Browsing Tag

Tool

No-mad tightened their grip on the alt-metal scene with ‘Don’t Let Go’         

Posted on 25 August 2024

 No-mad’s latest single, Don’t Let Go, is a blistering reminder of why the alt-metal scene is still alive and kicking. This track is a full-throttle assault on the senses, driven by razor-sharp hooks and a tight, tensile instrumental arrangement. The band’s precision is undeniable, delivering a performance that’s as technically impressive as it is emotionally charged.

From the first note, Don’t Let Go grabs hold and refuses to let go, pulling you into a chaotic soundscape where head-spinning time signatures and relentless rhythmic pulses create a feeling of cultivated chaos. The vocal performance is a tour de force, moving from the powerful, crusading energy reminiscent of Disturbed to vicious growls that would make any metalhead’s spine tingle, before seamlessly transitioning into melodic harmonies that add depth and contrast to the track.

With a foundation in progressive metal and an affinity for nu-metal’s gritty edge, their sound oscillates between gentle harmonies and jarring dissonance, reflecting the inner conflicts and personal struggles that fuel their lyrics. The band, founded by Ofer Tamir, has evolved significantly since its inception, now boasting a lineup that’s ready to take their music to the next level.

With three singles already making waves and a debut album on the horizon, No-mad is clearly gearing up to carve out a space at the forefront of the alt-metal scene. If Don’t Let Go is anything to go by, they’re more than ready to lead the charge.

Don’t Let Go was officially released on August 9th; stream the single on Spotify now.

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

Trigram – Assimilate: Move Over Rob Zombie

Posted on 31 December 2017

Orchestrating the perfect metal track is never an easy task, but Trigram come pretty close in their latest track Assimilate, the stand out track from their debut EP Assimilate.

It’s got everything any fan of the heavier genres could possibly need,

Yes, that includes one of the best guitar riffs that I’ve heard this year, combined with the bands pounding resonant percussion. The strong vocals behind the track turn this track into the ultimate metal anthem.

Whilst the band only formed in 2016, they’ve certainly not struggled putting their mark on the Hard Rock genre, the Chesterfield, New York band are delectably dark and have followed in the footsteps of the likes of Tool, Alice in Chains, Rob Zombie, Soil, Disturbed & Nine Inch Nails to offer a contemporary control of their sound.

Beyond the sound, the concept behind Assimilate is one that we can all relate, as it illustrates societies tendency to strive toward conformity through the parasitic nature of Social Media in a Charlie Brooker, Black Mirror style.

Check out the stunning official video to Assimilate via YouTube using the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRnb8Kf5PKI

Head on over to Trigram’s website for info on their upcoming tours and new releases:

http://trigramband.com/

Colors In Mind Reach Music Peaks

Posted on 5 November 2017

If you draw a Venn diagram of exploratory music, where the intersection between technical metal, progressive and post-rock occurs you won’t find a whole lot of bands, but you will find Colors in Mind. With their latest release, Yugen Peaks they build their sound on a wonderfully fluid post-rock template, one that eschews the 4/4 signature and rigid verse-chorus ethic of traditional rock and instead wanders its own musical journey, often lingering in one lush musical landscape before flitting through more minimal territory, languishing in gentle, bucolic beauty and then climbing dramatic peaks.

It isn’t hard to see this approach as a modern day progressive classical music, the instruments may have been updated from the traditional format but the symphonic nature of the music is obvious to all. And l it tells its story as much through symphonic sound as it does the lyrics, it maybe be a less obvious, less direct method, but it is no less heart tugging, emotive and effective. It is music of the heart and soul, requiring total immersion. Whilst most music contains its own user manual amongst its beats and notes, one that tells the listener exactly how to interpret the message, this is more about osmosis, a vibe to be soaked up and ingested.

Crisis King – Tonight – If You Thought That Extreme Music Could Not Be Eclectic, Think Again!

Posted on 3 November 2017

Crisis King is an artist with a fondness for hard-hitting metal, post-hardcore and industrial tones. His recent studio work, Tonight, is an EP that features 6 original songs. The artist’s music explores genres as diverse as hardcore, industrial, new-metal and more, going for an eclectic, yet direct sound. Opening number, “Die Easy”, is an extremely powerful wall of sound that feels like a stampede of vikings, crushing and burning everything in their path. The song has powerful drums and loud guitar riffs that are down-tuned and aggressive, perfectly matching the vocals.

The dark lyrical themes on the songs of the EP are also a great match with the album’s production aesthetics, but there is also room for melodies here and there.

“The Tides” highlights the group’s most melodic side, yet it still features hard-hitting drums, loud guitar walls and serendipitous changes. Throughout the span of these 6 tracks, Crisis King really stand out for the diverse approach they are able to bring to the table, exploring different sides of their musicianship and offering up an EP that feels eclectic, yet extremely direct, just as you would expect from a band such as Crisis King!

Ascending Dawn Release Stadium Rock Track “Cannonball”

Posted on 25 October 2017

With bands like Ascending Dawn it is easy to see the link between metal and classical music. Their music captures the same scope and grandeur, the same theatricality and dynamics that defined the biggest and most intricate end of symphonic composers such as Beethoven and Wagner. Sitting somewhere between progressive rock and technical metal, they paint widescreen musical pictures which wander between big rock sounds and more ambient interludes, between vibrant sonic oil paintings and more minimal water colour washes.

Metal often falls into very cliched camps, the growling, shouty bluster of the new breed and the classic and dated sound of the old-school, thankfully Ascending Dawn remind us that there is another way. It is one which matches power against deft musicality, structurally interesting meanderings with tight and exacting music skills, soaring vocals with soothing melodies. Maybe it is music born of contradictions, maybe it is just better thought out than most of its contemporaries, maybe they are just really good at their job. It doesn’t really matter which is true (I suspect all are true) as long as they keep doing it.