But sometimes we come across something that can instantly transport us to that rare state of lucid dreaming…that is what happened to me in the first couple of minutes when listening to Hidden Pillars’ latest single “Shattered”.

If you’re thinking that dreams are all just synth pads and ambient sounds…then no, that is not that kind of dream… the one I’m talking about is a very melodic dream, with dreamy vocals, dreamy chords, smooth energy and a bit of magic.

Coming from Townsville, Australia, Hidden Pillars are apparently taking the world by storm.

Let’s get to know the brains and soul of Hidden Pillars…

Jayden Bauers on Drums

Matt Magnani on Guitar and Vocals

Nick Stewart on Bass

“Shattered” was produced by ‘Rock Auteur’ Adib Parker (Cheekbone).

Hidden Pillars have a wide range of musical genres that they play, from indie to math to alternative rock, there is nothing off the board, if it sounds good, they do it…and if they do it, it sounds good. As easy as this.

They have a very fresh and raw approach to their music, whether from sounds, vocal performance, beats, rhythm, they have their soulprint in each track…that’s not something you see everyday. As I was saying, this is a ‘rarity’.

So how about we get to know more about their latest single “Shattered” and jump into it heads first? Let’s do that!

“Shattered” starts out with a simple and catchy clean guitar rhythm…an intro to the ‘dreaminess’ to come…

The vocals come in so smoothly you’ll feel like slipping into a dream without noticing…

Vocals continue to spread their wings…bit by bit…harmonizing, layering…being lush.

That mood builds up till it hits a point of no return, a place where we have to go deeper into the dream, but go stronger too…that’s where the drums, wide guitars and awesome bass line explodes and engulfs us…

The whole track continues to build up constantly, maybe there’s a time or two where the music calms down, only to take you back up and to tell their story…

Speaking of story, “Shattered” talks about…well, how about I share with you an awesome paragraph from Hidden Pillars themselves, describing their drive behind “Shattered”…and what it all means:

“We wanted to mimic the gradually building intensity of a relationship with the instrumentation behind the lyrics. Starting off soft and somber with the initial thoughts after meeting someone, slowly adding more layers and sounds as that person starts growing into your life, delving into them on a deeper level, and a silence, building tension, before feelings are shared and you commit yourself to them, unprepared and unknowing, waiting for their response.”

…no one could have put this better than the minds behind this creation.

Back to the music, the dreamy nature of the intro to “Shattered” is not gone by the end, no, actually as the song gets more emotional, more powerful, it still has some kind of halo around it that keeps it and keeps you with it in that dream-like state…

The song is almost 4 minutes long, yet, the first time I heard it I felt it was more like two and a half minutes long maybe…and I think this is a testament to how well the song is written and structured, it is like a story or a movie, with ups and down perfectly separated, perfectly arranged and told so we can get that experience.

When listening to “Shattered” I got the feeling that I’m listening to something on par with ‘Muse’, the vocals are awesome and unique…the buildup and drive is tight and they have that kind of energy that floats around their songs.

Hidden Pillars, you guys made our day, we wish you all the luck in the world…and some more.

We’ll be on the lookout for more brilliant music from you.

Cheers!

Chronicling the dimensions of an abusive relationship that Zach Cohen experienced, he is the songwriter, vocal, and guitarist of RedrumSociety and one of the original founding members of the band and the only one remaining from the original lineup.

Zah has been dealing with a lot…addiction, legal problems, the heartbreaking passing away of one of the band’s original members….and an abusive relationship along with all of that.

I would say he used all of his life force to write this song.
If you have experienced or have been even remotely involved in such a relationship, you would instantly click with Zach’s lyrics, it goes through all the emotions whether lyrically or musically.

I can’t wait to tell you about the song, so let’s get into it…

First things first, the title “Stormy Weather”…can you relate anymore to it now that you know the history? Kudos for the name alone.

The lyrics and vocal performance take you through the turbulent stormy weather of an emotional trip.
…the first line is literally “she stole my happiness”….which encapsulates everything that is coming after this line…
Zach starts to descend into the details of this relationship, both lyrically and musically.

The vocal layers and harmonies are awesome, with the pizzicato strings in the background…some guitar licks here and there, everything gels so well.

The steady drumbeat acts as the steadiness of time passing with this relationship, until the pre-chorus, which changes things up and starts acting up, like a volcano about to blow.

The Chorus is basically the volcano blowing up musically….and everything turned to 11.

The bridge in the second half of the song is musically uplifting as if giving you a glimpse of hope that this relationship could work, but then it goes back into pre-chorus and chorus and ends abruptly, apparently this is what happened in real life…that is how I perceived it at least.

The song structure is top-notch, I love the vocal layers and harmonies, the sounds are awesome, and above all, the song as a whole sounds epic.

We know that there is a new line-up for RedrumSociety now, we wish you guys all the best!

…keep on writing true-to-yourself songs, we can’t wait to hear the amazing things you will come up with!

Cheers!

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Rock Era Magazine

– The order of the playlist is based on the submission receive date.

Anathema

I prefer to start with “Anathema” from “Distant Satellites” (2014). Yeah, the name of the song is so close to the name of the band, but the lyrics of this song could summarize the journey of the band; “but we laughed, and we cried, and we fought, and we tried and we failed, but I love you.” The music carries beautiful key sounds with charming vocals performance, it is so close to theatrical monologue.

Inner Silence 

It could be not one of the most listened tracks of Anathema, but for me, it is one of the best ones of the band. The track could be short but it is really deep. The intro of the keys and the sounds cellos and guitars conquer your feelings and the wonderful lyrics will absolutely catch your thoughts; “when the light of your life sighs and love dies in your eyes.” Inner Silence is taken from Anathema’s successful release “Alternative 4” (1998).

J’ai Fait Une Promesse 

This song could be somehow unfamiliar to you. This one is taken from Anathema’s first full length “Serenades” (1993) and I was careful to check Anathema’s early stuff. It is closer to early Katatonia, more into death and depressive ones. Moving back to the song, “Jai Fait Une Promesse” is a short French track performed in a pitch closer to the folk music performance. Make sure to listen to it.

Lost Control

“Lost Control” is one of the most listened Anathema stuff and it is one of the definitive tracks of the band. “Lost Control” is a very depressive and heartbreaking song, especially, its final part starting with “yes, I am falling, how much longer till I hit the ground?“. It expresses the human’s tragedy melancholy! The song is taken from the timeless “Alternative 4” (1998).

Springfield

“Springfield” is taken from the band’s latest album “The Optimist” (2017). As for me, this song is so special. It is composed of huge and rich instrumental fusion. Just enjoy the music.

Better off Dead  

“Better off Dead” is also one of the unfamiliar tracks by the band, but it is a beautiful and expressive song. If you a fan of piano songs with emotional pitch, this is for you. “Better off Dead” is added to “Alternative 4” in the later versions of the album. Please note that this song is not an Anathema original, but it is a Bad Religion band cover.

Sentient

“Sentient” is an instrumental track taken from “Eternity” (1996). It is the most track suitable for Autumn, it is cold, full of shivers, melancholic. You can hear the sound of the gray clouds, misty sky, and ghostly nights.

One Last Goodbye

There is no Anathema list without “One Last Goodbye”. This song has unforgotten memories with me, I remember every tune of, it could be a song for forever farewell or a long-gone lover! death, fear, coldness, and sorrow! “One Last Goodbye” is taken from “Judgment” (1999).

 Harmonium

“Harmonium” is a surprising track! It is taken from “A Natural Disaster” (2003) and it is a wonderful progressive track. There are different musical combinations as rock, depressive/atmospheric, and orchestral. I feel strange heat and hate in this music, “I was trying to live my life, it wouldn’t let me feel free to comprehend, what I see will never end.”

Regret

“fear, regret, loneliness,” those three words summarize Anathema’s lyrical themes, and “Regret” is a gate for many people to cross to Anathema’s music. I still remember the moment my best friend sent me the link of this track to travel to Anathemas’s realm.

 I hope you enjoy our list and keep supporting your favorite music taste. Finally, a few years ago, our co-founder NJ Bakr had the chance to interview Anathema face to face in Dubai, she was the first Middle-Eastern Metal interviewed to had such a huge step in the Middle Eastern metal journalism career, check it through this HERE.

Konarucchi is a multi-genre solo artist from a small town in New Zealand called Wainuiomata. He likes to experiment with many different styles of music, without focusing on how they will fit together because he believes that cohesion in music comes from the artist rather than the genre. This idea has a clear influence on the music he creates and is strongly apparent in his debut EP ‘Stuck in Daydreams’. What do you think? A powerful description right? Well, he wrote it and we think he did it! ‘They Follow’ song theme: “is about being overrun by your bad thoughts and feelings, which I think is important to talk about.” yes the lyrics is very deep really but also the music.

The song has several progressive, indie and alternative influences and variations as well. The singing technique is amazing reminds me of bands like Muse and Porcupine Tree. But what really caught my ears is the music, it’s really interesting, I am in love with the composition especially when you get deeper in the track, the melody and drum beats proves that he NAILED IT!

Ania is originally from Koszalin, Poland. She is a female DIY guitarist and songwriter from LA, who blends melodic aggressive female vocals, modern synth textures, and killer guitar solos in her music. Largely inspired by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, St Vincent, Blondie, Tool, Rage Against the Machines, L7, and Alice in Chains, her music embodies the 21st-century rock movement.

Well, I said above ‘supposed to be grunge’ actually I don’t feel it grunge rock, or to be more specific, I don’t feel it purely genre, yes, I can see its 90s influences, which is amazing really, but not a grunge track, in my opinion. Away from the genre, I like it indeed. The music video is pretty simple, and I usually go for simplicity really. The song starts with a smooth guitar solo with a nice melody and then starts singing, which I can say that her voice is pretty interesting and I like the guitar licks between. I will just have one note, while Ania submitting her track she was saying “I know my song is not a typical structure but skip minute in to hear the verse” actually, I disagree with you Ania because I like the whole song structure. Keep it up! 😉

The Random Hubiak Band is an Asbury Park NJ outfit. Influenced by 60s and 70s British rock and American singer-songwriters, their songs are something of an anachronism in today’s music scene: Highly literate, narrative-driven, melodic without being reductive, and sometimes complex but without being willfully obscure. And we totally agree with this description.

“We Like it”is set to be released today June 16th, 2020. The song reminds us of iconic acts like Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beatles, and Cheap Trick. The melodic overdriven guitar lines with powerful singing, and the kind of drum beats that close to your heart/ears! The song lyrics is very catchy and simple:

“We like it because it’s what we’ve been told.

We like it. That’s the way the world gets sold.

We like it: never too young to put a price tag on your soul For a man in a suit or the pied piper’s flute

Idealistic pursuits pale next to bags of loot and gold” 

In general, I have no negative feedback about the song. Well, no more waste of time for you, check their website now and enjoy! 😉

Follow The Random Hubiak on SoundCloud, Spotify, and YouTube.

And find more info on their website here.

First, let me introduce to Evernoir; they define themselves as an alternative metal/hard rock band, with an amazing female-fronted with a unique voice. The band formed in Eau Claire, WI back in 2016.

What really was interesting to me -besides the music for sure- is their main band idea: “The music focuses around abuse and suicide awareness. It is the testimony of the band to reach those who are struggling in similar situations, to let them know they do not stand alone in the battle against depression and human violence; and that hope and love will win out with perseverance.” and that simply made me in love with their music.

The singing style with the music illustrates what was written above; the music is really deep and in my point-of-view, the singer did a really great job to deliver the idea of the lyrical theme. Also, I like the guitar meldoy it’s very catchy to the ears. Well, check it now on Spotify, and I believe that you’ll agree with me that Evernoir will be one of the iconic alternative metal acts soon.

Fall Awake formed last year ‘from a collection of Craigslist ads,’ Step Outside old school influences are pretty clear in this song. The catchy overdriven chords really caught my ears from the start, the solo of the intro reminds me of Guns N’ Roses golden era in the late 80s and early 90s, and I can see it’s nicely written to be repeated again in other parts of the song.

Even though I didn’t find much info about the band but I noticed the song got generally good feedback from other listeners. Frankly, I don’t find any negative points in this song, and if you are 80s/90s freak like me, then you will like it for sure. Check it out below and let me know what do you think.

The song starts with a very catchy beginning of nicely made riffs and soloing, and leading to old school RNR vocals. The song lyrics structure is kind of unfamiliar but in my opinion, is unique as well. But my favourite part is this one:

“Signs of the sunbeams in the dark
Are we are ready for a brand new start?
Like an old song, I know you by heart
Are we ready for a brand new start?”

Especially before the solo, and for the solo, oh! I feel it more like glam era soloing techniques, which I love it! The final solo reminds me of the iconic band like Europe. If you’re looking for an old RNR spirit with a modern theme, then definitely go for this one!