In order to try to improve activity on this blog, we're trying a new series of bite-size reviews that will initially be posted to our Tumblr page throughout the month, with a compilation at the end of each month being published here. With our first two months we've opted to combine the two, with the following artists getting reviewed in this bloc: Primus, A, Lindsay Schoolcraft, Dead Pony, Digital Nova and Look Outsiide Your Window.
The apocryphal side project by Slipknot members Corey Taylor, Jim Root, Sid Wilson and M. Shawn "Clown" Crahan, recorded during the All Hope Is Gone sessions in 2008, has long been teased and finally saw a limited release on Record Store Day this year. Now a wider physical release has emerged on CD, fans can finally get to hear what all the fuss is about.
It's been almost a decade since Primus last released a full-length album and it's still going to be a little longer before we get a new one, but while they keep writing it, the Bay Area weirdos have given us a morsel of what to expect with new EP A Handful of Nuggs. While "Little Lord Fentanyl" follows the proggy weirdness of their more recent output, "The Ol' Grizz" is a throwback to classic 90s Primus with frenetic bass and a mean groove courtesy of new drummer John Hoffman, who fits Primus like a glove. Aside from the two new tracks we're also treated to a live rendition of "Duchess (and the Proverbial Mind Spread)" and a cover of Dio classic "Holy Diver". Guest vocalist Puddles Pity Party does a sterling job but aside from overpowering bass, it's not really that different to the original. But the main focus of this EP is the original tracks and they are a positive sign of what 2020s Primus are going to sound like.
Score: 7/10
A - PRANG
It's been over 20 years since Britrockers A last hit the airwaves with Teen Dance Ordinance, and a lot has changed since then. However, that hasn't stopped them from returning to the path they'd carved out for themselves and PRANG feels like a natural continuation of their sound, albeit with the members being older and a bit more cynical than before. The music itself is perfectly enjoyable, with standouts including "Hello Sunshine" and social media critique "Comment Leaver", although lyrically they can come off a little cringeworthy, particularly in songs like "Shit Summer" and bonus track "Make It Great", which attempts to parody the infamous "Make America Great Again" slogan of far-right America. The timing of the release suits it though, as A's particular brand of Britrock resonates particularly well blasting out on a long drive in the middle of summer. PRANG feels almost purpose built for a hot sunny day so dropping on the eve of a heatwave really works in its favour.
Rating: 6/10
LINDSAY SCHOOLCRAFT - HARROWING
Since her departure from Cradle of Filth in 2020, Lindsay Schoolcraft has been somewhat quiet on the musical front. However, 6 years after her last album Worlds Away, she's now back at it with Harrowing, collaborating with local musicians including former Ice Nine Kills guitarist Justin DeBlieck and ex-Vesperia drummer Dylan Gowan. While her last effort veered into dreampop territory, Harrowing firmly returns to the alternative metal realm of Martyr, borrowing from gothic and nu metal on the way (particularly early 00s throwback stomper "I Wait for You to Fall", complete with DJ scratches). The short runtime - with only 7 tracks on the digital edition - mean that the album sort of flies by but tracks like the aforementioned "I Wait for You to Fall" and "Vague" leave a solid impression, even if the second half of the album falls a little flat. It leaves you wanting a little more and hoping that any future albums scratch that alt metal itch a bit better.
Rating: 7/10
DEAD PONY - EAT MY DUST!
It's been a couple of years since Dead Pony released their first album under their current name - 2024's IGNORE THIS - but the group haven't been sitting idly by doing nothing with new EP Eat My Dust!
The energy throughout the EP is palpable from the moment the title track kicks in, with high tempo alternative metal punctuated with well crafted pop hooks in the choruses. The twangy guitar of "Boom!" and huge electronically driven choruses of the title track and "Freak Like Me" stand out, but there's no moments where the EP dips or loses momentum. The harsh vocals can sometimes feel a little bit out of placed and forced, but for those new to Dead Pony, Eat My Dust! is a solid introduction to the band's current musical direction.
Rating: 7.5/10
DIGITAL NOVA - SECONDE VIE
It's been a turbulent decade for Digital Nova since I raved about their 2017 effort Orphelins. Over the 8 years since they experienced a near total overhaul of their lineup and extended periods of inactivity, but now they're back with new album Seconde vie, which dropped last year. Despite the new cast of musicians, the album very much feels like a continuation of the alternative metal direction Orphelins had put the band on, drifting further from their hardcore influences while still retaining some of that grit.
The only real drawback is that while the album is still a great listen, it lacks the standouts that drag you back like Orphelins had. Tracks like "Aucun mystère" certainly pack a punch but there's not enough to ingrain itself in your head after listening to it like "Esclave et Maître" and "Immortels" from their last effort managed to. It's more consistent but lacks the peaks of previous outings. However, after nearly a decade of turbulence it's just good to have Digital Nova back.
Rating: 7.5/10
LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW - LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOW
The result is… mixed. A lot of the ideas feel unfinished as a result of the more stream-of-conscious approach they took to the songwriting and as a result there's not a lot of cohesion to the ideas. Some moments do show a lot of promise and Jim Root's more sludgy guitar work is worthy of praise, but Crahan's drumming is very basic and does little to elevate the tracks, generally plodding along at mid-pace and adding very little to the rhythm. Lacuna Coil's Cristina Scabbia makes a solid cameo on double header "Christina" and "Is Real", but after a strong middle section the album sort of fizzles out.
All in all, this album isn't something that'll get a lot of replay value and most of its worth will be for die-hard collectors and curious onlookers wanting to hear Slipknot members taking a more melodic approach.
Rating: 5/10
Look Outside Your Window is not currently available on streaming services. Physical editions can be ordered here.
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