Forty Winks
It's taken me a shamefully long time to get around to it, but the debut EP from Forty Winks—yet another promising indie group out of Pittsburgh on the ever-curious Crafted Sounds label—came out back in May with an intriguing blend of the quirky and dreamy yet really quite noisy and experimental. Caustic and abrasive bits can be found swirling amidst catchy little melodies and the occasional weird, mathy, kinda-metal riff. At times the compositions are pieced together in an almost glitchy, electronic manner, but that makes it sound more peculiar and warped than it does "electronic"—it makes me wonder what they'd be like live? This is pretty damn cool. It's not particularly easy to be inventive and original at this point, but Forty Winks has figured out some way to be atypically unusual in a manner that totally works.
Love is a Dog From Hell is out now on limited edition CD, cassette, or digital through Bandcamp or Crafted Sounds. Stream through the usual sources such as Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Kevin Keith
I've been a major Kevin Keith fan for over a decade now, and believe this is his first proper new release in like five years, so it's been far too long! I know it's rare that I cover this type of thing and it could be outside the spectrum of what most of my audience gets into, but I just absolutely love these funky, jazzy, Chapman Stick-centric chillout jams; so I'm sure a handful of you will be pleasantly surprised if you're willing to give it a shot! As opposed to some of Kevin's past efforts, Earth Sign is entirely instrumental and actually dials back the funkiness ever-so-slightly, while leaning into some subtly different avenues of lush keyboard textures and even a little electric bass violin on occasion. That being said, there are still plenty of his patented melodic Chapman Stick runs herein. I very much recommend Kevin's entire catalog, and am always excitedly looking forward to hearing more.
As with so much new music these days, Earth Sign appears to be digital-only, so purchase via Bandcamp or stream using Spotify, Apple Music, and so on.
MK Naomi
Released last month was another debut EP, this time from MK Naomi outta Boston. I guess it's fair to say that they put forth a form of '90s-influenced alternative rock that's a little bit gritty, but slightly more lush 'n' twangy than it is grungy; and head-bobbingly catchy, but not in a polished or "pop" manner. The singing is really great, though, and could totally wade into poppier waters were that necessary; plus the songwriting certainly delivers on a few undeniable hooks from time to time. They refer to themselves as "FFO the Ten Things I Hate About You soundtrack," but I think I might be too old to "get" that. Either way: awesome debut, and I'll be eager to hear more whenever the time comes!
Dream Hiss is up for grabs on cassette or digital via Bandcamp. If you insist on streaming, lame outlets like Spotify and Apple Music will have you covered.
Skjolden
As mentioned back in June, Skjolden is the solo black metal project of the mighty Carl Skildum (Inexorum, Majesties, Antiverse, Threadbare, Krakatoa, etc.), who happens to be one of my absolute favorite guitar players. The material should immediately capture any fan of Inexorum, at the very least, through its high-energy black metal loaded with incredibly taut, fast-paced riffing; near-constant melodic layering; fierce vocal sneers; and admirably tactful keyboards providing additional layers of atmosphere. I've stepped away from a lot of black metal in recent years, but this shit totally rips, and carries just the right amount of epic feeling without wandering "too far." Riffs for days, man! One of the more compelling albums I've heard all year, I must say.
Insouciant Metaphysical Grandeur is currently digital-only—which is somewhat criminal considering its amazing quality—but reality is reality, so I'd encourage you to purchase using Bandcamp. Otherwise, find it on Spotify or Apple Music or some junk.
Stand Tall
The sophomore EP from Bay Area hardcore band Stand Tall takes a traditional "old school" type of foundation and adds a little extra crunch, as well as some killer melodic attributes (it sounds like there are even some acoustic passages layered in here and there). It kind of flirts with a later Turning Point type of direction at times, but never crosses into anything that would fall on the "emocore" side. The dual guitar interaction also touches on the tiniest dash of added "metal" influence, but again, this doesn't really come across as overly metallic. I guess it also compares to early Strife, Outspoken, etc. without sounding too much like anyone else. A very promising EP, and a nice progression from last summer's Running in Place. Keep an eye on this band, certainly.
I struggled to find A Promise Unfulfilled... for purchase. It was allegedly available on cassette through From Within Records, but maybe it sold out already? The digital's not on Bandcamp and was weirdly tough to find on Amazon (ugh), but that's how I eventually landed mp3s. I don't stream, but I guess you can via Spotify, Apple Music, etc.
Suicide Cages
My first exposure to Denver, CO's Suicide Cages yields some dark 'n' destructive metalcore that's equal parts gnarly chug and scathing bite. Four songs in about 14 minutes loaded with massively heavy grooves, but not djent-y—think of a '94 - '97 Machine Head approach, just with a more modern production twist. Those rhythmic aspects provide a great counterbalance for the moments that lean into the more caustic/chaotic angle. It's interesting, because they're certainly not rewriting the book, but they do manage to set themselves apart from "the norm"—even the character of the vocals just possesses a slight edge that makes it a little "different" somehow. Pretty powerful stuff. Seems to me this band should be a bit more known!?
Live Without is available now on CD, cassette (even 8-track if you're nuts), or a whopping four different vinyl variants (five if you include test pressings). Grab something from Bandcamp or Braeburn Records. Those who stream, find it on Spotify, Apple Music, or whatever.
