Motionless in White, the goth-metal group from Scranton, Pennsylvania recently released their latest album Disguise and as much as I wanted to enjoy it, I just could not bring myself to get into it despite the really good parts that try to shine through. The band has been regarded as a heavy-hitter in the genre as they have seen a transition from smaller venues that are a staple of the genre to the stadium-style tours they have shared with bands like Slipknot and Korn. However, there is still something lacking from the band that seems to have been on the cusp of greatness for the last decade, but just can’t push themselves over the edge.

Disguise opens with its title track and it almost sounds like if the theme from the Bela Lugosi Dracula were played on a Jack-in-the-Box. As the song progresses, we are given the overarching theme of the album-introspective looks at all the disguises that we hide behind but through the lens of NU-metal with some alt-rock sprinkled in. Headache comes up next and sounds like Jonathon Davis is going to chime in at any moment( Spoiler alert: He doesn’t). As much as I absolutely love the driving bass work, courtesy of almost all of the members due to the band not having a bassist during recording, I just can’t get past the scratches. Maybe now that they added Justin Morrow, previously of Ice Nine Kills, they will find a more consistent sound. </c0de> does a better job than its predecessor of fusing the NU-metal influences with the staple Motionless in White poppy chorus. It almost sounds like a harder version of a Linkin Park song that would have been dropped from Transformers movie which is not a bad thing in this case. Thoughts & Prayers gets us back to a Motionless in White we all can admit to falling in love with as the blast beats get your chest thumping. This one is definitely for the pit and I really enjoy the parallels to their song Immaculate Misconception off of their 2010 debut album Creatures. The snarls surrounded by layers of frenzied guitars, heavy drums, and surging electronics is where the band seem to thrive, but always stray away from with the bulk of their work. Legacy, arguably the worst song on the album, features the trembling voice of Chris Motionless thrown on top of isolated drums that blend into a simple riff that takes you into a chorus that just doesn’t connect like it should. Instead of the Manson vibe they constantly chase, it’s more of a Christian rock band chorus. However, right after that comes the best song of the album- Undead Ahead 2: The Tale of the Midnight Ride. This right here is exactly the type of cinematic track that the band rose to prominence with. A direct follow-up to the original Undead Ahead from Creatures, this song gives you all you ask for from the band and that is Chris’s incredible screams that launch into a catchy-as-hell chorus dipped in a Halloween atmosphere until it knocks you to the ground with a massive breakdown. Holding on to Smoke interestingly enough appealed to me but mainly because it sounded exactly like a Breaking Benjamin song. The rest of the album travels the same path that the rest of the album, and the previous 2 albums, have gone down. The only other flash of creativity was on Broadcasting from Beyond the Grave because it showed a sign of the band that has been missing for a while-the idea that they don’t give care about what you think. Brand New Numb and Catharsis are not bad songs, but they aren’t reaching the potential that they could if the band could just decide on which direction they wanted to take the band. For a band that has been relevant for so long, it is a bit concerning that they have not done anything new or progressed in any specific direction. With no clear path forward it’s going to be difficult for this band to continue to stay relevant, despite the big name tours they are finding themselves on, unless they stop hiding behind a disguise.

Boston-based titans of melodic hardcore, Defeater, recently released their latest LP Defeater and it’s an absolute banger. While the band has undergone some line-up changes, most notably the departure of founding guitarist and producer Jay Maas, they have bounced back with a fresh take on their familiar sound that has held many of us captive over their enduring career.

I am a huge sucker for concept albums. That being said, when Defeater announced that they would be creating a fifth album based on the same concept as the last four, I have to admit that I was a little worried. I was worried that a band I have grown to adore would begin to burn out or lose steam. Their previous album, Abandoned, seemed like a fitting end to the massive story, but the boys had other plans and after listening a few times I am glad they did. The previous four albums have revolved around a family in post-WW2 America from the views of the brother who kills their drunk father, the brother who seeks revenge for their father, the father as he fought and returned from WW2, and the priest who loses faith and with whom the mother had an affair. It is a long and winding road into the darkest dysfunctions of family and the band tell it beautifully, only on this album they choose to use the album to close out many of the holes left over the previous albums as they use multiple different perspectives. The album begins with a thunderous song titled The Worst of Fates and it is packed full of the energy and power that Defeater have carved their names into. Vocalist Derek Archambault dispels any question of him losing a step and the riffs do not shy away one bit. The opener flows seamlessly into the next song, List & Heel, a personal favorite of mine. List & Heel has one of the better melodies that the band has produced over the past few albums and it shows an exciting new direction that the band could find helpful. The vocals are raw and bruised while the guitars and drums exchange punches and the bass line takes you in the direction of swinging your head side to side instead of headbanging. Atheists in Foxholes kicks things back up a notch with a more traditional hardcore sound. One thing that new producer Will Yip does on this track is use isolated vocals and feedback static as a way of magnifying the vocal work which adds an extra layer to the album. Mother’s Sons is another banger that solidify the bands’ standing and showcase the amazing drum-work of one of the best drummers in the scene, Joe Longobardi (Also of The Amity Affliction). The next two songs, Desperate and All Roads, are more or less the same songs seen across the other albums- hand crafted melodic hardcore that fill the story-line. However, they are followed up by Stale Smoke which does not disappoint as we get delighted with yet another heavy bass line that flows in and out of the vocal barrage. The album does an extremely good job at creating the heavy atmosphere even without Archambault’s passionate screams-another great addition that Will Yip brought. Although many fans have shared displeasure that the album takes a different approach by making the vocals lower than they have been and instead bringing the instrumental work to the forefront, I think it played out great. Granted, when you’re creating a concept album the lyrics and vocals are an importantly instrumental component, but I actually like what the band did here and let the instruments break through and have a larger role in creating the album’s feel and sound. The rest of the album, Dealer/Debtor, No Guilt, Hourglass, and No Man Born Evil close out the album with the same aggressive force that opened it.

Overall, the album is a win for a band that I, and many others, worried were close to the end. Defeater is a wonderfully-crafted final chapter in a book that the band has been writing for quite a while. However, it still leaves the listener excited for the next tale that they choose to craft. For fans of melodic hardcore with groovy bass and impassioned vocals, this is your album.

Top Songs: List & Heel, Mother’s Sons, No Guilt

 

Scottish tech metal group Lotus Eater released their new EP Social Hazard this past Friday and I for one could not be happier that I discovered them around the same time. Keeping in line with similar acts such as Vein, the band fuses together metal and hardcore that thrives on a frenzied sound reminiscent of early 2000’s metal. The album clocks in at just over 15 minutes, but this is something that I think not only serves the band extremely well but is the best approach for the emergence of bands with such a frantic race to the end style.

The album opens up with Thug, a mainly instrumental track that sets the dark atmosphere that will be enhanced throughout the rest of the album. Full of down-tuned riffs like jagged glass and subtle electronics, this song will make you feel sorry for the sound engineer’s ears for sure. Yuck then follows up with a bouncier riff accompanied by the familiar slides and squeals that contribute to the bands popular sound. There’s a nice extended melodic break in the song that shows off that gives the listener a second to appreciate the craftsmanship before plunging them back into the firing squad of chaotic riffs that create a mosh pit of their own. The Fear is the nu-metal inspired personal favorite of mine. The song is layered with just the right of electronic elements that do a wonderful job of contributing to the schizophrenic sound that makes this band so good at what they do. Also, as a sucker for breakdowns, the end of this track features one of the heavier breakdowns I’ve heard in a while that segue into something that sounds straight out of a horror movie. Freak, true to its name, is filled with freakishly good riffs that build a great song alongside of the pounding kit work of drummer Cameron Humphrey. Mother, the tale of a one-sided abuse of power, follows the same formula of slides and squeals but also employs some pause breaks in the intro that are used towards the end that complement the still insanely down-tuned riffs even better. Words. Nothing is a 30 second instrumental track that serves more as an extended intro into the closer Jawless and boy what a closer it is. Following in the footsteps of nu-metal champions Deftones and up-and-comers Loathe, this track uses the backup vocals of Humphrey to serve as a layer of melancholy alongside the harsh, emotional screams. Although this song follows a different vocal pattern than the previous songs, it is still a heavy hitter in terms of the instruments as it slices and dices through riffs until they get to the sludgy down-tempo breakdown at the end that leaves your ears ringing from the baseline long after. As pointed out before, a huge contributing factor the success of this band’s sound is that the EP is short enough to give off the frantic race for the door while also still allowing time for creative riffs and breaks. What makes this album a leader of releases for me is that you never know what is coming next. There were numerous times that I was listening to the album and anticipated what would happen after a break or verse and be completely (and pleasantly) shocked by what they chose to do instead. There is enough structure to avoid being sloppy or some sort of car crash, but not formulaic in approach at all. Simply phenomenal.

Top 3 Songs: The Fear, Freak, Jawless

 

Connecticut metal-core ragers, Currents, have been swimming just below the surface for the past few years now, racking up an impressive list of supporting tours to showcase their two LP’s. Their last album, The Place I Feel Safest saw them reach to a larger portion of the sub-genre community, but their newest EP, I Let the Devil In, is the one that is going to perk up everyone’s ears. This short but ferocious track list took me by complete surprise as I found myself hungry for more even after I played it over and over again.

Currents choose to forgo the generic intro track in favor of a bone-shattering track, Into Despair, which honestly left me wanting to jump straight into a pit. The song follows a heavy beat while vocalist Brian Wille screams his heart out until the final breakdown that left my spine tingling. The guitar work in this song is done extremely well, also. Granted, there are some more generic “chug-chug-chug’s” in there, but the riffs are catchy as hell. My Disguise was my least favorite when I first heard it, but after a second or third time through, the song became one of my favorites of their entire catalog. The song gave me huge Killswitch Engage vibes in terms of technical skills. The drum work is so perfect on this album, especially in this chorus. Admittedly, I was not always the biggest fan of their cleans on past albums, but this song is so catchy. My only qualm with the cleans is that it doesn’t always feel like the right emotion is being conveyed. For example, I feel that Wille is really good at using his voice with more monotone aspects to create this melancholic atmosphere, but here it feels like where he has stepped up his game in vocal technique has cut away at some of the aspects that made his cleans so appealing (see Forget Me from their previous album). The guitar solo here is not overly complex, but man is it good and once again the drums make up a massive portion of the most enjoyable parts. Feel the Same actually improves on the cleans as Wille starts off softly singing and then launches into the more harsh side of cleans which made them so impactful previously. The riff in the chorus continues to play on repeat in my head. I was reminded of old Bullet for My Valentine here with a hint of djent influence sneaking in. While the riffs leading up this point have been pretty great, the chunkiest of them all is found on The Rope. I almost thought that I was listening to Wage War during this song and that is not a bad thing at all. The screams are simply brutal and the riff after the first verse was made for pure destruction. The group has improved so much instrumentally. The end of the song use some lovely panic chords to accompany Wille’s lows. The final songs, Forever Marked, could have easily passed as an Architects song that was unreleased. The technical work of the entire album culminates in this final song in such a beautiful way it’s hard to not fall in love.

Overall, the album is a huge success for a group reaching for the heights of their genre. It’s not one that will be talked about as a game-changer, but it is definitely a reminder to keep your eyes on this band as they continue to hone their craft and bring brutal songs to our ears. The instrumental work is phenomenal and can be listened to more closely since the EP features instrumental versions of all the songs. As I said before, the drum work is a work of art and an intricate part of why this album sounded so good. Although not to be overlooked, the riffs come in with technical work that will sound just as amazing when you are out in the crowd(The panic chords were such a great touch that will never be overplayed). And while the vocals still need some minor work in terms of cleans, the uncleans are some of the nastiest and most soul-bearing ones I have heard in a long time. Brian Wille said in a social media post that he almost lost his voice forever doing this EP and that he pushed through so much stress and pain to create the songs he wanted. The passion is definitely not lost as everything is laid out on the table in this album. I only wish it had more songs to rage to. Go listen to I Let the Devil In as soon as possible.

Top 3 Songs: My Disguise, Forever Marked, The Rope.

 

 

Christmas came early to some this year as AFI have released their latest EP The Missing Man. After releasing a bit of a flop with 2017’s the The Blood Album, which saw the band attempt to get “back to the basics” only to go in a completely different direction. The songs felt rushed, there was no consistency as track after track changed and morphed into something that was hoping to please everyone. The Missing Man, a title that is aptly fitting, serves as a true refocusing album. AFI have made a career off of being “different” and blending genres in their favor, and I think that this shorter track list gives them the freedom to do so within respectable boundaries. Listening to this album brought back memories of when I first heard AFI on Sing the Sorrow.

Lead track, Trash Bat brings back the pounding drums and baseline that AFI has been perfecting since the early mid-90’s and mixes it with the emotive voice of Davey Havok, pulling our hearts out of our ears along the way. The song relies on a punk style baseline with layered guitar work that explodes into a pretty catchy chorus. Break Angels serves as a wonderful showcase of drummer Adam Carson’s work which partners with a groovy baseline that allows there to be a build up of power that flows through the chorus as we get the group-style vocals that AFI have been using to their advantage across their almost 30 year long career. Back Into the Sun is one of my favorite songs off of the album mainly because it slows things down a bit and hearkens back to the early 2000’s alternative rock that I was not allowed to listen to growing up and then listened to religiously once I had the chance. The guitar work of guitarist and producer Jade Puget is simply amazing here as the layered guitar is at the forefront with a solo sure to make you hit rewind. Get Dark is the initial fan-favorite and I can see why as it reminds me a lot of their most well known Miss Murder. The guitar buzzes across the song while the base follows along, almost lurking right below the surface. While the previous solo was more nostalgic, this one is definitely a showing off of some pretty great skills that have not dulled over the years. Lastly, The Missing Man starts off with acoustic guitar and string elements strewn across guitar riffs in a relieving reminder that the band are not venturing far from their emo roots anytime soon. The vocal style is extremely pensive and introspective with Havok relying on his falsetto towards the end that pairs amazingly with the acoustic strings.One of my favorite aspects of AFI has been their lyrics and vocals. Davey Havok has done such a good job of creating songs where his lyrics are like poems in that they employ a brevity that is able to possess a melancholy that is all too familiar.

The Missing Man is exactly what AFI needed to follow up their less than successful previous release. It’s not an album that is breaking down any walls or one that is redefining the band or any certain genre. It is, however, an album that gives them a solid footing to prevent a free fall. It has all the elements that make them such a great band on full display. Do yourself a huge favor and take 15 minutes out of your day to listen to this EP. You won’t regret it.

Top Three Songs: Get Dark, Back Into the Sun, The Missing Man

Silent Planet have released their third LP When The End Began last week, and true to form, the heavy outfit from California has crafted an album that separates them from the traditional roles and routines of their genre. The release carries a certain weight with it due in part to an eerie atmosphere injected into every song paired with the thought-provoking lyrics that have now become a staple of the band. When The End Began is a power statement from a group that has clawed their way to success with hard work and ingenuity, a statement that promises a revitalizing future for the genre.

In an interview with RockSound, vocalist Garrett Russell spoke about how he wanted this album to resemble the apocalyptic end that he and many of the influences he borrows from feel humanity is not only hurdling towards, but has faced over and over again in a recurring cycle. If you have listened to any of the previous releases, you will know that they have all employed wonderfully crafted lyrics on themes of abstract biases and suffering in history on The Night God Slept to a more personal struggle of psyches and human conditions in Everything Was Sound. Now, the band focus on the struggles of humanity and the issues they deal with as the apocalyptic end has drawn near. Thus Spoke opens the album with an atmosphere of tragic beauty as he crescendo rises and bursts into screams stating that “The night God slept everything was sound”. Listeners will be led to song number two, The New Eternity, which gives us a familiar heaviness with some nice fretwork from guitarist Mitch Stark. The song digs deep with themes taken from the Vietnam War. The familiarity begins to fade as we get some clean vocals from bassist Thomas Frecks that are much improved since the last release of Everything Was Sound. The most appealing part of his vocal performance is that it is not some sort of layered vocal work, but rather uses the atmosphere of the album as an enhancement that takes his natural raw talent and magnifies it. Unfortunately, the immense upgrade in vocals is so good that the guitar work, tuned lower than previous albums to contribute to the atmosphere, struggles to set the best scene for Garrett and Thomas to sing over. A positive of this instrumental sound is that Garrett seems to find his way to line up with grooves on songs like Northern Fires which brings the historical devastation of Guernica during WWII to life.The final breakdown in this song sends chills down my spine every time. Afterdusk keeps the pace of the album going with lyrics stating “The violence we love, it’s cyclical. We rise and we fall; it’s inevitable”. Amid this impressive start, the album attempts to use interludes to add to the overall atmosphere, something that I feel only creates long pauses between the songs. More often than not I skip these. Vanity of Sleep quickly puts you back on track with a catchy opening riff that launches forward with Garrett’s powerful lyrics that rage against the greed of consumerism. Now, I’m usually not one for songs on metal albums where the clean vocalist is the key feature, but In Absence may be the exception. In this 3 and a half minute long song, Frecks croons his way through a soft verse that makes its way into a raspy, raw chorus. This is a song that reaches the heights of the overarching theme that the band put in place with such power without having to rely on aggressive vocals until close to the end of the song. Share the Body, my personal favorite, has a great base line that connects beautifully with Russell’s schizophrenic style of vocals as he screams a tale of the opioid epidemic that runs through our world. Another big highlight that manifests itself on this song is that Garrett has started using low screams that I never knew he could hit. I really hope he continues using them because they are intense. The rest of the album features the more experimental songs that keep the album running at a wonderful pace while also hitting closer to the intricate guitar work that has made them so popular with songs like Lower Empire and Depths III, that are a big part of why When the End Began is going to be successful and maybe even album of the year.

Top Songs: Northern Fires(Guernica), Share the Body, Lower Empire.

Less than a month away from Halloween, Ice Nine Kills have released their latest album, The Silver Scream, a carefully crafted concept album that takes listeners through a 13- track whirlwind full of classic horror icons such as Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kreuger, and more. The Boston based group are no strangers to this type of creativity as their previous release, Every Trick in the Book, was packed with songs inspired by classic literature, specifically the horror genre. With such a tough act to follow, this band came out swinging and hit the sweet spot.

The album starts off with “The American Nightmare”, a Freddy Kreuger inspired song with some deliciously sweet riffs and a chorus catchy enough that it is sure to show up in your dreams. Next, we are transported to Camp Crystal Lake with “Thank God it’s Friday”. Here is where the album begins to really bring you into each film it draws from as the group vocals on the chorus over a strummed guitar and crackling fire fully immerse you in that summer camp nostalgia only to drown you in terror with the brutal guitars mixed with the heavy synthesizers. With chants of “Ki Ki Ki, Ah Ah Ah”, your heart will start racing as if Jason Voorhies himself is after you. But, it doesn’t slow here as we jump over to Haddonfield with “Stabbing in the Dark”-a song that sounds like if John Carpenter went into the studio with the band himself. This track serves as a highlight of just how good of a vocalist Spencer Charnas has become at making choruses resonate. This song eerily uses the guitar work to create a modern take on Carpenter’s iconic synth soundtrack from 1978 that will have you peering behind you to make sure the Shape isn’t lurking in the shadows. “Savages” is a change in gears with a more anthemic rock sound inspired by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it is no slacker by any means as it serves up the best chorus on the entire album with a fun mini guitar solo at the end. Another great component of this album is that it has quite a few guest appearances that create such a melting pot of sounds starting with “The Jig Is Up” which features Randy Strohmeyer of Finch on guitar with a song that sounds like it came right out of one of the Saw Movies. The song is a fun race to the end where a Jigsaw soundbite is completed with a bone-crushing breakdown. Ice Nine Kills is not only great at the heavy sound, but they also craft some great ballad-esque tracks such as “Grave Mistake” and “Love Bites” inspired by The Crow and American Werewolf in London respectively. “Rocking the Boat” is such a fun song about Jaws using panicked dialogue to drive home the intensity of the track accompanied by a couple fishy puns sure to make you laugh. “Enjoy Your Slay” will appeal to fans of The Shining as Charnas sings the tale of The Overlook Hotel that features Stanley Kubrick’s grandson providing some extra heavy screams towards the end. “Freak Flag” is another track that veers in the direction of anthemic rock as it borrows from The Devil’s Rejects with an electronic sound mixed in to give you a bounce type feel. “The World in My Hands” is the tragic tale of Edward Scissorhands assisted by Tony Lovato of Mest on backup vocals. Although a sad tale, this song features a killer guitar solo that will leave you screaming. “Merry Axe-Mas” provides a truly creepy song as the band take us to Christmas-time with haunting bells lacing the blasting guitars and choral-type vocals that sound like a haunted Christmas carol. The death-core scream at the end is truly something nightmares are made out of. “It Is the End” brings the listeners to a carnival of blood as Charnas does a near perfect impression of Pennywise enticing poor Georgie. And if you didn’t think that this track could get any creepier, JR Wasilewski and Buddy Schaub of Less Than Jake jump in and bring their clown horns with them to add some terrifying punctuation to the verses.

The success of The Silver Scream is not just pure luck, but a product of a myriad of different influences that manifest themselves in a truly cinematic way. The instrumental aspects of the tracks are so manic and frenzied that it creates this nostalgic atmosphere that will immediately transport you to when you first saw these films. And although this album has heavy reliance on a specific genre, it will not leave those who are not fans of horror feeling disappointed. The vocal work is phenomenal with some of the catchiest choruses of the year. Spencer Charnas’ vocals are reminiscent of Chris Motionless and Matt Heafy in that they can go from sinister to soaring in a flash. He is one of the best voices in metalcore currently and he is only made that much better by the band he is with. Guitarist JD DeBlieck still has some of my favorite high screams that he somehow manages to put on full blast while laying down intricate riffs to race along with Morrow’s pounding bass lines. Overall, this album is a wonderful progression of these talented individuals and it will provide a beautiful, wild ride full of all the moments that scared you as a kid. Do yourself a huge favor and grab this album. You will not regret it.

I think it’s safe to assume that when a metal band announces a fifth album, most fans brace themselves for an album that either alienates them with something completely unrecognizable or bores them with a replica of the last few years. However, this is not the case with Fit for A King. Since their debut Creation/Destruction in 2013, the Texas group has seen nothing but great success with every additional release and that does not change with last week’s Dark Skies. Although not decidedly genre-changing, the album serves as an example of what can happen when a band sees what they are doing right and further enhance those aspects. With bone-crushing moments wrapped in wonderful melodies, this album proves why Fit for A King will continue to reign high above the others in the genre.

Dark Skies opens up with “Engraved”, a heavy dose of everything that has made fans love them thus far-aggressive screams and beautiful guitar work. I was happy with the opening track given that most of them add up to nothing more than an unnecessary segue into a track that actually resonates with fans. “Engraved” reaches out and punches you in the mouth and gets your blood pumping just in time to throw one of the most melodic songs to ever come from the group flying at you with “The Price of Agony”. The song continues on its aggressive pace, but when the chorus hits with a mixture of clean vocals provided by BOTH Ryan Kirby and bassist/clean vocalist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary, you won’t be able to resist nodding along. My personal favorite comes next with “Backbreaker”. This song will be one for the pit with blast beats and heavy bass that seems to have inspired the name, and then just as you get through the first chorus, guitarist Bobby Lynge does what he does best and sends you spiraling with a riff that is simply nasty. “Anthem of the Defeated” follows up with a heavy Slipknot vibe and for the most part fits the mold of the first three songs until the raging beat is taken over by a brief solo that revives the innovative energy that encapsulates the album. The next two songs “When Everything Means Nothing” and “Youth/Division” bring the melody hinted at earlier to the forefront with an intensity that is both refreshing and mesmerizing. The vocals are clearly sharper and seem less out of place with the music-instead of clean choruses being thrown into the fray, they feel more in step with the guitar than previous releases. These two songs are sure to ruffle some feathers in early fans, but those same fans will be more than happy when they get to the next song, “Shattered Glass”-a borderline death-core track that showcases the insane ability of Ryan Kirby to scream into a mic and make it sound like the devil himself is coming out. “Tower of Pain” comes in to keep the train hurdling forward with Lynge on full display as he weaves in and out of Jared Easterling’s rabid drumming that finds no relief even when the chorus comes in. As the album begins to close, “Debts of the Soul” brings the soaring melody back for a final hurrah as the soft singing of Tuck walks side by side with Kirby’s vicious screams. I was extremely happy with the final track, “Oblivion” in the sense of resonance. The song has stuck in my head more than any others with its ferocious blast beats resurfacing again and again, vocals that are raw and genuine, and a melody that closes out an album marked by both creative and nostalgic aspects alike.

Musically, the album was a success. The instrumental work is something truly artistic and shows how bands don’t need to go to unreasonable lengths to create something fresh. A little innovation goes quite a long way. The lyrics find themselves balanced between the more hopeful declarations of Slave to Nothing and the captivating grimness of Deathgrip. Likewise, the lyrical concepts of the album delve more into personal struggles and victories than the world-wide despair covered in Deathgrip. Dark Skies is an album that succeeds in not cracking under the pressure of a previous release that allowed the band to make great strides. It is a highly enjoyable album that is a race through both nostalgia and the creativity of the future that Fit for A King has not and will not shy away from.

Top Three Songs: “Backbreaker”, “Tower of Pain”, “Oblivion”

It’s finally here. The Amity Affliction, hailing from Australia, have released their latest album Misery, and I can happily say that I found it quite enjoyable. One of my favorite aspects of music is the way it can change. Sometimes, this change may not always shape up to be what the band, or us fans, expected it to be but the effort is a courageous one for sure. The Amity Affliction have made a big change from heavy breakdown-riddled songs to a more electronic/synth dependent sound that resembles Bring Me the Horizon’s That’s the Spirit, only this time it was done correctly (Sorry, BMTH). Where the guitars and drums once thrashed, they now take on a more energetic 80’s feeling that pairs wondrously with the highly emotional lyrics that vocalist Joel Birch seems to never be short of-the trademark that makes them a step above the rest, in my opinion. Misery starts off with the passionate “Ivy (Doomsday)”, a song that reminds me a lot of The Used with a chorus that you can’t help but move your head to. Songs like “Feels Like I’m Dying”, “Burn Alive”, “D I E” and “Kick Rocks” change the pace of the album and showcase the electronic aspects of the album and really bring things down a notch from the past few years. A huge highlight of this album is that bassist/clean vocalist Ahren Stringer has taken his vocals to new heights. Where he used to sound monotonous and flat, he now sounds crisper and more refined to really make the choruses pop out at you. Screamer Joel Birch has also changed up his vocal style with more raspier screaming that is full of emotion rather than rage, but he still finds the right times to give us the guttural screams that made them such heavyweights in the scene. While newer fans will no doubt be excited about the new direction’s open accessibility, older fans will still find nostalgic comfort with headbangers like “Beltsville Blues” and “Holier Than Heaven”. A lot of the new sound stems from the partnership with producer Matt Squire (He was a huge reason that Underoath’s comeback album sounded so damn clean). While Misery is in no way the album that the Amity Affliction will be remembered for, it is a step in a direction that the band will be able to see success on and still crank out some catchy songs.

Top 3 Songs: Holier Than Heaven, Ivy (Doomsday), Feels Like I’m Dying

Progressive metalcore outfit, Erra, have released their fourth full-length album titled Neon today. This has been the highly anticipated follow-up to their 2016 release, Drift, which saw them gain a broader following with the addition of JT Cavey, formerly of Texas in July, at the helm of vocal duties. The great thing about this release is that they took the great sound they had and enhanced it with better production so that the drums don’t sound plastic and the clean vocals, provided by the ever-talented Jesse Cash, are polished up to become the driving force of this album. The djent-heavy guitar work will grab you and weave you in and out of the track list while you get wrapped up in each and every chorus that Jesse belts out with almost as much tenacity as he plays the guitar. As I said above, the main power behind the success of this album lies in the voice of Cash. His voice, while not the most refined, hits right on the money as you can hear the emotion of each and every line. This is a great counter to the screams from Cavey which while still supplying the force needed still remain just a bit too monotone. The album begins with “Breach” a soft-starting song that throws you off balance while the guitars come suddenly, carrying with them the screams of Cavey to announce that they are still the hard-hitters of years past. I found that the songs on Neon have a significantly more amount of clean vocal parts than Drift, and like I pointed to above, this is great. Songs such as “Signal Fire” and “Ghost of Nothing” are true highlights of the album. Before you realize it, the album is finding its conclusion with the mesmerizing “Ultimata”. I absolutely loved this song and I think that it is one of the only last songs on an album that have stuck with me in quite some time. The chorus rings out in your ears, leaving you wanting them to play through it one more time until the instruments fade out and Cash’s repeated lines of “Home is undefined/Hope you left behind” accompanied by softly rising synthesizers grip you and hold onto you long after the album is done.

Top 3 songs:

Ultimate, Ghost of Nothing, Valhalla