So, in case you are new to my blog full of reviews or one of the very few that has read the rest, I'd like to say thanks and let you know that this is my first movie review, so we'll see how this goes. I've reviewed hard rock/metal albums before and a few other ramblings, but I'm hoping to make this a regular thing moving forward. I end up seeing a lot of movies and been debating whether to do this or not, but seeing as I have the time, I now figure "why the hell not?" So, that being said, let's move onto the actual review.
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The original "Robocop" is a movie that I saw when I was younger, and I remember being blown away by how violent it was. The original scene, where Alex Murphy is brutally murdered, was ingrained in my memory for quite a while afterwards.
After saying that, I need to inform you all that I am not a stickler to the old film. I haven't seen the entire thing in quite a while, so I don't hold it in as high regard as some others might, but I still acknowledge it as being a good movie, albeit a somewhat-cheesy one, in hindsight. The film is full of social satire, as most Paul Verhoeven movies are, and I was very worried that they would forget that in the modern remake.
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The 2014 "Robocop" is actually... not that bad. I went in not expecting much more than a cash-grab sci-fi actioner, and what I got was a pleasant experience. It might have helped that I saw the film in IMAX, but the film was actually pretty damn good. It was entertaining, it didn't dumb itself down to the lowest common denominator as a lot of other sci-fi reboots do ("Total Recall," I'm looking at you), and the performances were solid. The action was a lot of fun to watch, and you actually got to sympathize with Alex Murphy's character more so than the original.
In the original film, Alex Murphy becomes almost a husk of a human being once he enters the suit, and I think that keeping his family in the mix after his "incident" and showing his human reaction to the things that happen really helped the film. I was genuinely rooting for Murphy to find his human side throughout the movie, and the times that he did, I actually felt for him. I found myself wishing that he'd find a way to be happy and whole with his family again, even despite knowing it can never be. To me, this is really what helped elevate the movie beyond a simple action flick.
The performances by the actors were great. Joel Kinnaman ("The Killing") turns in a quasi-star-making performance as Murphy, and I fully expect him to get many more great roles in the future after this and his even-better performance on "The Killing." I'd even say that I have a burgeoning man-crush on him, despite seeing him only in those two things.
Gary Oldman is also solid in this flick as Dr. Dennett Norton, the man responsible for building Murphy into Robocop. Of course, that doesn't really need to be said, as Oldman has yet to turn in a bad performance. Michael Keaton continues his career resurgence as Raymond Sellars, a rich businessman, and Abbie Cornish gives an underrated performance as Murphy's distraught wife, Clara. Samuel L. Jackson nearly steals the show in his five minutes of extended cameo time, playing a Bill O'Reilly-type talk show host with a temper that could rival the famous Fox News icon. The rest of the talented cast, including Jackie Earle Haley, Michael K. Williams, Jay Baruchel, and Jennifer Ehle, all give good performances, but unfortunately all have pretty small, limited roles that don't require much more than a few minutes from each.
Jose Padilha, making his English-language debut by directing this film, does a good job of taking the origin of Robocop and making it fit in the 21st century. One of the things I really loved about this movie is that, instead of just copying the 1987 classic, they decided to change some things to better translate to the screen and to better fit into current times, such as putting a big emphasis on comparing the character of Robocop to nothing more than a drone. The action scenes were well-shot, and after not seeing any of Padilha's previous works, I'm now intrigued enough to check them out.
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After all is said, "Robocop" isn't a perfect piece of cinema, but it's a damn fun movie. If you love sci-fi movies, action movies, or anything with robots, then this is going to be a good time at the movie theater for you. Even if you check it out from Redbox in 6 months, I can guarantee that you'll find something to like out of this movie.
If I had to give it a rating, I'd give it a solid 8/10. It's not perfect, but it wildly exceeded my expectations and I'm now looking forward to the sequel, which I hope will be incoming soon.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Top 10 Albums Of The Year - 2013
So this has been a very interesting year as far as music goes. It didn't seem like a lot of bands put out new albums, but looking back at how long 2013 has been, I'm surprised to see how many are up to snuff.
In case you aren't aware of my own personal preferences, I am into the hard rock/metal side of things, so don't be surprised to find Eminem's new EP or Daft Punk's album missing. It's not really my thing. I'm not personally into that kind of music, so I can't, in my heart of hearts, put it on here, despite how catchy "Get Lucky" is or how lyrically and vocally talented Eminem proves himself on "Rap God."
Last year, Sylosis' "Monolith" was destined to be my number 1 album until the Deftones snuck in at the very end of the year with "Koi No Yokan," an album which (honestly) has stood the test of time. Who will reign supreme this year?
So, here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for (with bated breath, I'm sure). The top 10 albums of the year I'll forever remember as being "meh": 2013. What was a crap year in life was in reality a great year for music. And heeeeeeeeere weeeeeeeeee GO.
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10.) Avenged Sevenfold - "Hail To The King"
I don't think there was a more anticipated album than Avenged Sevenfold's "Hail To The King." Following the death of founding member (and influential songwriter) Jimmy "The Rev," A7X came back strong with "Nightmare." However, "Nightmare" had been mostly written before the Rev passed, so everyone was eager to see how the remaining 4 members (and newly minted drummer Arin Ilejay) would rebound. Luckily, the band didn't disappoint. They came back with "Hail To The King," an album that is directly influenced by Metallica's "The Black Album" and carries a similar tone throughout. This album is focused primarily on groove and hard rock, as opposed to metalcore or other influences from their past, but it's still an Avenged Sevenfold album, and a good one at that.
9.) Queens Of The Stone Age - "...Like Clockwork"
Another highly-anticipated album, coming into 2013, was QOTSA's new one. Frontman and primary songwriter Josh Homme had been working on this album for about 5 years, so fans were eager to see what would come to be after the half-decade wait. What we got was perhaps the weirdest and most eclectic Queens album yet, but it was a very mature album that really stuck together as a cohesive whole; I fail to find one track I would prefer over the others, as I've only ever listened to it in its entirety. To me, that's what defines a great album in general.
8.) Devildriver - "Winter Kills"
Odds are, if you know Devildriver and any of their past material, you know what you're going to get with this album. They've always been a band that's focused on being heavy and incorporating big grooves into their songs, and this album is exactly that. The production on this album is far better than their 2011 effort "Beast," and features much better songwriting than either that album or their 2009 album "Pray For Villains." Personally, I'd consider it their best album since 2007's "The Last Kind Words," but it still isn't as good as that or their second album "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand." Devildriver doesn't recreate the wheel with this album, but they've already perfected their wheel and instead make it rounder than ever (and there's my odd pun for the review).
7.) Stone Sour - "House Of Gold & Bones"
Technically, "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 1" came out in late 2012, but I'm just going to consider both parts in my 2013 review. Together, "House Of Gold & Bones" is the best album Stone Sour has ever recorded, and finds them reaching new heights in every possible way: their rocking tunes are pure headbangers, their heavy tracks are the heaviest yet, the ballads are as melodic and catchy as ever, and everything is in full effect. The two-disc effort (which was separated by 6 months) is a truly epic double album, one that doesn't require a bunch of filler, either... it's end-to-end full of solid tracks.
6.) Living Sacrifice - "Ghost Thief"
Whenever I tell people that I like some Christian metal, they tend to ridicule me: people get the vision of spandex tights and giant crosses that bands like Stryper bring to their live shows. I then show them Living Sacrifice, and it usually tends to shut them up. Living Sacrifice has been doing it for over twenty years, and with the various member changes they've seen, they just keep getting heavier and heavier. After reuniting and releasing 2009's amazing "The Infinite Order," I was ecstatic for "Ghost Thief," and the band didn't disappoint. The album is a lean 10 songs, but each song is a pure metal gem, full of groove and thrash and snarling vocals and everything in-between.
5.) Alice In Chains - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"
Alice In Chains reunited with new vocalist William DuVall in 2009 and released a great album, "Black Gives Way To Blue," which was full of heartbreak and emotion and very reminiscent of their original classic album, "Dirt." For their new album, though, it seemed like they took an influence from their debut album "Facelift," and focused on creating rock anthems. "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is full of absolute gems, each track capable of being a single in and among itself. While some may write the new Alice In Chains off due to Layne Staley's passing years ago, I honestly believe that they are better than ever, and that "The Devil Puts Dinosaurs Here" might be their best album yet.
4.) Trivium - "Vengeance Falls"
I have always been a huge fanboy of Trivium. I'll admit it. A lot of people in the metal world hate on them for "selling out," but they fail to realize that a band that refuses to grow (coughSLAYERcough) becomes stagnant and boring. Trivium decided to team up with Disturbed frontman David Draiman to produce their new album, "Vengeance Falls," and his influence is very apparent: vocalist Matthew Heafy's vocals are better and stronger than ever, and you can really count his screaming parts on this album on one hand. It's very reminiscent of their past album "The Crusade," but instead of trying to copy Metallica, they've finally found what kind of sound they want to gun for. I didn't like the album much at all on my first listen, but on the second and third and so on it began to really grow on me, and it now may be one of my favorite of theirs... either this or 2008's "Shogun". Time will tell.
3.) The Bronx - "The Bronx IV"
I fell in love with The Bronx at around the time that their last album, "The Bronx III," came out in 2008. I dug their vibe, the way that they mixed hardcore, punk, modern rock, and classic rock... it's a very interesting mix, and the band proves that they just keep maturing as they get older. After a couple of years diving headfirst into their mariachi alter ego (with the excellent band name Mariachi el Bronx), the band made the decision to get back into the studio and pump out another album full of punk-fueled jams. "The Bronx IV" is a truly great album that may not be appreciated by past fans of the band, but it's another evolution from the band that shows them getting a little bit older but refusing to lose their fire.
2.) Killswitch Engage - "Disarm The Descent"
Killswitch Engage has been a mixed bag for me recently. Their albums "Alive Or Just Breathing" and "The End Of Heartache" are already classics of modern metalcore, but their following albums "As Daylight Dies" and the self-titled "Killswitch Engage" saw them descend from mediocre to just flat-out boring. Vocalist Howard Jones left the band due to personal reasons, and after some trials and tribulations, vocalist Jesse Leach rejoined the band. This immediately perked up my ears, as Jesse Leach was the voice that got me into Killswitch Engage and remains one of my favorite performers despite his low profile over recent years. However, just by Leach's passion and presence on the new album, "Disarm The Descent" was a giant success and put the band back on the map... it was the album I had been waiting for after "The End Of Heartache." It's almost as if he never left the band, and I truly can't wait to hear what Killswitch Engage can put together next time when they all write together.
1.) The Defiled - "Daggers"
In 2011, a little band out of the UK named The Defiled released their debut album, titled "Grave Times." When I first heard it, there was a lot about it that I loved, but it was largely an unpolished gem. It had some moments of greatness but was clouded with songs that ran too long and didn't realize their full potential. However, after teaming up with producer Jason Suecof, the Defiled released "Daggers" this past summer, and I was absolutely blown away. The Defiled mix modern metalcore with industrial metal and include some shocking visuals to their videos and look, but it all really works for them. Each song is a really solid song that not only makes you bang your head, but it also dares you to sing along to it, no matter where you are. It's truly a great album that I think will go down as a defining moment for the band. If you enjoy hard rock and/or metal and have yet to listen to this song, check out the videos for "As I Drown" and "Unspoken" and then immediately buy this album if you like what you hear. This is a young band that is destined for big things, and I'd love to see them succeed... especially if the music they write is as good as this.
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Honorable Mentions
Kvelertak - "Meir"
Hatebreed - "The Divinity Of Purpose"
Alter Bridge - "Fortress"
Sepultura - "The Mediator Between The Head And The Hands Must Be The Heart"
Betzefer - "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
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Well, there you have it. Another year gone, and hopefully a few albums for you to sink your teeth into.
Until next year!
In case you aren't aware of my own personal preferences, I am into the hard rock/metal side of things, so don't be surprised to find Eminem's new EP or Daft Punk's album missing. It's not really my thing. I'm not personally into that kind of music, so I can't, in my heart of hearts, put it on here, despite how catchy "Get Lucky" is or how lyrically and vocally talented Eminem proves himself on "Rap God."
Last year, Sylosis' "Monolith" was destined to be my number 1 album until the Deftones snuck in at the very end of the year with "Koi No Yokan," an album which (honestly) has stood the test of time. Who will reign supreme this year?
So, here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for (with bated breath, I'm sure). The top 10 albums of the year I'll forever remember as being "meh": 2013. What was a crap year in life was in reality a great year for music. And heeeeeeeeere weeeeeeeeee GO.
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10.) Avenged Sevenfold - "Hail To The King"
I don't think there was a more anticipated album than Avenged Sevenfold's "Hail To The King." Following the death of founding member (and influential songwriter) Jimmy "The Rev," A7X came back strong with "Nightmare." However, "Nightmare" had been mostly written before the Rev passed, so everyone was eager to see how the remaining 4 members (and newly minted drummer Arin Ilejay) would rebound. Luckily, the band didn't disappoint. They came back with "Hail To The King," an album that is directly influenced by Metallica's "The Black Album" and carries a similar tone throughout. This album is focused primarily on groove and hard rock, as opposed to metalcore or other influences from their past, but it's still an Avenged Sevenfold album, and a good one at that.
9.) Queens Of The Stone Age - "...Like Clockwork"
Another highly-anticipated album, coming into 2013, was QOTSA's new one. Frontman and primary songwriter Josh Homme had been working on this album for about 5 years, so fans were eager to see what would come to be after the half-decade wait. What we got was perhaps the weirdest and most eclectic Queens album yet, but it was a very mature album that really stuck together as a cohesive whole; I fail to find one track I would prefer over the others, as I've only ever listened to it in its entirety. To me, that's what defines a great album in general.
8.) Devildriver - "Winter Kills"
Odds are, if you know Devildriver and any of their past material, you know what you're going to get with this album. They've always been a band that's focused on being heavy and incorporating big grooves into their songs, and this album is exactly that. The production on this album is far better than their 2011 effort "Beast," and features much better songwriting than either that album or their 2009 album "Pray For Villains." Personally, I'd consider it their best album since 2007's "The Last Kind Words," but it still isn't as good as that or their second album "The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand." Devildriver doesn't recreate the wheel with this album, but they've already perfected their wheel and instead make it rounder than ever (and there's my odd pun for the review).
7.) Stone Sour - "House Of Gold & Bones"
Technically, "House Of Gold & Bones - Part 1" came out in late 2012, but I'm just going to consider both parts in my 2013 review. Together, "House Of Gold & Bones" is the best album Stone Sour has ever recorded, and finds them reaching new heights in every possible way: their rocking tunes are pure headbangers, their heavy tracks are the heaviest yet, the ballads are as melodic and catchy as ever, and everything is in full effect. The two-disc effort (which was separated by 6 months) is a truly epic double album, one that doesn't require a bunch of filler, either... it's end-to-end full of solid tracks.
6.) Living Sacrifice - "Ghost Thief"
Whenever I tell people that I like some Christian metal, they tend to ridicule me: people get the vision of spandex tights and giant crosses that bands like Stryper bring to their live shows. I then show them Living Sacrifice, and it usually tends to shut them up. Living Sacrifice has been doing it for over twenty years, and with the various member changes they've seen, they just keep getting heavier and heavier. After reuniting and releasing 2009's amazing "The Infinite Order," I was ecstatic for "Ghost Thief," and the band didn't disappoint. The album is a lean 10 songs, but each song is a pure metal gem, full of groove and thrash and snarling vocals and everything in-between.
5.) Alice In Chains - "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here"
Alice In Chains reunited with new vocalist William DuVall in 2009 and released a great album, "Black Gives Way To Blue," which was full of heartbreak and emotion and very reminiscent of their original classic album, "Dirt." For their new album, though, it seemed like they took an influence from their debut album "Facelift," and focused on creating rock anthems. "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here" is full of absolute gems, each track capable of being a single in and among itself. While some may write the new Alice In Chains off due to Layne Staley's passing years ago, I honestly believe that they are better than ever, and that "The Devil Puts Dinosaurs Here" might be their best album yet.
4.) Trivium - "Vengeance Falls"
I have always been a huge fanboy of Trivium. I'll admit it. A lot of people in the metal world hate on them for "selling out," but they fail to realize that a band that refuses to grow (coughSLAYERcough) becomes stagnant and boring. Trivium decided to team up with Disturbed frontman David Draiman to produce their new album, "Vengeance Falls," and his influence is very apparent: vocalist Matthew Heafy's vocals are better and stronger than ever, and you can really count his screaming parts on this album on one hand. It's very reminiscent of their past album "The Crusade," but instead of trying to copy Metallica, they've finally found what kind of sound they want to gun for. I didn't like the album much at all on my first listen, but on the second and third and so on it began to really grow on me, and it now may be one of my favorite of theirs... either this or 2008's "Shogun". Time will tell.
3.) The Bronx - "The Bronx IV"
I fell in love with The Bronx at around the time that their last album, "The Bronx III," came out in 2008. I dug their vibe, the way that they mixed hardcore, punk, modern rock, and classic rock... it's a very interesting mix, and the band proves that they just keep maturing as they get older. After a couple of years diving headfirst into their mariachi alter ego (with the excellent band name Mariachi el Bronx), the band made the decision to get back into the studio and pump out another album full of punk-fueled jams. "The Bronx IV" is a truly great album that may not be appreciated by past fans of the band, but it's another evolution from the band that shows them getting a little bit older but refusing to lose their fire.
2.) Killswitch Engage - "Disarm The Descent"
Killswitch Engage has been a mixed bag for me recently. Their albums "Alive Or Just Breathing" and "The End Of Heartache" are already classics of modern metalcore, but their following albums "As Daylight Dies" and the self-titled "Killswitch Engage" saw them descend from mediocre to just flat-out boring. Vocalist Howard Jones left the band due to personal reasons, and after some trials and tribulations, vocalist Jesse Leach rejoined the band. This immediately perked up my ears, as Jesse Leach was the voice that got me into Killswitch Engage and remains one of my favorite performers despite his low profile over recent years. However, just by Leach's passion and presence on the new album, "Disarm The Descent" was a giant success and put the band back on the map... it was the album I had been waiting for after "The End Of Heartache." It's almost as if he never left the band, and I truly can't wait to hear what Killswitch Engage can put together next time when they all write together.
1.) The Defiled - "Daggers"
In 2011, a little band out of the UK named The Defiled released their debut album, titled "Grave Times." When I first heard it, there was a lot about it that I loved, but it was largely an unpolished gem. It had some moments of greatness but was clouded with songs that ran too long and didn't realize their full potential. However, after teaming up with producer Jason Suecof, the Defiled released "Daggers" this past summer, and I was absolutely blown away. The Defiled mix modern metalcore with industrial metal and include some shocking visuals to their videos and look, but it all really works for them. Each song is a really solid song that not only makes you bang your head, but it also dares you to sing along to it, no matter where you are. It's truly a great album that I think will go down as a defining moment for the band. If you enjoy hard rock and/or metal and have yet to listen to this song, check out the videos for "As I Drown" and "Unspoken" and then immediately buy this album if you like what you hear. This is a young band that is destined for big things, and I'd love to see them succeed... especially if the music they write is as good as this.
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Honorable Mentions
Kvelertak - "Meir"
Hatebreed - "The Divinity Of Purpose"
Alter Bridge - "Fortress"
Sepultura - "The Mediator Between The Head And The Hands Must Be The Heart"
Betzefer - "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
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Well, there you have it. Another year gone, and hopefully a few albums for you to sink your teeth into.
Until next year!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Album Review: Betzefer - "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
Betzefer is one of those bands that I've had a love/hate relationship with over the last handful of years. When I first heard their debut album, "Down Low," around 4-5 years ago, I fell in love. It was a great slab of groove metal, and it wasn't until I researched more about the band that I found out that they were actually from Israel, which I found to be pretty amazing.
So, fueled by my love for their debut album and interested to see which road the band would follow, I had to wait until 2011 (over 5 years after their previous album had been released) to get their next one, "Freedom To The Slave Maker," which title inspired something very promising. However, I was extremely disappointed with that one, as I found that the band had changed heavy grooves and extreme metal vocals for an alternative metal approach, something that didn't fit their vibe or their tone well at all.
So, with that in mind, we approach "The Devil Went Down To The Hold Land" with a practical wariness, yet hopefulness that the band has righted the ship that is Betzefer...
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1.) "Tropical"
Typical minute-long, sound effect-fueled album opener. Pass.
2.) "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
The album starts off with a driving drum beat, and immediately jumps into a hard rock-fueled vibe. This isn't quite the groove metal album opener that I was hoping for, but it's actually quite interesting. Vocalist Avital Tamir has found the correct niche for his voice, settling for a Bobaflex-sounding shout instead of the Page Hamilton-inspired squeal he went for on the last album. This song is a nice heavy rocker, and I am absolutely okay with that. A good way to start things.
3.) "Killing The Fuss"
"Killing The Fuss" pretty much picks up where "TDWDthHL" ended, carrying the same hard rock vibe, but adds a bit of the groove metal crunch that their first album relished in. All-in-all, it's a much better track than anything that was on the last album, and it really picks up near the end. It really bridges the gap between heavy rock and groove metal, and we finally get to hear Avital Tamir scream a little bit. Guitarist Matan Cohen really provides a lot of great riffs for this track, and even gets a few Jerry Cantrell-sounding moments throughout the song. I didn't really get a taste of the entire lyric sheet, but it seems like this track addresses a lot of the people like myself, who'd rather micromanage the band and tell them to direct their sound, which I respect.
4.) "Cash"
Now THIS is what I'm talking about. Starting off with a thrashy intro, Cohen really brings things down into a heavy groove, helped out with a really strong bottom section (bassist Rotem Inbar and drummer Roey Berman are just as responsible for this strong groove sound). This song legitimately sounds like something that I would have expected as a continuation of "Down Low": this song is nothing but heavy ass grooves. I love it. If I wasn't excited for this album as a whole, I am now. Cohen really shines in his grooves and solos, and I'm happy as hell to hear Tamir screaming his head off again.
5.) "Yuppie Six Feet Underground"
This track sound like something straight off of "Down Low." It starts off with a heavy bottom-heavy groove, and a blood-curdling scream from Tamir before heading into a slow-moving groove sound. A pretty good track, and at this point, I'm really enjoying the route this album is going down. Drummer Berman has some pretty awesome drum fills throughout the track, and Cohen gets to showcase some more Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains-like solo skills.
6.) "Copkiller"
A downright killer riff by Cohen gets this song off on a great start, and before long, the band is balls deep into the heaviest groove that they may have ever written. Within a minute into the song, I'm all ready to declare it my favorite song they've ever written. It's that solid and that fucking heavy. I love it. I don't know what else to say, it's just a great song, albeit short (barely over 3 minutes).
7.) "Sledgehammer"
"Sledgehammer" starts out with the makings of a rock anthem, and then quickly delves back into the heavy groove that has defined this album thus far. A really strong rhythm section carries the driving pace on this track, and then there's a sludgy-sounding Alice In Chains-inspired midsection that's just awesome.
8.) "The Medic"
This one definitely gets off to a slower-paced, sludgy sound, which I'm beginning to find a lot on this album. However, it really works, and it doesn't sound out of place, as it's still groovy as all get-out and carries the pace that the previous tracks have established while also throwing in a few more "rock" moments. This song really reminds me of something that the band Seemless would have written, as it's more bluesy-rock inspired than the others so far.
9.) "Milk"
Another rock-driven intro starts this one out with a garage-sounding bang. This track is definitely a good companion piece to the previous song, "The Medic," but features more "Freedom to the Slave Maker"-type vocals as opposed to screams. Cohen really gets to tap into his bluesy guitar solo side for this one, sounding similar in tone to an artist like Slash throughout. At around the final minute, there's some really cool Phil Anselmo-ish whispered vocals that are both creepy and effective.
10.) "Suicide Hotline Pt. 1"
Wow, this song is really a mixed bag of everything. The verses sound like something off of "Freedom To The Slave Maker," yet is immediately followed by a heavy double bass portion (good work, Berman) that features Tamir's most extreme screams yet (he really hit some highs AND some lows I didn't know he was capable of). If you're interested in hearing some of Betzefer's diversity and technical prowess, I would definitely check this one out. Great song.
11.) "Suicide Hotline Pt. 2"
This one starts off with a drum roll from Berman, and gets straight back to business. Drummer Berman and bassist Inbar really help drive this one home, establishing a killer bottom-sounding groove throughout the entire song. This one features another killer breakdown with some gang vocals and quite a few Alice In Chains-sounding moments. Another really good song.
12.) "Cannibal"
Heavy. That's the only word I can use to describe this track. It's the most death metal-like song Betzefer have ever recorded, and Tamir is channeling his inner Cannibal Corpse on this one. It's really surprising at how well the band can pull off the heavy driving death sound, considering I've never heard this side of them before, and they were on the brink of going alt rock on their last album. Another surprisingly great track that really pushes the boundaries on what Betzefer, as a band, is capable of. Apparently, they're capable of quite a bit.
13.) "I Hate"
The band is back to its grooviness again on this track, but Tamir has some more interesting vocals on this one. I've been pleasantly surprised by what he's capable of on this album, considering I thought he had lost his voice on the last album. This track is really Tamir's moment to shine, as the title of the track is inspired by Tamir screaming how much he hates everyone and everything... ofttimes throughout the song, he says it just forthright. Don't let that think that the other band members don't get their moments, though, as the last half of the song is just a straight groove rhythm-fest.
14.) "Can You Hear Me Now"
I'm always a stickler about the final track of an album, and no difference here. I'm expecting greatness after what I've heard, and... Betzefer doesn't disappoint. This song features some of the biggest hooks and grooves of the entire album, and the entire band is in top form. The band finishes it up on the perfect crescendo of aggression and hatred, and then lets the creepy sound effects carry you to the finish line. Another great outing by Betzefer.
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After the disappointment that was "Freedom To The Slave Maker," I wasn't sure what to expect from Betzefer. If I had another dull album from them, I might have been done: it only takes two crap albums from a band for me to lose interest, but thankfully, Betzefer did not.
What Betzefer have put out is a perfect mixture (in my eyes) between their first album "Down Low" and "Freedom To The Slave Maker." They took the heavy grooves and aggression from "Down Low," added some of the rock sensibilities of "Freedom To The Slave Maker," and then continued adding their own technical prowess and songwriting expertise that comes from experience and have crafted one of my favorite albums of the year.
Pretty much every track (besides the opening "Tropical") is a winner. I especially like the tracks "Copkiller," "Can You Hear Me Now," "Suicide Hotline Pt. 1," "Cannibal," and "Cash."
After thinking that Avital Tamir was done and had thrown his voice (like so many great metal vocalists beforehand), he surprises me and puts on a better performance than he did on the last two albums combined.
Guitarist Matan Cohen not only has grooves spilling out of his pockets, but he also kept things interesting by adding in some interesting solos and embracing his inner-Jerry Cantrell, which really showcases itself many times throughout the album.
Bassist Rotem Inbar doesn't get a lot of moments on the album to particularly showcase his skills, but he's more than responsible for bringing in the bottom-end groove that the album has in spades. Another person attributed for that is drummer Roey Berman, who is just incredible throughout the entire album; not only in his ability to write a groove piece, but also in his ability to perfectly fill from one segment to the other.
All in all, just a great groove metal album, and a splendid album in its own right. If you like metal than makes you want to tap your foot, shake your rump, or even dance, this might be a good one for you. Even if you just like metal, check it out.
So, fueled by my love for their debut album and interested to see which road the band would follow, I had to wait until 2011 (over 5 years after their previous album had been released) to get their next one, "Freedom To The Slave Maker," which title inspired something very promising. However, I was extremely disappointed with that one, as I found that the band had changed heavy grooves and extreme metal vocals for an alternative metal approach, something that didn't fit their vibe or their tone well at all.
So, with that in mind, we approach "The Devil Went Down To The Hold Land" with a practical wariness, yet hopefulness that the band has righted the ship that is Betzefer...
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1.) "Tropical"
Typical minute-long, sound effect-fueled album opener. Pass.
2.) "The Devil Went Down To The Holy Land"
The album starts off with a driving drum beat, and immediately jumps into a hard rock-fueled vibe. This isn't quite the groove metal album opener that I was hoping for, but it's actually quite interesting. Vocalist Avital Tamir has found the correct niche for his voice, settling for a Bobaflex-sounding shout instead of the Page Hamilton-inspired squeal he went for on the last album. This song is a nice heavy rocker, and I am absolutely okay with that. A good way to start things.
3.) "Killing The Fuss"
"Killing The Fuss" pretty much picks up where "TDWDthHL" ended, carrying the same hard rock vibe, but adds a bit of the groove metal crunch that their first album relished in. All-in-all, it's a much better track than anything that was on the last album, and it really picks up near the end. It really bridges the gap between heavy rock and groove metal, and we finally get to hear Avital Tamir scream a little bit. Guitarist Matan Cohen really provides a lot of great riffs for this track, and even gets a few Jerry Cantrell-sounding moments throughout the song. I didn't really get a taste of the entire lyric sheet, but it seems like this track addresses a lot of the people like myself, who'd rather micromanage the band and tell them to direct their sound, which I respect.
4.) "Cash"
Now THIS is what I'm talking about. Starting off with a thrashy intro, Cohen really brings things down into a heavy groove, helped out with a really strong bottom section (bassist Rotem Inbar and drummer Roey Berman are just as responsible for this strong groove sound). This song legitimately sounds like something that I would have expected as a continuation of "Down Low": this song is nothing but heavy ass grooves. I love it. If I wasn't excited for this album as a whole, I am now. Cohen really shines in his grooves and solos, and I'm happy as hell to hear Tamir screaming his head off again.
5.) "Yuppie Six Feet Underground"
This track sound like something straight off of "Down Low." It starts off with a heavy bottom-heavy groove, and a blood-curdling scream from Tamir before heading into a slow-moving groove sound. A pretty good track, and at this point, I'm really enjoying the route this album is going down. Drummer Berman has some pretty awesome drum fills throughout the track, and Cohen gets to showcase some more Jerry Cantrell, Alice In Chains-like solo skills.
6.) "Copkiller"
A downright killer riff by Cohen gets this song off on a great start, and before long, the band is balls deep into the heaviest groove that they may have ever written. Within a minute into the song, I'm all ready to declare it my favorite song they've ever written. It's that solid and that fucking heavy. I love it. I don't know what else to say, it's just a great song, albeit short (barely over 3 minutes).
7.) "Sledgehammer"
"Sledgehammer" starts out with the makings of a rock anthem, and then quickly delves back into the heavy groove that has defined this album thus far. A really strong rhythm section carries the driving pace on this track, and then there's a sludgy-sounding Alice In Chains-inspired midsection that's just awesome.
8.) "The Medic"
This one definitely gets off to a slower-paced, sludgy sound, which I'm beginning to find a lot on this album. However, it really works, and it doesn't sound out of place, as it's still groovy as all get-out and carries the pace that the previous tracks have established while also throwing in a few more "rock" moments. This song really reminds me of something that the band Seemless would have written, as it's more bluesy-rock inspired than the others so far.
9.) "Milk"
Another rock-driven intro starts this one out with a garage-sounding bang. This track is definitely a good companion piece to the previous song, "The Medic," but features more "Freedom to the Slave Maker"-type vocals as opposed to screams. Cohen really gets to tap into his bluesy guitar solo side for this one, sounding similar in tone to an artist like Slash throughout. At around the final minute, there's some really cool Phil Anselmo-ish whispered vocals that are both creepy and effective.
10.) "Suicide Hotline Pt. 1"
Wow, this song is really a mixed bag of everything. The verses sound like something off of "Freedom To The Slave Maker," yet is immediately followed by a heavy double bass portion (good work, Berman) that features Tamir's most extreme screams yet (he really hit some highs AND some lows I didn't know he was capable of). If you're interested in hearing some of Betzefer's diversity and technical prowess, I would definitely check this one out. Great song.
11.) "Suicide Hotline Pt. 2"
This one starts off with a drum roll from Berman, and gets straight back to business. Drummer Berman and bassist Inbar really help drive this one home, establishing a killer bottom-sounding groove throughout the entire song. This one features another killer breakdown with some gang vocals and quite a few Alice In Chains-sounding moments. Another really good song.
12.) "Cannibal"
Heavy. That's the only word I can use to describe this track. It's the most death metal-like song Betzefer have ever recorded, and Tamir is channeling his inner Cannibal Corpse on this one. It's really surprising at how well the band can pull off the heavy driving death sound, considering I've never heard this side of them before, and they were on the brink of going alt rock on their last album. Another surprisingly great track that really pushes the boundaries on what Betzefer, as a band, is capable of. Apparently, they're capable of quite a bit.
13.) "I Hate"
The band is back to its grooviness again on this track, but Tamir has some more interesting vocals on this one. I've been pleasantly surprised by what he's capable of on this album, considering I thought he had lost his voice on the last album. This track is really Tamir's moment to shine, as the title of the track is inspired by Tamir screaming how much he hates everyone and everything... ofttimes throughout the song, he says it just forthright. Don't let that think that the other band members don't get their moments, though, as the last half of the song is just a straight groove rhythm-fest.
14.) "Can You Hear Me Now"
I'm always a stickler about the final track of an album, and no difference here. I'm expecting greatness after what I've heard, and... Betzefer doesn't disappoint. This song features some of the biggest hooks and grooves of the entire album, and the entire band is in top form. The band finishes it up on the perfect crescendo of aggression and hatred, and then lets the creepy sound effects carry you to the finish line. Another great outing by Betzefer.
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After the disappointment that was "Freedom To The Slave Maker," I wasn't sure what to expect from Betzefer. If I had another dull album from them, I might have been done: it only takes two crap albums from a band for me to lose interest, but thankfully, Betzefer did not.
What Betzefer have put out is a perfect mixture (in my eyes) between their first album "Down Low" and "Freedom To The Slave Maker." They took the heavy grooves and aggression from "Down Low," added some of the rock sensibilities of "Freedom To The Slave Maker," and then continued adding their own technical prowess and songwriting expertise that comes from experience and have crafted one of my favorite albums of the year.
Pretty much every track (besides the opening "Tropical") is a winner. I especially like the tracks "Copkiller," "Can You Hear Me Now," "Suicide Hotline Pt. 1," "Cannibal," and "Cash."
After thinking that Avital Tamir was done and had thrown his voice (like so many great metal vocalists beforehand), he surprises me and puts on a better performance than he did on the last two albums combined.
Guitarist Matan Cohen not only has grooves spilling out of his pockets, but he also kept things interesting by adding in some interesting solos and embracing his inner-Jerry Cantrell, which really showcases itself many times throughout the album.
Bassist Rotem Inbar doesn't get a lot of moments on the album to particularly showcase his skills, but he's more than responsible for bringing in the bottom-end groove that the album has in spades. Another person attributed for that is drummer Roey Berman, who is just incredible throughout the entire album; not only in his ability to write a groove piece, but also in his ability to perfectly fill from one segment to the other.
All in all, just a great groove metal album, and a splendid album in its own right. If you like metal than makes you want to tap your foot, shake your rump, or even dance, this might be a good one for you. Even if you just like metal, check it out.
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Album Review: Heart Of A Coward - "Severance"
Heart Of A Coward is a band that I don't have that much experience with. The only reason I know that this band exists is because the original singer of Sylosis, Jamie Graham, left that band a few years ago in order to focus on this style of music. After listening to HOAC's first album, "Hope & Hindrance," it's easy to tell why: both this band and Sylosis are metal, but there couldn't be a bigger distance between the two. Whereas Sylosis focuses on the melodic death-genre of metal (with quite a few thrash, metalcore, and even doom metal influences), HOAC is a more "current-sounding" style band, with a lot of groovy djent elements to their sound.
"Hope & Hindrance," their first album, was good, but it wasn't necessarily great. I loved elements from it, but I wasn't totally enthralled by it like I was with Graham's two Sylosis albums, "Conclusion Of An Age" and "The Supreme Opressor." Some tracks like "Shade" had be bumping my foot for hours after hearing, but it seemed like the band was trying to be too "djenty" without fully embracing a sound of their own.
Hopefully they've managed to turn it around for their new album, "Severance"...
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1.) "Monstro"
"Severance" starts out with a bang with "Monstro." The down-turned guitar is very prominent, and sounds MUCH more crisp and clear than it did on their last album. Clearly, this is still a djent band, and their cementing themselves fully into that corner. However, one of the big things that kept me from fully embracing their last album was the production, and the production on this song alone is outstanding. This is a great album opener, fully of the groove and ambient guitar parts you'd expect from a djent band.
2.) "Prey"
The quality production carries on to "Prey," which offers a more straightforward metal sound while still retaining the djent elements. This is a great track, full of groovy bridges in between Graham's screamed verses and clean choruses. This is a track that's almost impossible not to nod along to. Guitarists Carl Ayers and Steve Haycock do a really good job of establishing a soundscape with their guitars throughout this track, instantly being able to split apart and balance the heavy groove with the dark ambient tones that make this more than just a metal song.
3.) "Distance"
This song immediately carries on from the end of "Prey," and delves into a brief melodic intro similar to something the Deftones would do, into an aggressive and passionate screaming performance by Jamie Graham, who delivers his best vocal performance to date. His singing voice has really matured from his days with Sylosis into (yet another Deftones comparison) a croon similar to Chino Moreno. The melodic style the band embraces on this track really works, especially when compared to the aggressive parts of the song, and the breakdown during the final ~35 seconds of the song is insane.
4.) "Nauseam"
"Nauseam" was the first single that the band released from this album, and I've actually been listening to it for the past couple of months. This was the track that got me incredibly excited for this album, as it's everything I could ask for: heavily aggressive and full of groovy metal riffs, yet also melodic and balanced in its own way. "Nauseam" has a few great hooks throughout it's 3:30 running time, and the entire band is in-sync. Even bassist Vishal Khetia and drummer Christopher Manbridge get to showcase their rhythm section throughout the track, particularly through the more rhythmic, groove-inspired sections of the song. If you want a good example of what to expect from the album, pick up this track in some way or give it a listen.
5.) "Deadweight"
Mansbridge gets "Deadweight" off of the ground with some absolutely killer double bass attacks, which really run throughout the entire duration of the song. "Deadweight" features some of the absolutely best heavy groove riffing I've ever heard, and even while the tempo of the song changes multiple times, it always retains a hardcore-level of aggression. If I had to pick an early favorite for the album based off of a first listen, I'd choose this one.
6.) "Eclipsed"
The first minute or so of this track is creepy guitar instrumental that helps set a tone, and it builds up to some awesome rhythm parts before leading into a shortened ambient track. Khetia and Mansbridge really help build up the tone of this track, while Ayers and Haycock build around it. It's not a particularly interesting track, but it fits the album well.
7.) "Psychophant"
This track immediately kicks off with some aggressive groove, and after the buildup that was "Eclipsed" it's a well-built momentum. This track really carries itself on that groove, which features the entire band prominently. Ayers and Haycock trade off in some pretty awesome ways, while Khetia and Mansbridge really prove themselves as the base of the entire band's sound. Even Graham gets to showcase some particularly heavy vocals during this track, as there's no real melody to this song: it's an all-out bruiser.
8.) "Mirrors"
"Mirrors" starts off in an ambient groove, which quickly continues on into an all-around groove. The guitar sound on this track is particularly bass-like, but it works really well for the song. "Mirrors" reminds me of something off of their first album, "Hope & Hindrance," and Graham's vocals sound similar to some of Sylosis' earlier tracks. Graham is really the standout of this track, balancing his guttural screams and eerie, ambient cleans in interesting ways.
9.) "Desensitize"
This track really carries itself like a hardcore track, and I can even imagine myself two-stepping along to this track. The sound on this track isn't a far distance from the rest of the album, but it carries more similarities to hardcore and punk than djent. Graham sounds incredibly youthful on this track, his vocals really carrying it.
10.) "Severance"
Just like with my previous Trivium album review, I'm incredibly curious how HOAC will end the album. The track "Severance" isn't a far cry at all from the rest of the album up until this point, carrying the same vibe that they've established throughout the album's duration: groovy guitar attack, heavy rhythm section, and ambient noises to match Graham's vocal prowess. "Severance" doesn't try and reinvent the wheel to send you off with a bang, instead it really tries to nail home the sound that HOAC have created. However, it might be the best cut that the album has to offer, nailing the transition from heavy to melodic INCREDIBLY well. Graham's vocals and the melodic guitar work great together, especially as the song builds up.
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All in all, was "Severance" an album that will change music? No, very few albums can say that. Did it even necessarily make me a fan of the djent genre? That remains to be seen.
Heart Of A Coward is a band that I was wary to like, after becoming such a huge Sylosis fanboy, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Like I stated previously, I was iffy on HOAC's first album, but this one really cemented it for me. The band clearly knows who they want to be, and they're not trying to change music history to do so.
Heart Of A Coward isn't just a simple djent-influenced band, they are a band that is more likely labelled "djent" because of their style: heavy ass grooves, with a lot of melody. To me, the band does the "djent" style better than the heavyweights of the genre (bands like Periphery, etc.), as they actually create songs with structure that work well within the confines of themselves.
With "Severance," Heart Of A Coward have established a great album. Jamie Graham doesn't need to do much else to establish himself as a good metal vocalists, but guitarists Carl Ayers and Steve Haycock really make a name for themselves on this album. The soundscapes they create with groovy riffs and ambient tones (two phrases that I realize I've used multiple times throughout this review) are amazing. Unfortunately, drummer Christopher Mansbridge and bassist Vishal Khetia don't get too many standout moments of their own, but they do incredibly well with what they have.
A good album.
"Hope & Hindrance," their first album, was good, but it wasn't necessarily great. I loved elements from it, but I wasn't totally enthralled by it like I was with Graham's two Sylosis albums, "Conclusion Of An Age" and "The Supreme Opressor." Some tracks like "Shade" had be bumping my foot for hours after hearing, but it seemed like the band was trying to be too "djenty" without fully embracing a sound of their own.
Hopefully they've managed to turn it around for their new album, "Severance"...
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1.) "Monstro"
"Severance" starts out with a bang with "Monstro." The down-turned guitar is very prominent, and sounds MUCH more crisp and clear than it did on their last album. Clearly, this is still a djent band, and their cementing themselves fully into that corner. However, one of the big things that kept me from fully embracing their last album was the production, and the production on this song alone is outstanding. This is a great album opener, fully of the groove and ambient guitar parts you'd expect from a djent band.
2.) "Prey"
The quality production carries on to "Prey," which offers a more straightforward metal sound while still retaining the djent elements. This is a great track, full of groovy bridges in between Graham's screamed verses and clean choruses. This is a track that's almost impossible not to nod along to. Guitarists Carl Ayers and Steve Haycock do a really good job of establishing a soundscape with their guitars throughout this track, instantly being able to split apart and balance the heavy groove with the dark ambient tones that make this more than just a metal song.
3.) "Distance"
This song immediately carries on from the end of "Prey," and delves into a brief melodic intro similar to something the Deftones would do, into an aggressive and passionate screaming performance by Jamie Graham, who delivers his best vocal performance to date. His singing voice has really matured from his days with Sylosis into (yet another Deftones comparison) a croon similar to Chino Moreno. The melodic style the band embraces on this track really works, especially when compared to the aggressive parts of the song, and the breakdown during the final ~35 seconds of the song is insane.
4.) "Nauseam"
"Nauseam" was the first single that the band released from this album, and I've actually been listening to it for the past couple of months. This was the track that got me incredibly excited for this album, as it's everything I could ask for: heavily aggressive and full of groovy metal riffs, yet also melodic and balanced in its own way. "Nauseam" has a few great hooks throughout it's 3:30 running time, and the entire band is in-sync. Even bassist Vishal Khetia and drummer Christopher Manbridge get to showcase their rhythm section throughout the track, particularly through the more rhythmic, groove-inspired sections of the song. If you want a good example of what to expect from the album, pick up this track in some way or give it a listen.
5.) "Deadweight"
Mansbridge gets "Deadweight" off of the ground with some absolutely killer double bass attacks, which really run throughout the entire duration of the song. "Deadweight" features some of the absolutely best heavy groove riffing I've ever heard, and even while the tempo of the song changes multiple times, it always retains a hardcore-level of aggression. If I had to pick an early favorite for the album based off of a first listen, I'd choose this one.
6.) "Eclipsed"
The first minute or so of this track is creepy guitar instrumental that helps set a tone, and it builds up to some awesome rhythm parts before leading into a shortened ambient track. Khetia and Mansbridge really help build up the tone of this track, while Ayers and Haycock build around it. It's not a particularly interesting track, but it fits the album well.
7.) "Psychophant"
This track immediately kicks off with some aggressive groove, and after the buildup that was "Eclipsed" it's a well-built momentum. This track really carries itself on that groove, which features the entire band prominently. Ayers and Haycock trade off in some pretty awesome ways, while Khetia and Mansbridge really prove themselves as the base of the entire band's sound. Even Graham gets to showcase some particularly heavy vocals during this track, as there's no real melody to this song: it's an all-out bruiser.
8.) "Mirrors"
"Mirrors" starts off in an ambient groove, which quickly continues on into an all-around groove. The guitar sound on this track is particularly bass-like, but it works really well for the song. "Mirrors" reminds me of something off of their first album, "Hope & Hindrance," and Graham's vocals sound similar to some of Sylosis' earlier tracks. Graham is really the standout of this track, balancing his guttural screams and eerie, ambient cleans in interesting ways.
9.) "Desensitize"
This track really carries itself like a hardcore track, and I can even imagine myself two-stepping along to this track. The sound on this track isn't a far distance from the rest of the album, but it carries more similarities to hardcore and punk than djent. Graham sounds incredibly youthful on this track, his vocals really carrying it.
10.) "Severance"
Just like with my previous Trivium album review, I'm incredibly curious how HOAC will end the album. The track "Severance" isn't a far cry at all from the rest of the album up until this point, carrying the same vibe that they've established throughout the album's duration: groovy guitar attack, heavy rhythm section, and ambient noises to match Graham's vocal prowess. "Severance" doesn't try and reinvent the wheel to send you off with a bang, instead it really tries to nail home the sound that HOAC have created. However, it might be the best cut that the album has to offer, nailing the transition from heavy to melodic INCREDIBLY well. Graham's vocals and the melodic guitar work great together, especially as the song builds up.
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All in all, was "Severance" an album that will change music? No, very few albums can say that. Did it even necessarily make me a fan of the djent genre? That remains to be seen.
Heart Of A Coward is a band that I was wary to like, after becoming such a huge Sylosis fanboy, but I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Like I stated previously, I was iffy on HOAC's first album, but this one really cemented it for me. The band clearly knows who they want to be, and they're not trying to change music history to do so.
Heart Of A Coward isn't just a simple djent-influenced band, they are a band that is more likely labelled "djent" because of their style: heavy ass grooves, with a lot of melody. To me, the band does the "djent" style better than the heavyweights of the genre (bands like Periphery, etc.), as they actually create songs with structure that work well within the confines of themselves.
With "Severance," Heart Of A Coward have established a great album. Jamie Graham doesn't need to do much else to establish himself as a good metal vocalists, but guitarists Carl Ayers and Steve Haycock really make a name for themselves on this album. The soundscapes they create with groovy riffs and ambient tones (two phrases that I realize I've used multiple times throughout this review) are amazing. Unfortunately, drummer Christopher Mansbridge and bassist Vishal Khetia don't get too many standout moments of their own, but they do incredibly well with what they have.
A good album.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Album Review: Trivium - "Vengeance Falls"
All right, so it's been a while since I actually did any of these reviews. Not out of any particular malice or anything, just been occupied with other shit. So, that being said, shall I commence with what's sure to be a controversial album?
Trivium was always been one of my favorite bands, at least since I began to discover what music I liked back in my early teenage years. I can vouch for being a fan by the handful of T-shirts of theirs I've bought, the posters that cover my walls to this day, and the fact that I've purchased every album of theirs, including this one.
So, as I press play on the album, what do I hear?
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01.) "Brave This Storm"
This song starts off with a pretty thrashy opening, and a trademarked gutteral shout from frontman Matt Heafy kicks the song off. It's pretty surprising how groovy this track is, and melodic to boot. It's clear that Trivium are turning over a new leaf with this album, as Trivium usually tries to kick off the proceedings with an aggressive track chock-full of screams, but there is really no screaming to be found on this track (or the rest of the album that follows). Still a solid track that is really indicative of the entire album, and a great way to set the tone for what follows.
02.) "Vengeance Falls"
This track starts off with another groovy opening, a song that is more indicative of the Trivium of old. The instrumentation sounds like something off of "Shogun," yet it still has the same groove that opening track "Brave This Storm" possessed. Matt Heafy does a really great job of getting his voice across on this track, and you can tell that vocal lessons with producer/Disturbed frontman David Draiman have done him wonders for his clean singing. A lot of great melodic moments on this song, and a heavier breakdown about 2/3 through. A well-done track that really ties up some older Trivium elements with this new sound they're embracing.
03.) "Strife"
"Strife" is the first single from the album, so it's going to be more of an easily-accessible track. The intro seems to share a bit with the track "Down From The Sky" off of their "Shogun" album, but by this point, the band is fully-invested in groove. Bassist Paulo Gregoletto and drummer Nick Augusto have a great rhythm melody throughout the verses of this song, and it's a good reminder that the two form one of the best rhythm sections in all of metal. A really accessible chorus and a good single to get yourself used to the vibe of the album if you haven't heard it before.
04.) "No Way To Heal"
Matt Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu start off this song with a great guitar melody that sounds like something off of their album "In Waves," but the vocals are rather dark, which is fitting, as there is probably more screaming vocals on this track than any others on the album (and in some parts, Heafy channels his inner James Hetfield). There are some Disturbed-sounding vocals on this song, but it somehow fits the melodic nature of the choruses. Some great guitar solos follow, and a very present bass sound compliments the song well.
05.) "To Believe"
Perhaps my favorite song on the entire album. The album gets off to an outstanding guitar melody, and this is where the new Trivium sound reaches its apex: a perfect mix of melody, groove, and rage. The lyrics are not-so-subtly aimed at people with certain political beliefs, but the vocals never reach more than a heavy croon... it's so well-done. And, dare I say that this song just absolutely oozes with melody. It just dares you to not bop your head or tap your foot while listening. If you are to listen to one track to get a great taste of this album, listen to this one, I swear you won't be disappointed.
06.) "At The End Of This War"
A nice acoustic intro is a nice change-of-pace for the album, and it has a slow build-up to the continued groovy-melodic tone they've established thus far. This song has a really good build-up to its choruses, and a really awesome bridge about halfway through that really carries it throughout the latter half of the song. Not an amazing track, but a very solid one, regardless.
07.) "Through Blood And Dirt And Bone"
This song starts off with yet another outstanding guitar melody, and the rhythm buildup behind it really leads to a gargantuan groove. This is another one of those amazing tracks that really makes this album what it is, which is surprising, considering how melodic it truly is. Trivium is a band that has shined on its ability to mix aggression with melody, but especially on this track, they've gone 100% melody, and it really works. This song just has a continuous pulsing energy to it that keeps on building up for the payoff, which is the best solo of the entire album, something that sounds like it should be on Machine Head's "The Blackening" album.
08.) "Villainy Thrives"
It's pretty appropriate that the title for this song has "Villainy" in it, as the beginning guitar intro sounds pretty damn ominous. However, it doesn't last long before the band gets back to their killer melodic groove sound, and drummer Nick Augusto has some amazing fills and double bass rhythms throughout this song... in fact, one could say his drums are the entire backbone for this song. Matt Heafy manages to hit one or two surprising vocal highs throughout the song, as well, which helps to set it apart from the other songs on the album, and some latter half aggression in the song really sounds like it's the angriest Heafy has ever sounded.
09.) "Incineration: The Broken World"
I try and stay pretty subjective when "reviewing" this tracks, despite being a fan, but this song features some of the coolest riffs that the band has ever written, especially the intro riff. Now, with that out of the way, this track does some cool stuff with mixing the melody of the album up until now, and the aggression that they used to utilize on older albums. In fact, I'd say that this song sounds more like something off of "Shogun" than even this album. Heafy really utilizes both vocal types (clean and screaming) to his advantage, and the groove of the song clearly shifts between the two in a cool way. The entire band is really operating at their full potential for this song, and it may be one of the best songs not only on the album, but perhaps that Trivium has ever written.
10.) "Wake (The End Is Nigh)"
Very rarely does a band fully nail the closing track on an album, and it's really the benchmark of what makes a good album a GREAT album to me. For this album closer, Trivium decided to go the route that they usually go, which is to try and end it with something a little epic... and it really doesn't disappoint in any way. It starts off slow and softly-sung, as Trivium closers usually go, but Heafy manages to hit some surprising Type O Negative-type lows on the clean parts, with some creepy whispering in the background. It really fits the tone of the album well, and it really showcases how good of a vocalist Matt Heafy has become. The great vocal parts really build up to something that I can honestly describe as "Shogun: Lite," which of course references the title track from Trivium's "Shogun" album, a song that is the epitome of buildup. This song doesn't disappoint, and leads to some amazing guitar work later on, with some heavy grooves and even a little bit of thrash, which this album has lacked a bit. All in all, not only a great closing track, but a great song in general, something that scratches multiple things off of the "What I Wanted From This Trivium Album" checklist.
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This is a band that started off as a heavy metalcore band with their albums "Ember To Inferno" and "Ascendancy," before shifting to a modern throwback thrash sound on "The Crusade," to the scorn of many fans. They seemed to truly find their sound on "Shogun," which was a modern-day thrashy metalcore classic, and then seemed to embrace an amalgamate of sounds for "In Waves," which had a radio hard rock track for every melodic death track it had.
"Vengeance Falls," however, is like a mix of "The Crusade" and "In Waves," in how it mixes clean singing with a new, original sound. Whereas "The Crusade" sounded like it wanted too hard to be a Metallica album, however, this album sounds completely original, and in a good way. Trivium is still a very young band, considering how many albums they've put out, with every member in their mid-20s, and it seems like they're still trying to push themselves to find what they're comfortable with, which is only a good thing: it means that the more they expand, the more they can utilize in the future.
Every member of Trivium is an expert musician in their own right, and while "Vengeance Falls" is by no means a perfect album, it is damn good. I'd rank it as my second favorite Trivium album, after "Shogun" and tied with "Ascendancy." This albums seems to be the perfect antithesis to "Ascendancy," an album that was pure teenage rage: this one is full of harsh melodies and killer grooves that befit a band of their current age.
Trivium is a band that seems to know what it wants, and they keep on striving to push themselves, which is more than can be said for a lot of bands. Love them or hate them, they have accomplished something completely original with "Vengeance Falls," and no one can fault them for that.
Me? I'd give this album a solid 8.5/10. If you like Trivium and/or melodic metal in any way, odds are that you'll find something to love from this album. If you want to hate Trivium for any reason, then I'm sure there's a door nearby you can walk through. Trivium is a band that is going to make each album differently, and they'll have a fan in me as long as they continue to do that.
Trivium was always been one of my favorite bands, at least since I began to discover what music I liked back in my early teenage years. I can vouch for being a fan by the handful of T-shirts of theirs I've bought, the posters that cover my walls to this day, and the fact that I've purchased every album of theirs, including this one.
So, as I press play on the album, what do I hear?
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01.) "Brave This Storm"
This song starts off with a pretty thrashy opening, and a trademarked gutteral shout from frontman Matt Heafy kicks the song off. It's pretty surprising how groovy this track is, and melodic to boot. It's clear that Trivium are turning over a new leaf with this album, as Trivium usually tries to kick off the proceedings with an aggressive track chock-full of screams, but there is really no screaming to be found on this track (or the rest of the album that follows). Still a solid track that is really indicative of the entire album, and a great way to set the tone for what follows.
02.) "Vengeance Falls"
This track starts off with another groovy opening, a song that is more indicative of the Trivium of old. The instrumentation sounds like something off of "Shogun," yet it still has the same groove that opening track "Brave This Storm" possessed. Matt Heafy does a really great job of getting his voice across on this track, and you can tell that vocal lessons with producer/Disturbed frontman David Draiman have done him wonders for his clean singing. A lot of great melodic moments on this song, and a heavier breakdown about 2/3 through. A well-done track that really ties up some older Trivium elements with this new sound they're embracing.
03.) "Strife"
"Strife" is the first single from the album, so it's going to be more of an easily-accessible track. The intro seems to share a bit with the track "Down From The Sky" off of their "Shogun" album, but by this point, the band is fully-invested in groove. Bassist Paulo Gregoletto and drummer Nick Augusto have a great rhythm melody throughout the verses of this song, and it's a good reminder that the two form one of the best rhythm sections in all of metal. A really accessible chorus and a good single to get yourself used to the vibe of the album if you haven't heard it before.
04.) "No Way To Heal"
Matt Heafy and guitarist Corey Beaulieu start off this song with a great guitar melody that sounds like something off of their album "In Waves," but the vocals are rather dark, which is fitting, as there is probably more screaming vocals on this track than any others on the album (and in some parts, Heafy channels his inner James Hetfield). There are some Disturbed-sounding vocals on this song, but it somehow fits the melodic nature of the choruses. Some great guitar solos follow, and a very present bass sound compliments the song well.
05.) "To Believe"
Perhaps my favorite song on the entire album. The album gets off to an outstanding guitar melody, and this is where the new Trivium sound reaches its apex: a perfect mix of melody, groove, and rage. The lyrics are not-so-subtly aimed at people with certain political beliefs, but the vocals never reach more than a heavy croon... it's so well-done. And, dare I say that this song just absolutely oozes with melody. It just dares you to not bop your head or tap your foot while listening. If you are to listen to one track to get a great taste of this album, listen to this one, I swear you won't be disappointed.
06.) "At The End Of This War"
A nice acoustic intro is a nice change-of-pace for the album, and it has a slow build-up to the continued groovy-melodic tone they've established thus far. This song has a really good build-up to its choruses, and a really awesome bridge about halfway through that really carries it throughout the latter half of the song. Not an amazing track, but a very solid one, regardless.
07.) "Through Blood And Dirt And Bone"
This song starts off with yet another outstanding guitar melody, and the rhythm buildup behind it really leads to a gargantuan groove. This is another one of those amazing tracks that really makes this album what it is, which is surprising, considering how melodic it truly is. Trivium is a band that has shined on its ability to mix aggression with melody, but especially on this track, they've gone 100% melody, and it really works. This song just has a continuous pulsing energy to it that keeps on building up for the payoff, which is the best solo of the entire album, something that sounds like it should be on Machine Head's "The Blackening" album.
08.) "Villainy Thrives"
It's pretty appropriate that the title for this song has "Villainy" in it, as the beginning guitar intro sounds pretty damn ominous. However, it doesn't last long before the band gets back to their killer melodic groove sound, and drummer Nick Augusto has some amazing fills and double bass rhythms throughout this song... in fact, one could say his drums are the entire backbone for this song. Matt Heafy manages to hit one or two surprising vocal highs throughout the song, as well, which helps to set it apart from the other songs on the album, and some latter half aggression in the song really sounds like it's the angriest Heafy has ever sounded.
09.) "Incineration: The Broken World"
I try and stay pretty subjective when "reviewing" this tracks, despite being a fan, but this song features some of the coolest riffs that the band has ever written, especially the intro riff. Now, with that out of the way, this track does some cool stuff with mixing the melody of the album up until now, and the aggression that they used to utilize on older albums. In fact, I'd say that this song sounds more like something off of "Shogun" than even this album. Heafy really utilizes both vocal types (clean and screaming) to his advantage, and the groove of the song clearly shifts between the two in a cool way. The entire band is really operating at their full potential for this song, and it may be one of the best songs not only on the album, but perhaps that Trivium has ever written.
10.) "Wake (The End Is Nigh)"
Very rarely does a band fully nail the closing track on an album, and it's really the benchmark of what makes a good album a GREAT album to me. For this album closer, Trivium decided to go the route that they usually go, which is to try and end it with something a little epic... and it really doesn't disappoint in any way. It starts off slow and softly-sung, as Trivium closers usually go, but Heafy manages to hit some surprising Type O Negative-type lows on the clean parts, with some creepy whispering in the background. It really fits the tone of the album well, and it really showcases how good of a vocalist Matt Heafy has become. The great vocal parts really build up to something that I can honestly describe as "Shogun: Lite," which of course references the title track from Trivium's "Shogun" album, a song that is the epitome of buildup. This song doesn't disappoint, and leads to some amazing guitar work later on, with some heavy grooves and even a little bit of thrash, which this album has lacked a bit. All in all, not only a great closing track, but a great song in general, something that scratches multiple things off of the "What I Wanted From This Trivium Album" checklist.
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This is a band that started off as a heavy metalcore band with their albums "Ember To Inferno" and "Ascendancy," before shifting to a modern throwback thrash sound on "The Crusade," to the scorn of many fans. They seemed to truly find their sound on "Shogun," which was a modern-day thrashy metalcore classic, and then seemed to embrace an amalgamate of sounds for "In Waves," which had a radio hard rock track for every melodic death track it had.
"Vengeance Falls," however, is like a mix of "The Crusade" and "In Waves," in how it mixes clean singing with a new, original sound. Whereas "The Crusade" sounded like it wanted too hard to be a Metallica album, however, this album sounds completely original, and in a good way. Trivium is still a very young band, considering how many albums they've put out, with every member in their mid-20s, and it seems like they're still trying to push themselves to find what they're comfortable with, which is only a good thing: it means that the more they expand, the more they can utilize in the future.
Every member of Trivium is an expert musician in their own right, and while "Vengeance Falls" is by no means a perfect album, it is damn good. I'd rank it as my second favorite Trivium album, after "Shogun" and tied with "Ascendancy." This albums seems to be the perfect antithesis to "Ascendancy," an album that was pure teenage rage: this one is full of harsh melodies and killer grooves that befit a band of their current age.
Trivium is a band that seems to know what it wants, and they keep on striving to push themselves, which is more than can be said for a lot of bands. Love them or hate them, they have accomplished something completely original with "Vengeance Falls," and no one can fault them for that.
Me? I'd give this album a solid 8.5/10. If you like Trivium and/or melodic metal in any way, odds are that you'll find something to love from this album. If you want to hate Trivium for any reason, then I'm sure there's a door nearby you can walk through. Trivium is a band that is going to make each album differently, and they'll have a fan in me as long as they continue to do that.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Albums Of The Year - 2012
So here it is... the list of my top 15 albums of the year, as well as the honorable mentions. For me, this was a great year of music, and trying to keep my list to just 15 was difficult task in and of itself. I included the honorable mentions down below, and each of them are also incredibly noteworthy, but the top 15 are, in my opinion, outstanding pieces of music that deserve the notoriety that I give them. I hope you enjoy, and perhaps find a slice or two of gold out of this list.
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15.) Two Steps From Hell “SkyWorld”
Starting out the list on a strange note, I know. In case you
do not know who or what Two Steps From Hell actually is, I recommend you go to
Youtube and just Google their name. I’ll wait. Odds are, you know exactly who
they are: Two Steps From Hell is a musical project put together by two
composers (Thomas J. Bergersen and Nick Phoenix) that writes soundtrack music
for film companies and other media outlets. Unless you’ve been living under a
rock for the past 5 years, you’ve definitely heard their music in previews for
just about every big movie out there (The Dark Knight & Star Trek, for
starters), and probably most video games (Mass Effect, etc.) and even some TV
shows (The Walking Dead). They’re everywhere. This is their 5th
publicly-released album, but the first to feature all new music since they’ve
“hit it big,” and it’s a great album. You’re not going to find any great lyrics
or any inspirational vocals on this album, but what you will find are great,
big, epic compositions that, to be honest, I listen to when I’m writing. Yes,
even this right now.
14.) Dead Sara “Dead Sara”
Dead Sara will be one of the biggest bands on the planet
within a few years, just you wait. Now that I got that out of the way, let me
tell you that you should listen to this album, regardless of what type of music
you listen to. This is a rock album, but should undoubtedly appeal to people
who loved grunge, those who love punk, metalheads, or even people who dig pop
songs. Emily Armstrong has a unique voice that is incredibly strong, and she’s
undoubtedly going to become insanely popular once Dead Sara finally get their
due. This album is a gigantic release from a mostly-unknown band, and the song
“Weatherman” is alone worth the purchase price of the album, and songs like
“Monumental Holiday” or “Lemon Scent” can just be bonuses, even though they are
spectacular tracks in their own rights.
13.) Gojira “L’Enfant Sauvage”
From the opening notes of “Explosia,” it is clear that
“L’Enfant Sauvage” is a beast of an album. The title track follows, and makes
that explicitly clear. Gojira have gained a large underground following after
releasing “From Mars To Sirius” and “The Way Of All Flesh” here in America after relocating from their native France , and have
made it clear that they have their sights set on being one of the biggest metal
bands on the planet. “L’Enfant Sauvage” is a somewhat-progressive album, as the
band has always had those influences, but has seemed to take their death metal
roots and somehow transform those into a groove-metal vibe that resides
throughout the entire album nicely. I don’t think this album is as strong as
their previous two releases, as it doesn’t quite have the same staying power,
but that would be like comparing all of da Vinci’s paintings to the “Mona
Lisa.” It’s still a great album, and one of my favorites of the year,
undoubtedly.
12.) Baroness “Yellow & Green”
Up until this point, Baroness haven’t been a band that I
ever quite “got.” I thought their previous album, “Blue Record,” was good, but
I never quite loved it or thought it was “great.” With their new album “Yellow
& Green,” however, I’m thinking the exact opposite: I love it. “Yellow
& Green” is, of course, a double album, with both sides being a far
opposite from where the band has been before. Whereas the band has their roots
in sludge and stoner metal, “Yellow & Green” is a largely mellow affair,
more reminiscent of softer alternative rock, with only minor stoner metal
influences seeping into a few tracks. I think the average music-listener can
easily listen to this album and have no idea that they’re listening to a metal
band. This album easily has more in touch with The Beatles, for example, than
Metallica. I cannot recommend any specific tracks, as the entire album is best
listened to in its entirety for maximum relaxation.
11.) The Empire Shall Fall “Volume One: Solar Plexus”
Metalcore is always a genre I’ve had a sticky relationship
with: it was my original introduction to true “metal,” but for a while, I
became sick of the entire genre and tried to disavow it. However, this year has
greatly improved my love of the genre, and that is due in no small part to The
Empire Shall Fall’s “Volume One: Solar Plexus.” The Empire Shall Fall can best
be described as “progressive metalcore,” somewhat-similar to Between The Buried
And Me, but is fronted by Jesse Leach, one of my own personal favorite
lyricists and vocalists. Leach is well-known for his passionate vocals full of
heart-aching and inspiring lyrics, and this album is in no short supply of
either. This album, despite being only 7 tracks and ~30 minutes long, gets its
point across quickly. The lyrics are inspiring, the music is melodic for large
parts and heavy for others, and on the rare time where the band breaks down…
they really break down. If you like any metalcore-type bands, such as Killswitch
Engage or BTBAM, you should check this out… you will NOT be disappointed. This
album would be higher on my lists if it were longer, that’s a guarantee.
10.) Gallows “Gallows”
I wanted to hate this album. I really, really wanted to.
Following the departure of founder and lone vocalist Frank Carter, I thought
the English hardcore punk band Gallows were dead in the water. Carter was the
heart and soul of the band, giving them a unique vibe that was all their own.
Gallows went out and grabbed Canadian vocalist Wade McNeil of Alexisonfire, a
move that confused many and left me somewhat-stunned, but it worked out for the
best. From the very first song “Victim Culture,” through such vulgarly-awesome
tracks such as “Everybody Loves You (When You’re Fucking Dead)” and “Outsider
Art,” and to the standout finale “Cross Of Lorraine,” McNeil owns the album,
living up to Frank Carter’s reputation while also adding his own vibe to the proceedings.
This is a hardcore punk album, very reminiscent of Every Time I Die or The
Bronx at their heaviest, so it’s not a selected genre for many, but this is a
great album, and possibly a great introduction to the genre for some.
9.) Teramaze “Anhedonia”
Normally, this is an album I would despise. Usually anything
sounding close to power metal is something I would keep away from like the
plague, but this album intrigued me. I heard comparisons to Dream Theater and
Nevermore and just couldn’t stay away. Thank God I did. Apparently Teramaze is
an Australian band that has been at it for a while, and “Anhedonia” is the
child of their long labor. Honestly, a mix between Dream Theater and Nevermore
is the best way to describe this: the vocalist is very much a cross between
Lames LaBrie and Warrel Dane of those respected bands, and the music is
technical while remaining a groove that is unique to the genre. A great
breakout album for the band, and one I’d highly recommend to any fans of metal,
particularly “Without Red Hands,” one of my favorite songs of the entire year.
8.) Acaro “The Disease Of Fear”
Acaro is another band that has helped heal my relationship
with metalcore. Even though some would describe Acaro with labels such as
“deathcore” or “melodic death metal,” they are largely a metalcore band that
doesn’t carry the frilly laces that bands like Black Veil Brides do. Acaro is a
stripped-down metalcore band, and “The Disease Of Fear” is exactly that. Take
early Killswitch Engage, tear away the clean vocals, and add some modern
production and essentially you have Acaro. They are musically melodic while
always remaining vocally aggressive, and one of my favorite new young bands out
on the scene. The fact that they are out touring with a reunited Killswitch
Engage gives me hope that this band is going somewhere, and knows where they
want to go.
7.) Vision Of Disorder “The Cursed Remain Cursed”
Vision Of Disorder is exactly what hardcore music should be. Take away the stupid
“chugga-chugga” song structure of unnecessary breakdowns and bring the hardcore
scene back 20 years to their roots, and you get “The Cursed Remain Cursed.” I
hate to sound like a total purist in terms of musical subgenres, but Vision Of
Disorder is the rightful heir to the hardcore throne left behind by The Clash
and Black Flag, along with their distant cousins Converge. There are no
unnecessary breakdowns, no “chugga-chugga” song structure that repeat
themselves over and over again… this is true hardcore, music that just keeps
blasting away until it creates its own harmony. Songs like “Set To Fail” and
“Blood Red Sun” are perfect examples of that: songs that don’t have to
incorporate blast beats to be heavy, but also don’t need whiny croons to be
melodic; they can be both at the same time.
6.) Hans Zimmer “The Dark Knight Rises (OST)”
Never before has a movie soundtrack emitted such a response
from me as “The Dark Knight Rises.” Not even the “Star Wars” soundtracks, in
all of their glory, and all of the personality-constructing those films did for
me as a youth.. “The Dark Knight Rises,” as a film, was the ending of one
generation, and regardless of your take on the film, the soundtrack was the
fitting conclusion to that generation. Very rarely will I get to see Christian
Bale suit up as Batman, or get to see Christopher Nolan’s name on the end
credits of a Batman film, or even Hans Zimmer’s name on the soundtrack, and
this album is the perfect embodiment of that: a soundtrack that truly
encapsulated the hopelessness that the film portrays, but also the finality of
it all. From the beginning notes of the foreboding “A Storm Is Coming” to the
final harshly-inspiring sounds of “Rise,” this soundtrack is one that, on its
own, takes you on a whirlwind of emotions… no movie necessary. Very rarely will
I heavily praise one single musician or composer for the credit that dozens
deserve, but Hans Zimmer constructed one of the undoubtedly greatest movie
scores of all-time. I think, in the annals of film, this will go down alongside
John Williams “Star Wars” scores and Howard
Shores
5.) Rush “Clockwork Angels”
What can be said about Rush that hasn’t been said a million
times before? They are, without a doubt, one of the greatest rock bands of
all-time and easily three of the greatest musicians still alive. That being
said, it’s amazing to see what old men who have cooperated so many times before
can still come up with that’s so fresh and new, even with their abundance of
previous material. “Clockwork Angels” doesn’t exactly brave new territory, but
Rush is so unique that if they fine-tune their sound just a tad, they are already far different from
every band out there. Songs such as “BU2B” and “Headlong Flight” prove that
Rush can still rock as hard as they ever have and hang up there with the fresh
young musicians of this generation, but songs such as “The Wreckers” and “The
Garden” prove that they are still growing as songwriters and composers, even
after all of these years. While every album Rush releases means one less album
I have to look forward to, it also means that I get another few years to
dissect their most recent work and that’s exactly what I plan to do until they
release their next album… which they will, right?
4.) Prong “Carved Into Stone”
I have always been a fan of Prong, one of the biggest
innovators of crossover metal, and love just about every album they’ve put out.
So, my birthday present to myself was their newest album, “Carved Into Stone,”
an album that has been on perpetual repeat in the eight months since.
Frontman/guitarist Tommy Victor is a man that is always recreating himself, and
I’m glad to see him do it yet again
with “Carved Into Stone.” This is an album that defies subgenres: it’s not
groove metal, it’s not thrash metal, it’s not stoner metal, it’s not
industrial… it’s rather a mix of all of those, totally dependent on the track.
Despite there being so many different influences, it’s really an album that
flows well into itself, and each track brings something new to the table without
trying to recreate the wheel. The production, as opposed to the last few Prong
releases, is crystal clear and one of the best production jobs of the entire
year, in my opinion.
3.) Eryn Non Dae “Meliora”
I was completely unaware of this bands’ existence just a
couple of months ago, but upon figuring out they are a functioning band, I have
become completely infatuated with them. Eryn Non Dae derives from France , and
although their music isn’t totally dependant upon that fact, it’s easy to see
the correlation between their origins and the other well-known French metal
band, Gojira. Despite being labeled “hardcore” by themselves and their fans,
Eryn Non Dae is really anything but. Eryn Non Dae, and the album “Meliora” to a
better extent, is best defined as “avant-garde metal,” as there are elements of
hardcore residing in the music, but there are so many changing parts and so
many progressive elements to the music that its impossible to give them one
label. The music, to me, is heavily inspired of a down-tuned Mastodon, while
the vocals fluctuate between the harsh screamed vocals that comprise the
majority of the songs between the eerie whispers and soft clean vocals that
fill out the rest. This is really a solid breakout album for a band I had
little awareness of just a short time ago, and a really strong statement that
not only is this an up-and-coming band, but perhaps France can be more than
just the country of surrenders after all. Too soon?
2.) Sylosis “Monolith”
If you paid attention to my “end of the year” list from last
year, at all, you might have noticed that Sylosis’ last album, “Edge Of The
Earth,” upset my favorite band of all-time, Machine Head, for album of the
year. Now, with just over a year and a half separating them from their last album,
Sylosis release another juggernaut of an album, “Monolith.” This album isn’t as
long as “Edge Of The Earth” was, but retains all of the elements that made that
album great while also adding in doomy vibes and riffs that change the overall
tone of the record. Frontman/lead guitarist Josh Middleton is really growing as
not only a songwriter, but also as a vocalist, with some of the songs on this
album even including some clean vocals, something that was entirely absent from
the entire “Edge Of The Earth” album. The rest of the band is also improving,
with the rhythm section of Sylosis slowly becoming one of the best in the
entire metal world. This is really just another great album from Sylosis, one
that stays true to their thrash metal roots but also includes several subgenre
greatest hits, such as melodic death metal, doom metal, and heavy progressive
elements that continue to make the band more and more unique.
1.) Deftones “Koi No Yokan”
Perhaps the only thing that can top a Sylosis album for me
as “album of the year” is a truly brilliant album. The album “Koi No Yokan” by
Deftones is a total dark horse that appeared totally unexpected near the end of
the year to claim the top spot in my heart. After their last album, 2010’s
“Diamond Eyes,” I personally thought that the Deftones had peaked. I was
expecting this to be good, but damn was I wrong… this is fucking great. To me,
Deftones have always had a personality crisis, never knowing if they wanted to
be a heavy rock band or a soft metal band, but they have really found their
vibe and take that in stride. This is probably one of the best rock albums I
have ever heard, and can easily be adored by fans of any genre. Vocalist Chino
Moreno has a voice that makes me melt… yes, me, a straight and burly white man.
Every song just slips into the next, and before you know it, your hour of
listening is up and you just want to listen to it yet again… and yet again, it
gets better with every listen. This is an album that is dangerously able to
wrap its arms around you and never let go, so be prepared… if you give the
whole thing a listen, there’s a high chance that you’ll be captured.
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Honorable Mentions
Between The Buried And Me “The Parallax II: Future Sequence”
Black Breath “Sentenced To Life”
Burning Love “Rotten Thing To Say”
Clint Mansell “Mass Effect 3 (OST)”
Every Time I Die “Ex Lives”
Fear Factory “The Industrialist”
The Forsaken “Beyond Redemption”
God Forbid “Equilibrium”
Karybdis “From The Depths”
High On Fire “De Vermis Mysteriis”
Love & Death “Between Here And Lost”
Shadows Fall “Fire From The Sky”
Soen “Cognitive”
The Sorrow “Misery Escape”
Soundgarden “King Animal”
Soulfly “Enslaved”
Stone Sour “House Of Gold And Bones (Part 1)”
Testament “Dark Roots Of The Earth”
Think Of A New King “Spasms Of Upheaval”
Twelve Foot Ninja “Silent Machine”
Van Halen “A Different Kind Of Truth”
While She Sleeps “This Is The Six”
White Arms Of Athena “Astrodrama”
Monday, October 8, 2012
Album Review: Sylosis - "Monolith"
Anyone who knows me knows that my current love affair with the band Sylosis exceeds words. While I once merely "liked" them as an up-and-coming band, their last few albums have completely cemented them as a band I absolutely adore.
"Conclusion Of An Age" was a great album that mixed modern metalcore production with melodic death metal tones and strong thrash influences into something that was fresh and really well-done, but was mostly territory that had already been tread. Then, the departure of vocalist Jamie Graham changed everything for the band.
Instead of having to cater towards predictable clean vocals or dropped tuning, the band decided to keep on going, letting primary songwriter and band mastermind Josh Middleton, the (extraordinary) lead guitarist, take over on vocals. Ever since then, they have put out the album "Edge Of The Earth," which was an extremely well-done album released only last year, and an offshoot single titled "Slings & Arrows," which was largely of the same style.
"Edge Of The Earth" was one of the greatest albums I had ever heard. I still think that, nearly two years later. So when I heard that Sylosis had a new album coming out so quickly (about 18 months later), I was excited yet worried at the same time. I was, of course, excited for new music, but worried that the band's inspirational well would be running dry: "Edge Of the Earth" DID clock in at almost an hour and a half... impressive by even movie standards.
So how is their new album, the appropriately-titled "Monolith?"
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1.) "Out From Below"
The album starts off with a cleanly-picked guitar intro, almost a necessity for any thrash-metal album. However, from the get-go, it's easy to tell that Sylosis is doing something new here. Instead of nonstop thrash, the band chooses to lead off with more doom-inspired overtones before getting into the heavy nitty-gritty that the band excels at. "Out From Below" is a perfect song to start the album out with, as it features quite a bit of everything that the rest of the album has: doomy tones, thrashy riffs, driving grooves, and intense melodies that you can feel in your bones. A great way to start off any metal album.
2.) "Fear The World"
This track gets off to a Mastodon-like beginning, before quickly beginning the metallic madness once again. Now, I have to foreword by saying that this is my favorite track on the record. The song is largely fast and heavy, yet features a very progressive midsection that is very unlike anything Sylosis has done thus far in their career, featuring atmospheric clean vocals that are anything but cliche. This track definitely features that Sylosis is willing to try new things, and when they do, they exceed the hell out of them. Guitarists Middleton and Alex Bailey get to stretch out with very interesting leads and rhythms throughout the song, never quite resting on their laurels when there is something new to do (not to mention Middleton's truly amazing sweeping techniques). Truly an exciting, inventive metal song.
3.) "What Dwells Within"
This track gets off to yet another doom-inspired beginning, and I have to comment that drummer Rob Callard is truly on point with this song (particularly the intro). The drums sound truly organic and creative throughout the song's running time. The creativity of Sylosis continues into the third track, featuring many elements (such as sliding techniques that sound almost orchestra-like) and melodies that push the band into new territory. I can't help but make a comparison to Mastodon again, as the midsection seems heavily inspired by the progressive metal band, yet somehow ten times heavier.
4.) "Beyond The Sun"
I hate to say that this is their most "metal" song to date, but it's true. Middleton sounds truly pissed off and passionate when screaming the vocals, which seem much more pained and angry than the previous three songs, where he occasionally veered off into new, cleaner territory (as far as his voice is concerned). The lyrics really drive this point home with a simple line of lyrics that may seem childish, yet heavily resonate with me: "I don't belong to this world, this world belongs to me!" *chills* The solos in this song reach Maiden-levels of synchronization, and there is yet another midsection that is the doomy calm within the storm where they showcase their progressive side.
5.) "The River"
"The River" is another great song that showcases how great Sylosis and particularly Middleton can be at executing melodies. When you can have a song still be heavy as hell, yet still be melodic during the chorus as to inspire goosebumps, you've done an amazing job as a songwriter and musician. This track has probably the best chorus Sylosis has ever written, a part of the song that begs you to headbang while holding back the tears (truly showcasing its epic-ness). This song is another great exercise in technicality, yet still features some of the amazing grooves/hooks that attracted me to Sylosis in the first place with the melody that they've learned to master since "Edge Of The Earth."
6.) "Monolith"
This track is yet another of their progressive batch, perhaps their strongest of those yet. It's the title track, so lyrically, it makes a lot of sense in correlation to the themes of the album, but it still features many of the doom-inspired tones of previous tracks with a ton of progression in tow. I have to give credit to drummer Callard and bassist Carl Parnell for driving throughout this song, as much of the guitar work is dedicated to maintaining that doomy vibe.
7.) "Paradox"
This song, to me, resembles the bands Trivium and Machine Head in terms of composition, while still retaining the sound and tone Sylosis has cultivated on this album (and still being much "heavier" than the other two bands mentioned). I think this may be the most accessible metal track on the album, despite clocking in at a little over 6 minutes long. I wouldn't say it's "filler," per se, because it's still an amazing track, yet is largely a song that bleeds into the ones surrounding it.
8.) "A Dying Vine"
This song was leaked/debuted a few months back, so I've had plenty of time to dissect it and grow to love it while I anxiously awaited for the rest of the album. Drummer Rob Callard completely rocks throughout this song, whether it be the fast, Metallica-inspired intro or the thrashy verses that eventually lead to an epic and melodic midsection. Speaking of which, this song is largely thrash-inspired melodic death metal, but the midsection is completely large and epic, very reminiscent of a track that could be on their last album, "Edge Of the Earth."
9.) "All Is Not Well"
Perhaps the most doom-inspired track on the album. The main riff is nothing if not doom metal, despite still being as heavy as their other tracks. It's really a change of pace for the band, which usually plays a quickened thrash-style of music, to slow down and play this track, which is incredibly bottom heavy with bassist Parnell and the melodic doom overtones that are present on other tracks. This is truly another ingenious song by the band, which keeps expanding its borders to try and encompass all elements and styles of metal.
10.) "Born Anew"
Without a doubt the most straight-forward metal song Sylosis has ever written (whether it be the current incarnation with Middleton on vocals or any of the previous vocalists' versions). This song sounds largely like if Metallica got a new vocalist and played melodic death metal, including the post-solo Lars Ulrich-inspired drums and the solos Kirk Hammett would struggle to play. This track takes heavy inspiration from 80s thrash metal without becoming too self-absorbed (as much of that generation's music is).
11.) "Enshrined"
While this track clocks in at 19 minutes long, it actually takes up the audio waves throughout about half of that: the first part being the epic and heavily melodic closing track, and the shorter, acoustic track at the tail end of the 19 minutes. The first part of the song, the heavier track, is a total conclusion to the album. It is much like "Out From Below," which previewed the elements present on the album; this track just happens to review them. The song fades out as majestically as it came, and after about 10 minutes of silence, we are treated to the most unusual Sylosis track to date, which just happens to be hidden: an acoustic song that features Middleton actually singing (something we've barely gotten to hear in his 2 albums as lead vocalist) and he's actually really good at it! His soft crooning carries the album into silence, but not before picking up for a few more seconds of Sylosis goodness.
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I can't believe I ever doubted that Sylosis would release an album that wasn't great. This album, to me, completely tops everything they've ever done, which was already an impressive feat in itself. Sylosis has essentially become my favorite band, considering they've put out 3 absolutely amazing albums in just 4 years, retaining most of the band members and remaining uncompromising. They are a band that has truly crafting their own unique style, mixing elements inspired from other bands into their original formula. It has truly become a formula for success.
Vocally, Josh Middleton has become a great frontman. When he first took over lead vocal duties, I had a hard time adapting to his voice, which is a more guttural scream than original vocalist Jamie Graham, yet Middleton has perfected his craft and made the vocals for Sylosis unique. While the clean vocals are more prevalent than on their previous album, "Edge Of The Earth," they are still rare and blink-and-you'll-miss-them hard-to-find.
Guitar-wise, I'd be hard-pressed to find a band more talented than Sylosis. Josh Middleton, despite increasing in capabilities as a vocalist, has become a truly ingenious songwriter and guitarist, his technicality increasing with every album. Of course, his comrade, Alex Bailey, is no pushover; Bailey helps Middleton craft perfectly-sounding guitar tones and melodies throughout the album, and largely plays the impressive lead parts live due to Middleton's singing contributions.
I always have a hard time passing reward off to bassists, considering how little their instrument is actually heard through the recordings, but Carl Parnell is as good at it as any. When it comes down to him holding a tune, he can do so with the best of them.
Rob Callard is exactly the type of drummer that Sylosis needs: a guy that can play the technical pieces without being too flashy. He isn't the sort of drummer like Gene Hoglan that contributes bullet-fast double bass hits throughout a song, or a drummer like Neil Peart that relies on drum fills to fill-in the space, but he is a drummer that holds the beat and does so incredibly well. Considering the guitarists that he has to keep up with... Callard does an amazing job and not ruining the song with flashiness, which he is more than capable of.
Whenever someone asks me who or what Sylosis sounds like: I've always liked to tell them that they sound like Metallica and the band Death getting thrown into a blender, with a pinch of some epic orchestra getting thrown in there. Now, I'd say that they made need just a splash of Mastodon-inspired progression, based on their current trajectory. They are as talented as any young metal band to ever exist, and the sky is the limit. They've reached success early, seeing as "Monolith" is, to me, the album of the year BY FAR. It's not even a competition anymore. Sylosis have wiped the floor with their so-called "competitors."
If you like metal in any aspect of the word, go out and buy this album right now. If I were to ever lose this album, I'd immediately go out and buy a new copy, that is how good it is.
"Conclusion Of An Age" was a great album that mixed modern metalcore production with melodic death metal tones and strong thrash influences into something that was fresh and really well-done, but was mostly territory that had already been tread. Then, the departure of vocalist Jamie Graham changed everything for the band.
Instead of having to cater towards predictable clean vocals or dropped tuning, the band decided to keep on going, letting primary songwriter and band mastermind Josh Middleton, the (extraordinary) lead guitarist, take over on vocals. Ever since then, they have put out the album "Edge Of The Earth," which was an extremely well-done album released only last year, and an offshoot single titled "Slings & Arrows," which was largely of the same style.
"Edge Of The Earth" was one of the greatest albums I had ever heard. I still think that, nearly two years later. So when I heard that Sylosis had a new album coming out so quickly (about 18 months later), I was excited yet worried at the same time. I was, of course, excited for new music, but worried that the band's inspirational well would be running dry: "Edge Of the Earth" DID clock in at almost an hour and a half... impressive by even movie standards.
So how is their new album, the appropriately-titled "Monolith?"
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1.) "Out From Below"
The album starts off with a cleanly-picked guitar intro, almost a necessity for any thrash-metal album. However, from the get-go, it's easy to tell that Sylosis is doing something new here. Instead of nonstop thrash, the band chooses to lead off with more doom-inspired overtones before getting into the heavy nitty-gritty that the band excels at. "Out From Below" is a perfect song to start the album out with, as it features quite a bit of everything that the rest of the album has: doomy tones, thrashy riffs, driving grooves, and intense melodies that you can feel in your bones. A great way to start off any metal album.
2.) "Fear The World"
This track gets off to a Mastodon-like beginning, before quickly beginning the metallic madness once again. Now, I have to foreword by saying that this is my favorite track on the record. The song is largely fast and heavy, yet features a very progressive midsection that is very unlike anything Sylosis has done thus far in their career, featuring atmospheric clean vocals that are anything but cliche. This track definitely features that Sylosis is willing to try new things, and when they do, they exceed the hell out of them. Guitarists Middleton and Alex Bailey get to stretch out with very interesting leads and rhythms throughout the song, never quite resting on their laurels when there is something new to do (not to mention Middleton's truly amazing sweeping techniques). Truly an exciting, inventive metal song.
3.) "What Dwells Within"
This track gets off to yet another doom-inspired beginning, and I have to comment that drummer Rob Callard is truly on point with this song (particularly the intro). The drums sound truly organic and creative throughout the song's running time. The creativity of Sylosis continues into the third track, featuring many elements (such as sliding techniques that sound almost orchestra-like) and melodies that push the band into new territory. I can't help but make a comparison to Mastodon again, as the midsection seems heavily inspired by the progressive metal band, yet somehow ten times heavier.
4.) "Beyond The Sun"
I hate to say that this is their most "metal" song to date, but it's true. Middleton sounds truly pissed off and passionate when screaming the vocals, which seem much more pained and angry than the previous three songs, where he occasionally veered off into new, cleaner territory (as far as his voice is concerned). The lyrics really drive this point home with a simple line of lyrics that may seem childish, yet heavily resonate with me: "I don't belong to this world, this world belongs to me!" *chills* The solos in this song reach Maiden-levels of synchronization, and there is yet another midsection that is the doomy calm within the storm where they showcase their progressive side.
5.) "The River"
"The River" is another great song that showcases how great Sylosis and particularly Middleton can be at executing melodies. When you can have a song still be heavy as hell, yet still be melodic during the chorus as to inspire goosebumps, you've done an amazing job as a songwriter and musician. This track has probably the best chorus Sylosis has ever written, a part of the song that begs you to headbang while holding back the tears (truly showcasing its epic-ness). This song is another great exercise in technicality, yet still features some of the amazing grooves/hooks that attracted me to Sylosis in the first place with the melody that they've learned to master since "Edge Of The Earth."
6.) "Monolith"
This track is yet another of their progressive batch, perhaps their strongest of those yet. It's the title track, so lyrically, it makes a lot of sense in correlation to the themes of the album, but it still features many of the doom-inspired tones of previous tracks with a ton of progression in tow. I have to give credit to drummer Callard and bassist Carl Parnell for driving throughout this song, as much of the guitar work is dedicated to maintaining that doomy vibe.
7.) "Paradox"
This song, to me, resembles the bands Trivium and Machine Head in terms of composition, while still retaining the sound and tone Sylosis has cultivated on this album (and still being much "heavier" than the other two bands mentioned). I think this may be the most accessible metal track on the album, despite clocking in at a little over 6 minutes long. I wouldn't say it's "filler," per se, because it's still an amazing track, yet is largely a song that bleeds into the ones surrounding it.
8.) "A Dying Vine"
This song was leaked/debuted a few months back, so I've had plenty of time to dissect it and grow to love it while I anxiously awaited for the rest of the album. Drummer Rob Callard completely rocks throughout this song, whether it be the fast, Metallica-inspired intro or the thrashy verses that eventually lead to an epic and melodic midsection. Speaking of which, this song is largely thrash-inspired melodic death metal, but the midsection is completely large and epic, very reminiscent of a track that could be on their last album, "Edge Of the Earth."
9.) "All Is Not Well"
Perhaps the most doom-inspired track on the album. The main riff is nothing if not doom metal, despite still being as heavy as their other tracks. It's really a change of pace for the band, which usually plays a quickened thrash-style of music, to slow down and play this track, which is incredibly bottom heavy with bassist Parnell and the melodic doom overtones that are present on other tracks. This is truly another ingenious song by the band, which keeps expanding its borders to try and encompass all elements and styles of metal.
10.) "Born Anew"
Without a doubt the most straight-forward metal song Sylosis has ever written (whether it be the current incarnation with Middleton on vocals or any of the previous vocalists' versions). This song sounds largely like if Metallica got a new vocalist and played melodic death metal, including the post-solo Lars Ulrich-inspired drums and the solos Kirk Hammett would struggle to play. This track takes heavy inspiration from 80s thrash metal without becoming too self-absorbed (as much of that generation's music is).
11.) "Enshrined"
While this track clocks in at 19 minutes long, it actually takes up the audio waves throughout about half of that: the first part being the epic and heavily melodic closing track, and the shorter, acoustic track at the tail end of the 19 minutes. The first part of the song, the heavier track, is a total conclusion to the album. It is much like "Out From Below," which previewed the elements present on the album; this track just happens to review them. The song fades out as majestically as it came, and after about 10 minutes of silence, we are treated to the most unusual Sylosis track to date, which just happens to be hidden: an acoustic song that features Middleton actually singing (something we've barely gotten to hear in his 2 albums as lead vocalist) and he's actually really good at it! His soft crooning carries the album into silence, but not before picking up for a few more seconds of Sylosis goodness.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I can't believe I ever doubted that Sylosis would release an album that wasn't great. This album, to me, completely tops everything they've ever done, which was already an impressive feat in itself. Sylosis has essentially become my favorite band, considering they've put out 3 absolutely amazing albums in just 4 years, retaining most of the band members and remaining uncompromising. They are a band that has truly crafting their own unique style, mixing elements inspired from other bands into their original formula. It has truly become a formula for success.
Vocally, Josh Middleton has become a great frontman. When he first took over lead vocal duties, I had a hard time adapting to his voice, which is a more guttural scream than original vocalist Jamie Graham, yet Middleton has perfected his craft and made the vocals for Sylosis unique. While the clean vocals are more prevalent than on their previous album, "Edge Of The Earth," they are still rare and blink-and-you'll-miss-them hard-to-find.
Guitar-wise, I'd be hard-pressed to find a band more talented than Sylosis. Josh Middleton, despite increasing in capabilities as a vocalist, has become a truly ingenious songwriter and guitarist, his technicality increasing with every album. Of course, his comrade, Alex Bailey, is no pushover; Bailey helps Middleton craft perfectly-sounding guitar tones and melodies throughout the album, and largely plays the impressive lead parts live due to Middleton's singing contributions.
I always have a hard time passing reward off to bassists, considering how little their instrument is actually heard through the recordings, but Carl Parnell is as good at it as any. When it comes down to him holding a tune, he can do so with the best of them.
Rob Callard is exactly the type of drummer that Sylosis needs: a guy that can play the technical pieces without being too flashy. He isn't the sort of drummer like Gene Hoglan that contributes bullet-fast double bass hits throughout a song, or a drummer like Neil Peart that relies on drum fills to fill-in the space, but he is a drummer that holds the beat and does so incredibly well. Considering the guitarists that he has to keep up with... Callard does an amazing job and not ruining the song with flashiness, which he is more than capable of.
Whenever someone asks me who or what Sylosis sounds like: I've always liked to tell them that they sound like Metallica and the band Death getting thrown into a blender, with a pinch of some epic orchestra getting thrown in there. Now, I'd say that they made need just a splash of Mastodon-inspired progression, based on their current trajectory. They are as talented as any young metal band to ever exist, and the sky is the limit. They've reached success early, seeing as "Monolith" is, to me, the album of the year BY FAR. It's not even a competition anymore. Sylosis have wiped the floor with their so-called "competitors."
If you like metal in any aspect of the word, go out and buy this album right now. If I were to ever lose this album, I'd immediately go out and buy a new copy, that is how good it is.
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