Tag Archives: folk

Features, Reviews

Uncle Lucius and The Exile Club Rock The Bodega!

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A bit of a different one for us today, especially for the Bodega, as we headed along to see the American roots icons Uncle Lucius. The band’s first tour of the UK in eight years, and another album released since then, they certainly had a lot of catching up to do! They’re currently still on their Around the World in 30 Days tour, and had not long flown from Australia, with Europe up next, but still made a couple of stops off in the UK to show off their talents. So we knew we just had to come down to the show and see just what they were like live, especially after enjoying the album so much! Check out what we thought below!

First of all, supporting were a band I’d never heard of before, but quickly fell in love with. The English soul-roots-rock-country fusion band were somehow not on my radar before now, but they have a big new fan in me! The Exile Club have had a massive year in 2024, and deserve everything they’ve gotten as they are five insanely talented songwriters and players. And not only that, but they are born performs too, each having their own moments to shine both in the solo parts and outside of them. And the combination of Abbie Middleton and Joe Hazell practically fronting the thing is awesome, them both playing off each other well vocally and in their performance, and they are captivating to watch. However, that shouldn’t take away from the other three, who are just as great. And not only that, but their stuff packs a punch live too, even more so than on track. They won the crowd over in a big way, and are sure to be a massive name in the scene sooner rather than later!

And then we swiftly moved onto the headline act of the evening. The club was quickly packed out by the time Uncle Lucius took to the stage, making for an incredibly warm experience, to say the least! However, that didn’t matter, and didn’t stop the band from utterly blowing me away. The professionalism and tightness of this band are off the charts, every cog moving like a well oiled machine and making it seem like such a smooth show. They are all insanely talented individuals and players, and it all combined together perfectly. And they sound just as good live as they do on track which, speaking as a musician, is no mean feat!

Kevin, however, is truly on another level. Again, I don’t want to take away from the rest of the band as they are all insanely talented in their own rights, but Kevin is an effortlessly magnetic frontman. His Southern drawl and charm make him captivating, and he is honestly one of the most underrated vocalists around today, especially in a live setting. I loved every single member of the band for their playing, but Kevin really nailed it for me.

And of course, the band played an incredible set list of older hits and newer bangers. My favourite off the new album, ‘All the Angelinos’, was an early-set highlight, while tracks like ‘Holy Roller’ and ‘Mockingbird’ had the crowd hooked throughout. We even got a couple of covers snuck in for good measure, both of which were great! It was a great, chilled out set of US roots music!

And there we have it, folks, what an excellent night! Both bands more than delivered, and had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout. I love that this sort of music is starting to take off in the UK, and really can’t wait to see how far Exile Club climb, I’m gonna have to see them again soon! I cannot recommend either band enough, be it live or on track, so go away right now and listen to both! And thanks again to the amazing Lime Tree Music as always for hooking this up for us!

Uncle Lucius are Kevin Galloway (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Doug Strahan (lead guitar), Jonny Grossman (keyboards and lead vocals on select songs), Josh Greco (drums), and Drew Sherger (bass) and honestly they barely fit on the stage of the Bodega!

Reviews

Welcome to the Plains: Does Wyatt Flores’ Debut Album Live Up to His EPs?

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I’ve become a rather massive Wyatt Flores fan over the last year. From reviewing his last release (apparently an EP, but I will go down swinging otherwise) to seeing him live at the amazing Long Road this year, he’s done so much awesomeness. So, to be able to sit here and review his debut album (again, ugh) a couple of days early is amazing. This guy is one of country’s fastest rising names, so let’s see how he fares with a full-length release!

The opener and title track sets the tone for the album perfectly. The great acoustic guitar chord progression explodes into a fantastic traditional country/Americana sound, it immediately having me hooked. Wyatt’s iconic, powerful vocals come in over the top, his lyrics immediately being fantastic. And damn, all the strings add so much to the sound and are a huge highlight throughout, especially the amazing fiddle solo. Everything picks up for a damn catchy, foot-stomping chorus that is just begging to be danced to! And yet still, the lyrics for it are profound and pretty emotional. Wyatt has the profound ability to make a bouncy and fun sounding track still weighty and meaningful, and it’s a real testament to his songwriting ability. It’s such an incredible way to open the album, and is definitely a track that makes it onto our playlist!

‘When I Die’ has a bit more of a subdued feeling and a slightly slower pace. However, that only amplifies the powerful, emotion-filled lyrics. Two songs in and I already have goosebumps, this isn’t going to be good for my emotional state! It’s a truly beautiful song that builds perfectly throughout, featuring some incredible lyrics and vocals from Wyatt (coupled with some great harmonies) and once again some of the best instrumentation in the genre today. The talent on show is phenomenal, and it is yet another utterly incredible track!

The chilled-out vibes continue on through the folky ‘Oh Susannah’ and the beautiful love song ‘Only Missing is You’. Both are fantastic tracks that, while being more stripped-back and slower than other tracks by him, still feel completely different and unique to each other. The latter is honestly incredible and is easily another highlight and playlist-maker. And it can easily be a massive radio hit if it gets the single treatment.

Single ‘Don’t Wanna Say Goodnight’ is another amazing, western-style up-tempo country track. It’s the perfect choice for a single too, as it reflects everything that Wyatt does so well. The lyrics are amazing, the instrumentation is incredible throughout and won’t get the credit it deserves, and the chorus is massive and catchy, a real stadium-filled. And, remembering seeing him playing it at The Long Road earlier this year, I can confirm it’s INCREDIBLE live. We also get an absolutely phenomenal outro, a minute of build-up and amazing playing, creating something truly epic and special. If you listen to any track coming away from this review, let it be this one. WOW!

‘Habits’ is the closest thing to a ballad track on the album. While there are multiple slower tracks throughout the release, the main focus of this is very much Wyatt’s guitar and vocals; a simple, beautiful arrangement. We get some strings in the back and light drums halfway through, but it’s still an incredibly stripped-back track. And of course, Wyatt gives it his all with some more powerful lyrics. Another amazing song!

Tracks like ‘Right Here with You’ and ‘Angels Over You’ start off slower and acoustically but build up into huge, epic soundscapes by the end. Both are fantastic tracks, the former being my favourite of the two but it was definitely close. Meanwhile ‘Forget Your Voice’ has a similar vibe to ‘Habits’, but slightly more up-beat and with a touch more going on. The drums are more present and driving, but it still has a major focus on the acoustic guitar above most other instrumentation. It’s another beautiful song, and the solo in particular is amazing. And it feels redundant at this point to say just how amazing the lyrics are.

‘The Truth’ and ‘r’ have a bit more of a southern rock tinge to them than other tracks on the album. Don’t get me wrong, they still very much feel very Wyatt, but it’s amazing to hear how varied his styles and sound can get while still being unmistakably himself. Heck, that guitaring in the former even gives the track a 90s grunge/pop rock edge to it, too. And that solo at the end… *chef’s kiss*, it’s so very Lynyrd Synyrd in all the best ways!

Another single, ‘Little Town’, is yet another excellent song, and one I’ve been obsessed with since its release. It somehow combines the western, 90s pop-rock and country styles perfectly, his vocals and lyrics maybe being my favourite on the album. That chorus is incredible, sounding huge and fitting the tone of the song and album perfectly. It’s another very good choice for a single! It’s another infectiously fun track, and another massive highlight of the album!

The final tracks on the album have a surprising amount of swagger and bounce and attitude to them all. Both ‘Stillwater’ and the closer have this dark western edge to them that I really love, while ‘Falling Sideways’ has a rock edge on top of all of it too, almost giving TC3 vibes at times. All three tracks are amazing, and somehow flow perfectly to create an incredible finale. ‘Falling Sideways’ in particular is another masterpiece that I’ll certainly be listening to a hell of a lot moving forward.

Overall: I was certainly not disappointed, that’s for sure! This release is packed full of awesome song after awesome song, a large number of them being hits in the making. I LOVE the fact that he’s had more room to wiggle here as he’s expanded his sound out so much compared to his EPs, giving various different styles and tempos throughout. And this is coming from someone who loves the EPs too; both have done their jobs perfectly. Wyatt’s stock has been steadily rising over the last couple of years, but it’s bound to explode with this releases. In a year packed full of incredible country releases, this stands out among them for sure!

The Score: 9.5/10

Reviews

Held by Trees, Penny Rich and Forsaken Rite: EPs Galore!

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Another three awesome, very different EPs for us to check out this time around. So, let’s dive right in with them!

Held by Trees: Held by Trees & Martin Smith

This is a damn interesting release. The bands first collaboration with a vocalist and they couldn’t have picked a better fit than Martin. Don’t get me wrong, it’s certainly not going to be for everyone, it being slower, more chilled out prog music. However, from a truly instrumental and writing standpoint, it’s utterly phenomenal. The way the instruments play alongside each other in the opening track is amazing, Martin’s voice almost treated like another instrument alongside them. However, that shouldn’t take away from his great lyrics. But man, the guitar and sax solos were a big highlight of the track. Then you have the equally epic and introspective, albeit slower, ‘Lay Your Troubles Down’, and the shorter ‘Oh, My Love’. The whole thing has such an awesome flow to it, feeling like a combination of U2, Pink Floyd and the Police, yet somehow is arguably more interesting than all three. I cannot get over that Sax work especially in ‘Oh, My Love’. It’s definitely a highlight of the release. The rest of the EP is different versions of these three tracks, which I can honestly take or leave, but the nearly half an hour of these three are amazing, and went by like a flash. Honestly, it gets a solid 8.5/10 from me!

Penny Rich: On and On

We don’t cover anywhere near enough noise-punk on this site, which is probably why when I hear some as good as this, I love it even more! This is four tracks of attitude-drenched indie-punk, and I enjoyed every number of it. The closest thing I can think to compare it to is IDLES, but even then it has a bit more grit and intrigue to it. And look no further for proof of that then the opening single, ‘Fundamentals’. It incapsulates everything the band are about in one four-and-a-half minute package, and is a massive highlight of the release. However, all four tracks are great, and if you like this sort of music you’ll get plenty of enjoyment out of the EP. The band are all clearly insanely talented musicians and writers, and are going to become a huge name in the scene sooner rather than later, I’m sure of it! I’mma be listening to it plenty where I can, though interestingly it is only realised via Bandcamp currently, a service I sadly do not use anywhere near enough. It very much compliments the band’s punk ethos, though! It’s an easy 8/10!

Forsaken Rite: The Forgotten West

The Canadian folk-metallers are back with their first new music since 2017’s full-length The Northern Saga. Touting this as very much a continuation to that release, I clearly need to go back and check that album out as this EP is awesome! It takes inspiration from not just folk, but symphonic and even atmospheric black metal too, combining all these sounds together in one powerhouse 22-minute package. The clean, operatic vocals are beautiful, and contrast perfectly with the harsh male growls throughout. And the rest of the band have created an epic, awesome soundscape across all five tracks! It’s super hard to pick highlights, but for me the opening track and ‘Fire Circle’ stood out ever so slightly above the others. As I said though, all are fantastic songs. The band have returned with a vengeance, and if they build on this release and momentum, can easily be pushed high up in the genre pretty soon. For now, this EP gets another easy 8/10

Reviews

Pathways: Julian Taylor Once Again Knocks it Out of the Park!

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The amazing Julian Taylor is back with another folky, rootsy, country, rocky solo album. He’s had a pretty consistent output since going solo, this marking his third studio album in three years. I hadn’t heard of him much until he was announced for The Long Road for this year, but after checking him out quickly fell in love with his music. So when this came across our emails, I knew I just HAD to review this in full! Let’s dive in!

‘Weighing Down’ is the perfect, chilled-out opening track. His low, soulful vocals work perfectly over the acoustic guitars, strings and soft drumming. It’s the perfect, relaxed song, and the lyrics through it are also phenomenal. There’s honestly not much to say about it; it’s a simple yet incredibly effective track that sets the tone up for the rest of the album perfectly.

The chilled vibes continue through ‘Love Letters’, a folk track that honestly feels almost like a romantic drinking song than anything else. Like an almost more stripped-back Pogues. The vocals are fantastic again over the acoustic guitar, and the harmonies around Julian’s voice are perfect. They make a catchy chorus even catchier. We even get a fun little guitar solo part in the bridge. This was an amazing song, and one that easily makes it onto our playlist!

‘Six Line Road’ is much more acoustic-blues track, having a great riff running through its core. And the lyrics are again incredible, showing off Julian’s talents as a storyteller. The harmonies are once again awesome through the choruses, it all being so simple yet so very effective. We even get a sexy, sexy sax in this, that I can’t get enough of and wish we got even more of. It added a dive-jazz bar vibe to it all which I loved. It’s another incredible song, and another that makes it onto our Spotify!

We’ve of course already checked out the single and title track of the album, and LOVE it. It’s a slower track in more of a Don McLean/Cat Stevens vein, but is a fantastic, emotion-filled track. The lyrics are incredible, as is the delivery of them, and the duet-style with Allison is truly beautiful. And honestly, this is the second or third time this chorus will be stuck in my head for the rest of the day. It’s the perfect song to sit and chill out with, yet still gave me goosebumps when listening to it closely. It’s the third track in a row for the playlist, Julian is on a roll!

The pace picks up with ‘Running Away’, having an almost indie-rock feel to the country sound. The closest thing I can associate it to is Red Clay Strays, who I also love! It’s a foot-stomping, rockier number that wouldn’t have felt out of place in the 60s, yet still feels modern at the same time. It’s also the longest track on the album, which was great as it gives the band chance to jam in the middle, having a rocky-blues bridge section and outro full of some great soloing. It was the perfect change of pace for the album, putting something a little quicker in the middle to break up the slower tracks. I didn’t expect it at all but I loved it. It almost had some Dire Straits to it at times! The talent of Julian and his band are off the charts, from both a writing and playing standpoint, and this track is a true testament to that! I’d definitely recommend the album version over the radio edit to get a true feel for the track!

In contrast, ‘See This Thing Through’ is the slowest track on the album, a slower blues/easy listening track packed full of more awesome vocals and harmonies. Honestly, the other two tracks have a similar relaxed, stripped-back feeling, rounding out the album perfectly. It’s just impossible to dislike Julian’s music. Usually I’d get a touch bored of a collection of mostly slower songs, but his vocals and lyrics are so incredible that I loved all three of these tracks. The perfect ending to the perfect chill-out album!

Overall: As I’m sure you can tell, I loved this. It’s short and sweet and there truly isn’t a bad track on here. I listened to it all the way through once before I even wrote anything, I just sat back and took it in and has a blast. It went by in a flash and is the perfect relaxed country album if you want to sit back and really listen. I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys the slower side of country, and I’ll be listening to it a lot in the coming weeks and months!

The Score: 8/10

Features, Interviews & Features

Julian Taylor: ‘Here is really more focused towards country rock stuff, whereas in North America the country stuff is really poppy!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing Julian Taylor at The Long Road the other week. Check out the full interview below!

How was the set? Sounded good from out there!

Oh thanks man! I didn’t hear it myself!

And it’s the first of two, right?

Yeah, the first of two. We’re playing over there on the porch stage. I was just talking to Bailon and he was saying he designed that whole stage from something from his childhood. So I’m looking forward to that, yeah!

Will it just be you or the whole band?

I think we’ll do the whole thing. My stuff’s not overbearing, it’s pretty chill!

And this is show number two of the tour, right?

Yes, we were in Shoreham-by-Sea two nights ago. Then here, London tomorrow, The Water Rats, then moving forward we’re in Liverpool and Shrewsbury, and Barnswick, and Kirton in Lindsey.

And this is your second tour out here, right?

This is the third, actually! But second with the band. First one I came out solo and did the Americana fest UK and a whole bunch of stuff in England and Scotland. Haven’t been to Ireland yet!

And, being Canadian and being country-adjacent, what’s it like being in that scene when it’s still so closely associated with the South?

Country-adjacent is a good way to describe it. It’s adjacent to a lot of things; rock n’ roll, rhythm and blues, folk music. So I call it Roots music.

Yeah, I don’t know. Like it’s kinda the same, like it is here. People enjoy it. There’s elements of storytelling and elements of just giving it. The only difference really I can see with the folk music scene, like the Americana scene, is here is really more focused towards country rock stuff, whereas in North America the country stuff is really poppy, these days at least. And if you want to dance it’s more of like a jig or bluegrass thing.

And you put out a new single just the other day, right?

Yes! Myself and my friend, Alison, put out a song, the lead single and title track from my new record, Pathways. It’s coming out in September!

Any thoughts on it?

I like it! It’s a good record!

Are you planning on any more singles for it?

Nope, the record just comes out afterwards!

What’s the writing process like for you?

It’s always a bit different, man. Sometimes I start with the lyrics first, sometimes with the chords and melody first. They’re married to each other so it doesn’t really matter what comes first. I find that if you write the lyrics first the melody kinda compliments it and it moves in a different way, rather than the other way around. If you write the melody and then the lyrics, the lyrics have to accommodate the melody. So it’s interesting! They both work in different ways but they are very much the same thing.

It’s just you mainly writing, right?

Mainly it’s me but I write with other people. The ‘Pathways’ single was written with my friend Robert Priest and Roseanne, they helped me write that. well, they didn’t help me, we wrote it together. And I write songs with a buddy of mine, Tyler Alice.

Have you got quite a busy rest of the year planned?

Busy enough, yeah! Enough to keep me away! Going to California, Colorado, doing a Western tour, and Eastern tour. I like touring, it’s cool. It is tiring though, I’m not a young buck any more!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d like to be a part of?

Anybody and everybody really. I like to play and I like to watch people play. I like to learn from people and I hope that I rub off on them too.

I think a real good tour would be me and Nathaniel Rateliff. He’s like me, he can do the acoustic thing or can go all in.

Reviews

Strangers No More, Vol 2: Have Drew Holcomb & The Neighbours Produced a Worthy Successor to Vol. 1?

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The followup to 2023’s breakthrough first installment, Drew and his Neighbours return with a loving, folk/indie rock vengeance. We somehow missed vol. 1 when reviewing (I know, I should be sacked) but LOVE it, especially live when we saw it at The Long Road the other week. So, I knew I had to give this second volume all my attention with a full review when it came out, and here we are! Let’s dive in!

The opening track features the one and only Vince Gill, and immediately plays to his strengths. It’s an upbeat, blues/country leaning track and is the perfect choice for opening the album with. It’s simple but massively effective; a fun, foot-stomping song with an infectiously catchy chorus and some amazing vocal harmonies. We even got a fantastic little blues guitar solo tucked in the middle, which I loved. This was a great song and a perfect album opener, and easily makes it onto our playlist!

‘Soul’s a Camera’ delves into their more indie sound, but also had a bit of an old-school feel to it, not dissimilar to someone like Pokey LaFarge outside of the vocal style. It’s a slower, more ballad-like track, but is just as effective and awesome as the opening track. Drew’s vocals fit both songs so well, and the instrumentation between the two very different songs are fantastic. And again, yet another awesome, understated  guitar solo. It almost has an air of Jack Johnson to it, but more epic, which I am more than okay with! The album is two for two on incredible songs so far!

‘Suffering’ brings the foot-stopping country back immediately with a very Blackberry Smoke riff. It drops out to the more pop-folk stuff for the verses, while the choruses are yet again more catchy awesomeness. It makes sense why it was picked as the lead single of the album, it’s phenomenal and a perfect radio-Americana-rock song. It feels like a combination of the first two tracks on the album, and it’s going to be stuck in my head for days to come, I’m sure. Another easily playlisted song!

Tracks like ‘The Sound of Moving Water’ and ‘Imagination’ are more acoustic, ballad tracks. Both are fantastic slower songs, and work to split the album up perfectly. The former is very Country/Americana, giving off Willie Nelson vibes for sure. Meanwhile, the latter goes a bit more down the indie route again, the piano adding a lot to the already awesome sound. They’re two more incredible songs, with the former being another huge highlight of the album as a whole.

‘Easy Together’ is another slower on, but this time a stripped-back, easy-listening piano track, yet still packed with plenty of swagger. It’s amazing, honestly. It has a swing to it even at its slower pace, and somehow fits Drew’s voice just as well as the other tracks. It’s jazzy yet somehow still fits the band’s style and feel perfectly, and I love it. It also once again is something completely different, braking up the pace of the album perfectly. The band are such insanely talented songwriters and musicians, and that shines through on this just as much as any.

Drew’s wife Ella joins the band for single ‘Burn’. It’s again a very acoustic-led, folk-Americana track, performed beautifully by the duetting couple. Their voices work surprisingly well together, with Ella hitting some impressive high runs over her husband’s powerful lower ones. And we get some more awesome Frusciante-meets-Slash guitar soloing throughout, which I of course loved. It’s just, much like all the songs the band put out, a damn fun, chilled-out listen in all the best ways. And the lyrics are also pretty fantastic throughout this, too. It almost gives off Primal Scream vibes by the final chorus/outro which was amazing. It’s yet another that makes it onto our playlist, wow!

Both ‘Shelter’ and ‘Forgiveness’ go back to the band’s country-Americana roots. Both have almost an air of Red Clay Strays to them, especially the latter; almost touchingly lightly on gospel elements. It goes without saying at this point, but both were excellent songs. And while the latter is typically a touch more up-beat and more up my street, I think I actually preferred ‘Shelter’. Its epicness and Drew’s incredible vocals were fantastic. Still, that shouldn’t take away from ‘Forgiveness’ at all, it’s a great song with an amazing message and a very catchy chorus.

The closing song is another beautiful piano ballad, made even more epic by the inclusion of the strings and the powerful parental lyrics. It almost had a Randy Newman air to it, which I couldn’t not love. And, while I typically am not too into the slowest track closing out the album, it’s hard to deny how utterly phenomenal this song is. I don’t even have children and it hit me hard, giving me goosebumps. God, I want to see this live so much, it nearly brought me to tears. Drew sung it absolutely masterfully, delivering so much emotion. What an amazing way to close out an amazing album!

Overall: I can’t get over how good this is. I know I loved vol. 1, but this is just as good, if not even a smidge better! Every song on it is amazing in its own way, and yet the album flows together perfectly. It’s certainly a worthy successor to their last album, and one I’ll be listening to for months to come still, I’m sure. As if they aren’t already a massive name at this point, I can see this album shooting them to the sky!

The Score: 9/10

Reviews

KAVE: Where’s My Bible’s HUGE Sophomore Album!

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The Finnish melodic, blackened death metal band are back with their sophomore album, and anticipation is pretty high. Following up from their more folk-infused 2022 EP is going to be a rough task, but if anyone can rise to the task, it’ll surely be these guys. Let’s dive right in with our review!

After the intro track brilliantly builds through the use of various ancient folk instruments, ‘Mani’ explodes in immediately with the death metal. The crushingly heavy wall of a riff sets the rest of the tone for the album, providing just enough melody on top of the heaviness. It’s clear to hear their black metal influences with the tremolo lead too, which is a fantastic touch. The screams are low and growled at times, refreshing as I’d expect it all to be extreme, Dani Filth style vocals given the instrumentation behind them. We even get some clean, almost spoken-word vocals that are awesome too, and fit the tone of the track so well! It all combines perfectly to form something heavy, dark and yet with plenty of melody and depth behind it. It’s an awesome way to open the album!

Single ‘Fenrir’ is up next, having an almost symphonic edge to the sound at times. Don’t get me wrong, it is still heavy and death/extreme metal for the most part, but it does have an ever so slightly catchier feel to it, making it a fantastic choice for a single. Heck, the chorus even borders on catchy, which is almost unheard of in music this heavy. The screams throughout are incredible, be them growls or higher, and they fit the quick, brutal backing instrumentation perfectly. And that drop down to the folky stuff in the middle was really awesome too, building back up perfectly. I really loved this song, and it was one that easily made its way onto our playlist!

The pace picks up even more for ‘Suden Hetki’, it being a true death metal song through and through. However, it still has elements of melodeath in the chorus, including some more amazing, surprisingly fitting clean vocals. We also get a ‘bleh’ in here, which is never a bad thing! My only complaint for the track is that it arguably ended too soon, I’d have happily taken another minute or so with a bridge and final chorus etc. Still, it’s another excellent song, and the second in a row to make the playlist.

The transition between the previous track and single ‘Creator of Abyss’ is a tad jarring, the end of the former building the tribal instruments again before that immediately disappears as a single, rather far-back-in-the-mix guitar riff comes in. It’s a damn good riff, especially when the rest of the band join in, but didn’t fit after ‘Suden’ very nicely. The stop-gaps in the verses are incredible; so well written and performed and a real highlight of the whole album, honestly. And while another insanely heavy song, it does lean into more of the theatrical extreme metal side of things around the 1:40 mark, sounding like the perfect blend of Cradle of Filth and Wednesday 13. It was awesome! It’s another all-round fantastic song on an album so far packed full of them!

‘Waves’ was where I started to feel the length of the album just a touch. Yes, we’re only six tracks in, and it is another fantastic, slightly more black metal-esque song. However, the album is 14 tracks long in total, and songs like the aforementioned one, the title track, ‘Ghost from the Past’ and ‘Rahku’ are all at a pretty similar level. It’s an awesome level for sure, and the occasional interlude tracks breaking up the heaviness were a nice touch. They were honestly the most interesting parts for me as, while the full tracks were also amazing, they kinda started blurring together a bit by the end. If the band could find a way to incorporate the two elements together slightly more, I may have kept my attention span a little longer. Still, again, don’t let this take away from the songs, each is amazing in its own right. It’s just this humble writer’s opinion.

The track in the second half that did stand out to me, however, is the epic ‘Sòl’. It’s the one full track that feels different to the rest, being more of a ballad than any other song on the release. It almost has a gothic edge to it; the low vocals and the clean guitars sound awesome! And then it builds to a still heavy, screamed yet catchy chorus. And that throat singing at the end, I have no idea where it came from but it was AWESOME. Another amazing song, and yet another that makes it onto our playlist!

Overall: This is a fantastic album still, despite my slight gripes with it. There is so much great death, black and folk metal on this album, and so many tracks that stand out. It also has a pretty decent flow through the album, with plenty of cool folky interludes and stuff. I just felt a slight lul in the middle after such a strong first few tracks, and the incredible closing 10 minutes or so. Still, this is how you return with your second album, it’s amazing and something that I will certainly be listening to in full a fair bit in the coming weeks and months. If you are into the heavy stuff at all, check this out, I’m sure you’ll love it as much as I did!

The Score: 8.5/10

Reviews

Wake Up the Wicked: Do Powerwolf Take Any Risks with Album 10?

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The German power metal titans are back with their tenth studio album (if we include last year’s compilation album). We’ve covered the band’s last two albums now and are clearly pretty big fans of the band, having given both of them 7.5/10! Will this be the album to finally buck that trend? Let’s take a dive and find out!

Opening the album with the sort of bang that only Powerwolf could, ‘Bless ‘em with the Blade’ is a straight-to-the-point, catchy, quick anthem. From the relentless drums, awesome riffing and powerful vocals, it will be an immediate fan favourite, both live and on track. It’s a damn fun track and the perfect way to start off the album!

‘Sinners of the Seven Seas’ continues on the same energy, adding a touch more of a folk feel to the existing power metal. A fun riff leads to the same infectiously catchy melody being used for the chorus vocals, and it’s honestly one of the best choruses I think the band have ever done. It was the perfect choice for a single track, and is a massive highlight of the album. We even get a great, cheeky little guitar solo tucked away in the middle, and the bridge after it is pretty great too. This album is off to an awesome start!

Tracks like ‘Kyrie Kiltorem’ and the massive single ‘1589’ are more epic, standard Powerwolf tracks, while ‘Heretic Hunters’ once again blends in more of the folk sound and inspiration. All of them have everything you’d expect from the band, from the catchy choruses to the heavy instrumentation.

Honestly, the same could be said for the vast majority of the album. I do love this band, but I still feel like I struggle to get through an album fully in one listen, and this one is much of the same. Every track is amazing, and Attila Dorn has one of the best voices in the genre, as well as an incredible ear for writing catchy hooks and melodies. But fuck man, throw me something different across the last three 40+ minute long albums, please. Even a ballad; I feel like this band would KILL an epic ballad! The closest we get is the closing track, ‘Vargamor’, and even that builds into similar stuff after the first verse.

Overall: There are plenty individual highlight tracks, from both singles to ‘Heretic Hunters’, but as an album as a whole it’s a slog. I completely get that the band are hugely popular and are still growing more by each passing release, but even a slight risk here and there wouldn’t go amiss, especially now that we’re into double digits of similar albums across the last two decades. If you like the band or the genre, you’ll surely love this, as do I, but I just kinda feel like Powerwolf are capable of more at this point, and they are starting to get just a touch stale with their studio work.

The Score: 7/10

Reviews

Piece of Me: How does Ash Tustain’s Solo Debut Compare to Dig Lazarus?

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The Dig Lazarus frontman, Ash Tustain, has decided to venture out on his own, plugging away at a solo album the last year or two and building plenty of hype for it in the process. I’m a huge fan of his band and we’ve become pretty close to them through this channel, so I’ve been rather impatiently waiting for this for a little while now! We got it across our emails and I knew I had to do a review of it ASAP, so let’s dive right in!

‘Supposed to Be’ opens on a pretty decent chord progression, the rest of the instruments filling out the sound perfectly. It gives off immediate early late1990s/early 2000s radio-rock vibes. Think Hootie & The Blowfish or Third Eye Blind. Not at all what I was expecting for a usually heavy blues/grungy frontman! It’s a nice change of pace though, and shows off Ash’s impressive range. His vocals fit perfectly over the top of the chilled instrumentation, too, almost having a Brit-pop edge to things. The multi-tracked vocals for the chorus are perfect for the track and immensely catchy. The lyrics are fantastic too, pretty uplifting and upbeat. It’s a fantastic song, and a great choice for an album opener!

‘Borrowed Time’ jumps straight into the infectiously catchy chorus, hooking the listener in immediately. The track still has a chilled-out feel to it, the rest of it all feeling like it builds perfectly to that excellent chorus. It’s going to be stuck in my head for the rest of the day, I’m sure of it! The rest of the track is of course awesome, but everything from the vocal melody to the lyrics to the chord progression of the chorus is definitely where it’s at. It easily makes our playlist!

Check out our interview with Dig Lazarus here!

Tracks like ‘Love More Than I Hate You’ and ‘Eggshells’ have more folky feels to them than the more pop-rock of the early album. The former really reminds me of some of the more reflective Frank Turner tracks, and I love it. The strings in the back of the chorus are a beautiful touch, too. It’s the second in a row that makes our playlist and is a massive highlight of the album. Meanwhile, the latter closes the album in rather epic fashion.

The likes of ‘Three Words’, ‘Are you Awake’ and ‘Let You Go’ go back to the radio-rock-pop formula from the opening tracks, and again, simply nail it. They’re all amazingly enjoyable songs, with the emotional ballad ‘Are you Awake’ being my personal favourite of the three. The lyrics for it are fantastic and the delivery of them from Ash is incredible. 

The other three songs on the album, ‘Booshelf’, ‘Warning’ and the title track, all draw more from Ash’s rock roots. The former perfectly skirts the line between grunge and early 2000s alt-rock, giving off heavy Staind vibes in the best ways. However, it still maintains the bouncy, Brit-pop-style chorus, which was really interesting and made for a fun listen! Meanwhile the title track is much more of a straight-up rock song, an awesome riff running through it and it’s dripping in swagger and energy. It also has an awesome, foot-stomping chorus, another song that easily makes it onto our playlist! The penultimate track on the album is similar, though has a slower, suaver pace to it. All three songs are amazing and all are highlights, filling the gap between more Dig Lazarus music for a tad longer.

And check out a review of his band live here!

Overall: I loved this! It’s a pretty relaxed album for the most part, and is compact as anything. Only 10 tracks long, it feels like every song was meticulously selected as there really isn’t a bad one on it. It’s been arranged amazingly too; it flows well yet never once gets boring, the style and tempo changing in the perfect places. Ash has done a fantastic job here and has a really promising solo career if he wanted to carry on down this path! 

The Score: 8.5/10

Reviews

Norther: Shane Smith & The Saints’ Best Album Yet?

The Austin Red Dirt Country band, Shane Smith & The Saints, have finally released their highly and anticipated fourth album just yesterday, nearly half a decade after their previous. After having heard at least a couple of the singles, I’m very hyped for this release, and you just knew we had to do a full review of it! Being a more recent fan, only discovering them last year after they were announced for The Long Road, I’m curious to hear where they go with this release!

The album opens in slow, atmospheric style with ‘Book of Joe’. The swell of the fiddle lead to the rest of the band coming in, picking up the energy and epicness with ease. It’s an awesome little folky, rocky riff. Shane Smith ‘s iconic low vocals soon come in over the top, sounding perfect over the strings and simple bass drum. It all builds to a huge, arena-filling chorus too. The vocals are incredibly catchy and the instrumentation just makes it all feel massive. It’s so simple yet so incredibly effective. We also get an awesome guitar solo tucked into the middle of this, which I loved. It drops down before building up in impressive, epic fashion into a fiddle solo for the outro. This was an awesome way to open an album, and an amazing track in general. It easily makes our playlist!

‘Fire in the Sky’ keeps the ball rolling in similar fashion, some more awesome riffing and dynamics. No matter how much I hear it, I cannot get over just how good Shane Smith ‘s vocals are. I LOVE his low, raspy voice so much, and it fits over the top of the bands Americana style. It again builds to an absolutely fantastic chorus, the harmonies this time adding another incredible layer of catchiness to it all. The first chorus leads to another great guitar solo, channelling a southern rock influence perfectly. The bridge and verse again build us back to that infectiously catchy chorus, and another huge outro takes us home. I love the bands way of songwriting, and it is at its best here. So far, the band are two for two with playlisted tracks on this album!

Single ‘Adeline’ slows things down a tad. It’s got more of a ballad feel to it and, honestly, I fucking love it. From the fiddle and Shane’s amazing vocals, to building in the harmonies in the first chorus, to it dropping into their massive, full sound afterwards, it’s incredible. It means the second verse feels completely different, but it feels like the perfect build and evolution of the song. I honestly cannot get over how well this song is put together and written. It’s a massive sounding song, filled with awesome instrumentation, catchy vocals and some amazing parts. It is not only one of my favourite tracks on the album, but one of my favourite tracks from Shane Smith and co., period. It’s three for three, ladies and gents!

Check out our interview with the man himself here!

Another single, ‘The Greys Between’, thankfully breaks the streak. However, that isn’t at all saying it’s a bad song. It’s more the fact that after three absolutely incredible tracks, this one feels a slight bit more of a breather, in this writer’s opinion. Having said that, it still packs a punch, following the usual Shane Smith formula of the awesome folky verses building into the huge, memorable choruses. I love the chorus, and the romantic lyrics are incredibly well written.

The same could be said for the likes of ‘Navajo Norther’, ‘Field of Heather’ and ‘Wheels’. All three are good tracks, but definitely feel like other songs on the album. However, when listening to them as part of the album as a whole, they fit perfectly. The latter in particular is an amazing song and another big highlight. I simply don’t want this review to get too boring and repetitive, so if stuff sounds similar I want to spare you reading the same gushing over and over!

Recent single ‘All the Way’ changes things up, being a beautiful piano-led ballad. It’s the closest Shane’s voice has gotten to later Johnny Cash that I’ve heard, and that’s certainly a compliment. It really had ‘Hurt’ vibes, despite it being a piano instead of a guitar. But still, the beautiful simplicity of the song, and it’s placement closer to the mid-point of the album, are both amazing decisions. It’s an incredible song and one I’d certainly recommend anyone go and check out!

Single ‘Hummingbird’ picks up the pace again, returning the band to their typical style and tempo. It’s a track that I’m very familiar with, and one that has been on pretty heavy rotation for me since the day it was released. I’ve had the chorus stuck in my head for a cumulative total of easily a day in that time, too. It’s an amazing song, and one I’d put up there with ‘Adeline’, honestly. For anyone not already familiar with the song, check it out immediately. It’s everything great about Shane Smith & The Saints, all rolled up into a nice 4:45 ball.

The final few tracks are all also awesome. ‘It’s Been a While’ is my favourite of the four tracks to end the album, it having a bit more of a rockier vibe, especially in the chorus. And some of Shane’s vocal delivery is incredible. The lead single and closing track, ‘Fire in the Ocean’ is also… well… fire. The band have done a fantastic job of picking the singles from the album. Every single one has certainly been a highlight. ‘Fire in the Ocean’ is another epic track and the perfect song to close this truly grandeous album with. Damn, I wanna see this band live again so bad!

Overall: This is an amazing album. There really isn’t a bad song on it, while some of them stand up there with some of the best the band have ever produced. And as an album as a whole, it is arranged fantastically, flowing perfectly together. It all feels so cohesive and unified, and it really deserves to be listened through from front to back at least once. The band have gone from strength to strength recently, and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is the album that catapults them to the top, it is truly that good.

The Score: 9.5/10