Release Date: July 24, 2020 Genre: Pop Punk, Rock Label: Hopeless Records The Welsh pop-punk group Neck Deep returns looking to raise the stakes once more with their fourth album, All Distortions Are Intentional. Neck Deep’s brand new work is the biggest and boldest step in their creative evolution as songwriters over an ongoing eight-year career. All Distortions Are Intentional is an immersive conceptual journey from its beginning to its end featuring multiple bangers. The twelve-track release was produced by Grammy nominated producer Matt Squire, who has worked with some notable talent such as Panic! At The Disco, Underøath, Ariana Grande, and One Direction, to name a select few. The album was recorded at the acclaimed Monnow Valley Studio, where Squire and Neck Deep’s creative juices organically began to flow. Finally, the album was mixed by vocalist Ben Barlow’s brother Seb Barlow, who has been a long-time collaborator of the band. By the end of the entire process, Seb grew so fond of this album’s material that he formally joined the band as their new bassist. All Distortions Are Intentional is centred on the storytelling of classic rock, has all the shades of the punk genre seen in the past, a light sprinkling of pop, and is rounded out with a modern dose of pop-punk to drive the band forward with no set genre to hold them down. The band has always stood out on their own, but have created their own sound that’s absolutely and unapologetically Neck Deep. All Distortions Are Intentional is Neck Deep’s first exploration into writing a concept album, which is rich with themes of disconnection, existential confusion, the search for meaning, and more. The whole album revolves around a character named Jett, who lives in a place referred to as “Sonderland,” a combination of “wonderland” and the word “sonder,” which means “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” Jett feels disconnected and disillusioned until he falls in love with a girl named Alice. Even this new relationship brings its challenges; Jett is a victim of limerence and the only thing he loves about the world is Alice. Some of the album’s songs also explore Alice’s view of Jett. As their story unfolds over the twelve tracks, the importance of meaning and purpose for each other shines bright. Vocalist Ben Barlow believed it was best to write a concept album that connects with the fictional and real world. The current state of modern music is based around the single whereas writing an album -let alone a concept album that’s heavy on its storytelling- isn’t held nearly in the same regard as it once was. Jett and Alice’s story starts with the opening track, “Sonderland,” setting the story in motion with a track describing the world these characters are living in, while also setting the mood of some of the subject matter and what Jett is going through. Barlow belts the choruses lyrics; “Welcome to my dark despair / Everyone here is a nightmare / As they all keep talking in their sleep / I am wondering if it surely gets better than this.” As he sings, the story begins to fall into place. “Fall” is an infectious tune touching on excess and escapism found through substances and social situations to cope with the internal struggles of life. Jett and Alice’s life as outcasts and living with no cares is showcased in another infectious tune, “Lowlife.” Jett’s realization for his love of Alice can be heard in the track “When You Know,” as heard in the song’s lyrics, “Sunshine, we don’t belong here / We got no flowers to grow / But it feels so good with you on me, baby / Yeah, it feels so good when you know.” At the midpoint of the album comes the track “Quarry.” This particular dark, ninety-second interlude style track brings the album down with a little gloom. Following the eeriness of “Quarry,” the darker themes continue as Jett begins to question his existence, wondering if he’ll wake up one day and if it will all be over. Tracks “Empty House” and “Little Dove” are All Distortions Are Intentional‘s acoustic guitar-driven, acoustic pop tracks. Acoustic tracks have always been a centrepiece for the band on all three of Neck Deep’s previous albums Wishful Thinking (2014), Life’s Not out to Get You (2015), and The Peace and the Panic (2017). “We drift like lonely planets and feel like, like cold moons / Like satellites drawn to your gravity / I revolve around you,” sung during the chorus of the penultimate track, “I Revolve (Around You),” once again touches on Jett and Alice’s love for each other with how they get by every day by being with one another. All Distortions Are Intentional ends with the disheartening and explosive track, “Pushing Daisies.” Jett shares his final view of his entire life as he’s preparing for the end resulting in the perfect send-off to this world, these characters, and story that was created by Ben Barlow and his bandmates Dani Washington, Matt West, Sam Bowden, and Seb Barlow. Check out more from Neck Deep: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: July 31, 2020 Genre: Rock Label: BMG Canada / Farmer & The Owl The renowned Australian rock duo Hockey Dad are set to finally release their much anticipated -and slightly delayed- third album Brain Candy. Hockey Dad is made up of vocalist and guitarist Zach Stephenson and drummer Billy Fleming, who have been friends for over two decades. Over the last seven years these two friends have been making music together as Hockey Dad, in which time the two have previously released their EP Dreamin’ and two albums, Boronia and Blend Inn. Zach and Billy’s success has been felt for a few years now and has lead to four songs from Blend Inn making triple j’s Hottest 100 list. The duo have surpassed half a million monthly listeners on Spotify, have toured the world extensively with particularly large shows across their home country of Australia, and have garnered over twenty-four million streams collectively across Spotify alone. Stephenson and Fleming recorded their brand new full length album at the infamous Robert Lang Studios with producer John Goodmanson at the helm. Goodmanson is best known for his work with Death Cab For Cutie, Sleater-Kinney, and Wolf Parade. Hockey Dad’s newest collection of music, now known to all as Brain Candy, is a reference to the chemical intake required to sooth one’s mind. Whether that be serotonin, antidepressants, or anything else that could be used. To the band, their ultimate brain candy is music itself; music that they have and haven’t created themselves. Their brand new album is also in no way any type of reiteration of their previous efforts. While there’s many aspects that are similar to their prior releases, Brain Candy is a well-thought-out, well textured, and recognizably mature album that acts as a reflection on life written by both Stephenson and Fleming, who have practically grown up within the public eye. The album begins with the fun little opening tune, “In This State.” Opening with just guitar, it all leads up to the song’s true colours rising to the surface. Zach’s lyrics show a cause of worry or anxiety, and further reveal that all these feelings are just the start of something greater yet to come. Following is the fast paced track “I Missed Out.” Fans were first made aware of brand new music from the band with the release of this single just prior to Hockey Dad’s Canadian tour in December of 2019. The tour featured fellow Australians DZ Deathrays and Horror My Friends. “Good Eye” is an infectious and catchy rock track all around, while Stephenson is belting out across the song’s lyrics on the reasons why he has a good eye for catching things. “Germophobe” is another catchy track that doesn’t need much of an explanation at all, as the song touches on Zach being exactly as the title suggests. “Itch” is a bit of a departure for the duo, featuring a slowed down and emotionally charged tune, with a 90’s rock vibe rather than the band’s staple indie rock/surf rock sound. “This is it, there is no other moment better than this promise,” Stephenson sings with emotion. Hockey Dad’s final three tracks on Brain Candy are a further departure from what you’re used to hearing from the duo as they slow themselves completely down to the bare minimum. First is the third last track, “Keg,” featuring some of the album’s most obscure sounding guitar riffs with some delayed backing vocals giving it a very spacey feel to it. “Reno” follows suit with “Keg” with an other very melodic, atmospheric alternative rock track. Now we have the album’s final song, “Looking Forward To The Change.” This one and final track is Zach’s spotlight, solely of his vocals and his slow melodic guitar, before Billy comes in with his drums in the last moments of the track to give listeners one big energetic go home instrumental piece to close the album out. Check out more from Hockey Dad: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Release Date: August 6, 2020 Genre: Pop Label: Atlantic Records The Moroccan-Canadian singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Faouzia (pronounced FOH-ZE-UH) has released her first-ever collection of music, Stripped. A compilation EP of intimate stripped-down versions of her past singles that were shed down to their bare essence. The EP collects new and refreshing takes of her fan favourite singles “How It All Works Out,” “Bad Dreams,” “Tears of Gold,” “You Don’t Even Know Me,” “Born Without A Heart,” and the brand new track, “100 Bandaids.” Some of the stripped-down versions of the tracks have been previously released prior, but a few are brand new to the EP. All the tracks on Stripped were self-produced by Faouzia herself, except for “100 Bandaids,” which instead was produced by Jordan Waters. Over the last five years, Faouzia has seen a lot of success and has won multiple songwriting awards in various competitions starting at Festival du Voyageur’s La Chicane Éléctrique in 2015. Which then saw Faouzia receive wins from Canada’s Walk of Fame RBC Emerging Artist Program, the Nashville Unsigned Only music competition, and lastly a historic win at the International Songwriting Competition. At the 2017 International Songwriting Competition, herself and fellow Manitoban singer-songwriter Matt Epp entered their single, “The Sound,” and became the first two Canadian’s in the sixteen-year history to win the competition, seeing the two of them beat out over sixteen thousand other entries from one hundred thirty-seven different countries. Continuing on her already storied career, specifically over the last three years Faouzia has landed a few major features with David Guetta in 2018 on his track, “Battle.” While in 2019 was featured on french rapper Ninho’s track, “Money.” However earlier this year she was featured on, “I Dare You (كنتحداك)” a duet with Kelly Clarkson. Which was part of a five-track EP of multi-language duets, put together by Clarkson herself. Faouzia shines on the anthem in Arabic, one of the three languages (English, Arabic, and French) she is fluent in. She was featured on the original soundtrack Scoob! The Album with a feature with the DJ duo Galantis on the track, “I Fly.” Lastly, Faouzia enlisted DJs Goldhouse (Sam Smith, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish) and Owen Norton (Selena Gomez, Jason Derulo, Daya) for remixes of her single “Tears of Gold. There are quite the differences in a majority of the songs on Stripped and that begins with the track, “How It All Works Out.” Five of the six tracks stripped down to just piano and Faouzia’s voice, resulting in her wide vocal range, her vibrato, and her powerful, exhilarating, and yet so haunting voice continuing to shine and captivate listeners on Stripped. There are certainly some twists and turns along the way from the original versions of the songs to the acoustic versions on the EP, and they’re more than evident on the initial listen. “Tears of Gold” is originally a pop anthem for the ages, but the Stripped version of the track becomes a powerful, but somber pop ballad that Faouzia really conveys the true emotion of the song through her voice. Setting itself out from the rest, “Born Without a Heart” is a piece featuring a string section and a clean driven guitar that backs Faouzia’s electric voice. The two tracks, “Bad Dreams” and “100 Bandaids,” are the only versions of the songs to be ever released for Faouzia’s listeners. I’m sure one day soon when the time is right, the opposite versions will be unleashed upon the world. Accompanying the release of Stripped, Faouzia performed the EP in its entirety at Winnipeg’s own, Burton Cummings Theatre. Which can be watched in the video above. At just twenty years old, a handful of singles, and now an acoustic EP, Faouzia has cemented her name as one of the biggest up and comers within the pop music scene. With every aspect of Faouzia’s voice, it will leave you with chills running down your spine with every listen. Check out more from Faouzia: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: August 28, 2020 Genre: Folk Pop, Pop Label: AWAL Manitoba’s very own Olivia Lunny returns with her second EP, To the Ones I Loved. Every song on Olivia’s new EP has its own distinctive traits standing each of them out as their own. The four songs see their lyricism and their writing styles all tie each track into one another. As well, the songs on To the Ones I Loved touch on the various emotions that one feels with love and heartbreak. Additionally, the songs also cover how no love or heartbreak is the same for each individual person. To the Ones I Loved was co-written and produced by AJ Healey (Shaun Frank, Delaney Jane). In February 2018, Olivia released her first-ever self-titled EP, which can be listened to on her Soundcloud. It all led to many opportunities to perform all around Manitoba at venues, coffee shops, and more over the remainder of the year. Fast forward to February 20, 2019. Olivia had her big break for her music career. Which seen Olivia appear on CTV’s music competition show, The Launch. Olivia was seen showcasing her talents across Canada. The Launch is an unorthodox music competition show apart from the others. Varied musicians and bands from all across Canada had to impress the panel, were then all given the same prewritten song, record their own version of the song, and the winner received the single as their own released on streaming services as the episode finished airing. Jann Arden and Shaun Frank were the episode’s guest mentors, who helped propel Olivia to win with her version of the Top 40 single, “I Got You.” Back in April of this year, Olivia was featured on the ArtistCAN’s version of the classic Bill Withers song, “Lean on Me.” The single's proceeds all went to the Canadian Red Cross towards its COVID-19 relief efforts. ArtistCAN’s version of the song featured Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, Bryan Adams, Rush’s Geddy Lee, Jann Arden, Sarah McLachlan, Michael Bublé, Tyler Shaw, and many, many more Canadian talent. To the Ones I Loved begins off with the track, “Think of Me.” Alongside Olivia and Healey, the track was co-written by fellow Canadian pop artist Tyler Shaw. “Think of Me” was written the first time the two artists met in 2019 and originally was meant to be a duet with Shaw. The song is a post-breakup anthem about a recent breakup Olivia had pretty recently to the time the track was initially written. “Think of Me” has quite the apparent EDM production to its music and beat, but Olivia’s signature breathy voice brings the song’s overall emotion to the forefront. The next track is, “Something New,” which in any manner is exactly something new to Olivia, and the EP. The track features a sultry turn for Olivia’s voice and shines the most than ever on the track. “Something New” builds to become a major synth-pop anthem by its chorus. The tune’s majorly infectious chorus alone could have had major potential for the song to have been a huge hit of the summer. “Something New” was co-written by fellow Manitoba musician Roman Clarke. “Hold Me” is driven by a massive presence of acoustic guitar above large production before the beat ultimately overwhelms the guitar for the chorus. Olivia’s signature breathy voice returns once again on, “Hold Me.” The song explores the frustration that comes with a one-sided situation where someone is giving their all to a relationship, but the other is taking it all without giving the same back. The EP’s final track, “Bedsheets,” takes Olivia back to her folk-pop roots with an acoustic ballad with small production and minimal percussion. The song features Olivia’s original scratch vocal track that’s paired with the track’s instruments. Once again, Olivia’s signature vocal style and emotive voice convey the song’s true emotion. “Bedsheets” is the most fitting track to end the EP as it touches on the subject of growth, and even transformation after a breakup. The song really is more about that growth of getting over someone after a breakup. Check out more from Olivia Lunny: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 4, 2020 Genre: Technical Death Metal, Symphonic Death Metal Label: Metal Blade Records Iceland’s Cult of Lilith has been writing and recording their debut record over the past two years after solidifying their now current lineup. The band’s debut album, Mara, is a unique blend of death metal, prog, and classical music styles. With no creative limit in front of the band, they seemingly share similarities to the symphonic death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse, and a slew of other bands under the large death metal umbrella. Nonetheless, Cult of Lilith bleeds their own brilliance into their songwriting and sound to make the album what truly makes Cult of Lilith stand out over the rest. Mara was recorded at two separate studios, the first being Dutch Ice Productions where the album’s drums were tracked. While everything else was tracked at guitarist Kristján Jóhann Júlíusson’s own Krummafótur Studio. Cult of Lilith’s debut album was produced by Chris van der Valk (Hail of Bullets, Prejudice), then mixed and mastered by Dave Otero (Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation). Cult of Lilith was founded in Reykjavik, Iceland in 2015 with Daniel Þór Hannesson as the band’s sole member, the guitarist went on to hire both a session drummer and vocalist to create their debut EP, Arkanum. By 2018 the band solidified their lineup with the addition of vocalist Mario Infantes Ávalos. The band gets their name from Jewish folklore. The story of the demonic figure Lilith is both deep and fascinating, with a plethora of different interpretations told over the years. Lilith is thought to be derived from the class of Mesopotamian demons known as Lilû, females known as Lilītu. The name is usually translated as night monster. Lilith is sometimes depicted to be Adam’s first wife, as well as the mother of Cain. In the seventh century CE, a cult associated with Lilith survived among the Jews. Additionally, she appears in many different religions, mythologies, and folklore, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, Sumer, and the Babylonian Talmud. In Hebrew tradition, she is seen as a daemoness that attacked babies, causing their untimely deaths, and in some texts, she appears as a night demon that influenced men in their dreams or as a disease-bearing spirit. There are many more interpretations of Lilith that can be researched online, in texts, and so forth. When it came down to deciding a title for their debut album, Cult of Lilith turned to their native tongue. Mara is deprived of the Icelandic word Martröð, meaning nightmare. According to old Icelandic folklore, Mara is a malicious entity that sits on people’s chests while they’re in deep slumber, bringing on nightmares. The myth of Mara mirrors some similarities with that of Lilith. Along with the lyrical content on Mara, which seems like an assortment of different dreams and nightmares, it was the most fitting title for the band to pick for their debut record. As aforementioned earlier, Mara is an amalgamation of death metal, progressive metal, and complex classical music structures, and much more. Both Hannesson and Júlíusson are perfectionists and the band went overboard with tracking until the guitars execution was flawless. The band had the intention to write a diverse record that drew from several influences and blending them as one. Cult of Lilith wanted the album to be a journey that never becomes stagnant and leaves the listeners engaged throughout the album’s eight tracks. Like many bands and artists before them, they did not want to force themselves into one specific sound or genre. They wanted the album to be as diverse as possible and they certainly achieved that on Mara. Mara opens up with the brutal track, “Cosmic Maelstrom.” The album’s lead single opens with a huge harpsichord intro before the track erupts into a frenzy with blistering riffs from both Hannesson and Júlíusson, blast beats from drummer Kjartan Harðarson, and deep guttural growls by Ávalos. The title of the track lives up to its name as it shifts and turns many times throughout its five-minute and forty-eight-second length. The second single, “Purple Tide,” brings the first taste of the album’s musical diversity to the forefront. Beginning off with a menacing synth reminiscent of the theme song to the Netflix television series Stranger Things, leading the song to be much different than its predecessor. At its core, it’s another death metal track, but it's got a remarkable groove metal vibe at times with its melodic guitars and groovy, yet chuggy riffs. The many other instruments and most importantly the organ plastered in near the ending of the track pleasantly catch you off guard. Following is the straightforward death metal track, “Enter the Mancubus,” that you might be used to from their previous release, Arkanum. “Enter the Mancubus” was inspired by the 1993 video game, Doom. Hannesson is strongly influenced by video games and when he first heard the riff to the track all he had in his mind was the demonic creature known as the Mancubus from the video game. The song is purely fictional and tells a story about a futuristic dystopia in which human beings have become morbid, disgusting creatures after decades of exposure to pollution, medication, and adulterated nutrition. “Atlas” begins with a gloomy, yet proggy intro before a sudden, unexpected turn to the use of clean vocals, something not seen from the band before. However, the heavy doesn’t go away with the track, it’s as brutal as the rest. Unlike the very slight slow prog vibes that “Atlas” provided, “Comatose” is a blistering number from beginning to end. The track ends with an eerie-sounding piano piece. Both “Atlas” and “Comatose” are two interwoven tracks. Both of the tracks touch on certain feelings attached to events that have occurred over the last two years of Ávalos’ life. “Atlas” is an ode to guilt, while “Comatose” touches on overthinking. Mostly speaking of the consequence of processing intense feelings, suffering, and false scenarios leading to self-torture and misery. “Profeta Paloma” is as heavy as ever with its blast beats and ferocious-sounding guitars. However, unlike we’ve heard yet the song takes a major shift, and a massive flamenco section proceeds. It’s suddenly haunting and a beautiful difference for the record, and the band for that matter. Reynir Hauksson performed the guitar on the section. The band only gave him the song’s chord progressions and he laid down a beautiful guitar piece for the track. The Spanish vocals on this section were performed by Fernando Pérez Cañada. The fretless bass was composed and performed by the band’s bassist Samúel Örn Böðvarsson and finally, the remaining instruments in the flamenco section were composed and performed by Hannesson. The final track on the album, “Le Soupir du Fantôme,” is a Spanish-speaking track that opens with dueling acoustic guitars and clean vocals before the track shows its true, very dark colours. Mara is far more diverse, heavier, and just much larger in every aspect than their previous release Arkanum. The band’s essential sound remains present, but with much, much more layers placed into it. Rather it’s the complex arrangements and compositions, the genre diversity mixed within the music, or even how Ávalos brings new life to the band’s range and songwriting as well. Ávalos’ range compared to their previous vocalist provides quite a difference to the album’s wide diversity in styles and the clashing of genres that are heard on Mara. Check out more from Cult of Lilith: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 4, 2020 Genre: Various Label: Hopeless Records The question on hand is if Fame On Fire is a cover band. Simply put, no. It’s something the band doesn’t want to be labeled because they’re absolutely not a cover band. The West Palm Beach-based band is a genre-defying four-piece outfit who are, like many other bands pushing the boundaries of rock, hip-hop, pop, and metal on their debut album, LEVELS. The band’s music has quite the resemblance of popular genres on the radio today, but with a heavier spin to it. The band, who consists of vocalist Bryan Kuznitz, guitarist Blake Saul, drummer Alex Roman, bassist Paul Spirou, wrote, recorded, and produced the album on their own, and in their own studio. This left the band with full reign to their creative choices on the album. Unlike their previous EP, Transitions, which blended pop with metal subgenres, LEVELS sees the addition of rock and hip-hop to their repertoire. The best way to describe the music is bands like Breaking Benjamin, Skillet, and more were performing radio pop hits and rap tunes. However, Fame On Fire stands out among these bands with their unique take on mixing the genres they do. The album’s name holds multiple meanings too. It refers to the motions of life, the various levels life carries, the ups and downs that all people can relate to, and the quest to level up and continue to move forward. This dichotomy defines a band that is not willing to stand still or be complacent, but one that continuously tries to evolve their sound and craft, as the band has with their sound, songwriting, and other aspects on LEVELS. Fame On Fire is always looking to evolve when they continue to write music and that’s more than evident on LEVELS. Over the last three years, putting aside the ever so slightly change in direction musically, LEVELS sees the overall theme of hopefulness mixed in with heavy riffs, hip-hop beats, and pop melodies. However, the themes of anguish, love, loss, and toxicity in relationships are also on display within the lyricism on the album. LEVELS begins with an intro track titled, “Cover Band.” The intro track sort of pokes fun at the fact people are constantly asking if Fame On Fire is some form of cover band. The first track off LEVELS is the fourth single, “Her Eyes.” The track is massive at its roots with its heaviness, but with its Post Malone-esque infectious chorus, it makes for something really different than what’s out there right now. The single landed #1 on Sirius XM Octane. The song explores the turmoil of surviving an emotionally abusive relationship with the brutal honesty of someone who wants to push through all the challenges and remains hopeful in getting to the other side of it all. The second single, “Not Dead Yet,” continues on the same vibe, whereas “HEADSPACE” which features fellow Florida hip-hop artist POORSTACY, is heavy, it’s poppy, and it certainly shows the most hip-hop influence yet. “HEADSPACE” is about fighting demons within your head and breaking out of the internal prison of the mind. Tracks like, “Crazy For Your Crazy,” “Show You,” “So Sad,” and “Down” show some of the album’s most pop influence and a bit of similarity to their last release, Transitions. “Now and Forever” is the album’s most recent, fifth single, and overall the rest of the tracks, one of the heaviest on LEVELS. “Now and Forever” also features a guest appearance from Trevor Wentworth of the band Our Last Night. LEVELS ends off with the third single, “Scars of Love” which is an acoustic pop ballad through and through. It’s drastic, but fitting close to the unpretentious and openly honest content that Fame On Fire delivers on LEVELS. All thirteen tracks cover a wide diverse range of genres, they’re all energetic in their own ways, all infectiously catchy, and more than emotionally wrenching deep down. Check out more from Fame On Fire: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 4, 2020 Genre: Metalcore, Post-Hardcore, Pop Punk Label: Independent Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh also known as GFM for short have independently released their second EP, Operation Take Over. The band is made up of the trio of sisters, CJ Sanders English on guitars and vocals, Magdalene “Maggie” Rose English on bass and vocals, and Evie “LuLu” Louise English on the drums and backing vocals. The sisters notably balance their influence into their sound from bands like Paramore all the way to Slipknot. Operation Take Over was produced by three different producers, the first being Joey Sturgis (Of Mice & Men, The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack!, Asking Alexandria), the other two being Eric Varnell and Billy Decker (Uncle Kracker, Sam Hunt). The English sisters started inklings of even forming when the members all started taking music lessons at just five years old. These music lessons sparked a love of music in the girls which continues to grow to this very day. Eventually, they grew up to form GFM in 2016 in their hometown of Columbia, Tennessee, and shortly after got to work on their first album, Identity Crisis. In 2017, the trio hit the road for their first-ever tour of the United States. The band was so well received on the road that they toured the country once more in 2018 and the stint ended with a German festival appearance and was an instant favourite in Europe. In 2019, the sisters released their follow-up EP, Oh, The Horror!, that lead the band to perform yet another headline tour of the United States, as well as a return trip to Germany. For 2020, the year began with the sisters embarking on their first acoustic tour and saw the release of their singles, “I Don’t Need Your Fantasy” and “Taking Over.” Ultimately, COVID-19 disrupted their touring plans, as it did more many, many other musicians. This lead the girls to brainstorm fun and unique ways to engage with their fans who just like themselves, were stuck at home. While the three of them were in quarantine/lockdown like most of the world, they went on to host the very first “E-Tour” that took place over various social media pages over twenty dates all by live stream. The most recent shenanigans the band has got into is partner with SONGLINKR, which is a new video conferencing platform for musicians, where they wrote their parody tune, “Susan.” The sisters used SONGLINKR for an innovative fanbase writing session for the track, composing the song along with their fans while live-streaming it all on their Twitch channel. Operation Take Over sets in gear with the metalcore track, “Bones.” Maggie’s devilish vocals wraps around the beefy guitar riffs before an infectious clean singing chorus breaks through the shades of heavy. The second track, “Selfish” is a level down from “Bones” featuring more of a post-hardcore sound and another pop-esque chorus. Whereas the track, “I Don’t Want To Lose My Friends” takes a sudden turn to show the girls’ pop-punk influence in the likes of Paramore, with a blatant pop-punk track that’s chock full of gang vocals throughout. “S M I L E” features an interesting cheerleader type of vocal chants throughout its three minutes and twelve-second length and culminates to a crazy breakdown near the end of the track. The single, “Taking Over” is a straightforward metalcore track with similarities to Slipknot’s popular track, “Psychosocial,” and it touches on their might and will to place their name within the genre and the music scene. The album’s final track, “I Don’t Need Your Fantasy,” shows off shades of punk rock, but at the same time is a pop-punk track down to its core. Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh are not your average teenage girl group. The three English sisters are, and have been breaking boundaries within the music industry and are looking to stamp their name within the book of the rock and metal scene. The band’s message on Operation Take Over, and their previous release for that matter, all feature an encouraging and positive message. Operation Take Over is the embodiment of confidence and with the EP’s lyricism, it’s certainly the truth. Over the last four years as a family band the three of them have all have grown and matured on many different levels. With COVID-19 it has resulted in tightening their sisterly bond and exploring their musical side with each other more than ever. Check out more from Gold, Frankincense, & Myrrh: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 11, 2020 Genre: Progressive Metal, Progressive Rock Label: Spinefarm Records, Candlelight Records Ihsahn, best known for his work in the Norwegian black metal band Emperor, has returned with his latest EP, Pharos. It’s his second EP release of 2020 that follows Telemark, which was released on February 14th. Unlike on Telemark, which seen Ihsahn return to his black metal roots, Pharos shows a lot more of Ihsahn’s creative exploration into a progressive rock and metal sound with some elements pulled from all over the musical spectrum like classical, jazz, and pop. The EP features three brand new original compositions that are accompanied by two covers, A-Ha’s “Manhattan Skyline” and Portishead’s “Roads.” The EP was recorded before the COVID-19 lockdown at this home studio with additional drums laid down by Tobias Solbakk, of the band In Vain at Juke Joint Studio. Pharos is both musically and conceptually a complete opposite of what Telemark is and could very well take come off guard. While both are the same project but split into two halves, Telemark was all about the familiar and the close-to-home with the return to his black metal roots. Whereas you see Pharos take a different, darker path of a distant perspective and a more exploratory approach all around. Pharos, while being written/recorded before COVID-19 hit the world, in a strange coincidence, the EP’s three original compositions dive into the societal shifts we have all faced, eerily more in these last few months. Pharos opens with the mesmerizing orchestral piece, “Losing Altitude.” It’s an atmospheric progressive metal track and it’s a slow start for the EP, but when the track gets going, it then shows a new life as it achieves its full richness of heavy. The song is all about choices. The following track, “Spectre At The Feast,” is something else. Its Bond theme-esque cinematic, pop vibes clash with its haunting vocal harmonies and simple piano section, which really draw everything out together. The chorus on “Spectre At The Feast” is extremely infectious and is stuck with you after just one listen. The infectious guitar solo sits in my mind as well after the initial listen of the EP. The track is a fly-on-the-wall perspective on the superficial aspects of society and all its fictional problems and fragilities. The EP’s title track, “Pharos,” which additionally is the last original composition on the EP slows it down. The haunting vocal harmonies return for another progressive and atmospheric track. There are some elements drawn from all various genres on this track of the EP, that creates something special. The track really does throw some shades of Radiohead out along the way. However, once the vocal harmonies from Ihsahn clash with the angelic choir in the background of the track, it’s certain to leave you with goosebumps crawling up your skin. Ihsahn’s cover of Portishead’s “Roads” sees him stay true to the original as best as possible, but still leaving his own mark on his version. The massive string section is as chilling as ever. The EP’s final track and the EP's second cover, this time of A-Ha’s “Manhattan Skyline” takes a slight turn. The cover features Einar Solberg (Leprous) on vocal duties. It’s heavy on the synth, and is one of the funniest on the EP after “Spectre At The Feast.” The cover strangely sounds so eerie close to A-Ha. Ihsahn admittedly has a love for the band and states that the second Emperor album even has hints of A-Ha present. This may frustrate followers of the orthodoxy present within extreme music, but for Ihsahn, he has never worried about being confined to certain expectations. Check out more from Ihsahn: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 18, 2020 Genre: Emo, Alternative Rock Label: Fearless Records The Southern California four-piece outfit is ready to take another whirl at releasing personal and real music with the release of their second album, No Good Left To Give. The band has had a very successful five years since forming in 2015. They’ve seen themselves on countless tours and have successful music releases over the years. The band cemented themselves within the scene with their debut EP Outgrown Things in 2017, but their follow-up debut album Feel Something was next level for the band. To date, Feel Something has accumulated approximately forty million streams. No Good Left To Give is once again recorded alongside their longtime producer Will Yip, known best for his work with other artists such as Title Fight, Turnover, and many, many more. As anyone, everybody grows with age, and vocalist Patrick Miranda, guitarist Ira George, drummer Spencer York, and bassist Austin Cressey do just that on No Good Left To Give. As the quartet shifts forward and more away from their heavier tone that was evidently displayed on both of their previous releases, the band remains emotional, openly honest, and real as ever with their brand new material. While the music shifts to an emo, alternative rock sound overall that was already a staple to their sound, the band does fade towards being darker with its storytelling and musicianship on the twelve tracks. Patrick’s lyricism on No Good Left To Give reflects on personal changes from the band’s whirlwind five years together but does also touch on various subjects such as mental health, struggles with relationships, loss, intimacy, and other relatable subjects from their lives. It remains all above the sounds of post-punk grit, alternative expanse, heartfelt spoken word, expansive rock, and subtle amounts of pop ambition. “Were always going to try and progress because we don’t believe in writing the music that the fans want to hear just because that’s what they want. We believe in what we want to write and hoping our fans grow and change with us ’cause our tastes have changed,” confesses Patrick No Good Left To Give opens with the slow-paced, melodic track, “In My Blood.” It puts the band’s maturity over the last three years on display for new and old listeners alike. The band’s second single, “Skin To Skin” features a faster tempo and shades of the “old” Movements you may have known that bubbles to the surface. However, lyrically the song deals with physical intimacy. The dark, yet melodic lead single, “Don’t Give Up Your Ghost” is a heart-wrenching track, both musically and lyrically. The track pairs an overall somber tone with honest, relatable lyrics, that are told from the perspective of a different person dealing with a friend who has confided that they have tried to kill themselves. “Tunnel Vision” is the band’s latest single and if you’re a fan of their old material, this track is probably for you. While the band returns to their roots musically with “Tunnel Vision,” Patrick takes a swing at the fences with one of his darkest songs he’s ever written. “Tunnel Vision” is about grappling with the reality of suicide and finding yourself fantasizing about your own funeral. “[Tunnel Vision] is like a typical Movements song. There’s you know, screaming in it, there’s a lot of energy. I can already see the outro of that song being a huge part for a lot of people. I’m excited to see how that one translates,” continues Patrick. Some other tracks that stand out on No Good Left To Give include “Garden Eyes,” “12 Weeks,” “Seneca,” “Moonlight Lines,” “No Good Left To Give,” and finally, “Love Took The Last of It.” Some tracks listed include many different, interesting characteristics. “12 Weeks” has dueling vocals within its choruses, “Moonlight Lines” is one of the only tracks on the album to feature the use of speaking word, a bit of a staple of a few songs in their previous releases. Whereas the album’s title track “No Good Left To Give” is an interlude to the album’s final track “Love Took The Last of It,” which blends in quite a way, almost making them one ultimate track to close out the band’s stellar second album. “I think that this record kind of encapsulates exactly what we wanted to accomplish. Which was to show a progression to our sound and to show that. We are not the band that always puts out the same record every time. Were always going to be a band that grows and changes, it still keeps what makes our band, our band and what makes us special,” says Patrick. Check out more from Movements: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 25, 2020 Genre: Pop Rock, Indie Rock, Folk Rock Label: Fearless Records Leesburg, Virginia’s My Kid Brother has been leaving their mark in the industry the past four years, which saw the band earlier this year sign to Fearless Records for the release of the newest collection of music. Fast forward six months and the rock band is ready to release their self-titled follow up to their 2017 debut album, Baltimore Street Rat. My Kid Brother is made up of members Christian Neonakis, who handles lead vocals, guitar, and bass, Piano Whitman tackling the piano, synths, and backing vocals, Dylan Savopoulos on guitar and backing vocals, Richard Smith on both bass and guitar, and finally Sam Athanas behind the drum kit. The band’s brand new effort was produced by Noah Gersh and Jamie Schefman of the alternative rock band Partybaby. Throughout the band’s brand new EP, My Kid Brother fuses piano and synths with insatiable melodies, quirky, but massive guitars, infectious harmonies, that is topped off with intertwining male and female vocals. The self-titled opens with the track, “Daydream,” sees the use of falsetto vocals, and everything about the track, but especially the piano's infectiousness leaves you wanting more. The opening track is about counter-culture and not being afraid to break social norms. In some way, everyone has been cast out socially, and that idea should bring people together empathetically. Musically, “Good News” features the most dynamic range on the self-titled EP, blending a little bit of every sound you hear on the EP into one, slightly eccentric track. Nearing the middle of the self-titled My Kid Brother pulls out no stops with the anthemic track, “Smile (Losing My Mind)” which is a large-sounding track with its massive sounding guitars, impressive bass line, and its hard-hitting drums. My Kid Brother’s genuine lyricism continues on the track, “Ain’t That Cool.” The track came about after Christian Neonakis became obsessed with the song “Higher and Higher” by Jackie Wilson, and wanted to make a song in a similar style. He wasn’t liking anything he was creating musically at the time, so inevitably decided to write a song about how frustrated he was trying to write a song instead. “Pastels” is driven by Piano Whitman’s performance on the piano and overall, one of the slowest songs on the entire EP. The EP’s closing track, “Native Tongue” opens with a simple, yet effective distorted guitar riff while the song builds around it. The track was co-written with the EP’s producers Noah and Jamie while the band was in Los Angeles for the first time. “Native Tongue” was inspired by the feeling of being away from home, while being in a city that feels foreign. It’s more about learning how to understand new experiences, yet staying honest with yourself. The track and EP end with the track picking back up with an unfamiliar tune, which I feel is more of a huge tease for what is yet to come from My Kid Brother in the future as the EP leaves you wanting more after that sixth and final track hits its climax. Check out more from My Kid Brother: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: October 2, 2020 Genre: Extreme Metal Label: Metal Blade Records Anaal Nathrakh, the extreme metal band based out of Birmingham, England is eager to return to the spotlight of the metal scene with the release of their eleventh album, Endarkenment. The extreme metal duo’s new album was both tracked and produced entirely by multi-instrumentalist Mick Kenney at his own studio in Southern California, while the vocal tracks by vocalist Dave Hunt were laid down in an industrial estate in Birmingham. The album’s title of Endarkenment comes from the current state of things around the entire world at this very second in time, and it stands as the opposite of enlightenment. The title track opens the album with such intensity, following the album’s intro track. Blast beats at breakneck speed engulf around blistering guitar riffs, harsh vocals, and powerful clean vocals reign through the choruses. The song’s lyricism tackles the constant widespread rejection of values such as rationalism, skepticism, and the rejection of faith in favour of judgments based on theories and ideas that aren’t factually correct. “There has been, and continues to be, increasingly widespread rejection of enlightenment-style values such as rationalism, skepticism, the rejection of faith in favour of judgements dependent on empirically verifiable phenomena and so on. There are local versions in many places, but in our native UK, this was summed up by politician/sinister gnome Michael Gove’s famous claim that we’ve 'had enough of experts.' Thus we enter the age of endarkenment,” says Hunt. The track “Thus, Always, To Tyrants” is a ton of a lot heavier than the previous track. The vocals delve into a very raw, high-gain style. Whereas the guitars and drums are lightning fast and come to destroy the being of whoever is listening. The song touches on the topic of John Wilkes Booth and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It’s allegedly said that when Booth shot Lincoln he said the Latin pronunciation of thus, always, to tyrants, “Sic semper tyrannis.” The album’s third track, “The Age of Starlight Ends,” gives off the same vibe as the title track. Chaotic guitar riffs meeting up with the ferocious breakneck blast beats once more. “The Age of Starlight Ends” tackles worldwide corruption. Hunt draws influence for the track’s lyrics mainly from Tufton Street, Peter Thiel/Palantir, Carole Cadwalladr, prorogation, the press, attacks on judicial independence, children in twenty-first-century concentration camps, and contempt of parliament. An integral part of Endarkenment and the message the band is trying to convey in its songs lies within the album’s uncensored artwork, which features a close-up of a pig with male genitalia in place of eyeballs. It ties directly to the track, “Libidinous (A Pig With Cocks in Its Eyes).” The bold, striking idea of the album’s artwork was conceived by Hunt but was put in place by Kenny. “The idea is basically to depict the ideal human circa 2020. The idea is older, but the depiction is as current as it ever was. We are livestock, shorn of dignity, humiliated, and blind to the reality of our predicament because all we see and care about is libidinous rubbish. And even when one of us thinks they’ve found something real and rears up to jab their finger at the air, it’s still often oddly fetishized -you can practically see the hard on and smell the groin sweat. And all too frequently, we who observe feel that, as the saying goes, ‘the stupid, it burns’. Bill Hicks once talked about culture as a sedative or diversionary tactic- ‘Go back to sleep, America…’ Zappa said something similar via the metaphor of cheese. The take implicit in our cover art for Endarkenment is similar, but more aggressive and embittered. As the line in one of the songs on the album goes, ‘pigs with cocks in our eyes, masturbating to the end of the world’.” Check out more from Anaal Nathrakh: Facebook | Twitter

Release Date: October 16, 2020 Genre: Hard Rock, Blues Rock, Rock Label: Spinefarm Records Nashville blues-rocker Tyler Bryant -along with his bandmates in The Shakedown- are back with their fourth full-length album, Pressure. The new album was written and recorded in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and looks to take you away from the craziness in the world for as long as this band of friends can with these thirteen mesmerizing tracks. Frontman Tyler Bryant, guitarist Graham Whitford -the son of Aerosmith’s Brad Whitford- drummer Caleb Crosby, and co-producer Roger Alan Nichols (Larkin Poe, Paramore, The Veronicas) all hunkered themselves down at Tyler Bryant’s home studio in Nashville during the quarantine to write and record the follow up to their critically acclaimed album Truth & Lies, that released in the Summer of 2019. The lockdown and whole pandemic caused the trio of Bryant, Whitford, and Crosby to record the album at Bryant’s home studio in Nashville with their producer Roger Alan Nichols, and it lead the band to work harder than they ever have before. It lead them to realize they could not just sit and wait for things to come back to normal and they found a way to adapt to the situation and continue forth with putting out another record during these times. They were limited to a home studio and no large budget, so they took a majority of the songs you hear on Pressure from existing material from the Truth & Lies writing cycle, some new songs that were written about the COVID-19 pandemic, and filled the voids with some new material they wrote prior to the pandemic and other situations that occurred this year when prepping to get ready for the original recording plans of what ended up becoming Pressure. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown’s new album appropriately opens with the title track, “Pressure.” It’s a hard rock anthem that any previous listener of the band should expect from their creative minds. Although the title track, and a portion of the album, were well written before COVID-19, the tornado that tore through Nashville, or the Black Lives Matter rallies, it's about chasing down any sort of passion that will likely have you hitting your head against the wall too many times to count. In the following track, “Hitchhiker,” the band dust off their guitar slides to bring the blues-infused rock to the forefront for the first of a few times on their brand new album. The lead single off Pressure is the wildly infectious, mid-tempo blast titled, “Crazy Days.” Bryant wrote the track to cope with the insanity that is 2020. Bryant’s wife Rebecca Lovell of the rock duo Larkin Poe lends her vocals to the tune as well. Although the next track on Pressure sounds dark and gloomy, “Holdin’ My Breath” shares a hopeful message of hoping for better days ahead out of the dark times. It’s an appropriate song for the current situation the world is facing. As the band’s situation started to change during the song's recording process, the lyrics started changing meanings for Bryant and the band. “Holdin’ My Breath” features a guest vocal performance from Charlie Starr of the southern rock band, Blackberry Smoke. On the sixth track, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown slow things down a bit for the somber acoustic number, “Like The Old Me.” Pressure closes out with the lo-fi blues shuffle, “Coastin” with all its imperfections still intact. They keep saying, “Rock is dead.” That’s far from the honest truth. The thirteen extraordinary tracks that Bryant, Whitford, and Crosby put out on Pressure will stand the test of time, there is no doubt about it. The thirteen tracks are also for any rock fan new or old. The trio’s continued assiduous work ethic and commitment to the art of music over the last eleven years together continues to shine in their creative processes and unique signature sound that has earned Bryant, Whitford, and Crosby many fans, and fans among their peers as well. Over the years, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown have toured and/or played with many legends in the genre such as Chris Cornell, AC/DC, Aerosmith, B.B. King, Jeff Beck, ZZ Top, and Guns N’ Roses. One day soon, this will happen once again. In the meantime, stream and purchase Pressure at your leisure. Check out more from Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: October 16, 2020 October 23, 2020 Genre: New Wave, Indie Pop, Electronic Rock Label: Fearless Records Salt Lake City’s I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME, or iDKHOW for short, is the new wave/pop duo made up of frontman and multi-instrumentalist Dallon Weekes, alongside drummer Ryan Seaman. Both Weekes and Seaman made waves in music before iDKHOW’s inception in 2016 with their respective previous acts Panic! At The Disco (2009-2018) and Falling In Reverse (2011-2017). Both Weekes and Seaman have accomplished a lot as musicians over the years. However, Weekes alone picked up both gold and platinum plaques as the key songwriter to Panic! At The Disco’s chart-topping 2013 album Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die! In the last four years, the duo has been composing and performing as iDKHOW has shared the stage with the likes of Twenty One Pilots, Billie Eilish, The 1975, Dashboard Confessional, The Killers, and Blink-182, to name a select few. iDKHOW’s debut album Razzmatazz resumes where their 1981 Extended Play left off, continuing by performing music mixed from the various styles of music from the 1960s through the 1980s, with a sprinkle of modernity. iDKHOW was initially believed to have been a band from thirty-plus years ago that never got their big break -a band that time forgot. Beginning in 2017, an anonymous donor, likely to be believed to be a strange corporation under the name Tellexx, began to release recovered video footage of iDKHOW. The videos in question were released out of chronological order, and they span between the years 1964 to 1983. They hint at a different story than that of a band lost to obscurity. Not enough is know yet about Tellexx to further get into detail. But it undoubtedly plays into the conspiracy theories that debate the band’s history and the overall lyrics of the band’s music. Let’s get to the music, shall we? First off, Razzmatazz was produced by Sugarcult frontman Tim Pagnotta and was heavily influenced by both David Bowie’s 1972 album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and The Beatles’ 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album is a presentation of music and spoken word, and it opens with the propulsive, highly infectious opening number, “Leave Me Alone.” This track conveys Weekes’ and Seaman’s love for 80s pop, and other styles of the era, right out of the gate. The track is heavy on synth, bass, and guitar. The Bowie influence is heard immediately as it gives off the late 70s to early 80s David Bowie vibes. Similar to his music on albums notably on, before, around, and after his album, Let’s Dance. The following track, “Indoctrination,” is a spoken-word track readying you for what’s to come. “Nobody Likes The Opening Band” is the third track on Razzmatazz and is sure to be a divisive topic for some, but this little two-minute and fifteen-second piano track shines Weekes’ sombre side. “New Invention” is another infectious, bass-driven track that leads to the jazzy little number, “From The Gallows.” This song is full of surprises. It’s pure jazz at its core, mixed with the vocal harmonies reminiscent of Queen, spoken electronic voices, and with a snazzy little trumpet part to close it all out. I don’t want to give away everything on this spectacular album, I will leave out mentioning a few tracks for you to take them in yourself, but the synth/keyboards on tracks such as “Clusterhug” and “Sugar Pills,” the crazy saxophone performance by Reel Big Fish’s Matt Appleton on the track, “Lights Go Down,” and the fantastic love song, “Kiss Goodnight,” have to be mentioned because of how they’ve been stuck in my head since my first initial listen to Razzmatazz. “Need You Here” features a currently unknown female vocalist, the return of the Queen-style vocal harmonies. As well, Weekes’ falsetto shines like never before on the track. “Door” is a short minute and a half poignant acoustic number that shines on its own out of all the bright, infectious, and high-speed pop tracks on iDKHOW’s debut album. The final track on the album is the title track, “Razzmatazz.” The title track is a combination of everything heard on the album. It’s a huge alternative rock track that flows with poppy vocals, flavourful keyboards, and atmospheric, out-of-this-world synths that will drive themselves into your brain and linger within your mind for some time. While the band’s debut record was unfortunately postponed a week from circumstances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s unquestionably worth the extra seven-day wait. Razzmatazz is the perfect composition of a blend of various pop and rock styles from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Additionally, it’s a miraculous showing of creativity from both Weekes and Seaman as musicians. Be sure to pre-order or even pre-save the save the album before its release at the end of this week. Check out more from iDKHOW: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: September 18, 2020 October 23, 2020 Genre: Alternative Rock Label: Up/Down Records The Texas alternative rock band Blue October was established by singer-songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, drummer Jeremy Furstenfeld, and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Delahoussaye twenty-five years ago. Their currently rounded out by bassist Matt Noveskey and guitarist Will Knaak. The band, most notably frontman Justin has been through a lot over the years. Justin’s struggles with mental illness and drug addiction -along with his road to sobriety- are on display in their documentary, Get Back Up, which was released earlier this year. This Is What I Live For is a statement to the seven years documented in, Get Back Up. Their tenth full-length album was self-produced by Justin himself and additionally engineered by his music partner Eric Holtz at Justin’s own, Up/Down Studios. This Is What I Live For is the ultimate redemptive story. This is a mainstay throughout the album’s lyricism. All the members of Blue October are now sober and mending relationships that have been broken for some time. Three tracks on the album feature appearances by Sound of Ceres frontwoman Karen Hover, Longwave frontman Steven Schiltz, and one track even features Justin’s daughter Blue Reed for the very first time. Earlier this year, in an interview done with another member of Reasonably Late, Justin described the brand new album saying, “It’s my sad rock album…It was incredibly hard because it was so sad and so romantic…It’s just a really beautiful, romantic rock album. If you like the ‘Hate Me’ stuff and the ‘Into The Ocean’ stuff, you’ll really like it. There’s just so much sadness.” Record after record, Justin’s songwriting continues to evolve. This Is What I Live For is the perfect embodiment of the old with the new. It sees the return of sad and depressive lyrics, mixed with the intricate music stylings showcased on their previous albums, finally spun with some of the pop elements that have been made prominent in some of the band’s more recent records. While the lyrics Justin wrote for this album shows another harrowing look into his life and mind, as they always do, the music on This Is What I Live For gives off the absolute opposite tone with its upbeat art-rock and alternative rock sound. “I Laugh At Myself” opens up the thirteen-track album setting the tone for the remainder. Justin spills his guts out in the lyrics in such an emotive way that it’s surely meant to tug at the heartstrings of its listeners. The simple little number shifts into the track, “The Way I Used To Love You,” with incredible ease. The sombre second track shows the same characteristics as the album-opening track but in a more delicate, soft-spoken manner. “Love Stupid” features Karen Hover, and it opens as a large anthemic, bass-driven rock song, but both Justin and Karen take things down just as fast as things started to duet on the track, again in a soft and almost whispering manner. Steve Schiltz, the frontman of the indie rock band Longwave is featured on both vocals and guitar on the following track, which is also the album’s title track, “This Is What I Live For.” Which an unapologetic Blue October alternative rock song. The fifth song on the album, “Fight For Love,” is likely to be one of Justin’s top favourites as it features for the very first time his daughter Blue Reed on vocals. This anthemic tune is sure to last at the back of all its listener’s heads if it isn’t already since its release as a single earlier this year. The song features an infectious chorus, piercing vocal harmonies, hard-hitting drums, and bouncy keyboards. The album’s lead single, “Oh My My,” holds the upbeat, irresistible veil existing on the album. The band is no stranger to hiding more foreboding themes buried down in their songs while skillfully using upbeat sounds. “Moving Along (So Long)” is a little folky alt. rock number situated in the heart of the album, which makes it one of its standouts. The tune, “Completely,” is probably the most pop the entire album gets, and its vocal effects truly bring a new emotive feel to the song that anyone will believe was truly required to propel this song over the edge. “Stay With Me” is an extraordinary track. Justin’s passionate, intense songwriting shines brightly throughout its entirety. It’s part spoken word, part rock song. Additionally, “Stay With Me” is one of the biggest on the album. Not only musically, but also clocking in just over six minutes long. The metaphors in the lyricism on the third last track, “The Weatherman,” are some of the most clever on the entire album. They can be interpreted in many ways, this one more than certain intentional on Justin’s part when writing the track. Blue October’s tenth album is their best album yet. This Is What I Live For is both their most upbeat album musically to date, while it additionally is one of their most sad and embracing albums too. The lyrics on the album touch on various subjects, but the sole purpose is to trigger various emotions in its listeners. Rather this is to fall in love with somebody, miss somebody, or want to do something outrageous with your life. Their tenth album over twenty-five years is an accomplishment of its own, and it’s certainly going to leave a lasting impression with its listeners. While the album cycle is just beginning for This Is What I Live For, I can’t wait to see what Justin and the rest of the band come up with next. Check out more from Blue October: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: October 23, 2020 Genre: Alternative Metal, Hard Rock Label: Spinefarm Records The Sutherland, Iowa-based alternative metal/hard rock outfit SAUL has finally released their debut album, Rise As Equals. The group formed three years and the new release marks the follow-up to last year’s Aeons EP. Since their previous EP, the band has come into their sound by pulling from distinct aspects and eras from all over the rock and metal spectrum. SAUL’s debut was co-produced by bandmates and siblings, Blake and Zach Bedsaul, alongside producer Chris Dawson. SAUL is made up of vocalist Blake Bedsaul, guitarist/backing vocalist Zach Bedsaul, bassist/backing vocalist William McIlravy, and drummer Myles Clayborne. Rise As Equals features a few big collaborations for its songwriting as well. Powerhouse songwriter Erik Ron (Godsmack, Panic! at the Disco) co-wrote the track “Here and Now,” Disturbed frontman David Draiman co-wrote the track “King of Misery,” over Zoom during the pandemic, and Sevendust drummer Morgan Rose co-wrote and performed on the drums on “Inside.” The album's lyrical content draws from personal real-life experiences by harnessing the positivity of these experiences. Rise As Equals opens up with the lead single, “Trial By Fire.” The blistering opening track is heavy on the djenty seven-string guitar riff that’s prominent throughout. However, that’s not all the track has to offer. The track is just a taste of what is yet to come on the album but features the perfect well-rounded amount of what makes the band’s sound stand out. It’s got their staple seven-string guitars, hard-hitting drums, a peek of what Blake is capable of vocally, and programming to boot. “Trial By Fire” is quite an intense personal track for the band. The song is about Blake and Zach’s mother, who unfortunately passed away last year from cancer. The song was written while the brothers were taking care of her when she was in hospice and when they were currently writing new material for the debut record. It’s more about the inner conflict of what the brothers were feeling while they were balancing their personal lives and professional lives at that time. To them, it felt like walking through fire. “Walk in the coals, I’m seeing red / I feel the heat in my head / There’s so much smoke, I cannot see / The fire’s raging at my face.” Getting personal again on the heart-wrenching track, “Brother,” the band tackles the tragedy that both Blake and Zach had to the ordeal of going through in 2009 with the loss of their older brother Caleb. “King of Misery,” the album’s second single is a reflective song of Blake and Zach’s dad. Their dad is always joking around saying, “I’m the king of everything. This is my domain.” When he was taking care of their mom in hospice, he was the king of his domain, but also he was the king of misery all at the same time. The explosive title track, “Rise As Equals,” is a track directed to their fanbase they call “The Equals.” The track was particularly written for the fans as they all fight together. They are equal. A few other standouts on the album are the tracks “Levee” and “Sticks And Stones.” “Levee” is a sombre little ballad mixed within the record’s fourteen tracks that showcases an astonishingly different side of the band, unlike anybody may have heard much of before. The penultimate track, “Sticks And Stones,” is the heaviest on Rise As Equals. If you love long-drawn-out chugging guitar riffs, this track in question is certainly for you. All four members’ dynamism is showcased on this wildly large track. SAUL is looking to stamp their name within the book of the metal and rock scene. The band’s message on Rise As Equals, and their previous release for that matter, all feature an encouraging and positive message out of their heartbreak and personal experiences. Rise As Equals is the embodiment of confidence that there is hope to move forward in life after tragedy strikes, and the album’s lyricism shows that the band certainly handles it best by channeling it into their music. Over the last three years together as a band, Blake, Zach, William, and Myles have all grown and matured on different levels personally and professionally. The loss of Blake and Zach’s brother and mother has resulted in the tightening of their brotherly bond and to explore their musical side with each other more than ever. Check out more from SAUL: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Release Date: October 30, 2020 Genre: Metalcore, Post-Hardcore Label: Fearless Records The Boston, Massachusetts-based metalcore/post-hardcore band Ice Nine Kills have released their new and their second live release this year, I Heard They Kill Live!! The live record was recorded at their sold-out home state show in Worchester, Massachusetts, live at The Palladium on the night of November 30, 2019. This live album particularly features a majority of tracks from their 2018 album The Silver Scream, as well as fan favourite tracks in the likes of “The Fastest Way To A Girl’s Heart Is Through Her Ribcage,” “Hell In The Hallways,” and also includes a cover of Michael Jackson’s 1982 smash hit “Thriller.” The live audio on I Heard They Kill Live!! was recorded by Elmo Ortega, produced by frontman Spencer Charnas, and finally mixed by Steve Sopchak. Ortega, Charnas, and Sopchak recorded, produced, and mixed a marvellously sharp-sounding live record with I Heard They Kill Live!! With the state of the live music industry right now, a live album is an exhilarating and nostalgic experience than it has ever been before. Everything you hear on the nineteen track album is audible and is as crisp as if you were at the venue enjoying and taking in the concert in person. Between the samples used during the performance to the fans in attendance, the entire essence of the show is intact and on full display. The guitars performed by Dan Sugarman and Ricky Armellino chug along to Joe Occhiuti’s fun bass lines and the vocals from Charnas and Armellino force their way on top of it all. You can’t forget that all of Patrick Galante’s drums slam hard behind everything else. Check out more from Ice Nine Kills: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: August 7, 2020 Genre: Pop, Hip-Hop, Rock Label: Fearless Records The Colorado based Not A Toy is not a band, but is a collective of four creatives consisting of vocalist Branson Hoog, guitarist Jeremy Marmor, drummer Benji Spoliansky, and multi-instrumentalist TJ Wessel on violin and the keys. The collective was formed out of the ashes of their former project, Shatterproof. Hoog, Marmor, Spoliansky, and Wessel also make their own merchandise, artwork, and videos for Not A Toy. The EP was entirely produced by the band, with Spoliansky over seeing it all. Not A Toy does not fit into the mold of one particular genre and this is evident on the collective’s debut seven track EP. While the EP sways within pop, hip-hop, and rock genres, sub-genres, and elements, don’t be fooled. While this collection of music showcases more pop, hip-hop, and rock elements, the band doesn’t allow genre to define them in any way. Anything is possible when they let the music take them wherever it wants to go. The four members of Not A Toy met while still in high school and they performed in various projects with one another before launching Not A Toy earlier this year. Which started with the release of their debut lead single, “J Cash.” Wessel was classically trained on the violin from a young age, and additionally as a multi-instrumentalist added a various few other instruments to the EP, adding to the EP’s production and the overall sound. Not only does Marmor act as the collective’s guitarist, he also creates all the beats you hear on the EP. Spoliansky holds everything together as the collective’s drummer, and acted as the overseeing producer during the recording process of their debut EP. Finally, Hoog handles vocals and majority of the lyrics. Hoog also has a background in graphic design and painting, a tool that’s useful to have when creating the collective’s merch, videos, and artwork. Hoog also plays guitar and piano, which he provides to some of the songs on the EP. Not A Toy opens with the impressive opening number, “Demise.” The four of them are very passionate about songwriting and add all different types of ingredients to their songs. This is evident with the layered tune with little things placed here and there throughout the track, including the nice, unexpected use of violin near the end of track. The lead single, “J Cash,” follows “Demise” with a very unique vibe on a track. The track is lead by an acoustic guitar riff, the kick and snare of the drums intertwine with the twangy acoustic guitar. Before the track turns towards an electronic explosion and change to a melodic electric guitar riff. The band were in a dingy basement when they found out they were getting signed to Fearless Records. The lyrics on “J Cash” are true, but they’re also projecting where the collective is going. “J Cash” is a bit of a cocky song and the band felt like they’ve made it, even though the four of them were still sitting in the dingy basement when they wrote the single. The EP’s second single, “Quit Quitting,” takes you on a journey that tangles both alternative rock and pop in this striking and dreamy tune. “Quit Quitting” is about the insecure side of the changes in the lives of Hoog, Marmor, Spoliansky, and Wessel at the current junctures of their lives. It’s all about asking questions as well as the answers being about their journey so far, and the grind from where they started. The third single, “Antidote,” is another dreamy full on pop track with hip-hop elements, that showcases a strong infectious melody that is coupled with a deep and menacing bass line. The EP ends with the slow and calm track, “Drive Slow.” This final track showcases the collective’s soft side and it’s swarming with slow melodic instruments and an expected synth hook directly in the middle. Check out more from Not A Toy: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Release Date: October 30, 2020 Genre: Indie Pop, Rock Label: Arista Records The 21-year-old indie-pop artist Taylor Upsahl, or better known by her stage name UPSAHL is back in the spotlight with her second EP, Young Life Crisis. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, music has always been around Taylor since quite a very young age. Both her grandmother and grandfather were music teachers. She’s also the daughter of rocker Mike Upsahl, who is currently part of the rock band Surf Through Death. Her father was formerly in the rock band High Horse and the post-hardcore band Stereotyperider. This guided Taylor on a path in music following the family trade and eventually beginning to write original music at a young age as well. Young Life Crisis was written by accident in the middle of the COVID-19 quarantine, then shortly later recorded in UPSAHL’s childhood bedroom in Arizona. Taylor first made waves with her own music in 2019 with her debut EP, Hindsight 20/20, that also released alongside her first major single, “Drugs.” This set off for an eventful 2019 for Taylor with a spot on the 2019 edition of the Lollapalooza lineup and went on tour supporting a barrage of acts that include Pvris, Young the Giant, Max Frost, Broods, and Joywave. For Taylor, last year additionally brought on some insane experiences for her songwriting. She co-wrote the track “Good In Bed” for Dua Lipa’s chart-topping 2020 sophomore album, Future Nostalgia, and writing music with many fellow pop artists among Anne-Marie and Madison Beer, to name a few. “It’s me narrating the young life crisis that I had in 2020. I made this EP by accident. I, along with most people, have had a shit show of a year. This has been the hardest year of my life. I truly think that writing it is what got me through,” states UPSAHL. Young Life Crisis initiates with the grungy, impressive title track “Young Life Crisis.” Each song on Taylor’s brand new EP set themselves out on their own musically, something made possible when she worked adjacent to a different producer for each track featured on the thirteen-minute EP. Regardless, the title track sets the tone for the remainder of the EP. While “Young Life Crisis” opens as more of an alternative rock number, the song quickly builds up and blossoms into its true indie-pop self. The tune is produced by dwilly. By using metaphors, the title track -as is as the rest of the EP- is about the tempestuous year Taylor and many other people around the planet have had this year. The next track on the EP is the lead single, “MoneyOnMyMind.” This track was produced by the two producers Absofacto and Kosuke Kasza. Once again, while utilizing intricate metaphors in the song lyrics, it tells a story of someone stepping out or being cut out of your life that was no good for you. And now you’re flourishing better without them in your life. The wildly infectious, guitar-driven melody you hear in the song’s chorus is sure to stick with you for a while too. “People I Don’t Like” is exactly how I -and likely many others- feel about some parties and other social gatherings myself. “People I Don’t Like” is both co-written and produced by Johnny Shorr. The song is extremely bass-driven throughout and is pretty unconventional in all of the right ways. The track expresses the frustrating social dilemmas that can occur at parties and other social gatherings. All these fake appearances are put on by everyone that leads to many empty conversations, compliments, and an unfortunate obligation to stay and mingle, with drinking and other favours being ways to cope with it all. However, this really could be a bit of a lyrical façade. With everything going on this year -and how this EP is a narration of Taylor’s life in 2020- one can assume the song is really about coping with the isolation and stress that all of the global populace has and continues to embrace. The final track on Young Life Crisis is the sombre number, “Fake Bitch.” The song is unlike any other song on the album and is in the form of a heartfelt acoustic ballad. The lyricism displayed on “Fake Bitch” feels very self-reflective of UPSAHL and explaining the changes that she has gone through as a person over the course of 2020. It’s essentially an affirmation of Taylor accepting her new self and not wanting these changes to ever change again. It’s the perfect way to summarize her Young Life Crisis. “I’m a completely different person now than I was in March. It’s a 180. Even if the world wasn’t a mess, I’m 21. I still don’t know what the fuck is going on,” UPSAHL explains on her growth over this year. Be sure to check out more from UPSAHL: Website | Facebook | Twitter| Instagram | TikTok

Release Date: November 6, 2020 Genre: Progressive Rock, Art-Rock Label: Independent Vancouver’s progressive rock/art-rock band Red Herring return with their new six-song collection of music in thirty-five years. The band released their 1985 debut EP, Taste Tests, which resulted in Red Hering hitting the road for one single tour across Canada roughly a year after the release of Taste Tests. Shortly thereafter, Red Herring ultimately broke up. Since the breakup, many of the band members went on to perform or record with an assorted list of Canadian music bands/artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Veda Hille, and Ray Condo. Red Herring regrouped in 2013 and since been working on what is their EP Neon. It’s also worth noting that the complete original lineup consisting of vocalist/guitarist Enrico Renz, guitarist Stephen Nikleva, bassist Martin Walton, drummer Steve Lazin, keyboardist Id Guinness, and backing vocalist Tania Gosgnach, all have returned for the recording of the EP. Neon opens with the band’s lead single, “Brain Song.” This is the first taste of what is yet to come. The band’s out-of-the-ordinary, art-rock/progressive rock blend comes into full display. The tracks on the album, which are also experienced on the opening tune, features unorthodox time signature changes, with a mix of up-and-down tempo changes throughout the entirety of the track. It’s almost as strange as something out of a David Lynch film, which is in no way a bad thing. “Brain Song” is a quirky little tune about -you guessed it, brains. It tells a narrative of brains being resentful about being jammed and claustrophobic being in a skull all day searching for a sense of contact from the outside world. The EP’s title track “Neon” distinctively pops out at me on every listen. I’ve listened to this track several times now that I can confidently say it yields a lot of comparable musical traits that clash together that sounds very reminiscent of the styles you may have heard on David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. “Neon” stays unapologetically in the key as a unique Red Herring track. The EP’s second single, “Julia,” is a sombre ballad unlike anything else on Neon. This sincere track explores the idea of leaving behind things that don’t essentially matter. It’s best described as a spiritual song about not being afraid. In the end, all of this stuff you could be worried about is just stuff. Check out more from Red Herring: Facebook | Instagram | Bandcamp

Release Date: September 25, 2020 Genre: Hip-Hop Label: Lost Poet Records Rapper/Songwriter Raz from Toronto, Ontario, is continuing to make his presence known within the Canadian music and Canadian rap scenes with his brand new aspiring single, “Be Okay.” His brand new single is an infectious blend of hip-hop and pop-rock music that’s soaked in the warmth of the summer sun. Raz wrote the track as an ode to the summer while intertwining the hopefulness and some positivity out of the darkness of this wildly turbulent year into song. “Be Okay” was co-produced by music producers Taabu and Andrew Falcao after Raz heard the original production in an Instagram post from Falcao. Raz and Falcao had one sitting in the studio with Taabu to finalize the instrumental on the single and recorded the vocals as well in one recording session. “This track [Be Okay] is an ode to summer and a reminder that we all experience highs and lows. But if summer and nature find a way to come back, giving us joy and warm weather each year, then maybe we can pick ourselves up and get through this struggle on the way to our next triumph,” says Raz. Raz started writing poetry, as well as spoken word at the age of sixteen, where his love of music strengthened and his will to start a career in the music industry began. After graduating from the Kinesiology Program at Western University, Raz declined his acceptance into a Doctorate Program. He left his hometown of Toronto on a one-way ticket abroad to Germany to perform with a band he met while in Australia during his time on a Study Abroad Program for school. Ever since this touring trip to Germany, his music career has continued to blossom to where it is today. Raz draws his inspirations from a mix of stadium rock and conscious hip-hop in the likes of Imagine Dragons, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Coldplay, Knaan, Lupe Fiasco, Lauryn Hill, and Talib Kweli, to name a few. It allows Raz to craft, shape, and develop his unique sound. He has dubbed himself under the genre-blend of his as “stadium hip-hop” and delivers a type of music intended to pull you into his hopeful, positive messages in his songs, with the intent to leave you with some food for thought. At the very least of it all, an anthemic or infectious hook to get stuck in your head. This is all evident on “Be Okay.” “I hope you take a sense of positivity and inspiration from this track. Sometimes it may feel like we’ve been down forever, especially during this crazy year, but looking to the resilience of nature can inspire us to pick ourselves up and try again,” Raz continues. Raz has quite a respectable resume so far to date. He has written music with Yusuf Islam, also known to many as Cat Stevens. He recently released a collaboration with Isam B of the rap group Outlandish titled “My World,” which garnered international attention with over 135,000 views on Youtube and over 70,000 streams on Spotify. Raz has also opened for many notable names in Toronto in the likes of Brother Ali, Shawn Hook, performing alongside Mustafa The Poet, and has finally opened for comedians Mo Amer and Hasan Minjah. His singles “My World, “Myself,” and now “Be Okay” are all gonna be featured on his upcoming debut EP, One Time for Your Mind. Check out more from Raz: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram