Latest List (1/29/16) Basement, Conan, Milk Teeth, and more!

Basement-Promise Everything
Genre: Alternative Rock 
FFO: Jimmy Eat World, Superheaven, Title Fight


Hailing from Ipswich, England, Run For Cover’s star child Basement have returned from their brief slumber with their third LP Promise Everything. The band’s sound treads far more melodic territory this time around with simplified riffs and catchy choruses that may bring early 2000’s alternative rock bands to mind such as Jimmy Eat World or Incubus. While the instrumentation may seem more on writing autopilot this time around, it serves as the ideal backdrop for Andrew Fisher’s fantastic vocal performance appearing to rely more upon expanding the creativity behind his pipes rather than his signature emotional outbursts. Promise Everything is by no means ground-breaking, but it is a solid ten tracks of fun “alt-rock” anthems that will have you reminiscing the days of rushing home from a long day of middle school to have Carson Daly deliver the 411 on the latest in music and pop culture.

Bandcamp: https://runforcoverrecords.bandcamp.com/album/promise-everything
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Basementuk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/basementuk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/basementuk 



Black Tusk-Pillars of Ash 
Genre: Sludge Metal, Stoner Metal, Punk Rock 
FFO: Kylesa, Baroness, Mastadon 

In 2014, Black Tusk’s bassist Jonathan Athon passed away due to injuries inflicted in a horrible motorcycle accident. The future of the band was not necessarily clear, and the two remaining members certainly needed time to mourn the loss of not only their band mate but their dear friend. Pillars of Ashchronicles the final recordings with Athon and these tracks prove to be just as fun, fast, and crushing as you would expect. The fifth LP from the Georgian gentlemen of sludge is a fast-paced punk rock/stoner metal adrenaline rush that refuses to give the listener any resting time. 

Bandcamp: https://blacktusk.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackTusk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcbt/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/blacktusk 

Conan-Revengeance
Genre: Sludge Metal, Doom Metal
FFO: Bongripper, Cough

2016 has been an incredible year to fans of sludge metal and it’s still only January! Liverpool, England’s doom trio Conan has arrived to seal the deal with their latest and most hard-hitting LP to date. Revengeance is a monstrous beast that shakes the earth with each thunderous step, sending powerful sonic shock waves guaranteed to violently rip the listener’s face directly off of his or her’s body (metaphorically speaking). The compact, fuzzy riffs and ear-piercing battle cries of Jon Davis blend well with the muddy bass, and earth-shaking drumwork on this mammoth of an LP. Be prepared for a record so heavy that it has its own gravitational pull.

Bandcamp: https://conan-conan.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conandoom/
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hailconan
 

Chthe'ilist-
Le Dernier Crépuscule 
Genre: Death Metal
FFO: Convulse, Demilich

With their recent signing to Profound Lore Records, Quebec’s own Chthe'ilist is a band you should be watching very closely if you consider yourself a fan of death metal. Le Dernier Crépuscule serves as the band’s debut LP and what is accomplished in this mammoth of an album is leaps and bounds beyond what most modern acts of the genre manage to accomplish throughout the entirety of their careers. The production is carnivorous, the instrumentation is as deeply rooted in superb musicianship as it is in generating a dark atmosphere, and the vocal performance sounds like a demon called upon from the deepest depths of hell. Chthe’ilist may wear their influences on their sleeves, but their mastery of the death metal art makes them a standout band in 2016. If you are looking for an album as musically impressive as it is horrifying, Le Dernier Crepsuscule just may survive on your year end list.\

Bandcamp: https://profoundlorerecords.bandcamp.com/album/le-dernier-cr-puscule
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Chtheilist
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: n/a
 

Florist-The Birds Outside Sang
Genre: Indie, Folk
FFO: Told Slant, Kimya Dawson, Bright Eyes

Despite her young age, Emily Sprague’s writing comes across as anything but youthful and jovial. Sprague was struck in a hit-and-run cycling accident a few years back that left her incapable of any movement in her left arm with a very long and slow recovery process ahead of her. These experiences however did overwhelm the young artist with pessimism and grief. The Birds Outside Sangis an ode to the beauty in the mundane things in life that often go unnoticed unless our mortality is compromised. If you are looking for a beautiful “morning album” similar to that of Kimya Dawson or early Bright Eyes, The Birds Outside Sang will help you to appreciate the little things we often overlook.

Bandcamp: https://florist.bandcamp.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/floristband/
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/emyspraguemusic

Milk Teeth-Vile Child
Genre: Punk Rock, Emo, Indie Rock
FFO: Fucked Up, The Pixies

2016 a good year to be Milk Teeth. With the recent announcement of their upcoming tour supporting Citizen and Turnover coupled with the release of their debut LP, the Bristol-born punk rock four piece appear to have a bright future of promise. Vile Child is a strong debut boasting a refusal to be pigeonholed to any particular genre or style by a young band brimming with youthful energy. Punk, Emo, Post Hardcore, Grunge, and many other influences make their presence known like a revolving door, but are executed smoothly and work well in the context of the album. Milk Teeth’s debut shows a band that hasn’t quite fully found their own musical identity but chooses to rock hard with what they’ve got, and the bold effort truly makes it worthwhile. Be sure to catch these guys open for Citizen and Turnover if you are a fan of either The Pixies or Fucked Up.

Bandcamp: https://milkteethpunx.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/milkteethpunx
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milkteethpunx
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MILKTEETHPUNX

UXO-Self-Titled
Genre: Noise Rock, Stoner Metal
FFO: Unsane, Today is the Day,
Queens of the Stone Age  

UXO is the new brainchild of both Unsane’s Chris Spencer and Today is the Day’s Steve Austin and it is LOUD. This noise rock/stoner metal supergroup annihilates everything in its path with its rock hard riffage and split vocal duties between each band’s respected frontman that prove to be any noise rock fan’s wet dream. If you are a fan of either Unsane or Today is the Day, UXO is exactly how would expect the two bands to sound combined into one single unit. 

Bandcamp: n/a
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UXOOFFICIAL/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uxoofficial/
Twitter: n/a

Latest List (1/22/16) Agoraphobic Nosebleed, Ty Segall, Ulver

Agorophic Nosebleed-"Arc" EP
Genre: Sludge Metal, Doom Metal
FFO: Converge, Crowbar, Electric Wizard

You may remember the Massachusetts grindcore outfit Agoraphobic Nosebleed from back in 1999 when they teamed up with Converge to create The Poacher Diaries. Whether you remember them or not, they just released an EP that is a must-listen for any sludge fans out there looking for something to bang their heads hard to. The vocals are agonizing, the crunchy riffs are soaked in sludge, the bass lines are filled with groove, and the drumwork is absolutely thunderous. While only three songs are present on this release, Arc clocks in at almost a half hour with no filler moments present. Previous fans of the band may be confused at the dramatic departure from the band’s machine gun-paced grindcore roots, but Agoraphobic Nosebleed proves with this release that they can master metal at any speed. 

Bandcamp: https://agoraphobicnosebleed.bandcamp.com/album/arc
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AgoraphobicNosebleed
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/agoraphobicnb
 
 

Ty Segall-Emotional Mugger
Genre: Garage Rock, Noise Rock
FFO: Thee Oh Sees, Jacuzzi Boys

It seems as if garage rock king Ty Segall has been firing out albums left and right since his self-titled debut in 2008, but the quality has always remained intact even with his various side projects in mind. 2014’s Manipulator showed listeners a laid back and more accessible Segall than on his previous records, but Emotional Mugger will pierce your eardrums with its raw, abrasive sound that rocks hard from start to finish.

Bandcamp: n/a
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ty-Segall/268287955622
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tysegall 

Ulver-ATGCLVLSSCAP
Genre: Experimental Rock, Ambient
FFO: Sunn O))), Agalloch

Very few bands have displayed maturation and such a vast exploration of genres like the Norwegian musical collective known as Ulver. From their humble black metal beginnings in the early ‘90s to present day, Ulver has toyed with the likes of folk, electronica, techno, noise, chamber, trip hop, jazz, avant garde, neoclassical, art rock, dark ambient, and many more. ATGCLVLSSCAP shows Ulver at its creative peak with an entrancing jam album calling upon elements of both blackened noise and soulful groove. If you are looking for a beautifully ambient piece of art to l     ose yourself in, look no further.

Bandcamp: https://ulver.bandcamp.com/album/atgclvlsscap
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ulver/31166220421
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ULVEROFFICIAL

Latest List (1/15/16) Daughter, Witchcraft, and more!

Bloodiest-Self Titled
Genre: Stoner Rock, Post Metal, Experimental Metal
FFO: Russian Circles, Torche, Baroness

Chicago-based Bloodiest proves yet again that they are a force to be reckoned with on their latest self-titled sophomore LP. It comes as no surprise that the sextet continues to showcase their mastery regarding both the art of mighty drone and relentless groove-based metal considering the various members former roles in acts such as Russian Circles, Yazuka, and Corrections House. If you are looking for a well-crafted and clever metal album to start your new year off right, look no further. Bloodiest is the album for you.

Bandcamp: https://bloodiestband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloodiestBand
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloodiestband
Twitter: n/a

Daughter-Not To Disappear
Genre: Indie, Folk
FFO: Bon Iver, Mazzy Star


England’s folk rock trio has returned with their highly anticipated sophomore LP Not to Disappear. The beauty and brimming emotion captured in Elena Tonra’s vocal performance proves to be as strong as ever and the instrumental accompaniment maintains the haunting, grim ambiance found on If You Leave. Not to Disappear is an emotionally passionate and pain-filled release ideal for anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one.

Bandcamp: https://ohdaughter.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohdaughter
Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/ohdaughter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ohdaughter


Lycus-Chasms
Genre: Funeral Doom, Death Metal
FFO: Pallbearer, Hooded Menace, Mournful Congregation

Sorrowful and devastating heaviness encompass the the four tracks featured on Lycus' sophomore masterpiece Chasms. The California quartet set themselves apart in the funeral doom scene with their unique vocal arrangements, atmospheric usage of both cello and synthesizer accompaniments, and crushing brutality. Chasms is a must-listen for any fans of the genre.  


Bandcamp: https://lycus.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lycusdoom/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lycusdoom/
Twitter: n/a


Witchcraft-Nucleus
Genre: Stoner Rock, Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock
FFO: Black Sabbath, Graveyard, Pentagram

This crushing new release from Sweden’s Witchcraft boldly explores a broad spectrum of both musical style and nostalgia. With Doom Metal and Stoner Metal as the sound’s nucleus, the band pulls ‘60s era psychedelia, ‘70s hard rock, and ‘90s grunge in unlikely yet well-executed harmony.  While a few of the album’s tracks tend to drone on and venture towards the fifteen minute mark with little build-up, Nucleus is a solid LP that rocks hard from start to finish.

Bandcamp: n/a
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/witchcraft/
Instagram: n/a
Twitter: https://twitter.com/witchcraftband