We chatted to the amazing alt-pop artist Caroline Romano the other day about her latest EP and plans for the future! Check it all out below!
How would you describe your sound these days?
I would describe it as a mix of alternative pop, with some organic band elements at times. It definitely swings between rock and mainstream pop.
The EP just dropped! Is there a certain theme or story behind it, or is each individual track a separate story?
The entire EP tells the story of my experience falling in love for what felt like the very first time. In that process, I realized why all of my previous heartbreaks and “falling” into the wrong relationships were so necessary. The project as a whole sort of narrates that story from start to finish.
What is your writing process like? Is your band involved at all?
My writing process looks slightly different for each song I write. I’ll often start with a lyric or a concept I’ve written down in my phone, then go into the studio with a producer to build the track around that idea. Other times though, it will start with a track, and the lyrical idea will be written based on that. I’m very fortunate to live in a city like Nashville, where I’m able to collaborate with so many talented producers and instrumentalists. My band for the most part isn’t in the room when I write and record songs, but I definitely keep their specific parts in mind when writing, as I think that plays a big role in creating a fun live show.
Do you have a favourite track on the EP?
My favorite track from the EP is “There It Is.” It’s a song that’s super personal to me, and one I’ve been waiting my whole life to write.
What went into the decision to release an EP instead of a string of singles or even another album?
The decision to release an EP came from listening to this collection of songs I had written, and realizing they all played a part in telling the same story. I think an EP was the perfect length to tell that story as well.
Have you planned a busy year of live shows to support the release?
Yes! I just played my very first Nashville headlining show on release day, and I’m working on some exciting other live show opportunities for the rest of the year.
I saw you recently did a tour vlog, is that something you’d look to continue? It seems so hard to keep up the content grind these days!
I absolutely love touring and the process of getting ready to play a show each night. I’d love to continue doing tour/show vlogs, as it’s content that I genuinely enjoy making. It can be hard to balance everything on a show day, but looking back, I’m always so glad to have it documented.
Any plans/hopes to come to the UK for a show or two soon?
I don’t have any immediate plans to be in the UK, but it would truly be a dream come true to play there soon! The second I’m able to make it happen, I’ll be over there.
Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any artists you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring with you?
There are so many artists I’d absolutely love to tour with, so this is a tough one. Lorde, Erin LeCount, Paramore, and Taylor Swift are all artists I’d absolutely love to open for. And I have so many talented friends I’d want to bring with me, like Sierra Annie, Carter Rubin, and John Harvie.
If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?
Oooh maybe “Blank Space” by Taylor Swift? I think that is as close to perfect as a song can be written, and it also just played a major role in my childhood.
I would say that this is a bit out there for Overtone, but we already have one review of the wonderful man on here! Still, I wasn’t planning on reviewing this. However, both acts put on such a great show that there was no way I couldn’t rave about it! So, let’s dive right into the show, shall we?
My one gripe of the evening to start things off… why were doors at six if nothing was going to happen until eight? It’s an awful lot of time to drag people into a venue for and just leave them waiting around. They could have easily had a second support band on in this time!
Speaking of support, Jack Garrett was actually someone I wasn’t too interested in heading into it from the tiny bit I’d checked out beforehand. However, talk about winning me over! He is insanely talented, both as a musician and a performer, and I think he got more than just me on his side, as the whole crowd was loving it by the end. Being a one-man-band will never not be impressive, and Jack did it in such a fantastic, fascinating way that it was hard to take my eyes off him while he was blowing my mind. From drums to guitar to keys to vocals, we got a bit of everything, and he was a virtuoso at every bit of it! And, on top of that, he’s an excellent songwriter, as I loved each one he played! His unique blend of indie, pop and blues was infectious, and impossible not to love. To the point where, honestly, I’d have LOVED it with a whole band. The loop pedal stuff is certainly impressive, but I think it lost a little bit of the emotion of the tracks at times, and at times it was clear he was struggling with his stage levels of it all. I completely get wanting to do it all yourself, but I’d have somehow loved it even more with him being a vocalist/guitarist/occasional pianist, with other band members also taking the rest of the parts. Still, it was a great set, and he definitely has a new fan in me!
Having seen Mika at a smaller venue, I had no idea what to expect heading into this. However, I certainly wasn’t expecting the AMAZING show that we got! Starting the show descending from the heavens in a giant industrial hamster wheel was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card. Neither was him strapping himself into it later on and spinning around above the crowd mid-song. However, both added so much to the show, as did the rest of the mechanical stage theming. Add to that the pyro, confetti and the giant inflatable megaphone and rainbow, and it was one hell of a stage show!
As for the music itself, it was just as good as you’d expect it to be! His backing band are absolutely phenomenal musicians, complimenting the main man perfectly while also putting on a good show in their own right, when they could. And, as for Mika, he still has one of the best voices in the game today. His vocal range, even live, still blows me away each time, and his charisma is magnetising. He has more energy and flexibility than I do, and I have a solid 14 years on him! As, setlist-wise, it was everything as good as when we last saw him. Opening with two off his latest album was a slight gamble, even though that’s what the tour was and it sounded incredible. But the moment ‘Relax’ hit, the crowd were locked IN dude, bouncing around and singing along to the very end. And, because of that, I felt like the rest of Hyperlove was received better after. Tracks like ‘Spinning Out’ and ‘Excuses For Love’ were amazing live, and fit perfectly around crowd favourites like ‘Lollipop’ and ‘We Are Golden’. Add to that we got him bring back ‘Popular Song’ (because of course), him taking to the stands during ‘Big Girl’, and the one-two-punch of ‘Grace Kelly’ into ‘Happy Ending’ to close out the main set, and it was a tour de force of everything Mika does brilliantly. By the time ‘Yo Yo’ hit, the crowd was spent, in the best way possible! And absolutely phenomenal set!
And there we have it, yet another incredible night of live music so far this year. Both artist were completely different but phenomenal in their own way, and had the crowd in the palms of their hands through the whole night. How this was Mika’s first time headlining arenas in the UK I do not know, but that man owned the stage as if he’d been on there his whole life. I cannot recommend either artist enough, both on track and live, and have listened to both plenty over the weekend!
WOW. What a fucking show! My first time at the venue and also my first time seeing either band. I was at least pretty familiarwith the headliners, but didn’t know Paledusk that well. I went into the evening expecting to enjoy it, but I wasn’t quite expecting the level of performance throughout!
Firstly, the Apollo was packed. The gig got downgraded from Manchester arena to this venue, and the result meant that it was sold out and packed full of die-hard fans who showed up early to get down close. We queued well over half an hour, and we arrived 20 minutes after doors. Everyone was ready, that’s for sure!
I wasn’t too familiar with the openers heading into the show. I knew the name and had checked out a couple of tracks before the show, but that was about it. However, they have a HUGE new fan in me from this set! Firstly, the sheer energy and showmanship on display throughout their 40-minutes was insane. I’ve seen fewer spin-kicks in a Bruce Lee movie than I saw guitarist Daidai; the guy was all over the stage with them! Then you had frontman Kaito’s infectious energy too, throwing himself around with almost as little regard. He also held the crowd in the palm of his hand throughout. I thought they may have struggled given the heaviness compared to the headliner, but the crowd were more than down to bounce around and even got a pretty decent circle pit going when instructed. I’ve also never heard a crowd cheer a breakdown before, but it was pretty fun to see every time!
And we haven’t even spoken about their music yet! Their quirky, whacky, heavy, melodic music. It was all over the place in the best way possible! They are all insanely talented players, performers and vocalists, and I immediately want to be seeing them back over here again ASAP.
Then, after a brief changeover, the headliners took to the stage. It at first seemed a little odd when it was barely 8:05, but they tore the roof off the place for a solid two hours! After a fantastic little video package set the tone for their latest release, they exploded on with recent hit ‘Puppets Can’t Control You’. Now, y’all know I loved DETOX, so the fact that they played almost all of it was incredible. From personal favourites like ‘N.A.S.T.Y’, ‘Tropical Therapy’ and ‘Delusion:All’ to more unexpected cuts in ‘Party’s Over’ and ‘The Pilot </3’, it was all incredible live and sounded so very close to the track. But don’t fear, because old-school fans still had plenty to sink their teeth into. From ‘The Beginning’ to the beautiful, empowering ‘Stand Out Fit In’ and perennial set closer ‘We Are’, the setlist was honestly damn near perfect!
And the performance… GODDAMN. Honestly, I was looking forward to seeing them at the UKs biggest arena, but seeing essentially a stadium-level band back home putting on that caliber of show to a 4k cap venue was truly something special. The band played, sung and headbanged their hearts out from the very first note to the very last. And, because of that, the crowd fed them that very same energy back. I can’t recall a time when I had been part of a crowd so loud and passionate, except for maybe Drake Milligan, and even then it wasn’t for the full show. The crowd felt like just as much a part of the show as anything else; singing every word back to the band and jumping around and clapping constantly. I can honestly say it was one of the best sets I’ve seen from an all-round perspective, and not one I’ll ever forget!
And there you have it, folks. Two of Japan’s biggest and best rock bands playing a more intimate show in one of the UKs honestly best venues (aside for the tiny amount of toilets, wtf?). The sound for both was great, even when under the balcony, so massive props to the sound guys too! I honestly cannot recommend seeing either band enough, they both blew me away for somehow both different and similar reasons. Honestly, if I wasn’t working tomorrow I’d be on the first train down to see them in London, they were THAT good. Hopefully both manage to make it back over here soon, be it together again or separate, as I’d be right there buying tickets the moment they went on sale! If you get the chance to see them live, take it, but even if not, you have got to listen to them on track too!
Somehow I have made it to the ripe old age of 28 before heading to my first Slam Dunk. It’s wild to me, given how good the lineups always are. But this one was especially stellar, so I finally popped my SD cherry. Find out how good it was below!
After seeing the crazy issues with parking a couple of years back, we decided to get in nice and early, having time to have a look round merch and get a drink before the first band started. For us, it was Lake Malice on the Kerrang! stage. I was familiar with the name, at least knowing the style and sound they brought to the table, but live they really blew me away! Firstly, shoutout to the sound guys too, as it was windy as shit all day and, for the most part, everything sounded awesome still. This hit hard, and not just because they were one of the heavier bands for us that day. They’re modern metal awesomeness, combining screams and cleans perfectly around the heavy riffing and catchy melodic sections. They’re essentially everything I WANT Spiritbox to be, but never get from them. And, on top of that, they put on a great show, too. From the backing dancers to Alice Guala’s magnetic stage presence, it all came together perfectly. They’re were the perfect way to open the day, and I can’t recommend them enough to any fans of heavier music out there!
Speaking of magnetic stage presence, next up were Save Ferris. I’ve seen a few videos of the legendary ska punkers over the years and, while Monique always seemed like a powerhouse of a stage presence, I was slightly worried they weren’t going to sound great. All said worries went out the door immediately, as Monique sounded just as good as she did back in the day, and the rest of the band nailed it throughout the set! The sheer energy from a bunch of forty-somethings was incredible, and certainly infectious as they got the crowd dancing and bouncing and joining in early on. Plus, they have so many bangers in their back catalogue that it was hard not to have a good time watching them! From ‘The World is New’ to ‘I Know’ to covers of everything from Dead Kennedys to Operation Ivy to, of course, closing on their incredible ‘Come on Eileen’ cover, it was a really fantastic setlist. The whole band had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout, and I had an absolute blast listening to them!
We stuck around the Monster tent after that for Home Grown. I have to say they were one of the few bands heading into the day that I wasn’t too familiar with and didn’t have that nostalgia for like others. I do honestly think that hurt their set a little, for me. They weren’t awful, but they weren’t great live, and when I didn’t know the songs all I could really hear was the bad mix and questionable vocals. I think the fact that they had two kinda lead vocals didn’t work for their set, as both were cranked so when one was just doing backing, it kinda drowned out the other. Still, the band are undoubtably talented and I have come away being a fan of a few of their songs on track. Maybe they just had an off day!
Sadly, we didn’t catch too much of The Ataris, due to having to wait a solid 40+ minutes at the bar. For a cashless system and pre-poured drinks, I have no earthly idea how it was taking that long! However, they sounded good from the bar, and even better when we finally got in to see the last half of their set! Sadly, as with a few bands from this sort of era on the bill, everyone was waiting around for their big cover song. ‘Boys of Summer’ was indeed phenomenal, and both live and on track is better than the original. However, their own stuff was just as good! The band were tight and professional as anything, and what they somewhat lacked in putting on a show, they more than made up for in how excellent they sounded. I wouldn’t rush to see them again, but enjoyed their set (or what I saw of it) and if they were on at another festival I’d definitely check them out!
Next up were my band of the day (spoilers), Stray from the Path. We had the pleasure of seeing them at Graspop a couple of years ago, yet somehow they have gotten even better since then! Their anger and energy is off the charts, with Andrew’s stage presence being magnetic, certainly mirroring supposed influences like Zack De La Roacha and Jason Aalon Butler. Whether it’s mammoth tracks off their last album like ‘Guillotine’ and ‘III’ or brand new stuff like ‘Shot Caller’, they played a blinder of a set. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands throughout too, the place going nuts and there being crowd surfers everywhere. It’s insane to me that this band aren’t absolutely massive as they are great on track and live, and have a fantastic message to back it up. Still, with the packed out crowd loving it here, they should have surely gained some new fans!
We snuck over to the Key Club to catch the one and only Delilah Bon. Not too dissimilar to Stray from the Path, it’s no secret here that I love Delilah’s solo stuff. And it all translates so well to a live setting, too! Her rapping is amazing, even though the backing could have been boosted slightly so we could hear the odd line she dropped out for. And her screams… *chef’s kiss*… we need more of them on the next record for sure! The band did a great job backing her up too, but she was very much the star of the show, putting on one hell of a performance and bouncing around every bit of the stage. She certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I loved it and am going to have to get tickets for her tour in November!
Streetlight Manifesto were an odd one for me. On the one hand, they were absolutely phenomenal live, as they always are. Their heavy ska sound and truly masterful musicianship and songwriting comes across excellently, and I had a blast. I guess my issue was that after 50-whole-minutes, it felt like they were just getting started, and my god did I want more. Heck, they’re the only band, outside of the headliners, that I heard the ‘we want more’ chant at all day, and I very much agree. I felt myself waiting for more off Everything Goes Numb that we just didn’t get, which was a shame. However, as I said, what they did play was amazing and I cannot recommend seeing them live enough. It had been six long years since I had seen them last before this and hopefully this will scratch just enough of an itch until we get an actual UK tour… (🤞)
We managed to catch the first two or three songs from the legendary Less than Jake before we had to leave. Somehow I’d only seen them once before now, back in the day at Ynot, so it was great to finally get to see them again, if fleetingly. They sound just as fantastic now as they did a decade ago, and just as good as they do on track from even longer ago! It was a fun set to a packed tent, and once again the band brought so much energy. I wish I could have stayed longer, but there was no way I was missing the next band…
Electric Callboy. One of my favourite bands and a big reason as to why we went to the festival. We saw them last year at Graspop and they blew us away, so of course we were excited to see them again. And, once again, they didn’t disappoint! The band are on top form as one of the best live acts in the world right now, and this set proved that yet again. They are incredibly fun from beginning to end, Kevin and Nico being the perfect frontmen and playing off-of each other perfectly. The band don’t take themselves too seriously, hence the silly songs and costume changes, but are absolutely incredible musicians and songwriters, having some of the best big, melodic choruses and ch0nky breakdowns out there. And we even got them stripping it back here, playing acoustic campfire covers of Linkin Park and Backstreet Boys, much to the love of the crowd. And speaking of the crowd, it was absolutely packed. They were arguably too big for the size of the festival, which is saying a lot. But they deserve everything they’re getting, as they are one of the most hard-working and truly interesting bands around today, and they show up every single time they take the stage. Throw in a cheeky Sum 41 cover thanks to Frank Zummo filling in on drums, and you had the recipe for another fantastic set from the German metalcorers!
It was always going to be hard following up Electric Callboy, but Hot Milk did their damnedest to do so. Han and Jim are excellent fronting the band, and sound just as good live as they do on track, both together and separate. They also had plenty of energy, and both interacted with the crowd well between and during songs. I wasn’t as familiar with the band as some of the others on this review, but I loved the stuff that I did know, like ‘HORROR SHOW’ and the ever-epic ‘BREATHING UNDERWATER’. It was a little odd seeing a band on a smaller stage with less production after the massive beast that is Electric Callboy these days, but it was still a lot of fun and made me a bigger fan of the band for sure. I’ll definitely be going to see them again soon, especially with their new album coming out!
And there we have it, my Skam Dunk Cherry well and truly popped. It was an amazing day full of excellent bands and I had a blast throughout. Even the bi-polar weather didn’t bother me that much! I would happily go back to the festival again, especially if they sort out their bars, and would love to see just about every band I saw on the day again live as soon as possible! I would recommend any of it to anyone reading this, as it was a really great day-festival. Until next time, I’m sure!
An absolutely massive set of awesome EPs released for us today/this week to check out. From country to death metal, we span a bit of everything so let’s dive right in!
Miss Vain: Sempiternal Drive
The sophomore EP from the Finnish metal outfit is just as awesome as their debut! From ch0nky riffing to catchy melodies, choruses and harmonies to sick soloing to even some incredible breakdowns, it’s packed full of all of the good stuff you’d want from a modern melodic metal band. Heck, we even get some awesome screams/growls too, all off which sounded incredible and fit the style well. It very much feels like a continuation of that previous release, continuing that European sound reminiscent of Dust Bolt. None of that is at all a complaint, either! It’s five tracks that are all just as good as each other, making it impossible to pick highlights. I loved their debut, but this is right up there alongside it, in my opinion. The band didn’t get nearly the credit they deserved with their debut, and hopefully this will finally push them up to the level they deserve to be at. It’s another solid 9/10 that I’d recommend to any metal fan reading this!
CBZK: Dybuctwo
This is one hell of an interesting release, and honestly one of the most creative mixes of genres I think I’ve ever heard. The Polish/British duo combine together everything from industrial to hip hop to black metal, and it works together far better than it has any right to! It’s certainly not going to be for everyone, but it’s certainly worth checking out if you’re curious as it’s a fantastic collection of tracks and sounds. ‘Płyty’ and ‘Duchota’ are personal highlights, but the whole EP is a pretty great listen! There’s definitely a lot of dark trap influence, but with all the added elements to it it works so well. For a debut release it’s incredible, and really proves the concept in a major way. If you are at all curious, I cannot recommend this EP enough. The duo certainly have a new fan in me, and I already can’t wait to hear what they come out with next! 8/10
Rattlesnakes: Deeper Shades of Torment
We’ve already checked out this awesome EP! Check out our review of it here!
Everette: Simple as That
It’s no secret that I absolutely adore this artist. Between reviewing Keys to Kentucky and Side B, as well as seeing them live, anyone who’s followed us for a while knows that. However, I’m expecting a rather different release, this time around. Becoming essentially a solo project new for Brent after Anthony sadly stepped back from the band at the end of last year, I have to admit I have no idea what to expect heading into this. I haven’t even had the chance to check out single ‘Freight Train’, so I am going in completely blind.
If Brent should have taught me anything by now, it’s that I should go into these with high expectations, and will still be blown away. Not only does he have one of my favourite voices in country these days, but his lyric writing and vocal delivery of them is all utterly phenomenal every time. And instrumentally, from the guitars to drums to harmonica to keys and everything else subtly included, it all fits the vocals perfectly. ‘Freight Train’ is indeed a great single, but it’s accompanied by three other amazing tracks. The closing track in particular is beautiful and absolutely incredible. Yes, I do find myself missing Anthony’s harmonies and (more often) his slide guitar, but the songwriting throughout is so good that it’s very easy to just get lost in the music and forget all that. It’s chilled-out, emotional and fun all in equal measure. Brent is the master at writing somehow both neo-traditional and yet also modern-sounding country music; there really is no one like Everette. I’m so glad he’s continued this project on, and this release is honestly up there with the rest of them, in this writer’s humble opinion. My only issue is that it’s only four tracks, it music be full-length album time now,EP right…? 9.5/10
Vortex: Alien Realms
So, first things first… DAMN WHAT SICK ARTWORK. As for the music itself, it’s pretty sick too! The blackened death release is 17-minutes of awesomeness, and displays a surprising amount of dynamics to it. Yes, it’s brutally heavy for most of it, but it’s also suitably epic and has moments of reprieve that only makes the rest of it heavier. ‘When Humans Defy the Void’ is a perfect opener that sets the tone for the band and the release fantastically, but the subsequent three tracks are just as good, too! It all flows amazingly well together too, somehow feeling like the genre’s answer to a rock opera. If you like the heavier end of metal I cannot recommend this enough. They’re another band on this list who don’t get the recognition they deserve, and hopefully this awesome EP will push them up to the level they deserve to be at. I’m certainly going to be listening to this again in the coming weeks and months, and the band have a big new fan in me. It’s a solid 8.5/10!
Revenant: Best Medicine
We’ve also checked out this incredible release, too! Aren’t you lucky?! Check it out here.
Halflives: How Much a Heart Can Take Before it Breaks
The French alt-rock woman is back with another blinder of an EP! I remember checking out V back in the day and really enjoying it, so have been hyped for this release since I first heard about it. It certainly lives up to that hype too, being a fun, upbeat pop-rock release! It harkens back to a by-gone time where the likes of Parmore and Pierce the Veil seemed to rule the rock world. Having said that, it does also have plenty of modern feel and sound to it too, especially in the spectacular production. Tracks like ‘No Way Out’ and the punk/girlie pop ‘perfectly broken’ are personal favourites, but there really isn’t a bad song on the EP. Her ability to change styles throughout such a short release is incredible too, making it constantly feel fresh and interesting. She is somehow getting better and better with each release, and for anyone who’s into the lighter side of rock, this EP is very much for you! It’s a very easy 8/10 from us!
Cole Phillips: Steel Toes and Texacos
Following up on his massive 2024 album, Cole released a fantastic five-song collection here! It’s chilled-out; built around him and his guitar, accompanied by some simple drums and other strings and backing vocals. It gives heavy Zach Bryan vibes, in both the style and the deep lyric-writing. It also has a slight Jack Johnson feel to it, which I also love! That also makes it incredibly hard to pick highlights, as it’s all so good! It’s not going to be for everyone as it is pretty slow and stripped-back and chilled-out. However, I absolutely loved it and it felt like the perfect 15-minutes of this style of country music. I somehow missed his album last year, but will definitely be going to check it out as if it’s anything close to this sort of quality, it’ll be incredible. If you’re into country, do yourself a favour and check this out! It’s a solid 9/10 from me, I can’t get enough of it!
So, I tossed around the idea of writing this review all weekend. Hell yeah, we headed down to see the legendary Mika, and had an excellent time. But the gig was just him and a DJ as a support, and he’s certainly not what we usually cover here at Overtone. However, he absolutely smashed it, so we felt it was only fair to give him the praise he deserves. We did Dadi Freya last year too, so it makes sense to cover this too! And it’s not like it’ll be a long one, anyway!
As we said, his opener was a DJ. I’m sure she was great at what she does, but it wasn’t for me and the crowd overall weren’t really into it. She was barely advertised anywhere though, so that may not have helped. Sorry no-speaking, no-named DJ, but we shall move swiftly on.
As I said before, MIKA absolutely killed it. I was expecting it to be good as I’ve seen live videos of him still sounding on point. However, it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen, honestly. Right from the opening notes from him and his incredible band, they took the packed out crowd on a journey through his extensive, impressive back catalogue. It’s easy to forget just how many massive hits the man has, too. From ‘Lolipop’ and ‘Grace Kelly’ to ‘Big Girl’ and ‘Happy Ending’ to set closer ‘We are Golden’ and the oft overlooked ‘Underwater’, the setlist was PACKED to the brim of incredible songs.
And, to top it all off, MIKA is an incredible showman. He held the packed crowd in the palm of his hand from the moment he walked on stage until the very final note. Whether it was getting them all to sing along, telling stories between and even during songs, or even walking through the crowd and up to the balcony during ‘Big Girl’, the man is nothing if not a showman. I know he plays pop music, but I’ll be damned if he isn’t a rockstar.
A quick shout out to the venue, too. Originally Civic halls before it got a Covid-era referb, it is still in pretty amazing condition, the upkeep being of clear importance. The sound was amazing, it’s massive and easy to get into, and my only ever so slight gripe was the slowness of the bar-staff. But still, props to the venue!
Honestly, though this page is primarily a rock-centric audience, I’d recommend MIKA to anyone. It’s high energy, catchy pop-rock that is sure to keep a smile on your face throughout. A lot of it has a great message and is performed to the highest of standards. His vocals live are just as breathtaking as on track, and his performance is phenomenal. We have a lot of gigs and festivals lined up for the rest of the year, but this is truly going to be hard to top!
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!
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.
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!
A big week of new music this week with a bit of everything! Let’s waste no time and jump right in!
Godsmack: Lighting up the Sky
The nu metal/radio rock band’s final full length album, according to frontman Sully Erna, dropped on Friday. I’ve been a pretty big fan of the band since first hearing their music in The Scorpion King as a child, despite the somewhat mixed reception they’ve had in recent years. I can honestly say I’ve enjoyed every album they’ve put out, though some more than others. Either way, I’ve been excited for this one for a while.
I mean, it was a’ight. Single ‘You and I’ is one of the worst album openers I’ve heard in a while. It’s not an inherently bad song, but a mid-tempo, blues stomper by a band typically heavier and more attitude-filled wasn’t the right call to open with. Following track ‘Red, White & Blue’ would have made a lot better an opener. The lyrics are a tad cringy for a non-American, but it’s a definite highlight of the album non the less. Lead single ‘Surrender’ is a pretty decent track too!
However, the later the album went on, the more tired it felt. ‘Truth’ was a beautiful, piano-led ballad that’s another highlight, but a lot of the rest felt like typical, formulaic Godsmack. Tracks like ‘Hell’s Not Dead’ and ‘Let’s Go’ are fun, but none of it felt fresh or new at all. I loved their last couple of albums but this is easily their weakest since The Oracle or even IV. There are some good tracks on this but it’s not as solid an album as I’m used to from the band. It’s all pretty slow and tired. Part of me hopes they do one more to go out with a bang, but then another part hopes they finish with just a little gas left in the tank. 6.5/10, though that may go up as it feels a little harsh.
Steel Panther: On the Prowl
Sorry fanthers, but this is probably going to be harsh too. It’s no secret that the joke wore out its welcome quite a while ago, and I even tried to cling on longer than most. All You Can Eat was pushing it but still had some great tracks, while everything after that has just made me cringe. It isn’t even the fact that it’s immature, but that the writing has gotten much more on-the-nose and far less clever. Compare the lyrics of ‘Friends with Benefits’ to something like ‘Community Property’ or ‘Turn Out the Lights’ and the writing really feels like it’s taken a hit. It’s the most basic toilet and sex humour now, there’s not even the slight nuance that the first couple of albums had.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bad. ‘On Your Instagram’ is an entertaining ballad that felt surprisingly cleverly written. And I agree with the general consensus that ‘1987’ is the best thing the band have released in years. When they’re not trying to push crass innuendos into every line, their talent shines through a lot more. Everything else felt cheep and boring after almost a decade and a half of the same shit. And it’s a shame too, as Satchel and Styxx are both phenomenal players that feel a little wasted in the band.
I found myself getting bored quick after ‘1987’, and for that reason I can’t give it any more than 4/10
Lovebites: JUDGEMENT DAY
The Japanese metal women are ready to take the whole world by storm with their fourth album. Right out of the gate the band slaps you with some insane power/thrash in the form of ‘We Are the Resurrection’ and the band don’t let up once from that point. The band are all unbelievably talented at what they do, with all of them working their asses off in every track.
Don’t get me wrong, the vocals aren’t going to be to everyone’s tastes, but I enjoyed them enough that they didn’t ruin the songs. My only ever so slight gripe is that they really do go balls to the wall for close to an hour. It would have been nice to have had a slightly slower track in the middle somewhere to break up the pace and show some diversity. Still, it’s filled with awesome tracks and gets an easy 8/10 from us!
Dierks Bentley: Gravel & Gold
Country time again! I forgot quite how long Dierks had been going until typing up this article, his first release coming back in ’03 and this being his 10th. Almost all of his work is fantastic, too.
This was no exception. After the radio-country-rock hit the album opens on with ‘Same Ol’ Me’, ‘Sun Sets in Colorado’ is a fantastic traditional country track, complete with plenty of great fiddle. We get a few more slower moodier before ‘Beer at my Funeral’ picks up the tone and fun up a little. Then there’s the huge single ‘Gold’ which deserves all the listens and high praise that it has already and then some, it’s amazing. ‘All the Right Places’ and album closer ‘High Note’ are also massive highlights of the album. The latter in particular with it’s acoustic jam for an over two-minute outro was fucking awesome.
The album suffered a little from the country thing of too many songs/too long. It’s 14 tracks at 51-minutes. However, the quality was that high and there was enough variety in here that I didn’t really feel the length as much this time. 8.5/10, great stuff!
Dope: Blood Money Part Zer0
Industrial/nu metal early 2000s titans Dope return with their first new album since 2016. Someone needs to teach the band how to count, as part zero should definitely come before part 1 (yes, I know it’s a ‘subtle’ reference to Edzel’s tenure in Static X, let me be ‘funny’). I don’t think I’ve checked out Part 1, but up until that album I’ve enjoyed the band’s output. Hopefully this is the same!
Opener ‘No Respect’ is the most Dope thing I’ve ever heard, and it’s excellent. ‘Believe’ and ‘Best of Me’ didn’t do much for me but ‘Choke’ was awesome, as was ‘Dead World’, ‘Fuck it Up’ and ‘Parasite’. I also didn’t really like the two tracks with Drama Club, ‘Misery’ and ‘Lovesong’. Both felt a little reigned in and boring compared to what I enjoy from the band.
The main issue a lot will have with this album is how long it’s taken to arrive and how many tracks we’ve heard already. Out of the 12 tracks on the album, nine were released prior, leaving just three brand new, never before heard songs. I haven’t been keeping a massively close eye on the band in recent months so had only heard a few, but it must be annoying for hardcore fans of the band to get so much before its release.
Overall, the good tracks did outweigh the meh, but it wasn’t as good as it felt like it could have been. Somehow, even though it was only 43-minutes long, it felt bloated. Then again, that has been a bit of an issue with the band for a while now. 7/10, it was good, but still could have been better!
Country-punk isn’t something I thought existed or that I thought I’d type today. However, I’m happy with both, as this is great. It takes my favourite parts of bands like Social Distortion and even Rancid and adds a country twang to it that I didn’t even know I needed in my life. I’m struggling to even pick out a highlight track or three. Yes, it’s all fairly similar, but it’s all sogood. The opening couple of tracks are straight up slower punk, while ‘She Leads Me’ and ‘Raining for Weeks’ take more of a country turn.
Honestly, if you’re into the more relaxed side of punk, country or rock, this is for you. 38-minutes flew by and I wanted more by the time it was over. They have a new huge fan in me, and I’mma have to go back and check out their older stuff ASAP. 9/10
Ropemaker: Interwoven
It’s not often we get to check out instrumental music, which is a shame because it’s always technically flawless. This was no exception, the Irish lot’s debut album being a heavy, deathcore/djenty masterclass. Due to the instrumental nature of the music, it’s so hard to pick a highlight track. I do have to commend them too, as at only eight tracks and under 35-minutes in length, it just about managed to hold my attention throughout. Much longer and I’d have gotten a bit bored, but as it stands I loved this! 8/10
VOLORES: AGES
Described as dark Americana, I’ve found yet another new sub-genre I love this week! It definitely still has an indie and pop edge to it, but the simplicity and emotion throughout is fantastic. Plus, the bass really reminded me of Flea, which is always a huge plus. Tracks like ‘Carrion Cry’ and ‘A Proper Icarus’ are personal highlights, but the whole album is awesome. Music like this is huge right now and with the right push this album could put VOLORES at the top of the scene quickly. It’s chilled out yet emotional, simple yet massively talented. 8.5/10
King Abyss: Snake Oil
Time for some thrash to finish off the week. The debut album is a surprising masterclass in speed, aggression and awesome metal. Honestly I felt like I was transported back to my spotty teenage years listening to nothing but heavy thrash, and this is some of the best of the genre I have heard in so long. Some of the lead guitar is honestly mind-blowing, and everyone else did just as amazingly at their respective parts. And, just when I was going to complain about it be similar, we get the Metallica-esque masterpeice that is ‘Disdain’. It’s a ballsy move putting a more ballady track track just four songs into a debut thrash album, but it was a perfect placement and a perfect track. I cannot gush over it enough.
Tracks like the opener and ‘A Short Drop and a Sudden Stop’ also make out playlist but honestly this whole album is phenomenal. If you’re into thrash or death metal or even metalcore, check this shit out. 9/10
Hong Faux have been plugging away at the underground scene for over a decade now, getting one hell of a solid discography behind them. Their hard-to-place sound has done them brilliantly, letting them transition through different styles of rock seamlessly, as well as share the stage with a lot of different names. After having discovered them last years thanks to their remastered self-titled album, I’ve been excited for this. Let’s dive in!
A heavy blues/indie riff opens up the album and ‘Wake me up for Exit’. It immediately gave off Royal Blood/Highly Suspect vibes, that dirty, grungy, heavy pop rock sound. I Love it. It also has an epic, grandiose feel to it throughout, meaning that everything about it is catchy as anything. A cool bridge riff comes in after the second chorus, the drummer working overtime with some excellent fills. Then we get a stripped back chorus before a big epic one takes us home. The chorus almost has a touch of AOR to it, Night Ranger/Poison influences maybe? The outro is back to the heavy riff and finishes off the track excellently. A fantastic way to open an album, it’ll have anyone hooked from the get go!
A slower, lighter riff leads ‘Fornever’, it having more of a blues rock feel to it. The sound again gets massive for the chorus, it going into indie anthem territory. It’s a stadium-filling melody and sound if I’ve ever heard one. The lyrics are pretty great here too, I have to say. Between them and the vocal melody it almost gives it a folky rock vibe to it, think Frank Turner or The Lumineers. It’s a seriously great radio track and I’m shocked it wasn’t a single, if I’m honest!
‘Zero Point’ catches me off guard again with yet another different style. It opens straight into vocals and a guitar chord progression, sounding like a combination of RHCP and Stereophonics. The slow, stripped back pace was amazing and the vocals fit over the top so well. That high note heading towards the chorus is fantastic. Said chorus again gets a bit fuller sounding, the guitars still staying massively Frusciante and providing an amazing backdrop for the stellar vocals. A heavier bridge riff comes in and is exactly what this track needed, enhancing it somehow even more. Honestly, I cannot gush over this track enough. It’s awesome, and makes our playlist!
Single ‘Trains’ opens on a basic drumbeat, setting the pace and tone pretty well. It’s a darker slow track though, and the chorus is a fun, heavier section. Overall though, I have to admit it didn’t do much for me. I enjoyed the feel and style of it, but the track itself felt a little meh.
‘New Vegas’ felt a little more my speed, it being a bit more of an up-tempo rock song. The main riff gave everything a slight punk feel and the bounciness of the drums and vocals was infectious. It’s another simple structured track like the opening two, but it’s another enjoyable indie track! ‘Desolation Years’ feels like another UK-indie style rock ballad, giving me Oasis or Arctic Monkeys vibes. It was, much like the previous track, a darker track, but still had a big chorus. The highlight of the track for me though was the outro chorus, everything culminating perfectly.
The acapella chorus to open ‘Disco Necropolis’ was genius, especially when it’s followed up by a metal riff. The track feels completely different to any other on the album so far and it does it wonders. It borrows heavily from the good Muse tracks, and I can’t get enough of it. The chorus is very Muse too, from the vocal melody to the harmonies. It also had just enough Queen in the arrangement to keep me guessing throughout. I LOVED this. My favourite track on the album and it easily makes the playlist!
‘Parasite’ is another Royal Blood style heavier indie rock track, something Hong Faux do very well. Meanwhile the other single, ‘Starkiller’, feels a lot like ‘Zero Point’. However, as good as ‘Starkiller’ is, I did prefer the other track just a little bit. Still though, ‘Starkiller’ is another fantastic lighter track filled with awesome melodies and a huge chorus.
I really did like ‘Whitman, Price _ Haddad’, though. It again reminded me of Stereophonics, but the heavier, rockier, punkier earlier stages of their career. The track’s a combination of ‘Bartender and the Thief’ and ‘Own Worst Enemy’, which I loved. It almost feels redundant at this point to say but again, it’s massively catchy, both through the verses and choruses. It’s a fantastic heavier track and yet another that jumps on our playlist!
Closing track ‘The Flood’ feels like the perfect culmination of everything this album had put together before it. Opening on a blusey riff and some great vocals, it builds to a light, massively catchy anthemic chorus. It’s blues, it’s indie, and it even gets a little heavier at the end for the outro. Now, I’m talking Kings of Leon/Biffy Clyro heavy, but it fit the track well. And it’s the best use of a fade out I’ve heard in a closing track in years. A good way to close a damn good album.
Overall: This was great. While not typically the genre I go to listen to often, there was enough heaviness and also balladier stuff here to keep me well and truly entertained throughout. I’d LOVE to see a lot of this live and hope Hong Faux tour the UK soon. I can see them taking off massive off the back of this album.
Not a huge week, not that we’ll get many now as we head towards the holiday season, but there’s still plenty of new music to sink our teeth into. From rock to metal to country, let’s get into it!
Brantley Gilbert: So Help Me God
This was unfortunately quite a slow country album. I’m a big fan of Gilbert’s sludgy brand of country rock, but I found it hard to get into this. It was all rather slow and acoustic, which is fine, I love a good country ballad, but it’s not what I got into Brantley because of. Heck, in some turn of über double-irony, ‘The Worst Country Song of All Time’ is one of the most enjoyable tracks on the album, despite the lyrics. ‘Son of the Dirty South’ was an awesome song and finally what I was expecting, but I shouldn’t start to enjoy an album over halfway through it. However, afterwards it very quickly gets back to the slow tracks again. Again, I’m not opposed to slower country tracks, but when it’s a whole album of them nearly, it does tend to get boring. When Brantley is cutting back and having fun, it’s the most fun I have listening to the whole album. Definitely his worst album for me. 4.5/10
Chelsea Grin: Suffer in Hell
No prizes for guessing this album is heavy as balls. The first part of their afterlife-inspired double album is filled with crushing riffs and some of the most brutal screams in the industry today. However, it will be now impossible to not compare this band with Darko US. And, I have to admit, I prefer the Darko album. It’s nothing at all against Grin, their talent for playing and songwriting is off the charts on this album. It’s simply that it’s straight-up deathcore, like they’ve always done, while Darko brings a new, interesting edge to the sound. When the band go a bit more sinister and dark on tracks like ‘Deathbed Companion’, it definitely holds my interest more. However, when bands like Whitechapel, Lorna Shore and even Darko themselves have put out some of the best deathcore albums ever these last few years, it’s a high standard to live up to, and I’m not sure this one does.
I still really enjoyed the album and I do think it’ll continue to grow on me through the next month or so. However, for now I’m going to give it a 7.5/10
P.S. sorry P67, ‘Crystal Casket’ gets my bleh of the year. That one at the end is filthy, as is the riff and breakdown in the song. A real highlight track of the album!
He is Legend: ENDLESS HALLWAY
The illegitimate lovechild of Cane Hill and Alice in Chains. Somehow, that means the album sits in an odd void between the modern nu metal revival and the mid-naughties radio rock of Shinedown, Rev Theory and Burn Halo. I love every band and genre I’ve just named so, of course, I fucking love this.
I was not familiar with this hand at all before now and this album has immediately made me a fan and want to check out more of their back catalogue. The riffing is so heavy and chuggy, it wouldn’t sound out of place on a Gojira album, but the clean, low vocals give it a fantastic radio edge. Tracks like ‘LIFELESS LEMONADE’, ‘HONEY FROM THE HIVE’ and the utterly amazing ‘CIRCUS CIRCUS’ (yes, they are another band that shout at you) are massive highlights on an album chocked to the brim of them. There’re even elements of Mike Patton or Mushroomhead on the latter track, alongside the usual Korn and Tetrarch.
If you haven’t checked this band or, more importantly, this album out yet, do it right now. There honestly isn’t a bad track on it. 9.5/10 holy crap, a new obsession of mine.
Epica: The Alchemy Project
Symphonic metal always works well with guests, and Epica may very well be at the top of the symphonic scene in recent years. After last year’s FANTASTIC Omega, the band return with an experimental side album featuring a guest on every track, hence the album title.
Safe to say it’s pretty amazing. Most of the guests are a little heavier than the band, such as Fleshgod Apocalypse, Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid and God Dethroned. However, every single vocalist played off Simone Simons’ beautiful vocals perfectly. Simone’s soaring, operatic tones always mesh well with the heavy, chuggy instrumentation and Mark Jansen’s powerful lows and growls. However, when adding in even heavier artists and vocals on top, it somehow makes everything even more epic and enjoyable. It all combines together to form something truly enjoyable and special, and I hope this isn’t the last time we get one of these Alchemy Projects. Highlights include ‘Wake the World’ and ‘The Final Lullaby’ but honestly, any track off the album could have made that selection. 9/10
Enuff Z’nuff: Finer than Sin
Glam/Sleaze’s answer to Oasis are back with their first album in just a year. Having seen them a couple of times over the last few years, I really enjoy them live. However, I’ve never managed to get into them on track, and this album didn’t change that. It’s pretty much all at the same steady, subdued pace throughout that doesn’t appeal to me too much. It’s so massively produced and polished, drawing comparisons to Def Leppard’s Hysteria, that when talking about drug abuse and other dark topics it’s a very odd contrast. It all reminds me of Terrorvision but just less fun.
‘Lost and Out of Control’ or ‘Hurricane’ were probably highlights. It’s not a bad album by any means, I just found myself getting distracted and bored though it, outside of these two tracks. 6/10
Randy Houser: Note to Self
The first guy I discovered when I finally started to dip into country by myself. I do feel slightly hypocritical now, as this is on the slower end of country. However, this was so well written and there were some truly awesome tracks on it. From ‘Workin’ Man’ to ‘Out and Down’ to ‘Country Round Here Tonight’, there is plenty to love with this album. I’m struggling to even say much, if you like country music, no matter the style, you’ll love this. Heck, I’d recommend anyone listening to this to check it out, as I love this. 8.5/10, this was awesome.
Warkings: Morgana
The most power metal band to ever power metal, now. Warkings seem to be the butt of a lot of jokes in the dub-genre’s community, but honestly I really enjoyed this. However, that may have been more because of Morgana Le Fay’s impressive harsher vocals every few tracks, as they were definitely my favourite songs on the album. ‘Monsters’ is my favourite track on the album, but ‘Immortal’ and even ‘The Rite’ are close followers. While the latter doesn’t include Morgana, I do still think they should try and find a harsh vocalist going forward, because the contrast between the vocals added a new layer of fun and awesomeness to the tracks. You know exactly what to expect with Warkings, straight up power metal, ‘no nonsense’ or anything outside of that, and for that this album is definitely good. 7.5/10
Cassyette: Sad Girl Mixtape
2022’s answer to Avril Lavigne while also adding a bit of Billy Eillish to the rock scene… I do love Casseyette. This album blends the two previously named artists perfectly while adding an edge seen in Dorothy’s music. While generally the album gets a little boring by the midpoint for me, I can fully understand and appreciate the importance of her music. She is the perfect gateway for young people, especially women, to get into rock music. I’m personally curious to see the generation in a few years time having come up on this and see what it gets them into.
Plus, while most of it is rather pop and punkish, she still hits us with the likes of ‘Die Hate Cry’ out of nowhere, brutal, heavy and full of harsh vocals. It definitely caught me by surprise after the first few stellar pop-punk opening tracks. If you’re into pop-rock, or even metal given the last few tracks on the album, check this out, you won’t be disappointed. 8/10
REMINA: STRATA
We’ve already covered this awesome album. Check out the review and score here.
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