Myles Kennedy's 'The Art of Letting Go' - Album Review

There are few objectively better vocalists in rock currently than Myles Kennedy. The US singer, songwriter, and guitarist had something of an under-the-radar career throughout the 1990s in bands such as Citizen Swing and The Mayfield Four - but it was the launch of Alter Bridge with 2004's One Day Remains that really catapulted Kennedy to stardom. Alter Bridge became a pretty big name almost overnight, at least here in Europe, and over the past 20 years they have become one of the most important modern hard rock bands. Alter Bridge are now seven albums deep, and generally release a new one every three years, but there has been plenty else on Kennedy's plate over the years - and sometimes I wonder if he ever steps foot in his house! Alongside Alter Bridge's regular album cycle, Kennedy is the singer in Slash's solo band - and has released four albums as a part of Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators since he started touring with Slash in 2010. Whilst Slash has toured less with his solo band since re-joining Guns N' Roses in 2016, he still released two albums which have been accompanied by lengthy tours in that time, and it was recently announced that he will be recording his next album with Kennedy in 2025. Alter Bridge are also due to release a new album next year if their general three-year cycle is maintained, so Kennedy could well be having yet another busy year. With Kennedy's Alter Bridge partner-in-crime Mark Tremonti releasing and touring a solo album next year, though, as well as the recent reactivation of Creed, the band which Alter Bridge rose from the ashes of, it may be that Alter Bridge's usual cycle is broken - and the band enter something of a de facto hiatus whilst Tremonti takes care of solo and Creed duties. I am sure that Kennedy will find something to do if that is the case, though, and he has also clearly been busy this year, too, as last month he released his third solo album - his first since 2021's The Ides of March (which I reviewed here). Kennedy's previous two solo albums are quite different from each other. Known for Alter Bridge's bombastic hard-hitting sound, plus his swaggering work with Slash, Kennedy's debut solo album, Year of the Tiger (which I reviewed here) from 2018, was a real departure from the norm. A very personal concept album dealing with feelings surrounding his father's death when he was a child, Year of the Tiger found Kennedy in heartfelt singer-songwriter mode. Whilst not exactly an acoustic album, Year of the Tiger was extremely stripped down and sparse compared to Alter Bridge and, whilst it might not be an album I reach for often, it remains a strong effort. The Ides of March was much more of a rock album - although it had a raw, bluesy feel with a lot of slide guitar throughout. I enjoyed it at the time, but I have not listened to it much since. Three years on, then, The Art of Letting Go is Kennedy's third statement as a solo artist. In keeping with the past trajectory it is heavier again - meaning that each album has been heavier than the last. There is still a bit of a raw edge but, in truth, there are songs here that would not sound out of place on an Alter Bridge album.

It has less of a distinct identity, then, despite the lack of Tremonti's guitar firepower, but there is still plenty to enjoy here. The first half of the album in particular is strong but it just feels strange that there is now so little to separate Kennedy's solo work and Alter Bridge. There is little here to truly rival Alter Bridge's heaviest moments, but the warmer side of the band's sound is very much captured throughout the 10 songs here. The title track kicks things off with a crashing drum roll from Zia Uddin (The Mayfield Four) - and the riff-led hard rocker really could have found a home on any of Alter Bridge's albums. The main riff lacks the blues vibe of the last album, instead going for a barrelling hard rock pattern, whilst Uddin's drums are much punchier than before - with some prominent fast bass drum work and plenty of aggressive fills. Despite this early heaviness, the verses are a little more stripped back. Tim Tournier's bass playing comes to the fore during these slightly more organic sections, although there remains plenty of groove, whilst Kennedy does showcase some bluesy playing with a memorable lead refrain which resurfaces throughout. The chorus returns to the song's opening riff, though, and it is hard-driving and pretty anthemic - with Kennedy's strident vocal hooks to latch onto, which Alter Bridge fans will long be familiar with at this point. The benefit of going for a heavier sound, though, means that some of Kennedy's guitar soloing on the album is pretty potent - and there is some furious shredding here which differs from the bluesy phrasing of previously. Say What You Will is pretty similar, although the track opens with some fuzzy, bluesy guitar melodies which do hark back to the last album somewhat - before Uddin's hard-hitting drums kick in and the song speeds away thanks to a riff right out of the 1980s. It is a powerful riff, which is soon overlayed by some expansive lead guitar playing, and Uddin's drum sound really crashes through the speakers - but again there are strong Alter Bridge vibes throughout. This is not something that could often be said about either of Kennedy's previous solo albums - and the similarities do nag away at me despite the song being a memorable and hooky effort. The chorus is one of the album's most memorable and it is a really hard-driving effort - with the fat sound that producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette is known for being ever-present. The solo is a little bluesier, but it still feels busy, and this is a song dominated by big riffing and an expressive chorus. Mr. Downside is a little less hard-hitting and has more of a dynamic overall feel, but there is still plenty of weight throughout. It opens in a slightly slower manner, but an expansive and cinematic guitar pattern soon takes over - whilst Uddin lays down a snappy, shuffling drum beat. The track is still pretty hard rocking, then, and the verses feature plenty of expressive vocals from Kennedy which see him singing slightly higher than usual at times. Occasional lead guitar moments add colour, and the drumming does become busier and more percussive at times, but by the time the chorus rolls around with its plentiful vocal harmonies, punchy drumming, and strident guitar patterns the album's heavier core sound is very much present.

Miss You When Your Gone is less heavy again, and the track goes for a moodier and slightly jangly overall feel - but it is very much typical of Kennedy's songwriting. Again, though, there are hints of Alter Bridge to be found throughout the song - especially slightly more warm and organic songs like Peace Is Broken and other similar tracks. I think perhaps the main issue is Baskette's production. He is a hit and miss producer for me, and is certainly guilty at times of just making everything too loud, but the overall production of this album is good - with a punchy and clear sound. The issue is, though, that he has just made the album sound like Alter Bridge tone-wise - which was not the case previously. Despite this, though, the song is still strong. The chorus is another of the album's best overall and it really showcases Kennedy as a singer. There is less riffing and guitar-led moments here, with the instruments largely just backing the vocals, but the melodies are so typical of Kennedy's hard rock style and the chorus soars in that earnest way that Alter Bridge have found so much success with over the years. Behind the Veil is much more of a departure, though, and it slows things down quite significantly. It opens with some delicate and slightly bluesy guitar melodies from Kennedy - over which he soon starts to sing in a much more downbeat manner than he has on the album up to this point. The song's opening section is something of a hark back to Year of the Tiger, then, albeit with a brighter overall guitar sound, and it is a welcome change of pace. As the song moves along, though, it does grow in stature and rock harder. Uddin soon starts to add some percussive drums and the song becomes a rocker - but, crucially, it never really feels like Alter Bridge. There are shades of the blues rock of The Ides of March as the song progresses, but in truth it is something different entirely really - with the rhythm section generally driving everything and Kennedy adding off-kilter colour with strange leads and chords whilst singing. His guitar solo feels a bit leftfield, too, and the song overall is a good mix of delicate passages and primal harder rock patterns which differ from the norm. Saving Face is another rocker, but this time there are stronger harks back to The Ides of March. The opening riff is pretty bluesy thanks to a satisfying amount of fuzz and the verses which follow are similar - with a strong bass presence and a more organic guitar tone. Between these two sections, though, is a pretty metallic passage which is typical of the album's earlier sound - and this harder section later forms the basis of the song's chorus. As such, then, the song is a mix of bluesier moments and more anthemic hard rock riffing - with Kennedy delivering some of his classic nasal snarls during the chorus. Eternal Lullaby, unsurprisingly, is a ballad - and it opens with a hypnotic and slow-burning drum pattern over which Kennedy adds some atmospheric chords and gentle vocals. The song has a bigger sound than Year of the Tiger thanks to the production choices made this time, but the ballad shares similarities with that album style-wise - and it is nice to hear Kennedy tone it down a little and deliver something much more emotional. He sings songs like this so well and his voice is full of warmth here, as jangly guitar chords and the rumble of the bass create a strong backing for him. It does feel a bit more intense as it moves along, but it never really rocks out - instead feeling somewhat more cinematic.

Nothing More to Gain returns to heavier territory, with a pretty snappy opening riff which is backed by the occasional drum roll - before the drums kick in properly to provide something of a metallic shuffling groove which transforms the overall vibe of the riff completely. The riff is pretty hard-hitting overall, but the pogoing rhythm gives the song a different feel when compared to the other heavier tracks on the album - so it stands out quite considerably. I quite like the overall feel, though, and there is an infectious, headbanging groove mixed with something of a pop punk vibe - which is not Kennedy's usual style. In truth, the difference is not as stark as I am perhaps making it sound - the rhythms throughout the song are just not the typical hard rock drive that the album generally relies on, so there are limited Alter Bridge comparisons which can be made this time. Despite this infectious rhythm, though, the chorus is not as hooky as it could be vocally - and there is a quieter breakdown-type section later on which features warm chords and calmer vocals. The song is a bit of an odd mix, then, but it does work somewhat. Dead to Rights is much heavier and it returns to the tougher sounds of the early parts of the album - with a very metallic riff and overall groove which would certainly not have sounded out of place with Alter Bridge. Some of the riffing here shows that working with Tremonti over the years has rubbed off on Kennedy quite a lot - as there are juddering patterns which are very much out of Tremonti's riff handbook. If I had heard this song without knowing who it was by, I would have just assumed that it was a new Alter Bridge song - and it might be the song here which is closest to Alter Bridge in style. Given the numerous comparisons I have made throughout this review already, then, that is saying something - and everything just feels much more metallic than most of the other songs here. The only thing which sounds different from Alter Bridge's core sound is the lengthy slide guitar solo, which harks back to The Ides of March somewhat. The album then comes to a close with How the Story Ends, another somewhat slower and more organic piece which opens with some clean guitar melodies and subtle percussion - over which Kennedy soon adds his warm vocals. Despite a bit of a heavier chorus, which has some very Alter Bridge-esque heroic vocal melodies, much of the song is very much rooted in The Ides of March. There are plenty of bluesier touches here and there is generally an organic feel despite the tougher chorus. There are a few different sounds, too, with some subtle Eastern-tinged melodies sitting behind some the verses - but generally this is a bluesier rock song with some organic guitar playing and a few heavier riffs. It is a bit on the longer side, too, with a more expansive and emotive guitar solo - as well as a riffy instrumental section which builds on some of the riffs elsewhere in the song, turning them into something knottier. The dynamic song works well as an album closer due to its length and more expansive sound - and it ends the album on a high. Overall, I like The Art of Letting Go. It is a strong album that has grown on me since first hearing it - but I cannot get past the similarities between it and Alter Bridge's core sound. The more interesting pieces here remind me more of Kennedy's other solo albums, but perhaps the stronger songs melodically are those which sound like Alter Bridge. It seems strange that Kennedy would make an album which sounds so close to his main band - and this is not something he has done before.

The album was released on 11th October 2024 via Napalm Records. Below is Kennedy's promotional video for Say What You Will.

Tortured Demon - Plymouth Review

Local music venues should never be taken for granted. Whilst Plymouth is crying out for a more diverse range of such, particularly one that can hold between 1,000 and 2,000 people, there remain some excellent venues in the city - and The Junction on Mutley Plain is one of them. The glorified pub has been the city's de facto alternative music venue for a number of years at this point - and what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in character. Since I moved to the city a number of years ago I have been to The Junction many times. In truth, I should have made more effort over the years - but I still get there a few times a year, and a night out there never disappoints. For its size, too, it sometimes punches above its weight. I have seen Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, Blaze Bayley, Diamond Head, and Inglorious pack the place out over the years - and missed shows by FM and Ginger Wildheart due to clashes. It is not that often that the venue books a band of such repute, though, with most of the acts filling its bills being a mix of local bands, lesser known acts, or those who strive for bigger things. I saw the Brazilian death metal four-piece Crypta lay waste to the venue back in June, and I imagine that they will be playing in larger rooms when they next return to the UK, but my latest trip up the road to The Junction came last night - when I made the short walk to catch the Manchester-based four-piece Tortured Demon bring their biggest UK tour yet to the city. In truth, I had not heard of Tortured Demon until their show in Plymouth was announced a few months back. I often check out the bands that The Junction put on so that I do not miss out on anything worth seeing, and a quick Youtube convinced me that I should pick up a ticket for the show. Given that they were only a tenner, buying one seemed like a no-brainer - and I also soon picked up both of the band's self-released albums, 2021's In Desperation's Grip and 2023's Rise of the Lifeless. As such, I have been listening to both albums quite a lot over the past few months - with the latter in particular impressing. The band describe themselves as thrashcore, which is a pretty accurate description of their sound. To my ears, they sound like a thrashier version of Trivium's first two albums - with less of a focus on clean vocals. There are certainly strong influences from the early days of the mid-2000s metalcore scene, but thrash is very much the main focus - albeit with harsh vocals and some occasional guitar melodies which would not sound out of place on a melodic death metal album. It is the sort of music which I was sure would come across really well live - and the band have already started winning plaudits for their live shows, having played Bloodstock Open Air twice to date as well as supporting some other more established bands.

Given that the show took place on a Sunday, I was not sure what the turnout would be like. I had hoped that it would be healthy, given the distance the band had travelled, so when I got to venue not too long after it opened I was pleased to see a good-sized crowd. I have seen the venue fuller, but for a young, unsigned band's first trip to the city I imagine that they would have been pleased with the turnout - and it helped that two local bands opened the show. Up first were the quirky Death Assault - a band that came across as a bit of a work in progress and one not wholly committed to the vibe being set. Both the frontman and the drummer wore similar outfits, with battered old gasmasks, whilst the other three dressed more traditionally - with one guy wearing camo combat trousers and a matching hat. As such, the overall vibe was confused. If the band are going to go for an image then really they should co-ordinate things a bit better - as it was strange seeing one guy with knee-high boots and tight trousers next to another guy with face paint and a gasmask. These things often work themselves out over time, but Death Assault made a strange impression as a result. Sound-wise, though, the band were less varied - with a groove/death metal-adjacent sound which mixed thrashy and metalcore influences with chunky riffs and growled vocals. There were some pretty decent riffs scattered throughout the band's set, but I did not feel that many of the songs really stuck. The vocal melodies were not all that memorable in my view and I would have enjoyed more guitar leads, too. There were some interesting lead guitar moments, as well as a few more atmospheric sections with clean guitars beneath the riffs, but overall the set was somewhat one-note. A new self-titled track was played, though, which did change things up somewhat - going for quite a discordant approach early on and more of a focus on grooves later on. This did shake the set up for a while, but overall I did not think that Death Assault were really for me. Quite a few in the crowd seemed to be fans, though, which was great to see - and there was plenty of moshing and energy from the off. Death Assault kicked off the night well in that regard, then, even if they were not my thing.

Mechanized were much more my thing, though. Despite having a make-shift line-up with frontman Andy George also having to play bass and a stand-in guitarist, the thrash/death metal act really lit up the venue from the word go - and I was impressed as their set progressed. Having looked at the band's profile on Metal Archives, Mechanised are made up of members from long-lost Plymouth metal bands past such as Huron and Sekhmet - so they are an experienced bunch. I recognised the stand-in guitarist from back in the day, too, although I cannot remember his name - and Mechanized seem to be the result of musicians not giving up on their dreams. Despite the make-shift line-up, then, Mechanized were great. It perhaps took me a couple of songs to fully warm to them, but George was such an affable frontman that it was hard not to get swept along, and the riffing was so sharp that each successive song seemed better than the last. Tight drumming, thrashy riffs, screaming solos, roaring vocals, and the odd groovier section made sure that all the thrash and death metal boxes were ticked - and the songs generally seemed hookier than Death Assault's had been. This was generally thanks to the riffs, which were fast-paced and hooky in the way that all the best thrash is - but there were also some decent vocal-led sections, too. George has a powerful voice and he rose above the riffing nicely - although I think it was the guitar playing which impressed me the most. The energy levels had been high during Death Assault's set and they remained high as Mechanized progressed with their riffing. There was plenty more moshing and headbanging as the set moved forward - but perhaps the real magic was left towards the end. A riotous cover of Power Trip's thrash anthem Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe) really got the crowd going towards the end, with Tortured Demon's frontman Jacob Parkinson down at the front headbanging with the crowd (although he wisely side-stepped the mosh pit), but it was the closing track Out of the Womb, into the Tomb which really impressed. I had been enjoying the band's set up to that point, but the closing number was on another level - and it was the sort of song that after hearing it once it was already stuck in the brain. I have been singing the chorus all day today and it could have been the overall highlight of the night. It is a shame that Mechanized do not yet have an album out, or even an EP, but there are some songs floating around online - so hopefully one day there will be a release to check out properly.

The main event, though, was Tortured Demon's set - and for an hour or so the band ripped through an 11-song set which covered both of their albums and also saw a newly released single getting some airtime. Having clearly not worn themselves out during the two support acts' sets, the crowd were very much up for Tortured Demon - and the band seemed a bit shocked by the amount of moshing and headbanging at times. The crowd were so riotous down at the front that monitors and microphone stands got knocked over more than once - but the band just took it in their stride and showcased why they should be considered as one of the UK's real rising stars in the metal scene. Most of Rise of the Lifeless was featured in the set and, following the album's intro track playing over the PA as the band took to the stage, its title track kicked things off nicely. The sharp riffing of Jacob and fellow guitarist Rory Marsland-Smith was powerful, even the former was a bit low in the mix at times, whilst Joe Parkinson was busy behind his large drum kit. Marsland-Smith and Luke Entwistle (bass guitar/vocals) joined the band earlier this year so the current Tortured Demon line-up is a rather new-look one. Entwistle added lots of deep growls throughout the set to counter Jacob's leading screams - whilst the lead guitar intro of Virtual Death and the techy riffing of The Invasion was like water off a duck's back for Marsland-Smith. Sadly Jacob's lead guitar moments on the older tracks were somewhat buried in the mix, but that is live music, and his vocals were always clear with the snappy Conflict of Interest and the anthemic In Desperation's Grip bringing the best out of him as a singer. He took a few moments to talk with the crowd, too, and generally this took the form of him being pleased with the energy levels in the room. The moshing never really let up and it was clear that the band had not expected such intense energy levels on a Sunday in Plymouth. Hopefully the memories will bring the band back in the future - and the future looks bright with new single Nothing Left to Say, the first release from the current line-up. The big chorus already feels at home in the Tortured Demon canon - and it was followed up by the lengthy The Damage Is Done, which featured a more dynamic arrangement including some clean guitar moments and another strong chorus. By this time, though, there was not time for that much more. I am sure that the crowd would have kept going for a while longer - but a rousing Global Threat saw plenty of singing before the night came to a close with another knotty old-school metalcore anthem in A Knee to the Face of Corruption. The moshing continued on until the end, too, so the atmosphere never let up. I am sure that the band will play in some more regularly-visited places on this tour - but I am not sure that the energy of Plymouth will easily be matched elsewhere. The setlist was:

An Empire Condemned

Rise of the Lifeless

Virtual Death

The Invasion

Conflict of Interest

Disfavour

In Desperation's Grip

Nothing Left to Say

The Damage Is Done

Erase Your Life

Global Threat

A Knee to the Face of Corruption

Given that I had not heard of the band until the show was announced, I am pleased that The Junction hosted Tortured Demon last night. I have been enjoying getting into the band over the past few months and they are a certainly one with the potential to have a strong future. The new single hints at what the current line-up can do writing-wise, and I am looking forward to what follows both in terms of the band's next album and their live plans.

Sylosis' 'The Path' - EP Review

Before I get into today's review, I would just like to put on record how great it is to have the Reading-based metal four-piece Sylosis back. The genre-hopping band that has throughout their career mixed thrash metal, melodic death metal, metalcore, and progressive metal influences to create a unique and memorable sound became a real favourite of mine in the early 2010s. I first came across them in 2009 when I saw them open for DragonForce, but it was not until 2011 and the release of second album Edge of the Earth that I became a fan - and I have not looked back. It was a real shame, then, when the band, after four albums, quietly called it a day in 2016. I am not sure that the band ever officially broke up, but it was clear that bandleader Josh Middleton had other priorities at the time - and, looking back, I imagine there was frustration regarding glass ceilings that never quite seemed to break. I hoped that the band would return, though, and thankfully they did in 2020 - releasing their fifth album Cycle of Suffering (which I reviewed here), although any plans to promote it were soon scuppered by the pandemic. Over the next couple of years, though, it became clear that Middleton was viewing Sylosis as a going concern again. I saw the band for the first time since 2016 at 2022's Bloodstock Open Air - and I have since seen them live twice more: supporting Malevolence last year and headlining back in April. As I write this review, the band are on their first US tour for over a decade - and they are touring the UK again later this month alongside deathcore act Fit for an Autopsy. Sylosis really are back in a big way - and in many ways their rebirth was completed last year with the release of lean and mean sixth album A Sign of Things to Come (which I reviewed here). The album could have been seen as a bit of a controversial change of pace from the Reading band - but I pretty much loved it from the off. It certainly saw quite a significant reining in of their more progressive tendencies, so there is a case to be made that some of Sylosis' unique identity was lost, but, in truth, they had been toning down that side of their writing from 2015's Dormant Heart (which I reviewed here) onwards - meaning that A Sign of Things to Come did not feel all that unexpected, despite a stronger dose of metalcore being present. I imagine the streamlining did turn some off, but I still listen to A Sign of Things to Come pretty regularly - and the songs really deliver live, which I imagine was the goal. I was not expecting to hear anything more from the band so soon after the last album's release, so it was a surprise last month when Sylosis dropped the five-track digital-only EP The Path without warning. In its press release, the band stated that the songs were leftovers from the A Sign of Things to Come sessions - held back at the time for a future release. Given the band's desire to create a more streamlined album, an additional five songs would have hindered that goal - and the tracks which make up The Path perhaps feel a little different from the more anthemic vibe of the last album. There are hints to the band's more progressive inclinations here - alongside some other influences which show a different side to Middleton's songwriting. It is also the last release from the band's post-reunion line-up - as not long after the EP's release it was announced that guitarist Alex Bailey had amicably stepped down from the band after 16 years. Bassist Connor Marshall has since switched to guitar - with Ben Thomas (Venom Prison) becoming the new bassist.

The EP opens with its title track and lead single, with guitar feedback and a pounding bass drum the only backing for Middleton's opening screamed vocals - before a snappy mid-paced riff kicks in and the band career off in typical fashion. The Path is somewhat close in style to the material on the last album - in so far as it features a pretty anthemic chorus and a bit more of a straight ahead arrangement. Despite this, though, there are a few twists and turns to be found. The verses feature some pretty interesting call-and-response vocals, with Middleton whispering and screaming back and forth, whilst the chorus, despite being hooky, features a bit more of a doomy sound - which brings Dormant Heart to mind. The mid-paced overall feel means that the track is perhaps not as infectious or as immediate as some of the tracks on the last album, but there is some of that old Sylosis magic to be found - with a few tricky riffs and little guitar runs which were less of a focus on the last album. A bridge section features some higher screams from Debbie Gough (Heriot) and, of course, there is an impressive solo from Middleton - with the last chorus also expanded to include some additional lead guitar moments. Soured Ground is much closer to the sound of the last album - with tracks like Pariahs and Poison for the Lost certainly touchstones. Perhaps it was wise to hold the track back given its similarity in vibe to those others - but, despite the familiarity, there is still a lot to like here. Like the last album, the goal here is hooks - and the track is probably the EP's most immediate. The riffing is much more frantic here, with drummer Ali Richardson really laying into his double bass drums at times, whilst the chorus sees the pace slowed somewhat, cold synths introduced, and Middleton screaming the anthemic melodies in his confident manner. Some iterations of the chorus feature the occasional clean vocal line, too, whilst a heavy bridge and some breakdown riffs later are full of venom. A lengthy guitar solo sees some of Middleton's classic sweep picking, which was not as prevalent on the last album, return, though, so despite the song very much being routed in the sound of the last album there is still a nod to the past. As Above So Below opens with a pretty heroic-sounding vocal from Middleton against some staccato stabs and drums from the band - but once the main riff kicks the track feels pretty thrashy. Whilst the overall arrangement is a bit more varied than the opening riff suggests, I like the main riff as it feels like something different for the band. It has an old-school vibe, perhaps recalling the speedy chug of some of the original death metal bands, whilst the chorus also features some pretty intense extreme metal influences due some some of Middleton's lowest growls ever. As the song moves along, though, it does feel more expansive. The riffing becomes more varied throughout, and the pace switches back and forth between thrashier sections and mid-paced groove-led parts. Some of the songwriting quirks of the band's older albums push through here - and there are riffs here which recall 2008's Conclusion of an Age somewhat, whilst the use of dense strings later in the track recalls Edge of the Earth. The chorus retains the hookier approach of more recently, though, and the track feels like a real mix of old and new.

No Saviours is perhaps the track here which has, so far, connected with me the least. I do not dislike it, and there are few Sylosis songs that I dislike in general, and it is certainly growing on me - but at this stage it feels like the weakest of the five. There is certainly a strong groove metal vibe throughout and it does feel influenced, at times, by some of the modern UK hardcore bands like Malevolence. Much of Sylosis' classic sound remains, and there a few great Middleton riffs here as usual, but there are a few sections of the song which feature those semi-spoken vocals which hardcore bands often make use of - and I am not sure that this approach suits Sylosis that well. Sylosis have always been more musical and technical than that, so I could do without that sort of posturing in their music, but thankfully those influences are limited to a few moments. Elsewhere, though, there is a lot to like - with more dense strings utilised at times, a slow-burning guitar solo which is surprisingly atmospheric for Sylosis, and some really fast-paced sections which are perhaps some of the heaviest moments on the EP. Despite my dislike of some of the hardcore-esque inclusions, though, I am still warming to the song - I just hope that the band do not decide to step too much further down that path on subsequent albums. The EP then comes to a close with Disavowed - the longest piece here at just under six minutes. Many of Sylosis' older songs are that sort of length, but that has been a rarity of late - so it is unsurprising that the song is the EP's most expansive piece. There are certainly strong shades of Middleton's progressive tendencies here, with lots of different riffs crashing back and forth - and the melodic verses really feel like another throwback to the shout-along yet sophisticated sound of Conclusion of an Age, with a hooky guitar lead sitting beneath his strident vocals. Clean vocals are utilised here in quite a big way, too. Sylosis have often dabbled with clean vocals, but they tend to use them sparingly - either during bridge-like sections or slower openings. It is quite rare that a whole chorus has largely been sung clean, though, but doing so works well here. Middleton is not the most expressive of clean singers, but his tone is pleasing against the chorus' slightly more atmospheric backing - and he slowly transitions to a harsher tone as he moves along. The chorus is still hooky, though, and it contrasts nicely with the more fist-pumping verses - and the song, like As Above So Below, feels like a really pleasing mix of old and new. Another slow-burning solo is thrown in, too, as the band slow things down somewhat towards the end - with Middleton launching into something pretty cinematic and progressive rock-inspired. This expansive closing section rounds out the EP in fine fashion - and the track is a real grower that, pleasingly, showcases a lot of progressive vibes. Overall, then, The Path is another strong release from Sylosis. As essentially a collection of leftovers, the EP is a compelling listen which shows some disparate influences and a few new ideas from Middleton and the band. Some of the songs compliment A Sign of Things to Come, whilst others would not have fit on the album - and, as a long-time fan, the nods to the past are welcome. Sylosis continue to go from strength to strength and I am sure that whenever album seven drops I will be first in line to listen.

The EP was released on 3rd October 2024 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Path.

Weather Systems' 'Ocean Without a Shore' - Album Review

I recently made a comment on this blog regarding the fact that, sometimes, good things can come from bands splitting up - or members leaving an established band to either form a new band or go it alone. Whilst it is often sad to see bands split up or go through messy line-up changes, sometimes the outcome is just more music to enjoy. Some of my favourite bands exist due to other bands splitting up - so I always try to look for the positives whenever a band I like comes to an end. That being said, the loss of Anathema in 2020 was tough to take. The Liverpool-based genre-defying band had become a real favourite of mine during the preceding years. Their show at the London Palladium in March 2020 was my last concert for 14 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic - and it turned out to be one of the band's last ever shows, as they had to cancel the rest of the tour after only a handful more dates and then broke up later in the year. It seems that cancelling the tour was a huge financial blow - and one which, it seems, they could not recover from. Despite my love of the band, too, they always struck me as a collective fuelled by internal tensions, as is often the case when family members work together, so it could well have been that there was more to the split than was immediately apparent. The band's principal songwriter and guitarist Daniel Cavanagh seemed to take the split particularly hard - and it was not too long before he announced a new band called Weather Systems, named after Anathema's 2012 album. Weather Systems' gestation period, though, was not easy. The band, which is largely just Cavanagh, has been slowly unveiled in a cryptic manner online over the past few years - and there was some associated crowdfunding which was treated with suspicion by some. Cavanagh also went through a very rough patch health-wise, too, during the same time - something which had seemingly been spiralling since Anathema's split. It was a hard watch, but he has seemingly pulled through - and is hopefully now in a much better place. The result of this build up, though, is Ocean Without a Shore - the first Weather Systems album. It was released in September and it is Cavanagh's first album since his 2017 solo album Monochrome - which followed a few months after Anathema's final release The Optimist (which I reviewed here). Cavanagh has said in interviews leading up to the album's release that much of the material on Ocean Without a Shore would have ended up on the follow up to The Optimist had one happened. I know that the band were working on a new album when they split, so many of the songs here likely date back to those sessions. As such, it sounds very similar to the recent run of Anathema albums - albeit with some of the sparser melancholy of Monochrome and even the odd nod to Anathema's heavier past. There are no death/doom vibes here, but there are a few heavy riffs which recall Cavanagh's playing from the late 1990s/early 2000s. Cavanagh is responsible for all of the instruments played on the album, too, with the exception of the drums which were played by Anathema alumnus Daniel Cardoso. Anathema's founding drummer John Douglas was slated to be part of the band at one point, too, but he has not been involved with Ocean Without a Shore - and this is very much Cavanagh's baby. He sings a lot throughout the album, too, although Petter Carlsen and Soraia Silva, particularly the latter, also contribute a lot vocally.

Anyone who has enjoyed Anathema's recent work will find plenty to enjoy here - with the tones of 2010's We're Here Because We're Here and on very much present. There are some moments which briefly hark back to albums like 1999's Judgement - but generally it is a familiar listen. The album is not a carbon copy of the past, though, and it does slowly deviate as it moves along - creating an enticing journey which is typical of much of Anathema's work. The slight overall weakness in comparison, though, are the vocal arrangements. Cavanagh does well here, with Carlsen helping out on some tracks and Silva delivering some emotional duets, but he is not his brother and Silva is not Lee Douglas. That being said, though, the vocal arrangements have grown on me quite a bit. There are lots of memorable songs here, too, and Synaesthesia kicks things off in fine fashion. As with Anathema's core sound, many of the tracks here build gradually around repetitive hooks and melodies - usually reaching an emotional climax towards the end. This track is no different, with a pulsing guitar melody and string backing setting a dark tone early on - over which Cavanagh and Carlsen soon start to sing in harmony. Their voices suit the moody melody, which does twist and turn as the vocals progress - and Cardoso lays down a variety of spiky drum grooves, going for a more staccato beat early on before progressing to something knottier. A gentle, floaty section introduces Silva, as she harmonises nicely with Cavanagh, but this soon gives way to one of the heaviest moments on the album - with driving, slab-like riffing kicking in with some heavy drums to back it. It is great hearing Cavanagh lay into his guitar like this again after many years - but the track still retains much of the trademark atmosphere associated with his songwriting. Some parts see the riffing slightly fade into the background to allow the synths to shine - only for it to kick back in to add some metallic grit. It is easy to forget that Anathema started out as a metal band, but Cavanagh shows here that he still has some love for a big riff - and the aforementioned floaty section with Silva is later repurposed above this riff, albeit alongside a stronger keyboard presence. Following this heavier section, it seems as if the song is going to end - but some mournful piano takes over, with Cavanagh and Silva singing in a downbeat manner as a final section gradually builds up around these metronomic vocals. Gentle guitar chimes add to the gloom - but things are really lifted by Cavanagh's slow-burning closing guitar solo which plays over the vocals initially before taking over to see the song out, often repeating some of the song's vocal melodies in its phrasing.

Lead single Do Angels Sing Like Rain? is a bit more straight ahead - with a chiming guitar melody and a more urgent drum groove setting more of a rock tone early on. Cavanagh sings alone early on, his deeper, yet still pleasing, voice sitting nicely against the synth-like guitar hooks - with piano melodies gradually appearing subtly in the background. When I first heard the song before the album dropped I was a bit disappointed with it, and I was worried that I would not like the album vocally, but Cavanagh's voice has grown on me - and other songs are more interesting vocal arrangement-wise than this one in any case. Like the last song, though, this one treads a slightly heavier vibe as it moves along - with a guitar riff which reminds me somewhat of Fragile Dreams take over, to allow a slightly crunchier take on the song's early moments to permeate. Cavanagh pushes himself vocally here but he sounds honest - fading out as he reaches the top of his range to let the melodic guitars take over. Untouchable - Part 3 is the first of two songs here which directly link back to Anathema tracks. The first two Untouchable parts are on Weather Systems - and they are two of the best songs Cavanagh has ever written in my opinion. This third part does not match up to the majesty of those older cuts, but the opening piano chords do subtly recall some of the hooks from them - with Cavanagh's emotional vocals and some delicate strings creating new images. The song also introduces Silva properly - and it is the first here sung as a duet. She takes over from Cavanagh when Cardoso's jazzy drums kick in, and her warm voice works nicely against the pulsing piano chords and the strings - which feel denser by this point. Unlike the opening two tracks, too, there is little to no heaviness here - and the style is very much representative of the Weather Systems album and the first two parts of the song trilogy. When the guitars do kick in they take the form of those tremolo-type leads which Cavanagh does so well - whilst the bass and drums pulse slowly to create a mournful movement alongside the strings and piano. Cavanagh and Silva sing together towards the end, too, although their voices feel dwarfed by the guitar hooks - which is fitting. At first this song did not do all much for me, as it fell short of its namesakes, but repeated listens have revealed its beauty and the nods to the past are welcome. Ghost in the Machine opens in a similar manner to how the album did - with a slightly synthy guitar melody that creates a slightly energetic vibe without the song feeling all that urgent. Cardoso's drumming throughout much of this album is quite percussive, especially during the slower moments, and his playing really compliments the opening hook nicely - and Cavanagh soon starts to sing over it in a deep and naïve manner, which is complimented by some occasional counter-melodies from Silva. The song builds in that typical Anathema fashion, with little change early on despite the addition of some piano under the guitars and drums - but there is a brief drop out, only for the band to kick back in with a more potent guitar-led version of the same melody with Silva taking over vocally with Cavanagh this time providing the counter. This arrangement works well and their voices play off each other nicely, whilst the guitars chime in a hypnotic manner.

The second song which ties directly back to the past is Are You There? - Part 2, which is a sequel to a song from 2003's A Natural Disaster. The song returns to the atmospheric sound of Untouchable - Part 3, with strings setting the tone early on - despite a melodic guitar refrain which occasionally cuts through the atmosphere. This guitar lead provides a real focal point during the early part of the song - and Cavanagh's mournful vocals really work against this sparse backdrop, with Silva adding subtle harmonies when needed. As is typical, the song grows in stature as it moves along - with the rhythm section soon giving it a little weight and the guitar melody from the intro feeling brighter and more heroic against this slightly denser backing. The vocal arrangement is the same, though, and there is a lot of emotion in Cavanagh's delivery throughout the song as a result - and Silva's additions are full of true warmth. The second half of the album is where things start to deviate a little - with Still Lake returning to some of the early heaviness in a bigger way. That being said, though, it opens in quite a familiar manner - although the ringing piano melodies are faster and more frantic than are typical, with jagged guitars mixed into the background and complimentary chords adding depth. The song also sees a big return for Carlsen - his higher voice mixing well with Cavanagh's and Silva's in a three-part vocal harmony as the track grows in a spooky manner against the horror movie-esque piano rolls and the slightly gothic strings. The percussive loop in the background only adds to the song's unsettling feel and things always feel as if they are moments from teetering over - even with Silva's wordless vocal backings. This keeps the song interesting, though, and when a heavy riff kicks in the build up pays off. The riff might not be as frantic as the piano, but the mid-paced heavy chug only adds to the song's cinematic nature - with the soaring strings and piano retained. The vocals return after a the riff beds in, but the singers are lower in the mix this time - meaning that they add to the overall feeling rather than dominate lyrically. This trick has been used before but it works well again here as the track comes to a close. Take Me with You is more of a typical ballad and the simpler overall arrangement reminds me quite a bit of Monochrome - although it feels a bit more overtly uplifting than is sometimes typical of Cavanagh's songwriting. There is still a darker edge, as is typical, but something about Cavanagh's simple vocal lines sounds hopeful - and both his and Silva's voices are presented in a much more organic way here against a simple musical arrangement which generally consists of slow-moving guitar lines and strings. Many of Cavanagh's songs are uplifting in a non-typical way, generally due to how they play with emotions, but this song feels a bit more typically so - and that helps it to stand out. Later slightly bigger string arrangements are much brighter than is normal - and something of a late chorus then takes over with easy-on-the-ear vocal hooks and another closing guitar solo filled with warm leads.

The album's title track then returns to the trademark relative gloom of the rest of the album and the heavy use of vocoder and treated vocals throughout the song makes it feel like something of a spiritual sequel to Closer. Sparse and ringing electric piano melodies set an early tone, over which Cavanagh sings in a mechanical and digital way due to all of the effects. Silva adds some harmonies, too, but generally the effects help Cavanagh's voice to sound big and all-encompassing given how limited the song is instrumentally early on. The electric piano almost flutters in and out, seemingly cutting out at times to create an unsettling tone - over which the vocals feel strong and consistent, creating an atmosphere all of their own. The song does grow, though, but it does take quite a while to change tack. This is a very electronic track, though, with synth loops soon fading in - and taking over totally for a while when Cavanagh stops singing. This synth hook then becomes the main focal point as Cardoso's drums kick in - and more synth swells fade in and out, all whilst the ever-present electric piano chimes away. There is something very pleasing about all of these keyboard instruments doing their thing together, though. All the different textures mix together well and despite the melodies not changing all that often the different hooks and the shifting dynamics between the different synths keep the track engaging - and Cardoso throws in a few big drums fills, too, to give parts of the song a kick. The album then comes to a close with The Space Between Us, which opens with a collage of wordless vocal melodies. This a cappella intro is different from the norm and the song as a whole is also a change in tack quite significantly - with a much more organic overall feel, particularly following the synth jam of the previous song. The trademark strings and hypnotic electric guitar lines from many of the songs here remain, but there is a strong acoustic guitar backing throughout and Cavanagh often sings alone with his acoustic guitar - before the wordless vocals from the intro return to provide something of a chorus. The arrangement feels less involved than is typical, then, but there is still a depth thanks to the various vocal layers included - and there are times when the strings do feel much more prominent. The closing part of the song is much more familiar, though, as Cavanagh launches into another of those tremolo-esque guitar leads which takes over the whole song once it kicks in. These guitar melodies truly soar and they dominate the final section of the song - albeit before the return of the wordless vocal hooks from the song's intro to allow the piece to fade out as it began. Overall, then, Ocean Without a Shore is both familiar and different. There are lots of comparisons which can be made to Anathema and I very much doubt that Cavanagh will mind that - but this is not just a re-tread of the past as it does touch on some new things. Changes were needed due to the different vocal styles at play on the album, but everything comes together well - and after a few listens I feel that the atmosphere and emotion of the album has sunk in. I think that Cavanagh plans to take this album and the new band on the road - so I hope that I am able to get to a Weather Systems show in the future, as I can imagine that some of these songs would really soar live.

The album was released on 27th September 2024 via Music Theories Recordings. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Do Angels Sing Like Rain?.

Squeeze - Plymouth Review

The great thing about having gig venues close to home, within walking distance even, is that it is possible to check out bands that you otherwise would not choose to go and see live. Travelling to concerts can be expensive if you do not keep an eye out for cheap hotels and transport options - plus the prices of tickets to the shows themselves are only going one way. I am lucky that I am able to travel to so many shows a year, but I am only able to do so due to various lifestyle decisions and being organised when it comes to booking hotel and train tickets. Despite the size of Plymouth as a city, it has never been a hotbed of live music - particularly during my lifetime. I can only imagine just how many gigs I would have got to had I lived in Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, or London for example - because Plymouth gigs are a rarity. The city's large venue, the Pavilions, has never had a particularly great reputation sound-wise. This has definitely improved over the years, but reputations tend to stick - plus it is a strange size which makes it too big for most bands and too small for the really big acts. The bands that it does tend to attract, too, rarely appeal to me. I did not go to the venue at all last year, with my last visit coming back in May 2022 when I saw Gary Numan put on an excellent display at the venue. That show was actually the third in a bit of a row at the time - as I went there twice towards the back end of 2021, too, to see Steve Hackett and Roger Taylor. Before that, though, it had likely been a few years since my last visit - and I do not think that there has been a genuine metal show at the Pavilions since Slayer back in 2015. Those last few shows prove my original point, though. At the time, I would not have travelled to see Hackett, Taylor, or Numan - but as I could walk to all three I took the risk. All three shows turned out to be great for different reasons - but I only took the risk as I did not have to pay for a hotel and train tickets. I can understand why bands do not tend to come down to Plymouth, but I certainly wish that more made the effort. If the city's main venue was better then I think that more would come down - but, as mentioned, the Pavilions has never been held in high regard in the industry. I walked down to the venue for the first time in over two years last night, though, as the British pop rock sensations Squeeze were in town as part of their lengthy 50th anniversary tour. Squeeze, again, are not a band that I would travel to see - but I was certainly up for a walk into town to catch them for the first time. I first started to pay attention to them after seeing Glenn Tilbrook (vocals/guitar) open for King King last year in Exeter - and I have since picked up a few of the band's albums. I am certainly no expert, but I am familiar with most of the band's hits. The ticket was pretty reasonably priced, too, I thought, particularly for a long-standing and well-liked band such as Squeeze - and given that most of the shows on this large tour seem to have sold out the pricing seems to have worked.

As the venue filled up, and it was pretty full by the time Squeeze hit the stage, the crowd were treated to a downbeat set from Manchester-based singer-songwriter Badly Drawn Boy. I knew nothing at all about him prior to last night, although I was familiar with the name, so I did not really know what to expect. Unfortunately, though, the set ended up being one of my least favourite types of support act in principle: a man with an acoustic guitar. In fairness he played electric guitar and piano at various points during his set, but the overall theme was the same. I tend to struggle with these sorts of artists as I just generally am not a fan of earnest songwriters with something to say - but I found Badly Drawn Boy's set a bit more engaging than it could have been. It helped that his songs were all so short, so that the vibe changed quite regularly, and it also helped that his between song banter was quite funny. That classic self-deprecating Northern humour was on full display throughout his time on stage and it did endear him to me somewhat - even if a lot of his songs were just not really for me. He did receive a pretty warm reception from the crowd, though, and his humour certainly hit home for a lot of people - so I did not find that the set dragged despite it not being my thing. It was nice to put a face to the Badly Drawn Boy name, too. I remember him getting quite a bit of press at one point, although that was quite a while ago now, so perhaps his star has somewhat fallen since then.

Squeeze were very different - with eight musicians on stage making a racket from the off. In the best part of an hour and 45 minutes the band rattled through a 23-song set with ease - which covered a good chunk of their 50 year career. Much of the set focused on their late 1970s/early 1980s classic period - but there were a few later tracks included, too, alongside some brand new material from an upcoming pair of albums. It was very much a greatest hits affair in principle, though, with rollocking anthems like Black Coffee in Bed and Footprints showcasing early on why the band troubled the charts so often in the past. Tilbrook was in fine voice, with his songwriting partner Chris Difford (vocals/guitar) also at his caustic best - whilst backing singer Danica Dora provided plenty of harmonies throughout which helped boost the band's overall vocal power. Tracks like Is That Love bordered on hard rock, but of course it was smoother classics like Up the Junction and In Quintessence which the crowd really lapped up. It was not all hits, though, as rawer new cut One Beautiful Summer proved - plus a fairly early rendition of the atmospheric Departure Lounge from 2017's The Knowledge showed a different side of the band, with lots of spacey playing from Stephen Large (keyboard/accordion/vocals) and a touch of finesse from Melvin Duffy (guitar/mandolin/lap steel/pedal steel/vocals). Whilst both Tilbrook and Difford took time to chat to the crowd, they largely kept it to a minimum and let the music do the talking. A few choice song introductions gave context, but the band have been at it long enough to know to keep the music flowing - with a one-two punch of the AOR-tinged Pulling Mussels (from the Shell) and the smooth Another Nail in My Heart getting the whole crowd on their feet for a brief period. Given that Squeeze's older albums do not always possess a lot of punch, I was surprised how hard they could rock at times. This was likely down the hard-hitting style of Simon Hanson (drums/vocals), but Tilbrook himself can riff away when he wants to - and the band mixed a number of different vibes all night. Squeeze have always been impossible to categorise and the song selection showed this - with the pop hooks of Annie Get Your Gun sitting side by side with 'new' cut Trixie's Hell on Earth, an unreleased early Squeeze effort which has been finished off for one of the upcoming new albums. As the set progressed, though, the surprises became fewer - and it was hit after hit. There was not a lot of audible singing from the crowd during the show, but the old single Tempted certainly prompted some - as did the Madness-esque Cool for Cats which Difford sung in his typical drawling manner. The atmosphere was still good throughout the show, though, and it was clear that everyone in attendance was having a good time. Being a rock and metal fan, though, I am always amused by crowds at shows by bands like Squeeze. They tend to look like they are dressed up to go to the theatre and never really seem to get into the show - but it was nice to a see a few people dancing and having a good time towards the end. It was hard not to with songs like Hourglass and a lengthy show-closing rendition of Take Me I'm Yours, though, the latter of which included various solos as Tilbrook went around and introduced everyone. Dispensing with the encore tradition, Take Me I'm Yours brought the curtain down on 50 years of music nicely - and the band took their bows to huge applause. The setlist was:

Black Coffee in Bed

Footprints

Is That Love

Up the Junction

One Beautiful Summer

Someone Else's Heart

In Quintessence

Departure Lounge

Some Fantastic Place

If I Didn't Love You

Pulling Mussels (from the Shell)

Another Nail in My Heart

Annie Get Your Gun

You Get the Feeling

Trixie's Hell on Earth

Goodbye Girl

Cradle to the Grave

Slap & Tickle

Tempted

Cool for Cats

Labelled with Love

Hourglass

Take Me I'm Yours/After Hours [The Velvet Underground cover]

Given that I am no Squeeze expert, I enjoyed my time with the band in Plymouth last night. I cannot imagine that I will ever be a die-hard fan, but they have a lot of classic tracks for a reason - and I will certainly look to pick up some more of their classic albums in due course. It is always good to see something a bit different, too, and they acted as a bit of a pallet cleanser following a number of hard rock and metal shows which I have taken in of late.

Kamelot - Wolverhampton Review

As is often the case around this time of year, I am currently in the midst of an extremely busy period of gig-going. Late autumn/early winter is generally jam-packed with tours and 2024 is no different - with October having been very busy and November is also rammed. It is going to be a very tiring few weeks for me, but travelling around the country and going to concerts is always worth it. This is especially the case when a real favourite band makes a relatively rare UK appearance - something which generally requires dropping all other plans and focusing on the latest tour announcement. The relevant band in this case is the American-based power metal act Kamelot - a band I still consider to be a true favourite. I might not listen to them as much as I once did, but they remain an important band overall for me - and they always deliver live. Sadly, though, a UK show is not always guaranteed when they tour in Europe. They have plenty of fans in Europe, but they do not always include a UK show whenever they tour. I can only imagine that fewer promoters are willing to take the risk than I would have thought or that the right venues are not always available - but it cannot be down to fan demand. Prior to last night's show, I had seen Kamelot live five times - and each show was packed out. They even played to a big crowd as the Friday night special guests at the 2018 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air - so there remains a lot of love for Kamelot here in the UK. Since I have followed the band, though, the UK has been missed off a few of their tours. The Haven (which I reviewed here) touring cycle never came to the UK, sadly, and the original European run for last year's The Awakening (which I reviewed here) also missed the UK. In contrast, though, the touring cycle for The Shadow Theory (which I reviewed here) visited the UK on three separate occasions, including the aforementioned Bloodstock appearance, which meant that I managed to see the band three times between August 2018 and March 2019. Prior to last night, though, that March 2019 show in Birmingham was the last time I saw Kamelot live - as it was the last time that they came to the UK. Clearly the pandemic put a hold on touring activities for a while - and afterwards the band were focusing instead on their latest album. I was disappointed when last year's European tour did not include any UK shows, but I have learnt to be patient as they tend to do multiple legs for each album tour - so I was rewarded earlier in the year when they announced their latest European tour which included three UK shows. Whilst the band did play outside of London and festivals back in the day, in recent years they have tended to focus on London. This changed in 2019 with shows in Birmingham and Manchester - and they continued to experiment this year, too, with Wolverhampton and Manchester shows booked alongside London. The Wolverhampton show made the most sense when considering other plans - and I always enjoy a trip to the West Midlands and KK's Steel Mill. It was a long journey up from Devon, though, due to needing to catch an early train due to cancellations and then having to stand the whole way between Exeter and Wolverhampton. A lie down in the hotel was welcome, then, before I headed across town for the night.

It was a long night, too, as there were three support bands on the bill. The doors opened at 6pm, though, and the first band hit the stage at 6:30pm - with the changeovers between each act generally being quick. As such, there was not too much hanging around - and the three support bands were different enough to keep things interesting. Opening the night and on stage for around 30 minutes were the Italian power metal six-piece Frozen Crown - who were playing their first ever show in the UK. I had listened to a couple of their albums prior to the show, but I would certainly not consider myself as being familiar with their work. Despite this, though, their time on stage flew by - with the band putting on a great performance. Their take on power metal is of the very high-octane kind - so is defined by fast tempos, soaring vocals, and plentiful shredded guitar solos. I might not listen to this kind of power metal as much as I used to, but for 30 minutes it was great to be caught up in that sound. Frontwoman Giada Etro has a great voice, and she was generally well-heard above the rest of the band, whilst the three-guitar attack of bandleader Federico Mondelli, Fabiola Bellomo, and Alessia Lanzone proved to be a powerful force. Mondelli was generally leading the charge riff-wise, and did solo on occasion, but most of the solos were handled by Bellomo who incorporated a lot of tapping into her playing. The soloing throughout the band's set was intense, then, with Lanzone stepping away from her typical rhythm duties to double up some of the solos and leads at times. As such, there were notes flying left, right, and centre - all whilst the rhythm section galloped along and Etro delivered plenty of soaring vocal hooks. As is often the case with this type of power metal, though, after a while the songs did all roll into one - although the closing number did feel a bit crunchier with more of a mid-paced feel and some harsh vocals from Mondelli. I still think that I should check out some more of the band's work, though, and I would see them again if they came around. It seems that they are planning their own tour for next year, too, so I will have to keep an eye out for any UK dates.

Up next, and afforded slightly longer, were the Swiss four-piece Ad Infinitum. I was slightly more familiar with them, as I did spend some time with Chapter III - Downfall (which I reviewed here) last year - but most of the band's set came from their newly-released album Abyss, which I am yet to hear, so I was not familiar with essentially the whole set. This did not matter, though, as the band put on an excellent performance - and were easily the best of the three support acts. Fronted by Melissa Bonny, who later pulled double duty with Kamelot, the band's mix of subtle symphonic metal with pop hooks and tech metal riffing helped to set them apart from the very traditional sounds of the other bands on the bill - and Ad Infinitum felt like a band trying to do something different. Bonny is a great singer, who can easily switch back and forth between clean and harsh vocals without breaking a sweat - and she was very much the band's focal point. She commanded the stage and sang really well - soaring above the band despite the overall heaviness of the songs. There were some very poppy moments in the set, with big synth arrangements, but these were relatively few - with much of the set driven by the dry riffing of guitarist Adrian Thessenvitz. His riffing style is very modern and his tech metal, angular patterns are very different from those generally heard in the symphonic and power metal genres. Despite this, though, all of the disparate sounds came together easily - and there were a number of strong choruses to latch onto, as well as a handful of big guitar solos. Ad Infinitum are not really a flashy band in that sense, so the occasional solo was welcome and impactful - with the grooves and the vocal hooks generally being what drove the songs. Bonny did not rely too much on her harsh vocals to create unnecessary heaviness, either. Like with the guitar solos, their sparse inclusion made them all the more powerful - and her clean vocals are so easy on the ear it would be unwise to limit them just to include more screams. There was enough heaviness created by the riffing in any case - and the contrast between the pop hooks and the grinding riffs were generally what made the band interesting. Given how much I enjoyed the band's set, I will need to pick up Abyss soon - and Ad Infinitum are certainly another band I would check out if they came around on their own in the near future.

Sadly, the evening's third and final support act never really got out of the starting gate. Before the Dutch gothic metal six-piece Blackbriar took to the stage, drummer René Boxem came out and announced to the crowd that the whole band were ill - and that frontwoman Zora Cock was suffering particularly badly. Boxem said that they wanted to try and play their set, but they would be dictated by what Cock could actually handle - so they may not get through the whole thing. As it turned out, they made it through three songs before calling it a day. Cock actually sounded pretty good despite the illness, but her body language conveyed that she was really struggling - and she pulled out of a few notes as she clearly felt that she was not going to hit them. It was a hard watch, but clearly she and the band wanted to try and perform - particularly as, like Frozen Crown, it was their first show in the UK. There were quite a few Blackbriar shirts in the crowd, too, so clearly they already have their fans here - but I was not familiar with them prior to the show. From the three songs I heard, though, they seem like a band worth exploring. Their sound is very rooted in that late 1990s/early 2000s Dutch gothic/symphonic rock scene - albeit without the harsh vocals which tended to be prevalent at the time. The songs were mid-paced and doomy with a lot of keyboards and mournful guitar leads - with Cock's voice being of that siren-like quality which was big at the time. The first Within Temptation and After Forever albums are certainly easy comparisons to make - but I likely did not hear enough of their stuff to fully judge. I will need to give their albums a listen at some point, even if out of solidarity, as it is never nice to see a band struggle and have to admit defeat. It was clear after the third song, though, that Cock could not go on - so the band bowed out gracefully to a warm reception.

As Blackbriar had finished earlier than planned, there was a bit of a wait before Kamelot took to the stage. They did end up coming on about 15 minutes earlier than they were originally going to - but there was still around 45 minutes to wait which was a bit tedious. By the time the lights went down, then, the good-sized crowd was more than up for the show - and the atmosphere was pretty electric from the off. Kicking off with the up-tempo Veil of Elysium worked well in this regard, too. The melodic power metal track certainly got the crowd on-side right away - and the big chorus was the first of many sung back at frontman Tommy Karevik throughout the night. Four songs from the latest album were included in the set - with nine of the songs overall coming from the Karevik era and six coming from the Roy Khan era. My only criticism of Kamelot live in recent years has been their reliance on the same handful of tracks from the Khan era - and, true to form, Rule the World came next. I like the song, but I feel it is due a rest. I understand why Forever and March of Mephisto continue to be played at every show - but the other old regulars could all be rested in my opinion in place of deeper cuts from that era, or even more newer tunes. There are so many older tracks I would love to hear Karevik tackle but instead the band continue to roll When the Lights Are Down out night after night. This is not a huge issue, but it is something I have highlighted before so it only seemed fair to highlight it again - but when the epic Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem) rolled around I was happy. The track is one of my favourite cuts from the latest album and it came alive on stage - with Bonny coming out to deliver some of the operatic backing vocals. She joined the band on a number of songs to fill the shoes of various guest singers over the years - and she worked well with Karevik whenever they were singing together. Early on in the set there was a fast-paced feel, with anthems coming thick and fast. Insomnia is a real Kamelot classic now and it always goes down well live, but a real treat was a rendition of the waltzing Vespertine (My Crimson Bride) - which I had only seen the band do live once previously. Karevik was in great voice, on his birthday no less, and the rest of the band sounded great, too. Thomas Youngblood (guitar/vocals) delivered a number of shredded solos throughout the night - and his riffing in the anthemic new cut New Babylon and the old favourite Karma showed what sets Kamelot apart from the rest of the power metal pack. Another overall highlight for me was a barnstorming rendition of Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife) - with Bonny delivering the harsh vocal-led mid-section with ease. The latest album was revisited again for the gorgeous ballad Willow, a song which has slowly climbed up in my estimations in recent times, before there was a treat for old-school fans in The Human Stain which I had not seen the band do for about ten years. The set was really racing by at this point, too, and there was not much of it left. A drum solo from Alex Landenburg led into a barnstorming March of Mephisto - after which Oliver Palotai (keyboards) stole the spotlight for a classical piano solo which led into a set-closing rendition of Forever, which was dragged out with lots of crowd interaction and a birthday cake being brought out for Karevik. It brought the main set to a bombastic close - but after some cheering the band came back out for more. One last new track in One More Flag in the Ground acted as a big sing-a-long, before the heavier Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy) brought just over 90 minutes of music to a powerful close - with Bonny once again singing alongside Karevik. The setlist was:

Veil of Elysium

Rule the World

Opus of the Night (Ghost Requiem)

Insomnia

When the Lights Are Down

Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)

New Babylon

Karma

Manus Dei

Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)

Willow

The Human Stain

Drum solo

March of Mephisto

Keyboard solo

Forever/We Will Rock You [Queen cover]

-

One More Flag in the Ground

Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)

Continuum

Overall, and despite my qualms with the setlist (I also have a similar issue with Arch Enemy - so this is not a Kamelot-exclusive issue), I had an excellent time with Kamelot in Wolverhampton last night. They always deliver a high-energy set and it is also great that they tend to be forward-looking and focus on playing songs released more recently. All three of the support bands were enjoyable, too, and it was great to see the show pull a pretty healthy crowd outside of London. KK's Steel Mill can hold more, but it can curtain bits of the space off when it needs to - and there were a good few hundred in attendance who made plenty of noise throughout. I will always go and see Kamelot so long as they keep coming back - and they remain a real favourite and an important band in my musical history.

The Black Dahlia Murder's 'Servitude' - Album Review

As I have mentioned a few times this year, I have been enjoying making a lot more effort with extreme metal of late. I have covered more genuine extreme metal releases on the blog this year than I likely ever have before - and it is great to finally feel like I am getting something of a foothold on the huge and expansive death metal genre. I intend to keep picking up some of the genre's biggest releases each year going forward - but it is likely that today's review will be my last extreme metal foray for 2024, as there is nothing else on the horizon which I have earmarked to check out. I am rounding up 2024's extreme metal coverage, then, with something a bit closer to my pre-existing heavier tastes - and it is the turn of the American melodic death metal act The Black Dahlia Murder to finally get some attention. I have been a melodic death metal fan for many years at this point - and I can trace this back to the late 2000s when I transitioned from my love of certain metalcore bands over to the melodic death metal scene, with Arch Enemy being one of my first big discoveries. The Black Dahlia Murder, though, are a bit different when it comes to melodic death metal - at least what the genre is in my head. Clearly it is a broad church, like most metal subgenres, but the image of melodic death metal that I tend to subscribe to is the Swedish take on the sound - with bands like At the Gates, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity, and In Flames being real touchstones. The sort of melodic death metal I tend to like, then, is that with big guitar hooks, anthemic choruses despite the use of harsh vocals, and perhaps even an atmospheric depth thanks to the presence of keyboard player. Clearly there is more to the genre than that, but it is the sound which I have always gravitated towards - and it was not until more recent times that I started to listen to other examples of melodic death metal, including The Black Dahlia Murder. I first started to listen to The Black Dahlia Murder in 2022 in the lead up to that year's iteration of Bloodstock Open Air - which they were scheduled to play. In May 2022, though, the band's founding frontman Trevor Strnad died. Whilst the cause of his death has never been officially revealed, it is heavily assumed that he took his own life - so it was unsurprising that the band cancelled all of their upcoming shows and many wondered whether they would continue on at all. Most would have understood if they had split up given the tragic circumstances, but later in 2022, following some consideration, the band announced that they would carry on with founding guitarist Brian Eschbach taking over on vocals - with former guitarist Ryan Knight returning to allow Eschbach to focus on singing. Eschbach had often been a secondary vocalist in the band, particularly live, so the move made sense - and with him being the only original member left it also made sense for him to be the new leader and focal point. Four years on from their last album, 2020's Verminous, then, and two years on from Strnad's death, The Black Dahlia Murder unleashed their tenth studio album Servitude last month - their first without Strnad and their first with Knight since 2015's Abysmal. Rounding out the line-up, then, are guitarist Brandon Ellis, bassist Max Lavelle, and drummer Alan Cassidy - all of whom have been in a band a fair while at this point.

The Black Dahlia Murder's take on melodic death metal is much less flashy than those aforementioned Swedish bands - and it is much closer to traditional death metal and thrash. The band's songs tend to be short and fast - with higher screams than traditional death metal growls and shredded solos. There are some flashy lead guitar moments, but they are more restrained overall - with pace and energy the core identity. Despite Strnad's death, the band's sound has not really changed at all. Eschbach is certainly a strong vocalist and his style is not all that dissimilar to Strnad's - so Servitude picks up where Verminous left off despite the tragedy. Like most of their albums, it is not much longer than 30 minutes - with most of the songs being around three minutes long. Evening Ephemeral kicks things off and the band's classic sound is present from the off. It does start off somewhat atmospherically, though, with some weather sounds and haunting piano melodies - but this scene-setting does not last for long, as a staccato riff and massive drum barrage soon kick in. Before transitioning into the song proper, which is very thrashy, there is a mid-paced riff which establishes an early groove - but once Eschbach starts to sing, the guitars of Ellis and Knight thrash away with fast-paced riffs whilst the blast beats and fast footwork of Cassidy create a whirlwind beneath. The song is somewhat on the dynamic side at times, though, with the mid-paced feel of the intro returned to during something of a bridge later on - although this moment is short lived as it soon explodes into the album's first guitar solo. The solos here are generally fast-paced and shredded, and this one conforms, whilst there are a few subtle lead guitar moments in the song elsewhere - albeit, apart from a couple of more heroic moments, they tend to be mixed into the background. Panic Hysteric dispenses with any scene-setting or groove-based moments, and launches into an extremely thrashy riff from the off - and never really lets up. There are a few more grinding moments riff-wise, but the pace does not really slow. The guitar approach changes subtly to create a point of difference - but the drumming never really lets up which means that the song maintains its overall break-neck attitude. Lead guitar work is a bit more prevalent here, though, with a few riffs throughout which feel like Killswitch Engage on speed - whilst there is a breakdown section which showcases some great harmony runs between Ellis and Knight, before one of them launches into a furious solo. The track is full of caustic vigour, but the riffing feels more hooky here - which helps the song to remain memorable. Aftermath acted as the album's lead single, so it was the first look which the band's fans had of the new-look The Black Dahlia Murder. Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the track stays very true to form - and is perhaps even more intense than the two which came before. Cassidy's drumming is very much based around blast beats during the verses, and the intensity never really lets up - even during more galloping sections which feature more of a classic metal flow. Eschbach impresses vocally with a mix of higher screams and some deeper growls than is typical of his approach - with a slower-paced bridge seeing some of these guttural vocals before a more restrained and howling guitar solo is deployed. The rest of the song picks the pace back up, though, this mid-section a brief respite, and it introduced the new era nicely back in June.

Cursed Creator is a bit different from what has come before and it slows the pace down somewhat - going for a chunkier, mid-paced approach which does not feel as intense but does not lack for heaviness. Generally the band operate at thrash-type speeds, but there is a bit more of a traditional death metal chug here - with less busy drumming to allow the double bass rolls to feel natural and the riffing consists of some more traditional motifs which feel more expansive and less pin-point. I like the grooves which the song conjures up, then, and it is a welcome change of pace from the fast speeds of the previous songs. The slower pace allows for some more lead guitar moments, too, and the chorus has a few choice leads to back it - whilst the later solo is more expressive thanks to the reined in pace. The guitarists really get to lit rip during the song's closing minute or so, too, which includes plenty of excellent runs and melodies beneath Eschbach's screams. Following the brief, acoustic-based instrumental An Intermission, which returns to the atmospheric manner in which the album opened, albeit guitar-based, the pace is picked back up again by Asserting Dominion - a thrashy track which fuses the sound of the previous song with the sound of the opening three. It is perhaps not quite as fast and intense as those opening cuts and there are moments which groove a little more. The riffing is a good mix of 1980s death metal weight and thrash speed - but there is also a great and much more defined chorus here which features Gothenburg-esque harmony guitar melodies and some hooky Eschbach vocals. There are other moments in the song, too, which feature Ellis and Knight teaming up for some NWOBHM-inspired guitar leads - but they are not overused to limit the comparisons to the Swedish scene. The melodies are very memorable, though, and the song is one of the overall highlights on the album as a result in my opinion. This sense of melody follows into the solo, too, and it one of my favourite solos on the album as a result. The album's title track follows and it is a proper thrasher with little of the more dynamic approach of the previous song - with the band instead just going for the throat. The riffing is extremely in-your-face this time and the flourishing lead guitar moments of the past couple of songs are generally absent. The rhythms and pace are what make this song what it is, with some blast beats returning, but there are some brief moments which feature what sound like some sweep-picked melodies behind a slightly less intense riff - and these sections bring early Sylosis to mind somewhat. The lead guitar dominance does reassert itself towards the end, though, with the last portion of the track being much busier and interesting from that perspective when compared to the much riffier early movements.

Mammoth's Hand is another track which brings the pace down quite considerably - and the song opens with some soaring, emotionally-charged guitar leads. These sort of very 1980s-esque guitar moments are not something which are that common on the album, so they help the song to stand out, and the much more deliberate pace also helps with such. Whilst parts of the song are a bit faster than what would generally be considered as mid-paced, given how fast much of the album is it feels much more mid-paced by comparison - and it is great that a few grooves are allowed to really develop here, alongside some mournful backing guitar leads. I would also shine the spotlight on Cassidy, who turns in an excellent drumming performance. Rather than laying into his double bass drums and relying on tight thrash beats here he instead is forced to do something a bit different - and there is something jazzy about some of his beats here which include rogue tom hits and a few jagged bass drum patterns which differ from the norm. They are a big part of the grooves, too, alongside the slower riffing and leads of Ellis and Knight - and the more restrained backing brings the best out of Eschbach's growls. Transcosmic Blueprint returns to business as usual, though, with the track picking up the pace following the fatter grooves of the previous track. It is perhaps not as thrashy as some of the other songs, though, and instead harks back to some of those more metalcore-inspired moments referenced earlier. I have often thought that there is a thin line between the heavier end of metalcore and the most accessible end of melodic death metal - and this is a song which would likely appeal to most Killswitch Engage and Trivium fans. Some of the guitar melodies which surface throughout are used in a similar manner to how those bands create those heroic-sounding patterns - whilst a great trade-off guitar solo sees both Ellis and Knight trading licks and soloing in unison at times. The song is still fast paced, but the riffing feels much more defined overall and less chaotic - which helps some of them to stick a little more and also ensures that the chorus feels somewhat more weighty. The album then comes to a close with Utopia Black, which is somewhat more diverse than much of the rest of the album. It opens with a bit more of a mid-paced riff, which sounds powerful, before evolving into something much more extreme. This song is the one here which is likely closest to being genuine extreme metal - with some of the most intense and long-lasting blast beats on the album. Parts of the verses are close to a black metal aesthetic, then, thanks to these prolonged periods of blasting - but the whole song is not like this. There are much more traditionally thrashy moments, too, as well as the occasional break in the pace to introduce a more slab-like riff. This is a song which takes many twists and turns, then, and it is clearly one which builds on a few of the ideas flirted with elsewhere on the album and expands on them. It could have done with perhaps being a little bit longer, though, to fully allow some of these ideas to flourish - as it comes to a rather abrupt end, as things transition back to the weather sounds and piano which opened up the album. Overall, then, this is the first album from the band which I have truly digested and I have been enjoying my time with it. It sounds very similar to the few other albums of theirs which I have heard - but it is good to hear the band sticking to their well-established formula, especially given the necessary reinvention.

The album was released on 27th September 2024 via Metal Blade Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Aftermath.