A Scent Like Wolves - Mystic Auras - Album Review

A Scent Like Wolves - Mystic Auras - We Are Triumphant

Track List:

1. Pink Dawn (intro)

2. Eastern Lights

3. Telephone

4. Bloom (feat. JT Cavey of Erra)

5. Poison

6. Midnight Eyes (interlude)

7. Deja Vu (feat. Mattéo Gelsomino of Novelists + Sal3m)

8. Death Effect (feat. Brian Wille of Currents)

9. Dissolve (feat. Booka Nile of Make Them Suffer)

10. Aquamarine

Just shy of three years, A Scent Like Wolves return with their sophomore album 'Mystic Auras,' but does it run with the pack or lead the hunt?

Hailing from Reading, a small town in PA, A Scent Like Wolves (ASLW) have continually refined and molded their sound since their debut full length, 'And The Story Goes' in 2013. 'Mystic Auras' continues that tradition with mixtures of post-hardcore, metalcore, and progressive metalcore elements. Not only that, they're one of the few remaining pure dual vocalist bands in the scene. That means 'Mystic Auras' showcases intertwining clean and unclean (singing and screaming) vocal performances from brothers Al and Nick. From soaring highs to bellowing screams, there's plenty of diversity throughout 'Mystic Auras.'

ASLW has always been good at setting the mood in their music, and this is no different, but it's accomplished differently than in their previous material. Each track sounds different from the last while still feeling like ASLW. The musical arrangements vary, not allowing the listener to become bored, while catchy choruses and driving instrumentation keep constant interest in what's coming next. 

A unique trait of 'Mystic Auras' is the willingness to diversify and emphasize features from the scene. Utilizing features is often a missed opportunity in post-hardcore and metalcore. Unlike pop, hip-hop, and other genres, features are used sparingly, but that's not the case with ASLW. Out of the ten tracks, four have features. That's 40%! Easy math even I can do! 'Mystic Auras' boasts features from some heavy hitters from ERRA, Novelists, Currents, and Make Them Suffer! That's an impressive lineup, and each makes an impact and adds an extra layer to their track. 'Dissolve,' which features Booka from Make Them Suffer, is worth an additional note as it's the first almost ballad-style music ASLW has attempted. It certainly pays off (minus a little shoe-horning at the beginning (😜).

My only minute gripe with 'Mystic Auras' is that out of ten tracks, two of them are an intro and interlude (that's 20%). Really, it's only because ASLW always leaves you wanting more. More dual-vocals, more driving instruments, more heavy-melody. It's cliche, but you want even more of the story.

One of the best parts of ASLW when listening to 'Mystic Auras' is the feeling that they're making the music they want to make. Their music feels like the identity they want, and sometimes, that can be rare in a scene of trend followers. Even though they're very good at mixing genres, you don't feel like it's overwhelming or forced. It's a natural progression of the journey they've been on for almost ten years. In that way, they'll always be leading their own pack with 'Mystic Auras.'

Make sure to support A Scent Like Wolves by pre-ordering ‘Mystic Auras’ and following/listening at these links:

Website

Bandcamp

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Landon Tewers - Frontal Lobe Submission - EP Review

Landon Tewers - Frontal Lobe Submission - EP - Independent

Track List:

1. Gospel Therapy

2. Kill Me

3. Fuck Pacing

4. Gave My All

5. Just Talkin

6. When I’m Gone

When I spoke about Landon Tewers last, I reviewed his previous solo release 'Withdrawals.' I started the review by saying, "This is Landon Tewers, not The Plot In You." The same holds true here, so I felt it bears repeating. Landon's solo material usually is very different than anything he's done with The Plot In You previously. But this new release, 'Frontal Lobe Submission' (referred to as FLS as we continue), is also different from 'Withdrawals' and continues the dynamic shifts of Landon's varied music career in a pretty significant way.

FLS begins with the first single, 'Gospel Therapy,' which sounds like it could be a b-side of 'Withdrawals.' It's an interesting dynamic as the song starts as one genre and quickly morphs into a bouncy, funky-groove. You know it would get people moving at a live show. It has that element of surprise during the track's evolution that puts you on your back foot. It asks the question, what can possibly come next?

That "next" is the second single, 'Kill Me.' It's a very catchy song when the chorus crashes in, especially for a song begging for death. It's a full and upbeat song you might not be expecting based on the lyrical content, but one you'll find yourself singing along to quickly. The song features the popular Rory Rodriguez of Dayseeker as a great compliment to this melodic and passionate track.

'Fuck Pacing' changes everything up once again as it seems like it belongs in a movie feeling similar to 'Stand By Me.' Then the beat kicks in, and if your shoulders aren't moving, you must be in a confined space. This track features Gabbie Hanna as a duet, and it's exactly what the track needed. The extra layering compliments everything even before the horns kick in. 

Another sing-a-long track is next in 'Gave My All.' Acoustics drive the pace, and some screaming vocals give the song the extra grit it needs. This will be up there with 'Kill Me' soon enough.

'Just Talkin' probably has my favorite line in this EP: 

"...I will never stay consistent. 

No, I will never

No, I will never think the same."

I feel like that line capitulates Landon, especially when it comes to his music projects and prowess. The beat in this track doesn't even come in until around the second minute. The song continues with an R&B/Hip hop flair that culminates with a very, very strange "child" speaking at the end. It wouldn't be Landon without some weirdness, haha. 

The final track, 'When I'm Gone,' could easily be used in a movie where the main focus is hipster drama. It sounds like the perfect suicide note put to music, but the track isn't depressing; the instrumentation lingers on the positive, almost hopeful tone. It's not the cookie-cutter sad acoustic song at the end of the emo/pop-punk album, and it leaves you wanting more. 

If you take out 'Gospel Therapy,' FLS sounds more focused this time around. It'll depend on your tastes what type of Landon's material you gravitate to most. Still, he always has a way of making everything sound unique. Each release is exciting because not only do you have to stay on your toes, but there's also an abundance of quality that goes with everything Landon does. Start your year off right with 'Frontal Lobe Submission' and listen to Landon Tewers stay consistently inconsistent in the best way possible.

‘Frontal Lobe Submission’ comes out Friday, January 29th.

Pre-order/order ‘Frontal Lobe Submission’ and more, by following the links below:

Landon Tewers - Website (Pre-Order)

Landon Tewers - Twitter

Landon Tewers - Instagram

Landon Tewers - Facebook

Tigerwine - Nothing Is For You - Review

Tigerwine - Nothing Is For You - Tooth & Nail Records

1. Anteroom

2. Technicolor Yawn

3. Scarecrow

4. Black Water

5. Salt

6. Wigwam

7. Word Hoard

8. Hiss At The Sun

9. Nothing Is For You

10. Complete

It’s been slightly more than three years since Tigerwine released their debut full-length album ‘Die With Your Tongue Out’ (Blood & Ink Records) and now in 2020, they’ve returned on a new label, but with that familiar Tigerwine sound.

But, not familiar as in, “the same album” again. Definitely not. Tigerwine has embarked on something new, yet familiar. It might sound cliche, but I think you’ll understand when you listen through. There’s no official intro to Tigerwine’s sophomore full-length release ‘Nothing Is For You’, but like many of the songs on the album, there’s a built-in intro to the first track Anteroom. It lures you in with reverberation and repeating guitar picking, which leads to...old-school feedback and distortion! It’s time for some rock! 

Hayden’s voice hasn’t skipped a beat since DWYTO. Haunting at times, delicate at others, and harsh when screaming certain notes. You can hear the passion intensify as songs build (see ‘Scarecrow’ for example). Maybe it’s just me, but the production and instruments feel like I’m in a small bar or club seeing a local rock band play their hearts out. Even though the album can be relatively atmospheric or possibly noise rock-y at times, there’s a rawness the band captures that’s often lost in today’s scene. 

Another topic of note, unlike many bands in the scene, Tigerwine take their time creating an atmosphere for their songs. Nothing seems rushed. Each track is over 3 minutes with many in the 5-minute range, the longest at 6:35. No interludes, or stand-alone intro and outro tracks. You get your breath in the lead-up and then it’s off to the races. In the track ‘Wigwam’, a little more than halfway through, the vocals float away, leaving the mood to settle into drums, guitar, and feedback. The vocals return after the desired effect has taken hold. That tone plays throughout the entirety of ‘Nothing Is For You’ and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Tigerwine’s sophomore offering doesn’t disappoint in the slightest. While keeping elements of DWYTO, They have only added to what they’re capable of in ‘Nothing Is For You’. Less screaming doesn’t mean the element of heaviness has left, it’s just now presented in a different style. This is an album to lose yourself in, to imitate in your garage, or to take in a long and rainy drive with it as your soundtrack. Hopefully, this is only the start for Tigerwine. 

You can pre-order ‘Nothing Is For You’ following the links below. ‘Nothing Is For You’ comes out on Friday, May 1st, 2020 through Tooth & Nail Records.

Tigerwine - Facebook

Tigerwine - Twitter

Tigerwine - Instagram

Tigerwine - Store

Muri and Friends - Covers EP - Independent

Muri and Friends - Covers EP - Independent

1. Fuck I’m Lonely originally by Lauv featuring Johnny and Rory Spencer of Dayseeker

2. Good Things Fall Apart originally by ILLENIUM featuring No Dice

3. Graveyard originally by Halsey featuring Tilian Pearson of Dance Gavin Dance

4. Thanks For The Memories originally by Fall Out Boy featuring Johnny and Jonathan Young

5. Youngblood originally by 5 Seconds of Summer featuring Lauren Babic of Red Handed Denial and CrazyEightyEight

6. Party In the USA originally by Miley Cyrus featuring Surf Team

7. Everything I Wanted originally by Billie Eilish featuring Whale Bones

Bilmuri is the answer to anyone in the scene seeking something unique. Since 2016, Johnny Franck (songwriter, frontman, crabcore legend, and an all-around good guy) has had NINE releases. NINE. That’s pretty much two albums a year, which is unheard of in a scene where the turnaround for an album or EP, at the lowest, and still very rare, is at least a year. Most would be at two or three years. Impressive on its own, but as the saying goes “quality over quantity”, right? That’s where the uniqueness shines because this quick turnaround has yet to diminish the quality of the music (or the music videos, do yourself a favor and check those out). Plus, Bilmuri is not afraid to take chances in the genre department. The more recent releases are very different from the old school discography yet, still with that distinct Muri sound. Now, that brings me to what would be Bilmuri’s tenth release.

...But first a little backstory. Cover songs have a very interesting dynamic in the scene. They can be used in many different ways as an artist or a listener. Some may use them for popularity (see I Prevail), some to pay homage to artists or songs they respect. Sometimes, being called a “cover band” is a derogatory comment (see Our Last Night), but sometimes it seems like artists get their friends together, as well as artists in the scene they respect and want to work with, to have some fun and connect to a possibly larger audience and give the fans something new to check out. The latter best describes the tenth Bilmuri release and the creation of the new SUPERGROUP Muri and Friends!

Johnny has seemingly pulled together with friends he’s worked with many times in the past like Lauren Babic (Red Handed Denial, CrazyEightyEight) and Tillian Pearson (Dance Gavin Dance). Bands he’s toured with like Whale Bones. No Dice, who he collaborated with in the past to make ‘DiceMuri’. And then there are people and bands I’d like to hear the backstory of how the collaboration started: Surf Team, Jonathan Young, and Rory Spencer (Dayseeker). Maybe I’ll find out in a future podcast…(I’d also like to know how the specific songs were chosen as well).

Obviously, this is a very diverse bunch of bands and vocalists, all with different backgrounds. One of the fun parts of hearing a cover song is checking out the artist’s original music as well (definitely make sure you do that). The differences in styles give you a lot to discover. Another unique aspect of this ‘Covers’ EP is that Johnny isn’t always the vocalist and he’s never the lone vocalist. This adds more dynamics to the composition of each track and allows the other artists to shine on their own. Speaking for myself, unless a cover song is already covering something from the scene, ‘Thnks fr the Mmrs’ for example, I won’t know it unless it was absolutely everywhere, see ‘Party In The U.S.A’. So, listening through, almost every track was new to me. Going through the EP, your listening experience may be completely different if you know the original tracks better. That’s always an interesting part of cover songs, at least for me. It will determine how much the cover hits you, did you like the original more, is the cover better, or are they both good in different ways?

Even though I don’t often listen to pop music (really, never), I went and listened to the originals of all the songs covered by Muri and Friends. It was very interesting to hear how the artists on the EP decided to compose their vision to keep some aspects of the originals, but also make each their own. Some parts stand out because of a heightened note or tone, a twist on the lead up to a chorus, or even a tempo change.

I don’t want to go track by track on the differences between the original and the cover, because it’s up to you to feel how the songs affect you, but for example, a big standout on the EP is the Billie Eilish cover by Whale Bones. You can feel the passion and seemingly torment manifested in the vocals and lead up to the crescendo. Everyone will feel something different, I’m sure, but that’s what’s so amazing about music.

Once again, Bilmuri continues to stand alone and stand out in another diverse and engaging musical endeavor. The best part is that he always seems like he’s just having fun and I believe you can feel that in the music. No matter the style or composition it’s very difficult to fake that. I will continue to look forward to any time Bilmuri releases anything, because I know it’s going to be a good surprise to my day and music catalog.

bilmuri - Website

bilmuri - Twitter

bilmuri - Instagram

bilmuri - Facebook