Ten reviews you might have missed

Reviews from Monday 23 October 2017

LIVE: Papa Roach / Ho99o9 @ O2 Academy, Brixton

Papa Roach are one of those bands that that seem like they’ve been around forever, and that’s because they have. The band released their eighth studio album ‘Crooked Teeth’ earlier this year and are now touring the globe reminding fans both new and old just why they’ve managed to

Friday 20 October 2017

Muskets – ‘Chew’

Unless you’re a big band signed to a major label with tons of mainstream exposure, rock music sadly doesn’t pay the bills like it used to. Even some of the biggest UK bands are forced to work part-time jobs and make social sacrifices just to make ends meet. If you’re

LIVE: Placebo @ Albert Hall, Manchester

Tonight’s show saw Placebo play a career spanning set list as they returned for the second leg of their 20th Anniversary Tour. Those 20 years have seen the band rise from the mid-90s London alternative scene, producing seven albums, five of those reaching top ten, and 11 top ten

Tuesday 17 October 2017

Iron Chic – ‘You Can’t Stay Here’

Long Island melodic punks Iron Chic have been on a hell of a ride up to this point. It’s always been clear from their lyrics that the individuals in the band have had their personal struggles but, with the passing of original guitarist Rob McAllister in early 2016, the

Monday 16 October 2017

Huxtable – ‘Change Shape Future’

Make sure your headphones aren’t turned up too loud when you press play on ‘Don’t Do Anything Fancy’; it’s a loud one. With arena-filling power, solid riffs, and the combination of classic rock vocals and angrier growls, the short track packs a punch. ‘Super Toxic’, relying on

Sunday 15 October 2017

LIVE: The Xcerts @ The Bodega, Nottingham

The last time we saw The Xcerts, the band’s broad smiles were matched by the enthusiasm of the crowd in a thoroughly packed-out tent at 2000 Trees festival. The Bodega may be much smaller, and considerably darker, than your average festival atmosphere, but the band step onto

Sean McGowan – ‘Graft & Grief’

It came as no surprise to anybody then when it was announced that Sean had joined the roster over at Xtra Mile Recordings. It’s a natural fit if there ever was one, and those aware of both the label and the musician know that it’s a perfect match. To

No Warning – ‘Torture Culture’

The story of No Warning is one that has been told many times, and depending on who you talk to, you will get a different take on what they think happened to the band. Their 2002 debut, ‘Ill Blood’ is the album that defined a generation and influenced more

Friday 13 October 2017

Roam – ‘Great Heights & Nosedives’

Eastbourne pop punk quintet Roam have really been making waves. Since forming in 2012 they’ve played shows all over the world with some of the biggest names in the genre, including a recent stint as main to support to New Found Glory on their 20th anniversary tour both here

Citizen – ‘As You Please’

Citizen have been following a rigid album cycle since their debut in 2013 and their debut record ‘Youth’ came at an ideal time. It was an album for those growing out of pop punk and wanting something a bit more grown up, whilst still wanting to express the same

Thursday 12 October 2017

LIVE: Black Foxxes @ The Dome, London

Playing the biggest headline show of your career must be nerve-racking enough, but to do it when you’re supposed to be in the hospital adds a whole new level of uneasiness. This is exactly the predicament that UK rock trio Black Foxxes find themselves in. Regardless of their wellbeing,

Monday 09 October 2017

The World is a Beautiful Place & I am No Longer Afraid To Die – ‘Always Foreign’

The World Is A Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid To Die (or, as they shall be known for the rest of this review, TWIABP, because seriously eff writing that multiple times) are an unusual beast, boasting seven full time members, plus a slew of additional musicians

Sunday 08 October 2017

Witterquick – ‘Fire & Ice’

Witterquick’s debut EP ‘Beneath the Spinning Lights’ set a high bar for the band to follow. Consistent, well-produced and surprisingly refined for a first effort, the pressure to continue the impressive momentum was always going to be high. The electronic-effect opening of ‘Shattered Suns’ teases the idea

Friday 06 October 2017

Plan Three – ‘Wish I Was Stormborne’

Plan Three initially formed back in 2000 but gaps of several years between releases, including a three year hiatus from 2011 to 2014, means that ‘Wish I Was Stormborne’ is only their second full album. Such a fragmented past means that Plan Three have not yet managed to build

Tuesday 03 October 2017

Partisan – ‘We Have Been So Terribly Betrayed’

If the evidence collected in the last few years is anything to go by, every kid in a hardcore band will eventually reach a point where they shed their Jane Doe t-shirts and Vans sneakers, emerging like a gothic snake clad all in black, a brace of

LIVE: EpicFest 2017 – Saturday

After being forced to miss the Friday leg of EpicFest due to the terrible sufferance of ‘adult life’, we found ourselves slogging through the arse end of Herne Hill, London, in order to indulge in the towering line-up the delicately named South London Scum have put together. After walking past

Monday 02 October 2017

LIVE: Jaret Reddick / The Lounge Kittens @ Islington Assembly Hall, London

Jaret Reddick has his finger in many a pop punk pie. Whether it’s fronting cheerfully tongue in cheek nostalgia favourites Bowling For Soup, hosting a film review podcast or getting animated (literally) on Phineas and Ferb, he’s certainly not adverse to doing something different. And his gig at the

Orestea – ‘Elements’

British rock band Orestea are exploring their musical style with their new self-written, produced and recorded album ‘Elements’. Opening track ‘Welcome to Surviville’ begins with electronic drums and synthesizers, layered with lyrics that have been chopped and edited to add to the rhythmic elements of this introduction. It doesn’t take

LIVE: Life Of Agony / Aaron Buchanan and The Cult Classics @ Electric Ballroom, London

The idea of writing about a Life Of Agony show in 2017 seemed, at one point, almost unfathomable, least of all that they would be touring a new record. However, here we are at the Electric Ballroom in Camden, and the beloved New York band are in town again

Sunday 01 October 2017

The Young Hearts – ‘Honestly, I’m Just Thinking’

With their debut EP ‘Everything We Left Behind’, Kent-based quartet The Young Hearts reminded us of the joy in gritty, alt-rock. To emphasise the message, the band return with follow-up EP ‘Honestly, I’m Just Thinking’ which turns up the intensity of their sound to perfectly bridge the