Magnolia Park – Halloween Mixtape II (Epitaph Records)
Less is more, right? It’s a mantra I’ve often referred to in reviews, even if Yngwie would never agree. Nor, so it seems, would Magnolia Park. Seventeen tracks, nine collabs, six hundred and sixty six musical deviations taking in emo, pop-punk, nu-metal, hip-hop, cartoon horror pop and more is testament to the fact that the quintet may be on to something with their embracing of musical diversity.
The streets of Grand Rapids were buzzing with Friday night festivities when a long line started to form outside one of the city’s favorite music venues. The lengthy queue of matching black hoodies at the Intersection moved along nicely so that the early arrivals were able to catch the opening act. Everyone was in a jovial mood and heartily cheered because the Swedish metallers, Avatar had brought their Chimp Mosh Pit Tour to town. With support from fellow countrymen, Orbit Culture and Michigan’s own The Native Howl. The bill contained varied acts with each one delightfully heavy in their own way which made for a thrilling evening ahead. Continue reading
Orbit Culture is making big waves in the contemporary Metal scene. This Swedish quartet started out a decade ago and there is a groundswell of rumblings that they could be one of the next hottest acts in the genre. Their rare and remarkable talent would absolutely deserve such recognition. Even in their earlier years, they went over and above the traditional melodeath elements by supplementing them with more fervid aptitude. Now they are preparing to release their fourth full-length album, Descent (Seek & Strike Records) and these savvy Swedes have taken their dynamically different drive to new heights by creating songs laden with more fortitude and technicalities.Continue reading
Mental health is a topic that has been covered by the alternative scene a lot, potentially even being one of the most active causes in the community. Where bands and artists feature a lot darker and edgier sounds and images, themes of depression, anger & loneliness comes alongside as part of the package deal. Metalcore newcomers, Graphic Nature are no different to that. Describing himself as an outsider, vocalist Harvey Freeman says “Not enough people talk about it in a genuine way.” With their debut album, A Mind Waiting To Die (Rude Records) Graphic Nature are here to change things to talk about the crisis of mental health issues genuinely, in their own style.
The German Rock scene is legendary for producing exceptional bands like Scorpions and Rammstein. This schnitzel-loving nation is also known for its more niche music acts. Mono Inc. has been at the helm of the Gothic Rock movement since the early 2000s and they show no sign of slowing down.
A hint of that classic autumn smell floated in on a slight breeze last Monday evening as Michigan metalheads gathered in Pontiac to catch the Melodic Death Metal veterans, In Flames. The Crofoot is an entertainment complex located in Detroit’s most northern suburb and is considered a local treasure. Home to three acclaimed music venues, the historic building was an ideal spot to host Gothenburg’s finest and their openers. In Flames has recently re-signed with Nuclear Blast and is getting ready to release their fourteenth full-length album, Foregone (Nuclear Blast) in 2023. To celebrate their new chapter, these Swedish guys brought on their tour the blossoming bands Vended, Orbit Culture, and Fit For An Autopsy. Their excellent choices in support set them up for memorable evenings full of metal mayhem.
Part of San Francisco’s famous Bay Area thrash scene, Blind Illusion may have only produced one full-length studio album during their initial eleven-year existence but that record, The Sane Asylum (Combat Records) still remains an undisputed classic of its time. Not only famous for adding more technicality, diversity, and flavour to a scene that ran predominantly on speed and aggression, Blind Illusion also ended up being responsible for the creation of alternative funk metal act Primus, the band at the time featuring former Possessed guitarist Larry LaLonde and batshit bass wizard Les Claypool.
The contradictions of crafting an album using the very technologies and processes the band had previously railed against are but one small element of the complicated and interesting layers that make up Artificial Devices, the self-released second full-length composition of London duo Andrei Alan (guitars/bass/programming) and Chris Bevan Lee (keys/vocals/programming) collectively known as The Ever Living (I promised myself no Mumm-ra comments, but here I am in the intro… I can’t help it, every time I see the band name…).
Flint, Michigan, might be known for the crime, cars, and crisis. Yet this down-and-out town has more to offer than that. Music fans know it best for being home to The Machine Shop. This nationally acclaimed music venue has been hosting, supporting, and celebrating bands for twenty years. This special concert lounge has gained its reputation because of their genuine love of live music and doting on its patrons. They bring to mid-Michigan audiences an enthusiasm and care most venues don’t bother with anymore. It was a bright, spring evening last weekend when a group of goth kids formed a line outside this beloved hall’s doors. They were exposed to more sunlight than what they were probably used to, but it was worth it because the Symphonic Black Metal Titans, Cradle of filth, were in town. Continue reading
It was a perfect spring evening last Tuesday in Sterling Heights when Alternative Metal giants Deftones brought their tour to town. The sun was shining, and the birds were singing when a line of traffic started to form outside the Michigan Lottery Amphitheater. Cars were bumper to bumper as they tried to squeeze their way into the sold-out show at this Detroit suburb open-air venue. The opening act of the tour, VOWWS, could not make the gig so the second band on the roster, the mighty Gojira opened up the night.