Knocked Loose is on top of the world. Unbelievably, as their popularity continues to reach new heights, they get heavier. They defy conventional norms, getting more extreme over time, and that willingness to double down in the name of heavy music simultaneously earns the loyalty of long-time listeners and wins Read more
I hadn’t heard of this band before, but they remind me a lot of early Heaven Shall Burn. This style of metalcore is almost unrecognizable compared to how the genre has evolved over the last 25 years. This will probably be a tough listen for anybody whose library doesn’t go Read more
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