Bring Me The Horizon 'Sempiternal' Album Review

Whether you love them or hate them, it’s no secret that Bring Me The Horizon are back. After ditching rhythm guitarist Jona Weinhofen and gaining keyboardist Jordan Fish, the Sheffield metalcore group have finally released a follow up album to 2010’s ‘There Is a Hell, Believe Me I’ve Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let’s Keep It a Secret’. ‘Sempiternal’ has stormed charts all over the world, reaching number one in both Australia and the UK.

Opening track ‘Can You Feel My Heart?’ instantly demonstrates Bring Me The Horizon’s change in musical direction due to the strong synth sounds and hard-hitting vocals, compared to the fast-paced guitar riffs and weak screaming vocals on their previous three albums. Oliver Sykes’ lyrics have progressed and reflect his personal issues, expressed well in the lyric “I can’t drown my demons, they know how to swim.”

The most impressive song on the album is ‘Sleepwalking’, as it manages to incorporate keyboards and screaming vocals in a way that most bands could only dream of.

‘Shadow Moses’ was the first single to be released from ‘Sempiternal’, and with its catchy chorus and heavy breakdowns, it’s no wonder that it’s many fan’s favourite song. ‘As The Snakes Start To Sing’ is the slowest song on the album, but the interesting mix of synth sounds and technical guitar riffs make it anything but boring.

‘Anti-Vist’ is strong proof that Bring Me The Horizon still know how to make angst-filled, fast-paced anthems and would sound incredible played live. ‘Empire (Let Them Sing)’ features an impressive breakdown and Oliver Sykes’ vocals are both unique and adaptable.

‘Hospital For Souls’ is a great closing song and as a listener you almost feel a sense of catharsis after hearing the whole of ‘Sempiternal’; it feels like Oliver Sykes and co have managed to rid you of your anger in less than 42 minutes. ‘Sempiternal’ is an album which has turned many people who hated Bring Me The Horizon into fans, which is a huge feat for any band. If you’re only going to listen to one album by Bring Me The Horizon, then this should be it.  

Honningbarna ‘Verden En Enkel’ Album Review

Honningbarna are a Norwegian band whose musical style has been likened to bands such as The Bronx, The Hives and Fucked Up. ‘Verden En Enkel’ is their latest album which has been produced by Pelle Gunnerfeldt, who has worked with Refused and The Hives.

The first track, titled ‘Dodtid’ has a strong guitar riff and is full of energy right from the beginning. ‘Ikke La Deg Rive Med’ is a short but fast-paced song, further emphasising the passion and energy emerging from Honningbarna. ‘Velkommen Tilbake’ features very impressive guitaring and strong shouting vocals. The fourth track, ‘Tynn Is’ has a slower pace than the previous track, but still includes the energy which arises from Edvard Valberg’s vocals. ‘Fritt Ord Fritt Fram’ features fast-paced vocals and a catchy guitar riff, making it one of the tracks that stand out the most on ‘Verden En Enkel’. The technical guitaring and strong bass line in ‘God Jul Jesus’ proves that the members of Honningbarna are all very skilled and talented musicians. ‘Fuck Kunst (Dans Dans)’ is Honningbarna’s latest single and it’s easy to hear why it is so popular: the guitar solo is incredible and the lyrics are very catchy. The opening guitar-playing in ‘Offerdans’ is amazing, which continues throughout both the song and the whole album. ‘Ned’ is a song which you could easily imagine Honningbarna playing live due to the great guitaring and the energy which comes from Edvard’s vocals. The opening bass line in ‘Si Nei’ is very strong and the breakdown near the end of the song is very impressive. ‘Verden Er Enkel’ is another passionate song where the vocals really stand out on the track, alongside yet another impressive guitar solo. The final track on the album is ‘Gi Oss Kick’, which is a strong closing track as it is still full of energy and fast-paced vocals.

To say that Honningbarna are unique would be a huge understatement, but if you’re into Norwegian music which is full of energy and passion, then they are definitely a band that you need to listen to.

‘Verden En Enkel’ is out 6^th of May via G Records/EMI Norway.

Check out Honningbarna here: http://www.facebook.com/honningbarna

Tarantulah ‘Kedamaian Jalan Hitam’ EP Review

Tarantulah are a four-piece metal band from Malaysia. ‘Kedamaian Jalan Hitam’, which translates to ‘Peace Way Black’ in English, is their first four track raw demo. ‘Viva La Peace’ is the first track on the EP, which has a very distorted sound to it and features heavy shouting vocals. ‘Pukul Mereka Dalam Diam’ opens with the sound of sirens and progresses into brutal thrash riffs and grunting vocals from lead singer Man Rabaxx. The third track is also very distorted, adding to the raw vibe of the EP. The final track ‘Durjana Si Dajjal’ features more thrash guitar riffs and harsh vocals. All in all, ‘Kedamaian Jalan Hitam’ proves that metal can be found in countries all over the world and it doesn’t always need to be edited and mastered.

Check out Tarantulah here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tarantulah-MALAYSIA/

Apollo Gets The Girl ‘Kitten’ Single Review

Apollo Gets The Girl are a three-piece synth band from Glasgow. ‘Kitten’ is their latest single, which is a song full of psychedelic synth beats and strong male vocals. It is almost impossible to listen to ‘Kitten’ just once, due to how different it is and how hard it is to categorize it. None the less, it is very catchy and upbeat. The track is very unique and it will be unlike anything you have ever heard before, so if you enjoy listening to something a bit different then I’d highly recommend Apollo Gets The Girl!

Check out ‘Kitten’ here: https://soundcloud.com/apollogetsthegirl/kitten
Check out Apollo Gets The Girl here: http://www.facebook.com/apollogetsthegirl/

Beatastic ‘GL1TCH3S’ Album Review

Following on from the release of his album ‘This Lazer Life’ last year, electronica performer Beatastic is back, this time with his latest album ‘GL1TCH3S’. Opening with ‘Glitchy’, a fusion of indie rock and electronica, the album is off to a great start. ‘LCTR’ is a track which demonstrates how unique Beatastic’s music is due to the wide range of different sounds and instruments used. ‘Give Up’ features Ayla and the song has more of a mellow vibe to it. It is a very relaxing song to listen to compared to some of Beatastic’s earlier work, which is a lot more fast-paced and electronic. Next on the album is the slow but deep song and the acoustic guitar works well with his rich vocals. ‘Together/Forever’ has a post-rock feel to it and the repetitive lyrics make it one of the most catchy songs on the album. Further demonstrating his musical progression is the track ’26 Years’, which is another mellow song but this time fused with a rock music vibe. ‘Addiction’ is a great example of a song which uses influences from both electronica and rock music and the beat is very strong. The use of piano in ‘How Fast the Fog Comes In’ is beautiful and it’s a very slow and heartfelt song. ‘Every Monday is Fine’ has a repetitive chorus, making it memorable and catchy. Opening with acoustic guitar, ‘If You Want To Be Mine’ is a short but pleasant song which features Brook Gulliver. ‘Let’s Make Today About Today’ is a very unique song which features many different instruments and Global Graffiti. ‘Bedtime’ features an interesting guitar riff and mellow vocals. ‘High Tide’ is another mellow song which includes vocals from Jenny Thompson. The last song on the album is ‘Comets and Nebulas’, which last over eight minutes and concludes the album well due to the constant change of pace in the song.

‘GL1TCH3S’ is out on April 30^th.

Check out Beatastic here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BEATASTIC/

Collapse ‘Arms and the Covenant’ Album Review

Collapse are a metal band from London who formed in 2009. Their latest album, ‘Arms and the Covenant’ is a hard-hitting record full of heavy riffs and impressive harsh vocals. The title track opens with a great guitar riff and it’s apparent from the start that Collapse are bringing something fresh to the metal scene. Duncan Wilkinson’s vocals are very strong in ‘The Cursed’ and merge well with the fast-paced guitaring. ‘The Death Of Man’ is a brutal and striking song, full of tight drum beats and harsh growls. Opening with technical guitaring, ‘Acolyte’ features well-written lyrics and a very impressive guitar solo near the end of the track. ‘Bloodlet’ is one of the songs that stood out the most on the album due to it being of a slightly slower pace yet still as brutal as the fast-paced songs. ‘Follow’ is a haunted-sounding song with more of a melodic metal vibe and horror-filled lyrics. ‘Of Iron’ is one of the strongest songs on ‘Arms and the Covenant’ as Duncan’s vocals are brutal and the guitar shredding sounds amazing. ‘Attrition’ is another fast-paced and fierce song, proving that Collapse are definitely strong contenders in the British metal scene. Ending their impressive album with a cover of ‘Heartwork’ by Carcass, Collapse’s latest album is both enjoyable to listen to and full of great metal songs.

‘Arms and the Covenant’ is due for release on April 1^st via Transcend Music.

Check out Collapse here: http://www.facebook.com/CollapseEngland

Here Is Your Temple ‘So High’ Single Review

Here Is Your Temple are an alt-pop band from Sweden. Their latest single ‘So High’ has an almost ambient/synth pop vibe to it, with electronic beats and mellow vocals. The pulsing bass line further enforces the fusion of pop, dance and electric music, making them unlike any band that you have heard before. The chorus is catchy and lead singer Emily McWilliam’s vocals are both unique and easy to listen to. Here Is Your Temple are a must-listen for fans of bands such as Empire Of The Sun and Depeche Mode. 

Check out the single here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lHK_fPJVhY&feature=youtu.be
Check out Here Is Your Temple here: http://www.facebook.com/HereIsYourTemple