SINGLE REVIEW // Sequoia Throne - Shattered Youth

Sequoia Throne, a group of 5 metalheads from Northampton, have been sat on some stuff for a while. Maintaining a blank canvas on their Facebook page, there is an air of mystery to the quintet, no one knowing what they sound like. I mean, we don't even know what they look like. We do, however, know their names. We know that they're fans of In Hearts Wake, Wage War and Erra. And we know their gameplan; "to bring their raw and aggressive music across the UK with the upcoming release of their debut single". That single is called 'Shattered Youth', and I've been lucky enough to check this out ahead of it's release.

Firstly, the production on this is great. Everything is nice and clear, never sounding like it's over distorted or muddy. Clear, almost glassy production kind of goes hand in hand with this kind of genre, and these lads have got that feel straight off the bat. The guitar tone is nicely balanced; it really has some muscle behind it and sits beside the bass nicely, giving it some extra weight. The track is full to the brim with riffs, with the In Hearts Wake influence being very noticeable. Some of the riffs have even ended up sounding like something the Aussie kings would have written themselves. They're bouncy, they aren't predictable, and they're most definitely worthy of a headbang, the ultimate sign of approval. The breakdowns are tasty, too. Generous scoops of chug, evenly spread out, sprinkled with some venomous guttural vocals and atmospheric drones to taste. The vocalists also put on a good display, merging two very different styles of vocal. The screams sound a lot like Frankie Palmeri of Emmure in places, exerting a real rawness and anger into the delivery. The cleans provided by Jake Barnes (the fella that produced the single), on the other hand, remind me of A Skylit Drive, featuring soaring high pitched melodies and showcasing great vocal control. All the ingredients for a great song are there. I just feel like it's two different songs. The chorus sections when compared to the rest of the track almost sound like they belong somewhere else, reminding me of a more Lacuna Coil style of metal. Don't get me wrong, the chorus is great, the chords are enormous and not overly complicated which really allows the vocals to take centre stage. It's just as a section, it feels like it belongs elsewhere. This could've been the intention though, for all I know, they are a mysterious bunch after all. If they did it on purpose, ignore what I've said, they've nailed it! 

All in all, this song is a great first example of what these guys are capable of. It shows great promise, especially in the riff writing, and if they continue to hone in on their formula I don't doubt they'll start doing the rounds on the UK scene. If you're a fan of early In Hearts Wake, you dig catchy choruses and you can't resist a solid breakdown, I'm almost certain you'll be a fan of Sequoia Throne. The track is released on October 20th. If you want the mystery to become less mysterious, head over to their Facebook page and make sure you follow all their updates. Northampton is about to get a lot louder.

SINGLE REVIEW // Tempest - Remember Me

Hailing from the picturesque coastal town of Eastbourne, Tempest are a metalcore quintet that have been making a lot of noise across the south coast. If you've ever attended a metal gig at Blue Bar, chances are you've seen them about. Perhaps you've even watched them. If you have, you'd no doubt remember it. Their set is packed full of thunderous riffs, ferocious vocals and well constructed melodies that when strung together create an impressive sonic display. They recently released a new single titled "Remember Me" on the 13th of September, so I thought I'd check it out.

The first thing I noticed is the quality of the production. It's been so well recorded. Right from the very first chord, you can tell that every instrument has it's own space within the mix; everything is able to breathe. The guitar tone, especially, is meaty and satisfying, providing thick chunks of chug with every strum. The vocals are great, especially the lows which really pack power. There are a couple of timing issues on a few phrases, but that's me nitpicking. The overall tone and delivery is great, and the emotive content of the lyrics is portrayed really well. The song rises and falls in all the right places, features a nice catchy chorus and a good solid breakdown. Some of the sections are a little on the predictable side, but the general flow of the song overshadows that. It holds your attention from beginning to end, and makes you want to listen to more. Musically, this reminded me a lot of bands like Still Remains, In Hearts Wake and Architects, especially that outro section. The guitar tapping sounded a lot like Hollow Crown era Architects, featuring a decorative melody hovering above a wall of chords. On a whole, "Remember Me" is both punishing and passionate in equal measure, ticking all the right metalcore boxes whilst conveying a powerful and meaningful message. These guys have a lot of potential, and if they carry on progressing the way they are now I have no doubt that they'll be playing shows outside of the south coast sooner rather than later.

Speaking to Steve Collier (guitar/vocals) he told me that this song means a lot to the band and the local scene in Eastbourne, as it's written in memory of a friend. Tragically, he committed suicide, and it shook everybody to their core. They wrote this song to promote the importance of mental health issues, to let people know that they're never alone and that someone will always listen. Mental health is an incredibly important issue, perhaps now more than ever. I completely support the message within this song, and I support this band. You should too.

D.S

x