Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From The Blood Republic
The Blood Republic have released their new single ‘Mr. Lucifer’. Zak Muller begins a fresh venture with his new band The Blood Republic offering a bold re-imagining of the grunge genre. The Blood Republic was launched in September 2018 with debut single ‘Ditch’ which ended up generating the band over 11,000 followers on their Facebook page in just two months. Zak Muller has taken a one man band approach, writing and recording all of the music himself as well creating the bands music videos, album covers and merchandise.
‘Mr. Lucifer’ is a luring, brutal and beautiful result of The Blood Republic’s passionate, compact and dark musicianship. The track slithers and creeps with chilling ominous tones as elastic bass slaps and intricate guitar lines weave tense haunting melodies throughout. The track explodes for the chorus like a beast pouncing on its unsuspecting prey. The groovy undertone is saturated in a dizzying heavy thick abyss of swirling metal infused rock as the kinetic wall of sound rushes to a frenzied crescendo. With enticing vocals and the infectious bleeding melody the track entraps you in its churning darkness, consuming you in a narcotic haze of peril. With lyrics that creatively express the struggles of addiction ‘Mr. Lucifer’ is an asphyxiating and thrilling piece of music.
Indie Rock band Killing Roy have released their new single ‘Applier’. Coming from different parts of England, Kel Bennett (Vocals), George Woodford (Guitar), Adam Mason (Bass) and Louis Cowling (Drums) met together at university.Last year Killing Roy played across multiple venues in London such as Half Moon Putney, Hope and Anchor, Dublin Castle and made their first steps in playing for bigger audiences performing on a festival stage at 2000Trees Festival.
Slicing through with kinetic riffs and a vigorous rhythm ‘Applier’ is a frazzling display of Killing Roy’s intense scorching sound. The intricate sting on guitar pierces with a lamenting, yet, biting intensity while the muggy heated backdrop of smouldering bass lines and pummeling drums ignites the track. Dynamic warm vocals glide over the catchy melody creating a smoothness within the blistering mania. With a shredding solo and gripping indie rock backdrop ‘Applier’ keeps you in a thrilling sense of suspense throughout. Well crafted and bursting from the seams with passion and sharp sultry instrumentation this utterly consuming track is a fine piece of musicianship from Killing Roy
We sat down to have a spontaneous chat with Claire Miskimmin and Lyndsey McDougall from Belfast band New Pagans before their set supporting Palaye Royale at The Button Factory Dublin. We talked about the band’s sound, their influences and their new single ‘Admire’.
Indie pop quartet modernlove. had their first headline show with Aiken Promotions last Friday with support from TOY GIRL and BRIDGES.The band presented a firecracker of a show filled with synth pop anthems, R&B elements and jazz flavourings.
Dublin based alternative band TOY GIRL kick start the night.Wholly mesmerising this band provides a sound filled with delicate intricacies and rich rhythms that submerge the listener in an endless pool of psychedelic hues and rippling undercurrents.With fragmented guitar pines that venture between crashing moments and funk elements to sweet lush indie tones the band layer their set meticulously, gradually bringing you further into a lulled stage of trance.These guys are fine musicians, the gentle and harsh biting elements are perfectly blended to drift and elegantly slip into each other with a majestic tonality that is utterly compelling. Exuding oodles of passion in each track, Hannah Worrall’s emotive crisp vocals are perhaps the most fascinating constant throughout the set. She lulls and broods with soulful tones as the wispy soundscapes caress and flutter around her immaculate voice. With their extremely tight sound, fine musicianship and calming stage presence TOY GIRL are a must see.
Bridgwater / London band BRIDGES follow. I have a lot of respect for these guys. They provided warm powerful tunes with vigor while battling some frustrating sound issues and rude feedback interruptions coming through the speakers on the night. A set brimming with earnestness and passion the band flood the room with warmth. Ethan Proctor’s vocals glide effortlessly over cosy melodies with a soft rasp and powerful drive as the band flesh out rich bass lines, sweet guitar twinkles and chiming keys between the meaty drum foundation.Members of the crowd dance and request songs as the band play their hearty tunes with charming smiles and a cheerful radiance.With ebullient sing along ready choruses and pretty slick guitar work BRIDGES put on one dynamic and enthusiastic set.
As the crowd rush forward modernlove. take to the stage.This young band is becoming known for their infectious mature indie pop and catchy songs. I wondered how they would hold up in the live setting. As it turns out … pretty damn well. Barry Lally’s vocals never falter through their longest set so far, his vocals manage to become stronger and more potent as the set progresses. The four piece feed off the crowds enthusiasm delivering a vibrant show of bubbling tunes, massive sing along moments and a little banter. ‘Us’ and ‘Bop’ have the audience dancing as the bands illustrious indie pop shimmers and sparkles into the crowd, igniting them almost instantly.The bands sound is at its best live- more edgy and punchy the music surges into the body compelling you to bop along. Cian McCluskey deftly belts those drums like his life depends on it and perhaps he is the puppeteer making us all dance. The wonderful contrast between the fruity sweet guitar jingles and brawny pull on drums creates the perfect fluctuant soundscape to pull anyone up to dance. Their fans are perhaps just as jubilant as the band’s songs pulling strangers from the side of the stage to dance with them as the venue’s floor becomes buoyant and spongy from all the jumping and dancing. The band glance at each other with cheeky smiles confirming the night’s success as Graham Fagan executes glossy guitar riffs and licks with ease while nodding in acknowledgement to members of the crowd shouting his name. Half-way through the set the dancing hasn’t faulted one iota and neither has the singing along. The crowd knew every word, even the rapid tongue twister in ‘Liquorice’ was shouted back to the band with such passion and excitement. Bassist Daniel Rooney lays down that all important fluid elasticity that truly moves the soul with the body. He injects funky elements into their tracks with fruity stings on guitar as the synth elements and honeyed melodies create a candy-floss sweetness that wisps the venue into an ethereal cloud of delight. With each chorus there is an eruption from the audience as their eyes glisten through the glitzy indie pop atmosphere. modernlove. end their set with new single ‘Hard to Tell You’ leaving the crowd shouting for one more tune to which due to curfew the band could not oblige but hey it left us all craving to see another modernlove. show.
For a young band, moderlove. have a compelling stage presence. Their heartfelt, infectious tunes exceed all expectations within the live setting. The Sound House witnessed something special last Friday. These guys have a bright future ahead.
We sat down to have a chat with Steph and Paul O’Sullivan from Greywind after their set supporting Palaye Royale at The Button Factory Dublin. We talked about how they craft their songs, living in Killarney and the buzz the live setting provides.
Four piece The Rezner have released their new single ‘Wouldn’t You Like To Know’ which has already received radio support from the mighty Rodney Bingenheimer at Sirius XM. He joins the likes of Alan McGee (Creation Records),This Feeling and BBC Introducing to give the band a thumbs up.
‘Wouldn’t You Like To Know’ is a fiery ballsy alternative rock number brimming with mighty punk hype and oodles of adrenaline. With shredding guitars crashing and wiggling through a grooving shimmy bass and punchy drums the track explodes with kinetic vigor. It’s a speedball ablaze with sleek mighty musicianship. With snappy vocals spitting and bellowing over the rock smudged soundscape – ‘Wouldn’t You Like To Know’ is a catchy, powerful anthem and a musical slap in the face of what The Renzer do superbly.
Portsmouth band The Pretty Visitors have released their new single ‘Mystery Woman’. 2019 saw the release of four demos, features on BBC Introducing, and huge headline shows at The Wedgewood Rooms (Portsmouth), The Joiners (Southampton) and Heartbreakers (Southampton).The band kick off 2020 with a live performance on BBC Radio Kent, showcasing six tracks on air, alongside a headline slot at Ice Breaker Festival (Portsmouth), a headline show at Heartbreakers for Independent Venue Week, and shows in London and Manchester.
With delicate guitar work entwining intricate bass lines ‘Mystery Woman’ continues The Pretty Visitors run of rich, mature and compact musicianship. The tense verses chill with a sense of mystery as the band surge the track with moody, luring qualities while the catchy chorus erupts against a vibrant indie soundscape. With punchy drums creating a foot tapping tempo the track coils and twists with a rumbling dark undertone. The band top all this fine musicianship off with a steamy guitar solo soaring above a wonderful meandering bass line before the crescendo. ‘Mystery Woman’ is a sublime, well crafted track from The Pretty Visitors.
Alternative four piece band Bullet Girl have released their new single ‘Whacked’ produced and mixed by Daniel Fox. Late 2019 saw Bullet Girl refine their live sound with gigs such as co-headlining the first ever TILT at the Button Factory in October, hosted by John Barker of Totally Irish 98fm. They’ve also seen success in supporting bands such as FEET at the Sound House in November. On February 16th they played The Workman’s Club in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. ‘Whacked’ is the first of four songs recorded with Daniel Fox of Girl Band, all of which centre around modern Dublin culture.
‘Whacked’ is a berserker of mania slapped into a fury of punk as Bullet Girl flesh out their raw unadulterated musicianship in all its blood thirsty glory. Sharp guitars lacerate and swivel through the track in a swarm of turmoil as they shrill and soar through the crashing soundscapes. The bruising drum pummels and batters with relentless stamina while the majestic bass rumbles throughout. There is a masterful balance between utter anarchy and tense suspense as Bullet Girl bubble and simmer for the verses before erupting into the battering assault that is the sublime chorus.
Like burning acid the track fizzes and seethes behind the bristled vocal yelps and exclaims. ‘Whacked’ is a well crafted, precise yet messy conundrum ready to blast from the speakers. This track is going to be epic live.
East Manchester indie band Palava are set to release their new EP ‘Singles’. The new singles EP will be available on Spotify and Apple Music on February 21st followed by a huge show with RGM Live at The Castle, Manchester.
‘Singles’ is a blistering collection of Palava’s energetic alternative rock. With ‘Blow Us Away’ taking a strong lead into the EP the band waste no time providing raw guitar strides and punchy drum progressions to create a crashing wall of sound sure to be superb live. Peppering their slick soundscapes with striking bass lines and shredding solos the band build each track meticulously to create blazing crescendos and fist pump power throughout. The sweeter more brooding side to Palava comes in the form of the lamentful ‘Believe’ as the band coat tender lyrics in chiming guitars that twinkle through a sulken backdrop while ‘Next Room’ glimmers with dark undertones and nostalgia.‘Under The Waves’ is a sparkling gem within this EP. The vibrant guitar sparkles through a subtle punchy backdrop as the track flows with a majestic and beautiful arrangement that is charming and well presented.
Palava provide a tight EP laced in spirited musicianship with dynamic melodies and soundscapes. With wonderful guitar work and emotive moments between the crashing instrumentation its a well rounded EP. Palava are creating and developing their sound beautifully.
‘Singles’ is released on February 21st for more you can follow Palava on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/palavauk/
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From Honey Lung
Honey Lung have released their new single ‘Be My Friend’. Newly-signed to the cult indie label Big Scary Monsters (American Football, Martha, Orchards), ‘Be My Friend’ marks the first offering from the band this year as their plans begin to take shape, with a London headliner and several festival appearances already lined up over the coming months.The shoegazers have spent the last two years mastering the live circuit, combining JAWS and Basement tour supports with notable festival slots at the likes of SXSW, Reading & Leeds, Latitude and The Great Escape.
With guitars whirring through a scuzzy grunge backdrop ‘Be My Friend’ announces Honey Lung’s return with raw refined beauty. A sun kissed daydream melody melts effortlessly upon the effervescent backdrop with a shoegaze tonality while the sweet coos and deep gravel on vocals provide character and charm. The glistening melody on guitar weaves and coils zealously between the pummeling drums to create a clamorous fuzz-filled indie-rock foundation that is utterly thrilling. The band presents a tight and sun speckled track overflowing with rich, vibrant, blistering instrumentation. With the perfect bitter sweet ratio ‘Be My Friend’ is a triumphant return.
Discussing the ideas behind their new single, Batten explained: “Lyrically Be My Friend makes a joke of trying to impress someone you admire. We wanted it to be an ironic song that pokes fun at awkward social situations and the funny ways we act just to be liked or feel accepted”.
Stream ‘Be My Friend’ below
https://soundcloud.com/honeylung/be-my-friend
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
