Tower "Shock to the System"

    After releasing their debut studio album back in 2016, the New York City based band known as Tower returns with one fearsome sounding release. The band holds nothing back and unleashes a thunderous heavy metal onslaught on their sophomore release, “Shock to the System.” 

    This band has a massive amount of raw and ruthless classic metal energy, which also conveys that no-nonsense rock and roll attitude. I hear a variety of influences ranging from hard rock to NWOBHM, but in the end this band is able to hammer out a sound that really comes rushing through the speakers with a confident and ballsy attitude. The twin guitar attack of guitarists James Danzo and Zak Penley is on full display throughout the album, especially when pertaining to the feverish sounding chord progressions and skillful lead guitar work. Also, the high soaring and confident vocals provided by the band’s singer, Sarabeth Linden, offer up a monumental boost of raw energy into the tracks.  

    Songwriting is always something I pay attention to when reviewing albums and bands that fail to compose strong and engaging songs usually lose me after the first couple tracks. In the case of Tower, this band is able to produce a solid sound that even though has been done numerous times before, definitely conveys a strong hard rock and heavy metal vision. For example, the opening track, “Blood Moon,” is a slamming piece of headbanging aggression. Drummer James Jones kicks things off by laying down some crushing rhythms that are followed up by a flurry of ear shattering riffs and powerful vocals. 

    The second track, “Prince of Darkness,” continues the loud and bombastic onslaught with a slightly slower tempo, while also being fueled by Sarabeth's passionate earth shaking vocals. On the third song, “Metatron,” the band arranges an instrumental composition featuring a variety of creative tempo changes and some blistering lead guitar playing. The lead parts are very precise, yet have that killer raw sound which never ends by sounding like a tsunami of random notes saturating the song and causing listeners to feel overwhelmed. 

    Probably what stood out the most on this album was how tight the band sounded, especially when considering that I've come across countless bands who play this style of music. Songs like, “Running Out of Time,” “Hired Gun” and “The Black Rose,” turn up the heat by demonstrating countless moments of catchy guitar parts along with very memorable chorus section. However, the song on this album that I believe stole the show had to be, “In Dreams.” The band draws some influence from eighties hard rock and heavy metal by crafting some epic sounding melodies. Add in some triumphant guitar riffs and earth shaking vocals that stretch across the landscape with tremendous force, and you end up getting one brilliant piece of music. 

    

    From top to bottom, “Shock to the System,” is a scorching release that comes charging at the global metal community with a relentless and wild heavy metal passion. The all around musicianship is really impressive, however the band’s songwriting talents along with their take no prisoners hard rocking mentality, is what I believe can help them stand out as they continue their ascent in the world of rock/metal. After a year of lockdowns and domestic insanity, Tower is coming out swinging with no remorse on this new album, so do not pass it up! 

Check out the song "Blood Moon" below:

Tower Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/TOWERnyc

Tower Bandcamp:

https://towernyc.bandcamp.com/album/shock-to-the-system

When the Deadbolt Breaks "As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy"

    When the Deadbolt Breaks perfectly conjures up gloomy atmospheres and trippy instrumental compositions that leave you floating through a void of mind altering darkness on their new release, “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy.” Just in time for Halloween, this group of psychedelic doom metal musicians from Connecticut offers listeners an album that seems to draw inspiration from the haunting New England lore and lays down plenty of heavy mountain sized riffs of pure DOOM. 

    This is not just another doom metal band that drinks cheap beer, has members that look like Dog the Bounty Hunter and writes the same Sabbath "Vol. 4" like riffs for an entire album until you become completely bored to death. The band draws from a plethora of influences and composes their songs with a great deal of dynamic sounding arrangements. From clean vocals to the harsh vocals that sound as if someone has become completely enraged and ready to just throw down a vicious flurry of punches, the band provides very refreshing tracks that keeps you listening with great interest. Right away on the album’s opening twelve minute track,”I Live in the Dirt,” you are greeted with this monumental surge of distorted energy and massive sounding arrangement. The drums echo like thunder across the cold landscape bringing a juggernaut of rhythmic force. 

    On the second track, “Cleanse the Death,” there is a more sludge like approach conjured up to invoke this spectral sounding atmosphere. The overall riff may not be the most technically challenging sounding riff, however, the band is more focused on atmosphere and experimenting with a variety of haunting tones. On the album’s third track, “Gods Eyes,” there is more monstrous aggression thrown into the mix, which I think can appeal to those listeners who desire hard hitting meaty sounding doom riffs. 

    Honestly, the fourth song on this album, “Forever in the Fire,” is the real show stopper in my opinion. From the song’s solemn sounding beginning that lulls you into this utterly calm trance like state that is slowly scorched away by a firestorm of rage from the singer's harsh sounding vocal delivery. The guitar work throughout the track is sublime sounding and guitar effects create this sounds to capture your imagination, thus leaving you listening in true amazement as the song evolves. 

    For their final song on the album, the band offers listeners a cover song, “Not to Touch the Earth,” which was originally written by The Doors. I definitely liked how the band keeps the original song's frantic psychedelic sound, but also injects more haunting doom touches throughout the recording. I would best describe it as a cross between The Doors and Type O Negative, so you sort of get the best of both worlds. 

    “As Hope Valley Burns: Eulogy,” is an album that find conveys a variety of sounds and creative ideas which listeners will be able to take away. When the Deadbolt Breaks is a band that I personally find to be extremely fascinating and writes extremely solid pieces of music. Also, when experimenting with different sounds, one must still have the ability to bring every together, otherwise it ends up sounding like a boiling pot of garbage noise that would not get played on a public access network no matter much money the band's parents have to offer. When the Deadbolt Breaks is no where near that level of pond dwelling scum sucking humanoids, so definitely check this album out! 

The album is being released through Electric Talon Records/link below to bandcamp:

https://talonrecordsusa.bandcamp.com/track/cleanse-the-death

Murderbait “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever”

    If you are a consistent reader of this blog, then you will have noticed that I give a fair amount of coverage to bands that are on the label, Sentient Ruin. The reason for this being that Sentient Ruin works with a wide variety of unbelievably creative and unorthodox extreme metal and punk artists. Now, in the case of Murderbait, I was pleasantly surprised to be sent this band which one might not right away think would be associated with the label. However, if you have followed this label from the beginning, then you would know that Sentient Ruin is all about promoting hard working and passionate underground artists. 

    Murderbait’s sophomore EP, “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever,” released back in 2019 is finally getting vinyl release thanks to Sentient Ruin. Originally only available on cassette and digital, this group of Portland, Oregon based goth/post-punk rockers are going to be capturing even more curious listeners now that Sentient Ruin is releasing this album on vinyl. Honestly, as much as I enjoy the bludgeoning extreme metal bands that write such savage offerings of sickening brutality, I too yearn for something a bit different to listen to once in a while. 

       I am glad that Sentient Ruin sent me this promo, as I sometimes feel that I do not get an opportunity to talk about the plethora of different musical styles which I also enjoy. Murderbait’s mesmerizing sound mixes together a variety of haunting elements, but the gloomy almost western influenced post-punk sound is what seems to be the main driving influence on this two track EP. When listening to the band’s sound I hear a bit of New Order, Depeche Mode, Bauhuas, Nick Cave and The Cure, while also those beautifully haunting moments one might expect to hear on a Type O negative release. I think the band’s ability to pull such a vast amount of influences together and form their own unique sound is what makes this group really stand out. 

    Also, the lyrical creativity along with the somber delivery of the vocal parts tells a tale of haunting grace accompanied by this macabre atmospheric sounding world of soothing gothic post-punk. As I mentioned earlier I hear a bit of New Order in their sound, especially in regards to the bone-chilling bass melodies. The song, “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever,” comes masterfully rolling out of the speakers in a hypnotic post-punk fashion. Each sound slowly builds to this tidal wave of melancholy emotion that compliments the singer’s dark delivery. 

    Track number two, “Unravelling,” definitely picks up where the first song left off by stringing you along with this glossy atmosphere, which eventually begins to unravel towards the end of the song by offer some dynamic instrumental arrangements. Overall, the guitars create a landscape shrouded in a veil of heavenly gothic tones, but the production never sounds weak, or loses its potency. From the start of the song until the end, you feel draw to this spectral aura emanating from your speakers. 

     Murderbait is highly recommend for fans of gothic rock and post-punk looking for something that breaks the stereotypical music mold. Music likes this could be used in a horror film as people are gathered in a cemetery under a cluster of dark ominous clouds, because the music paints such vivid images in your mind. In the end, having this EP finally released on vinyl through Sentient Ruin will allow for the band to be discovered by more potential listeners, while also offering current fans a chance to own this release on vinyl. The way I see it, everyone wins in the end (Besides those close minded bestial blackened death doom grindcore elitists who will continue acting like badasses until their parents tell them it is time to go eat at the Red Lobster). 

Check out the video for the song “When the Sun Goes Down, It Goes Down Forever” below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/when-the-sun-goes-down-it-goes-down-forever