Værisa - Heliograph

1. Atlantis

2. Vendetta

3. Ambrosia

4. Se Liberer

5. Liberation

6. Fervour

7. Radiance

Vaerisa have released their debut album titled "Heliograph." This album has a very big loud sound that you don't really hear many local bands going this route. The band goes for more soundscapes in their music, along with the vocals and guitar. These guys have a similar sound to that of Apocalyptica, Pvris, and even a bit of Lindsay Sterling, so if you like any of those artists, you could really get into this album. They have done a pretty decent job on this album. When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded fairly well with the big sound. The instrumentation is okay, they all know how to play their instruments, they just don't have enough of them. Maybe getting another guitarist or a bassist could make this sound even bigger. Now onto the vocals and the lyrics, the vocals on this album are fantastic. We could not believe that they are so powerful and came from such a small person. She certainly knows how to sing and she does it very well. We were impressed. With the lyrics, the band hits a spot about being on your own, being able to be strong and on your own. They also sing about dealing with change and just being able to stay on your own two feet as life moves around you. This band has done a really good job on their lyrics as well, If you are looking for a single to this album, the band has not put one out, so just pick a song and give it a listen to get the feel of the is album. Although on Vaerisa's debut album, they go off on a direction that most listeners do not, they still manage to do it well and with big sound. Hopefully with a little more growing, as this band is still in the startup stage with not really knowing who to tour with or having any merch, they can get up there. This band has a great structure and we think they could really succeed. Listen to this album to decide for yourself what you think of this unique band.

Genre: Electopop/Orchestral/Rock

Release Date: November 7th, 2016

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Label: None

Anastasia A - Something Inside You

1. I'm Ready
2. Save You
3. Something Inside You
4. Light It Up
5. Something Happens
6. Grand Prize

Anastasia A has released her debut album titled "Something Inside You." When listening to this album, you get the feeling its very pop, like an album you'd  hear on family channel or something geared to a lot younger people. Listening to this makes me think of Victoria Duffield or someone of that nature, so if you like her, you could like this also. When looking at the recording quality of this album, the album has been recorded pretty well, but the overall package is very average. Now onto the lyrics and vocals, the vocals are pretty good as well, she can sing, but the lyrics are very pop star feel, which in the grand scheme of things, doesn't have much substance to it. If you are looking for a single for this album, give the song "Something Inside You" your attention as it is the most catchy and it shows off the feel of the album the best. Anastasia A has a decent start with what she is trying to do, but hopefully with some progression it will have more of that pop feel where every song is catchy and makes you want to listen to it. Good job on a first album, now just get out there and let people know who you are by playing shows.

Genre: Pop/Electropop/Dance

Release Date: June 16th, 2014

Location: Toronto, Ontario
Website: http://www.anastasiaamusic.net

Label: None

Ben Zamora - Boardwalk

1. I Wanna Be Your Man

2. In The Clouds

3. One Night

4. Press Rewind

5. Miss You

6. What Would I Do

Ben Zamora has come out and released his debut solo album "Boardwalk." People may remember him as the singer/bassist from the hardcore band Horizons, but he's decided to step away from that scene,  but the guitar down and just sing. The first thing noticed is, this is definitely the opposite end of music from Horizons. When listening to these songs, you can hear that he is singing over a drum machine or computer which brings down the integrity of the music. Another thing you can see when you examine the lyrics is that they are all about girls, so again typical pop lyrics. You can also hear a bit of a quality thing with the songs, they could be a little better, but it is still good. However, the songs here are pretty catchy and have sort of a guilty pleasure feeling to them. The song "One Night" is a very catchy and the song that stands out the most on this album, so give that one your attention first. With some progression and tweaking with the music this could work, so don't count him out.

Genre: Pop/Electropop/Dance
Release Date: Feb 25th, 2014

Location: Mississauga, Ontario

Label: Alternative Empire