The 2nd annual sorry-I-was-at-Graspop two week New Music Monday special is here. Thankfully there wasn’t a huge amount released across the two Fridays, but it’s still one hell of a collection of awesome music and artists for us to check out. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Wage War: STIGMA
The modern metalcore titans are back with their fifth studio album. Their previous album, Manic, was on one of our very first editions of NMM back in 2021. I enjoyed the hell out of that album, but I honestly don’t remember listening to it much after said review. Hopefully this one has a bit more staying power with me.
It’s another damn solid release! While it starts a bit poppier than expected with ‘THE SHOW’S ABOUT TO START’, there are flashes of the heaviness to come. Then ‘SELF SACRIFICE’ kicks you in the stomach with awesome riffing, fantastic screaming and some amazing, heavy breakdowns. It’s the first highlight on an album of them. Tracks like ‘TOMBSTONE’, ‘HAPPY HUNTING’ and ‘IN MY BLOOD’ are also incredible.
Sadly, it isn’t all perfect. ‘MAGNETIC’, while a good slower, Bad Omens-style song, is in a bad place being the third track on the release. The energy should have stayed high, in this writers opinion, and ‘MAGNETIC’ halts the momentum somewhat. Also, it’s sadly only 10 tracks and is in and out in just over half an hour. It’s an incredibly concise release, but after nearly three years, I was expecting a little more!
Still, it’s a damn good album, and if you like the current direction metalcore/baddiecore is going, you’ll love this. It could have done with maybe one more heavy track on to be perfect for me, but it’s a great release and gets another easy 8.5/10 from me!
The Story So Far: I Want to Disappear
The pop-punk veterans have somehow waited six years to put out their latest album, their last being pre-pandemic. In that time, they’ve put together an equally short album as Wage War. What adds to the disappointment too is… it’s just fine. I was never the biggest fan of the late 2000s emo-er pop-punk sound to begin with, but this is 28 minutes of just that. It’s a sound that the likes of Trash Boat, Knuckle Puck and even Neck Deep have done better years prior. It’s not a bad album by any stretch, and an easy listen for it’s short duration. But it’s kinda boring for someone who isn’t necessarily into the style. I’m sure fans of the band are overjoyed with the album, so I’m sorry if any are reading this, but I’m going to have to give it a 5.5/10. Not bad, but nothing special.
Kaitlin Butts: Roadrunner!
The third album from the country singer/songwriter is just as good as her previous two releases. And, shockingly given its boom over the last couple of years, it’s interesting for country music. The title track isn’t like much else I’ve heard this year, same with ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die’ or the theatrical, jingle-like ‘Wild Juanita’s Cactus Juice’. It kept me hooked in right from the start. Then you have the more darker, rock-Americana of ‘Other Girls’ and ‘If I Can’t Have You’, and it’s anything but boring. It’s a fun album to listen to with plenty of twists and turns and, though there is certainly a bit of a lull in the middle after the soliloquy, it’s still an easy listen that doesn’t feel like an hour long at all! Plus, her version of ‘Bang, Bang’ is incredible.
It’s a traditional country album with a modern, quirky twist throughout, and a worthy listen for any country fan reading this. In a year packed full of awesome country, it may not be the best, but it’ll sure as hell be memorable and I’ll be spinning it again. 8/10
Alcest: Les Chants de L’Aurore
Post-black metal is a genre I’d never heard of or even thought about until this review, and honestly, I kinda dig it. It’s like epic, proggy, djenty stuff with more atmosphere and a touch heavier instrumentally. I don’t think individually the tracks are particularly something I’d choose to listen to, but as an album as a whole this is a masterclass in musicianship and writing. And man, live I bet this is is incredible. The closest thing I can think to compare it to is Vola, so if anyone reading this is a fan of them, I’d certainly recommend checking them out. There’s also hints of Tool on tracks like ‘Améthyste’, which is my personal favourite track on the album. It’s somehow uplifting black metal, and I’m fully on board. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but check this out if you like proggier music, you won’t be disappointed! 7.5/10
Scene Queen: Hot Singles in Your Area
Having now listened to more than a couple of her songs, I understand the appeal of her music a bit more. Heck, given that I’m in a band, the song that called me out and I actually related to, ‘Mutual Masturbation’, I loved. It’s painfully true and honestly made me laugh. The country-metal ‘MILF’, for all it’s vulgarity, was also a lot of fun. And the more the album went on, the more I found myself starting to enjoy it. Either that or the album simply starts off weak.
The instrumentation backing her vocals is pretty good, as well. It’s very Limp Bizkit and Electric Callboy, but with more hip-hop thrown in. However, we get some almost Darko US dirty riffs at times, especially the title track, that were awesome. However, at times it is a lot. The album is only 36 minutes but it’s spread across 15 songs. It’s like ADD recorded, and while a lot of the time I loved it, I’d have loved it if a couple of the tracks had a bit more time to breath. However, it does feel like this is the way the industry is going, and clearly she’s doing something right and pops off on social media.
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, which is a very nice change as I didn’t come into it with very high expectations. Given that I am essentially the opposite of the target demo of this album, I certainly didn’t hate it and would happily listen to a lot of it again. It’s not my sort of thing, but it’s written in such a quirky, endearing way that I cannot help but have fun listening to it. I wouldn’t quite say I’m a fan, but respect the hell out of her for what she’s doing, the message behind a lot of her music, and the fanbase she’s garnering. And this album is gonna make her massive. 7/10
The Dangerous Summer: Gravity
Some more alt rock, this time with elements of pop punk, indie and emo. It was a really interesting thing that, while not especially my sort of thing, I couldn’t help but enjoy. Songs like ‘Pacific Ocean’, ‘What’s an Hour Really Worth’ and ‘Where did All the Time Go?’ are all personal highlights, but there isn’t a bad track on the album. I just admire the crap out of the musicianship, both the guitar and bassist creat some real interesting sounds and riffs that almost boarder on prog. And AJ Perdomo’s vocals fit the tracks perfectly, the harsher edges to some of his delivery being fantastic.
It’s not exactly the sort of thing I’d choose to listen to, it’s all a touch slow and samey for me, but I did thoroughly enjoy listening through this album and would happily listen to it all again, not just a select few songs. If you’re into the lighter, more U2-like stuff, check this out! How it’s taken me eight albums to finally check these guys out I don’t know, but they have a new fan in me, and I’m curious about the rest of their back catalogue! 7.5/10
Earthtone9: In Resonance Nexus
The local Nottingham alt metallers are back with album number five, and their first full-length release in over a decade. They are somewhat local legends for me, going back to when I was first in a ‘local band’ when they put out their last release. I remember liking that one when it came out, but haven’t listened to it in ages. This one is just as good as I remember the other being. They at always felt like if they were not ahead of the curve, they at least had their finger on the pulse of where the music industry was at the time, and this album is another testament to that. It feels modern, but in keeping with the alt metal sound that broke them out in the 90s. Like a perfect mixture of Fear Factory, hardcore and Sempiternal era BMTH.
Tracks like ‘Navison Record’, ‘Under the Snake’, ‘Black Swan Roulette’ and ‘The Etiquette of Distortion’ are not only massive highlights, but show off the talent and versatility of the band perfectly. However, all 10 tracks are fantastic and create 44-minutes of awesomeness. If you are a fan of metal at all, you NEED to check out this album. It’s a travesty that this band never got bigger or had more of a sustained career, but this album is so good that maybe this will finally break them into the mainstream. It’s an easy 9/10 from me!
Anvil: One and Only
The heavy metal legends returned with another album this last Friday. It was… fine. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very fitting of the band and they are clearly all talented. If it was back in the late 70s/early 80s, this would probably be awesome. However, releasing this in 2024, it’s just a touch cringy. I completely get how influential the band are, but stuff like ‘Feed Your Fantasy’ was not a fun listen these days. I don’t mind some of their early stuff, but this got closer to latter-stages Status Quo than anything heavy metal. Maybe it would go over better live, but as an album it was hard to sit and listen through at times. Sorry to any Anvil fans out there, and if you did enjoy it I’m so glad. But it sadly really wasn’t my thing. 3/10
Johnny Cash: Songwriter
This is somehow the FIFTH posthumous album release from the country legend. And don’t worry, it’s unreleased songs that have been mixed and mastered, not some creepy AI thing. I’m very much in two minds with it. On the one hand, doing it this much does feel rather cash (pun not indented) grabby. However, the music is still good, and as a Cash fan, I’m so glad I get to hear them and new music in general from the Man in Black. Songs like ‘Spotlight’, ‘Love You Tonite’ and ‘Soldier Boy’ are all amazing and, honestly, I’d put them up there with some of his earlier stuff. He was such an incredible songwriter who’s really stood the test of time, evidenced by stuff like this still coming out over two decades after his passing. If you’re a Cash fan, or a fan of traditional country in general, check this out. It’s a great, emotional release that makes you wonder why this tracks never saw the light of day before 2003. 7.5/10
Goodbye June: Deep in the Trouble
The NWOCR newcomers put out their fourth studio album last week, and it’s an amazing slab of hard rock! Right from the Led Zeppelin-style opener through the incredible singles like ‘Riding Through’ to the rootsy ‘Well oh Well’ and the epic closer, it’s a real great release all round. Don’t get me wrong, overall it could be considered a tad slow, especially with how damn well they do the upbeat, stomping rock stuff. But it’s hard to argue against any of the tracks on the album, they’re all awesome in their own way. And every member of the band is insanely talented too, with it being some of my favourite vocals and guitar soloing of the year so far. They’re very similar to The Answer, and I love it. If you’re into rock in any way, check this out, you’re bound to enjoy it as much as I do! The band certainly have a new fan in me, and this deserves to be the album to catapult them into the mainstream! 9/10