Album Rating: 4.5

The end of the closer goes unbelievably hard

Album Rating: 4.5

Agreed hard with Wild

Heathen is crack. It is like everything theyve ever done with hints of shoegaze

Funny how two of the years best songs are named Heathen

Album Rating: 3.5

On initial inspection this was very messy and loud, lots of cool effects and individual instrumental moments, but also terribly produced/mixed (everything just sounds like one wall of indistinguishable noise) and without much in the way of songwriting chops. It's still cool enough on aggression/vibes alone, but it's going to need to grow on me a ton to get anywhere close to 4 territory. Almost reminds me of Foxing vocally but without any of the atmosphere, build-up, or intriguing layers.



Promise to listen at least once more but the 3.5 feels generous atm.

Album Rating: 4.5

It took me a little when Only Love came out for the Armed to click with me. It felt too noisy and messy at first but over the years their sound has really grown on me. Their noisy textures are definitely an acquired taste. That's why their last album is such an anomaly cause it's practically a pop album in comparison. This two album run does remind me a lot of the progression Deafheaven recently had.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

“This two album run does remind me a lot of the progression Deafheaven recently had.”

[2]



Spot on comparison tbh

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Damn that’s accurate as hell. Makes the return to form even sweeter.

Album Rating: 3.5

Honestly. Kinda good album this

"terribly produced/mixed"

ofc sowing would throw this criticism

Album Rating: 4.0

I mean this is decidedly not a sowing album, I’m impressed he even sat through it at all

nice little writeup man! this is a band i never got around to either, think i'll dig em for sure. where to start though?

Album Rating: 4.0

Futures start with untitled or the eps, it’s this band at their most chaotic and Dillinger/converge influenced. As they move past that LP the compositions get way more injected with earworm hooks and pop elements buried in the mix, which is something I feel like they came out of the gate swinging with on only love and figured out how to blend it better with ultra pop. The last two LPs at least for me as of now aren’t quite as genre-bending and impressive but they still have some great songs

Album Rating: 4.0

I think a big reason this hasn’t gripped me just yet is I just don’t like this drummer nearly as much as any of the others they had. They’ve worked with some absolute legends imo, Chris pennie from DEP, Ben koller from converge, Nick yacyshyn from sumac/baptists, even Urian from rough Francis is a killer fuckin drummer. This guy is good but his compositions just aren’t as good as they’ve been in the past imo

sounds like something right up my ally man, appreciate it! seems like a good band to just go in order and see the evolution, the more poppy stuff is more intriguing to me but sounds great.

Album Rating: 4.0

You can realistically skip the eps and still see the evolution but there’s some absolute heat on those eps

Ultrapop didn't hit me like their previous records but this one seems to be bringing that magic back for me. Blessed be the fruit.

for me it's Grace Obscure

also Broken Mirror gives me huge The Always Open Mouth vibes and I'm all for it

Album Rating: 3.5

Prod is kinda grating tho

Album Rating: 4.0

Yeah I think production-wise Ultrapop is probably peak armed but I spun this on my commute this morning and really enjoyed it. Drum critique still stands though.

Album Rating: 4.5 | Sound Off

Two thirds through purity drag is when I realized these fuckers were back