Here are two metalcore albums released by two Aussie bands recently.  And one is better than the other, in this reviewers humble opinion.

Metalcore is one of those genres that people either get or they don’t, but there is a lot of average material around. 

Medics Of Pain – Let’s Bang (2019)

Medics Of Pain are one of the better bands in the genre around.  Seasoned musos like Jamie Sekold and Dean Arkane have been around the block once or 27 times.  This Brisbane band are fantastic live, decent blokes off stage and rock out regardless of the size of the audience.

They back it up on record too.  The title track is up first, and it grabs your scalp by it’s hand and bangs it.  And does not stop until the final beat of the final song.  Usual metalcore subjects are sung about but they are sung with experience, thought and a bit of soul. Recommended.

7.5/10

Review by Gregg Heldon

Diamond Construct – Self Titled (2019)

Diamond Construct, on the other hand, are a young band from Taree who sing about young angst and isolation.  They would sing from experience being from there (l have rellos still living there) but there are miss steps here. 

There are good things here on their debut. There is promise and potential, the vocals are cleaner than some and, I like the name.  It’s a cool name.

However, songs flowed into each other and I thought I was still listening to the same song. And, the themes are too limited.  Finally, there’s too much swearing.  It’s not well placed or thoughtful.  It’s swearing for swearings sake.  There’s only a couple of songs on here that could be played on radio, even community radio, and one of them is a ballad and that’s the weakest song on the album.

I’m no prude. I work in one of the roughest workplaces known to man but, if you’re going to swear, have a think.

4/10

Review by Gregg Heldon