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Ah, summer time – the time of the year when everything comes
to life. Winter’s bitter and harsh days have melted away into sunny skies and
warm weather. Days are now spent pool-side or by the lake as you bask in the revitalizing
sunlight. Sunburnt faces, cargo shorts, and skaters roam freely on the streets
as ice cream trucks slowly crawl through the neighborhoods. Road trips and cabin jaunts soon become the
center of your plans, which are slated to make the most of each passing day.
Late evenings may be spent around a bonfire or at a skate park with friends,
watching the sun set below the horizon and giving rise to starry nights that
leave a youthful twinkle in your eye. You’ve got your bags packed, your
skateboard in hand, your money in your pocket, and your keys in hand, but what
you’re really missing is a summer soundtrack to blare out of your stereo.
Thankfully, Italy’s 4th N Goal has exactly what your summer ears
have been dying to hear. Their new EP,
Turn On the Light, is packed with all
of the head-bopping riffs and catchy choruses that you need to narrate your
summer adventures.
Kicking off this album is “Pickles”, a catchy, bouncy track
that exudes nothing but good-old fashioned pop-punk fun in every potent
riff. A fade-in melodic riff steadily
rises and explodes into a frenzy of hard-hitting energetic riffs and pulsating percussion
that will instantly having you smiling and kicking your feet in the air.
Spastic melodic arias and pick-slides abound this track as guitarists Tommy and
Dimi weave punctual poppy chords with grooving punk and easycore-infused riffs
that are sure to induce maximum foot-stomping and head-bobbing. Drummer Tommy Poletti executes flawless
percussive elements of crashing cymbal play, excellent fills and rolls, and
toe-tapping footwork and snare hits that perfectly compliment the rest of the
instrumentation as bassist Mike Frutto’s apt licks steadily groove on. Vocalists Mocho and Sam present a raw and
honest quality in their vocal display of smooth and slightly scratchy clean
vocals and emphasizing their lyrics with segments of shouts and high-flying harmonies
that sail overtop the infectious hail of vibrant and energetic instrumentation
as they pour their hearts and souls into each verse.
Up next is “Red Line Extreme”, another fun-loving track that
will groove its way deep into your ears with an amalgamation of punchy riffs
and dynamic instrumentation. An extremely brief lick and drum fill quickly
erupt into fast-paced airy riffs and driving percussion. Guitarists Tommy and
Dimi take a much more poppy approach to their instrumentation, crafting perfect
head-bobbing riffs and soaring, spastic melodic overlays and arias that
practically bleed youthful exuberance. Tommy Poletti once again flexes his
percussive prowess, throwing everything he’s got into every throbbing hit,
kick, crash, and expertly-crafted fill that will have you violently head-banging
and sending your body soaring through the air. Mocho and Sam audibly throw all
of their passion into each verse, adding tasteful harmonies, short spurts of
yells, and the occasional accentuation of a gruff, scratchy quality for lyrical
emphasis as they flex their commanding vocal dynamics.
Though tracks such as “Pickles” and “Red Line Extreme”
showcase the band’s lively musicianship and energetic qualities, 4th
N Goal’s excellent cover of Bring Me
the Horizon’s “Drown” is without a doubt the album’s stand-out track. Guitarists
Tommy and Dimi replace Bring Me the Horizon’s previously slower, melodic and
emotionally dread-filled riffs with invigorating fast-paced punk riffs and charging
bursts of melodic licks and solos, and the occasional squealing pinch harmonic
to invoke full-body rhythmic spasms that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Tommy Poletti also modifies Bring Me the Horizon’s driving percussion,
installing faster head-bopping and limb-flailing percussive elements of sharp
snare hits and crashing cymbal play as Mike Frutto’s bass licks pop and
flourish overtop the heart-racing instrumentation. Mocho and Sam juxtapose layers
of excellent cleanly sung harmonies with spasms of gruff yells and shouts to
retain the original vocal quality while still giving the lyrics an audible 4th N Goal
& pop-punk-esque spin on the tonality and delivery. What makes this track
truly stand out is the perfect harmony in which the instrumentation and vocal
delivery fully thrive in as they give a much more energetic and vivacious
approach to a heart-wrenching song.
The album closes with “Ken Burns”, a lively track that will
instantly grip your ears with eye-dilating, commanding instrumentation that
will have you singing and flailing along. A powerful eruption of vibrant,
fast-paced poppy punk riffage and pounding, quick percussion instantly greet
your ears from the moment you press play. Tommy and Dimi take a more punk
approach in their instrumentation with quick, palm muted riffs and slamming
chords that are accentuated with spastic melodic overlays and soaring, bent
notes that retain that fun, exciting, driving pop-punk feeling in their
performance. Tommy Poletti once again
wages war against his kit with a series of head-bopping footwork and drumstick-snapping
hits, fills and cymbal crashes as Mike delivers a quick infestation of grooving
bass licks. Following parallel to the energetic and whiplash-inducing
instrumentation are Mocho and Sam’s commanding, relatable lyrics and quick,
heartfelt- although sometimes unintelligible- layered vocals as the band drives
home the classic, elating pop-punk sense of youthful recklessness that will
leave you physically exhausted by the end of the track.
Overall, 4th N Goal have created one of the most
lively pop-punk releases of 2015. The band’s penchant for energetic, vibrant,
and vivacious pop-punk instrumentation audibly bleeds throughout the duration
of this dynamic EP. Where 4th N Goal noticeably trips up is in their
vocal delivery, which, in tracks such as “Ken Burns” and “Out of Tortillas” can
become very muddled and unintelligible.
But where they lack in vocal clarity they excel in instrumental delivery
and excellence that very clearly states or accentuates the lyrical and vocal
emotion in each track. Pack your bags, grab your skateboard, and head out to
the car, because summer’s warmth is upon us, and 4th N’ Goal’s Turn On the Light EP is the perfect
start to a windows-down, pizza-and-road-trip-filled, sunny season.
8.5/10
For Fans Of: Neck Deep, Chunk! No Captain Chunk!, Four Year
Strong, Set Your Goals
Get out your cargo shorts, flannels, and order some pizza
because The Story So Farhas a new
album that will knock your pizza sauce stained t-shirt off.
In January 2015 a video was posted “The Story So Far Album
Teaser #1" was uploaded on the band's official YouTube channel. The video
shows clips of the band members with friends goofing around and having fun. At
the end of the video a text-roll appears, saying "We are writing a new
record stay tuned...” On February 23, 2015 the band uploaded another video
titled “The Story So Far Album Teaser #2” this video features behind the scenes
clips, and footage of the boys working on the new album. The text-roll that
appeared at the end of this video was "LP 3 Coming Your Way Watch Out
World Here We Are Not Afraid Of The Light." On February 26 the band
Tweeted saying the album was finished. In April they released a few singles; on
May 11 the band posted a stream of the entire album to their website and the
album is set to be released on May 19.
The self-titled album
begins with the track “Smile” a heavy opener and a testament to conformity with
lyrics like “Tell me how you fit in and where do you begin? Do you toast when
they toast? Do you sin when they sin? ” Up next is “Heavy Gloom”, a track in
which frontman Parker Cannon hopes that his ex feels lonely without him and
reflects on her actions towards him. “Phantom” – an instant The Story So Far
classic- features mellow guitar melodies and Cannon’s soft crooning. The final
track, “Stalemate” is a surprisingly milder track and, though not as heavy as
the opening track, is a good, strong finale to the album.
This album is not too different from the albums before; it could
even be considered as “Under Soil and Dirt” part two. The album themes remain
the same as the ones before: each track revolves around a bad ex-girlfriend and
Cannon executes his lament well with his vocal gymnastics. The album was hyped
up a lot to be somewhat anti-climactic, as the sound of the album and the
lyrics were familiar to fans. However,
the album is still a good listen, and The Story So Far did a great job with
their new lyrical material. New and old
The Story So Far fans will appreciate this album and it will surely be one of
the favorite pop-punk albums of the summer. (Konstantina
Buhalis)
Favorite Tracks: Phantom, Nerve, Smile, and Heavy Gloom
7/10
For Fans Of: Knuckle Puck, Man Overboard, The Wonder Years
Georgia is famous for country stars, but recently the state
has produced an indie band that has the ability to become larger than life. Robbed By Giants hails from Rome,
Georgia, and they have just released their first album titled Worst of You,
Best of Me.
The album features five tracks, fueled by the rawness of
the acoustic guitar, and has a southern charm to it. Their stylings are
slightly varied, but the band maintains an overall indie quality. While the band is new
to the scene, their style of music seems familiar. The music is gritty, and the
entire album was recorded in two days. The instrumentals are the real star of
this album, Thomas Orr, vocals and guitar, does an excellent job of balancing
his vocal abilities with guitar melodies.
Jordan Epperson, the percussionist is laid back with his style, he does
not over play the drums, and he meshes the percussion perfectly with the vocals
and guitar.
All of the tracks on this album are slightly varied. The
first track “Satisfied” is a jumping track, complete with a horn section. The
second track “London” is a textbook indie track, soft melodies, quiet vocals,
and illustrative lyrics. The following
track “Part 1(Worst of You, Best of Me)”
follows suit with the same quiet intensity as the previous track. This song is
emotional, a true indie love song. “Part
2 (Epps)” is an instrumental track, and showcases the band’s technical skills, featuring a reprise of the horn section that was used in the first track. The final track “Anything” is another love
song that is addressed to an unknown lover. The album deserved to have a
few more tracks, because it feels like it drops off at the end. Some might find
the album to be slightly boring because the last few tracks are all similar and
have the same tone and slightly similar instrumentals. However, the band’s musicality and Orr’s
crooning vocals really set the stage for the indie album you didn’t know you
wanted.
In conclusion, Worst of You, Best of Me is a tasteful, charming album that sounds as if it belongs in the soundtrack for Grey’s Anatomy. Robbed By Giants has the potential to make a name for themselves in the indie scene. (Konstantina Buhalis)
Favorite Tracks: London,
Part 1 (Worst of You, Best of Me)
People will do anything to avoid facing themselves. We
naturally prefer to tackle obstacles in the simplest way possible, regardless
if it’s actually the right way to solve an issue. Unfortunately, when we are
faced with personal issues, we opt for simpler, temporary solutions rather than
long-lasting and healthier alternatives. Our favorite solution? Avoidance. We
avoid such a daunting task as self-reflection or introspection rather than
directly deal with our issues at hand. Why? Because it’s easy. It’s easier to chase white dragons, hit the
bottle, and shut out other people. It’s easier to avoid looking directly into
the mirror for fear of whom or what we may see reflected back at us. As a
result, we further deteriorate, rendering ourselves empty shells or distant
echoes of who we once were as we are slowly consumed by the endless cycle of
running from our own shadow. Some of us will spend the rest of our lives
running from our mistakes, our past(s), and ourselves. Others will stop
running, turn to face their issues, and create something from their
self-destruction. Standing amongst those courageous few is none other than
Columbus, Ohio’s Until Yesterday. Their debut full-length release, We Learn to Live With Ourselves, narrates a harrowing reflective
tale as it mercilessly thrashes your ears with every passionate riff and
emotive verse.
Kicking off the album is “Spring Rain”, an explosively
energetic track that will grip your ears with every emotionally devastating
riff and verse. Dark, brooding notes and
licks gradually meet a pulsating drum fill before exploding into an abusive
torrent of skin-shredding riffs, driving percussion, and thick, heavy
screams. Guitarists Morris and Patton
masterfully mesh together sporadic, fast-paced riffs with controlled, slower,
bitter riffage as wailing melodic overlays soar overhead to create a dynamic,
face-ripping, eye-widening instrumental effect. Drummer Nathan Conley unleashes
a storm of relentless, ear-popping percussive might in a series of expertly
crafted rolls, fills, footwork, and cymbal play as bassist Alex Sheridan’s
bitter undertones steadily groove on. Vocalist Nicholas Marzluf wields a
brilliant display of rich mid and high screams, brutal low growls, and effects
such as split-scream harmonies and tastefully light echoes to add extra layers
of intensity, punctuation, and depth to his overall vocal delivery. An interlude built upon mildly ambient,
brooding, melodic licks and the familiar introductory drum fill reaches culmination
in the form of an aggressive and energetic breakdown before returning to the
previously devastating riffage and gradually fading out to the sound of a
gentle piano medley.
Up next is “When the Light Leaves the Room”, a ravaging
track that is bursting at the seams with jarringly emotional riffage and
intense, heavy breakdowns. Sweeping, apologetic plucked notes and a light piano
aria gently lead your ears to a false sense of security before introducing you face-first
to a traumatic amalgamation of hard-hitting, slightly reverberated riffs and
licks, grooving bass undertones, and pulsating percussion. Gloomy, melodic riffs beautifully melt into
somber licks and melancholic overlays, which in turn violently clash with
tumultuous and sporadic bursts of searing, heavy riffage. What makes Morris and
Patton’s instrumental delivery so powerful in this track is their inherent
sense of maintaining energy through stop-and-start riffage, in which heavy riffs
are rudely interrupted for blissful, sorrowful light melodic licks and riffs
before suddenly plunging back into the hail of heavy instrumentation. Conley’s drumming
follows in a complimentary parallel fashion, crafting stellar rolls, fills, and
cymbal play to create the perfect accentuation to the rest of the
instrumentation. Marzluf puts more focus on his rich, full-sounding mid-scream
range in this track, instead lightly placing highs, lows, and spoken-word-yells
as accent marks to add depth and emphasis his vocal delivery. Multiple breakdowns
abound this track, each one adding perfectly poignant intensity and emphasis to
the track as the collective musicality and instrumentation savagely tears at
your ears like wolves to a moose’s hide.
Though quite a few songs can be considered as standout
tracks, title track “We Learn to Live With Ourselves” is absolutely deserving
of an honorable mention. A lengthy drum fill instantly greets your ears and
soon meets a sweeping piano medley before taking on an aggressive form of vicious
and irate instrumentation. Spastic, ferocious riffs that seethe with a violent
anger progressively build in intensity as sporadic flecks of melodic overlays join
the fray of murderous, whiplash-inducing instrumentation. Conley displays a
dynamic and unrelenting percussive display of quick footwork, excellent cymbal
play, and expert execution of rolls and fills. Marzluf’s ferocious mid screams
and harsh high screams take the forefront of his vocal delivery as he audibly
pours his heart into each word of every verse. The seemingly endless onslaught of blood-boiling,
vicious instrumentation comes to a sudden halt in an interlude built upon emotionally
drenched riffage that simmers out into muted chords and licks before further
dissolving back into the seductive introductory piano medley, leaving you
breathless, emotionally destroyed, and shaking.
The album closes with “Strain”, a somber track that will
tear your heart out with each doleful riff and lick. A rush of emotionally
drenched melodic riffage, driving percussion, and harsh screams instantly greet
your ears from the moment you press play. Morris and Patton’s slightly discordant
melodic overlays and licks sail overtop sexy, grooving, ambient riffage that
oozes a “classic hardcore” vibe as Conley’s impressive percussive display and
Sheridan’s grooving undertones steadily pound away at your eardrums. Marzluf
showcases his harsh, raw high screams overtop his rich mid screams, granting
his vocal delivery a truer sense of urgency and emotional depth. The tirade of
emotional urgency and somber instrumentation takes a downturn into a gorgeous
set of sorrowful strummed notes against a gentle weeping piano medley, which
quickly fades into the breathtaking, lingering sorrow of the piano before
fading into a silence that will leave you emotionally distraught and begging
for more.
Overall, Until Yesterday has successfully created one of the
most emotionally devastating melodic hardcore albums of this year. What makes
this album truly exceptional is the amount of raw energy, emotion, and passion
that is poured into every track and ultimately connects the album as a cohesive whole. The dynamicity between each musician and instrumental element is so
clearly audible in every ear-splitting riff, hit, kick, and scream that it even
remains present in the silence in between each note. We Learn To Live With Ourselves is more than an album, it’s a
musical and emotional standard that most other melodic hardcore bands will find
hard to match.
9.2/10
For Fans Of:
Hundredth, Counterparts, Balance and Composure
Our
lives are characterized by a series of snapshot events. We are transient beings
that are comprised of a series of fleeting moments, far-fetched dreams, and
vast idealizations. In the cosmic scheme of things, we’re merely temporary
special specks that exit life as soon as we enter it. We, therefore, try to capture
and document each moment in a photograph in an attempt to create a visual
preservation of a memory and pass down its story to future generations. In a
sense, we actualize the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” every time we
press the shutter button on a camera.
Sadly, photographs get lost, burned, thrown away, or faded beyond
recognition, thereby burying its associated memory and message in the
ever-erasing passage of time. With over 7 billion people on the planet, it’s
easy to become a forgotten memory or a faded photograph, lost in the sands of
time. But, a few images are so powerful that they stand as an ever-lasting
tribute, and The Prestige has risen to this stature. Their sophomore release, Amer, casts a vibrant image that will
outlast the turning of time with every searing riff and bitter verse.
Kicking
off the album is the title track, “Amer”, a dark, eerie track that will
instantly grip your ears and send chills down your spine. Blistering, eerie
riffs that seethe bitterness greet your ears as rising industrial-esque instrumental
effects rumble forth and plunder your ears with the might of a hellish stampede
before flourishing into a ravaging intertwined display of headbang-inducing
punctuality and hair-raising riffage. Drummer Thibaut Cavelier lightly wraps
pounding, intense percussive elements around the swirling storm of
instrumentation as vocalist Alex Diaz’s raw screams tear at your ears with a
bitter, melancholic urgency. The clustering storm of skin-shredding
instrumentation dissipates into the familiar eerie introductory riff before
carrying over into the next aurally seductive track, “Bête Noire.” Menacing
riffs, harsh screams, and driving percussion descend upon your ears like
vultures to a carcass as they viciously tear at your ears. Guitarists Alex and
Raphael’s excellent display of skin-shredding, heavy riffage is fast met by
spastic squeals and haunting melodic overlays that soar and hover overtop the
torrent of face-melting instrumentation. Lurking beneath these high-flying
instrumentals is bassist Julien’s brooding bass riffs and licks that steadily
groove with a bitter, chilling tonality. Drummer Thibaut Cavelier wields a
powerful combination of excellent cymbal play, quick footwork, and fantastic
rolls and solos for an overall insanity-inducing percussive display that will
make you question the number of arms he truly has. Intermittent interludes in
the form of spastic, energetic arias and quick licks burst and bloom over
powerful, heavy riffs to give the track a chaotic depth to the already
unnerving, bone-tingling instrumentation and musicality as it gradually settles
and fades into an amalgamation of squealing instrumentals that, in turn, dissolve
into silence.
The
album closes with “Cri De Coeur”, a track that oozes bitter resentment in every
jarring piece of instrumentation. Sliding, enticing pull-riffs and bitter, raw
mid screams instantly hit your ears with the intensity of a passing freight
train. Pick slides and slightly discordant melodic overlays abound this track
and nip at your ears as they soar over Julien’s spiteful bass lines and
Cavelier’s aptly crafted, relentless percussion. Alex and Raphael frequently
break the flood of heavy riffage with a masterful blend of ambient, haunting
overlays, melodic arias, and flying sustained notes before melting back into the
emotive, bone-crunching instrumentals. Cavelier unleashes his technical prowess
in a series of mind-blowing drum rolls and solos that pierce your ears with the
ravaging intensity of bullets from a firing squad. A grooving interlude built
upon steadily rumbling bass lines and melodic, chilling arias, and eerie
backing “ah’s” echo behind Alex’s urgent mid screams comes to a grinding halt
for a haunting pairing of desperate screams and a faded piano medley that will
make your hair stand on end. This jarringly eerie, emotive instrumental break
sweeps back into one last wave of raging, ferociously bitter instrumentation,
thereby leaving you aurally ravaged and bereft of breath long after the music
has ceased to play.
Overall,
The Prestige has created one of the most timeless and intense hardcore albums
to date. The amount of musicianship and
energy that poured into each meticulously crafted track is absolutely
astounding and sets the bar at a new level that most other hardcore bands will
never quite reach. Every bitter riff and verse is not without purpose or
precision. Amer is more than an album
and more than a snapshot- it’s a story with an image that burns so vividly and
vibrantly that it takes on an everlasting form. If a picture is truly worth a
thousand words, The Prestige’s Amer is
the story of a lifetime.
10/10
For
Fans Of: Deafheaven, Every Time I Die, Touche Amore
We are kinetic and directional creatures that thrive on
structure and routine. We devise schedules, maps, and other micro-manageable
sequences in an effort to establish a maintainable and customizable order that
best fits our ever-expanding aspirations. That’s why the feeling of being
“stuck in limbo” can unleash a path of devastation that can derail even the
most ambitious and fluid of dreamers.
For those of you who have the luxury of never experiencing such a
phenomenon, being stuck in limbo can best be equated to being stuck in a form
of stasis within an ambiguous void. It’s
as if you exist on a different plane that floats between two realms. Most
people become exhausted, broken, and drained from the lack of directionality,
thereby rooting themselves to the immobilizing ground upon which they stand. A
rare few can recognize their situation and, despite all odds, create something
from it. Among these driven few stands Denny Ranno’s solo project, Tidus Is
Alive. The one-man band’s debut EP, Stuck In Limbo, features a masterful
blend of pop-punk and post-hardcore that is bursting at the seams with a
contagious amount of energy.
The album opens with “Step Aside”, an explosive track that burns
with an undying amount of energetic musicality. A rumbling fade-in intro fast
approaches before trampling your ears with a stampede of explosive riffs and pulsating
percussion. Denny Ranno’s poppy, energetic riffs flourish and melt into fast-paced
riffage and heavy chugging as intermittent melodic overlays and squeals playfully
tug at your ears. Pulsating percussion built upon an amazing display of cymbal play
and footwork adds a driving energy and rhythmic intensity that will pierce
through your soul and captivate your eardrums. Ranno utilizes a brilliant blend
of raw mid screams and clean vocals to make emotive verses, catchy choruses,
and allow his overall vocal delivery to do exactly what it was meant to do:
soar freely. Enthusiastic and lively breakdowns frequent this track, featuring
a dynamic display of unison-shouted vocals and screams against flawless
instrumentation. The sheer amount of energy, passion, and masterful technicality
and musicality that abounds throughout the whole duration of this track earns “Step
Aside” its place as the album’s absolute stand-out track.
Up next is “Checkmate”, a groovy, anthemic track that will
infect your ears with passionate riffs and emotive verses. A groovy mixture of
melodic riffs, grooving bass lines, and bouncy percussion immediately greet
your ears from the moment you press play. Melodic chords wrestle back and forth
with deep, thundering chugging to create a vibrant aural balance of harmony and
discord. Lightly sustained melodic licks and driving percussion gently nip at
your ears as they sail overtop the hail of emotive, fast-paced riffage. Ranno puts
a primary spotlight on his clean vocals with tasteful hints of raw screams
accenting his smooth, emotive vocal delivery. Spastic interludes of heavy
riffage are tastefully scattered about before reaching culmination in the form
of a groovy, mosh-inducing, enthusiastic breakdown that is guaranteed to
produce massive head-banging to the point of whiplash with every well-placed
chug, hit, kick, and scream.
The album closes with “Robin”, a ballad that best showcases
Denny Ranno’s softer side as he flexes his pop-punk prowess. Heavy riffs quickly
fade in and take on a new form of melodic, toe-tapping chord progressions
decorated with flecks of sustained notes and melodic overlays. Driving
percussion is neither overpowering nor dull as every one of Ranno’s aptly
crafted kicks, hits, and crashes perfectly complements the rest of the
instrumentals. Once again, Ranno showcases his clean vocals and adds harmonies,
muted effects, and sparsely-placed screams to give his vocal delivery a more
emotive, relatable quality. What truly makes this track special is Ranno’s
attention to smaller details to give the track more depth, such as an interlude
in which sung notes replace distorted riffs, the utilization of lightly-crafted
harmonies, and brief instrumental pauses for a more balanced, emotive
affectation. The result is the kind of catchy, fun pop-punk ballad that your
ears so desperately need.
Overall, TIdus Is Alive has created one of the most
energetic split-genre releases of this year. Stuck In Limbo, despite its title, is the farthest thing from being
stuck in limbo- it very clearly boasts its liveliness and fluidity with every
energetic verse and catchy chorus. What’s most outstanding about this album-
besides the fact that it was created in its entirety by one musician- is Ranno’s
instrumental and vocal attention to detail to give the album the kind of depth
that other pop-punk bands merely dream of. If Tidus Is Alive can create such vibrant
musicality from being stuck in limbo, just imagine what the band can create
once freed from such an uneasy and static state of being.
8.9/10
For Fans Of: Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, A Day to Remember,
Hero To Human, The Day After, Well Planned Attack
Philosopher
Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated, “Not in his goals but in his transitions is
man great.” Some may think or regard this as adaptation, but it’s actually more
of a form of transcendence through hardships. Should you persevere and
successfully surpass and navigate your goals through life’s plethora of trials
and tribulations, you will likely thrive in the name of your efforts and fluid
determination. If it holds true that in his transitions man finds greatness,
then Under Paris’ debut release, Transitions,
has set the band on a course towards success with every energetic riff and
merciless breakdown.
Kicking
off the album is “Shallow Grave”, a blistering, brooding track that is armed to
the teeth with ravaging musicality and relentless brutality. A quick, eerie,
discordant guitar lick greets your ears before swiftly introducing you
face-first to a murderous frenzy of vicious, heavy riffage and guttural screams.
Guitarists Serrano and Morrow masterfully craft intertwining spastic melodic
arias that burst and flourish overtop the hail of slightly groovy, thundering
riffs that are guaranteed to shred through your ears. Drummer Lucas Richards puts
forth a magnificent display of quick, skillful footwork and excellent cymbal
play in his pulsating, jaw-breaking percussion as bassist Riley Phillips
steadily grooves on. Vocalist Michael “Thorr” Alexander proves his given
namesake of the mighty Norse God with a frenzied array of deep, vengeful growls
and ferocious, throat-tearing mid screams. The seemingly endless torrent of
fierce instrumentation and relentless rage suddenly delves down into one last
sprinting, face-melting breakdown.
Up
next is “At War With Myself”, a weighted track that displays the band’s softer,
yet energetic and emotionally heavier side. A melodic strummed riff steadily
merges into heavy, driven riffs, driving percussion, and deep, somewhat gentler
screams. Serrano and Morrow showcase their well-rounded instrumental talent
with a clashing pairing of melodic, emotionally weighted riffs and jarring
bursts of heavy chugging and melodic overlays to make an instrumental dichotomy
that runs parallel with the song’s lyrical content. Richards also intelligently
mashes a gentler, more cymbal and toms-driven style with bursts of
footwork-driven, “traditional” metalcore elements that perfectly matches the rest
of the presented instrumentation. Michael Alexander’s split between vengeful,
heavy lows and deep mid screams add a layer of intensity to the emotional
disparity that is clearly felt throughout the track. Alexander’s screams
intermittently subside to allow a surprising added element of clean vocals from
bassist Riley Phillips to soar and captivate. Under Paris ends this emotionally
torn track with a final hair-raising, somber, ringing question from Phillips: “What
have I become? Is there something more?”
Although
Transitions features quite a few
stand-out tracks, the explosive track “Yolswag#420” is absolutely deserving of an
honorable mention. This short track packs a heavy punch that is guaranteed to
rupture your eardrums. Grooving, pitch bent riffs from Serrano and Morrow
become progressively more violent as tumultuous layers of grooving, unforgiving
bass lines from Phillips and Richards’ pounding, driving percussion join the
mania-inducing fray. What truly sets this track apart from the rest is the
abrupt mashing of pacing in which previously fast-paced riffage comes to a
gradual, grinding halt for a series of intense, grooving, sexy, sliding, bone-crunching
breakdowns. Every slide, kick, and chug is presented as aural ecstasy as your
ears are repeatedly pummeled with the audible replication of the feeling of having
your skin slowly ground away as your face is repeatedly introduced to a
concrete wall of heavy sound.
Another
honorable mention is “Midwest Winters”, yet another surprisingly instrumentally
and vocally emotive track. A simple chain of strummed notes gives way to emotionally
charged riffage backed by relentless driving percussion. Vocalists Alexander
and Phillips cleverly weave a beautiful pairing of clean screams and harsh mid
screams and growls. The lightly echoed lyrics of Phillips’ cleanly sung chorus
adds a nice layer of backing intensity to the overall vocal delivery of this
track. Serrano and Morrow have this
extremely skillful quality of adding slightly discordant or melodic notes on
their chords and have a special knack for putting an unwavering amount of energy
behind every emotive melodic overlay and passionate, intensely chugged verse. A
surprisingly forceful breakdown smashes through the layers of emotive riffs
before quickly taking a lighter turn and returning to the passionate chord
progression of the emotionally-drenched chorus.
The
album closes with “At Peace”, a bouncy, grooving track that unleashes a final
aural assault of skin-shredding breakdowns and charged lyricism. Energetic
riffs and pulsating percussion gradually build and explode into a mixture of
fast-paced riffs and melodic arias and overlays as Phillips pours his heart out
in his delivery of clean vocals. Again, Under Paris presents a split dichotomy
of melodic and heavier elements as the melodic instrumentals spastically take on
a much more fierce and aggressive form through interludes of sizzling breakdowns
and grizzly growls and split-scream harmonies from Alexander. The seamless
addition and integration of guest vocals from The Color Morale’s Garret Rapp adds
a perfect layer of lyrical and vocal intensity and emotionalism that perfectly
balances out the undertones of melodic and heavy instrumentation before delving
back into a final tirade of relentless, jarring breakdowns that will leave you
begging for more.
Overall,
Under Paris has created an album that could easily be mistaken for a storybook
or a timeline. Each track signifies a
noticeable change or transition from one state to another, and aptly documents
these changes. More importantly, the instrumentation perfectly fits each and
every change of pace and of mindset, all the while never allowing their passion
or energy to cease or quiver. If Emerson's declaration is correct- if man is truly great in
his transitions rather than his goals- then Under Paris’ Transitions is reaching towards perfection.
9/10
For
Fans Of: It Dies Today, Scarlett O’Hara, Like Moths to Flames Katt Hass
The great Chinese philosopher Confucius once said, “Wherever
you go, go with all your heart.” The idea behind his message is simple: put all
of your energy into something –your passion, your skill, and your will – and the
product of such efforts will take on success in the direction that you make it
take. Embodying this philosophy is none
other than Ohio’s Enthrall the Weak. Their latest single, “Heavy Hearts”, takes
on a consistently heavy directionality with an aggressively passionate and
energetic approach.
Viscous riffs and licks and equally enraged drum fills kick
off this track before exploding into an aggressive frenzy of brutal, emotive
instrumental and vocal tonality. Grooving,
fast, irate riffs from guitarists Amato and Gray pulsate, swell, and burst with
the sudden and fatal intensity of an aneurysm. Drummer Jimmy Amato’s aptly
crafted drum fills, cymbal play, and excellent, borderline-insane footwork in
his delivery of relentless percussion adds a perfect layer of instrumental
passion and tonality. Vocalist David Darlak utilizes a brilliant combination of
shouted lyrics and gritty, singeing mid and high screams to deliver a vocal
performance that burns with a raw, sizzling intensity of a chemical burn. Multiple
interludes abound in the form of savage riffage and short, blistering
breakdowns. What truly makes this track special- aside from the ferocious,
fast-paced, looming breakdown led by a grooving bass drop from bassist Trace
Miller- is the equal parts of collaborative musicianship executed by all
members to form an overall perfectly-crafted tonality of persistent and precise
brutality.
Enthrall the Weak has crafted an excellent example of the
powerful blend of pristine skill, unwavering energy, and passionate, heartfelt
musicianship. No singular musical element overpowers the rest as each musician’s
skill is masterly interwoven within one another’s to form a perfect harmony of persistent heaviness. Enthrall the
Weak has created more than a track- they’ve managed to take a poetic feeling of
emotional weight and combine it with drive and stellar instrumentation to
give such a melancholic phenomenon an audible dimension of depth. “Heavy Hearts”
is a powerful, refreshing, and passionate track that best exemplifies what it
means to go somewhere with all of your heart.
10/10
For Fans Of: Know Lyfe, When Skies Go Black, At No End
All human minds require constant sensory stimulation and
continual testing of reflexes. It’s part of how we learn- we compile data from
all of these previous experiences and –from said data- make predictions and
decisions within a matter of seconds. In turn, we develop routine, an
understanding of order, and the ability to understand, question and improve our
societal structures. But our minds function much like an economy- we require
our own sort of mental stimulus package. As much as we are creatures of habit,
we still need a variation of (or a deviation in) stimuli to keep ourselves
active, alert, and sharp. Without any new stimulation, we grow bored,
lethargic, and complacent with our dependencies on structured routines. We
begin to operate like machines- working the same cycle repetitively until exhaustion
overtakes us. We forget or lose our wit, our ability to feel, and our ability
to think and make informed decisions as independent entities. Thankfully, My
Ransomed Soul is emerging as the refreshing new stimulus our ears so
desperately need. Their third release, Trilateral,
is sure to elicit a new-found wave of response with every crashing breakdown,
groovy riff, and passionate, politically-charged verse.
Opening the album is “Rise”, a brief, menacing intro built
upon pulsating layers of swiftly rising industrial effects that instantly bleed
into the next brooding track, “Mockingbird.” Commanding riffs, raw mid screams,
and pulsating percussion immediately hit your ears with the crashing force of falling
trees. Guitarists Frey and Fernandez intelligently mash together a driving
display of heavy chugging with spastic bursts of slightly-discordant arias and
melodic overlays. Backing this frontal
assault is drummer Fredy Menjivar’s relentless percussion, which showcases his
footwork and excellent cymbal play that is masterfully intertwined with the
intensity of the rest of the instrumentation. Vocalist Brendon Frey wields a
powerful display of angry, raw mid screams and dynamic split-scream harmonies. Jarring
breakdowns rudely burst through the heavy riffage, with every chug perfectly
orchestrated to rile you up and set your blood boiling. It’s more than a moment
of stellar instrumentation- it’s a much needed wake-up call. What’s more, My Ransomed Soul utilizes a
sampled recording of a George H. W. Bush quote – and it actually fits the charged instrumentation and
lyrical content perfectly.
It’s near impossible to name a singular stand-out track on
this album, as each one stands on its own as its own commentary. However, the explosive
track “Monarch” is absolutely deserving of an honorable mention. An angry,
accusatory lick immediately explodes into forceful, bitter grooving riffs
matched by equally spiteful raw screams from Frey and an unrelenting tirade of
percussion from Menjivar. My Ransomed Soul truly flexes their collective
technical prowess and precision in every grinding, sliding breakdown, each
seething with waves of vindictiveness and discontent that transcends through
your ears to your mind and your soul. The overall bitter tonality from every
jarring, anticipatory chug is both enraging and eye-opening as your ears are
mercilessly slammed with an instrumental and musical intensity that is
guaranteed to knock your teeth out of your skull.
Another honorable mention is “Trilateral”, a short, yet
reflective track. A melodic, simple, plucked melody rings out overtop a sampled
interview between former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Charlie Rose over
the topic of the fragile state of Syria.
Undertones of powerful, introspective guitar and bass riffs simmer below
the sampled recording, before lashing out into a gentle, melodic medley of
layered guitars and mild percussive elements. Some may not find this
interesting, but it is goddamn special. My Ransomed Soul has done something
that most other bands are incapable of doing or have failed to achieve: producing a track that is equally as heavy as a
breakdown, sans breakdowns and sans ferocious riffs. My Ransomed Soul has
provided us proof that commentary, or more simply put words formed into sentences are as powerful as aggressive riffs. This track not only provides our ears with an
emotive commentary which we are to analyze- it also perfectly blends with the rest of the theme/flow of the album. It’s
a stimulus. It’ll make you listen. It’ll
make you think.
The album closes with “Revive”, a deeply emotive, reflective
track bound by an impassioned, melodic tonality. Fast-paced, pitch-bent riffs
and licks groove alongside desperate emotionally drenched melodic riffs and overlays
and crashing percussion, crafting a conflicting, yet vibrant intensity. Frey
unleashes a more serious, despairing, heartfelt force in his raw vocal delivery
with each passionate verse. Groovy riffage is layered into tumultuous melodic,
gentle overlays and undertones which mirror Frey’s vocal delivery and craft an
overall emotionally-drenched, passionate, and invigorating tonality that will
pull at your heartstrings.
Overall, My Ransomed Soul has created one of the most
engaging albums of this year. Trilateral
is the most politically charged album I have heard since Green Day’s 2004
release, American Idiot. The amount
of musicianship and technical and creative prowess that My Ransomed Soul has
utilized to shape their views into an entire album with a near-seamless flow
and unrelenting amount energy is absolutely astounding. Trilateral
is a conversation piece, a commentary, and a wake-up call. It’s the stimulation
our ears, our minds, and our generation desperately needs. Your choice is how you wish to respond to its
call.
9.5/10
For Fans Of: Like Moths to Flames, Prime Meridian, For Today
We are told from a young age that we can “move mountains”
because “the sky’s the limit”, but rarely do we ever achieve such heights.
Instead, such motivational idioms become short-lived dreams as we shroud
ourselves in limitations. We draw lines in the sand, borders around countries,
and erect figurative and literal walls around ourselves. Over time, we dismiss
the driving urge to fit outside the box as childish, and we become eager to fit
into the imprisoning walls of some form of normality. Some of us will toe the
line; some will gaze wistfully at it; some will settle for less. However bleak
this may sound, there still exists a small few who never cease in striving to
step over the line, and Prophasis has joined their ranks. Their debut release, Boundaries, takes leaps and bounds, pushing
through previously set limits and setting a new standard that others will be
hard-pressed to match.
Kicking off this album is “Presage”, a blistering track
packed with relentless breakdowns that will shake the earth beneath your feet.
An eerie, distorted, industrial intro will have you shaking with anticipation
through a steady escalation of tumultuous layered effects, suspenseful sliding
strings, and pulsating percussive elements. This fast-encroaching intro finally
caves in to an immediate assault of heavy riffs, a haunting melodic overlay,
driving percussion, and low growls. A brilliant display of footwork from
drummer Brad Wickham perfectly matches fast-paced riffs, spastic melodic solos,
and discordant overlays from guitarist Cody Landers. A bone-crunching breakdown
wreaks havoc on your ears with a combination of percussive bells and an undertone
of heavy, assertive riffs. Following this path of destruction is an extremely
brief, ethereal interlude led by gentle reverbed strumming and a vocal harmony
of cleans and mid screams from vocalist Alan Ervin that gradually delves back
into a slamming “thrash-and-burn” delivery of melodic, lightning-fast solos and
crushing riffs and breakdowns.
The torrent of heavy instrumentation displayed in “Presage”
flows seamlessly into the next
pulverizing track, “Allegiance,” in which an unwavering display of ferocious
breakdowns will hit you with enough force to shatter your ribcage. Landers’ grooving,
pitch bent heavy riffs are intermittently met with bursts of short melodic and
discordant arias before delving into fierce melodic solos that are matched by relentless riffage and reciprocated by
percussive bells. Drummer Brad Wickham displays an enormous amount of
instrumental prowess with brilliant cymbal play and precisely crafted hits and
kicks. Ervin delivers a brilliant display of brutal low, mid and high screams
and utilizes split-scream harmonies for an overall crushing vocal delivery. A
rage-inducing, sliding breakdown will savagely tear at your eardrums with a
disgusting amount of force that can easily
rival a volcanic eruption. You are guaranteed to see red in this unabating
display of absolutely ruthless instrumentation.
While every single track on this album stands out in terms
of instrumentation, individuality, and continuity, an honorable mention is at
least fair for the explosive track that is “Exodus Of Rationality.”
Slightly-gentler melodic riffs suddenly turn to violent bursts of chugging and
ear-shattering breakdowns. Wickham displays the most intense footwork in this track,
delivering a seemingly unending crushing intensity with every hit, kick and
crash. Landers has this immaculate talent of weaving together fast-paced,
insanely fierce riffs with gentle, slower, haunting melodic arias – and the
meshing of instrumental styles is well-matched and successfully layered by the
rest of the band members. The effect of this meshing lulls you into false
senses of security and then quickly reintroduces your face to the concrete-like
instrumentation of relentless, murderous breakdowns. Bassist Ryan Katka
introduces groovy, crushing bass riffs in this track and audibly leads an
impressive wave of assaulting, border-line sadistic breakdowns.
Another honorable mention is “Propaganda”, a track that is
seething with forthright anger in every verse and riff. Persistently vicious
riffage backed by intense percussive elements will bear down on you with the
collective force and weight of an avalanche. Surprising bursts of melodic arias
flourish and explode in the midst of tirades of pulverizing breakdowns from
Landers. Ervin spares no technical expense, displaying his vocal prowess in absolutely
stunning clean vocals and a ferocious onslaught of growls, mids, highs, and
split scream harmonies.
This explosive album ends with “Obsidian”, a brooding track
that is laden with writhing riffs and roaring breakdowns. Rushes of thundering,
sliding riffs collide with ever-present undertones of rolling ambiance and
simple, haunting notes overtop the deafening riffage and percussion.
Intermittent, fast melodic arias and licks break the surface before churning
back into waves of lacerating riffs. Harsh screams from Ervin and guest
vocalist Jake Wolf of Reflections build layers of ravaging intensity within the
already pulverizing instrumentation. Steadily growing undertones of layered
ambiance and effects gradually overtake the heavy riffage for a brief moment
and slowly fade out into a false-ending. Note the false-ending, which actually leads into one final rage-inducing,
tibia-shattering, curb-stomping, merciless assault of breakdowns, which
Prophasis cruelly allows to quickly fade-out to ensure and instill a Stockholm
Syndrome-esque burning desire for more. You will beg. You will plead. You will
cry and for one more, just one more minute of brutal instrumentation and
slaying vocal delivery. Alas, your cries will not be heard, as the music swiftly
fades away. You will be left dazed, aching, and shaking in the resulting
silence at the end of this album.
Overall, Prophasis has crafted a spectacular, everlasting
album that redefines what it means to be boundless. Where most bands merely toe
the line, Prophasis has leapt far over it, pushing through every barrier and
tearing through every limit to raise the standards to a new high. The fluidity
at which this album progresses is astounding – each track masterfully flows
into one another, yet still maintains their own aggressive individuality. Not a
single note, kick, hit, crash, or scream is wasted throughout the duration of
Prophasis’ onslaught of persistently heavy delivery. The absolutely stellar
instrumentation and pristine continuity of relentless, thunderous breakdowns
bears enough energy and force to shake down the highest mountains. Prophasis’ Boundaries is a truly limitless,
flawless masterpiece.
10/10
For Fans Of: Thy Art is Murder, After the Burial, Chelsea
Grin
National Geographic once estimated that over 100,000
wildfires ravage the U.S. annually, burning approximately 4 to 5 million acres
of land. Moving at an average speed of 14 mph, these fires quickly overtake and
consume everything in their wake. In an effort to combat this destructive
phenomenon, official forces are trained to manage, control, and extinguish
these large blazes while reaching environmental precautions and safety
procedures to common folk. However, no amount of safety precautions and
specialized training can prepare you for the fiery inferno that is Skeyes.
Their debut release, Empty Mirrors EP,
harnesses the raging power of nature’s most beautifully rugged force in a
torrent of sustained melodies and ferocious breakdowns.
Kicking off this fiery album is “Ethereal”, a track that is
marked by an exquisite display of melodic ambiance and emotionally heavy
riffs. A quick drum fill gives way to
explosive riffs and a flare of melodic overlays that, in turn, ignite a relentless
delivery of heavy breakdowns from guitarists Cease and Macaluso. Vocalists Dale Brosious and Jesse Cease
masterfully intertwine raw clean vocals with vicious low growls to add a layer
of intensity that burns more violently than a brush fire. The seemingly endless
hail of scorching riffage suddenly halts for an ambient interlude in which
gentle rising effects churn and billow behind lightly sustained piano notes,
clean chords, and gritty clean vocals from guest vocalist Garret Rapp. The mixture
of grit and melodic ambiance creates layered waves of raging intensity that billows and
folds like smoke over trees, suspending your ears between the beauty and violent
rage of a spiraling forest fire before delving into a final crushing assault of
roaring breakdowns.
Next is “Myriad”, an explosive track that is laden with
spastic solos and incessantly heavy riffage.
Skeyes wastes no time, immediately slamming your ears with fiery walls
of lightning-fast melodic arias over choppy, heavy riffs backed by driving
percussion. Spastic energetic solos
explode and crackle like pine trees ablaze overtop searing breakdowns and heavy
chugging. Raw cleans are met with a clashing force of split scream harmonies
and ferocious growls from Brosious and Cease. Guitarists Cease and Macaluso
juxtapose waves of pulverizing breakdowns and rugged, chaotic riffs against
complementary haunting melodic overlays to create a chilling effect that will
have your skin breaking into goose bumps as your aural forest is burned to the
ground.
This brief but vibrant album ends with “Ars Amatoria”, a
track that is packed with bursts of melodic riffs in one last reflective rage
against the dying light. Gently strummed
notes from Macaluso and Cease meet sweeping layers of light melodic arias
before delving into pounding percussive elements and smoldering riffs that burn
with a final bright emotional intensity of a dying flame. Clean, soothing
vocals follow parallel to the instrumentals, soon becoming gritty and then
gradually descending into one final display of emotionally charged low
screams. The resulting musical finale will
leave you breathless, emotionally drained, and begging for more.
Though each track carries its own in terms of intensity and
consistent delivery, “Ethereal” and “Myriad” stand-out the most in this album.
Both tracks are so deeply drenched in emotion and energy in each verse, chug,
and sustained note that they burn with the fueled intensity and drive of a
kerosene-induced fire.
Overall, Skeyes has crafted one of the most explosive and emotionally
charged albums of this year. The vast amount of musicianship and energy that is
poured into each meticulously crafted riff and verse burns so vibrantly and audibly
that the resulting flames almost take on a tangible form. You will lose yourself in the charring beauty that lies within Skeyes' burning rage. Empty Mirrors is an unstoppable force that will consume you in
its raging blaze of fiery licks and energetic breakdowns. Evacuation is futile; there is nowhere to run. Nothing can save you from being consumed by the inferno
that is Skeyes’ Empty Mirrors.
Perception in relation to reality is a topic that has long
sparked many debates and theories, one of which being the theory of “Phenomenalism”.
For those unfamiliar with the topic, phenomenalism dictates that physical
objects only exist as a result of perceptual phenomena. In layman’s terms, if there
is no perception, there is no existence; your reality is built around your
perception. Meaning that, in theory,
there are as many perceptions of reality as there are humans (roughly 7 billion). Italian quartet Synodik graciously invites us into their perception of the reality in which we exist. Their sophomore
release, A Matter Of Perception EP,
provides us with a short commentary on an age-old topic through a combined
medium of deep ambience and brooding riffs that burn with the wisdom of an
aging star.
The album opens with “Projections From the Edge”, an eerie
track featuring tumultuous, rising synth medleys that most closely mimic the
sensation of zooming through a Carl Sagan video. Layers of cascading echoed
synth melodies progressively build, flourishing with bright intensity before
descending into darker, ambient depths, churning with a force parallel to the
cosmos.
Following is “When Parallels Fall”, an explosive track
marked by an amalgamation of heavy death metal elements and serene dark
ambience. Bursts of energetic melodic riffs from guitarist Leandro Scotto and
deep growls from vocalist Matteo Campanini immediately blast your ears with the
profound force of a supernova. Harsh, violent riffs backed by driving and
emphatic percussion by drummer Edoardo Delucchi suddenly halt for waves of
emotive, airy licks and overlays before delving into crushing riffs and solos. Campanini
waivers between gritty mid screams and deep growls, often utilizing split
scream harmonies for lyrical emphasis and an overall raw and sincere vocal
style of delivery. However, what really makes this track stand out is Scotto’s
split between fiercely violent riffs and simplistic, gentle synth undertones.
The result is a playful mixing and parallel placing of the perceived simplistic
beauty of the universe with the raging complexities of a galaxy.
This short but vast EP ends with “The Perceived Wisdom”, a
track laden with false endings and spastic transitions in instrumental style. Fast-paced heavy riffs collide and wrestle
with melodic, atmospheric overlays, creating an emotional turbulence between
the raw forces of the atmosphere and the peaceful serenity of the night sky. Within
the mixture of mashing forces is the lightly playful groove of Gastaldi’s bass,
which often shines through the competing layers of Scotto’s ambient licks and
crushing chugging. Campanini alternates between clean vocals and deep growls,
displaying the vast dynamic between perceived peacefulness and the true raw
force that exists within each burning star.
Overall, Synodik provides a surprisingly in-depth, albeit short take
on a topic that is as old as the universe itself.The dynamic, orchestrated collapse and
expansion of the instrumentals can be as vibrant and daunting as a White Dwarf star. A Matter Of Perception is drenched with
the introductory teachings of a vast, ancient knowledge that you can only begin
to gain from watching the world turn for centuries- and it appears that Synodik
is ready and eager to watch and learn more. A Matter Of Perception is a vastly reflective musical endeavor that gifts us aural windows from which to begin to explore the depths of our reality in relation to our existence. Ultimately,
your view on this album- and the message that you take from it- depends on your
perception of it.
French sailors have an old saying, “Rouge le soir, bel
espoir. Rouge le matin, de la pluie, en chemin.” For those who can’t read
French, it’s folklore for determining seafaring weather, which roughly
translates to “Red at night, great hope. Red in the morning, rain on the way.” Such
lore and tales are relics of tradition, created through prior years of
observation to serve as warnings or guidelines for future generations. While
tradition and folklore has kept certain dangers at bay, no warning device can prepare
or shield you from the oncoming violent storm that is Amber Sea. Their debut EP, Infantile Vision, embarks on
heavy waters, encompassing the gentlest of tides and the crushing force of a
tsunami.
The album opens with “White Materia: Sideral”, a track
marked by sudden crushing waves of heavy-hitting breakdowns and bursts of
melodic riffs. At first listen, you will be suspended in a soothing sense of weightlessness
by a layered, ethereal intro built on a sweeping piano medley and light guitar
overlays. But do not be so deceived; behind these gentle waves of melodic
instrumentation lies a raging storm. Calm melodies quickly turn violent as
driving percussion from drummer Guy Tormel leads to storming riffs by guitarist
Kevin Chasnais. Vocalist Matt Rouland’s low growls, hefty mid screams, and
well-executed cleans join the fray of heavy instrumentation, flooding your ears
with the rage and might of an ancient sea.
Next is “Deci(mate)”, a blistering track packed with the
perfect blend of spastic riffs and controlled breakdowns. Amber Sea wastes no
time, immediately hitting your ears with a lightning-fast solo from bassist
Axel Richet before delving into spastic heavy riffs and Rouland’s ferocious
growls backed by Tormel’s relentless percussion. The addition of vocalist Chris
Baretto of Monuments adds a perfect layer of split scream harmonies with
Rouland and an excellent pairing of clean vocals with heavy mid screams. Richet’s
unwavering display of instrumental prowess shines once again in a brilliantly
executed slap-bass solo before diving into waves of heavy breakdowns. What’s
most impressive in this track is the band’s ability to lose themselves in
spastic riffs and then regain control in a drastically slower-paced, yet
crushing breakdown. It’s a dichotomy that shows an excellent amount of
technical prowess and is a muscle that the band frequently flexes. What’s more,
Amber Sea allows your ears a brief, gentle interlude to let you hear andsee the beauty in the storm of heavy riffs before delving back into
the crunchy, gritty, chaotic guitars that make up this track.
“Shinigami” is an explosive track laden with savage riffs and
controlled pacing that creates an aural assault unlike the rest. It’s heavier.
It’s grittier. And it’s more chaotic than you could imagine. Choppy, fast-paced
riffs and melodic solos are backed by forceful percussion and heavy growls. What
makes this track interesting is their mashing of pacing: fast-paced chugging
crashes suddenly into slow, controlled sliding breakdowns led by Chasnais’
heavy guitar riffs and Richet’s sliding, groovy bass. Best yet, their delivery
of furious and relentless instrumentals is seamless.
The breakdowns in this track are met at a considerably slower pace that will
leave you shaking in anticipation for
the next wave of assault, the next chug, and the next sexy bass slide. The amount
of energy and discipline necessary to deliver such controlled chaos is remarkable and extraordinary.
“Black Materia: Meteor” ends this brief but fierce album,
packing a final wave of assault with ear-shattering breakdowns and spastic
melodic interludes. A chaotic aria quickly breaks into heavy, grooving riffs
and pulverizing breakdowns. Intermittent melodic solos –both unbelievably fast paced
and groovy- break the seemingly relentless aural onslaught of bone-crunching
breakdowns. Just for safe measure, Amber Sea hits you with one last
rage-filled, insanity-inducing breakdown before calmly returning to softer
medleys and then descending into the gentle melody that we were first
introduced to in “White Materia: SIderal”. This gradual descent into simplistic,
layered, melodic beauty results in a near-ghostly effect that is guaranteed to
leave you with chills running down your spine and the hairs on your neck standing
on end.
It’s impossible to pick out any stand-out tracks on this
album, as each track can stand on its own. What’s most notable is the mirroring
that can be heard between “White Materia” and “Black Materia”. The instrumentation
on both tracks is reciprocal and complimentary to each other, creating a
harmonious “yin-and-yang” effect.
Overall, Amber Sea’s Infantile
Vision is one of the most timeless and dynamic releases of this year. It’s
hard to believe that this is a debut release, given that Infantile Vision bears the collective weight and experience of a
thousand waves. Each member gives their all for an extraordinarily consistent,
brutal delivery both vocally and instrumentally. Every verse, solo,
breakdown, hit, and kick is perfectly crafted to induce an addictive, rib cage-rattling quality that will leave you breathless and bruised. You can’t
help but lose yourself physically and mentally in the gorgeous instrumentation in every ear-shattering
melodic solo and every bone-shattering breakdown. Amber Sea carries the
technical prowess and youthful recklessness that only the most seasoned waters
can hold. Today, the sky is red and Amber Sea’s Infantile Vision is the storm that is lurking on the horizon.
Actor Alan Rickman once beautifully
said, “It is an ancient need to be told stories. But the story needs a
storyteller.” Within us exists a primal hunger that can only be satisfied by
lucratively spun tales, layered with intrigue and emotion from an animated,
imaginative storyteller. Who better to
craft such imaginative tales than Holly With A Gun? The 6-piece alternative
rock band’s debut EP, Shadow Parallel,
is bound to captivate and nourish you with its emotive, well-layered lyrical
and instrumental content.
Kicking off the album is “Shoulder
Demons”: a catchy, powerful track that is filled with emotion and layered, energetic
instrumentals. A tasteful, layered fade-in intro quickly turns to driven chords
and riffs backed by beautiful, gentle piano medleys from Keyboardist Dan Carr
and relentless, fitting percussive elements from drummer Jacob Grappin. Vocalist
Scott Wiley pours out his heart with his lyrical content, stressing dynamic emphasis
in his raw, almost Midwestern-emo style of vocal performance. It’s an
intriguing, melodic track that will leave your ears begging for more.
Following is “Call Me (When You Need
Something)": a vibrant track that gleams with the grittier side of alternative
rock. Vocal and instrumental elements from “Shoulder Demons” bleeds through in
the intro before taking a drastic turn towards a harsher vocal delivery and
rougher riffs from guitarists Maldonado and Lugowski. Drummer Jacob Grappin
showcases a driving delivery of jazz & hardcore-blended percussion that is
artfully created to emphasize each emotive element in this track with each hit,
crash, kick and roll. This is clearly the album’s stand-out track with a
stellar display of well-blended musicality.
The album’s title track, “Shadow
Parallel”, is a bouncy, explosive track packed with layered vocals, and angry
riffs from guitars and keys. Bassist Ian Marcus shines in this track, with a
clearly audible walking bass line that has the perfect balance of force and
groove. Wiley’s shifts his vocal delivery from clean-cut to a progressively
grittier, harsher, rawer delivery, incorporating mid-screams for the sake of
vocal emphasis. Interestingly enough, the instrumentals also grow progressively
grittier parallel to Wiley, before the whole track spirals downward into an “organized”,
chaotic fade-out.
Vocalist Scott Wiley shows a
remarkable amount of talent with his ability to alternate between smooth and
grittier styles of vocal delivery, often times blending both for a crisp but
raw effect. Moreover, Wiley’s ability to add dynamic emphasis is a refreshing
talent that is rarely found within
this genre. He even incorporates light mid screams for the tasteful purpose of
dramatic emphasis, and it works to the band’s advantage.
Instrumentally, Shadow Parallel has a lot going for it. Not only are Wiley’s vocals
on a sliding scale from clean to grit, but the instrumental delivery follows parallel to the vocals. No instrument
overtakes another, despite the multiple layers within each track. But what
really stands out is the band’s overall disregard for the popular “verse-chorus”
structure, creating in its place a stream-of-conscious-esque form of delivery
both lyrically and instrumentally in tracks such as “Shadow Parallel”, “Call Me”,
and “Walks Of Life”. Furthermore, they craft an intricate, structured tale with
a clear set-up, climax, and conclusion in each track.
Overall, Holly With A Gun has created
one of the most entertaining Alternative Rock albums that I have heard in a
very long time. You can hear the amount of raw energy and emotion that each of
the band members put in to create the collection of stories that makes Shadow Parallel. The stellar blending of
instruments and vocals- and their respective styles- paints each scene so
vibrant and lively that it nearly takes form on a page. Holly With A Gun's Shadow Parallel is as much a musical endeavor as it is a timeless story. Listen to it and you'll know its meaning.
9/10
For Fans Of: Saosin, Circa Survive, Acceptance Katt Hass
Footballer William Eardley IV once
said, “Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive
in.” Operating this vehicle is none other than Cry Excess with their debut
album Ambition Is the Shit. The
5-piece metalcore band from Turin, Italy, is guaranteed to destroy your
eardrums with a persistent blend of chugging, gritty riffs, harsh growls and
blasting percussion in one of the darkest and heaviest albums to date.
The album opens with “Ripshit (Hands Up
For the Italians)”, a brutal, ear-blasting track that opens with a modest
electronica-driven fade-in intro before slamming your ears with gritty vocals,
harsh growls, and dark undertones from heavy riffs. What’s different and most
interesting about this track is the split between screams and a rap-style of
delivery from vocalist Jaxon V.It’s a dark, brooding track that marks the
underlying rage the band is putting forth- and it leaves you wanting more.
Next is “The Public Enemy”, a rage-filled track
that packs one hell-of-a punch with a sinister intro leading into heavy riffs, sliding breakdowns, relentless
percussion, and a brilliant vocal display of cleans and screams.
The album’s title track, “Ambition Is the Shit” is
marked by high screams, melodic synth solos, relentless percussion, fast riffs,
and heavy breakdowns that are packed with an amount of force that’s capable of sending
you flying across the room. It’s the
track that has it all in terms of persistent brutality, instrumental, and vocal
variety- including a breakdown that is driven by a synthesizer with heavy
chugging as a complementing undertone.
Now, I don’t like electronic music in
metalcore whatsoever, but Cry Excess has managed to utilize electronic elements
to add a layer of depth to each track, including breakbeat-driven breakdowns in
pulsating tracks such as “You Hate Because You Can’t Compete”, and “Hustler”.
And it works to their advantage. But
it’s not limited to just creating a break-beat sort of style. The electronic
elements often take place of what would be melodic solos from the guitarists - and
it doesn’t sound campy at all.
Vocalists Jaxon V. and Brian N. show an absolutely brilliant display
of vocal variety and range, incorporating multiple elements and a whole other
genre (rap) within their heavy delivery. Tracks such as “What Keeps Us Alive”
and “Rebel, Forever” display split scream harmonies, gritty cleans, and deep
growls. “Ripshit” and “Ambition Is the Shit” best display their use of rap
within heavy riffs and brutal breakdowns.
It’s hard to pick out any stand-out tracks,
as most of the songs on this album are well-crafted and can stand for their
own. One stand-out track is “Hustler”, as it gives a false notion of respite
from the heavy chugging by giving us heavy lyricism and aptly crafted
electronica before delving into an aggressive breakdown.
Another notable track is “Unto Death”,
which features one of the best displays of instrumental musicality. Relentless
and driving percussion from drummer Brian N. is paired with masterful riffage
from guitarists Mark Agostini and Andrew V.
Light, melodic riffs lead into heavy, dark breakdowns before swinging
full-circle to include melodic overlays and light arias within the heavy,
fast-paced riffs.
Overall, Cry
Excess has created a truly unique album that is packed with an ear-shredding,
bone-rattling quality that will shake the very foundation upon which you stand.
You can hear the amount of energy that the band has put into Ambition Is the Shit. The limitless
energy and rage is so clearly audible that it is almost visual. Ambition Is the Shit is so well-crafted
and relentless in every breakdown, verse, hit and kick, that it’s hard to believe
that this is actually a debut album. You can’t help but mosh, groove, and
headbang to every track. If ambition is the path to success, and persistence its
vehicle, then Cry Excess's Ambition Is the Shit is a masterpiece. You’d be foolish to not listen to
this album.
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