Who doesn’t love a bit of nostalgia, especially when a track transports you back in time just by the sheer force of its music! And that’s exactly what When It Began by Pullstring does!
Pullstring are a five-piece band from Minneapolis playing a mix of alternative and indie rock and When it Began is their latest offering, released on 11/11/2022.
This track has great melodies and a super catchy, big chorus that will have you singing along in next to no time.
The vocals are soft but with a hint of grittiness to lift them out of the pop genre and combined with the harmonizing backups, the lyrics really do jump out of the song.
The guitar work is great, dirty throughout most of the track but superbly clean when it comes to the solo part way through, and the bass and drum section is strong and solid.
This is a fantastic track that really is a throwback to the classic indie sound of the 90’s, proving that the genre is still very much alive and appealing to a broad spectrum of listeners.
If 90’s indie rock was your thing, then go and check out Pullstring. You might just find your new favourite band!
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Roxercat are a three-piece prog rock band from Nashville, Tennessee led by singer Price Jones who is joined by guitarist Stan Lassiter and bassist Bill Francis, and I Changed Today is their newest single released on 18/11/2022.
Kicking off with some bluesy guitar work, the band manage to combine classic rock n roll with Americana, using prog rock as a basis for it all.
The band has been playing together since 2017 but any listener would think this has been longer as they all work so well together, the music is tight, and the production is awesome.
The guitar performance is outstanding with Stan using the blues sound and mixing in classic rock and even a little bit of country rock. There is a fantastic guitar solo playing behind the vocals of Price which really displays his immense talent.
The bass lines are funky and strong and, along with some keyboard work, gives the track a funk jazz vibe that combines well with the rock elements of it.
Price’s vocals are strong and work well with the harmonizing layered backing vocals, giving the track dynamism and depth and the percussion side of things really is spot on!
I really can’t fault this track in any way. It’s fun, its funky, its rock! Go and give it a listen yourselves and see if you agree with me!
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Having previously reviewed the band Strangely Alright, I couldn’t wait to get my ears around this one from them and I was not disappointed.
Classing themselves as “sonic time travellers” they mix psychedelia with pop melodies to create a futuristic yet nostalgic sound.
Stating influences as early Floyd whimsy, later Beatles experimentalisation and Bolan-esque strut, this band straddles the new wave / psychedelic / noir rock /alternative and AOR genres with ease.
This track, Not The End, released on 14/09/2022, is somewhat similar yet so different to The Grave, the previous track I reviewed.
There are still the thumping basslines and the catchy chorus to this one but this one is more straightforward rock n roll.
Mixing AOR with glam and a classic rock sound this is a great anthemic track that has a hint of nostalgia to it. With its heavy riffs, pounding drums and distorted vocals this track could be at home in the 80’s, 90’s and even the 00’s.
The singalongability to this track is just phenomenal, and it will certainly have you dancing round as I was bopping writing this review.
I ended my last review by saying that I was going to check these guys out a little bit more and this track has only emphasised that this is something I definitely need to do….and pronto!!
I’m quickly starting to really love this band.
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Filip Dahl is a composer and multi-instrumentalist from Trondheim in Norway and Walking Towards Eternity is his latest single, released on 30/09/2022.
An instrumental, the track is a hauntingly beautiful blues number that captivates the listener from the very first notes. Taken from his EP Storyteller, the track aims to (in Filip’s words) “tell a story to the listener only by the tones from the guitar!”
With a classic blues sound, comparable to the likes of Gary Moore, the track is guitar led that highlights Filip’s great technical skills. A soothing piano follows the melody from the guitar and there is also a slow rhythm section keeping the pace and the song together.
With influences evident from prog rock, the 80’s and classic blues, the song emits strong emotions and is cinematic and epic yet sombre in nature.
I am not sure what story the song is telling but from the tone of guitar and the way it is played with such feeling and intensity, I can only imagine it to be a sad one, almost as if the guitar is crying.
I urge anyone who loves the blues to check this guy out! You will be totally amazed by him just as I was!
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, Viscula were formed in Lutzk, Ukraine but have been based in London since 2019. Having previously made some exceptional music, We Are One Body is their latest EP, released on 24/09/2022, and is just as brilliant as the rest.
Despite this EP originally being recorded in 2017 and only just released now, it still sounds fresh and new and offers a bright, fun and upbeat perspective of music and life.
The band have always had a rich and dynamic indie rock ethic, and in 2013, Viscula was awarded ‘Best Indie Artist’ at the main Ukrainian festival Chervona Ruta
With its folk style guitars, heavy drum beats and charismatic vocals, this EP offers three distinctive tracks each bringing out different emotions within the listener.
This is an “experimental indie, post punk ensemble” who play an alternative rock / indie rock mix fusing it with psychedelia and grunge to create the “Viscula” sound.
Edgy and catchy, each track has something about it that will become an earworm after hearing it and will stick in your head for the rest of the day.
The musicianship on the EP is spot on and the vocals are just perfect for the tracks played, creating an easy to listen to EP that I think will appeal to a lot of people.
I can’t wait to hear more from this great band!
EP Track Listing:
1) We Are One Body
2) Ask Me Why
3) Dance Cannot Be Killed
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
If you have a yearning to listen to a band that takes inspiration from 60’s folk and psychedelia, 70’sprog and classic rock, 80’s baroque pop and 90’s alternative / indie rock, then Otherish are your guys!
A Belfast via Bristol based quartet, these guys are four friends who have united to form this very versatile band and have been playing together for over five decades and Gone Wrong Rainbow Blues is their new album, released on 12/08/2022.
Mellow and relaxing, this album is fourteen tracks of bliss that will calm even the most irate person after a hard day’s work. Put this on the speakers, open a beer, close your eyes and just drift off into the world of Otherish.
This album is intoxicating, pulling you in from the very first notes and actually keeps you there, which so many albums struggle to do.
The tone of the album is one of nostalgia, with its flowing guitars, soft yet dreamy drumming and tight basslines that keep it all together, and this would not be out of place at a hippy or psychedelia festival.
Yet despite this, there is also a futuristic feel to the music with all sorts of electronic sounds and chimes going on in the background and there is even a touch of jazz thrown in with the use of brass instruments and funky keyboards.
The singer has quite a quirky voice, soft and gentle yet strong enough to keep up with the feel of the album and the backup vocals and harmonies are amazing, giving it dimension and depth and are layered to present a floaty, dreamlike vibe.
All the musicians work well together, and this has obviously developed over fifty odds years of collaborating with each other. Each feeds off the other, creating music that is beautiful, ambient and exhilarating.
This is a very eclectic album and one that hints to influences from the likes of Pink Floyd, The Beatles and so many more great bands of the past, while creating a sound all of their own.
I did really like this album and listened to it a few times on the spin, and I do think it will appeal to a wide audience. But don’t take my word for it, go and check it out on Spotify, Bandcamp and all good streaming sites and see what you think for yourselves!
Track Listing:
1) Boil Me Into Life
2) England
3) Kingdom Of The Birds
4) Their Mistake
5) Planxty Mark Loudon
6) Car Park
7) Dreams He’s Awake
8) Come Away
9) Loughshore Dim
10) Lies Today
11) My Lagan Sunrays
12) Gold In The Stormwaves
13) Passing Show
14) Right All The Time
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Mike Indest is a solo artist from New Orleans, America and Fields is his new album released on 03/10/2022.
An alternative rock / indie rock album, it is about childhood religious trauma and is obviously a very personal album to him.
He says, “This album is for and about the younger me. The me who didn’t have the language to express my needs or confusion. The me who wasn’t given the opportunity to comprehend what was really going on in the abusive world of Christian fundamentalism.”
Mixing many genres, from soft rock to new wave pop rock, this album is a very emotional, heartfelt album that deals with some very strong issues yet in a gentle way.
The guitars are acoustic, the drumming is subtle, and the vocals are extraordinary, soft, and melodic yet powerful enough to convey the message of the album.
Percussion features quite heavily in the album, with electronic sounds and bites popping up every now and then in the background, adding depth and intensity to the album.
The tracks are well placed and the mix of tempos and paces throughout each track and the album as a whole are enough to keep the listener engaged and never once while I was listening through this, which I did several times, did I get bored with it.
This is a very Jekyll and Hyde album, beautifully put together and produced to a very high standard but also dealing with some dark issues, that both the artist and a lot of people have been through.
Music is always an effective way to get a message, good or bad, across to listeners and this album really makes you sit up and think about the issues it is describing, so that is a job well done by the artist.
I would like to hear more from this artist and will definitely be checking out his Spotify and YouTube profiles to see what I can find.
Please give this album a listen and pay attention to the themes it is explaining, as whether we like them or not, they need to be told!
Track Listing:
1 The Curtain Falls
2 My First Confession
3 He’s Breaking Records
4 Oh Benny
5 Fields Part 1
6 Fields Part 2
7 Fields Part 3
8 Stories I’ve Heard
9 The Exile Is over?
10 Do The Neglect
11 Sophomore Slump
12 88 Reasons
13 God’s Kink
14 Reformation Day (Bonus Track)
15 My Heart Beats Faster When You Are Around (Bonus Track)
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Its Monday morning, its grey, its miserable and as I sat down at my computer to start my day, I really wanted one of the first reviews I took on to be something a little bit different…. And boy did I get that with the new single The Lustful Arts from Minneapolis band Galactapus!
A five-piece garage prog band, there really is not much information available about them as they want to remain nameless and faceless, something that gives a certain enigma about them.
Playing “space aquatica punk music” this is the first single from their second full length album, The Rainbows Of Wrong, which is due for release on 13/01/2023.
Experimental and psychedelic, this track has an unusual and strange sound, combining all manner of instruments to create something unlike I have ever heard before!
The track is wild and mystical and the band’s love of the avant garde and all things quirky really has produced something that really is genre-bending to the extreme with some hippy vibes thrown in for good measure. They use “glossolalia gibberish” vocals that are almost black/death metal in sound and the abrupt changes of pace throughout the track really is hypnotising.
I would be wrong if I said this track will appeal to everyone but if you do like experimental, psychedelic, far-out music then these are your people!
And check out the mind-bending video too!!!
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
V/Terpan is a London – based Greek artist and My Sorrow, released on 01/10/2022, is one of the latest singles from his album Sun.
Combining alternative rock with rock/pop, the result is a deep and haunting melodic indie track.
Melancholic from start to finish, this is a track full of emotion that really captivates you and pulls you in.
The vocals are low, soft, and deep yet with a grittiness that gives a rawness to the song and the skilful use of instruments really lays the vocals and lyrics bare.
What really does stand out from the track is the use of synths throughout, creating little sounds and noises in the background that really add depth to the song. Electronic keyboards, piano, acoustic guitars, and even what sounds like a cello also feature on this track and combined together they create an almost futuristic vibe to the song.
The pace changes throughout the song always give the listener something to concentrate on and the sombreness of this track really will get stuck in your head.
This is a really great track, and I can’t wait to hear more from this artist. Please, go and check him out, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
Released on 19/10/2022, just in time for Halloween, The Grave is the new single by “Eclectic Psychedelic Minstrel Magic Music Show” Strangely Alright.
Classing themselves as “sonic time travellers” they mix psychedelia with pop melodies to create a futuristic yet nostalgic sound.
Stating influences as early Floyd whimsy, later Beatles experimentalisation and Bolan-esque strut, this track straddles the new wave / psychedelic / noir rock genres with ease.
With its banshee-like opening guitar note, the track soon descends into a frenzy of dark, atmospheric yumminess! The almost funeral march feel of the drums and bass throughout the track are haunting yet keep you bouncing and there is a creeping yet groovy feel to the song.
I absolutely love the thumping basslines that continue from start to finish and the distorted vocals only add to the eeriness of the song.
It is a track that builds up to the choruses before crashing back down only to build up again and this up and down keeps the listener interested and engaged.
The song ends with a fantastic singalong part that will stick in your head for days come to! A bit like the end of Hey Jude by the Beatles…only better!!
I listened to this track about four or five times in a row and each time it just got better and better! I would love to hear more from these guys…. Spotify! Youtube! Here I come!!
Absolutely excellent track!
This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum
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