The first body of work from the solo project of Modern Ritual’s Rob Hollamby, Legendary Parties isn’t a record that isn’t as jubilant as it’s namesake implies. At least not thematically. Inspired and documenting how the best among us are working soulless jobs beneath corporate overlords, Legendary Parties probes how those find solace through via healthy and damaging means. As one can imagine, a record produced during a period of unemployment amidst a cost of living crisis exploring people finding help through the bottom of a bottle may not sound entertaining – or even remotely appealing – right now. But yet, it is. With members of Modern Rituals, Cassels and The New Tusk lending their skills to help enliven Hollumbay’s vision, Legendary Parties is a witty, charming and very wordy celebration of the sum of it’s musical components.
Opener ‘Ernesto Plays Guitar’ immediately showcases Fuzzy Heart’s influences, albeit in a way that’s courteous. Articulated with the wordy and charismatic charm of the aforementioned Weakerthans and expressed with the unfiltered yet poetic British vulnerability synonymous with acts such as Me Rex and Regal Cheer, the track see’s Fuzzy Heart treading the line between tender indie and the kind of full-frontal fuzzed rock that could be a product of the early naughties. Yet, this tightrope act is one of elegance and composure.
Hellripper’s strengthening identity ties in with a strong sense of place. This being McBain’s Scottish Highlands home and its folklore, mythology and its landscapes is thrillingly explored on album number three. His deep dive pursuit into early black Metal and thrash underground scenes brings heartfelt fond memories for older metal-heads. And he has deservedly reaped continuous high praise for carving out freshly baked, gnarly high quality rebooted speed metal, which stands mightily strong on its own merits.
The wonderfully titled third album Warlocks Grim &Withered Hags opens in brutal, riffy, fast as Kreator fashion with ‘The Nuckelavee’, about the horse like demon of the sea from Orcadian mythology. While neck braces at the ready were always expected, it happily rages with speedily, relentless, frantic purpose as on the thrash-tastic ‘The Cursed Carrion Crown’, a track that recalls early era Exodus and Dark Angel with it’s ferocity. Motorhead fanatics will have their hearts warmed with ‘The Hissing Marches’ bass and drums opening assault for another album highlight.
However, this body of work isn’t just heads down no nonsense speeding. McBain has flexed out the possibilities with an extra dosage of musical influences for his most ambitious and epic album so far. Thrash at its core, it’s also seasoned with a more blackened form, culminating with the closing eight minutes Black Metal rhythmic pummelling contained within ‘Mestor Stoor Worm.’
Opening their eighth studio album Truth Decay with ‘Deep Cuts’, a song featuring a hook more than a little derivative of ‘Can’t Stop’, You Me At Six somehow manage to avoid a lawsuit from Anthony Keidis. Moving even further in the jangly pop direction than previous album Suckapunch, the record is littered with soaring choruses and soft melodies layered with electronic elements. Very easy on the ears and definitely more pop than pop punk or alternative, there’s some generic uninteresting tracks just wash on by without leaving much impact, but amongst them the occasional sparkle that stands out from the pack.
‘God Bless The 90s Kids’ is an infectious instant singalong banger which stands up amongst the band’s biggest tracks over their rich history and is sure to be a fan favourite. With its catchy chorus melody line and lyrics that reference the heydey of pop punk, it’s a nostalgic fun rollick through the past which is immediately pit-ready.
‘No Future? Yeah Right’ is helped along by Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds. Adding that inimitable Shikari style to a track that already has some of the band’s vibes, it blends upbeat electronic elements with some punchy guitars. Final track ‘A Love Letter To Those Who Feel Lost’ featuring rising star Cody Frost is a beautiful way to end the record, leaving a memorable impression thanks to her stunning vocal performance which blends so well with Josh Franceschi’s. Their vocals work exceptionally well together and give the record a much needed lift and boost for the soaring, pretty finale.
It really feels like a big deal, this album, for a lot of reasons. On the surface it’s the fourteenth (A mightily impressive number for any group) from a band who’s legacy can be felt in pretty much every modern metal act. Going deeper, it’s probably make or break for In Flames at this point, as the band are looking to undo a streak of critically and commercially disliked records that fall well below their incredibly high standards.
The followup to 2019’s middling I, The Mask, Foregone has a lot of work to do to convince people that In Flames can still keep up with their peers as they enter their thirty third year as a band. Fellow Melodeath stalwarts Dark Tranquillity and At The Gates have both released high quality work in the last few years, and many fans have wondered if losing their founding guitarist Jesper Stromblad over a decade ago began their creative dip.
Opening with a slow, acoustic track, it builds up nicely before kicking off proper with ‘State of Slow Decay’, and when the vocals kick in, you’re reminded just how powerful the band can be. Anders Friden sounds better than he has in years and the riffs are back on form. Speaking of guitars, ‘Meet Your Maker’ changes tempo slightly with some hellacious grooves and pounding drums.
Production wise, this record sounds pretty damn good. It sounds heavy without being too dense, and it allows individual elements space to shine. Definitely a step up from recent efforts. Ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Broderick joined the band as a touring member back in 2019, and it’s on this album we get his first contributions. It’s the song ‘Bleeding Out’ where he first makes his mark, providing a blistering solo alongside some curious electronic elements. His influence shows up across the record and seems to have rejuvenated his fellow band members with his x-factor, for the opening tracks at least.
Bear in mind their name, it seems that few outside of their native land have caught a glimpse of this quintet until now. After a searing self-titled EP and debut full length Underperformer they seemed to fly under the radar regardless of their ingenuity within the hardcore realm. Ignore them at your peril with their second full length outing which sees them bound forward in their song writing, lyricism, and message.
Opener ‘Generation L’ throws you in at the deep end. A brooding start that builds as vocalist Victor Kaas shifts between shrill screams and blood curdling yelling. His vocals are raw as a fresh wound caused by skating across gravel when you came off your bike as a kid. It is clear to see why Victor has stepped in as new vocalist for LLNN as his range is undeniably fantastic. The lyrics stamp down a clear theme for the record also. ‘Whatever we’ll end up doing, we will always fail.’ This clearly not a statement about this first track which is far from a failure. The mix from the off is also as intriguing with varying guitar lines coming from all angles. The depth in the lower end adds swathes of meat to the bones of the sound.
It’s a rare thing for a band that’s been around for 25+ years to make a record that sounds as fresh as a brand new artist just putting out their first collection of polished studio recordings, and yet somehow, this is exactly the stunt Zebrahead have just pulled. Sounding as energetic and invigorated as ever, the bands latest five track EP continues to flesh out a vibrant range of sounds established by the preceding release. From punk and ska to rock and metal, it’s all blended together with tight production, catchy hooks and memorable singalong lyrics, whether it’s an upbeat darkened ska number like ‘Evil Anonymous’ or a riffy, metal laden track like ‘Middle Seat Blues’.
The dual vocal delivery of long-time band member Ali Tabatabaee and newer vocalist and guitarist Adrian Estrella, who joined the band in 2021, breathe new life into the band whilst still retaining a familiar identity that serves just as well as an entry point for new fans as it does a bridge for fans that’ve been with the band for longer. Smack bang in the middle of a music campaign that not only sees the band shine brighter than ever, but indicates just how much this band still has to offer the world. The first track off the EP, ‘No Tomorrow’ picks up immediately where ‘Russian Roulette Is For Lovers?’ (the last track on the previous EP) left off, an injection of upbeat punk rock you can really bang your head to, with rebellious lyrics about rejecting the negativity of the world and living for enjoyment by your own standards. “I just wanna act young, but grow old with my friends, I just wanna get drunk, be sober when I feel like it”, is a defiant feel good anthem sure to strike a chord with many.
