yeah idk what y'all were thinking lol, this is a really immersive listen, love how creepy and genuinely unpredictable it is

Album Rating: 3.9

Those second half pipes though.

Album Rating: 3.0

Let's have ourselves an immersive listen slex bb gimme a kiss

While yr at work? I don't wanna make the others jealous

Album Rating: 3.9

Sounds like a public service to me

anything for my fans

Album Rating: 3.5

damn just a year later? must cheque

Album Rating: 4.0

This wouldn't work if the spoken word wasn't compelling... But it is. Twitching, lapsing damn. This album is like a time lapse of the decaying animal carcass.

Album Rating: 3.9

Looks like this is buzzing just a bit.

YES CHEF I am sold. Great review!

Album Rating: 3.9

Let me know how you go Snr Ruggles

I love the way these guys work the contrasts. I'm enjoying it so far.

Nice review!

I get where you're coming from re: your sentiment towards the commercialization/stagnation of metalcore's basic formula. Personally, I do take issue with the tendency to call a genre 'dead' just because there are popular copy/paste artists.

For example, one could make the same argument subbing in pop/rap/edm instead of metalcore, and it would seem sensible on its face.

But isn't it the case that in reality, we just have so much more music readily available to us that it simply requires more sifting through to find the niche that works for you?

Not trying to pick a fight or anything, just musing on the idea... Maybe I'm just in an optimistic mood today.

Album Rating: 3.9

Interesting point. I like conversations, especially in good form, optimistic ones like the one you've suggested. I'd like to start here:



--we just have so much more music readily available to us that it simply requires more sifting through to find the niche that works for you?--



I do agree that these days we're...over saturated with releases. Gone are the days you'd have to physically enter a store, look at the back of a whole bunch of cases and decide whether that artist/album is worth your cash. Now, a few clicks a sweeping subscription and we have the world's musical library at our fingertips, whether we follow those "artists' or not.



In terms of finding a niche however I understand your point but don't completely find it relevant to me. I'll explain: my preference for those "dead" artists/sounds stems from a lot of nostalgia, but that doesn't change the fact that even twenty years later a lot of these acts are still churning out carbon copies of themselves.



Further than that I can point out my own hypocrisy in the likes of Iron Maiden and other golden era, pioneer acts. For whatever reason I (like others) will continue to eat that up.

Album Rating: 3.5

I always view the term "dead" in relation to a genre's popularity (specifically if there was a heyday and then a downtrend) rather than it's existence. It's why no one says goregrind or microtonal idm breakbeat house or whatever is dead, because they've never had their time in the zeitgeist so to speak. But there's always some good shit if you dig anywhere.

this is wild
but the production is kinda wtf

Album Rating: 2.5

not feeling this much

@Gnocchi:

In regards to those last two points, wouldn't that mean the change has to be in how receptive you end up being to a given kind of sound at any point? I'm sure for many of us who have spent countless hours searching for different music to enjoy (to say nothing of the time we spend blissfully enjoying songs we love over and over) have more or less dialed down what kinds of music suit our taste.

The optimistic logic then follows that it's what qualities any given person might find value in that set apart artists and songs we enjoy. I think in the last five years, that perspective has been where I try to start my own thoughts and reviews from, I guess.

For all those people out there like us, who have our favorite bands we return to over the years, there are favorites that really exemplify a particular sound. Would it then not follow that making small adjustments and tweaks to that core sound is how you'd ultimately get to the best of a given style?

I'm definitely a fan of the general metalcore formula, but ultimate I'm extremely picky with that I find to be excellent, and a lot of my preferences are specific to myself, and not something I care to explain or defend anymore.

@Calc:

Agreed! I do feel like I encounter people calling a genre 'dead' more often as a euphemism for it them finding it boring or full of uncreative acts, though.

Album Rating: 3.9

I'm sure for many of us who have spent countless hours searching for different music to enjoy (to say nothing of the time we spend blissfully enjoying songs we love over and over) have more or less dialed down what kinds of music suit our taste.



Yes and no. I don't misunderstand me. I hear what you're saying - but I've given a lot (a lot) of time to searching, researching, exploring the depths of the internet to find "Bands that sound like A/B" because as you've pointed out; these would be the preferences towards the music I like etc. But in the same instances my receptiveness to those types of acts are...bi-polar (probably a least sensitive descriptor). A specific example would be the KsE type acts. I loved the stuff I grew up with (even with two different vocal eras), however my receptiveness to modern KsE is decidedly different to 15-20 years ago. This probably reinforces your point if I've got you dialed in properly.



I think in the last five years, that perspective has been where I try to start my own thoughts and reviews from, I guess.



This is a strong point, for we all need a comparative to base our ideas/arguments on - whether it's big or small.

Album Rating: 3.9

Would it then not follow that making small adjustments and tweaks to that core sound is how you'd ultimately get to the best of a given style?



I see what you're saying, but what if that given sound/tweak resulted in the opposite whether it's a fan of that sound or an objective third party (reviewer for eg) seeing a negative skew because of these minor changes? Would the same changes be seen more dramatically by a fan who was expecting a previous (and better) version of that sound?



I'm definitely a fan of the general metalcore formula, but ultimate I'm extremely picky with that I find to be excellent, and a lot of my preferences are specific to myself, and not something I care to explain or defend anymore.



This I can relate to. Especially since my go-to work playlist (as in the music that won't completely scare off staff/patrons) is some basic-bitch nu metal favorites. I find it hard to defend guilty pleasures, but at the same time I refuse to apologize for it even when by-the-album review for the same music would be (in some cases) heavily marked down.



I do feel like I encounter people calling a genre 'dead' more often as a euphemism for it them finding it boring or full of uncreative acts, though.



This is me. I am guilty of this - but in differing degrees. I'll at least own it.



We just opened a can of worms haven't we?