Again it seems to be mathcore that still provides the out there sounds. Atlanta six piece are the sound of Brendan Urie of Panic At The Disco, down tuning the guitars and completely losing his fucking mind! Throwing as much music at the listener as possible on one song as possible. Comprised of the unhinged vocals of Carson Pace, the abrasive, frankly abusive guitars of Maddie Caffrey and Adam Collins, the jazzy basslines of Jack Buckalew, the frenetic, frenzied drumming of Sam Williamson and lastly the stabbing, dramatic violin of Amber Christman, Celebrity Therapist has been anticipated for a while now and Callous Daoboys meet that anticipation with music that will make your head spin. As song like the post-hardcore meets insanity Beautiful Dude Missile alone will make you want a sit down after if finishes but then when you realise that it's followed by Title Track, a song with a swelling cinematic opening and a emotive main body, makes you realise that one of the words used in the PR makes perfect sense.
Callous Daoboys are sadistic with their music, trying to violently make you reconsider what music can be. I could make reference to bands such as Between The Buried And Me Or The Dillinger Escape Plan, but I'd also have to say At The Drive-In/The Mars Volta or any Mike Patton project as well as Panic At The Disco who I mentioned earlier. Frontman Carson Pace says this album is their most emotional so far and the unrestrained nature of it means it feels less like the band are crying or whining but instead are about to kick off the mother of all brawls, but before things really get nasty they warn the others by ripping something apart with their teeth like George 'The Animal' Steele (old school wrestling reference for you there). Breakneck shifts in tone, pace and style, some may not be able to cope but anyone that can will be rewarded by a band that may be initially intimidating but are delivering introspection and love, albeit with all the care of a brake-less railway carriage. Fabulously mad! 9/10
Until I Wake - Inside My Head (Fearless Records)
Buffalo quartet Until I Wake are comprised of vocalist Cody Johnson, bassist Ryan Ridley, guitarist August Geitner, and drummer Alex Curtin wear their influences on their sleeve, paying homage to the djent/progressive metalcore stars such as Architects and Northlane as well bands such as Linkin Park, Underoath and Bring Me The Horizon, it's the heavier more emotional end that is favoured here though. Heavy, palm muted riffs, flittering electronics and growled/clean vocals were all established on their 2021 EP but Inside My Head, refines things to an almost mechanical degree though the humanity of their music is never totally lost behind the crunching djent grooves.
Oceans Ate Alaska - Disparity (Fearless Records)
On their third album, Disparity, Birmingham progressive metalcore mob really nail their contradictory, dissonant, multilayered sound to the mast. Following the rave reviews of their previous two albums, Disparity beats you around the head with tracks such as Metamorph and Shallow Graves giving you what a schizophrenic musical whirlwind of noise and aggression.
On their third album, Disparity, Birmingham progressive metalcore mob really nail their contradictory, dissonant, multilayered sound to the mast. Following the rave reviews of their previous two albums, Disparity beats you around the head with tracks such as Metamorph and Shallow Graves giving you what a schizophrenic musical whirlwind of noise and aggression.
They spend a year constructing this record, drawing influence from a diverse range of acts. Focusing in on the oppression of modern society with tracks such as Nova a barrelling indictment but as with all OAA songs designed to lift you up, even with the bruising New Dawn there's a vein of hope, the flashes of wizardry and shout along choruses conducted by James Harrison's squawks and screams. The overarching theme here is that one person can make a difference though with the walls of noise they create you may just want to run around and throw your fist in the air.
Janky, stabbing guitars from Adam Zytkiewicz and James "Jibs" Kennedy are paired with rolling grooves from bassist Mike Stanton, that so often end in big breakdowns while Chris Turner is the pacemaker for these frequent shifts. It's definitely a record you need to listen to more than one to get your head round but Disparity is an album that thrives on keeping you guessing. 7/10
Until I Wake - Inside My Head (Fearless Records)
Buffalo quartet Until I Wake are comprised of vocalist Cody Johnson, bassist Ryan Ridley, guitarist August Geitner, and drummer Alex Curtin wear their influences on their sleeve, paying homage to the djent/progressive metalcore stars such as Architects and Northlane as well bands such as Linkin Park, Underoath and Bring Me The Horizon, it's the heavier more emotional end that is favoured here though. Heavy, palm muted riffs, flittering electronics and growled/clean vocals were all established on their 2021 EP but Inside My Head, refines things to an almost mechanical degree though the humanity of their music is never totally lost behind the crunching djent grooves.
From the Buffalo scene that spawned bands such as Every Time I Die and Malevolent Creation, Until I Wake resolutely stick to their metalcore roots, the sort that will have you slam dancing as well as trying to figure out what gauge string they're using or what pedal effect is most prominent. Until I Wake join the myriad of bands trying to use the electronic sound much more, they still have plenty of riff yes but the electronics are ever shifting with nu-metal Reasons really relying on them. Inside My Head is metalcore 101 but delivered with panache.
There are a few tricks in the production, the electronics and the effects that broaden the scope on Forsaken but Until I Die skillfully mix both riffs and synths with tracks such as Octane. Inside My Head will find an audience for sure though for me they sound a bit too like many others in the genre. 6/10
thoughtcrimes - Altered Pasts (Pure Noise Records)
Altered Pasts is 34 minutes of biting, aggressive metal/mathcore, that is dappled with blipping synths, repeating electronic drumbeats and riffs that sound as if they shouldn't fit but most definitely do. Panopticon and Mirror Glue with have you getting into pits that are in the shape of a rhombus they are that obtuse. Nothing on this record is safe or predictable, one minute apocalyptic hardcore, the next throbbing groove metal linked by some breakbeat. You've got to be prepared for anything but mostly you'll have to take a nihilistic world view as thoughtcrimes have written this album about the world we live in. A cathartic release of pent up frustration with the semi-dystopian world we are a part of.
thoughtcrimes - Altered Pasts (Pure Noise Records)
Altered Pasts is 34 minutes of biting, aggressive metal/mathcore, that is dappled with blipping synths, repeating electronic drumbeats and riffs that sound as if they shouldn't fit but most definitely do. Panopticon and Mirror Glue with have you getting into pits that are in the shape of a rhombus they are that obtuse. Nothing on this record is safe or predictable, one minute apocalyptic hardcore, the next throbbing groove metal linked by some breakbeat. You've got to be prepared for anything but mostly you'll have to take a nihilistic world view as thoughtcrimes have written this album about the world we live in. A cathartic release of pent up frustration with the semi-dystopian world we are a part of.
The angular violence of Keyhole Romance aims at ripping your face off while New Infinities is like a doom metal Deftones. The electronics often are used to link tracks together and release the pressure on the rage as the title track builds into the bare hardcore of Dare I Say. The fluid nature of the album means that it feels like a journey the short interludes building atmosphere for the blasts of ferocity to dissipate. Fans of Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge would be wise to check out Altered Pasts as it's one of the most schizophrenic and volatile albums of the year, The Drowning Man especially is a headfuck and a half, a perfect way to describe this album . 8/10
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