Hiatus Kaiyote "Choose Your Weapon" (2015)

Now here's a record I never knew I needed! Four piece Australian Jazz Rock outfit Hiatus Kaiyote's second album came as a personal recommendation from the Ren-diggidy-dawg a while back and Its been on repeat ever since! The 80s aesthetic of the cover art says little to the flavor of the music but maybe volumes to the vibrant individualistic style and character the band posses. Fusing aspects of Funk, Jazz, Soul and Progressive Rock, the group take on their inspirations with an articulate voice and inspired artistic freedom.

The result? A classy musical indulgence soaked in the haze of competing instruments that bring every moment to life with their collaboration. Where direction is often led through syncopation and repetition, Hiatus take the other path and fill your cup with the spice of variety as each instrument helps color the canvas of every passing moment. The depths can be felt as each song is layered in instrumentation of which any could be the lead instrument. It brings the core songs to life as never a dull moment presents itself, we are always in the presence of animated instrumentation fighting for our attention and rarely letting one another take center stage.

The percussion brings a mix of flavors to fight for your interest. While holding the driving backbone of tempo down, a liveliness is felt in the range of sounds emerging, an expansive kit loaded with intricacies fleshes out the core rhythm with a constant energy for subtle polyrhythms, grooves, shuffles and vibrant fills. Alongside the drums guitars and synths play a similar roll of never settling for a simple and linear path, each instrument always has something to contribute, either an accent or added dimension to the songs density and trajectory. Especially the synths which make passionate use of the endless manipulation that knobs and dials can do to expand horizons and evolve the sound from a singular textured experience.

The record never stays in one place, its wild and free flowing nature has the carpet pulled from your feet right as your feeling settled. The grooves shuffle, the melodies swoon, the atmosphere sways and lights up the night with its charm but the fire starting spark of magic comes from singer Nai Palm. Her breathy voice has the range to stride with power, then whisper in the next utterance. If there is a lead here, it is her artsy voice that always rises to the top with its flair and quirk to remain fully motioned, never settling on a steady note and often adding inflections in time with the punch line of the drum beat. Its an instrument of its own, as animated and vibrant as any of the others. Some of her best moments come from the ditching of words as she devolves into the melody, free of conventional constraints, it reminds me of a child dancing, free of judgement from anyone, especially herself.

For all its merit, not everything attempted here will be to everyone's taste. Its strength is variety, which comes in a large engulfing dose. There is never a stale moment but the constant shifting and shuffling from one idea to the next doesn't always strike the charm the majority of it does and can move on you as your settling in. No bad words to be said, just that the genius chemistry these musicians have is really milked into every corner of the record. At just under seventy minutes its got so much to offer, a real cracker that's got to be the best thing Ive heard so far this year.

Favorite Tracks: Shaolin Monk Motherfunk, Breathing Underwater, By Fire, The Lung

Rating: 9/10

DMX "...And Then There Was X" (1999)

Making our way through the troubled rappers discography we arrive at his third and most commercially successful record. It shipped over ten million copies world wide no thanks to the massive hit "Party Up" and it being released in the prime of the industry's sales. Its not his best work but certainly has a more consistent tone about it. The instrumentals feeling very fitting one song to the next and X seems as ruthless and unforgiving as hes been so far. Its not to much effect however, beyond the savage nature of the stories told, his vocabulary doesn't expand much beyond a constant reliance on curse words which gets a bit tiresome where lyrical creativity is needed.

The albums theme has X diving deeper into stories of street life, painting an unapologetic image of him delving into crime, drugs and questionable behavior as he raps very directly about his experiences. They are often aimed at an individual, X threatening his actions through the music with violent imagery and insulting slurs. I'm probably focusing on the negative aspects as Ive heard him so frequently recently, his flow is still fantastic, wild, up beat and hyped with plenty of barking but it still feels like the lyrical content isn't anywhere near as exciting. On "What's My Name" he gets the hook just right to make one my favorite DMX songs thanks to a fantastic instrumental, however the records best raps come from The Lox on "D-X-L".

The production is tight, consistent and a little denser than before. Another set of programmed instrumentals and drum kits take a step forward with a shade more complexity and depth in the various arrangements. The drum loops are loaded with more cymbals and hi-hats, alongside them strings, pianos and various synths set the setting for X's dark criminal raps. Its got the atmosphere down but far from being special. Just a solid collection of beats from start to end with a hint of mafioso.

My one big turn off is "Prayer III", X's spoken word piece, a conversation with god that's featured on each record. This time it feels a little contrived and illogical for him to acknowledge his influence on his potentially impressionism audience, accepting his success and fame as a gift in the wake of his troubled behavior and antics. I'm not keen on this way of thinking, its enabling but I'm not here to cast judgement, just making observations from my perspective. Good record but only has a couple of sparks.

Favorite Tracks: The Professional, Part Up, What's My Name, D-X-L

Rating: 5/10

Ulver "The Assassination Of Julius Caesar" (2017)

Norwegian musician Ulver has an eclectic discography in the making. Emerging from his native native Black Metal scene in the 90s, Ulver gave up the sound after the third record and has since pursued many sounds and styles, often experimental. From Dark Ambient and Drone, to Trip Hop and Jazz, often with a strong current of Electronics, he has quite the remarkable journey. This latest venture outlines its premise and inspiration with the title alone, the music strides into new territory as an intelligent from of Synthpop emerges, rich in texture and dense in composition.

Lyrically its concept is obvious, stated in the albums title. As words often do, they go right past me however like a sore thumb one always picks up on the pronunciation of dates, events and the narrations that tie them together in the pursuit of historical ties. Sometimes we are following Caesar's internal dialog and other times from a third person perspective. Its one thing that caught my attention, however almost all of mine was captivated by the stunning instrumentals and Ulver's soaring, powerful yet persuasive voice.

 An array of beautifully crafted synth instruments unite under an inspired chemistry that brings about a truly swooning collection of songs. They play out like cinematic moments of emotion and event, with the power to transform and evolve seamlessly. The synths interweave bright, pulsing melodies with bold and poppy textures while soft, expansive strings grace the backdrop. Pianos, acoustic guitars and other instruments wage in too, the drumming is especially impressive, holding together and electronic sound without relying on booming thuds and thumps. There is a lot of hi-hat and cymbal work, subtle drum rolls and a good sense of rhythm to really flesh out the percussion without overpowering its way into the fold.

Its as if the level of craft and composition outplay its nearest neighbor, on one level it has the pop sensibilities to draw one in with fantastic hooks and inviting melodies, on another it plays so much deeper with all kinds of whispering instruments waging in, for example very quiet bongos can be heard here and there. With it the songs can be simple in structure and others more complex and evolved, however the album flows effortlessly between the varying degrees of approach. Brilliant record, can't stop listening to my favorites at the moment.

Favorite Tracks: So Falls The World, Transverberation, 1969, Coming Home

Rating: 8/10

Nightrage "The Venomous" (2017)

Its been over a decade since I last checked in with the Greek Melodic Death Metal group Nightrage. I don't remember much of them, other than their breed of melodeath being rather rough around the edges. "The Venomous" is a step apart from where I last joined them as the band treat themselves to a lavish, tightly polished production that is as crisp as it gets for this genre of music.

Walking in the shadows of bands like Carcass, Arch Enemy and In Flames, the band do little to set themselves apart from the tropes of the melodeath genre. Its as predictable an experience you could expect, every riff, scream, and drum beat fits neatly into the formula. That's not to bash on the band but when a sound is where it was ten years ago it can hardly be exciting for a seasoned listener.

The reality is Nightrage are a very competent band, clearly talented, technical and inspired the album is littered with tightly wound riffs chugging away on integral grooves and between them wave after wave of bright colorful leads and vibrant guitar solos. Song structures keep things oozing but it lacks the power to surprise. Not a single moment or riff felt unexpected, wild or out of the mold and so often it drifted to the back of my mind. Even so It was still an enjoyable record with little to complain about but for such a unoriginal piece of music it hardly made an impression on me. If you know Melodic Death Metal, you know this record already.

Rating: 4/10

Oranssi Pazuzu "Kevät Värimyrsky" (2017)

After being blown away by the Finnish Psychedelic Post-Black Metal band's 2016 release "Värähtelijä", I was excited to hear talk of a new album, however this release is just a two track EP. The new record is out but released in the same month is this sixteen minutes affair to wet the apatite for whats to come. Its first track "Kevät" is a slowly and dreary wander through the foggy moonlight fields of desolation as a bleak atmosphere is cast by sombre acoustic guitars over distant hazy distortions. It progresses with an increasing unnerving as a slow gargling vocal taunts cryptic words, leading us into monstrous layers of dense rumbling guitar distortions. Sinister strings hide between the smothering sound it breaks apart as easy as it came, a creepy and morbid song with no charm for simple melodies, it is a grave soundscape of despair.

Starting with a singular, tonal distortion guitar and steady baseline "Värimyrsky" starts as another barren and desolate atmospheric piece. As it steadily groans a brief pause leads into a dramatic eruption as brooding tom drum fills lead us into a riff roaring whirl of metallic darkness. Twisted howls call out and before long the song breaks for respite as the vocal and distortion guitars drop out for a serine acoustic guitar to play out over a lively baseline and mystic organ like synths. With a guitar solo it lurches back towards the darkness and the song goes through several shifts, ever climaxing on its variations before breaking to a more enigmatic ending as a sense of glory and wonder emanates on the final moments of the song. Two excellent, crafted tracks. If these are outtakes from the full length then we are in for a big treat.

Rating: 4/10

Raekwon "The Wild" (2017)

Raekwon The Chef, member of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan is quite possibly my favorite of the Staten Island group. His sturdy rap style, lyrical flexibility, ability to tell stories and mafioso flavor has always won me over. Truth is Ive barely gotten myself beyond his debut classic "Only Built For Cuban Lynx" but wherever Raekwon pops up on a track, if its Outkast, Mobb Deep or Schoolboy Q, you can count on him for a solid rap. Twenty five years into his career its fantastic to hear how well hes held together his craft. That and the production makes a decent record out of "The Wild" however it doesn't quite spark for the goosebumps and adrenaline I fiend for.

The song "Marvin" however is the exception, in itself an exceptional track that hits that mark, a remarkable and fitting tribute to Marvin Gaye, sampling his record, Ceelo Green singing his sorrows in the chorus and Raekwon telling the story of his life and tragic death and the hands of his father. His flow like a glue keeps me gripped on every word as he paints the heart breaking story for us. Its a wonderful tribute, a track Ill tune back into for time to come.

With that one exceptional moment out the way, the rest of the record is a rather diverse collection of instrumentals. Nostalgic samples of the 70's, the music of his youth, recycled Wu-Tang beats from 36 Chambers, dark club synth bangers like "My Corner" where he teams up with Lil Wayne and "You Hear Me". "Visiting Hour" is a dreamy bitter-sweet pop like song with bright pianos and airy synths and this varied selection of tracks is tied together with what sounds like people hanging out in the studio while a soulful voice sings some humorous lyrics as others laugh along with him. Raekwon is solid throughout with his stories, mafioso boisterous raps and fond reminiscing. Its all great but lacks a kick for the songs to transform into anything special, with exception to "Marvin".

Favorite Tracks: Marvin, Can't See You, Visiting Hour

Rating: 6/10

Body Count "Bloodlust" (2017)

It felt like such a huge privileged to catch Body Count a couple years back at Download Festival. As their performance came to a close the legendary Ice-T and his Hardcore Metal group stood on stage with the realization this could well be there last live show in the UK. I took this as a sending off, that in his 50s maybe this was it for the group, so it came as a huge shock to hear they had released their sixth record, one that could easily be considered among their best. Very relevant, politically charged with nothing held back, "Bloodlust" is a raw and blunt record with a lot of bite.

Ive always loved how the group found a connection between Metal and themes of street violence, most commonly heard in Hip Hop music. Bringing his life experiences and knowledge of the streets, Ice-T has no remorse performing from the perspective of societies most brutal and unforgiving characters, taking it to vivid extremes as he walks us through the thoughts and actions of a character like Jeffery Dahmer on "Here I Go Again", the track dressed with torturous screams in the chorus to bring the atmosphere to life. His unfiltered views might be a lot to handle but on "No Live Matter" I think he nails the mark, making a bold statement that racism is a distraction in a system that targets its most vulnerable, often pitting them against one another. There is a lot of violence, crime and bluntness in his words that may not be for everyone, his performance though as commanding and ripe with anger as ever.

On the instrumental side we have a crisp, rounded production with lean guitars capable of delivering the brutality without excessive distortion. The performance and instrumentation is tight, a hybrid of Groove, Thrash and Hardcore that's capable of stretching itself in several directions for pummeling aggression on "Walk With Me..." and slower, moody tracks like "God, Please Believe Me". It makes for a solid record that offers a lot as it goes through its motions. Its biggest strength in my mind are the Grooves, its loaded with tight, momentous riffs that rock heavy in their metallic tone from start to end, with a fair amount of spicy lead guitar thrown in to.

Its not a record that dazzles but Body Count are in-sync and on point here, giving us a helping dose of exactly what we want. If it has a weak point, the middle of the records cover of "Raining Blood" doesn't quite suit Ice-T's vocal tone, however the instrumental is rock solid. It starts of with a statement of the band hailing their big influences, Black Sabbath, Suicidal Tendencies & Slayer, before diving into the legendary song. Its been a very enjoyable few days binging this record! No doubt its one ill enjoy again and again.

Favorite Tracks: No Lives Matter, Bloodlust, Black Hoodie

Rating: 7/10

Joey Badass "All-Amerikkkan Bada$$" (2017)

One of Hip Hop's young up and coming rappers is politically charged, Brooklyn based, Joey Bada$$ who made his name with a 90s inspired debut "B4.Da.$$" at the age of 19 back in 2015. Now a little older he putts a firm foot forward aiming to make a bold, relevant fiery statement while modernizing his sound, distancing himself from a strictly retroactive approach. A solid production and a daring album title, with the tipple k, sets the stage for a comparable likeness to America's most wanted, Ice Cube. The question is does it live up to ambitious persona?

In short, it does, much like a young O'Shea Jackson, Joey gets real and radical in a wild way, inciting acts of genocide by the American government against his color, race and his people. As a listener with an older head, it is easy to sympathize and understand his perspective however the complex reality of influences from social, economic and political systems feel glossed over in the raps as Joey pursues a much more simplistic and radical world view, with a lot of thoughtful commentary too. He also provides little answers or solutions and so the record takes on a rather nihilistic and self defeatist vibe which I think speaks volumes as a reflection held on the attitudes and feelings of the most unheard and underrepresented in society.

Diving into the lyrics is a journey of its own but Joey's flow is dynamic and varied enough to carry the record through its motions, switching gears from easy going spoken raps to hyped, pacey delivery with some dialectic inflections too. Taking a step back from the words, the record starts with a rather summery, fun group of tracks, promoting positive vibes with very welcoming hooks and choruses despite the heavy topics. It culminates with the uplifting "Devastated" a banging Trap influenced poppy track with catchy lyrics and a lick of auto-tune which sounds great being used subtly.

The second half takes on a leaner, slick, dark and diverse sound as Joey brings in guests on each the tracks with hard hitting instrumentals and the weight of heightened aggression. Joey takes the last track on his own, delivering an alarmingly paranoid and despairing message to end the record on a very vivid note. For all its components the record doesn't quiet solidify in my mind, the topics often misaligned with the instrumental vibes despite both being quality. Its a record that has a very loud and bold statement when the instrumentals are moody and charming. Thinking back to "Amerikkka's Most Wanted", the anger, ferocity and energy of Cube's raps where right in-sync with the bomb squads explosive beats.

Rating: 7/10

Justice "Woman" (2016)

Drenched in the glossy ooze of indulgent synths, illuminated by soft swooning vocals, "Woman" takes us on a retroactive trip through the Disco dance floors of old with an infatuated re-imagining of that era. French House duo Justice probably can't get by without mention of another French House duo, Daft Punk, who's influence can be heard boldly on the noisy crunching club tune "Chorus". Daft Punk are known for their inspirational roots in Disco & Funk music but in their long absences this pair fill the void with no imitation craft. Similar in stature and matching in talent, Justice go down the smooth and swooning path with a bright and colorful set of instruments, electronics and strings  cruising over tight, rock steady softly thudding Dance beats.

With a backbone for the dance floor these songs play out with events, transformations and lucid progressions that may pass you by given their seamless chemistry. With a keen ear for strings many repetitions are brought to life with cinematic strings rumbling in with melodies like a lead guitar. The many layers of instruments interchange their focus to convert what could be simplistic, repetitive dance tunes into woven tapestries of symphonic dance night groove as one instrument takes the lead over from the next and the music continuously unravels before us in electronic wonder. The album has strength in variety and consistency tone, it flows like a river while taking us many places, some with hints of astral vibes as if gazing to the stars above.

 With little to flaw one can only marvel at the balance of elements here. Bright, modern production breaths life into old sounds and ideas. Its romantic, elegant and nostalgic, the duos singing, velvety high pitched harmonies, are sublime. On the song "Randy" they sound very much like the vocal style of Kevin Parker from Tame Impala. This record grew slow on me, which I find rather strange in reflection. With each familiarity the bigger picture became clearer I guess and I get the sense it will continue to grow on me with time. "Woman" is a very sturdy record, I can only sing its praises.

Favorite Tracks: Chorus, Randy, Heavy Metal

Rating: 8/10

Kendrick Lamar "DAMN." (2017)

In his creative prime and swiftly moving forward from his instant classic "To Pimp A Butterfly", Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar hits us with a perhaps unexpected stark visual style, a picture of the rapper with a simple font in that brightest red shade. No conceptual art, polish or touch ups, just the the word damn. It would stick with me as the record opens, gospel singing and sorrowful string sections lead us to a sudden twist as a man is shot trying to help an elderly lady find her glasses. That and Kendrick going of on one at the end of "DNA.", the bass drops and Kendrick raps like fire, it had me literally thinking "Damnnnn". They would not be the only impressive moments of surprise and astonishment. There is a lot of creativity to be found here.

With the bar set so high, Kendrick does a fantastic job of moving forward, forging a new set of instrumentals to conjure a different tone. Far more electronics and lots of vocal manipulation fill the background of tracks between tight drum patterns and slamming sub kicking bass lines. Occasionally organic instrumentation comes into the fold however everything feels tinged in manipulation, acoustic guitars soaked in flange or beats cut together with reversed samples which seem to increase with frequency as the record draws on. "FEAR." has him rapping in reverse and the closing track "DUCKWORTH." reverses many vocal parts and beats like a tape playing backwards and speeding up. It ends up ending the record where it started off.

Instrumentally there's a lot of hands on deck, it plays through well but can sway in different directions, from dark futurist bangers, to old school beats like "FEAR." and a couple of pop tunes too. Although it offer a fair amount in places, its Kendrick who lights the tracks up with his flow and sharp lyricism, playing both direct conventional narratives and more artistic flavors too even throwing in a tribute to Juvenile's classic "Ha" where each sentence paints a scenario and asks a question with the simplistic ha? statement. He comes up with his own statement led rap with the iconic "I beat your ass" rap, painting a rather sorrowful tale of abuse in a broken home. Lyrically hes got relevant and smart introspections on his fame, role in his community, self perception and where things are heading and usually they unravel best in the faster of his flows.

 There is much food for thought but not everything is about thought provoking, which leads me to the weaker side of the record. For the moments he strikes gold there are equally some rather tame or uninteresting tracks, for me "HUMBLE." was a stinker. A couple of pop tracks, "LOVE." & "LOYALTY." don't raise the eyebrow much either. Its all preference and taste but I feel that Kendrick has put a firm foot forward and compartmentalized his current situation it a set of songs covering it from different angles. Which in turn means not everything follows the same path or relevance.

"XXX." is possibly my favorite track, moving through three phases we get very contrasting flows and instrumentals that gel together almost seamlessly despite going from a raunchy cranking beat laden with police sirens to a smooth Jazz Hop instrumental with vocals from Bono. Its the shining example of what this album might have been but with its different aspects its as if the spell cast on the opening tracks gets chopped and churned on its way to the finishing line, spewing out many amazing moments between some relative mediocrity. I cast my mind back to how it took me sometime to really get into "To Pimp A Butterfly". I hope I'm late to the game again but right now it feels like Kendricks genius shines bright while a few clouds pass by.

Favorite Tracks: DNA., FEEL., PRIDE., XXX., FEAR., DUCKWORTH.

Rating: 8/10

Milk Teeth "Sad Sack" (2015)

Fresh faced and full of youth, Bristol based rockers Milk Teeth capture that early 90s Grunge scene energy with a refreshing measure of emotional substance and riveting aesthetics that you can sink your teeth into, excuse the pun. Released nine months earlier than their debut full length "Vile Child", Milk Teeth's second EP is probably my favorite so far. With just half the tracks we get six killer songs of distortion driven angsty introspection that doesn't let up with any solely acoustic songs. As a short record it flows perfectly and much that's to be said about the band and their aesthetic Ive said before. Id be repeating myself, as any song on "Sad Sack" could be switched seamlessly into "Vile Child".

Each song has something that makes it tick, gives it an edge. The record winds down with the atmospheric, moody "Trampoline" which indulges itself in Ethereal reverb soaked acoustic chords before exploding into an extravagant riff with complimenting lead guitar amplifying the feels. "Vitamins" kicks it off with lively, pumping drums beats and feedback driven guitar noise between the crunchy riffs. "Melon Blade" tweaks the effects pedals to give the guitars an insular tonal sound that illuminates between the "crooked spoon" lyrics. Because the band tweak their distortions track to track, loading each one with all sorts of subtle, sometimes obvious noises and manipulations of sound, the songs become rampant with energy and there character is magnified as the riffs are brought to life with more than just a chord arrangement. That's there charm and on this EP its loaded from start to end.

Rating: 7/10

Vektor "Outer Isolation" (2011)

American celestial thrashers Vektor really impressed me with their third full length "Terminal Redux" last year. Dense, tight, technical Thrash Metal with a fulfilling sense theme left a lasting impression. Turning the clocks back five years to their sophomore release its as if a day never passed between the two. "Outer Isolation" is another hair bending feet of intricate guitar thrashing glossed in its tonal aesthetic and dazzled with the emergence of timely melodies in between the rhythm guitar onslaught.

The band members are clearly exceptionally talented. Flashy guitar solos loaded with sweep picking, tapping and hammering are an obvious display but even the rhythm guitar makes its mark with lightning paced riffs, blistering tremolo picking and plenty of finger tangling shifts and shuffles turning straightforward sections into a constant delight of perplexity. For all its intense dexterity they make every riff count, not a dull moment or over extended idea here, they write fantastic music.

Behind the roaring guitars the drummer holds down a tight tempo, unfortunately a lot of his creativity is out shun by the dizzying guitars. The same could be said of the bass guitar which has a few moments to peak its head out from beneath, its quite audible with a bright tone but generally does a lot of mirroring. The vocals here are far more tolerable, probably because I am now accustom to them. David DiSanto has a shrill, high pitched scream with a texture I'm not to fond of. I would prefer a different voice but one can still appreciate what he bring to their sound.

The song structure and progression here is as impressive as the whirling array of notes flying your way. Every track unfolds with a continual sense of direction and adventure, they could go anywhere and as you get to know the songs all the pieces fall into place. "Outer Isolation" is a shade better than its successor with impressive melodic sections, a wild ride of ever shifting metallic onslaught and mesmerizing guitar work. Its not quite my cup of tea though, the vocals and tonal aesthetic not quite to my taste but I can certainly appreciate how someone might see this record as a Thrash masterpiece.

Rating: 8/10

Mastodon "Emperor Of Sand" (2017)

The behemoths of Sludge Metal, Mastodon, have become quite the reputable group over time, climbing festival bills and delivering record after record. I myself have barely checked in with the band since their classic breakthrough record "Leviathan" and I can't help but feel I'm enjoying this record more than the average fan would. Kicking off with "Sultan's Curse" the opening riff sounds as natural as Mastodon get, immediately identifiable with Brent Hinds verile voice. It doesn't take long for the record to set its desert sweltering, sun soaked tone. The warm undercurrent of broad baselines swell, heated under colorful, tonal guitar distortions that rock and groove, swaying back and forth in there own narrative. A constant switch and swerving of melodic inflections and pumping grooves come to light when the vocals illuminate there direction with earthly, raw yet harmonic singing that's got a rough authenticity and genuine softness too. Its a chemistry that works without force.

The record is always lively, not a dull moments passes as each rolling riff delivers melody and hardness. From crunchy grooves to expansive chords, guitar solos and interludes the adventure is sweet for all fifty minutes. On some tracks the whirling of soft organs can be heard in the backdrop, like mirages in the baking sun. If not for these its mostly a straight forward setting of guitar, drums and vocals, the themes and ideas emerge from the song writing but on "Clandestiny" the song pulls back to a Progressive Rock setting and busts in with vibrant electronic leads, very reminiscent of the tone used by "Contact". A robotic voice mutters as it comes to a climax and for a moment the record is transformed to a different setting. It works but is a rather isolated event in a very consistent record.

It's criminal that I haven't given more time to this band, I believe there strengths as song writers holds this record up however It doesn't have quite the immediate intensity of songs like "Blood And Thunder". This newest record "Emperor Of Sand" is more of a theme, a place, setting, a storey that the band really own. Listening to it alone makes the room temperature a little hotter. I really do like this temperate sun soaked breed of Metal they have put together here.

Rating: 7/10

Favorite Tracks: Steambreather, Roots Remain, Word To The Wise, Jaguar God

DMX "It's Dark And Hell Is Hot" (1998)

After starting with DMX's sophomore record "Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood" we rewind to his debut released earlier the same year. Its widely regarded as his best, a commonality for Hip Hop debuts. Hearing X's wild and ferocious flow for the first time would certainly give listeners a strong attachment to this record but Its the records production and beats that give it more juice, not to mention the banging "Ruff Ryders' Anthem" kicking off the album and X's debut track "Get At Me Dog" beefing up the track listing with two of his best. They both showcase two sides to this record caught between the early and late 90s sounds, some sampling oriented beats and a lot of programmed instrumentals.

The album really comes into its own with "X Is Coming", a dark and harrowing song where X says some very sketchy things in the name of blowing up his persona and extremities of his rap style. It introduces slick drum arrangements with mafioso string sections, creating an air of powerful, menacing criminality. The following "Damien" introduces a character who features on the following record. Its a narration between X and his thoughts, or better yet the evil voice in his mind that leads him to bad places and situations. He gives Damien his own voice, a hazel, high pitched inflection that has the tone for malicious intent and we follow the two talking back and forth in conversation.

Between his vibrant WHAT!s, alarming barks and menacing growls, X's flow is energetic and easy to follow. The words roll effortless and come at a hyped pace. He's more impressive with the energy he gives and the knack for fiery hooks than his lyrical word play. A notable trait is to change the tone of his voice when shifting back and forth in the narrative. His story telling is fluid, blunt and raw, sound effects of screams and sirens painting a hellish criminal vision on the cinematic "ATF".

Hes no wordsmith but its the unleashed, unfiltered character that really sells it and with the nefarious instrumentals the elements feel in the right place on this record although its production is a little mixed in the beginning. There's a cover of Phill Collins' "In The Air Tonight" which is a very memorable re-imagining of Phill's timeless hit. As great as this record is, I do feel like X could deliver a little more, hes got such a great style but his lyrics fall flat when unfocused and drifting into foul mouthed, violent braggadocio. Either way I loved this record, I'm sure it will grow on me more with time.

Rating: 7/10

Favorite Songs: Ruff Ryders' Anthem, Get At Me Dog, X Is Coming, "Damien", Stop Being Greedy, ATF, For My Dogs, I Can Feel It

Can't Swim "Fail You Again" (2017)

 Picking something a little out of my field, New Jersey based Can't Swim's debut record has been just the right measure of styles for me to get behind. Alternative, Punk Rock with tinges of Emo, Grunge and Hardcore, the band is steadily rooted in scenes I'm less accustomed with yet its no stretch to understand this is great songwriting. Intelligent and expressive the band convey their message with no reliance in cheap tricks or tropes. Its an open, honest book on relationships and life's challenges that comes with a sense of working it out through the music, emotional, colorful and ripe.

The vocalist makes quite a mark with a strong, sung shout that strains and stretches, often with conviction and ferocity. At times he really pushes his range, putting an odd unhinged, off note charm into the mix that may turn off some. Its a great voice for a surprisingly rich and absorbing aesthetic, married to thoughtful compositions that do their part to flesh out what could be simplistic. The result, indulging songs, easy to get to grips with that have a lot of depth. On the surface one can appreciate the drummers creativity, shaking up the patterns on each repetition and steering the momentum of the music with fantastic fills and rhythms.

Digging deeper, the guitars flex between gentle and aggressive in easy harmony, layered with tones and coming at different measures of intensity, the variations from song to song keep the glass full from start to end. Edged out distortions and overdriven acoustics push back and forth as these songs rise and calm, forever unfolding. The band can go from big grooves to soft swooning melodics effortlessly, Its great song writing and they can load in great sing along hooks that give them a smart pop edge in some regards. I couldn't pick a favorite track, its as if no songs have a weak spot, not often you get a record that delivers from start to end, the constant shifting in tone really wets the water for the river to flow, creative, fun, meaningful record executed brilliantly.

Rating: 8/10