A pretty stacked week again of New Music Monday, from rock to metal to country. Let’s dive right in!
Deep Purple: =1
If it’s one thing I feel like the music industry doesn’t need in 2024, it’s a near-hour-long Deep Purple album. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t even inherently a bad album. But we’re going on six decades of the band, this is their whopping 23rd studio album, and even with the Ian’s and Rodger Glover still helming the thing, it still feels not-quite-Deep-Purple at times. As I said, it’s not an inherently bad album, and songs like ‘Sharp Shooter’ and ‘Lazy Sod’ even stand out as highlights. It of course, however, doesn’t stack up against their top releases. I wouldn’t even put it up there with 2020’s Whoosh!. A couple of good riffs and solos don’t make up for a tired formula by a band that just sound like they’re going through the motions. I admire the hell out of people pushing 80 still following their passion and doing what they love, and I’d never actively tell them to stop doing that, but it does feel like we’re getting to a point of ‘hanging up their boots’ so to speak. How many more times can they put out the same drab, average, tired album? Again, it’s not bad, but it’s hardly peak Deep Purple, or even peak post-1990 DP, and while there is plenty worse, I struggled to get through all 52 minutes. 4/10, sorry guys.
Highly Suspect: As Above, So Below
We checked out the bands last album when it was released, and I got most of my thoughts of the band across in that review. And while my feelings of the band are largely the same, this was at least an interesting release. It flitted through a few different styles, from blues to classic to indie to desert to prog rock across the course of the almost-hour long release. And yet, it’s all blended together pretty masterfully, and each style still sounds like Highly Suspect. The two opposites, the QOTSA-like ‘Suicide Machine’ and the proggy ‘Melatonia’, are my personal highlights. However, I was at least never bored when listening through the album.
Is it as good as their first two albums? No. There are certainly still tracks that I can take or leave on here. However, it’s the most I’ve enjoyed them since The Boy Who Died Wolf, and it feels like the most focused release then, too. none of the songs match up to the quality of emotion of ‘Lydia’, but it’s the closest they’ve come in a good while. I certainly didn’t hate this album, and will have a handful of the tracks on rotation again in the weeks to come, I’m sure. It’s a step in the right direction again for the band, at least for me, and while I’m curious to see where they go from here, this gets a pretty easy 7/10 from me!
Kyle Daniel: Kentucky Gold
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Check out our review of it here!
Orange Goblin: Science, Not Fiction
The stoner metal Londoners are back with their first album in six years. While the only full album from the band I’ve listened to before now is Eulogy for the Damned, I would definitely call myself a fan, and have been since that album came out. So, being fairly familiar with their music, I came into the album with fairly solid expectations. It very much lived up to said expectations; it sounded exactly how you’d expect an Orange Goblin album to sound. And that certainly isn’t a complaint. It’s heavy, aggressive yet melodic metal music like only the band themselves can do. Everything from the sludgy riffing to Ben Ward’s impressive, powerful vocals are awesome. Tracks like the opener, ‘The Justice Knife’ and the epic ‘Cemetary Rats’ are big highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song on the album. If you like the band, or stoner metal in general, check this out, you certainly won’t be disappointed! 7.5/10
SOFT PLAY: HEAVY JELLY
The English punk duo have been gaining an awful lot of steam in the last couple of years, managing to maintain the cult following they had as Slaves and only continue to build on it. Technically now four albums deep, with this being the band’s first since 2018, I have to admit… I still don’t get it. In fact, let me rephrase that; I see the appeal, but it certainly isn’t my sort of thing. There’s some alright riffs, plenty of attitude and anger, and the vocals aren’t even that bad. But when all put together, something about it just doesn’t do it for me. I do admire the anti-authority stance they take with their lyrics too, it being a call-back to proper, old-school punk. I do like the rather on-the-nose addressing of their name change in ‘Punk’s Dead’, it definitely being a highlight of the album. However, the rest is a bit too messy for me, as much as I want to like it. If you like punk, I’d recommend checking this out, you very well might enjoy it! But for me, it gets a 4.5/10, sorry!
FLAT BLACK: DARK SIDE OF THE BRAIN
Former Five Finger guitarist Jason Hook’s solo project released its much anticipated debut album this last Friday. I hate to be that guy, but it is certainly better than modern day FFDP. Don’t get me wrong, though, the band will certainly still have its haters. It’s a blend of early 2000s ‘butt rock’ and metalcore, with a slight modern emo twist to it. That certainly sounds like it will piss off the older crowd or ‘true metalheads’. However, it’s a fun album packed full of a great riffs, heavy breakdowns, some catchy vocal melodies and awesome guitar solos. Tracks like ‘JUSTICE WILL BE DONE’, ‘UNWANTED’ and ‘IT’S YOUR LACK OF RESPECT’ are all highlights, but the whole album is pretty great. It also feels like a while since I’ve seen Corey Taylor guest on anything, so it was nice to see that he’s still happy to show up on anyone’s track who asks him. There’s a lot of elements of Way of the Fist and War is the Answer on here, which I love as those first two albums were easily Five Finger’s strongest work. It’s a damn good debut release, and I’m just glad Jason is still making music and is able to flex his creative muscles again away from the confines of the samey style FFDP do. If you’re into lighter or more modern metal, check this out, it’s good! 8/10
The James Warner Prophecies: Paint the Grey
A local band now, as we get the fifth album from the post-grunge/alt rock Midlands trio. And damn, it’s a bit good! It’s a style that’s right up my street, that Bush/Filter sound, and is done perfectly. The production on it is top notch too, something that is needed on an album like this. From the guitars to the drums to the vocals, it all sounds MASSIVE. Songs like ‘When it Ends’ and Turn to Sand’ are awesome. Heck, even ‘Oily Josh’ and ‘Really Shit Animals’ are great in a satire, Muse and Reel Big Fish style (respectively) way. And while the dramatic shifts in tone can be somewhat jarring on occasion, the sheer amount of different sounds here show just how incredible the band are at songwriting. It won’t be for everyone, that’s for sure, but I’d recommend it to any rock fan to at least check out, as there really is something for everyone on it! 8.5/10
Werewolves: Die for Us
Following up their last album last year, the Australian death/black metal band go just as hard on this release. Heck, it arguably goes even harder, and I enjoyed this one even more than their previous release. The intensity, heaviness and aggression has all been upped, and it means that the riffing and drumming go hard throughout. It’s honestly hard to pick highlights as every track slaps. If you’re into the heavy end of metal, I cannot recommend this album enough. They aren’t going to get the recognition they deserve from it, but it’s a really excellent death release. I can’t even think of any other way of describing it or saying it, it’s just 35-minutes of awesome brutality in all the best ways. 9/10