Photo by Dante Torrieri
ESCUELA GRIND - DREAMS ON ALGORITHMS (MNRK Heavy)
New school grind practitioners Escuela Grind have built on the acclaim of their 2022 full length Memory Theater with the the kind of album that retains their stylistic integrity, while expanding the depth of their dominant sound. Daring to incorporate elements of grunge and even clean vocals for a band that has earned a rep for their ferocity as grind, punk and hardcore specialists underscores Escuela Grind's growth as songwriters and their disregard for expectation. Anchored by producer Kurt Ballou and propelled by convincing performances from Katerina Economou, Jesse Fuentes and Krissy Morash, Dreams On Algorithms is a wrecking ball of artistry.
DREGG - THE ART OF EVERYTHING (DREGGMusic)
Among Australia's most unconventional heavy music craftsmen, Dregg deliver 12 tracks of boastfully good bombast on their follow up to their 2022 Epitaph Records release, The DREGGMusic Mixtape. Unorthodox song structure, gut-punch dynamics and meaty instrumentation combined with the band's meld of influences make for a collection of tracks that hit from all angles. While the convenient coin here would be to call the band nu-metal, Dregg isn't indulging nostalgia, but rather pooling some of the best parts of heavy music and making something all their own. The Art of Everything attempts to source exactly that.
JERRY CANTRELL - I WANT BLOOD (Double J Music)
In thematic contrast to the well-received Brighten LP from 2021, Jerry Cantrell braves much darker terrain on his latest full length, I Want Blood. For the LP Cantrell gets to work with producer Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Melvins) to better maximize his unmistakable sound. Showcasing Cantrell's prowess as a songwriter, I Want Blood also touts an all-star cast of collaborators. The album is bolstered by contributions from the likes of Duff McKagan (Guns N’Roses) and Robert Trujillo (Metallica), Gil Sharone (Team Sleep, Stolen Babies), Mike Bordin (Faith No More) as well as backing vocals from Lola Colette and Greg Puciato (Better Lovers, ex-Dillinger Escape Plan).
MELTED BODIES - THE INEVITABLE FORK
LA-bred avant garde collective Melted Bodies have completed their ambitious EP trilogy with the ultimate entry of the set, The Inevitable Fork. The final release in the collection completes the band's overarching narrative of personal exploration and at times harrowing evolution, A molotov concoction that combines, industrial, rock, even hints of EBM for added style points results in an EP that embraces how music can still be a mindfuck. Closing the show with the ballad-esque "Talk Some More About It" after clobbering the listener for the previous 20 minutes emphasizes just how maniacal Melted Bodies are musically. Get familiar.
NOWHERE2RUN - SLIVERING THE SENSES (Pale Chord Music)
The creative alterego of Jami Morgan and Shade Balderose, NOWHERE2RUN does for industrial/electronic/synth music what their primary project in Code Orange have done for hardcore - thrive in the margins. The introductory EP ropes in features from diverse cast of contributors, underscores the range of the project. With submissions from Kadeem France of Loathe, industrial trap pusher Siiickbrain and pop purveyor Alejandro Aranda, Morgan and Balderose assert their expertise as composers that can shapeshift stylistically.
