Tāmaki Makaurau lays in the Land of the Long White Cloud, aka Aotearoa, aka New Zealand and is also the home base for the three piece punk rock band BURDENZ, who have released their debut single “CULTZ.” Members JimmyColdham (vocals, guitar), AlexRossSmith (bass, backing vocals) and AlexGallagher (drums) are also involved in bands such as NUGGIEZ, CoffinClub, Jang, ShotguntheCouch and SoulStroke.
The guitars rumble, soar and dominate in “CULTZ,” winding and fluctuating along with the equally eviscerating vocals searing the air without compromise. They drop into a false lull before once again descending into the vortex of instrument versus man.
Loud and unashamedly balls to the wall punk rock, not over produced and BURDENZ really know how to play. “CULTZ” is a pretty cool debut single from the fertile music scene that is bubbling away in New Zealand.
South Australian’s BraveMistakes is now a fully fledged band, going from a solo project originally, created by a guy who thought he would challenge himself in putting out one song a month. That is pretty good going and says a lot about the character and song writing abilities of lead singer GarrettCooper.
The vocals are very reminiscent of a soul filled BrianFerry, combined with bitter sweet lyrics of love , because as we all know that love can hurt just as much as it can fix broken hearts. There is a wonderful play between the guitars that swirls into your ears, with the drums underpinning it all.
“AchingEnough” definitely draws on the alternative Australian sound, and you hear the reverberations of guitar bands such as TheHummingbirds, TheHuxtonCreepers, TheTriffids or even TheScreamingTribesmen. This one really does pull at the heartstrings and there is a longing, leaving us waiting for more.
Minneapolis based band, autumn, have been honing their post-punk music since their three member inception back in 1994. JuliePlante (vocals), NeilMcKay (guitars/programming) and JeffLeyda (bass) released their new single “catacombs,” in May, with WilliamFaith (BellwetherSyndicate) recording, mixing, mastering and producing at 13Studio. This track is off the new soon to be released album, songs about dying, out on SettRecords.
There is something warm and inviting in the tone of the guitars, rich and deep. JuliePlante is quite mesmerising as their lead singer and she sings you a song of love but in the end everything dies, and it all feels so fleeting. Sometimes memory is all we have and that we live on in the memories of others..
“This song really hits on many of the big themes still circulating in our lives right now, but it really came together during the COVID lockdown time. I knew my dad was nearing the end of his life, and I was finding myself really trying to make my peace with this fragile world and my own limited time in it. I was also really dealing with solitude in a way I hadn’t ever before: recognizing that we are each born alone and will ultimately die alone, and yet we are never alone… Much of the video footage was shot up north in the woods in the coldest part of winter, and that too felt right to me. The starkness of a northern winter landscape has always spoken volumes to me of the thin line between life and death.” – Plante
The music video is beautifully shot by Faith, between a snow laden forest and the group playing together. Bones might reside in “catacombs,” but those remains hold stories of lives with great loves and this track is genuinely a lovely gothic ode to life from autumn.
When creating music, is the artist doing it for themselves to induce joy or for the audience, who may not be so receptive or critical? The latest track from Melbourne’s Velatine delves into this quagmire, delightfully called “FCKYOUALL,” out on the SpookyRecords label.
This is not some punk song, as this is doom coming to get you with death tolling bells and Lockwood is joined on vocals by BarbDwyer. There is a more industrial tone to the electronics and indeed the chorus is a resounding ‘fuckyouall.’
The commentary of the lyrics is about the toll of being an artistic type in the alternative genre, where it can be a thankless slog to gain recognition, often leading to mental health issues, then relying on substances like alcohol and drugs to get that kick. This is a much darker and harsher sound for Velatine, if that is possible for a goth project, and it is accompanied by a music video, shot in black and white by MarkBakaitis , as the duo stalk through the night-time streets of Melbourne with no fucks given. And honestly, I think we all need to occasionally let off steam and say “FCKYOUALL.”
We are going to talk about Swedish act AgainstI. The three piece has a new EP out, ironically called DestructionLullaby, though to be quite frank, at seven tracks, this really could be called a full length album. Released on the TwistedFlesh Recordings label, my only warning is to prepare your ears to be bombarded with heavy industrial metal.
And so begins the assault with bludgeoning drum blasts, as the call to the dispossessed and rejected to take back what is theirs rings out with Croona’s vocals pile driving into the screaming guitars in “Darkdivine.” The electronic angelic crowd stand testament to the apocalyptic destruction of “Worldinruin,” a combination of classical meets metal, that is raised into the stratosphere by the synths.
“Thesacrifice” is a walk into damnation, raw and bleeding from the shadow of a broken soul, claustrophobic and clinging like a oily film to the skin. Following this is the ode to a million ways to die, the track “Deathdefined,” with the slamming drums and hum of slashing guitar, all the while Croona goes full demonic.
The concept of reality can be just as cruel as your worst nightmare is explored in “A violentdream,” and this track points to a far more metal background, with soaring guitar and an inexplicable Nordic intent. There is a always a “Calm before the storm” and it is the same with this track, because when it hits, it is with righteous fury, which leaves us bared for the title track “Destruction lullaby,” with the winding synths and stomping beats while the vocals vie for dominance with the guitar.
Maybe it is time to give the monsieurs three, that being MathiasBack, AndersStröm and FredrikKeithCroona, a little recognition and a listen if you haven’t before. There is no calm before the storm. There is only the storm, that is full of metal shards bound in shocking electronic power, driving rhythms and vocals of a madman unbound in a world where everything has gone to hell. This is AgainstI and they will pummel you to sleep with their DestructionLullaby, a sonorous head beating.
Few things are guaranteed… death and taxes seem to be universal, just ask the dynamic Melbourne duo of LouiseLove and LuisGutierrez, of the electronic indie pop band Roles as they bring you the single “Taxes.”
There is something very old school about the sound of the electronics, and maybe it is the way it reminds me very much of early NewOrder when they were more in their experimental phase, along with the chiming in guitar. All the while you can delight in Love’s always beautifully executed vocals.
Oh my oh my Roles, “Taxes” musically is a charming track, though there is that underlying sadness when it comes to the content of the lyrics, about a friend who is battling their inner demons, talking about the things they need to do but knowing that they might choose to leave this mortal plane. The sweet, the sour and the brevity of this gift called life encapsulated in this brilliant song called “Taxes.”
CharmaineEvonne (vocals), TraceyWhorton (drums), DirkMiller (guitar) and PeterGuellard (bass, programming) make up Pittsburgh dark rock band dichro, who dropped their latest single with video, on the label Distortion Productions, called “Mercy.”
A sassy double bass in southern bayou swing, greets your ears, while the guitar wails in the blues of “Mercy.” Evonne’s vocals goes from vibrato to singing the rock from her soul into your bones. There is also the extra bonus bombastic Psycho-Brutalist remix by Psychotribe which ups the electronic factor, glitching and fritzing delightfully.
“Mercy” is a groovy number that shimmies and shakes seductively, holding you in awe, which might just mean that there be some sort of voodoo magic spell placed on you by dichro.
The HOSTILEARCHITECT might be hostile but he is also very conscious of being fit. Brisbane electronic artist MitchKenny dropped the single “ANYTIMEFITNESS” back in March….yep I’m slack, but here it is, so let’s get physical.
Mighty rhythms for a mighty strong track. Kenny lays down some pretty dark synth lines and the powerful vocals are leap out at you with extreme vigour. The angst is palpable with the clattering beats.
‘Violent men make violent times‘ sounds like a steroid fuelled nightmare with an cyberpunk soundtrack, as the HOSTILEARCHITECT sweeps you away, fanning the explosive dance track that is “ANYTIME FITNESS (SUPPLEMENTAL MIX).”
Late at night, when all are asleep, and yet slumber escapes you…. do you hear it? Noises from under the bed, or is it the cupboard or down the hall? Maybe, you are about to “MeetMrScratch,” which coincidently is the new video for the single from SinisterFate, the shock rock five piece unit, based in Chicago.
Häxan, the Swedish silent horror movie from 1922, is the setting for the video, where the band has been grafted into the the story of medieval witchcraft and terror. Band members, DavidBates (vocals), NoelDivad (guitar), LeoGarcia (guitar), TheOmen (bass), and DK (drums) seem to play the roles of ghastly beings who are watching and taunting the religious protagonists, while the music heightens the paranormal tension, in that sassy theatrical way.
In the milieu of such artists as RobZombie and Wednesday13, it has to be said that horror inspired rock is very appealing, especially with its tongue in cheek sense of humour, which definitely is there in spades when watching the music video. Basically it is good old fashioned fun, enhanced by a guitar fuelled track, where one must be careful or encounter the SinisterFate and “MeetMisterScratch.”
Darkwave/industrial three piece, MatteBlvck are based in San Diego, California, and on the verge of dropping the new album Vows, have released the single “PupulaDuplex.”
The cool vocals announce ‘I am nothing‘ above the electronic clacking, pulling you into the track straight away. There are huge lulls followed by intense punching rhythms and synths, inviting you to re-join the manic dance whilst facing your own inner demons.
“PupulaDuplex” most certainly is a throwback to the 90s, recalling the bass and drum filled music of iconic bands such as Prodigy and AphexTwin, which drop you like a rollercoaster and then build up that tension again. But then, they aren’t a carbon copy, as MatteBlvck inject their own underlying darkness into this genre. Gritty and bleak.
Onyx Music Reviews 