen X could be the most apt description of what continues to happen on the closing song. I will give this album a 7,  as it encompasses what vanilla would sound like if it was a rock band. Sure Grohls he is a season professional who accomplishes what he sets out to do. To celebrate his reflections on his former drummer, it lacks any emotional depth, even when the final build of the last song comes, it sounds like it was something done in the studio rather than from the heart. It might fool fans of this band, who are into bland middle of the road rock any way, and if your tastes in music run in that direction then I guess this album has the decency to give you that gracefully. Most people defend liking Foo Fighters, by arguing that Grohl is a "good" or "cool" dude, if this is what sounding like a 'good' is then I will stick to listening to all the depraved scumbags you are trying to cancel, they make way better music.  

Djunah : "Femina Furens"

Here is the problem with the diversity push that spread into music, when a woman comes along making music worth listening to and thoughtful perspectives on her feminine experience are brought to the table, if it does not fit neatly into a marketing box then it falls under the radar. I can not believe there is no more buzz about this album, yet a bunch of garbage gets pushed down our throats regularly.In many ways, this could have come from the 90s. There is a grungy grit to the guitars. Sometimes their music has the blistering blitz of PJ Harvey's early days if coupled with beefier metallic bombast. Not punk enough to get filed in the noise rock category that is growing hot again. 

Donna Diane's voice is husky, emotive, and carries a powerful howl. However, I can see where the marketing team of a label's PR company might be stumped in regards to how to market it. There is a metal influence, but despite it being rowdier than indie it's not metal. Gunge feels the closest as this could have been the album Cortney Love released if she had not been trying to cash in on the Kurt connection. "Hallway" carries enough of a punch to appeal to metal fans, but so did Alice in Chains.  You get the cathartic feel of how she is purging her shadow self through her voice. The first hint of her poetic inspirations is not heard until "Suicidal on Christmas" then it falls in an odd place between spoken word and singing. 

The explosive" Seven Winds of Sekhmet" comes closest to being a rock anthem. The melancholy melody of "Lopsided" works best, as if goes to a darker sonic place. In the early 2000's there was a band called Forget Cassettes, that occupied a similar zip code, so this fills that void for me, though is less angular and quirky. "Butchering" finds these guys continuing to dig deeper into their own niche. Perhaps the melodies could be hookier, but there is charm in her belted bellow. "Petting" expands and contracts off the tension of the guitar in a more rock manner, The lyrical theme of the album is recovering from PTSD, which is best conveyed in her shifting attitudes of her place in the world on "Reining" that takes a darker more reflective look. It is not an album of victim worship, but finds her taking a hard look at belief systems no longer serving her. 

The last song confirms my theory regarding PJ Harvey being one of her dominant influences. It also happens to be one of the album most well written songs, so it is not like she is settling for being a PJ Harvey tribute.  I will give this album a 9.5, as it excels at capturing very honest moods , and occupies a place I have not done this well since the 90s. This might be the best album that slips under your radar this year if you do not check it out.

Godsmack : "Lighting Up the Sky"

The fact Bush's last album kicked so much ass is what inspired me to check out the new one from another late 90s post -grunge band. A departure from the more nu-metal earlier work, and a groove oriented rock album, that finds the vocal melody full of Led Zeppelin influence despite Sully's husky baritone. There is some great guitar work and a pretty solid chorus so the first song is exceeding my expectations. "Red, White & Blue" has a more syncopated grit, though the lyrics are about America, "Surrender" has a palm muted groove, making it  marginally darker, as the crunch is added to the guitar tone. Lyrically it's juvenile, like they are dumbing it down. Erna's voice sounds pretty good, there has yet to be the kind of Alice in Chains harmonies that colored their earlier work. 

The guitar line to "What About Me" kind of picks up where the previous song left off.  Lyrically it sounds like it from a self help book sold at a truck stop. There is a warmer rock sound, but that finds the band also shedding the darker metallic crunch of yester years. Larkin's drumming is pretty straightforward so far. The album begins to lose it's way when it veers into piano based power ballads on "Truth".  "Hell's Not Dead" is an improvement with a more AC/DC like guitar dynamic. It's the kind of hard rock NASCAR can use when it's time to transition into a word from their sponsors. The opening riff to "Soul on Fire' reminds me more of the Cult. I am not sure what Larkin is trying to do on the verses. It is more like the Cult covering the Foo-Fighters.

I am not sure what inspired this album beyond classic rock radio. I do appreciate the fact these guys went in the studio with one producer and not outside songwriters and busted this out for better or for worse. However I am sure that is why the machine that is the music business doesn't allow pop artists these liberties is the results can be unpredictable. The boogie of "Let's Go" is hard to make it through. They sound more like themselves on "Best of Times" The chorus could be better, but the verses are in the right direction. "Growing Old" explains a lot of the album's problems as it tries to be Bad Company. This problem is allowed to fester more in this direction with the title track that closes the album, it's like they forgot how to be heavy. I'' round this down to a 7, it started strong and lost more gas with each song. 

Night Goat :"Totem"

This band from Portland is kicking up an interesting blend of sonic abrasion that is equal parts grunge and death rock on their second album. Imagine L7 jamming with 45 Grave and you are pretty close to what is happening here. The vocals are tortured screams and moaning. It darkly broods like a storm closing in. The way the vocals are layered reminds me of one of my favorite bands to emerge from the LA underground in the late 80s Fear of God. Not that they heard of them, but that is what it sparks, and I mention it because perhaps there is a nostalgia this awakens for me that makes me biased towards this sound. From a songwriting perspective, it is pretty simple stuff. 

"Wendigo" drives with a palm-muted creep that accelerates with more metallic locomotion. There sounds like a male voice joins in the bellowing on this. "Blood Circles" is creepier and more melodic, it slithers more. The same energy possesses the marginally more pounding "Child of Owls". The arrangements are very simple but effective, proving it is not what you play but how you play it. A hypnotic throb occupies most of their songs. The first song that is not on the same level as the first half of the album is the more punk "Rattlesnake". Simple is fine, but the bulk of the one to three go, rush punk is boring, Not a problem with the band as much as the style they veer into. They get back into a better form of gloom for "Ritual of Antlers".

"Skin Walk With Me" feels more like a Melvins song. "Pale Face Lightning" recalls the more punk side of grunge that bands like Mudhoney kicked out, with a similar burly tone coming from the guitars here. There is more sludged-out weight behind the riff that pushes "Death Crow Dance". Her voice adds the needed layer to soften the blow. I will give this album a 9.5, it's an easy listen and a lot of fun. Less death rock and heavier than expected.

Smashing Pumpkins : Atum -Act 1"

 This is a weird album, but it makes sense now that I looked into where the hell has Billy Corgan been, he has been hanging with shapeshifter and starting his own religion when he is not a wrestling promoter, so he finally found time to make music. With the exception of D'Arcy, this is pretty much the original line up as James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin are back in the band.  Their 1998 album "Adore" is the last album I paid attention to. The first two are the ones I was the biggest fan of then they got too flowery and sounded too much like a gay version of Meatloaf on "Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness". I reviewed one of their albums a few years ago and it was god awful, things have improved by are on the flowery side. It opens with a grandiose instrumental, that has some decent guitar playing so I am not complaining about it.   

"With Ado I do" is the first song I really like so you have to sort through some sappy oddities, the most peculiar being "Butterfly Suite" which I had to listen to a few times to wrap my head around. Corgan's voice sounds youthful, but you gotta wonder about a man in his 50s sounding like a little British boy. He remembers they are a rock band on "the Good in Goodbye" which musically sounds like Lenny Kravitz covering Queen. Billy's doing what he does with little balls to it, but it still manages to work. I am not sure about the synths on "Embracer". The split the difference between who they are and this new turn to who they are trying to be on "Hooligan" with hooky songwriting. The fuzzed out grunge tinged guitar that has been toned down returns to some extent on "Steps in Time ". Then things take a questionable step back with the ballad "Where Rain Must Fall" 

The guitars get more rocking on "Beyond the Vale". These guys have always seemed like they were more influenced by T-Rex than Black Sabbath, the glam thing is more prevalent on this album than anything heavy, His vocals lines work, but as not supporting melodies that come close to the first two albums. "Hooray" is one of the bands worst songs ever, it's way too happy and sound little like the band. While the last so is not as ineffective at sounding like the Smashing Pumpkins as the previous song it is not their best work either. I will give this album a 7.5, they show at times the are capable of doing better and I have heard them do worse for sure. This is not the band that made "Gish" and that makes me a little sad.

Bush : "the Art of Survival"

 In some ways this is a Bush album in name only, as Gavin Rossdale is the only original member.  It does still retain the gritty grunge feel of their 90s work. This band came across as a less of a band wagon jumper in their prime and had an emotional grit that told me Rossdale had deep personal wounds he was processing through his music. At the same time, he had record companies breathing down his neck and pressure on his to get radio hits. The opener has a silver lining to its storm cloud, as the production has overdriven the crunch of the guitars to give hit the harder edge of today's commercial rock. 

Not as poppy as earlier work, there is less pressure on him from labels and he has more creative freedom, the only pressure is to live up to his 90s work. "Shark Bite" could have come directly from "Sixteen Stone", though most of this album leans in the direction of "Razorblade Suitcase". At 56 his voice is getting the job done though, it's not that demanding for him to keep his baritone belted with high levels of emotion. There is a slight 70s rock twist to the riff of "Human Sand" it is however the room the vocals are given to give a pretty convincing performance. Just judging from the lyrics "Identity" I think this is the first song that refers to Gwen Stefani. 

"Creatures of the Fire" is a ballad that serves as the first song to not really vibe with me. Not the side of the band I was all that into. They do give me what I want from them on " Judas is A Riot". It's darker yet has the kind of hooks I want from this kind of rock music.  Guitarist Chris Traynor who first played with this band 20 years ago, has an impact on the sound, as his time spend in Orange 9 mm and Helmet can both be felt.  The brooding closer "1000 Years" works really well with its slithering mood. I will give this album a 10 as he has delivered more solidly than most of his peers from this era have yet to.  

 

Melvins : "Bad Mood Rising"

Some things are expected with a new Melvins album. There will be a degree of weirdness. The opening track of their new album finds this degree dialed up to the high end of their weird spectrum, before they amble into a rock shuffle that is slightly disjointed. It glides on the fringes of what metal would be. There is a creeping hesitation to the primary riff that drives the song, and the vocals could just as easily belong on a Ween album.  Five minutes into the song it falls apart and slowly tries to spasm itself back to life. These guys show you might start off as a border line punk band, but the longer you stay in the game the more you become closer to prog. They let the song fall apart and weave it back together in sinewy grunge jams. 

While the first song does not deny they are talented masters of a game thy have paid their dues in, the second song has a darker more commanding chug that I like much better. While I have always known that Kiss is one of their influences the first song I have heard in some time where you can hear it if you listen close enough is "My Discomfort is Radiant". The swagger of the vocal melody sounds like something Paul Stanley might did in his midrange.  The use a similar palm muted chug that has been a theme of this album, though the chorus is bigger and feels like a Frank Zappa rock anthem, so refer back to my previous comment about prog rock. I really like how the vocals are produced on this album. A dreamy glaze washes over the guitars in the second half of this song.   

"Hammering" pulls out a riff that seems it came right from Ace Frehley. This gives the song a 70s strut for sure. The vocals do not seem to fit as well as they did on the previous song. They rock it out pretty well on the last song, the weird is more on the outskirts of the overall sound swirling around their straightforward rocking. Overall this proves to be a very solid outing for the band doing what they do best, I would not say it's as heavy or sludgey and more like something to pack the bong to I will give it a 10 . 

Crotbot : "Feel This"

 Four albums and a few lineup changes later this band from Pennsylvania is putting out the best album Skid Row new made. I have heard their name thrown around when it comes to stoner rock bands but hear fairly mainstream 90s hard rock. "Dizzy" has more stomp to it, and a Soundgarden like slither to the riffs. The vocals are more Sebastian Bach in their attitude than Chris Cornell. He always belts and never croons. By the time we get to "Set You Free" the anthemic radio rock jams are set to stun at 11. It is big and hooky and also not normally what I am into. After this song the album as a whole tends to ride a much finer line between cock rock and grunge.   

"Better Times" is a clear-cut example of what is rock music not metal. It is pretty energetic, and the vocal are in your face.  They are back to a post-grunge groove on "Golden" which could have come out in the late 90s. Props to them for being able to tap into that sound. The chorus is very post-sell out Soundgarden. While it a more metallic take on a grunge like power ballad "Without Wings" is pretty solid and gain a great deal of momentum fast. They are back to a more rock n roll feel on "Livin on the Streets". The highly refined grunge groove of "Into the Fire" come closer to metal, but are pretty effective . It is one of the album's best songs. 

"Dance with the Dead" is not as effective as the previous and comes across as a little cheesey.  The best blend of grunge and hair metal is on "Holy Ghost" which might be the album's best song. Everything flows well and there are some metallic shifts of dynamics. There isa quirky Devo like bounce to " Never Break Me". It is an unexpected turn considering what they have been doing thus far on this album. There is a solid groove to "Staring Straight Into the Sun" it however feels like they have already gone to this well one too many times. Over all this album is very fine tuned and slick, these guys are hooky songwriters even if this is within the confines of a tried and true formula, I will give this a 9. 

Lashes : " Angel Eyes"

 

Kyle Tavares from the Canadian sludge band Seer steps away from what most would consider metal to takes a stab at something more along the lines of a shoe gazing 90s grunge. The vocals sit pretty far back into the drums, so while the guitars are up in your face taking up most of the space with the riffage the vocals float under the radar. When you can hear them, they are serving the song for what they should be doing with this sort of thing. This kind of Helmet like rock, was always influenced by metal to begin with so it is more driving and aggressive than other forms of alternative rock from this time period.  

The second song finds the guitar having more of a chug. The vocals drift up from the throb a little more, though the mix is very dense and remains in the favor of the guitar. He brought drummer Israel Langlais aboard. Israel certainly gets the job done and does not over play like a metal drummer would, which is where this sort of thing drew the line back in the day.  There are not guitar solos or flourishes of double band, instead it took the thickly distorted fuzz of the guitar and stripped it down to something with a more punk work ethic.  "the Purity" in fact relies to much on the guitar which is driving, but does not ofer as much atmospheric contrast and is a little one dimensional. 

The vocals break the surface of the mix, but if I was producing this album, I would have brought them up even further,  Granted singing this sort of thing might not be his strength so I can understand why he would want to hide back in the guitars, but I think he is doing a better job than he gives himself credit for, You can hear where the stoner sludge thing got it's start from this sort of thing back in the day, I will give this album an 8.5 ,as I wish the mix was better than the vocals could be heard more to let these songs shine, but not every one listens to songs for vocals so if you want just a heavy guitar album that only borders on metal and owes a great deal to the 90s these guys have you covered.It comes out July 1st on Hidden Tribe Records.    

Greg Puciato : " Mirrorcell"

 Not a huge fan of Dillinger Escape Plan I do have a great deal of respect for them and have heard most of Greg's solo work. This album is a great deal different in that it does not try to emulate new wave from the 80s he has moved onto the 90s , the opening track is more of a grunge ditty with more influence from bands like Soundgarden and Alice in Chains.  "No More Lives to Go" is more driving, but still sounds like it would be filler on a Filter album. "Never Wanted That" relaxes down into a darker alternative rock , with a Cure like guitar line that floats through the song , which might be the best part. 

I heard "Lowered" going into this album and it interested me due to the fact that Reba Meyers from Code Orange is on the song. Her voice as improved a great deal over the years and the 90s goth this song turns into is very fitting for her as it has a Curve like feel. This song also comes closest to the solo work of Puciato thus far. "We" also leans into more of an electronica feel, and is more subdued and introspective than rocking out.  By the time it gets to the chorus it has shifted into the more future pop side of darkwave.

" I Eclipse " pretty much hovers in the Deftones sonic back yard.  When the song builds up it is less derivative.  He finds a more original sound with "Rainbows Underground". It does work off the soft to loud dynamic that became big in the 90s post-Nirvana. "All Waves to Nothing" finds him going for a more rowdy form of aggressive noise rock. Not unlike Tomahawk or the Jesus Lizard . I iwll give this album a 9.5, with that said I am not sure how much I am really going to listen to this in my free time, but he has done a great job of what he does even if it splits the difference between the Deftones and Alice In Chains half the time.