New Music Report – Feb 28, 2020
Now that we’re full swing into the new year, we’re starting to get out of the dead space and see releases starting to ramp up for spring. Which is honestly pretty wild to think about cause during that “dead” time we got incredible albums like the new Polaris, Lorna Shore, Caspian, etc. But anyway, here’s what’s new and exciting this week. We’ve actually got a lot of variety too; last week was very metalcore-heavy, but this week we’ve got a little of everything.
Four Year Strong – I gotta say, this is definitely heavier than I was expecting it to be. I mean, they’re still the kings of easycore, so it’s pretty chill, but it’s definitely bigger and more mature sounding than I was expecting. I really enjoyed this; very fun album. This is my favorite FYS album in years.
The Acacia Strain – So this was a cool surprise. It’s a back to business as usual for TAS after their last sludgy EP (which I happened to LOVE and still listen to all the time). This release is only two tracks, but it’s DUMB heavy, I love it; absolutely brutal EP. We’ll see how they string this together with other releases this year. I’ve heard theories about a series of EPs that spell out DEATH (this is D), but I have no idea.
Beneath the Massacre – I’m not sure how anyone can come out of an 8 year hiatus and put out something this fucking bonkers, but I love it. This album is absolutely filthy, super technical, and doesn’t let up for a single second. While all the albums that I’m highlighting here have been incredible, this is the one I’ve found myself returning to the most. It’s just an absolute onslaught and I can’t get enough of it.
Toundra – Toundra are one of the most consistently tight and impressive post rock bands in the world. This album is pretty neat, it’s basically a reimagined “soundtrack” for the 100 year old silent horror film, “Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari”. So, it plays like an old school film score, so keep that in mind while listening to it, but it’s brilliant.
Intronaut –These guys are always technically very impressive, and their new drummer is just insane, but that’s what you get with jazz-infused progressive metal. The vocals can be hit or miss (See: prog metal), they’re good they just aren’t to everyone’s tastes. Overall, this is really good though.