Photo by Oswaldo Cepeda
MAGNOLIA PARK - VAMP (Epitaph Records)
The Florida forerunners of modern nu-core craft an imaginative presentation on their third full length, VAMP. With source material spanning from Vampire Hunter D, the Star Wars saga and Dracula, the album weaves a cohesive tale of graphic novel noir, purposed with modern sheen. Combined with electronic elements, accents of industrial and the kind of bulldozing breakdowns that have defined the band's live set, Magnolia Park have graduated from promising pop-punk to contemporary heft that hits.
IDLE HEIRS - LIFE IS VIOLENCE (Relapse Records)
On an extended hiatus from Coalesce, vocalist Sean Ingram spearheaded an ambitious creative outlet with the forging of Idle Heirs. An 8-track, a post-metal tour de force, the album frames poignant emotional weight set to a soundtrack that reaches brilliant peaks and dismal valleys. Along with producer Josh Barber, the tandem navigate real life strife to craft a collection of music that proves emotive, elegant and appropriately explosive. Life Is Violence intersects artistic ambition with emotional authenticity.
MARK MORTON - WITHOUT THE PAIN (Snakefarm Music Group)
On the arrival of Without the Pain, Mark Morton asserts his versatility as a songwriter, storyteller and musician. A musical departure from his five-time Grammy-nominated work as the guitarist in Lamb of God, Morton's latest solo endeavor underscores his rich pedigree steeped in Southern rock, outlaw country and time-tested blues all stylized with his definitive style of play. Bolstered by a ensemble of collaborators ranging from Cody Jinks, Tyler Bryant, Troy Sanders, Neil Fallon and more, Morton further cements his legacy as a real one of one.
SPEEDWAY - A LIFE'S REFRAIN (Revelation Records)
Melodic hardcore from Stockholm with production from Ned and Ben Russin of Title Fight and the Midas Touch of Arthur Rizk make for a especially potent combination. In the vein of the 80's hardcore heyday, Speedway source youth crew ethos on a debut that captures the spirit and energy of hardcore's legendary lineage. With guest spots from Chris Wilson of Ekulu, Sebastian Murphy of Viagra Boys and Ned Russin himself getting in on the action, A Life’s Refrain, underscores the generational breadth and global reach of hardcore.
EPICA - ASPIRAL (Nuclear Blast Records)
Among symphonic metal's biggest, most venerated names, Epica mark their return with arguably their most ambitious, accomplished presentation yet in Aspiral. Guitarists Isaac Delahaye and Mark Jensen soar on an album that emphasizes the grandeur of the genre. Simone Simons delivers a powerhouse performance that typifies the symphonic subgenre and proves cinematic in style and execution.
