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Picture Credit: Lila Khasanlany   Lila Khasanlany - Uranus Fish Release Date: September 17, 2021 Label: selfrelease Format: Digital Length: 15:50 Genre: Modern Metal / Prog Metal Origin: Stavropol , Russia The name Lila Khasanlany  should mostly be acqauinted amongst sophisticates of the Russian and East European music scene. As a particpant of the show "New Star" and as the vocalist of the band ProgressiVe , Lila Khasanlany  has played on plenty of Russian and European stages. In the year 2020, shortly before the outbreak of the pandemic, the artist from Stavropol had an epiphany. It was the birth of "Uranus Fish", her solo debut. It is an EP that concerns the matters of change and progress, the chaos inside everyone's mind, the need for order, and the transformation that everybody experiences during different phases of life. "Uranus Fish" is both, a very personal release for the artist, and a theme that everybody can somehow relate to. And as versat...

Picture Credit: Derek Magrum  / Stay Tuff   The Infinity Process - Sinister Release Date: September 17, 2021 Length: 04:15 Genre: Alternative Metal / Alternative Rock Origin: Toledo , OH , USA Toledo's The Infinity Process have released three EPs so far; " Progress of Elimination " (2015), " Neccessary Weapons " (2017), and " The Unknown " (2020). Their first release in the current year is the single 'Sinister' in which the band concerns the feeling of being heteronomous by either a partner in a toxic relationship, by dogmata of beliefs or ideologies, or by other instances that direct one's path by force. Compared to previous releases, The Infinity Process have become a lot in stronger in terms of metallic and harsh sound. Their Alternative Rock has received a much stronger Metal impact with a very modernist livery. A certain melancholic mood leaves its footprints on the massive soundscape, and thus 'Sinister' defines a major step ...

Picture Credit: One And A Half Dog   One And A Half Dog - Shine Release Date: August 13, 2021 Length: 05:06 Genre: Alternative Rock / Alternative Metal Origin: Trondheim , Norway The band name One And Half Dog has nothing to do with dissection of pets and animals, neither is it to be linked to an American TV series about two misogynists and a teenager. Instead, OAAHD are a five-piece band from Norwegian town Trondheim, consisting of adult musicians who planned to record one last vinyl LP before finally enjoying their retirement. One day, Dag Aure  (vocals), Morten Stene Jensen  (guitar), Lars Nielsen  (guitar),  Pål Robert Akseth (bass), and Inge Lerstad  (drums) talked about how much time they wanted to invest in recording that final album. The answer was fifteen years, which is around as much as the life of one and a half dog. The quintet's latest release was the single 'Shine', a five-minute dark and atmospheric Alternative Rock anthem with a strong TOO...

Picture Credit: Greta Eggimann   Weak Tyrant - Retreat Release Date: September 24, 2021 Length: 04:08 Genre: Post Hardcore / Emocore Origin: Bern , Switzerland Weak Tyrant from Swiss capital Bern are a freshly formed band. The quintet has released their first single ' Slide ' in August 2021, and in September the single on hand - 'Retreat' - followed. Both songs will be featured on the upcoming debut EP "To be pure" which will be out on October 22. So be sure to check out the links below the review if you enjoy the sound by the five musicians from Switzerland. 'Retreat' deals with the need to gain distance from toxic influence on a human's psychological and physical health. The song describes the journey one has to go through for finding shelter, and then regaining strength and confidence. Weak Tyrant wrap this content into a dark but soothing package of Post Hardcore with emotional notes and Alternative Metal. While the verses are driven by chill ...

Picture Credit: Taylor Lamb   Love Ghost - Wolfsbane Release Date: July 16, 2021 Length: 02:59 Genre: Alternative Metal / Industrial Metal Origin:  Los Angeles ,  CA ,  USA LA's Love Ghost are a quintet that  masterfully reinterprets soulful and harsh sounds. Predominantly, you can categorize their music under labels such as Alternative Rock, or Alternative Metal, but also terms such as Nu Metal, or Industrial can apply to the reflected, emotional, and powerful sounds created by the Californian band. In their song 'Wolfsbane', Love Ghost provide us with an empowering message to never stop being ourselves. No matter who is trying to take you down, you shall nor forget that you are beautiful, and you are awesome! What begins with a gloomy Alternative Rock intro, quickly becomes a raging and self-empowering Nu Metal and Industrial passage that says 'Here I am, you can't bring me down!'. In thesecond verse, Love Ghost receive support by skilled rapper Rico Nasty wh...

Picture Credit: Hyperdriver-X Hyperdriver-X - Rise Release Date: August 07, 2021 Label: selfrelease Format: Digital Length: 20:50 Genre: Alternative Metal / Nu Metal Origin: Hartford, CT, USA A new EP RISE from an alternative metal band Hyperdriver-X has been released. While the artwork and the “straight out of anime” name suggest something sci-fi and futuristic, the presented material is surely a blast from the past. But let’s get deeper into it. The Connecticut based Hyperdriver-X is a four-piece exploring the heritage of any school band formed around the end of 90s. The band voices the mission of representing the connection between the spanish and english speaking rock communities, and their weapon is a nostalgic brand of alternative metal. The overall vibe resurrects the edginess of the first Korn and Deftones releases, the amateur side of SOAD and Mudvayne. What do I mean? Imagine that crunchy bass sound, the vocals follow the familiar “beauty-and-the-beast” scheme when the ...

Picture Credit: Glitched   Glitched - Chaos World, Pt. 3: Nothing is enough Release Date: July 16, 2021 Label: selfrelease Format: Digital Length: 10:21 Genre: Alternative Rock Origin: San Jose , CA , USA Glitched were formed during the early days of the pandemic by the four friends Mitch  (cello), Yves  (bass, production), Brian  (guitar, vocals), and Tim  (drums). Together, they started playing and recording music. Influenced by predominantly 1990s rock and metal sounds, they created a narrative about the happenings of the first year of the coronacene. The album "Chaos World" deals with attitudes getting radicalized, people drifting apart from each other due to polarization, and the power of social media which is a driving force behind these phenomena. The album as been split in three parts, " An Apparition Emerges " was out in November 2020, " They Stopped Pretending " followed in February 2021, and finally, third part "Nothing is enough" conc...

Picture Credit: Gebrüder Manns     Gebrüder Manns - Embrace your Pain! Release Date: May 07, 2021 Length: 03:27 Genre:  A lternative Metal / Rapcore Origin:  Göttingen  /  Hamburg  /  Berlin ,  Germany German Crossover- and 90s Metal quartet Gebrüder Manns has recently released another wrecking ball called "Embrace your Pain!". I have introduced the band in yesterday's post , and am now deeply happy to present their latest single. "Embrace your Pain!" is a rough anthem for the fighters and for everyone who is going through times. The message is to embrace your suffering and stay sane. Although the new song is a bit less funky than "Different Voices", Gebrüder Manns create a tense soundscape that will please every Suicidal Tendencies fan. The new single is another moshpit hymn for fans of late-90s Alternative, Nu Metal, Rapcore, and Crossover. Gebrüder Manns create a massive arc of suspense by changing between gloomily atmospheric parts and p...

Picture Credit: Sharone   Sharone - Morbid Illusion Release Date: May 28, 2021 Label: DI Records  Format: Digital Length: 34:17 Genre: Melodic Metal / Gothic Rock Origin: Denver , CO , USA "Morbid Illusion" is the fourth album by Denver's multi-instrumentalist and solo artist Sharone. The Coloradan artist presents ten new tracks, all written and produced by herself, and recorded with the help of several guest musicians. On the new album, Sharone lets us dive into a dark and fantastic sonic reverie. The sinister topics concerned on "Morbid Illusions" reach from hopelessness to confidence, from depression and isolation to self-confidence, and from stagnation to empowerment and passion. Sharone's fourth full-length release is a collection of anthems for not giving up and believing in oneself, no matter how dark the night might be. Music-wise, you can obviously hear that Sharone is gifted and trained musician. The songwriting reveals that the artist is conversa...

Picture Credit: Truth & Tragedy   Truth & Tragedy - Innocence Abandoned Release Date: June 01, 2021 Label: Artillery / KingSide Records Format: CD / Digital Length: 32:54 Genre: Post Hardcore / Alternative Metal Origin: Bamberg , Germany In September 2020, German jazz musician Freddy Stauss  and former US soldier Aaron Bazen  had to face the fact that their band Veiled Ocean could barely rehearse due to the restrictions. Thus, the 40% of the Bamberg-based band began to write new songs as a duo. What began as a little side project, quickly developed a powerful momentum and hence, Stauss  and Bazen  released their first three-track EP " Thanks for Nothing " in November 2020. Only one month later, the single " Helmand " followed the debut. In this song, vocalist Aaron Bazen  concerns what he has experienced as a soldier in the Helmand province, Afghanistan. The song is featured on the debut album on hand, and by the way it was also featured in the Di...

Picture Credit: Venustra   Venustra - May, I Release Date: February 06, 2021 Length: 08:52 (12:01) Genre: Gothic Metal / Alternative Metal Origin: Austin , TX , USA "May, I" is a two-track (Bandcamp), respectively three-track (Spotify) single by Austin's Venustra. The title track was inspired by the film " May ", a psycho thriller by Lucky McKee , starring Angela Bettis . Further tracks are "Step Right up! (Adoration Destroyed Remixx)" and the bonus track "Los Ageless" (only on Spotify). Venustra was founded by Texan artist Synderalla Nervosa . The band is constantly releasing brachial music full of horror and darkness. Even if you have not watched the film, the song is inspired by, you can easily feel the thrill of protagonist May Kennedy 's dark desires. "May, I" is a brutal Alternative Metal piece, defined by sonic darkness, brachial riffs, and violent rhythms. The soundscapes spread darkness, horror, and gore, as Venustra c...

Picture Credit: Crimson Clean Sweep   Crimson Clean Sweep - Hexes Release Date: May 07, 2021 Length: 03:38 Genre: Metalcore / Alternative Metal Origin: Viola , Illinois , USA Viola-based quintet Crimson Clean Sweep are one of those bands that do not merge or combine genres. Instead, they just run through the boundaries between styles with the power of an army of jackhammers. If you are interested in a modern approach to raw and brachial music, you are ready the right post. In the press kit, Crimson Clean Sweep say they "sound like The Hex Girls if The Hex Girls were boys, tuned really low, and screamed". Well, that is one way to describe it. Crimson Clean Sweep's "Hexes" is a savage mix, combining the raw force of Nu Metal with merciless Metalcore blows, a dark Alternative Metal atmosphere, and the morbid aftertaste of Gothic Metal. So, Alternative Gothic Nu Metalcore? Crimson Clean Sweep bring Nu Metal to a new level. Fans of raging moshpits and sheer loudness...

Picture Credit: Far From Who We Are   Far From Who We Are - Sleep in Shadows Release Date: May 15, 2021 Length: 03:12 Genre: Metalcore / Alternative Metal Origin: Johannesburg , South Africa Half a year ago, Johannesburg's Far From Who We Are were featured in the Discoveries of the Week with their song "Rise". Six months later, I am glad to present their latest single "Sleep in Shadows" to you. The new track is the teaser for the eponymous EP that will be out via HopePunk Records later in June 2021. Besides band members Kyle Williams  (drums), Maarten Heyns  (bass), and Johan Heyns  (guitar, synths, vocals) get further vocal support by Gideon Kretschmer . "Sleep in Shadows" is a massive powerload made from (Nu) Metalcore and Alternative Metal. Riffs that weigh tons hover over heavy rhythms, but not without leaving space for emotive melodic leads. Far From Who We Are combine the gloom of late-90s Alternative with the intense force of post-Millenium Me...

Picture Credit: Lost Division   Lost Division - Cuts and Scars Release Date: May 28, 2021 Label: Inverse Records Format: CD / Digital Length: 41:14 Genre:  Heavy Metal  /  Melodic Metal Origin:  Oulu ,  Finland Three years ago, Oulu's Lost Division published their first two-track release " Wish you were dead ". Besides the title track, this EP (or single?) contained a song called 'In Memoriam'. Keep that in mind. In the year of the lockdown, the Finnish band recorded their first full-length album which was then released exactly three years after "Wish you were dead" saw the light of day. The new album is opened by the powerful banger 'In Memoriam 2.0' - a strong sequel to the track from the previous release. Now that is coherence. "Cuts and Scars" is a colourful album, defined by heavy riffing, massive walls of modern Heavy Metal sound, and very melodic arrangements. The tunes are very catchy and yet they are driven forward with intense...