Album Review: Walls Within – After the Dawn

Marking a new chapter in the band’s journey, Albuquerque, NM’s Walls Within is set to release their latest offering, “After the Dawn,” early in 2016.

“After the Dawn” marks a change not only in the band’s line up, but also their sound, and it’s evident that the two are linked. Their previous release, “WWII,” (read my review here) had a pretty solid industrial influence to it, and while “After the Dawn” carries over the tempo and weight of that album, it definitely takes the band in a new sonic direction.

A lot of that comes directly from the change in vocalists–the new vocalist for Walls Within, Jesska, has a very controlled, almost restrained style that is reminiscent of Lacuna Coil’s Cristina Scabbia, and the new tunes follow right along with that vibe. There’s some emotive aggression on this album that wasn’t on the last release, even while carrying the last album’s overall tone.

If I had to point out anything ‘wrong’ with “After the Dawn,” I’d have to say that it feels too ‘safe’. It’s a solid set of rock tunes that stays true to what the band has previously released in terms of general feel, but I get the sense that there’s some real potential not being realized in what the band can do, in particular with Jeska’s vocals–I’d love to hear what she’d do with a producer who pushed her out of her comfort zone.

Overall, Walls Within isn’t pushing any boundaries with this album, staying within what could be considered the wall of their own comfort zones. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though–these guys know what they’re good at and are doing it. And they’re doing it well, and the criticisms I’ve offered are as much influenced by my own preferences (I like things a little more uptempo) as they are by my personal enjoyment of this band.

This is definitely an album for fans of bands like Lacuna Coil, offering that almost-atmospheric gothic rock element that make it a good soundtrack for a dimly-lit, wine and smoke-filled Saturday night, and worth checking out when it drops next year.

Wall Within is: Anthony Romero- Drums/Percussion; Chris Mattson- Bass/Vocals; Nathan Joseph- Guitar , Vocals; Jeska- Vocals

wallswithin.com

facebook.com/wallswithinband

@wallswithin

 

Review: Walls Within – WWII

Rising up out of the New Mexico desert comes Albuquerque’s Walls Withina four-piece metal outfit, offering up a meaty, heavy set with their album, ‘WWII.’

Album Review: Shudder – Inside My Head

Shudder

Inside My Head

http://www.facebook.com/shudderdetroit

Review by Rob Salem

 

Track Listing:

Shudder – Inside My Head

1. Intro

2. Black and White

3. Change?

4. Inside My Head

5. Come to Light

6. Here and Now

7. Clarity

8. Outro

 

 

 

Detroit, MI has a reputation for being a veritable wasteland, and there are plenty of reasons for the rest of the country to think this. But recent years have seen the city take steps towards encouraging artist growth as part of the plan to revitalizing the crumbling metropolis—these range from offering writers free homes to spending money on artistic works to improve the look of the city. Music is certainly playing its part, and bands like Shudder are absolutely doing their part to put Detroit back on the map as a place where cultural elements can grow and thrive, in spite of urban decay.

The quintet’s latest offering, Inside My Head, is, in some ways a reflection of their hometown; while they may not have meant it to come out that way, it’s only natural that environment will shape art, and that only makes it that much more honest and accessible to the average person. Musically, every track on this EP is well-written. The band provides a rock-solid foundation for every song to explore a range of emotions, from the retrospective angst of ‘Change?’ to the anger of ‘Clarity,’ both of which are solid radio-ready singles (and are staples in rotation on The Forge). Josh Day’s vocals work well with the music, and he displays versatility, power, and a respectable range, especially on the previously mentioned tracks, but also on ‘Black and White.’ There are a couple spots on the EP where the vocal lines aren’t as strong as they could be and sound little uncomfortable over the music, but in general, there’s no reason to really give this guy any grief. He does what he does well, and he’s got the right band giving him the right kind of tunes to work with.

All in all, Inside My Head is a rock-solid hard-rock album that pushes without shame into the realm of melodic metal and metalcore. Its tracks offer a diversity that keeps the ear engaged without wearing it out, and there’s a little something for everyone, from arena-rock ballads to hard-edged moments of unadulterated fury. One of the more impressive aspects of this EP is that while it is self-released, it sounds just as good as any big-label release, which inspires confidence in me that these guys are only going to just keep getting better and better. Shudder is definitely a band that is managing to make the most of its situation, and I look for them to become a staple of not only their hometown scene, but also the regional scene that we call Midwesthell.

Album Review: Signal the Revolution – Nova

Signal the Revolution

Nova

https://www.facebook.com/signaltherevolution

Review by Rob Salem

Signal the Revolution

Louisville, KY’s Signal the Revolution has delivered an impressive, hard-driving set of tunes on its latest EP, Nova. The first single off the record, ‘Daystar,’ opens with a crunchy blues-inspired riff that sets the mood for what STR is bringing to this offering: catchy, riff-driven tunes that will hook you right away and get your head nodding in time. Vocalist Josh Carter hits us with a clean melodic vocals that teases us with his potential power, and his melodies complement the musicianship of the rest of the band—guitarist Zach Bandy, bassist Jake Carter, drummer Robert Lewellen, and guitarist Chris Marple.

Signal the Revolution is definitely much more on the hard rock/melodic metal edge of the metal spectrum, but there’s nothing wrong with that at all, and I’ll be honest and say that it’s part of why I like them so much. These guys are pushing the boundary of radio-friendly tunes while dropping leads, riffs, and rhythms that echo some of the classic metal sounds of the 80’s, and makes an argument for the band being able to bring the heavy while not following recent trends in metal. I have no doubt that STR has zero problems hanging with the heavyweights they make regional touring runs with, which recently has included bands such as FLAW.

I first discovered Signal the Revolution on Reverbnation, where they had a couple of tracks available, and think that those are worth noting here—‘Dichotomy’ and ‘The I In Hate’ definitely set the stage for what was to come from STR, and ‘Dichotomy’ in particular found itself in regular rotation on my radio show, largely in part due to fan response. Nova, while only a 5-song EP, continues where those earlier couple of tracks left of and represents the development of a repertoire of original music that showcases competent musicianship and songwriting ability. And, it rocks.

There was one critical flaw with this album though:

It was ONLY 5 songs.

😉

Album Review: Catalytic – The Voice Of Reason

The Voice Of Reason

Catalytic

Release Date: 14 June 2014

https://www.facebook.com/CatalyticMusic

Review by Rob Salem

 

Catalytic – The Voice Of Reason

One of the perks of working in radio is getting advance copies of upcoming releases. I was recently privileged to get a copy of Catalytic’s soon-to-be-released debut album, The Voice Of Reason, and I’ll be honest—I’m glad I did. I’ve not made any secret out of the fact that despite having not seen Catalytic live (yet—I intend to remedy this ASAP) I’m a fan. This comes in part from the fact that I’ve been playing a couple of their demo tracks on The Forge for a while now, but also from the fact that these guys are active in the Indianapolis metal scene, and big advocates of not only themselves, but of other great bands in the scene. With that said, I took the time to listen to The Voice Of Reason a few times through, and to make sure that I was listening not as a fan, but as a critic. Here are my thoughts:

 

The Voice Of Reason is a solid album from start to finish. The production quality is great, making it easy to listen to, but also to hear everything that’s going on. These guys aren’t super-technical, and they’re not necessarily doing anything innovative with their sound, but that’s okay; they know their music, they know their sound, and they know what they’re good at. One of the things that they demonstrate is diversity in their sound while maintaining consistency. The songs range from thrashing shredders to down-tempo ballad-feeling tunes that succeed at evoking the introspective ear (‘Believe’). Dustin Strole gives his vocals a workout as he moves back and forth from melodic cleans to gut-wrenching roars, but he does it well; he obviously knows his range and sensibly works within it, while never sacrificing any of his power. The guitar work of James Donner and Dustin Chavez is tight, but I think only hints at what these guys are really capable of. Tracks like ‘Red Stained Plains’ evoke the riffing of Amon Amarth at times, while other tracks definitely pull from the New England metalcore sound; these guys obviously have talent, and I’d like to see them stretch their wings a little more by writing some riffs that push the boundaries of their comfort zones and really challenge themselves and each other. Jesse Curtis on bass and Jason Dinwiddie on drums lay down thunder as a tight-as-hell rhythm section that drives the rest of the band while maintaining an unshakeable foundation that gives the guitars and vocals the elevation they need to soar.

 

All in all, The Voice Of Reason is an impressive first offering. The original demos that Catalytic released in 2013 were good in and of themselves, but hearing those tracks get that studio polish and go through some of the evolution that is expected of produced studio work demonstrates that these guys take their craft seriously and are always looking to improve upon and perfect things that are already considered good. The Voice Of Reason is going to stay in my personal rotation for a while to come, and I can guarantee you’ll be hearing it regularly on The Forge; I only hope that there’s a label somewhere smart enough to pick it up for distribution. Catalytic is poised to help put the Indianapolis metal scene back on the map, and I’m proud to say that you heard it heard it first on The Forge.

Review: Fivefold – Hold On

Hold On

Fivefold – Hold On

Fivefold

http://www.fivefoldband.com

 

Review by Rob Salem

 

Veterans of the St. Louis underground, rock band Fivefold delivers a quality set on their 6-song EP, Hold On. The album reflects the maturity that you’d expect from band that’s been together for 7 years, slowly working its way into being one of the biggest local draws in its hometown. The songs are well written, and while the track ‘Step Back’ offers itself up as the most-likely radio single, every track on this EP is an attention getter. From the introspective ballads ‘Til Death’ and ‘Hold On’ to the energy-driven ‘Falling Into Circles’ and ‘Liars’ to the blunt and angry ‘Worst Mistake,’ Fivefold’s sound is consistent with much of what’s going on in modern rock, yet there is a gritty edge to it that suggests that if these guys wanted to get really heavy they could, and would be perfectly comfortable doing so. I wouldn’t be surprised if Fivefold ends up in the mainstream in the near future,and I’m already looking forward to hearing what they come up with next. If you’re into edgy rock that very carefully walks the line between the mainstream and underground sounds with intelligent, well-crafted lyrics and music, then Hold On by Fivefold is definitely an album you’ll want to check out.