Erika – ‘Onna’ [Review]

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In music, women generally aren’t allowed to be kickass. They can be sex objects, sure, positioning themselves as submissive man-pleasers or manipulative man-eaters…but not much else. Any emotions they happen to show are usually interpreted as attempts at avoiding the dumb-bimbo label, or open invitations into the Black Widow’s web.

In reality, those emotions may be real – and the women themselves are obviously not objects but real people, with their own Read more…

Posted on 23 April 2016

Haken – ‘Affinity’ [Review]

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Authentic originality is hard to come by in music. Every style comes complete with its own formula, and countless bands follow their respective recipes in lockstep with each other. The result? Bland, beige sameness.

Even in the prog world, copycat clone bands abound. One band brings a unique style to the table, and scores of followers follow it down to the last EQ notch on a guitar amp. Finding something fresh, new, and interesting can be a tough slog at times.

If you’re bored of soundalikes, Haken are here to save your day – and possibly Read more…

Posted on 21 April 2016

The Greasy Slicks – ‘Fool Me Twice EP’ [Review]

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Southern-fried blues rock. Deep-pocketed grooves, filthy riffs, and pitch-perfect guitar solos. Sound like your thing?

Then meet The Greasy Slicks.

Fool Me Twice is made up of four tracks rare in terms of both rawness and quality. The Greasy Slicks have managed to capture the spirit and energy of a captivating live show on record here, and the results sound and just are immense.

Eyes Wide Black starts things off, wasting no time in Read more…

Posted on 20 April 2016

Lock & Key – ‘Peaceless’ [Review]

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When it comes to blistering, brutal, and bruising hardcore, Lock & Key have what it takes to get you in the mood for a hectic circle pit, no matter the time of day. Peaceless is one hell of a breathless trip through…well…hell. It’s not the most nicey-nicey album in the world, put it that way.

Peaceless ticks all the batshit-insane-hardcore boxes: punishing riffs, barbaric beatdowns, throat-ripping screams, and enough melodic content to keep things from becoming too bleak. If that’s Read more…

Posted on 17 April 2016

Fifi Rong – ‘Forbidden Desire EP’ [Review]

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Fifi Rong is a future superstar. Very few musicians in general possess an instantly recognisable style of their own – but Fifi Rong has overcome one of the most common sticking points in the modern music business. Whether captivating audiences with beautifully eccentric live shows, or birthing wickedly seductive electronic tunes, Fifi Rong’s original creativity is something to marvel at.

Forbidden Desire’s title alone encapsulates Fifi Rong’s core characteristics: Exoticism and tasteful sensuality. We’re not talking about Read more…

Posted on 16 April 2016

The Hyena Kill – ‘Atomised’ [Review]

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Let’s get the lazy comparison part of this review out of the way first. To my ears, on Atomised The Hyena Kill often sound like the next Royal Blood.

But, at the same time, that tag alone doesn’t do them justice.

The Hyena Kill – comprised of guitarist/vocalist Steven Dobb and pneumatic-limbed drummer Lorna Blundell – deal in hectic, raw, vitally energetic and punk-edged rock songs. Atomised sounds monolithic, a feral and Read more…

Posted on 13 April 2016

Deftones – ‘Gore’ [Review]

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No other band on Earth sounds exactly like Deftones.

Since 1988, Deftones have been busy birthing one of the most recognisable styles in metal. Over the course of almost three decades, they’ve racked up platinum albums, won over legions of die-hard fans, and coped heroically with the passing of original bassist Chi Cheng in 2013. Deftones’ guts, grit, and resilience are absolutely incredible.

Deftones have never recorded a note I didn’t love – and Gore’s eleven tracks don’t contain Read more…

Posted on 08 April 2016

Cleft – ‘Wrong’ [Review]

If you need proof that black clouds can have silver linings, here it is.

Cleft pretty much define modern instrumental math-rock, summoning and summarily mutating the spirits of everyone from Tom Morello to Metallica, Muse, Biffy Clyro and Royal Blood while ensuring such Read more…

Posted on 07 April 2016

Black Peaks – ‘Statues’ [Review]

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I’ve written so many evangelical words about Black Peaks in the past that I’m sure at some point, I’ll exhaust every possible positive adjective in the dictionary raving about them.

Instead, I’ll keep this short and simple. Statues is the album modern rock junkies worldwide have been waiting for – even if they don’t know it yet.

Long-time Black Peaks fans will already be familiar with Read more…

Posted on 05 April 2016

Babymetal – ‘Metal Resistance’ [Review]

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Babymetal are the ultimate Marmite band.

Since emerging in 2011, Babymetal have blown up worldwide – and although in some corners people express a passionate desire to see Babymetal actually blown up, those of us who’re capable of taking life less seriously have embraced them simply because Babymetal are fucking fun.

Metal Resistance hammers the humour angle home immediately, as Dragonforce guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman lend their lightspeed skills to Read more…

Posted on 02 April 2016