Watch: ‘Stoneman’ – a brand new video from KOYO

KOYO’s third album, ‘Onism’, (released November 1st) saw the experimental band evolving. The featured material captured many of the complexities of past works, but by introducing a heavier edge in places, the band’s alternative sound embraced more of a post-rock aesthetic. Despite the confident changes and the fact that bits of the material drew from a huge pool of influences, the record proved that KOYO were keen to forge their own musical path.

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IMPELLITTERI – War Machine

Chris Impellitteri’s ‘Venom’ album from 2015 (his first for Frontiers Records) represented a career low point. Impellitteri had always championed a traditional metal style – very 80s riffs, played at speed – and a world of overly macho lyrical concerns, but that record took his baser instincts to extremes. He hoped it would be a “metal album that everyone could enjoy”, but it was little more than a stuck in the past embarrassment. The follow up ‘Unleash The Beast’ was an improvement thanks to a couple more melodic elements, but still felt half-arsed compared to the best bits of 1988’s ‘Stand In Line’ and the punchy but accessible ‘Grin & Bear It’ from 1992.

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KATE BURKART – Another Night EP

Kate Burkart’s 2024 release ‘Another Night’ comes almost a decade after her previous EP ‘Save Me A Seat’, but often shares a stylistic approach that makes the listener feel as if the singer songwriter has never really been away. On these five almost timeless sounding numbers, the performer’s mature voice really comes through, but just as importantly, the arrangements are strong. Three of the songs share a natural blend of Americana and rootsy sounds, along with a warm, almost bluesy guitar tone in a couple of places, which results in something rather satisfying despite any budgetary constraints.

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AURSJOEN – Strand EP

Ria Aursjoen will be familiar to some people via her work with Octavian Winters, a band whose recordings offer a more accessible take on gothic and symphonic rock sounds. Musically, the band’s love of an 80s sound is offset by a more contemporary darkness, but whatever route their arrangements take, its often Ria’s voice that’s the big musical draw. With that in mind, this solo EP comes as a very welcome addition to her catalogue. The first release under the Aursjoen name retains a haunting and sometimes gothic atmosphere in places, but much of the material conveys a different mood, often leaning further towards influences from folk and alternative pop, allowing Ria more space to share a dark beauty.

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WOLFORNA – Tales Of The Damned EP

In an age where people dip in and out of playlists rather than digest full albums, there’s been more of a fashion for alternative rock bands to take a record/release approach to their work. It’s often common to find new “single” tracks on streaming services, only for those not to be followed with anything more concrete. Wolforna have been adding to their catalogue of digital singles since 2019, and although there has been a pleasure in watching them grow as a band, the quick single hits haven’t always given fans much in which to immerse themselves. The blame, of course, lies not with the band, but the quick fix world to which music streamers have become all too accustomed.

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