New Music Report – April 22, 2022
Wow, what a week, not only do we get a new Northlane and BMD album, but new singles from both The Wonder Years AND Alexisonfire is incredibly special, and honestly not something I ever thought I’d see ever again. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a lot of good music out this week, but in my mind, those bands are nearly impossible to top. This is exactly why I always make sure I include singles as well; those are not worth missing.
Black Matter Device – The mathcore scene is so fucking exciting right now. Honestly, I never thought we’d be able to live up to the days of Dillinger Escape Plan and The Chariot, and hey, maybe we won’t, at least not from a popularity standpoint, but the underground bands pushing the scene relentlessly forward are so special. And Black Matter Device has earned themselves a spot right at the top of that conversation alongside bands like Callous Daoboys. This band is just pure chaos (this 14 track album only has one song over 3 minutes long), but they handle it with an unparalleled mastery of the sound. It’s not going to be for everyone, of course, but for any mathcore fans, this is an essential release.
Northlane – Alien was absolutely one of my favorite albums of 2019, it was a departure from the old progressive metalcore sound to a more nu-metalcore type sound, but they pulled it off brilliantly, and as much as I was unsure of the album at first, I couldn’t get it out of my head, it was brilliantly done. This new album leans into that sound even more, but to be honest, I’m not sure it stands out quite as much, it seems a little more monotonous, missing out of some of the major moments that you got with Alien. It’s still a good album, but I should have known Alien would have been incredibly difficult to top.
Singles/Albums – Bodysnatcher (LP, Deathcore), The Wonder Years (Emo/Pop Punk), Alexisonfire (Post-Hardcore), Tallah (Nu-Metalcore), Architects (Dadcore), Ocean Grove (LP, Pop Punk), DRUGS (Post-Hardcore), Static Dress (Screamo), Long Distance Calling (Post Metal)