Heliotropes–Over Here That Way
Genre: Alternative Rock, Psychedelic Rock
FFO: Black Mountain, Smashing Pumpkins, Mazzy Star
Formally an all girl affair, Brooklyn Alt Rock quartet Heliotropes resurface with a newly assembled lineup and a drastically different sound.
Over Here That Way is a World World II themed record surprisingly brighter than their debut. The band’s new-found sound conveys 90’s nostalgia finding the comfortable halfway point between the aggressive, guitar-driven nature of Smashing Pumpkins and the delicacy of Mazzy Star.
MAKE–Pilgrimage of Loathing
Genre: Post Metal, Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Experimental Black Metal
FFO: Isis (the band), Black Tusk, Pelican
Chapel Hill Post Metal outfit MAKE‘s third LP balances a Post/Sludge combo along the likes of ISIS (the band) with elements of both Doom and Ambient Black Metal.
Pilgrimage of Loathing expresses anger towards the corrupt nature of the US Government, and the instrumental backdrop conveys these emotions flawlessly.
MJ Guider–Precious Systems
Genre: Dream Pop, Synthpop, Ambient, Drone, Shoegazing, Ambient
FFO: Cocteau Twins, Depeche Mode, No Joy, Purity Ring
MJ Guider is the official brainchild of young artist Melissa Guion and her only companions are an army of machinery.
Allow Guion to delicately grace your eardrums with her unique, beautiful, yet destructive take on Pop music.
Precious Systems is a hazy cloud of cathedral chants, ethereal electronics, and droney ambiance guaranteed to take your mind on a journey to the deepest depths of the imagination.
No Joy–Drool Sucker
Genre: Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Shoegazing, Dream Pop
FFO: My Bloody Valentine, Pity Sex, Wildhoney
Drool Sucker is supposedly the first of a wave of mini albums Shoegaze quartet No Joy plans on releasing throughout the rest of the year.
A series of smaller releases as opposed to a full album is quite an interesting move in the modern music industry and while it may lessen the chances of filler it also lessens the overall strength of the album working as a cohesive unit.
Drool Sucker is only a mere three songs but all three work as solid singles and perhaps their most well-written in years.
This release/band is highly recommended for any fans of “The Scene That Celebrates Itself”. We shall see what the remainder of 2016 brings for No Joy.
16–Lifespan of a Moth
Genre: Sludge Metal
FFO: Crowbar, Melvins, Neurosis
If you are from from Massachusetts, you are probably sick of seeing moths at this point. However, if you are a Metal head, I strongly recommend you give the new 16 record a spin.
’90s Sludge sensations 16 maintain heir claim to fame with a solid LP proving once again that Relapse Records has been absolute killing the Metal scene in 2016.
Lifespan of a Moth may appear linear at first listen, but every point is hit and every track is as well written as it is crushing.