New Music Round-Up 17th October 2015

Amorphis

The Finnish Folk Metal legends have just released their strongest album in years and possibly the best since current singer, Tomi Joutsen joined the band a decade ago. The band's unique and trippy take on Folk (tinged) Metal is still as distinctive as ever, as is Tomi's diverse vocal range with his Gothic Metal style clean voice contrasting sublimely with the throaty roar of his harsh vocals. There really is no other band out there like Amorphis and their sound continues to evolve and grow, 25 years after their inception. "Under The Red Cloud" is yet another triumph.

Trivium

Trivium are always going to be a divisive band. They really are the Marmite of the Metal world. I happen to love them (as I do Marmite), but even I acknowledge that their road hasn't always been a smooth one, with the bumps of average albums along the way. In 2015,  however, Trivium are a very different beast. Vocalist / lead guitarist, Matt Heafy (still yet to turn 30!) has been the driving force of his band for 15 years now and on "Silence In The Snow", it has finally come of age. Gone are the growling vocals, mainly due to health issues, admittedly, and in their place is a much more Trad Metal vocal style which is better suited to Matt's songwriting / playing style. Trivium have never sounded better and even if you've never been a fan before, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised. "Silence..." is the band's strongest album to date and signals a rebirth for the band.

 

Vreid

This is how Black Metal should sound in 2015. Vreid are a Progressive Black Metal band in the truest sense of the word.They are constantly pushing their sound forward and evolving as a band, but without losing sight of who they are and where they come from. Style-wise, you could compare them to fellow Norwegians, Enslaved (without the excessive Prog Metal and 12 minute songs) and Kampfar. At times there are tantalising reminders of the band's roots -  just listen to the song below, Sólverv, and tell me that it doesn't invoke the cold dark beauty of early Windir.

Heart Of A Coward

I know these guys have been around for a while now (since 2007), but I have always steered clear of them due to the band name. For me, it carries unfortunate overtones of Bullet For My Valentine and their ilk. It just brings to mind horrible Emo / Metalcore. Thankfully though, HOAC are nothing like BFMV. Their sound is crushing and relentless. There are definite traces of Metalcore in the vocals at times, but for the most part this is the next stage of Metalcore progression. Along with bands like Parkway Drive (see last week's post), HOAC are ushering in a new era of Groove Metalcore with a sound that owes as much to Pissing Razors as it does to Killswitch Engage.

Children Of Bodom

This unfairly maligned band is something of a mystery. Seemingly disliked by everyone you talk to, yet still managing to sell a respectable number of records and play shows and festivals the world over. COB hasn't been a consistent band by any means, but new album "I Worship Chaos", while not being as fast or as immediate as previous releases, is the sound of a band back on form. The frenetic pace of old has been replaced by a mid-paced tempo and  Alexi has reigned in his penchant for showing us how fast he can play. This is the sound of a more mature, confident band.

New Music Round-Up 10th October 2015

I haven't done this for a while and a lot of the great music from this year is no longer new. Therefore, I'm going to start from the music I've head in the last week or so. There is so much that is exciting me at the moment that it will take two or maybe even three posts to get it all out there...so I'd better get on with it. First though, I would ask you to be kind - my writing is a little rusty.

W.A.S.P.

When I heard the first single, "The Last Runaway", my initial though was that the band had lost its sting (sorry), as it sounded a little Bryan Adams-esque. Thankfully though, this was definitely the weakest song on the album and actually makes more sense as part of the whole. My only real criticism of "Golgotha", as I actually like it very much, is that it just sounds way too familiar. This is something you shouldn't be able to say about a band's first new material in six years. Sadly though, they are walking on very well-worn ground here. The songs sound like you've heard them before. This is a shame as the band used to be something special and are starting to sound a little tired. To be fair to them though, they do have a very distinctive style and fans of the band are going to enjoy this album regardless. Just give it a few plays before you make a snap judgement as it is very much a grower.

Alfahanne

When I heard Alfahanne's debut album last year, I was immediately struck by how unique it was, which always gets my attention. Nordic Black Metal rubbed shoulders with Punk, Post Rock and New Wave - think Kvelertak meets Beastmilk via Shining - and album number two is even better. There is something wonderfully infectious about the energy here and the droning, repetitive guitars are almost at odds with the menace in which the lyrics are delivered (in their native tongue). Not for everyone, but if you want to hear something a little interesting and off the beaten path, Alfahanne are definitely worth a listen.

Alfahanne - Skallerormsgift

Ugly Kid Joe

The latest in the seemingly never ending list of "comeback" bands, UKJ are back with their new album, the brilliantly titled "Uglier Than They Used Ta Be". Where this band are a more interesting prospect than many of their peers, however, is that they are better, much better, than they were back in the day. Although the "distinctive" artwork might be instantly familiar to those who remember them from the first time around, anyone expecting "Everything About You" or suchlike is going to be suprised / amazed. "Uglier..." is a powerful Grunge-fuelled hard rock powerhouse of an album that should impress even the harshest of critics. The band has never sounded so good. Welcome back, guys!

Parkway Drive

Australia's Parkway Drive have been doing the rounds for over a decade now and are finally starting to get noticed in the Northern hemisphere. I first heard them 5 years ago at which point I tipped them for future greatness (just saying), and in a similar way to bands like AX7 and Audrey Horne, the band has gone through something of a metamorphosis. Although not as drastic a style shift as the aforementioned bands, "Ire" marks a noticeable step away from the Metalcore of old and the result is a much more mature and varied Hardcore-tinged Metal album (yes, there is a difference). The band are still raging against the machine and the lyrics are still about fighting the system and self-empowerment, but this time around they are armed with some seriously memorable tunes that will stick in your head. "Ire" should be the album to propel the band into the Metal "mainstream". This is their time.

Clutch

Clutch do what they do and if you're already familiar with them, you know what to expect from the new album. "Psychic Warfare" is a raucous blues rock explosion of unstoppable, pure rock fury. Very possibly the most consistently brilliant rock band on the planet, they are certainly one of the best. 'Nuff said.

I'm back...again!

Well, well, well. It really has been a long time since I put fingers to keyboard hasn't it? There were a number of factors involved, all of them far too dull to even explain, so I won't bother. Instead I figured I'd just resurrect my little Metal music blog again.

I'm currently working my way through a large backlog of new music and 2015 really has set the bar for quality releases. Every time I think "this is the one! This is album of the year", it gets topped a week later. It's all very exciting.

What I've been most surprised and impressed with this year is just how many veteran bands have released career best / defining / reaffirming albums. There have been so many amazing releases this year from the old guard which have included triumphant comebacks (Ugly Kid Joe, Die Krupps and Arcturus) to artists I'd all but given up on (Marilyn Manson, Cradle Of Filth and The Prodigy), from bands I have never really rated (Slayer, Armored Saint and Coal Chamber) as well as from those who are ever reliable (Therapy?, Iron Maiden and Napalm Death).

That isn't to say that there are no good new / newer bands as that would be patently ridiculous as so far this year I have discovered a plethora of great artists including Mrykur, Shattered Sun and Stone Ghost to name just a few and bands such as Parkway Drive, Deafheaven, and Powerwolf have really come out swinging, but for the most part, the veterans are definitely putting the youngsters to shame in 2015 and I have a feeling that they are going to dominate my year end top 20.

I'll leave it there for now, but I will be back in the next couple of days with a proper blog consisting of a crop of new songs that I think you all need to hear, assuming you haven't already, of course. And if you have, well done you.