Hear and There's Top 10 albums of 2017

2017 may not have been quite the sparkling musical vintage that 2016 was, but there were still plenty of excellent albums to grab the attention of everyone. Here are the top 10 albums from Here & There:

10. Pallbearer - Heartless

The Arkansas doom metallers followed up Foundations of Burden with their most consistently excellent effort yet.

9. Lionize - Nuclear Soul

The Maryland quartet give us another soulful, hard rocking album that provided a strong follow up to Jetpack Soundtrack, led superbly by Chris Brooks as always.

8. All Them Witches - Sleeping Through the War

The Nashville psychedelic rockers went from strength to strength in 2017, and Sleeping Through the War summed this up perfectly with its blend of heavy blues and psychedelic rock.

7. Samsara Blues Experiment - One With the Universe

The Berlin kings of the blues jam brought us another album heavy on riffs, atmosphere, and great songs.

6. The National - Sleep Well Beast

Matt Berninger and his distinctive baritone leads the National's 7th album superbly as always, while both pairs of brothers create their usual warm and wonderful melancholic sound that is synonymous with the band.

5. Unsane - Sterilize

A beautifully ugly cacophony, and a return to form for the noisy NYC power trio.

4. Slowdive - Slowdive

Picking up pretty much where Souvlaki left off in the mid 90s, the shoegazers returned with a gem of an album, all gloriously expansive synths and lush guitars. A welcome return.

3. Elder - Reflections of a Floating World

Were it not for the fact that Enslaved and Converge both had excellent new albums waiting for release this year, this would otherwise have won my album of the year title. While not quite a continuation of Lore, Reflections of a Floating World takes its predecessors blueprint and builds on it in a palatable way that makes them ready for a wider audience.

2. Enslaved - E

Another slight re-plot of their musical trajectory, with gambles that largely pay off, from Bergen, Norway's favourite musical sons. The use of a saxophone for the first time ever on an Enslaved album in particular was beautifully done.

1. Converge - The Dusk in Us

Converge continue to rewrite the rulebook of hardcore, pushing the envelope and the boundaries as often as they did on Jane Doe and with the same level of quality of music as a result. Hands down my album of the year.

Honourable mentions:

Power Trip - Nightmare Logic
Colour Haze - In Her Garden
Iron Reagan - Crossover Ministry
Mount Eerie - A Crow Looked at Me
The Menzingers - After the Party

Biggest let down:

Code Orange - Forever. Perfectly good musically, but the clean vocals were horrendous.

Best gig of the year:

A tie between Insomnium at Mama Roux's and All Them Witches at the Institute.

Colour Haze - In Her Garden

Artist: Colour Haze
Album: In Her Garden
Year: 2017
Rating: 81/100

Colour Haze have, in their 23 years of existence, swiftly become the masters of their craft. The Bavarian stoner rock trio are simply content with doing as they please, and with a back catalogue as extensive and as fluid as theirs, that's very much to be expected. In Her Garden is their 12th studio release, arriving after several European tour dates, including a showing at Desertfest in Antwerp.

Within the album itself, we get the usual Colour Haze fare; drawn out, hypnotic jams that only have a few sparse vocal melodies; or even better, none at all. It's not quite as drawn out, expansive or trippy as their fellow Germans Samsara Blues Experiment, but then they don't need to be. Colour Haze's musicianship has always been exceptional, and it's no different on In Her Garden. The listener is treated to the odd passage of Hammond B3 organ, acoustic guitar and even a bit of brass and some strings.

While some of the more drawn out moments of In Her Garden occasionally end up crossing over into the territory of being a bit boring (the evil twin of hypnotic), there's still plenty here to sustain the interest of the listener. It's not quite in the territory of their more consistent records, but there's still enough to like about this one for it to be a worthwhile listen, and a good introduction to Colour Haze.

Track listing

1. Into Her Garden
2. Black Lilly
3. Magnolia
4. Arbores
5. Sdg
6. Lavatera
7. Islands
8. Sdg II
9. Labyrinthe
10. Lotus
11. Sdg III
12. Skydancer
13. Skydance

Power Trip - Nightmare Logic

Artist: Power Trip
Album: Nightmare Logic
Year: 2017
Rating: 83/100

Texan thrash metallers Power Trip come across as one of those bands that seem to slip quietly under everybody's radar despite countless gigs in support of higher profile artists. Their second full length album, Nightmare Logic, again released on Southern Lord (the go to label these days), enables the Dallas quintet to step out of the shadows of their peers.

While there is an abundance of palm-muted guitars, screamed vocals from Riley Gale and plenty of double kick drums to be found on Nightmare Logic, it's all done in a way that's difficult not to enjoy. Despite there being only 8 tracks, all of which clock in at between 3 and 5 minutes (Iron Reagan they ain't), there's nothing convoluted or overdone here, and tracks such as "Firing Squad", "Waiting Around to Die" and "If Not Us Then Who" are absolute rippers. If you like the riffs of Exodus with the energy of the Cro-Mags, this is right up your street.

If there is a criticism to be found of Nightmare Logic, it's that Power Trip's sound doesn't seem quite as expansive as its production indicates. The whole thing feels like it was recorded in a banqueting hall. Other than that, though, Power Trip are a band more people need to be talking about, and the promise of a spring tour of the UK in support of Trivium will hopefully get them the audience they deserve. An enjoyable little beast.

Track listing

1. Soul Sacrifice
2. Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)
3. Firing Squad
4. Nightmare Logic
5. Waiting Around to Die
6. Ruination
7. If Not Us Then Who
8. Crucifixation

Converge - The Dusk in Us

Artist: Converge
Album: The Dusk in Us
Year: 2017
Rating: 97/100

Unless you're a hermit or you've been living under a rock for the past twenty years, it's impossible to disregard the contribution that Converge have made to extreme music. Jane Doe, their 2001 opus, was widely considered a minor classic by fans of metal and hardcore alike, and since then, the Bostonians have been going from strength to strength. The Dusk in Us is their ninth studio album, and Converge show no signs of slowing down with it.

Opening track "A Single Tear" sets the tone for what is about to follow perfectly. This is Converge at their unshakeable best; Jacob Bannon's throat-ripping screams, Kurt Ballou's bludgeoning, aggressive guitar riffs, and Nate Newton and Ben Koller's taut, frantic rhythm section. But this is Converge, and we all know that in their case, the whole is very much greater than the sum of their parts. Jacob Bannon's clean vocal passages, when they appear, not only offer a new weapon in his vocal arsenal, he does it with a new found confidence that we didn't hear on previous Converge efforts. Elsewhere, it's business as usual for Converge, with tracks such as "Under Duress" and "Trigger" offering themselves as counterparts to their nearest relations from Jane Doe, "Homewrecker" and "The Broken Vow".

I'm rarely lost for words when it comes to the quality of Converge's music; I've been a fan since the outstanding Jane Doe. Having said that though, The Dusk in Us is a more than worthy contender for Converge's best album, and it feels like a labour of love for each member of the band. Get this round your ears, without hesitation.

Track listing

1. A Single Tear
2. Eye of the Quarrel
3. Under Duress
4. Arkhipov Calm
5. I Can Tell You About Pain
6. The Dusk in Us
7. Wildlife
8. Murk & Marrow
9. Trigger
10. Broken by Light
11. Cannibals
12. Thousands of Miles Between Us
13. Reptilian

Unsane - Sterilize

Artist: Unsane
Album: Sterilize
Year: 2017
Rating: 92/100

Unsane are back. Yes indeed, Unsane are back. With five years in between previous effort, Wreck, and this, their eighth studio album, Sterilize, I decided to take a look at it and see how it stacked up.

On first listen, all of the hallmarks that make up the traditional Unsane sound are all there; a delightfully ugly cacophony of blues, noise and hardcore punk that has been their signature sound since their arrival on the scene in the late 1980s. This time, however, the songwriting (which suffered slightly on their 2005 effort Blood Run as well as on predecessor Wreck) is now back to its visceral, ferocious best. Tracks such as "Factory", "No Reprieve" and "We're Fucked" rattle along in a wonderfully nasty sounding way, with both bass player Dave Curran and guitarist Chris Spencer trading off vocal lines; neither particularly melodious, both sounding like rabid dogs as their impassioned screams grab the listener by the eardrums.

All in all, Sterilize is a strong album, possibly the strongest effort from Unsane since their excellent Occupational Hazard. The trio are as musically tight as they ever were, and their ideas are still fresh and enjoyable. If that works for you, give this album a serious look.

Track Listing

1. Factory
2. The Grind
3. Aberration
4. No Reprieve
5. Lung
6. Inclusion
7. Distance
8. A Slow Reaction
9. We're Fucked
10. Avail

Enslaved - E

Artist: Enslaved
Album: E
Year: 2017
Rating: 96/100

It goes without saying that Enslaved are one of the most interesting bands in metal to listen to today. Since they put out Below the Lights back in 2003 they have remained a band that has always seen fit to push the envelope and boundaries of what works in extreme metal, and a sound that is constantly evolving. E is their fourteenth studio album (yes, really). So how does it stack up?

Short answer: it's simply brilliant. Though I personally enjoyed In Times, the feeling is that E is a much more complete album than its predecessor, a feeling that hits the listener from the epic near 11 minute long opener "Storm Son", and you can't help but feel that Enslaved have been taking musical cues from the likes of Neurosis and Cult of Luna, instead of attempting to fill the void left by Opeth following their departure from the prog/death metal realm. Elsewhere, "Hiindsiight" is a fabulous sprawling beast with a saxophone part that enhances the textures of the album's sound, "Axis of the Worlds" is a more traditional black metal style sonic assault and "Feathers of Eolh" is a slow burner of a song that builds and climaxes with a superb off-kilter riff that underpins it.

It's not often that I'm lost for words when describing the sheer quality of Enslaved's recorded output. Having said that, though, E is a sprawling mammoth of an album that matches their best efforts, and it's easily on the same level as Isa and Below the Lights in terms of quality. If you're looking for an album from a band who love to push the envelope, Enslaved are that band.

Track listing

1. Storm Son
2. The River's Mouth
3. Sacred Horse
4. Axis of the Worlds
5. Feathers of Eolh
6. Hiindsiight
7. Djupet
8. What Else is There

Cadaver Soiree - Demo 1

Artist: Cadaver Soiree
Album: Demo 1
Year: 2017
Rating: 87/100

Cadaver Soiree do not fuck about. They play their own unique style of old school death metal (think along the lines of Benediction, Death, Obituary and Entombed among others) and while they wear their influences on their sleeve, they are careful not to sound too much like any of them. The Leeds quintet's first demo aims to grab the listener's attention and interest any way it can.

Opening track "Limbless" kicks things off, and it's a riff heavy, groove laden monster that segues seamlessly into a more traditional blastbeat laden middle section, before transitioning comfortably back into the groove heavy ending. "Cordyceps" is next up; this is slightly more traditional death metal fare, plenty of blastbeats and bludgeoning riffs, but neatly avoiding the trap of being brutal for brutal's sake, and subsequently too pedestrian. "Aeons of Lies" rounds proceedings off nicely; although it's the least instant of the three tracks, it still stands up well, and the quintet still possess plenty of fire. There's not a riff or a blastbeat out of place, while vocalist Nate leads the quintet by example, and sounding hugely comfortable as the sole vocalist (he also plays bass and does growled vocals for Leeds funeral doomers Petrichor).

I'm almost gutted that this demo is only three tracks long, but it's more than sufficient for Cadaver Soiree to get their point, and their message, across. This is a thoroughly promising demo from them, and I look forward to seeing where they go from here. I'll leave a link to their Bandcamp page after the track listing, so that you can listen to their sonic assault.

Track listing

1. Limbless
2. Cordyceps
3. Aeons of Lies

http://cadaversoiree.bandcamp.com

Incendiary - Thousand Mile Stare

Artist: Incendiary
Album: Thousand Mile Stare
Year: 2017
Rating: 83/100

Dismissing Incendiary out of hand as just another tough guy hardcore band would be a mistake. After two well received full length records (2009's Crusade and 2013's Cost of Living), the Long Island quintet return with their third effort, Thousand Mile Stare. The big question is, of course, how does it stack up?

Well, from the opening strains of "Still Burning", it gives the listener a tidy indication that Incendiary are a band who like to live up to their name. Vocalist Brendan Garrone has a delivery that is reminiscent of the angrier moments of Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha, while from a musical perspective the first band that comes to mind is fellow NYC Hardcore veterans Madball. Incendiary have more about them than to be just a direct copy, though, with riffs and beatdowns that hit as hard as possible.

If there is any criticism to be made of Thousand Mile Stare, it's that Incendiary are good without ever making the listener feeling like they're pushing to be truly outstanding. That's not necessarily a bad thing in this case; after all, Incendiary do what they do very well, and there's barely a riff or beatdown out of place. I would love to catch them in a live setting.

Track listing

1. Still Burning
2. Hanging From the Family Tree
3. Front Toward Enemy
4. Awakening
5. The Product is You
6. No Purity
7. Hard Truths Cut Both Ways
8. Sell Your Cause
9. Fact or Fiction
10. Poison

Siena Root - A Dream of Lasting Peace

Artist: Siena Root
Album: A Dream of Lasting Peace
Year: 2017
Rating: 78/100

Sweden has always been a good hotbed for the heavier side of music, and as of late has witnessed a resurgence in the stoner/psychedelic rock field. Graveyard, Spiders and Horisont, among others, have been leaders in this particular field, and we can now consider Siena Root one of the best kept secrets of this particular scene. Formed in the late 90s, with numerous line up changes and five albums under their belt since 2004, the Stockholm quintet return with their sixth effort, A Dream of Lasting Peace.

What follows immediately when the album starts is the usual Siena Root fare, a tight, taut rhythm section, gritty blues vocals, and some excellent guitar and Hammond organ work, the latter occasionally being the main instrument to draw focus. Album opener "Secrets" sets the tone from the start quite comfortably, but it doesn't stop there. "The Piper Won't Let You Stay" is a rollicking ballad in the vein of Graveyard's "Too Much is Not Enough", while "Imaginarium" is a gem of a jazz instrumental with a tidy fade out.

If there any criticisms to be found on A Dream of Lasting Peace, it's that Siena Root haven't changed their sonic attack at all from previous album Pioneers. Even despite that, there's definitely something for everyone to enjoy on this one. Definitely worth further investigation.

Track listing

1. Secrets
2. Tales of Independence
3. Sundown
4. The Piper Won't Let You Stay
5. Outlander
6. Growing Underground
7. Empty Streets
8. No Filters
9. Imaginarium
10. The Echoes Unfold

Mutoid Man - War Moans

Artist: Mutoid Man
Album: War Moans
Year: 2017
Rating: 80/100

After Bleeder was well received by both critics and fans alike, Stephen Brodsky and Ben Koller thought it would be a good idea to give the world another Mutoid Man album. The big question, of course, is are we getting more of the same?

In a word, yes. Brodsky and Koller (along with bass player Nick Cageao) set their sonic attack level as high as possible and never let the intensity let up. The trio are a tight, cohesive unit, playing with such energy and intensity that the first half of the album rattles by in such a rush that it could leave the listener feeling dizzy if they aren't careful. Brodsky is growing in confidence with the quality of riffs that he has written on War Moans, while Koller doesn't put a single beat out of place behind the drum kit.

If there are criticisms of War Moans to be made, it's that the lyrics are verging on outright silly at times, while some of the songs on the first half of the album rattle past at such a rate they don't really get time enough to bed in with the listener. Any other criticism, however, would be being picky for the sake of it. War Moans isn't quite as instantaneous as Bleeder, but there's still plenty to enjoy nonetheless.

Track listing

1. Melt Your Mind
2. Bone Chain
3. Micro Aggression
4. Kiss of Death
5. Date with the Devil
6. Headrush
7. Irons in the Fire
8. War Moans
9. Wreck and Survive
10. Afterlife
11. Open Flame
12. Bandages

Do Make Say Think - Stubborn Persistent Illusions

Artist: Do Make Say Think
Album: Stubborn Persistent Illusions
Year: 2017
Rating: 82/100

Toronto outfit Do Make Say Think are another band returning with a new album after a lengthy period of inactivity. Stubborn Persistent Illusions is the first release of theirs in eight years, since 2009's Other Truths. The big question is, how does it stack up?

Well, for a start, it seems that even with a lengthy time away from the limelight, Do Make Say Think felt that they shouldn't change things up too much, if at all. Everything is present and correct: tremolo guitars, scattershot drums and rich, expansive textures that successfully help Do Make Say Think skirt the trap of becoming too cluttered or self-indulgent. A lot of the transitions between songs are seamlessly done to the point where it's sometimes difficult to tell where one song ends and the next one begins, but when Do Make Say Think get it right, they still sound majestic, especially on closing number "Return, Return Again" and "As Far as the Eye Can See".

Do Make Say Think aren't treading any new ground on Stubborn Persistent Illusions, but all things considered, they don't really need to. It's not a perfect album, but there's still enough to enjoy and sustain the listener's interest. Like most post-rock albums, listening to this one through headphones enhances the experience.

Track listing

1. War on Torpor
2. Horripilation
3. A Murder of Thoughts
4. Bound
5. And Boundless
6. Her Eyes on the Horizon
7. As Far as the Eye Can See
8. Shlomo's Son
9. Return, Return Again

Elder - Reflections of a Floating World

Artist: Elder
Album: Reflections of a Floating World
Year: 2017
Rating: 95/100

I'm not ashamed to admit that the first time I ever laid ears on Elder I went in all guns blazing on how good I thought they were; Lore was a fantastic album, after all. The trio evidently don't believe in resting on their laurels, either. How exactly do you improve on an album that good? By releasing a better one, of course, and that's exactly what Elder have done on follow up Reflections of a Floating World.

Opener "Sanctuary" sets the tone from the start, its wall of sound guitars, scattershot drums and Nicholas DiSalvo's clean yet raw vocals. As on Lore, Elder demonstrate a perfect ear for when an idea or a riff needs changing up, and it's always timed to perfection. Each song feels more like it has been crafted rather than written, almost as if the band are treating the songs as if they are a personal labour of love. No riff, vocal melody or time change feels out of place on Reflections of a Floating World.

From a creative point of view, Elder are on a roll that shows no signs of slowing down; at least, not yet, anyway. Reflections of a Floating World is the complete package, an album that delivers on every promise, and the riffs and melodies go on for days. Do not miss this one at all.

Track listing

1. Sanctuary
2. The Falling Veil
3. Staving off Truth
4. Blind
5. Sonntag
6. Thousand Hands

Samsara Blues Experiment - One With the Universe

Artist: Samsara Blues Experiment
Album: One With the Universe
Year: 2017
Rating: 86/100

Berlin's Samsara Blues Experiment occupy their very own niche within the stoner rock and psychedelic rock spectrum. They don't rely too heavily on a powerful vocal line to carry them through, instead preferring to let their musical dexterity take them wherever it is they wish to go. One With the Universe marks their tenth year as a band and their fourth studio album. What can we expect?

The usual fare of sparse but well placed vocals, guitars with fuzz and wah as the main pedals used (in much the same vein as their contemporaries Colour Haze), a taut, tight rhythm section that lets itself go wherever the music takes it, and occasionally anchors the band at whenever they need a new idea. Not only that, we get the odd swirly keyboards thrown in for good measure, which augment the SBE sound rather than hinder it. Not only that, while the music is more than sufficiently hypnotic to skirt the trap of it being boring, if SBE decide an idea needs something fresh and new doing with it, they change their course and off they go.

One With the Universe is an interesting and enjoyable listen. There's more than enough on here to keep the listener occupied, and it is fascinating to follow Samsara Blues Experiment on their trajectory, wherever it may take them.

Track listing

1. Vipassana
2. Sad Guru Returns
3. Glorious Daze
4. One With the Universe
5. Eastern Sun & Western Moon

Iron Reagan - Crossover Ministry

Artist: Iron Reagan
Album: Crossover Ministry
Year: 2017
Rating: 81/100

Don't tell the thrash metal purists this, but despite my respect for thrash's Big Four (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax) I will always have a soft spot for the crossover side of the genre. Splicing thrash metal and hardcore punk, and popularised by the likes of Suicidal Tendencies and D.R.I among others in the 1980s, Iron Reagan are one of its main modern exponents (vocalist Tony Foresta and guitarist Phil "LandPhil" Hall also play in fellow crossover thrashers Municipal Waste). Crossover Ministry is the quintet's third full length effort, and how does it stack up?

The answer: pretty damn well. Of the 18 tracks on offer here, only "Dead With My Friends" clocks in over the three minute mark, with its ethereal piano intro before it deviates back into the band's standard attack. Otherwise, the songs fly by while being long enough for Iron Reagan to get their point across. All the standard thrash metal elements are here; palm muted buzzsaw guitars, beer, the odd bit of politics and plenty of tongue in cheek humour.

Although Iron Reagan may not be doing anything original, Crossover Ministry is an enjoyable piece of work without doubt. It's catchy, fun, beer party crossover thrash metal. Put it on, crank up the volume and enjoy.

Track listing

1. A Dying World
2. You Never Learn
3. Grim Business
4. Dead With My Friends
5. No Sell
6. Condition Evolution
7. Fuck the Neighbors
8. Power of the Skull
9. Crossover Ministry
10. More War
11. Blatant Violence
12. Parents of Tomorrow
13. Bleed the Fifth
14. Megachurch
15. Shame Spiral
16. Dogsnotgods
17. Eat or be Eaten
18. Twist Your Fate

Slowdive - Slowdive

Artist: Slowdive
Album: Slowdive
Year: 2017
Rating: 93/100

Ladies and gentlemen, Slowdive are back. No, this is not a drill. After disbanding following 1995's Pygmalion, the Reading, UK, quintet got back together three years ago, primarily to play the festival circuit. Now, they have finally added a fourth album to their discography.

Let me just get one thing out of the way right off the bat: this album is exquisite. It has everything you would expect from a Slowdive album: wall of sound guitars, ethereal vocals from Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead and synthesizers so spaced out that it makes the listener feel a little like they're floating. This feeling is only enhanced when the listener wraps their ears around the album's lead off singles, "Sugar for the Pill" and "Star Roving".

We can only be left to imagine how prolific Slowdive might have been had they not split up when they did. While their self-titled album doesn't quite reach the dizzy heights of their 1993 release Souvlaki, it definitely comes close, and the influence of Slowdive on their modern shoegaze peers is undeniable. Slowdive is a superb addition to an already fantastic canon.

Track listing

1. Slomo
2. Star Roving
3. Don't Know Why
4. Sugar for the Pill
5. Everyone Knows
6. No Longer Making Time
7. Go Get It
8. Falling Ashes

Darkest Hour - Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora

Artist: Darkest Hour
Album: Godless Prophets & the Migrant Flora
Year: 2017
Rating: 77/100

With nine albums under their belt and 22 years together as a unit, Darkest Hour have comfortably established themselves as one of the leading lights of modern American metal, along with such contemporaries as Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and the Black Dahlia Murder. Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora is their ninth studio full-length, drawing on the customary blend of Scandinavian melodic death metal and aggressive old school hardcore, and is also their first release on Southern Lord.

Immediately as the album starts with the hard hitting "Knife in the Safe Room", we get the indication that Darkest Hour have safely returned to the sound that we expect from them; no frills, intelligent metal with coruscating riffs, John Henry's
screamed vocals and some seriously powerful drumming. Unlike its self-titled predecessor, Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora feels like an album Darkest Hour actually wanted to make; it comes as no surprise that the band had it crowdfunded and brought in Converge guitarist and producer extraordinaire Kurt Ballou to handle the reins. This as a result gives the album a feel of some of their previous works, not unlike the excellent Undoing Ruin or Deliver Us.

With Darkest Hour, you know what you're getting. Godless Prophets and the Migrant Flora is solid without being spectacular, but Kurt Ballou's production is crisp without being too polished or too muddy either way, and elevates the songs from above average to enjoyable. A good starting place if you're new to Darkest Hour's music.

Track listing

1. Knife in the Safe Room
2. This is the Truth
3. Timeless Numbers
4. None of This is the Truth
5. The Flesh & The Flowers of Death
6. Those Who Survived
7. Another Headless Ruler of the Used
8. Widowed
9. Enter Oblivion
10. The Last of the Monuments
11. In the Name of us All
12. Beneath It Sleeps

Code Orange - Forever

Artist: Code Orange
Album: Forever
Year: 2017
Rating: 75/100



The parallels with which you can draw Code Orange's almost meteoric rise in gaining recognition within metal and hardcore circles can be drawn almost with the likes of Oathbreaker and Kvelertak. Like both of them, Code Orange gained a strong cult following before Jacob Bannon snapped them up for his Deathwish Inc record label, before moving to Roadrunner and dropping their second full length, "Forever". So how does it stack up?


Well, for a start, the way in which the production shines through the music gives the entire thing a sinister, unpleasant undercurrent, which was Code Orange's trademark on their opening album. Tracks such as "Forever", "Kill the Creator" and "Real" hit harder than a pissed off Klitschko brother and give the listener the impression that they're being attacked by a maniac wielding a lump hammer. However, when Code Orange deviate from their usual path, unlike their contemporaries in Oathbreaker and Kvelertak, they don't always hit the target. "Bleeding in the Blur" and "Ugly" see them employ clean vocals, which would sound better if the production was less sinister, dark and over the top, while "Hurt Goes On" is absolutely horrid.


As a whole, "Forever" suffers somewhat from uninteresting songwriting, and is badly let down by its genre-splicing, which is ultimately a shame. When Code Orange stick to the hardcore and metal side of things, they do a fantastic job. The breakdowns are face-meltingly heavy and the production adds to that, even if it's slightly over the top. A listenable album on the whole, despite its inconsistencies.


Track list

1. Forever
2. Kill the Creator
3. Real
4. Bleeding in the Blur
5. The Mud
6. The New Reality
7. Spy 
8. Ugly
9. No One Is Untouchable
10. Hurt Goes On
11. dream2

Asphalt Horsemen - Brotherhood

Artist: Asphalt Horsemen
Album: Brotherhood
Year: 2017
Rating: 76/100

Asphalt Horsemen are a heavy blues quartet hailing from Hungary, in much the same sort of vein as their fellow countrymen Apey & The Pea. After their self-titled debut album, which garnered a small audience but was very well received, they now offer us a second helping with "Brotherhood". So what exactly does it offer us?

Well, the minute you hit play, it's evident that what you get with Asphalt Horsemen is exactly what you hear; gritty vocals, seemingly endless guitar grooves, cowbell, although it isn't overused like some bands doing the same thing tend to do, and the occasional bit of harmonica, although again, it isn't overdone. In terms of sound, think Alabama Thunderpussy meets Clutch, and you're pretty much there, especially with the overall sound on songs like opening track "Down in the Dirt" and "Wicked Woman". 

It's fair to say that Asphalt Horsemen aren't the most original band you'll ever hear. But that's not to say that what they do isn't enjoyable. There's plenty here to sustain the interest of blues purists and fans of the likes of Clutch and Alabama Thunderpussy alike.

Track list

1. Down in the Dirt
2. Thank You
3. Wicked Woman
4. Seize the Day
5. December
6. Dr. Tease
7. Mill of Grief
8. The Sacrifice
9. My Old Town
10. Brotherhood
11. Lies
12. Connected

GIG REVIEW: Insomnium, Mama Roux's, Birmingham

Headliner: Insomnium
Date: 16th January 2017
Venue: Mama Roux's, Digbeth, Birmingham
Support: Barren Earth
Rating: 8/10



Despite not getting to the venue quite early enough to catch opening band Wolfheart, when I do arrive Mama Roux's is practically full to capacity, just as Finnish-Faroese progressive death metallers Barren Earth take to the stage. The sextet hit the crowd with their enthusiastic, if not completely original or new, progressive death metal in the vein of the earlier days of Amorphis. While they undoubtedly took a while to get going, once they did, Barren Earth have some truly majestic songs in their output, and thankfully, the crowd seem to think so as well.


Insomnium follow them, ready from the word go, and without hesitation they launch straight into their 40 minute magnum opus "Winter's Gate", based on a short story written by the band's very own bass player and vocalist, Niilo Sevänen, pausing in between parts which gives the whole thing the feeling of a melodic death metal symphony in seven movements. That Insomnium got this to work on record is one thing; but that they also managed to successfully pull it off in a live setting as well is something else entirely, and simultaneously speaks volumes about the band's musical ability and talent. Once that finishes, the band take a short pause before returning to the stage and giving us effectively a second set, digging out some of their older material such as "While We Sleep" and "Mortal Share" for the longer term fans of the band, which are rapturously received. On the whole, strong supports and Insomnium at their scintillating best makes for a thoroughly enjoyable show.