Tag Archives: Grunge

ALBUM REVIEW: Jerry Cantrell – Brighten

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The albums that Grunge legend Jerry Cantrell has released across his solo career and his mothership Alice In Chains always seemed to have an intertwined relationship. 1998’s Boggy Depot and 2002’s Degradation Trip seemingly attempted to fill the void left in the wake of Alice’s hiatus and Layne Staley’s passing while Alice’s comeback albums with William DuVall on board essentially felt like Cantrell albums with extra riffs. This symbiosis turned cyclical with 2018’s Rainier Fog, which shared quite a bit of noticeable commonality with Boggy Depot . So where does Brighten, his first proper solo album in nineteen years, fit into this dichotomy?

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ALBUM REVIEW: INTHEWHALE – Vanishing Point

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The pandemic and the many resultant lockdowns affected INTHEWHALE, with the depression, anger and uncertainty felt reflected on their new album Vanishing Point (Riot Records). An Alt Rock duo from Denver, with Nate Valdez on guitar and vocals and Eric Riley on drums and vocals, INTHEWHALE’s new album is a dark and angry serving of Grunge and Metal.

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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Axlaustade – “Axl Au Stade”

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Axlaustade is a rising instrumental grunge trio hailing from Montrea and we stoked to bring you new musicfrom them today!l They have just dropped their debut eponymous LP, on September 24th, 2021, via La Tribu. The lead single “axl au stade”  will be released on all US digital service providers September 24th. The bands dirty mix of light and shade instrumentals calls back to the halcyon days of the 1990s, but also has one foot in the future. Check out “Axl Au Stade”  and purchase and stream the EP today! 

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ALBUM REVIEW: Blacktop Mojo – Blacktop Mojo

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From the opening salvo of big bruising rocker ‘Wicked Woman’, you know what Blacktop Mojo’s new self titled album (Cuhmon Records) has in store – a heady mixture of Southern Rock, Grunge and Hard Rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Soundgarden and Black Stone Cherry are the ingredients, with the outcome being muscular riffs, big choruses, plenty of volume, and an angsty, grunge-like atmosphere.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Times of Grace – Songs of Loss and Separation

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Nearly fifteen years ago, current Killswitch Engage members Jesse Leach and Adam Dutkiewicz teamed up to birth the collaborative project Times of Grace. This dynamic duo pushed their creative boundaries by conjuring a fresh take on the heavy-yet-melodic sound. They delivered their debut album, The Hymn of a Broken Man (Roadrunner Records) in 2011. The gloom and aggression let loose on that record was ignited by the brutally honest songwriting. The themes of struggle, heartbreak, and hope were potently delivered with a real and plaintive spirit. These two brought forth a discovery of powerful melancholy and now ten years later, they are offering a sequel to that revelation. Their second full-length Songs of Loss and Separation (Wicked Good Records) is carrying on the melodic mournfulness, yet wonderfully wholesome sound that is Times of Grace.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Red Fang – Arrows

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While Red Fang’s fourth album immediately stands out as their first full-length since 2016’s Only Ghosts, it seems to hearken back to the Sludgy aspects of their earliest ventures. Tracks like ‘Unreal Estate’ and the title track reflect strong Melvins circa (A) Senile Animal vibes with their trudging riff patterns and eccentrically howled vocal lines. ‘Fonzi Scheme’ and ‘Days Collide’ elaborate further the former putting in a particularly potent stomp and the latter benefitting the most from the disorienting atmosphere.

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ALBUM REVIEW: Melvins 1983  – Working with God

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Working With God (Ipecac Records/Liberator Music) is the 24th release by the Melvins and features their 1983 lineup of Buzz Osbourne, Dale Crover on bass, and original drummer Mike Dillard (although they have been doing a ton of regular Melvins lineup activities with Steven Shane McDonald of Redd Kross). The record encapsulates the Hardcore and Sludge style Melvins have delivered since their genesis. The result is a fresh album that is thrilling and cathartic. 

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EP REVIEW: Thou and Emma Ruth Rundle – The Helm of Sorrow  

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Having established a successful collaboration with 2020″s May Our Chambers Be Full (Sacred Bones Records, review here), Thou & Emma Ruth Rundle flesh things out further with The Helm Of Sorrow (Sacred Bones Records). The four songs on this EP are more or less cut from the same cloth. A blend of Sludge, Grunge, and Shoegaze serves as a stylistic backdrop for the dynamic synthesis and occasional clashes between Rundle’s harrowing restraint and Thou’s distorted violence.

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EXCLUSIVE VIDEO PREMIERE: Dead Original – “Blasted” 

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We last saw Chicago rockers Dead Original was a few months back when their dropped a video for their track “Let it Bleed.” They are back today with a new video for their song “Blasted.” The hard rock trio from Chicago, that features in its ranks frontman Paul Wandtke who got his start in the music industry as a drummer for hire with Trivium, Kill Hannah, and even the hit musical Rock of Ages. Now leading his own group the band, which also includes  Sean McCole on drums and Mike Petrasek (Bedlem) on bass, “Blasted” builds on the post-grun\ge vibes with some new moody darkness, via the track, highlighted by Paul’s great vocals. Check out the official music video for “Blasted” right now!

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EXCLUSIVE: Dead Original – “Let it Burn” Official Video

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Dead Original is a new hard rock trio from Chicago, that features in its ranks frontman Paul Wandtke who got his start in the music industry as a drummer for hire with Trivium, Kill Hannah, and even the hit musical Rock of Ages. Now leading his own group the band, which also includes  Sean McCole on drums and Mike Petrasek (Bedlem) on bass, has a post-Grunge sound mixed with some proggier moods. Check out the official music video for “Let it Burn right now!

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