New Music Report – July 9, 2021
This week was kind of a busy one with lots of very strange and very remarkable releases. I’m going to be honest, a lot of this was overshadowed by the return of Structures. I know it’s just an EP, but man is it a big deal. It’s so cool to see bands like this returning and putting out new music again. I’m assuming it’s all a result of the pandemic, but whatever caused it, I’m grateful for it.
Structures – I know this is just a 15-minute EP, but I cannot overstress to you just how big of a deal this is. Structures came onto the scene over a decade ago and really wrote the book on how heavy djent could get, and the diversity that the genre could encapsulate. It was so, so much more than just crazy guitar riffs and mind-bendingly complex breakdowns, there was substance to it; complexity, diversity, very clear influences from different genres like hardcore, and man, did it just blow everyone’s minds. So, when they announced a new EP about a month ago after a 7-year hiatus, the hype was incredibly justified. And despite all the time that’s passed, and a leaned out lineup, Structures are still firing on all cylinders. If anything, this new EP, which features guest vocals from heavyweights like Brendan Murphy (Counterparts, END), the band crosses the whole spectrum of technicality into everything from djent to hardcore to nu-metalcore and just about everything else you can think of, all in about 15 minutes. It’s brilliant, just as everyone expected it to be.
VCTMS – I’ll admit, this is one of those bands that always felt like they were around, but I never really paid proper attention to. They’ve been churning out music with alarming regularity, but there were a few pieces that just made it not quite stick with me for whatever reason. And at this point, I’m still hesitant to say I was missing out, but I’m glad I finally tuned in for this new album. Now, this is definitely riding the wave of the nu-metalcore trend that’s happening right now and I understand that definitely isn’t for everybody, but these guys have managed to do it remarkably well, and in a way that actually seems like it can appeal to a broader audience whereas most bands within this sub-genre were kind of one trick ponies, playing to a very specific crowd. If you’ve ever had any passing interest in this band, this is the release to pay attention to.
Berried Alive – This one is a mixtape so I’m going to keep it short. I’m gonna be honest, this dude is kinda like Bilmuri for me, I honestly have no fucking idea if this is a joke project or not. It’s this weird spot where the guys making it are SO talented but the whole idea of the project itself is so fucking ridiculous it’s hard to tell. But this shreds HARD. Definitely check this out.
Singles/Albums – Trivium (Metalcore), Ice Nine Kills (Metalcore), Phinehas (Metalcore), Fallfiftyfeet (Mathcore), Wolves in the Throne Room (Black Metal), Lantlos (Blackgaze), Fawn Limbs (Mathcore), Memorist (Metalcore), Everyone Dies in Utah (Metalcore), TheCityIsOurs (Post-Hardcore), Vuvlodynia (Deathcore/Slam), Mayhem (EP, Black Metal), Sentinels (Post-Hardcore), Don Bronco (Alt Rock), Telomere (Post-Hardcore)