SOUND BITES

  It isn't normally noteworthy that a new Cancer Bats album sounds a lot like their previous releases. After all, the band's melodic, motivational hardcore has remained more or less their calling card since their inception, and they've been reliably peddling the same admittedly tasty meal (with an exploration level that's admirable but tempered) for nearly two decades now. With their seventh album, then, it's not surprising to hear them waving that same trusty flag; what is surprising is that they've mostly succeeded in picking up where they left off after losing founding guitarist Scott Middleton. On Psychic Jailbreak , guitars were provided by bassist Jaye R. Schwarzer in a dual role, whose riffage is a reasonable facsimile even though it isn't quite as wide-ranging in its finesse or brutality. So then, what else is there to discuss when the remaining components are basically the same and the resultant album is pretty much exactly what you would have expec...

Surprise released on April 20 (I know, I'm behind on this one), Cancer Bats' sixth album is their first release on Batskull (their own label), and finds the Canuck hardcore headbangers pressing the reset button in some ways. After moving ever so subtly toward a more accessible and diverse sound over the course of previous albums, The Spark That Moves is laser focused on loud and heavy. Crafting a record like this is can be a dangerous proposition, as it can feel like a reversion to old sounds as a safety net. Longtime fans will understand, however, that safety isn't job one with this band; that said, there are some melodic moments to be heard. The thing is, they're tucked in among some of the band's most aggressive material to date; when you get a minute to breathe (or, in the case of Fear Will Kill Us All 's soft piano intro, 13 seconds), rest assured that it won't be long before you're thrust back into the fray. As a return to roots, then, The S...

Typically a chance to take a breather from the year that had just passed and resolve to get through the winter while looking forward to some great albums in the spring, 2015 bucked that trend in grand fashion. From established artists releasing highly anticipated albums that met or exceeded expectations to hungry new artists looking to make their mark, the first quarter of 2015 provided an abnormally high amount of quality songs and albums. The tone was also set early with female-fronted projects that hit with force and built momentum for women in rock that carried through the rest of the year (I wrote about that here in April). The first batch of Song of the Year nominees are:

As far as heavy music goes, you'd be hard pressed to find many bands (outside of Christian metal, I suppose) as simultaneously pummeling and positive as Cancer Bats. They've spent the better part of the last decade laying waste to mosh pits worldwide while extolling the benefits of PMA. There's catharsis within the storm of noise this band creates, and their discography provides medicine and menace in equal measure. If it feels like their fifth album is just more of the same, that's somewhat understandable; if we're being honest, the Bats have rarely ventured too far from the intersection of Sabbath and Madball since their inception. That's not to their detriment, however; it's not like they've copied and pasted their way to a career, and I applaud them for still drawing fresh water from the well. That said, there are subtle progressions afoot on Searching for Zero ; see the waltzing, brooding Beelzebub and the loose, sputtering punk rager Devil's ...

It's been incredibly quiet over the last few weeks, and thankfully so; working my paying gig in retail is always a bitch at Christmas time, and this year was particularly taxing. Now, with things easing their way back toward something resembling normal again, I figured it's high time we take our annual look ahead. It starts with a handful of artists who have officially confirmed new stuff for early in the year and, as you'll see, there's some pretty intriguing albums on the horizon. Let's dive in, shall we?

CANCER BATS Bricks & Mortar From: Dead Set On Living Released: April 17 When it comes to making a new album, some bands like to reach for the stars. Some paint expansive soundscapes, some attempt to transcend the album itself with lofty concepts and grand messages. Cancer Bats aren't concerned with any of that; they simply bring their lunchpails to work, bleeding and sweating until the job is done. With Dead Set On Living , their probationary period is officially over, as they exert command over their riffs and screams like seasoned foremen.

If you've already heard first single Old Blood , you already know that Cancer Bats aren't tinkering too much with their tried and true hardcore base; but you also know that there's more at work than just your standard chug-a-chug and screaming.  Well, today they've offered up another taste of fourth album Dead Set on Living in the form of new video Road Sick .  And, in stark contrast to the straightforward style of Old Blood , the Road Sick video finds the Bats playing dress-up, essentially becoming the Canadian Village People.  But more awesome. It looks as though the guys had a blast making this one, although it's unclear whether or not it's more fun than listening to this kick-ass track. Dead Set on Living comes out April 24 via Distort.

Well, that didn't take long. After a dry spell in rock music news and a new release schedule that started to resemble a dystopian wasteland, 2012 has gotten off to a rather hasty start in the form of a pair of new single premieres. Shinedown released Bully  as a single today alongside word that their fourth album Amaryllis will be released on March 27, and saw fit to declare on their official website, "This is going to be the 2012 anthem! All bullies beware!" Now, I don't want to start 2012 on a downer, but this isn't really a great sign of things to come if this is the one you're calling "the 2012 anthem".  It's standard radio fare, a drop of dogshit in the landfill of generic rock garbage that's stunk up the airwaves in recent years.  Shinedown aren't this bad; over the course of their first three albums, they've amassed a good following and a handful of stellar tracks that rock hard without dumbing it down.  This is trite, ...

Being in cahoots with the Alexisonfire camp has the tendency of making me not give a shit about your band. No offense to AOF or the kids who love them, screamo just isn't my bag. Which is why I was surprised by the Cancer Bats' debut, "Birthing the Giant". I avoided it for months, expecting it to be a clone of Alexisonfire's uninteresting At the Drive-In worship or, worse, a clone of Dallas Green's wretch-inducing sentimentalism. Finally, "French Immersion" made its way to my ears, a roaring hardcore throwback worthy of whiplash by headbanging. I was almost as astonished by that track's ferocity as I was by the fact that the rest of the album was just as good. Of course, there's bound to be changes on album two. Thankfully, they're not so drastic as to completely alter your opinions on the band. Sure, there's a little more metallic screaming (see the title track), and a few more actual hooks (see "Deathsmarch"). And,...