Skarlett Riot Continues Carving Out Its Place In The Metal Community On Its Latest LP

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Independent metal band Skarlett Riot has been in existence for approximately 11 years, but in that short span, the band has done quite a bit to build its name and audience base.  The band, which formed in 2010, has released a total of six studio recordings – three EPs and three albums – with the latest of the albums – Invicta – released in May through Despotz Records.  The band’s latest offering is a positive new record that most metal fans will appreciate.  That is due in large part to its featured lyrical themes.  They will be discussed shortly.  The musical arrangements that accompany the record’s lyrical themes add their own touch to the presentation and will be discussed a little later.  The sequencing of that collective content rounds out the most important of the album’s elements.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation.  All things considered, they make Invicta a largely appealing new addition to this year’s field of new hard rock and metal albums.

Skarlett Riot’s third full-length studio recording, Invicta, is a positive new offering from the up-and-coming metal outfit.  It is a presentation that will appeal to most hard rock and metal fans.  That is proven in part through its featured lyrical themes.  The themes in question are accessible, touching in various ways on the topic of overcoming life’s obstacles, and in other ways, on dealing with the impact of toxic relationships.  Right from the album’s outset, ‘Breaking The Habit,’ one of those noted obstacles is seemingly addressed.  In this case, the obstacle in question seems to be that of addiction.  This is inferred as front woman Chloe “Skarlett” Drinkwater sings right in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “I am completely obsessed/Can’t stop thinking like this/Can’t resist to feed this darkness in me/I let myself progress/Into nothing but this mess/This is not a life/I can’t take no more/I’m so frustrated/I’ve become so jaded/I’ve lost my self control/I feel so far from home/So alone.”  Little if any doubt is left even this early on about the seemingly noted theme here.  This comes across as someone who is battling their addiction hard.  At the same time, that determination to overcome this obstacle is present in the song’s second verse, in which Drinkwater sings, “I will learn to live again/There must be a way/The only one who can save me is me/I’m my own worst enemy/I will find my voice/This hidden strength in me/Try to get away/I used to feel so free.”  Again, what audiences get here is that noted drive to get past the obstacle of addiction.  It is a unique way to address the topic that is easily accessible, proving in itself why the album’s lyrical content is so important to its presentation.  The matter of overcoming obstacles is presented in a different but equally accessible fashion later in the album’s 48-minute run in the form of ‘To The Flames.’

‘To The Flames’ is a collective call to unity; to unite and basically march on against any of life’s obstacles.  This is made one hundred percent clear as Drinkwater sings in the song’s chorus, “We ascend to the top/Give all that we got/If we fall to the flames/We rise up/Come on try me/I’m burning bright/We fight to be heard/We ignite.”  She adds in the song’s bridge, “We won’t be ignored/We won’t hear your toxic words/They feed off our misery/Sucking the life outta me/We won’t be ignored.”  The calls to unity continue just as clearly throughout the song’s verses.  When they are paired with the statements in the song’s chorus and bridge, the overall uplifting message proves that it will resonate with audiences just as much as any of the album’s other noted themes.

Speaking of those other themes, that of a toxic relationship and its impact is addressed in ‘Underwater.’  What is interesting here is the duality in the vulnerability shown here alongside the anger and power expressed alongside that vulnerability.  On the one hand, Drinkwater sings so mournfully, “You crushed me/Tore me apart/Ripped my soul/Now I can’t trust no one/So here I am again/Cannot seem to find a way out/I am drowning/Can you hear me/Underwater.”  This statement shows that vulnerability; that sadness and pain.  On the other side, the anger that stems from whatever happened is made just as clear as Drinkwater screams, “I hope you bleed/’Cause no one will bleed for you/I hope you burn/You will go straight to hell.”  She repeats these lines multiple times in the song’s bridge, really illustrating a lot of pent up rage from whatever led to the situation in which the subject is “drowning.”  That anger is in itself, a way of overcoming the obstacle that was that toxic relationship/situation.  To that end, it is another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content.  It shows the different topics and ways in which the more common themes are approached and presented.  When that is considered in examining the rest of the album’s songs, the whole makes clear why the album’s lyrical content is so important to its presentation.  It is just one part of what makes the album worth hearing.  The musical arrangements that accompany the album’s lyrical themes play their own important part in the album’s presentation.

The musical arrangements that are exhibited in Invicta are important to examine because they all present a similar sound and stylistic approach from one song to the next.  The heavy, crunching guitars alongside the equally strong bass line and percussion pair with Drinkwater’s vocals to create a sound and style throughout the record that makes this record comparable to works from the likes of Helion Prime, Unleash The Archers, and even Arch Enemy to a point.  The arrangements do boast some subtle variations from one to the next.  A close listen reveals those subtle variations.  In hearing those variations, audiences will also catch the similarity to Skarlett Riot’s other works, and hear the similarities and variations.  Hearing and understanding it all makes for even more appreciation for the album.  When the impact of the album’s musical arrangements is paired with that of the album’s lyrical themes, the whole makes the album even more worth hearing.  Even with all of this in mind, the album still has one more item to examine, that being the sequencing of said content.

Invicta’s sequencing is important to consider because of its role in keeping audiences engaged and entertained.  From beginning to end, the record’s sequencing keeps the album’s energy high throughout.  The only point at which the album slows things down comes more than halfway through in ‘Into Pieces.’  Even in this song though, the more subdued approach lasts only a certain amount of time before the band kicks things back into high gear again.  From there on, the album keeps the energy high right up until its final bars.  That in itself is sure to keep audiences listening.  Along with that is the aforementioned constant variation in the arrangements.  The variations keep the arrangements unique of one another throughout the album, thus enhancing the listening experience even more.  The sequencing also ensures that the album’s lyrical themes change just enough from one to the next.  The result of that alongside everything else associated with the sequencing is a presentation that will appeal to audiences just as much as the album’s content.  Everything considered together, the album proves itself to be a presentation that will appeal just as much to Skarlett Riot’s fans as to most metal audiences in general.

Skarlett Riot’s latest album, Invicta is a strong new offering from the up-and-coming metal band.  It is a record that serves to further etch out a place in the metal community for the band just as much as the band’s existing catalog.  That is proven in part through its lyrical themes.  The themes in question are mostly uplifting works that encourage listeners to push on through life’s obstacles.  They also help people who have gone through or are going through difficult relationships of any kind get through those situations.  The musical arrangements work with the lyrical themes to add their own touch to the album.  That is because the way in which they balance the band’s power metal and pure metal influences throughout.  The variations in the arrangements do well to balance those influences and keep listeners engaged and entertained.  The sequencing of that collective content ensures that it works to keep that engagement and entertainment high, too.  That is proven through the changes in the themes from one song to the next, the stability in the album’s energy and the changes in the arrangements.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of this record.  All things considered, they make Invicta a positive new sign for Skarlett Riot’s growing place in the metal community.  Invicta is available now.  More information on Invicta is available along with all of Skarlett Riot’s latest news at:

Website: https://skarlettriot.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/skarlettriotuk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkarlettRiot

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Corroded Will Leave Listeners Feeling Anything But Bitter On Its Latest LP

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Hard rock outfit Corroded released its latest full-length studio recording this week, and the album, Bitter, is another strong new offering from the veteran Swedish band.  Front man Jens Westlin explained the album’s title “comes from observing how the social climate is around the world right now…Everyone’s so dissatisfied and thinks that everyone else’s life is so much better than theirs, and if something goes wrong, it’s always someone else’s fault.  As a result of this, all power hungry leaders in this world thrive on the dissatisfaction of the people and gain power that way.”  He added that these views are what inspired the band’s new album both musically, and lyrically.  The band’s reaction to that situation is on full display early on in the form of the song ‘Cross,’ which will be discussed shortly.  ‘Scream,’ which comes later in the album’s run is another standout addition to Bitter, that shows quite well, the band’s response to everything going on.  It will be discussed a little later.  ‘Drown,’ which comes even later in the album’s run is another notable addition to the album’s overall statement about the world’s current social and political climate.  It will also be discussed later.  Each of the three songs noted here are key in their own way to the whole of Bitter.  When considered along with the other nine songs featured in the album not directly noted here, the end result is a powerful new offering from Corroded that will light a new fire within listeners and leave them feeling anything but bitter.

Corroded’s fifth full-length studio recording Bitter is another strong new offering from the Swedish hard rock outfit.  The new, 12-song record, which is the band’s second for Sweden-based Despotz Records, shows from start to finish, that the quartet can easily hold its own against its more well-known hard rock and metal counterparts.  This is proven early on in the form of ‘Cross.’  The song’s up-tempo, guitar-driven musical arrangement helps to support that statement.  The arrangement conjures thoughts of Five Finger Death Punch, Soil, Dry Kill Logic and other similar acts.  The fiery energy exuded through the arrangement, coupled with Westlin’s growling vocals does a commendable job of illustrating the anger and frustration that Westlin attempts to present in the song’s lyrical content.

That seeming mix of strong emotions is inferred as he sings, “Our mistakes…they have never ever been this clear/All the pain/And the misery/Every word that was said out of fear/Every thorn/In the side/The suffering we had to endure/We never stopped/It isn’t easy/There will never ever be a cure/Every breath that we take/Is a waste of the air we possess/All the s*** that we give….I won’t be nailed upon your cross/I will not take the pain for you/It’s time to own your mistakes/It’s time for you to fall.”  Westlin’s fire hardly dies in the song’s second verse as he sings of having to carry someone else’s agony and misery, and refusing to do so any longer before returning to the chorus’ powerful message pointing the finger back at the proverbial stone casters and finger pointers.  Guitarist Thomas Andersson, bassist Bjarne Elvsgard and drummer Per Solang are to be commended in their own right for their work throughout the song, and especially in its bridge as they work together to help illustrate that feeling of emotional strain that one goes through when one is blamed for something that happened to someone else.  Instead of being the fiery work that is exhibited through the rest of the song, it presents a certain vibe of someone trying to get over those feelings of self-guilt and realizing people cause their own problems in many cases.  It is a brief moment in the bigger picture of the song, but powerful in its own right.  When it considered along with Westlin’s unapologetic lyrical content and the rest of the song’s unflinching arrangement, the whole proves to be an unquestionably forceful response to that bitterness of which Westlin spoke, which led to much of the album’s creation.  It is just one of the album’s most standout entries.  ‘Scream,’ which comes later in the album’s run, is another notable addition to the album.

In regards to its musical arrangement, ‘Scream’ is a work that is certain to appeal to thrash metal purists out there.  Again, the similarities to Dry Kill Logic are front and center here.  At the same time, one can also argue influences from the likes of Overkill, Exodus, Anthrax and other similar acts, thanks again to the collective work of Andersson, Elvsgard and Solang.

The energy exuded through this thrash-style work does its own commendable job of illustrating the urgency in the song’s lyrics; an urgency that seems to center on the issue of self-determination and not letting the currently bitter state of the world bring one down.  This is inferred as Westlin sings with his band mates in the song’s chorus, “Scream/Until your lungs give out/Don’t roll over and die/Shout/Until everything is said/Don’t give up…”  This positive message is coupled with an equally positive vibe in the song’s verses.  Westlin sings in the song’s lead verse, “Inhale/Let everything around go down/Find a moment of peace/React/The perfect storm is here right now/You are the center of its eye.”  Westlin’s message is relatively clear in this verse, especially considering the song’s chorus.  He is saying that we create the storm that surrounds us, and the way to survive that storm is to find our inner peace, to jet let everything out, not hold it in.  he even comes right out in the song’s second verse and states, “Exhale/Let matters fall right into place/Find a calm inside yourself.”  He goes on to say, “you are the center of the mass.”  Yet again, here we have a relatively clear statement of how we are the source and solution to all of our problems.  This is a positive message, from which plenty of listeners can and hopefully will take some enlightenment.  When it is coupled with that previously discussed musical arrangement, the whole is a song that is therapeutic in the best way possible, and yet another wonderful response to the negativity that is polluting the world right now.  It is far from the last example of the album’s clear ability to respond to the world’s current climate.  ‘Drown’ is yet another example of how well the band has responded to everything going on around the globe.

‘Drown’ is the penultimate addition to Bitter.  Musically, this song is another interesting composition.  The verses are once again up-tempo, guitar-drive, adrenaline-fueled sections.  The choruses however, are far more melodic.  What is interesting is that the song does not lose any of its energy in the choruses.  It just changes style, in turn, keeping the work moving forward.  The song’s bridge hints at some 80s influences through Andersson’s guitar work, which is not an entirely bad thing.  Of course, the song’s musical arrangement is just one part of what makes it stand out.  Its lyrical content leads it to stand out just as much as its musical content.

Westlin sings in the song’s lead verse, “Wish I could break the spell that binds us here/You know to each his own…Just go and do/As you please…It must be done my way/It must be done your way.  Some of his wording is difficult to decipher without a lyrics sheet to reference, but the seeming message becomes partially clear.  Later in the song’s nearly five-minute song, he goes on to sing, of looking back on a chain that has been broken and will not leave any marks.  This is just this critic’s own take, but it would seem that Westlin is speaking metaphorically here to address social control, with the chain being that control, broken.  That would explain Westlin’s earlier statement of “It must be done my way/It must be done your way.”  There is that problem of everyone wanting things in life their way, but we as a people do not have to let it be one person’s way or another, but rather our own way, regardless of what everyone else says.  We can respect others’ ways, but we do not have to live by those ways.  That goes back to the initial statement of “Wish I could break that spell that binds us here/You know to each his own.” It all seems to come together in a statement of not giving in to what everyone says one should do and be.  Again, this should not be taken as the only interpretation, but merely that of this critic.  Hopefully this critic is at least somewhere in the ballpark with that interpretation, as it would seem to be another response to the world’s negativity, as addressed by Westlin about the album’s overall theme.  When it is considered along with the seeming messages presented in ‘Scream,’ Cross’ and the rest of the album’s offerings, the whole of Bitter becomes a work in whole that will leave listeners anything but bitter.

Corroded’s latest full-length studio recording Bitter is a record that is certain to leave listeners feeling anything but bitter about the world after they listen from start to finish, to the 12-song record.  That is because of the messages presented in the songs, which come across as various responses to the world’s bitterness – responses that are in fact not overly bitter themselves.  That is evidenced early on in ‘Cross,’ which points the finger back at the finger pointers, and again later in the album’s run in ‘Scream,’ which seems to encourage people to get their negativity out (of course in a positive way), and even later seems to encourage people to embrace their personal identity, rather than give in to social control in ‘Drown.’  These are just some of the songs featured in this record that clearly address everything going on in the world.  The Type O Negative-esque ‘Black’ seems to address’ people’s self-imposed misery while the In Flames-styled ‘Breathing’ comes across as sending a message of not giving up even in the most dire situations.  The old-school metal style work that is ‘Testament’ is a defiant anthem that comes across as encouraging people to stand up for themselves against all odds.  Again, this is all this critic’s own interpretation.  Hopefully it is somewhere in the ballpark in each case, including that of the songs more directly discussed.  If indeed this critic’s interpretations are right, then again, this record proves that much more to be quite the successful offering from Corroded, and easily one of the year’s first great hard rock/metal records.  It is available now.  More information on Bitter is available online now along with all of Corroded’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://despotz.se

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/corrodedsweden

Twitter: http://twitter.com/corrodedsweden

 

 

 

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Sir Reg’s Latest LP Will Appeal To ‘Underdogs’ Everywhere

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Celtic punk band Sir Reg released its fifth full-length studio recording late this past September.  The Swedish-based (yes, the band is in fact from Sweden, though its front man is originally from Ireland) band’s album The Underdogs is everything that fans of the Celtic-rock sound have come to expect from that world.  This applies both musically and lyrically throughout the course of the record’s 11-song, 33-minute body.  This is obvious right from the album’s outset in its title track, which will be discussed shortly.  ‘Fool (Fight Of Our Lives),’ which is the album’s lead single, is another example of what makes this record appealing for fans of the Celtic rock realm.  It will be discussed a little later.  ‘Stereotypical Drunken Feckin’ Irish Song’ is one more example of what makes this record well worth the listen among Celtic rock fans, and will be addressed a little later, too.  Between these noted songs and the other eight works not directly discussed here, the whole of this album proves to be just as enjoyable as anything already available from Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.

Sir Reg’s latest full-length studio recording The Underdogs is a 33-minute Celtic-rock record that is certain to appeal to fans of said genre, regardless of their familiarity with the Sweden-based outfit’s catalog.  It is a record that holds its own easily with anything currently available from Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly and other bands of that ilk.  That is evidenced in part through the album’s opener/title track.  ‘The Underdogs’ is a strong start for its namesake album in part due to its musical arrangement.  The song’s arrangement features an enjoyable and well-balanced hybrid of traditional Celtic instrumentation and modern punk rock elements for a whole that is infectious and certain to find a wide-ranging appeal.  The song’s lyrical content builds on the foundation formed through the song’s arrangement, making the song in whole that much more appealing.

Lyrically, the song is relatively straight forward.  As the title suggests, the lyrical theme centers on a group of people from whom no one expects anything; a group that in turn is that much more determined to prove everyone wrong.  As front man Brendan Sheehy sings in the song’s lead verse, “We’ve been slapped in the face/Told that we were no good/We never believed it/We fought like we should/They try and destroy you/Or make you bit small/But the spirit we have/Picks us up when we fall/We’ll follow you down to the black gates of hell/We’ll follow you all of the way/We’ll follow you down to the black gates of hell/We’re hoping and swearing you would stay/We’re the underdogs/Get out of our way/We’re the underdogs/We’re making you pay/We’re the underdogs and this is our game/We’re the underdogs.”  He goes on to sing in the song’s second verse, “We’re coming to get you/Reclaim all that’s ours…Been kept down so long/Now it’s our time to sing… We’ll follow you down to the black gates of hell/We’ll follow you all of the way/We’ll follow you down to the black gates of hell/We’re hoping and swearing you would stay/We’re the underdogs/Get out of our way/We’re the underdogs/We’re making you pay/We’re the underdogs and this is our game/We’re the underdogs.”  There is a portion of that second verse that is slightly difficult to understand without a lyrics sheet that was not provided with the record, but even without that one small section, these two verses and choruses clearly exhibit that previously noted proud defiance, which is what punk rock is all about, after all.  This is a proudly defiant, fist-pumping anthem that is an ode to the downtrodden, and that will hopefully inspire those out there who themselves feel like underdogs.  When it is coupled with the song’s infectious musical arrangement, which is driven largely through its bass and drum lines, the whole is a strong start to The Underdogs, and just one clear example of what makes the album in whole such a widely appealing album.  It is just one of the songs featured in the album that serves to show why the LP has such a high level of appeal.  ‘FOOL (Fight Of Our Lives)’ is another example of what makes the album a strong offering from the band.

‘FOOL (Fight Of Our Lives),’ like ‘The Underdogs’ is another standout addition to The Underdogs partly because of its own musical arrangement.  While the arrangement is another familiar Celtic punk rock production, it can be said that it does not just rehash the arrangement presented in the album’s opener.  It cannot be ignored that the mandolin (or what sounds like a mandolin) line is closely similar, but overall, the arrangements are not mirror images of one another.  Keeping that in mind, the rest of the arrangement creates an identity in and of itself for this opus that once again balances the group’s Celtic and punk elements.  The result of all of this is a work whose appeal is just as far-reaching as that of the album’s title track.  The song’s musical arrangement is just one part of what makes the song stand out.  Its lyrical theme does just as much to keep listeners engaged and entertained as its musical side.

Sheehy explained in an interview about the song that it centers, lyrically, on overcoming the adversities in life that can, and so often do, work to bring us down.  He said of that song that it “is about pulling yourself back from the brink, the minute you feel all hope is lost.  Nothing and nobody can stand in your way when you decide to go grab your hopes and dreams, and achieve everything you believe is rightfully yours.”  That statement is illustrated well as Sheehy sings, “He stands in the window/Looks down on the street/the world passed him by/the wind on his sleeve/He feels he’s forgotten/The good things, the highs/Get down from the ledge, and we’ll give them the fight of their lives/Yes, we’ve all gone insane and the rich run the world…When we all say we’re going to win/Don’t you know we don’t talk through our a****/When we get there, we’ll rip down the door.”  Again, Sheehy’s pure Irish accent makes translation a bit difficult through the rest of the song without a lyrics sheet.  Even with that in mind, the translation that is possible again illustrates Sheehy’s statement quite well.  This is another proudly defiant song that continues the album’s central theme of what Sheehy called “The struggles of the ordinary men and women, to make to make their voice heard and their opinions count, whilst not losing their spirit and ability to enjoy the simpler things in life, like hanging out with their friends at their favorite bar on a Saturday night.”  When this is considered in examining the album’s opener, it rings just as true there, too.  Getting back to going out on a Saturday night to drink at a bar, Sir Reg touches on that in this record, too in the form of ‘Stereotypical Drunken Feckin’ Irish Song.’

‘Stereotypical Drunken Feckin’ Irish Song’ is, musically speaking, another work that will immediately appeal to fans of Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.  Every measure of the song’s arrangement and every element bears a strong similarity to those bands’ more light hearted works.  It is just as edgy lyrically as anything that DKM has ever crafted, too.  Sheehy sings, “He said he was from Dublin towne/The fella, he was lyin’/Singin’ about some Irish girl/A love that wasn’t dyin’/Could tell a mile away…so I smacked him right across the chin of course/Sure the ladies were impressed with him/They thought he was a riot…To impersonate an Irish man…is not an honorable art…”  He and his band mates go on to sing in the song’s chorus, “Here’s a stereotypical drunken feckin’ Irish song/Stick a shamrock up your a** and drink a toast/Sing a stereotypical drunken feckin’ Irish song till the whiskey, beer and gin runs out your hole.”  Little, if any more needs be referenced here.  From here on out, the rest of the song is just a feel-good song that celebrates drinking with one’s friends and being with one’s friends in general.  It is, in this critic’s ears, one of the album’s best moments, if not its best.  When it is considered along with the positive messages and musical content in the previously discussed works, all three songs collectively paint a vivid picture of The Underdogs’ positives.  When they are considered along with the rest of the songs not directly discussed here, the whole of the album’s 11 songs becomes an album that is a fun new offering from Sir Reg and a work that is certain to have a wide appeal among Celtic music fans.

Sir Reg’s fifth full-length studio recording The Underdogs is a strong new offering from the Swedish (yes, Swedish) Celtic punk outfit.  That is clear through an examination of the songs noted here.  Their infectious, upbeat musical arrangements will easily appeal to any fan of Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly.  Its lyrical themes, which center on the trials and tribulations of the world’s working men and women are certain to add even more appeal for audiences.  This applies even in the songs not discussed here.  All thing considered, the album in whole proves to be an offering that Celtic rock, and even Celtic music, fans will appreciate.  It is available now.  More information on The Underdogs is available now online along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.sirregband.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sirregband

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sirregband

 

 

 

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Sir Reg Debuts ‘The Underdog”s Lead Single

Courtesy: Head First Entertainment/Despotz Records

Swedish punk outfit Sir Reg will release its fifth full-length studio recording this fall, and in anticipation of its release, the band is giving audiences their first preview of the album.

The band debuted the song ‘FOOL (Fight Of Our Lives)‘ on Friday.  The song is the lead single from the band’s next album The Underdogs.  Front man Brendan Sheehy, who is in fact Irish (yes, this is a band from Sweden with an Irish front man), said the album’s lead single centers on the power of hope.

“‘FOOL (Fight of our Lives)‘…is about pulling yourself back from the bring the minute you feel all hope is lost,” Sheehy said.  “Nothing and nobody can stand in your way when you decide to go grab your hopes and dreams, and achieve everything you believe is rightfully yours.”

‘FOOL (Fight of our Lives)‘ can be downloaded via iTunes and streamed via Spotify.

In regards to The Underdogs, the band explained in a collective statement that it is a tribute of sorts to the everyday person, that proverbial underdog who works every day to survive while also making some kind of difference.

“Everyone loves an Underdog,” the band said in its statement.  “They represent the belief that anyone can achieve and accomplish whatever they believe in, despite overwhelming odds.  This album deals with the struggles of the ordinary men and women, to make their voice heard and their opinions count, whilst not losing their spirit and ability to enjoy the simpler things in life, like hanging out with friends at their favorite bar on a Saturday night.”

More information on The Underdogs, ‘FOOL (Fight of our Lives)‘ and all of Sir Reg’s latest news and more is available online now at:

 

Website: http://www.sirregband.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sirregband

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sirregband

 

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordrpess.com.

Thundermother’s Latest LP Gives Hope For The Band’s Future

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Early this past March, Swedish rock outfit Thundermother released its third full-length studio recording – a self titled, 13-song, 43-minute album – to the masses via Despotz Records.  The band’s latest effort is an interesting effort from the band.  That is because while it continues to rely heavily on its AC/DC-influenced arrangements (which in many cases sadly sound a little too close to AC/DC’s works), it also does show at least a little bit of growth from the band’s previous efforts.  Those attempts to branch out on the band’s own include the full-throttle rocker ‘Racing on Mainstreet,’ the quite reserved ‘Fire In The Rain’ and the confident ‘Won’t Back Down.’  This trio of works is just a small example of the growth that Thundermother exhibits in this record.  ‘Hanging At My Door’ is another example of the band trying to branch out and grow.  One could also argue that ‘Follow Your Heart’ is another example of Thundermother’s growth on this record.  Keeping those songs in mind when examining the album in whole, they create at least some hope for the band’s future.  It leaves one hoping that if the band makes it to a fourth album, that listeners will hear more growth and change, so that the band can continue to establish its own identity and place in the rock community.  If it manages that, then one will be able to look back and say this album was the starting point of that welcome change.

Thundermother’s new self-titled album – its third full-length studio recording – is an interesting point for the Swedish rock outfit.  That is because it is a point for the band that shows a clear attempt to grow and develop its own identity versus allowing itself to continue being solely compared to the likes of AC/DC and Airbourne.  It does an applause-worthy job in that attempt to grow and change, too.  That is evidenced early on in the full-throttle rocker that is ‘Racing on Mainstreet.’  This high-energy highlight takes all the energy and influence of AC/DC (for which the band has been known to emulate for so many years), and used it to show that it can make its own high-energy songs that stand on their own merits.  Front woman Guernica Mancini’s vocal delivery is closer here to that of Joan Jett and Lita Ford than Brian Johnson while guitarist Filippa Nassil teams with drummer Emlee Johansson and bassist Sara Pettersson to create the foundation for this adrenaline-fueled musical ride.  One can almost see the band on stage performing the song thanks to its energy, Mancini’s fist in the air, a confident sneer on her face while her band mates keep the song moving, at the same time, themselves moving all around the stage (save of course for Johansson).  Lyrically speaking, it does just as much to keep listeners engaged and entertained all while avoiding too much comparison to its longtime influence.  Not having a lyrics sheet to reference, Mancini seems to be singing about someone who just can’t seem to stay out of trouble, but at the same time maybe doesn’t mind that too much.  This is inferred right from the song’s lead verse as she sings, “I took my car down to hit the road/I take the sun/I feel the rain…I’m on the run/trouble/Being hectic again/Trouble/Bad choices again/Trouble/Infectious disease.”  The rest of the song’s lyrical content follows in relatively similar fashion, leading one to believe this is a fun, fist-pumping song centered on youthful rebellion.  Considering this ability of the band to emulate its influence yet still create its own composition both musically and lyrically, is a sure sign that there’s reason for audiences to have hope for the band’s future.  It is just one of the songs included in this record that gives listeners reason for that hope.  ‘Fire In The Rain,’ which comes immediately after ‘Racing In The Streets’ is another song that gives fans hope for the band’s future.

‘Fire in the Rain’ is quite reserved in comparison to the other songs included in this record.  That applies even as the song builds from its early, gentler bars to its more powerful moments.  Instead of comparisons to AC/DC, the band’s collective work here leads the song to lend itself both musically and lyrically more to the likes of Pat Benatar, Joan Jett and other similar acts.  While the arrangement shows growth just in its stylistic and musical approach, that approach has a deeper effect that adds even more to its impact.  The effect is that of a song that seems to progress without much effort.  This is meant in the best possible way.  It seems, thanks to the band members’ work, the song ends before one realizes it, and leaves listeners wanting more in the best way possible.  In regards to its lyrical content, listeners will appreciate the way in which the song sends it message of love.  Mancini sings here, “You were there when times were changing/You embraced me with your smile/You were there when I wept on my walls/You know I’ve been struggling through it all/And you found me there/When I was down/What would I have done/If you’d let me be/You set out and I saw you…it was only with you that I could breathe/you defended me when no one ever did/Encouraged me/As I turned to gold/You filled me with the strength to carry on/Cause you’re my fire in the rain.”  Mancini doesn’t try to get flowery and metaphorical with her message here.  Rather, she just puts it out there straight forward.  It’s a nice change of pace, especially for a love song.  It makes the song all the more accessible to the average listener regardless of that person’s familiarity with the band.  What’s more, that simple lyrical approach shows even more the band’s growth in this record, especially considering that the song’s musical arrangement is such a strong companion to its lyrical content.  It still is not the last of the songs that serves to show the band’s growth on this album.  ‘Won’t Back Down’ is yet another example of that welcome growth.

‘Won’t Back Down’ shows growth first and foremost through its musical arrangement.  Again, this arrangement is another opus that shows the band breaking away and branching out from its connection to AC/DC yet still offering a strong, blues rock composition that will move any listener, especially in the solos.  Comparatively speaking, the song’s musical arrangement lends itself to a comparison to some of Lita Ford’s best works.  Lyrically speaking, the song shows growth in the fact that it shows such confidence from its subject.  As Mancini sings here, “Won’t back down from the pressures of what to do…Won’t back down from running over love/’Cause I’m a woman who won’t back down.”  There’s more throughout the song, but not much, and it all runs relatively in accordance with these lines.  Those other lines continue to tout the subject’s self-confidence and personal strength.  She sings, “won’t back down for money or for love’ at another point, illustrating that message even more.  Considering that confidence and personal strength, this shows just as much, the change from the band as the other noted songs.  It’s another positive sign for the band, too, and still not the last, either.  ‘Follow Your Heart’ is another example of that growth, as is ‘Hanging At My Door.’  Between those songs and the works more directly discussed here, the growth and change exhibited by the band is obvious, and gives hope for the band’s future.  With any luck that change exhibited here is only the beginning for the band, too.  If so, the future will definitely be bright for the band in its albums to come.

Swedish rock band Thundermother’s new self-titled album is a promising new sign from the band.  That is because of the growth that is made evident from the band throughout the course of the album.  From the up-tempo rocker that is ‘Racing on the Mainstreet’ that seems to hint at someone who loves the troubled life to the more deeply emotional ‘Fire in the Rain’ to the confidence and strength in the album’s finale, ‘Won’t Back Down,’ and more, the band shows time and again that it is not just a one-trick pony.  Rather, it shows the band’s ability to develop its own identity without losing any substance in its recordings.  If the band keeps this pace from here on out, it gives hope for the band’s future.  That being the case, that hope makes this album worth at least one listen.  It is available now.  More information on Thundermother is available online now along with all of Thundermother’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.thundermother.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thundermother

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thundermother

 

 

 

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Corroded’s New LP Is Set To Put The Rock Community On “Alert”

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Late this past April, hard rock outfit Corroded released its latest album Defcon Zero.  The  band’s first new album in five years and its fourth full-length studio recording, it is a recording that could very possibly put the hard rock community in whole on alert.  That is because it presents a combination of music and lyrics throughout its 11-song, 50-minute run time that challenges even the best of the big names.  The record’s opener, ‘Carry Me My Bones’ clearly supports that statement.  ‘A Note To Me,’ which comes late in the record’s run, also supports that statement in its own way, too.  It will be discussed later.  ‘Fall of a Nation’ is yet another example of what makes Corroded’s latest effort a work that is anything but corroded itself.  Rather, it is another example of what makes the record a solid, strong new offering from one of hard rock’s best kept secrets.  It joins with the previously noted songs and the rest of the album’s offerings to make the record in whole an offering that is certain to put the hard rock community in whole on alert.

Defcon Zero is a strong and solid return for Corroded. That is especially considering the fact that it is the first record in five years from the Swedish hard rock outfit.  From start to finish, the band presents in this new offering a record that is certain to put the hard rock community in whole on alert.  That statement is supported in part in the album’s opener ‘Carry Me My Bones.’  The song’s musical arrangement instantly conjures thoughts of Dry Kill Logic’s best works.  That is evident as the song starts with a brooding, acoustic arrangement before gradually building into a full-on, guitar-driven assault.  What is really interesting is the heavy buildup to that assault conjures in itself, thoughts of some of Slayer’s best works.  The combination of front man Jens Westin’s vocal delivery and the song’s musical elements throughout the rest of the song maintain that previously noted comparison to Dry Kill Logic.  The whole of that arrangement is only one part of what makes this song stand as an example of Defcon Zero’s impressive nature.  The song’s lyrical content is just as important to discuss as the song’s musical arrangement in examining what makes it stand out.

The musical arrangement at the center of ‘Carry Me My Bones’ is in itself a key part of what makes this song stand out as an example of what makes Defcon Zero stand out. That is because it easily challenges hard rock’s top names from start to finish. Its lyrical content is just as important to discuss as its musical arrangement in examining its whole.  Westin said in an interview about the album’s lyrics “When it comes to the lyrics, I want everyone to make up their own opinion to what the songs are about.” He went on to compare interpreting the album’s lyrics to comparing a book to its cinematic counterpart.  Keeping that in mind, the lyrical content at the center of this song definitely proves to be interesting.  Westin sings here, “I’ve been awake/For days/On my way to hell/I’m not going to lay down and die before I get there…What you believe is more than you know/Carry me my tired bones/Far away/So far away from secrets/A million miles away/Carry me my tired bones.”  He goes on to sing in the song’s second verse, “I was stuck/In-between/No place and nowhere….” before he and his band mates—Tomas Andersson (guitar), Bjarne Elvsgard (bass) and Per Solang (drums)—reprise the song’s chorus time to finish off the song.  Noting again that Westin leaves the lyrics’ interpretation to listeners’ own thoughts, this critic’s take on the song’s lyrical content is that it comes across as an introspective rumination of someone working through a very difficult time.  That is inferred in the song’s lead verse.  The hell in question is clearly metaphorical.  The subject’s mind has been racing, but that subject is still determined not to give up in whatever difficult situation is presented.  As Westin’s subject sings “carry me my tired bones,” one can interpret that perhaps the song’s subject is saying he or she wants to get away from everything; all of the negatives surrounding him or her.  The song’s second verse continues to infer that same message in this critic’s own interpretation.  It would be interesting to learn the true message in the song’s lyrical content.  That aside, the combination of that seeming message couples quite well with the song’s musical arrangement to make for a song that is a powerful first impression for the band this time out.  It is just the start, too.  ‘A Note To Me,’ which comes late in the album’s run, is another solid addition to the album’s whole.

‘Carry Me My Bones’ is a strong first impression from Corroded on its latest new album.  That is due to the combination of its musical and lyrical content.  The two elements together make the song a clear example of what makes Defcon Zero stand out in whole.  It is just one of the songs that shows what makes the album stand out, too.  ‘A Note To Me’ is another example of what makes the record in whole stand out.  As with the album’s opener, that is due at least in part to its musical arrangement.  The musical arrangement here is a stark contrast to that of ‘Carry Me My Bones.’  It is a deeply emotional, guitar-driven composition that (and some audiences will call this musical heresy) conjures thoughts of Theory of a Deadman and Nickelback.  Yes, it seems damning.  But the reality is that when one compares this composition to that at the center of ‘Carry Me My Bones,’ it is actually a good thing that such a comparison can be made.  That is because it shows in its own right the reach of the band’s talent, sounds and influences.  Westin’s vocal delivery throughout even conjures thoughts of Nickelback front man Chad Kroeger through his delivery.  Again, some might see such a comparison as musical heresy of sorts.  The reality once more though, is that it shows the band’s ability to reach into any rock and hard rock sub-genre.  That is a compliment of the highest caliber to the band.  Of course the song’s musical arrangement is only part of what makes it stand out.  Its lyrical content is just as important to discuss as its musical arrangement.

The musical arrangement at the center of ‘A Note To Me’ is in itself a key component of its overall presentation.  When set against the composition at the center of ‘Carry Me My Bones,’ it shows even more why Defcon Zero stands out among this year’s field of new rock and hard rock records.  The song’s musical arrangement is only one part of what makes the song stand out.  Its lyrical content, which is just as brooding as its musical arrangement is just as important to discuss as that musical content.  Westin sings here in the song’s lead verse, “This bitter pill I got/It turns out to be hard to swallow/I’d make my head whole/But everything inside feels hollow/I am the haunting of the day that never came/Yeah, what a shame.”  He goes on to sing in the song’s second verse, “The truth hurts that I know/And now it’s out for everyone to see/I’m just a coward/Who hates everything about me/Everything I’ve done was a lie/It’s harder to cry.”  This comes across as someone who is confessing a major hidden truth to someone else.  As the song progresses through its chorus, it can be inferred that the someone in question is obviously someone close to the subject.  What is interesting is that Westin doesn’t point out if that person is male, female, young or old.  That in itself is a really powerful statement.  When one really thinks deeply about this matter, the confession could work in any of those situations.  That is especially the case as Westin sings in the song’s final moments, “My only hope is that you will forgive/And that some day/Some day you will forget.”  Regardless of whether the situation presented here is between friends, family or some other close person, the confession by the song’s subject is powerful.  It is the kind of statement made in similar songs by the aforementioned mainstream friendly acts; the kind of statement that, when coupled with the song’s musical arrangement, is made even more powerful.  The combination of those two elements makes the song in whole a truly powerful work that once again can rival songs from the bands already noted.  Keeping that in mind, it is one more work included in this record that shows why this record stands out among its counterparts both mainstream and independent.  It still is not the last of the songs that serves to show what makes Defcon Zero stand out.  ‘Fall of a Nation’ is one more example of what makes this record one that will put the rock community in whole on alert.

‘Carry Me My Bones’ and ‘A Note To Me’ are both solid examples of what makes Defcon Zero a strong new effort from Corroded.  That is because they show the wide reach of the album’s sound, proving its appeal to metal purists and mainstream rock fans alike.  The songs’ lyrical content adds just as much depth to their whole.  While both songs’ musical and lyrical content serves to make them clear examples of the album’s strength, they are only two examples of that strength.  ‘Fall of a Nation’ just as clearly proves to be another example of said strength.  That is evident first through its adrenaline-fueled, guitar and drum-driven musical arrangement, which mixes elements of Hellyeah, Soil and other similar acts for a whole that will instantly have listeners’ horns in the air.  Its lyrical content will keep listeners just as engaged as Westin seemingly comments on…well…the downfall of a nation.  Being that there is so much turmoil the world over and that Westin and company don’t necessarily point out which nation is being addressed, the commentary could, in reality, apply to the United States, any Middle Eastern Nation or other nation.  There is mention of “seeing the  flames rising,” “bones grinding,” “ashes in the air” and other rather interesting visuals.  This could be a commentary of what could come to any nation if said nation(s) don’t get things in check and soon.  The added mention of “we are the ones who are watching everything from high up above/We are the ones who idle standing by as things burn” adds to the power of that message.  It is almost as if the song’s subject is saying, “we’re going to stand by and let the world destroy itself and this is what we see happening.”  It is a powerful, possible statement.  The power in the song’s musical arrangement expertly captures the energy in that supposed statement, too.  Keeping that in mind, the whole of that musical and lyrical content makes this song clearly one more example of what makes Defcon Zero such a powerful new offering from Corroded.  It is hardly the last song that serves to exemplify what makes this album stand out.  ‘Gun and a Bullet,’ ‘Burn It To The Ground,’ and ‘Vessels of Hate’ each do their own part to show what makes this record stand out, too.  All things considered, the songs noted and not prove Defcon Zero a record that will put the rock community in whole on alert.

Defcon Zero is a powerful return for Corroded.  It is a record that proves audiences’ five-year wait for the band’s next album was well worth it.  What’s more it is a record that is certain to put the rock community in whole on alert.  That is because it is such a strong new effort from start to finish both in regards to its musical arrangements and lyrical content.  All things considered, this record is one that deserves a spot on any critic’s list of the year’s top new hard rock albums.  It is available now.  More information on Defcon Zero is available online now along with all of Corroded’s  latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.corroded.se

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/corrodedsweden

Twitter: http://twitter.com/corrodedsweden

 

 

 

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Sonic Syndicate Releases ‘Confessions” Final Single

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Sonic Syndicate has released more new music.

The band released the single ‘Still Believe (ft. Madyx)’ this week.  The song is the third and final single from the band’s 2016 album Confessions.  Audiences can hear the song online now here.

Front man Nathan J. Biggs called working on the song a special experience, adding working with alt pop singer Madyx (a.k.a. Michelle Blanchard) on the song made it even more special.  Blanchard won UMA’s “Best International Music Video” Award in 2016 for her video for ‘Some Kisses.’  The song is also on British Airways’ “Ones To Watch” playlist on each of its flights.

“Working on the song fulfills my ambition of hearing harmonies and alternate leads performed together with a female voice,” Biggs said. “So to get the chance to do this on Confessions was something not only brand new for us, but a big accomplishment, and to do it with such a sparky, talented girl like Madyx who really connected with the lyrics on a personal level made it even more special.  It turned a good song into a unique song that stands out on the record.”

Biggs said the songs make it so unique because of the topic presented within those words.

“The lyrics are about a long distance relationship, a couple reminiscing about their time together on different continents, how the vibe of each city flavored their love for one another,” Biggs said.  “However, as the song goes along we realize it’s not just heartache due to miles apart, the guy is talking to a girl who has passed away and she is replying from beyond the grave.  It’s beautiful, tragic and haunting.  But I think true love can even survive death.”

‘Still Believe’ can be downloaded now via iTunes and streamed online now via Spotify.  Sonic Syndicate will hit the road in March with Amaranthe to support Confessions.  Confessions can be ordered online now direct via Despotz Records’ webstore.  More information on Confessions is available online now along with all of Sonic Syndicate’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.sonicsyndicate.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pg.SonicSyndicateBand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SoSyOfficial

 

 

 

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Sonic Syndicate’s New LP Shows Sometimes Change Can Be A Good Thing

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Next Friday, rock outfit Sonic Syndicate will release its latest full-length studio recording to the world.  The album, Confessions, is a stark departure from the band’s previous albums.  That departure in style was no accident, either.  After facing changes in its lineup and label throughout the past ten years of its life, the former hard rock outfit went on hiatus in 2014 before releasing what would be its last hard rock release in its 2014 self-titled album.  Following its release, the band’s remaining members—Nathan J. Biggs and Robin Sjunneson—re-evaluated the band’s path and ended up taking a decidedly more mainstream approach to this record. The album is a great new start for the band, which also features bassist Michael Barzien as its newest member.  That is due both to the approach taken to the songs’ musical arrangements and their lyrical content as is evidenced in the album’s new single ‘Start a War.’  That will be discussed shortly.  ‘I Like It Rough’ is another example of how the band’s mainstream approach has made this record a solid rebirth for Sonic Syndicate.  That will be discussed later.  ‘Closure,’ the album’s penultimate offering, is one more example of how the approach taken to this record has made the album a great new beginning for Sonic Syndicate.  It is just one example of what makes this new album such a solid new beginning for the band, too.  Each of the nine other songs featured in this record could be cited just as easily in supporting that statement.  All things considered, Confessions gives great hope for Sonic Syndicate in its new life.

Sonic Syndicate’s new album Confessions is a clear departure for the band from the metal material that made up most of its previous recordings.  That is not necessarily a bad thing either.  The change in the band’s sound in this record gives great hope for the band in its new life.  That is evident in part through the album’s latest single ‘Start A War.’  Instead of the metal style sound for which the band had come to be known in the past, this song’s musical arrangement presents a decidedly emo vibe that would fit easily into any mainstream rock radio station’s rotation.  The song’s arrangement is driven largely by Robin Sjunneson’s guitar work.  The call and response approach used in the song’s chorus adds even more to that mainstream emo vibe, and even Biggs’ own vocal approach plays its own part in that vibe.  The song’s musical arrangement is just one part of what makes this song stand out.  Its lyrical content plays its own important part in the song’s overall approach, too.

The musical arrangement that is presented in Confessions is, in itself an important part of the song’s presentation.  It goes a long way toward exhibiting the stark contrast of the band’s previous and current identity.  It is just one part of what makes the song stand out in exhibiting that change.  The song’s lyrical content is just as important to note as its musical content in examining the band’s change.  In regards to its lyrical content the song comes across, at least to this critic, as a call to action of sorts.  That is inferred as Biggs sings in the song’s chorus, “I know that you’ve been waiting/For me to start a war/And I know that you feel jaded/Because jaded is what you are/Right now you’re suffocating/It’s time to cut the cord/No need to be feeling jaded/We’re taking back the world.”  The argument is solidified even more as he sings later in the song’s four-minute-plus run time, “You’re on the edge of destiny/A chance to live out what you dream/It’s time to get the message out/And sing it through the streets/This is not a fantasy/A chance  to live out what we dream/It’s time to get the message out/Everyone in every town/Sing it through the streets.”  Biggs comes across here as saying it is up to people to stand up and take action, not wait for others to make something happen.  People need to make their own destiny.  Much as with the song’s musical arrangement, that is a clear departure from the band’s past offerings.  It is an inspiring, uplifting message from which listeners of any age will benefit.  When that positive message is coupled with the song’s easily accessible musical arrangement, the combination of the two elements shows clearly just how much Sonic Syndicate has changed on its new album. What’s more it is a clear example of why that change is a very good thing for the band, too.  Of course the combination of the two elements makes this song just one example of what makes the change in the band’s identity and sound so welcome.  ‘I Like It Rough’ is another example of just how much Sonic Syndicate has changed since the release of its self-titled 2014 album and why that change is a good thing for the band.

‘Start A War’ is a clear example of how much Sonic Syndicate has changed in comparison to its previous offerings.  It is just as much of an example of why that change is a good thing.  That is due to the combination of the album’s musical and lyrical content.  It is just one example of the change in the band’s sound and why that change is a good thing for the band.  ‘I Like It Rough’ serves to support both statements just as much as ‘Start A War.’  It supports both statements–just as with ‘Start A War’—in part through its musical arrangement.  This song’s musical arrangement makes it an instant hit on any mainstream rock radio station thanks to Sjunneson’s driving guitar line. It is an infectious arrangement that, when partnered with Biggs’ vocal approach and the song’s bass and drums, instantly conjures thoughts of Filter, Sick Puppies, and other similar acts.  That alone makes the song stand out.  The song’s lyrical content makes the song stand out just as much as its musical arrangement, too.  So it cannot be ignored here.

The musical arrangement presented in ‘I Like It Rough’ shows in itself another way in which Sonic Syndicate has changed and why that change is a good thing.  The driving, mainstream rock sound of the arrangement makes the song fit just as well on any mainstream rock radio station as songs from the likes of Filter, Sick Puppies, and other acts.  It is just one part of what makes the song stand out.  Its lyrical content makes it stand out just as much as its musical arrangement.  The song’s lyrical content stands out because it is not the typical song about a person pleading for love or even pleading to get back love last.  Instead it takes more of the approach of a dreamer who is head over heels for someone else despite knowing the odds of anything happening romantically are slim to nil.  It really is a road less taken in the bigger picture of songs about relationships.  Yet the subject matter is still material to which so many listeners can relate.  As Biggs sings, “You’re the divine intervention/A miracle of nature/You’re everything that I want/But what I want is gonna be the death of me/You’re looking drop dead fine tonight/There’s no question about it/Don’t know how much I can take before I lose it all/you make me feel like I mean nothing to you/Guess that’s the way I like it.”  He goes on to sing in the song’s second verse, “I could tell from the start/My heart was gonna be your casualty.”  From here, Biggs returns to the song’s chorus once again, with all of the same vocal energy to match the song’s musical punch.  Considering this, the pairing of that musical and vocal energy with the song’s lyrical content is a good match.  It serves to show how infatuated this person is about his/her subject of interest.  On a side note, the fact that the speaker could be male or female makes the song hit even harder.  Both men and women have been in the state presented here.  It makes the song that much easier to relate to for listeners.  That overall accessibility makes the song stand out even more as an example of just how much Sonic Syndicate has changed and why that change is a good thing for the band and its new fans.  Even with this in mind, it still is not the last of the songs featured in Confessions that shows that change and why said change is a good thing. ‘Closure’ comes late in the album’s run.  It is one more song supporting both statements about this record.

‘Start A War’ and ‘I Like It Rough’ are both key compositions included in Confessions.  That is because both songs show in their own way just how much Sonic Syndicate has changed through the combination of their musical and lyrical content.  While both songs are key examples of the band’s positive change, they are not only songs that exhibit said change.  ‘Closure’ is one more example of that change.  ‘Closure’ comes late in the album’s sequencing.  It is the album’s penultimate piece as a matter of fact.  It is just as much of a contrast from the previously noted songs as they are from the band’s previous material.  It is an introspective, semi-acoustic composition that as its own fit in any mainstream rock radio station.  Its musical arrangement is led by Sjunneson’s emotional guitar line and Biggs’ equally moving vocal delivery.  The addition of the string arrangements as support adds even more depth to the song’s overall musical arrangement.  When all of the noted elements are joined together they make the impact of the song’s musical arrangement such that it will reach anyone who has ever experienced heartbreak.  The addition of the song’s lyrical content depends the song even more as Biggs sings about needing that finality in a relationship that has come to its end.

The musical arrangement presented in ‘Closure’ makes the song clearly another example of how much Sonic Syndicate has changed and why that change is good for the band and its fans. It shows yet again the range of its members in regards to their musical abilities and tastes.  It is just one part of what makes the song stand out of course.  The song’s lyrical content makes the song stand out even more.  That is because of how it addresses the issue of needing finality in a relationship’s end. Most people have been in the position of this song’s subject; that position of wanting to make that break and close that chapter of life.  That is what the song’s subject is singing about here as Biggs sings, “Hey you/Don’t you know this was coming the first time/It’s like God threw us both in the same room/But then pulled the rug beneath my feet/All alone and left me there to bleed/It’s like God stole the air out of this room/You stole my heart/And you beat it black/But I can’t forget/Till I bring you back/I need a little bit of closure now/Something that kept the ghosts out of my head/Cause we’re living in a lonely world/Where no one stops to say, are you okay.”  Biggs’ subject goes on in very similar fashion throughout the remainder of the strong, brooding over his/her lost love.  Simply put the emotional thoughts expressed through Biggs’ words paint a rich picture of someone in a dark place.  It is a place in which many people have been before.  Again, it makes the song that much more accessible for audiences, exhibiting once more why Sonic Syndicate’s change is so welcome both for itself and its fans.  When all of this is combined and set against the elements that make ‘Start A War’ and ‘I Like It Rough’ stand out, it becomes crystal clear just how much Sonic Syndicate has changed and why that change is a good thing.

Sonic Syndicate has shown clearly in its new album Confessions that it has changed quite a bit from the band that it was in its previous albums.  It has gone from a purely metal/hard rock act to an act that could very easily reach far more audiences than ever before.  That is evident in the more mainstream approach presented in each of the featured songs’ arrangements and the equally more accessible lyrical themes.  Whether through the uplifting ‘Start A War,’ the more energetic ‘I Like It Rough,’ which is about a person who is head over heels about someone else despite knowing it will never happen, or for the far more introspective ‘Closure’ it is clear.  The same could be said of any of the album’s other featured compositions, too.  All things considered, Confessions proves in the end to be a solid new start for Sonic Syndicate, and hopefully only the start for the band.  Confessions will be released in stores and online next Friday, October 14^th.  It can be pre-ordered online now via Despotz Records’ online store.  More information on Confessions is available online now along with all of Sonic Syndicate’s latest news and more at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.sonicsyndicate.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SonicSyndicateBand

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sosyofficial

 

 

 

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Junkstars Debuts Video For New Album’s Title Track

Jumkstars has officially declared war on the mainstream music industry.

The Swedish punk trio has fired a new musical salvo against the mainstream with the video for the title track from its most recent full-length studio recording This Means War.  The video features performances from the band from throughout its recent European tour with Backyard Babies.  The video can be viewed online now vie New Fury Media’s official website.

 

Courtesy: Despotz Records

 

Front man Max Malmquist discussed the song in a recent interview, noting its connection not to anything political or even social but to the ways of the music industry.  “Actually this song is not about war such as two countries fighting against each other, but a war against the “established” music industry,” he said.  “There are so many bands and artists that consume the majority of airplay on radio and TV and it’s always the same bands.  It’s only the old bands that we never give up listening to or new “promoted” bands that we generally don’t like that get played.  So this song is about all the new bands and artists and their struggle.  The music we really want to hear and see; A music war for new music.  Good music.”

‘This Means War’ is streaming online via Soundcloud.  More information on the band’s new video is available online along with all of the band’s latest news at:

 

 

Website: http://www.junkstarsofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/junkstarsofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thejunkstars

 

 

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Junkstars’ Latest LP Is A Win For Punk Purists Everywhere

Courtesy: Despotz Records

Sweden is one of the richest nations in the world in terms of its musical culture.  Originally known for bringing ABBA to the world so many decades ago, a lot has changed for the northern European nation since then.  Now it is known as one of the world’s major centers for “extreme metal.”  Bands such as In Flames, Amon Amarth, Meshuggah, Soilwork, and others have and continue to call Sweden home.  Dark prog-metal acts such as Leprous, Evergrey, and Opeth among others also call Sweden home.  And of course there is also the far more extreme black metal bands such as Ghost, Marduk, Naglfar, etc.  Considering the broad spectrum of metal that Sweden has to offer the world one would think that other than save for ABBA, metal seems to be the only music that Sweden has to offer.  Enter Junkstars.  The Stockholm , Sweden-based trio is one of a handful of acts that is trying to change the musical culture and reputation of its home state.  With two albums already under its collective belt since 2012 the band has already made quite the impact on audiences; audiences not just in its home country but around the world.  It added to that impact late in 2015 with the release of its third full-length studio recording This Means War.  Considering the album’s overall sound and its lyrical themes one can only assume that the album’s title is a direct statement about its mission of change.  It might not be.  That is just this critic’s own take on the album’s title.  Regardless of whether or not this was the aim with the album’s title, its overall presentation presents a band that (to this critic) has clearly declared war on that reputation established by all of those other Swedish bands.  And if the band’s latest album is any indication Junkstars is definitely winning that war.

Junkstars’ new album This Means War is an explosive salvo from the Stockholm , Sweden-based punk rock trio.  This is regardless of whether or not the title of the band’s new album is meant to be a statement about the band’s identity among all of Sweden ’s various metal acts.  The album’s opener ‘’Kill the Ravens’ is just one song that exemplifies this argument.  The song is a no-nonsense composition into which the band wastes no time launching with its pure punk rock sound.   That sound in question is one that fans of Rancid, Social Distortion, The Distillers, and others of that ilk will appreciate.  It is just part of what makes this song stand out in the bigger picture of the album’s presentation.  The song’s lyrical content is just as important to note.  The song’s lyrical content comes across as a social commentary of sorts.  That can be inferred as front man Max Malmquist sings, “Raise your walls and seal your fate/Either way it’s all too late/You have it all/You have control/But deep inside/You’re weak and small/All alone within your gates/Filled by greed/And fed by hate/You have it all/You have control/You’ve isolated your on souls.”  The song’s lead verse, it comes across as a damning indictment of the world’s elitists and their associated collective mindsets.  The song’s second verse plays even more into that theme as Malmquist sings defiantly, “The time has come for you to pay/Cause we can’t stand it one more day/With strength in numbers we’ll prevail/We’re organized and we won’t fail/We’ll burst right through your city walls/And occupy your royal halls/You had it all/You had control/But now your empire shall fall.”  One can almost see Malmquist and his band mates—Tobbe Ljungqvist (bass, vocals) and Mathias Wanneberg (drums)—pumping their fists along with their audiences as they sing these lines.  It plays into the band’s statement about the aim of the songs to address the world’s ugliness. It also echoes just one of the familiar themes presented in so many classic punk anthems that have come before.  Keeping all of this in mind it serves to show why ‘Kill The Ravens’ is just one example of what makes This Means War a standout pure punk album.  ‘Snakebites’ is another example of what makes this record stand out in the punk rock field.

‘Kill The Ravens’ is a key example of what makes Junkstars’ new album This Means War stand out among 2015’s vast sea of punk offerings.  It is just one example of what makes the album stand out, too.  ‘Snakebites’ is another of the album’s key compositions.  The Rancid influence noted before is front and center in this song in regards to its musical arrangement.  From the song’s driving tempo, established by Mathias Wannenberg to Malmquist’s equally up-tempo guitar line and Ljungqvist’s low end, the song’s musical arrangement will impress any punk purist.  The same can be said of Malmquist’s own vocal delivery.  His gravelly delivery is just as similar to that of Rancid’s own front man Tim Armstrong.  That’s just half of what makes this song stand out in the grand scheme of the album’s musical picture.  The seeming social commentary exhibited in the song’s lyrical content makes the song stand out even more.  That can be argued as Malmquist sings here, “A thousand years of ignorance/A lifetime of decay/Despite a million warnings/We face ourselves today/Bring your friends/Listen up/It’s already too late/Gather a militia and resurrect our fate/Our actions led to this/Therefore stand your ground today/Get it straight/Gear up/Don’t look the other way.”  Malmquist comes across here as saying that mankind has put itself in its current position “despite a million warnings.”  And because of what mankind has done throughout the eons there’s no turning back.  Man must stand up and take the chance to make things right.  That can be argued even more as he sings in the song’s chorus with his band mates, “Snakebites (snakebites) coming our way/Blood stains (and shattered brains) all over the place/We won’t (no, we won’t) become their prey/Snakebites (snakebites)/It’s Judgment Day.”  It’s a straight forward message.  And the fact that it is delivered so clearly in such a small space of time (the song’s run time comes in just under three minutes) is even more impressive.  Malmquist didn’t try to get verbacious with the message.  He got right to the point and made it relatively accessible for listeners.  The song’s driving musical arrangement added to that, the whole of the song shows why it is another key addition to the album.  It is still not the last of the album’s prime compositions, either.  ‘Old Man’s Dead House’ is one more of the album’s key moments.

‘Kill The Ravens’ and ‘Snakebites’ are both key examples of what makes Junkstars’ new album This Means War stand out in the punk rock community.  That is thanks to both their musical arrangements and lyrical themes.  The same applies to ‘Old Man’s Dead House.’  This song, seemingly about youthful rebellion, is another of the album’s key compositions.  Listening to this song, audiences will again note its musical arrangement.  That arrangement borders on pop punk.  But still maintains its pure punk identity even with its catchy, radio ready sound.  That balance of pure punk and radio friendly rock is just one portion of what makes this song stand out.  The song’s anecdote about an old man’s house (the forbidden zone so to speak) and the urge to defy that authority is just as important to the song as its musical foundation.  Malmquist sings in this song, “In the town where I was born/Was a house that nobody wants to be in/It was dark/It was cold/And we couldn’t stand the feeling/To get in and explore/To see what’s going on/What’s behind of the door/Let’s take it to the floor/They all told us not to go/And we didn’t have the rights to/But who cares what you get told/When you’re young and want that feeling.”  That is as clear as a song can get in its message.  It isn’t so much about the house as it is about that coming of age through which everyone goes.  In this case that coming of age was attributed at least in part to exploring a creepy old house that was off limits.  Part of growing up for anyone is testing one’s boundaries and defying authority at least to a point.  That Malmquist and company would base that coming of age story in such fashion makes that coming of age message all the more entertaining.  The combination of the wonderfully told tale and the song’s equally infectious musical foundation makes even clearer why this song is another of This Means War’s key compositions.  Together with the other noted songs and those not noted here, all nine songs join together to make This Is War an album that is winning the war against the watered down, radio ready, bubble gum pop punk that is currently polluting the world’s airwaves.

Junkstars’ new album This Means War is a win in the musical war against all of the watered down, radio ready, bubble gum pop punk that is currently polluting the world’s airwaves.  This is clear from the album’s beginning to its end.  From the seemingly damning indictment of the world’s elitists in the album’s opener ‘Kill The Ravens’ to the alleged social commentary of ‘Snakebites’ to the catchy coming of age story within ‘Old Man’s Dead House’ this record presents plenty for punk purists to appreciate.  That includes not just those songs but the rest of the compositions not noted here.  All things considered This Is War shows in the long run to be another win in the musical war against all of the watered down, radio ready, bubble gum pop punk that is currently polluting the world’s airwaves.  It is a record that every punk purist will want to hear and should hear at least once if not more.  It can be ordered now in a variety of bundle packs via Junkstars’ online store at http://despotz.bigcartel.com/artist/junkstars.  More information on the band’s album is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news and more at:

 

 

Website: http://www.junkstarsofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/junkstarsofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thejunkstars

 

 

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