Every Time I Die

Hardcore n roll kings Every Time I Die have been one of the most constantly thrilling and fun bands in heavy music since the start of the century. Across milestones such as 2003's 'Hot Damn!', 2007's 'The Big Dirty' and 2012's 'Ex Lives', Every Time I Die have crafted a wholly unique sound that balances brutal metallic hardcore with party-atmosphere rock n roll. Not only have they never put out a bad record, but they've never put a record which is less than excellent, and newest release 'Low Teens' continues the trend.

'Fear and Trembling' kicks this thing off with crushing guitar stabs tied with southern licks that make it sound like the soundtrack to an R-rated cowboy shootout, and Keith Buckley's menacing shrieks truly makes the song apocalyptic.

'Glitches' is more cutthroat with all-over-the-place, but groove heavy riffs. This is classic Every Time I Die with the perfect middle ground between anarchy and party spirit. 'C++ (Love Will Get You Killed)'on the other hand is more on Every Time I Die's breezy rock n roll side, with little of this song trying to bludgeon your ears, but rather going for a motorcycle ride with riffs cool enough to be ice in your whiskey as well as Buckley taking on a smooth croon. That being said there's still room for some muscle to get people flailing into each other at shows.

Continue reading: Every Time I Die - Low Teens Album Review

2016 looks set to be a sink or soar year for festivals. While the losses of Hevy Fest & Temples (RIP) and Hit The Deck - ducking quietly into the aether without ever being announced for this summer - are keenly felt, Slam Dunk has gone from strength to strength.

Relocating the Midlands setup to Birmingham's NEC complex (the best transport links in the midlands, don't you know) seemed a statement of intent, and proved a masterstroke. Snaking queues for the wristband exchange aside, it's a well-thought out setup, and there are plenty in for Moose Blood to open the main stage. They sound great too, which helps.

Hellions fare just as well, the Kerrang! Fresh Blood stage bathed in sunshine for the Australians to open proceedings. There are plenty of eyes on Cane Hill, thanks in no small part to their statement self-titled EP. There's smattering's of KING 810 in their low end rumble and intensity, just enough Jonathan Davis in frontman Elijah Witt's erratic nature, paired with the occasional Corey Taylor-referencing roar. They're basically Slipknot's 2015 UK arena tour, but Gemini, Sunday School and Timebomb hit hard, while new addition The New Jesus looks to be a strong hint of what's to come.

Continue reading: Slam Dunk 2016 - Live Review

Age is something that doesn't seem to have affected Every Time I Die as the band have spent more than a decade unleashing records that combine hellish technical hardcore with catchy southern rock. On some albums, the rock outweighs the hardcore ('The Big Dirty', 'New Junk Aesthetic') and some are more hardcore than rock ('Hot Damn!', 'Ex Lives'). 2012's 'Ex Lives' saw the band on excellent form being their most aggressive release to date, while still maintaining plenty of hooks and grooves to add a thrill to the brutality. 'From Parts Unknown' sees the band go even further into abrasive territory, but sacrificing some of their accessibility along the way.   

'The Great Secret' introduces this album perfectly thanks to in-your-face technical fretwork and jilted riffs that makes you feel as if you're being slapped with bricks, while vocalist Keith Buckley barks madman lines like 'Blow your fu**ing brains out'. The song reflects the essence of much of the album; here's a band pushing themselves to be as punishing with their sound as they can be, leaving behind catchy choruses and the like in order to do so. 'Decaying With The Boys' injects some of the southern rock melody that can be expected with Every Time I Die as Buckley's vocals display sassy and cool characteristics and the guitars deliver some fun licks, which are still speedy and hard.

'Moor' throws a massive curveball as the first half of the song is just vocals and pianos. It's a little reminiscent of Queen, but more melancholy as Buckley murmurs lines like, 'I'll skin the man alive and sell the meat'. The second half of the song explodes into screaming and riffs, beating the rhythm into your head; certainly one of the highlights of the album. 'Thirst' has the strongest hook due to the low driving bass and pounding drums that accompanies, 'They don't love you, like I do, but I don't know you like them. They don't love you like I do, they love you better, I KNOW YOU BEST'. The lyrics sound ludicrous while still providing a relatable mind-set, showing there's bit of a nutter in all of us.

Continue reading: Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown Album Review