What are you listening to

[wrathborne]

Listening to ye olden Nes music. Good times.

[NO1SY]

So last Friday, Katatonia released their 12th studio album "A Sky Void Of Stars", and I have been listening to it everyday. I've heard it said that, for many, this is a return to form for the band, following a slightly self-indulgent album in "The Fall Of Hearts" (which I absolutely love but is not a fan favourite), and the unfortunate "City Burials", which got lost in the years of covid... Honestly, I think that people rag on these two albums in particular because they veered very squarely into prog-rock territory, compared to the alternative metal sound people had been enjoying since the early 2000's, which even then was a change from their much beloved gothic doom sound from the 90's. Perhaps people had PTSD from Opeth...? Regardless, I think that people are enjoying a "Sky Void Of Stars" because it brings together elements from many of those favoured points in Katatonia's sound, and ties it all together in a very thoughtfully composed and wonderfully produced package. In particular, the gothic aesthetic has made a return to the forefront, just building on top of their sound that has matured and become more rich and complex since the days of "The Discouraged Ones". The pre-release singles were all great and showcased a great variety in style and feel, but I am now particularly impressed by the middle three songs on the album: "Drab Moon", "The Author" and "Impermanence". Super excited to be going to see them live in London in a couple of weeks time!


Also, towards the end of last year, Harakiri For The Sky re-recorded their first two records: their 2012 "Self-Titled", and 2014's "Aokigahara". I had not really listened to the originals much, on account of the drums sounding programmed and the vocals just being a touch too raw and shrieky (yes... even for me...). These re-recordings see the absolute monster Kerim "Krimh" Lechner return as studio drummer, breathing life into the drums with feel and some signature flare where appropriate (and bringing a properly produced 'real' drum sound...). The guitars have been rounded out in production to sound a bit more full, and the vocals are the semi-emo post-hardcore wails that I have come to love from JJ. Honestly, the only track I didn't really dig was their new rendition of "Mad World" by Tears For Fears, which just lands nowhere near as well for me as their cover of Placebo's "Song to Say Goodbye", or Graveyard Lovers' "Manifesto".

[NO1SY]

Ok, I've gotten my gushing about Katatonia and HFTS out of the way, so now I've managed to catch up with some other new albums.

Riverside - "ID.Entity": A pretty cool prog-rock album reminding me that it's been 5 years since their last!? Stand outs for me are "I'm Done With You" and "Landmine Blues" because they have teeth, but if anyone's been missing the 80's then "Friend or Foe" will put a smile on your face, and "Self-Aware" is a pretty fun rock 'n rolly track with reggae post-choruses!? Overall and enjoyable progressive romp, although I think I'll find myself going back to the bassist's Lunatic Soul project more often.

Sleep Token is kinda blowing up a bit at the moment! They've released 4 new singles, each with awesome Sci-Fi/Fantasy RPG-esque artwork: "Chokehold", "The Summoning", "Granite", and "Aqua Regia". Vessel's soulful voice is obviously a huge draw, but honestly the composition and musicianship on display in these songs is a pretty fantastic continuation of the sound they've been honing for two albums now (especially the drumming). The melancholic keyboards in "Chokehold" are perfect; we are treated to a guitar solo of all things in "The Summoning", which is a song that could've been of a Deftones record (interesting switch up for the outro too); Granite is like a throwback to their old singles with a big climactic ending; and Aqua Regia brings the pop sensibilities for a bit of a palate cleanse. Exciting young band with a bit of something for everyone.

Was checking out the J-Rock section of Apple Music yesterday and stumbled on this little EP from a band called Crisis Code - "Invoke Your Spirit - EP". It brought a smile to my face because it reminded me of old school Crossfaith! It's a little raw at the moment, but I think there is potential. I'm ready for Synthcore to make a comeback!
Another band that caught my attention is RED ORCA, with their new singles "Beyond the Wind" and "Buddhism (The Shine Will Come Back)". They really reminded me of FACT, which is great, but then listening to their 2020 album "Wild Tokyo" showed me that they are bringing their own unique energy to things in a very exciting way. Looking forward to hearing more!
For those of you that like Babymetal and are looking for another Metal Idol Group, maybe something a little heavier, Passcode may have you covered. The released an EP "REVERBERATE" at the end of last year. Some pretty high-octane stuff with a harsh vocalist that has decent chops.
Jyocho released "As the Gods Say EP", which is packed with 4 pretty and slightly mathy J-rock songs. The use of a flautist for an additional layer in the mix, and to back up the guitar, gives a really nice round and smooth sound to things.

[Manimal]

2Pac, All Eyez On Me

Okay wow, this album is seriously amazing. I was put off by it's 2 hour runtime but it's so damn good that it doesn't matter. All of the 27 songs range from great to amazing with hard hitting wonderfully produced beats, solid hooks and of course the absolutely remarkable rapping of 2Pac. His flows on here are so satisfying, you can't help but love the aggressive high energy tone of his voice. The lyrics...oh my God there are some serious highlights and profound moments here.

"Life Goes On" is my favorite song of the bunch, it has so many show stopping lines and featuring the more reflective side of 2Pac like "Dear Momma". It's such a beautiful song, with the perfect sample, backing vocals and it gave me the chills. I'm not overstating it's one of the best Hip Hop songs I've ever heard, it's going to stay with me for a long time. "How Do U Want It" is my second favorite song here, I love the fast dirty lyrics and tone. The way 2Pac raps about sex is on a completely different level from any other rapper I've heard, there's something more charismatic and playful about it. Those songs like "Run Tha Streetz" and "Ratha Be Ya _" ended up being my favorite. The reflective tracks, lustful ones and light hearted party jams like "California Love" are contrasted by harder tracks like "Ambitionz Az A Ridah" and "No More Pain". The variety makes it enjoyable throughout. 2 Pac could deliver the emotions of every song so well, making you feel the meaning behind every line.

Disc 1 is amazing song to song. It's perfectly sequenced and well balanced without any bad songs. Disc 2 is steady, it gets in a groove of similar songs but the last five tracks are expectational. There are not as many highlights on Disc 2 but it's still really solid. Nothing feels bad or out of place on this entire album.

I haven't listened to Hip Hop very much at all in the last few years but this album has absolutely everything I like about the genre, it's almost perfect! 2Pac's rapping is irresistible, you can't stop listening once he goes, and it's made me want to listen to the album again after finishing it! This thing is nearly 5 stars, just fantastic.     


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB4t4-4xHPA     

Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip

I've never given TLC a chance so I figured I'd start with the first album. This is a pretty dated one and not really in a good way. I don't like the production, it's busy and cluttered and the vocals don't sit very well. The girls don't come through as clear as they should over the New Jack Swing style instrumentals. I like the energy and attitude, it starts off on the Hip Hop side but goes more towards R&B towards the end. There's some decent moments like "Hat 2 da Back", "Das Da Way We Like 'Em", "His Story" and the ballads at the end like "Baby-Baby-Baby". I like the messages and everything on here but the music is just...okay. I'm expecting more out of the CrazySexyCool album, this seems like a stepping stone. Not bad but nothing overly special. I'm not in a rush to listen to it again. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2H6pTtEVlo

Nas, Stillmatic 

Wow, this album comes out swinging! "Stillmatic (The Intro)" clearly states Nas' intentions for the album and for the rest of the track list he fires off great verse after great verse with a real impassioned delivery. "Ether" is such an aggressive diss track, every line is sizzling! It's a complete and utter decimation of Jay-Z. "One Mic" is such a dark track with a boiling intensity. It's the most stunning song on the album, Nas explodes and then slowly eases off at the end of the last verse. My favorite track is "Rule", his flow is so cathartic and the Tears For Fears sample is perfect. "What Goes Around" is a real attention grabber, amazing verses. This one lyric is, to me, the best on the whole album. "Life is short is what some _ said, not if you measure life by how one lives and what he did".

The production is great and I love the overall spirit of Stillmatic. Nas is making a strong statement song after song and there are tons of stand outs. I really enjoyed this one, and it's good to listen to something from Nas besides Illmatic. These song sounds timeless because of his remarkable lyrics and clear aggressive delivery.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpPHRIWxaKs             

Outkast, ATLiens

This is an interesting album, maybe it needs a few more listens from me though. It didn't connect with me or really move me in any way. I think there is something about this album that isn't so direct and in your face like Stillmatic and All Eyez On Me, so it's not really what I'm personally looking for. "Wheelz of Steel" is fantastic, I love the trade offs in the verses and the flow. "E.T." is solid as well. Otherwise the songs came and went. Not bad, but on first listen I have little to say.

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Xju1Wavoc   

[Tenori Tejima]

My recent finds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9M31-up1Emw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FR91CB5SBWU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DVp0ZEGjrw

[Manimal]

Some new albums.

Rebecca Black, Let Her Burn 

I remember when she released "My Moment" a few months after "Friday" and it made me realize, okay maybe there's more to Rebecca Black then just one goofy song. A couple years ago she put out a Hyperpop version of her infamous song which wasn't great but it was a bit interesting. Now on the 12th anniversary of said song we have the album Let Her Burn. It's awesome! I was really happy to hear something great from her. This is 10 songs of wonderful Electropop goodness, very much influenced by Charli XCX and similar artists with it's edgy tone and occasional unexpected production elements. I really liked all these tracks and even pre-ordered the record. "Destroy Me" was the highlight along with "Crumbs", "Doe Eyed", "Sick To My Stomach" and "Look At You".

I was hoping this would be a good album and sure enough she delivered something very enjoyable! Her vocals fit perfectly in this style. I had a hard time convincing people irl that I was serious about Carly Rae Jepsen in 2015 but nobody's going to believe me when I say Rebecca Black has a great new album!

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qA23jMionY

Parannoul, After The Magic

Incredible new album from Korean Shoegaze artist Parannoul. This was a fresh and exciting listen with lots of great sounds and emotive musical twists. A lot of the songs seem like they end midway through, only to come back into a new movement that adds a lot. The longer tracks let you fall into the moods they create and the music remains exciting throughout. There isn't a dull moment on here, this album kept grabbing my attention track by track. "We Shine At Night" is the clear highlight but everything on here is great. I really love this album and I'll be listening to it more and more!

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwo48c6aK6I

Caroline Polachek, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

I love her parts on Charli XCX's songs like "New Shapes" and "Tears" so I had to check out the new album. I like it a lot! This was a very cool Pop record with the unique stylings and phrasing of Caroline Polachek. She is a compelling personality and I love the way she sings. "Welcome To My Island" is the perfect opening track, it sets the tone right. Other highlights were "Bunny Is A Rider", "Sunset", "Fly To You" and "Blood And Butter". I pre-ordered the record, this is going to get a good amount of play from me! 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YBP-D6vQIA

Kelela, Raven

This is a very pleasant sounding R&B album. It sort of falls into the "incidental music" category for me where it's something to put on that's good in the background but not a lot stands out and grabs me. The tone is lovely and her vocals are nice along with the instrumentals. On first listen it didn't do a lot for me, but there are some good moments. It has a perfect flow with seamless song to song transitions like "Fooley" to "Holier" and "Raven" to "Bruises". But there is nothing that truly stands out here. I guess I'm just not into vibe music all that much. I can't see myself listening to this full album again.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZR9P9VxBY

[NO1SY]

Hooooo boy I have been waaaay too busy these last few weeks... But about a month ago I finally had the pleasure of seeing Katatonia (one of my all time favourite bands) live at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London, supported by SOM and Solstafir. It was phenomenal! I had such a great time and both Solstafir and Katatonia were particularly fantastic! It was also really cool to see such a mix of people in the crowd: old and young, goths and normies, prog nerds in flannel and metalheads with denim tops covered in band logo patches.

Katatonia / Solstafir

Anyways, since then, Katatonia's return, in some respects, to a more goth-rocky sound reminded me of another band that I hadn't listened to in a while, and it has got me listening to them pretty much every day at the moment:

Unto Others play a really cool combination of goth-rock and post-punk, interlaced with some classic heavy metal elements. To me they are basically a more modern and slightly heavier version of The Clash (something I did not know I needed in my life, but am glad I found!). I think their albums and EPs are best approached in reverse order for new listeners though, as they have tipped more towards the post-punk over the heavy metal recently and it is more immediately approachable.

"Strength II - Deep Cuts - EP"
A really nice, short and sweet EP that kinda displays a bit of everything that the band does. I really love the first 3 tracks in particular - 2 that are quite post punk, and 1 that still hits on that classic heavy metal vibe, and all nicely catchy.


"Strength"
This full-length album is beautifully eclectic beneath the consistent goth-rock aesthetic. The opener is blistering and punchy, and "No Children Laughing Now" and "Just a Matter of Time" bring in some of that heavy metal sound. "Downtown", "Little Bird", "Why", "Summer Lightning" and "Instinct" are all even more melodic, but bring varied tempos and styles. "Strength" may even be considered progressive, doing really cool stuff with vocal layering and rounds. Such a cool record.

"Mana"
This was their first full-length and it is absolutely killer! The classic heavy metal elements are much more prominent on this record than their follow up, primarily in the guitar composition and drumming. Once again the songs still feel wonderfully varied. Another banger to open, followed up by the very anthemic "Jackie". "Don't waste your time" helps offer a thoughtful reprieve in between the two fun tracks "Cosmic Overdrive" and "Give Me to the Night". "The Blade and the Will" has an awesome dual guitar lick. "Dragon..." once again verges on progressive and "It'll Be Over..." is beautifully solemn. But it is the epic title track and album closer "Mana" that really steals the show for me.

"Don't Waste Your Time - EP"
Lastly we have Unto Others' debut EP. The vocals are a touch more raw, but the production on this thing is insane for a debut EP! "By Way of Kingdom", "Time Crushes All", and "I Feel Nothing" lead really nicely into the full-length Mana, although they feel less goth-rock and even more heavy metal - which is not necessarily a bad thing as they feel quite unique in the whole discography, and definitely kick ass!

Fantastic band and super glad I was reminded to check them out again :)

[NO1SY]

Guess what, I'm going to start with a Japanese band this time! I was checking out the new Coldrain song, when in the Apple Music recommendations was this band SHADOWS. I listened to their top songs and was like "Huh, this sounds familiar... (and awesome!)". Turns out this is the band formed by the former lead vocalist and two guitarists from FACT after they split! This sent me on a bit of a nostalgia trip into one of my absolute favourite bands from Japan, as well as treating me to some new material. So here is a mix of essential listening:

FACT - "A Fact of Life": THE FACT song. Catchy, energetic, wacky and creative lead guitar, and an awesome outro.

SHADOWS - "Chain Reaction": A great bridging song for the two bands. Very reminiscent of FACT, maybe more so than SHADOWS' other songs.

FACT - "slip of the lip": An iconic guitar intro, and a fun and bouncy song, that took their sound and made it sound massive!

SHADOWS - "BEK": A showcase of the more hardcore punk leanings of this iteration of the band, but also sporting a hooky melodic chorus and a really cool feel change for the bridge.

FACT - "the shadow of envy": A two and a half minute absolute RAGER! Such a cool riff that every 2000s metalcore kid will love, a slick guitar solo, and a great singalong track.

SHADOWS - "Further Away": What a way to open an album. Relentless start, and huuuuuge outro, and showing that they are still the kings of gang vocals.

Can't recommend these guys enough, and definitely suggest you delve into the deeper cuts too!


Switching it up, one of my all time favourites, TesseracT, have released their new album "War Of Being". What can I say about this album? It's fantastic! It takes a bit of everything from all their previous sounds and combines them masterfully, and also turns everything up to 11. In particular, Dan just unleashed in the vocal department on this record, sounding more diverse, intense and emotive than ever before. Standout tracks for me are "Legion", the title track and 11 minute epic "War of Being", and surprisingly, the more subdued and very moving "Sirens". Do yourself a favour and listen to this masterclass in modern progressive metal.


Lastly, if you want to experience some truly impressive and intense instrumental rock music, look no further than the new album from Night Verses, "Every Sound Has A Color In The Valley Of Night: Part 1". This album will induce Chromesthesia in you, I guarantee it. Aric Improta is one of the best and most creative drummers in the world right now, and the rest of the band back him up in producing some of the most awesome frenetic, energetic, interesting and engaging compositions of sound, and honestly I don't miss their vocalist at all anymore. You will be utterly dazzled and hooked by the the musicality of the band, and how every instrument has a voice that contributes to a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. Genuinely amazing, and dare I say it better than Animals As Leaders??