The Floridian quintet, Rain City Drive are back again creating storms with Things Are Different Now, following their previous self-titled release Rain City Drive in 2022. Matt (vocals), Felipe (guitar), Weston (guitar), Colin (bass) and Zack (drummer) explore vulnerable themes we can relate to alongside their signature post hardcore rock riffs with pop elements. The replay value of Things Are Different Now is clear from the first listen where some tracks hook you from the get-go whereas others are slow bloomers grasping you with new appreciations upon further listening.
Rain City Drive have slowly been releasing a few tracks off the album months ahead of the official release, driving up the hype and highlighting what a powerhouse this album is. Medicate Me (ft Rory Rodriguez from Dayseeker) personally holds a special place for me because it was the first song of theirs that I stumbled upon. It grasped me from the first listen with its synth vibrating through the powerful chorus and experimental sound. Vocally, Matt and Rory flow together flawlessly whilst lyrically describing the effects of toxic relationship feeling like chasing a high “Coming off your chemical… come and save me. Medicate me.”
Over Me is another pre-released track which feels quite raw and nostalgic. Lyrically it expresses an ex-partner that has moved on “I thought that you’d grow with me, now you’re over me.” Matts vocal run at the bridge gives me goose bumps and makes me hit the repeat button. Frozen, certainly does get “…frozen, stuck in my mind…” Throughout the track it shifts from powerful guitar to stripping back to the drumbeat, vocals and synth backing elevating when the chorus kicks in. After the second chorus the vocal belter of “Oh” feels quite ethereal and later the repeating “motions” again gives me goose bumps, Matt vocals are elevated in this track.
Concrete Closure has been on repeat constantly, it is insanely captivating and caught my attention instantly cementing it in my brain. The drum beat with accompanying guitar in the intro gets my foot tapping and blood pumping. Matt vocally expresses someone who isn’t letting go when things are over and holding on keeping the connection alive “You say you’re looking for some concrete closure but you’re the one who keeps the door wide open…” The bridge ebbs and flows bringing you on the tidal journey. Vocal Oh’s at the end of the song set you right up to play the song again.
Now that I have got your attention with some journalistic spiky negativity, perhaps you would like to keep reading, because the cover says absolutely bugger all about the content. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that Road To Nowhere is actually is the first thing in a few months that actually has a chance of going on my own top ten for 2024, and one of the best debut’s I have heard in some considerable time.
From the opening bars of lead single Drag Me To Hell, this bunch of youngsters from God’s Own County of Sheffield grab you somewhere sensitive and shake you until they have your attention, which from the beefiness of the riffage therein really doesn’t take long. For a four piece they pack one hell of a punch, fusing more melodic Hard Rock sentiment with a vein of subtle brutality that you might expect from the Modern Metal end of the spectrum. In Ruins turns this up to eleven, and ripples with anger and aggression with touches of groove that are incredibly catchy.
The album does not stay still though. Nearly every track takes a slightly different tone or direction, taking the listener through an incredibly broad range of songs through the forty minutes of run time. When they go full ballad (Tomorrow’s Another Day) it retains the undercurrent of tension - like that dodgy mate crying on your shoulder in the pub who might just flip and take you out with a broken pint glass with the other hand. Mix that up with some punky bouncy numbers, such as Adrenaline, which throws the listener completely with a pre-instrumental bridge that sounds positively progressive before switching again to an arena-rock singalong-a-chorus, and you can’t really go wrong.
The highlight for me was the heart-wrenching If You Could See Me Now, dealing with the sensitive subject of the loss of a supportive loved one, which over a decade after the loss of one of my own parents triggered emotions that I’d blocked away. And that’s the real point of this album for me. Plenty of bands can write by-the-numbers hook-laden tracks (and these boys are clearly very experienced players, despite their youth), but having that deep, barbed emotional hook ain’t so easy. To manage it for the whole album, well bugger me, that’s something special.
Don’t judge an album by its cover would seem to be admirable advice in this instance, because this one is an absolute belter. 10/10
Eihwar - Viking War Trance (Season Of Mist) [James Jackson]
There are acts that use Folk as a supporting theme for their work whilst maintaining a more traditional Metal approach, it’s like seasoning a piece, the final touches to a work of art but there’s a fine line for me that defines whether something is more Folk than Metal, which is the same for many other styles that crossover.
Concrete Closure has been on repeat constantly, it is insanely captivating and caught my attention instantly cementing it in my brain. The drum beat with accompanying guitar in the intro gets my foot tapping and blood pumping. Matt vocally expresses someone who isn’t letting go when things are over and holding on keeping the connection alive “You say you’re looking for some concrete closure but you’re the one who keeps the door wide open…” The bridge ebbs and flows bringing you on the tidal journey. Vocal Oh’s at the end of the song set you right up to play the song again.
Neverbloom gives an ethereal vibe throughout emphasised by the vocal echoes in the intro “bloom” and reverb on the drums later followed by the sound of chains being dragged before “Now I’m faded to black, knife in the back.” Overall, this one feels emotionally charged as shown during the bridge echoes of “I hope I made you proud even though you never see my flowers bloom.”
Wish You The Best jumps straight in with a stripped back chorus and guitar riff then hits with the thudding drum beat in the intro alongside Matt's melodic vocals. The captivating chorus “I only wish you the best even though you’re the worst and when I’m feeling depressed, I miss the way that it hurts.” The song ends the way it started, with the guitar and vocals again making you want to replay it.
Did Rain City Drive release the catchiest songs first? Well…
Lose My Composure is the first song on the album combining the sound we love Rain City Drive for and sets up the tone of the album. Kicking the lyrics off with “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I got a third degree burn from the devil on my shoulder.”
“Praying like you’re waiting on some miracle in the making” poetically grasping from the first line. Initially, Aware, wasn’t a song that captivated me albeit, from the second time onwards it really grew on me and is one of my favourites off the album. I feel it embraced a more experimental and slightly heavier tone, especially with the drums after the second chorus and the way Matt sings “Don’t pretend to be aware and don’t you dance around and act like you want me now”. There’s a lot of repeating lyrics in this track “Let it bleed, let it bleed…” and “Green eyes…” addictively replaying in my head.
Disarm The Hourglass raises the energy and embraces aspects of dubstep with its upbeat rhythm, creating a feeling of excitement “Disarm disarm the hourglass.” The addition of the keyboard in the chorus adds another pulsating flavour. The experimental “Hourlgass” distortion builds up in the bridge and ends on a funky shattered glass effect.
Wish You The Best jumps straight in with a stripped back chorus and guitar riff then hits with the thudding drum beat in the intro alongside Matt's melodic vocals. The captivating chorus “I only wish you the best even though you’re the worst and when I’m feeling depressed, I miss the way that it hurts.” The song ends the way it started, with the guitar and vocals again making you want to replay it.
Did Rain City Drive release the catchiest songs first? Well…
Lose My Composure is the first song on the album combining the sound we love Rain City Drive for and sets up the tone of the album. Kicking the lyrics off with “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I got a third degree burn from the devil on my shoulder.”
“Praying like you’re waiting on some miracle in the making” poetically grasping from the first line. Initially, Aware, wasn’t a song that captivated me albeit, from the second time onwards it really grew on me and is one of my favourites off the album. I feel it embraced a more experimental and slightly heavier tone, especially with the drums after the second chorus and the way Matt sings “Don’t pretend to be aware and don’t you dance around and act like you want me now”. There’s a lot of repeating lyrics in this track “Let it bleed, let it bleed…” and “Green eyes…” addictively replaying in my head.
Disarm The Hourglass raises the energy and embraces aspects of dubstep with its upbeat rhythm, creating a feeling of excitement “Disarm disarm the hourglass.” The addition of the keyboard in the chorus adds another pulsating flavour. The experimental “Hourlgass” distortion builds up in the bridge and ends on a funky shattered glass effect.
The penultimate track, Elusive Dream feels softer whilst keeping to their signature sound. Although it isn’t as high energy, this track amplifies its lyrics expressing “Don’t want to fight fair. Stuck in a nightmare” and “Pray for guidance, suffer in silence.” Lastly, Sacrifice, shifts slightly from the usual Rain City Drive tone. It starts with the piano providing a slow but powerful build up, the drums coming in really gets the heart pumping. The lyrics are being belted “Would he sacrifice” providing a standout for the last song on the album. This feels like it belongs in an epic movie with its heavy instrumentals and storytelling lyrics. It would be amazing to see live.
Rain City Drive have provided a dynamic and lyrically intense album whilst keeping to their signature sound and embedding experimental melodies, expanding their range, and demonstrating growth. It comes as no surprise that Things Are Different Now is incredibly catchy and many of the songs are title tracks. Things Are Different Now will make you lose your composure and be frozen, stuck in your mind. 9/10
Unto Others – Never, Neverland (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]
As we rapidly descend towards spooky season, put down the pumpkin spice and crank up the goth metal anthems of Portland, Oregon’s Unto Others, are now trying to be completely separated from their previous name Idle Hands, this one issue driving frontman Gabriel Franco to near burnout. Never, Neverland is their third album and sees them reconvene after the pandemic and personal issues, with the same verve for creating songs that combine post-punk, goth rock and metal, With the Misfits-meets-Suicidal Tendencies crossover shredding of Momma Likes The Door Closed, the H.I.M-like “love metal” of Suicide Today, Unto Others show no fear in weaving new strands into the established influences such as the Sisters Of Mercy on the pumping Butterfly.
They fill an odd niche, having toured with trad metal bands such as Haunt and Eternal Champion in the USA, their previous albums were tightly curated to fit into those scenes but with Never, Neverland, Franco approached the album much looser guitarist Sebastian Silva, bassist Brandon Hill and drummer Colin Vranizan all getting creative input alongside British producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), the result being some ballads such as Angel Of The Night or Sunshine, the heaviness of those two previous albums still there but there’s more indie, goth and classic rock touches too.
Evolving into a more melodic group that brings the quirks of The Cure on When The Kids Get Caught and the thrust of Joy Division/New Order on Fame, it's a track such as Cold World that really shifts Unto others into parts unknown, with a slinky 80's sound the vocals of Gabe now bolstered by the backing voices of Brandon. Unto Others create their own space within multiple genres, hard to pigeonhole, difficult to ignore, return to Never, Neverland with Unto Other’s and their deliciously dark third album. 9/10
Steal The City - Road To Nowhere (Self Released) [Simon Black]
OK, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. This album has a truly misguided piece of cover art adorning it, which surely deserves at least an honourable mention in the annual ‘Worst Rock / Metal Album Cover of the Year’ competitions that surface on social media as new releases run dry towards the fag end of the year in time for Christmas.
Rain City Drive have provided a dynamic and lyrically intense album whilst keeping to their signature sound and embedding experimental melodies, expanding their range, and demonstrating growth. It comes as no surprise that Things Are Different Now is incredibly catchy and many of the songs are title tracks. Things Are Different Now will make you lose your composure and be frozen, stuck in your mind. 9/10
Unto Others – Never, Neverland (Century Media Records) [Matt Bladen]
As we rapidly descend towards spooky season, put down the pumpkin spice and crank up the goth metal anthems of Portland, Oregon’s Unto Others, are now trying to be completely separated from their previous name Idle Hands, this one issue driving frontman Gabriel Franco to near burnout. Never, Neverland is their third album and sees them reconvene after the pandemic and personal issues, with the same verve for creating songs that combine post-punk, goth rock and metal, With the Misfits-meets-Suicidal Tendencies crossover shredding of Momma Likes The Door Closed, the H.I.M-like “love metal” of Suicide Today, Unto Others show no fear in weaving new strands into the established influences such as the Sisters Of Mercy on the pumping Butterfly.
They fill an odd niche, having toured with trad metal bands such as Haunt and Eternal Champion in the USA, their previous albums were tightly curated to fit into those scenes but with Never, Neverland, Franco approached the album much looser guitarist Sebastian Silva, bassist Brandon Hill and drummer Colin Vranizan all getting creative input alongside British producer Tom Dalgety (Ghost, The Cult), the result being some ballads such as Angel Of The Night or Sunshine, the heaviness of those two previous albums still there but there’s more indie, goth and classic rock touches too.
Evolving into a more melodic group that brings the quirks of The Cure on When The Kids Get Caught and the thrust of Joy Division/New Order on Fame, it's a track such as Cold World that really shifts Unto others into parts unknown, with a slinky 80's sound the vocals of Gabe now bolstered by the backing voices of Brandon. Unto Others create their own space within multiple genres, hard to pigeonhole, difficult to ignore, return to Never, Neverland with Unto Other’s and their deliciously dark third album. 9/10
Steal The City - Road To Nowhere (Self Released) [Simon Black]
OK, let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. This album has a truly misguided piece of cover art adorning it, which surely deserves at least an honourable mention in the annual ‘Worst Rock / Metal Album Cover of the Year’ competitions that surface on social media as new releases run dry towards the fag end of the year in time for Christmas.
It shows the view from the front windscreen of a car having a nice drive in the country into the sunset, with the band in the rear-view mirror. Actually, I like this as a design concept, but it’s the execution really falls short, feeling as it does like a rejected story board from the opening titles of the revamped All Creatures Great And Small… It’s a really good job that I had started listening to this without seeing it, although the fact that since no-one from this band’s generation buys physical media any more, it’s probably a moot point anyway...
Now that I have got your attention with some journalistic spiky negativity, perhaps you would like to keep reading, because the cover says absolutely bugger all about the content. In fact, I would be so bold as to say that Road To Nowhere is actually is the first thing in a few months that actually has a chance of going on my own top ten for 2024, and one of the best debut’s I have heard in some considerable time.
From the opening bars of lead single Drag Me To Hell, this bunch of youngsters from God’s Own County of Sheffield grab you somewhere sensitive and shake you until they have your attention, which from the beefiness of the riffage therein really doesn’t take long. For a four piece they pack one hell of a punch, fusing more melodic Hard Rock sentiment with a vein of subtle brutality that you might expect from the Modern Metal end of the spectrum. In Ruins turns this up to eleven, and ripples with anger and aggression with touches of groove that are incredibly catchy.
The album does not stay still though. Nearly every track takes a slightly different tone or direction, taking the listener through an incredibly broad range of songs through the forty minutes of run time. When they go full ballad (Tomorrow’s Another Day) it retains the undercurrent of tension - like that dodgy mate crying on your shoulder in the pub who might just flip and take you out with a broken pint glass with the other hand. Mix that up with some punky bouncy numbers, such as Adrenaline, which throws the listener completely with a pre-instrumental bridge that sounds positively progressive before switching again to an arena-rock singalong-a-chorus, and you can’t really go wrong.
The highlight for me was the heart-wrenching If You Could See Me Now, dealing with the sensitive subject of the loss of a supportive loved one, which over a decade after the loss of one of my own parents triggered emotions that I’d blocked away. And that’s the real point of this album for me. Plenty of bands can write by-the-numbers hook-laden tracks (and these boys are clearly very experienced players, despite their youth), but having that deep, barbed emotional hook ain’t so easy. To manage it for the whole album, well bugger me, that’s something special.
Don’t judge an album by its cover would seem to be admirable advice in this instance, because this one is an absolute belter. 10/10
Eihwar - Viking War Trance (Season Of Mist) [James Jackson]
There are acts that use Folk as a supporting theme for their work whilst maintaining a more traditional Metal approach, it’s like seasoning a piece, the final touches to a work of art but there’s a fine line for me that defines whether something is more Folk than Metal, which is the same for many other styles that crossover.
Eihwar lean towards the more traditional form of Folk music, but according to the press release there’s an emphasis towards the electronic, a use of samples and drum pads in order to create a more “Dance” feel and sound to it and whilst some parts, within some of the tracks do lean towards a more dance floor atmosphere and despite a Viking Carpenter Brut tag being banded around on the web, it’s not as techno/synth/dance as I had imagined - it’s called Viking War Trance, I had expected 2 Unlimited in war paint and animal fur.
Whilst this album isn’t exactly what I expected, it’s actually quite catchy, primal and beautiful, reaching back to a time of man where every storm was the work of the Gods, a feather in the wind an omen of good fortune. Heavy percussion dominates this soundscape whilst male vocals, credited as Mark are earthy, raw and conjure dark practices, ancient rituals being supported by the hypnotic seductive sway of Asrunn’s feminine energy and power. Leading up to this album were a number of singles, which seemingly never made an album despite their being enough material for one, so this full length opus is a great place to start whilst picking up those previously released tracks for anyone who’s a fan of acts like Heilung. 9/10
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