Continuing on this current run of Stencil PR promotional reviews, we find ourselves being deported from North America by the Trump administration and being packed off down under, I’m assuming to be fed to the crocodiles or even worse, watch looping “Neighbours” reruns…but it just so happens our next band calls Perth, Australia home; let me introduce you to PATIENT SIXTY-SEVEN. With the name taken from psychological DiCaprio thriller “Shutter Island”, the Aussie outfit formed in 2015, inspired by artists such as IN HEARTS WAKE and ARCHITECTS, and have been lighting up Australia’s local metal scenes since their debut EP “Imbalance”, released that same year. Now, in 2018 we see them return with a follow up EP entitled “Four Walls”…will it see them break out of Australia into the wider world of metal? Or will it have you smashing your head against every one of them? Let’s find out…

The EP opens up with “Selfless” and the combination of orchestral strings with disjointed electronica gives this a somewhat ominous, even dramatic tone, it could easily find itself accompanying a movie trailer…in ways it’s like a modern take on a film score from Kaiju legend Akira Ifukube, or so it reminds me at least, before the vocals kick in and we’re pummeled with a visceral metal onslaught. The aggressive and clean vocals complement each other well, coupled with the use of breakdowns and we’re left with a solid dose of metalcore; it’s a decent opener. New single “Before You Go” follows up and again, there’s electronic elements at the top of the track, somewhat mechanical sounding but not as far as going fully industrial in genre. The track then descends into more of the same in terms of brutal metal entwined with bold vocal melody and it’s enjoyable, but the abrupt ending feels more like someone pulled a power cord as opposed to providing a climax and it sounds unfinished to a degree.

​“The Void” then, after such a delicate intro is slowly engulfed by more chugging, djent-inspired riff-work, with former ATTACK ATTACK! Vocalist Phil Druyer lending his lungs to proceedings and it really is a song of two halves; the underlying looping piano offers a sweetness to offset the unrelenting metal, while first single “Callous” follows a similar formula more or less just with more focus on the heavy vocals, while the title track and “Disclosure” practically follow a rinse and repeat formula. As far as metalcore goes P67 have delivered a solid EP here. The subtle synth elements that bind the aggressive qualities has worked over the six tracks but they may want to mix it up just a little bit more by the time that full length comes just to avoid the risk of repetition, with tracks facing being lost among themselves, but, all in all there’s nothing to suggest they can’t follow PARKWAY DRIVE out from down-under and on to a wider audience. Metalcore-blimey she's a lil' ripper! [6]

Ah the fond memories of English literature class in school…sat for an hour going over “Of Mice And Men” by John Steinbeck, taking it in turns reading paragraphs about farm work, mentally disabled men, stroking puppies to death, racism, manslaughter, accusations of rape (Did I mention STROKING PUPPIES TO DEATH?) while the teacher tries to force her interpretations upon you as if she wrote the damn novel herself?  Luckily I don’t have to pay George and Lennie another visit (Well, George, spoiler alert, Lennie dies mwahahaha) but we are going to be looking at OF MICE & MEN…formed in Orange County, California, back in 2009, the metalcore-mob have gradually established themselves as one of the biggest up and coming names in alternative metal with an ever growing and ever loyal fan-base, but, this is rock ‘n’ roll damnit and nothing ever goes according to plan! "The best laid schemes o' mice an' men / Gang aft agley" after all…and in this case, it involves former vocalist Austin Carlile. He suffers from Marfan Syndrome which affected his lungs and he was forced to step down from vocal duties…yet the band went on with bassist Aaron Pauley taking the helm and they’ve just released their first album without Austin; “Defy”…let’s check it out…

​We open up with the title track an initially it’s like the band have gone all BLACK STONE CHERRY with a slick, groove-laden approach with their riffs and general tone, but we’re soon reminded of their metalcore roots with some raw, aggressive vocals, but it’s not the be-all and end-all…new front-man Aaron provides some wonderful clean vocals too and the chorus here is huge; it’s a well-balanced track and gets the album underway with a bold and positive note. “Instincts” follows up with another well balanced track combining pummelling metal qualities with another infectious pop-orientated chorus…it’s really the best of both worlds and it appeals to several demographics, the solo is pretty bold too which only adds further character and it’s another impressive effort…so far so good it has to be said!

The only issue however, is that very contrast…as realistically it’s hard to pinpoint what OM&M are actually aiming for with this new record…album highlight “Back To Me” is a wonderfully melodic, almost anthemic rock track with so much passion coursing through it, which can also be said about “Unbreakable” which despite its riff-work clearly has a lot of pop production behind it given it’s catchy delivery, so too with “Forever YDG’n” and it’s infectious hooks layered within the breakdowns and again, a huge chorus…it’s like a band in transition really. This is confirmed by some 50/50 efforts such as “Warzone”…easily the heaviest track on offer here with its sharp dose of brutality and intensity, but its countered by closing track “If We Were Ghosts”…for what it’s worth a generic rock ballad. While the album itself is a strong one, there’s nothing wrong with the music here whatsoever it’s an enjoyable listen from start to finish, it’s as though the band are at a crossroads…it’s a lot more accessible for casual fans but I can imagine original fans finding this weak…I guess in ways it’s down to this; are you a man or a mouse? OM&M are somewhere in between right now…where do you fall? [7]

Every now and again the music world is introduced to a new genre…and by new genre I mean a group of artists that are loosely grouped around a certain demographic, usually for marketing…in this instance I’d like to remind you about a primarily British movement called “New Grave”. Not that I’m knocking it, let me be clear, but in in recent years, several artists have been labelled within this sense of grouping to form under this new umbrella term, artists such as ASHESTOANGELS, NEVER FOUND and even CREEPER in their early days…and in all fairness it got a bit of coverage, but it seemingly died away…or so we thought. Cue THE DEAD XIII…hailing from Manchester and consisting of vocalist Kurt Blackshard, bassist Paul Ryan, drummer Spike Owen, lead guitarist Ste Mahoney and guitarist / synth player Symon Strange, the horror metal mob plan to dig us all a fresh one on February 9th when they drop their brand new album “Dark Days”…grab your shovels…let’s check it out.

The album opens up with “Bloodlines” and we’re met with some cold, eerie synths and a foreboding sense of musical thanatophilia as it slowly builds towards an intense dose of aggrotech inspired metal…it’s energetic and up beat but retains a darkness, backed by Blackshard’s deep, raw vocals…this would easily please fans of say SADDOLLS and DEATHSTARS without sounding like a cheap knock-off, the quality here is top-drawer and it gets the album off to a strong start. We continue on with the album’s title track and though, while the synths are still there as a prominent feature, layered deeply within the songs structure, this is a slower, heavier offering with more emphasis on the chugging riffs, and in many ways this would satisfy anyone following MOTIONLESS IN WHITE, it’s got that crossover, metalcore vibe to it.

​The album has it’s fine points elsewhere too; “Angels” and “Play Hell” keep the momentum going with more of the same up-tempo industrial tinged electronic goth metal…I don’t say this lightly but artists in this genre bracket are a dying breed, especially ones of this quality, the market has shrunken considerably so it’s wonderful to see not only a band totally owning it, but to have come from the UK too, it’s so encouraging! The real star of this album however has to go to “Killers”…with all of the qualities already mentioned but taken up a notch, it’s got some wonderfully infectious melodies and a chorus bordering on anthemic, add to that the slick guitar solo, this tracks on point! A couple of tracks that missed the point however do slightly tarnish the album to a degree…”Last Stand” despite its frenetic black metal inspired intro ends up a little methodical. “Vigil” while undeniably a sweet little piano interlude, is sadly still just a sweet little piano interlude. A break from the vocals is welcome mind you, that’s another thing, it’s all systems go from Blackshard 100% of the time and some clean vocals wouldn’t go amiss...before we get click-baited by “Curtain Call”. First of all, putting another instrumental filler track in the album is one thing but placing it at track 11 on a 12 track album is just annoying…have an elongated intro to proper closing track “From Beyond” by all means but this is a waste of time…it’s literally just filler. Nit-picking aside it’s a strong album overall and does the genre ample justice…whether or not that genre is worth being labelled as new grave is up for debate but for now, consider 13 a lucky number. [8]

What happens when you combine Finnish alternative metal with WWE tag team The Ascension? No, this isn’t some quirky “Sorjonen” crossover episode of the Fashion Files…today we’re actually talking about a band by the name of EMBER FALLS. Formed in Tampere, these red and black clad rockers dropped their debut single “Shut Down With Me” back in 2015 and since then have steadily become a promising home-grown talent in their native Finland, backed up by being signed to Spinefarm Records…now, 2017 sees them release their debut full-length album; “Welcome To Ember Falls”. Is the album really welcome though? Let’s find out…

We open up with “The Cost Of Doing Business” and immediately we’re subject to a barrage of slick metal tinged hard-rock riffs channeling an infectious groove; it’s an up-tempo introduction and full of energy, aided by both gang-vocal harmonies and metalcore-inspired screamed vocals courtesy of guitarist Calu, it all accompanies front-man Thomas Grove perfectly with his almost power metal core style…in some ways imagine if ASKING ALEXANDRIA and TURISAS had a baby…that’s what you’ve got here essentially…this is a strong intro. “Falling Rain” continues with the power metal / almost symphonic elements and in places has subtle nods to NIGHTWISH within the structure of the track giving it a slight dramatic touch, before “Of Letting Go” steps it up a gear with a more prominent electronic based sound layered within the riffs and percussion. It’s really up beat and throws a power-ballad style chorus into the mix; its balanced well, some delicate piano coupled with a decent guitar solo and provides another enjoyable listen.

“Freedom” then goes all the way into soft ballad territory with no shame whatsoever, showing a versatility in the Finns, it doesn’t come across as pompous but simply oozes genuine emotion and as the track ascends to its climax it picks up with a certain classic rock tone; the guitar here is simply elegant, a softer track all around but no less impressive. The clear highlight here though is “Open Your Eyes”…featuring NC Enroe (Niko Moilanen) from Finnish pop rockers BLIND CHANNEL…coursing with electronic, vibrant pop-rock energy and a touch of nu-metal attitude courtesy of NC's rapping, this is the kind of song that would get any alternative night club moving, incredibly infectious and easily the standout track on this record, before we close proceedings with another inclusion of their debut single, and “The Lamb Lies Down In Sacrifice”…a meatier, melodic death metal inspired piece akin to the likes of SCAR SYMMETRY and such, the riffs are back, as are the wailing guitars and the whole thing ends on a more aggressive, assertive note. While some of the albums track’s all too easily blend in to some of their influences from the Scandinavian melodic death artists, primarily their neighboring Sweden’s Gothenburg scene, you can’t dispute how down right enjoyable a lot of this album is…welcome to ember falls? You’re very welcome indeed. [8]

The shark; the ultimate predator…having existed for around 400 million years, essentially predating spines, they’ve lived through multiple mass-extinction level events and have evolved into the perfect killing machine. They properly put the shits up some people (Jaws didn’t help) but to be perfectly honest, sharks get a bad rap most of the time…did you know you are 1000x more likely to die while riding a bicycle? And did you also know you are 75x more likely to be killed by lightning? So with that in mind…let’s see where today’s band, HARBOUR SHARKS, find themselves on the musical food chain. Formed in Kingston, London in 2015, the hardcore pop-punks (Consisting of vocalist/bassist Jack Morris, guitarist Rob Rees and drummer Richard Hemley) have steadily been finding their fins with live shows up and down the country following the release of their first single “Alive To Survive”…but on October 27th they are taking the plunge with their debut full length album; “A History Of Violence”…let’s tuck in.

The album opens up with “False Flags” and there’s no messing around here, hitting very serious topics from the word go. Inspired by the current state of the world and the on-going conflict between terrorists and the west, it’s message is simply that we need to be sensible and open minded, we can’t rely on the media…for most governments are solely interested in profits and they will use newspapers and such to their advantage; scare mongering and propaganda, we need to be wise to this as we are expendable…set over some meaty riffs, it’s up-tempo and frustrated, it’s a solid opener. “The Killer Inside Me” again utilises a chugging, breakdown approach to this blend of soft metalcore, capped off with a decent melodic chorus, the clean vocals balancing the track well, add to that a slick guitar solo and it’s another enjoyable track overall.

Album highlight “It’s Not Working Out” is considerably lighter with more emphasis on the pop qualities regarding the core sound of the track, there are still riffs and light breakdowns but there’s far more harmony within this melodic little anti-love song…this one reminds me of AMBERLINE with it’s easy-core approach, while “Swing Away Merrill” has an up-tempo BLINK 182 inspired feel, Jack channelling his inner Mark Hoppus, while “Burn Down London” has an almost NEW FOUND GLORY inspired sound, before closing track and further highlight “Abandon All Hope” rounds things off on another serious note. With subtle doom elements, it’s a far slower, morose offering and it really sets itself apart from the rest of the album, and though it does pick up at the end, it’s dramatic and emotional and ends the album strongly. On a random note…”Vulva” is a wonderfully quirky minute-long mid-album punk rock snippet with sole intention of calling the government a bunch of cunts…brilliant. All in all, Harbour Sharks have delivered a decent debut here, there are some elements such as breakdowns which feel dated already because they became the in-thing and are now overdone, but ultimately there’s enough here to keep the listener going, plus the encouraging thought of how these songs play out on stage. They aren’t quite Great White’s but, they’ve still got plenty of bite. [6]

Every now and again a band will come along and just stand out for one reason or another, and one of those bands today is Pennsylvania’s MOTIONLESS IN WHITE. Their blend of gothic inspired, borderline theatrical metalcore has seen them go from new kids on the block to one of the most exciting bands on the scene in the last couple of years, coupled with front man Chris Motionless’ often astute and sometimes outspoken opinions on that same scene around him, wearing his heart on his sleeve with absolutely no fear of consequence over anything he says, they inject a much needed dose of honesty into the often ridiculous world that is the music industry. Their newest album; “Reincarnate” sees them return to a heavier sound than previous release “Infamous”, here’s what they’ve brought back with them…

“Deathmarch” opens proceedings rather accordingly, trudging head strong into the album with a sound settling somewhere in between the likes of THE DEFILED and MARILYN MANSON, its dark, it’s rigid and purposeful with Josh Balz keyboards providing a sinister backdrop, before we dive right into the title track. Heavier on the synthesizers and introducing clean vocals, but still riff-heavy, it’s a great track and brings the album to life. “Puppets 3 (The Grand Finale)” begins with a seemingly SLAYER inspired thrash metal sound, that is until we’re subject to the all too familiar wails of guest vocalist Dani Filth of CRADLE OF FILTH fame. The sound shifts to an electronic metalcore / black metal mash-up and it works really well.

On the subject of guest vocals, Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT pops up in “Contemptress”, with her feminine yet equally ferocious vocals more than welcome; she’s a great vocalist with a powerfully emotive delivery that complements Chris perfectly here, however briefly. Elsewhere on the album, tracks such as “Unstoppable”, “Break The Cycle” and the brilliantly titled EDM styled “Dead As Fuck” maintain a level of quality throughout, before we finish up on “Carry The Torch”. It’s a slow builder, but once it gets going its pretty straightforward, but not to the extent that it ends things on a flat note.

It’s safe to say that MIW, on evidence here with “Reincarnate”, remain one of the brightest prospects for the future of alternative music. This album is their strongest to date and it’s almost impossible to think they won’t be around for years to come, regardless of whatever trends may come and go in the increasingly disposable world of music. You need this album, and everyone else needs to step up. [9]

"Reincarnate" is available on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/reincarnate/id897039441