Up Next on the chopping block is another mixed bag review. Now I’ve decided that I’m going to take these mixed bag reviews in an eclectic direction. So I have selected four awesome bands for this one and with that let’s take a look………..
Dogma/Dogma- so for pretty good while I’ve heard about this band. Like sometimes I would go on Spotify and I would see small clips of them playing live, accompanied by their music or I would run across them in someway shape or form. So I looked into it and they pretty much only have one album so I decided to check it out. Now I have never really listened to any of their music and their look is kind of cool I guess. It’s four ladies dressed up as nuns wearing corpse paint. So you figure if a band wears corpse paint at the very least they would sound like a black metal band or even a blackened death metal band right? Well no and in fact their look does not match the music. Now I don’t know much about this band or what statement they’re trying to say, but they kinda sound a bit like that band Burning Witches. Honestly, that’s probably the best comparison. Not the album itself almost feels like a power metal album. Like vocally it’s like teasing that line. The guitar work is pretty good and overall the album is just ok. It’ll be interesting to hear what the next album will be. I’ll give this album 7/10.
Standouts: Made Her Mine, Free Yourself, Carnal Liberation
Stronger Than Machines/Undivided/Warnings- what’s notable about this band is that the vocalist Andy Knapp also sings for Snot (and he absolutely kills it). But this is not about that band and if you’re looking for anything like Snot, then you will be in for a disappointment. This band is more on the metal core side of things and I gotta say I was expecting something generic and I was very pleasantly surprised. One thing that really stood out was the fact that Andy can go from harsh vocals to clean vocals really well and I definitely was not expecting that. The best way I can describe both of these EP’s is if you take a band like Hatebreed and throw in a little bit of Trivium then this would be the end result. Both EP’s are just a lot of fun and they’re both short but sweet. Now I have had the privilege of seeing this when they were booked for a Cobalt Presents show (if you haven’t been to one you absolutely need to) and they are just an absolute blast live.
Undivided Score: 9/10
Warnings Score: 8.5/10
Standouts: We Are The Sun, Revolt, Slip Away, The Real Evil
Jet Black Iris/ How Sweet Is The Taste Of Your Infection?- OK so this is another band that has played The Cobalt Presents shows (again if you haven’t gone to one you have to absolutely go) and I gotta say for such a young band, they’re really freaking good. They just put out this album in 2025 (at the time of this) and I must say it’s pretty good. I had really only known their music by seeing them live so getting to hear an entire albums worth of their material is really special. This album kinda has a bit of postpunk, hard rock, with just a touch of Indie rock. Now I will say the production is very raw sounding. That’s probably my one big criticism is the production but at the same time it’s kind of what makes this album special. Like it, reminds me of some of the old school albums from back in the day. I’m very curious as to see how their next album is going to turn out but if it’s anything like this one, I’m very much looking forward. I’ll give this album 8/10.
Standouts: Head Upside Down, Over Again, Exhibit B
Sheva Elliot/Pay The Priestess- the final band for this mixed bag review is yet another band that has been booked for Cobalt Presents shows. If you’re looking for something that has a very 70’s sound then you will absolutely love this album. And by 70s, I mean Eagles. It’s very much in that same vein and it’s a really cool record. When she plays these songs live, they actually sound even better. I’m serious if you really want a 70s sounding record put this album on. It’s definitely one of those records that I would call comfort listening. Like at the end of the day maybe after work or something or on a drive home or even just a drive up the coast this would be the perfect album to listen to. I really wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as as I have, but I do. I’m gonna go ahead and give this 9/10. I’m actually really looking forward to hearing her next record.
Standouts: Clothes In The Kitchen, Fight For Me, Pay The Priestess
This is definitely another mixed bag where you get a little bit of everything and I encourage anybody reading this to listen to each and every single one of these bands because they’re all fantastic and all great in their own special way.
Sinister Reviews 