Good day reader! It’s been a while since we did our last edition for August, but we are back! Somehow this post took longer than I expected it to take. September was a month full of turmoil for our team full of staff changes and life getting in the way of reviewing for multiple members. Safe to say we were in a bit of a slop output-wise. Tyler left the blog (you will be missed!), Jonah, Josh, Stephen and Andrew were largely too busy for reviewing and I was going crazy over scheduling everything.
To expand on that last bit, our change to individual reviews instead of batch posts came with organizational changes that we didn’t tackle well at first, which finally caught up to us during September. Being the perfectionist that I am, I tried to control everything that happened, but well… It didn’t work. With our batch posts I basically did all organizing by myself, and it worked pretty well (despite a few sloppy errors every post). We simply worked with deadlines and then I made the big post. With individual review there’s a lot more freedom of when things get published and I tried keeping track of everything with an ill-equipped bookmarking system that just turned into utter chaos after a while. It nearly got me into a burn-out and my lack of sanity nearly brought the team into a meltdown for a second. Luckily Chris and Dylan talked some sense back into me and everything was good again in the Subway operating room. Chris took over the scheduling (which I am eternally grateful for), and Dylan went on to recruit new reviewers (which you might have noticed). I will properly introduce them next edition as they haven’t reviewed a single September album.
And that’s what this post is about! September! We may have reviewed few albums during this month, but were they of lesser quality? Let’s find out!
Fires in the Distance – Echoes from Deep November (US-CT)
Style: Doom/Melodeath (harsh vocals)
Pick by: Matt
Fires in the Distance started strong with this debut, and I’m guessing their next one will be making waves. They’ve got everything you look for in such a band: epic crushing riffs, melodic finesse, and a singer with a massive growl. They lean heavily on keyboards for atmosphere, but aren’t “symphonic” per se, like many of their peers, which is an interesting wrinkle; their tonal palette is a little limited here, but they definitely have the compositional goods.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Reflections in the Ice, Chained to the Earth
Recommended for fans of: Swallow the Sun, Draconian, Insomnium
Cody Clegg – Tomorrow Is Moments Away (US-NY)
Style: Prog Metal/Djent (instrumental)
Pick by: Dylan
Guitarist albums usually have the same tropes every time. Whilst Cody Clegg does not drift away from them one bit, it still delivers a breathtaking EP that’s full of vibrance and hope. Even at its short 20-minute length, it didn’t fail to deliver everything I want out of an instrumental album; riffs, air guitar worthy solos, and catchiness.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Pulse, Weight
Recommended for fans of: Plini, Joe Satriani
Sundr – Solar Ships (Australia)
Style: Post-Metal (mostly harsh vocals)
Pick by: Chris
A post-metal album made for 2020. Since it is an album about isolation and hopelessness, it really sells into the hopeless, claustrophobic times we find ourselves in. Not necessarily a pleasurable listening album in the traditional sense but it is definitely a great album, with a great use of atmosphere and powerful emotion.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Solar Ships (I would really consider this an all or nothing album)
Recommended for fans of: ISIS, Nero Di Marte, Neurosis
The Reticent – The Oubliette (US-NC)
Style: Prog Death (mixed vocals)
Pick by: Andrew
A uniquely harrowing look into Alzheimer’s disease, The Oubliette takes the listener down a heartbreaking musical journey into the mind of someone suffering from the disease. The Reticent has yet again created an emotional masterpiece. The Oubliette is divided into seven tracks to represent the seven stages of progression of the disease, each track providing a unique sound and even more emotion than the previous. Chris Hathcock, the mastermind behind this solo project, displays his songwriting prowess and excellent musicianship on all fronts as you follow Henry on his terminal journey. Any fan of concept albums and anything vaguely Opethian will have no problem loving The Oubliette, though it might make you cry a couple times.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: Stage 2: The Captive, Stage 5: The Nightmare, Stage 6: The Oubliette
Recommended for fans of: Opeth, Iapetus, Woods of Ypres
Toehider – I LIKE IT! (Australia)
Style: Prog Metal (mixed vocals)
Pick by: Stephen
80s synths, fast metal riffs, bluegrass banjo, catchy vocal melodies, soaring harsh vocals, and tongue-in-cheek musical ideas all wrapped up seamlessly into one album. If that sounds interesting, do not miss Toehider’s latest album, I Like It! If you are a fan of bands like Troldhaugen and Cheeto’s Magazine, you are in for a real treat with this album.
I Like It! has proven to have staying power months after its release for its unique sound and infectious energy. I continue to come back to the album over and over, and it is proving to be one of my favorite releases of the year. As a long-time fan, I Like It! belongs alongside Toehider’s other great releases.
You can read the original review here.
Recommended tracks: GO FULL BORE, Wellgivit, Died of Dancing
Recommended for fans of: Cheeto’s Magazine, Troldhaugen
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