UPDATE TIME!

Hey guys! I know content has been quite bare bones but I've been working on plenty of stuff behind the scenes and can't wait to get it all up here. This is a simple update letting you know that I'm still planning on posting content here on a weekly basis once school starts up again! 

In the mean time, I figured I'd leave some new material for you guys to check out! Black Tongue has released yet another new song, this time complete with a bone-chilling video. In the Wake ov the Wolf is the title of the new song and I still think that these guys are the best downtempo group around. While it may not appeal to as many people as L'appel du Vide, (previous single) Black Tongue is definitely proving that they are on the come up and I can't wait for their upcoming album. 

Also, my metalcore favorites, The Devil Wears Prada, just released their new Space EP. Featuring 6 tracks the EP tells the story of a lone astronaut who ends up being the sole survivor of the human race. It is an exceptional EP with plenty of emotions flowing through the lyrics and some of the best metalcore instrumentals I've heard in a while. I will be posting a review of Space later this week.

In the mean time, check out the new Black Tongue single and my favorite track off of the Space EP!

Cheers!

Aidan

The Devil Wears Prada - Alien [NEW SINGLE]

Wow. The Space EP is almost here and TDWP have given us a second track from their upcoming release. I'll start by saying this, Alien is my favorite track that these guys have put out in years. I'm more of a Zombie, Roots, and Plagues fan, rather than Dead Throne and 8:18. This upcoming EP seems to have a concept similar to their first EP, Zombie. As for the song, this shit rips. Daniel is rippin' on the kit from the first note and doesn't let up after that. The mix sounds nice a crisp and Mike's vocals are used in new and unique ways while still maintaining his signature sound. I'd say my only complaint with this song is that it isn't longer due to how much I've been enjoying it. I'm actually glad they decided not to implement a more typical chorus, as we saw that on the last single, Supernova.

The Space EP is due out August 21st on Rise Records. 

Be sure to check out the official stream of Alien from Rise below!

Thy Art Is Murder - Holy War [NEW ALBUM Stream]

Well here it is! The highly anticipated new album from the guys in Thy Art Is Murder. We've definitely had a handful of deathcore releases this year so we'll have to see if this can stand apart from the pack and show some growth since Hate. These guys haven't always been my favorite deathcore act, but I can't deny that they sure do have some tasty jams. Definitely gonna be listening to this in the coming weeks and will probably be posting a review after my review of Psalms (new Lorna Shore).

ENJOY MY FELLOW METALHEADS!

Black Tongue - L'appel du Vide [New Single]

I'm gonna call Black Tongue down-tempo, but this new track would be contradicting me. Okay yes, the heavy is here, obviously if you're listening to Black Tongue you're expecting the drop tuning and plenty of slams. But this new track adds a LOT to their sound. The opening with blasts feels like something straight out of a black metal album with the ambiance the guitars create. This is starting to become somewhat of a trend among bands under the deathcore label, but when done right (like this) it sounds pretty damn amazing. Definitely give this one a listen if you haven't had your daily headbang yet! Also, keep a lookout for their new album due out September this year, titled, The Unconquerable Dark.

Upcoming Northlane Album and New Single!

Well yesterday the world was given a new Northlane song. I'd say that is a pretty damn good day. Even with the addition of new vocalist Marcus Bridge, Northlane is on their A game and I can say I'm definitely looking forward to their new album, Node, due out July 24th. The new single, Obelisk, is really demonstrating somewhat of a new direction in which there is plenty of atmosphere. The guitars swell in the background while drums slice right through and it's a really welcome sound is this almost overpopulated world of modern metal. If Rot and Obelisk are signs of what is to come, Node looks to be an excellent release from a more than excellent band.

Check out the official video for Obelisk and the tracklist for Node below. 

Tracklist for Node:

1. Soma

2. Obelisk

3. Node

4. Ohm

5. Nameless

6. Rot

7. Leech

8. Impulse

9. Weightless

10. Ra

11. Animate

The Coma Machine - Between the Buried and Me [New Single]

Ah, so nice to finally see the return of Between the Buried and Me. These guys are masters of metal and are one of the most intuitive and musically intelligent bands around today. I was a huge fan of their previous albums, Colors and The Parallax II: Future Sequence. Some of my favorite metal songs of all time reside on those albums so I was definitely expecting big things for their new material. The band released the first single from their upcoming album back in April, and let me tell you, it was great. However, this right here... is really something special. This song and video demonstrate how truly talented and artistic these guys are. The song s a masterpiece and flows perfectly from beginning to end featuring a multitude of styles and sounds along the way.

With how The Coma Machine is sounding, I really think we should be getting excited for this new album. Coma Ecliptic is due out July 10th on Metal Blade Records. Definitely be looking to check this one out!

I'M BACK! [Matriarch Review - Veil of Maya]

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while since I posted a review or anything, but I'm back. I will also be creating a new format for my reviews and be going a little more in depth. Midterms had me swamped with plenty of other personal issues but I will now be posting a review or an update at least once a week. Now that that's out of the way... the new Veil of Maya album dropped yesterday, and I'm gonna tell you all about it.

MATRIARCH

Matriarch is by far Veil's best written album to date. While some fans man not feel that this is Veil at their best, this is definitely their songwriting at it's best. This is the first album to incorporate clean vocals, and guitarist Marc Okubo said that was something that the band had been talking about implementing for quite a while, before they even landed their new vocalist, Lukas. While even I was a little skeptical of the introduction of cleans, they couldn't blend any better and Lukas' voice is truly outstanding. Alright here's where I may lose some of you. I actually think Lukas is an upgrade from Brandon. He seems to have a wider range of screams as well as a great singing voice that is proving very intuitive for Veil. 

For those of you thinking, "Oh this isn't Veil of Maya anymore", let's put those thoughts to rest. This is Veil of Maya. I can hear similarities to The Common Mans Collapse on tracks like LeeLoo and Teleute, while they manage to incorporate so many new sounds at the same time. This is by far the widest variety of sounds that we have seen to date on one of Veil's albums. However, some sounds and ideas do feel a little out of place and almost dumbed down compared to the rest of the material on the album. Matriarch is a masterfully crafted metal album and all the boys in Veil are showing what they have evolved into. 

Track rundown:

LeeLoo - Alright this one is something special. If you're looking for the good old chaotic riffs and mind boggling rhythms of TCMC and even id, this is going to be one of your favorite tracks on the album. It features an intro riff that will melt your face while you groove all at the same time. Lukas layers over some brutal screams and Sam is clean as ever behind the kit. Dan also sounds great as the bass isn't hidden in the mix and everyone's contribution is able to be picked out while listening. This track also features some really neat effects in order to create atmosphere, and the second half has some rhythms that will leave listeners lost, but more than satisfied. 

LeeLoo: A

Mikasa - This was actually the second single released from this album, and that's for a damn good reason. This is a kick-ass song, from start to finish. The heavy A sections give us plenty of what we want, but then we hear something new from Veil... choruses. Lukas really shines on this track because we are able to see the contrast from his screams and cleans so clearly. It's a track full to the brim with beautiful melodies and bellowing growls and exposes us to these new sounds of the band. 

Mikasa: B+

Three-Fifty - Being a personal favorite of mine from this album, I have a lot to say about this song. First of all, it's fast. Opens with a blistering intro and then transitions listeners into a slow-flowing break section featuring Lukas' cleans yet again. This slow section returns with more emphasis and we really get to hear a lot of Lukas on this track. The final third is where this one picks up. Marc's riffs just fit. It's as simple as that and he has clearly spent A LOT of time writing this album. There are also some great layers added for texture behind the main riffs and rhythms. 

Three-Fifty: A-

The Verdict:

So, is Matriarch worth your time? Without a doubt. This is some of the best work of one of the best modern metal bands around. Veil of Maya is proving to be like a fine wine, they are getting better with age. While many people will avoid this album all together due to the use of clean vocals, I really ask you to open your mind and give it a listen. I guarantee that there's at least one track that new and old fans alike can get down to. From start to finish this album just feels complete and full of wonderful musical ideas. I think that the inclusion of cleans has pushed them to new boundaries and will only further their music endeavors even after this album. 

Matriarch  = 9.2/10

Check out my favorite track from the album below!

PS - I was lucky enough to see Veil of Maya last night for the album release show. It was my first time seeing the band live with Lukas, and they played a great combination of new and old material. He really displayed his chops with some older tracks like "It's Not Safe to Swim Today" and "Resistance" while also absolutely slaying all of the cleans and screams from the material that he has written. Was impressed with the whole band as always and it was one hell of a show.