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Album ReviewReviews
November 7, 2022
Midnite Mitch

Devin Townsend – Lightwork

Strap yourselves in and get ready for another journey across the soundscapes with your friendly and loveable Canadian, Devin Townsend. You’re about to go down into a wormhole of strange and wondrous creativity coming out in aural form. Prepare for Lightwork, aptly named, this album is dynamic, creative, cinematic and above all, epic, it makes for incredibly easy listening, which is great because when it comes to Devin Townsend’s music, there are so many layers to it and you can never get everything on the first listen.

Straight off the bat, this guy’s voice is just phenomenal, the range, the way he uses it to set the mood and tone of a song, just as much as his guitars or synths, is just unreal. Yes, that might sound obvious to some people but there are bands out there who use the vocals as the filler part of the song, it’s all about a riff, definitely not the case when it comes to this guy’s music! He keeps his voice cleaner and more ethereal throughout this album but does also throw in some of his classic screams to change it up and make great use of his dynamics. The track Heavy Burden creates a strange effect with multiple voices being blended and layered over each other to sing one line, it’s incredibly well done to have it so clean, it took a few listens to grasp the full effect and hear the multiple layers, this is the kind of creativity that I appreciate, out of the normal thinking that makes the music much more interesting.

Devin Townsend is a busy man, Lightwork is the 5th album he has released in the last 2 years. He released the Quarantine Sets he streamed during 2020, then also Snuggles and The Puzzle and now releasing this little gem. Releasing this amount of content or music just goes to show that he is in this for the art and enjoys showing off his creativeness or it could be that he just needs to get all the crazy music out of his head and will just unleash it upon the world, either way, its good fun.  During the creation process there was a drop of Call of the Void that would be named one of the singles for this album, the other being Moonpeople. These two tracks are probably on the lighter sounding side of the album, but they are just as experimental as the rest. They set the tone that the vocals and synth instruments are more the focal point here than the heavier element. It’s all still there and is more the foundation or the gel holding the songs together.

It wouldn’t be a Devin Townsend album without some completely out there sounds and when you get to Dimensions and hear that incredibly in tune guitar solo (he writes in sarcastica font) you will just smile and laugh because, why the hell not!? Dissonant, I think is the term professionals use with these types of things. Heartbreaker shows a bit more of the weirder side of his creativeness with the number of layers to his music, the guitar riff in this song just has a really nice sway to it, you won’t be able to help but get into it. My favourite track on this album is Celestial Signals, this song is epic, it has a massive sound and will make an incredible addition to the live set. I can see a stadium singing and moving to this one.

From start to finish, Lightwork will have you moving and singing along in no time. It is light at times, it is heavy at times, it can also be downright strange at times, but that’s why you come along to the Devin show, something new and different.

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Album ReviewReviews
September 15, 2022
Midnite Mitch

Abreact – Deceivers are Coming

The Bendigo Hardcore legends, Abreact, are back with a brand-new album, Deceivers are coming, and they are just as hard-hitting and dirty as ever. This is the bands’ second full-length album in their 14 years of being together, forming in 2008, Abreact released their debut album Entities in 2012. A couple of singles and The Warehouse Sessions, which was recorded in Vancouver since this time but never a follow-up album, a band with the quality over quantity ideology, and goddamn, this is all killer and no filler!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Abreact, these guys are old-school hardcore, in music and ideology. They have a minimalist approach to their music and sound but don’t get me wrong, they sound massive for a 4 piece. With distorted dissonance coming from the guitar, a punchy as hell bass tone filling it out, and then put that on top of a seriously hard-hitting drummer, people wise that’s not much, instrumentally, well you take a listen for yourself, and lastly adding in the pure aggression and angst of Josh Cahill on vocals, you have an incredible mix for this band.

The work for this album started back in about 2020, Abreact released Paper Planes during the midst of the pandemic, and chatting to these guys during that year, they weren’t sure what exactly was going on, so they released it when they had the chance. This song and the other more recent single Honesty are the gateway songs into Abreacts world, they are easy to get into, chunky as hell and you will break your neck headbanging to these tunes. Paper Planes was also the first song/single to introduce Josh on vocals, this whole album is filled with some intense themes which he screams right into your face.

The previously mentioned songs are only the taster of what you will get on Deceivers…, stacked from start to finish with heavy, dirty riffs that sound like they are scraped off the gravel and then put into audio form with distortion, The Hate Resistance is a perfect example of this, pure dirt and grime! Abreact shows that something doesn’t have to be all fast riffs or technical to be dark and heavy, Occupy has a great mix of dynamics and is probably one of my, if not the favourite off the album, just wait for that song end, chaos ambience, brilliant!

Deceivers Are Coming is a strong and hard-hitting second album, they have taken everything that was done on Entities and just beaten the crap out of it, recorded that, and then sung over it! It takes no prisoners and shows you why they one of the best in business at what they do. These guys are always incredible live, and I can’t wait to see how much heavier these songs get with their own energy at a gig, make sure to get out and catch them when you can, you won’t regret it!

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Album ReviewReviews
September 2, 2022
Midnite Mitch

Munitions – Black Wind

A new band surges forth on Black Winds from Melbourne, Victoria. Meet Munitions, a death metal band that hasn’t been in the scene for that long, but all the members on this EP are gig-hardened veterans from the likes of, Join the Amish, Nemesium, Desecrator, Vulture Culture, Blunt Shovel, and Embodied, just to name a few. Hopefully, you would have heard or seen some of those bands and know the kind of talent you will hear on this 4 Track EP.

With a blackened death metal sound that incorporates a hell of a lot of groove, this 4 track EP is short, sweet and straight to the knifepoint. Black Winds is completely stacked with neck-breaking guitar riffs that will have you headbanging from start to finish and then going for another round, it’s that catchy! There is an overlying darkness to the EP that just seeps from it, that seems to come from the great use of the chord progressions and riffs, it never sticks to the one thing for too long and the drum beats change it up to give the same riff a completely different feel.

Recorded, mixed and masted by Luke Walton at Danger Tones Studios, formerly Goatsound Studios, in Melbourne, I know some of you readers who know the local scene will have heard that name before. Munitions have done well to capture everything that I would imagine they bring to their live sound, the EP is definitely groove orientated above all else and I would be keen to see this being performed and a crowd moshing, going nuts to these songs. All the little intricacies and subtleties are kept in the mix, and you can appreciate the skill that is involved with playing these tracks. After going back and relistening a few times, I find more riffs or sounds that just add an eeriness to their songs, its great!

If you are wanting a new band to sink your teeth into Black Winds is the EP for you, dark, catchy, heavy, it ticks all the boxes when listening to it and it would come out great live, I would imagine from these guys. These guys clearly mean business, already hitting the ground hard with a recording and a string of live shows around the state. Munitions are making sure you know who they are, get out and catch them live.

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Album ReviewReviews
September 2, 2022
STM

The Butterfly Effect – IV

The Butterfly Effect completely passed me by first time around. Having lived overseas for all of the 90’s and half of the 2000’s, I came home to find there had been some awesome Aussie bands that had come and unfortunately gone during that time. So how happy was I to see them reunite and to have had the opportunity to discover them and see their fantastic live shows. Imago was on repeat in my headphones for many months and they were able to fill venues playing the songs that people loved from that time. Now, after 14 years, we have a new album to savour and an accompanying tour. I am very excited to hear the new songs but have some feelings of trepidation. Will they give us the sound that made us fall in love with them to begin with? Or will they be trying something new (always fraught with danger. I still haven’t forgiven Radiohead for the wanky, self-indulgent shit they produced from in the early 2000’s).

Track one is the title track IV. An instrumental piece that builds from a very minimalist beginning to a crescendo of guitars and drums with some lovely classical string sections in the mix. If I close my eyes, I can see a darkened stage with clouds of smoke tastefully lit and the crowd going mad with expectation as this track plays to announce the arrival of the band. Goosebumps!! Great start.

Track two is Dark Light and with the opening bars, I can see we are going to be on solid ground with this album. The soaring falsetto from Clint Boge and guitar in the minor key (I think, I’m no musician) gives that atmospheric, spine tingling feeling that is what I have always associated with The Butterfly Effect. The bridge sets the scene for a very singable chorus. This will be a crowd favourite at their upcoming gigs, I have no doubt.

Track Three is Wave of Tides – Long. The lyrics seem to speak of battling demons, being lost in the battle, searching for someone to help and the hope for better. I don’t know if this was written during the pandemic but in these lyrics, I feel something of my own struggles during the last couple of years and I think this song is going to be very relatable to many people.

Track Four, Nil By Mouth starts with some serious riffage. Definitely one of the heavier tracks on the album, this will appeal to the New Metal fans out there. Clint is pulling out all of the vocal tricks on this track as he slips from his signature falsetto to some dirty vocals more akin to The Amity Affliction than TBE. Short and sweet, but will be a great one to bounce to at a gig.

Track Five is The Other Side. The intro of this track begins with a drum solo from Ben Hall and how nice is to hear a drummer get a chance to really shine on an album track. Throughout the song, the drums are front and centre while guitar and bass are more an accompaniment to this. Love it. This will be another great gig singalong, I am sure.

Track Six is So Tired. Not one of my favourites. The verses are frenetic and jarring to the senses. And all of this culminates in a beautiful chorus that is all too short before we’re back to the chaos. The saving grace is the last two minutes of the song where it settles back into more melodic territory. Some will love it, me, not so much but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.

Track Seven is Unbroken. Another example of the perfect chorus and I would go so far as to say, a perfect example of an alternative rock classic. Very reminiscent of some of their earlier stuff but I am in no way sorry for that. It’s heavy enough for a good head bang but is full of lifting moments and I am very surprised that this was not the first single from the album. It will definitely be a floor filler live.

Track Eight is Great Heights. And I find myself running out of superlatives. I love a song that builds and the verse and bridge to this song feel like the foothills and the wonderful chorus is the pinnacle.

Another track that I think could easily be a single. A song of many parts which fit together perfectly to be another TBE classic.

Track nine is Start Again. At first listen, I thought this felt a bit like a filler track to me, but on about the third listen, I changed my mind. The bass and drums are a real highlight of the song and it definitely confirms to the TBE winning formula.

Track ten is the first single release, Visiting Hours. The melodic guitar on its’ own is the perfect accompaniment to some typically dramatically sung lyrics. It builds, but not as much as Unbroken or Great Heights. The lead break towards the end is perfection. Perhaps picked as the first single for a more radio friendly return to the airwaves, it certainly would not have been my choice. But I think it does let fans, and new listeners to TBE know what they are about and whets the appetite for more.

I was so excited to have the chance to review this album and to say I am not disappointed is an understatement. It has all of the ingredients that made The Butterfly Effect who they are while still being new and fresh. I cannot wait to see these songs live and to see how they are accepted by old fans and new audiences alike. BRING IT ON!!!

IV is out now.
Tickets for The Butterfly Effect’s upcoming national tour are on sale now from www.thebutterflyeffectband.com.au.
 
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT – IV 2022 TOUR:
with guests Thornhill & Caligula’s Horse
Tickets available from: www.thebutterflyeffectband.com.au

FRI 30 SEPT | TANKS ARTS CENTRE, CAIRNS, QLD | 18+
SAT 1 OCT | MANSFIELD HOTEL, TOWNSVILLE, QLD | 18+
SUN 2 OCT | HARRUP PARK, MACKAY, QLD | 18+
THUR 6 OCT | BLANK SPACE, TOOWOOMBA, QLD | 18+
FRI 7 OCT | EATONS HILL HOTEL, BRISBANE, QLD | 18+
SAT 8 OCT | UNSW ROUNDHOUSE, SYDNEY, NSW | 18+
SUN 9 OCT | HOBART UNI BAR, HOBART, TAS | 18+
THUR 13 OCT | NORTHCOTE THEATRE, MELBOURNE, VIC | 18+ *NEW SHOW*
FRI 14 OCT | NORTHCOTE THEATRE, MELBOURNE, VIC | 18+ *SOLD OUT*
SUN 15 OCT | HINDLEY ST MUSIC HALL, ADELAIDE, SA | 18+
SUN 16 OCT | METROPOLIS, FREMANTLE, WA | 18+

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Album ReviewReviews
August 18, 2022
Midnite Mitch

Primitive – With The Rats And Snakes

Melbourne’s Metal Quartet Primitive are back with their second EP With the Rats and Snakes and they are here to show the world just how far they have come since their first back in 2017. Already having strong foundations of solid Heavy Metal songwriting, Primitive bring you 5 killer tracks that will slam a sledgehammer to your chest with chugging riffs and then slice you up with some sharpened and refined melodic leadwork that is strewn throughout all songs which you will be needing to be put back together at the end of the ordeal.

Summoning their own version of Melodic Thrash, there is always a head banging riff, melody in the background and then add in some wicked riff/drum syncopation for good measure and you have a well-balanced EP. Their sound is heavily influenced by the American Metal sounding bands, guys like Lamb of God, Chimaira or Sylosis come to mind chucking on either this or their self-titled EP.

These guys have knuckled down hard over the last couple of years and improved on everything they did in their first EP to produce a stronger sounding recording and overall band. I would be interested to see how they go with a live scene; they have always been a tight playing band, but I can imagine how they have hit that bar, if not raised it for themselves as well from this process.

The EP starts off with an acoustic intro that builds the anticipation to lead into the single off this EP, the title track, With the Rats and Snakes. Smart move by the guys to make this the single, it shows off all their skills they have in their arsenal and a nice taster for things to come as the EP progresses. Tim’s vocals have become a lot harsher and stronger this time around, there are times where the vocal tracks are doubled up and it creates more depth to his style as in The Last Nail. God is Beneath us throws in some great use of overlapping vocal lines and uses them as whispers or panning, it has a wicked effect on the delivery of the verse.

Primitive have really nailed their tone for this recording, everything is audible and crisp, but you don’t lose the harshness that they are portraying. Once again working with Chris Themelco and Monolith Studios to engineer and then sent off to Tom Cadden at Violent Sound for mastering, they have perfectly captured the little intricacies that are in the riffs, like the melody runs in Broken Hands.

Overall, I’m glad to see Primitive back and releasing new tunes, they are good at what they do, they are incredibly tight live and hopefully they get to show off these new songs and work the live scene hard again. Definitely get out to a show to check this out.

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Album ReviewReviews
August 15, 2022
Megan Milner

Arch Enemy – Deceivers

As female metalheads, we acknowledge that men dominate our scene and personally I’ve never had any issues with it. They have created works of art that will endure a lifetime, served as the soundtrack to some of our favourite moments, and influenced us greatly. However, when a woman is creating heavy metal that can compete with the best of the best, we are immediately proud. 

Angela Gossow, the original lead singer for the Swedish melodic death metal band Arch Enemy carved a path for many. As Gossow fronted the band from 2000-2014, this covered my seminal listening years and I loved the moment where many would say ‘wait, this is a female singing?!’. Canadian Alissa White-Glutz took over the vocal reigns in 2014 and she had big shoes to fill but has done so effortlessly. Gossow still remains a business manager for the band, and no doubt has watched on proudly as Alissa carries on the legacy.  

Releasing 6 singles before the full album could make many question if Arch Enemy has dropped their strongest songs leaving the fillers behind, but this album is all killer, no filler!

Opening Arch Enemy’s 11th studio album Deceivers, is Handshake with Hell, the intro builds and you’re instantly picturing lights illuminating a stage as they all enter. It is a blindingly heavy track, an opener to show the world they are not here to mess about! To the tail end of the track, the drums of Daniel Erlandsson are stripped back momentarily for Alissa to show off her clean vocals.  

Deceiver, Deceiver will make all those who partake in circle pits rejoice. It’s fast, it’s heavy, and only lets up to get heavier. Somehow Arch Enemy has perfected making the headbangers, the circle pit runners and the singers in heavy metal crowds happy within a single track. Alissa’s vocals keep blowing me away, from the low gutturals to a higher pitched scream they have only grown stronger over the years. Deceiver, Deceiver was released in October of 2021 and has a film clip to match. At the time, the album had not yet been announced and was released along with House of Mirrors and marketed as standalone singles. 

In The Eye of the Storm was the first track I heard from the new album and I could go to battle with this song. As Alissa bellows ‘The chase is on, the traps are set..’ even sitting at my desk, my fist is high. Released on July 14th, the track already amassing half a million streams. This one was written for a live setting, and personally, I cannot wait to experience it.

The combination of two of metal’s most loved axe men Jeff Loomis and Michael Amott creates an atmosphere only possible by a true musical connection.  

My stand-out track on the album will have to be The Watcher. It’s aggressive and fast, giving Erlandsson a chance to really show off. The verses are thrashy leading into melodic choruses, where the guitars harmonise with the vocals before a quick tempo change that would make power metal fans extremely happy. The outro flows beautifully into Poisoned Arrow a brief guitar lick offers the listener a momentarily dip in the assault from the first 4 tracks. The song is constructed as a story and flows and ebbs superbly. 

The doom that Spreading Black Wings provides is true Arch Enemy. Each member is a true professional playing their instrument to near perfection, and this creates a seamless track where they are as one. Too many times metal bands are pushing the lead guitar to the front, or the vocals over the drums yet the production on this album is fantastic. Producer Jacob Hansen has worked with artists such as Volbeat, Amaranthe, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Epica to name a few. He even lends his vocals to Sunset Over The Empire. 

The final two tracks are not here to carefully deliver you to a peaceful conclusion. Arch Enemy is not done with us yet! One Last Time nearly feels more cheerful. The chorus would be crisp, high notes if Arch Enemy were any other band, but Alissa is not any other vocalist. Her loud, heavy vocals remain consistent throughout, barely dipping to murmur ‘patience is running out, It’s wearing thin, seems like I’m slipping, losing ground’, the collaboration between Alissa’s vocals and the guitars continues to impress me. Sharlee D’Angelo, Arch Enemy’s bass player, is considerably more noticeable in this track and has always been a backbone of the band’s low end. 

Jeff Loomis’ superb leads on the final song, Exiled from Earth, add a lot of richness and vibrancy. I can see this being a terrific ending for the live performance because it simultaneously appears to wind things down and leave you wanting more at the same time. It is anthemic and approachable, like most of this record. 

I am so glad I gave Deceivers a listen because it is all I could have hoped for in an Arch Enemy record. Being a metal DJ for so long temporarily turned me away from them, but this is a perfect reunion. Deceiver is a terrific album that honours Arch Enemy‘s past and shows off its continuing strength. 

It is such a strong record that has greatly reignited my enthusiasm for the group and look forward to their return to Australian shores as they have not been here since 2018 appearing on Download Festival and accompanying headline club shows.  

May Arch Enemy’s new album Deceivers be the soundtrack to your weekend with your air guitar strapped on tight. 

Pick up Deceivers from your local JB HiFi or online here
Alternative versions are available here

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Album ReviewReviews
June 8, 2022
Jodi Maree

Thornhill – Heroine

Melbourne’s own Thornhill have just released their second studio album “Heroine”, and the first word that comes to mind in describing it is “evolution”.

Much like many metalcore bands before them, Thornhill have gone into their creative cocoon as a great emerging metalcore band, and they have come out the other end as a very different version of themselves, taking on the sound of this whole new metalcore movement. And let me say, it is not a bad thing at all.

Having started out in 2015 as a bunch of high school buddies, Jacob Charlton (vocals), Ethan McCann (guitar) Sam Anderson (guitar) and Ben Maida (drums), and Nick Sjogren (bass) came together as Thornhill. Having such influences as The Amity Affliction and Northlane, they hit the ground running with their debut single, “XY”, being released in June of 2016 featuring Void Of Vision’s Jack Bergin. This was closely backed up by the full debut EP “13” in August of that same year. From that point, it was a stream of positivity, both in reception and achievements. In May of 2017 the single “Temperer” was released and the band also won Triple J’s Unearthed competition, giving them the opportunity to support Architects on their Australian tour. As well as supporting multiple other well-known metal bands across Australia throughout 2017, and getting loads of airtime on Triple J, this only increased their fan base. Matt van Duppen stepped in on guitar in late 2017 when Sam Anderson parted ways with the band.

2018 started off with a bang, with Thornhill getting to support Parkway Drive, and also signed to a new label (UNFD). It was under this label they released their second EP “Butterfly”.

October 2019 saw the release of “The Dark Pool”, Thornhill’s first studio album, which debuted at #20 on the ARIA charts. Following on from this Thornhill got to briefly tour internationally, and also performed at Download in Melbourne and Sydney before the unfortunate timing of the Covid pandemic shut the world down.

Fast forward to October 2021, and the first single, “Casanova”, from the impending next album was released. This absolute groove train of a track was a perfect first release to showcase the diverse direction this next album would take.

“Arkangel” would then be released in January of this year, giving a taste of what was to come for the change in overall tone and style.

Then came June 3, and the opportunity for all to hear the entire album in its full glory, and let me say, it is a cracker of an album.

“The Hellfire Club” kicks the album off, as it starts with droning, very brooding chords, then kicking into a heavy low tuned riff over some ethereal guitars, followed by a vocal performance mirroring other great acts such as Loathe and Deftones.. A very chill vibe throughout. A stand out of the track for me is the lyric, “ People stay much longer in my head than in my life so please don’t go again”

“Leather wings” wastes no time, kicking right into the heart of the song with punchy guitars and soaring vocals.The ending of the song is sure to get you moving in a mosh pit,

Starting with a stripped-back clean guitar sound is “Blue Velvet”. Then it kicks into a really groovy and moody bassline accompanied by more buttery smooth vocals before Jacob amps it up in the chorus.

“Arkangel” was the second single, and one of my personal faves. With vocals very reminiscent of Kareem France, and this new class of metalcore.

“Valentine” starts with some very different guitar effects followed by some almost hip hop beat stylings. The first song to feel a bit different than everything else on the album.

“Casanova”  starts off with a riff coming into light with some compressed drums before kicking in full force. The vocals this time are not quite as spacey but a bit more in your face, but still retaining that distorted sound. This song has a very unique tremolo-like solo bit which was refreshing.

Instrumental tracks are fewer and further between these days, but “Something Terrible Came From the Rain” is a beautiful piece that really does take you to another place.

“Hollywood” is the third single, and kicks off with drums followed by some low bass and distorted vocals. This song is a return to the sound of other tracks like “The Hellfire Club”. Really great lyrics in this track. A great mix of straightforward vocal approach and spacey vibes. Very simple but bouncy riffs.

“Raw” has a very numetal-ish vibe most of the time then the bridge gets stripped back as if it gives the listener time to catch their breath before the pop/metal fusion like chorus,

With “Varsity Heights”  the vocal sound, in the beginning, is almost like a phone recording, and that makes it feel like it is very personal and straight to the listener. Definitely has a different vibe from everything else. Then in the pre-chorus, it slips into the familiar djent/metalcore vibe from earlier. It all feels very fusion as if they threw all their influences in a blender in this track.

“Heroine” is the final track on the album, and has a great little guitar melody with some awesome drum work. The spacey vocals approach again, not dissimilar to Chino from Deftones. It’s a very moody emotional track. The vocal inflections and cadence on this are absolutely brilliant.

Overall a really great album, that these guys should be super proud of. Definitely a little different from their previous offerings, but it feels like a very natural progression that comes with the growth of the band. I would rate it a strong  8/10 and that’s only after a couple of play-throughs. I am sure as I get it on rotation I will probably find more and more to like about it that I’ve missed the first few times.

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May 5, 2022
Cam Brown Visuals

Simple Plan – Harder than It Looks

Review by Cam Brown

Nearly 20 years after I first heard their debut album “No Pads, No Helmets….Just Balls”, and had it on high rotation in my multi-CD stacker, Simple Plan has returned with their 6th Studio album.

Their first independent release “Harder Than It Looks” produces that well-known Simple Plan sound, but like red wine, has matured in flavor over the years.

The album opens with a piano riff, which makes you wonder what’s in store, but it doesn’t take long before the signature driving guitars kick in, soon after Pierre Bouvier’s distinctive and instantly recognisable voice joins in, and you know you’re in the land of Simple Plan.

“Wake Me Up (When This Nightmare’s Over)” has some poignant lyrics about the world’s current situation and the band has used this to raise funds for the UNICEF Ukraine Emergency appeal and has also used a Ukrainian director and actors in the video clip to further push the emotion of this song.

“Ruin My Life” is a typical Simple Plan. Great dynamics with the song continuing to build throughout, guitar riffs, harmonized vocals, and of course in true Simple Plan, a collaboration. This time featuring Deryck Whibley from fellow Canadian Rockers Sum-41. However, to me, this feature was a little bit lacking only appearing for a verse and I felt they could have done a little more with it. He may have just been added as some additional promotion to the current blame Canada Tour across America with Sum-41. No detriment to the song as it would stand on its own with or without Deryck.

 “The Antidote” the story of young love as the music video entails, or just a song about someone people can rely on, starts some of the journeys of a modern Simple Plan. Combining their pop-punk with a little bit more of a modern rock spin. The band had this to say about this track.

 “The song is a throwback to our classic Simple Plan sound, but with a modern twist. It has all the elements our fans have come to love and expect from our band: a big, energetic chorus and honest and heartfelt lyrics that deal with life and the struggles we all face. It feels like the perfect starting point and a great preview of what’s to come on the album”

 “Million pictures of You” & “Congratulations”, the latest singles off the album continue in the sound direction of “Jetlag” with their upbeat and even happy pop-punk anthems. I would even throw “Slow-Motion” the second last track on the album into this category.

“Anxiety” is where the album changes and produces a track that could be by many other modern pop artists. The lyrics are true to form providing something, as Simple Plan lyrics often do, that many fans could relate to and the reason why many of us started and continued to listen to Simple Plan across the last two decades.

Providing riffs that could be used across many action/sports tv shows not forgetting to mention recaps of the season, “Iconic” provides another modern take on the Simple Plan sound. Brass grooves combined with the marching band feel provide an Anthem that drives you on just to prove people wrong and become an “Iconic” legend.

“Best Day Of My Life” is just a throwback to old-school Simple Plan. Energetic, fast, heavy showing they can still rock it as they used to.

The final track “Two” gives you all the feels of childhood if you grew up in a split family. If you were writing a musical just using Simple Plan songs this would pair perfectly with their Symbolic hit “Perfect”.

Overall Simple Plan continues to produce great music, keeping plenty of their original sound but further enhancing their sound and developing as an artist.

“Harder Than It Looks” doesn’t provide a single stand-out track to me that I would just continue to play on repeat, but on the other hand, it provides a fantastic album that I would be more than happy to listen to the whole thing on repeat. In fact, the more you listen to it the catchier it becomes, and you will be singing along by the second or third time.

If you have been a fan from the start, you won’t be let down.

My only disappointment in the album to me, in my opinion, is it is a couple of songs short, and I would love it to have one like the acoustic ballad “Perfectly Perfect” as they also do the acoustic style so well.

A score of 8/10 for me, but that good easily go up with a few more listens, or maybe some bonus points if they bring their tour Down Under. 









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April 15, 2022
Jodi Maree

Papa Roach – Ego Trip

Review by Jodi Maree

EGO TRIP, the 11th studio album for California’s PAPA ROACH, was released in April 2022 and has been met with mixed reviews across the board, but the majority appear to be positive. The album reached #115 on the U.S Billboard chart, whilst on the UK Rock and Metal chart it has tipped in at #3.

Since coming together in 1993, PAPA ROACH has been very consistently churning out albums approximately every 2-3 years, with some being very successful and others only moderately so.

This album, in my opinion, has the makings of being one of the former. It has quite the mix of tracks on it, and at times can seem a touch disjointed, but it somehow comes together. If you go into it wanting everything to sound like “Last Resort”, you may be a little disappointed, but if you go into it open-minded and ready for a little diversity, mixed with some old-school sounds, then you are really going to like it.

Straight out of the gate the album opens with “Kill The Noise”, which is a punchy angsty track, with a heavy riff. The track was the second single released from the album back in September 2021, and if Spotify plays are anything to go by, seems to be the most popular. Lyrically it runs with the very prevalent theme of PAPA ROACH’s music, which talks about inner demons, and in particular in this track about the internal rage and voices of said demons, which are just becoming too loud, hence the title “Kill The Noise”. I was drawn to the song immediately and found it very catchy and relatable.

The second track “Stand Up” was the fourth single released from the album, and was released in January this year. It has very much the Nu-Metal sound that has appeared so often in the back catalogue. I get a very RATM meets Sevendust meets BMTH vibe. Weird mix, I know but that’s what comes to mind when listening to this track. Touching on the subject matter of oppression, and the need to encourage us all to “Stand Up”. Definitely a great track though and a stand-out for me.

The first single from this album, and the third track, is “Swerve” which features Jason Aalon Butler from Fever333 and rapper Sueco. While this totally contradicts Jacoby Shaddix’s statement in 2004 that the “rap was gone”, this track is well-produced and catchy, it has a funky little sax bridge, and is likely to appeal to those who prefer the rap-rock stylings. One thing this track does do highlights the diversity of PAPA ROACH, and how they are always looking to move with the times and not be stuck in the early 2000s. And while I am a rock/metal/punk-oriented person myself, I certainly do not discredit musicians whose diversity steps outside of the genres I prefer.

“Bloodline”, the fourth song from EGO TRIP, feels a little darker, and a little more aggressive. A heavy beat, with a catchy pre-chorus leading into a loud and boisterous chorus. As with many of the tracks, this song is short and punchy. None of the tracks exceed 4 minutes, with more than half being less than 3 minutes long. It certainly leaves the listener wanting more, but means you can bounce through the whole album from song to song without feeling like you need to skip a track at all. And while there are certainly some songs that grab me more than others, I really do not think there are any really bad tracks.

The fifth track is “Liar” and this is one that I really like. It has such a bouncy, catchy tune, and the lyrics, while fast and at times a mouthful, flow well. The layered, gang-style vocals of the chorus work really well on this track.

“Ego Trip” is the sixth song on the album of the same name, and if I’m honest is one of my lesser faves. Musically it is great, with the drums absolutely standing out, and also has some real funky bass riffs too. I do find though, that lyrically this one is a little cheesy.

Another one of my faves from the album is track seven, “Unglued”. It has an old-school “rock style PAPA ROACH” sound that I have an affinity with. Lyrically it is cohesive and appears to be about the breakdown of a relationship. Although not one of the higher ranking songs when you look at the album as a whole, I like the sound of it, and have often played it over again for multiple listens in a row.

“Dying To Believe” was released in October 2021, and looks to be right up there in popularity. Jacoby Shaddix was reported as having described this song as having been written to help unify the division that is prevalent in today’s society. Anyone who loves music, knows that, in itself, music is a great way to unite people from all over. It brings us together, it makes us feel whole, and is an outlet for so many to express themselves and their feelings, so I applaud Jacoby on trying to lessen the divide. Lyrically it is deep, and musically it has elements of the new styles we see being produced by some of the world’s biggest artists. More synth, couipled with a very harmonic chorus makes this track super listenable and appealing.

Track nine, “Killing Time”, to me has what I deem as the typical PAPA ROACH sound. Highly identifiable, and one to get you moving. A tad repetitive but nothing so bad as to taint the song.

Anyone who knows me knows that vocals are my thing. I love a great vocal track. On this album, this is that track. I cannot tell you how many times I have played this song over and over again. Jacoby Shaddix has done such a stellar job on “Leave A Light On”.  It is nothing like any of the other tracks on this whole album. It is poignant, deep, and just an absolutely beautiful, beautiful song. I hold nothing back in saying it is my favourite. It’s no heavy rock song or riffing Nu Metal song, but it is the one I just cannot stop singing and playing over again. I would love to see this acoustic song done live!!

100% my highlight of the whole album, even if I am the only one who thinks so!

Track eleven brings in yet another element in what I can only describe as more of a pop-punk/rock type of vibe. “Always Wandering” is definitely catchy, I actually really like this one too. I feel it is referring to recurring issues, whether it be drugs, bad relationships, or mental health.

Saying that somehow it always comes back around. Life is a constant battle for some, and I think, in that respect, PAPA ROACH nails this sentiment in many of their songs., including the next track “No Apologies” Learning to let go of the things we hold deep inside is hard, but listening to songs like this, for some, might just make it a touch easier.

The penultimate track is “Cut The Line”, which is another one of those songs that has a vaguely pop-punk rock sound to it, that is becoming popular right now. The drums on this track are brilliant and Tony Palermo has to be congratulated on his overall performance across the whole album. So too do Tobin Esperance and Jerry Horton, and of course, the one and only Jacoby Shaddix, whom I believe is the driving force behind the success of PAPA ROACH.

And lastly, but certainly, not least is the final track “I Surrender” which starts out heavy, and has a very melodic chorus. Backing vocals are notable and the tale of not running from your past, and accepting who you are seems to be where this song leads you. A great track to close out what I think is an excellent album. I certainly like it far more than the last two albums and have an appreciation for the diversity the album brings. Bands that have been around as long as these guys do well to constantly evolve, try new sounds, and develop further the sounds they have created for themselves. Nearly 30 years in this business is a huge milestone, and I look forward to hearing more from PAPA ROACH in the future.









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