Showing posts with label review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label review. Show all posts

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

2023 in Review...

You know the drill by now. This is a compilation of all the links for 2023 releases posted on here. If there's anything you missed, now's the time to catch up before the years wrap up. I'm sure I'm missing a few things, so if you notice anything missing please let me know! I've got a few more new regular posts in the works, and the top 50 list coming later in the month. Thank you as always to anyone still coming back here, it's still a fun thing for more to do, even after almost 12 years running. Enjoy!

ALBUMS


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.

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Thursday, 1 December 2022

2022 in Review...

The end of the year is approaching, and with it comes the usual wrap up of all new releases posted on here. I've done a better job of keeping up with updating posts this year than the past few, but undoubtedly there's still a few I've missed. So if you notice a release from a band on this blog absent from this list, please do let me know and I'll get it added. With the year almost over, I've got a few long-awaited posts coming this month, as well as the usual "best of" list. As always, thank you for continuing to come back to this blog, it helps give reason to keep it active. In 2022 we crossed the 1000 post mark around its 10th anniversary, which is not something I ever envisioned happening on here. So thank you again, and enjoy.

ALBUMS


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.

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Saturday, 11 December 2021

2021 in Review...

Another end of year, another "in review" segment. As a reminder, this compiles all the links for new releases posted this year in one place, so you can check out anything you may have missed from the past 12 months.

This one almost didn't happen, but thanks to one request (thanks Jimmy), here we are. As you may have noticed I haven't been very active on the blog this year. As a result, a ton of new releases that would normally be added have fallen to the wayside. In my defense, we are nearing 1000 bands on here, a decent portion of which are still actively releasing new material. Thus, I figured I'll just drop this with the handful of releases I did update, and slowly add on the ones I missed. It'd be a great help if you guys could let me know which ones are missing, or any from this year you're looking for, so I can get to the ones people actually want first.

My usual top 50 list will also be coming later this month, along with a few new posts and maybe even some re-uploads (no guarantees, though). Thank you for still coming around to this blog, and enjoy.

ALBUMS


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.

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Thursday, 3 December 2020

2020 in Review...

We are finally near the end of 2020, and with it brings the one expected thing in an unexpected year. Every December I compile the links to all releases from the past year in one place, so if you missed out on something, you can catch up before the year is done. The only things included here are releases from bands previously posted. Since I've barely kept up with updating new releases, I've had to scramble in the past week or so to catch up on all of these. Please let me know what I'm missing, as I'm sure there's a ton of releases from bands on this blog I either missed or completely forgot about. Let me know what your favourite albums of 2020 have been, and I'll have my usual top 50 list out later this month. 

I also just wanted to quickly mention that right now I'm focusing on new releases only. I know there's a ton of dead links on old posts, and I will get to re-uploads as soon as I can. I don't have access to a lot of my old files right now so they're a little tough to do, but I will start addressing some re-uploads early next month. Until then, enjoy.

ALBUMS


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.

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Friday, 24 May 2019

CityCop - Nesh REVIEW

Very few bands in recent history have carved out a truly unique niche like Akron, Ohio's CityCop have. Since their inception in 2010, they have blended together a plethora of sounds and genres to create something that is completely their own. After a slew of solid releases, they are finally back with the follow-up to 2017's fantastic The Same Stories That Never Get Old with the five-track EP Nesh, which is out today on the newly-formed Little Elephant Records.


The title track opens the record up, with a flurry of intricate yet flowing rhythms, with their distinct acoustic guitar seamlessly switching between smooth jazz chords, arpeggios and furious noodling. Their forlorn vocals carve out melodic passages for the first half of the song, the kind that are just begging to be shouted along to. They pull in the heavy punches in the latter half, with a ton of hard-hitting syncopation, screamed vocals, and this harrowing bass tone that solidifies the emotional gut-punch. The band's blend of post-hardcore, math rock and emo influences mesh together in this duality of unique complexity and subtle familiarity, which is exactly what makes them stand out so much, and why this opener is a killer introduction to what's to follow.

"Get Well" is a brilliant tension-builder, starting off on a crescendo before falling in to an instrumental where every member is firing on all cylinders. The tightness through these passages is immensely impressive, and the vocals recall the best of Anthony Green's performances. The heavy acoustic strumming is heavenly, creating a harmonious space amidst the emotionally-driven chaos. The third track, "Hindsight" acts as an instrumental guitar interlude. It relies just as much on the space between notes as the notes themselves to provide a nice break and perfect segue into the next half of the album.

"2020" opens up with the guitar work duelling between melody and dissonance, before the whole band kicks in. The drum work flows effortlessly while the bass knocks out heavy hits of syncopation, providing a sinister tone to the choir of backing vocals. Speaking of vocals, one of the best things about this band/album are the shouts that break up the singing into a near-scream, but always pulling back before exploding full-throttle. This track exemplifies that fantastically, where the vocals assist in the rise-and-fall tension the instrumental emits.

Finally, to close it out we have "Flatline". This track is initially deceiving, because it sets itself up as the poppiest song here, and then immediately curbs that expectation with the most violent vocal eruption and first instance of blast beats on this entire record. We get the heaviest and most cathartic outburst to close off the album, with those earworm melodic vocals in the midst of the song to balance out the mix.

Overall, this could be CityCop's finest work to date (and that is saying a lot). Picking standout tracks is near-impossible, but if I absolutely had to, I would say "Nesh" and "Flatline" floored me the most, but every track offers something different yet equally solid. They're a band who continue to impress with a plethora of influences coming together to create one sound that can only be referred to as "CityCop". Nesh is available today from Little Elephant Records. You can check out the video for the lead single "Nesh" below, as well as pick up the 7".




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Thursday, 23 May 2019

Coma Regalia - Vau Faelgoh REVIEW

The hardest working band in screamo business are back, with this marking their fifth full-length album, alongside nearly 30 splits in their 9 years of existence. Of course it is none other than Coma Regalia, who are releasing Vau Faelgoh on May 25th, via Middle-Man Records. They have been an absolute staple in modern screamo history, thanks to their relentlessly prolific release schedule, and close association with countless notable bands via splits/touring, as well as drummer/vocalist Shawn Decker's involvement in the equally-essential Middle-Man Records. They've made a name for themselves through their visceral and volatile playing, and heavy influence from a myriad of classic screamo acts, including Funeral Diner, Beau Navire and The Saddest Landscape.


Vau Faelgoh reaffirms their already-cemented legacy as masters of their art. In these 11 tracks, the band drips with chaotic fervor, towing the line between hardcore aggression and melodic release. They utilize quick, dynamic changes to great effect, making these mostly 2-minute tracks sound like opuses. The desperate vocal delivery and cutting lead guitar lines recall the best tracks in The Saddest Landscape's catalogue, with songs like "Eaufell" being prime examples of this. The following track, "Aestheroh", features a pg.99-like build-up, which is just one of many homages to the sound they are torchbearers of.

"Kistleden" and "Tielasten" are standout tracks for their melodic, heartbreaking arpeggios, as well as some clean/screamed vocal layering on the former. Album closer "Daemeron" is everything I wanted out of this record and more. With vocals at the start sounding like a desperate rallying cry, and a gradual build-up amidst tremolo-picked octave chords, and those clean vocal harmonies looming in the background. It probably currently stands as my personal favourite track on the album (with some stiff competition, mind you), and ends this new record on a high note.

Coma Regalia are a must-listen in the modern screamo-sphere. Not only are they one of the most prolific acts to come out this decade, but one of the greatest at keeping this sound alive. Vau Faelgoh is a fantastic introduction if you have not heard them before (which, let's face it, you've definitely heard of this band through at least one of their splits already). The album is out on May 25th via Middle-Man Records. More information can be found below on release day.

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Wednesday, 5 December 2018

2018 In Review...

Another year another list. In keeping up with tradition, here's a compiled list of all the new releases posted on this blog from 2018. It's one last look back to catch up on any you might have missed or want to revisit before the year is out and we're starting all over again. This year has been an incredible one for music, with an insane amount of good albums coming out left and right. Let me know what some of your favourite releases from 2018 have been, and I'll have my usual Top 50 list out in a week or two. Also, since there's only so much I can keep up with, please let me know if there's any releases from this year that I haven't uploaded yet, and I'll try and get on them ASAP. Enjoy.

ALBUMS
American Nightmare - American Nightmare
American Pleasure Club - A Whole Fucking Lifetime Of This
Animal Flag - Void Ripper
awakebutstillinbed - what people call low self-esteem is really just seeing yourself the way that other people see you
Baptists - Beacon Of Faith
Basement - Beside Myself
Bearings - Blue In The Dark
Belmont - Belmont
Birds in Row - We Already Lost The World
Blind Girls - Residue
Boston Manor - Welcome To The Neighbourhood
California Cousins - Distant Relatives
Camp Cope - How To Socialise & Make Friends
Candy - Good To Feel
Can't Swim - This Too Won't Pass
Carson Wells - No Relic
Casanovas In Heat - Twisted Steel, Sex Appeal
Charmer - Charmer
Closer - All This Will Be
Cloud District - Don't Give Up, Skeleton
Crywank - Egg on face. Foot in mouth. Wriggling. Wriggling. Wriggling.
Cult Leader - A Patient Man
Culture Abuse - Bay Dream
Cursive - Vitriola
Daughters - You Won't Get What You Want
Deafheaven - Ordinary Corrupt Human Love
Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today
Death Grips - Year Of The Snitch
die Hoffnung - Elegies And Creation Songs
Donovan Wolfington - WAVES
Drug Church - Cheer
Elle - She
Fiddlehead - Springtime & Blind
Foxing - Nearer My God
Gillian Carter - ...The Earth Shaped Tomb
Good Looking Friends - Settle In, Decay
Gouge Away - Burnt Sugar
Graduating Life - Grad Life
Graf Orlock - Examination Of Violent CInema Vol. 1
Gulfer - Dog Bless
Harms Way - Posthuman
Homewrecker - Hell Is Here Now
Hop Along - Bark Your Head Off, Dog
Hot Mulligan - Pilot
It Looks Sad. - Sky Lake
itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Oh Dearism
Jesus Piece - Only Self
Joyce Manor - Million Dollars To Kill Me
Just Friends - Nothing But Love
Kid Feral - Live And Let's Die!
Listener - Being Empty : Being Filled
Messes - The Ever Closing Door
mewithoutYou - [untitled]
Mom Jeans. - Puppy Love
Moose Blood - I Don't Think I Can Do This Anymore
Night Birds - Roll Credits
nothing,nowhere. - ruiner
Octaves - Exact Change
Ostraca - Enemy
Petal - Magic Gone
Pianos Become The Teeth - Wait For Love
Pool Kids - Music To Practice Safe Sex To
Portrayal Of Guilt - Let Pain Be Your Guide
Real Friends - Composure
Respire - Dénouement
Reveries - Reveries
Saves The Day - 9
Self Defense Family - Have You Considered Punk Music
Sick Of It All - Wake The Sleeping Dragon!
Single Mothers - Through A Wall
State Champs - Living Proof
Super Unison - Stella
The Armed - Only Love
The Cardboard Swords - Once more, there is nothing left to figure out.
The Dirty Nil - Master Volume
The Sidekicks - Happiness Hours
The Story So Far - Proper Dose
The Wonder Years - Sister Cities
This Will Destroy You - New Others Part One
This Will Destroy You - New Others Part Two
Tiny Moving Parts - Swell
Trash Boat - Crown Shyness
Trophy Eyes - The American Dream
True Love - The Pact
Turnstile - Time & Space
Twitching Tongues - Gaining Purpose Through Passionate Hatred
Warm Thoughts - I Went Swimming Alone
Young Mountain - Lost Tree


EP'S/DEMOS/SPLITS/SINGLES/COMPILATIONS/ETC.
American Pleasure Club - Oranges b/w Daniels
Anatagonize - Demo
Beach Slang - Everything Matters But No One Is Listening [Quiet Slang]
Blacklisted - Slow Moments b/w I Should Have Been A Murderer
Boneflower - MM/Seashells/Wanderers
Candy - Studio F12 Demos
Code Orange - Only One Way
Code Orange - The Hurt Will Go On
Commander Salamander - Live
Commander Salamander - Off The Goop LP Promo
Converge - Beautiful Ruin
Crowning/Swallows Nest
Crowning/Marée Noire
Counterculture - I Think You Didn't
Dad Thighs - Easy Listening
Darkle - Pain Train
Envy - Alnair in August
Foxtails/Algae Bloom
Full Of Hell/Intensive Care
Ghost Spirit/Frail Hands
I Create - Veneer / Fear Of Due Season
It Looks Sad. - Light
Iron Reagan/Gatecreeper
itoldyouiwouldeatyou - Get Terrified EP
Joliette/Frameworks
Joliette - El Alphabiotista
Knuckle Puck - Shifted
La Dispute - Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega and Altair (10th Anniversary)
macseal - Map It Out
meth. - I Love You
mewithoutYou - [untitled] e.p.
Michael Cera Palin - "I Don't Know How To Explain It"
Microwave - keeping up
Modern Life Is War - Tribulation Worksongs Vol. 1
Modern Life Is War - Tribulation Worksongs Vol. 2
No Right - Unjustified
Oso Oso - gb/ol h/nf
Portrayal Of Guilt/Street Sects
Power Trip - Opening Fire: 2008-2014
Rained In - Demo
Remo Drive - Pop Music
SeeYouSpaceCowboy/Second Grade Knife Fight
Sick Shit - Demonstration
Sick Shit - Thick Spit
Sick Shit - Persevere
Sleep Debt - Sleep Debt
Snag/Swallows Nest
Spiritual Cramp - Police State EP
Spiritual Cramp - Television
Starkweather/Concealment
Stars Hollow - Happy Again
Terrible Love - Doubt Mines
The Dirty Nil - Surrender
The Front Bottoms - Ann
The Get Up Kids - Kicker
The Guiding Wave - To Dance Around Love
the sylvia north story - ii
the sylvia north story - iii
the sylvia northern story - iv
the sylvia northern story - v
the sylvia north story - vi
thisishowitendedintokyo - april(s)in
thisishowitendedintokyo - somehow soon!
toe - Our Latest Number
Touché Amoré - Green
Touché Amoré - 10 Years / 1000 Shows - Live at the Regent Theater
Tower of Silence - Tower of Silence
Trail of Lies - War
TTNG - Animals Acoustic
Worst Party Ever - The Year Of The Manatee
Worst Party Ever - Japan
WVRM - The Blood Of The Coven Is Thicker Than Water Of The Womb

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Saturday, 18 August 2018

Ghost Spirit / Frail Hands SPLIT REVIEW



Super excited about this new split 12" featuring Ghost Spirit and Frail Hands, which is coming out August 24th. Both of these bands put out absolutely crushing debut albums last year (coincidentally both self-titled), and are returning with a fury on this new split. With Jack Shirley at the production helm, this record sounds absolutely fantastic, with both sides just tearing it up. It's a joint release by Twelve Gauge Records and Blue Swan Records, set for release next Friday. Below is just some of my rambling thoughts on it, but to keep it short, this split is a scorcher, and one that cannot be missed by any fan of modern screamo with a hardcore spirit. You can stream and pre-order it below.


The first side of the split is kicked off by LA's Ghost Spirit, a four-piece band featuring members of Lord Snow, Tower of Silence, Seeing Means More and Letters to Catalonia. With such an impeccable line-up, the music is bound to deliver, and deliver it does. Ghost Spirit take the first 6 tracks of this split, and they immediately kick in with "Sick Dreams", featuring nuanced, angular chords, pumping drum beats, and shrieked vocals. Stylistically, they come somewhere between the raw, emotional outpouring of The Spirit Versailles and the melodic chaos of a band like Raein. Even in the first track, Ghost Spirit establish themselves as a versatile act. The second track "The Guilt Of Your Affection" is a definite highlight, beginning with bright guitars and sung vocals before breaking down into this off-beat syncopation, which is jarring in the most intense of ways. They conclude by hammering down on some heavy chords with layered vocals, which closes out this 2 and half minute epic.

"A Hollow Peak" offers up one of the most impassioned vocal deliveries I've heard recently, while "Dark Winter" and "Skull" are excellent examples of subtle dynamic use. The closer, "In Parting" is another highlight, beginning with some melodic chords and singing that plays out like Sunny Day Real Estate as a screamo band. This is by far the longest track on this split (over 5 minutes), and it builds to a cavernous snare-roll median, with quiet arpeggios and spoken word atop it. As the vocals became more desperate and layered, the instrumental builds up to an incredible climax that warrants an Envy comparison (the highest of compliments, of course). Lyrically, this entire side is incredible and could be read as poetry, but this song in particular I wanted to shout out, since they hit pretty close to home. Ghost Spirit's side truly blew me away, with every track offering something slightly different, and their members displaying a true perfection of their art.

The second side is dominated by Halifax's Frail Hands, a fairly new band who broke incredible ground last year with their debut LP. They tear through songs all under the 2-minute mark, with a distinct sense melody buried underneath their chaos. Sonically, they're fairly reminiscent of bands like Loma Prieta and the incredibly underrated Mahria. Following their LP, I was excited to see where they would go next, and this split is a progression and testament to their already incredible sound. With 6 songs in under 9 minutes, they waste no time pulling their punches.  Even as the first track, "The Image Of You" begins at a quiet pace, I got a sense of immediate tension and adrenaline for what's about to come. The band falls into chaotic bliss, hammering out chords and drums with these strained, animalistic vocals seething beneath. Coming off the melodic (a word I use VERY loosely) first side, this is immediately darker and more aggressive, an excellent juxtaposition and a big reason this split works so well.

"Mortar And Pestle" is a flurry of relentless feedback, blast beats and cymbals, while "Collateral" presents a few more instrumental change-ups, giving the listener a second (in near-literal terms) to breathe before their chaos resumes. "Atonement" makes incredible use of a subtle tremolo effect at times (could just be a neck bend, but it sounds awesome). Totally irrelevant to this, but it made me imagine Loveless being covered by screamo bands, which is now something I want in my life. Anyway, the following two tracks are definite highlights on this split. "In Conclusion" packs a heavy emotional punch, with some amazing vocals and chord choices. Those flashes of melodic lead lines near the end are simply fantastic. The closer, "Every Volatile Thing" blasts in with this glorious-sounding tremolo pattern and snare roll. This track is crushing with its seamless blend of melody and dissonance, and the perfect outro for this entire split.

Overall, as you can probably tell by my wall-of-text rant, I love this split. These two bands are easily some of the best offerings in today's screamo scene, and though they don't sound quite a like, they compliment each other perfectly through these 12 tracks. I cannot recommend checking this out enough, and if you haven't, go back and check out their debuts from last year too. You can listen to the album below, and pre-order the record as well, which will be officially released on August 24. Enjoy.



Ghost Spirit

Frail Hands
Bandcamp
Facebook

Twelve Gauge Records
Website

Blue Swan Records
Website
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