Album Review – Feed The Rhino : The Burning Sons (2012)

Feed the Rhino are an intriguing beast, their place in UK hardcore a respectable and irreplaceable one at this time in 2012. Their second album, ‘The Burning Sons’, is released though In At The Deep End Records (a reputable label for punk and metal) on the back of a huge tour with This Is Hell, and it’s more than a satisfactory follow up to the band’s debut album ‘Mr Red Eye’. The band seem to appear on more festival bills than I’ve had hot dinners this year, and it’s with an arsenal of tracks that appear on this album that you can see why, as they’re guaranteed to pull the punters towards any stage they set foot on.

‘The Burning Sons’ is an album of gutsy, stripped down heavy music with a mind blowing edge that pushes the boundaries of what makes Feed the Rhino one of the most exciting bands to have emerged in the last few years. The record charges hard from the get-go, with opening song ‘Flood The System’ channelling a hardcore sound that showcases both the talent and intentions of the band. Rapid riffing screamed vocals and a tight rhythm section makes this song an enjoyably intense experience. ‘Nothing Lost’ continues the assault, and the song is sharp and memorable, sticking in your head like a cleaver. 

Title track ‘The Burning Sons’ builds with considerable purpose, chaotic guitars bursting with energy and harsh vocals delivered with style. Melody appears in rarity, but when it does, it works well. Guitars work overtime to add a groove to the proceedings, and it’s a track that is drenched in modern British hardcore passion. ‘I Am The Curse, I Am The Cure’ is fine-tuned power delivered like a massive battering ram. The guitar work is venomous and differing with distinct shifts from verse to chorus. ‘Kings of Grand Delusion’ is a real throw back to ‘Mr Red Eye’, the song being a real game of two halves, with furious intense punk giving way to calm, before those delicate melodies build into a tornado of noise.

‘Song Of Failure’ is a straight forward punch to the gut, guitars wailing as screams bludgeon, a wall of sound being created that refuses to budge. ‘Razor’ is a definite stand-out track, the instrumentals stripped back and reserved. It has a blues rock feel, a complete difference to the usual Feed the Rhino sound. Clean vocals are an absolute delight, and this song is a real curveball from the band. It showcases the song writing prowess of the group and confirms musical influences away from hardcore and punk.

‘Left For Ruins’ starts with disjointed pianos, and this lead single from the album gets going with a slow groove. The song is incredibly heavy, a pairing of big hooks giving it a radio friendly feel that no doubt spells looming success for the band. In essence, this is a great example of what the band can achieve. ‘Fountains’ is balls out heaviness, again drenched in blues rock and roll cool. It’s a furious and unique song, an extra emphasis on song structure and convincing melodies. ‘Death of the Swine’ is an out of control and rip-roaring punk track, promoting intense energy and bellowing shouts.

‘Tides’ slows the pace as pianos soothe the fallout of the previous track. Clean vocals create wonderful atmosphere and as the track builds to eruption, venomous guitars and thunderous drums take the reins. ’The Compass’ is a fitting end, the anger of everything that has come before it streamlined into a few minutes of heavy bliss.

Feed the Rhino are a band to watch over the next few years, because if this album is anything to go by, the UK hardcore scene is about to become an intense place in the near future.

Koshiro 'Divides' EP Teaser 2012

Released 14.09.12.

Album Review – House Vs Hurricane : Crooked Teeth (2012)

Aussie Hardcore mob House Vs Hurricane return to the fold with a new vocalist and a follow up to 2009’s ‘Perspectives’ that doesn’t mess about when it comes to laying down the ground rules of exactly what the band intend to do in 2012, and that is quite simply to blow some minds. ‘Crooked Teeth’ is a stripped back (no more synth!) affair and channels raw aggression while focusing intently on some absolutely fantastic clean hooks, making the band more accessible than ever with the fact that they can write an absolutely belting song much more apparent.

The album opens with ’40 Deep’, a perfect hard-hitting start which includes some chaotic yet reliably sturdy drumming and some sublimely executed shouted vocals. It’s a constant, arm-swinging heavy track where tight breakdowns and carefully placed clean vocals stand out amongst the distortion. ‘Blood Knuckles’ starts calmly but that soon evaporates with a yell of ‘rise and shine!’ from vocalist Dan Casey. The singer adds a Keith Buckley-esque (Every Time I Die) swagger to the lyrics, the angst putting them at great heights. The song is delivered at an epic scale, with lines such as ‘the strength of the wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the wolf’ resonating vividly.

‘Big Trouble’ begins in the same vein, with riffs chugging with venom and screams tearing along. It has machine-gun drums, swift changes in pace and soaring clean vocals. The rhythms are intelligent and the song has enough variation to keep it thoroughly exciting. ‘Lost World’ is a bellowing hardcore track with bouncing beats and a punk edge that is intensified with roaring vocals. An additional picked guitar run gives parts of the song depth, making this a ‘no holds barred’ song that still has much feeling and substance.

‘Moonshine’ slows the pace with a delicate intro, the thoughtful instrumentals paired with softly sung vocals that soon explode into screams and then swoon back again. The track is diverse, and although it is a ballad of sorts, it builds steadily – swaying and growing – making it a great addition to the arsenal of ‘Crooked Teeth’. Next track ‘Head Cold’ is mature and delivers the thunder is abundance, with relentless guitars and another belter of a chorus (‘As far as I can see, there’s nothing here for me’). ‘All We Need’ is a dirty, grinding chunk of hardcore with a severe groove running through it. The distinct melody of House Vs Hurricane is clear, and makes this another rip-roaring track.

‘Dead Lizzard’ is a short, brutal skull-crusher with fiendish guitars and fast spat vocals. It’s a bite-size chunk of what the band have to offer but delivers in abundance. ‘Get Wrecked’ has great rhythms, snappy snares and the snarls of ‘get wrecked!’ evoke passion and energy. ‘Haters Gonna Hate’ maintains the momentum with guile and final track ‘Bare Bones’ delivers a soothing end to an intense experience. Electro beats and chords provide a backdrop for softly sung vocals that feel heartfelt and honest, exposing the band as much more than a breakdown loving bunch.

‘Crooked Teeth’ is an incredibly strong album from a band with bags of know-how when it comes to writing heavy music. Almost every song is memorable and holds up well after repeat listens. House Vs Hurricane are back with a vengeance.

Koshiro - 'Old Wounds' EP Teaser 2012

Released 14.09.12.

Koshiro News (August 2012)

In exactly one month we will be releasing our brand new self-titled EP with a launch night at The Croft in Bristol. It brings full cycle an exciting 12 months for us as a band, where some big changes have happened and we can finally present some songs that we are truly proud of after pouring so much hard work into them.

The EP was recorded in May 2012 by Matt Sampson. The artwork includes an insignia illustrated by Iain Sellar and a sleeve designed by Blinded by Faith.

It will contain 6 tracks, 1/ Old Wounds, 2/ Divides, 3/ Medicine, 4/ Telekinesis, 5/ Buried At Sea and 6/ New Wounds.

The EP launch will take place on Friday the 14th of September and although the full bill has yet to be confirmed, it promises to be a great night. We will be selling the EP as well as other merch, including tees, posters and badges. HELL YEAH!











































The products can be viewed at our official Big Cartel page:
www.koshiro.bigcartel.com


























Check out our social media links for more information!
www.facebook.com/koshiromusic
www.twitter.com/Koshiro_UK

Album Review – Glass Cloud : The Royal Thousand (2012)

The last few years have seen some fairly underwhelming ‘supergroups’ emerge in the world of heavy music, and while some of them ride the waves of hype for a couple of albums and a few tours, not many of them seem to be able to achieve the greatness that the bands they originated from managed to gain. Glass Cloud are an entirely new beast, consisting of vocalist Jerry Roush (ex Sky Eats Aeroplane and Of Mice & Men), guitarist Joshua Travis (ex The Tony Danza Tapdance Experience) and a rhythm section made up of Travis Sykes and Chad Hasty. The debut album from the band, ‘The Royal Thousand’ is a colossal and technical metal behemoth, bringing together furious riffs and intensely complicated song structures to create a group of tracks that are as unique as they are spellbinding.

The album begins with ‘White Flag’, which fades in with a bouncing riff, before distant screams take over and clear vocal harmonies push along a heavy groove. A steady and authoritative beat combines with thunderous guitars, the tempo switching constantly and keeping the listener on their toes. The breakdowns have a brutal edge (including teeth rattling sub drops and low growls aplenty). ‘If He Dies, He Dies’ is a chunk of intelligent metalcore that showcases fury at its finest, with Roush’s screams reaching their bellowing highs. The song is laced with venom, the drums punching with every chug. The complex riffs are low-tuned, eight string wonders and add to the super-heaviness of the track.

‘Falling In Style’ is diverse with sweeping guitars and a steady combination of screamed and clean harmonised vocals. It flows well, never letting up with the onslaught of metal. It’s a non-stop heavy song with a keen eye for excitement amongst the wrath. ‘Ivy & Wine’ is the album highlight and also one of the best hardcore/metal songs of the year so far. It’s a real throw down, take no prisoners affair, the technicality only being outweighed by the sheer musicianship on display. It stands up the best of this genre (Animals As Leaders, Periphery) and pushes the boundaries even further with harsh vocals and experimental guitar licks. It’s a white knuckle ride and when the clean melodies arrive it provides a wonderful interlude before the chugs return, making their impact a real shock to the senses.

‘Prelude for a Ghost’ slows the pace with atmospheric tones and distant vocals repeating a melody that appears full force in next track ‘all Along’, which is back to the heavy grind, albeit this time with much more melody (especially with the chorus, which soars and fits it perfectly with the rest of the track). The severe edge of distorted guitars is some of the best on the record and continues into ‘She Is Well & Nothing Can Be Ill’ which overall has a different tone to the rest of the album. It’s enthusiastic and passionate, effortlessly stylish and again, technically ace. The vocals and lyrics are poignant and alluring, and the final breakdown is a joy to behold.

‘Counting Sheep’ is a foot to the pedal, hammering song, guaranteed to make the listener giddy. Crushing riffs are a constant and the occasional Deftones-esque beauty is a refreshing edge to this groove metal experience. ‘Memorandum’ starts with a rolling, slow beat, drawing out an extended intro before low juddering guitars take over, growling notes overwhelming the slower rhythm. It’s a well executed song that shows of the diversity f the band, who are clearly a talented bunch. Final track ‘From May To Now’ has a much simpler composition and does its best to break the mould, ending a completely fantastic album on a huge high.

Glass Cloud are an exciting new band who have done well to avoid the recent curse of supergroups, delivering an album in the shape of ‘The Royal Thousand’ that is consistently brilliant without feeling overcooked. One of the best heavy metal releases of 2012, for sure.