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.