ALTERNATIVE MUSIC REVIEWS

The Get Up Kids – Problems

Late 90s emo band The Get Up Kids, return with their first album in 8 years. Problems is a brilliant return to form that is up there with some of the best of the current emo revival. The hooks slipped in between gripping emo verses and bouncy riffs are inescapable. There’s certainly a pop punk side to this album. In the sense that it is laden with hooks and poppy choruses. The songs flow from seemingly upbeat to more melancholic. Ultimately this is a great album from veterans of the scene, that more than holds its own against their younger counterparts.

NOT ENOUGH – TO L-VE

Polish quintet NOT ENOUGH's debut EP sees them attempt to copy the commercially successful template laid down by the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and PVRIS. The synth driven rock music has elements of modern metalcore but sticks to clean vocals for the majority. The EP lacks any real punch and even the heavier bits just pass you by. Ultimately the template used to create this EP is overdone and ultimately boring. Its hard to find anything that stands out of note good or bad.

Texas Hippie Coalition – High In The Saddle

It's not really debatable at this point that Texas Hippie Coalition have a formula that, nine times out of ten, they stick to. They call it red dirt metal, and it's crunching, chugging, raw riffs, growling vocals and subject matter typically surrounding drinking, women, shooting, or being a cowboy. And somehow, six albums in, it still kinda works, here more so than before.

Borders – Purify

UK upcoming hard-hitters Borders have just released a phenomenal 10-track album titled Purify and it goes hard. If you are expecting a moment to simmer down, then you're in the wrong place - This is all kinds of brutal breakdowns, pacey riffs, and gut wrenching vocals with little time to breathe.

Beezewax- Peace Jazz

As I write this, Eurovision is several days away and each year it comes and I watch it to some extent. A night of music from across the continent where I usually at some point find myself impressed by one song or another, promising myself to check out more music from countries outside the UK/ US sphere. That’s not to say that this band sounds like a typical Eurovision act (just a tangent on how I need to explore the music of different countries), there’s no Europop to be found here. This is Norwegian Indie Rock outfit Beezewax and their seventh studio album, Peace Jazz.

Periphery – Periphery IV: Hail Stan

For the last few years, in the tech-metal scene, there have been two titans on either side of The Pond: Tesseract and Periphery. Now when your transatlantic cousins take the ‘Black Album’ school of thought and trim everything down, tighten it all up and produce the shortened album of less expansive works that was Sonder, what do you do? Well, apparently, you mark your first release away from Sumerian records by throwing seemingly everything you can think of, and the kitchen sink, at your new record. And for Periphery, it is a resounding success.

Phoxjaw and The King Is Dead at Satan’s Hollow, Manchester

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.

Creature – HEX EP

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.

Lord Dying – Mysterium Tremendum

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.

Crows – Silver Tongue

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 – Certain Freedoms

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 – Sheffield’s Best Metal Bands Vol. 1

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, Loathe @ Leeds o2 Academy

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.

Bars Of Gold – SHELTER

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.

Death Blooms – You Are Filth

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.

AltCorner's Mission

AltCorner is the promotional platform for alternative music, documenting upcoming artists and established alternative acts. Driven by a team of passionate writers and photographers, AltCorner strive to make a difference in the music world by focusing on the rising stars of alternative music. Great artists are out there and we showcase them every day through news coverage, reviews of the latest alternative releases and interviews with both upcoming and established artists. There is also our acclaimed festival coverage and galleries of live performances to boot. We keep our fingers firmly on the pulse of the alternative music scene, whether it is covering already established alternative acts or documenting the stars of tomorrow, we are always there. The alternative movement is alive and kicking and we here at AltCorner deliver your alternative music fix daily.