A HUGE week for new music to close out August. Whether it’s metal, rock or country, small or big, there seems to be a bit of everything. Join us in checking out as much as we can of it!
Shout out to Dadi Freyr. While not the sort of music we cover, he’s a fantastic, interesting artist and I Made an Album is great. 9/10
Alice Cooper: Road
Joe: The man, the myth, the legend is back with his whopping 27th album. We checked out his last one and I remember really enjoying it. Let’s see if it lives up to Detroit Stories!
Honestly, it’s another great album! It’s a bit less experimental than the previous album, leaning a lot heavier into his punk-enfused rock n’ roll than some of the more out there tracks from 2021. Still, the hits of blusey, do-wop on ‘All Over the World’ were a lot of fun, as was the heavier, stomping collaboration with everyone’s favourite guitarist to work with, Tom Morello. Honestly, there isn’t a bad track on the album and I’d put it up there with any of his best releases. It’s insane that this late into his career he’s still releasing stuff of this high quality. 9/10
Asking Alexandria: Where Do We Go From Here?
Max: This is one of those albums that I was nervously awaiting, I must admit. Not because of the idea that if a band explores new genres or tries new things then they are “old” or have “gotten soft”, but because the singles they released had gotten me really excited. When it came to exploring the album it really was interesting. There were screams at the forefront but also the more hard rock style that AA has been doing recently. On top of this, there were slight synths to the first track that reminded me of their older stuff and somewhat of ‘Reincarnate’ by MIW.
There were definitely some weak spots in the album that seemed like the band didn’t know what direction they wanted to take certain songs in, thus leading to a rather strange pacing and feeling. Overall I think it is a good album and does show that AA knows exactly what they like to do. 7/10
Candlebox: The Long Goodbye
Charlotte: Candlebox‘s The Long Goodbye had me on their hook with opening song ‘Punks’, and kept me there for the whole album. Every song is polished and purposeful – there’s not a bad track on the album. They’re grunge rock with a funky fuzz sound and a hint of indie rock (you have to hear it to believe it). Unfortunately, The Long Goodbye is the band’s farewell to their music career. Whilst all good things must come to an end, who knows if their latest album’s success will spark a reunion tour in the future? 8/10
Tim McGraw: Standing Room Only
Joe: One of the biggest names in country the last 30 years is back with his 17th album. If you are a fan of the man or really of the genre at all, you’ll know what to expect. The man has helped shape modern country music, and over three decades into his career he’s still at the top of his game. It’s radio-friendly yet emotion-filled country music, and is a truly great 50-minutes of music. It’s even put together perfectly, it doesn’t drag and isn’t too long, an issue with a lot of country albums these days.
Highlight tracks include the opener, ‘Remember me Well’ and ‘Small Town King’, but there isn’t a particularly bad song throughout. 8/10, this man just pumps out great, catchy country.
Holding Absence: The Nobel Art of Self Destruction
Joe: The Welsh post-hardcore band are back with their third full-length release. I remember being a pretty big fan of their debut album, but admit I haven’t checked out their stuff in a while. I’m excited for this!
I don’t know why I dropped off the band, as this is another fantastic release. It’s a really interesting listen, as you can hear all of the band’s inspirations pretty clearly, but they’re so well and curiously blended together that it’s something truly unique. Right from the opening track it feels like a culmination of rock music from the last twenty years. There’s pop-punk in here, indie rock, nu metal and also metalcore and post-hardcore. It’s a distinctly British in the best way.
‘A Crooked Melody’ is my favourite track on the album and is the best example of what I’m talking about, I’d recommend it highly to anyone curious. Other highlights include ‘Scissors’ and the epic, slower closer. 8.5/10, great stuff!
Daedric: Mortal
Joe: The Texan metalcore woman’s debut album has had a lot of hype around it before it’s release, and it’s easy to hear why. This goes hard from start to finish, and is a fantastic release. The opening and title track is the perfect showcase of her sound and immense talent, while breakout singles ‘Wretched’, ‘Dawnbreaker’ and ‘Only’ are all massive highlights in their own right. Heck, the cleaner, balladier former track could and should be a massive radio hit. That’s not to take away from the other tracks on the album, either. The whole album is killer from start to finish.
I find Daedric’s vocals to be the highlight of the album, too. The effortless transitioning between beautiful operatic vocals, Maria Brink style more fry cleans or straight up death metal growls is insanely impressive. There is some incredible playing from the instruments throughout, including some great breakdown riffs and even orchestral parts. Heck, there’s even some nu/industrial metal scratching and synths in the awesome ‘Alchemy’. But, the vocals are well and truly the selling point.
It’s an incredibly fun, varied album that doesn’t really stick to one singular sound or genre. It fits in perfectly with the modern metal scene alongside the likes of Spiritbox and Sleep Token. If you are a fan of either of those bands, or modern metal/metalcore in general, check out this album. It’s awesome! 8.5/10
The Cat Empire: Where the Angels Fall
Joe: Some funky jazzy stuff now which I know isn’t really what we cover typically here at Overtone. I think that’s why I loved this so much. Right from the first jazzy horn notes, clapping beat and poppy vocals, I was hooked, and couldn’t stop listening until the end. ‘Thunder Rumbles’ is the perfect opening track, being a fusion of jazz, samba and pop and being so catchy and fun. ‘Boom Boom’ is a fantastic, less complex follow-up, while ‘Money Coming my Way’ had me immediately into the band when I heard it a few weeks ago.
I do have to say, at 14 tracks and nearly an hour in length, it is ever so slightly too long. There are also a few tracks that I wasn’t into as much, or didn’t think achieved what others did so could have been cut. ‘Deeper’ was a little too Coldplay for me, while ‘Be With You Again’ being just before the superior ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’ was an odd choice.
Still, it’s a damn solid album, with tracks like ‘Dance the Night Away’ and ‘Oh Mercy’ being excellent songs too. I hate that it’s taken me until their ninth album for me to check them out, as it’s the exact type of fun, out-there style of music that I love. I’m going to have to go back and check out their older stuff now as the band have a big new fan in me! 9/10
Incantation: Unholy Deification
Joe: Not only were the song titles needlessly complicated, but I did NOT get this at all. It’s the same sort of death metal as early Cannibal Corpse, but without the shock factor or charm. I’mma let you guys into a secret that will maybe get m metalhead card revoked… I hate early Cannibal Corpse. I can only get into the Corpsegrinder albums. While I appreciate Chris Barnes’ contributions to the band and the scene, for sure, I always preferred his better produced stuff with Six Feet Under.
Anyway, back to the album at hand. Sorry lads, I’m not into it. There’s a few decent riffs throughout, but generally the bad production on the vocals puts me off completely. I feel like I’d probably enjoy it more live, but on track it’s a 2/10 from me.
The Word Alive: Hard Reset
Max: Okay, so I can sum up this album very easily. It is the exact opposite of what the first track would suggest. They are very much here to stay and are very much not dead. To actually talk about the album though for a second, the album is great. It has this bounce and swagger throughout that is sure to be amazing to experience live. The really nice choice of features from a number of bands and musicians gives this variety to the songs without feeling like there is no direction or continuous theme throughout. The punchy screams and drums are set off perfectly with the lovely melodic clean vocals that the band has always had a mastery of are once again here and are done so genuinely well that there isn’t much to complain about. Overall 9/10.
Knife: Heaven Into Dust
Joe: The German extreme/thrash/death metallers are back with another album. And, in the nicest way possible, that’s exactly what this album is. Now, I like death metal as much as the next metalhead, but I generally prefer the more melodic, modern sound. And I can for sure appreciate the hell out of the early death metal and crossover thrash, as much as it isn’t really my thing. In 2023 though, it’s not particularly what I want to hear from new music. You can definitely hear the punk influences which were fun. But, honestly, it all kinda blurred together and sounded the same.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s good death metal, I’m not disputing that. Clearly I’ve been spoiled over these three years of doing music journalism with simply more interesting takes on the sub-genre. I’m sounding far harsher than I’m meaning to, I’m sure, as it is a good album. If you like 80s death metal, you’ll like this. It simply isn’t my thing. 5/10
Zack Bryan: Self-Titled
Owen: All American country boy, Zach Bryan, has released his fourth studio album this week. The self-titled collection of brand new songs was a surprise to fans after a steady stream of singles this year and last years mammoth 34-track release ‘American Heartbreak’. If you’ve been following Bryan’s journey over the last couple of years then you know what you’re in for with this album; clever songwriting about friends, family, life in the Navy and now on the road.
The album kicks off with ‘Fear and Fridays (Poem)’, a spoken-word track which shows off Bryan’s literary skill and ability to capture the beauty in something almost everyone has experienced in a unique way. This quickly bleeds into the second track ‘Overtime’, over the top of a sample from a Barstool Sports interview at the Indy 500 (they’re going fast and left!) we hear the opening notes of the Star Spangled Banner and the horn section creeps in. The energy is lifted and the album is clearly underway now. I’ve long admired how Bryan can pivot from these softer meaningful quiet songs into big band tracks that get the foot stomping.
The stand out tracks for me here are the collaborations with other artists from different corners of the genre. Enlisting the services of established names like Kacey Musgrave’s and The Lumineers, and up and coming acts The War and Treaty, and Sierra Ferrell (If you haven’t heard of Sierra you’re missing out). This is a rare move for Bryan and the most collaborations we have seen on one album so far. I think it’s a great statement from Bryan that although he may be relatively new to the genre he can hold his own against these strong voices of varying styles.
Bryan embodies a new wave of country stars that are helping to reposition the genre and peoples views of it. He has proven it’s possible to preach love, tolerance, and friendship, whilst still preaching the glory of Whisky and an 88’ Ford and the women that have shaped his life. I think this is why I see people describe him as neo-traditional county, progressive in his ideals but traditional in his sound.
If you’re late to the party and haven’t heard of Bryan before, this album is a great introduction to Oklahoma’s latest export, but it would be well worth your time to look back at his earlier releases as well. 10/10
Fliter: The Algorithm
Joe: This is the post-industrial/alt rockers’ first album in seven years. However, the platinum-selling band pick up right where they left off with their eighth album. Though a rather turbulent writing and producing period which saw a crowdfunding campaign, a bankrupt label and multiple album title changes, it has released, and was worth the wait!
It reminds me a lot of last year’s Bush album. Popular nineties alt rock modernised into a great new sound. There’s definitely still that industrial edge to it, too, with a Nine Inch Nails-like synth and drum sound.
Speaking as a bassist, ‘Up Against the Wall’ is a big highlight. It’s a great, 90s-feeling track, and that bassline and tone is amazing. I also love the politically charged lyrics in tracks like For the Beaten’ and ‘Threashing Floor’. The vocals are really interesting too, like Rod Stewart or Kelly Jones singing heavier NIN songs. And honestly, some of the riffing, like on ‘Say it Again’ is fucking heavy and I love it. Honestly, the whole album is packed full of highlight tracks, there isn’t a bad one on it.
For a band with this much chaos recently and a band that are now across the three decade mark, they have no right still sounding this good. If anything, they sound at the top of their game again, creatively and artistically. And the production, hot damn, it’s fantastic. If you’re into any facet of rock, check out this album, you’ll love it! There really is something for everyone throughout, and I never once got bored. 8.5/10
Spanish Love Songs: No Joy
Charlotte: No Joy by Spanish Love Songs expresses crushing despair, desperation and anxiety through juxtaposing punk-rock melodies with painfully honest lyrics. With a sound reminiscent of bands like The Gaslight Anthem, No Joy tells a story of reality with alternative rock anthems. Raw angst isn’t for every listener, Spanish Love Songs’ fifth album (excluding extended and alternative album versions) offers a modern version with broader appeal to new audiences. 7/10
Shepherd’s Reign: Ala Mai
The Auckland metal band continue in the footsteps of Alien Weaponry, letting their Polynesian heritage flow through their brutal metal music. It results in an incredibly fun, interesting and dynamic listen that is unlike almost anything else. It leans more into the tribalistic sounds than the aforementioned band, too, coming across closer to a New Zealand Sepultura. It’s fantastic.
Being a big rugby (as well as The Usos) fan, of course I loved ‘Le Manu’. Honestly though, it’s all so good it’s nigh impossible to pick highlight tracks. However, though I don’t speak the language, the pain and anger is so real in ‘Ua Masa’a’. It addresses the murder of the vocalist’s sister, and honestly it’s an incredible journey. The same could be said for the frankly beautiful ‘Never Forgotten’, another track addressing the horrible death of a family member. Honestly, it brought me to tears. I would highly suggest finding the summaries of the tracks if you can, or at least the translations, because damn, each one is so emotional and well written.
I love the switching between English, Samoan and Tongan throughout too, adding so many different dynamics and intrigue. Filiva’a James has one of the most intriguing and impressive ranges and voices around today. He switches between aggressive Polynesian screams to beautiful yet equally powerful clean singing for ballads like ‘Cold Summer’s Night’.
The riffs are ch0nky, the drums huge and the vocals somehow aggressive, catchy and haunting all at the same time. Honestly, this feels as big and important as Roots Bloody Roots for this sort of genre and area of the world. Because of how up and down the pace was throughout, too, I didn’t feel the 13-track length at all. This is an album that deserves to be listened to from front to back. Though the individual tracks stand VERY tall on their own, too. Damn, for the third time in two weeks, I have no other choice. 10/10.