In this instalment of A Cuppa Music we’ve got a metalcore theme raging its way through the week.
In this instalment of A Cuppa Music we’ve got a metalcore theme raging its way through the week. With new albums and videos making their appearances, this genre seems to have been the key influence of my personal playlist these last few days.
By no means the only releases in the music world this week, these are the ones that have sparked my interest the most.
Texas in July: Bloodwork
Texas in July are one of the bands who have lurked in the shadows of the metalcore genre (most notably behind their hometown competitors August Burns Red) failing to strike out as leading players.
They played it safe through three full-length albums, before announcing that vocalist Alex Good and guitarist Christian Royer had decided to leave the band earlier this year. Judging by the results of their new release Bloodwork, this could easily have been a blessing in disguise.
In the new album we hear Cam Welsh taking on lead guitars, and real game-changer J.T. Cavey stepping up to the plate with fresh vocals. Texas In July have rose to the challenge of keeping their sound with new members, while also developing as a band. The new vocals introduce a melodic edge that was lacking before while keeping those growling vocals we expect.
Tracks to listen out for: Broken Soul, Sweetest Poison and Bloodwork
Sleepwave: Broken Compass
The latest offering from Epitaph Records is debut album Broken Compass from Florida’s duo Sleepwave. Former Underoath singer Spencer Chamberlain teamed up with Stephen Bowman to divulge from their metalcore roots, and bring us a new taste of hard rock with a mix of grunge and melody.
Broken Compass is an interesting album with enough experimentation to carry it through. It might not be a game changer but it’s one you can keep coming back to.
It’s hard to place a genre on this one as it seems derived from a multiplex of sounds and influences, from straight up hard-rock in tracks “Rock and RollIs Dead and So Am I” and “The Wolf,” to an injection of electronic beats in “Whole Again”, and through to powerhouse track “Through The Looking Glass.”
You’re never really sure where Broken Compass is going from one to track to the next, but it keeps moving in a way that’s accessible and can ease you into their alternative rock sounds. It’s not ground-breaking quite yet, but I’m interested to see where Sleepwave are going.
The Ghost Inside: Dear Youth
I last saw these metalcore giants in December, where they joined Volumes and Texas in July to support The Devil Wears Prada at The Observatory, near their hometown of Los Angeles. Their melodic hardcore sounds and hooking vocal melodies had you hanging on their every word. Dear Youth is another Epitaph Records release, expected November 17th of this year.
A new single, “Dear Youth (Day 52),” and fan-submitted lyric video accompanied the announcement of The Ghost Inside’s fourth studio album. They also streamed the album’s lead single “Avalanche” earlier this month.
Although featuring a tired sounding riff for its intro, “Avalanche” still got fans excited for the new album, and the latest video has definitely fuelled that excitement even further.
What stirred your music interests this week? Let us know in the comments below!
