CyHra's Letters to Myself is diabetes metal: a thick-layered saccharine syrupy alternative rock effort that doesn't have anything to do with the bands its different members had been involved with prior to forming this band. The record is domineered by simple electronic soundscapes, short melodic guitar solos and polished clean vocals. Few bands push fluffy and melodic rock to such an extreme as this group even makes bands like Amaranthe, In Flames and Stratovarius sound like grim extreme metal outfits in comparison. One has to admit that the band has a quite unique sound but one has to be in the right mood to enjoy this album.

Many tracks sound somewhat exchangeable on this homogeneous effort but a few of them manage to stand out after multiple spins and could serve as indicators whether you are going to digest the sweet potpourri or get an auditive diarrhoea for the next days to come. Opener ''Karma'' is the most energetic song on the album with vivid electronic soundscapes, melodic guitar licks and upbeat rhythmic sections. It's quite a mirage actually since it makes you believe that this album could actually classify as melodic djent. 

''Heartrage'' equally fools you with seemingly heavier riffs in the verses before the pre-chorus only focuses on melodic electronic sounds and harmonious vocals before the epic chorus employs high-pitched vocals performing memorable hooks and lets the mask fall for good. 

The elegiac and simplistic alternative rock ballad ''Closure'' invites to dream yourself far away with soothing vocals and minimalist song structure.

''Inside A Lullaby'' is another ballad that rather employs modest symphonic sound samples and is domineered by enchanting piano melodies that do its title justice. 

Album closer ''Dead to Me'' could be described as power ballad with a slightly melancholy touch featuring spoken word passages that even include some surprising swear words interwoven in moderate poetic inspiration.

CyHra's Letters to Myself is best enjoyed by people who like melodic alternative rock with electronic soundscapes or particularly mellow nu metal that could regularly play at the discotheque or on the radio. The band certainly has its very own style and unites numerous melodic rock sounds created since the beginning of the new millennium to create its own interpretation of contemporary rock music. The final result is at times overwhelmingly mellow but somewhat entertaining if you like bands such as Linkin Park, The Night Flight Orchestra and Thirty Seconds to Mars and even features a few tunes that might grow on you as time goes by.

Final rating: 60%

Cold Pursuit is a remake of the Norwegian movie In Order of Disappearance. While I usually dislike Hollywood remakes, this film is a quite positive surprise.

The director of the original movie was also given the chance to direct the remake and it is obvious that he has put all his creativity, heart and soul into this project.

The locations have changed from Norway to the United States of America but manage to be quite similar since the film takes place in the wondrous winter landscapes of Denver and Kehoe in Colorado.

The lead character seems to be a perfect role for Liam Neeson who plays yet again a quiet family father with a thirst for revenge. He stars alongside other great actresses and actors like a particularly emotional Laura Dern and a versatile Tom Bateman who incarnates an unpredictable psychopath.

The conflict between arrogant white drug dealers from the big city of Denver and calmer yet equally deadly First Nation members from the remote winter resort of Kehoe adds some depth to the movie in form of a socio-critical undertone that shows how white men have mistreated First Nations for centuries.

Cold Pursuit also convinces with a shot of black humour and even some situation comedy. The former can be witnessed in form of the names of deceased characters that appear on screen during the movie and in the credits to pay homage to the title of the original film. The latter is exemplified by the memorable performance of Elizabeth Thai who plays a particularly angry, domineering and headstrong wife who overprotects her husband.

The movie only has a few minor negative elements which are related to the plot. It seems unlikely that the leader of a drug cartel kills the son of a long-term associate but potentially dangerous opponent based on a few vague assumptions. The fact that the lead character kidnaps the son of the drug cartel leader and carelessly drives around with him is also a headscratcher. The fact that the final confrontation is poorly prepared by the lead character despite his murderous objectives is also surprising to say the least.

If you are able to ignore some strange plot twists and at times illogical character development, you will enjoy a gritty tale of revenge with excellent actresses and actors, equally enchanting and sinister locations and a particularly elevated death count. Even by Liam Neeson's gloomy standards, this is one of his most brutal films ever and certainly not a movie for the whole family. Cold Pursuit is the movie to watch during this harsh winter season.

In Flames has always progressively changed and shifted its sound to become one of the most versatile and exciting bands in the melodic death metal genre. I, the Mask is the first album where the band sounds somewhat directionless and rehashes numerous past ideas which makes this release the quintet's worst studio release to date.

The album features mellower tracks like ''Follow Me'' with its acoustic guitars, heavily processed clean vocals, epic riffs and unspectacular rhythm section that might be explained due to the fact that the two American musicians on bass guitar and drums might not have had a major impact on the song writing process since they only joined the Swedish band last year. The record also includes rawer tunes like the chugging, down-tuned and sinister ''I Am Above'' that focuses on gritty guttural vocals. Most tracks are however somewhere in between like opener ''Voices'' that adds some modern sound experiments to the combination of aggressive verses and a melodic chorus. The record's calmer moments recall soft predecessor Battles while the harsher sounds are inspired by Come Clarity. In a certain way, the band itself wears masks it had already put on three years earlier and ten years before that. What the record is missing however is a proper identity.

A few select songs manage to stick out positively. ''(This Is Our) House'' is a courageous and innovative song that opens with refreshing gang shouts, combines almost robotic low vocals, repressed screams and slightly high-pitched clean vocals in a most dynamic way and has an overall floating, melodic and otherworldly vibe that creates a unique atmosphere which makes this track the most interesting one on the record. Bonus track ''Not Alone'' has a similar approach that could have served as the record's guideline as it once again features almost robotic low vocals that are contrasted by slightly processed high-pitched vocals in the chorus. Another solid tune that walks off the beaten path is ''Deep Inside'' that mixes decently employed electronic elements with Middle Eastern guitar sounds without getting away from the band's signature melodic death metal style.

In Flames' thirteenth studio album isn't a failure but could rather be described as a compilation mixing the mellow soundscapes of Battles with the harsher passages of Come Clarity. Two tracks stick out with diversified vocal performances mixing robotic low vocals, repressed screams and slightly processed high-pitched vocals over otherworldly vibes. If the band had used these two great tracks as guideline for a more coherent release, the final result could have sounded quite groundbreaking. As it is now, I, the Mask is certainly entertaining for fans of contemporary In Flames but ultimately only offers more of the same without a clear concept. The versatile vocals and excellent guitar play need to be pointed out while the unspectacular rhythm section and synthetic sound are slightly frustrating. The song material might actually sound much more dynamic in concert with a more energetic rhythm section and the absence of an artificial mastering, mixing and production.

If you are a fan of In Flames' recent records, you can't go wrong with I, the Mask. While not being a failure, this record might though be the band's weakest effort to date. At the end of the day, this record is still slightly above average and recommendable for genre fans but far from being mandatory. If you are looking for creative contemporary melodic death metal or metalcore with a coherent concept, listen to Erra's Neon and Soilwork's Verkligheten.

Final rating: 62%

John Wick: Chapter 2 is both one of the few action movies that actually has a reason to exist and that can compete with its predecessor. The former is confirmed since the titular main character has killed so many criminals in the predecessor that he has become public enemy number one which is the central plot element of this film. The latter is underlined by this film's similarly straight pace, pitiless action sequences and cool acting performances which make the transition between the two films very smooth. I would actually recommend watching the entire trilogy back to back since the films take place over a few days in the life of professional assassin John Wick.

Just like its predecessor, this movie obviously doesn't feature an intriguing plot. However, it expands the universe of John Wick as well as his associates and competitors. It gives us more details about the lead character's impressive reputation and explores his life before his initial retirement. The film adds a few new characters such as a shady crime lord played by Riccardo Scamarcio and an enigmatic underground cult figure who controls a large network of homeless gangsters incarnated by Laurence Fishburne. The film also introduces new spectacular locations such as a stealthy infiltration sequence to assassinate a powerful woman at the heart of Rome.

To keep it short, this sequel is as good as its predecessor and offers a whopping two hours of passionate action with spectacular locations, cool characters and some interesting background stories. This approach makes me think of a fast-paced video game like Hitman on steroids. The John Wick franchise doesn't reinvent its genre but offers unpretentious fun for fans of gritty action films for adults.