Encased in pugnacious crossover thrash is Spiritworld’s third offering of Wild Western stylings and demonic tales, Helldorado. Though donned in jazzy suits and fuelled with whimsical concepts, do not be mistaken, Spiritworld are certainly not an all hat and no cattle band. Building their domain since 2020, they have consistently shown that they possess the specific alchemy to create an addictive riff. Their previous cut, Deathwestern, still having many fans hooked some three years later with its fierce combination of brutality and staunch creativity.
Opening track ‘Abilene Grime’ is feistier than a western brawl. Kicking off the record with energetic honky-tonk shuffles, the band are quick to set the ambience as you are soon being dragged into hell to the sound of Slayer-esque riffs. The galloping prowess and fired-up grooves make no haste and continue to twang through following tracks ‘No Vacancy In Heaven’ and ‘Western Stars and the Apocalypse’. Previous albums Pagan Rhythms and Deathwestern were Spiritworld fleshing out their style. But, as opening cuts prove, this record is them nailing the vigorous amalgamation of full-throttle thrash and Hatebreed-infused boisterousness.
‘Accessible’ is not a word often uttered in conversations about Imperial Triumphant. However their latest release Goldstar is just that (in so far as extreme jazz riddled death metal can be). In the not so distant future this album will be described as the one to listen to if you need to ease into the aesthetic and sound of Imperial Triumphant. It’s no less madcap, maybe it’s just a bit more that we’ve become a little desensitised to the what the band brings to the plate. Goldstar is heavy on the art deco Metropolis inspired aesthetic, and less on the mental labyrinthine compositions of the albums that came before it. Of course that is not to say that it’s lesser in anyway, just a different approach to what is becoming a well settled niche.
With that intro you might be lead to believe that this new album isn’t as extreme as previous offerings, you’d be wrong, it maintains that sharpened urban edge, both beautiful and horrific in equal parts that is possibly no great represented than in the track, “Gomorrah Neouveaux,” where crushing death metal riffing sits alongside the soaring melodic leads, tarnished with black metal rhythmic work. The song is mind bendingly diverse as it moves through it’s parts with the ease of a well-seasoned New York cab driver.
It’s not called a sophomore slump for nothing. Industry pressures and fan expectations can hinder the creative process. Rather than chase that dragon, Cleopatrick have decided to pave a new path. Uniquely incorporating bit-crushed guitars and glitching vocals early on it’s clear this album has a vision. There is a dreamlike aura to this record, complimented by crescendoing cymbals and introspective vulnerability in the lyrics.
Album opener ‘Heat Death’ is fair warning this album is a different soundscape to previous projects. Although slower and more relaxed than fans may have expected, it is still endearing. The introduction of ominous feedback towards the end of the track acts as a reminder, it’s still a Cleopatrick record. Second track being their single ‘Bad Guy’ offers some familiarity to those keeping up with their releases. With clear influences from alt-rock icons Radiohead.
Hitting their stride in the early noughties, Coheed and Cambria have proven themselves as one of the emo genre’s most consistent acts for over two decades with their unique blend of prog rock experimentation and pop inspired post-hardcore hooks. Now, on their latest dive into their carefully crafted science fiction universe, the east coast quartet, led by frontman Claudio Sanchez alongside guitarist Travis Stever, bassist Zach Cooper and drummer Josh Eppard, show that they’re just as in touch with their roots as they are rocketing into the future.
While the beats of the average Coheed album should feel like second nature to their dedicated fans, the details have been honed down to a fine point for a unique twist on The Father Of Make Believe. As with any era spanning epic the album opens with a brief recap of the band’s history up to this point with the subtly self-referential opening track ‘Yesterday’s Lost’, beginning the album with a gentle lone piano melody which incorporates the recurring theme of the Good Apollo era, heard predominantly in ‘Keeping The Blade’, before seamlessly transitioning into a synth-tinged acoustic ballad this track provides a juicy piece of bait to reel in returning fans. Coheed’s ability to refer back to their previous work to signal the tone of the album going forward rather than coming off as lazy and forced is part of the reason they’ve remained such a force to reckon with for over two decades.
Despite recent mix-up on the Grammy’s red carpet, it’s no secret that Canadian metalcore ensemble Spiritbox have been making a name for themselves following the release of their debut album Eternal Blue (2021). Fresh off the back of a sold-out headline show at London’s 10,250 capacity Alexandra Palace last month, Tsunami Sea sees the quartet usher in a new era full of djent-laden riffs, versatile vocals and electronically infused melodies that expand the strong foundations of their previous work.
Titled after the mirage phenomenon where objects are distorted beyond recognition on the distant horizon, opener ‘Fata Morgana’ perfectly encapsulates Spiritbox’s sound: slow, harsh distorted riffs that build tension as LaPlante’s unforgiving screams enter to create a spiteful texture interspersed by segments of airy shoegaze. Ebbing and flowing between these two extremes throughout the tracklist, some of this album’s finest moments are found in the blistering heaviness of lead singles ‘Soft Spine’ and ‘No Loss, No Love’. Characterised by sliding riffs and pounding percussion ‘Soft Spine’ is “dedicated to everybody I fucking hate” according to LaPlante and is every part as malicious as it sounds. Accompanied by a big budget, monochromatic music video remnant of the Harkonnen home planet Giedi Prime in fellow Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part II (2024), Spiritbox have perfected their storytelling on this album. This is no clearer than on ‘No Loss, No Love’ where the physical landscape of their hometown Vancouver Island is depicted as sharing their aggression both lyrically “I know an island that breathes is a body that eats / And now it’s showing its teeth” and visually in the masterful music video which sees the band engulfed by enormous, crashing waves.
Herzschlager is a hardcore punk and d-beat side project from Allfather, a band that encourage and celebrate all things heavy, take inspiration from bands and genres of yesteryear, and modernise a classic sound that’s loved by thousands of metalheads worldwide. The diverse influences are clear on Herzschlager’s second EP, Deep in the Heart; taking inspiration from hardcore greats such as Hatebreed and Discharge whilst also mixing up their sound by adding Judas Priest inspired solos.
“The Ruin” is a thundering album opener, with an epic drum intro and dual guitar solos that rival Iron Maiden’s early work. Although the guitar riffs are extremely polished, Herzschlager’s production is a lot more rough around the edges, which makes Deep in the Heart an essential modern deep cut that many hardcore fans would find enjoyable. “Kill All Your Heroes” is also a standout track; a two-minute tirade that’s lyrically about icons of the past abandoning their ethics as soon as they make enough money to comfortably live, which is an extremely bold, yet refreshing attitude for a modern band to make and will surely hit home for a lot of people who grew up listening to heavier genres.
