Deathwish Inc

Album Of The Week: Gouge Away- Deep Sage

As a giant music fan, I love when I hear albums that get me stuck on them. When that happens, I get so drawn into what is going on with everything about the album. Upon first listen of Gouge Away’s new and long awaited album, Deep Sage, I immediately started it again and I have yet to take it out of my rotation. The bands extended break and return to this material shows an immense growth in not only the bands approach to songwriting and ability to tell a story within a song, it also proved to be the right thing as these songs pack a walloping punch that is abrasive and urgent.

From the time the album starts with “Stuck In A Dream” all the way to the epic closer “Dallas,” Gouge Away have made an album that truly embodies what this band has always been capable of and more. Their first couple of releases started them on the path towards where they are now but, on Deep Sage it takes it to a whole other level. The way the album was recorded by Jack Shirley, really makes this album shine. The album was recorded live, the old fashioned way and that organic sound makes this record standout even more. The live feel of the album, the killer riffs and rhythms and the way the vocals grab you will not only make you pay attention but also shows the evolution of the band quite well.

I love this whole album so it’s hard for me to pick out certain songs to highlight. Instead of going track by track I will say this. Each song on Deep Sage is meant to be there and sequenced in such a manner that as I said above grabs your attention. The way Christina Michelle’s vocals are on this album showcase her talent not as a screamer but more as vocalist as she weaves really delicate webs and then can unleash a ferociousness that is quite intense, especially when you hear the songs “Idealized” and “Spaced Out.” The final track on the album, “Dallas” is a show stopper. I personally can’t wait to hear all these songs live but, this one in particular. There is such a wonderful dynamic shift within the song that when you hear it, let’s just say, you’ll know why this album is so damn good.

This is the type of album that gives me hope for the future of music. Not just in the genres that I enjoy most but, in general. Gouge Away made an album with Deep Sage that cements them as forces to be reckoned with but, also a record that stands out and can actually become a very influential album. Another thing about this album that I love is that it was made with a true passion and that shows through on each song. The live performance aspect really drives that home and it makes for a listening experience that feels alive. I can’t wait to see Gouge Away live and hear these songs. What a tremendous album this is. So much so that as of this writing, it’s my album of the year. I really do look forward to where the band goes next.

Overall Rating: A

Review By: Brian Lacy

Gouge Away- Deep Sage:

New Release: Gouge Away- Dallas

Gouge Away are one of the bands I’ve been impatiently for a new album from and the wait is almost over. On March 15, Gouge Away will release their new album, Deep Sage. After a brief hiatus during the pandemic, the band reconvened in late 2022 to pick up where they left off with writing what would become their new album. In March 2023, Gouge Away teamed up with Jack Shirley at Atomic Garden East and began recording the album. The album was recorded completely analog and almost entirely live. The band performed together in a live room while vocalist Christina Michelle was in an isolation booth, her vocals projected from a monitor so the band could hear her. The end result is a raw unapologetic, noisey yet introspective record that is at the heart of what this band has always been.

Dallas:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=2EOnC7Fdx8c%3Fsi%3DE5NPZbp75SAlmLpE

Gouge Away Bandcamp (Stream 2 more songs “Stuck In A Dream” and “Idealized”

New Release: Frail Body- Refrain

This week seems to be a week where I keep listening to bands I haven’t in a while. Well, let’s keep the train rolling with this gem. Frail Body is back with their upcoming second album, Artificial Bouquet which arrives March 29, 2024 via Deathwish Inc. The first single released “Refrain” is one hell of a track that blurs the lines of hardcore, post-hardcore, black metal, and what the origins of “screamo” were all about. Personally, I’m excited to hear where this band goes from this point. This song is only the start of something I have a feeling.

PRE-ORDERS HERE

Frail Body- Refrain:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DXGN8qWcDpQ%3Fsi%3DE3XCvbKq6amN2waH

Album Review: Loma Prieta- Last

I love it when I put on an album with zero preconceived notions and it absolutely rattles me in a way that I can’t get enough of it. Recently that happened when Loma Prieta released their first album in eight years, Last. From the moment this album starts till the end, it will captivate you and compel you to keep listening as you find all sorts of nuances and intricate moments that leave you wanting more. For a band that’s been around for 20 plus years, you can tell that Loma Prieta still has a lot left to say.

Last is an album that takes many different shapes and turns. Their ability to shift from genres in songs is astounding and it pulls you in even more. Throughout this album there is no shortage of sonic assaults that push boundaries. The chaotic elements breathe musical life into the songs in a way that it’s almost poetic. The intensity that flows through this album is violent yet beautiful. It’s like watching a frozen rose crack. The beauty of it all is encapsulated within these 11 songs. There is a sense of ferocious urgency to songs like “NSAIDs,” “Dose,” and “Fire In Black & White.” Then there’s the songs that are more visceral and epic like “Symbiosis (my favorite on the album),” “Glare” “Dreamlessness” and the closing track “LLC.” I could elaborate more descriptively but, I really don’t want to give anything away.

The cross section of genres explored on Last stem from hardcore, post hardcore, noise rock, space rock and everything in between, shows that they have continuously evolved while still keeping true to their roots. The quiet to loud moments have a clarity that is reminiscent a bit of The Pixies with way more distortion. While the heavier moments hit with an explosiveness that would ignite a wildfire. Loma Prieta have delivered an album that not only hits it out of the park but, also gets down to the nitty gritty of life and the trials and tribulations. There is an intense emotion that soars throughout the album that shows truth and humanity in a way that so many other bands that strive for this, should take note of. Do yourself a favor and listen to this album! It’s without a doubt in my top 5 albums of the year!

Overall Rating: A

Loma Prieta- Last:

Glare (Official Video):

New Release: Converge (Blood Moon)- Coil

As they prepare for the release of their collaborative new album— featuring Chelsea Wolfe, Ben Chisholm and Stephen Brodsky, Converge have unveiled the second single from Bloodmoon: I, “Coil.” Speaking on the song, Jacob Bannon comments, “’Coil’ turned out to be one of my favorite songs I’ve ever been a part of. There is an infectious slow build that ends up becoming theatrical in tone. Lyrically it was a true collaboration, with all of us expanding on each other’s ideas as they came to be. I believe Chelsea’s vocal was the starting point in that for this one. Kurt really pushed vocal harmonies to a new level as well. Encouraging many of Steve’s ideas while we were in the studio tracking together. This one really has everyone of us firing on all cylinders creatively.” When you hear this song, you’ll get it. It’s such a tremendous track. I personally can’t wait for this album. Ever since they performed at Roadburn I’ve been waiting for this to finally come to fruition. Bloodmoon: I, out November 19th on CD/Digital and on Vinyl June 24th.


Converge- Coil:

Converge- Blood Moon:

Album Review: Bossk- Migration
Migration - Bossk

There are some bands out there that are very meticulous and worth the wait. One such band is Bossk. Throughout their career, Bossk has developed a cult following within the Post-Metal genre and has carved their own spot among their peers. Their new album, Migration, is a post-metal, cinematic and ferocious gem. The layers and textures found throughout the album expand with each listen. There is so much to this album that you will be wanting to hit the start button all over again once it’s over.

The album brings together different elements that when fused together makes for one hell of a great listen. One of my favorite things about this album is the atmospheric approach to the songs. It’s experimental and psychedelic at the same time. The push and pull of tension found in the post-metal genre is beyond strong on this release. Each moment captivates your senses and draws you in more and more. I could go on and on about the each song but, as I’ve said in other reviews, that would just take away from the element of surprise. The production on Migration is superb. The synths shine and cut through in a way that is almost haunting. The rumble of the low end and drums makes your blood flow faster and your heart pound harder. The riffs are crunchy and crisp. On the songs with vocals, even the different vocalists help to propel these songs into another dimension.

Bossk have truly created a masterpiece of an album with Migration. There is a real ebb and flow that captures you from the first note. To be able to capture these sounds and feelings makes Migration a truly remarkable album. An album like this has the ability to bring in other listeners from different genres and expand the minds of them. The richness of Migration is on full display with each song. It’s almost like they transcended while making this album which makes the future is very bright for Bossk. Serious contention for Album Of The Year is strong with this one.

Overall Rating: A

Bossk-Migration:

Anticipated Albums: Bossk- Migration

Over the past few years, I started delving deeper into certain record labels and their catalogs. One label that I’ve come to really admire is Deathwish Inc. This label is run by the legendary Jacob Bannon of Converge/Wear Your Wounds and Tre McCarthy. This label has and continued to be a force with great bands and releases such as, Cult Leader, Cold Cave, Code Orange, Boysetsfire, Deafheaven, Oathbreaker, Planes Mistaken For Stars, Terror, Birds In Row and Bossk. Now, speaking of Bossk, they are gearing up to release their long awaited second album, Migration (out June 18). Migration features 7 new tracks of pummeling post-metal; recorded in 2019 and finalized in 2020, this new album sees Bossk joined by guest vocalists Johannes Persson (Cult of Luna) and Josh McKeown (Palm Reader). The first single “Menhir” features Johannes of Cult of Luna and it’s a sludgy beast of a track. This new album, and first in 5 years is chock full of synth noise and atmospheric guitars to towering, pummeling riffs and vocals, creating a sonic landscape like no other. If you are in the mood for something a bit on the outside or the norm, definitely turn the volume up on Bossk!

Bossk- Menhir (featuring Johannes Persson of Cult of Luna):

Band Of The Week: Blunt Razors

I love a good side project. More often than not, the side project allows the artist to explore a different side and see where that experiment goes. It’s quite interesting to hear this other side and experience something you aren’t used to hearing from that person. Which leads me to the band of the week, Blunt Razors. I’ve long been a fan of the band Planes Mistaken For Stars and when I heard that Gared O’Donnell and Neil Keener were working on new music that wasn’t going to be Planes material, I became very intrigued. While quarantined together throughout 2020 in Peoria, IL, they wrote and recorded a plethora of incredible songs. Sonically, some were enough of a departure from Planes Mistaken For Stars, that the pair felt it deserved a different name. And with that, Blunt Razors was conceived. Their debut release, Early Aught, is comprised of five gut-wrenching originals that have the grit and charm that Gared and Neil are known for. The two songs released so far, “Speeding” and “Amber Waves” show that there is a whole other level of creativity to these two talented writers. Their debut is out on November 20 (via Deathwish Inc).


Blunt Razors- Speeding:


Blunt Razors- Amber Waves:

New Release: Umbra Vitae-Mantra Of Madness

umbravitae

A couple weeks back, a new band was unveiled in the form of Umbra Vitae which features Jacob Bannon of Converge, Mike McKenzie of The Red Chord, Sean Martin of Twitching Tongues, ex Hatebreed, Greg Weeks of The Red Chord and Jon Rice of Uncle Acid, ex Job For A Cowboy. The first song they released, “Return To Zero” was one hell of a track out of the gates but, this new one, “Mantra Of Madness,” is a whole other level of killer. The title is quite fitting for the times we live in at the moment too. Their debut album Shadow of Life, comes out May 1st on Deathwish. So, with all that in mind, check this out!!!

Umbra Vitae- Mantra Of Madness:

Return To Zero:

New Release: Oathbreaker- Ease Me

a3170439943_16.jpg

A while back, Oathbreaker released a new song called “Ease Me” on the Adult Swim Metal Swim 2 compilation. Now, a new EP release featuring the song along with a few different remixes by Jesu, Chelsea Wolfe and others, will be released May 8th (via Deathwish Inc.). Oathbreaker is one of the best bands I’ve heard in a long time and their 2016 album Rheia is an absolute masterpiece. If you’ve never heard it, I urge you to do so. Check out Ease Me and the Ease Me (Jesu Remix) below!

Oathbreaker- Ease Me:

 

 

Oathbreaker- Ease Me (Jesu Remix):