The Best Metal/Rock Tracks Of 2022
A rundown of the best metal/rock releases of 2022
After losing a large part of 2020 and 2021 to the global pandemic, music in all forms has come back with a vengeance, meaning there has been a whole flood of amazing new releases throughout 2022. Whilst it goes without saying that terms such as ‘best’ will always be subjective, here in my opinion are just some of the strongest metal and rock releases from the past year – I’ve included a rundown of my favourite tracks, and a brief summary of the best albums, EPs and music videos of 2022, with a playlist featuring all the tracks listed here.
HEALTH & Lamb of God – Cold Blood
The first of a handful of collaborative efforts I’ll be listing here, this one marries Lamb of God’s intense brand of groove metal to HEALTH’s atmospheric industrial rock. Taken from HEALTH’s DISCO4 (PART II) album, which sees them working with a number of artists across multiple genres, other highlights include the opening track featuring Poppy, ‘Dead Flowers’ (released as a single in 2021).
https://youwillloveeachother.bandcamp.com/album/disco4-part-ii
Thou & Mizmor – Prefect
Taken from their collaborative album ‘Myopia’, which takes Thou’s savage sludge and puts it through a black metal filter courtesy of Mizmor. Here on the opening track, the sounds of both acts are on display to full effect.
Ritual – Pandemonium (featuring Anneke Van Giersbergen)
Taken from their EP ‘Enigma’, the Herts alt-metallers were able to enlist former frontwoman for The Gathering Anne Van Giersbergen to provide some additional guest vocals for their catchy track ‘Pandemonium’. Other tracks on the EP also feature contributions from Dianne Van Giersbergen and Devin Townsend, among other guests.
https://thetrueritual.bandcamp.com/album/enigma
Praetorian – Ode To A Drink Driver
Taken from their 2022 EP ‘A Deluge of Bad Faith’ the Herts sludge metallers have been busy building up their profile over the past year, having performed well at Metal 2 The Masses, and look set to continue into 2023. Best experienced live! https://praetorianuk.bandcamp.com/album/a-deluge-of-bad-faith-2
Everest Queen – The Burial
The closing track to their 2022 album ‘Murmurations’, this track features joint vocals from drummer Brad Cook and guitarist Tom Clements (also vocalist for the aforementioned Praetorian) harmonising to stunning effect. https://everestqueen.bandcamp.com/album/murmurations
Tribe of Ghosts – Reign
The latest example of Brighton post-metallers TOG’s continued evolution, their second 2022 single ‘Reign’ is a dramatic piece of industrialised post-metal with dual vocals from TOG founder Adam Sedgwick and their newest member, vocalist Beccy Blaker.
https://tribeofghosts.bandcamp.com/
Red Light Acid Test – Senseless
The latest in a series of singles from RLAT, ‘Senseless’ seems the London/Herts rockers blend catchy stoner riffs with a post-punk delivery – think Kyuss meets Royal Blood.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/150suJJQ9RN6MLoJNZ50ww
King Like Mom – Tantrum
This was actually a track that landed on me via a random Spotify stream. This is US rockers’ first recording, set appear on their debut release, it’s a slow-building dramatic track that could be described as post-rock with an undercurrent of doom. Ones to watch I think – at the time of posting this article online, the debut EP was just being released.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2uhoCODbNwzUsYB06tNqOd
Inanimus & Elyvilon – Guilt
Another random discovery in recent months, ‘Guilt’ is one of my favourite tracks from what has instantly become one of my favourite albums of 2022 – ‘Martyrdom’, the debut album from sludge//post-metal act Inanimus, which also features contributions from dungeon synth artist Elyvilon.
https://inanimus.bandcamp.com/album/martyrdom
Loathe & Teenage Wrist – Is It Really You?
A 2022 re-working of a previously-released Loathe track, this new version sees Loathe’s chilled, shoegazey metal blended with Teenage Wrist’s equally gazey post-grunge, to stunning effect.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4G9wSdX0klmoHfjm9i6DLd
Gutlocker – Man Too Proud
The collosal closing track of groove/sludge metallers Gutlocker’s debut album ‘To Be Alive’. Despite clocking in at over 12 minutes, it never outstays its welcome, with LOG-style riffing and frontman Craig McBrearty’s fierce clean-to-growl vocal range.
https://gutlocker.bandcamp.com/album/to-be-alive
Gaupa – Moloken
Checked out this act after seeing their name in the line-up for the 2023 Desertfest in Camden – if you can imagine Bjork fronting a proggy stoner metal act, you’d be getting warm. This is featured on their new album ‘Myriad’.
https://gaupaband.bandcamp.com/album/myriad
Denali – Deathless
Taken from the self-titled debut EP from Herts supergroup Denali, which features members of Countless Skies, Elysian Divide and Everest Queen. It’s strong enough that any track could’ve ended up listed here really. Plying a progressively-minded death-doom and already landing festival slots all over the country, it’s a good start.
Rituals – Oceans Subside
Whilst the verses are reminiscent of mid-period Korn (around the ‘Untouchables’ phase), it’s the melodic chorus that had me coming back to this. Taken from the ‘Show Me the Signs’ EP.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zaggWMA34L6ag8GRa8pHh
Lyoness – Know Thyself
More homegrown talent – some catchy, laid-back rock ‘n’ roll from Herts act Lyoness, taken from their EP ‘Fools Gold’.Sadly, this act will be splitting at the end of the year.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3md9lv29JIMkyzhkhCahXT
Giant Walker – The Fact In Fiction
Taken from their debut album ‘All In Good Time’, it’s a solid album which has spawned five singles and videos. Giant Walker are at the more energetic end of the prog-rock spectrum, with a much more ‘immediate’ feel to their tracks.
https://giantwalker.bandcamp.com/album/all-in-good-time
Oceans of Slumber – Hearts of Stone
Another track with a strong air of drama, this is taken from OOS’s fifth album ‘Starlight And Ash’. Classed as ‘New Southern Gothic’, it’s melodic progressive metal with soulful vocals and a gothic edge.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7yyNmqnrEITs2vz3NXsmxz
Frayle – Bright Eyes
Continuing the gothic theme, this time from a doom angle – ‘Bright Eyes’ is featured on Frayle’s second full-length album ‘Skin & Sorrow’. In their own words, it’s “music for the night sky”.
https://frayle.bandcamp.com/album/skin-sorrow
Profiler – Miserable
Taken from their self-titled debut EP, this Bristol alt-metal trio know how to write a catchy tune.
https://sharptonerecords.bandcamp.com/album/profiler
Graphic Nature – Killing Floor
Sounding like a hybrid of Ted Maul and early Slipknot, if this year’s EPs were anything to go by, next year’s debut album is going to be fierce.
https://graphicnature404.bandcamp.com/ or https://open.spotify.com/album/6xj91HWUFxs1KHlNtFBapJ
Knife Bride – Grenade
One of three standalone singles released in 2022 by the Brighton-based quintet, their brand of self-labelled ‘slut metal’ yields some catchy tunes. Here’s hoping there’ll be an album soon.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/34THm21WWzzr69EetTmnVG
Lamassu – Know Your Gods
Proof that very occasionally, social media algorithms can get it right, as this tune actually found me – set to appear on the Australian band’s second album in 2023, it’s a grunge-meets-sludgey stoner rock number that lies somewhere between Soundgarden and Melvins.
https://lamassuband.bandcamp.com/
Slipknot – Yen
A band who require no introduction, this is a standout track from the Iowa masked metallers’ recent album ‘The End, So Far’.
Tallah – well, everything!
It’s actually impossible to pick just one highlight from this, Tallah’s second album ‘The Generation of Danger’, as it’s full of hooks. Part of the current US ‘nu-core’ movement, imagine a manic blend of ‘Iowa’-era Slipknot, Sikth and Mudvayne, and you’d be getting close to what this offers. But, if pushed, singles aside I’d say let’s go with ‘Wendrid’.
https://tallah.bandcamp.com/
Horehound – Hireath
The opening track to their’ Collapse’ EP, the Pittsburgh metallers’ fourth release, it’s a blend of dark brooding sludge and gothic post-metal that’ll lodge itself in your brain.
https://horehound.bandcamp.com/
Absent In Body – Rise From Ruins
Taken from the supergroup’s debut EP ‘Plague God’, this cut succeeds in being both cinematic and claustrophobic, a crawling blend of sludge and post-metal. From a group featuring current and former members of Amenra, Sepultura and Neurosis, you’d expect nothing less.
https://absentinbody.bandcamp.com/
The Otolith – Sing No Coda
The new act featuring former members of SubRosa, this grandiose piece is a nice reminder of what happens when you incorporate a string section into metal. Taken from their debut album ‘Folium Limina’.
https://theotolith.bandcamp.com/album/folium-limina
Assimilate – Suffer In Silence
Here’s a bonus shout-out to some more home grown talent, whose album ‘Suffer In Silence’ came out in December 2021 and subsequently could’ve been missed out from many end-of-year charts for last year, hence an inclusion here. A solid album and decent live performers to boot, here’s an album worth checking out, a hybrid of alt-metal, emo and post-hardcore.
https://assimilate.bandcamp.com/
In summary, here are my overall top albums, EPs and videos of 2022.
Albums
Tallah – The Generation of Danger
Inanimus – Martyrdom
Giant Walker – All In Good Time
HEALTH – DISCO4 Part II
Gaupa – Myriad
EPs
Ritual – Enigma
Praetorian – A Deluge of Bad Faith
Profiler – self-titled EP
Denali – self-titled EP
Graphic Nature – Killing Floor
Horehound – Collapse
Videos
Ritual – Pandemonium (see above)
Praetorian – Ode to a Drunk Driver (see above)
Tallah – Shaken, Not Stirred – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMUpyVSUZcY
Tallah – For The Recognition – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TB9tz1Wwpw
The Callous Daoboys – A Brief Article Regarding Time Loops – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83tyqlZn1oo
For all the Spotify users out there, here’s a handy little playlist with all these tracks: https://open.spotify.com/embed/playlist/4cKF00OPC8j9mOWEhGWykb?utm_source=generator&theme=0
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/healthnoise
https://www.facebook.com/whollydoomedblackmetal (for Mizmor)
https://www.facebook.com/ritualbandofficialUK
https://www.facebook.com/praetoriankvlt/
https://www.facebook.com/everestqueenband
https://www.facebook.com/tribeofghostsUK/
https://www.facebook.com/Red-Light-Acid-Test-2269115796745143/
https://www.facebook.com/KingLikeMom
https://www.facebook.com/InanimusBand
https://www.facebook.com/gutlockeruk
https://www.facebook.com/gaupaband
https://www.facebook.com/denalidoommetal
https://www.facebook.com/RitualsUKMusic
https://www.facebook.com/thebandlyoness
https://www.facebook.com/giantwalker
https://www.facebook.com/oceansofslumber
https://www.facebook.com/frayleband
https://www.facebook.com/profilerband/
https://www.facebook.com/graphicnature404
https://www.facebook.com/knifebride/
https://www.facebook.com/LamassuBand
https://www.facebook.com/TallahPA
https://www.facebook.com/horehoundband
https://www.facebook.com/AbsentInBody
https://www.facebook.com/otolithic
https://www.facebook.com/thecallousdaoboys/
https://www.facebook.com/AssimilateOfficial
The Best Medicine – ‘Miracle Cure’ EP reviewed
Will cure what ails ya
Tracklisting:
- Leap of Faith
- Madame Damnable
- Outlaws (Living Free)
- Reap The Whirlwind (featuring Franco Necro of Ritual)
- Miracle Cure
James Anson – vocals
Will Horsman – guitar
Ryan Moore – guitar
Craig Anderson – bass
Nicholas Plews – drums
Following the 2019 standalone track ‘Lightweight’, ‘Miracle Cure’ is the debut EP from Herts rockers The Best Medicine. Most people already know that TBM features former members of popular UKDM act Aghast, but anyone still expecting this new act to be ‘Aghast MK.2’ is in for a surprise. Eschewing the extreme death metal sound that three-quarters of this band have plied in previous acts, TBM instead have gone for a more lively southern rock feel – imagine a sound that lies somewhere between Clutch at their most energetic, the slower grooves of Corrosion of Conformity and the classic tinge of Alter Bridge, and you wouldn’t be too far off from this lot. Hell, there’s even spoonfuls of Motley Crue-esque attitude to be found. This is a full-on party band.
Opening up with ‘Leap of Faith’ and setting the pace for what’s to follow, it’s a Clutch-esque rocker flavoured with a dose of Sunset Boulevard swagger; if you’re a fan of anything that the Slash/Matt Sorum/Duff McKagan trio has been involved with, this may be an EP for you. Listening on, one major aspect that stands out in TBM, when compared to the old Aghast sound, is the use of clean vocals. In ‘Madame Damnable’ in particular, you can hear James Anson exploring his vocal range a lot more, and it’ll be interesting to see how this progresses with future releases. This continues with ‘Outlaws’, and another obvious difference stands out – there’s generally a more positive, feel-good vibe to be found here. Whilst I doubt that any member of the band has a ‘Live Love Laugh’ sign in their kitchen, this EP appears to be about rolling with the punches, a big FU perhaps to past experiences, and a reminder to party on, dudes.
‘Reap The Whirlwind’ is a darker track with a brooding Alice In Chains-style opening riff, and features guest vocals from fellow Herts metal act Ritual’s Franco Necro (a vocal pairing not seen since the last BlackEye EP, the band previously including Necro and Plews, that featured a guest appearance from Anson). Closing with title track ‘Miracle Cure’, this will be familiar to fans, having been a well-received staple of the band’s live set since their debut back in 2019 – a self-referencing theme track, and potential future party anthem.
Confident, catchy and well-rounded enough to satisfy fans of heavy rock in its many forms, ‘Miracle Cure’ is a healthy start for this band. With a slot at Bloodstock 2021 already confirmed, expect further doses to come.
For fans of: Clutch, Alter Bridge, Corrosion Of Conformity, Velvet Revolver, Guns’n’Roses
Promo photo taken by Bianca Valentine, 2021 – https://www.instagram.com/_biancavalentine/
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/thebestmedicinerock
https://instagram.com/thebestmedicinerock
Corpsing – ‘Civilisation Under Nefarious Tyrants’ review
New album from returning UKDM band
Line-up:
Kyle Austin – Vocals
Giuseppe Cutispoto – Rhythm Guitar
Mick Cutispoto – Rhythm & Lead Guitar
Stevie Dewar – Bass Guitar
Nick Plews – Drums
Tracklisting:
1. Void (intro)
2. Heart Of Darkness
3. House Of The Common Enemy
4. Brexshit
5. Transcendence (interlude)
6. Black Ocean
7. Across The Sea Of Time
8. To Thine Own Self
9. Space (outro)
London/Herts-based death metallers Corpsing have just released their new album ‘Civilisation Under Nefarious Tyrants’, the first recordings to feature vocalist Kyle Austin and bassist Stevie Dewar, who joined in 2018.
Whilst this may on the surface appear to be a death metal album rooted in the old school sound, dig a little deeper and you’ll hear more going on. During ‘Heart Of Darkness’ and ‘To Thine Own Self’ for example, there are nods to black metal and thrash, with walls of sound that wouldn’t be out of place on a Emporer or Dimmu Borgir record, along with some solid heads-down thrash riffing and drum blasts. ‘Brexshit’ throws in some punk attitude, before the ambient interlude ‘Transendence’ closes off the first half of the album. There are even some proggier moments, with instrumental piece ‘Across The Sea Of Time’ adding in some adventurous but relentless riffing, and it’s worth mentioning that ‘Void’ and ‘Space’ would be perfect for a horror or sci-fi soundtrack (DIY film makers may want to get in touch with these guys…).
To summarise, this is a solid death metal album with a thrash centre and sprinkling of black metal, but there’s enough ground covered here to appeal to fans of both old school and modern extreme metal.
‘Civilisation Under Nefarious Tyrants’ is available digitally now, with a CD release coming very soon.
For fans of: Celtic Frost, Cannibal Corpse, Napalm Death, old school death metal, Bay Area thrash
Contact:
http://www.facebook.com/corpsingmetal
http://www.instagram.com/corpsing_metal_uk
Top tracks of 2019
Highlights from the past 12 months
There’s been plenty of new releases to get excited about over the past year, so I’ve compiled a list of some of my favourite tracks from 2019 – I was originally going to go down the Spinal Tap route and go up to 11, but a late entry topped it up to a dozen. There seemed to be an especially high number of noteworthy releases in October this year!
Grave Lines – False Flame
Taken from ‘Beholden To The Flame’, the split EP that Grave Lines released with Dystopian Future Movies earlier this year, this is a slow-burning atmospheric track with a huge riff that might appeal to fans of ‘Draconian Times’-era Paradise Lost.
Available from https://gravelinesuk.bandcamp.com/album/beholden-to-the-flame-ep.
Jinjer – Teacher, Teacher!
I only heard this in October, months after its release, but I was hooked straight away, going back for daily listens of this. Taken from the ‘Micro’ EP.
Available from https://jinjer-jinjer.bandcamp.com/album/micro.
Inter Arma – Citadel
This colossal slice of metal, taken from the ‘Sulphur English’ album, is hard to pin down – the whole album combines elements of doom, death and progressive metal along with calmer folk moments. Would recommend to fans of Morbid Angel and Gojira.
Available from https://interarma.bandcamp.com/album/sulphur-english and other online retailers.
Skullfucked – Crowbong
The single-longest track released by the Herts trio so far, this is another track that combines mixed elements, with grindcore, death metal and slam all going into the pot.
Available from https://skullfuckedbgka.bandcamp.com/track/crowbong.
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Fata Morgana
Psychedelic doom, taken from their third album ‘Yn Ol I Annwn’. MMWB have recently announced they they intend to release one more album next year then split, so catch them whilst you can.
Available from https://mammothweedwizardbastard.bandcamp.com/album/yn-ol-i-annwn and http://www.newheavysounds.com/digitalshop/.
Korn – You’ll Never Find Me
I’ve been a Korn fan since the beginning, so was hooked on this as soon as it came out. Taken from thirteenth studio album ‘The Nothing’.
Available from all digital stores and retailers – https://lnk.to/thenothingkorn.
Earthbound – Of Suffering
This Herts-based melo-death quintet has been receiving some positive reviews in the metal press since releasing this – this could be the start of something special for these guys. This is also the only song I’ve ever mentioned/will likely ever mention in three blog articles running. Taken from the ‘Desolate’ EP, out now.
Available from https://earthboundmusicuk.bandcamp.com/.
Elysian Divide – Street Spirit
Another metal act from Herts, UK, this is a cover of the Radiohead single. This features on the new EP, ‘Beast’, out now.
Available from https://elysiandivide.bandcamp.com/album/beast and at live gigs.
Brume – In The Pines
Another cover, from Seattle’s doom trio, the song AKA ‘Where Did You Sleep Last Night?’ was originally recorded by Leadbelly and also famously covered by the likes of Nirvana and Mike Lanagan. Featured on the split EP ‘MMXIX’ with Witch Ripper.
Available from https://brumesf.bandcamp.com/album/split-mmxix and https://darkhedonisticunionrecords.bigcartel.com/.
Michael – Success
The debut album ‘Tell Your Friends’ will be out in the new year, but in the meantime Michael have made three tracks available, this being one of them. A hectic track from the doomy alt-rockers.
Available from https://michaelwebsite.bandcamp.com/ – full album release January 30 2020.
Black Smoke Trigger – You Could Have It All
I was actually introduced to this track via a YouTube advert (and judging by many of the comments on YT, so were many other people). A catchy tune, taken from the EP ‘Set It Off’, for fans of Soil and Disturbed.
Available from https://www.BlackSmokeTrigger.com/.
Mairu – Wild Darkened Eyes
A very late entry to this list, so late that I re-edited this list before publishing – a heavy slice of post-metal/doom from the Liverpool-based newcomers. This is taken from their forthcoming debut album, scheduled for release in 2020.
Available from https://mairu.bandcamp.com/.
Honourable mention must also go to these tracks – heard for the first time this year and been on heavy rotation as a result, but not actually released in 2019:
Skating Polly – Hail Mary
Meg Myers – Monster
Stone Temple Pilots – Only Dying
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – Les Paradis Artificiels
Wall Of Voodoo – Mexican Radio
Pictured above – Grave Lines, photo taken by me at their gig at The Black Heart, Camden, 09-02-19.
Contact:
Grave Lines – https://en-gb.facebook.com/gravelinesband/
Jinjer – http://jinjer-metal.com/
Inter Arma – https://www.facebook.com/INTERARMA/
Skullfucked – https://www.facebook.com/SxFxPissgrind/
Mammoth Weed Wizard Bastard – https://www.facebook.com/mammothweedwizardbastard/
Korn – https://www.kornofficial.com/
Earthbound – https://www.facebook.com/EarthboundMusicUK/
Elysian Divide – http://www.elysiandivide.com/
Brume – https://www.facebook.com/brumeband
Michael – https://www.facebook.com/MichaelWebsite/
Black Smoke Trigger – https://blacksmoketrigger.com/
Mairu – https://www.facebook.com/mairumetal
Melo-death metallers Earthbound release new EP and video
Herts metallers release their second EP and new video
Herts’ melodic-death metallers Earthbound have just released their second EP ‘Desolate’, their first recording since expanding to a quintet, along with an official video.
Tracklisting:
1. Of Suffering
2. Solitude
3. Worlds Apart
4. Remnants
Line-up:
Tom Watson – Vocals
Louie Penfold – Guitar/Vocals
Richard Shearing – Drums/Keys
John Stacy – Guitar
Chris Stroud – Bass
Kicking off with the frantic riffing of ‘Of Suffering’ (for which a video has been produced, posted below), it’s not difficult to imagine this being the soundtrack to moshpits and circle pits at festivals in years to come, along with a mass singalong for the chorus. This is also the first track to feature new guitarist John Stacy, making a welcome return to the live circuit. ‘Solitude’ and ‘Worlds Apart’ are reminiscent of Trivium at their most restrained, and ‘Remnants’ starts off at a frantic riff-filled pace, before easing for the close – if you like your guitar solos, this track will not disappoint.
Hertfordshire has long been a healthy breeding ground for strong metal acts, with Earthbound being among the number of local acts who have hit the stages at the world-renowned Bloodstock Festival. The ‘Desolate’ EP should see them continue to spread their name further afield – available now via Bandcamp, Spotify and all digital platforms.
The official video for ‘Of Suffering’:
For fans of: InFlames, Countless Skies, Killswitch Engage
Catch Earthbound live at the following dates:
Saturday 25th October – Club 85, Hitchin
Sunday 17th November – Ragnarok Metal Fest 2019, B2 Venue, Norwich (with fellow Herts alumni Thirteen, Jackal’s Backbone and Dorylus)
Also touring with Helgrind in early 2020 – check their Facebook for local listings.
(Main photo by Victoria Boston Photography)
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/EarthboundMusicUK/
http://www.instagram.com/earthboundmusicuk/
http://www.twitter.com/Earthbound_band
‘Beholden To The Flame’ EP – Dystopian Future Movies/Grave Lines
Brooding split EP of post-metal and doom metal
Tracklisting:
1. Dystopian Future Movies – Beholden
2. Dystopian Future Movies/Grave Lines – Dead Sleep
3. Graves Lines – False Flame
Haven’t posted anything new on here for quite some time, so thought I’d break the old writer’s block by reviewing a release that came out earlier this year – the collaborative split EP from Nottingham’s post-metallers Dystopian Future Movies, and London’s doom metallers Grave Lines, ‘Beholden To The Flame’.
Opening track ‘Beholden’ was written and recorded by Dystopian Future Movies and features additional vocals from Grave Lines’ frontman Jake Harding – the lighter side of this project, it offers dramatic, gothic post-metal that might appeal to fans of Chelsea Wolfe or Tori Amos. It wouldn’t be out-of-place on a horror/gothic drama soundtrack.
Second track ‘Dead Sleep’ is a stripped-down collaboration featuring vocals from both DFM’s Caroline Cawley and GL’s Jake Harding, along with DFM’s Bill Fisher on keys, a dark piano-based piece that’s reminiscent of the Jarboe/Gira-led era of Swans’ back catalogue.
Closing track ‘False Flame’ was written by Grave Lines and features guest vocals from DFM’s Caroline Cawley – a dark, brooding piece, starting out as slow-burning gloomy folk, before launching into a heavy doom riff that would appeal to fans of Paradise Lost circa their ‘Draconian Times’ output, alongside Jake’s almighty roar. Just when you think it’s over, it comes back with another heavy riff to finish off. This track in particular is actually one of my favourite releases of 2019 – doom metalheads need to check this out.
‘Beholden To The Flame’ is highly recommended to any fans of darker music, in particular goth, post-metal or doom metal, and is a fine showcase for the material from both bands. Whilst physical copies are now severely limited, ‘Beholden To The Flame’ can still be purchased digitally from either band’s Bandcamp profiles:
https://gravelinesuk.bandcamp.com/
https://dystopianfuturemovies.bandcamp.com/
For fans of: Paradise Lost, Bismuth, Swans, Chelsea Wolf, Tori Amos
Both live photos featured were taken by myself at the GL/DFM gig at The Black Heart, Camden, 09-02-19.
Contact:
https://facebook.com/gravelinesband/
http://facebook.com/dystopianfuturemovies
http://dystopianfuturemovies.com/
Slaine – Get Cut review
Herts sludgers release their debut album
Tracklisting:
1. Chugganaught (Barry Chuggle)
2. Beer Fueled Boogie Blues
3. Acid Binge Hate Crime
4. Your Favorite Party Banger
5. Banger? I Hardly Even Know Her
6. Blob Gobler
7. The Internal Monologue Of A Junkie Longing For Their Next Fix
8. Mudslut
9. Get Cut
North-Herts based metallers Slaine have recently released this, their debut album ‘Get Cut’, and made it available as a free download. Featuring nine tracks of intense metal blending sludge, grindcore and death metal, there’s enough here to appeal to fans of any of the subgenres that make up Slaine’s sound, from the southern-tinged groove of ‘Beer Fueled Boogie Blues’ to the grinding UKDM riff’s in ‘Mudslut’ and the pounding sludge of the closer and title-track. If you like your metal deep-fried and shot-through with a dark sense of humour, give this album a listen.
‘Get Cut’ will also be Slaine’s last release for the foreseeable future, as the band have now gone on hiatus, whilst their members concentrate on their other bands Skullfucked and Mind Mourner. Grab it from Bandcamp at the link below.
For fans of: early Napalm Death, Brutal Truth, Trigger The Bloodshed
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/slainesludge
https://www.instagram/slainesludge
Lost Without Cause – Revival EP review
Herts alt-rock trio revived
Herts-based trio Lost Without Cause are back with their new EP (and guitarist), ‘Revival’, their first new material in six years. Having parted ways amicably with former guitarist Andy Holland, they’re now joined by Tony Stead, and are set to get back on the live circuit to play the new tracks soon.
The past few years have seen the trio go through their own ups and downs, and this is reflected in these new tracks; whilst they haven’t lost their bounce and ear for a catchy riff, there’s also dashes of cynicism and introspection, but coupled with a sense of determination. Rather then let the dark times overpower them, LWC have used them to push themselves forward. ‘Depleted’ is the liveliest track here, opening with the sort of punchy riff that longtime fans will appreciate, whilst ‘Teardrops And Cigarettes’ shows them at their most restrained and reflective, a slower track that features a nice solo from Stead.
Tracklisting
1. Breathe
2. Depleted
3. Teardrops and Cigarettes
4. Another End
Lost Without Cause have always been a band with the potential to go far – here’s hoping ‘Revival’ puts them back on the radar.
‘Revival’ will be released on October 10th, available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Spotify and other platforms.
If you’re unfamiliar with LWC’s previous material, here’s a couple of examples from the previous release ‘Take Back Everything’ – first, ‘Trigger’, currently sitting on over 217,000 views. Below that, EP highlight ‘You Won’t know’.
For fans of: Fall Out Boy, Less Than Jake, Linkin Park, All American Rejects
Contact:
https://www.lostwithoutcause.com
https://www.facebook.com/LostWithoutCause
https://twitter.com/LWCband
UK metallers Skullf*cked release debut album
New noise from Herts headbangers
Line-up
Morri Haig – Guitar
Fred Jessop – Vocals
Jordan Allard – Drums
Max Hummerstone – Bass
Herts-based quartet Skullfucked have just released their debut album ‘Blasphemy’, available now from Bandcamp. Combining death metal and grindcore with groove, a punk attitude and a twisted sense of humour, ‘Blasphemy’ literally goes up to 11.
Sounding reminiscent of the sort of albums being released by Earache Records during the 90s (I could actually imagine them snapping this band up, had they been around back then), this is recommended to fans of old school death metal and British extreme metal. Behind every NSFW song title there’s some (almost) no-nonsense intensity, with tracks like the brooding ‘Impending Foetal Doom’ and ‘Bloody Tissues Daddy Issues’, and the riffy closing self-titled track, continuing the metal tradition of ending with the longest track.
Skullfucked will be headlining an album launch party at The Red Lion, Stevenage on Friday 16th December, with support from Phlefonyaar, FSI and Praetorian. Entry is free.
‘Blasphemy’ is available now from Bandcamp at https://skullfuckedbgka.bandcamp.com/album/blasphemy, with a CD release coming soon.
For fans of: Obituary, Carcass, Earache Records, 90s death metal
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Skullfucked/414048352059522?
Drore release their debut EP
New music from Oxford sludge quartet
Tracklisting:
1. Skinjob
2. Hippy Crack
3. Greys
4. Fukbag
Line-up:
Tom Greenway – vocals/guitar
Taz Corona-Brown – vocals/guitar
Olly Corona-Brown – bass
Stephen Frame – drums
Drore, the Oxford-based act featuring members of Undersmile and Crippled Black Phoenix, have just released their debut EP ‘TapeOne’, posted below. With a sound that takes the members away from their other jobs, TapeOne features four tracks of intense, atmospheric sludgey-noise that will also appeal to fans of doom and post-metal.
Whilst CBP and Undersmile deal with more progressive and slow-burning build-ups, Drore are much more immediate and direct, whilst still maintaining the latter’s darkness and that sense of atmosphere. This is angry sludgey doom in a neon package – watch out for live gigs.
‘TapeOne’ is available now as a limited edtion tape or download at https://drore.bandcamp.com/album/tapeone, or from Rad Naseum Records at http://radnauseam.co.uk/.
For fans of: Torpor, Steak Number Eight, Hang The Bastard, Windhand
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/droremusic/
Sounds Of The Underground, December 2015
Recent rumblings in the underground music scene
A round-up of recent releases I haven’t had time to blog about in more detail over the festive period.
Bad Pollyanna – new album
UK rockers Bad Pollyanna have just released their second album ‘The Broken Toys’, available now via their website. Immediately engaging and dramatic, ‘The Broken Toys’ has a varied sound that might appeal to a broad range of audiences, from the electro-rock/goth crowd, to fans of 80s post-punk – imagine an act somewhere between Toyah, Evanescence, The Birthday Massacre and The Dirty Youth, and you’d be getting close. Coming as a result of a successful Pledgemusic campaign, and getting strong reviews everywhere in the rock press, 2016 may just be Bad Pollyanna’s year.
A solid album that features some catchy tunes (highlights include ‘Define Me’, ‘Hooks’ and ‘Ugly Love”) with little filler, ‘The Broken Toys’ is available now as a digipak CD and digital download at http://shop.badpollyanna.com/album/the-broken-toys, live gigs and other digital outlets.
Toy Birds – new EP
Toy Birds, featuring The October Game’s drummer Ollie Taylor as frontman, have released their debut self-titled EP. Having offered a preview of their sound with the track ‘These Eyes’ earlier this, the band have now expanded on this with these five tracks, with an electronic-pop sound not a million miles away from some of the popular acts of the 80s – if you’re into pop in the A-Ha/Paul Young/Nik Kershaw vein, give this a listen.
Dorylus – debut tracks
London/Herts-based metallers Dorylus have released their debut EP, two tracks from which are streaming now over at Reverbnation. Having formed less than a year ago, the band have been gigging since May and winning fans with a melodic-death metal sound that would appeal to fans of the likes of Lamb Of God, Meshuggah, In Flames and DevilDriver. The whole EP is out on iTunes, Spotify, Deezer, Googleplay and other outlets.
The Tuesday Club – new EPs
St Albans post-punk/glampop crew The Tuesday Club have recently released EPs 3 and 4 for this year’s set of releases. Titled ‘Lady Gargar’ and ‘Boo Hoo’ respectively, both EPs comprise of three tracks each and are available now via their website. These complete the set of four releases which make up their second album.
Despite recently losing a couple of members (The Minx and J-Rod), the band look set to continue as a five-piece for 2016.
The Wolves Of Avalon – new single/album
Pagan-black metallers The Wolves Of Avalon released a two-track vinyl single a few months ago, and are currently working on the release of their next album for 2016. The A-side of their single is a cover of Venom’s track ‘Die Hard’ and features guest vocal appearances from Rob Miller of Amebix, Mirai Kawashima of Sigh, Alan Averill of Primordial and Venom’s own Mantas guesting on vocals and guitar. The B-side, ‘Carrion Crows Reprise’ is an alternate version of a track originally featured on their first album. Released via Eternal Death Records, available on their Bandcamp site.
The next album, to be titled ‘Across A Twilight Field Of Corpses Grey, Only The Trilling Of Nightingales Can Be Heard’ , is currently scheduled for a May 2016 release via Godreah Records.
Contact:
http://badpollyanna.com
https://www.facebook.com/badpollyanna
https://twitter.com/Badpollyanna
https://www.facebook.com/RagePr
https://www.facebook.com/toybirds
https://twitter.com/ToyBirdsBand
https://www.facebook.com/dorylusband
https://twitter.com/DorylusBand
https://www.facebook.com/thisisthetuesdayclub
https://twitter.com/thetuesdayclub1
http://thetuesdayclub.tmstor.es/
https://www.facebook.com/thewolvesofavalon
https://www.godreah.com
Denigrata – ‘Missa Defunctorum: Requiem Mass in A Minor’ review
Beautifully chaotic debut from UK metallers
Tracklisting:
1. Requiem Aeturnam
2. Kyrie Eleison
3. Dies Irae
4. Rex Tremendae
5. Confutatis Maledictis
6. Lacrymosa
7. Agnus Dei
Line-up:
Denigrata Herself – vocals/guitar
Manea – keys/vocals
Cændél – guitar
Legivn – bass/vocals
Tasìmengyì – ‘timbrel alchemist’
Ever heard an album so varied in its influences and sounds, full of calculated chaos and heaviness, that it defied a simple description? Denigrata’s debut album ‘Missa Defunctorum: Requiem Mass in A Minor’ is such an album. Comfortably encompassing black metal, industrial, goth and symphonic metal all at once, in such a way that it could also potentially qualify as progressive metal too (unless that’s just confusing matters further), it’s an incredibly adventurous extreme metal release. For an attempt at a simple breakdown, imagine for a moment, if members of The Berzerker, Cradle Of Filth and Nightwish collaborated on a Tim Burton soundtrack with Devin Townsend – you’d possibly get something similar to this.
Rather than provide a track-by-track breakdown, I’d suggest having a listen – it’s better heard than described! From the slow-building Blade Runner-esque intro of ‘Requiem Aeturnam’ and ‘Kyrie Eleison’ (available as a free download from their Bandcamp site) to the all-out operatic onslaught of closer ‘Agnus Dei’, the thought and production that has gone into this is incredible.
‘Missa Defunctorum….’ is like the perfect soundtrack to a gothic horror movie, all at once dark yet beautiful in its seamless flow of ideas, with the level of extremity you’d expect from a black metal album.
Denigrata’s ‘Missa Defunctorum: Requiem Mass in A Minor’ is available now via Bandcamp as a digital download and CD at https://denigrata.bandcamp.com/releases, and on CD at live events.
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/Denigrata
https://twitter.com/DenigrataMusic
For fans of: The Berzerker, Apocalyptica, Strapping Young Lad, Cradle Of Filth, The Birthday Massacre, Emperor
Note: ‘Kyrie Eleison’ was also included on my recent metal mixtape, which can be downloaded for free with 17 other tracks from https://musikalsin.bandcamp.com/album/musikal-sin-mixtape-vol-5-metal-without-boundaries.
Stormbringer – ‘Blood And Rust’ review
Bringing one hell of a storm on their second album
Tracklisting:
1. Blood And Rust
2. No Redemption
3. Rise
4. Bad Blood
5. Unto Me
6. Ashamed
7. No Return
8. Off The Edge
9. Cross To Bear
10.Voice Of Demons
11.Psychokiller (Talking Heads cover)
Line-up:
Jimi Brown – Vocals
Ash Smith – Guitar
Dom Wallace – Guitar
Darren McCullagh – Bass
Jon Paul Quantrill – Drums
UK metallers Stormbringer have been around for a few years now and already proven themselves worthy of attention and festival slots, having previously played at Download and Bloodstock. Having had the pleasure of booking these guys earlier this year and hearing what their new vocalist was capable of, I was eager to hear what ‘Blood And Rust’, Stormbringer’s first album with new frontman Jimi Brown (and second overall), had to offer. I was not disappointed.
Following the instrumental intro, Stormbringer tear into ‘No Redemption’, a catchy track with some classic rock swagger and meaty riffs. Tracks ‘Rise’ and ‘Bad Blood’ have both been released as promo videos, posted below, and are worth looking out for if you’re just as equally comfortable listening to both contemporary melodic metal and classic rock stadium acts. The chorus to ‘Unto Me’ is likely to lodge itself into your brain for days after listening, and goes down well in the live environment too (look out for it on a Bandcamp mixtape I’m releasing soon). Moving further into the album, it becomes difficult to pick out any favourites over the others as the quality presented here is consistently high, with ‘Ashamed’, ‘No Return’, ‘Off The Edge’ and ‘Cross To Bear’ all deserving some ear time, but one thing does become obvious: they made the right choice in picking Jimi Brown as their new frontman, his voice is phenomenal and fits in perfectly in what was already a finely-tuned act. Want hooks, catchy choruses and solid solos? This album’s packed with them. Penultimate track ‘Voice Of Demons’is nothing short of a nostalgia trip; reminiscent of a time when MTV used to play rock music, when bands such as Alice In Chains, Skid Row and Queensryche could be seen on Headbangers Ball and the like – this sounds exactly like the sort of thing you’d see playlisted, with its darker heartfelt lyrics, almost ethereal riffs and passionate vocals. Ending with something out of the leftfield, their cover of Talking Head’s ‘Psychokiller’ is an interesting track, one they’ve successfully managed to put their own stamp on – rather than sticking out as an odd track, it works well alongside the rest of the album.
Full of highlights and lacking any ‘filler’, ‘Blood And Rust’ is recommended to pretty much anyone who likes solid rock with a decent tune, those looking for a rock act who’ve disregarded any and all modern trends, and those who’ve been passionate about all forms of rock and metal over the past 30-40 years. A potential future classic.
The video for ‘Bad Blood’, the first to be released –
The video for ‘Rise’ –
Stormbringer’s ‘Blood And Rust’ is available now via Attic Records on iTunes at http://bit.ly/SBMMXIII, and on CD at
http://atticrecordsuk.bigcartel.com/product/stormbringer-album-cd-blood-rust and at live gigs.
For fans of: Skid Row, Buckcherry, Def Leppard, Galactic Cowboys, Fozzy, Testament
Contact:
www.bringthestorm.com
stormbringer.bigcartel.com
www.facebook.com/Stormbringerrock
twitter.com/UKstormbringer
Skrugg release debut EP
New sludge from Herts quintet
Tracklisting:
1. Insect Whore
2. Sanity Of A Madman
3. I Spit On Your Grave
4. Isolation Trip
5. 88.8mg
Line-up:
William Jennings – vocals
Jim Males – guitar
Sam Farrington – guitar
Sammie Donnelly – drums
Jimmy Long – bass
Herts-based sludge quintet Skrugg have just released their eagerly-awaited debut EP, ‘Asylum Mist’. Formerly known as Lord Shrugg and featuring three former members of the promising but short-lived doom act Burn The Yeti (and two currently from black metallers The Graven Sign, who’ve also just released a new EP), members have also previously played in acts such as Gilla Bruja, Wrongly Accused, Zebediah Crowe and Wyndforge, so these guys are no mere newcomers to the scene.
Featuring five tracks of dark, dirty sludge metal, ‘Asylum Mist’ is the result of several months’ hard work and, combined with their touring schedule which is already seeing them getting booked for underground festivals, should see Skrugg expand their fanbase further. Including established live favourites such as ‘Insect Whore’ and ‘Isolation Trip’, this is filthy down-tuned sludge that even non-fans of this particular subgenre could into, with its heavy yet catchy groove-injected riffs, intense vocal delivery, one almighty hook of an opening track and all the elements required for a solid metal release.
‘Asylum Mist’ is available now to download via Bandcamp at http://skrugg.bandcamp.com/, or on CD at live gigs.
For fans of: Down, Crowbar, Nailbomb, Sepultura
Live photo courtesy of Chris Woor Photography.
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/lordskrugg
https://twitter.com/Skruggband
One-line movie reviews
I may have cheated a little bit….
Recently, I set myself a challenge: write as many movie reviews as possible, using just one line. How well do you think I’ve done?
* SPOILER ALERT: he wins in the end – Rocky II-V
* It stars a French Scotsman and a Scottish Spaniard, and they can’t die because they’re really aliens – Highlander 1-2
* A dystopian future where policemen now come in tins – Robocop 1-3
* How to thwart an alien invasion using their own USB ports, and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air – Independence Day
* It’s ok, the dog actually survives (seriously though, who could you make a film where the dog dies??), you’re safe with this one – K9
* Nope, not falling for that! – Marley & Me
* This film is just a figment of your imagination and doesn’t actually exist; in the words of Tasha Yar, “It didn’t happen!” – Star Trek: Nemesis
* It’s got past the stage where it might be seen as tragic; he’s just being plain clumsy with his family now – Taken 3
* Seagal’s often clumsy with his famiy too – Any Seagal film.
* Can we watch Bill & Ted instead? – The Matrix
* Still waiting for that third Bill & Ted – The Matrix 2
* Bill & Ted…. just putting it out there – The Matrix 3
* Worst episode of Come Dine With Me ever – Red Dragon
* Did you know that if you watch the whole saga backwards, it becomes the heartwarming tale of an evil cyborg’s quest to become a real human boy? – The Star Wars series
* Know what makes me mad? Lack of closure. – Mad Max 3: Beyond Thunderdome
* Worst episode of Deal Or No Deal ever – Se7en
* Man solves evil Rubix Cube, gets worst facial piercings ever – Hellraiser
* Would’ve been better off with a Teddy Ruxbin, just saying – Child’s Play
* Although, if you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Charlie Sheen possessed Teddy Ruxbin…. – Ted
* Nine hours of proof that Gandalf doesn’t know any flight or teleportations spells – Lord Of The Rings
* They’ve managed to cross Independence Day with Wreck-It Ralph? – Pixels
* Imagine if after Home Alone, Kevin goes into Witness Protection with a new name, but grows into a bitter man with a more twisted imagination and thirst for vengeance – SAW
Voices – ‘London’ review
Blackened concept album from ex-Akercocke members
Line-up:
Dan Abela – bass/producer
David Gray (Akercocke/My Dying Bride) – drums
Peter Benjamin (Akercocke) – vocals, guitars
David Loynes (Akercocke/Diminished Fifth) – guitars
Tracklisting:
01. Suicide Note
02. Music For The Recently Bereaved
03. The Actress
04. Vicarious Lover
05. Megan
06. Imaginary Sketches of A Poisoned man
07. The Antidote
08. The FuckTrance
09. Hourglass
10. The House Of Black Light
11. The Final Portrait Of The Artist
12. Last Train Victoria Line
13. The Ultimate Narcissist
14. Cold Harbour Lane
Another album I’m finally catching up with – ‘London’, the second album from Voices, the band comprising of former members of highly-regarded UK progressive death metallers Akercocke. Formed with the aim to create a more avant garde sound, ‘London’ makes for an interesting listen.
At its heart, ‘London’ is a black metal album, yet offers so much more than that. A concept album written about existence in our country’s capital, rich in texture and varied in sound, this album transcends the boundaries of BM to the point that it could appeal to fans of many subgenres of metal. Often switching between restrained acoustic passages and brutal riffs with intense drumming in a majestic death metal territory, interwoven with spoken word pieces and field recordings that provide a backbone for the album’s theme, tracks such as ‘Music For The Recently Bereaved’, ‘Vicarious Lover’ and ‘Hourglass’ are a satisfying experience for those who want more than just standard meat-and-potatoes metal. ‘Megan’ could even appeal to fans of tech-metal acts such as Textures, and ‘The House of Black Light’ is perhaps the greatest horror movie soundtrack yet-to-be, perfect for anyone who wants a slice of straight-up classic DM. Offering extremity and subtlety in equal measure, this is an ambitious, progessively-minded album, and one that deserves repeated listens to truly take it all in.
More than just a black metal album, ‘London’ is a richly-textured extreme metal album that pushes the envelope – fans of progessively-minded/adventurous heavy music should seek this one out.
Voices’ ‘London’ is available now via Candlelight Records at http://candlelightrecordsuk.bandcamp.com/album/london and iTunes, or on CD at http://www.plastichead.com//item.asp?ex=fitem&target=CANDLE487CD.
For fans of: Akercocke, My Dying Bride, Emporer, Textures, Tesseract, Talanas
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/voiceslondon
Spires – ‘The Whisperer’ review
Complex and dramatic second album from British death metallers
Tracklisting:
1. Ethereal Organisms
2. At His Behest
3. Surrogate
4. Primal Revelations
5. The Fevered Spirit
6. Elsewhere
7. The Whisperer
Line-up:
Paul Sadler – Vocals, lead, rhythm, acoustic and classical guitars, keyboards
Richard Corrie – Lead and rhythm guitars
Alex Jolley – Fretless bass
Chris Barnard – Drums
‘The Whisperer’, the second album from Manchester-based metallers Spires, has actually been out since November of last year, but it somehow missed my attention until recently, after a recommendation from a labelmate of theirs. I wasn’t disappointed.
Much like two of their labelmates Talanas and Rannoch, Spires specialise in an adventurous, more expansive take on death metal. Rather than bludgeon with constant brutality (which is no bad thing when done properly), they offer a more complex palette of sounds, alternating between heavy riffs and growls, and long melodic, twisting passages, with a strong, dramatic delivery. Despite only consisting of seven tracks, this album totals up at over an hour long, but manages to keep the listener interested by refusing to stick to one path for too long, and the delivery is faultless, with tight musicianship displayed and fascinating arrangements. Opening track ‘Ethereal Organisms’ contains more ideas than some bands will throw into an entire album, and middle track ‘Primal Revelations’ in particular might be of interest to fans of Opeth. Title track and album closer ‘The Whisperer’ also features a special guest appearance from Exivious/former Cynic guitarist Tymon Kruidenier, among other guests on the album. Ending the album on a high, Spires have managed to create an album as complete and accomplished as a band can hope for, with repeated listens required to take it all in.
‘The Whisperer’ offers up progressive, technical death metal with a gothic, almost operatic sense of drama, a genuine theatrical feel. I’ll be curious to hear what future releases from Spires bring.
‘The Whisperer’ is out now via Eulogy Media, as a limited edition digipak CD and digital download at http://spiresband.bandcamp.com/album/the-whisperer, and at live gigs.
For fans of: Opeth, Cradle Of Filth, Within Temptation, Ephel Duath, Triptykon, Gojira
Contact:
http://www.spiresband.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/spiresofficial
https://twitter.com/SpiresOfficial
Sounds Of The Underground – February 2015
Rumblings from the underground music scene
There has been so much good music released this month – here’s some of what’s on offer!
Vendetta – new EP
North Herts metallers Vendetta have released a new 6-track demo EP ‘Illusions’, which they’ve made available as a free download via Bandcamp. Living up to the potential that was demonstrated when they released the track ‘Martyr’ some time ago, ‘Illusions’ is just pure intensity – anyone looking for new metal acts to listen to should definitely check this one out.
Toy Birds – new track
The October Game’s Ollie Taylor has released the first track from his new project Toy Birds, ‘These Eyes’. Very similar in sound to this solo album released back in 2012, ‘These Eyes’ is a catchy electronic pop number which hints at interesting things to come from Toy Birds.
Owen Stephen – new EP
Ollie’s TOG bandmate Owen Stephen has also just released his second EP, ‘Day & Night’. The follow-up to his debut EP ‘Just Dreaming’, that EP saw Owen win new fans on both sides of the Atlantic (when he toured the US with Ramin Karimloo), ‘Day & Night’ may well see him continue to do so.
Healyum – new video
Young Milton Keynes act Healyum have released a video for their track ‘Feels Good’, a song that will also be appearing in an upcoming episode of E4’s ‘Banana’ series. Formed by the trio of sisters Jeana and Katie and their brother Jed, this folk-pop act could be one to watch. ‘Feels Good’ appears on their EP ‘Fools Eyes’, available on iTunes, Bandcamp, Amazon and Spotify.
White Line Diaries – new track
WLD have released yet another new track online, entitled ‘(Welcome To) The Circus’. Featuring backing tracks from funk rockers Indi & The Vegas, this continues their run of new tracks being released on a monthly basis (after ‘Hurricane Body’ and ‘Come Back To Mine’) as ‘Name your price’ downloads. Offering a heavier, edgier sound that still displays their knack for writing a catchy tune, these new tracks are highly recommended.
As You’re Falling – new track
Another metal act from North Herts, As You’re Falling, have just released a new track ‘Cry Of The Banshee’, which you can download for free from their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/AsYoureFalling. These guys will also be releasing a new EP very soon.
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/Vendetta.uk
https://twitter.com/VendettA_1000
https://www.facebook.com/toybirds
http://www.facebook.com/owenstephenmusic
https://twitter.com/OwenStephen
https://www.facebook.com/healyumband
https://twitter.com/healyumofficial
http://www.facebook.com/WhiteLineDiaries
https://twitter.com/WLDmusic
https://www.facebook.com/AsYoureFalling
Gévaudan – ‘Message For The Damned’ EP
Decade-jumping debut EP from Herts doom metallers
Tracklisting:
1. The Cursed Undead
2. Lament Of The North
3. Message For The Damned
Line-up:
Adam Pirmohamed: Vocals
Bruce Hamilton: Guitar
Andy Salt: Bass
David Himbury: Drums
‘Message Of the Damned’ is the debut EP from North Herts-based metal act Gévaudan, who feature former/current members of other unsigned acts such as Burn The Yeti, Jesus Hooligan and Hazel Turnock & The Finger Choppers. Formed a short period after BTY’s split, this band are in similar territory sound-wise, but with a more retro feel. Sounding like a mix of Sabbath-inspired psychedelic doom with elements of 70s trad metal and 90s stoner rock, this quartet has the potential to reach across to fans of different subgenres.
At times, this EP does feel like travelling through the ages of metal; ‘The Curse Undead’ and ‘Lament Of the North’ have a similar stoner/doom groove, occasionally reminiscent of the much-missed Kyuss, but when title track ‘Message Of the Damned’ hits, we’re transported back to the 70s, a time when metal was steeped in mysticism and occult influences. Deeper and darker in sound, the title track is the most adventurous on offer and could be the one that people latch onto.
The EP clocks in somewhere around the 22 minute mark despite only consisting of three tracks, meaning that whilst they aren’t afraid of making their influences clear, Gévaudan also aren’t afraid of giving each riff and song room to breathe. It’s metal with a sense of adventure. If you’re a fan of riffy, retro-fuelled metal with solos aplenty, hunt down ‘Message For The Damned’.
‘Message For The Damned’ is available on CD at live gigs and from http://gevaudan.bigcartel.com/product/gevaudan-message-for-the-damned-released-13-12-2014.
The track ‘The Cursed Undead’ can also be found on the current issue of Zero Tolerance Magazine’s free covermount CD.
For fans of: Black Sabbath, Kyuss, Electric Wizard, Corrosion Of Conformity, Cathedral, Acrimony
Contact:
http://www.gevaudandoom.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/Gevaudandoom
https://twitter.com/Gevaudandoom
Aghast! – ‘All The Rage’ album review
UKDM quartet release debut album
Tracklisting:
1. Die Laughing (intro)
2. All The Rage
3. Hollywood Ending
4. Afterlife Crisis
5. Drop Dead Famous
6. Bang To Rights
7. It’s Your Funeral
8. Look Alive!
9. Sea Of Trees
10.Hells Bells (And Buckets Of Blood)
11.We Fear Silence
12.Noise Pollution
After months of hard work and preparation, and a well-received set at this year’s Bloodstock Festival, UK metallers Aghast! have finally released their debut album, ‘All The Rage’.
Featuring 11 tracks of relentless death metal, including tracks you might have missed from their previous couple of (now out of print) EPs, ‘All The Rage’ is everything that longterm fans of this Herts/London-based quartet would hope for; the title track is a full-on statement of intent (have a listen below), tracks such as ‘Drop Dead Famous’ and ‘Bang To Rights’ race along at almost unhuman levels, and live favourite ‘It’s Your Funeral’ sounds as sharp as ever. New track ‘Sea Of Trees’ is possibly one of the angriest songs I’ve ever heard from this band; clearly (and thankfully), there was no holding back during these recording sessions. If the reception they received at their album launch gig at Club 85 in Hitchin is anything to go by, all that hard work is about to payoff.
Whilst there may be the occasional moments of restraint and melody, Aghast largely deal in lessons in OTT extremity and heaviness, which have been finely honed and shaped into these 11 tracks. If you want subtlety then look elsewhere – for unrestrained UKDM, go to Aghast!
The official lyric video for title track ‘All The Rage’:
Aghast!’s ‘All The Rage’ is available now at live gigs and from UKEM Records’ website at http://www.ukemrecords.co.uk/product/aghast-all-the-rage/.
Contact:
http://www.aghastmetal.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AGHASTKVLT
https://twitter.com/AGHASTKVLT
http://www.futurepr.net/
Stream the debut Indi & The Vegas album
Catchy funk-rock trio release debut album
Earlier this year I had the pleasure of assisting with bringing Indi & The Vegas’ self-titled debut album to the public’s attention, when I co-promoted its launch gig, but I’ve only recently discovered that you can stream the entire album via Soundcloud, thus allowing me to spread the word further. If laidback funk-rock, inspired by the likes of Queen, Prince and The Jackson Five sounds like your kind of thing, then give this Bedford trio a listen!
I’ve been a fan of these guys for a few years now, and was so glad to hear that a full album was on the way, after hearing how good their previous release, the ‘Fair Fight’ EP, was. A few of those EP tracks can be found on this album, including live favourite ‘Pheromones’ and ‘California Sun’ – other highlights include ‘She’s On Fire’ and ‘Holiday’. Having built-up a huge following around the Home Counties, been championed by the likes of BBC Introducing and drawn massive crowds at the Balstock and Rhythms Of The World festivals, it’s surely only a matter of time before they get wider recognition.
IATV performing at Club 85, Hitchin, at their album release gig.
For chilled-out, well-produced funky tunes with catchy riffs, Indi & The Vegas are essential listening, and in my opinion this album could easily sit alongside releases from bigger names released over the past year as one of the strongest albums.
For fans of: Living Colour, Prince, Daft Punk, UB40, Incubus, 311, 80s soul
Indi & The Vegas’ debut album is available on CD at live gigs and from Bandcamp at http://indiandthevegas.bandcamp.com/album/indi-and-the-vegas
Contact:
http://www.indiandthevegas.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/indi-and-The-Vegas/194619403537
https://twitter.com/indiandthevegas
Empty Yard Experiment (E.Y.E) – ‘Kallisti’ review
Genre-defying second album from multinational prog rockers
Tracklisting:
1. Sunyata
2. Greenflash
3. Red
4. The Blue Eyes Of A Dog
5. There Will Never Be
6. Entropy
7. Blue
8. Anomie
9. Lost In A Void That I Know Too Well
10.Untitled
11.Sama
12.God Has His Reasons
13.Green
14.The Call
Line-up:
Bojan Preradovic – Vocals, Rhythm Guitar
Mehdi Gr – Lead Guitar
Kaveh Kashani – Bass
Gorgin Asadi – Keys
Josh Saldanha – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Every so often, a new release comes along that defies any easy description, one that needs to be heard to be understood, and the multinational act Empty Yard Experiment’s second album ‘Kallisti’ is a prime example. Though it’s been available as a download via Bandcamp since March of this year, ‘Kallisti’ gets a wider release on 29th September.
A melting pot of ideas, melding progressive, melodic alt-rock and instrumental post-rock, ‘Kallisti’ has the potential to reach a large cross-section of audiences and ages. Luring in with the simple piano intro of ‘Sunyata’, the band then launches into rockier territory with ‘Greenflash’, one that might appeal to fans of Tool circa ‘Aenima’. It’s in this fashion that the album continues, interspersing the rockier tracks with quieter, introspective moments and instrumentals – if you’re looking for an album to get lost in, this made just be the one for you. Other highlights include the AIC-esque ‘Entropy’, the exotically-flavoured ‘Untitled’ and ‘God Has His Reasons’, an addictive track for which a promo video has been released (watch below).
Utterly engaging and defying any easy descriptions, Empty Yard Experiment and ‘Kallisti’ both deserve the attention. If you’re into any kind of progressive, forward-thinking music, post-rock or melodic alt-rock, give this a listen.
‘Kallisti’ is streaming now at http://emptyyardexperiment.bandcamp.com/album/kallisti, and will be available internationally on 29th September.
The video for ‘God Has His Reasons’:
For fans of: Tool, Filter, Tesseract, Porcupine Tree, latter-day Opeth
Contact:
http://www.emptyyardexperiment.com/
https://www.facebook.com/eyeband
http://www.twitter.com/EYExperiment
Kill Confirmed – ‘Descend’ EP review
Promising debut from fierce Herts metallers
Tracklisting:
1. Beyond Black
2. Descend
3. The Ghost That Haunts
4. Epiphany
5. A Memory In Ashes
6. Addiction
Line-up:
Joe Savage – vocals/guitar
Reece Fowell – guitars
Tommy Savage – bass/vocals
David Ward – drums
(Former frontwoman Sian Farrell also receives a writing credit for ‘Addiction’)
Courtesy of Native Eye Film and Photography, 2014
North Herts-based metal quartet Kill Confirmed have been gigging around the area for a couple of years now, and built themselves a bit of a following as a result. Following a line-up change, which saw their former frontwoman depart and guitarist Joe Savage move forward to frontman, their sound changed, the product of which can be heard here on their debut EP, ‘Descend’.
Opener ‘Beyond Black’ is a strong start and a good indication of what to expect from KC; a fierce thrashy, melodic metal sound flavoured by metalcore and unafraid to throw in plenty of guitar solos, which they are more than capable of pulling off. Lead track ‘Descend’ could appeal to fans of latter-day Machine Head and Trivium, but could also easily appeal to fans of older metal styles, without sounding dated or clichéd – those who got into the thrash revival a few years ago might also find something of interest here. ‘The Ghost That Haunts’ is the longest track here, clocking in at over six minutes, suggesting that KC aren’t interested in throwing out any old riff or appealing to the short attention-spanned. Throughout this EP, I get the impression that none of these tracks were rushed or thrown in to pad the EP out; time was taken writing and honing each song and riff. ‘A Memory In Ashes’ was the first song to be launched prior to this EP’s release, and has already been proven to translate well in the live environment. Closer ‘Addiction’ is one of the strongest and catchiest tracks featured, opening with some bouncing bass and featuring some BFMV-esque riffing, and strongly suggests that Kill Confirmed have far more to offer in the future.
For a debut EP, ‘Descend’ is a good start for Kill Confirmed. They’ve already proved they’ve got the ideas, skill and songwriting ability to produce some promising material, and with some proper label backing and beefier production, they could go places. Here’s hoping they can get themselves noticed.
For fans of: Machine Head, Trivium, Evile, Metallica, Bullet For My Valentine
The ‘Descend’ EP is available now from http://killconfirmed.bandcamp.com and at live gigs.
Contact:
http://www.facebook.com/killconfirmedofficial
http://www.twitter.com/KillConOfficial
Alone With Wolves – ‘The End Of Nothing’ EP review
Promising new EP from rising Herts act
Tracklisting:
1. Cutting Ties
2. The End of Nothing
3. My Life In Your Hands
4. The Change
5. With You In Mind
Line-up:
Danilo Fiocco – vocals
Lewis Watson – vocals/guitar
Mark Stanford – bass/vocals
Kieron Baker – guitar
James Nobel – drums
Back in 2012, I wrote a glowing review for the Herts-based Alone With Wolves’s promising self-titled EP, stating they had the potential to become the UK’s answer to Alexisonfire. Now, two years and another line-up change later, they’re back with ‘The End Of Nothing’, their first EP with new frontman Danilo Fiocco.
Thundering in with opening track ‘Cutting Ties’, the first thing I noticed was how well new vocalist Danilo fits in with the AWW sound – his powerful, melodic voice is an ideal counterpoint to Lewis’s heavier vocals. The second thing, was just how confident the band sounds now; not to say they didn’t before, as I know they’ve always had a high level of enthusiasm, but here it sounds like a whole new level, in both the songwriting and the delivery, where the energy doesn’t falter at all during the EP’s five tracks. Title track ‘The End of Nothing’ sounds like a fierce statement of intent, the sound of a band eager to claim their place and refusing to hold anything back. Whilst it’s difficult to pick a favourite track, ‘My Life In Your Hands’ is, in my opinion, one of the best tracks the band has released to date, equal parts heavy and catchy, with amazing vocal delivery against a cool staccato riff. Credit must also to this EP’s producer Ed Sokolowski – there’s a much beefier sound here, and he’s captured AWW at their best. ‘The Change’ is the EP’s calmest moment but sill has a kick, whilst ‘With You In Mind’ is a high energy closer, another highlight and potentially a crowd pleaser I think.
I honestly can’t say enough nice things about ‘The End Of Nothing’ – if you’re already a fan of Alone With Wolves, you’ll love this, and if you’re a newcomer, then I’d recommend this to fans of any post-hardcore, screamo and heavier alt-rock bands. It’s good to see that AWW lost nothing in their step in the space between EPs and changing frontmen. At the time of writing this, they are also heading to the M2TM finals to compete for a place at the UK’s Bloodstock Festival (a prestigious event on the UK’s metal festival calendar), and added to a continuously increasing fanbase, their hard work is now paying off. Given that this is just as good as, if not better than, releases from many of the signed touring acts across the UK, here’s hoping it’s only a matter of time before Alone With Wolves get signed. All the best to these guys.
‘The End of Nothing’ is available digitally now at http://awwofficial.bandcamp.com/, with CDs coming soon.
For fans of: Alexisonfire, Thrice, Hell Is For Heroes, Atreyu
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/alonewithwolves
http://twitter.com/AWW_UK
thursdayaddams 