Artifex Pereo - Time In Place

Artifex Pereo - Time In Place

 

There's a reason I love going to shows. You never know when the opening band is going to blow you away. This is exactly what happened with Artifex Pereo. I recently went to see Norma Jean and Emery touring with Night Verses and Artifex Pereo, the latter I had no prior knowledge of at all. When I heard them I was just completely caught off guard. Anyone who wants to claim the post-hardcore scene is dead or no longer interesting needs to take a listen and shut up. Artifex Pereo are doing their own thing and shaking things up.

Sounding somewhere between Chiodos and Tubring, the band blends smooth vocals with hard rifts, unique time signatures, and truly various styles, even within a single song. Very few bands can mix in electronics and keyboards that actually accentuate the rest of the sounds without falling into the background or over powering everything, but they nailed it. 

This album runs at it's own pace. Most of the songs are fairly mellow with the occasional aggressive vocal growl or hard hitting break down. The juxtaposition of the mellow and the aggressive keeps every sounding unique. You never quite know where they're going with their sound next. Lyrically they keep it abstract, everything is belted out with ferocity rarely seen in a band. The album will keep you coming back looking for additional layers in their sound.

This album is pretty awesome as a whole. Overall it's fairly mellow, yet never boring. Surprises around every corner, maybe something you missed the first time around. I'd recommend to anyone with any interest in progressive music and post-hardcore in particular. As a band I highly suggest seeing them if you can, they put on an amazing show with a ton of energy.

Joel Cossette - Songs About Anxiety. And Stuff

Joel Cossette - Songs About Anxiety. And Stuff

This review is going to be a bit selfish, a bit personal, and a bit cathartic. I'm going to bet pretty much all of you reading this have no idea who this person is. Joel Cossette is a young Canadian singer/song writer, originally with a band called High Hopes, he's been on his own for a while now. Honestly I can't remember how I discovered his music but I'm so glad I have. Earnest, raw, and emotional lyrics being belted out by an amazing voice, it speaks to me.

That's why I said that this is personal for me. I connect on an emotional level to the lyrics. Talking about feelings of inadequacies, social anxiety, and just emotions that can be utterly overwhelming to deal with. It's rare for me personally to connect like this to lyrics in a song. I might identify with a line or theme but never an entire song or album. It makes this EP have a much larger impact. I really believe these are things we all deal with, some more than others, but are afraid to talk about. Joel puts it out there in the open for all to see.

While It's mostly slower music, songs like F**ck You Loneliness definitely have a ton of energy. Same with the closing song Melancholia which channels another brilliant song writer Bright Eyes aka Conor Oberst, whether intentional or not. Deep and insightful the lyrics take the front stage, but also his voice has an amazing range and easily implants the emotions the lyrics convey. 

Like I said I'm sure not many if any at all know who Joel Cossette is, but you should. People like this making identifiable, raw, and earnest music, need all the support they can get. Whether it's with a band or solo, here's hoping we hear a lot more of this amazing song writer. 

Stream the EP https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plWT6k_5NxM&feature=youtu.be

Buy it on iTunes

Two Tongues - Two Tongues

Two Tongues - Two Tongues

So what happens when you take two of the biggest bands of the 2000's emo/indie rock scene and throw them in one band? Glorious magic, that's what. Two Tongues is the side project and collaboration between Saves The Day and Say Anything, two giants in their own right. Taking front man Max Bemis and Chris Conley combining vocal efforts and guitar work, bassist Dave Soloway, and drummer Coby Linder, into basically a super group, Two Tongues debut album is everything fans would expect and more.

When you do combine such talent and such big names like Conley and Bemis it's easy to imagine that one would over power the over or that they would both pull away from each other, trying to be the larger voice. However this is the furthest from the truth, both compliment each other perfectly in every way. On it's own I tend to find Conley's voice, in this era in particular, to high and whiny, it annoys after a while. In this album Bemis's voice seems to underline the high notes of Conley coming off as one cohesive sound. They really come off feeling like almost one person with just two different voices.

In terms of sound the album does go back and forth between sounding musically more like Say Anything and like Saves The Day. Songs like Crawl and Tremors would be right at home on a Say Anything album while songs like Wowee Zowee and Don't You Want To Come Home are more fitting of Saves The Day. There's also some interesting songs in particular the song Alice which songs more like a hard rock song out of the 90's in a good way. It's nice to see some experimentation to break away from either one their existing bands.

Rounding out the album are a few songs that sound like a perfect mesh between the two bands. Since this is a first effort the musical style is to be expected. The follow up, which has been in the works for years now, should show a more cohesive meshing of each style. The last two songs on the album have each front man covering the other. Interesting fact, this is not the first time Max Bemis has covered Saves The Day, the first being the song being Jessie And My Whetstone. Bemis does his take on the song Third Engine and Conley takes on Every Man Has His Molly. It's cool to hear it, but to me both fall a bit flat. Third Engine loses a bit of it's potency and Every Man Has His Molly goes from being an acerbic and sarcastic slight against a former lover to being more of a whining lament. 

This is huge album brimming with talent. It combines two huge bands into a blender and what comes out is a delicious smoothy of sound. Even when you ignore where the members come from this is still a solid album for the genre. The songs all work so well together, they're all catchy as hell. The lyrics are easy to relate to. Poppy and pulsing this album is proof that super groups can work and work well. Anyone with interest in either band or fans of the genre should pick this up without hesitation.

Say Anything - Say Anything

Say Anything - Say Anything

I'll always consider this a new era for Say Anything. The first album and EPs were Max Bemis going through high school and college and dealing with everything that comes with it, cliques, adolescent romances, the feelings of being an outcast. The next 2 albums ...Is A Real Boy and In Defense Of The Genre were where he was really finding himself as a song writer and as a person, dealing with anxiety, drug use, promiscuity, and self loathing. This album is a departure from that which is definitely polarizing. Off the drugs, doing much better in life, and in love, this album is no where near the neurotic mess the last two albums were (mean that in a good way) and instead a lot smoother and more polished. Some people who latched on to the rough edges of the previous albums will find this disheartening and probably not even give this album a chance. While it is not as rough as before it's still full of all the angst, brilliant lyrics, and catharsis that makes Say Anything so great.

Less Cute is probably one of the most creative songs Say Anything has ever written, musically it goes back and forth between a big band style and a more traditional indie-rock style. Lyrically it's flawless, telling the tale from the perspective of a female who's been shunned by a lover and now is settling with someone else. We've all been there, and it's interesting to hear Max step outside of himself. Hate Everyone is a more traditional Say Anything song, taking a great rock sound with lyrics telling basically an entire life, pure poetry. Mara And Me is this album's Admit It! taking on fake people everywhere. No one is safe, not even Max himself as he puts it "I can't write the same damn song over and over again". That line sums up this album to me, it's not like anything before because if you just write the same songs over it becomes boring and fall out of relevance.

This album does feature some of the 'poppyiest' songs Say Anything has ever written. Particularly the song Crush'd which was clearly written as a way to proclaim his love for his now wife Sherri. It's a decent song, really but comes off even more sappy than Shiksa (Girlfriend) was. It's a cute song really but it just feels a little out of place for the band. The song Cemetery is another one clearly written for her. I don't mean that in a bad way really, it's probably one of my favorite songs, it's just a little out of place from what we've come to expect from Say Anything.

I wish people, especially older Say Anything fans would be more willing to give this album a chance. Once you get past the poppy love songs and get over the more polished production, it's still Say Anything underneath. Death For My Birthday is probably the darkest and most depressing songs they've ever done. It's still full of self loathing and angst just in a less chaotic and coarse package. It's definitely more accessible as an album to really fans of pop, pop punk, emo, indie rock, etc. It signifies a new era for the band that should be celebrated.

Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown

Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown

 

Party-core? Southern math-core? Total Chaos? What genre do these guys even belong to? Every Time I Die have been around forever it seems at this point and really defy any real classification, unless you're one of those people that calls anything with drums and guitar rock, or anything with screaming metal. They follow no rules and refuse to conform to anything identifiable, resulting in a sound that is unlike anything else in the music industry.

From Parts Unknown is the 7th studio album from the Buffalo based band. Coming two years after the superb Ex-Lives. This is probably one of their heaviest albums in terms of sound. The opening song The Great Secret is an auditory barrage, starting with just a few chords you don't know what to expect. It explodes into just all out chaos. In the chaos there is melody, there is harmony, and there is a great song. Which is pretty accurate for the rest of the album and the band as a whole. On the surface it sounds like just a lot of screaming and fast drumming. However in it all there is a rhythm and reason. 

As heavy as this album is overall, everything still has an upbeat feel. It feels like this is something you'd play at a house party. It's extremely hard to keep still while listening, just watch as your head starts nodding or foot starts tapping. There's also a lot of experimenting on this album. Particularly evident in the song Moor which starts out with an off key piano piece, while Keith Buckley pushes out haunting vocals, opening up into a emotional outburst. It's interesting and sounds awesome once you get past the weirdness of it.

Every Time I Die is one of those bands that you really just need to dive into. What you get on the surface is not all they have to offer. There's beauty in the chaos if you're willing to actually try. After 7 albums and 13 years ETID shows no signs of letting up or stopping. This album is everything you've come to expect from the band and more.

Rise Against - Black Market

Rise Against - Black Market

 

Rise Against have been in the game for quite sometime now. They really gained popularity with their third album Siren Songs Of The Counter Culture which managed to blend enough melodic hardcore and anti cred with catchy lyrics and a more mainstream sound to appeal to both the hardcore/punk crowd and the more radio friendly audiences. Their next couple albums managed to stay just this side of punk without truly crossing over into pop. Their last album, Endgame, however felt like it was produced for the pop/power rock radio crowd. It wasn't bad, it just felt a but pre-packaged and flat. 

That continues with this album. It still has some punch to it, songs like The Eco-Terrorist In Me definitely channel the older more aggressive sound that they started with. However most songs simply sound like they were written for radio plays or as rock arena ballads. The slower pace and more generic sound doesn't really work with the anti-government/poverty/oppression lyrics. They come off as a bit cheesy and out of place. The sound will work for some surely. It's catchy as hell and there are plenty of good songs but it just seems weak for them.

This album is going to appeal to a lot of people, I'm sure there are Rise Against fans who will like it. It appeals to those who were more drawn to their melodic side. For others this is probably going to confirm they 'sold out'. For me Black Market is listenable but it's not memorable. Much like the last album it's just a bit weak.

Whitechapel - Our Endless War

Whitechapel - Our Endless War

Whitechapel has evolved their sound over the course of their 8 year, 5 album history. Starting off as a pure deathcore band with a fairly simple sound and lyrics that appealed to kids who wanted to seem edgy and shocking, they had been pushing towards a more deathmetal sound with each subsequent album. Abandoning cheap lyric gimmicks and writing truly dark verses dripping with metaphors about corruption and violence with a more thought out sound. Their last album, the self titled album seemed to try and wipe the slate clean, incorporating the so called 'djent' sound that has been popularized in the metal scene lately. Lyrically it came off a bit weak, verses were a lot more straight forward with some cringe worthy lines. Despite it's flaws it was still aggressive and dark with a versatile sound. It was still certainly a good album that just strayed a bit far for some fans.

Our Endless War is a different story. It manages to progress their sound, even more towards pure deathmetal and less core, while still dripping with the aggressive, raw, and violent sound and lyrics that made their first albums so great. The song Mono sounds like it could easily have been on Somatic Defilement while songs like Worship The Digital Age and Fall Of The Hypocrites would have right at home on This Is Exile or A New Era Of Corruption. There's also a lot more experimentation on this album. The first two songs in particular feature good old Whitechapel sound mix with some grooves that just meld so well.

The guitar work on this album is a step above what we've heard from the band thus far. More complicated riffs and grooves. Seems less constricted to a single sound. As always frontman Phil Bozeman has one of the best voices in the industry. For lack of a better word his vocal delivery is and always has been brutal. I mean that in the sense of it's almost an auditory assault in the best possible way. Managing to spit fire and change in a heart beat from highs to almost scary lows, it's ust impressive how he can even do it. If his voice was a person I wouldn't want to encounter it in a dark ally.

If this album falls flat anywhere it's in the lyrics. The same issue that plagued that last album continues although to a much lesser degree. What made their first 3 albums so memorable were the deep lyrics. Seemingly shallow on the outside, the meanings were buried deep in metaphor. It's what set them apart from so many other bands in the genre. Here most of the lyrics are just so straight forward, no story, no hidden meaning. On top of that some of the lyrics are just so cringe worthy and sound like they were written by a band in high school just starting out. For all the progress this band has made in it's sound, this is one area they seem to have devolved in. There are some shining moments however so their skill is still definitely there, it just seems to be held back.

If you're one of the fans who dropped off with their last album with not being aggressive enough or Whitechapel enough you should be giving this a chance, you'll be in love again. For metal heads who have written this band off as some deathcore, scene, weak try-hard, check this album out, they really have matured in their song writing, they haven't quite crossed that line between metal and core but they're right on it. If you're not really into deathmetal or core I can't quite recommend it. It's not going to shatter any boundaries. Personally I love it, it's become one of my favorite albums by them and I sincerely hope it's a sign of their future work.

Say Anything - Hebrews

Say Anything - Hebrews

 

I'll start this review by getting the obvious things out of the way. First I'm sure by know unless you really don't follow the band, that there are no guitars on the album. Second this is not ...Is A Real Boy. If you were expecting a return to that sound or part of the crowd that refuses to accept anything else, then may as well stop reading now, your mind is already made up. In fact this albums lyrics are definitely inspired by your close mindedness. This album is a departure in sound and yet feels oddly familiar, especially if you've followed the band or have at least embraced the early years.

Also let me get the negatives out the way. This album features a ton of guest vocals from various sources and genres ranging from Every Time I Die's Keith Buckley to Tom Delonge from Blink-182. It's bursting with talent, but it almost goes to waste. The parts are poorly implemented and almost feel like an after thought. Almost every one comes at the end of the song their featured on. Which gets me to my next issue. It's too formulaic. I really hate to bring up the comparison but what made ...Is A Real Boy such a master piece was the chaotic nature in the song structure. Most of the song weren't just straight forward intro-verse-chorus-verse-outro. Mind you it was a drug fueled chaos and I'm glad he's remained clean, the songs in general come off too clean or poppy which was an issue the last album had. However that's really only in the structure and it's not every song. That wraps it up for my negatives.

Buy this album, listen to this album, love this album. This is Say Anything (To be fair at this point mostly Max Bemis, though to be even fairer it started that way and really has always been) at their best. Some of the best lyrics Max Bemis has ever committed to paper. Full of angst and self loathing, he is a wordsmith unlike anyone else in the genre. This album in particular is like a journey into Max's life. It takes you through his daughter's pregnancy and you can feel what he went through writing this album. In interviews this is something he did state, but I wrote it off because most of the time when musicians try and do that they either end up too subtle or it because so obvious like a brick to the face. This album manages to straddle that line eloquently. You can just feel what he was feeling. You feel anger, you feel fear, you feel hope, you feel joy. As a whole this album is a journey into this period of his life and it comes off stronger because of that.

The instrumentals are catchy and fairly impressive. You won't be thinking about the lack of a guitar or lamenting it's absence. It's going to be interesting live to see how it's pulled off. A lot people forget early Say Anything was pretty guitar light and heavy on the synths and drums. The melodies created will stay in your head, they're just this side of poppy to make them work with the angsty lyrics. Compared to Anarchy My Dear the lyrics feel less forced. It doesn't feel like he's trying to regain the crowd that left after IARB, they come off as earnestly scathing.

This album isn't ...Is A Real Boy. I hate that I have to say that, but it needs to be said. This isn't what you're used to, it's a progression of the Say Anything sound for the better. It feels fresh and yet it feels safe. There is no other band like them out there and they've gone and proven that again. Max Bemis is a master lyricist and only gotten better with time. If you can set aside your expectations of what a Say Anything album sounds like it's highly enjoyable. I recommend it to fans of the band highly, any genre fans sound take a listen if not for the guest vocals.

Bayside - Cult

Bayside - Cult

Long Island rockers Bayside last graced us with their presence with 2011's Killing Time. Personally I felt like it was their best work since The Walking Wounded. It featured a largely diverse rang of sound from the band while maintaining their core style of emotional punk infused hard rock. The band follows up that masterpiece with Cult. Can this album reach the same heights as the previous album?

Cult starts off with a fairly heavy anthem titled Big Cheese. Starting with a pounding drum beat it unfolds into a hardrock/punk anthem. It's fairly dark and scathing full on internal angst that are conveyed perfectly through the powerful and dynamic voice of frontman Anthony Raneri. The middle features a nice guitar solo and a chant of the album's title. As an opening song it's almost perfect. The rest of the album fails to build on this however. Musically it's generally more lighthearted and softer. Songs like You're No Match, while lyrically harsh and scornful the music is more befitting a ballad. Pigsty, which was the first single they released, shows a more cohesive sound. Pulling elements of punk, rock, emo, and indie all into one. It's Bayside at their best. 

While probably not as dark or heavy as most fans have wanted this is still a decent album. The production is some of the best so far. As expected almost all the songs are catchy as hell and will stay stuck in your head for a long time after you've finished listening. It's only downfall is really it's inconsistency and the clash between lyrical style and music. Songs like Stuttering and Bear With Me really help keep this album going.

When all is said and done, this album is pure Bayside. Deep, emotional, scorching, lyrics mixed with a diverse selection of style of music pulling elements from almost every genre of rock. It's catchy and most of the lines are sure to stay with you. It's a must listen to any Bayside fan and a good listen for any fans of the emotional rock genre. It's a solid rock album that shows the band hasn't quite thrown in the towel yet (they've been going on 14 years now) and that they're going to continue to rock us.

Architects - Lost Forever // Lost Together

Architects - Lost Forever // Lost Together

It seems like Architects (UK) hit a high point with 2009's Hollow Crown. It mixed mathmetal with a more melodic side of metalcore. It was intense, the opening track alone was enough to damage some eardrums in a good way and at the same time it was progressive and different from the rest of the metalcore scene. Lyrically it was fairly deep and thought provoking, stylistically it was diverse and technical. Their next album The Here And Now slowed things down and felt a bit weaker because of it. Their last album Daybreaker they tried to bring back the technical prowess of Hollow Crown and it was harder, more core than metal, but a lot of the songs blurred together and just didn't stick. Not that either were bad albums, they were different styles for the band and were alright just they didn't reach the same heights as Hollow Crown. 

With this album they may have actually nailed it again. It's not as in your face with it's intensity but it's a return to their much heavier technical sound. The opening song Grave Digger kicks things off with some deep lyrics and some technically impressive breakdowns. This is one of their most diverse and poignant albums thus far. Lyrically it's the best I've heard from them, it's more existential than what most other bands are putting out there. They certainly haven't fallen into the trend of generic and shallow lyrics that could be interchanged between bands. 

If there's anything wrong with this album it's that it leans a bit too heavy on the breakdowns. While most of the technical guitar work helps offset the breakdowns, at times it can be a bit overwhelming. It's one thing that holds this album back reaching greatness. While the guitar work and drumming are more progressive and intricate than the last two albums the over use of breakdowns over shadows it at times. Another weakness is the over use of a genre 'staple' of the expression "Blegh". While that expression especially in hardcore/metalcore can be used to accentuate a breakdown of heavy part, they use it on almost every single song. It really just feels misplaced and over used at most times.

The good thing is that all this album has to offer over powers it's shortcomings. It may not be as technical and heavy as Hollow Crown but it certainly comes close. I would even say it exceeds it in a lot of ways. It's a much more accessible album without being too shallow. It's a must listen to for any Architects fan and especially for anyone looking for something with a bit more class and style than your typical metalcore release.

Shores - Life/Lost

Shores - Life/Lost

Life/Lost is the second EP from hard working band Shores. It's a lot heavier than their first release and a lot more polished up. I've been a fan of Shores ever since I first heard them. They were recommended to me by a good friend and I haven't found a reason to stop listening. Their second EP certainly doesn't do anything to change that.  Everything is taken up to 11 on this album although it does give in a bit more to some of the pitfalls of the metalcore genre.

First let's get what I didn't like about this album out of the way. A lot of the songs give into the stale tropes of the metalcore genre and border on what I like to call breakdowncore. It makes a lot of the songs blend into one. It also has the adverse effect of making the EP seem shorter than it is at times. While this album features much better mixing and production than the first EP some of the cuts and transitions are still a little jarring and rough. That's it, that's all I have to say about this album that's of a negative nature.

While some of the songs do trend into that pitfall of being too overzealous with the use of breakdowns, most of the songs skip past it. The clean vocals and clean guitars are not as prominent as they were before but they stand out even more.  The guitar riffs go from groovy to face-meltingly intense in a heartbeat. Even when the songs hit parts that may sound a bit generic they still will be stuck in your head. This is most apparent on my favorite song Shapeshifter. I had the pleasure of hearing a rough demo a few months ago and I didn't think it could be improved but somehow they managed it. The clean vocals on this track stand out amongst how simply brutal and assaulting it is. It also features some of the best lyrics on the EP. Speaking lyrically there's nothing here that could be called poetic but the lyrics and themes are certainly deep enough to satisfy. I definitely have some favorite lines from some of the tracks already.

Since I started listening to them about a year ago, I've held Shores in high regards. This EP did not let me down. It only ups the intensity of the first EP and improves on solid ground. It would still be nice to see them incorporate a bit more clean guitar and vocals and to explore more styles to be a bit more progressive. As they stand though they really do rise above with enough heavy for the metal fans, enough grooves and chants for the hardcore fans, and enough style for everyone else. It won't win over anyone not already interested in the genre but to anyone who is, this is some of the best new music out there.

AFI - Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes

AFI - Shut Your Mouth And Open Your Eyes

AFI have taken an entirely different approach to this album from their first two releases. While Very Proud Of Ya and Answer That And Stay Fashionable were generally lighthearted melodic punk albums, harmless, and airing on the side of generic, this album blends the melodic elements with a much more aggressive style of music and darker lyrics. While some of the themes are the lighthearted real world issues (like fame and friendships) there's a lot of exploration into more existential and romanticized themes. 

This album is definitely a hardcore punk album through and through. While it's solid all around it's a bit too over zealous it's aggression. It comes at you quickly and feels like it's over too soon. That said there are plenty of standout songs. In particular the song A Single Second which features Nick 13 from Psychobilly band Tiger Army. They did an amazing job covering the song Today's Lesson as well although Davey Havok cracking vocals sometimes take away from it. The song The Devil Loves You is pure and raw rage, it's intense in a good way. They also explore a bit outside the punk genre with some grooves and riffs.

It's a solid addition to the AFI discography altogether, but nothing to really draw in anyone who isn't already a fan. Fans of pure hardcore may find it a little lacking and juvenile, melodic punk fans will miss the melodies and choruses of the past. It's worth a listen either way and it does grow on you.

New Song From Shores

New Song From Shores

Hardcore/Metalcore act Shores have just released a new song off their upcoming EP LIFE/LOST titled Devoured ( I Am Consumed). This is the third track I've heard from this EP (unless Repetitions is going to be on it) and they just keep staying amazing. Coming from their last EP this song is especially heavier. It's also polished a lot better and sounds smoother. While the beginning comes off a bit rough and sounds a bit generic the song opens up into something more progressive and smoother. The guitar work on this especially stands out switching from heavy chords to a smooth almost classical style. Vocally this songs lacks any kind of soft mellow vocals we've seen in other songs from them but it's not a bad thing. The song just keeps on going like a Juggernaut. I've literally had this on repeat all day.

I know I talk a lot about this band but it's for a good reason. I really think they are talented and managed to set themselves apart from the over saturated metalcore genre with a more progressive and interesting sound. From what I've heard from this EP it's poised to leave a mark on the scene as a whole. I'm really hoping to see them gain more popularity in the states because they really deserve it over these bands that all seem like they're actually trying to sound the same as each other. So give them a listen and tell me what you think.

AFI - Black Sails In The Sunset

AFI - Black Sails In The Sunset

The fourth full length album from California punk rock group band AFI, Black Sails In The Sunset sees the band taking everything they've been building up to with previous works and makes improvements to their sound. AFI has gotten progressively heavier with their sound, while their first two albums were more melodic punk and generally poppy and upbeat in sound, the last album brought a more hardcore sound into the mix. Black Sails continues down that path while also adding a darker tone and more atmosphere than before. This album further distances itself from AFI's previous works by slowing things done a lot and adding more melodic elements and harmonies. There's even a few songs that break into ballad territory, especially the closer God Called In Sick Today. It's a different approach and it shows a much more diverse and mature side of the band.

While overall things have are handled more methodically with a slower pace, that doesn't mean this is a slow or sludgy album. The second song, Porphyria (a reference to a skin condition that classic vampires are based on) is extremely fast paced and hard hitting. It's demonstrates the transition from the previous album well. Songs like No Poetic Device and Weathered Tome have a more upbeat tempo while still being heavier songs. Show a nice blend of the old and new.

Vocally this album is a lot more diverse than before. The melodic parts are much less grating than before and actually sound smooth. Demonstrated especially well on the last song the soft vocals have gone through a significant improvement. However the transitioning from soft vocals to growling comes off a bit rough and jarring. There's really room for more improvement there, but it's nice to the hear the growth. Everything in this album is an improvement over previous work and considering it features a brand new guitarist there's certainly time for the group to grow even further and improve on the foundation laid down with this album.

 Whenever you ask an AFI fan what their favorite album is the answer always depends on when they really got into AFI. Ask someone who started listening to them after they hit the radios and made it big and you generally find the answer is Sing The Sorrow, but ask an older fan and the general consensus is Black Sails In The Sunset. As I've already mentioned personally my favorite and what I think is there best work is The Art of Drowning. Black Sails is a great album but feels more like a transitional album. It's the first album featuring the current lineup and the style gets a bit darker.It shows a ton of improvement on every front and certainly lays the ground work for what's to come. It's a must listen for any AFI fan, punk/horror punk fan, and any hard rock or post hardcore fan. However if you're looking to get into AFI I wouldn't start with this album. Listen to the others first and it'll make you appreciate this album so much more.

AFI - The Art Of Drowning

AFI - The Art Of Drowning

So imagine if time didn't exist and everything was happening all at once. Imagine Edgar A. Poe meeting up with Danzig from The Misfits and deciding to form a band with Tim Burton. It would sound a lot like The Art Of Drowning. AFI's previous work Black Sails In The Sunset demonstrated a much deeper, more poetic, darker, and methodical approach to hardcore punk. Bringing in Gothic elements and a slower paced moody sound to their already established no-holds-barred hardcore, the album was a high point in their career. This album takes it even further, fully embracing the horror elements and much slower pace explored in Black Sails.

Almost every element of this album is AFI at their best. The lyrics are poetic, dark, and haunting. Edgar Poe would have been proud. Full of macabre imagery and elements out of classic horror novels, it's sure to paint a vivid picture inside your mind. Stories of loss, lament, vampires, cold winters, are delivery by Davey Havok so elegantly. He has a true talent for conveying the lyrics through his vocals. Not to mention he excels at swinging from bellowing moans to low growls to high notes, this is a range hinted at but never fully realized in previous albums.

Jade Puget's guitar work is the perfect compliment to Davey's voice. They even come off just as vividly and will stick in your mind long after the songs have finished. From mellow stretched out guitar whines to fast pulsing pure punk rifts the diversity is to be commended on this album. Finishing off this gloomy picture of sound are driven bass lines courtesy of Hunter and widely varied drum beats from Adam. The song structure has also been improved over previous works. Nothing is really straight forward about how any of the songs develop. You never know what to expect next and it's really a never ending wonder.

This is an album that will get into your head and stay there. Deep, dark, poetic lyrics will paint a picture in your mind while the intense instrumentals will help bring that image to life. It really is a diverse album, not only within the confines of the genre but in general. Ranging from brief, rough, hardcore hits that strike fast and leave your brain wondering what happened, to haunting, mellow, ballads that will have you stirring with emotion. It's a culmination of everything AFI has been working to up until this point. It could use an extra layer of polish and at times is a bit rough but that ends up being part of it's charm. Diverse, vivid, eerie, and memorable, AFI have reached the top of the pyramid with this album, it's a must listen for AFI fans, for punk fans, for horror fans, and for music fans in general.

AFI - Sing The Sorrow

AFI - Sing The Sorrow

Widely considered to be AFI's breakthrough album, Sing The Sorrow is a polarizing work amongst fans. It's the band's first release on a major label and some consider it to be a shift in sound and style compared to previous works. One thing is for sure, it is a landmark album for the band. AFI at this point has been honing their style of melodic hardcore punk mixed with elements of Gothic literature and horror. Their previous album, The Art Of Drowning, was the pinnacle of this sound and a real masterpiece for the band. This album still maintains that sound while adding a layer of sheen and polish that can either be seen as losing focus of their roots or improving on an established sound.

It really is a mixed bag when it comes to style and sound. A lot of the songs like The Great Disappointment and ...But Home Is Nowhere really put the horror style out in front with haunting, ethereal imagery, chilling guitar chords, and powerful vocals. They're the best examples of the style they had been honing with added production values. Then there's songs like Dancing Through Sunday, a pulsing fairly heavy song, with a more hard rock sound, with punk elements. It's an example of the band really branching out in terms of sound. Their first single Girl's Not Grey is another example of this new direction. Elements of punk manage to bleed through with a pumping drum beat and a chanting vocal refrain, lyrically the horror is definitely there. At the same time the production levels are much higher than anything previously, it's pure AFI but at same time extremely radio friendly.

This album does stumble a bit with some songs that feel like they were made to be singles or at least to fit more in with a wider audience at the expense of their established style. Songs like Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings) and Silver And Cold are songs that really wouldn't have felt out of place on a generic hard rock album, they feature so very little of their punk roots. These songs especially Silver And Cold, feel like they were purely written for the label to reach a broader range of listeners. Not really bad songs just out of place for AFI.

Ask anyone about this album and you'll generally hear two responses; either it's their best work or it's the point where they sold out. It really splits listeners and especially AFI fans into factions. Personally I feel neither is really true. It's not their best work, it's their most polished work, but there's a lot of missteps in terms of style. Some of the songs reach great heights and others fall flat. However it's not AFI selling out, at it's core it's still a pure AFI album through and through. Their talent and unique style really come through in the end. If anything it's a great place to start listening to the band, it's representative of their old horror punk sound as well as their more mellow current sound. Well worth a listen for anyone, it's still a great album.

AFI - December Underground

AFI - December Underground

 

AFI's last album Sing The Sorrow had managed to take the dark, Gothic (in the classical sense), aggressive, fusion of hardcore punk and horror rock, the band had perfected with The Art Of Drowning and polish it enough to make it market and radio friendly without losing any of the edge and bite. It truly broke the barriers and brought melodic hardcore into the mainstream. Not to say it's without it's flaws, some songs are really just singles, and at times it feels like they are simply trying to reach a larger audience. Overall however it features slick production values, amazing song writing, brilliant lyrics and vocals, and manages to enter new territory without compromising on style or substance.

December Underground takes the production to the next level adding an even further layer of polish and accessibility. Unfortunately this time around the sound suffers for it. The album is heavy on the electronics, chants, breakdowns, and light on substance. There's very few interesting moments on this album. It's mostly charmless and predictable, featuring easily some of the weakest lyrics on any AFI album. Some songs were clearly written to appease and attract the Hot Topic mall punk youth that Sing The Sorrow had managed to reach out to. Songs like Miss Murder are pure fluff, they may look deep from a certain perspective but on further inspection are shallower than a kiddie pool. Although to it's credit, it's an extremely awesome song to hear live. Kiss And Control is another weak song, it starts off interestingly enough but devolves into just screaming.

That's this albums biggest flaw really. So many of the songs start of interesting, they grab a hold of you and draw you in only to disappoint. Still that said there are some standouts on this album. Killing Lights feels like a song straight out of the 80's in a good way. The ending song Endlessly She Said is haunting and melodic but the screams feel unnecessary. Affliction is a hard hitting pulsing rock song which melts into a dramatic, epic, melodic mid section only to speed back to finish off, but it could really do without the screaming. 

That's the thing Davey Havok has always growled but he never really got into pure screaming territory. Sing The Sorrow had a little bit but it never felt forced or out of place. Here it just feels the screams are actually forced into the songs. As if while writing they sat down and said "Yeah this is good but it could be better if you screamed these lines" it just doesn't feel natural. It just feels like they looked a lot not only what other bands were doing but also at what the new fans were latching onto.

To compound that issue there's an over use of electronics and sampling on this album. AFI had experimented with the use of electronic synths and sounds in the previous two album, but it never over powered the songs. Here the use of electronics often feels out of place. Especially in songs like 37mm which sounds like it should have really been a Blaqk Audio song rather than on an AFI album. It's really not a terrible song it just feels so out of place. 

So is December Underground really a bad album? No, especially not when compared to what the rest of the mainstream 'punk' scene was shoveling out. While some of the lyrics were over the top, melodramatic, and just plain cheesy, some of it was extremely deep and poetic. Most of the songs featured great beginnings or captivating style, but failed to capitalize on it. It still ends up being a entertaining album that comes off weak by the high standards set by AFI's previous work. It's worth a listen being a fan of AFI or not, but I wouldn't recommend starting with it.

AFI - Crash Love

AFI - Crash Love

California punk rockers AFI have been around for roughly two decades now refusing to stay still. They've progressed and refined their sound as the years have gone by. Starting off with a purely punk sound with their first two album, adding in hardcore elements in their third, bringing in dark gothic themes with their next two and finally polishing that sound and style to a shine and packaging it in a more radio friendly package with their most widely known album Sing The Sorrow. 

Their last album December Underground saw them bringing in a lot more of the electronic elements and production they had only sprinkled in their last few albums. It ended up being over-saturated and over produced. Most of the songs ranged from earnest efforts, showing signs of something great, to a bit too much fluff and over the top. Sing The Sorrow featured a style they essentially pioneered, pulling heavily from bands like The Misfits and The Damned. December Underground saw that style take a backseat to cliched lyrics, screams, and production that pretty much every band was trying to emulate. It was AFI trying to copy AFI with Blaqk Audio doing the producing (Jade and Davey's electro-pop side project), it fell short of the lofty standards AFI had created for themselves. It was by no means a bad album, it just doesn't live up to their standards.

So it's 4 years later and AFI has delivered Crash Love. Take everything you thought you knew about how an AFI album should sound and throw it out the window. All the production, all the electronic work, all the dramatic guitar riffs, hardcore beats, growls and outward aggressiveness are stripped out. What we're left with is one of the most earnest, pure, ambitious outings AFI has ever done. Outwardly it's the most poppy, sappy, upbeat album they've made. Yet if you give a real listen and peel back the bright and shiny exterior, it's also one of the darkest albums they've ever written. Not in the same dramatic gothic way that Sing The Sorrow and The Art Of Drowning were dark, but in a much more subtle way. So subtle that it's very easy to miss it and over look it on a first pass. This is really an album you have to listen to more than just once. It's easy for older AFI fans to dismiss it simply because of the dramatic shift in sound and style. It's easy for newer listeners to pass it because of how safe it sounds and due to the lack of outward aggression. That's merely the surface of this album however. 

Musically it's a throw back to the 80's post punk movement. Channeling bands like The Smiths, the sound is really stripped down rock with elements of punk. Chanting choruses, slower bass lines, upbeat guitar riffs all find their home on this album. Davey Havok really shows his true vocal range on this album and his pure talent as a singer. Nothing sounds out of place or forced. He never really goes quite as high as he does on previous albums and never really goes into the growling nor screaming territory. Jade's guitar work really compliments his voice and vocal delivery, and Hunter's bass lines definitely push the songs along, ever if they aren't as pulsing or fast as before. Musically speaking it's easy to find yourself thinking this is just a love album, as the title would imply.

Lyrically is where the true nature of this album is reveled. This album is not a sappy love album, it's dark and truly depressing. Full of lament, loss, yearning, tragic love. It's Romeo and Juliet in musical  form. It's why at the end of the day AFI is the best at what they do. Few other lyricists can infuse so much emotion and imagery into 3 or 4 minutes as Davey Havok can. The song Beautiful Thieves for example is basically telling the story of two lovers who turn the establishment on its head and robbing them blind, yet never coming out and explicitly stating anything. It talks about embracing death and dieing while still looking good. Veronica Sawyer Smokes is probably my favorite song off this album, telling the story of unrequited love so eloquently. Sacrilege is probably the closest they come to 'classic' AFI aside from the opening Torch Song. It's basically a giant fuck you to religion and the aristocracy. It's extremely deep, brooding, and haunting. Lines like "Don't tell them you can walk on water or they might drink your blood" are acerbic and will stick with you.

Crash Love is an easy album to dismiss upon first listen. Stylistically and on the surface it ditches everything that AFI is known for. Removing the layers of production and theatrics to reveal the most passionate work this band has every released. Any fans of The Cure or The Smiths should feel right at home immediately. Anyone looking for a deeper and darker work of art need to give this a few listens to truly appreciate this album. It's basically like a bright colored cake filled with Oreo crumbs, rich dark chocolate ice cream, and cherries. Once you get past the bright seemingly inviting surface layer of frosting you end up with a rewarding mix of deep, decadent flavors that will leave you wanting more and welcoming all the chef/artist has put into this cake. If you skipped this album when it came out, check your expectations and prejudices at the door and give it another go, it will surprise you. Also now I want cake.

Akissforjersey - New Bodies

Akissforjersey - New Bodies

It's been 6 long years since we last heard from Akissforjersey, a Christian Post-Hardcore/Metalcore quintet. In the vein of bands of Emery, Inhale/Exhale, and Underoath they combine hard hitting metal riffs, hardcore beats with a mix of clean vocals and deep screams and growls. They've always been a great band, but have been a bit lost in the wave of similar bands that came out in the early 2000's. Their last album really saw them come into their own and find a cohesive sound that was all their own.

New Bodies continues this style with better production and truly a great return for a band on such a long hiatus. While a lot of bands now a days seem to be leaning heavily one way or the other when it comes to melodic harmonies and clean vocals and heavy riffs with growls, Akissforjersey blends the two together perfectly. Very few bands do it as well as them, one clear comparison would be to Underoath, their absence is easily filled by this band and this album, while still cutting their own way.

The album starts out with the heavy hitting 'War' which features chanting, growling, throw-away riffs, and some deep impressive lyrics about self struggles. Going from heavy into melodic and melting into heavy again, it's like a train gone off it's tracks, you never know where it's going but you know it's going to do some damage. It's a great opening song to introduce you to what the album is going to sound like. It's a theme for this album and this band, the sheer unpredictability. You never know when the chorus is going to break down into something the hits you like a ton of bricks, and then before you know it, it's back to another melodic chorus. That's a compliment, really. It's what keeps even the more generic sounding songs truly interesting. Lyrically this is definitely a Christian album. They don't try to hide it in the least, however it's never shoved in your face nor preachy. They approach their beliefs with tact and let it come through without over powering listeners of different faiths.

It this album has any weakness it's that a few of the songs do stray into the generic and predictable tropes of the metalcore genre. However for any moment or song that seems like a throw away there's songs like The Sound Of Revolution, which is basically pure hardcore punk through and through and almost has a Black Sails In The Sunset feel to it. Also tracks like Deatheater are just pure aggressive fun. The album could have finished a bit stronger, the last track Everything New, is a ballad that feels a bit out of place and stuck on. It would have been a bit better in the middle to break up the album (instead there's just a track of basically radio noise with some speaking) and change things up.

Often times it's hard for a band to come back from such a long time away. Listeners tastes change, the scene changes, you change as an artist, but Akissforjersey have done this perfectly. Probably their best album through and through it's hard, it's unpredictable, it's very well produced. For fans of this band any fears or doubts you may have are misplaced this is a must listen. If you've never heard them this is a perfect album to start with, especially if you're looking for something to fill the void left by the masters of the genre Underoath. Hopefully it won't take another 6 years to get another album from these guys, but at least if that's the case New Bodies can certainly hold us over.

Moving Brooklyn - Intervals

Moving Brooklyn - Intervals

Poised to break out with their debut EP, Moving Brooklyn have delivered something raw, biting, and unique on the scene of pop-punk. despite the name they are not actually from Brooklyn instead hailing from the small city of Milford instead. A small coastal city located on the shores of Connecticut. That small town vibe comes through. Songs dripping with angst and heartache that could only be created in suburbia.

While the band itself is relatively new, the members are mature veterans of the scene. It shows in the cohesiveness of the music. Not one beat, chord, or backing vocal sounds out of place. This is definitely the darker side of pop-punk. Deep powerful bass lines, scathing vocals delivered with the emotion of a poet scorned. This isn't an album about how cool partying and friends are. Comparisons can easily be drawn to the giants of the genre like New Found Glory.

This is an EP so it only contains a total of 6 songs, but it's enough to get you hooked. It starts off light the opening songs draws you in, as you go deeper into it the vocal delivery and supporting instrumentals just get better and better. Everything culminates in the darkest, deepest, most complex, most impressive song on the album. 'Good Thing I've Learned' is an impressive song. If you pick a song to start with I suggest starting there. I've literally had it on repeat for a good hour now while writing this.

Moving Brooklyn have certainly left their mark on music in a good way. This is the perfect way to start listening to them. EPs are a great way of giving you a taste of a band's style and getting you hook. Any fan of New Found Glory, Anberlin, or Taking Back Sunday, should really take a listen it's worth it.

Post-2013 Thoughts

Post-2013 Thoughts

Happy new year everyone! Just taking a look back at 2013 in terms of music and it's amazing, I don't think I've seen a year in my life quite like it. Certainly not since I started actually paying attention to music releases. It started off strong and ended strong. Of all the music I focus on there was no bad albums, even the disappointing ones were still good. Even the ones I might say weren't that great are only not that great in comparison to some of the best work any band has ever released. I said I wasn't going to do an Album of the Year for 2013 and that's simply because I can't. It's impossible for me to choose one album as the best. Heck even if I gave myself three or four choices I still couldn't do it. 2013 was just too good of a year for music. Here's looking forward to 2014 as hopefully another great year. It's already looking good with expected releases from Say Anything, Shores, Whitechapel, Chevelle, and Enter Shikari, just to name a few. I'll try to keep up with reviews, also I'm going to try and catch some releases I missed in 2012 and 2013, as well as I'm going to revisit and re-review some albums as well. 2013 was possibly one of the best years for music, here's to 2014 keeping the momentum.

Papertowns - Passion/Agression

Papertowns - Passion/Aggression

The internet is an amazing place. It's made it a lot easier for bands to connect to new fans and for people to easily find new music. I discovered Papertowns when they added me on Twitter. Whenever a band adds me I always give the benefit of the doubt and take a listen, there's nothing to lose. I'm glad I did with this band. They deserve a lot more recognition and fans. They're friendly and unlike a lot of bands that seem to add you only to gain followers, they have great communications with the fans and are very likely to respond or retweet or at least acknowledge their fans.

Channeling bands like Defeater and Decoder/Lead Hands they fuze post-hardcore melodies and pulsing bass lines with aggressive vocals and passionate lyrics. Looking to progress the genre further, while similar in sound to the aforementioned bands, they certainly have their own style, and will no song on this EP bores or sounds the same. Even songs that enter the 6 minute mark, which is impressive in these days of 3 minute or less singles.

The the thing that stands out on this album is again about the songs sounding different. It keeps everything interesting, this is a genre that easily gets stale. Yet while songs like Limbless take a slower, more straightforward approach the song Dirt changes everything up and contains elements of metalcore, post hardcore, punk, and the kitchen sink.

I can't comment on live performances yet because I've yet to see them but sure hope to at some point if they come around the North East. This album is available on Bandcamp for the usual name your own price, but can be fully streamed on the site. It's worth more than one listen, this band is going to end up a household staple in the post-hardcore scene if they keep going the way they've been going.

The Creepshow - Life After Death

The Creepshow - Life After Death

The Creepshow have been around for quite some time, they've also seen a few lineup changes in that time. They've only released two albums with the same vocalist. You would think that changing such a pivotal member would mean their consistency would suffer, instead each vocalist (always female so far) has brought something entirely new to the group and each and every album has been solid and fairly unique while still maintaining the feel of the band as a whole.

Life After Death is a great psychobilly album through and through. Songs like The Devil's Son bring the romanticized horror to the forefront, while songs like Born To Lose are pure punk with a chanting in your face chorus. Kendra Legaspi's voice is soft and sweet when she needs to be and gruffer at just the right times. She's truly a perfect fit for the band.

It's hard to find any weak points of this album even on my 4th or 5th listen. The songs are poppy and upbeat even with the horror themes. Each one can easily stand on it's own as a single, yet at the same time fit cohesively into the album as a whole. It goes from punk chants in a song to a keyboard solo and harmonized break down in the next. It's a non-stop assault on the eardrums and brain, but they'll be asking for more by the time it's over.

If you've never listened to The Creepshow or even if you've never heard of psychobilly this is a perfect place to start. It's definitely more upbeat and a bit more pop than is usual for the genre, but that's only the surface, there's darker undertones waiting to be discovered. This band has shown that lineup changes can be an advantage, give them a listen and get hooked.

Kenda Legaspi

Kenda Legasp

Kenda Legasp

The Koffin Kats - Born of the Motor

The Koffin Kats - Born Of The Motor

 

This is the seventh studio album from the Detroit based Psychobilly band The Koffin Kats. If you don't know what psychobilly is, the best way to describe is if Elvis did punk rock. It blends old-school rockabilly beats and bass lines with punk rock riffs and B-movie horror references. It's a genre that seems old and yet at the same time new. The Koffin Kats have basically defined American psychobilly and are one of the older bands still out there going strong for over a decade now.

Unfortunately this album falls a bit flat. Their last full length release Forever For Hire was a great trip back to their roots and in my honest opinion their best work. This follow up album just doesn't manage to impress. Not that they're not trying, this is probably the biggest gamble and deviation from the rest of their work. It's less psychobilly and more pure hard rock. It's not that there's particularly one element that falls flat, the drumming is great, the guitar work shines, and front man Vic Victor's voice is just something not of this world. There's nothing bad, just nothing that excites.

There's still some stand out songs however. Devil Tales is excellent, it's full of romantic horror, great surf rock riffs and as always great vocals. This Heart Stays On Ice is a great swing tune that will have you rocking along. Again there's nothing bad about any of the songs or the album, but there's no songs that will have you running around telling everyone about it.

That's the basic issue of this album (and the last EP as well), it's solid, it's worth a listen for Koffin Kats fans and psychobilly fans, but it's not going to light a flame under anyone. It probably won't win over any new fans to the band or the genre. It is nice to see the band branching out and trying to incorporate new styles and sounds, but it'd also be nice to see them try and get back to their roots.

My Ticket Home - Strangers Only

My Ticket Home - Strangers Only

Growing up in the 90's/00's with the whole nu-metal scene, I had an easy jumping off point to the metalcore bands that are a dime a dozen these days. I often wonder though what ever happened to nu-metal? I mean Linkin Park are doing their own sort of electronic thing now. Korn is still, well to put it nicely, trying. Adema are dead. Trapt is trying. I know those are just a few of the more mainstream artists but you get the idea. Where is nu-metal today? It easily could have evolved and adapted. Instead those bands remained stagnant and pretty much are non-existent at this point.

My Ticket Home apparently grew up in the same era as me and had the same thought process delivering Strangers Only. Best described as nu-metalcore this album is just what the doctor ordered. Ripe with teenage angst, broken chords, guitar riffs that evoke the random DJ scratching indicative of nu-metal, it has everything.

While this style easily could have led to something terrible and awful, MTH manages to pull it off entirely. It's got just enough metal and hardcore in it to make nu-metal nu again. The riffs are heavy and awesome. The structure and style aren't predictably boring or stale. The melodic parts are also catchy as hell. Particularly evident in the song Keep Alone.

My Ticket Home should be commended for what they managed to pull off with this EP. Not just any metalcore band could have done this. These kids have a ton of talent. If nu-metal bands had actually sounded close to this then maybe it'd still be a thing today. Don't be put off by all my references to nu-metal though. At it's core it's a solid metalcore album worth a listen.

AFI - Burials

AFI - Burials

 

If you've been listening to AFI for a while now you should have already come to never expect the same album twice from the California based band. So if you were hoping for another Black Sails in the Sunset or even another CrashLove, then look elsewhere. The closest previous album is December Underground, even then the differences in style and sound are so pronounced that it's a loose comparison at best. 

AFI fans can take solace in the fact that it is a return to the much more aggressive AFI of old. CrashLove was a very dark album lyrically, however stylistically it was very straight forward and stripped down. Burials does a 360 in terms of production. Everything is much more produced and developed than CL. It feels like they went back to every song and added everything they could without over saturating any of the songs.

The opening song The Sinking Night is dark and haunting. It's some of the best lyrics Davey and the boys have ever written. It starts off at a crawling pace and explodes into an angry chant. If there was a better opener for this album I sure haven't heard it. It sets the tone and the mood perfectly. You know immediately what to expect. The rest of the album follows suit. From straight forward aggressive tunes like I Hope You Suffer that repeats the title over during the chorus, to songs like Greater Than 84 which will have you chanting along and nodding your head to the chords, this album has a lot to offer any listener. There's a few weaker songs that may bore after a few listens but nothing that bogs down the album.

AFI are proof that changing your sound constantly isn't always a bad thing, never a band to just sit still they are continuously managing to out do themselves with each and every album. Considering they've been around for the better part of the last two decades that's no easy feat. They've shown that they're not quite done yet.

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE - Late For Nothing

IWRESTLEDABEARONCE - 

Late For Nothing

 

It's always scary for fans when a band replaces a member. It's especially so when that member is a charismatic lead vocalist. With most bands a change like this goes one of a few ways: Either the new vocalist has a different style and the band changes their style to match dividing fans; the new vocalist tries to match the previous vocalist and ends up sounding unnatural (see Underoath's album 'They're Only Chasing Safety for a perfect example of this) and it ends up off putting. 

Well it sure is a good thing then that IWABO are not most bands, they're not like any other band out there. Courtney is just a perfect fit for the band and the sound. She matches Krysta's unique sound and smooth transition of screaming to clean vocals, without trying. It doesn't seemed forced, it comes off as fitting. It doesn't feel like they said "Hey she sounded like this so you have to sound like this too". It works and it works beautifully. I'd even go as far as to say the clean vocals have seen a significant improvement.

2011's 'Ruining It For Everybody'  was one of my favorite albums of that year. I felt IWABO had really improved everything and still managed to keep their style. 'Late For Nothing' is that to the Nth degree. It's like IWABO decided to wake up one day and all put on suits, it's still the same balls to the wall band as before, but now more sophisticated and well dressed. Best way to describe the difference is with an analogy. Remember that kid back in high school? The really funny one? Not the class clown, the one that made everyone laugh at the right time without making an ass of themselves? That kid, that kid was IWABO. This album? This is that same kid, grown up, with a full time job, still making everyone laugh.

The nonesense-core (as I like to call it) style of IWABO is still ever present. Random transitions and break downs that some how against all odds work, are still there in all the songs. Everything feels a lot more thought out and technical. From the placement of those moments, to the guitar riffs. It's a very welcome improvement, and lends a more mature focus. They make full use of electronics that fit smoothly into their works.

The vocals are the show stealer. There's a lot more clean vocals this time around and for good reason. Courtney rocks, and is a perfect addition. I'm really picking with my vocalists, especially when they transition as much as she does. I can't get over how well she is suited for that task. Literally perfect in every way, her command over her own voice is unparallelled in music. The lyrics are also right up there, keeping up with the rest of the improvements. Some beautiful lines come out of this album, that are pure poetry.

Call this what you like, IWABO 2.0, IWABO:NEXT, IWABO2000, this is a newly improved band. Taking everything we love them for, their take no prisoners, no holds bar, approach, mixing metal, hardcore, progressive metal, disco, jazz, and everything else that will fit, and cooking it into something that is so pleasing to the ears, mine asked for a cigarette afterwards. Any hesitation about the new vocalist should be put to rest and buried. I can't recommend IWABO to every one, while they are technically brilliant, they may be a little harsh for even the most 'hardcore'. If you are looking to give them a chance, this is the album to start with.

  

Interview with Shores

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Shores, a hardcore band out of Okinawa, Japan. If you don't know who they are you should really take a look. Amazing work that will never bore you. Read the review for their EP Beginning/End here and check out their new song Repitions here. Support them and bring them to the US!

1. Introduce yourselves, who are you what do you play?
 Thomas Helvenstine, Vocalist Earl Standerford, Drums Andrew Hafemeister, Clean vocals/guitar Shogo Tabata, Guitar Sean Kelly, Bass
 
2. How did you start out? Who's idea was the band?
 
The band started out as an idea between me (andrew) earl and our first guitarist Eddie Allshouse. Earl, eddie and sean were about to disband their old band and I was looking for one to join to do vocals.
 
3. Who would you list as your biggest influence musically?

Between the 5 of us our music tastes and influence varies. Earls drumming is influenced by thrice,counterparts,misery signals. Thomas is influenced by a lot of Austrailian bands. I'm influenced from circa survive, a lot of progressive metal/djent bands. Shogo's backround is mostly metalcore and so is Sean's.
 
4. if you could play your dream tour who would it include?
  
the bands we would want to play with is actually a really hard question haha. the amount of bands we want to play with would probably make like a 5 day festival .
 
5. What's your guys favorite food.
 
We all love curry, and ramen. And since we have american blood in us, we love burgers
 
6. What's your writing process like?
The beginning end album was all written by Eddie. He would write the "blueprint" of a song at home and we all jammed out to it and through in all our ideas to make the song transition and sound fuller (leads, ect.) For the new album, I mostly write all of the guitar parts. Do riffs first and record a rough demo of it and sit with Earl and Thomas to see what parts need to be harmonized and what parts need leads. Then when thats all recorded Earl studies it to make drums and I teach sean and Shogo.

7. What's the best part of being in Japan?
The best part of japan would probably have to be the people. The people of japan are just so kind and humble, just nice people to be around. Oh dont forget the sites of Japan, wont see anything like it anywhere else. 
 
8. Any plans for a US tour?
Still in the works about a U.S tour. Gotta see what happens with the next album and what kind of response it gets.
 
9. Repetitions was amazing, loved the clean vocals a lot reminded me of Saosin. When can we expect some new music?
Thanks man! Yeah grew up listening to Saosin and Circa, they'll always have a influence on me. New album in still being written. Gotta write a few more songs and we'll start recording. We want as much time as we can get just to get this album perfect and sound different from what you hear from other hardcore bands.

10. Anything else you all want to say?
We love and appreciate the support of all of our friends, family and fans that we have scattered across the globe. Without their support we probably would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. Hope everyone keeps giving their support so we can bless their ears with some good music!

Basically these guys are fantastic, great music, awesome guys. Follow them twitter, like them on Facebook, and download Repetitions!
http://shoresofficial.bandcamp.com/

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/repetitions/id670615003?i=670615006&uo=4

http://amzn.com/B00DXMLJPW

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