Category Archives: new music mondays

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Larry Fleet, Story of the Year and More!

Leave a comment

Another typically stacked week of new music, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive in!

Larry Fleet: Another Year Older

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

Story of the Year: A.R.S.O.N.

I clearly had a different band in my head, because I was not expecting so much awesome melodic hardcore heading into this! The seventh album from the Missouran quartet is an old-school post-hardcore powerhouse from start to finish. ‘Gasoline’ is the perfect, aggressive opener, while tracks like ‘See Through’ and ‘Into the Dark’ are all massive highlights on top of that. Also, Jacob Shaddix does an amazing job on ‘Fall Away’, definitely another big high point. However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, even the slower stuff that wouldn’t typically be my thing is amazing. It’s very emo but certainly in a good way; like My Chem mixed with I Prevail, with a surprisingly healthy dose of Mikey D riffing mixed in with it all. I had a great time with this, and will definitely be revisiting it again soon! Check this out if you are at all interested, and it’s a solid 8/10 from us!

No Worth of Man: The Killing Streets

The debut album from the modern metal/deathcore band really makes a statement; the band standing tall and proud and saying ‘we are here to take no prisoners’. This thing goes hard. From the heavy riffs to the crushing screams to the solid drumming, it all fits together perfectly to create something truly awesome. There isn’t a bad track on the album, but songs like ‘Those of Our Kind’ and ‘Alarmus’ are big personal highlights. My only slight complaint is that I’ve heard half of the album before in there 2024 EP. Don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed that release, but it would have been nice to hear a full collection of new songs from the band. Still, as an introduction to a band for new listeners, this is awesome, and I would fully recommend it to anyone into the heavier side of metal. The band are all hugely talented, and have a bright future ahead of them. Another solid 7.5/10

Angel Du$t: COLD 2 THE TOUCH

Album six from the Maryland melodic hardcorers goes a lot harder than their previous release, and is much better for it. I enjoyed BRAND NEW SOUL, this is much more up my street from a style perspective. The opening two tracks and ‘Zero’ are Turnstile-meets-Dog-Eat-Dog awesomeness, while ‘Jesus Head’ almost has a late 90s RHCP vibe to it. The album as a whole is amazing though, without a dud throughout. It blends Justice Tripp/Trapped Under Ice’s beatdown style with the more pop-friendly influence from the Turnstile lot who used to be part of the band. They’ve had considerable lineup changes in the last couple of years, but hopefully this is the solid lineup moving forward for a while, as it feels like the band are finally back on track and putting out music up their with their best.

It’s a release that blew me away a lot more than I expected it to, and is one I’d recommend if you are into any of the styles or bands I’ve mentioned previously. And, it’s another short album, which is always a win these days! I’ll definitely be revisiting it in the coming weeks, and don’t be surprised if it sneaks onto our top albums of the year list come December. 8.5/10

Pokey LaFarge: Travelin’ With Pokey LaFarge: Voice and Guitar, Vol 1

One of my favourite discoveries over the last couple of years, I’ve been excited for this to drop for a few months now. This solo EP dropped on his brand new record label and is a more stripped-back affair than we’re used to with his recent releases. However, he’s such a good songwriter, and him with… well… his voice and guitar, still makes awesome music. Opening on an awesome duet with the awesome Addie Hamilton before launching through five amazing solo rock tracks spanning everything from rock’n’roll to swing to country. ‘Walk Your Way out of This Town’ is a particular highlight. It’s all simple but beautiful and really great music, a solid 18-minutes of old-school sounds. It’s maybe not for everyone who’s typically a fan of the guy, but I really enjoyed it, and will definitely be listening again. It’s the perfect release to just sit back and chill-out to. A very solid 7.5/10 from us!

Hellgrimm: Resurrection

Another sixth album, this time from the Texan metallers. The band do a great job of blending together multiple different styles, from stoner to thrash to whatever Motörhead wanna be classed as today, and even elements of NWOBHM and melodic metal. They honestly remind me a lot of Rattlesnakes or Wailing Banshee. It’s a mystery why they aren’t bigger as they are clearly fantastic songwriters and musicians. My only slight nitpick is that maybe the mix could be slightly bigger, but I only really notice it on occasions around the vocals. Songs like ‘Reign of Terror’, ‘Dead Superstar’ and their big single, ‘Dog Trash Must Die’ are all big highlights. However, the whole album is enjoyable, including their Kreator and Stones covers! It’s not something I’d revisit as a whole massively often, but the individual tracks will surely be in my rotation for a while! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on the band moving forward as they definitely have a new fan in me. 7/10

The Lone Bellow: What a Time to be Alive

The first studio album in going-on four years from the indie folk/Americana trio is another infectiously fun release. 46 minutes of chilled-out alt country and soft rock, giving off vibes of everything from James Bay to Kings of Leon to Drew Holocomb to even Zach Bryan. The band did a great job at choosing the singles as they are definite album high point, but tracks like ‘Common Folk’ and ‘I’m Here for You’ are definite highlights too. The whole album is excellent though, and has such a fantastic flow to it throughout. The harmonies on each song are amazing, and make every chorus huge and so very catchy.

I’d not checked the band out much outside of a song or two here and there, but I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out their back catologue, as I had a blast listening to this. Hopefully they come over to the UK soon too as I’d love to hear all of this live. Until that time, I happily just keep spinning this whole thing, though! 8/10, and it may grow on me even more with more listens!

Gorgol Bordello: We Mean it, Man!

We’ve also checked this one out, aren’t you lucky?! Check it out here.

Converge: Love is Not Enough

I’m sorry, but this album FUCKS. The mixture of aggressive death metal, hardcore and sludgy riffing is amazing and makes me want to punch everything. The first new studio release from the band since their collab with Chelsea Wolfe back in ’21, and their first solo release in nearly a decade, this had a lot of hype to live up to, and smashes all of it to pieces. Everything about it is awesome, and is the perfect 30 minutes of aggressive, brutal, OG metalcore. It’s impossible to pick highlights, I listened to this whole thing through a couple of times and loved every second of it (though ‘Beyond Repair’ goes maybe a minute too long). I am so damn glad these guys are back to releasing new music again, and am already desperate to see all of this live. If you’re into heavy, this is ABSOLUTELY the album for you. I’ve claimed a few times the last 12 months or so that hardcore is back in a big way, and weeks like this just keep proving me right. I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10, damn.

Max Jackson: Dangerous in Denim

The first studio album in nearly six years from the country star, and it at very least lives up to the hype! While the opener is a little too ‘Panderin‘‘ for me, her unique brand of stadium-country is a lot of fun, and makes for a very easy half-an-hour listen. Tracks like ‘Goin’ Nowhere Now’, ‘We Invented Love’ and the Shania-like ‘1990 Somethin” are all personal highlights. However, the more I listen, the more I fall in love with the album. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to it, and Max has such a fantastic voice and vocal delivery that it keeps it fun, and emotional where needed. And, instrumentally it’s great, some real high points from the drums, guitars and bass throughout, too. Plus, the back-half of this album is truly awesome. Even revisiting ‘Red Dirt ROCKNROLL’ within the context of the album as a whole after, it has certainly grown on me. I would highly recommend this to any 90s or 2000s country music fan reading this, and Max has certainly gained a new fan in me! A very easy 8/10 from us!

Frozen Ocean: Askdrömmar

The first album from the Russian black metaller in a full decade is honestly pretty fantastic, and I’ve never been the biggest black metal fan! It’s not straight-up black metal, there’s some vague electronic and even gothic elements to it too, which definitely helped keep my interest. Tracks like ‘Bortkastade dödsrunor’ and ‘Jag sover’ are personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout, even if the album as a whole does get a bit repetitive towards the back half. However, Vaarwel is an incredibly talented musician, and that sort of tunnel-vision is going to happen when there is just one working on a project. If you are into the genre at all, this is well worth checking out! As I said, I enjoyed my listen to it, and certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came back on again. It gets a 6.5/10 from us!

Clay Street Unit: Sin & Squalor

The debut album from the folk/Americana collective dropped to a lot of hype and expectation on Friday, and lives up to all of it! The big-band feel is always something I love, and they have it in spades here. The hints of bluegrass in the instrumentation keep the pace bouncy and light, while the voice grounds it in country, adding some emotion, depth and some HUGE choruses. It has elements of the likes of Wyatt Flores, White Buffalo, Uncle Luscious, Zach Bryan and American Aquarium all perfectly blended together. It’s also packed full of awesome songs; 40 minutes of incredible music that’s nearly impossible to pick highlights from. From the opener to ‘Where Have you Gone?’, their duet with Lindsay Lou to the more ballad-like ‘Left Unsaid’ to the beautiful closer, it’s all so good. If you’re a fan of all things vaguely country, this is an absolute must-check-out! I can’t give it any less than 9/10, excellent stuff!

The Beautiful Darkness: Pain to Purpose

The debut EP from the mind of Nerys John blends so many different styles together, and does so incredibly interestingly. From folk to grunge to goth to punk to melodic hard rock, they really touch on a bit of everything through the release. Honestly, it’s a great introduction to the group! They have a cool, interesting sound to them, and constantly keep you guessing what’s coming next while listening. ‘The Narcissist’ is possibly my favourite track of the five, but all certainly have their charms. Generally it’s a touch slower pace for me as a whole, but that doesn’t mean it is any worse an EP. This will have so many fans, and I can see a bright future ahead for them, this being the perfect jumping off-point for that. Nerys’ vocals are incredible, and the band that she’s found are all hugely talented players. Another solid 7/10 from me!

Temple Balls: Self-Titled

Album five from the hard rock/AOR Finns is just as massive as their previous outings. Sounding like the natural evolution of Santa Cruz, H.E.A.T. and Van Halen, the band channel an awesome rock energy throughout, driven by pounding drums and awesome riffs. It’s nearly 40-minutes of sleazy goodness, arena-filling choruses and a fantastic bounce that will keep your head bobbing throughout. The band are insanely talented at their chosen instrument, and are also fantastic songwriters. From the opening two numbers to ‘We are the Night’ to ‘Stronger than Fire’, there are so many massive highlights on this thing, though there isn’t a bad song throughout. They fit perfectly in this revival of hard rock in Europe recently, and would fit awesomely into the NWOCR scene in the UK, so hopefully we can get them over here soon so I can see this live! However, for now I am more than happy to keep spinning this awesome album, and would urge any rock fan out there to do the same. A huge 8.5/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Karnivool, Mayhem and More!

Leave a comment

An absolutely packed week of NMM this week, with plenty of releases across the rock, metal and country worlds for us to check out. Let’s dive right in!

Karnivool: IN VERSES

The first new album from the modern prog legends in nearly 13 years finally dropped this last Friday, to plenty of hype! Honestly, it about lives up to said hype, too! ‘Ghost’ is an excellent opener, setting the tone well. ‘Drone’ follows it up perfectly too, being an easy album highlight! However, the whole album is pretty amazing from start to finish, there not being a bad song on it. Heck, the band have been sat on All it Takes for years now, and it’s still a banger! Don’t get me wrong, and hour plus of steady paced, similar stuff may be a little much for some, but I just sat back and got absorbed into it all, and it truly took me on a journey. Do yourselves a favour and stick some headphones on in a dark room and thank me later. It’s not quite Tool, but when Tool are so slow at their output these days, Karnivool are a fantastic alternative. The band are insanely talented songwriters and players, and have put out a release to rival any of their three previous. If you’re a prog fan, this one is certainly for you! 8/10

Mayhem: Liturgy of Death

The black metal legends returned once again this last weekend with album number seven, their first since 2019. If you are familiar with the band at all, you know exactly what to expect here. Brutality, epicness and darkness for a full 48 minutes. As a celebration of four decades as a band, it’s a fitting addition to their discography. As a throwback black/extreme metal release, it’s probably great. As an album for me personally… I can take it or leave it. It’s certainly not bad by any stretch, and the band are clearly all talented players and songwriters. The production on it is also surprisingly great for the genre, which is also a plus (even if it is a bit ‘wall of sound’-y at times). But as a style as a whole, it just isn’t by bag. I like it in small doses, or if something is added to the black metal to keep me interested, but nearly 50-minutes of the same feel and pace is a little much for me. The closest to a highlight track for me was either ‘Despair’ or ‘Funeral of Existence’, though all the rest were pretty similar. Again, if you like the genre or band, you’ll probably get a lot out of this. However, it didn’t do a great deal for me overall, so I can’t give it any more than a 4.5/10. I want to like it more, if that helps. Maybe I’d get into it more live.

Silversun Pickups: Tenterhooks

The first album in four years from the American alt rockers is an odd one for me. I like the overall vibe of it; it’s got some great riffs, tones, melodies and overall playing. And the vaguely proggy writing at times feels like it is right up my street. However, for whatever reason I just wasn’t hooked into this. Maybe it was the more generally indie vibe to it? I remember checking out their last album when it dropped and looking back I clearly got bored of that one too as I didn’t even give it a score! I would say I enjoyed this one more as I at least liked stuff like single ‘The Wreckage’ and ‘Thorns and All’. There is no denying the band are damn talented, and there is a massive audience that will love this. However, it sadly just didn’t do much for me. It may grow on me more with more listens, but with all the amazing releases already this year, I’m not in a huge rush to revisit this. A solid 5.5/10 for now; certainly not bad but incredibly average.

Puscifer: Normal Isn’t

Somehow MJK’s most consistent output these days, the experimental rock band put out their follow-up to 2020s Exsistential Reckoning last Friday. And, to the shock of no one, they are just as odd and quirky as ever. First things first, it is certainly not for everyone. It wouldn’t normally be my sort of thing, but I am such a big fan of Keenan and his ‘stream of consciousness’ is captivating with this project. It’s like the lighter end of NIN’s stuff, which generally I don’t go for much, but I love it here. Tracks like the title one, heavier single ‘Self Evident’, ‘A Public Stoning’ and ‘ImpetuoUs’ are all personal favourites. However, there isn’t a bad song on here and it has a great flow to it, the nearly-hour going by in a flash.

I’d put it up there alongside their previous release in terms of quality, if not slightly higher, making this maybe the best thing Maynard’s released in nearly a decade. That’s not to take away from the other two members, who work their ass off throughout and are insanely talented, too. But, make no mistake, Maynard is the star here. His vocals are still so incredible some 40 years into his career, and his lyric writing is as good as ever. He almost sounds angry at times, the first time in years; definitely a refreshing throwback to his hayday.

This is certainly an album I’ll be revisiting a fair bit moving forward, and I’d recommend to anyone even a little bit curious. While I impatiently wait another decade plus for new Tool music, this will more that satiate that hunger! 9/10

Tailgunner: Midnight Blitz

We’ve already checked out this awesome release! Read the full review here!

Melissa Carper & Theo Lawrence: Havin’ a Talk

This is an incredibly fun collaboration. The old-school country pair fit like two puzzle pieces together; it feeling pulled straight out of the 30s and 40s as both of them have such the perfect throwback style. Melissa’s voice is like it’s coming straight out of a gramophone, while Theo’s is a smoother, Sinatra type. They contrast amazingly, and very much do exactly what they advertise; have a talk throughout! It’s certainly an acquired taste, but from the opener to ‘Dat Ain’t Right’ to ‘Joyous Time’, I enjoyed my listen! The pair and the musicians they worked with on this are all super talented, and have crafted something that isn’t heard too much these days. The closest comparison I can make is probably The Tailspins, who I also love! If you’re at all curious give this a spin, you may be surprised how much you like it, like I was! I’ll definitely be keeping a close eye on both artists moving forward, and it’s an easy 7.5/10 from me?

Ablaze: Slow Death

This new EP from the post-hardcore collective goes hard. It wastes no time in getting into the heaviness, ‘No’ being chaotic awesomeness, a mess of mathy riffs, solid drums and some great screams. ‘Life’ follows that up with an awesome riff and some almost proggy heaviness, a definite release highlight. And the other two tracks are just as good, honestly. The closest comparison I can make outside of the post-hardcore scene is Tallah, which is definitely a compliment. The talent on display between the guitaring, bass, drums and vocals are all off the charts, and they have crafted something truly creative and unique with their sound. If you are at all curious, I’d highly recommend checking this out, the band certainly have a new fan in me! 7.5/10

Paganizer: As Mankind Rots

More brutality this week, this time curtesy of the death metal Swedes. I tend to find myself getting into straight-up death metal a little easier than black metal, and something about this release hooked me in even more than usual. It’s 40-minutes of straight-to-the-point heaviness, packed full of amazing riffing, drumming and screams. And, much like with Mayhem further up, the mix is surprisingly excellent for a heavier album. Tracks like ‘Devoured’, ‘Put on Your Gasmask’ and ‘Afterworld’ are all massive personal highlights. Don’t get me wrong, it is all a touch samey, but when it’s this high quality that’s hardly an issue. If you like the genre or the heavier side of metal at all, I’d definitely recommend giving this a spin. It gets a solid 7/10 from us!

Lakelin Lemmings: Get Around Boy

The debut EP from the rising country star is a fun collection of modern radio hits. It’s very much in the same vein of Megan Moroney, Cassadee Pope or even early Taylor Swift, but also feels pretty modern and easily distinguishable as Lakelin. All five tracks are awesome, if a little similar, and it’s hard to pick just one or two as highlights! There’s some amazing vocal performances and lyric writing from Lakelin throughout, and her band do a great job playing around her, too. She’s got an incredibly bright future ahead of her, even in the saturated country music scene, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for that! Any fans of the genre should get on this immediately, and it gets a solid 8/10 from us. I already can’t wait to hear more from her!

Cartoons Can’t Die: Rebirth

The debut album from the djenty, deathcorey collective goes hard and chaotic from start to finish. It honestly took a little bit of getting into for me, but I think it was more down to me not quite enjoying the opener as much as other tracks. ‘Kinslayer’ is an awesome, almost melodeath-style track, while ‘The Loss of Something Dear’ and the deathcore ‘Godless’ were also personal high points. And, while a lot of the rest of the album is still good, those tracks in particular stand out more to me. I think maybe the mix has something to do with it; if it had a heavier hand of overall production it could be something truly incredible. Still, as a debut release this is amazing, and the band have crafted something incredibly interesting and unique. There is no denying their playing talent, and some of their arrangements are phenomenal. They have a curious new fan in me, and if you like things a little proggy, give this a listen! A solid 7/10!

Big Bad Train: Woodcut

The UK prog rockers are back with album 16, and it is just as impressive as their other work. True, old-school prog, this thing feels very much like Jethro Tull or Yes, and certainly not in a bad way. It has definite elements of Dream Theater in there for good measure, too! The talent in playing and writing on display throughout is off the charts; even the staunchest of haters would have to agree with that. ‘The Artist’ is an insanely good opener and introduction, while epic tracks like ‘The Sharpest Blade’, ‘Warp and Weft’ (holy crap that acapella bit!) and the surprisingly short (yet still grandiose) closer are all big highlights. However, there really isn’t a bad song throughout. It’s not a small undertaking at 65-minutes, but it has a fantastic flow to it and begs to be listened to in full to really get an appreciation of the release as a whole, interludes and all. I somehow hadn’t heard of them before but they have a big new fan in me, and I’ll definitely be spinning this again in the months to come. A very solid 8.5/10!

Cj Hooper: Over Yonder

This is a fantastic little country release! It combines a lot of elements and sounds, very much wearing its inspirations on its sleeve. From the southern rock opener to the almost murder-folk ‘Hard Times’ to the Man in Black-esque ‘Rain Song’, there is plenty of variety through each track. Heck, ‘Damage Plan’ even gives off Social Distortion vibes, which at least tracks as they are a more punk Johnny Cash. The whole thing has a slight punk vibe overall, having some pretty powerful lyrics and definitely doing stuff against the norm. Plus, his vocals are amazing, having so much weight and emotion behind every word. I’d never heard of Cj before but he immediately has a big new fan in me, and I’ll definitely be going back and checking out his debut from last year soon! I would definitely recommend this if you are at all curious, and it’s another release that gets a massive 8.5/10

Demonic Resurrection: Apocalyptic Dawn

The new EP from the Indian symphonic metal band goes surprisingly hard! It’s much more death/extreme metal leaning than I was expecting given its symphonic tag. And, it’s not typically the amount of sound you’s expect from India. However, neither are knocks on the music as this is a great three tracks, and a welcome return after a few years of no releases. It’s technical, heavy and still has the epicness of a symphonic release, plenty of strings and stuff working their magic in the back. All three songs are amazing; performed, written and mixed perfectly. It’s an awesome release that is the perfect introduction into the band for people otherwise unfamiliar, like myself! If you are into the heavier side of metal, this is more than worth a spin. A very solid 8/10 from me!

P.S. some more incredible artwork this year here, too!

Lily Löwe: BEAUTIFUL DISASTER

The sophomore album from the Norwegian modern rocker is a pretty great follow-up to her 2022 debut! It’s nearly half an hour of massive choruses and vocals, backed by some fun riffs and drums. It’s very DOROTHY, or even Gaga, in the best ways. And, honestly, all nine songs of it are as good as the last! It’s impossible to pick highlights. It’s very radio-friendly and pop-infused, but also has some great heaviness at times, and the focus is pretty heavy on the rock instrumentation throughout. It’s insane to me that she isn’t a bigger name, as she could easily take the US and UK by absolute storm if she got a break. A lot of this is going to be stuck in my head for days to come, and she’s another artist that has gained a massive new fan in me! Her vocals are amazing and her writing is great too. And shoutout to the rest of the band once again, who are killing it throughout. I cannot recommend this enough to absolutely anyone, check it out immediately! 9/10

Big Richard: Pet

From the artist name, I certainly wasn’t expecting four women playing Americana/bluegrass music. However, this was sick, and I’m so glad I checked it out! The setup, while rather simple, lends itself to giving everyone time to shine on their instruments, and the vocals fit perfectly over the top of it, powerful and beautiful in equal measure. It’s got a slight darkness to it, feeling like a combination of Poor Man’s Poison and The Castellows. The opening track sets the perfect tone moving forward, and songs like ‘Alaska’ and the epic instrumental ‘Circus Jerk’ are also big highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout! It may get a touch long-in-the-teeth with it being 40+ minutes of similar-ish music, but if you are a fan of traditional folk and bluegrass, you will surely love this a lot. I had a lot of fun with it, and will certainly be revisiting certain songs plenty, even if I don’t return to the album as a whole quite as much. Still, overall it’s great, and I can’t give it any less than 7.5/10!

Barrel: Triptych

Yet another amazing debut album for us to check out from last Friday! The Finnish metallers crafted nearly 40-minutes of heavy riffs, powerful vocals and some great melodies throughout, not to mention some surprising growls here and there for good measure. It’s borrows from plenty of different styles too, from melodic hard rock to thrash to doom to NWOBHM, and honestly feels like something pretty unique when combining each sound. The opener almost every element of this perfectly, and then you have songs like ‘Scavenger’ and ‘Signs for Kings’ that are a bit more focused but are certainly massive highlights. Also, the ballad ‘War’ is epic brilliance. The whole album is excellent though and clearly crafted with love, it flowing perfectly and having a couple of great little interlude tracks to add even more depth. The band have only been around a few years at this point but are surely set for big things in the next year or two after this release. They’re all insanely talented, and have crafted something both old-school and modern here. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, amazing stuff!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Buzzcocks, Softcult and More!

Leave a comment

Another week, and some more awesome rock, metal and country release for us to check out!

Buzzcocks: Attitude Adjustment

The punk rock royalty returned with their 11th album this last Friday, their first in four years. It’s fine. For a band that formed a whopping half a century ago now, I at least have a lot of respect and admiration for Steve Diggle for what he’s done for the scene and who he and the rest of the band have influenced over the years. But this was honestly a tough listen. It feels and sounds incredibly outdated, showing that Steve hasn’t evolved at all as a songwriter after all these decades. It’s the same early-punk/power-pop as they were writing in the 70s. I know that will certainly appeal to some people out there, but the rest of the music world has very much left the band behind at this point. There are modern bands writing better stuff in this style, while punk got a lot more interesting after the bands heyday, in this writers humble opinion.

The closest to a highlight track I had was ‘Seeing Daylight’, but honestly I struggled to get hugely further through the release without losing interest. There are certainly going to be fans of this out there, the band are still sat on 600k+ monthly listeners, but I am sadly not one of them outside of a couple of older hits. This did nothing for me, and I can’t give it any more than a 3.5/10. Technically fine, but painfully dull.

Softcult: When a Flower Doesn’t Grow

The debut album from the self-professed riotgaze band is certainly interesting. Once again it’s not my sort of thing, I don’t ‘get’ any shoegaze at all really, but I at least see the appeal of it a bit. It’s not something I’d go out of my way to listen to, but if it came on in the background I’d probably have a good time listening. The band are clearly talented, and there’s some good drumming and riffs at times throughout. I think the vocals are my main issue; having them in that droning style throughout didn’t pull me in, despite some good lyrics. The run of ‘Naive’ through to ‘She Said, He Said’ was the best part of the album for me, but the whole thing is pretty solid overall, an easy 30-minute listen. If you are into a punkier, indie edge to shoegaze, this is definitely a release for you. A solid 6.5/10 from us, and it may grow on me more with more listens.

Francis Rossi: The Accidental

The new solo album from the Quo legend is a fun, if long, release! Opener ‘Much Better’ sets the tone perfectly, and songs like ‘Back on Our Home Ground’, ‘Going Home’, and ‘Beautiful World’ are all big highlights too. However, 14 tracks across nearly an hour, especially when all are a similar vibe and pace, is a lot. I love Quo as much as the next guy and it’s always great to have more songs that so distinctly like them. And when we aren’t getting new Quo any more, I’ll happily take Rossi doing the exact same sound for his solo ventures. So yeah, it’s a damn good rock album, and is a lot of fun to listen to. Very simple and to the point. But it does get a touch repetitive around the halfway mark, let alone by the end. I’d definitely recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of the band, or just into old-school rock music in general. It’s a solid 7.5/10 from us!

Kanonenfieber: Soldatenschicksale

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.

HANABIE.: HOT TOPIC

The highly anticipated new EP from the Japanese metalcore band combines together a few of their latest amazing singles, alongside two new tracks, to create an awesome 15-minutes of heaviness! ‘ICONIC’ dropped recently and has been a mainstay on my rotation, while ‘Spicy Queen’ has been stuck in my head the last eight months since its release. And older track ‘GIRL’S TALK’ is of course a banger. Then you have ‘…About you’ and the closing track that are every bit as good as the others. The video-game-esque latter is honestly a big highlight of the whole thing from how utterly left field it is. The bands chaotic energy and heaviness is off the charts, yet they still have plenty of melody and catchiness to boot. There is no one out there like HANABIE., and they always make for a fun listen. They clearly don’t take themselves too seriously, which is refreshing these days. If you’re into the wilder side of metalcore, I’d definitely recommend checking this out! 8/10

Emily Scott Robinson: Appalachia

The folk/Americana singer-songwriter returns with her first studio album in nearly five years, and has produced something just as beautiful as ever. It’s 40 minutes of chilled-out, emotion-filled acoustic music, and I loved just getting totally lost and eveloped in it. It’s not tyically my sort of thing, at least not to enjoy this much, but something about Emily’s incredible vocals and lyric writing had me hooked. It’s almost impossible to pick highlights, though all three duet tracks are utterly phenomenal, giving even more depth to her sound. If you are into relaxed Americana-folk, this is certainly a release for you. Not one I’d revisit often, but certainly one I’d happily listen to again! 7.5/10

The Chuck Norris Experiment: Hot Stuff 3

Another in the Swedish punk-infused hard rock band’s collection of b-sides and it goes far harder than it needed to! Their ‘Stairway to the Stars’ cover opens the release perfectly, setting a great tone moving forward. That’s swiftly followed by album highlight ‘Hammersmith Palais’, with other album highlights like ‘The End of the Great Credibility Race’, ‘Habit to Support’ and ‘Electrify Me’ being spread through the album. However, the whole album is a great, fun release, and begs the question how a lot of these tracks haven’t made it onto full releases in the past. It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and the band are so very underrated! If you are at all into the band or just the wider heavy punk genre in general, I’d definitely suggest giving this a listen! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10. I wish more bands still did this style, and I’m so excited for them coming back to the UK this year!

Danny Dela Cruz: So Long As There Are Stars

The debut solo release of the former Inglorious/Thrxnes guitarist is a real showcase of his sheer phenomenal talent. Five amazing instrumental tracks that show the breadth of his playing skills, and all excellent in their own right. Instrumental stuff is certainly not for everyone, but this is definitely worth checking out if you are even a little bit curious. Clearly inspired by greats like Vai, Sambora and Malmsteen, he firmly plants himself up alongside all of them with this release. ‘Life’ and ‘As the Pages Turn’ are personal highlights, but the whole release is amazing from start to finish. I’ll definitely be throwing this on again in the coming weeks and months, and it gets a very solid 7.5/10 from me. And to put that into perspective, that’s high from me for both an instrumental release and an EP!

Tinsley Ellis: Labor of Love

The blues guitarist followed up 2024’s Naked Truth excellently with this stripped-back release. The vast majority of it just Tinsley’s guitar and low, powerful vocals, but he packs so much punch and emotion behind it all that I was hooked throughout. From ‘Long Time’ to ‘The Trouble with Love’, ‘Sweet Ice Tea’ to ‘Too Broke’, there is plenty to love here. However, there isn’t a bad song throughout. Once again, it isn’t a release for everyone, and it does get a touch samey by the end, but Tinsley is such a good songwriter that it’s hard not to still have a good time listening. If you’re an old-school blues fan, check this out ASAP! I’d love to hear him with a bit more of a band behind him at some point, but this is also still great regardless! 7/10

TarLung: Axis Mundi

The Austrian sludge doom trio released their first new album in nearly five years last Friday, and go just as hard as ever with it! This thing is packed full of incredible riffs, solid drumming, heaviness and some amazing growled vocals. And they give everything plenty of room to breathe too, just eight songs spread across the 38-minute runtime. ‘The Valley of Nowhere’, ‘Sea of Drowned Souls’ and the title track are all huge highlights, but every song in this fits and runs together perfectly. The band are so insanely talented, and it’s criminal that they aren’t bigger than they are at this point! If you like your music heavy and sludgy, this is certainly an album you need to be listening to! They have a big new fan in me, and I will certainly be spinning it plenty in the weeks and months to come. A solid 8/10 from us!

Gitika Partington: Twelvefold Number 1-13

Yep, a whopping 13 full-length albums, all in the same day! We had the privilege of chatting to Gitika about the feat last week, and it makes me appreciate these even more than I already do. Each has a slightly different feel to it, though all keep within her vague folk/easy-listening style, and each certainly have highlight tracks. ‘They Dance an Eleven’, ‘Virginia Wolfe’, ‘Own My Shit’ and ‘I’m the Only One Who Knows’ are a handful of the songs that stood out to me. It’s an insane achievement to release this massive a volume of work anyway, but for a good portion of it to be high quality and enjoyable is even better. It’s certainly not my sort of thing normally, but I’m so glad I was sent through the presser for it as I did have a good time listening. If anyone’s at all interested, it’s worth a listen. And, while I probably won’t revisit the project outside of the odd song here and there, I didn’t hate it at all. Gitika should be hugely proud of what she has managed to accomplish here, and in terms of the music itself, I happily give it a solid 6/10, though it would be higher for the sheer balls and confidence in the work she has!

Contrasts: False Idol

The debut EP from the modern alt/metalcore Welsh collective dropped on Friday, and honestly blew me away! It perfectly walks the line between brutal heaviness and huge, arena-filling melodies that few bands can truly pull off well. And, because of that, all four of these tracks are amazing! It’s impossible to pick highlights as all are as good as the last. Even the slower ballad ‘Armageddon’ is awesome, and fits the tone of the release excellently still. These guys already did some great stuff in Upon Those Dying and Giving in to Ghosts, and they are very much continuing that trend here! I can see big things ahead in the bands’ future, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for all of that. I can’t give it any less than 8/10, great stuff!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Megadeth, Poppy and More!

Leave a comment

Another stacked week of new music for us to check out, from rock to metal to country! Let’s dive in!

Megadeth: Self-Titled

The 17th and final album from the thrash legends dropped to huge anticipation and hype on Friday. And honestly, as a long time fan of the band, it lives up to all of it! I feel I’ve been a bit hit or miss with their last few releases, but right from opening single ‘Tipping Point’ I was hooked, and not let go until the end of the release. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all perfect, but there is a lot of this that I love, and I very much prefer it to their last album. It very much feels like a combination of everything that’s come before; a perfect culmination of their sound. There’s old-school, punk-infused stuff, straight up thrash, and some of the 90s and 2000s slightly lighter, more melodic stuff. And of course, everyone is working their asses off throughout, showing they are still at the top of their respective games however long into their careers the semi-session-players are. Even Dave does great; his vocals holding up far better than they have at times in previous years, and there is never any denying his guitar ability! My only slight issue is some of his ever-juvinile lyric writing, but it only pulled me out of it on a couple of tracks.

Speaking of tracks, as I said, there’s a lot to love. From the opener to single ‘Let There Be Shred’ to album tracks like ‘Puppet Parade’ and the bittersweet, slightly on-the-nose ‘The Last Note’, there is plenty to love. Heck, there really isn’t a bad song on it. We even got a cheeky Dave’s version of ‘Ride the Lightning’, it being awesome that he was finally able to release it, and is almost as good as the original!

After listening to the album a couple of times over the weekend, I really did love it. While not quite up there with their absolute classics, it’s certainly on the next level down for me, alongside the likes of Th1rt3en and Youthanasia. A fitting send-off to one of the biggest and best in 80s metal, and if you are at all a fan of the band, I can’t recommend checking this out enough! I can’t give it anything less than 8.5/10!

Poppy: Empty Hands

Almost six years on to the day that the enigmatic powerhouse dipped her toe into metal with I Disagree, she has turned into one of the biggest and most consistent names in the modern genre. Now another four albums into that, she has proved that not only is she one of the most consistent and hard working people in the scene, but that she also just keeps getting better and better. Her unique blend of modern metal with an industrial tinge makes for plenty of memorable, awesome moments throughout. Singles ‘Bruised Sky’ and ‘Guardian’ have been stuck in my regular rotation since their release, while the hardcore ‘Dying to Forget’, ‘If We’re Following the Light’ and ‘Ribs’ are great album additions. As much as I enjoyed Negative Spaces, I think this may be my favourite release from her! It has a bit of everything and flows very well and goes by in a flash. She’s heavier than ever, and the little vocal interludes lead into their counterpart tracks perfectly. For anyone into modern metal, this is an absolute must. I’ll certainly be listening to it more, and it gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

Julian Taylor: Anthology Vol. 2

We’ve already checked out this awesome collection of tracks! Read the full review here.

The Damned: Not Like Everybody Else

Three years after their apparently forgettable last album, the UK punk legends returned with album 13. Given that I couldn’t remember checking out Darkadelic aside for the artwork, this one at least stuck in my brain a little more! From Ramones to Misfits, they channel plenty of great vibes from the old-school punk scene they came from. Growing up on this sort of stuff from skating games (THUG2 for the win) it’s a sound I love and am surprisingly nostalgic towards, so it’s hard not to have a good time listening. Tracks like the opener, ‘Gimme Danger’ and ‘When I Was Young’ are all personal highlights and up there with any of the bands back catalogue, honestly. Really the only weak link here is ‘See Emily Play’; it feels out of place as the light hearted, Madness-like track on the album. But still, it doesn’t let it down too much, it’s still a fun 34-minutes of dark, classic punk music. If you’re into the genre, this is definitely a release to check out, and their best in a good long while. 7.5/10

Crystal Lake: The Weight of Sound

This thing goes HARD to open, dude! ‘Everblack’ is an INCREDIBLE modern metalcore track filled with brutal screams and some chunky, chuggy riffs. It sets the tone for the album perfectly, and blew me away! Being their first new studio release in eight years, the Japanese band make an impact immediately, and show that they are just as good as ever.

It’s hardly the only good track on the album, either. ‘BlüdGod’ follows it up perfectly. ‘Neversleep’, ‘King Down’, ‘Crossing Nails’ and the Jesse Leach-featuring ‘Dystopia’ are all also banging tracks. However, as I’m sure you can tell by now, there isn’t a bad song throughout! I even enjoyed the now-typcial closing ballad!

It’s 40-minutes of beautiful heaviness that barely let’s up throughout. It’s the perfect blend of old-school Parkway and a modern edge and production, even with a sprinkling of Through the Ashes of Empires for good measure. I’ve had a friend of mine rave about them to me a lot, but because they haven’t released much in a while I haven’t had much time to check them out aside the odd song. This has definitely turned me into an absolutely massive fan of them! They are a criminally underrated band who deserve to be so much bigger in the West, and may have just put out one of the best straight metalcore albums of the decade. 9.5/10, check this out immediately!

Kezia Gill: All on Red

Album number three from one of the leading lights of the UK country scene is every bit as good as her previous two. Her awesome vein of rock-infused country is a lot of fun, and leads to an incredibly easy listen from start to finish. From ‘Dublin’s Outta Whiskey’ to ‘Whiskey in a Wine Glass’, ‘Ride or Die’ to ‘If Heaven Has a Honkytonk’, there is so much awesomeness to go around. And that’s not even mentioning the incredible ballads like ‘Love You Next’ or ‘Barbed Wire’. There really isn’t a bad song on the release, and it’s put together exceptionally well that it never once gets boring; everything feels deliberate. At a time where country is bigger than ever, Kezia proves that the UK can bring it anywhere as much as its North American counterparts. If you are a fan of the genre, check this out immediately, you won’t be disappointed! 8.5/10

Check out a review of her live here.

The Hara: The Fallout

The sophomore studio album from the UK alt metallers dropped on Friday to plenty of anticipation and hype. Honestly, I’m in two minds with it. I very much like the heavy side, it giving off modern metal/metalcore vibes like Spiritbox and Bad Omens. Or, at least, the good bits of them. Sadly, it also carries a fair bit of the pop elements of both of those bands, that I’m not hugely a fan of. Tracks like ‘Easier to Die’, ‘Stay’, Kings’ and ‘Violence (feat. As December Falls)’ are good and definite highlights. The rest of it, while certainly not bad, I could sadly take or leave, for the most part. There will be a massive audience for this album, and if you are into any of the bands or styles I’ve mentioned already, I’d definitely recommend you checking this out. I feel like it’s the sort of thing that would do more for me live. And while this isn’t an album I’d revisit often, I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it was on again, as well as most likely having the tracks I mentioned in my rotation for weeks to come. Who knows, maybe it’ll grow on me with more listens. However, for now it gets a still-solid 7/10

HamaSaari: Pictures

Another album we’ve checked out in full! Read the review here.

Virtue in Vain: Nothing is All I Am

The Welsh metalcore trio go hard with this 15-minute release. ‘Split’ is short, heavy goodness to start, while ‘Blood Eyes’ continues the vibes perfectly. And, honestly, the other three tracks on this are just as good. The heaviness is incredible, while there is enough melodic stuff to keep anyone hooked throughout. It’s honestly as much melodeath as it is metalcore, and has just a dash of prog to it too, being a really amazing mix. If I haven’t sold you already I don’t know what to tell you; check this out! This band deserve to be so much bigger than they are, and hopefully this EP is the start of pushing them to grand things. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, check this out immediately! An incredibly solid 9.5/10 from us, and I need another full album ASAP!

Jamie O’Neil: Gypsum

Album seven from the Australian country singer-songwriter is a fun slower release into the genre. It definitely has that early 2000s feel to it that she was a part of when she broke through, though has enough of an old-school feel too to make it stand out. Her vocals are still as amazing as ever, and some of her lyrics here are fantastic. ‘Ole Heartache’, ‘John Deere Letter’ and ‘My Midnights’ are all personal highlights, and amazing country songs in their own right. And, while the album as a whole is a touch slow overall that I prefer, it’s still a damn good release! It definitely feels like Jamie still has it, and I’d put this up there near Shiver, easily. I’d definitely say to give it a listen if you’re a country fan, and I’m sure I’ll be listening to this again soon! An easy 7.5/10 from us!

Glamour of the Kill: Vengeance

The return album from the UK metalcorers, their first album in 13 years, and pardon my French but it’s fucking AWESOME. Having grown up in the era of peak BFMV and Killswitch, this channels that vibe perfectly, sadly a lost sound in 2026 for the most part. This quartet are working to bring it back in a big way here, and very much deserve to be massive because of it. It goes hard from start to finish, a melodic, heavy, thrashy nearly-hour. And honestly, every track in that time is phenomenal. From faster stuff to more ballad-paced songs, it’s all amazing. It’s impossible to pick out highlights as every song is as good as the last. I sat and listened to this through in one sitting, a rarity for me these days, and it went by in a flash. The band are insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and have crafted something honestly special with this release. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone, even if you aren’t necessarily into the style; if anyone’s gonna win you over it’s these guys! I’ll be listening to it a lot moving forward, and I can’t give it any less than 9.5/10. Wow!

Paper Kites: If You Go There, I Hope You Find It

The follow-up to 2023’s great At the Roadhouse, the Aussie indie-folk band put out another good, chilled-out release with If You Go There. It’s 40-minutes of beautiful, relaxed music, and is incredibly easy to listen to. ‘Change of the Wind’ and ‘Shake Off the Rain’ were personal favourites, but there certainly isn’t a bad song among the 10. Sure, it does get a little old by the end as every track has a similar pace and vibe, but the band know what they do well and do it to perfection. If you want something to throw on and relax to or have on in the background, this is that perfect something. It will most likely be an album I revisit more over the summer months, but I had far more of a blast listening to this than I expected to. It’s another very easy 7.5/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Kreator, Soen and More!

Leave a comment

A massive week for new music, from rock to country to metal. Let’s check it all out!

Kreator: Krushers of the World

The German thrash legends returned with their highly anticipated 16th studio album. Their previous effort, 2022’s Hate Über Alles, will certainly take some topping, so I’m curious to see where they go from this. Early reviews have been positive though, so I am definitely excited!

Honestly, it is yet another damn good album from the band! It’s 44 minutes of heavy, balls-to-the-wall thrash like only Kreator can do. Songs like ‘Satanic Anarchy’, ‘Tränenpalast’ and ‘Psychotic Imperator’ are all personal highlights. However, if you are into the band or the genre, like me, there really isn’t a bad track throughout. Much like a lot of their peers these days, they are very much still firing on all cylinders some four plus decades into their careers. I really think that this and their last album is up there alongside anything they’ve done in the past in terms of quality. Kreator have very much done it again, and shown why they are one of the most overlooked bands ever outside of mainland Europe. It’s another very easy 8/10 for the thrashers!

Soen: Reliance

Two and a half years after blowing me away with Memorial, the Swedish prog metallers are back with album number seven. And, what would you know, they’ve only gone and done it again! ‘Primal’ is the perfect opener, setting the tone for the album fantastically and hooking me in. Then you have tracks like single ‘Discordia’, ‘Huntress’ and ‘Draconian’ through the album that are also awesome, though there really isn’t a bad song on it. I sat down and listened through the full 43-minutes of this in one sitting, getting lost in the epicness, catchiness and heaviness throughout, never once losing interest. While similar to their previous work, it has been long enough since their previous albums that I have clearly been craving more of it without even realising. Also, it does feel a touch more focused on the heaviness, some of the riffs being killer and not nearly focused on enough! I would recommend this to anyone, regardless of what sort of music you are into. I can’t give it any less than another MASSIVE 9/10. Goddamn I love this band!

David Huckfelt: “I Was Born, But…”

Album number three from the folk activist, and first since 2021, is an incredibly chilled-out affair. Now, we’ll get the obvious out the way too: it’s pretty long. I feel like over an hour of slow folk music is too much, regardless of how good the quality is. There are some great lyrics throughout, and tracks like ‘Any Way the Wind Blows’ and ‘Who Do You Love?’I did enjoy. Honestly, when he leans into a bit more of an old-school blues sound, it’s excellent. However, the album as a whole very much struggled to hold my attention, especially when a lot of it was so similar. David is a great lyricist and a good songwriter, and there will definitely be people who love this release. I am sadly not one of them; it didn’t do much for me. If you like a more traditional folk/country sound, it’s worth giving a try, but I can’t give it any more than a 5/10. Fine, to listen to from time to time, but not my bag.

Mother Vulture: Cartoon Violence

The long awaited sophomore album from the UK hard rockers finally dropped this last Friday. It’s no secret I love them from their debut, so have been impatiently waiting for this for a while now. To say it doesn’t disappoint is an understatement! Opener ‘Mike Check’ sets the pace fantastically, and the band don’t let off the gas for the entire 41-minute runtime. Incorporating not only a bit of a heavier, hardcore edge to their sound, but also adding to the album some of the chaotic fun of their live show is honestly a stroke of genius. It still feels like Mother Vulture but feels incredibly fresh, a great evolution. It’s still packed with catchy radio-choruses and some amazing fuzzy stoner riffs, but has so much else at play too now. Georgi is honestly channelling his best inner Gerard Way throughout, and it’s fantastic! From ‘Sufferin’ Succotash!’ to ‘Slow Down’, ‘Double Down’ to ‘La Matadora’, it’s all SO GOOD. It all flows so well too, all the extra bits and touches they’ve added making it a true experience from front to back.

This is definitely one of the best albums of the year so far, regardless of how early we are into it. It also feels a step up from their debut, despite that one also being awesome. It’s another album I’d recommend to anyone even slightly into rock (everyone on this site, surely?) and will be one I’ll be spinning for weeks and months to come. Don’t be surprised to find it high up on our albums of the year list come December! 9.5/10

Gluecifer: Same Drug New High

I’ve been a fan of this band for a good while now, ever since ‘I Got a War’ came across my Spotify and I got a little obsessed. Their blending of punk, hard rock and glam is amazing, and it’s no wonder they are one of the most successful bands in their native Norway. So, ever since they reunited in 2018, I have been impatiently waiting for them to put out new music. Now, nearly 22 years after their last studio album, we finally get album six.

So, thank god, it’s fucking awesome! Right from the opener, ‘The Idiot’, I was hooked, and I wasn’t let go until the very last note. Being the perfect blend of everything from Alice Cooper to Turbonegro, The Ramones to White Zombie, and I love it. The band somehow haven’t lost a step in all their time away, even if they have still been playing live together a lot recently. There isn’t a bad track on the release, but songs like ‘Armadas’, the Cult-like ‘Pharmacity’ and the lighter punk ‘Another Night, Another City’ are personal favourites. But damn, this whole thing is so good, and incredibly easy and fun listen, as well as having their typically thought-provoking lyrics. I’d recommend giving this a listen if you are in any way a rock fan, and I am so dam glad they’re back to writing and releasing music again. I’d honestly put this up there with any of their previous albums. Hopefully we don’t have another two plus decades between long-form releases, but until we get more, I will happily be spinning this to death. I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Nathan Evans & THE SAINT PHNX BAND: Angels’ Share

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our review here.

In a House of Heartbeats: Divination of Dreams

The UK underground dark rockers released their highly anticipated debut album this Friday. It’s a post-rock, gothic, proggy journey, and an awesome one at that! Firstly, let’s get the obvious out of the way; this certainly isn’t a release for everyone. It’s not for the feint of heart, either. It’s 50+ minutes of almost wholly instrumental, broken up slightly by some spoken-word parts. That alone is a lot, but when the music is also drawn out, repeated riffing, shoegaze and doom metal soundings, for sometimes 10+ minutes per track, it can certainly get a lot. Honestly, at times I struggled a bit. ‘A Head Full of Ghosts’ was probably my favourite track; it had some fun Tool vibes to it. I also liked the build-up of ‘Parasomniac’. However, as talented as they are, I struggled to keep my interest through much of the rest. It will certainly have its big fans, but I sadly do not think I’m one of them. I do, however, fully appreciate the art crafted here and the talent of the individuals involved. It’s an awesome release that just isn’t for me. So, for that, I can’t give it any more than 4/10, sorry guys!

DZ Deathrays: Easing Out of Control

Following up on 2023’s R.I.F.F seemed like a hard task, given its critically adored status, but honestly the Australian dance-punkers knock it out of the park again with their seventh album. This is half an hour of pure fun punk rock, and is surely impossible not to like. From ‘Sideways’ to ‘First Night Fever’, there’s plenty to love, and there isn’t a bad song throughout! It’s very much fitting into the Australian garage rock scene, and it’s easy to see why they are some of the brightest lights of it. It’s a damn fun listen and one I’d recommend to anyone even vaguely into punk music. I’ve spun it a couple of times this weekend already, and will definitely be spinning it plenty in the months to come. I can’t give it any less than 8/10, and it may grow on me even more in the weeks to come!

Langhorne Slim: The Dreamin’ Kind

The eighth studio album from the indie-Americana singer-songwriter is an excellent 38-minutes of music. It’s a style that I’m a little up and down on at times, but this is definitely a release that I’m big into! It’s pretty chilled-out throughout, and it a great one to throw on and relax to, it going by in a flash. From the opener to ‘Rickety Ol’ Bridge’ to ‘Dance on Thru’, there’s a lot to love. It’s kept constantly interesting too, with everything from blues to Western getting a nod throughout. It’s a little slow at times, but the songwriting is so good it’s so easy to get lost in it all and listen through from start to finish. It won’t be for everyone, but it’s a good album that I certainly enjoyed checking out, and would happily play again! 7/10

Edenbridge: Set the Dark on Fire

The whopping 12th studio album from the Austrian symphonic metal quintet sees them return to their former label in Streamhammer, as well as promise their heaviest album to date. It’s certainly heavier than their previous album, and is pretty damn epic in nature and composition. And, while it’s a pretty long release, I had a good time with it from start to finish. Tracks like ‘Cosmic Embrace’, the plodding ‘Our Place Among the Stars’, ballad ‘Bonded by the Light’ and well, all of ‘Spark of the Everflame’ are personal highlights. The band are all hugely talented players and songwriters, and the sheer size of the production throughout all combines together perfectly to make this a massive album. It is a touch samey by the end, sadly, and I did find my attention drifting away somewhat, but that massive four-part track to close really got me hooked back in again. If you are into the style or genre, this is definitely an album I’d recommend! I’d happily give it another spin, though with the sheer volume of great symphonic metal around these days, I don’t think I’d rush back to it as much. 7/10

Asterise: Twilight Opera

The Polish power metallers follow up their 2024 sophomore album with this epic EP. It’s epic and grandiose, giving off more Dragonforce vibes than Sabaton, not that that is at all an issue! They’ve gone full Metal Opera and I love it! I’d have honestly just taken the amazing title track and called it a day, but we still had another three awesome songs on top of that. ‘Eclipse’ is a mid-tempo, heavy stomper, ‘Hope’ is a powerful ballad and ‘On my Way to Heaven’ combines everything before it together perfectly. As much as I enjoyed Tale of a Wandering Soul, this feels like somehow another step up in terms of songwriting and production. I LOVED this, and I think the shorter release format helped a little. Having said that, insanely, I already want another full album from them! I’ll definitely be spinning this plenty while I wait for that to happen, though. If you are at all into power metal, this is an absolute must-check-out. I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10, great stuff!

P.S. INSANELY beautiful album artwork, some of the best I’ve seen in a while!

HyperioN: Cybergenesis

The first album from the Italian heavy metallers in nearly six years, it is clear they’ve spent a lot of that time working on this. It’s damn good! 40-minute of incredible riffing, solid drums and soaring, catchy, powerful vocals. ‘Rewire, Rebuild’ and ‘Grain of Sand’ are personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on it. It’s a great modern take of NWOBHM, combined with a power metal edge which has become so popular these days. There is no denying the bands talent, and despite it being another album that also feels a little samey by the end, it’s still a damn good release and one I’d highly recommend for anyone interested. I wasn’t aware of them until now but they certainly have a new fan in me! A solid 7.5/10 from us!

They Might be Giants: Eyeball

I had no idea this was dropping until I got an email about it. It’s hard not to be excited though, as I’m a big fan of the quirky duo and it’s about the first thing they’ve put out since 2021’s BOOK. Three odd tracks like only TMBG could produce, and barely eight minutes (and that’s with a remix of the title track added on too), it’s a quick, fun listen! The jazzy instrumental ‘Peggy Guggenheim’ was probably my favourite track, but all three certainly had their merits. If you’re into the band you will certainly enjoy this, though it definitely won’t change anyone’s minds who’s on the fence about them. I enjoyed it, and hopefully it acts as a fun little stopgap before another album! 7/10

Funeral Home: Your Funeral

The debut album from the death’n’roll Finns is glorious, fast-paced heaviness from start to finish. It’s a touch more melodic than its trad-death counterparts, but also has edges of hardcore and some bouncy punk riffs too. I definitely like when it leans into the rockin’ parts; tracks like ‘My Kingdom is Hell’, ‘Sacrificial Goat’ and ‘Graveyard Blues’ are definite highlights for me personally. However, there isn’t a bad song on here. The band are incredibly talented, and this is a phenomenal release for a debut. If you are into the heavy stuff with a touch of a fun edge, this is certainly the album for you! This will definitely stay in my rotation for the coming weeks, and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here! 7.5/10

Low Gap: Geneva

The long awaited sophomore album from the country brothers finally dropped last weekend. Set to be the release to push them to the next level, the hype behind it is pretty high. And honestly, as more of a traditional, Americana-infused release, I definitely see the appeal. The duo work so damn well together, and have crafted some beautiful, catchy songs throughout this 44-minute journey. And some of the lyric writing is phenomenal, giving me goosebumps in a very bittersweet way. ‘Cuyahoga River’, the rockier ‘Churches’ and the amazing ‘Monsters (Take 2)’ are all huge highlights, and all for very different reasons! Also shoutout to the ever-amazing Julia Digrazia killing it as a guest on ‘Beattyville’! And ‘Heroes’ is far too beautiful sounding for how depressing it is, but an absolutely phenomenal song.

If you can’t tell, this album grew on me through my review! I know generally all you have to do to win me over is hit me with some deep, relatable lyrics (or a breakdown but not applicable here), but on top of tracks with that they also have some just awesome country songs. So much of this ended up on my personal playlist, and the versatility through the release from country rock to Americana to folk ballads; all the while the duo showing they can write each style perfectly. They certainly have a new fan in me, and I have a feeling this will be a release I’ll be revisiting at different times throughout the year. I’d recommend it to any country fan out there, and I can’t give it any less than a very solid 9/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Alter Bridge, Zach Bryan and More!

Leave a comment

The first big week of New Music Mondays of the year, join us as we check out some of the awesomest album and EP releases in rock, metal and country!

Alter Bridge: Self-Titled

Following a return to form with 2022’s Pawns & Kings, the band very much continue in that same vein with album number eight. I’ve seen a lot of love from other outlets for this, and while it took a little getting going for me, after a couple of listens I can see why! The first couple of tracks, while perfectly good, didn’t hook me in much. However, the one-two punch of ‘Power Down’ and ‘Trust in Me’ were excellent, and harkened back to the bands early couple of albums in the best ways. From then on out, I was hooked! From Tremoni once again being a riff machine to Myles’ effortlessly incredible vocals to both rhythm guys working their asses off, it’s classic AB at its finest. Songs like the now-obligatory Tremonti one, ‘Tested and Able’, beautiful ballad ‘Hang By a Thread’ and single ‘Playing Aces’ are all massive other highlights. However, after a couple of listens there really isn’t a bad track on the album; it’s an hour of excellent hard rock music that only Alter Bridge can do!

While I don’t think it has the strongest individual tracks from their careers, as an album as a whole it’s incredibly solid, and one I will definitely be revisiting time and time again. Plus, I do think the singles will grow on me even more if/when I see them live. If you are a fan of the band or hard rock in general, this is an absolute must. 9/10

Zach Bryan: With Heaven on Top

Firstly, kudos to Bryan for still releasing ‘Bad News’ after the backlash from half of his fanbase and everything that’s gone on over the last week. The cajones it must have taken is commendable, and it’s stuff that definitely needs to be talked about still!

As for the album itself, I think it’s impossible for me not to love Zach’s music. This was on my most anticipated albums of the year list for a reason, and it certainly lives up to a lot of that hype. There are some absolutely fantastic songs on this release. ‘Appetite’, ‘Say Why’, ‘Dry Deserts’, and ‘Always Willin’’ are up there with any of his best tracks, in this writers humble opinion. They are by far the only good tracks here, too. His lyrics are incredible; he’s one of the best storytellers in the game today. The emotion he conveys in his work is truly incredible. And the addition of the strings and brass add so much to the sound, making everything so epic and impactful and somehow adding even more to the emotion.

However, this is a LONG album. The guy never leans and, though this isn’t still as egregious as American Heartbreak, being his second longest album at 78 minutes is still insane. And, there is definitely some slower stuff in here that sounds more like filler. The last four songs are average, and some of the stuff after ‘Bad News’ didn’t do much for me, either. There is an absolutely perfect Country-Americana album in here, just like his last three, but it is bloated and needs some of the fat trimming.

It is unmistakably a fantastic album, don’t get me wrong. While stick not quite as good as his self-titled effort, it’s every bit as great as Great American Bar Scene. There’s a reason he is one of the biggest artists in the world, and his work really does speak for itself over and over again. I just wish he’d let go of a couple of songs so we got a more concise release. So, though I do have critiques on this album, I will still be spinning a lot of it for the rest of the year, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly interested. I can’t give it any less than an incredibly solid 9.5/10

OCT: On Company Time

It’s finally here. I’ve been obsessed with this band for a solid year plus at this point. Every single has been excellent. So to finally have a full album release from this is so damn exciting.

What’s even more exciting is that it’s fucking awesome! And yes, we’ve heard a lot of the songs off it already across the last couple of years, but the new ones are just as good, honestly. ‘Pop! Pop!’ is glorious, pop nonsense, ‘Meat n’ Cheese’ has been teased so much I’m already obsessed, while both ‘Bathhouse Homies’ and ‘Tall Warm Glass of Milk’ are excellent, as expected. Every song is amazing, and this is such a fun 34-minute listen. While the comedy is flawless, they are absolutely phenomenal musicians, vocalists and songwriters on top of that, crafting something truly special with this album. It’s 80s cheese-pop but with some of the catchiest choruses and harmonies that I’m sure I’ll be hearing all year. I am already addicted to this album, and am sure I’ll be spinning it plenty for months to come. If you are in any way curious, I cannot recommend it enough! I’m both shocked and not at all shocked, but this solidly gets the first 10/10 from us of 2026!

UUHAI: Human Herds

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here!

Beyond the Black: Break the Silence

The German symphonic metallers returned with their sixth studio album last Friday. If you know the band or the genre, you’ll know exactly what to expect here. I’ve been a fan of them since 2018’s Heart of a Hurricane, and I loved their self-titled release a couple of years back. While I don’t think this is quite as good as both of those releases, it is still a damn solid metal album. From the opener to the typically-incredible ballad ‘Ravens’ to the LOVEBITES-featuring ‘Can You Hear Me’, there are some amazing tracks on here. Heck, there isn’t a bad song throughout. However, for whatever reason, the album as a whole didn’t catch me the way I expected/hoped it would. Maybe it felt a touch safe? They are as big as they have ever been so are clearly doing something right, and it wasn’t like this wasn’t enjoyable. It’s a damn solid symphonic metal album, and I liked the more electronic elements added into their sound recently, but I wouldn’t quite put it up there with the two previously mentioned albums. For that, it gets a still-solid 8/10 from us!

Coleman Jennings: Ride On

An awesome sophomore EP from the old-school country artist. From the lyrics to the emotion-filled vocal delivery, it was very quick and easy for me to get hooked. The title track opens things up perfectly, while ‘Marinaville’ is another bop. At just 17-minutes long, it is short and sweet and none of it is bad. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed it, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly into an older-school country sound. I’d love to hear a longer form release from Coleman, but the fact that he’s getting this big already says it all! 7.5/10

Nanowar of Steel: The Genghis Khan EP to End All Genghis Khan EPs

We’ve also checked out this amazing EP! Review here.

Bullet: Kickstarter

The seventh album from the hard/sleaze rockers is a lot of fun, and a great thing to turn on and just rock out to. It’s very AC/DC and the genre of bands that spawned from being heavily inspired by them, so if you’re into that you’ll love this, too! From the title track to ‘Open Fire’, ‘Avenger’ to ‘Strike At Night’, it’s all damn good. It’s 40 minutes of balls-to-the-wall rock that knows exactly what it is. It certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but as far as bands like this go, these are up there with some of the front runners with albums like this. I wouldn’t revisit it a lot, but I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again; it’s an incredibly easy listen. I’m sure a lot will love this, and while I still had a good time, I feel like a 7/10 is pretty fitting!

Krushor: Taste of Hatred

The debut EP from the thrash-death metallers is 13-minutes of sheer aggression, and I fucking love it! Four amazing tracks packed full of amazing riffing, drumming and harsh vocals, what’s not to love? All four tracks are as good as each other, and for a debut release it shows that the sky is very much the limit for the Finnish quintet. The band are all incredibly talented, and all have a time to shine throughout. If you are at all into the heavier side of metal, I cannot recommend this release enough! It gets a very solid 8/10 from me!

Orchid Throne: Buried in Black

This is an absolutely awesome prog-metal release! It incorporates everything from doom to death to alt to folk, and does it all masterfully. It’s hard to even find a band to compare it to; maybe all the eras of Opeth rolled into one, but even tat doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s dark and epic and everyone works their asses off throughout, all being at the top of their craft. Heck, I’d have been happy to have just taken the epic opener ‘Dreamworld’, but we still got six excellent tracks after that too! My only slight issue would be the mix, it didn’t sound quite as big as it could have, but it’s a minor gripe and may be as much of an issue with my speakers than the album itself. It’s another release that won’t be for everyone, but it grew on me the more and more I listened, and for another debut album it’s really something special. A very easy 8.5/10, definitely a band to keep an eye on!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: 1986, Paleface Swiss and More!

Leave a comment

The first NMM of the new year, and we’re doing things a little differently this time around. Yep, we’re including EPs too! I felt that the separate EP posts weren’t drawing enough focus to some excellent releases, so I thought I’d try a combined one! Let me know if it works!

We have four excellent, heavy releases to sink our teeth into this week. Without further ado, let’s dive in!

1986: Carniveil

The debut album from the UK modern metalcorers goes HARD from start to finish, and is an excellent way to start the year’s releases. From the awesome riffing to the powerful screams, it’s old-school metalcore at its very best. Think Hatebreed over BFMV. And, from the opener to ‘Black Mirror’ to single ‘Static Burn’ there are so many awesome highlights. They lean into the hardcore elements a lot, and it makes for an incredibly fun listen. Even the production added to the overall product a lot. It all comes together excellently and makes for a great 40-minutes of heaviness. It’s a fantastic debut and sets the band up for a bright future if they carry on along this vein. A solid 8/10 from us!

Paleface Swiss: The Wilted EP

The first EP to feature on NMM, and of course it’s from the beatdown-deathcore titans who blew us away this time last year with their last album. They follow it up perfectly with this four tracks and an intro. Each track is as good as the last, and there really isn’t a bad song throughout. And, as good as the riffing and drumming is, Marc is of course the highlight again. One of the best vocalists in the music industry as a whole today, his range is off the charts, and on full display here. From surprisingly catchy choruses to brutal screams to his insane harsh rapping, and at least a few crazy laughs, it’s all SO GOOD. It fits perfectly over the instrumentation though, one not being as good without the other. If you are at all a fan of the band or just metal in general, I’d highly recommend this album. The band really cannot do any wrong right now! I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Arcane Frost: Night’s Cavalry

Another debut album, this time from the German black metallers. It’s pretty straight-up black metal, not bells or whistles or combined sub-genres, just heaviness and darkness. If you’re into that sort of thing, this is definitely worth checking out! It’s a genre that’s definitely grown on me, and tracks like ‘Swarming Rats’ and ‘Withering Decay’ are personal highlights. The album is barely 30-minutes in length, making for an easy listen if you’re into this sort of thing. I enjoyed it, but have to admit with my limited bandwidth with the genre, I probably wouldn’t listen to it through much. However, it’s still good album, and I certainly wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again. Any black metal fans should certainly check this out! It’s a solid 7/10!

Woe: Legacies of Human Frailty

More black metal, this time from New York. Album number six from the band is unrelenting, going just as hard as anything they have put out previously. While I have pretty similar sentiments to the previous entry in this list, but I did appreciate the more epic nature of this release. The tracks are a little longer and it really gets everything it can out of every sound. Just six tracks stretch 45+ minutes, so the proggier nature definitely kept me more entertained. It reminded me a little of Rotting Christ, though not quite to that extent. It’s a good album, and once again one I’d highly recommend to anyone into the genre. It’s hard not to compare to Arcane Frost, but it is a little more my sort of thing, and will probably be spinning this again soon if I have the time. As far as black metal albums go, this is up there for me, and gets a damn solid 7.5/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Sidian, Mutiilation, and Sadie!

Leave a comment

The last #NMM of the year, and it’s a heavy one! Three awesome release for us to check out, let’s dive right in!

Sidian: Where Our Silence Comes to Die

The debut album from Wyatt Sharp’s experimental death metal project is wonderful chaos from start to finish! It’s technical, heavy and balls-to-the-wall throughout, and it’s hard not to at very least admire it, and at most love it. Tracks like ‘Elegiac, Absent Catharsis’, the title track and the epic ‘Albatross’ are personal highlights, but honestly every track on this is great, and it all grew on me more and more the more I listened. From the insane guitars and bass to the massive drums and the crushing screams and melodic cleans, Wyatt really can do it all, and his talent is off the fucking charts! The fact that he has done this all himself, as well as writing and crafting each track, is honestly mind-blowing.

It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but I loved this a lot, and would highly recommend to anyone into the heavier end of metal. It gives off vibes of everything from early Trivium to Periphery to Necrophagist, it’s great! I can’t give it any less than 8.5/10; don’t be surprised to see it creep onto our albums of the year list in a years time!

Mutiilation: Pandemonium of Egregores

Following on from last years Black Metal Cult, the modern black metal French outfit is another mainly solo project, of one William “Meyhna’ch” Roussel, though they have also added drummer Kham too. To say the return of the project is a success would be an understatement, as their last album was well received, while this is another banger if you’re into their particular brand of noise. Heck, I’m not even especially into black metal, and even I found myself enjoying it and happily listening through the short runtime in one sitting. It’s only four tracks and an intro, so is a pretty easy listen for anyone interested. And it’s hard to pick highlights, as it all flows so well together. While not something I’d seek out often, it’s definitely good, and I wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again. A solid 7/10 from us!

Sadie: THE REVIVAL OF MADNESS

The third album in the band’s REVIVAL series, it took me a far too long time to work out what was going on. This series is a re-recordings of their previous, pre-hiatus work. So, while technically not ‘new’, it’s new to music, and a slow week as the last one of the year, so cut me some slack! I think it’s designed to be a way of putting their music on streaming, as none of the original stuff is on there.

This is also an absolutely amazing melodic heavy metal album. From the great, alt metal riffing to the awesome, melodic parts and solos to the powerful, catchy vocals, it really has a bit of everything! Then ‘THE REQUIEM’ goes full metalcore/melodeath. It’s a cool idea to do these re-releases, as it really gives you an appreciation of the range of the bands sound over the years, and the sheer talent between them! That, ‘Jealousy’ and the funky ‘bleach’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the release. It’s a testament to the incredible talent and longevity of the band, and it has definitely made me want to go back and check out the other REVIVAL parts! Hopefully we get some actual newly written music from the band soon, as this is awesome. However, for now I am more than happy to sit with these albums and become an even bigger new fan of the band. An incredibly solid 8.5/10 from us!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The Losts, Funeral Vomit and More!

Leave a comment

A pretty packed week of heavy new albums for us to check out this time around. Let’s dive right in!

The Losts: Venom Within

This is an awesome slab of melodic heavy metal! The third album from the French quartet blends together plenty of old-school and modern styles, from heavy to power to black metal to thrash to even an almost early 2000s metalcore edge at times. Each style feels like it’s own time to shine at times throughout too, and all combines together to form a pretty unique sound to The Losts. Tracks like ‘Black out Days’, ‘Magical Idea’ and ‘Exponential Law’ are all personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song on here, and despite the aforementioned style-changes, it still flows pretty damn well! I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out their previous work, as they very much have a new fan in me! A solid 8/10 from us!

Funeral Vomit: Upheaval of Necomancy

Another third album, this time from the heavy, old-school death metallers, and does pretty much exactly what is advertised. It’s a Cannibal Corpse-like half an hour of brutal riffing, great drumming and questionably mixed and performed screams. In fact the mix throughout is rather questionable, being more of a wall of sound that sometimes makes it hard to distinguish each part. Musically and arrangement-wise it’s very well put together, but it’s sadly not one I’d revisit readily. It’s a shame too, as I liked the intro stuff they did for the album and tracks. I’d probably get into it a lot more in a live setting! ‘Hematophagia’ was probably my personal favourite track, but I sadly can’t give the release as a whole much more than 4/10. Sorry, the mix and style really aren’t my sort of thing!

Scheitan: Wine for a Tormented Soul

The second release in two years from the reunited gothic metal soloist is an absolutely great release within that genre! Whether it’s legends like Him or Type O to even more modern stuff like newer Creeper, it channels plenty of great vibes. From the opening two tracks to ‘Carry Me Home’, there’s plenty to love, too. The whole album goes by in a flash, and is truly a must if you are into this style of music! It’s honestly so great to hear Pierre back making music again, especially when it’s this good! I had a great time listening to this, and can’t give it any less than a solid 7.5/10. Good stuff!

Amulet: Don’t Say the Anguish Took her Life

The debut album from the modern deathcore collective actually goes pretty damn hard! From the awesome screams to the brutal instrumentation, it’s all performed and written incredibly. While it’s not everyone style, this feels a bit more of a throwback to earlier times in the genre; think more Whitechapel than Slaughter to Prevail. And yeah, it’s fucking awesome! From ‘Her Suffocating Words’ to the title track to ‘Dying in my Dreams’, there is plenty to love, and truly not a bad song on here. Heck, at only 22 minutes it’s in and out in a flash, very much all-killer, no-filler. I’m excited to see where the band go from here, as they definitely have a bright future, but this is an absolutely excellent start to their album-releasing careers. 8.5/10, a must for fans of the genre!

Diamonds to Dust: Echoes of Grace and Strife

More deathcore, but a bit more on the prog side this time. And damn, this goes hard and heavy for Christian music! I was pretty hooked from opener ‘Child of the King’, and the album barely let me go throughout. And, though the track is packed full of guest features, I enjoy the tracks of just them just as much! ‘Bond Servant’ and ‘Dissonant Truth’ are just as good as the opener or ‘The White Rabbit’s Nightmare’. From the awesome technical riffing to the brutal screams and breakdowns to the solid drums, it’s all done so well. I know some will dismiss it immediately due to the religious beliefs of the members, but you’d be doing yourself a disservice as this is an honestly incredible metal release, period. Even at pushing an hour in length and 14 tracks, it all slaps and is so easy to listen to in one go. They have a big new fan in me, and this will be an album I’ll be listening to for months to come. 9/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Lord of the Lost, Zero 9:36 and More!

Leave a comment

Week two of the Overtone year is a heavy one, with plenty of awesome metal (and one electro) to check out. Let’s dive in!

Lord of the Lost: OPVS NOIR Vol. 2

The follow-up to August’s part 1, this release follows that up pretty perfectly. They very much feel like the same project, having a similar tone and vibe, and once again it’s one hell of a LotR record! The heaviness and epicness continues, especially with the Lena Scissorhands-featuring ‘Would you Walk with Me Through Hell?’. Between Lena, Käärijä, IAMX and League of Distortion, there are a good few features on the album, all as good as the last! However, the other songs are just as good too, with ‘The Last Star’ and ‘Scarlight’ also being massive highlights. The whole album is great though, and doesn’t feel like 45-minutes at all, going by in a flash. I never quite got into the band aside for a few songs here and there, but this release has really won me over to them, and proved that actually, taking some time to write some good music instead of feeling the need to pump out an original studio work yearly has upped the quality of their output. Who’d have thought it, ey? It’s a very easy 8.5/10 from us, and my plan after this weekend is to listen to both volumes one after another, I have a feeling it’ll be a great time!

Zero 9:36: They Were Always Here

This is a really interesting release! Alt-metal in the broadest sense, this covers all manor of bases under that sphere. The closest thing I’ve managed to compare it to is ‘Animals’-era Architects, with some occasional Hyro the Hero or even Eminem thrown in for good measure! It makes for an incredibly interesting listen and, at only 22-minutes, it’s hard-to-stop ride from start to finish. Whether it’s heavy riffing and aggressive vocals or more of a slower, radio-friendly sound, it really has a bit of everything, packed right into a concise release. ‘System’ is a huge early highlight, as are tracks like ‘Here to Bleed’ and the Ekoh-featuring ‘Withdrawals’. It’s not going to be for everyone as it is a very modern sound, but I loved it! Continuing to blend hip-hop and electronic elements into metal and hard rock is making things so interesting and unique, and Zero has that here in spades. He’s already created a big name for himself across his back catalogue, and adds to it perfectly with this addition. It’s another very easy 8.5/10, check this out if you are at all interested!

Zkeletonz: Marmalade

The first album from the disco-style electro artist isn’t normally the sort of stuff we cover, but this was a damn fun listen and has me a little obsessed with them! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and surprisingly gave me big Basement Jaxx vibes throughout, which certainly isn’t a bad thing! And, at less than half-an-hour, it’s another incredibly easy listen. From the opener to ‘Out!’ to ‘Wild for the Weekend’, there are plenty of highlights here. My only issue is that it does get a touch samey after a while, though with this sort of music I’m not sure how to solve that. And still, I didn’t have a bad time listening to any of it! A damn solid 7/10 from us, and certainly an album I’ll be revisiting in the future.

Volumes: Mirror Touch

The first new album from the metalcore quartet in over four years, and this thing goes hard. The band very much didn’t lose their heaviness or technical prowess in the time between releases, this thing being dialled up to 11 on both! Right from the offset, ‘Sidewinder’ is awesome, and is followed up perfectly by ‘Bottom Dollar’. The crazy low guitar riffs and solid drumming is an awesome combo, especially with the synth in the back too, the great screams just adding to them even more! Then you have tracks like ‘S.O.A.P.’ and ‘em’ that are definite highlights too. Sadly, it does drop off a touch in the middle, going down more of a slower, lighter modern metalcore route, but very much brings itself back on track towards the end! It’s still a damn solid album overall, and one I’d definitely recommend to anyone into a modern metal sound. A very easy 8/10 from me!

Dragon Throne: Tale of the Two: Dawn

The power metallers didn’t hesitate to drop part two of their collection, did they? This dropped barely a month after Dusk, and continues on perfectly from said release! And you’ve already seen how much I enjoyed that album, so to have this continue on that great path is awesome. ‘Dragon Empire’ is one of the best opening tracks of the year, while the rest of the album follows it with a similar level of energy and quality. There truly isn’t a bad track on this album and, combined with the other part, makes for practically the perfect power-infused heavy metal release! Somehow I only gave the last one 7.5/10, but this one and as a whole piece between the two, I can’t give it any less than 9/10! If you are at all a metal fan, check this out ASAP, you’ll surely love it as much as I do!

Black Pig Meat: Symbiotic Dream

This is an absolutely incredible instrumental release! It’s always harder to shoehorn instrumental stuff into a specific genre, but it definitely feels prog/djenty for the most part, the odd bit of shoegaze thrown in for good measure. It’s chaotic but somehow all fits perfectly, ebbing and flowing incredibly well. Much is the case it seems this week, it will be a divisive release, with a lot understandably not getting into instrumental stuff. Heck, I struggle at times, but found this one so packed full of talented playing and composition I couldn’t stop listening! ‘Sizo’ was a big highlight, as was ‘Sóbole’. And while the closer, as great as it is, does go on a fair bit, it’s still a fun listen. It’s a great album to get high and listen to on your own in the dark, or if you’re a musician (interchangeable, clearly). Not something I’d revisit often but a damn good release, and a solid 7/10!