Hell yeah, Part Two. Sequels usually suck, but this one is basically the same as Part One with different settings. That counts, right? I guess that makes it a remake kind of. It’s definitely not a remaster – I didn’t do shit to make this prettier than the last one.
ANYWAY, this time we got some hyper murder metal from Toronto (fuck you, Drake; I’m not even gonna bold your name), turbo hell hardcore from New York Citaaay, and alt-grungegaze from… somewhere. I can’t find where the band is from. Oh, Dylan just told me they’re also from Toronto. Cool. FUCK YOU, DRAKE. Enjoy the music. š
Released: August 25, 2022
Independent
I canāt believe 2022 is coming to an end and weāre only weeks away from flipping our calendars over to January again. During the months that passed this year it seemed like music was releasing at an even more alarming rate than usual so some things were bound to slip through the cracks. While I was definitely aware of this record, I simply didnāt have the time to write about it when it was released back in August. Letās get to it though.
Autonoesis are a bit of an enigma as no one really knows whoās in the band and this is their second LP in the last two years. As to what kind of music Autonoesis plays, well if you were to guess based on the cover art youād probably be close. Iām still trying to think of a band that sounds like them even though there are similar elements to many styles. Thereās thrash, prog, black, and death metal all rolled into one package that is anything but slick. Thatās a compliment by the way. My problem with a lot of āprog metalā is just how slick and over-produced it is and while Moon of Foul Magics sounds good, there are enough rough edges on the production and the performances to keep me from getting lulled to sleep by the compression and lack of dynamics.
After a cool intro track that is actually pretty cool (I usually despise these things) the title track comes a knocking and it’s quite the way to get things going. It clocks in at over nine minutes and there are so many great ideas being executed that it feels at first like their showing their hand too soon. Thankfully that’s not the case but more on that later. The title track leads off with a thrashy riff that eventually flows into a progressive breakdown that showcases the bandās soloing prowess before regrouping into a blackened death metal back half all while upholding some seriously blackened vocals. I donāt know if Iāve ever heard anything quite like this album.
With that as the inventory of sorts as to which toys that Autonoesis keeps in their chest the album continues on and for quite a while, the whole thing clocks in at an hour and six minutes. Yes, that is a lot to digest. What helps, of course, is just how well this band can pivot from one sound to another. āNihility, Endless Winterā is at times a full-on black metal siege but can pivot to a down-tempo dance with doom at a moment’s notice. āValhƶllā is a gorgeous and mood-appropriate respite that blends a familiar feeling acoustic dirge that slowly builds and is one of the absolute best tracks on this record. Many bands or albums would place a song like this here as a way to round out the A-side runtime but the thought that went into this song was just as intricate as the rest of the tracks even though the song itself isnāt nearly as technical.
This is just such a refreshing album that is rich in sound and ideas, and while metal at large is blossoming in many spaces itās the depth of this album that sets it apart from the pack. If you like any bits of metal at all there is something here for you and itās an all-you-can-eat buffet of inventive songwriting. Acoustic passages, anthemic leads, thrashed-out headbanging riffs, neo-classical passages, charred vocals, and a production that somehow serves all of this, Moon of Foul Magics is a genuine contender for metal album of the year.
Released: September 16, 2022
Triple B Records
In a bid to become the King of sweeping statements, my pick for Missed Connections is the album of the year. Not only this but New Lords is the definitive statement of Mindforce, the best band in hardcore and itās a perfect hardcore album. 10 songs and 17 minutes of everything you want in a hardcore album: thrashy riffs, hard 2-step rhythms, frenetic pacing, heavy breakdowns, piercing lead vocals, gang vocals to back them up and lyrics with a social conscience and scene solidarity. Vocalist Jay Petagine is a middle school teacher by day; on New Lords he and his bandmates teach a new generation what hardcore is and should be.
While hardcore is often seen as a younger genre, with plenty of bands of 20-year-olds carrying the torch, itās the lifers like Mindforce that truly represent what makes the genre great. Veterans of other bands as well as members of numerous other bands, Mindforce continue to be at the forefront of the scene. Theyāve been one of the best bands around for a while with a flawless discography, starting with one of the best demos of the modern era through to their debut album Excalibur and on to their sophomore, New Lords. We never may have gotten this album if the band stuck to their original plan; Petagine told Revolver that the plan was to drop one album, some 7ās and then drift away. I, for one, am delighted they didnāt stick to it.
Petagine sums up the hardcore experience with a turbulent life story, his faith in the genre and how the genre helped him through tough times into his successful life as a middle school teacher and hardcore success story. He and guitarist Mike Shaw both epitomise the resilience and perseverance that has been key to hardcoreās survival. Before Excalibur, Petagine had a freak back injury and after it Shaw was in a huge car crash with doctors suggesting he may never walk or play guitar again. But just 4 years later, the band have created New Lords while retaining their reputation for being one of the best live bands in the genre too. All of these things make the quality of this album even more unbelievable but the attitude they show is just as incredible.
In terms of the songs, there isnāt a dull moment in amongst them, from the great intro of the title track to the final hits of āRottenā. After the title track we dive straight into lead single āSurvival is Vengeanceā, setting a frenetic tone for the entire album. Like most songs on the album, it doesnāt even hit the two minutes and manages to fit in so much including an extended breakdown into the opening melody of āWords Failā. Petagine shouts for his band mates to ādrop itā, and damn do they deliver. Every member is at the absolute top of their game, tight as a unit and just nailing every note. The gang vocals behind just add another layer to the aural assault. āAll Factsā continues the all-out attack of New Lords, putting forth a simple but powerful message to acknowledge the crimes of the colonisation of the United States. āThirteen and Meanā brings down the pace without losing any of the intensity. The mid-pace of this song gives Shaw a massive chance to shine with an eviscerating solo that just perfectly captures the vibe. Heās been one of the most enthralling guitarists in the scene for years and the show he put on across the album shows he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Side B of the album sees more of the same quality, āOutcasts of the Empireā starting with a quick 38-second blast of their trademark thrashy riffs, Petagineās recognisable squeal and the in-tune nature of the band and their gang vocals. āWhen Instant Karma Lastsā is another highlight, sure to be a huge singalong in the live space with memorable lines like āinstant karma comes fast, itās motherfuckers like you that make it lastā. “Goliath & the Runt” is another highlight which has absolutely everything a hardcore song should have, with an extra quick solo in there for good measure. This is arguably the best breakdown on the album, and there is some competition.
āRottenā is another song that just perfectly nails its place on the album, after a quick instrumental interlude. The slowest song (but this is Mindforce, slow isnāt in their dictionary) on the album but with an atmosphere most bands in the scene would love to create as the powerful rhythm section of Donny Ruckdeschel and Nick Haines drive the track. There are obvious lyrical moments here that look outwardly at the United States or the world in general but they manage to find a great balance of topics, not treading too heavily anywhere. āRottenā is a song that perfectly sums up their place in the hardcore scene. Custodians of the scene, lifers who simply put their heart and soul into it. They support their friends and the scene at all costs. āDonāt want to see you friends rise to the top, prefer they stay at the bottom ā youāre rottenā is a fitting end to a perfect hardcore album.
In a perfect world, I would have recreated Roger Ebertās legendary one-word Simon and Garfunkel review. Mindforce ā New Lords: hard.
Released: August 11, 2022
Homie Shit Magazine
Being very new to the Everything Is Noise team, this month marking my 6th or 7th month onboard, Iāve had the opportunity to write about so many artists and their works that I previously knew and was completely new to alike. Some releases came about that I missed an opportunity to write on despite absolutely loving them. One of those was the work of an artist Iāve been following for a hot minute ā 9Million. Their August 11th release, Between Us, is easily one of the most original things Iāve heard in quite some time, and for this episode of Missed Connections, Iām here to tell ya all about it!
The album begins on a strong note with its noisy, grungy, dreamscape track, āShiverā, which features some vocal work from a fellow beloved artist, Ethel Cain! The track cycles through all of my favorite things about good, shoegaze-adjacent, alternative rock. We get a driving riff, tasteful feedback ringing, plenty of reverb and dream-poppy embellishments, and mystical vocals that just layer the entire song beautifully. Beginning on such a high note definitely tells the audience theyāre in for a treat to follow.
Next track in, we have āSo Familiarā, which follows up with the grungy feel, but not without its own layering as well. Main brain of the project, Matt Tomasi, has such a haunting tone to his vocals that it really provides the added atmosphere to what is already a textured art piece of waveforms. Paired with some catchy leads and just overall rhythmic ingenuity, this feels like one of those ā90s hits you somehow missed out on, but even with the reminiscence of the past being present, Tomasi keeps it somehow so modern and fresh. The fine juxtaposition of chill and shrill sound choices in the track make for an artsy hit that youāll keep coming back to.
Towards the end of the album, we get my personal favorite, āNever Knewā, which is also the first song Iād heard under 9Millionās name. Something between an Incubus, Duster, and Alex G sort of track, itās impossible not to be put under a spell as soon as the acoustic guitar kicks in with the bass at the start of the song. My first time hearing it was during a calm, rainy work day, and I could almost bet money the music was making that morning cup of coffee taste better. I must have replayed that song at least 50 times that day alone.
For most, you might recognize Matt Tomasi from his work with Nicole Dollanganger, which is, in itself, really well done and interesting stuff. But Tomasi has been a force of inspiration to me and a constantly working powerhouse of productivity, having run his own studio for quite some time, done production work for many artists including Ethel Cain, been apart of or fronted numerous punk, hardcore, and alternative acts such as Acid Priest, and more recently Friction and Real World, and plenty of other projects and activities outside of music; Itās clear he stays busy and definitely stays thoroughly involved in his craft. Itās only right that his work be more recognized especially given the amount of quality that goes with any of it. Any time I see Matt Tomasiās name attached to something anymore, Iām pretty much automatically interested in it.
If you enjoy music that blends heavy and ethereal sounds in a tasteful way, you need to get about Between Us as soon as possible. 9Million have already released another single, āMercury Tearsā, as of October, as well as completed a tour or two, and will definitely be up to plenty more in the near future. If you want to keep up with 9Million after listening to Between Us 9 million times, be sure to do so via BandcampĀ and Instagram! Donāt miss out on Matt!
“I came up and so could you, and fuck the boys in blue” – RMR
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