Live Review: Download Festival 2019 (Pt. 2 - Saturday)

The Saturday at Download this year is potentially its strongest day, and most notably features a practically flawless main stage lineup. It’s all kicked off at 11am by a band whose reputation precedes them: Alien Weaponry (8/10). After a slightly dodgy start (due to some minor technical difficulties), the hype all becomes understandable – the three-piece are an absolute joy to watch. With not a single member over twenty, you can feel the youthful exuberance and excitement radiating from each person on stage as they blast out riff-laden rager after riff-laden rager. The unique use of native Kiwi language helps keep their brand of metal fresh and exciting whilst also evoking bands like Sepultura and Lamb Of God, and the crowd continue to lap it up with every introduction of a new song. Mosh-ready set closer 'Rū Ana Te Whenua' is undoubtedly a highlight, and leaves me with the impression that this band could go on to do some properly substantial things in the future. Keep an eye out.

Next up are Royal Republic (7.5/10), who I knew nothing about, and thus end up being pleasantly surprised by. As soon as the band take to the stage in matching red suits, two things are clear: firstly, Royal Republic take a lot of inspiration from The Hives; secondly, the next half-hour is gonna be a lot of fun. Currently touring to promote their new record, Club Majesty, the Swedish quartet relish in creating a party atmosphere in the sunshine (for as long as it lasts) through the use of toe-tapping beats, funky guitar lines, and catchy choruses. There are memorable moments aplenty throughout their show - from vocalist Adam Grahn inviting the audience to break a record by forming as many three-person circle pits as possible, to a surprisingly tight cover of Metallica's 'Battery' (and a promise to play 'Hammer Smashed Face' if they hit Download again). It's a spot-on booking to get the good vibes started early.

Headliners aside, Power Trip (9/10) are easily the band I was most excited to see in the run-up to the festival. The Texan thrash-metal prodigies have been making waves in the underground since the release of their breakthrough 2017 rager, Nightmare Logic, and to see them on such a sizeable platform is thrilling – especially putting on a show this good. At the very start of the set, vocalist Riley Gale yells to the crowd “for the next forty minutes, you are ours”, and he’s totally right: the main stage audience are putty in Power Trip’s hands. There’s hardly a second that goes by which isn’t occupied by a riff the size of a mountain, a circle-pit-inspiring drumbeat, and a vocal line which harks back to the golden era of thrash. 'Executioner's Tax' is, of course, the moment which feels "biggest" in the setting, but tracks such as 'Hornet's Nest' and 'Crucifixation' are almost equally powerful, and it means that every single time a new song kicks in, the chances of the band continuing to absolutely demolish stages this big are bolstered tenfold.

Still recovering from Power Trip, I head over to the Dogtooth stage to catch the end of Queen Zee (7.5/10). Though I'm only there for the last four songs, it seems that the Liverpudlian glam-punks are on great form, smashing out tracks from their recent self-titled album with a perfect balance of sass and snotty punk energy. The tent is pretty full to receive them, and deservedly so. As wonderful as Download is, there are certainly times at which it could be accused of being ruled by traditional masculinity and straight-laced American-style rock; in this regard, Queen Zee are a fabulous, glittery breath of fresh air. 

It’s back to main stage after Queen Zee to bear witness to the most formidable force in extreme metal – Behemoth (9/10). I’ve been waiting to see Behemoth for the better part of five years now, so to finally experience one of their shows on such a grand scale is absolutely mind-blowing. As they take to the stage to the children's chant of 'Solve' and launch into 'Wolves Ov Siberia', decked in full-on corpse paint and all-black robes, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this band could be the headliners; pillars of fire stream out over their heads, and two screens lie either side of the drum kit, showcasing dark and haunting visuals. It's a spectacle, and the music at its core is unbelievably good. The combination of brutal, double-kick-led drumming, unholy riffs, tremolo-picked guitars, and Nergal's iconic vocal delivery makes for a style of blackened death metal that nobody else could even begin to replicate. It's as extreme as it is unapologetically blasphemous, and when 'Chant for Eschaton 2000' ends the set with a ferocious "Hail Satan!", I'm all but ready to draw a pentagram in the mud and sell my soul to Behemoth.

It must have been part madness, part fear of getting soaked through by rain, and part certainty that I’d see them again that resulted in me missing most of Skindred’s set on Saturday afternoon, but the fact of the matter is that I only saw one song - ‘Kill The Power’ - from a distance. Instead, I spent that portion of the day under cover, exploring merchandise tents and accidentally seeing Paddy Considine’s band, Riding The Low (4/10) on the Dogtooth stage. It’s pretty obvious that this dull radio-rock was only booked for the festival based on the name of the frontman – on music alone, they’d be far better suited to playing down your local pub. Instrumentally, it’s bang-average, and lyrically the songs are often pretty cringeworthy. And to think - Palm Reader could've had this slot.

The next band up on the Dogtooth stage are The Hu (7/10), who pull a much bigger crowd (and are decidedly more enjoyable) than the previous act. Mongolian throat-singing rock isn't a genre I can say I'm too au fait with, but it's certainly great to see live, especially when the band themselves are having as much fun as the crowd. Playing a multitude of traditional instruments I couldn't even tell you the names of, The Hu still manage to have the audience headbanging, pumping their fists, and chanting "HU! HU! HU!" along to the infectious rhythm of each song. It's a brilliant meld of old and new, and - whilst there is a degree of one-off fascination - the band manage to escape the pigeonhole of "novelty act" through sheer strength of songwriting.

Trivium (7.5/10) are the sub-sub-headliners on the Saturday main stage, and they live up to their booking with confidence and a whole lot of pyro. The band are in their element in front of a crowd this big, with choice cuts from their seminal album, Ascendancy, standing out as clear set highlights alongside singalongs like ‘Strife’ and ‘Until The World Goes Cold’. Frontman Matt Heafy repeatedly lets the audience know that Download feels like a homecoming for Trivium (after their 2005 performance got them a one-way ticket to stardom), and there is a sense of magic in the air - this band are meant to play this festival. The closing song, 'In Waves', has absolutely everybody singing along, and poses the question - could Trivium, a few albums down the line, be on their way to a headlining position?

After Behemoth decimated the main stage earlier in the day, my hopes for their Polish peers in Batushka (5.5/10) were higher than one might expect. As it turns out, I would’ve been right to doubt their success on the Dogtooth stage; there’s a time and a place for haunting, atmospheric, immersive black metal, and it definitely isn’t in front of a whole load of drunk Slayer fans. Most curious punters are intrigued when the band take to the stage (redesigned to look like a church) in hooded robes, but intrigue quickly turns to boredom, boredom to bemusement, and bemusement to frustration when Batushka spend about fifteen minutes lighting the hundreds of candles which adorn their set. It produces an interesting range of reactions; there are heckles aplenty; the guy in front of me turns around, says “fuck this!” and promptly leaves; someone even chucks their half-full pint at the band. When the music finally begins, it’s actually very powerful and striking – the most evil-sounding black metal you could imagine – but by then the atmosphere isn’t ideal, to say the least. I can’t help but feel I’d really enjoy Batushka in the right setting, but this isn’t it.

The Wonder Years (8.5/10) are my only reason for visiting the Avalanche stage all day, but the sheer quality of their performance does make it one hell of a reason. It feels like a cathartic set for the world's best pop-punk band, with vocalist Dan "Soupy" Campbell telling the crowd that they had, true to their lyrics, just come in off the red-eye flight, and not slept or even properly eaten since arriving in the UK. This just makes their energy levels that bit more impressive, as each member throws themself into their role with as much vigor as any band I've seen all day (despite the fact that they unfortunately have a weaker crowd reception than most). Soupy is on incredible form, and the emotion he puts into modern classics like 'Passing Through A Screen Door' and 'Cardinals' make them hit home even harder than they would normally. It's a song off their most recent album which sticks in my mind most firmly, though; 'Raining In Kyoto' damn near brings a tear to the eye. We cannot take The Wonder Years for granted.

Now, we move onto the main event. I’ve consistently been seeing live music for about five years now, and all throughout those five years, only one band has remained at the very top of my bucket list without being struck off… until now. On Saturday night at Download Festival 2019, I saw Slipknot (10/10). Finally.

Living up to MOPE’s “Reviews From The Pit” tagline here, I was down the very front for this set, so it’s likely that my version of events is affected by a maelstrom of adrenaline, sweat, and mud. That being said, I'd wager that you'd be hard-pressed to find anybody who saw Slipknot's headlining set and didn't think it was anything less than incredible. As soon as the curtain falls and the opening riff of 'People = Shit' whips the crowd into a frenzy, it's clear that the Iowan legends are on brilliant form. It may be that they can't jump around and endanger themselves quite as much as they used to, but their stage show is still massively exciting: there's a complex, industrial-style rig which showcases each member in all their glory; flame-throwing pyro every ten seconds; Corey getting up-close-and-personal with the crowd from the ramp; Chris Fehn's mysterious replacement going absolutely apeshit; Sid Wilson prowling about on treadmills at the back of the stage. At times there's so much going on that it's hard to keep track, but feeling assaulted via multiple senses is all I could ever hope from a Slipknot show.

Musically, they sound amazing as well. To hear some of the most iconic riffs of all time played live with such energy and technical mastery is a pretty special thing - you'd better believe that I went absolutely mad when I heard the opening guitar lines to '(sic)' and 'Prosthetics'. Jay Weinberg on drums is a machine, and focusing on him at any point throughout the set leaves your mouth agape. With a setlist built around big-hitters and solid-gold anthems like 'Before I Forget', 'Duality', and 'Psychosocial', there's no shortage of opportunity for Corey to shine, and shine he does, putting on an impressive showing for a man who has spent most of his time since the late 90s absolutely ripping his vocal cords apart for this band. Slipknot end their set with the one-two punch of 'Spit It Out' (for which the "jump-the-fuck-up" is a beautiful thing to take part in) and 'Surfacing', and it has every member of the crowd reeling. For me, it's a fantastic introduction to the live show of one of the best metal bands ever, and for Slipknot, it feels like a tangibly important moment in their career.

Wish they'd played 'Eyeless', though.

Live Review: Download Festival 2019 (Pt.1 - Friday)

I arrived at Donington on the Thursday of Download Festival 2019 to find a swamp populated by shitfaced metalheads, and it felt like home. After a day which involved pitching my tent, getting drunk watching An American Werewolf In London, and catching Ed Gamble’s great set in the comedy tent, Friday saw the start of a weekend of (mostly) incredible music… and lots and lots more cider.

The first band of the day, Pengshui (7/10) kick off proceedings, and they put on an impressively energised show for such an early slot. I’d not heard their music before and checked out the London rap-rock trio based on some positive reviews I’d heard of their live show, and so I was generally pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed them. With a three-piece dynamic which suits them well, they’re a perfect “hype” band in that each song offers up big riffs, a head-nodding rhythm, and catchy bars. It’s true that some of their tracks are stronger than others, and at their weakest they do come across as a poor man’s Astroid Boys, but the sheer amount of energy each member puts into their performance is more than enough to carry them through their allocated 25 minutes.

The second band of the day, for me, are Skid Row (5.5/10). The 80s glam-metal relics are unsurprisingly well past their prime at this point, but their midday set on the Zippo Encore stage sees a fairly decent crowd response. The band spend half an hour going through their back-catalogue and pulling out the big-hitters, From ’18 and Life’ to ‘Youth Gone Wild’, and the musicianship is serviceable enough. The primary source of entertainment, though, comes from the rambling of frontman ZP Theart. The ex-Dragonforce singer (and fifth vocalist in the history of Skid Row) doesn’t seem all that "with it" for the majority of the set; at one point, he remarks at how lucky they are to not see a single drop of rain during their time on stage… and receives a muted response from the crowd, who are currently getting soaked. Either way, for diehard fans, I’m sure it’s all a pretty fun nostalgia trip, but to me, Skid Row fail to make an impression.

The next act on the Zippo Encore stage at Download are the legendary Kvelertak (7/10), who unfortunately struggle through dodgy sound and technical difficulties throughout their set. In combination with a less-than-ideal reaction from the audience, it’s a difficult half-hour for the Norwegians – but you wouldn’t know it by their performance. This is a band who are effortlessly entertaining, putting every ounce of passion and wild abandon into their show that they can muster despite the circumstances. Fan favourites like ‘Blodtørst’ and ‘Mjød’ are infectiously raucous, and recently-instilled frontman Ivar Nikolaisen manages to break into the upper echelons of “coolest vocalists I’ve ever seen” when he lights up a cigarette during the bridge of a song and subsequently stubs it out on the back of his hand. It’s a near-perfect setlist for Kvelertak (if only they’d stop with the endless “chug-chug-chug” of ‘1985’), and would’ve likely been one of the best shows of the day if not for a myriad of issues outside of their control.

Next up, it’s potentially the band I’m most excited to see all day – Conjurer (9/10). After witnessing them lay waste to 2000 Trees and ArcTanGent last year, it comes as no surprise whatsoever when they do the exact same on a bigger scale at Download. They might well be taking to the smallest stage at the festival, but it feels like the impact of tracks such as ‘Retch’ and ‘Choke’ are felt all across Donington. The musicianship, as always, is crushingly heavy (even more so than on record) and the dual vocal attack from Brady and Dan is frighteningly good - the moment when the latter comes forward to scream the bridge in 'Hollow' without the assistance of a microphone is still fucking outstanding. There’s madness in the crowd to mirror the windmilling antics on stage, and by the end of ‘Hadal’, Conor (Britain’s best bassist) joins in the carnage with glee. As he crowdsurfs back beyond the safety of the barrier, and the final notes of feedback die down, it’s even harder than before not to be madly excited for the future of Conjurer. What a band.

Clutch (8/10) are a Download staple at this point, and their triumphant performance on the main stage proves why. With frontman Neil Fallon acting like the southern rock n' roll ringmaster he is, this band seem custom-made for a main stage festival slot like this, and they've got the crowd to prove it. It's true that Clutch might be getting a bit long in the tooth at this point in their career, but new songs 'Gimme The Keys' and 'In Walks Barbarella' still stand up amongst their more well-known material. There's not a face without a smile to be seen as the brilliantly simple guitar lines of songs like 'Electric Worry' and 'X-Ray Visions' ring out over the field to close the set, and, at the end of the day, that's what it's all about, innit?

After Clutch, I must admit that I slightly ignored my purpose as a music journalist by binning off bands like Whitesnake to go and see two hours of wrestling in the NXT UK tent. I’m happy to report that I had a bloody lovely time, and the women’s battle royal was a highlight – big shouts to Xia Brookside. Anyway…

There’s likely not a band who were dealt a rougher hand at Download than Twelve Foot Ninja (6/10), who were forced to take to the Dogtooth stage 20 minutes late due to technical difficulties. The problems result in a three-song-long set from the Aussie experimentalists, which clearly (and rightfully) ticks them off a bit, but those three songs are tight nonetheless. With fascinating influences from world music melded with metalcore and all manner of other genres, 12FN give everything they have to their short set (perhaps fueled a little by annoyance), and it's a respectable showing given the circumstances. 

The Friday headliners this year are a band whose music I grew up on, and are very close to my heart: 80s rock legends Def Leppard (9/10). This being the third time the group have taken the final slot of the day at Donington (and exactly ten years since their debut), the audience are treated to a performance of their most popular album – Hysteria – in full… and I might be drunk, but it fucking rules.

The introductory montage of snippets from every song on the record sets the scene, and as the band launch into ‘Women’, it’s clear that they’re still as passionate about their music as they were back in the day. Each member gives it their absolute all, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. Of course, it goes without saying that Joe Elliot may not be able to hit the notes he used to with the same amount of power, and the band can’t run about the stage the way they once did, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t still radiate stage presence and sound impossibly good at the same time. How can you not be convinced by a six-song run like ‘Rocket’, ‘Animal’, ‘Love Bites’, ‘Pour Some Sugar On Me’, ‘Armageddon It’, and ‘Gods Of War’? There's no Guns N’ Roses shit, either – not a single unnecessary guitar solo in sight for the whole set, as the band just blast through hits and look good doing it.

After the final track on the album, ‘Love and Affection’, there’s a short intermission before Def Leppard return to the stage to pump out a few more classics (like ‘Let’s Get Rocked’ - a set highlight for me) before finishing with ‘Photograph’ (the iconic riff of which is enough to bring a tear to the eye). Throughout the set, there are plenty of emotional moments - from a tribute to the late, great Steve Clark to a moment taken to praise drummer Rick Allen – but Elliot’s speech once their headlining slot is over for good is poignant and engaging, as he simply asks that the crowd do their best not to forget about them. I know that Def Lep aren't gonna be the talking point of the weekend, and it's even pretty out-of-character for me to be going on about them like this, but after a set as good as they put on, I wouldn't be able to forget them if I tried. Consider me rocked.

Photo by Paul Harries (Kerrang!)

Albums of the Week: 07/06/19 (Dinosaur Pile-Up, Plague Vendor, Fuming Mouth)

Dinosaur Pile-Up – Celebrity Mansions

8/10

Best Tracks: Thrash Metal Cassette, Back Foot, Professional Freak

FFO: Feeder, Demob Happy, Puppy

Dinosaur Pile-Up, for the last few years, have been one of the best “greatest hits” bands in British rock. Each of their albums lays claim to two or three incredibly infectious, bouncy, rifftastic bangers (from ‘My Rock N’ Roll’ to ‘Red and Purple’), but each usually tends to find company with some ultimately less memorable tunes. Celebrity Mansions is arguably the first release from the Leeds-based slackers in which the deep cuts hold up to the singles.

From the very first wild, adrenaline-pumping scream on ‘Thrash Metal Cassette’ to the final chorus of ‘Long Way Down’, Dinosaur Pile-Up don’t pull any punches on this album. It’s riff-heavy alt-rock at its very best, and some of those said riffs are so good that they act as real, tangible hooks. The main guitar line in ‘Back Foot’ is as catchy as any I've heard since that Turnstile album last year, and - excitingly - it feels like it has enough in common with a band like Royal Blood to potentially crack the mainstream. In fact, I'd be surprised if this LP isn't picked up by a number of people who wouldn't typically listen to rock and metal, just because the songs are so infectious and well-put-together (especially with the band just recently signed to Parlophone Records).

With song titles like 'Stupid Heavy Metal Broken Hearted Loser Punk' and 'Professional Freak', it's pretty clear from the get-go that Celebrity Mansions is, for the most part, thematically concerned with the classic struggles of an outsider, as well as a disdain for mainstream celebrity culture (hence the album's title). Vocalist Matt Bigland can be found across the record taking on topics from being in a band but never "making it big" to loving someone who won't look twice at you, all with tongue firmly planted in cheek. There are countless cultural references (i.e. "I wish I was a billionaire and balling like The Rock") and subtle jokes which add up to a brilliant sense of character and attitude, and it means that DPU really stand out among their peers. To top it all off, every single line seems to be delivered in the catchiest way possible.

Celebrity Mansions is the best album of Dinosaur Pile-Up's career thus far. With all the pop hooks and big riffs flying about, I'd be amazed if anybody who hears it wouldn't be convinced of the band's potential. Most importantly, it may finally mean that DPU get the attention and popularity that they've deserved for so long.

Plague Vendor – By Night

7/10

Best Tracks: Let Me Get High \ Low, Pain In My Heart, Snakeskin Boots

FFO: Hot Snakes, Tigercub, Metz

The title of “World’s Coolest Band” is hotly contested, but Plague Vendor have long been the dark horse who you should really put your money on. Their second full-length record, 2016’s BLOODSWEAT, showcased a unique style of alt-rock oozing with swagger and knowing confidence, and was impossible not to dance along to. On this third LP, By Night, the band once again prove that they can’t be touched in their suaveness. 

There are a lot of Plague Vendor’s signature sounds on this record. From the wonderfully greasy, oiled-up guitarwork to the repetitive hooks delivered with a decidedly punk energy, it's all striking and recognisable upon first listen - an impressive feat, to have honed such a unique sound by only their third album. There are enough differences to their previous work, however, that the album is able to keep the listener on the edge of their seat for its 30-minute runtime. The one-two punch of Pain In My Heart and Snakeskin Boots is a prime example, as the former is led by an abrasive, discordant guitar line which really gets under the skin, and the latter features an unnervingly monotone pair of a capella verses.

It should also be pointed out that the production work on By Night – done by John Congleton (whose previous efforts include records by Explosions In The Sky, Earl Sweatshirt, and Trash Talk) – elevates it to another level. It creates an almost psychedelic atmosphere, and the feverish aura which hovers around each track mirrors the album artwork in its lucidity and surrealism. This artistic decision does mean that it may take a few listens for the record to really sink in compared to the up-front nature of their previous work, but when the penny drops, it does so with a clang. The swirling, trippy effects on the song 'Let Me Get High \ Low' in particular make for a hypnotising listen.  

Though it might be Plague Vendor's least instantaneous effort thus far, By Night will dig its claws deep into you by the third listen. I still prefer the straight-up adrenaline of BLOODSWEAT, but this record is no doubt a worthy follow-up.

Fuming Mouth – The Grand Descent

8.5/10

Best Tracks: Burning Hand, Vision of Purgatory, Dead Asleep

FFO: Gatecreeper,Venom Prison, Trap Them

There’s a riff in ‘Dead Asleep’, ten tracks deep into my first listen of Fuming Mouth’s The Grand Descent, that honestly made me stop everything I was doing and simply sit, dumbfounded, at how incredible metal can be sometimes. There's a lot of that here.

This debut record from Massachusetts newcomers Fuming Mouth is powerful. It takes influence from the worlds of death metal and hardcore in equal measure, and the resulting amalgam is as utterly, beautifully crushing as you could ever hope for. With furiously violent drumming and a bass tone you can feel in the pit of your stomach married to inventive, earth-shattering riffs, the album is instrumentally pretty flawless - not to mention original and exciting. The vocal performance is the icing on the cake, with Mark Whelan shredding his vocal cords to achieve the same intonation in which you would expect the monstrous god on the album's artwork to speak.

To do all this and make it sound absolutely huge is no mean feat. My personal favourite modern producer, Kurt Ballou (of Converge fame), is behind the production on The Grand Descent, and it simply seems that when it comes to heavy music he can do no wrong. His distinctive take on how to make everything sound ten times more disgusting and destructive once again works fantastically here, and it results in one of the best-sounding records I've heard for a while. It helps that the album has a perfect length - 33 minutes mean that the band can get in, rip your face clean off, and get out. It leaves you satisfied, but still wanting infinitely more.

Fuming Mouth, here, have released one of the best debut LPs of the year thus far. It’s gnarly, it’s weighty, it’s creative, and if you’re into heavy music for the riffs, you’d be a downright fool to not give it a listen. The Grand Descent is my album of the week.

Album Review: Skepta - Ignorance Is Bliss

Wagwan. Albums of the Week (featuring Dinosaur Pile-Up, Plague Vendor, and Fuming Mouth) is on its way next week, but I'm off to Download tomorrow and won't be able to upload it in that time. To tide you over, MOPE is putting out its first ever guest contribution! My dear friend Joao Ricardo has penned a bumper-size review of the new Skepta record below, and fans of hip-hop and grime would do well to check it out. Enjoy xx

Skepta - Ignorance Is Bliss

8/10

Best Tracks: Bullet From A Gun, Glow In The Dark, No Sleep

FFO: Stormzy, slowthai, JME

Ignorance Is Bliss is the 5th studio album from grime veteran Skepta. His last studio release, Konnichiwa, was met with praise from both fans and critics alike; key tracks like 'Shutdown' and 'That’s Not Me' performed well, and undoubtedly created a buzz for his next release, despite being released 1 and 2 year(s) prior to the album they would appear on. This will be last mention of other releases, however, as I want to review this album by itself. I'm not the most up-to-date person reviewing Skepta, and thus prefer to analyse his work as a standalone release.

The album starts off strong with the opening track, 'Bullet From A Gun', hitting off the release with a sharp and well-crafted single that sets up the rest of the album nicely. The standout elements here are the percussion and bass lines found in this track (and throughout the entire record). Thick, rich bass lines are delivered with a distorted edge that give the tracks a darker character and align the album with a traditional grime sound. Whilst the first song sets the pace and tone of the record, other tracks quickly pick up the load. 'Redrum', 'Pure Water', and 'Love Me Not' all employ the use of those dark, dirty bass elements and 808’s that we’ve come to love. These definitely drive a lot of the tracks in combination with the excellent drums and percussion providing motion that otherwise would not be there. The sound design as a whole on the album is tight, gripping and forceful. Hi-hats are razor sharp throughout, kicks bounce the listener from track to track relentlessly inciting a constant pace and seamless listening experience.

This alone, though, would not be enough to satisfy us as listeners. As such, the vocals on the record capitalise upon this and provide equally powerful moments, with the main star being, of course, Skepta himself. 'No Sleep' is a prime example here, as his diction and articulation mimics the harsh and brittle quality of the hi-hats, creating a brutally intense listen for the audience as they dodge and dive through Skepta’s bars, trying to avoid injury from the explosive delivery. That’s not to suggest that the grime artist forgets to add a message behind it all; Skepta comments on how “it’s so funny how quick they get rich, then go broke / But it’s not a laughing joke”, discussing the perils of fame and fortune. This thematic narrative of responsibility, family and dedication to one’s dreams is recurrent throughout Ignorance Is Bliss, grounding the album in a gritty, relatable reality that many of us (from all walks of life) can appreciate.

“Recently I’ve been learning a lot / All I know is there’s no better feeling than getting home and seeing my little girl in a cot” was one of the standout lines for me across the breadth of the album. The sensitivity and vulnerability of a father is shown here that contrasts against some of the other less tasteful lyrics spread throughout the LP. The main offender here would be the track 'Greaze Mode'. Although it's one of my favourite tracks, and a banger at that, I do find myself having to switch off in order to enjoy the song for what it is. “I just made your girl my girl, she’s on her knees / On her knees, she see the D…” in comparison to the other more introspective and insightful lyrics found in other tracks, I get the impression this song was manufactured to be a hit above anything else. Although the subject matter is similar on 'Love Me Not', the line "I've got this brand-new ting she’s mad in the 'ed, bad in the bed, I get to grab at her leg / She's a lady for real but a slag in the bed" was just comical and I won’t even pass comment. Never have I heard someone say 'slag in the bed' unironically.

This brings me onto the features, which were - for the most part - pretty poor. 'Greaze Mode', 'Love Me Not' and 'Glow In The Dark' are the exceptions here, as I feel that their features do at the very least add something to the tracks. I can’t say the same for the track 'What Do You Mean?'. When I listened to this track, I was surprised when it suddenly dawned on me that no, I was not, in fact, playing FIFA ’05 and in the character creator. There’s just something about the song that gives it a dated feel which I can’t quite pinpoint; the languid performance of J Hus, however, definitely doesn’t help this matter at all. Perhaps the worst feature on this record is performed by Key! on the track 'Redrum'. Skepta simply leaves this man in the dust and the production doesn’t even try to save Key!’s performance on it. Skepta’s lines are fierce and surgically delivered almost through grit teeth, the production and sound design is piercing; jabbing you in the best possible way and driving you forward in a state of excitement and pure hype. Key!, on the other hand, just doesn’t match up to it, and falls behind hard. His mumble-rap style just does not do anything for me, and I feel it weakens the track by quite a margin. Whilst he still remains on beat, you can hear that his delivery just isn’t as on point as Skepta, and occasionally it even seems like he’s stalling for time in a lost attempt to come up with the next bar.

There aren’t a lot of bad things on this record and I feel like Skepta has done a great job on quality control, providing a consistent and entertaining experience throughout. There are weaker tracks (notably 'Gangsta' and 'Animal Instinct'), but even their poorer performance doesn’t detract too harshly from the overall quality of the album. The biggest problem I have is with some of the features, which I felt brought down the quality of the tracks, or just didn’t do anything at all. I felt those spaces could have been better utilised by Skepta himself to add further insight to his day to day and thought processes. Other than that, this is a great album, and hopefully Skepta's future endeavours will be as of such high quality, if not better.

Words by Joao Ricardo

Albums of the Week: 31/05/19 (Frank Iero and The Future Violents, Denzel Curry, Cursed Earth)

AOTW is back in action after a couple weeks off! The albums I missed will likely be covered further down the line, but next Tuesday's might also be delayed because I'm proper busy, so apologies in advance.

In regards to this week, I've got to shout out my good friend Will (@WillCeney_) for the assistance with the Denzel Curry review; he's basically the MOPE hip-hop correspondent at this point. Anyway, on with the reviews n that x

Frank Iero and The Future Violents – Barriers

6.5/10

Best Tracks: Fever Dream, No Love, Police Police

FFO: Microwave, Remo Drive, My Chemical Romance

Frank Iero made his name as the guitarist of one the world’s most successful rock bands in My Chemical Romance. Since their (absolutely gutting) split in 2013, his solo projects have always been the most interesting out of any of the former members of the group; 2014’s ‘Stomachaches’ was a brilliant burst of catchy (yet chaotic) alt-rock, and ‘Parachutes’, two years later, was even better – a swaggering, almost violently full-on record.

Now, on Barriers, Iero manages to cast the widest net he ever has. It still features his trademark messiness - it all feels like it could fall apart at any moment - but the production is far more understated than his previous solo work. The defining quality here is that every track feels like a different genre, or at least a different musical approach, and such experimentation yields a number of great results. Opening song 'A New Day's Coming' is an intriguing, bluesy, '50s-style ballad; 'Fever Dream' has a gnarly, stomping riff which drives it along; 'No Love' lays claim to the album's catchiest hook, along with a captivating sense of atmosphere. Iero's personality and experiences are deeply ingrained in the record, and he's utterly unafraid to bare his soul, not least because Barriers is partly borne from a near-death experience the man had whilst touring his previous release.

Because of how wildly disparate from each other some of the tracks feel, my main issue with this album is that it can often feel tonally inconsistent. It's jarring, for example, to go from a messy, cathartic track like ‘Police Police’ to an earnest, piano-led ballad in ‘Great Party’, even if both songs are enjoyable in their own right. This leads to another problem, in that my enjoyment of each track can fluctuate depending on the style. For instance, whilst ‘Medicine Square Garden’ is perfectly competent in terms of songwriting and musicianship, it just doesn’t grab me in any way because the quirky, lo-fi atmosphere (with instrumentation mimicking the rhythm of Iero’s over-the-top vocal performance) does pretty much nothing for me – particularly right after ‘Moto Pop’, an upbeat album highlight.

Barriers is a patchwork quilt of a record, taking parts of a multitude of styles and piecing them together without an attempt to make it pretty. While it has to be said that sometimes this works in its favour, more often than not it simply ends up feeling a little confused. The more I listen to the album, however, the further its claws dig into me - it, like the two Frank Iero solo projects before it, has the advantage of undeniable charm, and a number of songs which will keep you going back for more.

Denzel Curry – ZUU

7.5/10

Best Tracks: RICKY, BIRDZ Feat. Rick Ross, CAROLMART Feat. Ice Billion Berg

FFO: Vince Staples, Duckwrth, JPEGMAFIA

In 2019, hip-hop is the dominant force in the world of music at large. It might still not get as much radio play as Ed Sheeran, or as many record sales as the fucking Greatest Showman soundtrack (yes, still), but it’s the most popular artistically viable genre of the past couple years - it’s exciting; it’s boundary-pushing; it’s got far more breakthrough potential than something like metal. You might have guessed by now that I don’t necessarily have my finger on the pulse of hip-hop, but I do know which artists have made an impression on me, and Denzel Curry is one of them.

Fans of his will have recognised his talent since 2015’s 32 Zel, but more recently Curry made waves in the rock and metal scene with his brilliant cover of the Rage Against The Machine classic ‘Bulls On Parade’, which showcased Zach De La Rocha-esque aggression from the Miami rapper. It prompted me to revisit his LP from last year, TA13OO, and I gained a newfound appreciation for it – but I have to say that I prefer ZUU as a body of work. Even if it is far less ambitious, the record feels tighter and more refined as a result, clocking in at just 29 minutes long.

It’s the big-hitters on ZUU that make it stand out. The album’s first single, ‘RICKY’, is undoubtedly the highlight, with a hook more infectious and memorable than anything pop music has produced in the last five years. It opens the record in a powerful way, and over time is backed up by similarly bass-oriented bangers in the forms of ‘BIRDZ’ and ‘CAROLMART’. Between such danceable heavy-hitters, more melodic (though equally punchy) moments are permitted to shine through, as ‘WISH’ and ‘SPEEDBOAT’ take influence from today's biggest artists in their use of autotune and floaty production. In fact, ZUU is ingenious in the way it mixes the new era of hip-hop with old-school tendencies throughout.

Though there are some stellar guest features on this record, none of them come within touching distance of Curry himself. In terms of energy, flow, and - most significantly – lyricism, he’s on another level. To be able to aptly provide personal reflection of spirituality, family, the death of his friends, and his roots in such an instantaneously catchy manner is no mean feat, especially when later on the album he allows himself a track dedicated exclusively to ass ('SHAKE 88') and it doesn't feel out of place. ZUU is, through and through, a testament to the ability of Denzel Curry.

Cursed Earth – The Deathbed Sessions (EP)

8/10

Best Tracks: Fear, Rock Bottom, Operation

FFO: Jesus Piece, Thy Art Is Murder, Kublai Khan

Perth’s own Cursed Earth have been through a weird couple of years. Just as 2017’s Cycles of Grief put them on the map as Australia’s hottest export in brutality since Thy Art Is Murder, the messy departure of vocalist Jazmine Luders in 2018 saw the future of the band threatened. Now, with The Deathbed Sessions, they’ve made their first, almighty step back on track.

This ultra-collaborative project sees Cursed Earth make use of a different guest vocalist on every track. It’s a simple idea which is pulled off absolutely flawlessly, as each new voice offers something exciting and fresh whilst the instrumentation ties everything together. From Kublai Khan’s Matt Honeycutt coming across as threatening as ever on ‘Fear’, to the fantastic interplay between Booka Nile and Sean Harmanis of Make Them Suffer on the unstoppable 'Deathbed', to Larissa Stupar's demonic feature on 'Tyranny Forever', it's an effective who's who of outstanding modern metal vocalists.  

As previously mentioned, the instrumentation that drives each song is the thematic link between them, and it’s just as disgustingly, terrifyingly heavy as it should be. With drums which sound like they're played by Godzilla working in combination with chugging, full-on, metallic guitarwork, there are countless next-level breakdowns and crowdkill-ready passages on this EP. All are gloriously violent. Somehow surpassing even those moments, though, is the song 'Operation', on which the band messes with structure and utilises glitchy white noise effects in a manner similar to bands like Jesus Piece or Code Orange. It means that once the vocals and typical instrumentation kicks in, it really hits ten times as hard - a stroke of genius which elevates the record even further.

The Deathbed Sessions is the battlecry of a band refusing to die so easily. It’s spiteful, furious, and ignorantly heavy, but inventive and exciting at the same time. Predictably, in-keeping with my tastes, this Cursed Earth project is my album of the week.