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Dark Rock

Crimson Spirit – Poor Little Boy: The Darkest Alt-Rock Earworm You Will Hear This Year

Posted on 1 June 2021
Crimson Spirit

German-based rock revivalists Crimson Spirit are set to release their most absorbing single to date. After a Post Punk-Esque intro, Violet’s vocals creep into the soundscape with a timbre that haunts with the same phantasmal presence as Sophe Lux and Angel Olsen.

Poor Little Boy is an epic alt-rock track that teases empathy while allowing a sardonic undertone to run under the compassion. The instrumentals artfully and progressively mimick slips of patience in the realistically hard-hitting release that tackles tendencies to turn to self-destructive vices.

The founding members, Alexander Stieben and Jana Krieger (aka Violet Rigby), are experienced musicians; before assembling Crimson Spirit, they were part of black metal and psych bands, but Crimson Spirit captures both of their work at its most experimental. Their sound is inspired by the 80s and 90s alternative eras, stylistically, they dabble with elements of classic rock, hard rock, avant-garde rock, grunge and metal to forge their own alchemically immersive signature sound.

Poor Little Boy will be available to stream on all platforms, including SoundCloud, from June 18th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

GLASS EYE – PRAYERS: Salaciously Ethereal Alt-Rock

Posted on 12 April 2021
GLASS EYE

With vocals that hit the high notes with the same precision as Matt Bellamy, the sex appeal of Deftones and classic rock licks that come with an ethereally evocative twist, it’s hard not to expect big things to come from GLASS EYE with the release of their album ‘SOMEWHERE, NOWHERE’.

PRAYERS is the perfect introduction to their sound that is so much more than an aural crumble of prominent bands that we’ve come to love across the decades. It’s a delectable invitation to witness the US-based powerhouse’s visceral authenticity that will appeal to anyone who likes their alt-rock to come with rhythmic salacious chills.

PRAYERS is just one of the singles that feature on their forthcoming album ‘SOMEWHERE, NOWHERE’, which is due for release on June 10th.

You can check out GLASS EYE via their website and on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Judge Silver is coming off the bench with ‘Angeline’

Posted on 9 April 2021

‘Angeline’ is taken from Judge Silver’s debut album ‘Still On The Bench’, nine tracks of relatively gentle alt-flavoured-rock with a lyrical bent and a certain nod to football-related metaphors here and there. There’s some synth and dancey bass across the album, along with the more ‘rock’ flavoured guitars – think Orange Juice and Edwin Collins, a little of the Presidents of the USA, and maybe a touch of Tin Machine-era Bowie, and a little of Amigo The Devil in the vocal delivery.

It’s perhaps a little self-consciously ‘self-effacing’ when it comes to the lyrics, but in between the tongue-in-cheek there are some killer couplets, and in ‘Angeline’ an albeit unconventional love-song.

You can check out ‘Angeline’, and the rest of Judge Silver’s debut, on Soundcloud. Follow Judge Silver on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Finish Me: Pacific Northwest hard rock band Thirty Seven ask for all the pain to end on ‘Bleed’

Posted on 31 March 2021

With a powerful hard rock sound that rages free as they ask for forgiveness, Thirty Seven wake up the nervous neighbors next door loudly, on their new self-reflective single called ‘Bleed‘.

Pacific Northwest alt-hard rock act Thirty Seven, make that rampaging sound that enters your ear drums at full volume, as they fuse up that daringly electric type of forceful music that wakes you up and inspires you to be better.

This is the story of being at their mercy, you have given them all your cards as you have none left to show, and just want them to forgive you. You feel like this is the only way you can show them how much you actually care, and it might be your last play left.

His voice is so riveting, as the band go at optimum capacity here, and you feel the power like when you are getting smashed by a massive wave in the ocean, as you have no control and simply hope that everything will be okay again when you come up for air.

‘Bleed‘ from ferocious dark-rock Pacific Northwest outfit Thirty Seven, deafens you if you aren’t ready and leads us into that state where you feel like you have to show the person you love, that you messed up real big, and they can take your soul if they want to. This is an emotionally real song that will make you feel highly reflective, as you remember the times when you treated your true love really badly and wanted to make amends in any way possible.

Turn this one way up on Spotify and check out their IG for future gig news and new music.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Get Acquainted with Tricia Fitz’s theatrically elemental alt-rock earworm ‘Welcome to the System’

Posted on 8 March 2021
https://open.spotify.com/track/3rUpgky6BenDqlzxVrC9Ax&si=239ee2b03dae4f0c

With a Nekrogoblikon-style symphonic playfulness to the dark alt-rock track through which Tricia Fitz’s dynamic vocals resound, Welcome to the System proves that elemental alt-rock singles can also be perennial earworms.

No matter how eclectic your playlists are, you’ll never have come across an alt-rock artist as veracious, theatrical and imaginative as Tricia Fitz. Now that Marilyn Manson is (rightfully) cancelled, it’s time we embrace visionary artists, such as the zeitgeist-breaking artist Tricia Fitz, who put ominous tones on the airwaves, but the true essence of their sound lies in the empowerment within.

The Brazilian-Canadian artist is set to make other dark alt-rock acts such as Jack off Jill, My Ruin, Angelspit and Lunachicks proud with her emboldening unique approach.

Welcome to the System is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Not Now Norman ‘Little Frankenstein’ – Part Groove, Part Grind, all alt-rock classic in the making.

Posted on 28 February 2021

If you could put the sound of determination, grit, not giving up, and just out-and-out gutsy rock kudos down on tape and release it, it’d sound something pretty close to Not Now Norman’s blend of raucous, sensual-and-slithery riffs, sassy in-your-face lyrics, and my-way-or-the-highway attitude.

Leaving college with a degree and a bunch of interviews, no-one would take a chance on vocalist Taylor Mitchell due to her disabilities; however, what no-one had banked on was Taylor’s incredible voice, which alternately sneers, snarls, growls, and screams across the 4’23” of new single ‘Little Frankenstein’. There’s elements of namesake Taylor Momson to Mitchell’s delivery, a large dose of Shirley Manson and Garbage, and a mix of Nymphs-era Inger Lorre and non-blonde Linda Perry alongside the Pretty Reckless and the Zeppelin, Blackhearts, and Foos-style classic rock grunt. Zander Brown brings in a touch of Velvet Revolver to the guitars, courtesy of some slick powerchord grinding and sleazing and a monumental wah-wah solo, and the rhythm section of Bodhi Turnbull and Lara Hindhaugh on drums and bass respectively smash out some totally locked in, ground-out bottom end.

An outstanding follow-up to their debut EP ‘The End Of The Day’ and last single ‘Little Cheryl’, ‘Little Frankenstein’ is an absolute belter of a modern alt-rock track, part groove, part crunch, all catchy-as-hell, and full of Taylor’s personal ‘succeed regardless’ lyrical storm. If lockdown hadn’t decimated live gigs for the last twelve months, Not Now Norman should – if there’s any justice in the world – have been storming stages across the UK with this; in the meantime, we’ll just have to make do with ‘Little Frankenstein’.

Check out ‘Little Frankenstein’ on Soundcloud; follow Not Now Norman on Facebook and Twitter.

Review by Alex Holmes

The Shining Tongues have put a piously conceptual avant-garde spin on drone rock with ‘Belly of the Town’

Posted on 26 January 2021
The Prayer - EP by The Shining Tongues

The Shining Tongues added another facet to the realm of experimental rock with the release of their single ‘Belly of the Town’, just one of the singles found on their ethereally avant-garde 2021 EP ‘The Prayer’.

The standout single pays ode to the sanctity of non-romantic love, it perfectly captures the hollowing drudgery which connection can raise us from. With choral backing vocals coalescing with the despondence in the main narrative, The Belly of the Town is a conceptually ingenious release which proves that absolving celestial tones have a place in dark alt-rock too.

If Peter Murphy picked up indie rock sensibilities, his music would hold a fair amount of reminiscence to this darkly hypnotic lullaby.

You can hear the EP for yourselves from January 21st via bandcamp. Or, head over to the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Delve into the darker side of blues rock with The Bad Egg’s latest single ‘Set Me on Fire’

Posted on 29 December 2020

Switzerland-hailing solo blues-rock artist, The Bad Egg, has stayed true to their moniker and delivered an ominously enticing exhibition of their experimentalism, versatility and pure ingenuity with their latest release, ‘Set Me on Fire’.

By taking classic rock tones and swamping them with bendy, bluesy mesmerism, this Rock ballad unfolds like no other. Set Me on Fire may be on the darker side of blues-rock, but instead of using dark imagery to feed nihilism, The Bad Egg uses it to deliver an imaginatively romantic and vulnerable track which stays with you long after it has faded out.

I would label Set Me on Fire as an Alt-Rock earworm, but the track will implant something far more insidious and infectious in your ear. Head over to Spotify and become host the serpentine aural treat for yourselves.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Captain Klas & Secret Circus give us a taste of freedom with their dark, menacing new single.

Posted on 25 December 2020

Deep, dark, menacing, with an infernal groove and sounding like the devil’s own rock band, Captain Klas and Secret Circus deliver a stunning, brilliant ode to – dare we say – psylocibin mushrooms and the power of hallucinogens in general with this absolute stormer of a lockdown track.

Opening with a threatening telephone call sample, ‘Once You Taste Freedom’ is part psychedelic electro-pop banger, part minacious alt-rock grind, all ominous synth bass, dotted delay, grindy guitar parts and a mildly distorted drum sound, all hemmed dangerously behind the oh-too-easily-breached cage bars of Captain Klas’ gruff, gravelly low-down vocals.

In keeping with the avant garde experimental nature of Secret Circus, there’s not just one video for ‘Once You Taste Freedom’, but six (count ‘em), all then composited together into one YouTube vid. This can’t be stressed enough, ‘Once You Taste Freedom’ truly is the real thing, an absolute gem of a track amongst the humdrum daily monotone of 2020 Lockdowns. Freedom’s one thing, for sure, but more pertinently – once you taste Secret Circus you definitely won’t go back.

See the video for ‘Once You Taste Freedom’ on YouTube, and follow Secret Circus on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

INSiGHT deliver a damning depiction of the socio-political climate with ‘THiS is AMERiCA’

Posted on 21 December 2020

Opening up with the powerful statement that ‘last year, 39,603 people died from gun violence in the USA’, ‘THiS is AMERiCA’ is a powerful indictment of gun culture and bloodshed from the California-based metallers INSiGHT. Once a six-piece, and now effectively the solo-project of multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Dave, INSiGHT drive hard-hitting, hard-riffing metal in the style of Machine Head, Pantera, Metallica, or the late, great Randy Rhoads.

Grinding and thundering like another sadly-lost guitar hero, Dimebag Darrell, Dave’s guitar tone is all heavily-scooped gain-cascaded chug and grind, the vocals alternately nonchalant and angry, mumbled or growled over rumbling bass and heavy blast-beat drums. It’s a potent mix, the angry, disbelieving message of the track made all the stronger by the stomping grind of the riff, like Pantera’s ‘Walk’ or Machine Head’s stunning ‘Davidian’. Boosted by the potent animated lyric video, ‘THiS is AMERiCA’ is a strong introduction to INSiGHT’s forthcoming album ‘GEMiNi: The Light And The Dark’.

Check out ‘THiS is AMERiCA’ on YouTube, and follow INSiGHT on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes