While I feel this album is a bit bloated in places or takes odd directions in some of its production, it still sets the stage for a well put together album. AURORA's songwriting here is tight, and I feel she is finally getting a stronger grasp on a sound that works better for her.

The biggest weakness of this album (as others have stated) is that it is a bit bloated. A few tracks in the first half do end up dragging on with little direction, but it does compensate very quickly through the 2nd ... read more

What a pleasant little palette cleanser before bed :)

Anybody whose listened to any amount of metal this year that I know of has been hyped for this release, especially considering the rep Metalcore often gets. To have a band deliver an album that proves the genre has the place would be a feat, and luckily, Knocked Loose delivers.

I think Knocked Loose knew to not out welcome their stay; This album is just under 30 minutes, and it keeps the momentum for the most part throughout the whole ... read more

Maruja definitely have proven themselves to be talented, but my biggest issue with Connla's Well is the fact that they are not pushing the envelope, or themselves enough.

To me, this EP lacks the momentum that the singles such as The Invisible Man suggested it would have. Connla's Well serves as a great opener to ease the listener in, however, The Invisible Man sets a high expectation for the rest of the album, even if the vocals get pretty 'samey' after a while. I think that Maruja here ... read more

I've honestly been sitting on this one for a while. I don't expect another Dark Pool, however that really was the album that introduced me to metal. The level of songwriting here just hasn't been as good (or consistent) compared to previous releases. This definitely is a guilty pleasure to me and hooks me in, but not as deep as Dark Pool. I really want to see Thornhill grow as a band, and I'm not too sure if these last 2 singles have convinced me they're capable of doing so.

The AI cover already ruined for me. This honestly sounds like you asked ChatGPT to write the most generic metal EP possible. If that was their intention, they did a great job! I don't really seem much originality here, and that's disappointing considering Northlane has released some good stuff. This EP feels inconsistent; Tracks like Dante are okay on their own, but it does not match the rest of EP. Many of these tracks feel out of place from each other, as if they spun a wheel and decided to ... read more

To me, this album serves as not much more than background music. That's not to say that Vampire Weekend is bad; I think their production is done well, and I like the influences/genres they pull from. I will admit that probably is part of my own biases, especially considering I do lean towards music that is more aggressive and confrontational. However, I can't help but feel that Vampire Weekend holds back here a little bit more than I like.

I am a firm believer that if you're going to combine ... read more

This song gives me a type of anxiety I can't even begin to describe.

This is easily the most unhinged album I've ever listened to. Considering Kim Gordon is 70, that makes it even more impressive she still has the creative inventory to release an album with industrial/trap/noise rock influence. I'm not even really into many of these genres, but Kim Gordon somehow makes it work for me? I definitely think some of the novelty comes from her age, but she actually takes it seriously here and it shows.

Never really got into Twenty One Pilots, but I always appreciated Trench and it's an album I occasionally come back to. Really like the much punchier production on this track, and drums on this track are great. I do feel it lacks a bit of momentum and it really doesn't build up as much as I'd like. However, it's definitely a step in the right direction, and the incorporated electronic elements really work for the better here.

We are so back

A much needed (and more mature) return to form compared to "Lost Girls". I only started listening to Bat For Lashes back in December, but I really enjoyed her sophomore release. I think moving away from the 80s synth pop sound into this much more sophisticated, ethereal art pop palette suits her voice much better. A very gorgeous track, and hopefully a good omen for the upcoming album.

Let that drummer cook bro! Didn't really consider listening to this because I'm pretty picky with Post-rock, but I've heard Maruja's EP was phenomenal, so decided to give this is a try. Definitely enjoy the building momentum throughout which keeps it engaging, but still not sure how I feel about the vocals, especially with the weaker middle section of the track.

I've been sitting on this one for a while. Honestly, I don't know how to feel about it, especially when comparing it to her previous work. Chelsea Wolfe easily ranks as one of my all time favorite artists, sucking me in with Abyss/Hiss Spun a couple of years back. Wolfe here takes a left turn on this album, exploring Darkwave and Trip Hop as opposed to the metal influences on her previous albums.

Chelsea does a phenomenal job as always with the soundscapes of her album, but I feel this has a ... read more

The constant momentum of this EP is an absolutely insane. This combination of Breakcore, Metalcore, Mathcore, and even Gabber Should be an absolute mess, but they managed to pull this off really well. This pulls out all the punches, and is by far one of the most consistent metal releases I can think of in recent memory. I'm usually not into this subgenre of metal, but I think its approach is more nuanced than fromjoy's last album. Wish I heard of this group sooner.

Also I probably ruptured an ... read more

We live in an era where Tom MacDonald managed to get a higher rated single on this website than Nicki Minaj. I listened to about 45 seconds of this before I couldn't take it. Genuinely one of the most awful songs I've ever heard. A Cappella version deserved to be given a negative score.

Glass Beach has been on my radar for quite a while, but I really never got that invested into listening into them, especially given my tendency to not really care that much for the indie rock/emo sound. However, when I saw this album took much more of an art rock approach (even with Post-Hardcore elements), I felt it was worth the listen. Needless to say, this is no sophomore slump.

While Plastic Death does lose its momentum a bit in maintaining its pacing, I think this album really blends a ... read more

Yeah, I'm probably not going to drink the Kool-Aid with this one. I've never really clicked with BMTH much, but I have enjoyed some of the singles in their catalogue. This definitely has the over-polished sound I critiqued with Sleep Token, but the first half definitely carries much of the song. I love the breakdowns, but the combination of the questionable lyrics, tacky ending, and mixing just doesn't sit well with me. Kool-Aid is a pretty fun song to listen to, but it doesn't strike me as ... read more

This album takes an interesting conglomeration of Cocteau twins, smashed together with folk, tickled with medieval, encapsulating it all into the 1970s/1980s reminiscent gothic/new wave sound. Unlike other albums I've listened to that try too hard to replicate this sound, Harp here meshes the ethereal, melancholy sound very well, especially considering his vocals compliment it so well. There's something about this album that ends up being so appealing; This album seems unassuming, but there is ... read more

I was hoping Stoneside. would bring something to the table considering I enjoyed a few of their songs, but this? It's not good.

The song is sometimes borderline incoherent, especially with the vocals drowning in auto tune. The random breakdown and 'blegh' doesn't match the rest of the song, especially when the ending does the very typical Sleep Token "Soft ambient then sudden breakdown with low tuning!!!". It sounds so robotic and lifeless. I know Sleep Token isn't great, but I ... read more

The trend of mixing alt metal, djent and metalcore here actually works quite well. I never really engaged with Spiritbox much, but this is a tightly wounded, generally well put together EP. This is definitely an enjoyable listen; Tracks like Cellar Door show me that this band is definitely talented, although I will say the rest of the EP is a bit less consistent. I definitely enjoy the blend of more melodic tracks this EP offers, but it does follow a bit on the nose with a lot of other trends ... read more