Review: All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell

PVRIS are one of my favourite newer bands.  The Massachusetts three piece exploded onto the scene back in 2014 with the awesome single St. Patrick, followed up at the end of that year by their debut album, White Noise.  PVRIS’s sound combines post hardcore guitars and drumming with pop and electronic influences, seamlessly blending genres and bringing something a little bit different to the table.

White Noise is a brilliant debut record, so I was extremely excited to hear the lead single for their second album, Heaven, back in April.  You can watch the music video for the track here:

I fell in love with this track from first listen, so it’s safe to say that I had high expectations for All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell, which was released on Friday after a short delay to their original release date.  Spoiler alert: if you enjoyed the singles, then you will definitely enjoy this record.

The album opens with Heaven, which sets the tone for the rest of the record with its huge chorus.  Even though this album can’t really be described as heavy instrumentally, and although the pop and synth sound has definitely been dialled up in this latest record, PVRIS’s lyrical content has brought AWKOHAWNOH to another level.

Discussing toxic and unhealthy relationships as well as vocalist Lynn Gunn’s own mental state, this record definitely isn’t a lighthearted listen.  Lines such as “I don’t belong to anyone else” from Anyone Else and “don’t need a metaphor for you to know I’m miserable” from What’s Wrong are backed with raw emotion, Gunn firmly stepping into the role of front woman on this record.  Whilst White Noise dealt with mature lyrical themes as well, AWKOHAWNOH takes those struggles, shoves them into the spotlight and tackles them head-on.

Even amongst these heavy hitting lyrical themes, the catchy and inevitably crowd pleasing instrumentals are hard to find fault with.  Lead guitarist Alex Babinski and bass guitarist Brian MacDonald shine on this album, creating tracks which will fill dancefloors at rock clubs and energise crowds at gigs and festivals.  Highlights include the beautiful, dreamy harp at the end of Walk Alone, the crashing riffs during the chorus of No Mercy, and the up-tempo album closer Nola 1.

One criticism I have of the lead-up to AWKOHAWNOH’s release is that PVRIS have already released five out of the 10 album tracks as singles.  Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy hearing new music by the band, but the excitement of listening to a new record for the first time was dampened down slightly considering I’d already heard 50% of its content.  Maybe this means there’ll be a deluxe version of the album, like there was for White Noise?  I’ll be keeping an eye out to see if that could be a possibility.

Overall, in case it wasn’t evident from the tone of this review, I absolutely LOVE All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell.  The only downside to PVRIS releasing this masterful body of work is that there’s now yet another contender for my album of the year. You guys aren’t making my job of choosing the best record of 2017 any easier, you know.

Highlights: Anyone Else, What’s Wrong, Walk Alone, Separate

9 incredible tracks you need in your life – June 2017

Happy Sunday altrocklifers! Unfortunately this series had to take a break in May, but now I’m back to bring you a round-up of the best singles released throughout this month.  Strap in – this month is a good one!

Foo Fighters – Run

Foo Fighters kicked off this month in an incredible fashion, with a brand new track and awesome video directed by the main man Dave Grohl himself.  This track is a return to the band’s heavier roots following their last album, Sonic Highways, which had a much more varied sound.

Wolf Alice – Yuk Foo

Wolf Alice are back! This grungy and frankly explosive track is their first release since their debut album, My Love Is Cool, was released in 2015.  It’s a massive song and I can’t wait to hear more!

PVRIS – What’s Wrong

The hype for PVRIS’s upcoming album All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell just keeps building following the release of this brilliant latest single.

Hands Like Houses – Drift

Hands Like Houses recently moved from Rise Records over to Hopeless Records, and what better way for them to celebrate than release a new single?

The Devil Wears Prada – Worldwide

The Devil Wears Prada dropped the latest single from their last full length record, Transit Blues, and it sounds great.

Good Charlotte ft. Kellin Quinn – Keep Swingin’

Taken from their latest album Youth Authority, Good Charlotte released the video for this anthemic track which gives a solid middle finger to the band’s haters.

Trash Boat – Tring Quarry

If you want brand-spanking new British pop punk, then Trash Boat are the band for you.  Here’s their latest single, taken from their album Nothing I Write You Can Change What You’ve Been Through.

With Confidence – Archers

I’m a fan of With Confidence, having featured them in this series before, so I was pretty happy to see the video for this track hit my YouTube subscription box!

Make Them Suffer – Fireworks

Make Them Suffer are an Australian five-piece band, and if you’re a fan of altrocklife you’ll probably know that I’m a big fan of bands which combine male and female vocals.  Even during this track, the dreamy female backing vocals provided by Booka Nile contrast brilliantly with male vocalist Sean Harmanis, so from first listen Fireworks was a winner for me.

---

What do you think of these tracks?  Are there any awesome singles I missed?  Let me know on my Facebook or Twitter page, or in the comment section below this post.

10 great bands to see live in winter 2017

If you’ve been following alternative music news as closely as I have, you’ll know that there are some awesome bands set to play UK tours towards the end of this year.  Today I thought I’d run through some of these upcoming live dates, whether I’m planning on attending one of the gigs or just wish I could.

New Found Glory – September/October 2017, dates here

Pop punk legends New Found Glory, who are celebrating the band’s 20th year, will be visiting our shores in September/October of this year.  Their latest record was released in April, so it will be exciting for fans to hear some of those newer tracks live alongside older classics.

Metallica – October 2017, dates here

Metal giants Metallica will be returning to UK shores this October, but alas, the general sale for all of their dates have already sold out.  Bad luck to everyone who missed out!

Enter Shikari – November 2017, dates here

I already covered the news of Enter Shikari’s upcoming UK tour last month, but I had to include them in this round-up because their line-up is absolutely fantastic.  Lower Than Atlantis put on a great show, and Astroid Boys are an innovative up-and-coming band, so I’m certain this tour will be one to remember.  I’ve already seen Enter Shikari live four times, and their performances are always incredible, so I’d love to make it five in November at the Nottingham Motorpoint Arena.

Royal Blood – November 2017, dates here

Royal Blood will be performing their first ever headline arena dates this year, and I can’t wait to see them fill the huge venues with their awesome sound.  The band recently announced At The Drive In and Black Honey as their support acts, so I’m certain these dates will not disappoint.

Alice Cooper – November 2017, dates here

Rock ‘n’ roll giant Alice Cooper will be bringing his incredible live performances and stage shows back to the UK in November of this year.  If you attend one of his gigs, it’s certain to be a night you won’t forget in a hurry.

PVRIS, November 2017, dates here

PVRIS are set to release their upcoming second album, All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell in August, and a few months later they’ll be celebrating its release with a short run of UK dates.

Good Charlotte – November/December 2017, dates here

Good Charlotte’s latest album, Youth Authority, got a decent write-up here on altrocklife, so it would be awesome to see the band perform some of their new tracks live.  Plus, let’s be real, this band are pop punk legends, and it would be a nostalgia-filled trip to the past to see Good Charlotte perform live.

The Kooks – November/December 2017, dates here

Pop rock legends The Kooks are doing a Best Of tour at the end of this year, and it would be awesome to see them live.  Most people I know grew up listening to The Kooks, so I’m sure it would be fantastic to see them perform their greatest hits.

Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes – December 2017, dates here

Everyone who’s seen The Rattlesnakes live know that this group put on an incredible show, and I’m extremely lucky to have already bought my ticket to see them in Nottingham on December 6th.  It’ll be my first time seeing The Rattlesnakes, and long term readers of altrocklife will know how long I’ve been waiting to see this band.  If you’ve got the opportunity to see them live, you’ll regret it if you don’t take it.

Marilyn Manson – December 2017, dates here

Marilyn Manson is one of the most infamous musicians on the scene, with a solid fanbase built over the past 20+ years.  You’d have to be pretty lucky to catch him during this short string of UK dates.

---

Have you got tickets for any of these tours?  Let me know on my Facebook or Twitter page, or in the comment section below this post.

News: letlive. call it quits, PVRIS tease new album, and Fall Out Boy release controversial track

Hi altrocklifers! This week has been a pretty busy one in terms of alternative and rock music news, so today I thought I’d round everything important up into one handy package for your reading pleasure.

letlive. call it quits after fifteen years

I can’t tell you how sad I was when I read the letlive. Facebook post on Friday, explaining that there would be “no further activity for the foreseeable future”.  The band have been going since 2002, and released four full length records and one EP during that time.  I was lucky enough to see letlive. perform at Leeds Festival in 2014, but unfortunately at the time I had never listened to their music, so I couldn’t really appreciate their awesome performance.

I only really got into letlive. last year, with the release of their most recent album If I’m The Devil…, which I consider one of the best albums released in 2016.  I’ll forever be disappointed that I was unable to see the band perform tracks from If I’m The Devil… live, but the band haven’t explicitly said that the band are gone for good, so maybe, just maybe, they’ll be back some day?  Wishful thinking I know.

PVRIS release a video teasing the release of their next album

Recently PVRIS announced a short run of shows, which led fans to believe that a new album, follow-up to 2014’s White Noise, would be on its way soon.  On Friday the band dropped a teaser video via the Rise Records YouTube channel.  Is the title of the video, All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell, the name of their second full length record?  Maybe the first single to be released from the album?  Who knows.  The band are being very coy on social media and in interviews, so I’m looking forward to finding out.

Fall Out Boy release controversial new track

Fall Out Boy have never been a band that meets expectations, and they threw fan expectations out of the window on Thursday when they announced the release of their next album, MANIA.  The announcement, which included the release date of September 15th and discounted pre-order bundles, was accompanied by the album’s first single, Young And Menace.  The verses remind me a little of their most recent record, American Beauty/American Psycho, but the super EDM chorus is unlike anything Fall Out Boy have ever done before, so nobody really knows what the entire album will sound like.  Me? I haven’t decided if I like this latest track, I’m 100% on the fence.  However, my love of Fall Out Boy means I’ll be waiting impatiently for the next single.  Here’s the YouTube video for the track.

---

What do you think of the new Fall Out Boy track? How do you feel about letlive. calling it quits?  Let me know on my Facebook or Twitter page, or in the comment section below this post.

altrocklife album haul: 06/06/16

Hey altrocklifers and welcome to my blog’s triumphant return! Over the past nine months I’ve essentially been a hermit due to the final year of my university course keeping me extremely busy, so unfortunately updating this blog had fallen by the wayside. But fear not! Now I’ve finished university I’ve got a lot more free time, so altrocklife is being revived.  From now on the blog will focus much more on music news and reviews rather than fashion and lifestyle posts, and after today I’ll be changing my upload schedule, from Mondays and Thursdays to Wednesdays and Sundays.

So, what better way to kick things off than with a review of my recent musical purchases?

Gallows – Desolation Sounds

Ever since Frank Carter of The Rattlesnakes fame left the band in 2011, Gallows seem to have dropped off the radar a bit; their 2012 self-titled album as well as Desolation Sounds didn’t get much attention. However, I think the album is dark and raw, and I absolutely love it. I bought it a couple of months ago and I’ve been listening to it pretty regularly since then.

Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool

If I’m ever in the mood for more indie guitar-led tracks, Wolf Alice’s first LP is my album of choice. My Love Is Cool has a great mix of chilled, acoustic tracks and more upbeat ones.

PVRIS – White Noise

I know I’m super behind the times here: White Noise has been out since 2014 and I only picked it up last month. Of course I already knew and loved the singles St. Patrick, My House and Fire so buying this album was definitely a safe bet.  If you’re after strong female vocals and synthy rock, this is the album for you.

Band Of Skulls – By Default

Band Of Skulls are one of my favourite bands, and to be honest I didn’t even realise they had a new album coming out until I spotted it on the shelves of HMV the other week.  It’s absolutely fantastic and definitely their best album yet.

Foals – What Went Down

Foals’ latest album is heavier than their previous efforts, and I’m a big fan of the slight shift.  Singles What Went Down and Mountain At My Gates are brilliant tracks, and two of my favourites on the album.

Pierce The Veil – Misadventures

Following the success of Collide With The Sky, Pierce The Veil had big boots to fill with the follow-up album. Misadventures is pretty fantastic, but I’m not sure if it tops their previous 2012 album yet.  I’ll be giving it a few more listens before I make my decision.

Now on to a couple of albums I picked up today and haven’t had the chance to listen to yet.

Nothing But Thieves – Nothing But Thieves

If you followed my blog last year and kept up with my ‘incredible tracks you need in your life’ series, you’ll remember that I featured Nothing But Thieves multiple times throughout those posts.  I’m a massive fan of this band, especially vocalist Conor’s fantastic voice, so I’m certain I’ll love the album. Itch was one of my favourite songs of 2015, which definitely bodes well.

Panic! At The Disco – Death Of A Bachelor

Whilst I was a big fan of Panic’s first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, I stopped actively following the band not long after its release and the rest of their albums seemed to pass me by. However, The Emperor’s New Clothes and Don’t Threaten Me With A Good Time caught my attention and I decided I needed to hear the rest of the album.

Lonely The Brave – Things Will Matter

I saw Lonely The Brave supporting Deaf Havana in December 2014, and they absolutely blew me away.  I haven’t got round to listening to their previous album yet, but I heard Rattlesnakes and Black Mire from the new LP and I really enjoyed both tracks. I can’t wait to get my teeth into Things Will Matter.

So that’s my summary of my recent album purchases. Are you a fan of any of these albums? What records are you looking forward to this year? Let me know on Facebook or Twitter.