Artist Alert – Raul Del Moral

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Raul Del Moral is a bilingual singer and talented guitarist whose genre influences include reggaeton, acoustic and folk. ‘Quedate Conmigo’ is definitely a club tune and is easy to dance to. The verses are sung in Spanish and the chorus in English, making it easy to remember. The accordion sound in the background is very distinctive. It’s definitely my favourite of his Spotify selection. Campeón is made up of guitars and trumpets and has a strong beat throughout. I loved the trumpet fadeout at the end. It was all in Spanish so I had no idea what the song was about but it sounded really good! The third solo song, Where is My Home? has a very different sound and feel. It tells a story about Del Moral unwillingly leaving his home and questioning where he now belongs in the world. The lyrics emphasize his feeling of displacement. The sprawling electric guitar solo that begins a couple of minutes into the seven minute song and lasts nearly as long as the remainder of the song is moving.

Courtesy of India-Mae Alby

You can follow Raul on all his socials – Spotify  | Instagram| Website

King Soloman – ” I Need That ” Review

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King Soloman’s most recent release “I Need That” follows suit with the trendy catchy lyrics of most modern-day trap and mumble rap. His vocal flow is consistent throughout the track. I enjoyed how he pays respect to where he started making beats, at his Alma mater Edward R Murrow High School, in Brooklyn. It’s respectable to never forget where you started. Can’t wait to see what more is to come. The music video for this song drops on December 25th!

 

You can keep up with him on social media : Facebook | Instagram | Spotify

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Jame Doe’s ” Garden w/ no Water” | Review

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Portland OR artist Jame Doe recently released his song “ Garden w/ no water”. You can listen on spotify. This song starts with a catchy tune mixed with the sound of dripping water. Which is a great example of the genres definitions. Electro- pop is defined as a pop music with electronically produce sounds. It isn’t something I hear every day, but it’s good change. I’m new to the electro-pop genre, but happy to have been introduced to it. With a memorable chorus, you’ll catch yourself humming along towards the end of the song. Everything about this song flows so clearly, you can tell it was professionally produced. The vocals are calm but make you want to dance. The high notes are just wonderful. Jame is passionate, and it shows through his art. I am a fan of his unique style choices, dressing in outfits I don’t often see on stage. A stage is for a show, with his music and wardrobe it is just that, so keep at it Jame. Be YOU.

Review by Cristine Trimarco

You can keep up with Jame here : Spotify |Facebook |Instagram |Website |Youtube

 

Like Moths To Flames’ “Where The Light Refuses To Go.”- Album Review

Like Moths To Flames have been apart of the post-hardcore scene for quite awhile, though I personally first got into them in 2017 when they released “Nowhere Left To Sink,” and their album that followed, “Dark Divine,” which I also enjoyed. Over the past couple of months, the band has released a trilogy of singles, which make up their most recent release, an EP titled “Where The Light Refuses To Go.”

“All That You Lost” quickly foreshadows some of what’s to come on the rest of the EP through the darker and mostly heavier intro, where the lead guitar really stands out. The verses are pretty heavy as well, where very energetic instrumentals drive the rhythm and the heavier vocals really get to shine, and the bass shows off before and during the breakdown later on in the check. The choruses in between are a lot more melodic, and the melodies are catchy, yet also darker. This fits perfectly with the overall vibe that this track has and makes this chorus as a whole a bit different from those on the other choruses later on in the EP. “Smoke And Mirrors” is a Little Bit slower compared to the opener, and contrasts a lot to begin with. The more melodic vocals in the verses show a ton of emotion, and the screamed vocals blend with those very well. The heavier sections bring a ton of energy, and so does the huge and very memorable chorus, which is one of the best on the EP. Closing out this EP is “Into The Black,” which mixes some synths with the heavier instrumentals in the darker, riff-heavy intro. The more melodic verses bring some softer vocals and give the instrumentation more room to shine, especially the bass and drums. The pre-chorus is a bit reminiscent of the intro, being a lot heavier instrumentally (and also vocally), and it leads up to yet another very catchy chorus that’s upbeat and a really fun one to listen to. The bridge mixes clean and screamed vocals, both of which deliver an emotional performance, especially the clean vocals that finish out the song and the EP, which really impressed and stood out to me on first listen.

On “Where The Light Refuses To Go,” Like Moths To Flames bring a perfect balance of aggression and melody and continue to perfect their post-hardcore sound.

Review by Megan Langley | Instagram

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Twenty One Pilots’ Bandito Tour ft MisterWives Review

Columbus, ohio based duo twenty one pilots have quickly become one of the biggest names in alternative music, and there’s been even more hype (see what I did there?) about them with their latest album, “Trench,” which dropped last year. They did a headlining tour in support of it last year, which I attended, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see them again when they announced a return to Denver as part of an additional leg of this tour.

Opening up the night was NYC based band Misterwives, who combine influences of pop, alternative, dance, soul and folk music. I’ve seen them live once before when they opened for Panic! At The Disco a few years ago, and was just as impressed by them this time around. The band opened with their latest singles “The End” and “whywhywhy,” (as well as adding in “Coloring Outside The Lines from their sophomore album “Connect The Dots” in between the two new singles), followed by an unreleased song called “Find My Way Home,” and a cover of the very popular “Truth Hurts” by hip hop artist Lizzo, and the set was closed out with “Reflections” and “Our Own House” from the band’s debut with the same title as that last track. The band brought so much energy all throughout their set, were so much fun to watch, and I think they put on a great opening set.

Twenty One Pilots finally took the stage in the arena they headlined almost a year ago, and these two really know how to put on a show and captivate the audience. Their set opened with “Jumpsuit,” (same as on the last tour), followed by “Levitate,” both of which are from their latest album “Trench.” Towards the end of that second song, frontman Tyler Joseph grabbed a tambourine from his jacket to use during their third song, “Heavydirtysoul” from 2015’s “Blurryface.” The band involves their fans quite a lot throughout their shows, and one way they did so on this tour was by recording clips of the fans who camped outside throughout the day singing the beginning of their fourth song, “The Hype,” and using that as the intro for the song when they performed it by playing these clips on the giant screens in the arena. A ukelele was incorporated into the performance during “Lane Boy,” and the due added their hits “Stressed Out” and “Heathens” into the set before they walked over to the B-stage towards the end of “Nico & The Niners.” In this area of the venue, they played “Smithereens,” “Tear In My Heart,” “Bandito,” a partial version of “Migraine,” and some of “Pet Cheetah” before walking back to main stage and finishing the song there.

Two more fan interactions happened around this point in the set, as the crowd held up Tyler for a portion of “Holding On To You,” and drummer Josh Dun did the same for a drum solo at the end of “Morph,” and another highlight around this point in the set was when MisterWives joined the duo to perform “Cut My Lip” together. After “Holding On To You” finished, musician Dr. Blum played the trumpet during “Fall Away,” followed by the band playing three of their biggest songs: “Ride,” “My Blood,” and “Car Radio.” The encore began with a karaoke version of “Truce” playing with the lyrics displayed on the screen in the arena, as tens of thousands of fans sang along to every meaningful lyric. One final song off of “Trench” was played (“Chlorine”) before the set concluded with “Trees,” the song that the band have finished their live sets out with for many years, and it’s such a fun song to hear live.

Both of the bands on this tour put on phenomenal performances and this show of the Bandito tour might have been one of the most fun shows I’ve attended this year.

10/27/19 @ Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

Review by : Megan Langley | Instagram

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Wage War w/ Like Moths To Flames, Polaris, and Dayseeker | Pressure North American Tour | Photos + Review

Venue, Date, & City: Marquis Theater in Denver, CO on 10/18/2019

Florida based metalcore band Wage War are a band that have been on my radar for awhile, ever since I heard their single “Youngblood,” from their 2015 debut LP, “Deadweight.” Fast forward a few years later, and the band have now released their third album, “Pressure,” and I attended the Denver date of the North American headlining tour that they did in support of the record.

Southern California based post-hardcore band Dayseeker opened up the night. They played a mix of songs from 2017’s “Dreaming Is Sinking /// Waking Is Rising” (“Vultures” & “Sleep In The Sea Pt. II”) and their newly released album “Sleeptalk” (“Drunk,” “Crooked Soul,” “Burial Plot,” and “Sleeptalk”). The extremely catchy hooks and the overall energy the band puts into their live performance had so many people in the crowd singing and dancing along (myself included) and made the set a really fun one to watch.

Polaris was up next, and while I wasn’t extremely familiar with their music and hadn’t seen them live before, I was really impressed by their set. Their setlist was entirely made of songs off of their latest release, their 2018 debut LP “The Mortal Coil,” and included “The Remedy,” “Casualty,” “Crooked Path,” “Relapse,” “Consume,” and “Lucid.” They put a lot of energy and emotion into their performance, and the crowd was the same way, shouting the words and moshing throughout the set.

The Columbus, Ohio based Like Moths To Flames were second to last. The band played a surprisingly large amount of older material during their set, spanning from all throughout their discography, playing a few songs from “When We Don’t Exist” and “An Eye For An Eye,” as well as playing more recent material, such as “Bury Your Pain” from the double single “The Dream Is Dead,” “Nowhere Left To Sink” from their last LP “Dark Divine,” and “All That You Lost,” one of the three most recent singles the band had released since signing to UNFD.

Wage War closed out the night and put on a pretty long headlining set, also filled with songs from throughout their discography. They played a handful of songs off of “Pressure” (“Who I Am,” “Prison,” “Grave,” “Ghost,” “Hurt,” “Me Against Myself” and “Low”), as well as mixing some older fan favorites from their first two albums into their set – “Alive,” “Twenty One” and “The River” from their debut “Blueprints,” and “Johnny Cash,” “Don’t Let Me Fade Away,” “Gravity” and “Stitch” from their sophomore album, “Deadweight.” Each song of the band’s set had the sold out crowd engaged the whole time and I thought they put on a great performance.

This was my first time seeing all of these bands live, and their performances left a great first impression and made this tour one I really enjoyed.

Wage War | Like Moths To Flames | Polaris | Dayseeker

Photos + Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

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Dayseeker “Sleeptalk” Album Review

Dayseeker- Sleeptalk

Dayseeker are a band in the post-hardcore scene that I’ve been a fan of for quite awhile. Their last album, “Dreaming Is Sinking /// Waking Is Rising” landed a spot in my top twenty five albums of 2017, so it’s safe to say that I was highly anticipating their newly released album, “Sleeptalk.” 

The band kept some of their post-hardcore and overall heavier roots and showed those aspects in a few of the songs on here. “Crooked Soul” is easily the heaviest of the singles that released, with the more aggressive instrumentation in the intro and the louder drums and vocals building the pre-chorus up to the chorus, which lets the instrumentals and cleaner vocals shine through some very passionate performances. “The Color Black” brings a performance just like that in its intro, one that really blew me away on first listen, but the heavier aspects of the song are shown through the screamed vocals and much harsher instrumentals during the breakdown that follows the equally as captivating bridge. Heavier vocals and instrumentals are delivered right off the bat in “Gates Of Ivory” and the breakdown and bridge found on this track lean more towards the hardcore side of the post-hardcore genre, and really embrace those influences.

On the other hand, a lot of tracks on here lean way more towards the melodic side as far as the vocals go, and show the new direction Dayseeker is going in with their sound. Opener “Drunk” kicks off the album very well, beginning with softer vocals and instrumentals in the verse, with additional vocals and harmonies bringing extra emphasis to the performance, and leading the song up to its huge chorus where the instrumentals really kick in and the vocals really stand out. Single “Burial Plot” is similar, also having a much softer start, but harder hitting drums eventually come in during the pre-chorus, which lets the vocals show even more, leading up to a very memorable chorus, where the vocal performance brings just as much emotion as the lyrics. “The Embers Glow” is an interlude that’s very laid back, but still brings the darker composition found on this album and in the band’s sound in general, and “Already Numb” is a memorable ballad primarily led by piano and acoustic guitar, which really allows the vocals to shine once again. Despite the much bigger choruses where the instrumentals kick in, “Starving To Be Empty” is another one of the most melodic tracks on this album, and the vocals of the guest vocalist featured on the track fit perfectly with the overall more laid back vibe of it.

The two remaining tracks land more in the middle, combining elements of both of these different sides of the album and the overall sound on it. “Sleeptalk” has much softer verses, but its massive chorus and bridge both bring very powerful vocal performances to the table, and while the closing track “Crash And Burn” begins on a softer and more melodic note, the melodies still have that darker composition found on this record, and there’s a much heavier bridge and breakdown later on that, while I certainly didn’t expect to hear them on the track, fit pretty well and prove how well this song fits as a closing track.

Dayseeker’s latest release contains elements that show the continuous evolution of their post-hardcore sound, while also still incorporating parts of the band’s older material. From that balance to the powerful performances found all throughout the record, “Sleeptalk” is another very solid record from Dayseeker.

Spotify link:

https://open.spotify.com/album/2oLk2Z8wtuGX1xC9evzvC9?si=2bN99ufyTKK4–34h59fgg

Dayseeker

Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

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Grayscale’s Nella Vita Tour 2019 ft Bearings, Belmont, & Rich People.

Grayscale are a band that have been on my radar for quite a while now. I first became a fan right when they signed to Fearless Records and released their single “Atlantic,” the lead single of their debut LP, “Adornment.” Since then, the band have been on numerous national and international tours, including the 2018 Vans Warped Tour, and this year, they did their first headlining tour here in the United States, in support of their newly released sophomore album, “Nella Vita.”

Opening up the night was New Jersey based Rich People. Three of the songs that the band played (“Fierce Grace,” “White Mark,” and one of my personal favorites of theirs, “Back Step (All The Real Girls”) are off of their most recent release, their 2018 album “Grace Session.” I love the raw emotion in this band’s music, but that is amplified even more in their live performance, which really impressed me.

Second on the bill was Canada based pop punk band Bearings. They primarily played songs off of their debut album, “Blue In The Dark,” such as “Where You Are,” “Aforementioned,” “Eyes Closed,” “Beautiful Places,” and the title track from that album. The band also included “So Damn Wrong” (one of their two recently released singles) and “Letters Home” from their third EP “Nothing Here Is Permanent.” Bearings brought quite a bit of energy throughout their whole set and were a lot of fun to watch.

Second to last was the Chicago based band Belmont, another pop punk band that have now become label-mates with Bearings, with their recent signing to Pure Noise Records. Belmont’s music leans more towards the more energetic and overall more punk influenced side of the pop punk genre, and they carried that energy into their live performance from start to finish as they played many songs from their self titled record (“Pushing Daisies,” “Hollowed Out”) as well as a few older favorites, such as “Overstepping,” “731” and “Convalescence.”

Finishing out the night was Philadelphia based band Grayscale, who have evolved their sound quite a lot over the years, and especially with their sophomore LP “Nella Vita,” which this tour was in support of. They played a handful of songs from that album, including singles “In Violet,” “Painkiller Weather,” “Old Friends” and “Baby Blue,” as well as a few others off of the album: “Just Right,” “YOUNG,” and “Twilight: My Heaven.” Grayscale have quickly become one of my favorite bands to see live and have impressed me each time I’ve seen them, and this show was no different.

 

Grayscale put on yet another impressive performance, I got to see Belmont, Bearings, and Rich People for the first time (and all their sets were a great first impression of their live performances), and overall, the Nella Vita tour may just be one of my favorites that I’ve attended in 2019 so far.

9/24/19 – Marquis Theater

Photos + Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

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2019 © The Camera Affect

 

Free Throw ft Chris Farren, Youth Fountain & Macseal | Fall 2019 Tour

I’ve heard a lot about Free Throw over the past couple of years through the albums they’ve released and tours they’ve been apart of, but really became a fan of them this year when they released their third album, “What’s Past Is Prologue.” The band began a headlining tour in support of this record, with support from Chris Farren, Youth Fountain and Macseal, which I attended the Denver date of.

Macseal kicked off the night. The emo/alternative quartet played songs that spanned their discography as a band so far, from playing “Cats” and “5:45 AM (Not Fun)” from their 2015 self-titled debut EP, to “Harry” and “Next To You” from their 2017 release “Yeah, No, I Know,” and “Golden Hour” and “Sure, Thing Shelly” (which was a great choice to open the set with) from their most recent EP to date, 2018’s “Map It Out.” Their set also included music from their upcoming debut LP, “Super Enthusiast,” – the lead single “Always Hazy,” and another new song from the record. Macseal put on a very fun and energetic set and started off the show very well.

Speaking of energy, that’s easily a word I’d use to describe the set from the next band, Youth Fountain. The Canadian pop punk band played several songs from their recently released debut album, “Letters To Our Former Selves,” an album that has also quickly become one of my favorites of this year so far. I love the band’s more emotional and slightly aggressive take on pop punk, and that all shows even more through their incredible live show. From the set opener (Rose Coloured Glass) to the song that not only closed out their set, but also closes out their album (“Blooms”) and the many songs in between (“Letters To Our Former Selves,” “Complacent,” “Worried,” “Moody,” “Deadlocked,” and “Grinding Teeth”), the crowd was singing and shouting along with them, bringing as much energy and passion as the band did throughout the entire set.

 

Next up was Chris Farren, who’s been releasing music under his own name for a few years now. He opened with the very catchy “Search 4 Me,” one of two singles that he’s released so far from his upcoming record, “Born Hot.” (The other single of the two is “Surrender,” which he played later on in the set). He also played a lot of previous material, including the singles “Where U Are” and “The Way That I Love U Has Changed,” and three songs from his sophomore album “Can’t Die” – “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Human Being,” and “Say You Want Me.”

Closing out the night was Free Throw. Throughout their hour long set, they played eleven songs, also spanning from throughout their entire discography, including a handful of tracks from “What’s Past Is Prologue” (“The Corner’s Dilemma,” “Tail Whip, Struggle,” “You Don’t Say That” and the title track), as well as some older favorites, such as “Better Have Burn Heal” and “Randy, I Am The Liquor” from their sophomore album “Bear Your Mind,” and “Tongue Tied,” “Two Beers In,” and “Good Job, Champ,” from their debut LP, “These Days Are Gone.” With each song they played, the band brought so much energy and so much emotion, putting on a great live show overall.

Photos + Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

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2019 © The Camera Affect

Papa Roach w/ Asking Alexandria and Bad Wolves | Who Do You Trust? USA Tour | Photos + Review

Papa Roach Trusts Hollywood To Close Out Their Who Do You Trust USA Tour

Venue: Hollywood Palladium on 8/31/19

Papa Roach has been a consistent band I have listened to throughout the years. Their song “Last Resort” is a staple in the Nu Metal genre and is iconic. When I saw the lineup for their “Who Do You Trust?” USA tour, I was thrilled. Asking Alexandria was the very first band I ever saw live back in 2011, and Bad Wolves’ debut 2018 album “Disobey” absolutely slays, so I knew this would be an amazing night.

First up was Bad Wolves from Los Angeles, CA. Before they even got on stage, the crowd was roaring as Josh Brolin, an actor best known by his’ recent role as Thanos in the Avengers franchise, came out to announce the band. When the band hit the stage, they were immediately on fire. The band opened with their song Learn To Live, which shows off their progressive metalcore roots, with djent style guitar riffs courtesy of guitarists Chris Cain and Doc Coyle, as well as a mixture of clean vocals and screams courtesy of vocalist Tommy Vext. But at the root of djent is the deep bass tones courtesy of Kyle Konkiel and odd time signatures courtesy of drummer John Boecklin. The band played a set that mixed their heavier riffy songs, with more radio rock friendly songs. The band played a total of 8 songs, finishing with their chart topping cover of The Cranberries’ “Zombie”, which they raised $250,000 towards the family of the late Dolores O’Riordan, who died on her way to record her vocal part on their cover. Their performance was filled with such vibrant energy. I was completely blown away by their performance, and they blew my expectations out of the water.

SETLIST

  1. Learn To Live
  2. No Masters
  3. Remember When
  4. Better The Devil
  5. I’ll Be There
  6. Hear Me Now
  7. Officer Down
  8. Zombie

Up next was Asking Alexandria from North Yorkshire, England. Coming on right after Bad Wolves with how tight and energetic they are would be tough for any band to do. For old fans of the band, hoping to hear the heavy metalcore stylings Asking Alexandria was once known for, unfortunately you will not be getting that here. I too have been a fan since their origins with a more metalcore and post-hardcore base, but the band has certainly transitioned to a more radio rock sound and style. They came out of the gate with their new single “The Violence”, which is pretty solid. While all of the other members were wearing normal attire, vocalist Danny Worsnop came out in a beige plaid suit and sun glasses, which definitely felt off. Besides that, the band played a variety of songs, most of which came from their 2017 self titled album “Asking Alexandria”, which was released via Sumerian Records. The only earlier song from the first two albums that the band played was “Someone Somewhere”, which they for some reason decided to play acoustically. The band relied on a lot of pyrotechnics to get through the performance, and while they were entertaining, they distracted from the actual set. The rest of the band consists of guitarists Ben Bruce and Cameron Liddell, bassist Sam Bettley, and drummer James Cassells. Overall, they put on a solid set, however, compared to when I saw them back in 2011, they lacked the heart and emotion I once saw them provide on stage.

SETLIST

  1. The Violence
  2. Into The Fire
  3. Where Did It Go?
  4. Run Free
  5. The Death Of Me
  6. Vultures
  7. Someone, Somewhere
  8. Moving On
  9. Eve
  10. When The Lights Come On
  11. Alone In A Room

Finally, Papa Roach from Vacaville, CA. Playing a sold out show in their hometown state on the second to last day of tour, this legendary band came to slay. For this tour, they prepared a whopping 19-song set that showcased songs from their whole discography. Vocalist Jacoby Shaddix is the ultimate showman, truly utilizing every inch of that stage. Behind the band was a huge LED screen that had many images and lyrics popping up, making the performance so tight and feeling like a full-on spectacle. The rest of the fourpiece consists of lead guitarist Jerry Horton, bassist Tobin Esperance, and drummer Tony Palermo. The band has so much heart and you could feel such positive energy radiating from the stage. In between the songs, Shaddix expressed how important it is to keep music alive, and really thanked people for supporting. It was truly awesome to see a band who’s been doing this for quite some time still be so humble and kind. And of course, the band’s encore “Last Resort”, got the crowd going nuts, with crowd surfers, circle pits, and crowd participation galore. Papa Roach was incredibly high energy, and chose a setlist that flowed beautifully. They proved that they indeed trusted Hollywood to be one of the last shows to close out the tour, and the crowds reactions definitely proved why. Papa Roach put on an incredible set, and I cannot wait to see them again!

SETLIST

  1. Who Do You Trust?
  2. Getting Away With Murder
  3. Broken Home
  4. Help
  5. Elevate
  6. Gravity
  7. Song 2 (Blur Cover)
  8. Drum Solo
  9. …To Be Loved
  10. Blood Brothers
  11. She Loves Me Not
  12. Come Around
  13. Forever
  14. Scars
  15. Between Angels and Insects
  16. Renegade Music
  17. Born For Greatness

ENCORE

  1. Last Resort

The “Who Do You Trust” tour was an amazing experience filled with a mixture of Metalcore, Radio Rock, and Nu-Metal. Papa Roach put together such a dynamic show and truly proved why they are still on top of the game after 26 years of being a band! They deliver and slay on stage!

Papa Roach | Asking Alexandria | Bad Wolves

Photos + Review courtesy of Jamie Kaufman | Instagram

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