Attic Theory are an alternative groove rock band from Liverpool in the UK and features members Lewis Wright on vocals, Peter Donnelly on guitar, Tim Cunningham on guitar, Matt Lawler on guitar, Kenny McArthur on bass and Norm Walker on drums. Papier-Mâché is their latest single and was released on 28/07/2023.

The track, which features Kevin Martin of Candlebox, and as frontman Lewis says is “about hiding your true self underneath a thin layered metaphorical mask because you have been convinced, by someone you used to be close to, that you are not behaving how they believe you should and the only remedy is for you to be strongly medicated and to suppress the feelings they don’t agree with. The message I wanted to convey is about being able to gain the strength to remove the mask and not let the past or anyone else define you,” a theme I am sure a lot of people will be able to resonate with.

The song is the third single from their highly anticipated forthcoming debut album, What We Fear The Most, and I must say if this track is an indication of what is to come on the album, then it is going to be an absolute gem!

With an alternative rock base from which to grow from, this track takes influence from many other genres, blurring the lines between them, and creating a sound that really does make this band stand out.

With guitar riffs being thrown at the listener from all angles, there is also a melodic aspect to the guitar playing and a slight distortion gives a hint of fuzziness, taking the listener back to the 90’s era of grunge and alternative rock. The solos are very classic is style and really do send chills down your spine.

The drumming and bass sections are very solid, energetic and give the song a bit of a swagger than will certainly have the listener up and moving in one or another.

The vocals on this track are amazing, strong, powerful, and gritty and with backups that really complement the leads, the song has a great depth that really gets the message it is trying to portray across. There is emotion in both the lyrics and the vocals, and this really pulls the listener into the song and the theme of the track.

I have to say that I have already listened to this track about six times now and could easily listen to it another six times more. It is a great track, with lots of melodies and lyrics that really stick in your head.

I am really looking forward to the album. Awesome job!

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Shaven Primates are a five-piece dark-wave / art-rock proto/post-punk band from Oxford in the UK. Influenced by the likes of The Velvet Underground, Kate Bush, Tool, Prodigy, Yes, The Clash, Bowie, Porcupine and Pink Floyd, the band aim to push the boundaries with the music they make.

Birds Aren’t Real is their latest album, released on 28/07/2023 and consists of three songs written about the madness spread across the world in war, propaganda, lies, slander, hate, denial and conspiracy and alone with two more on a perspective on the suicide of someone close and growing up in a school with a mind that isn’t compatible.

This really is an album that takes the listener on a journey through a variety of genres, never once settling on just one, the result being that there is something for everyone in this album, and the listener is never really sure where they are being taken to next.

With wailing guitars that erupt into heavy riffs, this album certainly falls into the rock genre in one way or another and the thundering, drums and meaty basslines really add to this feel. The synths that burst through change from retro to modern and the use of other instruments really adds to the depth of the songs.

The vocals on this album range from clean singing to screams and this changes at the drop of a hat. The singer’s voice is strong and powerful and suits any style of vocals that is required of him. But as well as power and strength his voice is also packed full of emotion and passion, making the songs quite raw at times.

There is a great change of pace between tracks in this album, ranging from slower, almost jazz-infused tracks like A Decision to the punk-like title track Birds Aren’t Real and this shows the great diversity and talent of the band.

Being quite progressive in nature, this album really does have a lot to offer, and it takes more than one listen through to hear it all. Wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves, this band are not afraid to not only cross the boundaries between genres but to giant leapfrog and create a sound, not only unique to them, but one that is nostalgic to different time frames while maintaining a modern fresh feel at the same time.

I have had this album sitting waiting to be reviewed for a while now and I am so glad the day has finally come! This is a great release that more people need to hear so please check Shaven Primates out and see what you think for yourself!

Awesome job!

Track Listing
1) Fade Away
2) A Decision
3) Silicon Implants
4) Unmasked
5) Birds Aren’t Real

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Slutavverkning is a noise rock band from Stockholm in Sweden and features current and former members of Opeth, Candlemass, Fire! Orchestra and Dödsvarg. Grisar is the second single from their upcoming debut album Levande Charader, which is out on 01/09/2023, and the video has been released today (03/08/2023), one day before the song is released.

The track, sung entirely in Swedish, is a great combination of noise rock and acid jazz, that has created a sound quite unlike anything I have ever heard.

With almost punk-like screams as vocals, this track has a very raw sound that encompasses the band’s anti-capitalist stance perfectly. Shouty backups accompany the lead, and this gives the track a great layered effect and depth.

The instrumentation on this track is also very brutal, with primal sounding drumming and guitar work to match. One thing this band is not afraid to do, however, is experiment and this experimentation also gives the track a hint of progressiveness.

The track is very edgy and it times such as we live, the production of raw, unadulterated music will only continue to rise, people using it to display their angst and frustrations.

This is a great track and is a must listen to song as the fusion between genres is just fantastic. Check them out and see what you think!

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Elk City is an art pop / rock band from New York and is the ongoing musical project of vocalist and bassist Renee Lobue and drummer and producer Ray Ketchum. Strong (You’re Not Alone) is their latest single and was released on 20/07/2023.

The track is an easy to listen to song that has a very positive message, as the line “ooooh, you never know what you’re made of till you climb the top,” signifies.

With strumming guitars to accompany the vocals during the verses, all the instruments really come into their own during the choruses and this is where the song really builds in intensity and passion. Musically this track is fantastic with lots of influences drawn in from other genres that makes defining this band very difficult to do, but then who wants to be pigeon-holed anyway?! With the use of percussion and electronic instruments the song has been given an almost psychedelic vibe which really pulls you in and engulfs you.

This feeling is added to by the lead vocals, that are not only haunting but totally hypnotic too and with backups in much the same style, there really is a great depth to the track.

This is a compellingly beautiful track that is edgy and experimental and one that needs to be heard. And with a discography of work already under their belt, there is plenty to see and hear about the band!

Photo by Ray Ketchum

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N0X0N is a multi-national band comprising of members Ras Munch (producer, bass), Isiah Kendall (producer, guitar) and Hamed Golchin (producer, guitar) who came together through a mutual passion of creating immersive and captivating music.

PH4S3SH1FT is their latest single and was released on 04/07/2023.

An instrumental, this track takes the listener on an immersive journey through a multitude of genres that creates a mesmerizing musical experience.

With elements of industrial metal, prog rock, and electronica all thrown together, there is also a contemporary feel to the track that really keeps it up to date.

Kicking off with some almost trance-like beats, this track has an hypnotical feel to it that really does pull you in and totally submerges you and for just three minutes you have been totally transported to another time and dimension.

With epic melodies and ambient soundscapes, this song is a true masterpiece of instrumentation and the edginess of it really sets it apart.

This is the first track I have heard by this band, but I will definitely be heading to Spotify to check out some more of their work.

Great stuff and I look forward to anything new they release too!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Autorub is led by multi-instrumentalist Michael Corn, who is based in New York, and Women Of The Right is his new EP, released on 21/07/2023.

With some smart, sarcastic political humour in the lyrics, this EP set it sights on election denier Kari Lake, who has supposedly blocked the band on Twitter and America’s obsession with guns.

With its foundations firmly in the classic rock genre, the EP has a fun attitude to the themes of its lyrics, and this is mixed with some classic and modern rock sounds.

The guitars are very melodic, but riffs are thrown at the listener left right and centre, and the solos have a slight bluesy/country feel to them, especially on the first track Kari Lake Blocked Me On Twitter. There is a swagger to the tracks that really makes this band’s sound stand out and musically the two tracks are top-notch, with energetic drumming and meaty bassline to accompany the guitar work.

Michael’s vocals, again, have a slight country twang to them, but the classic rock sound he emits is fantastic and with his strong voice there is just enough grit there to really set him apart.

He is accompanied by layered backups, and this really gives the two tracks depth and dynamism.

This a great little two-track EP and well-worth giving up just over six minutes of your time to listen to.

Awesome!

Track listing:
1) Kari Lake Blocked Me On Twitter
2) Big Girl Big Gun

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LearningToDive is the solo project of producer, arranger, and musician Bravo Bonez and Rise is his latest single, released on 14/07/2023.  

The track is about “one man’s journey through a wilderness of despair, and his unwillingness to give in to negative thoughts, despite the fact that it is unlikely to end in any other way than his eventual death,” and right from the start has quite a melancholic and atmospheric vibe to it.  

With rhythmic drums all the way through the track, there is a steady beat that keeps the songs on track. This is enhanced by some funky yet meaty basslines that can be heard all the way through, and it is these basslines that gives the track a bit of a swagger. Electronic sounds and bytes throughout evoke an 80’s feel to the song and guitar work mingles into the mix to create a really fantastic sound.  

The vocals are strong and powerful, and again have a nostalgic feel to them, but all the while remain fresh and up to date with a modern twist. With some haunting backing vocals, the song has a great depth and although the leads can be a nit quirky at times, this only adds to the charm of the track.  

I loved this from the very beginning and look forward to hearing more from this very talented musician!

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Phil (PG) Naylor is a modern 60’s influenced music creator from Sydney, Australia and has been playing in rock bands since the 60’s, and after a “life in the corporate world” he is returning to what he loves.

Eyes On The Moon is his latest single and was released on 01/07/2023.

With collaborators including guitarist Kim Humphries and recorder, mixer, masterer and backing vocalist, John Roy, Eyes On The Moon is a great rock n roll track with throwbacks to the 1960’s, all combined with a modern twist that keeps the track fresh and up to date.

The guitar work is quite classic in style but also with a blues vibe at different points and the 60’s influence is very evident in the guitar playing with riffs and hooks sounding like they have come straight from a Beatles album. Even the very first note sounds like it could have come from A Hard Day’s Night!

The drumming and bass sections are strong and solid, and the upbeat feel to the song means that this will get you dancing around almost from the very beginning.

The vocals are very classic is style with that 60’s edge to them as well, and with the backing vocals in accompaniment, there is a great depth to this track. Despite the track only being just over three minutes in length, so much has been packed in with riffs, melodies, guitar solos and the like that you will need more than one play through to hear all that this song has to offer.

This is a fantastic track, and I am sure one that will appeal to a very wide range of listeners! Go and check PG Naylor, you won’t be disappointed!

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I have previously reviewed music by Lazywall so let me just remind you a little bit about them.

Lazywall are a three-piece modern rock band from Morocco who have added an oriental touch to their music. The band was formed in England by brothers Nao, Youssef and Monz, influenced by Led Zeppelin, Audioslave and System Of A Down, and were the first rock band to appear on Moroccan TV.

Singing entirely in Arabic, the bands lyrical themes cover climate change, social injustice, and integration and corruption, subjects that are important in any language.

Dem 3la Dem is the band’s latest single, was released on 21/07/2023 and is a song about climate change, what we can do about to make a change on the earth we have inherited and the one we leave behind! A subject that is very much in the public domain right now!

With Moroccan guitar work throughout, this track has a more Middle Eastern vibe than the previous track, and this is great to hear in their music.

This doesn’t mean, however, that the band’s whole sound has changed. Far from it! the elements of grunge and alternative rock and metal are still there with this song, but they now form a great contrast with the more traditional sounds, and the solos are classic rock through and through.

The guitars, when they do kick in, are heavy with riffs thrown at the listener from all angles and the crushing drums and meaty basslines that accompany them really make this a great heavy rock song.

The vocals, despite the language barrier, are strong and powerful and have a real grittiness that really sets them apart. Changing pace from full on rock track to slower more gentle passages throughout the track really shows how talented this singer, and all the musicians, are.

Another great track from this excellent band! Keep them coming guys!

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CS Hellman is a Nashville-based songwriter and guitar aficionado, influenced by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, David Gilmour, and Stevie ray Vaughan and The Fear I felt is his latest single, released on 14/07/2023.

“The Fear I felt is a coming-of-age story for me developing into a songwriter and artist. In my early development my dad told me that I wasn’t good enough to do it. I had to prove him wrong that I was capable of doing it if I worked really hard at it,” says CS Hellman of the song. I must say that, in my opinion, he proved his father very wrong!

The track is beautiful mishmash of a variety of genres from alternative country to new wave to classic rock and alternative rock pop.

I have reviewed music by CS Hellman before and this one is different in many ways to the first. This one is more melodic and has less emphasise on the rock elements that he has previously proved he is more than capable of. The guitars and drums are still there, and the solos have a classic/blues sound to them, the twang of wah-wah very much evident, but they are more in an alternative rock/pop style this time round.

Musically, this track is top-notch, and it is hard that the sound produced has come from just one very talented guy! But once again, as with the previous track I reviewed, the driving force of this song is the vocals, soft and gentle but with so much passion and emotion.

The leads are accompanied by layered backups that really help to create the atmospheric, melancholic vibe of the song and the vocals really step up in intensity as the song reaches its end.

Another great track from this super talented musician, who I can see just going from strength to strength.

Fantastic job!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum