This first month of 2026 has been a bit difficult to hash out. I've been trying to listen to as much as catches my attention, but it sometimes feels as if I'm already coming up short on the numbers of albums I'm hearing, and writing about. Today, let's rectify that by covering two that don't require quite as many words to talk about.
Cold Night For Alligators - With All That's Left
The band's own description calls them 'forward thinking progressive metal', but I'm not quite sure if I can describe the feeling their music gives me. I wouldn't call it progressive, but it might fall under that category if you consider djent-like rhythms to be enough to fit the bill. There are hints of metalcore that creep in around the edges as well, but barely enough to earn a credit as a cameo. The most fitting way of describing Cold Night For Alligators is simple as being 'modern metal', with one big flashing red light.
For many people, it will be a complete turn-off that the band's vocalist and melody writing give me the distinct impression of being ripped from the pages of Fall Out Boy. No, they lack the snark and sarcasm of Pete Wentz word exercises, but the cadences and vocal tone are not dissimilar to Patrick Stump's. To use the comic book by way of sitcom reference, Cold Night For Alligators might well be Fall Out Boy wearing a mask as they set out in the night to avenge... something. That feeling is the most distinct takeaway I have from the album.
The record is fascinating when I think about it in that context. It's moody, melodic, and unlike anything you would expect from such a terrible band name. This is the kind of album that very well might drift back into the pack as the surprise factor wears off, but it's one that is well worth hearing, if just because it's always interesting to find out what could be possible if the multiverse is a reality, and those alternate versions of us do indeed exist.
Melissa Bonny - Cherry Red Apocalypse
Not much makes me feel more out of touch than trying to figure out what is going on in 'modern metal'. I'll hear something that catches my ear, and I'll think I understand what the younger generation is going for, and then the next thing will lead me back into the fog of confusion. That happened with Ad Infinitum, who's third album convinced me they were on the verge of being the next big breakout group. The follow-up to that record dialed back everything I liked about them, introduced more of the stuff I didn't like, and left me feeling completely cold. So when Melissa Bonny announced a solo album, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The initial singles were also confusing, because they didn't feel like that much of a separation from the band's core sound. Once the whole album is taken into context it's a bit more clear, but there is still a sense that much of this could have been the next Ad Infinitum album. What is different this time is Melissa adding in more pop and international influences. The pop is there, but comes with the odd aspect of not making the music any catchier than in the past. If anything, I'd say the pop elements to this record are less engaging, and less memorable, than the melodic construction of Ad Infinitum's best work. And the non-English lyrics are important to her, I'm sure, but erect another barrier between me and this album.
There are some good melodies on here, and Melissa continues to be a stunning vocalist, but it's becoming clear her influences and mine are very different. It seems that one great album is likely to be a fluke where two perpendicular lines meet, giving the impression they are together, when it's only for an instant in space and time. That's a shame.
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