ALBUM REVIEW: Bearings – The Best Part About Being Human


 

Pure Noise Records is well-known for the label’s pop-punk proclivity and delectable array of alternative rock signees, It’s an avenue to both discover up-and-coming acts and to rekindle interest with longstanding mainstays.

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ALBUM REVIEW: To Kill Achilles – Recovery


 

Recovery of any kind – both physically and mentally – is a massive process that should be seen for the courageous and brave act that it is. Whether from addiction or injury, the road to that recovery has to start with the person who has to undergo said recovery. And that’s no small feat. More importantly, recovery looks different for every single person, even with the same affliction. Most important of all, however, is that recovery isn’t always the destination, but rather the journey to something at least better.

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REVIEWS ROUND-UP: ft. Church of Misery, Witchskull, Altar of Oblivion, Wytch Hazel, Yawning Man, and Tigercub


 

Nearly thirty years of diving headfirst into the void, and Church of Misery are back with Tatsu Mikami once more giving worship to the Blackest of Sabbath’s, acolyte to ‘The Riff’ and servant to the retro groove once more on Born Under A Mad Sign (Rise Above). Joined once again after a twenty-five-year absence by original vocalist Kazuhiro Asaeda, there is a fine sense of anticipation about the Japanese doom merchants seventh full-length.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Queens Of The Stone Age – In Times New Roman


 

Our favorite desert rockers Queens of the Stone Age are back just in time for the weather to heat up. The quintet have been building friction for the last few months, teasing fans with cryptic, eye-catching clips of gluttony and pleasure that hinted at big things on the horizon. Six years have flown by since their dance-rock album Villains and fans can breathe a sigh of relief with the announcement of their swanky and suave In Times New Roman… (Matador Records).

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ALBUM REVIEW: Louise Post – Sleepwalker


 

As confessed in the song ‘Volcano Girls’ the seether is clearly Louise Post. Even after stepping out from behind the name Veruca Salt for Post’s debut solo album Sleepwalker (El Camino Media), the DNA of the band can be heard all over this album. The youthful enthusiasm that drove the nineties band still empowers this album, making it clear that she still has it.

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ALBUM REVIEW: DZ Deathrays – R.I.F.F.


 

Punky Aussie rockers DZ Deathrays thrash back into action with another riff-laden assault on the world’s delicate senses, a sixth studio album not short on forceful intent, lip-curled confidence, and “in-your-face” braggadocio.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Verdena – Volegio Magia


 

Spring time on planet Earth. Flowers are blooming. The weather is heating up. New music is dropping. But what, dear readers, should you be blasting from your 8-tracks this season? Oh, you don’t have an 8-track? Well, never fear, Verdena shall provide you with an 8-track worthy tome in Volegio Magia (Capital Records Italy / Universal Music).

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ALBUM REVIEW: boygenius – the record


 

How often can it be said when speaking of supergroups that its individual members are at the peak of their powers? The only reason it perhaps cannot be said of the members of boygenius is simply that it feels like the trio is on the ascent if anything.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Narrow Head – Moments Of Clarity


 

With their third outing Texas-based Narrow Head have created a body of music that if you were there, will well and truly spin you back in time to the mid-nineties. And if you weren’t there but nonetheless love the alternative rock sound of the time, then you’ll also find yourself intriguingly transported back to the era when baggy clothes and dirty scuzzy guitar riffs were the sign of the times. And on top of that Moments Of Clarity (Church Road Records) may well be considered a classic today, was it released some 25-30 years ago amongst the influences that it clearly wears on its sleeve.

 

And the record stands out today, as it lulls you into a sense of security before changing style and introducing heavier elements where the band sounds on their peak for me, before then throwing in a highly experimental closer. So the album opens with ‘The Real’ and a fuzzy grunge riff, with the vocal of Jacob Duarte sounding somewhere between an early Foo Fighters Dave Grohl, and an early Smashing Pumpkins Billy Corgan. There is a lighter nineties indie alternative rock style to the sound, which continues into ‘Moments Of Clarity’ invoking memories from the likes of Weezer, Placebo, and The Lemonheads. It’s clear from the first couple of tracks that Narrow Head can write one hell of a catchy riff with highly engaging vocal hooks, and then on ‘Sunday’ they introduce a Deftones-esq riff which more than hints at what’s to come.

 

‘Trepnation’ kicks like a mule with dirtier down-tuned guitars and a heavy chugging bass, and my attention has well and truly been captured by the change in tone. ‘Breakup Song’ is melancholic with a lovely entwine between the main riff and a rolling bass, while ‘Fine Day’ is another sweet heavy cut with crunching guitars.

 

On ‘Carline’ Narrow Head reverts back to the more melodic feel of the album’s first quarter, but from here it changes tact once again with the darker muddy sounding ‘The World Sunday’ and the explosive ‘Gearhead’, which slams into a late-nineties era Deftones style, with Duarte channeling a shoe-gaze Chino Moreno vocal. And with the first screams on the album laid down before a furious outro of impressive drumming and heavy distortion … More of this, please!

 

 

And the band delivers on ‘Flesh & Solitude’ with the further subtle use of screams in amongst the heavy intoxicating music with a beautiful outro of avant-garde percussive cacophony. The aptly titled ‘The Comedown’ follows with lush strumming and kind of a Pearl Jam flavour, which gradually builds to the climax of ‘Soft To Touch’ where a mischievous guitar line perfectly plays over electronic beats. I love the way this album twists and turns from the indie rock style into a heavier alternative beast, before turning full circle and then going completely leftfield with the use of electronica. And these changes in tone create a real album experience which should definitely be absorbed as one. This is where rock music needs to be, for me, in 2023.

 

Buy the album here:

https://www.runforcoverrecords.com/artists/narrow-head/products

 

8 / 10

ABSTRAKT_SOUL_

 


ALBUM REVIEW: You Me At Six – Truth Decay


 

You Me At Six is now encroaching upon their twentieth year of being a band. With seven albums under their belt to show for their work, what else does the band have left to showcase to the world? In the past, the band has shown that they are willing to stray into other genres. The previous album, Night People ‘was a foray into the world of indie-rock, taking inspiration from their peers in the likes of Royal Blood and The Black Keys. Continue reading