Welcome to this week’s edition of The Spark! This is where we invite all of you normal people to come inside of the AltWire circus tent and see what music has captured our ears for the week!
Here are some of the hard-working & unique artists that we’ve found ourselves listening to this week. Please enjoy and be sure to show the artists plenty of love, as they work hard to bring you all of this awesome music!
WAKRAT – “Knucklehead”
WAKRAT is Timmy C’s (from Rage Against the Machine et Audioslave) new band. They describe themselves as “Two French Nationals and one American Anarchist – a fresh breath of societal angst wrapped in sonic urgency”. The video was shot at the group’s rehearsal studio. The video was filmed using cameras attached to drones and GoPros hooked up to “ceiling fans, drums, drills, the floor, you name it,” as Timmy C puts it. After watching this video, I definitely felt the insanity of being “locked in my aquarium”, just like the chorus says!
Amanda Markley – “Jealousy”
Amanda Markley’s ode to jealousy will stir memories within everyone who has experienced the emotion when seeing another couple. Especially if ½ of that couple is someone that you had feelings for! You can tell Amanda is singing from heartfelt experience on Jealousy. The emotion in her voice will make you jealous as you realize one fact: that only Amanda could bring this song to her audience and make us feel the emotion in this song.
To Live As Wolves – Stalemate ft. Davey Muise
To Live as Wolves is a post-hardcore band from Staten Island, NY. Stalemate is the first music video from the band’s sophomore EP “Breakneck Road”, which was released on April 8th. The “Breakneck Road” EP, has a very un-selfish purpose, as you can tell by this video. The different sub-melodies found within Stalemate set the tone very well for the different mood variations within the song. They ask the question, “Am I the only one who feels this way?” while displaying a noose. They then to go on to let the audience know that they, in fact, are not alone. As a matter of fact, neither is anyone else who feels this way.
Decyfer Down – “Nothing More”
Rien de plus is the first single from Decyfer Down’s new independent album, “The Other Side Of Darkness”, which was released on April 1, 2016! This song is a badass way to tell evil goodbye, as Decyfer Down cuts the ties with Satan in the ultimate break-up. It’s also metaphoric for the listener, who can easily substitute a jilted lover in place of Satan. Either way, there’s nothing there anymore, and this relationship doesn’t need any closure.
Holland Road – “Heart on my Sleeve”
Holland Road is a band that makes you remember better times. This is their first single “Heart on my Sleeve”. See our review of “Heart on my Sleeve” here for more!
Dream Drop – “A Letter to My Friends”
Dream Drop is an Alternative Rock Band who is really hard to classify as mere “Rock”. They can easily be a multi-genre band as they display on A Letter to my Friends. In other words, their music is right up AltWire’s Alley! On this song, the letter to their friends aren’t the typical friends that you think of when you see the title. In between guitar riffs, you may want to write a letter to your “friends” also!
Jynx – “Taker”
Jynx comes with a super hard song with Taker. If this song makes you feel as if Jynx is looking right through you, then you need to re-evaluate your life choices. The reason why? This song is all about pretenders. Jynx is not only discrediting pretenders on Taker, they also appeal to them by saying, “Be real – official – step your game up son”. That, in my opinion, may be the statement of the year!
Demon In Me – “Make It Hurt”
The audience will really feel the pain in Demon In Me’s Make It Hurt. The pain of carrying feelings for an ex while they move on, seemingly oblivious to the mental damage they’ve done. Meanwhile, the demons that remain continue to taunt and torture on this song. The fact that the antagonist “didn’t mean it” means nothing. The demon’s are still there and it still hurts.
Servant Sun – “Taste of Silver”
Servant Sun’s Taste of Silver is a song about the bringing their audience the truth in the never-ending darkness of the endless night. Lies are transparent. This song will make the listener picture Servant Sun as true “Guitar Heroes” who came to expose the liars. Taste of Silver could easily be a theme song, as the sun begins to rise to illuminate the darkness!
Making Monsters – “Better”
Better is the first single from the upcoming EP, “Bad Blood”, coming out May 13th. The video is filmed on a set that was pulled straight from a monster flick. Horror background and all, Making Monsters has a kick-ass anthem in Better. Their audience is going to wonder if it’s possible for Making Monsters to create any songs better than Better. If this song is any indicator of what “Bad Blood” will be like, the Billboard charts will be that much “better” for Making Monsters!
