So, I have written about Evergrey a few times on this blog now. I don’t think that I’ve ever made it a secret that I really love this band. So, in that case, I don’t know if that puts me in a better or worse position to write about their new albums. As a fan, this might come off a bias. Yet, I think that having a deep love for this band makes me qualified to tell you what works and doesn’t work about their fifteenth album, Architects Of A New Weave . Ever since their 2014 album, Hymns For The Broken , it’s been clear that Evergrey has gone in a little bit of a different direction from their earlier work. They didn’t outright abandon the progressive metal label; however, it does feel that they're chasing that anthemic, stadium rock sound. Big catchy chorus lines and more punchy guitar solos. This isn’t a bad thing per se; it’s just different. The band have been writing for that bigger audience sound. Which certainly fits them, with a sound that hits the rafters and just keeps on g...
Some days just feel special, and I can confidently say that music festivals are those days. This past weekend, I went to the Slam Dunk Festival in Hatfield. Now, I usually go to the North version of the event in Leeds. However, for this year, I made my way across the country to this day out. When the line-up was first announced, I was immediately excited. Some names that I’ve never seen before, and some that I’ve seen all too often, but excited to see again. I was pretty sceptical about the headliner, Good Charlotte . The last time I saw them perform live, they were not great, but I was willing to give them another chance. Some of the big names that I’d never seen were acts like Sublime , Goldfinger , A , Madina Lake and Motion City Soundtrack . I'd like to see as much as possible. I will admit that for a 20th anniversary, the line-up felt like it was missing something. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Anyway, I was determined to have a good time no matter what. Like at any fest...