Apr 25, 2026 at 3:36 PM I'm really curious to see the response to it! It's a band I've recently just gotten into, took me a second to groove with the sound but once I did I really love it.
Apr 26, 2026 at 12:10 AM Alright f---ers, we're getting janky with it as Mr. Roo suggested. A bit like the Brand New record we're listening to a Post Hardcore album, but an even more niche subgenre within Melodic Post Hardcore called Swancore. There will be some major differences sonically. This weeks pick is considered a classic within this niche and it's: Wake by Hail The Sun Hail The Sun was originally started so the lead singer/drummer Donovan Melero's (who did both live until they hired a touring drummer in 2021 to focus on being a front man) friends could keep an eye on him during his addiction recovery process being a person who abused substances since he was 13. They take a lot of inspiration from more prog bands like The Mars Volta, Coheed and Cambria, Yes, Dance Gavin Dance and a lot more, so expect a lot of tempo changes and a voice that will probably take some getting used to. The project has a loose theme of finality whether it be a relationship, addiction, death etc. very typical within the genre but the specific subjects and Donovans writing sets it apart pretty well imo. I was struggling choosing between this or their 2021 release Brand New Filth but that record is a lot more straightforward sonically and easier to get into so I figured it'd be more fun to throw the uninitiated into the deep end on their most highly regarded album (although they do have a very consistent discography!) Hope you all enjoy!
Apr 26, 2026 at 12:11 AM @AOTWClub @Justin Trudeau for some reason it wasn't letting me tag on this post
Apr 26, 2026 at 12:08 PM Senim Silla - The Name The Motto The Outcome I have to be honest, I had no absolutely no prior knowledge about what this album could be about. I wasn't familiar with the artist, cover, art, etc, so aside from the genre, I was going in completely blind. Upon doing some further research, it turns out that Senim Silla is a member of Binary Star. Now, for those of you who might remember my painfully long Album Log thread (which has been dead for 7 months surprisingly), you MIGHT remember that one of, if not the first album suggestion ITT was Allis, with Binary Star's Masters of the Universe. Now, I haven't checked out MofU or any other Binary Star records, but this connection was pretty intriguing, and like I always am, I was excited to give this a shot. The "Intro" was a pretty good start, with a sick beat, and Silla's delivery was much more energetic than I expected. I have no idea why, but I expected him to have a deeper voice based on the cover lmao. "Keep It Coming" was pretty d--- good as well and I love "V for Vesper". Right away, which was an instant favorite from the second that it started. "Brothers Killed Malcolm" has one of the best instrumentals that I've heard in a while. "Less than Capital" has a great hook, "Rear Window" and "Wild Life" were great too. The instrumental on "The Awakening" wasn't as captivating for me, but it probably has my favorite lyrics on the record. Love the killing Bill Maher line.The rest of the record was pretty solid as well, with "Breaking the Law" and "One for the Money" being standouts. All in all, I really, really, enjoyed this album. Like, I don't really have any negative criticisisms, like at all. Based off of the cover, I expected some really dark production, but the beats were awesomely fun for the most part. Senim is very talented, and his lyrics are great too. Def checking out MotU soon after this. Big, big thanks to @Allis Mines for the pick. FAVORITES: V for Vesper, Brothers Killed Malcolm, Less than Capital, Breaking the Law RATING: 9/10 @AOTWClub @Justin Trudeau
Apr 27, 2026 at 10:59 AM @AOTWClub @jankland has chosen Wake- Hail The Sun Ripper: 9/10 Get your reviews in for last week's Senim Silla album i will score that album on friday at some point!
Apr 27, 2026 at 11:34 PM Hail the Sun - Wake Favorites: Black Serotonin, Mourning Sickness, Falling On Deaf Ears, Relax / Divide RIPPER ROO’S RATING: 9/10 Past me would’ve absolutely loved this. All the existentialism and nihilism is something I used to really identify with and had a lot of the same thoughts that are presented on this album. Even with the crazy instrumentals that switch from hard to soft in such smooth and creative ways, my favorite part of this album is the lyrics by far. “Cosmic Narcissism” is perhaps the best example of what I’m talking about. While I no longer agree with these thought processes since I found my inner light, it provides such an intriguing topic for a song. The vocalist does a wonderful job at hitting such topics with the right amount of emotion so you can feel the lyrics even more. It’s magical when the vocals, the instrumentals, and the lyrics work so well together. While it’s hard to be bored with an album like this, I did find myself slightly losing interest in the second half of the album. Still there’s not a single bad song on this album. @AOTWClub
Apr 28, 2026 at 1:06 AM Wasnt expecting that high of a score but im glad you enjoyed! I do agree it's a bit long for how chaotic a lot of the instrumentals are so it can be little fatiguing but the talent there is crazy. I go in and out of the nihilistic and existential thoughts so it's super mood dependant but it's been hitting for me recently. You have a lot of my favorites on your list too, good to see!
Apr 28, 2026 at 1:19 AM Found this live of one of my favorite songs from the album for anyone interested, theres others where he sounds pitch perfect of the recording but this had the clearest drum view. As someone thats trying to learn the drums and also likes to try singing songs with this kind of register with both harsh and clean vocals seeing both done simultaneously even during the more complex rhythm sections is crazy to me.
Apr 28, 2026 at 4:47 AM I guess I’m a swancore enjoyer I feel you bro, it makes sense especially with how the world is today. Hope you’re doing okay! My favorites are also some of their top songs on Apple Music so it seems a lot of people agree
