Blood Incantation "Absolute Elsewhere" (2024)

 

 

A record to turn heads, or ears, Absolute Elsewhere dazzles with esoteric evocations whilst conjuring unexpected tangents aeons apart from its Technical Death Metal foundation. Fortunes favor this enduring tangential nature, its forays into 70s Electonics and classic Progressive Rock yield a lasting spiritual satisfaction.

Often stiffly parted from its Extreme Metal counterpart, the sways of intensity sound like shuffling tracks between two entirely different bands. From pounding drives of aggression, grisly outlandish riffs, incessant blast beats and elongated howling guttural growls, we drop into lengthy persuasions of melodic musical indulgence.

Familiarity runs strong. It hits me on first listen as the lead guitar leaps into a slick crooning solo... Pink Floyd. This architecture is all to obvious but superbly executed. The following track follows in similar footing, the whirl of psychedelic pulsating synths reminiscent of Tangerine Dream... who actually collaborated for the song.

Later on echos of King Crimson play into its lighter side through acoustic guitars and soft organ drones. With Metal, the spurious chaos of Morbid Angel lay in its extremes. Flickers of Egyptian cultural tones pioneered by Nile and oddly Saor as its final track toys with heathen melody and an epic Black Metal touch to its percussive drive.

 

Absolute Elsewhere is a riveting listening, striding for new ground and showing its inspirations front and center. For me, its metallic side was mostly a familiar snore, only brightened by a few maddening riffs. I'm firmly captivated by its Prog Rock tangents, still enjoying them. Greatness was insight but the musical meld plays a stiff mix.

Rating: 7/10

Opeth "The Last Will And Testament" (2024)

 

This fine record has brought several weeks of routine enjoyment, however the latest offering from these veterans suffers its own familiar identity. Having toyed with distancing themselves from metallic roots, the journey back to aggressive aesthetics, befitting of their early days, brings little freshness to their distinction. The Last Will And Testament attempts to layer in a richer symphonic tone, which often gets swept under its gallivant lead guitar melodies and grandiose riffs. So to does a clear concept about class and inheritance get thrown around in spoken work sections between salient singing and meaty death growls. Neither of these elements seem to break the familiar spell Opeth cast, with their usual touch of majestic spirit. Thus the record spins its wheels through grand constructs of Progressive Metal that often feel recast from the depths of their extensive back-catalog. Strident and assured, the record plays exquisitely, its lead melodies often catching the ear as expressive motifs to set the tone for its big vision. Continuously we weave through intensities but sadly, all in the shadow of comprehension. For all the magic this band have bestowed, it lacks anything new to say. Enjoyable but none of these tracks leap from the page.

Rating: 6/10

Novelists "Okapi" (2024)

 

Spotify is doing a mighty fine job figuring me out with its algorithms. Lurching in the shadows of Deftones, Lacuna Coil, with flashes of Prog guitar reminiscent of Plini, French outfit Novelists bring the stunning voice of Camille Contreras to this current Pop Metal trend. Contrasting heavy Djent tones with shimmering melodies, their songs sway from soft and serine to punchy and powerful with great conviction.

Contreras is the main charm, her compassionate lyrics and dynamic voice guides the instrumental gracefully. Bellow her, a similar yet toned down creativity akin to yesterdays Chaosbay. Part of the "Progressive Metalcore" crowd, its a seamless fit, leaning more on the traditional guitar virtuoso side. Prisoner's a keen example pivoting from a typical aggressive Metalcore track with a wild burst of dance-floor rhythm.

It ends up exploring an expressive, flamboyant side, with lavish fretwork - something each of these four tracks finds its way to. They are all individual, creative tracks, moving from typical constructs to vibrant compositions with an effortless ease. Not as fiery as others in the scene do it, however its better suits Contreras' temperament.

Rating: 4/10

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

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

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

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

Spiritbox "Rotoscope" (2022)

 

Succeeding their stunning debut Eternal Blue, this lively three track EP stands apart with a unique embrace of dance groove rhythms and EDM. Stepping aside from Ethereal atmospheres, two step grooves and subtle modern synths intertwine to bolster pummeling Djent guitars. Title track Rotoscope embodies this best, concluding with a burly monstrous break down to contrast its persuasive dance floor energy. 

Sew Me Up hints at heavy, guitars start with a stomp but swiftly pivot into the magic of LaPlante's voice, sailing into heavens. It too finds an outbreak of aggression, led by a rhythm section that syncopates to thuds with aesthetic satisfaction. Hysteria withdraws from these ideas somewhat, feeling like the typical track of the bunch yet ends with an utterly filthy and devastating, disgruntled song deconstructing break down.

From the outside listening in, Spiritbox achieve clear creative distinction here, a succinct snapshot of musical vision yet seemingly unfit to develop further into a full album. Its a curious approach for a Metal band, to focus on singles and individual songs. I'd originally glanced over a lengthy list of singles, assuming they were on an album so now I'm going through it all and this one turned up a couple of gems!

Rating: 5/10

Spiritbox "Spiritbox" (2017)

 

Four years prior to the brilliant Eternal Blue, then duo Spiritbox arrive fresh on this self titled debut EP showing glimmers of whats to come. Yet to figure out the nuances of their engrossing Ethereal aesthetics, singer Courtney LaPlante spearheads all melodic magic. Melding over a tempered Djent framework, she steers the dense, chunky guitars to tuneful inclinations, an elevating croon in its atmospheric strides.

These remarks speak mostly to The Mara Effect split into three parts. The other four cuts slip into genre norms. Aggressive outbursts led by frustrated shouts conjure atypical riffs. Powered forth by programmed drums, this writing sounds creatively constrained in counterpart to the shimmering sways of ghostly melody heard early on.

The Beauty Of Suffering embodies this as the sways between their two sides of expression feel detached from one another. As the rhythm section descends into a blatant borrow of Meshuggah's iconic Bleed riffs, it becomes all to obvious they are yet to mature their own identity. I'm not sure I would of heard the Spiritbox spark listening to this record first. Cast out of an evolving Djent scene, its not entirely clear what here would separate them from their peers, despite being a decent listen.

Rating: 5/10

Currents "The Death We Seek" (2023)

  

Seeking another record under the emerging Argent Metal label, I've landed with Currents' latest effort. The American outfit play Progressive melodic Metalcore tinged with Deathcore growls in their heavy outbursts. With a Djent adjacent sound, the dense wall of sound production occasionally strike hard, as Industrial synths and electronic oscillators chime in for that violent dystopian Mick Gordan inspired menace.

Ultimately however, The Death We Seek has a far more artistic vision in wait. Swinging between creative curated atmospheres of expressive epic and blunt force strikes of shunting aggression, the band forge a steady listen plunging into darkly places and offering respite to this desolate place the band conjure visions of.

The usual foray of chugging riffs and low end guitars are met with guttural growls and throaty screams. Decent by design, the spark emerges when these sudden shifts into the light arise. Aided by vocalist Brian Wille's soaring cleans, plucky melodies shift its unending intensity into uplifting strides, still chained to an overriding sense of doom.

On one level, the musical foundations seem rather atypical for this particulate niche of modern Metalcore. On another, the thick aesthetic craft and engaging songwriting amounts to a memorable experience. Distinct and consistent across its ten track, I found myself unable to pick favorite tracks, enjoying the record as a single entity. The Death We Seek isn't quite an Argent Metal record but in moments they do incorporate the hardened rhythmic ideals and synthetic aesthetics to great effect. 

Rating: 7/10

Silent Planet "Superbloom" (2023)

 

Here's an interesting release labeled under the emerging Argent Metal genre. For their fifth outing, Progressive Metalcore outfit Silent Planet pivot to a Djent driven aesthetic redesign of brutality, envisioned by producer Mick Gordan with his iconic Doom soundtrack eight years back. Shades of the bands Metalcore origins mostly remain in vocalist Garrett Russel's raging throaty shouts and bitting lyrical cadence. Otherwise, they have fully embraced a fusion of low end guitars with Industrial synths to layer on dense, rhythmic shunting of force as the driving component in the music.

Superbloom has a clear artistic vision I haven't fully clicked with, an aesthetic smothering, powerful and intense yet often lacking melody and memorability. Its meaty slabs of rhythmic assault seem to miss out on the groove or elastic sway others like Meshuggah have used to bring me around. Behind theese jolting punts of guitar noise, darkly synths lay interwoven, reinforcing momentum and often providing a luminous sense of color. Its sadly just aesthetic dressing in absence of melody. Occasionally swift arpeggios emerge, or swelling chords but always lacking a hook.

The best moments come in climaxes, where intensity surges with a luminous stream of color blooming through its dense synth design. A peak blesses the album on its title track conclusion, tying a bow on its conceptual nature as "I'll rest for now in the Superbloom" leads into a stunning glide of epic proportion. These ascending sections were my favorites among a looping slog of sporadic fret-board leaping riffs that carried little meaning beyond the fist throwing aggressions of jolting Djent guitars.

In conclusion, I've spent enough time to acknowledge Superbloom's class yet find myself not fully sold on this new aesthetic direction. Its gorgeous to listen to but the songwriting suffers as its tracks drift into mood, rather than casting one under its spell to march to its beat. The idea of Argent Metal has its merits but until it delivers something truly innovative in terms of song writing, it will mostly feel like cosmetics.

Rating: 6/10

Sithu Aye "Kindness" (2024)

 

After a few years absence, our dexterous dazzling guitarist Sithu Aye returns on a charmed spirit. Armed with the cultured croon of slick melodic licks and lively rhythmic grooves, a matured venture into Jazz Rock unravels through Zero Sum Groove and Obsidian. Intensities unravel and acoustic aesthetics intervene, as subtle strings and mellow pianos guide his expressions into classy swells of thoughtful instrumentation.

Akin to the highly disciplined curation of fellow shredder Plini, Kindess delivers five fine stellar cuts with a compositional complexity that has each contributing sound seeming meaningful. The drums are livelier, full of shuffles and creative fills. Metallic tones transition into acoustics with soft atmospheres to let the creativity flow like a gushing river. Its effortless, as are frequent springs into guitar solos yearning to sing.

The thrashes of Metal are still present on its other three cuts. Sounding rigid in comparison, slabs of meaty low end noise bust out stiff chops. Occasionally the two gel but it leaves blemishes of an old style rearing its head among fresh ideals. Familiar Anime theme song inspired melodies linger too. Shining bold and bright with their catchy tunefulness, a welcome reminder of the Senpai series is captured. All in all, Kindess is a bright spark for a seasoned musician aspiring to new heights!

Rating: 6/10

Chaosbay "The Way To Hell" (2024)

 

Hopefully paving the path to a new record, German outfit Chaosbay have been dropping singles, now wrapped into this three track EP. Showcasing the next iteration of their high-octane Djent Metalcore fusion, a familiar epic of soaring sharp vocal crescendo over the shimmer of dense guitar chords reigns supreme between some plunges of aggression. Money, a collaboration with We Are Pigs, is thee fruitful affair here. Effeminate vocals unite for a catchy chorus hook that predictably swings for the fences with its preceding dirty breakdown. Its swift looping structure and screamed conclusion quickly becomes an ear worm. A shared approach for two of the three.

Fast and snappy, the straightforward strikes each aim for lands firmly. Interwoven electronics, attention to detail and wall of sound production lights up relatively simplistic songs. Only the title track has a progressive structure, brooding its dreary theme to a crunchy conclusion with dirty, slamming guitar stunts. It too clocks in an easily digestible three minutes, a notable attribute as the band seem to shoot straight with imminently enjoyable and appealing ideas fleshed out for easy appeal.

Rating: 3/10

Spiritbox "The Fear Of Fear" (2023)

 

From the outset The Fear Of Fear expresses itself as a heavier incarnation, casting aside the delicate yet persuasive balance of intricate Etheral aesthetics that graced the moody lulls of its successor Eternal Blue. In what feels like two steps back, Spiritbox trade in their originality for trendy heavy tropes and poppy song structures that are all to familiar. When leaning into aggression and brutality, the sways of exuberant Djent abuse takes hold. Slams, breakdowns and stomps arrive throttled and ferocious but tend to swallow up the intricate details other instrumentation offers from the dense lurching shadows. When LaPlante gets to salivate on the throws of her melodic contributions, the tone shifts somewhat in the direction of Bring Me The Horizon's now mercilessly copied Pop Metal blueprint. A sore disappointment.

Despite many repetitious listens, this record couldn't grab me beyond the gravity of its darkest plunges into metallic weight. Sadly, that rhythmic assault has become an all to familiar formula forayed by many bands before them. The record is split about 50/50 between this beast and its lighter side tarnished by a heavier wall of sound tone. These stints of color didn't have the sparkle heard before either, its easy melodic lines and soft ascending singing seem to drift by on cruise control, competent yet oddly forgettable. Sadly, it seems the band lost that unique character they had last time out. At least they are not repeating themselves as artists and trying new things.

Rating: 4/10

Spiritbox "Eternal Blue" (2021)

Somehow once deaf to their charm, I initially passed on Eternal Blue. Returning now a few years later, I've cracked what in retrospect seems so obvious. Music can be a mysterious beast at times but familiarity is often its remedy. Burning these songs into my consciousness, Singer Courtney LaPlante emerges the anchor. Her clean voice sails through turbulence, resolute and ascending. With a firm and graceful tone, she cuts through tensions with swooning melodies and hooks that shape up akin to Dream Pop. On the flip side, I found her throaty Hardcore leaning scream aesthetic less charming. Caught in the throws of timely aggression, its a fiery combo but whenever laid bare to its many calmer backdrops, the strained roar doesn't shape up to well.

Spiritbox's other strength is firmly rooted in aesthetic driven songwriting. Unlike other Metal bands, they are willing the dwell on calm Ethereal moods that flutter by on the wings of shimmering instrumentation, both electronic and acoustic intertwined. As a result, their aggressive Djent riffs play like a natural emergence from the climax of craftily brewed tensions. A reflexive jolt of force, less "riff" more feel. This approach lets the guitars drift in and out of focus, joining an ever morphing landscape of shadowy calms and gripping tensions that follow through on an emotive narrative.

I adore this atmospheric approach to Metal. Between the conventional surges of groove and aggression, Spiritbox shape up nightly mirages of warmth tinged in a dreamy ambiguity teetering on darkness. With a soothing voice, LePlante rescues its darkly direction, yet in another breath her pelted screams plunge us into that chaos. Exploring its ying-yang, both sides of the line are ventured, these songs brilliantly sway across. Picking a favorite among its twelve cuts is hard, a sturdy forty minutes that rarely falters. One of the best "new" Metal records I've heard for some time.

Rating: 8/10

Mnemic "Mnemesis" (2012)

 
Disbanded not long after, Mnemesis is the Danish outfits final chapter. Initially Bideau's expanded vocal range caught my attention, feeling like a departure from their distinct "Future Fusion Metal" sound. With familiarity the rough cleans, burly shouts and tuneful inflections nestled in, however an underlying shift remains. Subtly toned down aggression leaves space for melodic flavors to capture ones attention. These songs run into frequent stretches of dulled world building stints. Mediocre in intensity, they fail to arrive at gratifying destination. The result is a set of songs that amble through the motions, landing only a handful of memorable riffs or vocal hooks.

Illuminated by subtle eerie synths, the dystopian tone is withdrawn from its previous extremities, creating a luke-warm atmosphere, rarely broken out from. Its mood is a sluggish, sunless, shadowy trek, emotively depressive when aggressive guitars depart on melodic refrains. That's not to de-mark its merits, Mnemesis is a competent set of songs ruminating on burdensome emotions. A listen, of which I've had many, passes by entertaining yet uneventful. Its closer, Blue Desert In A Black Hole, gets a thumbs up for fantastic song writing that steadily brews its sense of finality to close upon.

Rating: 4/10

Kyros "Mannequin" (2024)

 

Is this our first heavy hitter? An obvious contender for my album of the year, Kyros deliver on an enticing Esoterica teaser. All three tracks our found nestled snugly among this lively set of exuberant songs bursting with colorful energy. After a quaint, folksy introduction - reminiscent of classic Prog Rock acoustics, the album roars to life with Showtime. Steel drums rapid a melody suggestive of time passing by, in chimes a big aggrandizing tune fondly reminding me of Genesis in the late 80s and one by one the instruments pile in. Grooving baselines, bustling drums patterns and dazzling keyboard leads paint a theatrical thunder birthed in cheese decades ago.

Kyros however, embrace this bold, tenacious execution of punchy note-to-note refrains and execute them with stunning swagger. Each track brings flavor and distinction, their commonality an undying dexterity of craft that fleshes out many sections with animated instrumentation. That's not to suggest the record doesn't have its timely lulls and respites. The balance is wonderful, a fruitful execution of ideas.

Ghosts Of You has become my standout track. Again the 80s reign supreme with big grinning melodies. One could re-imagine this as an ear worming theme song from a daytime television show. Again, executed with class, the lyrical tone and cadence chimes with its punchy percussion reminiscent of Michael Jackson's Bad. Its a common theme for the record but this modern vibrancy invigorates these old themes.

Its final two songs take a subtle departure, focusing on big metallic stunts between more middle of the road arrangements. Although great entertainment, the increased aggressive might, reminds you of a coming end to the session. Not a blemish but observation as that 80s cheese I'm so fond of gets stripped back. This foursome are awsum and I'm not surprised they have pulled together such a strong cohesive album.

Rating: 9/10

Mnemic "Sons Of The System" (2010)

 

Having established that Passenger carried on with Mnemic's glorious throws to youthful nostalgia, Sons Of The System swiftly verifies itself as a gradual departure. The pillars of Industrial tinged Djent chugs remain, yet become part of the scenery, a rhythmic current to transition into roars of sketchy heathen "clean" vocals. Singer Bideau sheds skin, establishing his own vocal style, often stretched over mid tempo breaks lined with softly dystopian ambiguous synths. The rhythmic chops divide the flow as aggressive riffs frequently exchange with these disenfranchised breaks.

This artistic direction subdues the bands original charm, scaling back complexity and trying to elevate its atmospheric angle. The result blemishes their uniqueness, giving Sons Of The System a generic leaning sound for the European Metal scene of the era. Despite this step back, they still reside with strong footing. The record has its helping of banging riffs, mostly obnoxious shuffles of low end fret work. Its moody vocal led counterparts aren't terrible either, just a tone I am accustom too.

The record lumps its hardest hitters at the front doors. As it progresses, the tempos steady, its aggression tempers and more atmospheric passages open up, reminiscent of Prog Metal in moments. Songs shuffle through the motions with little in the ways of peaks or valleys, just a consistent tone. The inclusion of bonus tracks that didn't make the cut was a nice addition, the grinding Claus Larsen remix a missed opportunity.

Rating: 6/10

The Tiberian Sons "Satan's Office Supplies" (2022)

 
Here's a release I overlooked, The Tiberian Sons' first album re-imagining video game music within the Prog Metal format. Anthems Of Liberation was such a blinder, I had to give this a go. Sadly, little joy has arisen from its Paper Mario origins. Once again, I've not heard the originals but one can attest to their thrilling aesthetics and colorful liveliness. Satan's Office Supplies is given a lavish treatment, layered music with punch clarity. Subtle symphonies and jiving synths bustle between the upfront grooves of chomping, snappy drums and Djent rhythm guitar chops. Often stealing the lime light, the lead guitar wails with excitement, delivering key melodies and running away with dazzling solos, vivacious and vibrant, often serving as a voice of expression.

Why this didn't click with me is somewhat mysterious. Perhaps my Prog Metal clock has been run down for the time being. Maybe its the source material not quite matching the intensity. Although this music works, its jovial melodies run counter to a lot of hard hitting rhythm and stints of nostalgic orchestration that melds with a lack of feeling. Origami Castle is a keen example of its ends not quite sticking together.

 King Olly VS Mega Bowser is a similar composition, flutes and airy chorals coalesce around chomping groove and sinister horns, yet the track rides its devilish atmosphere well. The rest of the songs where somewhere in between, its opening five part set of tracks not feeling particularly special. A lot of the record descended into lively rumblings, were a blaze of passing melodies didn't land as they had done last time.

Rating: 5/10

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