Stoner metal band Blessed Black released their first album ‘Beyond The Crimson Throne’ in January 2020, intending to take the underground metal scene by storm. As history has proved, that year’s arrival of a global pandemic and a total shutdown of the live scene meant that any plans had to be rethought. Despite a very tricky couple of years, that release’s commitment to a riff suggested great things ahead for the band, and this EP length follow up more than makes good on that early promise.
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downtalker – All My Friends Are Dead / Watch Your Heart Break
Billed as a “post-punk disco project”, Boston’s downtalker (always credited in a lower case) bring retro sounds of a little left of the norm on this double whammy of digital singles. At a time when a lot of the underground seems obsessed with 90s indie and 80s pop, these guys have channelled their inner weirdos to bring you something a little different.
VARIOUS ARTISTS – Socks On Records And Friends Volume 3
Ever since its launch as a not for profit label in 2021, Socks On Records has always conveyed a sense of community spirit. Members of Das Kapitans may well have been the instigators of Socks On and their band is the label’s most prolific act, but everyone who encounters the label becomes a member of their extended family. There’s no one-upmanship; no hierarchy – just a gathering of friends on a mission to make and share good music, DIY style.
This release really extends the Socks On ethos of sharing music in an altruistic way. It brings together over thirty tracks from various names who might not be familiar, and all monies earned from downloads will be donated to CPSL MIND, a mental health charity in Peterborough.
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #17
Welcome back to the Real Gone Singles Bar, the place where we explore the various individual mp3s that have landed in our inbox over the previous few weeks. This has become a popular feature for the site, and its disregard for genre restraints has ensured that a variety has kept it interesting. This week, we bring you a new track that unites a cult rock hero with a busy power pop figure; some great pop from a Scottish singer songwriter, and some massive metal sounds from Greece. As always, if you discover anything new you’ve enjoyed, come and tell us – we always value your feedback. Submissions for the Singles Bar are coming in by the dozen, but if you have something you think might work for us, don’t be afraid to get in touch.
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IF NOT IF – Forgiveness EP
Like a lot of people, multi instrumentalist Graeme Ginsburg found himself with a lot of spare time during the pandemic lockdown. He used that time wisely to compose and create new music, which resulted in a pair of instrumental EPs where various electronica based moods and influences collided with a prog-ish mindset. Released under the name If Not If in December 2021, the second of those releases, ‘Forgiveness’, showcases pretty much the whole of the composer’s musical spectrum in a very short space of time. For those looking for new music, it’s the perfect way to get the measure of Ginsburg’s self-made musical world, bouncing between moods and pulling bits from different genres, yet sounding like a complete package in itself.