New Music Report – March 11, 2022
Lots of really cool singles this week. If I’m honest, they actually far outweigh the full lengths. Of course, we’ve got the huge return of Alexisonfire, who may sound different these days but it is still equally exciting. Then of course, Greyhaven, who is another big favorite of mine, so lots of cool stuff coming up.
Wolves at the Gate – I really loved the last Wolves at the Gate album. They’re a really perfect combination of metalcore guitars with post-hardcore vocals, and the last album came together perfectly. I’m not entirely sure I like this one as much, maybe I’ll have to give it a few more listens. The same formula is there though, so it’s worth checking out if you’re into metalcore with clean vocals.
Angelmaker – This band is fucking dirty. Really, really heavy traditional deathcore that departs from the more melodic or blackened stuff that we’re hearing throughout the genre these days. It’s honestly just an absolute beatdown for the sake of being heavy. And honestly, that’s a pretty refreshing change.
Singles/Albums – Greyhaven (Metalcore), Darko (Deathcore), Be Well (Punk), Aviana (Metalcore), D.R.U.G.S. (Post-Hardcore), Miss May I (Metalcore), Alexisonfire (Post-Hardcore), Terror (Hardcore), Drug Church (LP, Grunge), Palisades (Metalcore)
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New Music Report – March 4, 2022
These two releases this week could not possibly be any more different, but they’re both put out by incredible bands. Vein is done in a flash, and hits for every single second along the way, but Oh Hiroshima is much more of an in-depth experience. And it’s this type of diversity that I absolutely love in music.
Vein – Vein came onto the scene hot as one of the brightest new names in metalcore a few years ago, helping to semi-pioneer a refreshed, nu-metalcore sound. This new album is an extension of that, for sure, but it’s also a bit more of a foray into something much, much heavier, and it’s somehow even better. What a fucking onslaught of an album, these guys are going to be a name to follow for a while.
Oh, Hiroshima – On the complete opposite side of the coin, Oh, Hiroshima are a dark, beautiful post rock band that I’ve been following for some time now and I was a bit concerned about how good this one would be, they lost an integral member of their band leading into this release, but the two remaining members really pulled it together and absolutely killed it. It’s incredibly cinematic, heavy, and just as grand as they’ve always been.
Singles/Albums – Crowbar (LP, Sludge) Amenra (Portishead Cover, Post-Metal), Kublai Khan (Hardcore), Earth Groans (Comeback Kid Cover, Metalcore), Wind Waker (Metalcore), Convictions (Metalcore), Gravemind (Metalcore), Bleed from Within (Metalcore), Bearings (Pop Punk)
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New Music Report – February 25, 2022
We still aren’t QUTE in full swing yet, or at least not seeing the regularity of releases you get in late spring or the fall, but there are still some really cool hidden gems like we have this week, and as I’ve said before, a lot of very cool singles foreshadowing some big things for later in the year. Honestly, this week my highlight was the Limbs and Static Dress singles, so be sure to check those out. Limbs is a very good metalcore/post-hardcore hybrid, and Static Dress sounds like 2003 era post-hardcore like Funeral for a Friend or, probably not coincidentally, A Static Lullaby.
Corpsegrinder – Now, after about three decades worth of material from Cannibal Corpse, I don’t think anyone is really going to be surprised with what they hear from Corpsegrinder’s solo album. In fact, the biggest surprise is probably that a solo album is so damn good, it’s usually hard for artists with such established bands to stand on their own with solo albums as any more than a novelty, but this album rips.
Singles/Albums – Limbs (Metalcore), Static Dress (Post-Hardcore), Erra (Muse Cover, Metalcore), Bad Omens (LP, Metalcore), Wolves at the Gate (Post-Hardcore), Stray From the Path (Hardcore), Silverstein (Post-Hardcore), Crowbar (Sludge), Mouthbreather (Mathcore, Primus Cover), Scary Kids Scaring Kids (Post-Hardcore, Feat. Lil Lotus),
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New Music Report – February 18, 2022
This is another one of those fun weeks where I get to cover a band that I know, but I’m not necessarily very familiar with. I’ve seen these guys live, actually, I saw them with Russian Circles like 6 years ago, but I just didn’t follow them, and that’s really why I do these in the first place.
…And So I Watched You From Afar – I’m starting to think I’ve really been overlooking a gem here. This album is incredibly cinematic and beautiful, but not in a Lights & Motion sort of way, but like, it would be the soundtrack to a Wes Anderson movie, with some bonus spoken word features from Emma Ruth Rundle and Neil Fallon from Clutch. It’s about as weirdly cinematic as post rock can get, and all just beautifully arranged. Well worth a listen.
Singles/Albums – Converge (Redux, Hardcore), Vein.fm (Nu-Metalcore), LANDMVRKS (Metalcore), Undeath (Death Metal), Bodysnatcher (Deathcore), Animals as Leader (Djent), Simple Plan (Emo/Pop Punk), Hot Water Music (Post Hardcore) Memphis May Fire (Metalcore)
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New Music Report – February 11, 2022
Fully chugging along with new releases now, and lots of exciting singles coming out foreshadowing some huge releases that will be coming out later in the year. We’re already into some really huge releases for the year, including a big one this week from Cult of Luna.
Cult of Luna – I LOVE Cult of Luna. I have to say though, I didn’t quite feel the hype going into this album, I didn’t pay much attention to the singles, it just sort of showed up one day. And I almost like it more because of that. Cult of Luna albums are best digested as a whole and being able to hear this piece of music as a single cohesive piece, as intended, was kind of incredible. This is a perfect next step to A Dawn to Fear, and honestly just as remarkable.
Zeal & Ardor – This is just an incredible band, there aren’t many bands out there pushing the boundaries of metal, activism, and honestly just music in general quite like Zeal & Ardor. It’s a very eccentric mix of black metal, blues, hardcore, soul, and basically everything you can imagine, wrapping around lyrical content that make Rage Against the Machine look like Rush Limbaugh.
Singles/Albums – In Hearts Wake (EP, Metalcore), Once Human (LP, Metalcore), Trentemoller (LP, Electronic), Dark Funeral (Black Metal), Wolves at the Gate (Post Hardcore), Dayshell (Post Hardcore), Spite (Hardcore)
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New Music Report – February 4, 2022
A few really great, and often overlooked artists to cover this week, along with a long list of really, really amazing singles. If this is any indicator this early on, 2022 is going to be a big year for music, and I’m hoping I can spend more time looking at artists like these, ones that I know I like but definitely need to pay more attention to.
Rolo Tomassi – Rolo Tomassi is an amazing, well loved, but often overlooked band in metalcore. Everyone I talk to always has nothing but glowing things to say about this band, but aside from the odd reference, they’re hardly a hot topic. But there is really nobody that does the whole atmospheric clean vocal/harsh breakdown dichotomy than this band. Being able to blend those two so effortless and maintain such a high level of technical mastery is insanely difficult, and these guys deserve way more credit than they get.
Lights & Motion – I found Lights & Motion completely by accident about 7 years ago after he put out his debut album and I was absolutely blown away by what this dude from Sweden was able to put together in his bedroom with his cinematic post rock. Since then, he’s gone on to write scores for several films, had music appear in trailers, etc. He’s truly an incredible musician that can really paint a picture with his notes, and this new album is no exception.
Singles/Albums – The Devil Wears Prada (Metalcore), Venom Prison (LP, Death Metal), D.R.U.G.S (Post-Hardcore), Pupil Slicer (Mathcore), Black Matter Device (Mathcore), Knuckle Puck (EP, Pop Punk), Loathe feat. Sleep Token (Metalcore), Kill the Lights (Metalcore), Korn (LP, Nu-Metal), Oh Hiroshima (Post Rock), Monuments (Djent)
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