Categories
Album Reviews

Staind

Confessions of the Fallen

Follow us on Social Media

STAIND – CONFESSIONS OF THE FALLEN – ALBUM REVIEW

Staind are the quintessential early-noughties US radio-rock band. A nostalgic string of hit singles and multi-platinum albums has long established their position in the industry, but they will also know that they’ve hit their commercial peak.

Many in this position have chosen to milk the nostalgia, others have long separated to seek new opportunities and a small handful continue to release records and try to stay relevant. Over the past decade or so, Staind have mainly been the middle option whilst occasionally dipping into option one, but now they are going all in on option number three!

Whilst their own fanbase will be overjoyed at the news, there will also be many naysayers of will laugh, such is the popularity of shooting down bands of Staind’s ilk. Call it the Nickelback effect if you want but there is an equal amount of love and hate out there for radio friendly rock music of their generation.

This combined with singer Aaron Lewis’s outspoken politics the band are something of an easy target, but ‘Confessions of the Fallen’ deserves to be separated from all of the above. After all it’s a brave decision to put out a new album after 12 years, and one that they didn’t need to make.

WATCH ‘LOWEST IN ME’ ON YOUTUBE
Staind – ‘Lowest In Me’

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Fans will be glad they did though as musically the record feels like they’ve never been away. Ten tracks spread across thirty-five minutes and you can’t really fault what the band have created at all. The likes of album opener ‘Lowest In Me’ had given a good indication of what to expect and the record fellows suit.

Staind have managed to capture what shot them to great heights in the first place, and this album wouldn’t have felt out of place twenty years ago. That said, it still manages to feel fresh enough that to avoid any nostalgic pitfalls.

There probably weren’t many clamouring for this album to be made, and the band certainly didn’t need to make it, but those that do find themselves checking out ‘Confessions of the Fallen’ will be pleasantly surprised by the quality.

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Limp Bizkit live in London

Categories
EP Reviews

North Atlas

The Longest Shadow Attached to the Ankle

Follow us on Social Media

North Atlas

North Atlas made their emphatic arrival with 2021’s ‘A Weight for the Heavy Handed’ EP, and now they are ready to double down on their enormous potential with new EP, ‘The Longest Shadow Attached to the Ankle’.

This EP is a brutal sonic onslaught of intense, soaring heavy rock. Carefully infused electronic elements and deep analytic lyrics help to set the band apart from the pack musically and you really sense that this is an elevation of the North Atlas sound.

In an industry now filled with formulaic acts trying to find their place without setting themselves apart, this is a refreshing glimpse of a band ready to separate themselves from any pre-conceived notions. Gloriously heavy but catchy as hell, North Atlas have set their bar high with their future output!

Share this review on Social Media

Watch Episode 52 of our ‘Discover’ New Music Podcast with guests North Atlas

‘Discover’ New Music Podcast – Episode 52 – North Atlas

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Categories
Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 3

Follow us on Social Media

Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the third issue now for free!

Volume three includes an update from cover star Chris Shiflett, and a review of ‘Race the Night’ from Ash.

We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Don Broco, Lonely The Brave, Dream Wife, TesseracT, DragonForce, Staind, Duff McKagan, Skinny Lister, All Time Low, While She Sleeps, K.Flay, The Meffs, END and Mother Mother!

Plus new live announcements from British Lion, Fozzy, KITE THIEF, VV, The Amazons, The Coral, Twin Atlantic and Lonely The Brave.

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with Major Moment, Tropic Gold and Future Static!

Share the Full Pelt Magazine on Social Media

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Read our review of the Foolhardy Folk Festival

Categories
Album Reviews

Ash

Race the Night

Follow us on Social Media

ASH – RACE THE NIGHT – ALBUM REVIEW

At this point in their thirty year career Ash are something of a safe bet with consistently good records and always solid live. When other bands have self-destructed, lost the magic or faded away, Ash have remained a constant.

The relationships within the trio will of course be one key reason behind this longevity and when early press releases teased Tim Wheeler as describing ‘Race the Night’ as “the sound of the band reveling in the sheer joy of being a band after being separated by time and distance through the insanity of the early 2020s.”, the seeds were sewn for a change.

Change probably isn’t the right word to use though, perhaps re-emergence would suit better because as the band have drip fed singles from the new album many have likened the sound to 2004’s ‘Meltdown’ album in terms is heaviness.

WATCH ‘RACE THE NIGHT’ ON YOUTUBE
Ash – ‘Race the Night’

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

The constant will to pigeonhole and connect releases is always is kneejerk temptation from music press though, and whilst sonically the connection is obvious, ‘Race the Night’ actually stands out for the reason highlighted by Wheeler. That is plain and simply that this sounds like a band having fun and making an album that follows no set rulebook just a desire to unleash their creativity and see what happens.

Well what has happened with ‘Race the Night’ is a sublime slice of pop rock perfection. Fans of the band that have enjoyed recent offerings ‘Kablammo!’ and ‘Islands’ and observed how good those releases are will perhaps be surprised by the quality of this album. That’s because both those albums were very decent and maintained the legacy of the band, but ‘Race the Night’ sees the band take a giant leap forward.

There are of course radio hits, delicate melodies and rifftastic moments spread throughout the well balanced release as you’d expect from Ash, but if in doubt just listen to the fantastic album closer, ‘Like A God – Reprise’. You just can’t help but picture a young band just jamming together in a garage!

Yes, whilst Ash have never failed to deliver the goods, ‘Race the Night’ feels like a special present indeed.

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Ash live in London

Categories
Magazine

Full Pelt Magazine

Vol. 2

Follow us on Social Media

Our weekly music News Report has evolved into the Full Pelt Magazine, and you can download the second issue now for free!

Volume two includes reviews of October Drift and Philip Seth Campbell.

We have our News Report rounding up new releases from Demob Happy, The Struts, The Rolling Stones, Dream Nails, Militarie Gun, REWS, Haunt The Woods, Scaler, The Cadillac Three, Pendulum, Wargasm, Daytime TV, HourHouse, Black Water County, The Pearl Harts, Gama Bomb, The Hyena Kill, Amongst Liars, Dead Poet Society and Death Of Me!

Plus new live announcements from Enter Shikari, Keane, The Big Moon, Wayward Sons, Of Mice & Men, Meryl Streek and BIG SPECIAL.

Finally, we round up the latest additions to our ‘Discover’ New Music Playlist with PLAIINSUnschooling and paradise fell.!

Share the Full Pelt Magazine on Social Media

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Read our review of the Foolhardy Folk Festival

Categories
Competitions

Full Pelt Magazine Issue 1 Giveaway

Full Pelt Magazine Issue 1 Giveaway
Download Issue 1 of the Full Pelt Magazine here

COMPETITION NOW CLOSED

To celebrate the debut issue of our brand new digital magazine, we are delighted to offer one lucky reader the chance to enjoy live music whilst representing their favourite publication!

Yes, we are offering a unique not yet available Full Pelt Music t-shirt worth £20 and if that wasn’t enough, we will also throw in a £30 Ticketmaster Gift Card!

To enter the competition you’ll need to like our official competition post on either Facebook, Instagram or X (Twitter), and yes you can like all three posts for three opportunities to win.

The deadline for entry is midnight on 10th September 2023 and the winner will be selected at random and notified on 11th September 2023. Entries after the deadline will not be counted.

Full Terms and Conditions are below, good luck and remember to follow Full Pelt Music across Social Media for any future competitions!

FULL PELT MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 GIVEAWAY TERMS AND CONDITIONS
  • These terms and conditions apply to the Full Pelt Music “Full Pelt Magazine Issue 1 Giveaway” and entry to the giveaway is in acceptance to these terms and conditions.
  • The promotion is available to UK residents who are over the age of 18 only.
  • To enter the promotion participants must like the official competition post on either Full Pelt Music’s Facebook, Instagram or X social media. Participants may enter up to three times by liking the post on each platform.
  • The winner will be selected at random, and the decision is final.
  • The winner agrees to provide Full Pelt Music a valid email address, name and home address for the purpose of prize delivery.
  • The winner will be sent 1x £30 Ticketmaster Gift Card via email.
  • The competition will run until midnight on 10 September 2023 and the winner will be notified via the Full Pelt Music social media channels on 11 September 2023.
  • The winner will have 72 hours to claim their prize, after which another winner will be selected.
  • The total value of the prize is £50. No cash alternative will be offered.
  • The winner will be contacted for preferred t-shirt size. T-shirt design for promotion purposes only, actual design may vary. Sizes subject to availability. T-shirt prize will be ‘made to order’, please allow ample time for manufacture and delivery.
  • The competition is not open to employees of Full Pelt Music.
  • Full Pelt Music’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the promotion will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • Facebook, Instagram, X and Ticketmaster are not affiliated to the giveaway and entry to the competition releases them of any responsibility.
  • None of the bands represented on the cover of the Full Pelt Magazine Issue 1 are affiliated to the giveaway and entry to the competition releases them of any responsibility.

Categories
Album Reviews

Royal Blood

Back to the Water Below

Follow us on Social Media

ROYAL BLOOD – BACK TO THE WATER BELOW – ALBUM REVIEW

Royal Blood have been one of the biggest success stories for new rock bands over the past decade. All three of their albums thus far have reached the coveted number one spot and the band have elevated themselves to arena and festival headline status.

All of this creates a natural pressure on the band to keep delivering consistently high standards, and the time has arrived to see whether the band can achieve an incredible quadruple of number one albums.

‘Back to the Water Below’ sees the band handling production fully themselves for the first time having previously worked alongside the likes of Josh Homme and Tom Dalgety. The positives of such a move of course include the unadulterated freedom, but the double-edged sword is that there is nobody to offer assurance and quality control.

After all the bells and whistles that accompanied predecessor ‘Typhoons’, the album title this time around may also refer to the back to basics approach taken by the duo. From opener ‘Mountains At Midnight’ onwards it’s evidently clear that the band have gone back to their roots to use another tired cliché.

WATCH ‘MOUNTAINS AT MIDNIGHT’
Royal Blood – ‘Mountains At Midnight’

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

That’s not to say that they haven’t added plenty of polish to the finished product but that there is a slower more methodical sonic style on this collection. That Royal Blood DNA is evident throughout but the album is much more melancholic than those that came before.

This does in many ways feel the least hyped of all of the bands albums and the limited pre-release campaign feeds into that. It feels like messrs Kerr and Thatcher want to let the music do the talking on this record, and they are clearly talented enough to do so.

Whilst this may be a completely different album compared to any of their three previous efforts, Royal Blood have still created something distinctly Royal Blood. The band have seen their fair share of criticism in the past both somehow for failing to evolve and for changing too much! On ‘Back to the Water Below’, the band merge everything they’ve done before and evolve into something new.

So, while musically this record is a fantastic genesis of the their style, commercially it will be interesting to see if this is an album that can secure that illustrious fourth consecutive number one?

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Royal Blood live in London

Categories
Live Reviews

Foolhardy Folk Festival

Nottingham Arboretum

Sunday 27th August 2023

Follow us on Social Media

Foolhardy Folk Festival – Nottingham – Live review

Towards the end of the original lockdown, the ever creative music industry sought ways to bring people back together to experience the unparalleled joy of live music. The Arboretum in Nottingham hosted a number of events including a couple of shows from folk favourite Frank Turner.

That is where the story of the Foolhardy Folk Festival begins as the man behind the festival, fellow folk icon Beans On Toast played in support of Turner. From there on Beans has affectionately taken over and curated his own festival which this year is a complete sell out.

A large part of this is the stunning line-up put on but another is the fantastic sense of community that exists in this portion of the folk scene and the lovely audience that has taken this back to basics event to heart.

Opening his own event Beans On Toast highlights the great music, great food and great beer theme. On the music front Beans serenades the already full venue with the likes of ‘Major Oak’, ‘The War on War’ and ‘Humans’ as the festival gets into full swing.

WATCH ‘HUMANS’ ON YOUTUBE
Beans On Toast – ‘Humans’

Watch Episode 3 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Beans On Toast

The festival is family friendly and this is punctuated by the vibe created by attendees in that we are all family. Beans own daughter lays on kids activites, there is live art and lots of merch offer as well but with short changeovers the attention is mainly on the one stage where both Vona Vella and Tensheds play delightful early sets.

Soon enough it’s time for our special guest to take to the stage and this year that means Frank Turner himself as he returns the favour three years on from that socially distanced affair.

As you’d expect Turner gets a hero’s welcome as he begins his set with ‘Be More Kind’ and ‘The Ballad of Me and My Friends’. The crowd’s singing voices are in fine fettle which is a good thing considering the sing-a-longs continue through to final song ‘I Still Believe’.

WATCH ‘I STILL BELIEVE’ ON YOUTUBE
Frank Turner – ‘I Still Believe’

Watch Episode 1 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guest Frank Turner

Another beautiful thing about this community is the lack of ego on show, Turner as always appearing eternally grateful for the opportunity to play. The same can be said for your next three acts Truckstop Honeymoon, Ferris & Sylvester and Jeffery Lewis & The Voltage. All three acts are given equally as passionate reactions from the audience who can clearly appreciate beautiful music.

Considering we’ve brought our two little monsters with us another great thing about Foolhardy Folk Festival is that the music is wrapped up by 9pm! But before then we still have two highly anticipated performances.

First up are the always joyous Skinny Lister who bring their traditional party atmosphere to the festival. Perhaps more so than any other set today, the Lister crew get the fans up and dancing to the likes of ‘Cathy’, ‘This Is War’ and ‘Trouble on Oxford Street’. The band are surely now established as one of the best live acts in the UK and with a new album and tour on the horizon, there will thankfully be lots of opportunities to catch them again in the near future!

WATCH ‘CATHY’ ON YOUTUBE
Skinny Lister – ‘Cathy’

Watch Episode 6 of The Full Pelt Music Podcast with guests Skinny Lister

Finally the event ends just as it began… with our gracious host Beans On Toast! With backing band in tow this time around the show feels different and special as our headline performance. Kicking off with ‘Life’ and ‘Not Everybody Thinks We’re Doomed’ the set is an uplifting celebration of our existence and is the perfect way to end a wonderful day.

The cutest cameo from Beans daughter, new material and old favourites ensure that despite having to follow some sensational artists, Beans On Toast is able to send the crowd into the night reminiscing about a beautiful day, many including our kids still singing the chorus of ‘On & On’!

With another edition already announced for next August, the Foolhardy Folk Festival has quickly established itself as a must attend date on the folk calendar. This is of course a credit to Beans On Toast, but also to everyone involved behind the scenes and of course the fan community that makes the event so special.

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Beans On Toast live in Norwich

Categories
Live Reviews

All Points East

Victoria Park, London

Friday 25th August 2023

Follow us on Social Media

ALL POINTS EAST – THE STROKES – LIVE REVIEW

All Points East has now firmly established its place in the UK festival calendar having already brought some huge names to Victoria Park in London in recent years.

Those names included The Strokes in 2019 when their headline set was struck by sound issues. That perhaps is the reason for their relatively quick return this year, but fans also have the prospect of hearing material from 2020 release ‘The New Abnormal’.

But before we get there we have a lot more to get through, that is after we get through traffic issues outside of London which sadly means with miss both HotWax and FEET.

When we do arrive in the arena, we head straight to the East Stage (one of two huge outdoor main stages) for the reformed Be Your Own Pet. The band only reunited last year but they own the stage today as if they’ve never been away. With their fantastic performance, Jemina Pearl starts a theme of woman stealing the show today.

A brisk walk is then required to get over to the West Stage for another reunion! The Walkmen have recently returned and draw a good early crowd to the stage. The band return the favour with a career-spanning crowd pleaser of a set.

Soon though, it’s time for the woman to take centre stage again with Amyl and the Sniffers quickly making the West Stage their own. Frontwoman Amy Taylor already has the audience in the palm of her hand when an almighty downpour commences. For most acts this would kill their momentum, but the band are able to hold the crowd and ramp up the intensity, creating a moment that will last long in the memory.

WATCH ‘MAPS’ ON YOUTUBE
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – ‘Maps’

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Another short wait on the West Stage is all it takes for another incredible female artist to steal the show. The iconic Karen O leads Yeah Yeah Yeahs through a headline worthy performance which is absolutely enthralling.

By the time the band closes out their set with ‘Maps’, ‘Heads Will Roll’ and ‘Date With The Night’, they’ve proven themselves to be one of the best live bands on the planet. Captivating, dazzling and glorious, you start your walk back to the East Stage wondering how on earth our headline act can match that performance.

Sadly for The Strokes the fateful enemy has a say once again with sound issues somehow a problem once more. Many in the crowd complain that the volume is too low, something perhaps not helped by the meandering pace of the setlist.

That said, when the band do dig out the hits the crowd comes to life. The setlist features many of the same staples as 2019 but we do get ‘Ode to the Mets’ and ‘The Adults Are Talking’ from their latest studio effort.

Through their ninety minute set the band are able to evidence why they are one of the most acclaimed acts of the past two decades and it is far from a bad performance.

You just leave with the same disappointment as last time due to sound problems dampening the show. Perhaps that means the band will be back again in a couple of years, but either way All Points East continues to go from strength to strength and this year is another resounding success!

Share this review on Social Media

Read our review of Gorillaz at All Points East

Categories
Live Reviews

Trivium

UEA LCR, Norwich

Thursday 24th August 2023

Follow us on Social Media

TRIVIUM – NORWICH – LIVE REVIEW

All 📸 (C) Denis Gorbatov / Full Pelt Music

As Trivium themselves proclaim tonight, it always feels like a homecoming when the Floridian metallers come to the UK. The band grew up on our island and their success has become intrinsically linked to the response of the UK to each release.

Tonight will see the band at the UEA in Norwich playing a tailored set to include a celebration of ‘Shogun’. Their fourth studio album, the record arrived at a crucial time for the band as they navigated a lukewarm response to ‘The Crusade’ – an album which was supposed to take the band to the pinnacle of the industry.

When that didn’t happen, ‘Shogun’ was the reset moment needed for the band to almost start again. Over the course of the subsequent fifteen years the band have matured into one of the most loved and respected metal bands on the planet with a consistent flow of high quality albums which looking back is quite astonishing.

ORBIT CULTURE

Also astonishing is the bands aptitude for selecting support acts and on this run of shows, they have both Orbit Culture and Bleed From Within along for the ride! Swedes Orbit Culture are a decade into their own career and that comes across with an experienced and assured performance to get the crowd engaged early.

BLEED FROM WITHIN

Having formed back in 2005, Bleed From Within certainly can’t be classed as a new band either, but the current momentum behind them is relatively new. Emerging from the pandemic with not one, but two acclaimed albums the band have made of the most of their recent studio time.

They’ve also made the very most of any stage time given to them and again tonight if you didn’t arrive as a fan of the band, you’ll most definitely be leaving as one. The group are able to create an instant connection with the audience and the synergy between them is mightily impressive.

TRIVIUM

With both bands having already turned the venue into a sweatbox, it’s soon enough time for Trivium to arrive on stage and close out the evening with ninety minutes of pure majestic brutality.

‘In The Court of the Dragon’ and ‘Down From The Sky’ quickly ensure that the audience is fully onside as the band flex their muscles early. It isn’t long before the likes of ‘Strife’ and ‘Pull Harder on the Strings of Your Martyr’ absolutely annihilate venue security with a seemingly endless barrage of crowd surfers.

The love between band and audience is clear for all to see and as the band begin to explore ‘Shogun’ with rarities likes ‘The Calamity’ and ‘Insurrection’, an appreciation of the depths of the bands discography is overwhelming.

Newer material like ‘Catastrophist’ and ‘The Heart From Your Hate’ receive just as euphoric responses tonight as classics like ‘A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation’ and staple set closer ‘In Waves’. This is just further evidence both of the bands connection with the UK audience but most pertinently the intense quality of all their releases.

Ten albums and nearly twenty-five years in the band tease a short break is coming after this tour. Whilst this is very much hard earned, on the form the band find themselves in both on record and onstage as evidenced tonight, you are left praying that the gap isn’t that long!

Share this review on Social Media

Find Full Pelt Music on YouTube!

Read our review of Download Festival