Alternative Metal band Concrete Colossus have released their new EP, ‘Dead Man’s Hand’. Dallas, Texas-based band Concrete Colossus was formed out of the love of jamming. The five band members had previously been in different bands, developing their skills and honing their individual sounds. When frontman Brandon returned from the military wanting to get back into music he slowly gathered the collective that would come to be Concrete Colossus around him. Initially a jamming project, they quickly realised they were onto something.
Riding in on an explosive soundscape of pure unadulterated fury, ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is a hard-hitting collection of alternative rock. Not for the faint-hearted, this five-track EP pulses with a raw battering of heavy instrumentation. Utilizing jagged lacerations on guitars with rampant bloodthirsty bass grooves mangled between mammoth drums; songs like ‘Ezekiel 25:17’ and ‘Incarceration’ are ground-shaking forces of nature. Filled with coarse metal elements, growling vocals and savage instrumental builds that surge through a thick alternative wall of sound ‘Dead Man’s Hand’ is an enjoyable maelstrom of mighty musicianship from Concrete Colossus.
Irish indie-rock outfit modernlove. have released their new single ‘Follow You’ through Akira Records (Phoria, Henry Green, Mt. Wolf, Rosie Carney, Shura). Produced and mixed by Tom Leach (Col3trane, Lewis Capaldi, The Streets) and mastered by Kevin Tuffy (Alfie Templeman, Matt Maltese) the new single is a rousing ode to the anthemic indie bangers of the early 00’s that the boys grew up on. Their debut EP ‘monochrome blue’, released in September 2021, saw modernlove. combine their earliest work into a statement debut offering. Featuring the singles ‘Liquorice’, ‘2 Missed Calls’ and ‘lmk (if you wanna see me)’, they received strong playlist support, landing on New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds, Alt-Pop and The Pop List amongst others on Spotify, as well as New Music Daily, New in Alternative and Breaking Alternative on Apple Music. They have also received strong radio support with 2FM, BBC R1, BBC R6, BBC Ulster, XS Manchester, Across the Line, and Radio X.
Filled with sharp guitars and a brisk rhythmic foundation, ‘Follow You’ is an instant shot of adrenaline. In true modernlove. manner the track hurries behind clever, well-crafted lyrics while warm main vocals and lush backing vocals exude a sweet and irresistible charm. The band flesh out their sound with vibrant drums, hook-filled melodies and jaunty guitars that inject a dash of zest throughout. modernlove. are becoming known for their rich tunes and utterly lush production and ‘Follow You’ is a perfect example of this. With a dynamic clap along feature and swirling instrumentation ‘Follow You’ is a catchy banger that evokes images of live crowds bellowing back the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Press play, turn the volume up and enjoy.
Speaking about the new offering, the band said, “‘Follow You’ is a love song about the early stages of infatuation in a relationship. It’s about finding yourself in a relationship so intimate that spending each waking moment together still isn’t enough, hence the lyrics “when you fall asleep I’ll follow you. Musically, we wanted to write a song that resonated with the nostalgia of those same naive infatuations and took us back to when we first started the band as teenagers finding ourselves as people as well as artists. A simple four chord structure that echoed the likes of bloc party, the cure and new order. A song that we could fully jam on together and jump around to.”
Fly The Nest has released his new single ‘Say Hello’. Ballinteer native Fly the Nest (aka Stephen Cooper) started playing music at a young age, performing in various bands. He started solo project Fly the Nest two years ago, inspired by a life of moving from place to place. When not writing music for an advertising company in LA, he may be found working on his unique blend of film-inspired anthems, which he calls “cinematic rock.” Cooper now spends his time between Ireland and Denmark, and after a breakout year in 2021, has been tipped as one of the strongest rock acts to watch in Ireland in 2022.
‘Say Hello’ presents Fly The Nest’s invigorating musicianship in all its glory. The track begins with sparse sprawling guitar chimes that expand into epic strides as the song reaches its dynamic chorus. Pulsing drums create an intense rush of adrenaline throughout while echoed backing vocals, tight bass lines and Cooper’s warm rasped vocals ooze tones of longing and classic rock energy. Boasting anthemic rock elements and masterfully woven guitar lines, ‘Say Hello’ is a compelling and cinematic song from Fly The Nest.
New Valley Wolves have released their new single ‘Cancel Culture’. New Valley Wolves are Jonny Lucey and Baz Joyce. Since exploding onto the Irish music scene, NVW have scorched a path across the globe. Their debut album ‘Refusal is our Weapon’ was released to critical acclaim at home and abroad. Their 2018 EP ‘Gospel’ contained the #1 rock single: ‘Cut-Throat’.
Oozing raw alternative blues rock ‘Cancel Culture’ announces the glorious return of New Valley Wolves. New Valley Wolves serve up some powerful, no-nonsense rock with this bruising tune; ‘Cancel Culture’ travels at a brisk neck-snapping speed as the song spirals into coarse riffage with Jonny Lucey’s bass roaring over a demolishing drum assault from Baz Joyce. The duo create a thick and fury filled wall of sound that evokes images of sweaty mosh pit mania while Jonny’s gravely voice expresses biting lyrics with an unrivalled ferocity. ‘Cancel Culture’ is an intense new single from New Valley Wolves ready for blaring out of your speakers. Enjoy.
New Valley Wolves have a headline show in Whelans on December 16th. Make sure to check it out. Their shows are always a fantastic live experience.
THUMPER have released their new single ‘The Loser’. This follows the success of the rereleased’ Ad Nauseam’ which picked up support from BBC6, US Radio and playlisting on Spotify and Apple Music. This highly anticipated single is a fresh start, kicking off an extensive UK tour and the build up to their debut album.
‘The Loser‘ is a glorious seizure of alternative rock and THUMPER’s most ambitious display yet. The song’s relentless pace never ceases and is a blazing onslaught of gritty riffs, frantic bass, and mammoth drums from the get-go. This manic blitz maintains a hefty rhythmic foundation throughout as soaring guitars venture from sweet melodies to bloodthirsty gashes of distortion, swirling psychedelia, punk rock tones and fiery instrumentation with ease. Oisín Furlong’s vigorous exclaims anchor the listener within the track’s kinetic soundscape while at the same time evokes images of live crowds mercilessly chanting back the lyrics. The track is an absolute thrill ride from start to finish and a fine example of THUMPER’s powerful musicianship and impressive sound. Turn up the speakers, press play and enjoy.
Lead singer, Oisin, says that: ” ‘The Loser’ is presented as a love song but is howled by an unreliable narrator. A fishing-for-compliments style tirade of non-sequiturs, each verse is bursting at the seams with faux self-depreciation. The song races along at breakneck speed, each section pushing past the crescendo of the last. As the final chorus blasts through your speakers, the saccharine melody reveals a pathetic character that has spent the whole song talking about themselves.”
Dublin, Ireland-based alternative rock band Late Night Pharmacy have released their new single ‘Grass-Eating Boys’. The single is the band’s fourth single of 2021, following April’s “Too Late for the Rickshaws”, June’s “Slacktivist (Normalise This)” and July’s “Relapse”. Recording the single was only possible after Late Night Pharmacy were one of four Irish bands hand-picked to take part in the 2020 edition of the TiLT Development Deal. As part of this deal, the band received hours of free studio time in Dublin’s legendary Sun Studios (in which artists such as Rihanna, Kanye West and Sinéad O’Connor have recorded over the years). There, the band recorded two songs, of which “Grass-Eating Boys” is the second to be released.
Laced in biting guitars and swirling soundscapes, ‘Grass-Eating Boys’ is a thrilling new single from Late Night Pharmacy. The band create a tightly-knit wall of sound through soaring guitar embellishments and sharp riffs while a buoyant beat maintains a strong and flexible foundation throughout. Late Night Pharmacy layer and craft the song meticulously; a constant instrumental onslaught of propulsive rhythms and blitz on synths is deftly combined with sweet melodies and slight tempo changes to create spacious moments within the frantic soundscape and contrast the post-hardcore rock moments. This wonderful combination of elements is a joy to listen to and showcases how talented this band is. ‘Grass-Eating Boys’ is an exciting tune that boasts Late Night Pharmacy’s refined and powerful musicianship.
About the track, the band said: “Our lead guitarist read the article “The Sex Recession” in The Atlantic, in which he encountered the Japanese terms “sōshoku(-kei) danshi” (grass-eating boys) and “hikikomori” (pulling inwards): Japanese men who express no interest in pursuing careers, financial independence or romantic relationships, and who live the life of a modern hermit. The song was inspired by this phenomenon, which is quickly becoming as visible in the West as it is in Japan.”
Cuban rockers Bouquet have released their new album ‘Dressed Up Animal’ that features music written over the last 15 years. Planned as the first of three instalments, ‘Dressed Up Animal’ is a sample of the different sounds and styles that have influenced the band over the years. Bouquet is a Cuban rock band founded in 2003 in Cienfuegos by Aivis Prieto (vocalist and composer) and Pavel Cama (vocalist and guitar) The band has been a pioneer in a unique style of Cuban rock, being faithful to its sound and showing an excellent performance on rock stages all over the island. Since their inception Bouquet have played at international and national festivals, including charity concerts in support of the fight against HIV AIDS and the Terry Fox tribute festival in the city of Cienfuegos. The current line up features founding members Aivis and Pavel, who have been joined by Daniel Jiménez on drums and Yunior Moiña García on bass and backing vocals.
‘Dressed Up Animal’ balances heavy most worthy soundscapes with rock-driven theatrics to create a diverse and shredding collection of tracks. The band take raw heavy riffs and weave them between majestic melodic moments of jazz flavoured piano and 80’s- esque undertones to create a dynamic and all-consuming sound for songs ‘Mind Blower’ and ‘Candela’. There is sleek musical prowess displayed throughout. This is perfectly displayed within the swaggering blues-whacked grit of title track ‘Dressed Up Animals’ – with its sensual soundscapes evaporating off lean, mean riffs and raw vocals, the track is grounded in immersive instrumentation and rock bravado. Bouquet have a knack for creating cinematic soundscapes whether it’s the chilling dark grunge of ‘Good Thief’ or the metal- esque riffage in ‘Sobriety II’, the vivid and dramatic instrumentation lifts each track to epic heights. The band express their multi-genre aesthetic with elements of jazz speckled throughout the album teamed with Cuban rhythms, funky basslines and soaring alternative rock to create a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. ‘Dressed Up Animal’ is a tight and cohesive collection of tracks that boasts the refined and powerful sound of Bouquet.
THUMPER have released a remix of their blistering single ‘Ad Nauseum’. When the original single version of ‘Ad Nauseam’ dropped in early 2020 THUMPER embarked on an extensive UK and EU tour in support of the song. As it began to get extensive playlisting on Spotify, Apple Music, Kerrang, and BBC6, this was to be followed up by months of festival appearances and shows in Iceland, North America, and more. Two weeks in, and this breakneck schedule was cut short by Covid, and all plans, touring and otherwise, were axed. Once the PAUSE button was well and truly pressed on the year they were about to have, THUMPER began channelling their energy into a different type of year. Behind the scenes, their debut album started to take shape, with the band holed up in their home studio for months on end. Now THUMPER is taking up where they left off with a raft of shows including festival slots at Iceland Airwaves, Reeperbahn, a huge UK tour, and ‘Ad Nauseum (2021 mix)’ released today.
‘Ad Nauseum (2021 mix)’ is a refined remix of the explosive original single as THUMPER put a more focused lens on their abrasive sound to create a sharper and more whiplashing rendition of this exhilarating tune. ‘Ad Nauseum’ is one of THUMPER’s most epic releases to date and the sheer tension, scuzzy bombardment and adrenaline surging through this song is awe-inspiring. This retouched, remixed, and remastered version will have you frothing at the mouth ready for the mania of their live shows to follow.
THUMPER are a band not to miss. In a live setting, this band’s talent truly shines. Catch them live at the dates below, and trust me you won’t be disappointed.
TOUR DATES:
Thursday/Friday 23/24 September -Reeperbahn, Hamburg
Wednesday October 6th – Jimmy’s Liverpool
Friday October 8th – Focus Wales
Saturday October 9th – Bootleg Social, Blackpool
Sunday October 10th – Yes, Manchester
Tuesday October 12th – Sneaky Petes, Edinburgh
Wednesday October 13th – The Hug & Pink, Glasgow
Friday October 15th – Head of Steam, Newcastle
Saturday October 16th – Live at Leeds Festival
Tuesday October 19th – Fulford Arms, York
Wednesday October 20th – The Adelphi, Hull
Thursday October 21st – Sidney & Matilda, Sheffield
Friday October 22nd – Firebug, Leicester
Saturday October 23rd – The Crofters Rights, Bristol
Sunday October 24th – The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham
Wednesday October 27th – The Prince Albert, Brighton
Thursday October 28th – The Windmill, London
Friday October 29th – Voodoo Daddys, Norwich
Saturday October 30th – The Crauford Arms, Milton Keynes
UK alt-rock band Salvation Jayne have released their new single ‘Violent Silence’ via Jawdropper Music / Ingrooves. The track is the first release from their highly anticipated debut album ‘A Mouthful of Magnificent Spite’ set for release in February 2022, which was recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios and mastered in the US by Dave Greenberg ( David Bowie etc). The track is about the power of being silent with someone’s ego, rather than feeding it and staying detached from the drama.
‘Violent Silence’ is a blistering tune laced in Salvation Jayne’s energetic musicianship. The song travels on a dynamic backdrop of raw bass grooves, jangly guitars and driving drums that ping with headbanging enthusiasm while quirky keys create a refreshing interlude between the alternative rock onslaught. Charismatic vocals ooze emotion and angst throughout and is enhanced by the tracks emo-pop undertone and punk/ rock sensibilities – the result is a thrilling assault on the senses that evokes images of a mosh pit in a live setting. ‘Violent Silence’ is full of youthful vigour and emotion, and marks Salvation Jayne as a band to keep an eye on.
East Manchester indie band Palava have released their new single ‘Just Look into My Eyes’.The track is the first single off the bands upcoming EP. This swagger steeped rock n roll number boasts the raw and vigorous sound of Palava in all its glory. With mammoth riffs paving the way for the brawny drums and fiery bassline, this track surges with adrenaline. The band create a hyper raw backdrop to accompany the catchy melody and majestic guitar embellishments leaving the listener pumped and craving to hear the song live. Showcasing a mosh-ready chorus and shredding guitar solo ‘Just Look into My Eyes’ is a tantalizing assault on the senses – a must listen.
Stream ‘Just Look into My Eyes’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
