People sometimes wonder what the difference is between irony and coincidence…well if you were run over in the street, and an ambulance just happened to be passing by, that would be a wonderful coincidence. Irony on the other hand, would be getting run over by the ambulance itself and, so long as nobody dies, is much funnier. Today’s review falls under the coincidental category for me personally…let me explain.

Back at the start of the month, I took a mini vacation down to the South English coast at Torquay for a couple of days, where, to be honest, I spent 80% of my time enjoying the sun and drinking. On the way there however I made a little stop at some place called Burnham-On-Sea…never heard of it before, but all I can tell you is that it was quiet…windy as all hell and the tide had gone out for what seemed like MILES. I honestly thought Godzilla had mistaken the place for Hawaii and was about to stroll up the beach causing another tsunami it had gone that far out. Anyway my time there was fleeting and I thought nothing else of it. Today however, I decided to take a dip into my email submissions and low and behold, the first EPK I click on happens to be from a band from Burnham On-Sea! Let me introduce you to SOME VILLAINS.

The four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Edward Graves, guitarist Luke Tozer, drummer Stu Donavan and bassist Jake Beckett) have been on the scene since their 2014 single “Loose Generation”, and with their love of everything between classic rock ‘n’ roll, indie and prog, they’ve established themselves as a group of interesting and intelligent musicians. Their 2016 EP “Lizard Teeth” highlighted their admiration of experimental prog-rock and shoegaze, with predominantly longer tracks and the influence of RADIOHEAD and SMASHING PUMPKINS shining through…but here now in 2019, they’ve stripped things back a little and focused more on a grittier rock ‘n’ roll sound for their latest EP “Outliers”. The lads asked me to check it out, and seeing as I visited their home town it would be rude not to sample some of their wares!

The EP opens up with “Masters Sun” and it really doesn’t take long at all to get into the meat and potatoes of this record…we start off with some simple alternating chords, before the track lets rip with some ballsy, hard-rock riffage. The bass is deep and rumbling almost to the point where it’s sludge inspired, but we’ve got a rich groove, and vocally here Graves’ is rather hushed and subdued. Their love for QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE shines through here given the stoner / desert rock tones, coupled with an energetic up-tempo chorus; this is simply a great rock track. EP highlight “Burn Me Down” follows up and we’re initially met some almost WOLFMOTHER-esque instrumentation; combining classic rock and indie tones…the guitar is slick and frankly gallops along excitedly. The prog influences filter through vocally as Graves’ sings in an almost polyrhythmic manner, but it’s the convivial guitar tone that makes this track; it’s just fun.

“The Skin” again maintains an up-tempo vibe albeit somewhat darker in tone, bordering on atmospheric, with more hushed vocals, slightly raspy sounding in places reminding of JULY TALK to some degree, but we’re treated to a strong solo that certainly stands out as the tracks major talking point, before closing effort “Ghosts In The Field” incorporates a more shoegaze aesthetic alongside some again, darkly tinged indie rock…the type of sound that would appeal to fans of INTERPOL and the like. All in all though, there’s nothing truly negative to say about this EP whatsoever quite frankly. While the band are clearly better when they let their hair down and get gritty when it comes to the rock ‘n’ roll, the mellower tones do naturally compliment Graves’ vocal approach. There’s no  bells and whistles here, they’re a band and they keep it simple…having stripped back to a more classic rocking approach, and by cutting the track length from their previous EP ever so slightly, they come across as more polished and clinical in terms of their presentation. Not knocking the more prog-based sound of their previous work, but this does sound like an improvement. Some Villains by name but to fair lads you’re not sounding half bad at all. [8]

There are many important questions in life…like, what came first; the chicken or the egg? What colour would Michael Jackson pick playing chess? (I jest, we know it doesn’t matter if your black or white) How much wood would a wood-chuck chuck if a wood-chuck was Chuck Norris? But even more important than all of that…who is the biggest metal band in the world? Immediately I can envisage swarms of you arguing over METALLICA and IRON MAIDEN, and to be fair they’re great shouts, but here I’m going to throw another, more than credible, and definitely deserving band into the mix; RAMMSTEIN.

These German industrial-metal titans originally formed in 1994 and ever since, all they’ve done is (Without trying to put a Nazi spin on this) conquered the world one arena, one stadium at a time. From their intense, eyebrow raising cover of DEPECHE MODE’s “Stripped”, to the beautifully haunting “Sonne”, right up the gloriously R-Rated “Pussy”, Till Lindemann and the lads have never shied away from controversy, and this can also be said for their live shows. Whether it’s boiling poor keyboardist Flake alive in a cauldron, ejaculating spectacularly into the audience via a giant mechanical penis, or generally just their unfathomable amount of pyrotechnics, Rammstein put on one of if not THE best live metal shows on the planet, and with their new technically untitled album, things are only getting bigger. With that said…let’s get ready to abuse Google-translate as we check out “Rammstein”.

We open up with “Deutschland” and in gloriously typical Rammer’s fashion; their first new track in a decade is an ode to Germany. Well, to a degree. From the steady rise in intensity of the frenetic synths, to the jolting riffs, to the eventual anthemic, regimented metal flurry, it simply excites from its very first chords. Lyrically plodding for the most part, but musically this is just captivating…it’s so good to have them back and this is a classic start. Following this then is the album’s first major highlight “Radio”…again; we start things off with some bouncing synths, before we get some traditionally crunching riffs. The balance here between the electronica, which, reminds me of old-school Moogs, and the hard rock is perfect and it’s an up-tempo little number with a seriously addictive chorus. Coming back to the topic of controversy, the track touches upon Nazi propaganda by means of censorship during the 30’s and 40’s. German citizens were subject to strict control of what they had access to during the time and here they touch upon that.

The first half of this album is quite heavy on the electronic front if I’m honest, with "Ausländer" being another stand-out track. Another up-beat offering bordering on dance-inspired, the techno elements are pulsing, while the track pounds away in a well delivered crossover style. Essentially meaning ‘foreigner’, lyrically it’s very ‘Jack The Lad’ as he sings of being a man of the world and a ladies man, heavily insinuating a sense of promiscuity. Speaking of which…”Sex” I guess you could say comes (Behave) right afterwards. More chilling synths followed by a groove-rich, almost southern-metal guitar tone and yet another brilliantly catchy chorus, it’s all about fiery passion and giving in to lust…however it’s no “Pussy”.

The second half of the album does admittedly slow down a touch but it certainly retains its talking points…none more so than “Puppe”. A dark yet equally wonderful and interesting track that’s based on an old poem; meaning ‘Doll’, it’s all hushed and subdued as Till sings of the prostitution of a sister character, while their younger sibling in care is forced to hear everything from the room next door, before the track erupts into an angry, scathing barrage of vocals, the result of a seemingly troubled upbringing. It’s a powerful track! “Tattoo” is another hard-rocking number that touches upon the duality that is the pleasure and the pain of self-expression, before “Hallomann” rounds things up in a frankly quite creepy manner. Remember when your mum and dad told you not to talk to strangers? At least I hope they did…but yeah this song reinforces that notion! Singing about picking up a little girl; no talking, just get in…presumably the van? One can assume sweets were offered? Promises of trips to the seaside, wanting her to sing and dance…this is all very questionable but still another deeply interesting track. I might be reading into it completely wrong for all I know…maybe Rammstein took Madeleine McCann? Ok I’m joking naturally, but it’s an odd one. Regardless, what we have here is an album that may have been ten years in the making, but oh how the time-off has played into Rammsteins favour; they sound fresh as a daisy. The weight of the guitars, the chilling synths, the dark lyricism…Rammstein are still unafraid to push buttons yet they continue to pull in bigger and bigger crowds. An outstanding come-back this…TO DEUTSCHLAND! [8]

Without trying to come across as that meme of Morpheus from The Matrix, what if I told you…that you could have a black metal band without the corpse paint, church burning and, let’s not be forgetting the murder of fellow band members?  Well funnily enough that’s exactly what Minnesota quintet ASHBRINGER would like you to believe!

Founded in 2015 by vocalist / guitarist Nick Stanger (Later completed by drummer Ian Sutherland, bassist Nathan Wallestad, guitarist Jackson Catton and keyboardist Cormac Piper) it didn’t take the atmospheric black metal outfit long to get the ball rolling AT ALL, as literally within days of forming, they found themselves working with Avantgarde Music and on their first US tour supporting AMIENSUS. Talk about going in at the deep end! Now, in 2019, we find Ashbringer releasing album number three; “Absolution”, their debut for the very respectable Prosthetic Records. The question is, are they truly free from all guilt and punishment?

At over an hour long, yet only consisting of eight tracks, we’re given an early indication of how this album is going to pan out, but the opening title-track provides an early surprise. With some quaintly plucked acoustic guitar, we’re off to a far mellower start than anticipated! This is eventually countered however by some seriously jarring vocals and though an interesting combination, it isn’t necessarily a pleasant one, however instrumentally it’s incredibly soothing and harmonious. The solo works really well too, and it’s a fine start. “Wilderness Walk” virtually continues in the same vain structurally, before the album begins to dissipate through its own indulgence. “Eternal Separation” Parts one and two indeed last an eternity with their prog-infused presentation, while “Dreamscape” at over ten minutes, with its reverberation  and vacant tones is enough to put even Freddy Krueger to sleep.

​Ultimately while both ambitious and clearly talented musicians, there’s something that doesn’t quite gel with the merger of such harsh vocals and melodious instrumentation. As a progressive / shoegaze record this works really well, especially instrumentally, however vocally it would be interesting to see what the likes of say, Chino Moreno of DEFTONES or Aaron Weiss of MEWITHOUTYOU could do with these tracks, but this doesn’t quite click. “Absolution” isn’t an absolute failure per se, but it isn’t absolutely fabulous either darling. [5]

IT’S BOSS TIME!!!!! No, don’t worry, my name isn’t Michael Cole and I’m not about to run commentary on WWE’s Sasha Banks (Though in hindsight that may have been a little more entertaining to be honest)…but we are of course going to be focusing our attention on the boss himself; Mr BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. The man needs little to no introduction; one of the most successful recording artists of all time, Springsteen’s career spans decades and he has the hits and accolades to show for it. EVERYONE knows classics such as 1975’s “Born To Run”, even up to his critically acclaimed track “The Wrestler” in 2009, but now, ten years later in 2019, at the sprightly age of 69 we find The Boss still churning out records…

Not taking into account his plethora of live recordings and EP’s, Springsteen recently released his nineteenth studio album entitled “Western Stars”. A return to his solo recording style, firmly based around story-telling with orchestral arrangements, and in this instance, inspired by 70’s Californian pop music. With a rich range of themes based on American tropes such as lonely highways, and the feelings of isolation travelling vast desert spaces through the US, let’s check it out and see if this bona fide western star can still shine so far into his career...

​We open up with “Hitch Hikin’” and let it be said in advance that, the name sums up the journey through this album really quite appropriately; a seemingly endless wait for something to come and pick you up with no real guarantees. With its softly plucked acoustic yet, tinny guitar, it’s got an almost southern blue-grass aesthetic filtering in ever so slightly, before an elegant, sweeping string section gives the track more instrumental depth. Everything is soothing but here Springsteen’s voice comes across as occasionally monotonous. While a lot of this record is generally stripped back and mellow, there are a couple of points of interest worth highlighting…lead single “Hello Sunshine”  houses a tranquil, almost tropical guitar tone while more delicate strings meander through your ears. Despite its down-tempo approach and low-key vibe it’s still a positive little song and you can’t help but feel relaxed having listened to it.

“Sundown” despite its livelier tone, incorporating subtle blues elements and a more powerful vocal performance tells a sad tale of solitude and loneliness, spending the nights alone drifting from bar to bar, missing the one he holds dearest in his heart. The real album highlight however comes courtesy of “Sleepy Joe’s Café”…far more up-beat and jovial, it’s anything but sleepy as it utilises an old-school rock ‘n’ roll feel, coupled with organs and a brass accompaniment ; it’s a genuinely fun, light-hearted little track. Sadly, the rest of the album, despite Springsteen’s narrative and penchant for story-telling within his songs, comes across as a tad lifeless for the most part.

“Drive Fast (The Stuntman)” for example, despite admittedly being composed beautifully, exudes nowhere near the level of energy you’d expect given its name, leaving you somewhat disappointed. You hope for something zestful, something bold and boisterous, yet it’s everything but. “Chasin’ Wild Horses” suffers from the same issues; the title portrays something maybe a touch chaotic, but honestly he couldn’t catch a bloody cold here let alone a wild horse, before luckily, we eventually finish up at “Moonlight Motel”. Given the general pacing of the album overall, it’s both fitting from the point of the albums narrative, and ironic as having listened to the album from start to finish, you could do with putting your head down for a couple of hours. Springsteen can obviously still weave wonderful stories and concepts into his song writing, and musically there’s nothing really wrong with these tracks at all, the orchestral elements especially sound lovely, but it’s a very restrained record that struggles to warrant many repeat listens. If you prefer your music to be more easy-listening then sure you may enjoy this a lot more, but on this occasion it would appear that the boss has taken some annual leave…[4]

As hard as it may be to believe (Given some of the shit I come out with in these reviews) I do from time to time come across a new band that I actually, genuinely like. I mean it’s rare…not quite Shiny Pokemon rare…but it’s rare, and it does happen. While in recent years you may have seen me give praise to the likes of WE ARE HARLOT and AS LIONS for their absolutely scorching debuts…last year my attention was turned to YONAKA. Having discovered them supporting ANDREW WK, I was eager to check out their catalogue of music as they were legitimately great live, to then find myself enjoying their 2017 “Heavy” EP, it’s safe to say that Yonaka were a band I was prepared to keep my eye on…

This was a decision I would certainly not regret, as following some impressive festival appearances and support slots with BRING ME THE HORIZON no less, they dropped arguably my favourite new EP of 2018 by the name of “Creature”. It’s said that lightning doesn’t strike twice but the EP proved that the band were on a fine run of creative form, not only matching their previous work but surpassing it, visibly and audibly growing in confidence with each and every crowd they won over on the road throughout the year. Now, in 2019, we find the band ready to step up; hoping to live up to their own hype and expectation, as they deliver their debut full-length album; “Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow”, and it’s definitely one I’ve been looking forward to. Well? You read the title let’s give it a fucking listen shall we!?

We open up with “Bad Company” though we’re in anything BUT with Theresa Jarvis and the lads…starting off with some bass rumblings and stiff percussion, it provides perfect backing for Jarvis’ multifaceted vocal approach, switching from brooding to powerful; almost angelic in places on certain high notes, with such relative ease. There’s a certain darkness to the tracks tone, yet it’s got a rich alt. pop groove, and we still hear similarities with the likes of JESSIE J and FLORENCE WELCH in its delivery, but everything’s tighter, sharper and it sounds great…a fantastic opener. “Awake” begins in a similar fashion with its stripped back percussion the only instrumental accompaniment to Theresa, but the track quickly erupts into a wonderfully infectious pop-rock number with some assertive riffs and more powerful vocals. If you’re not awake for this one I question the existence of your very pulse, seriously.

“Rockstar” is, before you wonder, not a NICKELBACK cover so it’s already got that going for it. I mean OK, the premise of the track lyrically garners obvious comparisons to the aforementioned, but this is backed up by yet another infectious, hook-laden chorus and is far, FAR less annoying. This comes across as more about hopes and dreams as opposed to focusing on wealth, not emphasising the excess; much more of a rags to riches ‘What If?’ scenario and it’s something we can relate to…it’s something we’ve all thought about. “Creature” and “Fired Up” make it to the album as select cuts from the bands previous EP’s but they slot in perfectly in all fairness, sounding just as crisp and impressive here as they did last year, before we eventually finish up on “The Cure”. Despite its initially almost trap-inspired beat, we’re treated to more of the bands enjoyable blend of light indie rock, sweeping melodies and soulful pop, ending the album on a genuine high note.

Patience may indeed be a virtue, but here Yonaka prove without doubt that sometimes you simply have to strike while the iron is hot, and Christ has the iron been hot for the Brighton-based quartet. As they continue to play new towns and cities around the UK and Europe, be it in a supporting role or with their ever increasing likelihood of headlining their own big tours, Yonaka can and will grow. One of the brightest and most promising bands on the UK circuit right now, if you haven’t already, you NEED to be checking out Yonaka for yourself, seriously, don’t wait ‘til tomorrow. [9]

Back in November of last year, I found myself once again collaborating with the team over at FiXT, but instead of their usual offerings, consisting of Klayton’s multi-faceted musical projects, they’d asked me to turn my attention to the labels growing roster of original artists. In particular, I’m referring to an artist under the name of SOUL EXTRACT…originally formed back in 1998 and now consisting of sole-composer Josh Mullis, it wasn’t until late last year where we finally saw his debut album come to light! Having finally settled with FiXT, Josh was allowed the freedom to experiment and explore his love of crossover electronic rock, wearing his adoration of LINKIN PARK firmly on his sleeve, and as a result, “Circadian Algorithm” was a decent album that was ultimately worth waiting for.

As you may know however FiXT is a primarily studio-based operation, with their roster of artists rarely hitting the road…which means in 2019 we find Soul Extract ALREADY releasing their follow up album; “Filaments”. Honestly it’s like a bloody bus service! Wait ages for one and then two come along practically the same time! All jokes aside, Josh was naturally enthused and motivated following the long-awaited release of his debut, which meant he made a swift return to the studio to work on the 14 new tracks we have today. Let’s check it out…

​The album opens up with “Rigor Mortis” and initially, with its subdued percussion and sporadic string notes it comes across as almost cinematic, as if from the opening moments of a film-score, but the riffs soon kick in and we’re given an industrialised slab of post nu-metal, laced with techno. It takes a while to get going but when it does, it’s a decent opener. A little stiff and regimented in delivery as its name suggests but it’s far from lifeless. This is then followed up by early album highlight “Victim Of Yourself”…combining more layered electronica with a crunching, classic metal guitar riff, instrumentally it’s as though someone’s tried to give say, PANTERA the remix treatment, but as the chorus kicks in we’re given a more mainstream hook; fellow FiXT artist CELLDWELLER having a clear influence here vocally too.

​These influences can also be heard on the single “Redshift” and also “Ember” further down the album…the former again focuses more on the electronic aspects with rich, angst-ridden vocals amidst alt. rock instrumentation, bridging a gap between Klayton and Chester Bennington, while the latter takes on a more later-day Linkin Park aesthetic, which fans of say, “A Thousand Suns” and “Living Things” would appreciate. “Roentgen” on the other hand houses more of dub-inspired core sound, balancing the rockier aspects, which combined with the string section allows for a powerful and emotive track. This could easily appeal to fans of “Immersion” era PENDULUM in ways. Elsewhere while the album is far from awful by any means, nothing really stands out to make this a must-listen record. The interlude / set-up instrumental “Frozen Shadows” is pointless as a stand-alone track for example, and the remix of “Superheroes” is better placed than the original here really, it’s shorter and more enjoyable.

There is a deluxe edition of the album with 14 purely instrumental tracks on a bonus disc, but to be perfectly honest the tracks aren’t exciting enough to really warrant that…unless you’re a hardcore fan, there’s really no need for that whatsoever. With that said, it’s a decent electronic rock record, if you’re a fan of the aforementioned artists then you’ll likely appreciate most of this album, but there isn’t enough of a step made between this and the debut. All of the tones and influences are still there clear as day, but nothing really leaps out at you here to demand your attention. While not ALL filler, “Filaments” does sadly leave you feeling hungry for more…[6]