While She Sleeps - SLEEPS SOCIETY - Album Review

While She Sleeps - SLEEPS SOCIETY - Spinefarm

Track List:

1. ENLIGHTENMENT(_)

2. YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED

3. SYSTEMATIC

4. NERVOUS ft. Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro

5. PYAI

6. KNOW YOUR WORTH (SOMEBODY)

7. NO DEFEAT FOR THE BRAVE ft. Deryck Whibley of Sum 41

8. DIVISION STREET

9. SLEEPS SOCIETY

10. CALL OF THE VOID ft. Sleeps Society

11. DN3 3HT

If you don't enjoy CAPITALIZATION, While She Sleeps may not be for you...(kidding, of course)

In their highly-anticipated follow-up to 2019's 'SO WHAT?', Sheffield UK's While She Sleeps seems to not only draw inspiration from their fans but have also created an album specifically for them.

That's not to say that 'SLEEPS SOCIETY,' the new album by While She Sleeps (WSS), can't, and won't, be enjoyed by many, it's just that the very name of the album is the name given to supporters of WSS. Not only is 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' the name of the album, but there's also the title track, and in the track' CALL OF THE VOID,' Patreon supporters of WSS make an actual appearance. If you ever felt like a band created music for you and only you, it might actually be true in this case.

WSS has gone through some significant changes over the years. There have been label structure changes, CAPITALIZATION, but also massive changes in sound. 'SLEEPS SOCIETY,' WSS's 5th full-length album, is a more refined, maybe sharper update to 'SO WHAT?', but they're both very different from 'You Are We' or 'Brainwashed,' for instance. 'SO WHAT?' started the capitalization trend and added a significant amount of electronics and genre shifts. Anyone expecting a straight-up metalcore band, I've got news for you; this isn't them. 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' continues the direction of 'SO WHAT?' with more of a mixture of electronicore, metalcore, nu-metal, and alternative rock.

The start of 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' is pretty unique in that it isn't a short intro track, and it isn't a single. It's actually five minutes and three seconds long, which is a rather long intro in most cases, but it keeps the listener's attention right away, which can be challenging to do with a track that long. 'ENLIGHTENMENT(_)' begins with an uplifting spoken-word call to arms that transitions into a fun guitar riff and hard-hitting instrumentation. The mixture of clean (singing) and unclean (screaming) vocals haven't changed and add a catchy balance, especially in the chorus. The track showcases everything you'll hear in the rest of the album from mixed breakdowns, progressive guitar, uplifting lyrics (albeit with an edge), and heightened genre mixing.

The tradition continues with the following tracks 'YOU ARE ALL YOU NEED' and 'SYSTEMIC.' It'll be tough to not bob your head in unison and imagine how well these tracks will play live when live shows are back. The tracks start furious with quick pacing but then pull back to give the listener a breath before hitting them hard again. "SYSTEMATIC' also really plays well as an updated nu-metal sound.

Things slow down in a way with 'NERVOUS,' a single released earlier and the first track to have a feature. Simon Neil does an excellent job of adding an extra layer to the vocal style of Loz, and the track balances the heaviness and melody well. That's definitely a theme as the album progresses. As mentioned before, there's a lot of genre mixing, emphasizing nu-metal additions, which play well when combined with a metalcore backbone.

'DIVISION STREET,' besides the interlude, is the first significant departure in the sound of the album. It's a piano-backed sing-along that I imagine would be an excellent intermission song live. Easy for fans to sing along to while giving the band a much-needed break. And just like that, it's back to the WSS's sound for the remainder of the album. 'CALL OF THE VOID' could play well on alternative rock radio and could easily be a closing song in a live set. It's anthemic, passionate, and once again, speaks directly to, and with, the listener. But it's also a trick ending...

The final track' ND3 3HT' isn't necessarily a song, but more the band stripping things down and speaking directly to the fans. With the piano in the background and the band members' voices distorted like an old-school, incoming transmission from outer space, the members describe their personal feelings and give their thanks. The track lasts seven minutes and three seconds and may not be one that many listen to again, but for the long-time and biggest fans, this track will mean a lot and have multiple repeat listens. For While She Sleeps, this is the most fitting end to 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' I can imagine.

'SLEEPS SOCIETY' probably won't bring back any fans While She Sleeps might have lost through their changes in sound over the years, but that wasn't the point of the album. With the refinement to 'SO WHAT?' in 'SLEEPS SOCIETY,' While She Sleeps seem to have found precisely the sound they want, but more importantly, the fan base they need. So far, While She Sleeps may have the most interactive band/fan relationship, it seems to bring out the best in the band, which is all a listener can ask for. 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' is a passionate, hard-hitting, dark, uplifting, and possibly a fantastic album to play live. Time will tell, of course, but until then, 'SLEEPS SOCIETY' is an "ode to the fans" that has long-lasting appeal to anyone in the scene.

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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

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

Landon Tewers - Ai640 Part III - Review

Landon Tewers - Ai640 Part III - Independent

1. Excrete

2. Blasphemy

3. Debt

4. Final Form

I once started a review for Landon Tewers’ album ‘Withdrawals’, where I said, “This is Landon Tewers, not The Plot In You”. Well, what do I say now? Technically, it’s all Landon of course, but let me introduce you to another one of his side projects, Ai640, which, might actually be the “heaviest” of everything he’s done. Hopefully, that got your attention.

First, some background. Ai640 is a concept of more than five years in the making. Part I came out in 2015, Part II in 2017, and now, Part III in 2020. In case you didn’t already know, by Landon’s own words, “This is a story about a robot with artificial intelligence that escapes the lab he was made in, sees how disgusting mankind is, and decides the only way to save the planet is to exterminate all humans”. Delightful, right? The concept isn’t exactly new, any sci-fi fan will tell you that, but the story is very unique in how it’s told in the medium of music. 

Let me do a quick recap for you. In Part I, Ai640 escapes the lab and through a series of events, decides to destroy the human race, killing thousands and creating chaos. In Part II, Ai640 meets a human named Jane who makes Ai640 rethink its’ purpose. Part III picks up farther in the future, but you’ll have to listen to find out Ai640’s fate.

It’s cliche to say, but Landon really does pull out all the stops in Part III. He uses almost every version of screaming possible in the first track ‘Excrete’ alone. From guttural bellows to shrieking wails and distortion that brings you even closer to the character. It’s an extra level of detail that, if not done correctly, would come off hoaky, but Landon nails the balance needed perfectly. You can hear the passion, the hatred at times, that emanates from his mouth as he describes Ai640’s thoughts on humanity as he moves through a desolate and unforgiving world he created. If you ever needed proof that Landon is one of the most talented and dynamic vocalists in the scene, Part III is the exclamation point to that debate. 

As for the music itself, if you miss old-school Plot, now you’ve at least got your heavy back. Part III is metalcore through and through. Throughout the entire concept, that’s been the case and there was certainly no reason to detour. The production is crisp and it needed to be with how dynamic the shifts in tone and vocals are, not to mention there are effects and dialogue aplenty to move the story along. It’s a very hard-hitting release with only brief moments to really catch your breath. A lot is covered in only four songs, but multiple listens are warranted to pick up on little nuances you may have missed the first time through.

You can listen to Part III without hearing the first two parts for the music alone, but following the story and Ai640 brings an extra layer to the experience. Even though it would probably be tough to pull off, seeing all three parts performed live, front to back, would be pretty epic. I know that’s a very overused term, but after finishing Part III, I think it applies here. 

Ai640 Part III is a definite must-listen for anyone who’s enjoyed the Ai640 story so far, but also metalcore fans in general. Sometimes it feels like it’s difficult to bring something new to the genre, but Ai640 makes it look pretty effortless. Each part has improved on its’ predecessor and Landon has given his story a very satisfying conclusion, but, is it truly the end of the saga? What awaits Ai640 and the last of the human race? You’ll have to listen to find out.

Landon Tewers - Website (Pre-Order)

Landon Tewers - Twitter

Landon Tewers - Instagram

Landon Tewers - Facebook