{"id":94078,"date":"2023-07-14T12:00:55","date_gmt":"2023-07-14T11:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/?p=94078"},"modified":"2023-07-14T12:22:20","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T11:22:20","slug":"newmusicfriday-july-14th-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alreadyheard.com\/staging\/newmusicfriday-july-14th-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"#NewMusicFriday (July 14th 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a week away at the 2000trees Festival<\/strong>, your weekly round-up of #NewMusicFriday releases is back. There are quite a few noteworthy releases to sink your teeth into this week.<\/p>\n

First of all, there is the fourth full-length from\u00a0Pvris<\/strong>, music from Eurovision-bothering Aussie’s\u00a0Voyager<\/strong>, a fleeting reminder of\u00a0Moodring<\/strong>‘s potential, and a second full-length from abrasive metalcore mob\u00a0Chamber<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you’re wanting more heaviness, there’s the debut outing from Indonesia’s\u00a0Voice of Baceprot<\/strong>, as well as music from\u00a0Evile,\u00a0<\/strong>Crown Magnetar<\/strong>, and Kim Dracula<\/strong>. At the other end of the spectrum, Cardiff’s\u00a0Aaronson<\/strong> provides a succulent piece of post-rock that is sure to please fans of Explosions In The Sky, and Mogwai.<\/p>\n

Looking slightly further ahead (to Monday exactly), Nottingham melodic rockers\u00a0Lacey<\/strong> will be returning with a new album.<\/p>\n

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Pvris – Evergreen<\/h2>\n

At one point it looked like\u00a0Pvris<\/strong> was on the path to become the next arena-ready pop-rock act. However, since bursting onto the scene with ‘White Noise’ <\/em>almost 10 years ago,\u00a0Pvris<\/strong> and Lynn Gunn have expanded from its synth-laden rock origins to become more dynamic.<\/p>\n

Album number four,\u00a0‘Evergreen’<\/em>, picks up from where 2020’s\u00a0Use Me’<\/em> left off. After years of personal turbulence, Gunn has found confidence in herself as a musician and songwriter. The result of this is a bold, electropop-heavy album that explores new sonic territory (see\u00a0‘Senti-Mental’).\u00a0<\/em>Delivered with an abundance of urgency,\u00a0‘Good Enemy’<\/em> and ‘Goddess’<\/em> swell with density. The latter is carried by a gritty riff and a rising melody. Whereas ‘Animal’<\/em> and ‘Hype Zombies’\u00a0<\/em>have a tendency to thrive off a dark intensity.\u00a0Later cuts,\u00a0‘Headlights’<\/em> and\u00a0‘Anywhere But Here’<\/em> firmly lean on chilled-out pop traits.<\/p>\n

As a vocalist, Gunn has constantly shown confidence. On this outing, she’s able to convey her emotion, whether that’s anger, turmoil, sadness, or her vulnerability with precision. It provides ‘Evergreen’ <\/em>with a raw spine.\u00a0While the reliance on electropop elements can, at times, be excessive, Gunn seems to have found her comfort zone. It’s allowed her to experiment and become a flexible artist, unconfined by genre boundaries.<\/p>\n

Although it’s a cohesive set of songs, those yearning for\u00a0Pvris<\/strong>‘ early days will be disappointed. Everyone else can feed off the heavy beats and thoroughly honest songwriting capability of Lynn Gunn.<\/p>\n

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Voyager – Fearless In Love<\/h2>\n

Before their Eurovision adventure earlier this year, Voyager<\/strong> were on course to evolve from their prog metal roots. For example,\u00a02019’s\u00a0‘Colours In The Sun’<\/em> was considered their poppiest record to date. Now their eighth full-length,\u00a0‘Fearless In Love’\u00a0<\/em>arrives off the back of a wave of attention that has seen the Aussie group’s profile certainly rise.<\/p>\n

Although they could have gone all in and cashed out their Eurovision trip miles, ‘Fearless In Love’\u00a0<\/em>maintains\u00a0Voyager<\/strong>‘s progressive roots. Tracks such as\u00a0‘Prince of Fire’<\/em>,\u00a0‘Ultraviolet’<\/em>, and\u00a0‘The Lamenting’<\/em> exemplify this with chunky riffs, thick drum work, and atmospheric keys.<\/p>\n

While songs such as ‘Dreamer,’<\/em> ‘Twisted’<\/em> and ‘Promise’<\/em> both embrace a bold neon-drenched electro sound. Yet the latter nicely finds a middle ground to contain Voyager<\/strong>‘s past and present. This is further explored on\u00a0‘Submarine’,<\/em> a mid-album highlight. It’s elevated by the band’s musical muscle, Danny Estrin’s soaring vocals and irresistible synth melody.<\/p>\n

Ideally,\u00a0‘Fearless In Love’<\/em> is delivered with a theatrical grandeur, crafted with a prog metal mindset, it soars in glimmering synths and pop-laden melodies (for example ‘Daydream’<\/em>). Likewise, album finale ‘Gren (Fearless In Love)<\/em>‘\u00a0<\/em>doubles down on the sheer epicness that\u00a0Voyager<\/strong> are able to conjure up.<\/p>\n

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Moodring – Your Light Fades Away<\/h2>\n

Florida’s Moodring<\/strong> have gradually been making a name for themselves with their subtly experimental spin of alt-metal. Taking in elements of nu-metal, metalcore, and industry, the trio have carved out a captivating sound.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0‘Your Light Fades Away’<\/em> is only a three-track release, it’s still able to pack an almighty punch. From the outset, ‘SHI=DEATH’\u00a0<\/em>explodes from its shimmering synths with steely, metallic blasts. Alongside some electronic breakbeats and Moodring<\/strong>‘s signature melody play, you’re left with a satisfying and distorted package.<\/p>\n

‘BLACK_WAVE’<\/em> thrives on an ugly groove, indebted to\u00a0‘Around the Fur’<\/em>-era Deftones, it’s a chugging, contorted onslaught that somehow worms its way to a combustible chorus. Whereas ‘WOULDYOUWAITFORME?’<\/em> pulls in elements from the first two tracks to produce a thriving, energetic finale. Heavy, twisting instrumentation and soaring melodies is where Moodring<\/strong> flourishes. It’s beautifully chaotic.<\/p>\n

At three songs deep, ‘Your Light Fades Away’<\/em> is an all-too-brief reminder of\u00a0Moodring<\/strong>‘s capabilities. However, they’re still able to explore and expand their sound by wielding together different elements and genres. It ultimately makes for an exciting future for\u00a0Moodring<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Lacey – This Is All We Are<\/h2>\n

Nottingham four-piece\u00a0Lacey\u00a0<\/strong>have always had a flair for delivering anthemic alt-rock. However, as they return with their first album in five years with\u00a0‘This Is All We Are’<\/em>, their intentions are to show a darker, more honest account of themselves.<\/p>\n

On the surface songs such as\u00a0‘Maybe I’m Alive’<\/em> and\u00a0‘Easy Way Out’<\/em> are slicker than normal. However, there’s a bleak lyrical undertone that threads these 14 tracks together. By exploring themes such as insecurity and self-loathing.\u00a0Lacey<\/strong>‘s approach of taking the rough with the smooth works well. For every irresistible energetic blast (see ‘Dream In A Little Less Colour’<\/em>), there’s a contrasting impassioned moment that leaves you floored. For example, recent single\u00a0‘Middle England<\/em>‘s\u00a0<\/em>slow-burning, layered build pays off in an epic fashion.<\/p>\n

From the late summer vibes of\u00a0‘You Can’t Compete With History’<\/em> to the soaring rock of\u00a0‘Answers’<\/em>,\u00a0Lacey\u00a0<\/strong>stylistically cover plenty of ground, even if they play it a little too safe at times (‘I Always Tell The Truth (Even When I Lie)’<\/em>). Nevertheless, with the powerful vocal talents of Graham “Graz” Turner at the forefront, they’re still able to come through with an energetic and personal album.<\/p>\n

‘This Is All We Are’<\/em> by Lacey is released on Monday, July 17th.<\/p>\n

What is out on #NewMusicFriday?<\/h2>\n

Pvris – Evergreen
\nVoyager – Fearless In Love
\nMoodring – Your Light Fades Away
\nChamber – A Love To Kill For
\nLacey – This Is All We Are*
\nClutch – PA Tapes (Live in Seattle 10-10-2022)
\nCharlotte Sands – Good Now EP
\nVoice of Baceprot – Retas
\nThe Devil’s Trade – Vid\u00e9kek vannak idebenn
\nEvile – The Unknown
\nCrown Magnetar – Everything Bleeds
\nThe Parallax Method – Folie \u00e0 Trois
\nKim Dracula – A Gradual Decline In Morale
\nDeitus – Irreversible
\nLavalove – Love Sick
\nJust Happy To Be Here – Ready as I’m Gonna Be
\nAaronson – The Great Swells That Carry Us Will Pull Us Under
\nPalehound – Eye On The Bat
\nIsadora Eden – Forget What Makes It Glow<\/p>\n

*released Monday, July 17th<\/p>\n

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