After a week off due to absolutely nothing coming out in the first week in January, we are back with a stacked week full of awesome new music. Let’s check it all out together below!
Magnum: Here Comes the Rain
Charlotte: Here Comes The Rain by Magnum is a perfect production of atmospheric and almost euphoric sound. Taking melodic classic rock crossed with epic vulnerable lyrics, distinctive keys and rich instrumental elements, Magnum have created an addictive album. Would I be criticised if I said they almost remind me of Bon Jovi, ELO and Journey in one? Even so, it’s a fantastic album and does their catalogue of hits justice. Rest In Peace guitarist and songwriter Tony Clarkin who passed away on the 7th January 2024. 8.5/10
Hannah Ellis: That Girl
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our review of it here!
Drown in Sulphur: Dark Secrets of the Soul
The Italian gothic deathcore band released their sophomore album last Friday. Honestly, it’s really fricking good, too. It’s crushingly heavy, but filled with plenty of atmosphere too, almost taking some black metal influences too. The screams, whether they’re low or more extreme metal, are all fantastic, and fit the amazing riffing perfectly. And some of the breakdowns, holy crap, brutal.
And, honestly, it is constantly interesting. It’s a very well put together that I couldn’t stop listening to from front to back. Whether it’s the crushing awesomeness of ‘Eclipse of the Sun of Eden’ or the slower, more atmospheric ‘Lotus’, everything about this album is awesome. There is so much more to it than just deathcore, and I love it. If you’re into heavy, give this a spin all the way through, you won’t be disappointed! The band have a new fan in me! 8.5/10
The Vaccines: Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations
The UK indie rock band are back with their sixth studio album. I have to admit, not being the biggest indie fan in the world, it kinda just sounds like everything else they’ve done. Don’t get me wrong, they are certainly one of the better bands in the genre, and tracks like ‘Sometimes, I Swear’ and ‘Love to Walk Away’ are fantastic. However, as an album as a whole, it’s a bit of a slog to get through. It’s all pretty samey. If you’re into the genre I’m sure you’ll love it, but for me it’s a bit much. The odd track is great, it’s rom-com soundtrack music through and through, but the album as a whole was a struggle for me. 4.5/10
Gothony: Self-Titled
I’d never heard the term ‘drama metal’ be coined until I got this album sent over to me. In my head, sitting here before listening to it, I’m thinking something along the lines of Avantasia or even Ice Nine Kills; epic, grandiose sounds and stories.
It both is and isn’t that. Gothony’s self-titled debut is definitely epic sounding, I’ll give it that. It’s a mixture of death metal, atmospheric black metal, and then some clear influences from symphonic and power metal. However, the instrumentation is great, and both the growls and screams sound incredible. And, surprisingly enough, there is the occasional operatic female vocal spread throughout, like in the track below. I love a lot of the riffs and sections throughout the whole album. There is no denying the bands talent at all.
However, I do wish they’d spent just a little longer on it in the studio. I may have been wrong, but it felt like a couple of times in the intro track the instruments went out of time or changed tempo. And a couple of the vocal performances could have maybe done with another take or two. It could have all been a production issue, though!
Still, overall this is a really enjoyable album. Tracks like ‘Ants’ and ‘Disarm the Gods’ stand out to me. And it is a damn epic album. Live, I feel like it would be incredible. It’s a great starting point for the band, and I can’t wait to hear where they go from here. 7/10
RYUJIN: Self-Titled
Yet another album we’ve already reviewed in full. It was great! Check it out here!
Casey: How to Disappear
Max: The Welsh post-hardcore band that can summerise every difficult emotion is back with another beautiful album, ‘How To Disappear’, their third album overall and first since 2018. As always the album deals with heavier topics and concepts throughout and, as they said in their own words, “each and every piece was crafted from real experiences, embellished to add poetic flair”. I think that that is important to note when listening to the album, and really everyone should read the post on their instagram talking about it, as it gives so much clarity as to the raw emotion that has been so carefully laid out in the album.
Casey is one of my favourite bands and their music has really helped me through difficult parts in my own life and this album continues on doing that for me and I’m sure a lot of their fans. Casey seems to have mastered the balance of intensity and calm throughout their music and can’t make songs have so much incredibly depth to the point that I’m sure if you were to listen to only one instrument all of the emotion would be so incredibly apparent still and when it is all together it simply becomes a masterpiece.
So, I implore you listen to the album and all of their albums and experience someone talk to you about your own emotions in ways that I would never think possible. Where I want to leave this short review is with one thing that the band said, “Even though occasional struggles persist, I am grateful to be here”. 9/10
Timson: Forever’s Not Enough
The debut album of the AOR band is a fantastic listen. Mark Timson took a couple of songs that he wrote in the 80s, updated them and then wrote a whole album around that sound and style. It’s very Whitesnake, Bon Jovi and Night Ranger in all the best ways. It’s Rock of Ages personified, and would feel right at home on the sunset strip four decades ago. Tracks like the title one, ‘Love Will Find a Way’ and ‘More Than Enough’ are all awesome.
Honestly, I don’t have much to say about this album, it’s a really solid release. My main complaint is simply that it’s only eight tracks, I’d have LOVED more of this! I do have to say that, as fantastic as this is, there has been a lot of amazing AOR over the years, and there continues to be a lot of great additions to the genre like Cats in Space and Vega. They may struggle to break through slightly or be labelled harshly by the internet. However, I loved every track on this and already cannot wait to hear more! 8.5/10
Engulf: The Dying Planet Weeps
The first full-length release from the New Jersey death metal outfit is awesome. The first thing they’ve put out in nearly five years, and it’s well worth the wait. It’s crushingly brutal, with some insane riffs and some of the best drumming I think I’ve ever heard. Some of the lower growls throughout are amazing too, though do sadly sometimes boarder on Chris Barnes levels of ridiculous. However, as an album, it’s awesome. There really isn’t a bad song on the album and if you’re into traditional death metal, you’ll love this. My only slight complaint is that it doesn’t really do anything new or innovative. But when it’s this fun a listen and this well written, that barely even matters! 7.5/10