New World Man return with a vengeance.
This decade has established itself as a great time for hardcore. While decades past have been instrumental in laying groundwork for the genre, there is a palpable surplus of hard-hitting and precisely-executed new releases in 2023. New World Man adds to the slew of fantastic 2023 hardcore releases with their new EP, The Beast Is Back. Following up their 2022 debut EP, guitarist Mike Shaw returns with his signature sense of cutting melodies and riffs that are undeniably infectious. Shaw’s guitar work was a key factor on the best hardcore release of 2022 (Mindforce’s New Lords), leaving little to the imagination upon hearing his playing on The Beast Is Back. Across the EP’s 16-minute runtime, Shaw delivers a performance that proves why he is one of the best guitarists in hardcore today. Aside from Shaw, New World Man is a band that simply possesses the intangible elements that make a band “the best”. From the opening moments of the EP’s titular track, New World Man’s rhythm section show they’ve got the skill necessary to make aggressive playing sound simultaneously effortless and invigorating. The vocals are punchy and abrasive in the best ways imaginable, keeping The Beast Is Back a gripping listen from beginning to end. “Reanimating The Face Of Death”, the highlight of the EP, would feel right at home alongside the best of Killing Time and Crumbsuckers. Tangible aggression, uncompromising attitude, and a clear sense of musicality are all fitting descriptions for this track and EP as a whole. If you’re looking to satisfy your classic NYHC itch, look no further than New World Man’s The Beast Is Back. The Beast Is Back out now via Streets Of Hate.
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Hardcore figurehead Justice Tripp leads Angel Du$t into their sixth full-length album cycle, as Brand New Soul is set for release on September 8 via Pop Wig.
"Very Aggressive", "Love Slam", and "Space Jam" serve as the album's singles. The latter of the three has an accompanying music video directed by Gnarlos Wright. The band is set to embark on a American tour throughout November and December. A full list of dates is available here. While these three singles possess a softened edge when compared to Tripp's previous band, Trapped Under Ice, the energy one can expect from one of Tripp's projects is ever present. We can assure this won't be a release to miss! Photo Credit: Polocho Chaos For The Fly is a genuinely brilliant, quick-witted, and delicate batch of material. While only a year has passed since Fontaines D.C.’s last album, Skinty Fia, frontman Grian Chatten successfully broadens his musical ambitions on his debut solo LP, Chaos For The Fly. As a unit, Fontaines D.C. have developed their place as a mainstay in modern rock via three critically acclaimed albums. 2019’s Dogrel and 2020’s A Hero’s Death both pay great musical homage to the sounds of Joy Division and Gang of Four, while Chatten’s now-signature understated delivery floats atop it all. While 2022’s Skinty Fia featured some of Fontaines D.C.’s best work in the form of “Jackie Down The Line” and “I Love You”, the record has notable attempts of diversifying the group’s sound (check out our full review of Skinty Fia here). While the tracks that do so vary in quality and impact, they make one thing clear: Chatten and Fontaines as a collective are following a different trajectory than the post-punk influences that birthed them. In keeping with that spirit, Chaos For The Fly is the most varied and unabashedly confident release that Chatten has to offer. From the opening phrases of lead-off single “The Score”, the album is established as a release that derives its power from subtlety. While Chatten’s vocal is classically himself, it is backed by an instrumental that wouldn’t be out of place among 2015 Soundcloud’s best offerings. While the pairing may sound jarring, we can assure it works. Chatten, a frontman heavily influenced by indie giants of the past, performs marvelously over a comparably modern style instrumental. “The Score” is a great way to signal that Chaos For The Fly sees Chatten exploring uncharted territory, but in the most exciting way imaginable. While “Last Time Every Time Forever” and album highlight “Fairlies” may feel closer to past-Fontaines releases, the orchestration and folk undertones of both tracks clearly define them as Chatten’s own. Delving further into the album, it becomes apparent that the experimentation that was apparent on Skinty Fia is strengthened on Chaos For The Fly. “Bob’s Casino” sees Chatten doing his best to hang with the likes of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra via the track’s breezy and brassy instrumental. Again, while this seems like an idea that shouldn’t work on paper, Chatten’s croon is paired alongside a wonderful vocal feature akin to Beth Gibbons (Portishead). It’s a great experiment that pays off leading into the second half of of Chaos For The Fly. “East Coast Bed” is a delightfully lucid and understated way to enter the second half of Chaos For The Fly. While the track has one of the more driving and enrapturing instrumentals, it never takes away from the allure created by Chatten’s personal performance. Stripped-back “Salt Throwers off a Truck” feels like one of the failed experiments from Skinty Fia, ultimately making it a weak link in the album’s sequence. Albeit a brief departure from the high quality of Chaos For The Fly, the record closes strongly with “I Am So Far” and the brooding “Season For Pain”. Chaos For The Fly results in the most varied and confident performance that Chatten has offered yet. One can only hope that the best aspects of this record carry over to future Fontaines D.C. and solo releases. Make sure not to skip this one! 8/10 Favorite Tracks: "Fairlies", "Bob's Casino", "East Coast Bed" Have you heard this record? Let us know in the comments! |
AuthorCarl Giannelli is a Connecticut based music advocate, songwriter, journalist, performer, and physical media preservationist. Archives
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