We are still wrapping up all the goodness of 2023 with some fun guest posts from bands, friends, and fiends! Check out this list from Andrew Stout of both Apeiron Bound, and Lycanthro!
Fiends – Insolent Noise:
Fiends is a band I feel will have an amazing impact on the musical landscape. They bring in their own twist on the djent subgenre and incorporate elements of 90s/2000s alternative metal, psychedelic rock, EDM, and hardcore that will both have you energized and heartstrings tugged. The duality of James’ clean vocals and Garrett’s screams bring a whole different spin on the vocal dynamics to fit each part of the songs. Everything from atmospheric keyboards, intricate grooves, and a blend of varying emotions to paint a picture of each story each song has to tell.
Highlight Tracks: “Rhino Beach”, “Terror Projector”, “Rented Mental”, and “Plastic Horse”
Head With Wings – Without Intervention:
“Without Intervention” is by far the greatest album these Connecticut prog boys have put out. From beginning to end, you’re taken on a sonic journey with varying degrees of soundscapes. On top of the versatile vocals and intricate musicianship of the bandmates, Vikram Shankar’s keyboards add a nice layer that takes the band’s sound from 11 to 45. The story itself touches on relatable themes that are both timeless and relevant to the current influencer climate. I have no doubt in my mind that HWW will reach the legendary status of Steven Wilson within a decade.
Highlight Tracks: “The Dream Broker”, “Absolute Zero”, “Galaxy”, and “Comfort in Illusion”
Earthside – Let the Truth Speak:
Nearly a decade after launching their debut “A Dream in Static”, the boys from Connecticut are back in full force. They took what made their debut so amazing and took it into the stratosphere. On top of amplifying their signature cinematic rock sound (“Let the Truth Speak”), they add new elements into the mix such as funk and R&B (“The Lesser Evil”). Some of these tracks are so epic, you’d mistake them for sounds for a thriller movie trailer (“All We Knew And Ever Loved” & “Watching the Earth Sink”). No two tracks sound the same on this record, giving the songs their own identity to further convey the stories being told. Personally, if the world were to end tomorrow, I imagine the soundtrack would be this record as our lives flash before our eyes before the inevitable demise. Before the world ends, let it be known that this record will stand the test of time. Also, shout out to Loudwire for recognizing this piece of art as “Best Progressive Rock/Metal Album of 2023”.
Highlight Tracks: “Tyranny”, “Pattern of Rebirth”, “Watching the Earth Sink”, and “Let the Truth Speak”
Dissona – Dreadfully Distinct:
I fell in love with Dissona back in 2016 when I saw they were opening up for Earthside and Leprous. Their interpretation of progressive metal is refreshing, considering the number of Instagram/TikTok-core clones saturating the market right now. Picking up where they left off on “Paleopneumatic”, this short release covers all the basics of what makes Dissona such a unique band. They combine the best elements of intricate musicianship and melodic hooks with a theatrical vocal performance that’ll have you addicted. Imagine, for a moment, Symphony X and Carpenter Brut birthing a prodigy child. It would be this amazing band.
Highlight Tracks: “The Prodigal Son” and “Skinjob”
Spiritual Chaos – Beyond Language:
If you took 1990s era John Petrucci (Images & Words/Awake specifically) and put him in “In Flames”, you’d get “Spiritual Chaos”. Musically, they bring out the best elements of Swedish melodic death metal and American metalcore with sprinkled melodic guitar virtuoso sensibilities. The vocalist is the bastard son of Anders Fridén (In Flames) with his own sense of identity with both clean and scream styles. While “Beyond Langauge” is the obvious crowd favorite, there’s plenty of other bangers to go around such as “Remnants” and “In Trauma”. These up-and-comers are some of the most hard working individuals in the Florida music scene right now. There’s no doubt they’ll leave an impact on the music world for years to come.
Highlight Tracks: “In Trauma” and “Beyond Language”
Ascend the Helix – Spiral of Reflection:
Ascend the Helix is what you get when you mold Meshuggah’s polyrhymic grooves and Sybreed’s dark industrial landscape. I’ve been a fan of Mike Semesky’s vocals since I heard his band Rest Among Ruins during the MySpace days in 2008. It’s amazing to see how much of a powerhouse he is as a vocalist with his dozen projects. Along with RAR, this is my favorite vocal project of his. Let’s not forget the musicianship of Adam Smiarowski [guitars, bass, synths, etc.]. His ability to blend a variety of modes to make you feel euphoric, melancholic, and empowered at the same time is no small feat. The melodic choices between diminished, whole tone, and harmonic minor (sometimes in the same song) on top of the polyrhymic grooves is done in such a way where most metal bands should take notes on how to make a genre their own. I welcome more ATH in my future and anyone that loves darkwave and metal of all kinds should give these guys a listen.
Highlight Tracks: “A New Doorway”, “Born of the Light”, “Insatiable”, “Spiral of Reflection”, and “Herald of Deceit”
Phantom Elite – Blue Blood:
Phantom Elite have become one of my favorite bands over the last couple years. They took what they did on “Titanium” and turned it up 5 notches. Incorporating more djent/nu-metalcore elements (“Skin of My Teeth”, “Apex”) while retaining their cinematic/symphonic metal roots showcase their versatility as musicians. Marial’s vocals are also the most top notch I’ve heard from her thus far. On top of her signature melodic power, she incorporates more death metal screams as well as rap segments that give a few more layers of dynamic in an already top notch band. A band that’s worth having on your radar.
https://youtu.be/PVliwujpndw
Highlight Tracks: “Birdcage”, “This Sick World”, “Skin of My Teeth”, and “Fragments”
Periphery – P5: Djent Is Not A Genre:
Periphery certainly did not disappoint with this release. Picking up where they left off on P4, they continue to amplify everything that gives the band its identity. The instrumentation continues to bring out the best of each layer that makes the band, from the heaviest bits (“Wildfire”, “Everything is Fine”) to the most melodic (“Wax Wings”, “Dying Light”, “Silhouette”). Spencer’s vocals are the best I’ve heard from him so far. He knows how to dial in every mood that the songs call for, from angelic to the demonic wounded ox, amped up another few notches. Besides the music, the band’s unapologetic approach to composition is clearly upfront and center on this release. Easily the most respectable part of the band.
Highlight tracks: “Wildfire”, “Wax Wings”, “Dying Light”, and “Dracul Grad”
Mercenary – Soundtrack for the End Times:
Hands down, this is the best album from the “new era” (2011 to present) of Mercenary that I’ve heard so far. Every track on this album is a banger. Their unique blend of melodic death metal and alternative rock will always have a special place in my heart. Every track has sing along choruses on top of heaviness that’s also not overbearing. Every track is top notch musicianship. René has really stepped his vocal game up. Loved his introduction on “Architect of Lies” alongside Mikkel’s classic cleans and love him here. Guitar solos that have the ability to be soulful while shredful at the same time. I’m happy to see this band persevere on. Sweden may be known for having crafted melodic death metal However, Denmark should not be slept on either. Mercenary is an underrated gem that needs more exposure.
Highlight Tracks: “Burning in Reverse”, “Heart of the Numb”, “Beyond the Waves”, and “Where Darkened Souls Belong”
Invent Animate – Heavener:
Invent Animate is what happens when you blend the aggressive energy of Architects and the ambience of Tesseract. “Heavener” is a solid album from beginning to end. The production quality is top notch with the wall of sound ambience. The guitars are technical yet melodically driven. The vocals also set the mood for every song. The synth soundscapes also fit every mood for the story of each song. A blend of brutality and beauty that should not be overlooked for the modern metal fan.
Highlight Tracks: “Shade Astray”, “Without a Whisper”, “Labyrinthine”, “Immolation of Night”, and “Purity Weeps”
Tesseract – War of Being:
Tesseract came back with no pulled punches with this one! When I first saw the video for the lead single “War of Being”, I knew it was going to be a banger. Everything about that song threw me back into the “Concealed Fate” era plus the amplification of their songwriting. Dan’s vocals are a highlight on this release. In my opinion, the best I’ve heard him perform. “War of Being” and “Legion” bring out the best of most, if not all, his vocal techniques wrapped in one beautiful package. As usual, the musicianship is top notch filled with intricate grooves and ambient landscapes that’ll keep your earbuds happy. Not to mention how they consistently make the album experience enjoyable, as if you were listening to a movie.
Highlight tracks: “War of Being”, “Legion”, and “Sacrifice”
Gunship – Unicorn:
Gunship is a project I got into during the pandemic. Their blend of 80’s EDM on top of darkwave make for a unique blend for all kinds of music listeners. Deadmau5 meets Celldweller. Each song brings in captivating melodies and top notch production quality that hooks you in from beginning to end. Every collaborative effort serves their purpose and is set to tell the story of each song. Amazing background music for any occasion from gaming, gym, to vibing out after a long day. Also, I welcome more eargasmic Tim Cappello saxophone.
Highlight Tracks: “Empress of the Damned”, “Monster in Paradise”, “Tech Noir 2”, and “Blood for the Blood God”