Browsing Tag

Alternative / Hard Rock

Abyssal Voyage arrived as juggernauts in the hardcore scene with their debut single, Time

Posted on 16 July 2023

The Floridian experimental outfit, Abyssal Voyage, arrived as juggernauts in the hardcore scene with their debut single, Time. The short but by no means sweet hit pays homage to the hardcore pioneers Agnostic Front and Minor Threat; to punctuate the aggressive blast beats, gnarled riffs guttural vocals, there are punchy pop-punk-esque choruses, which goes to show how versatile and committed to authenticity the up-and-coming four-piece is.

With the promise of more catchily hard-hitting singles to come, the future looks promising for the synergistically tight outfit, which comprises Andres Ruiz, Colten “Verb” Snyder, Cory Schubert, Dylan “Dyl-Pick” Rimart, and Todd Shown.

If the recorded material hits as hard as their debut single, fans may end up leaving the venue in a stretcher after experiencing Abyssal Voyage live.

Watch the official music video for Time by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s The Lightness Of Being shred through the speakers with ”Red Summer”

Posted on 10 June 2020

With hard-hitting lyrics plus a raw and distorted sound with experimental riffs- this is London Hard Rockers The Lightness Of Being time to shine. They have just released their moody single, the ominous ”Red Summer” and it’s a song to play with the volume up very high to capture the band at their best.

With a song that could be the theme track out of a Hollywood action movie, they remind us the perils of the current dark days we are in.

With a frenetic start, ”Red Summer” wakes you up and puts you into a strange kind of mood. You are a bit paranoid and the haunting background noises of doom sparks up your imagination to a dark and lonely place. The Lightness Of Being have been a rock band since 2009 and their experience shows. The band are easily able to toy with our souls, grabbing our attention, before exploding into a fury of high impact rock that is sure to light up any stage. A quality band with a ferocious sound that doesn’t get too much, ”Red Summer” is launched into our ears with devastatingly effective results.

Stream this experimental London band’s new track on SoundCloud and check out the whole collection.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Homecoming has released their punchiest Indie Pop Punk single to date with the release of “Prime”

Posted on 21 May 2020

Pop Punk, Post Hardcore and Indie Rock all entwine in the explosively adrenalizing recently released single “Prime” from breaking San Antonio-based artist Homecoming.

They’ve gone right back to the roots of Emo and Pop-Punk with the bouncing anthemic choruses which stand as a testament to the production standard of Prime. Yet Homecoming played a bit of Machiavellian trick as they allowed the harmonically magnetic vocals to be interrupted by the raw screamo lyrics. The seismic shift in energy definitely wasn’t expected. Yet, it made the sticky-sweet choruses which followed even more absorbing.

No review of Prime would be complete without mentioning the guitar which borrows Indie Rock nuances to ensure that the track isn’t just a heavy-hitter. There’s also a smorgasbord of deftly intricate distinction within their playing style to gorge upon.

You can check out Homecoming’s single Prime for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Western Automatic – Lemon Party: Explosively Infectious Melodic Alt Rock

Posted on 8 May 2020
https://open.spotify.com/track/0GsDX4b9oafqcP0GLg6sUJ

If you’re looking for your next fix of melodic aural filth, look no further than Western Automatic’s raucously electric Alt Rock EP “The Fugitive”.

While each of the tracks will make sure that your mind is suitably altered, the best introduction to Western Automatic’s gritty and raw, yet momentously anthemic sound is “Lemon Party”.

With the filthy basslines, heavily distorted guitars carving buzz saw riffs, punchy percussion and the swagger in the vocals Lemon Party has everything you’d hope to hear from a new Alt Rock track. Yet, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more infectious chorus in a new Alt Rock track if you turned on the radio today.

The Chicago-based artist has been one to watch since they made their debut in 2014. But after the release of The Fugitive EP, they’ve created the ultimate testament to their talent and proven that they’re an aural force to be reckoned with.

Their fine balance of consciousness-consuming chaotic experimentalism with their ability to write solid, connectable tracks isn’t something we get to hear every day. Get them on your radar.

You can check out Western Automatic’s track Lemon Party for yourselves via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A&R Factory Present: Eric Krasno

Posted on 7 May 2016

For nearly two decades, Eric Krasno has been an omnipresent figure in popular music. We’ve heard his virtuosic, innovative guitar playing with Soulive and Lettuce (both of which he co-founded), seen him onstage supporting the likes of the Rolling Stones and The Roots, watched him take home multiple GRAMMY Awards, and benefited from his deft, behind-the-scenes work as a producer and songwriter for everyone from Norah Jones, Tedeschi Trucks, and 50 Cent to Talib Kweli, Aaron Neville, and Allen Stone. Krasno’s rousing new solo album, ‘Blood From A Stone,’ reveals a previously unknown and utterly compelling side of his artistry, though, inviting us to bear witness as he both literally and metaphorically finds his voice.