One thing I really enjoy about modern music is the mixing of genres. Back in the before time, in the days of flip phones and myspace, it was almost expected that bands had to stay in their lane, to keep churning out song after song that "sounded like their old stuff" or "fit the genre". Well, it's a new dawn, my friends, and bands like Day X Day can blend hardcore, metalcore and hip hop without fear of being shunned. Hell, they can even throw in some beats and no one bats an

I usually try to stay away from using the band's own bio in my reviews because it seems exceedingly lazy to me, and in a world of AI and phoned-in blurbs, I like to try to give that little bit extra. (It is, after all, the difference between ordinary and EXTRAordinary, right? Eh? See what I did there?) With that being said, when you've got a blind rhythm guitarist and a pro wrestler for a lead singer; PLUS you've made AP's Top 50 upcoming pop-punk bands, that bears repeating.

England-based band, Blood of the Argonaut, just unleashed their new single, "A Light Went On". Coming fully equipped with an infectious energy fueled by a dynamic blend of Metal and Hardcore Punk elements, this track wasted no time hitting listeners with ripping instrumentals, powerful vocal flows, and overall impressive songwriting. What a release! Unique transitions keep you engaged from start to finish as spot-on production work and earth-shattering breakdowns make sure th

Call me old school, but some innate stubbornness won't allow me to use AI to write; well, anything. Perhaps it's because I grew up in the Before Times, the Long, Long Ago, but I like the tedium of coming up with my own thoughts and putting them to 'paper'. (Christ, that's not even accurate anymore...) In my years fronting my own band, almost all critics' write-ups were a loose interpretation or direct copy of our own words repeated back to us. Original thought is hard to come

'Brutal' is such an overused word in my craft. These days I'm as quick to think of Metalocalypse as I am Cannibal Corpse, so I avoid that particular descriptor at all costs. With that said, Collapse The Vein's new offering, "Talk Shit" is fuckin' brutal. Impossibly deep, trench rot growls and breakdowns that'll shake the bowels of a lesser man combine to form one helluva pit-splitting, windmilling, pants shitting (again, of a lesser man) all-out aural assault that will make

I used to get rad. Back in the before times, in the days of pagers and dirt weed, me and my friends would get rad with the best of 'em. Those were simpler times, with simpler tunes. Alas, the inevitability and brittleness of the passing years come for us all, and now I can only get rad in my mind. And occasionally from the safety of a stage or vocal booth. It's a young man's game, getting rad. And it's nice to know it's in the capable hands of bands like ON HIGH. Of course, t

People have the average attention span of a mosquito these days. Constant short bursts of info paired with increasingly shorter bursts of dopamine have left us all dangerously short on focus and patience. Don't believe me? Go read about the huge uptick in manhole-related deaths in the last 10 years. No, there is no punchline here, just a bunch of humans who look up from their phones so seldom that they're simply failing to see open manholes and falling right in. That's where

I'm a sucker for mid-tempo street punk. Sometimes simpler is better, and I stand by that. Combine that with a big, Rise Against-style chorus, and you've got the beginnings of a real anthemic quality that is somehow bigger than the sum of its parts. That sort of idea is on full display in the new single "Seen The End" from PA-based Defiant. "Seen The End" has the same swagger and driving groove that makes the songs of Social Distortion so timeless, but with a decidedly current

Italy based metalcore band INCISIONS just delivered their powerful new single, "Motley". The first single from their upcoming EP titled, This Hell Is All They've Left For You, this is an anthemic new tune that boasts both vicious and beautiful elements. Boasting that dynamic blend of sounds, the band shines here by unleashing a wild ride that any fan of the genre is going to love. Ripping instrumentals, soaring vocal flows, earth shattering breakdowns, and impressive songwrit

The first line is "I'll shake the ground beneath your feet", and believe me, this isn't just hyperbole. Love Like Enemies make good on this promise on "Overgrowth/Competition" with a solid, intense metal delivery complemented beautifully by driving, chugging guitars and a nasty rhythm section. I'm always a sucker for deep growls juxtaposed by sweet, almost soothing singing, and this band gets it very right. From what I can gather, and please excuse the oversimplification, thi

Atlanta based punk rockers The Carolyn just dropped their new single, "life's short. stunt it. (jfc)". Not only is that an amazing title from one of the best comedies ever made (Hot Rod), this is also a beautifully crafted new tune that boasts heartfelt lyrical work, melodic instrumentals, and an infectious energy. What a release! Coming in at just under two minutes long, the band shines by packing a lot into this short and anthemic ride. We feel that we must warn our readers

Greece-based metalcore band Novelty just unleashed their new single, "Burden". Coming fully equipped with heavy-handed and melodic instrumentals, powerful vocal flows, and an infectious energy, this is a wild ride that any fan of the genre is going to love. Whether it's the impressive songwriting, the spot-on production work, or the earth-shattering breakdowns, this track hits hard from start to finish and shines as a modern anthem. What a release! You can check out the lyric

Let's be honest: since its humble beginnings, punk rock has been a weapon. When put in the right hands and wielded correctly, it's a pretty formidable one at that. The Have-Nots have always sought ways to strike back against the misdeeds and hypocrisy of the Haves and punk is a pretty perfect assault vehicle for just such an endeavor. En mass, the downtrodden have much more power than they often realize, sometimes it just takes a movement or idea to get them to unite. Such is

Wow, I really like Evil Island. Not that anyone asked, (they never do) but this was a much-welcomed shot of go-go juice directly to my old, crusty nervous system. Angular, art punk verses with spoken vocals and dissonant guitar lines pair beautifully with the bloody murder screams and hardcore intensity of the chorus. Finding a comparable sound is tough, but my best shot is if the Pixies and At the Drive In did meth together, and the product of that sweaty, debauched, unholy

"We're never gonna get ahead if we're burying each other up to our necks. How can it be for the best, if there's never time to rest?" As a rock music reviewer, I'm seeing this sentiment repeated again and again, and Desk Job. does have a strong means of delivery. It's the agenda of the crooked powers that be to divide the lower classes, to keep us fighting amongst ourselves while simultaneously trampling all over our "inalienable rights" and robbing us blind. The message seem

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: while I'm all for fun drinking songs and party anthems, using the medium of punk rock to stand up for the underprivileged and rail against tyranny will always earn my respect. As a certifiably "old" man, I never got on the pop punk train but bands like Four Stars may have me reconsidering. They've got the instrumentation of great skate punk with pop punk vocals, and their message carries a heap more weight than my ancient ears are u

"Tear down the paper walls I hide behind, trace all the cracks through my crooked lines". NY Alt Metal outfit DREAMWVLKER voice the anguish of being misunderstood, and the fear of the judgment that follows being understood. We've all felt it and the band does an admirable job putting words and melody to that feeling. Incredibly tight and well-produced, DREAMWALKER are perhaps channeling and simultaneously evoking the same emotional sound that made Linkin Park so popular, and

Who else is a sucker for jangly, subdued guitar-driven verses followed by a big, anthemic chorus? Just me? I doubt that and I imagine Leeds, UK emo/punk crooners Character Actors do too. Exceedingly listenable and well-written, the old heart strings are getting quite a tugging on this one. Equal doses of Menzingers and Jawbreaker-styled rock is easy medicine to take and although the subject matter is slightly morose, the listener is left feeling hopeful, even optimistic. Such

There are a ridiculous number of geese who have recently taken up residence in my neighborhood lake, and they are a constant source of dismay. Their bowel movements can only be described as 'unsettling'. They are ornery, identical, hissing little cobra chickens and every day they cross a very busy intersection in droves, to the further dismay of myself and other motorists. (I could make a reference to the term 'goose stepping' here but I won't, you're welcome.) We all wait pa

In the band's own words, "Thanks To You" (Feat. Saph) is the focus track of the new Feelbacks album that celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the band's first record, and it tells the story of the strength of true love, capable of saving and uplifting a life during its darkest moments. Did I copy and paste their own words because I'm lazy? Normally the answer would be yes but for once, I simply couldn't have summed up the song any better myself. Could that be a small glimmer o