Some bands form because of ambition. SAVE US formed because three people were close to quitting. That origin story hangs over their Solid State debut, Death To Something , and it gives the record an emotional gravity that a lot of modern alternative metal chases and misses. This is a band that sounds like it has something to lose, and for most of the album's run, that urgency pays off. The backstory is almost too tidy to believe. Vocalist Miguel Owls was a Central Valley factory worker posting covers online when Bristol-based guitarist Chris Biddiscombe found one of his Architects tributes and sent a message. With drummer Benji Havercroft on board, the trio spent months writing across an ocean, with Miguel rising before dawn to work on songs before his shift. Two EPs, LUCID and EXIST , built a streaming audience, and a Solid State deal followed. For the full-length, they relocated to Michigan to work with producer Landon Tewers of The Plot In You. His polish is all over the reco...
When a cult-favorite alternative metal band returns after a long silence, the reaction is usually a mix of anticipation and skepticism. Fans across the Midwest, especially along the club circuit running from Chicago up through Wisconsin, wonder whether the chemistry that made the earlier records special can be recaptured, or whether time and evolution have worn down the edge. For Chicago's JANUS, the 2025 single "Empty Eyes" answers with an emphatic yes. The original lineup is back together: vocalist David Scotney, guitarist and keyboardist Mike Tyranski, bassist Al Quitman, and drummer Johnny Salazar. The track feels less like a nostalgia trip than a purposeful reinvention. Produced and mixed by Chris Grainger and mastered by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound, it sounds pristine, massive, and heavy, while staying true to the band's independent roots. "Empty Eyes" opens with a dense, brooding atmosphere, the kind of overcast mood that suits late-night drives...