Another year, another Devin album.
This man has a somewhat prolific rate of output, across a whole bunch of projects spanning the last thirty years, and whilst each and every studio album can stand up genre-wise on its own two feet distinct from each of its fellows, there is that common thread of the progressive running through many of them (at least the ones I’ve heard).
That said I came to Townsend quite late, so catching up on everything he’s created in the studio (never mind the live material) feels a bit like someone deciding to read the entire bibliography of Stephen King in a month might do. And that’s because whilst it’s one thing to listen to a Devin Townsend, and indeed listen to each and every one in short order from Strapping Young Lad et al to today, it’s quite another to truly hear each one.
There lies the rub with good Progressive music. It usually takes the musicians involved a while to bake everything in, and that means there’s usually a lot to unpack, with good albums in particular normally needing multiple spins and a bit of contextual background to truly appreciate their contents, which takes time. But remember this is mostly the work of one man, with additional support. And apparently, he cranked it out in eleven days flat… Oh, and it’s part one of a loosely-linked three album trilogy, for those that thought he had been resting on his laurels during 2023…
This does not surprise me; neither does it impact the quality. 2022’s Lightwork felt like a high-water mark that couldn’t be bettered, but then so did Empath, and the reality is that Townsend has a depth of creative content that isn’t slowing down any time soon and album twenty-eight, PowerNerd is no different.
It still has some elements of the more moody and ambient elements carried over from Lightwork, but he hasn’t lost his ability to be moving and catchy at the same time (it seems that whilst apparently starting out trying to craft a fun record whilst you are dealing with personal loss makes for some very strange, but highly effective musical melding).
For those preferring a bit more welly to proceedings there’s enough high tempo material particularly towards the start, with some outright humour thrown in for good measure in closer Ruby Quaker (whereas in former decades artists might close out with a thinly veiled adage to their favourite illicit substance, Townsend is quite open in his homage to his beloved coffee).
At first spin the whole thing feels somewhat eclectic, but like all good Prog, and indeed all good Devin projects, it really grows on you quickly, and you just want more, which is probably just as well considering there’s two more in the pipeline… 10/10
Iotunn - Kinship (Metal Blade Records) [Matt Bladen]
Front their 70's space rock/prog rock beginnings, Danish/Faroese band Iotunn, settlers on becoming a metal band not long after, band founders Jesper and Jens Nicolai Gräs went through several phases before establishing what Iotunn were to be as a band before they released their debut album Access All Worlds.
This was an album that was more progressive power metal influenced but as they set about recording their follow up a lot of that power metal influence has been replaced by a wider scope. “Everything is related, and everything has an impact, and we all must find our ways to our true selves and true freedoms in our choices in this interconnectedness of everything" says singer Jón Aldará.
He goes on to say "The album explores themes of conformity versus following your own path and the consequences your choices have for relationships." These relationships are explored through a concept that follows a prehistoric tribesman through the paths of good and evil, right and wrong and human nature as a whole.
So with lofty lyrical concepts, philosophical inspiration and an approach where nothing is off limits, Iotunn took to the studio for their second album crafting a colossal cosmic journey which is simply stunning from the first moments of Kinship Elegaic through to the last dying notes of The Anguished Ethereal.
Bookending your album with a 13 minute and an 11 minute song is brave for any band but nothing here is under 5 minutes the shortest song being the fireside acoustic lament of Iridescent Way. A song that speaks to their Danish/Faroese heritage, until the atmosphere gets blacker on the raging melodeath of Earth To Sky. Earth To Sky is blistering the brothers Gräs' tremolo picking on top of the battery from Bjørn Wind Andersen blastbeats.
As Eskil Rask's inventive bass playing is the foundation of this odyssey, the brothers guitar playing though is what will bring in the shredheads, their play offs between each other create the majority of the melodies on this record, one minute they have euphoric power metal, then sprawling progressive metal on Mistland into death metal blasts and black metal fury and there's NWOBHM gallops on The Coming End. Iotunn taking every advantage to show how absolutely incredible they are as a collective.
With a track such as Twilight, they remind me of Nevermore, Jón Aldará's vocals evoking Warrel Dane here perfectly, the same on the evocative I Feel The Night. If bands such as Wilderun, Witherscape, Oceans Of Slumber and Evergrey are in your top 10% most listened to artists then you will definitely find a Kinship here. Iotunn's second album is magnificent and there's nothing else to be said. 10/10
Seething Akira - Cancel Estate (Independent/Earache Digital Distribution) [SJ]
It's no secret that Seething Akira have been at the top of my most anticipated acts after hearing a few of their unreleased songs from Cancel Estate at Radar 2024. As soon as I heard them live, I went straight to my Spotify to try and find the songs I just heard, to my dismay, they weren't on there. After Nikaela and I had a chat with Kit and Charlie after the show, they revealed that the songs weren't yet available, and I would need to wait until the album release. Here we are, so let's dive into it.
Seething Akira are back with the 10 track Cancel Estate after their previous Nozomi 2022 album, doing what they excel in by providing a fresh twist of genre blending nu metal, electronica, rap and drum and bass.
Seething Akira kicks right off with Ixnay, an upbeat and catchy “We both know that you are bad for me” – this will be on repeat long after the song has finished. It’s a pure genre blending track with elements of rave, dance, metal which flows in a seamless way that encapsules what Seething Akira are to the core. I recognised this song immediately as it was one of the songs they performed at Radar 2024. If a song can have that long of a lasting impact, it’s worth giving it a listen and it’s a personal favourite of mine from the album. Decayed Remains Of Today bounce back with heavy drums in the intro then coming back to the electronica ”Can you feel the grip slipping…You can beg but you won’t be forgiven”. This track felt formulaic in nature and easy to find the groove to, staying strong in the track list so far.
Again, another song I recognised from Seething Akira’s live performances, Resilient. I heard this live when they performed it at Mangata Spotlight Sessions 2024 and the crowd were two-stepping, head bobbing and mosh pit forming. “Resilient. Resistant.” After the second chorus, my stank face came right out after hearing that stripped back mix up, it’s a creepy little spiced up bit as I didn’t expect it. The drum solo from Stu near the end, lyrics “I’m cutting out the venom bit by bit” everything makes this a standout song on Cancel Estate.
Up next is, Times Change “Can’t break me, don’t you understand.” Halfway through the song we get an instrumental mash up of electronica, synth wave style. Sunflower Shadows initially felt a bit more light-hearted with the guitar riffs, a little reminiscent of older Sum 41 and I could envision this being on the soundtrack of American Pie. Next up is the track, How Are Things Up North, it’s alreet pet, thanks for asking. This has the longest instrumental intro on the album showcasing the drums and guitar. The vocals are slowed down and less rap focused albeit still projecting the deep lyrical meaning Seething Akira master.
The intro on D.R.I.L.L.E.R is a head banger; they aren’t missing a shot with this track. This provides another high energy, angsty track to throw back to. Halfway through there’s a soft change up before hitting back into the chorus again. The throwback attitude cascades into Blame Pain where the instrumentals take the forefront, with a hard-hitting drum beat throughout and guitar riffs to elevate the track. The drum and bass make a welcome appearance alongside the spitting raps before the chorus “I’m losing love for everything. You need someone to take the pain”. This is another top track from the album that stands out to me as the lyrics are quite vulnerable and raw.
You Don’t Want None made me question if I hit play on the right track at first after hearing a sample of kids cheering “You don’t want none”. Albeit, it was the right song. The track has a lot of redeeming qualities, and I can see how it’s more experimental than other songs on the album, but something didn’t quite click for me on this track and I'm not sure what it was. Hyperbolic slams with grandiose drums and has amazing guitar riffs. It starts in their usual style but halfway through, they yet again somehow shock me a little as I question what I am listening to. The haunting strums with ineligible echoes elicit an eerie tone which provide a new sound for Seething Akira. I can feel them stretching to new genres and leaning into the experimental, which I like.
Cancel Estate will be drilled into your mind as they’re coming out swinging with this album and making no apologies for doing so. Seething Akira are excelling at slamming a fresh new feel of music. Overall, it’s a solid album where they've found the right balance of exploring new dimensions whilst maintaining the identity we love Seething Akira for. 9/10
Trucker Diablo - Social Hand Grenade (Self Released) [Rich Piva]
I first heard Trucker Diablo when I was diving deep into the Ripple Music back catalog a few years ago. I really enjoy their 2013 record Songs Of Iron which sounds like a heavy Southern Rock band with grunge and stoner elements that has songs that are just catchy as hell. When I asked Todd from Ripple why they were no longer on the label after that great record, his answer was that the band wanted to go in a different musical direction. The band was always a bit twangy, but the twang factor and the production levels seemed to get turned up every record after. The band is still catchy, but to me seemed to lose their edge over the years.
That brings us to their new record, Social Hand Grenade. The band is still very slick and overproduced for my taste, but there is more to this record that can get me past that, which is really saying something for how much overproduced stuff really gets to me. The first listen of this record I hated it. The second time was like the first. But then, the catchiness latches on and you are in trouble because the earworms infest you and have you singing along when you don’t even realize it.
These guys sound like they are from like Tennessee or Alabama, but they are actually Irish, which is something, given their very U.S. sound. The first track on the record gave me some real hope, as Kill The Lights is a fun little hard rock ripper. Stop The Bleed is the heaviest track on the record and brings some of their trademarked catchiness too. The band reminds me of Crobot, which is a band that is a dilemma for me given how I want to like them but the overproduction on their records never allows me to get there. The difference is Trucker Diablo is even catchier and know how to incorporate melody and big choruses perfectly.
California On The Run sounds like The Drive By Truckers, which is a complement. So does Here Comes The Vultures which is painfully catchy. The track Dig rocks and is a huge stadium anthem that really works and We Are Forever is a late 80s influenced track (they even mention 1989 that is cheesy in the good way, and look out for that chorus. Not all the songs connect, as Together We Rise is a bit too modern country and is extremely cheesy lyrically. I have the same gripe with Here’s To Heartbreak, but maybe more. But the good outweighs the bad by a longshot.
There are going to be a ton of people who like this record. There are a bunch of bands who are super successful with this slick southern rock style. Generally, this style does nothing for me, but Trucker Diablo have a skill with melody and catchiness that forced me to enjoy big chunks of Social Hand Grenade, which really surprised me. This is my favourite TD record since Songs Of Iron by a longshot. 7/10
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