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Metal

The future of alt-rock surged through Adamic’s latest post-hardcore sonic juggernaut, All of a Sudden

Posted on 10 December 2023

Adamic’s latest single All of a Sudden from their self-titled album is a ground-breaking addition to the alt-rock genre. Hailing from Linton, Indiana, Adamic has been shaping their unique sound since 2013, and this track is a testament to their artistic growth.

The song is a masterful blend of alternative, metal, and punk elements, reminiscent of the likes of Deftones, Foo Fighters, Tool, and P.O.D., yet it carves out its own identity. All of a Sudden stands out for its progressive arrangement, echoing bands like Bring Me the Horizon and Enter Shikari while offering a fresh perspective on post-hardcore. The crunchy guitars create a robust foundation, while the percussion leads listeners towards a euphoric oblivion. This innovative instrumentation ensures that the song remains engaging and unpredictable, a quality that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of alt-rock.

The vocal performance by Ian Swaby is another highlight. His endlessly soaring vocal lines drench the track in addictive energy, adding an emotive depth that resonates with listeners. Adamic’s decision to team up with producer Andrew Stanton of Disciple for their fourth studio album has clearly paid off, allowing them to elevate their sound to new heights.

The official music video for All of a Sudden is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Telling Secrets – Fall Behind: Impeccably produced, piercingly poignant post-hardcore

Posted on 9 December 2023

Telling Secrets masterfully captured the essence of emotion-driven post-hardcore with their latest single, Fall Behind, setting a new standard in the genre. The track, a pivotal piece in the band’s upward trajectory, showcases their extraordinary ability to blend thunderous guitars, angelic vocals, and sinister, atmospheric synths into a sound that is both raw and refined.

The polish of the production makes it almost impossible to distinguish where your consciousness ends and the sonics start as the confessional anthem delves into the complexities of mental turmoil. If you know how it feels to wage war with your demons in a bid to not give up the ghost on someone worth persevering, expect Fall Behind to strike some raw chords.

The journey of Fall Behind is as intriguing as its sound. Initially conceived before Telling Secrets was even formed, the track underwent various demos and re-recordings, ultimately culminating in what Vik Kovacs, the band’s founder and creative force, considers one of his best lyrical works.

Kovacs’ influences range from Led Zeppelin to Escape the Fate, contributing to his expansion into songwriting, vocal performance, and music production. This evolution is evident in Fall Behind, where every element showcases his comprehensive musical prowess.

The anticipation for Telling Secrets’ full-length LP, set for release in early 2024, is high, especially with the involvement of talents like Rachel Blum and Elliot Polokoff.

Fall Behind is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Post-Hardcore goes Pop (Punk) in Secular Era & Drexl Bowie’s single, Master Morality

Posted on 8 December 2023

Two juggnautical entities in their own sonic right, Secular Era and Drexl Bowie, converged to show mere mortals what ‘Master Morality’ sounds like with their latest release. With guitars augmented in the same vein as the hooks in MCR’s I’m Not Okay fused with Slipknot-esque nu-metal percussive proclivities and synthy melodies to keep the down and gutturally dirty track upbeat, Master Morality is an adrenalizing slice of ingenuity that will swallow you whole and spit you out drenched in rancorous euphoria.

While many heavier outfits turn their nose up at the tones of pop-punk, Secular Era & Drexl Bowie saw the potential within it. By using the stickiest and sweetest elements and infusing them into a tumultuously electrifying sequence, they made it impossible to find a track that hits harder while simultaneously keeping their finger on the guilty pleasure pulse. Putting Master Morality into words is no easy feat, but if you can imagine Nena’s 99 Red Balloons fused with Sugar We’re Goin Down and tasked Static X to pay ode to the cross-genre synthesis, you’d get an idea of the engrossing, ingenious, uninhibited insanity delivered via Master Morality.

Master Morality was officially released on December 1st; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shrapnel unleashed the meta(l)morphosis of the year with their latest single, In Gravity ft Scott Kennedy

Posted on 8 December 2023

In collaboration with Scott Kennedy (Bleed from Within), the eclectically inspired metal monoliths Shrapnel unleashed the meta(l)morphosis of the year with their latest single, In Gravity.

All the precision, power and prowess that catapulted Shrapnel to acclaim is ensnaringly evident in the fervently cathartic juggernaut, which sonically and thematically moved with the times to acknowledge the pain, tragedy, and isolation collectively endured in recent years and to place the powerhouse at the pinnacle of modern metal.

After breaking through the chains of expectation and obligation to confine themselves to assimilating thrash antiquities, In Gravity is an adrenalized statement of intent. There’s no understating the riled euphoric energy which insurgently courses through the veins of the anthem for optimism where demons are exercised, and the past is forsaken for the present.

Between the exhilarating earworm propensities in the melodically cataclysmic choruses, the brutality of the breakdowns, the relentless dynamism of the guitars, and the flawless production by Jens Bogren (Sepultura, Kreator, Devin Townsend), the new maturity of Shrapnel is priming them to become the orchestrators of the album of the year in 2024.

In Gravity was released on December 7. Add it to your metal playlists on Spotify or stream the official music video on YouTube.

Follow Shrapnel on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Immerse yourself in the artfully metamorphic instrumentals in Blinded By Hope’s seminal prog-rock release, All We Know

Posted on 5 December 2023
Blinded by Hope

Emotion charters the path through the artfully metamorphic instrumental arrangement in one of the standout singles from Blinded by Hope’s debut LP, The Darkness That Surrounds Us.

The Australian innovators found their signature sound between the landscapes of prog-rock, melodic rock, and art rock to allow the seminal single, All We Know, which unravels as an emotionally resonant and sonically complex piece which takes you through the dark depths of human emotion via a backdrop of artfully progressive instrumentation.

From the opening notes, All We Know draws the listener into its profoundly reflective aura which swells around the alt-metal roots in the complexity of musical structures. But don’t let the gravitas in the release fool you, the track is as accessible as it is resonant as it vies for your attention through technical prowess and the emotional odyssey it represents.

The vocals echo the tender yet powerful style of Incubus, adding a soulful depth to the track. This vocal gravity anchors the song’s tumultuous ebb and flow, creating a captivating tension that is both stirring and poignant. The band’s focus on crafting a meaningful song, rather than just showcasing technical skill, shines through every note and lyric, making All We Know a superlatively compelling listen.

Stream Blinded by Hope’s music on Spotify, and keep up to date with news of the release via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

heaven // alone seared their striking alt-metal aesthetic into the airwaves with their sophomore release, cognitive decline

Posted on 14 November 2023

With melodic grooves as rhythmically seductive as the White Pony LP fused with an early 00s metal aesthetic in the same vein as Mudvayne, complete with white-hot searing riffs and cataclysmically all-consuming breakdowns, heaven // alone asserted themselves as one to watch via the unveiling of their sophomore single, cognitive decline.

The vocals effortlessly keep pace with the seamless sonic transgressions as they veer from atmospheric harmonies that draw you into the ennui to guttural cries that will throw you right back to when Mushroomhead held dominion over the alternative scene.

The Perth-hailing five-piece may be fresh from their debut, but through their stylistic authenticity, alchemic song crafting and polished production, you can consider them a triple threat as you lose yourself in their evocatively compelling ingenuity.

cognitive decline was officially released on November 3rd; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nu World Order exposed the secrets of ‘Area 51’ in the surrealism of their Alt-Metal debut

Posted on 13 November 2023

Who ordered an installation of thrash metal insanity? One has just arrived in the form of the debut single, Area 51, from the Brighton-based prodigal sons, Nu World Order, which forged in response to the surrealism of the modern age, where extra-terrestrial signs of life are in essence the new Schrodinger’s cat. Are they real or fake? We won’t know until we look inside Area 51, but it seems Nu World Order has the inside scoop.

With groove metal breakdowns following insurgencies of thrash and heavy metal in the progressive track, which also exhibits the dynamism in the vocals as they switch from soaring hair metal high notes to guttural laments, Nu World Order knew just how to keep listeners hooked into their orchestration of rhythmically tight subversion.

If riffs got bands to the top of the charts, Nu World Order would be overlooking everyone from a seat of supremacy; the outfit isn’t lacking in the lyrical ingenuity department either. We can’t wait to hear what is lingering in the pipeline.

Area 51 was released on November 3rd; stream it on Spotify or purchase the track by heading over to iTunes.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LOOK ALIVE quaked the Calgary metalcore scene with the visceral vehemence in their single, Scum

Posted on 8 November 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePZqf-mHKso

LOOK ALIVE ripped up the roots of hardcore and implanted them within their latest behemoth of a single, Scum, which is set to put them at the vanguard of the Calgary metalcore movement. Savage and intricately intelligent, the powerhouse efficaciously succeeded in its strive for a distinct sound that shatters the confines of hardcore.

From the first blisteringly tumultuous beats and savagely cataclysmic guitar licks, LOOK ALIVE drags you into their adrenalized-with-aggression realm; expect to collide with a universe drenched in wild hues and intricate layers and Jeremy Richardson’s raw, unmatched vocal prowess.

Before the scummy protagonists in your life lead you to a breakdown, embrace the cathartic vehemence in the gnarled breakdowns and put Scum in your sonic arsenal. Crafting every tune, visual, and concept off the back of their own visceral volition, LOOK ALIVE emerges as an outfit few should dare to rival.

The official video for Scum premiered on October 27; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Days got dark, Nostra got darker with the brutalist aesthetics in their latest post-metal single, Delta

Posted on 9 October 2023
Sea of Fertility by Nostra

The Latvian-French trio Nostra, which has been harbingering doom in the aesthetics of their post-Soviet brutalist tracks since 2016, rode a cataclysmically cold wave in the standout single, Delta, prised from their forthcoming album, Sea of Fertility.

Buzzsaw riffs and cuttingly angular syncopated guitars tear their way through the glacial climate of the instrumental piece as the postmodernist production plays devil’s advocate with doomy elements of post-rock and post-metal.

The causticness of the artful industrialist rancour feeds off the expressively melodic time signatures to deliver a sonic landscape which holds no prisoners while leaving your rhythmic pulses attuned to the visceral virtuosity of the power trio, which has everything it takes to stand at the vanguard of the new wave post-rock movement. As days get dark, Nostra is only going to get darker to signify the desolation of our times.

Head over to Bandcamp to stream Delta and pre-order the upcoming LP, Sea of Fertility.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Eville unleashed a champion heavyweight earworm with their ragefully incandescent brat metal hit, Leech

Posted on 4 October 2023
Eville

After driving drum n bass breakbeats through the prelude, the Brighton trio Eville underpinned their vengeantly furore-fuelled pop-hooked single, Leech, with industrial nu-metal volition to deliver one of the most vindicating hits of 2023.

So much more than your average brat metal Barbie, the lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist Eva Sheldrake became a fierce icon of the alt-metal scene with Leech. Hell hath no fury like a woman free from toxicity and vehemently determined to raise others to her own level of empowerment. With the instrumentals mainlining adrenaline into your rhythmic pulses, the track monolithically unravelled as the ultimate protest to subjugation via manipulation.

Fans of Slipknot, Powerman 5000, and In This Moment won’t fail to accommodate the infectious and ragefully incandescent single on their playlists. It almost seems a paradox to describe such an instrumentally heavy single as radio-ready, but there’s no disputing the mainstream appeal or quality of the production, which was ensured by Jamie Sellers at Run Wild Music, who has worked with everyone from Ed Sheeran to Elton John to Little Simz.

Eva Sheldrake of Eville Said: 

“Leech is very special to me; it’s an emotionally raw track through determination to make the lyrics real, no matter how uncomfortable that reality may be. 

I hope listeners take as much from it as I did by relating through experience with inner conflict and toxic situations that are hard to escape. As always, our producer, Jamie Sellers, brought our vision to life more viscerally than we could have imagined.”

Leech will officially release on October 20; pre-save the single on all major platforms via this link.

Keep up to date with the latest releases from Eville via Instagram and Facebook or join their legion of followers on TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast