A note-one winner. Melodic tech-metal with elements of Periphery-influenced djent and (on opener Ephemeral) a fantastic Tom Morello stutter-guitar moment kept me set on staying put for this LP’s full running time. I do not regret that decision. Read more…
As an atheist, I don’t believe in hell – but if I were to wind up in said fiery pit, at least there would be good music there. Pale Communion is a perfect example, more than enough to take your mind off the threat of lava enemas Read more…
Djent is many things to many people: The future of metal; the best thing since the first-ever palm mute; mechanical and boring; emotionally engaging and fascinating; and so on. For me, djent is (for the most part) pure awesomeness, and a great additional ingredient capable of spicing up a genre so often held back (ironically, considering its origins) by a craving for tradition and conservatism.
Slovenian metal titans Noctiferia are not conservative, to say the least. Thank fuck. Read more…
When a Saturday night bill is only two bands long, that’s a lot of pressure for the musicians involved. Many acts would crumble like month-old birthday cake at the thought of it. These guys were more than up for the challenge: Read more…
Some of the catchiest pieces of music ever written were conceived as advertising jingles. Whether it’s Go Compare’s opera singer or McDonalds’ I’m Lovin’ It campaign, we can all think of at least one jingle that we instantly regret remembering because (in the cases above) it either makes us want to kill ourselves, or was used to sell addictive products that could potentially kill you. Thank fuck, then, that Sonic Boom Six’s PledgeMusic campaign is being pushed out into the world via The Boom Needs You! – a song that I didn’t originally plan on reviewing, but which became so lodged in my brain that I felt compelled to write these words. Read more…
When I saw Kyshera support LA alt-rock legends Boy Hits Car in Camden, I was blown away by their relentlessly aggressive, self-consciousness-free energy. That same energy forces itself unstoppably through headphones and screen on this track and its accompanying video. Read more…
Bands like Tigers Of Junction Street are, appropriately here, right up my street. Perfectly blended musical melting pots never fail to catch my ears and turn me into a helpless but healthy addict – and this tune is definitely having that effect right now. Check out the super-sick video below, and click those links to get more info on Tigers Of Junction Street! Read more…
Writing with ears full of hardcore this…well…hardcore isn’t exactly conducive to lucid, flowing prose. There’s so much going on that it’s a miracle I managed to even breathe while listening to this split release – so here are the words that made it through the soundwaves and best summed up the experience: Read more…
Although a review is supposed to be all about the music, sometimes a band wins you over before you’ve even heard a note. Read more…
Time for some scuzzy, nasty rock! Warner Drive are straight-ahead, no-nonsense rockers with little time for extra frills – but sometimes you just need something that tempts your heart and body away from the constant controlling of the rational mind. Read more…