Review: Rusty Shackle // Dusk

Almost 3 years after the release of their second studio album, Rusty Shackle are back with 'Dusk'. From the hard-hitting and powerful 'When The Morning Comes' to the subtle and heartfelt 'Ellidaey Island' the LP covers every angle of musical style within the band.

Rusty Shackle have been floating around in the alternative folk scene for a good while and have an enthusiastic and loyal following with the first single from the album - incidently the first song on the new LP - reaching as high as #3 in the iTunes singer/songwriter charts and #80 in the iTunes singles chart. A fantastic achievement for an independent band releasing under their own label.

'Dusk' is by no means an album which can be viewed as a whole; listening to it is like a roller-coaster ride of musical styles  with songs varying between exquisite and intricate to the simple and catchy, The variance in sound means there is no doubt a song for everyone to enjoy on the album. Each song can be viewed on it's own as a very different part of the same whole. However the band maintains a theme flowing through the album that ties it all together.

'When The Morning Comes' is a brilliant example, it opens the album hard hitting and in your face. It's the sort of song that finds a little nook inside your mind and stays there; an earworm. In complete contrast is 'Moving On', a duet between between lead singer Liam and Remy Beasley (a talented young welsh singer/songwriter) which, due to the sound of the pairs voices, could be a folked-up Of Monsters & Men song. This continues throughout the LP from the pop-folk and almost 'Disney' sounding ''Lion In Winter' to the quietly plucked 'Lonely Lighthouse Life' and the stunning hook-driven 'Lucinda Returned', Rusty Shackle take you on a journey through the variety that can be achieved within alternative folk.

With each listen this album becomes stronger and stronger and after the 3rd or 4th listen you'll be belting out the lyrics and jigging around your kitchen with it on full blast. A lot of people can be put off by an artist being labelled as alternative folk thinking it's just a Mumford & Sons rip-off, Rusty Shackle are far from that, their sound is much deeper and more musically interesting. They might not reach the heady heights of number one albums but the lads from Monmouth have produced an interesting and engrossing album.

The LP is released on the 25th March under Get Folked Records - the bands own label. Rusty Shackle have a series of headline dates in April/May to promote the release of 'Dusk':

7.5/10

-Luke

Tour dates for Rusty Shackle

Review: Hacktivist // Outside The Box

Formed just over 4 years a go, Hacktivist have been slowly working their way into popularity in the metal scene. Their debut album seems like it couldnt be better timed for release for the rap-metal band from Milton Keynes. With punk and grime both in the public eye a band like Hacktivist is exactly what is needed to bring the two genres together.

That's exactly what they've done with the release of their debut LP. With tracks varying in style from post - hardcore to what could be a track from a grime album, it's hard to put a definitive stamp on it. However, there's no doubt that this is a quality album.

One of the best tracks on the record, released just before the album 'Taken', which features Rou Reynolds of Enter Shikari, covers the difficulty of letting someone into your life It is fantastic musically and lyrically with a classic Hacktivist and hard hitting lyrics.

The rest of the album has less emotional lyrics but musically is just as stunning while incorporating a more politic punk lyric. With parts which could be off an Architects record and other parts which could be from Stormy or Jme,  it's a mix which sounds odd, but works fantastically.

This is a great debut from the band from Milton Keynes, this coupled with a formidable live reputation could see them rocket up in 2016. A great modernisation of the nu-metal of previous decades but something better described as grime-punk.

8/10

-Luke

Review: The Qemists // Warrior Sound

The Qemists blend of drum & bass and metal is not something unheard of, but something other bands rarely pull off with the creativity of the group from Brighton. With bands like The Prodigy  and Pendulum floating in the same genre it's difficult to create a sound that doesn't sound like a recreation or rip-off of those bands, but it's something The Qemists don't seem to struggle with.

'Warrior Sound', the follow up to their 2010 record 'Spirit In The System', is a great continuation of their previous work, with some fantastic collaborations and a great blend between synthesized sound and real instruments.

The LP opens with 'Our World' a track which can be seen as an introduction to the album, Ambient yet aggressive it gives you a taste of what's to come. The record then launches into 'Jungle', a collaboration with rap-metal band Hacktivist. 'Jungle' further sets the tone for the album, losing a bit of the ambience and heading in the direction of mixing metal with drum & bass in an aggressive and expressive way.

The Qemists // Warrior Sound

With further collabarations on the album with Kenta Koie of Crossfaith, Charlie Rhymes and Ghetts. The album contains some incredible tunes which dip into mainstream drum & bass while still retaining The Qemists artistic integrity and metal roots.

However, the stand-out song on 'Warrior Sound' is 'Run You'. Sounding as if Enter Shikari had been heavily remixed, it's a song that would bring fans of electronic and post-hardcore metal together. Dance-able but with aggressive vocals and a semi-political lyric: it sums up everything The Qemists stand for in their music.

With a tour of Europe in March supporting Enter Shikari - a show not to miss - swiftly followed by a tour supporting Crossfaith, it's going to be a big few months for the band considering the strength of this latest LP.

The Qemists tour with Enter Shikari around Europe in March

Overall this is a stunning album; exciting and danceable music created by those in a metal background - what's not love.

8/10

-Luke

Frightened Rabbit Release New Song & Music Video

Having already teased the new album with the opening song 'Death Dreams', Scottish indie band Frightened Rabbit released the second song from the album 'Get Out' on the 2nd March.

The band called it their "first 'proper' single" from the album along with posting the lyrics on their twitter. The video was premièred on the NME website for UK fans before becoming available on YouTube.

The song is one which reflects on young love and loss, portrayed in the music video with a surreal dance between 2 young girls, telling a story similar to that reflected in the lyric of the song.. The tune itself sounds very different from the ghostly sombre mood of 'Death Dream'; strong lyrics, a thumping sound and a lot more like the singles off their 4th studio album 'Pedestrian Verse'.



Frightened Rabbit's 5th Studio Album 'Painting Of A Panic Attack' is out on the 8th April 2016 on Atlantic Records and was produced by Aaron Dessner of The National.

Coming Up This March!

Here's what we have for you in the next month!

• Reading & Leeds Preview
• The Qemists // Warrior Sound
• Hacktivist // Outside The Box
• SCUZZ Throwdown Tour 2016 // Clwb Ifor Bach // 08.03.16
• The Cat Empire // Rising With The Sun
• 2000Trees Previews
• Wolf Alice // Cardiff SU Great Hall // 24.03.16
• Plus many more interesting and exciting announcements....