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…
I saw someone on Twitter describe Distant as “colossal deathcore” and it’s stuck with me ever since. The whole ensemble is larger than life and Alan Grnja is an incredibly exciting vocalist with an unbelievable vocal range. Distant is a relatively new band, but they’ve been pumping music out for the Read more…
After putting out singles for five years, Sunspear has finally emerged with their debut album. It’s not particularly revolutionary, but it’s polished and will probably grab enough attention to get some traction. There’s decent variety in the screams, but the choruses were mostly forgettable. The best parts almost always happened Read more…
This is an interesting debut album from a band that I didn’t expect to enjoy. I’ve never really liked this brand of emo / post-hardcore before, but Static Dress opened my mind to it a little more last year. There could definitely be more screams, but if you want a Read more…
Curses is one of my favorite finds in recent years. They have two vocalists and the one with the deeper lows is the closest thing to early The Devil Wears Prada that I’ve ever heard. The layering of his lows and the other’s highs make for some cool moments. The Read more…
After a 10 year hiatus, Job For A Cowboy has returned. For those that haven’t been around for the last two decades, JFAC has had a surprisingly diverse career. Working backwards, ‘Moon Healer’ is a sister album that builds off of their 2014 release, ‘Sun Eater.’ Both albums feature progressive Read more…
This is my favorite album of 2024 so far. It’s massively upbeat, fun, and overflowing with character. Somehow Galleons have flown under my radar until now which is insane because they have released three other albums since 2018. I can’t even comment on them because I’ve just been jamming this Read more…