Notre-Dame of Tokyo is two brothers from a small town in France who moved to London, despite not speaking the language, and they now mix Scandinavian metal and German industrial rock with British melodies.

Hexagon, their latest song released on 22/09/2023, is the first single from their upcoming album Weightlessness and is a fast-paced, punchy track that shows what it is all about right from the off.

The punk element is clear to hear with short, hard-hitting riffs and quirky vocals that are full to the brim of the punk attitude and style. With the heavy riffs, fast guitars and pounding drums this song appears to have it all with influences creeping in from other genres, including metal and industrial. 

The vocals add an element of craziness to the track, and this combined with backup vocals, both in the same vein and also more gothic and haunting (which really does make for a great contrast) there is a great depth to the song.

The change of pace throughout the song really keeps the listener engaged with it and there is so much going on in the track that just one listen through is not enough to hear all it has to offer. The energy that is emitted from this track really is immense and the two brothers have really created a big sound for themselves.

Check out Notre-Dame of Tokyo and see what you think of their unique style of music for yourself. You will be bouncing around the room in no time!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Dial Drive is a punk rock band from Orlando in Florida and Burning Bridges is their long awaited second album, released on 22/09/2023. Consisting of members Jake LeDrew on guitar and vocals, Nate Durazzo on guitar and vocals and Billy Morrissey on drums, the band take their influence from the likes of Alkaline Trio, NOFX, Taking Back Sunday and Pennywise, and they are not afraid to wear their influences on their sleeves.

Written mostly due the covid epidemic, a lot of the songs are angrier than the previous album, but this has created a great set of tracks that have been included on the album.

With its foundations firmly in the punk rock genre, this album also takes influences from other genres to generate a fantastic sound that is upbeat, full of energy and has that great attitude of the punk rock genre.

The guitars are heavy, with riffs flying around left, right and centre, the hooks and melodies really pulling the listener in, and the drumming is frenetic and busy. The music side of this album sounds a bit like organised chaos, but this only adds to its charm and appeal.

The vocals are strong and powerful and full of defiance and brashness. The combination of vocal styles from shouty punk rock vocals to clean singing to almost metalcore growls and screams really is great to hear and making the appeal of the album reach out to a wider audience. With backup vocals in much the same vein, the tracks have great depth and dimension and there really is a great atmosphere to the album.

Some of the tracks are faster than others which are more melodic, but the intensity and power of the band is evident in every single song, showing just how talented the trio are.

This is a great sophomore album and I intend to check out the first, titled Wasted Time which was released in 2019. These guys have an immense sound and fans of punk rock (old and new), and alternative rock are going to love this!

Track Listing:

1) Wake Up

2) Falling Down

3) Bury Me

4) Keep Speaking

5) Death

6) Burning Bridges

7) Guilty Blue

8) A Thousand Lies

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Modern day Outlaw is the brainchild of founding members Ron Brown (vocals) and Sergio Cesario (rhythm guitar) and also features members Jake Nicholson (lead guitar), Rob Palladino (bass guitar) and Kirk Sarmento (drums / percussion). Eulogy is the band’s latest single and was released on 11/09/2023.

“We are a little bit of country, a little bit of rock n roll and a breath of fresh air to the music world,” says the band of themselves and I could not agree more. This is a band that is tight, well produced and extremely talented, mixing together a number of genres to create a genre that is unique to them.

Starting quite serenely with just vocals and guitar, the song soon erupts with all the instruments coming into their own. The guitar work is superbly executed, the riffs heavy when they need to be but more casual and laid back at other times, and the solos really are spine-tingling, real passion and emotion showing through during these. The country twang is prevalent throughout but there is a modern twist to it that makes it more intense.

The drumming is energetic and pounding, and the basslines are meaty, and musically this is a well performed, talented show of what this band is all about.

Vocally, the song is spot on too. The singer’s voice is passionate, powerful, and strong and is just at home singing the more laid-back passages as well as the more emotional ones. There is a grittiness to his voice that comes from the Southern rock influence, but this really makes the song what it is.

I absolutely loved this song from the first time I heard it (and I have probably listened to it four or five times at the time of writing this!) There are a handful of tracks that make me go cold when I hear them, and this is now one of them.

Absolutely fantastic track that everyone needs to hear. Please, please, please check these guys out and see what you think for yourself.

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

PolSky is Kris Warren, Alex Robertson, Ben Warn and Chris Norman and together they make up the alternative rock / post-punk band hailing from London in the United Kingdom. After a string of well-received singles, Rainbow Road is their latest and was released on 15/09/2023.

Drawing on personal experience of multi-layered addiction and the draining complexities of modern life, the track has been taken from their debut album Executive Functions.

Cleverly mixing rock genres with electronic, dance and pop, this is a band who has generated themselves a unique sound that not only blurs the lines between genres but totally eradicates them to come up with something new and fresh yet with a nostalgic twist.

The music side of things is upbeat, with funky basslines and electronic beats that really are infectious and will definitely get the listener moving in one way or anything, whether that’s tapping their foot, or dancing around the room like a loon!

Subtle guitars and drum work hide in the background of the song but keep it on track nonetheless and the change of pace throughout the track, slowing down for a period before building back up to fast-paced, jazz infused melodies and harmonies.

The male vocals take control of the song and accompanied by female backups; the band have created a vocal contrast that keeps the listener engaged at all times.

This is a fantastic tune that is sure to appeal to a wide range of listeners. Its modern, its nostalgic and it hits all the right buttons in the dance-rock genre. Fans of bands such as The Cure, Bloc Party, Roxy Music, LCD Soundsystem, Duran Duran, Joy Division, Talking Heads, Jamie T, The Cribs, White Lies, Everything Everything will totally fall in love with this track!

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Mark Vennis & Different Place are a rock band from Petersfield in Hampshire, and they play original songs, with influences from bands such as The Clash, Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Weller. Wild Suburban Boy is their latest single and was released on 22/09/2023.

With members Mark Vennis on guitar and vocals, Sean Quinn on guitar and percussion, Dave Sweetenham on bass and Brian Gee on drums, this is a band who have taken their influences and totally run with them, creating a sound that is an amalgamation of them all but with their own added spin on things thrown in too.

With a foundation in the punk rock, new wave genres, this is a song that really builds on its bases and takes on attributes from other styles of music.

Kicking off with some guitar work, the listener is almost lulled into a false sense of security, before the track erupts with some heavy guitars and raw drumming, the instruments really coming into their own.

With fantastic guitar breaks and solos popping up throughout the song, there are also some meaty basslines that, together with the energetic drumming, really hold the song together. The song flips between styles as it progresses, and the time and pace changes throughout always keep the listener engaged with the music.

The vocals are a little bit quirky, but they have all the energy of punk rock and are strong and powerful, totally taking control of the track, and with some backups in much the same vein, there is a great dimension to the song.

This is an awesome track that I am so glad I had the chance to hear and review. I will definitely be keeping my ears open for more music from these guys and am very much looking forward to the mini album, Small Town Vampire, that is due for release in January 2024.

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Garland Green are a punk band from Tasmania, formed in a garage, and with a “sound that mirrors the wild landscapes of their homeland.” Baby Blue is their latest single and was released on 20/09/2023.

Consisting of members Ben Fenton on vocals, Joel Browning on guitars, Luke Denniss on guitar, Nick Fenton on bass and Andrew Fannon on drums, the band are heavily influenced by the likes of bands such as Strung Out, Funeral For A Friend, New Found Glory and Rise Against, and they are not afraid to wear these influences proudly.

Recorded in Ben’s lounge room, the song is “an acknowledgment of the things you just have to look back on and laugh. Bad situations, tough times that turn into stories,” something that most people do at some point in their life.

With a foundation firmly in the punk rock genre, this band have created themselves a sound that also takes influence from a many others. Heavy guitar riffs ring out almost as soon as the track starts, and these are backed up by energetic drumming and meaty basslines. Musically the track is upbeat and is full to the brim of the original punk ethos and attitude. With catchy hooks and melodies to accompany the rawness the songs emit; this is an extremely catchy track that will have you humming long after you have finished listening to it.

The lead vocals, once again, have the raw energy and defiance of punk rock and, with a certain amount of quirkiness to them also, they really take control of the song. Strong and powerful the vocals are never overshadowed by the music and together they form a formidable sound.

A great track that needs to be heard by fans of punk rock (old and new), alternative rock and hard rock alike. Go check them out! You will not be disappointed.

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Blind Man’s Daughter is a melodic progressive metal band from Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, starting out in 2012 by founding member Ashley Wolfe, but it wasn’t until 2022 that the project really came to life. Working with local musicians, Blind Man’s Daughter soon grew into one of the most exciting sounds in the metal scene.

I have previously reviewed singles Mirage Harmer and Kyhell, and was eager to hear the full album, and boy what an album it is. Sundressed was released on 18/08/2023 and is an album that shares Ashley’s personal journey of self-discovery and the search for a purpose.

The album has ten tracks in total and is just over thirty minutes of melodic progressive metal with a cutting edge that means the band has created a sound that is fresh, compelling, and unique.

The music side of things is heavy, with progressive riffs thrown at the listener from all angles. The guitar work is simply sublime, with hooks and melodies that change pace and time not only throughout the album as a whole, but also during each track. This means that musically there is always something for the listener to hear, keeping them engaged and entertained by the song at all times. At times the music sounds quite chaotic, while at other times everything is more ordered and polished, but this is in no way a bad thing, as the changing music style is a charm of the song.

The drumming can appear quite haphazard, and the intricacies of the guitar work really work well together and, along with some meaty yet funky basslines, really create a great soundscape on which the songs are based.

Vocally, Ashley’s voice is hauntingly beautiful, almost hypnotic, and really pulls the listener into the music. She can transform her voice from soft and gentle, to soaring, to almost death metal like growls, but the one thing that remains consistent is that it is always powerful. Her voice combines with the accompanying music perfectly and there is sometimes an almost shoegaze like feel when the lyrics and the instruments become one with each other.

This band have really generated an awesome sound for themselves, one that is enticing and provocative but one that is also modern, fresh, and contemporary.

Please do check out Blind Man’s Daughter and their music. If modern, progressive yet melodic rock with elements of metal thrown in are your thing, then you are going to love this band.

Amazingly great album!

Track listing:

1) Mirage harmer

2) Sundressed

3) Saencer

4) Kyhell

5) Bloodmoon

6) Days Fall

7) Dust And Light

8) Dust

9) Nights Fall

10) Waves

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Meat in Space is a DIY rock project where all of the songs are written, recorded to tape, and produced by just one person, namely Shawn Stedman, who also happens to play all of the instruments on the songs too. Outta My Head is his latest single and was released on 21/09/2023.

Heavily influenced by the likes of Dinosaur Jr, Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins as well as garage rockers Jay Reatard and Ty Segall, Shawn has really used these heavyweights to come up with a sound unique to him.

Recorded in his bedroom, this track was born from a guitar riff and vocal melody Shawn heard in his head after listening to some garage rock, and it grew from there.

Kicking off with some very raw drums, heavy basslines and guitars riffs soon join the mix and the result is a splendid mix of garage, alternative and punk rock with a splash of grunge thrown in for good measure. There is distortion on the guitars, and this really adds to the effectiveness of the track, creating a fuzzy atmosphere.

The vocals are somewhat quirky, but really take influence from the pink rock genre. The repetitiveness of the lyrics creates a great choruses that will certainly get stuck in your head and you will be humming the lyrics and harmonies of this track long after you have finished listening to it.

I have reviewed music by Meat In Space before and this one is just as awesome as the previous, really leaving the listener wanting more.

So, if you like your music rock, and your rock more on the punk/alternative side, then check out Meat In Space. It may be just one man, but he certainly makes a lot of noise!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Para Lia is an alterative rock / post-punk duo from Cottbus in Germany and consists of multi-instrumentalist René Methner and vocalist Cindy Methner. In Clash With The Zeitgeist is their new album and was released on 04/09/2023.

Creating music that can in no way be considered mainstream, this pair have a knack of combining a multitude of genres to create a sound that is almost unique to them. They both have a love of late 80’s / early 90’s indie rock and they have combined this with psychedelic rock, garage rock and early prog rock as well as mixing in some 60’s influences too.

The album is an 11-track offering, released via the Berlin label, About Us Records, and mastered by Thommy Hein at Tonstudios, Berlin.

With its foundations in the alternative rock genre (which is quite a broad one in my opinion) this album leans more towards the psychedelic and experimental side of things and is done so with great musicianship and professionalism.

The music is quite laid back, with gentle drumming and guitar work, although all instruments can be, and are, taken up a notch or two when they need to be, creating different timing and pacing throughout the album. These changes in time and pace are really what gives the music is progressive edge and there is always something for the listener to engage with.

The tracks where the tempo is a bit more upbeat have a fuzzy, almost grungey feel to them and this is provided by the use of distortion on the guitar work, and the drum and bass work is more energetic and frenetic.

The guitar solos throughout the album are classic in style and complete each track with a stoner rock vibe too.

Vocally, this is a great album too, and the vocals make the perfect accompaniment for the music behind them. The combination of the quite deep, almost baritone male voice and the more high-pitched female vocals creates a depth to the songs and each compliments the other seamlessly.

To be able to include influences from so many genres in one album, and to do it well, is not an easy thing to do but these guys have managed to do just that! This is a great album that has quite a nostalgic yet modern feel and will appeal to fans of a wide range of music types.

Check them out!

Track Listing:

1 Like Always

2 Sunchild

3 All That It Takes

4 What We Always Wanted

5 C’est La Vie

6 Will You Find Me

7 Yellow Rose

8 Already Came To Know

9 Mr Perry

10 Nagual

11 Sunchild (reprise)

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Little League Rebellion is the brainchild of Scotsman Ruaraidh Wishart, who in his youth learnt classical musical before going on to playing and writing in alternative and prog metal bands. Little League Rebellion is a vehicle he uses to further explore music by combining genres and themes in unique and unusual ways.

Unsent Letters is his latest album, released on 01/09/2023 and explores how the past can affect our behaviour and mental health in the present. Unsent Letters represents the memories and emotions we rarely share with anyone else, a theme that many people will be able to resonate with.

With eight tracks in total, this is an album that is dark and atmospheric, and this is reflected in the dark electro style of the music.

With electronic synths providing much of the music, the progressiveness really shining through, there are also hints of alternative rock influences. This gives the music a very gothic and industrial feel that switches from heavy one minute to more melodic and harmonious the next. This makes the album very versatile, appealing to a whole range of different listeners from many genres.

The vocals on this album are simply sublime, soft, and gentle but able to be taken up a notch or two when needed, the different vocal styles really creating diversity and bringing the theme of the album to the forefront with passion and, at times, angst.

Time and pace changes from song to song really creates a great atmosphere for the listener, who is always unsure as to what direction the album is going in next. This keeps the listener engaged and entertained, with always something to listen to, and more than one run through of this album is needed to really appreciate all that is has to offer!

What a simply stunning album this is, one that I will definitely have on my playlist for a while to come yet. I am now heading off to find more music from this talented musician, in the hope that, like this, they can transport me away from the real world for a little while.

Check out Little League Rebellion! Experimentation at its finest!

Track Listing:

1) The Collection

2) The Centre Of It All

3) Communion

4) Prayer

5) After The Fall

6) Not Anymore

7) The Answer

8) The Promise

Check out the album on Bandcamp now. Click on the link below:

https://littleleaguerebellion.bandcamp.com/album/unsent-letters

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum