Browsing Tag

post hardcore

Artie Ziff have released the ultimate indie post-hardcore anthem, Masquerade

Posted on 24 September 2021

The Scottish alt-indie outfit, Artie Ziff, is the kind of artist that leaves you instantly perplexed at how they fly under so many people’s radars with their ability to organically weave a myriad of genres into their captivatingly high-octane sound. Their latest single, Masquerade, proves that they have exactly what it takes to reach the same heights as Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes, Bring Me the Horizon or Yungblud as alt-rock pioneers.

The proceedings kick off with a post-punk-style prelude before post-hardcore stylings start to work their way into the anthemically unpredictable hit. If you think The National’s guitars when they kick into sonic overdrive are something, you might want to strap yourselves in for Masquerade that brings just as much to the table vocally. Anyone that never completely grew out of their emo phase should definitely consider Masquerade a playlist staple.

The official video for Masquerade premiered on September 16th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Middle Fingers Up: Motivated Idaho metal band Artificial Aliens urge us to make it count this time with ‘Start Again’

Posted on 24 July 2021

With a powerfully rugged sound that has your ears ringing like a telephone in delight, Artificial Aliens angrily smash the locked door down to the floor as they search for that all-important purpose which will set them free on ‘Start Again‘.

Artificial Aliens is a thunderous Rupert, Idaho-based indie post-hardcore/metal five-piece band. They make that stimulating-your-senses-quickly type of speaker-shaking vibe, which has you feeling so invigorated after a long enforced slumber.

”From a town with few concerts or publicity, Artificial Aliens have traveled and toured to gain exposure for their unique and aggressive sound.” ~ Artificial Aliens

You feel their electric energy transforming into something special right before your eyes, as you turn up the volume to the max, as your whole body has that rare feeling of euphoria. The powerful vocals lift you up into the smoke-filled air so quickly as the band are on top form the whole time.

Their sensationally hard soundscape has your head nodding furiously as you imagine watching them live in concert, and moshing intensely the whole way through the gig.

‘Start Again‘ from the high octane Rupert, Idaho-based indie metal/post hardcore act Artificial Aliens, shows us a motivated band on a real mission to grab that opportunity by sweeping the past away, as they take charge of what comes next. They remind us that its vitally important to never let the past dictate your future, as starting fresh sometimes is the only way to truly succeed.

Their lesson is simple. Middle fingers up to anyone who tries to bring you down in life.

Stream this new single on Spotify and see more on their IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Start Over: Underground Orlando trio NOT just want to replenish their energy with much-needed sleep on ‘The Worst Twelve Hours Of My Life’

Posted on 24 July 2021

With a highly ambitious and speaker-grabbing style which has your head bouncing around like a beach ball in summer, NOT recall that time when nothing seemed to go right on ‘The Worst Twelve Hours Of My Life‘.

NOT is a pleasurable Orlando, Florida-based indie alternative pop-punk/post-hardcore trio band. They ravage the unsuspecting airwaves with a succulent blend of drum-bashing entertainment that is stacked full of speaker-breaking vocals, and rampaging guitar riffs.

Their door-breaking noise slams all of the pesky wind back into the sun-lit sky – as they seem to fly into our lives like unsung superheros – to satisfyingly bringing back a sound which disappeared like Batman into the night a few years ago. This is a foot-stomping and sweat-flowing song which will have your ears alive, alert, awake and feeling blimmin’ fantastic.

‘The Worst Twelve Hours Of My Life‘ from the fiery Orlando indie post-hardcore/pop-punk three-piece chargers NOT, shows us a story which so many have felt recently. You feel that things could be way better as the day hasn’t gone anywhere according to plan, as you try and fall asleep but your eyes just stay open like a 24 hour convenience store.

This is a terrific track which quickly pushes the blood back into your head and lights your attention up quickly, to remind you that this genre isn’t dead, instead its gone back to the underground to reinvent itself again. Starting over sometimes is the only way to truly evolve after all.

Stream this new single on Spotify and see more on their revved up IG channel.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Seven Days Rest put a dark and doomy spin on hardcore with their single, ‘Traitor’.

Posted on 28 June 2021

‘Traitor’ is the latest confrontationally fierce alt-rock single released by New Mexico-based luminaries, Seven Days Rest. Their darker take on hardcore allows you to relive the glory days when Job for a Cowboy and the Black Dahlia Murder reigned supreme in the hardcore scene.

Yet, with the progressive nature of the doomy tuned-down guitars, Traitor offers everything you could hope for in an alternative track. The soaring instrumental hooks, frenetic glitchy breakdowns and catchy choruses with arresting female vocals complemented with guttural screams pull together to make an adrenalizingly cathartic track out of Traitor.

Given that most people are by default terrible, I’m sure that plenty of people will find resonance in the track that launches a straight-up attack on backstabbers.

Traitor is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Young Fatigue attack aesthetic obsession with their single Am I Pretty Now?

Posted on 6 May 2021

After forming in 2019, London-based three-piece powerhouse Young Fatigue is gaining all the right attention and are on track to take the Alt-Rock scene by storm in 2021, especially with the release of their latest single, Am I Pretty Now?

With crystal clear nods to Daniel Kessler’s lead work in the intro giving way to the grungey carnage in the first verse combined with throbbingly ominous post-punk basslines, Am I Pretty Now? hooks you in, right from the start. As the single continues to evolve, pop-punk biting energy transgresses into post-hardcore-style-furore, delivering an angsty scuzz that you are unlikely to forget.

Tune into the lyrics, and you will find that Young Fatigue attack aesthetic obsession with the same poignancy as Richey Edwards. If Richey was around to witness the Instagram generation, I do not doubt that his lyrics would be reminiscent of Young Fatigue’s.

You can hear Young Fatigue via their Website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Owl Rose have unleashed their frenetically cathartic post-hardcore EP ‘PTERODACTYLS’

Posted on 17 March 2021
OWL ROSE

If any up and coming alt-rock act is going to make hardcore fans miss sticky floors and colliding with sweat-soaked strangers, it’s Owl Rose. The Norfolk, UK-based alt-rock powerhouse’s EP, ‘PTERODACTYLS’, shares the same genre-blending propensities as Enter Shikari, Bring Me the Horizon and Architects, but this frenetic 6-track release is anything but assimilative.

In the standout single, Sigourney, along with the aggression you’d expect to find in any thrashy post-hardcore release, you’ll also be confronted by abrasive punk attitude. But when the chorus hits, the soaring vocals hook you even deeper into the sonic catharsis offered by Owl Rose’s mindful approach to metal.

Short of sticking a fork in a plug socket, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more electrifying experience than hitting play on Sigourney.

The PTERODACTYLS EP was officially released on February 25th. You’ll be able to check it out via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Get acquainted with La Roma’s sonic sophomore single ‘Strangers’

Posted on 17 February 2021

After a successful debut with their single, ‘So Long, Adieu’, in 2020 Alt-Rock artist, La Roma, delivered their evocatively iron-wrought single ‘Strangers’ which captures the agony of social tethers tearing.

With sharp lyrics which reflect commonly thought but rarely spoken sentiments such as ‘what have I done to disturb you, it’s like I no longer fill the void in your day’, your soul’s capacity to feel will be well and truly be tested. If Strangers was released in 2019 it would be a raw hard-hitting release, but as it dropped in January 2021, while plenty of people were locked away in their rooms re-evaluating their relationships, it’s overwhelmingly resonant.

Any fans of Thrice, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday and Jimmy Eat World will definitely want La Roma on their radar. Their nuanced take on Hard Rock comes complete with cuttingly angular guitars, intense percussion, viscerally restraint-less vocals and the sense that La Roma is going to take the scene by storm once COVID has finished destroying it.

Strangers is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ourfathers. added nuanced maturity to the progressive post-rock genre with their colossally evocative single ‘an offering.’

Posted on 12 January 2021
Movements II by ourfathers.

It was only a matter of time until an alt-rock artist simultaneously exuding influence from Sigur Ros and At the Drive caught our distinction-seeking-attention. The latest progressive post-rock hit ‘an offering.’ from ourfarthers. has left us ensnared.

Admitting that tracks by emo artists appease your angsty soul may be met with all manner of snobby pretension from insufferable aficionados, but an offering. isn’t a track easily torn apart. Maturity can be hard to find in tracks which deliver burning unbridled emotion, but discernibly, an offering. is the needle in the evocative haystack.

With quiescently melodic increments sidled next to rip-roaring breakdowns when all restraint is thrown away with visceral abandon in sonically anthemic style, an offering. is enough to make your soul quiver.

an offering. 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

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