Formed in Seattle, Washington back in 1987, ALICE IN CHAINS would go on to become one of the ‘Big Four’ of the game-changer we refer to as grunge. Alongside SOUNDGARDEN, PEARL JAM and of course, NIRVANA, they pushed alternative music ever further into the mainstream and affected pop-culture in ways polar opposite to the glam rock era they oh so miserably replaced. Far more stripped back, raw and emotive; the audience could identify with them as opposed to the sheer shock value and flamboyance of glam, and what they lacked in sass, they made up for in song writing. While the movement was for the most part short lived as music and tastes evolved (And not to mention Kurt Cobain French kissing a shotgun) the more successful of these bands would continue on and 2018 see’s AIC release the brand new album “Rainier Fog”…actually only their SIXTH studio album in 30 years! Grab your umbrella’s folks…this is gonna’ be a wet one…but let’s check it out…

The album opens up with “The One You Know”…which is a blatant lie because this is the first time I’ve listened to the album and I’m not psychic! I jest…it opens up with a series of short, sharp guitar chords, repeated like some really lackluster Norman Bates parody. Seriously it just half-asses it’s way along with about as much momentum as a bout of constipation…the chorus has a decent groove and the guitar solo salvages something at least, but this a poor opener, it’s one I NOW know but also one I want to forget…moving on. The title track does at least have decent rhythm and it’s riffs do have a certain hook to them, which coupled with the tracks key changes make for a more fluid listen I’ll give it that, but what IS rainier fog? You don’t see the weather man warn you about that special rainy fog…of course it’s fucking wet otherwise it’d be smoke! It is in fact a nod to Mount Rainier, a volcano overlooking Seattle, and the aforementioned cities music scene which appropriately erupted like a volcano in the early 90’s…fitting, both then and now, as like a volcano the genre is thankfully dormant.

Further notable points on the album are sadly sparse as AIC are hardly the most energetic bunch…”Fly” opts for a far lighter approach with its melodious guitar tone and almost indie-esque post-rock feel; it’s simplicity and harmony allowing for one of the records more enjoyable listens. “Maybe” and similarly “Never Fade” do utilise far catchier choruses for the most part, the latter having a little more grit and attitude to it throughout but it hardly gets your blood pumping, and this is arguably the best track on offer here! The rest of the album sadly makes you feel not only as miserable as you do when it IS raining, but there’s a leak in your roof to boot, plus your toilet has flooded. “Drone” does exactly what it says on the tin and drones on like it’s even bored of itself…it actually musically sums up grunge in one damning swoop, utterly boring stuff this, while closing track “All I Am”, the longest track on offer, just feels completely drawn out and needlessly time consuming. I’ll tell you this much, All I am, personally, is fed up, and I’m glad this is the last track.

Now, I’ll be fair and as impartial as I can be…vocally Jerry Cantrell, as far as clean vocalists in rock and metal go, does have a distinct and iconic sound; he’s crafted the style to his own and he knows how to carry a song…likewise with the musicianship; yes there are some solid riffs utilised here and you can’t fault the band for their prowess as song writers…but there’s only so far that can go when the song’s themselves are so utterly depressing. Alice has been in chains for 30 years now and for some reason she’s still being kept alive; reasons which frankly elude me…and truth be told she’s brought nothing new or interesting to the table with this one sadly. [4]

A lot of the bands in or around Scandinavia can be described as being cut from the same cloth, though while I’m not attempting to downplay any sense of relevance these bands have in today’s overall metal society, they do have their own scene so to speak. Culturally this northern area of Europe has always had a knack of producing a steady stream of melodic death metal bands, to the point where Scandinavian Metal has become its own sub-genre or, pigeonhole for certain artists, and today we’re focusing on the area of Trondheim in Norway. An area famed for its history in performance art and expression, it houses both Norway’s oldest printed newspaper; ‘Adresseavisen’ and Trondelag Teater, the oldest theater in the whole of Scandinavia still in use today…so it’s no surprise that it’s also home to a band or two; let me introduce you to HAUNTED BY SILHOUETTES.

Formed in 2013, the melodeath outfit (Now consisting of vocalist Mathias, guitarists Stian and Per Kristian, bassist Ola and drummer Håvard) spent a lot of their formative years pushing and promoting their debut EP “The Final Mind Plague”, slowly expanding and making a name for themselves, but when the ball got rolling, the follow up EP “Wrath Of Kharon” wasn’t too far behind and now in 2018, after a slight line-up shuffle, they’ve unleashed their debut full length album; “Shortcuts To Dead Ends”…hopefully not foreseeing their own career path, let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Exhumer” and we’re greeted with a chilling, almost foreboding piano led intro, it sounds like something straight out of a horror movie score so cold it is…before out of the shadows bursts this incredibly intense mass of brutal metal. The demonic, bowel-worrying growls sounding like they’ve been freshly dug out of a pit of misery, though the guitars carry with them their own hypnotic melody, drawing you in…add to that a brief yet harmonious guitar solo and it’s a solid intro, though it does end annoyingly abruptly. Follow up track “Vindicta” has its roots embedded more in the early days of thrash metal; from the commanding percussion and traditional riffs, musically at least it showcases the bands influence taken from old-school metal acts such as METALLICA.

The whole point of melodeath as a genre though is pretty self-explanatory as it aims to combine the crushing power of metal with more graceful instrumental elements and that’s put across on album highlight “Only You Know”…the whispered vocals add a fresh dynamic as the smooth guitars meander through your speakers, allowing the growled vocals to sound all the more imposing, channeling the likes of DARK TRANQUILITY and OPETH; an anti-ballad if you will, before “A Plea For Silence” takes some of the more pop-esque production from artists like IN FLAMES to deliver a strong, hook-laden chorus. The bulk of the album mind you IS a slight case of Ctrl C, Ctrl V, as the bludgeoning, riff-heavy metal does tend to blend and become slightly repetitious, although closing track “Into The Abyss” takes you by surprise as the relaxing guitar harmonies allow the album to unwind with a brief instrumental cool-down. Overall Haunted By Silhouettes can clearly deliver a solid death metal record and when they do incorporate melody they’ve done it really well, although those moments are short-lived, taking a back seat to the general goring going on…they’ve not quite gone down a dead end, maybe if they experiment with some clean vocals next time around they’ll find a better balance but there’s nothing really wrong with this per se…we’re not quite pleading for silence just yet. [7]

When you casually commit your time to reviewing bands, what CAN happen is that, you’re so invested in the to-do list in front of you and going through emails that, you tend to miss a certain amount of stuff going on in the scene around you, and end up missing the boat with some artists. This is exactly what happened with today’s band…THE HUNNA. The Hertfordshire based quartet (Consisting of vocalist Ryan Potter, guitarist Dan Dorney, bassist Junate Angin and drummer Jack Metcalfe) formed in 2015  but have quickly garnered a level of hype among young alternative fans, with appearances at Reading & Leeds Festival and backing from BBC Introducing, and their debut album ”100” broke into the Top 20 too…from what I understand. This year saw the band release their hotly anticipated follow up album “Dare” and it’s here they entered my ears for the first time…let’s see how it went…

Now I’ll be honest…I judged a book (Or CD sleeve in this case) by its cover and it’s safe to say I was a bit…wrong. With the classic ‘Parental Advisory’ logo, the misty, back alley at night background and perception of gang-mentality I went in to  this expecting something along the lines of like, the alternative hard-rock stylistics of EIGHTEEN VISIONS or ATREYU and maybe you could say I was expecting too much? The album opens up promisingly with some fuzzy guitar and a gradually building opening verse, before it erupts into this genuinely catchy, soaring melodic chorus. It’s got a great pop-hook and an infectious groove and though while the track does end on a more breakdown-inspired instrumental segment, this is far more up-beat and up-tempo than I was expecting, but it’s a decent start nevertheless.

This overall tone is continued on tracks like “Fever” which again is an incredibly light-hearted affair which utilises a strong indie-pop feel; more melodic guitar tones and big on chorus, in ways akin to the likes of YOU ME AT SIX in delivery, while “One” easily reflects the bands affection for artists such as KINGS OF LEON, it’s so easy to imagine this played in the same set as “Sex On Fire”, the influence is quite clear…which I guess can also be said for “Summer” too. Closing track “Y.D.W.I.W.M.” (Which stands for ‘You Don’t Want It With Me’…I was relieved to not have to play some sort of Mock The Week type guess the headline game with that let me tell you) does utilise more of that fuzzy, bass-heavy guitar tone, almost grungy and more resembling of artists such as DRENGE which makes for a grittier listen, but this is generally as heavy as it gets.

​Several of the tracks opt for a considerably lighter feel such as the FOALS inspired “Babe, Can I Call?” which is a sickly sweet love song, “Lover” is a morose anti-ballad that’s both powerful and bold while trying to tug on the heart strings, while “Mother”, arguably the weakest track on the record plods along, ending on a repetitive note, really making you hope he was put up for adoption just to end YOUR suffering. Ultimately while there are some decent pop-rock cuts on “Dare” with a fair share of infectious melodies and enjoyable choruses, I really was expecting something with a bit more substance….ideally the hunna gunna’ wunna’ dare to show more fighting spirit next time around as, though while I’m not expecting a sudden switch to anything remotely metal, their songs really could do with a bit more attitude. [6]

In the past I’ve touched upon how some professional wrestlers or, WWE Superstars, embark on musical careers outside of the squared circle; we can all agree that Chris Jericho is doing remarkably well with FOZZY (In all fairness Chris Jericho does remarkably well at everything he’s the motherfucking GOAT), while Jeff Hardy prefers the underground artistic freedom of expression with his band PEROXWHY?GEN (The presentation of that word still makes me feel like I’ve been driven through a Spanish announce table). However it’s rare when you can say that the WWE have fully invested in a character within kayfabe, to the point that they personally back a musical project to further strengthen a gimmick on screen. John Cena was given this treatment when he dropped his hip-hop album “You Can’t See Me” back in 2005 but, he was THE man, he was the one getting the push so it was to be expected…so it speaks volumes for how the company see’s ELIAS in 2018.

Elias (Real name Jeffrey Scuillo) has been part of WWE since joining NXT in 2014 and over the past couple of years has been developing his ‘drifter’ character, slowly but surely moving up to his current position on the Raw roster. More famed for his promo segments than his in-ring accomplishments, he can always be found with his guitar in hand attempting to sing to the crowd in each city visited, often in a degrading manner with a heel persona, before usually being interrupted by other superstars. The trouble is, despite being a heel in theory, his character and dry, sarcastic humour have won over the vast majority of the audience and he’s more often than not cheered, with the crowd fully aware that WWE now stands for ‘Walk With Elias’…in fact, he’s gotten so over, that WWE have backed him to the extent that they’ve allowed him to record a genuine EP, so with that… silence your cellphones, hold your applause and shut your mouths as we “Walk With Elias”…

The EP opens up with the elegantly titled “The Ballad Of Every Town I’ve Ever Been To” and it’s this track that’s essentially the foundation of Elias’ character on screen. A play on old songs such as “I’ve Been Everywhere” by GEOFF MACK made famous by LUCKY STARR, also later JOHNNY CASH, it highlight’s every town he’s had the misfortune of performing in, twisting the style to fit his heelish persona, but retaining the old acoustic, country charm. Rich in both melody and melancholy, all the while mocking each town, it makes for some classic cheap heat; wonderfully delivered. “Elias’ Words” utilises a similar approach with the country-blues inspired feel, really paying homage to the original southern style with his spoken word lyrical delivery, heavy on smarmy self-importance and portraying his character brilliantly.

“Nothing I Can’t Do” switches things up with a sombre piano ballad showcasing he’s far from a one-trick pony and has more moves than John Cena…lyrically self-aware, he displays a subtle arrogance to further that heel heat as he sings that he wrote this song on a piano, just to show you that he could, because he’s better than you, there is literally nothing he can’t do and with the exception of only tone, it’s a great comedy song, before closing track “Walk With Me” returns to the acoustic, blues style complete with husky drawl and emotive guitar solo channelling the likes of Orbison and Clapton. As far as anticipated releases go it’s safe to say that, this isn’t up there on the list, but for fans of WWE and Elias especially this is a great addition for collectors and also a superb extension of Elias’ character…it’s not ground-breaking musically but it does its job perfectly and credit to Elias’ and WWE especially for making this happen, such is their faith in him with the product. Forget walking with Elias, WWE have taken the gimmick and ran with it and it’s paying off, you just wish he was mocking your town too. [6]

That awkward moment when your girl asks you over for ‘Netflix & Chill’ but the Netflix is so good that the chill doesn’t happen…this, my friends, is what happens when you discover “Stranger Things”. Only two seasons strong, the Netflix original has garnered one of the strongest cult followings in recent TV history with its throwback 80’s tones and quaint sense of pop-culture nostalgia, combining sci-fi and low-key horror with classic teen-flick vibes, all wrapped up in homage to the likes of Stephen King. One of its main strengths is it’s incredible young cast and today we’re going to be focusing on one in particular; Finn Wolfhard. Now still only 15 years old the Canadian has shown some incredibly impressive acting chops not only with his drama and emotional skills in Stranger Things, but also in the remake of the aforementioned Stephen King’s “IT”, where he got to embrace a more comedic role and pulled it off brilliantly.

This isn’t Cinemassacre however and  we’re not here to review movies, but luckily Finn is a young lad of many talents and it’s here I’m going to point you in the direction of a band by the name of CALPURNIA, which he somehow finds the time for between film and TV! Founded in Vancouver just last year by Finn (Who’s on guitar and vocals) plus drummer Malcolm Craig, the band is completed by guitarist / vocalist Ayla Tesler-Mabe and bassist Jack Anderson, and they have already released a debut EP of original content entitled “Scout”. The question is, at their young age, do we find ourselves with another HANSON or heaven forbid, AARON CARTER? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with a track called “Louie” and to my surprise we’ve got this restrained, stripped back, blues country type piece, but it also utilises a subtle, almost Caribbean tone; rich in its tinny-guitar and lulling ambiance. It’s an unexpectedly mature sound (Unless it’s been inspired by Spongebob) and nowhere near the energetic, colourful indie-pop I was expecting. The rawness of the track is hammered home by Finn’s vocals which here sound their weakest from a production perspective, but it only adds to the tracks character, really embracing the original feel for minimalist bluegrass. “Wasting Time” maintains the overall tone musically but here we have a little more of that energy I expected, embracing more of an early rock ‘n’ roll feel and it’s got a genuinely solid guitar solo to boot; this is much better.

“Greyhound” is a twee, melodic, up-beat track that’s disguising a certain sadness, as the story finds our character following a break up, travelling to a show alone after buying two tickets, you can feel his disappointment…the accompanying video too has a simple but effective message portraying everyone in life has a different path, but it’s all about the journey in the end as life always tends to work out eventually. Lead single “City Boy” returns to that raw, bluesy tone but has a simple but enjoyable chorus with gang vocals and happy-go-lucky vibe. “Blame” and “Waves” then round off the EP with a quirky, up-tempo indie piece and a more, relaxed, shoegaze inspired track respectively; the latter allowing Ayla to take a more prominent role vocally. Ultimately as I said previously the sound they’ve gone for is far more mature than what could have been expected and I don’t mean that with any sense of detriment…there’s zero sign of any commercial manufacturing here and it shows it’s not just a PR ploy to make Finn even more famous, this is about a BAND, not just Finn and that needs to be highlighted. They’ve written this EP the way THEY wanted it, and while it’s a little rough around the edges, if it’s something they want to stick at, working around Finn’s acting schedule, they have all the genuine potential to be a solid blues rock band; the talent is already there it just needs a little fine tuning. Let’s just hope Finn’s not eaten by a Demogorgon or some shit in Stranger Things season 3, or this project might find itself upside down too. [5]

Omne trium perfectum…no, before you ask I’ve not been to Hogwarts and that isn’t a spell for perfectly cooked three-egg omelettes…but it is in fact the Latin for ‘the rule of three’. As the saying goes, the best things come in three’s, at least that’s the common conception anyway, and what better way to explore this, than the trusty trilogy…let’s look at some examples. There’s the pioneering “Carnosaur”, that so heavily influenced “Jurassic Park” to the point that came out just FOUR WEEKS later, so inspired was Spielberg…there’s the “Star Wars” prequels with the phenomenal Jar Jar Binks…and then there’s “Jackass”, which has some of the strongest story telling ever put to the big screen. What’s that? I’m being facetious? Me?

The point I’m trying to make is that for everything that’s good in the world, it’ll have an opposite, and that sometimes three isn’t necessarily always the magic number (Even one in some cases), and to explore this further today we’ll be looking at NINE INCH NAILS and the new mini-album “Bad Witch”. Front man Trent Reznor initially started messing around with some ideas back in 2016 which later became the EP “Not The Actual Events”, which was a decent extended play that followed “Hesitation Marks” really quite well thematically as a stand-alone slab of bonus NIN…but he went on to reveal it was to be the first of  trilogy. This was soon followed up by 2017’s “Add Violence” which despite starting strong, soon found itself going further down the electro-prog rabbit hole, before we wound up in there here and now. All that’s left to find out now is, on a scale of one to ten (One being Sabrina and ten being Gruntilda) how bad IS the witch?

We open up positively, and more importantly promisingly, with “Shit Mirror” and we’re instantly met with the gritty, grainy, riff-heavy bitterness that we’ve come to love from Reznor; his tortured vocals iconic as ever, while the clap-along percussion provides an up-beat tempo, yet it also harbours an almost QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE type bluesy, stoner rock vibe, subtly layered within…until a brief pause, before the track ends irritatingly on a loop, ultimately spoiling all initial momentum. “Ahead Of Ourselves” opts for a more pulsing, droning, drum ‘n’ bass approach…before slowly ascending into an almost, aggrotech barrage…combining Reznor’s penchant for the industrial with more jungle elements, before the instrumental “Play The Goddamned Part” takes us on a journey of disorientating, progressive jazz-infused electronica…the psychedelic jam-session rich in distortion and the use of brass is on the verge of haunting as it relentlessly pierces your ears.

This continues with “God Break Down The Door” and while it retains certain drum ‘n’ bass elements it also contains certain qualities found in DAVID BOWIE’s “Blackstar”…albeit more up-tempo. The tone, the vibe, the almost trance-like nature of its delivery, backed up with those soft jazz influences, it almost finds itself bridging the two all the while remaining entirely separate concepts and entities. “I’m Not From This World” is another instrumental that works on the gradual build; appropriately sounding much like a score from a sci-fi movie, you could easily imagine being stalked along the decks of a space station to this before getting brutally skull-fucked by an alien…before closing track “Over And Out” brings us back down to Earth with its long, drawn-out, sweeping dreamscapes. So how bad is this witch? Upon first listen, it’s an uncomfortable and frustrating wall of noise and ideas mangled into a 30 minute record, and although repeat listens do draw out its nuances, this is more of an art-rock piece that needs your undivided attention, as oppose to an album with choice cuts. On that scale of 1 to 10, I wouldn’t go as far as Gruntilda, but I certainly wouldn’t need to think twice about dropping a house on this son of a witch and stealing her ruby slippers…[4]

If I were to maybe, oh I don’t know, chime in with some lyrics? Maybe something along the lines of…“I chime in with a ‘haven’t you people heard of, closing the god damn door?’”…a lot of you are going have flashbacks to those early emo years of the mid to late 2000’s, and many of you are going to fondly remember how bands like PANIC! AT THE DISCO ruled the airwaves. Well, you may have washed away the eyeliner, cut off your fringe and grown out of all of that since, but you wouldn’t be the only one…front man Brendan Urie has more or less done the same. While alternative rock music has gone through its trends following the emo outbreak, such as the huge metalcore boom, Brendan has very much gone on his own path, in more ways than one. Back in 2016 he released “Death Of A Bachelor” as pretty much the sole remaining member of P!ATD, and long gone were the soaring emo-rock anthems like “I Write Sins…” and “The Ballad Of Mona Lisa”, instead we had a man reinvigorated by the creative process; playing and writing everything himself, toying with ideas and musical avenues, and it paid off with the album doing incredibly well commercially, even though it continued on its clear departure from their original sound.

His new found creative freedom and exploration of pop music theatrics led him to the stage where he did a stint performing for the west end musical “Kinky Boots” and it’s here where we also find P!ATD in 2018 for album number six; “Pray For The Wicked”. Still the sole original member, here we find Brendan allowing his love of all things Broadway to consume P!ATD as he writes freely; full of glee and gay abandon, but does it work for the ol’ disco? Let’s find out…

We rather starkly open up with “(Fuck A) Silver Lining” and despite its initial 50’s feel we quickly transition into Brendan’s bold vocals and a rich, rhythmic jazz piece, but there are also elements of funk as well as early hip-hop layered within the percussion and it’s a real smorgasbord…lyrically it’s heavily focused on those silver linings, coupled with those “Cherries on top”, it’s a message of dissatisfaction; never settle for what you have and don’t be placated by those sweet cherries, you can always strive for more, you can always do better, and this song pushes for that, a possible nod to the bands evolution too if you will. Follow up track “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” has certain elements of religious confliction…housing the album’s title in its chorus, it’s as though he’s suggesting even the righteous need nights off, you can’t save everyone, it’s the weekend, let them do what they want...so while you may not condone ones behaviour, not everyone is your responsibility all the time, and understanding that doesn’t necessarily make you a bad person…and I have to point out the high note at the songs climax, for want of a better phrase, JESUS CHRIST!

The rest of the album pretty much continues with this eccentric and essentially extravagant tone throughout, with Brendan really firing on all cylinders…only those cylinders come packed full of confetti and are accompanied by a full parade, backing dancers, a circus act and marching band. “Roaring 20’s” has this low-key Latin-jazz vibe at its core and highlight’s his experience on Broadway, at this young stage of his life how did end up here so to speak. Album apogee “One Of The Drunks” highlights the dependence society has on substances, the reliance on alcohol and the idea of ‘partying’ to love life, and it’s a powerful song of reflection amidst it’s electronic r’n’b…”The Overpass” again is rich with a heavy brass-driven funk influence, before closing track “Dying In LA” rounds things off with a morose piano ballad; closing the show with a tearjerker before curtains and to be honest Brendan plays to one of his strengths here; his voice. The less-is-more approach musically allows him to pour all the more passion into this, and accompanied by the string sections it’s a lovely little song. Overall while this may be a different band from what you remember from your youth; Brendan does compensate the lack of guitars with an abundance of energy and positivity and while they’ve subtly changed album by album, Brendan’s creative flare is forever a constant and he has to be admired for his daring to explore music. Let’s face it…not many rock stars would swap the sweaty gigs for the glitz and glamour of playing a drag queen in a west end musical, then come back and incorporate that into their day job…that takes some glitter balls! On face value, it’s a fun record as a whole but, it’s not one that’ll stick in your memory on the strength of any single standout songs. [6]

Word of mouth can be a powerful tool (Crying ‘rape’ being a prime example) and it used to be the backbone of the alternative music community if you will…long before the days of the internet, you’ve heard of how rock and metal fans would have to swap mix tapes and records etc. to keep up to date with what was happening in music, relying on your good friend or source to learn who was up and coming, who was the next big thing, who just dropped a sick EP…well those days may seem like a distant memory, but word of mouth can still introduce you to some wonderful people. Take today’s band for instance; SECOND SELF.

The Cheltenham based 4-piece (Consisting of vocalist Simon Bond, guitarist Janek Davies, bassist Barny Barnfield and drummer Pablo Rodriguez) got in touch with me personally after mutual friend and 50 BELOW PROMOTIONS booker Robert Tite (He puts on some sweet gigs and I wholeheartedly encourage you to go check them out) suggested me, as they were looking for reviews. They’re preparing to release their debut self-titled EP and have kindly asked me to give it a listen…full of second self-worth or should they have second-guessed my handling of it all? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Never Coming Home” and it combines a certain nostalgic, classic hard-rock approach with underlying funk-inspired qualities…it’s all about the simple groove here as the bass carries this track forward, coupled with Bond’s emotive vocal display…this sounds like they’ve taken parts of INCUBUS and merged them with the likes of IN SEARCH OF SUN for a truly bluesy opener; it’s a decent start. “Stepping Stones” goes for a similar approach in ways but it does utilise more consistent guitar melody, so while keeping in theme with the track previous we also get throwbacks to artists such as IDLEWILD from that early 2000’s post-indie scene; clean vocals and hooks but not afraid to throw a riff down where needed.

The opening to “Falling Backwards” has a more subdued feel with the relaxed drum-fill and the bubbly guitar tone, before it delves into this, angst-ridden blend of early emo and post-hardcore…a bold vocal display coupled with some passionate instrumentation allows for an enjoyable, emotional jaunt, before closing track “Eat Your Horse” goes all Tesco ready meal on your ass. Arguably the weakest track on offer, it’s here you notice most that it’s the band’s debut recording and production isn’t 100%, there are a few rough patches which will naturally improve with time but here you can feel the scruffy, demo-quality if you will…ultimately however for a first offering you can clearly hear that there’s promise here from the quartet. With just a bit of polishing you potentially have a solid blues-based hard rock unit in Second Self as instrumentally they’re on the right path, and the vocals will only improve with confidence and experience, once they’ve found their groove by the next record fingers crossed. Second Self? Maybe a case of first the worst, second the best as they say… [5]

​On July 20th, 2017…the world of music, not just rock and metal, was stunned into silence following the suicide of LINKIN PARK’s Chester Bennington. No one saw it coming; and the torrent of tears was matched only by the sheer level of positivity in fond memories and condolences…for Chester was the voice of a generation, the reason why so many of us, myself included, got into alternative music in the first place and nobody could comprehend what had happened. As we all very publicly grieved, and as the tears dried, a sudden and further saddening realisation struck us all; what would happen to Linkin Park? This to many may seem like a selfish thought, but let’s not forget they were one of the biggest bands in the world, far beyond the pigeonholes of genre, everybody knew Linkin Park…and they were now facing an uncertain future, or even no future at all. These thought’s plagued the mind of band-mate MIKE SHINODA who struggled to come to terms with what had happened and had a hard time processing it all…until this year that is. He’s recently released a solo album appropriately titled “Post Traumatic” in a cathartic attempt to deal with it all…let’s join him in paying our respects to the late and sincerely fucking great, Chester Bennington…

The album opens up with “Place To Start” and it perfectly sums up Shinoda’s frame of mind heading into this record...the subdued tone of the low-fi hip-hop gives off a deeply emotional aura of sadness, the hopelessness of not having control in life and the disorientation of not knowing where life goes from here…this is reinforced by a series of voicemail messages from close friends offering condolences following Chester’s death and it’s so very raw and real and you can’t help shed a tear here…a truly painful start. “Over Again” follows up next and here it’s so sombre; it has a level of frustration as we get a glimpse into what’s going through Shinoda’s mind ahead of Chester’s tribute show…having to mourn not only your band-mate but your close friend, but having to be professional and join the grieving public when there’s so much running through your mind; it must have been such an incredibly difficult time for the whole band and everyone close to Chester, which is something we as fans take for granted, thinking only of the music, and not the human beings behind it all; you can hear the agitation in his lyrics, the frustration and he sounds like a man on breaking point…such an effective track.

Album highlight “Nothing Makes Sense Anymore” is an incredibly simplistic, electro-driven pop number that would have easily made its way onto “Living Things” back in 2012 for example…made all the more powerful by its music video, it acts as a perfect metaphor for the aftermath of Chester’s passing, with Shinoda seeming lost, trudging through ash and dirt following a wildfire; looking for answers but finding nothing but suffering and it’s incredibly emotional. This can also be said for “Hold It Together” which highlights the struggles it caused Shinoda in his personal life and how he has absolutely no idea how to cope; to deal, and despite the tracks up-beat delivery it’s a very raw and honest piece, while “Running From My Shadow” tackles the idea of moving on, or the struggles met with wanting to move on but not knowing how to, almost afraid to…with a sense of guilt or loyalty to the memories shared.

The album continues and overall, over the 16 tracks you can’t help but feel that little bit closer to Shinoda upon hearing these songs…so rare is it that an artist can produce out of grief, pain, confusion and ultimately love…and it resonates so strikingly with the listener. As I said previously, Chester touched so many lives and put so, so many of us down this path of rock ‘n’ roll he really did feel like part of an extended family, and this album not only perfectly sums up our own thoughts and feelings which we all share with Shinoda on some level, but it does Chester justice…he was always about the art and the expression and even in the difficulty over the last year, I’d like to think that Chester would be proud of Shinoda for this record, because it certainly wasn’t an easy one to make. If anything I can conclude this with at all, is if you’re having a hard time in life, whatever the reasons, please talk to someone, you are loved and you are cared about, it’s OK to have a little help, and this album could potentially be a good place of encouragement. Thank you, Mike Shinoda, and, RIP Chester. [8]

So a bear and a bull walk into a bar and after they take a seat, the bull says “I’ll get the first round, what you having?”…the bear, licking his lips replies “I’ll have………a beer”. The bull, impatient asks “Why the big pause?” The bear simply retorts “I dunno, I was born with them!” …As shitty as that joke is, I intend to make up for it in sheer Segway value; so if you’ll let me explain, allow me to introduce to you PAGANS. Formed somewhere oop north, the internet-based duo consists of Vocalist Luther Williams (Who you may also find in the band THE ANTIQUITY) and multi-instrumentalist Adam Bulpitt, and the pair got together strictly as part of a studio-only project after meeting at university. Inspired by a love of artists such as SYLOSIS and THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER they’ve created an EP under the name of “The Bear And The Bull” (See it made sense in the end!)…will they pull no punches? Or are they too the punch-line to a shitty joke? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with the track “Fathoms” and initially we just have the soft, creepily plucked guitar providing an almost hypnotic introduction; there’s no ascension, no gradual build…it simply lulls and lingers there for just short of a minute, where we then quickly erupt with a visceral dose of tormented, sludge-heavy death metal. The drone of the guitar and the duel-tone vocals of Williams; half demonic growls, half savage snarling giving the track a true sense of viciousness and foreboding…one can only fathom at the depths off hell this came from…”Cranium Tomb” then follows up and wastes absolutely no time whatsoever. After a brief drum flurry we’re right back at it with a lot more emphasis on those guttural growls, which accompanied by their blend of technical death and retro thrash influences, combining a mixture of chord progressions, off-kilter riffs and key-changes; it’s enough to make your skull collapse under the sheer force of uncontrollable head-banging.

The shortest of the five offerings then, is “Pig Iron” and make no mistake, vocally here Williams sounds like tomorrow’s bacon being roughly fucked with a hot iron…and musically it couldn’t be more fitting to soundtrack such a scene. Blunt, full of aggression and assertive, until it just dissipates...blacks out, unable to take anymore. “I, The Marked One” continues with the pummelling though instrumentally there are more subtle hooks coming through the guitar which do stand out, before closing track “Into The Dawn” ends proceedings like we started; with some softly plucked guitar leading into another scorching death metal assault, although again the guitar does provide a touch more melody this time around. So, the question remains, are the bear and the bull simply part of the set up to a punch-line? Not really no, as they are as every bit as ferocious and intimidating as the animals they represent from a musical standpoint, and if you prefer to be mauled by your metal then be sure to check these out. Not a fan of the vocals? They’ve even got you covered there as the EP has 5 additional purely instrumental cuts for you to get whiplash to, but you don’t get the full level of intensity as was intended. Don’t get too attached though, odds on you’ll not be seeing them live…and that’s a load of bull! [5]

German Goth-metal gods LORD OF THE LOST returned recently with their brand new studio album “Thornstar”, which came out August 3rd via Napalm Records. I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with long-time bassist Klaas Helmecke (AKA Class Grenayde) about the album, touring plans and German metal…here’s what he had to say;

Klaas, thank you so much for taking the time to have a quick chat, how are you?

“Hey Gav! Thank you for asking, me and the guys are having a great time; our new record recently hit the Official Album Charts at number 6!”

Congratulations that's awesome! Now, as one of the core members of LOTL alongside Chris, you’ve been here since back in 2007 where the band formed in Hamberg, Germany…for those newly discovering you, how did the band come to light?

“I was the first member with Chris starting the idea of the band in 2007; Chris came up with the idea to make his own music with a band formed out of friends. We always wanted to have a band together, so i was the first person to ask. We released our first record with Chris’ music in 2009… from that day on we’ve played as many shows as we can, touring our asses off and released quite a lot of records, videos and other stuff. And we never get rid of it. We love what we do!”

It’s easy to jump straight to RAMMSTEIN when people think of German metal, but Germany has always had a rich heritage in heavy music, who inspired you in those formative years and what’s the scene like in Hamburg?

“Rammstein was an inspiration for us, that’s for sure! But the inspiration didn’t only come from German music. And also not even only from Metal or Goth music. If we speak of Chris as the mastermind and main writer in the band, he got also a lot of inspiration from bands like ROXETTE, AEROSMITH and stuff like that. Talking about the German music scene, especially the Hamburg scene, we are not having so many upcoming artists these days. Rap is actually booming like all over the world and if i think of Hamburg bands i always come back to bands like HELLOWEEN, GAMA RAY and bands like that. We hope that  someday people naturally name us in the same way, speaking of Hamburg bands.” 

In the ten+ years you’ve been together you’ve been quite prolific it has to be said; aside from a number of EP’s, compilations and live DVD’s you’ve also just released your 6th studio album “Thornstar”, which we’ll touch on shortly…what keeps you motivated to produce and what fuels those creative juices so efficiently?

“Some people need to write to be alive. Chris is somebody like that; he’s got some sort of creative overflow, from which he can take as much creativity from as needed; that’s a blessing for all of us. And everybody else is giving their parts and knows how to complete the final product.”

Coming back to “Thornstar”, aside from being a great listen it seems to be a solid concept album with plenty of religious overtones, with tracks such as “On This Rock…”, “Black Halo” and “Naxxar”…what was the inspiration for the record?

“There is an old mythology about the Pangaeians, a culture that got almost forgotten in time. This record is based on the stories and legends around this culture. It was tough to find material about it. You really have to dig deep in libraries and this new thing called the internet.” 

Given LOTL’s blend of dark Gothic rock and classical, often orchestral tones, concepts around religion and folklore can offer so much room for creativity with resource in abundance; do you find it’s a natural fit? With the deluxe edition having an additional 7 tracks it seems you had plenty of material heading into the studio!

“We always added orchestral elements to our music, with Chris and Gared for example; having classical backgrounds in their musical education. And since especially Chris having such and endless output we got too many good songs in our hands! The additional 7 songs are as good as the rest. They just made it ‘ONLY’ on CD 2 because they are less related to the mythology; which the main album is all about.”

To mark the album’s release you’re heading out on an extensive European tour leading through winter, including 5 dates here in the UK in November which I’m personally looking forward to; what can your fans expect from the upcoming shows? Are you looking forward to blending the new tracks in alongside classics like “Sex On Legs”?

“Of course we will play new songs, but since we didn’t play so often in the UK yet, the people also deserve to enjoy our ‘classics’. We’ll play the best compilation of our songs we can to kick everybody’s asses!”

With the tour already booked deep into March of next year, your current long term focus is clearly on promotion, can fans outside of Europe look forward to catching you somewhere in 2019 too or are those plans still in development?

“We always plan to reach out in the world as far as we can. We’ve got good plans in our pockets to come around a lot, and we always appreciate promoters all over the world that say ‘Hi’ and invite us to come over and play. If we can travel and reach out to our fans worldwide, we are happy!”

Class, thank you for your time, and all the best with the up-coming tour.

Africa as a whole is an incredible place…whether you’re in awe of its vast array of wildlife seen on various nature documentaries, or in dismay at some of the struggles of poverty and hopelessness outside its main cities, it truly is a fascinating and diverse continent from coast to coast. One thing that isn’t often discussed however is Africa’s alternative music culture; we can all recognise and associate traditional instrumentation, rhythmic and expressive with a lot of woodwind and percussion as seen in film and TV footage, but that’s all a cliché, there’s plenty of stuff you’re not going to hear or see on National Geographic, and that’s where today’s band comes in; let me introduce you to LELAHELL.

Formed in Algeria by vocalist Reduoane Aouameur in 2010, they quickly took to the Algerian extreme metal scene until finally releasing their debut album in 2013, “Al Insane…The (Re) Birth Of Abderrahmane”; conceptually based on the divine Muslim name closest to Allah. 2018 sees them return with the 2nd part of the concept via the album “ALIF”; the first letter of the Arabian alphabet, symbolic of beginnings, as Abderrahmane takes his first steps in a new life, akin to a child learning to walk and speak…let’s check it out.

The album kicks off with “Paramnesia” in a very literal sense as immediately we’re met with a flurry of double-kick drums, leading into rumbling bass riffs and intense, chugging guitar. The build while gradual still manages to sound heavy without yet truly letting rip, until Reduoane’s vocals kick in and his guttural grumbling’s allow the track to become a barrage of death metal which is impressively sustained throughout. The occasional guitar lick incorporates subtle African tones which break up the technical brutality quite well, providing a decent if not slightly regimented start. “Ignis Fatuus” follows up and right away we’re subject to more up-tempo, thrash-inspired speed metal and for the most part the vocals take on more of a rasping snarl; full of piss and vinegar highlighting an anger and bitterness fueled by false hope.

The rest of the album really speaking then, delivers mostly more of the same over its ten-track run time…bar a couple of select notable points. “Insiraf / Martyr” utilises an off-kilter poly-rhythmic approach that takes influence from the realms of prog-metal…”Adam The First” while sounding incredibly sludgy does have an wonderfully frenetic guitar solo that breaks things up nicely…”Thou Shalt Not Kill” is a great orchestral-led piece full of rich strings sounding almost cinematic, but sadly it’s no more than a 30 second intro / interlude track which is a real shame, as its sense of drama and suspense is honestly intriguing, before closing track “Impunity Of The Mutants” rounds things off embracing some semi-Nordic darkness courtesy of blast-beats and sinister guitar tones, something fans of say, IMMORTAL or early SATYRICON would appreciate. Overall from a technical standpoint Lelahell have to be applauded as for the most part they sound crisp, there’s some solid production here and it’s all aided by the fact renowned death metal sticks-man Hannes Grossmann (HATE ETERNAL / NECROPHAGIST) has recorded drums for them, though they aren’t a one-man team. If you prefer your metal as harsh and unforgiving as the Sahara desert at midday with nothing but your own piss to drink, you’ll likely appreciate this and it’s extreme metal nuances…if you’re looking for more melody in your metal then this isn’t likely going to do much for you. [6]

The UK music scene in the 90’s was an interesting place to be it has to be said…less of an exotic cocktail and more of a dirty pint if anything. At one end of the spectrum we had a rising popularity in girl/boy bands, spearheaded by the likes of SPICE GIRLS and TAKE THAT…at the other end we had the dawn of a new era of darkness by means of the freshly malformed CRADLE OF FILTH and MY DYING BRIDE, and somewhere in the middle of it all, MR. BLOBBY managed a Christmas number 1, I shit you not. The main talking point however was always Britpop, which was of course famously established by the war between BLUR and OASIS, but at the turn of the century when tastes all changed, bands either sank or swam…Blur front-man Damon Albarn however didn’t just swim, he evolved, grew legs, left the pond and changed the concept of performance art as we knew it…he created GORILLAZ.

Consisting of fictional members 2-D, Murdoc, Noodle and Russel, the “group” existed entirely in animated cartoon form and was spawned from Albarn’s growing appreciation for electronic and world hip-hop music, and they made their breakthrough in 2001 via their self-titled debut album and the mega hit “Clint Eastwood”, never looking back, only growing in success with further singles along the road like “Dare” and “Feel Good Inc.” until their eventual hiatus. 2017 saw them return with 26-track behemoth “Humanz” but 2018 sees them back already with the follow up album “The Now Now”…the question is, is it the good good?

We open up with the album’s lead single “Humility” which features famed jazz-guitarist George Benson and what we’ve got is a quirky little, low-fi synth pop piece…laid back in approach combining ambient funk and subtle reggae influences for a very fresh, Summery vibe. This is backed up by the music video, inspired by the Santa Monica lifestyle; carefree and easy-going, and it speaks of the inner struggles of failed romance and yearning, though not entirely serious with Jack Black doing, well, Jack Black things. It’s an OK start…follow up track “Tranz” however is a completely different kettle of fish. Whilst simple in structure and approach it’s got a definite, retro electronic tone musically combining the simplicity of KRAFTWERK and the edgier, darker tones of DEPECHE MODE, all the while utilising some really catchy pop hooks and it works wonderfully, this is easily an album highlight.

Sadly however, highlights over these 11 tracks exist in much the same way Harambe does; i.e. he doesn’t, not anymore anyway (RIP you majestic beast). “One Percent” harbours soft synth melodies that wouldn’t feel out of place in a scene from “Stranger Things”, while “Lake Zurich” is another up-beat, primarily disco / funk-driven instrumental for the most part and it has to be said, on the track “Hollywood”, it’s always good to hear a bit of SNOOP DOGG (Even though the guy will work with almost anyone, refer to my old COREY FELDMAN review for that)…the rest of the album however sadly lacks any real sort of momentum. “Idaho” is structured very much like a dreamscape which would not only put you to sleep, but the sheep you were counting too. “Fire Flies” strikes me as purely ironic and cruel as I’ve literally just reviewed an OWL CITY album and this track actually makes me miss that, before closing track “Souk Eye” rounds things up with some more dreary pop. Damon Albarn is a talented song writer and creator, that’s not in question, but there were days he used to write with a sense of positivity and fun, with more LIFE…lately this project sounds like he’s either half asleep or stoned, or both…honestly, take the W’s off of the album title and it’ll be more appropriate. [3]

I want you to cast your minds back just for a moment, to the year 2009…what a weird year in pop music that was. LADY GAGA exploded onto the world’s music scene with her debut album / virtual hit-factory “The Fame”…inspiring young women everywhere to dress like absolute twats…weeks before his massive come-back tour, MICHAEL JACKSON passes away from accidental overdose, making sure you double-checked your own prescription or else you too would be moonwalking to the morgue (On a serious note that was a bit unexpected)…SUSAN BOYLE became a thing, no really, that actually happened…and a little known artist by the name of OWL CITY would dominate the airwaves with THAT song “Fireflies”…seriously it was everywhere, like a synth-pop plague, going 19x platinum worldwide…you must remember, surely? I digress…following the immediate success of Owl City’s (Real name Adam Young) debut, he seemingly faded away…but he didn’t disappear. In addition to having worked on numerous film soundtracks including “The Croods” and “Wreck-It Ralph”, he now returns with his SIXTH studio album; “Cinematic”…shall we see what owl the fuss is about?

The album kicks off with “Fiji Water” and such is the innocent charm of the simplistic electronica I honestly thought this was inspired by the ‘Human Music’ from "Rick And Morty"…I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Jerry wasn’t singing this himself! Jokes aside, it combines the unsullied tinkling’s of a baby’s cot mobile stylistically with the sickly sweet vocals…the chorus is catchy enough and this is harmless pop music with some pleasant little hooks; a pretty safe start. Speaking of choruses, “Montana” delivers well with what could musically find itself at home on LINKIN PARKS’s “One More Light” album, naturally he’s no Chester but aesthetically it wouldn’t feel out of place, you can easily imagine Shinoda accompanying this.

Despite being known for the easy-listening electronica, there are a couple of tracks that utilise a more guitar driven approach…”Be Brave” being the first offering. Initially a delicate piano led piece, it takes advantage of the slow-build and gradually becomes this emotive, emo-rock track and it’s genuinely enjoyable as it kicks into gear. “Firebird” then swaps the piano for the acoustic strings and again, the hooks on this chorus are pretty infectious, allowing for a clear album highlight. This too can be said for “Lucid Dream” which when it gets going embraces a total European dance-pop characteristic…in the right hands a potential floor-filler this. By contrast then, the cutely titled “Not All Heroes Wear Capes” is a wonderful little tribute to his father via an acoustic ballad; equal parts nostalgic admiration and present-day appreciation.

While the tracks I’ve highlighted have their own charms and attributes…we can’t ignore the fact that, at eighteen tracks long…this is a lot of synth-pop to get through and given the very often butter-wouldn’t-melt level of innocence within the vocals and poppier-than-thou electronica, it can become overwhelming to the point of nausea. “House Wren” for example is just so incredibly corny, lyrically it makes my ears cringe…”Winners Never Quit” ironically made me want to abandon this review but I’m in too deep now…this might even make Charlie Sheen quit and he INVENTED winning! Aside from some alternate versions of tracks, the album officially closes on the title track and essentially it’s like an excuse to use a lot of movie-themed metaphors and analogies…no more. Essentially here, Owl City haven’t really changed one iota…their sweet electro-pop is still on the verge of troubling diabetics…while they can clearly still produce infectious, radio-conquering tunes, this album in its entirety is for want of a better word; excessive. [5]

When it comes to bands succeeding from day one, there are few in recent times who can honestly say they have hit the ground running as hard as FLORENCE + THE MACHINE…the London-born group fronted by Florence Welch dropped their debut “Lungs” back in 2009 and really haven’t looked back since. Multi-platinum sales, Brit Awards, Mercury Prize nominations…and that was just the debut! This form continued as both follow-up records “Ceremonials” and “How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful” each respectively gave Florence a hat-trick of Number 1 albums and the accolades kept coming…however the style was slowly but surely changing and they were in time becoming more refined…and this leads us to 2018 where Florence released album number four; “High As Hope”. Self-produced by the band themselves, let’s see how the machine is operating these days…

The album opens up with, (Or at least tries to) “June” and I say that because there’s at least a 14 second delay between the start of the track and you being able to actually hear anything, and I honestly don’t know what this aims to achieve, coming across as more of a production error rather than having any beneficial point within the song. When the song IS flowing however we get a piano led, restrained little track, gently accompanying Florence’s instantly recognisable husky, sometimes warbled vocals. It does have a slight, climactic flurry but it’s abrupt ending spoils that completely. Were the spare 14 seconds meant to be this side of the song, instead of being empty? Here it just sounds incomplete; a poor start.

Lead single “Hunger” then follows and admittedly this is much better; with a more up-beat rhythm its sounding far more positive, with encouraging lyrics and a gospel-inspired clap-along accompaniment, coupled with soulful backing gang-vocals, this is Florence as we know her and she’s so easily capable of writing songs that simply ooze with joyousness; this being one of them. This is reinforced by the track “Patricia” which again has all of the classic F+TM traits, wonderfully blending soulful pop with energetic indie…the string sections and bold chorus allowing for a dynamic listen and again it allows for an enjoyable song. Florence has always had subtle gothic tendencies mind you and here it’s showcased by the ultra-moody “Big God”…the almost haunted, deeper tempo with its sultry tones and slow-build gives the album extra character overall and is a definite highlight.

This albums primary flaw however, is in fact how stripped back it actually is…as despite only being ten tracks long, it feels a lot longer because of the level of restriction, with an almost shoegaze appraoch utilised. “Grace” whilst on paper is an appropriately titled graceful little piano ballad, it feels incredibly drawn out, and as assertive as Florence is vocally the track fails to hold attention, so too do the albums closing tracks suffer similarly, with “The End Of Love” and “No Choir” rounding things off in lacklustre fashion. Yes the point of this album was a more personal, raw recording and that does indeed resonate through Flo’s vocals throughout, her ability as a performer can’t be questioned, but taking this direction has denied us the proper banger's we all know the band are capable of…there’s no rush and excitement of “Howl”…there’s no drama and climax of “What The Water Gave Me” and there’s no feisty attitude of “Kiss With A Fist”…instead, while we have a well matured album, it’s pretty much just Florence…the machine seems to be on standby. [5]

​I’m going to share something with you right now…I love sloths. I happen to have a weakness for three-toed sloths as I find them absolutely adorable and If I could afford it I’d happily fund their conservation in Costa Rica etc…hell if it was legal in the UK I’d buy one myself and let him hang around my garden, I want a pet sloth somebody make that happen! However, while I aren’t lucky enough to get to cuddle one of these moss-covered fuzzy bastards I can in fact LISTEN to some sloths from the comfort of my own home; let me introduce you to THE SLOTHS. Formed in Los Angeles WAY back in 1964, these pioneering rockers may not have been around for long initially, but their calibre of rock ‘n’ roll has had people digging through the archives and old record collections, subsequently re-discovering The Sloths, embracing all of the nostalgia and classic charm. Very much like the animals their named after, it’s a case of better late than never I guess as slowly they’ve garnered credibility…let’s see if they can cling on over 50 years later with the vinyl re-release of “Back From The Grave”…

We open up with the track “Never Enough Girls” and immediately my mind goes in the direction of sloth ‘rape memes’ but I have to compose myself amidst images of dragons and pudding…a tinny-sounding little track, very much of its time; blues inspired rock ‘n’ roll with a slight proto-punk edge. With influences ranging from THE ROLLING STONES and CHUCK BERRY it’s very easy to see where they’re coming from, but also you can see where bands like THE RAMONES took inspiration from too. “End Of My Rope” follows up and again here we’re given more of that original blues heritage with some rich harmonica licks (Even going as far as a solo) and you can easily picture yourself sipping whiskey at a bar in Tennessee while this plays…so far so good. Speaking of solo’s we’re further treated on the tracks “Lust” which utilises an up-tempo, surfer-rock vibe allowing for a fun little piece, and also “Gotta Get Fired”, which by contrast is a slower, bass-driven, groove-heavy number which takes extra influence from the likes of THE DOORS.

The rest of the album, while subtle in its variety, does mostly retain a consistency and level of quality throughout which truth be told results in an all-around enjoyable listen…”Haunted” is thematically self-explanatory in its pained ballad approach; which somehow bridges a gap between the tenderness of ROY ORBISON and the spooky tones of THE MISFITS…”Before I Die” returns to the bands blues roots but here we’re given a slight, country / rockabilly twist, before the initial album rounds off with their most infamous track “Makin’ Love”, which during its initial release over 50 years ago was deemed too controversial for airplay on many US radio stations but is incredibly tame by today’s standards. If I’m to pick at anything really it’s the main single “One Way Out” which has a primarily spoken-word approach that reminds me of “Monster Mash” for the most part in its structure and delivery but it has a pretty weak chorus sadly. The European release does have a bonus track by the name of “I Survived” but it’s really nothing to rave about, actually the weakest sounding vocal quality on the album, sounding more like a demo than anything. Ultimately, for a band that only had an initial run of 2 years, it’s impressive to see their legacy not only living on but how much excitement a little nostalgia can provide! Granted this may be helped by the fact that original vinyl’s have gone for as much as $6000 online but that’s beside the point…whether they are back from the grave or, being the sloths they are they’ve literally just taken this long to get here, it doesn’t matter, rock ‘n’ roll never truly gets old. Roll on the year 2066 for the new album! [7]

Going back decades, arguably since its inception truth be told, ‘rock’ music was always viewed upon as bad thing; a rebellious genre that started in the early days of rock ‘n’ roll a la ELVIS' controversial hip-swinging, leading young ladies astray…punk rock was always a primary instigator of rebellion when that came about, the musical equivalent of streaking through a convent with your middle fingers proudly pointing skyward…and then there’s metal. We’re not going to be delving into all of the deep, dark sub-genres, but metal itself has always been associated with the devil and darkness, and of course bands like BLACK SABBATH and IRON MAIDEN only fueled that…but sometimes a band just feels the need to speak up; make a statement and be as brutally honest or opinionated as they can be. Here; special guest writer PETE HARRIS (petesmusic0508@gmail.com) showcases his personal picks on “5 Metal Bands That Made Their Name Attacking The Establishment”

"There are many ways to speak to the powers above. But sometimes, the best and only way to unleash truth is to do it as loudly and as aggressively as possible. Here are five of our favourite artists who knew just that — and have used the inherent aggression of metal to express rage, dissent, and criticism against the unyielding sociopolitical establishment."

Godfathers of 90’s and 00’s thrash metal; MACHINE HEAD first made a name in Europe before getting famous back home in the US. One of the pioneers in the ‘New Wave Of American Heavy Metal’ which began in the mid 1990’s and peaked later in the millennium. Machine Head dabbles with thrash and groove metal, which they’ve perfected in songs like “Aesthetics Of Hate” and “Clenching The Fists Of Dissent”. From criticising the critics who act like the gatekeepers of rock, to taking an anti-war stance in the midst of the American government’s oil-hoarding in the Middle East, Machine Head’s fans know that they mean business.

"Being able to loudly and aggressively speak truth to power is just one of the many uses of anti-establishmentarian music. As many metal-heads can attest to, listening to some quality rock and metal can prompt emotional, mental and even physical benefits as well; revelling in the violent themes of metal in in many ways, an act of anti-violence and therapeutic self-love. In fact, academically-backed research published in an article on LOTTOLAND reveals that people who regularly go to live rock music gigs are more satisfied with their lives than those who don’t. The same source also reveals that powerful music can give a 26% boost to your overall blood-flow. Keep these things in mind the next time you’re debating whether or not it’s worth it to go out and see what the newest bands have to offer…"

What are your thoughts on metal bands speaking truth to power? Were there any bands or artists you feel deserve to be in this list? Let us know what you think in the comments!

I’m going to be perfectly honest with you right now; I am officially useless when it comes to time-keeping and scheduling when it comes to this blog! Seriously, I can sit here and make notes, plan some specific reviews and posts then think, right, my free time is here, here and here, so I’ll sort out some content…what ACTUALLY happens instead however is I just find myself opening emails and forgetting about them while I’m lost, procrastinating in the annals of YouTube. Well I’m rectifying one such instance today! Allow me to introduce to you AMERICAN STANDARDS.

I was sent an email by their front-man Brandon Kellum, in which he forwarded his bands (Completed by guitarist Corey Skowronski, bassist Steven Mandell and drummer Mitch Hosier) latest album “Anti-Melody”…asking if I would be so kind to check it out! Better late than never Brandon, though I do apologise! Anyway, formed in 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona, the 4-piece share a love of all things hardcore and post-punk, inspired by big-hitters such as CONVERGE and POISON THE WELL and channelled those influences through this; their 4th album. It wasn’t without its setbacks mind you, as prior to recording, original founding guitarist Cody Conrad committed suicide, which was followed shortly after by the death of Brandon’s own father to cancer…these events, coupled with the state of the world around them pushed them towards writing the most personal album of their career, so let’s see what standards these American’s have…

We open up with “Writers Block Party” and they waste no time getting all up in your face with their blend of punk-infused hardcore rock…with their combination of intense thrashing, full of piss and vinegar, plus the weighty riffs layered over Brandon’s snarling vocal delivery, leading up to a climactic flurry, the album starts as it means to go on; with absolutely no nonsense whatsoever. “Carpe Diem, Tomorrow” follows up and it’s a touch slower in tempo with some off-kilter, almost prog-infused guitar work, bordering on djent in places, before we’re treated to an impromptu and legitimately enjoyable guitar solo which itself takes the track up a level.

Further highlights include “Broken Culture”, which at under two-minutes long may only provide a short, sharp piece of music but it still manages to include some great, groove-heavy guitar work, blunt as it is brief; their punk roots shine through here. By contrast, “Bartenders Without Wings” slows things down completely with a raw, melancholy soaked sense of vulnerability plucked straight out of the MEWITHOUTYOU playbook, while closing track “Chicago Overcoat” plunges itself deep within sludge-metal territory…methodical and with more than a touch of EYEHATEGOD and MELVINS at its core, it ends proceedings on an altogether more sluggish note. For a band that’s gone completely DIY, despite only being 8 tracks and less than half an hour in length this album shows plenty of potential. While firmly rooted in that post-punk / hardcore genre bracket they’re clearly not afraid to dabble to give some of these tracks that extra flavour (Regardless of how off-putting sludge sounds) and it’s this that will likely carry them forward, as they CAN become a little samey when they’re just rip-roaring their way through a bitter, angry track-list, though to its credit the album title doesn’t lie; you won’t find much in terms of easy listening here. [5]

As disappointing as it is, it’s not just day-to-day society that’s still behind in terms of equality between men and women in the work place…the world of rock and metal is still very much a male dominated genre of music and despite the best efforts of several high profile bands, it’s still dragging it’s knuckles to a degree…for example; Download festival (Arguably the most mainstream and high profile of the alternative rock and metal festivals) is yet to have a ‘female-fronted’ headline act on its main stage. Women in rock and metal just don’t seem to be getting a legitimate fair shot…but one young lady is hoping to change all of that; let me introduce you to DIAMANTE.

The Los Angeles-based singer found herself listening to the likes of AVRIL LAVIGNE and KELLY CLARKSON at a young age but through that soon discovered and developed a passion for classic rock, and artists such as JOAN JETT and PAT BETANAR. After dropping her debut single “Bite Your Kiss” back in 2014 she’s generated millions of streams on YouTube etc. and has recently dropped her debut full length album; “Coming In Hot”. Produced by Howard Benson (MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE, MOTORHEAD) he’s proclaimed himself that the 21-year-old is the rightful heir to the throne of Joan Jett; while Diamante herself intends to make a statement…incredibly bold, let’s see if she can back it up.

The album opens up with the title track and lead single “Coming In Hot” and within seconds you can hear the influence that Joan Jett has had on the young artist…from the gritty, attitude-riddled vocal delivery and the simple, old-school style of the guitars, this will easily appeal to fans of all that is classic rock. Do you remember when BRITNEY SPEARS covered (And I use that term loosely) “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll”? Well this is better, considerably better…follow up track “Sound Of Us” for the most part is more of the same though the pre-chorus has some additional melody, while the chorus itself has gone big, bordering on anthemic. The guitar solo here too is a pretty decent effort and ultimately we’ve got a straightforward yet enjoyable track here. Recent single “Had Enough” directly addresses the issue of women’s rights by supporting the #MeToo movement…with a video inspired by “Thelma & Louise” and a production staff consisting entirely of women, it’s more of a statement than a hit single as musically again it’s relatively straight forward, but the message is more important than the track itself here really.

Elsewhere the record does have further highlights including “Kind Of Love” which combines bold melodies and soaring gang vocals over some catchy pop-rock hooks for a solid, enjoyable track…”War Cry” takes things up a notch with a deeper, darker core sound, almost rooted in industrial given the lyricism and instrumentation; the riffs are heavier and the overall tone of the track is a little more sinister, while “Fight Like A Girl” is predominantly more groove-heavy with another strong chorus. The album isn’t without it’s lesser points however; “Definitely Not In Love” is a completely cringe-worthy track driven by spoken-word verses, I’m definitely not in love with THIS one, while “Black Heart” harks back to those early Kelly Clarkson influences, negating the whole classic rock vibe of the album, before closing track “Lo Siento” is just a Spanish version of earlier track “I’m Sorry” and serves little to no point, adding nothing to the album in terms of quality…it would have served better as a B-Side. Ultimately the album as a whole is a decent selection of rock ‘n’ roll track’s and despite her young age she’s done well, channeling the genre’s heritage through to a new generation of listeners, bridging the gap between pop and rock well, but there’s nothing truly iconic or memorable about the record. Diamante here coming in lukewarm if anything, but there’s no reason to suggest she can’t turn up the temperature next time around. [6]

With the odd couple of exceptions, generally you’ll find that bands who have been together for a lengthy period of time usually start to mellow out at some stage in their career. Only recently I was saying this about the MANIC STREET PREACHERS who have lost some of their original punk-rock attitude in middle age…and this can be said too for artists such as ANATHEMA for example; originally a Gothic / doom metal outfit, over the years they evolved into the ambient, progressive band they are today (Check out “The Optimist” if you haven’t already). Well this can also be said about today’s band; let me introduce you to MANES. Formed in Trondheim, Norway back in 1992, they were originally part of the 90’s black metal scene alongside the likes of SATYRICON and IMMORTAL but over the years they’ve toned down into what’s been described as a bastardisation of rock, electronica and progressive jazz. The last time we heard from them was back in 2011 with what WAS to be their final album; “Be All End All”…but 2018 sees them return with the brand new album “Slow Motion Death Sequence”. Available through Debemur Morti Productions from August 24th…lets check it out…

We open up with “Endetidstegn” which more or less translates as ‘end-time signs’ and thematically kicks off the start of this death sequence on a dark, apocalyptic note. It’s slow and dramatic with minimal electronica and percussion, with vocals soaked in melancholy, though it picks up with some intense, dramatic, looming power chords and double kick drums, and the track develops a serious sense of foreboding…this album isn’t going to be a walk in the park let me tell you…and if it were, it would be at night in the middle of The Purge whilst you’re stalked by sociopaths. “Scion” follows up and it’s more of the slow, cold synths, with vocalist Asgeir Hatlen here giving it an 80’s alternative indie vibe; however its slow tempo makes the track feel like it lasts an eternity, with the repetition not helping one iota.

The album overall is fairly consistent in tone and approach, rarely veering from its path but it does have its few interesting points; “Therapism” utilises a moody, almost darkwave inspired tone…the creeping electronica occasionally pierced by assertive guitars, the use of single chords is simple yet effective and though while it does have a feeling of gradual build it never really puts it’s foot down, while “Building The Ship Of Theseus” returns to that almost post-punk, alternative 80’s vibe, aesthetically in ways slotting in between the likes of  BAUHAUS and NICK CAVE…but sadly the rest of the record struggles to capture much attention. At seven and a half minutes, “Last Resort” sums itself up nicely, as a long-winded dreary acoustic-led piece and I really would only consider listening to this as a last resort…oh how I wished this was a PAPA ROACH cover...wouldn't that be fun...“Ater” then closes the album on what is essentially an avant-garde instrumental bar some minimal lyricism, and it’s a despairingly slow one at that, the last breath of this album escaping into the ether. Conceptually, as a listener I have to agree with the album’s title here because this truly is a slow motion death sequence…for generally it’s such a dull, miserable album…imagine yourself or, someone, anyone, in a time-lapse montage, just sat there, motionless, going from young adult, to being frail and elderly, before just succumbing to time and death itself; that’s what this album sounds like and it would perfectly accompany that montage in tone, for both conceptually are as equally sad and boring as the other. [3]

For those of you living under a rock, we’re at the business end of the 2018 FIFA World Cup right now and all the talk over the past weekend was about England beating Sweden to reach the semi-finals (I must say I love a raging semi)…but while I’m not here to celebrate England’s victory (The tabloids have done enough of that) I will share my commiserations with Sweden by highlighting one of their new up-and-coming bands. From the capital of Stockholm, home to a famous lineage of artists ranging from ABBA to OPETH, comes SET BEFORE US. The five-piece (Consisting of vocalist Erik Tropp, guitarists Niklas Edstrom and Jesper Nilsson, bassist Hampus Andersson and drummer Emanuel Borgefors) formed back in 2012 and their influences are rooted in a lot of modern metalcore…on August 31st they unleash their brand new album “Vitae” via Eclipse Records…let’s check it out…

The album wastes virtually no time at all getting underway with “Untainted” and immediately we’re met with the guttural growls of Edstrom and Tropp, while by stark contrast the guitars here meander through your ears with melody and grace…the combination of beauty and breakdowns a staple of Scandinavian melodic death metal and that’s utilised well here, however abrupt it may be. “Avalanche” follows up and keeps momentum going but does introduce subtle clean vocals (Albeit sparsely) alongside a few well-placed hooks and some catchy chord progression to give the track more of a feeling of accessibility. Speaking of accessibility, both “Identity” and “Harbor” take us down increasingly more mainstream directions…the former has an instant early 00’s post-hardcore feel, like we’re listening to a band from the old Victory Records roster (Think BAYSIDE or HAWTHORNE HEIGHTS) before the latter then surprises everyone with a feisty little acoustic ballad, leading into a classic, 80’s influenced guitar driven crescendo; it really is a wonderful little track.

Elsewhere “Oblivion” capitalises on the use of gang-vocals and a hook-laden chorus to further push for a more accessible sound amidst the mauling, before closing track “Charon” opts for an emotive piano ballad to round things off, tip-toeing around the risk of becoming completely emo…had it not been for the deathly growls seemingly possessing the track halfway through…do they save the track or spoil it? You be the judge. Such ferocity does work however on the brief but brutal “Fountain Of Youth” and the groove heavy “The Eternal Fight”, but lead single “Ignite” is a touch generic and disappointing, with its fade-out serving little to no benefit. Ultimately despite some huge promise, this sounds like a band who despite the quality and confidence to deliver a decent album, haven’t 100% decided what album they actually want to deliver, or at the very least are unsure of their preferred market. There’s stuff here taken from a fair selection of alternative influences…and while an enjoyable listen, sometimes it feels they’re unsure which way to go in terms of committing to a sound, not to suggest a band must stick to one style, more so to provide consistency but, on this evidence, wherever it is they’re heading, they’ll get there...and they probably wont take long. [6]

It’s been a couple of years since we’ve heard from THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS…not since 2013’s head-turning, art-rock concept album “Love Lust Faith + Dreams” in fact, which, while at least critically praised for its experimental qualities, was a drastic switch from their established grandiose emo-rock…so why the gap? Well aside from a Guinness World Record holding tour of over 300+ dates, front-man Jared Leto returned to acting for a string of successful supporting roles, (If you exclude his attempt at The Joker in “Suicide Squad”) most notably his appearance in “Dallas Buyers Club” for which he won ALL of the awards! Seriously, he won fucking everything! Now, after their five year absence, 30STM return with yet another concept via album number five entitled “America”.

Before we delve into the music here I have to point out the concept begins with the album cover itself and the band have seemingly opted to appeal to fans of Pokemon, honestly, collectors beware Jared wants your money! Despite being arguably the worst album art of the year, aesthetically anyway, the idea was that there would be lists comprising of what makes America “America”…and along with creative director Willo Perren, 200 were made…TWO HUNDRED! Luckily that was whittled down to six, but still, do we even want ONE copy of this album let alone six? That’s what we’re about to find out…

We get underway with lead single “Walk On Water” and we’re immediately met with anthemic gang vocal harmonies, backed by a rhythmic, sultry dose of electronica…the production here is so clean and it really sounds big, it’s like Jared has been listening to a lot of IMAGINE DRAGONS for example, and if that wasn’t enough in its own right it’s a very socially-politically charged song, with the video lost somewhere between being on the tourist board and having a random stab at propaganda…but it’s a decent start to be fair. “One Track Mind” features the first of two collaborations, with A$AP ROCKY lending his lungs to this one…an incredibly smooth, low-bap style of contemporary hip-hop, it’s layered with ambient percussion and a cold autotune-rich vocal delivery, with Rocky’s contribution itself being rather minor, though the restrained rapping does add texture before the very 80’s guitar solo ends the track on a high point. An instrumental piece “Monolith” then gradually builds up with some tribal drumming and snarling electronica, before it’s intense, dramatic, almost cinematic climax…leading into the utterly anti-climactic “Love Is Madness” featuring second collaborator HALSEY. Despite its powerful, emotive chorus, it’s quite a dull, stripped back electro-pop track, it really is a disappointment, and you’d swear they were doing this on purpose…

The rest of the album…? Well…just like several of the countries amendments, there’s plenty on this record that could do with a rethink. “Rescue Me” has elements of THE POLICE and the best thing going for it is its title because it really does need rescuing…”Dawn Will Rise”…if I’m to be frank even the Sun itself would struggle to get up for this one, it’s so lacklustre, “Remedy” while at least being a half-decent little acoustic piece is a far cry from the bombastic, passionate displays we know Jared can deliver which by now we sorely miss, before “Rider” ends the album quicker than you can find the word ‘abrupt’ in the dictionary…seriously, it’s like someone put the album out of its OWN misery. OK, yes, you can’t keep a band pigeonholed and 30STM have once again tried something a little different, but in essence they’ve gone and done a LINKIN PARK. As accessibly mainstream this record is in the modern climate, it’s as though they’re OK with losing chunks of their original fan base for another chart position. Jared is lucky he’s a handsome man and he’s got young girls getting all 30 seconds to moist queuing for their records, but musically this is just lazy. Make America great again? Start small…make “America” decent first is it lads… [3]

As you’re likely to be well aware by now if you’re a long-time reader of this blog, I have bit of a soft spot for Finnish bands; there’s just something unique about their blend of Gothic, melancholia infused music, with their penchant for all things doom and gloom…and whether it’s the dark pop hooks of HIM, the symphonic bombardment of NIGHTWISH or the riff-heavy pummeling of POISONBLACK, there’s always been something personally alluring about Suomalainen vaihtoehtoinen musiikki. Today however we’re doing the old switcheroo and sampling some of Finland’s ironically less popular pop music, and a lady by the name of SAARA AALTO. If you’ve paid attention at all to my posts over the past couple of months you’ll already have picked up on the fact that Saara was this year’s Finnish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest (And was my personal favourite) but doing a little digging through the snow, we learn she’s far from a new kid on the block of ice…

Saara was born in Oulunsalo in 1987 and prior to this year’s Eurovision she was already a recognised name in some aspects as a voice actor, having done Finnish voice-overs for Disney’s “Frozen” and “Alice In Wonderland”…however singing has always been her passion and she’s actually been releasing music since 2011, having several independent albums under her belt, as well as multiple attempts at talent shows including “Talent Suomi” and “The Voice Of Finland”…even “The X Factor” here in the UK! Her trouble though was a case of that classic saying; always the bridesmaid, never the bride…coming in at 2nd place every single time. 2018 sees her try to rectify that with her first ever major label release through Warner Music; “Wild Wild Wonderland”…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with that Eurovision entry “Monsters” and honestly it’s still as fun as ever, despite being originally released in February. There isn’t really much I can add to this one from my preview of Lisbon truth be told; with the subtle electronica and temple block inspired synths, coupled with Saara’s bold, melodic vocals, with a soaring chorus this is a wonderful dance-pop tune and it still sounds fresh, a faultless start here really. “HӒN” follows up and we’ve got a really rhythmic, funk-inspired piece with brass elements, coupled with Saara’s assertive vocal presence, its brief but it is enjoyable. “Dance Like Nobody Is Watching” on face value would logically be a big, bright, colourful piece of music, focused on letting your hair down and partying but in reality it’s a sombre piano ballad, actually making it that much more powerful; a very emotive track and rich in reflection and self-confidence, resulting in an incredibly sweet listen, absolutely lovely stuff.

“My Touch” continues to pump out the dance-inspired soft pop but does incorporate subtle R’n’B influences throughout the pre-chorus, while elsewhere Saara dabbles in other cultural samples with “Walking On Nails” having a slight Spanish guitar tone to its acoustics, and bonus track “No Fear” utilises low-key classic Indian instrumentation to add character to an already up-beat, positive track. The rest of the album is pretty much consistent really…Saara’s had a decent writing team working with her for the record and all things considered this is a pretty congenial, albeit straightforward pop album. It’s got its highlights, though it does peak far too early with THAT song getting the album underway, but there’s nothing overtly negative to be said about the record in all fairness, it’s worth the listen. [7]

Over the past decade or so the UK has properly stepped up in terms of the whole culture surrounding underground urban music, ranging from hip-hop to rap, grime and alternative R’n’B with everyone from THE STREETS to LETHAL BIZZLE and recently STORMZY, all contributing to what is now a flourishing scene up and down the country. You may be wondering why I’m talking about this as I rarely if ever touch rap and it’s many umbrella terms, but, it didn’t put today’s artists off getting in touch with me via email…and being the open minded fellow that I am I decided to swap the breakdowns for the beats and broaden my musical horizons; allow me to introduce to you TOO MANY T’S. The London-based duo (Consisting of Ross Standaloft and Leon Rhymes) have been described as the UK’s answer to THE BEASTIE BOYS and have had several high-profile endorsements from the likes of ROB DA BANK and WU-TANG already, and not too long ago they released their hotly anticipated debut album “South City”…the lads asked me to check it out so the question is, how many T’s is too many? Let’s find out…

We open up with “South City Court” and it’s not long before we’re taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane (If memory lane was a dark city side-street in the wrong part of town)…this is very much drawn from old-school hip-hop with its swagger, tinny percussion and overall tone, it’s so easy to understand where the Beastie Boys comparisons come in to play it has to be said. With its crisp production yet simplistic approach it starts the album off really well. Follow up track “Sixty’s Ford” again opts for a less-is-more mind-set with a primarily percussion lead piece, with subtle electronic elements filtered through sparingly…the vocals are slick and stylistically here they’ve gone for a more jungle-infused grime track, coming off as slightly deeper, slightly darker.

There are several strong cuts spaced out over the course of the album in all fairness showcasing a variety of influences, highlighting the level of quality the UK has been churning out in recent times, “Diamond’s Gold (Ice, White & Black)” for example utilises a strong melodic hook during the pre-chorus that channels artists such as GORILLAZ while the rapping quality has an attitude to it that would appeal to fans of say, KANO or PROFESSOR GREEN…elsewhere then trilogy completing “1992 pt.3” (Which you may recognise from Camden Hell’s lager adverts) is an upbeat, brass infused piece that has a strong DIZZEE RASCAL vibe layered throughout. New single “Tearing Us Apart” is a much softer, rich, R’n’B ballad type piece that has a genuinely infectious groove, showing further diversity, before closing track “Start The Fire” rounds things up with a bold, brassy, pulsing, techno-heavy number, gradually coming down to an almost TWENTY ONE PILOTS inspired piece of alternative pop.

It’s not all bloodclart  quality though yeah you understand me fam? The ‘skits’ here are utterly pointless and serve the album no merit whatsoever, even on an artistic standpoint; “Sira’s Biscuits” and “FM Mangal” respectively as mundane as each other, if anything just highlighting the down-to-Earth mentality of the two but that’s scraping the barrel, other than that it’s a well delivered, diverse hip-hop album. Not my usual cup of ‘T’ (I’m sorry that really is one too many T’s) but definitely a recommended listen. [7]

Back in 1999, in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a young man by the name of Benjamin Burnley would lay the foundations for what would become one of America’s most popular alternative rock bands; BREAKING BENJAMIN. As the sole remaining original/founding member, Ben has overseen virtually all of the song-writing and composition amidst a series of line-up changes (And lawsuits) but has seen the band attain multi-platinum status in the States with a string of successful albums…however…due to a serious case of aviophobia, as well as hypochondria, it wasn’t until 2016 that Ben and the rest of the current band finally left the comfort of their home country to play their first shows overseas. 2018 sees them return with album number six; “Ember”…have they found new inspirations on their international travels? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with a brief intro piece called “Lyra” and it’s a delicate sounding, sombre piano-led instrumental; based in Greek mythology it represents the Lyre Of Orpheus and is said to produce music so charming that it could affect inanimate objects, and conceptually here that works for this 30 second piece of music, but as we lead into first track proper “Feed The Wolf”, all of that charm goes out the window. We’re met with a thick wall of chugging riffs as Ben delivers his duel vocal onslaught; fleeting between deathly growls and harmonic melodies as he sings of fighting temptation, and giving into the urge of man’s animalistic nature and it’s emotive despite its lag. The albums lead single “Red Cold River” follows up next and really speaking we have more of the same…the combination of his smooth, clean vocals with his intimidating metal growls showcase Ben’s admittedly impressive range, but structurally the track is quite generic and honestly quite bland, despite the ferocity of that pre-chorus…

The album isn’t without it’s highlights however…”Blood” utilises solid groove and rhythm over some well delivered hooks that make up the chorus, using Ben’s growls sparingly and it’s a lot more effective here; it’s balanced incredibly well and allows the chorus to have that much more impact and intensity, and the track stands out all the more for it, while “The Dark Of You” takes a different approach altogether, opting for a chilling power-ballad of sorts, the change of tone no less emotive but it does provide an extra level of depth and variety…though that there is the albums primary flaw; variety…or, lack thereof. Yes, as I’ve previously stated Benjamin’s vocals ARE impressive as he’s able to sing and snarl with the best of them, but here the writing behind it is far too monotonous or two-dimensional. While there are peaks and troughs of specific talking points scattered throughout the 12 tracks on offer, the idea of repeat listens is more than a touch laborious, with the album as a whole coming off as disappointingly boring and repetitive in places. Ember is quite fitting as a title really, for on this evidence, the fire’s gone out and we’re left with just a smouldering lump of used up carbon. [4]