Browsing Tag

alt rock

Psychosomatik amplified a high-octane alt-rock revelation with their latest release, Slow Motion

Slow Motion by Psychosomatik

Psychosomatik’s latest single, ‘Slow Motion‘, erupts from the speakers with a ferocity that belies its title. This Miami-based rock duo, Edison and Noah, have distilled their diverse universe of influences into a potent mix of alt-rock, psych-rock, and progressive elements, culminating in a track that’s both a nod to rock’s rich history and a bold step into its future.

From the first chord, ‘Slow Motion’ ignites a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s rhythmic allure and the Black Keys’ mastery of reinvented rock. Yet, Psychosomatik’s sound is unmistakably their own. The track is a masterclass in controlled chaos, weaving the slick, seductive elements of Velvet Revolver with a grungy, prog edge.

‘Slow Motion’ is a journey through the duo’s “personal hell”, a character study born from a dark, troubled winter. The track’s power lies in its raw, unfiltered emotion; the unholy release will leave you praying at the altar of the ingenuity of the duo. With every groove, you’re inseparably combined from the momentum as it ebbs and flows, pummelling you down into the grungy depths before bringing you up with the soaring riffs and vocal lines.

Slow Motion dropped on March 13; stream and purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Herman Martinez – Introvertebrae: A New Prog Rock Prism

Immortal Jellyfish by Herman Martinez

Herman Martinez poured the psychedelic soul of the 70s through his new prog rock prism, Introvertebrae, while tuning into melancholy in the same hauntingly evocative vein as Porcupine Tree.

The endearingly humble New Jersey-based multi-instrumentalist may not be able to brag about his talent which allows his tracks to transcend auditory experiences and unravel as emotionally chameleonic shots to the heart, but we have no reservations about revering his sonic journeys of self-discovery that cocoon his fans in musical chrysalises.

Martinez’s voice, echoing the emotional gravity of Chris Cornell and the octave-spanning prowess of Thom Yorke, serves as the navigator through this orchestrally immense soundscape, which uplifts in one breath and aches in the next as experimental indie meets prog rock. Naturally, the brilliance of Introvertebrae lies in its duality. It’s a nod to the prog rock deities – King Crimson, Rush, Emerson, Lake & Palmer – yet it speaks a language that resonates with the contemporary soul. The piano, heavy with emotion, could easily find a place in Father John Misty’s repertoire, while the 70s melodic undertones offer a comforting embrace to the classic rock enthusiast.

Martinez’s skill with the guitar is not just about showcasing an intuitive understanding of the fretboard. Each riff and melody are a chapter in this immersive rich musical novel. With so many elements, styles and layers, under a less deft hand, it would be easy to feel lost in the labyrinth of Introvertebrae, but by lyrically expositing our most intimate fears, Martinez allows the listener to feel seen and found.

Stream and download the latest single from Herman Martinez via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Run The Enemy brought even more tragedy to the legacy of Sylvia Plath with their Post-Punk vignette, She Writes Poetry

Poetry may be becoming a dying art form, but it lives and breathes through the hauntingly melodic introspection in the standout single, She Writes Poetry, from Run the Enemy’s hotly anticipated debut album, Trail of Tears.

After the post-punk-tinged and angularly cavernous lead guitar work in the prelude, the timbre of the melancholic indie vocal lines spectrally appears in the achingly pensive release which finds the monochrome middle ground between Editors earlier work and Interpol’s most affecting expositions of ennui.

With the final crescendo, She Writes Poetry, which gives Richey Edwards and Morrissey a run for their lyrical vignette money, builds into a massive all-encompassing production with strings carving through the post-punk atmosphere.

Written to allude to the abusive relationship between Plath and Ted Hughes, the Cambridge-based outfit succeeded in bringing even more tragedy to the legacy of Plath, given that she stuck her head in an oven in her final moments and penned some of the most pensively affecting works to date, that is some feat of ingenuity.

Stream She Writes Poetry as part of Run The Enemy’s debut LP, Trail of Tears, on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Elegant Chasers explored the trappings and torment of addiction with their maniacal alt-rock hit, The Hungry Ghost

The Elegant Chasers

You’d be forgiven for thinking that Mike Patton had formed a new side project after being exposed to the vocal dynamism and tightly controlled instrumental chaos in the latest single, The Hungry Ghost, from the London-based alt-rock originators, The Elegant Chasers.

The franticly alchemic production which echoes 90s Britpop and grunge entices you in through the urgency as the James Dean Bradfield-esque guitars shimmer and act as an anchor in the tumultuous storm brewed by the rhythm section. The lack of restraint is a conceptual sonic visualisation of the nefariousness of addiction, which the volatile lyrics explore influenced by the work of Gabor Mate.

There was no forgetting The Elegant Chasers after getting acquainted through their previous release, Running Around the Sun, but The Hungry Ghost is a million maniacal miles away from the mash-up of indie, Britpop and Psych Rock. It’s safe to say The Elegant Chasers can stop running because they’ve arrived at exactly where they need to be with The Hungry Ghost.

The Hungry Ghost will be officially released on March 15; stream and purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kneel at the altar of indie rock gospel with True North’s latest release, Love is in Command

Following a leftfield electronica-esque prelude that’s tinged with 90s rave culture, True North’s latest single, Love is in Command reaches its euphorically riotous alt-rock epicentre before grooving into a swathed with soul anthem.

With each new progression comes a lesson in seamlessly transitional experimentalism. The only constant between the switches in style, passion and tone is the infectious energy which pulls you deeper into the uninhibited zeal of the release crafted by the UK-based coven of independent songwriters.

With the shimmering organs and soul-wrapped backing harmonies around the Happy Mondays-reminiscent rhythms, Love is in Command is gospel for any indie kids who never need an excuse to kneel at the altar of 90s nostalgia.

True North, led by Reg Kielty, perceptibly succeeded in their mission of creating an eclectic brimming-with-commercial-potential hit which delivers authentic, honest, and no-frills songwriting. We couldn’t be more obsessed with the aura of this earworm if we tried.

Love is in Command was officially released on March 4th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dying Habit hit an evocative homerun with their hard-rock exposition on the complexity of the unconscious psyche in their latest single, Celestial

Dying Habit’s latest single, ‘Celestial’, from their upcoming LP ‘The Chaos of Silence‘, injects nuanced 90s Britpop sensibilities into the artful beguile of post-rock and the rancour of hard rock. Every night, our heads hit the pillows without questioning what we’re surrendering to; after the unveiling of this exposition on the complexity of the unconscious psyche, we may never think of the nocturnal ritual in the same way.

The Anglesey-based quartet, led by the emotive vocals of Nathan Jones, are palpably in their introspectively cerebral element with Celestial. After a saturated in delay intro, the grungy melody subtly nods to the likes of the Happy Mondays, setting a nostalgic tone, filtered through an innovative lens. As the track progresses, it transforms into a melodic hard-rock juggernaut, showcasing the band’s ability to seamlessly shift gears without losing the essence of their sound.

The guitar work is nothing short of chameleonic. From the angular, cold tones to the overdriven warmth, the guitar lines are a journey in themselves, perfectly complementing the dynamic range of Nathan’s vocals. The rhythm section, with Mark Jones on drums and Daniel Garner on bass, provides a solid backbone, ensuring that the track’s energy remains high without overshadowing its melodic core.

With ‘Celestial’, Dying Habit has not only hit an evocative home run but also set a high bar for their upcoming album. The track is a testament to the band’s growth and their ability to craft songs that are both intellectually stimulating and viscerally powerful.

Celestial was officially released on March 1st; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Make ViperSnatch’s latest Riot Grrrl revival, Witchcraft, Baby, your new sonic ritual

ViperSnatch added a touch of the arcane to the airwaves with the debut of their latest fiercely fervent release, Witchcraft Baby.

As the basslines growl, the drums punctuate the production with volition, and the guitars give the release a chilling shadow side, the vocal dualism, which seamlessly switches from innocently light harmonics to visceral outpours of rancour, draws you deeper into the Riot Grrrl revival that leaves plenty of room for folkishly ritualistic experimental expression.

The Central Queensland-hailing three-piece originally convened to bring a female perspective to Australia’s alt-music scene in 2018, but in 2024, they’re proving to be an indomitably unreckonable force at the epicentre of the scene.

ViperSnatch isn’t just following in the footsteps of L7, Babes in Toyland and Jack Off Jill. With their latest release, they chartered their own noir-esque path through grungy, bluesy punk rock while empowering their ever-growing fanbase to resist the limitations that will always be placed on women and stand at your own vanguard in front of the pitchforks. They’re one of the only breakthrough outfits phenomenal enough to be revered as iconic.

Stream Witchcraft, Baby on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Duality resounds in Touch By Mirror’s cultivation of ethereal visceralism, ‘Send Flowers’

Touch by Mirror’s latest single ‘Send Flowers‘ from the EP ‘A Fox is a Wolf Who Sends Flowers‘ is definitive proof that there are always new intersections to explore in alt-rock. This 6-minute track transcends far beyond the ordinary bounds of sound; the genius lies in its masterful contrast: the raw, overdriven guitars clash and harmonise with ethereal electronica melodies, crafting a visceral and delicate atmosphere in the same progressive breath.

Juxtapositions in the same vein resound in the vocal chameleonic finesse as the vocals oscillate between the grungy rawness of Kurt Cobain and the haunting, melancholic harmonies that echo the legendary Ian Curtis of Joy Division and Ian McCulloch of Echo and the Bunnymen. This vocal duality adds layers of emotional depth, making each listen a compelling discovery through the corridors of Touch By Mirror’s creativity.

The South African artist’s rapidly growing discography is a haven for true music aficionados. His experimental soundscapes are not just heard; they take listeners on a journey through varied sonic landscapes.

Remarkably prolific, Touch by Mirror has already graced 2024 with an EP and an LP within the first three months; most artists would kill to know the secret to his unfaltering creativity and alchemically affecting ingenuity.

Stream Send Flowers on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Submerged in Sonic Turmoil: Microplanet’s ‘Painsucker’ is A Grungy Art-Rock Odyssey from Euphony to Agony

Indie art-rock was dragged under a riptide of grungy distortion in the standout single, Painsucker, from Microplanet’s sophomore LP, Submerge. After an intro of euphonically simple guitar chords, Thom Yorke-esque falsetto vocal lines, and tender lyricism, Painsucker quickly descends into a tumultuous onslaught of scuzzed-up rancour to mirror the lyrical transition into self-defecation.

It’s a compelling exposition of how quickly the mind can contort into dark corridors of despair, with the instrumentals exemplifying the agony the mind can inflict upon itself. The seminal release is also a reflection of the expressive talents of the San Diego-hailing band fronted by the multi-instrumentalist, Nathan Wilson. Their unparalleled ability to take personal antagonism and metamorph it into a universal reflection of the human condition via an intimate self-recorded lo-fi production will undoubtedly see Microplanet go far.

Stream Painsucker on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Trish Discord & Devon Aviles electronically augmented alt-rock with the broodingly vindicating single, Ever So Holy

Trish Discord and Devon Aviles are both forces to be reckoned with respectively; combined, they’ve sent electrifying shockwaves through the alt-rock domain with their dark and broodingly vindicating track, Ever So Holy. The intro is a masterclass in mood setting; the massive waves of synth bass, coupled with a haunting melodic lead, create an industrially tinged atmosphere that is as dark as it is scintillating.

As the track progresses through its rhythmic cascade of unpredictable volition, it morphs seamlessly, throwing hooks left, right, and centre to pull you into the track’s magnetic core with the same force as the most infectious artists in the pop-punk domain.

The production style is a high-wire balancing act; a complete yin-yang of raw elements and polished cultivation. The huge guitars and compressed drums bring a traditional rock feel, while the electronic components narrate a new chapter in the alt-rock genre.

Vocally, Trish Discord channels the spirit of Evanescence, Nightwish, and Within Temptation, while simultaneously carving out a unique niche and guiding the listener through the tumultuous sonic landscape. In short, it’s a symphonic riot that ignited a revolution in the electronica landscape.

Ever So Holy was officially released on February 29th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast