Just pure progressive metal here, with the clean singing and studio wizardry that are hallmarks of the genre. This stuff can be really hit or miss for me - for every Coheed & Cambria or The Ocean that hit for me, there’s a, uh, Periphery that doesn’t connect. It’s hard for me to put my finger on why, exactly, other than maybe the songs. This feels to me like it exists only as a showcase for instrumental prowess.
[Read More]As is his penchant, Mr. Lif’s 2016 album was a concept record, this one based around the idea of a society that had stamped out culture completely. As with his other concept albums, it connects better on some tracks than others, but I appreciate the ambition. Meanwhile, the collab with L’Orange on the beats is all great, so overall, it’s another great record.
[Read More]There’s not a ton to say here, other than The Argument is a tremendous swan song for the band, and I really wish that there were more records after it.
One of the crowning achievements of mod, Sound Affects is chock full of great songs, and this one is one of the sweetest of the bunch. It’s straightforward, but it sounds fantastic, and certainly still sounds totally fresh.
[Read More]The new band of guitar genius John Cobbett (Hammers of Misfortune and Ludicra, who we haven’t hit yet), and featuring various other veterans of the underground metal scene, Vhol came storming out of the gates with their self-titled release in 2013, which might have been my favorite record that year (except whatever I’m forgetting about). Their follow-up, Deeper than Sky, came out a couple years later and didn’t skip a beat. Usually sounding like something close to thrash, but with drums that sound a lot like hardcore punk, there’s something really elemental about this music that just makes me want to break stuff. Anyway, both records are amazing, and it just now occurred to me that we’re about due for a new one.
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