Kim Bertrand is a comedian/musician from Queens, New York and Motherfaker is her latest single, released on 09/01/2023.

Completely experimental, this track combines elements of a multitude of genres to create a unique sound, unlike anything I have heard before.

Distortion plays a very heavy part in the song, giving the track a post-grunge, alternative sound. Not only are the guitars distorted, making them fuzzy yet heavy, the vocals are distorted too, almost to the point of being woolly and incoherent.

It is a very busy track, with lots going on so the listener never gets bored, and more than one play through is needed to actually hear everything this track has to offer.

The clean, funky basslines stand out massively against the chaotic music behind them and the track has an almost psychedelic vibe to it.

This track wouldn’t have been out of place in the early 90’s grunge era, but the slight industrial feel to it with the raw drums and electronic beats that also shine through, gives the track a modern twist too.

Experimentation in music should always be encouraged, and this lady is not afraid to do just that!

I would be very interested to hear what else Kim produces, and I hope that she maintains the edginess that this track shows.

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Just a few months after his first single, Irish musician Mikey Deasy, aka Cry Baby Purple, is back again with his new single, Mr Know It All, released on 20/01/2023 and the second single from his upcoming debut EP Video Brain.

An infusion of alternative rock, rock pop, and classic rock, this track also has some groove and soul thrown in there too, creating a sound that is unique.

The guitars are classic rock, with catchy riffs that will stick in your head. The drumming is laid back, with the snare drum a strong feature and the basslines are funky, giving the track its grooviness and the bass solo part way through the song is just awesome (funky bass solos should be a permanent feature if you ask my opinion!)

The vocals are a mixture of male and female, each complimenting the other perfectly. The male has a retro sound to them, almost coming directly from the 80’s, strong and I think he would be just at home belting out a typical classic rock song as he is this one. The female vocals are also strong and these only add to the retro sound of the song. The two vocal styles work really well together and the back up vocals really tie it all together.

Electronic sounds and beats also have a huge impact on this song and these really build up the funkiness of the whole thing.

This song is a prefect nod back to the past while also maintaining a modern, fresh feel to it.

Please check out Cry Baby Purple and see what you think!

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Richard Lynch is a traditional country musician who has worked with some of top names in the field and over the past forty years he has complied a long list of country hits chart-toppers, both in domestic and international sales and radio airplay charts.

Better Off is his latest single and was released on 20/01/2023.

This is a full on, all out country track and I must say, although country rock isn’t my go to genre at all, this one really made my day that little bit brighter!

The twang of the country guitars, with the laid back drumming and the acoustic guitar thrown in for good measure all combine to make this a really upbeat track that will certainly get you moving.

The vocals are typically country rock and they have a great swagger that really does make the listener smile.

The theme of the track is also quite positive, being better off after a romance breakdown, and this I think will relate to a lot of people.

Overall, this is a great track that is super catchy and has great singalongability!

If country rock is your thing, then please check out Richard Lynch. I really don’t think you will be disappointed!

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Cell Games class themselves on their Facebook page as a “Nu metal band from Dublin by way of Kildare/Longford/Croatia,” but I think they are a lot more than this. Cell Games is their latest single, the first as a whole band, and it has just been released today! (27/01/2023)

With heavy riffs right from the start, the guitars use distortion to great effect to give the track a sludgy feel, and the recurring riffs really will stick in your head. The basslines are awesome and really make the track bounce. The drumming is sol and energetic and keeps the pace of the track perfectly.

The vocals on this song are amazing, strong, with a hint of something that really makes them stand out. The singer has a grittiness to his voice that is reminiscent of some of the sleaze metals bands such as Wednesday 13 and Murderdolls and although Cell Games are not a sleaze metal band, these kind of vocals really do give them an edge.

This song is very anthemic with very catchy riffs and lyrics and I absolutely loved it. It’s heavy, it’s rocky and it’s just bloody awesome!

I am making it a mission of mine to keep an ear out for anything else this Irish band may put out for us, as I am really excited to hear more from them.

What an amazingly awesome track! Well done guys and gals!

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I have previously reviewed a number of releases by DCxPC and Vol 10 is their latest one and features three tracks from Rath And The Wise Guys and two tracks from The Kutoffs!

Let me first recap who DCxPC are. DCxPC is a collaboration that books and releases music from live shows for multiple bands, and although punk is usually my go to genre, these releases are little gems!

So, let’s start with Rath And The Wise Guys. They are a beach, punk, skate rock band from Florida in the United States and, judging by the sounds of this live performance, they love what they do, as they have such an energetic sound.

The guitars are distorted, ferocious and fast, the drumming is frantic and the bass lines that fill in between are just superb.

The vocals are punky yet quite melodic and the lyrics are easily understood, and the back up vocals provide an even punkier sound.

The energy coming from these guys is just extraordinary and, if it wasn’t for the rawness of the music, it would be hard to believe this was being played live.

Totally awesome!

The Kutoffs are another punk band from Florida and consists of Chad 1 on vocals and guitar, Chad 2 on drums, Carlos on bass and Jack on guitar and vocals.

These guys are slightly more melodic than Rath And The Wise Guys but playing them on the same bill made for an awesome gig, I can imagine.

The guitars are still fast with these guys (as all punk bands should be) but there are little respites in the speed during the verses of the tracks, especially the opening one for them, Taking Off.

I never know how punk drummers keep up with the speed of the songs, but Carlos seems to do it with ease for these guys, keeping command of the pace of the track at all times.

The vocals are a little less shouty for these guys but the rawness and attitude is still there, in abundance!

Another great release from DCxPC, featuring two awesome bands. All you punk fans out there, old and new, need to check DcxPC and all the bands they feature out! You will DEFINITELY not be disappointed!

Track Listing

Rath And The Wise Guys

1) Melt My Brain

2) Stiffed

3) Nose Candy

The Kutoffs

4) Taking Off

5) Enjoy The Ride

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Pennan Brae is a singer-songwriter from Vancouver and he enters 2023 with ‘Arcade’, his 13th full-length album, his fifth in two years! The 10 track album was recorded at Blue Light Studio in east Vancouver and is influenced by “the rock & roll of the 70’s and 80’s”

Arcade brings together a multitude of genres from classic rock to AOR to indie and what Pennan has created is something unlike I have heard before.

The guitars are typical classic rock although there are also hints of alternative riffs in there too. The solos are clean and well executed and there is also a slight distortion which only adds to the sound that is being produced.

The drumming is energetic, with crashing cymbals, one minute then gentler and more laid back the next.

Funky bass line gives the album a groovy feel and together the musicianship on the album is top notch, with Edward Whelan joining him on drums and Kaj Falch-Nielsen on bass.

The vocals, provided b y Pennan himself, are somewhat quirky, and his voice is clean yet with a grittiness to it too. He is backed up Alison Jenkins and she provides him with perfect harmonies and melodies.

It is always nice to hear something different from the norm and this album really is quite refreshing. it is upbeat and something that you will definitely dance around to. There are infectious beats all the way through this album and the funkiness of it is great! Definitely an album that could cheer anyone having a bad day up!

The retro sound of this album is also a very strong point, taking you on a nostalgic trip backwards but with a modern twist that keeps each track bang up to date!

I really did like this album. It’s rocky, it’s funky, it’s retro! What more could you possible ask for? And as this is his 13^th album, I am now wondering what the previous twelve sound like!

I’ll meet you in Spotify!

Track Listing:

1) Hold The Line

2) Stage Right

3) Jettison

4) Swing On A Vine

5) Rumble

6) Bon Voyage

7) Sauntering

8) Shrug

9) Ricochet

10) Arrival Time

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The Lowtones are a post punk band from Norwich and Radio is their latest single, released on 16/01/2023.

A combination of alternative rock and indie rock, with some new wave thrown in for good measure this track takes us on a nostalgic trip back to the post punk era of the early 80’s.

Reminiscent of bands such as The Smiths, The Cure and Joy Division, The Lowtones have taken a sound and added a modern twist to it to create something unique to them.

The guitars are quite distorted, an element drawn from the alternative rock genre, yet melodic, the drumming is solid and assertive, and the basslines are taken directly from the post-punk era. To be able to mix all these parts of different genres together without taking anything away from the quality of the music is no mean feat but these guys have managed to do it with ease.

The vocals are typical of the early 80’s, almost one dimensional yet, at the same time, they give the song depth! The song is quite guitar driven, yet there is a hazy ambience to the song.

The track is about fighting off negative, self-critical thoughts, and a losing battle, and as such, has quite a sombre yet hard-hitting feel to it, but contains a message that is relevant to a lot of people.

This is a great track and if you like the sounds of the early 80’s then I think you will love this. A great start to the year for these guys and let’s hope they continue to go from strength to strength.

I’m looking forward to the next one!

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Hailing from the US, Gary Dranow And The Manic Emotions is a genre-defying musical collaboration, and Something About You is their latest single, released on 13/01/2023.

I have reviewed a few of Gary’s tracks now and I can honestly say, they get better with each one I listen to.

Something About You is a classic rock track, reminiscent of the 1980’s, with some bluesy guitar work and also a teeny tiny hint of a country rock twang!

Once again, the guitar work on this track is immense and really does make the song stand out. Swapping from classic rock riffs to a more meaty blues style of playing, this really does highlight the sheer talent of the guitar player and the solos are fabulous

That is not to say that the rest of the guys are not talented because they are, extremely so. Its easy to hear that this group of musicians have many years of experience between them and this really does show in the music they produce. It is mature, clean, polished and the production is amazing.

The main vocals are, yet again, powerful and strong and combined with layered back-ups, the song really does have a big sound once more.

This is an upbeat love song with some beautiful lyrics. A real classic that will certainly get your foot tapping, at the very least!

With each passing track these guys are really proving that they are a force to be reckoned with, defying all the laws of music genres and blending them all together, creating a sound that is well and truly THEIRS!

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This is not my first review of Dream Of A Man In A Top Hat’s music, having previously reviewed both Opposite Poles and The Destination but I was keen to hear what else they had produced.

First a recap on the band themselves. Dream Of A Man In A Top Hat are two thirds of Boston 80’s post-punk band Native Tongue, who fuse psychedelia with modern technology to create a grooving, swaggering, psychedelic sound.

Featuring Lee Leffler (guitars, keyboards, vocals, and lyrics) and Michael Frackleton (drums, bass, percussions, keyboards, vocals, and lyrics) the pair have a partnership that spans decades, and this really shows in the music they make together.

Like A Fire Engine is their latest single and was released on 20/01/2023.

I have always found Dream Of A Man In A Top Hat to have quite a unique sound. They use distortion on both the guitars and vocals to give the track a fuzzy, psychedelic sound, but this is also fused with a funky, soulful bassline that sends the listener’s senses in all manner of directions.

Pounding drums keep the beat of the track perfectly and the drums and guitars are the main driving force behind the track. A funky bass solo part of the way through combined with electronic sounds and far-out vocals provide a break from the off-beat nature of the rest of the song, but its this irregularity with the music that also gives the track a progressive feel to it.

The vocals are once again quirky and a bit off the wall, as are the lyrics but this creates an eccentricity to the song that will make it stand out from others.

Another great track! Keep up the excellent work guys!

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum