Let's pretend it's actually Thursday for a few minutes, so that we can all imagine it's Throwback Thursday time! I enjoyed last year's The Color Before the Sun, but any Loud Noises reader worth their salt will know that I'm a fan of older Coheed and Cambria, stuff, so let's have some of that for your weekly dose of retro.
Set your chosen pop culture time travel device to 2007, because we're headed back to Coheed's fourth LP Good Apollo, I'm Burning Star IV: Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow. The title might seem a little long, and a little silly if you're not verse in the band's Amory Wars mythos, but this record is chock full of prime Coheed power-prog-pop. Your Throwback Thursday song "Gravemakers and Gunslingers" is no exception: it stands well enough on its own as a rocking litte number, nevermind its place in the grand story. If my last post from Abhorrent annoyed your neighbours, this one's got enough bounce that they might just forgive you. Worth a shot, right?
Showing posts with label Coheed and Cambria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coheed and Cambria. Show all posts
Monday, 25 January 2016
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Saturday: Coheed and Cambria - Atlas
That didn't take long, did it? Less than two weeks of on-time posts, and then I go and sleep away most of yesterday, putting me behind where I want to be on a number of projects both personal and professional. Fiddlesticks. Oh well. Back to it? Back to it. So: how're you liking Coheed and Cambria's new record?
The Colour Before the Sun is a bit of a mixed bag for this longtime Coheed fan. For one thing, it's the first and only Coheed LP that doesn't take place in Claudio's Amory Wars universe, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, except that I happen to like big, epic space operas. For another thing, the admittedly well-crafted selection of songs has a tendency to eschew Coheed's traditional, more adventurous brand of space prog in favour of earnest, more straight-forward pop-rock.
Does that mean I don't like The Colour Before the Sun? (Great album title, by the way guys) No, it doesn't mean that, I like it alright, but it does mean that I'm going to try and pick what I think is a more Coheedy-sounding track for your belated Saturday song. To that end, have a listen to (the album version of) "Atlas" (not the acoustic one from a while back) to kick off your Sunday afternoon.
The Colour Before the Sun is a bit of a mixed bag for this longtime Coheed fan. For one thing, it's the first and only Coheed LP that doesn't take place in Claudio's Amory Wars universe, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, except that I happen to like big, epic space operas. For another thing, the admittedly well-crafted selection of songs has a tendency to eschew Coheed's traditional, more adventurous brand of space prog in favour of earnest, more straight-forward pop-rock.
Does that mean I don't like The Colour Before the Sun? (Great album title, by the way guys) No, it doesn't mean that, I like it alright, but it does mean that I'm going to try and pick what I think is a more Coheedy-sounding track for your belated Saturday song. To that end, have a listen to (the album version of) "Atlas" (not the acoustic one from a while back) to kick off your Sunday afternoon.
Wednesday, 9 September 2015
Sunday: Coheed and Cambria - Here to Mars
Want some more new music for your belated Sunday Funday song? Your wish is my command, thanks to Coheed and Cambria.
Claudio and Company's latest record The Color Before the Sun comes out a little over a month from today (that is, the real today, not the fake today that is Sunday...) and we recently got our second taste of what to expect. "Here to Mars" is pretty standard Coheed pop-rock fare, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's got the energy and the vibe, and it's got a boss bassline or two, but I'm still not quite fired up yet for The Color Before the Sun. I need a standout track or two. Guys?
Claudio and Company's latest record The Color Before the Sun comes out a little over a month from today (that is, the real today, not the fake today that is Sunday...) and we recently got our second taste of what to expect. "Here to Mars" is pretty standard Coheed pop-rock fare, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's got the energy and the vibe, and it's got a boss bassline or two, but I'm still not quite fired up yet for The Color Before the Sun. I need a standout track or two. Guys?
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Saturday: The Kindred - An Evolution of Thought
Let's keep the ball rolling with a little bit of proggy-smelling post-hardcore courtesy of the Canadians Formerly Known as Today I Caught the Plague. (I suppose it's been long enough that we should all probably stop making reference to how they used to be called something else, but hey, I needed an intro.)
The Kindred's sophomore disc Life in Lucidity (their first under the new The Kindred moniker) is more than a year old already, but it's got an energy and a style that still feels fresh to me. It's hard to describe, so here's the deal: I could name a dozen bands that The Kindred and Life in Lucidity remind me of (for example, I get some Coheed and Cambria, some reined-in Mars Volta, some Protest the Hero...), or you could just listen to "An Evolution of Thought" and check 'em out for your own self.
Of course, the flipside to me still enjoying your record that's been out more than a year is that no matter how fresh it remains, new material can never come soon enough. So, The Kindred, new record, yes?
The Kindred's sophomore disc Life in Lucidity (their first under the new The Kindred moniker) is more than a year old already, but it's got an energy and a style that still feels fresh to me. It's hard to describe, so here's the deal: I could name a dozen bands that The Kindred and Life in Lucidity remind me of (for example, I get some Coheed and Cambria, some reined-in Mars Volta, some Protest the Hero...), or you could just listen to "An Evolution of Thought" and check 'em out for your own self.
Of course, the flipside to me still enjoying your record that's been out more than a year is that no matter how fresh it remains, new material can never come soon enough. So, The Kindred, new record, yes?
Friday, 17 July 2015
Wednesday: I the Mighty - Lady of Death
As I've now established (and as you'll hope agree, to at least some degree), it's good to get out of your comfort zone once in a while. I made this point yesterday in reference to my own journey to the darker, crustier fringes of metal via bands like Abyssal. But what if that kind of extreme metal is your comfort zone? What do you do then?
You come to Loud Noises and listen to something worlds apart from that, like your Wednesday song from San Francisco's I the Mighty. "Lady of Death" is the first full track from the band's latest, Connector, and it's a microcosm of what I like best about I the Mighty: highly energetic, highly melodic, vaguely proggy post-hardcore with a sheen of poppy hookiness over everything. Comparisons to Dance Gavin Dance come to mind quickest, but I also get shades of Hail the Sun, Stolas, and even Coheed and Cambria sprinkled throughout Connector's running time.
The rocking energy does seem to drop off a bit towards the second half of Connector, alloyed with some electronic elements and some slightly more varied song moods and tones, but overall there's still enough here to possibly grab even the most blackened of metalheads. Give I the Mighty a shot today.
You come to Loud Noises and listen to something worlds apart from that, like your Wednesday song from San Francisco's I the Mighty. "Lady of Death" is the first full track from the band's latest, Connector, and it's a microcosm of what I like best about I the Mighty: highly energetic, highly melodic, vaguely proggy post-hardcore with a sheen of poppy hookiness over everything. Comparisons to Dance Gavin Dance come to mind quickest, but I also get shades of Hail the Sun, Stolas, and even Coheed and Cambria sprinkled throughout Connector's running time.
The rocking energy does seem to drop off a bit towards the second half of Connector, alloyed with some electronic elements and some slightly more varied song moods and tones, but overall there's still enough here to possibly grab even the most blackened of metalheads. Give I the Mighty a shot today.
Wednesday, 8 July 2015
Friday: Coheed and Cambria - You've Got Spirit, Kid
Like a diminuitvely-sized steam-thing that could do... something... I think I can, I think I can, I think I can hit you with another late post on the path to calendrical responsibility. And, praise the Allfather, the deities responsible for new music have deigned to smile upon me and aid in my efforts. Decent.
Let's start with your Friday song, and a bit of a twist: Coheed and Cambria have a new single out ahead of a new album, and for the first time Claudio and Company are eschewing their usual concept record route in favour of something much more grounded in meatspace (my words). Will longtime fans like myself explode with disappointment?
If first single "You've Got Spirit, Kid" is any indication, probably not. It might be lyrically less obtuse and more direct than past Coheed stuff... or it might not. Since Claudio always built personal meaning into the Amory Wars story anyways, things don't sound worlds apart with that concept stripped away. And musically, well, Coheed pretty much just sounds like Coheed; this one's not as instantly in my brain as some of their stuff, but it's got plenty of potential. Bring on The Color Before the Sun in October.
Let's start with your Friday song, and a bit of a twist: Coheed and Cambria have a new single out ahead of a new album, and for the first time Claudio and Company are eschewing their usual concept record route in favour of something much more grounded in meatspace (my words). Will longtime fans like myself explode with disappointment?
If first single "You've Got Spirit, Kid" is any indication, probably not. It might be lyrically less obtuse and more direct than past Coheed stuff... or it might not. Since Claudio always built personal meaning into the Amory Wars story anyways, things don't sound worlds apart with that concept stripped away. And musically, well, Coheed pretty much just sounds like Coheed; this one's not as instantly in my brain as some of their stuff, but it's got plenty of potential. Bring on The Color Before the Sun in October.
Tuesday, 24 February 2015
2014 Round-Up: 2015 Top Prospects
Since we're already almost a sixth of the way through 2015, it's about goddamn time I got part 2 of my 2014 round-up posted, right? Lucky for me, none of the records I anticipate below have come out yet, but there's one or two that are right around the corner, so you'd better get reading!
Tool - ??? (???)
I thought I'd get this one over and done with right off the bat. Everybody and their mother's dog knows that Tool operates on a much longer album cycle than virtually anybody else on the planet, but since it's been almost nine years now since the release of 10,000 Days even Maynard and company are getting to be about due for some new material. The last year or so has seen a number of rumours and vaguely enticing social media posts that seem to suggest work on a new record is ongoing, perhaps even nearing completion, but just when we might get to hear any of this new material is anybody's guess. I'll believe this one's coming when I'm holding a copy in my hand.
Uneven Structure - La Partition (summer)
It's been nearly four years since France's Uneven Structure blew me and a lot of other listeners away with their so-much-more-than-just-djent debut LP Februus, but the band is finally putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to this masterwork of dense groove and atmosphere. The internet buzz seems to think that this one will be out by the summer, and I for one hope the internet is right for once. La Partition could well be a monster, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Chimp Spanner - ??? (???)
Regular readers will know that I'm a fan of progressive instrumental music, so the prospect of new material from everybody's favourite one manimal army Chimp Spanner is something I'm 100% onboard with. 2014 saw a new track called "Aurora" unleashed upon the interwebz in demo and playthrough form, but Mr. Ortiz was otherwise largely silent, studio-wise, instead spending the year playing shows and festivals around England and across Europe. That's all well and good, but Chimp Spanner fans elsewhere in the world (read: me) are due for their own dose of Paul Ortiz, and a new record would be the perfect way for us to get it.
Blotted Science - ??? (???)
Speaking of instrumental prog, tech supertrio Blotted Science also seem to be working on some new jams. Their 2011 EP The Animation of Entomology was an absolute beast, a labyrinthine slice of technicality and compositional virtuosity -- guitarist Ron Jarzombek utilized a "Twelve Tones in Fragmeneted Rows" system of his own design to cook up all the weird and wonderful riffs and chord progressions on the EP (ask your music-nerd friends to explain it to you). Of course, you don't have to have a graduate degree in music theory to appreciate the madness contained on this EP, or to be excited about the prospect of further experiments from the Blotted Science laboratory.
Dance Gavin Dance - Instant Gratification (April 14th)
By any standard of modern music you'd care to name, Sacramento post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance have had a pretty prolific run so far. Five studio albums, an EP, and a live record in the last eight years or so would be a good track record for any band in any genre, but for band that writes stuff that's a little heavier, a little more technical, it's downright impressive (even if DGD aren't the heaviest or the most technical band in the world...). DGD has undergone several line-up changes over the years, particularly in the vocalist department, so it's always good to get the news that the guys are back at it again with new material.
Coheed and Cambria - ??? (spring/summer 2015)
Times flies when you're having fun, doesn't it? It seems like Coheed's stellar (pun sorta intended) double album The Afterman came out just yesterday, but second installment Descension is already two years old. Seen in this light, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that Claudio and company are gearing up for another record. Coheed and Cambria's catalogue has its ups and downs, but The Afterman was a bit of a return to form, so the prognosis (pun kind intended yet again) for album number eight looks good.
The Fall of Troy - ??? (???)
Like Dance Gavin Dance, this is another one of those bands that tr00 metalheads might look down their nose at a little bit, but I've been a Fall of Troy fan a long time. As such, the news that they were getting back together definitely piqued my interest. The subsequent news that they might be working on new material hooked me even more. There's not a whole lot of word on what form new material might take, or when we might hear it, but the fact that singer/guitarist Thomas Erak has left his gig with Chiodos seems to bode well for a return to full-time TFOT recording and touring. The stars fell out of alignment for me a few years back when I had tickets to one of their farewell shows and the couldn't attend, so here's hoping that I'll get another shot to catch them on the road, preferably supporting a new record.
Deftones - ??? (???)
A new Deftones record is always something to get interested in, if not excited about, and this one should be no exception. The chances of this one being the "lost" album Eros, the last recording the band did with late bassist Chi Cheng, may be slim to none, but the fact remains that Chino and Company have been pretty strong on their last couple of outings. Assuming that the band's next effort is more Koi No Yokan or Diamond Eyes than Saturday Night Wrist -- which might be a pretty big assumption, who knows -- new Deftones material could kick a surprising amount of ass.
Mandroid Echostar - ??? (???)
As is the case with so many of the entries on this list, there's not much information to go on here -- no title, no release date, no single, nada -- but Facebook tells me that the actual recording process is indeed complete and the band has moved on to the mixing stage. These guys are not only "friends of the blog" (oh how I love being able to say that, even if it's only very loosely true), they're also stupidly good at crafting catchy, shredtastic pop-prog. Keep doing Canada proud, boys.
letlive. - ??? (???)
I got into The Blackest Beautiful in a big way. Chief among the reasons for this is definitely the fact that, as I've said umpteen bazillion times before, letlive. feels like the successor band to perennial tease Glassjaw, and boy do I loves me some Glassjaw, especially Worship and Tribute. That album's got such a vibe, such an energy, and letlive. manages to tap into that same kind of vibe and energy in spades. I've have no idea what direction the follow-up to The Blackest Beautiful will take, nor do I even know what direction I want it to take, but I can't wait to hear it.
Tesseract - ??? (???)
A new Tesseract record. With Dan Tompkins back in the mix. Need this Tesseract-loving, Dan Tompkins fanboy say more? No word on when this one's dropping, but in my opinion it can't be soon enough. For now I'll just have to content myself with waiting for the live album/DVD Scala/Odyssesy that's still, at the time of this writing, "coming soon".
The Ocean - ??? (???)
I may be a bit of a latecomer to the 'The Ocean' party, but I got into the band's last record Pelagial pretty hard. Progressive post-metal with a veritable fuck-tonne of groove, and a high concept to boot? Sign me up. The guys in The Ocean have some pretty deep shoes to fill (see what I did there?) with a follow-up to Pelagial, but if they can pull it off, it would very likely be an Album of the Year contender.
Plini - The End of Everything (March 11)
Last but most certainly not least is another "friend of the blog", namely Australian guitarist Plini, whose third EP The End of Everything will be coming out in just a couple of weeks' time. Since Plini's previous work is some of the most badass-yet-chill songwriting I've ever heard, the culmination of his trilogy of EP's is definitely something I'm looking forward to -- I've got my preorder in and everything. If guitar-based instrumental jams in which songwriting doesn't take a back seat to technicality but is rather served by it are your thing, The End of Everything should be perfect for scratching your itch. Now all Plini needs to do is stop going to school and traveling around helping people long enough to write an LP already.
And there you have it: a small selection of upcoming and possibly upcoming albums that I'm looking forward to this year. I'm sure I've probably missed scads of records-in-progress by scads of great bands, but these are some that I've read about, or at least heard rumours about, that have got me stoked up for the next ten months or so.
Now, you may have noticed a trend in the entries above, namely the profusion of question marks sitting in for actual album titles and release dates. You may also wonder why this profusion is so...well, profuse. In a nutshell, it's because that's the sum total of the information I have about these records. Contrary to what you might think, I have very little insider information about any of the above (read: none).
But rather than just write about the few albums I do have solid title-and-date information for, I thought it'd be more fun to give you a cross section of some of the stuff I'm looking forward to, or just hoping for, in 2015. If even half of the aforementioned new material ends up coming out this year, 2015 is going to be nice and heavy.
Tool - ??? (???)
I thought I'd get this one over and done with right off the bat. Everybody and their mother's dog knows that Tool operates on a much longer album cycle than virtually anybody else on the planet, but since it's been almost nine years now since the release of 10,000 Days even Maynard and company are getting to be about due for some new material. The last year or so has seen a number of rumours and vaguely enticing social media posts that seem to suggest work on a new record is ongoing, perhaps even nearing completion, but just when we might get to hear any of this new material is anybody's guess. I'll believe this one's coming when I'm holding a copy in my hand.
Uneven Structure - La Partition (summer)
It's been nearly four years since France's Uneven Structure blew me and a lot of other listeners away with their so-much-more-than-just-djent debut LP Februus, but the band is finally putting the finishing touches on the follow-up to this masterwork of dense groove and atmosphere. The internet buzz seems to think that this one will be out by the summer, and I for one hope the internet is right for once. La Partition could well be a monster, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.
Chimp Spanner - ??? (???)
Regular readers will know that I'm a fan of progressive instrumental music, so the prospect of new material from everybody's favourite one manimal army Chimp Spanner is something I'm 100% onboard with. 2014 saw a new track called "Aurora" unleashed upon the interwebz in demo and playthrough form, but Mr. Ortiz was otherwise largely silent, studio-wise, instead spending the year playing shows and festivals around England and across Europe. That's all well and good, but Chimp Spanner fans elsewhere in the world (read: me) are due for their own dose of Paul Ortiz, and a new record would be the perfect way for us to get it.
Blotted Science - ??? (???)
Speaking of instrumental prog, tech supertrio Blotted Science also seem to be working on some new jams. Their 2011 EP The Animation of Entomology was an absolute beast, a labyrinthine slice of technicality and compositional virtuosity -- guitarist Ron Jarzombek utilized a "Twelve Tones in Fragmeneted Rows" system of his own design to cook up all the weird and wonderful riffs and chord progressions on the EP (ask your music-nerd friends to explain it to you). Of course, you don't have to have a graduate degree in music theory to appreciate the madness contained on this EP, or to be excited about the prospect of further experiments from the Blotted Science laboratory.
Dance Gavin Dance - Instant Gratification (April 14th)
By any standard of modern music you'd care to name, Sacramento post-hardcore act Dance Gavin Dance have had a pretty prolific run so far. Five studio albums, an EP, and a live record in the last eight years or so would be a good track record for any band in any genre, but for band that writes stuff that's a little heavier, a little more technical, it's downright impressive (even if DGD aren't the heaviest or the most technical band in the world...). DGD has undergone several line-up changes over the years, particularly in the vocalist department, so it's always good to get the news that the guys are back at it again with new material.
Coheed and Cambria - ??? (spring/summer 2015)
Times flies when you're having fun, doesn't it? It seems like Coheed's stellar (pun sorta intended) double album The Afterman came out just yesterday, but second installment Descension is already two years old. Seen in this light, I guess it shouldn't surprise me that Claudio and company are gearing up for another record. Coheed and Cambria's catalogue has its ups and downs, but The Afterman was a bit of a return to form, so the prognosis (pun kind intended yet again) for album number eight looks good.
The Fall of Troy - ??? (???)
Like Dance Gavin Dance, this is another one of those bands that tr00 metalheads might look down their nose at a little bit, but I've been a Fall of Troy fan a long time. As such, the news that they were getting back together definitely piqued my interest. The subsequent news that they might be working on new material hooked me even more. There's not a whole lot of word on what form new material might take, or when we might hear it, but the fact that singer/guitarist Thomas Erak has left his gig with Chiodos seems to bode well for a return to full-time TFOT recording and touring. The stars fell out of alignment for me a few years back when I had tickets to one of their farewell shows and the couldn't attend, so here's hoping that I'll get another shot to catch them on the road, preferably supporting a new record.
Deftones - ??? (???)
A new Deftones record is always something to get interested in, if not excited about, and this one should be no exception. The chances of this one being the "lost" album Eros, the last recording the band did with late bassist Chi Cheng, may be slim to none, but the fact remains that Chino and Company have been pretty strong on their last couple of outings. Assuming that the band's next effort is more Koi No Yokan or Diamond Eyes than Saturday Night Wrist -- which might be a pretty big assumption, who knows -- new Deftones material could kick a surprising amount of ass.
Mandroid Echostar - ??? (???)
As is the case with so many of the entries on this list, there's not much information to go on here -- no title, no release date, no single, nada -- but Facebook tells me that the actual recording process is indeed complete and the band has moved on to the mixing stage. These guys are not only "friends of the blog" (oh how I love being able to say that, even if it's only very loosely true), they're also stupidly good at crafting catchy, shredtastic pop-prog. Keep doing Canada proud, boys.
letlive. - ??? (???)
I got into The Blackest Beautiful in a big way. Chief among the reasons for this is definitely the fact that, as I've said umpteen bazillion times before, letlive. feels like the successor band to perennial tease Glassjaw, and boy do I loves me some Glassjaw, especially Worship and Tribute. That album's got such a vibe, such an energy, and letlive. manages to tap into that same kind of vibe and energy in spades. I've have no idea what direction the follow-up to The Blackest Beautiful will take, nor do I even know what direction I want it to take, but I can't wait to hear it.
Tesseract - ??? (???)
A new Tesseract record. With Dan Tompkins back in the mix. Need this Tesseract-loving, Dan Tompkins fanboy say more? No word on when this one's dropping, but in my opinion it can't be soon enough. For now I'll just have to content myself with waiting for the live album/DVD Scala/Odyssesy that's still, at the time of this writing, "coming soon".
The Ocean - ??? (???)
I may be a bit of a latecomer to the 'The Ocean' party, but I got into the band's last record Pelagial pretty hard. Progressive post-metal with a veritable fuck-tonne of groove, and a high concept to boot? Sign me up. The guys in The Ocean have some pretty deep shoes to fill (see what I did there?) with a follow-up to Pelagial, but if they can pull it off, it would very likely be an Album of the Year contender.
Plini - The End of Everything (March 11)
Last but most certainly not least is another "friend of the blog", namely Australian guitarist Plini, whose third EP The End of Everything will be coming out in just a couple of weeks' time. Since Plini's previous work is some of the most badass-yet-chill songwriting I've ever heard, the culmination of his trilogy of EP's is definitely something I'm looking forward to -- I've got my preorder in and everything. If guitar-based instrumental jams in which songwriting doesn't take a back seat to technicality but is rather served by it are your thing, The End of Everything should be perfect for scratching your itch. Now all Plini needs to do is stop going to school and traveling around helping people long enough to write an LP already.
And there you have it: a small selection of upcoming and possibly upcoming albums that I'm looking forward to this year. I'm sure I've probably missed scads of records-in-progress by scads of great bands, but these are some that I've read about, or at least heard rumours about, that have got me stoked up for the next ten months or so.
Now, you may have noticed a trend in the entries above, namely the profusion of question marks sitting in for actual album titles and release dates. You may also wonder why this profusion is so...well, profuse. In a nutshell, it's because that's the sum total of the information I have about these records. Contrary to what you might think, I have very little insider information about any of the above (read: none).
But rather than just write about the few albums I do have solid title-and-date information for, I thought it'd be more fun to give you a cross section of some of the stuff I'm looking forward to, or just hoping for, in 2015. If even half of the aforementioned new material ends up coming out this year, 2015 is going to be nice and heavy.
Friday, 17 October 2014
Album of the Week: Coheed and Cambria - The Afterman
The observant among you (or just the extremely set in the routine among you) may have noticed something missing from your week last week: an album recommendation from yours truly.
Don't worry, I didn't forget about you, and I haven't called it quits with the Album of the Week feature just yet. The last couple of weeks have been a little busier than normal here at Loud Noises HQ, and last week's album just slipped through the cracks. By the time I got my shit together to do one, it was already the weekend, and I figure you deserve the full week to do your homework.
On the other hand, I don't like the idea of just skipping last week, even though that's essentially what we're doing here today, and I'd like to play catch up a little bit, even if it is only symbolic. To that end, I've decided that this week's album pretty much has to be a double album. Is this cheating? Maybe, especially when you consider that the record(s) I've chosen weren't even released simultaneously, but who cares?
So, without further ado, this week you're going to spend some time with one, or preferably both, of Coheed and Cambria's Afterman albums. I've been a fan of Coheed for years, but even if you haven't, I think you'll still appreciate the high calibre of the total Afterman package: poppy, rocking, proggy, songs that span a gamut of styles and moods; some sci-fi concepts woven into the lyrics (but not an inextricable part of them -- no need to find a Coheed wiki to get up to speed on their albums-spanning space opera); hell, even the album artwork is suitably far-out.
As much as the band's sophomore In Keeping Secrets... might still be my favourite record from their catalogue, there's no question that The Afterman, Part I: Ascension and The Afterman, Part II: Descension represent the band's best work in years, and there's also no question that I eagerly look forward to whatever they release next. Give these records some spins this week and I'll bet you'll be clamouring for new Coheed too.
Don't worry, I didn't forget about you, and I haven't called it quits with the Album of the Week feature just yet. The last couple of weeks have been a little busier than normal here at Loud Noises HQ, and last week's album just slipped through the cracks. By the time I got my shit together to do one, it was already the weekend, and I figure you deserve the full week to do your homework.
On the other hand, I don't like the idea of just skipping last week, even though that's essentially what we're doing here today, and I'd like to play catch up a little bit, even if it is only symbolic. To that end, I've decided that this week's album pretty much has to be a double album. Is this cheating? Maybe, especially when you consider that the record(s) I've chosen weren't even released simultaneously, but who cares?
So, without further ado, this week you're going to spend some time with one, or preferably both, of Coheed and Cambria's Afterman albums. I've been a fan of Coheed for years, but even if you haven't, I think you'll still appreciate the high calibre of the total Afterman package: poppy, rocking, proggy, songs that span a gamut of styles and moods; some sci-fi concepts woven into the lyrics (but not an inextricable part of them -- no need to find a Coheed wiki to get up to speed on their albums-spanning space opera); hell, even the album artwork is suitably far-out.
As much as the band's sophomore In Keeping Secrets... might still be my favourite record from their catalogue, there's no question that The Afterman, Part I: Ascension and The Afterman, Part II: Descension represent the band's best work in years, and there's also no question that I eagerly look forward to whatever they release next. Give these records some spins this week and I'll bet you'll be clamouring for new Coheed too.
Saturday, 27 September 2014
Maid Myriad - Be Careful What You Wish For
Play the old game of "which band does band X sound like?" with today's band Maid Myriad, and in my opinion you might well end up with the 3, the post-whatever act of Joey Eppard, brother to Coheed and Cambria's once-and-future drummer Josh.
Maid Myriad have a similar "weight" to 3 (heavier than straight rock or alternative, but not necessarily heavy enough to call metal) and a similarly strong melodic sensibility. And on top of that, singer Jeff Klemm has a similarly powerful range to Joey, making this a band that could be capable of some very interesting things.
Tonight you're getting introduced to Maid Myriad via "Be Careful What You Wish For", the latest track to be released from the band's forthcoming full-length debut With Haste On Its Breath. And if, like me, you're digging on this track you won't have long to wait for a wider sampling of some of Maid Myriad's interesting things, as With Haste comes out in early October.
Maid Myriad have a similar "weight" to 3 (heavier than straight rock or alternative, but not necessarily heavy enough to call metal) and a similarly strong melodic sensibility. And on top of that, singer Jeff Klemm has a similarly powerful range to Joey, making this a band that could be capable of some very interesting things.
Tonight you're getting introduced to Maid Myriad via "Be Careful What You Wish For", the latest track to be released from the band's forthcoming full-length debut With Haste On Its Breath. And if, like me, you're digging on this track you won't have long to wait for a wider sampling of some of Maid Myriad's interesting things, as With Haste comes out in early October.
Monday, 22 September 2014
Thank You Scientist - Suspicious Waveforms
I've known about the awesomeness of Thank You Scientist for a while now, but apparently the rest of the world is starting to catch up with things. Rest of the world, you're in for a treat.
The band's 2012 debut Maps of Non-Existent Places is a jazzy, virtuosic masterwork of prog rock, and now it's getting a wide remixed and remastered release on a label called Evil Ink Records, the of none other than Claudio from Coheed and Cambria. Add in the fact that Thank You Scientist are opening support for Coheed on this fall's In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 tour and you've got a couple of pretty sweet feathers in Thank You Scientist's collective cap.
Awkward metaphors aside, Thank You Scientist definitely warrant a little extra attention, and their fluid fusion of guitar-based funky-jazz-prog rock with less traditionally rock elements like a horn section deserves a much larger fanbase than they're currently enjoying. Discover a fun and interesting new band tonight by having a listen to "Suspicious Waveforms" from Thank You Scientist's Maps of Non-Existent Places.
The band's 2012 debut Maps of Non-Existent Places is a jazzy, virtuosic masterwork of prog rock, and now it's getting a wide remixed and remastered release on a label called Evil Ink Records, the of none other than Claudio from Coheed and Cambria. Add in the fact that Thank You Scientist are opening support for Coheed on this fall's In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 tour and you've got a couple of pretty sweet feathers in Thank You Scientist's collective cap.
Awkward metaphors aside, Thank You Scientist definitely warrant a little extra attention, and their fluid fusion of guitar-based funky-jazz-prog rock with less traditionally rock elements like a horn section deserves a much larger fanbase than they're currently enjoying. Discover a fun and interesting new band tonight by having a listen to "Suspicious Waveforms" from Thank You Scientist's Maps of Non-Existent Places.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Album of the Week: Weerd Science - Friends and Nervous Breakdowns
I'm going to step outside our collective comfort zone a little bit for this week's Album of the Week, so please bear with me. I promise it'll still be time well spent.
I like to think I'm pretty musically open-minded, with a broad musical palate, but I quite naturally listen to more of some things than others. Rap and hip-hop tend to be fairly low on my set of playlist priorities, but they are on there, and one of the main reasons why is your Album of the Week this week.
Regular readers may well have heard me talk about Weerd Science before, and those same regular readers (as well as the generally observant among you) may remember that Weerd Science is in fact the nomme de rhyme for Coheed and Cambria drummer Josh Eppard. You hypothetical readers also might already know that Josh's "dayjob" with Coheed isn't the only reason you should give Weerd Science a listen.
The main reason you should give Weerd Science a listen is that goddamn, Josh has some flow. I'm no expert on either rap or hip-hop, but that doesn't mean I can't recognize one talented dude when I hear him. And it's not just a "whoah, white boy can rap" thing either (although I happen to think that Josh has the potential to hold his own alongside Mr. Mathers given the chance, if you want to talk white rappers).
No, it's not novelty or curiosity or flash-in-the-pan, one-hit-wonderism that makes me dig Weerd Science. It's the simple fact that Josh has written some really solid Weerd Science material, a fact that you're going to discover for yourself this week as you listen to Friend and Nervous Breakdowns, the album that introduced me to this whole other side of the drummer from Coheed and Cambria.
I like to think I'm pretty musically open-minded, with a broad musical palate, but I quite naturally listen to more of some things than others. Rap and hip-hop tend to be fairly low on my set of playlist priorities, but they are on there, and one of the main reasons why is your Album of the Week this week.
Regular readers may well have heard me talk about Weerd Science before, and those same regular readers (as well as the generally observant among you) may remember that Weerd Science is in fact the nomme de rhyme for Coheed and Cambria drummer Josh Eppard. You hypothetical readers also might already know that Josh's "dayjob" with Coheed isn't the only reason you should give Weerd Science a listen.
The main reason you should give Weerd Science a listen is that goddamn, Josh has some flow. I'm no expert on either rap or hip-hop, but that doesn't mean I can't recognize one talented dude when I hear him. And it's not just a "whoah, white boy can rap" thing either (although I happen to think that Josh has the potential to hold his own alongside Mr. Mathers given the chance, if you want to talk white rappers).
No, it's not novelty or curiosity or flash-in-the-pan, one-hit-wonderism that makes me dig Weerd Science. It's the simple fact that Josh has written some really solid Weerd Science material, a fact that you're going to discover for yourself this week as you listen to Friend and Nervous Breakdowns, the album that introduced me to this whole other side of the drummer from Coheed and Cambria.
Tuesday, 8 July 2014
The Samuel Jackson Five - Electric Crayons
On a day when I encourage you to listen to more Coheed and Cambria, I can hardly feature something any less progressive or unique for the Song of the Day now can I? I didn't think so either, which is why I've got something a little different for you tonight, all the way from Norway.
The Samuel Jackson Five play a style of music that's ineffable in the truest sense of the word; any adjectival phrase I try to come up with falls short. Indie prog-pop? Experimental post-rock? Alternative arthouse post-hardcore? Any of those labels could be applied, and I could probably apply a few more, and none of them would give you a proper encapsulation of what The Samuel Jackson Five does.
So I'm going to start you off with "Electric Crayons" from the band's 2012 self-titled disc tonight because that's where I got started with The Samuel Jackson Five (thanks Heavyblogisheavy!) but I implore you to surf around the band's Soundcloud after you've taken in "Electric Crayons" -- I promise you'll find something that speaks to you.
The Samuel Jackson Five play a style of music that's ineffable in the truest sense of the word; any adjectival phrase I try to come up with falls short. Indie prog-pop? Experimental post-rock? Alternative arthouse post-hardcore? Any of those labels could be applied, and I could probably apply a few more, and none of them would give you a proper encapsulation of what The Samuel Jackson Five does.
So I'm going to start you off with "Electric Crayons" from the band's 2012 self-titled disc tonight because that's where I got started with The Samuel Jackson Five (thanks Heavyblogisheavy!) but I implore you to surf around the band's Soundcloud after you've taken in "Electric Crayons" -- I promise you'll find something that speaks to you.
Album of the Week: Coheed and Cambria - In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
Last week when I was recommending the Coheed song "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)" it occurred to me that they're a band with a nice, deep back catalogue that could most definitely yield an album with enough meat on its bones for a week of auditory enjoyment. So today I'm makin' it happen, cap'n.
But which Coheed and Cambria album should you spend the next seven days getting to know? There's several good candidates. The band's debut Second Stage Turbine Blade is a landmark in the post-hardcore movement of the early 2000's. Then again, their most recent work, the Afterman double album, is a bit of a return to form after a lackluster record or two, and as good as anything from their lengthy career.
For my money, however, if you have to pick one Coheed album to push on people, it's got to be sophomore disc In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, an album that works on multiple levels. If you're a sci-fi dork who digs the ongoing story of the Kilgannon family, then I put it to you that IKSSE:3 is when the story really kicks into gear. If, on the other hand, you couldn't care less about the concept and instead dig Coheed and Cambria on a purely musical level, all you need to know is that IKSSE:3 is a stellar prog-pop post-rock (is that a thing?) album from front to back, a genre classic like its predecessor the aforementioned Second Stage Turbine Blade. Riffs, beats, songs, melodies, harmonies, this record is so well crafted it's scary. Get familiar this week if you're not already.
But which Coheed and Cambria album should you spend the next seven days getting to know? There's several good candidates. The band's debut Second Stage Turbine Blade is a landmark in the post-hardcore movement of the early 2000's. Then again, their most recent work, the Afterman double album, is a bit of a return to form after a lackluster record or two, and as good as anything from their lengthy career.
For my money, however, if you have to pick one Coheed album to push on people, it's got to be sophomore disc In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3, an album that works on multiple levels. If you're a sci-fi dork who digs the ongoing story of the Kilgannon family, then I put it to you that IKSSE:3 is when the story really kicks into gear. If, on the other hand, you couldn't care less about the concept and instead dig Coheed and Cambria on a purely musical level, all you need to know is that IKSSE:3 is a stellar prog-pop post-rock (is that a thing?) album from front to back, a genre classic like its predecessor the aforementioned Second Stage Turbine Blade. Riffs, beats, songs, melodies, harmonies, this record is so well crafted it's scary. Get familiar this week if you're not already.
Tuesday, 1 July 2014
Monday: Coheed and Cambria - Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial)
Speaking as I was yesterday/earlier about bands that should get back in the saddle and write a new record already, Baroness isn't the only act I'd put on this list. I know they're gearing up for a fall tour playing their breakthrough album in its entirety, but Coheed and Cambria could stand to drop some new music on me.
Sure, the second part of the acclaimed The Afterman double record did only just come out last year, but I'm already ready for the next Coheed chapter. Their catalogue is just so consistently good that I figure more can only be better, right? Yeah, that might be both flawed logic and tempting fate a little bit, but the heart wants what it wants.
So have a listen to a pop-rock blast from Coheed and Cambria's past in the form of "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial) from the band's longwinded 2005 record Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. It might be a convoluted song title, and a convoluted album title, but the track is rock solid, so check it out.
Sure, the second part of the acclaimed The Afterman double record did only just come out last year, but I'm already ready for the next Coheed chapter. Their catalogue is just so consistently good that I figure more can only be better, right? Yeah, that might be both flawed logic and tempting fate a little bit, but the heart wants what it wants.
So have a listen to a pop-rock blast from Coheed and Cambria's past in the form of "Ten Speed (Of God's Blood and Burial) from the band's longwinded 2005 record Good Apollo I'm Burning Star IV Vol. 1: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness. It might be a convoluted song title, and a convoluted album title, but the track is rock solid, so check it out.
Monday, 3 March 2014
Monday: Coheed and Cambria - Delirium Trigger
Finally back on top of things, and we're going to cap all this catch-up off with a quickie post for your Monday evening.
It hasn't been that long since Coheed and Cambria released the second part of their The Afterman double album, but I for one am already ready for new material. This isn't to say that The Afterman isn't a satisfying listen, because it is -- more satisfying perhaps than the couple of records that preceded it. Coheed is just one of those bands that I've been into for so long that I'm always interested to hear what they'll come up with next.
Tonight, however, we're looking back because we can't look forward to new material on the horizon any time soon. Your Monday song is "Delirium Trigger" from the band's debut 2002 LP Second Stage Turbine Blade. Enjoy.
It hasn't been that long since Coheed and Cambria released the second part of their The Afterman double album, but I for one am already ready for new material. This isn't to say that The Afterman isn't a satisfying listen, because it is -- more satisfying perhaps than the couple of records that preceded it. Coheed is just one of those bands that I've been into for so long that I'm always interested to hear what they'll come up with next.
Tonight, however, we're looking back because we can't look forward to new material on the horizon any time soon. Your Monday song is "Delirium Trigger" from the band's debut 2002 LP Second Stage Turbine Blade. Enjoy.
Thursday, 12 December 2013
letlive. - The Priest and Used Cars
I've written about letlive. before, but that was before I'd heard all of their latest album The Blackest Beautiful. Upon closer inspection I've decided that the catchy aggressive edge of "Banshee (Ghost Fame)" is not a one-off fluke. If you dig that sort of thing, The Blackest Beautiful has a bunch more where it came from.
When "Banshee" was the song of the day, I believe my comparison was of letlive. to a bastard child of Refused and Glassjaw. While I stand by that simile, I would throw a bunch of other bands into the mix if I were trying to define letlive's sound. They're a post-hardcore band in the truest sense of the word, building on the hardcore genre in a myriad of ways.
Case in point: today's song, "The Priest and Used Cars", which has a punky energy that brings to mind Protest the Hero and another helping of vocalist Jason Aalon Butler's virtuosity, which is often reminiscent of Claudio from Coheed and Cambria (if Claudio had a more frantic, manic energy). It's a tasty combination.
But I could go on all night about who letlive. sounds like at one moment or the next. Why not listen to "The Priest and Used Cars" and see how awesome they are for yourself?
When "Banshee" was the song of the day, I believe my comparison was of letlive. to a bastard child of Refused and Glassjaw. While I stand by that simile, I would throw a bunch of other bands into the mix if I were trying to define letlive's sound. They're a post-hardcore band in the truest sense of the word, building on the hardcore genre in a myriad of ways.
Case in point: today's song, "The Priest and Used Cars", which has a punky energy that brings to mind Protest the Hero and another helping of vocalist Jason Aalon Butler's virtuosity, which is often reminiscent of Claudio from Coheed and Cambria (if Claudio had a more frantic, manic energy). It's a tasty combination.
But I could go on all night about who letlive. sounds like at one moment or the next. Why not listen to "The Priest and Used Cars" and see how awesome they are for yourself?
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Mandroid Echostar - The Sleeper
In addition to being aware of my love for physical media, regular readers will likely also have picked up on my penchant for preordering. Whether it's in the form of an Indiegogo campaign or just a straight preorder, I enjoy knowing ahead of time that the album I'm looking forward to has already been paid for and will arrive at my door without any further action required on my part.
The only downside is that stuff can sometimes take a while to arrive in the post, and although lots of bands are now mitigating this problem by issuing digital download codes on release day for fans who've purchased physical version of albums, I'm still a little old school in my desire to wait for my copy to arrive before I really sit down with a release. Sure, I'll stream or download on release day to keep up with the Joneses of music journalism, but it's only when I get my grubby mitts on a disc that I really delve into the material.
For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised to find my copy of Mandroid Echostar's new EP in my mailbox earlier this week. For the unfamiliar, Mandroid is a techy Canadian band from Guelph that I've seen best described as sounding a little like Protest the Hero meets Coheed and Cambria. Their self-titled debut EP was pretty solid, and their new disc Citadels is more of the same: some really cool melodies spread across the soaring vocals and intricate guitar work and backed up by some tight and tasteful drumming.
I almost want to go with "Ancient Arrows" as your song today, simply because the intro-y riff strikes me as the best Avenged Sevenfold lick Avenged never wrote, but I think I'm going to settle on "The Sleeper. For a guitar guy like me, this one's loaded: there's some fat riffage, some very video game-inspired tapping that opens and closes the song, and even a sweet little bluesy-sounding solo too.
One problem/blessing in disguise? All I can find on Youtube is a stream of the whole EP, so you'll just have to ingest the whole thing, paying special attention to track five. Or just skip ahead to "The Sleeper". Either way, check these guys out pronto, and while you're at it check out the e-mail interview I did with Mandroid's singer Michael Ciccia back in the spring.
The only downside is that stuff can sometimes take a while to arrive in the post, and although lots of bands are now mitigating this problem by issuing digital download codes on release day for fans who've purchased physical version of albums, I'm still a little old school in my desire to wait for my copy to arrive before I really sit down with a release. Sure, I'll stream or download on release day to keep up with the Joneses of music journalism, but it's only when I get my grubby mitts on a disc that I really delve into the material.
For this reason, I was pleasantly surprised to find my copy of Mandroid Echostar's new EP in my mailbox earlier this week. For the unfamiliar, Mandroid is a techy Canadian band from Guelph that I've seen best described as sounding a little like Protest the Hero meets Coheed and Cambria. Their self-titled debut EP was pretty solid, and their new disc Citadels is more of the same: some really cool melodies spread across the soaring vocals and intricate guitar work and backed up by some tight and tasteful drumming.
I almost want to go with "Ancient Arrows" as your song today, simply because the intro-y riff strikes me as the best Avenged Sevenfold lick Avenged never wrote, but I think I'm going to settle on "The Sleeper. For a guitar guy like me, this one's loaded: there's some fat riffage, some very video game-inspired tapping that opens and closes the song, and even a sweet little bluesy-sounding solo too.
One problem/blessing in disguise? All I can find on Youtube is a stream of the whole EP, so you'll just have to ingest the whole thing, paying special attention to track five. Or just skip ahead to "The Sleeper". Either way, check these guys out pronto, and while you're at it check out the e-mail interview I did with Mandroid's singer Michael Ciccia back in the spring.
Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Song of the Day: Coheed and Cambria - Number City
The Volto song "Tocino" from a couple of days ago has a video that's a bit... strange, I think does it. Today's song also has an interesting video, although it's a different kind of strange.
Thursday, 18 July 2013
Song of the Day: Coheed and Cambria - The Velourium Camper II: Backend of Forever
I've no doubt that pop proggers Coheed and Cambria earned themselves a bunch of new fans with last fall's The Afterman: Ascension and this spring's The Afterman: Descension. Maybe you're among them.
Saturday, 18 May 2013
Twenty Questions - Michael Ciccia from Mandroid Echostar
As you may have seen me mention in a recent post, Loud Noises turned a year old about two weeks ago now. If you've followed the blog for any length of time, you may also have seen me mention that I've got some things in the works, simmering away in the background, that I couldn't yet unveil to the world. But none of those things has ever really amount to much more than continued simmerings. Until now.
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