Selfish Bodies is a female lead alternative pop rock trio based in Edmonton, AB, formed in February 2018 and their latest single Hideous was released on 13/01/2023.

The band combines elements of rock pop, alternative rock and indie pop to create a dark-wave, synth-inspired sound, that takes us on a nostalgic trip back to 90’s rock pop.

The pop-inspired vocals have a grittiness to them that means this track leans more to the alternative side of things. The vocals are powerful and have lots of emotion in them that portrays the themes of the song to the listener. Harmonizing back ups vocals are a great accompaniment to the leads that gives the song great depth.

Musically, this track switches seamlessly from pop to rock and back to pop again with ease. The synths and electronic sounds throughout the track give it a pop rock vibe, but the guitar solo at the end of the track, along with the heavy drum beats, really make this track an alternative rock one.

I really liked this song and listened to it a few times before writing this review as I wanted to hear everything the song had to offer.

Iso for all fans of pop/rock, rock, alternative and even synth music, please go and give this a listen. I really don’t think you will be disappointed. I am very much looking forward to what else this Canadian band has to offer!

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Betageist is “is electronica infused with ambient, prog, cinematic, and psychedelic elements; occupying the gap between synth-based and guitar-based instrumental music,” and is the ghost project of audio software engineer and product of the University of Miami’s Music Engineering program, Kevin Heber.

Together was released on 14/10/2022 and I must say I am lucky I have had the privilege to hear it and review it!

The track is a chilled-out instrumental that will leave you totally zoned out from the real world once you have listened to it.

Combining elements of psychedelia, prog rock and electronica, this is a track that will really get inside you. The floaty sounds coming from the synths, mixed with soothing guitar sounds and gentle drumming really will have a calming effect on whoever listens to it.

Distorted spoken word is introduced at around the five minute mark, and this is when the track really erupts, all the instruments really exploding and coming to life, before the song slows down to its conclusion.

Hypnotic and atmospheric, this track really is beautiful, so full of emotion and extremely moving. The listener cannot help but get pulled into the music, as the haunting melodies really take hold of you. And an electric guitar solo just poking its nose out from the ambient nature of the rest of the instrumentals is a great touch.

If music could be poetry, then this track is the poetic I have ever heard. Just totally incredible and unbelievable this sound could come from one person!

Fantastic!

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What a tune!!

Sorry, let me tell you who Bridges Ablaze are first!  Bridges Ablaze are an alternative metal from Austin, Texas, featuring Brien Allen and Ruben Zamora, and the first thing I want to say about them, is THEY ARE AMAZING! The sound these two guys achieve is just phenomenal and I really can’t wait to hear more from them!

Ok, so the song? Starting off slowly, the track erupts after about 20 seconds with heavy, pounding guitar riffs and booming drums, giving it the distinctive metalcore sound, reminiscent of bands such as Falling In Reverse, Motionless In White and Architects (not a bad lot to be compared to, eh?)

The guitars are distorted and fuzzy but melodic and will have you banging your head in no time. The drumming is frantic and energetic and the basslines are meaty.

The vocals on this track are formidable. The singer is able to switch from singing to powerful emo screams at the drop of a hat and there are also hints at nu-metal rapping at times, really making the song stand out.

The band state the song is about hardships and not backing down to them, staying strong, overcoming them and surviving and this is a theme that will resonate with lots of people.

What an absolute corker of a track! It’s heavy, its emotional, its positive! And its just up my street! I absolutely loved it and I will definitely be keeping an ear out for anything this fantastically talented duo produce. If you are a metalcore fan then I highly recommend, no I demand, you go and check this band out.

Absolutely bloody awesome!

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This is not the first time I have reviewed music by Alec Berlin so let me recap you on who he actually is.

Originally from Cleveland, Alec Berlin moved to New York City twenty-five years ago has shared the stage with the likes of Elton John, James Taylor, Rob Thomas, Ben Folds, Kenny Wheeler and Rufus Wainwright as well as performing in dozens of Broadway shows including Rent, Wicked, The Lion King and Bright Star.

An instrumental track, LaNoise is the latest single from this guitar virtuoso and was released on 12/01/2023.

Once again, Alec combines many genres, blurring the lines between classic rock, soft rock, AOR and just about everything in between.

With laid back drumming accompanying the fantastic guitar work, this is a great track to relax to. Instrumentals are not really my thing as I prefer to have words to sing along to, but that does not mean there isn’t plenty to listen to in this track. The multi-layered guitars, the soothing basslines and the easy-going drum work all combine to give the listener a real treat.

The song changes pace a few times during its course, speeding up with more intricate guitar work and then slowing down with some more chilled out passages before resuming the standard pace of the track.

This really is a great track that showcases the immense talent that this guy has. With all that I have reviewed from him, there is not one track that has disappointed me and I hope to continue to hear excellent music from Alec and his guitar!

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Groundstate is an alternative metal band from Bay Village in Ohio. Comprising of brothers Connor and Aidan Smith, they have been writing songs together since 2014 and Floating Away, their latest single, released on 11/01/2023 is in support of their upcoming 3rd studio album.

The song kicks off with an irregular, raw drumbeat before the song erupts with full-on heavy guitar riffs and pounding drums. Distortion plays a huge with the guitar sound and this gives the track the feel of the 90’s grunge sound from the likes of Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. The only time the heavy guitars are dispensed with is during the scratchy guitar solo, which makes a stark contrast for the listener during the song,

The drum work is extraordinary, with heavy beats and crashing cymbals driving the whole track and the basslines are chunky and meaty. Musically this track is top-notch, every musician obviously very talented at what they do and each giving a performance they can be extremely proud of.

The vocals are gritty and powerful, with a slight edge to them that really makes this song stand out. Layered backing vocals are also used to compliment the lead, and this gives the track great depth. The verses in the track build gradually to the crescendo that is each chorus and this is when the song really erupts into life, creating a anthemic sound that really sticks in the listeners mind.

A great track from this band of brothers and I’m now heading to Spotify to see what else I can find from them!

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ESSIE is an alt/rock guitar player and vocalist from Perth, Western Australia and her signature sound is “a confident mix of bluesy guitar chops and soaring vocals.”

The epidemic saw ESSIE take a break from performing live so she could concentrate on writing music and after relocating to Bedfordshire in 2022, she started work on her EP. Limitless is her latest single and was released on 01/01/2023.

The track bursts into life straight away with guitar riffs and the soaring vocals mentioned above, leaving the listener with no doubt this going to be a rocky tune.

ESSIE combines classic rock riffs with the swagger of alternative rock and the twang of country rock to create a sound unique to her. The guitar work is bluesy, with slight distortion to give a fuzzy feel to the song too. The drumming is energetic when it needs to be, with crashing cymbals and booming bass drums yet is quite laid back at other times.

ESSIE’s vocals are strong and she takes complete command of the whole song with her voice, which has a slight quirkiness to it that adds to the appeal of the track. Her voice is classic rock in essence, but has undertones of country and there is also a grittiness that shows this girl means business. Reminiscent of some of the great female vocalists of the past, ESSIE takes this and adds her own unique, modern twist.

A great track and I look forward to hearing more form her in the future!

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Bar II are, and I quote; “Alt Indie Rock band focus on pure raw rock deranged music stuck between Lost Highway and Vernon Subu.”

The track kicks off in such a way that the listener is under disillusions as to what this band is about! This song is high energy and will do just what is says on the tin…. Wake Up the listener!

Bouncey right from the start, the basslines are funky (and who doesn’t love funky basslines?!?) and the lyrics will just have you jumping around the living room.

The guitars use distortion to give a grungey yet melodic vibe to the song, heavy when they need to be, but also with a softer side to them too and the drumming is energetic with lots of crashing cymbals and booming bass drums.

The singer has classic alternative rock vocals but distortion on the choruses gives the track a slightly “dirtier” feel to it and I think this is a great addition.

A fantastic mix of genres, catchy as hell, and with such a positive vibe to it, this song will appeal to a lot of people and I, for one, loved it!

I am really looking forward to what is to come next from these guys!

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Moonlight Saints are a young rock band from Central Massachusetts and they play a “variety of styles and songs in the rock and blues spectrum.”

Bottom Again is their first original single and was released on 13/01/2023.

The track has a very funky undertone right from the start and this works well with the classic / alternative rock sound the band has.

The guitars have a slightly dirty sound, giving the track a grungey vibe, and the riff that is repeated throughout the song really grabs the listener. The guitar solo part way through the song is clean and crisp and really shows the talent of the guitar player. The basslines are what gives the track its funkiness, and the drums are energetic, sometimes frantic, and keep the pace of the song going incredibly well.

The singers voice is somewhat quirky but I think this adds to the charm of the song, and the lack of backing vocals leaves him free to command the track how he wishes.

The track changes pace twice during its entirety, once to speed everything up and then once to slow everything down, before returning to the swaggering pace the rest of the track has.

This song really does pull the genres in all directions, mixing classic rock, alternative rock and blues. The melodies are extremely catchy and you will be humming that riff for the rest of the day!

As a debut single, this one is really rather good and we look forward to hearing what else these young guys have to offer!

Great work!

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Mad Painter are a new band from Boston who have their roots firmly in the melodic rock traditions of the 1970’s and Rock And Roll Samurai is the3ir latest track released on 19/01/2023.

Crossing early 70’s psychedelia with glam- spattered rock and roll from the likes of Mott The Hoople and The Faces and a classic 1970’s heavy rock sound, this band certainly has a sound all of their own. I had reviewed their previous single Illusions and I was intrigued as what else they had come up with.

The track kicks off with the melodic sounds of a keyboard before the track explodes and all manner of sounds are released, guitars, drums, cymbals, cowbells!!

Once again, this track takes the listener on an auditory journey and jumps from genre to another at the drop of a hat.

The use of distortion on the guitars gives the track a psychedelic feel and the electronic synths ramp up the progginess of the track.

The strong male vocals are somewhat quirky, as are the lyrics but backed up with the females again, there is a dynamism to the track.

Being quite progressive in nature, the track always has something to listen to and needs to be heard two or three times before the listener is fully aware of everything the track has to offer.

If you liked the previous offering by this band, then you will love this one.

Great track guys and gal!

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

Blue Shirt Charlie are a threesome from Texas and garnered early attention playing their own brand of amped-up Americana in cities and towns along Central Texas’ Brazos River. Reconvening in 2022, the band – Richie Sessions, Russ Chapman, and Lex Lipsitz – wrote songs with themes of hope and renewal, and hint at influences such as Elliott Smith, Steve Earle, early U2 and the Old 97’s.

Blue Shirt Charlie are an alternative country band that combine elements of classic rock and soft rock, along with a hint of rock-pop to give them their electric Americana sound.

The track still has the swagger of country rock, the guitars quite bluesy with that undisputable twang of country music, but there is a lot more use of electric instruments here. The drumming is energetic and up-tempo, and the song only really slows pace once during its entirety and this is only for about 20 seconds!

The vocals are typical country rock, with a hint of grittiness that shows this guy could be just at home singing a classic rock number as he is this track. The backup vocals during the choruses really gives this track an anthemic feel and its feels there is about sixty people backing up the lead singer!

The track is catchy, the chorus will really get stuck in your head, if not a little quirky, but who doesn’t like a bit of quirkiness every now and then?

Great song to dance about to. Go and check it out, if you haven’t done so already!

Excellent job!

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum