Weekly Roundup: September 26th
Featuring Law of Power, Softcult, He Is Legend, and more.
MOSH PITHY:
A curated selection of cool shit for you to listen to.
He Is Legend – “Lifeless Lemonade”
In my roundup of the Best Albums of the 2010s, I sang the praises of 2019’s White Bat, the sixth LP from Southern lords He Is Legend. With its mix of “thundering drums, off-kilter chugs and stomping Pantera-style grooves,” that album was extremely my shit, which makes the announcement of its long-awaited full-length follow-up, Endless Hallway (out November 11th through Spinefarm), all the more exciting. The album’s lead single “Lifeless Lemonade” (and its companion track “The Prowler”) has all of these traits and more, anchored as always by frontman Schuylar Croom’s devilish alchemy. Watch the spooky time visualiser below:
Rest Easy – Hope You’re Okay
If you’re a fan of melodic punk in the vein of Kid Dynamite, Strike Anywhere, and Crime In Stereo, then Rest Easy should absolutely be on your radar. With members of Daggermouth and Shook Ones in the line-up, the Vancouver veterans are guaranteed to bring the goods on their upcoming LP, Hope You’re Okay, out October 28th through Mutant League Records. Produced by Tim Creviston (Spiritbox, Misery Signals) and mixed by Brett Romnes (Brand New, The Movielife), the record has plenty of sing-a-long hooks and punchy beer-swilling rhythms. Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Softcult – “One Of A Million”
At this point, I’ve already covered Ontario siblings Softcult extensively in this newsletter. (I’m a big fan, what else can I say?) Their blend of lush atmospheric shoegaze and raw feminist lyricism is both timely and resonant, making their Year of the Snake EP an easy inclusion for my Best of 2022 (Thus Far) list. Their latest single, “One Of A Million,” is more of a moody slow-burn as the Canadian duo explore personal insecurities and confessional sentiments. They’re also about to embark on a UK tour with Incubus, so whatever they’re doing—it’s working. Listen to “One Of A Million” here.
Black Lava – Soul Furnace
Aside from having a cool-ass band name, I was pleased to discover that recent Season of Mist signees Black Lava are also fellow Australians. Founded by drummer Dan Presland (Vipassi, A Million Dead Birds Laughing, ex-Ne Obliviscaris) and guitarist Ben Boyle (Vipassi, AMDBL, Hadal Maw), the metal quartet have conjured up an infernal sound forged from the darkest and most aggressive elements of black, death, and groove metals. Their debut full-length Soul Furnace will be released on November 25th, and you can stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Goings – “Red”
Based purely on the presence of swirling synths, lofty vocal harmonies, liberal use of sustained guitar, and infectious rhymic backbone in “Red,” I would hazard to guess that Philly emo/math-rockers Goings are likely big fans of the Minus The Bear back catalogue. Now, that’s just an assumption (albeit a fairly confident one), but have a listen to this catchy, blissful little tune, and you can be the judge. The track is set to be followed up by two additional colour-themed singles coming soon through Refresh Records. Listen to “Red” here.
The True Faith – Go to Ground
Boston post-punkers The True Faith are back with a shiny new LP. Go to Ground was mixed and mastered by the extremely talented Ryan Santos Phillips (of Spirits of Leo fame), and will see release through à La Carte Records early next year. According to group mastermind Travis Benson, tracks like the captivating lead single “Minimal Change” pull influence from “The Pixies, Comsat Angels, and Big Country while still attempting to stay rooted in the sound crafted by artists like The Chameleons, The Sound, and Lowlife.” Stream the LP’s pre-release singles here (Bandcamp/Spotify).
Law of Power – “Born Into War”
In the storied tradition of hardcore bands emphasising the “hard” component of that descriptor, L.A. brawlers Law of Power have dropped an absolute doozie in the form of lead single “Born Into War.” The track is taken from the group’s forthcoming three-track EP of the same name, out October 14th on Flatspot Records. [Insert the “Tough times create strong men, strong men create easy times. Easy times create weak men, weak men create tough times” meme here.] Watch the incredibly hard video for “Born Into War” below:
Resenter – Psalms
It’s a little difficult to find compelling information about Melbourne up-and-comers Resenter. As best I can gather, the band dabble in an “emotive blend of screamo, post-hardcore and shoegaze,” they have an upcoming headline show with hardcore heavyweights AWOL, and their first ever show was with Sydney all-stars SPEED. So yeah, they must be doing something right. If you’re into groups like Citizen or Downward, then Resenter’s debut EP Psalms should do the trick. Stream the EP in full here (Spotify).
HEAVY METTLE:
A closer, more in-depth look at a new record that ticks all my boxes.
Excide – Deliberate Revolver
It’s hard not to see the hardcore-to-alt-rock pipeline as an attractive proposition. While it’s certainly paid dividends for power players like Zack de la Rocha and Walter Schreifels, it’s also spawned career-defining records from Roadrunner signees like Turnstile and Higher Power. For hardcore outfit Excide, it’s a fortunate moment to have such a potent trajectory already woven into their sonic DNA. On their debut album, Deliberate Revolver, Excide double down on their penchant for alt-rock accessibility, blending stadium-sized grooves with mosh-friendly aggression.
Take the record’s opening salvo of “12 Steps” and “Necessary Means...” Ominous ring-outs smash into a wall of furious percussion on the former, gradually building into a double-time groove that quickly falls away into an expanse of swirling haze and entwined vocal harmonies. By the time the bridge arrives, staccato stomp sections fight for supremacy over pitched screams and barrel-chested yells, all before dropping back once more into a blissful aural clearing.
Not to be outdone, the latter comes out swinging with a blood-pumping atmosphere of fight-or-flight, as off-kilter riffage and intricate vocal layering dart and weave around harsh barks and low-end rumblings. Across the LP's eleven-track run, Excide excel at this unique form of savage synthesis, crafting a record that shares as much kinship with Lookinglasself and After the Eulogy as it does with Ritual de lo Habitual and Slip.
Stream here: Bandcamp | Spotify