Ligeia

Two years after releasing Your Ghost Is A Gift, a more than typical, breakdown-infested album, Ligeia have hit back with something a little bit different. Last year, the band added two new members — Brandon Whipple (bass) and Patrick Murphy (drums) — who’ve helped solidify and alter their sound. Title track "Bad News” acts as a way to draw old fans in and is Ligeia showing they still have the ability to crush with breakdowns, coarse vocals (courtesy of Keith Holuk) and palm-muted string work. Just to be clear: they haven’t outright traded hardcore for alt-rock; it’s more like a hybrid, which can spell disaster for a band that can’t keep focused. "I’ve Been Drinking” comes across like a totally different band, with Holuk introduced by subdued instrumentation and vocals that surely must have been taken from ex-band Hopesfall’s lead singer Jay Forrest. But the nail in the coffin is the Linkin Park-style scratching. Odd. Bad News isn’t all mishaps though. While most tracks feature the addition of a softer side of Ligeia musically, they do have moments of heaviness with songs like "Teenage Wasteland.” For fans expecting Your Ghost Is A Gift Vol. 2, your best option is to seek out a real hardcore record.