Black Country, New Road : "Forever Howlong"

 This is the third album from these British indie folksters who flirt with rock music less, and indulge in more woodwinds and jazz-tinged passages this time around. The vocals are what anchors them in indie rock, as the more folk notions lie in the poetic melodies that run the center course of their songs.  Most of it flows really well and seems like how things just progressed. There is a more Beatles-like tone to things on this album. It reminds me of the more quaint pastoral moments from the White Album. The vocal lines on "Socks" wander around a little more. The production quality is the most notable growth as the mix balances all the layers of strings and woodwinds. 

Kate Bush could also be an influence that peers through in some of the more odd vocal phrasings that dance around the instrumentation, think her "Lionheart" era here. If this album gets the proper push, it's already evident in the first three songs that this band could break into a bigger audience with this album, as this could be embraced at local coffee shops everywhere. The arrangements also show great maturity in how these songs evolve. "Salem Sister" does a more delicate dance against the harpsichord and strings. The lyrics feel a little more abstract this time around. I would not say these songs are all that hooky, though impressive in the scope of what is being accomplished. Dynamic in a manner that most indie rock is not. 

When things take a more balladesque turn on "Two Horses," there is a slight wink to Joni Mitchell. The bass line to this one creates a 70s groove. It does take you on a more unexpected adventure than what the beginning of the song suggests, with plenty of jazz infused into it in a very progressive rock manner. "Mary" is a more straightforward folk song. Guitars with a more rock intention creep into "Happy Birthday' to further the Beatles comparisons. 

They go back into a more folky feel with "For the Old Country".  Normally, any song over the five-minute mark on this album finds the band embarking on a wild excursion. This one proves to be dynamic, but it does not venture too far from the main theme.  "Nancy Tries to Take the Night" finds a more jazz embellished wandering being embarked upon with some great drumming to propel it. "Maxwell's Sliver Hammer" is the best point of reference for the direction it heads. The title track is a more subdued folk musing It almost makes me think of something Bjork might due in one of her less experimental moments. 'It's fitting that "Goodbye" should close the album. It's more of a romantic pining with a slight country element to it. It's a pretty solid song, less wandering and abstract, that has a clear narrative rather than elusive bits of abstraction.I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me, despite the brilliant compositions I did not rate it higher due to the stream of consciousness vocals that could have hooked me in a little more , but hard not to appreciate what they are doing here. 

10.3

LEAVE : "The Cost of Compromise"

 

Germany has embraced metal-core, and the brand of Myspace spawned emo-metal mid-2000s, which found the rise in popularity. This band would be huge if they came from the UK or America. "Dead Dreams' is your typical nu-emo anthem, but the moodier verses to "When I'm Gone" prove to be more impressive dynamically. The nu part being dug into with the more hard-core riff they dig into as the song progresses. "Pull the Tooth" finds them continuing to use broad strokes of atmosphere and melody that play to the favor of their songwriting and sets the stage for their more pop punk choruses. It is hooky and well done, so there is something to be said for what they are doing. It might not be the most original thing I have heard in the bigger picture. It is impressive that the singer sounds like he is from California, and this is done in a manner where you might never suspect these guys are from Germany. 

"Perfect Trajedy" is more upbeat, and sounds like it came from the pop punk days of Myspace with its bigger arena rock guitar sound. Not my thing mood-wise, but they are doing a good job of creating it, and the vocals have more nuance to them. This nuance is a pop inflection that might be overdramatic for some, but it works for what they set out to accomplish here. It's around "I Just Feel Worse" that things begin to sound the same, causing the songs to run together and increasing the need to go back and give another listen to find the more standout elements. "I Just Feel Worse" starts off with a Sleep Token mood and ends up closer to Volbeat. On one hand, this means there is a big well well-produced quality, on the other hand, it's not that heavy and more accessible. 

Much of this has to do with the songwriting formula the band is invested in that offers more melodic possibilities leading into the song, then explodes into stadium-ready pop punk. I begin to notice a Post Malone-like tremble in the vocals during the more emotive sections. Some nu-metal-like riffs creep in. Despite the almost rapped-like cadence to the vocals on "Coma" things being to feel a little bland. "Phantom" starts off more like a ballad. Sleep Token comparisons could be drawn in this regard. The chorus vomits Lisa Frank all over the mood, and feels like they are conforming to a bigger picture. 'Am I Awake' is a nu-metal power ballad for Gen-Z. The song is poppier with programmed drums, and an emphasis on the vocals in the verse with a big chorus, which might have dynamics but also follows a formula to the letter. These guys are good at what they are doing, for my tastes as this album progresses, what they do grow further away from what I am into so I will give this album an 8. 

SCOWL : "Are We All Angels"

 I watched all the videos leading up to this release, after the first one, I saw hooked me in as they have grown away from being a punk or hardcore band and making catchy 90's alternative music for 2025. First off Kat Moss only uses a harsher, hard-core flavored snarl as a point of accentuation. Her main style of delivery is a slacker croon that has more in common with Veruca Salt. The second song, "B.A.B.E," is more upbeat on the verses in a punk fashion with a more deliberate hooky chorus.  With bands like this, I have learned to steer clear of interviews. When I even get peeks of it, there is plenty of stupid pandering with tangents about hardcore being more inclusive, apparently so much so that it includes music that isn't hardcore at all, with songs like "Fantasy" that would have been all over the radio in 1994.

This feels like it is who this band really is, as their attempts at punk often felt like they were trying too hard in the past. Production-wise wise this album has the slick sound of Turnstile's last album, but without all the bells and whistles. The hooks stand up on their own and need little bolstering to make them effective.  All the songs are quick three-minute ditties. Some of the more quirky expansions of their sound can be heard on "Tonight (I'm Afraid)". It is about as punk as the Offspring, with Moss' voice sounding its best. "Fleshed Out' has a more angular groove that the vocals smooth out. Her voice is given a little more love in post-production, and it pays off as it is the centerpiece of this album. 

"Let You Drown" is the first song that kinda coasts along, and does not hook me in like the previous songs did, but at this point, we are six songs into the album so they have had a pretty solid winning streak. "Cellophane" has more of a grunge grit to the guitar. Her vocals glide over this with little aggression to them, but this contrast is what makes these songs work so well. The harder riffs that lead into these songs begin to find a formula in place as the verse, when the vocals come, find them on the loud-to-soft blueprint bands like Hole used. In fact, the riff to "Suffer the Fool" reminds me of Everclear. 

When you think of grunge, what stands out is that those bands came from a punk background, and they evolved into something with more moods to color their angst, which is this album's strength as well. "Haunted" is the second song that does not connect with me on my initial listen, and the second listen did not find me really warming up to it, though it feels like Weezer in how it gives a grunge chug to 50s pop. The growl of the bass rumbles its way into the last song, which is another more uptempo stab in the punk direction. I will give this album a 9.5, as it's an improvement in song writing that displays a commitment to melody, and takes the band in a more honest stylistic direction that makes for some great post-grunge. 

ButcherBird : "Drought / Deluge"

This hardcore band from London has a metallic groove to their feedback-squealing attack. The vocals are the most straightforward thing about the overall sound, as they are delivered with the kind of angry shout you expect from hardcore. They throw some breakdowns at you, but they come from less expected places, so they work. Despite the jerking whiplash of the mathy riffs, they are more straightforward in a more rock n roll manner than, say, Full of Hell. They are willing to give into the atmosphere, with unwieldy sections of choruses colliding at you in a manner that reminds me more of Rollins Band than Black Flag. Though the mood is more celebratory than "The End of Silence" was for the more sullen Henry. 

"Be the Rabbits " finds them balancing out songwriting with confrontational explosion. It does remind me that in the 90s, hardcore was much more willing to be experimental than it is now. Midway into this song, there is a little more brooding introspection that adds to the album's overall dynamic flair. Their vocalist actually sings here as well. 'Dead Cat Strategy' finds a burly bellowing set against the sinewy tension, as they wind their way around simmering resentment given catharsis here. "I've Walked in Space" finds more nuanced guitar expanding the album's emotional range. 

The last song is more high-energy energy in your face. Their drummer is certainly earning his pay on this one. There is more of a noise-rock temperament, set against urgent outpouring to spit these lyrics in your face at the high volume they can find. Lyrical, it's more experimental than the typical let's all unite and be tough together to get through this unfair world garbage, you get from your average hard-core band which I was never a fan of I always wanted hopeless depressed apocalyptic hard-core which is why bands like Bloodlet, Starkweather and Integrity always appealed to me but I can get down with what these guys are doing as well.  They do it so well that I'll give this album a 9.5, as I see how it grows on me, it will likely get a fair amount of rotation since I am not sure what I did with my old Rollins Band albums. 

pst150

mclusky: "the world is still here and so are we"

 

The first album this trio has released in 20 years. They emerged from the 90s playing a noisy take on tongue-in-cheek punk. Vocally, they adhere less to punk and shout random thoughts. The comical tone is heavy on the first track. They employ dissonant guitar lines and churn an angular battering under it all. "way the exploding dickhead" works better than the first two songs when it comes to making things memorable, as the chant is infectious. There is more of a slacker vibe to the more deliberate "The Battle of Los Angelsea"; it brings Helmet to mind. 

"person person" feels like it is more pounding, a more emotional pulse. Though this does not mean that it has as many dynamic twists as some of the other songs. At times, these guys remind me of King Missle. "the Compotent horse thief" being one of those times. The pace picks up for "kafka-esque novelist franz kafka".  "the digger you deep" finds the band indulging in more clever wordplay, as the bass lends weight to the drone of the song. It's like Primus without the funk. This formula works better on some songs than others, as things begin to sound rather uniform by the time we get to "autofocus on the prime directive". 

They solve this problem by dialing things back for "not all steeplejacks". Then after this they are back to some times pounding out bouncy grooves , and at other times colliding powerchords against one another to vent frustrations. They veer more in the indie rock side of things for the last song. I'll round this down to an 8, not a hug fan of the vocals, but I get why people are into these guys as they are good at what they do so giving it an 8, as they made the album they set out to make and their fan base should be pleased by it. Ipecac is releasing this May 9th. 

pst149

LIK : "Necro"

 When I hear the term Swedish Death Metal, I used to think of something more in line with At the Gates, but now it seems like the phrase is code for 'we love Entombed', and by the band's own admission, they wanted the opening track to sound like Entombed. They succeeded. I dig Entombed, not really a band I listen to as much now as I did in the 90s, but they have a distinct sound. Hopefully, the rest of this album finds this band showcasing their distinct sound and not becoming an Entombed tribute band. Though the guitar melodies seem to convey they are paying tribute to a wider range of Swedish death metal, as it is more At the Gates, in its aggressive delivery. Truth be told, I might like the first song better. Around the two-minute mark, a pretty killer riff comes in, but they just solo over it. Even then, the rule here is "cool riffs alone does not a good song make". 

"They" is more deliberate and marginally darker. It hits a pretty solid "Wolverine Blues" era groove. It might be the best song so far. This is the band's fourth album, so they know what they are doing production-wise and have a sound dialed in, even if it is not the world's most original sound. One thing that plays to the band's favor is their economic songwriting that finds them keeping things around the three to four minute mark. With a song like the rapid fire "Worms Inside" they got straight for the throat and leave little time to fuck around and let things sprawl out. Their formula at this point seems to be to throw the best riff in at the two-minute mark to switch it up. The growl of the bass leads the way into the grind of "Morgue Rat". It's a darker, more throbbing song, which is a sound I prefer over feeling like things are being rushed by momentum.  Granted, this drags things out into the five-minute mark, but it's time well spent, and not a droning jam. 

They pour on the speed for "Shred into Pieces".  In doing so, it pretty much turns into a rumble that sounds like everything else in this vein. Their drummer is a beast, but you have to be to play death metal. They cast a doomy shadow on things with "In Ruins", though step on the gas once they are into the verse. Nik Holmes from Paradise Lost lends his voice to the song. But he is pretty much buried in the layering of vocals, until they break things down enough for him to give a goth mumble over it. The overall vocal performance on this song seems more intentional than most. The rushed thrashing of "the Stockholm Massacre" finds interesting lyrics lost in the frantic delivery. 

"Fields of Death" is another speed fest, that at this point is getting dynamically tiring, as it feels like you are being hit with the same blunt force straight to your eardrums. There are some who are going to be a fans of this sort of thing. The last song is doomier, and works better to establish a mood than the thrashing ultra violence they kept hitting us with. For this reason I will round this down to an 8, they are skilled at what they do which is a specific flavor of death metal that is not always my thing. This drops on Metal Blade. 

pst148

Fractured Fairytales :" Parasomina"

 

This band reminds me so much of Lollipop Lust Kill that I had to click around online to see if there was any connection. There was no connection to Narcotic Wastlands, if you are into bands in the "Where Are They Now?" files. These guys meet at that weird intersection of the 90s where nu-metal and death metal met. The song is reasonably catchy with the vocals mainly barked with a nu-metal pseudo goth vocal sometimes chanting around the bark. This might appeal to Jauggaloos, as the vocals are sometimes almost rapped. I am a fan of the fact that it is not upbeat or trying to bring the party, but making a feel-bad album. 

"Hate is All You Need" finds the songwriting not as hooky or nuanced, making it the first song to lean more in the direction of filler. Maybe it's a flux?  "Shadow in Hell" has more of a groove to offer redemption, as the vocal goes from rapped to more of a Marilyn Manson-like croon. I am not sure if this album is going to be something I need in regular rotation as I own a great deal that already meets these needs, but it's entertaining, and I am glad there are bands out there doing this sort of thing. Though I think pouring on the speed is not something that plays to the benefit of what is being done here, and it's the creepy grooves that work best. 

This can be heard on the very deliberate riff that drives the verse of 'Snow Angel". There are varied vocal approaches and guitar melodies that show the willingness to dig into songwriting that have to be respected. Just being heavy is not good enough for this album; there have to be things to hook you in, which it excels at, even if it is not the most original assemblage of sounds, it works for what is going on here. "the Unmaker" perhaps leans to heavily on the Marilyn Manson influence. It harkens back to the "Portrait of an American Family" era that was more rooted in rock guitar riffs. "Somewhere Else" is the first song where it begins to become apparent that there is a formula taking shape with an industrial march accompanied by a multitracked chorus of monster-like vocals chanting in mean-spirited unison. 

"A Reflection' takes this formula in a heavier direction. "Wither Psalm". "All Fall" uses the drone of guitar to lock into the chant of "live to die another day," which is catchy enough to work. I will give this album a 9, since it does pay tribute to 90s goth rock pretty heavily, but they make an effort to write catchy songs which makes for a fun listen. If you like goth-infused nu-metal, then you are their target audience and will like this album.  

pst147