WHAT I'VE BEEN JAMMING: FEB 2024 PART 2

Bayside - The Walking Wounded: In the wake of Bayside’s superb new singles, The Devils and Castaway, I’ve revisited their older material, and this track still hits as hard as it did when I was 14. This song, written shortly after the tragic accident that claimed the life of their drummer, John ‘Beatz’ Holohan, is soaked in angst, but there’s a fierce hope burning bright beneath those minor chords. When Anthony Raneri confesses in the final chorus, his voice breaking under the strain of the last couple of years, “Scientists they couldn’t fix me/I’m so tired of getting out of bed”, you know that he will continue on anyways - and so should you.

Nine Inch Nails - Heresy: Nine Inch Nails’ second album, the aptly named The Downward Spiral, follows a man’s descent into violent self-loathing, ending with him committing suicide. While the discordant and nauseating closing track Hurt, and the dark, sexually charged Closer are the most well-known songs from the record, I argue that Heresy deserves to be held in the same esteem, despite not being a single. Noisy and industrial, it’s one of NIN’s best offerings, but still squeezes in the catchy refrain “God is dead and no one cares/If there is a hell I’ll see you there.” As the song ends, with static swallowing up Trent Reznor’s processed shouts, the only thing you’ll want to do is rewind it again.

Melvins - Goin’ Blind: I’ve been in a bit of a grunge mood lately, so of course Melvins have been on my playlists. But saying they were only pivotal for the grunge movement doesn’t do them full justice; they were also pioneers for sludge metal, a fuzzy fusion of doom metal and hardcore punk. This cover of the Kiss song is a perfect showcase for their thick rhythms and saturated guitars, with that sweetly simple guitar lick to add some brightness to the mudslide of sound. Slow and ponderous, heavy even without unclean vocals, this stands as one of my favorite covers of all time.

Sleep Token - The Summoning: I don’t use Tiktok because I love myself, so I had no idea that Sleep Token has kind of blown up over there, let alone that they’ve become wildly popular with the type of people who call themselves goths without listening to gothic music. When my friend introduced me to them, I liked them enough to see them live at a remodeled shoe store, but didn’t think they were truly anything special, until I got ahold of this track. The first half is weighty and predatory, in a way very much meant to be sensual, while the vocals soar high in a haunting chorus. The track then fades down to only build itself up again in a tensely atmospheric mist, only to burst into an R&B inspired, erotic groove. For once, I can see why Tiktokers gravitated to this one.

Pearl Jam - Black: This radio hit, taken from Pearl Jam’s debut album, Ten, was never meant to be a single. Although the label pressured them to do a proper music video and promotion for it, the band (particularly lyricist Eddie Vedder) refused, stating that the track was too personal and emotionally heavy. However, it didn’t stop the song from climbing the charts and getting a ton of airplay, and it’s still a fan favorite today. Pearl Jam is a bit unique among grunge bands, as they were more influenced by classic rock than punk or metal. This song is a mournful breakup ballad, with a heartbreaking piano and guitar melody, and an octaved bass at the end gliding along that bittersweet chord progression. Beautiful stuff.

Bleak Flesh - Caput Primum: I don’t remember how I discovered them, but this Chilean neoclassical death metal band are one of the most exciting artists in the genre, and it’s a shame that they’re criminally underrated. Caput Primum is their most recent song, and arguably their best yet, putting their talents on full display. It’s a whirlwind of sound that feels both modern and classical, with the tempo going from sluggish to energetic and back again. But what really makes this track stand out for me is the Latin-inspired groove about halfway through that picks up speed like a boulder rolling downhill. Absolutely recommended listening for any fans of highly technical metal.

The Wonder Years - Year of the Vulture: The Wonder Years haven’t said much about releasing a new album, as expected since The Hum Goes On Forever only dropped in the autumn of 2022, but this is the second new song they’ve released since then, and if this is a sign of what is to come, I’m going to eagerly embrace it. Unlike the previous single, Goddamnit, which was an expanded outtake from The Greatest Generation and sounded like early 2010’s TWY with their current production values, this one was actually written for… the WWE? Yep, it’s written as a theme song for WWE NXT, and I’m gonna be real, I don’t fully understand what that is. But this song is undeniably a post-hardcore slam dunk.

Drain, Shakewell - Intermission: This one is short and sweet - it’s introduced with a catchy, slightly off-sounding four-note piano phrase, followed by deep bass and Shakewell’s incredibly flowy rapping. As the piece ramps up, it turns into a hardcore headbanger, with slick guitars mimicking that simple, irresistible melody with some high-octane flourishes. Now I just need a full collab album between these two!