Ithomiid’s ‘Earthbound’ is punishingly melodic hardcore with some clear cues from the metal and alt-rock worlds. They describe their approach as featuring, “introspective lyrics backed with a progressive hybrid of fast paced punk and heavy hard metal.” Continue reading Ithomiid’s ‘Earthbound’ Is Crunchy Hardcore with a Melodic, Personal Take
‘Fast Friends’ by Dad Hats is fast, sad indie rock fused with high-energy take on pop punk. “Dad Hats flirts with the nineties, makes out with indie rock and is married to catchy hooks,” they say, and set “themselves apart in the Nashville music scene with nonstop, high energy live shows.” Continue reading ‘Fast Friends’ by Dad Hats Is High-Strung Indie with an Emo-Pop Take
Kerbera’s ‘Home Is Where I Don’t Belong’ is an angsty, poppy take on nu metal out of Stockholm. The band describes itself as fusing, “an ambient sound with progressive undertones and catchy melodies. Kerbera is too hard for the soft and too soft for the hard, too dark for the bright and too bright for the dark,” they say. Continue reading Kerbera’s ‘Home Is Where I Don’t Belong’ Is Accessible, Groovy Swedish Pop Metal
The Bare Minimum’s ‘Safe Bet’ is short, intensely melodic punk rock with an irreverent, traditionalist take. This, they say, is “the first track from our upcoming EP Where the Buses Don’t Come,” which will be out on November 2nd. Continue reading The Bare Minimum’s ‘Safe Bet’ Is Brief, Buzzing Punk Rock with a Solid Video
The group is “primarily a family affair with brothers Peter and Andrew Gomez joining their cousin, Chris Reynolds and his friend Sean O’Hanlon to form a covers band for a friend’s memorial gig,” they say. “When Laurence Burden was recruited as vocalist they began writing original material.” They describe their sound as “like the dismantling of the war machine in front of a crowd ready to smash the system. It’s an angry howl, an impassioned plea to dance, shout and feel,” which they compare to Nirvana, The Pixies and At The Drive-In. Continue reading ‘Conflict Resolution’ by Bloody English Is Straightforward, Anxious London Punk
‘Make It Out Alone’ by Loser Points is sad, melodic pop punk with a skate-oriented, decidedly hardcore edge. On their upcoming full-length, Denial and Error, “short hardcore blasts are replaced with massive rock hooks, enormous pop harmonies, and unforgettable sing-along choruses.” Continue reading ‘Make It Out Alone’ by Loser Points Is Clean, On-Point Pop Punk with an Edge
BLXPLTN’s ‘No English’ is a strong, fuzzy middle ground between bluesy hard rock and vibrant, industrial punk. “Of all the punk rock bands who’ve turned their derision against the current authorities,” the group says, “none are more ferocious – or unsparing in their contempt – than BLXPLTN.” These guys fuse “examinations of race, class, gender, and sexuality with incendiary music that kicks hard at conventions … Continue reading BLXPLTN’s ‘No English’ Is Eclectic Punk with Industrial and Hard Rock Leanings
‘Empty Mirrors’ by Everyone Loves a Villain is slick metalcore with notable electro-pop influences. These guys say they are, “an aggressive and cinematic rock band comprised of known and respected members of the Pacific Northwest music scene.” The group is looking “to quickly move beyond its regional scene and make every bit of the impact it is capable of.” Unlike a lot of bands in … Continue reading ‘Empty Mirrors’ by Everyone Loves a Villain Is Slick Electronically-Oriented Metalcore
Third and Delaware’s ‘Roads In Antarctica’ is a glitzy, atmospheric take on modern metalcore. This crew make significant use of “heavy influences while incorporating other genres to bring a unique yet familiar sound to the scene.” Their new EP, Generations, is out now. This group definitely takes a lot from what already exists in the scene, but at the same time they deliver it with an … Continue reading Third and Delware’s ‘Roads in Antarctica’ Is Glitzy, Atmospheric Modern Metalcore
‘Dark Places’ by Statues is grimy, sad punk rock with a decidedly political bent. This “indie-rock outfit… from Umeå, Sweden has a dense stubbornness as their musical trademark,” they say. “At the same time there is an unobtrusive security and a sense of dynamics in the group’s tasteful association of tantrum noises and winding melodies.” This is definitely punk rock, but at the same time … Continue reading ‘Dark Places’ by Statues Is Grimy, Sad Swedish Punk Rock
