NYS Music 20​17

Category: Album Reviews

  • Hearing Aide: The Backseat Bullets ‘Give You The Moon’

    Much like fashion, music trends tend to circle their way back around. We knew we would see 90s grunge rock make a return, and that day has arrived. So wrap that flannel around the waste of your favorite ripped jeans and get ready for The Backseat Bullets.

    Despite having been born well after the untimely death of grunge icon Kurt Cobain, the Albany based band aids in the nostalgia for those of us in their 30s and 40s.  This foursome has done a great job encapsulating the Seattle influence while offering their own take on a familiar genre.

    Their five-track, self-recorded EP, Give You the Moon, has a bit of a garage band feel with overpowering symbols and under emphasized vocals throughout. However, part of what we love about grunge is the grit, right?

    The first track, “Danger,” is aggressive with consistently smooth bass lines. While the guys say they try to avoid being political or vulgar, this would be the perfect track in which to riot. Similarly, “Don’t Shut Me Out” is fast, upbeat and reminiscent of early Offspring.

    The title track, “Give You the Moon,” however, is somehow darker and encouraging of thrash. Where “Suede” is beautifully simplistic; a love song about heartbreak that bursts with passion in the latter half.

    We get to hear a little more of the guitar riffs in the final track, “The Smell of Rain.” No doubt that with a professional studio recording, we’d hear more of this.

    Close your eyes and kick back to Give You the Moon and tell me you aren’t reminded of Nirvana. Is it rain you smell? I think it’s really teen spirit.

    Key Tracks: Give You the Moon, Danger

  • Hearing Aide: After The Storm ‘Into A New Era’

    With metal reigning from all across New York, our humble home has some great names under the NY banner when it comes to the death metal genre. From NYC and Yonkers, we have Immolation, Mortician, and Suffocation. In the bustling and rampaging gore infested Buffalo area the legendary Cannibal Corpse started to take shape. Yes, these bands are the best of the best when it comes to pure disemboweling  death metal in our own backyard!  With the torch still burning bright, another great band accepts the challenge to keep the nightmare alive. The band is known as After The Storm and they just released their latest EP, Into A New Era, and it’s time to once again show our local bands the support they need in this album review!

    after the stormAfter The Storm is a studio project shaped by the hands of Matt Swistak and Pat McFeely. Both are very talented guitar players in their own right. Seeing how two great minds can create such a monstrous beast of a sonic attack, you will get lost in the music as much as I did! The album has such powerful influences drawn from many melodic death metal acts like Soilwork and Solution .45, to name a few inspiring groups. The track “The Awakening” goes for the kill right out of the gate. The finger work of both guitar players are displayed with such beauty and malice. It has the right amount of melody and sheer relentlessness power. For me it is hard to get into modern melodic death metal bands because they focus mostly on either more of the harmony driven riffs and forget about the more destructive fueled constructs. The boys although, have done a wonderful job balancing the two sides that make melodic death metal amazing. You see this in other tracks on the EP like “Rise as They Fall” and “Stand Unified.” These guys really know how to produce a great sound with perfect form!

    My personal favorite track on this piece would be “A Great Sacrifice.” The overall tone of the track carries the overall vibe and atmosphere the album generates. Deep down I think the reason this track is my personal favorite is because of the call to arms and giving it up to achieve the goals in life we want to grasp in our hands. Such powerful lyricism and eagle-like soaring riffs, this cocktail of pure ingenious creativity cannot be denied by anyone who listens to this EP!

    After The Storm has done us New Yorkers and metalheads proud with this amazing and perfectly executed piece of music that is Into A New Era. It gets a solid 5 out of 5 pentagrams from this metalhead! Go check the band’s Facebook now to follow their journey.

    Key Tracks: A Great Sacrifice, The Awakening, Rise As They Fall

  • Hearing Aide: The Rifts ‘Off the Rails’

    There are many people out there who would argue that rock is losing its edge. Countless old folks continue to make the bold statement that “rock n roll is dead.” Anyone who believes this laughable claim has yet to listen to The Rifts’ debut EP, Off the Rails.

    the riftsAlthough they are based out of Buffalo, The Rifts originally came together in Fredonia, NY. The band consists of Cory Clancy (lead guitar), Brendan Hoare (vocals/rhythm guitar), Dylan MacDonell (drums), and Ryan Donohue (bass). Their self-proclaimed influences consist of classic acts Led Zeppelin and The Doors, as well as modern day alt rockers The Black Keys and The Strokes.

    The Rifts recorded the EP with Alex Maiola and Nathan Chordas-Ewell (Chordola Audio) in their home studio. It was released on SoundCloud June 11, 2017, and became available on streaming platforms June 16, 2017.

    The EP title Off the Rails says a lot more than the train crash shown on the album artwork. With this release, The Rifts break away from the monotonous track that too many popular bands seem to follow nowadays. The EP is firmly built around Cory’s electrifying guitar riffs, and each track is a portal that sends listeners back to “the good old days of rock n roll.”

    If you’re still unconvinced after reading this review, take a listen for yourself. Off the Rails is available on Spotify, iTunes/Apple Music, and SoundCloud.

    Key Tracks: Twelve, Head on a Swivel, Burn Out

  • Hearing Aide: Sydney Worthley “Strong”

    In anticipation for her upcoming album release, Albany-based singer-songwriter Sydney Worthley has dropped the title track of her new album exclusively this week, entitled “Strong.”

    Sydney Worthley StrongFor anyone who has ever seen the decline of a loved one, through various hospital visits and treatments, this song hits right at home. Despite the morbid picture the lyrics paint for us, Worthley reminds us to hold on to our loved ones and keep going.

    This title track will be one of the many pop-infused trials Sydney brings us on Strong, which will be released on September 9. This album features 14 tracks, each song with its own unique style and intent. She has a creative mind for vocalization and harmonizing, which renders her identity to fit a folk or Americana sphere. Her ease of shifting in and out of her head voice could be comparable to Joni Mitchell, with a songwriting technique similar to that of early Taylor Swift. Despite the multiple genres Sydney toys with in Strong, it’s in this soft, vulnerable space where we hope to see future works of Sydney Worthley, which will allow her vocal technique, and her story, to shine through.

    In anticipation for the upcoming album release, head over to her Twitter and Facebook for updates on releases and performances, and check out Sydney’s newly-released title track below.

  • Hearing Aide: Previous Love ‘Previous Love’

    What do you do when college isn’t everything you thought it would be? For four friends, the answer was to put the band back together. Gary Sheedy, Steven Browne, Charles Campanella, and John Perdue had been playing together since middle school, but called it quits when they accepted offers to different universities. A couple years later, they were back at it, writing songs long-distance by phone and internet throughout the 2016-17 school year, this time under the name Previous Love.

    Produced by Jay Zubricky (Every Time I Die, Cute Is What We Aim For) at GCR Studios in their hometown of Buffalo, the self-titled EP Previous Love captures coming-of-age disillusionment by combining lyrics reflecting internal monologue, swimmy shoegaze contemplativeness, and crashing rock. The sonic effect brings listeners along for a ride through the emotional roller coaster of growing up: the heartbreaks, the feeling of being adrift, and the yearning for purpose and meaning.

    The opening track “Dead Ends” is particularly heavy-hearted. Gossamer reverb-laden guitar strumming creates an ambient background as vocalist Sheedy questions his faith in religion, mankind, and himself.  “The older I get, the more I know that I don’t know anything at all. It’s all dead ends,” he laments. The tension builds, climaxing in an angst-ridden frenzy.

    This emotionally-charged first track then gives way to some lighter melodies. While “Pinwheel” is about the frustration of feeling stuck in place, the tune is a bop. The contrast between the instrumentation and the lyrics creates balance, while the driving drum beat gives the sense of moving forward and pushing through the hard times. “Caffeine” is another notable track. With a strong hook and a jangly sound, the song is the musical equivalent of a shot of espresso.

    Listeners will find it easy to pick out old-school new wave and grunge influences, the dreamy sounds of The Cure and The Jesus and Mary Chain and the raw, raucous energy of Nirvana. Compared to Buffalo-area contemporaries, Previous Love lies on the spectrum between ambient pop artists Humble Braggers and alt rockers Head North.

    While the collection of songs on Previous Love are a reflection on growing pains, there’s also a vein of hopefulness, and an anticipation that great things lie ahead.

    Previous Love is available to stream on Spotify and purchase on Bandcamp.

    Key Tracks: Dead Ends, Pinwheel, Caffeine

  • Hearing Aide: Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band ‘Bastard’

    Bluesy hard rock is alive and well. Right in our very backyard in Glens Falls resides Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band.  Their latest album Bastard dropped on July 14.  If you’re a fan of the New Orleans blues rock or LA-style rock and roll, this album is sure to please your ear drums.

    Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival BandBastard is an easy listen, not too short, not too long and perfect for the commute to work.  I highly recommend the slower tracks such as “Den Of Thieves” and “Nobody’s Sun” simply for the bluesy style.  The piano/keyboards add more depth to the album, however, the other upbeat rocky tracks are well done, very comparable to Theory Of A Deadman or Wolfmother.   Very much worth a listen and keep an eye out for this Joe Mansman And The Midnight Revival Band.

    Key Tracks: Den Of Thieves, Nobody’s Sun, Cut Out My Tongue

  • Hearing Aide: Poison Blood ‘Poison Blood’


    I love it when two super giants in the metal underground come together to create something new and refreshing. Especially if is something sludge, blacken, and even synth driven! Who would have thought Jenks Miller of Horseback and Neil Jameson from Kreig would give birth to something that touches new boundaries when it comes to the creative process. The two titans created an amazing group and EP known by the same name of     Poison Blood (released via Relapse Records) Ah, yes this review needs to happen as I have been up all night enjoying this material. Hope you are ready for this mystic kind of journey with this review! 

    Of course the influences on the band’s bandcamp does state they have an appreciation for Beherit’s  Drawning Down the Moon LP. The many influences they bring from good old dirty sludge riffs melded with black metal tremolo picking, and sludge hammer like drumming just make this EP stand out among the other contenders in 2017. With Neil Jameson on vocals and the main lyrical writer and Jenks Miller on basically everything else (guitar, bass, drums, keys, synth), this duo has found a great way to come together on this piece of material. The opening  song, “The Scourge And The Gestalt,”  is rich in that crusty yet groovy type of guitar playing and  you will find yourself lost in its splendor. The lo-fi quality of the track and album brings back the raw power of distortion, which  I feel is where metal still dominates  being the best genre for this type of approach when it comes to production style.

    If you want more of a mellow based tune, try out the track “Circles of Salt.” The haunting synths and high pitch guitars will set the scene of a very rockabilly type of mixture. Let me tell you, when I first heard this track, I was stunned. Kinda felt as if Fields of Nephilm combined with some great heavy riffage.  With the harpy like vocals throughout this song, you can imagine your soul is being ripped apart in a dark void. Overwhelming sensation from the ambiance alone will make this song a great fix when you need some time alone to unwind from the workday. Goes well with a dark brew if you ask me!
    This EP is indeed short, not so sweet, and gets in the spirit of both creators behind its dark magic. If you are a big fan of black metal, groove, and sludge well, look no further! This album was made this year especially for you guys! I will give Poison Blood 4.5 out of 5 pentagrams! Go check out the band’s bandcamp to get yourself a copy of the album!
    Key Track: The Scourge And The Gestalt, Circles Of Salt, Myths From The Desert

  • Hearing Aide: Your Name Here ‘5 Weeks’

    This album by Your Name Here 5 Weeks is a true inspiration to aspiring artists and those currently running through the trials and tribulations of beginning adulthood. It’s a complicated time to be alive but it’s comforting to know that there’s a number of people in the same place in life. is a true inspiration to aspiring artists and those currently running through the trials and tribulations of beginning adulthood. It’s a complicated time to be alive but it’s comforting to know that there’s a number of people in the same place in life.

    This is a thoroughly impressive album from an orchestral and emotional stand point. It’s always moving forward, it’s unpredictable and it’s the result of years of blood, sweat and tears. Simply put, it’s like Ben Folds 5 in space. But that’s almost insulting to summarize it as such because of its complexity and deeper meaning that lies within the recordings.

    Before the analysis, listners need a bit of a history lesson about Garrett Eckl and the creation of his first album.

    Eckl, 21, is a student from Rochester NY  who studied computer science at Drexel University while juggling a job in NASA’s Goddard Flight Center. Eckl has always been a music lover and recently began to dabble in the art of music production. He began writing and recording a concept album out of his small, Washington D.C. apartment but his progress was limited by time and space (no pun intended).

    Some time passed and Eckl decided that his passion no longer lain in computer science and that completing this first EP was what he wanted most. He dropped out of Drexel, left NASA, moved back to Rochester and in one year’s time, finished the album. His seemingly rash decision yielded heckling from his friends but was countered by support from his family. His decision to move away is what helped inspire that album’s theme – appreciate what you have and don’t look back. From drum tracks to album art, Eckl did it all. He says it’s a concept album about a man who has five weeks left to live. Eckl asks people to give it a try and think to yourself, “think about what you would do if you only had five weeks to live. Would you be the same person or would you make drastic changes in your life?

    It’s obvious that Eckl is fiddling with a variety of styles here (that’s to be expected with an EP) but the album still holds a powerful story. “Fall Apart (Start Again)” and “Out Of Time”  are definitely his most impressive pieces of work. The lyrical content is a little somber, and that’s true throughout the album, but the first two songs counter those thought provoking lyrics with a a complex and upbeat tone. As said before, the sound is very reminiscent of Ben Folds in terms of his voice and some prominent piano sections. NYS Music brought this to Eckl’s attention and he said that although he is familiar with Folds, he was not an influence within Eckl’s music. Rather, the stylings of Breaking Benjamin, Green Day and Three Days Grace were the basis of his musical approach.

    Working down the track list, listeners will come to “Life on an Island” and will notice that Ben Folds style predominately on this  track. One of the most intriguing parts of the track is the beat, specifically as it starts off. It’s polyrhythmic, complex and immediately gets you moving. The song builds very well and is highlighted by one of the most moving guitar solos on the album.

    “Fade” pops up next and it’s where the album takes a sharp turn in terms of genre – It’s obvious there is much more of an electronic influence here. As mentioned before, Eckl recorded and produced the entire album so NYS Music asked him if there were any compositional influences he had. Eckl said that although it’s not something he follows closely, he believes subconsciously the score from the Netflix original series Stranger Things played a part in the composition of some of his songs – this is very apparent in this track. The song is docile most of the way through, but builds up to a drop that one may not expect to be followed by the previous tracks. Regardless, it’s very well made and it makes for a nice change of pace when listening to the album all the way through, which is how it should be enjoyed.

    Finally, the most melancholy recording plays through, “The Last Week.” It exclusively consists of a piano, strings/ violins and Eckl’s voice. It’s not a particularly thrilling song but is very  fitting considering the overall theme and the name of the track. It’s does have a build up which ends a little abruptly, but again, is fitting for the theme of  the album.

    All in all, this album may not tickle everyone’s fancy. This is undeniably a somber album, but it should be appreciated for it’s theme and production value. Listeners should be inspired by this album and spurred on to do the things they love. And although it may be crazy to drop a great education and job, pursuing your dreams and passions can result in creating something epic, just as Eckl has. The album is available on Spotify and Youtube, and you can follow Eckl and You’re Name Here on Facebook and Twitter.

    Key Tracks: Fall Apart ( Start Again), Out of Time, Life on an Island

    https://youtu.be/OGuDlHxaOZ8

  • Hearing Aide: Incantation ‘Profane Nexus’

    Death metal has many faces, much like the seven headed beast that rises from the sea! It can have the speed and ferocious nature of a great white shark, thrashing while tearing the flesh apart without mercy! Or the infernal beast can take a sickening slow approach. Slowly filling your body and soul with dread as you gasp for air! Yes, the genre has taken many shapes and forms. One of the most recent incarnations, has risen from the depths of the nine circles once again. This demonic beast is known to those as Incantation from Jonestown, Pennsylvania. They have unleashed the most disgusting of all unholy sounds with their latest release Profane Nexus (released via Relapse Records). Let us delve into the hellish world of death metal, but with severe caution in this album review.

    Incantation 'Profane NexusProfane Nexus is the follow up from 2014’s Dirges of Elysium ( released via Listenable Records). With this latest release mixed and mastered by Dan Swano at Unisound  Studios, most known for helping the Swedish death metal scene with such groups like Entombed,  you can bet already the album will have that filthy muddied sound we love to drown ourselves in. The album starts with the blistering guitar works from McEntee and Lombardozzi on the opening track “Muse.” With the familiar down tuned style of the band, it contains both groove orientated soundscape combined with clearly mastered technical skills of both guitar players. You can feel the riffs gorge on your remnants with each passing second!
    If you need something for those blasphemy outings, “The Horns of Gefrin” shall be your unholy hymn of choice for you then! Severn (drums) will have you begging for the barrage of intense and unforgiving dynamic display he is showcasing in his drumming to stop before your skull cracks open! He will bash your head in with a smile on his face. Incantation is most known for their more sludge driven type of death metal much like Autopsy and Disma. The track “Incorporeal Despair” brings that sudden sensation of dread and suffocation to the album. McEntee’s vocal approach will make you feel as though he is speaking from the deepest parts of the abyss. Dragging through the river of Styx you shall find Sherwood as your ferryman as he plays  the most blood curdling  bass riffs, cracking your soul in half!
    Even throughout the many band changes in regards to  live performance members, the name Incantation shall reign forever in the death metal world from the past, present, and the future! I give this album an 8/10. Check out the band’s site to order, and sample the album, Relapse Records online store,  and of course check out your local record store to see if they can supply you with this perfect dose of death.  Remember boys and girls, hail the goat!
    Key Tracks: The Horns of Gefrin, Incorporeal Despair, Ancients Arise

  • Hearing Aide: Wintersun ‘The Forest Seasons’

    With the seasons being so diverse in their nature, many find comfort with each emotion they bring along with them. The cold bitterness of winter as wildlife and forestation finds rests, the welcoming embrace of spring when life resurrects again, summer brings the heat to keep our spirits filled with fire, and fall the season of beautiful changes and wonderful spices. Much like the four seasons, metal has the ability and beauty of melding together all sorts of aspirations. Only a few groups have been able to incorporate these elements to make  masterpieces in our time.  It has been five years since the 2012 release of Time I (released via Nuclear Blast Records), which pushed boundaries which a metal band should sound like. With much anticipation of the latest album from Wintersun, The Forest Seasons (released via Nuclear Blast), the musicians of this ever changing and growing tribe has without a shadow of a doubt created another masterpiece that will stand throughout time. This band is no other than Wintersun! With their third studio album under their belt, it is time to give into nature and give this album a proper review!

    Back in January 2017, Wintersun announced they were finished recording the newest album and you can bet the metal community was set on fire. Through every metal forum I was on to my Facebook feed, the flavor that everyone wanted to taste the most this year was Wintersun. Upon them releasing this album, you bet metalheads world wide were eating this up like the mead from Thors goblet! The first track of the album, “Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring),”  opens up with such galloping force, it will overtake you in mere seconds. Jari Mäenpää (vocals/guitar) has the perfect mold for beauty and relentless attitude with both his clean vocals and growls. Mäntysaari  joins Mäenpää on guitar to help propel the song on an ever ending journey of soaring guitar riffs as well as very delicate yet masculine precision. Much like many great progressive metal bands, such as Dream Theater and Symphony X, you will find the guitar work is mesmerizing as much as the lyrical content. The visual of dreams fading and life not returning back to the lands, this track will take you on a brand new journey of rebirth and darkness.

    What I adore most form the boys in Wintersun are the elements they bring across the spectrum into all of their material. Pulling influences from folk metal, black metal, power metal, and progressive elements to craft a very unique sound that many tried over the years to copy, but failed doing so. With such huge amounts of inspiration from previous projects they have done like Ensiferum for example, they know how to make the influences work as one. The track which really builds upon the many musical backgrounds of the members is “Eternal Darkness (Autumn).” This song is so over the place, yet the band knows exactly how to bring it altogether. Koskinen adding some more bass along with Mäenpää (also drum programming), they give it a very sinister sound with a hint of sorrow hidden in the wall of sound they have created. It has the power symphonic feel of Dimmu Borgir while giving it such a technical sound, it blows your mind! This track is made for the black metal type of fans as well the symphonic metal camps. The tremolo picking is so fast it is face melting. If I can suggest you listen to any track by itself to get the main idea of the album, you should blast this one when you can. You will not regret it, I promise!

    With such a huge amount of production they used on this album you see some great vocals on the choir pieces with great vocalists that worked with Tyr, Children Of Bodom, and Moonsorrow for a couple of  examples. What gives this album even more of a  mystic vibe to it are the liner notes giving those who had the most hands on this album  their own seasons. Mäenpää (winter), Mäntysaari (spring), Koskinen (Autumn), and Hahto (Summer). This album carries all the best elements of what metal and what musicianship should be crafted as. It gets a 10/10. Go check out the album on the band’s page.

    Key Tracks: Eternal Darkness (Autumn), Awaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring), Loneliness (Winter)