Let’s take a moment of silence for the people who ate apples in 1982… Alright, now that that’s over, let’s listen to the third track from Horses In Real Life by Francis Vace. This nearly 3 minute long song is full of tasty ska goodness, just like the apples AJ sells. She’s fallen through the TV and made her way into human civilisation, where she makes a living through selling her signature honest apples. At least she’s doing well for herself, unlike another certain pony… For a challenge, try and count how many apples fall to the ground in the video. Good luck!
Rock
m2the3rd – Friends | Pop
Sometimes we fall and hit the ground, but M2the3rd will be there to show you that it isn’t that bad. M2the3rd has written a song about friendship and more specifically how friends are always there to lift you up, using the allegory of Twilight and the mane six. It would really be a shame to let it slip under the radar, as its cute melodies and emotional and mellow lyrics are a delight to the ear and very heart-warming. The guitar adds a soft and acoustic homelike feel, and the piano chords will harmonize the elements of your heart.
Thrasher – Evolution | Industrial Metal
After a long wait, it’s finally here. Track 1 from Thrasher’s newly-released album Welcome to Insanity is an ominous electronic opener that perfectly sets the tone for the album. The first half builds up an amazing atmosphere with a dark synth pad that fades in and descends, coupled by the image of countless changeling eyes, almost as if you’re being surrounded. A minute in, the moon rises into view and soon enough, the sound of a constant kick drum in front of some driving bass can be heard as if it’s being played inside a club, before quickly becoming more audible. As the guitar joins, the sky seems to flash with colours as if the changeling hive’s just decided to start up a rave. However, after a computerised voice says “Welcome to Insanity”, we’re met with a vision of the album’s artwork followed by a change into Thrasher’s typical style of metal mixed with electronic elements. The drums sound clean and powerful and the guitar riffs and lead behind it really add to the dark mood introduced. Despite its short length, what this track sets out to do is purely amazing. And this is only the opening track!
Francis Vace – Horses In Real Life EP | Ska Punk
It’s never too late to release an album on our favourite sextuplet of pastel coloured horses, which is exactly what Francis Vace recently decided to do. Horses In Real Life is a 6 track EP of all original catchy ska punk songs based on the concept of the Mane 6 living in the real world. Track 1 is My Rainbow Horse and Me, first released on Ponies at Dawn: Eternal, and depicts a scenario where Rainbow Dash is living in someone’s house after popping through a TV. She’s said to be a messy freeloader, living with no job and using the character’s utilities for herself. AJ’s Honest Apples tells the story of a new brand of apples reaching town, with the chorus being sung from her point of view. These apples are free of pesticides and taste like no other apples you’ve ever had! Interview With A Fashion Icon tells the story of Rarity being interviewed about her time in the human world as well as her fashion endeavours. While keeping the familiar ska elements, it’s a slower number that feels like something Rarity would have no problem singing. The fastest track on this album, Bright Pink Horse, is about Pinkie simply dancing in the street, with the fast pace capturing Pinkie’s hyperactive personality with flying colours. Overall, with six fast tracks about our six favourite ponies in six unique scenarios, this is an EP you can’t pass up. If you’ve enjoyed Francis’ work over the years, this will be a great addition to your collection!
Ampderg – Mindless (feat. Suskii) | Alternative Rock
Suskii‘s really branching out into the rock stratosphere lately. This track is a collab between the former and a fresher face, that being Ampderg. Suskii’s emotional vocals on top of Ampderg’s hard hitting rock background is an impressive combo with lyrics about pushing forward through an anxiety attack and not looking back. Raw emotions permeate through this track, and it’s clear there was a lot of love put in!
Francis Vace – The New Librarian | Ska
A world without Francis Vace’s joyful music would be a much different place. Track 2 from his new EP Horses In Real Life, it depicts a scenario in which Twilight has entered the real world and works as a librarian as well as a teacher, giving friendship lessons to any kids who pay attention. Oh, and naturally, she has a thing for you, the listener. Fun times! Vace has a knack for creating incredibly catchy ska tunes with hilarious lyrics, and this is no exception. Go pick up Horses In Real Life today!
[P@D] Forest Rain – Chrissy (Nightmare Mode) (feat. Cyril the Wolf and Whirlwind) | Punk Rock
Track 4 from the fresh Ponies at Dawn: Echoes as well as one of the exclusive tracks from the album, Forest Rain appears on the P@D catalogue for the second time with a new version of her song Chrissy! Enlisting the help of Cyril the Wolf and Whirlwind on bass and drums, they’ve all come together to recreate the track, making it feel more in vein of The End of the World. It begins with a new intro featuring spoken word over an organ before jumping right into the song with a new key, stronger drums and truly menacing vocals. To add to that, the rhythm section gets a chance to truly shine, especially Whirlwind, who shows some amazing drum chops in a brief yet memorable drum solo. Easily one of the stand-out tracks on this new release!
[P@D] Thrasher – A Villain’s Descension | Industrial Metal
Thrasher’s back again, this time with a long industrial metal track. Track 41 from the freshly-released Ponies at Dawn: Echoes charity album as well as track 10 from Thrasher’s own upcoming release Welcome to Insanity, he shows off his impressive metal craft with what could easily stand as some of the best metal production this fandom’s ever seen. The guitar and drums simply slice through the mix along with some synths to complete the picture, making this a heavy and intense track based around the villains of Equestria. Welcome To Insanity releases on December 13th.
4everfreebrony – I Don’t Complain (Covering Luna Jax) | Soft Rock
4everfreebrony always seems to nail covers, and this one is no exception. Track 11 from Copycat is a cover of the Luna Jax original; 4efb’s take shows a bit more polish in terms of production, and runs at a slightly slower tempo. The guitars are soft yet rich, with the inclusion of a slide between the first chorus and second verse. His voice is perfect for this type of music, perfectly conveying Big Mac’s attitude towards his daily regimes. Once again, we have another piece of blissful rock!
[PVCF] PrinceWhateverer & Jyc Row – Nightmare Night (Covering Glaze & Mic The Microphone) (2019) | Symphonic Metal
This brings a smile to my face. Prince & Jyc came together for this redux of the cult classic Nightmare Night and has vastly improved from the original cover back in 2011! Jyc’s orchestral and choir elements intertwined with Prince’s vocals and skill on the guitar go hand and hand for this piece with powerful chords, ominous bravado and that sweet, sweet melody, this one is quite a treat!
(even if its over a month late but you didn’t hear that from me)
This song is available as part of Ponyville Ciderfest’s 2019 Official Convention Album.
Horse Music Herald 