Quicksand : "Bring on the Psychics"

  

If you go back and listen to these guys, you can hear how much they influenced Turnstile. If there was any justice in the world, they would get the kind of TikTok revival bands like Deftones and Type O Negative received. They recapture the kind of explosive magic they ignited with their first two album here. "Agency"  breaks from the formula and finds the chorus going in a more melodic and introspective direction. The tempo ramps up for "Crystalize" with the vocals balancing the guitar's energy.

They pack more of a grooving punch that was their trademark on "Supercollider". The smooth vocal melodies are plaintive but commanding. There is a riff in this one that makes me think of Bad Brains.  "In Full Color" has more swagger and is produced in a manner that gives it more of an older Turnstille sonic feeling. Unlike Turnstille they are not big pop sellouts. Granted, I like pop music, so that is not even a deal breaker for me.. If the mention of Turnstile finds you pondering influences, you can hear a bit of Fugazi in "Days You Run To"reminding you that music is not created in a vacuum.  

"Cool Guy" has more of a the big explosive riff energy. "Moving Forward" reminds you they came from the Bad Relgion side of the punk equation. The last song finds some ofthe energy waning but they kept things strong for the bulk of the album so it blaances out and it is probaly a case of me needing to hear it a few times for it to grow on me. eNERGY WISE i think this is the best album since "Manic Compression", as the other post-90s albums have experimented with the sound that works , and even hear this is produced in a more modern manner so is not as raw , but works better than expected so I will round this one up toi a 10. Staying True to the game it was released on Equal Vision Records.

8.9

pst371

Oakwood : "Blurred Away"

 

This Texas band is well-versed in late-90s emo and brings it in a powerfully dynamic and moving manner. This was a time when melancholic introspection was more blue-collar than dressed in marketed darkness. It was steeped in suburban punk angst with no political motivation. All but one song clocks in at under thirty minutes, proving they follow a less-is-more punk formula while still allowing the guitar to linger in jangling melody. The vocals mainly sit in a shouted declaration, which in the first three songs works well enough, but I might need more vocals before this thing is over. 

This album is well produced, as it captures a great deal that is going on and employs tasteful overdubs while maintaining a very organic quality to what is going on here. They even use samples effectively without compromising what they are doing. There is a brighter jangle to "Fall Apart" that finds him making more of an effort to sing. There is a slight Taking Back Sunday feel to what is going down here. There is a more bouyant punk energy to the title track. If this came out back when I was listening to this sort of thing in the late 90s, I would have been blown away. 

"The Color of Caring" finds the sample sitting in the song in a way that makes me think of the Smiths. It is one of the album's more melodic moments so far. This is the song that is over three minutes, and, weirdly, this is the song that is instrumental. But it sounds good, so not complaining. If you can sell me on an instrumental, you are doing something right. They come out swinging harder for "Serpentine".It races off in an angrier punk direction.  I understand this is a side of who they are, but I think I prefer the previous song to it despite the dynamics employed. 

There is a catchier riff to "Distance/ Silence" that makes up for the more screamed vocals that begin to bore me a little at this juncture in the album. There is more melodic purpose to "Deepest Green". This also gives the vocals more space to come closer to singing. In fact, they keep trying til they hit the mark here. They close the album with "Fields Behind the House," which is another more melodic moment that might bring the Get-up Kids' early work to mind. I will give this one a 9.5, as they nailed this era I have fond memories of, but still wrote songs that give them their own identity for 2026.

pst255

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲 : "𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙁𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨"

 

This band from France plays a 90s-influenced take on burly indie rock. Sonically,, it finds its place between shoegaze acts like the Catherine Wheel, and post-hardcore/alternative acts along the lines of Failure and Hum. Plaintive vocal weave over the fuzzed-out bass lines, and angular guitar jangle that intersects on the opening track "Avoider". I went into this knowing nothing about the band, but the first song works well enough for me to stick around and listen to more. "Desire Path" has a more Cure-like path, and vocals are sung with a breathy emotion behind them. The moodier vibes work for me here. Almost predictably,, they stomp on their distortion pedals. They have both dynamics and melody in play,, so that is half the battle. 

The woozy guitar effects you expect from shoe-gaze surface going into "Here the Mermaids Play". There are more nuanced guitar licks than what you normally get from this sort of thing, which helps set them apart. "Rituals" has more momentum as the drums give it more drive. There is also an underlying aggression to the riff's attack. Things begin to find a more grungy jangle on "Silhouettes". There is a more morose mood here that works for me more than even the previous song. The vocals are oddly dry for a great deal of the album,, though the production tricks on them here work well. There is more of a slacker strum to "Red Herring". The vocals come in softer, electronic elements ate introduced, as you might begin to suspect the sessions for this album might not have been as organic as the albums from the 90s. It's a weird turn for the album.

"Skins Make One" is another turn in a more shoegazing direction. The almost whispered vocals slowly drift to the front of the mix.  The guitar tones that create the wall of sound lead you into an impressive. It works off a similar formula to what Deftones use these days. "Bleeding at the Door' has more of  indie rock feel, but coming from a more post-hardcore place. They ebb back down into sheogaze for "Origami", and by this point I am beginning to feel like their ppst-hardcore leaning songs are more original as this is a little more in Deftones zip-code again. The last song 'My Lips Taste Like the Ocean" rides the line between the two genre's , Overall this album is an impressive display of these 90s sounds being fused into songs that would have worked then and still resonate today. I will give this a 9.5.

pst147

Final Gasp : "New Day Symptoms"

 

I liked their last album a great deal, but was unsure why it was being called death rock when it was old school metallic hardcore that owed more to Die Kruzen. Sure, there is more of a hint of old AFI on this album. It's the more aggressive elements that have been refined with some more outright metal playing captured here. I had to go back and listen to "The Apparition" as it got swept away in the album's momentum. The verse riff is more melodic and finds the vocal croon working well. The riff in the chorus reminds me of Judas Priest,but still works.  "Gifted Shame" packs a heavier punch, and highlights the fact that the overall feel of the guitars this time around is more metal. 

Even though things have changed a bit on this album, they are still more of a hardcore band than Turnstile. "No Hand to Lead" is more melodic, but that does not make it "goth", it's just a moody stab at 90s radio rock from a hard-core band, which works for me. It is one of the album's best songs so far. "Prediction" has a similar feel to the previous song, but there is like an undercurrent of Dokken in the guitar playing. The emotive singing comes closer to what Unto Others tries to do; these guys are just less cheesy and more convincing. The songs are written in a very concise fashion, only occasionaly breaking the four-minute mark. 

"Burials of Birth" feels like the most AFI moment yet, a former hard-core band branching out into poppy post-punk. There are some intersting sounds on "Fractures", which is little more than an intro for that title track, which sound more like Killing Joke until the more scowling vocals take over. Jake Murphy's voice sounds best on the power-ballad of sorts that closes the album and finds him with the space to open up and really sing, which is impressive. I will give this album a 9.5 and see how it grows on me, the band has refined their  s ound and feels more confident in who they are.Being released on Relapse Records.  

pst80

Sub/Shop : Democatessan"

 

This band from Virginia plays a very warm and organic version of post-hardcore, which finds the guitar strummed in a more jangling fashion than with any anger vented into the instrument. The vocals carry little malice, as they are simply stated in a plainitive manner. In some ways, they feel more like Sonic Youth in this regard, as there is some attitude in the lyrics that comes through. I can also hear Fugazi as being one of this band's influences. The drummer put a little more sweat equity into the playing of the second song. 

A casual exasperation gradually began to creep into the vocals. It is short-lived as there is less tension in a song like "Imposter". There is a boozier swagger to the indie rock shuffle that unfolds here, with some lingering tension in the guitar playing. The vocals are spit out in a more staccato fashion. "Catch As Catch Can" has a more angular math rock feel to the way the riffs bob and weave. The more Fugazi-like tone touches on how the vocals are phrased on this one. There is more emphasis placed on the urgency of the plea delivered, but not punk aggression. 

"Navel Gazer" is less focused, though what passes as the chorus is punchier. By the time it gets to "Marble Madness," things begin to run together, and I have to go back and give another listen; there is more of an intensity that carries a stormy feel to it, which I appreciate. "Negative Discourse" finds the vocals finally getting fed up to carry more of a punk weight to the delivery. I will give this album an 8.5; they get the point across it is not as dark or intense as what I normally listen to, but I appreciate what they are doing here. 

Thanks for reading, give a listen to the song below and  please "like" and share on social media to give music a voice 

https://www.facebook.com/abysmalhymns

Check out our Podcast here ... https://www.youtube.com/@abysmalhymns666

pst375

Superbloom : "Life's a Blur"

This band brings back the 90s with their explosive blend of post- hard core and strummed indie show gazing. There are plenty of bands these guys draw from Hum, Failure, the Catherine Wheel and Smashing Pumpkins being the most notable. Their modern-day peers would most likely be Sliversun Pickups. This part is most notable on the song" Falling Up". The vocals occupy a same androgynously sugary space, as the guitars carry the bulk of the heft. This album is also littered with a great of interlude pieces. This album is well produced as they perfectly emulate the sound they are paying tribute to. 

There is a more introspective tone to "Life's a Blur" that allows the vocals to hide behind the electronic sounds bathing the song. 'Daisy" has more guts to the way the song is pushed forward by the more Helmet like punches. It proves to be effective for what these guys are going for, I guess I am less than blown away as there is a great deal of sounds being recycled from the past. 

The album closes with "Tiny Bodygaurd". It is more of a breezy strum, blowing through the brand of dream pop set into motion here. Of the songs presented here it might be the most original in terms of creating a new sound, but it is also the least rocking of the bunch. I that has  will round this down to an 8.5, due to the fact this rides a revival of a shoe-gazing post hard core sound already been reheated once, however there is enough of a fresh spice added to keep it interesting and they are very good at what they are doing, thus setting into motion of them to create the album they intended to make , which is why this scores so high.  

Common Wounds : " s/t"

This band from Arizona features ex-members of Landmine Marathon. They take you back to the 90s with their take on taunt terse post-hardcore that reflects the syncopation of bands like Helmet, with guitar melodies that are more textured filling the spaces where they allow the songs to breathe. They are capable of stepping on the anger pedal and exploding into something heavier. The second song finds them in a straight forward , where they a recklessly charging almost punk moments remind me of Planesmistakenforstars. The vocals occupies  a backseat that falls somewhere between shouted and sung. 

This rowdy brand of tough guy noise rock carries over into the more aggressive "High/ Low". The vocals are more obligatory here, as they contribute little more than a human element to a uniform narrative. The guitars are the real stars not just on this song but the album as a whole. The have a great deal of attack , but are also melodically nuanced. I think it is good this is an EP, as three songs in the formula beings to get too familiar. Thankfully this is switched up in favor a more introspective mood on"No Exit" . The vocals are given more room to muse they are capturing, though never actually being sung. The guitar melodies coming in to not only save the song , but elevate it to being the most memorable. 

Things get heavier with "Phantom Limb". The vocals carry more anguish to their dry throated snarl. This also proves to be one of the album's more dynamic songs , though it does not hook me in to the same extent. I appreciate where they go, and I am convinced they mean every note. I can not claim this is not my thing as I listened to lots of this in the late 90s. The vocals are not my favorite, but aside from that these guys are great songwriters and able inject a great deal of feeling into what they do here. Seasoned veterans of the scene, they know what they are doing and make these songs work. I will give this a 9, though not sure how much it will get in terms of repeat listens from me, but fans of bands like Jawbreaker who want something heavier should be pleased.  

Laces Out : "Roger Podacter"

 There is post-punk influence on some of the darker edges of this band's sound, but the overall feeling is straight up punk. It is less about tension and more about being in your face. They embrace a noisy clang to their often-angular clanging. The vocals are more shouted than sung, but there is a melody expelled here and there. Things jerks you around quickly. I can hear Fugazi as one of their influences for certain though the bass is typically more buried in the sonic wall of guitars. On the second song the shouting of the vocals is rallying cry to chaos of the clamor kicked up rather any organized cause. Which reminds me of the social situation in America these days, though they do not seem to be raging that hard against the machine and are more about personal discontent.  

The third song gives the vocals more room to get their point across while the guitar dances around them in a herky jerky manner. The more screamed chorus stands out again the structure of the first verse. Recorded in a warm organic manner it captures the band as you might expect them to sound in their rehearsal studio. There is still a big energetic wave of guitars hitting you. Reckless in feel the execution is very nuanced, but to the production the live feel wins out.  I can only imagine based off their high energy performance on this album that this would be a really fun live band. 

Things switch gears for the last song, which is a more subdued style of indie rock. The vocals are more sung, though when they are not yelled with a greater sense of command and the more sedate method of vocalization is employed the results are marginally less effect, though I appreciate the changing gears as it paints a bigger picture of what this band is capable of. I would not call it emo but it looks in that direction when it comes to the more introspective mood. I will give this band a 9, they are convincing in the unrest covyed as a punk band , though rather than work off sheer reckless enrgy these guys are very capable in what they have woven with their instruments.     

Spice : " s/t"

Some members of Ceremony, set off to form a side project that heavily embraces the indie rock / post hard core sound of the 90s. Sonically owing a great deal to Bob Mould. The singer of Ceremony lends his voice to this and his singing is much better than it was on the last Ceremony album. It is more emotive. He comes much closer to singing. There is the detached slacker attitude to his approach , but that is a defining element of this sound. When it comes to the sound , they nailed it , but also care about the songs. The first hint of punk shows up on the 3rd song "Murder". It also shows just how close this era flirted with post punk. It works off more sonic tension than being in your face. Sonic Youth is a better reference point than Fugazi in this regard.

Both the guitar tones and the playing is what really propels this album. I know there is a violinist on this album, but I have yet to hear her. They come even closer to punk on "Reward Trip". There is some drive to the song , but I am not sure I would call it angry. More aggressive than the previous songs for sure. The singing continues to improve on "Dogs". This song takes a more melancholy slant. This album is not limited in the range of emotion it expresses which I admire.  ' Vo the Night" is just an instrumental interlude. They come back hammering at you with the sonically intense " Black Car". This is better than anything Ceremony has done in recent memory. Granted I grew up with this sort of thing, as in grew up listened to it going into senior year of high school.

The first time I hear the violin is on " the Building Was Gone" . It is a good almost post punk balance of sounds . Atmosphere even set agains the force the song moves with . Melodic enough it reminds me a little of early R.E.M. The album closes strong with  the timely " I Don't Want to Die In New York".  It captures the early 80s punk feel well. I will give this album a 9.5 for now and see how it grows on me. It feels like this is one of the rare moments where the side project out shines their day job band. Out the 17th of July on Dais Records/

Death Cults : " s/t"

Almost half way through the year and it doesn't seem like I have come across much punk this year. So I went on the search for it. When it comes to punk I do not like pop punk, but still want melody. The first song gives me that , It is not the most aggressive punk owing a great deal to 90s indie rock. I an hear touches on Fugazi on the second . The pace also picks up on this one. They back off again and continue to pay homage to Fugazi on "Normalized". The biggest way this is conveyed is in how the vocals are emoted. "Get Off My Lawn" is even more up[tempo which should fit most expectations for better or for worse when it comes to punk. 

By the time we get to "Burn to Shine" I am only half listening and have to go back and give it another chance as it begins to blast by me in the way most punk albums will. Even then they never really revert to just 1, 2, 3, go punk. They are more rock n roll than Fugazi, but I can not unhear the Fugazi influence once it strikes me. Some of the more rock n roll sound comes from the guitars play a more traditional role than they do with Fugazi. This is due to the fact that the emphasis is different with Fugazi , because their drummer and bass player are so fucking good. The drummer and bassist of this band are good , but not Fugazi good.

The last song is a little darker mood wise. The vocals shift to a more dead pan sung style that I like better. I will give this album a  7.5, so it's pretty good nto just something I would find myself listening to a great deal, because well I own all the Fugazi albums and do not feel this band adds enough to the equation to sweeten the deal. However , if you like 90s punk and want something with more of a rock edge then this album is certainly worth your time.

Brutus : "Nest"

This Belgian band is getting a fair amount of buzz in regards to the release of their sophomore album. Is it hype? ...This is a question any discerning music fan might ask. It is impressive that as a trio they are kicking up this amount of noise and their singer Stefanie is also playing the drums. She has a pretty good voice that at times makes me imagine that this is how Bjork might sound if she decided to play punk. I guess this is post-punk, but not in the sense that they want to be Siouxsie and the Banshees.It's more like dashes of post-rock atmosphere are thrown against taunt punk temper tantrums. The only draw back is that while they are really good at what they do it tends to vary in speed and intensity, yet is created using similar colors.

They can pack more of a pounding sound on songs like "Cemetery" . It would be interesting to see live how here voice holds up when she is locked in on the drums. The guitars are more sonic than punk, not unlike A Place to Bury Strangers in this regard. They have a great bass tone.  The drumming is the weakest link as it is very basic.They make it work, but if we are being truthful that is what's going on. I know it's saying the emperor wears no clothes to give any thing less than a glowing review of anything like is spreading diversity , like a woman behind the drum kit.She is by no means a terrible drummer. She serves the song rather than bringing a thundering intensity. All the songs are fairly concise.I like how the vocals  sit atop the tense guitar riffs of "Carry".

I would say this is not hard core as it's not angry enough. The punk can be felt in the reckless energy in which they throw themselves into the songs. "War" finds the guitar more melodically. When she goes into a more focused singing voice, there are echoes of many female 90s alternative singers. I think if she focused on singing and they got a more dynamic drummer this band would totally kill it. As it is they do a pretty decent job though at times fall into the most obvious places punk would land. "Blind" finds the formula perhaps not as fresh as it was earlier in the album. "Distance" works off atmosphere and intensity in equal parts. Keeping this kind of a balance is essential to create anything with dynamics.

They are not devoid of all mainstream sensibility. Though song like "Space"never really locks into anything with hooks, until perhaps the more indie rock like riff at the end. They are capable of some pretty intense sonic swells . There is more of a metallic attack to "Horde V" before it breaks down into the verse. Her vocals return to a more Bjork like cadence. At under 8 minutes "Sugar Dragon" is the longest song on the album. I had to listen to a couple of times for it to begin to click. It is similar to Russian Circles slower moments, but with less intricate drumming. So I suppose  with that as an example Explosionsinthesky might be a closer zip code. The vocals are given a great deal of room and there is a loud to soft dynamic with the entire feel of the song. I will give this album a 9. It's good while not the most original sound in the world , it does have enough of their own spin on it to  feel like it is not as derived from the 90s as it is. I will see how it grows on me , but it is easy to listen to on repeat so that says something.this is being released on Sargent House
 

Sunflo'er : " No Hell"

This New York blends almost as many takes on punk / hard-core as the Refused used to. The opener is angrier and more metallic. Botch is probably one of their influences due to the angular passages and jerking motion that keeps things frenetic until going into more melodic passages.  "Dogsbody" is an incomplete thought that feels more like an interlude than a actual song. If it was grindcore then perhaps something like that might have worked better. The chaos of "No Gate to Close" gets more organized half way into it. The guitar tone on this album is very organic and not going to far with jagged feed back offering some clarity to the riffs. The title track has a decent riff going into and might have been a good song if it had been given more than a minute to develop.

A minute and a half seems like a better compromise on "Plain Ol Bastards" It starts off with a brief blasting before going into a more atmospheric angular verse that trades off with the more pummeling  riff. It's clear the drummer is the superstar of this band. At six minutes the more brooding post- hardcore of " Days Gone Has a Sung" vocal filled with rasp and emotion not unlike Planes Mistaken For Stars. The guitar work here is more nuanced. While it's tense the build up is sparse and the one and a half song seems longer. "Inverted Cross Tattoo" works of a more refined palm muted tension. The drummer once again lays down an intricate groove. The vocals are half shouted half sung. This creates an almost Fugazi feel before becoming more metallic.

"San Kalpa" starts off with more rock n roll sounding guitar before the drums come in a give it more drive. The vocals try singing with robust punk throatiness. The a weird mathy riff comes in a dances around things.This works fairly well and doesn't seem awkward. There is a more screamo undercurrent.  There is a darker more lumbering stomp to the scream of "Dead Letters Sent", this could be any of the Converge influenced hard core bands out today and while heavy it doesn't have as much of their personality in it. "Good Old Way" sums up the album by setting a dense blast against the contrast of more delicate guitar. I'll round this album up to an 8.5 , because the attention to detail they give things is more than most punk and hardcore bands do these days. I looked forward to hearing more from this band

Will Haven : "Muerte"

This album proves this band was  always more hard core than they were nu-metal, it was that tour with the Deftones that really put them on every ones map. The first song is aggressive as fuck, but the guitar sounds darker and more dissonant on the second song. In the last minute of the song it takes a turn that finds the atmosphere of the song getting sonically heavier. The production on the drums still has a late 90s kind of pop to the snare. "Kinney" finds the ban hammering harder with a dense pulsing. This is continued with an interesting shift in dynamics, despite the vocals staying the course on what in comparison is more of a one dimensional scream. There is a sense of atmosphere that lurks at the edge of the booming distortion. Perhaps it is just in the frequencies of the feedback.  "43" is more punishing. It's obvious these guys were ahead of their time as this stands up against the dark hardcore of today , but is not far removed from what these guys used to do in 1997. Mike Scheidt contributes guest vocals to "No Escape". The song takes a darker turn the last minute.

"Unit K" is yet another turn into something where they find away to hammer at you with building aggression, I guess this song is the closest glance back to the musical tone of 1997. There are moments of groove similar to those of the Deftones heavier moments, like the chug to "Ladwig no. 949". At times it is hard to not bang your head along which is always a good sign. That same balance of oppressive sonic atmosphere and chugged out groove permeates "Bootstraps". The dark hard core bands of today could learn a lot from these guys. Perhaps they already have an Will Haven has yet to get the credit they are due. Not that bands like Bloodlet were not already stomping out this kind of dark angry metal tinged hard core, this just seems more like a testament to their legacy.

There is almost a Starkweather like feel to "Now in Ashes".  They are not as relentless and give the song more room to breathe. Stephen Carpenter plays on the last song which has hints of his signature riffing. The band also has common ground with in the Deftones in the melodic dissonance of the guitars. Overall this is a fine return to form and I'll give this one a 9.





 

Glassjaw : "Material Control"

While their first album  "Everything You Wanted to Know About Silence" was pretty ground breaking to influence what I would later call Myspace metal, they bridged hard-core and nu-metal in a manner that still has taste. Their third album only has two original members so it is no surprise they are having a hard time trying to remember who get back to this place. It opens with a song that holds only slight memories of their more hardcore past and owes way more to the Deftones. The second song doesn't veer far from it. For not making an album in 15 years I would have hoped a song like "Citizen" would have been more inspired, but it feels like aside from wanting to be a Deftones tribute band this whole affair is obligatory in order to go on tour.

By the time we get to "Galgotha" all the songs are starting to sound the same and that is only four songs in. I should not find myself listening to one of this band's albums and wondering if I am going to be able to make it through. The line "from my lips / to your ringing ears" is like something that could have been found on their earlier work. Perhaps the problem is having your drummer playing guitar. Not that this is Daryl's best work , but anytime he is not trying to impersonate Chino I'm happy. It's the more "Watching the Detectives" feel to "Strange Hours" that helps switch things up. It just meanders around in it's own backyard and never culminates into anything. "Bastille Day" might have well been the intro to "Pompeii" that follows. This song at least has more of an angry streak it that has been missing most of the this album.

"Bibleland 6" finds the band falling back into the lap of the Deftones. There are some heavy accents, but the vocals are almost boring. There is a little more of the punk recklessness on "Closer", but a similar problem plagued the new Used album, where everything sounded too refined and lost the unhinged edge and sense of danger. The bass tone to "My Conscience Weighs a Ton" is killer, but finds itself undone by Daryl's Chino croon, which has to be what is weighing on him, knowing he once had a style of his own and now he is shadowing someone else. The title track is just an interlude. They sounds a little more like themselves when they close the album with "Cut and Run", which might be one of the album's best moments. I'll give this album a 7. It's well recorded and played, the main thing that takes away from it is the problem I have with the worship and tribute being paid to the Deftones.

War Brides : "Regrets"

My first impression hearing these guys from Chicago was "This sounds like the Rollins Bands spazzing out". I do like the angular nature to what they do and the punk thing staying in the forefront from them just trying to be another Amp Rep rip off. The vocals are in a more boozy angry Rollins place.When it comes to "Day Drinking" things are not as tightly coiled.They do get it together. My room mate thought there was someone screaming outside our house and I had to tell her no that's this band War Brides I am listening to.Even when I am not really paying attention and it fades into the background I still like this. There is more of a jangle to "Designer Life". At this point the vocals begin to get a little one dimensional. It's all on the guitars for this song. They throw punches into the song and hit you from many chaotic angles. They do hit you with hammers at the end of this one.

"Halitosis" expands a little more and lets things breathe a little more thanks to the drummer holding the groove down. The vocals just become more ranting. There is a slight Fugazi element to how some of these riffs are handled tension wise. At four minutes this feels like one of the longer songs , though the guitar player does form some interesting melodies to make up for what they vocals are not doing. "Ode to an Old Man" has the disjointed jangle of the guitar setting the tone for something that is moodier. Of course if you have figured out my tastes I am a fan of this. It's like darker angrier Fugazi, if the bass was mixed way down.

At almost six minutes "Cubano" is actually the album's longest song.So by this point in the album the pace has died down and it's like we are listening to the soundtrack to some punk rock kids mental collapse. Three and a half minutes into this song and we have not really gone anywhere. It's not until four minutes in that things begin to contract. "Human Cow" is more of a punk rock song with a reckless edge to it's temper tantrum. Things get a little more mathy with the guitar parts of "Thyme". The vocals on this song remind me a little more of the Cro-mags. There is a more explosive quality to "Marrow" that I like.  But it kinda stays in one place. I like this guys more than I normally like this sort of thng, it reminds me of bands like Porn Orchard that I used to listen to in high school so I will give it an 8.5.

Code Orange : "Forever"

Welcome to 2017's equivalent of "You Will Never Be one of Us". Tough and tight, the guitar on this album is mean as fuck, but has an incredible tone.

Planes Mistaken For Stars : "Prey"

These guys were always ahead of their time and finds music of today coming a little closer to meeting them in the middle. There has always been an unhinged side to the band and this is what the new album opens with. "Til it Clicks" is less explosive, but more of what I want from this band. The darker melody hangs around on "Riot Season" even after the pace picks up. The yowls of self loathing still haunt Jared's gravelly vocals riding the line between screaming and singing. The guitar to "Fucking Tenderness" carries some melody before tightening the tension. The vocals fill the spaces in the song perfectly and the band touching perfectly on all their trademarks without feeling like this song is any less urgent than it is.

The guitar have more of a clanging jangle on "She Who Steps". This is more of a punk song despite being longer than some of the other more melodic songs. Three and a half minutes in it breaks down into a moody exploration. The build in this song might make you check to see if your speakers are blown. Their ability to convey emotion hit you hard on "Clean Up Mean" , which is the first song that really blows my socks off. It's very powerful. "Black Rabbit" finds them stripping it down to just an acoustic. If memory serves me Jared was pulling off these husky vocals back when Neurosis was still roaring all the time. The hit a more sonic heaviness on "Pan In Flames" than reminds me more of the pre-"Up In them Guts" days.

"Enemy Blinds" has more calm in it's storm. It locks in an drones into the nervous break down that doesn't really come until the next song. You can hear hints of how post- rock might have influenced these guys while they were gone. "Alabaster Cello" doesn't really sound like anything they have done before. I 'll easily give this one a 10 as they are back in fine form and not standing stagnant in the legend of yesterday.






  fg12                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  643

Self Defense Family : " Colicky"

This ever evolving collective of musicians has been around for ten years. Their newest release finds the more slow core- pacing of what I have previously heard from these guys gone  in favor of a more sonic creeping. The drumming is not heavy or heard hitting, but is very deliberate in more of a Joy Division like fashion. The vocals are lighter and more introspective than the brooding tension the rest of the song stirs. The guitar sounds are once again top notch. The production is just right reminding me of some of the more classic post-hardcore albums of the 90s. The vocals are more emotive in a Neutral Milk Hotel manner on "All True At the Same Time". I don't think this song has the same urgency of the first.

The bass line to "it Isn't very clear, is it?" slinks in to show you what Fugazi might have sounded like without a straight edge past. The guitar is wonderfully layered over this drone of bass. The vocals settle into the background behind it all. Normally I would complain that this never evolves into an actual song, but it goes to show that you can break the rules and my expectations if you do something well enough. The vocals constrict into an angrier grimace on the hilariously titled " Brittany Murphy in 8mm". This comes closer to hard core, without having to kick into the traditional jams associated with the genre.  At 7 minutes this also serves as the album's longest song. The bass player once again carries the weight of the song on their four strings. The guitars split the difference between melody and noise, proving you can have the best of  both worlds. The drums get serious here in a way that reminds me of the build on Jane's Addiction's "3 Days" .  Rather than giving the you pay off of formulaically rocking your face off they instead go for a fade out that might leave you with blue balls. I will give this one a 9, because even though the album sounds great and these guys are evolving their own sound, it begs to ask the question at this point...is it perfect? I think the quirks that keep it from being perfection in my book have already been mentioned above. I think this is really fucking good and if you are a fan of post-punk more than likely better than any other new band you might here today with the exception of say the new Merchandise, whose song writing was just tweaked above and beyond, where these kids hold tight to experimentation and being less painted into a corner. They keep getting better so I am going to keep checking Self Defense Family out. This album comes out tomorrow the 9th.

Apologies, I Have None : "Pharmacie"

If you are British it's ok to have a poppier take on punk. You accent and attitude will make it all work out in the end. This is the first lesson we are learning from the opening track of this band's new album. By pop punk think more Brand New than Blink 182. "Wraith" is more introspective and explodes in a manner than expresses aggression in a way that darkens back to Myspace ...in other words bordering on emo. But it is darker so that makes up for it. There is more atmosphere to "The Clarity of Morning". Another song where they benefit from their accents. The lyrics are really great not only to this song, but the whole album so far. In some ways this band reminds me of Glasvegas, slightly less bleeding of their heart strings and more self loathing. "Anything Chemical " creeps out of the previous song. This is a concept album that doesn't try to tell as story as much as it explores mental health and the stigmas. Around the two minute mark the song hits the most conventional pop punk moment thus far.

They do not let themselves linger in more ballad like moment for long. "Goodbye, Piece of Mind" may not be a song for those of you who have to be rocked out at all moment of your day, but it has an interesting display of emotive dynamics."Crooked Teeth" breaks this trend and wallows in it's thoughtful quandary. More tension is built going into "Every One Wants to Talk About Mental Health". This is one of the album's most powerful lyrical moments. The song finds the band giving into their more explosive side. The punk stirred up here is parred with a more post-rock sonic quality on "It's Never the Words You Say".  This is pounded out in the normal post- hardcore manner. They back off again for "Killers". It swells into a more sonically robust place. They close the album with a more uptempo song that kinda rides the middle road.I'll round this up to a 9.5 and see how it grows on me. It slightly loses it's steam toward the end, but the album's strength are the lyrics and honesty of the music.





 

Norma Jean : "Polar Similar"

I never got into Norma Jean, or really wanted anything to do with them once I was told they were a christian band. I have come across people over the years whose opinions in regards to music I half way respected that were into these guys . Going into  giving this album a shot, I did a little clicking around and found out that some of the members are christians, but they are not a christian band, so then it was o.k for me to go ahead with listening to this album. Lyrically it's a mixed bag in this regard , like most christians they have to clue what is in the bible as they scream about hoping that you burn and what you are feeling is the loneliness of god. I never guess that they would use clean vocals, what I have heard from this band before did not have clean vocals. There is a very Tool like pulse to "Everyone Talking Over Everyone Else". It kind descends into a perpetual break down. Sean Ingram from Coalesce appears on "Forever Hurtling Towards Andromeda". There is not a ton of difference between what is going on here and what these guys were doing back in the days of Myspace. It sounds like a more hardcore berserker version of the Deftones. This album is well produced and mixed. They have a really good heavy guitar tone. The riff to "1, OOO,OOO Watts" is catchy and I like the use of clean vocals here. It's the first song that connects with me.

They go into the more spastic side of metal core on " Death is A Living Partner". Here the screamed vocals are not as focused and the math of their riffs is not as catchy. For all it's chaotic math  "Synthetic Sun" is still better put together than the previous song. There is some screaming about the light not coming outside. Here is another song heavily influenced by the Deftones. It's got plenty of punch that is well placed aside the melodies. The drumming is very Tool inspired until they get to the most drivingly heavy section of the song. The first guitar riff to "the Close and Discontent" reminds me of Soundgarden, they accelerate into more of a hard core zip code. It's hard to tell what is the breakdown and what is just business as usual for these guys. This makes them rely more on the melodic sung sections. "An Ocean Of War" is explosive, but compact in it's out bursts so that it makes sense in a song , much like some of Botch's more metal moments.

"A Thousand Years A Minutes" has a very Deftones like throb to the bounce it carries when not breaking down into indie rock sections, when they ask if you got what you came for. I am not sure how to answer that question, as I thought they were going to be heavier, so I am not sure that I came here for this , but it is better than I expected. After some atmosphere they bust into the meat of "Nexus". The singer exclaims it takes one to know one. This song wanders around and winds up in many of the same places we have heard them go. They jam on this for sometime, which I am sure would convert well to a live setting. I check out a little bit during this section.  I'll give this album an 8.5 though I am unsure that I'll really get many more listens out of this , but if you are a fan of the band I am sure you will get what you came for.