Another big week of new music spanning the rock, metal and country world! Let’s dive in and see what’s in store!
Five Finger Death Punch: Legacy
10 albums into their career at this point, you know exactly what you’re getting into with a FFDP album. This was exactly what I expected, for better or worse. It’s completely fine, and is the same sort of thing that the band have been putting out since American Capitalist, at this point. I did enjoy tracks like ‘Eye of the Storm’, ‘Scapegoat’ and even the ballad ‘In Time’. The rest of it, while pretty damn good radio-metal, was a touch forgettable and didn’t do a whole lot for me. It doesn’t have much in the way of the massive hits that Wrong Side of Heaven or even Got Your Six produced. Maybe I’ve just gotten old and moved on from the sound; if you like their more recent output you’ll most likely love this. It just feels slightly… safe. It’s very, very FFDP. At the very least my boy Andy James gets plenty of time to shine throughout, one of the most criminally underrated guitarists around. Hell, the whole band are immensely talented at what they do, and Ivan even cuts back on the bro lyrics quite a lot with this release. His vocals are as powerful as ever.
Hopefully the album grows on me with another couple of listens. This certainly isn’t a negative review, but for a band that I used to love in my teen years, I wish there was a little more umph behind their work still. It almost feels like another box-ticking-for-the-label exercise. 6.5/10. It’s at least better than their last!
Wyatt Flores: Scared of Heights
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Iconic: II
The classic/hard rock supergroup is back with a followup to their 2022 debut. Anyone who’s familiar with that release, or the likes of Inglorious, Stryper or Mendoza’s solo stuff knows exactly what to expect from this album, and in that regard it certainly doesn’t disappoint. It’s 44 minutes of AOR-tinged rock music, and is a lot of fun. Tracks like ‘All I Want’, ‘Tears Keep on Falling’ and ‘Written in the Stars’ are personal highlights, though there isn’t a bad track throughout. Nathan’s vocals are just as good as ever since his return to the rock scene, and the other members prove that they very much still have it, all having their own chance to shine plenty throughout!
However, I mean this with the uttermost respect and do still like the release: it’s nothing we haven’t heard before. Classic rock has made a huge comeback in the last decade, and this is nothing we haven’t heard just as good or better in that time. Heck, I’d put Inglorious’ debut over this, still. If you are a fan of the style you will still get a lot of enjoyment out of this, but it may run the risk of flying under the radar a little against bands doing the sound a little more interestingly and creatively. I still had a good time with the release, and will certainly be spinning it again, but I’d struggle to give it much higher than a 7.5/10. A damn good rock album, but in a year of truly excellent releases, it doesn’t do a lot to stand out from the pack.
Garrow Hill: IX
The debut EP from the York-born modern metallers is a damn good introduction for anyone new to the band! The instrumental intro track was a surprisingly awesome choice, while songs like the slower, almost Skid Row-like ‘Crawl Harder’ and the releases namesake are also great. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. The fact that a release this short is still packed full of such variety is a real testament to the bands talents and writing ability, they really cover a lot of ground from the metal world in just 17 minutes! The riffing and screams were particular high points for me. They have a very bright future ahead of them, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. However, for now I’ll be spinning this plenty in the weeks and months to come! A very easy 8/10 from us!
Shaboozey: The Outlaw Cherie Lee & Other Western Tales
The follow-up to his breakout 2024 release, Where I’ve Been, it feels like there’s a lot riding on this release for the country-R&B singer-songwriter. It’s an album that I’m a little two-minds about, too. While I very much got the appeal of his last album, it did feel a little one-note, with most sounding like ‘Tipsy’. So, when this release opened with the dark-country ‘Til Sunday’, I was at very least intrigued. Then you have the classical ‘If I Was an Outlaw’ and the beautiful duet with Kehlani that is ‘Bullets & Blades’ that are big high points for me. However, that was were the interestingness ended for me. A lot of the rest was either slow, slightly country-infused R&B, or vibes very similar to that of ‘Tipsy’. Don’t get me wrong, single ‘Born to Die’ is a banger and very much another high point of the album, but it’s a sound that he falls back on a lot, not that I’d blame him given its success. I was even if two minds as to whether I enjoyed all the interludes or not. It certainly made for an interesting, engaginging listen, and does make one want to listen to the album in full more. However, they were also a little sporadic and made the release feel disjointed at times.
Overall, it certainly isn’t a bad album, but much like with the last one I struggled to get into it as a whole. It’s simply not my sort of thing, for the most part. If you are a fan of his, it is worth a listen, but with 20 tracks and a lot of nothingness, it can feel like a big undertaking. 5.5/10
FireFlame: Force Against the End
The debut album from the Japanese heavy metallers is a fantastic glimpse into the scene they are championing in Osaka. This thing is over an hour of intense, catchy metal ripped straight from the 70s and 80s, but given a modern flavour. Heck, they even add a metalcore edge to things that certainly makes them stand out among other heavy metal revivalists. The band’s namesake track (and intro) sets the tone excellently, while songs like ‘The Last Ride’, ‘City of Corruption’ and ‘Let Her Burn’ are also huge highlights. Honestly, there isn’t a bad track on the release and, despite the extended length, it’s a surprisingly easy listen. The closest thing I can compare it to is something like Glamour of the Kill, but even then it doesn’t feel that close, the band truly feeling unique and kicking some serious ass doing so! As you can probably tell, I loved this! The band have a big new fan in me, and don’t be surprised to see this high on our top albums list come December. 9/10, amazing stuff!
Doghouse Rose: Born to Break Even
The Toronto-based pop-punkers return with their third album, three years after their massive Unlearn. It’s a short release, in and out in less than half an hour, and is a lot of fun. It’s impossible not to have a good time while listening to this, and the groove throughout is truly infectious. ‘The Order of the Sun’, single ‘It Gets Worse’ and ‘Brightside’ are all personal highlights, but none of the tracks are bad by any stretch! If you like a new wave rock or heavy pop-punk punk sound, this is absolutely an album for you, and the band should have far more recognition than they have already as they are really fantastic songwriters. I’ll certainly be listening to this again plenty in the coming weeks, especially over the summer, and I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10!
Tim Montana: Entire State of Tim Montana
I was a big fan of American Thread when it dropped back in 2020, but have somehow missed his two releases since then. So, when ‘Beautiful Hate’ came blasting in like a heavier Black Stone Cherry, I was a touch taken aback, but certainly in a good way! It felt a little bit like A Thousand Horses’ newest album, which is also a massive compliment, trust me! And even at the nearly 50-minute length, it goes by in a flash, not once lagging or getting boring. The three guest-featuring tracks are all awesome, with First Crazy Dog, WolfBear, Slash and Gibbons and Royale Lynn all killing it and adding a lot to the sound. However, they are far from the only highlights. Single ‘Break me Down’, ‘Like a Satellite’ and ‘When it’s Over’ are all awesome songs in their own right. Heck, we even get a surprisingly awesome cover of Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’! So yeah, this whole thing is honestly awesome. It straddles the line perfectly between hard and southern rock, as well as a country tinge still, and is just a damn fun listen! If any of that sounds like your sort of thing, give this a spin, you won’t be disappointed! 8.5/10
All Out of Bubblegum: Slight Possibility of Overload
Another debut EP, this time from a ‘Post-Apocalyptic Party band’ from Manchester. It’s a fun collection that perfectly introduces what the band are about and their energetic sound. Opening on their excellent cover of ‘The Power of Love’ was a great choice, surely hooking in anyone even slightly unsure right from the jump. However, ‘In Hollywood’ was arguably just as great, from the lyrics to the vocals to the riffing it was all ace, and the acoustic version is pretty fun too! ‘Venomous’ is a good, dark alt metal track as well, while ‘Skinned Alive’ has a fun groove to it, and would be a blast live! It’s honestly a release that, while very good, I think overall would translate even better in a live setting. Still, I’d recommend this to anyone even slightly curious, and will certainly be adding most of it to my regular rotation over the coming weeks! An easy 7/10 from us!
Bitter Sweet Smile: Eat You Alive
The highly anticipated debut album from the alt-rock/grunge revivalists finally dropped this Friday. The band very much wear their inspirations on their sleeve, but deliver an awesome collection of heavy tracks here! Right from the opener, ‘Do It’, I was hooked, and not let go until the end of the nine tracks. ‘Dirty Dog’ was a huge highlight song, as was ‘Nosebleed’. However, as a big fan of the 90s rock sound that the band so perfectly encapsulate, I loved the whole album! It flows excellently too, there being some great slower grunge stuff broken up perfectly by the heavier alt stuff. The band are all incredibly talented, both at their chosen instrument and as collective songwriters, and are another one that have a big new fan in me moving forward! A damn solid 8/10!
Buffalo Traffic Jam: Pictures of You
The debut album from one of the fastest rising folk duos around dropped with a lot of hype surrounding it on Friday, and honestly lives up to it! I was a touch sceptical from the opener, but by the time ‘Older’ kicked in I completely saw the appeal and love for this band, and didn’t look back for the rest of the release. The band pack so much emotion and beauty into every song, even if it’s bittersweet. And they are far more than your usual folk band, having a darker, rockier edge throughout, a splash of Americana, and even some prog vibes and elements. In other words, they are right up my street, and I’m a little obsessed!
So much of this ended up on my personal playlist, and even at 50 minutes it went by in a flash. They have a real epic vibe to them at times, and one that would translate excellently live. Even with a lot of it being a similar vibe and level, the duo are that talented and interesting and emotion-filled that I didn’t once get bored. It’s like Zach Bryan meets Kip Moore meets Mumford and Sons, so if any of those are up your street, give this a listen immediately! Hell, even if you aren’t, I’d highly recommend giving this a try, anyway! No wonder they are already becoming a massive name, and the sky is very much the limit for the pair. 9.5/10, wow!
The Limit: Another Drop
The sophomore album from the old school rock/punkers comes a full half-decade after their debut, and shows a hell of a growth in that time. Don’t get me wrong, their debut was good, but this feels like it’s on another level! Then again, I’m big into the era of the Ramones, The Stooges and Misfits that it feels like this pulls from a fair bit, so of course I love it! Having said that, it has elements of both new-wave rock and modern hard rock too, a really interesting concoction. Tracks like ‘Don’t Say Try’, ‘(Just a) Calling Card’ and ‘Fall Down, Get Up’ are huge personal highlights, but if you’re like me and like this style, you’ll enjoy all of it! At 15 tracks it may be a touch long, but I honestly wouldn’t know what to cut to shorten it, as it all flows so well. I’ll certainly be listening to this again soon, and it gets a very solid 7.5/10 from me!
Cairiss: Wilderness
Another debut album this week, this time curtesy of this post black metal sextet. At just six tracks spread across 42 minutes, it’s an epic release, and full of awesome moments! I say moments because this album very much begs to be listened to in full, the tracks slotting together to make one big piece. Having said that, the sheer depth and beauty of ‘The Guide’ honestly blew me away! The band are so damn talented at what they do, and have crafted a really special release that won’t get nearly the attention it deserves. It won’t be for everyone, but for anyone into the quirkier, more atmospheric side of black metal, this is an absolute must. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, awesome stuff!
Mor: Long Road
The debut EP of this indie-folk singer-songwriter is a simple yet beautiful release. It’s just Mor and his guitar for the most part, some amazing harmonies and strings filling things out perfectly. Opening on ‘Strong’ is a powerful choice, and brought me to tears right from the offset. He’s a fantastic lyricist, and his emotion-filled delivery only adds to their weight. The devastating vulnerability continues through ‘Lost a Kid’, honestly hitting a little close to home. ‘How to love you’ and ‘Who We Are’ are also fantastic. As you can tell though, I love this whole release! The tracks are all a bit similar, but are so well written it’s not at all an issue. It’s a fantastic start to a hugely promising career, and I already can’t wait to hear where he goes from here. For now though, this gets another very solid 8.5/10!
Lalu: A Mythmaker’s Demise
Album five from the prog rock/metallers is just as fun and inventive as their previous works! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but if you like things technical and proggy, you will find a lot to love here. It’s definitely got an 80s AOR edge to it as well with the massive, catchy harmonies, but there is plenty of technicality to it too. It’s like the perfect mix of Yes, Night Ranger and just a dash of Dream Theater. From ‘EKO’ to ‘Prince With the Swift Warning’ to closer ‘Midnight Ink’, there is plenty to love throughout! The band have a solid back catalogue and this adds to it perfectly. A solid 7/10 from us!