This was my first introduction to Enter Shikari, and while it has a few nice moments, overall I'm not too impressed. On the positive side, their sound is definitely unique, and it's produced to a very high standard. Musically it's just not very interesting though. I enjoyed demons and it's OK, but for basically every other track the listening experience consists of waiting for a payoff that never comes.

The closing trio is the worst offender. I get what they were going ... read more

When this album started I thought it would be one of those technically impressive djent records which are an enjoyable enough first listen, but you rarely return to, if it all, much like a Iñárritu film. However as the album progressed this assumption was immediately shattered by Beyond Heaven's Gate, Sacrifice Me, and Snowlover, all of which I wanted to hear again immediately. While it has moments of heaviness with delightfully absurd guitar tones that sound like ... read more

I can't believe I have gone so long without listening to this band, they're right up my alley. This is the second album of theirs I have checked out after silence outlives the earth, and I'm a little confused by the mixed reception. The soundscape they create with technical guitar work, triumphant choruses, ethereal melodies, and progressive songwriting is masterful. I love both J.T.'s epic, deep harsh vocals and Jesse's emotive cleans, and their contrast gives the ... read more

I've been meaning to check out Is There Anything You Want to Say? for a while now but I haven't got around to it, so when this dropped seemingly out of the blue I made sure to give it a listen ASAP. I'm glad I did, I enjoyed it. It's a little generic in parts, especially in the first half of the album, but the second half really shines and it ends with four back-to-back bangers. There isn't really much to distinguish them from other similar-sounding bands, but not ... read more

some music.

In the lead up to this album I checked out this band's full back catalogue, and while I mostly enjoyed what I heard, I felt as if now would be the time to start switching up their sound a little. It was therefore nice to hear that's exactly what they've attempted to do here. The overall tone is still the same, but they've introduced a few new electronic elements (stylistic vocal effects, digital drums, sidechaining synth work etc.) to freshen up the soundscape a little, and ... read more

I like to think I'm pretty plugged in to the discourse within the metal scene, so I was confused after listening to this that I've not seen anyone talking about it. I'm really impressed with it, and it's one of the best albums of the year in my opinion. The Spiritbox comparisons are inevitable, and understandable considering that the screams and guitar tone are eerily similar to that of Courtney and Mike, but there's enough talent and individuality for it to be much ... read more

I'm conflicted on Deftones. I really enjoyed Private Music and Koi No Yokan, but this album is plagued with the exact same issue as Diamond Eyes. 90% of it just sounds like a jam session with Chino moaning whatever comes to mind into a phone-filtered microphone, then they call it an album and ship it. The title track is the only song on this album which sounds like it had any intentionality to it and wasn't just performed off the cuff. I must be missing something somehow.

It becomes abundantly clear once you get to about track four of this album that this band really doesn't have a lot of range. Once you've heard the first song, you've pretty much heard the whole album, and the first song isn't even particularly interesting. Their overall sound isn't unpleasant (apart from a few clumsy lyrics, scratches, and media quotes), and I was hoping they would accidentally stumble upon a banger at one point, but it never came.

I saw these guys ... read more

I used to listen to Stan way back in the Stan SB days, and thought I'd see what he's been up to in the decade since. I'm very glad I did. Killjoy is a very enjoyable listen, and Stan has clearly come a long way as a songwriter and lyricist in the electropop space, while still staying true to his drum and bass roots. It's not high art, but it's a good time. I'll be checking out Sunk Cost Fallacy next, and I'm looking forward to it.

Favourite Tracks: Out My ... read more

Lana Del Risqué

Seriously though this was really great, especially for a debut album. I wish I hadn't put off listening to it for so long, and it's exactly what I needed after blasting my eardrums with hardcore and metal for the last few days. Lyrics are usually one of the least important parts of music for me, but I really enjoyed them throughout this album. It was such an easy listen, and it's rare that I add every single song from an album to my playlists on first ... read more

I cannot stand the vocals, it's that simple.

I enjoyed this more than I was expecting to. It's a marked improvement on Amazing Things, and they've really tightened up their songwriting. There's a lot less of the silly lyrics, insincere falsettos, and clumsy line repetitions which plagued their previous record. There's still hallmarks of it here, and I'm still not on board with the corny, breathy clean vocals of the lead singer, but at least there are many other vocal styles throughout to enjoy.

I think this band ... read more

This was an odd first listening experience for me. I enjoyed it, but there was something off about it which I haven't been able to place. Despite giving it my undivided attention, I felt as if the album was keeping me at arms length and I couldn't seem to fully concentrate on it. If I had a better (or any) understanding of music theory I might be better equipped to understand what exactly felt strange about it. I noticed that the melodies often did not quite resolve in a way which ... read more

I'm conflicted by this one. There's clearly real talent here, capable of great orchestration, production, and progressive songwriting, however it's the vocals which are the main area of contention. I can stomach this whiny, trying-too-hard vocal style in small doses or when tempered by heavy instrumentation, but it proves a hard listen in extended periods of isolation as found in this EP's title track.

There's definitely enough here for me to check out their upcoming ... read more

If anything proves that some albums deserve time to brood over, it’s this.

It took me a while to understand this album. I initially gave it a 65 after the first playthrough, but despite this I kept feeling an urge to revisit it, and with each subsequent listen I liked it more and more. It’s now one of my favourite albums of all time. When you first listen to it, the relentless harsh vocals and unfamiliar, eerie dissonance of its calmer moments and interludes are a little ... read more

I finally got around to checking this out after thoroughly enjoying ODDWORLD, and this was as good, if not even better. They have mastered this nu nu metal sound, and nobody else is doing it as well as them at the moment. This album is rife with infectious bouncy grooves and feel-good choruses, but is also equally balanced with sections of cool, laconic vocal delivery and a few more emotive tracks (SHIMMER and FREAKS) which demonstrate the true range of their songwriting capabilities. I already ... read more

I went into this album with low expectations based on the discourse surrounding it, and I was actually somewhat pleasantly surprised. Yes it's generic, and it has many instantly forgettable tracks, but I didn't dislike it nearly as much as I was expecting to. I didn't connect much with the first half, but there are a few tracks in the second half of the album (namely doomscrolling, born again pessimist, a new moral low ground) which I enjoyed a decent amount.

It's better ... read more

This is Spiritbox at their absolute best; they've created a soundscape like nobody else in metal at the moment. Tsunami Sea is at times pensive, and at other times devastatingly heavy, all woven together by Courtney's hypnotic clean vocals and fierce screams. It all works so well, and even at it's moments of pure filth there's still a dark beauty enveloping it all. While there are plenty of heavy moments to enjoy (Fata Morgana, Soft Spine, No Loss, No Love), there are also ... read more

I fucking love this album, I cannot stop listening to it. It's dark, sexy, and packed with fierce groove from start to finish, with banger after banger after banger. I liked The Dark Pool and Heroine, but they've really gone up a gear and found their sound here. I love it when riffs are written with intentional gaps between the main sections - it's utter ear candy for me. Mix this with satisfying choruses and perfect placement of scream vocals, and you have a recipe for a true ... read more