Anti-Flag – The Bright Lights Of America
Pittsburgh’s finest punk rockers Anti-Flag are back with a brand spanking new album, ‘The Bright Lights Of America’.
I’m not going to make out that I know everything about Anti- Flag, because I don’t, but I have heard a fair amount of their music and the first thing about the songs that stuck me is how much more personal and emotional their lyrics seem. Perhaps it’s because the guys have got old and they’re more comfortable talking about subjects that are close to their heart. Musically they also seem a lot more aggressive, chugging guitars are frequently heard and this new sound could see Anti-Flag finding themselves some new fans.
As expected ‘The Bright Lights Of America’ has its fair share of politically charged tracks that often seem angry, it’s clear that these guys aren’t afraid to voice their opinion and that they don’t hold back. Not only do the band write about the issues that society but they also take the stand for what they believe in and encourage their fans to do the same, which is something that a lot of politically driven bands do not do.
2008 has already been a good year for Anti-Flag, they’ve played at Australia’s legendary Big Day Out Festival, they’ve also played shows across the UK, Europe and Russia, and with the release of ‘The Bright Lights Of America’ it only looks like things are only going to get better for these four boys.
The Pigeon Detectives – This Is An Emergency
Less than a year after they released their debut ‘Wait For Me’ The Pigeon Detectives are back with a new offering; ‘Emergency’ and ‘This Is An Emergency’ is the first single to be taken from that album.
The track sees the band venture into darker areas, they’ve used driving guitars and their vocals have taken a sinister twist. From The Pigeon Detectives sounds that I’ve heard I would definitely say that this track is heavier. It’s the sort of track that makes you want to get up and dance and I could happily listen to it over and over again without getting bored.
If ‘This Is An Emergency’ is anything to go by than The Pigeon Detectives have got another very successful year ahead of them, and if the rest of the album sounds as good as the single than the record labels will once again be fighting over the Leeds five-piece.
The Accidental – I Can Hear Your Voice
Four-piece The Accidental are back with their brand new single ‘I Can Hear Your Voice’, taken from their debut album ‘There Were Wolves’.
The creation of ‘I Can Hear Your Voice’ is said to mark the moment that Sam Genders and Stephen Cracknell knew they had a good thing going on. The soft little number tells the story of the crazy thrill of meeting someone new. The songs skips around an acoustic riff that quietly drives the song. Cracknell’s and Gender’s voices work really well together but it’s Hannah Cauglin’s ethereal tones that really stand out in the vocal department, they give the song an interesting edge and her voice, while minimum, really grabs your attention.
‘I Can Hear Your Voice’ is a nice little tune that is easy on the ear and could happily play in the background throughout the lazy summer days. It’s a real strong piece of contemporary folk music that will appeal to a large number of people that do not usually listen to that genre.
The Metros – Last Of The Lookers
The Metros are one of those bands that seem to appear from nowhere and take the world by storm. In just twelve months these guys have gone from nothing to selling out shows, and with a headline tour just around the corner and ‘Last Of The Lookers’ being released things are only going to get better for these youngsters.
‘Last Of The Lookers’ is a catchy little single, their cheeky humour is infectious and it really draws you into the song. These little indie scamps have once again created a sound which is dirty yet likeable, original yet familiar. The Metros have been turning heads across the nation and with the release of this single hundreds of new fans will be jumping on The Metros bandwagon.
This single perfectly highlights why The Metros are one of the hottest bands around. It sounds like a cliché but they really are going from strength to strength and I firmly believe that they are at the beginning of something huge.
The Tunics – Waiting
Once again a two track CD from The Tunics has dropped through my letterbox and once again it hasn’t failed to impress.
‘Waiting’ is honest and thought provoking but does not rely on clichés to carry the message, and it doesn’t seem patronising. It’s a fairly mellow, laid back tune, it shows a different side to the band but there’s still something familiar about it. The second track featured on here is much more upbeat and fast moving. For me, this is the stronger track of the two, it makes me want to put my dancing shoes on and hit the dance floor. It has a fab instrumental intro that lasts for a good forty seconds before the vocals come into play, which then lead into a catchy and likeable chorus.
The Tunics continue to prove themselves as a talented young band that are definitely worth watching. If there’s any justice in the world these guys will have a long and successful career.
Sukilove - Natural Regression
I’ll openly admit that I’ve never heard of the Belgian five-piece Sukilove, but David Bowie has and they’re the latest band he has been raving about. Now, Sukilove are hoping to catch the attention of a wider audience with the release of ‘Natural Regression’.
Sukilove’s European sound is instantly recognisable as the first song begins to play, that’s not to say they’ve ripped off anyone’s sound because they haven’t, there’s just something about their music that screams “Europe!”. While their songs can be moody the lyrics provide a tongue in cheek comedic edge, that really sucks you in and makes you listen.
There are moments within these four-tracks when Sukilove sound very Bowie-esque, maybe that’s why he likes them, they are also moments when some slightly bizarre guitar riffs come into play, which keeps you interested and on your toes.
If ‘Natural Regression’ shows anything it’s that Sukilove are talented musicians who aren’t afraid to do their own thing in a world that is full of copycats, and that is a rare gift these days.
Story Of The Year – Wake Up
Having recently impressed us with their upcoming album ‘The Black Swan’, Story Of The Year are once again reminding us how great they are by releasing ‘Wake Up’ the first single to be taken from the album.
‘Wake Up’ is three and a half minutes of infectious rock that will soon have you singing and air guitaring or air drumming along with it. Lyrically, the song takes inspiration from Carl Segan’s book Pale Blue Dot and looks at how small Earth and the human race really is. It points out that all the wars and fighting are unnecessary but it’s done in a way that is not preachy and fun to listen to.
‘Wake Up’ is a solid release from a solid album, it’s thought provoking yet enjoyable and has a wide and almost commercial appeal.
Various Artists - No On Gets Out Alive II
If you’re a fan of Father, The Cedar Falls, LAP, Disarm and Truckfighters then you will love the new EP ‘No One Gets Out Alive II’ as all five have a song on here.
As the bands prepare to hit the road playing some of the country’s most intimate venues this EP is released to raise awareness of some of the best up and coming bands around. All of the bands have a different sound which has won them legion of fans and praise from the music press. ‘No One Gets Out Alive II’ has a wide appeal, there is something on here for everyone as the five bands featured on the disc are all different to one another, which also means that the crowds out the live shows will be as diverse as the music.
If you want to broaden your musical horizons then this is a great release for you to pick up and you should definitely get along to the live shows as this lot are known for their great performances. This is a strong CD featuring five bands that are full of promise.
Kidnapper Bell – Less Me, More Sky
Brummie four-piece Kidnapper Bell have only been together for a year and ‘Less Me, More Sky’ is their debut EP.
The four songs on the release are all well performed and structured which has led to ‘Less Me, More Sky’ being an EP of impressive quality. Kidnapper Bell’s sound is diverse, it’s as if each member has a different influence and has managed to successful integrate that into their music.
Seeing as the band has only been together for twelve months this release is more than a little impressive and with the band planning to record their second EP in a few months it is clear that this guys mean business. ‘Less Me, More Sky’ is a great introduction to a new band, and Kidnapper Bell are definitely worth keeping an eye on.
Giants Fall – Giants Fall
London outfit Giants Fall have formed out of the ashes of Breakneck to create a mix of metal, rock and punk.
These four lads have created a fresh and interesting sound thanks to the variety of genres that they have rolled into one and this self-titled EP is a fab introduction to this London quartet. Whether you like your music fast, epic, heavy or melodic it can all be found on here performed at a high quality.
When they performed as Breakneck they caught the eye of various labels, publications and had a strong following and after listening to ‘Giants Fall’ I predict that the band will see history repeating itself.
The Thirst – On The Brink
We fell in love with The Thirst when we were sent their single ‘Sail Away’ a few weeks ago, now their debut album ‘On The Brink’ has landed on our doorstep and it soon found its way into the CD player.
Even before the release of ‘On The Brink’ 2008 has been a pretty immense year for The Thirst so far, they’ve already played SXSW and worked with Pete Doherty on his new album, one thing is for sure these boys are on the up. The album shows a real diversity in frontman Mensah’s voice, on their single you couldn’t help but notice his cockney accent but that’s not always present, he can carry upbeat, punchy numbers and he can easily carry more chilled, laid back numbers like ‘I’m Falling’.
Musically, the band venture into areas of punk, pop, rock, reggae which are blended together to give The Thirst a vibrant, fresh and original sound. It seems they can turn their musical hand to anything they want to, which is something that not a lot of bands can do. Lyrically, their songs have depth, they’re insightful and thought provoking, they’ve managed to write enjoyable tunes that aren’t full of clichés and they’ve created a sound that doesn’t just rip off a hundred other bands.
If this review doesn’t give you an inkling about how good these four guys are maybe this next piece of information will – Ronnie Wood of Rolling Stones fame saw them play once and signed them on the spot – enough said. If you don’t believe Mr Wood and me go and check them out for yourself when they play some of our most intimate venues throughout May.
Horse The Band – A Natural Death
LA based metallers Horse The Band are known for their ferocious live performances, but if you’ve never seen them live and want to imagine what they’d be like at a live show you can check out their new album ‘A Natural Death’.
The album kicks off with ‘Hyperborea’ and you are instantly sucked in by the pounding drums and punchy guitar lines, this is a great opening track. One of the great things about Horse The Band is their use of the Korg MS-2000 and the Roland Juno-D synthesizer which are integrated into their music provoking memories of old Sega Master System and SNES games, the first time this becomes apparent on this album is on ‘Murder’ the second track in. It may sound odd but it definitely shows a level of originality.
I know a lot of you reading this aren’t into your metal or screamo, but trust me this album is a lot of fun and kind of intriguing, it makes you want listen just to see what these guys come up with next. There are enough clean vocals to appeal to fans outside of the metal genre and there are enough growls to keep the heavier listener entertained.
Musically the drumming is top notch, the bass is unstoppable as it chugs away relentlessly in the background and there are some pretty cool guitar hooks and riffs in there too. On top of all that there is their fantastic use of keys, Alternative Press once labelled Horse The Band as Nintendocore, now I understand why.
Overall ‘A Natural Death’ is a fun album, it’s upbeat and lyrically you can hear that it’s not meant to be taken too seriously. While it is fun it still manages to be heavy and pack a punch, it’s a strong little album.
Mark Morriss – Memory Muscle
The Bluetones loveable frontman Mark Morriss releases his debut solo album ‘Memory Muscle’.
‘Memory Muscle’ sees Mark’s soft and tender voice overlaying gentle grooves which are sometimes incredibly stripped back. Lyrically, Morriss takes pithy, world weary observations at life, which are both humorous and thought provoking. Something that quickly becomes apparent on this album is that Mark Morriss is a competent solo artist who has a clever way with words.
One of the things that surprised me most about ‘Memory Muscle’ was ‘I’m Sick’, I’m aware that sounds a bit strange because we reviewed it recently but I was surprised at how many of the lyrics I knew, who would have thought the song was so catchy? I certainly didn’t when I reviewed it previously, but my familiarity with that track was a pleasant surprise.
After listening to ‘Memory Muscle’ I’m looking forward to catching Morriss live in action with his backing band The Mummys as he plays in some of England’s most intimate venues.
Plugs – That Number
Some of you may know Morgan Quaintance from electro-punk quartet Does It Offend You, Yeah? Or you may know him from Ratt:att:agg, but did you also know he is a member of Plugs? Well, you do now.
The Plugs effortless convey their boyish enthusiasm through their music which instantly makes them standout and it’s no surprise that FACT magazine have been raving about these young lads. Their irresistible hooks, a persistent kick drum and soothing vocals are bound to win Plugs an army of fans as this track has a very wide appeal.
Much like Hot Chip and Moby, Plugs manage to dance on the boarders of indie and electro-pop with a confident and cocky swagger. A gallant effort from the Brit trio.
Soilent Green – Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction
Some bands seem to have a hard time, and it would seem that Soilent Green have faced harder times that most of us could imagine. They’ve been around for a couple of decades and in that time they’ve faced serious injuries from a van accident, murder and they lost their former lead singer in Hurricane Katrina, yet somehow they continue to find the strength to move forward.
‘Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction’ tells the story of the bands’ struggle and the message that life doesn’t always have a happy ending shines through. However, they do manage to create an album that is full of memorable hook and riffs, and the drum work is more than a little impressive. Goatwhore vocalist Ben Falgoust has stepped in as frontman, and if you’re familiar with Goatwhore than you are familiar with Falgoust’s distinctive raspy voice and you can instantly tell it’s him singing ‘Inevitable Collapse’.
Soilent Green perfectly show why they’ve had such a long career with ‘Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction’ it is by no means groundbreaking, it’s not a knock out but it is a solid album that is full of fantastic musical and vocal performances.
Petter & The Pix – Easily Tricked
Swedish six-piece Petter & The Pix are releasing their debut album ‘Easily Tricked’ and looking forward to washing up on our fine shores to hit the live circuit.
‘Easily Tricked’ is a collection of folk tinged pop which sees jangling guitars being mixed with slices of electronics to create something that is chilled but somehow upbeat. ‘Nevermind’ sees soft strings being overlaid by Petter’s dry voice and a punchy cello, you may think it sounds a bit odd but I guarantee you it doesn’t sound like anything else you’ve listened to this week.
Petter & the Pix have all the ingredients to make ‘Easily Tricked’ a phenomenal album but somehow it doesn’t quite come together, it’s a little dry and stale. Their songs should sound majestic but nearly all of them are flat and uneventful. Frontman Petter has been in a number of bands over the years and has even won the Best Swedish Jazz award for his album ‘Far From Alone’ which makes ‘Easily Tricked’ even more of a disappointment because there was so much promise there, so much hope for it to be outstanding.
After listening to ‘Easily Tricked’ I can’t help but feel I’ve been short changed, there’s just something missing on this album and I can’t quite put my finger on what that missing ingredient is. Don’t get me wrong, Petter & The Pix don’t sound like any other band I can think of, I’d be interested to see them live to see if their music carries itself better in that environment.
Revere – A Soundless Tree
London never does things by halves, and with Revere hailing from there the fact that there are seven members should hardly come as a surprise, but it does.
When I read that Revere has seven members I was expecting their music to be loud and brash, but it isn’t at all, the sounds on ‘A Soundless Tree’ are totally stripped back and acoustic based. The thing that gives away that Revere is such a large group is their orchestral instrumentation, their music is very layered and there are lots of different instruments to hear including a harp.
I think I can safely assume that most of you would not choose to listen to an orchestra, but Revere aren’t playing classical music. Yes, their music has an impressive scope but their clever songs take a look at our inability to communicate and the effects of that, this shows that they are not only accomplished musicians but talented songwriters too.
When listening to ‘A Soundless Tree’ it is clear that Revere is made up of seven talented musicians who aren’t afraid to do something different, but this type of music is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea which is ultimately Revere’s biggest downfall.
Broken Records – If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It
Scottish seven-piece Broken Records have already been called “awesome” by NME, now they want to confirm that claim with the general public by releasing their new single ‘If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It’.
‘If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It’ opens with a really nice, steady bassline before you get an inkling of the full power the seven members of Broken Records have. The simple opening quickly becomes layered yet the music takes a back seat to Jamie’s voice, complete with Scottish accent.
Broken Records fuse alternative music with traditional folk to create a sound that is diverse and unique, a good 90 percent of the time when reviewing it is easy to compare artists with other artists, but I can’t think of one other band that these seven lads sound like.
Broken Records music is rich and enchanting, they have a wide commercial appeal and they’re bound to become one of the best loved bands on the festival circuit this summer.
Mark Morriss – I’m Sick
He’s known as The Bluetones frontman, but now Mark Morris is breaking off on his own, releasing his debut solo single ‘I’m Sick’. And just to give the single an extra kick the strings are arranged by Grammy Award winning composer David Arnold.
There’s a slight Latin feel to ‘I’m Sick’ which gives the song a bright and upbeat edge while the lyrics circle around a sense of disappointment. The lyrics take you on a journey from a 1970’s childhood to being drunk in casualty.
‘I’m Sick’ is one of those songs that is difficult to gage peoples reaction to it, fans of The Bluetones will probably love it just because of who Morriss is but I’m not sure about everyone else. That’s not to say that ‘I’m Sick’ is rubbish, it isn’t, I’m just not convinced that ‘I’m Sick’ has a wide appeal. After hearing this single I’m interested to see what sounds his upcoming album ‘Memory Muscle’ brings to the table.
Story Of the Year – The Black Swan
The mighty Story Of The Year are back with their highly anticipated third album ‘The Black Swan’ and as we’ve come to expect from the St Louis heavyweights it is anything but predictable.
Opening track ‘Choose Your Fate’ kicks things off to a great start and is the perfect track to welcome the band back into your life. Scuzzy guitars, heavy basslines and funky drumming are overlaid by a mix of clean vocals and harsh vocals courtesy of Dan Marsala. This song has a great pace and packs a punch and is followed up by their hit single ‘Wake Up’, can an album open in a better way than this?
‘The Black Swan’ has a great mix of sounds, whether SOTY are performing a piano driven ballad like ‘Terrified’ or going all out on the likes of ‘Cannonball’ these guys do not fail to disappoint. The album takes a look at moral issues that are close to the bands heart, all written with thought provoking lyrics. You can listen to the album and enjoy it for what it is, but if you give it a closer listen and take in the lyrics you’ll find a deeper meaning to the songs.
‘Tell Me’ is the perfect song to hear how much the band have grown in terms of music and song writing, it’s powerful track that seems personal, showing that the boys are not afraid to wear their hearts on their sleeves. If you think that means that the band have gone soft you’re wrong because ‘The Black Swan’ has enough blistering guitar riffs and punchy basslines to keep fans of their heavier music interested but at the same time there are a good number of sing along choruses.
‘The Black Swan’ is easily the bands most accessible album to date but it still has all the strong elements of their previous two albums, I’d even go as far to say it contains the best of both, the heaviness of ‘Wake Of Determination’ and the epic choruses of ‘Page Avenue’, which in turn not only makes this their most accessible album but their strongest album. ‘The Black Swan’ is a fantastic album and it was definitely worth the three-year wait.
Ida Maria – Queen Of The World
Norwegian singer/songwriter Ida Maria has found herself on the receiving end of lots of great reviews and has made an appearance on Later…With Jools Holland, and now we’re set to see and hear even more of her as she releases her new single ‘Queen Of The Night’.
The talented 23-year-old picks up her guitar and strums away to her heart’s content on this upbeat and jolly little number. The track starts of pretty slowly before building up pace and launching into a jaunty choruses. For those of you that haven’t heard Ida Maria’s voice it is like a cross between Kate Nash and KT Tunstall and she is not afraid to be a bit gobby. Gobby as she may be her confidence shines through her music and her songs seems a lot more thoughtful than those of her British counterparts.
From listening to ‘Queen Of The World’ you can hear her passion and the track is performed with an infectious energy which is guaranteed to boost your mood and put the smile back on your face. This is a superb little number.
Attack In Black – Marriage
The Attack In Black boys are currently travelling across our fine shores as the supporting act for a certain Mister Dallas Green, but the Ontario five-piece are about to set the UK alight in their own right with the release of their album ‘Marriage’.
It’s still early days in their music career but these talented five lads have managed to combine sounds of rock ‘n’ roll, punk and folk to create something that is a joy to listen to. The sounds on here make ‘Marriage’ seem stylish but effortless, each track has just the right amount of pizzazz and passion to make it a strong number, with each one of the different musical genres heard on here making an appearance at just the right time, for the right amount of time.
‘Hunger Of The Young’ is one of those songs that you won’t forget, as soon as it started playing I remembered all the hooks and riffs from when I saw Attack In Black opening for City And Colour last week. The album is packed full of catchy beats that will make you want to listen to it over and over again, but it also has is softer moments; ‘Chimes And Church Bell’ sees frontman Dan Romano sing heartfelt lyrics over beautiful organ like sounds.
‘Marriage’ is a perfectly sized package of melodies and lyrics that are full of simple truths that are thought provoking and insightful. Each track sounds different to its predecessor and it keeps you on your toes, you find yourself waiting to see what direction Attack In Black are going to take next.
I doubt that ‘Marriage’ will be the strongest album of Attack In Black’s career but as a debut it is about as good as you’re going to get and I can’t wait to hear what the guys bring to the table next time around because they’re only going to get better with time.
The Outline – You Smash It, We’ll Build Around It
Fresh from hitting us with their single ‘Sloppy Drunk’ LA rockers are back with their new album ‘You’ll Smash It, We’ll Build Around It’.
‘You Smash It, We’ll Build Around It’ brings a collection of well written and well constructed rock songs to the table that are smattered with electronic samples and beats. ‘Aesthetics’ is a great opening track, it has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster and it powers along nicely and it sets the bar high for the rest of the album.
Vocally, frontman Graham Fink sounds a lot like many other singers from popular bands, at several points on this album his voice has a striking resemblance to The Killers frontman Brandon Flowers which is bound to guarantee The Outline a good handful of listeners. Musically the album is a lot more interesting, there are plenty of clever basslines and memorable melodies, hooks and beats. The sound that the band produce is pretty diverse, no two tracks sound the same on the album and there’s a high level of musicianship to be heard.
As ‘Why We’re Better Now’ starts to play I instantly think about Snow Patrol’s hit ‘Run’, on the whole the two songs don’t sound anything a like, but the opening bars of ‘Why We’re Better Now’ sound very similar, well, to my ears anyway.
Overall, The Outline have produced a solid album, and while their tracks may not be deemed as groundbreaking they are very strong and have plenty of appeal, they’re the sort of songs that will reach out and touch a mass audience.
Brigade – Come Morning We Fight
Brigade are a diverse bunch, with roots in Suffolk, Bristol and Japan they now live in London, we hope that their album is as interesting as their line-up.
Opening track ‘What Are You Waiting For’ kicks things off to a great start it’s fast, it’s powerful, it’s punchy and it leaves you wanting more. After listening to that track it seems strange that they released the following track ‘Pilot’ as a single because ‘What Are You Waiting For’ is a hell of a lot stronger.
The Brigade boys have enclosed a variety of sounds within their 13 track album and frontman Will Simpson proves that he has a powerful voice with a good range. I can’t help but think that Brigade are going to go down a storm when they hit the road with Fightstar next month because at points they sound incredibly similar.
‘Come Morning We Fight’ is a dynamic album which seems honest and sincere, Brigade’s song writing ability cannot be faulted, it’s top notch. If ‘Come Morning We fight’ is anything to go by Brigade have the ability to reach out into the mainstream and become the latest band to wave the flag for British rock music.
My Awesome Compilation – Frontiers
Don’t let the name fool you, My Awesome Compilation is not a compilation album, it’s actually a four-piece band, made up of two sets of brothers who hail from Leicester and ‘Frontiers’ is their new album.
‘Frontiers’ is a really strong album that houses great hooks and riffs and lyrics that are just dark enough and imaginative enough to suck you deep into the world of My Awesome Compilation. If you’re bored of listening to bands whine on about heartbreak then these guys could be exactly what you’re looking for as they’ve have written songs about a car chase and a guy ready to kill to name just two.
My Awesome Compilation come together nicely as a unit, their musical style is perfectly suited to Chris Driver’s voice and there are enough changes of pace to hold your attention and keep you entertained. It’s evident from listening to ‘Frontiers’ that their musical horizons are broad and that they refused to be pigeonholed into one specific genre.
‘Frontiers’ is a melodic album that you could happily leave in your CD player for weeks on end before needing something new. To put it simply they have some awesome songs and are a credit to the British music scene.
Johnny Panic – The Rebel
Johnny Panic released their album ‘The Good Fight’ back in October, and like we said at the time the guys know a thing or two about fighting in terms of the physical and mental sense, but now their back with their new single ‘The Rebel’.
‘The Rebel’ is a perfect slice of Brit pop/rock, it’s upbeat and has a good pace, you can’t help but to sing along and nod your head as this track rings out of the speakers. It has commercial appeal but still has a decent sized rock edge so the potential audience that Johnny Panic could have with this track is huge.
‘The Rebel’ is one of those songs that makes you long for the summer days where you can just hang out with friends, maybe drink a few beers and generally have a good time. The weather maybe rubbish outside but Johnny Panic have bought a piece of sunshine to my day with this single – good work lads.
Epicurean – A Consequence Of Design
Minnesota’s metalheads Epicurean have been together for about four years and now they’re ready to unleash their debut album ‘A Consequence Of Design’ on to the world.
The title track is also the opening track and it really sets things of to a good start, metal riffs are lined up alongside tinkering piano keys, it’s clear early on that their sound is anything but boring. These six dudes have created thrashy keyboard music which somehow manages to be heavy but incredibly catchy, something that not many people can do.
Not only do Epicurean mix thrash, metal and death metal elements with clever orchestration, they’ve done it in a way that isn’t over bearing, I think even someone that hates metal and anything that ties in slightly with that genre would find something they like on ‘A Consequence Of Design’. The keyboards in their songs intertwine beautifully and become a vital part of the songs but you don’t get the feeling that they are there just to give the track a deeper, darker mood.
Frontman John Laramey has the ability to nail both screams and clean, clear vocals, and when singing ‘normally’ his voice has a kind of charming quality to it, and he is a credit to the band. Their choruses are epic, they’re the kind of choruses that many modern bands can only dream of having. The lightning fast drumming and shredding guitars are also bloody impressive. These guys are extremely talented musicians and they work so well together, I dread to think what would happen if one of them left and a new member was drafted in because there’s no way their sound would be the same.
‘A Consequence Of Design’ is an amazingly strong debut album, Epicurean have really done themselves proud, but I have to admit that I’m slightly worried about the follow up. I don’t think it’s coming anytime soon, but I’m not sure how the guys are going to top this and if they try too hard to make something outstanding then they are going to tip the perfect balance they have on here which would be an awful thing to happen. But we won’t worry about the future for now, we’ll just enjoy this fantastic album because we doubt we’ll hear another one as good for a while.
The Hottness – Stay Classy
The first thing I thought of when I saw this new album by The Hottness was Ron Burgundy’s catchphrase “Stay classy San Diego” but that doesn’t really have anything to do with their music.
These five guys from North Carolina decided to open their album with the sound of someone having a pee and then flushing the loo but apart from that piece of randomness their album mixes elements of punk, rock and metal. The peculiar intro then leads straight into ‘Straight Brown’ and it’s not long until you get to hear frontman Adam’s gravely and husky voice, he appears to be the latest singer that can easily switch from gritty screams to clean vocals at the drop of the hat.
The topics they cover in their songs are pretty standard – love, life, relationships, but somehow they manage to mention Shakespeare’s Midsummer’s Night Dream within the ten track release. On the musical side of things, I can’t fault their performance, there’s a pretty much equal split between clean guitars and dirty ones and the percussion is solid and provides a sturdy backbone for each and every song.
‘Stay Classy’ has a raw edge to it to it, and it shows the band to have heaps of talent and bucket loads of potential. AP tipped them in their 100 Bands To Watch in 2008, and after listening to ‘Stay Classy’ it’s easy why The Hottness found their way onto that list.
Greeley Estates – Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East
Arizona five-piece Greeley Estates have built up an army of loyal and dedicated fans and with the help of their new album ‘Go West Young Man, Let The Evil Go East’ they’re hoping to sign up some new recruits.
‘Go West’ is a powerful album, from the start it’s clear that these guys know their way around their instruments but it seems they are slightly lost when figuring out the direction they want their music to go in. The sounds on here leap around all over the place, I’d imagine that Greeley Estates have a wide variety of influences that they have tried to incorporate into their sound but its got a bit messy. At times they sound a lot like The Used when Bert and co have their heavier moments, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but there’s nothing on here that make Greeley Estates stand out from the hundreds of other bands that are doing exactly the same thing as them.
I’m not saying that the band make bad music, I’m just saying it is a bit predictable, there’s nothing on here that I haven’t heard a thousand times before and that is going to be their downfall because they are talented musicians. On a positive note they do have some great song names, but they’re about the only thing that will have any lasting imprint on my memory, I mean, I’ll remember the title ‘I’ll Be Frank, You’re Ugly!’ but I’m pretty darn sure I wont remember how the track goes.
‘Go West’ is full of aggression and each song has a great pace about it and there are enough melodic parts thrown into the mix, it has all the elements to be great, but in all honesty it’s a bit stale. Their songs are good but forgettable.
Brigade – Pilot
Brigade have a reputation for being one of the UK’s hottest young band, and having just supported Aiden on tour and an upcoming album and hitting the road again with Fightstar it seems this four-piece are well on their way to success.
‘Pilot’ is the first single to be lifted from their upcoming album ‘Come Morning We Fight’ and the track doesn’t waste anytime in launching into action. Musically ‘Pilot’ is punchy, there’s a nice chugging bassline that powers away in the background, with funky guitars and clever drumming laid over the top.
The track travels at a steady pace before building up into a chorus that wouldn’t sound wrong in a Fightstar song. From listening to this one song you can hear that Brigade work well as a unit, and I’m sure this is just the beginning of very big things to come for the boys.
Fate – Vultures
If you like your music extreme, even vicious, then Fate are the band you’ve been looking for. These five metal monsters hail from California and if they aim to do anything with their new album ‘Vultures’ it is to give you a good thrashing.
‘Vultures’ opens with a really nice piece of instrumental metal, you can hear how talented these five guys are in this one short track. It’s only 41 seconds long but I guarantee that their fingers were bleeding by the time that 41 seconds was up. On the second track we get to hear Justin Krahn’s meaty roar, he is your true hardcore vocalist, he can pull of guttural growls, death vocals and screams and for the most part you can’t understand a bloody word he is saying.
To be honest, it doesn’t seem to matter that I have no idea what their songs are about because the musicianship is so impressive that I don’t actually care. Violent riffs and lightning fast drumming are what ‘Vultures’ is all about. Fate could give the Dragonforce guys a run for their money in terms of technical guitar playing, there are points when listening to this that it’s hard to believe that someone can traverse their way around a fret board that quickly and make something that is so good to listen to.
There’s a solid musical performance on ‘Vultures’ from all members of the band, and while their talents are impressive to listen to, it’s not the most original release, at points the down tuned guitars, European style harmonies and the mix of death metal and hardcore style music make it seem like Fate have followed a paint-by-number guide to making heavy music. However, even though it’s not highly original their performance is impressive enough to make it well worth checking out, I think many of you will be blown away.
Gwen Stacy – The Life I Know
Indianapolis quartet Gwen Stacy have shared the stage with huge metal bands like The Devil Wears Prada, but now they’re coming into their own with the release of their debut album ‘The Life I Know’.
‘The Life I Know’ sees the Gwen Stacy boys being confined to the metalcore genre, but they sure make their music with a punch. The album is heavy, there are some melodic moments and killer hooks thrown in for good measure but for the most part is full of pounding drums and punchy guitar lines. Frontman Brent Schindler has mastered the art of guttural screams and a large majority of the vocal work on this album is comprised of just that.
While most of their songs are made up of a pretty traditional technical approach there are moments when they try to be a little more adventurous, on the song ‘If We Live Right, We Can’t Die Wrong’ but they end up sounding a lot like Underoath. One of the great things about ‘The Life I Know’ is that the album remains positive and upbeat and these devout Christian boys refrain from preaching.
‘The Life I Know’ is a mixed bag of tricks, it has its highs and lows. In some parts the melodic moments sound great, in other parts it just sounds sloppy, as if they had been recorded and dropped into a song at random. Overall, it isn’t a bad debut effort, Gwen Stacy show a lot of promise but I don’t think they’re ready for the big time just yet.
Brain Drill – Apocalyptic Feasting
Californian metal monsters Brain Drill return with their highly anticipated album ‘Apocalyptic Feasting’.
If you’ve ever heard any of Brain Drill’s music you know that it is incredibly fast and technical and what they’ve created on this album is no different. From the second ‘Gorfication’ starts playing you are hit by lightning fast drumming, ultra-technical guitar parts that put your fingers at risk of bleeding just from listening and growls and snarls courtesy of Steve Rathjen.
Their sound is reminiscent of European death metal, their musicianship is extremely high and their technical ability is just outstanding. Brain Drill’s music is on the more melodic side of death metal, but if you who aren’t a fan of that genre you will probably find yourself screaming for a break from the sheer brutality and carnage that these guys bring to the table. I wouldn’t be surprised if people say that Brain Drill are technical for the sake of being technical but that doesn’t really matter, because even if they are just doing it for the sake of it they’ve managed to make it interesting and intense.
Brain Drill don’t mess around and they make some of the most extreme metal bands sound like pussies. If you like you’re metal to be progressive, aggressive and brutal then ‘Apocalyptic Feasting’ is definitely the album for you.
