AMPWALL Roundup: Volume III

Written by: The Administrator

Welcome back to AMPWALL Roundup, our (unfortunately infrequent) column dedicated to shining a little light on the music we slumbering scribes find whilst trawling through the explore page over on Ampwall. It's been a little while since we checked in, but rest assured: Ampwall is still cool. They have also updated the embed display since the last Roundup, which is exciting and much appreciated.
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As far as introductory fluff goes, I've written myself into a bit of a corner here at this stage in the game, so let me quote the intro from Volume II: "If you don't know what this whole Ampwall thing is all about, please take a quick gander at Volume I, where we get a little more in-depth regarding the many virtues of the new platform/marketplace/community. We here at ye olde Sleeping Village are big advocates for the integration of additional resources into the independent artist's promo toolkit. To that end, having more music-purchasing people become aware of Ampwall's existence will only help it grow as a viable option moving forward."

Let's get to the music, shall we? Below are 6 (more!) bands I recommend checking out! 

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General Trust - Hearses / A Season of Trust (July 17th, 2024)

Let's start off with something outside the Sleeping Village wheelhouse, shall we? This two-track from self-styled "neo-noir duskwave" project General Trust presents a very fun blend of elements. This is synthpop with a delightful dark and brooding ambience alongside a hooky pop sensibility. Bouncy beats with classic synthpop drums cavort with a dusky and undeniably gothic sense of melodrama. As soon as the appealingly theatrical vocals kick in, I can imagine the fog machines and badass leather outfits. I find myself taking a nostalgia trip into an 80's soundtrack that A. I never lived through and B. never actually existed. If you're a fan of synthwave, duskwave, and affiliated microgenres, I recommend checking this one out, as well as the General Trust back catalog.
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Ruby Rockatansky - Per Scientiam ad Justitiam (June 20th, 2025)

I've talked about this furiously thrashing EP a few times over on ye olde Bluesky, but would be remiss to not formalize my thoughts in a review, no matter how mini. The four tracks contained within Per Scientiam ad Justitiam are incendiary and furious, a  clear and effective encapsulation of righteous rage. Every track here is a certified ripper, with the cathartic energy maintained throughout the entirety. In other circumstances I might marvel at how said energy never truly flags, but here, the angry fueling each track is readily apparent. While I highly recommend listening in full, I do particularly love "We Desire a Feast" and "Our Vengeance Come." Both are urgent and relentless and brimming with a frightful volatility. In terms of the latter, the riffs are notably engaging, and the track absolutely justifies its length, which is no small feat considering the momentum. Killer stuff across the board. If you have been bemoaning a lack of quality 2025 thrash, this is a must-purchase.

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Hubris Cannon - Revised (July 24th, 2024)

The only thing I knew about Hubris Cannon before hitting play on Revised is that, as far as band names go, Hubris Cannon is sick as hell. Turns out their music is sick as hell too, which sure is convenient. Playing a somewhat warped brand of metal/hardcore, Hubris Cannon keep things hefty while exuding a dark and extremely charged oddball extremity. Revised stomps and not afraid to throw weight around, but also feels impatient, maintaining an anxious and borderline manic momentum throughout the runtime. Lots of energy, lots of aggression, and deeply political from a thematic perspective. And! If that isn't enough, they manage to cram in a Brennan Lee Mulligan sample too, so extra points for that. Good shit!
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Disgustingest - Purging Suppuration (June 10th, 2025)

You simply have got to love a band name that takes away any elements of ambiguity. This brutal slamming death metal is as overtly gross as you might expect. Get ready for some brutal headbang action. The slams are mighty, the vocals profoundly lavatorial. While the whole EP makes for a brisk listen, my favorite track here is "Plastic Skin Graft"--the breakdown sits nicely in the fray, and the back end erupts with a particularly raucous energy. Listening to Purging Suppuration is like enduring a fecal sludge aerobics class while the instructor simultaneously pummels you with cinder blocks. In other words, Disgustingest provides  a swell time, and I think you'll enjoy it quite a bit...assuming the "slamming" and "brutal" descriptors didn't immediately made you lose interest. In which case, your loss.

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Lovely Giraffe - An Album (November 22nd, 2024)

Let's switch gears into some more sunny territory, shall we? The accurately (and, I might add, convincingly entitled) An Album is a bright, colorful, and profoundly weird amalgamation. There's bouncy beats, vocoder-esque vocals, crunchy distortion, ambient whir, harmonica, and channel-swapping beeps and bloops galore. Despite a formula wherein essentially every new track brings in a yet unheard sound or instrument, there's a strong cohesion throughout--the whole project is upbeat and relentlessly cheery. An Album is a fun listen, and has been a welcome soundtrack on days when I need a little sonic pick-me-up. 

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Grumm Trencher - Beira (October 10th, 2024)

Writing about Tarnished Legends in the last roundup sparked an urge to check out some more Ampwall-dwelling dungeon synth. The search immediately turned up the latest single from Grumm Trencher, a cozy dungeon synth project from Xadaa of MEGAFAUNA. I listened to this track the morning of the first snow here at the Sleeping Village (damn that was like 8 months ago, plz write faster - Ed.) and it fit the mood wonderfully. This illustrates an environment quite convincingly, and there's a stomp on the back half that recalls the menace of a deep freeze. I also really enjoy the inclusion of frigid winds on the outro. This track feels lonely, and isolating, and, perhaps paradoxically, very comforting. Cozy, even, if you can imagine yourself inside and protected from the elements rather than outside braving the cold. In sum, another quality track from a synth project that is consistently worth checking out.
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​Thank you for reading and checking out the above bands! Once again, I recommend checking out Ampwall here. I certainly hope the wait between this roundup and the next is not nearly as long, but I can promise nothing.