One trend I have been pleased to see envelop rock in 2018, is the tendency to mesh post-hardcore, with shades of progressive or complex metal, and even dashes of funk. Pioneered by acts in the vein of Circa Survive and The Fall Of Troy, the genre has become popularized by the likes of Dance Gavin Dance and Protest The Hero. Even though some bands in this trend have succeeded in cutting out their own sphere of influence more effectively than others, I can safely say that Empire has captured some of the best aspects of the genre on their debut. Glue is insanely technical and precise, yet still proves incredibly anthemic and memorable, making its fairly concise length hit hard!
A sliding guitar opens Colour Of Shame as if leading to something huge. Sure enough, we get the first taste of this bands enthusiastically melodic principle, with a potent riff, building to a toweringly dramatic middle section which then throws us into the striking chorus, which demonstrates Joe Greens excellent singing ability. Glue brings some of that funky, attitude-laden strut, but not content with staying the same for long, it dices into a stint of reminiscent balladry in the middle and then into another colossal finish. On yet another note Miss Fortune changes from euphoric to withheld in mood, giving the opportunity for some epic instrumental dueling in the process. Again using unpredictability to its advantage, Rewrite shrouds the listener in layers of darkness, while Time Ain't No Healer feels narrative in its many fascinating musical transformations, and Teeth/Tether closes the album out on exactly the kind of gargantuan nature I expected. To use a cliché frequently used to describe the medium of film rather than albums, this debut left me on the edge of my seat, constantly awaiting the next twist or turn.
From start to finish, everything feels unique and different. And yes, while you can pick out the musical movement Empire are a part of, it’s is one that they have committed their heart and soul to, already allowing them to stand alongside some of the best acts within the same scene. That’s before I even begin to remark on the musical proficiency, which at times leads you to believe you are listening to synthesizers, rather than guitars and bass, such is the seamlessness of the playing and the strong discipline towards harmony. Combined with the luscious vocal tones and lavish hooks, just one listen to this album will leave its presence and charm lodged in your memory, stuck as if by Glue. 9/10
Boston Manor: Welcome To The Neighbourhood (Pure Noise Records)
Boston Manor broke onto the alternative rock scene in 2016, with their debut, Be Nothing: a collection of fast-paced and emotionally charged power pop. While it garnered decent reviews, it was difficult to see how the follow up would be anything other than more of the same. Surprisingly, however, the Blackpool quartet have devised a work which commits to a darker sound, while being lyrically mature. Amongst wailing guitars, Flower In Your Dustbin opens the stern themes of the album, subverting traditionally positive clichés in lines like ‘’I threw up blood in the fountain of youth, I don’t have a place and I don’t have a home, I take my meds, I live through my phone’. Halo combines synths and reverb on the instrumentation, creating a surreal atmosphere to compliment the equally dour theme of addiction.
From there, England’s Dreaming opens with the passage of ‘’Bury Me’’ before plunging us into a tortured anthem, deluged in political strife. Tunnel Vision again uses the repeated motif, of contrasting subtle ambiance with noise and sonic chaos, while Bad Machine and Hate You both excellently use tension, distortion and addictive melodious to stress the paranoia and manipulation which comes with abusive relationships, be that with a person or something artificial. The Day That I Ruined Your Life closes the album, starting as a quiet acoustic number, before an unexpected wave of noise swallows the discreteness, and then pattering out in the final few seconds.
Although lines like ‘’I told you things would be okay, Why’d you have to make me lie’’ remain vague as to whose perspective they are sung from and who or what they are directed to them, the first-person nature of much of the storytelling on this album ties the thirteen songs together in an almost conceptual way, as do the subtle reprisals and interludes, laced carefully into the music. While there is certainly a large criticism I can make, in that some of the hooks appear a little too underwritten and repetitive, Welcome To The Neighbourhood undoubtedly shows potential, provoking a keen interest in how these ideas are furthered on future albums. 7/10
Mia Klose: Stronger (Self Released)
Stronger has the attitude of hard rock with the melody and allure of traditional pop. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all though. For the most part, the combination works perfectly. The opening song, Not The One, dons an empowered personality, the guitars proving determined and driving, a lot like Klose’s lyricism. Living In A Fantasy has all the upbeat nature of a glam rock, if again the wordplay and poppy tone didn't have a certain amount of irony to them, mocking lavish glorifications yet ruining nobody's fun, a feat also achieved by the swaggering Gimmie Gimmie, and the charmingly heavy and attitude ridden Living For Love.
Mia Klose: Stronger (Self Released)
Stronger has the attitude of hard rock with the melody and allure of traditional pop. I don’t mean that in a bad way at all though. For the most part, the combination works perfectly. The opening song, Not The One, dons an empowered personality, the guitars proving determined and driving, a lot like Klose’s lyricism. Living In A Fantasy has all the upbeat nature of a glam rock, if again the wordplay and poppy tone didn't have a certain amount of irony to them, mocking lavish glorifications yet ruining nobody's fun, a feat also achieved by the swaggering Gimmie Gimmie, and the charmingly heavy and attitude ridden Living For Love.
One caveat I will warn against when deciding to listen to Stronger is that you may need to stock up on sugary sweets to give yourself a bit of the sweet tooth that is required to listen to this album start to finish. Save for the harder moments where the instrumentation is lent a little more sternness, almost everything here is incredibly polished - a feature which stands out extra prominently on ballads, Winning This Game and One More Night, which may slip a little further into mainstream territory than some might prefer. Again, Mia Klose shows promise here, yet it is the gruff, vivacious and frenetic moments, in which she shows her potential. 6/10
Lord Of The Lost: Thornstar (Napalm Records)
Fusing elements of Goth, industrial, and progressive metal into their sound, and realizing six albums since 2010, you can at the very least bow to Lord Of The Lost for being ambitious. In tribute to the weird and strange personas, they adopt onstage, they have cited influences from Rammstein to Marilyn Manson to Lady GaGa. Thornstar continues the tradition by being a concept album, chronicling the history and doom of an ancient civilization known as the Pangaeians. A feat which deserves admiration yet one which has a mixed outcome musically.
Lord Of The Lost: Thornstar (Napalm Records)
Fusing elements of Goth, industrial, and progressive metal into their sound, and realizing six albums since 2010, you can at the very least bow to Lord Of The Lost for being ambitious. In tribute to the weird and strange personas, they adopt onstage, they have cited influences from Rammstein to Marilyn Manson to Lady GaGa. Thornstar continues the tradition by being a concept album, chronicling the history and doom of an ancient civilization known as the Pangaeians. A feat which deserves admiration yet one which has a mixed outcome musically.
"On this Rock, I will build my Church!" cries Chris ‘The Lord’ Harms setting up the spiritual themes of the concept, before slow, thudding guitar lines and dominant synths. These may seem an odd addition considering the primitive or medieval themes. Nevertheless, the opener provides the dramatic textures required in an album that’s ambitious in scope. Black Halo also achieves this, proving one of the best songs on the album, the swelling and changeable nature of the song making it one of the best moments. Morgana and Haythor are another two songs which listened to in isolation take the listener on a journey which is emotional while fulfilling a narrative.
Is that not exactly the problem with so many albums this aspiring in nature, however? In a musical ailment I have begun to refer to as Astonishing syndrome – owing its name to the dream theatre album, and not the complimentary adjective – while this album is by no means bad, it is certainly overblown and lacking the excitement or variety to keep me hooked. Of course, we can and should respect the effort, but there arises a problem when an album places its commitment to theatricalism high above diversity.
Is that not exactly the problem with so many albums this aspiring in nature, however? In a musical ailment I have begun to refer to as Astonishing syndrome – owing its name to the dream theatre album, and not the complimentary adjective – while this album is by no means bad, it is certainly overblown and lacking the excitement or variety to keep me hooked. Of course, we can and should respect the effort, but there arises a problem when an album places its commitment to theatricalism high above diversity.
Growling guitars and authoritative vocals, combined with forceful synths and drumming is not a sound which warrants distaste at all, yet it is one which grows obnoxious and monotonous. Where songs like Lorely, Cut Me Out or In Darkness and In Light, attempt to adopt a somber tone, they feel ponderous and spoiled by the refusal to diverge from the same instrumentals or types of playing. I would have loved to see Lord Of The Lost develop the genuinely good idea they bring to Thornstar – and they do exist – by bringing in diverse sounds, and playing up the symphonic, classical and traditional influences, which while present at points, are never really given any chance to impress. 4/10
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