(Denver-based NCS writer Gonzo weighs in below with reviews of three albums released in November 2024 that he heartily recommends.)
We’re rapidly approaching everyone’s favorite time around here (or most stressful, depending on who you ask) and that time, of course, is Listmania, where our dignified group of NCS scribes, contributors, friends, and an assortment of others all sound off on their favorite releases of 2024.
Before all that unfolds, though, I wanted to squeeze in one last monthly roundup of new music. Why? Because everyone should have something to read on the toilet if they need to avoid asshole family members during the holidays.
You’re welcome.
COILGUNS, ODD LOVE
I don’t know who saw it coming, but noise rock had itself one hell of a year. The latest offering from Chat Pile probably leads the charge, but plenty of others had their moment as well. Swiss outfit Coilguns is one of them.
Fusing an energetic mix of punk, shout-along hardcore, and explosive noise rock, Odd Love will immediately appeal to anyone who loves Refused as much as I do. (Though that comparison might not be fair because my love for that band borderlines on obsessive.) There’s more to Coilguns than worshipping the punk that’s come, though.
Odd Love zips through 12 tracks with bluster and bombast, never overstaying its welcome. The shimmering riffs and galloping tempos of opener “We Missed the Parade” wouldn’t sound out of place on a Svalbard record, while the swirling intro of “Generic Skincare” reminds me of early Thursday. Vocalist Louis Jucker’s confident range powers much of what’s found here, especially during the closing minute of “Placeholders” and the complexity of closer “Bunker Vaults.”
https://coilguns.bandcamp.com/album/odd-love
https://www.facebook.com/coilguns/
EXUVIAL, THE HIVE MIND CHRONICLES, PART I: PARASITICA
I first wrote about the newcomers in Denver’s Exuvial a few months ago when guitarist Ethan Walden sent me an advance release of the band’s debut. They’ve been a busy bunch since then: The band inked a deal with Silent Pendulum Records, who released the band’s debut last week, and it’s quietly been greeted by a slew of positive reviews so far.
And while revisiting The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I this week, it’s no wonder that a label snatched these guys up. Few tech death debuts can hold a candle to Exuvial’s songwriting ability. That’s mostly because each song is carefully crafted and doesn’t exist for the sheer purpose of wankery and flex.
The opening “Hive Mind” trilogy of songs wastes exactly zero time in melting your face off with scorched-earth riffs and Walden’s blast furnace of a voice. Drummer Andrew Baird, also of Fallujah, also mentioned that his blast beats on this album are some of the cleanest and most precise he’s ever dished out, and I believe him. (Frankly, it’s hard not to.) Something that’s often missing from tech death albums is dynamics, and Exuvial prove they’re an exception with songs like “Autonomic Awakening,” powered by an acoustic intro and a clean-sung chorus.
It might be late in the year, but don’t make your best-of 2024 lists without listening to The Hive Mind Chronicles Part I: Parasitica.
hhttps://silentpendulumrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-hive-mind-chronicles-part-i-parasitica
https://www.facebook.com/exuvialband/
ALKYMIST, UNNDERR
There’s always that one 11th-hour surprise every year that completely upends the picks I’ve carefully arranged for Listmania. Always.
So, it’s time for a bold statement: Since I first heard it last week, I’ve been searching for reasons why the newest album from Denmark’s Alkymist is not my favorite album of the year. (That’ll fucking teach me to assemble any best-of lists in mid-November.)
There’s something so ardently addictive about UnnDerr. The mix is nearly perfect, with every instrument sounding just as rich and dense as it is menacingly heavy. The riffs are so crushingly heavy that you’ll need decompression stops between songs to avoid getting the bends. Vocalist Peter Bjørneg hooks you in immediately with his hellish bellowing in “The Scent.” Drummer Per Silkjaer pounds the holy hell out of the kit like he’s exorcising a particular stubborn demon. And the bass beefs up the band’s already monolithic sound with a distinct, reverberating richness.
Alkymist delivers several aural haymakers throughout UnnDerr, but perhaps none are as violently awesome as “Light of a Lost Star.” The song itself isn’t anything groundbreaking, but you’ll forget all about that when the featured riff lurches out of your speakers around the 1:25 minute mark. My neck might never recover.
https://alkymist.bandcamp.com/album/unnderr
https://www.facebook.com/alkymist/
Like what you’ve heard? Follow my best-of-2024 playlist for selections from everything you’ve just read, and a whole helluva lot more.
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7zWqE685GVpuB5M3qRDvog?si=08d80939b43e4d89