Woe, Is Me - Number(s) REVIEW

Damn...I'm getting rusty at this whole posting thing. I've gotten WAY too much new music lately, but since finals are over WOOOOOOT its time to get back to studying for the LSAT by day and blogging by night. Ok, intro over. Go time.

When I heard Woe Is Me, I had to do a double take when I found out they were on Rise Records. Nothing against the Rise family, but when three or four of your artists sound almost exactly the same...yknow? Anyway, Woe Is Me still has alot of electronica elements like many of their Rise brethren, but the technicality, competent lyrics, talented singing and overall sound set them apart from the roster.

This album plays like a book reads; every song leads in to the other, and feeds off of the one before it. Its a seamless experience, and right from the getgo the production quality jumps out at you and doesn't let go (courtesy of Chango studios, based in Orlando.). The first few bars of music on this album include some basic chug patterns, quick drum fills and a pretty intense breakdown to give you a feel for the rest of the album. This song (On Veiled Men) dissolves right into (&)Delinquents, which wastes no time in introducing you to the advanced drumming and incredible vocal abilities of clean singer Tyler C. Definitely an album that grabs you from the get-go.

Now, as for overall sound? It's had to peg these guys. The guitarists can do the usual de-tuned chugging that comes with the metal territory these days, but can also move into huge, melodic choruses and smooth tapping licks. The drummer and bassist make one hell of a rhythm section, moving between driving beats and staccato patterns. The tandem vocalist team reminds me of the Aaron-Spencer era of Underoath, in that the startlingly opposed vocal styles play off of each other to perfection. But the real draw for me here (and the thing that makes Woe is Me so different from the rest of the scene) isn't the keyboardist, but the way he uses the effects at his disposal. Ben (keys, vocals) and Austin (drums, programming) keep the computer-driven components of the album in the mix at all times without repeating themselves or overdoing it. This synth-heavy kind of style is seen in excess; but to do it so well? Thats definitely a rare sight.

I still have not been able to really process this whole album; I got about 6 other albums at the same time as this one, but it's fast becoming the most-played item in my library. Turn up the bass in your speakers, stretch in preparation for all the air-drumming thats about to happen, and spread the word about this brutal, techy, keyboard-laden monster of an album.

Tracklisting:

1. On Veiled Men
2. (&) Delinquents 
3. Mannequin Religion
4. Keep Your Enemies Close
5. Hell, or High Water
6. For the Likes of You
7. I
8. Our Number(s)
9. If Not, For Ourselves
10. Desolate (The Conductor)

Oceano - Contagion REVIEW

It begins with a myriad of sound effects...a chilling, disturbing collection of seemingly random noises that eventually become the epic opening chords to the first song, Precursor to Enslavement. Right out of the gates, this album puts any and all doubts about the new lineup to rest. This Oceano barely resembles the band that created the "Depths" album. The skull-crushing heaviness is there, to be sure. But the speed, intensity and technical aspect of "Contagion" is a testament to the maturity of the band members as individuals and to the new cohesiveness brought about by the departure of Andrew M. and the addition of guitarists Nick Conser and Devin Shidaker. Was it the new blood that made this album so much better? Or maybe the fact the Oceano boys teamed up with the legendary Zeuss (responsible for releasing the latest Acacia Strain upon the world)? Whatever the reason, the metal community will never be the same after this.

Whether you hate them or love them, Oceano has completely changed as a band, and its for the better. Adam Warren's vocal style retains alot of the cookie-monster, bowel-loosening lows and punishing, driving mids from "Depths," while pushing his highs to new...well...highs.Warrens seems to have to have taken the time in between albums to perfect his vocals. His lows are guttural, seeming to change from a sound a human could produce to some incredible synthesized abomination of human vocal cords. His mids are in the same range sound-wise, but he's become much more distinguishable in this range than he was on "Depths."  The high seem to tear themselves out of his mouth at just the right times to add more intensity and feeling to the bottom-heavy riffs he's screaming over.

Nick and Devin are another huge part of why this album is as good as it is. Nick had a little more time to write material and get the overall feel of the band before the addition of Devin, but they've both shined on this record. The riffs are much more diverse. These two apparently aren't afraid to venture into that scary land above the first three frets that eludes most other death metal/hardcore bands into this scene. Their riffs are faster, more complex, more unpredictable, and (dare I say it??) heavier than anything found on "Depths." Since both of them can play lead and write these soul-withering riffs (not to mention Devin's soloing ability) the member change seems to be one of the best things to ever happen to the band. **I'm in no way digging at Andrew in saying that, either. Every now and again a band needs new blood to mix it up a little.**

Maybe it was fate, or some other divine power, but Jason Jones' bass malfunctioning and his having to use the bass of none other than Jack Strong (Acacia Strain) brought a whole new level to this album. Zeuss has created a new standard for bass engineering in metal with this production. Finally, Jason's tracks cut through the mix, adding their own chilling effect to the songs (see Viral re-Animation: tell me that song could have done with just the everyday muddled metal bass tracking.) And finally, one thing that has stood out to all listeners of this album: Danny Terchin on the drums. "Depths" offered us a glimpse of a talented, precise player; but "Contagion" beats all the speculation right out of you. His timing, speed, fills, and overall originality on the drums make this album stand out in the saturated deathcore scene. he mixes elements from punk/hardcore, pure death metal and hardcore to make his own blend of punishing percussion that makes want to mosh, headbang, and air drum along all at the same time.

"Contagion" is something any "deathcore" fan has to have. Period. Put this in your playlist with Whitechapel, Suicide Silence, The Acacia Strain, and others like them. Zeuss has pushed Oceano to some of their best material to date, and his influence shines through on every song. Buy this album for the conceptualized lyrics that tell of a a man-made apocalypse. Buy it for the new crushing, epic wall of sound that is Jason, Nick and Devin. Buy it for drumming that will make you want to practice or play drums until you're half as good as Danny Terchin. And did I mention the guest vocals from Alex Erian and Steve Marois (Despised Icon) and Nick Arthur (Molotov Solution)?

Epic.

Tracklisting:

1. Precursor to Enslavement
2. Viral Re-Animation (feat. Alex Erian and Steve Marois)
3. Regulated Disposal of Life
4. Quarantine
5. The Contmainated
6. Exist in Confinement
7. Persuasive Oppression (feat. Nick Arthur)
8. Weaponized
9. Sadistic Experiments
10. Remnants Aflame
11. Ending Intellect

Coming Soon??

So I've been waiting on some new albums to come into my possession to review some newer, relevant stuff more often. Today, I'll be picking up the new Oceano and Woe, Is Me albums, along with a few other offerings I've decided I have to have.

Stay tuned.

Animals as Leaders - Animals as leaders Review

Damn, its November already? Where'd this year go? Have I been that drunk this whole time? Will I keep asking rhetorical questions to myself?

Anyway.

Lets get the month started off right: with a review of one of the first true guitar gods to come out of this generation. Animals as Leaders (at the time of this epic release) was a one man project by the legendary Tosin Abasi, with the seemingly omnipresent Misha Monsoor taking the helm as engineer. This album, while instrumental, has everything. The sheer musicianship on this album will be enough to put you in a semi-meditative state. You'll be helpless to do anything but listen with an awestruck look on your face as you listen to Tosin do things to a guitar that will make any shredder, jazz guitarist or any self-proclaimed badass player want to set fire to his instruments. The drums, programmed by the aforementioned Bulb (Misha) will give any djent-head more than enough to process. These aren't just syncopated, basic polyrhythms. Nothing on this album is basic, actually. Lets dive a bit deeper.


Lets start with the guitars. Tosin Abasi (aptly-named xnextgtrgodx on YouTube) is on a level all own on this offering. His furious speed, otherwordly chord progressions, nimble-fingered tapping runs and incredible jazz solos all make for an incredibly addicting album. "Tempting Time," the album opener, provides a perfect example of what this album has to offer: ridiculously speedy shredding, tapping riffs that make you wonder just how many hands Tosin really has, and smooth (sometimes jazzy) chording. To top it all off, the song has a great melodic break towards the end that provides a perfect counterpoint to the frenetic fret-abuse that takes place in the earlier minutes. From all-clean breaks to whole-tone solo sections, this is a virtuoso you just cannot afford to miss hearing at least once.

Now, for drums...I can't decide whats more impressive. The sheer complexity of the programmed drums, of the fact theres an actual human out there (Navene Koperweis, to be exact) who can play them live and even extrapolate on them. Check him out here, playing the aforementioned Tempting Time. But, for the purpose of this review, lets stick to whats on the album. In a word? The drums are brilliant. The way they complement Tosin's playing makes the avid listener think that surely Misha captured most, if not all of what the mastermind behind this project wanted from the rhythm section. While able to keep up with the guitars, they often become more organic and seem to develop a mind of their own. The same could be said for the bass parts, although they're admittedly hard to distinguish form the bottom two strings of Tosin's 8-stringed monster. however, when the bass does definitively cut though the mix, it manages to be both driving and easygoing all at the same time.

Look, I can't say enough good things about this album. It's an instrumental testament to the fact that there IS still talent left out there in the modern musical universe. Come to this album with an open mind; you can't possibly knows whats coming around the corner. It's got progressive elements, its got metal, its got rock and jazz and ambient qualities. Its got everything for the guitar nerds out there, the drum heads, and (as always) for anyone like me that just loves music in all of its forms. Buy this album, listen to it, fall in love, and then find yourself inspired by the prowess showcased on it. 

Tracklisting:

1. Tempting Time
2. Soraya
3. Thoroughly at Home
4. On Impulse
5. Tessitura
6. Behaving Badly
7. The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing
8. CAFO
9. Inamorata
10. Point to Point
11. Modern Meat
12. Song of Solomon 

I Am Abomination- To Our Forefathers REVIEW

So. I gotta admit, I'm a music nerd through and through. I love bands that entertain, with a balance of talent, showmanship, pride and prowess. I Am Abomination gives me all of that in spades. People may want to throw the metalcore tag at them, but that'd be a big mistake. Beautiful vocal passages, virtuoso-level guitar solos and an overall professional attitude sets these guys way above the standard for whats called music these days. Everything about this band is something you should get into. Whether you're a singer looking for a new idol or a music lover looking for a new album to wear out in your car, you need to hear these dudes.

I have an obsession with bands that can bring everything to the table; I love hearing the rhythm section, the singing and the solos/harmonies blow my mind. I Am Abomination packs intelligent lyrics in a package that not only pleases the ears- the singing on this cd will reassert your belief in melody in metal, period. The bass is a monster all its own, aware and organic, successfully declaring its identity as a thundering, complex addition to this convention of skilled artists. The drummer seems to be an all-knowing, all-powerful force that can groove over complex rhythms and heavy riffs alike without a second thought.

But the guitars...oh, the guitars. Shredding, tapping, sweeping, dive-bombs and pinch harmonics are everywhere on this album, keeping the listener guessing and engaged throughout the entire cd. This is a band that puts thought into every song; one note chugfests aren't welcome here. nor are cheesy, thrown-together-at-the-last-minute riffs. Every song has its own feel and theme, which is a quality rarely seen these days. These guys can do it all, from ballady solos to balls-out shredding and everything in between. The playing on this album even inspired me to attempt a cover, which can be seen here. I got as far as the solo in Rock N' No Soul before I realized...I'm completely out of my league.

Bottom line: driving choruses, face-melting guitar and vocal acrobatics that will make you try (and them immediately stop trying), thundering and yet somehow nimble bass playing all on top of the most fluid, talented drummer modern metal has to offer makes this a must-buy album. Finally, a band without a song about a mean ex-girlfriend or unnecessary pig squeals (did I mention the only screaming on this album is from Dave Stephens of We Came As Romans fame???) and some damned deep lyrics. This cd changes the game, people. Look out for more from this powerhouse of a band. I know I am.

Tracklisting:

1. Since 1776
2. Thoughtcrime is Death
3. Cataclysm
4. The Deceiver 
5. Rock n' No Soul
6. Invisible Titans
7. Greeting From Easter Island
8. Art Attack
9. Creatures of the Night
10. Element 151

Acacia Strain - Wormwood Review

The Acacia Strain should be on your "Murder" playlist, if you have one. That's the most apt way to describe this Massachusetts-based assault on your eardrums. Their previous album, Continent, opened my eyes to music that wasn't deathcore, hardcore, or any other kind of -core metal, but just plain punch-you-in-the-balls heavy. Not just the detuned guitars, or the furious vocals, but the overall sound of the album and how heavy it was just blew me away.

Enter Wormwood.

With their guitarist DL making the change from 6 string, Drop A tuning to an 8 string, Drop F tuning, the entire feel of the album changes drastically. Its immense, crushing, epic, and heavy enough to make Oceano look like the Backstreet Boys. I could spend an entire day talking about the guitar tone; about the ridiculously low tuning and all the simple ways its utilized to the utmost. For instance, the mix of quick, staccato palm muting, sinister chords that ring for what feels like an eternity and bowel-loosening low open notes all add up to the heaviest album you've ever heard. But it's not just the guitar that makes this album; Vincent's lyrics are darker, meaner and more unforgiving and unapologetic than ever. From "I hate everything you love" to "...Mary, the virgin whore," everything negative and pissed off is bared on this album.

Now, for the rhythm section. Jack Strong and Kevin Boutot  (bass and drums, respectively) are the chains that hold this wrecking ball of an album together. Jack's bass tone is surprisingly clean and clear. For a bass tuned to Drop F (I'm assuming, since that's what the guitar tuning is) there's no rattling or anything else that would take away from his sound, which is definitely a result of working with Zeuss in the studio. Combine that with his skillful, almost conservative style of bass playing, and you've got the makings for one hell of a heavy album. The drums are one of the things I was most impressed with on this album. Kevin seemed to bring the best elements of his playing from the Continent album, like his punk/hardcore style providing a break for slow, easy beats to compliment DL's riffs. But on this album, he strayed even further from his typical style to incorporate more rolls, more rhythmic fills, a nice bit of syncopation. His skill is apparent on this album for sure, and I can;t wait to hear what hes got up his sleeve next.

Bottom line: from the first eerie, spine-tingling sustained harmonics and disquieting spoken word intro to the last bottom-heavy, skull-rattling note of the ridiculously heavy ending track, this will be the heaviest album you've ever heard. It's the angriest, most skilled assault on your ears you can get from the Acacia Strain. Fans of the band, or heavy music at all, or even just people who want to scare their neighbors away need to buy this album.

Tracklisting:

1. The Beast
2. The Hills Have Eyes
3. BTM FDR
4. Ramirez
5. Terminated 
6. Nightman
7. The Impaler
8. Jonestown
9. Bay of Pigs
10. The Carpathian
11. Unabomber
12. Tactical Nuke 

Darkest Hour - the Eternal Return Review

Perfection. Metal. Shredding. These are the words that fill my mind whenever a song form this album comes on. Thrash/punk/metal/awesome legends Darkest Hour's 2009 Eternal Return album sheds some of the epic, melodic qualities shown on Deliver Us (2007) in favor of a raw, modern thrash metal sound that establishes this band as metal gods of this generation. Driving riffs, flawless punk-infused drums and unrestrained vocals delivering passionate lyrics are just a few of the things that make this album addictive on the first listen.

The Eternal Return showcases some of this D.C. quintet's heaviest material to date, but don't think for a second the Darkest Hour crew lost even one step on talent in this process. The loss of Kris Norris looked at first like an insurmountable defeat, but Mike "Lonestar" Carrigan takes the reigns with a professional, balls-to-the-wall attitude that demands respect and awe. I've found his riffs and solos to be much more interesting and raw than Norris', but I'm definitely not knocking the chording ability and overall prowess of Kris. Deliver Us still stands as a testament to metal guitar; kids everywhere have established covering a Kris Norris song as an accomplishment. But Carrigan is no slouch; his leads are unpredictable, fast and precise. Despite Lonestar's manic ability, the riffs machine known as Mike Schleibaum is what makes this album; his riffs and solos provide an opposing voice to Carrigan's, as they're infused with more emotion and manage to be much more diverse than Lonestar's. Every song is a fist-pumping, moshing, headbanging sign that modern metal has so much more to offer than v-neck shirts and songs about girls.

Rounding out this legendary offering is Ryan Parrish on drums and Paul Burnette on bass. To put it bluntly, this is a rhythm section not to be fucked with. Parrish never lets up, and I mourn for that snare drum but damn does he sound good. He's fast for sure, but he always makes sure to work in some rhythm to every song, which is a glaring sign that says "this dude's talented." Paul's thundering bass tone is crucial and very much the antithesis of most metal bassists, in that he actually cuts through the mix with more than an assortment of root notes. John Henry delivers an aural assault fueled by political and (anti) religious ideals. Thrash fans, metalheads, gear nerds and shred-addicts alike should get into these dudes. They've been around for over a decade for a reason: they fucking rule.

Tracklisting:

1. Devolution of Flesh
2. Death Worship
3. The Tides
4. No God
5. Bitter
6. Blessed Infection
7. Transcendence 
8. A Distorted Utopia
9. Black Sun
10. Into the Grey

Periphery- Periphery Review

So, Periphery is perfect. Really. This band (featuring prog genius Misha "Bulb" Monsoor) never fails, ever, at anything. I promise. Buy this album for your love of prog music. Buy it for your love of melody, ambient sounds and amazing vocal passages. Buy it because you love guitar music and need inspiration to learn some insane new techniques. Buy it for these and many other reasons, as long as you hear this assortment of djent, shred, jazz, metal and Jeff Loomis.

Yes, I said Jeff Loomis. Of Nevermore fame. Read on.

Look, the whole prog/metal scene, like every other vein of metal, has been saturated and overrun by posers and pretenders. Periphery instantly stands out, from the first minute of Insomnia straight through til the last second of the epic Racecar. Most prog heads know and love Bulb (Misha, guitars), but he's just the beginning of what this band has to offer the world. The other two axemen in this sextet are perfect complements to Misha's writing style; also, the triple guitarist setup is used in perfect form here, as Periphery capitalizes on the ability to both harmonize and add another lead or keep the rhythm going. This way, they lose much less of their sound live than bands with two guitarists...at least, thats how I understand it. Any way you look at it, Jake Bowen and Alex Bois never simply follow Misha's playing; instead, they highlight it, underline it, and make the overall sound of the album fuller. Chording, clean playing, solos and lead tracks are layered expertly on this album.

Not sold on the whole "three talented guitarists" thing? Fine, lets talk vocals. I've mentioned Tommy Rogers of BTBAM before, simply because his style is one completely his own. Spencer Sotelo shares this quality of distinction and talent, as any second of this album could tell you. I've never heard someones down-n-dirty growls and screams share the same minute of music as such...well, angelic vocals. His clean singing is superb; I was impressed with the simple range he has (it sounds like he can sing in at least 3-4 octaves? someone help me figure that out lol.). Highs, lows, harmonies, no matter WHAT he sings you can be assured Spencer's experience and skill will shine though.

This is where I complain about the drummer and bassist, right? Talk about how basic they are when seen in the same band as such talent as Misha, Jake, Alex and Spencer? Sorry to let you down, but Tom Murphy and Matt Halpern are the backbone of this incredible display of musical skill. Tom's bass playing seems to be where steady, rhythms are provided, while Halpern complements the bass and rhythm guitar with his own incredible poly-rhythms and patterns. I mean, Halpern was tasked with the impossible: replacing the octopus known as Travis Orbin (of Sky Eats Airplane), so you know the guys amazing. And he doesn't disappoint. His fills are smooth, his rhythms are tight and precise, and no matter what the mood of the song, he always seems to have the perfect part written for it. Tom keeps his parts simple, not too many solos or insane technical flourishes to be found on the lower end of the spectrum. But don't let that take away from the fact that this is what prog bassist forget to be: dependable, fast, creative and above all else, complementary to the rhythm instead of trying to stand out too much from it.

This was a long post. Lemme give you the concentrated version: Periphery = talent + awesome + melody + heaviness + this is a band you need to hear.

Tracklisting:

1. Insomnia
2. The Walk
3. Letter Experiment
4. Jetpacks Was Yes
5. Light
6. All New Materials
7. Buttersnips
8. Icarus Lives
9. Totla Mad
10. Ow My Feelings
11. Zyglrox
12. Racecar

The Contortionist: Exoplanet REVIEW

So, by way of friends loaning me albums and me celebrating my new employment, I picked up a few new cd's to jam to this past week. My favorite of which so far is definitely the Contortionist's new album, Exoplanet. I've been on this huge Periphery/Veil of Maya kick lately, so I figured some new prog in my life couldn't hurt.

One problem.

These dudes don't fall as readily into comparisons with Periphery or any other artist I can think of. They're obviously talented, but don't spend all their time shredding their way into carpal tunnel syndrome. The songs reach these points of immense, Acacia Strain-esque dissonance and bottom heavy chording, but they don't write songs that consist entirely of breakdowns. They're melodic, but not completely poppy; they're rhythmically proficient to be sure, but don't let the songs dissolve into 5 minutes of indecipherable djent. Honestly, this album is an eclectic, frenzied, ethereal, melodic, brutal experience.

Every member of this band is completely mastered at their respective instruments. The drums are the embodiment of progressive music; layered, fast, matching the guitars note for note at some points, and backing off to bring in polyrhythms and syncopation at others. The bass doesn't just stick solely to root notes, even during the break(beat?)downs; he stands apart during every second of the album, thundering and distinct. The guitarists don't rely solely on distortion; clean, reverberated parts as well as acoustic breaks shine through. Tapping, shedding, chording, structured dissonance (if there is such a thing, it exists here) and intense palm muted riffs are all incorporated and used to their fullest potential on this album. The vocalist reminds me of Tommy Rogers of BTBAM fame; Johnathan Carpenter has a raw, unique quality to his growls and screams but his clean vocals are always polished and note-perfect.

This is a band at the top of their game, and anyone who appreciates melody, prog metal, death metal, or just musicianship in general needs to get into these dudes.

Tracklisting:

1. Primal Directive
2. Flourish
3. Expire
4. Contact
5. Advent
6. Vessel
7. Oscillator 
8. Axiom
9. Exoplanet I: Egress
10. Exoplanet II: Void
11. Exoplanet III: Light 

Boss MT-2 Review

Well, guess it's time I did an actual gear review, eh? I'm gonna start with my one and only pedal, the Boss Metal Zone. I compared it to a Boss Metal Core pedal and still settled on this one; obviously, I needed a distortion pedal to give my tone a big bottom end boost (I play an Ibanez, an ESP, a Schecter and a Fender out of a Randall 120RHS half stack) and while the Metal Core definitely shook me down to my bowels, it got pretty muddy to my ears.

**hey. side note here. mostly opinion based, at least to me. find the sound you want, and stick with it. No one can tell you how good you sound but you in the long run. so, just because I like this setup (with settings I'll divulge later) doesn't mean I'm saying its the be all end all tone solution for everyone. **

Now, I'm a big fanboy for the Black Dahlia Murder. That's why I bought my ESP/LTD Mh-53...to emulate their old guitarist, John K. And also why I bought my Ibanez RG350M (yellow); Ryan Knight wouln;t lead me wrong would he? So when I found out that the main riff machine of TBDM, Brian Eschbach, uses Boss Metal Zone pedals, I decided the stock distortion on my Randall amp just wasn't cuttin' it.

The metal zone is just about perfect for death metal and most prog metal applications. The notes are clean and clear, so this pedal is great for soloing. But good news for the br00tal guys out there: this pedal gives any guitar/amp combo a nice, mean distortion/bass boost without any of the notes slurring together. Another thing I've noticed is this thing creates a sustain like no other pedal I've used. I have my setting as such:

Level: right at 12 o'clock. The pedal works best for me this way, and I let the volume controls on ym amo handle the rest.

Low: right at 3 0'clock; I like the low notes to come bowling through the mix.

High: between 4 and 5; gotta have just a little more highs than lows for the sound I love.

Middle Freq: dialed down to about the 10:30 mark. I've never like a bunch of middle frequencies in my tone, don't know why though.

Mids: this one's pushed back to 9 o'clock. again, any mids are usually cut out of my mix. I guess I like a big, boomy bass sound matched against a high, searing solo sound.

So. To sum it up: buy this pedal if you want crushing lows without sacrificing any kind of note clarity or losing sustain. Buy this pedal if you want to be able to tell your individual notes apart (at any speed) and let your chords ring out clearly and cleanly at shows/practice.



Buy this pedal, damnit.

also, I've used this in a coupla vids, like this one and this one.

Miss May I - Monument Review

Miss May I is a quintet hailing from Ohio (seems like a breeding ground for metalcore, huh?) specializing in punishing percussion, driving melody and breakdowns...oh wait. lets talk about what makes them different from the rest of the sprawling scene, shall we? While many bands have started following the br00tal trends of dissonance and all out unorganized mayhem, Miss May I keeps it classy with a straight up thrash feel to most of their songs (more like As I Lay Dying than anything else) with a hint of made-for-stadium melody (also like As I Lay Dying) mixed with a splash of breakdowns made for moshing (...blah blah blah AILD blah blah)...man. what is it that I love about these dudes again?

oh yeah. EVERYTHING.

Lets start with Jerod Boyd on the drums: fast, precise, and all around perfect for the music. With the switches between atmospheric cymbal passages, deep tom rolls and enough snare rolls to make you feel sorry for the drumhead. Next up is the Ryan Neff's vocals. Here is a guy who (unlike the rest of the overpopulated scene) knows how to push his voice enough to put emotion in the songs, but stays away from the octaves in which he has no earthly business. He also seems to expand a bit more on this album, with some nice basic counterpoint (check just before the last chorus on Gears, my personal favorite). The guitarists, BJ and Justin, continue their tradition of classic, memorable riffs delivered at dizzying speeds. And last but not least is Levi Benton, he of the Indestructible Pipes; this guy can shriek at high range with the best of em and summon deep, crushing low end vocals in the same breath. This is a younger, faster, more modern incarnation of the AILD guys, and Miss May I is more than ready to take over this stagnant metal scene with their classic thrash twist of metalcore.

My favorite songs on the album are definitely Gears, Relentless Chaos (the single, video can be seen here) and definitely don't miss the ballad track on this album, In Recognition.

Tracklisting:

1. Our Kings
2. Masses of a Dying Breed
3. Answers
4. Relentless Chaos
5. Creations
6. Gears
7. Colossal
8. We Have Fallen
9. In Recognition
10. Monument
11. Rust (bonus, iTunes exclusive at time of album release)

COVER: The Price of Beauty, Suicide Silence

The Devil Wears Prada, Zombies EP Review

Love them or hate them, chances are you've heard of the Ohio-based sextet The Devil Wears Prada. Breakdowns, beautiful synth-assisted choruses, and their apparent mastery of all things metalcore have led to widespread success not only in the "scene" but commercially as well (the last full album came to the #11 on the billboard 200 charts). This EP is a step in a definitively heavier direction the TDWP guys. The EP is comprised of 6 songs telling the haunting story of a world overrun by zombies. "Escape" evokes emotions of panic as the outbreak gets its start on conquering the world; "Anatomy" is the beginning of the human resistance and study of the new predator of the earth; "Outnumbered," the single, is mankind's first realization that there may be trouble in retaking the planet. "Revive" is the realization that the world as we know it is forever lost; and "Survivor," one of my favorites on this album, is the last song and a mourning cry.


These lyrics are some of the best TDWP has written in my opinion. Mike spent alot of time reading up about zombies and the forewarned zombie apocalypse, and it shows here. The choice of FX they out in this album (sirens, shotguns, moaning, etc) and the overall heaviness of this album make for a spine-tingling story int he form of an EP. This is an album full of dissonance, pinch harmonics, breakdowns and clean, eerie melodies. Two aspects of this EP that deserve attention (as far as I'm concerned, anyway) are Daniel's more intense drumming and Mike's new vocal talents. Mike has always been amazing, intense and unrestrained as a vox man, but on "Anatomy" he seems to push his high scream higher to make an especially frenzied scream. And Daniel brought out some technical flash on "With Roots Above and Branches Below," but on "Zombies" he tends to go for more of a direct, down-n-dirty, four-on-the-floor double bass assault. New and old fans alike can get into this effort full tilt.

Tracklisting:

1. Escape
2. Anatomy
3. Outnumbered
4. Revive
5. Survivor

apologies already?

yeah, sorry about the typographical errors and such. posted a link to this blog on ultimate-guitar.com and got the usual close minded "these bands all suck" message. BUT did get one constructive comment: "poor writing and terrible bands. kthx" well said, sir. to the point, I'll be sure to actually proofread these from now on. and this isn't a blog for every metal fan in the world. these are gonna be bands I like, and fans of these bands are who I'm talking to. them, and open-minded dudes who are willing to try something other than accepted metal. so, if you're not into the bands I post about, go ahead and just fuck right off. if you do like em, even better. let me know. recommend me stuff, I'll try anything once. that's about I had to say, Imaginary Readers. carry on

Upon a Burning Body Live Show Review

If you want to mosh, two step, scream along or just headbang, then you need to catch the next Upon a Burning Body date in your town. I went to see them With Abandon All Ships, Confide, In Fear and Faith, and We Came as Romans at the high ground in Metarie, LA on 9/12/2010.

All I have to say is wow. I;ve been to shows where the band plays and then leaves with NO crowd interaction (**cough Bullet For my Valentine cough**) but these guys, like all good metal bands, encourage you to mosh and stage dive and to get up there with em and party. They know how to have a good time and keep the energy in a venue up for their whole set. Live, they can pull off everything they do on the album flawlessly, at least that's how it sounded to me. And it doesn't hurt that these are some of the nicest dudes I've ever been able to hang with. I got to talk to CJ and Ruben (guitars and bass, respectively) after their set and was blown away by how approachable they were. With a crushing live set, great sound, awesome crowd interaction and a cool factor of 5/5, I'd definitely go see these guys live if I were you. Album review coming soon.

Within the Ruins Invade Review

Within the Ruins is definitely my favorite band for the month. These tech/death metal beasts first caught my ear with the release of Creature. Their sound is dominated by extremely technical poly-rhythms and riffs to match; these guys play in G#, but their focus isn't big doomy breakdowns but rather super-catchy riffs (this is the first band's riffs I've caught myself humming throughout the day) but intense, layered and extremely technical songwriting.

What impresses me the most with this band is the both guitarist can sweep, shred, and tap with best of them, but Joe (Cocchi, lead guitar) chooses for more emotive solos comprised mostly of memorable patterns and long epic notes. And for all you drummers out there? This is the guy to aspire to be. Simply known as "Drummer" on album liner notes, he instantly became one of my favorite drummers, ever. Here is a man at the top of his game; with the ability to keep up with ANY picking speed on the bass drums, unparalleled precision and accuracy on the snare and toms and a flawless sense of which cymbals need to be heard from, this guy just can;t be stopped. I cannot stress enough: this a band with the perfect drummer for their overall sound.

The lyrics and vocals on this album are a bit stronger than those on Creature; Tim (Goergen, vocals) went through some tough times in the process of making this album, and it shines through. He speaks of strife and having the determination to not fold under any circumstances. The bass is the one thin that doesn't impress me about this band; while Mike (Beaujean, bass) can keep up with anything Joe and Jay (Van Schelt, guitars) throw at him, sometimes I wish he would incorporate more independent bass melody into the songs. Then again, this is a band that practices EVERY DAY, so I'll leave the songwriting to them.


Get into these guys.

Tracklisting:

1. Designing Oblivion
2. Versus
3. Behold the Harlot
4. Red Flagged
5. Invade
6. Ataxia
7. Crossbuster
8. Feast or Famine
9. Oath
10. The Carouser
11. Roads

Blindwitness, NIghtmare on Providence St Review

Blindwitness is high on my list of bands that deserve wayyyyy more attention. They stand out among the Mediaskare band roster to me because of their drummer and the fact that they don't seem to have forced their breakdowns into the songs. I stumbled across the video for "Baby One More Notch" on accident and haven't looked back since. Their songwriting makes every riff, every section of every song just flow into each other without the feeling you get from most metal bands that they just kid of threw it together. Lyrically he seems to speak of loss, regret, partying, sex and leaving liars and dishonest people behind.

Now, why should you listen to this band? Listen: they bring together all the required metal elements, like super fast, punishing double bass and snare rolls, breakdowns, intense vocals, soaring epic guitar solos and an overall feeling of kicking someone's ass in a mosh pit. This is a band for those who want music with technical prowess, the ability to knock you on your ass.

"All Alone" is the perfect opening track. Right out the gates, blast beats and seemingly machine-powered double bass assault the eardrums. Breakdowns galore and an epic closing gravity roll let you know you're in for a incredible album. The closing track, which contains a couple clean chorus sections layered over some epic screaming vocals in the background make you want a new Blindwitness album...then immediately start from track one all over again.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/blindwitness

Tracklisting:

1. Prologue
2. All Alone
3. Nightmare on Providence Street
4. Since the Beginning
5. These Countless Sleepless Nights
6. 10 Minutes of Clinical Death
7. Baby One More Notch
8. Have You Ever Been Lucky?
9. Lovely Flesh
10. For Life
11. The New Year

Veil of Maya [Id] Review

This is an album for djentlemen and metalheads alike. Id completely blew me away. For those of you who don't know, Veil of Maya is a progressive/death metal band from the good ole Windy City. Marc Okubo is without a doubt one of my favorite guitarists. His chording techniques, alternate picking and sweeping sequences, and the layering and harmonizing he does as the bands only axe-man is simply beautiful. The rhythms and patterns are complex but don't make the band inaccessible to those not familiar with djent. The bass is what sets this band apart in alot of cases, as Matthew Pantelis cuts through the mix with his own separate counterpoint and melodies, completely independent of Marc. Brandon Butler is an insane frontman/vocalist, even though his highs are a little raw for my liking. Last, and most certainly not least is Sam Applebaum on drums.Wow. Here is a drummer who is singularly talented with his feet, his hands, and his timing. His use of the cymbals is always just what the song calls for; he knows when to go all out on the kick drums and when to hold back, and his fills are so tight and precise he sounds like a drum machine on some parts of the album.

This is the album that sets this band apart, in my opinion. Their sound makes me think of the Faceless, Animals as Leaders, and other such bands. "Codex" was one my favorite tracks simply because it brought back the beautiful "It's Not safe to Swim Today" riff one one of the guitar tracks, but still managed to retain its own identity as a separate song. Buy this album, get into this band, because their musicianship, professional ability and overall ability are going to be worth every penny.

tracklisting:

1. Id
2. Unbreakable
3. Dark Passenger
4. The Higler
5. Martyrs (Instrumental)
6. Resistance
7. Circle (Instrumental)
8. Mowgli
9. Namaste
10. Conquer
11. Codex

A Plea for Purging: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell Review

A Plea for Purging is a hardcore/metal band coming out of Nashville, TN. Their sound is a little hard to describe, but let me try: downtuned, complex poly-rhythmic chug patterns, huge open notes, fast syncopated drumming and one of the most distinctive vocalists/frontmen on the planet. This latest album is, in my opinion, the most diverse product to ever come from this five-piece. It includes some of their heaviest riffs (Sick Silent America, Golden Barriers) and the introduction of some very well-placed clean vocals (The Fall, Trembling Hands, Finite, and The Jealous Wings which is actually sort of a ballad.). The production value on this album is a definite improvement from Depravity, with more sound effects, crisp sounding cymbals, and distinguishable guitar tracking. The lyrics are loosely centered around a "wolves in sheep's clothing" theme, demanding listeners to not be fooled by those with less than pure motives. The lyrics also convey a feeling of a loss of faith in the human race ("If I were God, we'd all be dead" - taken from Shiver) after some hard times experienced by the band.

I preordered this album, and with good reason: APFP is a great band from both a musician's standpoint and that of a music lover. Christians and agnostics alike can appreciate this onslaught of heavy music easily. I've personally met the guys, and never before had I found the dudes on the other side of my speakers to be so cool in person. I highly recommend this album and their entire catalog, for that matter. I'm anxiously awaiting the next album, especially after the melodic side to these guys. I want to see where this new direction takes them. 5/5

Tracklisting:

1. The Eternal Female
2. Sick Silent America
3. Shiver
4. Golden Barriers
5. The Fall
6. And Weep
7. Trembling Hands
8. Finite
9. The Jealous Wings
10. The New Born Wonder

@ the warehouse in Jackson, MS

the Schecter I won from Facedown Records for preordering TMOHAH.

Why am I doing this again?

I don't to be getting backstage at gigs and interviewing bands off of this blog, I just needed a place to keep my thoughts about music and review albums and such. If you like whats here, keep comin back for more, share your opinions, tell me what you'd like to see on here. I have a YT account where I post covers too: http://www.youtube.com/user/antidrummer13. so yeah, thats about everything I had to say here. My first few posts will be live show reviews, album reviews and the like. Stay metal and support your scene.