MUSIC REVIEW: Song Watch - January 2024
Well hello there, this is something a bit new for me that I’ve decided to try out. This website is fully built by me, for better or for worse, which means that everything I put here is what I’m able to, per what Squarespace allows, which is why some parts of the site (like the search bars) are kind of weird or in a strange location. I haven’t found a way to put a block on the homepage where I could have featured singles go up, so I thought, instead, why don’t I include a monthly recap of interesting new songs that have come out? Of course, January is always a little slow, but nevertheless, I’ve heard a few new tracks already this year that were pretty hot (as well as a couple from the end of last year worth shouting out)!
New in January
Lost in Grey - “The Entourage”
You may have noticed, per Lost in Grey’s strong presence in my Unleashed series, that I find them really interesting. This new single is, first and foremost, a bombastic intro song that really changes things up per what I expected from them. Naturally, the theatrical element is at the frontline of their sound, enhanced and expanded from their previous releases, but what excites me most is where the story is going now! This was a great track to tease the album that should be released later this year via El Puerto Records.
Emperage - “Empire of Hate”
Emperage are fresh faces in the Finnish metal scene and are off to a good start following the release of their first single, “Tear Down the Crown,” which was released at the end of 2023. The third single, “Empire of Hate,” is a powerful melodic death metal track, which stands out for the atmospheric keyboards and surprisingly catchy nature, as well as the evocative and provocative lyrics, making it bangin’ followup to their first two releases. The hype is real and I could imagine these guys working magnificently as an opener for Vansidian, for example.
I also wrote up a premiere for this track over at Tuonela Magazine, if you’d like to learn more!
Merta - “Harha”
I confess that I’ve heard this song already (merch/journalism privileges, shh), but that means that it’s easy for me to say that I loved it immediately. Of course, I’ve already said once that Merta sounds like heavy Happoradio and perhaps this is even more clear here than ever, as the opening really invokes ’00s-era Happoradio. Generally though, this is a great, upbeat, catchy track with awesome lyrics and powerful vocal melodies, as per usual, making for a really exciting tease for the album that’s hopefully coming out in the spring!
Pihka Is My Name - “Priority Class” // vocal edit
“Priority Class” was one of my favorite tracks from 2023’s sophomore release from Pihka Is My Name, for its strange, shifty ambience and overall atmosphere. It seems that since the release of the album, this duo have been toying with some lyrics for the track, leading to the release of the vocal edit on January 19th. These guys are always quite evocative and political in their lyrical messages and this track is no different and requires no further explanation. Just listen and you’ll get it!
The Frog Sword - “Legend of the Sword”
This band was somehow recommended to me on Instagram, with a debut single announced for January 15th. Musically, there’s a lot of swampiness paired with English folk music, which makes it really atmospherically cool. However, the soft chanty vocals, while suiting the style, become a little monotonous and feel a little one-dimensional; there could be some more diversity to give the music a bit of kick. That said, the band seems to be staying fully in character in most of their interactions, which makes it seem like they’re just quirky as hell, in a good way! I’m curious to see more of what they’re doing.
Dreamtale - “Battleheart”
Dreamtale are one of those bands that I never much paid attention to just because they were so power metal, but they’re interesting in the sense that their whole lineup (save vocalist Rami Keränen) has completely changed a few times. Currently, they are boasting some excellent talent in Nitte Valo and Zsolt Szilagyi. If you are looking for top-level musicianship for the cheesiest power metal, this band is 100% of what you need and this is a very fun song with surprising use of the ‘90s dance electronica sound!
After Infinity - “Crown of Clowns”
Speaking of Zsolt Szilagyi, he has another project that also features other local artists like—in the case of the new single “Crown of Clowns” that just came out today—Mikael Salo. This brilliant track features awesome vocals and amazing guitar work, dressed up in a solid sound and paired with really good lyrics. There’s not much to complain about, especially with that “you reap what you sow” part that’s followed by a great guitar solo.
Missed in 2023
Helena Haaparanta - “Harmaahaikara”
Shh, I don’t actually remember which month “Harmaahaikara” came out (it was November or December), but it’s great! Helena Haaparanta has made a switch from the metal scene into being a solo artist, which means that she has the freedom to play with whatever genre so suits her. In this instance, she dives deep into the world of Finnish iskelmä (which, most of the time, is melancholic pop, but older pop, like from the ‘80s) with this moody and tragic song about loneliness. Her vocal melodies are breathtaking, so definitely don’t let this track sneak past your notice!
King of None - “Speeder Approaching”
King of None is another band that I’ve found via Instagram and “Speeder Approaching” was the first new track they released after I discovered them in 2023. As the name might suggest, the track is a speedy, grungy banger with slick riffing and gritty vocals. Beyond that, the pacing is really solid, with a nice melodic twist midway, while really focusing on the riffing—the solo towards the end is pretty hot and I’d love to see how they do it live!
This track was a few days late to make it to my last-minute-additions to my year-end list for Tuonela Magazine, so I’m glad to be able to shout it out here!
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