Reviews: The Dust Coda, Torchbearer, Sigh, Stillbeing (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

The Dust Coda – Loco Paradise (Earache Records)

Three albums deep and The Dust Coda are a force to be rockend with (geddit?). Their previous two albums have done a lot to establish them as ones to watch on the UK scene, their most recent effort Mojo Skyline, saw the band evolving into an act they threatened to be on their debut. 

Louder, ballsier and brasher, it was a rugged rock record where John Drake (vocals/guitar), Adam Mackie (lead guitar), Scott Miller (drums) and Tony Ho (bass) became one of THE names in the NWOCR. Many publications praised them for their blues rock realness and Sunset Strip flair, ours included so I was excited to hear The Dust Coda 2023 would sound like. 

Since the second album the London rockers have toured across the world winning new audiences and fans with their great live presence and catalogue of songs. This experience of the world has been channeled into Loco Paradise which the band claim is their most experimental, experienced record to date. Using everything that makes them great but going 'loco' with braver compositions and less restraint as to what 'rock' is. Recorded in just a week with all the band and production crew living together in the Chapel Studios, the songs evolved naturally in front of them, becoming the 54 minute rock record it is today. 

I can hear elements of Led Zeppelin or Rival Sons on the psychadelic slow burn of Come The Night, meanwhile The Streets meanwhile is a some acoustic bluesing from the playbook of Paul Rogers or Zep III. In this middle part of the album they slow down but the soulful vocals of John Drake are staged brilliantly.The power is ramped up by the swaggering Rock N Roll Paradise. There's plenty of rock moments on Loco Paradise the lead single Road To Hell, the guitar fireworks of Adam Mackie lighting up his fretboard. 

On the last track It Won't Be Long, he has some more restrained fluid soloing. The Dust Coda display their progressive side on Free All The Dancers where it goes to the Traffic, Tony Ho's basslines and Scott Miller's expressive drums powering On Fire, a bit of Americana with some more prog which is a future live staple for sure. 

Loco Paradise is the culmination of where The Dust Coda have come from, the previous albums and plenty of touring has sculpted them, into the slick rock n roll machine they are on this third album. With a tour coming up later this year they look set to show these songs where they are meant to be heard, but until then indulge in wonderfully eclectic hard rock. 9/10

Torchbearer – Warrior (Self Released)

Seeing as they are the band that succeeded in getting to Bloodstock in 2023’s Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales initiative. I thought it was probably the right time to review the new EP from Torchbearer. 

Playing a vicious style of modern metal that incorporates metalcore, punk and groove metal, they have been refining their live show for years now and steadily releasing EP’s and one previous full length. Their triumph at M2TM comes just two weeks after this EP was released so you can hear why they managed to overcome a VERY tough selection of South Wales finest. As the shreddy/soloing intro Sirens leads in to the thrashing Burn It Down, the might of Torchbearer is obvious, the snarling vocals from Andy Mansell are aggressive and fierce, the more melodic voice coming from Ollie Gould who shreds up a storm, lead solos prevalent in a style where they are not always as utilised. The vocal union between the two means more depth, Andy’s roar though is mighty, a visceral throat shredding that barks on The Warrior Spirit where, the speed is increased, Solomon Radley's drumming all over the kit like a possessed octopus. 

Double kicks come even on the Catahrsis In Karma, a track with more than hint of Killswitch Engage to it, you can feel the thick basslines of Mo Bashir, his open chord thump also present on the grooving of North Star. 21 minutes of fury from this South Wales metal mob, born from their influences but throwing them all together with experience, Warrior closes with the hardcore battery of Vindication and Reclaim The Throne, leaving you spent but wanting more. They play a clutch of gigs this month all over the country before storming the New Blood Stage at BOA in August. Get down the front! 8/10

Sigh - Live: The Eastern Forces Of Evil 2022 (Peaceville Records)

Referencing their 1997 album The Eastern Force Of Evil, Live: The Eastern Forces Of Evil 2022 is exactly what it says on the tin a live show from 2022 where Japanese extreme metal veterans display what they have been bringing to the live stage for 30 years and on the back of their most recent release Shiki, this record brings song from that album to life as well as old favourites, from their extensive history of albums. 

As the opening strains of Touji No Asa disperse the shredding guitars of Nozomu Wakai and blastbeats of Takeo Shimoda, creating the maelstrom of extreme metal. This is led by the bass fury and squawks of Mirai Kawashima, the band and the sound rounded out by additional vocals and sax of Dr. Mikannibal. The production of this live record is raw, the lack of polish I suppose more authentic. Purgatorium is the first track that brings the neo-classical influences and blistering speed, The Transfiguration Fear keeping it going as Shimoda adds some interesting percussion breaks. It’s a real mix of pace and tone, but it encapsulates what 30 years of Sigh is about. 

Veterans of the Japanese scene they may be but I’m not sold on the vocals and the lack of crowd noise is a little off putting as it makes it sound like they are talking to no one. Fans of the band will want this live release but I’ll say to perhaps start with their albums first. 6/10

Stillbeing - World Builder (Self Released)

If Fear Factory jammed Laibach tracks with Devin Townsend and Eric Serra, the result would be something similar to Stillbeing. Ambient waves of atmosphere counterpointed by heavy industrial doom riffs, the vocals used sparingly, guest vocalists including Jei Doublerice (Despite Exile), Mingyu Shi, Sebastian Bracht and some spoken word from Chelsea Murphy (Dawn of Ouroboros, Cailleach Calling), the music is the focus here. 

Vangelis meets metal, drawing inspiration from post metal scene means that World Builder is a very complex listen despite only being four songs in length. I say I length though as they are not for those with short attention spans, cinematic and intense tracks such as Builder Of Worlds and See It To The End both over 10 minutes long, with various shifts in tone and pace. Instrumentals languish with down tuned riffs, electronics the repeating motions of the 'gaze' bands, utilising quiet and silence as mucb as it does heavy and loud. 

There's been a lot of time and talent put into this debut release, the run time is mammoth but the music captivates more often than it becomes repetitive. What Stillbeing becomes from this debut is anyone's guess as there's such a diverse style here. 7/10