I love that feeling of putting an album on without any pre conceived thoughts and getting absolutely swept away by it. That’s exactly what happened the instant the first beat hit on Heavy Halo’s new album Damaged Dream. The moment I put this album on I was hooked. I’m not sure what I was looking for at the moment but, I knew this album was for me. Since I got this album, it has been in non stop rotation for me. Actually I’ve been aching to write about this album and share it with you all.
Heavy Halo’s sound is packed with so many things that I love like industrial, alternative rock, electronic elements and a nice splashing of gothic expression. Imagine if Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure and early New Order (Movement era) all combined forces to create music, that combination is what you get on Damaged Dream. Throughout the ten songs on this album you get lost in the ambience, pulsating beats, driving guitars and great soaring melodies that add the light to a dark setting. There are hooks aplenty found throughout Damaged Dream and they are more like ear candy. Lyrically this is a deeply reflective album that hits you in all the feels in a great way. It’s a more uplifting feeling than what most bands would tend to do.
The way this album flows from start to finish is like blood flowing. It’s quite the rush. There isn’t one song on here that feels out of place. Each track is drenched with this feeling that makes you want to get up and move. Not necessarily in a “dancing way” but, more so in a way that gets you revved up for taking on a day and conquering it. I’d love to pinpoint certain songs but, it’s better if you just listen to this album from start to finish. It’s one of those albums! I really love this album. So much so that it’s definitely in my top 5 of 2025! Do yourself a favor and take some time and let Heavy Halo rock your world!
The other day I was going through my site making notes of things that I need to do. While doing so, I noticed that some of my articles especially the album ranks, are quite old and my thoughts on some of these have changed so I thought why not update these. One of the first ones that I thought of was Helmet. I’m still not over that show from earlier this year. It was seriously one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time. Well, with that in mind, here’s an updated ranking of Helmet’s albums. And if you get the chance to go see Helmet live, GO!!! It will be one of the best decisions you’ll make!
From Not The Best To The Best:
09) Seeing Eye Dog:
08) Dead To The World:
07) Strap It On:
06) Monochrome:
05) Left:
04) Aftertaste:
03) Size Matters:
02) Betty*:
01) Meantime*:
*Note: Meantime and Betty could be flipped depending on the day!
I’ve been having these mind blowing moments when I think about bands and albums these days. Mainly it’s realizing that I’ve been listening to a band or album for over 20-30 years. Growing up with all this music really has become “the soundtrack to my life.” One such band that really has me in this trance is Bush. I’ve been a fan since I first heard them at 10/11 years old. They’ve been one of those constant bands in my life. Even when Gavin went to do the Institute side project or his solo album, Gavin and especially Bush have really played a big part in my musical life.
Now on their tenth studio album, and after riding quite high off of two fantastic albums in The Kingdom and The Art Of Survival, it’s only fitting that I Beat Loneliness is the follow up to those two albums. While the past two records have really accentuated the heavy down-tuned riffs and got the band back on track, this new album really focuses on the lyrical messages and vocal delivery. From start to finish, I Beat Loneliness really connects and the relationship between the listener and these songs will definitely tap into your inner self. There is still an anger and edge to some of these songs, while others really delve more into those thoughts and feelings that can be uncomfortable. Gavin’s voice and delivery of the lyrics really shines on this album.
Another aspect of I Beat Loneliness that I find interesting is, it’s the album all the critics said their third album, The Science Of Things was production wise. The only thing that really takes the album down a notch is that the drums sound super programmed as well as flat. Because when you see the band live, it’s so in your face and bombastic that this just doesn’t sound right. The songs are there and Gavin sounds great. The heavy songs have solid good riffs and the more delicate songs are good songs but the production lacks the full emotional depth needed to convey some of these. If Steve Albini were still alive he would have been perfect to record Gavin’s vocals let alone this whole album.
All in all Bush has delivered yet again with a tremendous album. Gavin Rossdale really is underrated when it comes to songwriting as well as lyrics, melodies and vocals. As much as I love the classic Bush, the new line up with Chris Traynor, Corey Britz and Nik Hughes is the perfect complement to what Bush is doing these days.
Overall Rating: B or 8.5/10
Standout Tracks: I Beat Loneliness, I’m Here To Save Your Life, Love Me Till The Pain Fades, Don’t Be Afraid, Footsteps In The Sand
We are coming up to the halfway point of 2025 and I thought now would be a good time to do a Best Of 2025… So Far. In here you’ll find what I think are the best albums released so far as well as the best concerts I’ve seen all year!
Best Albums Of 2025… So Far: ALBUMS!!!!
01) Idle Heirs- Life Is Violence This album is my absolute favorite of the year so far and I don’t think anything is going to over take it unless Nine Inch Nails puts out their new album this year. I love this album and everything it entails. The sheer rawness and atmospheric nature of it all as well as the devastating nature of it and how real it all comes to life.
02) Linkin Park- From Zero (Deluxe Edition) From Zero is already a great album. It’s not the best thing this band has ever done (Meteora and A Thousand Suns take that prize) but, this album is phenomenal. And I’m being absolutely serious. When it came out towards the end of 2024 it left a lasting impression on me and now with the 3 additional songs added, it just takes it to a whole other level. It’s criminal how good this album is!!!!
03) Guiltless- Teeth To Sky This album is another that is still in rotation and I keep finding more and more to love about this record. As I mentioned in my album of the week feature, having a band play music like this but, flipping the script and making it optimistic instead of straight doom and gloom, really puts this album up high.
04) Spiritbox- Tsunami Sea I’ve quite enjoyed this album. It’s a really well put together album with some really killer songs on it. It’s a really solid second album as well that is quite cohesive. I just recently went to see Spiritbox live and they are a really good live band and these songs definitely go harder than on album as one would expect. It’s going to be interesting to see and hear where they go next.
05) Coheed And Cambria- Vaxis III: The Father Of Make Believe Coheed is back!!! Not that they went away, I mean it more in that after the past two albums which felt kind of long and more of a collection of songs, they are back with an “album” that really kicks ass. If you are a fan of albums such as In Keeping Secrets and Good Apollo Part IV, then you’ll really dig this one. It’s a really good album that has a great flow to it. And there also feels like a renewed sense of the band on this one too as the performances really are kicked up a few notches!
06) Youth Code- Yours, With Malice I’ve been a Youth Code fan for quite some time so, when it came time for this record to arrive, I was pretty stoked and it’s a banger! Though only an EP, Yours, With Malice doesn’t lose a beat with the punishing and menacing beats pulsating along with vocals that reflect the trying times and harsh reality of it all.
07) Tonguecutter- Minnow When I first heard Tonguecutter’s Minnow, I thought I was in a time machine back to 1993 in a great way. This band and album have been a really cool surprise to hear in 2025. They make music that I’ve always loved and give it a bump in energy. Really look forward to more from Tonguecutter. They are one of those bands if the right people hear it will really resonate!
08) Black Map- Hex I’ve been a fan since the first single dropped and Black Map keeps getting better! Hex is one hell of an album. It’s short, concise and very direct in its approach. Throughout the 9 songs and 32 minutes, you are taken on a ride of great riffs and rhythms along with soaring melodic vocals. I keep finding myself listening to this album as whole more so than picking songs. Give this one a good spin!!
09) SOM- Let The Light In I remember seeing SOM open for Holy Fawn a couple years back and I was hooked from that point. Their new album, Let The Light In, is a tremendous album that really expands upon their already epic nature. I find myself listening to this a lot when I need something a bit more calming or relaxing as their post-metal sound reaches new heights.
10) Machinekit- Goddamn Vanity This LA techno-punk band is awesome! The new album, Goddamn Vanity, strikes quite hard. It’s abrasive and quite powerful. The way this album gut punches you is superb. The aggressive nature of this album is harks back to late 80’s Ministry and Broken era Nine Inch Nails. Also, their live show is one of the most fun and energetic shows you can see!
BEST CONCERTS OF 2025… SO FAR:
01) Poison The Well, Glassjaw, Better Lovers at Hollywood Palladium 02) Snot at SoHo Santa Barabara 03) Helmet and Slomosa at The Regent Theater 04) Jerry Cantrell and Filter at Ventura Theater 05) Danzig and Down at Forum 06) Meshuggah, Cannibal Corpse & Carcass at Forum 07) Deftones at Forum 08) Spiritbox at Hollywood Palladium 09) Kerry King at Fonda Theater 10) All Cobalt/Audioeclectica shows!
Ever since I heard “I’m Just The Driver” by Black Map a few years back, I’ve been hooked on them. When I think of the band Black Map, I know I’m consistently going to be hearing a really solidly good rock record with great riffs, soaring melodic and velvety vocals, pulsating low end and thunderous drums. So it’s no surprise to me that their new album Hex, delivers the goods on this record.
From the get go the rock begins. Chock full of hooks and those driving riffs and rhythms, “Disintegrate” sets the tone for what the next eight songs bring. There are moments that remind me a bit of Thrice, Cave In and Failure throughout. The melodic sensibilities that compliment the heaviness on the album is what makes Black Map stand out. And if what the company in which I just mentioned is what this is reminiscent of, that’s some good association. The way this album flows shows that Black Map have really honed in on creating a lush album. At times too even when the music goes into a slower tempo, the weight of the lyrics and delivery of the vocals of Ben Flanagan are just as heavy as his bass, or Mark Engles guitar tone, or the earth shattering drums of Chris Robyn.
There’s a very introspectiveness to this album. In a time when there is a lot to think about and deal with, having a voice like Ben’s that melody rich and soaring with passion, gives the listener ease and connection without having to shout or scream. Though there are moments that are very direct. The guitar work on Hex is also a bit more in a progressive nature. Not in the way of Dredg, even though there are shades of it, it’s more in tune with how Failure expands upon it’s sound in a spacey way. And to top it off with Chris Robyn’s drums it’s like the icing and cherry on top as the bass lines and drums connect in a way that as I mentioned above is quite thunderous. Trust me, when you hear it live, you will definitely know! Hex is a tremendous album that packs quite a lot of goodies in it’s 32 minute running time. And it’s one of those that you’ll want to start again so you can pick out more things to enjoy about this record. And a round of applause to producer Beau Burchell who really brought out some of the best work the band has done.
I haven’t seen a lot of movies out in theaters these days. One I did venture out to see that I was really intrigued by was the new film, Sinners. From the previews and what I heard it seemed like a fun movie and oh boy was it. I haven’t had that much fun watching a new movie in quite some time. If you are looking for a really fun movie, I recommend Sinners. One of the things that I did notice while watching the film was a song that stood out quite interestingly well and it turns out it was Jerry Cantrell. The song he wrote for the film “In Moonlight” has this really awesome blues drawl to it mixed with Jerry’s signature sound. It was one of those songs that really struck the mood in the film! Also, Lars Ulrich played drums on it! So we are getting ever closer to that Metallica and Alice In Chains collab or tour. I can feel it coming in the next couple of years! I mean how awesome would it be to see Metallica tour with Alice In Chains?!?!?!?! Anyways, enjoy this song. I know I sure do!
This has been a long time coming and it’s finally here! The All New and Revamped Audioeclectica Podcast. I’m very pleased and proud to be bringing this back. Joining me on this venture are a few people that I’d like to shout out. First being my co-host Justin Sinclair (of sinistermusicreviews.wordpress.com). Justin is a good friend of mine and we share a common interest in a lot of the same music and I’ve taken it upon myself to expand his musical horizons. And it’s definitely paid off! Look at you know! Also a shout to Diggy at Lucky Star Radio for hosting the show and for all your behind the scenes work. And finally my friend Dionne at JASI Entertainment for pushing me to get this thing going again and for the support!
The first episode is all about reunions, bands that have stuck it out, best reunions, cash grab bands/tours, reunions we wish would happen and more. Plus some really great tidbits of information about the bands, tours, shows, and then some. This is the first of many episodes to come. Lots of different topics will be discussed and opinions shared. So come along for this ride and join the fun!
If there is a topic on your mind you’d like us to discuss, leave us a comment and we will add it to the list.
Thank you all for your support throughout the years! Audioeclectica is on its way to bigger and better things and this is just the start! Stay Tuned and remember to always Listen Eclectically!
Over the past couple weeks I’ve been diving into some new tunes that have peaked my interest. Some of these are new albums and a couple are ones that I’ve revisited because it’s been a minute since I listened to it. Here’s 10 albums that I’ve been listening to. Take a listen and enjoy!
01) Idle Heirs- Life Is Violence: I love this album. It’s the best album I’ve heard all year. This debut album has definitely made it’s way to my list of best debuts of all time. Read more about this album HERE and be sure to check this one out! IT’S A MUST! I should note that I haven’t gone a day without listening to this album since I got it. It’s That Good!
02) Pale Rider- 1 to 0: This album came across my email a couple weeks back and I quite enjoyed this one. I’ve been searching for all sorts of different types of bands of late and Pale Rider was one of the ones that stood out. 1 to 0 is a really fun spring/summer album. It’s a great alternative rock album that explores bits of dream pop, shoegaze and ambience. It’s also a pleasure to hear vocalist Rus Martin again. Always have enjoyed his style and lyric approaches (remember Hotwire? or Eyelid? I know I sure do). Give this record a spin!!
03) Chimaira- Chimaira: It’s been a while since I last listened to this album and I forgot what a beast this album is. I’d really have to say this is the best Chimaira album. It’s one of those albums you can tell they really put their all into it. It’s definitely one of the best heavy albums of the last 25 years. Usually self titled albums are “statement” albums, and this one is no different in that it takes no prisoners and it’s an all out assault of heaviness. This is an unsung masterpiece of an album! Also fun tidbits. This video was shot at the old Cobalt Cafe in the San Fernando Valley. Also, yours truly is in the video.
04) Guiltless- Teeth To Sky: This is another album I’m stuck on. I’ve really been enjoying all the nuances that this album packs into it. Plus the optimism that radiates throughout the album is quite a treat from the usual doom and gloom that is associated with this style of music. Teeth To Sky is one of those albums that will grow on you the more you listen. And once you let it’s teeth sink in, it’s quite the wonderful listening experience
05) The Smashing Pumpkins- Aghorri Mhorri Mei: This is a great album! If you have been craving an old school Smashing Pumpkins album that is more aligned with their 90’s era, then you really should listen to this one! It’s quite the album. This is another album I have yet to take out of rotation. It’s refreshing to hear them go back to that sound a bit while still pushing boundaries of what alternative music can reach. I’m really hoping there is a US tour for this album because these songs need to be heard and played live!
06) Spiritbox- Tsunami Sea: Over the last couple years I’ve really come to like Spiritbox. Their album Eternal Blue was quite good. Their follow up EP, The Fear Of Fear really got me interested in where this band can go and then they released their new album, Tsunami Sea. This new album is pretty damn good. It’s nothing groundbreaking or reinventing the wheel but, it’s solid and packs quite the punch. There’s also a lot of different twists and turns on the album that peaks your listening interest to listen again and again. Looking forward to seeing them live at the Palladium in May.
07) Coheed And Cambria- Vaxis III- The Father Of Make Believe: I’ve quite enjoyed this album. It’s one of their most focused albums in a minute. This album reminds me a bit of Good Apollo IV and Second Stage Turbine. There’s some truly epic moments on this album as with any good Coheed album. And the songs themselves shine. This is one of the more fun albums I’ve listened to this year.
08) Better Lovers- Highly Irresponsible: Talk about fun albums. I still can’t get enough of this album. When I need a good pick me up, this is a great one to go for. I just saw Better Lovers live again and it was awesome. They have fast become one of my favorite new bands and bands to see live. Their energy is infectious and makes you want to keep the album on repeat. I look forward to what else is to come from Better Lovers as I feel this is only the beginning of something pretty spectacular!
09) Stone Temple Pilots- Purple: Sometimes you just need a classic to listen to. Every time I put this album on, I get this warm sensation that comes over me like a warm blanket. This album is a masterpiece. There isn’t one thing wrong with this record. If you haven’t listened to Purple in a while, you should change that.
10) Nine Inch Nails- The Fragile: This is my all time favorite album. It’s the album I constantly put on if I can’t think of anything to listen to. The Fragile is another absolute masterpiece. Not to take away from any of the other albums in the NIN catalog, this one though, it’s just otherworldly. For the past 26 years of listening to this album it’s never gotten old. It still sounds fresh to my ears and it still gets me in the feels every time. If you haven’t listened to The Fragile in a long time, that should be on your list too!
It’s only April and I believe I have found the album of the year. A couple weeks back I introduced you to the band Idle Heirs. I’ve been enthralled by this album from the moment I heard it in full. The singles definitely got me right off the bat as well. The 8 tracks on the album are some of the most gut wrenching, soul bearing and intense performances I’ve heard on record. Written by Coalesce’s Sean Ingram and Multi Instrumentalist/Producer Josh Barber, Life Is Violence, just set a new standard of what the “post-metal” genre should be.
I’ve mentioned in other reviews of mine that I don’t want to dissect each song as I feel that it truly takes away from the listeners experience of the album. The rawness, intensity and emotional charge that this album brings out of oneself is quite an accomplishment. It’s one of those albums that is like a mirror that responds back to you. The personal elements found throughout this album are eye opening and cut pretty deep. The way those emotions that are poured into these songs are enough to make you uncomfortable but, in a good way that is quite introspective. The vulnerability that Sean Ingram delivers on these songs is uncanny. The deeper you listen, the more you hear all the pain, anguish, remorse, sorrow and more in his vocal performance. I can only imagine how much more his live performance of this would be. I’ve seen Coalesce and this has got to be even more intense than that. There’s that word again “intense.” That’s truly what this album is. Musically Sean and Josh Barber crafted songs that not only are heavy in the traditional senses but, allowed for all the lyrical concepts to come to life through different instruments be it a simple shuffle on the drums, atmospheric soundscapes, sludgy tones, bright tones and a plethora of more. Life Is Violence is a great title for this album as that is a great summation of what this all sounds like.
When I first heard this band/album it immediately struck a chord with me. I don’t know what I was looking for at the time but, this was the one. For the past few weeks I’ve truly soaked this album up. It’s become one of those I can’t go a day without listening to it at least once. The eruption of brilliance that is poured out over 51 minutes is pretty astounding. I’d love to know more about the recording of this album because there are so many great nuances to it, that I’m just beyond curious to know. This is seriously one of those special albums that feels magical and for lack of a better phrase “Lightning In A Bottle.” What an incredible album and foundation to start with because, I sure hope this project keeps going. This is the power of music at its finest. The connection to a record and all that it brings. Thank you Sean and Josh for what you put into this to make what I truly consider to the the album of 2025!
For well over 30 years now, Meshuggah have long been one of the heaviest and most visceral auditory bands to see live and hear on a record. The gents in Meshuggah have long cemented themselves in the lore of heavy music and then some. Their influence on countless bands alone is astronomical. I can remember back to about 1998/1999 when I first heard Meshuggah. At first I was completely perplexed by them and how the hell they were pulling this off. Then fast forward to about 2001/2002 and Tool put out Lateralus and took Meshuggah out as their opener. That show was what really made me a believer. Also, I still to this day, don’t know how Tool was able to go on night after night as Meshuggah would rip those audiences apart!
This nice spring night in April at the Forum was a night for a grand celebration of not just heavy music but to show that Meshuggah is at the top of the musical food chain for good reason. I must say having soft jams play before the onslaught began was a nice touch especially walking out to “Careless Whisper.” From that point as the stage was dark and shadowy figures appeared and then… “Broken Cog” from Immutable kicks things off with one hell of a bang. Then a barrage of absolute beatdown songs “Violent Sleep Of Reason,” “Rational Gaze (one of my all time favorites),” and “Combustion.” Throughout the set the lights really brought the songs to life in a whole other way kind of like how a kaleidoscope looks on the inside. Other choice cuts for the evening included “Lethargica,” “Swarm,” and of course the classic “Future Breed Machine.” For the encore, “Bleed” was right out of the gate after a moment of pause. From the get go, the audience was completely sucked into the world of Meshuggah. The sheer volume that was permeating through The Forum was another thing all on it’s own. I kept looking up and around and saw the roof shaking a bit and then even outside, the rumble was making the security guards shake their head in disbelief. Put it this way, this was a LOUD show and it should be! The way that Jens Kidman, Tomas Haake, Fredrik Thordendal, Marten Hagstrom, and Dirk Lovgren are so precise is another show to watch all on their own .
Also playing this evening were Carcass (who we missed- thanks LA traffic on a Wednesday) and Cannibal Corpse. Cannibal I did get to see. It’s been since 2001/2002 since I last saw Cannibal and they are still badass and awesome. I was having quite the fun time watching them deliver a brutal set. I forgot how technical they are as a band and the tone those guys have is quite unique to them. You can hear others try to cop that one but, it’s not quite right. The head banging too, that was a sight to see. My neck was sore just from watching them head bang onstage especially Corpsegrinder. That guy really is the champ. Their set although short was another one that was chock full of classics and some other choice cuts. My buddy and podcast co-host Justin, is a big Cannibal fan so the enjoyment he was having was quite fun!
This was a great show. Meshuggah absolutely brought it and delivered a set and show that I hope is released as a live album. What a great show. It’s quite the heavy tour. I will say, it does feel like it’s missing that one direct support band to really put it over. Don’t get me wrong this lineup is great, it just felt like there should have been 1 more band to really up the energy and blow the roof literally off The Forum.
Overall Rating: A
Review and Photos By: Brian Lacy
Meshuggah Set List: 01) Broken Cog 02) Violent Sleep Of Reason 03) Rational Gaze 04) Combustion 05) Kaleidoscope 06) God He Sees In Mirrors 07) Lethargica 08) Born In Dissonance 09) Dancers To A Discordant System 10) Swarm 11) Future Breed Machine ENCORE 12) Bleed 13) Demiurge
Cannibal Corpse Set List: 01) Scourge Of Iron 02) Blood Bind 03) Inhumane Harvest 04) Evisceration Plague 05) Death Walking Terror 06) Unleashing The Bloodthirsty 07) Summoned For Sacrifice 08) I Cum Blood 09) Stripped, Raped and Strangled 10) Hammer Smashed Face
