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From Friday 15 January 2016

Bay Faction – ‘Bay Faction’

Bay Faction’s self-titled album offers something for the Modern Baseball and not-quite-rock crowd. Bluesy grooves juxtapose against some seriously dark lyrics and the band try to wrap them all up in a catchy bundle. However, there are times when it strays too far towards the blues-rock formula and loses what makes it

Wednesday 13 January 2016

Fit For An Autopsy – ‘Absolute Hope Absolute Hell’

New Jersey’s Fit For An Autopsy are purveyors of the lately maligned ‘deathcore’ genre, ploughing a similar furrow to the likes of Thy Art Is Murder and Oceano, although this, their third album, promises a newly reinvigorated band, with a change of vocalist and an updating of their

Tuesday 12 January 2016

Sauropod – ‘Roaring at the Storm’

Every now and then, we’re graced with the refreshing sound of European enthused rock and roll. It happened with Rammstein, it happened with The Hives and it’s happened with Sauropod. A truly eclectic offering of slacker inspired lyricism contrasts with the scattered melodies that appear throughout the eleven-track LP.

Smokey Bastard – ‘Back to the Drawing Room’

One of the hardest tasks for a band looking for success is to carve their own niche without being branded as a ‘rip off’. Reading sextet Smokey Bastard have made a valiant effort in putting their own stamp on the folk punk genre. Their third album ‘Back to

Monday 11 January 2016

Losing Sleep – ‘Fear Of Missing Out’

Losing Sleep are keen purveyors of alternative music scenes of the past. There are subtle nods on their debut full-length to countless artists and styles of years gone by. Be it the unexpectedly emotional chorus on ‘Hesitate To Call’ or the self-titled blink-182 notions on ‘Never Told You’. ‘Fear

Saturday 09 January 2016

New Design – ‘Far From Home’

If you like big, anthemic, slow-burning emo then ‘Far From Home’ is going to make your day. The debut record from Brampton, Ontario based New Design is a mature, professional and realised effort from this young band. With Kenny Bridges (of Moneen (sorry, .moneen.) fame) at the desk, ‘Far From

Thursday 07 January 2016

Great Collapse – ‘Holy War’

It takes a lot of hard work and a constant finger on the pulse of the world to try your hand at a politically charged punk band and stay relevant. Great Collapse are something of a supergroup containing ex-members of Strike Anywhere, Rise Against, Death By Stereo, Set Your

Wednesday 30 December 2015

Essence – ‘Prime’

Upon the first few bars of my first listen one thing is abundantly clear: these Danish rockers from Copenhagen know how to make an album. Their latest effort being number 3 in their stable and their first with Spinefarm, their new record label. Formed in 2005: The melting pot of

Tuesday 29 December 2015

Youth Decay – ‘The Party’s Over’

What happens when you take current and former members of Comeback Kid, The Grave Life, Carpenter, Living With Lions, and Daggermouth, put them in a room and leave them to make a record? Chemistry isn’t our strong point, and Youth Decay is the answer. The hardcore/pop punk

Friday 18 December 2015

Baroness – ‘Purple’

It seems like only yesterday that Baroness were on the brink of collapse. After the near-fatal bus accident in 2012 that could have ended the band’s career, a shadow of doubt was cast over their future. However, nothing fuels creativity as much as tragedy, and the best thing