Browsing Tag

Mastodon

Nostalgic Smells shredded through reality with the distortion in his latest single, Unfounded

Nostalgic Smells ventured deeper into shoegaze territory with Unfounded, by constructing oscillating walls of sound that hit with the same force as My Bloody Valentine’s heavier tracks. The distortion pulls you into the undercurrent like a relentless tide as the solo artist’s signature distinctive vocals rise above the chaos, offering clarity through the rancorous sonic storm.

The middle eight introduces a twist of fate for the single, proving Nostalgic Smells can riff with the best of them. The searing guitar solos slice through with white-hot precision, adding new alchemic waves to the tide of this immersive installation of ingenuity which draws influences from Cave In and Mastodon while combining ferocious energy with cultivated songwriting, weaving themes of alienation and displacement into every progression.

Lyrically, the chorus hits a bittersweet note, urging listeners to hold on to life’s fleeting moments – a sentiment that cuts through the digital distractions and empty noise of today, giving the track an edge of sonic and philosophical reckoning.

Stream Unfounded on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

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!