Tag Archives: stream

ANGELIC DESOLATION – Quorum Of Unspeakable Curses EP

Posted on by
Reply

By fusing a truckload of old-school death metal riffs, a pinch of black metal vocal and the relentlessness of grindcore, US extreme metallers Angelic Desolation create a sound they’ve dubbed “American Razorgrind”.  Their third release, the catchily titled ‘Quorum of Unspeakable Curses’ delivers three more relentless slabs of riffery, coupled with the kind of vocal that could clear a room of any listeners not so keen on demonic growls. It doesn’t do much that genre fans won’t have heard before, but between some amazing technical abilities and a lot of force, Angelic Desolation still have plenty to offer the world of extreme metal.

Continue reading →

CHASER – Look Alive EP

Posted on by

Now twenty years into their career, skate punks Chaser sound as blistering as ever on their 2020 release ‘Look Alive’.  Although only a two track 7” release, its pair of songs acts as a sharp reminder of the SoCal band’s blend of high octane riffs and social commentary driven lyrics.  Released at a time when the world appeared to be falling apart – mass protests in the US suggest an urgent need for a change of government and a global pandemic pretty much wrote off the year – their messages of unity and togetherness are exactly what’s needed.

Continue reading →

Listen: Fightmilk release new single ‘If You Had A Sister’

Posted on by

Over the past few years, a clutch of great indie bands emerged that took influence from the 90s far more than most.  A few real standouts, The Daysleepers sounded as if they’d been raised on a steady diet of The Cure circa 1990, while the brilliant Muncie Girls and Adult Magic would have been right at home on an Indie Top 20 cassette.

Continue reading →

THE RIVEN – Windbreaker / Moving On

Posted on by

In terms of quality, The Riven’s self-titled record from 2019 was streets ahead of their debut EP. Although both releases are solid in terms of playing and song writing, the album vastly outshone the EP in terms of production values and vocal performances. This suggested The Riven’s third release had the potential for a few incendiary riffs. Although that third release turned out to be a two song stop-gap, in terms of old style sounds, both ‘Windbreaker’ and ‘Moving On’ (issued on a strictly limited vinyl in August 2020) really doesn’t disappoint.

Continue reading →

MATTY JAMES CASSIDY – Old Souls

Posted on by

“Time catches up to you…and comes for us all” sings Matty James Cassidy during the chorus of ‘After All’, an instant highlight from his 2020 full length release ‘Old Souls’. It’s a sentiment that really seems to fit, as for the artist formerly known as Matty James, it seems he’s had nothing but time to reach this point in his career. Over a series of independent releases, he’s honed his mix of rock, blues and country to the point where this album genuinely sounds like a work calling out for greater attention. For anyone previously aware of Cassidy’s work, it’s a record that will more than entertain and thanks to a stronger sounding band and a much better production value, he’s turned in some of his best songs to date. ‘Old Souls’ has very clearly been made on a bigger budget, although fans should not worry that “bigger budget” somehow translates into “smoother material”, or be a case of that old chestnut “selling out” (a favourite war cry by record buyers who fear change and aren’t musicians themselves).

Continue reading →