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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: All Time Low, Chris Young and More!

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Another awesome week packed full of some awesome albums, from metal to rock to country. Let’s check them out!

All Time Low: Everyone’s Talking!

A singular single from this album convinced me and my wife to get tickets to their tour next year. Just to put into perspective the quality I’m expecting here…

The 10th studio album from the Maryland modern pop-punk legends lives up to my hype, that’s for sure! The band have matured like a fine wine; gradually evolving from their more rougher, punkier beginnings to this uber-polished, perfectly mixed arena-rock-infused awesomeness. It very much feels like the band have added elements of everything from Bryan Adams, Owl City and even Kip Moore and more pop-rock artists to their core sound, and it makes for an incredible listen. I remember loving their last release, but this very much takes everything that was great about it and refines/perfects it.

‘SUCKERPUNCH’ is of course already one of my favourite tracks by the band now, but it is far from the only highlight. From singles like ‘The Weather’ to tracks like ‘Falling for Strangers’, the heavier punk ‘Little Bit’ and the Ruston Kelly-featuring ‘Tread Water’, there is so much to love. However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album, all 15 songs being awesome and the 40+ minutes going by in a flash. They were a band I never minded as a kid but never quite got into much, but these last couple of albums have made me fully in on the band. If you are at all a fan of them, or of a more punk-pop sound, I would highly recommend checking this out as soon as you can. I’ll certainly be spinning it a fair bit in the coming months, that’s for sure! 9/10

Chris Young: I Didn’t Come Here to Leave

No pressure here, but this album has a LOT to live up to. I LOVED his last album last year, and the fact that he’s followed up on it barely a year later is definitely a bold move. Thankfully, Chris’ 10th album is yet another banger of a release from the country star! He has an incredible songwriting ability (I assume alongside others), be it country ballads or more southern rock-style boot-stompers. And honestly he has one of the best studio vocals in the whole genre currently. Don’t get me wrong, it’s another pretty long country release (thankfully not to Wallen levels), but there is so much awesomeness that the 14 tracks still go by in a flash! From the opener to ‘I Feel a Cold One Coming On’, ‘Pour Some Whiskey on it’ to single ‘Boots on the Ground’ to beautiful, bittersweet ballad ‘Just Keep Living’, there is so much to love. I have to say it’s not quite as good as Young Love & Saturday Nights, but it’s a damn solid followup and as I said, with barely a years turnaround between the two it’s an incredibly impressive release. Country has had one hell of a year again, and this is certainly going to be up there with one of my favourite releases in the genre in that time. And heck, it still feels like it’s growing on me with more listens! But for now, it gets a damn solid 8.5/10

The Last Dinner Party: From the Pyre

I have made no secret over the last year or two about not ‘getting’ this band. Though people throw around the term ‘industry plant’ maybe a little too easily these days, it definitely reeks of ‘throwing enough family money at it until it takes off’. You know, the GVF/Taylor Swift approach. We missed their debut album last year just before they exploded, but I remember checking it out due to the massive hype on socials and wasn’t too into it. Hopefully this sophomore release changes my mind…

It didn’t. This is music for early 20s, rich white girls that want to be hippies. It gives ‘music to listen to while spending daddy’s money on Vinted’ vibes. Don’t get me wrong, if that’s your thing, great, but it isn’t mine, sadly. And it is sadly too, because I did actively want to like this album. The Midsomer-like theming is an interesting concept, but never feels fully realised. There are flashes of its potential brilliance, especially in the one-two-punch of ‘Rifle’ and ‘Woman is a Tree’. However, then the pop edge comes in and reigns it all back in. And, honestly, because of that, this is a damn boring album. It feels a lot longer than 42 minutes, the album dragging and being a real struggle to get through in one sitting.

I know that some will probably be pissed at this review, but it’s just my opinion; there will be plenty who love this and I’m so glad they will get something out of it that I don’t. I know I am very much not the target audience, but at least I tried, right? Heck, at least the women are talented players and vocalists; I just find them painfully dull songwriters. And for that, it gets a 3/10 from me.

Sabaton: Legends

Fuck yeah, this is more like it! We’re big power metal fans here at Overtone and of course there are few modern bands doing it better than Sabaton. I loved their last album, but I really feel like this may be even better! ‘Templars’ opens the album perfectly, while tracks like ‘Crossing the Rubicon’, ‘Maid of Steel’ and ‘The Cycle of Songs’ are also big highlights for me. Of course, I have the same issue with this as I have with a fair few power metal albums in that it does all sound pretty samey. It’s 45 minutes of pretty similarly paced and sounding music, and even if it’s all great, it does get a touch old by the end. Still, if you are a power metal fan, of course you’re gonna love this! It’s a damn solid album from some of the best songwriters in the genre, even if they do stick to their standard formula a little too safely. The new metal history teachers show here why they are still one of the best around, and it’s an easy 8.5/10 from us!

Broadie Christ: Big feelings

The sophomore album from the Toronto singer-songwriter is a damn chilled-out, easy listen. Though described as indie rock, I’d argue there’s a lot more to this than that! It’s as much alt and soft rock, as well as just a genuinely quirkier edge. The easiest way I can find to describe it is a combination of Pinegrove and early Randy Newman, and I mean that as the uttermost of compliments! The more I listened, the more I fell in love with the album. The opener didn’t hook me, but ‘IDWTBfriends’ is great, and by the time I reached ‘Pretty City’, ‘Sea Legs’ and ‘Now I Can’t Dance’ I was hooked. As I said, it’s a very easy listen, and 40-minutes went by in a flash. He’s a fantastic lyricist and storyteller, and the instrumentation written around it fits the tone perfectly, as well as being a lot of fun. It’s the perfect album to sit back and relax to, but also really dive in deep to if you get the chance. I’d highly recommend checking it out if you are at all curious, and it gets an incredibly solid 8/10 from me!

Preacher Stone: By the Horns

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

Tol Morwen: At the Gates of Valhalla

I love folky power metal, and this sophomore release is no exception! However, this does generally feel a little more technical than a lot of their contemporaries, some of the riffing and drumming being incredible. However, it still has the same level of epicness. It’s also heavy, having elements of black/death/extreme metal, especially with the screams. The atmosphere created throughout is phenomenal though, and instantly had me captivated. ‘Fate of the Gods’ is a more atmospheric black metal track, while ‘Ragnar’ is a straight up Amon Amarth style viking death metal song. Both are massive early highlights, while songs like epic single ‘The Shieldmaiden’ and ‘Rise of the Ancient Gods’ are also excellent. However, there really a bad track on this! It’s not for everyone, and at over an hour spread across just 10 tracks, it’s a big undertaking. However, I loved it, and if you are into the heavier, more grandiose side of metal, I would definitely recommend you check this out immediately! The band are so incredibly talented, and it’s yet another easy 8.5/10!

Biohazard: Divided We Fall

The hardcore punk legends returned with their first new album in 13 years this last Friday. Yeah, it’s a big deal. Especially when they returned at arguably the perfect time, given the state of the world, and clearly have plenty to talk about! Oh, and the album also slaps from start to finish! It’s angry, aggressive, slamming hardcore for a full nearly 40 minutes, and I love it. It just makes me want to throw people around in a pit and dance around through the whole thing. The riffing, the drums, the vocals, the lyrics, even the soloing, all of it is perfection for the genre, and I honestly can’t get enough. It’s so hard to pick highlights too, as each track is as good as the other. Most of it ended up on my personal playlist! It’s the perfect combination of Bodycount, Hed(PE) and Pro-Pain, so if you are into any of those bands, or just hardcore in general, I cannot recommend this album enough! Heck, even if you aren’t, check this out immediately, you might find one of your new favourite albums. I can’t give this any less than 9.5/10, and I’ll definitely be rocking this a lot in the coming months!

Of Monsters and Men: All is Love and Pain in the Mouse Parade

13 years after the Icelandic folk-rocky quintet’s massive breakout debut, they are back with their fourth studio album, and first of the post-pandemic era. Honestly, outside of their big hits I haven’t listened to much. In the nicest way possible, I can kinda see why. This is a boring release, dude. Much like with Last Dinner Party, this will most likely have plenty of fans, but I sadly found myself losing interest fairly quickly and often when listening to this from front to back. Don’t get me wrong, tracks like ‘The Actor’ and ‘Styrofoam Cathedral’ are good in isolation, but in the context of the album it dragged sooooo much. Please don’t kill me, OM&M fans (I also don’t like the other OM&M much, sorry), but yeah, I can’t give this much more than 4.5/10. They’re all talented players, but it really isn’t my thing.

Daedric: As the Light Left

The sophomore release from Kristyn Hope is yet another modern-alt metal/metalcore masterclass. We absolutely loved her last album back a couple of years ago, but honestly she may have gotten even better in the time since! ‘The Other Terror’ opens things up perfectly heavily, while ‘Sand Tiger’ shows off a bit more of her more alt side (though still has some great screams). The rest of the album continues to skirt that line perfectly, too. Heck, ‘Dark Legacy’ gives big Skynd vibes in the best ways. It’s hard to pick highlights, but ‘Night Mother’ and ‘Dreamweaver’ are tracks that I have already revisited multiple times over the weekend. Honestly, this is everything I wished Spiritbox was, and it’s insane to me that Kristyn isn’t on the same level as them at this point. I’mma throw it out there, this is better than Tsunami Sea, @ me. I cannot recommend this enough to anyone into more of a modern metal sound, and I’m honestly shocked she managed to top her explosive debut! She’s an utterly fantastic vocalist, both cleans and screams, and her songwriting has really gone to yet another level with this album. It’s one of the easiest 9/10s I’ve ever given!

William Prince: Further From the Country

Album number five for the Canadian folk/country singer-songwriter is a damn fun listen. I love that he very much does his own thing and has his own sound, not following the current trends in the genre. It makes it stand out a lot from his contemporaries, and is a fantastic, more folk-based sound in its own right! From the writing to the arrangement to the mix, it all almost has an epic air to it. From the opener to ‘Flowers on the Dash’ to the beautifully dark-folk ‘Thousand Miles of Chain’ to the awesome closer, the whole thing is packed full of amazing songs! And, at under 40 minutes, it makes for an incredibly easy listen! It’s definitely one to throw on and relax to. William is a criminally underrated vocalist and songwriter in the genre, and he has an instant new fan in me from this! I’m definitely going to have to go back and check out his previous work, but for now this gets an incredibly solid 8.5/10

Shadows of a Silhouette: For Those That Know

Time for some indie now, as the local boys and good friends of ours put out their highly anticipated debut album this last week! What an album it is, too! It’s definitely on the heavier side of the genre, with the riffs taking center stage in a big way throughout. It gives off big QOTSA or early Royal Blood or early Black Keys vibes in the best ways. It’s also packed full of highlights, too. Between the opener, ‘No Matter Where I Go’, ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘Hostages’, there are plenty of highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the release! The band are incredibly talented and it’s easy to see why they are gaining so much momentum already. The genre isn’t typically my sort of thing but I really loved this from start to finish, and would recommend it to anyone even slightly curious! It’s been a while since I’ve seen them live so must do that again, as I have a feeling all of this would sound incredible in a live setting. But, for now, I shall happily settle for having the album, and it gets a very solid 8.5/10!

Wretched: Decay

The first album from the melodic deathcore quintet in over a decade feels like it has something to prove, and they more than do this with this release! This is over an hour of brutality, technical riffs, great screams and some HEAVY breakdowns. It’s another album that’s almost impossible to pick highlights from, as it’s all so good, as well as all being a similar style, sound and aggression. However, ‘The Crimson Sky’ probably has the most of a bit of everything this album has to offer! If you are into the heavier end of metal, this is definitely one for you. It has everything from Machine Head to In Flames to The Zenith Passage in here, and it’s awesome. It’s not for the faint of heart as, like I said, it’s 65 minutes in length, but it’s well worth a listen through in full if you’re interested! I’m so damn glad this band is back to studio work, and they have put out honestly one their best releases to date after all this time off. A very solid 9/10 from us!

Features, Reviews

ONE OK ROCK and Paledusk Tear Down Manchester Apollo!

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WOW. What a fucking show! My first time at the venue and also my first time seeing either band. I was at least pretty familiar with the headliners, but didn’t know Paledusk that well. I went into the evening expecting to enjoy it, but I wasn’t quite expecting the level of performance throughout!

Firstly, the Apollo was packed. The gig got downgraded from Manchester arena to this venue, and the result meant that it was sold out and packed full of die-hard fans who showed up early to get down close. We queued well over half an hour, and we arrived 20 minutes after doors. Everyone was ready, that’s for sure!

I wasn’t too familiar with the openers heading into the show. I knew the name and had checked out a couple of tracks before the show, but that was about it. However, they have a HUGE new fan in me from this set! Firstly, the sheer energy and showmanship on display throughout their 40-minutes was insane. I’ve seen fewer spin-kicks in a Bruce Lee movie than I saw guitarist Daidai; the guy was all over the stage with them! Then you had frontman Kaito’s infectious energy too, throwing himself around with almost as little regard. He also held the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. I thought they may have struggled given the heaviness compared to the headliner, but the crowd were more than down to bounce around and even got a pretty decent circle pit going when instructed. I’ve also never heard a crowd cheer a breakdown before, but it was pretty fun to see every time!

And we haven’t even spoken about their music yet! Their quirky, whacky, heavy, melodic music. It was all over the place in the best way possible! They are all insanely talented players, performers and vocalists, and I immediately want to be seeing them back over here again ASAP.

Then, after a brief changeover, the headliners took to the stage. It at first seemed a little odd when it was barely 8:05, but they tore the roof off the place for a solid two hours! After a fantastic little video package set the tone for their latest release, they exploded on with recent hit ‘Puppets Can’t Control You’. Now, y’all know I loved DETOX, so the fact that they played almost all of it was incredible. From personal favourites like ‘N.A.S.T.Y’, ‘Tropical Therapy’ and ‘Delusion:All’ to more unexpected cuts in ‘Party’s Over’ and ‘The Pilot </3’, it was all incredible live and sounded so very close to the track. But don’t fear, because old-school fans still had plenty to sink their teeth into. From ‘The Beginning’ to the beautiful, empowering ‘Stand Out Fit In’ and perennial set closer ‘We Are’, the setlist was honestly damn near perfect!

And the performance… GODDAMN. Honestly, I was looking forward to seeing them at the UKs biggest arena, but seeing essentially a stadium-level band back home putting on that caliber of show to a 4k cap venue was truly something special. The band played, sung and headbanged their hearts out from the very first note to the very last. And, because of that, the crowd fed them that very same energy back. I can’t recall a time when I had been part of a crowd so loud and passionate, except for maybe Drake Milligan, and even then it wasn’t for the full show. The crowd felt like just as much a part of the show as anything else; singing every word back to the band and jumping around and clapping constantly. I can honestly say it was one of the best sets I’ve seen from an all-round perspective, and not one I’ll ever forget!

And there you have it, folks. Two of Japan’s biggest and best rock bands playing a more intimate show in one of the UKs honestly best venues (aside for the tiny amount of toilets, wtf?). The sound for both was great, even when under the balcony, so massive props to the sound guys too! I honestly cannot recommend seeing either band enough, they both blew me away for somehow both different and similar reasons. Honestly, if I wasn’t working tomorrow I’d be on the first train down to see them in London, they were THAT good. Hopefully both manage to make it back over here soon, be it together again or separate, as I’d be right there buying tickets the moment they went on sale! If you get the chance to see them live, take it, but even if not, you have got to listen to them on track too!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Testament, Yellowcard and More!

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

Testament: Para Bellum

The thrash legends are back with their first new studio album in over five years. It’s been a loooong wait, but they’re back and most certainly taking no prisoners! Opener ‘For the Love of Pain’ sets things up perfectly and is a banger in its own right. Honestly it was wild/awesome for me for Chuck to scream through all of it. I love his powerful cleans but his screams, alongside the backing, is fucking incredible! It’s essentially a death metal track, even complete with some Gojira scrapes. We get some cleaner vocals on ‘Infanticide A.I.’, another huge highlight track that keeps it heavy and perfectly combines their older sound with this heavier new edge. And then barely four tracks in the album slows down into a beautiful acoustic ballad in ‘Meant to Be’. It’s another fantastic, epic song from an album that constantly keeps you on your toes.

The rest of the album is pretty standard fair, alternating between their more old-school thrash style and the heavier, screamed they’ve added here. Both ‘Room 117’ and ‘Nature of the Beast’ are other solid highlight tracks, but there really isn’t a bad song on this! The band have always been criminally underrated,  but they once again continue their streak of excellent modern albums with this. If you are in any way a fan of thrash or just metal in general, check this out ASAP! I can’t give it any less than 9/10, amazing stuff!

Yellowcard: Better Days

The pop-punk titans are back with their first studio album since their 2022 reunion. I have to admit they were never really a band I ‘got’ in my youth; the whole slightly heavier, emo-pop-punk thing didn’t do much for me, them always feeling like a poor man’s Good Charlotte/Simple Plan. However, I did enjoy this more than the new Good Charlotte album, that’s for sure. It’s very old-school Yellowcard, so if you’re a long-time fan of the band you’ll surely love this. The lyrics are sometimes pretty cheese these days, especially for a bunch of guys in their mid-40s, but they at least semi-acknowledge their age. Plus, I can never get over how much a full-time fiddlist in a pop-punk band works far better than it should. Tracks like the Matt Skiba featuring ‘Love Letters Lost’, ‘Bedroom Posters’ and ‘Skin Scraped’ are all personal highlights. It’s got more energy than a lot of their counterparts have these days, which is certainly appreciated, and it’s definitely an album I’d happily revisit again. It may grow on me more still, as it has through the full-album listen, but for now it gets a still-solid 7.5/10

Rhett Miller: A lifetime of riding by night

Solo album number nine from the Old 97’s’ frontman, and it’s an incredibly chilled affair! It’s very folky, mainly just Rhett’s acoustic guitar and vocals, with a few other minor parts like extra strings or a piano. His vocal delivery gives slight Lou Reed vibes at times too, which was interesting and certainly not a bad thing! There was a great nit in the middle with ‘Come as Your Are’ (feat. Turnpike Troubadours’ own Evan Felker) followed by Be Mine which I loved! There’s also a more flamenco-style one later on, ‘All Over Again’, which is excellent! However, overall, it is a touch too slow for me. He’s an incredible songwriter and if you like this sort of thing it’s definitely worth a listen. I enjoyed my listen, but I wouldn’t rush to revisit it, if that makes sense? Still, it gets a solid 6.5/10 from me as it was damn well crafted and performed!

John 5: Ghost

The eleventh instrumental studio album from the Marilyn Manson/Rob Zombie/Motley Crue guitarist dropped last Friday. I remember checking out his last solo release back in the early days of the company and enjoying it. It’s an interesting release, for sure. It feels like it goes back to his industrial roots a little more at times than a lot of what I’ve heard from his solo stuff, but there is plenty of insanely technical soloing too that I am very familiar with from him! He is a criminally underrated guitarist, rather pigeon-holing himself into a somewhat basic guitaring genre with nu/industrial metal when in reality he’s up there with the likes of Yngwie. Tracks like ‘Deviant’, ‘La Express’ and the jazzy ‘Moon Glow’ are all personal highlights, but every track is pretty great! Instrumental stuff certainly isn’t for everyone, but if you are at all curious or a fan of his playing on other projects, this is worth a listen! A solid 7/10 again from us!

Sanguisugabogg: Hideous Aftermath

Described by frontman Devin Swank as ‘their most death metal and most focused and brutal record to date’, there’s a lot of hype riding on the Ohioan Brutalists’ third album. It is certainly brutal, and certainly death metal. And, honestly, it’s fucking awesome! This level of heaviness is always something I find myself admiring from a distance, I’m a melody boy at heart, but there was definitely plenty I found myself enjoying throughout this surprisingly long release. Tracks like ‘Felony Abuse of a Corpse’, ‘Heinous Testimony’ and the rather epic ‘Paid in Flesh’ are all personal highlights. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not something I’d revisit a whole bunch, but if you are into the heaviest of metal it’s up there with the best of the bunch. It’s everything I wished early Cannibal Corpse was, though I think a lot of that has to do with the great mix and the fantastic screams! I would love to see this live, but on track it does get a bit much for me (especially with its length), as excellently crafted as it is. So, for that, it gets a solid 7/10

Serpent God: Denial

The debut album from the Finish melodeath/doom metal band honestly knocks it out of the park for them right from the get go. It’s heavy, dark and epic all in equal measure, and makes for a fantastic listen from front to back! There’s more than a healthy dose of extreme/black metal in here too, and the whole release has such a fantastic flow to it. It’s almost impossible to pick highlight tracks as they all click together perfectly, begging the listener for a full listen every time. It’s not for the faint of heart; not only is it heavy and dark but 50 minutes in length, but it rewards the listener massively throughout with some truly awesome songwriting and instrumentation. It won’t be for everyone, but if you’re into the dark, epic side of heavy metal, this is definitely one worth checking out! A very solid 7.5/10!

Captain Kaiser: Belgian Boy

Album four from the (surprisingly) Belgian alt-punk band is set to be their biggest yet! From a purely sonic standpoint, and given that I hadn’t listened to them before now, it’s pretty fantastic, and it’s easy to see why they are gaining momentum! The vague Turnstile/Viagra Boys sound is awesome. Heck, there’s an air of the quirkier side of Biffy at times, which I loved! The opener was slightly rough for me, not being a huge fan of the style, but both ‘Roadkill’ and ‘Room Service’ won me over in quick succession. Then you have tracks like ‘William’ and the title track that are also big highlights! The more I listen the more I love it, it’s a really damn good album! It’s not something I’d choose to go for often, but I’m so glad I checked this out in full and world urge anyone into punk to do the same! The band are insanely talented songwriters, and are going to go far if this album has anything to say about it! 9/10

Frayle: Heretics & Lullabies

The third album from the atmospheric metallers is arguably their best work to date. The sheer epic soundscape produced throughout is incredible; everything from the arrangement to the mix making it sound MASSIVE. It reminds me of Skynd but more gothic and atmospheric, almost having a shoegaze edge to it all. ‘Walking Wounded’ is the perfect album opener for it, and tracks like ‘Souvenirs of Your Betrayal’ and ‘Run’ are definite highlights. I also really enjoyed their cover of the Lana Del Rey hit ‘Summertime Sadness’, really adding their own fantastic, ominous twist on the track. My only slight issue is that it all sounds kinda similar. I’m sure if this your favourite style of music you’d love it, but nearly 45-minutes of similar sounding tracks sadly wasn’t helped by my tiny attention span! Still, it’s a damn good release, and certainly one worth checking out if you like the more gothic stuff! 7.5/10

Leilani Kilgore: TELL YOUR GHOST

Aaand the award for the most metal artist name not attached to a metal artist goes to…

In all seriousness though, Leilani’s debut studio album slaps! The blues/punk tinged hard rocker blasts the listener with big riffs and catchy vocal melodies throughout the entire 38-minute runtime, showing how excellent of a songwriter she is! And not just that, but her vocals are fantastic, as is the instrumentation throughout, the guitaring being a particular high point. From foot-stompin’ rock numbers like the opener and ‘CREEPIN’’ to more plodding blues tracks like ‘SPANISH MOSS’ and ‘BURN’ there is so much awesomeness and plenty to love! It’s an incredibly well-rounded album that goes by in a flash and there really isn’t a bad track on it! I’d never heard of her before but she already has a massive new fan in me! It’s very easy to see why she’s exploded onto the scene and is a quick bright light in the underground, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10!

Caustic Waves: Echoes

Another debut album, this time from the Glasgow-based soloist Neil Thomas. Firstly, the fact that one man has produced such an intricate, fantastically written and produced is nothing short of phenomenal. Blending together his alt-metal and power-pop sounds of previous works KEITEL and The Chinaskis, but infusing it with a 90s/early 2000s edge and influences like Incubus, Tool and Deftones, Neil has produced something pretty damn unique with this release! Tracks like ‘Artificial Lies’, ‘Escape Your Fate’ and ‘Insignificance’ are all personal highlights. However, having grown up around the time that inspired this release, I absolutely adore this style and truly think there isn’t a bad track on the album! 44 minutes goes by in a flash and it’ll definitely be an album I’ll be revisiting plenty over the coming weeks and months! Hopefully he can get a band together because I am already desperate to see this live! For now, I’ll happily keep listening, and this gets yet another very solid 9/10!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: AFI, Waylon Jennings and More!

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A MASSIVE week of new music for us this week, with everything from rock to metal to country getting awesome releases! Let’s check it all out!

AFI: Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…

I clearly haven’t listened to AFI in a while. Where is the punk? Where is the edge? This is just straight up The Cure or Pulp. It’s still emo, but very much in a more soft rock/pop vein than I was expecting. Don’t get me wrong, tracks like ‘Holy Vision’ and ‘Ash Speck in a Green Eye’ are good and definite highlight tracks, but this is completely different compared to the band they used to be. I have read that Davey has struggled vocally recently and had to change up their setlist and style live, but I wasn’t expecting the instrumentation to shift to a much lighter style to coincide with that. Even going back to visit Bodies, sure it’s less punk than their early days, but it still feels like the same band, just progressing and aging. I guess after hearing Bodies Bleeds… makes more sense, as it feels like a less jarring change. However, I remember enjoying their self-titled release back in 2017, and this is a far-cry from that, for sure.

It’s not a bad album, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not what I expected or wanted to hear from AFI, that’s for sure. This kinda sound is coming back a bit, but at least when Creeper do it they add their own twist on the style, don’t just release a Cure/Billy Idol retread. If you go into this release as a fan of their early stuff, like me, be prepared for it to not meet your expectations. Though, I’m sure there will be plenty that love this album! It may grow on me, but for now I can’t give it much more than 6/10

Waylon Jennings: Songbird

The third posthumous studio album from the outlaw country legend continues his legacy rather perfectly, and shows just how fantastic of a musician and songwriter he really was. The fact that these were written at the height of his popularity and I guess never deemed good enough to make it onto a release back then is insane, given how great all this is! From the title track to ‘I’d Hate to go Searchin’ Them Bars Again’ to ‘After the Ball’, there are tracks on here that I’d put up there alongside some of his best work, honestly. The whole album is good too, it being an easy, chilled out 30-minutes of awesome traditional country music. It certainly won’t be for everyone, especially with how the country scene has gone since these were written, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend it enough! It’s a damn solid album, and a damn solid 8/10!

Orbit Culture: Death Above Life

Album five from the Swedish melodeath band sees them take on the tough task of trying to follow up the utterly incredible Descent. As you can see, we adored that album, so I’ve been pretty hyped for this since it was announced. And, thank god, it very much lives up to my hype, that’s for sure! The band have found the perfect balance of crushing heaviness and catchy melody, and have once again put it on full display with this release. I’ve honestly found it impossible to pick highlight tracks as well as it’s all SO good. Almost all of it ended up on my personal playlist. How the band aren’t one of the biggest names in the metal world already I will never understand, as they are easily one of the best. Their talent for playing and writing is off the charts, and I’m just shocked/blown away that they managed to follow-up their last awesome release with another banger! Its nearly-hour runtime goes by in a flash and I honestly cannot recommend the album enough to anyone even slightly into metal. They’ve done it again, another 10/10 from me!

Thrice: Horizons/West

The long awaited sister album to 2021’s East finally dropped last Friday. I never quite ‘got’ Thrice, but I have to admit this is quite a banging album! It’s the perfect blend of alt rock and hardcore and industrial, and makes for a fun listen from start to finish. I love tracks like ‘Gnash’ and ‘Holding On’ but honestly, the whole album is definitely worth a spin in full. It has a really great flow to it, and definitely all feels Thrice! It’s dark, heavy and even beautiful at times, and I’m so glad they’ve returned with this as it’s made me want to go back and try their previous work again. If you are at all curious, check this out, you certainly won’t be disappointed! 8/10

Evil Scarecrow: Silicon Tea

The return album from ‘one of the UK’s most absurd yet standout heavy metal acts’ kinda came out of nowhere for me. The band’s fifth album was announced alongside single ‘The Future Machine’ back in August, yet little fair was made about it online aside for another single dropping last week. Still, the album released on Wednesday and, being a big fan of the band as is, I dove right into it on the day!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a damn good silly death metal album. The band are incapable of writing a bad one at this point, let’s be honest. However, out of the nine tracks on it, five have been put out as singles, one of which has been out for nearly four years now. It definitely makes the release feel a little disjointed and, sadly, rushed out, somehow. But, as I said, it’s still great, with tracks like ‘Shred the Evidence’, the incredibly silly, doomy ‘Shoptimus Prime’, the now old-school ‘Master of the Dojo’ and the unnecessarily ‘Welly in the Mud’ being big personal highlights. None of the tracks are bad by any stretch, though. The comedy is maybe a touch too on the nose at times, especially when they’ve been doing this for 20+ years now, but it still got a few laughs out of me! If you like heavy, death/doom metal and music that doesn’t take itself too serious, this is definitely a release you need to check out! I had a good time listening to it and will definitely be doing so again a fair bit in the coming weeks and months! 7.5/10

Cory Marks: Sorry for Nothing Vol. 2

I very nearly missed this, which I’d have hated as I LOVED Vol. 1 at the back end of last year. This is a pretty fantastic sequel to that release, being the perfect mixture of country, southern rock and early 2000s post nu-metal alt rock! ‘Hangman’ is the perfect opener, setting things up excellently, and is followed up by half an hour of banger after banger! Tracks like ‘Change the Game’, ‘Wild Ride’ and ‘A Different Kind of Year’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song on it! And it’s pretty short and sweet, making it the perfect release to pair up with its sister album. Both very much feel like the same project, and I can wholeheartedly recommend listening to them both together! It’s great that Cory is finally getting the attention and love he deserves, and it’s because he keeps putting out awesome albums like this! 9/10

Michael Schenker Group: Don’t Sell Your Soul

I have never been album to get into Schenker’s solo stuff. I’ve even seen it live a couple of times over the years and it’s still not done much for me. This release sadly has not changed that. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine, but it’s a touch… bland… dated, almost. I completely get his huge influence on the world of rock music today and have a huge amount of respect for the guy, but he’s never really evolved as a songwriter or player, it feels. Like this could be any 70s/80s AOR band. If that’s all you listen to you’ll probably love this, but there has been so much awesome music in that style over the last 50 years, and this isn’t quite up there with all of it. ‘Danger Zone’ and ‘It’s You’ are personal highlights, but outside of those I did sadly get a little bored and restless while listening to it in full. I’m sure plenty will love this release, and as I said, it’s not bat all. It’s well written, performed and crafted, it just little for me. 5/10, bang average.

Adam and the Hellcats: 9 Lives

The third album from the UK underground, rising hard rockers is a fun 40-minute listen, that’s for sure! The band have a great combination of the modern rock revival sound and a more old-school punk vibe, especially with the duel male and female vocals. It’s channels everything from Wildhearts to X to Rancid to White Raven Down. The trio of ‘Another sad song’, ‘Made in Bristol’ and ‘The Dead are walking’ is incredible and one of my favourite 12 minutes of any album this year. Don’t get me wrong though, the rest of the album is also awesome! I’m seeing the bands name all over the place currently, and their output is a great reflection of why that is! If I had one ever so minor complaint, the mixing at times takes me out of it. However, that’s almost part of the charm with punk music, and it’s barely an issue for the most part. If you are at all a fan of any of the genres or bands I’ve mentioned previous, I cannot recommend you check out this album enough! 8.5/10

Erotic Secrets of Pompeii: Pitchfork Libra

The sophomore album from art rock/post punk quintet comes barely 18 months after their debut, and continues the same fun, chaotic energy from that release! ‘Ten Ton Delirium’ sets the insane tone of the album perfectly, while tracks like ‘Zygote’ and the Dead Kennedys-esque ‘Speak Medieval’ that are also big personal highlights. The whole album is Damon solid though, and worth a full spin at least once. It’s like a combination of Mr Bungle and The Hives, and makes for an incredibly fun listen! We don’t get enough bands that are this sort of style any more, and I’m already a little obsessed with them. They’re all incredibly talented musicians and songwriters, and have a huge new fan in me! It won’t be for everyone, but if you are into the quirkier side of rock/punk music, this is certainly worth a try. It gets a very solid 8/10 from us!

The Mansters: Snapshots from a Shitshow

What an old-school punk/hardcore masterclass this is! It’s barely even an album, it’s just 18-minutes, even spread across 13 tracks. However, it is a balls-to-the-wall release packed full of fast riffs and drumming, aggressive vocals and enough great messages and lyrics to keep me obsessed throughout. From the cheeky ‘Badeland Hardcore’ to the skate-punk ‘Lessons in Giving Up’ to ‘Panicboy 2’ and ‘No Money, I’m Worried’, there is plenty to love, especially with the run-time being so short! The band have a great talent for crafting their style of songs, transporting the listener back to the late 90s/early 2000s in the best way. We don’t have enough new music like this, as even the greats have slowed down drastically in their output in recent years, so any time I get to hear some more of it I can’t not love it! If you are at all into punk, you need to check this out ASAP. It’s a lot of fun and something I’ll definitely be revisiting plenty in the near future! 8.5/10

Carter Faith: Cherry Valley

The debut album from the young, rising country star had a lot of hype behind it when it dropped on Friday, and it’s safe to say it more than lives up to said hype! She’s got an absolutely fantastic voice, and it fits perfectly with the neo-traditional country music she performs. It gives off big Kaitlin Butts or Willow Avalon vibes in the best ways! From ‘Sex, Drugs & Country Music’ to ‘Bar Star’ to ‘Betty’ to ‘Drink Up, Baby’ and ‘Burn my Memory’ there is so much to love. The whole album is amazing though, and doesn’t feel it’s nearly hour-long runtime at all! It’s easy to hear why she’s gotten to be such a big name over the last few years, and I truly believe that this release will set her up for HUGE things in the coming years to come. If you are all into old-school country music, you need to be listening to this immediately! This is front-to-back amazing, and one of my favourite country release of the year, easy! It gets a very solid 9/10 from us!

Unmaker: Status Zero

The Irish modern death-thrash metal band released their sophomore album this last Friday, and honestly blew me away with it! It goes hard from the very first second, not slowing down in pace or energy for its entire near-hour runtime. From the guitaring to the drums to the screams, it’s all some of the best I’ve heard all year; the band are insanely talented! Tracks like ‘Head of the Snake’, ‘Kill the World’, ‘Napalm’ and the Gojira-y ‘Katmuda’ are personal highlights, but the whole album really is incredible! The whole thing is very Kreator, but also has just a splash of the likes of Machine Head or Alien Weaponry too, an amazing blend that works perfectly together! I’d never heard of the band before now but they are another on this list this week that now has a massive new fan in me! I cannot recommend it enough to anyone even slightly into the heavier side of metal. Hopefully they are able to come over here to tour soon, as I NEED to see this live. An incredibly solid 9/10 from me!

Interviews & Features

Spin Class: ‘We spin a wheel and use whatever it lands on!’

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We chatted to the wonderful alt rockers Spin Class about their latest EP and plans for the future. Check it out below!

How would you describe your sound?

We’re a rock band with influences spanning the Seven Seas. But our biggest influence is Bristol’s own The Barnacle Bouys – expect our album to be only Sea Shanties!

The EP seems to have done well! Are there any stories around it, or a theme running through?

Thank you! We are super happy with how the EP is performing so far and a huge thank you to everyone who’s shown it love. Our songs are about personal experiences always, tuck in and see if there’s anything you relate to!

What’s the writing process like for the band?

To be honest, we never write one song the same! Sometimes we start it in the living room, sometimes we fart something out in the rehearsal room – we’ll all bring ideas to the table and smash ’em together! But who knows what the process will look like moving forward! It’s always fun to switch it up.

How do you come up with the song titles? Nice to see the early 2000s craziness with them making a comeback!

We spin a wheel and use whatever it lands on!

What made you decide on an EP over another album? Is there a longer release on the horizon or has the streaming model made you want to put out shorter releases for the time being?

We haven’t done an album just yet but these songs just naturally felt like they belonged together! We try not to think too hard about it and feel it out! Right now we reckon we’ll focus on shorter releases and work our way up from there!

Have you tried to play in the jumpsuits before? I imagine it’d be a sweaty gig!

Hahah! We actually haven’t, seems like we are missing a trick there! We do wear them in our debut music video for our song Phat Spaniard, you can find us gallivanting on our YouTube channel!

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned?

The rest of the year we’ll be in the Bahamas!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or bring on the road with you?

We’ve been casting incantations to manifest a tour with Queens of The Stone Age “Bubble, bubble tour with Queens of The Stone Age and trouble”

If you could have written any song from the past, what would it have been?

I know it’s a bit mainstream, but Nocturne in E Flat Major op.9 No 2 by Chopin. We were obsessed when we first heard it on a rerun of 1971’s Top of the Pops.

Reviews

Brothers: Foreign Affairs Kill it With Their Debut Album!

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The debut album from the UK indie-ish duo of brothers is arriving with a lot of hype to it, as the band have been gradually building steam for a few years now. I’ve heard the name everywhere but have somehow never really heard their music… until now! I thought they were definitely worth a full deep dive review, so without further ado, let’s dive right in!

‘Magic Box’ opens up the album perfectly, a great indie-rock guitar and vocal melody with more instrumentation building in over and over. It gives Drew Holcomb vibes, or even Jack Johnson. It sounds awesome, and is immediately catchy as hell! The backing vocals with the ‘ooo’s, harmonies and gang vocals add even more depth to it, too. The track is crafted to perfection, with every sound fitting excellently and it all forming something truly magical. It sets the tone of the album amazingly and is honestly one of my favourite tracks of the year. Immediately a huge highlight!

More quirky instrumentation comes in as a steal drum opens ‘Killer Spell’. Then we get more of the great Americana-indie stuff, building into a truly massive, arena-filling chorus. This one is much more James Bay, in the best possible way! The lead guitar bits throughout are awesome too, having so much feel to them and fitting the vibe of the track well. It’s another amazing track, and one that I feel is gonna be stuck in my head for days to come!

‘I’m on Fire’ strips things back and slows things down in a beautiful piano ballad. It’s maybe a touch early for a track like this on the album, but honestly, it felt completely natural here and fit the pace of the album perfectly. It builds incredibly to yet another HUGE chorus, the backing vocals and drums adding so much to the epicness of the track. It dropping back down for the bridge before exploding back in for a final chorus was masterful; powerful as it was beautiful. The band so far are three for three on excellent tracks!

The only track I’d heard before this, ‘Walk Away’, changes the pace again into a blues banger. The riff is amazing, and it building with the drum and bass and harmonies more and more into an infectiously catchy chorus! It drops out perfectly for a bridge before we get a double time, almost bluegrass-tinged guitar solo, which was sick! Still, it has that same indie feel to it at the same time, feeling very much like the same band. And I kinda liked it dropping back for the outro chorus, it almost bringing the track full circle. Banger after banger so far!

As if my mind hadn’t been blown enough already, ‘Evel Kinevel’ starts with a gospel chorus, god clap and everything, and was awesome! Then we get a great indie riff with Adams amazing vocals over the top. Once again, it builds perfectly to the now expectedly huge chorus, just made to be played to massive festival crowds around the world! It’s yet another song that I can expect to be stuck in my head for the next few days, and is yet another fantastic track!

Single ‘The Last Dance’ brings the blues riffing back, much like ‘Move Your Body’. Both are great, up-tempo tracks that definitely get you… well… moving your body! They definitely sound distinctly like Foreign Affairs while having a more indie-rock edge to them. And they break up the album pretty perfectly, keeping the energy up around the mid-point.

The next few tracks slow things down again with some great ballad writing. Whether it’s the Bay-like acousticness of ‘Baby Blue’ or ‘Adam’s Song’ or the piano-led nature of ‘Flowers in the Window’, it’s all so beautiful and powerful. I do have to say it does grind the pace of the album down to a crawl a touch, and is a lot of slower stuff all at once. I don’t know if it’s just my tiny attention span, but I think I’d struggle to listen to all four tracks one-after-another on many listens. All are incredible songs on their own, but when together it’s a touch much for me, and highlights how insanely stacked the first half of the album is. Still, if you like more of an easy-listening vibe, check out every single one of these. ‘Hummingbird and Me’ in particular is another massive highlight track.

The album concludes with a two parter; ‘One Minute’. Part 1 is amazing, the vocal delivery honestly giving me goosebumps at times. It’s the perfect nearly-two-minutes of folk-rock. Meanwhile part 2 is a full-length track packed full or a similar brilliant, beautiful, vulnerable level of emotion. They very much fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and while are incredible separate, are perfect together. How is it not one of the biggest tracks of the year already? If you check out anything off this album, let it be this; it’s truly phenomenal. The lyrics are incredible, and the instrumentation and delivery fit the gravitas of them perfectly. What a way to close out this release!

Overall: This is an incredible release! I went into it not really knowing what to expect and was utterly blown away by the whole thing. There are so many killer tracks on this, and practically no filler. The band blend genres seamlessly, and have put out something truly heartfelt and personal with this release. I am a new, huge fan of the band, and already cannot wait to hear what they do next. However, for now, I’ll be spinning this a bunch moving forward!

The Score: 9.5/10

Reviews

President, Wells Ferrari and More: EPs Galore!

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A stacked week of EPs for us to check out, from metal to indie to rock. Lets check it all out!

PRESIDENT: King of Terrors

The new mystery masked band (definitely not fronted by Charlie Simpson) have dropped their debut EP this weekend. Does it live up to the insane hype around them? Personally, no, but I’m certainly not the target audience for this sort of music. It’s very Sleep Token, and y’all know how I feel about them. It’s a touch more interesting and heavy than them, but still incorporates a lot of the same pop and electronic elements around the big riffs and occasional screams. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think it’s quite worth all the hype. ‘Fearless’ was a fun, almost Skillet-esque track, while the riffing in ‘Dionysus’ was good too. However, the good moments were few and far between, and there are only so many trap and hip-hop beats I can hear in metal before I immediately get bored of them. If you are into this sort of thing awesome, you’ll surely get a lot out of it, but it wasn’t for me at all. I can’t give it any more than 5/10, sorry lads!

Wells Ferrari: Wasted Time

The sophomore EP from the indie-Americana duo is just as good as their last, drawing together their last string of single releases into the perfect 23-minute release. The band’s sound is excellent, being a slightly more chilled out version of the likes of Mumford & Sons or even Evan Honer. The lyrics throughout are fantastic and packed full of emotion, while the pairs vocal harmonies are a solid highlight time and time again. From the excellent title track to ‘Bending’ to the epic ‘Cloud of Rain’, there are so many fantastic songs. However, there really isn’t a bad song on here; all of them are excellent. It’s the perfect release to throw on and sit back and chill-out to. The band are on track to become massive in the scene sooner rather than later, and this release will surely push them closer to that. If you are at all into the genres I’ve mentioned check this out as soon as you can! 8.5/10

Delilah Bon: PRINCELESS PRINCESS

Delilah follows up her phenomenal 2024 album with this four-track collection released between all her heavy touring schedule. It honestly feels like it acts as an extention of EHFF, bridging the gap between that and whatever is next. I do have to say it’s not quite as memorable as the album, but is still a damn good release! The opener/title track is awesome and been stuck in my head since I first checked it out. ‘CINDERELLA’ is a fantastic track too that I’m sure will go down a storm live. Meanwhile ‘BUSH’ is tongue in cheek and got a chuckle out of me, though I’m sure she makes some good points for women.

It’s impossible for Delilah to put out something I don’t love though, as her vocal ability is so insanely underrated. From her rapping to screaming, it’s all so good, and she’s very much kept it all turned up to 11. And she is PISSED throughout this, it making the delivery of her fantastic lyric writing even better. The instrumentation is great too, the electronic and heavy punk guitars fitting together perfectly, making an amazing backdrop for the vocals.

It’s a short release that has immediately made me come away wanting more, but for now I am more than glad to settle with this. A great addition to her already stellar discography! 8.5/10

Last Hyena: Suspect Your Elders

The first live gig we covered here at Overtone, this band have a special place in my heart for that. Add to that the fact that they are insane instrumentalists and songwriters, and I was damn hyped for this release. They didn’t disappoint at all, this is awesome! The mainly instrumental 16 minutes is a solidly awesome listen of proggy, mathy stoner rock, and blew my mind in multiple places. We even got some gang vocals on the opening track, a big highlight and made the track somehow even better. There isn’t a bad one on here, though. It certainly won’t be for everyone, but if you are at all curious I cannot recommend checking it out enough! The riffing throughout is top notch, and everyone is working their asses off from start to finish. A very easy 8/10!

House of Hosts: Reckoning

The debut EP from the hard rock/alt metallers is a home run right out of the gate! This is a fantastic release from start to finish, packed full of a big riffs, arena-filling melodies and some great screams here and there. I love this new generation of bands that are inspired by the likes of Godsmack, Nonpoint and Breaking Benjamin, and I would argue this release is up there with a lot of what those bands have put out! There’s even a slight hint of Tool at times, which I love! All four tracks are amazing and highlights in their own right, picking just one or two is impossible. If you are at all into hard rock or metal, stop reading this right now and check this release out immediately, it really is that good! I’m going to be spinning this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can’t give it any less than 9/10. If it was a full release, it may have even gotten top marks!

Eirra: Instructions Unclear

The indie-pop songwriter put out her debut EP this weekend, and it makes for a fun, chilled-out release! It’s not typically the sort of thing I listen to, but I honestly had a blast listening to this! From the quirky electro-pop of ‘Mona Lisa’ to the more acoustic indie-folk of ‘Soho’ and ‘Somehow, Someday’, there’s a hell of a lot to love. It’s easy to see why she’s a rising star pegged for big things in the future, and as a first non-single release, this is a fantastic start! If you are into the lighter stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! Throw it on and just sit back and relax and get lost in it, I know I did! A surprisingly (for me) solid 8/10 from us!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Glenn Hughes, Blessthefall and More!

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A typically stacked week of New Music Mondays for us to dive into, with everything from metal to country. Let’s dive right in!

Glenn Hughes: Chosen

The former Deep Purple frontman (amongst plenty else) released his first studio solo album in nearly a decade last week. I’m always a little hit and miss when it comes to Glenn’s music, but I actually rather enjoyed this! I went in with no expectations and came out liking the album! ‘Voice in my Head’ is a great opener, while tracks like ‘Heal’, the Sabbath-y ‘The Lost Parade’ and ‘Black Cat Moon’. The riffing is the real highlight of the album but Glenn’s vocals fit perfectly over the top of it, making me not even mind them for once. It’s a really solid heavy blues album by a real legend in the genre. If you are at all into his previous stuff, or more sludgy rock in general, this is well worth checking out! I probably won’t listen to the album in full much, but the odd track will definitely be in heavy rotation moving forward! 8/10

Blessthefall: GALLOWS

Returning after a four year hiatus, the US metalcore quartet are taking no prisoners with their seventh album. It goes HARD and heavy, but also has plenty of big, melodic choruses and moments. The opener sets the pace for the album perfectly, but tracks like ‘Wake the Dead’ and ‘Y.S.A.B.’ that perfect the formula. Then there’s the three awesome guest-feature tracks. Caskets, Alpha Wolf and Story of the Year all bring different sounds to their collabs, and really help break up the album perfectly. My favourite is the insanely aggressive Alpha Wolf one, but that’s not a surprise given how much I liked their last album! Then there’s the metalcore ballad ‘Light the Flame’ that somehow fits exceptionally well around the rest of the heavier stuff. And for once we don’t have a modern US metalcore album close on a slow soppy track, ‘This Ends with Us’ going just as hard as everything else!

The whole album is just sick, honestly! I have to admit I was familiar with the bands name and style, but not particularly with their music. With their last release coming seven years ago, it was before I majorly got into the modern metal sound. So, as a first real jumping off point, this is incredible, and definitely makes me want to check out more of their older stuff! Whether you’re a newb like me or a long-time fan, this album is worth checking out if you are at all into the heavier end of metal! 8.5/10

Lanie Gardner: Faded Polaroids

The sophomore EP from the pop country/Americana singer-songwriter has been a rather anticipated release for us here at Overtone! We checked out her debut album less than a year ago and had a great time with it. She also put out an EP back in only June that somehow topped it again. While said EP is integrated into this release, they are far from the only highlights of the release. Don’t get me wrong, ‘Takin’ The Slow Ride’ is still my favourite track she’s put out, but there are tonnes of highlights on this. Whether it’s other EP highlights like ‘Boys like You’ or ‘Buzzkill’ to new songs like ‘Boot Down’ or ‘Rattle and the Devil’s Whip’, there’s plenty to fall in love with here! It’s a modern sound, drawing comparisons to everything from Megan Moroney to Alana Springsteen to Lindsay Ell. Hell, the girls in country are killing it right now, and Lanie is quickly working her way up to join those other names! Her vocals are fantastic, and it’s clear she has a big hand in writing it as you can heat her emotion throughout!

Shockingly, the length barely bothered me here, too. Every song is excellent, and there wasn’t one I’d think of cutting, damn impressive on an 18-track album! It does loose a bit of momentum somewhere in the middle, but is broken up rather well with a couple of higher energy tracks. In yet another year jam-packed with awesome country releases, this is a definite standout. She is somehow getting better and better with each release, and I can’t give this any less than 9/10!

Tallah: Primeval: Obsession // Detatchment

The third studio album from the new-nu-metalers has a lot of hype to live up to! I loved their last release, as well as their debut, and feel they are one of the most underrated bands in metal today.

It’s certainly another interesting release! They seem to have gone even more quirky and proggy than their previous stuff, lean more into Mr Bungle Tool or (unsurprisingly) Dream Theater at times. Heck, there’s even just a touch of Alien Ant Farm at times, though that may be more Justin’s vocal delivery. Speaking of Justin, another INCREDIBLE vocal performance from front to back, being easily one of the best vocalists in the business today. However, that shouldn’t take away from the rest of the band, as they are working their asses off throughout. From some awesome riffing to expectedly excellent drumming to some awesome extra bits in record scratching and strings, it’s all incredible and fits so well.

As for the songs themselves, they’re fucking awesome. Whether it’s the opener, the Tooly ‘A primeval obsession’ into the perfect double-up of ‘_la|cuna_’ into ‘A primeval detatchment’, and then the final three full tracks being amazing heaviness, there is so much to love. And heck, any of the tracks I haven’t mentioned are also fantastic. 42 minutes goes by in a flash, and the release is a surprisingly easy listen throughout. I honestly thought at the start this would be a bit of a grower, and it still may be, but by the end of the first listen I already love it. None do it quite like Tallah, blending together so many different late 90s/early 2000s sounds but making them wholly unique to them, and it’s an album I’d recommend any metalhead out there listen to! Another 9/10

Fury: Interceptor

The fifth studio album from the hard rock/heavy metal Brits finally dropped to much hype on Friday, and honestly it deserved every bit of it! It feels a little lighter and blusier overall than their other stuff, but I think it may work in their favour. The band are all such talented musicians and their songwriting prowess is on full display throughout this release to match it. It’s also almost impossible to pick highlights, as the whole thing is awesome! It’s like the perfect combination of Metallica, Iron Maiden, H.E.A.T. and even a healthy hint of Battle Beast. Heck, then you have the almost country/Southern metal ‘Walk Away’, and there is plenty of variety throughout! The band have been building momentum for years now, yet still remain somehow one of the most underrated acts around. I have already spun this a couple of times through this weekend, and have no intention of slowing down any time soon! If you are at all into rock or metal, I cannot recommend this enough! 9.5/10

La Dispute: No One Was Driving the Car

The first album from the emo/post-hardcore band in six years, it’s clear they haven’t lost that special something that brought them to the dance. From the fantastic lyrics to Jordan Dreyer’s emotion-filled delivery to some awesome guitar work and proggy arrangements, this is definitely a La Dispute album. And hell, it’s a good one, at that! Anyone who’s checked them out prior knows that they are an acquired taste and certainly not for everyone, but their fans will surely love this just like I do. Don’t get me wrong, it’s long, even I was tapping out at times during its 75-minute runtime, especially when a lot of it is similar. However, the poetry of the lyrics and the constant shift in focus between the different vocal styles and big riffs kept me hooked over and over again. Tracks like the opener, ‘The Field’, the title track to the wonderfully prog epic ‘Environmental Catastrophe Film’, there are plenty of highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on this thing! Don’t get me wrong, I do sometimes get the odd hint of a Kyle Gordon vibe at times, but if anything it just adds to the enjoyment!

If you are at all curious, check this out, you may like it as much as I did! While I wouldn’t recommend maybe if you’re full-on depressed/struggling, just turning this on in a dark room with some headphones on and really getting lost in it and feel it is quite the experience. A very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Liam St. John: Man of the North

The debut studio album from the blues-rock/Americana man and his band dropped last Friday, and is utterly fantastic! I somehow wasn’t familiar with him until I checked him out ahead of Long Road this year, and after seeing him I was pretty hyped for this album. It lives up to said hype in a great way, being a bourbon-and-sex drenched nearly-hour of blues-Americana. It’s a style that is already right up my street, and St. John performs it to near perfection! Taking clear inspiration from the modern titans in the genre like Gary Clark Jr, Jack White or even early Highly Suspect, while giving it his own twist and sound thanks to his Nashville roots. From the likes of ‘forefathers’ and ‘Off the Rails’ to ‘Everything I Had’ and ‘Landslide Over the Highway’, there are so many massive highlights. But, once again, there really isn’t a bad track on here! It’s a big collection, but definitely worth a full listen at least once if you get the chance!

My only ever so slight note is that ‘If I Were my Father’ was a rather subdued opener and a bit of an odd choice; something more up-beat may have made it even better! Still, hardly a big complaint, as the album is still incredible! If you’re into any of the styles or bands mentioned above, I cannot recommend this alvum enough! I’ll definitely be spinning this a fair bit in the weeks and months to come, and it gets a very easy 9/10 from us!

Leonie Jakobi: What Are the People Gonna Say?

The debut album from the German singer-songwriter rocker is honestly a fantastic release! It’s got a great up-beat, old-school punk-pop vibe that is sure to get you up and dancing! From the opener to the beautiful ‘What Happened to Us’, the rockin’ ‘Don’t Mind Me’ and ‘I Deserve to Shine’, there are plenty of massive highlights throughout. However, there isn’t bad track throughout! It’s impossible not to have a good time listening to this, and it went by in a flash. She’s building a solid hype around her with her touring the last couple of years, and this album will surely help that to push her to new heights! Her vocals are incredible, emphasised perfectly by the great mix throughout, and it all adds even more weight to the already fantastic lyric writing. If you like the lighter side of rock, this is definitely one for you! 8/10

FM: Brotherhood

The British hard/AOR rockers returned with their fifteenth album this last Friday. Honestly, I’ve never been hugely into the band in the past, but I did enjoy listening to them! Maybe it’s more live that I’m not hugely into them, because I had a blast with this from front to back! How I missed their last two albums is beyond me too, will definitely have to revisit Old Habits and Thirteen if they sound close to this. The first four tracks are AOR perfection, while songs like ‘Don’t Call it Love’ and ‘Because of You’ are also massive highlights. Yes, it is all a little samey, so 52-minutes is maybe a little overkill, but it’d be hard to cut any of the tracks as they’re all damn good! I’ve definitely become more of a fan of the band, and will be listening to this again pretty regularly for the rest of the year. It’s another feel-good release, and if you’re into more softer rock, check this out ASAP. Another very solid 9/10 in a great week!

Syncolima: Move Mountains

The third album from the British stoner metal band is maybe the best they’ve ever released! The band’s talent was never in question, but is once again on full display throughout this whole 40-minutes. They feel like they’ve really come into their own here, confidently blasting out amazing riffs and some great vocal hooks over and over. Tracks like ‘Mistakes Were Made’, the title track and the perfectly titled ‘Kill All the Billionares’ are all personal highlights, but the whole album is awesome! Plus, the production is top notch, definitely a step up from their other stuff. It’s not wonder the band are gathering some serious momentum, and this release will surely only add to that! 8/10

Swollen Teeth: Ask Nothing

The debut album from the masked metal collective is dark, heavy and quirky, all in equal measure. It’s definitely got the nu metal and brutality of early Slipknot, but a bit more of hardcore punk edge to it too, almost Turnstille-esque. Tracks like ‘Money and Greed’, the ‘Purity’-like ‘Foster’ and the hardcore ‘Ask’ are all personal highlights, but every track on here is a bit of a banger! They’re just so interesting, fitting right in alongside Tallah above as an exciting new twist on nu-ish metal. It’s an incredible release from a band that are already making waves, and it immediately makes me want to hear more of what is to come. Check this out if you are at all into this side of metal. 8.5/10, good stuff!

Jonah Kagen: Sunflowers and Leather

Somehow a massive name in country/folk that I hadn’t heard of until this weekend, Jonah has instantly made me a new fan of his work! Straight off the bat, yes, it’s another nearly hour-long, 16-track release, and it certainly has times where it drags. However, his vocals are captivating, especially when the harmonies come in behind, and his lyric writing is truly phenomenal. It’s like a combination of Evan Honer, James Bay and Mumford and Sons, it’s awesome! The one-two-punch of the opener into the title track is incredible, as are tracks like ‘Black Lung’, ‘The Reeper’ and ‘Burn Me’. He’s done a fantastic job of picking the albums singles and, while there are some slight lulls, these six tracks and others more than make up for that.

He fits in rather perfectly in with the currently indie-Americana rising scene alongside the likes of Wyatt Flores or Crowe Boys, but also very much does things his own way. This is fucking amazing, and well worth checking out regardless of what you are into. He has a huge new fan in me, and it’s yet another big 9/10! Heck, it may even get higher with more listens, too!

Features, Reviews

Hella Rock 2025: The Big Bad Review!

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The second edition of Hella Rock festival took over the HMV Empire in Coventry last weekend, bringing seven incredible bands with it! We had the pleasure of heading down to check it all out, and knew we had to shout about how great it was!

Mystiek opened things up in style. They tore the Empire a new one with their insane energy right from the gate. Being pretty heavy but still having some catchiness and melody to them, they were the perfect way to kick off the day! It was somehow the first time I’d really heard them, but they almost immediately made a new fan in me. They’re all clearly talented musicians, and put their all into their performance here!

After some brief technical issues. Eddie & The Wolves took to the stage. It’s no secret at this point that I am in this band, so of course I’d praise the set. However, I had a blast on stage, and the rest of the band seemed to, too! Thank you so much to James and the rest of the Hella Rock team for having us on and being so accommodating, and for every single person that showed up early to check us out! I thought we sounded pretty good, and it was fun to play a shorter set full of energy throughout after a summer of slightly longer sets. Of course, let us know what you thought in our comments though, especially if you disagree!

Outlaw Orchestra followed swiftly suite and blew the roof off the place! Any longtime readers know we love these guys, and it’s been too long since we’ve seen them live! They were on top form again here, and it was so great to hear some of their new songs make it into their set! The band have grown into some of the best performers on the circuit in recent years, with multi-instrumentalist Pete Briley bouncing all over the stage while his brothers-in-arms were stuck behind the kit and at the mic. And, to top it off, they are all such incredibly talented musicians. From the regular rock fair to box guitars, banjos and plenty of percussion, there was never a dull moment! Their Southern rock stylings made them a unique addition to the bill, and they certainly stood out in the best way!

Not long after, another excellent trio took to the stage in Apriori. The fact that these bands can pack so much of a punch and huge sound into their arrangements is incredible, and it would be a rather running theme throughout the night. The keys packed out the songs fantastically, and brought an air of AOR to the heavy blues sound that set them apart in a big way. They look the part and play it just as well, putting on one of my favourite sets of the day!

Electric Black were fan favourites heading in, and on the day! They were the closest thing to straight-up hard rock on the day, and put on a show to match that. It was like stepping back into the 80s in the best way, putting on a performance reminiscent of the likes of GnR or Electric Boys, or modern counterparts like The LA Maybe. The band very much came, saw, and kicked ass! They showed off their talent for both playing and songwriting perfectly, and had plenty of stage presence to go alongside it. They have been around a little while now and their live shows are like a well-oiled machine, being polished in a way only a rough hard rock band can be!

Tattoo Molly took the stage like they had something to prove, and they did just that! Only their second show under their new lineup, you wouldn’t have thought that they’d had minimal prep time as they smashed it out of the park to the hometown crowd. While it took the new frontman Tim a little to warm up, everyone else put on an immediately electric show, and he soon warmed up to join them! It was a great setlist full of their biggest and best hits, performed masterfully to an adoring crowd. Even with the bands leader also being the organiser for the festival, Tattoo Molly have owned the festival for two straight years now, making the most of their slot!

Fury have returned with a vengeance this year, it feels, and their live shows match up to that. On the verge of dropping their massive new album, the band are firing on all cylinders currently, in a major way! The powerful pairing of Julian and Nyah’s vocals soar perfectly over the heavy, NOWBHM-inspired riffs, making for a fantastic mix of old and new. Speaking of old and new, the band played a great spread of their fantastic back catalogue, thrilling with every track. They have been gathering a wealth of momentum over the last few years and it’s insane that they aren’t one of the biggest bands in the UK currently, especially when they put on shows like this. Still, seeing them in a smallish venue like this is incredible, and the sound for them made it even better!

Finally, the mighty Virginmarys took to the stage. Veterans of the scene by this point, they are no strangers to packed out clubs, and played their asses off accordingly. The fact that they have been so warmly accepted into the NWOCR scene is amazing, and it was clear a large swath of the crowd have been eagerly anticipating the bands set. The fact that it is just two of them making this much noise is mind-blowing, and a true testament to their talent! I love this band yet it was somehow the first time I had seen them live, and I was hugely impressed! Opening on crowd and personal favourite ‘Just a Ride’ was a masterful choice, and playing a lot off The House Beyond the Fires made it even better. They’re headliners and a respected band in the scene for good reason, and they put on one hell of a set to close things out!

And there we have it folks, an excellent day of live rock music! Eight incredible bands that I cannot recommend checking out enough, both live and on track. Tickets are already on sale for next year’s edition of the festival, get them while they’re hot and while you still can. If this year is anything to go off, it’ll be another stellar lineup and will most likely sell out fast!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Bumper Two Week Edition!

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After last week off due to being at The Long Road, we return this week with a massive two week edition of New Music Mondays! With so many awesome albums out in that span, let’s check them all out!

Deftones: Private Music

So, I’ve made little secret to it over the years that, outside of a couple of tracks, I don’t ‘get’ Deftones. I’m going to preface this by saying that this is better than Ohms. I remember reviewing that at my old place and hating it. However, that isn’t saying much. It’s weird too, as I like a lot of the elements on their own. The guitar tone is incredible and some of the riffs are great. The drumming is solid. There are even times I don’t mind Chino’s breathy, whining vocals. But put it all together, and it just feels so incredibly dull to me. Very little stands out from not only each other, but the rest of Deftones’ discography. It makes it feel monotonous, and for me it’s only really good for ambient music in the background. So, I thought it would be easier for me to list the parts I liked than keep being negative: the Soft Play-esque ‘locked club’ was alright. The riff from ‘infinite source’ was good. ‘Milk of the Madonna’ is the most Deftonesy track I’ve ever heard and was probably the best song on the album… and that’s it.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s fine. There are a lot of people who will surely love this. I just don’t quite get how they’re this massive, arena-filling band when they put out the same boring thing over and over. If you like this, awesome, but it sadly isn’t for me, no matter how hard I try to get into it. I can’t give it any more than 5/10; completely average and unremarkable.

Russel Dickerson: Famous Back Home

We’ve already checked out this album! Check out our full review of it here.

Bryan Adams: Roll with the Punches

The Canadian arena rock legend continues to be one of the most underrated studio performers in the world this late in his career. This is a 35-minute masterclass of 80s sleaze-drenched, arena-filling rock that honestly holds up against any of his younger peers. Heck, I’d argue album opener ‘Rolling with the Punches’ stands up there among his extensive greatest hits catalogue. Then you have songs like the blusey ‘A Little More Understanding’ and ‘How’s That Workin’ for Ya” that are also big highlights. However, the album is pretty damn short and packed full of highlights. We enjoyed his last release, but this somehow feels like it’s on another level again. He has no right still putting out music this good when he’s going on 70, but I’m so glad he is because I loved this and am such a big fan of his entire catalogue. If you are at all a fan of the guy, I cannot recommend this enough! A very solid 8.5/10 from us!

Dinosaur Pile-up: I’ve Felt Better

The return album of the British alt-rockers has been a long time coming. Matt Bigland struggled extensively over the last few years with a chronic illness (which he explained in length on their socials), so not only is this him returning to the music landscape after that, but a lot of it details his feelings surrounding it over the last few years. A lot has changed for him and the band, but one thing is for certain: DINOSAUR PILE-UP ARE BACK. Heck, we checked out and reacted to their debut single, so knew it back then, but the whole album is a true testament to not only their talent, but resilience. The title track is a great punk track. ‘My Way’ is back to the bands classic sound in the best way. ‘Big Dogs’ is silly heaviness in the best ways. ‘Quasimodo Melonheart’ is a ridiculous love song, and definitely the name of my next dog.

There are so many highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song on the album! The 40 minutes went by in a flash every time I’ve spun it, and it somehow keeps growing on me. It somehow feels both nostalgic, but completely fresh, like only Dinosaur Pile-Up can do. It’s the perfect area of a heavier, punkier Foo Fighters, but with some hip-hop influence thrown in for good measure. If you’re a fan of the band, or any of that sounds good to you, I cannot recommend this album enough! I’m so glad they’re back, and it’s an easy 9/10 from us! 

Helloween: Giants & Monsters

Album 17 from the German power metal legends is just as awesome as one would expect. It’s that early power metal sound that is rather removed from its modern counterpart, sounding somewhere between Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and H.E.A.T.. Still, they have plenty of similar contemporaries now, and have stayed on the same great trajectory as bands like Accept and Hammerfall. This is a fantastic album, and goes to show why they are regarded as one of the best in their scene. From the opener to ‘We Can be Gods’ to ‘This is Tokyo’, there is so much awesomeness on this release! However, there really isn’t a bad track on it. It’s 10 tracks and almost an hour in length, but a must listen to for any metalhead out there. The band are insanely talented and the sheer fact that they’ve got such a killer discography that keeps growing in size and quality speaks for itself. In a time where power metal is arguably stronger than ever, Helloween have still set themselves apart here and put out something different and great! 8/10

Three Days Grace: Alienation

The first studio release from the TDGX2 era is somehow still exactly what you’d expect from the band, thirty years into their album-releasing careers. Somehow Adam and Matt’s vocals, while just about distinguishable, are so similar that it doesn’t really feel like the two singers thing was needed at all. So, while it’s a novel idea for an alt/dad rock band to have two leads like they’re a European power metal band, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference to their sound. They could have put this out with either Adam or Matt and it would have been the exact same. Tracks like ‘Mayday’ and ‘Deathwish’ are still good songs, and up there alongside some of the bands more recent hits, but as someone who’s not a huge fan of them as is, it’s nothing that’s made me want to listen to them any more than I already do. I remember checking out their last album with just Matt and, honestly, they’re about on the same level. It’s another solid but slightly forgettable 7/10

Old Dominion: Barbara

When I first checked this album out on the way to Long Road, I have to say I wasn’t hugely into it. I think it may be because I loved their last release a lot. And, while this one isn’t a huge step away, there are certainly differences. It feels a little more mature in terms of writing; it feels less trying to get a radio hit and more chilled-out and old-school/Americana based. Having said that, there are still some amazingly catchy choruses, even if they don’t feel as big. But there are also slower, more introspective tracks like ‘Man or the Song’ (my favourite lyrics on the album) that I feel we didn’t get as much of on their last record. So, while I don’t think it’s quite as good as Memory Lane, it has grown on me a lot on a second and third listen. From the opener to ‘Talk Country’ to ‘Sip in the Right Direction’, there are plenty of massive highlights on here. None of the tracks are bad though, the album is just different and needed a little adjusting. Matthew Ramsey’s vocals sound better than ever, and the instrumentation throughout is great! I’d recommend it to any fan of the band or country in general, as it’s still a solid release. It may grow on me more still, but for now it gets a solid 8/10

We Came as Romans: ALL IS BEAUTIFUL… BECAUSE WE’RE DOOMED

The seventh album from the US metalcore titans is a pretty damn solid modern release. It’s very Bad Omens or BMTH and honestly… meh. I completely get that I am in the minority here, the band has so many massive fans, but from the basic dropped riffing, heavy synth-focus and weird screams, it’s just not my thing. Tracks like ‘lake of fire’, ‘Red Smoke’ and ‘no rest for the dreamer’ are pretty good and definite highlights. However, it just feels a tad… bland? Why would I listen to this when I could be listening to something a bit more interesting like Architects or Electric Callboy or (pre-controversy) I Prevail? Everything on this album has been done before and arguably better by other bands. And that isn’t inherently an issue, as I said at the start it’s still a solid modern metalcore album. It’s just not for me, and not one that I’d hurry to listen back to. I’m just trying to justify the score so I don’t get too many angry WCAR fans in the comments… 7/10

Nova Twins: Parasites & Butterflies

The third album from the alt rock duo dropped this last Friday. It’s no secret I’m not really a fan of the girls’ work. So who knows, maybe I’m in a good mood this weekend… but I actually quite liked this! The opener was meh but ‘Piranha’ is a fantastic alt rock track, packed with catchy hooks and heavy riffing. It sets up a run of mostly pretty enjoyable songs for the next half an hour. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all great, but stuff like ‘Soprano’, ‘Sandman’ and ‘Hide & Seek’ are all pretty damn good tracks! I’m not sure if I need to go back and revisit their previous releases or if this is actually a marked jump in quality, but either way I wouldn’t be opposed to listening to a good half of this again, and a fair bit of it made it onto our playlist. It’s still not fully my sort of thing, but I certainly get the hype around the band a little more now. If the album was a little more consisted for me, it would get higher, but for now a solid 7/10. It may grow on me with more listens, too!

Pendulum: Inertia

The electro-rock masters are back with somehow their first studio album in 15 years. We’ve had a couple of EPs to fill the gaps, but it’s nice to finally have a nearly hour-long release to sink our teeth into! If you know the band you know exactly what to expect, and they don’t at all deviate from that. It’s both a good thing and a bad thing, I’d say. The tracks without guests are your standard drum-and-bass Pendulum affair; not bad but would be far better live than on track. Having said that, the heavier ‘Save the Cat’ is pretty sick. The real greatness comes from them working with guests, as it arguably always has. From Wargasm to Scarlxrd to Bullet for my Valentine, their collabs are all pretty awesome. However, the latter reminded me that I’d heard it before, and when I did some research it did put a slight sour taste in my mouth. Half of this album is their previous two EPs. It’s a long album so isn’t a huge issue, but does feel slightly unnecessary. Especially when said tracks are some of the best on the release. On top of that, we’ve had four new singles pre-release, so actually out of 16 tracks, we’ve only gotten four new ones. I know that in this tiny attention span day and age, singles are sadly king, but I find it hard to get hyped about listening to a new album when I’ve heard a lot of it before.

As I said, it isn’t a bad release, and fans of the band will most likely love it. But at this point I’d have happily taken another EP with some of the decent new songs, over an album that just mushes everything from their reunion together. It’s not bad and well worth a listen, but as someone who much prefers this style live to on track, it doesn’t do a great deal for me. 6/10

Feurzchwanz: Knightclub

Another album we’ve already reviewed in full, aren’t you lucky?! Read it here.

Margo Price: Hard Headed Woman

An album I’ve been pretty hyped for since I heard of its release due to how much I loved her 2023 output, the outlaw country/Americana once again knocks it out of the park here! It’s 40-minutes of amazing neo-traditional country music, written and delivered perfectly by Margo. From the opening couple of tracks to things like ‘Losing Streak’, ‘Wild at Heart’ and ‘Kissing You Goodbye’ there is so much awesome, high energy and tempo country-Americana. Also, her duet with Tyler Childers is amazing, their voices and styles meshing perfectly together! From all of that, it does make it sound like there is a bit of a lull in the middle, which isn’t untrue. There’s a couple of slower ones together which, while are both excellent songs, do grind the album’s pace to a halt when paired together. Still, it barely affected my enjoyment of the album at all; it’s an enjoyable listen throughout! If you are at all into Margo’s music or just country in general, I cannot recommend this release enough! She’s one of the most criminally overlooked artists in the genre, and I’m so glad she’s back with more awesome new music! 8.5/10

Walker Hayes: 17 Problems

Four years on from his massive breakout hit ‘Fancy Like’, I’m still not sure if Walker is an industry plant or not. Firstly, did bro country not die out with Florida Georgia Line? And plus, what makes the pretty cringy lyrics even worse is that the guy is going on 50 now, but still writing/singing like a teenager. What’s worse is that there is actually probably all the elements of a great country-pop album in here, just hidden under all the rubbish. There are flashes of Old Dominion at times, which y’all know I love already, but the pop and vague hip-hop elements ruined all of that. There is clearly a big market for this kind of country still, but it’s not even particularly well-done bro country. Like if it was new FGL I may have fucked with it, but this really was a struggle to listen through, especially for 17 tracks. The opener was probably the best track on it, and that was kinda just passable for me. If you like it more power to you, but I can’t give it any more than 4/10. In hindsight, me giving his last album 7/10 was rather generous, but it’s at least less cringy than this!

Hot Mulligan: The Sound a Body Makes When it’s Still

This is a real mixed bag for me. I remember checking them out in the lead-up to Slam Dunk this year and enjoying them, so was at least a little hyped for this album. However, yeah, it’s kinda just there at times. It combines some of my least favourite elements of the genres it draws from; Midwest emo, punk and indie. Heck, there are some awesome math rock guitar licks… in 4/4. However, having said that, as an album as a whole I found myself having a good time listening, even if at times I was surprised by that fact. It starts a little rocky, but tracks like ‘Island in the Sun’ (not that one (woop woop)), ‘Monica Lawinskibidi’, ‘Cream of Wheat of Feet Naw Cream of (feat.)’, ‘Carbon Monoxide Hotel’ and the beautiful, bittersweet ‘Slumdog Scungillionare’ all big personal highlights. I also love that at least bands like this are carrying on the trend of absolutely wild, nonsense and hilarious song titles.

Despite my complaints, the more I listen the more I enjoy this album. It’s not completely my bag, and it is a touch long at 16 tracks. However, I had a good time listening to most of this once I settled into it. It’s certainly not bad, and the band are clearly talented. I probably wouldn’t spin this often aside a random track every so often, but if I was in the mood I’d probably still chuck this on and just get lost in it. It may grow on me even more, but for now it gets a pretty decent 7.5/10

Wolf Alice: The Clearing

The alt/indie rock Brits have become a force to be reckoned with in the scene in the decade that they’ve been releasing music, and this album really demonstrates their size and the reason they are at that point. It’s a massive, sweeping, ambitious release that honestly tops their previous ones with relative ease. This is coming from a guy that didn’t really consider himself a fan of the band either, so the fact that they’ve impressed me this much shows the quality of this release. It just feels BIG, from the production to the quirky writing to the impeccable use of the instrumentation. And Ellie Rowsell’s vocals here… DAMN. Talk about an underrated vocalist! She may be what has drawn me into this album the most, honestly. As I said, everything about it is technically great, but Ellie’s vocal range, power and delivery, coupled with a star power that shines bright through the music, had me hooked. From the absolutely incredible opener to the folky ‘Passenger Seat’ to the heavier ‘White Horses’, there’s plenty to love here!

Is it perfect? Not for me personally. However, they’re another band that I very much ‘get’ now, and had a good time sitting back and appreciating everything this had to offer. It’s another album that does have a significant lull in the middle, but I think it’s less egregious with a band like this that are a little more both chilled-out and experimental. I’d definitely recommend this album, and will definitely be spinning the tracks I’ve named previous, if not the whole album, a good few times over the coming weeks and months. A very solid 7.5/10 from us, and clearly I need to give the bands back catalogue another try!

Part 2 ->