Kal Marks - Life Is Alright, Everybody Dies (2016)

Musically the album retains all of the heft of Kal Mark’s prior outings, if not doubled down at moments. “Dorothy” is a deluge of sound counterbalanced by extremely refined (slightly) quieter passages that reflect the permanent dissonance Shane’s songwriting plays upon. The opening moments of “Heavy Hands” are some of the most intricate on the album, with Alex Audette’s versatility and speed serving as a vehicle for a wall of distorted bass tone and grainy guitar. Likewise, “Everybody Dies” is a true heavy hitter, and one of the best songs on the album. Shane’s unhinged yelling on “Mankind” is reminiscent of Rick Maguire’s wilder moments (see: “idiot the chef”), but somehow even more bananas.