Hibernal - Replacements

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The 2014 Collection
Kenny Norton
http://kenoalbumreview.blogspot.com
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Table of Contents
Welcome All!
Hibernal - Replacements
Eloy - Performance
Pink Floyd - Meddle
The Dear Hunter - Act III: Life and Death
The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed
Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
Top 5 Greatest Concerts I've Ever Seen List
Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Vol. I
The Sunpilots - King of the Sugarcoated Tongues
The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Mastodon - Once More 'Round the Sun
Fire Garden - Sound of Majestic Colors
Tides of Man - Young and Courageous
Rush - Caress of Steel
Rush - Clockwork Angels
Dream Theater - Awake
I Was Awake - I Was Awake
Yes - Heaven and Earth
State of Illusion - Aphelion
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TesseracT - Altered State
Marathon - Marathon
Machines Dream - Machines Dream
3 - The Ghost You Gave to Me
Alter Bridge - Blackbird
Anubis - Hitchhiking to Byzantium
5 Ways to Search for New Music List
Slaves - Through Art We Are All Equals
Eden Shadow - Phases
Arcane Roots - Blood & Chemistry
Concert Review - Nine Inch Nails/Soundgarden/Cold Cave
Thank You Scientist - Maps of Non-Existent Places
Farol Cego - Zenite
Hemina - Nebulae
Miroist - Curve
Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste
Mercury Tree - Countenance
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Welcome all!
Congratulations! Of the seemingly endless supply of entertainment on
the Internet, you have happened to stumble upon my blog! Lucky you!
My name is Kenny, but from now on I will be referring to myself as
"Keno." Hence the name: Keno's Album Review.
Before we get to business, I thought I would give an introduction to my
blog. For those of you who do not know me, music is my biggest
hobby. It is something that is always on my mind, from the moment I
wake up to the moment I fall asleep. It gives me a great source of joy
and entertainment. I cannot imagine a day where I cannot listen to my
favorite artist or album. As an aspiring yet struggling musician myself,
I also make a hobby of playing, learning, and understanding music.
Through my experiences, I have seen myself fall into a particular
niche: rock music. Throughout this blog you will see me heavily
leaning towards rock music, but not towards any specific genre. The
greatness of rock music is its vast number of genres and even more
subgenres. From progressive rock, to heavy metal, to industrial rock,
my ears have heard a lot over the years. I continue to look for the best
rock music released, and to expand my taste in music.
Now to the good part. What is the purpose of this blog? Why are you
reading this in the first place?
My goal is to provide a new listening experience to my readers. Every
week, I will post a new artist or album that I have found throughout my
life and feel that I must share with my audience. The possibility of
artists are endless: popular ones, obscure ones, underground ones,
unknown ones, new ones, old ones, and maybe even ones that you'll
mispronounce. I'll help you all with a little background behind the
band, along with a description of why this album or artist is worth
mentioning. I might tell which situation to listen to them to in, what
instrument to pay the most attention to, which lyrics to listen to, and
more. I hope to encourage you all to drop whatever you are doing,
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even to stop what you are listening to, and to take a chance with my
suggestions. I hope to not only make new fans of these artists, but to
help artists make new fans out of you.
If you do not have them already in your music library, you can find
them using Spotify, iTunes Radio or Bandcamp. If you end up sharing
the same feelings towards them as I do, I encourage you to buy their
album on iTunes or other music purchasing websites. If they are
coming to a city near you, I encourage you to go to their concert, to
purchase their merchandise, and to thank them by being there for
them.
I hope you all share the same love of music as I do. I also hope you
will take a little time out of your week to read my blog, and to give a try
towards something new.
Until my first official post, I thank you all, and welcome you all to
Keno's Album Review!
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Hibernal - Replacements
To start off my very first review on my blog, I felt I had to stray away
from the norm. I didn’t want to review my personal favorite album first,
or review an artist that everyone has heard of and has listened to
lately. I’m trying to make this blog unique people! I hope for my blog to
give equal opportunity to all rock bands out there, old or new, popular
or not. That’s why I am starting my first review on a little unknown (at
least in the United States) band from Australia called Hibernal.
For those of you who don’t know, I believe only two good things have
come out of Australia: Crocodile Dundee, and rock bands. From
bands like Karnivool and Closure in Moscow, to bands like AC/DC and
Wolfmother, Australia is packed with bands that grab my attention.
One of those bands is Hibernal.
Hibernal is solo project fronted by Mark Healy, who performs all
instruments on the album. I can only describe their sound as
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progressive rock, meets post rock, meets space rock, meets
instrumental rock, with some effects to throw into the mix. I couldn’t
tell you my favorite song off the album, as I treat it more like one piece
instead of twelve songs. Now, what makes Hibernal different than any
other band? Instead of typical lyrics, Hibernal uses spoken word. I find
this so fascinating because I have yet to come across another high
quality band that uses spoken word so effectively (Side note: If you
can think of one, please comment below and I’ll take a listen). This is
the first band I’ve heard to achieve this feat. To make this band even
more unique, they concentrate their lyrics in the form of a story, like a
soundtrack to a movie. The listener is constantly told a story that flows
from song to song.
Both albums “The Machine” and their newest album “Replacements”
follow this model, using a few characters to tell a cinematic adventure,
with great heavy riffs to lay scenes of tension and anger, while
soothing the audience with gentle melodies during scenes of
discovery and self-reflection. The musicianship is simple than some
other bands I listen to, but have just as great of an impact through the
use of soundtrack and other digital effects. Both albums can be
classified as a sci-fi adventure, where we take a look at a not-so
distant future. The first time I listened to them, I couldn’t help closing
my eyes and letting my imagination run wild as they take me on a
journey. I love the use of guitar and sound effects to help portray the
mood, just as a soundtrack to a movie. It adds another element to
what would sound like a story on tape without it.
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The greatest thing about their music? The stories are really
interesting! As an advocate for concept albums, I have heard many
statements made against the use of a concept in music. A common
cliché for concept albums are that they involve windy, over-told stories
that make little to no sense in the end. Not Hibernal. Their stories are
simple, yet complete. Imagination is needed to fill the gaps, but they
guide you not only through word, but through song. Their newest
album “Replacements” can be summed up on their Bandcamp page:
“Replacements opens a window into the future of mankind’s
technology where our mastery of robotics creates endless
possibilities, both great and terrible. It asks the question – is
everything replaceable?” (source)
For those who are not interested in following a story, and would
instead like an instrumental piece, Hibernal offers an option for
“Replacements” without the spoken word, to give the listener a
different experience.
I urge anyone who is a lover of science fiction, prog rock, movie
soundtracks, or are suckers for concept albums like myself to take a
listen to Hibernal’s “Replacements.”
Bandcamp
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Eloy - Performance
My second attempt at posting on this blog will take my audience to a
different genre of rock, a different country, and a different decade. I
decided to go a completely different direction, focusing on a oncepopular rock band from Germany in the 70's named Eloy.
Germany, in my opinion, has brought to the music scene a great
genre of rock known as Krautrock. Coined as a stereotypical name for
bands from Germany in the 60's and 70's, Krautrock consists of
experimental bands that range in styles from electric avant-garde,
psychedelic rock, jazz, and synth rock. Bands like Can and the
Scorpions can be classified in this genre, and have brought a new
flavor of rock to the United States, still influencing many bands today
like the Mars Volta, Queens of the Stone Age, and Radiohead.
Eloy, named after the creatures the Time Traveller interacts with in the
book "The Time Machine," is a project brought together by
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singer/guitarist Frank Bornemann. Through many decades and
albums, Eloy has experienced many line-up changes, with Bornemann
as its anchor. The 70's yielded their best work based on album sales,
including their hit album "Ocean," one of my personal favorite albums
of that era.
Instead of reviewing their album "Ocean", I would like to review their
1983 release "Performance."
Why "Performance" you ask? I'll tell you why. As many bands from the
60's and 70's entered the 80's, some had a difficult time adjusting to
the unique music trends that were beginning. From synth rock to new
wave, many rock bands were forced to adjust their sound to their
differing audience. Every older rock band I can think of experienced
this change simultaneously: Rush, Scorpions, Yes, Pink Floyd, and
the list goes on. Unlike those that have failed, Eloy is one of those
bands that survived the transition.
Using a wide variety of synthesizers and sound manipulation,
"Performance" is a masterpiece of early 80's rock. Songs like
"Heartbeat" and "In Disguise" use an overwhelming use of cliché 80's
sound, while songs like "Shadow and Light" and "A Broken Frame"
give a nod to their prior work from the previous decade. Comparing
them to a more rock version of Duran Duran, I love to listen to the
variety of guitar styles throughout the album, to the combination of tom
toms and cymbals on the drum set, and especially to the futuristic and
melodic sounds produced by the keyboard. Over the length of each
song, the keyboard gives an added and unique element to each song
like different types of icing on a cake.
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The greatest thing about "Performance"? The surprising bass guitar
that grooves throughout the album. Not many bassists grab my
attention when listening to my rock music library. Klaus-Peter Matziol,
Eloy's bassist from 1976 until today, has to be one of the most underrated bassists in early rock history. The first time I listened to this
album was after many listens from their more commercially successful
70's albums. After only hearing each of their 80's albums once and
downplaying them altogether, it took a second attempt of sitting and
actually listening to their music to pick up the bass guitar. KlausPeter's bass lines grabbed me from early on in the album, and
dominate in songs like "Mirador" and "Heartbeat". As the saying goes,
you're only as strong as your weakest link. As many will criticize the
bass guitar on the whole, one cannot claim Klaus-Peter Matziol to be
the weakest link in this album.
I highly recommend this album to lovers of synth rock, new wave, and
80's music in general. If you are a fan of this style of rock, I suggest
you also listen to Eloy's previous albums "Time to Turn" and "Planets".
Eloy website
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Pink Floyd - Meddle
The album I will be reviewing today comes from a band that I'm sure
everyone has heard of. The band I am talking about is none other than
Pink Floyd.
Whether you know of the band's history or not, all you need to know is
this foursome has produced some of the most influential albums in
rock history. From albums like "Dark Side of the Moon," "The Wall,"
and "Wish You Were Here," Pink Floyd has rocked over several
decades, and has evolved their style over that same span. For Pink
Floyd to reach such a height of popularity, several albums needed to
have been made prior to help launch their career. I believe that
without their album "Meddle," Pink Floyd might be a different band
today.
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Despite being simpler compositions than their later works, "Meddle"
contains some of my favorite Pink Floyd songs. The lack of craziness
(as I like to call it) that Roger Waters brings to their later albums is
missing, which makes this album a much easier listen. The simpleness that accompanies each song reminds me of great background
music that enhances any social gathering.
What I love most about this album compared to some of their most
popular albums is the variety of styles of rock within the album. Songs
like "San Tropez" and "Seamus" are filled with jazzy guitar and piano,
which are later explored in the album "Dark Side of the Moon". The
song "San Tropez" is named after the city in France, a beautiful
waterfront city overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. When I listen to the
song, I feel as if the wind is blowing in my face as I drive my 70's
convertible along a long, windy road alongside the beach.
"One of These Days" is my second favorite song on the album,
consisting of a 6 minute instrumental. This progressive, psychedelic
song starts off the album, and immediately draws the listener in. As
you hear the bass guitar evolve and delay over both earphones, the
keyboard adds sound effects and texture before reaching the climax.
By then, the drums starts the jam session with a smash against the
ride cymbal. I love to imagine this band playing this song in a garage,
having fun with their different effects.
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"Fearless" and "A Pillow of Winds" use clean guitar and a slow tempo
to help continue the theme of easy listening. The simple styles of
classic rock are affluent in these songs, as David Gilmour and Roger
Waters turn to a more acoustic sound.
By far, the best song on this album is their signature track "Echoes."
For those of you who still own record players, "Echoes" takes up the
entire second side with their 23 minute track, summing up the various
styles used throughout the album. Part easy listening, part
psychedelic, part progressive, the song is separated into different
sections. Using various sound effects from the keyboard and guitar,
Pink Floyd uses improvisation techniques to create another garagelike atmosphere. Adding to the great music is the lyrics that can be
interpreted in so many ways. Does it follow a concept? Is it simply
about the human experience? It's up to the listener.
I love to hear the evolution of Pink Floyd through their music. I feel
that most of their older albums are too scattered and unfocused, while
some of their newer albums are too focused and follow to much of a
concept, which limits the listener's imagination and creativity. I believe
"Meddle" is the perfect balance between these two sides of Pink
Floyd, and is worth a listen, especially among fans who are more
familiar with their more popular albums.
Pink Floyd
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The Dear Hunter - Act III: Life and Death
The next album I'll review comes from a band that I have neglected for
some time until this week. That band is The Dear Hunter.
The Dear Hunter is the brainchild of singer/songwriter Casey
Crescenzo. A talented artist, Crescenzo performs the majority of
instruments during his recordings, and having had the opportunity to
see him live, performs vocals, guitar, and the keyboard on stage.
This band has lived in my iTunes Library for a couple years, and I
have managed to skip over them throughout this time. Even though I
have had a positive experience seeing this band live when they toured
with Coheed and Cambria and Porcupine Tree, I have only managed
to listen to a couple songs this whole time. As of this week, though, I
finally told myself I had to stop looking over The Dear Hunter and give
them an honest try. Boy, am I glad I did! I have listened to their first
three albums, falling in love with their album "Act III: Life and Death."
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The album "Act III: Life and Death" is the third of a six album concept.
The concept takes place in the past (from the sound and song titles,
my guess is the late 1800's), and revolves around the protagonist, the
Dear Hunter, as he seeks to learn more about his deceased mother.
As an advocate for concept albums, I love the intricacy and detail
behind the story. Over the three albums that have been released so
far, the listener has learned about the Dear Hunter's history, starting
with his birth and as of now end with the death of his father. Although
the band is temporarily stepping away from their concept, I am excited
to hear what they have in store next.
What I love the most about this album is the unique sound they have.
The Dear Hunter cannot be classified as one particular genre. The
band can be described mainly as a progressive rock band, apparent in
songs like "In Cauda Venemum" ("The sting is in its tail" in Latin),
which happens to be my favorite song on the album. The song
transitions from the screaming vocals that are apparent in posthardcore bands, to a verse with a prog-rock bass line, and with horn
instruments in the background throughout. I can also argue that the
band has influences of indie rock (some bands they remind me of
include Portugal. The Man and Circa Survive). Some songs that
remind me of these influences include "The Tank" and "This Beautiful
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Life." I can also hear influences of folk rock (such as the Decemberists
and City and Colour) in the songs "The Poison Woman" and "Go Get
Your Gun". The constant change in rock styles keeps the listener on
their toes, and helps describe the concept in greater detail.
I recommend this album to lovers of progressive rock, post-hardcore
rock, indie rock, folk rock, or to those just looking for a new, unique
sound. The Dear Hunter has released three albums total following the
concept of the character "The Dear Hunter," but has also released two
albums on the side, called "The Color Spectrum" and "Migrant." "The
Color Spectrum" continues the trend of unique music, as it changes
music style from song to song. Finally, Casey Crescenzo has also
recently created a symphony called "Amour & Attrition." That's right, a
symphony. Take a listen for yourself!
The Dear Hunter website
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The Moody Blues - Days of Future Passed
Over the weekend, I had the chance to see a symphony perform at
the Balboa Theater in downtown San Diego. Not having seen one in a
long time, I was truly mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the
orchestra. I was not only entertained by the sounds of the various
instruments, but also by the movement of each performer, being
directed by the conductor. I never realized how visually stunning an
orchestra can be. With that vibe coming into this article, I decided I
had to review an album that used a symphony as well, so I thought to
myself: What band uses a symphony? The first band that came to my
mind was The Moody Blues.
The Moody Blues consists of a rotating lineup of great musicians,
including Justin Hayward on vocals/guitar and John Lodge on
bass/vocals. This band has survived through many decades, and has
produced some of the most influential albums in rock history. One of
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those influential albums is the center of this week’s review: “Days of
Future Passed.”
After listening to this album all the way through for the first time, I
immediately fell in love with it. I can only describe this album as
symphonic rock, since the entire London Festival Orchestra is used to
produce a background track throughout the entire album. This album
also features hints of psychedelic rock, and is considered a precursor
to progressive rock.
“Days of Future Passed” is a concept album about a typical working
day. My experience is to not only listen to this album, but also to
visualize my own typical workday from beginning to end. The mood is
set with the opening song “The Day Begins,” as the orchestra plays a
harmony which summarizes the entire experience of my working day,
using sections of future songs off the album. The album proceeds to
describe to me the feeling of the rising sun, waking up, driving to work,
working, and taking my lunch break. The day continues as we reach
the second single off their album “Tuesday Afternoon.” Every time I
listen to this song, I imagine during my lunch break when I go to my
usual spot outside by office building to just sit and look around. The
weather outside is perfect, the birds are chasing each other, and the
trolley is gently driving by. The album proceeds with the evening, and
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finally ending with the first single off their album “Nights in White
Satin.”
“Nights in White Satin” is by far my favorite song by The Moody Blues.
I believe it is one of the best love songs ever written, as the narrator
struggles with his feelings of love towards another. I picture someone
lying in bed, struggling to fall asleep, thinking about someone they
love who is not there with them. I feel this way when my wife is away,
and I can’t help but feel for the narrator in this album. As the narrator
slowly drifts to sleep, the album closes the way it began with a soft
harmony by the orchestra.
As I write this post, I am realizing that “Days of Future Passed” is one
of my favorite albums in my iTunes library. It is a perfect, relatable
story. It has an awesome sound brought to you not only by The Moody
Blues, but also by the London Festival Orchestra. I highly recommend
this album to those who love classic rock, and especially to those who
love orchestras and symphonies.
The Moody Blues website
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Silversun Pickups - Neck of the Woods
After a request to review a newer band, I decided on the perfect album
to review. This album was released in 2012, and was made by a band
that I feel has grown in popularity ever since their first album. This
band is considered a favorite amongst several of my friends. The band
I am referring to is Silversun Pickups.
Silversun Pickups is a quartet from Los Angeles, featuring lead
singer/guitarist Brian Aubert and bassist Nikki Monninger. Aubert’s
eccentric nature is not only seen on stage and in interviews, but felt on
each record. It’s sad for me to say that I did not learn of this band until
I played the game “Rock Band” in high school. Being in a constant
search for good music, I was amazed to hear such an awesome song
on a video game, being their single “Lazy Eye” of their album
“Carnavas.” I immediately searched for them and bought their album
when I returned home. That was several years ago, and two albums
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and one EP later, they have sold hundreds of thousands of records.
Today, I will be reviewing their latest album “Neck of the Woods.”
I must admit this: When I first listened to this album, I didn’t like it.
(GASP!) As much as I love Silversun Pickups and their earlier work,
my first listen to the album wasn’t a positive experience. I was
wondering where the overdriven guitar went, where the upbeat lyrics
went, and where the drum machine came from. I was thinking
Silversun Pickups had went the way of the current radio-friendly trend,
being beat driven, more electronic, and less grit. I was sad at first, but
several listens later, I started to understand the creative direction.
By taking a simpler approach to their music, Silversun Pickups is able
to reach out to a broader fan base. Keeping with the same genre of
indie rock and grunge rock that was so popular in the 90’s (like the
band The Smashing Pumpkins), “Neck of the Woods” delves deeper
into genres like shoegaze (like the bands The Verve and My Bloody
Valentine) and dream pop (like the bands The Flaming Lips and
Elbow). Songs like “Here We Are (Chancer)” and “The Pit” take on a
revised style of rock, while songs like “Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings)”
and “Dots and Dashes (Enough Already)” keep longstanding fans
happy. I believe Aubert’s lyrics are at his best in this album, as he
relies on the theme of nostalgia and introspection, an experience that
everyone is familiar with from time to time. Because of this theme, I
feel the change in sound is necessary. The simplification of guitar and
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percussion, along with the darker lyrics, brings more of that feeling of
nostalgia.
Even though I have mainly talked about Brian Aubert, this is in no way
“Brian Aubert’s band”. I encourage, no, plead for anyone reading this
article to see Silversun Pickups live! I have seen them twice, their
second time being in my “Top 5 Greatest Concerts I’ve Ever Seen”
list. Each member of the band plays a vital role in each song, and the
stage performance is phenomenal. The second time I saw them was
at Soma San Diego, and was filled with an array of colors, lights, and
sounds. Please see this band live; I guarantee it will make your own
“Greatest Concerts I’ve Ever Seen” list.
I urge everyone to see this up-and-coming, if not, already arrived rock
band. If you are a fan of 90’s grunge, shoegaze, dream pop, and indie
music, I guarantee you’ll fall in love with “Neck of the Woods.”
Silversun Pickups website
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Top 5 Greatest Concerts I’ve Ever Seen List
In my last post, I mentioned my “Top 5 Greatest Concerts I’ve Ever
Seen” list. After posting, I pondered on which concerts would round
out my top 5. I’ve decided to share with you all my list in no particular
order. Enjoy!
Silversun Pickups – Soma San Diego
Silversun Pickups was mentioned in my last post as being in my top 5
list. I loved this concert because of the changing colors and clear,
crisp sound coming from the stage. For those who haven’t been to
Soma, the venue is very small, and considered an “intimate” venue for
bigger bands that come to San Diego. Brian Aubert leads the band
with a lively, extravagant stage persona. When I saw this band with
my good friend Andrew, he noticed the attention bassist Nikki
Monninger got from the crowd with her shy personality, and
considered her as the crowd favorite. Each member of the band brings
their own personality, and adds an element of awesomeness to each
of their live performances.
Dream Theater – Fox Performing Arts Center
Dream Theater is a band that I’ve wanted to see for several years, but
didn’t have the chance to see until earlier this year. Performing in
Riverside, I was surprised at the turnout. Being so close to Los
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Angeles, I thought doing a small venue in a small town would hurt
Dream Theater’s schedule. Boy, was I wrong. The venue was
completely sold out! In fact, it made the show better; The crowd was
lively, over-the top, and singing along to every song they played. The
stage performance of each member, along with the lights, lasers,
humor, and videos makes this a band to listen and watch live.
The Mars Volta – Soma San Diego
The Mars Volta never fails to amaze. Just ask me; I’ve seen them
seven times in four different venues. In promotion of their album
“Bedlam in Goliath”, I have never seen a crowd as wild as I saw in that
show. Each member of the band has a different responsibility for each
song. I use the word “responsibility” due to Omar Rodriguez-Lopez’s
role as conductor and director during their live performances. Despite
Rodriguez-Lopez’s direction, he could never tame Cedric BixlerZavala, who jumped off of amps, ran around on stage, and poured
water onto the drum set to create a “Blue Man Group”-like effect. I
love the unique atmosphere that The Mars Volta brought to this
concert. Building off the crowd, each member didn’t miss a beat, and
played their best performance in my opinion.
Porcupine Tree – 4th & B
Good ol’ 4th and B. Despite their closure, this venue has brought
some good concerts. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to see
Porcupine Tree play in San Diego, a band that has yet to return. Due
to their European presence and popularity, this band rarely has the
chance to come to the United States, let alone San Diego. I
remember before the concert, I had a discussion with an older fan in
the crowd. He had mentioned that the drummer was the best live
drummer he'd ever seen. Never fully paying attention to the drums on
each of their albums, I purposely focused on the drummer Gavin
Harrison the whole concert. Whoever you are, I want to thank that
man in that crowd for the tip. I fully agree that Gavin Harrison
performed the best live set I've ever seen from a drummer. This
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fascination has led me to find further albums featuring Harrison, and
may be future posed on my blog.
Coheed and Cambria – House of Blues San Diego
As the saying goes, save the best for last. I may sound a little bias, but
Coheed and Cambria is the best rock band on the face of this Earth.
No exceptions. No rebuttals. No if’s, and’s, or but’s. The only band I’ve
seen more than The Mars Volta, Coheed and Cambria delivers on
point in every category of rock. I could write forever on this band, but I
just want to say that their “Neverender: Second Stage Turbine Blade”
performance was their greatest of all their live performances. Three
sets, spinning turbine blades on stage, and one awesome hair-do.
Need I say more? This band will definitely be featured in future posts.
There you have it, my “Top 5 Greatest Concerts I’ve Ever Seen” list.
This list is subject to change of course as I see more and more
concerts.
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Coheed and Cambria - Good Apollo, I'm Burning
Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through the Eyes of
Madness
This next album is a definite “must listen” to all who read this post. It is
by my all time favorite band: Coheed and Cambria.
As I was driving through the wilderness over the weekend, I came
across a thought. I couldn’t help but think that Coheed and Cambria
has the best following than any other rock band today. I cannot think
of many friends or acquaintances of mine who could answer this
ridiculously easy questions: “Who’s your favorite band/artist?” So
many times I’ve heard “Well, I like bands A, B, and C, but I also like
bands X, Y, and Z.” The fan base that follows Coheed and Cambria is
so strong and unique that their response to my question would simply
be laughter. Coheed and Cambria are not only a band to these fans,
but a way of life. There are webpages among webpages (like here and
here) strictly related to Coheed and Cambria’s music, story, comics,
and fandom. Heck, fans have even nicknamed themselves based on a
lyric in the band’s songs and story: “Children of the Fence.” There is
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no fan base like Coheed’s, and I am proud to be considered one of
them.
Of the albums that are most played on my iTunes Library, the one that
is played the most is “Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV, Volume I:
From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness.” This 15 song, 72 minute
epic with a mouth-full of a title contains what I believe to be Coheed at
their best. The precision behind each drumbeat delivered by Josh
Eppard, the variety of bass lines brought by bassist Michael Todd, the
range of frontman Claudio Sanchez’s falsetto vocals, the extent of
guitar brilliance brought by both Claudio Sanchez and Travis Stever,
and the story behind this epic masterpiece are only some of the
reasons why this is a “must listen.” I could literally talk about this
album alone for hours, but because of length and time constraints, I
will not give too much back story of this band. For more information,
you can visit one of the previously mentioned websites.
At this point in their career, the band has moved away from their
alternative/emo rock sound, and has gone in the direction of
progressive rock. Citing influences of Iron Maiden and Pink Floyd,
Coheed and Cambria created a solid album in “Good Apollo, Volume
I”, one that delivers a performance that is difficult to be matched. This
album contains some of Coheed’s most well-known songs, including
“Welcome Home,” “The Suffering,” “Wake Up,” and “The Willing Well:
IV - The Final Cut,” a song laden with guitar solos and groovy drums
that our rock forefathers would be proud of. Live versions of this song
expand the outro into a 20 minute masterpiece, comprising of duel
guitar, individual instrument solos, and new devices of sound
manipulation to humor the audience, ranging from violin bows to
Theremins. The album features 15 total songs, each an integral part to
the album and story. Even their lesser known songs have great
moments of lyrical genius, marvelous bass guitar, and ballad-like
guitar riffs. My favorite underplayed song off this album is “Mother May
I,” with its clean guitar, time signature changes, and passionate
singing.
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It is hard to choose my favorite aspect of this album, but I feel I must
speak a little of the powerful voice and lyrics of this album. Every time
I play this album (or any of their albums for that matter), I feel a rush, a
sense of heightened musical awareness. I not only hear each word
spoken by Claudio Sanchez, but feel what he says. I feel like I know
not only what he says, but why he chose those words to say. Since
each Coheed and Cambria album revolves around a concept called
“The Amory Wars,” I feel like I know each character in the story, what
each is going through, their strengths, their weaknesses, and their
fears. The main character in this album, The Writer, struggles with
reality as he sways from sanity to insanity, driven by fear and hope. I
feel the mood sway between each song as The Writer struggles with
his own personal demons. I cannot unconsciously listen to this album,
because from the moment I push play, I am instantly grabbed and
pulled by the mood and setting the band lays out throughout the
album.
I urge everyone who reads this to listen to “Good Apollo, I'm Burning
Star IV, Volume I: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness.” This
album has a little of everything, from influences of mainstream pop, to
alternative rock, to classic rock, to neo-prog. It is the perfect album to
use to introduce to someone who has never heard them before. For
those who love rock music at all, please listen to this album and
support this band.
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Coheed and Cambria website
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31
The Sunpilots - King of the Sugarcoated
Tongues
Shortly after I started my Twitter account, I received a follow
confirmation from the band The Sunpilots. I was intrigued, as it was
the first time a band asked to follow me, instead of vice versa. After
some basic research of the band, I was immediately interested: An
Australian rock band with progressive rock influences, with a concept
album, and an awesome album cover to boot. Quadruple check off my
list of criteria to give this rock band a shot. Since I had the time over
the weekend, I cleared my schedule, sat down, and gave a listen to
“King of the Sugarcoated Tongues.”
I was struggling to think of a way to describe this band all morning
during my commute to work. Because of the variety of sound that The
Sunpilots deliver on this album, it took a few hours before I finally
pinpointed the musical influences. Whether unintentional or not, my
first impression of this band is a musical fusion of The Mars Volta and
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Incubus, but not necessarily a musical duplicate. I could easily hear
Brandon Boyd’s vocals if I closed my eyes, and could easily guess the
song structures to be Mars Volta or At The Drive-In B-sides. The
previous sentence is in no way meant to be an insult or taken in a
negative connotation.
The songs in “King of the Sugarcoated Tongues” are much too
complex and unique to simply be copying one or two different bands’
sound, but simple enough to be pleasant and catchy. Each song is a
prerequisite to the next, as the song structure is uniquely driven by the
electric and bass guitars, played by Bob Spencer and Adil
Baktir respectively. The first song I listened to was "The Piper's
Mirror," which is also released as a music video. The video reminds
me of a dystopian future, but can be interpreted to the viewer's liking.
Songs like "King of the Sugarcoated Tongues" and "God Science"
reminds me of old-school Incubus with its simple yet effective guitar
riffs, doused in phaser and other sound effects. Other songs like "The
Captain" and "Rain" make me recall the guitar styles of individuals like
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez of the Mars Volta and Nick Perri of
Shinedown. The groovy bass guitar is prominent in every song. I
cannot help but follow the bass guitar in songs like "King of the
Sugarcoated Tongues" and "Exodus". The drumbeat is the perfect
complement to the effect-driven guitars and bass guitars, played by
Kay Ketting.
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What I love the most about this album is the vocals. Raj Siva-Rajah's
range is incredible; his vocals alone are a reason to listen to this
album. His voice sounds like a mix between many well known rock
singers, from Brandon Boyd to Matthew Bellamy to Jeff Buckley.
Vocals are highlighted in songs like "3 Minutes to Midnight" and "The
Captain." His range in vocals, along with the varying styles of guitar
make this album stand out among others.
For fans of progressive rock, and bands like Incubus, Radiohead and
The Mars Volta, I suggest you give this band a listen. This album is
fun to listen to, as you can follow a different instrument each time and
come out in the end with a different experience. Please visit this band
here, where you can download a free copy of this album. That's right:
free! What's better than free music?! In addition, they are touring the
United States shortly, so please support this band in these multiple
ways!
Bandcamp
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The Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the
Infinite Sadness
My two good friends played the next band to be reviewed last
weekend while I was away. I couldn't help but ask myself: "Why don't I
have any albums by them?" It is a band that I have heard many times
before on the radio or from friends, and have even dreamed of seeing
for some time. Over the course of a few days, I was finally able to
listen to the majority of their albums, and was again surprised why it
took this long for me to listen to them. The band? The Smashing
Pumpkins.
Headed by Billy Corgan through various lineups, The Smashing
Pumpkins is a cliché 90's rock band, albeit one of the most talented of
that time. Having been honored with several awards over the years,
The Smashing Pumpkins have released some of the most recognized
songs in modern rock history. From songs like "Today" and "Cherub
Rock", to their newer hits "Tarantula" and "That's the Way (My Love
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Is)", I couldn't believe how many songs I've heard from them that I
only consciously recognized. After a recommendation from my friends,
I decided that I had to focus on their album "Mellon Collie and the
Infinite Sadness."
Loosely based on the concept of day and night, Corgan further states
that this album conveys "the human condition of mortal sorrow." He
goes on to relate this album to all the feelings he experienced as a
youth, but couldn't express until he was older. Being compared to
albums like The Beatles "White Album" and Pink Floyd's "The Wall" in
concept, this album was meant to be the voice of the 90's teenage
generation. (source) As I listen to this album, I can hear Billy's
frustration and sorrow in every song, which reminds me of my own
teenage angst. The majority of the songs on the album redirect the
listener to their teenage years, where love was lost, and when others
couldn't understand our problems. The song "In the Arms of Sleep"
relates to that awful feeling of unrequited love. The song "Zero"
reminds me of different disorders we can experience especially in our
youth. Fortunately, other songs on this album deliver messages and
lessons to the audience. Songs like "Tonight Tonight" teach us to
believe in ourselves. "1979" brings a sense of nostalgia, but also
teaches us to live each day at its fullest.
The heavy guitar is reminiscent of bands like Soundgarden, Nirvana,
and Stone Temple Pilots. Besides the few ballads on the album, each
song contains overdriven guitars with a plethora of sound effects. Like
most albums I listen to, I love picking a different instrument to focus on
each time, to hear the direction of where they're going, and to
understand why each band member uses the chords and scales that
they use.
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The best thing about this album is Corgan's vocals. Despite being one
of those voices that you either love or hate, one cannot disagree that
Corgan's vocals are perfect for this album. His youthful screams in
songs like "Tales of a Scorched Earth" bring out that anxiety we
experience from time to time, yet his vocals in songs like "1979" are
spoken as an adult reflecting on his past. As someone who has only
recently heard this album for the first time, I love to sit back and wait
for which vocal style Corgan will bring on the next song.
As I sit back and listen to this album, I am brought back to my middle
school and high school years. Feeling similar to how Corgan felt in
those days (but not to that extent), this album is a great reminder of
who I was then and how it's helped me grow into the person I am
today. In the end, I wouldn't be who I am without those experiences in
the past, and just like this album, I bring a message of hope and
optimism to those younger than I who have similar experiences.
These feelings are best summed up in the lyrics of their last song
"Farewell and Goodnight," my favorite lyric being:
Goodnight, my love, to every hour in every day
Goodnight, always to all that's pure that's in your heart
For those who are fans of popular 90's rock bands like Soundgarden,
Nirvana, and Stone Temple Pilots, or those who want to experience
an emotional roller coaster as they did in their youth, I highly
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recommend this album. It is by far the most interesting musical
experience I've had this year, and I look forward to the next album that
brings these same feelings.
The Smashing Pumpkins website
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38
Mastodon - Once More 'Round The Sun
After looking over the different bands I’ve reviewed thus far, I thought I
would change things up for this post. I decided I wanted to review an
album that was in the hard rock/metal genre, so I thought it’d be
perfect to review the band Mastodon, which is one of my favorite
metal bands out there.
Mastodon is a four-piece from Atlanta, with Brent Hinds on lead vocals
and guitar, Troy Sanders on bass and vocals, Brann Dailor on drums,
and Bill Kelliher on guitar. Although the band has claimed in the past
that they do not consider themselves metal, I like to think that
Mastodon contains some of the harder songs in my iTunes Library. A
mix of hard rock, metal, progressive metal and grindcore, Mastodon is
one of the most interesting bands I’ve listened to. I was introduced to
them during a music festival in San Diego a few years back, and have
seen them two times since, each one better than the last. Their stage
performance is terrific, consisting of dueling guitar, a variety of vocal
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ranges, and one of the best drummers I’ve ever seen live. Mastodon
has just played over the weekend at Sonisphere, supporting their
newest album “Once More ‘Round the Sun,” which happens to be
today’s review.
When I first heard this album, I immediately felt that this album could
be classified as “The Hunter, Part 2,” since so many of their songs
have the same music style and influences as their last album. As all
their albums, I love the different vocal styles that Hinds and Sanders
brings, one being more of a traditional metal growl, and the other
hitting the higher notes. They complement each other perfectly, as if
two different people are telling a story in multiple voices. The bass
guitar grooves along to the rhythm guitar, acting as a lower octave that
cannot be reached by electric guitar alone. As mentioned earlier, I feel
the drums are performed with more passion than many of my favorite
bands.
My favorite thing about this album is the lead and rhythm guitars. I
love the different techniques that Brent Hinds and guitarist Bill Kelliher
use throughout their songs. What’s unique about their songs is the
use of bango-like finger-picking styles. Evident in songs like “Aunt
Lisa” and “Diamond in The Witch House,” it brings a new flavor of
guitar that isn’t easily found in rock or metal. Mastodon also use a
wide variety of guitar scales in this album. From harmonic to
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pentatonic minor scales, I can easily tell who I am listening to based
on the guitar alone. In addition, no good metal band can exist without
guitar solos, which Mastodon performs beautifully. This album is filled
with excellent guitar solos, especially in songs like “Ember City” and
“Asleep in the Deep.” I feel the power and energy Hinds has with his
use of hammer-ons and pull-offs during his solos. I feel compelled to
mosh around my living room when I listen to Mastodon. That musical
drive that only so many bands can deliver is rare to me, and Mastodon
is honored with being one of the few that move me.
If you are a fan of hard rock/metal, and are fans of bands from Black
Sabbath to Pantera, you should definitely lend your ears to
Mastodon’s “Once More ‘Round The Sun.” They are truly a unique
metal band. If you are some of my followers that were expecting
something a little more proggy, you should instead check out their
other album “Crack the Skye,” which should satisfy your taste.
Mastodon website
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41
Fire Garden - Sound of Majestic Colors
This next band is another one that I've found since I started my Twitter
account. When I first started my account, I was scrolling through my
list of followers and noticed how many bands were following my page.
I felt impelled to go through them and start sampling each band, a
ritual I still do. I came across the band Fire Garden, and was
immediately drawn to their music.
Fire Garden is a five-piece band from Chicago, consisting of Kevin
Pollack on vocals, Zee on guitar, Frank Lucas on the keyboard, Chuck
White on drums, and Barry Kleiber on bass. When listening to their
recent album, you can hear the many bands that have influenced
them throughout this album, which is one of the main reasons I love
listening to them. On their Bandcamp page, production notes are
given, where key sound figures in rock music are noted in working on
this album. From bands like Dream Theater, to Rush, to Porcupine
Tree, the influences are heard in their most recent album "Sound of
Majestic Colors."
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The opening song "The Joker" immediately draws the listener in, with
a narration of what seems to be one twisted joker speaking to the
audience. Once the joker ceases speaking, you are punched in the
ears with deep heavy guitar riffs, reminiscent of songs like "As I Am"
and "The Enemy Inside" by Dream Theater. This track is loud and
heavy, a great way to open any progressive metal album.
Despite the heaviness of the opening track, the entire album isn't
necessarily the same intensity. In fact, some of my favorite songs off
this album are the "slower" songs on the album, being "Alone" and
"Far from Grace." The lead guitar towards the end of "Alone" is
reminiscent of Porcupine Tree, being one of my personal favorite
bands. The clean rhythm guitar in "Far From Grace" is a great change
of pace, and is beautiful when backing the lead guitar and vocals. The
end of this song is absolutely beautiful, when Kevin Pollack sings his
heart out. The keyboards in other songs are also fun to separate from
the rest of the band, as Frank Lucas reminds me of my favorite
keyboarder Jordan Rudess. In the songs "The Last Step" and "Time
Machine" I feel they are particularly written around the keys, as Lucas
steals the show with his solos and other effects. Chuck White and
Barry Kleiber are a perfect complement to the band as a whole, as
they help drive each song to another level with their groovy bass lines
and passionate drumming.
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My favorite thing about this album is the musicianship and quality that
is evident in each song. Just by listening, you can easily tell the
amount of detail and effort that was put into this album. This is not an
album that was slapped together by a band in a bind. The use of
different guitars, the multitude of sound effects, the frequent time
signature changes, and the well thought out solos make this album
stand out among the others. The production behind this album is
fantastic, thanks to band member Zee.
I highly recommend this album to those who love any form of
progressive music. The influences of key bands in the progressive
rock and metal industry are clear in this album, but Fire Garden is not
afraid to differentiate from them. Their sound is a tip of the cap to
those in the past and present, but is also a fearless step forward into
uncharted waters. Please support "Sound of Majestic Colors" by Fire
Garden.
Bandcamp
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44
Tides of Man - Young and Courageous
For this next band, I can't remember how I stumbled upon their
albums, but I'm glad I did. Probably using recommendation websites,
or playing what I like to call "the iTunes game," I eventually came
upon an album they released in 2008, one that I couldn't stop playing.
This band I'm referring to is Tides of Man.
From Tampa, Florida, Tides of Man is currently a five-piece
instrumental rock band. At one point, it was headed by lead singer
Tilian Pearson, whom I consider one of the best lesser-known singers
in modern rock. Since his departure from the band, though, Tides of
Man has shifted their strategy and has now become a purely
instrumental rock band. Using flavors of post-rock and elements of
progressive rock, Tides of Man has successfully put together their
latest album, "Young and Courageous."
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After their release of their album "Dreamhouse," I waited in
anticipation for their next album. The album was a striking display of
Tilian Pearson's vocal ability laid over a beautiful, yet downplayed and
understated soundtrack. Since the album's release in 2010, I waited
for almost 4 years to find out that their lead singer had left the band to
join Dance Gavin Dance. I was conflicted inside: how was I to
continue to support a band whose sole reason I listened was to hear
the wonderful voice of Pearson? And an even bigger question, would
this band break up? I decided to let some time pass before I looked for
them again. To my surprise, I found out that not only was the band still
together, but they had released a new album! I was shocked, happy,
surprised, and curious.
As I said earlier, "Young and Courageous" is purely instrumental. I
guessed that after losing such an amazing voice, it would be
impossible to find one to replace him, but I found out that Tides of Man
is more than just a voice. This new album takes on the more post-rock
feelings of their first album "Empire Theory." Being a fan of this band
since their inception, I can definitely hear a difference in their musical
style, almost as if they evolved into a new band since Pearson's
departure. Hearing this album reminds me of other post-rock bands
like Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, Red Sparowes, and Russian
Circles, but the difference is that this album is much more
impressionable. After listening to this album for the first time, I couldn't
help but recall my favorite guitar riffs and my favorite drum beats, as
they were stuck in my head for the rest of the day. My favorite song in
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particular is their self titled song "Young and Courageous." The guitar
work is absolutely beautiful, thanks to the talents of Spencer Gill.
The best thing about this album? The production quality! From basic
research, I found out the band used support from their fan base in
order to record and produce this album. (source) Fearing that the
band may have flaked out on production quality to save money, I was
skeptical at first. Boy, was I amazed when I find out how great the
production quality was for this album. The rise and fall of each track is
mastered beautifully, and each instrument is tracked perfectly
throughout the entire album.
For a band that has experienced major loss and has gone through an
identity crisis, I believe Tides of Man has found its way back to the
music scene. With many adjustments made along the way, this band
has produced another great album in "Young and Courageous." They
have clearly shown how great they were from the start, even without
the voice of the band. I highly recommend this album to those who
love post-rock, instrumental rock, or just need some background
music to help them through their day. For a more lyrical experience, I
highly recommend their prior albums "Empire Theory" and
"Dreamhouse," featuring the amazing vocals of Tilian Pearson.
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Bandcamp
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48
Rush - Caress of Steel
Rush is iconic for being one of the most downplayed, experimental,
and persistent bands in rock history. Recording 19 studio albums over
more than 40 years, Rush was finally honored with a Rock Hall of
Fame induction in 2013. They are known for their quirky attitude,
original attire, their eclectic fan base, and experimental rock music that
has influenced the likes of Coheed and Cambria, Billy Corgan, Dream
Theater, and numerous more. From songs like “Tom Sawyer” to
“Limelight” to “2112,” this Canadian trio has made a statement on rock
history. Even with all they have accomplished, Rush has faced much
criticism in their beginnings, much of it involved around their album
“Caress of Steel.”
“Caress of Steel” is known as the album that nearly killed Rush. With
problems such as production issues, style changes, and a promotional
roller coaster, Rush heard much criticism during this time, which is still
felt by listeners today. When discussing this album with others in the
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past, all I heard were negative remarks, which I quickly bought into.
Basically skipping over this album, I would always listen from “Fly By
Night,” then to “2112.” After some time, I decided to give this album a
second chance, which I am glad I did.
Like “Meddle” is to “Dark Side of the Moon,” Rush could not have
released “2112” without releasing “Caress of Steel” first. The opening
track is a continuation of their bluesy old selves, influenced by bands
like Led Zeppelin. The wild shriek of Geddy Lee, powerful drums of
Neil Peart, and guitar doodling of Alex Lifeson are prominent in this
song, and is easily the song that most fans relate to off this album.
Following this song are two other shorter songs “I Think I’m Going
Bald” and “Lakeside Park,” which I feel are also influenced by their two
previous albums, but are less significant. As great as the first three
tracks are, what I love the most about this album are the final two
tracks, containing their most controversial songs “The Necromancer”
and “The Fountain of Lamneth.”
So many considered the drastic shift in musical style from the first half
of the album to the second to be detrimental to the band, and the
reason why Rush almost fell apart. The first half is traditional Rush, a
mix of blues, punk, classic rock, and even hints of classic metal. The
second half, on the other hand, was considered entirely revolutionary
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during this time, and to some ahead of its time. Taking on a more
progressive, psychedelic, and experimental approach, these two
songs totaling over 30 minutes in length sound like a mixture of early
Genesis, early Yes, and King Crimson. Known for biting off more than
they can chew, Rush attempted the next “Close to the Edge,” using
prolonged chord progressions, odd time signatures, and improvisation.
Overall, I felt like Rush in their youth made an excellent attempt at
progressive rock after taking this shot in the dark.
While both songs’ lyrics may be hard to understand (a topic that would
take another post in itself to discuss), and are challenging to the
listener in multiple ways, one can appreciate the musical knowledge
behind the band. I love to listen to the chord progression and time
signature changes in both “The Necromancer” and “The Fountain of
Lamneth,” traits that are still lacking in some of the most popular and
most knowledgeable of rock bands. Being based on two separate
concepts or stories, I love the use of each instrument in helping tell the
story. The slower sections reminds me of journeying across the land,
while the harder and faster sections help me picture a battle scene, or
an intense action sequence. Lee’s vocals are moving, especially in the
beginning and end of “The Fountain of Lamneth,” which help the
listener to understand the feelings behind the characters in each song.
While to some these songs may be considered excessive, to hear
these attributes coming out of kids from Canada is absolutely
astounding. With the time and effort put into these songs, it is
absolutely necessary for the length of the second half of the album to
take over part of your day.
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Although “Caress of Steel” may not be considered the best
progressive rock album of all time, it definitely is looked upon as an
influence to modern progressive rock and metal bands today. The use
of instruments in telling the concept, the musical knowledge, the
unique vocals, the bluesy guitar, and unbelievable drum work are
reasons for listening to this album. I highly consider listening to this
album for those who are fans of progressive rock, and are fans of
bands like Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Yes, and other 70’s prog rockers.
For fans of Rush already, I highly recommend giving this album
another listen.
Rush website
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52
Rush - Clockwork Angels
With such a tremendous response from the Rush community to my
last post, I decided I would post a bonus review of their most recent
album "Clockwork Angels."
Released in 2012, "Clockwork Angels" is Rush's return to the
spotlight. Using elements of progressive rock, heavy rock and metal,
this album is a change of pace from their prior album "Snakes and
Arrows." It contains the punch to the ears that hasn't been present in
their albums since their transformation in the 80's and 90's. Settling
down and focusing on this rock-centered piece of art, Rush has put
together their best performance since "Signals."
The deep riffs that Alex Lifeson provides in guitar-heavy songs like
"BU2B" and "Carnies" is a reminder to the fans of their heavier works
in the 70's, while taking on influences of modern-day rockers like John
Petrucci of Dream Theater and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden, an
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evolution that Lifeson is constantly journeying. Even the softer songs
on the album like "The Garden" and "Halo Effect" show the diversity of
sound Rush is able to accomplish just on a single album.
The songs "The Anarchist" and "Seven Cities of Gold" show the
talented Geddy Lee at his prime. In prior albums, the bass guitar has
been downplayed to make way for more synthesizers and an
expanded vocal role. This album completely reverses the trend, giving
the bass more face-time, and making it much more apparent. The use
of Lee's bass lines over Lifeson's guitar and between Peart's drum
work gives an added texture in each song, something that was lacking
for several albums in Rush's repertoire. On top of the bass guitar, Lee
provides some of the most complex and controlled vocals than any of
their albums. The quality of his voice is apparent in songs like "The
Garden," a song that always gives me goosebumps every time I listen.
I can feel his passion in his voice when he sings, and with a much
cleaner, lower, and controlled voice, the impact is much greater.
The best thing about this album? As is with every Rush album, I
cannot get enough Neil Peart. Being my favorite member of the "Holy
Trinity", Peart steals the show yet again, both on stage and in the
writing process. Being both drummer and key songwriter is a task in
itself, a dual role that I feel is only shared among few others. The
album "Clockwork Angels," like much of Rush's prior work, is based
around a complex concept or story. Here is a quote taken from an
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interview with Kevin Anderson, who has cooperated with Neil Peart on
the novelization of this album:
"In a young man's quest to follow his dreams, he is caught between
the grandiose forces of order and chaos. He travels across a lavish
and colorful world of steampunk and alchemy, with lost cities, pirates,
anarchists, exotic carnivals, and a rigid Watchmaker who imposes
precision on every aspect of daily life." (source)
With the same lyrical style as albums like "2112" and "Fly By Night,"
Peart takes this album one step further. A complex storyline with
characters, themes, and morals, the lyrics can be read as a book in
itself. Thinking the lyrics alone are reason to read Rush, the music can
only be considered as one awesome bonus. Peart rocks the drumset
in songs like "Headlong Flight" and "Caravan," using one of the most
ridiculously diverse and expansive drumsets I've ever seen.
I am so happy that "Clockwork Angels" was released when it was. To
think that Rush has been doing this for over 40 years, then to release
such a high quality album when other bands may have faltered is
astounding. I definitely consider this album among their greats, even
among the ranks of "2112" and "Permanent Waves."
Since Rush has redefined their image over their lifetime, I highly
recommend this album to those who enjoy any of their musical
influences, from heavy rock, to progressive rock, to metal.
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Dream Theater - Awake
This next album comes from a band that has a long track record.
Since the mid-80's, this band has put out some of the most influential
progressive metal album in rock music history. The band I'm referring
to is Dream Theater.
This five-piece from Boston consists of some of the most influential
musicians in their respective instruments. With twelve albums
released, Dream Theater has sold millions of albums over their
lifetime. Varying in styles from progressive rock, to progressive metal,
to even glam rock, each album differs in some way from the rest, as
you can hear many unique sounds from album to album. I believe of
all the albums they have released, one of my favorites has to be their
album "Awake."
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to see this band for the first time
in Riverside, CA. When previewing the setlist from their European tour
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earlier this year, I noticed that a sizeable chunk of their sets were
dedicated to their album "Awake" in celebration of the 20th year
anniversary of its release. Not having heard much of their older
albums, I decided I needed to catch up on this album. After several
consecutive listens, I found this album to be among one of my
favorites.
I noticed immediately that this album was a step in a different direction
from their last album "Images and Words." Feeling more metaloriented, songs like "Caught in a Web" and "The Mirror" are guitardriven, featuring some of the bands heaviest riffs at the time. Guitarist
John Petrucci is showcased in songs like "Erotomania" and "Lie," with
his flawless execution of sweep and tremolo picking. Although
Petrucci has sections of each song devoted to soloing, they are much
more toned-down than previous albums, but are not over-technical,
and when they do occur, it is more enjoyable for the listener. Besides
such heavy riffs lies songs like "The Silent Man" and "Space-Dyed
Vest," in which clean guitar is used and takes a back seat to other
members of the band.
The vocals and lyrics are also fantastic in this album thanks to singer
James LaBrie. Although he did not write the lyrics for every song on
this album, his vocals give a distinct charm. LaBrie's voice is much
more controlled in this album, and can be considered much more
rugged than high-pitched. His voice is displayed beautifully in voices
like "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream," "The Silent Man," and "Voices,"
which proves the range and quality of his voice.
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Both the bass and keyboards help complement each song off the
album. Bassist John Myung and keyboarder Kevin Moore have their
own sections in this album dedicated specifically to their instrument,
being "Lifting Shadows Off A Dream" and "Space-Dyed Vest"
respectively. Coincidentally, these two songs happen to be my two
favorite songs off this album, containing some of the best overall
workmanship by the band as a whole. The darker and more
melancholic themes that are so greatly expressed in this album are
greatly increased with help from Myung and Moore.
As most of Dream Theater's other albums, I cannot help but focus on
the drum track for every song Dream Theater releases. Mike Portnoy,
the drummer during the time of this album's release, is magnificent.
His flawless hits on the snare, the ease of his time signature changes,
and the quality of sound off this album proves Portnoy to be one of the
best drummers in progressive metal. His presence is known in songs
like "6:00" and "Scarred," where Portnoy relies on other percussion.
Overall, "Awake" is an album that does not give too much focus on
one instrument, and equally displays the abilities of each band
member. It is one of their darkest albums they've released, but in a
way that is much more subtle than other albums like "Train of
Thought." Each instrument is flawless, yet restrained. The album
contains some of each band member's most memorable moments,
but is still more-controlled than other albums. Because of all these
factors, though, Dream Theater is able to create their most emotional
and powerful album, one that is inspiring and sets a standard for
modern progressive rock. I highly recommend this album to those who
enjoy listening to progressive rock or metal.
Dream Theater website
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I Was Awake - I Was Awake
Over the past several weeks, I've had the chance to interact with
some bands on Twitter, and have discovered some great music during
the time. This next band I have found over the last week, and truly
love the music they have put out so far. With an interesting mix of
indie rock, progressive rock and metal, the band I Was Awake has
definitely caught my attention.
Residing in Boston, this five-piece consists of Chris Harvey on vocals,
Justin Demko and Dan Goodhue on guitars, Kyle Paradis on bass
guitar, and Chris Bouchard on drums, with a slew of support from
other musicians in the recording process, including a three-piece
string section. With two EPs currently out, I would like to give a shout
out to their self titled debut "I Was Awake."
Consisting of six songs spanning close to 30 minutes, each song has
a different vibe and appeal. Both Demko and Goodhue use dual
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guitars throughout the album. In the songs "Prototype" and "Extra
Appendages," both guitarists develop unique and interesting patterns
over the drums and bass. The precision of the guitars is amazing,
since they play off each other with such ease. On top of the dual
guitar, I love the range of sound both guitarists bring throughout the
album. Songs like "Extra Appendages" can be very melodic, only to be
followed by the song "The Frightened One," which brings a heavier
side to their music, using intense and deep riffs. I also enjoy the talent
behind the solos in the song "Pompeii," which happens to be my
personal favorite song on the album.
Paradis and Bouchard are a perfect complement to the sounds of both
guitarists. I love the groove that both provide, which I feel not only
provides the necessary touches required by rock music, but helps lay
the groundwork for the remainder of the band to work with. The song
"Plastic Wrap and Tape" shows the drum work and bass guitar at their
finest, providing some of the best moments of complex drumbeats and
bass lines on the album.
My favorite thing about this album is Harvey's vocals, which I believe
steal the show. Similar to Joey Eppard from the band "3," Harvey
shines in the songs "Pompeii" and "Plastic Wrap and Tape." With
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excellent control and range in the songs, I love the strength that he
provides in this album, developing that added vigor into the songs.
I Was Awake is said to be a result of experienced musicians trying to
create a new and eclectic sound. I feel they have succeeded in their
goals of providing an interesting listening experience. I love to hear
what this band has developed, and am interested in finding out where
this band is going. I highly recommend this album for those who like
an interesting combination of different styles of rock, and for those
who like bands like 3, Coheed and Cambria, Staind, and Circa
Survive. Please support this band by visiting their Bandcamp page,
where you can get a free listen of this album. I Was Awake also has
an additional EP on their page called "Revenants," which I also highly
recommend giving a listen.
Bandcamp
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Yes - Heaven and Earth
The next band I’d like to review has been in the music industry for
almost 50 years, and has just recently released a new album.
Containing some of the most renowned members in the classic rock
community, the band Yes has made its footprint in history of rock
music. With a varying sound throughout their lifetime, Yes has
dabbled in the fields of progressive rock, pop rock, and synth rock.
Even today, their music is a collaborative influence of everything they
have learned from the past. The band Yes is definitely one of my
favorite bands, one that has inspired my taste in music.
Though Yes has been through several lineup changes, the most
consistent members comprise of guitarist Steve Howe and bassist
Chris Squire. Additional support is given from longtime members
Geoff Downes and Alan White on keyboards and drums respectively.
The newest addition to the band is Jon Davison, lead singer of the
band Glass Hammer, who replaces the talented and iconic Jon
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Anderson. Only recently has this lineup been created, but has already
produced Yes’ newest album “Heaven and Earth.”
Before I begin this review, I have had the chance to read what others
have said about this album. I was very disappointed to see mostly
negative reviews of this album, criticizing the direction of the band
while comparing this lineup and their musical style to Yes of the past.
I would like to respond to those critiques that this lineup of Yes simply
cannot be likened to Yes of the past. The Yes that has produced
fantastic albums like “Fragile” and “Close to the Edge” has passed,
even back in the 80’s when that lineup produced the album “90125.”
Any argument over musical style is long overdue, because decades
have passed since their dramatic shift in genre. With over forty years
gone by since their inception, creating some great memories from
Yes’ prior work, it is unfair to make a comparison between who they
are now to who they aren’t. Comparing “Heaven and Earth” with
albums like “Fragile” is like comparing apples with oranges; it simply
doesn’t make sense to do so.
With that said, I first listened to “Heaven and Earth” without bias, as if
this were the first album released by a new band. In doing so, I have
thoroughly enjoyed this album. Considering this album to be a poppier
version of progressive rock, the rhythm and beat is very catchy and
gets stuck in my head very easily. The songs may be less complex
than Yes’ prior work, but is easier to listen to, and can be more
appealing to a wider audience. Remember, even Yes' prior work
contains songs that are less complex than others (ex. "Onward" and
"Sweetness") Using a groovy drum rhythm, White helps lay the
groundwork throughout the album for each member of the band. He is
best featured in “In A World Of Our Own” and “Light of the Ages,” with
precise hits and harmony. The bass guitar, provided by Chris Squire,
also complements the drum work and guitars, employing bass lines
that act as a signature over the entire album. Although less complex
as albums in the past, I feel the bass help set the stage for his band
mates.
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The legendary Steve Howe does it again, doing a tremendous job
throughout “Heaven and Earth.” His presence is felt in the songs
“Light of the Ages” and “Subway Walls,” using classic techniques that
were present since the early Yes years. His sound and scales are so
unique that I can determine he is playing just by listening to him.
Lighter songs like “It Was All We Knew” and “To Ascend” bring the
softer side of Yes, reminiscent of songs like “Turn of the Century.”
Being one of my favorite guitarists, Howe fails to disappoint me as he
shows his versatility throughout the album.
One thing I was surprised about in this album compared to past
albums is the keyboard-dominated sound of Downes. This sound is
established early in the songs “Believe Again” and “Step Beyond,”
which uses an expansive selection of effects. The use of keys in this
album is a nod to their prior work in the 80’s and 90’s, yet innovative
enough to expand the sound towards a new direction. The song
“Subway Walls” is an example of Downes’ ability, as the beginning of
the song uses a symphonic sound to introduce their longest track. The
song then shifts into a perfect amalgamation of old and new, of pop
and progressive rock, and portrays Downes at his finest, especially
during his solo halfway through the song. By far my favorite track on
this album, “Subway Walls” shows each member at their finest.
The one member of the band that I was the most interested, yet most
concerned with coming into this album was their new singer Jon
Davison. Having replaced their previous singer whose tenure only
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spanned one album, I wondered how this would affect the band and
the album. Even more, I wondered if Davison would even come close
to the legendary Anderson in vocal and lyrical talent. After listening to
this album, I believe strongly that if Anderson had to be replaced,
Davison was a great choice to do so. His high falsetto voice is
comparable to Anderson in his youth, but doesn’t necessarily mimic
him. Davison’s writing style is unique, and even surpasses their
previous singer Benoit David in ability. I enjoy listening to Davison’s
vocals, especially in the songs in the ballad “To Ascend” and another
one of my personal favorites “The Game.” I cannot help singing to
“The Game” because of the catchy lyrics and range of vocals.
Despite much criticism, I am proud to stand against the crowd and
state that “Heaven and Earth” is a successful album to me. Each
member of the band shines in separate songs, only to show their
brilliance in unison towards the end of the album. I highly recommend
this album not only because of the recognition towards such an
amazing and timeless band, but because this album truly is a unique
and surprising listening experience. For lovers of Yes, along with fans
of classic rock, progressive rock, and pop rock, please give this album
a chance and support “Heaven and Earth.” In addition to buying this
album, Yes is currently touring across the United States, and rumored
to be playing their classics alongside their newest album. Please take
advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
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Yes website
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State of Illusion - Aphelion
Another Twitter find, the band State of Illusion is one I have found
while searching my followers a few weeks ago. After hearing some of
their singles off their Soundcloud page, I was deeply impressed with
what they released, and felt compelled to mention them in this blog.
State of Illusion is collaboration between Jacob Porter on
vocals/guitar/piano and Josh Breland on bass/drums/guitar. This band
from Greenville, South Carolina is a mixture of many styles of
contemporary rock and post-grunge, with hints of progressive rock
and nu-metal. On July 22nd, State of Illusion released their newest
album “Aphelion,” which I have anticipated for weeks. After several
listens, I am more than happy with the result.
Consisting of 13 songs clocking in over an hour long, “Aphelion” has
its share of harder and slower songs. The overall vibe is comparable
to Staind’s albums “Chapter V” and “Break the Cycle,” Breaking
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Benjamin’s “We Are Not Alone,” and Cold’s “13 Ways to Bleed on
Stage.” Using similar styles of harmonics, melodies, and chord
progressions, I feel State of Illusion has found its niche of rock music,
and has the ability to rise in the contemporary rock scene.
The album begins with a soft melody that slowly builds into heavy
combination of bass pedals and electric guitar. Some other harder
songs off this album include “Blind,” “So Here We Are,” and “Over.”
My personal favorite song of this album is the song “Find Yourself,”
one that can easily become the next radio hit if given the chance.
Using melodic verses with heavy choruses, I always catch myself
singing the words to this song. Mixed in amongst these songs I cannot
help bobbing my head to are beautiful, ballad-like songs like “Casey”
and “Wings and a Rose.” I love the melody of the clean guitar over the
other instruments, which reminds me of some of the best slower
songs from bands like A Perfect Circle and Chevelle. The album
closes with the song “Open Your Eyes,” with a perfect mix of clean
and dirty guitar riffs complemented with meaningful lyrics. Overall, the
mix of hard hitting songs with softer acoustic songs should appeal to
every fan of contemporary rock, offering a little bit of everything to the
listener.
The best thing about this album? By far it is Jacob Porter’s vocals and
lyrics. Strikingly similar to Aaron Lewis of Staind, I was in shock when
I first heard their music. I could swear that Aaron Lewis was featured
in the song, only to find out that that’s just how Porter sings. Being a
huge fan of Aaron Lewis, I could not get enough of the three singles
released on their website, and was anxious to hear more. The passion
and movement behind Porter’s voice is unbelievable, easily shifting
my mood based on the mood of the song playing. The down-to-earth
lyrics with such emotion helps me feel for each song, almost as if I am
the one going through heartbreak or solace. My favorite lyrics come
from the song “Blind” with the lines:
“If you could only see through my eyes / If only you weren’t so blind /
You’d see each step you take / Makes my heart break” (source)
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Porter’s stunning voice and lyrical ability gives me goose bumps every
time I listen to “Aphelion.”
This album is perfect for fans of Staind, Breaking Benjamin, A Perfect
Circle, Chevelle, and even some heavier bands like Disturbed and
Lacuna Coil. I view “Aphelion” as the album Staind should have
released, the album I’m waiting for Breaking Benjamin to release, and
the album A Perfect Circle will never release. State of Illusion has
beaten them to the punch, winning my heart with such an amazing
performance. Please support this new album that has newly been
released on iTunes.
Bandcamp
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TesseracT - Altered State
This next album features a band that was included in this year’s
Sonisphere lineup in the UK. After scrolling through the long list of
bands in attendance, I came upon the band TesseracT. Before
Sonisphere, I had never heard of them. After some basic research, I
found out how renowned the band was in other countries, how they
have been together for many years, and have released two albums.
Being compared to bands like Periphery and Between the Buried and
Me on other websites, I thought I’d give this band a shot.
This five-piece from Britain has recently released their newest album
titled “Altered State,” their only album featuring vocalist Ashe O’Hara.
Spanning close to an hour, this album features 10 songs broken down
into 4 total movements. I can describe this album as progressive
metal, but the sound that envelopes this entire album could help
expand the genre into ambient or space rock. The vibe throughout the
album is very interesting, and goes almost unnoticed between songs if
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one pays little attention to it. Over top this ambiance is the brilliant
musicianship of the band as they perform one of my favorite albums
I’ve listened to recently.
The guitar work is phenomenal, using djent guitar work for both bass
and electric guitars. Acie Kahney and James Monteith on guitar, and
Amos Williams on bass guitar do a brilliant job, mixing different styles
of progressive metal throughout the entire album. The range of sound
shifts dramatically, from deeper, palm-muted riffs in the song “Of
Matter” to a much softer, delicate, and more ambient tone in the song
“Of Energy.” Although featuring less solos than a typical progressive
metal album, these guitarists more than make up for it in the beautiful
sound they create, ranging from sounds like Animals as Leaders to
Pink Floyd. Using effects like reverb and delay, the guitars are key
components to the overall production, and become the driving force of
the entire album, like violins to a symphony.
Jay Postones does a magnificent job on the drum set. A change in
sound from their last album “One,” Postones relies less on the double
bass pedal and focuses more on crisp, clear hits on the upper half of
his drum set. The song “Of Reality” shows the drums at its finest, as
the drums display perfect timing and precision amongst the other
instruments. The change in time signatures that so often accompanies
progressive metal is present throughout the album, but the drum work
helps to make the transition flow more smoothly, creating an easier
listening experience to the audience.
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Having only sung on this album, Ashe O’Hara adds “Altered State” as
a highlight to his musical resume. O’Hara can truly belt out the lyrics
with his talented voice, and easily proves his strength early in the
album. His voice is best represented in the song “Of Mind – Nocturne,”
as his range dives from lows to soaring highs. Unlike their last album,
there is no scream or growl vocals, proving that metal can be just as
great without it. Vocals would be pointless without meaningful lyrics,
which TesseracT is able to surprise me with their complexity and
significance. The chorus of the song “Of Mind – Nocturne” displays
one of the most colorful and interesting of lyrics in the album:
“You’re the plague within my dreams / Soaring through an atmosphere
of an adequate lack of strength (and we’re responsible) / The truth is
that it will end here / Denial’s an impairment of your fear / Can we
save us from ourselves? / Can we save us from ourselves? (This is
the savior and its form)” (source)
That’s coming from the chorus. Touching on aspects of love, loss, and
self-realization, one can only imagine the imagery of all that O’Hara
sings throughout the rest of the album.
The one thing that stood out most to me in this album is its
composition. When I listen to “Altered State,” I feel like I’m listening to
two different albums at once. The first album is a progressive metal
vibe, one with deep guitar rhythm, complex drumbeats, and vocals
that set the overall mood and tone of the song. The other album I can
hear is more of a musical score, featuring guest musician Chris
Barretto on saxophone, and is full of ambient tones and spacey sound
effects that layer below the instruments. As stated earlier, it is almost
unnoticeable if you aren’t paying full attention to the album, meaning
you lose an entire layer of what makes this album so great. Unlike
their first album “One,” “Altered State” shows the band expanding into
new territory, providing a much more ambitious and intricate album.
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“Altered State” is an album that you must clear your schedule in order
to not only hear the album, but fully feel the album. One has to
carefully listen to the album through over-the-ear headphones to trap
out external noise that could interfere. I also recommend increasing
the bass, which is necessary for this album due to their djent-like
sound. Unlike typical progressive metal albums, this album is not one
to mosh to or jump around to. I cannot use a statement equivalent to
“if you like ___, then you’ll love Altered State” because of the
uniqueness behind the overall sound. Attempting to make
comparisons of other albums or bands to this album would only be
suggesting contradicting styles of music. This album truly is a listening
experience. So sit back in your favorite seat, get comfortable, click
play, and enjoy your one hour musical experience! Please support this
band on their website as they tour across the globe.
TesseracT website
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Marathon - Marathon
This next album has more of an indie rock vibe compared to my other
reviews. I found out about this band during the week as I was looking
for some new material to write about. I stumbled across the band
Marathon, and instantly felt a connection. Residing in Pennsylvania,
Marathon consists of Zach and Erich Wagner on guitars and vocals,
Ricky Kreiser on drums, Paul Winter on keys, and Robert Battle on the
bass guitar. The sound they create is very expansive, showing their
musical knowledge despite their youth. I can easily describe the genre
of music as indie rock, but much of the album also falls into different
musical genres, from ambient rock, to alternative rock, to progressive
rock. Reminding me of bands like Slow Runner and Lydia, I enjoyed
listening to them as I played their self-titled album “Marathon” multiple
times a day.
From the beginning, the listener is hooked on the snare-driven
drumbeats and effect-heavy keyboard in the song “Off White.” Kreiser,
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Battler, and Winter do an excellent job at their respective instruments
to help set the mood and vibe for the entire album. With such great
production, these members do their part in providing a high-quality
product. I love the snare hits and clacking of drumsticks that are used
in the songs “Roomful of Clocks” and “Chapel.“ The album also closes
with synth and keys as it does in the beginning, which gives a feeling
of completion when the album ends.
The guitar work that both Wagners provide is brilliant, using a mix of
simple chord progressions with effect-driven melodies and dominant
guitar solos. Songs like “Of Bloom” and “Symbaline“ show the lead
guitar at its finest, with memorable solos that I can’t help but rewind
and replay. The ambient nature of this album makes it harder for the
listener to predict how album will progress, and when the next strum of
a distorted guitar will begin. In addition to the ambient feeling, the
songs on “Marathon” also flow into each other, leaving the listener
with a proggy experience as well. The atmosphere of this album
leaves the listener more focused than on any other album.
The vocals are very subtle and clean throughout the album, almost as
if the listener is dreaming instead of hearing. The dreamlike affect that
Wagner’s vocals has on his audience lasts through the entire album,
but is best displayed in the song “Mountaineering.” With the use of
dual vocals, the Wagners create the most memorable vocal moment
on the album. This trance that is created by the band makes the
album appear much shorter than it is, but in fact clocks in at 47
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minutes. The album closes with “Ghosts of Ours,” as Wagner’s voice
is reminiscent of Steven Wilson from Porcupine Tree with his breathy,
lower tone during the verse. The songwriting is excellent, mixing
creative and thought-provoking lyrics with everyday situations. I
believe their best song on the album is “Shine,” with its combined
power of guitar, drums, bass, keys, vocals and lyrics that leave me
with goosebumps. My favorite lyric comes from this song’s second
verse:
"Well I watched the debt collect on the pavement, as dead as leaves /
And waited for the day to come back again / And I wore the pouring
rain on my shoulders for seven years / To carry the weight around on
my chest” (source)
I highly recommend this album to those who love indie rock,
alternative rock, ambient rock, and even progressive rock. I also
recommend this album to those who like the bands Silversun Pickups,
Lydia, Slow Runner, and maybe even some of Coldplay’s harder
songs. This is the perfect album to listen to in the dark with the
moonlight shining in the room. It’s an easy listening experience, and
its dreamlike tendencies are perfect for the moments before you drift
to sleep. The techniques used through the album are very catchy, and
generate many unforgettable moments. Please support Marathon by
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checking out their Bandcamp page and checking out their self-titled
album “Marathon.”
Bandcamp
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Machines Dream - Machines Dream
This next band comes straight from my Twitter account. After sifting
through the list of unsigned rock bands on the internet, I came across
the band Machines Dream. Advertising their influences of Pink Floyd,
Genesis, Marillion, King Crimson and Tool on their website, I
immediately listened to their self-titled debut album "Machines
Dream." I have to say, they are dead on with their influences.
This five-piece from Ontario, Canada consists of Ken Coulter on
drums, Brian Holmes on keyboards, Craig West on vocals/guitar/bass,
Rob Coleman on lead guitar, and Jake Rendell as a supporting
musician. One can hear the many influences of past and current rock
bands in this album, which ranges in the many generations and styles
of progressive rock. The sound is vast on this album, generating a
different vibe on every song.
Coulter, Holmes, and West carry the rhythm well on their respective
instruments from the first song on the album "Boundaries." Using
groovy bass sections and drum styles, they are able to carry the band
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towards their destination song after song. The bass line in "London By
Night" is spot on, and takes authority on the song, while "Stop Waiting
for Miracles" shows the drums at its finest. I love the keyboard solo
halfway through the song "Colder Rain," along with the its overall
presence in the song "The Session."
Besides the guitar and bass, West also contributes to "Machines
Dream" with his great voice. Using simple yet colorful lyrics, one can
imagine the scene he portrays. I almost hear great voices like Roger
Waters, mixed with contemporary voices like Corey Taylor from Stone
Sour and even Mark Tremonti from Alter Bridge in his voice. This
familiarity is evident in the song "Unarmed at Sea," which happens to
be my favorite songs on this album. The power behind his voice is
unleashed, and his passion moves the listener from the clean guitar in
the intro, through the powerful chorus and bridge, back to the clean
guitar in the outro. A terrific song all around.
My favorite thing about this album? Rob Coleman dominates on the
lead guitar throughout "Machines Dream." Reminiscent of David
Gilmour from Pink Floyd or Steve Hackett of Genesis, Coleman
applies many of the techniques from prominent guitarists flawlessly.
Used to layer over the mainly clean rhythm sections, Coleman adds
his flair and individuality to each song. Songs like "Toronto Skyline"
flow in the direction of David Gilmour, while songs like "Locusts" lean
towards a Pete Townshend style. The variety of sound that Coleman
creates make the album an interesting experience, as the listener is
constantly adjusting to the different styles.
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"Machines Dream" is the essence of progressive rock. Using a variety
of influences of multiple styles of progressive rock, this album is
unpredictable, powerful, and raw. I recommend this album to those
who listen to older progressive rock bands like Genesis, Marillion, and
Pink Floyd, and to those who listen to contemporary rock bands like
Tool. Please check out Machines Dream's website, where you can
download this album for free. That's right, free!
Machines Dream website
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3 - The Ghost You Gave To Me
When I first listened to this next band, I was simply awestruck. I
immediately thought to myself: Why haven’t I found these guys
earlier? A combination of power and creativity, the band 3 has found
its way among the most played bands on my iTunes Library.
3 is a four-piece band from Woodstock, New York, consisting of Joey
Eppard on vocals and guitar, Billy Riker on guitar, Chris Gartmann on
drums, and Daniel Grimsland on bass guitar. With seemingly little
information of this band on the internet, an added mystery and
ambiguity came with listening to this band for the first time. Falling
under the genre of progressive rock, 3 also delves into many other
genres of music from album to album. Some of these other genres
include funk, blues, flamenco, alternative rock, and progressive metal.
After hearing their discography, along with the variety of musical
influences, I could not help but repeating their most recent album “The
Ghost You Gave to Me.”
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For being a band that’s been around for almost 20 years and has
released 6 albums, I am surprised at how little I am able to find about
them. What’s even more surprising is that despite this timeframe, their
brilliant musicianship has gone seemingly unnoticed. Even with the
fame associated with Joey Eppard being the brother of Coheed and
Cambria’s drummer Josh Eppard, I have not found much publicity for
this band or any of their albums. Their most recent album “The Ghost
You Gave to Me” (released in 2011) in my opinion should have been
considered one of the greatest progressive rock albums of the year,
released by one of the greatest progressive rock bands of the decade.
The overall quality of this album is remarkable, comparable to major
productions by some of rock music’s greatest artists.
Riker, Gartmann and Grimsland provide a perfect foundation to
frontman Eppard throughout the album on their respective
instruments. The drum beats are complex, yet groovy. The song
“React” shows great use of the bass pedal mixed with powerful hits of
the cymbals. The bass guitar is simple, yet balances well with the lead
and rhythm guitars. “Numbers” and “Only Child” contains some of the
funkiest bass riffs I’ve heard since listening to anything with Flea in it.
The rhythm guitar shines in providing deep and heavy riffs, especially
in the songs “Afterglow” and “Sparrow.”
It is impossible to talk about this album without mentioning Joey
Eppard. Being the lead singer and guitarist, Eppard clearly is the
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dominant member of this band. His voice is stellar throughout the
entire album, almost reminding me of Justin Timberlake (whom I also
find to have a terrific voice despite my distaste of his music). I literally
have nothing bad to say against his voice. One just has to listen to the
songs “Afterglow” and “It’s Alive” to get confirmation of the range and
power of his voice. Along with singing throughout the album, Eppard
helps the band stand out from other progressive rock bands with its
unique sound. Relying upon these different influences, the vibe differs
from song to song. Songs like “Numbers” and “The Ghost You Gave
to Me” portray the metal side of 3, while atmosphere drastically
changes into a more ballad-like feeling in the songs “One With The
Sun” and “The Barrier.”
It is hard to pick my favorite song off this album because of the range
of sound and the pure greatness of this album. With that said, the one
song that is played the most according to my iTunes Library is the
song “Only Child.” It has the essence of progressive rock, portraying
the drums, bass, and guitars at its finest, while being carried by
Eppard’s breathy and fantastic vocals. My favorite lyrics of the album
are also within this song’s bridge:
“And if I go before your time / Don’t let them close your mind / Don’t
watch the flowers fall / Never looking back at all / But if I should
change before your eyes / Don’t be fooled by my disguise / You were
born of my demise / And I’m a willing sacrifice / Should you wake
before you die / Don’t let a day go by / Don’t believe a word they say /
I’ll be back again one day” (source)
For fans of progressive rock or metal, I suggest you drop whatever
you’re doing and listen to “The Ghost You Gave to Me.” I also
recommend this album to those who like to hear brilliant vocals and
lyrics, no matter what genre of music you’re into. The album is dark
yet upbeat, containing themes of staying positive despite hardship. It’s
melodic yet contains fantastic moments of instrumental genius. It’s an
all-around great album. For those who fell in love with this album as I
did, you should listen to their prior album “The End is Begun.” Please
support the band 3 and their album “The Ghost You Gave to Me.”
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3 website
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Alter Bridge - Blackbird
As I’m sitting in my car and trying to think of the best band to listen to
on my drives home from work, I immediately knew who I could listen
to. This next band I’ve followed for quite some time, even back when
the original members were part of the now defunct band Creed. With
the loss of singer Scott Stapp, and the addition of new lead singer
Myles Kennedy (along with the addition of the remaining original
members), the band Alter Bridge was formed. Having released four
albums over several years, Alter Bridge has produced some of my
favorite tracks of modern rock, and some of my favorite music to listen
to while travelling.
Alter Bridge is a four-piece band from Michigan, consisting of formerCreed members Mark Tremonti on guitar/vocals, Brian Marshall on
bass guitar, and Scott Phillips on drums, along with Myles Kennedy on
vocals/guitar. Their sound definitely falls into straight-up contemporary
rock. Beyond that, they also range in different musical genres from
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hard rock to post-grunge to alternative metal, depending on which
album you’re listening to. Of the four albums released, my favorite
happens to be the their least marketed and heaviest album
“Blackbird.”
At the point of releasing this album, Alter Bridge was able to fully
collaborate with Kennedy, who had entered as a late addition to the
recording process in their previous album, “One Day Remains.” I can
easily hear the difference between this album and their last album, as
the music is much heavier and the lyrics are more powerful, creating
more chances of head-bobbing and playing the air-guitar. Separating
themselves from the Creed-like sound of their last album, the album
begins with a bang, as the first two song “Ties That Bind” and “Come
To Life” prove their new direction. Relying on heavier riffs and bassier
tones, “Blackbird” stands out as one of the premier hard rock albums
released in 2007.
Veterans Marshall and Phillips know what they’re in their respective
instruments. They both are able to carry each song with ease, while
adding subtle moments of genius within the album. The drums beats
are groovy yet technical, as the necessary beat is generated at the
right moments on this album. Slower songs like “Brand New Start”
show the more groovier side, while songs like “Rise Today” and
“White Knuckles” make you wonder how the drum set is still intact
because of the constant barrage of drumsticks. The bass is the perfect
complement to both the rhythm and lead guitar.
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Of all my the different guitarists on my iTunes Library, Mark Tremonti
happens to be one of my favorites, simply because of his pure musical
ability. He can jump between scales with ease, he can sweep pick, he
can hammer-on and pull-off better than most guitarists I’ve heard, and
he can create beautiful melodies. The lighter side of Tremonti is
apparent in the songs “Before Tomorrow Comes” and “Watch Over
You,” where he plays the acoustic and electric guitar beautifully,
adding to the elegance and meaningful voice of Kennedy. Amongst
these slower and deeper songs are heavier songs like “One By One”
and “Coming Home,” where the listener can only imagine how hard he
is playing that guitar. Powerful solos are spread throughout the album,
adding to the creativity of each song. Tremonti’s style and influence is
easily felt in this album, and provides some of the greatest riffs and
licks in modern rock.
The greatest thing about this album? Myles Kennedy. Having the
chance to fully contribute in the recording process, this album easily
becomes “the Myles Kennedy album.” His vocal quality is astounding,
as he has one of the most stunning voices in modern rock. His range
is amazing; he can dig deep for lower tones and rise high for falsetto
notes. The variety of vocal styles also shift during the album, from
crisp and clear notes to dirtier yells. I always listen to his voice with my
jaw-dropped, because Kennedy can truly belt those notes. On top of
his vocal quality is the lyrical quality he brings to this band. Relying on
simple messages like love, hope, and standing up for what’s right, the
listener can easily be manipulated by the lyrics. Kennedy is a master
on the vocals, and should be considered as one of the greatest rock
singers of modern rock.
My all-time favorite song from this band happens to be universally
accepted by the fan base as Alter Bridge’s greatest song, and has
what I believe to be the greatest lyrics and message: “Blackbird.” The
song is simply about the death of a friend, but can so easily be
interpreted in different ways. The band performs its best in this song,
as the drums, bass, lead and rhythm guitar, and vocals all align
perfectly. Of all the songs on this album, “Blackbird” is the only one
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that makes me stop what I’m doing and listen uninterrupted. My
favorite lyric of the entire album is within this song’s bridge:
“Ascend, may you find no resistance / know that you made such a
difference / And all you leave behind will live to the end / The cycle of
suffering goes on / But the memories of you stay strong / Someday I
too will fly and find you again.”
The chorus is also very dramatic and moving, and gives me the goose
bumps every time I listen to the closing moments:
“Let the wind carry you home / Blackbird fly away / May you never be
broken again / Beyond the suffering you’ve known / I hope you find
your way / May you never be broken again / May you never be broken
again” (source)
Please support this amazing album, even if it is only to listen to their
title track. Despite its lack of commercial success compared to their
other albums, “Blackbird” is Alter Bridge’s most moving and powerful
album. Fans of Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, Seether, and other
commercially successful rock bands will surely love this album. It is
the perfect album to listen to while driving, and I guarantee you’ll have
moments when you treat your steering wheel as a drum set. Alter
Bridge has recently released its album “Fortress” to iTunes and other
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record stores, and is currently planning their tour around North
America at the end of the year.
Alter Bridge website
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Anubis - Hitchhiking to Byzantium
I found this next band again off the website Progarchives.com. At the
time, their album was newly released, and was one of the most talked
about albums on the entire site. I immediately felt like I had to listen to
them since so many of my peers felt so strongly about this album.
After a search on Google, and sifting through many other artists with
the same name, I finally found the band Anubis.
To my pleasure, I found out that Anubis is a progressive rock band
from Sydney, yet another Australian rock band to add to my repertoire.
The band consists of Robert James Moulding on vocals and bass
guitar, David Eaton on keyboards and guitar, Douglas Skene and
Dean Bennison on guitar, and Steven Eaton on drums, along with a
several additional artists to support. Falling into the genre of
progressive rock, Anubis has released three albums, their newest
album being “Hitchhiking to Byzantium.”
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Clocking in at almost 80 minutes, “Hitchhiking to Byzantium” is one of
the longest albums in my iTunes Library. I love longer progressive
albums, but sometimes get scared by them as well. I get afraid that
artists may waste too much time on their albums, trying too hard to
doodle around in order to generate a longer album, and spending less
time on developing a coherent concept. This album does not fall into
this category; each song is extremely high quality, with a impressive
array of instruments and sound effects. Added to the musicianship of
the band is the concept they deliver through the album.
When thinking of this album, I cannot help talking about this album
more as a book or movie than as music. The feeling of each
instrument is not only auditory, but is also felt emotionally and
mentally. The use of multiple guitars adds power to the album, varying
from heavy palm-muted riffs to high bent notes, notably in the song
“Blood Is Thicker Than Common Sense.” The drums are authoritative,
with each hit clearly purposed and planned to help develop the overall
theme. The drum work in “A King With No Crown” is great, using
drastic hits on the snare and cymbals. The keys act as the glue for the
album, holding not only the songs together, but also holding the
listener in their emotional state. This album would not be the same
without the keyboard.
As much as the instruments help tell the story, the lyrics and overall
composition add to it. Unlike their previous records, “Hitchhiking to
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Byzantium” doesn’t consist of a concept or narrative per se. According
to Dean Bennison, he says of the album:
“It’s about growing older and trying to do better at things… and about
the excuses we make for ourselves, all the crutches and braces that
we find for ourselves along the way, and how good and bad they are
for us.” (source)
With such an introspective idea for this album, Anubis succeeds
musically in illustrating its concept. The album contains many upbeat
moments with powerful guitar solos and soaring vocals (“Dead Trees”
and “A Room With A View”), along with moments of obviously pained
lyrics and vocals set to keyboard-heavy riffs (“Crimson Stained
Romance” and “Silent Wandering Ghosts”). The mood set by the band
forces the listener to be emotionally invested in this album. I
remember my first listen of this album, that upon the end of the final
song, I didn’t realize that the album was over, and that I had been
sitting on the ground with my eyes closed for nearly an hour and a
half. The effective use of the band’s story telling and emotional
support is amazing, as one can feel the mood set throughout the
album.
As much as I have praised prior reviews as being “a listening
experience,” Anubis’ “Hitchhiking to Byzantium” truly is an experience
of sound and mind. I urge all those who listen to progressive rock, or
who enjoy a good story or narrative, to listen to this album. This album
is a piece of art, and should be heard by everyone.
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5 Ways To Search For New Music
Every now and then when I talk music with my friends, one of them
will ask "How do you find all these different bands?"
My friends, the Internet is a wonderful tool. Besides wasting hours of
your day searching for irrelevant things, the Internet can also help you
find some great music. Whether they are well known and popular, or
underground and unsigned, there are a plethora of bands out there.
This post will simply show you a few ways to find some new music to
listen to.
1. "The iTunes Game"
I mentioned this in a previous article, and is probably my favorite way
to find new music. The rules of the game are simple:
First, log into iTunes and go to your iTunes Store. Next search literally
any band you feel like. Once you search for a band, click on any of
their albums. Then click the Related tab. There, you will find a list of
albums that other listeners have bought. From here, all you have to do
is click on an album you've never listened to. If you like it, repeat the
steps for this album. If you don't, go back and try a different one. If you
have all the albums mentioned, click on any of them and start over.
I cannot tell you how many bands I have found using this simple
method that I would not have thought to look for using Google alone.
After searching Coheed and Cambria, I was able to find one of my
other favorite bands, Lydia. After many steps, you will find yourself in
some uncharted waters, finding some really obscure bands that are
just waiting to be heard!
2. Last.fm
Another great resource is Last.fm. This one's easy: Search any band.
On the next page on the right side, there will be a list of similar bands.
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If you click the link that says "similar artists," it will take you to a page
of all artists ranked in similarity to the band you searched, from super
similarity, to medium similarity, to lower similarity. You can repeat the
steps if you like.
3. Music-map.com
A unique and artsy method of finding new music, Music-map.com
does just as it says in its title, creating a map of your favorite bands.
All you have to do is type a band into the search engine, and upon
searching, many bands will appear. Those bands closest to the band
you searched are closer in similarity than those that are farther away.
It's fun to click on some of the other bands that are generated, as they
will generate entirely new maps for the new band. Use this to expand
your taste!
4. Bandcamp.com
Bandcamp is a great site to find those unsigned, up-and-coming
bands. I have used this site numerous times since starting this blog,
and have found some great bands along the way, some which I have
mentioned in my blog! Search by genre, band, and popularity.
5. Social Networking Sites
This last one's easy. Using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., you
can find your favorite band. Then, search their friends or followers for
some other bands that have friendships or similarities with the band
you searched. Simple as that.
There are obviously countless more ways you can find new music.
What's most important is when you do find that new band that you've
been searching for all your life, support them! Find out if they have a
new album, or are touring near you. These bands spend their time
trying to create beautiful pieces of art for the world; it is our duty to
thank them!
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Slaves - Through Art We Are All Equals
This next band is fronted by a man that I have tremendous respect for.
Through all the hardships he has faced in his life, he was still able to
pick himself up and continue doing what he loves. My wife and I have
seen him live only once, but he blew us away, putting on one of the
most amazing vocal performances we have ever seen. Fronting his
new band Slaves, Jonny Craig has yet again shown those who
support him and those who hate him that he is not going anywhere.
Slaves is a four-piece band from Sacramento, CA. The band consists
of lead singer Jonny Craig, Alex Lyman on lead guitar, Christopher
Kim on rhythm guitar/percussion, and Tai Wright on
drums/percussion. Slaves also uses many guest musicians on this
album, including Tyler Carter, Natalie Craig, Kyle Lucas, and Vic
Fuentes from Pierce the Veil. The band definitely falls into the
category of post-hardcore, as each member of the band has history in
the genre. Besides the obvious genre, though, their newest album
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“Through Art We Are All Equals” also falls into a more experimental
and perhaps progressive rock genre.
Lyman, Kim, and Wright collectively do an awesome job on this
record. They provide a perfect instrumental section to back Craig’s
vocals. I believe their style is comparable to material they have
released in the past on their previous bands, but is much more
experimental and expansive. Moments of metal and hardcore leak into
the song, especially in the songs “The King and the Army That Stands
Behind Him” and “The Upgrade Part II,” which contains some of the
deepest and intense riffs on the entire album. Besides these harder
songs are softer songs like “Those Who Stand For Nothing Fall For
Everything” and “There Is Only One Goad and His Name Is Death,”
using cleaner acoustic guitars to get the job done. The drum work
Wright provides is very understated, using a barrage of bass pedals
and floor toms to accentuate Craig’s vocals. I thoroughly enjoy
listening to the instrumentals of this album.
When one purchases an album that has Jonny Craig on vocals, one
can expect that Craig will steal the show. Jonny Craig never fails to
amaze me with every album he produces, and “Through Art We Are
All Equals” doesn’t disappoint. Using past experiences, Craig reaches
into his soul and pours out his heart throughout this album. His vocal
style is reminiscent of many greats, including Michael Jackson,
Christina Aguilera, and many singers in soul music. By far my favorite
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vocal performances on this album are “Starving for Friends” and “The
Young and Beyond Restless.” His range flutters around throughout
every song, and is used more like an instrument than most other
vocalists. What amazes me most about his voice is his ability to
recreate his sound achieved in a studio while onstage. You cannot tell
the difference when you see him live, and could be argued that he
performs better when singing in front of his many fans.
Not only is Jonny Craig able to use his voice as an instrument, but
also as a tool to produce some meaningful and profound lyrics. His
lyrics are like an open diary as he spills out the pain and love he has
experienced throughout his life. My favorite song off the album
contains the theme of apology and closure, being the song “Starving
for Friends.” Perfectly inserted is his friend Vic Fuentes, who sings on
this song, and who has had a difficult past with Jonny Craig. The lyrics
in the song’s chorus is a heartfelt apology to his friends of the past:
“Don’t make me wait for a falling star / I’ve been afraid that the blood
in my heart / Won’t sing for me a melody that’s ours / Drown me in the
rain, I’d swim and sink for you / You were the only, you were the only
saving grace I ever had / You were the only, you were the only saving
grace I ever had” (source)
An in depth interview with Jonny Craig reveals the production and
thoughts he had in making this album, and can be seen here.
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I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for a breathtaking
vocal performance and meaningful lyrics. Fans of Tides of Man,
Emarosa, Pierce the Veil, Dance Gavin Dance, and other posthardcore bands will also like this album. To those who might have
given up on Jonny, I sincerely hope you listen to this album and hear
the beautiful voice and lyrics. We have all made mistakes in the past,
and this album is proof that we can recover. Please support Slaves’
“Through Art We Are All Equals” through the many music sites to
purchase this album, and please support them as they travel through
North America on tour.
Slaves website
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Eden Shadow - Phases
As I was searching through the Twitterverse, I stumbled across this
next band. After listening to their album, I could not help but playing it
on the car ride to work, at work, at home, and while falling asleep. The
band Eden Shadow has become part of my daily routine, and I am
thankful for their wonderful music.
Making their home in the UK, Eden Shadow consists of Ryan Elliot on
guitars/vocals/keys, Alex Broben on bass/synths, and Tom Burgess
on drums/percussion/synths. With all members of the band born in
1992, I am easily amazed at the versatility and range of sound they
create at such a young age. It is hard to narrow Eden Shadow to just
one genre of rock, but they can be easily classified in progressive
rock. The number of influences each member states on their website
is phenomenal, consisting of some of the greatest musicians in rock
history. The crazy thing is that not only are Eden Shadow able to
recreate the sound of their influences, but are also able to create such
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a unique and original sound at the same time. Their latest album
"Phases" is a great example of a combination of rock's greatest
resources, with a unique sound.
The percussion section of each song flows so well with the overall
progressive vibe of the album. It is able to groove with the other
instruments, but it also able to shine in the spotlight in different
sections of the album. Songs like "Imagination" and "Restlessness"
contain the heaviest drum fills and beats, reminiscent of such
influences like Marco Minnemann, Gavin Harrison, and Neil Peart.
The crash of the cymbals thunders throughout the songs, generating
those classic head-bobbing moments. Burgess nails each song with
his precision, and is a driving force on this album.
The bass guitar is simply fantastic in this album. Broben provides
some memorable moments in this album, especially in the songs
"Hallucinogen" and "Hope You're Happy." I can easily hear a mix of
Colin Edwin from Porcupine Tree, Johnny April from Staind, and Tony
Levin in his style of play. Without taking away from the other
members, Broben produces some of the greatest bass tracks I've
heard in some time. It is easily present in each song, unlike many rock
bands that downplay the instrument entirely. I love the presence of the
bass guitar in "Phases," as it adds that missing element that is present
in many albums nowadays.
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I also have to give a tip of the hat to the synths and keyboards in this
album. Without taking away from the band, the presence of synths
helps guide each song and acts as a change of pace during intro and
bridge sections. Most noticeably heard in the song "The Stars Unfold,"
it is the perfect backing to each instrument, from the groovy drums, to
the hard hitting bass sections, to the guitar solo near the end of the
song. Reminding me of the sections in the songs "Stop Swimming"
and "Collapse The Light Into Earth" from Porcupine Tree, the synths
and keys are absolutely necessary to the album, and without it would
result in an entirely different album.
Playing guitar and singing in this album, Elliot shines in several songs.
His voice is a mix between Maynard James-Keenan of Tool, Peter
Gabriel of Genesis, and Jon Courtney from Pure Reason Revolution,
putting him in some great company. I love his vocals in the songs
"Hope You're Happy" and "First Phase," showing great moments of
range and quality. His overall guitar playing is fantastic as well, adding
to his greatness. Using different styles of play, he genre-jumps from
bluesy guitar in "First Phase," to hard rock in "Hallucinogen," to classic
rock sound in "Imagination." The excellence of his abilities should be
heard by everyone who listens to rock music.
My favorite song on this album happens to be the first song I heard
from them, being their song "Elgon." It is a great mix of many genres
all packed into one song, containing highlights of greatness from each
member of the band. It has clean guitar in the beginning of the song,
time signature changes throughout the song, heavy riffs mixed with
hard drum beats, and absolutely astounding singing that always grabs
my attention. The lyrics has such great depth and meaning, causing
myself to even ponder and think about my own life. I love the lyrics
within this song's bridge:
"You can think, You can feel / Surpass that suppression, / All those
superficial obsessions, / You can think, You can feel, / Seek and you
will find, / Ask and you shall receive, / The door will be opened up to
you." (source)
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"Phases" is absolutely fantastic. I cannot praise this album enough for
its creativity. For fans of their influences, ranging from bands like
Porcupine Tree, Tool, Pure Reason Revolution, Genesis, Rush, Pink
Floyd, and Dream Theater, I urge you to listen to this album. It is a
beautiful piece of art that should be heard by all. I look forward to their
future plans, and am eager to listen to any future productions they
release. Please support the band Eden Shadow, and their newest
album "Phases." It can be found here, or on iTunes.
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Arcane Roots - Blood & Chemistry
I found this next band using one of my five methods of finding new
music. After searching Coheed and Cambria’s homepage a year ago,
I noticed they were touring with two special guest bands as their
openers, one of them whom I instantly fell in love with. Although I did
not have the chance to see this band live, I was instantly hooked on
their new album. After several listens came a long period of time
without hearing their album. Only recently have I put Arcane Roots’
newest album back on my iPhone, and I’ve realized how much I’ve
missed it.
Arcane Roots is a three-piece band from England, consisting of
Andrew Groves on vocals/guitar, Adam Burton on bass/vocals, and
Daryl Atkins on drums. This band definitely falls into the genre of
alternative rock, but can even be considered in the genres posthardcore, indie rock, progressive rock/metal, and math rock. With
such a unique sound that varies between soft melodies to dirty vocals
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and heavy riffs, their newest album “Blood & Chemistry” is definitely
worth a listen.
The drums and bass guitar that Atkins and Burton provide in this
album contain some seriously heavy and adrenaline-laden riffs
throughout the album. Songs like “Resolve” and “Sacred Shapes” are
by far the hardest tracks on the album, using a mixture of crashing
cymbals and bass pedals on the drums. They perfectly complement
both singers, generating a beat matching their tempo. Even in softer
songs like “Hell & High Water,” Atkins does an amazing job of creating
powerful yet simple drum beats to add character to the song. The
drum work is fascinating because Atkins is able to add so much to the
atmosphere without taking away from his bandmates.
The best thing about this album is the guitar riffs of Andrew Groves,
along with the vocals provided by Groves and Burton. When I listen to
this album, I feel as if I’m listening to two different albums: one with a
more math-rock and post-hardcore style, the other a more indie rock
and progressive rock/metal style. Using complex riffs with varying time
signatures, Groves’ sound generates that complicated yet fascinating
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style of math rock, similar to bands like Fall of Troy and The Dillinger
Escape Plan. The most complicated song, “Triptych,” contains great
tapping during the chorus, and a bridge section that is difficult to headbang to because of its time signature changes. Other songs like
“Second Breath” and “Resolve” follow this same pattern, using softer
tones to change the pace during the verse and chorus. In addition to
this harder style of guitar work, Groves also changes his style to a
more softer side. Songs like “Belief,” “Hell & High Water,” and “Held
Like Kites” use a clean guitar (in some cases an acoustic guitar),
helping to bring the listener down from the high generated on the
previous song. The mix of clean and dirty guitars makes this album an
interesting listen.
On top of the wide variety of sound the band provides, Groves and
Burton provide a mix of clean and dirty vocals. Switching between
singers, the dirty vocals are interspersed through the album, and do
not make up a majority of the vocals on this album. Groves’ vocal
range is controlled, yet surprising. Ranging between mid and high
notes, his voice is reminiscent of Caleb Followill of the band Kings of
Leon. Although not necessarily the strongest voice in my iTunes
Library, the meaning and passion behind Groves’ vocals are easily felt
by the listener. My favorite song on this album happens to be the song
containing Groves’ most powerful performance, “You Keep Me Here.”
Closing the album is a song mixed with heavy riffs in the beginning
and dreamlike atmosphere in the end. My favorite lyric is within the
song’s chorus:
“So save me lady / Open up and give it with some grace / hold on to
me / give me one good reason to be here”
The ending of the song reminds me of lost love, and is beautifully
portrayed in the end of the song with a repetition of the words with
such a passionate instrumental:
“Love, you’re better for me” (source)
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Their album “Blood & Chemistry”, clocking in at just under an hour, is
a must listen for fans of bands like Kings of Leon, Fall of Troy, Like
Vultures, and other bands that fall in the indie rock, progressive
rock/metal, and alternative rock scene. This band is definitely arcane
as its name states, as I have yet to find another person who has heard
of this band before me. Please support Arcane Roots’ “Blood &
Chemistry” by visiting their website or finding them on iTunes. If you
are enjoying this band, they also have an EP released before this
album called “Left Fire.”
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Concert Review - Nine Inch Nails / Soundgarden /
Cold Cave
This past week, I was able to see two bands whom I’ve listened to for
some time, but have never seen live: Soundgarden and Nine Inch
Nails. I found both of them long after their most celebrated albums, but
have enjoyed listening to both their older works and newer releases.
When I found out that this concert would be held at Sleep Train
Amphitheater (AKA Cricket Amphitheater, AKA Coors Amphitheater), I
was a little worried. Only attending one prior concert there, I was not a
fan of the seating arrangement, as the closest seats are still far away
from the stage. Nevertheless, I was excited to go with my good friend
Jules (from “2 Nerds and a Dude”) and his family, who happened to be
major Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden fans.
The opening act was a duo called Cold Cave. Having learned that the
prior opening act disbanded months before the tour started, I was not
expecting anything great out of this band, thinking both headliners
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were eager to just fill the spot with anyone willing. Hanging outside the
theater, my friends and I started hearing decent music come from the
stage. Thinking it was just the pre-concert music that every venue
plays, we slowly made our way to our seats, only to find out the
opening band actually started. Overall, I was quite pleased with the
band. Having never heard of them before, they performed very well,
and had some pretty cool video effects behind them. The sound was
more synth-pop and indie than I imagined, but could easily be used as
background music at work. An unexpected surprise to the start of this
concert.
Just as nightfall started, Soundgarden graced the stage. Playing to a
nearly sold-out crowd, I was more impressed with the crowd reaction
to Soundgarden than I was with Nine Inch Nails. Many fans around
me screamed the lyrics to favorites like “Black Hole Sun” and “Jesus
Christ Pose,” while more of the fans were in a stupor when watching
Nine Inch Nails and not moving from their seats. Chris Cornell had an
amazing voice as always, Kim Thayil played tremendous solos
throughout the set, while Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd were
amazing on drums and bass. There was a variety of effects, ranging
from different types of lighting to a large video screen displaying some
socio-political and religious emblems. The set was much more proggy
than I expected, since I don’t consider Soundgarden a progressive
rock band by any means. Several songs contained extended solos
and bridge sections, while the last song was drawn out an extra few
minutes, as each member left the stage one by one. I loved their stage
presence and performance, and enjoyed listening to their greatest
hits.
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After some time, the crowd started to scream again. Looking at the
stage, I saw Trent Reznor come onto the stage by himself with one
light focused on him. For some time prior to this concert, Jules, being
the ultimate Nine Inch Nails fan, had told me all the crazy effects and
stage performances they have done. I was surprised to see such a
simple start to their set, but was not disappointed in the end. The
remaining members slowly trickled into their first song “Copy of A,”
and only then did the vibe feel right. Nine Inch Nails went on to play
many songs, mostly from their earlier records like “Pretty Hate
Machine” and “Broken” (the only part of their discography that I don’t
know too well). Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this concert. What I
liked most about their set was the member of the band that I least
expected: their drummer Ilan Rubin, who happens to be a San
Diegan. His performance was simply outstanding. I have never seen a
drummer so technical, yet so accurate live. I would love to see them
again just to see that drummer again. In the encore, the band came
back to perform one of my favorite songs by them, “Hurt.” With such a
depressing video display behind them, I nearly cried as he sang the
chorus:
“And you could have it all / My empire of dirt / I will let you down / I will
make you hurt.”
This concert was a lot of fun. While both bands celebrated their 20 th
anniversaries of their greatest albums, each band was able to mix in
some other material. The opening act was listenable, which has
become a rarity nowadays. There were many special effects during
each performance despite the outdoor venue. Sleep Train
Amphitheater redeemed itself in this concert, and now I am willing to
give the venue another chance.
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Thank You Scientist - Maps of Non-Existent
Places
When I purchased my tickets to see Coheed and Cambria for the 8th
time earlier this year, I saw who would be opening for them. As I
always do, I checked out their material online to see what I was in for.
Sadly, most opening acts go seemingly unnoticed when touring with
bigger bands. For the first time in a while, though, I am genuinely
excited to see Coheed’s opening act, Thank You Scientist.
Hailing from New Jersey, Thank You Scientist consists of Salvatore
Marrano on vocals, Tom Monda on guitar, Greg Colacino on bass
guitar, and Odin Alvarez on drums. Standing out amongst other rock
bands in my iTunes Library, these guys go one step further, adding
Ben Karas on violin, Ellis Jasenovic on saxophone, and Andrew
Digrius on trumpet. Having formal training in classical and jazz music,
one can easily hear the musicality and genius in their work. Using
elements of progressive rock, math rock, funk, jazz, and folk rock,
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Thank You Scientist is able to put together one eclectic album in
“Maps of Non-Existent Places.”
The listener can tell they’re in for an interesting experience early, as
the brass section is introduced after a short interlude. While you check
your album cover to make sure you didn’t put in an Rx Bandits album
on accident, Marrano and Monda work together fantastically to create
a very poppy, yet unique verse section to nail the listener to their seat.
What proceeds from this point on is 58 minutes of the most
interesting, unique, and innovative combination of instruments. After
the required amount of listens it takes to wrap one’s head around this
album, here’s a brief summary of what I have to say about this
talented group of musicians.
The drumbeats are loud and technical throughout “Maps of NonExistent Places.” Alvarez does an amazing job creating intricate
drumbeats to add to the uniqueness of the band’s sound. Relying on
the deeper sounds of bass pedals and the snare drum, the beats in
“Blood on the Radio” are my favorite on this album. With the math rock
like sound that the band generates, Alvarez is able to perfectly
complement the remaining instruments.
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Greg Colacino does a great job on the bass guitar. The first few times
I listened to this album, I was so awestruck with the brass instruments
that I entirely neglected listening to the other instruments. As I do with
most albums I listen to, I decided to focus in on one instrument, the
first being the bass guitar. I was stunned when I heard Colacino’s
ability to create some really funky bass lines. The song “Concrete
Swan Dive” shows him at his best, creating an added element to the
already insane atmosphere.
Marrano provides amazing vocals and lyrics on this album, using a
wide range and delivery. Songs like “Carnival” are interesting to hear
his voice jump around from deep lows to souring highs. His voice is so
unique that I’m having a hard time comparing it to anyone else.
Comment below if you can think of anyone!
The guitar work provided by Monda is eclectic, ranging from sounds
like Fall of Troy to Circa Survive. Monda uses a variety of sound
throughout the album, ranging from clean guitar patterns in intros, to
deep palm-muted riffs in choruses, to tapping in solos. I love the use
of guitar in the entire song “My Famed Disappearing Act,” which
shows the use of all three previously mentioned. Added in with the
numerous instruments in this band, Monda is able to shine without
taking away too much of the spotlight from the other members of the
band.
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What obviously makes this album different than any other progressive
rock albums is the use of a brass section and violin. Thank You
Scientist is able to incorporate such unique and different instruments
into their album without making it stand out like a sore thumb. In fact,
the songs where they are most prevalent happen to be some of my
favorite songs on the album. The songs “Suspicious Waveforms” and
“Absentee” display Karas, Jasenovic, and Digrius at their finest,
especially the alternating solos in “Suspicious Waveforms.” This song
is a highlight of the album, showing the musicianship and technicality
of this band as a whole.
Moral of the story: this album is insane. I understand that my
breakdown of each instrument is limited due to time and length
restraints, and doesn’t do this album the justice it deserves. This
album is best understood when listened to instead of when read
about. With a wide range of musical influences, along with extremely
intricate and technical time signature changes, “Maps of Non-Existent
Places” is an interesting addition to any progressive rock catalog. I
highly recommend this album to anyone who listens to rock music in
general, as Thank You Scientist covers their bases when it comes to
style. I have no doubts that this band has a bright future ahead of
them, and I’m eager to await any future releases they have in store.
Please support this band as they tour across North America with
Coheed and Cambria. In a related note, please support their album
under their new record label Evil Ink Records, created by Coheed
frontman Claudio Sanchez.
Thank You Scientist website
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Farol Cego - Zenite
I may not speak Spanish, but I have a strange fascination with Latin
and South American music. The beats are always very catchy, and
the lyrics feel like they are sung with more passion than many
American songs. After asking Reddit followers for music suggestions, I
was introduced to a entirely different band than something I would
ordinarily review. Coming from Brazil, Farol Cego was able to catch
my attention from such a vast distance. Thank you Internet for linking
us together!
Farol Cego (Portuguese for Blind Lighthouse) consists of Henrique
Neves, Leonardo Gumiero, Lucas Leite, and Thomas Berti. I was able
to read some translated lyrics and was pleased to hear what they
created. The band has influences in many genres of rock,
considerably alternative rock, indie rock, and even progressive rock.
Their newest EP “Zenite” (Portuguese for Zenith) may be hard to find
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for those who aren’t looking for it, but by happenstance it fell into my
lap… well, onto my computer screen.
Their latest EP consists of 4 songs, the first being a quick instrumental
introduction. With sound effects and piano, “Catatonia” introduces the
listeners to what’s in store for the next 15 minutes. “E Acordo Aqui”
(“And I Wake Up Here”) starts off with a clean rhythm guitar pattern
with a slightly-distorted guitar playing notes with a slide, reminiscent of
the band The Helio Sequence. I love the change of pace that occurs in
the chorus, as the lead guitar shines with an effect-driven solo that
perfectly complements the verse pattern. The vocals range from lows
in the verse and chorus, to highs in the bridge and outro. Using catchy
guitar patterns, along with heavy snare drum, “E Acordo Aqui” is a
great song to establish this album.
Next comes “Sobre Ir Emora” (“About Leaving”), with its tremolopedaled chords and slightly distorted lead guitar leading the way. The
drum beats are more established in this song, and is one of my
favorite things about this song. Near the end is dual guitar soloing,
changing between different degrees of distorted guitar. Very simple,
yet very catchy, the song closes, leaving the listener wanting more.
The last song “Catarse” (“Catharsis”) opens with all members of the
band, using piano, drums, guitar, and bass to create a very appealing
and indie-sounding introduction. The vocals are at its strongest and
most passionate in this song, using the widest range on the album.
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Powerful strumming patterns complement the bass-driven and
complex drum set in the verse and chorus. Sound effects interrupt the
bridge, which is followed by clean guitar and drums. Closing off this
album is a combined effort of power and feeling from all members,
which happens to be my favorite collaborative effort on this album.
After some cooperation, I was able to find a rough translation of the
album’s lyrics. Much to do with love and sorrow, one can easily be
familiar with the album’s message. Whether through your own
experiences or from others, the band is able to passionately describe
situations of unrequited love and depression. What is most interesting
about reading translated lyrics are not necessarily the imperfect
translation, but the different use of words and phrases that aren’t
present in the English language. I love the imagery that is created
upon translating lyrics, as it forces the listener to use their imagination
to fill in the gaps between what is lost in translation.
Overall, for being a 16 minute EP in another language, I really enjoyed
this album! I love the influences of American alternative and indie
rock, with the unique style of guitar and drums that stand out from
other bands. “Zenite” is truly a great listening experience. Even
without knowing the language, I really appreciate the culture that I
learn by listening to other bands from other countries. If you love
listening to indie/alternative bands like Helio Sequence, Explosions in
the Sky, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., then I highly recommend Farol
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Cego’s “Zenite.” You can check them out on their Facebook and
Soundcloud pages.
Bandcamp
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Hemina - Nebulae
Searching through Progarchives over my Labor Day weekend, I
stumbled across this next band. Earlier that weekend, I decided to
learn some heavier music on guitar, which made me interested in
finding some new harder songs to listen to. In comes Hemina, a band
suggested numerous times on Progarchives.
Hemina is a band from Sydney, Australia, consisting of Douglas
Skene on vocals/guitars, Jessica Martin on bass/vocals, Mitch Coull
on guitars/vocals, Phil Eltakchi on keyboard/vocals, and Edwin Saute
on drums. Ranging from progressive metal, to djent, to space rock,
their sound jumps from genre to genre throughout the album. Having
released their newest album "Nebulae" a couple weeks ago, I am
lucky to have stumbled onto this band at the right time.
Unlike most progressive metal albums, Hemina does not overkill their
progressiveness. There are guitar and keyboard solos, but there are
no ten minute overtures. The drumming is pleasant and deep, but
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there are no massive time signature changes that disrupt the flow of
the song. There is no dominant instrument in the band, but each
member performs passionately and with purpose. I enjoyed the
camaraderie felt in the making of this album, where the listener can
easily picture each band member playing off each other, and queuing
each other up for the next section. Instead of five individual performers
working separately, Hemina is a team working perfectly in harmony.
As their previous album "Synthetic," this album follows a concept or
story. Having only recently found this band, I haven't had the time to
delve deep into the lyrics. From what I have heard, I can shortly
summarize the concept to be the transition one experiences from
feeling meaninglessness to joy, all packaged into a sci-fi like
atmosphere. Luckily, the title of each song reflect the general feeling
of each song (For example, "Lust" is about lust, "Hope" is about hope,
etc.). At first listen, I was unaware of the concept, and only focused on
the instrumentation. Having listened to this album multiple times now, I
must say that I fully enjoyed the lyrics and concept as much as the
instrumentation on this album. Laced with sci-fi themes of outer space
and other-worldly interaction, the geek in me was easily pleased.
Reminiscent of the bands Kamelot, Voyager, and Riverside, the guitar
work contains many deep and heavy riffs, alongside some proggy
solos and even cleaner guitar. Skene and Coull split time on lead
guitar, each with time to show off their solo abilities. I love the intensity
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in the songs "Nightlives" and "Strength." The keyboards also shine in
the songs "Soulmates" and "Freedom," containing some of the
grooviest keyboard solos I've heard in a while. The instrumentation of
this band is phenomenal. Hemina is able to produce some high quality
moments in this album without going over the top in progressive
debauchery.
My favorite thing about this album? The dual lead vocals of Skene and
Martin, along with the backing vocals of Coull and Eltakchi. Most
progressive bands I've heard having a hard time finding one viable
singer, let alone four. Hemina perfectly utilizes this strength, using
their versatile range and sound with a revolving door of vocals. Each
member adds their own flavor to each song vocally, leaving the
listener with a much different experience than expected. I love to listen
to the change in vocals throughout this album, which is a rare
fondness in the progressive metal genre on the whole.
Overall, "Nebulae" is an interesting and fun listen. The combination of
guitars, keyboards, and drums styles, along with the plethora of vocals
makes this album unique in an ever-expanding, yet ever-replicating
genre. For fans of metal, djent, and progressive rock/metal, along with
fans of the bands Kamelot, Haken, Caligula's Horse, and Ayreon, I
highly recommend "Nebulae" by Hemina! Please check out their
Bandcamp page, containing this newly released album that is not
available on iTunes.
Bandcamp
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Miroist - Curve
I have always felt that instrumental albums are hit and miss. It is very
difficult to tell between a “good” instrumental album and a “bad” one. I
can only determine a “good” instrumental album to be one that I play
as much as any other album, while a “bad” one becomes lost and
forgotten in my iTunes Library. This next album obviously falls into the
“good” section (I wouldn’t be writing about it otherwise!). After
searching Bandcamp for new material, I came across the band
Miroist, a solo project from London. Spanning from progressive metal,
to djent, ambient rock, post-metal, and even electronica, their latest
album “Curve” is different from many of the albums I’ve already
reviewed.
Although this album obviously uses programmed drum patterns, the
drum beat can not only be recreated in a live setting, but expanded
upon. The simplicity of using drum machines is somewhat felt in
listening to this album, but does not cause the listener to lose attention
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or admiration for the band. A layer of heavy riffs and atmospheric
landscape is played over the drums, so the drum patterns more as a
set-up to the guitar rather than the focus of attention on the album.
The atmospheric sound the accompanies many songs on “Curve” is
reminiscent of many post-metal and progressive metal bands like
TesseracT, Rosetta, and Russian Circles. The album would easily be
determined to be missing an element if it weren’t for the sounds
created by Miroist in the background. Cranking the reverb, many
songs contain echoing keyboards as an added layer to the drums and
guitars, making each instrument feel more drawn out and proggy. I
love its use in “The Closing of Your Eye” during the song’s bridge,
which is accompanied by a subtle riff on a cleaner, distorted guitar.
Such added details to this album helps Miroist stand out from other
metal albums I’ve seen on the Internet, and in my opinion makes the
album much more artistic.
The best thing about this album is the reason why Miroist wants you to
listen to this album in the first place: the guitars. With tuned down
strings, “Curve” contains some of the djentiest riffs I’ve heard since
I’ve discovered the genre. Songs like “And Symmetry Has Finally
Broke…” and “29%” contain solid palm-muted riffs, accompanied by
scales filled with minor notes. I love the shift from the low to high
strings in the songs’ choruses. Clocking in at 50 minutes, this album
contains non-stop headbanging moments that will surely leave you
dizzy.
Overall, “Curve” falls into the category of “good” instrumental albums
because of its ability to create unforgettable riffs, the use of
atmospheric sound not present in other instrumental albums, and the
overall production quality. I highly recommend this album to fans of
TesseracT, Rosetta, Russian Circles, and other instrumental metal
bands, or those in need of some awesome background music. Please
support Miroist by visiting their Bandcamp page and purchasing their
newest album! Note: This album is available for a free download on
their Bandcamp page, so please give them a try, and support them if
you enjoy it!
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Bandcamp
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Gentle Giant - Acquiring the Taste
(A note to my readers: To prevent grossing out or scaring off my
readers, I have shown the full album cover instead of the original.)
I found this next album when I was in search of some older music to
listen to. I wanted to find something that could accompany me while I
was working, or while I was even writing for this blog. After scrolling
through Progarchives.com, I came across the band Gentle Giant, a
progressive rock band from the 70's. I had barely remembered the
name from prior searches for musical gold, but felt I had to give this
band a chance a second time around. I am so glad I did.
Gentle Giant consists of a rotation of multi-instrumentalists, whose
primary members were brothers Derek, Ray, and Phil Shulman.
Recording 11 albums over 10 years, this band definitely falls into the
genre of progressive rock, reminding me of bands like King Crimson
and Spock's Beard. Beyond this genre, each album they've released
has its own influences, ranging from jazz, to blues, to experimental
rock. After hearing their first half of their discography, I fell in love with
the album "Acquiring the Taste."
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"Acquiring the Taste" falls under the progressive rock genre, with a
unique influence of psychedelic rock and neo-classical rock. The
range of instrumentation that defines neo-classical rock is evident
throughout the entire album, most notably in the song "The House,
The Street, The Room" during the solo towards the middle of the
song. With so many band members with knowledge of different
instruments, one can hear the range of sound that each member
brings. Because each band member plays multiple instruments
throughout the album, it is hard to pinpoint when one band member
excels above the others. Because of this, I have to review this album
solely as a whole, and not as a sum of its parts.
With the range of instruments including guitar, bass guitar, drums,
violin, piano, clavichord, cello, mandolin, saxophone, clarinet, and
more, each song has its own experimentation. The songs "The House,
The Street, The Room" and "Plain Truth" use more string instruments
than the other songs, while songs like "Wreck" and "The Moon Is
Down" uses more percussion instruments. Accompanying classical
instruments are more modern instruments and effects like a Moog
synthesizer and guitar effect pedals, best represented in the songs
"Pantagruel's Nativity" and "Black Cat." The use of all these
instruments makes "Acquiring the Taste" one of the most interesting
and unique albums in my iTunes library.
At the first time hearing this album, it may be hard to listen and follow
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because of the incredibly experimental sound. During the recording of
this album, the band had issued a declaration towards its listeners,
explaining that it was their goal to "expand the frontiers of
contemporary popular music at the risk of being very unpopular." They
went on further to state that it took their collective knowledge to
produce such an album that is more substantial and fulfilling, and that
the audience should "acquire the taste," hence the album title.
I recommend this album to those who like progressive rock,
experimental rock, jazz, and blues, but especially those who like the
band King Crimson. This album definitely takes multiple listens to get
used to, so please listen to this album at least twice and "acquire the
taste"! I guarantee you that it will be one of the craziest albums you'll
ever listen to. If you are interesting in hearing more from this band but
maybe something a little less experimental, I recommend their self
titled debut "Gentle Giant," which ranges from progressive rock to
symphonic rock.
Gentle Giant website
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The Mercury Tree - Countenance
I am completely surprised that this blog is still getting consistent
viewers after a couple months of inactivity. To honor those really
dedicated fans, I've decided to post my first blog post in a while. As I
mentioned in my last post, I'll only be posting randomly from this point
forward until I say otherwise. So, sit down and enjoy my take of The
Mercury Tree's "Countenance."
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, The Mercury Tree consists of Ben
Spees on vocals/guitar/keys, Connor Reilly on drums, Oliver Campbell
on bass, and Aaron Clark on the fretless bass. That's right, two bass
guitarists, whose presence is very noticeable throughout the entire
album. It's hard to compare this album with anything on my iTunes
Library because of their experimental sound. The closest genre I can
distinguish them to be is an odd mix of progressive rock, experimental
rock, and math-rock, with hints of jazz and psychedelic.
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Having only released their album a couple months ago, The Mercury
Tree has already found much support from Progarchives. I am happy
to be among the many in support of their third LP. The amount of
creativity is apparent, since each song seems to have its own musical
influence, while at the same time flowing perfectly into each other.
Spees' work on the guitar ranges from jazzy, to spacey, to folksy, to
downright dark. The song "The Ellsberg Cycle" is a perfect example of
all these styles combined.
Two instrumentals make the album, being "Mazz Jathy" and "Jazz
Hands of Doom." If you guessed that these two songs have jazz
influences, then you are correct! The bass presence is amazing in
these two songs, and makes me want to crank it up (with no treble)!
The combination of Campbell and Clark is my favorite thing about this
album, which brings that deeper and darker sound that is forgotten in
most albums nowadays.
If you're a fan of bands like The Album Leaf, Radiohead, Porcupine
Tree, King Crimson, and your favorite jazz band, then you'll love
"Countenance" by The Mercury Tree. It's experimentation alone is
worth the listen, as the album genre-jumps from song to song. It is
impossible to be bored through this album because of the
musicianship and orchestration that this band provides. Please
support this band by visiting their Bandcamp site and checking out
their music.
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