Browsing Tag

post hardcore

Post-hardcore meets hip hop in SEER SEEKER’s viscerally bruising standout release, GONE TOO LONG

Posted on 2 January 2024

Post-hardcore meets nu-metal and creates friction with hard-hitting hip-hop in the standout cinematic mash-up, GONE TOO LONG, from the hotly anticipated debut album TO THE CORE, from SEER SEEKER.

For the seminal track from the LP, SEER SEEKER took the foundation laid by Linkin Park and launched it into a brand-new scintillating atmosphere, which channels the same tumultuous visceralism as ground-breaking artists in the vein of Wage War, Polaris, and Fit for a King. While some artists are content getting up to speed with the contemporary curve, others are palpably determined to sit on a plateau above it. SEER SEEKER is definitively in the latter camp.

High-octane enigmatic energy courses through the electrifying release as SEER SEEKER uses every ounce of their volition to make the weight of the lyricism cascade with bruising and deeply affecting impact. Between the cross-appeal of the monolithic aesthetic and the up-and-coming artist’s maniacally larger-than-life charisma, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more promising breakthrough post-hardcore artist on the airwaves right now.

TO THE CORE was officially released on December 22. Stream it in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The future of alt-rock surged through Adamic’s latest post-hardcore sonic juggernaut, All of a Sudden

Posted on 10 December 2023

Adamic’s latest single All of a Sudden from their self-titled album is a ground-breaking addition to the alt-rock genre. Hailing from Linton, Indiana, Adamic has been shaping their unique sound since 2013, and this track is a testament to their artistic growth.

The song is a masterful blend of alternative, metal, and punk elements, reminiscent of the likes of Deftones, Foo Fighters, Tool, and P.O.D., yet it carves out its own identity. All of a Sudden stands out for its progressive arrangement, echoing bands like Bring Me the Horizon and Enter Shikari while offering a fresh perspective on post-hardcore. The crunchy guitars create a robust foundation, while the percussion leads listeners towards a euphoric oblivion. This innovative instrumentation ensures that the song remains engaging and unpredictable, a quality that will undoubtedly appeal to fans of alt-rock.

The vocal performance by Ian Swaby is another highlight. His endlessly soaring vocal lines drench the track in addictive energy, adding an emotive depth that resonates with listeners. Adamic’s decision to team up with producer Andrew Stanton of Disciple for their fourth studio album has clearly paid off, allowing them to elevate their sound to new heights.

The official music video for All of a Sudden is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Telling Secrets – Fall Behind: Impeccably produced, piercingly poignant post-hardcore

Posted on 9 December 2023

Telling Secrets masterfully captured the essence of emotion-driven post-hardcore with their latest single, Fall Behind, setting a new standard in the genre. The track, a pivotal piece in the band’s upward trajectory, showcases their extraordinary ability to blend thunderous guitars, angelic vocals, and sinister, atmospheric synths into a sound that is both raw and refined.

The polish of the production makes it almost impossible to distinguish where your consciousness ends and the sonics start as the confessional anthem delves into the complexities of mental turmoil. If you know how it feels to wage war with your demons in a bid to not give up the ghost on someone worth persevering, expect Fall Behind to strike some raw chords.

The journey of Fall Behind is as intriguing as its sound. Initially conceived before Telling Secrets was even formed, the track underwent various demos and re-recordings, ultimately culminating in what Vik Kovacs, the band’s founder and creative force, considers one of his best lyrical works.

Kovacs’ influences range from Led Zeppelin to Escape the Fate, contributing to his expansion into songwriting, vocal performance, and music production. This evolution is evident in Fall Behind, where every element showcases his comprehensive musical prowess.

The anticipation for Telling Secrets’ full-length LP, set for release in early 2024, is high, especially with the involvement of talents like Rachel Blum and Elliot Polokoff.

Fall Behind is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Post-Hardcore goes Pop (Punk) in Secular Era & Drexl Bowie’s single, Master Morality

Posted on 8 December 2023

Two juggnautical entities in their own sonic right, Secular Era and Drexl Bowie, converged to show mere mortals what ‘Master Morality’ sounds like with their latest release. With guitars augmented in the same vein as the hooks in MCR’s I’m Not Okay fused with Slipknot-esque nu-metal percussive proclivities and synthy melodies to keep the down and gutturally dirty track upbeat, Master Morality is an adrenalizing slice of ingenuity that will swallow you whole and spit you out drenched in rancorous euphoria.

While many heavier outfits turn their nose up at the tones of pop-punk, Secular Era & Drexl Bowie saw the potential within it. By using the stickiest and sweetest elements and infusing them into a tumultuously electrifying sequence, they made it impossible to find a track that hits harder while simultaneously keeping their finger on the guilty pleasure pulse. Putting Master Morality into words is no easy feat, but if you can imagine Nena’s 99 Red Balloons fused with Sugar We’re Goin Down and tasked Static X to pay ode to the cross-genre synthesis, you’d get an idea of the engrossing, ingenious, uninhibited insanity delivered via Master Morality.

Master Morality was officially released on December 1st; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

valetical synthesised hyper trap pop with post-hardcore in the vulnerable rancour of her latest release, attached

Posted on 26 November 2023

valetical has stormed into the alt-rock sphere with the innovatively cultivated debut EP, solitary, which melds post-hardcore rancour with elements of trap and hyper pop, to delicious, disquiet, distinctive effect.

With vulnerable vocal lines bleeding into the tumultuously infectious production, you can’t help but lean into the volatility that courses through the standout single, attached. For quieter reflections with the release, the EP also features a stripped-down version of the single, which reveals the evocative ingenuity within the lyrical lines, which won’t fail to strike all the right evocative notes.

After starting her career in 2018 as a satirical meme rapper who never shied away from cringey territory, the 14-year-old transgender artist and self-taught producer is making serious waves with her honed and already matured signature Expop (experimental-pop) sound. Solitary is the perfect exhibition of her ability to explore darker themes; it holds no prisoners while narrating the raw emotions a break-up can leave you to contend with as you traverse a surreal aftermath of affection.

Stream attached on Spotify and follow valetical’s ascent from the underground via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

trueandtrue dialled up the rancour with their seductively clever post-hardcore single, Blindfold

Posted on 11 November 2023
trueandtrue

After a prelude of grungy no-wave with a spoken-word delivery of deadpan poetry, the latest single, Blindfold, from the post-hardcore outfit, trueandtrue, dials up the rancorous momentum that hits with the same impact as some of the most seminally unforgettable singles from Alexisonfire and At the Drive-In. The visceralism is one thing, the seductive way the instrumentals overlay their progressively exhilarant melodicism between the stripped-back interludes and tumultuous crescendos is another entirely.

Blindfold will officially release on November 10th ahead of the forthcoming debut EP, Back Into the Quiet. If the rest of the EP shares the intricately clever juggernautic volatility of Blindfold, trueandtrue has exactly what it takes to hold dominion over the post-hardcore scene.

The Norwegian post-hardcore powerhouse said:

“Blindfold is a catchy yet energetic song that has continually grown during recording and production. Here, instrumentals and vocals go hand in hand to guide you through an emotionally charged lyric about getting people or situations right up your throat. From emotional lines like ‘How do I keep up when it’s empathy I lack?’ to the aggressive chorus ‘Drown me in your words,’ you are taken through the narrator’s emotions and mood swings.“

Stream Blindfold on Spotify, and follow the band on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the drop of the EP.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LOOK ALIVE quaked the Calgary metalcore scene with the visceral vehemence in their single, Scum

Posted on 8 November 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePZqf-mHKso

LOOK ALIVE ripped up the roots of hardcore and implanted them within their latest behemoth of a single, Scum, which is set to put them at the vanguard of the Calgary metalcore movement. Savage and intricately intelligent, the powerhouse efficaciously succeeded in its strive for a distinct sound that shatters the confines of hardcore.

From the first blisteringly tumultuous beats and savagely cataclysmic guitar licks, LOOK ALIVE drags you into their adrenalized-with-aggression realm; expect to collide with a universe drenched in wild hues and intricate layers and Jeremy Richardson’s raw, unmatched vocal prowess.

Before the scummy protagonists in your life lead you to a breakdown, embrace the cathartic vehemence in the gnarled breakdowns and put Scum in your sonic arsenal. Crafting every tune, visual, and concept off the back of their own visceral volition, LOOK ALIVE emerges as an outfit few should dare to rival.

The official video for Scum premiered on October 27; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A Desolate Light printed the ticket to transformation in his alt-rock debut single, Suppressor

Posted on 16 September 2023
Suppressor by A Desolate Light

The Sparks, NV alt-rock artist, A Desolate Light, got his forthcoming debut LP, To Knell and Vanish, off to a scintillating start with the first single released from the concept album, Suppressor.

Starting with the solitary strike of a gong, the spirituality of the release asserts itself from here and unravels further through the Jungian and Zen-inspired lyricism throughout the evocatively high-octane progressions. The instrumentals find themselves in the middle ground between gunge and post-hardcore to stoke the fires of a blazingly hot brand of ingenuity that is uniquely finger-printed to the solo artist.

A Desolate Light is a one-man project fuelled by the enlightened innovation of Sam Spivey (ex-Authmentis); aside from the percussive work, Spivey is putting all the finishing touches on his upcoming 13-track album, which is being fan-funded via his Patreon page and Bandcamp pre-orders of the record.

Suppressor was officially released on September 8th; it is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The emerging outfit, Hound, is spectre hunting in their debut post-hardcore-meets-pop-punk hit, Ghost in the Grey

Posted on 31 August 2023

Here to prove that emo isn’t a phase is the antagonistically enticing up-and-coming outfit, Hound, with their nostalgia-driven post-hardcore anthem, Ghost in the Grey.

The debut single is – almost – enough to tempt you to chop your hair into a side fringe and whip out the checked sweatbands, skinny jeans, and studded belts. Failing that, you’ll get to relive the glory days when Hawthorne Heights, Dashboard Confessional and Senses Fail reigned supreme in the alternative music charts, and it only felt like your internal sanity was failing instead of society as a whole.

Describing themselves as five 30-somethings with dodgy knees and broken dreams scarcely does their heavy pop-punk/emo mashup justice, especially with the sharp hooks, tight instrumentals and choruses that you will want to scream as though you’re performing your own exorcism. But it just goes to show how committed the powerhouse is to providing an escape from modern maladies and melancholy by creating pretension-less atmospheres in their music and at their live shows.

Ghost in the Grey riled up the airwaves after its debut on August 21. Stream it on Spotify.

 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Norway’s most experimental post-hardcore outfit, trueandtrue, is viciously rapturous in  ‘This is the Last Time’

Posted on 23 August 2023

To orchestrate their latest installation of intellectually crafted post-hardcore visceralism, the Norway-residing four-piece, trueandtrue, enlisted vocalist Tobias Osland (HAMMOK / SLØTFACE) to drive up the decibels in their heaviest single to date.

After a rancorous prelude that delivers all the frenetic chaos you would expect from any self-respecting post-hardcore release, This is the Last Time utilises stripped-back melodic increments with spoken with vindicating words verses to make the cataclysmic crescendos all the more viciously rapturous.

By finding the perfect balance between evocative lyrical triggers and experimental explorations that stamp down their ensnaring sonic signature that has more teeth than a whale shark, trueandtrue stayed true to the form of their moniker in their third release. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

This is the Last Time hit the airwaves on August 18th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast