1. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (1)
2. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (2)
3. STARBOY – The Weeknd (4)
4. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (5)
5. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (3)
6. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (7)
7. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (9)
8. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (10)
9. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (11)
10. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (6)
11. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (8)
12. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (14)
13. BANG BANG – Green Day (12)
14. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (13)
15. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (17)
16. BELONG – Shelita Burke (18)
17. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (19)
18. STARS – Wons Phreely + the Horses (15)
19. BLACK BEATLES – Rae Sremmurd featuring Gucci Mane (N)
20. DON’T WANNA KNOW – Maroon 5 featuring Kendrick Lamar (N)
Shmoo is a UK duo consisting of two brothers – David and Neil Newport – who’ve been making an exciting style of Electronic Dance/House music for some time. They just dropped their marvelous new single “Plastic Surgery,” along with one of the most delightfully entertaining videos I’ve seen in a long while.
The guys artfully employ sweeping synth arpeggiators and smooth Moog bass lines to create an otherworldly vibe. Broken beat drops are then added, moving the song forward with a hypnotic driving rhythm guaranteed to set your hips in motion. Their mesmerizing vocals are spliced with the spoken vocoder for the chorus ‘plastic surgery,’ giving the track a bit of an eerie sci-fi feel. This is an awesome song that had me hitting replay.
The fun and clever video tells a story in which Shmoo are recreated as plastic figures who go on an adventure through a fantasy world, where they encounter characters from Star Wars, Transformers, Thunder Cats, He-Man and Zoids. The guys end up at the Star Wars Cantina, where they’re led to a stage and begin performing the song with other characters.
Metal and Hardcore Rock – and all their variations such as Post-Hardcore, Metalcore, Death Metal, Death Core, Nu Metal, Groove Metal, Doom, etc. – continue to remain popular, with a steady number of talented bands making those types of music coming onto the scene. As a result of discovering several really good hardcore and heavy metal bands, I’ve become a bigger fan of those genres myself. One such band I recently discovered when their bassist contacted me about reviewing their album is Ashes In The Sky, a five piece hard rock/metal band from Long Island, New York. They released their album Relentless in July 2016, and it’s quite appropriately titled, with 11 intense, ball-busting tracks that will have you shouting fuck yeah!
Formed in 2010, Ashes In The Sky now consists of twin brothers and original members Patrick and Anthony “Javs” Javino, and their ‘three best friends’ Dave Lombardo, Anthony Villani and Andrew Kohn. Javs plays lead guitar, Patrick hits drums, Anthony plays bass, Andrew sings lead vocals and Dave plays rhythm guitar and provides the brutal screams. They’re all from Long Island and share a strong passion for music. Like many bands, their sound is influenced by some of their favorite artists, most notably Metallica, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet For My Valentine, Disturbed, Pantera, Trivium, Drowning Pool, Queen, and even The Beatles.
Relentless opens with the gorgeous one and a half minute intro track “Spread the Ashes (A New Fire).” A simple, haunting piano movement starts things off, then strings, guitars and percussion usher in a sweeping rock melody that builds until it explodes into the blistering second track “Here to Stay.” Metallica’s influence is really apparent in this song, with a barrage of rapid-fire machine-gun guitar riffs, pummeling bass and hammering drums. Andrew Kohn passionately sings, with Dave Lombardo screaming the refrains: “No more fighting now, we are all here to stay / Conflicted by your laws no, I will always remain.”
The band launches a full-frontal assault on the title track “Relentless.” The song truly lives up to its name, with guitars so hard-hitting and dense that they feel and sound like heavy percussion. Patrick Javino’s speaker-blowing drums ramp up the song’s intensity to even greater heights, and the ear-splitting vocals are downright fearsome. This merciless track will blow the hair right off your head! The guys don’t skip a beat with “Euthanasia,” a bombastic hardcore anthem about fighting against mind-control. With their furious vocals, Kohn and Lombardo spit the lyrics “Don’t be a pussy, what the fuck’s it gonna do? / Why can’t I just say goodbye? You made me control everything yet nothing at all. Before me there lies a path of destruction.” The song’s bridge contains a military-style chorus “I don’t know what I’ve been told. Your prophecies are getting old.”
The next several album cuts fuse melodic arrangements with the band’s signature heavy metal instrumentals. “Coward” is more straight-up hard rock, with stunning, complex guitar riffs, power drums, crashing cymbals and soaring vocals that implore “You’re nothing but a fucking coward, using love to get your way. So please don’t ask me if I think that you’re the one to blame.” This is one of my favorite tracks – if it’s even possible to have a ‘favorite’ as every track on this album is pretty phenomenal.
“Empty Space” is a great melodic track, with more of the band’s killer guitar work and a combination of both heartfelt and fierce vocals. The compelling lyrics speak to feelings of loss from a failed relationship: “I’ll say anything to make you stay. But words won’t fill this empty space / What is my purpose? What am I fighting for?” “Rain” starts off with a beautiful, rather mournful melody accompanied by multi-textured guitars, strong percussion and Kohn’s impassioned vocals, backed by guest vocalist Lauren DeLorenzo. Halfway through, we’re hit with a sudden blast of staccato guitars and guttural screams, then an onslaught of incredible guitar solos guaranteed to raise goosebumps.
The band unleashes its sonic fury in “Torn Away,” one of the standout tracks on the album. This jaw-dropping song kicks major ass! The guitars and percussion are nothing short of monumental, and the vocals are classic hardcore. As if Kohn and Lombardo’s powerful vocals aren’t fearsome enough, Kohn’s brother Tim’s guest vocals on this track are positively brutal. They scream “WHY!? Did it have to end this way? (Couldn’t I make it okay?) All that’s loved is lost as I am torn away.” By song’s end I’m left speechless. I love the powerful video showing the band performing the song in a barn.
The final three tracks – “What Makes a Man,” the bombastic “Ene(me)” and “Fractures” – serve up more helpings of the band’s rapid-fire shredded and distorted guitars and heavy bass, along with both emphatic and hardcore vocals. All three songs are great, each clocking in at more than five and half minutes. “Ene(me)” is particularly brutal.
Ashes in the Sky is one of the better hard rock/heavy metal bands I’ve come across, and Relentless is a superb album, without a single throwaway song. Support these guys by following them on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to their YouTube channel, which features several videos of Tony Javs performing guitar cover solos of heavy metal songs. Stream their music on Spotify or Google Play, and purchase on iTunes or Amazon.
I recently had the pleasure of being introduced to the fantastic metal rock band Sifting by fellow blogger LIFELIFETHRUMUSIC. Currently based in Hollywood, California, Sifting was originally formed in Caracas, Venezuela in 2010 by singer/songwriter Eduardo Osuna Gil. The band started recording their first songs in 2011 around the time the band Bullet for My Valentine chose them to open a concert in Caracas. Their debut single “All the Hated” was released that year on the famous line-up of games ROCK BAND® for the main gaming consoles worldwide. Their first album, also called All The Hated, was released in 2013 after Gil relocated to Los Angeles and reformed the band with new members Chris Eklund on lead guitar, Victor Ladines on bass and Abelardo Bolano on drums.
In a great interview with LIVELIFETHRUMUSIC (which you can read here) Eduardo discussed the origin of the band’s name: “Sifting is a word that gives meaning to the action of purifying, separating and cleaning things in order to get the best of them. This project uses this theory, always seeking to purify every aspect of what we are as a band, improving each day as musicians, as a group, as a part of society. In every lyric, arrangement and performance of our music we always seek to leave a message that teaches and encourages our followers and fans to improve and evolve every day, trying to make a real positive contribution to our environment.”
The band’s music is characterized by complex, highly melodic arrangements with outstanding intricate guitar work, strong, driving beats and powerful vocals – all of which I love. Their excellent debut single “All the Hated” has all those ingredients in spades.
In 2015, the band released a 3-track EP Blurry Paintings, which includes the monumental track “Alone,” an eight-minute long tour de force. As beautifully articulated by Gil, the song is “packed with all kinds of emotions and transitions, progressive instrumentals, huge solos, incredible synths and orchestra arrangements, and thoughtful lyrics.” The song is literally a rock symphony. Eklund’s guitar solo midway through the song is breathtaking, and Bolano’s drums practically blow out the speakers. The compelling lyrics speak of man’s destructive instincts: “It’s so irrational to lead Mankind into its bitter end / And they still won’t listen / We won’t be forgiven / We’ve been left alone…”
Sifting has been recording new songs for their upcoming album Not From Here that they expect to release in early 2017. Three tracks that have already been finished are “Nothing But Us”, the title song “Not From Here,” and “Gloom.” “Nothing But Us” bursts open with Gil’s aggressive vocals and furious guitars riffs set to heavy percussion. The powerful lyrics speak to standing one’s ground and staying true to oneself, not allowing others to push you around or make you into something you’re not: “I know the things they think about me / Though the words hurt, I don’t care / Go on push me around now, you can’t bring me down.”
“Not From Here” is another epic song, with over six minutes of thunderous guitar riffs, pummeling bass and strong drums. At times, the highly complex guitars remind me a bit of the legendary band Boston. Gil’s raw vocals snarl and scream, backed by his band members’ soaring choruses. This is an awesome track.
Their latest track “Gloom” is a lovely, bittersweet rock ballad about the heartache and feelings of rejection when a former love doesn’t want to continue the relationship. The great guitar riffs in the song have a bit of a Journey vibe, and Gil’s heartfelt vocals convey a deep sadness.
Sifting is a really talented group of musicians, and I look forward to their upcoming album Not From Here. To learn more about the band, check out their website and follow them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Steam their music on Spotify, and purchase on iTunes or Amazon.
1. SAY MY NAME- (IAM)WARFACE (2)
2. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (1)
3. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (3)
4. STARBOY – The Weeknd (4)
5. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (7)
6. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (6)
7. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (8)
8. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (5)
9. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (10)
10. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (11)
11. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (19)
12. BANG BANG – Green Day (9)
13. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (12)
14. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (15)
15. STARS – Wons Phreely+Horses (13)
16. TONIGHT – Matto Rules (14)
17. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (16)
18. BELONG – Shelita Burke (17)
19. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (20)
20. ALL WE EVER KNEW – The Head and the Heart (22nd week on list)
Dreams of Vertigo is a Southern California rock band with a sense of humor. Their Twitter bio states “We play music, we are anti pay to play, we write music that you can relate to because #weareallrejects.” And in their Facebook bio, they explain that their band “started with an idea…that recent music just isn’t up to par with the high standards of the average music listener (haha).” Based in Orange County, the band formed in 2012, and they play music that draws from numerous rock influences ranging from Green Day and Blink-182, to the harder sounds of Avenged Sevenfold. Making the music are Doug Ferguson on rhythm guitar and lead vocals, Gonz Wolfy on bass and backing vocals, Jay Bear on lead guitar and backing vocals, and Brandon Betts on drums.
In October, the band released a six-song EP Reject University, Part Two: From Six 2 Midnight, which is a follow up to their excellent 2014 EP Reject University, Part One: Freshman 15. Are those great EP titles or what! Going with the theme, the EP opens with a 35-second intro that features a woman at a school assembly welcoming students to Reject University, then we’re hit with an onslaught of heavy guitars that immediately segue to the terrific hard-driving first track “One False Move.” Rapid-fire riffs of shredded, swirling and distorted guitars are accompanied by heavy bass and pummeling drums, all serving to pump up the adrenaline. The guys’ vocals are aggressive yet harmonic as they sing of lies and deceit: “So take back your lies / I’ll never sign or be a part / Of all your schemes and all your dreams for one night.” This is a great song.
Escaping a doomed relationship is the subject of the catchy, high-energy “Facade.” “And here’s the tragic part, we worked so fucking hard / I lost the fight but won the war, you’re all alone. And no one cares, your selfish words they cut right through.” This great track has a Blink-182 vibe, with fast-paced guitar riffs overlying a thumping bass line and propelled forward by hammering drums. The track features guest vocals by Tony Lovato, lead singer for the punk-rock band Mest. The pleasing third track “If I Ever” takes a mellower tone, with gentle guitars and percussion. Ferguson’s vocals on this song remind me of pop-rock singer Duncan Shiek.
The most dramatic track on the EP is “An (Un)Easy Goodbye,” a hard rock song about depression and thoughts of suicide. “I’m the rejected, the painfully neglected. My world is a war zone. Normalcy is washed out to sea, and swallowed up by the waves. Take away the poison plaguing me.” Gnashing, discordant guitars, set to a hard-driving beat with aggressive percussion and Ferguson’s raw, imploring vocals, successfully convey the sense of chaos the band is wanting to achieve in this song. The complex guitar riffs are really outstanding. The powerful video portrays the band members acting out their internal struggles with demons and suicidal thoughts while performing the song.
The hard-hitting “Underneath the X” offers up more great rapid-fire shredded guitars and strong drums. The lyrics speak to overcoming past mistakes and self-doubt that keep holding you back: “There’s a fortune I’ve been told, underneath the X.If I keep on digging deep enough, I’ll be buried with the rest.” The final track “Girls Night Out” is a raucous ode to girls gone wild. Beginning with the sound of a woman asking how her hair looks, the song breaks open with furious guitars, pummeling drums and lots of crashing cymbals. Gonz Wolfy sings “Seven, eight, nine shots, emotions are rising, rumors are spreading, and now the girls are fighting / Amy spills her drink all over Kelly. Hailey’s pulling hair off of Stacy.” Halfway through the track, hilarious voice overs of women gossiping are heard. “She is a whore. I love your dress. I seen her with John last week. Oh, that bitch is crazy. That bitch. She is a total slut.” Such fun!
To sum up, this is a great EP with lots of energy and awesome guitar riffs that kick ass! Show Dreams of Vertigo some support by following them on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Subscribe to their YouTube channel, and stream their music on Spotify and Soundcloud. Their music may be purchased on iTunes.
Every now and then you hear a song for the first time and you’re instantly blown away by it’s magnificence. That’s the feeling I got when I heard the brilliant new single “Wishing Well” from UK alternative rock band Made of Eyes. Following up on their previous, equally fantastic single “Feel Alive,” “Wishing Well” dropped today, November 28, and it’s a gorgeous work of musical art. Lush, soaring synths combine with thunderous guitars, forceful drums and a buzzing bass line to create a powerful, stadium quality anthem.
Made of Eyes is based in Glasgow, Scotland, and consists of four guys whose first names all begin with ‘J’ – JR Campbell on Guitar/Lead Vocals, Jason Stewart on Lead Guitar/Vocals, Jay Jay McMeekin on Bass, and Jacob Kane on Drums. The guys have been a band only since July 2015, but already have a definitive, polished sound.
The track starts off with a dreamy synth melody, then blistering guitar riffs and hammering percussion take over. Jason, who’s lead vocalist on this single, passionately sings: “So throw me down the wishing well, and I hope you wish me well.” The song slows at the bridge with a brief but lovely guitar solo, then ramps back up for the finale with more soaring, thunderous riffs that bring goosebumps. With incredible emotion in his voice, Jason implores: “Why can’t you just be honest. It would save so much time.” This song is so good I had it on repeat more times than I can remember. Take a listen:
UPDATE: The band released their four-track Bonds early in 2017, which you can stream on Spotify or purchase on iTunes. You can also listen to their songs on Soundcloud. Support them by following on Twitter and Facebook.
1. WASTE A MOMENT – Kings of Leon (1)
2. SAY MY NAME – (IAM)WARFACE (2)
3. FEEL INVINCIBLE – Skillet (4)
4. STARBOY – The Weeknd (5)
5. LIFE ITSELF – Glass Animals (3)
6. CHANGES – MUTEMATH (7)
7. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars (14)
8. WELCOME TO YOUR LIFE – Grouplove (9)
9. BANG BANG – Green Day (6)
10. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers (12)
11. SURE AND CERTAIN – Jimmy Eat World (13)
12. HEATHENS – twenty øne piløts (8)
13. STARS – Wons Phreely+Horses (11)
14. TONIGHT – Matto Rules (10)
15. BAD DECISIONS – Two Door Cinema Club (17)
16. THE SHAKES THAT YOU MAKE – Dyslexic Postcards (18)
17. BELONG – Shelita Burke (19)
18. ALL WE EVER KNEW – The Head and the Heart (15)
19. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect (N)
20. OBSOLETE – Agony in the Garden (N)
Today I shine my spotlight on a singer/songwriter duo that goes by the fun, quirky name The Puss Puss Band. They are multi instrumentalists Asa Galeozzie and Lee Pugh, a mainly studio based band from South Wales. Both have worked with numerous artists and bands in the UK and the Welsh music industry over the last ten years as writers & session musicians. They perform every aspect of their music: songwriting, instrumentals, vocals, arranging, engineering, producing and mixing. Asa plays guitar, bass, percussion, piano and melodica, while Lee plays lead guitar, bass and piano. The guys also have a sense of humor; on their Soundcloud page, they state that Asa plays tap shoes and Lee the mouth trumpet.
They released their debut self-titled EP The Puss Puss Band in October, and it features four outstanding tunes in a style the guys refer to as ‘jazz rock pop chill sounds.’ Their easy-going instrumentals and smooth vocals make for an incredibly pleasing listening experience – sort of a Style Council meets England Dan & John Ford Coley with just a touch of Dan Fogelberg. All those artists made really terrific music, and I think The Puss Puss Band’s music is in the same league.
The first track is the rather sexy “Feline Fine.” Sublime guitars and snare drum create a mellow vibe, and Lee’s beguiling vocals almost purr: “You got me working double time, you got me clocking overtime, you got me feline fine. And I know I can’t show you the things that I see, but sometimes I wish I could. Because you got something that makes me feel glad at night. And you got everything because you know you’re right.” This is my favorite track on the EP.
The lovely ballad “Thinking of You” continues the mellow groove, but with a bittersweet edge. Its heartfelt lyrics speak about missing someone very deeply, and hoping they’re feeling the same about you. “I just wish that you could see, all the love for you I feel. But I’m descending in all this gloom. My heart free-falling like a lead balloon. Without you.” The guitars are especially nice on this track.
“Alone” is a catchy, upbeat track with great chiming guitar riffs and Lee and Asa’s smooth intertwining vocal harmonies. The guys really channel the Style Council on this song. The pace slows back down to a dreamy haze with the enchanting folk-infused ballad “Perfect World.” Guest musician Patrick McDermott lays down some lovely banjo riffs over the guys’ laid back guitars.
The guys also recorded a great cover of The Cure’s “Boys Don’t Cry” a while back. Take a listen:
I love their smooth sound and am anxious to hear more music from these guys. Support The Puss Puss Band by following on Twitter and subscribing to their YouTube channel. Stream their music on Soundcloud, or purchase on Bandcamp.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 