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Triple Tuesdays Nov. 8th, 2016 – End of the World Edition

If you're like me, you're watching the election results come in and are increasingly panicking. Then you remember that you have German citizenship and start making plans to relocate, before distracting yourself with new music. So here we go, the second installment of Triple Tuesdays!

Let me introduce you to Raglans. The Irish alt-rockers recorded their debut EP, Again & Again, was released on Fierce Panda Records last month. They are also working on a full length to be released in 2017, which will include the five tracks from the EP.

Vivian K from Philadelphia, PA, manages to combine the sounds of many of today's popular indie-punk acts, such as Joyce Manor, Tigers Jaw, and PUP. They are definitely an act to keep an eye out for, and I wouldn't be surprised to see hipsters everywhere singing along to their sad songs soon.

Next, we have a quite fitting song. BlackWaters, based in Guildford, England, wrote the song about Brexit and their inability to vote because they were too young. Hopefully tonight's likely outcome will influence some artists in the US to write protest songs about our new Herr.

Until next time!

Metal Mondays Nov. 7th, 2016

Our third new feature has landed – Metal Mondays!

To start things off, we have Tribute, a post-hardcore/metalcore band from Poughkeepsie, NY. The five piece got together in 2013 and has since released three singles and a self titled EP on their Bandcamp page. The production of "Lambs Become Lions" is perfect, not a single note is out of place, the drums are tight and punchy, and the vocals sit well in the mix. Tribute will definitely be a band to keep an eye on in the next year or two.

Up next we've got Blue Helix and their song "Runaways". Compared to Tribute, Blue Helix have a more classic sound in the direction of grunge and hard rock, but there are definite metal influences to be heard. Hailing from Washington State, the band won the 2015 Puget Sound Battle of the Bands. The band clearly follows in the steps of Seattle's music of the 90s, and will likely become one of the Pacific Northwest's hottest acts.

To round things out we have the Israeli metalcore band Canine and their cut "From Ashes". The song is the first single from their upcoming debut, The Uprising. The guitar solo at 3:05 alone makes this song worth checking out. I can't wait to hear more from this band!

That's it for Metal Mondays numero uno!

Live: Sum 41 – Don’t Call It a Sum Back Tour

During their "Don't Call It a Sum Back Tour", Sum 41 is touring the US and Canada with Senses Fail and As It Is. The tour wraps up tonight in Los Angeles, and I can say the show in San Diego last night was absolutely killer, with hardly any filler (sorry, had to). You can also check out our photos from the tour's stop in Vancouver, BC, last month.

As It Is

As It Is kicked off the show on an exciting note, bringing Jimmy from I Hate Heroes out to scream during their first song. Their 30 minute set was good, but the local engineer seemed disinterested and the guitars were noticeably too low in the mix for quite some time – finally corrected by a very noticeable fader mid-song move halfway through the set. The vocals were also very dry, and could have used a touch of reverb or delay. That being said, As It Is had excellent stage presence, and the performance itself was great, my only complaints lie with the House of Blues engineer who was mixing the band.

Senses Fail

These veterans in the touring world stole the show in my opinion. They really brought energy to the crowd, had a good sense of humor, and to be quite honest their touring engineer provided the best mix of the night, even better than Sum 41's. Having been around the world many times, it isn't surprising that Sense Fail could bring such energy to the crowd to get them ready for Sum 41. Lead vocalist Buddy Nielsen encouraged the audience to sing along, which they did on many of the band's more popular songs, including set-closer "Bite To Break Skin".

Sum 41

15 minutes before the band was even scheduled to go on, the audience was chanting their name.  The energy in the room was like a bomb waiting to go off. The set started with a medley of recordings, including the classic "O Fortuna", after which Sum 41 kicked into high gear with "The Hell Song", followed by "Over My Head" and "Fake My Own Death", the lead single off of their new album 13 Voices. Through the whole set, vocalist Deryck Whibley switched off between playing guitar and jumping around the stage while letting original guitarist Dave "Brownsound" Baksh play and having co-lead guitarist Tom Thacker come up front for guitar leads. Bassist Jascon McCaslin and drummer Frank Zummo fill out the rhythm section of the Sum 41 lineup.

A highlight of Sum 41's production was that unlike many bands these days, they didn't ignore spotlights and chose to light the downstage area well. Many bands these days opt for only backlighting which makes the musicians very difficult to see, and I am glad that Sum 41 didn't go down this route. They also carried their own sound and lights, which added to the show but I must say I was not impressed with the mix – some songs were great while others were not, it seemed the engineer was not adjusting the mix to fit different songs very well. The snare drum also sounded thin and hollow throughout the set, and the high-mids in the mix overall were standing out in an annoying way.

Aside from the mix issues, Sum 41 played a really amazing set. The band blew through both classics and new songs, though the audience seemed far more interested in the classics. Before you knew it, an hour and  twenty minutes had gone by and the band was starting their encore. A surprise highlight during the set was when the band covered Queen's "We Will Rock You", but with their own special twist on it (skip to 6:35 in the video below). Overall, Sum 41 proved that even in 2016, they've still got it and they don't plan on quitting any time soon.

Sum 41's new album 13 Voices is available now through all major retailers.

 

The Loft Club – Heart’s Desire

Taking a slight turn from what we usually cover, I present to you The Loft Club. The British band has recently released their first song, "Heart's Desire". When it came across my desk I knew right away I wanted to post about it. The band manages to take an old school sound, but still put their own twist on the music. The production and arrangement are great, the cowbell isn't overdone (but there's enough), the oohs sit just right in the mix, and the slap delay on the vocals fits perfectly with the song. If you like warm, creamy guitar tones with classic sounding riffs, this is a song for you!

The Loft Club – Heart's Desire Song Info

The Loft Club's debut EP, which is also titled Heart's Desire, is available now on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and more. Expect a full length debut from the band in 2017!

Super Saturdays Nov. 5th, 2016

Another new feature, we present Super Saturdays! Here we highlight artists that the RMP team and I think have a good chance of making it big. Enjoy!

First we have Mike Hill, an experienced bass player who raised over $40,000 on Kickstarter last year to create his debut album, Love & War. His goal in creating the album was to highlight the most talented musicians he knows, and he did so by having a different guest vocalist on each song. He also worked with producer/songwriter David Kidd, as well as several other songwriters. Love & War will be released next week on iTunes and other digital outlets.

Next we have False Heads with their cut "Weigh In". They aren't your average band – Iggy Pop has called them "the future of rock and roll" – high words of praise, indeed. We can see why though, they bring an infectious blend of rock, grung, and punk (let's talk about that breakdown at 1:54). This is an amazing high energy track that makes me want to bang my head and run in a circle really fast. Together with lots of other people. The song is available now.

Vie Jester is a band with a throwback sound, but nevertheless I think they've got a shot if they keep up the hard work. Their mix may need some imrpovements, it's very dry and lacks life, but the music itself is great. The band definitely needs to learn that reverb won't hurt. But neither do killer riffs and punchy drums, which they have plenty of! The overall arrangement is good as well, and the vocals sit well in the mix. You can pick up the band's EP, Ethces in Aether now on iTunes and Google Play.

Last but not least, the UK's Waiting For Hollywood play hard and fast pop punk in their song "This Town". Aside from the oh-so-stereotypical pop punk song, I found it quite enjoyable to listen to. With the recent resurgence of pop punk in both the US and internationally, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Waiting For Hollywood find themselves touring extensively in support of their next EP, due out in early 2017.

Hello Casanova’s “I’ll Be Waiting” Falls Short of Potential

Let me start this off by saying that I'm a musician. I understand the amount of work that goes into writing and recording a song, and I totally get pouring your heart and soul into your work.

However, it seems that with "I'll Be Waiting", Northern Ireland's Hello Casanova did just the opposite of that. What had potential to be a great, underground hit quickly lost its appeal. While the intro had me excited to hear the rest of the song, the generic, cliched lyrics and repetition brought any momentum they had to a halt. Musically, this song is strong. The combination of the two guitars, the bass, and the drums creates a great piece that sounds like Jimmy Eat World meets PUP. 

Vocally, I was left disappointed. While I genuinely believe that lead vocalist Matt Irwin has talent, it seems that he chose to take the easy route, and stick to the typical nasal tone that seems to accompany every pop-punk song released in the last ten years, and gang-vocals of "hey!" were littered throughout the piece. 

At the end of it, I was left feeling let down. "I'll Be Waiting" could have been so much more than a feeble attempt at a relatable pop-punk hit. However, I don't think this band is hopeless. I'll be keeping a close eye on them for the bigger and better things that I'm certain will come from them in the future.

Hello Casanova – I'll Be Waiting song info

"I'll Be Waiting" will be available through online retailers on November 25th, 2016.

 

Woven In Hiatus Excel With Debut Record Anatomical Heart

Starting with the first few notes of “Scarlet”, MA indie rock artist Woven In Hiatus sets the tone for their debut record, Anatomical Heart. Although they have only been together for about a year, the band is already signed to InVogue Records and has done a US tour, including a stop at SO WHAT?! festival. They will be touring again soon.

Vocalist and songwriter Luke Nagel is joined by Richard Pingree on acoustic guitar, Nick Cassis on bass, and Nicholas Aspell on drums.

Throughout the record, dreamy production soothes the listener’s ears. The album has an almost shoegazey feel when it comes to vocal production, with incredibly lush vocals. To contrast that, the guitars are almost exclusively clean. For the most part, the only effects heard are reverb and delay.

The songs are relatively similar in production style and sound, however certain songs stand out. For example, “Mirror Image” with it’s twangy country guitar and driving beat. Another mention is “Blank” which features only acoustic guitar and Nagel’s vocals. It’s a very emotional song that is perfectly executed.

“Unhealthy” takes a sudden turn as well. It has a dark and moody sound that makes you just want to sit in your room all day and mope – in the best of ways. It would fit quite well in a movie scene where the protagonist’s world has just fallen apart.

The title track “Anatomical Heart” does an amazing job of closing the record. It really makes it seem like the record flows full circle from beginning to end and back again on an emotional rollercoaster. The passion and energy behind this song, and this album as a whole, make me think we haven’t heard the last from Woven In Hiatus.

Woven In Hiatus – Anatomical Heart Album Info

Anatomical Heart will be released on Friday, November 4th, 2016. You can preorder physical copies on MerchNOW or digitally on iTunes. Follow Woven In Hiatus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Triple Tuesdays – Nov. 1, 2016

In this first installment of Triple Tuesdays, we focus on three songs from various genres to highlight new music to our readers.

To begin, we have the Russian grunge punks, M.I. Gang (M.I. standing for Misanthropic Illness), with the song "The Meanest Thing" from their record Kiitos. The band from St. Petersburg cite Violent Soho, Trash Talk, and Plague Vendor as influences. Fuzzy bass and guitars distorted to the max are everywhere in this song, with maximum riffage throughout.

Next up, JAC with his debut single, "This Is How We Operate". A poppy summer anthem, although it was released just a few weeks ago in October. Normally this isn't the kind of music I would listen to, but I really love this track and I hope you do, too!

Last but not least, Teleskopes song "Lazers", the first single off of their upcoming release, provides a loud, crazy, and fun experience to the listener. Early 90s influences are strongly heard, but that doesn't mean this band doesn't have anything original to show for their efforts. This is a song to just let loose and have a blast.

That's it for Triple Tuesdays this week!

Model Depose Create Dark, Mysterious Music on Splitting Light

Hailing from The Netherlands, Model Depose brings an exciting, dark, danceable and mysterious sound to fans. The has been together for over five years with two EPs, several singles, and now their debut album, Splitting Light, under their belt. By combining various styles, the band creates a masterful combination of different elements to form a whole.

Beginning with the slow building intro of “Closer to Home”, the rhythm section consisting of David Bos on bass and Tim Lechner on drums set the tone. As soon as Mariet Gast on keys and Jobbe Holtes on guitar kick in, it is clear that this is a record that will take Model Depose to high places. The production quality is amazing, and as soon as things quite down a pulsing synth takes over, accompanied by Roeland van der Velde’s haunting vocals. My one quip with this song is the verse where van der Velde’s vocals are panned far to the left and right, which is a bit jarring.

Following on the powerful introduction is “Papercut”, a dancy synthpop tune akin to something The Bravery might have released before their unfortunate demise. The poppy music doesn’t hide the fact that this song is about heartbreak, as van der Velde sings, “I’m starving for love with a papercut”. The lead guitar, drenched in reverb, adds quite well to the happy side of the song, not letting the lyrics bring it down.

The song “Greyscale” provides a dancy beat, which like “Papercut” grooves along under dark lyrics. This time, however, the song discusses the future and the unknowingness of life, the universe, and everything.

“Rise and Fall” provides a reprieve from dance songs, slowing things down with an arrangement focused mostly on the instruments. The song features a building force leading up to the next track, spooky sounding and introspective “Sour Times”.

Turning to a poppy indie rock style, “For You” features cries for an unnamed person to follow. Van der Velde sings, “my arms are wide open for you, I am always on your side. The future is bright and open for you.”

The closing track, “Nightwatch”, provides an excellent end to the record. It is a powerful song about keeping loved ones safe, and possibly insomnia and dark thoughts. It is not immediately clear what the lyrics mean but they are extremely haunting, yet at the same time hopeful.

Model Depose – Splitting Light Album Info

Splitting Light is available now on iTunes and Amazon. Model Depose is on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Survival Kit – Eats You Alive

Atlanta Pop-Punk band Survival Kit have certainly made their mark with "Eats You Alive".

Right away, their sound grabbed my attention. Anthemic, with cutting guitar lines reminiscent of Billy Talent. I was very impressed with the energy and emotion conveyed throughout the piece. Lyrics such as, "if it were up to me, I wouldn't have any feelings", communicated a sentiment almost everyone has expressed and been able to identify with at one point. I was drawn into the intense and precise performance given by drummer Allen Beck, as well as the musical prowess displayed by their two guitarists and bassist. Each instrument offered strong contributions to what would shape up to be a song charged with bitter heartbreak. The vocals, carried by the powerful instrumental support, were the crown upon the head of this song. The melody flowed smoothly throughout, and the screams delivered in the bridge and outro of the song got me on my feet.

This song's lyrical relevance and musical drive has me beyond excited to see what's in the future for Survival Kit.

Survival Kit – Eats You Alive Song Info

"Eats You Alive" is now available on iTunes, Bandcamp, Spotify, and many other digital outlets.