Browsing Tag

grunge

The Every Glazer chartered a self-sacrificial downfall in his latest release, Singularity

Posted on 22 February 2024

Every time we hear a new release from The Every Glazer, it feels like the first time; there is always something engrossingly unique in the way he pulls you into his productions. The solo artist’s latest single, Singularity, is no exception.

After a moody and nuancedly grungy intro which uses spacey electronica synthetics to echo isolation and desolation, Singularity evolves into a melodic rock lament that unleashes a full spectrum of emotion to pull you back and forth between sentimentality and melancholy.

As the guitars ring with assurance, the angular instrumentation heightens the evocative magnetism of the single which explores how easy it is for others to leave us by the wayside, even if we’ve given our all, which can all too easily be our self-sacrificing downfall.

Stream the official music video for Singularity via YouTube or add the single to your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

djamesk13 weaved scathing socialism into a grungy dreamscape with ‘Everything Is Certain – Your Majesty’

Posted on 8 February 2024

The London-based solo artist, djamesk13, is no stranger to the arenas of Avant-Garde alt-rock, but for his latest release, Everything Is Certain – Your Majesty, he went deeper into the domain than ever before while exploring our strained relationships with high society.

While we used to look at royalty and other figures of the elite ruling class with awe, the tables are gradually turning on the perception shared by the masses. Simply put, Everything Is Certain – Your Majesty is a socialist masterclass, but instead of running in the same vein as the Manic Street Preachers, djamesk13 orchestrated a dreamy grungy dreamscape to run his reflective lyricism through.

“How can you be magnificent when we can buy you” will go down as one of my favourite lyrics of all time, and for the way the instrumentals and ethereally sludgy vox juxtapose the lyrical sting, Everything Is Certain – Your Majesty became an unforgettable release; a paragon of the post-grunge movement.

Everything Is Certain – Your Majesty was officially released on January 28th; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Morgana harrowed the psyche with their synthesis of emo, punk and grunge in ‘Two Broken People’

Posted on 2 February 2024
https://soundcloud.com/wearemorgana/two-broken-people-make-hell-feel-like-home/s-W6JLk7nw7y3?si=4cea53c957d144c39759a0a0067e3d2c&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Sometimes two broken pieces come together to form a cohesive whole, but more often than not, the sharp idiosyncratic shards find a jarring way of exposing raw wounds. Far from your archetypal vignette of heartbreak, Morgana’s single, ‘Two Broken People (Make Hell Feel Like Home)’, approaches the narrative from a position of mutual position of imperfection. If you’re tired of black-and-white expositions of good and evil and want to find the fucked up fabric of the human psyche in sound, Morgana is a breath of non-dichotomous air.

With the visceral harmonies striking against the momentum in the rock chords as they dig deeper into the narrative and the drums deepening the tumultuous edge to the organically authentic single, Two Broken People is as affecting as the alt-90s hits from the likes of The Cranberries and Skunk Anansie. Through the grungy synthesis of punk and emo, the Kent-based trio, the single retains a signature that could only be scribed by the volition of Morgana.

Vocalist and guitarist Amy Morgan is a natural frontwoman. The mix of her expressive confidence and candid vulnerability ensures their singles don’t just resonate; they harrow the psyche. Dill Taskar (bass) and Tim Whittingham (drums) notably seem to feed off the fervour in her delivery to orchestrate a tight yet brashy riff-driven coalescence of chaos and cultivation.

Two Broken People will be available to stream from February 2nd; stream it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

O Odious Ones took us on an electrifying journey from gutter punk frenzy to the agony of old flames in their EP, Fluffer

Posted on 30 January 2024

Only O Odious Ones could start an EP with a riotous gutter punk track titled Fuck Me in the Pit and make You Can’t Tame an Old Flame the swan song of the record. The closing cadence finds the evocative potential within an amalgam of sludgy melancholy and artfully affecting melodic indie as they lament the ill fate of a relationship you can’t rekindle.

With touches of Sonic Youth in the tinged with no-wave grungy production, O Odious Ones proved that they can handle aching elucidations as well as fervid frenzy. The same electricity that opens the Fluffer EP tears through You Can’t Tame an Old Flame, which may be more subdued and restrained, but O Odious Ones always find a way to make an ever-lasting impact with their releases, which have now culminated in a dynamic discography, which definitively proves that the only thing you can expect as a constant is visceralism.

The Fluffer EP is now available to stream in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Find out why the city never sleeps in snailosaur’s indie rock vignette, Apartment Boxes (nyc poem)

Posted on 18 January 2024

Forget what you know about New York from the over-romanticised depictions and acquaint yourself with the true nature of the cityscape, which juxtaposes grit and grime with the monolithic architecture and the egregious egos of Wall Street wolves. snailosaur’s standout single, ‘Apartment Boxes (nyc poem)’, taken from their indie rock LP, Talk Therapy, paints a fond vignette of the infamous city over the luminous tonality of their angular guitar lines, which weave elements of new wave into the nostalgia-kissed release.

While the upbeat melodies embed the single with a light and dreamy air as they cruise through the Pavement-esque progressions, the vocals act in contrast with their nonchalant drawls, adding depth to the track as they allude to the sins and cultural salvation of the city that never sleeps – and now, thanks to snailosaur, we know why; the working class are confined to coffins as they live and breathe. Yet, suffocation is a small price to pay to walk the streets that become portals in time, if you know which avenues to take.

Apartment Boxes (nyc poem) is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ramener exhibited the agony of empathy in their debut music video for their seminal single, In Her Hands

Posted on 18 January 2024
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6EbjJ0eEyw

With the unveiling of Ramener’s debut album drawing closer, the grungy alt-rock evocators unleashed their first music video to complement their ensnaring lead single, In Her Hands, and draw fans a little closer into their tumultuously provocative world, which is redefining the contemporary nu-metal arena.

With a similar atmosphere and aesthetic to Nirvana’s iconic Smells Like Teen Spirit music video, Ramener succeeded in amplifying the visceralism within their seminal single. The rhythmics of the track mimic a fraught with anxious torment heartbeat in the intro until the single breaks into its first cascade of instrumental candour to complement the complete rejection of inhibition from the vocals, which harmonically tease you into the cacophonous outpour.

If you are yet to see Ramener live, the music video will give you an accurate view of what you can expect from the instrumentally tight outfit which becomes the sum of all parts when they’re using their agony, volition and razor-sharp songwriting chops to seduce you into soundscapes which transcend sound to become immersive expositions into the dark side of empathy. Keep Ramener on your radar. What follows will undoubtedly be just as groundbreaking.

Stream the debut music video from Ramener for their In Her Hands hit single via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ATR unleashed a gritty punk rock anthem of disillusionment with their latest single, Nothing Left to Say, ft Kellii Scott

Posted on 8 January 2024

ATR’s latest single, Nothing Left to Say, featuring the formidable Kellii Scott on skins, is a visceral journey into the underbelly of grungy punk rock. This raw, unfiltered expression of disappointment and betrayal, wrapped in a rancorous alt-90s aesthetic is as cathartic as it is evocatively ensnaring.

The song’s energetic guitar licks are reminiscent of Green Day’s as a contrast to the production and attitude, underpinned by the cutting, gritty edge of Leftover Crack.  It’s a powerful outpour of rage directed at the kind of people we all have the displeasure of knowing. The ones who turn away when you need them most and leave you to contend with the betrayal confounding the circumstances which compelled you to seek comfort within them. It’s a tale as old as time, yet one that makes us feel deeply alone when it is being told – ATR tore through the misconception that we are isolated in this alienation.

ATR, led by frontman Jesse, who recently triumphed over Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, channels this newfound lease on life into their music. The band’s transition to a new studio space has injected a fresh wave of inspiration and motivation, evident in the quality and intensity of Nothing Left to Say, which is augmented by Kellii Scott’s rhythmic furore to enhance the mercilessness in the tone.

Nothing Left to Say will rile up the airwaves on January 5th. Stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Slip into a rock noir fever dream with Call to the Void’s latest single, Blow

Posted on 5 January 2024

South London’s Call to the Void delivered a smorgasbord of style in their synthesis of garage rock, proto-punk, post-punk, and grunge in the track they crashed onto our radar with earlier this year. Their previous release, Uncontrollable, was one thing; their latest fervid feat, Blow, is another entirely. The vice-like rhythmic grip will drag you down the shadowy rabbit hole in the rock n roll fever dream, where a séance is held with the sonic aesthetic of Jim Morrison, Cobain, and Lux Interior.

By driving innovation through the rancorously electric vintage tones between the melodic increments used to ensnare you in the jaws of their shaking, rattling, and rolling cultivated panache, there’s no getting out of Blow alive once you experience the dark rock noir atmosphere, which twists and turns on a knife edge to impale you on the spikes of innovation that proliferate this nefariously dark hit.

Blow will be available to stream on all major platforms from January 5th, following the pre-release on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Call to the Void

Fox 2 warped the lineage of rock n roll to define its future with their debut LP, Sidewinder

Posted on 20 December 2023
Sidewinder by Fox 2

Fox 2’s debut LP, Sidewinder, is a seismic shift in the rock landscape, a thrilling fusion of reverence and revolution. From the streets of Portland, Oregon, this dynamic duo – ex-fighter pilot Paul Shamy and drumming maestro Jason Van Abrams – have unleashed a debut that doesn’t just walk the tightrope between homage and innovation; it riffs right across it.

Imagine the raw, gritty essence of grunge, the soulful depth of blues, and the rebellious spirit of punk, all colliding in a supernova of sound. That’s Sidewinder. Each track is a masterstroke of musical alchemy, where classic rock sensibilities are not just revisited but reinvented. The album is a kaleidoscope of eras and styles, yet it remains unmistakably Fox 2.

Shamy’s vocals are a revelation. He’s a powerhouse of emotion that can whisper in one breath and roar in the next. His guitar riffs are incendiary, igniting each track with a white-hot intensity. And then there’s Van Abrams, a rhythmic juggernaut whose drumming is both a foundation and a force of nature, driving the music forward with unstoppable momentum.

From the haunting melodies of The Grey to the frenetic energy of Phila, each song is a journey in itself. But it’s in tracks like Fly where Fox 2’s genius truly shines, blending bluesy undertones with garage rock grit to create something entirely new yet timelessly familiar.

Following the release of Sidewinder, the outfit is expanding their sound by strapping in bassist Pierce Guderskiand and is set to release swathes of hits in Summer 2024. Ensure Fox 2 is on your flight radar for the drop.

Stream and download Sidewinder on Bandcamp and Spotify. Follow Fox 2 on Instagram to stay up to date with their latest releases.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

djamesk13 reached the pinnacle of haunting subtlety in the twisted psych-rock tale, ‘She Was Angelina’

Posted on 20 December 2023

She Was Angelina by djamesk13 is a captivating piece that solidifies the artist’s position in the realm of grungy, bass-driven psych rock. This single is a masterful blend of raw energy and haunting subtlety, showcasing djamesk13’s adeptness in creating a soundscape that is both gritty and ethereal.

The track opens with a deep, resonant bass line that immediately sets a dark, immersive tone. The distortion is cranked up, not just as an effect, but as a statement, echoing the grunge era’s love for raw, unpolished sound. This choice pays off brilliantly, as it adds a visceral edge to the song.

Lyrically, She Was Angelina is a poetic exploration of a film noir femme fatale figure. The character is painted as both innocently sweet and dangerously alluring, a combination that is as intriguing as it is unsettling. The reference to the Jesus and the Mary Chain not only situates the song within a specific musical lineage but also adds a layer of depth to Angelina’s character, suggesting a complex individual with a rich inner world.

The melody, dusky and lingering, perfectly complements the lyrical content. It’s a siren song, drawing the listener deeper into the narrative and the emotions it evokes. The use of lo-fi elements by the London-based solo artist adds a personal, intimate touch to the track, making it feel like a glimpse into a private, almost secret world.

She Was Angelina was officially released on December 10th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast