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Staff
Reviews 647
Soundoffs 102
News Articles 98
Band Edits + Tags 345
Album Edits 2,238
Album Ratings 3163
Objectivity 73%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 43,943
| | Best User Reviews: March 2023 | | 1 |  | Periphery
Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre
"As mentioned before, everything from the instrumentation, vocals and production, are done incredibly well throughout the whole record, there’s no denying it. When Periphery stick to a direction in their songwriting, they’re at their best. The melodic-metalcore sections in “Zagreus” and “Dracul Gras” are some of the best songwriting that Periphery have done in their careers while the heavy grit of “Everything Is Fine!” harkens back to “Blood Eagle” in a fun and exciting way. And while the constant shifts in musical direction are mainly out of place, one part in particular is “Atropos” towards the end where Periphery make a transition to an almost black metal vibe that unironically fits with the style of the song, and is very well performed." --Toondude10 | | 2 |  | Story of the Year
Tear Me to Pieces
"To further the point of songs taking influence from their back catalogue, several of the issues from Story of the Year’s past albums also make a recurrence on Tear Me To Pieces; “War”, “Knives Out” and most of the album’s bridges suffer from the underwhelming drop-tuned messiness that plagues several tracks on The Black Swan, which at times makes you grateful for the restraint used on Page Avenue’s production; while this might be a symptom of the band’s reduced one-guitar setup used since Wolves, it’s an unavoidable issue that can’t easily be ignored. With all factors considered, Tear Me To Pieces is at risk of completely submerging itself into homogeneity and therefore, irrelevancy. It's a fine line, but one they don't manage to fall off of." --STIGMATIZED | | 3 |  | Invent Animate
Heavener
"Welcome to truly atmospheric metalcore. The glimmering jewel of the backdrop collides and infuses with the front wall of heavy riffs. A tantalizing juxtaposition, and not something often done in an especially spacey way. Volumes blew minds in their early days, but since then I’ve been chasing ghosts. ERRA’s Drift is perhaps the best/last example I can think of for truly spacey metalcore. Counterparts’ A Eulogy for Those Still Here was scratching a surface but not overtly taking a rocket boost into spacey atmospherics. I could name a few more albums from last year, beginning with thoughtcrimes’ Altered Pasts which actually made me feel for a second. Here come Invent Animate in 2023 with a table crashing effort that may not be topped this year in terms of spacey metalcore. I’m caught off guard to say the least, and if you mention any recent metalcore band that does sci-fi “whizzle wurp” sounds in the same breath as this band I will kick you off the plank." --pizzamachine | | 4 |  | Weval
Remember
"Next to this personally tinged, emotional foundation, one of the main reasons why Weval’s music is so moreish is the dual background of the duo. On the one hand, Merijn is a Trip Hop fanatic, which clearly shows in their mellow, psychedelic tone, the funky, shuffling beats, and the wistful nostalgia. On the other hand, Harm breathes house, which can be heard aplenty in the 4/4 backbone of the beat, the syncopated claps, and the occasional heavy bass synth. It is Weval’s trademarked tasteful execution of this blend of styles, always with an ear for detail and for emotional undertones, that makes them so beloved. And it is all here on Remember, providing a perfect overview of what this last decade has been all about. Here’s to the next ten years." --Trifolium | | 5 |  | Fever Ray
Radical Romantics
"Indeed, it would be inaccurate to call this a reunion in disguise: out of the album's 10 tracks only the first four are produced by the Dreijer duo. The cut-off is made extremely apparent by "Even It Out" - an electro-punk stomper with an acidic edge, a collaboration with Nine Inch Nails that gives "Radical Romantics" a most welcome bite. The commanding vocal stabs of "cut, cut, cut!" In the hook, pitted against booming drums and menacing synthetic textures (with a healthy helping of atonal guitars that are oh so NIN) evoke Siouxsie Sioux, beefed up for the modern age." --CaptainAaarrrggghhh | | 6 |  | Alice Longyu Gao
Let's Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire
"Let’s Hope Heteros Fail, Learn, and Retire (iconic title aside), feels like a refreshing return to the carefree, ***-your-labels experimentation that rendered the original ‘movement’ so interesting. Rich bitch anthem Come 2 Brazil’s trapped out take on trancey industrial techno aesthetics comes complete with shiny Berghain-ready monotonous-yet-hypnotic vocals. Make U 3 Me alternates between Slipknot and Kero Kero Bonito if they were addicted to Osu!. Hëłlœ Kįttÿ’s bizarro mix of art punk, polka and funk metal hits like a adderall-addicted Mr. Bungle, and is immediately followed by .Sex, which opens up with radio-friendly nineties alt-rock guitar before giving way to rave-ready alternating electro house and drum and bass sections. Did I mention all of these tracks run under three minutes?" --Sinternet | | 7 |  | Lonnie Holley
Oh Me Oh My
"Oh Me Oh My does not let up for the entirety of its run, wringing the listener utterly. Even for those unfamiliar with Holley’s life and work, the album’s hopeful aspirations grown out of consummate tragedy can be a harrowing experience. And for good reason. This album is a report of loss, deep and personal and historic, yes, but most importantly, tangible and true. It does not assemble or depict existential abstracted emotions, and for all of the hulking, likely permanent distress behind it, doesn’t linger on depression or self-actualization. It just tells you what it was and how it is. And the man behind it, born under punches, un-bitter, who at 73, is still alive and needed." --Borracho | | 8 |  | Gaz Coombes
Turn the Car Around
"In all honesty, Gaz Coombes should be commended for his apparent unwillingness to repeat the Supergrass sound while in solo waters. Not a single album released under his name bears the same delight in rock ’n’ roll and the sense of freedom it provides, exuberance and recklessness that we have heard on the releases of the British band. Gaz grew older, shedding his failed dream of rock ’n’ roll stardom – despite the excellent quality of the Supergrass albums, the band remained in the shadows of its contemporaries. Such fate cannot be called fare, yet this is how the chips fell. So, instead Coombes employs a very different sound. Now he prefers meditative ruminations, his songs are full of sadness and contemplation. Giddiness is no longer suitable. This is something that happens naturally, and what can be called maturation." --Batareziz | | 9 |  | Fotbal
Why Is This Happening To You?
"Opening track "Garden" shifts the band over to danceable art punk funk and noise rock, yet they're still driven by the same motorik rhythm of their previous work. Songs tended to drag on a little long and get repetitive on their last record, but on Why Is This Happening To You?, every second sounds purposeful and composed. Nary a piece of fat to trim. Which is impressive given the album's 6 tracks long. I have a bad habit of zoning out sometimes with longer songs, but like I said before, this is a record that grabs you and doesn't let go until the final note's strummed. The guitar on tracks like "Next Time" and "Rest of Me" flow freely while still managing to keep form and focus, while the vocals (especially on the latter track) modulate between haunting gothic poetry and dreamy pop whimsy with ease." --SandwichBubble | | 10 |  | Souleye
Disguised as tomorrow
"Souleye's latest album, Disguised As Tomorrow, is a kaleidoscope of musical influences, all expertly blended together to create a truly unique listening experience. From the opening track, it's clear that this is an album that is not content to sit within the boundaries of just one genre, with elements of hip-hop, electronic, and pop music all making an appearance. Souleye's wordplay is as sharp as ever, with intricate fluid flow that effortlessly weaves in and out of the complex beats. The production on this album is consistently inventive and surprising throughout. Each track is a mini-epic, with layers upon layers of sounds and samples building up to a thrilling climax." --gbongzilla | | 11 |  | Theory of a Deadman
Dinosaur
"Dinosaur was written about the current state of humanity, but it would serve much better as a retirement anthem. Even after embarrassing themselves by rebranding themselves as a Maroon 5 clone, a “return to form” rock album couldn’t save them. You know it’s curtains when even Nickelback could come through with a more credible album after getting dunked on by adopting a poppier sound on previous releases. This band has been phoning it in for well over fifteen years now, so maybe it’s finally time for this group of unenthusiastic hacks to go out the way of the dinosaur." --SaturatedCowFeces | | 12 |  | 100 Gecs
1000 gecs
"The songs are mostly fun and obviously have a lot of passion and care put into them, but they also feel pushed out. And for an album that took 4 years to make, numerous delays and apparently SIX THOUSAND DEMOS, the end result of a 27 minute album with a decidedly unsure tone can’t help but seem a bit disappointing. And that’s the key word here: Unsure. Does it want to be a natural progression of their sound? A mix of old and new? A more slick and corporate affair? A big middle finger to the world? For some, this will be a betrayal. For others, a breath of fresh air: A friend of mine, a diehard gecs supporter and fan, said it best. I told him that I was enjoying the new Gecs album after having been totally split on what to feel about Laura and Dylan’s music. He laughed and said ‘oh yeah, they’ve totally sold out. I think it sucks’. One step forward, one step back." --Drbebop | | 13 |  | Black Honey
A Fistful Of Peaches
"Another highlight of the album is "Nobody Knows," a poignant and vulnerable ballad that showcases lead singer Izzy B. Phillips' stunning vocal range and emotive delivery. The song is indicative of the band's ability to create powerful and introspective moments while maintaining a consistent and cohesive sound. Izzy's vocals are exceedingly charming, striking a wonderful balance between the likes of Grimes, and Billie Eilish (two notable modern female singers), integrating their style in a way of inspiration instead of imitation. She finds a pocket in her vocal style that while familiar, provides enough dissociation to create a unique sole entity." --Tundra | | 14 |  | Depeche Mode
Memento Mori
"So far, so Depeche. Yet there's an acceptance, a feeling of peace amongst all the angst and cynicism, that allows the beauty of the songs to come through. Gahan-penned 'Before We Drown' shimmers with vulnerability, his vocals delicate rather than bellowing, while Gore-led 'Soul With Me' is an homage to Scott Walker, a wonderfully bizarre lounge song with soaring vocals embracing the afterlife. Elsewhere, 'Don't Say You Love Me' is Depeche Mode's James Bond song, a sweeping, string-filled drama - rather over the top, and all the better for it. 'Caroline's Monkey' is an edgy trip through synth pulses and clipped percussion, Gahan's vocals almost spoken word as he paints a picture of paranoia. 'People Are Good' harks back to the metallic clangs of '84 album Some Great Reward and betrays another influence, 'Computer World' by Kraftwerk, while 'Speak To Me's descending chords produce a beautiful, hymnal ending to the album..." --Kaleid | | 15 |  | Lana Del Rey
Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under...
"The final quarter of the album is comparatively weaker, but thankfully, it’s not just because the strengths of the first three begin to fizzle out. The introduction of trap beats makes for an interesting rhythmic shift that largely compensates for the loss of strings. It is a strange choice but given its placement on the album, feels deliberate enough to justify a song like Peppers which would come off as random if placed anywhere else. The reprise of Venice Bitch at the very end is another odd choice, but its melody still feels like it sums up a lot of the best aspects of this part of her career, and for that reason, it ties things together well enough. But at its best, this album blends that type of melodic sensibility with lush instrumentals and compelling, sometimes strikingly honest narration in a way that comes together to form her strongest album yet." --Colton | | 16 |  | Ne Obliviscaris
Exul
"Seriously, these drums sound absolutely beautiful as they drive the record and Dan has laid down an extremely strong and technical performance that doesn’t over power the rest of the band. Hopefully he returns some day. Matt Klavins and Benjamin Baret often do their thing by weaving counterpoints throughout the record that keep the guitar department interesting yet palatable as they also converge into the more melodic and crushingly heavy riffs often throughout the record. Speaking of guitar, Benjamin delivers some excellent lead work and stellar solos throughout this record. The biggest highlight in that regard is the jaw dropping solo on Misericorde II which reaches straight into your soul." --ZoddHand | | 17 |  | August Burns Red
Death Below
"In conclusion, Death Below is a definitely a good record in general and might even be a great Metal record overall, but it's definitely a mediocre Metalcore record from a genre purists' standpoint and therefore ultimately just not for me. There are just too many fresh contenders out there on the market right now that have similar technical capabilities but are not afraid to stand by their roots and stay true to their genre. If you are interested in who I am referring to, maybe listen to the newest singles of Currents, Novelists FR, Oceans Ate Alaska, Saviour, Polaris, Landmvrks, Breakdown of Sanity, and the like. Metalcore is not dead (as many people claim), it's very much alive and breathing. But ABR are drifting away from it and progressing, for better or for worse." --iamSeraph | | 18 |  | The HIRS Collective
We're Still Here
"If you found their previous album Friends. Lovers. Favorites. tackling its central themes a little too bluntly, with very little class, lyrically slapping you in the face with its politics, then strap yourselves in, because on We're Still Here the HIRS move on from slapping to bludgeoning. Moreover, they in list the help of a plethora of hardcore, extreme metal, alternative, queer legends and upstarts alike. Over 30 different collaborators, from entire collectives like Melt-Banana or HIRS’ previous co-conspirators Thou, to individual musicians known mainly for other projects, like Justin Pearson of the legendary Californian punk linchpin Three One G Records or vocal wizard Marissa Paternoster of Screaming Females, come together for an absolute Goliath of raw power, energy, and loud sociocultural rebellion. However, therein may also lie a misguided major issue for some listeners." --someone | | 19 |  | Andrea
Due In Color
"Preventing listener whiplash is cohesiveness in mood and ambiance, despite the preening going on as the Italian shows all he has to offer. Due in Color is intoxicating, but it leaves you clear-headed. It pulls you into its orbit with its lush and psychedelic synths and its almost overwhelmingly powerful bass and drums, but at the heart of it all is a deeply cleansing and meditative spirit. Whether Andrea is letting loose or pulling back, the same potent-yet-soothing atmosphere imbues every song with a fascinating dichotomy that rewards a closer listen." --Ryus | | 20 |  | Exhibition
The Last Laugh
"The Last Laugh certainly is not the most original album out there. Nothing on this album reinvents the wheel, and some tracks here kind of enter one ear and come out the other. However, I don’t think Exhibition is trying to do something different with this release. Instead, they focus on making an energetic, riff filled 23 minutes that does exactly what it needs to without wasting any time. It is short, it is unsurprising, and yet its energy is simply infectious. For any fan of crossover thrash metal, this is definitely something you should give a chance for both its familiarity and its strong sound." --Zac124 | | 21 |  | The Classic Crime
Grim Age
"It's too bad that Grim Age is held back by an overabundance of filler. 'Alone In the City' eventually gets interesting, but its chorus is notably lazy and the first two thirds of the song are a bore because of it. 'Lost Magic' has the same issue - it feels like the song is building to a big conclusion, and right as it gets memorable, the song ends. The flow of the album is a bit strange too; their choice to put 'The Old Ways' (a decent, but unmemorable interlude) and 'Stay In Love' (a mid-tempo, somewhat average track) right next to each other leads to the album's flow of energy stalling at the midway point." --JoyfulPlatypus | |
Sowing
04.03.23 | Another month down, and another long list of user reviews. Thanks as always for the strong contributions!
*side note - I lost any reviews that I'd earmarked for this list from March's first week, so apologies there. If you are a user and wrote a good review early in the month that isn't listed here, let me know and I'll consider posting it. | DadKungFu
04.03.23 | Mad congrats to everyone, some great writing here | JoyfulPlatypus
04.03.23 | Sick! Thanks for the shoutout! Wasn't sure if a review from the 31st would make the cut haha | BitterJalapenoJr
04.03.23 | Congratulations all. | pizzamachine
04.03.23 | Great reviews. Well done Tundra. | mkmusic1995
04.03.23 | Awesome reviews as always. Really enjoyed Colton's review for new Lana Del Rey and Stigma's review for SOTY. Good shit all around! | PumpBoffBag
04.03.23 | Well done all, some quality reviews this month as always | Zac124
04.03.23 | Thanks for the shoutout Sowing! As always though, there are some excellent reviews here. | Ryus
04.03.23 | swag | Gnocchi
04.04.23 | Of all the acknowledgments this site has to offer, this has to be one of my favourite features | Squiggly
04.04.23 | Hey Sowing, if you could check out the Cardiacs review I wrote and consider it for this list, I would appreciate it since it’s my first review. Thanks! | Manatea
04.04.23 | Amazing writing!! Congrats to all | ffs
04.04.23 | @squiggly i believe the criteria for these lists is recent albums ie like 4 or 5 months old tops | someone
04.04.23 | i gotta say, it's so great to see Trif and Sandwich writing more, and what a helluva text both of them made. and enjoying the quick bite-sized revs of old cult albums from Borracho, that kid's going places (for whatever places there are to go around these parts) | Borracho
04.04.23 | Thanks for the mention. Sowing and someone | Squiggly
04.04.23 | @ffs ah that makes sense in that case. | Shemson
04.07.23 | Hey Sowing, I did a slowthai review 3rd April - hoping to write more over the second half of the year when work calms down a bit hopefully so any feedback of how to get on these lists would be ace |
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