New Music Report – February 26, 2021
I ended up being a little later than I expected this week, things have been pretty busy, but here are the notable new releases from last week. A few of these are actually really big ones. I know the Architects album was very highly anticipated, and I’ve been looking forward to new music from Julien Baker for quite some time. Add to that a ton of really good new singles (specifically Veil of Maya), this has been a pretty great week for music.
Architects – Full disclosure, I was absolutely getting ready to hate this album. I respect this band too much to talk shit, but I was anticipating them going from the kings of metalcore that literally wrote the formula that modern metalcore bands have been following for a decade now to writing sell out dad rock. But honestly, that’s not at all what happened. And even if it was, if one of the most successful bands in metalcore wants to move forward with their career and make something more widely palatable, then more power to them. And yes, it does have a more LinkinPark-core alignment than All Our Gods, but it still very much feels like an Architects album. Which is to say, another absolutely wonderful piece of music with superb songwriting. I’ll miss some of the heavier riff, but everything they do, they do incredibly well, so this was still a joy to listen to. It’s not all gone either, there are still a ton of breakdowns and Architects riffage, it’s just sprinkled around rather than being a nonstop onslaught, which honestly creates a bit more diversity in the sound anyway.
Julien Baker – Now this is a very important album; this is the Phoebe Bridgers album of 2021. Which is really low hanging fruit, if I’m honest, since they work together all the time. But there’s a reason for that. The two of them have a remarkable knack for creating incredibly personal, touching, and frankly very sad songs. But while Phoebe went with a more grandiose production on her latest album, Julien took a bit of a different direction. She added more expansive instrumental selections and gave herself a bigger canvas to work with, but at the same time it felt even more isolating and introspective than before. Her voice alone can convey so much emotion, and when her powerful yet pained voice combines with her heartbreaking storytelling, the result is absolutely breathtaking and no matter what the soundscape provides you with, you feel like you’re left with just you and her voice. To the point where some of the added production feels intentionally jarring, adding more pain and discomfort to the hauntingly beautiful and deeply personal story told in this album.
Other Albums/Singles – Veil of Maya (Metalcore/djent), NinDjent0 (Djent cover of the Ocarina of Time OST), Long Distance Calling (EP, Post rock), Northlane (Remix EP, Numetalcore), Of Mice & Men (EP, Metalcore), Offspring (Dad punk), NoFx (LP, Also sorta dad punk), Brand of Sacrifice (Deathcore), Bodysnatcher (Deathcore), We Were Sharks (Pop punk), The Drowned God (Post-hardcore), LANDMVRKS (Metalcore), Eternal Void feat. Courtney LaPlante (Metalcore/Deathcore), Tillian (DGD singer solo project), Hollow Front (Metalcore), Pupil Slicer (Metalcore), AFI (Alt rock), Bright Eyes (indie)