Devin Townsend Project – ‘Transcendence’ [Review]

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A camel is a horse designed by committee.

This single sentence encapsulates the core of my perspective on music. I love hearing one person give birth to an entire creative project, aided ideally by others who have as little input as is necessary to get the job done. Creative control freaks hold the key to my heart, whether they be virtuoso guitarist-composers such as Steve Vai, or erudite musical polymaths like Devin Townsend.

Plus, if you Google that same sentence, this image comes up:

If my perspective is always right and never wrong Read more…

Posted on 25 August 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

Therapy? – ‘Tides EP’ [Review]

Over the course of the past 26 years, Therapy? have been renowned for diving deep into the darkest recesses of the human mind, and returning with musical treasures aplenty.

2015’s Disquiet – listed as one of TMMP’s albums of the year – was a hard-rocking winner, crammed with Read more…

Posted on 23 February 2016

Figures – ‘Filter’ [Review]

Incubus. Tool. A Perfect Circle. Three of the greatest alt-rock/metal acts of all time. And key influences on Filter, the upcoming single release from the Australian underground jawbreakers known as Figures.

You could easily count me in just on the above alone – but throw in socially conscious lyricism addressing the social media attention sink and an inevitably impeccable mixing job by Karnivool über-producer Forrester Savell, and Read more…

Posted on 06 February 2016

Derange – ‘The Awakening’ [Review]

About a month ago, I watched as Derange tore London’s Boston Music Room a new one in the process of opening for underground heavyweights Dorje. To cut short a long story already told in this live review, it was immense. After that show, I had to hear more.

Fans of tech-metal stars Tesseract, Karnivool, and Periphery will feel immediately at home with The Awakening. That said, this is not just another djent-related release to toss on the “Heard It A Thousand Times Before” pile. Derange draw heavily from Read more…

Posted on 04 January 2016

Outside The Coma – ‘The Battle Of Being’ [Review]

Remember science class? Man, it was boring. Stuck staring at a textbook or a blackboard while the world’s most monotonic teacher droned on and on about everything from leaves to light.

You were interested in light, at least. Sunlight. The light from the sun shining outside, while you were kept out of it.

But one day, you got to experience something even cooler than escaping. You gathered around the teacher’s table with your friends, to watch a series of substances with arcane names go up in flames. Blinding lights; miniature explosions; the world’s most compact firework display.

After all the sleepy gloom that came before it, that lesson was imprinted on your memory forever. Even when it was over, you were still buzzing. Excited.

The Battle Of Being is just like that lesson. Read more…

Posted on 27 September 2015