If there ever was a target that was suitable for the ire of a black metal band then the Puritan church and one of its most brutal witchfinders, Matthew Hopkins is definitely that. The Infernal Sea’s fourth release Hellfenlic slams through your front door with torch and accusations in hand, a huge sounding black ‘n’ roll romp through the bleak flattened lands of East Anglia, as Witchfinder General Hopkins acts as judge, jury, and executioner whether rightly or wrongly until his downfall.
From the very start the distinct vocal styles of D.L. intertwines with riffing that borrows from rock ‘n’ roll and black metal alike. The riffs are toe-tappingly addictive, and once they’ve wormed their way into some grey matter they won’t soon be removed. Much like the much-maligned Witchfinder himself, it’s as though they are powered by some deity. Lead single ‘Bastard of the East‘ does a good job showing off exactly what The Infernal Sea are all about, grinding punk riddled black metal riffs, big boomy drum beats that drive the song forward and harrowed demonic growls that describe the work and eventual downfall of Hopkins – the apparent servant of God.
There is a grim allure in the strange beauty of stillness, silence, and loss. So Caligula’s Horse explain the title of their newest studio album, Charcoal Grace. The title describes the Aussie outfit’s music: gritty, heavy, visceral metal; and at other times, soaring, refined, affecting acoustic rock. Through the four-part title track suite and brilliant opening and closing songs, Caligula’s Horse examine life after death – the pandemic, specifically, but broadly through themes like abuse and innocence – and move the listener toward a more hopeful future.
With five previous albums under their belt, Caligula’s Horse know how to open their sixth. The album’s first song and second single, “The World Breathes With Me”, is ten minutes long, yet feels like half that time. Similar musical ideas open and close the song, and they serve as perfect bookends to the song that gives a thematic overview. “Golem”, the second track, is the heaviest one on the album – at least, musically speaking; “Charcoal Grace IV: Give Me Hell” is the weightiest track, with its explicit themes of child and religious abuse. The band have never shied away from tough conversations, and that’s where they write most brilliantly. Like many progressive bands, Caligula’s Horse tell powerful stories and delve into meaningful ideas through their lyrics, but what sets this Aussie band apart is their melodic perfection.
The sung melodies are thanks to powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jim Grey, who soars and roars with equal ease. The other half of the face of the band is guitarist, musical director, and songwriter Sam Vallen, whose melodic guitar lines and blistering solos are unforgettable. Providing the impenetrable foundation for Grey and Vallen are the rhythm masters: Josh Griffin on the kit and Dale Prinsse on bass. These two are some of the tightest in the business, and as progressive rock/metal musicians from the 2010s, when djent reigned, their prowess on tracks like “Mute” shines.
Exocrine glands are responsible for secreting stuff out through the skin. Sweat, mucus, saliva are all good examples of this, and Exocrine have produced a death metal album in the form of Legend that brings on at least two of those three bodily functions wholesale. The bulletstorm of Obscura-esque riffing brings on sweats from exertion, time after time the record blitzes the listener with more notes than the human brain can handle, whilst artfully placed breaks and resplendent song writing activates the saliva glands like a long-awaited meal.
There’s something for everyone here, jazzy parts for the prog heads, majestic leads for the melodeath crowd, there’s plenty of straight up riff worship for those that are a bit more old skool in their approach. There’s spades of modern technical mastery, sometimes the music comes that fast it evokes the speed demons of Archspire or Cytotoxin, there’s even a couple of nods to those heinous fucks over in the brutal death metal corner. If it is nothing else this record is a vastly diverse, dynamic crowd pleaser. The addition of industrial elements in tracks like ‘Dust in the Naught’ and alternate instruments in ‘Legend’ just further cement the labyrinthine compositions employed by Exocrine. This band does something that others tend to step aside from, denying the obvious and easy paths for the sake of the difficult, the daring and the desperately less trodden. People often say that controversy or at the very least conflict can create great works of art and Legend stands head and shoulders above others as proof of exactly this.
Riding hot on the heels of their 2022 debut LP Superstar, Pure Love sees Mall Girl take the old faithful indie and dreampop blueprints and infuse them with their own idiosyncratic charm. For those not quite fully clued up with their contemporary Norwegian dreampop, Superstar was a record that saw Mall Girl receive laudits upon high due to its utter refusal to sit cosily within the comfortable parameters of what indie pop and its related music spheres typically sound like. If one were to imagine a modern indie-pop record crafted by the hands of, say, Andy Warhol, you probably wouldn’t be too far off. Pure Love continues where this respective record left off, albeit with a newfound focus. Instead of focus on a sense of subtle abstractionism, Pure Love takes direct inspiration from the world of midwest emo and modern math rock. The end result is a record as organically fluid and somewhat confusing as the emotion of newfound love itself, but just as irresistibly infatuating.
Whilst an idyllic sound reminiscent of acts such as Goat Girl, Kississipi and SUDS may be the crux and bedrock of this record, it’s what Mall Girl have built upon this foundation that makes Pure Love so alluring. Inhabiting this fertile soundstage are not just nods towards fellow acts within their scene and motifs taken from the aforementioned geographically distant US midwest, but organic ingenuity. It’s not the fusion of gentle indie pop and technically madcap math fretwork that makes this record so interesting, but rather how Mall Girl romanticise these strange bedfellows. Much akin to the record’s lyrical focus on love, romance and our often chaotic reactions to our brains swimming in intoxicating chemicals and newfound hormones, the band have entwined differentiating musical motifs with delicate, all-natural love and affection.
Mountain Caller are best described as a “heavy progressive” musical outfit; their core rooted in doom, post metal and prog. Often compared to the likes of Elder, Cult Of Luna and Russian Circles, the band craft their own unique intricate soundscapes nestled between crushing grooves to paint a sonic portrait for the listener. Unveiling their debut album in 2020, Chronicle I: The Truthseeker introduced The Protagonist as the conceptual character and story the band’s music will follow. Using progressive music’s affinity for concept albums to craft their own story with a rich sonic tapestry, Mountain Caller followed suit with their 2021 EP Chronicle: Prologue to tell The Protagonist’s origin story. Now we’ve finally arrived at the next step, Chronicle II: Hypergenesis, meaning the extremely active formation of something new.
Opening the album and story with the aptly titled “Daybreak”, going for a soft open, a winding delay saturated melody is introduced and blossoms into fuzzy, head nodding riffage. The guitar and bass are locked in tight, hitting strong melodic grooves with each other; it’s all very psychedelic and satisfying. The band play with dynamics and energy through the 7 minute track; an extended bridge builds high anticipation before exploding into a joyous math-rock explosion that feels like it could be ripped straight off an And So I Watch You From Afar classic.
Lead single “The Archivist” fits wonderfully as the second track, breaking the joyful pacing of “Daybreak” and progressing the narrative seamlessly. Energies shift from very dramatic and cryptic to concern and confusion, there is also an element of danger being conjured by the discordant guitar melodies and dramatic Mastodon-esque sludgy fists being thrown. Much like the first album, “Dead Language” is the only song on the record with vocals, reflecting the voice of the protagonist herself. El Reeve’s vocal performance is fantastic throughout the song, but when the post-bridge as her vocals swell from soft spoken to almighty cries, its stunning and epic. The delivery is as powerful as the message the band are trying to convey and lend to the emotional weight of the music and the message.
Dream State could never be accused of taking it easy, powering through multiple changes in lineup and style since their formation in 2014 to become one of the UK’s most exciting up-and-coming bands. With a debut album, 2019’s Primrose Path, as well as live dates supporting As December Falls and Funeral For A Friend under their belt, Dream State are solidifying their sound on their latest EP, Still Dreaming. Dream State waste no time in setting the stage with a brief, synth infused intro which builds straight into the title single ‘Still Dreaming’, a powerful journey into singer Jessie Powell’s personal experience. Powell lashes out at the doubters in her life, raising herself and her bandmates up with an authoritative, soaring voice backed by chugging, metalcore riffs from guitarist Aled Evans and bassist Jake Bowen culminating in a cathartic breakdown with some impressive screams from Powell. If Still Dreaming is your introduction to Dream State then this track will certainly make a strong first impression, kicking down the door with thunderous instrumentals while working through their personal problems with poignant and relatable lyrics.
Praise has to be given for the clear, full production on Still Dreaming, beefing up Dream State’s sound without losing any clarity between the interweaving instrumentals. On tracks like ‘Calling Out’ and lead single ‘Chin Up Princess’ the intricate, layered guitar, bass, drums and synths each have their own place in the mix while still leaving space for lead and backing vocals giving the tracks a polished though still raw and heavy feel. It’s great to hear the clear details of drummer Tom Connolly’s tastefully complex fills or Bowen’s thunderous basslines through such a full mix. A clear high point of the album is the closing track ‘Day Seeker’ which takes inspiration from Dream State’s heaviest influences while letting them indulge in their poppier tendencies. Powell explores her entire vocal range throughout this track, moving from a Brutus style forceful growl to pop-diva style falsetto with the rest of the band flowing through an equally impressive number of styles with danceable four-on-the-floor drums, huge post-hardcore style guitar chords and ambient synths fusing together. It’s a powerful end to Still Dreaming, letting the band flex their entire arsenal with just as much impact as the rest of the EP without coming across as hollow or pretentious. Still Dreaming is Dream State distilled down to their most pure and powerful with plenty of catchy choruses as well as fierce breakdowns. Despite their turbulent past, Dream State have grown comfortably into their signature sound, led confidently by singer Jessie Powell’s energetic and varied performance.
