We have a week full of awesome releases ahead of us to check out, from blues to metal. Let’s dive right in!
Hammerfall: Avenge the Fallen
The Swedish power metal legends returned last weekend with album 13, and pick up right where they left off with Hammer of Dawn. It’s traditional, NWOBHM-inspired power metal at it’s very best and highest quality. There aren’t exactly any thrills to it for a modern audience, but I certainly enjoyed them more on track than I did seeing them at Graspop the other month. Everyone is insanely talented at their given instrument and writing, and Joacim is a criminally underrated vocalist. Tracks like ‘The End Justifies’, the ballad ‘Hope Springs Eternal’ and ‘Hail to the King’ are all massive highlights, but the whole album is solid. Heck, they even played the latter at Graspop, and it was a highlight then too!
It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but if you’re into power metal or the band in general, you’ll love this, like I did! It’s an easy 8/10!
Mushroomhead: Call the Devil
The Cleaveland-based industrial/nu metal legends may at least win the prize for most interesting release of the year. Whether it’s Static X, Faith No More, Danny Elfman, Wednesday 13 or various different artists, this is a true trip through the weird and macabre, and borrows from various different influences from the band. It’s dark, heavy and a wild ride, in the best ways possible. It’s honestly hard to pick highlight tracks, as almost all of them are excellent, and there is such variety throughout.
I’ve been outwardly rather up-and-down about the various vocalist changes over the years, feeling somewhat meh about thr addition of Jackie and feeling the band peaked with The Rightgeous and the Butterfly. However, with the addition of Scott Beck, the band feel like they have come back into their own again and found a sound and style that compliments all three vocalists perfectly. I’ve already had the album on a couple of times this weekend, and would recommend it to any fan of quirky metal out there! 8.5/10
Elles Bailey: Beneath the Neon Glow
The blues/country/Americana rocker is back with her fourth album. We reviewed the last one when it came out, and loved it, so fingers crossed I have the same feeling again this time.
Spoiler alert; yes, I did. This is an amazing, chilled out country-blues album, done like only Elles can. She’s carved such a niche out for herself in the UK scene, and this album feels like the perfect followup to Shining in the Half Light. It’s the perfect blend of Joanne Shaw Taylor, Albert Cummings and kust a touch of Shania Twain. Tracks like the opener, ‘1972’, ‘Truth Ain’t Gonna Save Us’ and ‘If This is Love’ are all amazing, but there really isn’t a bad song on the album. It’s the perfect 40-minutes to sit and chill-out to, and is also packed full of depth and emotion for a more intimate listen, too. The rest of the band kill it, but Elles’ iconic vocals, delivery and writing are of course the highlight and focal point. Any blues, country or soft-rock fan should check this out; it’s awesome! 9/10
Eddie & The Wolves: Tasty Sin
We’ve already reviewed this clearly awesome album. Check it out here!
Twin Atlantic: Meltdown
The Scottish alt-rock band have already graced an early edition of this series with their last album. As you can tell, I thought it was okay. However, this was surprisingly pretty awesome. The band seem to have gone back to their heavier roots somewhat, it being a much grittier, punkier indie rock album. It took me all the way back to my teen years, falling in love with the band as they started to break out. Tracks like the opener, ‘World Class Entertainment’ and ‘Get Out’ are all awesome, and remind me so much as to why I became a fan in the first place. Even the emotional ballad of the album, ‘I Couldn’t Miss you Much More’, is incredible.
Sure, my tastes have evolved a lot in the last decade, and this isn’t something I’d become obsessed with like before. However, it is much more than just a good nostalgia pop for me (as much as it is a big reminder of my teen years). It’s also just a damn good UK indie rock album. If you’re into that sort of thing, I cannot recommend this album enough to you. I’m going to be spinning it a lot in the coming weeks and months. It truly feels like a band re-inspired and back firing on all cylinders. Hopefully a UK tour is on the cards soon, as I have to see some of this live! 8/10
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard: Flight b741
I really shouldn’t be surprised by anything the multi-genre band do these days. However, I wasn’t expecting a glam/soft rock, Bowie-style release. It also has hints of blues and even early country, all of which I’m LOVING. If you didn’t know what the band were about, I’d have a hard time convincing you this is the same band that released PetroDragonic Apocalypse last year. From the bouncy riffs and vibes, and the harmonica and organ, it’s a blues fan’s (this boy right here) dream come true. The whole album is a masterpiece of the genre, honestly, but highlights include the opener, ‘Field of Vision’, ‘Hog Calling Conetest’ and ‘Le Risque’ It almost feels Primus inspired at times, the weird, quirky, high-energyness fitting well with the blues style.
I cannot recommend this album enough, honestly. Even if you aren’t typically a fan of this sort of style of music, it’s so out there and technically impressive while still being catchy as anything, that I can’t imagine anyone not at least appreciating the work, if not falling in love with it as much as I have. Looks like King Giz are ending up back on the top albums of the year again, but probably even higher than last year! 10/10, that was awesome!
Osees: SORCS 80
The modern garage rock legends are back with their whopping 29th album. This is the third album we’ve covered by the band and, like the entry above, I am constantly surprised by their output. This is a straight-up punk release, and I loved it! Tracks like the opener, the 90s funk rock-esque ‘Also the Gorilla…’ and ‘Zipper’ are all personal highlights. However, this is a punk fans dream album, especially when it draws from anything from the 70s through to modern influences from the genre. If you’re a fan of punk, or early rock in general, check this out, there is certainly something to enjoy! I think it’s my favourite album from the band we’ve checked out yet, and gets a 7.5/10 from us!