Olivia Rodrigo "You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love" (2026)

 
Going three for three, Rodrigo returns upon intrepid stride. With no shortage of inspirations, this latest chapter documents her life's adventures, mainly dating, relationships and there emotional ups and downs. Opening numbers lean on this infatuated motif through airy upbeat, light hearted Pop Rock romps. A touch to sappy for my appetite but tolerable given how fruitful her collaborations with Daniel Nigro are.

For my liking, Maggots For Brain is where this record finds its voice. In come spangled 80s guitar licks, a strong hint at where things are heading. Olivia explores her relationship vulnerabilities candidly with poetically self depreciating lyrics to romanticize moody longings. From here that broad Post-Punk umbrella, Dream Pop, Shoegaze, New Wave, Synthpop, influence this current craft of intelligent songwriting.

In particular, the guitars take on this chorus tinged broody aesthetic, playing warm soulful melodies and gentle chord strumming. A beautiful resonance is struck, soft melancholy lingers never intruding on an upbeat underbelly. Every downtrodden notion feels as if resolution is insight. Olivia's words and voice carry a soft catharsis through this exercise of musical exorcism. Her lyrics expressed relive the burden.

A fascinating stride of songs bloom as Purple's playful vocal inflection's conjure favorable impressions of Elizabeth Fraser. The magnetic The Cure swoons. Surely an intention nod to the act with Robert Smith appearing on What's Wrong With Me, a dreary minimalist number for rainy days. Between them, a beautiful vocal oriented song, showcasing Olivia's talents, her voice holds a limelight harmonizing with herself.

It sets up a beautiful stride to the records dramatic conclusion. Expectations proves relief, a fun, quirky number with punchy chiptune baseline. Its playful, cheeky, chirpy, a bright radio track similar to My Way earlier in the track listing. In fact, there's a handful of song styles here that are on rotation from front to back. Together, they signal obvious 80s influences and structure a cohesive fifty minute album experience.

This third installment, You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love, gracefully moves forward feeling fresh, fun, and interesting. Although I've only spent a few weeks with it, it already feels like the soundtrack to my summer. Each returning spin a delight, despite being lukewarm on the first couple of tracks. Unlike Guts and Sour, it seems to lack that one killer track. A mild critique, given how much this one offers.

Rating: 8/10

Deftones "Eros" (2008)

 
Its with the utmost respect for Deftones and their suffering that I write these thoughts. For context, Eros was shelved during its creation, as tragedy struck. Founding member Chi wound up in a car crash, leaving him comatose. Not realizing the severity of his condition, the group moved forward to write new material during his absence.

Years later, Chi would pass, leaving this unfinished album locked away. That left Eros as a painful memory for the group, something they wished to leave behind them. If its not obvious, the album has leaked. You can find it on various platforms, however the copyright owners are asserting authority, aggressively removing Eros when it pops up.

For fans, this album also means something entirely different. A peek into what could have been, an alternative trajectory for their beloved band. Anyone who's being rational and reasonable about human nature would understand that fans simply cannot resist this curiosity. I just hope the band members understand that as well.

So it's with love and respect that I comment on what Eros feels like. To my ears, it's so undeniably Deftones. A band that seeks to grow and evolve with each album. Moving on from the dazzle of Saturday Night Wrist, Eros feels inherently darker, even gloomy, carving like a knife without leaning on extremity for its raw emotional howling's.

Unlike the low end theory of Diamond Eyes, a monumental pivot by comparison, the group explore texture and rhythm with what mostly sounds like six string guitars. In stride, they hit the usual markers of their identity between pushing boundaries with morose melodic leads atmosphere through stripping back distortion guitars.

Its strongest point of comparison among the Alternative Metal scene is The Smashing Pumpkins. But more often than not the band evoke their own sensations. Chino, supposedly the most unfinished element, has these fantastic spurts of shouted Raps, even in the spirit of a Beastie Boy on Electra. Clearly raw but still charming.

Highlights include Trempest, where we hear a seven string guitar riff and mysterious synth textures flourishing. Diamond is my favorite, again the keys evoke intrigue but best of all, the simple lead guitar melodies evoke echoes of early 90s Doom Metal. After cycling through two verses, it expands, blossoming in mesmerizing fashion.

This has been an utterly fascinating listen. In this form, I can't help but feel Deftones path forward may have been rather different. Its broodier tone finds sensual resolution and musical gratification, yet may have made them less accessible to a broader audience. Either way, Eros holds up their stature as brilliant musicians. RIP Chi <3

Karnivool "In Verses" (2026)

 
Having been turned on to these fluid branches of expressive Alternative Metal by pioneers Tool, In Verses strikes as a delightfully indulgent yet familiar journey within expansions and contractions. Venturing though rumbles of textural guitar aggression and emotive melodic lines, I hear echo's of Adam Jones' organically moving guitar riffs and Maynard James Keenan's tendered personal vocals. It’s my own narrow point of reference but I’m absolutely loving the exploration of this matured sound.

New to Aussies Karnivool, this is actually their first batch of songs in thirteen years! In Verses being only their fourth album. It seems the lengthy wait is one of authenticity. Nothing about this record feels forced or even rusty, given the time passed. Rather, the lyrical expressions of frontman Ian Kenny has its purpose met by the gravitas of musical swells and flourishes of color his band mates offer instrumentally.

Thus, the elements align for music traversing nurtured dynamics as serene and contemplative acoustics gracefully descend at apt intervals to explore the darker, aggressive side of these themes. I'm fairly sure these worded motifs align across songs with intent. Either as poetic releases of bottled troubles from life's path or something deeper, interconnected, given the grander sentiment of some sentences.

As touched on already, these often repeated lyrical touchstones appear like the driving point of a song. Its a dance that illuminates these songs. Kenny is quite understated in his competency. Its the instrumental unity that elevates his presence. A consistency through a record traversing similar temperaments that are always in motion. It makes every inch of this rich music feel worthy of more attention than your actually giving it. Most lovable are the little creaking's of guitar feedback and acoustical drum stick clicking among other intricacies. Bespoke noises detailing a steadily blooming tone.

In verses has a lot of musicality, flowing like a river, gushing forth with expression, often sombre, melancholic yet never sullen. Rays of light pierce the cloudy skies in the distance. A lingering hope, colorful and tuneful. Most songs find the connection to this mood through moments of swelling gratification. I'm left with some lyrics stuck in mind. “Feeling alone in a crowded place”, “If i could have one more day”. Universal themes, yet personal. Its a connection I found for much of this fantastic record.

Rating: 8/10

Look Outside Your Window "Look Outside Your Window" (2026)

Technically an album without an artists publishing name, Look Outside Your window Is the so called experimental album recorded by Slipknot members Sid, Clown, Corey & Jim Root. Created alongside All Hope Is Gone, almost twenty years ago, then left in a lengthy limbo, the lack of enthusiasm for its release seems more than reasonable given the general drab mediocrity this gloomy set of mid-tempo sluggers brings.

Hinging on Corey's distinct vulnerable voicings, the music follows his mourning expressions, offering subdued militaristic drum marches under meandering textured guitar noise. This grey chemistry amasses to glum overcast skies and dreary rains as their bleak soundscapes circle themselves. When breaks for sunlight are briefly offered, it does so with minimal melody and an echo of the reverby shoegazing sound.

Some of Corey's hooks have his fingerprints all over it. At least of that era. His natural sway and dramatic pivots could lead into enraging screams and riff eruptions but those feveros elevations never arrive. I often feel left in the lurch by that lack of resolution or release. Its clearly an intentional choice, to ruminate on that dreary tension beforehand, however his band mates never offer up chemistry to engage with.

The record drifts by, these songs seem content wading knee deep in the gloomy amassing of raindrops it gently drizzles upon us. The overall mood never sheds its burden, rarely find relief and thus feels confined to drone by uneventfully. Its bleak, without leaning into its depths that could be. Sadly, a rather tame, disappointing listen.

Rating: 4/10

Enter Shikari "Lose Your Self" (2026)

 
With unshakable identity, Shikari return on another rousing record to reflect upon our troubled times. Spouting unabashed articulate words to address the current zeitgeist, Rou's lyrics cut deep. Led by emotion, raw authentic messages of worry garnish each track with urgent meaning. Touching on the erosion of institutional norms, growing wealth inequality, increasing climate fears and the ubiquitous influence of silicon valley tech, we embark on a fever pitch. One to always grab my attention, Rou's finger is firmly on the pulse again, crafting his passioned cries into anthemic bangers.

Obviously, this is no one man show. His band mates of twenty five years plus fire on all cylinders. Together, charging their genre soup of majority British musical influences with a vibrant, colorful, ceaseless energy. A keen apatite drives these songs with pace and blazing spirit. Spliced with chunky rhythmic chops, electronic stunts and subtle layers of tantalizing details, a constant thrust of anticipation keeps excitement stirring.

The albums structure is fantastic, between anthemic ragers, Shikari switch up the flow. Spirits are soothed on the juxtaposed Demons, exchanging its mellow lulls with a rapid Drumstep groove. Flick Of A Switch's second part calls back to the first incarnation, revisiting it with a mammoth zany spaced out breakdown, its sliding synths and detailed percussion is a treat. Closing on the trilogy Spaceship Earth, their song writing expands to Symphonic scope, yielding a glorious conclusion. A sentiment of visitors leaving our pale blue dot emerges, leaving its lyrics lingering with meaning.

Unironically, the aforementioned songs are not even my favorites. This album was pure class. Perhaps their best since The Mindsweep? Only the brief 90 seconds of an erratic I Can't Keep My Hands Clean felt a bit stale, perhaps an attempt to capture the abstract comedy of Slipshod... but probably not upon hearing it again after so many years. Shikari albums have a habit of feeling like strong connections to their era but losing a little potency over time, this one however feels like it has true lasting power!

Rating: 9/10

Zander Parks "Light Years Away" (2025)

A casual obsession of recent weeks, Light Years Away presents itself as an emotive exploration of life's many journeys. Personal, pensive, thoughtful lyrics navigate poetic expressions with a touch of maturity. At a meaty fifty plus minutes, its twelve tracks traverse an Alternative Rock landscape, dipping into Post-Rock and Folk Rock. A flash of Glitch in opener Machine, lesser so on Vastness, alludes to a modern "in vouge" sound that swiftly gets drowned out by a more traditional song writing approach.

Leaning on the atmosphere conjured by its instrumental textures, these numbers craft melancholic moods fit for softly sung words tackling, struggle and regret. The duo exchange a spotlight, offering tender relief, channeling human motions into storeys. Our unnamed effeminate companion takes center stage for most of the record but its best runs evolve from the exchanges where voices crossover in smooth duality.

Its best cuts, Event Horizon, Letters To Nowhere, Voltage and Leave The World Behind, all share something in common. A musicality that ebbs and flows, swelling into theatrical through lines that punctuate a songs intent. Its gratifying in comparison to the rest of the music, which tends to lingers on calmer energy, not quite finding a suitable climax to peak its intent.

Far from perfect yet brilliant in its channeled focus on songwriting, Light Years Away serves as a set of beautiful expressions. Its compositional chemistry exploits dynamics, texture, atmosphere and tone from a varied cast of instruments. Perhaps a detractor is the lack of potent melodies to settle in like earworms. Much of that role comes from the hooks which leave a firm impression. This is a firm record well worth ones time, I'm sure you'll find a few favorites among its cast.

Rating: 7/10

Irreversible Mechanism "Graviant" (2025)

My excitement for this album was met with swift shock as Polish outfit Irreversible Mechanism depart from their Symphonic Black Metal foundations. Having released two fine records under Blood Music in the decade prior, the band go it alone with this self released effort. A lack of budget and experience tarnishes Graviant's aesthetics as the muddy production consistently rumbles on the low end. A steadily murky mess but fortunately its emotive musical merits punch through this amateurish recording.

At its offset, one can clearly hear the leftovers of their previous guitar tone. Slowed jabbing riffs and big metallic distortions hold some prior characteristics but as the songs churn by, the influences of Tool and Maynard's vocal style become the dominant theme. Its very much a series of Progressive, Alternative Metal tangents, lingering on emotional pains and exploring them through instrumental ruminations.

Gradual shifts, psychedelic repetitions, rhythmic brooding and percussive excursions forge a tapestry of intriguing songwriting. Armed with time signatures and inspired experimentation, the band take once unusual directions to climaxes that play mildly blunted by the shadow of giants that walked the path before. Its atmospherically intense, a darkly meditation leaving no stone unturned. Hurling itself from the calm before the storm, directly into its eye as aggressive plundering serves its peaks.

Despite this obvious display of excellence, the record is routinely blemished by that muddy production. Blunting its charm and muffling its clarity. A lot of the intricate instrumentation requires a fair bit of focus, thus breaking its spell. Fifth Wall and Croc Hunter served as my favorite tracks, peaks that just about overcome this hurdle with angered intensities illuminating peak progressions within both songs. The band have much to offer with this new direction, its just a shame the budget couldn't support it.

Rating: 6/10

South Arcade "Play!" (2025)

 

Returning with another slice of 00s alternative culture reimagined, this fresh five track struggles to peak the heights of 2005 but builds out the bands setlist with a couple more lively, animated tracks. Supermodels is the standout, a rapid run of semi-rapped verses powered by stop start riffs interwoven with intricate drumming and slamming electronic textures at its crescendo. The influences present from Gwen Stefani's eclectic alternative No Doubt simply can't be unheard from this point onwards.

Fear Of Heights plays on similar vibes with heavy strumming powering forward underneath Cavelle's sailing chorus hook. Oddly it feels underplayed, she has quite the charming voice but sticks to the more casual sing-talk cadence. Drive Myself Home is my favorite, a metallic edged hitter with fantastic production, worming in some timely glitches and dense texture into its wall of sound aesthetic.

Bleed Out plays like a less potent blend of these ideas heard on the aforementioned cuts, its final track Blood Run Warm pivots towards an emotive acoustic torch song. Armed with a country tang on its verses and Emo flavor in its chorus, the band aim well for a diversity that charms despite not being my cup of tea. A sing along for fans who connect with its heart felt lyrics. A decent EP but one step behind the last.

Rating: 4/10

Esoterica "Ether Metal" (2025)

 

Its title may just suggest a new genre of metal but no such concept awaits. Conjuring a compliment to its balance gentle melodies, metallic punchiness and emotional tenderness, Ether certainly suits the resulting chemistry. Frontman Tobias Keast remains king, his vulnerable voice and dramatic range serves as a focal point, breathing life in any instance from casual, to shouting or sailing on smooth soaring inflections. Like always, he is the illumination that gives Esoterica their distinct identity.

Working on an Alternative Rock / Metal temperament, a slew of soft Djent grooves and downplayed stomps whirl in the backdrop between power chords. Alongside its main leads, grandiose strides of symphony, united choral group shouts, flashes of nightly electronics, airy synths and other sound design elements forge succinct visions. Moody, slightly downtrodden, in search of reprieve, its tone appeal to the hurt within.

Its not until the halfway point with Heathen that a dystopian, disinformation and antiauthoritarian themes emerge, giving this stretch some lyrical unification. A play on words, Track Dysutopia seems to miss the definition of dystopia as the opposite of utopia. A minor blemish leading to the excellent closers Paper Skull, a Mental Health stint referring to a mind of holes, and the dramatic, swelling, upheaval of Burn.

Despite its clear excellence of execution, Ether Metal didn't exactly suck me in. Always a fair, enjoyable listen without weak points but unlike there prior effort, nothing grabbed me hard, got stuck in the mind or lured me back in. Its a curious takeaway from a clearly inspired and passionate record but sometimes the whims and inconsistencies of the human experience leave us in such strange places.

Rating: 6/10

South Arcade "2005" (2024)

 

I can't get over how young and fresh faced this English four piece appear. Reminding me of how the years have gotten paste me, they look straight outta the alternative scene of my youth. 2005 is their only non-single release, a twenty minute EP who's title speaks to the sound and aesthetic their emulating. South Arcade look like post Tony Hawk's skater kids, birthed from a time capsule. I love it, my youth is cool again!

Aesthetic and appearance aside, South Arcades sharp ascension is based on merit. They have amassed almost a million monthly Spotify listeners off the back of this six track and a string of singles. A strong debut record could rocket them even further.

Its exciting and I'm hopeful they have it in them. Although influences are stark and obvious, even overtly stated through their intentionally imitating music videos, the band have enough individuality and expression of their own in the mix to define these songs as South Arcades'. Mainly a breed of Pop Punk, Nu Metal Alternative Rock, the fond influences of Linkin Park, No Doubt and Avril Lavigne are striking.

 Alongside its anthemic title track, Nepo Baby and How 2 Get Away With Murder have a similar magnetic pulls. Warm grooves and catchy hooks, with Harmony Cavelle's, note the name, easy voice leading a colorful aggressive charge. Powerful and poppy with these occasional dives into rapped lines, she seems like the magic ingredient.

The production style is loud and punch, fondly reminiscent of the heavier edged Ocean Grove. These bands actually share a lot of similarities. A tour together would be quite fitting. Tangents aside, South Arcade are a delight. Given their so young, the potential that comes with musical maturity is something to watch out for!

Rating: 6/10

Scowl "Are We All Angels" (2025)

Catching my ear with their easy sways between scruffy Grunge chorus riffs and melodic Shoegaze tinged verses, Fantasy served as an intriguing song to pull me in. Sadly, Scowl currently stand as a band with plenty of potential. Are We All Angels' production out paces the bands depth of ideas. Brimming with a fiery aesthetic, their fusion of Pop Punk, Grunge, Hardcore Punk, Alt Rock, even touches of Metal - feels so fitting of this era. The ability to look back a couple of decades and revise such ideas has yielded magic with fresh faced bands like Turnstile.

 

Unlike their contemporaries, Scowl's riffs and motifs lack a spark of imagination. Arrangements and music ideas feel relatively basic, leaning on that stunning aesthetic to get by. Front loaded, the first string of songs will et pumped up but as the record draws on the songs dull into a mediocrity. Singer Kat Moss is the bands brightest light, her voice adds a smooth veneer of color to the crunchy aggression her band mates assemble. Her occasional unhinged shouts froth with an apt angst, anchoring her in this energized setting as she more often plays the counterpart.

 

Their chemistry is strong, the auditory experience is spot on but as stated the songwriting suffers. The record ends up muddling its way through half baked ideas, feeling like either record filler or I'm missing the point. Potential is the word, one to keep an eye on. At this incarnation they are still finding their voice and you hear it on occasion with songs like Special, Fantasy and Not Hell, Not Heaven.

 

 Rating: 5/10

Hundredth "Fadded Splendor" (2025)

Shock and awe ensues, as sequenced drum machines and a burly haze of dreamy distortions descend upon the listener. Breaking for a bold singular baseline and tender vulnerable voicing, the sunny emotive sways of Curve had me wondering, which band is this? Last time I checked in with Hundredth, they were reveling in a Post-Rock breed of Shoegazing and Alternative Rock. The latter two genres could describe Fadded Splendor but on this endeavor the band shimmy to the other end of the spectrum. Exploring simple pop harmonies and structures they often skirting that defining wall of sound energy in favor of clear and catchy rhythmic lines.

 

 With Curve and All The Way, the band happily deploy electronic percussion fondly reminiscent of a post Jimmy Chamberlin Smashing Pumpkins'. Hovering up many 90s influences in its stride, much of that distinct Billy Corgan influence pervades in its sentimental side, as the gentler cuts play up evocative vocal croons against Etheral backdrops, ever playing with the beautiful melancholy. Other songs revel in an upbeat energetic charge, pulling dancable motifs from Indie Rock. Never tho do these ideas converge in one moment but serve as complimenting chapters of the journey.

 

Fadded Splendor is a fair stride forward, territory not to dissimilar from Rare's makings. A few songs stand tall among a variety of numbers to give fans of different flavors their pickings. It may be the weather but its emotive sentiment seems perfect for the hot weather, however I could equally picture them feeling cozy in the winter seasons. I love that suggestive power of music... ultimately its up to the listener!

 

 Rating: 7/10

Turnstile "Never Enough" (2025)

 

Dissecting sounds with an analytical scalpel, one can cut critiques upon a lack of overt musical progression. Deploying another bout of their softened hardcore power chord strum sections, recycled riffs and gently expanding the textural pallet their ever emerging keys offer, do Turnstile hit upon a moment of stagnation?

The answer is a firm no, familiarity its welcome weapon. Upon initial impact, the persuasive power of its uplifting dreamy sun soaked moods settle in. The analytics of its simplistic appeals are an after thought. Where Turnstile have excelled is reveling in the vibe, as if they have dug deep to unearth a charm that was resonating all along.

Masked by established conventions, each songs character emerges from its subtle sways of 80s nostalgia. Dream Pop and Shoegaze play on obvious veneers, with other flavors of the era woven in through additional instrumentation. Saxophones and Trumpets occasion between the dazzling shimmer of pedal driven guitar chords.

Never Enough is a familiar beast dialed down to linger on these influences and the vocal energy of Brenden Yates’ soaring soft-side. He frequently charms, his words oozing off a cruising, catchy deliveries that reinforce the feel good sentiment. Oddly, its bursts of raucous Hardcore energy serve to break up the calmer tangents.

The records pacing is sublime. Tracks flow from one revel to another, continually refreshing its breezy tone that sails between those Hardcore sprints and shoegazy bursts of beachy surf rock guitar chords. These musical ideas never complicate and thus simple tunes, melodies and chemistries get to linger briefly at our pleasure.

Vibes is the word of this album. The power of simplicity its champion. Everything feels like a bottled moment in time. Turnstile in a stride, yet pausing to capture the magic. From first spin it won me over. Now on a binge, I feel Ive found the soundtrack to my summer. Heart felt expressions, cozy feel good vibes and bursts of manic energy.

Rating: 8/10

Willow "Lately I Feel Everything" (2021)

 

Arriving at Willow's third record, endearing blemishes of youthful nativity emerge. Heart-brake pains and relationship woes dominate its theme. Musically, a similar line is tread. Both sway between raw adolescent reactivity and insightful, matured expressions. On its latter half, collaborations with Travis Barker boldly mimic teenage Pop Punk tracks of the early 00s, devoid of originality yet persuasive with repetitions.

The middle of the record is where the bulk of its magic lays. Instrumentals deviate from the opening simplistic pop appeal. Swells of grungy guitar distortions, dreamy acoustic reverberations and creative drum machine arrangements pull these songs to the edges of Shoegaze, Indie Rock and Emo, blurring lines along the way.

Typically, Willow sings from the soul, drifting around the texture of these tracks like a free spirit, often with power over softness, she occasionally roars into life with soft screams. On the softer side, soaring cadences amplify her thoughtful, introspective words. It turns the topicality of once immature anthems into reflective journeys. Its a curiosity to me how a tracks tone shapes ones experience, two contrasting sides of essentially the same expressive coin.

Lately I Feel Everything is mostly an exploration of an alternative umbrella of distortion guitar adjacent music. Willow crashes the party, muddying up ideas with an aesthetic rawness and endearing amateurish aesthetic. A perfect fit for the genre. Not quite as persuasive as whats to follow but also tainted by these interruptions of type-cast teeny bop music I despised in my youth. Naive and XTRA where the highlights for me.

Rating: 6/10

Marilyn Manson "One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1" (2024)

 Moving on from the catchy Post-Punk period vibes We Are Chaos reveled in, the band trade in those flickers of color for dreary tones steeped in indulgent misery. Bleak, downtrodden and typically anthemic, Assassination hails back to the spirit of Antichrist Superstar with the metallic inclinations of Holy Wood. Manson's lyrics flow potent and cutting. Renewed with a biting anger, his disenfranchised cries come wrapped in religious overtones and social commentaries. Spinning disillusionment into reverence once again, the nostalgic familiarity hailing back to their creative peak sounds fresh. A few tracks further in, words turn inwards, reflecting on addiction and escapism, a new avenue heard since fragilities expressed on The Pale Emperor.

Throughout Assassination, in some of his words linger a sense of martyrdom, spinning controversies of recent years to paint himself the victim. The tensions amass with Raise The Red Flag. Antagonistic lines make a climatic declaration to "wash the bullseye off my back". Through the lens of artistic expression, its a marvelous twist of the arm, however when reality and legal proceedings are a long muddy affair of accusations and defamation, its hardly a black and white case you can rally behind.

Lastly, the instrumentals are well crafted, a consistent aesthetic that serves this album experience well. Shifts in tones can ramp up intensities for aggression and subside into rebellious melodies. It all flows cohesively with their iconic front-mans licks. At fifty five, he can still deliver his knack for devious and catchy hooks. Now lacking the shock and awe he once commanded like a prophet, Assassination's potent expression themed on recent accusations land well but perhaps with an air of doubt.

 

Rating: 8/10

Willow "Coping Mechanism" (2022)

  

With a chronological step back from an adored Empathogen, Coping Mechanism shifts its fundamental appeal to serve my tastes immaculately. Willow's entangled expressions and gushes of emotional out-poor feel familiar, yet beneath the music nurtures antagonistic intensities, highlighting darker emotions of anger, frustration and sadness. Ever present overdrive guitars dabble in Alternative Rock, Grunge, Emo and Indie, amplifying a hurt in her lyrics. Sailing above with a playful, creative voice, she finds a beautiful resonance with the unsettled rumble of enthused guitar noise.

From a perspective, these songs could be boiled down to catchy Pop Rock songs centered on angsty teenage emotions. Fortunately the underpinning Pop sensibility blossoms with maturity. Willow's lyrics navigate emotional stresses, gracefully avoid the fallacy of simplicity. Her words dissect, introspect and reflect, mostly on the grief of a breakup, in search of a Coping Mechanism. Opposing aspects of these narratives explored often manifest into beautiful vocal inflections. Its a riveting tug and pull, back and forth, an internal mental battle channeled into infectious sing-alongs.

 Producer Chris Greatti and songwriter Asher Bank deserve high praise for their instrumentals. Creatively exploring the aforementioned genres, a Pop Punk ease and occasional touch of Metal aesthetic breeze by effortlessly. The duo weave it all into a cohesive set of both tuneful and mildly aggressive numbers without repeating themselves. One can hear many ideas pulled from across recent decades, rearranged into a new beast. Shifts in guitar tone and color, occasional synths and detailed drum grooves flesh out the experience with continuous variety that's immensely enjoyable.

Coping Mechanism flows, gushes with an infectious liveliness. Willow dances in the river, exuding expressive brilliance. Existing near to unreachable artistic perfection, devoid of weak spots, only its ending seems to dip slightly as the melancholy sways of No Control breaks down intensities for Batshit's return to animated eruptions feeling short of a final statement to wrap it all up. Other than that lack of a landing, this record has been utterly brilliant. Paying close attention to the track listing, trying to select my favorites, I realized the first nine songs are simply sublime. Just wonderful!

Rating: 9/10

Boston Manor "Sundiver" (2024)

  

Exploring the many charms of 90s Alternative Metal, Boston Manor returned armed with exquisite execution over originality. Sundiver is a captivating record led by front-man Henry Cox who's empowered voice swoons in the emotional current. Pivoting from soft streams of emotive vulnerability to roars of clean confidence, he sings unabashed by the overt stylistic imitations of Chino Moreno. So to do his band mates revel in musical arrangements, groovy riffs and aesthetics pioneered by the Deftones. His other flattery emerges in catchy, tuneful deliveries like Oli Sykes of Bring Me The Horizon would do, these two personalities define much of his vocal presence.

 Its all taken in wondrous stride, every track tightly wound, a perfect fit of elements. Broken up by interludes exploring dreamy acoustics, Ethereal Drum n Bass loops and perusing baselines, its main songs are given space to breath in these intriguing lulls. Venturing into Shoegazing guitar aesthetics and mammoth Nu Metal adjacent grooves, Boston Manor navigate their inspirations with class, birthing fiery songs with inviting passion and emotional resonance to engulf. The whole affair is breezy, warm and uplifting as swells of aggression are vented with positivity. Its definitely a contender for best Metal album of the year! I've struggled to put this one down.

Rating: 8/10

96 Bitter Beings "Return To Hellview" (2024)

This entry in the journal is less "review" and more of a footnote for myself and any of you reading who are fans of CKY. Former band-mate Deron Miller, also of Foreign Objects, split with the group in 2011, leading him to form 96 Bitter Beings. The project fels like a branch of the same tree, this release enforces that notion with authority.

 

Selecting some of the best tracks from An Ånswer Can Be Found, Infiltrate Destroy Rebuild and one off Volume 2, Deron stamps his mark on these classics, re-recording them in modern glory. The performances are tight, production bold and chunky, instruments don't shy from being heard. He and his band mates really do them justice.

Carrying the energy and charisma of its originals in stride, extra layers of synths can be heard on a few tracks. Occasionally sprucing up some passages with additional harmony, the added creatively is mainly reserved for the end of songs, fills or transitions that get a redesign. Its fun to spot the differences, they don't spoil a thing.

I can't help but feel I might gravitate to these re-recordings when in need of some CKY nostalgia. They are simply really well done and Deron's voice is key to that. His performance glues it all together and gives this project a seal of authenticity.

 

Rating: 7/10

Dream Widow "Dream Widow" (2022)

 
Birthed as a fictional band through the Foo Fighter's Studio 666 movie, mastermind Dave Grohl brings his youthful adorations to the limelight. An exuberant testament to the gods of Metal, Dream Widow plays as a love letter to Thrash and Heavy Metal. Churned out with a soft tongue in cheek attitude, this self awareness plays keen. Backed by a consistent onslaught of sharp grooving riffs, its evil thematic comes across fun and playful. Dressed up with moments of metallic extremities, the record initially feels edgier, clearly oldskool Black Metal on March Of The Insane before settling into its cruising altitude of mid-tempo Mastodon crooning Metal.

Dave is pretty fantastic at steering his unique musical voice to these comically darker directions. Half the record feels fully committed to sinister theatrics, yet the other melds his Alternative Rock roots in both singing and writing. This is no complaint, the middle ground is entertaining too but after the shock of its full throttle, screaming and stomping opener Encino wears off, its clear this intensity isn't its firm format. When stepping away from the atypical cheese over the top Metal provides, the music sways with delightful inflections of melody, exchanging verse and choruses that compliment through dynamic shifts from rhythm to lead and all expressions between the two. 

Dream Widow is a cracking record stretched between Dave's expectant self and a mischievous, metallic inner child. Ending with seventeen minutes of sludgy hell, Becoming and Lacrimus Dei Ebrius illuminate his genuine understanding of the craft, as cheesy themes give way to sinister mockeries of the light. Ultimately its forty two minutes are a solid listen. Thoroughly entertaining, yet showing these three or so approaches that could of individually been their own beasts.

Rating: 7/10

Hundredth "Rare" (2017)

 

Opening with shiny crimson acoustics, Vertigo croons on contrasting vibes. Its initial Ethereal glaze rubs against a pacey rhythm section. Thunderous baselines rumble, as lively kick snare grooves set a cruising tempo. Swells of overdriven guitar erupt, reveling in their haze of noisy reverberation. Singer songwriter Chadwick Johnson glides in, calming with breezy harmonization, soothing in his softly presence.

Its a chemistry that persists throughout, as this Shoegazing, Alternative Rock hybrid flickers with fondness for a cascade of influences that inspire an inclusive wall of sound production. Forever sounding like a beautiful fever dream, hints of Grunge, Britpop, Post-Punk, New Wave and Dream Pop emerge in subtle suggestions.

Almost all tracks sail with riveting energy. Ebbing and flowing into colorful lulls, dragged by pounding percussion, leaving room to breath and rebound into epic swells of lead melody and momentous guitar riffs. A consistent experience, yielding a monotone expression. Across its forty five minutes its deeply explored yet spinning the same structures in rotation. Fortunately with such blissful energy it rarely tires.

Early on the music feels uplifting and charged with warmth yet as the record reaches its mid point, both lyrics and emotions tilt to darker subjects. Its a subtle shift, a dreary dourness creeps in, the sprint slows. It feels like the same beast yet moodier, as melancholic acoustics drift in and a vulnerability in Johnson's presence grows.

Rare's merits reside on its songwriting and vision. Initially seeming to fit into a familiar umbrella of genres, the record takes on its own memorable character. I do prefer its opening half, the speedy pace a delight that fades into its brooding counterpart. Overall, Rare is a wonderfully engaging set of songs that don't try to rewrite the rulebook but focus on what works and wrap it up into an inspired aesthetic indulgence.

Rating: 7/10