- KYS: 85
- User: 40
- 62
Diamond - Don't Lose Your Cool
Diamond are on a winner, combining brilliant song writing with extremely tight performances, all wrapped up in a sound that will catch the ear of pretty much everybody who enjoys any kind of rock music. It will be a huge surprise if we do not see and hear bigger things from this band in the near future.
- KYS: 85
- User: 30
- 58
Wake The Giants - Hill Rd
Western Sydney pop punk mainstays Wake The Giants have proven their readiness to emerge from the cocoon of their local scene with ‘Hill Rd’, a new single which marks the highest point in the band’s career to date. Moving beyond the easycore formula that characterised their earlier work, the track is washed over with lashings of pop sensibilities and punctuating, memorable hooks set against driving powerchords and catchy lead guitar phrases. ‘Hill Rd’ shows a band at the top of their game, paving the way towards a bright, prosperous future at the forefront of the genre.
- KYS: 60
- User: N/A
- 60
Bush - The Sea Of Memories
The world certainly didn’t need a Bush reunion but on the other hand, probably won’t mind that it has happened either. ‘The Sea Of Memories’ is a record for all Bush fans to reminisce to but certainly won’t head anywhere near the direction of earning the group new fans or raising them back to the level of fame that they once enjoyed.
- KYS: 75
- User: 55
- 65
Lydia - Paint It Golden
Lydia never really reached a point where fans would be too precious about the line-up or think that Antleman producing new music under the old band name would be sacrilegious, which allows everyone to sit back and enjoy ‘Paint It Gold’ for the excellent indie rock record that it is.
- KYS: 90
- User: 77
- 84
Endless Heights - Dream Strong
Endless Heights have solidified their position within the Australian hardcore scene with the release of ‘Dream Strong’, a six-track EP reinforced by exceptional production values that moves far beyond anything the band has done before. This professionalism emphasises the musical accomplishment of the band’s songwriting on this release, juxtaposing soaring, angelic lead guitar phrases with driving chords and riffs that demonstrate large nods to the heavier sensibilities of the melodic hardcore genre. The end result is an EP bleeding with intense emotionality that never allows itself to stagnate.
- KYS: 70
- User: 93
- 82
Gallows - Death Is Birth
Six months after the abrupt departure of frontman Frank Carter, Gallows have rechristened themselves and emerged with ‘Death Is Birth’. The brief, four-track EP is a competent display of hardcore punk, showcasing the washed- down, gritty production values and powerchord, hard riff grooves championed in their earlier releases. However, the EP’s occasional lapses into overt experimentation cripple its coherency, and the noticeable loss of personality within the music itself detracts from its memorability within a very crowded genre.
- KYS: 78
- User: 55
- 66
The Maine - Pioneer
Pioneer proves that sometimes you need to step out on your own. It is evident that these are thirteen tracks The Maine needed to make, to get away from all the producers and label influences and make a record that is truly them, exactly as they are at this time of their lives. Whether this is the start of a new direction for the five piece, who were made popular by their cheeky, tongue in cheek, pop-rock tracks or if this is simply just a break to stretch their legs and try something new, only time will tell. Either way, The Maine has proved that they can pull it off. Pioneer is a simple yet successful redefinition for the band, and if they keep heading in this direction who knows what they might create.
- KYS: 50
- User: 23
- 37
Asking Alexandria - Stepped Up and Scratched
The hardest things about metal and hardcore bands making remix records is that their fan base will probably not appreciate, or even want to listen to, the electronic dance versions of the original songs. Whilst 'Stepped Up and Scratched' features some good production, it is not cohesive or clever enough to make this a memorable moment in the Asking Alexandria catalogue.
- KYS: 30
- User: 36
- 33
Various - Punk Goes Pop Vol. 4
The issue of attracting bigger name bands still seems to be a problem for ‘Punk Goes Pop,’ which when coupled with the fact that pop music these days sucks, it is hard to see this series ever climbing out of the hole. It seems as though they are now flogging the dust that used to be the bones of a very dead horse.
- KYS: 75
- User: 95
- 85
Hightime - Ishi Prende
Hightime have successfully combined various musical influences into the one punk sound which makes for a punk rock record that never becomes stagnant or sounds too repetitive. The fact that there is an underlying feel good theme to most of the songs adds to the appeal of a strong debut release for this group.