Hydrothermal Vents Release Debut Album 'Secrets of the Deep'

Deep-sea duo The Hydrothermal Vents will release debut album 'Secrets of the Deep!' in July and may draw their inspiration from nature, but their other-worldly sounds are undeniable. 

Members John Tielli and Tessa Kautzman experiment with a chemical concoction of post-punk, dance and a sprinkling of rock, finishing off with bags of energy and some pretty impressive guitar solos and if their new album is anything to go by, this pair have a promising future. Wild and unpredictable, I thoroughly enjoyed the Montreal-based band's accidental lyrics and for those looking for a perfect vocal pairing, this album is for you. 

Playful synth greets the listener in first track Inside a Movie, as Tielli and Kautzman juxtapose vocal tones and pair them effectively with true experimental spirit. Do the Vent exudes cheeky rock and it's infectious beat had me pressing repeat. Their aim to create a retro track that was in itself a unique song came in the form of Shark! a harmonious, punchy piece of indie reminiscent of Pixies. 

Hydrothermal Vents slowed the tempo of the album, adding rock tones and combining them with maritime-themed lyrics and haunting melodies. Indie track Neptune's Grave was by far my favourite track, with the fitting metaphor 'We're gonna dive to the bottom. We will unearth the secrets of the deep' that contained addictive build-ups and punk tones that juxtaposed Kautzman's ethereal voice. 

Shawn Allison photography

Attento and Fish Out of Land are the perfect driving tunes and the collection really is for someone who yearns for mid-tempo music that encompasses a number of genres. It seems the pair have really grasped what their band name means: a mysterious energy that is a source of light in the darkness (of chart music). 

The Hydrothermal Vents are set to release their album on July 5th and will begin their North American tour shortly after. 

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Album Review: Monks of Mellonwah's Turn the People

In my quest for a new alternative rock band to get excited about, I stumbled across Monks of Mellonwah. The Sydney-based group won prestigious awards back in 2012 at the AIM and LA Music Awards and are back with new album Turn the People released in March which has already been dubbed 'one of the top releases of 2014' by Popmatters.

Tiring of bands like Muse and Coldplay, Monks of Mellonwah were welcome listening, their progressive and eclectic style a brilliant alternative to the conveyor belt of pop that seems to consume our charts. 

Turn the People is an Indie delight. Beginning with the harmonious, soft-rock Ghost Stories, a song which changes tempo three quarters of the way through to reveal a frantic, guitar-heavy solo as a taster of what is to come. Vanity's infectious beat combined with lead singer Vikram Kaushik supple melodies keeps the listener pressing repeat. 

The haunting Tear Your Hate Apart had a wonderful juxtaposition between electronic undertones, piano solos and soft vocals, any fans of One Republic will love this track even more. Pulse continues the electro feel, a definite summer track if you haven't found yours yet. 

A collision of creativity is created in Alive for a Minute and for those looking for an alt rock mix, opt for metaphor-heavy Escaping Alcatraz or feel-good Sailing Stones with its powerful guitar riffs. 

Turn the People's initial melancholic beginning, progresses to a crescendo of rapidity with fabulously progressive plucking and drumming. Muse fans should head to Downfall and Afraid to Die for some heavy, yet charming tracks. 

I Belong to You is an acoustic delight hidden within the album, a real love song before the conclusion of the collection with Sky and the Dark Night Part 2, a harmonious, love-sick instrumentally-clever number that's the perfect ending to a strong album that deserves a lot more credit.

Monks of Mellonwah will be visiting the US for the 3rd time, with their tour dates being:

Passport Approved (A&R Worldwide Tour, Monks of Mellonwah headlining 
with guests Lime Cordiale, Hamish Anderson & Giorgi + Leo )

June 6th - Last Exit Live, Phoenix, 9PM
June 9th - Viper Room, West Hollywood, 8 PM
June 10th - The Standard, Fresno, 8 PM
June 11th - The Atrium @ The Catalyst, Santa Cruz, CA , 9 PM
June 12th - The Boardwalk, Orangevale, CA, 8PM
June 13th - Doug Fir, Portland, OR, 8 PM
June 14th - Bodega Nightclub, Reno, NV, 8 PM
June 17th - Crocodile, Seattle, WA, 8 PM

w/Scott Stapp
June 20th - Chameleon Club, Lancaster, PA
June 21st - The Emporium, Patchogue, NY
June 24th - Latitude Live, Pittsburgh, PA
June 25th - The Chance, Poughkeepsie, NY
June 28th - The Machine Shop, Flint, MI
June 29th - Buster's Billiards & Backroom, Lexington, KY
July 1st - Gillioz Theatre, Springfield, MO
July 2nd - Neumeier's Rib Room & Beer Garden, Fort Smith, AR

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The Indie Bands I Want to Re-Emerge in 2014

We all have bands we grew up with who broke our hearts by splitting or fading into the dark abyss that surrounds mainstream music. But what if they decided to re-surface? Here's my pick of the bands I am desperate to see make it big again in 2014.


The Kooks
From my first listen of Naive, I fell in love with Brighton-based band The Kooks. Their first album Inside In/Inside Out shot them to fame back in 2006, a collection of songs crammed with Britpop character.

The mainstream world welcomed them as they were signed by Virgin records and went quadruple platinum. Following from this success they released Konk two years later which debuted at number one however began to slightly struggle with a third album,Junk of the Heart. With Luke Pritchards raw vocals and messy mop of hair, he is sorely missed- despite the fact that the group are still touring, no new material has surfaced... until now!




After a lot of teasing, The Kooks have created a mysterious hastag #Kooks4 which I am praying is promotion for a fresh new album. Fingers crossed!


The Enemy

Back in 2006, Coventry created what I believe to be one of the best indie rock bands around- The Enemy. Just as it deserved, We'll Live and Die In These Towns reached number one in the album charts and the cheeky chaps created three smashing albums full of alternative indie rock beats and memorable lyrics.

 Most notable for their singles Away From Here, Had Enough and Gimme the Sign, the group haven't produced any new material since 2012, but have appeared at small festivals. Fans can get excited this year as the band revealed on their social media accounts that they are working on Enemy IV, I'm hoping for another Britpop take over soon as I've missed these boys a lot. 




The Ordinary Boys 

What do you get when you combine Madness and The Kinks? The Ordinary Boys, fronted by the gorgeous Samuel Preston.

2005 brought promise as the band released Boys Will Be Boys and followed this up with the massive Nine2Five and Lonely at the Top a year later. The group unfortunately announced their split in 2008, however re-formed in 2011 to play a number of gigs at small venues.


Exciting times occurred this December when Preston announced the band were back, with the possibility of touring and recording new material this year.. eep!


Bloc Party
Post-punk met pulsing dance with Bloc Party as the British band achieved critical acclaim for debut album Silent Alarm in 2005, which included singles Helicopter and Banquet.

After a further two albums and several tours around the US and Europe, the band announced in 2009 that they no longer had a recording contract. Hinting that they were going to take their time creating new material, the group then slipped into hiatus, picking up separate projects. Despite Kele releasing a DJ mixtape in October under the Bloc Party name, no future material has surfaced from the band.


The Filthy Youth

If the words "I'm Chuck Bass" mean anything to you, then The Filthy Youth will too. A small band under lead singer now famous actor Ed Westwick, indie rock oozes from the group's dirty guitar riffs and their cheeky British buzz is undeniable.

Fans of The Clash and The Libertines will love the husky, alternative lyrics of Come Flash All Your Ladies and Boy Don't Smoke however the songs were simply demos as although the group seemed promising in 2007, they lapsed into inactivity by 2010 when Westwick evidently abandoned music for his part in American TV series Gossip Girl.

Nova State at Brighton Rocks

I do love a bit of live music and last week I had the chance to see my friend's band Nova State as part of Brighton Rocks in the lovely south coast city. The event took place at the wonderfully named 'Sticky Mike's Frog Bar' and at only £4, we got the beers in and prepared for a brilliant night of music. 

          From sphotos-e.ak.fbcdn.net

         From sphotos-g.ak.fbcdn.net

Nova State (formerly known as Kurt Mundane) is a delicious mix of alternative rock and indie pop. The band is made up of Sam Lelliott,Louis Brennan,Mike Cutuyar and Iwan Jones, with their most notable song being 'I'm Not Going Out Tonight'. Infectious lyrics and a quirky beats guarantee you will be addicted before you know it. 

They are currently gigging around Brighton, and have a facebook page so give it a 'like' if you fancy finding out where they will be playing next. 

Their soundcloud page is a great place to listen to their new music, and you also have the opportunity to download their awesome tunes. What are you waiting for?? 

                            From sphotos-b.ak.fbcdn.net

                                                                         (me fangirling on Louis)