I wasn’t sure what to expect when the sophomore album from Brooklyn based Darro came up for review. Advertised as pop/punk, pop/rock, and emo pop rock, it wasn’t the sort of genres I was used to but, I will admit, I was actually pleasantly surprised.

Accidents is an album of ten songs, each with the story of their own little accident or crisis, building up a picture of some of the moments in Darro’s life that have impacted him the most. The lyrics are deeply personal, emotional, and full of pain, but shown in quite an upbeat way as none of the tracks are what I would class as solemn songs.

Mixing 2000’s emo/pop punk with rock and pop, Darro has created a sound that he can call his own. From simple melodic riffs to more upbeat chord progressions to complex guitar techniques, Darro has proven he is an accomplished musician, and this is shown more in the heavier, rockier second half of the album.

The melodic guitar mixed with electronic elements and experimental percussion gives the album a fresh, modern sound and there are even some current hip-hop and r ‘n’ b inspired styles thrown in there too.

His vocal range is broad, ranging from boyish pop vocals right through to gritty huskiness, and this gives each track a different feel, making this album accessible to a wide reach of listeners.

Given that Darro defeated brain cancer and had to relearn to even speak, let alone sing, this album proves what a strong, determined performer he is. He should be immensely proud of what he has achieved here, and I urge anyone with a love for 2000’s emo rock/pop punk to give this album a listen.

Think Good Charlotte mixed with Post Malone with a huge dollop of Avril Lavrigne thrown in and you will be well on your way to knowing what this album is about!

And to finish off, although this is not usually my sort of music, I would love to hear more from Darro and see where his musical journey takes him, and us!

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Ape Law by Maybe Human is a track from the album Ape Law, which is due to be released on 25^th November 2022. The album, as a whole, is a tribute to the original Planet of The Apes films and every track contains a sample of iconic lines from the movies.

Bearing in mind that Maybe Human say their own music is “conceptual instrumental post rock/pop made for flying UFOs” its no wonder the track has a distinct futuristic yet dystopian feel to it.

Being an instrumental there is an ambitious mix of sounds and genres, combining post-rock melodies with progressive metal riffs and time changes. The track features ambient guitars, to give off a mellow and soothing vibe and the soft drums contribute to the melodic rock feel.

Despite the rock influences that are clear to hear, the track also presents some electronic vibes and even some industrial riffs.

Overall, the track is very laid back and tranquil, but with some hard-hitting words spoken over the top. This is very experimental as, although expertly done, it combines a multitude of genres, as well as tackling some very political themes.

Go and give Ape Law a listen. After all, who is to the chimpanzees are wrong?!?!

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The one thing I love about music, no matter what the genre, is that it can get you through anything, although this can also lead to the fact that music can bring back memories, good or bad.

Hollow was written over night after the funeral of Ki Citrine’s father and the emotion and grief that she must have been feeling at that point clearly shows through in the song.

It is a very emotive and intense track, something that is accentuated by the fact that Kit has an immensely powerful voice that can be used to express the rawness and emptiness she felt.

The vocals start gloomy and sad, but they build up with rage and rebellion as the and even the music appears to have delved into her mind and depicted her sorrow and anger.

This is a hard-hitting track that uses rich imagery and emotive melodies to achieve a gothic, dark-pop, synth sound and, because of the theme of the track, is easily relatable to anyone who has ever lost anyone close to them.

Please check this track out and see if you find it as powerful as I do!

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Elad David is back and this time its with the third single Electrified from his new EP, the Big Picture.

Fusing electronic synthesisers with crunching rock guitar, this instrumental track is an eclectic, fun and exciting track.

If there ever was an argument to let synths into rock music, then this track would be it. With a funky bassline giving the track a certain groove to it, the song has a very retro vibe to it.

With a great use of guitars mixed with frenzied drumming and even a saxophone at one point, this song is quirky and has just about everything in it, right down to the distorted, electronic voice asking us if we are electrified right at the end!

Tempo changes are used well and there is always something going on in the track, so the listener doesn’t become disinterested which I tend to find happens with instrumentals.

If there was one phrase I would use to sum up this track it would be the following…. Classic rock meets Jean Michel Jarre!!

If you want to bop your head to some funky beats with crunching guitars, then this is the track for you.

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

pMad is the solo music project of Irishman Paul Dillon and Sisters is his latest single.

A reference to loved ones who have passed away too early, leaving others behind to grieve, and also the thinking that we should be thankful for the time we had spent with them, Sisters is an impressive mix of darkwave, post punk, alternative rock, and gothic rock.

A guitar-driven goth track, it is easy to see that Paul’s influences include bands such as The Cure, The Sisters Of Mercy, Sonic Youth and The The. There is an atmospheric, eclectic sound to the track that is dark, brooding, and intense.

The vocals are deep and emotive, and the electronic waves mixed with the layered guitars, pulsating drumbeat and deep, chugging bassline give this track depth and meaning.

The lyrics and themes of the track are easily relatable, as many of us would have had some experience of them, and this makes the song accessible to most people.

I must say this is the first time I have heard of pMad, but I am really hoping it won’t be the last!

A gothic well done on an excellent track.

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Every now and then an album comes along that just makes you sit up and take notice. Before The Fall by Broken Empire is one such album!

A UK-based metal band, the line-up was finally completed in 2017 when singer Ieuan joined Matt (lead guitar/vocals), Marco (bass guitar/vocals) and Ricky (drums) and, a year in the making, Before The Fall is their debut album. And boy, what an album!

Self-released, the album kicks off with an air-raid siren, a warning, maybe, for the aural assault that the listener is about to be subjected to, and it is relentless from start to finish.

This album is everything a heavy metal album should be. Double kick drums and crunchy drumbeats, angst laden music, heavy, fast, slamming riffs and a healthy mix of clean vocals with screams and growls thrown in for good measure.

The vocals are emotive, Ieuan easily switching from clean singing to the metalcore growls and scream, and, musically, the band are phenomenal. The crunching riffs of the lead guitars work so well with the frantic drumming and the bass lines keep everything tight yet maintaining a certain amount of rawness to the music.

This is an infectious album that leaves you wanting to hear more, even before the album has finished. It had an instant impact on me, and they really can stand by their claim of “the hottest new metal band” as I whole heartedly agree with them!

Broken Empire have really set the bar for their brand of heavy metal high with this album, and I am looking forward to the next thing they release!

A true stomper of an album!

TRACK LISTING:

1. Prelude

2. Disguise

3. Before The Fall

4. Valediction

5. One Last Time

6. Insanity (Is Reality)

7. Praying For a Change

8. We Are Alive

9. Hollow Ground

10. Blame Me

11. AI End Protocol

12. The Reckoning

This review is purely the property of The Metal Asylum

If ever there was an album that literally did have it all, then it would be this one from South African band Fivesideddice! When they say they are a multi-genre music project, they really are not kidding.

With genres ranging from full on pop to metal to alternative rock to rap and to metalcore, good luck to anyone who wants to try a pigeon-hole this album! Some people could see this as a bad thing as categorising the album is so difficult, but I actually think it’s a great thing to do.

Not only is the listener kept wondering as to what is going to come next, as each song is completely different from the previous, but it also means that it could appeal to a wider range of listeners and people who haven’t quite found their niche with music yet.

Musically, there is nothing wrong with this album. The music is tight and well-played, obviously being lots of talent there. But just the same, the vocals are strong and change effortlessly from one genre to the next.

This is really an album you need to check out for yourself. If you like a mixed bag of just about everything, then this is the album for you.

Personally, I liked it, the quirkiness and eccentricity of it being one of its strongest assets.

And who doesn’t like a bit if quirkiness and eccentricity, eh?

TRACK LISTING:

1.I Hate You All

2.Succubus (feat. Kevin Tait)

3.I Am Become Death (feat. Holizna)

4.Welcome to the 27 Club

5.The Bond

6.My Favourite Sin (feat. Kevin Tait)

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I love it when I come across a new track that reminds me of certain times in the past and boy, does this track from US-based band Render do that!

Packed full of nods to the alternative rock / grunge of the 90’s, this song took me right back to my college days when I was a huge grunge fan and then nostalgia sets in, and its always a beautiful thing when music does that.

I absolutely love the vocals, the guy can really sing, and the rawness in his voice really adds to the song. His voice is powerful and strong, delivering the lyrics with emotion and energy, yet doesn’t cross the boundary between singing and growling.

The slightly distorted guitars were my favourite part of the whole track. While I love clean, crisp guitar playing, the edginess that distorting the sound brings just elevates the track higher above others of the same standing.

The time changes, from the melodic to the aster bridge in the middle of the song, were done to perfection and at no point during this song did I get bored or disinterested. In fact, the volume button went up a notch or two and if I listened to this track five times on the bounce, I didn’t listen to it enough!

Anthemic, euphoric and nostalgic! The only three words needed to describe this track, oh apart from bloody excellent!

I definitely want to hear more from this band and will be keeping my ears and eyes peeled for any new releases!

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Punk rock has never really been my thing, but I am always open to new music so thought I would give this offering from Toronto based punk rock band The Bare Minimum a go and I am soooo glad I did!

The band’s third full length album, due to be released on 4^th November 2022, Is A Gateway Drug is a wonderful mixture of punk rock and metal that sounds absolutely awesome! Paying homage to 90’s skate punk, it switches easily and effortlessly between melodic, contemporary, and old school punk but also explores hardcore punk and rock ‘n’ roll.

Rising from the underground punk scene in Toronto, the band have previously released two full length albums, 2 EP’s and countless singles and are, as stated on the band’s own website, “a decent punk rock band,” although I would go as far to say they are a bloody good punk rock band!

The album features six new songs and six old songs, as well as an additional bonus, so thirteen punk tracks in all really gives you value for money. With catchy themes, melodies and harmonies mixed with powerful riffs, progressions, and frenzied drumming this is an energetic album that will have you pogoing around your living room.

Although a fun album, the bass and drum acrobatics adding to this, there is also aggression, rawness, and heaviness in abundance. The semi-distorted vocals give the album a dimension that could otherwise have been missed, and strong backing vocals complement the punk sound.

I liked this album very much and had it on repeat numerous times. Cam Gray (vocals, guitar), Donnie Hopper (bass), Mick Hutchinson (lead guitar) and Chris Nikolaidis (drums) should all be enormously proud of what they have achieved with this album.

Keep up the excellent work guys!

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Wynter Kills is a new original heavy metal project and Condemned To Burn is the second demo from their upcoming album.

Leading you into a fall sense of security when the track kicks off with clean vocals, this is actually a typical black/death metal song, with a little something all of its own!

Kicking off straight away, the track is full steam ahead from start to finish, even the time changes never giving the listener time to pause!

A mix of genres, including death, traditional, black and Viking this track really does have something for everyone. With its blend of clean singing, death metal growls and black metal screams, there is something about this song that just sets it apart from other black/death metal songs, and this is not a bad thing!

The guitars do not have a typical sluggish death metal sound, rather the more traditional heavy metal sound, but this mixed with the range of vocal styles works a treat. The double kick drums are awesome and the whole bass/drum section keeps the track tight yet maintaining a certain rawness.

With hints of Carcass, Control Denied and Death creeping in throughout the song, this song will appeal to a wide reach of listeners.

Well done to the guys in Wynter Kills, I can’t wait to hear more from them!

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