Music Reviews

The title of Yellowcard’s new EP, 'Childhood Eyes', couldn’t be more appropriate. Their first new release since a surprise return last year sees the pop-punk veterans revisiting the sounds of their past, to make something contemporary, and ultimately quite brilliant. This is a true statement of intent, and an excellent way to set expectations for this most unlikely of comebacks.

Although the pandemic was a tough time for many artists, there would be no Honey Revenge without it. Vocalist Devin Papadol and guitarist Donovan Lloyd connected over Instagram, and the rest is history. They have been making a splash across the US and are releasing their debut album, 'Retrovision', via Thriller Records. Summing the album up, Papadol describes it as one “of duality” - and it is an accurate observation.  

Whilst Christmas, birthdays and the wallet-busting promise of a council tax increase come once a year, Godflesh albums usually take a bit longer to arrive, but when they do, it's a beautiful moment to savour and we should celebrate the kings of “feel-bad” music.

This was always going to be a difficult record both to record and even to listen to. An album which takes aims and lands squarely in the feels. 'But Here We Are' has landed just a year after the sudden passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins and the scars of that loss on Foos mainman Dave Grohl aren’t just clear to see, and hear, they are front and centre and dominate a handful of the tracks.

What do you get when some of the world’s best metal bands come together to record an album? 'Horns For A Halo' by the metal supergroup, Elegant Weapons. With Vandenberg and Rainbow’s Ronnie Romero (vocals), Judas Priest’s Richie Faulkner (guitars), Uriah Heep’s Dave Rimmer (bass) and Accept’s Christopher Williams (drums), 'Horns For A Halo' is an ode to the heavy metal of the 70s and 80s.

From blood curdling screams and some seriously crushing breakdowns and riffs, to piano melodies and ballad sensitivities, and even some tasteful use of autotune and electronic elements inspired by trap songs, 'Take Me Back to Eden' has pretty much got it all in an album that’s bound to take Sleep Token to new heights.

After a highly successful European tour supporting Neck Deep and Boston Manor in 2022, there is a lot going on for happydaze. With over forty-three thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, the Scottish alt-rock/pop are back with their new EP, 'Full Free Radical'.

We all know that the seaside city of Brighton and Hove as a hotbed for the creatives, and once again it has spawned a group that are more than deserving of your attention. Since their formation, Staff Party have made a point of blending all of the finer points of the 90s alternative rock and grunge acts with their own contemporary take on heavy music. Up until now, the group have released a handful of singles, but now in 2023 the band have penned their first proper release in 'Dread'.

Although the pandemic may have devastated live music, it gave Picturesque the perfect opportunity to create an EP that shows they are multifaceted. By blending different elements of genre, they evolve from being a Warped Tour band to something more. They are not constrained by post-hardcore, but rather a pioneer in what could be post-post-hardcore in the next few years.

With plenty of high-octane riffs and synths, a good blend of classical elements, and even the occasional scream or two, 'A Kiss For The Whole World' is a perfectly suitable new album by Enter Shikari. Though it ends up being a little shorter than we’d care for, and its placement after 'Nothing Is True & Everything Is Possible' can make it come across as a ‘safer’ entry, everyone can rest assured that the St. Albans band did not disappoint us this time, either.