Album Review GENRE ARCHIVES
Eradikator – Obscura Review
Maturity. It is a most tenuous term when applied to music, and particularly when applied to metal. Does maturation mean growth, a successful refining of your sound, cutting back on youthful fire and expanding on those elements that best suit your band, as Metallica so masterfully achieved between …And Justice For All and The Black Album? Or does it involve the shaving off of any edges, polishing everything to an unbearable sheen and the beginning of a managed decline into metal mediocrity.
Mallory Knox by Mallory Knox album | Album Review
Mallory Knox return with their eagerly anticipated forth album and, in a brave move, it's self-titled. When it comes to heightening expectations, that's one thing that does it. Self-titling implies that this record, these songs, are definitive of the band.
Junior ‘Beautiful Life’ album review
Junior have spent two years writing 'Beautiful Life', recording it across three studios, with the simple goal of pushing out the boat both with their own sound, and with the messages they can get out in their songs. They work long and then work hard, and it's safe to say that they've proved they're not just another pop punk band.
Crown The Empire- Sudden Sky
Texan metalcore outfit Crown The Empire are back with their fourth album, Sudden Sky.
Lights – Skin & Earth Acoustic
Following the successful release of her latest album Skin & Earth, Canadian alternative pop sensation lights has reworked some of the tracks into an acoustic EP, complete with three brand new acoustic singles. Being a fan of the artist, I had a listen to see how the songs transcended.
Sunsleeper – You Can Miss Something & Not Want It Back
Sunsleeper's new album 'You Can Miss Something & Not Want It Back' is a bold statement, both in title and music. They don't shy away from the emo label, readily embracing their influences on the new record. But the fact is, anything could happen on an emo revival album.
Decay – Modern Conversation
Just signed with Birmingham independent record label, Fox records are Liverpool’s Decay. A Band of former members of a pop punk outfit decided to move to an more aggressive emo sound with Modern Conversation.
PhoxJaw – A Playground for Sad Adults
Bristol’s Phoxjaw are back with their second EP, A playground for Sad Adults. So, let’s get this part started, Phoxjaw are comprised of Danny Gartland, Josh Galop, Kieran Gallop and Alexander Share, the press likening their sound to Biffy Clyro and Deftones…..strong stuff.
Torchbearer- Against the Tide
Out of south Wales come Torchbearer. A hardcore punk quartet with a brand new EP on the way. Against the Tide is it’s name. Recorded across two studios, the EP is made up of five, furious tracks that are sure to draw some interest from fans of hardcore.
The St Pierre Snake Invasion – Caprice Enchantè
Let's not beat about the bush here, The St Pierre Snake Invasion have one of those band names you just don't take seriously, like Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!. The fact is, Chunk and most other bands who have made it anywhere despite having a ridiculous name can back themselves up with good music. With the new record from The St Pierre Snake Invasion, however, the question lies not in the name, but in the music.
Pleiades- All At Your Mercy
Manchester five piece, Pleiades offer up their new EP, All At Your Mercy. The band worked it's way from a soundscaping three piece to it's current form, churning out this release at the end of it all. The post metal this group makes is truly huge.
MTXS – Ache
The low-tuned mob in MTXS have released a ferocious album titled Ache which will prove to serve them well in the long run as the start to take the bull by the horns and set up camp with the juggernauts of the metal scene.
EAT DIRT. – Death Is Death
The Punk 5-piece from the big city of London EAT DIRT. thrash their way through 14 songs with the majority of the tracks being between 1-2 minutes long collectively completing the record in 26 minutes. 'Short and sweet' is a pretty accurate term to use here but we should forget about sweetness part of that statement, sure the songs are bangers, but sweet is not a word that works in this pacey-punk madness.
Weatherstate – Born A Cynic
It seems these days I write the word 'punk' in practically every piece I write, be that punk of the pop variety, of the hardcore variety, or of the not very good variety. 'Born A Cynic', Weatherstate's first full length, ticks the boxes of the first two.
The Ballet – Matchy Matchy
The Ballet, a queer NYC based indie-pop duo, present to the world their fourth full length, strangely titled 'Matchy Matchy'. This is definitely not something I'd choose to listen to, but here goes.