Plantoid are a four-piece psych/rock/jazz band from Brighton and consists of Chloë Spence on lead guitar and vocals, Thomas Coyne on guitar, Bernado Larisch on bass and Louis Bradshaw on drums. Dog’s Life, the lead single from their debut album which is due out early 2024 was released on 23/08/2023.

Beginning quite quirky with some funky basslines and guitar licks, the song quickly becomes quite psychedelic in nature. With staccato guitar lines, that along with the funky bass melodies, drive the song forward, the track has some energetic drumming and musicianship that really makes the track stand out. With a very strong 70’s progressive rock influence, there is always something for the listener to hear and more than one play through is required to hear everything this song has to offer.

Chloë’s hauntingly melodic vocals really take the listener back to the 1960’s psychedelia era, her voice sweet and dreamy, but strong and powerful at the same time, and her vocals really take command of the song. The band describes her voice as “the midway point between an angel and an alien!” And with layered backup vocals to match the leads, there is quite an atmospheric vibe to the track, while also maintaining a certain grooviness.

The band uses hypnotic, electronic soundscapes towards the end of the song, that really pulls the listener in, captivating them with a sonic journey that switches from soft, melodic, and elated, to heavy, psychedelic, and experimental.

This song is great for transporting the listener away to another time and dimension, so if this is your thing, then please check out Plantoid and their new single Dog’s Life! It’s an auditory experience you don’t want to miss.

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Tom Tikka is a singer songwriter from Helsinki in Finland and Fire And Ice is another single from his upcoming album, Rainbows And Dead Flowers, released on 18/08/2023.

Having previously already reviewed Tom’s collaboration with Willjack on their track Overnight Sensation, I was eager to hear more of Tom’s solo work.

Best known for his work with carmen Gray, Tom wrote Fire And Ice with his former bandmate Antti Autio, and it tells the story of “two brothers playing pirates in their bunk bed, sailing their ship towards an imaginary island with countless treasures to discover.”

A great combination of soft rock and AOR, this track takes the listener on a nostalgic trip back in time to the sound of the 80’s and 90’s while, all the time, maintaining a modern vibe that keeps the sound fresh and up to date.

The music behind the vocals is quite easy going, with laid back drumming and soft guitars. The inclusion of what sounds like a piccolo or something similar really gives the track a different dimension, almost painting the picture of the ship sailing off into the sunset!

The vocals are soft and gentle, although still powerful as he uses his voice to tell the story. With layered backups there really is a great depth to the song and strong imagery is created by the lyrics of the song.

This is a great track, one that combines the imagination and innocence of childhood with great musicianship and talent.

Please check out Tom Tikka and The Missing Hubcaps!

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DCxPC is a collaboration that books and releases music from live shows for multiple bands and Vol 22 features Sticky Steve, Borrowed Sparks, Jacob Danielsen-Moore, and Dougie Flesh & The Slashers live at Uncle Lou’s.

The album features two folk punk artists from Orlando, Florida and two from Tennessee, but all have folk punk roots.

The first to hit the stage is Sticky Steve, a singer / songwriter / musician from Florida, who started playing the drums around 2004, and then taught himself to play basic guitar.

With a very quirky vocal style, the music that accompanies him on this album is just a raw acoustic guitar. The folk punk influences really shine through on his three tracks, and he really sounds like he enjoys making the music he does. I would like to hear him as part of a full electric band as I think his persona and stage presence would really make them stand out.

The next band on the album is Borrowed Sparks, the solo project of Tennessee’s Mike Bay. Again, another acoustic set from him, this time with a more country influence in his sound. His strong voice is a great accompaniment to the acoustic guitar, and he really does convey some great emotion. The use of a harmonica really adds another dimension to his sound!

Next up is Jacob Danielsen-Moore, an Appalachian singer / songwriter from Johnson City in Tennessee. Jacob’s acoustic set has a rawer feel to it than the previous two, his voice full of gut-wrenching emotion as he sings about heartache, heartbreak, and triumph. He is another singer with a strong, powerful voice but there is also a grittiness to his vocals that really make him stand out.

Last on the list is Dougie Flesh & The Slashers, a working class, surrealist horror movement also from Orlando, Florida. Although at this particular performance there was just the rare paring of Doug Lowell and Thomas Milovac, the band can consist of anything from one to thirteen members!! Again, the vocals on these three tracks are very quirky and, although with a country vibe, the punk elements are clear to hear. The acoustic guitar, however, this time, is backed up by some funky basslines.

This is a great album that would be a great introduction into the world of folk punk for anyone willing to wander into that genre. The four artists give four different perspectives of this style of music, and this gives the listener plenty of opportunity to really appreciate the genre!

Great live album and a great addition to the DCxPC legacy!

Track Listing:
1) Sticky Steve – Cathedrals
2) Sticky Steve – Vultures
3) Sticky Steve – Waves
4) Borrowed Sparks – Are You Listening?
5) Borrowed Sparks – Man With A Different Name
6) Borrowed Sparks – Patron Saint
7) Jacob Danielsen-Moore – Coke Dick Motor Awesome
8) Jacob Danielsen-Moore – OF (Only Fans)
9) Jacob Danielsen-Moore – Deep Valley
10) Dougie Flesh & The Slashers – I Want To Believe
11) Dougie Flesh & The Slashers – Printerdix
12) Dougie Flesh & The Slashers – Something In The Shadows

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Chasing Shadows are a four-piece rock band from North Wales and Chester, consisting of members Sam Roberts (lead vocals, lead guitar), Ben Etchells-Rimmer (guitar, backing vocals), Russ Pearson (bassist, backing vocals) and Chris Leonard (drums).

Having previously reviewed music by this great band, I was eager to hear more, and Emily, their latest single, was released on 18/08/2023.

Having taken a year to make, the song was recorded at Orange Recording Studios in Penmaenmawr, North Wales, and is the fourth track from the band’s upcoming EP, Horizons.

Emily is a great indie rock song with a pop punk vibe that is guaranteed to get you tapping your foot, at the very least! With melodic guitars that really take it up a notch when the choruses hit, this track has some great hooks that will really captivate the listener and with energetic drum and bass sections, this is a truly catchy song that will stay in your head long after you have finished listening to it.

The vocals are quirky, with a great, upbeat vibe to them and a traditional alternative rock / pop sound. With backups that are in much the same vein, the song has a great depth that really grabs the listener, pulling them into the music, and leaving them wanting more when it comes to an end!

This is a great track, and once again, I look forward with eager ears to anything else this band has to offer in the very near future. Check them out and see what you think for yourself!

Great track!

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John Taglieri is a singer / songwriter from New Jersey and grew up listening to everything from The Beatles to Black Sabbath and everything in between! With fourteen cd’s and EP’s and three singles to his name over the course of 24 years, John is an indie musician who has forged himself a long-lasting career that has endured the changes crazes over the years, while still staying relevant.

His latest single, Talk To Me, was released on 18/08/2023, is the story of a relationship trying its best to survive, something many people can resonate with.

With influences from a range of genres, from hard rock to indie and classic rock, this track really does have a sound of all its own. Starting out quite serenely, we can hear the emotion and power in John’s right from the beginning, before all instruments come to life for the big choruses.

With soft guitar work and gentle drumming for the verses, these come to a crescendo during the choruses and this is where the intensity of the song really rises. The change of pace throughout the track is also another great feature as this keeps the listener engaged with the music.

As previously mentioned, John’s voice is powerful and strong and conveys the emotion of the song perfectly, and with layered backup vocals there is a great depth to the song. With nailing the power ballad type of track with this one, I would love to hear him perform a full-on rock number, as I think, with the little bit of added grit he has, his is the perfect voice for this.

Awesome track!

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The Bare Minimum are a four-piece punk band from Toronto, consisting of members Mick Hutchinson on lead guitar, Donnie Hopper on bass and backing vocals, Chris Nikolaidis on drums and backing vocals and Cam Gray on vocals and guitar, and Uncaged is their latest, Nicolas Cage inspired EP, released on 18/08/2023.

The EP has four tracks, all based on iconic Nicolas Cage movies and, at just over nine minutes in length, is packed full of punk goodiness!

The guitars are heavy and fast, riffs flying at the listener from all angles, slight distortion used to create a very raw feel to the EP, and the drumming is energetic and frantic, as all great punk drumming should be! The basslines that show through are meaty and keep the tracks tight.

The vocals are awesome on this EP, punk by nature with shouty lyrics, but also quite melodic and easy to sing along with. Accompanied by backups in much the same vein, this EP has a great depth to it that really keeps the listener engaged at all times.

This is quite a nostalgic album as it reminds the listener of the nu-punk sound of the late 90s / early 2000’s but there is also a modern twist to it that keeps the sound fresh and up to date. With influences from thrash metal and synthwave seeping in, this is a very versatile band, and the mix of genres really gives them a unique sound.

This EP shows the passion the band has for the music they make and whether they are playing a local bar gig, a DIY basement show or a festival stage, this band will always give 110% to their performance, and enjoy it while they are doing, embracing the chaotic nature of the punk genre.

This is a great EP, one that fans of punk, new and old, should hear, and I look forward to hearing more from them in the future!

Track Listing:
1) National Treasure
2) Con Air
3) Bangkok Dangerous
4) Leaving Las Vegas

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Fury Of A Dying Planet is “envirometal music for those enraged by the state of the world and humanity itself,” and Planet is the project of a London-based musician and producer.

Repetition To extinction, a song highlighting the selfishness and apathy of mankind as the planet suffers around us, is the band’s latest single and was released on 20/07/2023.

Once again, as with the previous track I reviewed, this one has its roots firmly in the hard rock / metal genre although elements of alternative metal metalcore and progressive metal shine through.

Musically, this track is awesome. With thundering drumming that is energetic and frenetic, and galloping guitar riffs that really hit you in the stomach, the track has a solid musical base from which the vocals can grow. Meaty basslines help keep the track tight, and time and pace changes throughout the track gives he song it’s progressive feel. There is so much going on in this track that just one run through would not be enough to hear all that it has to offer, and this, in my opinion, is always a good thing!

The vocals on this track are immense. Strong and powerful enough to get the message of the song across to the listener, and with lots of grit that really makes the lyrics stand out. There is also a passion and emotion as the singer portrays the important message and this really does pull the listener in and makes them sit up and take notice about the lyrics.

Another great track from this very talented band, and one I hope will set them on the road to great things. Please check out Fury Of A Dying Planet and see what you think for yourself. I really don’t think you will be disappointed!

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Love Ghost are a very prolific band from Los Angeles who have the iconic pop punk sound of the late 90’s / early 00’s but with their own unique twist. Mixing this with rap and hip/hop the band have really come up with a sound and made it their own.

Glock is their latest single, released on 11/08/2023, and is a trap metal / hard Latin rap song in the vein of Scarlxrd, Ghostemane and City Morgue. The track is a collaboration with Mexican rapper Dan Garcia and is about the unleashing of your inner self, the beast you mostly keep in a cage.

With some heavy beats and guitar riffs this track really does get under your skin and kicks you right in the stomach, obviously in a good way! The mixture of clean singing with hip/hop rapping is a quality the band have featured before in their songs, and it is this that really makes the song stand out. Not only is there a combination of vocal styles but, once again, the track is sung in both Spanish and English, giving the listener much to listen to.

The only gripe I have with this track is that its just not long enough. At just two minutes in length, the song comes to an end just as the listener is getting into it but, on the upside, it is two minutes of heavy, in your face, metal and hip/hop crossover music!

Another great track from this very hardworking band. Check Love Ghost out and see what you think for yourself!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum

East Electric are a four-piece band from Helsinki, Finland and consists of members Jocke Levӓlampi on vocals, Toni Kajasti on guitar, Matti Vӓhӓtalo on bass and Tuukka Ilmakari on drums. Priestess is their latest single and was released on 11/08/2023.

I loved the whole vibe this song had from the very moment it started. A great combination of alternative and 90’s rock with some grunge and AOR thrown in for good measure, this track also has a hint of blues to it, and this really makes for a great sound.

Musically, this track is fantastic. Heavy riffs mix with blues solos and melodies and really make the guitar the driving force behind the song. With an energetic and passionate drum and bass section, all the instruments combine to make a musical soundscape that really draws the listener in.

The vocals on this track really are immense. With a hint of country rock and americana about them, the vocals are strong and gritty, a powerful voice that complements the music it is accompanying perfectly.

With a captivating mix of 70’s blues-rock with modern-day alternative influences, this really is a sound that not only defines the band but gives them a platform from which to really grow from.

I can’t wait to hear more from this versatile and dynamic group of guys who only got together in 2022!!

Bring on the next one!

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The Midnight Vortex are a five-piece grungey, bluesy, alternative rock band from London and Burning Hell is their latest single, released on 11/08/2023.

About the fiery emotions of a messy and passionate affair, Burning Hell is an aggressive and energetic love song, and one that will appeal to a wide range of listeners.

Like the previous track I reviewed by this awesome band, the track bursts into life almost immediately with heavy guitars and pounding drums. Distortion is used once again to create a fuzziness on the guitar sound, and this is very reminiscent of the grunge sound of the 90’s, but also of the psychedelic era of the 60’s, and this is only accentuated more by the heavy riffs emanating from the guitars.

The drumming is energetic and meaty basslines add a swagger to the track, and the band’s mutual love of grunge, blues-rock and a raw guitars has created a unique sound that the band have truly made their own.

One thing that really stands out on this track is the vocals. Strong and extremely powerful, Bri’s voice is captivating and mesmerising yet full of grit and attitude and would be just as much at home playing at Woodstock in the 60’s as it is on the modern-day circuit.

This is a fantastic track that should be heard by as many people as possible. So, if psychedelic, alternative, grungey rock is your thing, go and check out The Midnight Vortex because I am sure you are going to love them!

This review is the property of The Metal Asylum