Browsing Tag

Hard Rock

Sweden’s Ember Street created the ultimate anthem for the disillusioned age with ‘Searching’

Posted on 18 November 2022

Taken from their debut album, Arrival, Ember Street’s cutting-edge hard rock lead single, Searching, is an affirming anthem for our disillusioned age. With touches of Billy Talent and Highly Suspect to the vocals that spill across the crunchy guitars, anthemic drums and basslines that tightly fit into the frenetically hooky furore of Searching, Ember Street evidently have what it takes to become one of Sweden’s premier hard rock bands.

After getting their rock stripes in various projects, the four-piece utilised their money-can’t-buy synergy in the creation of their debut album, Arrival, which has been in the works for over a decade. Clearly not ones for instant gratification or half-baked hits, Ember Street is one that many rock fans will want to walk down to get their heart-in-throat hard-rock fills.

The official lyric video premiered on November 4th; watch it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Andrew Curtis disrupted the stagnancy in the rock scene with his viseral-with-fervour alt-rock hit, Unholy Smoke

Posted on 12 November 2022

Running in a similar alt-rock vein to Highly Suspect with added Pixies Trompe le Monde era grit in the melodically brashy guitars that weave through the expertly carved hooks, Andrew Curtis’ latest single, Unholy Smoke, packs a raucous punch. Undeniably, it’s a visceral-with-fervour hard hitter that any staunch rock fan will want colliding with their eardrums.

The UK-based multi-instrumentalist, vocalist and songwriter is also revered in the cinematic world after writing and acting in three feature films. Away from the silver screen, Curtis (AKA Motel Ghost) is working on his debut LP to rectify the contemporary issue of stagnancy in the rock scene. If it contains the thematic energy of Unholy Smoke, it’s set to be a resounding success.

Unholy Smoke dropped on October 30th; check it out on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stacey Dycus tackles proclivity towards deception in his alt-rock hit, Lie to Me

Posted on 18 October 2022

No alt-rock fan will be impervious to the efficaciously ensnaring hooks in Stacey Dycus’ seminal single, Lie to Me, which finds an atmospheric balance between the contrasts of grunge, mid-90s rock and progressive metal.

If rock fans still put their lighters in the air instead of pulling out their phones, there would be a sea of flame for this fervidly gripping anthem that contends with the human proclivity towards deception. It is as evocative as an Alice in Chains hit, as enticing in the chorus as Bon Jovi’s earworms and Faith No More-esque in the verses. Clearly, he has a talent for melody, which is impossible to disguise.

Lie to Me is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hunting Giants unleashed another mythological monolithic monster with their proggy hard rock single, Too Big to Kill

Posted on 29 September 2022

Too Big to Kill is the latest mythologically-inspired monolithic hard rock single to be released from the progressive four-piece outfit Hunting Giants’ upcoming album, Mythos.

With vocals as gnarled as the salaciously ferocious guitar riffs, Too Big to Kill makes no apology before it ravages your attention with the lyrics relayed to instrumentals which refuse to pigeonhole themselves into just one genre. The complexity easily matches the ferocity in this melting pot of grunge, groove metal and prog rock.

Not many tracks could warrant a comparison to Static X’s no Submission, but Hunting Giants easily match the intensity and cataclysmic etherealism between the melodic Godsmack-Esque increments.

Too Big to Kill was officially released on September 9th. Check it out on Spotify, and await the arrival of Mythos, which is set to be unleashed on September 30th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pretty Creatures unleashed alt-rock’s most ominous arrival with their atmospheric single, It’s Coming

Posted on 27 August 2022

With a Slipknot Unsainted-Esque intro, Kyuss-reminiscent hard rock sludge and a similar rhythmic sense of seduction to Velvet Revolver, Pretty Creatures’ seminal track, It’s Coming, is a harbinger of overdriven atmospheric alt-rock that every self-respecting rock fan should heed.

Primed to dominate the Glasgow alternative scene, Pretty Creatures (formerly known as Dead Coyotes) have blackened their sound, allowing their new transition to coalesce with the dystopia of our modern era. Thankfully, none of their former melodicism was lost to the juggernautical furore in It’s Coming. You can’t say you haven’t been warned.

It’s Coming is out now on Spotify. Check out Pretty Creatures on their official website & Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pop-punk pierces into hard-rock in Die Tired’s electrifyingly cathartic singe, Play

Posted on 21 June 2022

If it’s been a while since you’ve discovered an alt-rock track that tugs on the heartstrings as heavily as the rabid bass strings, prepare yourselves for the emotionally subjugating melodies in Die Tired’s latest single, Play, and leave the misery of responsibility behind.

With none of the pretension of a powerhouse and all of the talent, getting suckered into the anthemic soul of Play is non-optional. There are some serious virtuosic stripes through the hard-rock solos. But the filthy grungey distortion in the bass and Mathew DeAngelis’ vocals, which could send EVERY grown-up The All-American Rejects fan into swoon mode, the gravity of Play lingers in the giddying catharsis.

And if anyone is handing out awards for alluding-ly-clever monikers, it should be in Die Tired’s hands.

You can hear Play for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vanergast

Elizabeth II – All My Failures: Someone Tell Hayley Williams There is a New Pop Punk Supreme

Posted on 20 June 2022

With reminiscences of My Chemical Romance’s theatrically explosive antagonism, it almost beggars belief that Elizabeth II didn’t hit the same heights with her seminal single, All My Failures. Searing riffs? Check. Hooky choruses? Check. Avant-Garde ingenuity spliced with instantly infectious personality? Check.

The multi-award-winning artist allowed the single to ensue with a wobbly lo-fi prelude before bursting into a blister of frenetic rock with Jeckyl and Hyde vibes through the dizzying bounce from pop vocal lines to hell hath no mercy screams.

The Washington DC-born, Nashville-based artist’s boisterous infusion of punk, pop, and rock which has never tasted another artist’s flavour has seen her performing at the city’s most infamous venues, opening for William DuVall and playing for Slash since she emerged on the scene in 2017. It’s only a matter of time before she’s a rock legend in her own right.

All My Failures is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

California hard rockers Fastride speeds up on a road that has a ‘Devil in Your Rearview’

Posted on 20 June 2022

Pulsating us with a song that might give you a comprehensive rush that will take your breath away, Fastride knows they need to get the speed on full to stay away from that dark force that can take your mind away from where you need to be focused on with, ‘Devil in Your Rearview‘.

Fastride is a Los Angeles, California-based 4-piece indie hard rock band formed by Ty Asoudegan who is also a session guitarist at Gemini Musiq.

”Ty, who is an alumni of Berklee College of Music, started his musical journey in Philadelphia. Ty’s skills have been recognized early on in his career. He was the grand prize winner of a nationwide contest hosted by Slash and Guitar.” ~ Ty Asoudegan

Slashing the tires and getting us into a formidable headspace that is only focused on the here and now, Fastride sends us a picture of that race that we are all playing against ourselves in this rather strange world.

”Since relocating to Southern California, Fastride has performed at many clubs in the LA area, such as The Whisky A Go Go, The Viper Room, & Molly Malone’s.” ~ Ty Asoudegan

‘Devil in Your Rearview‘ from Los Angeles, California-based indie hard rock band Fastride is a heavy single that slams right into your face and takes you into a geared-up mentality. With ferocious riffs that send you into a hair-raising psyche, this is a pacey new single that will have you revving up your engine – as you imagine getting away from something evil – that you want no connection with.

Sometimes you just need to get far away from those thoughts that you know will ultimately break you.

See this speedy new music video on YouTube and see more via IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

‘Judgement Day’ is upon us in Danny Vash’s seminal rock hit.

Posted on 28 May 2022
Danny Vash

With enough filth in his guitar licks and enough vitriol in his vocal lines, the US rock artist, Danny Vash has exactly what it takes to draw in fans of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Metallica with his standout single, Judgement Day.

The multi-award-winning single delivers exactly the kind of life-affirming vindication that rock and metal fans can only ascertain through sonic means. Yet, this is no average vintage rock revival. Danny Vash’s signature intellectual lyrics instantly broadside you with their resonance as they reflect on the inescapable nature of our mortal coil, which will inevitably lead us all to judgement day. We may scrutinise ourselves every day, giving little thought to our capacity for redemption, but if any track can empower you through your own free will while you still have sand to spare, it’s Judgement Day.

Judgement Day is now available to stream via Reverb Nation.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shake Yourself From Complacency with Control Shift’s Proggy Hard Rock Hit, Awake

Posted on 20 May 2022

If the past few decades have taught us anything, its that there is no better breeding ground for hard-hitting rock than LA – case in point, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Ali Rizvi.

The latest single from Control Shift, Awake, exudes a Velvet Revolver & Stone Sour-Esque seductive angst while asserting its originality via its progressive nature that runs in the same energetic vein of A Perfect Circle, Tool & NIN. It isn’t every day that we find commercial potential against complete authenticity, but notably, Control Shift is unapologetically the full package.

Awake will officially release on May 20th; you can check it out by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast