The album addresses various aspects of natures interactions with the dark, destructive tendencies of humankind. However do not be fooled, this is no mournful walk through desolated landscapes to melancholic synthesisers and doom riffs. Sworn To Avenge is an angry and unhinged call to arms that would have Treebeard’s Ents up in arms, ready to destroy hundreds more Orthanc towers. With meaty rhythm riffs sounding very reminiscent of Venom and Celtic Frost, combined with the melodic sounds of the NWOBHM and Bathory it most definitely stands up to its black metal tag. There is also a Darkthrone-esque duality to their music, making it a unique fusion between the first and second waves of black metal, as the band have a true appreciation for all things grim, gloomy and frostbitten. The rough edge to the compositions only adds to the intensity of the subject matter. There are more little twists in this album that the Paris Catacombs, you find a new route through the album with each listen through. This is only accentuated by the album’s production, a modern professionalism yet is raw and nostalgia inducing, as it takes inspiration from the artists mentioned above.
There’s definitely elements that borrow from classic 2004 MySpace screamo era and there’s a nostalgic feel to some of the record (see ‘Dies Irae’ for a really fun example) but large swathes of this album are seriously heavy as hell – like that breakdown on ‘Last Tango In Paris’, where the growled vocals sound almost death metal in quality.
The fact that ‘Replica Of A Strange Love’ (the band’s second full length) is produced by Isaac Hale of hardcore heavyweights Knocked Loose should reveal a little something about some of the styles to expect. There are certainly plenty of hardcore elements and tight little beat-drop breaks but mostly what we’re looking at here is a classic metalcore type of sound – the ending of ‘Sycophant’ being a perfect example.
Their album is titled ‘Smile Less’. Their web address and all their social media uses the moniker ‘ihatethroat’. It’s clear from the get-go this band are a little off the wall, and one listen to their brand-new record will confirm it (although we heartily recommend more than one listen). Their third full length, released via Svart Records, is an absolute masterpiece of craft, genre-blending and surprising twists and turns, guaranteed to put you in a dark yet happy mood.
Initially, when the repetitive post-punk drone of ‘Conveyor Line’ kicks in you could be forgiven for thinking you’ve got the number on this band and know what’s coming next but strap yourselves in because the ride is only just getting started. Evil-sounding and atmospheric, ‘Conveyor Line’ is an aptly titled song which accurately depicts the dull monotony of such a form of work through its baritone vocals and rolling basslines. The relentless cascading drums add to this dreary factory atmosphere, beating out hypnotic rhythms which offer no respite until the dropped out middle section four minutes in. “This time it’s personal…” The vocals are almost painfully half screamed as it builds to the drop and a moment of delicate guitars breaks the tension.
These are just three words to sum up Delilah Bon’s eclectic and self-proclaimed “random” self-titled debut. The alter ego of Hands Off Gretel frontwoman Lauren Tate, her own branded “Brat Punk” sound is nothing like any fans of the grunge outfit would expect.
Inspired by 00s pop artists with punk attitudes like P!nk and Gwen Stefani, Delilah Bon combines hip hop and nu metal in a way that’s so nostalgic but so fresh. The full record was also completely self-produced, which one would never suspect. Each beat and riff are masterfully layered on every track and there is never a hint of overwhelming or conflicting rhythms. From the multitonal hip hop sound of ‘Soul Sisters’ to the more mellow RnB vibe of ‘Chop Dicks’, the record shows a lot of versatility rather than just one niche sound she’s perfected.
Finnish occult rockers Jess And The Ancient Ones have been around since 2010. Around that time, many new 60s/70s occultic inspired psych and doom revival bands were cropping up, many of which clustered around UK label Rise Above (perhaps the most prominent surviving act from this scene in present day being Swedish group Ghost, then known as Ghost B.C.). If you perused this wave of bands at the time on YouTube and similar sites, you may recall coming across Jess And The Ancient Ones’ debut 2012 self-titled release in your suggestions bar.
Since that first album they have written 2 more albums of mystical bluesy and soulful tunes, and now they bring us another – their 2021 release Vertigo.
Greatest Hits isn’t a greatest hits album.
Generally, greatest hits albums aren’t always that ‘great’. Bands go through different eras; different styles and sounds. Unless they’re stagnant and self-absorbed, bands are reflective practitioners of their art, always growing, learning, experimenting, pushing themselves. At least, the greats are. Which is why greatest hits albums are so contentious. Yes, they’re a collection of a band’s most famous and successful singles but there’s a lack of cohesion and continuity on a ‘best of’ which makes them less enjoyable than simply checking out a band’s album cycle.
That dissonance isn’t present on Waterparks’ fourth full length album Greatest Hits (which could arguably make it the best greatest hits album in the world). Each track is perfectly placed in a well-constructed order where every song smoothly complements the next and slots into the trio’s overall ‘vision’.
The new era of Parx has officially arrived and it’s clear that lead vocalist and songwriter Awsten Knight is extremely proud of what the band have accomplished across the course of these forty-seven minutes and seventeen tracks – “in my opinion, these are our greatest hits,” he said, stereotypically brash as ever.
