I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again…Klayton is a busy, busy man…seriously…the guy is like the bloody Energizer Bunny…over the last year alone he’s released three full studio albums by three different projects through FiXT…”Machines Of Our Disgrace” by the returning industrial metal monster CIRCLE OF DUST…he debuted SCANDROID and only earlier this year, released a brand new CELLDWELLER record…and that’s not counting his instrumental and remix releases! Yet, low and behold, like the true workaholic that he is, he’s back again to round off 2017 with “Monochrome”...returning under his Scandroid moniker, we find ourselves immersed once again in the soft, neon glow of 1980’s new-wave synth pop…conceptually set in a futuristic, cyberpunk-inspired Neo-Tokyo…let’s go back to the future to check it out…

We open up with “2518” and essentially it acts as a foreword, setting the tone, setting the scene for the album going forward…amidst slow, sweeping synths, we get echoed vocals, very mechanical and cold, talking of a conflict between man and machine, set in the year of the song title…this is very SkyNet…is John Connor safe? I digress…It gives us a brief yet interesting intro, actually having a plot, instead of the overdone, purely instrumental opening track…before we’re met with first song proper; “Afterglow” and what a way to get this album going…this is some seriously slick techno-pop, at its core inspired by the likes of NEW ORDER…the beats and rhythm are so infectious…looped, bubbly keys, it’s spacey…the slightest touch of electronic guitar adding extra substance but not detracting from the feel of the song, a brilliant throwback pop track this, superb. The fun doesn’t stop there however, oh no…”A Thousand Years” once again channels all of that 80’s influence through the likes of ULTRAVOX and DURAN DURAN…Klayton’s vocals are so smooth over this up-beat, percussive piece…it’s incredibly vibrant and catchy, the fade out works well and it’s simply a wonderfully retro track, really well done, likewise with “The Veil”….again utilising more guitar, it’s got a feeling of A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS to it and it’s a brilliant piece of alt. pop, Klayton is on top form here it has to be said.

The fun doesn’t stop there either…as fairly early on we’re treated to an incredibly brave cover…”Thriller” by MICHAEL JACKSON…but in all fairness it’s done a level of justice here that has to be appreciated…while it IS missing the legendary Vincent Price monologue, the intro here instead is more befitting of an 80’s slasher flick…remember when Friday The 13th Part 3 had that funky disco/synth intro? More akin to that…it’s a classic and few can match the pop credentials of Jackson but this is done well overall…and while on the topic of pop-culture, he’s only gone and included a synth cover of “The Force Theme” from STAR WARS too…the iconic film score gets a new lease of life and it sounds so lively but no less dramatic, your inner nerd will want to swing your lightsaber to your heart’s content, and that’s not a metaphor I promise! There are other instrumentals here such as “Oblivia” and “Searching For A Lost Horizon” but they can’t match this by default…essentially what we have here, is Klayton taking all that was good from the debut and giving it an upgrade…it’s odd that an album with such vibrancy and character would be called monochrome…while yes, it is of one style and era, it’s such a colourful genre to begin with, this record is full of life, it's brilliant...mark my words, we’ll still be listening to this in the year 2518…[8]

If you’re a regular reader of this blog then you’re probably well aware that I’m rather keen on my 80’s synth…often looking back fondly to a revolutionary era in music, the birth and evolution of electronic pop paved the way for so many new sub-genres and artists that would later become iconic and pioneering…I’ve often cited DEPECHE MODE as a key contributor and influence given their phenomenal success, with all sorts of artists covering them, ranging from LACUNA COIL to JOHNNY CASH…but if there’s one artist I’ve rather embarrassingly overlooked…it’s GARY NUMAN. Yes the London born musician/songwriter (real name Gary Webb) initially found fame way back in 1979 with his then band TUBEWAY ARMY and the hits “Are Friends Electric?” plus of course, “Cars”, but he continued to experiment with the genre he helped define by adopting a harder, more industrial style over time, incorporating a darker heaviness to his already, semi-bionic presence in the latter days of his lengthy career…though while often critically applauded, he remained in the shadows of the 80’s revival, not one for the limelight…but all that’s about to change with his brand new album “Savage (Songs From A Broken World)”…cue the renaissance…

We get underway with “Ghost Nation” and we’re met with his trademark deep, pulsing, rock based electronica…it’s percussive and ever so slightly abrasive in tone, somewhat disjointed and fits this albums theme wonderfully…set in the future in a man-made post-apocalypse…it’s the remnants of life as we know it, as told in his own chilling, uniquely robotic way, but the chorus, is so smooth! It really carries you off into the concept this…a really good start. “Bed Of Thorns” follows up and musically we have a culture clash here as East meets West…it’s a slow, brooding number with gothic undertones, yet the inclusion of certain middle-eastern instruments adds an extra dynamic to the track that only benefits the album thematically…it’s slower but oh so satisfying.

Lead single “My Name Is Ruin” kick starts a mid-album slab of synth-driven perfection that shows Numan here really is on form and at the top of his game…the video for the track was shot in the blistering Californian desert, with his 11-year old daughter Persia providing equally sweet and haunting backing vocals, layering some incredibly melodic pop-hooks and soft industrial rock, it’s simply hypnotic, before “The End Of Things”, utilising string sections and what sounds like an old children’s xylophone allows the track to appear swathed in innocence, but despite an incredibly catchy chorus, it reeks of bitter disappointment and despair…”And It All Began With You” has some sprinklings of piano which coupled with Numan’s hushed vocal tone, it’s so beautifully peaceful, a track about finding solace through the struggle, before “When The World Comes Apart” brings you back around with a more guitar driven approach, bitter and angry, questioning God, showing a complete and justified lack of faith, it’s a powerful track…then after a couple of far-from unpleasant offerings we finish up on “Broken”; for the most part instrumental, or as so it first seems, but it closes the album, and the concept wonderfully…Numan stating that he’s seen it all happen in front of his very eyes, skies of fire, oceans…all dry…the world as we know it is dead and the back drop is this incredibly sullen, almost cinematic style score…very emotional, and full of equal parts regret and guilt.

Gary Numan may not be a household name as such but you certainly have heard of him…and nearly 40 years into his career, for him to be making albums of this calibre is fantastic…his broken world may be fictional on record, but it’s based in truth…and as artistic as it is, we need to listen to the message here, the Mad Max lifestyle isn’t as cool as it looks…[9]

There have been countless times within these pages where I’ve celebrated the heritage of heavy metal, celebrating one of the UK’s greatest gifts to the world, but it’s not just these British Isles with a rich history of bands! Not at all…so today, we’re going to turn our attention to Germany and more specifically, to a band by the name of ACCEPT. Formed in Solingen back in the 1976, Accept helped pave the way for a lot of what we now define as speed or thrash metal, further cementing their status by celebrating a fair amount of success with 1983’s “Balls To The Wall”, but, as time went on, the fire inside began to fade and in 1997, they disbanded. Luckily for metal fans however, there was to be a second wind and a new lease of life…in 2009 they reformed with a new vocalist; Mark Tornillo and in the subsequent years they’ve had possibly their best commercial success to date with all three of their recent album charting incredibly well! They hope to continue this with their newest album; “The Rise Of Chaos”…let chaos ensue…

We open up with “Die By The Sword” it’s got a very traditional, dramatic slow-build intro…the duel attack of founding members Wolf Hoffman and Peter Baltes on guitar and bass respectively gives this a primarily classical vibe with their chugging riff approach…the chorus has almost choir-esque chanting and gang vocals accompanying Tornillo (who has a decent range it must be said) and it’s effective in its simplicity, its catchy enough and lifts the track a little…further highlights include “Koolaid” which on surface value may appear to be an incredibly random attempt at sponsorship, but in actuality Hoffman will tell you it’s derived from a mass suicide in Guyana back in 1978, where over nine hundred people drank flavoured Cyanide and took their own lives in what was dubbed a “revolutionary suicide” by the hands of settlement leader Jim Jones…a really interesting listen, while “Worlds Colliding”, while utilising some solid hard rock, combined with slick, catchy hooks perfectly captures the feel of the song’s message…it’s very spiritual and steeped in self-discovery, the ying and yang of your inner self, the good and the bad, finding where the two meet and making that separation (if you can)…and that solo too…this is very enjoyable.

Elsewhere tracks such as the album’s title track and “Analog Man” carry messages themselves, the former highlighting the issues we face worldwide in present time, the chaos we have ourselves created and the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into…the world is a dangerous place and we’re not helping matters at all, while the latter focuses on the advances in technology and in a tongue-in-cheek look at themselves as older veterans of metal, they poke fun at themselves for being old-school, preferring simpler times, mentioning 8-Tracks and iClouds…it’s quirky and proves an entertaining listen…closing track “Race To Extinction” adds to this with a sense of, having a  lack of faith in humanity…we’re tripping over ourselves with advancements and progress but we’re killing the planet, it’s really quite deep and poignant…musically, the majority of the album plods along with a traditional metal feel, looped riffs, the odd solo thrown in for good measure but other than that, there are moments here where it can feel stagnant. While the metal itself may be good, it’s pigeonholed within an era to some degree and again, targets a certain demographic of listener…it’s not to say it’s a bad album by any means, they’ve covered some strong and relevant topics here and it’s been produced well but, for the most part it goes through the metal motions. Less chaos more, rinse repeat…[7]

Transylvania…while it did indeed exist as a region (we just call it central Romania these days), when you hear the word, the first thing you conjure up is the image of Count Dracula in his castle in the Carpathian mountains…moonlight, creepy forestry, bats…the traditional vampire lore and all of its clichés…so when a band by the name of BLOODY HAMMERS forms out of Transylvania County, North Carolina in the United States, it’s absolutely no surprise to learn where a lot of their influence is derived. With a lot of their album art influenced by old-school horror movie posters, and music inspired by the likes of BLACK SABBATH and NICK CAVE, you can tell right away we’re in for a gloomy treat and just recently they dropped a brand new EP by the name of “The Horrific Case Of The Bloody Hammers”…Have they come to suck your blood or, do they just suck? Let’s find out…

We rather appropriately open up at the “Gates Of Hell” and it gives the listener a pretty good idea as to where this EP is heading thematically. Musically we’re treated to a classic surge of hard rock riffs and chugging bass, while front-man Anders Manga’s deep vocals add character and a sense of dread...add to that a spooky yet catchy organ fill, it’s a decent opener…the organ provides us with the introduction on follow up track “Blood” too and it’s clear the band are very much in gimmick, though I don’t mean that in a derogatory sense…although generally slower than our opener, its tone is very brooding, bass-driven until the chorus comes to life with another surge of hard rock…seriously if Dracula had his own in-house band it’d probably be these guys…you can imagine Bela Lugosi hanging there, upside down, head-banging away…

“The Beyond” shifts in tone entirely and here we have an even slower, morose, otherworldly rock ballad…it’s very dreary as Anders sings of an inhuman being, avoiding contact with humanity, awaiting his journey home for he knows they don’t understand, they fear what they can’t comprehend and will kill him and you can’t help but feel guilty, as it resonates to a degree in today’s climate…a lack of understanding culturally, religiously, racially; alienation…and it’s quite a powerful track. “The Blood Sucker Leads The Dance” is similar in its tone and delivers a really dark, haunting track that easily channels the influence of Nick Cave, the melancholic poetry providing one of the EP’s clear highlights, before we finish up on “All The Colours Of The Dark”…a really trippy, synth driven piece, from the perspective of (from what I can gather) a would-be bride of Dracula…he’s watched her, he’s chosen her, he’s taken her and imprisoned her, she longs to see the light of day again but she’s helpless, and he waits for her inevitable submission, there’s a good story behind this track and it closes the EP well. I feel the balance between the classic rock and almost stoner-inspired gothic elements is just right here and it suits the theme and concept perfectly…there’s nothing horrific about this EP at all, it’s actually an enjoyable listen…those bloody hammers…why do you turn this blog into a house of lies? [7]

It has to be said, I like the simple things in life; you know like, irony…I have a thing for irony, I’m easily amused! The concept of being run over by an ambulance for example tickles me, or a vegan with aggressive hay fever (even the plants are fed up of you..) so when an intense, post-hardcore black metal band called HEXIS comes along, I had to chuckle…Hexis if you didn’t know derives from a Latin term meaning stable disposition…so the two naturally go hand in hand… (I’m calm…I’m calm…I’m calm…I’M GOING TO BURN DOWN THAT FUCKING CHURCH!) But all jokes aside, since their formation in Copenhagen in 2010, they’ve been pretty busy! They’ve already released 4 split singles, 2 full length albums and this; “XII” (featuring Filip Andersen on vocals, Victor on both bass and guitar, and Tommaso on drums) is their 4th EP…not bad for seven years! Let’s compose ourselves and check it out…

We open up with the brutally brief “Derelictus” and as its name suggests it lays waste to all before it with little to no remorse…leaving the listener a hollow, abandoned shell, empty of reason. A real bullet point of a track at just over a minute in length, it hits hard and fast with a flurry of furious riffs coupled with raspy, hellish vocals and pummelling percussion and, just like the onslaught of a winter storm, it’s over as soon as it starts, a ferocious introduction  this…we follow up with “Nefarius” and it utilises a slower introduction, allowing the listener to compose themselves if only momentarily…it’s brooding and really rather wicked in tone which again, befits its name, before we’re subject to yet more horrifyingly fast black-metal riffs and percussion…

The rest of the EP continues in a similar fashion pretty much…”Famelicus” slots directly in behind and plays with a morbid sense of desperation…equally unrelenting, and with the cries of “Nothing is sacred”…you feel there is a hunger for purpose…it hammers home a sense of suffering, while “Miseria” flows through with smooth continuation…another short one at two minutes, it soon bursts into life with pent up demonic rage, before closing track “Sacrificium” ends things on a very dramatic, almost cinematic note…the whole track comes across as grand, epic and climatic and rounds things off very well…inspired by the likes of CELESTE and THOU…you can hear where the influences of sludge and hardcore have combined with their Danish/Scandinavian black metal roots and it’s created a wall of noise that’s certainly not to be scoffed at…at just five tracks, it’s worth enduring the intensity to get through this beastly little EP…which gives you just over a quarter of an hour to go burn down that church. [5]

Let’s take a minute to talk about taste…everyone has taste in something. Sometimes you question it and say someone has “bad taste”…be it in clothes or films or food or music…but it’s human, we’re all different, if we all liked the same things, we’d be boring or, I’d imagine it’s what it’s like living in North Korea…I digress, anyway,  you’ll never find me wearing tracksuit bottoms for example or, you won’t find me watching romantic comedies, or, you won’t find me ever enjoying R’n’B…it’s not in my taste! I hate them! But that’s OK! However, when someone comes along and shares the same interests and tastes as you, you become one of The Inbetweeners…”Ooh Friend!”… This happened very recently with regards to a band from Warsaw, Poland, who emailed me their new EP; “Eternal Hunger”…the band, who formed in 2014, is called THE POISONED HEARTS and they are the culmination of all things I love in music. Their name is derived from THE RAMONES track “Poison Heart”…and their influences include SISTERS OF MERCY…JOY DIVISION…THE CURE…all of the original alt. bands that paved the way for goth rock as we know it…misery loves company as they say, so let’s check it out! Ooh friend!

We open up with “The Ancient One” and we’re greeted with a very soft, delicate guitar tone with some ever so slightly darker underlying bass-driven synths…it’s incredibly simplistic and carries a really good, catchy hook, harking back to those early days of new wave alternative pop, vocally, Lukasz Boldyn delivers a brilliant performance channeling the likes of Andrew Eldritch and Jyrki Linnankivi…it captures the tone of the era and the humble beginnings of the genre perfectly, this is both nostalgic and refreshing, a good start. Following on from here we have the first of two covers and oh boy have they picked a classic…everyone knows the emotional story of Ian Curtis, one of rock ‘n’ rolls saddest chapters, immortalised in the posthumous Joy Division hit “Love Will Tear Us Apart”…here they’ve taken the iconic song and stripped it back, making it a little darker, a little grittier but it’s lost none of its melancholic charm…as soon as you hear that riff, you can’t help but feel happy and sad at the same time and they’ve done it justice here, beautiful.

The second cover is “Alice” by goth-rock godfathers Sisters Of Mercy…it’s not one of their bigger hits but here the band have perfectly paid homage to the retro charm of those early forays into alt. rock, the production quality is incredibly precise; it’s so nostalgic, it feels like you actually have been transported to the 80’s, and here Lukasz voice is perfect, absolutely spot on for this, it’s brilliant. The remaining two original tracks “When The Dawn Is Coming” and “Deadline”, despite being good themselves are always going to live in the shadows of the aforementioned…the former carrying a lighter, positive tone, having a soothing feeling, whereas the latter, with its slower, more morose delivery is probably the weakest track on the EP. However, overall, there’s nothing here you can really complain about…if you’re a fan of old-school alternative rock and have missed the youthful post-punk heyday’s of your upbringing, TPH will provide you with a quality blast from the past, for this truly sounds like the real deal…go on…get your goth on. [8]

It feels like only yesterday I was here talking about FiXT and their roster of artists inspired by all things electronic and, in particular, I recently reviewed an artist by the name of LVL…despite living in the shadow of his brother Klayton (CELLDWELLER/SCANDROID/CIRCLE OF DUST) it didn’t stop him from making a go of things himself and in 1999 he released an album by the name of “Devil’s Advocate”…primarily consisting of rough, industrial style electronica, it found itself being re-released this month, digitally, for the first time ever but, sadly, it hadn’t aged well and despite the inclusion of brand new bonus tracks, it was a little bit disappointing…however…we currently find ourselves with yet another reissue; “Denial”. Yes in 2003 LVL returned and instead of continuing where he left off, he tried approaching it from a new angle, ditching the industrial heaviness and the guitars in favour of a softer, synthetic style, more akin to the artists on the roster today…and again, featuring not one, not two but six bonus tracks…does this record fair a little better digitally remastered? Let’s find out…

We begin with “End Title” and while initially confusing, it turns out I only wish this actually was the end, but I’ll get to that…the track itself utilises soft, pulsing synths as we meander through a slow introduction…vocally at times Dan can come across as a little strained as if he’s not accustomed to performing in this soft trance style, some notes seem forced…while there is an ever so brief inclusion of chugging guitar as if he can’t shift old habits but it’s barely worth including, it really is pointless. “Open Mind” is one of few highlights over the course of this record…again steeped in synth but rich in an 80’s new wave alternative pop influence, there’s more of a hook here but it’s subtle, quite restrained and in ways reminiscent of say, JAPAN, especially during the chorus, it’s a pleasant listen. While we’re looking for highlights, “Home” has a far more interesting, up-tempo vibe…it’s incredibly energetic and houses elements of 90’s era dance / house…that transitional period between illegal raves and commercial Clubland style EDM…it’s good to have something to move to! I referred to shaking old habits but, “IELI” returns with the down tuned guitars with a very BABYLON ZOO style offering, but, at less than two minutes it’s less Woo! More…why? It serves no purpose other than annoying the listener by dangling the carrot…elsewhere, there is a Celldweller remix of “Home” at the very end of the album at track 20…yes 20…that again utilises dance-pop elements to provide some easy listening…everything else? Sadly everything else falls flat…

“The Wasted” and “No Choice” are no more than filler instrumentals and add nothing to the album, wasted, yes, and you DID have a choice but you still included them…likewise with bonus track “Holding”…simply unnecessary…”A Satisfaction” runs at this dreary, flat, dull tone throughout, coupled with hushed vocals, it’s a song stuck in 1st gear…so too with “What Free Is”, it just drones along and vocally it grates on you…while “Instinctive Reaction” is like most things here, slow, dreary and repetitive. Upon hearing LVL had tweaked his sound to a more synth-driven project as opposed to the grungy, raw post-industrial style of his debut, I was optimistic…there would be room for a more polished record, more hooks and catchier, more entertaining track-listing…instead sadly we have more of the same just stripped back and toned down…it’s ambient but little else and to be perfectly honest, by the end of the 14 original songs, let alone the 6 additional bonus tracks…you’re left, well…bored. As I was saying, end title…should have left it at that. [4]

If you listen to rock or metal, or, hell ANY genre in some capacity then, odds on you’ve heard the word elitist thrown around, often as a derogatory term…you probably know one (there’s always one)…proclaiming that, so-and-so’s original material was FAR superior to their recent stuff or, generally just living in the past like a Liverpool fan and telling everyone everything was better back in the day…sounding familiar? I’m looking at you METALLICA fans...the reaction from bands however can vary. Take LINKIN PARK for example…a real case of not giving a single fuck about the fans that kept pining for “Hybrid Theory” 2.0 by doing what they wanted each and every time, evolving with each new album…sadly, following on from their controversial last release, Chester Bennington is no longer with us and we have to live with our harsh words forever…other bands mind you go back to the drawing board…bands like PARADISE LOST.

When they started out back in the late 80’s, they were pioneering in the doom metal genre, perfectly combining thrash-driven underground metal with deep, dark, gothic morbidity for a truly despairing sound and they paved the way for so many artists over the years…but like all bands, they dabbled and over a brief period towards the late 90’s, they went softer, more electronic and to be honest, while never truly flopping critically, they pissed a lot of fans off…ever since though, they’ve been on an on-going journey to return to that dark past, to dig up those roots and rediscover themselves and oh boy have they found some treasure here. 2017 see’s the Yorkshire metal veterans continue on a fine run of form following on from 2015’s “The Plague Within” with their brand new album “Medusa”…let’s hope we don’t turn to stone…

We open up with “Fearless Sky” and we’re met with a genuinely menacing introduction…the soft but haunting sound of the organ gives the track a sense of grandiose horror, it’s chilling and really sets a dark tone going forward, before Gregor Mackintosh enters the fray with his trademark, evil guitar sound; slow deep riffs and ear piercing wails…while vocalist Nick Holmes unleashing his hellish, unforgiving growls, commands your attention like few other front-men. With a few key-changes over the tracks 8-minute+ run-time including a hard-rock climatic flurry, its one hell of a re-acquaintance and gets this album underway nothing short of perfectly. “Gods Of Ancient” and “The Longest Winter” continue this nostalgic happiness effortlessly…with the former harking back to their early days of sludgy, doom-laden riffs and an overall darkness in its presentation, while the latter taking a note from BLACK SABBATH starts with rainfall, a ravens call…there’s an echo to the guitar here and Holmes’ softer vocals coupled with the slow gothic-metal approach would please fans of TYPE-O-NEGATIVE…wonderful stuff…

They aren’t always gloomy however, as “Blood And Chaos” proves brilliantly…the up-tempo offering despite it’s obvious aggression utilises some genuinely catchy hooks and has a really infectious rhythm, it’s really accessible and being one of the shorter tracks, it’s very easy listening, providing a clear album highlight with its contrast, likewise with “Shrines”; using more groove and a more delicate guitar, it’s got a more sultry, morose gothic feel…there’s a feeling of sorrow and mourning here and it’s beautiful in its own despairing way, before we finish up on “Symbolic Virtue”…classic as it comes with Mackintosh counteracting a sweet layer of piano with his strong gloomy riffs and the result is sinister yet harmonic, closing proceedings very well. Nearly 30 years into their career, Paradise Lost are still proving few can touch them when it comes to brutal, gothic misery, they really are masters of their craft…not even Perseus could top this one…[8]

There’s an old saying; if at first you don’t succeed…you’re not Chuck Norris…but, all jokes aside, the idea is that if you want to become good at something or, achieve something, you’re going to need to practice. There are steps to take and it doesn’t matter who or where you are in the world, everyone starts at the bottom. For bands this can be incredibly testing; some get a lucky break with a hit single or grab the right attention through consistent local gigs (word of mouth is still a powerful thing!), some take years to get recognised and some just fizzle out before ever getting noticed, because this way of life is so competitive and demanding, not everyone can do it. If you’ve got the passion and the desire however, time is merely an obstacle…and BLIND DIVIDE make this point brilliantly. The heavy metal outfit (consisting of vocalist James Birkett, guitarists Adam Duffield and James Ponsford, bassist Dellan McCabe and drummer Anthony Ellis) formed in Cardiff back in 2007 and, over the past ten years, they’ve been in and out of the local scene, releasing low-fi home demos and generally finding their feet, finding where they belong in the world and finally, now in 2017, we find them releasing their official debut self-titled EP. Shall we follow blindly or shall opinions be divided? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Heaven’s Gallows” and good god they don’t waste any time whatsoever! We’re greeted with pummeling ferocity within nanoseconds! The riffs and percussion are intense and unrelenting, while James’ vocals are nothing short of brutal…the sheer unforgiving onslaught showing the band are done with waiting, this is a statement of intent, this is Blind Divide and you will pay attention…a blistering start this. The same too can be said for “Scourge Of Humanity”; the sinister tone of the guitar work coupled with certain thrash-metal elements entwined within the texture of the track allowing for a rich listening experience, the influence of bands such as LAMB OF GOD can be heard here too, providing a solid groove, which can also be said for EP highlight “Pathfinder”…its very “The Sacrament” era and despite it’s obvious heaviness there’s more melody and an overall smoothness to proceedings here; it’s very well balanced but loses absolutely nothing in terms of its lack of forgiveness.

If there are any faults here at all however, it would have to be “Source” and even then they’re minor…with a track under three minutes long, you’d expect them to really hammer home the aggression and take no prisoners with a really intense thrash-inspired piece, something pacey; something hungry…but instead the track feels longer than its run time. There are stripped down segments that make the track feel drawn out unnecessarily and it loses some of its bite as a result. However, in the grand scheme of things, Blind Divide have finally delivered and this can easily make a huge impact on the Welsh underground metal scene…with the likes of CHAOS TRIGGER growing and growing and events such as Eradication and Celtic Mosh both highlighting and championing artists such as this then going forward, they have all the promise in the world to make a name for themselves…uninitiated? Allow the blind to lead the blind…[7]

Tequila, vegetables and…glitter? No, this isn’t one of those random-ass lists from Keenan & Kel, this is actually (or apparently, I should say) a winning formula for PRETTY LITTLE ENEMY. The self-proclaimed “Metal ABBA” (I wish I was joking when I typed that, I really do) formed in Somerset back in 2015 and are looking to steadily grow and gain momentum with their blend of riff-heavy pop-rock. Consisting of vocalist Louise Body, guitarist Georgia Bell, bassist Jason Coles and drummer Ben Dean, the four-piece (who have already shared stages with the likes of THE LOUNGE KITTENS and CRAZYTOWN) are looking to follow up last years “Bitch Please!” with their brand new EP “Second Load”, scheduled for release on September 15th…let’s take a second to check it out…

We open up with lead single “Get A Grip” and right away we’re met with some meaty, hard-rock riffs and generic crunchy guitars; there’s nothing overly complicated here, pretty straightforward to be honest but it’s got some weight, before Louise kicks in with her impassioned vocals…and it’s a rather annoyingly 50/50 offering. While there are glimmers of promise as she proves she can both hold and hit some pleasant notes, while most importantly showing emotion in her delivery, sometimes she comes across as just a tad rough and shouty…and sadly, the song descends into a poor case of repetition, becoming rather methodical and plodding as it drags along, struggling to retain real interest as lines are repeated. Second single “Collide” is substantially better it has to be said…continuing with a core hard-rock sound but with a lot more enjoyable melody; it flows a lot easier with a far more appealing rhythm…it’s got it’s pop elements with certain catchy hooks, key changes, layers of subtle acoustics and it works well, but…that breakdown? Really…that breakdown…it benefits nothing. It really does feel dragged out; an unnecessary pause, no diversity, it feels like mid-song filler and ultimately spoils the track…a track which really didn’t need an attempt at a heavy breakdown, we get enough of that in metalcore, don’t go jumping on the bandwagon guys and gals…

​“Play By The Rules” utilises a start/stop approach for the most part, with the guitar work breaking intermittently for Louise’s vocals, which again, do hit some encouraging notes and she can carry a song well, there’s enough depth there, enough diversity through here to break the song up nicely, whether she’s releasing pent up frustration or hitting powerful notes, or even with her hushed segments, she’s the main focus however musically it’s really rather generic…and the, solo? Is it a solo? It’s one of two things…they forgot to cut it from the master tape or Georgia fucking panicked during recording because honestly, they can’t be happy with that? Listen to it…you tell me, before finally we finish on “It’s All Just A Show” and honestly they’ve saved the best until last. It’s got that extra swagger, that extra dash of attitude within the pop-hooks and melodic qualities; this here is the foot tapper you’ve been waiting for, there’s another breakdown but a little more lively than the previous one so, there’s improvement there, it has to be said. Ultimately PLE have a solid template and some steady foundations to go forward from here in the near future…they’ve got a capable vocalist in Louise and musically their aim is fine but right now they are just short of the mark, a little polishing is all they need and maybe tone down the riffs and the breakdowns…as daft as it sounds, you call yourselves the metal ABBA, I’m sorry I just want to hear more ABBA! Use that inspiration! One of the most iconic pop groups of all time, embrace that, don’t shy away from it, I’d pick a smooth melody with a great hook over a generic breakdown any day of the week…there’s promise here, but they’re not up there with THE DIRTY YOUTH and SKARLETT RIOT yet. [4]

Continuity; this is something that affects most forms of media but, it’s most noticeable in film and television…the links and plot development between scenes or episodes needs to be coherent otherwise it’s a bit pointless…and this also applies to music, especially when artists release concept series or sets. For example, GREENDAY tried it with a trilogy; “¡Uno!”, “¡Dos!” and “¡Tré!”…the three full albums eventually creating a mini box set but, ultimately, they had run out of steam by the end of the third and it fizzled out, it was a bit much and the quality started slipping as a result, in the end coming across as really mediocre…WILLIAM CONTROL on the other hand is doing it more sensibly. At the tail end of 2016, WC unveiled his first full project since the departure of AIDEN…it was to be entitled “Revelations” and it would be a series of EP’s, four in fact, based on the four horsemen of the apocalypse…so far we’ve had “Pale” and “Black” and it’s safe to say WC has fully embraced a sleeker, more polished pop music approach to his music, and accompanied by his new backing band, THE NEUROMANTIC BOYS, he’s embracing the seedy neon glow of the 80’s. We currently find ourselves with his third installment; “Red”…let’s check it out…

The EP opens up with “Kiss The Girl” and immediately we’re subject to the light, bubbly keyboards so synonymous with 80’s synth-pop…it’s incredibly up-beat and vibrant and it’s tone perfectly captures the real feel of the era, channeling influence from the likes of PET SHOP BOYS and NEW ORDER…full of pop hooks but blanketing a darkness of his character, virtually pining to be dominated…with gang vocals too provided by fans invited to the studio, it’s a real orgy in your ear canal, a strong start. EP highlight “Let Her Go” follows up and again we’re thrown into the past with a truly retro dance–pop number steeped in electronica; it’s got such a positive tone and the new-wave style seems tailor made for Control, this is incredibly infectious, coupled with the subtle layering of “Violator” era DEPECHE MODE within the track; about the sadistic pleasures of love, the risks involved with opening up your heart to vulnerability, it just oozes quality, providing one of the best tracks of the whole series.

“Scar” kicks in and I honestly thought I was watching “Stranger Things” on Netflix, both intro’s are structured very similarly in tone, simplistic, soft keys, almost creepy, before lyrically we’ve got a beautifully deep track about losing faith, embracing lust and it leading you to fall from grace, morally speaking…giving in to desire with no physical or spiritual restrictions, before we wrap things up with the generally methodical “Submit”. Again, in character, it explores feelings and the mind set of BDSM lifestyles; it’s not something casual, if you’re in, you’re in, there are roles and you commit to them, physically and mentally, you give up your body and mind but there’s trust…musically it’s quite morose, almost disappointed…like William has been let down by someone revolving this. With regards to the four horsemen, red represents war, and here throughout the EP you can feel the war rages within…the turmoil of emotions, confliction of lifestyle and it resonates through the four tracks on this latest EP…resulting in another solid offering. Let’s just hope it isn’t released in North Korea…those fuckers don’t need any encouragement! [7]

Ohhh nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol…C-c-c-c-c-cocaine!!! No, I’m not talking you’re average shopping list from the Gurnos estate (although it’s pretty damn accurate) I’m obviously referring to iconic stoner-rockers QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE…yes, that “Feel Good Hit Of The Summer”, however tongue in cheek, propelled the desert dwelling Californian’s to instant stardom and, over the course of time, several well received albums and endorsements by the likes of Dave Grohl, they’ve become one of the biggest names in rock music, but, things have been quiet for a couple of years now. The last we heard of them was back in 2013 when they ironically dropped “…Like Clockwork”…and aside from some work front-man Josh Homme has been doing with IGGY POP, QOTSA have been dormant…until now. At the tail end of August, they unveiled their brand new album “Villains”…a decidedly more care-free album according to the band, a little looser…have they taken stoner rock quite literally? Let’s find out…

We open up with “Feet Don’t Fail Me” and after a lengthy intro, consisting of very little other than tinny, echoed guitar tone, soft synths and hushed percussion…it’s got certain qualities to it that would honestly see it befitting on a show like "Stranger Things", it’s quite dark and trippy…before the track kicks in properly. It’s pleasant enough, the rhythm and overall feel of the song is very generic and methodical at its core, it’s really quite basic, only the subtle synths breaking the monotony, though it’s fitting with Homme’s distinctive drawl, but there’s a solo mind you (at least I think it’s meant to be a solo), incredibly brief but oh god does it sound off, however intentional the tone, it’s honestly excruciating to listen to, really spoiling the song. “The Way You Used To Do” follows up and is redemption enough…it’s a far more positive, up-beat track, although still simplistic, harking back to the early days of rock ‘n’ roll with its basic percussion and repetitive style, it flows nicely, accompanied with the hand-claps it’s got a feeling of movement, the old dance-all days of swing and it’s got a great climatic flurry with the guitars turned up a notch, this is much better.

Further highlight’s include the short, almost punk-a-billy inspired “Head Like A Haunted House”…it’s a sharp dose of energy and the whole thing, again, harks back to an almost 1950’s style of American rock ‘n’ roll,  aided by the inclusion of subtle electronica, it’s like an amalgamation of two era’s with a slight hint of B-Movie feature thrown in for the full retro package, while standout track “Fortress”, despite being more restrained, combines string sections and a soothing, morose tone with further synth elements for simple but effective hooks…there’s more melody here, it really is loose, it’s a band relaxed and just enjoying themselves, it is laid back, it is care free and that carries over through the listener, allowing you to just kick back and enjoy…sadly however, the rest of the album  fails to hit the mark. “Domesticated Animals” for example is incredibly slow and practically lifeless…its really quite a boring listen, likewise too on “The Evil Has Landed”…there are moments when tracks pick up the pace but it’s sadly too little too late for the most part, before the album closes on “Villains Of Circumstance”; rounding off proceedings with a disappointingly dull listen…again, there is a flurry of life at the end but it doesn’t make up for it too well. It’s not a terrible album, for what it’s worth…it’s within its style and QOTSA have approached this record with a sound and theme in mind, and there are moments to take away from this, but you can’t help but think back to the likes of “Go With The Flow” and “Little Sister” and just wish they’d turn it up again. It may be called villains but, the only crime they’ve really committed here is for the most part subjecting the listener to boredom. [5]

Ah the internet; such a wonderful invention…for professional procrastinators such as myself, hours of fun can be had on YouTube, laughing at DT rant on Arsenal Fan TV…reliving my childhood watching the likes of Continue? and AVGN playing retro video games…joining in with a healthy WWE debate with Oli Davies and Luke Owen on Wrestle Ramble…but on a more serious note, its allowed me to hear music that I otherwise really wouldn’t have heard if it hadn’t existed. I’ve mentioned in previous posts that there have been PR companies and labels that have so generously forwarded me music from around the world, from Spain to Sweden, from Finland to France and beyond…even America, which is pretty damn cool, and it’s incredible to know that, even on the smallest scale, something you’ve done has reached out internationally in some capacity. I recently received an email with a private request off a band by the name of ZAIPH and I believe it’s a GTGC first, as they originally formed in Argentina! Yes, formed in San Francisco in the province of Córdoba by singer/keyboardist Nico Moroni, they released their debut album “Echlectic” back in 2011, but now, having relocated to Toulouse, France, they’ve found themselves working with Dan Swanö (who’s worked with the likes of OPETH and KATATONIA) for the brand new album “New Era”…have they found their missing prog puzzle piece? Let’s find out…

The album gets underway with “Tomorrow’s Promises”  and a deep, social-political quote from the late THE BEATLES icon John Lennon…it’s in its own way revolutionary, urging society to wake up to the lies fed down to them by government and world leaders, for tomorrows promises are essentially false, and we fall for it every time we vote…musically it’s delivered with a hard dose of riff-fuelled metal; both guitar work and percussion is assertive here while vocally, Nico sings with a disdain and disbelief, before the prog-inspired qualities reveal themselves near the end with a gentle shift in tone and a piano-led fill, soothing the listener, before the guitar, steeped in melody reawakens like an epiphany; a strong start here. “Wild Beauty” is much slower to begin with and leans more towards doom-based metal in its morose tone…you can hear the likes of Opeth but also early PARADISE LOST too as the track rounds off with surging, deep, bass-driven riffs.

“Blow!!!” continues on from this and here you can sense that they’ve derived influence from rock and metal both old and new for a well-rounded sound; here for instance you can taste the classic style of early METALLICA but melodically you get a sense of GHOST layered within the tapestry of the track, while “Gates”, utilising a solid up-tempo rhythm, sounding energised and to a degree spacey, has elements of KILLING JOKE, resulting in an album highlight, yet on the flip-side but no less appealing, is the gentle, acoustic-led “Song Of The Mountain”, with its subtle native/tribal feel courtesy of wood instruments and pipes; it’s really quite enchanting, a welcome respite.

The good thing about prog-metal is essentially the open-minded approach to writing and playing, there are no real boundaries or restrictions, and the possibilities are endless when it comes to experimenting with sound, which is why this album is so rich in diversity…”The Butterflies Carrousel” , despite its initial ferocity transitions into an almost soft-jazz interlude…it’s got brass elements and is quite emotional, almost soulful, before we end rather conceptually with the double header of “Conscious Minds” and “13 Lunas”…touching upon the album art; the notion of interstellar, large scale Ouroboros..the infinite cycle of creation and destruction, it’s beyond our control and we must essentially accept it, free our minds of worry and live…cleanse ourselves mentally, the closing track fading out, as though a metaphor for letting go of negativity, setting ourselves free and it works very well. There may be a lot to take in upon the first play-through, but the depth here only makes “New Era” that much better with each and every listen. With their name taken from the 6th brightest star in the constellation of Orion, Zaiph are prepared to boldly go where, no sound has gone before. [7]