pop

(8/10) My Indigo might not be a name that sounds very familiar to metalheads, but knowing that My Indigo is the new solo project of Within Temptation singer Sharon den Adel gives a bit more inside into what to expect.

The solo album results out of a tough period in life the iconic vocalist went through after having finished the “Hydra”-tour. It was a time when things that have been familiar over years all of a sudden changed, leading to a situation of being uninspired and tired. Den Adel decided to step back for a while, focusing on family, friends and hobbies.

During this time the magic of songwriting slowly returned, but it still needed three attempts from scratch to get things moving. Songs that were written have been wider than Within Temptation only and it was “My Indigo”, the song, that was the first puzzle piece of many more to follow, creating a beautiful musical picture entitled “My Indigo”.

The longplayer became a very personal one and it’s the emotional aspect that makes the album to an excellent one. “My Indigo” has nothing to do with Within Temptation. From a musical perspective things can be described as a pop/rock album that includes quite some singer/songwriter elements. Each of the tunes on the album comes with a catchy melody, providing an ease to the album. At the same time it’s the emotional depth of “My Indigo” that makes it stand out from the rest of releases, following a similar pattern. This album comprises of songs that are popular without getting even close to standardized pop music.

“My Indigo” is an album that has nothing to do with headbanging, loudness and riffs. It’s an emotional journey, done by an iconic singer. Sharon den Adel wrote this album for herself and if folks like it or not wasn’t something considered on the entire journey. And it was this focus that makes the longplayer to a very good one and it will surely reach a wider group of music fans. “My Indigo” is exquisite music with a high level of authenticity. A true soundtrack for spring- and summer time.

(8/10)

Tracklist:

1. My Indigo
2. Crash and Burn
3. Black Velvet
4. Indian Summer
5. Out of the Darkness
6. Star Crossed Lovers
7. Someone Like You
8. Safe and Sound
9. Lesson Learned
10. Where is My Love

Label: BMG

Genre: Pop/Rock

Release Date EU: April 20^th, 2018

(3/10) When I received the new album from Run Liberty Run my expectations haven't been very high. OK, I haven't heard of the band before but there were two things that struck me. What should I look forward to when a band calls themselves Run Liberty Run? And how will the album sound like when the four guys on the cover look more like being members of a boygroup rather than being a metal/rock band?

Run Liberty Run is based in Karlsruhe, Germany. According to their FB side they started in 2013 and the four guys are Schep (Vocals/Guitar), Seb (Drums), Marv (Guitar) and Steff (Bas)). It was two years ago when they canged their name into Run LIberty Run after sailing under the banner of Rune for some years.

After having listened to the first notes my concerns and doubts got confirmed. Run Liberty Run plays music that is basically build on electro sounds that are combined with with some guitars which should add a rocking element to the whole. So far so good, or bad. Unfortunately the ten songs on "We Are" have an own identity as a grain of sand on the beach. I had the feeling that I heard all this stuff before and actually much better. There are no real moments of surprise.

"We Are" sounds artificial and rational. The songs are dressed for success and Run Liberty Run comes across as a casting show band. They might not be one, but the fact that they had an appearance on X-Factor isn't a jaw-dropping stunner either. The only positive effect is a quite good production the album is benefiting from. 

For the rest each of the ten tracks is drowning in pop catchy melodies that are as sweet as a cherry pie on a Sunday afternoon coffee table. And as it is with the cherry pie, if you get too much it starts to hurt. Same with this release.

Run Liberty Run is a service provider that delivers music that might be easy listening but that comes without any depth or own identity. Nothing for me and I guess also nothing for most of you to go for.

(3/10)

Tracklist:

1. Ashes and Dust
2. We Are
3. Rain
4. Where are You Now
5. Start a Fire
6. Closer
7. Take me
8. Sayonara
9. Hold on
10. Bengal Fires

Label: earMUSIC

Genre: Electro Pop/Rock

Release Date EU: July 22nd, 2016

(3/10) "Love or a Lie" is the debut of Swiss-based Steelmade. Switzerland is known for chocolade and watches, but also hardrock bands like Gotthard and Shakra are well selling export articles of the alpine country. The question if Steelmade can add to this strong tradition is easily answered with a clear 'No'.

Steelmade, the name sounds promising, can't live up to the expectations the name raises. It's not that much about steel, since the songs aren't hard, aren't heavy and aren't strong. The eleven tracks sound more like easy to bend aluminium. 

Therefore it's not a big surprise that "Without", with some softer parts, belongs to the better songs. But in general the album comes with no highlight, sounds uninspired is bloodless and doesn't knock your socks off. Tunes like "Desire and Love" are actually build on a not too bad guitar riff, but here it's the vocals that are killing the vibe, like in some other songs too. And last but not least songs like "Sweet Lady" and the title track are dead losses.

After having heard the album my ears are screaming for a dose of rockin' Gotthard songs to wash out what they've heard.

Sorry Steelmade, this album is a  full disappointment.

(3/10)

Tracklist:

1. Even Gods Have Enemies
2. Stay
3. Revolution
4. Without
5. Desire and Love
6. Silent Cries
7. We are Bizarre
8. Sweet Lady
9. Love and a Lie
10. Killing me
11. Edda

Label: Timezone Records

Genre: Rock

Release Date EU: May 20st, 2016
 

(5/10) The development of Bring Me The Horizon's sound is a quite drastic one. The guys from Sheffield, Yorkshire started as a pure deathcore band before their second album included more metalcore element. That was in 2007/2008. In the meantime the five-piece have left those fields too and the newest release is more pop-based modern rock. What a journey.

"That's the Spirit" is the name of the new longplayer that is filled with 11 new tracks. I wonder if I like this 'spirit'. The above mentioned transformation went further on and Bring Me The Horizon gave up their metalcore roots completely. To develop a band's sound further is one thing, but such a dramatic change is maybe a bit too much.

When I heard the album for the first time and when I heard the opener for the first time I was confused. I wasn't sure if I put the right CD into the player. What reached my ears was closer to some trance music than to Bring Me The Horizon. Songs like "Follow You" aren't better - soft pop melodies that can't be even described as rock; and that have been heard a million times. The same goes for tunes like the bloodless "Run". No lsoul, no life, no spirit.

And if all of a sudden a harder riff appears, like in "Happy Song", Bring Me The Horizon immediately kills it with some sticky keyboards.

The album isn't really bad and there are some moments/songs that have their charm. But all in all I have a hard time to link what I heard on "That's the Spirit" to what band stood for in the past. Even the catchy predessor had some wild songs like "Shadow Moses". Maybe it would have been better to combine such a drastic development with a change of the band's name since the main trademarks are gone. It feels like transforming a Ferrari into an Opel Astra by still naming it Ferrari.

However, their is at least a consistency in change, wether we like it or not. "That's the Spirit" will reach even a broader mainstream target group, but it also leaves the fields of dirty powerful metalcore far behind.

(5/10)

Tracklist:

1. Doomed
2. Happy Song
3. Throne
4. True Friends
5. Follow You
6. What You Need
7. Avalanche
8. Run
9. Drown
10. Blasphemy
11. Oh No

Label: RCA Int. (Sony Music)

Genre: Pop Metal

Release date EU: September 11th, 2015

(5/10) The Bunny The Bear is a project of Matthew Tybor which was founded in 2008. Tybor was looking for a musical counterpart and found Chris Hutka. In the meantime Hutka left the band again and it is Haley Roback how joined The Bunny The Bear, signing responsible for the clean vocals part on "A liar wrote this".

The music that resulted out of this cooperation is quite controvers. The two musicians created a crossover melange that is mainly based on clean vocals from Hutka, deep growls and screms of Tybor, all on top of pop melodies with a big electronic foundation. 

I actually like if bands expertiment and "A liar wrote this" is definitely something where musicians try out new stuff. On the other side this doesn't mean that you necessarly have to like what reaches your ears.

Blending hardcore, rock, pop and electronica to an unique mix is something I haven't heard in such a consequent version.  However, for me the album became a bit too much of everything. The growls, the desperate screams and the catchy pop melodies doesn't go together very well. But I have to admit, that after the first shock I got more used to it.

What I really like is the voice of Roback. Her clean vocals are a real highlight and it would be great to hear her singing in another context in the future. She's really good.

"A liar wrote this", actually a smart title for the album, is interesting, but not my cup of tea.

(5/10)

Tracklist:

1. Vows
2. Love, trust and compromise
3. Curtain call
4. Sick, sad eyes
5. Empty hands
6. Lover's touch
7. Oblivion
8. It's not always cold in Buffalo (Revisited)
9. Sleep sequence
10. Somewhat stadards
11. Loose lips
12. Dead leaves
13. Motion

Label: Victory Records

Genre: Electronic Metal

Release date: July 28th, 2015

(5/10) OMG. This disc really feels like a curveball. For sure it isn't easy to say something about the new shooting starts from Japan. Maybe they aren't that popular in Europe and North America yet, but the three girls created a big hype in their home country already.

I have listened to the album a couple of times and I still don't know what I should think about it. So far, metal from Japan, for me, was closely connected to bands like Loudness. But this was the past and Babymetal is the here and now. 

Babymetal feels like a mixture of heavy metal and the manga hype. What makes really fun with the album are the sometimes heavy riffs that remind to thrash bands like Pantera and the early Metallica. If you listen to "Gimme chocolate!!" you immediately understand what I mean. So far so good.

Now comes the 'BUT'. Babymetal, what a name, mixes these might riffs with techno, J-pop and squeaking vocals. This feels, let's say it nicely, as something totally new. This combination of styles made the band being the support act for Lady Gaga as well as performing at the Sonicsphere.

I have a lot of respect for trying out new things. This means development which preempt stagnation in music and art. Bands like Babymetal keep the scene vital and the controversity is good.

This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to like the result of this. I think that Babymetal is a nice 'ricochet' for the metal community and the three girls should enjoy their moment of fame. I can't imagine that they accompany us for a longer period and for this shorter moment of time we should turn a blind eye/ear to "Babymetal".

(5/10)

Tracklist:

1. Babymetal death
2. Megitsune
3. Gimme chocolate!!
4. line!
5. Akatsuki
6. Doki Doki - morning
7. Onedari daisakusen
8. Song 4
9. Uki uki - midnight
10. Catch me if you can
11. Rondo of nightmare
12. Head bangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!
13. Ijime, fame, zettai
14. Road of resistance
15. Gimme chocolade!! (Live)

Label: earMUSIC

Genre: Techno Metal

Releasedate: Already released

(5/10) Actually I like(d) A Life Divided. Their mix of metal and electro sounded quite good on the former releases "The great escape" and "Passenger". The band from Munich, Germany found the right mix of harder guitars and catchy electro beats.

This was also my expectation when I got the newest album of A Life Divided. And the start is quite OK. "Burst" and "The most beautiful black" have a certain punch and are good stuff.

But from "Inside me" onwards things start to change. The songs get very much mainstream. Guitars are getting more and more into the back while the electro-parts gain. The whole thing has it's peak in "Right where I belong" that sound like a mix of Depeche Mode and 80's pop. I don't know what A Life Divided had in mind when they wrote this song, but it is far away from the older material. This song, is the anticlimax on "Human". "Could you" goes into the same direction by at least having better hooks. More examples needed? "Live forever" is another one. A fiddling tune that lacks inspiration and I was tempted to use the 'skip' button.

After having heard those track I hoped that "Drive" has a bit more 'drive'. And the beginning also sounds promising before the songs turn again into a trivial one in the verse. Bridge and chorus are better.

What is on the credit side of A Life Divided is the good production of the album and a sense for catchy melodies (at least in most of the tracks). But this isn't enough to convince especially since they have proven on "The great escape" that they can do much better. Where are new songs that can compete with e.g. "Perfect day" or "It ain't good". I only could see some cross references to a certain extend.

"Human" is an album that might give the band some new fans, but I have expected more.

(5/10)

Tracklist:

1. Burst
2. The most beautiful black
3. Inside me
4. Own mistake
5. Right where I belong
6. Just nothing
7. Could you
8. Drive
9. My apology
10. Believe
11. Live forever
12. Lay me down
13. Happy end

Label: AFM Records

Genre: Rock