Browsing Tag

Shinedown

Ghost Nation advocated idiosyncratic autonomy in their dark pop/rock amalgam, Insane

Posted on 20 July 2023

Ghost Nation advocated idiosyncratic individuality in their latest addictive anthem, Insane. With a Shinedown-esque rock backbeat and razor-sharp pop hooks that pull you into the emboldening future-ready synthetics of the down-the-rabbit-hole single, it’s a feel-good anthem for every outlier who knows how hard fought for sanctity can be.

Uniqueness may now be celebrated to a certain degree in society but there are still boundaries to keep quirks inside of, Ghost Nation broke every boundary in their liberating anthem, which also borrows a few industrial rock tones. It may be darker and infinitely more twisted with the carnivalesque propensities of the melodies, but insane is the epitome of a radio-ready earworm. If Muse and Imagine Dragons managed to mainstream their sonic signatures, Ghost Nation is easily capable of doing the same.

Ghost Nation has already had its fair share of successes since forming in Stockholm in 2016. Their debut release was a hit worldwide, and their seminal single, Unforgiven, reached No.1 in over 20 singles. To date, the single has clocked up 1.4 million streams on Spotify and 3.6 million on YouTube.

Insane was officially released on July 14th; stream it on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Country luminary, Colt Graves, released the ultimate anthem for positive defiance with ‘Dirt on Me’

Posted on 11 May 2023

Much like imposter syndrome, people coming out of the woodwork to attempt to drag you down to their depressive imbittered depths is a sign you’re on the right path; Colt Graves’ latest single, Dirt on Me, is for anyone who traverses this mortal coil with nothing but compassion, positivity, ambition, and autonomy fuelling their world-weary souls.

It is one thing to speak to the haters; it is another entirely to vindicate the people on their own paths with a country rock anthem that can easily define the future of the genre. Just as his grandfather, Josh Graves, got inducted into the Bluegrass Hall of Fame after introducing the resonator guitar to the genre, Colt Graves is making innovative waves of his own – which is easier said than done in 2023!

Dirt on Me is an adrenalized amalgam of Southern rock in the vein of Shinedown, Lil Nas X hip hop elements, vicious pop hooks, and modern beats, all tied together with country instruments and the depth and class of Steve Earl.

The genre fluidity within Dirt on Me may be bang on trend, but clearly, Colt Graves will never be one to sell his soul at the expense of his veracity, which makes the superlative hit one of the most visceral anthems the Country genre has ever contained.

“Have you ever felt like no matter what you do, it just isn’t good enough for some people?

Dirt On Me is for the people living true to themselves and trying to do the right thing, regardless of what anyone else has to say about it. It’s a ‘fed up of the bullshit’ anthem and a call to confident and more prideful arms; you can’t please everyone; the harder you try, the worse you will end up.

People are always going to ‘Throw Dirt On You’ and try to drag you down, but positivity always wins, and the best thing we can do is ignore the noise and keep moving forward.”

Stream Dirt on Me on all major platforms from May 11 via this link.

Follow Colt Graves on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lazywall is set to reach nirvana if they ascend any further with their latest single, ‘I Will Rise’.

Posted on 30 November 2021

Hard rock hits don’t come much hookier than the latest single, I Will Rise, from the UK-based alt-rock outfit, Lazywall. They give Rise Against and Shinedown a run for their money when it comes to curating bursts of energy that you can’t help getting caught up in.

It’s rare in the industry to find an artist getting the kind of attention they deserve but from the moment that you hear the volatile post-punk vocals against the steady rolling swagger of the grungy basslines in the intro, you know exactly why they have had such a successful run since 2003. It makes sense why Steve Albini worked on an album with them, why they have performed at SXSW in Austin and Garorock in France and to 50,000 people at the Festival of Casablanca and why they have amassed a global and loyal fanbase.

Bravely, Lazywall doesn’t care about catering to hard rock purists; notably, they have far too much fun pushing the boundaries to the point of eruption to create a brand-new sound. After the teasing post-punk nuances in the intro, I Will Rise bursts into a defiant feat of Avant rock sound with the vocals carrying a Dave Grohl-Esque robustness. Then, it demands repeat attention.

I Will Rise will officially release on November 30th. The lyric video will be available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Update your alt-rock playlists with The Soundwave Club’s latest single, The Letter, featuring Dirty Picks

Posted on 3 July 2021

If Chris Cornell picked up a few more pop-punk sensibilities for Soundgarden’s single, ‘Rusty Cage’, it would have run in the same vein as The Soundwave Club’s sophomore single, The Letter, featuring Dirty Picks.

With infectiously melodic hooks that are sharp enough to catch in your throat and the 00s-style alt-rock vocals that are reminiscent of Shinedown, Breaking Benjamin, Creed and Three Days Grace, The Letter carries all of the hallmarks of an anthemic alt-rock playlist staple.

The Soundwave Club formed in 2020 during the pandemic when the life-long Santiago-hailing friends Erick Molina and Irene Rodriguez jammed and started to write and release their own material with the help of session musicians.

The Letter is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Daniel Henry blurs genre boundaries in his latest anthemic release, Circles.

Posted on 21 June 2021

Indie pop-rock earworms don’t get much juicer than Daniel Henry’s latest single, ‘Circles’, which completely blurs the line between contemporary alt hip hop and pop-punk.

The Oman, Middle East-born, Dallas-based artist evaded formal music education but has no problem formulating mind-bendingly infectious choruses and catchy hooks, such as the ones that will ensnare you in his latest up-vibe hit. Daniel Henry takes influence from the likes of Shinedown, Blink 182, Machine Gun Kelly and Post Malone, but nothing in Circles feels assimilative – despite the swathes of genre-bending music that has hit the airwaves in recent years.

The lyrics may be delivered with a stinging antagonistic tone, but the feel-good factor in this radio-ready single has been turned up to 11. So, if you’re looking to vent your frustration that comes through cyclical torment, hit play.

Circles is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

All Hail To The King  

Posted on 18 November 2017

Any artist who describes themselves as the result of Blink 182 having a lovechild with Eminem and Lady Gaga’s backup dancers has got to be worth checking out and when you do you will realise that as descriptions go, it isn’t too bad. Part quirky pop, part alternative hip-hop and part goofing around, King Dylan’s rap-rock hybrid does nothing less than celebrates life and just oozes positive vibes. It flies in the face of criticism, ignores the detractors, faces down jealousy and reminds us that the only way to live your own life is for yourself.

It takes an Eminem beat and a bounce but stacks it with whimsical, Day-Glo pop, it is celebratory and pulsing with positivity. Already big on the Calgary scene, King Dylan is the sound of life affirming pop, it is both serious and celebratory and even on the strength of this one song, though checking out his back catalogue is highly recommended, he has a great career ahead of him.