RGG June 2015 - p.15
Album:
Miley Virus
Buy@:
Released July
Web:
twitter com/enemojofficial
Verdict:
Twenty seven line up changes and over a decade of constantly
adapting to make great music; East Midland band ENEMO-J release their latest
album 'Miley Virus' which is one of their most interesting yet. 'This Is Not A Toy' storms in as arguably the
heaviest track armed with blast beats and low guitars, 'This Stops Here' and 'Ides Of March' have much of the
classic ENEMO-J feel fuelled with samples and reminiscent of the days of 'Last Children Of History', title track
'Miley Virus' comes filled with big guitar riffs and I believe a lyrically powerful message about the state of media
these days with front man and original member Craig Hartwell using his voice as a middle finger. Over the
years the band have less of the rap-metal influences present and have adopted a more hardcore and screamo
approach especially on 'Sufference' and 'Drunk Lions At The Wolf Party'. I am very impressed with the
consistency of excellent songwriting with their ever evolving sound; 'Throughout' is almost a sequel
to 'Heaven Is My Hell' from their previous album which featured Joanne Finnegan and tracks like
'Majora' which also have a fusion of gothic-like female and angry male vocals really lifts the album
whilst also serves as an ENEMO-J trademark along with their epic bladerunner-like intros
throughout many of their tunes. A post apocalyptic album for today's metal head.
ENEMO J
Album:
Carve The Sun
Buy@:
awakebydesign co uk
Web:
facebook com/awakebydesign
Verdict:
It's been three years since AWAKE BY DESIGN announced that they were
releasing 'Carve The Sun'. RGG received a very long personal statement explaining the
story of how this album became a "black dog" over their shoulders (no idea what that
means). Problems were addressed such as label squabbling, hunting for labels, self
releasing it, band line up changes; various third party names were withheld to avoid
potential upset; probably because they didn't want an arsehole(s?) from their past acting
like a prick; that's normal when you don't name names. So what's the album like? Well;
remember they are a symphonic melodic metal band which straight away sounds very serious
just like their long letter. At first I struggled to review it and then it hit me....the band markets
itself incorrectly. Having a lengthy and almost apologetic story, explaining the depressing journey
this record has had was a turn off and this album should be a turn on. It's a terrific release but I'm not
going to mention the superb musicianship involved. Forget that. Think Ville Valo, lust and sexual desire.
'Falling On Me' is a well written beautiful song wrapped in a delicate soothing medieval gothic sound with
a dramatic uplifting chorus and a heart breaking guitar solo; exactly the type of tune that can make a
single mom's vagina gush like a tap. When you remove the serious nature of the creation of the record
and listen carefully to the music then what you have is a band that can dominate a large gap in the market
if they sexed up their dossiers and aim for a target audience which I believe is the "love metal" genre made
famous by the Finnish band HIM. Tracks like 'Yesterdays Rain' have more a-haaa than the entire first season
of the Alan Partridge show but you can also imagine thousands of gothic girls lay in their beds receiving
multiple orgasms whilst AWAKE BY DESIGN are on their iPod. Romance in metal is big money if done right;
tunes like 'World Of Mirrors' hit the Gräfenberg spot.
AWAKE BY DESIGN
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