Materializer - "Dopamine Ravine"

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Photo by Micah J Mathewson

The Nashville stoner metal/doom brother duo of Materializer is back with new music. "Dopamine Ravine" isn't what I expected from the genre of stoner metal/doom. It's a surprisingly lovely song with a dark vibe throughout. The entire song is oddly melodic, although there is a sense of foreboding throughout the full length of the song. There's tension, but a beautiful tension. It's almost quiet, and you'll be waiting and waiting for a sonic explosion to break the song's tension. There is some catharsis towards the end, but nothing truly dispels the hypnotic effects of the song, and "Dopamine Ravine" will be lurking in your subconscious for a while, even after the song ends.

Materializer says of their latest single:

“As The Body Flies is a cathartic release for us. The first record of a new project and a vulnerable look inside the years leading up to the beginning of Materializer. Putting this together has been an exciting and often puzzling experience figuring out a new writing process as a duo, and letting the songs lead the way. That process has led us to new song structures, new gear, and new sounds. We wanted to create the heaviest record we’ve been a part of while also leaning into our roots of melodic vocals, emphasizing on compression and release, chaos and serenity, and balancing the light and dark in a way that feels in harmony with the world around us.”

You can watch the video for "Dopamine Ravine" below. As the Body Flies is due out October 2, and is available for pre-order through Bandcamp. For more on Materializer, check out the band's website.

On Repeat...

Hiding Places - "Waiting"

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Photo by Calli Westra Brooklyn's Hiding Places are originally from North Carolina, and that sound is all over their latest single. "Waiting" has a strong alt-country meets dark indie rock sound. The song is as hypnotic as it is heartbreaking. Even if you're not paying attention to the lyrics, the vibe of the song is overwhelmingly dark and somber. There's plenty of country twang and indie rock fuzz throughout the song, with the music carrying the weight of the song as much as vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Byrne's voice does. The song is stunning, both in its beauty and mood. I feel like I've been sitting on "Waiting" for a while now until I could fully wrap my head around it. Hiding Places has something truly special here. Nicholas Byrne says of his band's latest single: "Hiding Places’ first bassist, Anthony Cozzarelli, left the band in July of 2022. I wrote the chorus the day before Anthony left the band. I recalled the slow death of my ...
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Failure - "The Air's on Fire"

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Photo by Lyndsey Byrnes With their upcoming seventh overall studio album, the highly influential band Failure will have released more albums since reuniting in 2014 than they did during their first run. The first single from that album, "The Air's on Fire," shows the band expanding their sound while still being rooted in what has always made them great. The song is a dark and moody one that is always threatening to explode but never quite does. This is an example of 90's alt-rock meets art rock at its very finest. It's the kind of song that could easily have come out thirty years ago, but that doesn't mean it sounds dated. After the first listen, "The Air's on Fire" will sound like a killer alt-rocker from a 90's band that hasn't lost a step at all. The more you listen, the more complex Failure get on the single, and the more the song reveals itself to you. Ken Andrews says of his band's latest single: “That song is directly about my ...
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Mama's Broke - "How it Ends"

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Mama's Broke, the post-folk Canadian duo of Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler, have just released a break up song that might be their most accessible yet. While the previous singles from their upcoming album have a certain darkness or a sense of foreboding, "How it Ends" sounds relatively upbeat. Considering this is a song about how you never think you'll find someone as good as your ex after a break up, that's quite a feat. This is a traditional folk song with some slightly modern folk harmonies. As much heartbreak as their is in "How it Ends," there is also the warmth of remembering a recent relationship. You can listen to "How it Ends" below. Narrow Line is due out May 13 on Free Dirt Records, and can be pre-ordered here . For more on Mama's Broke, check out the artist's website .
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