Imlazarus is a man who has featured in many different successful bands as a multi-instrumentalist and is now creating his own music! Although you may think that Lazarus had a late start to his musical journey, with not picking up his first musical instrument till the age of 17, he has now released his debut single, “Same Old Song” in later part of last year!

“Same Old Song” is an indie-folk track, that has clear elements of rock and country too! The song is undoubtedly incredibly catchy, with an upbeat sound, and brilliant vocals!

The beat is one that will get stuck in your head and get you bopping your head along to it. The music sounds amazing too!

I think the thing that makes this track so loveable has got to be Lazarus’ great vocals! His voice is very warming, and he sings so well it is crazy. However, at multiple points in the song Lazarus makes a ‘screaming’ noise which might seem unusual, however it really shows his personality and makes the song even more interesting!

The debut track is available on apps like Spotify now, so be sure to check it out!

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mUmbo is an incredible band, based in London, that was formed back in 2021. The band includes three amazing musicians with different styles, resulting in a range of music!

Today we are looking at mUmbo’s most recent release, “Sky Is Blue”, and I have to say it is a good one!

“Sky Is Blue” is a very intriguing track, that is of dream-pop/indie-pop style. The song is very psychedelic, and this gives off quite a mysterious effect.

The song kicks off with some interesting music, shortly followed by some female vocals. The female vocalist, Emma Semple is absolutely amazing, and her voice is one that needs to be heard! She sings with such grace and ease, making her voice sound like an angel!

I find that in musical side of this song is fantastic! This is not your usual rock style of song, as it includes some very interesting beats and features. One of the band members, Doug MacGowan, specialises in the banjo and the bass and another member Emma Semple specialises in the violin and the viola. These instruments definitely add some more texture and interest to their music! 

Go and give “Sky Is Blue” a little listen to and you will undoubtedly not be disappointed!

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Blueburst is an extremely talented musician, whose real name is actually Craig Douglas Miller. Craig is a guitarist and vocalist, who has returned from a 20 year hibernation after an unsuccessful career with a band. However now Craig is making music under the name Blueburst, and he has just dropped a new single, “Vanish”.

“Vanish” is an incredible rock song that I fell in love with instantly! The track is exceptionally catchy, with an upbeat beat that will just make you want to rock along to it! The drums are amazing, keeping the song together and intriguing! The drummer is sure to include some amazing drum fills that are crazy! I must say the guitar playing in this is also fantastic! And like most rock songs, Blueburst includes an incredible guitar solo, that is just so mesmerising!

I think you cannot argue that the vocals in “Vanish” are brilliant! The male vocalist has a very strong voice, that goes exceptionally well with the track!

This is one of those tracks that can be enjoyed by anyone and everyone, so whether you are a fan of rock or not, be sure to give the new song “Vanish” a little listen to!

Photo credit: watercolor by Holly Miller

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Angerland are a post-punk rage n roll band from London, consisting of members Jon Stone on vocals, Ian Fisher on guitar, Andy ‘Kermit’ Keir on bass and Cristian Prigoană on drums and they have been playing together since 2018. The members are no strangers to the live music scene, having toured with the likes of Glen Matlock of the Sex Pistols, The Germs, and Slim Jim Phantom between them. The band was born from the ashes of former outfit ‘Fuckshovel’, and they deliver a heavy punch of rage-n-roll, reminiscent of the likes of Killing Joke, Ruts DC and New Model Army.

20202 Visions is their latest singles and was released on 04/11/2022.

The track is a beautiful combination of post-punk, hard rock, old school punk and good old fashioned rock n roll!

The guitars are heavy, full of pounding riffs, and are raw and powerful, just as guitars of the above-mentioned genres should be and slight feedback and distortion gives the track a no-holds-barred, punky vibe that is really great to hear.

The drumming is energetic and full of power, the basslines are funky and strong, and this side of the music really does hold the track together.

The vocals are epic on this song. Strong and powerful with that punky edge to them, while also remaining within the classic rock and alternative rock genres. Mixing almost the spoken word at times with full on shouting at others, there is a great mix and contrast to the vocals and the lead is accompanied by typical punk backups.

Listen to this track just once and it will be your ear worm for the rest of the day. Its catchy and anthemic and totally in your face!

I absolutely loved this song and I think fans of old-school punk as well as new wave punk and alternative and probably everything in between will love it too.

Please check out the video on YouTube and head on over to Spotify too. I am certain you will not be disappointed!

Awesome track for a Tuesday morning!

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Loucas Bretz is an artist-producer from Luxembourg whose instrumental music features a mixture of expressive guitar melodies, groovy bass lines, discrete synthetic sounds, and energetic drumbeats. He also self-produces in a “minimalist and modernist” manner.

Hotel Melody is his latest single and was released on 10/02/2023.

The track has a very classic rock feel to it, electric guitars being a main driving force of the song and it kicks off with some moody guitar work. There is also a hint of blues in the guitar playing and this makes for a very interesting combination. The guitar solos throughout the track are epic and showcase just how talented this musician really is, and are at times quite raw and extremely powerful.

The drum work is laid back when it needs to be but also becomes more energetic as the song picks up pace and speed, keeping the track in time perfectly. Strong, funky basslines show through all the way throughout the track, and these add a fantastic groovy undertone to the song.

Although instrumentals are not always my thing, this one has so many layers that it is hard for the listener to get bored with it as there is always something going on and something fresh to hear. A few listens through are needed with this track, as just one play through doesn’t reveal all the song has to offer.

A great instrumental track that is full of quality musicianship.

I look forward to hearing more of what Loucas Bretz has to offer in the future.

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There are not many artists or performers who shy away from social media these days, but Swiss singer / songwriter / multi-instrumentalist Fabian Koerber, the brainchild behind Urban Walrus, is one such person. This gives the band/artist a certain mysteriousness and I think this only adds to their charm.

I have previously reviewed the track August Rain by Urban Walrus and I was eager to see what else the band had come up. All I Really Want is their latest single and was released on 18/02/2023.

Once again, All I Really Want is a laid back, acoustic-led song that is easy to listen to. There really is nothing offensive about this track and the chilled atmosphere of the song will appeal to a wide range of people.

Acoustic guitars and easy-going drumming are the main instruments in this track, and this makes for a rich, fluffy and relaxed tune, with some surprising chord progressions.

As with the previous track, the vocals are what stand out on the song for me. The slight accent in the voice makes the vocals quite unique, while still maintaining their strength, power and, indeed, their gentleness.

Fabian is accompanied by some layered backups that add depth and dynamism to another wise simply laid out approach.

With themes of “what if?” the lyrics question our very being, our goals and values in life, and this is something that will resonate with a lot of people.

And with just three tracks under his belt, Urban Walrus has already struck a chord with fans, clocking up over half a million streams on Spotify alone. Also find him on Bandcamp at the following link: https://urbanwalrus.bandcamp.com/

Another great easy-listening track by an incredibly talented musician. Fantastic job!

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Maximilian Wentz is a singer /songwriter and multi instrumentalist from Haverhill, Massachusetts, who combines elements of rock, metal and latin music with elements found in acoustic pop. He has German roots on his father’s side and Latin roots on his mother’s and, in my opinion, that combination makes for some pretty great music production.

Mare is his latest album and was released on 27/01/2023. With ten tracks with a total running time of 48 minutes and 29 seconds, this is an album that has lots of twists and turns and the listener really has no idea where they are heading next.

Each track differs greatly from the previous taking you on a journey through classic rock, into heavy metal, round the bend to some punk rock before throwing some death metal-esque sounds at you.

The album is mostly guitar-driven with heavy pounding riffs when they are needed some also with some more gentler acoustic sounding guitars at other times. The drumming is energetic and based on a classic rock style, pounding bass drums and lots of crashing cymbals (who doesn’t like lots of crashing cymbals, eh?) and the basslines are strong.

It’s the vocals on this album that really make it stand out. One minute Maximilian has an alternative rock style with that added grittiness that gives the tracks an edginess to them, yet the next he is throwing death metal growls at you! He is even great at the more ballady type of vocals, his voice becoming soft and gentle, yet still maintaining that strength that is needed for the rest of the vocals types he undertakes. It is the vocals of this album that create the twist and turns previously mentioned, as the listener is never really sure what type is coming next, and this is always, always a good thing!

The pacing and speed of this album is great and each track is perfectly placed with no two songs sounding the same, and the production is great.

This really is a breathtaking album and one at I am very happy I had the opportunity to listen to. I am going to scour Spotify and YouTube now to see what else I can find from this very talented musician. I urge you all to do the same.

Awesome album and one that Maximilian should be very proud of!

Track Listing:

1) The Sixth

2) Centrepiece

3) Your Silhouette

4) The Hunter

5) Teacher

6) Hospital

7) The Future

8) World Signal

9) Fallen

10) Thin

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Ludlow Creek was first formed in 2013, when five individual talents came together as friends and formed a cover band called Southbound. But during Covid, the song writing took over and Southbound could no longer contain them, and Ludlow Creek was born.

Consisting of members Allen Seals on guitar, mandolin, and vocals, Dave Benson on guitar and vocals, Jeffrey Friend on drums and vocals, Michelle Scarpelli on keyboards and vocals and Tom Scarpelli on bass and vocals, Ludlow Creek are emerging as a powerful voice for the Midwest.

Ludlow Creek cannot be placed into just one genre of music, a combination of styles very evident in this track.

Based on a classic rock sound, the band have also included elements of Americana, soul rock and rock/pop to create their sound and they have done it extremely well.

The music is very laid back, with gentle drumming and mostly soft guitar work, although the guitar solo part way through the song ups the tempo slightly and the inclusion of keyboards and what I think might be a harpsichord (please correct me if I am wrong there, guys!) really gives the track another dimension.

The vocals have a slight country rock twang to them, but they are strong and solid and are accompanied by layered back ups that really give the song a gospel feel to it.

This is a great track, one that is positive and upbeat and I think this will appeal to fans of country rock, classic rock and Americana alike. But don’t take my word for it, go and check them out and see for yourself!

Excellent job!

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Well, is there a better way to kick off a Monday morning’s reviewing than with Miss Velvet’s Lovin’ In The Afternoon? The answer to that is a resounding no! The track really rocks and certainly did more than my morning tea in waking me up!

Native to New York, Miss Velvet relocated to Los Angeles where she connected with acclaimed rock producer Esjay Jones and the two of them explored themes such as conditional and unconditional love, sex and loss, while focusing on their shared love of classic rock.

And there is no mistaking that this is a classic rock track!

The guitars are riff-laden and heavy and the drumming is pounding and energetic. The basslines are strong and funky and keep everything in time perfectly. Musically this could be a track from any acclaimed classic rock band from anywhere over the past thirty years, it is that good! The riffs will have you banging your head and it is a track that you certainly will be dancing around the living room to.

But it’s Miss Velvet’s vocals on the track that are simply awesome. Raw and earthy with a grittiness about them, Miss Velvet certainly knows how to rock. Her voice is powerful and strong and she commands the track right from the start, never once allowing the backing music to overshadow her!

I absolutely loved this track and had it on repeat for longer than I probably needed to. It’s rocky, it’s in your face and it’s catchy as hell, and it’s all done by a very talented lady! What more could you ask for?

Please go and check out Miss Velvet and her track, Lovin’ In The Afternoon, which was released on 14/02/2023 You will NOT be disappointed!

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Gae Vinci is an Italian music producer based in Milan and All The Times is his latest single, released on 24/02/2023.

This is dreamy track, with hauntingly beautiful vocals that really pull you into the song and the layered backup vocals are a great accompaniment to the lead. There is a euphoric atmosphere created with the vocals and I think this could be sustained even if the backing music was not there.

The musical side of this track is made of up mellow guitars, some acoustic and some electric and electronic beats and sounds that gives the track an almost psychedelic feel to it.

I am not sure what genre this track would be placed in as there are elements from a multitude of genres but one of the main ones that does stick to me is shoegaze. This is a style of rock music characterized by a sound in which the distinctions between separate instruments and vocals are blurred, and this is very true of this song. Not only are the lines between instruments and vocals blurred but the lines between genres have also been wiped clean away, resulting in a unique sound for Gai Vinci.

I loved the way the track almost comes to a complete standstill about two thirds of the way through when, with just a couple of beats on the drum, the whole song kicks back to life again, giving the track a personality all of its own.

This is a track that, if listened to with your eyes shut, could transport you away into another world or another dimension, and you would be very reluctant to come back.

A great relaxing track that is easy to listen to. Wonderful job!

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum