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

 

Your Scene Sucks And It’s YOUR Fault – Part VII: “Fests”

Your Scene Sucks & It’s Your Fault

I was gonna do a longer write up on why so-called “fests” are bad for the scene, outlining what’s wrong with them in all the gory details, but I think I’m gonna keep this short and sweet, and let the following graphic do most of the talking for me. I’m not going to insult your intelligence. You know what’s wrong with local “fests” and how they hurt the bands in the local scene. We all know about these monstrosities and the assholes that put them on. Fests are the “thing to do” these days, but they’re nothing more than aborted efforts to make a scene seem bigger and better than it really is, all too often while taking advantage of the local bands and offering nothing new to the local fans. We’ve all seen it: they don’t draw, they’re poorly organized, promoted, and run. Anyway…. here ya go:

MegaUltraAwesomeFest

Rob’s Rants – Your Scene Sucks & It’s YOUR Fault – Part VI: The Scene (Elitism)

Your Scene Sucks & It’s Your Fault

The Scene, the Scene.

Ah yes, “The Scene.”

Everyone talks about “the scene.” For some, it seems, “the scene” has become a sort of dirty phrase, being frowned upon with some sort of bullshit hipster elitism, as if suddenly it’s uncool to be part of a scene anymore. It’s almost like people need to be so “different” and “individual” that they need to stigmatize words and core concepts in order to do so. Vain attempts at trying to stand out, if you ask me. But since you did ask me (no, I know you didn’t, but here you are reading this, so I consider that your invitation of my opinion), elitist hipster attitudes have no place in metal, and are in fact counter to the very core of what metal is. But whatever. To each their own.

Rob’s Rants – Your Scene Sucks And It’s Your Fault – Episode IV: Pay-To-Play

Your Scene Sucks & It’s Your Fault

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these (because I’m a slacker, which means that my scene sucks and it’s my fault), and if you go back to September, you’ll recall that the last one was about “promoters.” Truth be told, that one caused a bit of a stir, and I had some people pretty pissed at me over some of the things I said, which I took as a sign of success. The reality is that if I’m pissing you off with the things I say in these little write ups, then there’s a good chance you’re probably part of the problem, which is only reinforcing the notion that “your scene sucks and it’s your fault.”

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.’

Rob’s Rants: Episode II – No One Cares About Your Band, And It’s Your Fault

Your Scene Sucks & It’s Your Fault

No one gives a shit about your band.

No, really.

NO ONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT YOUR BAND.

AND IT’S YOUR FAULT.

Devastation In Midwesthell

I’m a day late in posting this one, for which I’d apologize, but hey, better late than never, right?

Last weekend I attended the Circle Pit Conservative’s Devastation Fest 2 in Anderson, IN, a day-long offering of some of Indiana’s best and most brutal metal bands. This show could pretty much be considered a who’s-who of the Indiana metal scene, with long roots in the local scene, going all they back to the 80’s, as well as representing the uniting forces of Midwesthell, with people in attendance and otherwise supporting from The Forge, The Doom Room, Midwesthell Melodies, Hert Promotions, and of course, the CPC guys. It was much more than just a bunch of bands coming together to honor and memorialize two of our scene’s recently departed (Jason McCash of The Gates of Slumber, and Tom Ball of Radiation Sickness), it was also a message to the scene at large that Midwesthell is here, we are a force, and things are changing.

Lawbringer @ Devastation Fest 2 6/21/1

[Photo Credit: SickenDesigns]

The show was great. Solid line up of bands that included AnarchAtecture, Lawbringer, Legion, Born Under Burden, Armored Assault, Necrophagus, We’d Be, and the aforementioned Radiation Sickness. Every single band threw down, and they threw down hard. It was unadulterated brutality, and I can’t help but wonder if seismographs weren’t registering the moment, that’s how heavy it was. The sound, despite being an absolutely -minimal- set up (only the vocals and the kick drums were mic’d–everything else was raw straight from the stage), was perfect; it was loud, in your face, and captured every band’s sound the way they deserved to be. The venue was an AmVets Post, with a stage that was accessible, and made it partly a floor show, which Lawbringer did 100% of the way. Nick Maxon of We’d Be was busy in the pit with the fans when he wasn’t handling his vocal lines during their set, and the fans were able to get right up and interact with every band.

That said, I have some thoughts, and some of them relate to my post from Sunday about the Outhouse United show last Friday at Centerstage.

I’m personally not a fan of all day fests–there’s nothing wrong with them necessarily, it’s just my thing. Maybe I’m old, maybe I’m just not ‘trve cvlt’ enough, maybe… I just suck. For me, there’s a simple fact: while I loved every band and am a fan of all of them, as a radio guy, I spend HOURS a day listening to music. Not just passively, like the average listener, but actively, both as a musician and as part of my job in screening music for airplay as well as from a critical standpoint as a reviewer. This means that my ears get tired, and sometimes I just need a break. ‘Fest’ shows are even more taxing for me when every band on them sounds similar enough that at a certain point it’s difficult to distinguish them from each other–I’m one of those guys that needs variety to stay engaged, and I dare say that with the exception of those fans that are super hardcore about their favorite genres, this applies to most fans. I don’t have hard numbers to back this opinion up, only observation: it’s been my experience that the shows that do best are the ones that feature bands with enough difference between each other that the listener can stay engaged because they don’t feel like they’re hearing the same thing over and over for hours on end.

Another issue I have is set lengths–very few ‘local’ (or even ‘regional’) bands have the kind of draw and holding power to need to play hour-long sets, and at an all-day show, by the third or fourth band, those hour sets start to feel a lot longer, especially if there’s little differentiation from one band to the next. Again, some of this is personal preference, but some of it comes from my time in the scene, both on stage and from simple observation: all but the most dedicated and committed (committable?) fans tend to get bored pretty quick. At shows with large audiences, this is less the case, because a mob mentality takes over, and let’s face it: we ALL thrive on the energy of being there, being part of the masses, being part of the bigger picture. But at smaller shows, the energy is different, because there are fewer people to sustain it, and if just a few people need to take a break, it’s much more noticeable and there are fewer people to make up for it.

Interestingly enough, this creates a vicious cycle: Promoters are, rightly so, of the mindset that they should be billing every show like it’s going to be the biggest, baddest show around (if they’re not, they’re not doing their job). But when the attendance isn’t what they planned for, they tend to feel let down, by the scene that they feel didn’t support them, but also because they feel that they let down the bands they promised a great show to. Promoters get that difficult job of trying to sell something not knowing how it’s really going to turn out, especially if they’re working at the local level, and I don’t envy them that. However, there has to be some kind of balance struck between planning for what’s most likely to happen (smaller shows with lower attendance) and what we all hope to achieve (bigger shows with packed houses). It’s a tough job to be sure, and I don’t envy the guys that are trying to make it happen; in fact, I applaud them, and I fully support them, and will do so however I can–such as I did at this show when I was asked to MC it.

I think that part of the problem some promoters have is that they get an early taste of success and start reaching too far too fast, expecting more than they really know is realistic. They put the work in, but they lose sight of the market they’re working in, and instead of building shows around that market, they reach for the stars, hoping for that magic moment, and when it doesn’t happen the way they had hoped it would, they’re naturally disappointed.

Devastation Fest had an audience turn out that was disappointing to the promoters, and I say that only because they have been pretty vocal about it themselves on social media. Dan and Nate are guys I know, and they’re good guys trying to do a good thing for a scene that they love and want to see life return to, and I completely empathize with their feelings about the turn out. We ALL want big shows with packed houses for local shows… but the scene isn’t ready for that yet. Not because people don’t want it, but because people are afraid to be the ones taking chances. Dan and Nate took a chance on creating one of these shows, and while it didn’t turn out the way they might have hoped, the show itself was a resounding success, because the people that were there and the bands that played bought into it. They took what was given to them and made it theirs. They owned it. As they should have. The people that weren’t there only know about what they missed because those who were there have made it a point to say publicly how awesome it was.

Because it was awesome.

Every show has something about it that could be done better. Every show has something that goes wrong. Me? I’ll take a low-attendance show as the ‘problem’ with a concert any day over technical difficulties, a band bailing, or anything else like that. They key is taking the sum total of all the things that happened, and weighing them against each other. And no matter what could have been better, Devastation Fest 2 -was- a success, and I expect that next year it will only be that much better.

Outhouse United @ Centerstage

I got out to a couple local shows this weekend. Both shows were great, but they also had their issues, as every show does. I was originally going to do one post for both shows this weekend, but as my word count grew, I decided instead to address each show individually, which in retrospect is probably for the best. That said, here are my thoughts on Friday’s show; Devastation Fest’s write up will come on Monday:

(Note… this one’s long…)

Friday I went to the Outhouse United locals showcase at Centerstage Bar & Grill in Kokomo, IN. OU has recently landed a deal with Centerstage to put on monthly concerts that feature bands local to the Indiana scene. To some, this might not seem like a big deal, because there are lots of places for locals to play on not just a monthly, but even a weekly basis. However, folks in north central Indiana are quickly becoming aware of the fact that Centerstage is primed to become THE place to play in our area, both for locals and nationals, and there are several reasons why a local promoter scoring a deal that will FEATURE local bands is a big deal.

Centerstage is an all-ages venue that has a capacity of just under 700, has a great stage, great sound system, great lighting, and the owners have been busy doing what they can to turn it into a stopping point for national bands out on tour. Local bands are regularly added to those national shows (this is part, where, in the middle of singing Centerstage’s praises, I point out that I disagree with the way local bands get on those shows–they essentially buy on to them, but that’s another rant for another day, and it’s not entirely the venue’s issue… not entirely…) giving them a chance at exposure to audiences that might not ever see or hear them otherwise. Centerstage gives local bands a shot at playing on the ‘big’ stage, under pro-level lights and through a pro-level sound system. For some (okay… a LOT) of those bands, it’s the closest to the ‘big time’ that they’ll ever get. So yeah, it IS a big deal that a local promoter landed a regular gig FEATURING local bands at a venue like this.

A big deal.

Still I Rise @ Centerstage, Kokomo, IN 6/20/14 – Photo: Still I Rise (from Facebook)

Friday night was the first of these shows, and it went off as well as could have been expected. There were four bands on the bill: Voices Of Our Past, Still I Rise, Let The Trees Burn, and Seconds From Yesterday. There were roughly 50 fans through the door, which sounds like nothing considering the capacity of the venue, but for a first showcase that came together on fairly short notice, that’s not too shabby. Especially since all of those people paid. Sure, the venue looked a little empty, but the fans that showed up showed early and stayed until the end. Even better though? So did the bands.

That’s a big deal to me. I see so many bands show up a little before their set time and then bail not long after their set, which is crap. Especially when those are the same bands complaining about no scene unity, no one supporting them, blah-blah-blah-blah-fucking-blah. But Friday night I saw four bands show up and support each other for the full gig. And not only were they there, they were engaged. They were up front, at the rails, -participating- in the concert when they weren’t playing, setting up their gear for their set, or tearing down.

Outhouse United did more than a couple things right with this first show: they offered variety, they paid the bands, they treated it like any ‘big’ concert, and they got the venue itself to offer something to the people coming in the doors.

Variety – an important aspect of any show is to not bore the people in attendance, and OU got this right in a big way. They had four bands that were very different from each other. Voices Of Our Past offered a hardcore edge, Still I Rise was solid death metal, Let The Trees Burn brought a post hardcore/prog sound, and Seconds From Yesterday hit us with a straight up hard rock set. The fans were able to stay engaged and attentive, both because of the variety in sound, but also because the bands played short sets: roughly 30 minutes each. Each band walked away with a little something for their time (they were paid out of a door split… which, while I’m not a big fan of this model, it’s the current deal that OU has with Centerstage; it’s not as bad as some deals though, because with this one, the bands aren’t buying into the show other than with their own effort to self-promote, which they should be doing anyway). The show started and ended at a reasonable time, with the first band hitting the stage right around 8, and the show wrapping up around 11. And fans got to benefit, not just from a decent time slot for the gig, but also because OU has worked a deal with Centerstage to offer drink specials during these shows. Win for everyone.

So, a few comments about why these things were right:

Variety… we all love our metal. Some of us can listen to one type of metal for hours on end and never get bored with it. But the average listener, or the person new to the scene, needs something to differentiate one band/sound from the next. By mixing genres/sub-genres, an environment is created that actually -encourages- people to pay attention and stay engaged with the bands. Sure, shows should be fairly homogenous in their presentation–it would be odd to have a country band play in the middle of a show that is billed as a rock and metal show–but there needs to be enough diversity between bands that one doesn’t sound like the next.

Set lengths… Let’s face it: most local bands don’t -need- to play a set any longer than 30 minutes. Why? Fundamentally, hardly anyone knows their music. I’ve watched it time and again: Band starts their set, everyone goes up to the stage to check them out, then song after song people trickle away. Part of this is because the band might be boring to watch, the music might not be very good, but also because they simply don’t know it yet. There’s nothing holding them there. And the longer the set goes, the fewer people are left standing there at the end of it. Local bands, unless very well established and can get fans to sing along, need to keep it short and sweet–leave people wanting more, not waiting for the next band. 30 minutes is just about right for this: 5 or 6 songs (on average) they can kick people in the face with, make an impression (which needs more than the music to do… you’d better be putting on a damn show, not just regurgitating your demo/EP/album), and get off stage (then go interact with the people who were paying attention to you). There are -very few- locals that need to be playing hour-long sets, even if they’re the ‘headliner’ for the night (in which case, 45 minutes is appropriate… and while your original music is far more important to me, a crowd-engaging cover isn’t a bad idea–hell, even in a 30 minute set, it’s not a bad idea; even the nationals do it…).

Show time: National tourers don’t start a gig at 10 and play until last call. Why? They aren’t there to help the venue make money at the bar, they’re there to play to people wanting a concert. Venues have this notion that local bands are going to put bodies in seats and keep them there all night, and this isn’t true. People going to shows aren’t going to the venue to turn it into their local watering hole, they’re going to see the show. It’s a simple fact that the people who will be sitting at the bar at 2 am would be there whether or not there was live music that night. There’s also the issue of playing to the younger (under 18) crowd. Most of those kids can’t get away with being out until 2 am, because their parents won’t let them (and probably don’t want to be, if they stuck around too). By 11 or so, those kids are having to start thinking about getting home by curfew, so that they can go out again the next weekend. And for the older crowd, well, let’s face it… a lot of us have shit to do in the morning, like go to work, get up with kids or any of that other ‘be responsible’ bullshit we deal with. The nationals play early starting and early ending shows… and there’s a reason for that, (besides just moving on to the next tour stop). IT WORKS. If you want live music in your venue until 2am, hire a cover band, don’t book a local show. But don’t expect the cover band to do any better at getting/retaining bodies through your doors–the reality is that the early local shows will do better at that… especially if you’re paying the bands (bands get paid? Holy crap, we’re EXCITED to play there! Let’s make sure everyone knows!).

That said… things that could have been done better:

Promotion. Now, this is a tricky one, because beyond social media, -good- promotion is expensive. Outhouse United, as a new promotions group, is working on a limited budget to start with, and is relying pretty heavily on social media and word of mouth to get some draw to their shows (this isn’t a knock against them, just an observation). But they’re not putting up a single post on Facebook or whatever and expecting that to bring people in by the dozens. They’re regularly and constantly hitting people how they can, and through The Forge, they’re doing what they can (because I’m a nice guy and want to see these shows succeed, I make it a point to bring in promoters to talk about their shows… 😉 ). However… this IS where Centerstage falls short.

I wish I could say it was just the locals shows that they miss the mark on, but they miss with the nationals as well. I make it a point to stay up to date with who they’re bringing in (it’s part of my job as a radio guy), but there is typically little active promotion for their shows beyond flyers at the venue and posts on Facebook, and I hear all the time about people who live in Kokomo who never knew so-and-so national band was playing at Centerstage. I’ve heard the occasional spot on the local rock radio station (the one I’m not on… I’m on Radio Free Kokomo at Indiana University Kokomo), but that’s about it. Yeah, advertising and promoting is expensive, but if done right, that money will be made back and then some by the people showing up at the shows… which is kinda the point. You have to invest in the people you want in your venue if you want them to invest in you.

I’m looking for the Outhouse United shows at Centerstage to really take off over the next few months. Outhouse has an opportunity build itself up as a promoter that is giving local bands a shot at big shows, without the stress of national tourers (and the money problems that come with that), and Centerstage has the opportunity to make itself THE place to check out the local scene in a good venue–it could very well become the home of the next big underground scene. Everyone in the local scene, from Indy to Fort Wayne, is looking at Centerstage with hope–a lot of hope–that it will be that home we’ve all needed for so long. We don’t want it to cater just to us; we love the national acts that they’ve brought in and have lined up in the coming month, because they’re good bands, but also because this venue has the power to put our scene on the map–and the owner of the venue is one of US, so I know he gets it.  Let’s hope that they continue to support these shows and continue working towards laying a foundation there that is good for everyone involved in the OU (and other) shows. It’s going to take a few months for these shows to really become a big deal to anyone but the bands playing, but with persistence and A LOT of promotion, it will happen. And when it does…

…well…

…it’s going to be the greatest thing Midwesthell has ever seen.

 

Rob’s Rants: Episode I – Your Scene Sucks, And It’s Your Fault

  

I don’t get out to as many shows as I would like to, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it’s money, sometimes it’s scheduling (I travel a lot), sometimes it’s family and other obligations. But when I do get out to a local gig, I show up as early as I can (I’m often there when the bands are loading in), and I stick around until the show’s over. Sure, sometimes I can’t make it early, or have to leave early because of my schedule, but I make it a point to catch everyone on the bill if I can. I do this for a couple reasons:

First, I’m a radio guy whose show focuses on the local and regional underground scene. To maintain any sort of cred in that regard, I kinda need to be active and involved in it, and I’m smart enough to know that. I make it a point to have a clue about who the hot local bands are, their reputations, they style of their music, and what kind of draw they’re pulling. But I also pay attention to who shows up and -really- supports the scene. More on this in a little bit.

Second, I actually care. I want to find new music to listen to, and I want to meet the people making it. I’ll be blunt in saying that there are bands out there that musically I’m not really a fan of, but the guys in the bands have won me over with their personalities, the belief in what they do, and more importantly, their work ethics.

I can get why someone who was -just- a fan would only show up to a concert to see just one band. I think it sucks, sure, but I get it. And while I would love to rail on people who claim to support their scene but only go see one band in their scene, and only show up and stick around for that band’s set regardless of how many other bands are playing, there’s a simple fact that needs to be addressed:

In most local scenes, the people that make up the ‘scene’ are almost all musicians in bands. Seriously. Next time you’re at a locals-only show, look around. I’ll bet that of the 30 people there, 20 or more of them are in bands in the local scene, and most of them are probably on the bill for the night. The majority of the other folks there are either friends and family of the guys in those bands. The rest are either fans or victims.

Now, a lot of people would complain about this, and start bitching about how no one supports the scene. “But Rob! People don’t come to our shows! They show up in droves for the nationals that come through, but not us! My scene sucks! I wanna go somewhere where it’s awesome and everyone supports each other!” Except… right there. In that venue. On that stage. On the floor. Behind the sound board. Backstage, setting up gear. There’s your support. There’s your scene. We spend so much time bitching about who’s not showing up that we tend to overlook the people that are there. This isn’t always true, but the amount of bitching we do takes for granted the people that are there, that did show up, whether because they’re in one of the bands or following one of the bands. And ya know what? The bands that bitch the loudest are the ones that have the fewest people sticking around for their sets. The fans, the -real- fans that aren’t in bands, they hear those things. They know. And they act with their ears and their feet. It’s not their fault if your scene sucks.

It is the fault of the bands in the scene.

What the fuck do you mean, “It’s the bands fault, Rob? We’re out there busting our asses and playing our sets! Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Okay. I’ll tell you.

If you’re one of those bands that shows up late to a gig (and by late, I mean with just enough time to load in and set up before your set) and then takes off not long after your set while there are still several other bands after you, you suck. You’re part of the problem. And you don’t deserve the gigs you’re getting. I don’t care how many people showed up just because you were on the bill. Your primadonna rockstar bullshit isn’t wanted, it isn’t impressing anyone, and we would all be better off without it–especially you. I’m seeing more and more of it happening lately. I’m even seeing bands ADVERTISE that they’re going to do it. “Hey, we’re playing this gig, we’re on first, so show up and support us, but then we’re going to go see this other show, and you should come with us!” If I was the promoter for that event you’d be dropped before you knew what hit you, and I’d make sure everyone else in your area knew about it. You sure as hell wouldn’t be getting paid for your time.

If you’re one of those bands that can’t be bothered to respond to gig offers in a timely manner, you’re part of the problem.

If you’re one of those bands bad-mouthing fans for not showing up, you’re one of the problems.

If you’re one of those bands that thinks you don’t need the other bands in the scene, you’re one of the problems. Why? Odds are, you’re probably getting gig opportunities because of those other bands, either through them directly offering them to you, or because they’ve put the time and work in with local venues to get them to let bands like yours play there.

Local and regional shows should be parties. Who gives a flying fuck if you’re playing a 500-person venue and the only people you’re playing to are the other bands and your mom and little brother? HAVE FUN. Enjoy playing through the full rig. Under lights. Get pics. Get vids. Get drunk. Yeah, it feels GREAT to play to a packed house (I know, I’ve done it, and I’ve played stadium gigs in front of thousands of people), but a party with my friends is awesome too. The bands that draw the fans? They do so because… wait for it… they’re having fun! They’re having parties! It’s a good time! There isn’t drama, there isn’t bitching at people for not showing up, they make everyone there glad they were there. That kind of renown spreads. And it goes from your friends who are there to support you to being those fans trying to find out why your parties are so awesome. You’re on stage to entertain. Not complain.

Pretty fucking stupid to complain about the people you’re trying to win over, if you ask me.

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.