Song: Silent Planet - Antimatter [2023]

Silent Planet is back and they have switched up their game in bold fashion. Iridescent has been slowly growing on me ever since it dropped and has become one of my favourites of 2021, and this single beckons a new era of their sound that I think I will love even more.

The moment it starts, you can tell it's different. Rolling in with an electronic synth wobbling and techy beats, with Garrett's vocals in a processed and chill R&B-like texture, it's unlike anything they've done before, yet catchier than ever. The heavy instrumental that follows is exquisite, between tastefully simple chugs and a well-patterned synth melody, one that goes on to form the backbone of the chorus.

The verse that follows keeps the electronics but adds the band in, fully rocking. The production is amazing and the subtle scream vocal layer in the back is such a smart way to smoothly amp up the energy. Even the clean vocals get stronger and you can tell they're building up for something good.

They bring back the heavy refrain but shape it into a chorus, complete with their signature poetic lyricism and Garrett's amazing screams. The whole band sounds on point and this new sound feels fully realised with this moment, all the pieces of the soundscape in place. It's a really cool futuristic industrial metalcore sound that really sets itself apart from everything else right now.

There's this really great sounding intermission as they build up to the climax, which isn't really a breakdown but has a very familiar Silent Planet full-force anthemic punch to it. I love the ambient and atmospheric elements going all the way to the drop, the processed echo vocals and the main synth sound, and how seamlessly it blends with the band. When the drop hits, the lead line is epic, the lyrics are so unmistakably Silent Planet's, and the atmosphere is incredible. It's the kind of sound that only they can pull off to this degree, and I love that this section keeps the song from feeling too far out from their sound. The song ties up quite nicely, nothing new left to offer but running the chorus once more to seal the deal.

Antimatter is a surprising change from their sound, even compared to recent releases like :Signal: and Iridescent. It's another great genre-defying release that's perpetuating through the modern metal scene as of late, one that is highly appreciated and extremely exciting for both the band and us listeners. They've said online that the next album will be a variety of new sounds, which is setting high expectations, but I'm sure they'll hit the mark and go beyond. Until that happens, this is a banger and definitely going to be high on the 2023 list.

Rating: 4.5/5

Lyric Of The Week 75: Memory Fiction

"Lessons that I find in love that we left behind."

ERRA - Memory Fiction, from the self-titled album ERRA

Show: Alpha Wolf Live in Singapore (Asia Tour 2023)

It's my first ever music show! I've been to a few orchestra concerts over the years but never a show by any musical artist or band, and it was only after the Coldplay and Taylor Swift craze in Singapore recently that the thought finally came to my mind: why don't I go and see bands live? And coincidentally, Alpha Wolf announced their Asia tour with Singapore as the first stop, and I grabbed the early bird ticket before I could regret it.

It was a bit wild to think about at first, having my first show be deep in the heavy side of modern metal, and of course I wasn't sure what to do about moshing and all, but after a while I just decided I'll go there and find out, even if I get a little bumped around.

The line-up featured three local acts, two of which I managed to find time to listen to a bit before the show itself. I thought it was super cool that Alpha Wolf would have so many local acts play with them, and I was surprised in general that our Singaporean heavy scene was so much stronger than I expected. These weren't just your run of the mill let's-start-a-band kind of band, they had skill and talent and have been around for a long while.

Reaching the venue 20 minutes late, I found out we still had to wait another 20 more minutes before anything happened. I took the time to just take it in, being back at Aliwal Arts Centre after 5 years, and also (without looking too creepy) take a look at what the rest of the showgoers look liked. I was a bit surprised to see a few NS boys, one even freshly shaved, but the majority of the crowd kind of met my expectations: heavy band merch, some tattoos, emo and goth adjacent fashion and makeup. I guess I was just surprised at all that there were in fact other heavy metal listeners in Singapore, I've gotten so used to the idea that nobody I know listens to metal so it must be really rare (To be fair it is still a small crowd of less than 200 people).

When we were finally let in, I was lucky to be in the front of the line. I didn't realise how much it mattered because I just beelined for the merch booth, but when I looked back at it half a set later, all of Alpha Wolf's shirts had sold out. I'm glad I bought mine first instead of going to watch the band play (no offense ARC), gotta get merch at shows yaknow? Anyways, I'll talk about the bands in order of appearance.

Aggressive Raisin Cat! This band shocked me quite a bit, I'll be honest. They're strongly rooted in progressive metalcore, and their influences are pretty obvious, but they honestly pull it off quite well. Their discography was quite short when I first looked at it weeks before the show, so I thought maybe they weren't particularly experienced, but they put on a damn good show. The instrumentals are insanely tight, I love the drumwork and hearing fast double kicks live hits different, and the guitarwork was pretty damn technical but they killed it. The vocalist had a respectable harsh vocal range and although he seemed a bit out of breath here and there, he threw down otherwise. His stage presence is particularly vibrant, I must say, he talks in Singlish like it's nobody's business and sounds extremely Gen Z (although he might be a millenial? I'm not counting), entertaining guy indeed.

Tariot came next, I think they're the oldest local act on the list. They had some technical issues starting out and it was kinda cool to know that 1. these things happen, 2. people don't really remember it once the music starts (unless it's really bad I suppose). Their music was mainly hardcore or hardcore adjacent, in stark contrast to the previous band, but I could definitely notice a lot more moshing. They even got a wall of death in, which I was surprised that it happened with the number of people moshing at the time. Their set had a lot more things going on, I think another vocalist from a different band ran on stage to scream for a bit, and on their last song their guitarist ran down to the floor and played there. Solid hardcore stuff honestly, but I think the energy outweighed the actual quality of music by a lot (not to say it was bad music, it's just that I wasn't focusing on the music as long as I could headbang).

Tell Lie Vision was the last local act, and the least heavy too, but not by much. In fact, I think they picked the heavier songs from their catalogue just to match the energy. They did have a lot more clean singing in comparison to the rest of the bands, but I have to say that his screams sounded the clearest by far, and it was honestly pretty impressive. They had that post-hardcore vibe especially with all the pop sensibilities and electronic infusions, but they had a great set overall.

Alpha Wolf! The main act everyone was here for. They had us leave the venue for a bit so that they could set up without ruining the surprise, so the anticipation was reignited. When we went back in, the banner had changed, and a lot more people crowded to the front (me included) and it already felt more lively. The Alpha Wolf boys came in and started the set with 60cm Of Steel, and the energy in the room shot up tenfold. Their playing was immaculate, drums were hard hitting, guitars were heavy and pissed, and vocals were monstrous. His screams came through the speakers so clearly and loud, and the difference compared to the studio version was minor. They sounded amazing live, is what I'm trying to say. As their set went on, the energy only continued to rise, and a lot more people were moving around and moshing. They got a circle pit going during Hotel Underground and Rot In Pieces, they had a wall of death for Restricted (R18+) and by the end of the set they had people diving off the stage left and right. Part of their set included older material like Black Mamba and Sub-Zero which I honestly wasn't too familiar with, but the rest of the set was all exclusively from A Quiet Place to Die and their half of The Lost & The Longing. I liked that they included bleed 4 you and don't ask..., I wasn't expecting the more emotional songs to get on their setlist but they killed it, and having the audience sing for bleed 4 you felt really nice. Getting to see the Acid Romance breakdown live was amazing, it was such a banger, and Ultra-Violet Violence live sounded insane too. And of course, their most popular song Akudama closed out the set, and the whole place was going crazy. People were climbing on stage and diving off, it was getting rowdy, the Aggressive Raisin Cat vocalist screamed part of the song, and by the end of the song there were like 20 people on stage doing god knows what (and they popped a bottle and sprayed it at the crowd too). The guitarist also did some stage dives which was cool, and it was just a super fun vibe to experience.

I have absolutely no regrets on going to this show, especially with the $40 price tag. I was pleasantly surprised by how lively the local heavy scene was, and it honestly felt like it was a place where everyone was enjoying themselves. People going ham with the moshing, even a little bit of lowkey crowdkilling during the Tariot set, it was definitely an eye-opening experience. I also learned a few good things, like how great earplugs are, how important being in front is if you want merch, and that holding your phone up to record even one song gets tiring real quick. Better build up that arm strength.

(Asia 2023 tour graphic)

Setlist (I'll think about if I want to do this consistently)

Aggressive Raisin Cat:

1. (unreleased track?)

2. Cough Bin

3. Ramen

Tariot: (I don't remember all the songs or the order)

1. Sink in Deep

2. Hell Hole

3. Alas (with Kevyn from Reserate doing Novelist FR's Tobias Rische's vocal parts)

4. ???

5. ???

6. ???

Tell Lie Vision: (This too, but I think half the songs were unreleased anyways)

1. Benign Neglect(?)

2. ???

3. ???

4. ???

Alpha Wolf:

1. 60cm Of Steel

2. Creep

3. Black Mamba

4. Hotel Underground

5. Acid Romance

6. Sub-Zero

7. Ultra-Violet Violence

8. Golden Fate; Isolate

9. bleed 4 you

10. Restricted (R18+)

11. don't ask...

12. Akudama

EP: Adjy - June Songs Vol. 1 [2023]

When I opened up Spotify on 2nd June and saw the Adjy had just released an EP, I got metaphorical whiplash of the highest degree. I had just fallen in love with Adjy for both their The Idyll Opus (I-VI) and Prelude (.3333), and like a coincidence gone right, I get another one from them just like this, no waiting? I felt blessed that day, for sure.

June Songs Vol. 1 isn't as significant to the main storyline, but feels more like an exploration of the world the narrative is built in and the lives of the people in this world outside of the main plotline. The sonic textures are largely the same as its predecessors, but it's narrative nature is not as heavy as The Idyll Opus (I-VI). It does hit the nail on the head pretty well as a small collection of songs that revolve around the life of the character June, both in how he is represented narratively and sonically throughout The Idyll Opus (I-VI).

Stepping in the Same River Twice starts off with just drums and sudden vocals, with that kind of lyrical rhythm that feels homely to Adjy, before the rest of the band comes in. I love that they continue to reuse melodic motifs from the same universe to reaffirm that it's all from the same story, while modifying it just enough so that the song remains unique. This song for the most part has the same youthful energy of some of the main album tracks that I associate with June (and July), like the two A Boy Called June tracks.

June Song takes a bit more of a calmer and laidback approach, acting as a pseudo title track. Also reusing melodic motifs, June Song also goes a slight step further and reuses a few lyrical motifs (but not before changing it up a bit). The lyrical content as a whole feels more poetic and closer to the story, especially with lines like "in terminal need now we race to the center of life" feeling like a callback to how The Idyll Opus (I-VI) ended. They continue to evoke a lot of the literary meta-narrative that goes as far back as their Prelude (.3333) EP (and maybe even further back to their Grammatology EP, I've yet to find out). Sonically, this song does not see too much variation, but it's the lyrical standout.

Here Here has the most country folk vibe of them all, and also feels the most like what I imagine the soundtrack to their countryside would be like. Between the folkier music elements and the different vocal melodies and cadences, the song just has a general outside, carefree vibe. Much like June Song, it doesn't see much sonic variation, but lyrically it really feels most akin to worldbuilding. It's musical narrative worldbuilding, if that's a thing.

Idioglossia is the softest song on the EP, yet may be the most profound-sounding track. Bringing back older lyrical motifs of white stones and throwing in some very poetic divine-related lines, "killing Abel never made God proud" being a repeated one. The calmnes gives this song a curious resemblance to the Secretus Liber track off the main album, albeit not as long or as emotional.

One 4th of July sees the most elements of Adjy on one single track. The whole band in play, weird and choppy lyrics that they somehow make sound nice, generous use of gang vocals, reusing lyrical and narrative motifs, and tying a lot of it to the literaries of extensive mythologies. The main concept of time that perpetuates through The Idyll Opus (I-VI)'s story shows itself again, and through the lyrics we can see exactly how much of their previous works continue to tie in to each other, between pinions, fireworks and centers.

June Songs Vol. 1 writes like an expansion of the world of The Idyll Opus, and in certain ways can be viewed as songs that June himself wrote (it is, after all, mentioned in the narrative that he has a band). The timeframe of these songs aren't exactly linear or relative, but they serve to give listeners a new perspective of other parts of the story, and I love that. I'll admit that I was a tiny bit disappointed it didn't have the same emotional weight and poignancy of The Idyll Opus (I-VI), or the kind of sonic excellency that Prelude (.3333) had, but I'm happy nonetheless that I get to experience any new music from them at all.

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:

1. Stepping in the Same River Twice

2. June Song

3. Here Here

4. Idioglossia

5. One 4th of July

Song: Structures - 6 (feat. Brendan Murphy) [None of the Above, 2021]

Structures' little comeback EP back in 2021 was a short but potent punch of metalcore, and I actually enjoyed this EP a lot more than I thought I would've as I listened to it more. This was back when Nik Nocturnal dictated 99% of my metal discoveries, and his reaction to 6 kind of cemented this song as my favourite of the EP, although it is a banger song in its own right.

It comes in straight away with this ridiculous heavy groove, complete with bends and scrapes to let the listener know it's pissed. The verse is angry, rolling with a modified version of the intro riff underneath, chugs galore. The layered screams are great, and as it goes on, they add some dissonance and some cheeky licks, just in time for the first breakdown, which is a smack and a half. The chugs are nasty and the whammy stuff is just wicked, and when the breakdown ends it doesn't get any less relentless.

War drums leading up to the final breakdown, riffing getting more chaotic, and Brendan Murphy of Counterparts comes in. What a screamer. The lyrics are downright furious, the dual layer is monstrous, letting the instrumentals drop out for a bit is cheeky, that short blast beat is just rude, and the flatline soundbite is the cherry on top. That breakdown riff too, jeez, simple but effective. Always love a well placed pick scrape. I love how vicious the outro is too, with the ominous lead going on while the screams continue.

None of the Above is a great EP from 2021 but it's really 6's breakdown that makes this one song in particular so memorable. Just stellar sound design and a series of well-crafted moments that elevate the intensity of these three minutes, worth a headbang for sure.

Rating: 3.5/5

Lyric Of The Week 74: Take Her to the Moon

"But can you really get lost in Heaven?"

Waterparks - Take Her to the Moon, from the album Double Dare

EP: Better Lovers - God Made Me An Animal [2023]

Better Lovers dropped their debut EP out of nowhere three months after their debut single, and I waa definitely surprised and excited to dig into it. With only three new songs to offer, I was wondering how strong of a first impression this might be, and let me tell you, it really is one of the strongest debuts I've heard. Absolutely nailing their sound from the get-go, albeit a blend of former bands, is not an easy feat.

Sacrificial Participant is the first in line, immediately blasting off with Greg's recognizable scream voice and Every Time I Die's instrumental chaos. First verse has some fun elements, like the constant eighths riffage at the start or the really satisfying sing-scream to full scream transitions. The chorus took me a bit by surprise because I wasn't thinking they'd do clean singing so quickly, but it's a great chorus and the lead line behind it is beautiful. The second verse has some awesome up-and-down riffs with time signature switchups that's super reminiscent of both Every Time I Die and The Dillinger Escape Plan's mathcore style, but what's most unexpected is the little clean soft section right before the second chorus, super tight yet super elegant and feels very different yet fitting for them.

30 Under 13 I already talked about plenty in its own post, but it's worth mentioning that since then, I've learned the song on guitar and listened to it plenty more, and I've come to appreciate in greater detail exactly how impressive the technicality and groove is, how seamless the transitions are and how cohesive everything feels despite its intrinsic chaos. Of the four tracks on the EP, they definitely made the right choice releasing this one first.

Become So Small is relentlessly chaotic and possibly the heaviest on the EP, never once giving the listener a break. The intro is brutally breathless and astonishingly groovy, and the repetitive "become so small" over a wonky riff is a super fun touch. The bass tone and riff, especially in that short guitarless section, is super gnarly too. The song continues to be ruthless throughout and only gets harder when the breakdown comes around. The riff is unbelievably tasteful with the subtle dissonance and perfect phrasing, dropping it out for just the chugs is top tier, and the surprise round at the end with the feedback and slow-down is monstrous.

The title track is the most varied of the four tracks, losing a little musical cohesiveness for its lyrical relevance. The southern influence is evident, especially with moments like the opening riff, but the real highlight of this song is its anthemic quality. The chorus is tasteful with its call-and-response of singing and screaming, but it's the final section of the song that takes the cake. It's the colourful lead riff against a soft drum pattern while Greg lays down some heavenlt clean singing, before going into this super high energy arena-rock-esque anthem moment with gritty vocals that just fucking hits. They close out with the chorus again, and a sneaky punch of the same refrain from the beginning.

Better Lovers have proven themselves to be more than just a unsubstantiated consequence of bands colliding. The five of them have come together to make music with a strong direction, and it's evident through this EP. With the instrumental members of Every Time I Die continuing to evolve their sound past their band's end, and having Greg and Will to mix things up, they'll be nothing short of innovative in time to come. This EP is stellar short of one small but significant gripe, which is the truly life-changing kind of lyricism Keith had that Greg has yet to match at all, it's the one gap they haven't been able to fill. Everything else is amazing, and without a doubt a standout of the year.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. Sacrificial Participant

2. 30 Under 13

3. Become So Small

4. God Made Me an Animal

Song: A Day To Remember - Miracle [2022]

The metalcore community seemed so disappointed about You're Welcome, but I honestly thought it was pretty decent. Regardless, when A Day To Remember dropped Miracle out of nowhere, it was a fresh release that rejuvenated their heaviness, whether or not you disliked You're Welcome's softer sound. For some, it felt like a return to form, and I think it's pretty damn solid.

They've been slowly evolving from their easycore sound of the late 2000s to a more modern metalcore sound, incorporating a few elements of today like electronics, production techniques and better breakdowns. Although You're Welcome saw them take a hard left into country rock, there were pieces of this evolution present in tracks like Resentment and Last Chance To Dance (Bad Friend), pieces that have lead to Miracle.

Bringing the track in with a synth and chugs, they quickly transition into the classic modern metal lowkey-verse-highkey-chorus trope, but it works wonders. Their catchy hooks continue to excel, and the energy in the chorus alone is astounding. And to top it all off, Jeremy screaming at the end of the chorus is immaculate. Their songwriting has always been stellar but it seems they've hit the nail on the head with this one.

I love a good breakdown, and they gave us a double stacked one. Bold callout, low-tuned riffage, and an absolute sucker punch of a double down with those triplets, totalling forty whole seconds of breakdown goodness. Rarely does modern metalcore see such a long breakdown, they sure did spoil us with this one.

Miracle was a great return for A Day To Remember, and I'm excited for a new album to come soon. And as much as I appreciated You're Welcome for what it is, I sure wouldn't mind them getting back to being heavy.

Rating: 3/5

Album: A Day To Remember - Homesick [2009]

A Day To Remember remains as one of the most influential and recognized easycore bands out there, notable for their unmistakable blend of pop punk and metalcore energies. Homesick was and still is one of their best albums to date, home to some of their best tracks and a testament to one of their strongest times as a band.

Homesick sees their iconic blend of catchy choruses and heavy riffing with the highest ratio of hits to misses of any album they've released. Just about every track on the list has something great to offer, and a good handful of them are brilliant gems of the entire early 2000s metalcore era.

Part of doing a heavier pop punk is having a good pop punk foundation to begin with, and Homesick is chock full of that genuine pop punk essence. Amidst the fast-paced drumming, bonanza of power chords and happy-sounding melodies is an unfiltered punk energy manifesting itself within the lyrics and the meaning. Boasting a respectable selection of great verses and choruses that anyone would have trouble trying not to sing along to, it's clear that half of Homesick's appeal is simply how much of an earworm it is, one that is happily welcomed by the scene.

The heavy side of A Day To Remember is a force to be reckoned with, and although I can't say that they were at the top of their game with it on every song, it is still a heavily commendable blend that is hard to pull off. With a focus on simplicity, a lot of their heavy moments boil down to literal zeroes on the chugs and uncomplicated drum patterns. Despite that, they've managed to make some of their breakdowns and heavy riffs extremely iconic, whether it's the main chug riff of The Downfall Of Us All or the meme'd-to-hell breakdown of Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End. Jeremy also has always boasted a super robust scream tone that constantly sets him apart from other vocalists, one that he knows how to use like a monster. Many callouts of his remain iconic, and his scream verses are always a highlight.

A standout of the album that differs a lot from the rest of the record is the closing track. If It Means A Lot To You has become their most streamed track on Spotify by a large margin, and I think the song represented both what the band and album were capable of. A Day To Remember absolutely nailed it on this ballad, concocting their own unique take on the acoustic dual vocal ballad that ramps up to the full band near the end, with plenty of emotions to boot. I think this song was the culmination of both the album as a pivotal moment in the band's career and the band's growth in developing their sound.

Homesick remains a highlight of the band's discography and of early 2010s metalcore, simply because it cannot be denied that A Day To Remember is a band capable of writing great songs without having to get technical. It doesn't take much to fall in love with their sound, especially from this era of their music, and I definitely enjoyed this record thoroughly.

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:

1. The Downfall Of Us All

2. My Life For Hire

3. I'm Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? (feat. Mike Hranica of The Devil Wears Prada)

4. NJ Legion Iced Tea

5. Mr. Highway's Thinking About The End

6. Have Faith In Me

7. Welcome To The Family (feat. Vincent Bennett of The Acacia Strain)

8. Homesick

9. Holdin' It Down For The Underground

10. You Already Know What You Are

11. Another Song About The Weekend

12. If It Means A Lot To You (feat. Sierra Kusterbeck of VersaEmerge)

Lyric Of The Week 73: Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back

"You're the broken glass in the morning light, be a burning star if it takes all night."

My Chemical Romance - Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back, from the album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

Single: Silent Planet - :Signal: [2022]

I remember this single not really catching my attention when it first dropped. I hadn't yet grown to love their newest record, Iridescent, but after that happened, I did revisit this single and it did in fact sound a lot cooler than I remembered. I guess that once the Silent Planet sound clicked for me, it clicked for everything.

Between the great blend of sharp metalcore and great cyberlike atmosphere, it feels like they've already started on a path towards new sound, incorporating more electronics than they had before. The airy synths remind me a bit of Loathe, especially of their atmospheric work on I Let It In And It Took Everything or the entire The Things They Believe ambient record. The riffwork on this song is mostly simple yet very tasteful, whether it's the chug patterns, the slightly dissonant verse riff, the sync-ups with the vocals in the middle, or just the general modern metalcore finesse of it all. And if I haven't commended it enough, the electronic work and production on this song is stellar. The fast climbing arppeggio synths behind the first intermission is a fantastic piece of the soundscape, and so is the highly distorted vocals that play back-and-forth with the chug riff.

The breakdown is nothing too crazy or spectacular, but it definitely has that signature Silent Planet touch to it, and the second half with the spoken-word-esque line is interesting at the very least. I adore the quick cadence of the word "broken" as well, it's very satisfying to hear for some reason.

This song has all the makings of a great Silent Planet song, and even though it might not be a top 5 kind of track, it definitely deserves to be listened to. Their cynically poetic lyricism remains on point, their metalcore writing continues to be innovative and their understanding of musical intent has yet to falter. It's been long enough since the previous album, and I'm very excited for the next era of their music, especially since they've announced a new single and it looks like we're on track for a new album cycle to begin soon.

Rating: 4/5

Album: Trophy Eyes - Suicide and Sunshine [2023]

Ever since their 2020 single Figure Eight caught my eye, I've been lowkey curious about their music, so when Trophy Eyes started a new album cycle for Suicide and Sunshine, I diligently followed it all the way through. At the start, it just seemed decent, but I cannot explain to you how much the singles grew on me over time, and by the time the album dropped, I might as well have been in love with it.

I think the reason I've been loving their releases is because they've genuinely dialled into their self-described "sad songs disguised as happy songs" sound. There's an emotionally complex overtone of this contrasting juxtaposition that can only be human, one that most of this record embodies in full force.

I think the singles are in fact some of the best tracks on the record, despite how long it took to grow on me. Part of the reason is how easy it is to mistake them for just another generic pop punk song, but once you dive deeper into the intricacies of their sound design, as well as the lyricism and meaning of the record, it will quickly become more than just a song. Of course, credit to the catchiness, whether it's the piercing and bright main synth melody and of Blue Eyed Boy, the simple yet absolutely captivating vocal melodies of What Hurts the Most, the tasteful bassline and vocal deliveries of Kill, or the soft ambience and gorgeous sound design of Life in Slow Motion. Each single slowly but surely got my attention and rethink Figure Eight as simply being a fluke.

Of course, that did leave me with a sizeable amount of anticipation for the actual record release, and I have to admit not every song hit the way I wish it could've, but it cannot be denied that some of the non-singles are either on par or better. The chaotic and punkier tracks like People Like You and OMW are more fun for sure, but feel a lot less unique to their sound, although the ragers are always welcome. The few less notable cuts that never managed to latch onto my subconscious still have merits but I can't say with honesty that I care any much for them (sorry My Inheritance and Sweet Soft Sound). Sean is a track I pardon from much criticism on the listening experience because it is meant to be a lot more than that in sentiment, and I absolutely respect the intent and execution behind the track. Between the pained screams and slow recountings of his friend's suicide over soft, sombre instrumentals, it's nothing short of emotional and heartbreaking.

And for the bangers, I think it boils down to great melodies and moments. Runaway, Come Home's chorus has some subtle but awesome vocoder harmonies before exploding into a loud soundscape of bliss, chock full of stellar production work. Stay Here's chorus has this overwhelmingly colourful synth serrating the background of the bold and punchy soundscape, grit in the vocals like a cherry on top. Epilogue being a brilliant closer for the record, boasts a memorable riff, undeniably addicting chorus to sing and a surprisingly wholesome message to boot.

Suicide and Sunshine sees Trophy Eyes at their all-time best, fully in tune with the kind of music, message and emotion they wanted to convey since the start. Refined by the tough times and the brink of extinction, they've found renewed purpose and intent through it all and created the best record they could've made. A standout of the year, for sure.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. Sydney

2. Life in Slow Motion

3. People Like You

4. My Inheritance

5. Blue Eyed Boy

6. Runaway, Come Home

7. Burden

8. Sean

9. What Hurts The Most

10. OMW

11. Kill

12. Sweet Soft Sound

13. Stay Here

14. Epilogue

Lyric Of The Week 72: Masterpiece

"So how do I apologize and put the tears back in your eyes?"

Motionless In White - Masterpiece, from the album Scoring The End Of The World

Song: CORPSE, Bring Me The Horizon - CODE MISTAKE [2023]

CORPSE?? And Bring Me The Horizon?!?! This has solidly taken the title of most unexpected collaboration of the year, and was such a sucker punch gladly taken. CORPSE has been part of the emo trap scene for the most part, but it was no surprise that he could easily take on a punkier sound. What I didn't expect was a bold and brutal modern metal track with the best modern metal band by his side, and boy, does it deliver.

The synth melody at the start threw me off a bit, because it sounds a bit like a Zelda theme song or something, but I didn't get distracted for long when CORPSE comes in with his signature vocals and heavy bass instrumentals. When the screams came in without warning, and when I realised it wasn't Oli, I cannot tell you how shocked I was. CORPSE already had one of the most unique vocal textures on the planet, and now he just casually has the most robust scream to boot. I love the rock elements complementing his rage, and I love the repetition of the phrase "I will never be them", it's a simple but effective line.

Oli trying out CORPSE's raspy voice was fun to hear, and while he obviously can't top the man himself, he honestly kills it without a doubt. We get a few screams from him, and then there's this really cool rap-scream section with both of them, producing a really cool vocal texture that is barely recognizable from their own individual screams. I love the variation in the second chorus where CORPSE doubles up the refrain both with screams and his deep rasp, it just hits different. Oli also takes the opportunity to throw in a rugged screech in the post-chorus, before the nastiest breakdown takes over.

The slowdown right before the breakdown, the double kicks, the glitchy vocals, the filthy lows, the even glitchier cuts, AND the outro candid laugh?? An absolute menace of an ending, and I love it, so fucking much. It's been a while since Bring Me The Horizon had the audacity to double-kick at that speed, and to throw it onto a CORPSE track is unbelievably wild. If you tell me that the audio clip at the end is CORPSE's genuine reaction to hearing the end of the song for the first time, I would not doubt it at all.

Credits to the ruthlessly heavy low-tuned guitarwork, and the stellar production work that feels like a seamless blend of both CORPSE's and Bring Me The Horizon's individual soundscapes. I'm still in awe at both the actuality of this collaboration and the quality of it, because as much as this makes so much sense now, I never even came close to thinking about it. I'm so glad CORPSE is making heavier music, and even more glad that Bring Me The Horizon are the people helping him dip his toes into this side of music. And we have yet to see until the next POST HUMAN record comes out, but this could possibly take the title of heaviest Bring Me The Horizon song this year.

Rating: 4/5

EP: Adjy - Prelude (.3333) [2016]

With The Idyll Opus (I-VI) becoming one of my favourite albums of all time, I was more than curious to have a listen to the rest of their discography. Despite their decently long existence as a band so far, their releases seemed few and far between, so Prelude (.3333) seemed like the only option.

With a short tracklist of just four songs spanning twenty-five minutes, this EP serves as a spiritual, narrativistic AND chronological predecessor to The Idyll Opus (I-VI), which is quite a feat. Featuring similar soundscapes and stylistic choices of its successor, Prelude (.3333) is definitely a worthwhile part of their musical narrative universe.

Praepositio is an unexpected but energetic start to the experience. Coming in with nothing but hefty march-like drumming, one that drives the song for most of its runtime, this song presents itself as one of the most meta-lyrical on the EP. With sporadic and restless verses, running with the concepts of literature and fiction to wherever it can go. Even the echoing refrain staining the entire song, "Melopoeia, Mythopoeic", are terms describing the art of crafting melody and myth respectively. It is a lively, heavy percussion, drum-led experience, constantly jumping and swerving and even throwing an 11/8 rhythm on the verse. Despite it all, they sound like they're in full form (except for the banjo, where's the banjo?), and distinctly Adjy.

Another Flammarion Woodcut is the longest track on the EP by a good amount, sitting pretty at nine and a half minutes, and it is well spent. Another percussion-heavy track, this time co-led by a sparkly synth melody and slow keys, as well as a lot of other instruments and sounds that come and go. It's a noticeably calmer song, although it still has its strong moments, complete with anthemic guitars, gang vocals and powerful melodies. I love the simmering 5/4 middle section, and I love the grit in his voice nearing the end as the lyrics get confessional, it's cool to see them stray a bit from their comfort zone in technique.

Hyperthymesia has slowly but surely grown on me as I listened to the EP more and more, and as much as the typo on Spotify bugs me, the song itself is the exact opposite. Being the most cohesive, and admittedly most pop-leaning, song on the EP, its appeal to me is simply stellar musical workmanship. Between the wonderfully complementing layers and the heartfully poetic lyrics, laid upon a fast-paced yet elegant rhythm and melody, it becomes the most emotionally-infused and narratively strong track of the four, especially with its heavy referencing and tie-ins to the story and universe of The Idyll Opus (I-VI). I especially love the sounds going on, between the vocal oohs-and-aahs, sparkly xylophones and bells. The drumming is exquisitely dynamic and powerful, and the guitarwork building the beautiful background melodies accentuates the soundscape well, and it just feels ethereal.

Grammatology is the final track, and actually a song brought forward from their previous release, called Of Grammatology on that EP (one that I cannot play on Spotify, sadly). With the same sonic fingerprint of the rest of the EP, and some fun samples sprinkled in, this song is the most vibrant of the four. Coming in at a slow pace and a lullaby-like atmosphere, save for the tasteful drumming, it's easy to fall into a trance and into the soundscape. After delay-reverb guitars and beautiful arpeggios, there is an intermission-like sequence populated by various overlapping dialogues before a Speak & Spell comes in to spell out "reconstruct", followed by a strong climatic ending reaching the decibel peaks of their sound.

Coming from The Idyll Opus (I-VI), it was easy for me to mistake this as a less cohesive record given how the album was completely narratively intertwined, whereas Prelude (.3333) felt more like an anthology of four parts, but I've come to appreciate these four songs and the perspective they offer into the universe. It's also a brilliant endeavour from the band sonically and stylistically, although given that it is in retrospect, it'd make more sense to say that they were always capable of producing an expansive soundscape woven with a whole storyline worth of sentiment. Where The Idyll Opus (I-VI) is restrained to the flow of the narrative, Prelude (.3333) gets to hop and skip to and fro, and it definitely makes for an easier to love listening experience. Regardless, my love for Adjy's work only grows stronger.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:

1. Praepositio

2. Another Flammarion Woodcut

3. Hyperthymesia

4. Grammatology

Lyric Of The Week 71: Forever

"Two burning hearts are dared to break."

Lewis Capaldi - Forever, from the album Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent

Song: Harper - Weight Of The World (feat. We Came As Romans and Brand Of Sacrifice) [2023]

Harper is one of the most exciting modern metal phenomenons in the last few years. A ten-year old girl doing harsh vocals professionally is already amazing as is, but hitting America's Got Talent, joining Pale Chord Records and now a collaboration with two of modern metal's strongest bands is as left field as it gets. Weight Of The World boasts writing and production credits to Brand Of Sacrifice and a vocal feature from We Came As Romans' David Stephens.

I think the most shocking thing to me is how quickly her vocals have improved, it is insane how much more professional she sounds only 10 months after her first single. Falling was a solid display of talent for a debut, but it was clear there was still potential yet to be realised. Weight Of The World feels extremely polished and clean compared to Falling, and for good reason.

I think credit has to be given to the Brand Of Sacrifice boys for the production work, which plays a significant part in making this song stand so well. Their electronic deathcore sound plays a strong influence here despite the metalcore setting, and the mixing and mastering of the vocals results in a much tighter and cleaner scream texture. That said, it is undeniable that her harsh vocals have improved astoundingly. The fact that she has solid lows already blows my mind, but the more subtle sign is of how consistently robust her harsh vocals are throughout: They don't falter at all, the grit and distortion is strong, and she's beginning to develop a distinct tone. David taking the chorus is a great choice, both because his sing-screams are amazing, and because it is a really smart creative choice. I'm willing to bet Harper hasn't fully realised her singing and sing-scream potential, so it may have dulled the overall song experience a small bit, but it is also just a flex to drop a harsh-vocals only track to cement her standing in heavy modern metal.

Although Harper has little to do with the instrumentals, I commend the improvement between this and Falling. I get the impression that there was a much stronger musical direction with this song and a clearer goal in mind, whereas Falling felt too experimental and lacked cohesiveness. No hate to Chris Wiseman at all, and I get the desire to avoid the generic metalcore rabbit hole, but it's hard to argue against the fact that this song turned out so much better. And all things considered, metalcore is a great genre to show off vocals on, which is exactly what Harper does.

Harper has swiftly gone from someone I kept an eye on because she had potential to become good, to someone I'm going to keep an eye on because she has potential to blow up the scene in time. I'm excited to see where she heads next and what collaborations might come with this, and I'm sure her journey ahead will only get crazier.

Rating: 3.5/5

Album: Hot Mulligan - Why Would I Watch [2023]

I've always had mixed feelings about choosing to listening to records more or less blind, but this was an unbelievably lucky find. I only know Hot Mulligan from one (1) song, their semi-viral I Fell in Love With Princess Peach single, and this album doesn't even sound much too similar to that song, so I'd like to think I simply high-rolled on choosing to listen to this record.

Their modern emo sound, or as they've self-coined Post-Emo, is a tastefully unique take on the midwestern emo and screamo style reminiscent of Tiny Moving Parts but with just a bit more grit. When I first played through the whole record, I immediately found myself deeply intrigued and enjoying the sound that they created.

I think the appeal of it all is a complex blend of multitudes I can't pinpoint, but it's roughly about the blend of pop-punk's catchiness and emo's rawness, all with a subtle but poignant maturity that succeeds where pop-punk and emo's bluntness fails. Every part of the band is super tuned in and cohesive, and their sense of musical direction is unorthodox yet brilliant.

The dual vocal setup gives them a lot of flexibility in the vocal department, and the range of textures they can achieve is what gives the record so much character and passion. The lead vocalist has a particularly cathartic set of vocals that he so effortlessly transitions between, switching from singing to screaming on the drop of a dime, and guitarist contributing vocals adds so much dynamicism to the music.

One of the most surprising things about this record to me is the heaviness of the lyricism. It's so raw and confessional, unapologetically genuine and so candidly human. There was a strangely poetic nature to the lyrics on the record, cemented further by the passionately emotional and evocative delivery from the vocalists. Between the vibrant yet chaotic instrumentation and the relentlessly energetic vocal performances, they achieve a perfect level of accentuated authenticity for optimal modern angst.

Heavy credit should be given to the guitarwork and drumwork behind the record, it's extremely nuanced and does a splendid job at painting a soundscape that resembles a modern take on midwest emo: suspiciously happy-sounding melodies and chord progressions, sparingly reverb-drenched and mildly distorted, lending elements and techniques from math rock and pop-punk, while the drums take on a very essential role in managing dynamics and setting the foundation for the band, in both groove and energy.

I've quickly found a lot of things to love about this record. Between the variety of long nonsensical song titles and the sheer density of hidden vulnerability, Why Would I Watch has quickly become a favourite of 2023. I don't know of any other band that comes close to the sound that they have, and I'm super happy to have decided to listen to this album.

Rating: 10/10

Tracklist:

1. Shouldn't Have a Leg Hole But I Do

2. It's a Family Movie She Hates Her Dad

3. And I Smoke

4. This Song is Called it's Called What's it Called

5. No Shoes in the Coffee Shop (Or Socks)

6. Christ Alive My Toe Dammit Hurts

7. Betty

8. Cock Party 2 (Better Than The First)

9. Shhhh! Golf is On

10. Gans Media Retro Games

11. Smahccked My Head Awf

12. John "The Rock" Cena, Can You Smell What the Undertaker

Song: Bring Me The Horizon - AmEN! (feat. Lil Uzi Vert and Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw) [2023]

AmEN! came out of nowhere and was like a sucker punch to the metal scene. Bring Me The Horizon is back again with another expectation-defying release, this time recruiting the surprising likes of rapper Lil Uzi Vert and post-hardcore legends Glassjaw's vocalist Daryl Palumbo. Straying from the current status quo of "future emo" tracks, AmEN! is a potent dose of heavy that rivals some of their heaviest releases in the past decade.

The intro wastes no time with getting heavy, pummeling the listener with groovy riffing and beastly vocals, Oli refurbishing his monster growls and lows from his Count Your Blessings and Suicide Season days. Within fifteen seconds, the first verse is done and done, but they've done enough damage to make it clear: this is a heavy one.

The chorus, like many of their choruses, is the same excellent balance of catchiness and energy that they've perfected over the years. I love the cynical gospel vibe and how anthemic the chorus is, and his sing-screams are only getting better.

The features all squeeze into the second verse, and I'll admit that fifteen seconds each isn't a lot of time to let guests add their sound to a track, but given the inherent nature of both guests to begin with, I think they were great features in the end. Daryl likely has had a big part to play in where Bring Me The Horizon is now, whether directly or indirectly influencing the scene and the band, and Lil Uzi Vert is just a rapper who happens to be a scene kid, and their features fit surprisingly well.

The entire back end from the breakdown onwards gets real intense. The vocals get monstrous, the instrumentation ramps up and the soundscape turns hellish. The initial breakdown doesn't hit as hard as expected, surprisingly, but it just keeps getting heavier. The double kicks are brutal, that one holy sample is cheeky but well-placed, the electronics are pristine and bold, the instrumental dropout is super effective, the blast beats on the final modified chorus are asinine, and the outro is demonic with tight production work to boot.

I love how otherworldly they are beginning to sound, with their unbelievably intricate production and boundary-pushing creativity. Ever since POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR, it was clear they could do anything they wanted, but they flawlessly shake up the scene with every song they release and constantly redefine the limits of what's possible with heavy music. And on top of all of that, it's still undeniably catchy and replayable, and still fit the "future emo" style that they're going for. Now with the announcement of POST HUMAN: NEX GEN, I cannot be more excited, and as far as anticipation goes, this is as good as it gets.

Rating: 3.5/5

Lyric Of The Week 70: Mercy

"Life's swinging hard but I'm swinging harder."

The Ghost Inside - Mercy, from the album Dear Youth