EDIT THE TIDE – Reflections in Sound

RELEASE YEAR: 2024BAND URL: https://linktr.ee/editthetide The upcoming EP titled Reflections in Sound by the British alt. rockers Edit the Tide is a real treat to the ears and a stately piece of work with its five tracks sounding absolutely immense and as pristine and powerful as possible. I recall listening to their first couple of…

EDGE OF PARADISE – Halo

RELEASE YEAR: 2023 BAND URL: http://www.edgeofparadiseband.co/ Also American and not that far removed in vein from A Dark Halo (whose 2nd full length I’ve just reviewed giving it a 5/6) the Californian alternative rock and metal quintet Edge Of Paradise released their 5th album Halo²⁰²³ on Frontiers Records on July 14th to follow Immortal Waltz²⁰¹⁵,…

THE GROUND SHAKER – Rogue Asylum

RELEASE YEAR: 2023  BAND URL: https://thegroundshaker.com/ Swiss rockers The Ground Shaker are about to unleash this explosive and energetic offering of theirs in May via Fastball Music, and if alternative rock with punchy choruses and crunchy riffs is your cup of tea then you need to check this uplifting opus out. I have yet to listen…

APRIL ART – POKERFACE

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/aprilartband/ The German outfit named April Art recently released this independent offering titled POKERFACE, and the quartet essentially dabbles in something akin to a mixture of alternative rock/metal and nu metal, which means that what we have here sounds rather modern and contemporary in many ways. There is a good flow…

ARDOURS – Anatomy of a Moment

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/ardoursband/ Anatomy of a Moment by the Italian outfit Ardours, which includes Mariangela Demurtas (Tristania) on vocals, is a weirdly anticlimactic experience. With its gothic rock overtones and prominent nods to alternative rock and experimental metal, there is a modern flair to this pristine-sounding output, and a number of good ideas…

JORDAN RED – Hands That Built the World

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.jordan-red.com/ Thanks to the good people over at Stampede Press, I got my hands on a copy of the upcoming debut offering by British hard rock/alternative metal outfit Jordan Red, and this is one album that packs a lot of punch. Loud and crunchy guitars, interesting layers and textures, superb lyrics…

KANDIA – Quaternary

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.facebook.com/KandiaOfficial The Portuguese act named Kandia dabbles in something akin to alternative metal with subtle goth rock undertones to it and even a few metalcore elements. The emphasis is clearly on atmosphere, and they do manage to infuse their compositions with both a somber hue and a good amount of aggression,…

BLACK LAKES – For All We’ve Left Behind

RELEASE YEAR: 2022  BAND URL: https://www.blacklakes.com/ Thanks to the good people over at Stampede Press, I got my filthy paws on a promo version of the upcoming debut offering by the alternative metal/hard rock outfit known as Black Lakes. With such an evocative title as “For All We’ve Left Behind” as well as some interesting song…