The music industry has tried to kill me this week. For some reason everyone and their mum’s has decided to put out an album on the last Friday in January, so strap yourselves in guys, this is one hell of a New Music Mondays…
Frank Carter & the Rattlesnakes: Dark Rainbow
Now, controversial opinion time and I’m more than likely going to piss off Frank Carter fans with this one. I don’t get FC&tR at all. It’s rather generic, frankly boring pop-rock. It’s done plenty before, and a lot better than this. At least he did something interesting and at least kinda unique in Gallows. Since then, he’s just released vaguely punk-inspired indie-pop music, and it bored the crap out of me. Again, sorry to any fans of the band, but I found this a real struggle to sit through. I don’t even have anything to say about the album; bad in an 11-track, almost 40-minute release. It’s fine for what it is, but there is nothing to it. 3/10
Alkaline Trio: Blood, Hair, And Eyeballs
Max: So I’ve never listened to much alkaline trio before but when I started to listen to this album I realised that I’ve missed out on a lot of good music. It’s definitely the kind of pop punk genre that is similar to Blink 182 but it is very well done and they definitely made it feel like their own.
The lyrics and guitars and lots of fun and all of the instruments are very energetic with creative flair thrown in throughout just to add to the enjoyment. Personally my favourite track is ‘Teenage Heart’ which has a very fun chorus but really every track is worth listening to.
I don’t find the album is stand out enough in anyone one department to warrant being a 10/10. But, with everything combined, it definitely warrants an 8/10!
Randall King: Into the Neon
We’ve already covered this awesome album! Check it out here!
Static X: Project Regeneration, Vol. 2
Part two of the band’s comeback releases after the tragic passing of Wayne and the recruiting of definitely not Edsel Dope on vocals is much like the previous release. Some might be a little bummed out hearing that, given that it’s been three and a half years since Vol. 1, but for a band three decades into their careers it’s a solid release, and a solid industrial/nu metal album. If you’re a long term fan of the band, you’ll find something to love in this record, for sure.
Everyone plays their parts to perfection, including very mysterious frontman Zer0. And the band almost even recapture their old magic and spark on tracks like the opener, ‘Z0mbie’ and ‘Take Control’. It’s a very hard album to hate, and being a big fan of the band since my youth I will certainly be spinning this again a lot in the next few months. Honestly, the more I listen already the more it grows on me, and may be one of my favourite releases from them. Certainly my favourite since Shadow Zone. It leans just as much into a Korn sound as their old material, and the blend is incredible. Not only Edsel is the perfect fit for the band, both live and in the studio, and I’m so glad we’re getting a real career resurgence from them these days. It’s an easy 8.5/10 from me!
The Gems: Phoenix
The album title the perfect symbolism for the album and band as a whole. The three women are all ex Thundermother members, and this is their debut and first music since leaving the Filippa Nässil-led band. The breakup certainly seemed on the messy side, so I’m certainly glad to see the three still working together and releasing new music. I do have to say too that I did rather enjoy the last Thundermother album released shortly before the trios departure (find the review here). So, let’s see if this release is equally good, shall we?
Well, it’s most certainly a solid hard/sleaze rock album. The folky intro track sets the tone for it all perfectly, and leads to a definite album highlight in ‘Queens’. It’s a stomping, anger-fuelled track that feels equal parts modern and Status Quo/Queen style old-school. Other highlight tracks include all the singles; ‘Send Me to the Wolves’, ‘Like A Phoenix’, ‘P.S.Y.C.H.O’, and the beautiful ballad, ‘Erase Your Pain’. There isn’t a bad song on the album, though I do think 15-tracks was just a tad too much, even if a few are (very good and interesting) interludes. All three of them do incredible throughout the whole album, but honestly some of the vocal runs Guernica hit honestly gave me chills. I’m so glad they have stuck together though because they truly make magic together. I’m gonna have to sit on it, as I’ll certainly be listening to it a bunch more, but it may be the best thing they’ve done together. I really love this album, and it’s an easy 9/10. It’s up there with Black and Gold, that’s for sure.
Josh Abbott Band: Somewhere Down the Road
The folky/country/Americana band are back with a brand new album. Considering I’m a fan of a few of the bands tracks at least, I have to admit this album too a little of growing on me. I think, sadly, ‘Astronaut’ is simply that bad of an opener that it took a bit for me to recover. However, from the slightly more upbeat, Mumford and Sons-esque ‘What Were You Thinking’, I was pretty hooked. It’s rather chilled out music, for the most part, and I liked the ordering of the album, switching up the tempo pretty regularly. Tracks like ‘Somewhere Down the Road’ and ‘Back to Normal’ are also big highlights. There are certainly albums that I’ve enjoyed more this week, but this is the perfect album to throw on and chill out to, and the band do an amazing job at both writing and playing it. 7/10
Stone Horns: Chimaira
The French groovy death metal band released their third album, and first with Rockshot Records, last Friday. Being a first time listener of the band when they emailed it over, I have to say the opening track, ‘Grasping the Embers of Exile’, blew me away. The slow build makes for the perfect album opener and gave off BIG Machine Head vibes in all the best ways. The changing between the more cleaner vocals and the low gutterals, not just here but throughout the album, is insanely impressive, and both fit the vibe perfectly. It also has some almost rapped, nu-metal-style delivery, giving off early Slipknot or Tallah vibes. The vocals feel like a major highlight of the album, and fit over the top of the brutal riffs perfectly. The whole album wears multiple inspirations on its sleeve while also sounding wholly unique, really striving to be new and different. It’s an incredible sound. I do have to also give huge props to the guitars, not only are the leads incredible, but the 2000s metalcore-like solos are top notch.
The opener is of course is a highlight track, as is ‘No Mercy’ and ‘Age of Chimairas’. Honestly though, there isn’t a bad track on the album, and my only real complaint is that it’s only seven tracks long. I need so much more of this, pump it all into my veins! The band have a huge new fan in me, and I will be checking out their previous two albums as soon as this insane week is finally all written up. I love the blend of death metal, industrial, nu, power and metalcore, it somehow handling all the different styles incredibly throughout, switching seamlessly. I’d recommend this to any fan of heavy music at all; these guys deserve to be massive! 9.5/10
Drip Fed Empire: Revolutionist
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Check out our review of it here!
The Survival Code: Whispers of Woe
I don’t know what I was expecting when this slid across my desk (was emailed to me), but this certainly wasn’t it! The closest thing I can compare it to is early Biffy Clyro; that sort of heavy, odd alt-rock sound. However, there are also elements of the likes of Coheed and Cambria in the riffing, and even Tool from some of the vocal delivery. The majority of it has multiple, or at least multi-tracked, vocals, and it made for an incredibly interesting listen, and a HUGE sound. The riffing only adds to the massiveness, though, it all coming together perfectly in the mixing.
Out of all of the albums from this week, this is the one I’ve listened to the most so far. I honestly can’t get enough. It feels both familiar and wholly interesting and unique throughout. Every track is awesome, but my personal highlights are ‘Never Knew You Existed’, ‘For Right or Wrong…’ or ‘Built to Break’. There’s no wonder this band have exploded in the build to this release. They’ve gone from releasing nothing for three and a half years, to a year long campaign of excellent singles leading to a very early but very strong album of the year contender. It’s our first 10/10 of the year, and it couldn’t have been anything but.
Vitriol: Suffer and Become
The Portland-based extreme/death metal band returned with their sophomore album last week. Frontman Kyle Rasmussen has already spoken of the struggles of writing and producing this album, but it very much feels like all that work paid off. This is a brutal, crushing slab of awesomeness from start to finish. Everyone plays their parts perfectly, the drumming and bass being insanely fast while the riffing and lead guitar honestly blew my mind a little bit. I can see why this album definitely took some suffering to make! While it’s typically not the sort of music I’d listen to often, tracks like ‘Nursing from the Mother Wound’ and ‘I Am Every Enemy’ are massive highlights and I loved them. It is certainly not an album for the faint of heart or those looking to dip their toes into the heavy stuff. However, it is chaotic brilliance and will surely be a favourite among any fans of the genre! 7/10
Sarah Jarosz: Polaroid Lovers
More country, this time the seventh album from the female singer/songwriter. I wasn’t all too familiar with her heading into the review, but it was a fun album for sure. The opener sets the tone perfectly and is a definite highlight. I love the more folky, Fleetwood-style tracks too, like ‘Runaway Train’ and ‘Mezcal and Lime’. Much like Josh Abbott earlier, it’s a very good album to sit back and relax to. There’s maybe one too many slower folk tracks on it for me though; another more up-tempo track would have been great. Still, if you’re into this sort of music, I’d highly recommend this album! 7/10
Ancient Vvisdom: Master of the Stone
Something referred to as ‘occult rock’ is up next for us. Given that the opening track is called ‘Sold my Soul to Satan’, I’d say it’s a pretty accurate description! And honestly, it’s a really cool album. I love the massive, fuzzy guitar tones, the riffing over the minimalistic drumming making it sound truly evil. As for the vocals, they took some getting used to. I LOVED the screams as soon as I heard them, though they were a tad too far back in the mix and I’d have loved them to be louder. As for the cleans, they fit the sound and style perfectly, and after a couple of tracks I was fully on board with them.
Honestly, it’s just really good stoner/desert rock, with a Ghost-style occult theme that does them wonders. Highlights include the opener ‘Appollyon’ and ‘Ashes from on High’. The fact that just two guys can make music that sounds this good is a real testament to the pair’s talent. I’d love to see them live, as I feel like they’d channel Mastadon/The Sword/QOTSA energy, and I am all there for it. I’mma have to go back and check out their previous album now, as if it’s anything like this one I’ll love that, too. 7.5/10, great stuff.