Heavy Steps | Voyeurist | Animorphs

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Comeback Kid - Heavy Steps

For the friends of: Evergreen Terrace, Defeater and Stretch Arm Strong
Genre: hardcore punk, melodic hardcore
Year: 2022
Country: Canada
Favorite track(s): 'Face the Fire', 'Everything Relates and 'Menacing Weight'
Emoji: 🦍
Random words: skateboard

The seventh studio album 'Heavy Steps' by CBK is putting their whole career together nicely. Few of the tracks have a great resemblance to their very early releases with fast and emotive touch while there is also some heavier stuff comparable to their latest albums. I enjoy very much how much the band have included gang shouts in many of the track. And what comes to the vocals otherwise 'Andrew Neufeld' is definitely still one of the best hardcore vocalists. I think he just gets better with each album. There are a couple of misses on the album with just a bit of boring arrangements which don't fit in the album. But mostly the album just gives you great energy and boost for your day and life. The album is also angrier than the previous album 'Outsider' and I like this direction.

Underoath - Voyeurist

For the friends of: Evergreen Terrace, Defeater and Stretch Arm Strong
Genre: post-hardcore, emo
Year: 2022
Country: US
Favorite track(s): 'Damn Excuses', 'Hallelujah' and 'Numb'
Emoji: 🌧️
Random words: feelings

'Underoath' is back with their most well-known lineup after the drummer/singer 'Aaron Gillespie' joined back. Their previous album 'Erase Me' was the comeback album after eight years, but it did not hit me in any way, so I had my doubts about the new album even though knowing 'Gillespie' coming back. These ten tracks are definitely much better than 'Erase Me' having much more emotion, variation and interesting arrangements. Still, it's lacking the last punch as an album. There are a few great tracks that have a nostalgic feeling with a fresh touch, but a few of the tracks are just too mediocre.

None of the tracks is totally bad, but what could bring more to the album, binding everything together would be certain boldness and experimental touch. What I have always enjoyed and still do is definitely the drum arrangements of 'Gillespie' and 'Numb' is one great example. This is nothing to do with the quality of the album, but it's just boring when almost half of the tracks are released before the album release. But that's more how the music business and streaming is working these days.

Honningbarna - Animorphs

For the friends of: The Hives, Kvelertak, Refused 
Genre: hardcore punk, melodic punk, indie rock
Year: 2022
Country: Norway
Favorite track(s): 'Damn Excuses', 'Hallelujah' and 'Numb'
Emoji: 🐯
Random words: jet

What a way to start the reviews for the year 2022!! 'Animorphs' really set the bar super high for all the other releases this year. The way how they have combined heavy experimental hardcore punk and more melodic rock songs with a hint of noise and indie vibes is just so well done. I have been repeating the album so much that my only worry is if I get bored with it, but at least it's still not showing any of weaknesses. Besides brilliant vocals, some of the great elements in 'Animorphs' are the playfulness and dynamics between the tracks. Half of the songs sound super angry, punching the air out of you while the rest are more pleasant summertime tunes for your road trips.

Still, it all makes sense just perfectly and nothing is in the wrong place. I also love the experimental touch with interesting sound effects, percussions and twisted rhythms. Compared to their previous albums 'Animorphs' is still definitely a 'Honningbarna' album, but it's slightly more varied, brave and kind of highly produced still keeping the roughness and punk attitude. It has kind of the same feeling that 'The Shape Of Punk To Come' by 'Refused' has being confident, surprising, catchy and badass. Hard to not believe seeing 'Animorphs' on my top list this year!