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Graspop Metal Meeting 2024: the Big Bad Review – Day 2

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The Friday started off with… well… rain. And I guess Dynasty were also there! That’s right, Nils Molin squeezed in his second set of the weekend, playing to a sadly fairly small, drenched crowd to open up the North stage. The band took it in their stride, however, playing their hearts out as if they were in front of a stadium crowd. And, being a big fan of their music, I loved it. Every song was awesome, and the crowd that were there hung on every single note. Hopefully they come over to the UK for a tour soon, because I’d LOVE a full set from them!

After that, we, like many other Graspoppers, seeked shelter in the tent, meaning that it was packed for Brand of Sacrifice. They deserved it too, as they were awesome! Their crushing brand of tech deathcore went down a treat in the darker, heavier environment, and the band face the crowd everything they had. I wasn’t too familiar with their individual songs, just knew roughly what they sounded like but came out definitely as a new fan of the band!

The rain subsided just long enough for us to catch most of Brian Downey’s Alive and Dangerous. Being a big Thin Lizzy fan, I couldn’t not love hearing those songs live again, and every member of the band played their parts in them perfectly. It was maybe an odd choice for a metal festival, but hearing the likes of ‘Jailbreak’ and ‘Boys are Back in Town’ live is never something I can hate. It was a nice, chilled out set to ease us into more heaviness later.

Speaking of heaviness, as the rain started back up we headed back into the tent to check out a band I wasn’t familiar with, Borknagar. However, to say I left a fan is an understatement. The proggy folk/black metal sound was amazing, especially in an environment like the marquee, and is the exact sort of sound that I am learning to love from New Music Mondays. The 45-minute set went by in a flash of great riffs, impressive cleans and harsh growls, and I loved every second. The band managed to put on a show without having much to work with, and were simply entertaining to watch and listen to. I’ve had them on a fair bit since getting home, and they’re another band that have won me over with ease!

Hammerfall were an interesting one for me. I enjoy their music and thought they were pretty good live. However, they also felt just a tad off, for some reason. Maybe it’s a case of how dated their stageshow and crowd work is, or the fact that Joacim Cans struggled to shut the hell up between songs, but something just felt a touch off. It kinda just came across like they figured everyone was there just for them which, while the crowd was big, is a crazy attitude to have at 4pm on a festival bill. They were enjoyable and I’d see them again at a festival, but at the same time would happily cross them off my list and wouldn’t be upset if I couldn’t wiggle them into my schedule again.

Shockingly, Fear Factory were one of my surprise highlights of the Friday. I’ve never quite ‘got’ them on track, but it translated pretty damn well into a live setting. It was heavy in all the best ways, and new frontman Milo Silvestro did an awesome job both on vocals and performing. They still don’t really do much for me on track, but I’d love to see them live again now that I am at least a little more familiar with their songs. They were a band we saw just because no one else was on, and I’m so glad we did!

Another interesting set followed them, coming from Iron Maiden legend Bruce Dickinson. Honestly, I came away pretty disappointed, though I feel like it was my fault. As someone who got into heavy music in the mid 2000s, I knew Bruce almost exclusively for his Maiden work, aside for maybe a song or two of solo stuff. And more, for him to come back to his solo stuff after so many years and put out such a kickass album, I was excited to hear it. Then he came out, played a bunch of his old stuff and tucked just one new album track in the middle. So, I was stood around plenty of people who were enjoying it but damn, it wasn’t my sort of thing at all. Still, the band were entertaining to watch, and Bruce held the crowd in the palm of his hand just as well as ever!

Next, we had my (and I think a lot of other people’s too) band of the weekend. Electric Callboy blew the roof off the place, and easily should have headlined. They had the busiest, loudest crowd of the weekend, without exception. We were out by the sound stage and still ended up in a pit, and it was a damn right squeeze. Almost as a result, the band gave it their all to put on one hell of a show. From the opening ‘Tekkno Train’, through crowd favourites old and new, their incredible cover of ‘Every time we Touch’ to the insane closer ‘We Got the Moves’, it was a masterclass in live music. Both Nico and Kevin had fun with the crowd and performed their asses off throughout, as did the rest of the band. We got awesome video parts, and PLENTY of confetti. The only issue, ‘Ratatata’ solo again. But still, it’s a great song and I wasn’t exactly opposed to hearing it twice! This band should be one of the biggest in the world right now, and they are certainly headed that way, in large part to shows like this.

We checked out Turnstile from afar, and I really don’t get the hype. To put them on after Callboy was insane, and felt like suicide for them in front of the crowd. The thing was too is that when they were actually playing, they were quite entertaining. I enjoyed the aggressive punk sound and the energy they had while playing it was great. My issue is that there was so much dead air between that. Whether it was between songs or even in the middle of them, there’d just be silence. Maybe they’re used to crowds chanting their name constantly? But again it comes back to the same point as Hammerfall; not everyone is there to see you. Save that shit for your own gig. It wasn’t bad, but certainly wasn’t my sort of thing and I got bored quick.

Next up were the mighty Priest. Somehow, it has taken me all my life to see the metal gods, even though they really don’t live that far from me (Sneap’s studio is down the road). Part of me feels like it was worth the wait. Are they are good as they were in the prime? Obviously not. But Rob still sounds pretty decent live and is a fantastic frontman, while all the rest of the band kill it on their respective instruments. Don’t get me wrong, I feel like at this point Priest have such a sprawling discography that every time I saw them, I’d miss songs I’d want to see. However, finally seeing ‘Electric Eye’, ‘Hellbent for Leather’ and ‘Painkiller’ live was awesome. We even got Rob coming out on his bike for ‘…Leather’, which was awesome. I would have liked to have had even one more song off the latter album, though. Hopefully next time! But yeah, a great set, and a worthy headline one.

I’ve seen Five Finger Death Punch a few times now, my last being not long before Ivan’s breakdown and rehab stint. Somehow, they were better back then. This felt like your average, run-of-the-mill afternoon set; very little style or substance or show, just the band coming out, playing the songs, and fucking off again. That could pass if a) they weren’t headlining over Priest/Callboy and b) their songs weren’t so goddamn basic and repetitive too. Heck, the fact that they have a song with Rob Halford, he’d just done a set and they DIDN’T BRING HIM OUT FOR THE SONG, is honestly insane. The band played in practically darkness, which was weird, and while hearing some of the old Way of the Fist stuff was nice, I’ve heard them do it better in years past. Ivan was his usual obnoxious self, but less appealing, and the rest of the band were just sort of there. This set proved that the band are not headline material, and it left a real bitter taste in my mouth, to be honest.

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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Willie Nelson, Shaboozey and More!

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A pretty stacked week of new music this week, featuring everything from massive country stars to smaller, heavy bands. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Willie Nelson: The Border

The country legend himself put out yet another album this last Friday, marking his first of the year and whopping seventh in this decade already. Somehow, this is the first we have managed to cover here at Overtone. I’ve always been a fan, it’s WILLIE FUCKING NELSON for Christ stakes, and honestly, this album is another pretty great entry into his extensive discography. It’s traditional country at its very best, and it’s insane that a man in his 90s still has this consistently good an output. Tracks like ‘What if I’m Out of my Mind’, ‘Many a Long and Lonesome Highway’ and ‘How Much does it Cost’ are all big highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song on the album. It’s just a fun, relaxing listen from a true idol in the industry. It doesn’t do anything daring or reinvent the wheel, but it’s a safe album from someone who could have easily hung up their boots over two decades ago. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and it gets an easy 7.5/10 from me!

Shaboozey: Where I’ve Been, Isn’t WhereI’m Going

Bad grammar in the album title aside, this is a pretty highly anticipated album with a lot of hype around it. His rendition of ‘Tipsy’ has been everywhere, and for good reason! It’s the only song I’ve heard off the album though, so I’m excited to hear if the rest is just as good!

It’s certainly a good blend of hip-hop and country, blending the styles together pretty perfectly and sounding pretty fresh and modern. It almost feels like the continuation of ‘Old Town Road’ that we sadly never got from Naz. Tracks like ‘Last of my Kind’ and ‘Highway’ have real epic sound to them, incorporating more Americana to the sound than anything else. The production also does the tracks wonders, sounding as massive (and pretty similar to) some of Imagine Dragons’ hits.

Don’t get me wrong, some of it is a bit too pop for me. It’s a good album overall and to listen through, but there are definitely some songs I wouldn’t listen to on their own. He was the perfect fit for Beyoncé’s ‘country’ album, for sure, and he and Cam were certainly the highlights of that otherwise dire release. This is better than that for sure, but I am slightly worried this is going to be what popular country is going forward. Because it’s certainly pretty loosely associated with the genre in terms of sound. Hopefully it can exist alongside the neo-traditional and more rock influenced stuff and we get it all at the top.

But yeah, overall, it’s a damn good album. It will do extremely well with mainstream audiences, and I think in that regard it lives up to the hype. He’s going to be a massive name sooner rather than later, and this third album of his will be a big factor in it! 7/10

The Hope Conspiracy: Tools of Oppression/Rule by Deception

The hardcore punk band are back with their first full-length release in 14 years. The band filled the gap with a couple of EPs in the middle, but even still, that’s one hell of a stretch between new music. The band still have it too, which makes it even crazier. The hardcore sound isn’t particularly my sort of thing, but the band do it excellently here and it’s hard not to get into some of it. Tracks like ‘The Profits and Doom’ and ‘Of a Dying Nation’ are major highlights for me. However, it’s a well put together album that flows pretty perfectly between the tracks. If you’re into the style, or just generally feel in an angry, break-stuff mood, I’d definitely recommend giving it a spin! 6.5/10

Crowded House: Gravity Stairs

This is a great blend of Bowie and Dire Straits; and the perfect album to throw on to relax to or have on in the background. The Australian pop/alt rock band have been back together since 2019, this being their second release in this stint. It’s an old-school sound that feels pretty nostalgic to the time in the 80s when they were formed. It’s hard to hate it as it’s an album that feels like it’s just written to make you smile and feel better, despite half of the lyrical content. Songs like ‘Teenage Summer’ and ‘Some Greater Plan’ showcase exactly what I’m on about. As seems to be the case this week, it’s not fully my sort of thing, but it’s a great 40-minute collection of soft-rock that doesn’t overstay its welcome and both has highlights as well as working well as a whole. The band have knocked it out of the park with this release, and it makes me just wanna get stoned to it. 7/10

Rhapsody of Fire: Challenge the Wind

The Italian melodic, symphonic metal band returned with their 14th studio album this last Friday. The follow-up to 2021’s epic Glory for Salvation, the four singles released beforehand are already excellent. Therefore, I cannot wait to check out the full release!

It’s another fantastic release from the insanely talented band. Right from the epic opener/title track, through other highlights ‘The Bloody Pariah’, ‘Vanquished by Shadows’ and ‘Black Wizard’, to the closing notes of the amazing ‘Mastered by the Dark’, this is a fantastic journey through and through. Every member of the band is so insanely talented, and have produced such a well rounded, enjoyable collection of epic tracks that there really isn’t a bad one on it. It really feels like the apex of the power/heavy metal crossover sound, and a real career highlight release for sure. Everything about this is awesome, and if you’re into metal at all I cannot recommend it enough! I’mma be jamming this a lot moving forward, and I can’t pick a single fault. I’m already had it on three times over the weekend and it just keeps getting better and better. I can’t not, it has to get a 10/10 from me. Wow!

Swamp Dogg: Bluegrass: from West Virginia to 125th St

This was just big, dumb Bluegrass/country-soul fun, and I loved it. It’s rare I get the chance to check any of the genre out here, and though I tend to prefer it a lot more live, this was a great listen. Don’t get me wrong, there is some good more serious/emotional stuff too, like ‘Have a Good Time’ or ‘Song to Sing’. But then you have stuff like the awesome, Margo Price-featuring ‘To The Other Woman’ or ‘Ugly Man’s Wife’ or ‘Your Best Friend’ are light-hearted fun, and huge highlights.

It’s easy to discount his skill and talent with it being an old-fashioned style, but Swamp Dogg is an amazing player, vocalist and writer. His lyrics are captivating, no matter the topic, his playing is amazing and his vocals still hold up five plus decades into his career. I love the 50s-doowop-style call-and-response vocals throughout too, making it even more fun. This went by in a flash and didn’t at all feel like over 40-minutes of music. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to, and will definitely be listening again in the coming weeks and months. He has such incredible talent, and for all of that, it’s an easy 7.5/10 from me!

Saving Vice: Good Days, Dead Eyes

This is very much a tale of two halves, for me. And, while it’s not a complete half-and-half split, I did find the second half of the album far superior. The band draw a lot of different sounds together, building on their baseline of metalcore with both Ice Nine Kills’ death leanings and Bad Omens’ baddiecore, with a healthy dose of Skillet and Linkin Park mixed in too. I much prefer the former. The heavier tracks like ‘Haec Est Ars Moriendi’, ‘Blood or Wine?’, ‘The Cabel’ and ‘Trauma Sousa’ are all amazing. The screams, heavy riffs and breakdowns are incredible, and they still add some catchy clean vocal hooks in too. And it’s not even just the heavy tracks I like, as the closer and title track are also great.

However, the other half of the album didn’t quite grip me as much as this. It’s not bad, don’t get me wrong, but songs like the opener and ‘Cry, Wolf’ felt decidedly meh, and like a completely different band to the other aforementioned tracks. I don’t think they ruin the other songs all that much, but damn, if they were all like ‘Trauma’ or ‘Haec’, it may have ended up with top marks. It’s a solid metalcore album that I’m sure will have massive wide-scale appeal, and deserves to push the band to massive heights. But for me personally, there are a handful of tracks that I can take or leave. Still it’s an easy 8/10

Wormwood: The Star

The Swedish black metal-ish band are back with their first album in three years. It’s got some great production on it, which is always a nice surprise with black metal. The melodic side of the band shines through heavily in the album too, making it all sound and feel even more epic. The dynamics of tracks like the opener and ‘Thousand Doorless Rooms’ are awesome too, being proggy awesomeness of both heavy and dropped-down, more atmospheric parts. They also go back to their black’n’roll roots on tracks like ‘Liminal’, which was pretty awesome. However, y’all know my feelings on black metal by now. For black metal it’s pretty great, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to listen to it. However, if it came on again I certainly wouldn’t turn it off. If you’re into black metal, I would certainly recommend it. It gets an easy 6.5/10 from me!

East of Reno: Self-Titled

This seemed to start out its life as an EP, but the band have since changed their minds, bumped it up to eight tracks and made it a full debut album. However, regardless, the UK based Americana band have knocked it out of the park with their debut full-length release. It’s a chilled out, well written, and surprisingly heavily emotional eight tracks. And it’s also so interesting hearing a British take on the genre, it feeling like a combination of Americana with Dire Straits. Tracks like ‘Break the Pattern’ also have a certain great Bowie edge to them. Said track is a big highlight of the EP, as are ‘Brothers’ and the beautiful ‘Night of Nothing’.

The band’s PR team really put it perfectly. “It’s a record that gives a voice to the loneliness of any of us sat solo at the bar, or walking through the wilderness, not sure of what we’ll find when we get to wherever the hell it is we’re going to”. It’s a really good listen from front to back, regardless of whether it’s 100% your sort of thing or not. I really enjoyed it, and will certainly be listening to at least a couple of the tracks again a fair bit in the near future. It’s an easy 7.5/10 from us!

Kameron Marlowe: Keepin’ The Lights On

The sophomore album of the country-rock superstar picks up right where his debut left off a couple of years ago. ‘911’ is the perfect opener; a high energy, foot stomping track that’s a big highlight. Other rocking tracks include ‘Lock Me Up’. Then you have slightly slower, darker, epic songs like ‘Nothin’ Slowin’ us Down’ and ‘Tennessee Don’t Mind’ that are all also major highlights. And damn, the duet track with the amazing Ella Langley, ‘Strangers’, is phenomenal. And there’s the odd ballad track to break up all of those too. It’s a really well put together album that keeps things interesting and almost doesn’t feel nearly an hour long. In terms of country albums, it deals with its bloating a lot better than most.

Kameron has such a fantastic voice, it’s fits every style he plays and it’s easy to see why he’s gotten so big so quick. I hadn’t heard of him until I checked out the song he did with Megan Moroney on her album last year. Since then, I fell in love with his debut album, and this one is easily up there with that one, too. Sure, it gets a touch slow by the last few tracks and does drag just a little, but if you’re a country fan I’d highly recommend it! It’s an easy 8.5/10 from me!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Bring Me the Horizon, Twenty-One Pilots and More!

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A MASSIVE week of New Music Monday this week, with plenty of massive albums being released. Let’s waste no time and dive right in to check them out!

Bring Me the Horizon: POST HUMAN: NeX GEn

Though this album has been know about and delayed for months at this point, it was almost still a surprise release, with the date being announced just the day before. 16 tracks, (six of which we’ve already heard) totalling nearly an hour of music. That’s a lot of meh! As much as I want to be a BMTH fan, and as much as I try to be, I simply cannot get into it at all. I give them all the props in the world for their sound reinventions and pioneering the style that has since become this post-Deftones ‘baddie-core’, but I’m certainly not it’s target audience, and it certainly isn’t for me.

If you’re a fan of the band’s modern sound, especially over the last five years or so, you’ll most likely love this. I don’t mind a few of tracks from their Sempiternal/That’s the Spirit era, so when they replicate that sort of sound I don’t mind it. They also have a couple of breakdowns that go pretty hard. But, and it may be a controversial opinion (especially when I’m not a fan of them), I think Bad Omens simply do the electronic/pop metalcore thing better these days.

It’s not a bad album; don’t get me wrong. Songs like ‘DArkSide’ and ‘AmEN!’ are personal highlights, being at least built on the same foundation of their earlier stuff. However, most of the rest ranges from average to, in the case of ‘DiE4u’, outright cringy. As I said, fans of the band’s current sound will love this, and it isn’t terrible. But I’m already seeing people GUSHING all over it, and, in this personal writer’s opinion, it’s going to be a very overrated album. It’s a ‘metal’ album for people who don’t like metal. So, for that, it gets a 3.5/10

Twenty-One Pilots: Clancy

Fun fact: Twenty-One Pilots’ last album was one of two reviews that came out on this site when we started up. You can find it here. As you can tell, we didn’t enjoy it all too much. Was this one an improvement over that, three years later?

Lol, no.

Is it necessary a bad album? No. Is it what I want out of the band? Also no. I got into them at Vessel and the sequel, which both feel demonstrably different to their current sound. However, after three albums of this now, I think I have to come to terms with the fact that this is Twenty-One Pilots now. If you liked Trench and Scaled and Icy, you’ll most likely love this. Again, it’s not a bad album, but I also wouldn’t call it a good album. It’s just kinda there. It’s fine for moody background music if you want to throw something on while you cook or drive. But not a thing, moment or track stood out to me to mention here. It’s just meh alt-pop music. And for that, it gets another 3/10

Lenny Kravitz: Blue Electric Light

The rock singer/guitarist is still going strong, over three decades after his breakout hit. Bring his first album in six years, and 12th overall, you’d be let off for assuming the nearly-60 year old is doing this as a cash grab or just putting out music for the hell of it because he’s written what he wants to. While both may be true, it’s also a good album.

Touching on everything from rock, blues and psychedelic to pop, electro and easy listening, the man’s songwriting and creativity are both still off the charts. And his vocals are still just as flawless as they have always been, fitting perfectly over the effortlessly interesting instrumentation. There’s a lot of 90s nostalgia packed throughout this album, and it’s anything but a bad thing. And yet saying that, it still has a modern edge to it. It doesn’t feel outdated, like some acts going 30+ years do sometimes. There are tonnes of highlights, from the song with the most jealousy-inducing music video of all time, ‘TM421’, to album tracks like ‘Human’, ‘Stuck in the Middle’ and ‘Bundle of Joy’.

The more I was listening to this, the more I was adding almost every song to my playlist. I’ve been a big fan of his since my childhood, but no way was I expecting an album this late in his career to be this good. It almost has magnum opus vibes. I’mma be listening to this a lot going forward, and I’d recommend the full album to absolutely anyone. The only slight issue is that it’s nearly an hour in length. However, when it’s this good, it’s hard to see that as an issue! It’s an easy 9.5/10 from me, damn!

Rotting Christ: Pro Xristou

The Greek metallers put out album number 14 last Friday. Given my questionable relationship with the genre to this point, I had sadly never really given this band a chance. I was certainly wrong not to though, as I loved this! Right from the album’s opener/title track, I was hooked, and that was cemented by the end of ‘The Apostate’. The epic feel throughout was amazing; the symphonic/operatic sound added to the heaviness being perfect and massively (Sorry blak metal fans) improving on the normal base formula of the genre. It probably helps that the production is excellent, too, and doesn’t sound like it’s been recorded on a potato like some of their peers. It’s like the perfect blend of Powerwolf and Behemoth, and I really dig it. Songs like ‘The Sixth Day’ and ‘The Farewell’ are also massive personal highlights, but I honestly enjoyed the whole album. It’s certainly one to listen to from front to back, and I’d recommend it to just about any metal fan! It’s an easy 8.5/10 from me!

Collateral: Should’ve Known Better

The UK sleaze-infused NWOCR band are back with their sophomore album. I’ve been a fan of the band for a few years now and have been pretty hyped for this album. It’s certainly not a let down either, it’s packed full of awesome songs. However, it does feel like something is missing. I don’t think it’s anything with the band either, more rather it’s a production issue. Even blasting it through my headphones, it felt like there was something missing in the mix. The songs remind me of the newer Those Damn Crows stuff, as much as old school Skid Row or Bon Jovi stuff, and I think a mix similar to all of that may have done better. The choruses don’t feel anywhere near big enough; the bass needs cranking and maybe some synth or something in the back just to really make it all sound massive. It sounds thin at times.

Having said all of that, it’s still a damn good hard/glam rock album. Songs like ‘Teenage Dreams’, the opener and the AOR-y ‘No Place for Love’ are all awesome songs, amounts an album full of them. I’d love to hear this whole thing played live, I think it’d translate perfectly to that setting and I’d get even more out of the tracks. Also, the mixing seems to work a lot better on ballad ‘On the Long Road’, the acoustic nature of the song fitting the powerful, multi-layered vocals perfectly. The album will probably grow on me more with subsequent listens, and I certainly love a lot of the infectiously catchy songs. But for now, it gets a tentative (but still good) 7.5/10

Travis Denning: Roads that Go Nowhere

The debut album of a sure-to-be future country megastar is a pretty huge release. Not only is it 15-tracks long, but features guest slots from the likes of HARDY and Josh Ross, and the singles from it so far have amassed millions of streams already. So safe to say, pressure is on this album!

It opens perfectly, with the Chris Stapleton-esque acoustic ballad ‘Why I’m Drinking’. It then heads into a more HARDY/Brantley Gilbert southern rock stomper in ‘I Know How it Sounds’. Songs like the HARDY featuring ‘Southern Rock’ and ‘Strawberry Wine and A Cheep Six Pack’ also follow this sound throughout the album. Then you have songs like ‘Better at Leaving’, ‘Going Places’ and ‘Things I’m Going Through’ that are slower, more radio-country feeling. ‘Someone that Isn’t Me’ is also a beautiful, heart-wrenching ballad, and another massive highlight of the album.

You may be saying to yourself ‘Joe, that’s awesome’, but you’ve only brought up the first two thirds of the album?’. You would be right, dear reader, and there is a very good reason for that. This album’s length hit me like a mac truck when I reached ‘Add Her to the List’. The song itself isn’t bad, but is a cheaper copy of ‘Someone that Isn’t Me’. The other five songs are slower-paced and okay (and the rather cringy Josh Ross-featuring track), but don’t live up to the first nine, in my opinion. It’s another awesome album, but one that could be perfect if it wasn’t for record label greed and stream-farming. I’ll still listen to a lot of this a hell of a lot moving forward, for sure, and I’m enjoying it more and more with each listen. I’d recommend it to any country fans reading this, but it does certainly start to drag by the end. It’s an 8.5/10 for now, but it may score higher with subsequent listens!

Evildead: Toxic Grace

I’ve said it multiple times on this series, but we truly do not cover enough thrash on this channel. However, it does mean when some excellent music in the genre comes along, like this, it makes it even more enjoyable. Heck, I didn’t even need to listen to it or be told that it was thrash, the name and artwork alone screamed it to me, both fitting perfectly with the music. The classic thrash band reunited for a second time in 2016, finally releasing their highly anticipated comeback album in 2020. Since then they have been not only touring, but plugging away at new music, and have finally put out their fourth record this last Friday.

It’s a very old-school feeling thrash album too, in the best way. It reminds me a lot of Anthrax’s early albums. Heck, opener ‘F.A.F.O’ gives off massive ‘N.F.L’ vibes. It’s also one of the many highlight tracks of the album. Others include ‘Subjugated Souls’ and the slower, evil-sounding ‘Bathe in Fire’. The riffing is incredible and it and the drums keep a stomping, thrashing pace throughout. And it also has some of the best guitar soloing I’ve heard all year, at least in metal. A couple of the lyrics are just a touch cringy, but they fit with the general thrash attitude well. My only slight issue with the album is that it’s so rooted in the 80 sound that they started with that it hasn’t really evolved at all. If you’re into that old-school sound religiously, like I know a lot are, you’ll love this a lot. Heck, I still think it’s great, but if they had taken a risk or two or evolved at all, it could be a truly unforgettable record. For now, it doesn’t quite measure up with the top echelons of metal over the last few years.

Still, it’s a damn solid album that I’d more than recommend listening to in full at least once for anyone into thrash. Heck, I’ll certainly be listening to it more moving forward, both individual tracks and the album as a whole. It’s an easy 8/10!

Reviews

Nickelback and Lottery Winners Rock Birmingham!

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Hate all you want, Nickelback are amazing. Now that that is out of the way, yes, we had the absolute pleasure of heading down to Birmingham’s Utilita arena the other night to see the powerhouse Canadians on their Get Rollin’ world tour. Considering I’ve been a fan of them since I was a child, for as long as I can remember, I had somehow never seen them live until this point. However, despite the hate, I’d heard how much they deliver live, and I was more than hyped to finally be seeing them. And they were joined by recent indie superstars Lottery Winners, another band I’d heard are good live. So, it all looked to be great night, but was it?

I have to admit, after checking out a bit of the Lottery Winners’ stuff prior to the show, I wasn’t all too fussed heading in. However, they completely won me over, and barely two songs into their set at that. The sheer charisma of frontman Thom Rylance is magnetic to watch and was enjoyable from the very first minute he stepped on stage, having the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. However, that certainly didn’t take away from the rest of the band. Both Robert Lally and Katie Lloyd work their asses off on stage, having awesome stage presence, playing some awesome guitar and bass lines (respectively), and both proving some incredible backing vocals.

And as a band, they were so tight, too. The professionalism was off the charts, only adding to the amazingness of the show they put on. And, what’s more, they actually looked like they were enjoying themselves. They were having a blast, constantly smiling, and showed and said just how appreciative of the crowd they were. Any band that looks to be enjoying themselves is instantly more enjoyable to watch. And, to my surprise, I got into their songs quite a lot live too. I felt like they translated over better into a live setting, especially one where the sound was surprisingly good for such a big venue. It’s honestly made me go away and listen to some of the songs I heard since, making me a new fan. They did their jobs as a support band to perfection!

Then we reached the headliners, the main event, the mighty Nickelback. What is there to even say about this band any more. Of course it was amazing, they’re fucking NICKELBACK. Opening on their heavy newer single, ‘San Quentin’, the band rattled through an hour and a half of hit after hit after hit. Whether it was other up-beat tracks like ‘Figured You Out’ and crowd favourite ‘Animals’, or more ballad stuff like ‘When we Stand Together’ or ‘Gotta Be Somebody’ or ‘Far Away’, it was varied, amazing set list. Heck, we even got deep cuts like ‘Where Do I Hide’ and even going as far back as 1999’s The State with the Tool-like ‘Worthy to Say’. And closing on the incredible ‘Burn it To the Ground’ was also an amazing choice. Every track was performed to perfection too, sounding just as good as they do on track, amazingly. It was loud too, one of the loudest sets I’ve heard at an indoor venue, making it sound pretty heavy at times for a generally softer rock band.

And, just like Lottery Winners, the performance was awesome. I was kinda shocked we didn’t get any pyro, but honestly they didn’t need it. They had big screens as a backdrop, either showing them or videos that enhanced the tracks, it working so well. And once again, they all looked like they were having huge amounts of fun up on stage. They were laughing and joking and interacting with the crowd and each other plenty between songs. It’s easy to see why they have such a good live reputation. And both Chad and Ryan’s vocals more than held up live, as did all four of their playing. I hate that it’s taken me so long to see them, it my god was it worth the wait!

So, overall, what a fantastic night. Two of the best live bands around today coming together for one hell of a show. Both bands blew it out of the park and, while I went in thinking just one support wasn’t enough, I enjoyed both sets and it felt like they were over far too quickly, despite them being pretty long. I cannot recommend either band enough, and would jump at the chance to see both of them again as soon as I can. And, as a musician myself both are honestly pretty inspirational as to how to perform. I’d happily tell anyone reading this to go see the bands next time they are near you, you certainly will not regret it!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Kerry King, Don McLean and More!

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A pretty heavy week of NMM this time, but still with some great lighter country and indie and blues stuff thrown in for good measure too. It’s a fun one, so let’s dive in and check it out!

Also, while it’s technically a covers album so I won’t cover it in the list (see what I did there?), shout out to the new Slash record. It’s easily the most I’ve enjoyed an album Slash has put out in over a decade at this point, which says a lot about the GnR guitarists songwriting these days… Everyone he worked with sounded awesome, fit the songs, and they all really made them their own. It’s a fun listen and I’d recommend it to anyone!

Now, on with the list…

Kerry King: From Hell I Rise

The Slayer guitarists much anticipated solo album is finally out, and sounds almost exactly what you’d expect it to. Evil riffs, lightening-quick drums and some very fitting lyrics. While Mark’s vocals are mainly a bit more harsh than Tom’s were, there are times where they have almost the same delivery and sound eerily similar. The main difference, thank god, is that Kerry’s soloing is 10x better than it was in Slayer. It’s no longer a wall of high, whammied screeching, but actually has something to it, even if half the time it’s very Kirk Hammett.

But I actually enjoyed this album a lot more than I was expecting to. Kerry always felt like the weak link of Slayer, in my opinion, but this is a solid thrash/death metal record. Tracks like ‘Idle Hands’, ‘Crucifixion’ and ‘Toxic’ are awesome, but I really enjoyed every song on it. It’s a great album from front to back, and I’ll certainly be spinning it again a good few times over the next few weeks and months, I’m sure. Kerry very much still has it and it’s just made me wish we had more Slayer releases towards the back portion of their careers. They’ve won me over with this album, and I’mma have to see them at Graspop now! 7.5/10

Don McLean: American Boys

The fact that the American Pie legend is still putting out new music on a semi-regular basis is crazy. The fact that it’s still pretty high quality is even more insane. It’s so very old-school country, with a healthy dose of blues rock on top, and is a fantastic summer chill-out album. Even when it address some pretty heavy topics like George Floyd, it does so with style and swagger (if it’s a little blunt). But songs like ‘Thunderstorm Girl’, ‘Truth and Fame’ and ‘I Shall Find my Way’ are all personal highlights, but if you’re into the style I’d wholeheartedly recommend the whole album. Don still sounds excellent and his band work their asses throughout. It’s made me more excited to see him at The Long Road in August, so it’s done it’s job pretty well indeed! Traditional country fans will love this, as will old-school blues fans, so check this out if you fall into either category! 7/10

Cage the Elephant: Neon Pill

The US alt/indie band are back with their first new music in half a decade, their longest dry spell between albums. I’ve known the name for years, but haven’t ever really checked them out aside for ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’. However, I know plenty of talented musicians from Bowling Green (mainly country, admittedly) so I’m sure it’s good.

Good it certainly is! Don’t get me wrong, it’s very different to the single from their debut album, but of course a band are going to evolve across 16 years. It’s a lot more electro-based than what I was expecting, more resembling Twenty-One Pilots’ music. Then again, that’s kinda how indie in general has gone the last five plus years or so, so they’re just changing with the times. Still, I enjoyed it, and songs like ‘Rainbow’, ‘Neon Pill’ and ‘Ball and Chain’ are all massive highlights. Still, it’s a good album overall, too. I had it on while cooking and fit the mood pretty perfectly. It’s not 100% my sort of thing, but they constantly kept it interesting with funk, pop, rock, indie, hip-hop and other influences blended together in a great melting pot. If you’re into vaguely indi-rock infused pop, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! 7.5/10

Elvellon: Ascending in Synergy

We’ve already checked this album out! Find our review of it here!

Marty Friedman: Drama

The best guitarist Megadeth ever had (and that’s barely a contentious point, sorry to the others) is back with another of his completely different solo albums. This one is a bit more what you’d expect from the virtuoso than some of his solo work, him showing off his insane talent, soloing over the top of classical piano and soft rock. As a semi-aspiring guitarist, I cannot help but love, yet be massively jealous of, his work here. Not only his playing, but his songwriting and crafting and producing is all on point. And at times, it’s truly beautiful. The highlight track for me is ‘Triumph’, a reimagining of his 1992 hit from album Scenes. People may be familiar with it, as it itself is a reimagining of ‘Thunder March’. However, this is far and away my favourite take on the piece. Then straight afterwards, he changes things up and we get another highlight in the straight-up rock song, ‘Thrill City’. Then you have the one track with English lyrics on the album, ‘Dead of Winter’ featuring Like a Storm. It’s another great track, an almost power/symphonic metal ballad.

Of course, this album won’t be for everyone. When 80% plus of it is instrumental, a lot will surely judge it immediately and not listen. Both ‘Dead of Winter’ and the Spanish ‘2 Rebeldes’ are incredible songs with lyrics though, and are well worth checking out if you can’t do instrumental stuff. But then, if you are a musician in any way, or like more classical composition, you have to check out the rest of the album too. It’s SO GOOD. This man is such an incredible, underrated force within the music world, and I can’t given this album any lower than a 9/10, unheard of for an instrumental one on this site!

The Avett Brothers: Self-Titled

This is a real mixed bag of an album, both in my personal preference and in style overall. One track can be folk, the next punk, the next indie, the next rock, and sometimes it makes for quite a jarring transition. The opening track is admittedly weird AF, but then we headed into the almost Barenaked Ladies/NOFX combination of ‘Love of a Girl’ and I got excited. Then it drops back down into slow folk again immediately, and I nearly got whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, I admire the hell out of a band that can play and blend multiple different styles, but my issue is that at times this doesn’t even sound like the same band. And I’m not even against their folky, indier stuff, either. Songs like ‘Cheep Coffee’ and ‘Same Broken Bones’ are just as good as their random, upbeat country song, ‘Country Kid’. But as an album, it’s a very strange collection of nine tracks. It may grow on me more with more listens, and I’ll certainly be listening to it again, but for now it gets a solid 7/10 from me!

Mutes: …Buried Where You Stand

The Birmingham post-punk trio are back with album number four. While individually each track isn’t especially my sort of thing, the album as a whole is really damn good. It reminds me a lot of early Placebo, in all of the best ways. It also gives slight Mother Mother vibes, especially when that band turns to their heavier side. The guitars are grungy and distorted to high heaven, giving it an almost dangerous edge and making the songs drip with attitude. And, despite the distortion to the vocals too, there is still plenty of catchiness and great hooks throughout, especially with the backing-vocal-filled choruses. And yet the band can switch up in an instant into a more calmer, indie-folk feel and back again at the drop of a hat, showcasing their playing and writing talent perfectly.

Songs like the opener, the grungy ‘Another Moon Song’ and ‘Great White Nothing’ are all big personal highlights. However, as I said before, if you listen to this album as a whole, it really shines brightly. If you’re into all things psychedelic, indie or even desert rock, this may be the album for you! The band’s talent is off the charts, so even though it won’t be a regular listen for me moving forward, it’s an easy 7.5/10

Cognative: Abhorrence

The fifth album from the tech death New Jerseyans came out last Friday, and is a full-on assault on the ears from the first second to the last. And, of course, I mean that in the best possible way. It’s technical death metal at its very best, and really builds upon what the band have put out so far in an excellent way. The guitaring is an insanely massive highlight of the album, but that’s not to take away from everyone else in the bad, who work their ass off throughout. Tracks like ‘Insidious’, ‘Ivory Tower’ and ‘Savor of Suffering’ are all huge highlights on an album stacked full of them. It’s certainly not an album for the faint of heart, but if you’re into the heavier side of metal, I’d certainly recommend checking this album out in full! It’s certainly one of the better albums I’ve heard in the genre, not that I’ve checked out many so far! 8/10

Troy Redfern: Invocation

This is an awesome heavy blues rock album. Troy’s seventh studio release is so very Love/Hate in all the best ways. It’s just as much sleaze as it is blues, and packed full of awesome riffs, blistering soloing and some really catchy vocal hooks. It’s like all eras of Slash’s career blended into one sound, it’s amazing. Songs like ‘Getaway’, ‘The Calling’ and ‘All Night Long’ are personal highlights, but honestly this whole album is just hit after hit.

The NWOCR scene has such a talent on their hands with Troy, and this could very well be the album that helps break him out into the massive star he deserves to be. The fact that this is his fifth album in four years, too, and the songwriting and playing is still to this high quality is insane. I’mma be spinning this a lot going forward, and would recommend the whole album to anyone! It’s a very easy 9.5/10 from me!

Devitalized: State of Agression

The deathcore band’s debut album goes hard. It has more of a hardcore and metalcore edge to it than the big bands of the genre these days, which I loved just as much as the power metal-infused likes of Lorna Shore. The riffing is heavy and awesome, the drummer goes HARD throughout, and the screams fit perfectly and sound awesome over the top of it all. Heck, even the clean vocals on tracks like ‘Karma Sutra’ sound great and fit amazingly, causing the contrast between the two to make the screams even heavier! And of course the ever-imressive Tom Barber kills it on ‘Godslayer’, giving off instant Darko vibes in the best ways.

It’s hard to even pick highlight tracks, partially because they’re all awesome, and partially because in my new-to-deathcore ears, they all blend together and sound kinda samey. That’s hardly a complaint, though. The album as a whole is a great listen and certainly worth checking out in full if you’re a fan of the heavy stuff! 8/10, this is sick and I have to see it live!

Reviews

Undefeated: Frank Turner’s Reflective New Album!

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Anyone who has been on this site for any decent length of time knows how much I adore Frank Turner. Heck, just check out how much I gushed over his last album. He was a huge part of my teen years, and has helped me through a lot. So we all knew I HAD to review this latest release too. I’ve been impatiently waiting for this since it was announced, and the singles have done a good job at adding even more to that hype. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Frank’s poetic, powerful lyricism cuts through immediately, his vocals opening first track ‘Do One’ over his acoustic guitar. It’s a song about accepting yourself and fuck everyone else, a topic that Turner does perfectly. The rest of the band explode in with the chorus, adding the punky distortion element to the sound. It’s a fun, interesting dynamic for sure, as the distortion drops back out for the verses. Meanwhile, the chorus is catchy as anything, especially with the backing vocals. It’s all typical Frank stuff, but it’s so good and the perfect way to open an album like this. It immediately made our playlist!

‘Never Mind the Back Problems’ turns the punk dial up to 11, a short, sweet, sub-two-minute, bouncy, dancy banger. It’s something I’m already desperate to see live, as I feel like it’d have the whole crowd going nuts. It’s a fun song, Frank and his band working their ass off and sounding like they’re enjoying themselves. We even get an awesome little Celtic-style guitar solo tucked away in the middle of it. It’s a sprint of a track and fucking awesome! It gives off big Flogging Molly/Dropkick Murphy’s vibes in all the best ways. And once again, Frank’s lyrics are on point, and it’s another catchy song!

As if trying to give the listener whiplash, ‘Ceasefire’ drops the pace back down, it being more of a modern indie ballad than anything else. Having said that, it also gives off ever so slight Bryan Adams/Bruce Springsteen vibes. It’s not a bad song at all, and once again the lyrics are a major highlight of it. However, compared to the previous couple of tracks, this is less my sort of thing.

Thankfully ‘Girl from the Record Shop’ ups the energy and punk vibes again. It’s a modern, 90’s radio punk sound compared to ‘Never Mind…’, but it’s still a massively fun, dancy track. The same can be said for the likes of ‘No Thank You for the Music’. In fact, said track is another huge highlight of the album, and another that makes the playlist. It’s fun and catchy and impossible not to tap your foot to. Both tracks are awesome, and go back to Frank’s roots the most out of any other tracks on the album. It’s almost a shame we don’t get a tad more punk-infused folk throughout, but the rest of the album is that good it’s hard to complain too much!

Tracks like ‘Pandemic PTSD’ and ‘International Hide and Seak Champions’ sound like only really Frank can. They draw together all of his inspirations, be it punk, folk, indie, rock’n’roll, and fuse them perfectly. They’re closer to the sound of some of his biggest songs; think ‘Get Better’, ‘Recovery’ or even ‘Haven’t Been Doing So Well’. The former is a horribly relatable song with an awesome riff running through it. Having said that, I did think we’d have gotten away from songs about the pandemic by now. Meanwhile the latter is just as catchy, an arena-filling, massive chorus about running away with your partner and starting a new life together. It’s a beautiful, fantastic rock song that I’m sure that more than a few of us have thought about following through with over the years. It’s another that makes it onto our playlist with ease!

Single ‘Letters’ is another very Trank T song, reminding me more of something off Be More Kind than anything. It’s an interesting, bittersweet track, and one just brimming with emotion. Of course the lyrics are captivating, but some of the bass work during the verses is also incredible here. Honestly it sounds like the plot of a movie, which is a real testament to the visual storytelling ability of Frank. In terms of the instrumentation, it’s pretty standard stuff, but it’s a fantastic song really boosted up to a top level by the lyrics.

‘East Finchley’ is an emotional ballad, and one on par with any other he’s done, outside of ‘Wave Across a Bay’. It opens on this massive sound of guitars and drums, it setting a dramatic tone right from the offset, before dropping down into the more acoustic, slower, stripped-back style that the rest of the song follows. And once again, Frank’s visual storytelling on this track is truly phenomenal. It’s an amazing, emotional song that honestly gave me goosebumps. Check this out!

‘The Leaders’ is one-and-a-half minutes of bouncy, acoustic pop-punk that sadly spits a lot of truth. It’s a complete tear down of governments in general, as well as a rebellion anthem, but written in such a fun, catchy way that it’s hard not to dance along. And we get a sweet harmonica solo in the middle. It’s a fun, infectiously catchy song that is another that I can’t help but sneak onto the playlist!

By the time we’d reached ‘Show People’, I’d been given that much awesomeness that a few slower, indie-folk tracks lost my interest just a tad by the end of the album. Don’t get me wrong, the final four tracks on the album are all awesome, with ‘Somewhere Inbetween’ being a particular highlight for me, given how close to home it hit. The closing/title track is also a beautiful, emotion-filled piano ballad. In my humble opinion, however, it would have been nice to have something a bit more upbeat in the final third of the album, as well as these. Throw ‘Girl From the Record Shop’ in the middle here and it would have held my attention just a little more. Still, all four tracks are amazing, and ‘Undefeated’ is the perfect, epic closing track for the album. The horns in the final chorus are incredible.

Overall: I enjoyed this! I feel like I have such an interesting relationship with Franks music post Ten for Ten (as do a lot of people, I imagine) that it’s so hard to compare any of it to that first decade too closely. Be More Kind is incredible, No Man’s Land is experimental brilliance, and FTHC is actually one of my favourite albums by him and felt like a return to form after Covid caused a few years of collab and different albums. I don’t get the same immediate feelings with this album as I did with FTHC, though. Undefeated is a great release, don’t get me wrong, but it doesn’t hit quite as hard for me. There aren’t as many instantly classic songs on this, but it does feel like an album with more of a sense of direction. Frank has self-admitted to getting older and changing with age, and I think I’m going to need another few lessons to follow him in that change. It’s still a great album, for sure, but lands closer to Be More Kind and Poetry of the Deed than Tape Deck Heart or England Keep my Bones. I very well may change with subsequent listens, but right now outside of the few standout tracks, I wouldn’t hurry back to listen to the album as a whole, still, Frank has done amazingly here, and I can’t give it anything less than an…

The Score: 8/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Frank Turner, P.O.D. and More!

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A stacked week of New Music Mondays as per usual this week, featuring plenty of big names! Let’s check it out!

Frank Turner: Undefeated

We’ve already reviewed this album in full! Check it out here!

P.O.D.: Veritas

The nu-metal titans are back with their first new album in six years. While not long compared to most bands, it is the biggest gap in releases in the bands career so far. However, after a bit of a gap, it’s nice to hear the band still go as hard as ever. It was a very good idea to open the album on the Randy Blythe featuring ‘DROP’, it’s high energy, heavy and one of the best songs on the album. However, that’s not to take away from the rest of the album, it all goes pretty heavy for a more rap-centric nu-metal band. Don’t get me wrong, none of it reinvents the wheel or anything, but songs like ‘DEAD RIGHT’, ‘I WON’T BOW DOWN’ and ‘THIS IS MY LIFE’ I’d put up there with a lot of their classics. The band seem to do better with tracks featuring others than when it’s just them on their own. I was never the biggest fan of the band back in the day, there were always one of the more meh nu-metal bands. However, I certainly didn’t hate this and wouldn’t be against listening to the album again in the future. It’s an easy 7.5/10 from me!

Dea Matrona: For Your Sins

The debut album of the Irish duo has a lot of hype around it. The band have been gathering a lot of momentum over the last few years thanks to a stream of awesome singles, even garnering a reaction video from us not long back! I’ve been familiar and a fan of the girl’s neo-traditional folk/pop rock style for a while, so am excited to finally hear a full release!

It’s certainly a good, fun soft rock album. I was already familiar with the awesome ‘Red Button’, obviously, but songs like ‘So Damn Dangerous’, ‘Did Nobody Ever Love You?’ ‘Dead Man’s Heart’ are also massive highlights and favourites. There’s elements of everything, from pop to alt-rock to folk to even country in the back end of the album, and the duo shift between the genres effortlessly. I’m honestly a tad jealous at how easy it is for them to switch between genres while seamlessly managing to make it still sound like Dea Matrona. I can certainly see why this band is gaining such traction, there is a lot to love here. It’s not even typically something I’d be that into, so that should be even more of a testament to the quality, that I loved every track. It’s a fantastic, chilled out album that is an easy listen from front to back; it goes by in a flash. The sky is the limit for these two, and this album is set to push them to the stratosphere. 8.5/10

Tenille Arts: To Be Honest

We’ve also already checked out this awesome album already, aren’t you lucky?! Read the full review here.

Raised by Owls: Vol. 3: (The Satirical Verses)

Comedy in music is a very hard line to walk, especially these days. So, for Raised by Owls to do it so effectively is incredible. Heck, the song titles themselves had me howling, let alone when I checked out the music or even the videos. And, as is fairly rare for parody music, the actual music is also awesome. Comedic black metal isn’t something I’d have expected, or thought I needed in my life, but it turns out I most certainly do! I’m usually so very on the fence with black/blackened death metal, but this has certainly won me over! Don’t get me wrong, it’s still not 100% my thing, but songs like ‘Robert Zombie’, ‘The Dark and Twisted Realm in which Fred Durst Resides’ and ‘Strictly Come Danzig’ are all heavy bangers. The instrumentalists are all immensely talented, while the lyrics are fantastic, as well as screamed perfectly. If you’re into the heavy stuff, you’ll love this. And I can imagine this all being awesome and great fun live. I certainly wouldn’t turn any of this off if it came on again! 7/10

The Karma Effect: Promised Land

One of the fastest rising stars in the NWOCR movement, the hype surrounding this album over the last few months has been massive. I’m also a couple of days late to it and have heard nothing but good things about it, so am damn excited to dive in and see what it’s like.

I see why everyone was hyping this album, it’s excellent! It’s the perfect blend of 70s hard rock, 80s glam and a modern edge, and is packed full of incredible riffs and melodies. It has bits of Quireboys, Rolling Stones, Ratt, Extreme, Bad Touch and many others, and it’s all combined together fantastically. Songs like ‘See You Again’, ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Be My Salvation’ are all awesome. However, there really isn’t a bad song on the album. The vocals are a massive highlight overall, as are some of the insanely catchy melodies they hit. However, the whole band have worked their asses off to construct something really special here. My only slight issue is that it isn’t anything that hasn’t been done before. However, when it’s this good, that kinda goes out of the window! Along with Florence Black, These Wicked Rivers and South of Salem, the NWOCR movement has once again reached another epic peak of awesome albums, and this is easily up there with those. I’ll certainly be rocking this for months to come, and it’ll surely end up high on our albums of the year come December! 9/10

The Lemon Twigs: A Dream is All We Know

The indie rock brothers are back with their sixth album. While it’s not particularly my sort of thing, there is no denying their talent and the quality. It almost has a Beatles element to it as much as anything traditionally indie. The songwriting, and surprisingly the guitaring, are both awesome. And if you’re into the genre I’m sure you’ll love this whole album. It’s not a bad album by any stretch, and songs like the title track and ‘I Should Have Known Right from the Start’ are personal highlights. But I certainly won’t be rushing to listen to this album again, put it that way! Still, it gets a 6/10 from me!

My Silent Wake: Lost in Memories, Lost in Grief

This isn’t just doom metal, this is ‘epic doom metal’. As if the main genre doesn’t get me excited enough… don’t make promises you can’t keep, My Slient Wake!

The band certainly deliver on their promise, thank god! This truly is an epic album, as well as being plenty doomy enough too. It also has just a touch of black metal to it, which was awesome and really interesting. Opening on the grandiose ‘The Liar and the Fool’, the track is already a journey on its own, let alone with another four tracks following it. Every track was incredible, with ‘Lavender Garden’ being an insane personal highlight. However, this is an album that deserves to be listened to all the way through. And, with the shorter length of the album, it’s not that hard to do. That’s my only real issue with the album, is that I simply need more of it! The lines between EPs and albums have been blurred a lot over the last couple of years, but 25 minutes really isn’t long enough! H

However, as I said, it’s an excellent release. Both the clean and the harsh vocals are incredible, and fit over the top of the exceptional instrumentation perfectly. If you’re into doom, or just metal in general, I would highly suggest checking this out, you won’t be disappointed! 9/10

Return to Dust: Self-Titled

I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with this release, not knowing anything about the band aside for the fact that they burst onto the scene last year and put out their debut, self titled album this last Friday. Part of me is glad, because being surprised by an incredible, Alice in Chains style album was amazing. Opener ‘Black Road’ set the tone for the album perfectly, and lead the charge for 35-minutes of awesomeness! I LOVE darker, heavier grunge like this, and my god, I need this shot right into my veins. It has just a tinge of indie to it too, at least the heavier, Highly Suspect end of the genre, anyway. The attitude and swagger dripping from each track was amazing, and the Jerry-Layne-esque harmonies on them all are breathtaking.

Slower, ‘Down in a Hole’-type songs like ‘Anyway I die’ and ‘Live Like This’ are just as amazing as the heavier stuff like ‘Cellophane’ and ‘When You Look at Me’. I would recommend this album to anyone, not just grunge fans, and I honestly can’t get enough of it. The band have done something really interesting with this release, and I’m so glad they’re already making waves in the US and playing shows like Sonic Temple and Rockville. The dynamic between the vocals are a massive highlight, but so are all the amazing riffs throughout. I’ve had some great grunge come through my emails recently and I really hope this band lead the charge for its inevitable revival! I’m a be listening to this album so much in the coming weeks. It’s a very easy 9.5/10 from me, though it may change to top marks still with more listens!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Neil Young, Accept and More!

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Another stacked week of New Music Monday this week, with everything from country to grindcore coming out! Let’s take a look, shall we?

Neil Young: Fu##in’ Up

Thank god, Neil’s music is back up on Spotify! That immediately makes this review a lot easier than his previous release last year. I would also argue it’s a marked improvement to the album from a few months ago. It’s a little more rocky and grungy than his last release, giving off early Bowie and even a touch of Soundgarden mixed with his usual country twang. Even the production is grungy as hell. I legit thought this was a live album at first, it was mixed so strangely. The more I listened though, the more I liked it.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not amazing, and his vocals clearly sound like they are struggling throughout. There are times where he legitimately sounds like an ill Kermit. I couldn’t even particularly pick out a highlight track or two, aside at a push the epic ‘Broken Circle’. However, it isn’t a bad album to stick on and listen to in the background, and is, above all else, fun. It won’t be for everyone, and probably won’t even be for anyone big into country, but it’s worth a listen if you’re curious! 5.5/10

Accept: Humanoid

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! See what we thought here!

Pet Shop Boys: Nonetheless

While not typically the sort of genre we highlight here, everyone loves a bit of Pet Shop Boys, including me, so I think there’s enough crossover to cover it! It’s electro-pop at its very best, and PSB haven’t missed a beat over 40 years later. It’s certainly not going to be for all of our readers, but songs like ‘Why am I Dancing?’ and ‘Bullet for Narcissus’ are great and just put a smile on my face. If you are a fan of the band’s past work, you are bound to enjoy this. And, much like Willy earlier, it’s a fantastic album to just stick on and jam out to in the background. It’s not the best album they’ve put out, or even the best album of the week, but it’s another fun listen from front to back! Check this out, you won’t be disappointed! 6.5/10

Charley Crockett: $10 Cowboy

One of the hardest working men in country music is back with his 13th studio album since his debut in 2015. His blues/soul infused sound is awesome and really roots him in a more neo-traditional sound. We even get some jazz with the horns on tracks like ‘America’. It’s a stripped-back, chilled-out style that really isn’t done much in the mainstream any more, so it’s certainly a refreshing sound. It reminds me of Don McLean or even Hank I to a certain extent. Heck, it also gave off Pokey Lafarge vibes, yet obviously slightly less creepy. His vocals fit so perfectly over the simple instrumentation, and make it all so captivating to listen to. Songs like ‘Good at Losing’, ‘Solitary Road’ and the aforementioned ‘America’ are all big highlights, but it’s a solid album from start to finish. If you’re a fan of an old-school sound, or just want something chill to listen to, check this out, you’ll love it like I do! 8/10

Alien Ant Farm: ~mAntras~

The early 2000s alt-rock legends are back with their first new album in nearly a decade. And, especially with their 2015 release mysteriously disappearing off streaming without a trace, now more than ever we need new AAF!

Now, for those who are only really familiar with the band from Anthology, this isn’t that, or quite as good as that. Having said that, it’s still fucking great. It’s got more of a post-grunge/post-Tool sound to it than their early stuff. However, that’s not to say that there aren’t a few big radio hooks scattered throughout on tracks like ‘Last dAntz’ and ‘No. 1’. And ‘Storms Over’ is very ‘Movies’. The more I listen to the album the more I’m starting to love it, too. They have the quirkiness of Faith no More while maintaining their original sound, mixed with just a touch of Chevelle. And some of the lyrics are depressingly relatable and hit hard, as well as being incredibly well written. The whole album is awesome, and all the other tracks that I haven’t mentioned yet are just as much highlights as the others I’ve already spoken about. I think the only one that didn’t quite land for me was the opener, sadly.

If you have ever been a fan of the band, even if all you’ve heard is their ‘Smooth Criminal’ cover, check this out. It’s incredible, and I can guarantee you’ll love this. I’ve always been a big advocate for the bands other music outside of Anthology, and this is another stellar release. I’m going to be listening to this a lot in the coming weeks and months, and I can see it being pretty high up on the albums of the year list come December. 9/10

Darkthrone: It Beckons us All

One of the godfathers of black metal, Darkthrone are back with their 21st studio album. While being quite a bit different from modern releases of the genre, not the least due to the relatively clean vocals and pretty average production, it still has plenty of the hallmarks of the genre they helped pioneer. It’s heavy and feels downright evil from the start to the very end. Some of the riffing is amazing, giving off heavy Slayer vibes. However, sadly, that’s about all that stood out to me about the release as a whole. It was bound to at this point in their careers, but it does feel pretty dated. The genre has moved so very far past this at this point, that it’s kinda insane that this a new release in 2024.

Having said that, I certainly didn’t hate it, and have always found the band one of the more enjoyable black metal collectives. I found myself having a good time listening to it, especially when it leaned a little more into the doom side of things. I wouldn’t turn this off if it came on again, and props to the band for keeping to their original style and sound across all these years. ‘Eon 3’ was probably my favourite track off it. It probably wouldn’t appeal to much of the modern black metal audience, but if you’re a fan of the early stuff in the genre or want more of a gateway, test-the-waters-with-your-big-toe kinda sound, you can’t go wrong with this release. It’s simply a bit bare bones as far as black metal goes these days, is all. 8/10

Iron & Wine: Light Verse

The folk singer-songwriter is back with his first post-pandemic album. It also marks the longest gap between albums in his career. While 43-minutes of low-energy, steady music isn’t 100% my sort of things, I’d be a fool if I denied that this is a good album. Mr Wine (first name Iron) is an amazing songwriter when it comes to epic, pop-infused folk music, and his vocal and playing ability is no sham either. Tracks like ‘Anyone’s Game’ and ‘Sweet Talk’ are big highlights for me. I did certainly feel the length though, it got to be a bit of a slog for this hard rock/metalhead by the last couple of tracks. Still, it’s the perfect album to chill out to. I had it on while I was cooking, for the most part, and I had a great time! He’s a massive name and I’m sure his fans will love it. And if you like the more folky side of indie-pop, check this out, it will certainly hook you in! I probably won’t listen to it in full again but the two or three songs I loved I’ll have on a lot! 7/10

Decide: Banished by Sin

OG death metal legends Decide are back and just as brutal as ever. This is nearly 40-minutes of crushing heaviness, from the riffs to the drums to the growls. If straight-forward death is your sort of thing then you’ve probably already been waiting for this, and I imagine it doesn’t disappoint! I was hooked in immediately from the fantastic riffing and arrangement of ‘From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall’ and it continued to be awesome from then on out. My only slight complaint, like with much death metal, is that it’s all pretty similar. There isn’t much along the way of dynamics to the album, it’s all one fast, heavy level. It’s a great level, don’t get me wrong, but does get a tad repetitive across a 40-minute album. It’s not a genre known for its diversity though, so fans of it and the band will probably expect that and love this. It’s still a damn good death metal record, and gets an easy 7.5/10 from us!

Full of Hell: Coagulated Bliss

It was only last year that we checked out the band’s collaboration album with Nothing, and already they’re back with more new music. Looking back on that release, I enjoyed it (or at least appreciated it) enough to give it 7/10. I sadly don’t have the same appreciation of this album. Sadly, this release didn’t quite capture my attention and love anywhere near as much. While the other release had atmosphere and depth and layers, this is very much just a grindcore album through and through. And grindcore is certainly not my sort of thing. The only track that had anything that made me pause and listen to it again was ‘Fractured Bonds to Mecca’. At least it’s short, clocking in at only 25 minutes. If you’re into the genre I’m sure there’s a lot to love, but on its own without something more interesting tacked on, it’s not for me. 3/10

MacKenzie Porter: Nobody’s Born with a Broken Heart

The country-pop artist is back with her highly anticipated new album, and her first big release in a decade. We’ve had plenty of singles to fill that time, and even an EP in 2020, but it’s pretty rare for a country artist to leave it this long between releases! We’ve had a whopping nine released before the full album dropped and, sadly, it jumped up to a whopping 19 tracks when it did. Don’t get me wrong, the songs are anything but bad, giving off early Taylor Swift vibes in the best ways. However, The First Few + 2 is pretty undisputedly a stronger release overall. But hey, gotta boost them streaming numbers for a profit instead, right?

Having said all of that, my favourite tracks on the album are probably ‘Rough Ride for a Cowboy’ and ‘Walk Away’,which weren’t even a pre-release tracks, so what do I know? Don’t get me wrong, songs like ‘Pickup’ and ABSOLUTE BANGER that is ‘Have Your Beer’ are also highlight tracks. I just feel like this album is a great collection of songs, but there is an amazing collection of songs hidden amongst it if the fat as trimmed. A few of the tracks all sound pretty similar, and a couple could certainly have been cut to make the album stronger. Having said that, no song is inherently bad, and plenty of them are amazing. Despite being the ‘in’ genre at the minute and being insanely competitive, this album deserves to be up there in the discussion of the best album of the year in the genre come December. It really is that good. I don’t think it will get nearly the props it deserves, but it gets an easy 9/10 from me. It would have gotten full marks if it wasn’t an hour long!

Stormborn: Zenith

Much like Accept earlier in this article, this album is some more awesome modern heavy metal. The Kentish band’s first album in a whopping 12 years goes hard right from the intro track to the very last note, and I love it! Whether going for NWOBHM, power metal or even sneaking some death metal screams and breakdowns into a few of the tracks, the band blend every style together masterfully. ‘Land of the Serpent King’ is pretty Painkiller-like while ‘Fear of a Monster’ and ‘Serpentine’ have more of a modern Iron Maiden vibe to them. It’s actually quite a South American sound that the band have harnessed, and I’m going to be very excited if it makes the trip back across the pond. Tracks like ‘Dawn Will Come Again’, ‘Death Incarnate’ and the ones mentioned above are all massive highlights. And the epic, near-nine-minute closing track… damn. However, there truly isn’t a bad song across the entire album. And clearly care was put in to make this an actual album, instead of a collection of songs. It’s seven full tracks and two interludes, all of it being arranged masterfully. This band deserve to be so much bigger than they are, and I’m so hoping this is the album to do so. I can’t get enough of it, and will be listening to it a lot in the coming weeks and months, I’m sure! 9/10

Attic Theory: What We Fear the Most

The debut album from the Liverpudlian alt rock/grungers proves just why Planet Rock awarded them Best New Band. It’s got a similar early 2000s arena-filling rock feel that the likes of Those Damn Crows and Any Given Sin are doing so well at the minute; the huge vocal hooks and chunky riffing. And yet it does have that post-grunge/late 90s quirkiness tinge too, which is why they fit in so well when playing with the likes of Terrorvision. There isn’t a bad song on the album, but tracks like the opener, ‘Narrow Lines’ and ‘Dare to Dream’ are personal favourites! Also, the acoustic ballad ‘Million Little Things’ was beautiful and honestly gave me goosebumps. The vocals are the perfect mix of Eddie Vedder and Scott Stapp, and they complement the playing incredibly. And, they fit well with friend of Overtone, Candlebox’s own Kevin Martin (interview here) on recent single ‘Papier-mâché’.

The band very much wear every inspiration on their sleeve, yet have somehow created something that sounds wholly unique and modern. It’s a really interesting listen that I think is going to grow on me more and more with each passing listen. I would recommend this album to anyone, not just those that are fans of the aforementioned bands and genres. There is truly something for everyone here, and it’s one hell of a listen as a whole album. I’ve been toying with what to give it for days now, and the more I listen to it, the more I fall in love. So, for that reason, it gets 9.5/10!

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New Music Mondays: Blue Oyster Cult, Tyler Hubbard and More!

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A pretty stacked week as always this week, with everything from rock to country to metalcore. Let’s check it all out!

Blue Oyster Cult: Ghost Stories

The legendary rock band are back with their 16th studio album. The gap between the last two albums was a whopping 19 years, so it’s so nice to see the band clearly finding their passion for writing again, returning with another only four years later. And, what’s even better… it’s good! Is it as good as some of their best work? Not quite. But for a band that are going on six decades at this, they are doing a phenomenal job. Buck and Eric’s vocals still sound just as great together as they did in the 70s, and come up with some awesome, catchy vocal hooks and melodies. Tracks like ‘Cherry’, ‘Soul Jive’ and the jazzy ‘Shot in the Dark’ are personal highlights. Heck, we even get a great punk track with ‘Kick Out the Jams’. However, honestly, there isn’t a bad track on the album. It’s great, fun, chilled out soft-bluesy rock, and if you’re a fan of the band already you’ll love it, I’m sure! It probably won’t make our Best Albums of 2024 list, but it’s a damn good album and one the band should be damn proud of after all these years. 8/10

Tyler Hubbard: Stronger

We’ve already reviewed this album! Check it out here!

Mark Knopfler: One Deep River

I’ve been a fan of the Dire Straits frontman for years at this point. Not to age him drastically (heck, not that he’ll read this), but my Grandad is a big fan of the man and passed on that fandom to me in my early teens. And, being not only a soft rock fan, but a wannabe guitarist in a blues-rock inspired band, of course said fandom continues to this day. And the album was exactly what I was expecting; chilled-out rock music filled with incredible guitar work and some awesome vocal lines. I enjoyed it all, but standout tracks were definitely ‘Scavenger Yard’ and ‘Before my Train Comes’. Honestly, I don’t really have much else to say about the album. As I said, if you know Mar’s work, you’ll know exactly what to expect heading into it. It’s slower, lower-energy Dire Straits. If that’s your sort of thing, you’ll like this, just like I did. However, I know it certainly isn’t for everyone. Still, it’s an easy 7/10 from me!

Kris Barras Band: Halo Effect

The UK rock frontman (and former cage fighter, bet you didn’t know that?!) Kris Barras and his band are back with their fifth album. I’ve been a fan of his work for a while now, ever since ‘Hail Mary’ came out and hooked me in. So, know this comes from a place of love when I say… this is fine. Don’t get me wrong, there are certainly some good songs, and some that stand out the more I listen to them. The foot-stomping ‘With You’, anthemic ‘Reflections’ and the almost power metal single ‘Secrets’ are all clear favourites of mine. However, there is so much music out these days that sounds like this that it risks getting lost in the shuffle a little. The heavier NWOCR sound, Alter Bridge/Black Stone Cherry mixed with early 2000s dad/butt rock, is being done very well by so many bands at the minute. Whether it’s Those Damn Crows, Florence Black or Stone Broken, or so many other bands not in the UK, there is tonnes of this style that is great. And this is also great, don’t get me wrong, but does it stack up to some of the best? Potentially not.

It’s growing on me more with subsequent listens, don’t get me wrong, but I’m going to struggle to work out what score to give it. The riffs are awesome and go hard from start to finish, Kris’s vocals are as good as ever, and it does have some massive, catchy choruses. I hate to be THAT fan, but I did find myself enjoying their older, more blues-oriented sound. It set them apart from the pack a little more while this just sounds like everything else. Still, again, it’s not a bad album, and I’ll most likely be listening to a good few of the songs a fair bit moving forward. 7.5/10

Imminence: The Black

The metalcore Swedes are back with their first album in three years. I have to admit, I am very much in two minds with it. When it goes hard and gets heavy, I love it. Tracks like ‘Desolation’ and ‘?’ are amazing thanks to the heavy guitars and brutal screams. Even when the vocals get cleaner in parts of the tracks, it still has a heavy edge to it all. Heck, ‘Heaven Shall Burn’ is essentially a deathcore song. The strings in it were also an excellent touch. However, other tracks, such as the opener or ‘Death By a Thousand Cuts’, suffer the knock-on effect of Bad Omens’ Tik Tok popularity. Don’t get me wrong, variety isn’t an issue and is even encouraged. However, I’m not a fan of the kinda winey, radio-bait sound of these songs, Bad Omens and BMTH’s modern stuff. I’m sure I am in the minority with that opinion, given the popularity of the style, but give me heavy or give me nothing, please! Heck, even just a more interesting ballad would have been nice!

Still, there is certainly enough on here that I liked and to keep me entertained. There are a good number of songs that I’ll certainly have on a lot in the coming weeks and months. However, as an album as a whole, it isn’t for me. If you are into any of the bands I previously listed though or that lighter, more atmospheric/pop end of metalcore, this will certainly be for you! 7/10

Týr: Battle Ballads

I never feel like there’s enough Viking metal on this page, so damn am I excited to inject some more into it! The bands ninth studio album goes just has hard as their last few does. The first release after the critically acclaimed live album A Night at the Nordic House, it had to pull out all the stops, and that’s exactly what this does. Right from the intro it is epic, folky heavy metal music, and I loved it until the very last minute. Tracks like ‘Unwandered Ways’, ‘Hangman’ and the title track are all massive highlights. Also, big shoutout to the beautiful ballad sung in their native tongue, ‘Torkils Døtur’, it’s awesome.

Don’t go into this expecting Amon Amarth as it’s certainly lighter than that, more of a NWOBHM meets power metal vibe. However, it certainly channels a similar energy and epicness and passion. It’s a solid album from start to finish and one that I will most certainly be listening to again. Now I just need to hear all of these live with an orchestra behind them, too. I’m not asking for much! 8/10, this was great!

Gun: Hombres

The British hard rockers have certainly enjoyed one hell of a career resurgence in recent years, thanks in large part to being an adopted uncle/godfather to the ever-growing NWOCR scene. This album certainly continues their impressive run of momentum. It’s a great album that perfectly fuses the modern sound and style with that of the 80s sleazy hard rock that inspired them. The Axl Rose-inspiration is clear in the vocals, as is Slash’s in the guitaring, while it also has a touch of the likes of Motley Crue and Love/Hate, but all modernised to fit with the current sounds. Honestly, it sounds like a new version of UYI-I, or what Chinese Democracy should have sounded like.

Tracks like ‘Take me Back Home’, ‘Lucky Guy’ and the very British ballad, ‘You Are What I Need’ are all perfect examples of what I mean, and are all big highlights of the album. However, the more I listen to the album, the more I fall in love with every track. There is a lot to love on this album, and there really isn’t a bad track on it. Being a fan of the band for a while, I can confidently say that this is up there amongst my favourite albums from them. Any rock fans should check this out, they certainly won’t be disappointed! I’m gonna be cranking this a lot in the coming weeks and months. 9/10, great stuff!

Tom Killner: Borrowed Time

British blues guitarist/singer/legend Tom Killner is back with his third studio album, and first in over half a decade! It certainly doesn’t feel that long ago, but also feels like a long time coming. I’ve been waiting rather impatiently since it was announced last year, so can’t wait to finally be hearing it in full!

It’s an awesome, chilled out rock album, that has a hell of a lot more to offer than basic blues. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of that too, on tracks like the opener and recent single ‘Light it Up’. However, tracks like ‘One Day at a Time’ have a more chilled-out, almost easy listening feel. Then ‘On the Other Side’ and ‘Borrowed Time’ have definite Lynyrd Synyrd/Blackberry Smoke country vibes combined with the blues, too. All the songs mentioned previously are certainly highlights. However, there isn’t a bad song on the album, and the whole thing is one big highlight, honestly. It’s clear a lot of love and dedication was put into this album, and I can’t fault it at all. I’m on my third listen through already this weekend which, given how much else I have to listen to, is a real testament to how great this release is. If you’re a rock, blues or country fan, or even if not, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! I have to. It’s an easy 10/10!

ERNEST: NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

The country superstar is back with his third record, and first in two years. Settle in, ladies and gents, it’s another long country album! It’s 26 tracks, nearly an hour-and-a-half, and honestly a little bit of a mixed bag. I’m a big fan of Jelly Roll, but damn if the opening track that features him isn’t just straight cringe. And the variety in the sounds, while good and greatly appreciated in this long of a release, does come across more of a ‘I used to write songs for others and haven’t quite found my own sound yet’ case. The song he does with Morgan Wallen, ‘Hangin’ On’, for example, just sounds like another Morgan song. Then again, his duet with Lainey Wilson is beautiful, and he and HARDY do a really interesting cover of Radiohead’s ‘Creep’. And the more upbeat, quirky tracks on here, like ‘Why Dallas’ and ‘Smokin’ Gun’, are definite album highlights. However, there is a LOT to this album, and a fair number of the tracks towards the back end are covers. I’d have much preferred he cut some of them out, did an EP or something with them instead, then load everything he had in the studio into one long release. It’s not a bad album at all, and if you’re into the more radio-style of country music, you’ll find plenty to enjoy. I just don’t think it’s anywhere near as consistent as it could be. 7/10

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: The Black Keys, Alpha Wolf and More!

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A stacked week of New Music Mondays this week! Join us as we check out everything from country to punk to death metal to grime!

The Black Keys: Ohio Players

The Ohioan alt-rock duo returned with their 12th studio album. I haven’t listened to them now in probably a decade, at least since I was a teenager, and they’ve changed a fair bit since ‘Gold on the Ceiling’, that’s for sure! There’s a lot less of a focus on rock, or at least the higher tempo, more energetic end of it that they had on their early work. It’s a much more softer indie rock. However, that isn’t an issue at all. Bands evolve, and this certainly isn’t a bad album. It reminds me a lot of some of the slower stuff off RHCP’s Stadium Arcadium.

However, having said that, I’m finding it hard to pick out specific highlights. None of the tracks stand out to me massively over others. I don’t think I’d go out of my way to listen to individual songs again, but I’d happily stick the whole album on again and again if I wanted to chill out or was on a long car journey. It feels designed to be listened to as a whole, which is a nice change of pace in today’s musical climate. I still wouldn’t put it up there with El Camino or Attack & Release, but it’s a damn fun album and if you like a softer, indie rock sound, you’ll love this! 7.5/10

Alpha Wolf: Half Living Things

I was semi-curious about this release, having heard a couple of the singles before it’s release. “The one with Ice T” I loved from the start; it was right up my street. But then I heard “The slower, ambient, Bad Omens type one” and it dropped my hype all the way down. The two tracks are one after another towards the midpoint of the album, and while I appreciate the band slowing things down and changing things up, adding some dynamics and pacing to the album, it does kinda reflect the best and average of it.

However, as an album overall, it’s chaotic, heavy brilliance. It has the manicness of modern nu-metal, heavy Tallah vibes. However, it also has the heaviness and aggression of new-wave metalcore. It’s a fascinating, amazing combination, to say the least. Outside of the aforementioned slower track, actually titled ‘Whenever You’re Ready’, the whole album goes hard and produces MANY highlights. Songs like ‘Double-Edge Demise’, ‘Mangekyõ’ and ‘A Terrible Day For Rain’ are all personal highlights, alongside the Bodycount-esque ‘Sucks 2 Suck’. However, it’s a great album overall, and even the slower one is growing on me with more listens. If you like you metal with heaviness, chaos and attitude, this is certainly the album for you. It’ll be high in our list of best albums come December, I’m sure! 9.5/10

The Libertines: All Quiet on the Eastern Esplanade

The indie/post-punk legends are back with their fourth album, and first in nearly a decade. With how big of a name they are, I really thought they’d have had a bigger output than this! However, the band clearly favour quality over quantity, and this release is no different! It’s an incredibly well put together, thought out, polished album. Every track is as good as the last, and if you’re into the band or the genre as a whole, you’ll love it! It’s not especially my thing overall, but it’s a good album to throw on in the background or chill out to. Highlights for me include the opener, ‘Man with the Melody’ and ‘Be Young’. For a band this deep into their career, it might be a touch predictable, but given that I haven’t listen to a lot of them before now aside their big songs, I enjoyed it! 7/10

Ingested: The Tide of Death and Fractured Dreams

We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Find our review of it here!

Blacktop Mojo: Pollen

The fifth album from the Texan hard rock band would fit them in perfectly with the newer crop of NWOCR bands. The opening two tracks give off big These Wicked Rivers, Bad Touch and The Answer vibes, southern rock-tinged goodness. Heck, ‘As the Light Fades’ is a straight up Blackberry Smoke style country rock song! However, at the same time, tracks like ‘I Can’t Tell’ and ‘Red Enough’ go back to their post-grunge roots, reminding me more of Seether, Hoobastank or even Those Damn Crows.

And, I loved every second of it all. Anyone who knows Overtone knows how much we love all of the bands and genres already mentioned above, and this album does all of it so well! Whether it’s ‘Weary I Roam’, ‘I Can’t Tell’, ‘Born to Lose’, ‘Something’s Changed’ or any of the tracks I’ve previously mentioned, all are massive highlights. Heck, there truly isn’t a bad song on the album! I love how varied it is, feeling constantly different and interesting while still somehow all sounding distinctively Blacktop Mojo. I am endlessly jealous of bands that can genre-hop like this across the same album, and it makes for one of the most entertaining listens I’ve had this year so far. I’mma be listening to this a LOT moving forward, and I’d recommend it to anyone! I can’t give it any less than 10/10. Wow.

Bob Vylan: Humble as the Sun

Long-time readers here will know my general feelings around Bob Vylan. For those who don’t want to help us out and click the link, essentially I don’t get why he’s been so feverishly taken in by the UK rock scene. It baffles me. It’s grime/hip-hop and doesn’t go as hard or heavy as other bands on the periphery of rock like Prodigy or even Die Antwoord. But the acceptance into the scene (they’re even headlining Primordial-fest this year) is the reason I’m leaving this review. I guess there’s a guitar a fair amount through it? Either way, it isn’t rock, just ‘punk-infused’ at times at a push.

Having said all of that, it isn’t even bad music. It’s not hugely my sort of thing, but I’d rather listen to this than most of the tripe on mainstream radio these days. And there are a good few decent tracks on the album. Heck, ‘Hunger Games’ even has a decent riff in it, and the lyrics are punk AF. There’s some meh on it too, don’t get me wrong, but I certainly enjoyed it more than his last release. And I’ve heard he’s supposed to be amazing live, which I can imagine given the style and attitude. Maybe that would win me round to being an actual fan. For now, it’s more passing, morbid curiosity and the odd enjoyment! 4/10

Chayce Beckham: Bad for Me

The debut album of the country star is a phenomenal release. While still following a familiar radio structure to so many of his peers recently, there is a certain not only traditional but also rock edge to his sound, which I LOVED. Whether it’s strings, electric guitar or acoustic drums, it all combines together perfectly to make a definite country-rock-pop sound. ‘Devil I’ve Been’ is the perfect opener for the album and showcases exactly what Chayce is all about in both style and tone. Then you have tracked like ‘Waylon in ’75’, ‘Drink you Off my Mind’ and ‘Something Worth Holding On To’ that are all fantastic tracks and more easy highlights.

He reminds me of a combination of Luke Combs, Shane Smith and, surprisingly, Keifer Sutherland. And, massive props to him for keeping this at only 13 tracks. There are far too many country albums that are far too long, so this is a wonderfully refreshing release. Every track is amazing, and all of them flow together perfectly; it’s really well arranged. I’mma certainly be listening to this a lot moving forward, and I’d recommend it to any country fan out there! 9/10

Hawkwind: Stories from Time and Space

I sadly knew I wouldn’t like this heading into it, and it certainly didn’t change my mind. While I do enjoy a lot of elements and styles of prog rock, ‘space rock’ is not one of them. How this band was how Lemmy started his career is beyond me. I completely get that this band has many, many fans that will likely love this, but I am not one of them. I got bored pretty quickly and really had to fight to listen to the whole album. The closest thing to good for me was most likely ‘The Starship’. An hour of this music was just too much for my tiny brain to bare. 3/10

Strung Out: Dead Rebellion

A band that I have been vaguely familiar with for a few years now since Spotify recommended me a couple of their songs to me. Sadly I haven’t had the chance to check out much more from them since, so I’m excited to check out the tenth album from the band.

Their style has mostly stayed the same in the two decades since they released the music I know. However, the combination of punk with hard/radio/dad/butt rock is great and somehow still feels fresh all these years later. The riffs are awesome and touch on metalcore at times, the drums keep a quick, punky pace and the vocals and lyrics are great throughout. The band clearly inspired the sound of bands like Rise Against and Billy Talent (alongside Bad Religion of course), while still being able to sound pretty unique. Songs like ‘New Gods’ and ‘Resistance’ are big personal highlights for me. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t reinvent the wheel or anything. But it’s a solid album and when I haven’t listened to one of theirs in full before, I found myself enjoying it! Fans of the band will have to let us know how it compares to their others! I’ll certainly be checking them out after this, too! For now, 8/10

Feeder: Black/Red

The alt-rock Brits returned with their 12th album last week. We checked out their last one (find it here) and, as you can see, really enjoyed it! Sadly, I didn’t come away with the same pumped, excited feeling after this release. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a bad album. But it kinda just feels there, as opposed to something that demands my attention. There are still some good riffs and a couple of catchy hooks, but nothing stood out to me as a whole, really. ‘Vultures’ is probably the closest to a song I’d listen to over and over.

It reminds me of Bush’s last album, like even down to the colour scheme, as well as feel and sound. However, it didn’t have the same impact on me or stand out nearly as much as The Art of Survival. I’m sure it will have fans, and I didn’t hate it; I wouldn’t turn it off if it came on. But I shan’t rush to listen to this again. 6/10, not bad.