Almost a year ago, Blackened Blue gifted the world with his track “Living in Zephyr Heights,” an already amazing song that had me listening on loop for weeks straight. Recently, Celicia Soldream created a cover of the song that has me doing the same all over again! Unlike traditional covers that showcase musical talent using the same blueprint of the original song, Celica goes above and beyond with her cover and spices it up with tasty harmonies and additional lyrics that were not present in the original song. And that isn’t the only spice that this piece is serving up. Not only is her voice & range perfect for a song that is supposed to emulate Zipp singing the lyrics, but it has a very similar “edge” that matches Blackened’s style of vocals; I couldn’t think of another vocalist that would make a perfect cover of this already perfect song, and I can’t wait to see what Celica has in store for the future!
Metal
Biscuit – Their Heads Turn Just Like Clockwork | Metal
I still haven’t seen any of G5 besides the movie, so I can’t speak much on the story behind the lyrics, but this song from Biscuit’s new(ish) EP hits HARD! The composition of this song is very unique; the lyrics shift between different ponies’ perspectives of Opaline, each one having its own musical identity instead of a repeating verse-chorus pattern. Check it out now for some glorious through-composed headbanger material!
Jacqueling – Thorax (ft. Neu KatalYst) | Metal / Drum & Bass
Jacqueling is back with something slightly different to her usual repertoire. Pairing up with Neu KatalYst (once again) together they bring something that blends their two signature styles. This song maintains its high energy throughout, with Kat’s stylised vocals helping to bridge the gap between metal and electronica where this song fits perfectly.
Biscuit – A Letter To My Worst Friends, And My Best Enemies (Ft. Nugget) | Metalcore
Biscuit has teamed up with Nugget to deliver this power house of a track to raise awareness of mental Health and suicide prevention. The track begins with contemplative and ominous guitars before the full band kicks in. The raw emotion in the screaming vocals tells the personal tale of Biscuit’s struggle with mental health. The lyrics are brave, with rhymes like “rose above” and “travel the world doing what I love.” Between the bouts of full metal, the song eases up, allowing Nugget’s orchestration to shine and giving the piece incredible dynamic contrast. Overall, it’s an incredible song and a great way to raise awareness. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, please know that, as Biscuit says, “You are not alone. You matter, and it always gets better”
National Suicide/Crisis Hotlines:
NSHL United States:
lifeline 988 – 988 – https://988lifeline.org/
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-8255
NSHL Canada:
talk suicide – 1-833-456-4566 – https://talksuicide.ca/
NSHL United Kingdom:
samaritans – 116 123 – https://www.samaritans.org/
Blurain – Revenge (covering Thrack) | Metal
Covers are always a pleasure, they show us a whole other way to play a track you enjoy, and Blurain really shows us what he’s got, covering Thrack’s “Revenge”! Springing from randomly deciding to play this track on his downtuned guitar, Blurain turned this song into a metal banger, and his vocals sound just as amazing as the new instrumental!
MelodyBrony – Far Away (ft. Blackened Blue) | Metalcore
Melody brings us this banging tune together with Blackened Blue and it is a joy to listen to! Everything from massive drums to bopping guitar melodies and lovely vocals, this track is gonna get stuck in your head for quite some time!
PrinceWhateverer, Deus, Blackened Blue & Tw3Lv3 – HYPA HYPA (Electric Callboy Parody) | Metalcore / Hardstyle
Well well well, where do I even start with this? This track has been stuck in my head for a while for several reasons: It’s a really fun parody with a perfect mix of singing and screaming vocals! And believe it or not, this metalcore track features some pretty fire hardstyle kicks! A combination that sounds absolutely random, but it works out perfectly! The kicks add a lovely bounce to what is already an amazing party track! Definitely give this one a listen yourself and enjoy!
Harmony Bop – TRUST IN LOVE | Synthpop / Metal
If ever there was a cartoon about the adventures of Princess Cadance, then this would absolutely need to be the theme song! Harmony Bop’s bright synth hook, energetic drums and driving guitars create a fun and welcoming atmosphere for the Princess to deliver her sage wisdom. Sung from her point of view, Cadance sings that you need to “Trust In Love” because trust is so important to romantic relationships. Full of totally unique sections to change the pacing and emotion, Harmony Bop keeps you on your toes while constructing an experience that works perfectly as one!
Blurain – Dear Luna | Alt. Rock / Metal
This song from Blurain, standing at nearly 7 minutes in length, is possibly his most ambitious single yet! Split into 5 parts, it moves from ballad to heavier pop-punk/metal to ambient instrumental as he draws on his own past experiences and calls on Luna to help him defeat his own Tantabus. Each change keeps you holding on to hear more – definitely worth the whole 7-minute experience!
Blurain – Overthrown (Continuation) | Alternative / Metal
You ever just need a 4-chord banger in drop C# tuning? Blu’s got you covered! He’s been pumping out song after song lately and this one takes a turn towards the heavier side with the occasional djenty bit and harsh vocals. Plus it’s a Thorax song – not the most common character to reference so it’s a nice rare gem in that sense!
Horse Music Herald 