Album number three from the anti-war black/death metal band is set to drop on Friday, and I couldn’t be more excited! We loved their last album, to our surprise, so when we saw this one come across our emails there was no way we weren’t doing a deep dive! Join us in checking out all the glorious heaviness!
The album opens in a pretty punk way, with a marching drumbeat over the top of what I assume is some sort of old war speech. It all builds perfectly, the screams exploding into the chorus alongside some insanely fast drumming. The same break-neck pace keeps up through the verse, staying heavy and feeling like the perfect blend of death, black metal and hardcore punk. The pre is low and menacing too, building perfectly back into that massive, surprisingly catchy chorus. And, while I have no idea what is being said, I do like the concept of the band using its music to commemorate all those who have fallen in wars, outlining the true horrors of them. A particularly poignant message in these current worrying times. It’s a really excellent track to open the album on, and definitely a big early highlight for me!
‘Heizer Tenner’ once again builds masterfully in its intro; some ambient stuff and a low guitar riff running before it explodes into the massive black metal stuff. It’s very in-your-face I’m the best way and sounds pretty epic, almost giving off Rotting Christ vibes. I love the more straight-forward verses too, going more death metal and then adding in the black metal stuff for the choruses. The dynamics throughout are incredible, dropping down and building back up throughout, keeping it constantly interesting. That scream on its own near the end is incredible too, having so much emotion and anger in its delivery. It’s another damn good song!
After a brief interlude track, we get the AWESOME, stomping riffing of ‘Kampf und Sturm’. It almost feels industrial, adding yet another great element to their sound. Of course it then heads quickly into the chaotic black metal stuff, but that riff was a really great, unexpected addition. And that slower almost-breakdown in the middle is AMAZING, too! This is another incredible song, and one that easily makes it onto our playlist!
Starting sinister with that riff, ‘Die Havarie’ keeps a slower pace, once again reminding me of the newer Rotting Christ stuff. It sounds awesome, again setting a brilliant atmosphere as it builds and builds. Once again, we get plenty of heavy black-punk afterwards, but the scene the intro sets is amazing. The heavy, slower pace still returns for the pre-choruses too, bringing it back in an awesome way! Then we get an almost power metal-infused chorus, which is also excellent! It’s a real epic song throughout, drawing in so many different sounds and influences yet sounding like nothing else really around today. Yet again, it’s another fantastic heavier metal song!
The two part ‘Der Füsilier’ is a masterclass of all things heavy. The main vein of black metal is plenty present, but it has a lot of death, hardcore and noise (pun intended) throughout too! It’s 10 minutes of epicness, and both parts fit together perfectly. I imagine the story being told is really cool, and I’m going to have to track down the lyrics and translate them! The two parts are definitely worth a listen together, and are once again high points of the album.
The final two tracks on the album, ‘The Yankee Division March’ and ‘Die Fastnacht der Hölle’ are both awesome heavy songs again, and the perfect way to cap off an album like this! I liked the little Rammstein nod in the latter track, it definitely being my favourite song from that band. Both songs are amazing, and while their sound did get a little similar this late into the release, it was hard not to still love it. The closer is honestly one of my favourite songs on the release, though all of them are amazing!
Overall: This is a damn good, damn heavy album. The band are such incredibly talented musicians, and Noise is such a fantastic songwriter, that they really keep going from strength to strength. As much as I loved their last release, this may even inch ahead of it into my favourite! If you are at all a fan of the heavier side of metal, do yourselves a favour and check this out immediately! I need to see them live soon!
We had the pleasure of chatting to New Zealand’s new breakout thrash/hardcore band Brainwave. Check out as we talk to them about their debut album, recent tour and future plans!
How would you describe your sound?
We recently found aYouTube comment saying that Brainwave sounds like a hardcore Toxic Holocaust, so we’ve picked that up and run with it!
The early influences on Brainwave were bands like Judiciary, Power Trip, No Warning – hardcore and crossover coming out of Texas, the North East U.S., and Canada.
Those influences are still with us, but we’ve also been trying to incorporate more melodic elements without going full stadium metal. We want to push both the metal and hardcore elements of our sound to the extreme.
What’s it like having your debut album out? What went into the decision to put out an album over another EP?
It’s been great to get the album out. It took about two years of sweet and blood and it means a lot to all of us.
From our perspective, doing an L.P. was really the next logical step. It was the only way to progress our sound and dig into all the influences and elements we wanted to draw out. E.P’s are great, but we needed something that allowed us more space and room for expression.
Is there a particular theme to the album, or any individual stories you want to talk about from it?
There are definitely some themes that come through the album. We were all facing some challenges during the writing process, at work or in aspects of our personal lives, and the album became an outlet for those struggles. Things like not achieving the goals we wanted in life, feeling disconnected, isolated, and atomised. This is also all of course in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic and the polarisation that had wrought. Society itself seemed to be breaking down. Songs like ‘Lost My Way’ and ‘Never Be The Same’ confront these themes.
We were also all profoundly affected by the genocide being inflicted on the people of Gaza by the state of Israel and the escalation of violence in the West Bank. It was frustrating that many people we’d looked up to had failed to recognise that daily horror and systemic forces pushing the region to the brink.
Overall, Ill Intent deals with a general dissatisfaction with the state of the world, but also a sense that you can conquer your doubts and prove your detractors wrong and, hopefully, make things slightly better in the process.
What is the writing process like for the band?
Generally Joram (guitar) will fire some riffs through and we will try and shape those into a song in the practice space. Often we will partly finish a song then move on to another idea and circle back later once we need to really hone the ideas.
‘Never Be The Same’ is a good example of this method. There is a riff that comes in at around 1:40min that we were playing as an intro to our set when we toured with Lucre in 2024. We thought that would be the start of a song, but as we wrote and reworked things, it felt natural to use it as a kind of beat switch part way through the track. Lewis Noke-Edwards, who produced, mixed, and mastered the album, then had the idea of adding a super slow breakdown after the riff, and Joram added vocals to really kick this track up a gear. It’s definitely a band favourite.
Seen you’ve had a busy month with shows, how’s the tour been going?
Yeah, we’ve just wrapped up our release tour. It’s been amazing, hella fun!
It was our first time playing in the South Island (we’re a North Island based band), so that was really cool. And it was great to have our friends Martial Law on all five shows.
We’ve been pretty active in Wellington for a few years, but to go outside our city and see people singing along, throwing down, and generally having a great time has been really gratifying.
What’s the scene like over there? Seen a good few bands coming through from your area recently!
The New Zealand hardcore scene is really strong right now. As well as great bands there are a bunch of people all over the country putting on shows and working hard to bring bands here from overseas. The community in general is in a really good place.
Huge shout out to all the bands that featured on the record – Molosser, Lucre, Martial Law, and Xile.
Also shout out all the bands that we shared the stage with on our release tour – Shuv-it, Visions ov Hell, Standover, Shuriken, Cryfor, Only You, Kisser, Virginia Dry, Strap, Moment of Truth, MoneySock, Dredge, and Nuclear Blunt.
Got a busy 2026 planned? Any hope to come over towards Europe?
Damn, we’d love to get over to Europe if possible! We’re pretty seriously discussing how we can make something happen over in Australia in 2026. Apart from that, I think we are all keen to get back into writing again.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of?
Ossh, what a question!
For us, it would be about who we could learn the most from watching every night. We’re all really excited by what is happening over in Australia at the moment. Obviously the peak of that right now is Speed, but there are so many other great bands from there we’d love to play with – Iron Mind, Horsepower, Feel The Pain, and Dizdain just to name a few. All bands that are in the game not just for themselves, but their scene and community, too!
Though we are in the home stretch of the year, we still have some awesome EPs being released for us to dive into. Let’s check them out!
Wounded in Forest: Antihuman Artist
The debut EP from the Finnish death metallers is a 22-minute powerhouse of heaviness. The riffing is awesome, the drumming relentless, and the duel vocalled screams lend themselves perfectly to the sound! It’s a pretty traditional sound for the genre, but the varied screams and shrieks definitely add an interesting element, as well as the great production giving it a more modern feel. Tracks like karaoke the Son of a Bitch’ and ‘Godspeed Filthy Warrior’ are personal highlights, but there isn’t a weak link on this whole release, it going by in a flash! It’s certainly not a release for everyone, but it’s a must for anyone with even a passing interest in death metal. It’s a very easy 7.5/10 from us!
Josiah Kaye & The Bonnevilles: Winter
While we don’t typically talk about cover releases often, this is a fantastic collection of countrified tracks for, to state the obvious, the winter season, and is a really great listen! From the traditional ‘Silent Night’ to ‘Silver Bells’ to more modern stuff like a better version on 1975’s ‘Wintering’, it’s packed full of fantastic, fitting tracks. And somehow, a basic Americana-folk arrangement still somehow carries a festive feel to it throughout. It’s a simple, beautiful release that honestly I’d happily listen to not just for the festive season. If you’re into country-folk stuff, and aren’t a grinch, do yourselves a favour and check this out! His vocals are incredible and it’s insane that this is my first introduction to Josiah, I’ll have to keep a closer eye on him for his original stuff. 8/10, it would have gotten even higher if they were original tracks!
Kakihara: Love Songs, Pt. 2
The first release from the Scottish hardcore band in a couple of years honestly threw me through a loop a little. Firstly, where is part 1? Secondly, I didn’t expect hardcore heading into this, but I was blasted by crazy heaviness for a solid just eight minutes across its five tracks. Honestly, it’s fucking awesome! Any regular readers of this site this year will know just how much I’ve gotten into hardcore, and this is no different, capping off the year in aggressive, heavy style. The flow through the whole thing is exceptional; I barely knowing where one track ends and the other starts without looking. And from the crushing instrumentation to the brutal vocals, it’s all performed so well! I can’t pick highlight tracks, it’s all one big performance and all of it slaps. Do yourselves a favour and check this out ASAP, you won’t be disappointed! 9/10, DAMN.
Three more awesome EPs for us to check out this week, and they’re all from the heavier end!
Trivium: Struck Dead
It has been FAR too long since we’ve had new Trivium. It’s been over four yearssince Court of the Dragon, and my impatience for new music from Heafy and co has been massive. So, while three songs is not nearly enough to quench that hunger, this is still a damn good release! The band can do no wrong at this point, and this is 17-minutes of heavy metalcore awesomeness. Matthew’s screams are as good as ever, and his powerful cleans add some great melody to it all. And from the riffing to the drumming to the lead stuff, it’s all heavy, technical greatness in a way that only Trivium seem to deliver these days. And, while all three tracks are awesome, the epic, seven-minute ‘Six Walls’ is a huge high point, definitely one to make it regularly on a live set, I hope! If you are at all into the band, check this out immediately! 9/10
Currents: All That Follows
More metalcore this week but far more of a modern sound to it than Trivium. This surprise drop from the quintet goes hard, and follows up 2023’s critically acclaimed The Death We Seek perfectly! I remember loving that when it dropped but have for whatever reason not revisited it much. This has made me fall in love with the band all over again, though! This thing is 20 minutes of a heavy metalcore masterclass, all five tracks being as good as the last. The opener and ‘Can’t Turn Back’ are personal highlights, but every song is excellent. They boarder on deathcore perfectly, but have enough melody at times to keep them more rooted in metalcore. I said it before and I’ll say it again, they are the future of heavy music, and their output over the last few years is showing that clearly. The band are insanely talented and honestly put a good few other modern metal bands to shame.9.5/10, goddamn!
Takomaha: American Basements
I have to admit, I don’t get the whole indie-hardcore thing on track. It’s got a similar vibe to it as Turnstileor Soft Play in that I’d love to be in a crowd at a live gig for it, but don’t really get that same rush and energy on track. The band are clearly talented songwriters and players, and if you like this style this is up there with any of the aforementioned bands. It’s not bad, by any stretch. But, it’s sadly not one that I’d revisit much, even if I wouldn’t turn it off if it came on again! But fuck do I wanna throw people around in a pit to this. ‘NO_CLIP’ is probably my favourite track on here. It may grow on me more, but for now it gets a still solid 7/10 from us!
Another week and four more incredible EPs for us to check out. Mainly metal but a punk one cheekily slides in there, too. Let’s dive right in, shall we?
Our North: Everyone For Themselves
The UK alt-metallers put out their debut EP today, and look to take no prisoners on their rise to the top! This thing is heavy and melodic in equal measure, and a real powerhouse of a six-track release. The screams are brutal, the breakdowns heavy and the clean parts effortlessly catchy and huge. It’s the perfect blend of Linkin Park and Devil Wears Prada/Chelsea Grin; almost like if all of BMTH’s discography was smashed together in a blender. Tracks like the opener, the almost hip-hop-based ‘Violent Rules’ and the brutally heavy rap-infused title track are all massive highlights, but there really isn’t a bad track on this thing! For a debut release and only two singles before this within the last two months, the band have hit the ground running in a major way and honestly blown me away. If you are at all a fan of the style or any of the bands I’ve mentioned above, I cannot recommend this release enough. The band have a very bright future ahead of them and I already can’t wait to hear where they go from here. However, for now, this gets a very solid 9/10 from us!
Infamous Stiffs: The Ornery Six
This snarling collection of six angry punk tracks is exactly what I needed right now, and is a fucking awesome release! The Californian supergroup of scene-legends follow-up their critically acclaimed 2021 debut album perfectly with this; a very much long-awaited return. We don’t cover nearly enough punk here at Overtone so whenever I get sent any I love it, and this is very much at the top of the pack for the genre in 2025. It’s an EP that’s also impossible to pick highlights from, as every song is fantastic and it really feels like it’s supposed to be listened to in full at least once! Still, the singles are awesome and were very well selected! If you’re into traditional punk you are probably already listening to this so don’t need me telling you, but it’s a really fantastic EP and definitely worth checking out! It’s fast, angry and fun, and a very easy listen. 8/10
Thr33 Sixt33n: Ex_Nihlo
The debut release of this Stoke-based modern metalcore/hardcore outfit is fantastic for a group so young! The tension builds perfectly in the opening track before exploding in with the heaviness; feeling dark and full of emotion and setting the tone perfectly. Then ‘NIHLISTIC’ goes hard throughout, the big metalcore riff being complimented perfectly by the almost extreme metal screams. I actually love the scream to, it being so impressive and a style that we rarely hear anyway, let alone on this style and on music so well produced. However, don’t let that take away from the CRUSHING riffing and breakdowns, and the incredibly solid drums! The track is a highlight, but so is the single off it, ‘PINS & N(33)DLES’. It’s only three tracks and nine minutes long, but introduces the band perfectly and immediately leaves me impatient for more! If you are into this sort of style even slightly, I can’t recommend this enough! They are going to be a big name in the scene sooner rather than later, and this is a fantastic jumping off point for that. 8.5/10, would have been higher if it was longer!
Oceanica: Try Not to Dwell on It
This epic, one-track prog EP is honestly pretty incredible, and one hell of an achievement from a songwriting and performing point of view. It’s still pretty heavy, but also feels almost ethereal with all the airiness of it. The closest comparison I find myself making is to some of Devin Townsends stuff. Some of the riffs are incredible and the drums behind them make it all sound so massive. I like the multi-layered vocals too, both working so well together and producing some amazing harmonies. And, while it’s clear the track is split up into sections a la 2112, they all fit together exceptionally well! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but if you have the time to sit down and listen to this through, it will reward you with a journey like no other. Definitely for fans of the quirky and prog metal. Thankfully, I love both, so this is a solid 8/10 from me!
We have three awesome new EPs to look at from this week. Let’s dive right in!
Haunter: Sex in Hell
Self-described as “vampiric dark-wave metal”, the Wisconsin band put out their third EP on Friday. Their description is very apt, as it fits all three of these tracks perfectly! It’s unique, interesting gothic music that draws clear inspiration from everything from Motionless in White to Marilyn Manson to Sisters of Mercy. All three songs are awesome, too! The screams in particular are awesome, but the almost set-up for all of them make them even better! I love the opener building into the INK-like heaviness, the plodding menace of ‘Tongues of Flame’ and the truly epic closer, which is definitely my favourite song on the release. It certainly isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re into any of the artists or styles I mentioned above, I’d definitely recommend checking this out! It’s an easy 8/10!
Ephemera: For Those Afraid to Die
This British metallic hardcore band got the legendary Jesse Leach on this thing. That alone should show how awesome the EP is! The fact that the music is also awesome should demonstrate that even more, too! I’m usually a bit picky with hardcore too, so the fact that I really enjoyed this should also speak volumes of its quality. Of course the Jesse-featuring ‘Heaven’ is the highlight, but the other three tracks (and awesome intro) are great too! Much like above, it isn’t for everyone, but if you like the lighter, slightly more punk-infused side of hardcore music, this is certainly one to check out! It’s heavy, dirty and a lot of fun. I need to be in a pit for all of this… like yesterday… 7.5/10
Graham Barham: OIL MONEY
The rising star of pop/bro country is back with his band new EP, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from someone in this genre, tbh. It’s pretty standard for the sound. It’s fine, and while I’ve definitely heard better stuff released in the style, it’s certainly not a bad release. ‘WHISKEY WHISKEY’ was okay, as was ‘SOMETHING TO CHASE’ and ‘YOU WON’T LET ME STAY’. None of it is bad, but it does all kinda blur together for me. If you’re a fan of the modern pop-country sound akin to Redferrin or Russel Dickerson, this is definitely worth checking out. As I said, it certainly isn’t bad, but it’s not really my thing. 5.5/10
A pretty heavy week of NMM this time, but still with some great lighter country and indie and blues stuff thrown in for good measure too. It’s a fun one, so let’s dive in and check it out!
Also, while it’s technically a covers album so I won’t cover it in the list (see what I did there?), shout out to the new Slash record. It’s easily the most I’ve enjoyed an album Slash has put out in over a decade at this point, which says a lot about the GnR guitarists songwriting these days… Everyone he worked with sounded awesome, fit the songs, and they all really made them their own. It’s a fun listen and I’d recommend it to anyone!
Now, on with the list…
Kerry King: From Hell I Rise
The Slayer guitarists much anticipated solo album is finally out, and sounds almost exactly what you’d expect it to. Evil riffs, lightening-quick drums and some very fitting lyrics. While Mark’s vocals are mainly a bit more harsh than Tom’s were, there are times where they have almost the same delivery and sound eerily similar. The main difference, thank god, is that Kerry’s soloing is 10x better than it was in Slayer. It’s no longer a wall of high, whammied screeching, but actually has something to it, even if half the time it’s very Kirk Hammett.
But I actually enjoyed this album a lot more than I was expecting to. Kerry always felt like the weak link of Slayer, in my opinion, but this is a solid thrash/death metal record. Tracks like ‘Idle Hands’, ‘Crucifixion’ and ‘Toxic’ are awesome, but I really enjoyed every song on it. It’s a great album from front to back, and I’ll certainly be spinning it again a good few times over the next few weeks and months, I’m sure. Kerry very much still has it and it’s just made me wish we had more Slayer releases towards the back portion of their careers. They’ve won me over with this album, and I’mma have to see them at Graspop now! 7.5/10
Don McLean: American Boys
The fact that the American Pie legend is still putting out new music on a semi-regular basis is crazy. The fact that it’s still pretty high quality is even more insane. It’s so very old-school country, with a healthy dose of blues rock on top, and is a fantastic summer chill-out album. Even when it address some pretty heavy topics like George Floyd, it does so with style and swagger (if it’s a little blunt). But songs like ‘Thunderstorm Girl’, ‘Truth and Fame’ and ‘I Shall Find my Way’ are all personal highlights, but if you’re into the style I’d wholeheartedly recommend the whole album. Don still sounds excellent and his band work their asses throughout. It’s made me more excited to see him at The Long Road in August, so it’s done it’s job pretty well indeed! Traditional country fans will love this, as will old-school blues fans, so check this out if you fall into either category! 7/10
Cage the Elephant: Neon Pill
The US alt/indie band are back with their first new music in half a decade, their longest dry spell between albums. I’ve known the name for years, but haven’t ever really checked them out aside for ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’. However, I know plenty of talented musicians from Bowling Green (mainly country, admittedly) so I’m sure it’s good.
Good it certainly is! Don’t get me wrong, it’s very different to the single from their debut album, but of course a band are going to evolve across 16 years. It’s a lot more electro-based than what I was expecting, more resembling Twenty-One Pilots’ music. Then again, that’s kinda how indie in general has gone the last five plus years or so, so they’re just changing with the times. Still, I enjoyed it, and songs like ‘Rainbow’, ‘Neon Pill’ and ‘Ball and Chain’ are all massive highlights. Still, it’s a good album overall, too. I had it on while cooking and fit the mood pretty perfectly. It’s not 100% my sort of thing, but they constantly kept it interesting with funk, pop, rock, indie, hip-hop and other influences blended together in a great melting pot. If you’re into vaguely indi-rock infused pop, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! 7.5/10
Elvellon: Ascending in Synergy
We’ve already checked this album out! Find our review of it here!
Marty Friedman: Drama
The best guitarist Megadeth ever had (and that’s barely a contentious point, sorry to the others) is back with another of his completely different solo albums. This one is a bit more what you’d expect from the virtuoso than some of his solo work, him showing off his insane talent, soloing over the top of classical piano and soft rock. As a semi-aspiring guitarist, I cannot help but love, yet be massively jealous of, his work here. Not only his playing, but his songwriting and crafting and producing is all on point. And at times, it’s truly beautiful. The highlight track for me is ‘Triumph’, a reimagining of his 1992 hit from album Scenes. People may be familiar with it, as it itself is a reimagining of ‘Thunder March’. However, this is far and away my favourite take on the piece. Then straight afterwards, he changes things up and we get another highlight in the straight-up rock song, ‘Thrill City’. Then you have the one track with English lyrics on the album, ‘Dead of Winter’ featuring Like a Storm. It’s another great track, an almost power/symphonic metal ballad.
Of course, this album won’t be for everyone. When 80% plus of it is instrumental, a lot will surely judge it immediately and not listen. Both ‘Dead of Winter’ and the Spanish ‘2 Rebeldes’ are incredible songs with lyrics though, and are well worth checking out if you can’t do instrumental stuff. But then, if you are a musician in any way, or like more classical composition, you have to check out the rest of the album too. It’s SO GOOD. This man is such an incredible, underrated force within the music world, and I can’t given this album any lower than a 9/10, unheard of for an instrumental one on this site!
The Avett Brothers: Self-Titled
This is a real mixed bag of an album, both in my personal preference and in style overall. One track can be folk, the next punk, the next indie, the next rock, and sometimes it makes for quite a jarring transition. The opening track is admittedly weird AF, but then we headed into the almost Barenaked Ladies/NOFX combination of ‘Love of a Girl’ and I got excited. Then it drops back down into slow folk again immediately, and I nearly got whiplash. Don’t get me wrong, I admire the hell out of a band that can play and blend multiple different styles, but my issue is that at times this doesn’t even sound like the same band. And I’m not even against their folky, indier stuff, either. Songs like ‘Cheep Coffee’ and ‘Same Broken Bones’ are just as good as their random, upbeat country song, ‘Country Kid’. But as an album, it’s a very strange collection of nine tracks. It may grow on me more with more listens, and I’ll certainly be listening to it again, but for now it gets a solid 7/10 from me!
Mutes: …Buried Where You Stand
The Birmingham post-punk trio are back with album number four. While individually each track isn’t especially my sort of thing, the album as a whole is really damn good. It reminds me a lot of early Placebo, in all of the best ways. It also gives slight Mother Mother vibes, especially when that band turns to their heavier side. The guitars are grungy and distorted to high heaven, giving it an almost dangerous edge and making the songs drip with attitude. And, despite the distortion to the vocals too, there is still plenty of catchiness and great hooks throughout, especially with the backing-vocal-filled choruses. And yet the band can switch up in an instant into a more calmer, indie-folk feel and back again at the drop of a hat, showcasing their playing and writing talent perfectly.
Songs like the opener, the grungy ‘Another Moon Song’ and ‘Great White Nothing’ are all big personal highlights. However, as I said before, if you listen to this album as a whole, it really shines brightly. If you’re into all things psychedelic, indie or even desert rock, this may be the album for you! The band’s talent is off the charts, so even though it won’t be a regular listen for me moving forward, it’s an easy 7.5/10
Cognative: Abhorrence
The fifth album from the tech death New Jerseyans came out last Friday, and is a full-on assault on the ears from the first second to the last. And, of course, I mean that in the best possible way. It’s technical death metal at its very best, and really builds upon what the band have put out so far in an excellent way. The guitaring is an insanely massive highlight of the album, but that’s not to take away from everyone else in the bad, who work their ass off throughout. Tracks like ‘Insidious’, ‘Ivory Tower’ and ‘Savor of Suffering’ are all huge highlights on an album stacked full of them. It’s certainly not an album for the faint of heart, but if you’re into the heavier side of metal, I’d certainly recommend checking this album out in full! It’s certainly one of the better albums I’ve heard in the genre, not that I’ve checked out many so far! 8/10
Troy Redfern: Invocation
This is an awesome heavy blues rock album. Troy’s seventh studio release is so very Love/Hate in all the best ways. It’s just as much sleaze as it is blues, and packed full of awesome riffs, blistering soloing and some really catchy vocal hooks. It’s like all eras of Slash’s career blended into one sound, it’s amazing. Songs like ‘Getaway’, ‘The Calling’ and ‘All Night Long’ are personal highlights, but honestly this whole album is just hit after hit.
The NWOCR scene has such a talent on their hands with Troy, and this could very well be the album that helps break him out into the massive star he deserves to be. The fact that this is his fifth album in four years, too, and the songwriting and playing is still to this high quality is insane. I’mma be spinning this a lot going forward, and would recommend the whole album to anyone! It’s a very easy 9.5/10 from me!
Devitalized: State of Agression
The deathcore band’s debut album goes hard. It has more of a hardcore and metalcore edge to it than the big bands of the genre these days, which I loved just as much as the power metal-infused likes of Lorna Shore. The riffing is heavy and awesome, the drummer goes HARD throughout, and the screams fit perfectly and sound awesome over the top of it all. Heck, even the clean vocals on tracks like ‘Karma Sutra’ sound great and fit amazingly, causing the contrast between the two to make the screams even heavier! And of course the ever-imressive Tom Barber kills it on ‘Godslayer’, giving off instant Darko vibes in the best ways.
It’s hard to even pick highlight tracks, partially because they’re all awesome, and partially because in my new-to-deathcore ears, they all blend together and sound kinda samey. That’s hardly a complaint, though. The album as a whole is a great listen and certainly worth checking out in full if you’re a fan of the heavy stuff! 8/10, this is sick and I have to see it live!
A HUGE week for new music, featuring some of the biggest bands in rock, as well as some of the best in the underground scene too. Join us in checking it all out!
The Rolling Stones: Hackney Diamonds
The first original studio album from the rock royalty in almost 20 years, Hackney Diamonds both has nothing and everything to prove. After an over six decade career, the band certainly have nothing to prove. So, it’s more a case of this album proving why it had to be released.
After listening to the album, I’m still on the fence. As I’m sure you’ll see is a running theme this week through the article, it’s fine. For a band this late in their careers, it’s an impressive release, for sure. Tracks like ‘Depending on You’, the epic ‘Sweet Sounds of Heaven’ and the punky ‘Bite my Head Off’ are all good, fun tracks. And it still all sounds distinctively Rolling Stones-y, the sound and nostalgia value is high. It did grow on me more throughout, too. I don’t think ‘Angry’ was the right choice to open the album with, as it definitely took me a couple of songs after that before I started enjoying myself.
The guests add a lot to the album, especially Lady Gaga channelling her inner Mary Clayton on ‘Sweet Sounds…’. However, Elton and McCartney do their jobs well too.
Overall, it’s a fairly decent album. It’s a bit on the slow side, but that’s expected from a bunch of 80 year olds. If you’re a fan of the band or the blues-rock of the time period, you’ll find a lot to enjoy here. 7/10
Blink 182: ONE MORE TIME…
The first time the original trio have been whole for an album in 12 years, Blink’s 10th album feels like a massive deal. The tale, while rather known to the mainstream anyway, is highlighted perfectly in the emotion ballad of a title track. While the band have been active again since 2009, this feels like the biggest thing surrounding the band since their breakup. I know the hype around this album is massive, as is their current world tour. So, I’m so sorry…
I was never the biggest fan of Blink as a kid. I still feel the nostalgia towards them, being raised in the early 2000s. However, I feel like almost all pop-punk bands, be it Green Day, Sum 41, Bowling for Soup, are and have always been better than them. So, from this humble writers opinion… this was okay. I respect the hell out of all three of them (though less so Travis now he’s a Kardashian-in-law), but musically, they’ve always been a meh for me.
There are some definite highlight tracks, still. ‘FELL IN LOVE’, ‘EDGING’ and the one two punch of ‘TURN THIS OFF!’ into ‘WHEN WE WERE YOUNG’ are all great, for Blink songs. However, if I never heard any of them again, I don’t think I’d notice, let alone by upset. I get that a lot of people are going to love this album, but I’m not one of them. It’s all kinda samey, and outside of a few tracks and the circumstances behind it, it’s nothing special. 6.5/10
Within Temptation: Bleed Out
The symphonic power metal legends are back with their eighth studio album. I have to admit, I’ve sadly never checked out Within Temptation all that much. I’ve seen them live at least once and did enjoy them, but I’ve never really felt the inkling to go and check out their stuff on track aside a song or two. I always kinda felt like I’d already had my symphonic metal fill with the likes of Nightwish and Apocalyptica. So, you’re getting an almost new reaction from me, today!
Honestly, this grew on me quite a bit throughout. The opening track didn’t do much to grab my attention at all. However, by the time I’d reached the awesome single ‘Wireless’ I was finally starting to get it. The darker tone to it all and the almost cinematic feel is awesome, and this track is the perfect example of that. It’s catchy, interesting and still has plenty of heaviness in the riffing. From then on out I found myself enjoying the album a lot more. Other major highlights include ‘Ritual’, ‘Cyanide Love’ and ‘Don’t Pray for Me’.
It took me a while but I finally get it with Within Temptation, and am kicking myself that I haven’t checked them out more sooner. Sharon’s vocals are some of the best in the scene currently and the bands sound and writing make them feel truly unique, something very hard to do these days! There isn’t a bad track on the album as even the opener grew on me after going back for a second listen. It’s a damn good album that anyone into metal should check out immediately. 9/10
Restless Road: Last Rodeo
We’ve already covered this awesome album. Check out out here!
Rival Sons: LIGHTBRINGER
The second part of Rival Sons’ twin-albums, the first being DARKFIGHTER from earlier this year (review here) is finally out!
Firstly, you’ve gotta admire the cajons on this band for opening on a 9-minute prog epic. The band typically aren’t known for their hugely longer or more complex tracks, so the title track feels like a lot of fun and something completely different. Having said that, it does still feel very Rival Sons, their unique brand of modern blues rock. It does, however, mean it gives off even more Led Zep vibes than normal! Outside of that, both singles ‘Mercy’ and ‘Sweet Life’ are awesome tracks and definitely the right calls for pre-released songs. Honestly though there isn’t a bad track on the album, and the only shame is that it’s only six tracks long!
Honestly, it fits in perfectly with DARKFIGHTER. It definitely has that ying to it’s yang feel, this one feeling lighter and more uplifting compared to the darker, grungier previous part. They are the perfect companion pieces to each other, and show off the versatility of the band masterfully. They are built to be listened to together, and when they are I can’t help but give this a 8.5/10
Duff McKagan: Lighthouse
This was a lot more slow and 80s pop-rock than I expected it to be. I’m not massively familiar with the GnR bassist’s work outside of the powerhouse rock band, but given that live he always seems to do the heavier, punkier covers, I was expecting more of that. Unfortunately, it’s not great 80s pop rock, either. There are tracks that are better than others, like ‘Holy Water’ and ‘Just Another Shakedown’. And, of course, Slash does a pretty decent job on ‘Hope’. However, generally (and rather ironically) it felt like a second rate Rolling Stones or even Bowie.
Don’t get me wrong, the songs aren’t bad, just very… meh. There’s nothing special about them, and after finishing listening through it, I cannot remember a single moment from it. The whole thing is just incredibly average from top to bottom. It’s slow and kinda boring, honestly. If you like it, awesome, but this soft rock isn’t for me. 3.5/10
Cirith Ungol: Dark Parade
The Californian LOTR fans are back with their sixth studio album, and second since their reunion. It has been recently announced that the band are stopping touring next year too, but whether that means this will be their last release or not remains to be seen. If it is their final album, at least they’re going out with a bang. It’s a good, fun old school heavy metal album, through and through. It’s like a more power metal tinged Judas Priest, and it’s awesome. There isn’t a bad track on the album but the opener, ‘Looking Glass’ and the proggy, epic ‘Sailor on the Seas of Fate’ are for sure highlights.
It’s honestly hard to say much about it, it’s just a solid metal album. If you like an old school taste to your metal, check this out, you’ll love it. 7/10
Dog Eat Dog: Free Radicals
The hardcore punk/crossover thrash rappers are back with their first studio album in 17 years. Outside of a short EP in 2017, it’s the only music the band have put out since 2006. It’s honestly like the band never went away, though. They are just as good as ever, and you can hear the massive influence they had on this sort of music. It’s hard to pick out highlight tracks as every song is just as good as the last. The rapping is top class, the riffs are still heavy and there is plenty of catchiness still in the choruses.
It’s dripping in early 90s nostalgia in the best way. It reminds me of everything from Beastie Boys to Infectious Grooves to Bad Brains to Bloodhound Gang. If you’re into any of those bands, or rap or radio metal or sick breakdowns, check this out you won’t be disappointed! A good half of this album has ended up on my personal playlist, with plenty ending up on overtone’stoo. Do yourselves a favour and check this out, you may find one of your new favourite albums of the year. I know I have! 9/10
Display of Decay: Vitriol
Somehow this is the first death metal we’ve had this week. Thankfully, it’s awesome. This album is a half-hour long, brutal punch to the face, and it’s awesome! Right from the opening beat of ‘Malicious Motorcide’, it’s a heavy journey through some of the best the sub-genre has to offer. Tracks ‘Legion of Doom’ and ‘Slaughtercast’ are personal favourites of mine. It’s hard to really come up with anything more to say. It’s straight up good death metal. If you like that, you’ll love this. 7/10
Sam Roberts Band: The Adventures of Ben Blank
We’ve already checked out this album too! A twofer this week! You can read the full review here.
Dirty Sound Magnet: Dreaming in Dystopia
The psychedelic rockers are back with album number four. I’ve been a fan of these guys for a while now, ever since seeing them support Daxx & Roxane (review), so have been rather impatiently anticipating this album’s release. It definitely lives up to my own hype, too. This is awesome! While I’m not typically a psychedelic fan, there is something about this band that just blows my mind on a hugely consistent basis. The talent on display across the eight tracks is phenomenal. And the soundscapes the trio produce are nothing short of entrancing. All three of them do an insane job and produce such a dynamic, varied, massive sound between them.
It’s also impossible to really pick any highlight tracks. This album really feels like it should be taken as one full piece of art, and when doing so, it’s something really special. If I were you, I’d grab a drink, sit in a dark room, and just sit back and enjoy this. It’s a chilled out, trippy 36-minutes of awesomeness. 8/10
BOYS LIKE GIRLS: SUNDAY AT FOXWOODS
The Boston pop-rock band are back with their first album in over a decade. Considering how big they are and the style of music they are, I’m shocked I’m not all too familiar with them already. Maybe they never quite broke the UK? Either that or I wasn’t paying enough attention!
As far as the album’s concerned, it’s pretty damn good! The intro track leads perfectly into the huge, anthemic, great ‘THE OUTSIDE’. ‘BLOOD 7 SUGAR’ is a fun pop-rock track that I can’t help but compare to the likes of Camp Rock and even some Maroon 5. Tracks like ‘NEW LOVE’ and ‘CRY’ are great ballad tracks. ‘PHYSICAL’ is an 80s glam/synth pop rock powerhouse that is a certain highlight but would be perfect if it weren’t for that super awkward transition between parts near the start.
Honestly, my only slight complaint is that I did feel the length. Even with a couple of shorter interlude tracks, it’s 13 rather samey songs in a row, with the only thing changing really being the tempo. Heck, most of them are pretty cliché breakup songs, lyrically. It definitely has a very wide audience appeal, but after a few songs they started to lose this writer a little.
Still, it’s a damn good album. It’s well written, well performed and well put together. I’m sure fans of the band are pleased that they are finally back and still putting out high quality music like this. There’s a lot to love on this album, so if you like your lighter stuff, check this out! 7.5/10
A hugely stacked week of new music this week with a large collection of albums for us to dive into. From death metal to country to synth, let’s dive into it all!
Blur: The Ballad of Darren
Joe: The other britpop band, the ones still going, return with their first album since 2015. However, it’s a far cry from their heyday with ‘Song 2’. ‘The Ballad’ was a terrible choice of an opening track. The slow, droning opener was pop at best, nowhere near rock. Tracks like ‘St. Charles Square’ and ‘Barbaric’ aren’t much better, either. Not a single track on the album can be classed as up-beat. It’s closer to the sort of stuff Mark Knoffler releases these days. It’s soft rock at a push, yet it is barely rock at all.
Don’t get me wrong, bands are allowed to change their sound, and it’s not exactly uncommon for a band to mellow out as they get older. But this isn’t what I want to listen to when I set out to listen to Blur. And it’s not really my type of music at all. It bored me to tears, honestly. 3.5/10
Greta Van Fleet: Starcatcher
Charlotte: Greta Van Fleet’s Starcatcher continues to bring shades of classic rock to the band’s style with Josh Kiszka’s eerily enchanting wails and some beautiful guitar tones. The hair-raising album takes you through psychedelic ballads and graceful licks – and who doesn’t love a harmonica solo? Finishing with the appropriately cathartic closer ‘Farewell For Now’, Starcatcher is another solid album added to Greta Van Fleet’s repertoire. 8/10
Feuerschwanz: Fegefeuer
Joe: The German folk/power metal band are back with their 11th album, and third with Napalm. If anyone’s familiar with the bands more recent, serious releases, you’ll know what to expect from this, and you won’t at all be disappointed!
‘SGFRD Dragonslayer’ is a good, catchy opener while ‘Bastard von Asgard’ is a massive album highlight, made even better by Fabienne Erni’s incredible vocals. ‘Beserkermode’ is a lot of fun, a bouncy number that reminds me of their earlier days. Also, as a huge LOTR fan, I couldn’t not love ‘Urak-Hai’. Overall it’s a very well written, fun and great folk metal album. My only slight issue is that the whole thing all felt pretty similar, it was all big riffs and choruses and a similar pace. Something slower or more dynamic may have helped hold my interest a little more and made the album even better, in my opinion.
Also, anyone who checks out the deluxe edition not only gets instrumental versions of each track, but a recording of their awesome Wacken 2022 set! An awesome collection that is well worth checking out! 8.5/10
Brix’n Mortar: Something Ain’t Right
Max: Yes, this band is a hardcore band. And you can’t get through the album without seeing this. I’m not always the biggest fan of this style of hardcore and rock but I’ll be damned if this album isn’t great. When I started listening to this album I was setting up equipment for a gig and it really got me into the mood for lifting things. This album is a lot of fun, energy, and intensity throughout and it must be amazing to see live. this band has a lot of potential and each of the members really carries their weight so I want to see where they go in the future and what they end up releasing next. 8/10
Guided By Voices: Welshpool Frillies
Joe: 38 albums. That’s how many the Ohioan indie rock band have put out. And that’s including two hiatus’. Heck, they’re already on their second album of this year, and their eighth in the last three years! If it’s one thing you cannot faulter with Guided by Voices, it’s their work ethic!
Fun fact about this album before we begin the review; it was recorded to tape in a basement in Brooklyn. It definitely gives the album a different sound and feel, it being a lot more grungy.
As for the tracks themselves, they’re good. Tracks like ‘Cruisers’ Cross’ and ‘Animal Concentrate’ sound almost Foo Fighters-esque. Meanwhile ‘Romeo Surgeon’ and ‘Seedling’ are all out grunge. However, some of the older almost Bowie sounding stuff didn’t hook me all that much. ‘Cats in Heat’, ‘Why Won’t You Kiss Me’ and the traditional folk-like ‘Chain Dance’ all weren’t for me. It’s a real mixed bag of an album, but hey, at least it’s anything but boring. It’s a long album, 15 tracks, but there is plenty of variety throughout. The stuff I like I really like, and there are plenty of highlight tracks. But there is also a fair amount of meh throughout. I wouldn’t be likely to listen to it from front to back again 6.5/10
Zenith Passage: Datalysium
Max: So this album was a lot of fun to listen to. There were intense guitars that attacked your ears (in a good way) from the very beginning and the technicality to them was a lot of fun to listen to. They are definitely a technical death metal band but they have their own spin on the genre with their own flow and style that make them unique amongst the ocean of other bands.
Another interesting a fun part of this band is the clean vocals. I often find myself getting nervous hearing bands like this have clean vocals because they can often miss the mark. However in their penultimate song, ‘Automated Twilight’ they really hit the mark. It almost made me think of Veil of Maya and the song ‘The Sun, The Moon The Stars’ by Æther Realm. So basically very very good. A solid 9/10 album and I will be listening to it more and more.
Nouvaeu Arcade: Dead Hearts
We’ve already reviewed this awesome synthwave album! Check it out here.
Ian Moss: Rivers Run Dry
Charlotte: Ian Moss’ Rivers Run Dry has everything you could ever need or want from a (and this one is hard to pin down so we’re going to list it all) country-soul-pop-blues-rock album. From a grand gospel choir opening in the title track, to groovy brass sections and a distinctive and rich organ throughout. Ian Moss is a hidden gem with his signature sound, creating a professionally polished album that’s enjoyable for everyone. 8.5/10
HARDBALL: Self-Titled
Joe: the Canadian band are looking at bringing grunge back to prominence with their debut album. Right from the first few notes of ‘Just a Tree’ it screams Nirvana in all of the best ways. It does have that slightly heavier, darker and modern edge that Future Leaders of the World brought to the table, too, feeling like a clear blend of the two bands.
The album has a swaggering attitude and coolness that grunge typically didn’t have back in the 90s, and it’s a refreshing, fun edge to it all. Tracks like the opener, ‘NRA’, ‘Chili’ and ‘Talk to Me’ are all huge highlights of the album. Honestly, the last two are incredible and up there with some of my favourite grunge tracks due to their creativity and structure. ‘Chili’ verges on prog with the stripped-back bit in the middle whole the latter is a dark, brooding, Tool/Doom metal track. The vocal delivery and melody also reminds me of ‘Skeletons of Society’ by Slayer. Both add tonnes of inovation and push the boundaries of their typical radio-friendly grunge in the best ways.
The more I listen to this album the more I fall in love with it. I was a huge Nirvana fan in my youth and this scratches that itch and then some. It has elements of all three of their albums whole also bringing plenty of their own sound and creativity to things. There isn’t a bad track on the album and I’d recommend it to anyone! 9.5/10
Oxbow: Love’s Holiday
Joe: So, this is a bit weird. However, I think it’s in a good way. Despite their nearly 20k monthly listeners on Spotify, I’d never heard of the band before. So, ‘Dead Ahead’ was certainly an interesting introduction to the band! The chaotic, messy verses give way to a genuinely catchy, arena-filling chorus, making me not sure how I felt.
Honestly, that’s the story of the whole album. Messy, Avant Garde skater punk with some catchy hooks and good riffs dispersed between them. ‘Icy White & Crystalline’ is a big highlight of the album, as is the slower ‘Lovely Murk’ featuring Lingua Ignota. Unfortunately, after the second track it was all pretty slow. It does make for slightly more accessible music, but I was quite enjoying the chaos of the opening tracks. Outside of ‘The Second Talk’ it’s all slow, pretty boring jazz-like soft/psychadellic rock. Not my thing at all and ruined the first couple of tracks’ potential. 3/10
Mega Drive: 200XAD
Joe: We close this week on instrumental synthwave, and honestly, it’s awesome. I know 90% of y’all will have tuned out after those two words, but hear me out and, more importantly, hear the band out. It maintains a heavy rock edge to it that means we just had to cover it, and more importantly it’s fun. I couldn’t pick a highlight track as they are all pretty similar, but all are so good. This is the sort of album designed to be listened to in its entirety. The band and album name also fits so well. It feels like music made to be driving around a Cyberpunk world in a video game. Honestly if you are in any way into futuristic, synthy stuff, check this out, you won’t be disappointed! 8/10
Those Once Loyal are a local band to Overtone and have been plugging away at the local heavy scene for a few years now, gaining more and more of a fanbase with each passing day. And they deserve every single fan, with their fantastic live shows and awesome studio work. The band just last week put out their brand new EP, and we couldn’t not cover it. So, join us in checking out what we thought!
The opening track is a slow, clean intro that builds and sets up the rest of the tracks perfectly. It reminds me of the opening of Machine Head’s post-Supercharger albums, opening on that perfect calm before the storm. It’s awesome.
The title track opens on a great metal/deathcore riff, it opening out with an amazing drumbeat and a short but sick lead guitar line. The scream comes in over the top, sounding brutal and adding so much to the track. It fits perfectly and, while harsh, also still has a slight melodic element to it when the lead guitar line comes back for the chorus. The breakdown callout was awesome, as was the sludgy, evil-sounding breakdown. My god do I want to be in a pit for that.
A fantastic extended guitar solo follows and was honestly one of the high points of the EP. It’s not often stuff this heavy and hardcore gives the guitars space to solo and breathe, and it worked perfectly here. We also get a reprisal of the breakdown to close the track after a final chorus, and it rounds off a fantastic heavy track. I see why it was the lead single, and it easily makes our playlist!
A great drumbeat opens ‘Re-Birth’ before an almost Megadeth-like quick guitar riff comes in over the top. The track drops into a phat riff before the metalcore stuff returns behind the verse screams. It works perfectly, keeping everything bouncy. It fills out, having an almost epic feel through the choruses thanks to the guitars, and the final line of the chorus is catchy as anything, it’ll go down a storm live. The riff after said chorus is awesome too. The structure of the track is really interesting too, though that may just be me getting a little lost as I don’t know the genre massively well. I just sat back and enjoyed the awesome track through the various different parts in all of its glory. It of course has a good breakdown in there, but for me the riffs and the ‘This is a re-birth’ line are the highlights.
Closer ‘Second Hand Smoke’ is a track that I had already checked out for our reaction series on YouTube (still editing the video so will link it once it’s out!). All I can say is wow. This is my favourite track on the EP, and for very good reason! From the melodic hardcore verses to the surprisingly catchy choruses and THAT breakdown, everything about it is awesome. If you’re into the heavier side of music, check this out immediately, as you’ll love it!
Overall: This was fantastic. It’s not often I get the chance to do an in depth review of something this heavy any more, and it helps that it is really fucking good too. All three main tracks were awesome, and they worked perfectly as a whole with ‘Into the Cycle’. A band that should be a lot bigger than they are,b ut have the potential to breakout massive off the back of this.
