Browsing Tag

Alexisonfire

heaven // alone summoned karma in their Deftones-meets-melodic-post-hardcore single, full circle

Posted on 8 June 2024

Perth’s premier heavy alt-rock outfit, heaven // alone, gave the enduring appeal of Deftones an edge of melodic post-hardcore with their latest single, full circle, which reached all major streaming platforms on May 31 alongside the immersively thematic official music video which speaks volumes of how far the upcoming outfit has moved up from the underground since the release of their debut single, canvas, in 2023.

After an overture of crunched guitar chords, the sludgy hooks sink in before an explosive crescendo of hard-rock rancour with white-hot guitars tearing through the ennui the production is laden in.

The cutting electronica installations towards the outro augment the evocative impact of the release mused by the cyclical torment of a relationship that tempts you into surrendering to mercurial desire which is always followed by the inevitability of being pushed away.

The vocals become a sense of gravity within the kaleidoscope of cultivated volition as they drift from tender melodies into the Alexisonfire-esque hell-hath-no-fury like a soul screaming for karma outpours of visceral rage.

Stream the official music video for full circle via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

trueandtrue dialled up the rancour with their seductively clever post-hardcore single, Blindfold

Posted on 11 November 2023

After a prelude of grungy no-wave with a spoken-word delivery of deadpan poetry, the latest single, Blindfold, from the post-hardcore outfit, trueandtrue, dials up the rancorous momentum that hits with the same impact as some of the most seminally unforgettable singles from Alexisonfire and At the Drive-In. The visceralism is one thing, the seductive way the instrumentals overlay their progressively exhilarant melodicism between the stripped-back interludes and tumultuous crescendos is another entirely.

Blindfold will officially release on November 10^th ahead of the forthcoming debut EP, Back Into the Quiet. If the rest of the EP shares the intricately clever juggernautic volatility of Blindfold, trueandtrue has exactly what it takes to hold dominion over the post-hardcore scene.

The Norwegian post-hardcore powerhouse said:

“Blindfold is a catchy yet energetic song that has continually grown during recording and production. Here, instrumentals and vocals go hand in hand to guide you through an emotionally charged lyric about getting people or situations right up your throat. From emotional lines like ‘How do I keep up when it’s empathy I lack?’ to the aggressive chorus ‘Drown me in your words,’ you are taken through the narrator’s emotions and mood swings.“

Stream Blindfold on Spotify, and follow the band on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the drop of the EP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grab a seat at the table for Tuncratio’s atmospheric alt-rock instrumental, Feast of Nothing

Posted on 26 December 2022

There’s something in the atmosphere of Tuncratio’s seminal instrumental alt-rock single, Feast of Nothing. The intro instrumental framework threw me right back to when Alexisonfire was a prized possession in my CD collection. Feast of Nothing then progresses into a deeply evocative melodic piece with complex time signatures that compel you to lean deeper into the alluring sonic mise en scene that cinematically wraps up through a cinematically orchestral outro.

The Italian-born, Scottish-by-adaption multi-instrumentalist and producer entered the music industry in the early 2000s. Not one to feel sated in the confines of one genre, his music spans across multiple, often in the space of one track. In his eclectic range of influences, Smashing Pumpkins, Mogwai and Deftones often push to the forefront in his sonic signature scribbled across his discography. Tuncratio’s back catalogue currently consists of two LPS, two mixtapes and the EP, Elephant in the Room, from which Feast of Nothing was taken.

Feast of Nothing was officially released on December 12th; catch it on Spotify. Stay tuned for Tuncratio’s upcoming

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Bangkok’s most enticing alt-rock outfit Stay Awake welcome us to the ‘Brave New Normal’

Posted on 3 June 2021

Fans of Alexisonfire, Rise Against, and Bad Religion will want to make the same amount of time for the Bangkok-based alt-rock powerhouse, Stay Awake, after the release of their sophomore EP, ‘Portraits’.

Track 1, Brave New Normal, is the perfect introduction to Stay Awake’s hardcore sound and even harder-hitting lyrics. After forming in 2018, they’ve garnered plenty of international acclaim and sharpened their sound to a piercing precision.

With catchy choruses that could easily captivate main stage festival crowds and simple yet efficaciously clever lyrics, “we face each day behind a mask, 2020 vision is useless”, Brave New Normal is a nuanced matured take on hardcore that will undoubtedly take Stay Awake to even greater heights.

Check out the latest EP from Stay Awake on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Colors In Mind Reach Music Peaks

Posted on 5 November 2017

If you draw a Venn diagram of exploratory music, where the intersection between technical metal, progressive and post-rock occurs you won’t find a whole lot of bands, but you will find Colors in Mind. With their latest release, Yugen Peaks they build their sound on a wonderfully fluid post-rock template, one that eschews the 4/4 signature and rigid verse-chorus ethic of traditional rock and instead wanders its own musical journey, often lingering in one lush musical landscape before flitting through more minimal territory, languishing in gentle, bucolic beauty and then climbing dramatic peaks.

It isn’t hard to see this approach as a modern day progressive classical music, the instruments may have been updated from the traditional format but the symphonic nature of the music is obvious to all. And l it tells its story as much through symphonic sound as it does the lyrics, it maybe be a less obvious, less direct method, but it is no less heart tugging, emotive and effective. It is music of the heart and soul, requiring total immersion. Whilst most music contains its own user manual amongst its beats and notes, one that tells the listener exactly how to interpret the message, this is more about osmosis, a vibe to be soaked up and ingested.