Reviews: Astronoid, My Diligence, Tishina, Remains Of Destruction (Reviews By Rich P, Richard Oliver, Rick Eaglestone & Finn O'Dell)

Astronoid - Radiant Bloom (Century Media) [Rich P]

If there is a more perfect title for the third full length from Astronoid I don’t know what it could be other than Radiant Bloom, because to me that accurately describes this stunning release from the Massachusetts four piece. This album glows as it is spinning. The band has been described as everything from Dream Thrash to Black Gaze to Prog/Post Metal. I am not sure I would go with any of those. I get the “gaze” part for sure, but to me it is almost like the band Mew (if you don’t know, listen to And The Glass Handed Kites) if they picked up the drummer from Behemoth. The angelic like vocals partnered with the shredding brings a unique experience that you pretty much only get with Astronoid.

The first track, Admin, is the perfect intro to Radiant Bloom. Opening with atmospheric synths kicking into just a beautiful soundscape, a perfect microcosm of what you get across the nine tracks on Radiant Bloom. But even with the beauty you still get this layer of heaviness that balances perfectly. The vocals may take some time to getting used to, especially of you prefer the guttural growls or tormented screams that usually accompany anything that has “black” or “thrash” in its description. This is the complete opposite spectrum, but it works perfectly. The track Eyes could be their rock radio hit. Catchy and heavy, I can also see how the emo kids would dig a track like this, even with the ripping solo, and I mean ripping. Sleep Whisper may be the brightest metal song I have ever heard. Sedative is anything but and is where I think the phrase “Dream Thrash” originated from and includes another ripper of a solo. 

I’ve Forgotten Your Face is another stunner, with that delicate beauty/heavy balance that I get some Smashing Pumpkins vibes from (the good stuff only). But make no mistake: these guys can shred with the best of them. Which is evident on Orchid, where if you replaced the vocals with a black metal screech you would think these guys were from Norway, which is where that balance of beauty and heavy evens the scales perfectly. Stunningly beautiful and heavy at the same time. What’s not to like about this excellent record. Astronoid has taken a step up, and I have a feeling even bigger things are on the horizon for them. Great stuff, check it out. 8/10 

My Diligence - The Matter, Form And Power (Mottow Soundz) [Richard Oliver]

The Matter, Form And Power is the new album from Belgian power-trio My Diligence. A band who in their own words have come to transcend rock in their native Belgium and had great success with their 2019 album Sun Rose helping raise the band higher. The Matter, Form And Power is the fourth album from the band and whilst my first exposure to the band it is a very impressive one as well. The band cite bands such as Torche, Helmet and Elder as influences and this is clear with the dense yet bright sound on The Matter, Form And Power. 

There is a nice range across the seven songs which make up the album from dense and crushing riff machines such as the title track and Multiversal Tree, doom-laden songs such as Celestial Kingdom and more upbeat but no less intense songs such as On The Wire and Embers. The mix of crushing heaviness and bright melodies that makes such a winning formula on the album with influences from doom metal, sludge metal, stoner rock, hard rock and heavy psych all melding together in stunning form. The album has an absolutely massive sound due to the fantastic production by Francis Caste and mix by Raphael Bovey making these massive riffs and huge melodies sound positively colossal as well as highlighting the power of the mighty rhythm section. 

My Diligence certainly put the power in power-trio as judged by the sonic power of this album. The Matter, Form And Power is a fantastic balancing act of shifting mood, massive melodies and face-breaking heaviness. It is an album as dense and it is light and is certainly an album that deserves to get My Diligence further recognition. If you are a fan of bands such as Torche and Kylesa then this is a must hear album. 9/10

Tishina – Uvod… (Hypnotic Dirge Records) [Rick Eaglestone]

Right now, it is staying light until quite late but fortunately the past few days the weather has been bleak and miserable so it’s a perfect time to listen to a nice amount of death doom, up step Serbia’s Tishina unveiling something initially intended as a side project now present debut album Uvod… Immediately were in for an eight-minute ride with Iz Mrtvog Ugla – slow, purposely melancholic in tone make for a great start to a release that I’m already connecting with emotionally so when the opening riffs to Dve Crne Ruze start I’m left slightly puzzled with such a shift and although Tishina pull it back midway through, I do then question the necessity of the short (48 seconds) instrumental Uteha. 

Fortunately, the next fifteen minutes are the redeeming quality of Uvod with both Jutro Poslednjeg Dana and Zauvek providing the heart of the album with the latter even being slight reminiscent of My Dying Bride’s The Cry Of Mankind minus the violins. Now if the album had ended there, I would’ve been more than fine with it but unfortunately the final track Tishina is another short instrumental piece that I just couldn’t connect with which is a shame as for a debut it’s themes, inspiration and imagery are wonderful, but I just couldn’t shake the negativity with the inclusion of some of the tracks. It is something in time that I might connect with further down the road, just not at this time. A nice inclusion into the death-doom circle. 6/10

Remains Of Destruction - New Dawn (Inverse Records) [Finn O'Dell]

This new slab of Finnish power metal officially released May 28,22, though in all fairness more than half of it had been previously released as singles over the past 2 years. I know this has become a trend, especially in the independent music community, but it still leaves me feeling like this is more of an EP with the previous singles on it as bonus tracks. That personal caveat aside, this is a fairly impressive entry. Let’s start with what I like about the album. Production is perfect: clean and clear representation of the instruments, great volume and well mixed. The album artwork is very impressive and aggressive. The band stays relevant with their lyrics, thematically dealing with modern day struggles (whereas some power metal can tend to be more fantasy/sci-fi based). 

Now for the brass tacks. My overall impression of the album is that it is forgettable. There are not enough hooks and/or catchy choruses that you are going to have banging around in your head after the fact. When I heard the first track, Blood Moon, I was initially taken a bit back by Jesse Yrjola’s vocals, as he seems comfortable in a lower vocal register than some other power metal vocalists (think more Bling Guardian than Primal Fear or Helloween). I do enjoy some higher and layered vocals, especially on choruses. When I got to the fourth track, Mastermind, I was not impressed with the brief harsh vocals that were introduced ever so briefly mis-song. 

In truth, nothing really “stuck” with me until track 7, Northern Stars. This is power metal: progressive tempo, keys, strong and passionate vocal delivery and a chorus that supplies that soaring feeling. The next track, Silvery Fields, is actually the oldest song (2020) that appears here and it has that same rising feeling to it. In the end, worth a listen, but not sure I’m coming back for more. 6/10