Atlas:Empire – The Stratosphere Beneath Our Feet


When you go to a smaller show, you’re almost always confronted with a local support band and that can be a hit or miss thing. I’ve had to endure my fair share of terrible opening acts over the years, but I’ve also had some extremely pleasant surprises and discovered some amazing bands that I would, probably, have never come across otherwise. Luckily, today’s review is about the latter kind, because Atlas:Empire‘s upcoming debut full length The Stratosphere Beneath Our Feet is a strong first step!

The quartet plays technical post-hardcore that relies heavily on the atmosphere that is constantly being built and kept throughout the entire ride. To achieve this they use two main principles: don’t overplay, but instead serve the song and don’t worry about the duration of the track, as long as it works in its favor. Needless to say that the approach is successful, since there’s never a dull moment during these fifty-nine minutes.

Please don’t get me wrong though: not overplaying an instrument doesn’t mean that there’s no substance to sink your teeth into. There are plenty of memorable riffs and bass lines that complement the drumming perfectly, and a host of details that might strike you for the first time after your umpteenth playthrough.

The instrumental side alone of the Scots would be enough to create the trance-like state that the ten songs put you in, but the vocals add another layer that is guaranteed to draw you in even further. They take up the, in my opinion, perfect amount of space, around a quarter, of the album and due to their heartfelt performance, they are the cherry on a truly delicious cake.

All in all, The Stratosphere Beneath Our Feet is a record well worth your time and I am hopeful that it will put Atlas:Empire on the map when it releases on December 8th. If you want to find out more, head to the band’s Facebook page and make sure to check out the video below. Last but not least, if you get the chance to see these guys live, do yourself a favor and go!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueSp6DFIJ4Q]

Club Silencio – I


One of the main reasons El Gore was brought to life for, was to support the local music scene, a concept that I loved when I joined and I still do my best to review a majority of the national metal and rock releases to this day. However, every now and then I don’t think that a review is necessary or makes much sense to begin with. Today is one of those times, so I’d rather just write a few lines about why you should give Club Silencio‘s debut album I a thorough listen and hopefully it’ll whet your appetite enough to click on the Play button below!

The ten songs are all written and performed by a mysterious trio, and they are definitely the most experimental music I’ve heard this year thus far. Basically: there are no rules when it comes to the studio-only project, which means that you can find all sorts of influences of bands from virtually every spectrum of the heavier, and at times also softer, side of music.

Also, the project is purely instrumental, so there’s no need to worry about you maybe hating the vocals since there are none. But that leaves more room for shredding, of which there is a metric fuckton during these forty-two minutes.

This is all for now, just do yourself a favor and push Play below. You won’t regret it. And throw them a like on Facebook if you want. NO HAY BANDA!

Tilian – The Skeptic


Good pop music is very hard to come by, in my humble opinion, and every time I do stumble upon an artist, or even just a record, that peeks my interest I savor my new discovery as much as possible. Because, like it or not, pop music is very accessible music and every now and then that is just what you need. Today’s review isn’t about a new discovery, per se, since I’ve been aware of Tilian‘s solo career for quite a while, but The Skeptic marks his third record under his own name and it might just be my favorite. Continue reading if you want to find out why I think so!

What sets Tilian‘s music apart from the typical run-off-the-mill pop that you hear on the radio, is the fact that it’s not only written and performed by him, except the drums, but it also holds intelligent and meaningful lyrics. However, that doesn’t mean that they are necessarily overcomplicated and without a hook; on the contrary: on each and every one of these ten songs, I sang, or at least hummed, along to the chorus the second time it came around.

Instrumentally speaking, I would say that it moves in a similar hemisphere as its predecessors, meaning that it ranges from synth pop, over “soft post-hardcore”, to something close to dubstep. The latter is featured on the song Drunken Conversations, and it’s honestly the only song on The Skeptic about which I don’t know how to feel: while the lyrics have a lot of gravitas, I simply can’t warm up to the beat or the electronic-sounding vocals in certain parts.

Going back to the lyrics, and also the overall feel of these thirty-seven minutes, there is definitely another thing I dig about Tilian‘s style: each song has a happy-sad note to it, be it in the form of actually sad lyrics over a happy melody, or serious topics sung about in a self-ironic tone that almost makes them seem light-hearted. While this is his trademark writing style, it is elevated to a new level by his, in my opinion, strongest performance on his solo material to date. Right Side would be my go-to track if I had to pinpoint a highlight of his vocal prowess.

To sum things up, I can definitely recommend giving The Skeptic a thorough listen on September 28th, even if you’re not necessarily into pop music, because I have no doubt that Tilian will continue to impress non-believers. You can get an idea by checking out his Facebook page and especially by watching the video below…while trying not to go on a feels trip.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1e6C6mYVR4]

Hail The Sun – Mental Knife


Today, I have the pleasure of writing about a record that will undoubtedly end up at the very front of my annual top ten. A mere two years after their last highly acclaimed full-length, Culture Scars, Hail The Sun are about to unleash a fresh one on the world, entitled Mental Knife. I was fortunate enough to get early access, and I am not lying when I’m saying that I’ve jammed it non-stop ever since.

If you are not familiar with the quartet, let me preface this by saying that they play fairly technical, yet accessible, post-hardcore and are well known for their erratic and hectic live performances where the vocalist also, for some songs, plays the drums. I actually had the opportunity to catch them open for Silverstein in the UK last December, and they have pretty much become my new benchmark of what a performance should be like. Anyway, onto the important: the new record!

While the predecessor was slightly less chaotic and heavy, this new one is a lot more like the Secret Wars EP the band released in November, which itself was a mix of CS and Wake, their arguably most celebrated record amongst fans. Mental Knife expands further upon the concept and does everything better, in my opinion: the melodies are way catchier and more diverse, and the heavy parts really smack you in the face so hard that you need a minute to recuperate. A stellar example of both worlds can be found on the track Arcane Justice, which is not only a masterpiece from an instrumental point of view, but also attacks the topic of sexual abuse, unless I’m completely misinterpreting the lyrics.

While I’m at it, I would be at fault if I didn’t point out the importance and beauty of the lyrics on Mental Knife, or rather of HTS’ lyrics in general. A lot of often tabu or difficult topics find their place amongst these eleven tracks and are treated in a very poetic fashion. One recurring theme for example is addiction and the recovery, and the associated challenges, from it. One quality that I love especially about Hail The Sun’s sound, is also present on these forty minutes: every track has a dreamy undertone to it, and transports you straight into the world that the band has created for their listeners. Maybe that’s just me though.

In closing, I had no doubt that the fourth full-length would be a great album, but I was definitely not prepared for this banger! So, do yourself a favor and give the song below a listen and if you like what you hear, head over to the band’s Facebook page to keep up to date with the release of Mental Knife on September 28th! Long live swancore!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2SczshdOGE]

Ghost Spirit/Frail Hands – Split 12″ LP


Today, I’m delighted to write about a genre I’ve never reviewed, or spent a lot of time listening to: screamo! While some bands I enjoy come close to it, I wouldn’t consider any of them to be a good representation of the genre. Well, except for Ghost Spirit who I discovered through them being signed to my favorite record label, Blue Swan Records. Their self-titled debut never really left my playlist and I was delighted, but also intrigued, when they announced that they had partnered up with Frail Hands, a band unbeknownst to me, for a Split 12” LP to be released on August 24th. I was fortunate enough to get early access to a copy and I’m going to do my best to get you interested in it!

First off: the LP counts twelve songs altogether, six per side and per band, that amount to “only” twenty-six minutes of total playtime. Not knowing much about the genre, other than GS’ debut, I was slightly taken aback…but after my first listen-through I understood exactly why: the level of intensity is at a constant high and, what I like best, there is no fluff at all; every string plucked, every skin hit and every note screamed has its necessity and place. I’ll briefly dedicate a paragraph to each band, so you can get a better idea, starting with Ghost Spirit.

The quartet gets the longer playtime, with sixteen minutes, and employs it really well to showcase its different sides: while the majority of the songs is made up of screamed vocals, there’s also quite a few passages of clean vocals, which add an extra layer of depth to the music. Apart from that, the instrumentation generally has a melancholic and almost depressive quality to it, but every now and then it is pierced by cathartic outbursts that interplay perfectly with the lyrics. Notably the closer is a very good example of that layering and what great atmosphere Ghost Spirit can achieve in their songs.

I need to honest here: on my first couple of listens I had a really hard time getting into Frail Hands‘ part of the LP, because the vocals were recorded and the way they were almost drowned in the mix really made no sense to me. Since their half clocks in at only ten minutes, I “suffered” through it every time I listened to the record, and it must have been around the sixth or seventh playthrough that it clicked and the pieces fell into place, for me, which resulted in me really digging their approach. If I had to describe it, I would say that it’s rawer and more straight-forward music, but the minor details, especially in the guitar riffs, elevate it from just noise to beautiful compositions.

All in all, this 12” LP gave me everything I wanted and then some: it pushed just the right buttons in the first half, and introduced me to a brilliant “new” band in the second half. If you dig this record, I can strongly recommend checking out the self-titled debut records of both bands! Until then, take this as your introduction to real screamo and discover this genre so full of potential! Be sure to visit Ghost Spirit‘s and Frail Hands‘ Facebook pages for more info and listen to, so far, a third of all the songs below.

Orchards – Losers/Lovers


Public service announcement: simplicity is underrated and I have a feeling that many musicians these days try to write complex music, for complexity’s sake. While I am a sucker for technically demanding and outside-of-the-box music, I also love putting on a record and being familiar with it after my first listen; or at least feeling that way. Orchard’s have managed to achieve just that, because their debut EP Losers/Lovers is a pure joy to listen to on repeat.

If I had to describe their sound in two words I’d call it authentic pop: the quartet’s songs could be straight off a pop radio station, because of their catchiness and recognizability, but the fact that everything is actually played by hand, instead of coming out of a machine, gives them a lot more credibility.

While I did call the Brightonians’ music simple, by no means was I implying that it was primitive, because the instrumentation and arrangement of the eight songs are all top notch. A clearly audible and groovy bassline is omnipresent and accompanies the driving drum tracks, while the effect-heavy guitar plays dreamy riffs that all pack a punch and will be stuck in your head after the first go. Yet, no song is ever overcrowded and you can clearly discern everything that is going on, allowing you to absorb them in their entirety.

Orchards do have another secret weapon though: harmonies and canon singing! The singer does a fantastic of reeling you in with her lyrics and her performance can be truly felt throughout the twenty-eight minutes. The cherry on top is the additional vocals, in select passages, by the guitarist that are either sung in perfect unison or slightly delayed depending on the various songs. This small detail lends the ensemble a whole new layer of depth and, having seen the band recently, I can tell you that they deliver that incredible power in a live setting as well!

For now, Orchards are a fairly small band still, but I can without a doubt say that they will be gaining momentum with this release and I hope that they will go far. So make sure to jump on the train of good music early and check out Losers/Lovers when it’s release this Friday, July 6th! You can get a first impressions in the video below and by checking the band’s Facebook page!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpF-XDXRwDw]

Maypine – Bend/Break


Story time! Last year in December I flew to Brighton to see Hail The Sun open for Silverstein, and at that gig I got to witness today’s band play the opening slot. I got talking to them about a possible future release and, seven months later, here we are! Maypine are a fairly new band and their second release, Bend/Break, is just about to be released on Friday! Let’s dig in, shall we?

The quintet plays alternative rock, with a hint of post-hardcore for good measure, and manages to capture the essence and atmosphere of the genre quite well. While the drums are fairly straight-forward, they are in constant interplay with the bass, and provide a perfect backdrop for the two guitars to build the slightly melancholic, yet hopeful, feel of the Brits’ sound.

The singer delivers a solid performance with a respectable range, but at times I felt that the vocals lacked a bit more diversity. While I do believe that I heard female backing vocals every now and then, I found them to be a little too low, or buried, in the mix. The fact that the singer has quite a good ear for vocal melodies that complement the songs, makes up for most of that, though.

Despite not reinventing the wheel, the fourteen minutes feature well-written songs that are memorable enough to keep your ears glued to the speakers. So, by all means, give Bend/Break a listen over on the website of Pure Grain Audio, or check out their music video below to get a first impression. Last but not least, head on over to the band’s Facebook page and show them some love!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVyjJe07eQg]

Astpai – True Capacity


Ever heard of the AC/DC-Syndrome? No? Perhaps it’s just something I invented but let me explain it real quick: AC/DC have released a ton of albums throughout their career, and in my opinion they don’t vary a lot, yet they are always a good listen. Which shows that great music doesn’t always need to reinvent itself every few years, especially when the musicians played it found their “voice” and know how to use it to perfection. There are, of course, a lot of other bands, or artists, that are the same, but today I want to talk about a particular one: Astpai! The Austrians are about to release their fifth full-length, True Capacity, and I want to tell you a little bit about it!

To pick up what I said in the intro, I’ll just cut straight to the chase and say that the successor to 2014’s Burden Calls is very similar in most ways: half an hour of solid punk rock that is filled with passion and emotion. The quartet has just found its niche in the melodic aspect of pop punk and the raw part of (soft) melodic hardcore, which really works well for them.

As was the case with the predecessor, the ten songs all contain personal and meaningful lyrics, that also have a sing-along quality to them most of the time. There are two stand-out songs because they represent two polar opposites of the band’s sound spectrum: Feel Your Pain is a beautiful love song that features a really poetic lines, and True Capacity which only features screams and is akin to the band’s debut record, that was a lot heavier.

I’m going to keep this review fairly short, mostly because the band have done their fans a favor and made the record available for streaming over on the website of Visions and I believe that you can get more out of actually listening to this fun record instead of reading my ramblings. If, however, you want to get an idea what you’re in for, please give the music video below a chance and visit the band’s Facebook page!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rSHwtBi23c]

Dance Gavin Dance – Artificial Selection


How do I even begin this review? Ever since re-discovering today’s band in 2013, my musical taste and horizon has widened to lengths that I would have never imagined, I’ve overcome personal limitations, partially, due to their music, and I don’t think that I’ve ever enjoyed listening and really getting into music more in all the years prior to today. Basically: Dance Gavin Dance changed my life drastically and you can imagine my excitement when I got the chance to listen to their eighth full-length, Artificial Selection, ahead of its release this Friday, June 8th. So let’s dig in!

First off, some facts for the uninitiated: DGD is, or rather was, known for frequent member changes, especially when it came to clean vocalists, ever since their inception in 2006 and with the release of their 2013 record, Acceptance Speech, they had reached clean vocalist number three: Tilian Pearson, previously of Tides Of Man. However, the band had struck gold, and started gaining a lot of traction with the follow-up Instant Gratification barely a year and a half later. The success was apparent when they followed that one up a bit more than a year later by their, arguably, best received album to date: Mothership. It comes as no surprise that expectations were extremely high when the quintet announced their fourth record in a row with no major line-up changes and to take the suspense ahead of time: they delivered on every level.

Full disclosure: I am probably the least unbiased person you can come across when it comes to Dance Gavin Dance, but hear me out here.

Artificial Selection is, in my opinion, the band’s most accessible record while at the same time featuring some of the most hard-hitting songs that will even blow long-time fans away. During the fifty-two minutes, technically the band’s longest record, there is not a single filler song and every track has enough individual highlights, be it in the instrumental or the vocal department, to make fast forwarding a sin. While the vast majority of ArSe is post-hardcore, the band also adds elements of genres that they’ve never truly dabbled in, like pop-punk on Story Of My Bros, and manages to incorporate even more pop-sounding elements without ever losing their edge.

While the guitar work has always been stellar on every DGD release, I feel like the bass guitar and the drums definitely steal the show this time around. Among these fourteen songs are, I would say, some of the best bass lines in not-so-recent memory that stand out so well, largely due to the really on-point mixing job, and mesh perfectly with the drums.

It is no secret that the “who is the best vocalist” debate has and always will be a major talking point in the fan community. But I think that if some people still aren’t convinced that this vocalist constellation is the ideal one for the band as a whole, it is time for them to move on. I am absolutely “all in” and I’m impressed by the minor tweaks, such as more intentional straining and a controlled raspiness, in some passages and super catchy vocal melodies in others. The screams remain largely unchanged, because let’s face it: they were perfect to begin with.

Two major highlights come in the form of the first vocal features since the self-titled album, ten years ago, by none other than former singer Kurt Travis on Shelf Life, as well as Andrew Wells, the band’s touring guitarist and vocalist of the criminally underrated band Eidola, on Evaporate. Both guest spots elevate the respective songs to a whole new level and make them definite stand-outs!

All in all, Dance Gavin Dance have managed to maintain, even surpass, their extremely high standards, and deliver another masterpiece with Artificial Selection. I really wish that more people, especially here in Europe, would discover the genius that hides behind these guys’ music, and I will continue to spread the word as much as possible. So, do yourself a favor and check out the song below, then head over to the band’s Facebook page to keep up to date with their news, finally just jam this record once it’s out…you won’t be disappointed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJULfw3xVas]

Annominus – The Architect


Today I have the pleasure of revisiting a band about which I said that I’d keep my eyes on, when I reviewed its debut record about four years ago. Annominus‘ first endeavor End Of Atonement was a massive throwback to the early 2000s nu metal bands and I had tons of fun listening to it back then. The Danes’ new record The Architect is about to come out, this Friday, and I figured I’d owe them, and myself, a thorough listen.

I’ll get right to it: as I type this review I’m in a state between awe and disappointment, and the more I listen to the record, the more both feelings become stronger. I think tackling the positive aspects first is probably the way to go, so let me say that I am truly impressed by how well the quartet’s sound has evolved, while still maintaining that alternative metal note that made them dear to my heart in the first place.

Some of the eight songs feature many parts that are almost akin to doom metal, with very driving but somber guitars and very melodic singing, that are interspersed through the more straight-forward passages. Generally speaking the guitar work has some really catchy and stand-out riffs that I whistled along to even on my first listen-through. The drums on the other hand are also fulfilling their duty very well and feature some quite interesting drum patterns.

Last but not least, the vocals are, in my opinion, the absolute highlight during these forty-three minutes. The vocal melodies are not only superbly well written and sung, they also contain truly captivating lyrics that deal with the concept of the (self-)alienation of us humans in front of the rest of the world. The occasional screams also fit in very nicely into the narrative and the songwriting in general, rounding off the entire record very well.

Now, you might wonder why I was disappointed and while it pains me to mention it, given the extreme potential of The Architect, I feel like I have to at least dedicate a paragraph to it. I am a huge fan of DIY, this website being completely self-run and -financed, and I welcome it very much in bands. However, I feel like Annominus might have wasted a chance here by opting to go that route. Especially on headphones the mix is really lacking a lot of punch and the different instruments just turn into a homogeneous wall of sound, making the distinction extremely difficult. It might not be a big deal for some, but I’m truly a sucker for good production, and especially in the nu/alternative metal genre it is almost a staple. Full disclosure: while writing these lines, I am listening to the last song on the album on my speakers, which I’ve cranked up louder than usual, and it does sound more passable…so maybe try that for yourself.

With that being said, there is no denying that The Architect is a really solid album in its core and I can wholeheartedly recommend giving it a listen if you’re looking for a fairly interesting mix of influences and a passionate approach to music. Make sure to check the video below to get an idea what I’m talking about and don’t hesitate to visit Annominus‘ Facebook page!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy0m8u4Hbxc]