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new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Wet Leg, Brent Cobb and More!

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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!

new music mondays

New Music Mondays: Nothing But Thieves. Raven and More!

A heavy week of new music this week for the most part, with just the one country album to be seen and only really two non-metal ones. So, for all you metalheads out there, check this out!

Nothing But Thieves: Dead Club City

A bit of a left field one to start off this week of new music. Nothing but Thieves are most likely not the sort of band you’d associate Overtone with covering. However, they are still classed as a rock band, and their particular blend of rock, pop, funk, alternative, indie and synth is frankly great. So, we’re covering them anyway, deal with it!

I haven’t actually given this band much time and attention for a while at this point, so this was a bit of a re-introduction point. What a fantastic point to be jumping back in with the band, too. This album is excellent. Whether it’s the rather funky, 80s style opener or the Muse/Twenty-One Pilots-esque ‘Keeping You Around’ or the almost proggy ‘Do You Love Me Yet?’ or the heavier ‘Pop the Balloon’, there’s a lot to love. Conor Mason’s vocals are somehow better than ever, and his range is incredible. The entire band play their parts to perfection though, crafting a cohesive, very enjoyable album. They take the listener on a damn fun musical journey through so many different styles. Honestly, this feels like the style that Arctic Monkeys have been trying to reach for years, but done to perfection.

I definitely need to pay more attention to this band, this album has certainly rekindled my love for them. I know it isn’t going to be for everyone, but anyone reading who is into lighter, more experimental poppy stuff, check this out! 8.5/10

Raven: All Hell’s Breaking Loose

The NWOBHM pioneers return with their 15th studio album. While by no means the biggest band in the scene ever, they have always been one of my favourites. They have always focused a bit more on speed and heaviness, a trait that I as a thrash-kid clearly loved. And, it’s impossible to deny their influence on the future of metal, especially on the 80s thrash scene with the likes of Metallica and Anthrax. The fact that they are still going these days is great, never mind that they are still pumping out great music!

I have to admit, the opening two tracks, ‘Medieval’ and ‘Surf the Tsunami’ are the clear highlights. The former is a fantastic radio track while the latter opens on a very ‘Painkiller’ drumbeat and stays quick and heavy throughout. Another big highlight for me was ‘Edge of a Nightmare’. While I did enjoy the tracks in between, some of the vocal melodies felt just a tad dated. They’d have done fantastically in the 80s alongside the likes of ‘Wheels of Steel’, but they don’t hold up as much today. I also got a little bored by the ten tracks all sounding pretty similar. I know it’s a personal thing of my tiny attention span, but nearly 40-minutes of the same sound and pace left me wanting more by the halfway mark.

Still, everyone is still very talented in the band are a good songwriters. After decades in the business, it’s a damn solid album to continue the band’s legacy. If you’re a fan of thrash, speed or NWOBHM, you’ll like this! 8/10

Divide and Dissolve: Systemic

Well, this was odd. The first three minutes of this album (across two tracks, I might add) was ambient, strange soundscape. Then out of nowhere a big, dirty, slow guitar riff comes in. It fits… kinda… not really. Then the whole album is, well, this. Slow doom metal riffs repeated over and over again for 30 minutes. Sometimes they change it up slightly in terms of riffs or tempo, but sometimes the riff only stops when the song ends and they go into the next.

I don’t get it. I honestly felt like I was being punked. Don’t get me wrong, I completely get that the duo are very talented at playing the drums, guitars and sax, and I did enjoy some of the riffs and soundcapes they created. I just wanted something to happen with them. I guess that’s my fault, I knew they were instrumental when I read about them in prep for this. However, I enjoy a good few instrumental tracks and artists, and you can do plenty with the format. This didn’t The closest I got to enjoying it was the opening couple of minutes of ‘Indignation’, it sounding like a sombre close to a 2nd act of a movie soundtrack. But yeah, this did nothing for me. Even the strange slam poetry style ‘Kingdom of Fear’ bored me. 3.5/10 Sorry if you like it, I know lots do!

The Pink Stones: You Know Who

The only country music I could find that had been released this week, The Pink Stones released their sophomore album. Describing themselves as country rock, that second part is pretty weak at times, having much more of a traditional country feel aside for the odd guitar solo and Lynyrd Skynyrd-esque parts. Still though, a lot of it is upbeat and a little quicker. My favourite track was ‘Baby, I’m Still Right Here’ thanks to the amazing Nikki Lane adding so much with her great vocals.

However, the album as a whole is a fun, simple, bouncy jaunt. It’s great to just stick on and chill out to, and I’d love to see this live! Get me in a sunny field seeing these with a beer in my hand ASAP! If you’re into country at all definitely check out this album, especially the aforementioned track, ‘Where we Have to Stay’ and ‘Who’s Laughing Now?’. The band definitely have a new fan in me, and I’ll be listening to this a lot in the months to come. 8/10

Check out more country here.

Loma Prieta: Last

The hardcore punk outfit return with their fifth studio album. It’s a lot of fun, in a chaotic, Mr Bungle kinda way. It’s definitely not going to be for everyone, but if you like this style you’ll LOVE this. While individual tracks like ‘Dose’ and ‘One Off (Part 2)’ are great, the album really feels like it should be listened to as a whole. It’s the most cohesive album I have heard in a while, every track flowing so perfectly into the next. I’d definitely recommend listening to it as a whole if you have a spare 30 minutes and like the more hardcore side of things. 7/10 P.S. ‘Symbios’ is a chaotic masterpiece.

XO Armor: Nublar

Are you ready for something heavy? Because damn, XO Armor give away their sound right from the opening second. ‘Dilopho’ is a downright insane way to open an album, and I am all of the way down with it. It also is the perfect showcase for what you are going to get throughout the rest of the album. Huge riffs from super low-tuned guitars, br00tal screams, low, Manson-like spoken word parts and a fair bit of hip-hop influence. The latter comes into play more in the second track and single ‘Rex’, another huge highlight of the album that draws in a fair bit of Linkin Park influence by the end. Heck, the following single, ‘Pangea’, even draws some house elements into the dark metal track. The combination of genres here throughout is really interesting and a fantastic listen.

I honestly cannot praise each track enough. I’d happily sit here and gush over each song in album order, but I imagine that’d make for a very boring read for anyone not in the band! Every track is phenomenal and somehow different to eachother while still maintaining a sound that is distinguishable as XO Armor.

Whether it’s Darko US, Electric Callboy, Linkin Park, Marilyn Manson, Don Broco, Stray From the Path, or Eminem, the band draws together a lot of sounds together to surprisingly perfect effect. And, it’s a metal album about dinosaurs. It’s every boyhood dream! This definitely isn’t for everyone, but even if you dont get it, the inovation and talent can’t be ignored. 10/10, so very deserved!

Schattenmann: Dia De Muertos

The German hard rockers released their fourth studio album in five years, an impressive feat given that the only year they missed was the hell that is 2020. Now, full disclaimer, I don’t speak enough German to understand what they are saying. Unfortunately while doing this I don’t have the time to learn the language, as much as I’d love to. So I’mma just assume the lyrics are great!

Musically, it’s kinda awesome! It blends so many different styles together in a really inventive way that I was not expecting. From the horns of the title track giving it an almost pirate feel (definitely what they were going for), to the folky, punky stylings of a band like Dropkick Murphys or Real McKenzies and, of course, the slight industrial edge that a lot of German bands have that is so hard not to compare with Rammstein. Heck, they even take inspiration from the prominent techno scene (or Electric Callboy) for ‘Hände hoch’. However, while combining together all of these awesome styles and sounds, it still sounds wholly unique and fresh.

Single ‘Menschenhasser’ is a big highlight of the album, as is the assumedly silly, industrial ‘Dickpic’. There’s plenty to enjoy throughout the album, though! 8/10

Virgin Steele: The Passion of Dionysus

Well, this album is a journey and a half. Given how long they’ve been going (over four decades) I’m so very shocked I haven’t heard of them until now. Then again, the great god Wiki described them as heavy/power metal and I didn’t hear too much of that here. I heard much more Deep Purple and Rainbow meets Jethro Tull meets Rush. Not that I’m complaining, as fuck, it’s awesome!

Opening on seven minute epic would surely confuse some people, but considering it’s one of the shorter, heavier and more upbeat tracks on the album, it was the right choice! Following track ‘You’ll Never See the Sun Again’ opens on some beautiful piano and vocal melodies, building into the heaviness at times throughout. David DeFeis’ vocals, especially with the flares at the end of some of the lines, remind me heavily of Bruce Dickinson. Honestly, the whole track reminds me of a slower Iron Maiden track. It was a personal highlight track for me.

A lot of it was a little too samey or slow/proggy for me. I love the genre in general, but do get a little bored if there isn’t major changes throughout like Rush or Dream Theater. However, ‘Spiritual Warfare’ and the shorter ‘Black Earth & Blood’ were both also highlights of the album. 7/10, if you like prog or folk-inspired stuff, you’ll love this!

Before the Dawn: Stormbringers

The creative might of Tuomas Saukkonen returns with Before the Dawn for the first time in over a decade. The first album since their reunion in 2021 after Tuomas took a break to work on Wolfheart, it’s got pretty lofty expectations and hype around it.

For melodeath, it’s surprisingly light. It definitely leans more into the bands more gothic roots. Having said that, the growls in tracks like ‘Reveries’ and ‘Chains’ are great. Also, I loved the slower(ish) nature of ‘Downhearted’, it was my favourite track on the album, followed closely by the epic ‘Chains’. ‘Divided’ is the closest to the death sound, reminding me a lot of Amon Amarth in the best ways. Meanwhile ‘The Dark’ had some Tool elements to it, around the heaviness and growls of course.

Honestly, this album grew on me more and more throughout. I just don’t think I enjoyed the opening two songs. As soon as ‘Reveries’ hit, I was sold for the rest of the album. I loved every track after that point, and would recommend anyone who’s into the heavier end of metal to check this out. It’s powery, deathy, melodic and fucking awesome. 9/10

Ofnus: Time Held Me Grey and Dying

Time for some atmospheric black metal, right? By far my favourite facet of black metal, and let me tell you, Ofnus’ debut album does it well. Opening on the longest track on the album pays off as that does of slow-build epicness hooked m attention immediately. In fact the album as a whole has a rather grand feel to it, amongst the crushing heaviness. ‘The Endless Grey’ and ‘Grains of Sand’ are personal highlights of mine, but if you’re into the genre you’ll love all of it like I do! It’s hard to find much to say as it is all fairly similar to a still rather new ear to the sound. However, I do know that it is good and well written. 7.5/10 from me!

Anima Tempo: Chaos Paradox

It’s been seven years since the prog/djent band last released more than a single at once. Chaos Paradox is a very interesting return, and one hell of a fun one! It’s very 8-bit video game based, and I love. From the high-energy synth that feels ripped straight out of an arcade machine to the insane guitaring matching it, the talent is off the charts. It also contrasts perfectly with the insanely heavy harsh vocals and crushing riffs throughout. Both the clean and harsh vocals are so good, with both Gian and Daniel doing stellar jobs. However, the whole band’s skill level is really on another level.

Tracks like the opener, single ‘Deceitful Idols’ and ‘Robo-Lution’ are all highlights of a very good album. Honestly, with this album they’re giving the likes of Periphery and Veil of Maya a run for their money. It’s one of my favourite albums in this sub-genre for years, everything about it is excellent. If you’re a fan of djent or heavy death-prog, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! 9.5/10

Throw the Fight: Strangeworld

The Minnesotan alt metal/post-hardcore band are back with their fifth album. Considering they’ve been going for a while, I’d never heard of them until now. It’s a shame too, because they’re good! Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing ground-breaking or really even memorable or ear-worm worthy. Everything on the album has been done at some point before by A Day To Remember or Bullet for my Valentine or another band in between. However, it’s still a solid album. If you like either of the aforementioned bands, you’ll enjoy this! ‘Lost Without You’ and ‘Shadow Self’ were personal highlights. If you like pop-punk style vocals, a fun scream or too and some chuggy riffs, check this out! 7/10

Reviews

Spectrums: Can Just One Man be the Future of Djent/Prog?

One man djent/prog metal band DUSK have been gathering a lot of steam over the last couple of years. After the release of two EPs in 2020 and 2021, he is finally set to release his first full-length album on Friday. We got sent it a little early and just had to check it out!

A surprisingly cold open to the album as some high, clean chord progressions beautifully chime. Some electronics build into a rather beautiful verse. Drums and some simple bass come in over the back, giving it some great depth. And the first guest vocalist comes in, sounding a shocking amount like Kelly Jones. It fits well over the instrumentation, though, it all sounding a little ethereal. Then, out of nowhere, it djents the fuck out and gets super heavy. A heavy riff sounds through with some fantastic harsh vocals. It dials back slightly but still stays sounding massive for the chorus, before the clean stuff returns.

The formula repeats perfectly before more electronics lead into a very Periphery-style guitar solo. I cannot fault it at all though, it’s awesome. Said solo heads into a heavy, epic outro which rounds out the track well. A damn good start, even if it took a few seconds to get going.

Check out more heavy prog here.

‘Digging Deeper’ is the first of two tracks to feature Alex Hamilton on vocal duty. It get’s straight into it this time as some djenty guitars leads to a huge, crazy riff and some fantastic screams. It almost immediately cleans up though, catching me off guard. Alex has some almost rap-type flow through these clean verses, giving off Linkin Park or Falling in Reverse vibes. I wasn’t sold at first, but it builds perfectly into the heavier, screamed parts, making it more impactful. The subtle strings behind these parts was a nice touch too, as was the second riffs with the high stabs. The part where everything drops out aside for the screams was AMAZING. The screams throughout this track, especially the lows, are phenomenal. I loved this, and it easily makes our playlist!

‘Breath in, Breath Out’ slaps you straight in the face with a chunky riff. It stays heavy throughout, too, a straight-up deathcore track. Adnan’s vocals reminds me a little of Jamie Jasta’s, they have that hardcore edge to them. Still though, despite the heaviness, it has easily one of the catchiest choruses on the album. I found myself screaming along! And those riffs after the first chorus, fuck me, insanity. I’m not jealous of his playing at all… you are. It’s another amazing track, and another to make the playlist!

The second Alex Hamilton track, ‘Hatred’ is also a banger. It reminds me of early metalcore, back when it was more heavily influenced by nu-metal. Heck, it even reminds me of modern nu metal bands like Tallah and Tetrarch. Once again his vocals are a highlight of the track, fitting so well over the brutal riffs. Whether it’s cleans or brutal lows, I think I’ve found one of my new favourite vocalists. That breakdown is INSANE. As is that final scream. I love this.

The only track on the album to feature Aron Harris, ‘Lethal Perspectives’, is a heavy track. It goes hard from the get-go with huge riffs and death metal vocals, and doesn’t let up throughout. It’s a full on deathcore track in a similar vein to Lorna Shore or Job for a Cowboy. It was another great song, and I found myself appreciating the instrumentation even more here.

The second of Abzy’s tracks, ‘Agnes of Rome’, opens on a blegh, so we’re off to a good start! The spoken word parts in amongst the screaming for the verses was good, as were the clean parts. He has such an interesting cadence to his voice that I couldn’t help but love it. There’s also a nice stripped-back, almost jazzy part a couple of minutes in. You can tell it’s very electronically produced, but the vocals sound amazing over the top, a dark, brooding turn for the track. It then heavies back up for a climactic end. Another amazing song!

Next up are two tracks featuring Moe Steiger. The first, ‘Burning in my Mind’ opens on a cool electronic riff, the bass and electric drums building in over the top before the guitars complete the sound. The distorted whispered vocals remind me of an industrial sound, Nine Inch Nails or Rammstein. Then the awesome scream comes in and brings it right back to deathcore. I cannot get over how good the main riff is, too, I’d have loved it to stay as an industrial nu metal track. However, the dynamics of the track are fantastic, constantly keeping the listener intrigued.

Meanwhile the second track, ‘Karma Will Find You’ opens like a J-Pop song. It was definitely a change of pace. It doesn’t even really heavy up that much when the guitars and drums come in too, the electronics and clean vocals being the main focus. That is, until you’re slapped in the face with some HUGE screams and a dirty riff. The heavier parts are full djent while the lighter choruses are closer to pop. It’s very Periphery. The contrast between the two parts is really interesting and makes for an enjoyable listen!

‘Someone to Trust’ is another heavy, deathcore-style song, this time featuring Jon Thomas. His vocals remind me of Rob Flynn’s which I liked a lot. The clean vocals for the chorus were nice too, especially with the harmonies. Meanwhile ‘Only You’ was another nice change of pace as it’s the ballad of the album. Lighter, slower and infectiously catchy, it’s a great pallet cleanser and great song in its own right.

The final official track, ‘Celestials’, definitely lives up to its name. The synth to open it was awesome, sounding like a combination of Sci-Fi and Stranger Things. The softer clean vocals fit perfectly over the top, be it the more electronic sounds or the heavy riffs. It was another change of pace and I really wasn’t expecting a lighter end to the album, with closing interlude ‘Absence of Full’ also light. However, it was a nice surprise, and gave us a couple of fantastic tracks.

Overall: I really enjoyed this! While I’ve never dug into the djent catalogue all too much, albums like this remind me why I should. It was heavy, melodic and some of the riffs were insane. Meshari Sangora is a very talented guy, and I can’t wait to hear more from him and DUSK already!

The Score: 7.5/10