Here’s another new band that impressed me. They’re fronted by David Benites, a vocal coach, and it’s immediately apparent that he knows what he’s doing. He has great range and the rest of the band provides better than average instrumentation. The funny thing is that David sounds extremely similar to Read more…
This is an insane split EP. The pairing of these bands is a match made in heaven and their efforts have created an absolute gem. It literally sounds like Shadow of Intent from 2017. One of the songs even features Shadow of Intent’s vocalist! Huge breakdowns, wild screams, sweeping symphonies Read more…
Greyhaven is so cool. They have such a unique sound and they’ve distilled it perfectly on this EP. In a sense, this is probably their best release because it’s so purposeful – no fluff or filler, every moment is engaging. The choruses are fun and the screaming sections have so Read more…
Wristmeetrazor has been interesting to follow for the last few years. I wouldn’t be surprised if their name turns some people away, but it truly fits the early metalcore sound that they are trying to revive. Kids these days might not realize this, but cutting and self harm was super Read more…
I’ve known about Eidola for a long time, but for some reason I totally wrote them off. I heard a song or two and decided they weren’t for me. Well, that was a mistake. As Shaq would say, “I owe you an apology. I wasn’t really familiar with your game.” Read more…
Alpha Wolf has become one of the most recognizable names in metalcore in the span of just a few years. Following the ejection of their vocalist, Aidan Ellaz, in 2018, Alpha Wolf leveraged the ensuing drama and elevated their name to new heights. Aiden went on to form Dealer, and the Read more…
Erra had my favorite album in 2021, but I’m not impressed this time around. In general, too many of the songs feel scaled back and stripped down. The simpler, somewhat muted sound lends itself well to the basic grooves that the songs fall back on, but the transition to this Read more…
Boundaries is on absolute fire. This will easily be album of the year for quite a few people. It’s only April so I won’t give it the crown yet, but it will certainly be top 5 (at the very least) for me at the end of the year. And that Read more…
This is an excellent debut EP from a newly formed band. They’ve mixed Dealer’s attitude and aggression with Loathe’s spacey atmosphere – an unlikely combination that works wonders. Heavensgate includes Josh Ang, the major songwriter from Dealer’s first EP, and credits drum production to a member from Loathe. I actually Read more…
This is an incredible debut album by Cogitations. Definitely a standout deathcore album of the year so far. My favorite thing about this album is that each song has its own unique identity. So many recent deathcore albums are filled with indistinguishable songs that blend together into a forgettable haze. Cogitations sets themselves apart Read more…