I previously reviewed the single, Too Far Gone, by Black Stone Brewers and was eager to hear what else they had produced. But first let me tell you a bit about the band.

Black Stone Brewers are an alternative rock band, consisting of original members Blair, Jonathan and Rob who were later joined by Simon on bass and Luke on lead guitar, from Perth, Western Australia and they creatively combine a multitude of genres to create their sound.

Conduit is their latest EP and was released on 03/03/2023.

The sound the guys have created is based very much in hard rock / alternative rock and this can clearly be seen but the title track on the EP. An instrumental, this shows just how hard and heavy this band can get and I think it is the perfect way to kick of the EP.

There is a slight melancholic feel to the EP as a whole but this only adds to the atmospheric nature of the music, which is rich with heavy, searing riffs and great harmonies and melodies.

The guitars are gritty and heavy with riffs galore, and slight distortion gives the music a fuzzy, grungey feel, while the solos are once again phenomenal. The drumming is both energetic at times and more laid back at others when it needs to be and the funky basslines and electronic synths are, again, a very prominent feature.

The vocals are outstanding on this EP, a classic hard rock voice with a slight edge to it that gives it a bit of grittiness. However, this EP shows the singers diversity and at times there is a more progressive feel to his vocals.

I said in my last review that I was looking forward to anything else these guys produced because if it was a good as the single then it would be astounding, and the guys didn’t prove me wrong. This EP is absolutely stunning, and I would go as far to say that it is a masterpiece!

I absolutely loved it and have listened through it at least four times now. I am sure that this will stay on my playlist for a long time yet. Please go and check it out and see if you think the same.

Absolutely incredible! Looking forward to the album now

Track Listing:

1) Conduit

2) The Puppet And The Monster

3) Too Far Gone

4) Clear Trip

5) Cut The Cord

6) Every Last Day

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Soulhole are an energetic rock band from the UK, formed for a friend’s wedding in 2012, and their sound “fuses influences from an eclectic array of genres of popular music.” The themes of their music are usually satirical takes on modern living, while focusing on personal themes and socio-political concerns.

Their career has seen them support the rock band Reef and as their performance was so well received, they were asked to end the evening with an impromptu second set!

Pretty Mumma is their latest single and was released on 03/03/2023.

A fabulous blend of indie rock/pop, alternative rock and Britpop, this is an upbeat track that will certainly get you tapping your foot.

All the elements of alternative rock are in here, great guitar riffs, funky basslines and energetic drumming but there is an edginess to the track that really makes it stand out. What sounds like saxophones and trumpets accompany the rock elements giving the track a somewhat jazziness to it and the electronic synths really add a dynamism to the song.

The vocals are quirky and, accompanied by layered backup vocals, the song has a great depth to it.

This is a great track that is full of bounce and will certainly be a fans favourite at a live gig. The track is funky and groovy and will be a hit among many alternative rock/pop fans.

Awesome job!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Mark Bram aka Ruby Topaz has a long and colourful history with the Rhode Island music scene, that stretches all the way back to the 1980’s when their single Why/ The Sack had some international success, and was played on the radio in England, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium.

The name first came about while discussing birth stones, Mark’s being topaz and when someone suggested ruby to go along with it, Mark’s reaction was “ooohh. Ruby Topaz…like Alice Cooper, except more glamorous” and so Ruby Topaz was born.

Rabbit Hole is the band’s latest album and was released on 09/11/2022.

The music of Ruby Topaz was once described by a critic as ‘subtly savage melodic metal’ but with influences coming from a huge range of artists including The Beatles, The Monkees, and Hermans Hermits to Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Jeff Beck, and The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and creating a blend of pop, rock, glam, metal, blues and fusion, it really is hard to put this band into any one particular genre.

The album has a classic rock base from which to build from and this it does in abundance. Classic rock riffs are thrown at us left, right and centre with guitar solos that expertly executed. There is a hint of blues in the guitar work, never be a bad thing in my opinion and distortion on the guitars also gives the album a psychedelic vibe.

The drumming is raw in places yet energetic in others, with lots of crashing cymbals and pounding bass drums and the rhythm section is spot on.

Mark plays nearly all of the instruments and does most of the singing on this album, with the only assistance coming from Steve D’andrea and Stephen Fassbender on the rhythm section and backing vocals and this shows just what a virtuoso musician he is. His vocals are somewhat quirky but I think this adds to the charm of the album and the backups provide a vocal contrast that is awesome to hear.

The album as a whole is very eclectic and covers a wide range of musical influences. This is not always easy to do but Mark has carried it off to perfection, using his obvious talent, song writing abilities and vocal and musical capabilities.

The album is a mix of fourteen new songs and tracks that were written throughout the years that were never released, and is a rock masterpiece. Plug this into your speakers and you will be transported on a musical journey that travels throughout the decades and across the genres, a nostalgic trip through time that still sounds fresh and up to date now.

This is a great album that is easy to listen to but also one you will want to listen to again and again!

Track Listing:

1) Rabbit Hole

2) Dream Running

3) You’re Still Running

4) D’s Song (I’m Falling In Love Again)

5) Be My Love

6) Brand New Love

7) Come Back To Me

8) Straight Ahead

9) Your Love

10) Thanks For Nothing

11) How Will I Know

12) Schizophrenic Law

13) To The Top

14) Save Me

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Detention is a high-energy pop-punk/alt-rock band of teens from Akron, Ohio and features lead singer Elliott Carter, guitarist Evan Cox, bassist Fritz Dannemiller, and drummer Luke Konopka. They are already building a huge name for themselves, having played large festivals and winning “Best Punk Band” by the Cleveland Music Awards.

Peachy keen is their latest single and was released on 28/02/2023.

The track starts out quite slow with just guitar and the female lead vocals but don’t let that lull you into a false sense of what this song is about because, just after the one minute mark, the track erupts into a frenzy of pop punk goodiness!

The track is guitar-driven, with the riffs heavy yet bouncy and the drumming is energetic and frenetic. Musically this track is awesome and will have you jumping around the living room, or wherever you happen to be listening to it, like a loon. A great blend of punk, pop and alternative, this is a great slab of nostalgia that will take you back to the sound of the 90’s / 00’s from bands such as Elastica, Paramore and Garbage.

The vocals are superb and are a perfect fit for the sound the band have created which also has a modern twist to it that keeps it fresh and up to date.

This is a true pop punk anthem and I look forward to anything else this band produce.

Great track!

Photo credit: Lee Sechrist

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Decode, released on 03/03/2023 is a collaboration between Anji Kaizen and Shaun Mason and is a cinematic duet version of the Paramore track. The two met through Tik Tok and Instagram and this song was recorded in their home studio, mixed and produced by Shaun Mason himself.

Not too familiar with the original, I checked it out and discovered that this is a slower version and one that is packed with emotion, heart-felt and really is something magical.

This song really does have it all, heavy riffs, electronic synths mixed with classic piano sounds, grinding beats and pounding drums. The guitar solos are of epic proportions and really are the climax of the song. But it’s the combination of vocal styles that really sends the shivers down your spine.

Using both male and female vocals is always a great thing to do in my book but the harmonized singing between these two really does take your breath away.

Shaun’s voice starts off soft and gentle, with a slight quirkiness to it, but he really comes into his own as the song gathers momentum and his voice becomes strong and powerful, and packed full of emotion.

There is no other word for Anji’s vocals other than beautiful. The strength in her voice is amazing and she has an almost hypnotic effect as she, too, excels as the song hits its crescendos. Neither voice overpowers the other and there is perfect harmony between the two.

I listened to this track three or four times on the bounce and I could have listened to it many more times, the spellbinding effect of the track really taking hold.

This is a beautiful track that really must be heard by everyone! Please check it out and see what you think. I really don’t think you will be disappointed.

Photo Credits: Ryan Harville (photo), Anji Kaizen (design & edits)

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Dead Reynolds are Rossco, Luke, Ben, Dom & Luke from East Anglia and the band was formed in October 2018. Despite the band only formerly getting together then, the band members all knew each other from previous musical interests and playing on the Cambridge and Peterborough music scene.

Wake Up is their latest single and was released on 24/02/2023.

An upbeat track, this song has its roots in the alternative genre but reaches out and grabs influence m many other styles too. Despite the catchiness of this song, it is actually about the effects of an addiction and the struggles an addict and their families go through and is a track that is close to the bands hearts. A theme like this is also something that many people can resonate with and this will give the track a wide appeal. After all, there is no greater tool than music to spread awareness of a subject.

Musically this track is spot on. The guitars are heavy and full of riffs and has that typical alternative rock and pop punk sound. The track has a edgy rawness to it, the drumming energetic, and the basslines give the track a hint of groove to it.

The vocals are very distinctive, the indie rock lilt easy to hear, and the main vocals are accompanied by backups that give the track a certain dynamism. The track is easy to sing along to, will get you tapping your foot, at the very least, and will definitely be an ear worm once heard a couple of times.

I am definitely going to check out more from this band and I recommend you all do it.

Awesome track!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

From Austin, Texas and London UK, Atomic Bronco is a retro-inspired indie/alt rock act. It is the creation of producer and songwriter Kyle Nuss and blends an interesting mix of indie, alternative, garage rock, lo-fi and classic rock. Atomic Broncho is a one-man rock band originally from the heart of rural America, and the project was founded, and the first two albums released while he living in London. He now makes guitar driven music in his Austin studio.

Fly Away is his latest single and was released on 24/02/2023.

This track is an easy to listen to, relaxing song that starts off with acoustic guitar riffs before the drums and bass kick in in a very understated way. The acoustic guitar is mixed with electric riffs and solos and this makes for a great contrast throughout the song. The guitar solo near the end of the track has an almost country twang to it but this is a terrific addition as this catches the listener quite unaware.

The drum and bass section of this song is very laid-back but strong enough to keep the track together.

The vocals on this track are simply beautiful. Kyle has a very soft voice, almost to the point of hypnotic and this is what really pulls the listener into the song. Although soft, his vocals are still very strong and, being the main focus point of the track in my opinion, they command the song well.

This is a great track that, I think, will appeal to a lot of people.

Excellent job, well done!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

Dear Amber is an alternative rock band based in Copenhagen, Denmark and consists of members Ronni, Morten, Kenneth, and Jan. I recently reviewed their track Roadkill and jumped at the4 chance to review their latest EP, Echoes Always which was released on 10/03/2023 (today!)

I really enjoyed the track Roadkill and said in my review that if that song was anything to go by then the album would be quite superb and I was right! This EP is fantastic.

Soaring alternative rock guitars and a swaggering drum and bass section are still very much a prominent feature throughout this EP, but the EP takes it everything up a notch or two.

The guitars are heavy and slight distortion gives the EP an almost grungey feel reminiscent of music from the 1990’s. More subtle guitar playing also features where it is more appropriate and this creates a great contrast between the two.

The drumming also has two very distinct styles from the laid back to the full on pounding drums when the tracks get into full flow.

Once again, the vocals have a quirkiness to them, and being quite nasally, they are very distinctive, making them stand out from other bands of the same genre. The vocals command each track effectively and are never overshadowed by the obvious talent behind them.

Each track is different in structure from the previous and this makes for some great listening, always keeping the listener engaged in the music, which pulls you in as it can be quite hypnotic. There is a great atmospheric feel to the EP, almost to the point of melancholic but each song is full of emotion and is delivered with passion and feeling.

Each track builds in vocal and instrumental strength, creating peaks and troughs in the music and taking you on a rollercoaster of a musical journey.

This is an EP that needs to be played through headphones straight into your ears and it needs to be played loud! The ambient nature of the tracks will transport you off somewhere away from the real world and I think this is something we all need sometimes.

The EP has five tracks running at just over 22 minutes in length and I must say it is a most beautiful 22 minutes of music.

Please check out Dear Amber and give them some support. I love the sound they have created for themselves and I think a lot of other people will too.

Track Listing:

1) Roadkill

2) Appear To Disappear

3) Time And Effort

4) Biased

5) Down

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

Bringer Of Light are a Texas based, self-labelled “deathcore-ish” band and Anthology I is their latest EP, released on 15/02/2023.

With Brad TBolt as the mastermind behind the project, which by the way is a one-man band, the EP shows us that death metal (and all its connected connotations!) is, in fact, still very much alive and kicking.

This EP has just four tracks with a combined length of just over 16 minutes but it is a slab of pure, unadulterated death / deathcore metal. The EP, itself, shows just how talented this guy is and that he obviously knows his genre inside out and upside down.

But this more than just a deathcore album!

With the heavy stomping riffs and fast, double kicking drums of traditional death metal, there are obvious influences from the likes of Cannibal Corpse, Carcass and Death, but what sets this album apart from other death / deathcore albums is the inclusion of electronica.

Synths create electronic sounds and bytes behind the main core of the music, and this gives the album a more industrial metal feel too. Distortion plays a heavy role in the guitar sound but the use of clean guitars also makes for a stark contrast in sounds.

Behind the main music there is also a slight gothic undertone at various points during the tracks and this gives the EP an atmospheric feel in conjunction with the brutalness of it.

The vocals are based firmly in the death metal genre, deep guttural growls with lyrics that are sometimes actually inaudible, but in amongst this, fast black metal vocals are thrown in and clean vocals even pop up at various points.

If all of this was thrown into a pot and mixed around for a bit, I don’t think the label of deathcore would be what emerges regarding this EP’s sound. It is not always easy for such an extreme band to be able to blur the lines between genres, usually standing staunchly in one or the other, but Bringer Of Light is certainly a band who has done just this.

Absolutely brutal EP that should be on the playlist of any self-respecting fan of death metal, deathcore, black metal, and other extreme genres.

But don’t take my word for it, head on over to the dark side and check this out for yourself. Oh and while you are doing, just remember one thing. This is one-man band! One man! Totally awesome.

Track Listing:

1 117

2 Saints Of Newark

3 New Blood Headcanon

4 Cocomelon

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

Coma Beach are a punk rock/alternative rock band from Würzburg in Germany and were formed in 1993 by singer B. Kafka, guitarist Captain A. Fear and drummer M. Lecter, with bassist U. Terror and rhythm guitarist M. Blunt completing the line-up.

The Scapegoat’s Agony is their debut album and was released on 16/06/2021. The title is an ominous sounding allusion to the literary works of Samuel Beckett and this is a reflection of the thematic cornerstones of Coma Beach’s music, shock, chaos, pain, rage and isolation.

Musical influences range from The Sex Pistols, The Ramones, Hüsker Dü, Joy Division, The Cure, The Jesus and Mary Chain to Guns N’ Roses, Therapy? and Bad Religion and these can all be heard at various points during this album, the sound standing with one foot in the punk genre and the other in alternative rock.

I would say these guys lean more to the punk side of rock but influences from a multitude of others also shine through.

Being very much guitar-driven, the riffs are heavy and fast, with a rawness that only punk rock can bring to the table and the drumming is energetic and frantic.

It’s the vocals that makes this band stand out. Punky in nature, they are shouty and in your face and are accompanied by backup vocals that are in much the same vein. But there is also an edginess to the vocals, a grittiness that makes them more than just a punk band. The singer attempts a whole range of different vocal styles and carries each of them off perfectly.

There is a range of tracks on this album too, each different from the last, and this shows the diversity and talent this band has. This is a punk band who are that little bit more than a punk and I think this will make them appeal to a wide range of listeners.

Please go and check out this band and their album and I, for one, am very much looking forward to anything else these guys release!

Track Listing:

1) The Past Of The Future

2) Nothing Right

3) Mind Descending

4) A Madman’s Dream

5) Bliss

6) Passion

7) Jesus’ Tears

8) Astray (Fallen Angel)

9) Extreme Masochist

10) Absurd

11) Another Song

12) I Won’t Listen

13) The Final Door

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum