Ancient VVisdom - 33 As a eleven track album, this full length didn’t really catch my eye (or ear) at first listen. There are certainly some gems of elements in the entire piece but overall I wasn’t terribly impressed with it. As far as stylings go, none of the tracks really stood out to me as a solid listen or an extraordinary one. However, in ‘Light of Lucifer’ I felt that the riffing in the beginning as well as the dark and somber tone hit a note that often doesn’t get hit; reminiscent of the works of Ghost. ‘True Will’ definitely brought the same sort of feel, which was a sound that these guys definitely pull off very well. I can appreciate the lyrical quality though as it explores deeper thought, paganism, and satanic philosophy which gives a nod to all the ways music connects people and relates to many different audiences. I also really enjoyed the opening and ending track as simple ways to start and end the piece in a wholesome and complete manner. Overall from me I give this a 6/10 as I really like the concept of occult rock and exploring paganism and satanism through music, and the sound overall gave a good nod to that. However, simplicity is a double edged sword in that if not done just right the simplicity can read as predictability. LD
Searching for Nostalgia - Self-Titled These guys definitely brought it on the self titled EP game. This six track peek into these guys talents definitely notes a relatable sound for a broad audience and hard hitting tone any post hardcore fan will most likely love. ‘Her Cold Eyes’ gave me serious A Day To Remember vibes, with fast paced riffing, and a heavy dense rhythm line contrasting with a swinging vocal style and abrasive screaming to complete the look. ‘Nostalgia’ ends the album with a bang by opening with an uber heavy riff and doesn’t disappoint with the follow through. For fans of those, get ready for a mosh pit even if you’re in the middle of a grocery store kind of tracks - this one is for you. A solid 8/10 for me! I think that the vocals could have improved a tiny bit by just cleaning up the style and tone to become even more in line with the already well put together tracks. LD
Nothing More - The Stories We Tell Ourselves A band that have really started to make a name for themselves and since ‘Go to War’ was used as part of the new Planet of the Apes film has brought them to a far wider audience than ever before. This is a big album and it needs to deliver and it does, in a big way. The collision of different styles could make for a messy affair but they have done it very well making for arena rock ready songs that will sit just as well in any smaller venue. They have taken a big step up in just about every aspect, from song writing to production making for an album that keeps you listening to see what is coming next, there are big epic moments and rough raw energy. ‘Do You Really Want It’ is a great opener that does everything an opener needs to get a listener to carry on listening while ‘Let em’ Burn’ brings some great attitude into it with an almost stroppy feel. ‘Go To War’ is the money track, the mix of clean and hard hitting vocal create the atmosphere while the band create a swirling backing. It is a song that was well chosen as a lead single. It isn’t a perfect album, ‘Don’t Stop’ ambles along and doesn’t do much and some of the spoken word interludes become a distraction at times but that said, this album delivers in a big way and should see Nothing More making waves very soon. AN