The Moor – Ombra (Inertia Music) [Paul Hutchings]
When your album of the year arrives in early March, what do you do? Stop listening to anything else, or accept that there is an inferiority in everything else that enters your ears? Let me introduce you to The Moor, who we last encountered in 2018 when their sophomore release Jupiter’s Immigrants received a 9/10 from Alex Swift.
I’ll admit to coming to The Moor with no previous knowledge of the band, apart from a distant inkling that they are from Italy. But not any old part of Italy, oh no, my favourite part of the Country, the mystical, enchanting Venice. The juxtaposition of trading routes between East and West, the fantastic location where canals are roads, where the history is intoxicating, and where I’ve spent many a happy hour wandering, lost in the winding side streets and alleys that make up this most magical of places.
In some ways, Ombra is representative of the home City. It swirls, it meanders, it intensifies, yes, it intoxicates. From the cinematic introduction that is Il tema dell’ Ombra which needs to be the soundtrack to a beautiful black and white movie, passing the sweeping passages of The Overlord Disease with it’s snarling black metal vocals that starkly contrast with the haunting, rich cleans that Enrico Longhin seems to be able to switch back and forth with such ease, it’s evident that this is an album of breathtaking magnificence.
The Moor wear the progressive label with pride, for they include so many different styles that it’s impossible to pigeonhole them in any other way. There are elements of melodic black metal, as well as symphonic parts that simply lift the mood and tempo. Davide Carraro’s crisp, clean guitar work is a sonic delight throughout, from the emotionally charged solo on Illuminant to album closer Thirst. It’s high paced stuff, and although we get a full, weighty album of 11 tracks, only one, the towering title song tips over the six-minute mark.
Ombra is a phenomenal fusion of battering drums, orchestral strings, and Italian vocals. I have no idea what they are singing, but Italian sounds fantastic regardless of the meaning. It adds heart and soul, and allows Longhin another opportunity to demonstrate that deep, baritone delivery. The switch from savage to open vocals merely provides extra texture.
I’ll admit to coming to The Moor with no previous knowledge of the band, apart from a distant inkling that they are from Italy. But not any old part of Italy, oh no, my favourite part of the Country, the mystical, enchanting Venice. The juxtaposition of trading routes between East and West, the fantastic location where canals are roads, where the history is intoxicating, and where I’ve spent many a happy hour wandering, lost in the winding side streets and alleys that make up this most magical of places.
In some ways, Ombra is representative of the home City. It swirls, it meanders, it intensifies, yes, it intoxicates. From the cinematic introduction that is Il tema dell’ Ombra which needs to be the soundtrack to a beautiful black and white movie, passing the sweeping passages of The Overlord Disease with it’s snarling black metal vocals that starkly contrast with the haunting, rich cleans that Enrico Longhin seems to be able to switch back and forth with such ease, it’s evident that this is an album of breathtaking magnificence.
The Moor wear the progressive label with pride, for they include so many different styles that it’s impossible to pigeonhole them in any other way. There are elements of melodic black metal, as well as symphonic parts that simply lift the mood and tempo. Davide Carraro’s crisp, clean guitar work is a sonic delight throughout, from the emotionally charged solo on Illuminant to album closer Thirst. It’s high paced stuff, and although we get a full, weighty album of 11 tracks, only one, the towering title song tips over the six-minute mark.
Ombra is a phenomenal fusion of battering drums, orchestral strings, and Italian vocals. I have no idea what they are singing, but Italian sounds fantastic regardless of the meaning. It adds heart and soul, and allows Longhin another opportunity to demonstrate that deep, baritone delivery. The switch from savage to open vocals merely provides extra texture.
Making his album recording debut is drummer Edo Sala, a well-travelled musician whose extensive credits include spells with Joe Lyn Turner in Sunstorm, as well as a whole host of Italian bands including Folkstone. He links superbly with bassist Massimo Cocchetto, now into his second decade with the band.
What has captured my imagination with this album is that every time you return to it, something else catches the attention. The melodic chimes of Lifetime Damage mix fluidly with the rough-edged vocals, summoning the qualities of legends like Amorphis to mind. Song after song hits the spot, with influences such as Opeth, Katatonia and even Orphaned Land coming to mind as the tracks flow in an organic manner. The deep rolls of Our Tides with it’s melancholic feel, the semi-Djent vibe of Passage, and the dark melodies of closing track Thirst are all superb. Combined, these 11 songs make an album that will take some beating.
What has captured my imagination with this album is that every time you return to it, something else catches the attention. The melodic chimes of Lifetime Damage mix fluidly with the rough-edged vocals, summoning the qualities of legends like Amorphis to mind. Song after song hits the spot, with influences such as Opeth, Katatonia and even Orphaned Land coming to mind as the tracks flow in an organic manner. The deep rolls of Our Tides with it’s melancholic feel, the semi-Djent vibe of Passage, and the dark melodies of closing track Thirst are all superb. Combined, these 11 songs make an album that will take some beating.
A truly magnificent release. It deserves your attention. 10/10
Comeback Kid - Trouble (Sharptone Records) [GC]
When I saw there was a new Comeback Kid EP ready for review, I decided that I had to give it a listen as back in 2005 they released, in my opinion one of the greatest hardcore albums of all time in Wake The Dead I found that after that I just didn’t really click with many of their releases but always like to see what they are doing.
Trouble In The Winners Circle is a promising start and has exactly the sound I was looking for, it’s not exactly full on hardcore punk but has the edge there to make it interesting enough as the verses are held back musically letting the vocals lead and the chorus is anthemic and rowdy just as it should be and keeps it going all the way to the last seconds, Disruption then is most definitely a hardcore punk number as it has a faster pace and relentless energy pulsing right through the full track and again has a suitably big chorus and some lovely breakdowns midway through that then slows down and builds up to a raucous and thrilling end section.
Comeback Kid - Trouble (Sharptone Records) [GC]
When I saw there was a new Comeback Kid EP ready for review, I decided that I had to give it a listen as back in 2005 they released, in my opinion one of the greatest hardcore albums of all time in Wake The Dead I found that after that I just didn’t really click with many of their releases but always like to see what they are doing.
Trouble In The Winners Circle is a promising start and has exactly the sound I was looking for, it’s not exactly full on hardcore punk but has the edge there to make it interesting enough as the verses are held back musically letting the vocals lead and the chorus is anthemic and rowdy just as it should be and keeps it going all the way to the last seconds, Disruption then is most definitely a hardcore punk number as it has a faster pace and relentless energy pulsing right through the full track and again has a suitably big chorus and some lovely breakdowns midway through that then slows down and builds up to a raucous and thrilling end section.
Chompin’ At The Bit doesn’t obviously stray much from the style of the previous 2 tracks but reminds me of peak Comeback Kid back in 05 and is a nostalgic and triumphant track full of staccato riffing and chaotic drumming with that anger drilled through it all in the best way possible, and absolute barn stormer of a track and 100% guaranteed to become a live favourite very soon!
And just like that we have last track Breaking And Bruised which opens with some melancholic and spacious guitars that are interrupted with a wall of thumping drums and gang vocals that set the mood perfectly when the main body of the song is here its furious and paired back at the same time which sounds brilliant and intense and it is reflected perfectly in the vocals that never lose any anger or focus and really lift the song onto another level, and it all just becomes a totally perfect way to end this EP.
To say I loved Trouble would be a bit of an understatement, from the first second to the last note of music everything on here was perfection and took me right back to when I first heard Comback Kid and gave me the nostalgic feeling but it still all sounds so very relevant and not dated in the slightest, I only wish that this was a full album because I just wanted more and more! If energetic, anthemic, joyous and life affirming hardcore is something that you would be interested in then this is absolutely 100% for you!! 10/10
Noah And The Loners – A Desolate Warning (Marshall Records) [Alex Swift]
The first aspect you notice about A Desolate Warning is the distinctly clean production, and Noah Lonergen's vocal style which echoes that of a range of punk acts with pop sensibilities. On the one hand, this can lead some moments feeling overly artificial despite there being an accessibility to this project that will be ear-catching for many! Still, there’s a potential at play in both the fiery lyricism and instrumental ferocity that gives this act a unique identity - Noah And The Loners are among the most resolute representatives of the alienated and excluded, if the real essence of punk is the street youths using noise as a means of making themselves heard.
Crash Landing is a perfect way to begin the EP, with an assertion of fierce, concentrated, and unabashed action against poverty that, crucially, feels right for the age of its performers. A Desolate Warning has several sharp edges that relate to actual encounters with hardship. The song Just Kids is the truest depiction of being regarded with disdain and having one's political knowledge diminished, while Hell Of A Day and other songs carry enough weight to imply that Noah And The Loners are trying to make a point, even in spite the fact that their remarks can sometimes appear crass and sloganeering.
A revolution is sparked by the mentality, not the music; all that's required is a quick, direct fury, which is supplied through the very powerful guitar tone present throughout. With any band at the beginning of their career, it is important to appear cohesive as a unit, especially to prevent the impression that you are a parody or a gimmick. You Make Me (Fall Apart), the album's centrepiece song, has a slower tempo, pairing a more ominous vibe with a feeling of menace. It's the most ambitious tune on the EP, changing dramatically with every new twist and shift. It's also the clearest sign yet that Noah And The Loners have a lot of potential still to be unlocked.
Though quite how far Noah And The Loners will take their project is still to be known, A Desolate Warning succeeds in crafting a vibrant and ferocious first impression. It's captivating without attempting to be very trendy or artistic. For all intents and purposes, this is how punk should sound, and it's fantastic that a young band is capturing its essence. 7/10
Suffersystem - Disintegration Of The Individual (Black Blood Records) [James Jackson]
For some reason beyond my understanding of the world of digital downloads and file sharing, the first two tracks of Suffersystem’s newest release are missing, the second of which being the title track. Nonetheless moving swiftly on, Obliteration Predicted provides more than enough of an example of how things are done in the Suffersystem camp.
What follows is a rawly recorded album whose production could’ve been easily improved had the drums been slight lower in the mix, whilst most definitely a competent player the drums at times feel overwhelming. Vocally, according to the promotional material that accompanied the album, the style is unique; it’s not. It’s reminiscent of the Morbid Visions/Bestial Devastation era Sepultura and bands like Venom who inspired the Brazilian’s early albums.
Mangled Corpse brings a more moderate tempo to the proceedings, the chorus structure drops into a crunchy headbobber of a riff, which provides respite from the standard Death Metal rapid fire riffing. The Evil Within follows and whilst there are a few rhythm changes, it’s a choppy affair, at times it doesn’t particularly flow and I’m a sucker for a smooth time change.
Track 6, Fragments, is quite the odd one out, it’s an instrumental piece which doesn’t define it’s peculiar nature but more to the point is that it is the most coherent and cohesive song on the album, it’s not frantic, with choppy time changes but it’s definitely got the same feel as the other tracks so far - it’s just better for its simplicity and unjustly short.
Something feels off about Chopped Into Pieces, the drums don’t seem to fit with the guitar riff, working against it rather than with, it’s off putting, it maybe a very clever piece of musicianship but it’s making my skin crawl and not in a good way.
The following tracks, Lobotomy, Suicidium and Hellspawn are effectively more of the same, the standard Death Metal tropes a plenty, even the song titles sound as though they’ve come from a Death Metal playlist. There’s nothing new on this album and although he’s seventy odd miles away I can hear my Editor’s eyes rolling as yet again I find little joy in something he’s sent my way, but as I’ve always said “Each To His Own” and had this album have hit my ears twenty years ago then this would probably have been a completely different experience. 4/10
To say I loved Trouble would be a bit of an understatement, from the first second to the last note of music everything on here was perfection and took me right back to when I first heard Comback Kid and gave me the nostalgic feeling but it still all sounds so very relevant and not dated in the slightest, I only wish that this was a full album because I just wanted more and more! If energetic, anthemic, joyous and life affirming hardcore is something that you would be interested in then this is absolutely 100% for you!! 10/10
Noah And The Loners – A Desolate Warning (Marshall Records) [Alex Swift]
The first aspect you notice about A Desolate Warning is the distinctly clean production, and Noah Lonergen's vocal style which echoes that of a range of punk acts with pop sensibilities. On the one hand, this can lead some moments feeling overly artificial despite there being an accessibility to this project that will be ear-catching for many! Still, there’s a potential at play in both the fiery lyricism and instrumental ferocity that gives this act a unique identity - Noah And The Loners are among the most resolute representatives of the alienated and excluded, if the real essence of punk is the street youths using noise as a means of making themselves heard.
Crash Landing is a perfect way to begin the EP, with an assertion of fierce, concentrated, and unabashed action against poverty that, crucially, feels right for the age of its performers. A Desolate Warning has several sharp edges that relate to actual encounters with hardship. The song Just Kids is the truest depiction of being regarded with disdain and having one's political knowledge diminished, while Hell Of A Day and other songs carry enough weight to imply that Noah And The Loners are trying to make a point, even in spite the fact that their remarks can sometimes appear crass and sloganeering.
A revolution is sparked by the mentality, not the music; all that's required is a quick, direct fury, which is supplied through the very powerful guitar tone present throughout. With any band at the beginning of their career, it is important to appear cohesive as a unit, especially to prevent the impression that you are a parody or a gimmick. You Make Me (Fall Apart), the album's centrepiece song, has a slower tempo, pairing a more ominous vibe with a feeling of menace. It's the most ambitious tune on the EP, changing dramatically with every new twist and shift. It's also the clearest sign yet that Noah And The Loners have a lot of potential still to be unlocked.
Though quite how far Noah And The Loners will take their project is still to be known, A Desolate Warning succeeds in crafting a vibrant and ferocious first impression. It's captivating without attempting to be very trendy or artistic. For all intents and purposes, this is how punk should sound, and it's fantastic that a young band is capturing its essence. 7/10
Suffersystem - Disintegration Of The Individual (Black Blood Records) [James Jackson]
For some reason beyond my understanding of the world of digital downloads and file sharing, the first two tracks of Suffersystem’s newest release are missing, the second of which being the title track. Nonetheless moving swiftly on, Obliteration Predicted provides more than enough of an example of how things are done in the Suffersystem camp.
What follows is a rawly recorded album whose production could’ve been easily improved had the drums been slight lower in the mix, whilst most definitely a competent player the drums at times feel overwhelming. Vocally, according to the promotional material that accompanied the album, the style is unique; it’s not. It’s reminiscent of the Morbid Visions/Bestial Devastation era Sepultura and bands like Venom who inspired the Brazilian’s early albums.
Mangled Corpse brings a more moderate tempo to the proceedings, the chorus structure drops into a crunchy headbobber of a riff, which provides respite from the standard Death Metal rapid fire riffing. The Evil Within follows and whilst there are a few rhythm changes, it’s a choppy affair, at times it doesn’t particularly flow and I’m a sucker for a smooth time change.
Track 6, Fragments, is quite the odd one out, it’s an instrumental piece which doesn’t define it’s peculiar nature but more to the point is that it is the most coherent and cohesive song on the album, it’s not frantic, with choppy time changes but it’s definitely got the same feel as the other tracks so far - it’s just better for its simplicity and unjustly short.
Something feels off about Chopped Into Pieces, the drums don’t seem to fit with the guitar riff, working against it rather than with, it’s off putting, it maybe a very clever piece of musicianship but it’s making my skin crawl and not in a good way.
The following tracks, Lobotomy, Suicidium and Hellspawn are effectively more of the same, the standard Death Metal tropes a plenty, even the song titles sound as though they’ve come from a Death Metal playlist. There’s nothing new on this album and although he’s seventy odd miles away I can hear my Editor’s eyes rolling as yet again I find little joy in something he’s sent my way, but as I’ve always said “Each To His Own” and had this album have hit my ears twenty years ago then this would probably have been a completely different experience. 4/10