Noise Blog

The Red Baron studio update 3

2008-12-20T20:51:00.001-06:00

The final video update from The Red Baron surrounding their upcoming full-length debut on Blood & Ink Records in early 2009.

The Red Baron on MySpace

Best Shows of 2008 - Converge, The Red Chord, Baroness

2008-12-19T15:45:00.005-06:00

My next candidate for best shows of 2008 is probably something that is on every person lists this year if they attended it. The Converge/The Red Chord/Baroness/Genghis Tron tour was probably one of the biggest tours announced this year and I was as excited about it as anyone could possibly be.

This tour hit Iowa City April 10th this year, taking place at the always awesome Picador. This tour played Chicago 2 nights in a row earlier that week which would've been amazing, but alas, this was the best I could do. The Picador is an awesome venue though with a great mix between small personal space and some great sound equipment.

We unfortunately missed most of Genghis Tron on this night, but I am not too familiar with them anyway, but from what heard, they were playing an awesome set that tour. I spent most of my time early that evening shoveling cash at Converge while my friend played Galaga in the back by the bar.

The first band that I would watch that evening was Baroness. Baroness is a band that I've long appreciated as being an awesome group, and have very much enjoyed listening to, but I just do not listen to them that much if that makes sense. Anyway, I was eager to see them, and so were a lot of other people.

They played a well paced set, that a lot of people were into. I came out very pleased, they craft very eloquent tunes, and they play them perfectly live. I was surprised to see a large chunk of people clear out after they played though. I guess it was their new found success on the MTV2 circuit, but I figured that most people were there for Converge (which was still largely true), but it was a surprise.

The Red Chord followed Baroness. I used to be really into the Red Chord, but up to this point I hadn't been listening to them much lately. They put on an awesome show though, it was really high energy, and they seem really comfortable playing their tunes which get very technical at times, they were just having fun. It was great. They played a little long I thought, but it was still entertaining to watch. Many stage dives and ridiculousness, including a bunch of people just getting on stage for no reason at the end which brought the singer into a fit of laughter in which he just embraced and stopped trying to sing.

After The Red Chord, Converge came on.

I had seen Converge before this in the same building actually, but this night would easily eclipse that in my mind's eye. Converge started with Kurt (guitar) standing on stage by himself playing 'Plagues' off of their album 'No Heroes' which is just about the best way any band could ever open a set in my eyes. Slowly the rest of the band joined him and the set began.

They played for about an hour playing every song I could have wanted minus one or two (I do not recall hearing The Saddest Day or Heaven In Her Arms), songs I can recall: 'No Heroes', 'Concubine/Fault and Fracture', 'Last Light', 'Locust Reign', 'My Great Devastator' along with a mess of others and finishing with an epic 12 minute finale of 'Jane Doe'. It was just fantastic, I couldn't have asked for a much better Converge experience.

This was easily one of my favorite shows of the year, and with such a varied lineup, it was a perfect night.

Shai Hulud - Misanthropy Pure

2008-12-18T13:01:00.000-06:00

Shai Hulud is easily one of the most influential bands to exist in the realm of hardcore and metal since their inception in the mid-90's. A name that is unfortunately ignored by a large portion of newer kids getting into these styles of music considering, that the landscape of this music might look significantly different had Shai Hulud never come into existence. Of course, Shai Hulud hadn't released a record in over 5 years prior to this earlier in the year, so it's somewhat understandable.

Shai Hulud plays an almost unreproducable brand of metal influenced hardcore that has been blowing minds for years. The way this music is crafted fights every norm that one expects when listening to metalcore, or any other band of metallic hardcore. It's easy to pick up on some familiar time signatures and riff structures, but as soon as you feel like you know where it's going, you absolutely don't. That, coupled with Shai Hulud's unrelentingly angry, perfectly structured lyrics have made them into a group that has outlasted all trends within this scene, and something that few bands can touch.

'Misanthropy Pure' is their first proper released since 2003's 'That Within Blood Ill-Tempered', in which time a lot has happened to the band, their revolving door lineup situation claimed their long time vocalist Geert ven der Velde which was almost to the death blow to the band, but they were able to recover and write one of the best metal/hardcore records of 2008.

'Misanthropy Pure' is a constantly evolving, powerful beast. From the first notes of 'Venomspreader', the album's opener, to the the gradual fading out of 'Cold Lord Quietus', the album is unrelentingly fierce, brilliantly progressive and heavy all at the same time. New vocalist, Matt Mazzali, fits Shai Hulud perfectly I think, apart from Chad Gilbert, original vocalist of the group, I think he is probably the best vocalist for the group. The guitar riffs are wide ranging and varied, the drums are as intricate and detailed as ever and they really have come together to produce the best Shai Hulud album that could have been produced I think. The title track on the album is fantastic, 'Chorus of the Dissimilar', 'To Bear The Brunt of Many Blades' and the re-recording of Shai Hulud classic 'Set Your Body Ablaze' are my favorites on the album, but again, this album is fantastic, there isn't a bad track here.

The recording has been a hit or miss with many people. It is very high production, and I've heard arguments either way with it. I love it. I don't know if this is just because of the high production values, or if these have always been in Shai Hulud records, there are a bunch of subtle quick nuances that I can pick out on this record that going back into their catalog just aren't apparent. I think that with the range and dynamics that they have displayed with this record, the high production and clean recording fits very well.

Hands down, this is probably the best release in the metalcore genre this year, and in hardcore in general. It's brilliantly written in all aspects, and if you haven't checked it out, or if you've never listened to the band at all, check it out. This band is uncompromising of their vision, and this record is one of the best of this year.

Shai Hulud on MySpace
Metalblade Records

Black Dahlia Murder interview

2008-12-18T10:09:00.003-06:00

From HARDTIMES.CA, during their recent Canadian tour.

The Black Dahlia Murder on MySpace

Best shows of 2008, Killing The Dream, Pulling Teeth

2008-12-16T12:00:00.001-06:00

Our last trip into the best shows of 2008 covered the January 2nd show at the Muse in Nashville, TN. A show featuring a heavyweight line up of Have Heart, Down To Nothing, I Rise and many others. This will cover the night that would follow, and the real reason that we drove 9 hours to Nashville in the first place.

This next show was the crown jewel of the trip, it was to take place at The Anchor, a church not far from The Muse the night before. It's a venue run by a cool church group who's not so authoritarian on the bands that they let play their venue as evident by the nights lineup, Pulling Teeth, Ruiner and Killing The Dream. Playing alongside these titans were again a wide array of smaller bands to fill it out, including the ever fantastic hometown heroes, Hollywood.

Still 'hungover' from the trip and subsequent lack of proper rest and way too long spent at a local mall (fuck that story), the beginning of the show is again something of a blur. Pulling Teeth would be closing the night out, Killing The Dream playing third to last and Ruiner playing second to last. Oddly enough, the first awesome moments of this show as I can recall was Hollywood. I had seen the band before as they had toured up through the Midwest into Illinois, but seeing them in their hometown, in their element was something special. Kids just went nuts, it felt like the floor was going to cave in at times. Completely ridiculous.

Initially, I felt bad for Killing The Dream to have to come on after that, but they were the reason we were there, and they did not disappoint. They ripped through a set of the best tracks of their two albums at the time and played a new song. Not a lot of kids really seemed to know much of their words or anything it seemed like, until they played their epic finale, 'We're All Dead Ends', then all of a sudden it seemed like every single person in the building knew every word. It was an awesome set, totally worth the trip. Unfortunately, I was outside cooling off while Ruiner played, so I don't have anything to say about that set.

Pulling Teeth closed the show, and having known little about them at the time, I was merely a bystander, but I was made a fan that night. Pulling Teeth had played Nashville a few times before that I gathered, and a lot of kids there were familiar with their music, so it was another intense set as to be expected at this point. Kids reacted to what they were saying, and moshed hard. Pulling Teeth is now one of my favorite bands thanks to that night.

That brought an end to night 2 of 'Nashville Fest'. The next night would be the closer featuring another batch of high intensity sets from Kids Like Us, Know The Score, The Mongoloids, Barricade and a bunch more, and that would conclude the trip to Nashville.

Considerably more broke than before we arrived, we made the 9 hour drive home and were pleased with the results of our quest to see Killing The Dream.

Best shows of 2008 - Have Heart, Down To Nothing, I Rise

2008-12-15T12:00:00.002-06:00

As 2008 draws to a close I thought it would be nice to recap some of my favorite shows of 2008. After all, the big draw to underground music, apart from hearing styles of music that you can't hear anywhere else, is the live setting in my eyes.

I can't picture going to a large arena 'concert' (I really hate that word) and feeling any sort of connection with a band, I'd rather listen to an album than be stuck half a mile away from a stage staring at tiny people wandering around a large stage. There is no personal connection there. At hardcore shows, and any underground music styles really, there is no division between the band at those people there to watch them. Everyone is the same, everyone is there for the same reason. I love that.
___________________

My year started off fast and set the bar pretty high for the rest of the year, which is the best way to start a year to be filled with many shows. To begin this tale, you must understand that my friend and I had become addicted to Killing The Dream in the end months of 2007, like really bad. To our dismay, and to anyone else who follows the band, Killing The Dream tends to tour Japan and Europe more often than the Midwest. The closet pass the band would be making in the near future was Nashville, TN, January 3rd of the next year.

We were sad and disappointed and often joked about making the 9-ish hour drive down there just to see them, however, the more we talked about it, the more possible it seemed. So we decided to give it a shot. Getting the trip organized was not easy at first, nobody wanted to drive 9 hours for one show. Luckily for us (upon further investigation), there were 3 awesome shows in a row in Nashville that week. After that, everything fell into place pretty quickly. 3 awesome shows was surely worth the 9 hour trip.

The first show of this trip would be January 2nd, the day that we would leave to go down to Nashville. It was an impeccable show to start the 3 day 'Nashville Fest'. Have Heart, Down To Nothing, I Rise and many more names that have become somewhat notable in the recent days (Wake Up Call, Lie and Wait, Maintain and Foundation) at 'The Muse', an awesome venue tucked away in a darker corner of Nashville.

Despite being pretty wiped out after the 9 hour drive and a brief rest at our trashy hotel, the show was intense. It's a little bit of a blur trying to recall now, but I first learned of I Rise that night which is what I mainly remember it for, but also, it was the first time I saw how big Have Heart had/has got. The first time I saw Have Heart was in Iowa early in the summer of 2007, and probably a handful of people there knew who they were. In Nashville that night, there were a couple hundred of kids screaming every word.

The show was incredibly high energy, tons of kids packed into a relatively small space all going nuts, non-stop stage dives, a perpetual pile on, no fights, no negativity, just an awesome time.

Have Heart closed the show, but that energy was there through every band. It makes me jealous how every time I go several hours outside of where I am from, the scene's seem to much better than ours. Nashville is/was? full of a bunch of awesome kids who support bands and are there to have a good time, no drama, no bullshit, no attitudes. It was really an awesome show.

We then retired to our hotel room, totally pumped that we had driven 9 hours for this, psyched for the next night, when we would finally satisfy the goal of the trip, seeing Killing The Dream...

Weekly update

2008-12-14T18:16:00.003-06:00

NoiseBlog Reviews

News Bits
- Dominic Mallary passes away [link]
- The Red Baron Studio updates [1] [2]
- Irons/Pulling Teeth split details [link]
- The Banner side project, Wolve [link]
- Dillinger Escape Plan set to record [link]
- Between The Buried and Me interview on Lambgoat [link]
- Narrows updates [link]
- Victims album release details [link]
- Defeater tour dates [link]

Defeater tour dates

2008-12-14T18:13:00.001-06:00

Defeater will hit the road in the new year for a quick east coast tour.

1/8 Wallingford, CT @ The Wallingford American Legion
1/9 Long Island, NY @ TBA
1/10 Washington, DC @ St. Stephen's Church
1/11 Baltimore, MD @ The Charm City Artspace
1/12 Richmond, VA @ Rumors
1/13 Philadelphia, PA @ TBA
1/14 Brooklyn, NY @ Stolen Sleeves
1/15 Albany, NY @ The Landing Zone
1/16 Wappinger's Falls, NY @ The Montrose Basement

Defeater on MySpace

Doomriders/Disfear split 7"

2008-12-12T14:41:00.000-06:00

Doomriders and Disfear are two not-unknown names in the world of aggressive music. The two bands have been around for quite awhile, Disfear since the late 80's and Doomriders for at least 3 years. Doomriders being a project headed by Converge bassist Nate Newton, Disfear being an influential hardcore punk/rock group from Sweden featuring underground music celebrity Thomas Linberg (At The Gates, Skitsystem, etc) on vocals.

This split is a quick showcase for both bands, and I think a pretty decent point to dive in for either band if you haven't listened to either. Each band gives us one track (both around 5 minutes), and both songs are really great.

The first side of the split is Disfear. I have never listened to Disfear before this unfortunately, but that is one of the appeals of a split record, listening to something you wouldn't normally. I wasn't sure what to expect when I first listened to them, but it's clear that this split with Doomriders makes a lot of sense. Disfear is a kind of dark, rock, droning metal hardcore blend capped off by Linberg's famous rough vocals. It's really awesome if you're into that kind of stuff.

Doomriders half of this split is fucking great. 'Crooked Path' is probably their best song to date and listening to just this one song on this split is so frustrating because I want to hear more new Doomriders materal. Doomriders is easily one of my favorite bands right now, and their 'death n' roll' blend of rock, metal and hardcore is such an easy addiction to slip in to. They really aren't a band to ignore, beause this stuff is just brilliant. 'Crooked Path' is a brooding, building, epic track that is just punishing right from the start, it really is the bands best piece in my opinion.

If you haven't listened to either of these bands, you're doing it wrong, and if you want to check out either of these bands, this split is a great place to do it.

Doomriders on MySpace
Disfear on MySpace
Deathwish inc.

US release announced for newest Victim's release

2008-12-12T14:17:00.003-06:00

Deathwish Inc has announced that they will be issuing Victims latest album 'Killer' in North America on February 17th of next year and have launched an audio player with 3 tracks from the album on the site now, which can be found h ere.

Victims on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.

The Red Baron studio update 2

2008-12-09T21:31:00.003-06:00

The second of 3 video updates documenting the recording of their debut album, 'My First Love' out on Blood and Ink Records next year.

The Red Baron on MySpace

Alarmed - S/T 7"

2008-12-09T17:47:00.005-06:00

Alarmed is a 5 person hardcore band from Baltimore that has been around for over 5 years now pumping out rock infused hardcore in a DIY style that is rather enviable. Having released a handful of EP's in the past, Alarmed released a self-titled EP earlier this year on Dead Truth Recordings.

I had never heard any of Alarmed's material before heading into this EP. I actually had been interested by them after seeing that Dead Truth Recordings was putting out their record, but they must have fallen off my radar. I am glad however that I've gotten the chance to listen to this record, it's pretty good.

Alarmed plays a style of hardcore that blends traditional hardcore with some rock elements in a way that reminds me of bands like Hollywood without taking it as far as Hollywood did. It's not to say that this a less than heavy style of hardcore, it's pretty heavy in parts, but it's clear that this is not the bands focus. The vocals are raspy and remind me again of Hollywood, but even Shipwreck and Baltimore contemporaries, Trapped Under Ice. The band gets into a groove that never really speeds up to too much, and never really slows down much either, but it's not a negative, it works.

On this EP, Alarmed have put together four very solid tracks that I have a hard time getting tired of. Anytime I put these songs on, I have no problem with letting them go and go without getting sick of it. It all just runs together really well, and it just feels right. If I had a problem with the record, I would just say that it's not long enough. I feel like I'm just getting a taste of something that is bigger, so I hope that this level of quality holds up with their future releases.

With this release, Alarmed really shows that they are a band capable of writing some great tracks, and that they're not concerned with meeting the status quo of hardcore. It's a different breed of hardcore, and it's really great. If you haven't listened to them yet, I suggest you pick this up.

Alarmed on MySpace
Dead Truth Recordings

Dominic Mallary passes away

2008-12-09T14:29:00.005-06:00

Several days ago after a performance in Boston, Dominic Mallary, the singer for the band Last Lights, passed away due to a random blood clot in his brain.

Known for his energy filled live performances, Dominic has helped Last Lights gain quite a lot of notoriety recently, making this whole situation the more sadder. Those who knew him speak very highly of him and the music that he created. It is clearly a horrible lost to those who knew him and to the hardcore punk community as a whole.

Heart In Hand Records quickly announced the release of a compilation dedicated in Dominic's memory with all proceeds going to Dominic's family. The compilation sold out very quickly after being put up on their estore.

Further information surrounding Dominic's passing can be found at the following links.
[link]
[link]

Links to many of the musical acts Dominic was a part of.
Last Lights
Apparitions
Haunted Like A House
God & Country
The Mount Doom

Narrows updates

2008-12-05T12:31:00.003-06:00

Narrows' new album has been named with a status of 'Coming Soon'. The album will be released through Deathwish Inc.A new song from the upcoming album, entitled 'New Distances', can be heard here on Deathwish's site.

Along with the album update, a west coast tour has been announced with Trap Them and These Arms Are Snakes.

12/11: Seattle, WA @ Chop Suey
12/12: Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
12/13: Santa Rosa, CA @ The Casbar
12/14: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
12/15: Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
12/16: Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory
12/17: San Diego, CA @ Che Cafe

Those lucky enough to see them should, as extensive touring is not planned by Narrows.

Narrows on MySpace

Between The Buried and Me Interview on Lambgoat

2008-12-03T21:46:00.002-06:00

Lambgoat just put up a great interview with Between The Buried and Me, it's well worth the read. Discusses the DVD show, various tours of the past, some label chat and clearing up the mysticism with the Cover album.

You can read it here.

Between The Buried and Me on MySpace

The Red Baron studio update 1

2008-12-03T09:12:00.001-06:00

The first video blog of 'The Red Baron' recording their debut Full Length album entitled 'My First Love' to be released March 2009 on Blood & Ink Records.

The Red Baron on MySpace

Dillinger Escape Plan to record in June

2008-12-02T11:32:00.002-06:00

The Dillinger Escape Plan has stated that they will enter the studio in June to record the follow up to 2007's 'Ire Works'. You can also read about 'Chinese Democracy', Metallica's new record and Ben's hillarious music apparel for dogs (it's real... Garmutt), as well as a bunch of other random things that made it into this ridiculous blog post.

Dillinger Escape Plan on MySpace

Wolve (The Banner side project) announced

2008-12-02T11:05:00.002-06:00

Joey of The Banner has announced that he has formed a new band. The band is called Wolve and will be a continuation of the experimentation that took place on the last record The Banner put out, 'Frailty'. The group is a response to not wanting to continue that route with The Banner, with which they want to return to the basics. He also confirmed that The Banner has ceased touring, but to expect a new EP from the group next year.

Wolve has posted a demo track (with no vocals) to show off the kind of sound that Wolve will take. You can listen to that song here.

You can read The Banner's blog on the issue here.

Wolve on MySpace
The Banner on MySpace

Irons/Pulling Teeth - Grey Saviour, for 2008

2008-12-01T20:43:00.003-06:00

The split album 'Grey Saviour', featuring Irons and Pulling Teeth will be seeing a 2008 release through Deathwish Inc. While specific dates haven't been announced, they surely will be shortly.

Irons is a collabrative project consisting of Jake Bannon of Converge, Dwid Hellion of Integrity and Stephen Kasner. This split will be this supergroups first material to be released and is highly anticipated by many.

"Irons:
J. Bannon (Converge, etc), Dwid Hellion (Integrity, etc), and Stephen Kasner (Blood Fountains) are "Irons". A collective effort to create apocalyptic, non-linear music from a primal fine art based mindset. With this release, Irons have forged a pensive sonic reflection ripe with melancholy and despair. Electronic textures, haunting vocals, and unorthodox guitar work all dance together to create an unforgettable melodic portrait that is unlike anything out there today.

Pulling Teeth:
A stylistic departure for Pulling Teeth, here they utilize this release to tread into deeper, more experimental, musical waters. The featured opus "General Of Dark Hymns I & II" shows a new kind of dynamic emerging from their dark well of creative character. Slowing the pace only to crash down with a force merely hinted at in previous Pulling Teeth recordings. The release also features a J. Bannon (Converge, etc) remix of "Dismissed In Time", the epic closing track from their heralded "Martyr Immortal" album."
[link]

Pulling Teeth on MySpace
Irons on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.

Weekly Roundup

2008-11-30T12:00:00.000-06:00

NoiseBlog Content
- Show review - Pelican/Suicide Note/Head of Skulls [link]

NoiseBlog Music Reviews

New Bits
- Dead City teams up with Thrashed! Records [link]
- Creatures/Downpresser tour dates [link]
- The Red Baron recording new album [link]
- Poison The Well studio update [link]
- Architect tour dates [link]

Architect - Ghost of the Saltwater Machines

2008-11-29T14:42:00.001-06:00

Architect is a largely under-rated often ignored hardcore/metalcore group out of Syracuse, New York. I have been a fan of this band for a while and I have been disappointed to not see these guys pick up the kind of momentum that a lot of bands of much less talent and dedication have. I don't think they have been effectively marketed to a really hardcore audience, instead more swept up with a bunch of deathcore acts that came up in the same time as them, and because of that, it's hard to get new kids to look at them. It's really unfortunate.

Architect is an in your face, issues driven band that is always intense. Their first album 'All Is Not Lost' was released last year, and was an explosive debut of chaotic hardcore tunes that I enjoyed quite a bit. 'Ghost of the Saltwater Machines' is more a continuation of that style, but has a much heavier more intense feel to it, as well as some more groove oriented riffing.

While it may not be much different than their previous material, I think it's still a compelling listen. It's definitely more pissed off than the first record, and the hardcore influences are much more pronounced both in the song writing and the recording. The first album had a very metal tone through out, but this record has a much more 'raw' sound. The vocals are as fierce as ever, I feel my own throat tearing open listening to these songs and it's just awesome. There is some tinkering throughout with more ambient sounding pieces and lots of play with feedback and stuff that pull together a different sound without getting too experimental, and maintaining its intensity throughout. Favorite tracks include 'I Am Become Death' (which has a sample from The Red Dawn at the end), 'Lamplighter' though every track here is solid.

One part I want to talk about this record is the visuals of the album art. This band has always had some pretty awesome visuals to accompany their music whether it's album art or merch designs and this album is no different. The package that this album comes in is fantastic and really ties in with Architect themes. I don't think enough bands really put enough effort into the visual side of their album art lately and these guys deserve props for it. You can see that art here on their MySpace.

It's not record of the year or anything, but it's a really great album and band that people should check out. Look past what bands they get pushed along with and listen to them.

Architect on MySpace
Black Market Activities

Poison The Well studio update

2008-11-29T14:20:00.002-06:00

Poison The Well have put up a studio update via MySpace blog talking about the recording of their new album with Steve Evetts. This is apparently the first in a long series that will be posted. You can read it here.

Poison The Well on MySpace

Architect on tour right now!

2008-11-29T12:37:00.002-06:00

Architect is on tour right now with Rose Funeral.

11/29 Pittsburgh, PA @ The Roboto Project
11/30 Wheeling, WV @ Yesterdays Draught House
12/1 Columbus, OH @ Bernies
12/2 Louisville, KY @ Bull Dog Cafe
12/3 Nashville, TN @The Muse
12/4 Selma, AL @ The Loud House
12/5 Panama City, FL @ Beamers
12/6 Tampa, FL @ Transitions Art Gallery
12/7 Orlando, FL @ The Dungeon
12/8 Augusta, GA @ Sector 7G
12/9 Spartanburg, SC @ Ground Zero
12/10 Greensboro, NC @ Market St Music Hall w/ Wretched
12/11 North Carolina @ TBA
12/12 Fredricksburg, VA @ The Refuge
12/13 Wilmington, DE @ Mojo 13 (early show)
12/13 Berlin, MD @ The Pulse
12/14 NJ/PA @ TBA
12/15 New York, NY @ The Lit Lounge

Architect on MySpace
Rose Funeral on MySpace

Deathwish Inc Black Friday sale

2008-11-27T23:04:00.004-06:00

Deathwish Inc will be having a Black Friday sale in their Estore tomorrow. Buy stuff.

Deathwish Inc.

Pelican/These Arms Are Snakes split 10"

2008-11-27T12:00:00.002-06:00

Pelican and These Arms Are Snakes are too bands that do not need much introduction. They are two pretty well established groups that have been around for some time. Pelican, an instrumental post-metal band from Chicago, has been putting out tunes for 7 years; These Arms Are Snakes, a post-hardcore experimental group composed of alumni from various bands including the legendary Botch. This split came about after TAAS joined Pelican onstage for an encore during their European tour earlier this year, they liked the results so much that they decided to put it into recording.

On this split, each band covers a song of the others. Pretty straight forward, Pelican covering the song 'Diggers of Ditches Everywhere' (entitled 'Gold Diggers' on this split) by TAAS from their debut EP, and TAAS tackles 'Pink Mammoth' from Pelican's 'Pink Mammoth' EP. It comes out to be a really interesting record.

The first band on this split is Pelican. I'm going to be honest, my listening experience with TAAS is very minimal. I am not very familiar with their music at all. I know who they are, but I have never listened to them very extensively. That being said; Pelican does a Pelican job of making this sound like Pelican. I would have no problem believing this to be another Pelican composition if I did not know better. I don't know if this song is just natural for Pelican's style or just the way they managed to build it up, but it really fits what I've come to know and expect from Pelican.

TAAS's side of the split is an interesting take on a song that has been done by the parent band twice already. It's clearly Pelican's song, but the tones of TAAS really make it something else, also the fact that they have added a vocal part to it changes it quite significantly considering Pelican is an instrumental group. This is my favorite of the two songs on this split I think. It might just be because I am familiar with the track already, but it's a great song, and this fresh take on it is really good.

This split is clearly for fans of the band, and if you like either band, you probably will enjoy these tracks, and it's really worth checking out.

Pelican on MySpace
These Arms Are Snakes on MySpace
Hyrdrahead Records

The Faceless - Planetary Duality

2008-11-26T14:36:00.004-06:00

The Faceless is a band whose rise to notoriety came from the recent deathcore explosion, though you'd have a hard time classifying them as such. They are and have pretty much been a technical death metal band since the beginning, but they gained their current rise in popularity through touring and word of mouth through the deathcore scene. Since that time they have spent a long time touring with some of the biggest names in death/technical metal and have really established themselves as something different.

They released their first full-length album 'Akeldama' in 2006, to some success on Sumerian Records. I enjoyed a small bit of that album, but overall, I didn't really get into the band. I found a majority of the songs on the album to be kind of boring with a few exceptions. Now, 2 years later, the band has released 'Planetary Duality'. I originally never anticipated listening to this album, but after hearing the rave reviews of people around me, I decided to give it a shot, and it is clear that those 2 years have made quite a difference on The Faceless.

To simply say that it is better than their first album is quite an understatement. As soon as you begin listening, it becomes clear that this is miles and miles beyond what the band produced with 'Akeldama'. Every aspect of the record is much better than anything that was on their previous effort. From the production and sound quality, to musicianship and just songwriting in general, it just blows 'Akeldama' out of the water.

A problem I had with 'Akeldama' was how a lot of times to me, it felt like a lot of pointless riffing that never went anywhere. 'Planetary Duality' has nothing of the sort, everything feels deliberate and perfectly placed and playing off each other, it all works and intermingles perfectly. The album is about 31 minutes long, which is pretty short for a album of the genre; I highly suggest other bands in the genre look at these guys for inspiration. Often time long songs get lost, but everything here is modest and straight to the point. There are some parts of writing I question, there is some dabbling with clean vocals and kind of tech synth singing that I feel really sticks out and doesn't have a place, but those parts aren't often.

The technical proficiency on this record is outstanding. That was clear even with the first album, but it seems like every member of the band has gone above and beyond in perfecting their craft. It's impossible to find a rough spot on this record, it is performed absolutely perfectly, that is a plus and a minus. Because of this perfection, the album feels very clinical; almost too clean and perfect. There is a certain texture missing from the album that disappears with the kind of surgical precision this kind of music has.

'Planetary Duality' is a technical, blistering assault of progressive death metal that really puts The Faceless in a position as a forefront of the community that birthed it. While I'm not ready to say it's one of my favorite albums of the year, it is certainly miles better than their older material, and I think that it's definitely worth listening to.

The Faceless on MySpace
Sumerian Records

Deathwish Podcast 19 up now!

2008-11-26T11:29:00.002-06:00

Deathwish's latest installment of their in house podcast is now online to listen to. It includes an interview with Marty Kirby of the band Carpathian as well as music from a variety of Deathwish artists including Trap Them, Killing The Dream and hardly audible CONVERGE demos.

Listen to it here.
iTunes

The Red Baron recording new album

2008-11-25T17:55:00.005-06:00

After a brief breakup and a long period of silence, The Red Baron have announced that they will be entering the studio very soon to finally begin recording their debut full-length after several missteps. The album will be titled 'To My First Love' and will be released on Blood and Ink Records next year.

The Red Baron on MySpace
Blood and Ink Records

Creatures - Downpresser dates

2008-11-25T17:47:00.002-06:00

Creatures and Downpresser will go on a small tour late December into the new year in support of their upcoming split release.

12/26 Tucson AZ @ The Living Room
12/27 El Paso TX @ The Studio Gallery
12/28 San Antonio TX @ The Warhol w/ Power Trip
12/29 Ft. Worth TX @ 1919 Hemphill w/ Power Trip, Harm's Way, more
12/30 Dallas TX @ The Clubhouse w/ Power Trip
12/31 Tulsa OK @ The Monolith w/ Power Trip
1/1 Clovis NM @ El Matador
1/2 Phoenix AZ @ TBA
1/3 Riverside CA @ The Pharoah's Den w/ Alpha and Omega, more

Creatures on MySpace
Downpresser on MySpace

Dead City teams up with Thrashed! Records

2008-11-25T17:43:00.004-06:00

Memphis hardcore band Dead City will be releasing their highly anticipated full-length album 'Goddamn the 21st Century', through Thrashed! Records sometime in the spring of 2009. Some tracks are available on their MySpace page right now.

Dead City on MySpace
Thrashed! Records

Pelican, Suicide Note, Head Of Skulls 11/22/08

2008-11-23T16:51:00.002-06:00

In an effort to add a little more variety to the types of articles that appear on this blog... I present a review. The show that will be featured in this writing took place the Saturday before this in the college town of DeKalb, Illinois home of Northern Illinois University at the always cool House Cafe located downtown.

The show started a little later than typically expected, but I still managed to show up late and miss a good portion of the first band, Head of Skulls', set. From what I can gather from the few songs that I heard of theirs, they are a trio from the Chicago area that play a blend of punk and rock. From what I saw, I liked. The band had a really good attitude and played their music reasonably well. While it might not be a brand of music I will find myself going back to, I would go ahead and say that they are worth checking out. They've self-released their latest EP and that is always worthy of respect to me.

The second band of the night was an awesome surprise for me. Suicide Note has apparently been around for a long time and I have been ignorantly unaware of them for most of that time. They play a kind of noisey chaotic post-hardcore blend that is really addicting to listen to, and really fun to watch. It's really awesome to watch a band play music and not have any idea where the music is going to go. It's completely unpredictable and completely awesome. Most of the people in the place were really into them (minus irrelevant drunk idiot guy), and despite some small technical problems, they were really great. I've since picked up some of their music and have been listening to it quite a bit. I really urge you to listen to them if you haven't.

Finally, Pelican took the stage around 10 pm to the crowd's delight. I have seen Pelican before and I have been a Pelican fan for a long time now, but seeing them is just awesome. For those who do not know, Pelican is an instrumental/post-metal/prog-rock band from Chicago that have been cranking out masterfully composed tunes for the last 7 years or so. They played a great mix of old material and newer songs as well as completely new songs. The newer songs sounded really good, and had a different feel than their older material. They played a song that will be on an upcoming split with Young Widows that had some ridiculous heaviness to it, and played 'The Woods' from their first EP to the glee of those familiar with it.

Eventually irrelevant drunk idiot guy went too far and was asked to vacate the front of the venue after leaning over on stage and touching one of the guitar players gear on the floor much to the rest of the audience's pleasure. The set lasted for a little over an hour, and was easily the best set that I've seen Pelican play. I'm really excited to see what 2009 holds for the band esepcially after hearing that new material. I highly recommend seeing them if you haven't, because it's a great show.

Pelican on MySpace
Suicide Note on MySpace
Head of Skulls on MySpace

Weekly Roundup

2008-11-23T16:40:00.003-06:00

Iron Thrones have made their new album 'Visions of Light' available for free download on their website. I highly recommend you go get it.
[link]

NoiseBlog Reviews

Bits
- Reign Supreme studio footage [link]
- Black Teeth 7" details and tour dates [link]
- Lewd Acts live set on the Radiobeat Podcast [link]
- Surroundings/Mammoth Grinder winter tour dates [link]
- The Chariot video update [link]
- Pulling Teeth blurb about new releases [link]

Pulling Teeth update

2008-11-23T16:38:00.001-06:00

From [link]

"It's November 23rd, 2008 and we're in the final stages of tracking what is going to be our split 12" with Irons, as well as our new LP/CD 'Paranoid Delusions/Paradise Illusions' with Chris Camden. There are a lot of strange things going on in the studio, expect something very different, while remaining the same. Jeff Beckman is putting the finishing touches on the artwork for the new LP, we're beyond excited. We'll are in the middle of sorting out a few short tours for early next year, but in the meantime can be found playing these regional shows.

12/06: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar w/ Suicidal Tendencies, Madball
01/09: Baltimore, MD @ Sonar A389 Anniversary w/ Integrity, Oak, Pala, Warpriest
01/14: Washington, DC @ Bervin Haus w/ Seasick, Killin' It, Brick
02/25: Baltimore, MD @ Talking Head w/ Misery Index, Amen Ra, Pala"

Pulling Teeth on MySpace

Surroundings/Mammoth Grinder tour

2008-11-23T00:27:00.003-06:00

Surroundings and Mammoth grinder will hit the road in January for a string of dates.

Jan 2 2009 Balitmore,Md w/ Traic,Fight Amp
Jan 3 2009 ABC No Rio - NYC,NY w/Seasick and Killin it(day show)
Jan 3 2009 The Charleston - NYC w/Fight Amp(night show)
Jan 4 2009 tba - Allentown,PA
Jan 5 2009 The Fly Trap - West Berlin,NJ w/ Cut it Out
Jan 6 2009 Lubeck Civic Center- Parkersburg,WV w/ Black Teeth
Jan 7 2009 15th St House - Columbus,OH
Jan 8 2009 The Skull Alley- Louisville, Kentucky w/ Rattletooth, Head Above Water
Jan 9 2009 Gingerbread House - Nashville, Tennessee

Both bands will be releasing new material around that time too.

Surroundings on MySpace
Mammoth Grinder on MySpace

The Chariot video update

2008-11-21T21:17:00.003-06:00

Titans of chaotic noise, The Chariot have posted a video update bringing us up to speed on what they've been doing for the last few months, and that they will have a new album earlier next year. Lots of stage dives, broken gear and fire.

Welcome to Now

Embrace The End - Ley Lines

2008-11-21T19:00:00.004-06:00

Easy to place in the 'under appreciated' category of 2008, 'Ley Lines' is the second full-length by one of the forerunners of the 'Deathcore' genre, Embrace The End. Based out of Sacremento, California, Embrace The End first made their mark on the metalcore scene in 2005 with their first full-length 'Counting Hallways to the Left', and again in 2006 in a split release with The End Of 6000 Years.

While it's easy to throw the deathcore label at Embrace The End, I think it is crucial to understand that for the most part, the generalizations and stereotypes associated with the genre to not fit Embrace The End. There are no pig squeels, the breakdowns are well placed and not a clutch, and the variety of music in this release is something that most other bands of the genre neglect.

The album is incredibly fast, jumping between riffs at breakneck pace, with a kind of styling of multiple personality disorder. It's like a jumbled mess of riffage and parts that aren't a mess and that somehow work. There are pieces of music that sound like a Red Chord album or some sort of powerviolence/grind band that go straight into some more beautiful slow, melodic pieces without a hint of awkwardness. It's hard hitting and heavy throughout while hitting with great guitar solos and ambienty slower parts when needed.

The album doesn't get muddled down in songs that are too long, and even the songs that do reach a longer time break everything up with the variety that I've been describing. It's not repetition, but a progression through a song and it keeps it fresh. I really enjoy everything about this album, the production is perfect, the musicianship showed in the recordings is great and the vocals aren't standard deathcore type.

Check out this band and album. One of the better releases in the metalcore community this year.

Embrace The End on MySpace
Century Media Records

Lewd Acts on Radiobeat Podcast

2008-11-21T15:28:00.006-06:00

Lewd Acts' brief interview and live set from a recent Radiobeat radio cast on WERS radio out of Boston is now available online for your listening pleasure.

[link] 20 mb 14:44

Black Teeth Update

2008-11-20T15:50:00.003-06:00

"Black Teeth will be releasing our first 7" on January 1st. It's a 6 song self titled 7" and will be released on Closed Casket Activities. The record release show for this is going to be in Peoria.

Upcoming Weekends
November 22nd - Des Moines, IA - Haunted Basement
November 23rd - Kansas City, MO - Wolf's Den

December 5th - Oshkosh, WI - Earth Diver Collective
December 6th - Waterloo, IA - Amvets Hall

Winter Tour w/ Take Control
January 1st - Peoria, IL - Record Release show/ Waster last show
January 2nd - Springfield, IL - Black Sheep Cafe
January 3rd - Louisville, KY - tba w. Iron Wolves, Rattletooth, Lewd Acts
January 4th - Greensboro, NC - House Show w/ Torch runner.
January 5th - Anywhere?
January 6th - Parkersburg, WV - Lubeck Civic Center
January 7th - Cleveland, OH - The Tower w/ Mad Minds
January 8th - Romeo, MI - The Static Age
January 9th - Grand Rapids, MI - The DAAC
January 10th - Chicago, IL - The Beat Kitchen
January 11th - St. Louis, MO - The Wedge w. Suburban Smash "

Black Teeth on MySpace
Take Control on MySpace
Closed Casket Activities

Decades - Numbered

2008-11-18T19:25:00.003-06:00

Decades is a young hardcore band from the Dallas, Texas area on State of Mind Recordings, a label with a reputation for helping bands reach that next level of success (This Is Hell, Dead Hearts). They have recently released this EP, 'Numbered' and I have had the chance to listen to it quite thoroughly, and I really like it.

Decades' sound is something right up my alley, there's a slew of bands that I hear in this music, Modern Life Is War, The Carrier, Hollywood, even some older early 2000's metalcore stylings, and I really like it. It's a melodic sound that maintains a heavy edge and a lot of emotion in the vocals and composition keep it really engaging.

There is a lot of experimentation within the norms of hardcore that really accent the music that they've put together. They're not afraid to slow the songs way down with cleaner parts, and there are some really great parts where the vocals do an awesome, standout job of completely taking an otherwise normal piece of music and giving it an extra push.

It's a pretty meaty EP, the 5 songs here come in around 20 minutes, which is pretty long for a hardcore EP, but it's not too long. The songs are wrote well enough where they don't fall flat, they don't get repetitive, and they flow together very well. I think that the variety that they've put in this EP surely helps too. It's not a very predictable sound, and it's a sound in the ballpark of other bands, but it has it's own distinctness.

Decades is a great looking band, and this first EP they have released is very strong. I strongly recommend checking them out. I think they have a really bright future as a band, and I'm eager to see that future.

Decades on MySpace
State Of Mind Recordings

Reign Supreme - Testing The Limits... Studio footage

2008-11-18T13:12:00.003-06:00

Reign Supreme: The Making of "Testing The Limits..."

'Testing The Limits of Infinity' will be released early 2009 on Deathwish Inc.

Weekly Roundup

2008-11-15T18:47:00.005-06:00

NoiseBlog Reviews

Bits
- Watch Davey Havok of AFI cover Project X with Ceremony [watch]
- Defeater signs with Bridge 9 Records [link]

Iron Thrones - Visions Of Light

2008-11-14T21:15:00.003-06:00

Sooner than I anticipated, I have my hands on Iron Thrones debut album 'Visions Of Light'. If you remember back to my writings a few day ago, Iron Thrones is a group of musicians from Minneapolis who used to perform as Everest. As Everest, the band released an EP in 2006 called "Where Earth Meets The Sky" on Mascaret Records, but since has been silent. 'Visions Of Light' is the band's debut full-length record, and it is quite a listen.

Iron Thrones sound has evolved quite a bit from their days as Everest. While Everest's material was definitely in the vein of metalcore, although with progressive bits, Iron Thrones has really clearly pulled away from those metalcore roots. There are bits and pieces of music that harken back to that kind of sound, but the music that you will find on 'Visions Of Light' is far away from what someone could consider metalcore.

'Visions Of Light' is an epic, almost orchestral sounding record. Steering away from the breakdown heavy, arpeggio crazed sound that has gripped so many bands of this nature lately, Iron Thrones have crafted an album of smooth flowing, beautiful, melodic riffs that paint distinct pictures and moods with their sound. From the opening notes of 'Swell to the Surface' until the last guitar rings out in 'Shadows Revealed', 'Visions' is a dynamic record that few bands can match.

Between all of the beautiful riffs, there are a sprinkling of elegantly composed guitar solos that don't feel forced, but natural; Bass guitar that is not afraid to become a part of the music; drums as strong as any record's could be, and the powerful vocals of Adam Clemens (Ex - Veil Of Maya), which remind me strongly of Between The Buried and Me, while maintaining the same feel that Evan Nagan (the former vocalist of Everest) brought to this group.

Simply put, 'Visions of Light' is one of the best albums that 2008 has to offer, and as a debut full-length for a band, it is phenomenal. If you are a fan of the progressive stylings of bands like Between The Buried and Me or Opeth, there is a strong chance that you will like this album, but really, if you like metal in any of it's forms, you should at least check this band and album out. This record will be self-released 11/21 and I strongly suggest you do what you can to get a hold of it, and support this band.

Iron Thrones on MySpace

Poison The Well - I / III

2008-11-13T20:43:00.005-06:00

Several weeks ago, Poison The Well (metalcore juggernaut of the early 2000's turned post-hardcore icon) announced a series of 7" releases that would consist of B-sides from the recording sessions of their last full-length 'Versions' from 2007, leading to the release of their next, early in 2009. 'I / III' is the first of the three planned releases.

Poison The Well's sound has been constantly evolving since the band began, and 'Versions' was folk rock, almost country inspired take on hardcore. It was met with mixed reviews, but I took to it right away, I have always been a fan of the band and I thought that album was definitely one of the better to be released that year.

The two songs on 'I / III' have hints of those 'Versions' influences, but are really a completely different direction than that album. The first song on this release is 'New Fast' which is the most like 'Versions', it's a quick discordant riffed track with the trademark PTW half yell-singing into screaming. It's not really anything to get worked up about.

The second track 'Purple Sabbath' however, is a really different track for Poison The Well and it's really pretty awesome. It sounds like Poison The Well meets something in the Hydra Head catalog. It's a slow droning, heavy track that goes on for about 5 minutes and is unlike almost anything else the band has ever put out. I realize that these tracks weren't meant as to allude where the band was headed musically, but if they decided to write an album full of tracks like this, I wouldn't complain. I think it may be my favorite Poison The Well song yet.

This is really a release for Poison The Well fans to hold them over until the next big one, but people might be interested in some of this new material. I'm really looking forward to the next 2 7"'s now, and I'm really looking forward to the new full length. Check this out.

Poison The Well on MySpace
Ferret Records

Braindead - No Consequences

2008-11-12T12:36:00.002-06:00

Braindead is band that I've been sleeping on for awhile. I've heard a lot of praise for the band, but up until now I have neglected to really take the time to listen to their music fully. Braindead is from the Philadelphia region. They released a 7" demo in 2006, a split 7" with Blackbirds in 2007 and earlier this year, they self-released their first full-length album 'No Consequences', with BurnBridges Records.

Braindead is quite a diverse sounding hardcore band, blending mixtures of more traditional hardcore with some rock stylings, and ambient, more experimental parts. It makes me think of what a band like Hopesfall would sound like if they came into the scene at this time in music. There is not so much emphasis on heavy as there is on melody, and the songwriting in general is much more complex than a lot of bands of today.

'No Consequences' is a great album. There is a lot of variety here without the record seeming disjointed, there are extended ambient instrumental parts that come straight out of what most people expect with a hardcore album, and there are a lot of fresh ideas throughout that are applied well. Some parts of this record almost seem like a different band entirely, but they all fit. The track "Guilt And Shame", almost seems like it could be an Alkaline Trio song, but it just melds perfect with the album that they've crafted. 'Dear Allison' is a very well executed instrumental interlude towards the end of the album that breaks up the intensity without killing it.

While the sound and production of the album is questionable at time, the musicianship of the band definitely makes up for it. The band is obviously very talented, the guitars are varied and singing, the vocals just ooze passion, and those things really carry this album. It might seem over too quick, but I think that is a compliment to the music, especially with 2 longer mostly instrumental tracks in the mix.

Braindead is really on to something, and if you've been like me and been sleeping on this band, I suggest you get up and check them out. They're great, and I am very eager to see what is coming next.

Braindead on MySpace
BurnBridges Records

Looking forward to 'Visions of Light'

2008-11-10T20:03:00.007-06:00

Iron Thrones is a progressive metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota formely under the name Everst. The band recently changed their name as the long process of recording their debut full-length is coming to a close and the band is seeking to pick up momentum again. I also suspect it has something to do with the fact that Everest happens to be quite the common name for a band these days; a quick check on MySpace brings up 39 pages of bands with the name Everest or something similar.

Anyway, as Everest, the band released a 4 song EP in 2006 entitled 'Where Earth Meets The Sky', which was very well accepted amongst fans of their progressive blend of metal and hardcore. Since that time the band has been pretty quiet, touring and shows in general have been very sparse, and lineup changes have left a somewhat understandable anxiety about the band's future. However, the dedication of the band, clearly, has not been shaken.

It is now late 2008 and we are now fully aware of what the band has been doing for the last 2 years. They've been writing what is shaping up to be quite a spectacular piece of metal. 'Visions Of Light' will be the culmination of the last 2 years of a band with a lot of creative energy, that has been bottled up for far too long. The band has been releasing demo tracks over the past year, but as the final mixes and recordings of these tracks have made their way onto the band's MySpace, it is become increasingly certain that this will be a monster.

If the 6 (of 9 tracks on the final album) songs currently posted on the bands MySpace are any indication, Iron Thrones is finally ready to make their mark on underground music. There is a lot of listening to be done there, and I urge you to do so. Check out their music, check them out on their upcoming tour and spread the word.

Iron Thrones on MySpace

Weekly Roundup

2008-11-08T14:00:00.002-06:00

Watch live music at home! (links valid day of the show)
- 11/8 7pm PST - Before Their Eyes, LoveHateHero, Oceana @ Chain Reaction (CA) [watch it]
- Do you know of other venues that stream live music online? [tell me] (or comment)

Bits
- Trap Them have a live set available from Crucial Chaos radio show [link] Starts at 28 mins
- Narrows have recorded their debut album, March '09 release [link]
- Liferuiner's antics have ruined and closed a venue in CT [link]

Tours
- Trap Them touring all over throughout the end of '08 - [dates]
- This Is Hell and Gravemaker will tour in November [dates]
- Blacklisted, Have Heart and Ceremony tour US Nov. [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega will be touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]

Upcoming
- Doomriders/Disfear split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Trap Them "Seizures In Barren Praise" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Carpathian "Isolation" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Poison The Well "I/III" 7" 11/17 [pre-order]

Trap Them - Seizures In Barren Praise

2008-11-07T20:08:00.003-06:00

Trap Them have been making a lot of waves amongst underground heavy music fans since about the time they signed to Deathwish Inc. in early 2007, hot on the tail of their first full-length 'Sleepwell Deconstructer' on the Trash Art! label. Shortly after their joining with Deathwish, the band put out an EP 'Seance Prime' and a split 7" with Extreme Noise Terror. With each release, more and more people have been taking notice, and now the highly anticipated 2nd full-length, 'Seizures In Barren Praise' is here.

Trap Them's sound spans every realm of aggressive music from hardcore, to death metal, to thrash, punk and beyond. It is an addictive, intense, assault of noise that never fails to pummel the listener into the ground.

'Seizures In Barren Praise' is a fantastic trip from beginning to end. The first track 'Fucking Viva', starts as a slow build into what fans of Trap Them have come to expect. The slow solitary guitar riff, joined progressively by all pieces of the band build into an attack that Trap Them's fans come to expect. That album takes off from there and never misses a beat, from the undoubtedly evil sounding riffs in 'Targets', to the unrivaled heaviness in 'Reincarnation of Lost Lones' this album is just great through and through. The final track is the 7 minute epic 'Mission Convincers', the slowest, yet most brooding track on the album, a perfect end to this 10 song explosion. I can't think of a song that I would take out of this, and I can't think of anything I would want to add to it.

While I think that there is a somewhat noticeable shift to a more hardcore sound on this album, it is still definitely Trap Them in all interpretations. It makes no excuses, it has no bullshit, it is a straight forward, in your face musical assault of the extreme music variety that few bands today can touch.

I think that anyone who has liked this band in the past is already super stoked for this album, but if they aren't they'll probably really enjoy it, and if you haven't gotten into this band yet for some reason, you should because they are one of the best bands around right now and you are missing out. In a year full of great hardcore and extreme music releases, this album stands above the pack. Check it out.

Trap Them on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.
Trap Them : Deathwish Inc. Estore

Killing The Dream - Fractures

2008-11-06T19:25:00.003-06:00

Earlier this year a band by the name of Killing The Dream released their second full-length album 'Fractures' on Deathwish Inc. 'Fractures' was the highly anticipated follow up to their critically acclaimed full-length debut, 'In Place Apart' also on Deathwish Inc which was released 3 years previously in 2005. That is quite a break between albums, especially for a hardcore band, but Killing The Dream yet again put out a highly polished, punishingly beautiful hardcore record that fans of the band certaintly expected.

Most simply, Killing The Dream's style of hardcore could be easily pigeonholed as melodic hardcore, but they are definitely more than that. They are melodic hardcore, but they do not really sound like many other bands in that same blend of music. It is definitely more raw sounding, heavier, more punishing than most bands of this taste while still holding the melodic edge. 'In Place Apart' fit the melodic hardcore niche much more than 'Fractures' does, in the 3 years since, they have definitely progressed to a newer sound.

The album starts out deceivingly slow with the opening little guitar medly in '(Re)acquaintance' but it immedietly explodes into 'Part II (Motel Art)' where the album takes off at break neck speed and doesn't slow down until the very end. All of the tracks on this album exceed on the quality scale and never get repetitive sounding, I think there are some parts that may take some getting used to, but after you do it just makes sense, I remember feeling this sentiment when I first heard this record, but I can't even recall those parts now after having listened to this record so many times.

Songs that are standouts include 'Thirty Four Seconds' (which has replaced 'We're All Dead Ends' as their live closer), 'Part II (Motel Art)', 'You're All Welcome' (featuring Rob Sullivan of Ruiner) and 'Hang The Jury', but as I said before, everything on this record is quality. If you like anything that you've heard from this record, I'm sure that you'll enjoy all of it.

Closing, 'Fractures' is probably one of the best records of 2008 as far as hardcore is concerned. It is angry, ferocious and beautiful all at the same time. I definitely recommend it, and seeing the band live, as they are a great group to see.

Killing The Dream on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.
Killing The Dream : Deathwish Inc. Estore

Trapped Under Ice/Dirty Money split 7"

2008-11-04T16:32:00.003-06:00

Trapped Under Ice, the new beast of the hardcore world (see post below this one) and Dirty Money from the UK teamed up earlier this year to release a split EP on Dead and Gone Records. I am a big fan of Trapped Under Ice and was generally ignorant of Dirty Money until this release, Trapped Under Ice reinforces why I love them, and Dirty Money has piqued my interest in the rest of what they do.

Getting straight down to it, Trapped Under Ice takes the first half of this split with two tracks that while similar to those found on their 'Stay Cold' EP, have a distinctly different vibe from them. The tracks are easily much heavier than most of what can be found on 'Stay Cold' in my eyes. 'Gemini' leads off, it's a heavy pummeling track that maintains the flow and 'groove' of their old material, putting it all into a great package. I think I would say that it's probably the best single song they've put out as a band, which sets the bar pretty high for the rest of this release. The second track, 'Death Clock Ticking' continues in the same direction as the first track, while not as memorable as the first. I probably would have put this track first as 'Gemini' steals the show, but both tracks sound distinctly un-'Stay Cold' and awesome.

This was my first exposure to Dirty Money, listening to their half of this split, I would sum them up as a more traditional, east coast sounding hardcore band. The material is not groundbreaking in any way, but it's solid. The lyrics are interesting and I really like the vocals, but getting right down to it, Dirty Money's half of the split just isn't as strong as TUI's which I think would be true of many bands put on the second half of this split, but at the same time it's getting exposure to a band that might otherwise get over looked.

Overall, this is a great split. Trapped Under Ice's half in particular is really good, but this has also opened my eyes to another good band in Dirty Money. Both of these bands are hitting the road together in January and this is a great chance to get familiar with both.

Trapped Under Ice on MySpace
Dirty Money on MySpace
Dead and Gone Records

Trapped Under Ice - Stay Cold

2008-11-02T21:12:00.003-06:00

Trapped Under Ice was a band that launched itself into the spotlight this year, quite suddenly. Relatively unknown before this EP was released earlier this year, Trapped Under Ice is now a well known name in most hardcore circles.

'Stay Cold' was released earlier this year on Reaper Records to critical acclaim and unanimous acceptance of hardcore fans everywhere. While not yet a titan of hardcore, the splash they have made is a big one.

The music is a pounding, straight forward, dangerous sounding brand of hardcore influenced by the works of early 90's thrash and metal artists that has no trouble establishing it's identity. That might now sound so original, but I suck at describing music in words so you are going to have to listen to them to figure it out.

The songs are well written, catchy in their own way, engaging with well written lyrics dealing with everything from love to social-political issues that anyone can find some common ground with and sing along with. The band is heavy, melodic, fast and devastating without resorting to common crutches of hardcore bands, the band is definitely something special.

This record is easily one of the best things to come out of hardcore this year. Trapped Under Ice are simply doing things that other bands are not right now and doing it very well. If you're a fan of hardcore, you should definitely be checking it out if you haven't already, it's got something for everyone.

Trapped Under Ice on MySpace
Reaper Records

See You Next Tuesday - Intervals

2008-11-01T15:17:00.005-05:00

See You Next Tuesday is a product of the deathcore explosion of the last few years, wielding a form of psuedo-grindcore that while not being groundbreaking, was at least different from every other band they were touring with. SYNT's first full-length, 'Parasite' was a kind of quirky, humorous attack that lasted about 18 minutes with 14 tracks. I never saw them as a band to take seriously, and I don't think a lot of people did, but I think they want to be, if their newest album is any sign.

'Intervals' is a quite different beast than their debut album. There's a definite shift from just trying to be as fast as possible and hit with breakdowns to slower, more thought out mature music. It works alright, but I still don't see them as much of a serious band. The kind of 'avant-gard' approach they've take with this new album seems very forced most of the time, and the return of some almost tone for tone gimmicks from the first album are really tired sounding and doesn't put across the notion of a band putting a lot of effort into writing their music.

Not a lot stands out on this album, except for the track 'Dedication to a New Era', a song that certainly draws a lot of influence from 'Plagues' by Converge. This 3 minute droning piece is the longest 'song' on the album, and probably the only piece that really sticks out to me other than the 2 'intro' tracks of mostly just noise. The rest of the songs are just easily forgettable and not very noteworthy.

'Intervals' is a step in the right direction for this band, but it's not a fully realized sound and they probably could've spent quite a bit more time on it crafting a good album. As it is, SYNT fans might like it, but I don't think they're breaking new ground or offering much more to people who didn't already know who the band was.

See You Next Tuesday on MySpace
Ferret Records
SYNT : Ferret Records Webstore

Weekly Roudup

2008-11-01T14:49:00.003-05:00

It's a slow week.
Watch live music at home! (links valid day of the show)
- 11/4 7:30pm PST - Kids Like Us, The Mongoloids @ Chain Reaction (CA) [watch it]
- Do you know of other venues that stream live music online? [tell me] (or comment)

Bits
- Burning Fight book release show in Chicago announced [link]

Tours
- Trap Them touring all over throughout the end of '08 - [dates]
- This Is Hell and Gravemaker will tour in November [dates]
- Blacklisted, Have Heart and Ceremony tour US Nov. [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega will be touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]

Upcoming
- This Is Hell/Nightmare Of You split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Doomriders/Disfear split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Trap Them "Seizures In Barren Praise" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Carpathian "Isolation" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Poison The Well "I/III" 7" 11/17 [pre-order]

Abigail Williams - In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns

2008-10-31T18:00:00.001-05:00

Abigail Williams is a metal/death/core turned epic/black/death/metal band from Arizona. The band has a very turbulent history, having broken up for about 6 months in 2007 after releasing the promising 'Legend' EP on Candlelight Records, only to reform with a fractured lineup. I was a fan of 'Legend' and was kind of disappointed that they had broken up, but was kind of anxious about their return with all of the controversy surrounding the band. They have seemingly overcome those obstacles however, and have put together a debut album entitled 'In The Shadow Of A Thousand Suns' that has again been put forth by Candlelight Records.

Anyone familiar with Abigail Williams' previous material will be pleased, or maybe not, to hear that this sounds pretty much as you had imagined. Continuing to push away from their roots as a metalcore band, 'In The Shadow...' is a black metal infused assault of melodic death metal that is a constant barage of epic instrumentation and blast beats. They have done well taking themselves out of the awful mediocrity of the deathcore genre, with a much more traditional black/death metal sound, though some of those old influences creep in from time to time. Not so painfully however.

It's a well written album. For having a steady stream of semi-long songs and them not getting boring, that is a great achievement. A lot of bands tend to end up going nowhere with longer songs, but Abigail Williams' melodies and progression are consistently engaging and moving. I think that the real star of the Abigail Williams show is their keyboard player Ashley Ellyllon. Aside from me harboring a crush on her, she is a great pianist and orchestrator.

Her pieces of instrumentation stand out above most of the rest of the content on this album, and without her contributions, I do not think that this would be much of an album to listen to. That is not knocking the rest of the band, as the album is performed masterfully for the most part. The drums are pummeling, the guitars work, the production is flawless, the vocals are not always something I would consider great, but they fit, the keyboards are really what holds it all together in my opinion though.

I'm sure you will see a lot of people spew a lot of negativity about this band and this album, but I just don't see that. I really like this record and I am happy to see that Abigail Williams have come through all the strife of their past to put together a good record. It is not the defining album of new metal or anything, but it's a great album that fans of this style of music should check out.

Abigail Williams on MySpace
Candlelight Records
Abigail Williams : Candlelight Records Store

Ghostlimb - Bearing & Distance

2008-10-30T20:44:00.004-05:00

Ghostlimb is a melodic hardcore band from California who I've recently begun to listen to. They've put out one full-length on Commodity Fetish Records in 2007 and they released their second album 'Bearing & Distance' earlier this year on Level Plane Records.

'Bearing & Distance' is a mostly solid record, having not heard their first album I can not give an observation of improvement or stagnation, but it's a good sounding record. It's very fast for the most part, very aggressive and loud hardcore with some thrashier and metal accents that work pretty well in the body of this work.

The songs are mostly on the short side, which is a good thing when dealing with this kind of music. Things are straight forward and they don't waste away and go nowhere. The album has good flow until the poppier sound in the song 'Laughter' comes on, followed by the similar ending of 'Bridge Above The Water', I think these songs sound out of place for the most part on this record and kind of brings down the momentum that the first chunk of the album builds up so well.

Ghostlimb is yet another strong, solid band that isn't rewriting the rules of hardcore, but producing songs that I can get behind because I really like this music. 'Bearing & Distance' might not be an album that I will look back upon 5 or 10 years from now and recall as something that moved my life or anything, but in the here and now it's a fun listen. So if you're a fan of melodic hardcore, give them a shot and see what you think. I'll be checking out their older material very soon.

Ghostlimb on MySpace
Level Plane Records

Artist Retrospective: Hollywood

2008-10-29T22:38:00.006-05:00

I remember the night that I first became aware of the band Hollywood still well. It was a show that I did not expect much from, I was there to support a friend who was putting on the show and to hang out with friends. There weren't many people there, maybe 20 people in a room that could hold a couple hundred.

It was a mostly unremarkable show. I was unfamiliar with the two bands that were touring. My friends assured me that Counting The Days were great and well worth the time so I was anxiously awaiting them. Nobody mentioned Hollywood. When they came on, they weathered bad sound and bad attitudes to put on the same show for 20 kids that they would've for 200. I gave them a large chunk of my money that night and became a big fan.

Hollywood is a melodic rock fueled hardcore band out of 'Music City USA', Nashville, Tennessee, that ended all too soon earlier this year.

Hollywood's contributions to the music world consist of two EP's, 'Brave Sounds' (2006) on Keepitcore Records and 'Starving Artists' (2007) on Thrashed! Records; They also released a split EP with Counting The Days (2008) on BurnBridges, an impressive collection for band as young as they were.

They were a band that worked hard, and wanted to get their music to as many people as they could. They managed to do several tours and gather a fan base that loved them. Not the largest fan base, but a group of people who really loved what they did as a band and respected them. I like to count myself among them.

Driving down to Nashville earlier this year gave me my second opportunity to see Hollywood, and on their home turf, and it was great. It was just awesome seeing them in their hometown with a bunch of kids just going nuts for them, they were definitely a band that deserved that and I was happy to see that they were appreciated. That performance just cemented my love for the band even more at that point, and several months later, I was very bummed out to hear that they had decided to call it quits.

I was sure that they were a band that was going to 'make it'. I was just waiting for them to blow up, and to see this happen, I was stunned. So when the final show was announced, my friends and I made plans to drive down to Nashville again to pay our respects.

So on July 15th, 2008, myself and 3 friends packed into a car and drove to Nashville to see Hollywood's final show. What follows is my most favorite show that I have ever attended. The excitement and energy that was in that building that night was insane. There were kids from all over to see this great band one last time.

Hollywood ripped through pretty much every song that they had, and the reaction was amazing. I don't think I've ever seen so many kids on a stage before singing along to every word that a band has wrote. It was a unity that I had never felt to that extent in hardcore before and I think that it's something I will always remember.

I remember hearing Patrick Flynn of Have Heart jokingly complaining about how they had to after that, and I'm sure that's the only time in the past year and a half that Have Heart has ever been so eclipsed by a band that played before them, but a better band could not have been found to have filled that role.

"In this city's streets, is where this city's heart beats"

RIP Hollywood 2004-2008

Hollywood on MySpace

Carpathian - Isolation

2008-10-25T15:17:00.007-05:00

Carpathian is a band that has been getting a lot of press lately, and for good reason. Working hard to get to the top of the pile of Australian hardcore bands, Carpathian recently joined the Deathwish Inc. roster and toured with Shipwreck throughout Australia and New Zealand. Currently, they are on a short break before hitting up Europe for the second time with Have Heart and Cruel Hand. Not bad for a band from a continent with little reputation for producing notable hardcore bands.

'Isolation' is Carpathian's second full length, released originally by Resist Records in Australia and New Zealand, Deathwish Inc. brings this record stateside very soon, (Nov. 11th) and it is a band worth checking out.

'Isolation' is an undoubetdly powerful record, Carpathian's smooth blend of melodic hardcore and some heavier aspects of a metalcore act create an engaging listen that I'm sure a lot of people will find comfortably fit their listening tastes.

It opens up with 'Isolation', a brooding, building, intense track that goes into what I see as the best song on the album. 'Cursed' is pummeling attack that never lets up, the desperation and hate ring out with this song, and the guest vocals from JD of Shipwreck are a perfect accent to Martin Kirby's (Carpathian's vocalist) assault.Patrick Flynn of Have Heart shows up late in the album on the track 'Ceremony' to great effect, another great track amongst the 10 great songs here.

For the most part, this album is a freight train of aggression and emotion that moves along at a steady pace, but they aren't afraid to slow things down, and there are definitely some heavier moments on this record. These parts bring me back to bands like old Poison The Well for some reason, but not negatively. It's variety that works with this record and this sound. Carpathian, while not groundbreaking, have crafted a sound that is easily, at least to my ears, unique.

Overall, I think this is going to be one of the best albums of 2008. If you're a fan of hardcore in any respect, you would be doing yourself a disservice by ignoring this band or album. It's heavy, it's melodic, it's furious and it's moving. Check it out.

Carpathian on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.
Pre-Order @ Deathwish Inc Estore [11/11]
Resist Records

Weekly Roundup

2008-10-25T12:30:00.006-05:00

Watch live music at home! (links valid day of show)
- 10/26 7pm PST - Bleeding Through, Stick To Your Guns @ Chain Reaction (CA) [watch it]
- 10/28 7pm CST - Ruiner, FC Five @ The Muse (TN) [watch it]
- 10/31 7:30pm PST - Have Heart, Blacklisted, Ceremony @ Chain Reaction (CA) [watch it]

Bits
- Comeback Kid robbed in Montreal [link]
- The Dillinger Escape Plan is writing a new album [link]
- Integrity and Vegas. will release a split EP later this year [link]
- Another video showcasing new Rise and Fall tunes [link]

Tours
- Trap Them touring all over throughout the end of '08 - [dates]
- This Is Hell and Gravemaker will tour in November [dates]
- Ruiner, FC Five, Deep Sleep Oct - Nov [dates]
- Blacklisted, Have Heart and Ceremony tour US Oct. - Nov. [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega will be touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]

Upcoming
- Beneath The Massacre "Dystopia" 10/28 [pre-order]
- This Is Hell/Nightmare Of You split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Doomriders/Disfear split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Trap Them "Seizures In Barren Praise" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Carpathian "Isolation" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Poison The Well "I/III" 7" 11/17 [pre-order]

Surroundings/Pellinore - World Darkness split 10"

2008-10-24T13:35:00.003-05:00

This was a pleasant discovery. I had never heard of either of these bands until the other day when I was ordering a bunch of stuff and saw this. I was initially drawn to it by the artwork, and as I went on to check out the two bands on this split, Surroundings and Pellinore, I was very excited.

The album description for 'World Darkness' uses the term 'dark hardcore' to describe these bands, and I think it's a pretty good fit. Both bands have a similar style but are distinctly different sounding.

Surroundings reminds me a lot of The Banner and bands like Trap Them, as they float between really slower parts and an assault of blast beats. Pellinore is really noisy fast hardcore that reminds me of a more determinedly evil sounding Trash Talk. Each band contributed 4 songs to this release, with Surroundings opening and Pellinore with the second half.

Surroundings' four tracks are a furious assault that never lets go even when things slow down. It's really heavy and it's really awesome. When it's fast, it's pummeling, when it slows down it's heavy, and they couple it all with melodies and ambiance and it's a very compelling, dark sounding listen. There are a lot of parts of very minimal music and noise, but they move things along rather than impede them as some bands do.

Pellinore on the other hand, apart from their opening track, is almost always going non-stop. They are a fast barrage of sound that doesn't mess around, their tracks seem over and done with all too soon, but their half isn't much shorter than the first half. It all sounds good and the bands play off of each other very well.

This is a split worth checking out, and two bands that are worth checking out. I will certaintly be going through their older material very soon.

Surroundings on MySpace
Pellinore on MySpace
Free Cake Records

Blues - Heavy Sci-Fi

2008-10-22T19:35:00.005-05:00

Blues is a band I stumbled across very recently by mostly mistake, and I found that they were offering an EP for free to download and figured I would take advantage of that. Blues' history consists of two other EP's released last year, one on Corrosive Recordings and another on Rome Plow Records. 'Heavy Sci-Fi' is a self-released free EP because as they put it, 'music is meant to be heard', and I couldn't agree more.

Blues has a very interesting sound, it's kind of experimental post-hardcore sounding music with some more traditional twists thrown in and it works together pretty well. Vocals bounce between standard screaming, singing, and a kind of wail similar to something like The Blood Brothers except more tolerable.

The music itself is kind of ambient droning rock with some cool synths and electonica stuff mixed with a brand of hardcore akin to bands like Botch and Coalesce. It's really well put together, the song writing is pretty good throughout 'Heavy Sci-Fi's' 6 tracks with it being a pretty compelling listen. 'Warring Quotients' is my favorite track here, it's got a great kind of quirky sounding lead with vocals not afraid to follow. 'Space Between Spaces' is a very lonely sounding short synthy instrumental piece that reminds me of the sountrack for the game Metroid Prime (really great soundtrack). All six tracks here are very good, those stick out the most to me however.

I wasn't really expecting the quality to be that great on this, as it is free, but the recording quality of this is pretty fantastic. It's very clear sounding and there is a lot of range, and I especially love the bass tone on this record. It really makes sure that the bass isn't lost in this mix (which happens to far too many bands these days) and I really think it gives the whole recording a boost.

Overall, this is a great EP. Because it's free, it's THAT much better too. I think everyone should check it out for that reason, support bands who are down with doing stuff like this and get into a band that obviously works hard and knows how to write good music.

Blues on MySpace [download link there]
Corrosive Recordings
Rome Plow Records

Wholehearted - Reclaim

2008-10-21T18:25:00.002-05:00

I was excited to finally get to hear this album as Wholehearted has been on my radar for quite awhile. I first came across this band a long time ago as one of many, many bands that would add me on MySpace, most of which I would deny for being awful, but upon listening to the material Wholehearted had up at the time, I was really into them. It was a sound in the vein of bands like Comeback Kid, Killing The Dream, This Is Hell, etc., which I'm very into if you hadn't noticed.

'Reclaim' is Wholehearted's debut full-length out on Volatile Recordings (out of their home in Wisconsin), and it is a great record espeically for such a young band.

Wholehearted isn't breaking down barriers with this record, but they're producing some awesome tracks. Wholehearted's sound is best described as somewhere between Killing The Dream and Dead Hearts. It's fast and melodic, but there are a lot of heavier parts and some nice sing a longs. 'Reclaim' starts fast and stays that way all the way until the last track for the most part and the album is solid the whole way through, no tracks fall out. It never gets boring, and when not doing anything really new, that's impressive.

If I had to nail down a particular criticism of the record, it would have to be the quality of the recording. I am not usually much of a person to critique sound, but I think that placed in the right hands this record could have been a whole lot more. The present recording is not bad, but it sounds flat and less dynamic than it potentially could. It's not unlistenable by any standard but it is somewhat noticable.

That minor gripe aside, Wholehearted is a great up and coming band and 'Reclaim' is an excellent stepping stone for them to gain a wider audience. If you're a fan of this style of music, I certaintly recommend this, and even if you're not, I think that there is something here for everyone.

Wholehearted on MySpace [purchase 'Reclaim' album here]
Volatile Recordings

Cruel Hand - Prying Eyes

2008-10-20T14:15:00.002-05:00

Cruel Hand is a band that I was not very accustom with before checking out this release, I think I may have been familiar with the name of the band, but this was my first time actually listening to the band. The band apparently has released one other full-length before this in 2007 on 6131 Records entitled 'Without A Pulse', I will definitely be checking that out after this album, their first as an artist on the Bridge 9 roster.

Cruel Hand has a much more traditional sound than many of the bands that I usually listen to. It's loud and fast, and it swerves away from most of the hot points of the genre right now. It's straight forward, no tricks furious hardcore with riffing that brings me back to some thrash metal of yesteryear.

Overall, the record is solid as hell, with the only drawback being that some tracks tend to get lost on repeated listens as it mostly sounds like a lot of the same, but there are some definite standout tracks that I really get into, 'Life in Shambles', 'No Known Graves' and 'Dead Weight' especially. I think that track sticks out on the album, but it is definitely my favorite for that reason.

My only complaints I guess I would have to bring against this album are as mentioned, some tracks seem to get lost. I don't think the album would've suffered at all if a couple of the 12 tracks on this release were left behind.

However, this is a very solid release and it has me eager to check out their older material and try to see them live. Check it out.

Cruel Hand on MySpace
Bridge 9 Records
Cruel Hand : Bridge 9 Store

Comeback Kid - Through The Noise

2008-10-19T18:50:00.003-05:00

'Through The Noise' is another DVD/CD release that came out very recently (I don't know if Victory is doing a whole bunch of these right now or something), this time featuring Comeback Kid, the superstars of the hardcore world. Comeback Kid needs no introduction to most people who will probably read this blog, it seems like everyone has loved them at some point in their exploration of loud music.

In my experience I saw a lot of people begin to ignore them when the original vocalist, Scott Wade, decided to leave the band in 2006. Since then, the vocal duties were taken over by then guitar player Andrew Neufeld, former vocalist of Figure Four. Not a lot of people were very happy with this change, though I never saw much of a difference between them when the first album with Neufeld on vocals was released in 2007, 'Broadcasting', and I found it to be quite the enjoyable album as a whole.

Much like I said with Between The Buried and Me's live DVD, this is definitely a release for the fans. The DVD portion of the release contains a bunch of stuff that people who have followed the band for awhile will appreciate. There is an hour long documentry tackling the history of the band, and then their is a live set filmed in Lepzig, Germany with an accompaning CD of just the audio from that recording.

The problem with this release as compared to BTBAM's is that you quickly realize that the energy of a hardcore show doesn't translate well into live audio format. Typically, hardcore bands are not that concerned with hitting every note perfectly every show, and when you're there, that is certaintly excusable because the energy of a show like that definetely makes up for those losses.

Comeback Kid definitely falls into that generalization. There is a lot of sloppy music on here and when listening to it without the video it just seems to bounce between really good and 'what the hell?'. The video portion is pretty good just because Comeback Kid shows tend to be intense from start to finish, and this 17 song set is just about every song that any Comeback Kid wants to hear.

Some minor irks I have, I don't really like Neufeld's improvization in some songs, and for the most part he doesn't even attempt to try sounding like the records, it's screaming almost the whole time, when on the proper records screaming is used minimally as emphasis not as a majority.

As with most other live albums, this is for Comeback Kid fans, and those who enjoy the band will certaintly want to check this out in some capacity.

Comeback Kid on MySpace
Victory Records
Comeback Kid : Victory Records Webstore
Amazon

Dead To Fall - Are You Serious?

2008-10-18T17:51:00.003-05:00

(A part of a series of posts that will look back on 2008 albums that were well before NoiseBlog's birth)

Early 2008 saw the demise of one of the most celebrated and loved metalcore bands of the decade (feels weird being able to use that term to describe a band that I have enjoyed for a long time), Dead To Fall was a centerpiece to the metalcore explosion that took the early parts of the 2000's by storm. They never reached the heights of bands like As I Lay Dying, or Atreyu, but their appeal was hardly ever questioned in the whole of their existence.

They were a metalcore band with death metal tendencies birthed by kids with a hardcore mentality. Dead To Fall's sound was heavily influenced by the Gothenburg stylings of bands like At The Gates and In Flames with a hardcore flair and love for breakdowns. That was the Dead To Fall formula for many years.

2006's 'The Pheonix Throne' showed a stylistic change that reflected more a concern about song structure and crafting more abstract songs. This was due mostly to a large personel change within the band. The album was met with some opposition, but for the most part, it continued to expand the bands audience.

'Are You Serious?' illustrates another dramatic change in style that led to a 'rallying of the base' until the bands eventual demise. 'Are You Serious?' was for the most part a commentary on the stagnation of the metalcore scene, and a criticism of the things that many people have found bothersome for a long while. This is illustrated none better than by the first 'song' on the album 'Stupid?', which is a comical take on the process of writing a metalcore hit, ending with the chant of 'End this song with a fucking breakdown!'.

That is the basic idea of this record. They are stepping outside of the status quo of metalcore and making a fun record rather than something is serious and 'badass' sounding. While the lyrical content of the record was pretty lighthearted and fun, the music on the album is probably some of the best Dead To Fall produced as a band. There is a lot of imagination in the record and while some of it holds true to their metalcore roots, a vast majority of the record is very experimental in it's nature, and it's fantastic. They slow it down for the most part and really paint a vidid picture with the music.

This record came out a very shortwhile before their breakup in April and it's unfortunate because it is probably the most imaginative solid record they ever put out.

Dead To Fall on MySpace
Victory Records
Dead To Fall merch

Weekly Roundup

2008-10-18T15:16:00.003-05:00

Bits
- This Is Hell interviewed on Maximum Threshold Radio last Saturday [link]
- Deathwish Inc. has released a free Fall sampler w/ 21 bands [link]
- Shipwreck AD posted a great tour diary from Europe/South Africa [link]

Touring
- Trap Them touring all over throughout the end of '08 - [dates]
- Crime In Stereo is touring the west with Polar Bear Club in October [dates]
- This Is Hell is touring the US with Four Year Strong, IATA and AL4W [dates]
- Energy is touring US in Oct before Nov tour with H20 and Bane [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega are touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]
- Blacklisted, Have Heart and Ceremony tour US Oct. - Nov. [dates]

Upcoming Releases
- Beneath The Massacre "Dystopia" 10/28 [pre-order]
- This Is Hell/Nightmare Of You split 7" early Nov [pre-order]
- Trap Them "Seizures In Barren Praise" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Carpathian "Isolation" 11/11 [pre-order]

This Is Hell/Nightmare Of You Split 7"

2008-10-17T14:11:00.003-05:00

This is an interesting project. This Is Hell is a melodic hardcore band from Long Island, New York... Nightmare of You is a pop/indie project from the same area. It is quite a contrast of music styles, but it begins to make sense when you realize that the front men of both bands are brothers. Travis Reilly fronts This Is Hell and his older brother of The Movielife fame, Brandon Reilly runs the Nightmare of You show.

The difference of styles is really interesting when listening to it.

The first half of this split is This Is Hell and it is as fast and furious as anything they have ever released. Their contribution are two unreleased tracks that were recorded during the recording of 'Misfortunes', which came out earlier this year. They sound very much like they were written in that same time frame, though it is obvious why they were not included with the rest of that record. They don't exactly sound like they fit in with that group of songs, they are great as stand alone tracks though. 'Cement Shoes' could be one of my favorite songs that This Is Hell has ever recorded, and 'Built Upon Grief' is an intense blast of hardcore with some melodic bits that are fantastic and it was a lot more than I was expecting with this release.

Nightmare Of You's half of the split is a little more difficult for me to nail down as I am pretty unfamiliar with the band in general. My experience with their previous material is pretty minimal, but I really enjoy what I hear here. It's a dark indie type of music that reminds me of England for some reason, like if the Beatles were moved forward in time to this point in music, their tunes would sound a lot like this. The first track, 'Dopesick Couples' is an acoustic track which is quite the contrast from the This Is Hell portion. 'You Don't Have To Tell Me' finishes off the split with an ambient indy rock ballad with some neat electonic stuff in it that is a pretty nice accompaniment to the rest of the music.

Bottom line, if you like either of these bands, you probably want this, and if you don't you should probably check out the bands anyway.

This Is Hell on Myspace
Nightmare Of You on Myspace
Run For Cover Records
Pre-Order [Early Nov. Release]

The Carrier - No Love Can Save Me

2008-10-16T21:01:00.003-05:00

'No Love Can Save Me' is a quick, short look into what is to come from the Boston area hardcore band, The Carrier. 'No Love Can Save Me' is a 3 song successor to their first full-length, 'One Year Later' put out on Rock Vegas. This is The Carrier's first release on Deathwish Inc. and a potential prelude to come.

The Carrier is one of the many bands that is on the passionate melodic hardcore kick that many bands are finding suitable right now. It seems that you are either heavy, fast and violent, or you're a melodic sound wave of aggression right now in hardcore, and that is where we are.

The Carrier has the advantage of having chosen this style before some other bands have adapted it to their own, and anyone who has heard 'One Year Later' can expect what is on this EP. It is slow, it is fast, it's always passionate and sometimes epic sounding. The Carrier is a band that obviously wants their lyrics and message heard. The instrumentation often feels like an emphasis to the lyrics rather than the vocals feeling like an after thought like many bands of the genre. A welcome breath of fresh air into a genre full of stagnation.

There is not a lot of content on this EP, but what is there is pretty decent. The last track in particular sticks out, 'Epilogue: Forgivness' is a track packed with a very powerful ending that can surmise the feeling that you get from the tone of The Carrier's music... 'Forgive me destiny, this world has fucking destroyed me/this world has ruined your plans for me'. It is a hopelessness that isn't damning. It is not music that is wanting to drag you down with it, it's an anthem that is pushing you to overcome.

'No Love Can Save Me' is a powerful inbetween step for The Carrier and worthy your curiosity. Check it out.

The Carrier on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.
The Carrier : Deathwish Inc. Estore

Between The Buried and Me - Colors_Live

2008-10-15T12:30:00.001-05:00

Last year Between The Buried and Me released one of the finest metal albums to be released in a long time. 'Colors' was a self described "65 minute opus of non stop pummeling beautiful music" and "adult contemporary progressive death metal" that was true to those words. The release was critically acclaimed and followed by an extensive tour in which they played 'Colors' in it's entirety, leading them towards the 'Progressive Nation Tour' with the powerhouses of modern progressive metal Dream Theater and Opeth.

Between The Buried and Me have made a large mark on the metal world since that time. They have been a relatively popular band in the metalcore world for a few years now, but the last year has really seen them take off with an audience that there music has not typically reached.

This summer it was announced that Between The Buried and Me would be recording a Live DVD/CD for 'Colors'. Fans were excited... This was a project for the fans. The fans will not be disappointed.

For the people who loved 'Colors'; this is THE version of 'Colors'. Anyone who has had the good fortune of witnessing this band play live knows that they are just fantastic. You would be hard pressed to find a band that has better musicianship and that can reproduce it this flawlessly live. Between The Buried and Me is not a band that relies on jumping around on stage to keep an audience captivated, they have a gift of writing music that grabs you, and when they play it live, you are never bored.

The DVD is absolutely beautiful. The camera work is smooth, the cuts are perfect and it is just engaging to watch. Granted, I have not watched a lot of professionally produced live music video, but I would gander a guess that this is some top notch work. Everything you want to see is shown exactly when you want to see it, and the camera work does an excellent job of accenting the music with it's choice of shots. There are some epic looking shots during some of the more emotionally grabbing pieces of music that are spectacular.

'Colors' is not the only thing on this DVD, there is a second set consisting of six older songs that do a great job of exemplifying where they have come from, 'Mordecai', 'Shevanel Cut A Flip', 'Backwards Marathon', 'Ad A Dglgmut', 'Aspirations' and a song that has become a staple of their live set, 'Selkies: The Endless Obsessoin'. It is a great gift to people who have been fans of the band for a long time. Other than the second set, there are a slew of bonuses that are worth checking out.

Basically, we have a stellar DVD of one of the finest albums written in recent memory. People who loved BTBAM and 'Colors' should defintely check it out. It is a release created specifically for the people whom have come to love, enjoy and support the band. People who do not like this band will not find much to persuade them here, but that's ok. Watching this DVD shows that BTBAM is one of the most sincere bands out there, and they have reached a very stable point in their careers as musicians. I cannot wait for what will come next.

Between The Buried and Me on MySpace
Victory Records
BTBAM : Victory Records Webstore
Amazon

Bishop - Drugs

2008-10-14T14:30:00.000-05:00

Many kids are familiar with Bishop (Formerly xBishopx), and they seem like a band that you either love or hate. They put out their first full-length on Ferret Records in 2006 entitled 'Suicide Party' which was a hate filled, pounding, straight edge explosion full of breakdowns and lyrics that a lot of kids could really grab a hold of.

For the same reason that a lot of people like them, a lot of people don't. A lot of kids push them off as an ignorant tough guy band that only cares about how cr00sh the mosh gets. I think 'Drugs' is going to do a lot to challenge that perception of them (if those kids will even give it a fair shake).

It's obvious that in the time between 'Suicide Party' and 'Drugs' that Bishop (still straight edge) has really decided to take things in a more serious direction. 'Suicide Party' was over the top a lot of the time, and 'Drugs' isn't. The lyrics are not as inflammatory (but still loaded to the brim with hate and aggression) and for the most part, huge stereotypical breakdowns are gone. There are still tons of heavy moments on this album that those same kids will love, but there is a little more originality and maturity this time around.

That stands for the whole record. 'Suicide Party' could've been coined as cookie cutter to an extent and they have done a lot to alleviate that with 'Drugs'. There is a lot of variety on this album, every song tries to do something different and for the most part they succeed. I guess the sound of this album could be described as 'thrashier' than 'Suicide Party'. It certaintly has a different sound. Mean Pete still lives up to his name as being a mean sounding guy and his lyrics are still cutting and the intensity of 'Suicide Party' is still here, but to me, this just sounds like a more honest hardcore record.

I think that Bishop has a great oppurtunity here to expand their base of fans outside of just angry straight edge kids, and that many people who have wrote them off before will be surprised with this effort. From the fact that it's self-released (through Dead Truth Recordings) to just the new direction the music has taken, I hope you check it out.

Bishop on MySpace
Dead Truth Recordings
Bishop : Dead Truth Webstore

Beneath The Massacre - Dystopia

2008-10-13T17:42:00.000-05:00

A little change of pace for the blog thusfar. Beneath The Massacre is a technical death metal/deathcore band from the great white north of Canada. I firmly hold the belief that their drummer is a robot. I also happen to think that they are a totally awesome band in a genre full of lackluster peers.

'Dystopia' is the follow up to their debut full length 'Mechanics of Dysfunction', which was released in early 2007 on Prosthetic Records. Beneath The Massacre is furiously fast technical death metal with huge breakdowns and deep, death metal standard, vocals.

I have been a fan of this band for awhile. They are not the most original band on the planet, but their music is tight and engaging. They don't get too bogged down with long repetetive songs, and they haven't succumbed to many of the gimmicks that other bands of the deathcore variety have.

'Dystopia' is much like most of their other material. Actually aside from the fact that the drums don't pound your brain into submission like on 'Mechanics', this album is essentially 'Mechanics 2'. The production in general seems more organic and less, well, mechanic and that definitely is a welcome change. 'Mechanics', to me, was just overwhelming with its sound. I couldn't get through the whole album many times even though I very much enjoyed it.

There isn't much that is unexpected for people who have listened to Beneath The Massacre in the past. They have re-recorded 'Never More' from their first EP 'Evidence of Inequity' which I'm sure some people will be excited about.

Overall, if you've ever listened to Beneath The Massacre, you already know how you feel about this album. If you're a fan, check it out, if not, you'll probably want to skip it.

Beneath The Massacre on MySpace
Prothetic Records
Pre-Order [Releases on Oct. 28th]

Energy - Invasions Of The Mind

2008-10-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

Energy is a band that's been garnering a lot of discussion recently. They just signed a deal with Bridge 9 in May after touring their debut EP "Punch The Clock" for over a year. The band has made it's mark as a blend of hardcore and punk that is very reminiscent to what AFI sounded like before they were on TV.

After releasing an EP a little while ago, Energy has now released their first full-length and first full release as a part of the Bridge 9 roster. "Invasions Of The Mind" is roughly a half hour of sing along anthems and fast tunes.

Fans of Energy's older material will definitely feel at home with this release. They have not tried to change up their forumula yet. There are lots of 'whoooaaa oooh OOHs' and notes held for about a second longer than you would feel is neccesary. Energy fans have come to expect that, but for someone who was not a large fan of Energy before this album, it's not something that has completely sold me on their hype.

One of the big things in hardcore right now is to have an intense or ambient intro track to lead of your album with. For the most part only a few bands have done this very well (The Hope Conspiracy and Converge come to mind). The opening track of 'Invasions' is such a type of track, except that for the most part it is boring. It takes too long to get going and starts robbing the attention early.

Once the album gets going though, it is an enertaining listen. Tracks like "400" and "Contact" are songs that I feel really show Energy at their best. My problems with this album come from the long 'noise' or slow parts between some songs and the vocals grow tiresome to me after a short while. There is very little variation, what is a breath of fresh air early on, turns boring and grating later on.

I am not trying to knock the album though, this is a band that a lot of people like, and I think that people who liked their original EP will dig this, and I think that the overall sound is very accesable to a lot of people. The points of accesability may be the points that alienate some fans of hardcore and punk though.

Energy on MySpace
Bridge 9 Records
Energy : Bridge 9 Webstore
Amazon

Weekly Roundup

2008-10-10T16:02:00.000-05:00

Bits
- Victims signed to Deathwish Inc. - [link] [music]
- Doomriders and Disfear will release a split 7" this fall - [link]
- Rise and Fall new material preview video - [link]

Touring
- Trap Them touring all over throughout the end of '08 - [dates]
- Crime In Stereo will tour the west with Polar Bear Club in October [dates]
- This Is Hell will tour the US with Four Year Strong, IATA and AL4W [dates]
- Energy will tour the US in Oct before Nov tour with H20 and Bane [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega will be touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]
- Blacklisted, Have Heart and Ceremony tour US Oct. - Nov. [dates]

Upcoming Releases
- Between The Buried and Me "Colors Live" DVD/CD 10/14 [pre-order]
- Cruel Hand "Prying Eyes" 10/14 [pre-order]
- Trap Them "Seizures In Barren Praise" 11/11 [pre-order]
- Carpathian "Isolation" 11/11 [pre-order]

Barricade - Demons

2008-10-10T15:27:00.001-05:00

Barricade is another band that was discovered on our chance outing to Nashville for a 3 day music excursion (reference to I Rise review). Barricade is a band that mostly stuck with us mostly because the band members resemblance to actual bears.

They are mean looking, they are hairy, and they are all large guys. Their bass player 'Pat Bastard' is also in a pirate metal band, and you don't cross pirates.

So to get down too it. Barricade is a mean sounding band. Their previous release "Be Heard" came out on Blackout Records in 2006 and it is chockful of negative, punishing hardcore. I won't say that is the best of albums... My listening experience with it was somewhat mixed. There were a few songs that I really liked a lot, and then the rest of the songs just felt like after thoughts.

Thankfully, their Eulogy Records follow up is nothing like that. It's still mean as hell, it's pissed and heavy, but the song writing this time around is much more solid. Barricade is not a band that is pushing the boundries of hardcore, but they are a band that fans of hardcore in the vein of Terror, First Blood, things of that nature.

While the whole of the album is very solid, I certaintly think that the first half is much stronger than the second. The first 3 tracks in particular are really good. 'Michelle' has an awesome anthem-esque sing a long at the end that I can imagine a lot of kids going nuts for. In general, I picture kids who like aggressive hardcore down with most of the heavy parts in this album, and I'm really excited to see these guys again just because I imagine the live show being good.

So 'Demons' isn't exactly the second coming of hardcore, but it's fun and angry, so I think it's worth checking out.

Barricade on MySpace
Eulogy Records
Barricade : Eulogy Webstore
Amazon

United Nations - Self-Titled

2008-10-07T23:50:00.001-05:00

Following the hells of the Narrows discussion a post below this one, we have another super group of the hardcore and punk community. United Nations is Geoff Rickly of Thursday, Daryl Palumbo of of Glassjaw and Head Automatica. The rest of the group is only speculated, as they are all under contract for other record labels, so they cannot legally be promoted under the United Nations name. However, it is has been strongly hinted that Ben Koller of Converge fame is an acting member of the band.

This album is quite the ferocious debut. The album is fast and feirce with the occasional interlude of melody. Rickly, on guitar, and Palumbo are a deul vocal assault with Palumbo screaming and Rickly singing.

The music is a genre bender. The overwhelming feel is a noisey hardcore, but as above mentioned the melodies are reminiscent of Rickley's band, Thursday and the band is self described as grindcore. The style's are quite the contrast, but they fit together very well in the overall scheme of the songs. The lyrics, as to be expected, ride a political edge, with a message of anti-media and other 'liberal' ideas (not critisicm).

For the most part this is a solid album, there are a few songs that stand above the rest, when I listen to it, but nothing really gets lost. "No Sympathy For A Sinking Ship", "The Shape of Punk That Never Came", "Filmed In Front Of A Live Studio Audience" and the album closer "Say Goodbye to General Figment of the USS Imagination", which ends with a really great jazzy sounding piece, are the standouts on the album. I think these albums stand above the rest because they are the songs that really stick out, they don't sound like anything else on the album.

Overall this is a really great debut, and while the band hardly needs promotion after the MySpace explosion they saw when they first released this album, I think anyone who is a fan of loud music should check it out. They have a 7" coming out on Deathwish Inc. later this year, and I am very excited for it.

United Naitons on Myspace
Eyeball Records
United Nations : Eyeball Records Webstore
Amazon

The Banner - Frailty

2008-10-05T21:29:00.001-05:00

Here is a band that I had never listened to before about a month or two ago. I admit I had wrote them off for being on Ferret Records which I had long ago wrote off as a label more interested in the next big thing than promoting sincere, quality bands (although I always have and always will love Every Time I Die). I became interested in this band after seeing them being related to or friendly with a lot of other bands that I tend to enjoy.

To somewhat ease my guilt of supporting Ferret Records, The Banner is a Holy Terror artist. Holy Terror is a collective of awesome artists such as Living Hell, Integrity, Rot In Hell, Ringworm and a slew of other awesome artists.

That brings us to 'Frailty'. First off, this album is one of the heaviest releases of the year in my opinion. Every piece of music on this album just sounds absolutely crushing. The guitars are very down tuned (this is apparently a new change for them), the drums are powerful, and the mix is an audio onslaught that I can't just help but love. The band hasn't quite graduated from genre canon breakdowns, but they don't sound played out in this release, they are probably one of the few bands left in this genre that these don't sound boring and it just keeps this already heavy album even heavier.

Secondly, as one could imagine seeing the association to Holy Terror and that collective, this is an evil sounding album. The riffs just ooze a feeling of horror. The lyrics are unrelentingly dark, bouncing between just plain stupid, to some really awesome collections of words and ideas. To be straight, this is a metalcore album, but it is a breed of metalcore that I think many fans of hardcore can easily get into. It's metal tinged hardcore if anything, and it is a powerful album.

It all works together as a whole, there are no cringe worthy tracks or any reasons to skip around, save perhaps for the little too long noise intro to "The Wolf" after the excellent "Welcome Fuckers" opening track (a dischordant folk guitar track that sets the mood of the album). 'Frailty' is an epic that delves deep into the dark side that everyone has in themselves, and I find it hard not to get pumped up every time I listen to this album.

The Banner have crafted one of the heaviest, most solid albums of 2008 in 'Frailty' and I encourage anyone who may have an interest in this style of music to check them out.

The Banner on MySpace
Ferret Records
The Banner : Ferret Records Webstore
Amazon

Narrows - Self-Titled 7"

2008-10-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

Narrows is a band that any person who knows much about the hardcore scene can find a reason to be excited about. It is a hardcore supergroup composed of people from bands that are highly respected in the hardcore and metal scenes. Dave Verellen of Botch fame on vocals, Rob Moran of Unbroken and Some Girls, and Ryan Frederiksen from These Arms Are Snakes. These men are joined by Jodie Cox and Sam Stothers to round out the lineup.

It is easy to see why this band has gotten quite a bit of hype in their reletivly short existence. If you're familiar with the above mentioned bands, you can surely form a mental idea of what this EP might sound like.

The first observation I can make about this disc is that there is an overwhelming Botch resemblence. Overwhelming might be the wrong word because it sounds negative, it's not really. Verellen's vocals certainly grab someone who is familiar with Botch, and a lot of the chaotic guitars certainly don't fight that, but Narrows is not Botch II. There is very little in the way of crazy time signatures, and constant barages of dischordant riffing in this music, it is hardcore with a smattering of Botch chaos and Some Girls noise. It is a nice step in a different direction than what a lot of bands are putting out right now.

I really like it. It is only three songs long, but it definitely has me eager to see what will come with their full-length later this year on Deathwish Inc. I really suggest that if you like any of the projects that the members of this band were involved with in the past, that you check out this band. Or if you're just looking for something new or different to add to your music collection.

Narrows on MySpace
Deathwish Inc.
Narrows @ Deathwish Inc. estore
Amazon

Weekly Roundup

2008-10-03T12:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a bunch of news snippets from recent music news. (This will become more fleshed out once I get a better idea of how I want to do it.)

Recording Notes
- The Hope Conspiracy is recording a new EP with Kurt Ballou @ God City Studios [link]
- Rise and Fall will enter God City Studios early in 2009 to record a new album [link]
- Poison The Well has announced 3 7" releases to preceed their new album in 2009 [link]

Tours
- Crime In Stereo will tour the west with Polar Bear Club in October [dates]
- This Is Hell will tour the US with Four Year Strong, I Am The Avalanche and A Loss For Words [dates]
- Energy will tour the US in October before hopping on tour with H20 and Bane in November [dates]
- Trash Talk and Alpha&Omega will be touring in Oct. and Nov. [dates]

Releases
- Crime In Stereo - Selective Wreckage [buy]
- Energy - Invasions of the Mind [buy]
- Ruiner - I Heard These Dudes Are Assholes [buy]
- Terror - Forever Crossing The Line [buy]

Upcoming Releases
- Trap Them - Seizures [pre-order]
- Carparthian - Isolation [pre-order]
- Between The Buried and Me - Colors_Live DVD/CD [pre-order]

As I said, this will be more organized and encompassing as I get better at this.

I Rise - For Redemption

2008-10-02T13:51:00.000-05:00

I Rise is one of the most exciting young bands in hardcore right now. Coming from the hardcore breeding ground of Massachusetts, I Rise is a name that is quickly becoming recognizable to a lot more people in the hardcore scene. They have been touring their debut EP "Down" off 1917 Records non-stop since 2007 and have gained notoriety for their thoughtful lyrics and unique sound in modern hardcore. I Rise has a lot less in common with bands like Reign Supreme and Trash Talk, but a sound that harkens back to bands like 108 and even Rage Against The Machine.

The first time I saw I Rise was at a show in Nashville, Tennessee at an awesome venue called The Muse as a part of a 3 day bonanza of awesome shows that might have well been a festival. Some friends and I had driven the 9 hours down to Nashville for the first of those shows which was headlined by Have Heart and Down To Nothing and I Rise was hidden right in the middle of that 8 or 9 band lineup that night, and were an awesome surprise. That night I picked up "Down" at their merch table and have been a fan ever since.

So now, months after that, the debut LP "For Redemption" has arrived and it is a great album.

Immedietly someone familiar with the band can tell that it is I Rise, but at the same time it is evident that they have taken the effort to write a new record and not "Down" with more tracks. They are not trying to re-imagine the band, but they are just making a stand alone record. The lyrics are still fantastic, and the music is a little harder hitting and at the sametime there is a little more variety in this offering.

There are a few standout tracks on the album, "Status Call", "The Door" and "See No Evil" (feat. Aaron Bedard of Bane fame) come to mind immedietly. That is not to say the rest of the album is a slouch however, because that is simply not true. If I Rise haven't crafted one of the best albums of the year, they have at least crafted the most solid. In my hours and hours of listening to this album, I have yet to skip a track because I was bored of it, and I think that is proof enough for that assertion.

Do yourself a favor and check out I Rise on 1917 Records. One of my most favorite albums of 2008 so far.

I Rise on MySpace
1917 Records
I Rise : 1917 Webstore
Amazon

Welcome!

2008-10-02T13:42:00.001-05:00

This is the beginning of hopefully something that I can keep going consistently. This is Noise Blog, where I'll cover interesting events going on in the arena of aggressive, loud music. A non-elitest look at what's going on in the music scene today, and a place to hopefully discover new bands or learn more about bands you may already be a fan of.

I am going to try posting daily in this, we'll see how long that lasts, but I hope to keep it regularly updated.

Find out more about ME through my other various social networking claims.
http://myspace.com/theepicoftyler
http://twitter.com/threexs
http://tylerjacobs.deviantart.com