Blanket Hill – When Fire Learns To Speak

Today’s review is going to be quite brief, since it’s about a fairly short EP and the band’s previous release dates back barely two years. However, I could not pass up on it completely so here we go: Blanket Hill‘s When Fire Learns To Speak!

The band has definitely found the sweet spot for their sound and is building on it further, with small additional experiments. The essence of the four songs is very similar to the previous album, but I feel like the quintet is leaning further into crossover thrash than previously and it works really well.

Instrumentally speaking, these thirteen minutes deliver everything a hardcore heart could wish for: the typical two-step riffs, the moshpit inviting breakdowns and the headbang inducing chugs, all while sounding really massive thanks to the flawless production.

The vocals are by and large the same, but two instances stood out quite a bit to me: the French rap verses on one song and the very melodic chorus on another. While both are fairly brief, I feel like they added quite an interesting contrast to the predominantly spoken word screams.

All in all, this EP feels like a stepping stone between two albums, in the best way possible. I am excited to see where Blanket Hill is heading next, because When Fire Learns To Speak shows that they can repeatedly deliver high quality tunes. The EP will be out this Friday, February 28th, and in the meantime you can check their Facebook and listen to the song below.

Rotten Soil – I Worship Death

About twenty years ago, when I started diversifying my taste in metal, I was quite into thrash and death metal, but over time I moved away from it, because the modern genres appealed to me more. However, it’s always kept a steady place in my heart and whenever I’d hear new records of those two genres, I knew exactly why I loved them back then. Long way of saying that I am delighted, and a bit nostalgic, to review today’s record: I Worship Death by Rotten Soil!

The quartet from Trier was formed in mid-2020 and, if it wasn’t clear from the album title, they play death metal, but with a slight twist to it. Quite a few times during these thirty-seven minutes I found small parts that could have been pulled straight from a grindcore song…and it is exactly that blend that got me hooked directly on my first listen. While it appeals to the nostalgia in me, it also slaps a fresh coat of paint on it: win-win.

This specific blend of genres also opens the door to a whole host of different kinds of riffs and ranges from those that are irresistible to not headbang to, to the ones that make you grimace in disgusted approval. On the drumming front, your ears are constantly engaged by the incessent barrage of blast beats and double bass attacks, before being showered in groove-ladden and crushing parts.

With all that instrumental diversity, you might assume that the vocals can take a step back in terms of creativity, but such is not the case here. Many of the eleven songs are dominated by your classic death metal growls, but the vocalist also frequently switches to black metal-esque screeches and on one occasion even uses clean(ish) vocals.

The only minor downside to me is that the record features quite a few interludes from films that somewhat broke my immersion…but from a concept point of view they do make sense.

All in all, Rotten Soil deliver a very solid second album with I Worship Death and I am sure that their music will melt like butter on every death metal fan’s tongue. Be sure to check out their video below and head over to their Facebook page for more information. And last but not least, their record release show will be on Saturday, February 28th at the legendary Lucky’s Luke in Trier, one day after the digital release.

Top 10 2025 by Yannick

At this point, I feel like a broken record…because yet again, choosing my top ten this year was very difficult. The year was filled with a ton of great releases and on top of that I got to witness so many amazing gigs, actually more than in any other previous year, and have so many great shows lined up for next year that I’m convinced that next year might start with a very similar sentence. Anyways! Let’s dive in!

#10 Sleep Token – Even In Arcadia

This might come as a shocker to some, but while Even In Arcadia is a great record, and I was very much involved in the hype before the release, it didn’t blow me away as much as its predecessor. Nevertheless, Sleep Token delivered a solid album.

#9 SUN – Krystal Metal

Our southern neighbors have two entries in toda’s list, with the first one being the first full length by SUN. A record that feels like a trip down memory lane while still sounding super fresh. A lot of anthemic songs can be found on here, with Warrior RiotGirl probably being my personal standout. Not to forget, SUN’s an absolute beast on stage!

#8 Spiritbox – Tsunami Sea

While Tsunami Sea doesn’t feel quite as focussed on writing anthems, it is a very strong second full length entry into a, hopefully ever-growing, catalog. I reckon there is no need to tell you to listen to Spiritbox, at this point…but do it.

#7 Novelists – Coda

Late last year I went to see a Northlane gig and while I enjoyed the main band, the support act, Novelists, took me by surprise and I had been anxiously awaiting the release of their new album. While I knew about the band before, I wasn’t really into them because back then they sounded to me like any other metalcore band of that era, which I already had enough of on my roster. However, the change of the vocalist elevated them to a whole new level for me and Coda is a brilliant album.

 #6 Hayley Williams – Ego Death At A Bachelorette Party

Being a moderately big fan of Paramore, I was delighted to find out that Hayley Williams was working on her third solo record; and it certainly did not disappoint. While it feels familiar enough, it also goes down routes that I would have never expected from her and I truly hope that I will find some tickets to her European tour next year…somehow.

#5 Turnstile – Never Enough

If I had to cite one concert experience that blew my mind, it would probably be Turnstile playing a one thousand (-1000-!) people cap room in Luxembourg. The air was palpable and everyone was excited to be there in order to celebrate the band and their amazing new record Never Enough. Further expanding their sound into the, dare I say, softer spectrum did upset a few people, but the evolution simply makes sense to me and it was a perfect summer album.

#4 Lights – A6

Truly a constant across all the years I’ve been writing these top ten (and by extension reviews), Lights released a new album this year, simply titled A6…and when the first song, Damage, came out I already knew that it would end up quite high on this list. The album encapsulates everything perfectly that I like about her music and shows no sign of her slowing down. A truly fantastic pop record!

#3 Hail The Sun – cut. turn. fade. back.

Ever since discovering Hail The Sun’s first full length many moons ago, I’ve been observing their musical journey with great interest and I don’t think there has been a record of theirs that reached the same heights for me…until this one. cut. turn. face. back. feels both familiar and new, with the quintet taking a few new approaches. Add to that the fact that, after seeing them once this year, I will get to see them live twice next year and you can imagine my enthusiasm.

#2 Eidola – Mend

Dance Gavin Dance – Pantheon

Honestly, this year was impossible to decide without cheating quite a bit, but I have no regrets. Second place goes to Eidola’s second part of their double album Eviscerate/Mend and managed to pull me in with its experimental approach, definitely a grower! And since DGD and Eidola now share the same main vocalist, I figured that their new record, Pantheon, goes hand in hand with this one. While the two don’t resemble each other that much in genre, they deserve to be enjoyed together.

EP-Special

Hail Your Highness – Wonderdust

Marcy – Backwoods

Many Eyes – Combust

Synestia – Premonitions

Quick intermission for the EP special!

Hail Your Highness are a fairly small band from the US, but their dreamy new EP has been on repeat quite a few times since its release. Worth a listen!

Marcy was a name I wasn’t familiar with until I saw her play at Fête de la Musique in Dudelange, and I’ve been looking forward to her debut ever since. For fans of alternative pop!

Many Eyes were part of my top ten last year and they deserve their spot this year just as much. While it doesn’t quite hit the highs of the debut album, this EP satisfies my hunger for Keith Buckley songs.

Synestia’s newest EP is basically nineteen of being punched in the face with almost no end, and it feels great. This deathcore project is one to keep an eye on if you’re into the genre.

#1 The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want To See You In Heaven

Greyhaven – Keep It Quiet

The first spot is another cheating spot, but I have zero regrets because while they are fairly different, both The Callous Daoboys and Greyhaven released absolute bangers of albums for the fans of chaotic metalcore. I think if I had to make a decision, gun to my head, I would give the edge to Greyhaven’s Keep It Quiet, but only by the smallest of margins. Both albums should be listened to by everyone that is even remotely into metalcore!

I mentioned at the beginning that 2025 was the year where I visited the most shows, but if the list of planned gigs for next year is an indicator…I might top that in 2026. Thirty-seven gigs are already planned and I’m fairly sure there will be plenty more to come! Albumwise…I actually have nothing that I’m super excited about for now, except the new Poppy record, but I’m 100% sure that it won’t be a boring year. Read you then!

Marcy – Backwoods

Today I have the great pleasure of writing about a genre that is severely underrepresented in our local music scene, at least to the best of my knowledge: alt-pop! Marcy has been around for about three years but in that short amount of time she has managed to hit quite a few milestones, with the next big one being the release of her debut EP, Backwoods, which is scheduled for October 30th.

Right off the bat, the one aspect that fascinates me the most about the eight tracks as a whole, is their diversity on one hand, but most of all their, for lack of a better word, ripeness, on the other. Every song is thought through from start to finish, and every single layer adds more depth. On top of that, there is not a single song that feels out of place or like a filler song that was written as an afterthought to fill the EP.

And yet these twenty-two minutes manage to never repeat themselves either, with every song having a clear and distinct personality and sound. The aforementioned layers play a major role in that, because loads of hidden tiny details in the instrumentation round off the package very nicely and even after my tenth playthrough I felt like I discovered new ones.

The same goes for the vocals that just hit the exact right spot on their own, but are enhanced with occasional minor vocal effects and harmonies to make certain melodies pop even more. There is also a vocal feature by Trouble In Paradize on the song Valentine, that did nothing for me on my first listen…but I must say that it grew on me over time and I must say that it pushes the song to the next level.

Lyrically, I would say that while the wheel is not being reinvented, it is very nicely polished: they present a maturity and eloquence that make them ever so important and relevant. The standout being the song Ida that has German lyrics and might feature my favorite chorus on here, along with being an extremely catchy song in the first place.

All in all, Backwoods is a brilliant (first) entry into a very promising new artist, and I for one am looking forward to what the future holds for Marcy. As mentioned in the beginning, the EP will be released tomorrow along with a concert at Rockhal. For more information, head to her Instagram page and be sure to watch the video for Black Paint below.

Abstract Rapture – Ascension To Downfall

Believe it or not, but this time around it only took six years instead of eight for Abstract Rapture to release a new album! But rest assured, just as last time, it was worth the wait! Ascension To Downfall is going to be released this Saturday, October 18th, and I had the opportunity to spend a bit of time with it beforehand.

The quintet’s line-up remains unchanged from the predecessor and it can be noticeably felt, because everything just sounds that extra five percent tighter, which results in ten perfectly fine-tuned songs that might be my favorite material since the first full-length, Democadencia.

The biggest feat, to me, is the fact that the entire album is chock-full with different ideas and parts, but the guys manage to make them all flow into each other flawlessly. Even the two songs that exceed the six minute mark never made me lose my attention. The guitar magicians, there really is no other word for them, definitely worked overtime during the songwriting.

I believe this is my sixth or seventh time of writing about him, so I am obviously repeating myself, but the man with the sticks delivers another relentless performance during these fifty minutes.

The vocal performance is interesting to me, because it is as per usual on a high level, but it also goes in a few directions that I hadn’t expected, on one track in particular. Toward the middle of the album, there is a chorus that has, at least to my knowledge, the first harmonies on an AR song since their inception…and they work so well. Another aspect that surprised me is the fact that not every song has a classic chorus, but by clever use of vocal melodies each one has a part that imprints itself on your eardrums.

All in all, Abstract bring us one of their strongest albums since their first release twenty (!?) years ago, not counting the demo, with Ascension To Downfall and I for one am looking forward to 2031 for their next album. The band is going to play a release show in Arlon at l’Entrepôt, so be sure to head to their Facebook page to find more information about that.

Argon – Vigor Sorority Decay

I like to think that I am fairly in touch with what is going on in the non-mainstream music scene here in Luxembourg, but when I first read about Argon around five months ago, I was completely unaware of their existence. But it turns out that they have been around for nearly a decade without ever getting on my radar…shame on me. Better late than never, I say, and that is why I have the immense pleasure of talking about their first full-length Vigor Sorority Decay today!

Not knowing anything about the trio, the first thing that caught my attention was that they were labelled post-hardcore, since it is one of my, if not the, favorite genres out there and there are barely local bands (left) that make that music. The second thing that stood out to me was the fact that all the songtitles are in Luxembourgish, which made me raise an eyebrow because I then wondered if they would also sing in the same language; which they do, but more on that a bit later.

Instrumentally, I would say that Argon are walking the fine line between aggression and melody, with elements of shoegaze being present as well. Just be warned: if you are looking for a ballad among these ten songs, you’re definitely in the wrong spot, but that doesn’t mean that it’s non-stop balls to the walls noise. Their music is fairly complex with a lot of fast-changing parts, especially the guitar work is very playful and has a lot of memorable riffs, spiced up with at times quite intricate licks.

This does not mean that the drums are any less well written, however. On the contrary: they have an almost hypnotic quality to them, where they manage to pull you in with, what feels to me like, always just the right amount of complexity and intensity without trying to steal the show. The bass also provides a very fitting backdrop for the more, for lack of a better word, noodly guitar parts and locks in well with the drums.

Now, coming back to what I mentioned a bit earlier: I haven’t timed it, but I would say that about twenty-five percent of the record’s thirty-five minutes is with vocals and the rest remains purely instrumental. And for the most part, the lyrics are indeed in Luxembourgish, but except for the gang shouts it is quite hard to make them out, and that is not a criticism; it just comes with the genre. Much like the entire production of the record, the vocals are not perfect, but therefore much more importantly: they are honest and real. Don’t get me wrong: nothing on here sounds bad, but it’s not sparkling clean and over-produced.

Vigor Sorority Decay really took me by surprise with every aspect it has to offer, and it is a truly great addition to the genre that every post-hardcore afficionado should check out. It will be available on Bandcamp on October 18th, along with a release party being held the same day at Rocas. So be sure to check it out and head to their Facebook page for more information.

Gofai – Safety, Always Off

Noise rock is among one of the genres that I have gotten into more recently, as in more or less five years ago, and it is definitely a gift that keeps on giving. Today’s band is a perfect exemple of what I like about the genre, and even of what I dislike about it. But enough yapping, it is time to talk about Gofai’s new record Safety, Always Off…so let’s dive in!

The moment you hit play, you notice that the quartet means business, because the opener immediately blasts you in the face with a barrage of sound. This very unapologetic approach pretty much remains the same all throughout these ten songs, which is exactly what I like about this record.

Another big reason for liking it, is the fact the bass plays a very big role in their sound and it has the necessary oomph to do so, too. I promise you tha the chunky riffs will immediately give you stank face when listening to them, that is a guarantee that I stand by.

The other major part in the band’s approach to music is the use of guitar effects to create a sort of permanent unease in the listener; at times I imagined that this is what it must feel like to have a manic episode, because the sheer sensory overload that some of the guitar riffs and effects manage to induce is fascinating.

But as well all know, every stringed instrument is only as good as the drums that give them their backdrop, and it goes without saying that the proverbial carpet matches the proverbial drapes. All throughout these thirty minutes, the man on the throne gives it his all and is the ideal partner in crime to the two men on the strings.

With those ingredients, Gofai would already be a band worth listening to, but they also have a vocalist that matches the intensity (in ten cities) of the instrumentals. His singing style reminds me quite a bit of the frontman of IDLES, and I would bet that he is among one of the inspirations, but I feel more, dare I say, despair here. The afore-mentioned dislike purely stems from the fact that, just as with many other noise projects, the vocals are slightly more buried in the mix than I would like them to be…which I know is part of the deal with the genre.

All in all, Safety, Always Off is a record that goes by in the blink of an eye and before you know it, you’ve pressed play again. It is highly enjoyable for fans of the genre, and I’m confident in saying that basically anyone that likes it a bit rough, musically, will get enjoyment out of it. The official release of the album is this Saturday, October 11th, at Rotondes and you can find more information on the band’s Instagram page. And make sure to listen to the song below if you want to get an idea of what awaits you!

Parity – Zero Sum Game

Here’s a sentence I rarely get to write out these days: it’s been a little over a year since the last release of today’s band and yet, they have a new one coming out in just three short days! I’ve had the pleasure of diving into Parity’s first full length album Zero Sum Game a bit ahead of time and I’m happy to share my thoughts on it with you below so buckle up and let’s dive in!

First off, I am very happy to report that my main gripe, the short duration, with the previous two releases is no more: we’re close to the forty-one minute mark of carefully crafted modern metal! While the previous EPs were not anticlimactic per se, Zero Sum Game just feels like the perfect ratio of build-up to a crescendo, before leading to a beautiful ending.

On an instrumental level, these ten songs feel even tighter and written with more, for lack of a better word, focus on being coherent while at the same time being much more technical. A good example is the instrumental track Multiverse Paradigm which could be straight off a Night Verses record, because it just takes you on a journey into another dimension while being straight-forward enough to grip you on your first listen.

This instrumental improvement is also complemented by, what I believe is, a different approach to the writing of the vocal melodies and lyrics. Because the cohesiveness of those elements results in a lot more memorable hooks and choruses that grab your attention much quicker than before. Despite saying something very similar on my previous review, the entirety feels so much more mature and fleshed-out, truly reaching a substantially higher level.

I can’t end this review without talking about the vocals, of course. While I’ve been very much on-board from the get-go in 2020, the vocal performance on this new release is definitely something else, in the best sense of the expression. The clean vocals feel a lot fuller and more confident than previously and the screams have not lost a single millimeter of their edge. Another, as far as I can recall, new element in the vocals is the very occasional use of vocal effects to produce a slightly robotic sound, which always fit the songs quite well.

All in all, I am very happy to say that the wait for a real full length album was well worth it! Zero Sum Game is a powerful entry into the Luxembourgish metal scene and I truly hope that Parity will be able to ride the wave of success that this album will, undoubtedly, bring with it. If I managed to make you curious, be sure to check out the video below and head to the band’s Facebook page. And last but not least, move your sweet cheeks to Rockhal this Saturday for their release show!

Tardis – For A While They Lived Together In A Treehouse

Truth be told, I rarely revisit albums that I’ve reviewed, simply because I’ve usually listened to that record about thirty times in relatively quick succession and I need to move onto the next one. This also means that after a while I forget the details of an album or what I particularly liked about it, which I think is totally fine. However, this has the very nice side-effect of getting a warm and fuzzy feeling whenever I get a new release by a band that I’ve reviewed in the past: a sense of familiarity and of coming home. All this to say that Tardis’ new album, For A While They Lived Together In A Treehouse, gave me exactly that experience, so let’s dive in!

The Francoluxobelgian quartet has taken seven long years since their debut album, Machines Are Talking Behind Your Back, to be back with some new music and while that is definitely quite the wait, it was also more than worth it! (Edit: I am an idiot and completely missed their 2021 release Never Grow up, so it’s “only” been four years, sorry about that!) The fourteen songs are chock-full of character and will make anyone familiar with their music feel right at home. For me, their blend of indie rock somehow manages to push all the right buttons and gives me nostalgic feelings.

For anyone not familiar with their sound, this record is the perfect introduction, because it covers a wide range of their different sounds, from the more straight-forward songs, like the opener, How To Blow Up A Timeline, to their shoegaze-ish ones like Badlands, to finally rockier ballads like Band-Aids And Broken Legs. All three examples sound distinctively different yet are easily recognizeable as Tardis.

Similar to their debut album, this one also deals with socio-political issues and the joys (and perils) of growing older in today’s world, all the while maintaining a certain tongue-in-cheek approach. The one new aspect on FAWTLTIAT is that the bassist’s backing vocals are much more prominent this time around and her voice really adds a very enjoyable additional layer to these fifty-five minutes.

All in all, For A While They Lived Together In A Treehouse manages to surpass its predecessor in every aspect and is a really enjoyable ride through indie-land and I am already looking forward to getting the aforementioned fuzzy feeling again in the (hopefully nearer) future. For more information, you can head to the band’s Facebook page and be sure to check out their newest music video below.

Sublind – Metalmorphosis

This past decade has seen a massive surge in remakes, remasters, reboots and reimaginings in pretty much every artistic category, be it video games, movies, TV shows or music. While I, personally, don’t mind them at all, I know that a lot of people are annoyed by the lack of innovation across the different industries…which is why some might raise an eyebrow when they learn that the new Sublind EP, called Metalmorphosis, is a re-recording of more than half of the songs off their 2014 debut album Thrashing Delirium. However, I promise you that even the naysayers will change their mind immediately, once they hear the first note of these new old songs. So let’s dive in!

First off, the line-up has drastically changed in the decade since the release of the original songs, with only the vocals being the same on both the old and the new release. This can be immediately felt because the entire approach to playing is wildly different and the, very big airquotes new guys bring a ton of fresh energy to the table.

The difference can also be heard in the production which went from complete DIY in a rehearsal space to a professional studio, adding a ton of tightness and production value to these six songs. Add to that the fact that some songs, most notably the opener Thrash It, are played at a distinctively higher tempo and you’ve got an almost unrecognizable selection of songs.

Another massive improvement, especially in direct comparison, can be found in the vocals. Because after more than a decade of taking these songs for a spin on stages around the world Europe, not only has the singer’s vocal prowess improved but also his, dare I say, showmanship. The theatrics in his vocal performance make me smile every time, with, again Thrash It, being a prime example.

All in all, these twenty-four minutes are the embodiment of a fresh coat of paint that you never knew you needed. While I’m sure there will at least be one elitist asshole calling the quintet lazy for not writing new material, the rest of us can enjoy these classics in a brilliant new way and we’ll bang our heads in unison. Metalmorphosis is an amazing start into 2025 and Sublind are here to stay! Check out their stupidly fun video for the title track below and visit their Facebook page for more information about their release show that is happening this Saturday, February 15th at the Schungfabrik in Tétange.