Browsing Tag

rock

The Whiskey Knights called ‘Time’ in Their Rhythmically Rendered Rock Hit

Posted on 19 July 2024
The Whiskey Knights

The Whiskey Knights struck all the right nerves with their latest single, Time. The Surrey-hailing hard rock revenant outfit deconstructed the concept of time with their latest tour de force by exploring its relentless grip on our mortal coil, its power to strip away memories, and its refusal to guarantee change or healing.

From the solid rhythm section and baying guitars to the electrifying vocal performance, Time showcases The Whiskey Knights as a formidable triple threat. The track’s grungy undertones amplify the intensity of the universally relatable emotions, creating an immersive experience that is as visceral as it is compelling. There’s no room for nostalgia here; The Whiskey Knights are reviving the reasons we fell in love with rock – its ability to translate the rawest facets of the human experience into pulsating furore.

Having formed in 2013 and hailing from Camberley, Surrey, The Whiskey Knights have built a diverse discography, including two studio albums, one EP, a live album, and a demo. Their sound, a mixture of hard rock, punk rock, indie rock, and pop rock, continues to evolve, with Time testifying to their chameleonic songwriting chops.

If Time hits this hard on the airwaves, brace yourself for the colossal impact when you see The Whiskey Knights perform the single that solidifies their place in the hard rock pantheon.

Time will officially drop on July 19; stream the single on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Don’t Light Rock’s Funeral Pyre Yet, Everafter Instigated the Ultimate Resurrection in ‘Born to Rock’

Posted on 17 July 2024

Everafter, stalwarts on the UK rock scene since their formation in East London in 2010, have consistently evolved and sharpened their sonic arsenal. The band, initiated by the Daperis brothers, Alexis and Stefan, alongside Tim Wiltshire, rose from the remnants of a previous endeavour to forge a premier hell-bent-for-distortion outfit which has blazed across many of London’s iconic stages.

Their Born to Rock EP, recorded at Soundlab Studios with Matt Williams, is the ultimate attestation to their dedication to standing at the vanguard of the hard rock revolution. The title single is a monumental anthem that celebrates the intensity of rock through explosive energy, intricate guitar riffs, and relentless rhythms that demonstrate the technical talent and passion of Everafter. Unlike Tenacious D, there are no tributes here, anyone born to rock can gaze into a sonic mirror when they hit play.

With razor-sharp melodic hooks implanted in the high-octane currents of the single, the only way this track wouldn’t go down well live is if the entire crowd was lobotomised.

Stream the official lyric video for Born to Rock on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Midnite Special Evoked an Emo Renaissance in ‘Santiago’s’

Posted on 13 July 2024

The ache of the emo-dominated era of alt-rock endures through the solo project of South Wales hailing guitarist and vocalist, Liam Shevill. His latest venture, Midnite Special, is a visceral vessel to pay originated tribute to the sounds which shaped his multi-faceted talents and led to performances in seven countries alongside the likes of GBH, The Shell Corporation, and H20.

His debut album, Home-Made, kicks off with the electro-rock prelude in the seminal single, Santiago’s before the overdriven riffs rile rancour through the intimacy of the grungy lo-fi production that echoes the unfiltered intensity of Modern Baseball and Modern City Soundtrack. The pulsating rhythm section within the raw-with-angst release drives swathes of earworm appeal into the anthem of disillusion that oozes infectious authenticity.

After the release of the debut LP, featuring the Pavement-y Valentine’s Day single penned for his dog, plenty of people with an appetite for cultivated songwriting and discordant expressions of emotion will be ordering the Midnite Special.

Home-Made was officially released on June 19th; stream the album on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surrey’s Tribal Jury seared sophistication into hard rock with ‘Beat You Down’

Posted on 12 July 2024

In their relentless mission to swathe the hard rock scene in sophistication, the UK’s suavest band of prodigal sons, Tribal Jury, has unleashed their latest installation of swaggering rhythmic seduction, Beat You Down.

As the self-professed Gentlemen of Rock, the Surrey-hailing fourpiece finds a diaphanous balance between the down ‘n’ dirty rock ‘n’ roll debauchery delivered in the instrumentals and the clean-cut urbaneness within the vocals that aren’t too gentrified to wrap themselves around razor-sharp hooks and to bring you right into the core of their fiercely slick sound which resounds with augmented exhilaration.

With hints of Vedder pulling through in the harmonies and Slash’s soundprint searing through the guitar solos, no self-respecting rock fan will tune into Beat You Down and fail to recognise how Tribal Jury brought down the hammer to carve a fresh niche in the rock pantheon.

Beat You Down is the ultimate invitation to unleash your anger into a rendered-with-resolve hit that suffers no tyrannical fools. Hit play and find infinite vindication in the anthem.

Beat You Down was officially released on June 29th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s fret prodigy BlueMelt twined tribute with originality in ‘Running with the Fool’

Posted on 11 July 2024

BlueMelt’s latest single, Running with the Fool, showcases the criminally underrated guitar savant Vito Tardia at his finest. In the smooth tempo of the hard rock track, hard-hitting percussion and solid rhythm guitars elevate an intense melody that testifies to the permeability of the soul; the solos sink right in and kindle a searing white-hot fire.

Tardia may have unashamedly worn his influences (Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, Marty Friedman) on his strings in Running with the Fool, yet the single stands as a testament to the artist’s ability to blend tribute with originality. His impassioned and flawless style, marked by technical precision is a sonic spit in the face to anyone who declares they don’t make them like they used to. Vito Tardia’s timelessly expressive guitar style stands as the ultimate attestation to the enduring power of guitar music.

Many would think it hyperbolic to say an independent artist can rival the work of legends like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani, yet the simple act of hitting play on Running with the Fool proves otherwise. The pantheon of the guitar gods will undoubtedly be waiting to open its gates to BlueMelt.

Running with the Fool was officially released on June 28th and is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Every Glazer echoed the agony of retrospective reflection in his alt-rock shot through the heart,  Betty Johnson’s House

Posted on 10 July 2024

The Every Glazer carved a melodic indie rock edge into his emotionally guttural arsenal of grungy evocations with the release of his latest single, Betty Johnson’s House.

The solo artist’s ability to convey aching emotion through his passionate cadences and affecting delivery projects intense resonance into his vignettes of a mind tormented by the trappings of material reality and Betty Johnson’s House may be his most visceral release to date.

By infusing layers of 90s and 00s nostalgia in this heart-wrenching sepia-tinged reflection of formative memories forged in the confines of a small town, Betty Johnson’s House will walk you down the memories of your own youth; whether you like it or not. As no one gets out of childhood or adolescence unscathed, the instrumentally consoling, vocally piercing single is set to pierce hearts by the smorgasbord.

With one of the most pensively ornate guitar solos that you’ll ever hear, Betty Johnson’s House is a tender triumph which visualises the inescapably bitter-sweet nature of retrospective reflection.

Betty Johnson’s House was officially released on July 1st; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Isiah & The New People led a rhythmic indie-folk-rock revolution with their debut EP, Boxes

Posted on 8 July 2024

Rooted in roots rock tradition and daring in execution, the debut EP from Isiah & The New People proves that no sonic flavour can rival pure, raw creativity. With an unadulterated emotion as the kindling which ignites through the friction of rhythmic volition, the fourpiece tore down the barricades of the soul, one visceral lick at a time with their four-track EP, Boxes.

The Little Chute, Wisconsin collective of veteran artists amalgamated a genre-fluid compendium of songs that dig deep into the trenches of the human psyche while awakening the senses of anyone who stumbles on this encapsulation of sonic liberation, which was released on the symbolic day of July 4.

The opening track, 1000 Tears, smokes out rich organic indie folk-rock textures with the sax lines while bridging the poetic expressiveness of Bob Dylan and the visceral intensity of Eddie Vedder. Isiah Driessen’s vocal versatility resounds as he navigates effortlessly between the deep, soulful timbres of Johnny Cash and the piercing clarity of James Taylor’s emotive howls.

Cherry Tree, shifts gears towards a more intimate setting, weaving Paolo Nutini-esque vulnerability into the fabric of its melody with tender acoustic guitar plucks and heartfelt vocals.  The third offering, The Girl Downstairs, introduces a grittier, blues-infused sound that showcases the band’s ability to morph stylistically. The overdriven guitars and raw energy inject a robust dynamism into the EP, demonstrating their chameleonic adaptability and broad musical palette.

The EP concludes with Where’s Lake Waldo? a track that ventures into psychedelic territory with ennui-pained lyrics and expansively kaleidoscopic sonics. The tinged-with-existential-pondering is a fitting end to the EP’s narrative—questioning, exploring, and seeking.

With Boxes, Isiah & The New People articulated a philosophy of musical and personal exploration. It is the ultimate statement of artistic liberation which lays down a promising trajectory for the band which is sure to resonate with any music fans searching for an aural mode of genuine connectivity.

Isiah & The New People said:

“We put things in boxes; whether it’s people, ideas, or ourselves. However, every day we have the chance to be reborn, let things go, and take on new perspectives. I felt myself being put into a box. My pursuits in music have been about breaking out of it.”

Stream Boxes on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Samana Rising is radiantly irreplicable in their summer soul-rock anthem, Sunshine

Posted on 30 June 2024

Samana Rising’s summer soul-rock anthem, Sunshine, is a radiant declaration of musical vitality and versatility. This first release since their debut album in 2020 confirms that the Norwegian band hasn’t just been biding time. Between life’s milestones and global upheavals, they’ve refined a sound that shines and erupts with irreplicable radiance.

Recorded at ArtBeat Studio in Bryne, with the adept Bjørn Erik Sørensen at the production helm, Sunshine marries an instantly memorable guitar intro with a reggae-inspired rhythm that’s irresistibly danceable. This track is engineered to lift spirits and coax listeners from the mundane to the magical. Mastered with precision in Nashville by Alex McCollough, every note is crafted to perfection, capturing the essence of pop rock while promising more than typical chart-toppers.

Hanne Sivertsen’s vocals could light up any room, soul or playlist; the immense power in the delivery, paired with the charismatically magnetic proclivity, ensures that this latest sonic triumph resounds with maximum euphoric impact.

Lyrically, Sunshine presents an opportunity to celebrate the people who light up your world as much as solar rays; wherever you play it, you won’t be able to resist its demand to be played LOUD.

Sunshine was officially released on June 21; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Serenity Club launched an attack of anthemic alt-rock reclamation with ‘Taking Back My Life’

Posted on 28 June 2024
The Serenity Club

With pop-fuelled alt-rock choruses that will be euphony to be the ears of the Foo Fighters between verses that reanimate rugged 90s Britpop swagger, The Serenity Club’s latest single, Taking Back My Life, is an unforgettably emboldening anthem of reclamation.

The high-octane synthesis of volition, redemption and serotonin is set to put the London-based triadic powerhouse on the map ahead of their debut five-track EP, Obsession Submission, which is due for release later this summer. The timely release of the single also means that it incidentally coincides with the General Election; I couldn’t think of a better track to listen to on the way to the polling station.

Hints of 90s-era Manic Street Preachers (think along the lines of Slash n Burn, You Love Us, and Kevin Carter) resound throughout the vivaciously fuelled guitar licks and the razor-sharp hooks that don’t stop at pulling you into the centre of this intensely liberating hit. They open the doorway to one of the most determined-to-embed earworms you’ve ever encountered as they work alongside the unflinchingly dynamic vocals of Mit Inajar.

With an exhilarating sound that Wembley Stadium could scarcely contain, The Serenity Club has exactly what it takes to take their career to stratospheric heights this summer; just try standing in their way.

Taking Back My Life will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp, from June 28th.

Discover more about The Serenity Club via their official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jordyn Rayne captured the zeitgeist of digital culture with ‘1-800-Cyber-Bully’

Posted on 27 June 2024

In her latest seminal single, 1-800-Cyber-Bully, the indomitable breakthrough icon, Jordyn Rayne, lyrically modernised rock n roll while staying reverent to the roots of the genre.

With a powered-by-dynamism voice to rival Donita Sparks of L7 and Joan Jett, Jordyn Rayne proved her mettle as a rock vocalist in the hit that pours with conviction as it berates antagonists who spinelessly sink their teeth into their victims behind the security of screens.

The emotional underpinnings of 1-800-Cyber-Bully serve as a tragic sign of the times, yet, rock has always served to speak for the disenfranchised and Rayne affectingly carried the genre’s rebellious legacy on the overdriven crunched chords in this high-octane hit that ticks all the right rock boxes and distinguishes Rayne as an artist unafraid to lend her ferocity to fighting injustice.

Whichever vanguard she stands at next, one thing is for sure, the Alberta-hailing visionary is worth keeping at the front and centre of your memory if you seek sanctuary in hair-raising rock anthems.

1-800-Cyber-Bully was officially released on June 7th; stream the single on all major platforms and follow Jordyn Rayne via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast