This month I’m gone down under. A 22 hour flight over to Melbourne, Australia.
Not literally, but god I wish!
No I’m still here in Dublin, but sonically I have been brought into the world of the Auzy band Windwaker. Straight off the bat you can tell these lads are big nerds with the name of the band taken straight off the legend of all games, The Legend of Zelda. Formed in 2014 in the best name for a city ever … Wagga Wagga.
This month sees the band bring out their second studio album “HYPERVIOLENCE” and I have had the privilege to give it a listen before its release and provide my honest thoughts.
I started with some of their latest video releases as I wanted a full picture of the band and how they carry themselves. The first thing I noted was “Fun”. I love a band who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.
I mean, you are doing what you love, so come on, have fun with it. And I’m 100% picking that up from these guys, which leads me to believe the their live shows must also be fun and full of energy! Nothing better than a band that just loves the energy of a crowd and also their own energy!
I dived right in to their latest single release “Break The Rules” and I was right! Fun indeed. And they even sing about it. “Wana have a little fun and break the rules”.
My mind goes straight to a Skrillex track and a possible sound that ignites the mind to think of that way back when Swedish House Mafia sample from “One (your name)” on the synth melody of this song. A fun single to release and a heavy hitter.
My eyes are also drawn to the MF Doom chain that Liam wears in the video. Straight up giving me the vibe that this dude is a big hip hop fan and a precursor to the rest of the album, hinting towards the style that Liam approaches his writing from. Hip Hop influences coming in and out of all tracks provides such a fresh take with this multi genre hitting band!
‘Fractured state of mind chorus’, reminds me of a chorus taken right off of a Post Malone track. Not a rip off of any sort just giving me those good vibe sing along type moments that you can tell will go down well at a live performance.
Certainly a mixed bag of genre blends here. Especially on tracks like ‘Sirens’. Starting off, I thought I was listening to some radio friendly, repeated bullshit pop song that floods the waves over and over again, but we took a turn and that poppy hook “I’m thinking of girls on white horses” had me toe tapping and singing along when that heavy bass drum and open power chord punched harder!
I think Windwaker is certainly a band you need to approach with an open mind and don’t judge it upon first listen. Let it enter your veins and if you are a fan of multi genres especially of the “Club-Pop” type with catchy chorus’s, then you will certainly find something interesting within this mix.
Tracks like ‘The Wall’ take you down a different ally way, a darker one.
Actually, it’s more so a deep dark woods and we are running from demons. But we are deep. We are dropped tuning, and we are gutural screams of the words “I’m always staring at the wall”. I listened about 4 times because it just trapped me. Certainly a banger of a track.
Hyper pop metal is a genre I have never dabbled in before this, and a genre I wouldn’t have paid much attention to if I’m honest, but perhaps this is my entry drug into the genre? Windwaker are clearly a very fashionable young band that I can only imagine their fan base is of a young teenage early 20’s group, but I’m not hearing any negatives in the tunes and if I’m honest, I’ll sure as hell be listing again upon release.
Top class musicians and Liam Guinane has a seriously good voice moving amongst different uses of his instrument. From low frequency metal style screams to mid range pop/rap wordsmith vocalising, and then reaching high with pure pop melody’s. All sitting on top of what seems to be a rapper at heart and a lover of some early 90’s hip hop. Maybe we will see this coming more to the forefront on the third album?
Windwaker also have a logo that I can’t stop staring at. Mainly because it’s got a noticeable resemblance to an iconic Dublin Pub. For the Dubliners potentially reading this, go check out the logo .. and then go have a pint in The Big Romance on Parnell street. And if Windwaker read this, give me a shout when you’re in town and we go for a pint here too lol.
WINDWAKER will release their new album HYPERVIOLENCE on the 12th of July 2024 via Fearless Records and it’s a no brainer that you should go pick this record up! Or at least blast the shit out of it in your car whilst driving through a residential neighbourhood.
Pre-order it here.
Top class in my opinion and so I’m giving this a 7 out of 10.
Reviewer Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography