Weekly Roundup: August 28th
Weekly Roundup: August 28th
Featuring SeeYouSpaceCowboy, The Callous Daoboys, Spiritbox, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
Spiritbox – “Jaded”
Metalcore all-stars Spiritbox have announced their brand new EP, The Fear of Fear, set for release on November 3rd via Rise Records/Pale Chord. This comes off the back of their massively successful 2021 debut album Eternal Blue, last year’s three-track Rotoscope single, and their debut Australian performances at Knotfest in March. The group’s latest single pairs familiar palm-muted chaos with vocalist Courtney LaPlante’s soaring clean register and formidable heavy screams alongside the thrumming low-end destruction of new member and former As I Lay Dying/Wovenwar bassist Josh Gilbert. Watch the video for “Jaded” below:
Open City – Hands In The Honey Jar
It’s been a while since we heard from hardcore punk outfit Open City, who formed in Philadelphia back in 2015. The supergroup features scene legends and members of esteemed groups like Bridge & Tunnel, Paint It Black, Lifetime, Kid Dynamite, Ceremony, Paint it Black, and Titus Andronicus, with the quartet’s forthcoming album, Hands In The Honey Jar, seeing a release on October 6th via indie label Get Better Records. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
L.S. Dunes – “Old Wounds”
Speaking of supergroups, post-hardcore newcomers L.S. Dunes have dropped their second stand-alone single of the year. The quintet—consisting of vocalist Anthony Green (Circa Survive, Saosin), guitarist Frank Iero (My Chemical Romance), bassist Tim Payne, guitarist Travis Stever (Coheed and Cambria), and drummer Tucker Rule (Thursday)—previously released the psych-metal rager “Benadryl Subreddit” earlier this year, following on from their debut LP, Past Lives, in 2022. Both new tracks were recorded in April at the renowned studio Rancho De La Luna in Joshua Tree, California, with producer Alex Newport (Mars Volta, Frank Turner, and City & Colour). Listen to “Old Wounds” here.
Helmet – LEFT
Iconic 90s alt-rockers Helmet have announced the long-awaited release of their upcoming ninth studio album and first in seven years. LEFT is set for release on November 10th and follows 2016’s critically acclaimed Dead to the World, blending frontman Page Hamilton’s thick, down-tuned, drop-D lead riffage with cracking snare hits and rabid lyrical excoriations. LEFT features 11 new tracks that are “leaner and meaner in their execution than previous aural throwdowns... powered by unbridled determination [and] a renewed sense of purpose.” Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify).
SeeYouSpaceCowboy – “Chewing The Scenery”
Sasscore purveyors SeeYouSpaceCowboy came through with a surprise track drop last week. “Chewing The Scenery” is the group’s first single since 2021’s outstanding The Romance of Affliction and will feature on an as-yet-unannounced LP produced by Matt Squire, perhaps best-known for producing Panic! At The Disco’s iconic debut record, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2006). According to vocalist Connie Sgarbossa during a recent appearance on The Downbeat podcast, the band’s new album will blend their hybrid metalcore and screamo roots with their affinity for 2000s indie rock staples like Bloc Party and The Knife. So, count me the fuck in! Listen to “Chewing The Scenery” here.
Spiritual Cramp – S/T
The forthcoming self-titled LP from San Francisco sextet Spiritual Cramp is shaping up to be one of my most anticipated releases of the year. The group have recently signed with their new label Blue Grape Music, home to Code Orange, and will release their album debut on November 3rd. Expect some spiky old-school punk rock with garage rock energy—think angular riffs, anthemic vocals, and bouncing rhythms that hit like a piss-and-vinegar fusion of Interpol and The Hives. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
The Callous Daoboys – “Waco Jesus”
Ever since I stumbled across 2019’s stellar Die on Mars LP, I’ve had a big love for The Callous Daoboys. After the roaring success of their critically acclaimed follow-up, last year’s Celebrity Therapist, the Atlanta sextet are teasing the release of a new EP, the superbly titled God Smiles Upon The Callous Daoboys, and will unleash it on the world come October 20th (through MNRK Heavy and Modern Static Records). The group’s experimental mathcore sound knows no boundaries, so expect anything from jazz, nu-metal and even salsa (!) to make an appearance. Watch the Ghost Hunters-spoofing video for “Waco Jesus” below:
Short Fictions – Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler)
Pittsburgh emo outfit Short Fictions have announced their upcoming third full-length record. It’s titled—*deep breath*—Oblivion Will Own Me and Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler) and will drop via Lauren Records on October 6th. Thematically, the album sits at the centre of several crises:
“From the sudden deaths of close friends to the effects of aging on touring and making music, and the aftermaths of those aforementioned infatuations, these ideas converge to create a return to form [where] each song here is filled with tough memories and the slightest hint of optimism.”
This is to say it’ll essentially follow the fun-sad playbook—for better and for worse. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2023 CUTS playlist, updated weekly.
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Holding Absence – The Noble Art of Self Destruction
I first came across Cardiff quartet Holding Absence through last year’s split EP with Aussie bruisers Alpha Wolf, The Lost & The Longing. On paper, it seemed like an odd mix, but the songs were exceptional, and I was hooked by the charismatic vocal performances of frontman Lucas Woodland.
With the coveted release of the group’s third studio album, The Noble Art of Self Destruction, the Welsh post-hardcore outfit have set themselves apart from their contemporaries through highly emotive songwriting, intricate melodies, and an indelible knack for lyrical storytelling. Alongside hit singles like “Scissors” and “A Crooked Melody,” standout tracks like emo epic “Death, Nonetheless” and affectionate slow-burn “These New Dreams” push and pull with a dynamic verve and sense of immediacy that feels instantly compelling.
Stream here: Spotify | YouTube
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
On our latest Deep Cuts episode, photographer and digital guru Matthew James Oxlade joined The Pitch pod to discuss the tenth anniversary of Hungry Ghost, the ARIA Gold-certified third studio album from festival rockers Violent Soho. We talk about Matt’s journey through live band photography, international touring, and his podcast, Creative Detour, before diving into his professional connection to Mansfield’s finest and the enduring legacy of a record that defined the sound of the Australian suburbs in 2013. Check it out in full below: