It’s the moooost won-der-ful tiiiiiiime, of the yeeeeear. Or rather, it would be, if Steve and Remfry weren’t tasked with re-listening to all their favourite music from the past year and attempting to put their favourite 20 albums into some arbitrary list of preference! Excessive sadfishing aside, 2021 has been an extraordinary year for new music and whittling it down to just 20 albums each has been a tougher task than ever (yes, we know we say that every year). We’re spreading the Riot Act Albu...
Dec 02, 2021•1 hr 24 min
On this episode of Riot Act Reviews we are looking at the 6th studio album from alt-rock legends Failure, Wild Type Droid. Since reforming in 2015 Failure have been one of the exceptions to the rule that your post-reformation material can’t live up to your classics, putting out two albums of exceptional quality. This time around the band have hinted that they will be putting the space and sci-fi themes they have been working with since 1996’s legendary Fantastic Planet album to bed. So does Wild...
Dec 02, 2021•38 min
On this week’s show, we explore the idea of image and how it has evolved to encompass not just an aesthetic look but carefully crafted lore and mythos that listeners can delve into and explore outside of a band’s music. Is image a vital component to becoming a hugely successful band in the 21st century? Is it a coincidence that bands with a striking aesthetic - Ghost, Sleep Token, Creeper, even Code Orange - have gained significant traction in a relatively short period of time? How and why is im...
Nov 26, 2021•2 hr 6 min
It’s time for another review from Steve and Remfry on Riot Act Reviews, where we collect our thoughts regarding a significant or interesting recent album that our hosts have heard. On this episode we are diving deeper into the underground than we have previously done so on this portion of the show by looking at Breaking the Trauma Bond, the 4th studio album from London goth-black metal band Voices. Featuring members of cult UK extreme metal band Akercocke, Voices received a little bit of attenti...
Nov 24, 2021•37 min
We have been champions of Idles pretty much since our inception here on Riot Act, giving high praise in particular to the way they've managed to inadvertently infiltrate the mainstream without compromising on their ideals, sound or vision. Despite that however, we will admit to being slightly hesitant towards 2020's Ultra Mono. Not a bad album by any stretch (and let's not forget, a record that saw them reach #1 on the UK albums charts) but in our estimation, it didn't bring all the much to the ...
Nov 22, 2021•46 min
It’s time for your weekly dose of alternative music news and opinions from us here at Riot Act. Steve and Remfry discuss t-shirts and slippers (not sure why) before we talk about what could be the biggest week of new releases this year. Mainly courtesy of the new album from Adele, obvs. We then get into a news story that maybe shouldn’t be that big, but seems to have taken on a life of its own over the last week, the performance from Brass Against at the Welcome To Rockville festival in Florida,...
Nov 18, 2021•1 hr 44 min
We are delighted to bring you the Riot Act review of Bloodmoon: I, the first collaboration album between Boston hardcore legends Converge and California’s gothic auteur Chelsea Wolfe. Having first got together in 2016 for some wonderfully received shows at Roadburn festival and in London, where both Steve and Remfry witnessed the union first hand, it’s been quite a wait for original material from this particular pairing. And whilst, to some, the marriage of scabrous, noisey hardcore and dark got...
Nov 16, 2021•49 min
Emma Ruth Rundle has become something of a favourite of ours over the years, with 2018’s On Dark Horses and her recent collaboration with Thou both getting enthusiastic thumbs up from Remfry and Steve on previous episodes. But her latest album, Engine of Hell, marks a stylistic change from all her previous work. Rather than the expansive, full-band, reverb-drenched sound she's become synonymous with, Engine of Hell is stripped back and almost unbearably emotionally exposed. Return Video https://...
Nov 14, 2021•39 min
It’s a somewhat somber episode this week as Remfry and Steve try to piece together the events that led to nine people (eight at time of recording) losing their lives at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival in Houston, Texas. A criminal investigation is under way to try and ascertain what caused such an unnecessary loss of life as well as the hundreds of injuries sustained during the melee last Friday night. We try to make sense of a tragedy that ultimately, should never have happened and discuss t...
Nov 12, 2021•2 hr 2 min
On this episode we review Diorama, the second full length album from Danish blackgaze crew Møl. Back in 2018 their debut album Jord was one of Remfry’s favorite release of the year, Steve liked it too… probably not as much if we’re being honest though. But, due to our hosts' dual appreciation of the band there is certainly a high level of expectation for Diorama. Will the record live up to those expectations? Well, we’re not going to tell you that here! But, with artists as diverse as Darkthrone...
Nov 10, 2021•53 min
Originally posted September 9th 2020 on https://www.patreon.com/riotactpodcast Remfry and Steve discuss a record that features members of Sepultura (Max Cavalera), The Dillinger Escape Plan (Greg Puciato), Mastodon (Troy Sanders) and The Mars Volta (Dave Elitch). The rule of super-groups dictates that surely, despite the calibre of musicians, this would be a crock of shit … but no! By finding the time to flaunt each individual member’s skills, whilst still maintaining the sense of a coherent and...
Nov 10, 2021•55 min
Welcome to another edition of Riot Act Reviews, where Steve and Remfry look in depth at one of alternative music's recently released albums of considerable note. On this show we look at the new album from American singer songwriter Lana Del Rey, Blue Banisters, the follow up to her Chemtrails Over The Countryclub effort from earlier in the year. We’ve had a fair few follow up “lockdown albums” coming hot on the heels of a big release to listen to over the past year, and usually the artists relea...
Nov 08, 2021•44 min
Welcome to another week of alternative music news, reviews and opinions courtesy of us here at Riot Act. Steve and Remfry start, pretty much immediately, by excitedly reviewing the recent Biffy Clyro gig at the Forum in London, before delving into this weeks releases, discussing the news that U2 have released a rubbish song (much to Steve’s disappointment but not shock), Porcupine Tree have reformed and that some Slipknot fans have set fire to a mosh pit… or something. We also pay tribute to leg...
Nov 05, 2021•2 hr 36 min
Welcome to a special Riot Act Reviews podcast, in this episode Steve and Remfry run the rule over one of the most anticipated metal albums to be released this year; Georgian prog metal superstars Mastodon’s 8th studio album Hushed and Grim. The follow up to their 2017 effort Emperor of Sand, which divided the opinion of both fan and critics, but an album that both of our hosts were big fans of, mainly thanks to it reintroducing some of the more expansive and difficult elements of their sound. If...
Nov 03, 2021•56 min
It’s been a busy week for both Steve and Remfry this week, both of our hosts have been beavering around looking for new music, and give you a comprehensive rundown of what’s out this week before discussing Sir Paul McCartney’s recent declaration that he will no longer be signing autographs for fans. The former Beatle instead will be happy to “Share stories” with anyone who comes across his path instead, it’s a lovely sentiment, but does Sir Paul really have the time to go through that whole “We ...
Oct 28, 2021•2 hr 5 min
This week’s Riot Act is brought to you by the letter B! Steve and Remfry take a look at the news this week, that has been dominated by some rather unsavory attitudes coming from the Bloodstock Festival camp, as well as looking at The Rolling Stones decision to retire one of their biggest ever songs, Brown Sugar, from their live set. After the serious stuff is dealt with we move on to looking at the long forgotten art of the B-Side. What happened to them? What makes a good one? Who are the best a...
Oct 21, 2021•1 hr 52 min
Welcome to a special Riot Act Reviews podcast, an opportunity for Steve and Remfry to take a look at some of the more notable recent releases in the world of alternative music. We cast a critical eye over the 9th studio album from Scottish alternative rock megastars Biffy Clyro; The Myth of the Happily Ever After. Coming just a year after their previous album, A Celebration of Endings, Biffy are back, and it’s not too surprising to see them. After all, this is a band who have often made a point ...
Oct 20, 2021•53 min
Originally posted September 2nd 2020 on https://www.patreon.com/riotactpodcast It's our 40th Rioteer's Review and we're covering something a little outside of the usual Riot Act remit as suggested by James Smurthwaite. Steve and Remfry discuss IGOR, the 5th album from controversial rapper, musician, songwriter and producer Tyler, The Creator. Released on 17th May 2019, IGOR is a concept album that combines elements of R&B, Hip-Hop, Funk and Soul and interweaves a loose narrative about a love...
Oct 19, 2021•45 min
Welcome to a special Riot Act Reviews podcast, an opportunity for Steve and Remfry to take a look at some of the more notable recent releases in the world of alternative music. This week we cast a critical eye over Future Past by Duran Duran, the 15th studio album from the legendary New Romantic band. It couldn’t have been two more drastic ends of the spectrum that our hosts were coming from with this record, Steve as a self confessed Duran Duran superfan who has heard every album of their entir...
Oct 18, 2021•1 hr 2 min
It’s another week of alternative music chat here on Riot Act, but before that, different drinks for different… needs… as Remfry chugs down a big glass of some fizzy, technicoloured orange monstrosity which will rot his kidney away, while Steve politely sips on a cool glass of water. It’s pretty much the only thing that our hosts do disagree on this week, as they chat about ex-Slayer guitarist Kerry King admitting that he believes his band quit too early, even though they haven’t really put out a...
Oct 14, 2021•1 hr 43 min
It’s another eclectic (egg-leg-tic?) week on Riot Act with modern heavy metal, alt-country Americana, shoegaze-y alt-rock and a post-rock-pop album all getting a look in but Remfry’s most excited to talk about the new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical for some unfathomable reason, which leads Steve to recall a (slightly in-accurate) fact about Lord Webber and Timmy Mallet (it was Webber’s wife who challenged him, not Simon Cowell). Still … Steve has never let the truth get in the way of him bringing u...
Oct 07, 2021•2 hr 2 min
Inspired by Shakira’s wild boar bag robber, Remfry and Steve put forward their audition for The Really Wild Show, CBBC’s flagship wildlife television show … unfortunately, no one told them that the show ended over 15 years ago, but the deviation into the natural world does lead Remfry to confess to a spate of cow tippings in the South Gloucestershire area around 25 years ago whilst Steve confesses the equally heinous crime of never having seen The Lion King. In more musically related matters, a ...
Sep 30, 2021•1 hr 59 min
Trigger Warning: this week's episode contains dangerous baked potatoes. It’s been a busy week for news for Steve and Remfry to digest this week, some of it is quite serious, like the implications of UMG being made public on the stock exchange and destroying the myth that there’s no money in the music industry, some of it is quite exciting, such as the very unexpected reformation of The Fugees and news of Rancid returning to the UK, some of it is very tiring, Slipknot and Machine Gun Kelly bellya...
Sep 23, 2021•2 hr 10 min
Remfry sat down for a very rambly conversation with Conor Murphy from Foxing to discuss their latest full-length album Draw Down the Moon. Foxing and their unique brand of indie emo post-rock pop have been a favourite of Remfrys for quite some time and many of you will remember that their 2018 third album Nearer My God was his favourite album of that year. In August 2021, they returned with Draw Down the Moon, an album that once again completely re-invented the band’s sound whilst still retainin...
Sep 23, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Originally posted August 25th 2020 on https://www.patreon.com/riotactpodcast Steve and Remfry are kicking themselves after never having previously heard this excellent suggestion from David S Grop to discuss Locust, the second full-length album by Swedish alt metal quintet Mary Beats Jane. Maybe they're being too harsh on themselves though ... as the boys discuss, if you weren't from the US or the UK in 1997, it was a tough ole' time getting coverage in music magazines (bar a few notable excepti...
Sep 20, 2021•45 min
BEEEEARD OOOOIL! Stephen ‘Metalcore Fan Aggressor’ Hill and Remfry ‘Post-Rock Cowardly Lion’ Dedman review the latest new releases in the world of alternative music in the form of Horizons / East by Thrice (59:20) Conquering by Employed To Serve (76:14) Pilgrimage of the Soul by Mono (107:07) and Torn Arteries by Carcass (119:14). Steve talks about his excitement at the announcement that Rick Astley and Blossoms teaming up to play the songs of The Smiths in possibly the most beguiling partnershi...
Sep 16, 2021•2 hr 17 min
We’re joined by a special guest this week as Ash from Sugar Horse steps up to cast his critical eye over the week’s new releases which are The Ultra Vivid Lament by Manic Street Preachers (36:20) Sometimes I Might Be Introvert by Little Simz (59:22) Hey What by Low (84:31) and God is Partying by Andrew W.K. (107:17) There are also brief reviews of Bad Pond Festival as well as Arab Strap’s much anticipated debut show in London since the release of their critically lauded come-back album As Days G...
Sep 09, 2021•2 hr 13 min
It’s a heck of a week for looooong releases with a fair dollop of controversy thrown in there for good measure as we take a look at the long-awaited double album Donda by Kanye West (10:32) before also casting a critical eye over Iron Maiden’s latest double opus Senjistsu (53:33) as well as 21st Century Love Songs by The Wildhearts (80:54) and Molotov Rocktail by Bokassa (94:03) We also take a brief look at the state of ALT LDN festival, as well as live shows from Voices and Idles. This podcast ...
Sep 02, 2021•1 hr 47 min
This episode of Riot Act is dedicated to Mathew Davies (RIP) On this week’s show, we pay our respects to Charlie Watt, the ‘engine’ behind the drum kit for The Rolling Stones who passed away on 24th August at the age of 80. In other news, Spencer Elden, the baby on the cover of Nirvana’s seminal 1991 album Nevermind, is suing surviving band members Dave Grohl and Krist Noveselic, Courtney Love, photographer Kirk Weddle, the managers of Kurt Cobain’s estate, his Grandma, his second cousin, his do...
Aug 26, 2021•1 hr 51 min
Originally posted August 18th 2020 on https://www.patreon.com/riotactpodcast Scott Baird is a ruddy bloody legend because he's only gone and given us Deftones' eighth studio album Gore as the next entry on Rioteers Review, an album that both Remfry and Steve feel is very much maligned, not so much by critics, but more by Deftones fans. So why is that eh? Cause it's proper bangin' it is ... no honest it is. Go on, listen to it, it's well good, what's your beef eh? EH!? Anyways, Steve and Remfry m...
Aug 24, 2021•1 hr 10 min
