Rambling Man's Reviews

  Gothic Rock band  8Snake , formerly known as The Francesco Fonte Band, recently released the dark and moody 'Another End' VIA 8Music Group, ahead of the trio's forthcoming new studio album. Formed in 2011, the band has drawn comparisons to Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, and Nick Cave. 'Another End' is the new track featuring Grace Wilson from the band Amnesiak. The track tells the story of a suicidal night on a spiral of alcohol and drug abuse. 'Another End' is a post-gothic tale of escapism with progressive rock elements. The song begins with the skyscraping sound of distorted guitars, which slowly build toward gloomy vocals and the repetition of simple strummed guitar patterns. The song comes to life in the middle eight with dual vocals by Wilson and Fonte. The aggressive guitar sounds in the outro are met by Wilson's lung-busting vocal performance to complete an interesting look into 8snake. Words by Anselm Anderson Follow this link  here   to keep ...

  French Prog trio Oaks have released their muchly anticipated debut LP, Genesis of the Abstract, via Argonauta Records.  The trio describes their sound as 'Conceptual' and that is a better way of summing up 33 minutes of a powerful and evocative instrumental album. The Paris-based band has drawn influences from Tool, Russian Circle, and Mastodon across various musical contributions. 'Genesis of the Abstract' begins with an opening monologue over angular guitar riffs and segues into the ten-minute 'The Harmonist', a track that builds slowly to a thunderous climax. The groove-laden riffs have a crisp and dense texture. The trio knows how to convey a compelling story through the language of music with these haunting tracks reflecting a world in disarray. The aggressive stomping rhythms of 'The Chasm' arrive with a dynamic of slow, cumbersome basslines against the fast tempo of the lead guitar.  The mellow blues of 'The Dawn' feels like a new chapt...

  Rambling Man's Reviews presents to you another offering of British rock in the guise of female-fronted Alt metal band  Novacrow from Liverpool, England. The band recently released their debut album Look at Me Now , an enjoyable rollercoaster of funk, metal, and alternative rock.  Formed in 2013, the band recorded this record during Lockdown. They have built a strong fanbase over the years with the release of two EPs, several Festival appearances, and a winner of Merseyside's Metal for the Masses competition this year. 'Look at Me Now' fuses horror influences with a dark brand of humour. The murky and tantalizing grooves of 'Shapes in the Sky' kick things firmly into gear. Lead singer Kitty Staunton seduces with her soaring vocals over crunching riffs and mesmerizing pedal effects. Next up is the six-minute 'Hollows Amour', a beautiful and haunting rock song with flamenco-infused guitar play set over clear and powerful vocals, Novacrow makes sure each...

Birmingham's Rising Metalcore outfit A Titan A Deity released their latest EP,  Descendant, earlier last month. Formed in 2016, the five-piece has had some momentum behind them, appearing at several festivals in the UK, as well as earning support slots to Monuments, From Sorrow to Serenity, and Dropout Kings to name a few. They combine blistering Tech Metal with progressive elements and combining harsh and clean vocals to create a unique sound for the band. 'Descendant' is a six-song collection, clocking in with just over twenty minutes, this gives an insight into the young Englishmen. 'Io' is a progressive song with some interesting time signatures and a dynamic sound. The Skyscraping ambience sounds to accompany the soaring vocal melodies juxtaposed with aggressive howls and scintillating riffs.   Next up is the thunderous 'Revelations' with angular guitars, harsh vocals, and instrumental breakdowns. This track offers something different from the first tra...

  NYC Lo-Fi rock act LonnieClaire has released 'Rusty Hardware', following the release of their latest LP Livin' with a Ghost. Formed in Washington D.C, USA, the band has created a fresh brand of Lo-Fi rock combined with grunge guitars and an Americana feel. The band has endured many line-up changes to finally find a polished sound that suits them. They have amassed over 15k followers on Twitter, as well as gained regular exposure through hundreds of Music Blogs worldwide. 'Rusty Hardware' is a song inspired by the band's upbringing. It is a Roots song that looks at a damaged generation that took a long time to repair. The song sees Lonnie Claire's distinctive jagged vocals reflect through intelligent and evocative lyrics. The band's angular guitar melodies add extra poignancy to this. Words by Anselm Anderson Follow the link below to read more about LonnieClaire https://anselmanderson.blogspot.com/2022/08/song-review-lonnie-claire-cars-bars-and.html Fo...

 Emerging British Heavyweights Hedra returns with the six-tracker  EP The Pecking Order , via Devil's Cause Records. The English five-piece has worked hard to cultivate a fervent fanbase over the past eight years since their humble beginnings in Norwich, England. The band has put together a true force of nature to deliver brutal riffs and dark vocal melodies to an unsuspecting audience. The band has drawn comparisons with Metal icons like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and newer acts such as Tool and Mastodon. 'The Pecking Order' is an EP inspired by the tumultuous reign of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the band expresses the frustration and despair many citizens experienced at the hands of the bumbling leader. 'Jackdaw' pulls no punches in kicking off this release with sluggish riffs and earth-shattering drumming. This is a track that shows progressive elements with angular melodies. Next up is 'Stolen', a similar track with vocalist Jim Mart...

Cardiff-based three-piece Penny Rich has unleashed their latest single 'Last Meal', taken from the forthcoming debut LP, due out next year. The song is inspired by the notion US Death Row prisoners receive a last meal before they are executed. The single hopes to build on the success of their previous two EP'S. The trio spent the majority of 2020 in the studio, writing and recording their debut album with Andrew Sanders in King's Road, Cardiff, Wales. 'Last Meal' is three minutes of distorted, guitar-driven punk. The jagged vocals scream over energetic riffs and screeching guitar lines . Words by Anselm Anderson.  You can find the band online here:  Bandcamp:  https://pennyrich.bandcamp.com/ Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/PennyRichBand Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pennyrichband/ Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/artist/38vjdMLP8PeYNpOMTwVTLN Apple Music:  https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/penny-rich/1317476597 Youtube:...

  Nu-Metal quartet Chaoseum released their fourth studio effort The Third Eye,  earlier last month. Formed in Lausanne, Switzerland in 2018, they have had quite a remarkable rise in those short years. The Swiss men were touring with Soulfly within a year of debuting with 'First Step to Hell'. The momentum from that early success has followed with notable performances in Russia, The US, and their native country. The band's brand of unstable vocals, brutal breakdowns, and lyrics are based on themes such as loss, self-doubt, and depression. They bring a style of the forgotten genre to a new audience. The Third Eye begins with the sinister 'I, Sexy Zombie' which contains the rage and isolation of Korn with pounding drums, pulsating beats, and harsh and clean vocals. Next up is 'Unreal' with down-tuned guitars, catchy choruses, and spine-tingling pedal effects. In effect, Chaoseum shares great similarities to the Bakersfield outfit Korn. The band attempts to e...