Sell Out Records - A Music Review Blog

P.O.D's Bold Leap to Mainstream In the arena of heavy music, the leap from niche corners to the glaring spotlight of mainstream success is a path fraught with challenges. Yet, P.O.D (Payable on Death) navigates this journey with unparalleled audacity and energy in their major label debut, "The Fundamental Elements of Southtown." This record is more than a mere collection of tracks; it's a profound statement marking a deft crossover from the band's Christian artistry roots to a broader mainstream rock audience. The Genre-Defying Sound of Southtown "The Fundamental Elements of Southtown" is a testament to P.O.D's mastery in blending diverse genres. The album is a rich tapestry woven with threads of nu-metal, reggae, and hip-hop. It opens with "Hollywood," a track that sets the tone for an album that oscillates between raw energy and deep introspection. Songs like "Southtown" and the anthemic "Rock the Party (Off the Hoo...

Labeled as an experimental, meta-rock record, Herman Martinez takes on the tropes of what alternative, rock, heavy music, and shatters definitions. From the first track that opens “Solopsi Radio”, you are treated to an eclectic arrangement of instruments that are very much heavy, and very much in the same framework that Tool’s debut started with. However, the comparisons to the past slowly lift as the song’s structure begins to reveal an all different approach to the rock genre. There’s a staggering bass line, a triumphant guitar lead, and vocals that create a haunting experience. As you progress through the record, you are given a mix of heavy, soft, mellow, and contemplative lyrical elements. Tracking on this record is diverse, unique, and bring about a lot of comparisons. You are not going to be able to pinpoint “one” genre here, but it’s definitely rock heavy. This is a strength of Martinez’s composition, layering plenty of rock sounds into a larger portrait. Tracks like “Fic...

This has moved to jdune.com

This has moved to jdune.com

I’m slow to the grind sometimes. There are moments in my life in which I don’t want to write any longer. Then inspiration strikes and I jump at the chance to speak up. Music is that way for me, there are so many tracks, so many albums that I love, and while I listen to a LOT of music, I tend to forget to review it all. That’s what happened with the latest from Fit For A King. They released “Slave To Nothing” in 2014 , and I haven’t reviewed it for this site yet. So here is my take on this incredible mix of hardcore, metal, and melody. From the beginning of the album, you are messed with. The band doesn’t hit you with the chugging riffs and hardcore elements that made some of their previous songs so heavy. Instead, they pull you throw an emotional connection not too unlike the openings that made Poison The Well industry darlings long ago. “Kill The Pain” does just that, it brings you into the mix of soft, heavy, and break downs that make the genre of heavy music so eclectic. If you’...

Vileborn is an independent hard rock act that caught my attention recently. Their latest release “Vileated EP” is a complex mix of several genres, but in the end, it’s heavy. It moves fast through 4 songs, and pushes the boundaries of metal, rock, and even a little punk for the mix. There’s a lot to enjoy here, even in just 4 songs, as each one stands out as an anthem that will definitely find a home with many hard music fans. From the introduction of “Plague the Day” to the heavy handed “Terminal”, you get a lot to balance out. “Pick Your Poison” and “Bastard” close the EP out and you get a fully scale rock approach, but not without some incredible metallic crunch. The guitar work on the record is good, and the drums definitely find a home with the singing and screaming really well done as well. This is a band that has a bright future, especially if they continue to work within the balancing act of metal and hard rock, leaving nothing behind. Vileborn really comes through on thi...