When your debut album connects in a big way, and you enjoy nothing but success for the first four albums of a career that continues on an upwards trajectory taking you to Download second stage headline performances and sold out arenas; when you achieve everything you ever set out to achieve as a band within that first ten years, there are two things you can be forgiven when stepping into your second decade.Continue reading
When we chatted with Shimon Moore, formerly of Sick Puppies earlier this summer, he talked about fear, but also about freedom. Even though he has sold millions of records and toured all over the world, he was worried about the future of his career. Not whether or not he could deliver new songs as a solo artist, but how his fans would accept him now. Based on his new solo album, SHIM, he had no reason to fear at all. Not only has he brought with him his penchant for infectious hooks and rocking songs, in some ways, going solo has helped him become much more than he ever was before. Continue reading
In one of the great turns in recent rock history, 1970s rock masters Toto have covered Weezer’s ‘Hash Pipe’. This follows Weezer’s covers of Toto classics ‘Africa’ and ‘Rosanna’. You can stream and buy the track right now!Continue reading
Describing one’s self as “The Dirty Beatles”, however tongue in cheek is pretty self-evidently a bold statement of intent. When it’s a claim made by a group in such an early stage about to release their debut EP release its definitely going to raise some eyebrows. At first glance/listen Electric La La Land (Symptom) may feel like a fairly generic but fun, sunshine ready release; but upon closer inspection Fine Creatures have provided an unexpected level of depth.Continue reading
Pop Evil’s newest offering, Pop Evil (eOne), starts strong out of the gate, a glorious return to good old-fashioned, popular, light Heavy Metal. Dave Grahs and Nick Fuelling prove some nice chunky guitar work interplayed with air guitar worthy riffs. Leigh Kakaty provides vocals you can actually hear! Not only can you hear the vocals but they are also of a pitch and timbre that are pleasing to the ear. Best of all, you can sing along. Frat Boys, Norebang addicts, High Schoolers, Air Guitar and Air Drummers rejoice! An album for all of us!Continue reading
The world wasn’t ready when the Marmozets broke out with their 2014 début The Weird and Wonderful Marmozets. It was a fresh new twist to punk—well crafted, thrilling guitar riffs, energetic drum fills and majestically roaring vocals. Nearly four years since, the Yorkshire, UK quintet is back, stronger than ever with their sophomore effort, Knowing What You Know Now (Roadrunner). Continue reading
The Von Hertzen Brothers have been much covered and much admired across the digital pages of our humble vehicle, in particular, the excellent New Day Rising (Spinefarm). Two years on, and they’re back with the very ambitious War Is Over (Music Theories/Mascot), which further evidences their classic and prog rock sensibilities, and ability to combine them into sumptuous whole pieces. Continue reading
Genius is a gangly word to throw around, and at Ghost Cult, we don’t use it lightly, or all that often. For Steven Wilson, that tag has applied more often than not to his output in his thirty-year-plus career. As he pulls further and further away from his progressive metal heyday; he runs headlong to return to his early roots in the 1980s of No Man Is An Island/No-Man (look it up if you don’t know it) project. His loose goal going in was to make a pop-rock album in the vein of lightly prog-flavored favorites of his youth such as Peter Gabriel, Tears For Fears, XTC, and others. He achieved this on To The Bone (Caroline International), without any pretense you might associate with an artist making a choice like this.Continue reading
Dependability is an overlooked trait in music. As exciting as innovation is, bands can prove just as important and special with few surprises in their sound; cliché perhaps to say, but AC/DC are case in point. Over an eight-album career, Silverstein are another example of a band with a reliable but recognisable sound throughout, their brand of emotive post-hardcore always maintaining a youthful vibrancy and intensity. Latest album Dead Reflection (Rise Records) follows this trend for the most part, and even reveals a couple of new tricks up their sleeve.Continue reading
Pennsylvania’s masters of melody are back for their third album for Epitaph. If you know The Menzingers, this record is not a departure from where they were heading with their last record, Rented World, and if you’re new to them, embrace the catchiness, great lyrics, and insightfulness of After The Party.Continue reading