Browsing Tag

Nu Metal

Thurtythree painted an off-kilter picture of PTSD in his single, Traumatized

Posted on 9 August 2022

In his latest single, Traumatized, Thurtythree used every ounce of his existential-driven talent to reflect the visceral of PTSD. If you know, you know, if you don’t, Traumatized will paint a vividly off-kilter picture.

On top of Echo and the Bunnymen-Esque atmospheric guitars in the intro, the up-and-coming artist adds Linkin Park-reminiscent electronic effect and genre-obliterating vocals, which toy with dark trap and post-hardcore in the same breath.

The ardent ingenuity of the track leaves us with no room to question why the San Francisco-born artist has been able to amass a loyal fanbase. On top of his originated sonic style, fans can always expect resonant realism from the lyrics and the vocals in equal measure. Needless to say, he is one to watch.

Traumatized is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Felicia became the ultimate nu-metal domme by subjugating Boris Johnson in her latest music video, Revolution Business

Posted on 20 July 2022

Even though Boris Johnson does a pretty good job of humiliating himself (and the rest of us while he’s shambolically at it), it was still beyond cathartic to see Felicia sonically flaying him in her latest seductively rebellious nu metal music video, Revolution Business.

It deserves to go just as viral as the video shot by a bewilderedly unsuspecting passer-by when they stumbled on the scene of Felicia dominating Boris Johnson in the market town of Grantham.

The video, (available to view here) has now garnered over 380,000 streams on Facebook, but what is infinitely less measurable is the true impact of the video, which provided a brief reprieve from the existential weight imposed by the futility of faith in our democracy.

How many iterations of “we need a revolution” have you heard recently? Well, now we have the start of one, and Bradford’s most creative antagonist inarguably became one of the most iconic contemporary mononym-toting artists in the process.

The pop-bitten track that instrumentally highjacks your rhythmic pulses through the juggernaut of a cadence keeps on giving. From her originated demurely rapped mischievousness to the screamo lyrical hook “fuck the music business, this is revolution business”, which made her the ultimate metal domme, it is frenetic socialist perfection. My Ruin will never hit the same again.

Fund the revolution by purchasing the track on Bandcamp or check out the official music video via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

New Plague Radio’s single, ‘Methamphetamine Dance’, from their debut EP, ‘The Beeswax’.

Posted on 6 April 2021

If any hip hop track has the force to throw you right back to the 90s, it’s New Plague Radio’s single, ‘Methamphetamine Dance’, from their debut EP, ‘The Beeswax’.

By mashing up Beastie Boys-style rap vocals with cutting guitars that would be right at home in an Incubus track, it’s a riotous amalgamation of 80s – 00s culture. If New Plague Radio were the first band that came to mind when nu-metal and rap-rock genres were mentioned, the genre would get plenty more respect.

With the dynamic energy deftly carved by the chaos in the instrumentals combined with smooth rock vocals and existential rap aggression, if you don’t feel your heart rate quicken as New Plague Radio’s single unravels, you might want to check for a pulse.

New Plague Radio’s debut EP is now available to stream via Spotify.

You can check out the official music video for Methamphetamine Dance that was funded by their (well-invested) stimulus money via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skunk Funk pulled back the curtain with reggae-rock ska-punk single ‘Welcome to the Freakshow’

Posted on 4 March 2021
Skunk Soup by Skunk Funk

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Insane Clown Posse grew up, gained some debonair flair and a reggae-rock ska-punk style, you’ll get a good idea of what to expect from Skunk Funk’s latest single ‘Welcome to the Freakshow’.  Funk has never been more theatrical.

With sunny staccato rhythms around cutting post-punk tones and elements of surf rock and nu-metal thrown in for good measure, Skunk Funk’s sound went far beyond psychedelic and wandered into the realms of absurdity – and that’s no bad thing. Skunk Funk delivered a unifying track bound to appeal to the outliers of society who were strange before reality became a hyper-normalised recipe for serotonin deprivation.

Welcome to the Freakshow is available to stream and download via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Absideon revives nu metal with their new wave sound in ‘Ephemeral’

Posted on 1 January 2021
https://absideon.bandcamp.com/track/ephemeral

Kicking off with a delicately picked, reverb-soaked clean guitar part before launching into the full-on aural assault of distorted guitars, heavy drums, and thundering bass alongside twin, intertwined vocals, ‘Ephemeral’ from Texarkana duo Brett and Casey – a.k.a. Absideon – is a riotous storm of melodic metal which screams from the speakers and launches itself, bodily, at your earlobes.

There’s obvious comparisons with Linkin Park, System Of A Down, or Seether, but the melodic rock and clever timing shifts set ‘Ephemeral’ apart from the welter of generic sound-alike Nu-Metal wannabes; there’s some serious musicianship on show here, for sure, but the duo also clearly have talent in abundance around both vocal and production duties. ‘Ephemeral’ is the opening track from Absideon’s new-this-week six track EP ‘Reflections’, and on the basis of this it promises to be an absolute firestorm of a record.

Check out Absideon on Spotify and Facebook now.

Review by Alex Holmes

JKR – Disaster: A Relentlessly Progressive Feat of Alt Rock Aural Dynamism

Posted on 22 December 2020

Anthemic American Rock, Darkwave Electronica, Indie and Rap all collide in JKR’s phenomenal single ‘Disaster’. If it has been a while since you’ve felt any discernible emotion, hit play and feel the evocative weight of this relentlessly progressive feat of aural dynamism.

Disaster is just one of the singles to feature on the Seattle-born, China-residing artist’s 2020 genre-obliterating album ‘Star Crossed’. The soaring vocal hooks combined with the sonically cutting reverb-laden guitars ensure that listening to this track half-heartedly isn’t an option.

JKR’s ability to orchestrate tracks which carry as much appeal to fans Soul Asylum to fans of Linkin Park will undoubtedly stand him in good stead. He’s undoubtedly one to watch.

You can check out Disaster for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Grindcore meets Sludge Metal in XMALCOLMX’s humanity damning single ‘MAN IS THE PREY’

Posted on 16 December 2020

Sludge Metal, Black Metal, Nu Metal and Grindcore all cataclysmically collide in the 2020 album from  XMALCOLMX, ‘MAN IS THE PREY’. Each track exhibits the Stockton, California-hailing artist’s experimental style which has set the benchmark for boundary-pushing within the DIY music scene of Northern California. If you want the best introduction to XMALCOLMX’s addictively visceral sound, hit play on the title single.

The progressive track kicks off with distorted trepidation and hostility before rhythm starts to break through the caustic sonic sludge and punky protestive vocals bounce along with the monumental progressions. With an aural curveball at every turn in the tight instrumentals and the vocals proving to be just as versatile, MAN IS THE PREY quickly entices you through the addictively rhythmic abrasive energy

You can check out MAN IS THE PREY along with the rest of XMALCOLMX’s sludgy masterpiece for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get Adrenalized with S.C.R.D.’s Rap-Driven Alt-Rock Track ‘Mosh Pit’

Posted on 6 November 2020

I never anticipated my favourite mosh pit of 2020 would come in the form of a Rap-driven Alt Rock track, but there’s no paralleling S.C.R.D.’s relentlessly high-octane protest single Mosh Pit. It’s wittily scathing, and it packs an adrenalizing punch.

So, if you were in danger of slipping into apathy or ennui, hit play on Mosh Pit; with sirens blazing under the harshly steady Rock beats, it is electrifying from start to finish. Any fans of Wu Tang Clan and Public Enemy will definitely want to jump on this caustically compelling track which pays ode to 90s Old School while serving up the antidote to our 2020 misery.

I may not be covered in the sweat of strangers and left bruised, but I’m galvanized all the same. More than anything, I’m eager to see what S.C.R.D. brings to the airwaves next.

Mosh Pit is available to stream and download on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

movie monroe – when thE suN stoppeD: The Hip Hop Track to Wake Up America

Posted on 2 September 2020
https://soundcloud.com/moviemonroe/when-the-sun-stopped

Artist and producer movie monroe has dropped their colossal Alt Hip Hop track when thE suN stoppeD. With doomy, grinding tones behind the Las Vegas-based artist’s insightfully compelling bars, it’s an evocative ride.

If you’re as pissed about the billionaires getting richer while ordinary people are being pushed into poverty more forcibly than ever before, when thE suN stopped is the perfect frustration venting track.

If any Hip Hop track has the power to wake up America to the insidious injustice which seems to be more abhorrent by the day, it’s this bass-driven convictive hit.

movie monroe may have only made their debut in March 2020, but they’re already well on their way to becoming one of the hottest names in Hip Hop. Get him on your radar.

You can checkout when thE suN stopped for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Visceral Alt Rock and High-Octane Hip Hop Converge in Matt Michael’s Latest Release “Copain”

Posted on 5 August 2020
https://soundcloud.com/mattmichaeltunes/copain

Breaking Hip Hop artist Matt Michael’s latest release Copain is exactly the kind of track which the word ‘Fire’ should be exclusively reserved for. There’s no preparing you for the visceral intensity which the high-octane track packs in.

There are a number of reminiscences to be found in the chorus to the likes of Linkin Park. Yet, perceptibly, Matt Michael threw in a smorgasbord of pioneering energy into Copain.

Vocally, Matt Michael switches between slow and steady Rap verses over downtempo old school Hip Hop beats with semi-orchestral layers, but when the choruses kick in, the vocals evolve into evocatively fierce Alt-Rock vocals.

It’s raw, it’s volatile and it’s a seamless convergence of Hip Hop and Alt-Rock which any fans of new and fresh experimental Hip Hop will want to check out. As he’ll be releasing new tracks throughout 2020, you’ll definitely want him on your radar.

You can check out Matt Michael’s single Copain for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast