I'll start off with a recap of February's best full-lengths but I'll be frank- this month has been a light-weight. MIKE's Showbiz in late January was quite good and deserving of a re-listen, but February's releases themselves have been a bit lackluster. We've got new Dream Theater and Pentagram records which are expectedly boring, and a surprisingly feckless Obscura album. Even still, Cóclea and Canut de Bon's split LP No esperan por nadie was wonderfully dissonant and complex for a post-hardcore album and Phrenelith delivered some solidly doom-y OSDM revival on Ashen Womb.
But up next, the main course: Keep your ears and eyes peeled for the full releases from February's singles.
The Callous Daoboys - "Two-Headed Trout/The Demon of Unreality Limping Like a Dog"
from I Don't Want to See You in Heaven out on May 16th
Long titles, eh? The Callous Daoboys have provided a double-single in preparation for their upcoming record. And the two are a doozy: by-in-large the songs showcase a more strictly melodic, less hectic, and very alt-metal-flavoured version of the Daoboys's eclectic metalcore.
The beginning/main riff to "Two-Head Trout" is really tremendous, and doubled up with some squeaky synths it feels quite unique. And on both tracks Carson Pace's vocals are a real standout, varied in their style and tone. Pace ranges from highly melodic cleans, metalcore-standard harsh vocals, and even a bit of near-deathcore growls. Overall, the two singles have me quite excited for their new record and clearly show that the band has continued to evolve with time.
Joe Armon-Jones - "Kingfisher"
from All the Quiet (Part I) out on May 16th
Joe Armon-Jones is probably best known as a member of the Ezra Collective, and "Kingfisher" falls on a similar spectrum of jazz fusion, funk, soul, and hip hop. Featuring the frenetic and prominent drum parts which dominate the UK jazz scene, "Kingfisher" is a solidly groovy fusion track. Armon-Jones himself performs the keyboards on the track and he does a great job at leading from there. He provides a great ambiance throughout the song and a short-n-sweet solo around the mid-point, the only real break in the song's long-form structure.
Destroyer - "Bologna"
from Dan's Boogie out on March 28th
Destroyer is not an artist I was familiar with but this song really grabbed my attention so here we are. "Bologna" has this throw-back Dub sound layered beneath vibrant drum grooves, smooth vocals, and colourful synths. Maybe my favorite part though is the prominent bass part, it's got a warm and chunky sound that's somehow instantly nostalgic.
-Paul Taylor
Music analyst for the WXOU news team