The incredible Jordan Davis is set to release his brand new third album tomorrow, and there was no way we weren’t checking this out early! Despite being a fan of his work, I’ve somehow never managed to check out a full album from the guy, so I’m excited to really dive in and see what he’s about, especially when he’s currently at the height of his career. He’s certainly one of the most interesting current newer guys, blending plenty of styles into his own sound. Without further ado, let’s jump in!
‘Her Way or the Highway’ opens things up pretty chilled, immediately giving off Kip Moore vibes in the best ways! It’s definitely country but has that awesome soft/pop rock feel to it too. It all builds perfectly to a MASSIVE chorus too, just made to be played to huge festival crowds. The lyrics are typical country stuff but so well written, fitting the vibe of the song perfectly. We even get a nice little guitar lead tucked away in the middle, too! It’s a really good choice to open the album, keeping the energy pretty high and telling the listener exactly who Jordan is and what they’re in for on this release. An easy early highlight track!
‘Bar None’ follows on from the opener perfectly, having the same energy as before but definitely leaning more into the country side of the style. The acoustic guitar work throughout is phenomenal, as are the harmonies on Jordan’s vocals, somehow making them even more catchy! It’s another fantastic chorus, too. It reminds me a little of ‘Tipsy’, but a bit more Americana leaning instead of hip-hop. It’s a simple track but amazing, and another that easily makes it onto our playlist. Two for two so far on awesome songs!
Next up is a beautiful ballad/duet, ‘Mess with Missing You no More’. It’s a great country breakup song, filled with some amazing vocals and lyrics and some great acoustic work again. Also, Carly Pearce is amazing on this song, her voice complimenting Jordan’s perfectly. We get another great guitar solo here too, short but channels the energy of the song in a great way. It almost gives off Slash vibes, which is definitely a good thing! It’s exactly what you’d expect from a radio country ballad; it’s been done a lot recently, but it’s still a fantastic song nonetheless. Definitely up there alongside the greats who’ve done a song like this recently.
The more pop sound returns with ‘In Case You Missed It’, giving off big Parmalee vibes. Still, it has a bit of a rocking chorus, it again being massive and hugely catchy. The same could be said about ‘Ain’t Enough Road’, ‘Memory Don’t Mess Around’ and ‘Turn This Truck Around’. All are great songs that are impossible to not have fun listening to, even if the latter is a little more of a ballad than the others. It’s a great style that I feel a lot of people still associate with the genre heavily to this day, and one that Jordan does amazingly.
Then, you have the slower, more acoustic ballads like ‘Son of a Gun’, ‘Jesus Wouldn’t Do’, ‘Keeping The World Away’ and ‘Know You Like That’. Again, all of them are amazing, providing a completely different feel to the previously mentioned tracks, and plenty of emotion throughout. The former and the latter are my personal favourites and, while it’s maybe one too many slower songs, they’re all good, and it’s a long enough release that I think it gets away with it. They’re also spread out pretty perfectly, the whole thing having a great flow to it and not feeling its length at all.
Songs like ‘Learn the Hard Way’ are slower still, but lean more on the pop end than the country, I’d say. They’re simple arrangements and have more electronic beats and sounds than a more acoustic style. While it is a sound that’s been around a little while now, towards the end of the bro-country era, I found myself associating it more with Redferrinor even Morgan Wallen. ‘I Ain’t Sayin’’, ‘Only All The Time’ and to a lesser extent, the closing track (though that feels like a combination of this and the ballad) are all pretty similar tracks. I tend to be a bit on the fence with this sort of style, but I ended up loving all of these tracks!
‘Good Gone Bad’ is an all out Southern rock song, and I fucking LOVE it. From the riffing to the massive feel to the overall drip of swagger and attitude, it’s all awesome and another massive album highlight! I know it’s definitely right up my street, but at the same time I’d recommend this to absolutely anyone into country, as it’s an excellently written track. Plus, it breaks up the album pretty perfect, being different to everything else on it and slapped almost right in the middle. Great stuff!
The last song to check out is another feature, this one with the amazing Marcus King. It’s another rocky number packed with some awesome guitaring and easily one of the best choruses on the whole album. Once again, the pair mesh so well, with this feeling as much a Marcus track as a Jordan one. Putting something such high energy so late on in the album is a great idea, and once again breaks things up perfectly before the slower closer. I’m sure this will come as no shock at all, but I loved this, and it’s another that easily makes it onto our Spotify; another big highlight!
Overall: This is an awesome album! I didn’t quite know what to expect heading into it, what side of Jordan we’d get, but there is plenty of variety throughout and it’s all done perfectly. I had a blast listening through in its entirety, and it certainly won’t be the only time I do that over the next couple of months. A must for any country or really rock fan out there, and it firmly roots him as yet another major player in the country world.
Another week and some more awesome EPs for us to check out! The perfect blend of country and metal, let’s check it out!
Fangslinger: We Are the Night
The gothic, vampire cowboys have been gathering a lot of momentum over the last nearly year since they started, and it has all culminated in this awesome five-track EP! We’re very familiar with the band at this point, and have been eagerly anticipating this release since its announcement. Heck, I have the pre-order special edition with a signed note and personal video message.
So, thank god it’s a bit good, right?! Opening on the fantastic new single before taking us on a dark-Western trip through their previous four, there certainly isn’t a bad track amongst them! Every song is as good as the last. It’s an awesome combination of Hellyeah, Avenged Sevenfold and Brantley Gilbert, and all three band members work their ass off throughout, having plenty of time to shine individually and together. It’s 21-minutes that is a must to check out for anyone into rock, country, metal, or heck, just music in general! What an incredible debut, and highlights everything that the band do so well. It feels fresh and new and innovative, yet familiar enough to get anyone doubtful into it. There’s a reason they are gathering some steam already, and this release will only push them up another level again. I can’t give it anything less than 10/10!
Sam Barber: Music for the Soul
The new EP from the breakout country star, and follow-up to 2024’s Restless Mind, is honestly a bit of a banger! It’s very current in its sound, giving off that indie/Americana edge to country music in the same vein as Wyatt Flores, Evan Honer and Zach Bryan. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty samey like the album was, but when it’s a quarter of the length it makes it a lot easier to digest. It meant that, while each song was slower, each felt like the very best of the best Sam had to offer; being packed full of epicness and emotion. Particular highlights for me are the opener/title track, ‘Same Sad Shit’ and ‘Home Tonight’. Some of the rasp in his vocal delivery at times honestly gave me goosebumps, and some of his lyrics are incredible.
It won’t be for everyone, don’t get me wrong, but I had a far better time with this than I did his album. If you’re into the general style he plays, this is well worth checking out! A solid 8/10!
Silk Spinster: Self-Titled
The UK heavy metal revivalists are another one with a debut EP this week, and another one that knocked it out of the park with their release! It’s exactly what you’d expect from the genre, a fun romp through awesome riffing, great soloing and some catchy melodies. Tracks like the title one, ‘White Lines’ and ‘Rockstar’ are all personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on the EP! The band are all incredibly talented and will go insanely far if they can break into the still-booming NWOCR scene. It’s infectiously fun metal with a slight sleaze edge to it, and I’d recommend to anyone even slightly curious! Another very easy 8/10 from us!
The amazing Florence Sommerville is set to release her debut album this coming Friday. The UK country star has been making waves with her singles, so anticipation is at an all time high already. Without further ado, let’s dive right in and check this out!
The album starts in perfectly chilled-out fashion with ‘(I’ll Be Your) Best Broken Heart’. It gives off a more relaxed, Americana/folk side of country music akin to the likes of Julian Taylor or Lanie Gardner or Taylor Rae. However, it also builds up perfectly into a bigger, catchy chorus just begging to be played to huge festival crowds. The harmonies are incredible and I feel like it’s going to be stuck in my head for days to come. We also get some amazing duelling guitar soloing coming out of the choruses, something that I wasn’t expecting but massively appreciate, showing off the talented blues playing of the band. It honestly gives me Santana vibes in the best ways. It’s a really great way to open the album and set the pace, and is a very easy highlight!
‘Fearless’, though not a Tay Tay cover, is somehow even more country, amazing for a Brit. The strings add a lot to it, but her vocals are also awesome, reminding me a lot of people like Paula Cole and Brandi Carlisle, but also simultaneously Alanis Morissette. Speaking of the former, it’s very much in that vein of early 2000s chilled country that I always seem to associate with shows like Gilmore Girls and Dawsons Creek. It’s a less massive chorus, keeping the more Americana/bluegrass feel, but is no less awesome and catchy. It’s a simple but amazing song written and performed beautifully.
Nearly our song, ‘Overton’, is another slower, chilled-out and stripped-back country banger. It shares a lot of similarities with the previous track but that’s far from an issue, as they’re both so good! I love that it slowly builds throughout too, more and more awesome elements coming in each new parts, and so much amazing soloing. This time I got more Knopfler vibes. It’s honestly a beautiful song, and one that I enjoyed a hell of a lot. Florence’s vocals are insanely impressive!
Single ‘Broken Pieces’ picks up the pace a little again, adding a bit of swing and swagger and attitude to the proceedings. It feels like something that should be played at a smoky jazz club, and doesn’t feel like a far-cry from the likes of Amy Winehouse or Lady Rose. It’s another infectiously catchy chorus too, the rest of the track building to it perfectly. It was a damn good choice for a single! It’s yet another massive album highlight, that’s for sure!
Following one single with another, ‘California’ slows things back down to an almost ballad-pace. It fits in perfectly with the rest of the album, especially ‘Fearless’ and ‘Overton’. However, it does still build into a slightly bigger chorus, and makes for a great relaxed single. And it’s once again catchy as another, and a track that I actually really want to see live, as it gave me enough goosebumps on track! Florence is knocking it out of the park with this release, so far!
The likes of ‘Out Where the Love Grows’, ‘Silly Little Things’ and ‘Forget the Water’ are all pretty similar slower, chilled-out vibes. They are all slightly different, like the latter just being Florence with a guitar and her powerful vocals, but all have a similar feel and emotional impact to them. The same could honestly be said for ‘Molasses’ and ‘Cut and Run’. They’re both two more incredible songs, with the latter honestly being one of my favourite tracks on the album; its chorus and the harmonies are INCREDIBLE… *chefs kiss*. But all share pretty similar DNA, and I don’t want to keep repeating myself and gushing over it like a fangirl, it doesn’t make for very good reading! Still, you should check out all of these tracks immediately!
‘Love Me Then’ and ‘Boots in the rain’ take a bit more of the country route. They’re still chilled tracks, but definitely have more of a traditional country feel, kinda like Brandi again. The latter again is amazing, almost giving Dolly vibes with the old-school country nature of the song. Two more awesome original tracks to round things out perfectly!
On top of all of these already awesome tracks, we get a whopping four amazing bonus acoustic songs. From the beautiful, powerful ‘Whiskey in the Morning’ to the interesting, amazing Guns n’ Roses cover to the two great tracks tucked between them, they’re more excellent additions. They fit rather seamlessly into the rest of the album, too. Incredible given they are another change of pace. It really highlights how amazing Florence’s vocals are; her range being insanely impressive and the perfect mix of soft and powerful. I would highly recommend getting or checking out this version, as these tracks are more than worth it!
Overall: This is an incredible debut album! It’s an amazing release anyway, but for a first full-length release from Florence, it is something truly special. It’s chilled-out throughout, but so powerful and beautiful in equal measure, and every song is as good as the last! She’s entering a scene at its biggest in the UK currently, and will surely leave a big mark with this release. I can see huge things in her near future and already can’t wait to hear where she goes from here. However, for now, I cannot recommend this album enough to anyone even slightly into country, folk or Americana!
An interesting week of new music this time, covering everything from crazy heavy to traditional-styled folk, and plenty in between! Join us in checking it all out!
Wet Leg: moisturiser
One of the biggest up-and-coming bands in the world returned with their sophomore album this last Friday. We didn’t end up checking out their debut for whatever reason, but I’ve seen someone describe the band as ‘music for people who hate music’ and I honestly think that’s a pretty perfect. It’s for Glastonbury, trust-fund girlies to feel edgy for listening to a ‘rock’ band. From the pretty terrible lyrics to the bored, effort-lacking vocal delivery to the paint by numbers indie-punk riffing, it’s honestly all pretty grating. It’s low-effort music through and through and feels like it’s trying to be far too arty than it actually is.
However, having said all of that, I didn’t actually have a bad time listening to some of this. I don’t know if they triggered some sort of Velvet Underground childhood nostalgia for me or what, but tracks like the opening three and ‘pond song’ I found myself at worst not-hating and at best kinda-enjoying. I don’t think I see the appeal from the intended or usual angle, but I at least got something out of some of the tracks, which is better than expected. The rest of it did kinda suck, though!
If you like the band and style and this album, more power to you. Some of this is okay background music to me, but I shan’t be rushing to revisit it a lot any time soon. I still don’t fully get the appeal or the drastic rise to where they are, but I respect the hustle a lot. Still, I can’t give it any more than a 4.5/10
P.S. those nails on the front cover creeped me out. Did not like that.
Brent Cobb & The Fixin’s: Ain’t Rocked in a While
I barely know how to describe how this sounds, other than awesome. It reminds me a lot of TC3’s Tabasco and Sweet Tea, and has elements of everything from Elvie Shane to Luke Dick to the Steeldrivers. Like it’s still rooted in country, but is a lot more light-blues-rock, focusing on the riffs and having a generally fun, bouncy feel to it throughout. It just makes for an easy, chilled out, and incredibly enjoyable listen. Songs like the title one, ‘Even if it’s Broke’ and ‘Take Yer Meds’ are personal highlights, but there really isn’t a bad song on the album. I’ve listened through this full thing at least three times this weekend and it has always gone by in a flash. It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but if you like some light rock infused with country, Southern and blues vibes, I feel like you’ll love this as much as I did! A very solid 8.5/10 from us!
Born of Osiris: Through Shadows
This slab of angry , proggy djentcore is fucking awesome. It’s nearly 50-minutes of technical, brutal heaviness that doesn’t let up at all for its entire runtime, and I love it for that. Don’t get me wrong, there are catchy, melodic moments and some clean vocals scattered throughout, but part of me was a little worried the band would have gone the Bad Omens way of incorporating the heaviness with large swaths of synth pop. There was still synth and electro stuff, but it was more to add beat and compliment the awesome, heavy instrumentation around it. And said instrumentation was phenomenal, everyone in the band being technically brilliant and working their asses off throughout. It’s like a more djent-infused Bleed From Within, which is an awesome sentence in of itself! From the opener to the more ‘ballad-like’ ‘Through Shadows’ to ‘In Desolation’ to the Spenser Chamberlain-featuring ‘Activated’ (y’all know how I feel about sax) are all awesome and big personal highlights. However, there isn’t a bad track on the album by any stretch. Even the legitimately and typically-for-the-genre slower, proggy track to close is awesome, feeling and sounding EPIC and drawing the album together perfectly. I can’t recommend this enough to any heavy fans out there, and it gets a very easy 9/10 from us!
Amy Macdonald: Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For?
The legendary Scottish folk-rock singer returned with her first album in half a decade last Friday. I have to say that while I am a bit of a fan of her, she’s very much been a name that has escaped me for the most part, me only hearing the bigger hits. I love them and have always meant to check out more, so I’m excited to finally be checking out a full release from her!
Firstly, the electronic drums and elements were an interesting touch, clearly fitting with the albums 80s throwback theming. I think for the most part they paid off, adding to Amy’s typically grandiose folk styling and somehow modernising it while also adding a nostalgic feel. It also makes everything sound massive. Songs like ‘Can You Hear Me?’, ‘The Hope’ and ‘Forward’ are all fantastic, but there isn’t a bad song on the album, honestly. It felt a little bit of a slow-starter at first for me, but on a second attempt it’s a really easy, chilled out listen, and a lot of fun to whack on and get lost in, or dance around to while cooking. While I wouldn’t say any one song measures up to her biggest hits, as an album as a whole it’s incredibly solid, and a must for a fans of her music or style. I’ll definitely be spinning it more this summer, and it gets an easy 8/10!
Ward XVI: Id3ntity
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our review of it here.
Gregory Page: One Hell of a Memory
The seventh album from English-American singer-songwriter feels like it pulls together his entire career up until now. Packed full of guests that he’s worked closely with in the past in Jason Mraz and Cindy Wasserman, as well as being packed full of amazing tracks, it almost feels like the culmination of his journey in music until this point. It mixes Americana and country with more English folk music perfectly and feels pretty unique, honestly. From the opener to the old-school folk ‘A Place in the Choir’ to the closer, there is a lot to love on here. Gregory and Jason’s vocals work so well together, creating some amazing harmonies throughout. Honestly, parts of it felt kinda Lord of the Rings-y, and I can’t help but love it. It won’t be for everyone but well worth checking out if you’re curious. An easy 7.5/10.
Stygian Fair: The Hidden Realm
The fifth album from the Swedish NWOBHM revival band follows pretty perfectly on from Aradia. It feels like all generations of Iron Maiden blended into one solid sound, and it’s pretty awesome! And the band are all hugely talented, this thing packed full of awesome riffs, catchy melodies and some amazing soloing. Personal highlights include ‘Abide Your Master’, ‘Peel the Layers Off’ and ‘Meteor’. It’s honestly insane to me that this band aren’t far bigger by now, especially a few albums in. They’re amazing songwriters, the production is great and it all has a real epic feel to it. If you are into this sort of heavy metal/AOR type style, I’d definitely recommend checking out the band if you haven’t already! It’s 47-minutes of mid-tempo, epic, heavy awesomeness, and gets a solid 7.5/10 from me!
Tanner Usrey: These Days
Tanner’s sophomore album is an awesome boot stompin’, rockin’ country release. Whether it’s the mor higher energy and tempo songs or the slower ballad-like tracks, it’s all amazing. Honestly, the slower stuff reminds me a lot of Wyatt Flores, which I LOVE. From ‘If you Call Me Again’ to ‘Smoke in the Air’ to the blusier ‘Bad Love’ to the almost War & Treaty-like ‘With You’, there is so much to love on this thing. Tanner’s vocals are absolutely phenomenal throughout the release, and some of his lyrics are bittersweet and excellently written; horribly relatable. It’s easy to hear why he’s becoming a big name in the scene already, and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to hear of him before. He fits so perfectly into the current country music scene, and firmly establishes himself as a major player in the future with this album. I really loved this and I’d be shocked if it doesn’t end up high on our list of albums of the year come December. However, for now, I can’t give it any less than 9/10!
Mosara: Rumour of a Funeral
The fourth album from the Phoenix-based doom band is exactly what you’d expect from a band of their style. Sludgy, stomping, evil riffing, solid drumming and interesting, perfectly-fitting vocals is the aim of the game here, and the band bring it all in spades. And I also absolutely love the fact that it’s an album of only four tracks, but spread across nearly 40 minutes; perfect for doom. The band are clearly talented players and songwriters, and it immediately makes me want to hear it live! However, that may have been a little down to the mix, as it was sadly so very hard to hear the vocals sometimes. Still, that’s almost part of it with the genre, right? And it’s still a damn enjoyable album even with that. If you like doom, you’ll definitely like this release. It got a touch long in the teeth for me by the end, but with my tiny attention span I don’t think I’m quite the bands target audience. Still, it’s a damn good album, and gets a solid 7/10 from us!
Danno Simpson: The Kill Joy
Debut album time now. The darker, red-dirt country star follows up on his string of EPs excellently with this release. It’s not unlike Tanner up above, but also gives off vibes of Pinegrove and even a touch of Counting crows in the more upbeat moments. And of course, the comparisons to Stephen Wilson Jr are obvious, too. I love it! Danno is a fantastic songwriter and his instrumentation, lyricism and melodies shine bright constantly across this 36 minutes. It’s packed full of emotion and gave me goosebumps on multiple occasions listening through. It went by in a flash and honestly, there isn’t a bad track on this whole album. I had to stop myself from adding nearly this whole album to our playlist, it’s that good. My only slight complaint is that the weakest track on the album is the opener, but even then it isn’t really a bad song! If you are a fan of any of the artists I’ve mentioned previously, or just a darker, depressing folk-Americana sound in general, I honestly can’t recommend this enough. Even with Danno having some EPs out prior, it is still one hell of a debut full-length. It’s yet another incredibly easy 9/10 from us!
The third album from the modern country superstar Dylan Scott is set for release tomorrow. The anticipation is high for it, and it’s no wonder! We checked out the re-release of Scott’s last album last year and didn’t mind it, though I certainly get why people love it so much. However, it seems like Scott is going for a different approach here. Even in the artwork alone, gone is the trucker cap and he’s more neatly trimmed, sporting a suit. It feels like an indication of a shift in style to me, and it’s potentially a needed one as his last album did feel a touch stale, in this writers honest (sorry) opinion. So, I’m very curious heading into this… let’s dive in!
‘What He’ll Never Have’ starts the album in exactly the kind of way you’d expect a country album to open these days. It’s a massive radio-country track if I’ve ever heard one, building through the simple verses into the massive, stadium-filling choruses. It’s very FGL-era of country, not that I’m complaining at all! Still, Dylan’s vocals are great and the lyrics, while typical country stuff, are well crafted. And instrumentally, it’s simple, but fits the track perfectly, doing exactly what it needs to do! It’s a song made to be played to huge festival crowds, and it’s a damn good way to open the album. An easily playlisted song!
The least country song title ever, ‘I Hate Whiskey’, carries on perfectly where the opener left off. It’s a slower, stripped-back, acoustic verse that builds up into a bigger sound for the catchy-as-anything chorus. It’s a more modern sound though, it not exploding into something massive but rather adding in the electric beats and subtle strings. It gives off more of a Redferrin or Russel Dickerson or even Morgan Wallen vibe to it than the previous song. However, the variety is nice, and shows that Dylan is still creating varied sounds over a decade into his career. And, while it’s not especially my sort of sound, I don’t mind the odd track of it now and again. It’s infectiously catchy, sure to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day, so it’s impossible not to like!
The title track is another highlight; a truly fantastic acoustic ballad. It’s simple but so very effective, the focus being on the guitar and Dylan’s great vocals and lyrics, and not a great deal else! It’s another really catchy song too, especially when the harmonies come in for the second and final choruses! The sound also builds more and more elements in as it goes, so by the end it’s an almost epic soundscape, giving off more Americana vibes than I was expecting. It’s a great song, and definitely a good choice to draw attention to by naming the album after it!
‘This Town’s Been Too Good to Us’ is a song that’s been lingering around for a while, much like the opener. Both were put out on the re-issue of Scott’s 2022 album, Livin’ My Best Life, last year, and have also made up 2/11 of this record. A touch cheep? Maybe. However, this is an absolutely phenomenal track that I just couldn’t escape from last year and didn’t really want to. That chorus is amazing, and one of the best Dylan’s ever put out. He also pushes his voice a little more on it than he does a lot of this album, having a touch of rasp to his usually radio-polished vocals, and it adds so much depth and emotion to it. I can’t gush over this song enough, and honestly haven’t heard it in a few months so it hit me even harder revisiting it for this release. If you are in any way a country fan, check this out immediately. It was already on last year’s playlist, or it would have gone on our current one!
Songs like ‘Twice’ and ‘Back Forty’ have a similar feel to them as the title track, being more slower, acoustic-based vibes. They’re definitely not bad tracks, with the former actually being yet another big favourite of mine from the album. However, it’s hard to talk about them here much without repeating myself over and over and coming across as a fangirl. If you’re into the slower, more emotional country songs, these are definitely worth checking out! They’re so good, in fact, that they don’t really feel like ‘album tracks’, and could easily be singles in their own right!
‘Country Till I Die’ brings in some much needed rock to the album, and it’s fucking awesome! The moment it opens it has that swaggering distorted guitar behind Dylan’s vocals, instantly giving the track an attitude that the album hasn’t had so far. The lyrics are a little cringy, don’t get me wrong, but in a fun way as opposed to wanting to turn it off. Heck, we even got some guitar soloing at times which, while brief, were great and fit the song perfectly. And, as wild as it sounds (to me too, don’t you worry), it’s another huge album highlight for me! The thing is packed full of them so far!
‘Smoke Follows Beauty’ has a slight Americana twang to it, maybe due to the higher pace. It’s a bit more like the opener in that it’s higher energy than much of the album, and is yet another song that I love and will have stuck in my head for days to come. Then you have stuff like ‘You’d Think I was a Cowboy’ that is more of that stripped-back modern sound again, and another catchy, stadium-filling ballad in ‘’Till I Can’t I Will’. Then closer ‘I Owe You One’ is a similar song to the previous, fittingly ending the album with a big, great radio-country song! Both of the final two songs are what I was expecting heading into the album, and they more than live up to my hype!
Overall: I came into this with slightly reserved expectations, and was absolutely blown away! The album is packed full of so many great songs, and has definitely made me a far bigger fan of Dylan coming out of it! There wasn’t at all a dull moment; there being plenty of variety and it all flowed perfectly. And it does feel slightly more… mature, I guess? It definitely has a different feel to it than his previous releases, and certainly in a good way. The whole thing went by in a flash, and I’ve listened to it all at least twice through while writing this. Even though we’ve heard half the album already too in singles, it felt fresh overall. In terms of the style of country that Scott has produced here, it may be a near-perfect album in that sound. If you’re a country fan at all, I’d highly recommend checking this out, there’s bound to be something on it you’ll love as much as I do!
An absolutely MASSIVE week for NMM for you today, with a whopping 20 albums for us all to check out. Let’s dive in!
Ghost: Skeletá
Potentially the most anticipated rock album of the year, up alongside Sleep Token, this release has an insane amount of hype to live up to. They have morphed into one of the biggest bands on the planet in recent years, and this album may finally finish making them a household name. The singles have been utterly incredible, and as a.big fan of the band, I’m just hoping the rest of the album lives up to them.
I think, for the most part, it very much does. However, right out of the gate, I do want to say that the arrangement of this album is horrible. Having your three biggest and best songs open the album and then launch into a slower, power ballad after that is certainly an interesting choice. It would have been nice to have spread out the singles just a little. Having said that, songs like ‘Missilia Amori’ or ‘Marks of the Evil One’ would also be strong contenders for singles, so there is certainly quality throughout. Heck, I have almost all of this album on my playlist and have listened to it throughout the weekend, so it’s clearly good. The band have really carved out their own niche, not just in their style but their sound; no one sounds like this, or does the 70s/80s revival-modernised stuff quite so masterfully. The band are all insanely talented, and some of the riffs again are fantastic. Tobias’ vocals are arguably the best I’ve heard them, too, and he’s written some infectiously catchy, massive choruses that are going to be stuck in the back of the worlds collective brains for the rest of the year.
It’s wild to say, but I feel like, as much as I enjoyed the album at first, it is still a grower, too. It’s been a while since I’ve loved a Ghost album front-to-back, but this one definitely has that feel to it for me. Even the closing ballad is pretty great. Just in the three of four times I’ve had it on already, I feel like it’s gotten better. They prove here why they are such a massive name here, and very much claim their throne was this release. I’m obsessed already, and I can’t give it any less than 10/10, despite it’s minor flaws. It’s going to be very high on our top albums list in December, that’s for sure!
Machine Head: UNATØNED
One of my favourite bands of my teens, the legendary metallers dropped off big time for a bit for me, before exploding back in a major way with 2022’s ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN (I don’t know why Robb’s obsessed with the crossed O’s either, sorry!). I’m hoping beyond hope that they can keep that momentum going with this release, as they’ve had some incredible runs of albums in the past. I haven’t actually checked out any of the singles yet, but after seeing the complaints and some middling reviews, I am a touch sceptical…
I do understand the average reviews now. It’s aait. Like, there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, but it certainly doesn’t live up to the last album, let alone their best releases. It feels more like Catharsis than I hoped it would; Robb’s attempt to try and blend together their weird late-90s sound with the thrashier 2000s output. However, when they do go full Locust, like the latter half of single ‘UNBØUND’ or even the Bloodstone-meets-Parkway-style ‘BØNESCRAPER’, it’s pretty great! Heck, I didn’t even mind the slower, dark-ballad ‘BLEEDING ME DRY’, it being another big Bloodstone-vibe. I know it’s not what a lot of their fans listen to the band for, but being a huge fan of that album, hearing more like it is awesome. However, having said that, I do feel like Robb sings maybe a little too much on this. I never thought he had the strongest cleans to begin with, so stuff like ‘SCØRN’ or, more egregiously, ‘NØT LØNG FØR THIS WØRLD’, aren’t for me. It’s a shame too, as the lyrics and composition of the former are beautiful.
I’m hoping this grows on me. It’s not bad my any stretch. I think it’s more a product of the fact that Machine Head one of the best back catalogues of any band, in my opinion, so when a release doesn’t quite live up to the best, it’s hard not to be a little disappointed. It’s still better than a good lot of other stuff out there, let’s be honest. I love a solid half of this album, and will certainly be listening more over the coming weeks and months, that’s for sure. So, for now, I’m going to give it a tentative 8/10, though it may very well get higher with more listens!
Willie Nelson: Oh What a Beautiful World
Considering Willie’s incredibly steady output still, some six plus decades into his career, this album is releasing with a surprising amount of hype surrounding it. Heck, we’ve reviewedat the very least his last couple from last year here at Overtone. However, after listening to this release, I can see what all the hype was about. I made no secrets that I wasn’t a big fan of Last Leaf on the Tree. However, this release is miles ahead of that one, in this writers humble opinion. ‘What Kind of Love’ is a fantastic opener and feels like classic Willie. Then you have songs like ‘The Fly Boy & the Kid’ and the Rodney Crowell featuring title track that are also firm highlights. Yes, it’s slower and a very traditional country sound. But it’s exactly what you’d expect from Willie; the perfect, well-written, chilled-out country album. It won’t be for everyone, but if you are a fan of the man or his particular, legendary brand of country music, give this a listen. It’s a fantastic addition to Willie’s extensive (an understatement at this point) discography, and gets a solid 7.5/10 from us. Just a damn good-time listen!
Wednesday 13: Mid Death Crisis
We’ve already checked out this awesome release! Check it out here.
Stereophonics: Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait
The Welsh rockers are back with album number 13. I’ve been a fan of the band since I was a kid, and we even checked out their previous output, Oochya!, which I remember enjoying more than I clearly did! Either way, I found myself really enjoying this album! It’s incredibly easy to listen to, fun and catchy throughout. Whether it’s slower stuff like the opener or rockier numbers like ‘Eyes Too Big for my Belly’, there’s plenty to love. It also certainly doesn’t overstay its welcome, being just eight tracks at not even half an hour. Kelly’s vocals sound just as good as ever, and the lyrics and delivery throughout are fantastic. If you’re into the softer stuff, this is definitely the album for you! It may be my favourite release from them since Pull the Pin. It’s a solid 7.5/10 from us!
Billy Idol: Dream Into It
The rock legend himself is back with his first studio album in 11 years. It’s… it’s something, that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting the near-70 year old to have much energy and umph left (though we do have Willie Nelson just above), but some of this isn’t great, honestly. The soft-rock opener was a bad choice to kick the thing off with, especially when the punkier ‘Too Much Fun’ is right there not long after. I think my issue more lies with the fact that the three guest tracks sound more like the guests than Billy songs, and I wanted just a fully new Idol album. Hell, the Joan Jett song arguably sounds like Coldplay than anything else! Arguably, the songs that he’s on his own, well at least some of them, are better. It was just very soft-rock, and for some reason unexpected. ‘Gimme the Weight’ is probably my other favourite song on it, and the rest may grow on me. However, it doesn’t quite measure up with the classics, or even his last album. It just feels like it’s missing something, though I can’t quite place my finger on it, aside for it having a bit more rock to it. If you’re a fan of Billy, you may still get some enjoyment out of it, but sadly for me it’s a solid 6/10. Not bad, but not too much of my sort of thing.
Deerhoof: Noble and Godlike in Ruin
The experimental indie pop-rock band are back with their first release since 2023s Miracle-Level. It’s certainly experimental, that’s for sure! And while it took a little getting into, I do think I started to enjoy the heavier, math-rockier parts of the release by the end. Though it’s weird for sure, it’s hard to deny the sheer talent, especially in the riffing and instrumentation in songs like ‘Sparrow Sparrow’ or ‘Who Do You Root For?’. Sadly, it is nearly impossible for me to get past the vocals. They aren’t my thing at all, being grating as anything and honestly being a little tough to listen to at times. I hate to say it, but they ruin what could have been at very least an interesting listen for me. I know it’s certainly going to have fans, and for those people I’m sure this is a good album. But for me, it was a hard listen, and not something I’ll be revisiting. I’m very sorry, but it’s a 2.5/10
Kyle McKearney: To the River
The Canadian alt-country artist released his third album, another two years after his last. It’s been highly anticipated by us since January when we spoke to Kyle about it when we interviewed him. However, I don’t think I quite expected the sheet quality of this thing. It’s an Americana, blues, soft rock tinged country masterpiece, honestly. It’s another release I’ve had on at least twice through this weekend and can’t get enough of. And, while every song is incredible, I do have a few that I favour slightly over the rest. From the opener to ‘Broken Hearts Hide’ to ‘These Drugs’ and ‘Wedding Day’ to ‘The Man From Beaverlodge’ and ‘Hold On Goodbye’, there is some truly special music on this thing. However, as I said, every song on this thing is amazing and well worth a listen.
I know he’s technically already been mentioned this week, but this gives slight Elive Shanevibes. However, this time it’s less about the actual sound, and more about how Kyle so interestingly and authentically blends so many different styles together, forming something truly unique. And because he came out of nowhere this year for me and I’ve very quickly become obsessed! And some of the lyrics… DAMN.
So, in case you couldn’t tell, I VERY MUCH recommend this album. Don’t get me wrong, I know it won’t be for everyone, but I’d recommend anyone reading this check it out; it’s more than worth it! I’ve spun it a lot over the weekend and will continue to do so in varying capacity through the rest of the year, I’m sure. I can’t give this any less than 9.5/10, but after another listen or two it may even go up to perfect!
Employed to Serve: Fallen Star
One of the leading lights of UK modern metal, Employed to Serve returned last Friday with their highly anticipated new album. What can I say that hasn’t already been said about it, too? It’s fucking awesome, as we all knew it would be! Blending together the very best bits of the likes of Spiritbox, Poppy and even Lorna Shore, while leaving out some of the less heavy parts, the album goes hard throughout and is filled with incredible riffing and brutal screams. And, while the songs featuring Will Ramos, Jesse Leach and Serena Cherry are definite highlights, they also have plenty of awesome tracks on their own. Single ‘Breaks Me Down’ is incredible and builds perfectly, while ‘Brother, Stand Beside Me’ is one of my favourite tracks the band have ever released. The band deserve every incredible accolade they are gaining recently, and this album really speaks to why that is. If you are a fan of the heavy stuff, you NEED to hear this, they are the future of metal music. 8.5/10
H.E.A.T: Welcome to the Future
One of the leaders of the modern-day AOR revival are back with their second new album since Kenny’s return. We’ve been extremely hyped for this release here at Overtone since seeing them play a couple of tracks from it at Winters End a couple of months back. Opener/lead single ‘Disaster’ has been firmly rooted in my rotation since then, and shows no signs of leaving any time soon! It’s my favourite track of the album, but it is by no means the only standout. Honestly there isn’t a bad track on the release, but stuff like the Bon Jovi-like ‘Running to You’, ‘Rock Bottom’ and ‘Tear it Down’ are all big personal highlights. I’m so glad Kenny’s back in the bad, and this honestly may be the best album he’s been a part of with H.E.A.T. The band are criminally underrated, at very least in the UK, and this album is a true testament to their sheer insane talent and songwriting ability. They do their sound better than few else, and arguably better than most bands in the 80s who inspired them! I cannot recommend this album enough, and I’m going to be listening to it a lot in the coming weeks and months. 9/10
Viagra Boys: viagr aboys
The Swedish art-punk band’s fourth album is maybe their best yet. The band very much feel like the modern day incarnation of Dead Kennedys, in their lyrics and style and attitude, but certainly have more of a lighter/popper edge to their instrumentation. It’s not going to be for everyone (heck, I had this on in the car and the Mrs was giving me some funny looks) but I found myself really enjoying it! The opener, ‘Pyramid of Hope’ and ‘You N33d Me’ are all personal highlight tracks, but if you’re into the genre it’s a solid album from front-to-back. Check this out if you’re interested, it’s a lot of fun and it’s some of the best lyrics I’ve heard this year. It’s a solid 7.5/10 from us!
The Storyteller: The Final Stand
The Swedish power metal band are back with album number seven. At this point I don’t even think epic is the word. They have fully mastered the European power metal sound, easily rivalling the likes of Avantasia and Hammerfall. From massive riffing to the insane drumming to the soaring, catchy vocals and harmonies, it’s all excellent. Songs like ‘That Eyes Cannot See’, ‘This Time Tomorrow’, the beautiful ballad ‘Sweet Lullaby’ and the heavy, epic closing track are all personal highlights. So too was the quirky, almost tribal, folky ‘They Will Fear our Battlecry’, but in a totally different way. However, there isn’t a bad song on the album, really. My only point I would make is that it’s odd having a power metal band where all their tracks are pretty standard length. The album is a touch long but doesn’t feel it as there is almost nothing over six minutes. I like it when power metal is able to breath a little. Having said that, it is a very minor gripe, and doesn’t ruin the album in any way, just my personal preference.
If you’re into power metal in any capacity, I’d absolutely recommend checking this album out. It’s well worth a listen and is a lot of fun! It’s a solid 8.5/10 from us, and is up there alongside the likes of Hammerfall, Sabaton and Beast in Black’s latest releases. They deserve to be so much bigger than they are currently!
James and the Cold Gun: Face in the Mirror
A band that are gaining a lot of traction in the UK underground rock scene, the South Wales quartet are back with their sophomore album. Their vague blend of indie, blues, and punk with a traditional hard rock sound is fantastic, and the bands energy throughout is infectious. From the big riffing to the catchy vocals and awesome lead lines, every track is so meticulously well crafted, and all feels massive and like it begs for mass radio airplay. Songs like single ‘Guessing Games’, ‘Twist the Knife’ and ‘A Way Out’ are highlights for me, for sure. It gives off slight Kasabian, early Arctic Monkeys, and even a bit of Royal Blood alongside their contemporaries in the likes of Those Damn Crows and Virginmarys. It’s very easy to see how the band have been so successful this early into their careers, and this album will surely push them to even greater heights! It’s a very easy just-over-30-minutes of rock music to listen to, and if you’re a fan of any of the bands or genres I’ve mentioned above, I’d certainly recommend this release! It’s a very solid 8/10!
Trick or Treat: Ghosted
Time for more power metal, but this time with a spooky, halloween-like tinge. Honestly, it’s a really interesting, fun twist on the formula that I don’t think I’ve really heard before. It made for a pretty fascinating, unexpected listen, and one I enjoyed a lot. Heck, any long-term readers here know that I love it when things get a bit spoopy! Oh, and did I mention the band are all ridiculously talented, too? From the insane drumming to the fantastic riffing to the powerful, soaring vocals singing some incredibly catchy melodies and the almost Synyster Gates-like a times lead guitars, it’s all phenomenal musicianship. And the quality of the writing more than lives up to their playing talents, too. It’s almost impossible to pick highlights as every song is so good.
It’s hard not to compare it to the other European horror-inspired power metal band, Dominum, but they have a bit more traditional edge to their sound, and arguably a little more Maiden to it as well. They also remind me a lot of Fellowship, which is certainly not a bad thing! We even get an Alestorm-like song in ‘Return to Monkey Island’ feat Chris himself!
I cannot recommend this enough! It’s an absolutely incredible metal album, no matter the subgenre, and if you’re into the heavier stuff at all, give this a try, you certainly won’t be disappointed. My only slight complaint would be that it’s a touch long, but honestly it’s all so good I honestly couldn’t pick a song or two to cut, so it’s hardly an issue. The band have a huge new fan in me, and I’mma have to go back and check out the rest of their back catalogue! It’s an easy 9/10 from us!
Void King: The Hidden Hymnal – Chapter II
The US stoner-doomers are back with a sequel to their 2023 release. It’s somehow even more stoner-doom than the band name would have you believe, too. And, pardon my French, but it’s fucking awesome. Long, plodding tracks filled with incredible riffing, dark lyrics, solid drumming and surprisingly fantastic vocals; what’s not to love! It’s another album that’s so hard to pick out highlights for too, as it all feels like it should be listened to in one full listen. Just sit in a dark room with your headphones on and get lost in the epicness. It also draws together other elements that I really wasn’t expecting; like some Alice in Chains-style stuff when it drops back in the opener or Iron Maiden with some of the soring, vibrato notes. Of course, alongside everything from Candlemass to High on fire, too. Heck, they even channel some Tool energy at times, which I LOVE. And the occasional scream… DAMN. Honestly, as good as the instrumentation is, the vocals really set this apart from their peers.
The band are insanely talented musicians and songwriters, and how they aren’t a bigger name by their fourth album at this point is beyond me. If you are into not just stoner-doom, but metal in general, do yourselves a favour and check this out! It may be long, but it is so worth it! It gets a solid 9/10 from me, and I’mma have to check out Chapter I now to see how it compares!
John Morgan: Carolina Blue
We’ve also reviewed this release! Check it out here.
Bad Milk Blood Robot: A EYE
The psychedelic grunge rockers follow up their debut from last year with this second slab of interesting, experimental rock music. Heck, the first wild thing to me was that we got a full 4 minutes into the opening track before we got any vocals. However, said track, ‘Humanity’, built up the bands and albums sound perfectly, setting the tone for what is to come. It’s followed by the awesome ‘Anxiety’ and ‘Man V Machine’. The latter especially reminds me of some of the weirder side of Faith No More, not that that is at all an issue! The whole album is pretty Patton-coded, with ‘Svenlana’ being pretty darn Bungle.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very odd album, and it’ll certainly be for a niche audience, but the band do what it is they do incredible well. The lyrics and vocal delivery are of course high points, but so too is the riffing and drumming. It’s a fun listen that I’d certainly recommend checking out if you’re curious! 7.5/10
Echos of the Extinct: Era of Darkness
More epicness, this time from the extreme metal Finnish. It’s heavy, that’s for sure, and is pretty fantastic. It’s easy to compare to Cradle of Filth, but it feels like there is more to it than that; also having elements of melodeath and black metal added in for good measure. I was hearing bits of everything from In Flames to Rotting Christ. I mean heck, you just have to listen to opener ‘Remedy’ to get the perfect representation of what the band are about, and there’s still another five other tracks after it! From the incredible riffing to some truly amazing breakdowns and some of the best screams in the business, the bands talent is truly underrated. And the production on the album, from a smaller band, is honestly phenomenal! The dynamics and the panning… *chefs kiss*. It’s only six tracks long but every single one is a highlight in its own right. And it doesn’t feel like it goes on too long, or is too short, really being the perfect length for the style. If anything, it just left me wanting more! It won’t be for everyone, but if you like the brutaller side of metal, check this out; you’ll surely love it as much as I do! The band have a huge new fan in me, and this is a solid 9/10 from us!
Matthew K. Heafy: True Believers
A bit out there as it’s the soundtrack to a slasher comic series of the same name; and an instrumental, more electronic sound than we usually cover. However, I never miss a chance to cover Me Heafy, and somehow we went a full year last year without any coverage of the man or his many projects, so I was definitely checking this out. It’s still pretty heavy-sounding and industrial in a cyberpunk kinda way. I’m not gonna lie, I had it on while I was cooking and had a blast listening to it! Matthew is an exceptionally talented individual and has made something that feels like a fantastic soundtrack. It’s certainly hyped me up and made me want to check out the comic, especially when it has some other incredible names attached to it! ‘Killr Theme’ was probably my favourite as it got pretty heavy and the riff was great. And of course, when he gets to include his incredible screams and cleans (and another killer riff) ‘Too Far Gone’, it’s another big highlight. It won’t be for many readers, but if you are at all curious, or a fan of more retro-style videogames, check this out, it’s well worth a listen! 7/10
Game Over: Face the End
The sixth album from the thrash titans is the start of a new chapter for the band. Going up to a five-piece with the addition of Danny on vocals and Leo on bass, it seems to have breathed new life into the band! This is a damn awesome thrash album, and metal album all round! From the expectedly awesome riffing, blistering solos and great drumming to the fantastically powerful and catchy vocals, as well as the amazing songwriting throughout, it’s a masterclass of thrash metal. The band don’t take it too seriously as well, single and highlight track ‘Neck Breaking Dance’ being a true testament to what the genre can do when slightly sillier. Still, it can get serious, and songs like ‘Grip of Time’, ‘Gateway to Infinity’ and the slower, epic, Metallica-like ‘Crimson Waves’ are all massive highlights on an album honestly packed full of them.
I was vaguely familiar with the band before this, but only a track or two. Well, this album has won me round in a massive way, and is honestly up there with some of my favourite modern thrash releases. If you’re a fan of the genre or metal in general, I can’t recommend this album enough. They very much feel like a band renewed, and I’ll be spinning this a LOT in the coming weeks and months. It gets a very solid 9.5/10!
The incredible rising star in the Americana scene, Taylor Rae, released her brand new album today! I have to admit, while I love the style of music, I’m not really familiar with Taylor or her music. However, I’ve been sent it over and have spent the last couple of days blasting it and really enjoying it. So, of course, I wanted to let y’all know all the best bits!
Opening on the title track; a simple acoustic guitar sound, Taylor’s vocals still ring out perfectly and beautifully over the top. It’s chilled-out and all fits excellently together, building in more sounds and instruments as it goes on. It’s got that relaxing Roots/Americana sound akin to the likes of Julian Tayloror Savannah Conley. And her vocals are truly beautiful. By the second chorus it almost has an epic feel to it, building in more guitars and even some distortion. It’s masterfully written and producted, and the dynamics throughout are a lot of fun. It just keeps getting bigger and bigger! It’s a really interesting sound and one hell of a choice to open the album with!
‘Maybe I’m the Villain’ feels a little more upbeat and almost a touch rockier, while still having that same chilled-out vibe to it. I love the effect on Taylor’s vocals through the verses, adding a fun extra layer to it all and sounding awesome. Her vocals have a bit more of that Austin twang to them on this track too, adding more of the country sound to it. It’s a bit simpler, more radio-friendly sound and structure, too. It’s a damn catchy chorus as well! It’s bouncy, catchy and alot of fun, and a very easy, big highlight of the album!
There’s a bit of a smokey, dive-jazz bar feel to ‘Cologne’, fitting the song’s title and theme pretty perfectly. The guitaring through it is incredible, and honestly some of the little runs give big Frusciantie vibes! Heck, the guitar solo tucked away in the middle is phenomenal, and fits the tone of the song perfectly. And Taylor’s vocals and lyrics are typically awesome, too. I particularly love the call-and-response style of the final chorus. It’s another great, relaxed, almost easy-listening song!
‘Telluride’ returns to the acoustic-folk style of the opening track, but still has a bit of bounce and swagger to it akin to the other two. It builds to another infectiously catchy chorus, but then again all the vocal melodies are pretty great to sing along to! And of course the instrumentation is amazing; whoever recorded the parts for these are all criminally underrated. Heck, it feels like the song all builds towards that AMAZING guitar solo and final chorus, it again having an almost epic feel to it and honestly giving me goosebumps. I haven’t heard a solo that good on an acoustic in a while, and it definitely didn’t make me at all jealous of their playing ability… Sierra Hull has an awesome feature in the track, adding to an already incredible sound and the pair blending so well together. It’s another huge highlight of the album, and a song that easily makes it onto our playlist!
Songs like ‘Undertone’, Celebrating Alone’ ‘Not Mine’ are more chilled-out, stripped-back easy listening acoustic songs. Heck, the two latter ones almost had a touch of Jack Johnson to them, which I really love! The subtle piano behind the drums, alongside some beautiful vocals and harmonies, again give it a jazz bar or club feel, and all sounds so good. All three songs are amazing, but I did find myself gravitating towards the latter more on subsequent listens, another massive album high!
‘Hi’ has a slight bit more energy to it; another catchy acoustic track but with a bit more of a bounce. It’s another truly beautiful chorus packed with awesome harmonies and great lyric-writing. The same could be said about the fantastic ‘Trapped’, feeling like a combination of the past few songs. She’s already such an underrated songwriter, and this whole album is a testament to that.
The closing track, ‘The Airport Song’, feels like it ties elements of each song that precedes it perfectly. It’s chilled-out and packed full of incredible instrumentation and vocals and lyrics. The choruses are awesome, as are the solos, and Taylor’s vocals are so incredible and beautiful throughout, fitting the track excellently. It’s also produced perfectly, having an epic feel to it due to the arrangement and five-minute length. That bluesy outro solo is phenomenal. It’s another absolutely massive highlight of the album, and the perfect way to end things on a huge high!
Overall: I loved this! As I said in the intro, I had no idea what to expect headed into this, but I enjoyed it far more than I expected I would. Every song was awesome and thoroughly enjoyable. I’ve really started to get into this end of music recently, and Taylor does it better than few others. She has a huge new fan in me, and I’ll definitely be going back and checking out her debut album as soon as I’ve finished typing this up! I cannot recommend this enough to anyone into the softer side of Americana, country, rock or pop music.
Another few great EP releases this week for us to check out. Let’s not waste any time and dive straight in!
Nobody: Shadow Compaions
This is a hugely fascinating listen, as I really struggled to classify it and it combines so many influences and sounds. The main basis is that of both old-school gothic rock and folk music. However, it shares some vague DNA with everything from dark Americana/spooky banjo time, blues, and even some loose power, doom and black metal structures and sounds. It’s like a combination of Sisters of Mercy, Jethro Tull, Amigo the Devil and ASP, and I’m loving it! It’s all done by one man, Finland’s own Tuomas Kauppinen, mainly singing over acoustic guitars, but there are plenty of other elements and layers throughout. It’s four tracks that, as described by Tuomas, ‘study an old, gnarled family tree, beaten and crooked from violence and yet sprouting with new life that promises redemption’. It’s a fantastic concept that fits the music perfectly. Tuomas’ lyrics are amazing throughout, and his songwriting in general is stellar. It’s not going to be for everyone, but I loved all four tracks and found it impossible to pick highlights. Do yourself a favour and give this a listen through, you might be pleasantly surprised! 8.5/10
Brett Eldredge: Lonestar Lovers
The modern country legend is back with his first non-Christmas studio work since 2022’s Songs About You. It’s a short five tracks and 15-minutes, but is a welcome return from the chilled-out Americana artist. Songs like ‘You’ll be Mine’ and ‘Forget About You’ are awesome, and definite personal highlights. It’s a little slower than I was expecting, but is a damn enjoyable release if you just want to sit back and relax. Brett is not only a great songwriter, but his vocals are on phenomenal form throughout this entire thing. It’s not going to be my favourite EP of the year or anything, but I’ll surely be going back to this at least a couple of times throughout the year. I’d recommend it to anyone into the slower side of country/Americana, and it’s a solid 7.5/10!
Circle of Origin: Guilty ’til Proven Innocent
We this is fucking awesome! What an absolutely amazing debut EP from the Doncaster natives. Feeling like it combines everything from Black Label Society to Alter Bridge the early 2000s hard/radio rock scene of Rev Theory, Soil and Nonpoint to even a little smattering of doom, it’s an incredible sound to be hearing in 2025, and something that feels genuinely and surprisingly fresh. Heck, there’s even a touch of BFMV in some of the guitaring and writing, especially when it slows down. It’s a collection of five fantastic tracks all as good as the last, there really isn’t a bad song on the release. Plus, it was arranged perfectly, it flowing incredible well together. The vocals are amazing, as are the riffs and soloing, and the drumming fits everything else incredibly. The band have a big new fan in me, and given that they aren’t too far from me, I’m determined to see them live as I imagine this will all be amazing in a live setting! I can’t recommend this enough to anyone reading this, whether you’re into rock, metal or otherwise. It’s a solid 9.5/10!
23 tracks. 23 TRACKS. Strap in guys and girls, let’s do this.
Modern country legend Kip Moore is back with his sixth studio album, and my gosh is it a big one. I remember checking out his last release, 2023’s Damn Love, and looking back on it I was shocked I didn’t like it too much. That album has certainly grown on me since and I’ve always been a fan of Moore, so when this came over my desk I knew I had to dive in head first and check it out! It’s a big undertaking, but everything Kip has said about it has gotten me hyped, so I can’t wait to hear it!
‘High Hopes’ starts things perfectly, setting the country-Americana-rock vibe amazingly well. A great acoustic guitar riff starts, Kip’s powerful, amazing vocals soon coming in over the top. It builds excellently through the opening chorus too, almost giving off vibes of Drew Holocomb or even Shane Smith. It’s catchy as anything, too! I absolutely ADORE the drumming in the second chorus too, adding some pace and rock and energy to it in all the best ways. The whole song is awesome though and put together so well. It’s definitely a highlight and certainly makes it onto our playlist. What a way to open the album!
The albums title track is up next, and slows the pace down a little. it does still have the same folky-Americana feel to it, though. It’s a beautiful, lower energy song that highlights Kip’s strengths of lyric writing and the versatility of his voice. And it still builds to a huge, stadium-filling chorus! It’s another amazing song, and definitely a good choice to name the album after. If you’re into Kip or any of the genres or artists I’ve mentioned already, I’d definitely recommend checking this out!
‘Pretty Horses’ and ‘Livin’ Side’ keep the slower, folkier vibes going through the middle of the first side. Both are beautiful, good songs, but this release is massive so I can’t go in depth about every single track, or you’ll see the length of the article and click off again! They’re both worth a listen, and fit perfectly in the context and flow of the album! The strings in particular in the former are amazing.
The first (and most recent) single on the album, ‘Around You’, is a beautiful song that feels as much soft rock as it does country/Americana. It builds perfectly through the simple, folky verse into a massive chorus. It still stays pretty stripped back, but Kip’s powerful vocals really step it up a notch and sound awesome! The lyrics are also fantastic, and his vocal delivery as a whole of them is amazing, giving off slight Bryan Adam’s vibes in the best ways. We even get an awesome, vert fitting little guitar solo in the middle. It’s an amazing Americana-rock song and a very good choice for a single. It’s easily a highlight of the album!
Starting off Side-B, ‘Bad Spot’ is a very stripped-back ballad track, focusing mainly on Kip’s raspy vocals, the simple drums and acoustic guitar. It’s also another incredibly catchy chorus, fitting the tone of the track and album as a whole perfectly. It’s an awesome, emotion-filled breakup track, and another huge highlight of an album so far filled with them!
‘Rivers Don’t Run’ gives off big Police vibes, combined perfectly with Bryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen. It’s the least country and most soft rock track so far, and is another awesome song! It’s infectiously catchy and at least a little different feeling in tone to the rest of the album so far, breaking it up nicely. It’s a fun song, and yet another personal highlight.
Single ‘Like Ya Stole It’ is another beautiful ballad track, clearly dedicated to his father. It’s packed full of emotion and certainly brought a smile to my face! It was at this point that I was starting to feel the length of the album a touch (already, I know), but the track is so good it’s impossible not to love. And honestly, they’re pretty good lyrics to live by! It’s a fun, slow country song, and definitely worth checking out!
‘Southern Song’ is another beautiful, heartfelt track that is so well written that I can’t not love it, no matter how many times I listen to it. His vocals are maybe at their peak on this song, as is his amazing lyric writing. It’s a simple track yet hugely effective, and another song that I’m a little obsessed with. It’s one that will easily make it onto our Spotify alongside a lot of others on this record!
‘Learning as I Go’ was another fantastic choice for a single, and starts off side C incredibly strongly. It has a bit more of a powerful rock edge to it again, and that chorus is absolutely phenomenal. And again, that may in large part be down to his amazing vocals and delivery throughout. And the simple yet incredibly effective guitar solo in the middle is also amazing. It’s a tall tale, but it may be my favourite track on the album. I may change my mind on another listen, but for now it’s very much a frontrunner. It takes the best parts of Adams, Shane Smith and his own stuff, rolling it together into this incredible package.
Out of nowhere, we get a blues rock song in ‘Alley Cat’. It was much more in line with what I was expecting from this record, and is a more than welcome addition to it! It’s still pretty simply crafted, but has that real old-school blues/soul feel to it, making it a lot of fun to listen to. And that chorus with the subtle harmonies… *chef’s kiss*. It’s the shot in the aim this album needed at this stage, and was performed and written amazingly. It also felt like a shift in the tone of the album, as ‘Live Her to Work’ is also another up-beat country-blues-rock track. It’s crazy fun, and the lyrics are amazing, surely relatable to just about everyone these days. Both are huge highlights but the latter I think is slightly stronger, probably because it’s slightly more relatable to me! Amazing stuff!
The rock vibes continue on through the awesome, Springsteen-y ‘Love & War’ before we get an acoustic country return with ‘Flowers in December’. The side C concludes with a beautiful, slower folk ballad in ‘Forever is a Lie’. Meanwhile, the final side continues along the same vein as the earlier stuff. ‘Tough Enough’ is another big highlight, the chorus being incredible and the lyrics again being awesome. Also the higher energy, funk-rock ‘Good Things Never Last’ is yet another great song! It almost has Quo vibes to it, which was amazing. And ‘Only Me’ finishes the album off in style with another soft country-rock, almost U2-like anthem.
Overall: I know I ended up rushing through those last handful of tracks, but that shouldn’t be a reflection of the quality of the album at all. For a 23-track long album to hold my attention this well and keep me guessing on what comes next is no easy feat, and for it to have so many bangers on it too is nothing short of incredible. It feels like it builds on his last couple of albums perfectly, honestly more of a bit of a culmination of his sounds up to this point. Moore hit the nail on the head when he said that he wants to feel authentic to himself, as this feels like it took his heart and soul to write and release, and the journey it takes you on is really incredible. Not every song is my favourite, but as a whole they all work perfectly and, though it’s long, I’d recommend checking it out in full at least once.
An absolutely huge edition of New Music Mondays this week, with so many awesome releases for us to sink our teeth into. Let’s dive right in!
Killswitch Engage: This Consequence
Max: Killswitch are back with their ninth studio album and as always, it is very, very well polished and the standard that the band has are on obvious display through this release. There are some phenomenal tracks, and every song is good. The production is absolutely amazing as always and it’s great to see that the band aren’t allowing their standards to drop. There is one issue; it’s a little inconsistent. None of the tracks are bad, like I said, every song is good. But some are just so much better than others. whilst this is a somewhat bemusing criticism, I know, it just makes some parts of the album shine so bright whilst the other just seems a little… standard. I think if pretty much any other band released those songs then they would have a great album on their hands but with everything on this album, it just falls a little flat. 7/10
Chase Matthew: CHASE
We’ve already checked out this awesome album! Read our full review here.
Sin of God: Blood Bound
Fun little behind-the-scenes fact: I first had this on in the car on the way to work. I had some industrial builders lorry cut me up and force me to reverse half-way back down the road. This album helped me get my rage out and was exactly what I needed to mellow me out before I got to work!
In all seriousness though, I fucking loved this. I went in with no expectations but from all the description of them I wasn’t sure if I’d be into it or not. But nope, I am all of the way in. It’s brutally heavy but also so well written and technical. While the main layer is death metal, there is everything from doom to black metal to djenty prog throughout, and the band pull it all off masterfully. Some of the screams are incredible, as are the riffs, and the drummer is working overtime throughout. Just something about the atmosphere they created throughout blew me away. Tracks like ‘Black Waves’, ‘Diabolical Agitation’ and ‘Obulus’ are all huge highlights. However, that’s nearly half the album, and the rest of it is also packed full of bangers! If you are a fan of the heavy stuff in any way, check this out, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I do. I’m desperate to see all of this live, too. It gets a solid 9/10 from me!
Kameron Marlowe: Sad Songs for the Soul
The third album from the Sony Nashville star is a bit of a departure (or rather detour) from his previous two. It’s a bit more stripped-back and simpler, focusing on more of his sombre style over the crazy big hits of his wonderful last album. We gave that one an 8.5/10, so no pressure on this one. Also, just to add to the no pressure, the album starts with a cover of one of my favourite songs by an artist I adore. However, the cover ‘Burning House’, is amazing, putting a new spin on it while keeping all the same level of emotion. It’s a highlight track for sure, but them again all the other songs are also great! ‘Hello Whiskey’ and the beautiful ‘Highway Song’ are other huge highs for me, but there isn’t a bad song on it, honestly. Yes, it’s a little slower and simpler, but Kameron’s vocals and lyrics are so captivating it’s impossible not to love it. Plus, at only 10 songs, it by in a flash. It’s well worth checking this out if you’re a fan of the man or slower country. He got this sound out of his system, so to speak and did so really well, putting out something unique in country these days and rather unexpected. I’m an even bigger fan of the guy now for taking a risk like this! It’s another 8.5/10!
ONE OK ROCK: DETOX
I remember checking out their last album a few years back when I reviewed it, and while clearly I enjoyed it, I can’t say I remember it much, if at all, so it sadly wasn’t too memorable. This one is certainly not going to suffer the same fate. Right from the opening chorus of ‘NASTY’ I was hooked; it’s really awesome pop rock! It gave off big Fall Out Boy/Set It Off/Marinas Trench vibes in all of the best ways. Then you have the almost Owl City-like ‘Tropical Therapy’, the heavier, Biffy-esque ‘Delusion:All’ and the Paledusk/ CHICO CARLITO featuring ‘C.U.R.I.O.S.I.T.Y’ which are all huge other highlights. The latter even has screams and a breakdown, which I love! However, there really isn’t a bad track on the album. My only slight issue is that they have a bit of a lull later on with two ballad-tracks after another. Both are good, but slow the pace of the release down a little too much for this writer. I still love the combination of English and Japanese too, I’m so glad they brought that back from the last release!
Overall though, it’s a damn good album. If you’re into the mid 2000s pop-rock style, I cannot recommend this enough. There are a few tracks on here that I’ll be listening to a lot moving forward, and overall it’s all pretty great! 9/10
Twins Crew: Chapter IV
The fourth studio album from the heavy/power metal Swedes has been a long time coming, a whopping nearly nine years after their last one! Honestly though, it you’re into this sort of style it’s most likely been worth the wait, as it’s a really solid album! It of course gives Manowar and Priest in all the best ways, but also has some modernness in amongst the old-school. Tracks like ‘Never Stop Believing’, ‘Fire’ and ‘Order 69’ are all good fun and personal highlights, though none of the tracks are bad! Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty standard and expected stuff, it hardly reinvents the wheel, but for what it is it’s super enjoyable listen! If you like old-school heavy or power metal, check this out, you’re bound to love it! For me, it’s good, but not something I’d end up revisiting hugely often. 6.5/10
Silverstein: Antibloom
Max: This one is a little bit of an odd one for me I must say. It I s an okay album but that’s really about it. I think that it is a good look for the future of Silverstein as there are parts that feel like they care far more about their craft and what they are putting out rather than how many people listen to it. However, that is definitely still clear. I think the album is fun, I enjoyed it, however it is a bit more of background stimulus than attentive listening for me. I can’t really hate it and I think that it is a good sign for there next album, but it isn’t phenomenal either. 6/10
Sweetbeast: Illusions
This scratched every stoner-doom metal itch I had in my body, and I loved every second! Everything about it is awesome. The riffing; epic throughout. The vocals fit perfectly to the style of the song, sound great and have some surprisingly catchy melodies and moments for the style. The tones and production are fuzzy and deserty in all the best ways. The arrangements are surprisingly proggy, and it only adds to the epicness of it all. Heck, they even give off vague Tool vibes with ‘Dream Eater’.
Yeah, in case you can’t tell, I love this album! It’s giving off big The Sword energy, and I miss that band from their peak so much. I have to say ’70/30′ and ‘Midnight’ were my personal highlights, but this whole album is sick and a real experience throughout. It’s another album that I urge you to listen to in full if you get the chance, regardless of if you have even a slight passing interest in rock music. It honestly flows so well together. Go sit in a dark room and blast this out and thank me later! The band have a new fan in me, and this is an absolutely stellar debut album. It’s a solid 9/10 from us!
The Murder Capital: Blindness
The third album from the Irish post-punkers dropped last Friday. Sadly, I didn’t get it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a genre I’m particularly into to begin with, but a lot of this felt overly messy, almost devoid of trying to make a melody. Again, that’s probably the point and I’m missing it, but it sadly just didn’t sound great to me, and I’m the one writing the review. It isn’t exactly all bad; I do enjoy a couple of tracks like single ‘Words Lost Meaning’ and the mid 2000s ROHP-like ‘A Distant Life’. However, outside of those two I’m certainly not rushing to revisit this album for another full listen. They’re clearly doing something right and plenty of people will love this, as they have nearly 200k listeners on Spotify alone. But sadly it didn’t hook me in all that much, and for that I can’t give it more than a 4/10
Ellis Mano Band: Morph
This blues rock/American roots combo is the fourth studio release from Ellis and Co., and is a lot of fun and an incredibly easy listen. Drawing inspiration from everything from Bonamassa to Stapleton to Springsteen to The Cult, it’s a fantastic softer rock sound and the band do it to perfection. It honestly gives slight Uncle Luscious vibes too with its combination of western sound with the soft rock stuff. Tracks like the opener, the epic ‘20 Years’ and ‘Madness and Tears’ are all fantastic and personal highlights of mine. However, there isn’t a bad song on the album and it goes by in a flash, not feeling like 46-minutes at all. It’s an easy, chilled out listen packed full of a great vocal melodies and harmonies and some awesome riffing. It’s insane that they’re not even bigger than they are, as they more than deserve it and hopefully this album pushes them to that level! I’d recommend checking this out if you’re a fan of any of the styles or bands I’ve mentioned above, you certainly won’t be disappointed. It gets a very solid 8.5/10 from us, great stuff!
Defiled Serenity: Within the Slumber of the Mind
I felt like I was being seduced by that intro track. No idea what he was saying, but it was giving me Antonio Banderas vibes. I was expecting more of a jarring transition out of it too, but actually it build pretty perfectly and atmospherically into ‘Voices from the Void’. Don’t get me wrong, it still ended up in a blackened death metal state, but it felt fitting and earned. Speaking of the song, I wasn’t expecting us to get some melodeath clean vocals in the choruses, adding yet another layer of epicness and fitting the track rather perfectly. And we get a sick guitar solo tucked in the middle, too. It’s a really awesome song, a huge highlight of the album, and a real indicator of what the release and band are about. It sets a fantastic example too, as the rest of the album more than lives up to the bar it sets. Other highlights for me include ‘Death’, the grandiose ‘Mortal’ and single ‘Your Worst Enemy’, but every track is pretty awesome. The atmosphere created throughout is amazing too, it begging to be listened to fully as it all flows perfectly together.
Those who are regular readers here will know how much of a fan of melodeath I am, but this is truly something special within that genre. It combines so many other elements and inspirations, from a Rotting Christ-style black metal to almost prog-metal elements with the structure and cleans. And of course, plenty of In Flames and Children of Bodom. I honestly cannot recommend this album enough for anyone into the heavier end of metal. It’s another insanely high quality debut album release, and the band have a big new fan in me! 9.5/10
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band: Honeysuckle
How could I not cover an album by an artist with such a phenomenal name? His sound and writing is just as interesting as his name too, having a real old-school soul/country/blues style that I quickly fell in love with! The opener/title track is simple but the perfect setup for what’s to come. It leads perfectly into a huge highlight of the album, the sassy, Elvis-like ‘If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day’. Other highlights include ‘Nell’ featuring the awesome Billy Branch, ‘Let Me Go’ and, of course, the Dead South-guesting ‘The Good Die Young’. While the tracks with guests are generally the best of them, the Reverend’s vocals are utterly phenomenal, and criminally underrated. It’s certainly not gonna be for everyone, but I had a blast listening to this, and at just 35-minutes you really can’t go wrong! I’m definitely gonna be listening to this again pretty regularly, and it gets a solid 8/10 from me!
XIII Doors: Into the Unknown
This album has riffs for days right from the offset, and I love it! The Irish hard/rock metal quartet give off plenty of different vibes, from Black Label Society to Red Sun Rising to Sacred Mother Tongue to Prong to Alter Bridge. There’s certainly some Tremonti riffing and melody throughout, for sure. Heck, I even heard plenty of Alice in Chains too, especially with some of the harmonies later on! It’s heavy and melodic in all the best ways, and everyone in the band is working their ass off throughout to create something honestly rather unique and special. Also a huge shoutout to the production, it sounds absolutely massive, whoever did it did an incredible job.
It’s honestly so hard to pick highlights as I just kept adding more and more of the album to my personal playlist, it really is THAT good. It’s only eight tracks and each is truly as good as the last. It’s a short, easily digestible slice of awesomeness that I would recommend to absolutely anyone reading this. And what do you know, it’s yet ANOTHER incredible debut album. It definitely definitely feels like it takes all the right cues from One Day Remains, in sound, style and form, which is anything but a bad thing. I can’t not, this is right up my street, and I can’t give it any less than 10/10! Check this out immediately!
Rick Pierce Group: Brick by Brick
The old-school rockers‘ debut has been building up for nearly five years now, and was finally released last week! It’s a pretty great foot-stomping, AOR release driven by its chunky, awesome riffs and soaring vocals and melodies. It feels like it’s designed to be played live and loud in some dingy dive bar on the Sunset Strip back in the day, and that alone makes it a lot of fun! The opening couple of songs were very good choices for singles and to be so early as they really establish the bands sound. Then it goes full Night Rangers with ‘Only’, not that that is a complaint in any way! ‘Remember the Bataclan’ straight after goes in a more Priest/Manowar direction too straight after. Heck, the only complaint I can have of this album is that it’s only seven tracks long, and that we’ve heard four of them already. However, that doesn’t take as much away from it as I sadly hadn’t heard said singles until now, and they combine with the other songs to make for a damn solid album. I clearly just want more of this immediately! If you like an old-school sound, I’d certainly go and give this one a listen. They’re another band that deserve to be bigger, and hopefully this awesome release will help that. It’s a solid 8/10 from us!
The 7th Guild: Triumviro
Goddamn, I love power metal. This is the older sound of the genre done to its very best, too. It gives off big Hammerfall vibes, as well as Dream Evil and Blind Guardian. The band are all so insanely talented, the soloing and vocals/harmonies being particular highlights throughout. However, the riffing and insane drumming as amazing, too! Songs like the band’s title track, the beautiful piano-ballad ‘Time’ and the epic ‘Fairy Tale’ are all big highlights for me. Though, if you’re a fan of big, epic folky power metal, the whole album is surely going to be amazing to you. The market for the genre is rather saturated these days, but these guys are great and I hope they find a way to stand out among their peers. As for me, while I don’t think it’s the best the genre has to offer, it’s a damn good release, and a solid 7.5/10. I’m curious to hear how they build on it in the future, as it’s another fantastic debut album!
Stuka: Electronic Body Metal
This is a wild album. Creative and interesting both feel like understatements, honestly. It’s like dark-wave mixed with death metal vocals and themes, which in of itself sounds insane. It somehow combines to make this real dark industrial sound, which I kinda dig! It’s almost Rammstein-y, just without the guitars. Plus, the themes of the album, combined with the frankly awesome artwork, are pretty sick. It took me a bit of getting into, even though I do love the premise, and I think it was because of the production. If this had a massive sound like I think it needed, it could have been phenomenal and really groundbreaking. It feels like something that’s ripped right out of the darker depths of the 80s, like metal meets Warhammer meets arcade games, but the vocals in particular don’t quite hit as hard as they maybe could have. Still, I’m damn glad I listened to this and did have a good time listening to it. If anyone reading this is a fan of the quirky or just needs something different, check this out, you might be pleasantly surprised like I was! It may grow on me more with more listens, but for now it gets a 7/10
