#myremains

King 810 are a very special and unique Nu Metal band that have emerged from Flint, Michigan in the US back in 2007. Their lyrics and themes reflect the violent and dark experiences they’ve gone through growing up in a very rough area, I always refer to their material as poetic but in a demonic way where beauty is substituted for gore and vulgarity, no shock that I’m a huge fan. This is album number 5 now so let’s jump in and take it for a ride.

“Headshot” is an absolute beauty, David’s way with words in his storytelling is something else, whilst theming about life in the streets, it cuts straight through you with lines like “Little girls sell their panties to a pedophile” and “Balloon ruptured in her stomach, And I held her while she shook and died”, the hairs stand up on the back of your neck realising that’s a haunting reality. The violent topics aren’t all there is to it, again there’s a big dark religious aspect to their writing which is still as prevalent as ever, a good example of that is “Noonday Demon” which has sharp wheezy inhales that make the hair on the back of the neck stand on end, spitting out all the ways that God uses “King David” to do the darker things to keep his name away, it’s a highly volatile yet seductive song. “Raindance” has a chorus I can really vibe with, I feel like I do a type of dance to it with how slippery and sleazy it feels, it allows David time backed by silence to spit some lyrics at the end like an angry spoken word show. Initially it was those 3 tracks that stood out for me, but with each full listen, the others started to dig their way in like. Particularly the title track “Rustbelt Numetal”, it flows like an unpredictable ocean with an onslaught of aggression that calms for a brief respite before rocking the boat again, I can’t see how it didn’t stick quicker but importantly it has now.

I’ll always be saying I want more whenever these guys drop an album because I absolutely love their style. The albums seem to have dropped in length from around Suicide King and they have seemed to favour EP style size and length since then. As I said earlier the more I’ve listened the more that adoration has grown, they are literally the definition of shock and awe, in your face with the lyrical theme and then leaving me in awe with the composition, hopefully see you soon lads for another headline show!

I know I normally cover like 3/4 games per post but this one I felt needed it’s own post.

All I can say is what a fucking game. The whole community takes “Joy” pills to keep them happy and blissfully unaware, if you don’t take them, they don’t like you, if you dress wrong in certain areas they’re coming for you, you must craft, salvage, loot and fight. So many different ways you can play through. The main story is split into 3 in each of the 3 you cover the same time period but from another perspective and each different character has different abilities and specialities. The story is immersive and thought provoking and the fact that it’s British based really drew me in. I haven’t been this invested in a video game since I first purchased Fallout New Vegas or Bioshock, which are fitting games to mention for the style of playing.

Not only that! They have 3 DLC’s which you can purchase together as a season pass, If you like story telling then I highly recommend this, each of the different DLC’s tells a different story of what happens to some of Wellington wells other main characters each with their own different styles of playing.

In the first DLC we play as Roger, one half of the couple who work with Dr. Faraday, and they’re on the hunt to find her after she vanishes through a portal, they uncover an underground fortress harboring alien robots. Roger arms himself with a ray gun and assorted strange weapons to battle through to locate Dr. Faraday and understand what is going on. No need for crafting, eating or sleeping, just focus purely on the mission.

This second installation is an interesting concept. Take control of Wellington Wells musical legend Nick Lightbearer as his drug addled benders lead him through losing hours of his life and waking up in precarious situations, such as being covered in blood. Everything that was detrimental to a normal character are what fuel Nick to keep going, enjoy Scotch and Joy pills galore as you utilize your guitar as a tool and a weapon to shred and melt faces.

For those who are unaware, The Unguided was formed by former members of the Swedish band Sonic Syndicate, who may I add were incredible back in the day, not so much as time went on though (hell of a lot of drama in the fallout, worth having a poke around into). I’ll be honest, I never even heard of these guys forming out of the ashes until I accidentally stumbled upon this, they’ve been going since 2010 and have now - including this latest one - 6 albums under their belt. I’m hoping for this discovery to be akin to discovery of Sonic Syndicate a lifetime ago.

It all starts with “Hell”, it sounds like Somebody took straight up Swedish melodic death metal and distilled it in a barrel with old school power metal, it’s so good to hear that familiar scream even if it’s not on a Sonic Syndicate track. The chorus of “Kilonova” has lived rent free in my head even though Footprints on the moon is the name of Howard and Raj’s band on Big Bang Theory so I can’t help but laugh whilst also being sucked in by the succubus of the vocal melody. “Blood Mare” I was Infatuated with immediately, my head popped up like a meerkat at the first chorus, the theme or comradre and unity in life’s battles are portrayed with beuaitul Melodie’s that cut straight through to your soul. I am shocked that these tracks lost out as singles go “The Clock” and “Red Alert”, it’s not because those tracks aren’t good but for me there’s less about them than these others I’ve mentioned they’re mild where the others are spicy.

I have had such a good time listening to this, it combines my love of the unique storytelling ability and sheer technical ability of power metal and the aggression and brutality, I just can’t believe I never knew about them it’s almost criminal! In keeping an eye on tour announcements for these guys in particular from this point on. The only thing I would have wanted to as maybe another few tracks as I feel they had another couple bangers which would have meant over half he album would be in my favourites playlist.

Who the hell doesn’t know who Skindred are in this day and age right?! The best British band for me of all time, they kill it live, their music is such a vibe all the time and quite frankly it’s just the most fun I’ve ever had. We’re on Album number 8 since 1998, it’s mad think about how long it’s been since I first heard “Nobody” on Need For Speed Underground 2.

“Our Religion” took me by completely surprise, that’s one evil crunchy dark sounding track really throwing me back to the Babylon days, yet in true Dred fashion it still manages to be bouncy as all hell. “Gimme That Boom” captures that whole it’s just fun vibe, its stupidly addictive, very simple chorus but lacking nothing, the breakdown has that very distinctive Skindred sounding riff that screams out for you to shake your ass round. “Set Fazers” is of a very similar nature but more forceful with it, this is one for the moshers to get stuck in to but really whatever your pleasure it’s got you covered. “L.O.V.E. (Smile Please)” slides right down deep into their reggae roots which is where this whole journey comes from, Bob Marley would be smiling down on the lads for this their versatility and bringing that age old style forward and capturing the very heart of the peace and love that the world so desperately needs. Take that style, add some crunchy riffs, let Benjii rap and put on a nice mellow clean chorus and you have “Black Stars”, that deep scream in the background injects pure adrenaline into me, it hypes me up to no end.

Some bands follow the trend of the time whereas skindred drop what they think the world needs, and I tell you what we needed this right now. Their first number 1 album and it is 100% well earned, they’re finally getting the recognition they deserve, praying to get to their tour in March!!

After that little period where I lost interest (Notes From The Underground and Day of the Dead) and they dropped Five, I’ve really been loving them again. This is their 8th album after 2020’s New Empire double album, and it’s their 17th year as a band, I personally thought they’d have been over and done with years ago, but they just keep coming back stronger and stronger. Album opener “CHAOS” was one of the first singles to drop and its a heavy one, with a chorus which is so big and full sounding, it’s definitely going to be a crowd pleaser with the sing-a-long dissolving into the pit. “City Of The Dead” isn’t heavy but it’s got this eerie sinister feeling and big energy, nice little pretty riff in there too. “Alone At The Top” got my attention immediately, it’s absolutely gorgeous, Danny Murillo’s phenomenal voice really has been fundamental in creating some of the moments that have propelled them forward (even if I was naffed off when they got rid of Deuce, they wouldn’t have songs like this if they hadn’t), “Lion Eyes” and “Go To War” are more that are as infectious, they utilise so many elements together there’s some metal, rap, pop, dance, things that 20 years ago wouldn’t have been dreamt could work together. There isn’t really any bad songs for me on here, naturally some are just in a league of their own but generally everything here is good shit, I will always be glad I was wrong about these guys and I really need to see them again, haven’t seen them since they released Swan Songs.

These guys represented their homeland Finland (a cool god damn place) in the Eurovision Song Contest and finished 6th which is a tremendous accomplishment. This is their 4th album and the first since their band had been put in the spotlight. I do have to say it’s very bloody good, naturally the track they used for the Competition “Dark Side” is on it, and that’s an absolute banger, it’s got the crunch and the heaviness, thinking early Linkin Park crossed with Three Days Grace, top tier stuff. Now if it were me I would have used “Don’t Fix Me” because that is just a big radio and stadium shows wet dream, really big infectious chorus with gorgeous melodies but keeps the tempo up, it’s the vocal drop in the middle that’s the real hook for me “I’m dead inside”. “Alive or Burning” and “We Are The Saints” are the heavier songs but still with that gorgeous chorus, they love a bit of rap and some growls you can tell, and I think we will see that intensify as their career evolves. They sort of epitomise some of the greatest bands of all time, Linkin Park, and though we very justifiably lost Lost Prophets, they capture what made them great at times with the big melodies, some Papa Roach and of course Good Charlotte who the album title is paying homage to. I’m very excited to see where these guys are going to go.

Lyrically I adored “Welcome to the Circus”, they shone through but the music I just really had that feeling that I’ve heard something too similar to what they’ve already done which is a similar feeling with “Afterlife”. “Roll Dem Bones” I have to give it up, it hooked me in, I haven’t been that hooked since I first heard “Dying Breed”, in your face and quick, tasty melodic chorus, if anything from the album at least I can highly commend them lyrically here. Originally I wasn’t fond of “IOU”, I can’t remember why because I love it now, I’ve been too quick to judgement I think with slapping I’ve heard this before onto it but actually it’s got character. “Times Like These” is definitely an arena song, I can already see the lighters and phones, feel the swaying and arms in the air, there’s going to be some voices heard singing along with that chorus. Following on with that vibe “Thanks For Asking” is a really solemn ballad, which to be fair is something FFDP can do very well, this one is another great one to add to their collection alongside “All I Know”, I’d like to give a mention to “The End” here however this one definite has overly familiar sounds and lyrics. “Gold Gutter” has a big kick, one of those snap your neck songs, the melody in the guitar riff in the chorus gives it a big feel with the contrast against the growls, one of my favourites this one. I was definitely coming into this one pessimistic and there are some elements which I think everybody could have predicted, however they have shown there is a bit more to them and it serves as a reminder of that, gotta give them credit for it they’ve come through.

There is such a lot of influences and styles expertly spliced and blended into The latest album from Manuel Gagneux’s Zeal and Ardor. Theming has heavy spiritual matter - particularly a wonder into what if slaves had turned to Satan instead of God - and combines a lot of different styles, I can pick out some soul and blues, but also some progressive rock and dark black metal. Definitely a border crossing album and I would like to give a big shout out to “Bow”, “Death To The Holy”, “Feed The Machine” and “Götterdämmerung” (which is particularly evil).