Weekly Roundup: November 8th
Featuring Venom Prison, Glassing, YG, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
YG – “Sign Language”
Admittedly, YG kind of lost me there for a few years. As much as I adore a record like 2016’s Still Brazy, his direct follow-ups—Stay Dangerous (2018) and 4Real 4Real (2019)—left a whole lot to be desired. Thankfully, however, it seems the Compton emcee is back on that G-funk bullshit, with Kommunity Service, his latest collaboration record with Mozzy, and new single “Sign Language” being absolute fire. Watch the block party video below:
Venom Prison – Erebos
Welsh extreme metallers Venom Prison are back with their fourth full-length album and first for new label, Century Media Records. Erebos will be out on February 4th and features the scorching lead single, “Judges Of The Underworld,” which acts as a scathing indictment of the prison system and “the crippling reality of people who face incarceration, who oftentimes are followed by violence over a lifetime.” Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Spotify/YouTube).
Closebye – “Easy To Forget”
Another random and blessed PR find, Queens trio Closebye do a stripped-back hybrid of lo-fi dream pop and indie of the Death Cab/Modest Mouse variety that’s perfect for breezy mornings and contemplative afternoons. Their newest single is the first to feature from the band’s forthcoming debut LP, Lucid News, out January 22nd through Sub Rosa Records. Listen to “Easy to Forget” here.
Super American – SUP
I hadn’t come across Buffalo duo Super American until I saw the engaging artwork for their sophomore LP SUP, out now through Wax Bodega. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find a fun and urgent blend of bright indie, high-energy pop-punk and heart-on-sleeve emo contained within. Give it a shot—it rules. Stream the full LP here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Senses Fail – “I’m Sorry I’m Leaving”
It still blows my mind that a group like Senses Fail, who achieved fame and notoriety during the mid-2000s emo explosion, are still putting out records and pulling in new fans when so many others of their ilk faded away into irrelevancy and obscurity. There’s something to be said here for challenging your listeners and the New Jersey-based post-hardcore group’s upcoming eighth album, Hell Is In Your Head, out July 15th via Pure Noise Records, is a real testament to their ongoing artistic evolution. Listen to the band’s latest single “I’m Sorry I’m Leaving” here.
Casper Skulls – Knows No Kindness
While they’ve only recently popped up on my radar, Canadian rockers Casper Skulls have been champions of the Ontario indie-folk scene for some time now. The group’s latest offering, the ten-track LP Knows No Kindness, drops on November 12th through Next Door Records and features pre-release tracks like “The Mouth” and the affecting “Thesis.” Stream the album’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Scowl – “Seeds To Sow”
I featured Santa Cruz-based hardcore punk outfit Scowl in the newsletter a few months ago and now the band’s new album is almost upon us. How Flowers Grow is officially out November 19th on Flatspot Records and take it from me, folks: It totally rips. Their latest single, “Seeds To Sow,” is a short but not-so-sweet cut that finds Scowl incorporating melodic vocals and saxophone (!). Watch the video for “Seeds To Sow” below:
Glassing – Twin Dream
Austin quartet Glassing are one of those bands that I’ve always been aware of but, for one reason or another, never really bothered with. So, following the release of their colossal third full-length, Twin Dream, out now through Brutal Panda Records, I get to kick myself for not jumping on board sooner. This thing is an immersive slice of dynamic post-metal with mathy textures, doom passages, and a flair for post-hardcore aggression. Stream the LP in full here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Listen to all these tracks and more on the TPD 2021 VIBING playlist, updated weekly.
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
SeeYouSpaceCowboy – The Romance of Affliction
I’ve been anticipating this record all year and now it’s finally here. After their brilliant collaborative A Sure Disaster EP with If I Die First, San Diego outfit SeeYouSpaceCowboy have returned with their stellar sophomore LP, The Romance of Affliction.
The album essentially plays out as the answer to this burning question: What if The Blood Brothers made a metalcore record? Across thirteen dynamic tracks, the Californian quartet successfully mesh their early sasscore influences and MySpace post-hardcore-isms with the pneumatic heaviness of their crushing album debut, 2019’s The Correlation Between Entrance And Exit Wounds. The record also sports great guest features from ETID’s Keith Buckley and Underoath’s Aaron Gillespie, alongside Shaolin G and If I Die First.
The Romance of Affliction is a wild ride and it represents a total levelling-up for SYSC in terms of their songwriting prowess and penchant for crafting searing, angular hooks.
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify
ERRONEOUS BOTCH:
Links to some of my other published work across the Web. Take a look, share if you feel like it, and help a brother out.
