No Cure "I Hope I Die Here" (2024)

 

 Ears perked by Spotify's shuffle of heavy freshness, No Cure's brief 8 track, twenty minute EP I Hope I Die Here has been a curious listen among a sloth of modern aggressive music. Much of it lacking sparks of originality. Hang Me From The Bible Belt, the track that drew me in, fires up this romp of sludgy brutality with a bold mix of Metallica Hardcore and Melodic Death Metal. This feels like a misnomer as the annals of a tired Deathcore swiftly reveal their ugly head on following tracks. Gruff deepened guttural shouts, gritty low-end axe grinding riffs and filthy pig squeals light up the aesthetics among obnoxious angular harmonic pinches and other genre tropes.

It plays out among a reasonably excitable mix of influences, from Hardcore gang-shouts to Metalcore grooves and Slam Death Metal breaks, the record picks up some character in brief moments. No Cure bridge minor stylistic gaps that seem obvious in hindsight. The collaborative nature of this EP may explain its inconsistency in tone as songs sway between engaging constructs and the "race to the bottom" filth of Deathcore. Each track includes another band, presumably of the local music scene.

Sadly, only its opening track won me over. The rest of its heaviness played mostly as a curious throwback to Deathcore records now approaching twenty years old. In contrast, there are signs of promise, moments of light, however it doesn't come to fruition in a flavor I'm looking for right now. To much grime, not enough substance!

Rating: 4/10

Body Count "Merciless" (2024)

 

Now years deep into their triumphant resurgence, the legendary cop killing Body Count return with a fair helping of 90s styled Metal stints to rock, shock and entertain. Serving as a mouth piece for Ice-T's likable angered rants, these loud instrumentals play a fair game. Serving up competent ravishing's of that era's tone, fans like myself can lap it up but lets not be shy, there is little here we have not heard before.

Beyond selecting some preferred cuts from the offering of mid tempo songs driven by aggressive riffs, attention turns to Ice-T's presence. His plain language, dripped in profanities and frustrations, flow relatable and clear to understand. Behind the often grislily lyrics, an undercurrent for peace and prosperity may pass some by.

The packaging is where my critique lands. Fun and enjoyable but the albums best hooks and concepts feel borrowed. From Demo-crips and Re-bloodicans, to the movie concept of The Purge, a helping of thematic concepts have obvious origins. That and an interesting cover of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb with David Gilmour revealing his typical unabashed directness. Oddly intriguing but most of the time endearing. 

Pulling in legends like Corpsegrinder and Max Cavalera is a welcome delight on this fiery horror show album. They bring great performances. Its nice to see more collaberation like this which has been sorely missing in the past. Merciless wont reinvent their live show but brings hours of entertainment through some fresh songs with their classic Body Count motif.

Ocean Grove "Oddworld" (2024)

Having struck gold with Flip Phone Fantasy and Up In The Air Forever, could our Aussies from down under make it three for three? Oddworld sticks with the winning formula. Brimming with enthusiastic energy, their high octane production pushes out another bunch of upbeat banger reveling in the Rap Metal Limp Bizkit inspired lane of Nu Metal. With a little less rap in the mix, shades of Brit Pop return with an emphasis on the soaring Oasis alike, hands behind the back, singing. So to can one hear a sampling footprint from the early Rave years of fellow Brits The Prodigy on Raindrop.

At twenty five minutes, Oddworld is notably shorter. Less songs and two interludes highlight a sense of lacking potency. They've put forward their best but there's less to go around. Cell Division and Fly Away roar out the gate with pace and groove. Slamming riffs, quirky melodies and soaring singalongs set the tone. Stunner and Raindrop keep things flowing, spinning the same ideas through expectant motions. 

 Interlude No Offence Detected revives some Limp Bizkit vibes again with the quirky perusing baseline. It doesn't lead anywhere, as the band proceed to spin their wheels. Last Dance offers a shift in tone. Shimmering guitars and atmospheric reverberating noise creates a loud moody softness to mellow in a heartfelt sorrow. Album closer OTP makes its mark, pivoting to a hard hitting, darkly electronic beat. Built to house ear catching raps, their guests verses' fail to make the concept a memorable one.

Despite being lively, uplifting and infectious, the record suffers a sense of routine as only a couple of songs reach beyond the fundamentals of their sound for something great. It could also be a case of fatigue or familiarity on my behalf but sadly my enjoyment has dropped from the ecstatic highs their last two outings bestowed.

Rating: 7/10

Chaosbay "Are You Afraid?" (2024)

  

On a somewhat predictable trajectory, yet no less exciting, Are You Afraid lands high octane metallic exuberance. Bolstered by punchy production, Chaosbay fuse catchy pop sensibilities with the edge of Djent guitar brutality. Encapsulated by subtle enriching synths and infrequent glitchy antics, this arsenal of short to-the-point three minute bangers blazes through their very best creative efforts.

These eleven cuts routinely erupt into grabbing "break downs", slamming serious momentum. Far from original yet executed with class, the double down on Eye For An Eye plays a keen favorite. Between these roars of anger, the soaring clean vocals of Jan Listing continuously ropes one into its lyrics themes through infectious cadence.

Taking on different temperaments and tempos defines each song from one another with true personality. Frequently dabbling in curious arrangements - cinematic synths, Trap adjacent percussion and dystopian electronics - simple song structures find space to experiment, elevating past the main theme. Its kept the listening experience fresh, exciting and on "the edge of your seat" so to speak.

 Without a weak point these thirty eight minutes play fun, animated, energetic. Anthems to fist pump, head bang and sing along too. Its been everything I hoped for. Having been teased by The Way To Hell, I'm happy the whole record reached that level of excellence. To my ears, these guys are among a rare few to get me excited about Metal these days.

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

Cane Hill "A Piece Of Me I Never Let You Find" (2024)

 

Leaning into their aggressive side, Cane Hill return with a refined amalgamation of the Nu Metal revival, drifting towards the extremes of Hardcore Djent akin to Thrown. Doused in an aesthetic exhilaration similar to an emerging Argent Metal, the band struggle in harmonizing their loud quiet dynamics. A slew of bombastic, even barbaric, syncopated rhythmic riffs stand in contrast to the melodic charms of Elijah Witt. His presence heals the record, offering gleams of uplift in intensity lulls, as infectious crooning hooks bring an emotive memorability to its incessant "over the top" hostility.

The enthusiastic bounce and groove of Nu Metal's influence feels absent as low end guitars churn out harsh brutalities. Routinely focusing on meaty slabs of slamming Djent tone, they lack any character to shape up a songs heavier aspects. As a result, we embark on a cycling slog through empty onslaughts of crunching guitar noise. Spliced with sporadic fret sounds, layered with subtle dystopian synths, the most expressive moments arrive in the big chords left to ring out under clean vocal breaks.

Left to spin in the background, this record simply drifts by. Its hooky breaks grabbing ones attention every time. On closer analysis, these tend to be the only moments that create memorability. Thus its best comes from the soft moody interludes and Witt's clean break outs. Permanence In Sleep and I Always Knew We Were Do have the best choruses, a delight when they arrive. A Piece Of Me I Never Let You Find crudely pushes senseless violence together with a charactered emotional magnetism, falling short on writing memorable songs in the process.

Rating: 6/10

Ihsahn "Ihsahn" (2024)

With the ominous lurch of self titled significance, esteemed musician Ihsahn, formerly of Emperor notoriety, returns on ambitious footing. Forging symphonies of Classical proportion, not just simple complimentary arrangements, we venture with restrained Extreme Metal aesthetics. Throaty screams and heavy percussion pave the way for swells of strings and orchestral instruments to land the powerful impact he would have once manifested through guitars on the likes of an Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk.

With colorful Jazzy inflections and Prog Rock inclinations, these dreary, sombre, atmospheric venture in a tangle between misty melancholic moods and multifaceted, mercurial melodies. Lead guitars often cut through this rich symphonic layer, playing a second expressive voice to the routine groans of Ihsahn's one dimensional cries.

The union of such musical depth and rhythmic force makes for consistent engagement as musical tugs between its two hearts dance a line that doesn't strike sublime balance, often leaning on Metal tropes. Anima Extraneae is a keen example of Classical influences painting scenic beauty without the cage of aggression. These moments are relegated to interludes, however that richness routinely emerges in breaks between the lonely, dark, brooding tangents Ihsahn frequently explores.

When breaking into a stride of glory, the uplift of his steely clean voice is a welcome delight. These pivots empower his symphonies with comforting gleams of colorful resonance, venturing close to something special but never quite fully committing. Despite hearing this inkling of greatness, Ihsahn is a powerful record, brilliantly composed and thoroughly engaging with its vision of dark and beautiful worlds.

Rating: 7/10

Behexen "Rituale Satanum" (2000)

Recently discovering Dimmu Bongir resurfaced a desire for more nefarious Black Metal. Spotify offered me up Finnish outfit Behexen, an act I'd not heard of before. Born in 94, they were clearly a product of cultural export from their Norwegian peers. This debut, Rituale Satanum, essentially encapsulates the next logical progression, taking fundamentals and dialing up the intensity. Its in their ridiculous, over the top vocals that Behexen find an edge, instilling terror though chord shredding screams and gravelly howls that can make your skin crawl. Paired with baritone deliveries of ritual chant, they invoke Satan with a seriousness I can only laugh off in bemusement.

The record is an unrelenting ride of hellish fright, pummeling rattling blast beats and shredding evil atonal power chord arrangements, this plays an atypical experience, delighting in a fiendish execution of wicked ideals. Shadowy melodies shrouded in intense aesthetics punctuate an ungodly mood. Manic bursts of frenzied paced led by ripping guitars liven up the closing tracks. Rare lulls between unending onslaught often come masked by esoteric vocal spectacles to illuminate a sinful atmosphere.

Without directly emulating its obvious inspirations, Behexen gracefully bestow their graven personality. Far from ground breaking but firmly their own beast, only Baphomet's Call plays out vibes reminiscent of the Black Metal pioneers, specifically early Immortal. Its mid-tempo busing is one of my favorite cuts across the record. The production is hard, often peaking with distortion guitars melding into a harsh fuzz. Somehow it works. A tad ridiculous with its thematic over the top embrace of satanism but then again isn't that the point? Worth a listen for fans of early Black Metal.

Rating: 6/10

Devin Townsend "PowerNerd" (2024)

 

 

With an extensive discography behind him, its hard for Devin to pull new punches but PowerNerd succeeds in delivering his unique expression after a lull. Its actually been five years since the all encompassing Empath. This latest venture is fun, upbeat and mildly comical yet always drifting to emotive swells crescendo by Devin's screams.

His distinct "wall of sound" production is refined as ever, somehow finding new ways to polish an already squeaky clean machine. Many of its main motifs drift by with subtle glistening synths twinkling in the background. It births a rich yet softened cloudy atmosphere, balancing the intense inclinations of Metal with a warm resonance.

Jainism is my favorite track, its metallic grooves push this mold to its edges, as do the swift pivots into dreamy drives. These magics are amplified by luscious pulsing synth melodies, subtle, yet sometimes its a small detail that can add so much. Many songs have mild synth tones and piano notes lingering in the quiet, sparking a wiff of charm.

The totality of PowerNerd is so befitting of Devin that all its themes, riffs and lyrics play with a touch of Deja-Vu. As such, it doesn't project its own identity but encompasses much of his prior works with the back end of the record venturing into his quirkier side. Entertaining, fulfilling and instantly relatable, its been a warm, welcome return.

 

Rating: 7/10

Motionless In White "Graveyard Shift" (2017)

 

 

Working back through Motionless In White's discography, I've anticipated hearing amateurish songwriting born of their Metalcore roots but this ain't it. Still reveling in a distinct amalgamation of popular Metal from the 90s and 00s, their musical witchery is effortless to enjoy. At this stage, its beefy Nu Metal guitar riffs that dominate overt influences with the legend Jonathan Davis lending a mild feature on Necessary Evil.

With Trance synths and crunching percussion, flavors of Gothic melody and Industrial rhythm weave into the mix around Chris Cerulli's hooks and downtrodden anthemic lyrics. Sadly, their chemistry isn't as potent. Simple breakdowns, gang shouts and throaty screams break apart these spells with flashes of the aforementioned Metalcore roots. Otherwise all the components are in place, a band steadily maturing.

I'm left reasonably entertained but lacking any enthrallment. Soft serves as a fair highlight, obvious Slipknot influences spin a first pumping riff, jolted into action from the start. "You're mine motherfucker" screamed as if from the mouth of Corey Taylor. Its creepy Korn melody counterpart balances out the energy well. Many of its best ideas feel uncannily close to that era. 570, however, plays like a straight melodic Metalcore banger, something leftover from prior writing sessions? Overall, a fair listen.

Rating: 5/10

Conquer Divide "Slow Burn" (2023)

 

Churning the Pop Metal formula through a dense wall of sound, American rockers Conquer Divide caught my ear with their empowered effeminate vocals sailing over meaty melodic Metal that's far from original, trendy for the times yet endearing. Overt influences present themselves through the likes of Spiritbox akin breakdowns and Bring Me The Horizon's in vogue glitchy electronics. Arriving at obvious intervals, between these blushes emerges a kind beast exercising personal demons. The usual themes of mental struggle and emotional short comings get channeled into cathartic screams and firm singing that spins a tune better than most of their contemporaries.

Slow Burn is far from perfect. A strong succession of bangers dissipates into a mediocre indulgence where cracks start to emerge. Wincing lyrics and underwhelming riffs crop up between an otherwise enjoyable atmosphere. Driven by soft distortion guitars woven with synth, dense floods of brooding, powerful sound wash by. There best moments play purely aesthetic, Castillo's vocal tune often defining its impact. Its a far cry from a captivating opening stint. Songwriting falls of a cliff, much of the preceding music rests on the albums excellent production. Instruments shy from the limelight, leaving the charm to linger on lyrical themes that are hit and miss.

There is clearly a lot of potential here. The opening songs offer much more musically. Although the backing instrumentation on verses mostly paints a blank slate for Castillo, they swell together with big upheavals in the catchy choruses and breaks. This is where Conquer Divide excel every time. A dynamic momentum emerges, propelling the themes of internal battle and personal woe into something antidotal and soothing. Its a very familiar formula yet well executed in their better stride.

Rating: 5/10

Motionless In White "Disguise" (2019)

 

Proceeding their latest effort Scoring The End Of The World, Disguise plays through similar rebellious dystopian motifs. Downtrodden and disconcerted, these self loathing lyrics vent social frustrations and systemic critiques. Emerging in a mangled messed, this personal emotional darkness gets tuned up to a feverous anthemic pitch.

Continuing the legacy of key 90s and 00s bands, another energized romp of animated Metal bangers play off Chris' hooky infectious singing. Tuneful synths and stomping guitars set the stage for ghoulish themes teetering on Gothic at times. Its essentially the same architecture, possibly less impressive now familiar with the bands construct.

Early on the band show their Nu and Industrial Metal influences a touch more directly, however the amalgamation holds strong. On the flip side, Broadcasting From Beyond The Grave and following Brand New Numb play like a shameless Marilyn Manson covers. Fun but a stint lacking originality from a band that usually mix themselves in.

Disguise has entertained but failed to impact. Now lacking a novelty, Motionless In White play with a comforting familiarity, flying the flag with a bold stride that's difficult to critique. My teenage self would adore this punchy angered energy yet I've found it hard to pick favorites among its consistent tone barely hitting a peak or valley either.

Rating: 6/10

Zeal And Ardor "Grief" (2024)

 

Now a seasoned act, Zeal And Ardor's third full length has soured in lack of reverence. I'd previously been enamored with their dreary, foreboding yet somehow colored fusion of Black Metal, Chain Gang chants and Electronics. This re-imagining of the genres anti religion inspirations birthed excitement. Unique atmospheres and musical oddities emerged from this exploration, both in concept and execution. Powerful themes and striking compositions, twisting both aesthetics and melodic expectations, yet somehow packaged for consumption. This promising act delivered some amazing experiences in years but on this outing, those ideas run short.

Grief retreads familiar themes, lacking cunning for the shock and awe that surprised beforehand. Leaning on dreary atmospheres, the album routinely tries to foray into theatrical lullabies, toned down interludes with subtle instrumentation, striding for something grandiose, emotional and impacting. The vision gets broken up by the bands various shades, leaning into particulars rather than fusing them together.

Mediocrity and tone rotation seems to dispel each songs magic. Plenty of interesting aesthetics and compositions individually emerge but rarely do they converge. Clawing Out is one excellent track that does this. Dissonant guitar noise and creepy whispered chats lure us into the eerie as hastening guitar riffs jostle for impact. Increasing tensions loop over, building on prior ideas before striking us with gratifying siren synths and a thudding distorted bass drum. Its a rhythmic oddity that just works.

Une Ville Vide was another unique cut, a cozy yet mysterious keyboard piece more akin to a Dungeon Synth record. Other than those two songs, not much resonated with me. I do however appreciate the craft. This experience strikes me as being more about my own personal mood than the record itself. I expected a lot more but left sadly quite disappointed. I'm interested to look up the broader reception this received.

Rating: 5/10

Motionless In White "Scoring The End Of The World" (2022)

 

 Its time for a fresh journey! Seems I'm late to the party on this rising act. Motionless In White were a dead turn off on first impressions. The Gothic face-paint, dystopian outfits and naive grandiose word view lyrics, lacked charm. Despite these qualms, brilliant musicianship shun through. Hooky song writing, fleshed out themes, an ear for catchy melodies. Its had me enjoying this record more and more with every spin.

With obvious 90s and 00s influences apparent, originality might seem questionable. From the Industrial shock rock cunning of Marilyn Manson to the approachable pop sensibilities Linkin Park brought to Metal, one can hear a myriad of ideas from the broad Metal tapestry. However the band execute these influences with a touch of magic. Not exactly a distinct uniqueness but the music plays with its own charisma.

Utilizing keyboards, the band flesh out their Djent and Metalcore grooves with pianos, gritty electronics and string sections. Often subtle, they play a keen roll in the mix which generally pivots from guitar riffs and roaring screams to captivating outbreaks of clean vocals to drive home its keenest melodies. Of course, there are breakdowns too which strike me as the more routine and overplayed aspects of there sound.

Theme is king, although the slanted political lyrics aren't to my liking, they can really character a song. Plenty of epic woes about personal struggle cry out with angst too. These cheesy, ghoulish takes really solidify the theatrical music with an identity to ascend the routine motions of entry level Metal. Its separates them from other acts.

It all kicks off with an appetizing Doom Metal romp, occasionally returning to this aesthetic but exploring many avenues. Mick Gordan actually contributes on the final track. Echos of Thriller are heard on Werewolf, venturing near Synthwave with a nice nod to The Weeknd. Another fun cut, Red, White & Boom, blatantly copies the Marilyn Manson formula. Many tracks feel colored in their own paint, playful horror and casual cynical nihilism are common themes. It adds up to a record that thoroughly entertains.

Rating: 7/10

Knocked Loose "A Different Shade Of Blue" (2019)

 

Ever evolving, plunging deeper into metallic influences, Knocked Loose follow up their debut Laugh Tracks with this menacing beast of a sophomore record. Sinister in tone, its shouted angers and growled frustrations lurch within a darkly atmosphere well encapsulated by its album cover. A Different Shade Of Blue leans into discomfort, bleeding unsettled tensions into rhythmic groove and bounce. Dissonant, angular, shady guitar licks play interim on a stifling path to release. Strings of muddling riffs craftily pivot into thudding grooves and stomping halftimes, gratifying upon arrival.

Its thirty eight minutes entertain thoroughly. A consistent, non-linear onslaught of aggression. With dreary mood, the music seemingly stumbles its way into the wild throws of beat down magic over and over. A simple concept for release that somehow never unshackles its dingy looming dread. This characters the record with a sense of artistry where typical ideals are twisted to the will of this hallowed, enraged vision.

The metallic influences present are unshakable. In both tone and composition, these echos of Sludge, Groove and Melodic Death Metal ripple through more obvious Metalcore stylings. Many riffs and moments have an uncanny reminiscence but to what or who specifically I am never quite sure. This is testament to their creative expression. Influences heard all over yet never encroaching generic plagiarism.

My ultimate takeaway is my favorite sort, a solid record. Something that plays in service of its next song. Barely a peak or valley, just a consistently exciting venture along its meandering foray of gratifying aggressive oddities. Mistakes Like Fractures jumps out at the mid point but other than that its really hard to pick favorites as each track delivers on both its wretched mood and punchy spurts of head banging bliss.

Rating: 8/10

Labyrinthus Stellarum "Tales Of The Void" (2023)

  

Progenitor to Vortex Of The Worlds, this inaugural effort suffers the knowledge of its own infancy. In light of a stellar brilliance yet to come, this album rides high and mighty through the cosmos, somehow with the wind sucked from its sails. Lurching in the shadow of its successor, the precise mechanical rattle of stiff drum machines and shrill elongated howls paint an amateurish impression. Retroactive listening perceives blemishes to be ironed out, giving Tales Of The Void the impression of a demo.

Spending time within its galactic realm reveals a magnetic, indulging charm. Cruising song structures and epic astral melodies pull us adrift through the void without a care for reality. Leaning heavily on its exotic synth, striking me now as a xylophone drowning in reverberations, a leaner aesthetic makeup adorns these colorful songs. The crux of its magic emanates from these bright, steadily paced keyboard tunes, with the underlying rhythmic section driving intensities steady, grindy notation shifts.

With barely a peak or valley in sight, consistent mood stands a key strength. If any weakness is present, stints where synths step aside for other instruments often play dull. An impressive entry given its a narrower set of ideas playing out. The band establish their identity firmly at the offset. I can't help but feel I should of started here. As expressed, knowledge of the genius to follow tainted my view. Fortunately I've enjoyed this and have hopes the continue to evolve as musicians with a vision.

Rating: 7/10

Labyrinthus Stellarum "Vortex Of The Worlds" (2024)

  

Thematically esoteric with astral overtones, this stunning album art strips away any doubts to its lovecraftian cosmic horror influences. Shrill tremolo guitar leads, howling blast beats and elongated screams shrouded in reverb undoubtedly carry all the hallmarks of Atmospheric Black Metal. Tales Of The Void sounds unshakably familiar in design, yet excels with fresh excitement as a Post-Metal delivery of grand, scaling, epic melodies and an exotic symphonic component align for a very memorable listen.

Decent song writing underpins the experience, stellar melodies and a prevailing tunefulness solidifies its catchy ear worming nature. A cacophony of pummeling drums and void descending screams act as sways of intensity and tempo, the ebb and flow, stuttering between tense scenic breaks and descending cosmic eruptions. Together, among dense guitar noise, they guide the musics key component, synths.

Woven deep into the mix, their aesthetic offerings range from unusual and specular, to common and atypical for darkly space themed music. Sparks fly when delving into a mix of bell, woodwind and metallic toned virtual instruments. Foreign for this genre, an unusual fit mostly used to drive home immense cosmic melodies. The aforementioned atypical synths play the subtle role of reinforcing its atmospheric underpinnings.

Another well-earned merit goes to the heathen clean vocals that rise up underneath those howling dirty screams. Its another avenue for one to gorge upon these dazzling melodies they concoct. Initially a ghastly beast of extreme Black Metal, this prevailing tuneful charm becomes the key take-away, a keen triumph for a band in this lane.

 Its only blemish? What seems like programmed drums occasionally amplifies an repetitive drone in its rapid strikes, possibly intentional but definitely sounding stiff in patches. Tales Of The Void is a Stellar record, possibly my favorite Metal record this year? Well worth a spin for fans of extreme music with a crafty focus on melody.

Rating: 8/10

Knocked Loose "Laugh Tracks" (2016)

Entertained yet unimpressed by Pop Culture, this follow up debut album showcases a distinct shift in approach. Illuminating an unhinged magic to blossom fuller on You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To, the Beatdown oriented Hardcore outfit dazzle with tangents and derivatives leaning into the umbrella of Metal sub-genres. Occasionally overt but often subtle, to a seasoned Metalhead, guitar riffs shift gears with metallic thrashings between the onslaught of gritted Hardcore Punk aggression.

 

The band chew through struggling terrain, challenging music to endure. Addictive within its angered outburst, abrasive refrains, aesthetic dissonances drag one along with a touch of chaos. Wading through a swamp of discontent, each track eventually arrives with a gratifying stomp of mosh friendly groove. An awkward balance to achieve but Knocked Loose grasp it with a masterful strangulating grip.

Laugh Tracks plays in constant anticipation of whats to follow, barely lingering in any arrangement for more than four bars, its swiftly navigates non-linear writing promises a romp to follow. I think only Last Words opts out of a throw down as its final palm mute chug diverts expectations as the guitars take on an uglied Black Metal aesthetic. Its swiftly remedied as No Thanks lunges straight into the dance floor chops.

Without sensationalizing their own material, remaining grounded to the frustrated howls of Garris', Knocked Loose offer up a whole work worthy of listening front to back. I've found it hard to pick out a favorite song, This one plays complete, consistent and cunning as something vicious always lies in wait, all the way up to a sudden outburst of menacing, high society pompous laughter at its ending.

Rating: 8/10

Ankor "Embers" (2024)

 

I take no pleasure in negativity. After a good go at this one, due to personal recommendation, I've found little positive to say. Hailing from Spain, Ankor have been at it for over twenty years! This latest iteration finds them splicing bouncy Djent leaning Metal with garish Trance synths with an unsurprising Pop tilt. Singer Jessie Williams occasionally offers up an indulgent softness but mostly soars with power that lacks soul, clean but all too reminiscent of others in the female fronted European Metal scene. Things get uncomfortable when dropping into cheesy spoken half raps. The lyrics are weak and mostly juvenile takes on mental struggle. The harsh screams from Julio Lopez mostly rub me the wrong way too. Not my cup of tea.

Behind the pairs front presence,instrumentals come varied. Not locking in on a distinct style, they flummox between brutal guitar chugs and symphonic surges. Shifts in tone rarely gratify and momentum is often dispelled by the vocal cadences put in front. It makes much of the music forgettable and generic in its stride. Trance Synths bluster loud and bold, crashing in around guitars with a lack of spiritual cohesion. The vibes clash, I imagine enjoyment of such chemistry would be rather niche.

If I can bestow any positivity, a few arrangements catch the ear. The soft vocals on Embers and fair portion of Stereo has engaging passages but they are always squashed between the unremarkable. The arrival of a dance-floor stomp upon its conclusion is a gratifying climax, this record however, was clearly not for me.

Rating: 2/10

Pallbearer "Mind Burns Alive" (2024)

 

Dreary, tender and burdensome, grisly groans of weighty emotion toy with sullen, melancholic strides of vulnerable melody. They flicker like flashes of sunlight through autumnal leaves, clinging for life on old trees. Pallbearer's rural guitar distortions and laggard, lunging rhythmic groves paint an effigy stripped of all but natures pains. Front man Campbell drifts an honest voice into sombre innocences. Bare, naked and hurt, they humble, swelling into cathartic shouts and memorable tunes to land his words.

Mind Burns Alive's music sways intensities gently, brewing gusto with subtly, gradual aches blossom as a roaring beautiful gravitas emerges in conclusion. Its earthly tone persists, almost Heathen in nature. Song after song displays wounds to be wound up into heavy-hearted reflections that escape true relief. Depression lingers, hung in a curious balance, gloomy yet a dim flicker of hope survives, only to be snuffed out.

The sunny shimmer of its naturalistic opening acoustic guitars swiftly retreat into a glum foray led by saddening lyrics. It sets one up for a riveting ride through bi-polar extremes, yet past the opening pair, balance starts drifting in mercy to a darker persuasion. As the album blooms early on, its lengthy ending circles on itself, persisting further into its oppressive sorrows. This sadly soured an otherwise deep piece of music that defines itself clearly, to take one along on a spellbinding journey.

Rating: 7/10