AMPWALL Roundup: Volume I

Written by: The Administrator

If you're the type to lurk around the metal underground, you've likely heard of Ampwall, a new music platform/marketplace/community founded by Chris Grigg of Woe. Ampwall is a public benefit company explicitly designed by artists for artists, and their clear commitment to empowering independent bands is both rare and admirable in a world of music platforms that prioritize profit time and time again.

Since joining when the beta launched a few weeks back, I've seen a variety of artist suggestions taken seriously and changes administered in real time. The community they've built over on Discord is friendly and robust, full of people who are clearly in this for the love of the music. The financial upsides are also immediately apparent: they operate on a very low-cost subscription model if you plan to upload music, and sellers make more per transaction. There's even an option for buyers to cover the transactions fees, a feature that feels so common sense I'm shocked it isn't industry standard. The pages are true showcases with an emphasis on aesthetic, and contain a very handy Press section where artists can link to reviews. The features are numerous and honestly make every other platform feel...remarkably antiquated. You can tell that this was built by musicians who understand what DIY tools are actually useful.

Long story short: Ampwall is an alternative that deserves full attention, especially in an era of enshittification where even platforms like Bandcamp are bought and sold by corporations with zero regard for the artists who bring the value. You can read more about Ampwall over on their mission page, and you can sign up for beta access (as a fan or an artist!)here.

​And! In an attempt to shine a little light, we slumbering scribes are hereby instituting a new column wherein we trawl Ampwall for cool music and, y'know, write about it. Below are 6 bands I highly recommend checking out. Let's get this started, shall we?

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Svn.Seeker - Crystal and Gold (August 27th, 2024)

This new-ish 2-track EP from energetic melodic death metal quartet Svn.Seeker makes for an incredibly gratifying listen. I've been waiting for them to drop something after their incredible 2021 debut EP Means to an End, which has been in consistent rotation due to the bombastic aggression built into some wholly engaging composition. "The Gold Will Rise" is a real melodeath ripper, doubling down on the barn-burning riffage. The vocals feel more refined, delivered a blackened thrashy bite that rides along the tight instrumentation. Everyone is firing on all cylinders here, and the result feels quite polished. Track 2 is a cover of Death's "Crystal Mountain," and they harness the song's rolling momentum splendidly. All told, Crystal and Gold succeeded enormously in whetting my appetite for whatever Svn.Seeker cook up next!

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Imagine a Boot - Imagine a Boot (September 19th, 2024)

No safe space for hate? Yup. This one is clearly raw as fuck and wears its antifascist messaging on its sleeve, which means I'm already intrigued before hitting play. Turns out it's a helluva fun listen as well. Although rough and rowdy, and basking in fuzzy demo production, the five tracks herein are surprisingly catchy and listenable. The punky guitar is quite  engaging, and Imagine a Boot demonstrates a keen ability to create earwormy moments that last beyond the runtime. "Fairytale Fascists," for example, leans into a glorious bounce that captures attention from the jump and never lets go, while "Make Black Metal Dangeorus (Again ?!)" kicks things off with a jubilant rockin' riff that contrasts nicely with the vocal ire. The aggression is evident throughout, but the project as a whole provides a nice level of variety across the brief runtime. I like this a lot.

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we broke the weather - Restart Game (June 14th, 2024)

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from an album billed as fuzzed out garage prog, but I'm pleased to say that Restart Game is very much up my particular alley. This is an incredible listen, full stop. we broke the weather present a delightfully alluring blend of prog, math, stoner, and psychedelic rock alongside a host of increasingly specific elements. Sax riffs? Spaced out synths? Funky bass? Opener "Vestiges" features it all and then some, and that's only the first track. There's so much going on here, but it feels confidently seamless and never comes across as gimmicky. Every new sound has a distinct place in the overall picture, and fits the overall vibe with a cohesive warmth that is endlessly appealing. Check out the juxtaposition of the forthright "Marionette" followed by the more introspective "Sevenseas." On paper it shouldn't click so smoothly; in practice it works so damn well. This one is made for listening over, and over, and over. And over. A strong contender for my overall AOTY list.

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AINOR - Remnant (November 3rd, 2024)

AINOR is a bit of a musical chimera, rearing multiple genre heads with the kind of execution that implies mastery across the board. With this latest single, "Remnant," Ainor leaves behind the alt-rock vibes of "City Lights" and dives deep into the realm of metalcore. This track is fierce and moody, starting with a vicious kineticism that eventually warps into some heavy downtrodden angst. I especially appreciate the vocals here--they are quite athletic and fit the energy extremely well. "Remnant" is a top-notch track. As always, I yearn for more of this particular avenue, but I'm excited to see what genre AINOR tackles next!

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Pedestal for Leviathan - Festering Apparition (October 25th, 2024)

This stellar debut from symphonic blackened death metal band Pedestal for Leviathan has been in intensely heavy rotation here at the Sleeping Village over the past few weeks. It strikes a perfect balance between muscular heft and punchy songwriting, and frankly, I'm a little shocked that it hasn't received a little more acclaim from the underground. The riffs are relentlessly hooky, and despite the clear emphasis on sheer heaviness--"Nightshade Familiar in particular is an absolute goddamn bruiser--there's a very consistent atmospheric patina layered thickly over the project. Gothic castles and impenetrable cobwebs and demonic summoning circles type shit. This is a prime example of an EP where every track qualifies as my favorite, and the replay value has proven to be very high indeed. Festering Apparition maintains a palpable fury across its brief runtime, and if I have a single complaint, its that it's over so soon. This is a very promising project.

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A Sudden Burst of Colour - Galvanize (​January 26th, 2024)

Let's end this first roundup with some joy! Built on a foundation of sunny vibes, a lush  feel-good tone, and a general sense of upbeat euphoria, Galvanize by A Sudden Burst of Colour provides the kind of aural aura that practically necessitates a full grin. This thing is fully instrumental, but the crisp guitars fills the vocal void to an astounding degree--it never feels like the instrumentation requires another component to feel fully fleshed out or to provide narrative structure. Galvanize is bright and beautiful, sweet and rich but not quite saccharine. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone looking for an uplifting listening experience. Some truly gorgeous stuff!
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Thank you for reading and checking out the above bands! Once again, I recommend checking out Ampwall here.