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.

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 5^th 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 “The Lord Of The Rings” compositions.

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”

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.

Top Ten Albums - First Half Of 2012

10.) The Offspring - "Days Go By"

The Offspring return after four years away with a new album, "Days Go By." Originally, this album was supposed to be released in 2010, but the band went back into the studio to re-work with some classic B-sides and unreleased tunes, some of which made it onto this album. This album is probably the most diverse album they've released, with some songs sounding similar to Rise Against ("The Future Is Now"), some of them similar to Sublime ("OC Guns"), some classic Offspring fare ("Dividing By Zero"), and one of them mocking the current pop scene yet becoming a catchy pop tune in its own right ("Cruising California"). The Offspring are a band that will always be reliable for a good listen. 

9.) Every Time I Die - "Ex Lives"

I would be lying if I said that Every Time I Die wasn't one of my favorite bands. Keith Buckley is a genius of a lyricist, an excellent vocalist, and his rapport with brother/guitarist Jordan Buckley and lead guitarist "Awesome" Andy is outstanding. ETID never disappoint, with each album having its own vibe, yet always maintaining the southern-fried hardcore punk mentality that ETID is notorious for. This album is perhaps the punkiest album they've released, with no song in danger of being mistaken for "poppy" at all. ETID reach into their bag of tricks and pull out what is most likely the heaviest album they'll release. 

8.) Fear Factory - "The Industrialist"

Fear Factory are a band that is hit-or-miss. Their albums "Demanufacture" and "Obsolete" are absolute classics, and helped innovate the groove/industrial subgenre of metal. However, since the original departure of guitarist Dino Cazares and his return, they haven't quite reached the same heights that they once did (no pun for Cazares' weight, I swear). 2010's "Mechanize" was close, yet was missing the spark that made their original albums such instant classics. Their new album, "The Industrialist," is probably as close as we're going to get to their original classics, but shares more in common with "Mechanize." The band decided to utilize a drum machine for this album, and although the album sounds great, it's missing the human element that past drummers Gene Hoglan and Raymond Herrera had in spades. A great album, but if you're expected "Demanufacture: Part 2" you might be disappointed... but not by too much. 

7.) Medius - "Burns Going Down"
If you're like me, the name Medius should be unknown. They're a new band, but one that has definitely impressed me so far. I downloaded their album with no expectations, and ended up being blown away. Their style of music is one that combines old Pantera (imagine the heavy groove of "Vulgar Display Of Power") with some of the intense riffage that Slayer is known for. Most of the album lives in that groovy thrash sweet spot that is my favorite style of music, and Medius does it well. The vocals are heavy, a gravely Phil Anselmo-inspired scream, and the riffs and drums are fast. This seems to be a band that knows what they want to be, and they do it well.

6.) Teramaze - "Anhedonia"
Apparently the band Teramaze has been around for a while, but I just recently became aware of them. These are a handful of dudes from down under, yet stand out from the Australian music/metal scene. The best way that I can describe this band is to imagine Dream Theater somehow inter-breeded with Nevermore and they decided to play groove metal. The vocals are proggy, very reminiscent of Dream Theater's James LaBrie, with moments that are similar to Nevermore's Warrel Dane. The guitar tone is heavy, at times similar to modern thrash/metalcore bands, but has the catchy riffs that DT's John Petrucci is famous for. Of course, this band doesn't have the intense song lengths and proggy influences that Dream Theater has, but they play a style of groove metal that is far different than what else is out there. If you like Dream Theater, Nevermore, or groovy, riff-heavy metal in general... check this one out.

5.) Shadows Fall - "Fire From The Sky"
Shadows Fall is another one of those bands that I've always loved. They were one of the first bands that I got really into, and I've eagerly been awaiting for the one "great" album that I knew they had in them. Ever since 2002's "The Art Of Balance" and 2004's "The War Within," these thrashcore legends have been poised for a big breakout but haven't reached the heights that everyone knows they can. Their past few albums, while good, have been lackluster and missing the spark that their early 2000s albums had. "Fire From The Sky" is probably the best album they've made since their heydey a decade ago, as it retains the heaviness that they were once known for mixed with the melodic, catchy hooks and choruses that they've tried perfected in recent years. None of the songs on this album are too long, so most anybody who likes metal music will probably find something on this album to like.

4.) Slash - "Apocalyptic Love"
If you are a fan of music in general, you will most likely know the name Slash. He's one of the best, most legendary guitarists of all-time, and made his legend as lead guitarist (and guitar solo maestro) of bands such as Guns 'N Roses and Velvet Revolver, along with working with legends such as Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and many more. He's back for his second solo album, and first full-length collaboration with Myles Kennedy, who I frequently refer to as the greatest vocalist on the planet. "Apocalyptic Love" is exactly what you'd expect from Slash: blues-inspired hard rock, very reminiscent of Guns 'N Roses debut masterpiece, "Appetite For Destruction." Slash is in top form, and his backing band manages to keep up. Myles Kennedy is, again, perfect on this album, which is the soundtrack to my summer so far.

3.) Prong - "Carved Into Stone"
I can't speak highly enough of the band Prong. Tommy Victor is a genius songwriter, if you ask me, yet his contributions to Prong have been lackluster as of late. 2003's "Scorpio Rising" tried to hard to fit in with the times, and 2007's "Power To The Damager" was a fine return to form, but suffered from shoddy production. Half a decade later, Prong returns with "Carved Into Stone," which is one of the band's best works. The production on this album is superb, and the riffs are NASTY. If you have ever been into Prong, or have been interested in the band at all, you should check this out. Prong perfectly balances all of its influences on this album, whether they be thrash, groove, or industrial, and the sound is absolutely perfect.

2.) Rush - "Clockwork Angels"
There's nothing I can say about Rush that hasn't been beaten to death already. They are legends at what they do, which is kick ass with instruments in hand. This trio manages to accomplish more in their later years than younger bands can ever hope to accomplish. Now, back with their 20th album, Rush are returning to the heights that they haven't seen in a couple of decades. Fueled by a concept for the album, Rush combine the sounds that they have used since their inception nearly forty years ago to create "Clockwork Angels," a behemoth of an album. Songs like "Headlong Flight" and "BU2B" prove that they can still rock harder than ever, yet songs like "Clockwork Angels" and "The Garden" prove that they have matured with age like a fine wine. It's truly the best, most diverse album they've put out in quite some time, and easily their best work in quite some time (which is saying a whole hell of a lot).

1.) Gojira - "L'Enfant Sauvage"
It takes a behemoth of an album to top Rush on any of my best-of lists, but if there's a band to do it, it's French metal revolutionaries Gojira. Gojira have been a band that I've always been interested in, but never considered myself a huge fan of. They were death metal, yet showed a lot of growth in their last two albums, 2005's "From Mars To Sirius" and 2008's "The Way Of All Flesh." I've enjoyed some of their previous work, but "L'Enfant Sauvage" is something else entirely. The band Gojira, as a whole, hasn't changed their sound as much as let it evolve to become a nearly-perfect creature. The band is still heavy as a whole, and their sound remains much of the same, but the band has let a perfect amount of melody slip into it. Vocalist Joe Duplantier, who always was a great death metal screamer, has created the perfect mixture of screaming/shouting/singing, which gives this album an entirely unique sound. The album starts off with a flurry of a track, "Explosia," and takes you on a journey similar to what you'd expect from a Mastodon or Opeth album (albeit, much heavier). The title track (which can be translated to "The Wild Child" yet missing some meaning) is easily one of the greatest songs I've ever heard, and can be a wonderful crossover for even the most ardently opposed to listen to death metal. "L'Enfant Sauvage" is not only the best album I've heard so far in 2012, but one of the greatest albums that I've ever had the fortune of listening to.

Album Review: Prong - "Carved Into Stone"

If I had to rank the bands that were most influential to me, the groove/thrash/post-hardcore pioneers Prong would definitely be within the top 15. Maybe the top 10. Hell, perhaps even the top 5.

Prong has constantly been a changing force in metal music, basically help create the groove metal and industrial metal subgenres; all the while strengthening their claim has a legendary thrash band. Band leader/vocalist/guitarist Tommy Victor has been the only mainstay throughout the bands 20+ year history, while also acting as recording and touring guitarist for several other bands, including Danzig and Ministry.

Prong disappeared for a few years in the late nineties, but ever since 2003’s “Scorpio Rising,” have been churning out albums every few years, continuing with 2007’s amazing-yet-tragically-under-produced “Power Of The Damager” and then 2012’s “Carved Into Stone.” This go around, Victor is joined by a duo of talented musicians, Tony Campos (Static-X, Soulfly, etc.) on bass and Alexei Rodriguez (3 Inches Of Blood, etc.) on drums.

So you’re probably wondering, after all this jabber, how the album actually is. Well, here goes…

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1.) “Eternal Heat”

The album jumps straight into a thrashy intro, and it’s clear from the get-go that the band didn’t mess around with the production. The last album, “Power Of The Damager” was good but featured very muddy production… not this time. The guitar is down-tuned and clear, while the bass is audible and the drums are sounding perfect. This track almost sounds like a song taken from the songwriting process of their thrash classic “Beg To Differ,” and features a very vintage-thrash song structure. I also loved hearing Victor release his inner-Zakk Wylde and show off his Danzig side, squealing numerous times throughout the song. A great thrash track, and a good way to get the album moving.

2.) “Keep On Living In Pain”

This song gets off to a much chuggier, groove-oriented start than its predecessor. It’s very thrash-like, but features more of the “Cleansing”-era stomp that recent Prong albums have been lacking. The chorus, while very simple (musically and lyrically), is an instant classic, and will get stuck in your head for days if you’re not careful. Tony Campos gets his chance to shine on bass on this song, while Alexei Rodriguez carries a nice beat throughout.

3.) “Ammunition”

By this point in the album, Prong are in full-on ass-kicking mode. This song is essentially a great fight song, and Victor makes that very clear through the lyrics (I won’t spoil the nice surprise in them for you). In writing this song, you can tell that they wanted to make a song that was the perfect mix between their “Cleansing”-era groove and their “Power Of The Damager”-era thrash. They manage to pull that off in spades, and this song is another great song in an album that is chock-full of them.

4.) “Revenge… Best Served Cold”

What Prong (and music in general) has been lacking for the longest time is the instantly-classic song… a song like “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck” was almost twenty years ago. I can proudly say that “Revenge… Served Cold” is the closest thing to a classic song that I’ve heard in years. The main riff is one nasty son of a bitch, and is so simple yet one of the greatest things you’ll hear in a while. The chorus, likewise, is simple but infectious. Victor gets a chance to solo throughout large parts of the song, and it only adds to the classic sound this song has. Drummer Alexei Rodriguez manages to breathe new blood into the band with his double bass fills, but his shining moments in this song comes from the very vintage-Prong-styled drumming he brings to the majority of it. If you’re an iTunes person, and buy only a few songs per album… buy this one. You will not regret it.

5.) “State Of Rebellion”

Following the last track is a tall order, but “State Of Rebellion” manages to pull it off. Prong does this best by upping the heavy factor to 11, and letting bassist Tony Campos groove like a madman. The verse features a very “Rude Awakening”-styled bass section, but replaces the industrial elements from that album with thrash mayhem. Another great song.

6.) “Put Myself To Sleep”

This is one of the calmer moments on the album, but do not worry: Prong has not gone acoustic. This song is still thrashy, yet in a melodic sense. The lyrics seem to come from a dark place within Victor, and it shows throughout the song. Victor’s voice is young and fresh throughout the song, and he is the driving force on this track. This features yet another incredibly catchy chorus, which manages to accomplish that feat with minimal lyrical work, which is a very impressive feat.

7.) “List Of Grievances”

Prong get full-on thrash with this song, ditching all groove and other elements to make a song that could have been pulled from their early days. The band manages to accomplish a Machine Head “Burn My Eyes”-type of sound on this track, including Victor, who reaches down into his lower register for the more aggressive vocal parts of the song, sounding very similar to MH’s Robb Flynn. The gang vocals near the middle of this short track escalate this into a great thrash song, and Victor’s solo certainly doesn’t hurt.

8.) “Carved Into Stone”

Tommy Victor certainly reaches into his Danzig bag of doomy riffs for the title track, and the rest of the band complies by turning this into an epic Black Sabbath-type song. Like I said, it features very doomy riffs, and largely sounds like a Danzig track with Victor singing vocals: that doesn’t make it a bad Prong song, though. It’s the longest song on the album, over 5 minutes in length, and builds up throughout its duration.

9.) “Subtract”

This song is the biggest Frankenstein that Prong created for this album. So many elements remind me of all eras of Prong, including their thrashy beginnings, their groove-oriented midlife, and some parts even remind me of “Scorpio Rising” and “Power For The Damager.” If anything, I’d say that this is a very modern-sounding song, perhaps the most so on the album. This is very reminiscent near the end, with the almost Sevendust-sounding guitar solo. It’s another great song, and if you’re an iTunes person, I’d recommend this track, as well.

10.) “Path Of Least Resistance”

I’d say that this song is definitely the most melodic of the album, but again: not a bad thing. When Prong go melodic, they do so with style. This track is mostly led by a strong rhythm section, and both Tony Campos and Alexei Rodriguez manage to make the most out of their instruments, building the song up towards the end, where it finally begins to evolve. Victor’s voice sounds extremely youthful and fresh on this track, and his guitar solo near the end is perhaps the most epic, soul-searching one he’s ever recorded.

11.) “Reinvestigate”

How else would Prong end an album than by thrashing the hell out for three minutes? Alexei Rodriguez double bass drives the song, yet does so methodically. This song is a great way to end the album, as it continues on the resurgent-thrash vibe they’ve resurrected, yet leaves you wanting more. This is a great song, but seems much too short for me to fully appreciate it.

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All-in-all, this is the best album Prong has released in years. I would definitely put it in the same category as their breakthrough album, “Cleansing,” which is held in the pantheons of legendary metal albums. In time, I think many will see this as Prong’s true return to form, the one we’ve all been waiting for since Tommy Victor got the band back together in the early 2000s: this is their equivalent to Machine Head’s “The Blackening.”

The vocals on this album are vintage-Prong. Tommy Victor has a very unique and identifiable voice, which makes him a stickler to many. He is honestly a vocalist that you either love or hate. I think most people would consider this album to be in their “love” category after listening to it. Victor hasn’t sounded this energetic in years, and it shows throughout the entire album; the heaviest vocal parts are the heaviest he’s ever done, and the lighter, more melodic vocals parts are cleaner than he’s ever done.

Of course, on guitar, Tommy Victor is a legend. And this album is no exception to that. The man seems to never run out of riff ideas, no matter how many albums he plays guitar on. These songs feature the strongest riffs he’s written in years, and even his solos sound great. Victor’s style-of-play isn’t overly technical, but he definitely makes up for that in groove and HAVE I TALKED ABOUT HIS RIFFS YET?!?!

The rhythm section on this album is sound. New band-members Tony Campos and Alexei Rodriguez not only carry their own, but contribute to Prong’s overall sound in spades. As a trio, they manage to carry a beat better, I’d say, that the four-piece did on Prong’s classic “Cleansing” album; musically, they are that good. Campos is great at “slappin’ da’ bass” on this album, and it’s very audible throughout, which is something that hasn’t been featured on a Prong album since “Rude Awakening.” Alexei Rodriguez brings his youthful style of drumming to the band, and this is very evident with the abundance of double bass, which only adds to Prong’s sound for this album.

If you’ve ever been a fan of Prong, groove metal, thrash metal, or anything close to those, I’d highly recommend this album. I’d go as to say that this can eventually challenge “Cleansing” as tops in Prong’s repertoire, and is cemented as a finalist in my album of the year category. Although this album just came out, and I’ve listened to it countless times within the few days since, I’d be very surprised if this wasn’t one of the finest metal albums released this year.

Album Review: Demon Hunter - "True Defiance"

Demon Hunter is the perfect example of what a Christian metal band should be: a band that’s not overly preachy, and doesn’t let the message overshadow the music. They are one of the premiere metalcore bands still in existence, and have been known for their use of melodic vocals in an epic way. They have never been known as an overly heavy band, but set out to change that on this album. How did they do?

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1.) “Crucifix”

A quick intro leads into a song that never lets up as soon as it starts. Demon Hunter haven’t started an album this quickly before, usually settling for expanded intros and the like, and it really works for this album. It’s clear from this song that Demon Hunter are trying to make an album that’s heavier, but they also manage to start a pace on this song that shows that their songs are groovier and catchier, too, without having to sound overly melodic. A really good starting song.

2.) “God Forsaken”

This song starts off with the quintessential Demon Hunter sound, and I’d say that this song is the biggest representation of their past albums. This sounds like a song that could have been on either of their last two albums, with the pleasant mix of screaming and clean vocals as well as the addition of the keyboards they’ve been known to use in the past. There is a clean guitar solo about halfway through that’s a nice change of pace, as well as a breakdown at the end that is very reminiscent of Machine Head.

3.) “My Destiny”

This is the first single from the album, so it’s one of the catchier songs on the album. However, it still has moments of heaviness, especially in the verses, which features vocalist Ryan Clark utilizing a barking style of screaming vocals he hasn’t used before. The chorus is infectious as all hell, and an hour later, I had the lines repeating through my head. I also have to commend the guitarists for the solo, as it is one of, if not, the best that Demon Hunter has ever done. For a single, this is a great song, and a good representation of what the album is: catchy, heavy, melodic, and carrying some metallic groove.

4.) “Wake”

A really short intro leads into what is probably the grooviest song on the album. Ryan Clark’s clean vocals accompany the groove-inspired guitars and synchronized rhythm section, which is very tight throughout the entire song. Another great solo in this song, which is basically daring you not to air guitar.

5.) “Tomorrow Never Comes”

This is easily the most melodic song on the album, and probably one of the most radio-friendly songs I’ve ever heard from Demon Hunter, who’ve been known to have a few. It’s not a bad song, per se, but just seems out of place on this album. Moments of it seem almost doom-inspired, with its haunting guitar chugs, but it’s a very clean song.

6.) “Someone To Hate”

This was the first song that Demon Hunter teased in previewing the album, and it made me very excited to hear the entire thing. The intro sounds almost Slayer-inspired, with the tremolo picking and rhythmic drumming leading into heavy double-bass. For the most part, this song is a great metal song, leaving the clean vocals only for the chorus and staying heavy throughout the rest. The drummer, Yogi Watts, does a great job in this song of not only keeping the rhythm, but kicking the double bass at the absolutely right moments. An atmospheric breakdown in the middle adds another dimension to the song, before returning to the metal side of things with an amazing solo and finish.

7.) “This I Know”

A synthesized intro leads into a chugging intro, which then transforms into another headbanger of a song. I’d definitely have to say that this is one of my favorites on the album, as it strikes the perfect balance between heavy and melodic. I’d have to compare this song to one off of Trivium’s “Shogun” album, not in terms of sound but in terms of tone and mood.

8.) “Means To An End”

This is a two-and-a-half minute-long instrumental track, consisting of little more than clean guitar, some bass, and a few percussions. It’s a great interlude, as it’s an instrumental song that carries emotion with it, and would make a great addition to any soundtrack.

9.) “We Don’t Care”

Definitely my favorite song on the album. Carrying over from the previous instrumental track, it immediately starts with a very strong guitar riff that carries the heavy portion of the song. The chorus is sung with clean vocals, but is very airy. However, in my opinion, it is the main riff and the heavy segments of the song that carry it, as well as the driving beats on the drums. Lead guitarist Patrick Judge goes crazy in the little space allotted to him for the solo, and makes the best of it.

10.) “Resistance”

A heavy guitar intro is followed by a cleanly sung verse, which is more croon than belting. Ryan Clark manages to keep things calm while maintaining the heavy mood of the song, and definitely gets the chance to show up his amazingly varied voices. If you’re a fan of metal music, but like your screaming vocals in small doses, then this is the tune for you.

11.) “Dead Flowers”

The intro, lead by keyboards, sounds like a mix of old school Demon Hunter and Lacuna Coil, with Ryan Clark singing in the softest tones imaginable for someone with his strong pipes. Demon Hunter try and go out on the most memorable melodic moment, and this song is very catchy while remaining a solid song. It’s not heavy by any measurement, but is still a great song to end things on, and I wouldn’t be surprised to hear this on the radio at some point.

All-in-all, Demon Hunter succeeded in making an album that was heavier and better than their previous works. Even as a fan, I feel like this album was leaps and bounds above their other albums, and I have not been able to stop listening to it.

The vocals on this album are amazing, as always. Ryan Clark has always been the band leader, and the most noteworthy part of the sound, and this album further cements that. Clark not only pushes himself beyond his previous limits in terms of clean singing, but he goes beyond the line of duty in showcasing screaming vocal tactics that he hasn’t used on any of the other albums before.

The guitars on this album stand miles above the work on the previous albums. Not only are the riffs stronger and catchier, but the solos manage to achieve in a short lifespan what emotion that longer songs can only hope to have. Patrick Judge, the lead guitarist, does an especially good job of stretching the boundaries of what the leads in Demon Hunter can sound like.

The rhythm section is strong on this album, but not as noticeable as it has been on their last albums. The bass is barely audible in the mix, but I do have to commend drummer Yogi Watts on his work on this album. Many songs, including “Someone To Hate,” feature standout work from him.

If you like Christian metal, metalcore, or melodic metal, then you should definitely check this out. Although it doesn’t quite fit into any of those categories, it’s a great album that I’d recommend to anyone that listens to metal music. 

TV Review: "The Walking Dead" Season 2 Finale

"Beside The Dying Fire" was a great episode of The Walking Dead, and for several reasons. For one reason... ZOMBIES! For another reason, it really did a great job of teasing season 3 with a couple of fan-favorite storylines being revealed (which I'll begin a discussion about later, for risk of *spoilers*).

Following the last two weeks on the show, we are left without Dale and Shane, the exact left and right on the survivor's moral compass. Dale was often the voice of caution, while Shane the voice of risk, and now both are gone, after having their own morality pushed to the brink by the group. The death of Dale was somewhat-expected, but Shane's death was a surprise to everyone, including the comic fans that knew it was inevitable. And the fact that it happened at Rick's hands made it much more heart-breaking, especially with Rick's near-breakdown during that scene.

So now, after the always-neglected Carl (seriously, where is his mother?) puts a cap in the reincarnated Shane, we're left with the impending zombie invasion reaching the farm. This group of walkers has seemingly been walking since the first season, when Rick saw the helicopter in Atlanta. After hearing the gunshots let off by Shane and Carl, they are now on the brink of their ultimate feast.

Rick and Carl struggle to survive as they make it back to the farm, while the others try and find a way to survive while escaping. I thought the scenes with Rick and Carl together were pretty cool, especially as Rick shows his son the ropes on zombie-killing, by leading them into the barn and having Carl help him set them ablaze. Family bonding... I also found it funny that only when a zombie herd approaches the farm does Lori finally realize that her son is missing, and begins a drastic search for him. Bitch, there's only about a dozen people left on the planet, and you can't even look after the one that's your child?!?! Anywho, I'm getting away from the point...

I was expecting Herschel to go down with his farm, but that was not the case. We finally got rid of some dead weight, as the only people with less lines than T-Dogg (Jimmy and Otis' wife, I forget her name) finally bit it, both in equally dumb yet satisfyingly gruesome ways. The group successfully manages to escape the farm, albeit without any supplies, and heads to where the season began, the freeway. Andrea, however, is abandoned not once, but twice, and left for dead on the farm, surrounded by the mindless horde.

Also, I just need to say, that the shot of Darryl looking upon the burning farm, is one of the best camera shots I've ever seen on a television show. And I'd really like to get my hands upon Herschel's shotgun, which has some unlimited ammo cheat code. He honestly fired constantly for minutes, reloading only once. At least he had a pretty badass moment before escaping (I believed him to be a dead man in this episode).

While escaping, T-Dogg finally had some lines (success!), and was convinced that he would head for the east coast, which sounds a lot better than hanging around in the woods for another few months as winter approaches. However, he was vetoed by Lori, who finally begins caring about her family, and a silent Beth, who's dumbstruck by the death of two of the only people she knows.

After the survivors (sans Andrea) meet up on the freeway, they all agree to begin heading away from the farm. Rick decides that going after Andrea (whose most likely dead) is a suicide mission, so he calls off a rescue and they begin heading away from the area. Meanwhile, Andrea is researching the #1 rule of zombie survival: cardio. She seemingly runs all night away from the pursuing herd, and officially punches her badass card as we see her deal away several walkers in ass-kickery fashion.

Finally, we come upon the ending, which reveals 4 big revelations. Here they are, in no specific order:

1.) We officially find out what Jenner whispered into Rick's ear at the end of season 1 in the CDC. We find out that everyone is infected with the disease, and the catalyst is death. I suspected this, as the show eluded to it all season (from the dead police officers to Randall and Shane becoming reincarnated with no bites), but the way that they actually revealed it was genius. Props to the writers for managing to keep what might have been a relatively minor thing and teasing us with it all season long.

2.) Rick finally becomes the badass he's notorious for being in the comics. After the death of Shane at his own hands and the constant rebuttals from everyone in the group that's constantly begging him for help, he snapped. This, to me, was the most intense scene of the entire season. We see Rick, who's always been the calm leader under pressure, reach his breaking point. He tells the entire group that it's no longer a democracy, and if they want to keep following him, they're going to listen to him. It was nice to see him shut up that stupid zombie bait, Carol, who's always nagging everyone for anything. It was also cool to see the other "men" in the group, Darryl, T-Dogg, and Herschel, give him the look of approval. The Ricktatorship begins!

3.) Andrea, after running out of ammo, is saved by a mysterious hooded character with a katana and two chained-up, armless zombie pets. I don't even read the comics, but I know that this character is the infamous Michonne. I could almost hear the country-wide nerdgasm as the shot revealed Michonne and her zombie pals, which is sure to shake up the show quite a bit. Not only is Andrea, a newly-appointed badass, saved, but she happens to be saved by a fan favorite character who's going to be officially introduced in season 3. I cannot wait to see the wrecking crew that the gruesome twosome of Andrea and Michonne make! Especially now that Andrea has an ax to grind with the entire group for ditching her!

4.) As the show came to an end, I assumed that the season was going to end with the group abandoned in the woods. I had heard grumblings of a certain politically-named character getting cast, so I just assumed that it would be revealed in season 3, as the farm was in season 2. However, I was EXTREMELY happy to see the final shot being a wide view of the prison. It's now inevitable that the poodoo is going to hit the fan in season 3. I should have taken the non-too-subtle hints throughout the episode ("We need to find a place to barricade! To fortify!") with a grain of salt. I cannot wait to see the dynamic of the group clashing with the Governor and his goons (perhaps Randall's buddies) in season 3!

Although the first half of the season went very slow, the show returned from its mid-season break extremely strong. I think that this is mostly due to the change of showrunners (now former "The Shield" E.P. Glen Mazzara is in charge), and according to interviews, the attitude and tone of the last few episodes of this season is going to be the format for the upcoming season 3. As a fan, I am extremely excited to see how Michonne, the Governor, and the prison play out with the current cast of characters, who just survived a horrendous event, and have now reached the point of desperation.