Last month, Ampwall, a digital music storefront and marketplace launched. Headed by Woe frontman Chris Grigg, the platform is developed by musicians with a focus on supporting them.
At a time when longtime platforms like Bandcamp are acquired and sold between major corporations, Ampwall is a vital alternative. To get you started on the platform, here are five albums to check out.
Sallow Moth – Vial
Sallow Moth is the product of multi-instrumentalist Garry Brents (Gonemage, Cara Neir, Memorrhage, ex-Wildspeaker), who is pretty much always recording something. Sallow Moth’s music is a mix of brutal, technical and avant-garde death metal with hints of melodeath thrown in for good measure. The project’s new EP, Vial, is out on October 25, the first release from Sallow Moth since Brents put the band on hiatus in 2022.
Diuretic – Zero Days Without Incident
Diuretic understand that grindcore should be fast, sharp and short, tearing through 10 songs on their debut album in well under 15 minutes. Despite its brief runtime, Zero Days Without Incident is packed with high-speed riffs and stomping breakdowns. The workplace accident theme that runs throughout the lyrics make for a nice touch of tongue-in-cheek humor.
Stealth Archer – Rat Siege
If you prefer dungeon synth, you can find that on Ampwall too! Rat Siege is an album about, in the artist’s own words, “adventure, annoyance, triumph, defeat, embarrassment, and glory… and a tiny rat who lived it all.” Rat Siege is a charming combination of whimsical and danceable. Recommended if you like raw black metal interludes.
Me And Him Call it Us – Friends Applaud; the Comedy is Over
It’s been almost 20 years since Me And Him Call It Us released their final album, Friends Applaud; the Comedy is Over, but the quartet’s face-melting combination of mathcore, grind and hardcore is just as potent today. Dig into the band’s entire discography on Ampwall.
Warning – Watching From a Distance – Live at Roadburn
British legends Warning brought their emotionally-flaying doom to Roadburn Festival in 2017, this album captures their return after a long break. The set featured a performance of their seminal 2002 album, Watching From a Distance. If you’ve never heard it before, it’s the perfect introduction to the band. If you have, it’s a new side of the band, and if you’ve heard both, why not listen again?
