It is a terrible crime that both of these bands find themselves playing a half empty small venue in Manchester on a Wednesday night, as both are perfect examples of new and exciting bands, drawing from the past while striving towards new territory.
Birmingham noise makers CREATURE have recently released their new EP titled HEX, stating the raw authenticity of playing music without the clicks, without the triggers, just human-art in the heavy metal world.
With Mysterium Tremendum, Oregon metal band Lord Dying produce songs that would wet the taste buds of any Mastodon, High On Fire or other stoner/sludge metal fan. The album comes out the blocks roaring (literally) and for six songs is nothing short of excellent.
In recent years, there has been an incredible surge in post punk music. From the dark, gothic overtones of a band like Grave Pleasures to the loaded political gunshots of Idles. The wave of 1980s nostalgia that has gripped the world for the last decade has gradually seeped into music and these bands are now coming to the fore. Crows are the latest, and they’re mixing that post-punk sound with a noisy riff driven edge. On the spectrum of this scene they fall somewhere in the middle of the two bands above and that is perhaps the biggest problem with this album.
Trade Wind's anticipated new album Certain Freedoms definitely casts a different view on what some musicians are capable of releasing. With members of Stick To Your Guns and Stray From The Path, it's hard to believe the huge change from a hardcore show of bodies literally being thrown over others, to this peaceful notion.
Kurokuma's new EP 'Sheffield's Best Metal Bands Vol. 1' sounds, from the title, like a compilation of local acts. It is, in fact, a 4 track EP of psychedelic, doom sludge. Whatever that means, I'm just quoting the press packet if I'm being honest.
Hollywood Undead at the Leeds o2 Academy is, thus far, the biggest gig I've reviewed. They're also, as the saying goes, not my cup of tea. However, Avatar aren't my cup of tea. Royal Republic aren't (really) my cup of tea. Five Finger Death Punch definitely aren't my cup of tea. And I enjoyed all of those bands live.
SHELTER the new LP from Bars Of Gold, is a post-rock indie record that has an inescapable guitar focused danceable rhythm throughout. Made up of members of a post hardcore band, that influence is there throughout particularly from the drumming and some of the guitar work. Ultimately the post-rock is there but there’s hard hitting element to this record that makes it stand out from its dreamier counterparts.
According to other people, Death Blooms are a big thing for the UK hardcore scene, so the release of their new EP 'You Are Filth' is an important point for the band. Having only 4 songs, however, means they have to deliver the goods. And they do, but theres a few bads in there too.
New New Years Day record 'Unbreakable' comes after a dissatisfied band scrapped a tonne of songs and set out to write a new batch, all ready to explode and show both the band's anger and pride. Costello wanted to go somewhere different, and she has.
Sometimes you can judge what a show is going to be like by the crowd. Dream State at the Key Club in Leeds was one of those shows.
Will went down for a pre-Easter treat as Set It Off took to the Garage in London as part of their UK tour.
American extreme metal outfit Enterprise Earth are back with their third LP, Luciferous. The band, formed in 2014 by two ex members of Infant Annihilator and Takeover, started out with their debut EP XXIII and debut LP Patient Ø with their latest full length coming last year in the form of Embodiment. Luciferous is described by vocalist, Dan Watson, as the band's "strongest, most mature release to date" which sets expectations high to say the least.
Sworn Amongst have been a name in the UK metalcore scene for a decade and a half and have made themselves known over these years playing with many huge acts, festivals and kept a loyal fan base from their work.
Metalcore. It has gone from an inventive melding of metal and hardcore to a term that loosely defines an incredibly large amount of mediocre modern metal and very few stand out bands. The Royal do not plumb the depths that have been well explored by so many bands since the turn of the century, but neither do they have the incredible invention and song-writing of bands like Killswitch Engage or Parkway Drive.
