Flying On Clipped Wings

As a myriad of hardcore bands plumb the depths of the 90s and early 2000s for inspiration, it was perhaps inevitable that we'd see a revival of the emotionally charged ferocity that bands like Poison The Well, From Autumn To Ashes and Remembering Never in particular dealt out, and for a band playing this sound to get picked up by a label. The band in question, Wristmeetrazor, the label in question, Prosthetic Records, and here we are with their official debut album. Fortunately for the band, I'm quite a fan of that strand of early 00s metalcore, and fortunately for me and the other listeners, they don't just retread those waters on this album. They take their name from a Usurp Synapse song, and the fragmented, blistering ferocity of that strand of screamo, emo violence, is all over this album. Song lengths seldom go past the two minute mark, the guitars squeal and screech with wiry feedback, the vocals are a tortured pterodactyl cry. Yet it's Wristmeet...

Metalcore might not be going through a renaissance at the moment, but there is most definitely an increase in bands willing to do interesting things with the style compared to even just 3 years prior in 2014. Among this new crop is a band from Liverpool by the name of Loathe, with a grimy, progressive, industrial hued take on the style. In the footsteps of Code Orange and Knocked Loose, Loathe have a dark foreboding atmosphere melded onto some of the filthiest riffs in the genre, yet they manage to make themselves distinguishable from the pack with a number of features. For one, they’re more indebted to nu metal than first wave metalcore, with this coming out in a number of ways. Like many UK metalcore bands, the vocals bear a strong influence from Sam Carter of Architects, yet the auditory violence of those screams blends well with some soaring cleans and robotic melancholy woven through the record. The dark textures that helped Slipknot stand above the pack are present here, w...

Anyone who’s vaguely plugged into the –core side of metal knows Australia’s been a hotbed of distinctive and powerful acts in that scene, from Parkway Drive and I Killed The Prom Queen in the 00’s, to Northlane, In Hearts Wake and Thy Art Is Murder. Ocean Grove are the latest addition to this canon, despite being active since 2010, they’re releasing their debut album in 2017. Nu metal has been making a slow and steady comeback over the 2010s yet has never quite reached the same level of ubiquity it enjoyed in its heyday. Ocean Grove fit into this nu metal with added -core revival trend, yet they’re able to add a fresh and innovative spin on it in a sea of Slipknot riffs and Linkin Park inspired choruses. The main thing that stands out about this record is the diverse range of influences at play, a grab-bag approach reminiscent of Faith No More. The typical influences you might imagine are clearly observable here, Limp Bizkit’s bounce, the futuristic crunch of Bring Me The Horizo...

Of all the artists to emerge from the implosion of cult hip hop collective Raider Klan, Denzel Curry is the one who’s managed to achieve the most lasting success. Releasing a number of mixtapes, 2013’s Nostalgic 64 and last year’s double EP 32 Zel//Planet Shrooms, he’s gained notoriety for his intricate lyrics peppered with nerdy references, dark, crushing beats and a fast, twisty, choppy flow reminiscent of fallen Three Six Mafia MC Lord Infamous or Outkast’s Andre 3000. Imperial is a brave step forward, out of Nostalgic 64’s darkness and the lysergic have of 32 Zell//Planet Shrooms, into a brighter, more confident space, every element accentuated to perfection.  The production on this album maintains that same punchy, trunk rattling feel, with juddering 808s and eerie, wavy melodies, yet overall with a slighter cleaner, brighter feeling. The first half of the album embodies the aggressive side to Curry’s sound, with the hyperactive “Knotty Head”, featuring fellow Carol City, ...