Its been 8 weeks since I last posted an Album of the Week review. Eight bloody weeks! So to go some way to make up for that I’ve decided to gather together the albums I’ve been listening to during that time in a bumper “Albums of the Weeks” or “Insert Better Title Here” style post which will go up in two parts.

A Perfect Circle - Eat The Elephant

Eat the Elephant is the first album from A Perfect Circle in 14 years. Yes you read that right, 14 years. So to many, this album is a huge deal. To be honest I have never been all that interested in A Perfect Circle or any of Maynard James Keenan’s other work (Tool for instance) but the pre-album release of Disillusioned got me interested in a big way. It’s an epic, immersive, haunting, atmospheric and prophetic piece of music that just begs to be listened to over and over again. The musicianship, vocals and production on offer are absolutely top notch and it’s a really good example of the overall tone and quality of the full album. I must admit that I wasn’t immediately taken by title track and album opener Eat the Elephant but from that point forwards I was hooked. Standout tracks in particular (other than Disillusioned) are The Doomed , So Long and Thanks for All The Fish, Talk Talk, By And Down The River, Delicious and Hourglass. There’s no coincidence that almost all of these tracks follow on directly from the last; the album is just that strong. This isn’t a heavy album, far from it, but at times it builds to huge crescendos with some real crushing riffs and epic guitar licks popping up at exactly the right moments. It’s an album that rewards multiple listens and when it first landed I just could not stop listening to it and I know that I’ll still be listening to it for years to come. If the album artwork puts you off or you just think, “I won’t like A Perfect Circle cause they’re metal and that scares me” get that right out of your head, put Eat the Elephant on and let it draw you in. Don’t miss out on one of the best albums of the year so far.

Head Scratcher Score: 10/10 Girlfriend Score: 5/10 (“I like that one about the fish”)

Grave Lines - Fed Into The Nihilist Engine

I’m not normally a Doom Metal kind of guy but Grave Lines’ Fed Into The Nihilist Engine changed all that. Way back in February I watched the video for The Nihilist Engine, a sprawling 14-min monster full of despair and unrelenting bleakness and from that moment on I was desperately anticipating this album. When it finally arrived at the beginning of May, it did not disappoint. From the slow burn, creeping dread opening of Failed Skin to the final buzzing chainsaw riff of The Nihilist Engine it’s a truly outstanding record. Many of the songs (Failed Skin, Self Mutilation by Fire and Stone, Silent Salt, The Greae and The Nihilist Engine) are slow burners that build and build before locking into a catchy, infectious groove defying the overall bleak sound. The riffs on offer are gargantuan, brutal and most of all fucking brilliant. We get a variety of softer almost spoken word vocals balanced by gravelly shouts, deafening screams and moments of spitting savagery. These groove-laden tracks are intermixed with softer and more stripped back songs like the haunting Shame/Retreat, Loss/Betrayal (where we’re treated to some nice male/female vocal harmonies), Loathe/Displace (a real album highlight) and Guilt/Regret. These occur every second track and help to break things up a bit and balance some of the unrelenting heaviness present on other tracks. Whilst not for everyone, if you’re willing to shift a little out of your comfort zone then, like me, you may just find yourself falling in love with Grave Lines.

Head Scratcher Score: 9/10 Girlfriend Score: 3/10 (“listening to this hurts my throat”)

Dr Octagon - Moosebumps: an exploration into modern horripilation

Another comeback album this, released over 20 years after the original Dr Octagonecologyst debuted back in 1996 (there was a sequel in 2006 but no-one talks about that). I’m a fan of old-skool hip-hop groups like The Pharcyde, Souls of Mischief and Jurassic 5 who don’t buy into that “bling, hoes and spinners” bullshit and Moosebumps is a real throwback to that scene. Despite the old-skool leanings this is a modern album which sits nicely next to artists like Run The Jewels. All throughout the album we get treated to infectious beats, weird samples and scratches and some serious world-class raps. At times these elements result in soundscapes harking back to old horror and sci-fi B movies. This is especially present on Black Hole Son, Area 54 and Operation Zero which fits nicely with the character of Dr Octagon who is apparently a homicidal, extraterrestrial, time travelling gynecologist and surgeon. Sounds like a complex fella. There are also some rockier, riffier moments on tracks like Power of the World (S Curls) and Karma Sutra providing a slightly heavier edge and welcome musical variety. If you’re into hip-hop but have found yourself jaded by the cookie-cutter, overproduced nonsense particularly prevalent on the airwaves today then give Moosebumps a spin. You won’t regret it.

Head Scratcher Score: 9/10 Girlfriend Score: 8/10 (“he raps about oatmeal!”)

Scarlxrd - DXXM

By replacing the ex’s for oh’s, make the unpronounceable, pronounceable to get DOOM by hard rap proponent Scarlord. “What is hard rap?” you ask, well it’s a relatively new genre mashing together metal and hip-hop similar to nu-metal or rap metal before it but with a much harder edge. I was introduced to this particular album by a That’s Not Metal podcast premium special and of all the acts mentioned this is the one that made the biggest impression. Think Lil’ Peep coming at you on a steamroller through a tornado of broken glass and you’re getting close. Scarlxrd mixes thumping beats and crunching riffs with hardcore screams and growls while still managing to maintain a rap flow. A rap flow, yes, but one consisting of pure molten lava. The beats on offer are extremely catchy and the screaming is full of anger and rewards the listener in that way that only metal can. Ok, so it’s not perfect and gets a little samey at times but it shows a lot of promise for the future. Album highlights are CHXKE, PIECES XF SHIT, HELL IS XN EARTH, we came frxm the DIRT and BURNS. I like this a lot but it’s definitely the most divisive album on the list.

Head Scratcher Score: 7/10 Girlfriend Score: 3/10 (“he’s too angry”)

Stay tuned for Part 2…coming soon…

Peace.