Browsing Tag

Alice in Chains

The Star Prairie Project exhibit their eminence in their overwhelmingly evocative Alt Rock ballad ‘The Crying’

Posted on 30 January 2021

After their debut album, ‘Pancea’, amassed over 1.1 million streams and the standout single hit the iTunes UK Top 100 Rock chart at #36, Wisconsin-hailing alt-rock artist, The Star Prairie Project, unleashed their equally as compelling sophomore album ‘Surreal’.

The standout single, The Crying, demonstrates the evocative potential which Rock has always possessed but few have managed to achieve. With a sense of grief running deep in the veins of the classic rock-inspired single, it is safe to presume that plenty of people will find resonance when they hit play, given the 2020 we’ve collectively endured.

With the soul of a rock ballad and the monumental impact of a rock anthem, The Star Prairie Project allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds while introducing you to a brand-new realm of emotionally explosive rock.

The maturity and nuance delivered by The Star Prairie Project with The Crying definitely isn’t something which we encounter frequently. If they’re not on your radar, we’d recommend making room.

The Crying is available to stream now via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Vantablak’s ‘Anxiety Now!!!’ is a hard and heavy fuzzed up slice of angry indie rock.

Posted on 23 December 2020

Coming in like Bleach-era Nirvana rides the new single from LA’s Vantablak. When you know that Vantablak was formally known as That Infernal Machine, that gives a little insight to what’s on offer here – that Nirvana Bleach or Sliver sound, a dash of Superfuzz Bigmuff-ish Mudhoney, with lashings of Layne Staley and Chris Cornell thrown into the vocals for good measure. ‘Anxiety Now!!!’ is unashamedly hard and heavy, all angry fuzzed-up guitars and Grohl-style drum stabs, rumbling bass and reverb-soaked, alternately growled and screamed vocals.

It’s unapologetic, unreserved, and unrefined in an entirely good way, all millennial angst and snotty anger over a very well put-together track, polished in a Jack Endino/Steve Albini kind of way, and all the better for it. Vantablak are comfortable to wear their influences on their sleeves, and that’s no bad thing; alongside the obvious Sub Pop grunge references, there’s a definite Alice In Chains or Stone Temple Pilots vibe at times, alongside a mash of Zeppelin, Velvet Revolver, Royal Blood, and some fairly forthright early Foo Fighters. It’s a track which is flagrantly greater than the sum of its parts and makes you want to reach for the oversized hole-riddled sweater, offset-bodied guitar, and as many fuzz pedals as you can get your hands on.

Listen to ‘Anxiety Now!!!’ on Spotify, and check out Vantablak on Facebook or Instagram now.

Review by Alex Holmes

Pierce Point revives dusty Grunge Rock tones with his Funk-soaked single “Who I Want to Be”

Posted on 5 October 2020

Any fans of early Faith No More and Alice in Chains are definitely going to want to indulge in the Funk-soak raucously eclectic Rock hit “Who I Want to Be” by up and coming solo artist Pierce Point.

There may be plenty of aural nostalgia woven into the track, but Pierce Point possesses enough distinction and flair to revive those dusty Grunge Rock tones and remind you why you fell in love with them in the first place. There’s something all too indulgent about the driving wah-soaked guitar solos sliding against the caustic slaps of the bass which utterly consumes your consciousness.

Pierce Point is definitely one to watch, you might want to warm up a comfortable spot on your radar for their smooth soulful sound.

Who I Want to Be is just one of the tracks off the artist’s Charged Atmosphere EP. For more info, head over to the artist’s Facebook page or website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Manian Van Hacker – Real Love: Pounding Post Punk

Posted on 31 December 2017

Post Punk isn’t Post Punk unless the sound completely shatters your soul, the wild screeching of the guitar that features in this track submerges you into the murky resonant depths of this track.

Creating the perfect Post Punk track is no easy venture to set out upon, yet Harrisburg, US based musician Manian Van Hacker has created a tentatively tasteful mixed that captivates you from the second the muted guitars kick in which lead you into the sweetest symphony that has been put out in 2017.

Real Love is the ultimate anti-love song that is a necessity to any playlist, with vocals that match the quiescent magnetism of Alice in Chains singer Layne Stanley it’s hard not to be subdued into his contemptuous melody.

For any fans of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Editors and Interpol, you’re going to want to check out the immersive debut track from Manian Van Hacker.

The new EP ‘Pilot Error’ is due for release on January 19th, 2018, until then, check out the sensational new single from Manian Van Hacker via SoundCloud:

https://soundcloud.com/manianvhacker/real-love-single?in=manianvhacker/sets/pilot-error-ep-focus-listening/s-1bXmw

To keep up to date with his new releases follow the enviably talented musician via Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/mvhmusic/

Trigram – Assimilate: Move Over Rob Zombie

Posted on 31 December 2017

Orchestrating the perfect metal track is never an easy task, but Trigram come pretty close in their latest track Assimilate, the stand out track from their debut EP Assimilate.

It’s got everything any fan of the heavier genres could possibly need,

Yes, that includes one of the best guitar riffs that I’ve heard this year, combined with the bands pounding resonant percussion. The strong vocals behind the track turn this track into the ultimate metal anthem.

Whilst the band only formed in 2016, they’ve certainly not struggled putting their mark on the Hard Rock genre, the Chesterfield, New York band are delectably dark and have followed in the footsteps of the likes of Tool, Alice in Chains, Rob Zombie, Soil, Disturbed & Nine Inch Nails to offer a contemporary control of their sound.

Beyond the sound, the concept behind Assimilate is one that we can all relate, as it illustrates societies tendency to strive toward conformity through the parasitic nature of Social Media in a Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror style.

Check out the stunning official video to Assimilate via YouTube using the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRnb8Kf5PKI

Head on over to Trigram’s website for info on their upcoming tours and new releases:

http://trigramband.com/

Crisis King – Tonight – If You Thought That Extreme Music Could Not Be Eclectic, Think Again!

Posted on 3 November 2017

Crisis King is an artist with a fondness for hard-hitting metal, post-hardcore and industrial tones. His recent studio work, Tonight, is an EP that features 6 original songs. The artist’s music explores genres as diverse as hardcore, industrial, new-metal and more, going for an eclectic, yet direct sound. Opening number, “Die Easy”, is an extremely powerful wall of sound that feels like a stampede of vikings, crushing and burning everything in their path. The song has powerful drums and loud guitar riffs that are down-tuned and aggressive, perfectly matching the vocals.

The dark lyrical themes on the songs of the EP are also a great match with the album’s production aesthetics, but there is also room for melodies here and there.

“The Tides” highlights the group’s most melodic side, yet it still features hard-hitting drums, loud guitar walls and serendipitous changes. Throughout the span of these 6 tracks, Crisis King really stand out for the diverse approach they are able to bring to the table, exploring different sides of their musicianship and offering up an EP that feels eclectic, yet extremely direct, just as you would expect from a band such as Crisis King!