Back in 2015, THE DIRTY YOUTH were primed and ready to spearhead a new wave of Welsh alternative rock. Their sophomore album “Gold Dust” received critical acclaim (Including most importantly of course, my own) and fans were lapping up their evolution as artists. While they experimented with new styles and ideas, not only did their sound grow, but so did their reputation as one of the UK’s hottest rising bands…and I guess you could say they had a golden touch?

Their rise continued while touring with established acts such as INME, ALIEN ANT FARM and FOZZY, resulting eventually in them finding themselves being the first ever signees to the newly created Marshall Records, with their new material set to be recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios. However, after the initial release of the single “Hurricane”, things seemed to come off the boil…the gold dust had settled and everything seemed quiet. Fast forward to 2019 and the band are no longer on the Marshal Records roster (With “No Results Found” on the website) and they’ve released their anticipated third album with the help of Kickstarter…so what happened? Let’s search “Utopia” for some answers…

We open up with the title track and we’re initially met with the apparent childlike innocence of a glockenspiel, before we make way for the more familiar, up-tempo rocking instrumentation we’ve come to expect. The ideology of the intro here, seeming to metaphorically at least take us back to simpler times, with the song itself then acting as a rallying cry of sorts. Lyrically we deal with concepts of revolutions, scrapping societal norms and starting afresh for a better world…there’s a sense of frustration fuelling this track and it’s a decent opener.

If you’re familiar with The Dirty Youth you’ll likely expect a fair few decent tracks spanning this new record, given their previous, and really here you won’t be too disappointed. “Horizon” continues the bands experimentation with a more futuristic, electronic sound, combining simplistic hooks and riffs, a quaint piano melody and layered synths, for a catchy piece of alt. pop. If you prefer TDY of old though, then you’ll more than likely get a kick out of “One Dance”…with it’s harder percussion and a more guitar driven approach it’s one of the rockiest, traditional sounding tracks on the album and Danni flexes her vocals that bit more, allowing for a really bold, really enjoyable track. By contrast, “Lights” utilises a far slower build, opting for a more soulful, power-pop / ballad aesthetic…this chorus is absolutely bouncing however and it’s this dichotomy that makes the track appealing; full of emotive and instrumental fluctuation.

Their previous single makes a reappearance here as “Hurricane Pt.2” and here we find the track has been given a bit of a makeover; a slight revamp, as it’s considerably more up-beat and up-tempo, sounding more like a polished track as opposed to more of a demo, which this makes the initial single sound like now. “The Ballad Of San Frandisco” also reappears having undergone the same treatment. No longer a B-side; its synth-driven retro qualities make for a clear album highlight, and it still gets brownie points for the name. San Frandisco…made me do a chuckle that.

The rest of the album to be fair maintains a fairly solid, consistent level of quality…there are no real negatives here to be perfectly honest. The band know how to reel you in with a good hook, they’ve always written great melodies, and when called upon, they CAN rock out with the best of them…I guess the only real issue of this record, is that there isn’t enough of that. The ten tracks here are fine, there’s nothing wrong with the run-time, but there are times you can’t help but feel this is a band that are, for some reason, holding back. Danni Monroe has a truly remarkable voice and can properly belt them out, but there’s a level of restraint here for some reason and it stops this album going from good to great. It’s not lacking quality, but at times it is lacking a bit more oomph…The Dirty Youth here sound a bit too…clean? [7]

We live in a world where everything seems to be, well, for want of a better word; fucked. The USA is, in many cases, devolving rapidly as a country socio-politically when it comes to human rights. Between deportation issues, police brutality and abortion debates; it’s becoming less ‘united’ by the day. Speaking of the US, mass shootings! Popular as ever apparently! We’ve got Boris Johnson this side of the pond, who, for all intents and purposes is like, an Everyday Value version of Donald Trump, despite his privileged upbringing, and he’s attempting to questionably force the country through a geo-political trade clusterfuck. The Amazon rainforest is STILL on fire, which is far more important than Notre Dame burning but hey, it’s only trees so that’s fine I’m guessing? It’s not like we need to, you know, breathe? People continue to watch Love Island, reaffirming the rise in mental health issues and for some reason, McDonald’s named their new burger the “Double Quarter Pounder”…guys…I don’t know if you noticed…but two quarters makes a half? It’s…it’s literally a half pounder. I thought it was just failed students that worked there who need to whip their dick out just to count to eleven, turns out their marketing team struggle with maths too! Alas, when we’re faced with all of this…we need a beacon of hope, and a message of reassurance and positivity…and that’s where THE MAINE come in with their new album “You Are OK”.

The Arizona-based alt. pop-rockers have been around since 2007 and have built themselves a loyal following over the years. After early tours supporting the likes of GOOD CHARLOTTE and THE ACADEMY IS…, 2019 welcomes them back with their 7th studio album, to remind everyone one that, while there’s a lot going tits up in the world, you’re doing alright. So without further ado let’s cast out any negativity and realise that we are indeed OK. The album opens up with a touch of macabre courtesy of “Slip The Noose” and it’s about a special encounter, leading to salvation and safety. That special someone that manages to let you see and think clearly, preventing you from doing something you’ll regret is so invaluable in life, and it’s delivered with an up-beat dose of happy-go-lucky indie-pop. It’s got some light riffs, some strings and some solid drum fills, yet manages to retain a sort of, MARK OWEN pop-vibe vocally.

“Numb Without You” lyrically highlights a juxtaposition of feelings and emotions that all flourish at once during a relationship; both negative and positive…and like marriage vows typically state, “For better or worse”, it means life and love will have up’s and down’s, but it’s testament to your character how you overcome the worst bits to flourish in the best, and this track champions that very mind set. With more string accompaniment, we’re given a sweeping emo-inspired pop anthem with soaring gang vocals and it’s got an impassioned chorus. Album highlight “Heaven, We’re Already There” takes that formula and refines it to deliver a much more intense, hook-laden synth-tinged, emo-rock banger that, in places reminds of KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES during the chorus and it’s an absolute belter of a track this, really well done.

Elsewhere, “One Sunset” with its energetic, tinny guitar tone and gradual build to a beaming chorus makes it impossible to not tap your foot and bob your head along to this, another fun, bubbly track, while “Tears Won’t Cry” retains that guitar tone and has certain, modern boy band charm akin to artists such as THE VAMPS or the like. “Flowers On The Grave” does allow for a bit of a come-down however ,with a 9-minute-plus acoustic driven pop ballad with some lulling piano…it DOES liven up courtesy of some rockier sequences and progressions, but overall the track ebbs and flows between sounding highly animated and anti-climactic at the same time. Despite this, the album as a whole just oozes a positive, enthusing simplicity resulting a genuinely easy-listening feel-good record. Like I mentioned earlier, the world is on its arse at the moment, and times are testing…but you need to be reminded that you’ve got this…you’re doing alright…you ARE OK. Unless you voted Conservative…you’re not OK…fuck you. [7]

So what’s YOUR favourite type of knot? Is it a Half Hitch? Perhaps a Bowline or a Sheet Bend? Of course not, we all know its SLIPKNOT, and with bloody good reason! The Iowan nonet started life in the mid-to-late 90’s and from day one they practically turned the world on its head, over time becoming arguably the biggest modern metal band on the planet. Between the mystery of their masked persona’s and the brutality of their early crossover genre-mashing, it didn’t take them long to get noticed, and they helped revolutionise alternative music as we know it. Sure, there have been trials and tribulations along the way, but the band have always bounced back stronger than ever…proven emphatically on their last album; 2014’s “.5: The Gray Chapter”.

Following the death of bassist Paul Gray, the band found themselves in purgatory, and the resulting album was both the closure of one chapter of Slipknot, a nod to Paul and an appreciation of everything preceding it, but also the beginning of a new era; a rebirth, and all signs pointed towards a brutal, unrelenting future. What exactly did that future have in store? Well aside from keeping things ticking over with festival appearances and a live album, the band did initially return in 2018 with a rare stand-alone single “All Out Life”, reminding fans that they were still very much active creatively, with the track itself acting as a rallying cry, encouraging everyone to live in the now and not dwell on the past. This only got fans excited for what was to come…and what came was this; “We Are Not Your Kind”. What direction were Slipknot heading in in this new chapter of their storied career? I challenge you to all-out fucking listen with me…

We open up with “Insert Coin” and we’re greeted with a strangely ominous intro-track fuelled by semi-retro arcade style synths that meander gently, as the instrumentation washes over you with a calming motion. It’s as though we’re on the title screen here getting ready to press play and dive into this brand new game as Corey says in a chilling manner “I’m counting all the killers..” and it’s an interesting start. First track proper then “Unsainted” gets the album underway properly and what an opener…from the initially haunting children’s choir it gradually builds in atmosphere and intensity until it explodes into a frenzy of blistering vocals with pummelling riffs and percussion. It carries on from the previous album in terms of delivery; blending visceral verses with a clean, hook-rich chorus. It’s a powerful track.

From here on in however, the album gets VERY interesting…recent single “Birth Of The Cruel” slows things down with a more methodical riff and plenty of tinny percussion. Vocally clean for the most part until Corey lets rip during the chorus segments, countered by Sid Wilson’s trademark scratching harking back to the bands earlier days. “Death Because Of Death” is our first interlude and takes on an almost hypnotic tribal tone; simple and repetitive before transitioning  straight into “Nero Forte”, instantly waking up the listener with more classic Slipknot riffs and up-tempo lyricism, again bridging the gap between the now and the bands early years. Another album highlight, “Critical Darling”, continues on with the “…Gray Chapter” aesthetic with plenty of key-changes, vocal switch-up techniques and allows for a variety of sensations, fluctuating effortlessly between harsh and harmonious.

​This fluctuation is a reoccurring theme throughout the whole album in all honesty; it zigs where you think it’ll zag and vice versa…”Red Flag” is a traditionally blistering onslaught, fuelled by a frantic pacing and old-school aesthetic, again harking back to the Knot’s earlier days, while interlude “What’s Next” comes across as actual elevator music! Like, seriously lads what the fuck is next? Where else can you take this? “Spiders” houses an almost Halloween-esque piano lead allowing for a generally creepier vibe, bordering on polyrhythmic in places; it’s got a subtle prog delivery, before we eventually end on promotional single “Solway Firth”. Coming full circle from the intro, we count all the killers over a typically bombastic masked-metal approach that bridges gaps between modern era and the “…Subliminal Verses” days.

Ultimately what can be said about the Iowan’ nine in 2019? Their groove-heavy, pulverising metal is still there in abundance and coupled with their nu-metal origins, thrash sensibilities and Corey’s ability to deliver a mainstream alternative anthem, Slipknot are as Slipknot as ever here but MORE. There are no real definitive hits like “Dead Memories” or “Snuff” to appeal to the wider audience…fuck no; if anything they’ve gone the opposite direction. Sure there are some great hooks throughout this record, but the presentation here showcases so much experimentation and a lack of fucks given this is arguably Slipknot’s most prog-metal album to date. It doesn’t settle for a style, not even Slipknot’s own, and that’s where it deserves praise. We all know Slipknot can and will deliver, it’s practically a given these days, but they still opted to tear up their own rule-book and go crazy. “We Are Not Your Kind” is a metaphorical middle finger to not only the fans that just want Iowa 2.0, but also metal in general. It might be more experimental to what you are used to from the Clown and co…but fuck me this is a Slipknot album and a half. Insert another coin mate, I want another go at this…[7]

Whenever an artist, PR company or record label forwards me some new music to check out, I’m always interested to see what part of the world it comes from. Often I’ve mentioned certain parts of the world being affiliated with certain scenes or styles musically, but it’s always nice to find diversity from within a town, city or general region…and today’s review highlights just that. Lund, Sweden, may not be a destination that jumps out at you as being instantly recognisable, but for any fellow Eurovision fans out there you may know that it the home of one MÅNS ZELMERLÖW, and while I would more than happily listen to Sweden’s answer to JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE for this review, we won’t be covering any pop music for now. “Thank fuck” I can already hear you say…

Lund also happens to be the home of a band by the name of THROUGH THE NOISE, and the team over at Eclipse Records forwarded me their latest album “Dualism” to check out. The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Jowl Nyberg, guitarists Victor Adonis and Marcus Skantz, bassist Martin Lingonblad and drummer Peter Liwgren) were founded back in 2010, and in the years that followed they established themselves as more than promising up-and-comers within Sweden’s thriving metal community, especially with their 2015 debut “Fall Of Gaia”, but now in 2019 they want to well and truly stamp their name among the metalcore elite and hope to do so with these nine new tracks. Hellfire Magazine summed things up by describing the album as having ‘Interesting, surprisingly well-functioning songs’…back handed compliment and a half that! Consider me intrigued!

We open up with a track called “Shattered” and the virtually instant impact of hard hitting chords, with the duel pummelling of riffs and percussion gives this an intense start! It’s bass-heavy and subtly down-tuned but doesn’t compromise whatsoever when it comes to delivering a harsh dose of surging metal. To a degree you could say it bridges a gap between the likes of ATREYU and CHILDREN OF BODOM, but however you look at it; it doesn’t give a fuck…it just mauls. Early album highlight “Psychomachia” follows up next and we’re joined by guest vocalist Jahna Lund of DEATH BY HORSE fame. For the most part it’s more generally expected metalcore, teetering on generic with its methodical chugging and breakdown-inspired stylistics, but the clean vocals provided by Jahna allow for more melody to flow through the chorus and it’s all balanced very well.

A lot of the album does stick to a firm metalcore/deathcore formula for the most part but it does have more than a couple of points of worth. “House Of Asterion” combines up-tempo post-hardcore with subtle thrash and death elements resulting in an incredibly frenetic listen. “Secret Project” houses a touch more melodic instrumentation, with Jahna again providing backing gang-vocal harmony…the nods to Swedish heavyweights IN FLAMES are proudly on display here. Let’s be honest mind OF COURSE they were going to have a bit of In Flames in them, they’re a Swedish metal band for fuck sake! “Maktbegär” retains all of the pace and again, pummels the listener with a fine slab of scando-death-punk not too unlike the likes of KVELERTAK and MAN THE MACHETES in places, while “Meaning Through Noise” takes on an almost industrial tone, akin to the likes of STATIC-X.

Overall, while not exactly original, bearing in mind recent musical trends and the fact they come from one of the most saturated areas on the planet when it comes to alternative metal, Through The Noise have still managed to deliver a crisp and enjoyable metalcore album. The brief crossover portions work well and they’ve added enough flavour to ensure they don’t blend into genre obscurity like Homer Simpson walking backwards into a hedge row. Put Through The Noise through your speakers, as this album is certainly worth a listen. [7]

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]

​There are plenty of little things in life that I appreciate; like, having two kidneys for example, one simply wouldn’t be enough to handle my love of Jack Daniel’s in all honesty, but one thing I actually do appreciate; is a band putting in the hard work to make their dreams and aspirations come to fruition.  As it happens, one such band would be FOREVER STILL.

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, the four-piece (Consisting of Maja Shining, Mikkel Haastrup, Rune Frisch and Inuuteq Kleemann) are really anything BUT what their name suggests. From day one and their 2013 debut EP “Breaking Free” they’ve gone above and beyond to ensure they do things as they want and how they want. From booking and arranging all of their own tours with no agents, to doing all of their own photo shoots for promotion and record covers, and even filming their own music videos, they manage virtually every aspect of their career themselves, and it’s paying off. Over the years they’ve had opportunities to support the likes of CHILDREN OF BODOM and LACUNA COIL on tour, and have signed a record deal with Nuclear Blast. 2019 saw them release their newest album entitled “Breathe In Colours”, and you suggested I check it out on my last poll, so let’s do just that…

The album opens up with “Rewind” and initially we’re greeted with a slightly industrialised barrage of riffs and mild distortion…there’s a subtle crackle to the sound quality in places giving the track a rustic character, before we erupt into a chorus of powerful, soaring vocals. In ways Maja finds herself somewhere between Lacey Sturm of FLYLEAF and Sharon Den Adel of WITHIN TEMPTATION and her delivery is bold and assertive, drawing you in as a listener; it’s a solid start. “Fight!” keeps things going with a predominantly Nu-Metal inspired affair…the guitar tone coming straight out of the early LINKIN PARK repertoire, backed up by the harder vocals and climactic ending. This is full of piss and vinegar and it’s a very enjoyable listen.

The rest of the album in all fairness is pretty damn consistent and to be honest doesn’t really put a foot far wrong if at all. “Is It Gone?” utilises a more symphonic metal ballad style with a strong power-pop influence, allowing for a very melodious track with honey-sweet vocals, which can also be said for “Pieces”.  Another soft, dramatic effort, it mixes a solemn yet powerful vocal display resulting in an incredibly deep, emotionally testing track. “Survive” has a more metallic approach with harder riffs and an increased level of intensity, with the screamed vocals providing a deeper, angst ridden delivery. There are some questionable high notes on “Do Your Worst” which is ironic as it seems Maja did just that, something seems off about these vocals in places, like it was hurried or something and they settled for it, but she doesn’t hit those notes as well as she may think.

The end of the album though is very much worth the wait however…beginning with a stripped back version of “Is It Gone?”… A straight up piano ballad, it totally differs from the previous version, providing a deeply emotive and mournful listening experience, channelling the likes of EVANESCENCE in ways; it’s a pained track and you can literally feel every note. The real album highlight however comes at its very end, courtesy of a cover of the LOU REED classic “Perfect Day”. It manages to sound tender and touching while retaining a strong guitar sound during the chorus, though it’s delightfully done, as though the track was tailor made for Maja. This cover works incredibly well for Forever Still and I can see this going down brilliantly live. There may not be any tracks that leap out at you here, but to be fair they blend into each other pretty well…and though while the quality in terms of consistency and production value is fine, don’t expect to single out any massive tunes. They’re on the right path however…and you can expect some anthems from this lot in the future. [7]

“I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do…and for the people who DO like country music, 'denigrate' means 'put down.'” – Bob Newhart. All jokes aside, country music isn’t something we hear a lot of in the UK, and by a lot of I mean, virtually any; it’s just not a thing. We’ve got plenty of talented singer/songwriters, but country music to us is a very American thing…a very, cowboy hat wearing, moonshine drinking, horse-riding, rootin’ tootin’ arguably inbred (If you’re down South at least) American thing.

That’s not to say that it’s all bad however, no sirree, as I’m sure everyone can agree that the likes of JOHNNY CASH and TAMMY WYNETTE are iconic performers, and they, like so many others helped take country music off of the front porch into packed out concert halls across the states. Although, while the UK doesn’t have a flourishing country scene, we do have artists that take influence from the genre and that leads us into today’s review; let me introduce you to HAWTHORN AVENUE.

The duo from Neath (Consisting of Marcus Gumms and Laura Benjamin) initially met in 2015 while both playing the South Wales live circuit and immediately gravitated toward each other creatively, starting out at jam nights where they found their feet in terms of collaborating. Laura, a multi-instrumentalist grew up loving music from a young age and looks up to the likes of TAYLOR SWIFT and CARRIE UNDERWOOD, while Marcus admits he just saw some guy on Stars In Their Eyes doing Johnny Cash and thought to himself ‘That’s what I’m going to do’…and he did! The duo have recently released their debut EP entitled “Wildfire” and have asked me to check it out…I guess it’s time to saddle up…

The EP opens up with “Raised Me Better” and it combines subtle organ notes with soft country blues and a crisp pop aesthetic…with its vocal harmonies, powerful key-changes yet an easy-listening approach, it delivers a wonderfully smooth, simplistic country-pop number. Hick-pop if you will. The songs message of restraint and composure allows for a positive outlook and sets a good example; be the better person, and it’s really quite lovely; a good start this. “Fade Away” strips things right back to a gently plucked acoustic-driven piece with subtle nods to a Native American woodwind influence. It’s a hushed, mellow little track with an emotive delivery, though picks up ever so slightly over time, incorporating more electric guitar and growing in volume and intensity, yet manages to stay restrained.

“The Water’s Edge” follows in the same vein with another sombre country ballad; with its sweet, delicate acoustics and silky vocal harmonies…it’s a quaint little track but out of the four presented here, it’s arguably the weakest of the bunch, though you can appreciate its tenderness. We do however finish on a strong note and the EP’s title track is a clear EP highlight in every sense of the term. “Wildfire” returns to a more up-beat presentation blending their love of country stylistics with a more modern indie-pop tone and the resulting track is full of sass, swagger and rhythm. The tinny guitar, dual vocal harmonies and a fantastically hook-laden, melodic chorus means this song is impossible to not enjoy, and it bookends this EP perfectly. Country may not be all too lucrative within the UK market, but here Hawthorn Avenue prove that you can utilise that distinct country style to great effect when blended in with a more modern, pop-oriented sound. After listening to this, I really hope this wildfire spreads…god that sounds terrible doesn’t it…[8]

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Quite often within these pages, I’ve bumped my gums about how the UK virtually pioneered post-punk, and the concept of “Gothic rock” as we recognise it today. You could reel off any number of late 70’s / 80’s bands that you could pigeonhole as post-punk, or, trad-Goth or however you want to put it, and you could almost guarantee that they’re from somewhere in England, but today we’re going to be turning our attention stateside…

We all know that America has produced some of the most successful Gothic / alternative metal artists of all time, especially industrial titans like NINE INCH NAILS and of course, those iconic dark-humoured darlings TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, but they came a little later…we want to know what post-punk bands helped shape America’s earlier underground music scene.

While you’ve more than likely heard of CHRISTIAN DEATH, other bands may be a little more obscure unless you’re already a Goth-rock fan…bands like THE DANCING CIGARETTES and ROMEO VOID are well worth checking out, but today we’re going to focusing our attention on MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT. Often shorted to just Thrill Kill Kult, the Chicago natives initially started out as an early industrial outfit, and you may actually recognise them from the soundtrack to “The Crow”…but although maintaining a steady, 30-year career, they’ve always been relatively niche. 2019 finds them still releasing records, and their newest one; “In The House Of Strange Affairs”, was chosen by you on my last readers’ poll…so let’s get all of our affairs in order and check it out shall we?

The album opens up with “Gold To Grey” and it’s slow, sullen bass line has a wonderfully nostalgic tone to it, sounding like this track could very well come from those early proto-Goth days…its deep and chilling, as it leads into a spoken-word segment, before kicking into gear with its snide vocal drawl and cold atmospheric synths. The beat is simplistic and the electronic elements rarely inject much life into the track, resulting in an ambient yet algid listen; a slow start this. The following couple of tracks do admittedly get your hopes up to be honest, with “Forbidden Saints” sounding like the first proper track, as opposed to a lengthy introduction. The electronica is more prominent and instrumentally it’s got a decent, but again, simplistic hook, with a lot more rhythm going for it. It’s lyrically dark and fetishized and it’s something you could easily imagine being played to a throng of leather and PVC clad Goths, sipping on absinthe at 3am in some underground club. Although…mate…WHAT is with that ending? Absolutely cringe-worthy, you just shat all over that entire song right there, seriously…forget the saints, I forbid whoever gave that the green light to ever work in production ever again!

Up next we’ve got “Treat Street” and although while still relying on the synths and new-wave style it’s got an old-school disco-funk groove layered throughout the track, with the additional inclusion of…harmonica…resulting in a wonderfully curious listening experience. There are more sexual references, and at this point it’s like, OK, fine, it’s a gimmick…reinforced with the husky vocals, but to be honest they detract from what is essentially a decent little piece of music. We follow this up with album highlight “The Chains Of Fame” and really that’s saying something…it utilises a catchy low-fi hook with chill-wave aesthetics, but the guitars give the track some much needed bite. He asks ‘How much cash can you make with that ass?’ and to be honest…I…I don’t know. Nor do I want to. Rough guess, twenty bucks on a good day? Fuck knows. I digress, the track ends rather abruptly and truth be told, this is about as good as the album gets.

There are moments like on “Studio 21” which peak your interest,  which houses more of that original disco funk combined with subtle trance elements, and “Royal Skull” which returns to a more guitar based approach, sounding much grittier, but overall the album fails to excite. Too often we’re faced with a lack of energy and drive from the remaining tracks and the bulk of the record seems to drag itself along like a reluctant cadaver. Appropriately we eventually end on “Am I Dead?” and to be frank, by this point…yes. Fucking feels like it anyway. To summarise, there’s nothing really thrilling whatsoever about this kill kult, and the house of strange affairs needs to be boarded up and demolished to make way for a Greggs or something…having said that they’re equally as bland as each other; disappointing this. [3]

So I’ve got this confession to make…no I’m not coming out as a heterosexual white male that uses an online platform to give a personal opinion why; that would be career suicide! I jest…my confession is with regards to my approach to music. Sure, whether it’s here or for other publications, my reviews are always from an open-minded, honest perspective, trying to take into account more than just my own personal preferences for whichever artist I may be dealing with…but it doesn’t stop me having those personal preferences. For instance, I’ll go on record now for saying that, in my opinion, NIRVANA are a pile of shit…many would disagree, Courtney Love might try to set me up on a date with a Remington Model-11 for saying such a thing, but while I CAN admit they are an incredibly important and influential band in the evolution of alternative music…I just don’t like them.

This brings me to today’s band; BUCKCHERRY. The Californian rockers have been going for quite some time now and, I first heard of them back in 2001 when I discovered a track called “Slammin’”. It was a great, rock ‘n’ roll track and even though I was more concerned about Nu Metal at the time, I still enjoyed it for what it was. Fast forward a couple of years however, and I’m reintroduced to Buckcherry, as we come to arguably one of the worst successful rock songs ever recorded; “Crazy Bitch”. Seriously this song is 100% cringe in every conceivable way…everyone gives NICKELBACK a hard time when this fucking song exists, what are we doing like?! It’s AWFUL. Anyway needless to say, I was put off Buckcherry…I can’t be dealing with that, nope, no Sir, no thank you. BUT, in the interest of equality (And the fact that you chose them on my last readers choice poll you evil bunch of bastards) I’m going to give them another chance…earlier this year they released album number eight; “Warpaint”, and I’m on the front line prepared to do battle…come at me brah!

The album opens up with the title track and to be perfectly honest; it’s really not bad. It keeps things nice and simple to be fair, incorporating blues-based hard rock with a southern groove and some sleek guitar licks. The solo blends in well allowing the track to flow really smoothly without sounding jarring, it’s not been thrown in the mix ‘just because’ like some solo’s, actually adding to the track, and Josh Todd’s vocals while still distinct, are a touch subdued here, giving off a mellower vibe. It’s actually a decent little opener. If you do prefer mellow, “Right Now” initially has you covered as it continues with the light blues rock inspired guitar tone but strips back to a more acoustic-based delivery, although the chorus is far livelier and, remember what I said about solo’s? Yep…this one came out of nowhere quicker than you can say Randy Orton, and the song can’t seem to decide what it wants to be.

Let’s try and remain objectively positive though shall we and look at the highlights…”No Regrets” is a quirky little up-beat punk-rock inspired piece; it’s fun, it’s light-hearted and you can’t not enjoy this…from the clap-along segments, the tinny, rockabilly guitar stylistics and general skater-rock vibe, it’s just a happy track and at under 3-minutes, it’s an easy highlight. Closing track “The Devil’s In The Details” remains up-beat but returns to a more straightforward hard rocking / classic rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic with a fine riff carrying the track. “The Vacuum” raises a chuckle from me to be honest as in a funny twist of irony, it doesn’t completely suck. The riffs are solid and there’s an enjoyable melody layered throughout the track, resulting in quite an emotive listen, especially with Josh again holding back vocally, but the real highlight and frankly surprising inclusion here is a cover of NINE INCH NAILS classic “Head Like A Hole”.  Granted it’s not the same seething, industrial behemoth crafted by the vitriolic Trent Reznor, but the bass-heavy riffs still sound powerful here and it’s a great choice of cover; it’s a quality track to be fair and it’s done justice.  Is it as good as MILEY CYRUS’ cover on Black Mirror though?  I’ll let you reach your own conclusions there…

The rest of the album simply plods along really quite anonymously to be perfectly honest. “Radio Song” is a clichéd little acoustic piece with rich string-sections clearly aimed at finding commercial airplay while being both incredibly self-aware and  taking a subtle swipe at the mainstream, while “The Alarm” isn’t going to be waking anyone up in a hurry. Its’ slow pace and generally lethargic instrumentation makes for a predominantly boring listen, while Josh’s vocals come across as too much for the pace of the track at times, he’s shouting over it almost and it’s a bit off. Overall though I have to admit, it’s not a terrible album, not by any means…”Crazy Bitch” was quite a while ago now and I can’t hold on to these grudges forever, and while I do still hate that song with a burning passion, this album is fine, they seemed to have calmed down a bit, which I’m all for. I mean, just think, Josh Todd could have done something ridiculous like, release a god-awful, embarrassing rap-rock/dub album, undoing any and all regained credibility I’ve just found in the band, couldn’t he! Wait…what? Who are SPRAYGUN WAR? Oh for fuck’s sake…[6]

What do you get, when you combine a love of classical prog-rock, centuries old medieval mythology and a generous portion of haggis, neeps and tatties? Aside from one incredibly psychedelic episode of Ready Steady Cook, it stereotypically brings us to today’s band; let me introduce you to CULANN. The unsigned five-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist PJ Kelly, drummer Sean Kelly, guitarist Greg Irish, bassist Calum Davies plus Ross McCluskie on the keys) formed in Irvine, Scotland several years ago and made quite the initial impact on the Scottish rock scene! With praise from several regional radio stations following their 2012 self-titled debut, they found themselves winning the ‘Best Rock’ category at the 2013 SAMA’s (Scottish Alternative Music Awards) and have been growing ever since. Appropriately named after an ancient Celtic/Gaelic smithy, it’s fitting that they’ve already forged their anticipated follow-up album “The Great Ecumene”…and the lads have asked me to give it a listen! So let’s crack open the Irn-Bru and check it out!

The album opens up with “Evonium” and once again the band highlights their appreciation and interest in history, stories of old and Celtic heritage, as the word is the name of a purported ancient city, which is said to have stood where Irvine is now. The track itself is initially really quite jovial and up-beat, combining light riffs, subtle poly-rhythms and a bright, bubbly piano lead, while vocally PJ harbours a clean, emotive indie-rock tone. The swift key-changes and solo flurry emphasise the bands love of prog however, and it all combines to create one genuinely interesting track. “Event Without Experience” follows up and while continuing with the up-tempo approach they’ve opted for a more guitar-driven track here; it’s sounding that much grittier and ever so slightly more chaotic, though it’s not heavy.

The first real album highlight however comes courtesy of “Brewing Of Ale” (Of course I like the track that in some way shape or form involves alcohol)…starting life as a sweet little acoustic number it soon evolves into a fully-fledged folk-rock ballad, and although still housing those prog-elements it’s the folk qualities that shine through, especially with the prominence of the Scottish accent here; it’s delivered wonderfully. “All Reverie” continues the feel-good factor with a more simplified, melodic pop-rock number and it’s just an enjoyable, easy-listening effort, which can also be said for “Aegis”. Generally more of the same; but ever so slightly more pop-punk in tone, giving it that ever so subtle edge…it’s another stand-out track.

There are some solid funk-elements incorporated into “Man Alive” adding extra flavour to their fundamentally prog-approach but that, along with the solo and the seven minute plus run time, means this one does come across as a little indulgent in places. The title track practically echoes its own name; essentially describing the entire known inhabited land mass, meaning Ecumene sadly seems to go on forever, sounding mostly sluggish throughout, before we eventually finish up doing a bit of shopping back in Cardiff. I jest; “Queen Street” closes proceedings with another folk-inspired acoustic-led ballad…quaint but anti-climactic. Overall mind you, it’s easy to see why Culann hit the ground running following their formation; with a knack for a clean melody, lyrical storytelling and well-executed instrumentation, it certainly seems unjust that they’re still currently unsigned.  Prog-rock IS more of an acquired taste, just like the aforementioned haggis, but it’s certainly worth a try…[6]

Just like heavy metal itself, post-punk and the conceptual origins of Goth-rock can be primarily traced back to the UK…whether it’s CABARET VOLTAIRE or THE CURE, SISTERS OF MERCY or SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES, Great Britain knew how to get its Goth on! However, like with a lot of new genre’s or, evolution's in popular music, post-punk was very much of its time and found itself culturally confined to the late 70’s and 80’s. Mind you, while production quality has improved over the years, and Gothic music gradually became a touch heavier, darker and bolder, despite becoming even MORE of a niche genre…that love of the original post-punk aesthetic has never dissipated. Several indie and alt. rock bands continue to take influence from post-punk to this day, which brings us to today’s band; DEW.

The German three-piece, consisting of vocalist (I Think, going by photos) Mike Antibody and…two others (I’m honestly having a stab in the dark here; their social media is minimal at best, and I don’t speak German) got in touch with me not too long ago via the GTGC contact form, sending me a Bandcamp link. It was suggested I give their 8-track mini-album “DEW-STORTION // DEW-MORGEN” a listen, so, on the anniversary of Ian Curtis’ death, let’s set the mood for melancholia and find out what this alternative krautrock collective has to offer…

The album opens up with “Zuerst Maschine” which basically translates as ‘First Machine’, and it fittingly starts with some industrial / mechanised backing noise, before ripping into some pacey, regimented percussion and up-tempo riff-work. A nostalgic nod to the origins of the genre; fusing those industrial elements with the early proto-Goth sound, all the while housing a decent melody, which balances the semi-scratchy vocals well…the vocals appear a touch overpowering in places with some of the instrumentation drowned out, but for a self-recorded and produced record it’s an entertaining start.

“Menschenfeind” or ‘Misanthrope’ too provides a wonderfully up-beat dose of reverberated post-punk, with more intensity in its delivery; having a certain punk-heavy simplicity that would appeal to fans of say, early BAD RELIGION. If it’s throwbacks you were after though, look no further than “Umgekehert Kontrovers” which roughly means ‘conversely controversial’ and it delves deeper into the genre’s origins audibly. The tinny, slightly-off key guitar with deeper, darker atmospheric tones harks back to those early days of JOY DIVISION, sounding like it’s been plucked straight out of the era itself; thematically it’s been wonderfully recreated to its credit.

There are one or two lesser tracks offered up but they don’t exactly ruin the album so to speak…”N.I.W.E.S. (Nicht Ist Wie Es Scheint)” or ‘Nothing As It Seems’ is a predominantly slower more lethargic track, with arguably the albums weakest vocals; there’s a bleak drone to them at times, all the while sounding pained and shouted as opposed to sung. Technically then, there’s nothing WRONG with “(…)-?!” per se other than its name…I mean seriously I can’t pronounce that in fucking English let alone German! Am I to literally call it “Left Bracket Ellipsis Right Bracket Dash Question Mark Exclamation Mark” or just guess some sort of bilious guttural noise? Pronounce it like I’m actually vomiting into the microphone? Fuck knows…before we then finish up on “Die Lösen Sich Ja Selber Auf” or, ‘They Dissolve Themselves’ which again, is appropriate as the album dissolves into a brief, quirky bass-heavy outro track, ending the album on a rather abrupt note.

The combination of using the German language lyrically, and playing a style and genre that’s nostalgic and underground at best isn’t going to find DEW a great deal of commercial viability, but post-punk, as dated as it is by today’s scene’s standards has always had a loyal cult following, which should in all honesty accept DEW with open arms. Their sound has been brilliantly crafted to be right at home among those early 80’s playlists and could easily find themselves mentioned alongside the likes of THE DAMNED. DEW haven’t reinvented the wheel, but they are due some recognition. [6]

When it comes to Greece, aside from being an immensely popular Mediterranean tourist destination, little is known about the countries musical culture from an alternative perspective. Sure in the past I’ve covered artists such as SADDOLLS, who fly the flag for gothic rock equally wonderfully and woefully, and more recently, black metal artists such as ROTTING CHRIST, but, who else could you associate alternative music to Greece with?  GUS G is arguably the biggest name given his catalogue of work and collaborations…VANGELIS? He IS a celebrated and critically acclaimed composer and progressive electronic artist, but he doesn’t REALLY count…what about Meteora? LINKIN PARK named an album after the place? OK, fine I’m clutching at straws! It’s safe to say that, unless you really dig, Greece isn’t a country renowned for its rock and metal…but that’s where today’s band comes in.

Yes today we’re going to be talking about a ‘band’ by the name of SIXSTRINGNOISE, who got in touch with me not too long ago via email, so before I get into things I’d like to say Σας ευχαριστώ που έρθετε σε επαφή! Formed in 2010 by founding (And currently sole member) Markos 6SN, it didn’t take long after his digital debut “Snowing Bullets While Kissing The Ground” for him to want to hit the stage and perform live, recruiting Alex D and Alex B (Drummer and bassist respectively) in 2011. With a penchant for hard rock and metal, they toured up and down Greece, establishing themselves as hot local talent in the Athens area, but after a couple of releases, we find them back down to just Markos as he releases album number four in 2019. The question is, just how noisy can one guitarist be? Let’s find out as we listen to “Relics”…

The album opens up with “How’s The World From Up There?” and we’re immediately met with some simple yet melodic riffs, before switching in some subtle prog-rock elements as it transitions through certain rhythmic variations. The chorus here is bold and soaring, with further key changes giving off an almost power-ballad vibe amidst the hard rock, but vocally at times it sounds more like a demo-quality recording which brings the track down a touch. Instrumentally fine, there’s some solid guitar work here but the vocals could probably be mixed and produced a little better…although it’s a decent opener regardless. “True Colours” keeps the riffs coming hard and heavy with a more metal inspired influence shining through musically; guitar solo included. In ways this pays ample homage to bands like ALTER BRIDGE in its delivery and overall sound; you can easily hear the likes of Myles Kennedy in this track inspirationally and again it’s a decent listen.

It isn’t all about the balls-out rock and roll with Markos mind you, as he’s able to mix things up here and there for a more diverse listening experience…”Underdog” in particular has a wonderfully relaxed country-rock vibe. He still incorporates some impassioned electric guitar but overall it’s a welcome change of pace. “The Old You” goes one step further by stripping back completely to an acoustic ballad and it’s really quite the emotive little track, and an album highlight to boot. The soft croon of the vocals here sounding better and it’s a proper lighters in the air track this, lovely stuff. Further highlights include “None Of Your Business” which while once more picking up the pace and aggression delivers all of the hooks and makes for a catchy hard rock number, with it's simple yet effective chorus. Sometimes all it takes is a great chorus and you’re invested; this is one of those times. Ignore the rest of the track, just, enjoy this chorus.

There are a couple of lesser moments, naturally, and mainly we find them mid-album. “Crack A Smile” houses more of that prog-inspired instrumentation and structure with a touch of fret-wankery thrown in for good measure, while “What’s Wrong With You?” has quite a repetitive chorus and poor gang vocals, honestly they sound like pub-level  karaoke at times…to answer your question Markos, what the fuck is wrong with me? Well right now I’m listening to this song…that’s what. We finish up then on the title track and it’s intro instantly reminds me of A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS but sadly there’s no synth-pop to be found in this instance…instead we’re given a dramatic, metal inspired track with deep riffs and a methodical, militant tempo, almost combining those Alter Bridge influences with a slight middle eastern flavour. It’s not a bad track but it is a slow burner, ending the album on a slightly damp note. It’s safe to say that, SixStringNoise can’t be done for false advertising…Markos plays the guitar, and he makes some noise…which is all well and good, but is the noise worth listening to? Sure there are some genuinely interesting moments dotted throughout these ten tracks and there is definitely promise and potential, but sadly at times the vocal production side of things let’s this album down. That’s not to dismiss this entirely though…I honestly hope Markos continues to make all of the noise and helps encourage an alternative music scene in and around Athens. We could market a new wave of Greek rock…we could call it; Grock…I’m a fucking genius. [6]

As it currently stands, we live in a time where our more Westernised society is, for want of a better description; all over the fucking place.  While culturally we’re (For the most part) all steadily becoming more and more open-minded and understanding, of the ever expanding perception of normality, there are still people who may get, ‘triggered’ as you may say, by certain topics and buzz-words. Some of the most common are generally simple things like veganism which, ironically, causes a lot of beef between some people…then there are prejudices and confusion surrounding the ever growing list of sexualities and gender fluid identities. Seriously now they’re giving rock and metal sub-genres a run for their money in volume and I just don’t have the appropriate graphs to go into that right now. Then there’s feminism…

Let’s be honest, it’s 2019 and the very fact feminism is still such a strong word speaks for itself. The inconsistencies regarding equality (Or lack thereof) can still be beyond laughable, covering everything from salary to bloody abortion rights! Well today’s band are proud and passionate to provide a voice for the cause, exuding a positive feminist vibe; let me introduce you to HANDS OFF GRETEL. The four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Lauren Tate, guitarist Sean Bon, bassist Becky Baldwin and drummer Sam Hobbins) formed in South Yorkshire in 2015, and with influences including JACK OFF JILL, HOLE and THE DISTILLERS it’s easy to see where they blend punk and emancipation. They recently released their brand new album “I Want The World”…but where’s the equality in that? Let’s find out…

Opening track “Kiss Me Girl” gets the record off to a roaring start with an up-tempo flurry of punk-rock, laced with lashings of attitude and a tongue-in-cheek sense of taboo; it’s very Brody Dalle. The track explores female sexuality within same-sex relationships, with lyrics like “Have you never kissed a girl before?” and “What’s wrong just feels so right” entwined within a narrative of naughty excitement. Tate delivers the track with a brilliant sense of sarcasm and it kicks things off wonderfully. The first half of the album as a whole in fact doesn’t miss a beat and really we’re treated a solid run of tracks from the word go…”S.A.S.S” continues with its sense of female empowerment by taking a swipe at misogyny with an assertive hard rock number, balanced with subtle layers of funk, something which fans of SUMO CYCO would appreciate for sure. “Big Boy” is another up-tempo piece with a solid rock ‘n’ roll rhythm and more than a sprinkling of innuendo. Very lyrically suggestive, Tate is clearly having fun here and resonates through the track.

If you fancy something a little less intense however the album houses further gems such as the wonderfully infectious “Alien”…vocally not as fervent; there’s a predominantly more funk-pop aesthetic here with a cleaner sound and a more polished, commercial production value…this one would easily entertain fans of NO DOUBT / GWEN STEFANI and it’s got a brilliant climactic flurry. The album does run out of a little steam as it reaches its final moments however with a couple of less inspired cuts not quite on par with the aforementioned. “Milk” for example carries a strong grunge influence and as a result it’s a lot deeper, but at the same time more sluggish; sadly a boring listen, before “My Friend Said” then despite being a generally jovial little track becomes pretty stale and repetitive very quickly…I guess you could say it’s lyrically la-la-la lalalalalala-lazy? Aside from those hiccups it’s safe to say that this is, overall, a very strong and entertaining album. The punk elements where needed are raw and confrontational to aid the subject matter well, allowing Tate to get her message across in an epigrammatic fashion, while the more pop-driven segments allow for a genuinely infectious listen. They may want the world, but you may want to just give this album a listen, and very much get your hands ON Gretel…with consent though, naturally. [8]

Do you wanna be in my gang? It’s my gang, yes that’s right, mine…my gang. I’m the leader of my gang, I am! OK, OK…I’m not REALLY GARY GLITTER, but if I may I would like to touch upon the subject of sexual abuse in music…maybe touch upon was a poorly chosen expression…although I DID ask…you gave consent…right? I digress…I’m facing a backlash before I even get to my point…and that’s not a reference to my penis…FOR FUCK SAKE GAV STOP!

Start again…sexual abuse, or even the accusations of sexual misconduct, whether found to be guilty or not will not only potentially ruin a person’s career but also ruin several lives. The sad thing is it’s a far more common occurrence in music than virtually anybody would care to accept as happenstance. On one end of the spectrum, you’ve got Ian Watkins and let’s be fair, the less said about him the better…don’t get me wrong I fucking miss LOSTPROPHETS but…no, just no. Then there’s cases surrounding the likes of WILLIAM CONTROL, and despite the shit storm surrounding him, all I can gather is that at worst he’s just a terrible husband and a serial cheater. It doesn’t matter if those girls gave consent mate, you still destroyed your own marriage, just hope you had a decent prenuptial in place!

Then we come to the likes of Austin Kerr…the former SET IT OFF bassist was another name to be subjected to allegations and accusations of sexual misconduct and as a result he was ejected from the band back in 2015. Was he guilty? He admits his behaviour wasn’t 100% acceptable, but denies any abhorrently wrong doing…so that’s up in the air…HOWEVER…what would this mean for Set It Off? Despite the negative press they continued to make music without him...but, the question is what did it do for their reputation? They HAVE gone backwards in the Billboard charts, but is that in correlation to all of the trouble surrounding Kerr, or have they simply just dropped a below-par album? Let’s find out as we check out their newest offering “Midnight”…

The album opens up with “Killer In The Mirror” and you can’t help but wonder if this is a confession or they’ve just been reading the newspaper…a song of apparent reflection, it speaks of solitude and the acceptance of circumstances…music is a cut-throat business and you have to take a look at yourself first and foremost. You have to look yourself in the eye and tell yourself you want this, because there are people trying to put you down; this is an unforgiving business and it’s kill or be killed, as much as we’d like to think otherwise. This industry will eat you up as soon as you put a foot wrong, and this song touches upon not only that dog-eat-dog world but in ways mirrors the situation with Kerr. The fuzzy guitar tones, along with the subtle hip-hop/reggaeton inspired instrumentation provide a solid groove and it’s ultimately a fine opening track.

Sadly, the remaining fourteen tracks…that’s’ right, fourteen…really don’t offer a great deal of diversity throughout the record. “Lonely Dance”, aside from being something you’d expect someone who plays Fortnite to do, may harbour certain Latino / Hispanic qualities with its guitar tone and backing brass segments but it’s pretty generic alternative pop-rock. “Go To Bed Angry” may sound like optimum wanking circumstances but it’s still just another dose of harmless pop…granted the additional vocals from WAYFARERS add an extra dynamic but it’s a only minor improvement, and that generally sums up the album as a whole.

“Dancing With The Devil” may utilise deeper vocal effects but that’s really all they are, effects…musically we’re in the same boat; the vocals may be deeper but the track is still shallow. “For You Forever” does have some catchy throwback 80’s synth-pop vibes and provides an album highlight aesthetically but it’ll take more than neon to light this album up. “Raise No Fool” does an amuse with it’s ironic ending…lyrically stating “Won’t let you leave me hanging” but then cuts the song abruptly short, leaving the listener hanging themselves…I see what you did there you edgy bunch of bastards! The only REAL change comes in the form of “Unopened Windows” which is sadly the most boring of the tracks on offer here…the piano ballad coming so late on it’s on the verge of being anti-climactic.

Overall while I’ve been quite sarcastic here the album isn’t completely AWFUL by any means…the innocent charm of the pop-inspired melodies is hardly offensive and it’s a generally easy listening record. It’s all mixed and produced well and has a ton of commercial viability…what’s annoying is that over fifteen tracks, there’s very little if anything to differentiate at least fourteen of them and they all blend into one quotidian collection of songs. Nothing truly positive stands out here and it’s a shame because they can clearly write a tune or two, it’s just that on this instance they all more or less sound the same, and by the same what I really mean is the same as FALL OUT BOY because fuck me does this album wish it was a FOB album…but that’s a whole new kettle of fish. Midnight? Goodnight… [4]
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If there’s one thing that can help you invest interest in something, whether it’s to do with a movie, or a character, or in this case a band; it’s an interesting back story...and few back stories are as intriguing as the formation of THE KING’S PARADE. If you cast your mind back to 2017 you may remember I’ve already covered the English 4-piece (Still consisting of Olly Corpe, Sam Rooney, Tom English and Chris Brent) when they released their “Haze” EP, where I discovered they’d actually formed on a cruise ship around Hawaii…

Yep…no cheap rented rehearsal rooms or jam sessions in your mates garage for this lot, they used to play shows aboard the ship as a means of practicing and tightening as a band, honing their craft as they travelled; not technically on the road per se but it’s one way I guess to get that vital stage experience, and it’s far more glamorous than playing to 3 people down the local pub! The EP itself (While not their debut) was a fine sample of soulful indie pop and could have easily tapped into the buzz around RAG ‘N’ BONE MAN’s success at the time…so let’s see what they’ve done in the time that’s passed.

As it happens, they’ve released not one, but two EP’s since we last caught up with them; last years “Woman” EP and now new to 2019 they’ve released another by the simple title of “Mad”, so they’re seemingly going for the little and often approach. The question is though, how mad are we talking exactly? Where is the context? Let’s find out as we get the EP underway with the title track. It’s got a quite stripped back vibe with initially minimal instrumentation and smooth vocals, combining low-fi indie with a shoe-gaze aesthetic and it’s incredibly mellow. The chorus does have a bit more oomph behind it as the guitars get bigger and bolder and the vocals become much more impassioned; it’s a decent start.

The EP continues then with “Mistakes” and again here we’re given a mellow, minimal piece of music with emotive vocals carrying the song…a reflective little track about life lessons in love, and learning from the inevitable mistakes we will all make at some point or another; quaint but not much different from the opener really. “20” again takes a similar approach but at least incorporates subtle country-guitar in the tracks climax, and although that’s hardly a drastic departure from their usual style, it’s enough to make a noticeable difference to the listening experience. We then finish up on the closing track “Good Excuse” and it’s a good excuse as any for me to admit that my interest has sadly waned by this point. Another slow, minimalistic soft indie-pop piece with tenuous soulful elements layered within.

The disappointing thing here isn’t really about this EP to be quite frank; it’s about the band themselves…in the couple of years that have passed since, despite still managing to write lovely, twee little songs with butter-wouldn’t-melt melodies, they’ve seemingly made little progress if not gone a bit backwards. Their earlier material was at least a bit more enthusiastic and the soulful elements of their writing was just that; soulful…I’m not saying that they went all-out gospel and could raise the roof, (They ain’t no ‘Sister Act’) but their sound at least had more energy. It’s that very energy that draws you in as a listener; both motivating and uplifting…here we get none of that.

Despite this though the bands core sound and writing style has remained more or less the same, and over the course of a couple of EP’s, they’ve essentially released one album spread across three years. Despite the tonal differences between these and previous tracks, if shuffled together they could all easily make up one cohesive record and no one would really guess it was a compilation…a bit like ED SHEERAN’s music in some aspects. This EP may very well be “Mad”, but this reviewer on the other however is just sad. [3]
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Many reviews and, not just ones I’ve shared here, highlight some bands and genres by the evolution of certain scenes for example, like a specific style in or around a localised area of the world; such as the thrash metal boom of the Bay Area, San Francisco, or say, the grime movement in London…but if I were to ask you to name me the first band that comes to mind when you think about Omaha, Nebraska…the majority of you are going be double checking where the fuck Omaha even is let alone have quick fire knowledge of it’s clearly thriving music scene!

Don’t get me wrong, Omaha’s got its fair share of famous names and faces, ranging from Marlon Brando to Fred Astaire but it’s not got a rich history in alternative rock music by any means. Sure there are some bands you MAY have heard of at some point, such as 311, THE FAINT or THROUGH FIRE, but they’re hardly household names now are they? Well, to be perfectly honest, neither are today’s band…not by a long shot. Allow me to introduce to you, THE SCABBY GHOULS.

A relatively new outfit; the four-piece (Consisting of vocalist/guitarist Denise Hazard, lead guitarist Louie Hazard, bassist Alex Steffens and drummer Nathan Christensen) specialise in all-things that are horror punk, and while they’ve already supported the likes of DOYLE, their style is more akin to the cheesy entertainment of classic B-Movie horror, as opposed to the more serious sound of say THE MISFITS or early AFI. 2019 finds them releasing their debut self-titled mini-album…so let’s pick at this scab and see what oozes out of it shall we?

We open up with “Body Surfin’” and we’re immediately met with some deep bass-driven rock with an initially spoken word approach, before the frenetic punk aesthetics kick in. It goes from a weird combination of BOBBY PICKETT and THE B-52’s into some modern SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES type of darkened proto-punk amalgamation. The title track backs this up further especially with the vocal performance during the near spoken-word chorus, delivering that classic spooky vibrato, though instrumentally heavier in places allowing for more of a Misfits influence to shine through.

Speaking of musical influences, a band that gets nowhere near enough credit in female punk rock is TSUNAMI BOMB and there are moments of their influence dotted throughout this album, especially their earlier works such as “The Invasion From Within” EP; Emily Whitehurst (Or Agent M as she was known) deserves more recognition as a voice in modern punk rock, and there are subtle nods to her sprinkled over this record.

As is expected with this genre this is all over and done with in a relatively short period of time, with the seven tracks presented here clocking in at just under twenty minutes, but they’ve left some gems for last it has to be said. “Road Ragin’” is a wonderfully relatable, up-tempo slab of fun, simple punk rock. The typically common / everyday situations of rushing around early in the morning, late to be where you need to be, can’t find your keys, can’t find your right clothes, hampered by slow elderly drivers; it’s a wonderfully basic concept but delivered with the right balance of frustration and comedic charm, before we round things up with “Knife Fight”. Another pacey dose of frantic punk rock; the rhythm and hook of the chorus is simply infectious, and though the brief psychotic wailing's of the guitar come across as spasmodic, it’s still a fine climax.

While creatively and stylistically they aren’t as volatile as MURDERDOLLS for example, and nowhere near the bleak, black sense of humour of early TYPE-O-NEGATIVE, but they do have a certain quirkiness to them, which should appeal to a variety of post-punks, alt. rockers and Goth’s alike. There wasn’t a LOT of horror presented here truthfully, other than some zombies and a pun-heavy ‘Nightmare On Elm Street number’, but its early days yet for these Nebraska new-comers…just keep picking at that scab; their nostalgic blend of rock and cartoonish retro horror themes will bleed out eventually. [5]

South Wales has always played an important role in the UK’s music scene; be it the love and support for traditional grass roots venues such as Fuel in Cardiff, or the old TJ’s in Newport, but more importantly the bands themselves that have emerged from the valleys and beyond that have helped put the area firmly on the map. BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE may be riding high at the moment as one of the UK’s biggest modern metal exports, but there’s a bit of a transitional period in play right now as many if not 99% of the biggest names from the area have called it a day. Luckily however there’s always a group of plucky up-and-comers aiming for that brass ring and willing to pick up the ball to run with it…which brings us to today’s band; HOLDING ABSENCE.

Fresh off of the back of his previous band, FALLING WITH STYLE, vocalist Lucas Woodland helped form Holding Absence (Who are completed by guitarists Scott Carey and Chris Smitheram, bassist James Joseph and drummer Ashley Green) as a means of truly delving into his song writing capabilities. With an emphasis on love; its nuances and the  roller-coaster of emotions that accompanies it, their initial singles garnered them much critical praise and the adoration of fans very early on. Momentum grew as they released their split EP with LOATHE and the acclaim kept coming, so in 2018, they began working on their debut full length album. Now, here in 2019 we find that album finally released after much anticipation, as the Cardiff quintet declare that this is…”Holding Absence”…

The album opens up with “Perish” and it’s a bleak start as we find ourselves confronting the heaviness of mental health and its effects on relationships…with over a minute of introductory resonance, it sets a sense of tranquility with its flowing soundscapes before the apropos breakdown, a nice instrumental metaphor for a fragile state of mind. This is mirrored by Lucas himself as he switches from lulling, morose clean vocals to a blistering onslaught of intense shouting amidst a barrage of riffs, and its solid slab of alternative post-hardcore. “Your Love (Has Ruined My Life)” continues with the theme of seemingly depressing song-titles as it also seemingly repeats a similar formula; a soothing intro segment, albeit drastically cut, leading into a wall of noise that transitions into more clean vocals, before a soaring chorus. It’s lyrically where the song stands out as Lucas digs deep into his own level of self-awareness, with an acceptance of his own emotional state; he is an impassioned performer, credit where credit is due.

Speaking of depressing there are a couple of tracks that should come with a repeat prescription for Citalopram in all honesty; “Marigold” is a sombre piano ballad that’s as cold as it is cathartic…and however sweet the admittedly emotional performance is, with its numerous floral references there’s very little blossoming here…which can be similarly said of closing track “Wilt” (Plant related segue for the win). The longest track that’s presented, at near seven minutes, it speaks of the helplessness of watching a love wither away…a heart wrenching story of appreciating the love for its original beauty, like a bouquet of flowers, but those flowers will eventually die and there’s nothing you can do about it. Completing the hat-trick of heavy-heartedness would then be “A Godsend” which again, with its morose tone and low-fi, shoegaze inspired delivery leaves the listener almost despondent.

It isn’t ALL doom and gloom however, this isn’t a MORRISSEY record for fuck sake, and that’s reinforced by album highlight “Like A Shadow”. A sharp dose of angst-ridden, punk-inspired post-rock…it’s got a great rhythm and an infectious chorus hook full of pop aesthetics that you simply can’t help but move to, this is incredibly enjoyable stuff this. “To Fall Asleep” too, despite its heavy message of wanting support through life’s darkest periods is a wonderfully up-beat dose of melodic alt. rock, likewise with “Monochrome” which would easily appeal to fans of artists such as TAKING BACK SUNDAY for example. Ultimately as one of the UK’s hottest rising prospects, they’re showing plenty of promise for big things to come. This may only be their debut and it hasn’t been out long, but their fan base is a loyal and enthusing one, and is growing with each gig and festival slot, no matter how big or small the stage. Raw and passionate, they have all the talent to help lead a new generation of Welsh artists into the spotlight. Just…cheer up lads though yeah? [7]

Now, it WOULD ironically take some sort of deal with the devil to actually accomplish what I’m about to propose to you here but, just go with me on this…imagine you managed to, I don't know, dust off the old Ouija board to summon the spirits of both ROSIE HAMLIN and AMY WINEHOUSE, somehow harnessed their combined vocal capabilities, incorporated that with the suddenly resurrected rock ‘n’ roll musical style of the 50’s and 60’s and, oh, sang about satanic rituals while you’re at it? I wouldn’t blame you if you assumed I was four days into a three-day weekend of abusing multiple substances all the while binge watching Nostalgia Critic videos (That’s half right, I’ll let you speculate which half)…but in principle, there actually does exist such a twisted creation…a creation even Mary Shelly would tip her quill to…let me introduce you to TWIN TEMPLE.

The duo, comprising of Alexandra and Zachary James, formed in (As they say with a slight case of tongue in cheek) the City Of Angels, only recently really in 2016, but have caused quite a stir among the alternative community in the brief time since. While you would typically associate the idea of Satanism in music going hand in hoof with genres such as black or death metal, here the pair argue the case that maybe the devil doesn’t have a ‘type’ and that maybe he loves a slow jam as much as the next bloke…or…biblical outcast, and so using the classical sounds of soul, blues jazz and doo-wop, they spread the message of feminist Satanism, and tackle topics of oppression while fighting for free will against dated ways of thinking in society. How are they doing this? Well with their new album of course! So with that in mind, let’s check out the smoothly titled “Twin Temple (Bring You Their Signature Sound…Satanic Doo-Wop)”…I feel like I’ve just summoned something just SAYING that out loud…Venite incipere!

We open up with “The Devil (Didn’t Make Me Do It)” and it’s a quaint little slice of social commentary and tackles the idea of perception; with lyrics about 8-Balls, playing pool, beer and what not…the idea that gambling and alcohol etc is the work of the devil and leads to further sinning, but here they defend him claiming he gets a bad rap, it’s not all his fault at all! There IS a sense of poignancy however as Alexandra references the 27-club, making the point whilst doing her best Amy Winehouse over some subtle jazz and soft blues. You make your own choices in life, but some of us do have our demons and we need to hold ourselves accountable; it’s a touching nod. “Lucifer, My Love” then goes head on into a world of Satanism but done in the most romantic manner possible. There’s no bombastic sense of theater or hedonistic rituals of sacrificial bloodshed…instead there is a sweet love song about how Alexandra genuinely loves him. The ceremonial candles likened to a candle-lit date, and she even asks if he prefers blue denim or a red dress? A rib at the expense of both gothic and heavy metal clichés…despite its pacing as a slow-dance track it’s really quite comical, in a good way!

The rest of the album continues to tackle the concepts of tortured romance, adultery, corruption and revenge fuelled by love and loss; “I Know How To Hex You” dabbles in a little black magic as the scorned woman gets back at her ex for objectifying her, all delivered with a smooth dose of Americana, while “Let’s Hang Together” goes down the route of taking marriage vows very literally, with emphasis on the till’ death do us part bit, so long the lovers both go out at the same time…morbidly romantic you may say. There are two instrumental pieces making up run-time in the form of “In Lvx” and “In Nox”, representing night and day and other than acting as an interlude and closing piece respectively, they contribute little to what is essentially an 8-track mini-album really.

Overall, while musically it won’t be exciting very many people in the heavy metal community, it IS a refreshing change, in both pace and style. Where it lacks in instrumental heaviness it makes up for in its message and entire point…its MEANT to stick out like a sore thumb because the duo are challenging preconceived and already existing ideas and norms, and really they’ve succeeded, all the while managing to not make any sort of mockery of their Satanic principles. The Goths will get behind this for its quirkiness, and if you’re fan of the “Dreamboats And Petticoats” era then you’ll likely enjoy this too, just, look past the nods to the occult and don’t play it for your grandma...the next time you visit you may find her hailing Satan and finger painting with her cats blood in between cups of tea. [5]

Everyone loves a mystery; something to wrap your grey matter around and one of the most infamous mysteries of them all, is the case of Jack The Ripper. His horrific murder-spree across London in the late 19th century is known around the world and is arguably the most notorious unsolved crime case in history, and despite numerous theories and arguments claiming to have it cracked, to this day still, nobody knows his (Or her) identity. While the ripper case may have captured the imaginations of many artists over the years, such as SCREAMING LORD SUTCH or MARY KELLY (One of the very first reviews on this blog as it happens, way back in 2014), it wouldn’t be the only unsolved murder to influence something musical…have you heard about The Bodominjärvi Murders?

Back in 1960, Lake Bodom, situated near Espoo in Finland would become synonymous with an almost Friday The 13th style massacre, as four teenagers who were camping near its shore, were brutally attacked in their tents. Three of them died with multiple stab wounds and blunt force traumas, while only one survived with severe but non-fatal injuries. The survivor in question, Nils Gustafsson has faced charges in the years that have passed, but there has never been enough evidence for a full conviction, and the case remains unsolved. History lesson over, and though while not a well-known cold-case here in the UK, metal fans will instantly recognise the name and make the connection to one of Finland’s finest melodic death metal exports; CHILDREN OF BODOM. The Finns have been peddling their extreme yet elegant metal, inspired by those killings, since the mid 90’s and here still in 2019 they’ve released their 10th studio album “Hexed”…let’s cast our ears upon it, as it tries to cast it’s spell upon us…

The album open’s up rather impatiently if I’m honest with “This Road”, and what I mean by that is for once there’s virtually no introduction or build up; it’s straight into the fucking riffs and there’s no messing around here. It’s classic COB with Alexi snarling his way around every syllable while the subtle keyboards sift between the relentless onslaught of crunching guitar and percussion. There IS melody here but it’s minimal, almost an afterthought, and in places it stylistically takes on an almost SLAYER-inspired tone; an unforgiving start this. If you WERE looking for more melody mind you then “Under Grass And Clover” has you covered as the synths are FAR more prominent…the track is incredibly up-beat and it’s got a great, simplistic instrumental hook, while the track as a whole takes on a more power-metal sound overall…it’s a definite album highlight.

“Glass Houses” continues the pummelling with more frantic fast-paced metal delivery amidst Alexi’s traditionally raspy vocals…the title track utilises more of that old-school trash metal influence in both its intro and general delivery, somewhat alternating with spats of almost symphonic metal. “Platitudes And Barren Words” is a genuinely superb piece of catchy, synth-driven metal; arguably as accessible as this album gets especially with some of Alexi’s less-aggravated vocals being on offer, while “Kick In A Spleen” provides one of the most equally specific yet random song titles I’ve ever come across…I mean, why the spleen? Who’s spleen is it exactly? And if anything, why not use a knife or other instrument? Let’s be honest a spleen is a pretty fucking obscure target! Why use your foot?! We’re talking Chuck Norris levels of precision here!

​The rest of the album is pretty much by numbers and it’s hard for that to not come across as derogatory…while a lot of bands over time find themselves applying a copy and paste formula from album to album, depending on their longevity of course, a lot of them become stagnant. COB do have their style and aside from the recording and production quality here compared to their early days, their writing style is more or less the same, they have their little niche…BUT…such is with COB, their style IS very much their own and distinct in its own right, and few bands manage to blend the same level of chaos and charm as these feral Finns. “Hexed” doesn’t exactly leave the listener entranced, but it’s undeniably a quality metal album from start to finish. Now that that’s listened to, who fancies a camping trip in Espoo? I know of this beautiful lake…[7]
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If you pay any attention to the Chinese zodiac, you’ll know that 2019 is the year of the pig, and while many are celebrating the prospects of wealth and good fortune (According to traditional beliefs that is, personally I just double-up on my bacon) there’s a group of musicians on the other side of the world with an entirely different set of animalistic beliefs; let me introduce you to YEAR OF THE LOCUST. The New York based five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Scot McGiveron, bassist Fred Serrell, drummer Dusty Winterrowd and guitarists Tyler Hensley & Cody Hyde) dropped their debut album “Devolver” back in 2016, and with the ballsy-brand of hard rock riffs they found themselves supporting the likes of SALIVA, HOOBASTANK and PUDDLE OF MUDD. 2019 sees them return with their brand new self-titled EP; “Year Of The Locust”…will these new tracks see them devour all before them, or are they just a plague on rock and metal? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Stay Alive” and immediately you can hear a marked improvement in the production quality here…everything sounds cleaner compared to the album prior. The vocals are clear and more polished and the instrumentation sounds crisp so we’re already off to a promising start. The song itself is superb; a simple yet steady beat and progression of riffs, embracing the slow build leading into an infectious, hook-laden chorus of powerful vocals. It’s impassioned and poles apart from anything offered previously, coupled with the frenzied solo, it makes for a brilliant opening track. “Line Em Up” follows on and it’s got a tough task ahead of it, but it takes on a slightly more southern-metal tone instrumentally, with its distinct guitar driven groove and subtle vocal drawl…fans of BLACK STONE CHERRY and THEORY OF A DEADMAN will likely get a kick out of this; no nonsense, fun rock ‘n’ roll.

As most bands of this genre do, they aren’t opposed to dropping a ballad or two either, allowing for a change of pace and to showcase their varied vocal and musical ability, and here that comes by means of “Whispers In The Dark”. A slower, tender piece of soft rock that’s big on melody and emotive vocals…with its key changes and sensually flowing solo it’s teeters on soaring power pop without quite having you reach for the lighters, before closing track “Sorry” rounds things off with another dose of chugging hard rock. A decent track but spoiled by the inclusion of random spoken-word segments. They sound jarring and hinder the flow of the track, coming across as forced and would have been better suited to an intro monologue or interlude to set up the track.

Overall in the three years that have passed between releases, YOTL have come a hell of a long way…their song writing and playing have come on in leaps and bounds and the sound quality improvement in terms of recording and production is doing them all of the favours. Gone is the grainy instrumentation and raw vocal performance, despite being only four tracks long, this makes the album feel more like a demo! Whatever the band have done differently is paying off, and if this is their direction then it’s an exciting and promising one, as their next record could feature some absolute tunes. It's the year of the locust they claim, and it’ll take more than pesticide to stop this lot! [8]