Continuing on from their last release, this album explores the obstacles that life puts in the way of freedom. It also tells the story of birth and how each moment leads to the next during life.
Opening with a peaceful yet purpose-driven pace, Fleshy Waves of Probability steadily builds momentum with each track. The album attempts a complex ride, but ends up sounding extremely platable. The first few tracks are thoughtful, melodic, and contemplative, giving the listener a glimpse of the band’s understanding of atmosphere. Their influences are obvious from the start of this album, which is by no means a negative. It feels familiar and comforting to recognise the sound and the pace.
It’s on track five, ‘Voices in the Grey” where things take a noticeable turn. Up until this point, the album paints a picture of moody, almost ethereal landscapes—lush, evocative, and brooding. Then, the groove hits. It’s a confident energy that invites the listener to have a little dance and move with the band to a more exciting landscape. The blend of light and dark as the album plays through reflects the story the band attempt to tell of the struggles of life and the pursuit of freedom.
Aether is a testament to complete devotion. A vibrant sonic ritual celebrating the magnificent elemental forces, forging attributes found in Rolo Tomassi and Sikth to give us technical proficiency to match its emotional sonic core.
Beginning with the otherworldly vortex of dissipating voices in ‘Mother of Moon’ as atmospheric swells set the sacrificial tone with emphatic tribal drums and voices of command leading the rite. The album flows more as one single experience with interludes of possessed whispers and sinister instruction providing powerful linkway between the tracks. Forlorn are Instrumentally at home with all the hallmarks of modern prog metal with guitars tuned devastatingly low and drums orchestrating wild chaos. A whiplash is served in ‘Creatress’ as vocalist Megan Jenkins is possessed by a multitude of spirits, from divine chorus to the wounded howls she roots her place as a convincing conductress.
Forlorn deliver musically with just as much conviction as they do with their ideology as they soar in glittering tributes to water in ‘Keeper of The Well’ which ends in wonderful group chants which gives a nordic quality to the albums fabric. On closer and album highlight ‘Spirit’ you’ve got a finale which combines the albums most heavenly moments with Jenkins singing “all around us connected, to above and below’ before a tense and unforgiving build into its most ferocious djenty breakdown reminiscent of Jinjer. In the wake of metalcore production discourse special mention must go to Sam Bloor (Graphic Nature, Dream State, etc) who’s production has walks the tightrope to capture the impact of modern production without stripping it of careful human endeavour.
Rising from humble beginnings, Manchester based Pleiades have quickly cemented themselves as one of the UK’s most vital up-and-coming alternative voices. On their latest EP If Your Roots Run Deep, You Can’t Fear The Wind, the band return to their respective hometowns around the UK for a personal experience full of the same intricate musicianship as their previous work.
Rather than gently build up tension, Pleiades dive into the deep end on the EP’s heaviest material with opener ‘SK4/SK7 (Seek Kindness/Safe Keeping), a frantic blend of sounds borrowed from At The Drive In and Thrice. Frontman Andy Calderbank barges his way to the forefront of the track with ferocious staccato screams which offer a perfect counterpoint to the guitar riffs which jump from bouncing swancore style noodling to bell-like clean harmonics. By flying out of the gate with the EP’s most chaotic and urgent track, Pleiades grab the listener’s attention, ready to carry them through the slower burning work later on.
Stormo have been a prolific post-hardcore band for the past two decades, creating a name for themselves in the European screamo scene and gaining many loyal fans who are accustomed to their chaotic noise, fast blasts, poetic vocals and overall unique take on the genre. With this last record the band has added some interesting contaminations and elevated their music into something even more captivating.
Tagli/Talee”was written exclusively whilst travelling across Europe while touring with their album Endocannibalismo. It symbolically collages and embodies the transient surroundings and characters that has filled their last few years, with Norway’s extreme metal scene seeping into their sonic assault. The pacing and structure of the songs themselves also inspired by their contemporaries whilst on the road, with vocalist Luca Rocco taking a keen interest in unifying the sequencing of a live set to that of the band’s recorded output.
The title Tagli/Talee, translating into “Cuts/Grafts” also portrays this idea of fragmentation perfectly. At first impact you can’t help but notice that the tracks are pretty short compared to what we are used to get from them. However, each of these 11 songs are intense enough to fill you with plenty of different emotions, transporting you into new environments and experimenting with diverse sounds.
Orchards have not got where they have the easy way. Releasing their debut album Lovecore as the world went into panic mode at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the future seemed bleak for the Brighton based trio which made their return in 2024 with sold out live shows across the UK all the more exciting for their dedicated fans. Now, on their second full-length album Bicker, Orchards are ready to take the world by storm with their euphoric blend of upbeat pop and intricate, experimental indie rock.
Straight out of the gate Orchards make their intentions clear with emotionally intense lyrics and unstoppable pop energy backed by bouncy guitar-led indie rock. Opening track ‘Say It’ acts as a perfect re-introduction to the Orchards with frontwoman Lucy Evers leading the band in a cathartic yet buoyant summer bop which perfectly balances their more esoteric musicality and personal songwriting with an ecstatic, grinning liveliness. From the very first line of Bicker the recipe is laid bare, a rich sonic lasagne with layers of memorable pop and off-kilter indie finished off with just enough math rock to keep everyone happy.
An undisputed highlight of Bicker is lead single ‘I Feel Terrible’, a synth-laced indie-pop banger ready to burrow into your ear and stay there all summer. Evers’ layered, confident vocals sit at the forefront of the track in front of a backdrop of playful slap bass and glitching guitars with a subtly ingenious interplay between the various instruments that’s sure to attract the attention of the most intellectual of math rock nerds without turning away fans who are here for the good time vibes.
You might not be immediately familiar with Bloodywood. Not to be confused with the Indian style of filmmaking known as Bollywood. While both hail from the same subcontinent, and they do share some lyrical stylings, one is a film industry known for melodramas, over-the-top action and lavishly staged musical numbers, the other is an Indian folk metal band that set the world alight with their debut album Rakshak back in 2022 that blended nu-metal, folk music, rap metal and songs targeting everything from rape culture to political corruption.
The band found success through word of mouth thanks to their first original song ‘Jee Veerey’, a song about mental health, that was released back in the dim, distant past of 2018. A successful tour and well received album followed. It’s been a long road since then, with the band receiving praise, plaudits and audience approbation all around the world that not even a global pandemic could slow down for long. Now they’re back with the infamously difficult second album called Nu Delhi and there’s one important question to answer – Is it any good?
