So I had no idea what was happening when I first hit play on this new Misanthropy record The Ever-Crushing Weight of Stagnance, the third studio album for this Illinois act via Transcending Obscurity Records. Now this is without a doubt one of my favorite record labels and I’d say 99.9999% of the time what I’m hearing is a home run. Not in this case, however.
No,no, relax. This is not gonna be a review in which I relentlessly bash the band. Quite frankly I’m too old and tired to do that anymore. But I will say this. There really isn’t a whole lot to sink my teeth into, and there is a lot, I mean a lot of meandering around town when it comes to this brand of progressive death metal.
Now, to be fair when it works it really works. Case in point is “The All-Devouring” one of the record’s best and brightest cuts. A second example would be the next track “A Cure For the Pestilence.” But I was not very impressed with the opener “Of Sulking and the Wrathful.” You just feel like it really wasn’t headed anywhere. Again, we have another banger in “Condemned to a Nameless Tomb” but that kind of intensity can’t save numbers like “Sepulcher” or “Consumed By the Abyss.” Both of these just felt like paths to nowhere in the heavy metal forest. Hey, John Q. listener might hear something I don’t, who knows?
On another positive note “Descent” is a rager bent on wrecking shop, so there’s that. It’s done in slow, deliberate fashion, so this scribe definitely dug that. Look, they can’t all be home run records, right? Did I hate the album? No. It just didn’t really move the needle. You be the judge, though.
Standout Tracks: “Descent”, “The All-Devouring”, “A Cure For the Pestilence”.
As a staff our varied, eclectic tastes in heavy music allow us to develop content that’s equally diverse. As much as we love progressive, technical, or extreme forms of metal, sometimes you need that palate cleanse so to speak that may be more melodic, catchy, or possess commercial leanings. The latter comes to mind when assessing Portugal band In We Fall – swirling themselves in a cocktail of alternative, post-grunge-oriented metal with a mix of current, modern influences that they put on display through this debut album Inner Self. Formed in late 2022, the band would release three singles in 2023 that along with seven other songs for this record encompass a thoughtful, passionate first glimpse into the quartet.
The musical chemistry between guitars, bass, and drums contains apt main chord progressions, pounding rhythm section foundational components, plus the ideal twists or supplementary progressive highlights in terms of lead breaks, bass heroics, or surprising transitions. Daniel Moreira and Carlos Carneiro as guitar players know when to be restrained in clean strumming, then latch onto the aggressive distortion passages that hit your body full force – as “Looking Inside” exemplifies both aspects back and forth between the softer verses into an explosive chorus. Stunted grooves next to uplifting vocals set “Road to Li(v)e” in ideal motion, the vocal harmonization ideal for unison audience participation as Daniel’s voice has that mix of alternative metal meets modern, post-grunge hard rock intrigue, bringing up everything from Chris Cornell to Scott Stapp in his infectious delivery.
The stand-alone concept conveys everything from multi-leveled relationships that humanity faces, the costs of war in that development, as well as the love-hate duality that exists when it comes to the world – yet you feel a sense of individual songs coming together as a whole without being buried in the overall story. A ballad like “Hope Is Gone” has those trademark clean to power chord elements to tug at your ears, the drumming groovy in a bluesy fashion while the atmosphere should connect to fans of Sevendust, Alter Bridge, and classic Stone Temple Pilots. Towards the back half of the record, the band fire up a bit of metal finesse for “Winter Shades”, drawing from a bit of older 70s/80’s aspects in the doomy nature of the pacing and progressive choppiness, drummer Frederico Lopes getting a chance throughout to showcase his adept snare, tom, and kick chops.
European acts often take American influences into new directions with their subtle background and natural environmental differences. For In We Fall, Inner Self is a great synthesis of multiple styles to create an engaging debut effort, especially for those that love the slightly more commercial sides of post-grunge meets alternative metal.
After diving back into the writing groove in the second half of 2023 after a little sabbatical, 2024 was all about branching out. Something that occurred in both my personal and musical life, meeting my amazing partner Amber at the beginning of the year and really taking some time to dig into some music that I likely wouldn’t have found otherwise. It’s been a fantastic year, with some big highlights (such as return in-person chats with HANABIE. and Isiliel), concerts, and lively anime conventions. It should make for an even bigger 2025.
There seemed to be a theme to my music picks this year. Mostly, it seems that bands that were doing something fresh were more likely to catch my ear than those who more or less meander in the same soundspace that they have been occupying. Likewise, there’s a lot of fresh picks in a massively packed year that really seemed to blow up in the fall. While it’s not the ‘tr00est’ list out there, hopefully people can find a new group to discover among the variety below.
20. Saiseiga – The Black Hole (Self-Released) Groove metal act Saiseiga bring a stronger sense of aggression and heaviness to their latest release. The augmented darkness meshes well with their sense of melody. Lots of dynamic riffing, and Regan’s vocal delivery is bound to impress.
19. Avralize – Freaks (Arising Empire) An impressive debut that manages to pull elements from all across the modern metal spectrum, Avralize makes metal fun. The songs have genuine hooks, but provide enough heaviness to satiate – it’s a tightrope but it seems they already have a great grasp of it.
18. Cognitive – Abhorrence (Metal Blade) Cognitive have been nothing if not consistent in their ability to up the ante. Abhorrence is every bit as oppressively heavy as you’d like it to be, but done in such a way that each track seems memorable. A trait that’s hard to come by in extreme metal, making Cognitive worthy of some major kudos.
17. Visions of Atlantis – Pirates II: Armada (Napalm) VoA have seemingly struck the perfect balance between their symphonic elements and bombast with their metallic side, and Armada champions a cinematic effort that few in the genre could match this year. This band has really blossomed, and this is easily their finest effort to date.
16. Nemophila – Evolve (Masterworks) Japanese modern metal act Nemophila effectively stepped up with their last full-length. Variety all over the place, weaving between metal, rock, pop, and more in their quest to write catchy, endearing songs that really resonate. Even with Saki parting ways afterwards, it seems Nemophila is still poised to make bigger international waves.
15. Ad Infinitum – Abyss (Napalm) Interestingly, Abyss sees Ad Infinitum moving away from more traditional symphonic metal beats and moving towards something that’s not as easily definable. It’s a great move for the band, who always felt a bit outside the symphonic norms to begin with. This keeps all of the band’s thrilling hooks and cinematic appeal (not to mention Melissa Bonny’s incredible range) and gives it an even stronger flavor.
14. Swallow the Sun – Shining (Century Media) Integrating some new colors into the long-standing doomy, gloomy act, Shining is a glorious example of a veteran act stepping outside their comfort zone and throwing caution to the wind. It’s a beautiful record that keeps all of the band’s traditional elements but plays with them in different sonic landscapes that are just as poignant, just speckled with just enough warmth within the darkness to make something really impressive.
13. Cemetery Skyline – Nordic Gothic (Century Media) A dark rock and gothic metal combo with high profile members from some of melodic death metal’s greatest acts? Yes please! Nordic Gothic is first and foremost a passion project about friends making music inspired by their gothic heroes, and it comes across as such. There’s such a care put into the melodies and soundscapes of each track, each one coming across as urgent and hook-filled. A great album to sit down with in the fall and winter seasons for sure.
12. Amiensus – Reclamation part I and II (M Theory Audio) An astonishing double-album that seems to invoke all of the best parts of Amiensus’ ever-evolving sound. Do yourself a favor and give both parts a listen back to back, as originally intended. It’s a riveting achievement that will take you through 90-minutes of thrilling soundscapes that all but take you away on a journey. Those seeking extreme metal at it’s finest should already have their eyes and ears on this one, but a fantastic trip for those who haven’t dug into this underrated act.
11. Alleviate – DMNS (Arising Empire) A new metalcore act that managed to dig into the extremes in both directions. Some vicious, deathcore-inspired heaviness at times trades blows with some fantastic melodic parts that soothe. The added dynamic gives the band much more space to play in that the usual bands of the style, and gives it a much more inspired take that should convince fans of this sound to give them a chance.
10. Red Handed Denial – A Journey Through Virtual Dystopia (Self-Released) The perpetually underrated modern act Red Handed Denial took some creative risks in jettisoning some of their more ‘Nintendocore’ elements for more melodic ones, but A Journey Through Virtual Dystopia comes across as their strongest album to date. Some songs still pack quite a wallop (“Eat Glass”), and when you sit them next to beautiful cuts like “One More Night,” it makes for a powerful experience.
9. Aina Suzuki – initium (Lantis) The first of the Love Live seiyuu on this list, Aina Suzuki brought all the heaviness she could muster for this latest EP. Switching it up between serene gothic-y tracks and utter shredfests, it’s a unique listen that Suzuki elevates with her elegant yet powerful vocal performance. It’s hard to walk away from this one without feeling a little spellbound by its energy. Those blast beats on “Diluculum,” are some of the exhilarating of the year.
8. HANABIE. – Bucchigiri Tokyo (Sony Music) HANABIE. have been going nonstop since last year, but that ethic has allowed them a meteoric rise internationally. This latest EP goes a bit heavier with riffing, but never loses an ounce of the fun, energetic, and unique spirit that the band possesses. There’s just something exciting that the band has, be it in the live setting or on disc, and it’s clear with evidence like this EP that they are only on the way to bigger and better things.
7. Unto Others – Never, Neverland (Century Media) Continuing to catch absolute magic in musical form, Unto Others keep smashing through boundaries and trying new things that one would think wouldn’t work, but it just keeps working in their favor. It would be all too easy to keep making their unique take on heavy metal meets gothic meets new wave, and it’d be cool. But the urge to expand into new sonic spaces, without compromising their unique vision, is what makes Unto Others such a compelling act.
6. Fit for an Autopsy – The Nothing That Is (Nuclear Blast) Another band set on pushing through musical genre barriers, Fit for an Autopsy have come a LONG way from their purely deathcore beginnings. The Nothing That Is maintains the high bar of quality extreme metal that fuses even heavier and darker moments together with slick grooves or melodies that only serve to make it stronger. It’s an addictive mix that serves up a visceral high, but has the hooks that will latch onto you and bring you back time and time again.
5. Arctis – Arctis (Napalm) Easily the most fun you are going to have in the genre this year, Arctis goes all in on their particular fusion of metal and pop. While some may snuff at the mere notion of it, the way that Arctis embraces this sonic collision makes it endlessly entertaining. The hooks sink their teeth in upon first listen and simply won’t let go. “Tell Me Why” should be storming up the charts in a more ‘metal accepting’ society. Don’t miss out on this one if you like the catchier side of metal.
4. Future Palace – Distortion (Arising Empire) Coming back with an even heavier and varied approach than the already fantastic Run, Future Palace really hit this one out of the park. Heavy, hook-y, and full of outside influences that give the band a solid foothold even outside metal spaces. Distortion also tackles its share of serious issues, with the band wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Above all else though, it’s an album that’s bound to stick with you for an insane number of listens due to its massive hooks from beginning to end.
3. Poppy – Negative Spaces (Sumerian) If I Disagree first made some turn their heads in Poppy’s direction with its notably heavy directions, Negative Spaces should be the one to really lock those fans in. Surprisingly diverse, with songs raging with metallic fury to insidiously catchy electro-pop, there’s so much to indulge in. Never does it feel too eclectic or out of place, instead the songs simply do their very best to stick with you, and never seem to fail at it. It’s full of quirky charm, and deeper lyrical content than one might have expected. A perfect album for any particular mood you happen to be in.
2. LustQueen – LustQueen (StarRise) I’ve been championing Yuina’s vocals since I first heard her a few years back in Love Live Superstar!! and her hard rock project LustQueen happily fits the bill of putting her voice behind some more guitar-centered music. All five songs in this EP serve to showcase how impressive her voice is, offering a variety to which she can elevate them to greater heights. With any luck, she’ll continue to release more songs with LustQueen on a regular basis, as there’s much potential to unearth.
1. Togenashi Togeari – Togenashi (Universal) Probably not much of a surprise to anyone that speaks to me about music regularly, as TogeToge have been perpetually on repeat all year. It’s been great to see the group’s numbers skyrocket after the equally excellent Girls Band Cry anime (of which they are from). This particular album showcases the songs from the anime itself (with 2 new songs), and is a testament to how incredibly hook-y and memorable their music is. Musically intricate without being showy, heartfelt melodies, and incredible vocals by Rina. It’s a hard combination to beat.
Honorable Mention (alphabetical order) Amaranthe – The Catalyst
Band-Maid – Epic Narratives
Bridear – Born Again
Dark Tranquillity – Endtime Signals
Entheos – An End to Everything
Exit Eden – Femmes Fatales
Gore. – A Bud that Never Blooms
icontinew – First Impact
Make Them Suffer – Make Them Suffer
MakeMake – We Are One
Mellows – alloy
Setyoursails – Bad Blood
Vulvodynia – Entabeni
麥琪麥琪 MakeMake is a Taiwanese metal band that taking some nods from the rising Japanese scene in terms of combining heavy, metalcore-styled riffing and more melodic segments that aren’t afraid of combining some modern electronics at the same time. A notable difference that MakeMake is incorporating is doubling down on the heaviness at times, something that makes for an even greater contrast, and something that should catch the ear of modern metal fans who happen to gravitate in their direction.
We Are One has a distinctly modern sound, and as already mentioned, doesn’t shy away from delivering an aggressive edge. “Rise Up” opens gently with some eerie keys and electronics but doesn’t take long for frantic riffs and Ruby’s snarls to take over the surroundings. While it occasionally swerves into melodic moments (some of which with some slight autotuned vocals) and ear-grabbing guitar leads, there’s a vicious side that persists alongside some futuristic sound effects as well. Similarly, “Toss and Turn” executes some brilliant melodic riffs that merge the electronics and guitarwork together, some brass riffing keeps the balance on the heavier side of things, and when they loosen the reins for some melodic moments, it’s not done in a poppy way – Ruby’s clean vocals and the surrounding instrumentation have a more subtle flair that allows the grooves to continue through.
Even though there’s an emphasis on massive riffs and heaviness, that doesn’t mean that MakeMake doesn’t add in some unique flavors of their own. “Joker” as the name might suggest, has a playful feeling to it – from the vibrant guitar melodies to the tempo changes, it’s a fun track that sticks out for it’s instrumentation, ending on a jack-in-the-box styled finish. “Ruined Home” has one of the strongest melodic moments of the album, with Ruby hitting some excellent clean vocals over the chorus with a sense of yearning behind her. The album closes with “Lost Star,” which has a more energetic and pop-influenced energy to it, and it finds a happy medium with some stabilizing metallic riffs behind it as the synths and melodies shine brightly, only bowing to the heaviness for a potent breakdown moment.
It’s a shame there’s been not much rumbling about MakeMake’s full-length debut. We Are One has been out since March and should have some of the underground buzzing. But that said, their furious combination of punchy riffing and flashy melodies is one that is bound to pick up speed as word gets around. Those looking for something more on the modern end of the metallic spectrum, yet ever mindful of some melodies (and unafraid of tossing in some outside influences) should give MakeMake a shot immediately.
Well-respected for their lengthy discography and contributions to the power/speed metal scene, Helloween in its current incarnation celebrates the various lineups over the years in a larger seven-piece outfit. Choosing to capture a Japanese tour in support of their latest self-titled studio record from 2021, Live at Budokan is a sprawling two-hour plus, 15-song odyssey into what makes the pumpkin brigade so special to audiences far and wide. The enthusiastic audience penetrates the musicians on stage, giving off an electric buzz that’s infectious from the opening “Orbit” all the way through to the ideal closer anthem “I Want Out”.
Confident artists spread out a setlist that hopefully satisfies both their own internal wishes as well as appeasing what most of the audience has been clamoring to hear – and that’s what you’ll get. Three songs from the new record appear, right away the newest epic “Skyfall” takes command. The triad vocal abilities from Michael Kiske, Andi Deris, and Kai Hansen as spacious in melodic glory as the heart pumping riffs, thick bass support, and powerhouse drumming to keep the musical proceedings sharp as a whip, while another favorite “Best Time” sits in a similar “Future World” anthem template, the heroic guitar break leading into the catchy main chord progressions as Michael and Andi trade verse lines into this rising atmosphere that should lead to headbanging, toe-tapping insanity. From the Kiske-era, no record would be complete without “Eagle Fly Free”, “Future World”, or “Dr. Stein” – while Andi’s prowess in songwriting and vocal abilities are also felt in “Perfect Gentleman” as well as “Power”.
“Kai’s Medley” is a 16-minute plus history lesson back through the early days of Helloween, including segments of “Metal Invaders”, “Victim of Fate”, “Gorgar”, “Ride the Sky”, and “Heavy Metal (Is the Law)” that reach back into the early EP and Walls of Jericho days. Not just the anthem and epic tracks garner attention – the group also placing a thoughtful ballad “Forever and One (Neverland)” in the set to showcase that heavy metal isn’t always about bombast. The crowd surges in singalong infamy for “Future World”, “Dr. Stein”, while clapping along in key sequences of the twenty-minute plus “Keeper of the Seven Keys” magnum opus. The genuine camaraderie between the seven musicians makes this union one of a kind – proving the lifelong vitality and multi-generational appeal of this genre that will never die.
We often wonder if live albums in 2024 have the same relevance or importance as the 70s or 80s. Live at Budokan for Helloween serves up a treasure trove of power metal material, ideal for the faithful yet could bring any newcomer up to speed on this act’s status as a game-changer in taking a traditional / speed framework to the next level of excitement.
When it comes to fusing together music in a way that remains ear pleasing while also expansive, progressive, or atmospheric, the results can be mind-altering if done correctly. Such is the case here for Danish band Alkymist – together since 2016 and issuing albums that can be progressive one moment, sludgy and doom-heavy the next, all within the metal umbrella. Their latest album UnnDerr embraces a more direct attack, still containing the right elements of melody and groove next to a progressive, atmospheric and aggressive platform. We spoke to bassist Kaspar Luke regarding the long journey to reach the final results for the new record, how guitarist Stefan Krey’s wrist injury put a delay in the proceedings, thoughts on his bass play and its importance for the band’s sound, the impact of live concerts in his life, the importance of love for a better state of the world, and what’s in the pipeline for the band’s future.
Dead Rhetoric: UnnDerr is the third studio full-length album for Alkymist. The record took over three years to develop – including a shift in drummers as well as initially trashing some recordings to develop others. How do you feel about the development of the performances and material over this time period – what circumstances took place that had to be worked out to reach a final product that you were all happy with?
Kaspar Luke: It was like a whole big ordeal actually. We started, Stefan the guitar player, he’s the one who usually comes up with the first draft of a song, and then bounces it off Peter, our vocalist. They ping-pong together a couple of times to tweak the songs and make them come together. We try to figure out what the song wants, and what the music wants. Usually, some of the first renditions are quite on the money. It’s like this thing happens where the vibe of the song at first is really cool, gritty, or aggressive. And then what happens is, we took it out of the computer, the framework, and took it into the studio – all four of us would start tweaking (the material) with Philip, our old drummer. And we couldn’t agree on where we wanted it to go. We bounced things off each other for two years, trying to work these songs out and they were progressing into this different realm compared to where they were to begin with.
What happened was, we finally couldn’t agree on what the song wanted – we recorded the album, 1.0, with Philip, and it wasn’t working. We all decided it would be in our best interest to try something else. We looked at each other, the ones who were left between Stefan, Peter, and me, what are we going to do now? We have this really good friend Per, who is an awesome drummer, we called him and asked if he wanted to give this a shot. He said yes right away, and then we wanted to go back in the studio that we were familiar with, with Lasse (Ballade). He had produced the first two albums, so we just decided that was the best way to go. We know him, he knows us. Per had three months to learn all seven of the new songs, and he did it.
Now we have the album, it’s finally here. I’m really proud of it. It’s very different from the other ones, of course. It’s a different band.
Dead Rhetoric: And how is Stefan when it comes to his health – as he had to work through an injury during this recording, correct?
Luke: Yes. His hand is doing much better. He broke his hand about half way through. When he told us about what actually happened. He said at first ‘guys – I have a problem… I have a situation.’. He came with a bandage on his arm, he was out on a ship with some of his buddies and he had to jump from the ship to the pier. He slipped, fell into the water, and on the way down he smashed his hand into the pier. It broke in four different places, and he was lying in the water in November, it was cold as hell. The other guys, they couldn’t just pull him out so they had to put down a rope to him to drag him all the way to the end of the pier so they could get him out. It was quite dangerous. He survived, luckily, and with a multi-fractured wrist. It took a long time to heal, he eased into it. It was right after the coronavirus hit. There was some time where we didn’t have gigs, we had written the basic songs, but we had quite a lot of down time. It was quite an ordeal.
Dead Rhetoric: Where does the balance take place between the melody, groove, progressive, and atmospheric elements within the band’s sound?
Luke: It’s a bit of both. We have a top view of the whole album. When we work on things, we decide to work on certain things. We wanted shorter songs; we didn’t want as many epic songs as the first album. We wanted to more hard-hitting songs, heart punchers – at the same time, we can’t deny what we are, which is we grew up in progressive rock, heavy metal. We have different backgrounds, but they are all the same. Every song has its own identity. We start out trying to figure out what that identity is. At the same time, we have an Alkymist identity where the atmospheric sound, the 3-D soundscape kind of stuff is very, very important. If you just make it like one thing, where we are only going to do seven tracks of hardcore, heavy metal songs, it’s not going to be a complete album. We love this whole kind of progressive feel to it, where it pushes you into different spaces, and that there are different textures throughout the whole album. That’s what we work on a whole lot, trying to create this.
Dead Rhetoric: Symbolism and multiple layers of thought are explored on the lyrical front for this record. Where do you stand on the importance of the lyrics to mirror the musical atmosphere of the group?
Luke: It’s Peter who delivers all the lyrics. The way we work, he will listen to the song, he will wait and then put up this antenna. He will listen over and over, and some lyrics will come out of it. He reads a lot of poetry as well, and it’s very poetic about the stuff he writes. When you dive into, it’s this double-edged meaning where there is a theme, but underneath there may be a different theme. Take for example “The Scent”, which is a song about the scent of beauty, which is a weird statement to begin with, but it becomes venom. If you get entangled, it can become something really bad for you even though it’s beautiful. It has all these double meanings to it. We’ve always loved this kind of thing; you look at one thing and it might just be what it is, but it might be the exact opposite. What if you turned things upside down, could it still mean the same? Our logo for the first album, it has this crown that’s turned upside down, and that’s the same thing – looking at things underneath the surface. It’s also why the album is called UnnDerr, you’re never quite sure. It’s important that we don’t have to spell things out for you. The audience has a job as well, to create their own vision and their own story within.
Dead Rhetoric: How would you describe your approach as a bassist within Alkymist? What do you focus most on, and who has impacted your technique or style the most over the years?
Luke: That’s a good question, thank you for that. I have had a lot of idols growing up. One of my very first albums was Led Zeppelin II, so John Paul Jones is like an amazing musician. Also, Black Sabbath with Geezer Butler, I had a huge crush on Mr. Bungle, and Primus, Faith No More, Slayer – the list goes on and on. As a bass player, I have always sought how I can play like no one else. That has always been my main thing, to do something different, and something that no one else could mimic. In Stefan, he is a beautiful musician, and an awesome guitar player. When we started out, we immediately started to hone each other’s sound – how we can merge his guitar tone with my bass tone. We look at it as if I start at the bottom, he clicks in at the top, and we merge together to create this whole wall of sound. In the riffage, on top of that he goes off and makes these amazing soundscapes, a progressive three-dimensional world within the music. Peter comes on with the vocals and then just kills.
We are focused on trying to find the heaviest, most gritty, aggressive sound that is a beautiful soundscape in a progressive environment. For me, I’ve always seen Alkymist as this… the guitar and bass are equal. There are a lot of bands where maybe with two guitar players, it becomes a guitar song kind of thing. For me, I try to fill out the bottom of the world in the music. That’s sort of my job with Per on drums.
Dead Rhetoric: What do you hope the audience will take away from Alkymist when hearing/seeing the band live on stage versus what they experience on record?
Luke: I look forward to things – especially our CD release show, as it will be our first show with Per. We haven’t played live with him yet. The energy is just off the hook – the way the four of us become this vortex of energy, of groove, of aggression, and beauty. It really works in the studio, in the rehearsal room, and I look forward to sharing this with the audience. I hope they get the same kick out of things as we do.
Dead Rhetoric: What are your thoughts on the state of the heavy music scene across Denmark – do you find that you’ve made inroads in establishing a strong following domestically, or have to seek out other European / international markets that respect the style you are getting across?
Luke: The Danish music business, and the metal scene here, has been absolutely booming for the last fifteen years. There are so many off the hook, brilliant Danish bands coming out. That has really helped for the Danish metal scene to prosper. We are able to have quite a large audience within our country. But there are also more and more bands, and the tendency is these guys are going on tour across Europe, and they are making music, releasing albums, touring, and getting noticed by a lot of record labels from mainly Germany. Alkymist has never been… we are hungry in a different kind of way. We are never going to be a young metal band that wants to take over the world. Our things are about music, connecting with each other, and loving what we are doing. Doing it in a way that we can be truthful about the music that we are making. It’s about the hard work of it, that’s the payoff – when we get an album that we are really, really proud of, we are happy. And we will play some concerts, but I don’t think we are going to go on a large European tour.
Dead Rhetoric: What’s the best concert memory you have purely attending the show as a member of the audience – and what made that so special / memorable to you?
Luke: Oh, there is a lot. I go to a lot of concerts. There are too many to go into just one. One of the things I love most about life is getting right down in front of the stage and feeling the thunder on my chest and connecting with the band. Having this out of body experience with the band – listening and feeling the music, that’s my thing. I go to five to seven concerts a month, and I love it. It goes from one style to another – metal shows, pop shows, jazz shows, electronic shows. It’s very different, and I love that part of it was well. I’ve never been so much a one genre type of guy – I listen to an equal amount of The Beach Boys and Slayer. (laughs)
Dead Rhetoric: How do you view the state of humanity currently? Where do you think the biggest challenges lie in the global society as a whole to improve the quality of life for future generations?
Luke: That’s a huge question. I think we have forgotten love for each other. I think we are doing a rhetoric, and feeding a rhetoric, that’s all about them and us. We are dividing, and it’s not true. If you zoom out and look at the Earth, we are all on this Earth together, there’s no them and us. We are all humans. That would be my biggest take on what to do. Stop dividing us, we are not divided.
Dead Rhetoric: How do you define success in terms of your musical career? Has your outlook on the subject changed from when you first started as a musician to where you are at in your career today?
Luke: I have always, that’s a funny question. I dreamt about commercial success, to be a commercially successful musician, and it has never happened for me. What I have had is artistic success. I love what I’m doing, I’m really good at it, and I’m so fortunate to play with some of the best musicians in our city, in our country. I’m so happy and grateful to be able to do this. For me, I’m 46 years old and I have been doing this since I was 16, so I have thirty years of doing this. I’m so fortunate that I am still current in some way. I have people calling me and wanting to still play music with me – so I count my lucky stars on that. That is the most success I could ever wish for.
Dead Rhetoric: Have you always had the support of friends and family when it comes to your musical endeavors?
Luke: Yes, always. It’s been a huge part of me.
Dead Rhetoric: What’s on the horizon for anything Alkymist related over the next twelve months to support the new record? Any specific items you’d like to check off your bucket list to accomplish down the line?
Luke: Well, we have a couple of festivals that we really want to play. We have a small tour lined up early in the summer of 2025. Basically, we are going to just do what we do, go out and play music, and start work on the next album, number four. And this is going to be something different again, we have a different type of musician on board, so we will have a different place to start. We are going to try some new stuff, a new way of working. He doesn’t live in the same city as we do, so the distance is three and a half hours away. It’s a logistic challenge, so we have to figure out how we are going to have rehearsals, and stuff like that.
Baltic hard rock act Amber Creek have been releasing some singles as well as a 2020 EP in their catalog, but 9 Months of Winter marks the first full-length from this group. What makes for some attention here at DR is that they manage to capture a distinctive melancholy to them amongst it all. Despite the clean vocals, there’s a certain almost doom-y feel to some of the songs that fans of heavier music will certainly appreciate and be drawn to, not to mention the emphasis on instrumentation.
Heavy riffing leads the way on the songs of 9 Months of Winter, but it’s embellished by notable melodic hooks and atmospheric feelings. There’s almost a coldness to the music at times, as you listen to a track like “I Will Not Bow.” Despite Anna Pimenova’s soaring yet emotive vocal range, the music behind her hits a more haunting vibe as the song moves between heavy riffs and somber melodic tones. “Scarlet Heart” opens with some emotive melodic guitar lines before rolling into a gentle verse, before escalating the music up to more driving tempos led by Pimenova’s vocals. The album’s most aggressive cut, “The World of War” offers gorgeous guitar melodies with more galloping tempos and crashing riffs, coupled with a more urgent approach from Pimenova. Recent single “Take On Me” showcases a more melodic side to the group, providing a balance with hypnotic atmospheric riffs contrasting moments of heavier grooves.
What works best for Amber Creek is that despite having a very strong vocal presence, it’s not something that it ultimately looked at to be the soul focus of the band. The moody atmosphere, the occasionally crunchy riffs, and the standout melodies all stand up and help to provide an impact that sticks with the listener. Pimenova has some excellent range and gives a fantastic vocal performance (see “Don’t Close Your Eyes” as a prime example), and it’s bolstered because of all of the musicianship that surrounds her.
Aiming to be an up-and-coming group within the hard rock scene, Amber Creek offers a musical trip that’s intense and beautiful. Add in some melancholic flavorings and it’s a combination that feels more unique – bridging atmosphere with intensity. As one who happened to find them through the gift of the YouTube algorithm, here’s to hoping that more people can do the same. 9 Months of Winter has a broad appeal for anyone seeking some raw, urgent music that also has a heavy emotional depth.
Impressive out of the gate with their debut album from 2022 Face the Storm, After Lapse from Spain waste no time in releasing a sophomore outing with Pathways. Expanding to a sextet through the addition of guitarists Miguel Angel Rueda and Ivan Marin, these musicians explore the vast playbook that melodic power/progressive metal offers. The results can be vivid, imaginative, reflective as well as modern in terms of versatility, atmosphere, and distinctiveness – allowing listeners to take deep dives into this set of material.
Open space often pays huge dividends when it comes to specific waves of sonic brilliance. “Clones” early on illustrates this aspect through its kaleidoscope of throwback keyboard tones from Pablo Sancha, the quick hitting fill passages of drummer Roberto Cappa all the way through to the softer, sultry vocal choices from Ruben Miranda which build into this uplifting harmony / robotic chorus to bridge segment set to mesmerize. Multiple instruments launch into a progressive cascade that soon can shift into this more streamlined effort – “Dust to Dust” containing some nifty AOR-ish background vocal harmonies as the Haken meets Pain of Salvation-like musical development captivates, the jazzy, classical-like instrumental sequences breathtaking in their virtuoso mastery. Latin percussive accents pop in through the bass / drum interplay to further develop a wider canvas to drive specific songs – while on the other side of the spectrum, some arrangements feature great light to heavier contrasts. “Walking By the Wire” is a prime example of the latter facet, its semi-ballad nature alluring next to some vibrant guitar parts, Ruben effective in his lower to higher register cadence. Tightly driven in nine songs at an economical 45:40 perfect vinyl-length timeframe, this does not diminish the impressive tempo shifts, time signature twists, or multi-level vocal/musical prowess on display.
Mature is an apt description for what After Lapse take into account for the songwriting and performances on Pathways. Expect melodic progressive metal that explores the emotional range one desires in connection to this style, to the point that this could be a future headliner not just across Spain or mainland Europe – but into other vibrant continents as well.
I really kept an eye on singles this year, devoting this on-again off-again column to it when I could this year. With streaming working the way it does, more artists are noticing that full albums and EPs aren’t the only way to go. While it doesn’t work for everyone, it’s nonetheless a new way forward for bands to reach the market and keep their names on the tip of fans tongues. Much like my top albums (which I mostly ignored here to increase the band diversity present), there’s a great variety here to dig in and enjoy.
25. Amai Dantoudai “Bloody Dress”
Gothic-flavored metal act carries plenty of bombast and shred within their sound. It’s a compelling one that is equal parts melodic and fury. This single marks a great first impression of their upcoming debut album.
24. Broken by the Scream “月光可憐ストライプ“
The brutal and chaotic Broken by the Scream returned to a four-piece early this year in style with this vicious track that successfully carries on the group’s essence with energy to spare.
23. Hagane “Tengagoken”
The power metal shredders are back with a revamped line-up, but they still maintain the same high caliber mix of incredible shredding while keeping it musically digestible and fun.
22. Blackbriar “Floriography”
The fairytale sound of Blackbriar continues to grow and impress with it’s cinematic orchestrations and haunting vibes. Their latest song is no exception to this. Epic and compelling.
21. MakeMake “Toss and Turn”
Taiwan’s MakeMake have all the ingredients necessary for an upcoming breakout. Monstrous grooves, plenty of hooks, and a strong vocalist. Catch on to them before everyone else does.
20. Gungire “Encrypted” Japan’s ‘angriest band’ continues to pump out high quality groove metal that hits hard, but stays memorable. “Encrypted” delivers exactly what you would expect from the ever-busy act.
19. PaleNe0 “Crazy & Noisy & Cutie Magic” Releasing their first full-length, an EP, and some singles, PaleNe0 was also quite busy this year. This song moves in both heavier and more pop-driven directions at the same time. It might sound odd, but it works splendidly.
18. Setyoursails “Lately” A more melodic number from Setyoursails’ latest, but it’s a heartfelt track that brings in some massive hooks and a beautiful chorus, not to mention some nice, heavy moments.
17. Charlotte Wessels “Chasing Sunsets” Charlotte Wessels triumphantly returns with a full band behind her (and some ex-Delain members at that), ready to explore new soundscapes. “Chasing Sunsets” brings the heavy, symphonic elements she was always known for and gives them a new splash of color.
16. icontinew “Error” Merging a heavy electronics section like some of their fellow countrymates, but merging it with a harder, heavier riffing section gives icontinew a unique fusion of futuristic yet hooky sounds with just enough heaviness to back it all up. “Error” is fun yet frantic.
15. Vulvodynia “Entabeni” Vulvodynia really stepped it up with this most recent album, and the title track, quite simply, has the most devastating slam riffs of the year. The last 45-ish seconds of this track are utter moshpit chaos. Disgustingly heavy in the best way.
14. AlmonDot “Scharlach-Weiβ” Another young Japanese act seemingly on the cusp of a breakout, the industrial grooves of this song are explosive, and done in a way that’s incredibly catchy. The chorus is huge and uplifting, the riffs are crunchy, and the vibes are fun. Hopefully they catch their break soon.
13. Quubi “Rising” Still going strong as 3-piece alt idol act now, the punkish Quubi bring urgent yet playful riffing, brass attitude, a strong sense of melody, and even a little rap as they move through their recent single. Hopefully a sign of the greatness to come on their full-length, as this one hits hard.
12. Deadlands “Villain” Big hooks, big riffs, and a soaring chorus. No surprise when this act signed with Spinefarm this year. “Villain” exemplifies all of the good things that are going on in the modern metal scene. It’s a massive track that begs to be replayed again and again.
11. Knocked Loose “Suffocate” Knocked Loose continue to gain more traction with their brutal brand of hardcore. Add in Poppy for some scathing screams and atmosphere and it’s no surprise that the track has taken off and is Grammy-nominated. The end of the song is a neckbreaker.
10. CatChu! “Distortion” Liella subunit CatChu! provide one of the most catchy and upbeat songs of the year. Nothing heavy, nothing evil, just pure kawaii catchiness. It’s a fun, summer-cruising track that will fight to stay in your head for as long as humanly possible.
9. Entheos “A Thousand Days” Entheos latest EP maintains the high bar of those releases before it, and “A Thousand Days’ showcases a sense of thunderous groove, eerie atmosphere, and some excellent use of clean vocals from Chaney Crabb all merging together to create an unforgettable track.
8. Band-Maid “Protect You” Bouncing energy and basswork, playful yet intricate guitar melodies, and Saiki’s vocals have catapulted Band-Maid into quite a bit of spotlight, and for good reason. “Protect You” is a quintessential example of what works for them as a group. Good ole guitar-oriented fun!
7. Make Them Suffer “Oscillator” Danceable, heavy fun is what “Oscillator” provides. From its downtuned guitars firing off massive grooves, to its pulsating electronics, to its dual vocal chorus, it’s more or less a playground for the band to revel in.
6. Delain “Dance with the Devil” From the uplifting electronics and larger-than-life melodic riffing to the catchy chorus and heavy, growl-driven breakdown(?), “Dance with the Devil” is Delain at their finest. A track that shows how they can evolve while staying true to themselves.
5. Vana “Serpentine” A seductive, industrial-laden paradise that merges a vibrant electronic section and colorful pop-ish vocals into a boisterous, metallic blender to create something that feels flirtatious yet viscerally heavy. Vana is exploring some fresh, fascinating ground for the genre.
4. Gore. “Babylon” Another 2024 breakout band, Gore. capture an exciting combination of frantic riffing and heaviness and merge it together with a cinematic, pop-flavored catchiness that never feels anything less than epic. Expect them to grow even more next year.
3. Soilwork “Spirit of No Return” Talk about a triumphant return! Loads of classic Soilwork vibes on this track. Blistering tempos and wild riffing, a hook-driven chorus with lovely melodies, it’s hard to think of a stronger way for the band to come back after a bit of an absence of new material. Hopefully this leads to a full album soon.
2. PassCode “Willshine” PassCode’s return to anime OPs with an absolutely incredible song. Addictive and catchy, with lots of upbeat energy, and a solid spot in the middle for Emily to flex her low growls, it’s a song that will get you dancing and headbanging in a flash. It’s the type of song you can listen to 15 times in a row and not get bored with it.
1. Isiliel “Qliphoth” A raging, epic track that HImari absolutely nails! Classic, galloping metal riffage leads the way on a brilliant song that gets your neck moving instantly, while the glorious melodies will have your fist raising along with Himari’s unique vocals to sing along with. Merging magical and mystical vibes along with truly metallic ones, this is easily Isiliel’s strongest song to date.
