#NewMusicFriday: November 22nd 2024

With Christmas approaching, the amount of releases each week is winding down. It’s considered today’s #NewMusicFriday (November 22nd, 2024) list of releases is one of the last significant weeks. It’s led by the return of Swedish progressive metal greats Opeth and their conceptual record, ‘The Last Will & Testament’. Ice-T’s rap-metal crew, Body Count, are as reliable as ever by not holding back on ‘Merciless’.  It includes a mix of horror film-inspired moments such as ‘Purge’ and ‘Interrogation’, pedalling metalcore (‘Live Forever’), and an array of confrontation metallic blasts. There’s also that interesting reworking of Pink Floyd’s ‘Comfortably Numb’.

This past Wednesday, As It Is delivered a decade’s worth of rarities with ‘A Decade Uneventful: B-Sides & Rarities (2012 – 2022)‘. While Bristolian alt-metallers Mallavora showed why they’re “ones to watch” with their digestible EP, ‘Echoes’. Blending lyrical catharsis with crushing distortion, soaring melodies, and stomping execution, it’s well worth sparing 15 minutes for.

Some of today’s other releases include new albums from Ocean Grove, Mudshark, Rival Sons, K. Soto, Coilguns, and Boy Bleach. There are also new records from Aussie quartet RedHook and UK hardcore bruisers Polar, which you can read more about both below.

Redhook – Mutation

I’ll admit, I shouldn’t like what RedHook do. Their brand of hyper pop-infused rock has all the ingredients to be unbearable, yet as the Aussie band release their second album, you can’t help but admire their ability to deliver infectious hooks. ‘Mutation’ is the Sydney-based band’s second album in a matter of just 18 months. Since then they’ve been dropping a flurry of singles that make up the majority of ‘Mutation’s track listing. While this might be a gripe for some, you can’t fault RedHook for wanting to keep the momentum going that ‘Postcard From a Living Hell’ has provided them.

Going into the album blind, ‘Pyromaniac’s opening moments aren’t reassuring with its electronic bleeps and bloops and Emmy Mack’s hip-hop verses. Yet as it gives way to a favourable melodic chorus, you realise RedHook might have something. ‘Breaking Up With’ bounces in with an abundance of energy, and the occasional sultry sax flourishes. Lyrically, Mack takes the soul-searching route, adding a sense of sincerity to her songwriting amongst sleek and frenzied pop-rock.

If there’s one characteristic that RedHook is their ability to stir up swirling, textured sounds while making each track stand out, even if the results aren’t always good. ‘HEXXX’s mix of rapping bars, drum and bass beats, and thunderous guitars doesn’t quite pay off, despite it frantic tempo. ‘Dr. Frankenstein’ fairs better. Partly due to a cameo from Holding Absence‘s Lucas Woodland, it’s a powerful, towering slice of energetic pop-rock that sees Mack and Woodland complement each other brilliantly. ‘Hot Tub’ highlights Mack’s charisma with lyrical double entendres (“get the fuck in my hot tub”), while guitarist Craig Wilkinson serves up a firey guitar being backed by Alex Powys’ penetrative drums.

In contrast, ‘Scream 2’ is a messy whirlwind with an earworm hook. Its scattergun approach throws in electronic, snare-pounding punk, and glitch-effected metalcore breakdown. While it highlights RedHook‘s versatility, it doesn’t leave a favourable impression. Thankfully there are moments such as ‘Cannibal’  that allow their musical finesse to deliver. With its sexually empowering attitude, it strides forward as Alpha Wolf’s Lochie Keogh brings a metallic bite, providing ‘Mutation’ with one of its heaviest moments. Its momentum is carried through into ‘Hurt Like Hell’. Galloping with its bombastic energy, Powys’ drums charge forward battling Mack’s sizzling vocals.

‘Mutation’ proves to be an adrenaline rush of an album. Its weaker moments, and occasional stylistic missteps, are rescued by RedHook‘s assured capability to write big choruses. It’s assisted by a frontwoman in Emmy Mack who flourishes with personality, even if her rapid bars can come off a little disjointed. Behind her is a versatile trio that routinely delivers a vigorous and dynamic sound. Although there’s little to separate them from the rest of the pack treading in the electro pop-rock pool, RedHook continues to show potential.

Polar – Five Arrows

It’s somewhat surprising to find out hardcore bruisers Polar have been hitting in hard since 2009, yet they’ve never grown past the level of being openers for some of metalcore’s bigger names. However, ‘Five Arrows’ is considerably a new start for the band. With the relationship between vocalist Adam Woodford and former members “dissolved”, this outing sees Stefan Whiting (bass), Bruno Consani (guitar), Simon Richardson (guitar) and Max Flohr (drums) come on board to inject some new life into Polar.

Having undergone a radical line-up change, it’s no surprise that perseverance is embedded in ‘Five Arrows’. ‘A New Mentality’ thrives with determination, simultaneously highlighting the musical power that has been injected into Polar. Whether that be Max Flohr’s destructive drums or Richardson and Consani’s steamrolling sharp riffs.

On the surface, ‘Five Arrows’ is what you’d expect from Polar; brash, heavy, and furious. ‘We Won’t Sleep’ and ‘Unkillable’ are equally punchy with Woodford’s blaring barks adding to frantic nature. While a flirtation with electronics is hinted at early on, it’s far from jarring. After smashing through routine bruising metalcore slabs ‘Dawn of a New Age’ and ‘All Hail the Tyrant’, the explosive  ‘Swimming With Sharks’ arrives to questionably steal the show. Its robust build, sprawling guitarwork, and Woodford’s venomous vocal delivery conjure up a thrill ride, making Polar sound huge.

‘Soak It in Tragedy’ serves as a cathartic interlude, providing a momentary break from Polar‘s relentless noise. As they soldier on with ‘The Hills Are Alive With the Sound of Violence’ and ‘Paranoia’, their style is unyielding to break away from metallic hardcore battering. That’s not to discredit Polar, as they’re able to routinely execute it in a muscular manner. The latter sees them at their darkest as a growling breakdown gives way to stabbing riffs, in part thanks to some assistance from Rachel Aspe of Cage Fight.

As frontman and vocalist, Adam Woodford manages to deliver conviction and emotion through the wall of noise his (new) bandmates serve up. ‘Want_Need’ sees him full of despair, wrestling with his emotions and the weight of mental health struggles.  Furthermore, ‘Closing Curtain’, with its mournful strings, gives the impression of hopelessness yet it’s their musical strength that fuels Polar‘s collective determination.

‘Five Arrows’ may not serve as the breakthrough a band of Polar‘s longevity probably deserves. However for those who have stuck with them for 15 years, especially during the recent change of members, will be rewarded with an impactful set of muscular and steely metallic hardcore. If anything, it shows aren’t going down without a fight and still have a point to prove.

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?

Opeth – The Last Will & Testament
Body Count – Merciless
As It Is – A Decade Uneventful: B-Sides & Rarities (2012 – 2022)
Redhook – Mutation
Ocean Grove – Oddworld
Polar – Five Arrows
Mallavora – Echoes
Bloc Party – A Weekend In The City: B-Sides
Rival Sons – Pair of Aces, Pt.1
Pitchshifter – Peel Sessions 1991-93
Hawthorne Heights & Emery – Split EP
Mudshark – Beware of the German Shepherd
K. Soto – Your Love Is Conditional
Scarlet House – Homecoming
Suffer No Fools – To Live Is To Suffer
Coilguns – Odd Love
Boy Bleach – The Beautiful Blue
After Smoke Clears – Intentions
The Anix – Voltage
Mac Glocky – Fantasy Covers, Vol. 3
Healthy Junkies – Listen To The Mad
Friko – Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here (Expanded Edition)
Xandria – Universal Tales
Scarlatamusic – Ascendance
Conjonctive – Misère de Poussière
VOILÀ – Glass Half Empty (Part II)
Turnpike – Straight To The Domes Of Your Heads
Trynity – Contradictions
Order 46 – Rorschach Resonance
Rise Upon – The Dimming Effect

If you think I’ve missed something or have a new album/EP/song to tell us about, tell us about it here.

If you’re looking for the latest tracks focusing on rock, punk, hardcore, metal, emo, and everything in between, then check out our ‘Newish Music’ playlist on Spotify or Apple Music.