​For many, being a teenager brings with it a sense of exploration and discovery; socially, personally and sometimes spiritually in many aspects of life…and for many of MY generation, our teenage years were fuelled by an angst-ridden soundtrack of Nu-metal rap/rock crossovers . We all remember owning the baggy jeans, flaming shirts (Remember those bad boys? Guy Fieri knows what I’m talking about) the skateboard, the spray-can for the tagging…sorry I got carried away with LIMP BIZKIT then…and discovering so many bands your parents hated not even Rachel Riley could keep up with the numbers. But while some of us MAY have grown out of that, and despite not only OUR tastes changing, but the whole world of music itself evolving, some bands still enjoy peddling their rap rock wares to newer, younger generations. With that in mind, today we’re going to be looking at Los Angeles rap-cartel HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD and their newest EP “Psalms”. Following on from the last album “V”, they intend to tide fans over with this new five-track EP while they work on a new full length scheduled for a 2019 release. The questions is, are these songs sacred as the EP’s title suggests, or is this more a pile of Holy Shit?

The EP opens up with “Bloody Nose” but stylistically it’s less of a smack in the face and more of a pace palm to be honest…for the most part a slow-tempo, alternative hip-hop offering with occasionally brooding riffs, coupled with a generally melodic chorus and pleasantly harmonic vocals. There are some more aggressive vocals leading into a bridge but for the most part it’s a generic track that doesn’t really push the boat out. Don’t worry about the title though; you won’t be needing any Kleenex after this one, it’s not POOR but it’s not exactly pummelling either. We follow this up however with clear EP highlight “Live Fast Die Young” and its soft 80’s inspired synth lead, with subdued percussion and hypnotic rhythm provides a genuinely enjoyable listen. The rapped lyrics add an extra dynamic with a change of tone and character but it doesn’t detract from the easy-listening pop-production overall; this is incredibly catchy and gets better with each listen…a solid track this.

Sadly the rest of the EP goes a little bit downhill and the remaining three tracks fail to inspire any level of investment…”Something To Believe” aside from it’s monotonous, droning vocal display offers a really supercilious chorus, attempting to sound like this grand, beautifully produced pop piece…you’d honestly be better off listening to ONE DIRECTION. “Another Level” makes early references to mosh-pits but it’s sadly not as worthwhile as past efforts by TINIE TEMPAH and EMINEM when it comes to awkwardly referencing moshing…and seriously, that chorus; when you say you’re on another level what exactly do you mean; of the fucking spectrum? It would TAKE someone autistic to enjoy this! Finally then we close up on “Gotta Let Go” and truthfully this is a bit better. An innocent beat with a happy-go-lucky tone with more melody and charm rounding things off on a quaint note. While the EP starts off decently, even the quality of “Live Fast Die Young” can’t save this from its overall sub-par quality. Sure it’s a stop-gap for the next full-length but so much of this, even though it’s only five tracks, feels phoned in. They may not literally be un-dead, but they’re definitely sleepwalking through this one… [3]

While it’s been a short while now since we’ve properly heard from Anaheim alt. rockers NEW YEARS DAY, we’ve been treated to a couple of projects from front-woman Ash Costello. Last year saw her branch out with horror-pop band THE HAXANS and their incredibly fun album “Party Monsters”…but this year, although returning under the NYD moniker, we find Ash indulging herself on what is essentially a covers EP. Occasionally you’ll find interviews and articles in magazines, revolving around the artists and songs that shaped other artists…but Ash wanted to go one better and actually record her own versions of the songs she deemed so inspirational. The result; the “Diary Of A Creep” EP…a fitting tribute, or should their new year’s resolution be no more covers? Let’s find out…

We open up the EP with the sole original track “Disgust Me” and it’s somewhat appropriate, like, you say it out loud, and the EP does its fucking best to do just that. With its hard-hitting percussion and deep, chugging riffs, coupled with Ash’s melodic vocals over a hook-laden chorus, its trademark NYD…balancing subtle gothic tendencies with a heavy, nu-metal aesthetic, getting the EP off to a decent albeit standard start. We follow that with the first of five covers…and we’re spanning a plethora of era’s and styles here. Naturally it’s fair as influence can come from all walks of life, but here, together, in this style…something just doesn’t quite gel. We begin with a cover of NEW ORDER’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” and gone are the quaint synths…gone are the soft vocals of Bernard Summer…instead we find crunching, disjointed riffs and Ash’s powerful vocal chords, backed with key changes, repetitive classic guitar licks and gang vocals. The whole thing comes across as copy and paste, looping itself as it ticks along and sadly lacks any of the originals charm.

We shift gears completely next up, as we dabble in a spot of metal via PANTERA classic “Fucking Hostile” and it kind of does what it says on the tin; the raw aggression carries through with Ash’s angrier vocals and they know how to deliver a riff, but it’s hard to see how this would go down with traditional metal fans…they’ll either respect you (Albeit resentfully) for covering it in the first place, or form a Wall Of Death that even Donald Trump would be in awe of, but aim TOWARDS the stage and trample you into the floor for doing so…they’re on thin ice here. Next up…and, oh god…we have “Crawling”…yes…THAT crawling, by LINKIN PARK. Now, let’s be honest, who hasn’t been inspired in some way by Linkin Park in recent generations? But, to attempt to cover such an iconic song is BRAVE! It totally lacks the original feel of the song, there’s no angst or passion, and sadly it comes across as really quite flat, which is a complete shame. Ash’s melodic vocals work here but as soon as the track shifts into gear, it just doesn’t compare; the pain is missing and the result is a hollow song.

The last couple of tracks include GARBAGE hit “Only Happy When It Rains”, which while originally an iconic 90’s indie rock hit, here, even aided by LZZY HALE, lacks any of the song’s original feel…not even the duel vocals here can match up to Shirley Manson and if anything just makes you cringe, before there is some level of redemption on closing track “Don’t Speak”. The NO DOUBT classic works well here as Ash really does justice to Gwen Stefani’s vocal style and with the metal touch musically it gives the track a new lease of life. Overall while it’s all well and good to want to pay respects to your hero’s and inspirations, it sometimes works better in theory rather than practice. Ash and NYD have a style and a sound that suits them, and some of the tracks covered here really don’t benefit from that sound at all. If anything I guess, it gives you a chance to go through the originals, and maybe discover some classics you may have missed, depending on your age and tastes…other than that, it’s an EP of interesting but sadly disappointing covers. [4]

Those of you who know me or follow this blog kind of grasp that, without beating around the bush, I’m not too up on my rap game. Sure I listen to the odd record for diversity’s sake (A bit like how Steve Hughes goes from Slayer to Enya) but ultimately my rap knowledge and awareness is sub-par at best…thinking about it that’s actually generous, I mean shit did you SEE my rapped review for the newest EMINEM record? HA! It never stops me checking out new music however and thanks to my latest reader’s poll, it was suggested that I sample some Posty…sadly I’m not on any illegal substances and this isn’t about to become the weirdest review of Postman Pat you’ve ever seen…we’re about to delve into the world of POST MALONE.

The New York born rapper has had an interesting  journey into the music industry it has to be said; one of the few rap artists who can pull off not only a fun, rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic, but remain relatively down to Earth about everything while at it, all while sustaining multi-platinum status as a rapper. I mean it’s not often you hear a rapper cite Guitar Hero and emo icons like MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE as a musical influences growing up, but despite this, Posty is now one of the biggest names in modern hip-hop and the recent mumble-rap explosion. Hammering home this point, here we have his most recent album “Beerbongs & Bentleys” highlighting both aspects of Post Malone’s crazy success story…let’s check it out…

We open up this 18-track monster of a record with “Paranoid” and for the most part it’s your typically low-fi, melodic, pop-infused hip-hop track; the slow, smooth rhythm and minimalistic instrumentation, coupled with the auto-tune laced vocal leads this to pretty standard radio-friendly stuff. The autobiographical lyrics speak of his circumstances since finding fame, always watching his back, wanting that normality but when those cheques came; people changed, and despite his accomplishments it’s given him anxiety; an interesting, character building start. The level of self-awareness continues through “Spoil My Night” too, which focuses on the opposite side of the coin, knowing he can use his new found wealth and fame to get the girl with the ‘beautiful boobies’…and that’s a QUOTE I shit you not. While not entirely bragging, he’s aware enough to know the behaviour is toxic and to a degree there’s a level of morality layered within the lyrics.

With over an hour’s worth of music to mull over there’s plenty to talk about here, and we have to talk about some of the collaborations on this record for sure…and this includes the lead single “Rockstar” featuring 21 SAVAGE. The mumble-rap qualities are all the more prominent and it’s easy to see how the modern Soundcloud rap movement helped shape artists like Post Malone. Another minimalist, trap-based track, it really benefits from the less-is-more approach with a slick beat and down-tempo groove, although 21’s vocals couldn’t possibly be any flatter…honest to god he’d better avoid Sweden, Ikea will try to sell him off as a fucking shelf unit that’s how flat he is! Another single “Ball For Me” featuring NICKI MINAJ delivers too with some sickly-sweet retro synths and benefits from Minaj’s more up-tempo lyrical pace and tone, she’s been on form in 2018 taking into account her album “Queen”, they work well together and the track compliments them both.

Posty likes to shake things up a little bit now and again mind and examples of this here are “Stay”, which is honestly a decent little acoustic-based ballad, highlighting his ability as a song-writer, while “Over Now” despite retaining the more guitar driven style, has a more subtle, alternative indie-rock feel to it, channelling those early influences. If there’s anything negative to be said here really it’s simply on a matter of consumption; there is so much to digest here and there are times where you can’t help but feel going over the hour mark was at the very least excessive. For the most part, despite the aforementioned tracks, he CAN come across as a little vocally one-dimensional and it seems he’s quite content with his overall formula…I mean it’s working for him don’t get me wrong, but 18 cuts is a couple of beerbongs too many to be honest, I’d be more inclined to call an Uber than get in the Bentley in this condition. Nevertheless, it’s an enjoyable album for the most part and I’m happy to learn that Post Malone isn’t some terribly named new sub-genre, unless he claims it as his own…I really wouldn’t put it past him. [7]

Social media comes under a lot of scrutiny at times…if you pay any attention to certain arguments at least, and while I can appreciate that, occasionally it can be a dangerous or questionable place (Anyone for an unsolicited dick pic or spot of grooming?) it has nothing but beneficial qualities in terms of brand marketing, exposure and communication if used wisely (Last chance for that dick pic…no?).  I say this because it’s a great place to both freely promote yourself and spread your product, and this ties in to today’s review on a couple of levels…let me explain.

Recently through sharing my reviews on Instagram (Follow me @gavthegothicchav) I was contacted by a gentleman named Michal Kosinski, who asked me to check out his music. While nothing new for the blog, it was the first direct request through Instagram specifically which I have to firstly thank Michal for. Based in Sweden, he informed me of his project named MY OWN CO-PILOT, requesting that I listen to his debut EP “Textures”…all pretty straightforward, but here it gets a little more interesting. It turns out the singer; Derrek Siemieniuk, hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and already fronts a band Stateside by the name of SAVE EMPTY VESSELS. Michal upon hearing this band, liked their style and immediately contacted Derrek requesting his services and suggesting a collaboration. Curious and inspired, Derrek obliged, recording and then sending over his vocals ready to be mixed…and despite a distance of nearly 4,000 miles, social media and communication was able to bring these artists together to complete My Own Co-Pilot. With that, via some sort of, social media inception, from Sweden, via the US through to me on Instagram, let’s check out “Textures”…

We begin with “Exit You” which could mean one of two things; either we’re about to experience some form of, outer-body musical transcendence…or it shares it’s characteristics with faecal matter. Kicking things off rather slowly with some basic percussion; simple guitar notes gently plucking away, we gradually evolve into a more complete shoegaze-inspired piece with Derrek’s subdued vocals…that is until the frenetic, almost tantrum-fuelled chorus. Here we find the pair’s joint affection for early post-rock and hardcore; acts like REUBEN and SILVERSTEIN spring to mind upon hearing this, it’s a nice dynamic though not as up-tempo as preferred. “When The Missing Return” keeps this up with a much more vibrant start, the raw, garage-rock feel allowing the track to truly breath, if you ignore the vocal loop mid track…despite its prog elements it’s just filler essentially and comes off as annoying rather than artistic. The lyrical repetition is delivered in such a dull, flat manner that it really does spoil an otherwise decent track.

“This Crying” follows down a similar path itself, blending the weightier, rock aspects with some more enjoyable vocal melodies this time around, allowing it to come off as a generally more polished track in comparison, and providing the EP’s standout track. Sadly we finish up on a disappointing note courtesy of “Remembering”, which is ironic as truthfully I’d rather forget this one. Musically fine; the wall of guitar supporting a blitz of crashing cymbals provides a level of intensity, and it carries a decent rhythm leading up to its climax too, but for the most part here Derrek’s vocal delivery is arguably the blandest of the whole EP. When he’s screaming and in-your-face its fine, but sometimes his drone can induce levels of boredom not experienced since, well, half way through track two. Generally speaking the EP is a decent foray into MOCP’s debut musical adventure…this partnership has its good and bad aspects, but it’s a decent debut none the less…what’s more intriguing however, is where Michal takes this next. Was this a one-off and purely an indulgence? Will he and Derrek collaborate further in future, where they can grow as a side project, or will he take this on a new conceptual journey enlisting different co-pilots? Who knows, but until then, if you miss the early 00’s alt. rock / emo scene, then you’ll likely appreciate this pair in their current guise. [5]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past couple of years, or, your name is Madeleine McCann, you’ve likely heard or at least HEARD OF Columbus-based chart botherers TWENTY ONE PILOTS. While the lads have been at it for a while now, it wasn’t until 2015 that they made their big breakthrough with “Blurryface” after signing to Fueled By Ramen…but when I say breakthrough mind you I don’t just mean they got a little bit famous; HELL NO…I mean they were EVERYWHERE. In the charts, on magazine covers, on posters, you name it; you could find Tyler Joseph and Josh Dunn on it…

Not since the likes of MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE or early FALL OUT BOY had an act accumulated such an intense and loyal following in alternative circles, and their quirky concept album about metal health and personal struggles found legions of young rock and pop fans identifying with the characters and concepts contained within. Now, just a couple of years later and after a brief period of media silence, the duo are back with the hotly anticipated follow-up entitled “Trench”…another concept album following on from its predecessor with a sense of fluidity and continuity…but does it meet expectation? Let’s jump in…

We open up with the title track and things are going pretty swimmingly truth be told; fueled by a thicc (Yes thicc not thick), bass-line it surges forward with a super infectious groove, coupled with some subtly layered electronic elements, which are balanced well with Tyler’s laid back, often delicate vocals. Appearing to peter out, we get a soft piano transition, before the track re-erupts with a bassy climax with Tyler's voice tearing into an intense rage. Conceptually carrying on from the success attained by their last record; the new place he sings of, is where he finds himself surrounded by fame, and the pressures they’ve essentially put themselves under creatively; stuck in a trench battling with their own success. It’s a solid start, and really speaking so is the first half of the album in general.

“Levitate” transitions in smoothly too and here we shake things up stylistically, as Tyler embraces his hip hop and rap influences, delivering some slick bars over a classic ghetto beat. He speaks of cowards only showing up when everyone’s sleeping, suggesting that those without confidence or a set of balls don’t want the attention, only acting when people aren’t looking, but here Twenty One Pilots knew all eyes were on them in anticipation…this was always going to be make or break time and it’s been handled brilliantly, they’re very self-aware. This is backed up on “Neon Gravestones”, continuing the on-going theme of handling mental health with some very EMINEM-esque vocal delivery, though restrained it’s a well-paced hip hop ballad.

As I said the first half of the album unfolds very well, with further tracks like “Morph” which utilises a super smooth, soft-jazz R’n’B inspired chorus with brass elements, while “The Hype” harbours a simple yet effective, soft indie vibe almost plucked straight out of 90’s Brit-Pop with a very THE VERVE-esque structure. Sadly, the latter half of this new 14 track album does sadly limp over the finish line with some generally unexciting content. While the strength of Tyler’s songs does lay within his lyrics, it does help if the songs warrant listening to from an aesthetic standpoint and sadly here they don’t. “Cut My Lip” has some interesting Reggae influence and “Pet Cheetah” is just, well…I mean Jason Statham? What the fuck? Aside from that, it becomes a very flat and frankly tarnishes what was looking to be a properly strong album. The excitement generated around their return and the strength of the initial singles sold this record don’t get me wrong, fans lapped this up, and this initially looked like it was going to be a superb sequel, and it DOES start off that way, but they should have gone for a less is more approach. I know they called it “Trench” but they didn’t need to give us the fucking Mariana…[6]

“Are they human? Are they wolves?” – Wait, what? This is going to be fucking great I can already tell let me read some more of this… “Their looks may be deceiving and even comical at first glance, but they have incredible brain power and a superhuman physique”…I just did a legit LOL. In case you’re wondering, this isn’t the plot synopsis to some low-budget Lycanthrope movie; it is in fact the back story to one of the biggest bands currently tearing up the Far East! If I may, allow me to continue; “Such superb abilities enabled them to carry out the planet’s most challenging top secret missions, and made them untouchable by the world’s fearsome and powerful leaders including Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun, and Ivan the Terrible.”…this is incredible…this is absolutely incredible, let me just compose myself for a minute.

The band in question is MAN WITH A MISSION and the Shibuya based 5-piece (Consisting of vocalist Tokyo Tanaka, guitarist/rapper Jean-Ken Johnny, bassist Kamizake Boy, drummer Spear Rib and DJ Santa Monica) are collectively one of the most relevant and loved rock bands in Asia today, selling out arena’s all over the continent, having racked up millions of streams and views on platforms such as Spotify and YouTube…but over the past year they’ve been broadening their horizons and have reached out further afield. Some of you may recognise them from their tour slot supporting DON BROCO recently but  now in 2018 they’ve released their first international album; the appropriately titled “Chasing The Horizon”. The question is are these wolf men leading the pack, or just barking mad?

The international release itself has a couple of exclusive bonus tracks for those of us outside of Japan, which includes “Mr. Bad Mouth”, “The Anthem” and “Brave It Out”…the former is a well-worked combination of pulsing, bass-driven electronica and an up-tempo, rocking chorus which in places resembles the likes of FOZZY, but that’s really not a bad thing, while the latter uses a more R’n’B / rap-inspired approach to its verses with the guitars and synths layered throughout, “The Anthem” sadly click-baits you into expecting something big and bold, but what you DO get is a morose ballad type track which is very anti-anthem if anything…though it’s message is positive so it’s not all bad, just a tad disappointing.

The rest of the album features a selection of singles that MWAM have previously released and to be fair this is quite an impressive repertoire…”Take Me Under” for example is wonderfully infectious piece of synth driven alt. rock with plenty of melody  and sing along qualities…”Dead End In Tokyo” has the additional appeal of having FALL OUT BOY front-man Patrick Stump on the writing credits, which makes sense when you listen to it, it’s got that certain distinction in tone…sticking to pop-culture references, wrestling fans may recognise “Break The Contradictions” from NJPW’s recent G1 Climax, the track being selected as its theme; with all of its clap-along charm it’s a really enjoyable track, before “Dog Days” give-off a more drum & bass vibe for a really up-beat slab of rhythmic techno. The only real downside I can find really is “Freak It!” which features the Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra…the brass-sections coupled with the progressive jazz elements don’t really sit too well with the almost stop / start pacing of the track and really it just comes across as a failed experiment. All in all for an international debut it’s a shame…a shame because they’re actually a really good band underneath the furry gimmick and ideally we could have heard more of them sooner, and their back catalogue is well worth exploring. Definitely a recommended record, why couldn’t we get these guys instead of fucking BABYMETAL?!?!?! [8]

“Lifestyles of the rich and the famous, they’re always complainin’, ALWAYS complainin’”…oh such was the folly of youth in 2002, when a young  and hopeless pop-punk band by the name of GOOD CHARLOTTE, was suggesting robbing peoples mansions to give them something to complain about. Fast forward several years however, and this same band (Now rich, famous, multi-platinum selling artists themselves ironically enough) was complaining that they felt the music industry was trying to control their image and ideas, so needed to go on hiatus…boo-fucking-hoo you might say…pot calling the kettle black much? Regardless of how you look at it, there was indeed a period of silence between their 2010 album “Cardiology” and their comeback album “Youth Authority” in 2016 and individual circumstances aside; it was an interesting concept having Good Charlotte back in any capacity…

A lot had changed musically in those six years…gone were the days of their emo-inspired alternative pop-punk, that ship had sailed and the genre itself had been scaled down to little more than a meme to some people, so where did the Maryland rockers fit in? They still retained their trademark alternative core sound, but they had further embraced more of that pop-based production value; less angst, more musical maturity but frankly, despite the long gap, the albums reception was underwhelming if anything…2018 sees them look to put that behind them however with the cobwebs now dusted off, and they found themselves itching to get back into the studio. The result? “Generation Rx”…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with the title track and at this point I must point out that the Rx is a nod to the opioid crisis in the US; it’s a medical term associated with prescription drugs and suggestively a great start; are drugs a prerequisite to find enjoyment in this album? Luckily no, but it does give in an indication of the socio-political elements fueling the direction of the record. Essentially a glorified intro track, it’s very minimal with gradual piano, vocal harmonies and overall hushed tone, lyrically referring to the void that is prescription medication; a black hole of addiction that’s there in front of you, yet so difficult to see and ultimately avoid. First track proper then “Self Help” transitions in smoothly, continuing this narrative and begins what is arguably now just an 8-track mini-album. With its scorching vocal opening it takes things up several notches with it’s intense, up-tempo kick start, and it’s got a pretty infectious hook too…couple that with an enjoyable, no-nonsense riff approach, this is some decent alt. rock and much better.

Given the fact that they’ve opted for an almost less-is-more approach to this record, the highlight’s here give the album a genuine sense of solid consistency it has to be said…”Shadowboxer” has a simple but effective groove carrying another strong, melodic chorus leading up to an almost anthemic climax, before “Actual Pain” delivers an actual potential hit. Utilising more synth-pop elements in places, gang vocals and harmonies it’s no wonder this was the lead single, great stuff this. Elsewhere tracks such as “Better Demons”, with its opening monologue and underlying nihilism reflects the darkness sewn throughout the album but again it’s delivered with some great hooks, while we’re treated to a surprise collaboration with ARCHITECTS own Sam Carter on the track “Leeches” which adds additional weight and depth.

Despite all these positives there’s always room for less impressive offerings even on shorter track lists and here, they come in the form of “Cold Song”, which is just a slower guitar ballad which would have been better suited to like, NICKELBACK or even COLDPLAY…hell the chorus could even pass for a WESTLIFE track…Jesus…before closing track “California (The Way I Say I Love You)” very nearly goes down a similar path, and I’m surprised to know that this wasn’t written by Anthony Kiedis! I jest…real talk though, drop those and maybe the intro and this could go from a decent album to a strong EP! Ultimately Good Charlotte are still tweaking things musically and still gone are the days of their bombastic eye-liner clad punk vigour, but here they still manage to entertain for the most part. I’d avoid getting the prescription though, paracetamol are only 20p a pack in Wilko you tight bastard… [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]

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]

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]

I mentioned in my last post that I’d been contacted by a Stencil Magazine representative by the name of Andrew, and that he’d forwarded me a list of bands to check out. What struck me as interesting when I went through the list was that, despite being a UK based PR, the bands not only represented a wide variety of genres but a pretty varied range of nationalities too! Last time we found ourselves over in the US for a band called RUSTY SHIPP, this time we’re still across the pond but moving further north into Canada; allow me to introduce you SOUND DROWN. They too formed in 2014 after founding member Brandon Wiseman (Bass/lead vocals) went through a sort of, recruitment process for the songs he’d written, eventually settling on Drew Neathway (Drums), Nick Ryan (Lead guitar/vocals) and Justin Goss (Guitar/vocals). Initially a covers band while they found their feet, they soon began work on Wiseman’s material and back last year they released their debut EP; “Dino Droppings”…in memory of the late, great Ryan Dunn…let’s go poo diving…

We get the EP underway with “Living Song” and for all intents and purposes it’s a motivational speech; stand up and follow your dreams, live a little, don’t waste opportunities etc. The opening guitar tone is very much up-beat and firmly embedded within a pop-rock pigeonhole, with its melodic structure, but there also subtle breakdowns backing the track giving it an ever so slightly heavier edge, though its climax has a feeling of, they didn’t actually know how to round it up…it just plays on awkwardly, bringing it down ever so slightly. “(Bittersweet) Fault Line” follows up and again we’re met with that standard alternative pop-punk vibe, think NEW FOUND GLORY etc., it’s very much by numbers here in terms of tone and structure, not to say that it’s unpleasant by any means but, it is what it is. An interesting geographical take on relationships, likening the fragility and temperamental aspects of love to earthquakes…it’s…different.

The title track, the shortest piece here is an intense flurry of punk rock that’s best described as finding itself somewhere between BAD RELIGION and NOFX…it’s short and sharp and the solo is pretty damn infectious too by all accounts despite its blink and you’ll miss it feel; it’s fun and frankly you wish there were more of it! Speaking of fun…”M.E.G.I.A.L” is up next and initially you just know it stands for something but dread to think what…so when it turns out to mean “My ex-girlfriend is a lesbian” your inner-child can’t help but chuckle. The track itself is an acoustic gem and easily the EP’s highlight, you want to feel sorry for him but, really you have to point and laugh when he says “She took off with a she-Hulk”, it’s very self-depreciating, especially the line about the strap-on...absolutely brilliant. There’s no sympathy here really, no matter how unconventionally pretty the she-Hulk may or not be. The remaining tracks “Runaway” and “That One Song” are fine; the former returning to their pacey pop-punk formula, the latter having more of a progressive shoe-gaze tone to close the EP in dramatic fashion, but let’s be honest we’re still recovering from the she-Hulk…they peaked early I’m sorry. Pop-punk fans should embrace these as ones to watch as they have plenty of potential, but even in these formative years they’re clearly able to expand into other genres without creating a mess. They’d be more than welcome at SlamDunk, and someone should make that happen. [7]

Sugar and spice and all things nice; that’s what little girls are made of…but by contrast, banter, pub crawls and the occasional cheeky Nando’s…there my friend, you have the lads; the bro’s, and what bigger bunch of bro’s, than DON BROCO? The boys from Bedford formed back in 2008 and in the ten years that have passed since; they’ve become one of the UK’s most established home grown talents, on a continual ascension with each and every album and tour…from headlining the Kerrang! Tour in 2015, from slowly creeping higher up the charts with each album, and last year they played their biggest headline show to date at Alexandra Palace…2018 sees them continue on their run with their brand new album “Technology”…let’s see how up to date they actually are…

The album opens up with the title track and we’re met with a brief but subtle, percussion led electronic sample, but it bursts into this bass-heavy barrage of riffs…it’s deep, it’s got some weight behind it and it’s an interesting way to kick things off. Vocally it’s as you’d expect; clean with a mixture of harmony and swagger as is their style, blending alternative rock with indie-pop charm making for a catchy, rhythmic chorus…it’s a decent opener. The same can be said for the single “T-Shirt Song”…it’s big…it’s bold and it utilises a similar approach to our opener, mixing bass heavy riffs with powerful, melodic hooks allowing for another strong chorus, while the rest of the track balances groove and delicacy well. This is the promising sign of Don Broco on form, as is also proven elsewhere on tracks such as “¥” which follows a similar formula again, delivering a simple but infectious pop-rock master-class riddled with groove…that is until the tracks climax…which descends into a distorted breakdown and despite being brief, it can’t help but bring the track down. The exchange rate for those Yen just plummeted…

The rest of the album however…over the course of its total 16 track run time gradually loses both momentum and point…while there are glimmers of potential found in tracks such as “Everybody”, which sticks strongly to an indie-inspired core sound, slightly funk-driven and rhythmic…there’s “Tightrope” with its sweet vocal delivery and “Got To Be You” which utilises a dramatic, echoed tone to the guitars and an emotive narrative, they are sadly lost among the annoying level of filler found bulking this album up. “Come Out To LA” has a fucking awful hip-hop / R’n’B structure to it which really negates the quality of the song, like it doesn’t know what it wants to be…”Porkies” has vocalist Rob shouting his way through the track and truthfully it doesn’t suit him at all, with the track as a result just sounding off. “Something To Drink” makes you want to drink in its own right with a predominantly dull display…Don Broco aiming for Dom Perignon but reaching white wine vinegar…before closing track “Potty Mouth” which has an annoyingly abrupt ending which is bad enough after what can only be described as a discarded GORILLAZ cut, followed by what is arguably one of the worst hidden tracks ever put to record. It’s a bit of a mess frankly…so to summarise, they could have easily taken a good six tracks off of this album and condensed it down into a simple, manageable listen as strong playlist, but they opted for quantity over quality where in reality less would have definitely been more. The good thing about technology is that, if you opt to buy “Technology” on iTunes you can buy individual tracks and not have to listen to the whole thing. If you have it on CD then you’d better be prepared to smash that skip button. [5]

As a music reviews blogger I’d like to say or at least think that I’m fairly open minded…I’ll cover the majority of genres, but one thing I have to address is my own potential false advertising. My whole tongue in cheek gimmick is that I’m a Gothic Chav; an abomination of dress sense and the self-proclaimed outcasts outcast…but truth be told, I sadly don’t really cover a great deal of Goth bands within these pages (As much as I’d like to at least) and I can’t say I’ve ever truly considered attempting to form words about a Ministry Of Sound compilation, so I need to fix one of the two…Goth it is then! With that said in all seriousness, let me introduce you to MGT…far from a new kid on the block, Mark Thwaite as his birth certificate states is a seasoned veteran when it comes to alternative/Gothic rock music…in the early 90’s he was a guitarist for THE MISSION but he’s also worked alongside legends such as GARY NUMAN and PETER MURPHY and he’s a respected name in post-punk…back in 2016 he released “Volumes”…a collection of songs with a variety of collaborations, most notably a brilliant cover of ABBA hit “Knowing Me, Knowing You” with Ville Valo of HIM…this year he returns with a much anticipated follow up entitled “Gemini Nyte”…is MGT the MVP? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with the lead single “All The Broken Things” and immediately we’re met with the classic guitar tones that defined the 80’s new-wave / post-punk movement…the gentle melody wrapped around a subtle melancholia that defined the era and laid the foundations for so many Gothic rock bands in the years that followed. Vocals are provided by Ashton Nyte of THE AWAKENING…returning from the last album but what’s different here is that he’s the sole collaborator, making this feel more like a complete album as oppose to a playlist. The continuity is most prominent on “The Reaping (Reprise)”…the song making a second appearance re-recorded but without feeling like lazy filler, it better suits this album stylistically and feels right at home here.

Elsewhere highlights include “Armageddon’s Sideshow” which again perfectly captures the emotions and memories of the likes of SISTERS OF MERCY, but with a modern twist; Ashton has an ideal baritone vocal that carries the despair that this genre so thrives upon, but the music is up-beat, lively and energetic, while by contrast, “Tear The Sun” has the same level of throwback nostalgia, but it’s a much slower, morose yet hypnotic piece, more akin to his time with The Mission…combining elements of alternative rock with shoegaze. What’s also a pleasant surprise is another cover…last time we had ABBA but here we go full synth-pop courtesy of THE HUMAN LEAGUE and their hit “Love Action (I Believe In Love)”…it stays loyal to the overall tone of the track and is delivered incredibly well but it adds enough grit and attitude to separate itself from the original. The album isn’t without its lesser moments however; as “Atlanta” comes across as pretty slow and repetitive, providing a dreary and boring listen sadly, while “Everything Undone”, utilises a 50/50 approach combining sultry DEPECHE MODE inspired electronica with surging GOTHMINISTER-esque guitars in the chorus…not awful per se just, indecisive. Overall the album is solid from start to finish, this sole-collaboration with Ashton gives the album a sense of completion instead of feeling like an experimental project and they work well together, this is nostalgic without feeling forced or cheap, with their passion for this genre worn proudly on their sleeves. If you feel at home at alternative club nights like Slimelight or Spellbound then I’m sure MGT will make it into your playlists with this album. [7]

Do you remember back in 2013, when FALL OUT BOY shocked the world and underwent what many called a renaissance? Their surprise come-back album “Save Rock And Roll” was not only a glorious return to form, chock full of tunes but it was also a mission statement…if you caught them live on that tour, the title track, ironically a moving ballad, was a call to arms…the stage production would show black and white images of icons such as Freddie Mercury, Sid Vicious, Kurt Cobain and many more, as if to say don’t let the music die, literally save rock and roll from the music industry…and everyone thought that this was the beginning of something special; a resurgence in rock music across the board, and in many ways it was…just…not for Fall Out Boy…after the 50/50 reception of follow up album “American Beauty/ American Psycho” which many described as a mishmash of songs lacking real direction, we find them in 2018 dropping another new album by the name of “M A N I A”…this one was delayed because they themselves felt it was rushed…was it worth the wait?
 
We open up with the first single “Young And Menace” and…this is an interesting direction to say the least. After a seemingly dreary, slow build to the track with sombre tones and an impassioned, angst ridden feel, we descend into a totally distorted, techno riddled breakdown of a chorus…it’s positively shapeless…it’s like the chipmunks dropped acid and hijacked a SKRILLEX sample…it’s honestly fucking horrendous! Luckily the follow up track is far more recognisable as the FOB we love and expect…”Champion” has a similarly slow intro but the guitar here is gritty and in ways reminds me of early KAISER CHIEFS…there’s more attitude here and despite the clear pop-production it’s got enough of that early emo-rock feel to stand out as a brand new classic and is bound to go down well live, this is much better. The same can be said for “The Last Of The Real Ones”…an up-beat energetic number with a really enjoyably catchy hook and huge sing-along chorus, this is massive FOB by numbers and the level of quality we recognise…

The trouble though is that, besides these two undeniable tunes, the album falls right back onto its arse and leaves the listener thinking, what the hell are FOB trying to achieve? “Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea” just feels like they picked random words out of a hat…granted the message is one of today’s cut-throat culture, the competition for stardom and the spotlight with a really obscure reference to the 1994 US figure skating scandal (And I thought I made weird analogies) but again they opt to utilise a pulsing, bass-driven EDM foundation for the track…”Hold Me Tight Or Don’t” and “Sunshine Riptide” both jump on the bandwagon regarding Caribbean structured pop, tinny guitar, the subtle steel-drum tones and rhythm…it’s something a lot of mainstream artists have done recently so in all likeliness it’s a dig but it still doesn’t make it worth listening to, even ironically. “Heaven’s Gate” has this soulful, gospel inspired blues tone, before closing track “Bishops Knife Trick” ends proceedings on a predominantly lulling note…and another random reference; this time to “Alien”. A song of journey; torn between the feeling of freedom to explore and knowing where you call home, in ways summarising the album from a creative standpoint really rather well. FOB in ways here simply come across as oxymoronic…their save rock and roll gimmick went out the fucking window let’s be clear on that, and this album is almost a parody of itself. It sounds like the band are ribbing mainstream pop culture but the joke flew over everyone’s heads as it just blends in with the very thing they are ribbing…”M A N I A” in ways just reminds me of “Insania” by PETER ANDRE…he thought he had something new, something fresh and exciting but, it wasn’t. [5]

There are certain situations in life where you just can’t win…for example, say…an argument with your wife…or there’s that saying about playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are at chess, the pigeon is just going to peck at the pieces, shit on the board and strut around like it’s won anyway. My point is sometimes it’s a case of why should we even bother and to try and elaborate I’m going to use BLACK VEIL BRIDES as an example. They formed in 2006 following the massive emo explosion but were always aiming for a heavier crowd, very much inspired by their love of KISS and MOTLEY CRUE (You’d never tell looking at them would you?) and in 2011 they made their big breakthrough with the album “Set The World On Fire”…with massive singles like “Fallen Angels” they put themselves on the map and were touted as the next big thing…but the trouble is that with endorsements like this, there is always backlash.

While the younger fans lapped them up, making front-man Andy Biersack a poster-boy in the process, many traditional metal fans labelled them as rip-off artists and posers (I remember a distinctly hostile reception at Download 2012) and thus, they became one of those Marmite bands. Fast forward a couple of years and after a couple more albums, they’ve toned down on the appearance ever so slightly and focussed on delivering a less glam-metal  inspired sound leading into their brand new record “Vale”…and here lies the problem…let’s check it out.

We open up with “Incipiens Ad Finem” or roughly “Starting At The End”…that was sudden, quickest review ever! I jest…but no it’s literally a 21 second intro that serves literally no purpose being its own “track”…Biersack rambles on about having found their stage, preaching to the legion of the black and it’s all very melodramatic, before the first proper track “The Last One” gets the album going. It’s a very underwhelming transition to be honest not sounding very natural at all but when it reaches its peak it’s BVB by numbers; gang vocals and a soaring chorus, even the solo sounds forced but really its nothing special at all. “Wake Up” is a decent little track in an annoyingly literal sense…it’s a decent up beat piece of melodic rock but at less than 3mins it may as well be an alarm clock ring tone, it’s over just as you’re getting into it which is frustrating.

I won’t be a complete villain…”My Vow” offers some much needed weight and we actually get some enjoyable riffs here, there’s much more attitude here and it’s more akin to the earlier work that made them and that’s welcome, though it’s annoyingly short yet again, while “The King Of Pain” has an infectious simplicity to it, soothingly plucked guitars and honey coated vocals with ample hooks provide a clear album highlight here. “Dead Man Walking” tries it’s best to utilise pop elements but it’s far too long, and the chorus is disappointingly weak and repetitive, and its here we hit the albums Achilles heel…the vast majority of “Vale” sadly sounds phoned in and it’s ironically summed up in “Ballad Of The Lonely Hearts”. There’s a lyric that goes “Here's to the lonely hearts and the ones that never change. Here's to the failed starts and the song remains the same” and you’d be forgiven for thinking Biersack was singing about this very album…there’s nothing here that truly leaps out at you as a statement, there’s nothing here that warrants BVB being as big as they are…and this is where I draw my analogy; the band can’t win. Glam metal and make up? Posers and scorned…a touch stripped back and more serious? They have absolutely no charisma whatsoever…the album is annoyingly flat and it really is a case of damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Ironically it was them that sang “Love Isn’t Always Fair” [5]

Picking up from where we left things last time, HIM were taking over the world; BAM MARGERA had helped them break out of mainland Europe into the UK and America, by introducing them to the MTV generation…their sales and fan base were on the rise, they were playing bigger stages at festivals, they were all over the charts internationally, Valo even won Metal Hammer’s prestigious Golden God award, and pandemonium couldn’t be sweeter…his infernal majesty had finally taken his rightful place upon the throne…but there’s an old saying; what goes up must come down and sadly, this began to happen sooner rather than later for HIM and it all came around the time of their next album…

In the September of 2007, two years after they hit their commercial peak, the band did a dramatic U-turn, ditched the radio-friendly pop-rock of “Dark Light” and opened up the gates of hell with their follow up “Venus Doom”…praised by critics for its experimentation and total change of direction, the band had embraced a new found sense of heaviness, channelling the likes of PARADISE LOST, with Ville reacquainting us all with his love of all things doom metal (As if the title wasn’t a clue already)…musically it was far heavier than anything they had ever done before, even their earliest work…the riffs, bass and percussion were all full of aggression and suffering…the deep tones of the album allowed Valo to truly hypnotise the listener with his impressive baritone vocal range, on times sounding truly demonic and chilling like on the title track, the lead single “Kiss Of Dawn”, also on the hauntingly beautiful prog-metal journey of “Sleepwalking Past Hope”…but no matter how harsh the band gets musically there’s always a delicately balanced track listing and this album was no different. From the brief, acoustic campfire ballad “Song Or Suicide” to the tortured lamenting of “Cyanide Sun”…this was Adams Family level Gothic romance and it was stunning…their rise in popularity even found the song “Passions Killing Floor” used for the original “Transformers” soundtrack! Despite the change in direction, they were still big, still in the charts, even getting Grammy Award nominations…but the fame came at a price…Valo had developed worsening alcohol problems which over time became more and more of an issue…plagued by exhaustion from the pressures of success, plus problems in his personal life, the writing and recording process took its toll on Valo and he damn near drank himself to death…until he was admitted to rehab. With the blurry oil painting depicting Venus, the goddess of love, now forever a reminder that in nearly dooming himself to drown in a bottle, Valo unwittingly perfectly encapsulated HIM's marriage of love and death, even if he was looking at her through beer goggles...I’m sure he appreciates the irony looking back [8]

Their success in America and mainstream popularity up to that point led the band to release their first and only (The bonus 6-track DVD footage with “And Love Said No” doesn’t count) live album; “Digital Versatile Doom”…released not long after “Venus Doom”, it was recorded as part of their rescheduled American tour at the Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles. The tour and resulting live album was heavy on Venus Doom content but also featured several of the bands biggest singles to date, acting as an updated (Albeit live) version of their greatest hits…for those who were never fortunate enough to see the band live in person for whatever reason, this is essential, especially as it came with a DVD of the performance recorded as part of a 2-disk package…here you can get a real feel for the band; how tight they are as performers and how emotional the songs truly are on the raw environment of the live stage…not to mention Valo’s cheeky sense of humour mocking Linde for the amount of solo’s he has to play…[8]

The trouble HIM faced for their follow up album was quite simply a matter of, where the hell do they go from here? They’ve just dropped the heaviest album of their career and Valo nearly did a George Best and put his liver through unthinkable punishment which nearly killed him…the answer? Another U-turn…yes this is where the band lost a lot of fans, as they began to yo-yo in style and lost a sense of credibility among the rock and metal community. In 2010 they released “Screamworks: Love In Theory In Practice, Chapters 1-13” (It just rolls off the tongue doesn’t it) and Valo, again in his self-depreciating mentality dubbed it their DEPECHE MODE album…gone was the bleak bombardment of gloomy, doom metal…gone were the tortured wails of Linde’s guitar…in their place were gentle melodies and enough pop hooks to give Simon Cowell the horn…written and arranged with far, far more emphasis on Burton’s keyboard playing and a much softer song writing approach, HIM found themselves facing a lot of uncertainty…critics were again, generally in favour, praising experimentation once more and championing Valo’s song writing, but a lot of fans weren’t impressed. Many were confused at the direction and while though it retained plenty of HIM’s trademark melancholy, it lacked the bands usual depth and came across as all too synthetic. Even Valo had convinced himself that it was a failure upon release, but in honesty, it’s merely by their own already high standards…lead single “Heartkiller” was undeniably infectious and the majority of the tracks on the album followed suit; “Scared To Death” is quite possibly the sweetest thing the band have written since “Join Me”…while “Acoustic Funeral (For Love In Limbo)” does have a slight emo influence, which people were already moving away from. There were naturally tracks with a bit of attitude however, with the likes of “Shatter Me With Hope” and “Like St. Valentine” having the most bite, but they were a far cry from what had preceded them…before the album closed on the synth-heavy “The Foreboding Sense Of Impending Happiness”…possibly the lease HIM song HIM have ever written, but far from terrible. Ultimately this was a solid collection of commercially heavy pop-inspired alt. rock that sadly got lost in the shuffle…wrong place, wrong time with the wrong sound…from here on out things would slowly go downhill. [7]

I want to take a minute to talk about “emo”…but before you get all excited like a wide-eyed eleventeen year old browsing Blue Banana for the first ever time, I mean proper emo…no not the pompous black parade peddling MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE or even worse, BLOOD ON THE DANCEFLOOR (Seriously how are they even a thing?)…I’m talking about proper, original emo. All emo really is…is emotional rock music, that’s where the tag comes from, but it descended into a fashion statement and became more of a trend among youngsters. Bands like HELL IS FOR HEROES wonderfully blended post-hardcore with melodic indie elements to great effect in the early days but were overlooked for the poppier commercial value of the likes of FALL OUT BOY and PANIC! AT THE DISCO as the genre snowballed, and one such band who were resigned to their cult fan base, was REUBEN. The Surrey based three-piece hit their peak with 2004’s “Racecar Is Racecar Backwards” but went on indefinite hiatus following 2007’s “In Nothing We Trust”…this year, they’ve re-released the latter on white vinyl celebrating its 10th anniversary…let’s revisit it…

The album opens up with “Cities On Fire” and after a mellow, softly plucked guitar intro, we hit some feedback and the song suddenly bursts into life with a bitterness; a sharpness with Jamie Lenman’s intense, heavy vocals…he’s giving this his all, switching between soothing and savage you get a real sense of what emo should be…the mellifluous segments find themselves somewhere between SNOW PATROL and LONELY THE BRAVE while the more aggressive elements really add weight and character, balancing it out well, this is a nice opener. “We’re All Going Home In An Ambulance” has some wonderfully distorted guitar tones aiding a frenetic, disjointed musical onslaught…it’s noisy, it’s messy, it’s off-kilter…someone would probably label this mathcore today but whatever you want to call it, it’s wonderful.

Second single “Deadly Lethal Ninja Assassin” has a slower, lethargic tempo but its simplicity is infectious. Its melody is subtle and it’s a far tamer track overall with a solid climatic flurry, add to that an appearance by one Mr FRANK TURNER and we’ve got an enjoyable listen. Lengthy track names became a staple of emo albums, and “Crushed Under The Weight Of Enormous Bullshit” was no exception…for the most part utilising almost “Psycho” inspired notes, it’s an intense, unsettling listen, while “Good Luck” on the other hand is a far more peaceful acoustic led track, featuring guest vocalist Hannah Clark, it’s a lovely little relaxing campfire ballad, providing another highlight. Speaking of which, “Agony/Agatha” is another enjoyably simplistic offering; piano driven, equally quirky and catchy, before we eventually finish up on “A Short History Of Nearly Everything”. Primarily sombre in tone, it’s a fitting closure to not only the album, but their career at the time. Emo may have gone stratospheric in the years that followed and many would argue its core values were more than tainted, but bands like Reuben were properly underappreciated as soon as there was a commercial bandwagon to jump on. Ten years on, this is still a solid listen, while emo itself, was crushed under the weight of its own enormous amount of bullshit. [7]

Outside of the squared circle, wrestlers are very rarely (if ever at all) taken seriously…obviously I mean by people who, don’t particularly care about wrestling in the first place that is…sure there are anomalies, Rock “The Dwayne” Johnson has become a global movie star all credit to him…John Cena is trying too but nobody can see him doing it and Hulk Hogan? The Hulkster is a living legend there’s no two ways about it brother! Say your prayers eat your vitamins and believe in yourself and you too, could land yourself winning millions of dollars in a court case over a sex tape…but I digress…what about music? Chris Jericho has been gradually winning people over with his rock band FOZZY…John Cena, again, remember that rap album? Enough said…and then there’s JEFF HARDY. Hardy is one of the most loved and decorated tag team wrestlers the industry has ever seen alongside his brother Matt, he’s won numerous singles titles too in both WWE and TNA (Or whatever the hell it’s called these days)…but…did you also know that he front’s a band too? Let me introduce you to PEROXWHY?GEN…no that’s not a typo, that’s actually the band’s name (Pronounced Peroxygen) Hardy and co have released several EP’s and albums over the past couple of years and this year they dropped “Precession Of The Equinoxes”…let’s see how far we can get before we tap out…

We open up with “Sphere On Earth” and it’s an interesting one to say the least…it’s a weird, spoken word track, almost a monologue in ways…he speaks of his mother with a poetic adoration and it’s all an ode to her in her passing, this family role model, loved and respected and while quaint, it goes full-on track length at 3:00…it’s really quite artsy instead of being a brief intro and while creative it doesn’t really benefit as being an opening track…an odd inclusion this. The first proper track, “Revived” gets the album going more adequately with a mixture of rock, indie and emo qualities, tapping into that general genre-bracket…imagine bands like AMERICAN HI-FI and that ilk…clean vocals, melodic but raw…it’s got substance this…there are moments where the vocals can come across a touch flat but there’s enough here to carry it forward, this is more enjoyable start. We change gears again though as immediately we follow up with “Occasion” and while we stick with certain, soft-emo tones we’re given a far more delicate track. Heavy on piano and strings, leading into acoustics it’s got an almost semi-country feel and in ways develops into something fans of SMASHING PUMPKINS could appreciate.

At 2:44, “Otherwise” is the shortest track on offer here and while it’s a little disjointed in places, we’re treated to some decent throwback, early 2000’s alternative rock, this could have easily of come out of the nu-metal era listening to this chorus, balancing on a fine line between nostalgic and dated…”Unforgiveable” then retouches certain ballad aspects but here it’s clear Hardy doesn’t have the vocal capability to properly do this justice, he lacks a softness; a sweetness at times which would have taken this track to the next level, before we finish up on another diverse trio of tracks. “Emotionless” has more of that throwback nu-metal influence with its crossover rap metal vibe, “September Day” utilises slow, gritty electronica; coming across as spacey before we close on “Catastrophic” and it’s a weird mixture of trippy spoken word and poor rap…leaving the listener with more of a sense of “Why?” as opposed to “Wow!”. Overall…while I can sit here and applaud Hardy for all the entertainment he’s provided me over the years in ladder matches, musically he doesn’t quite grab my attention so easily, there are genuine moments here that offer a great deal of promise as some of the rockier tracks have potential, and credit to him he's not afraid to experiment, but he needs to iron out a couple of things. One things for sure, it’s not as bad as THAT match with Sting at Victory Road 2011….[4]

Back in 2003 the world of rock music underwent a little renaissance and for the first time in a long time, Goth was cool again…yes black was back and several artists made huge impacts on the world stage. Without a shadow of a doubt, EVANESCENCE stole the show with their chart topping, haunting super-hit “Bring Me To Life”, alternative rock having rarely seen such commercial success…veterans TYPE-O-NEGATIVE dropped the outstanding “Life Is Killing Me” in all of its dark humoured glory…Finnish icons HIM made their UK / US breakthrough with “Love Metal” (Helped ever so slightly by the relentless plugging of Bam Margera) and rock music as a whole found a new heart-throb in Ville Valo…and a little band called THE RASMUS released one of the year’s biggest hits, “In The Shadows”….many thought that the Finns had come out of nowhere, capitalising on this wave of alt. rock popularity but in actual fact they started life back in 1994 while still in high school, and while charting higher than their Scandinavian peers here, the longevity wouldn’t last and as quickly as they became new Goth’s on the block, they ironically slid back into the shadows, eventually going into lengthy hiatus in 2012. Fast-forward five years however, and 2017 see’s The Rasmus return with their ninth studio album; “Dark Matters” but…the question is, do The Rasmus? Let’s find out…

The album opens up with lead single “Paradise” and it finds itself somewhere between ambient acoustics and generic indie-rock…front-man Lauri’s vocals are still honey coated as ever and he sings with an air of innocence as he juxtaposes the idea of one man’s hell being another man’s paradise…it’s a pleasant little song for what it’s worth but for a come-back single after a five year absence it’s a little underwhelming and it doesn’t incite much excitement to start the album…”Something In The Dark” follows up immediately afterwards and here we have this incredibly light, bubbly pop track…musically it sounds like it’s taken influence from modern dance-pop records, lacking only in pace, and the chorus here suffers from being a little flat really, it works as a nice, simple pop song but little else. With “Wonderman” then we’re finally met with some chugging riffs and you’re lead to believe that the album is going to come to life here but, the idea is shot down as the track descends into a soft ballad and it’s massively disappointing…and here we find the album’s primary flaw.

While we know Lauri’s vocals aren’t exactly the strongest, they’ve never been an aggressive rock band…but…we do know they can churn out an absolte banger and he’s capable of delivering, I’ve already mentioned “In The Shadows”, but they also have “Guilty” in their repertoire and hell, just listen to “Life Burns!” with APOCALYPTICA…they can do it, but this album is bereft of life, or even a point at times… despite having certain easy listening qualities, such as the funk driven “Crystalline” and the frankly Eurovision-esque “Delirium” providing an album highlight in all of its catchy pop splendour, the rest of the album is annoyingly lacklustre. “Empire” for whatever reasons deemed acceptable in production utilises a god-awful kazoo-like effect that you’d possibly find in a clichéd R’n’B track…it’s actually horrendous…while “Black Days” and “Dragons Into Dreams” are for whatever reason content with boring the listener into a coma more effectively than an opioid overdose…this album simply fails to inspire on many levels and it’s just an absolute shame…even from a pop music perspective this is relatively half-arsed and lifeless and to make the point clearer, there’s more substance to the last LINKIN PARK record, and look how that was received. Dark matters? Well, this album sadly doesn’t. [3]

Bands operate in cycles, you know the drill; announcement > promotion > single > hype > album > tour > break > repeat...it's a pretty standard formula and let's be honest, it works! Every few years you find yourself thinking "So and so are due an album...". Some fans it has to be said wait longer than others; no one will forget the debacle that was THAT underwhelming GUNS 'N' ROSES travesty "Chinese Democracy" (seriously, that was the musical equivalent of the Gobbeldy Gooker at WWE's 1990 Survivor Series...by the time it happened all you could say was, why?) but luckily, most artists are pretty consistent. Cue AFI...Davey Havok and co hinted at activity with last years return of BLAQK AUDIO, so it's no surprise that a fire inside ignites once more for the first time since 2013's "Burials". Are they still burning brightly on "The Blood Album"? Let's get warmed up shall we...

We welcome them back as "Dark Snow" gets the album underway and it's a wonderfully paced, rich, bassy electronic number...the band have clearly retained the soft-goth core sound that they fully embraced for "Decemberunderground" and it's essentially a gentle reintroduction, Havok's vocal complimenting the melancholy of their music ever so sweetly and it's a nice start. "Still A Stranger" briefly starts with some jolly acoustic guitar but soon becomes trademark AFI; bold chorus, up-beat rhythm and momentum carrying a genuinely catchy piece of modern alt.-rock. Havok's vocal touches on aggressive towards to climax but a far cry from their punk-rock past, but it still adds texture.

Album highlight "Get Hurt" is a quaintly vexed little offering sounding not unlike something you'd get from R.E.M. for example but, obviously with the modern, emo twist that AFI have perfected over the last decade, while other highlights include the intense, angst-driven "Dumb Kids", here harking back to the aforementioned punk-rock origins with a short but sweet stab of adrenaline, and by contrast, "Feed From The Floor" channels subtle nods to THE CURE before closing track "The Wind That Carries Me Away" blends blues tones with dramatic, pop-hooks for a powerful climax.

At 14 tracks long however there a couple of weaker moments, "Above The Bridge" for example suffers from repetition and "She Speaks The Language" while tense for the most part is let down by a fairly flat, unimaginative chorus. Overall though, AFI have delivered a strong and consistent album here...it may not have any immediate hits that leap out at you that previous records have produced but from start to finish it's a good listen. You can water down a record for a fast buck and a cheap shot at the charts but as they've proven here, blood is thicker than water and collectively, the fire inside still burns on. [8]