Poppy - ZIG album Review

Poppy is back once again with more new music and this time she drops a brand-new album akin to I Disagree onto our laps. A few songs on here I heard prior to the album's drop as they were released as singles. Zig is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Poppy, released on October 27, 2023, through Sumerian Records.

Church Outfit

Kicks off the album with its synthy bass followed by aggressive vocals from Poppy. Interesting start to the album maybe more synth, bass like instrumentals to follow. Poppy has explored and experimented with many genre's maybe this album will be metal/electronica.

Knockoff

Once again another catchy synthy club bass song. I love the chorus of this and how Poppy sings it and the accompanying vocals "I want to know" is so good. It's such a catchy one, it got stuck in my head and was played on repeat when this dropped as a single.

Hard

The most recent released single from the album, follows the tune of the last few with some more of the industrial, synth instrumental with poppy's soft sing-song voice. Quite a catchy chorus too. Oh, dear lord we get aggressive around the 1:45 mark before calming back down.

What It Becomes

This one starts off with the strong violin and then Poppy sings with silence which echoes and whirs as the instruments swell and build up. Around the 2min mark we get this distorted slowed voice before Poppy comes back with her softly sung lines.

Flicker

This kicks off with sort of electronic drum and bass along with Poppy's soft vocals, and we get some more violins to close it out.

1S + OS

Electronic and synthy as Poppy commands the track with her confident vocals following the chorus I feel. I dig this one.

Zig

The album's title track plays now, and it's quite a synthy electro pop song to kick off. This is damn catchy! Ooof them synthy breakdowns and then we get a chugging riff and some booming kick drums as we build up to the chorus and boom "when you zig, i zag, when you zig, i zag, i zig zag." Oh yeah this feels like something The Matrix films would use in the soundtrack or John Wick films in a club fight scene.

Linger

A slow acoustic stripped back start with this one until 1min mark where we get the electro feel back into this track. It's a nice one.

The Attic

Its soft, but we quickly get caught up in the fast-paced drum and bass. It's a lot to take it in, and I do feel the fast drum bass is a bit much but when the chorus swells and erupts it's a nice addition which ends with a few lovely piano tones.

Motorbike

Alright get on, we got a robotic lady walking us into the track before Poppy swiftly takes over as the robot accompanies as some back up vocals at points. The chorus is so fast and catchy, and it's good. I admit when I first heard this when it dropped as a single I was not into it but now after hearing all of the album to now and hearing this again in my headphones, I am moving and singing along best I can to it haha.

Prove It

Time for the last song on this album, almost distorted vocals and piano keys kick off this track before the vocals get more sharp and distorted as the drum and bass pounds. The chorus and vocals are quite stunning. Around 1:21 in the song we get more distorted and synth and drum and bassy. All before the track slows back down with its chorus and fades out with electronic static, that's it folks.

Although the album clocks in with 11 tracks which only lasts around 30 mins total for the album, she covers a lot of ground with tracks capturing different emotions and feels. Poppy said it best "when you zig, I zag" as she continues to branch out and explore the different musical genre's and styles of instruments to accompany her wonderful voice and creative talents. Poppy is ever evolving and creating, and I love how she does it. The themes of the album are that of love and disconnection and also a sense of empowerment, that's what I am taking away from this album. Although "I Disagree" is still my fave album from Poppy, this one is a nice entry onto her album catalogue and I will always recommend Poppy to people searching for new music because she has something for everyone and I feel she is so overlooked and underrated.

7/10

Thirty Seconds To Mars: It's The End Of The World, BUT It's A Beautiful Day (REVIEW!)

Thirty Seconds To Mars are one of my all-time fave bands and safe to say after the last album being a total dud, I can happily shout out that THEY ARE BACK!!!!! It's the End of the World, but It's a Beautiful Day is the sixth studio album by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars, released on September 15, 2023, through Concord. It is the first album after their debut without guitarist Tomo Miličević who left the band in June 2018. So going into the album prior to any song release I was sceptical because the last album America, frankly sucked in my opinion, and it really let me down. However, following Stuck's single release I was taken back hearing a new pop synth rock track from Mars which was also so very catchy.

From there I binged the track relentlessly until they dropped their next single, Life Is Beautiful, and again it was another chill and beautiful track I binged, and you won't believe what happened next? Well I pre-ordered the Deluxe album from HMV and then oh yes I loved their next two single's they dropped prior to the album release Get Up Kid and World On Fire. Catchy and beautiful tracks the boys dropped and so here comes me listening to this new album religiously since it dropped or rather arrived in my hands. The album I ordered got delayed a few days as this was supposed to arrive on September 15th which was the same day as my CFM2 CD and honestly this time round Corey Taylor new album was disappointing and 30STM's was phenomenal.

1: Stuck

The lead single from the album and a very funky, catchy, high energy track which Jared said celebrates the arts.

2: Life Is Beautiful

Dramatic beats with upbeat empowering lyrics that are chill and catchy.

3: Seasons

Acoustic and very chill vibes with this song as it's stripped back with again catchy and relatable lyrics. 

I have been singing along to this quite a bit in the car, well that also applies to the whole album.

4: Get Up Kid

Piano in this is stunning and so is its catchy whoa's and empowering soft chorus.

5: Love These Days

An absolute truth in a song. As with other tracks I find this relatable and catchy. 

It's a beautiful and apt song.

6: World On Fire

It feels like a song about coming out of depression as you feel your drive again and things will be better now. Nice message and it's very electronic.

7:1

Got to channel our inner Freddie Mercury with the ayy-oh's in this one haha, it's catchy and again electronic.

8: Never Not Love You 

A soft and powerful emotional songs that I feel is so relatable. I love this one, no it's more of an adore. 

I adore this song, it's very personal.

9: Midnight Prayer

The first time I heard this song I was confused because it did not sound like Jared Leto singing to me, and I was an idiot to not realize sooner that it's Shannon Leto singing this one. HOWEVER! It has quickly become one of my most repeated songs from the album. Electronic and synthy. Another very relatable song for me with this one though.

10: Lost These Days

This one is another stripped back acoustic track and feels like a follow up to Never Not Love You or rather another alternative way of telling that story of the relationship breakdow and I also relate and feel this song. It gets very electronic towards the end.

11: Avalanche

Another one of my most played tracks is Avalanche it feels like a song that was a perfect fit for the Love, lust, faith and dreams album. First time I heard this song I felt it, it hit me and it made me smile.

The deluxe edition of the album features a slowed down version of Stuck and an Alt version of Never Not Love You. Both are you know good as to be expected. I could not hear any differences in the alt version of Love.

So yes, I love this album, and it feels really special and personal to me with how I can relate and feel all the emotions from the songs and how Jared expresses the lyrics. Softer, chill, emotional and catchy is what this album is, and it's full of the human spirit and experiences of life. Honestly this album is phenomenal in my opinion and I love it to bits.

10/10

Sleeptoken - TAKE ME BACK TO EDEN (ALBUM REVIEW)

Sleeptoken the hot new metal band that has become a fast rising sensation from viral videos on tiktok to youtube shorts. Sleep Token are a British rock band from London, formed in 2016. The group is an anonymous, masked collective led by a frontman using the moniker Vessel. They have been categorized under many different genres, including alternative metal, post-rock/metal, progressive metal and indie rock/pop.

Take Me Back To Eden starts with a slow build with Chokehold kicking off the precession, around the 2 min mark the instrumentals kick off sounding like a chainsaw has just started up, and then we go back mellowy with Vessel's sing-song lyrics which are heartfelt. When the "You've got me in a chokehold" hits the instrumentals swell to accompany the message being sent, love has got a chokehold on our singer and it's not letting go.

After Chokehold we are ushered straight into my fave prior to the album the viral mega hit The Summoning. Now the summoning starts with heavy instrumentals, but again we divulge into a slow melodic tempo with Vessel the singer delivering the words in a near sinister fashion, this one is so catchy, and I have been singing along to it since I was first shown it by my best mate James. James is obsessed with this band, and so he has made me go and check out SleepToken's latest album and here we are as I am typing my thoughts on the album live as I go. The heaviness of this song intertwines with catchy slow melodic laid back sound and one moment you will be headbanging, the next you will be slow bobbing moving side to side or on your knee's singing along to the sky giving your emotions all into this song. The screams performed on this one are also so good! Around the 3:25 mark we are hit with a groovy heavy breakdown that makes you want to stomp your feet and tip bins over BUT again we are quickly hushed away to calm down and chill with the music as it build's to a softer near jazzy like sound then. Sing with me now "Oh and my love, did I mistake you for a sign from god, or are you really here to cut me off, or maybe just to turn me on. Cause these days, I would be lying if I told you that, I didn't wish that I could be your man, or maybe make a good girl bad. I got a river running right into you, I've got a blood trail, red in the blue, something you say or something you do, the taste of the divine!" Oh my god this smooth as silk, erotic breakdown in the song is so mind-blowing, it's so different but so good! Had no idea that would work so well, Sleeptoken really knows how to mix genre's and sounds together well.

We get to Granite now a slow, pop, synthy melodic song. Vessel goes into a full rap breakdown in this one, and it is quite impressive I must say. It's yet another great mix of genre's and sound, and then we have rap like what? Damn, he got bars that can flow like water just so smooth. We have a breakdown around the 2:40 mark where we are hit back with the metal to get us headbanging in a groove again and Vessel smoothes things off accompanying the metal.

Aqua Regia starts with such a beautiful laid back synth sound and joined by a lovely piano piece as Vessel make's the lyrics flow flawlessly. Piano again is so lovely with this song, it's a softer song by its nature, the acoustic guitar blends that come in are also so stunning. Catchy and chill overall.

Vore is next, and this one is HEAVY! Full on screams are here echoing in my ears like a pig to slaughter. Sleeptoken really are a band for everyone, there are songs here for everyone to enjoy. Other than the screams Vessel is whispering along until we hit near the 2min mark where the song meets a chill and Vessel is clean singing along before more of the hard hitting drums and guitars come back at us like fireworks on the 4th of July. The high notes hit before the scream comes back in is amazing. This switch from aggressive to clean vocals is impressive. I feel for me this is one of their weaker songs, I am not so fussed on Vore as I am with the rest at this point, but that's not saying Vore is bad because it's not, it is good.

Ascensionism comes now, and it's starting slow and has the melancholy like feel with its minor piano notes. Beautiful soft sung lyrics, and then we get back into trap like beats following Vessel spitting bars yet again. This is one that will get you grooving moving your head and shoulders to, it's a great flow to be fair to it. We get some whispering vocals and then out of nowhere hit back with heavy metal like woah hang on Ves, I wanted to be more prepared before my flight or fight response kicked off haha. We switch back to the softer vocals with piano soon after my fight or flight response got me all geared up anyway haha. BACK TO FIGHT NOW AS THE METAL RETURNS IN FULL HEAVY SWING TO END THE SONG!

Are You Really Ok? Plays right now, and it starts slow and acoustically with a sweet laid back guitar tuning us into Vessel's soft lyrics. A very soft rock kind of song then the heavy instruments kick off around 3mins mark but don't worry it's still pretty soft and then around 4mins mark the heavy instruments get laid back, and we are bare witness to the soft stylings once more to close us out of the song.

The Apparition comes next, and it starts with Vessel isolated and then an electric, dare I say Spanish style guitar accompanies the vocalist. 1MIN mark we get some synthy keyboard and then drum and bass, what kind of experimentation lies in this apparition? Vessel continues to near rap with the flow of lyrics he delivers along with the drum and bass instrumentals. 2min 20 mark we go back to the heavy nature as Vessel pours his emotions into the lyrics, and then he delivers lines as quiet as a mouse and then the instruments close us off with synth and drum and bass.

DYWTYLM - A near laid back Caribbean like instrumental to start with like an autotuned Vessel singing along. Do You Wish That You Loved Me is the song here if you could not tell from the acronym anyway there's a weird like blend then of computerized sounds before Vessel carries on asking his question of love? This is lovely and laid back, I really liked the unique instrumentals in this.

Time for Rain, Vessel starts off pouring his emotions into the piano on this track. As usual with sleeptoken this one starts slow but builds to some metal rhythms as Vessel keeps his lyrics flowing like a fountain. I don't know how they do it, but I am sure glad I am hearing it work out so well for them. We go from the metal back to the slow powerful emotions poured out with the piano accompanying Vessel, and we quickly get that burst of metal to end the rain.

Time for the penultimate song on the album which is the title of this album, yes it's time for Take Me Back To Eden. Slow start now will this build or will it remain calm and soft. Of course the metal comes into play from 2min 30 mark only for it to leave again 30 seconds later. Vessel comes at us with his hard hitting flow as he raps the lyrics out, damn this vocalist can do anything he wants. When the rapping starts we get the piano and sound of like a rainforest with rain and birds tweeting until Vessel comes back soft with the tempo of the Piano picking up. 5min 30 mark the other instruments join back in until 6min mark where they stop for a brief moment then we get all the instruments back in harder once more. Screams close out the song with heavy instrumentals accompanying it.

Euclid is our closing song now, what a bizarre journey of music this has been, Sleeptoken really are the future, and they have a bright one from what I have heard here. Euclid starts with Piano and Vessel flowing the lyrics then we get this near robotic synth vocals before switching back to the same piano chilled tempo with Vessel flowing the lyrics like a running water tap and this switch happens a few times in this song, it's really quite something else. Lovely song actually and we do get rushes of the heavy instruments before the soft nature plays back and this happens on and off in this song a few times. Robotic vocals and synth and a piano closes this album off.

If this is the future of metal, we are in uniquely good hands. Sleeptoken are the hot new band we should all keep an eye on because the only way forward is going up past Eden now.

4/5

Punk Rock Factory - It's Just a Stage We're Going Through (ALBUM REVIEW)

Come take a trip to the sausage factory to listen to Welsh punk rockers new musical covers album. Punk Rock Factory are a high energy welsh band who bring the punk rock nature to songs we already know BUT have never heard them before. PRF formed in late 2014 in South Wales, Uk, Peej (vocals, guitar), Benj (bass, vocals), Ryan (guitar) and Kob (drums, vocals), PRF combine everything you love about 1990s/2000s punk rock, and reimagine classic and hit songs like you've never heard them before and are now embarking into the musicals. PRF record, mix, film, write and pretty much have done and do everything from their home base studio titled "The Sausage Factory" and they gained a lot of success from these brilliant takes on classic hits and during the lockdown era of life in the UK they gartered up thousands of followers and views from social media apps like TIKTOK, which is where I discovered them and fell in love with the bands covers and I shared them about with friends to ensure they see the magic that is PRF, and they are only growing bigger, larger, better with fans and followers worldwide alike. They frequently bring friends along to their music to collab and enjoy the fun and to date the band has had guest performances from members of acts such as Protest the Hero, Bowling for Soup, Ice Nine Kills, Mest, Rufio, Ten Foot Pole, Zebrahead aswell as Encanto star Jessica Darrow and many more!

It's Just A Stage We're Going Through released on all music platforms and physical copies on March 31st. Be sure to check it out and purchase it where you get your music from.

The Tracklist

1: Rewrite The Stars

2: You'll Be Back

3: Waving Through A Window

4: December 1963 (Oh What A Night)

5: Defying Gravity

6: I Dreamed A Dream

7: City Of Stars

8: Mama Mia

9: Shallow

10: You're The One I Want

11: I Will Follow Him

There were no doubts that the kings of turning any song into a punk rock classic would churn out another belter of an album especially considering the way they went here with turning some of the classic iconic hits of musicals into punk rock tunes and boy, oh boy, they are chunes! On paper or in theatres these songs you know and love you may go "how could a band cover musicals and turn them punk rock?" well this question you ponder is answered, solved and heard here in PRF's newest album of course. The album starts off strong with Rewrite The Stars, and then we are hit with Hamilton heavyweight You'll Be Back, and then we get a sort of sombre song from Waving which does not feel so sombre but feels sort of like a battle cry anthem. There are songs here I never knew or heard of prior to this so my image of those songs will be just incomparable compared to this first time hearing them here on this album. The songs I have never heard prior to PRF's versions are You'll Be Back, Waving Through A Window, Defying Gravity and City Of Stars, and now I am afraid of hearing the original versions because I know they won't even come close to the epic-ness that Punk Rock Factory installed upon them with their takes. Defying Gravity for example I have always heard from friends who seen the musical Wicked that it is a song that even the most classical trained singers struggle with singing but here I felt it was perfect, Peej did it justice. I do feel a lot of the songs I don't know are ones which I need to grow into more with so with time I am sure to appreciate and love them more, but I am impressed and I enjoyed this album. You can without a doubt headbang, dance and sing in your underpants having the time of your life to these versions of those iconic hit musicals.

8/10

So if you want fun with friends, family or even strangers and want to down a few good pints and have a laugh together Punk Rock Factory always has your back, and It's Just A Stage We're Going Through backs that up once more from the band's amazing discography. 

Last weekend Saturday 25th March I watched the boys put on a hell of a show in a sold out Cardiff, Great Hall and I cannot wait to see them again! Thanks for reading my sausages!

Stay Punky!

Five Finger Death Punch - Afterlife ALBUM REVIEW!!!

Alright fuckers and fuckette's, It is about god-damn time that we listen to METAL, and we review it here on my blog once again. 

IT IS FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH TIME MOTHERFUCKERS!!!!

AfterLife is the ninth studio album by American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch, released on August 19, 2022, via Better Noise. It is the first album since 2007's The Way of the Fist not to feature longtime lead guitarist Jason Hook, who was replaced by Andy James in 2020. So knowing we have a new guitarist on this album, I do wonder how Andy will compare with Hook. I know the band has played around with more technology with this album as the teasers have shown sounds of industrial metal and synth. 

As with my album reviews, I like to list the tracks and tell you my thoughts on the songs and then rate the album as a whole to end. What are you sitting around for? Get up and mosh!

Welcome to the Circus

Oh shit!!!! ARE YOU READY! LOOKS LIKE WE KICKING OFF GOING HARD AND CATCHY WITH THIS ONE! "YOU GOTTA KILL SOMEBODY" parts are sick! AHHHHHH THIS CHORUS! Yep yep! Fave song and we are one song into this album! As I said we got some new sounds spliced together in with FFDP's famous sound structure. "AM IIII THE ONLY ONE!" Damn boys you're opening this one with a banger!? What else is there on this album!?

Afterlife

Here we go again, another solid banger! Great catchy chorus and that guitar is peak! It's got the typical vibes or ffdp and their structured songs, but it's also different and unique. Chorus is great. Oh, here comes a screechy guitar and some gut busting drums. 

Times Like These

The first soft one on this album dare I say? It's nice, great flow and the structure and lyrics are deep. Instrumentally giving different sounds a shine. Ah man, lovely little chill song with deep lyrics.

Roll Dem Bones

Ooof hello Five finger! Here is the flow we are so used to by this band. Honestly when it comes to FFDP they got this addictive flow with their songs. You got this nice groove and aggressive vocals along with fast-paced vocals and then catchy chorus's with chunky riffs and drum beats. Proper umphf! ROLL DEM BONES! So far this is my fave of the album!

Pick Up Behind You

God do I love Ivan's clean vocals also. Mmm the bass and groove in this song is just mmm. I am bopping my body and head to this one.

Judgement Day

Shit this intro made me thought of some grime rap content to drop on me and then came the la-la's and then the slow maniacal sounding vocals from Ivan here. A different track from ffdp more synth and more like a drum machine is taking part with the industrial, grime like synth beats. It's different. Not something I can get into right now, but I can bet this one will get a slow following.

IOU

A mix of what we love about FFDP here. Fuck me this one just hits you know? Catchy, heavy and continuing the album's industrial theme with its instrumentals.Oooooh that solo daaamn Andy you go dude! (if that is Andy shredding) OK this is also one of my faves on this album! This just does something for me and makes me fist pump to its chorus. 

Thanks for Asking

Woah dude the start sounds like elevator or lobby music, and then we get treated to a sweet Spanish acoustic guitar and some shakers. This feels like another themed song like on the wrong side of heaven. Hey man, Ivan's vocals just slaps. Oh, here comes the band and the Spanish acoustic is still going on behind. When this song started I was confused and concerned but as I am near its end, I must say that I appreciate this one. Damn different for sure but man that was good.

Blood and Tar

Hello again Mr acoustic guitar, OH bye then haha, the band are giving it the chugs and grooves now with their heavy sound. This one is the military story of the album I feel. Seems like squad mates turning on each other. 

All I Know

Whistle away now ya'll. We got that soft acoustic start to this song. The longest song on the album just feels like Ivan speaking his mind. It could grow on people or me more with more listens. The guitar solo is sweet.

Gold Gutter

Aww shit! Ivan just said he about to burn it down! This is another one of the rough, catchy, typical "let's fuck shit up" song from FFDP for sure. Ivan laughs as he thanks the world and rants about it all because he wants to punish it through this song, so fuck the haters! WHEN IVAN SAID BOUNCE THE FUCKING CHUNKY HEAVY ASS NOISE THAT IS PROCEEDING TO BLAST MY FUCKING EAR DRUMS IN MY HEADPHONES IS GNARLY AS FUCK!!!! Jeeezus! Fair enough Ivan you go let loose it's so good to hear it!

The End

Well time for the last song on the album. Hmm pretty good, it's the again typical FFDP sound and structure but added technical vocals which makes Ivan sound like he's underwater at times in this song. Oh the flow of instrumentals after the "Burn it to the ground" part was wicked, what was that?! 

7/10

A different album and sound from FFDP which is interwoven with the sound structure of old. 

A good album!

Alright, so afterlife by FFDP what do you think?

Thanks for reading and sharing this review, I appreciate it so much!

See you next time, stay shiny!

Poppy - A Very Poppy Christmas Review

So we get closer to Christmas and I thought 'tis the season for me to finally listen to Poppy's Christmas Album. I had no idea until Flux came out that she did a Christmas Album! So sit down with me and grab some mulled wine and let's chill by the fireplace and warm up with Poppy.

A Very Poppy Christmas is the third E.P. by Poppy. It features three original Christmas songs and one cover, and is Poppy's first Christmas-themed release. The EP has a stripped-back sound, with Poppy only being accompanied by guitar or keyboard on most songs.

I Like Presents - It's a nice soft love kind of song, basically saying for you to leave the presents beneath the tree because she wants all of you in exchange for all of her.

I Won't Be Home For Christmas - Another soft, kind of melancholy song about love and feeling sad because as the title suggests she won't be home for Christmas, and she's sorry for it.

Kiss In The Snow - Catchy, slow, soft, pop dance kind of beat going on with the song also. Of course this is love themed too, the piano part is lovely. Yeah, I'm singing along to this, this is good and memorable.

Silver Bells - Sing songy, soft pop acoustic cover of ye olde Christmas classic Silver Bells.

Great and surprisingly lovely Christmas songs from Poppy.

I was kinda teary-eyed with some of these, I won't lie, it was so sweet and just heartfelt to me.

Thanks for reading and visiting!

Stay Shiny!

POPPY - Flux Album Review

Flux is the fourth studio album by American singer Poppy. It was released on September 24, 2021, through Sumerian Records. This album is a blend of Grunge, Pop and Metal and has Poppy's signature sound of daydream lull vocals and her aggressive screams along with her band having screeching guitar's, industrial synthy sounds, catchy pop like tunes and riffs and chorus's and laid back groove's. Every Poppy album is so unique, they always manage to get into your head and also make you sing along and headbang even when it comes to a halt and hits you with some fairy tale type vocals and sounds.

This review has been on my back bench since late 2021, I meant to listen and write about this sooner but things happen and got in the way but hey better late than never right? I also have her Christmas stuff to listen to and I may do my thoughts on that and post them near to Christmas this year, so please stick around on my blog for regular and monthly posts of all sorts. :) 

The Tracklist: 

Flux, Lessen The Damage, So Mean, On The Level, Hysteria, Her, 

Bloom, As Strange As It Seems, Never Find My Place

My Opinion

This album is a lot of fun and is Poppy standing up at the world saying "I'm here, and you can't stop me because like a flower, I'll bloom." Although I favour her previous work more than this album, I have to say this is still a great album and blends all elements of her music into one singular album. Also, this album is a big Fuck you to her manipulative controlling ex, see dude she's better off without you! 

Great, Unique Album!

8/10

Poppy has some new stuff due out soon, be sure to check her out on all the social media's. 

She is set to do a short UK tour near the end of the year too!

Thanks for reading and visiting!

Stay Shiny!

Machine Head - Of Kingdom & Crown Album Review!

THEY'RE BACK!

Machine Head are back with their 10th studio album, Of Kingdom And Crown. The album arrived on August 26th.

Flynn said that this album is very much a concept album set in a decimated futuristic wasteland where the sky is blood-red, following two main characters Ares and Eros. Flynn also added that a lot of inspiration for this album comes from the popular anime Attack On Titan. 

Now, when I heard this, I got super hyped because 1: I love Machine Head and 2: I love Attack On Titan. This is not The BLACKENING PART 2, This is its own deity. I have listened to this album twice in full, and I love it.

A strong return to form, from the mighty Machine Fuckin' Head! 

Robb Flynn I feel hit new levels to his vocals and this album is a showcase of his range. Production wise, this is 10/10. It's solid lyrically and instrumentally too. It's a shame some magic feels like it's been taken away due to the exposure to some songs which were previously released on an e.p. 

THE TRACKLIST:

1. SLAUGHTER THE MARTYR

2. CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE

3. BECØME THE FIRESTØRM

4. ØVERDØSE

5. MY HANDS ARE EMPTY

6. UNHALLØWED

7. ASSIMILATE

8. KILL THY ENEMIES

9. NØ GØDS, NØ MASTERS

10. BLØØDSHØT

11. RØTTEN

12. TERMINUS

13. ARRØWS IN WØRDS FRØM THE SKY

14. EXTERØCEPTIØN*

15. ARRØWS IN WØRDS FRØM THE SKY (ACOUSTIC)*

*BONUS TRACKS on DIGIPAK and BOX SET edition.

A fantastic album!

8/10

Here's my review of the Arrows E.P. from June 2021 - https://1stmetalgodsblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/machine-head-arrows-in-words-from-sky.html

Thanks a lot for visiting my blog and for checking out my review.

Be sure to share it and check out my other reviews and posts. 

Thanks for reading.

Stay Shiny!

Ghost - Impera (Album review) A Classic Masterpiece

Ghost are a band I have loved for a few years now but with the release of their 5th and newest album Impera, the Swedish rock band have become a massive love of mine. Impera released on 11 March 2022, it was produced by Klas Åhlund who also produced the band's 2015 album, Meliora and I have listened on repeat to it religiously since it came out! 

I cannot wait to see them live in Birmingham on April 15th 2022. This review is being written days before that gig and I will also post a gig review of Ghost soon as possible, there may be delays with this or the ghost gig review coming out here on my blog as I am having a tough time at the moment and as such I am having breaks off social media and with life in general. 

Thanks for your understanding so without further ado, let's get into the review!

The theme of Impera mainly focuses on "the rise and fall of empires" and of course the 20th century. The album received widespread critical acclaim. The release of Impera was preceded by three singles: the first, Hunter's Moon and it also appeared in Halloween Kills and is featured as part of the film's soundtrack; the second single, Call Me Little Sunshine, was released on 20 January 2022 and the third, Twenties, was released on 2 March 2022.

Tracklist:
Imperium - A killer soft catchy instrumental start that leads perfectly into the massively catchy and killer song of Kaisarion. 

Kaisarion - To me this feels like a big stage play song, it's a perfect opening song and it is also so catchy and it's got much like the rest of the album amazing instrumentals, lyrics, riffs and solos. 

Spillways - The piano and very 80's feel to to this track makes it feel familiar but new and brilliant all at the same time. 

Call me little sunshine - A wonderful infectiously catchy song which showcase Ghost basically and was the second track released prior to the album. 

Hunter's Moon - This is GHOST and one of my all time favourite songs!  It’s not your typical metal.  It has elements of prog, hard rock, pop, punk, of so many different things that Forge has up his musical sleeve and that's what makes him and this band shine so many others and make them stand out with their mysterious story and characters too. 

Watcher in the sky - A lot of these songs are so infectiously catchy both lyrically and instrumentally and if this one does not make you want to sing along then something must be wrong. 

Dominion - A great instrumental prelude to Twenties

Twenties - Possibly the most dark element of Ghost on this album is this song, I felt for a while this was a bit weak but I can't skip it, it's the roaring intro, the sinister feel to Papa here as he tells us the tale of the twenties and feels as if he is giving orders over the radio. I can't help but to sing along to the chorus however. 

Darkness at the heart of my love - Slow, loving, lovely and catchy this is Darkness's aim and goal as many of ghost's soft songs in the past have had this same feel, you could take it as a sweet romantic soft gesture or maybe a macabre one too. The snapping of the fingers make this even more special musically for me. 

Griftwood - What start's feels like a bit of Def Leppard but rest assured this song is Ghost's and it kicks ass with again I will repeat myself here a few times during the course of this album BUT IT'S SO CATCHY!!!! 

Bite of passage - Another slow sweet instrumental that leads perfectly into the last track which is.....

Respite on the spitalfields - Here we have the slow but lovely go home track to this stunning album, again you get hit with rocking instrumentals and catchy chorus's with sweet stunning instrumental riffs and solos which also make this song feel very much like a power ballad. As the song closes it feels like Papa is leaving the twenties with this album as he bids goodbye and walks away so it feels in the lyrics or possibly that he is running away with someone or the memory of someone too since "nothing ever lasts forever". It's a lovely piece. 

This album I absolutely love and respect honestly for me this is a Classic Masterpiece. It's hard to find albums where every song hits and this one is a gift that keeps on giving. 

I'd have to give this a 10/10

5 STARS easily!

Skillet - Dominion Album Review

So the multi-platinum Christian hard rock band are back! WITH A BRAND NEW ALBUM! Full of their signature style and sound but with added layers on this new album I felt. So the foundation of Skillet's musical career has been catchy choruses, female vocals (Jen Ledger) which wrap around and accompany to male vocals (John Cooper) in just the right spots. However this new album's new layers are things I never expected from Skillet and I think this experimentation on this album works well!

Along with Skillet's style now comes some synth, some dubstep like sounds (possibly djent too) and of course some double peddle hard hitting drums and metal guitar solos in some songs and honestly they caught me off guard. Now not every single song is hard hitting Christian rock fest but some are slow down sombre songs which is also still a big part of Skillet's discography. Normally Skillet's messages and songs have had a lot of their inspiration in the songs or the songs be about bleak or dark points but the message here in this album is a more positive note and of hope.

I think this album is John and Jen's best and most unique for their vocals especially John as we see through every song his range and how much he can do. Be it soft spoken tones to aggressive singing to even some sort of tempo rapping, John really shows here he can do whatever he wishes and he can make it work. The band is showing off so many layers and dimensions to themselves here in this album and that's something that's quite a hard challenge to pull off I'd imagine BUT they make it work and IT WORKS SO WELL!!!!

I found Valley Of Death to be one of the most hard hitting beautiful songs I have had the pleasure of hearing and I was driving to work the first time I heard this album in full and my god I became a blubbering mess when I first heard this track!

Ignite the penultimate song should have been the song to end the album with as I feel White Horse is the most unique but also weakest song on this album which is quite a divisive opinion even for me to have and think and to say and now to type and publish for the world. I feel this way as Ignite ends smoothly and White Horse is very out of place I feel but it's unique for it's industrial sound and distortion and then for the up tempo rapping.

My favourite songs: Ignite, Destroyer, Beyond Incredible, Valley Of Death, Dominion, Standing In The Storm, Surviving The Game.

8/10

It's a new album from Skillet which I love and perhaps with more time the album will grow much more on me to rank it a bit higher but after 4 playthrough's of this album, I REALLY ENJOY IT! 

Skillet keep rockin it!

Dear reader, please stay shiny!

See you soon!

Poppy - EAT (NXT) E.P. Review

 So it's no secret I love Poppy's music. It's so unique and different and I love the emotions and catchy instrumentals and chorus's of her work all the way from her pop genre to the metal. This e.p. is I disagree Poppy merged with her weird quirky natured self of her pop genre and youtube weird videos but it's all fused together with a mix of synth, metal, punk centred instrumentals here. 

Poppy recently performed at the GRAMMYs, at which she premiered the killer EAT. Speaking to Kerrang! about being nominated for an award, the musician revealed of her feelings when the news came through: ​“It was unexpected, but it was great. The GRAMMYs are the GRAMMYs, they’re one of the biggest and greatest awards that you can get in music. But there are some people that I love and respect who have never been nominated, and it’s a very small percentage of people who get to have that attached to their name for the rest of their career – ​‘GRAMMY nominated’ or ​‘GRAMMY award winner’, whatever that may be. I never thought it would happen, but now I can call myself a GRAMMY nominated artist, and I am very excited about it (laughs).” She also told K! about her love for heavy music and if that will feed into a new album: ​“I’d say yes to that. Though the new album that I’ve made is going to be left open to interpretation by the listener, I would say that it still has the influence of heavy music.” 

EAT - The pure fucking anger here that I feel with her words matches and reflects my anger with some of my situations lately. I have never heard Poppy more pissed off than I do in this song and I love her screams it's so damn good!

SAY CHEESE - Slow groove is killer but so is her quiet and aggressive vocals. We do get a bizzare break in the song where we almost step foot into a elevator with Poppy speaking Japanese before Poppy opens the pit back up with another aggressive growl!

CUE - The harmonics here are just great and it's quite a slow bopping song at best of times but again like the past songs on the album it wants to try and lull you into a steady pace before POPPY YELLS LIKE AN ANGRY KAREN AT YOU! 

BREEDERS - This track explores the themes of exposing humanity for passing on lies, abuse, and corrupted beliefs onto each other thus turning future generations into the same breeders so to speak. A very political song and a social commentary one I would argue. 

DARK DARK WORLD - Another political society aimed track here with the man vs society/government going on as poppy says the corruption in today's world is waging war we can't ignore and we must fight it. 

Also not on this e.p. but is another amazing new track from Poppy is Fear Of Dying! 

So check that out too!

I can't wait to see what comes next from Poppy!

21 Pilots - Scaled & Icy ALBUM review & thoughts!

Stop the press everyone because, It's 21 Pilots day as it's 21st May and Scaled and Icy the sixth studio album by Twenty One Pilots is OUT NOW!

This album presents a more upbeat 21 Pilots, the boys are currently in a different stage of their lives with Tyler now being a family man. Upon the initial release of Shy Away I felt like this was a different version of the band but upon additional listens and then following the release of Choker I enjoyed the content more and I could hear and see their universally genre hopping band are still present with their signature sound. Upon the release of Saturday from this album I also felt this is really popping and fresh and gets me in a mood to party because I'm sick of the pandemic and I can imagine they are too and the boys are just looking closer at life through their experiences of the past and of the present and are also looking ahead to the future. I also feel like of course this album they are continuing on from the story they told in Trench, there's many a fan theories about this album and other songs from the band BUT I won't go into them right now and instead I shall be listening now to the track and laying it out flat here and give my thoughts track by track, so sit back with a cuppa t and your finest vinyl player ready to strike the needle down and spin this new album up!

1. Good Day - This sounds very much like a working anthem and it's also a chill song, so you start the song waking up and getting up out of bed and as the track progresses I can just imagine being that guy rushing to work 9-5 in a suit and greeting people on a street because I'm having a good day despite how down the lyrics can also be such as the line "Lost my job, my child and wife, homie just sued me". It's basically a zero fuck's a given anthem despite the upbeat nature of the instrumentals. 

2. Choker - The second song and music video they put out for this album was this tune and it is a tune, literally one of my faves on the album. I find it relatable and deep and very catchy especially the "mmhmm's" 

3. Shy Away - It's a catchy upbeat instrumental track with the chorus also being very catchy, I always find myself singing it and as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, upon first listen I was not fussed and felt this was a different direction but further listens just proved to me how wrong I was and if anything there is a different change in their music as it is mostly upbeat for this album but it's not a bad thing at all, it's different and 21 pilots have always had a unique sound and it's still present here in all these songs on this album. 

4. The Outside - Oh god this is a bop, i had this blasting in the car and the bass on the chorus just made me feel totes gangsta, ya get me?! Seriously I like this one and then THIS HITS YOU WITH TYLERS RAPPING AND IT'S FUCKING SICK! Makes you feel like driving a low rider and popping that baby to the beats! 

5. Saturday - A pop-tastic party song here! So catchy, I can vibe to this with such ease.

6. Never Take It - The way this song grooves reminds me of a U2 song for some reason but hey this is pretty groovy. 

7. Mulberry Street - I really like this one, it flow's so good and it's so chill also the "Keep your bliss" is great and the chorus is just inviting you to sway so much with it. One of my faves on this album, there's a trumpet section that appears and it's just so blues like and it really compliments this track further. 

8. Formidable - This one sounds like an 80s/90s summer pop anthem in it's instrumentals it reminds me of a song or some songs from the past and I can't remember the names right now of those songs but if you know well you know but this is another totally chill windows down on a sunny drive kinda song. The guitar in this song is so just laid back it's lovely. 

9. Bounce Man - Oh man this is such a fun beat! The tune is such a standout and it's a lot of fun I find. I can imagine this being such a fun crowd interaction song too! It makes me smile! I enjoy this song!

10. No Chances - Ok this one sounds like a lost song from Trench. The ominous "we come for you, no chances." and the drop in the upbeat music and the rapping here is just like it should have been on the last album but hey this is a good and interesting track on this album. 

11. Redecorate - Another very interesting one much like the last sounds like it would have fitted to Trench album but still i appreciate this. To me this sounds like it's telling the story of a few people who may be royalty since they talk about making decisions for their people? I find the part with the covering the mirror most interesting as to me it flashes to the old mirror superstition of when a person passes away to cover the mirrors to avoid bad luck and there's a lot of  "i don't want to go" phrases used and the fact someone does not want to redecorate is interesting and this has been an interesting one to close out the album. 

FUN FACT: In 2019, Twenty One Pilots became the first act in US history to have every song on two separate albums certified gold, for 2013’s Vessel and 2015’s Blurryface.

I got a lot of love and appreciation for this album, the boys never disappoint and I feel, well for me anyway that this album came out at the right time when I needed it.

Overall I'd give this album

8/10

"Keep your bliss, there's nothing wrong with this."

Stay Shiny!

Top 10 Dua Lipa songs

Hey, what's up?

I hope you are well today, so here's a different list as not too long ago I got myself into Dua Lipa and I purchased Future Nostalgia album and loved all the songs on there. 

I am also including collabs with Dua in this list. 

So I'm going to be listing my top 10 faves. I hope you like this list and the songs on them and if you have any other suggestions please comment or tag me on twitter @1stmetalgod. 

10: Cool

In a statement to Apple Music where Lipa broke down each track on the “Future Nostalgia” album, Lipa explained the process behind “Cool” and her initial reaction to the song: “My A&R played me this song two years ago, and I instantly hated it. I was like, “Please never play me this again.” But a year down the line, when I was writing, he sat me down and was like, “I have something to play you.” And he just played the instrumental and I was like, “This is actually really good with no lyrics.” I went into the studio with Tove Lo and just had fun exploring. It has some Prince influences, and it was a range of my voice I hadn’t tried. This whole album was about exploring growth and trying out new things, so I wanted to embrace challenges. We wrote something that felt really real to me, and it’s just a romantic, summery song, about meeting someone who has you losing all your cool.”. Catchy and laid back this just gripped me through my first listen of Future Nostalgia and stuck with me since like a summer breeze through your hair on a car journey. 

9: Break My Heart

"Break My Heart" is an funky disco-pop song where Dua Lipa questions whether a new love will leave her nursing a broken heart again. The chorus is so catchy, cant help singing along to it. 

8: Prisoner

The synth-heavy rock track is a blend of Dua's techno and Miley's pop-rock styles. Cyrus told Zane Lowe it was one of several songs the two powerhouse divas cut together. "She wanted to keep going until it was right, until we found the one that honours our individuality," she said of Lipa. "We just waited until we felt like, "Now this is Dua-Miley song. You can just, everything about it reflects us." A great collab by Miley and Dua, often bopping my head to this song and singing along, it does stick in your head and becomes such a ear worm but hey its good.

7: One Kiss

This up-tempo track finds Calvin Harris paying homage to '90s-style house music. The song features seductive vocals about the power of a kiss by Dua Lipa. Harris has been a fan of the British-Albanian songstress since she released "Be The One" in 2015. "I just want to make dance music again, it seemed like a good opportunity to make a house-sounding record with her," he said in an interview with Zane Lowe. Dua Lipa is no stranger to successful collaborations, having scored UK Top 20 hits on "Scared To Be Lonely" with Martin Garrix and Sean Paul's "No Lie." This is one of the earliest songs I heard from Dua but i just appreciate it more now that I am into her music more, its a good collab. 

6: New Rules

It's about someone trying to move on from a relationship and establishing new rules with herself to keep herself from falling back into that failed relationship. Damn catchy, this was the first song i was exposed to of hers and i did not think so much of it but since i have gotten fully into Dua, I do appreciate and enjoy this song more. 

5: Hallucinate

Lyrically, the song finds Dua Lipa singing about loving someone so much it's making her lose her mind and "hallucinate." I enjoy listening to this, even making my own dance moves for this song in my head and whilst showering haha, so damn fun and catchy. 

4: Levitating

Dua Lipa's songs are often upbeat musically, but with downbeat lyrics about romantic difficulties ("Don't Start Now," "Break My Heart"). However, "Levitating" is an all-round euphoric jam. "It's about having fun and meeting someone and falling in love and thinking, 'You've probably met me at the perfect time, let's just go for it," Dua Lipa explained to Apple Music. "It's the feeling when love makes you feel like you're levitating. It's otherworldly." A damn fine catchy tune here i cant help singing along to, almost got all the lyrics down still working on it hehe but i love this. 

3: Physical

"Physical" is an upbeat electropop number in which Dua Lipa celebrates her intimacy with her lover. The song channels Olivia Newton-John's 1981 hit of the same name. A great song to jog or run to when the beat kicks in, i cant help but to do a flash dance rain scene whilst singing to this jam ah ha. 

2: Don't Start Now

The jealous ex just can't stand the fact that the singer is over their relationship. Dua Lipa tells him he's better off staying away rather than seeing her dancing with somebody else. "It's about moving on," Lipa told Radio.com. "It's about finding confidence in that and not letting anyone get in the way of your happiness. I think it's always important to remember that your happiness should come first." Regularly dancing and singing along to this and even showing the emote off in fortnite from this song haha, i loves it mun!

1: Love Again

After going through a toxic relationship, Lipa had given up on love, but now she's found somebody she can love again. Dua Lipa explained during an episode of the Netflix series Song Exploder that at the time she wrote the track, she was in a long-term relationship with a man who was being dishonest with her. Her inspiration was, "I need to be released from this." The song samples "My Woman" by Lew Stone & The Monseigneur Band and Al Bowlly, which Bing Crosby co-wrote and originally recorded. White Town famously sampled its trumpet instrumental in his 1997 hit "Your Woman." Both "Love Again" and "Your Woman" share the theme of an unhappy relationship and breakup. Like omg is this such a tune, i really love this song so much!

Thanks for reading, that's my list, come back again for more blogs and top 10s and all other assorted bits and bobs to make you laugh and make you think. 

Taylor Swift Evermore Album Thoughts

 So I must say that I cannot believe that I am writing this again so soon BUT, 

*breathes in* 

TAYLOR SWIFT HAS DROPPED ANOTHER NEW ALBUM!

*Exhales out!*

Phew that was a lot to get out there. Evermore is Taylor Swift's NINTH studio album and is the continuation of Folklore era with this sister album to Folklore. So Taylor could not stop creating and writing more wonderful sounds for our blessed ears and here we are once again to sit down and chill with Taylor with her new work, so without further ado let's get into this!

ALSO HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAYLOR!!!!

It's mine and my girlfriend's birthday tomorrow!

THE OFFICIAL ALBUM RELEASES 18TH December 2020 with the deluxe editions harbouring 2 extra songs which we will hear when the full album drops but for now we have been blessed with Willow music video and of course the full lyric video album of EVERMORE.

1: Willow

The video is very enchanting and mysterious I felt, a soft start continuing the folklore vibes of course and its your typical Taylor but folklore version too and the chorus is catchy, the instrumentals run by the lyrics like a sweet lullaby. 

2: Champagne Problems

The piano which starts this song feels very sombre but also festive? Hmm continuing the soft trend here, Taylor sounds very resentful when she sings the words "Champagne Problems". So a kinda heartbreaky song i would imagine this being. The harmony section around 2 mins in is nice and compliments the track well i felt. 

3: Gold Rush

Here's one I can imagine getting some airplay on the radio quite a bit, it's soft, catchy with the repetition of gold rush but then it kinda changes tempo and gains a bit more speed and momentum as Taylor goes with it and then she puts a brake on and the song slows down but also she get's back into that rhythm of getting faster. This is a welcome surprise. Already for me my stand out because it is unique and it is actually nice and oh hey she said the thing FOLKLORE. She has such a soft and beautiful take on some of her lines in this song and WHAT?! IT'S JUST ENDED HUH!? 

4: Tis The Damn Season

So on first glance I imagined this to be a sassy christmas song but this is a story and like much of this album again like Folklore, Taylor has made up some characters and her own tales and stories within these songs and is taking us on a journey of these characters. I'm not entirely sure what to think of this song yet or even what to write about it, I guess the chorus is catchy or one which could become a earworm.

5: Tolerate It

So already got some dodgy vibes from the title before the song has played and I am imagining Taylor writing about a bad relationship and tolerating something she does not have to or of course it's about a character and their story tolerating something. It is definitely about what i thought it was about let me just say that. It is quite a depressing song and you feel sorry for who this song is about because no one ever deserves that. I'm not teary eyed, you are! *sniffs* Seriously I did feel down listening to this, I can feel the sadness, the frustration coming across from Taylors voice and in her lyrics and with the instrumentals it chimes it in perfectly.  

6: No Body, No Crime

No body no crime? So someone has witnessed a murder but yet is telling us "hey if there's no body you cant charge me for the crime" Oh damn yes the country vibes oh shit yeah, i like this, i'm moving side to side right now typing this out and by god the chorus. OH MY GOD TAYLOR WHAT A COLLAB THIS IS!!!! HAIM i have never heard of you til now but thanks for working with Taylor and Taylor thank you for this one, i am really grooving to this one. I THINK HE DID IT BUT I JUST CAN'T PROOOVE IIIIIT!!!! Til the day i die OH MY GOD!!!! I think this is my fave on the album!!! We are almost half way through and BAM, I BEEN SHOT, THIS SONG! I ENJOY! CAN I HAS MORE?!

7: Happiness

Ok so this does not sound like happiness but of course do not always take things on face value and apparently this was the last song Taylor wrote for the album. Potential Great Gatsby comments here perhaps and we have had some other vibes in other songs from Taylor regarding Great Gatsby i feel. So another kinda end of a relationship closure song.

8: Dorothea

Oh this has an interesting sound i kinda like already and so i believe this is one much like betty, it's written form a male perspective about Dorothea. Oh this is lovely! I like the chorus, it's making me sway slowly and i'm getting bit teary too? What? This is nice! The "woooo-oh" is nice too. The chorus yes! It's lovely and quite charming in a silly way too with some lines example is the "pissing off your mom" bit. I can imagine a guy playing the guitar on the porch to a woman singing this to win her back, its touching. Lovely liked this one! 

9: Coney Island

Oh the drums here are quite the interesting start to this song. Hello is this a sneaky nod to Delicate or am i reading too much into it just because Delicate was name dropped hehe. Sombre sounding country-esque song i feel. 

10: Ivy

From the title my thoughts at first said "oh this maybe a tricky song and not a good story for one of her characters." I feel this is apart of the collection of songs from this and the last album of a troubled relationship. I'm not too sure of what i feel for this song to be plainly honest. 

11: Cowboy Like Me

Hoooo-weeee is this here another western sounding wicked song like Track 6, let me just listen and see what's happening in the song of this saloon. This is potentially about Bonnie & Clyde two crime partners who fall in love. The solo is brilliant and its a nice flowing soft song. I likey!

12: Long Story Short

To cut a long story short we are nearing the end of the album and WOAH that fast rhythm beat going on caught me straight away. Long story short this has to be about her finding the wrong guy but then finding the right one with Joe. Taylor deserves the best kinda man and it does feel like Joe is the one and seems like she has found peace so aww that's precious and blessed. Evermore was mentioned ok people she said the thing, we can all drink and go home now haha. :) 

13: Marjorie

My glorious girlfriend gave me a warning about this one prior to listening to the album as this one is one that will hit me close to home. Fun fact i kept this to the very last song i heard on the album. On evermore, track 13 eulogizes her grandmother Marjorie Finlay, who was an opera singer. Aww i felt this song. Lump in my throat and all aw bless. 

14: Closure

Woah what is the industrial beat going on in this song it has just made me fascinated and raised my eyebrow , i'm so curious about the arcadial noises in the song. Oh and arcadial may not be a word but i am making it up to describe arcade like noises. Don't say i did not give you something new and surprise drop new content on you hahaha, i think i'm getting distracted and carried away now and not listening to the lyrics properly so in lou of that, allow me to press repeat on this one. Taylor or whoever she has written this about clearly does not need their closure, she's done move on basically haha. 

15: Evermore

Ohhhh Tay Tay you teaming up with Bon Iver again huh? Well let's see if this is another smash hit collab! Another sombre sounding song at the moment with how it's flowing. Writing letters addressed to the fire is this a nod to the Scooter Braun dispute? Taylor don't worry you will win and get your masters back it will just take some time is all but you will win, trust me. The part where Bon Iver pops in very much reminded me of the stylings of Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro? Some nice falsetto going on here and a nice sombre piano. Sombre is the word of the album. 

Bonus songs 

(TO BE RELEASED 18TH DECEMBER!)

Right Where You Left Me

It's Time To Go

So that is Evermore and my thought's upon my first playthrough of the album and I will come back again to this album and I will let my thoughts be known of the bonus material as soon as I am able to once they are released. I wonder what they will be like, from first glance i am imagining some more sombre tales in the form of these songs but we shall wait and see what happens there when the tracks are released.

So yes the continuation of the Folklore era, EVERMORE, in one word to describe the album it has to be for me Sombre. It's very good, I got my faves and i got ones which i will probably have to listen to a few more times to get into or to understand more of but yes TRACK 6, LET'S GO BAY BEEEE!!!! 

Thanks for checking out my thoughts and my blog, I worked hard and fast to get this done and I really appreciate you visiting and reading this!

Dear reader, please have a lovely day and a lovely holiday season, wherever you are!

CFMT Album Review!

After some wait and after a shitty start to the year, we are now into Autumn and as covid is spiking up again in the uk and as I am back in lockdown and unable to see loved ones outside of my household, here I am today to bring you my thought's, opinions and most importantly review of Corey Taylor's solo debut album titled CFMT. 

I pre-ordered my copy from Amazon and it was signed by the legendary Cfmt himself so that is so wicked and I received the album a day before it's initial release which is quite something extraordinary to have especially from Amazon these days. As previously written I have already gave my thoughts on CMFT MUST BE STOPPED song, which you can see and learn more of my thoughts and about Corey Taylor in that review, simply click on the bold letters to see that piece.

With 13 song's on this stacked album, let's go through them as I give you my thought's on these songs before giving my final verdict on the album as a whole, do enjoy!

1: HWY 666

This is how you kick off an album, ROCK n ROLL!!!! A country metal track as this track simply informs us to buckle up as we are heading for a hell of a ride!!!!

2: Black Eyes Blue

This is a lovely alternative rock, love song which is also very lovely and catchy and i love. So for the less hardcore you got this to fall back to. 

3: Samantha's Gone

Really catchy chorus with a song which has such a great grove to it. 

4: Meine Lux 

Such a fast paced party tune here I find and oh catchy so catchy.

5: Halfway Down

Quite a flirty song here and very chill, the groove is damn catchy. The guitars are sooo smooth, it's having a cigarette while this is all going on I presume because them licks and solos beeee smokin'.  

6: Silverfish

A soft centred slow song with a catchy chorus to boot and it's almost like blues riff's and psychedelic feel is just chill with a kickin' solo. 

7: Kansas

I absolutely love this one!!! Just gives me such emotional feels and all in a good way, it's sweet, loving and romantic, i just pine over this one haha. 

8: Culture Head

This is a Hell of a tune! It was most recently played and performed on WWE's Nxt brand for PPV Takeover 31 and from there upon my first listen i was like "woah!" and "i need to listen to this again" which i still am like to this song and i play it on repeat a few times a day since this came out! THIS PUNCHES SO HARD!

9: Everybody Dies On My Birthday

I don't quite know what to make of this song, Corey is clearly sending a message and getting his thoughts out there. It's a decent track, perhaps a grower. 

10: The Maria Fire

Oh damn this be some bluesy jazzy stuff right here and so yeah i really like this song. 

11: Home

A soft touching song here, guaranteed to make you swell up and cry. 

12: CMFT MUST BE STOPPED

CFMT must be stopped is loud, in your face and kicks so much ass!, all the while moving and flowing like a coursing river, the music video features an all star line up of cameo's too! I love this song!

13: European Tour Bus Bathroom Song

This is goofy, fast paced and insane! This will have you scratching your head and headbanging and then questioning "what the fuck did I just listen to?" hahaha. 

Corey has kicked down the door to the industry years ago and now he's ripped the damn door off for all to see and hear. Corey is not a stranger he's been in this game for three decades now fronting metal giants Slipknot and also fronting the hard rocking Stone Sour, but for a solo outing, this is how you do it! This album, well let me just start and say that it is a lot of fun and you can hear how much fun Corey had in creating this album. It's has a varied range of sound in the instrumentals and a diverse vocal range from Corey that we all know and love very well. 

Overall
8/10

Thank you very much for reading my review and checking out my blog, I really appreciate it!
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Taylor Swift Folklore Album Thoughts

So last week or on Friday the 24th July 2020 to be more precise, Taylor Swift came from nowhere and RKO'D the swiftie fandom and mainstream charts out of nowhere, even her label were hit with a surprise that she dropped a new album. 

This came from nowhere but also came from everywhere! She never sits still for much that girl and as my loving girlfriend said "when she posted nothing going on, i knew she was up to something!" so yeah apparently in lockdown Taylor decided to up and drop an album on us from the stir crazy lockdown world quarantine everyone has been under. 

This album to date as of writing has sold a whopping 1.3million copies and most fans aint getting the physical copies until another week! Taylor Swift becomes the first artist ever to debut at No. 1 on both the Hot100 and Billboard200 in the same week thanks to Folklore, Bon Iver gets their first Hot100 top 10, and more moves on the billboard charts this week.

It is Taylor's first alternative album! Which when i heard of it very much peaked my interests more than your standard "Taylor got a new album out" news does. Like don't get me wrong we all know i am a closet swiftie by now with all my lists and thoughts on Taylor but you know as a lover of good music she can and has done some bangers right and i am always in new things from her because she is quite talented. 

So going into this album i thought; Hmm very fairy-tale like stuff with the woods and the fonts on the covers and also how Cardigan sneak peak pictures were looking very much like a Peter Pan fairy-tale vibes going on. Then when i watched Cardigan i thought the song and video was lovely and very fairy tale like with how she was travelling through a box of light going to a different place and so on. Also as we know Folklore the word means; the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community, passed through the generations by word of mouth.

So now here we are 16 tracks and 1 bonus song all to devour, oh jesus this is going to be quite a task already. So to start i will be giving first thoughts on the album via my first listen through and i will be diving into the lyrics as we go to try and connect more and see more about the songs. 

So DJ, SPIN THAT SHIT!

FOLKLORE

By Taylor Swift

1: The One - First listen i don't quite know what to make of this.Some sadness and humour in here but is it written from her perspective or someone else's. Nice little harmony with the oo's and it does flow lovely. 

2: Cardigan - It's a lovely flowing soft song. In a Live Q&A before the music video for “Cardigan” was released, Taylor explained, “The song is about a lost romance and why young love is often fixed so permanently within our memories. Why it leaves such an indelible mark.” Taylor also elaborated in an interview with BBC Radio 1: “This is a song that’s about long lost love, and looking back on it and how special it made you feel,” she said, adding, “all the good things it made you feel, all the pain that it made you feel.” Maybe this song describes how comfy and safe she feels in her current relationship. 

3: The Last Great American Dynasty - It sounds like the old Taylor answered the phone on this one. Why does this sound like it's about some olden time popular fancy celeb couple. Yeah i quite like this, it stands out to me thus far more so than what i have heard at the moment but again this is the first listen through. 

4: Exile - Ok started and it swelled me up a bit and tbh it sounds like it should be Bon's song more than Taylor's on this collab. I like this, it makes me emotional jesus. This is the best song on here right now as i am writing as i near the end of this track, i mean it's making me swell up and tear up bro! This is one i'd pay to see live in person! This is a convo between ill fated lovers perhaps. 

5: My Tears Ricochet - Oh the chorus is very cleverly put together let me just say that. So far this album is like a RED 2 in how it's tone is coming across as, and by that i mean Red is a downer of an album overall but it's good don't get me wrong too. Very clever song it's like cornelia street and i think he knows but darker and more emotional? Does that make any sense? Apparently this is the only song on the album she wrote herself but also the first she wrote.

6; Mirrorball - I like the instrumentals of this, it's very chill and reminds me of a song from the life is strange games, maybe this one should be in a life is strange 3. So yeah the vibes give me LIS vibes so for that i like this. Defo one i will revisit. There's some possible throwbacks to her career or rather era's with how this song goes maybe she is reflecting it all. 

7; Seven - Hmm another one which would suit a life is strange game if i am honest. Another one i will have to revisit as i can feel it could be sort of about her not understanding an issue as a child about one of her friends maybe? Dessner told Vulture: "It's kind of looking back at childhood and those childhood feelings, recounting memories and memorialising them, It has one of the most important lines on the record: 'And just like a folk song, our love will be passed on.' That's what this album is doing. It's passing down. It's memorialising love, childhood, and memories. It's a folkloric way of processing." 

8: August - Fearless Taylor vibes i am getting from this, it's nice don't get me wrong but it's not really grabbing me so much but i have only heard this song twice as of writing, so if i appreciate it later on i will let you know. This is possibly about someone young just running about after a man and she ends up broken hearted as the man is not hers so its story of a love triangle.

9: This Is Me Trying - Nice chill reflection song a very vulnerable song, this should be track 5 as i think it fits well of the legendary track five status. At least i am trying to piece together my thoughts, feelings on all this. It's quite hard at times as you can see because some songs are not so standout or like beneficial and very meaningful to me if it makes sense like i don't fully grasp what others maybe from some of these songs but you know can't say there's a song i don't like thus far. 

10: Illicit Affairs - Uhhh i dont quite know what to say it was a troublesome song i guess but what else can you say about a song that's about cheating or a cheater you know? In the third verse, Swift appears to reference her 2014 single"Out of the Woods." The "don't call me kid, don't call me baby" i do like. 

11; Invisible String - A nice piece of music here, it's a nice little piece to her lover and when this title was revealed i had major your name vibes which is an anime film you reading this should watch! Swift appears to underscore the idea that she and Alwyn have been unconsciously connected throughout their lives.The third verse could contain a nod to Swift's ex-boyfriend, Joe Jonas, who infamously dumped Swift over the phone and recently welcomed his first child with wife Sophie Turner: "Cold was the steel of my axe to grind / For the boys who broke my heart / Now I send their babies presents." So isn't that funny. This is a lovely piece of music my friends, it's quite romantic and chill.

12: Mad Woman - Well if i am not mistaken this is quite a revenge song haha. Maybe like she's calling out the emotions of female rage which might be seen as a taboo or joke of sorts to talk about openly so similar to in how in "The Man" she was calling out the industry on sexism but this is more about being angry as a woman i mean just a theory and maybe another theory is that this is just how people have seen her towards her old enemy Kanye and how maybe her silent anger is something very scary and intimidating to some to hear or see? 

13: Epiphany - Ooh a moody start here. An emotional song here about loss and there's a hospital theme so maybe it's about giving thanks and praise to current healthcare workers whilst also talking about her grandfather who fought in the war. I find this beautiful also and through my second listen as i read and understand the lyrics more and open my ears more and let the music into my soul i am actually getting tears in my eyes, i can connect and i can see this song, i feel it.

14: Betty - Classic Taylor Swift self titled debut album but with maturity and wisdom of the modern Taylor is what this song is. Something bad happened to this "Betty" and the speaker is looking for forgiveness. 

15: Peace - Hmm i am not quite sure what to make of this either on first listen but now time to listen again! Swift is talking about giving her partner everything but struggling with making peace maybe since she say's "All these people think love's for show / But I would die for you in secret" and how she says "No, i could never give you peace." Maybe the "No i could never give you peace." is about her popularity as she is always talked about and taken photos off so that lavish livestyle is too much for a partner to fully take? Swift also nods to her two most infamous feuds, singing, "But there's robbers to the east, clowns to the west." The "robbers" are most likely Borchetta and Braun, who own the rights to her first six albums, while the "clowns" seem to refer to West and Kardashian West.

16: Hoax - Another vulnerable song here which i don't fully know what to say about on first listen. Apparently this song was late added to the album. I got some imagery from Rep and Red in some lines here maybe throwbacks to them. She sings about missing New York here about maybe some regret to move perhaps too. On my second listen i get it more on what's being said and she is feeling and means and i do like this but for me there's other songs here i connect more with or i like more of, so no offence to the songs which don't do much for me but it is important to know that not every single song will hit home runs or connect to everyone, sometimes its not about the connection of music but the expression of the lyrics and pain and artistry to create and put a piece of yourself into words, into music even. 

Bonus Track!

The Lakes 

Oh my god its so lush and romantic i love it!

Overall it's a good album, well written, smart and clever lyrical play, instrumental is classic Taylor with a twist and this of course is different for her. This album is soft, vulnerable, angry, resentful, depressing and hopeful i would say. This is one which fans will say this is a stand out from all the rest of her works and you could put it easily between Fearless & Red if you would like. Kudos Taylor, well done. 

Well my dear readers thanks for visiting and reading as always and thanks for sharing too!

Photo and music credits: Taylor Swift