Ten reviews you might have missed

Reviews from Saturday 19 October 2019

Waterparks – ‘Fandom’

Everyone’s favourite capital letter enthusiasts Waterparks are back with a slab of electronic emo pop, because apparently no-one told them that genre peaked when 3OH!3 convinced Katy Perry to run through a fountain in 2008. ‘Fandom’ is the band’s third album and sees them attempt to blend a myriad

Friday 18 October 2019

White Reaper – ‘You Deserve Love’

As we enter the depths of winter, there is a certain beauty about an album with the vibrant feel of a summer soundtrack. When the nights begin to draw in and the sunny days feel few and far between, White Reaper are on hand to provide a

Municipal Waste – ‘The Last Rager’

Outlandish American headbangers Municipal Waste are back with their latest EP ‘The Last Rager’; a ten minute lethal dose of some of the fastest thrash metal known to man. Municipal Waste have been a force for almost 20 years now and it shows in their endearing chemistry together and the

Jimmy Eat World – ‘Surviving’

Jimmy Eat World have covered a lot of ground over their many years of being a band. Every album released over the past 26 years has sounded different to the one before, and it’s this fact that has allowed Jimmy a longevity that has become so rare

Thursday 17 October 2019

Alter Bridge – ‘Walk The Sky’

Despite being labelled ‘Creed Killers’ by fans, and enduring their share of record label woes, Alter Bridge have carved out a neat little corner of alt-rock for themselves. Through an impressive back catalogue of albums, alongside the high-calibre performances of guitarist Mark Tremonti and vocalist Myles Kennedy,

Wednesday 16 October 2019

LIVE: Sleep Token @ The Underworld, Camden

Gigs have become one of the most important facets for a band’s career progression. A consistent and great live show can put some bands over the top and really capture the attention of the right people, opening up more opportunities. Sleep Token are a band who have crafted a

Monday 14 October 2019

LIVE: Mallory Knox / Led By Lanterns @ Gorilla, Manchester

Going to a band’s final ever show or tour will never feel quite right, and it seems like we’ve already seen far more than we’d like to in 2019. Though not originally announced as a farewell tour, Mallory Knox’s current run was later confirmed to be their last; a

Dream State – ‘Primrose Path’

It’s easy to forget that Dream State have only released two EPs so far. As their live show has gone from strength to strength and their fanbase has boomed over the last two years, they already feel like an intrinsic part of the UK alternative music scene, drawing huge

Sunday 13 October 2019

LIVE: Tiny Moving Parts / Microwave @ O2 Academy Islington, London

Tiny Moving Parts have an incredible fan base, and for good reason. Not only does their music reek of honesty and passion, but it’s immediately memorable too, burying its tones directly into your brain and massaging it into a rich, colourful haven. Their firm grasp on the

Friday 11 October 2019

The Devil Wears Prada – ‘The Act’

The Devil Wears Prada are a band that are completely unafraid of change. Since their humble beginnings as a core part of the screamo movement, they’ve slowly and gracefully transformed their sound into that of a metalcore giant, seamlessly transitioning from one era to the next.

Thursday 10 October 2019

Simple Creatures – ‘Everything Opposite’

Simple Creatures are back with an EP that – following March’s ‘Strange Love’ – is exactly what you would expect; funky synths, endless vocal effects, and two of the most well-known voices in pop punk. If you’re expecting anything sonically revolutionary with ‘Everything Opposite’, you’re setting

Toronto Blessings – ‘Asleep’

You probably wouldn’t peg Barnsley as a hotbed of great alternative music, but over the years it has birthed crusty noise in the form of Errander, filthy hardcore riffs from Cavorts, and good old-fashioned rock and roll from G.U. Medicine. All very different bands, but all pretty much made

Wednesday 09 October 2019

LIVE: Deafheaven / Touche Amore / Portrayal Of Guilt @ Electric Ballroom, Camden

Deafheaven and Touche Amore are two bands whose critical and commercial profiles have been steadily growing over the past six years or so. Deafheaven attracted widespread acclaim with second album ‘Sunbather’, achieving reviews so glowing that their 2015 follow up, ‘New Bermuda’, hit the Top 70 in the US,

Tuesday 08 October 2019

Can’t Swim – ‘Foreign Language’

From the moment you hit play on Can’t Swim’s latest musical endeavour, it’s like opening a door to a hurricane that had until now been safely locked away, its damage limited. That’s not to say that ‘Foreign Language’ is destructive, per se – but it is

Babymetal – ‘Metal Galaxy’

The music industry – much like every industry – changes. At some point we all must come to terms with the fact that general tastes differ over the years, that genres come and go, that rock is no longer the same as it was ten, twenty, or

Monday 07 October 2019

HalfNoise – ‘Natural Disguise’

Inspired by classic rock of the 60s and 70s – fused with elements of synth pop and surf rock – ‘Natural Disguise’ is the latest creation of Paramore’s Zac Farro as part of his side project, HalfNoise. Whilst some cross-genre ventures can become quite niche, ‘Natural Disguise’ finds a

Saturday 05 October 2019

HELLYEAH – ‘Welcome Home’

There are some scenarios in life wherein decisions need to be made that you wouldn’t wish upon any band – yet this was what southern metal supergroup HELLYEAH were faced with. Last year, founding member and drummer Vinnie Paul tragically passed away and, following these unexpected circumstances, the rest

Friday 04 October 2019

City and Colour – ‘A Pill For Loneliness’

It’s not unexpected that any release involving Dallas Green in any capacity will conjure immediate goosebumps – but this is never more true than it is for his solo project, City and Colour. While many may know him as part of Alexisonfire, the City and Colour

Issues – ‘Beautiful Oblivion’

There are plenty of bands that fuse genres together, but not many manage to do it with as much finesse as Issues. The Atlanta based quartet take influence from jazz, djent, funk, metal, and R&B, to name but a few, throwing them all into a melting pot

The Menzingers – ‘Hello Exile’

“What kind of monsters did our parents vote for?”, Greg Barnett asks, moments into The Menzingers’ latest edition of punching you right in the feels. Settle in, because the Philadelphia four-piece are going to once again effortlessly capture the zeitgeist at which their audience is currently scratching