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.