The entity that is Facebook (precursor to Skynet, of course) tells me that Hail the Sun are in the process of writing and demoing new material, which hopefully means that a new record is in the cards for 2016. In the meantime, remember how much I liked their 2014 LP Wake?
Hint: it was one of my ten favourite albums of the year (go on, have a look if you don't believe me, I'll wait). So I'm pleased to hear that the latest demo sounds pretty tasty indeed. Rather than picking the new stuff apart too much before it's fully cooked, however, why don't we revisit Wake for one more look at why you should care about these guys in the first place.
"Mourning Sickness" is textbook Hail the Sun, so to speak: high-energy, high-melody post-hardcore with a vocalist that sounds very reminiscent of Circa Survive (which isn't a bad thing!). The guys have apparently recently made the switch from Blue Swan Records to Equal Vision, so let's all hope they're in a hurry to get a new record out on their new label, OK?
Showing posts with label Hail the Sun. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hail the Sun. Show all posts
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Wednesday, 19 August 2015
Oranges - Snow Monkeys (So You Think This is a Fucking Game?)
Want some more new music? Of course you do! It's why you're here, isn't it? Don't answer that.
Today's short, sharp new song comes from new Blue Swan signing Oranges, and if you know anything about Blue Swan (founded by Dance Gavin Dance's Will Swan) or the label's current roster (which includes bands like Eidola and Hail the Sun, to name just two) you should be able to extrapolate from that to something resembling a vague idea of what Oranges is all about: high-energy, technically-above-par, ever-so-slightly-proggy post-hardcore that fucking goes.
Suitably post-hardcorishly-titled new single "Snow Monkeys (So You Think This is a Fucking Game)" is three minutes of this particular post-hardcore brew that succeeds in tickling my fancy. Regular readers will know the soft spot I've got for this kind of stuff (including the aforementioned Dance Gavin Dance, Eidola, and Hail the Sun), so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one when it drops in about a month or so.
Today's short, sharp new song comes from new Blue Swan signing Oranges, and if you know anything about Blue Swan (founded by Dance Gavin Dance's Will Swan) or the label's current roster (which includes bands like Eidola and Hail the Sun, to name just two) you should be able to extrapolate from that to something resembling a vague idea of what Oranges is all about: high-energy, technically-above-par, ever-so-slightly-proggy post-hardcore that fucking goes.
Suitably post-hardcorishly-titled new single "Snow Monkeys (So You Think This is a Fucking Game)" is three minutes of this particular post-hardcore brew that succeeds in tickling my fancy. Regular readers will know the soft spot I've got for this kind of stuff (including the aforementioned Dance Gavin Dance, Eidola, and Hail the Sun), so I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this one when it drops in about a month or so.
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.
Monday, 4 May 2015
Sunday: Polyphia - Aviator
I'm going noodly and instrumental for your Sunday song, which kinda sounds like the start of some kind of inappropriate joke about an Asian restaurant. But rest assured, today's noodling is all sweet, no sour.
Yes, that was pretty bad, but the guitar work from the guys in Polyphia, along with guest Jason Richardson, should be enough to make up for it. The band recently signed to Equal Vision, leading to the rerelease last month of their debut LP Muse, and smart lads that they are, they're supporting the record with a tasty tour (with Dance Gavin Dance, Hail the Sun, and Stolas, no less!) and a new video for the song "Aviator".
Whammy work and other fancy string slinging abounds here, starting off bubbly and upbeat before eventually taking a more menacingly metal-sounding turn, with melody a heavy emphasis throughout. "Aviator" and Muse are good, but give Polyphia a little more maturity and they could really be a force to be reckoned with.
Yes, that was pretty bad, but the guitar work from the guys in Polyphia, along with guest Jason Richardson, should be enough to make up for it. The band recently signed to Equal Vision, leading to the rerelease last month of their debut LP Muse, and smart lads that they are, they're supporting the record with a tasty tour (with Dance Gavin Dance, Hail the Sun, and Stolas, no less!) and a new video for the song "Aviator".
Whammy work and other fancy string slinging abounds here, starting off bubbly and upbeat before eventually taking a more menacingly metal-sounding turn, with melody a heavy emphasis throughout. "Aviator" and Muse are good, but give Polyphia a little more maturity and they could really be a force to be reckoned with.
Tuesday, 10 February 2015
Hail the Sun - Falling on Deaf Ears
It's day two of Loud Noises Unplugged week, and the themeyness (sure, that's a word...) continues in more ways than one! One way, of course, is the acoustic nature of today's post, but another is the fact that today's song comes from another band that graced my recent Ten Best of 2014 list.
Hail the Sun put together a pretty solid slice of energetic and poppy post-hardcore in Wake, but back in December they took a little trip into the studio to lay down acoustic versions of a couple of songs from Wake. This evening, I'm pointing you in the direction of one of them.
"Falling on Deaf Ears" is already a bit "laid back", at least when compared to some of Wake's other tracks, but lose the drums and bass and swap those electric axes for some acoustic ones and you've got another feel entirely. Check it out and then check back in tomorrow for Unplugged day three.
Hail the Sun put together a pretty solid slice of energetic and poppy post-hardcore in Wake, but back in December they took a little trip into the studio to lay down acoustic versions of a couple of songs from Wake. This evening, I'm pointing you in the direction of one of them.
"Falling on Deaf Ears" is already a bit "laid back", at least when compared to some of Wake's other tracks, but lose the drums and bass and swap those electric axes for some acoustic ones and you've got another feel entirely. Check it out and then check back in tomorrow for Unplugged day three.
Friday, 6 February 2015
2014 Round-up: Loud Noises Ten Best of 2014
Well wouldn't you know it, 2015 is quickly slipping away from us, which means it's time I'd better get my shit together and get on with the Loud Noises 2014 Round-Up. And only a month or so late! As usual, we're going to start things off with a few of my favourite albums from the year that was 2014 (let's say around ten or so...), presented in no particular order.
- Job for a Cowboy - Sun Eater
This one not only warrants a spot on this list of ten great albums from 2014, it's also a front-runner for Biggest Surprise of the Year. You see, I never used to think much of Job for a Cowboy. I don't know what it was about their first couple of albums, but I wasn't really a fan and more or less wrote the band off in my head. I really only checked out Sun Eater on the strength of the first couple of tracks Job for a Cowboy released from it, but I've been pleasantly and thoroughly surprised to discover that Job for a Cowboy has become a pretty badass death metal band with just the right amount of technicality and even some proggy highlights applied here and there. Sun Eater slays, and it should be enough to convince anyone sitting on the Job for a Cowboy fence which side they should come down on.
- Destrage - Are You Kidding Me? No.
Given metal's traditional, even stereotypical, popularity in places like Scandinavia and northern Europe, I guess I shouldn't be surprised in 2015 that there are so many kickass bands doing their thing in so many different places around the world. Maybe someday the novelty of learning metal isn't a strictly North American phenomenon will wear off, but for the time being I still find myself perhaps unduly excited every time I learn about a band somewhere else doing something just as awesome as what's going on right here at home. Case in point: Italy's Destrage, an incredibly talented band that doesn't let its high energy, frenetic riffing get in the way of its songwriting. Think a somewhat more metal Protest the Hero with the vein of spastic madness turned up to levels closer to Dillinger Escape Plan and you'll be approaching the right track. Are You Kidding Me? No. is a masterpiece, and I can't wait to hear whatever's next from Destrage.
- Killitorous - Party, Grind
If you've been following along for any length of time now, you've likely picked up on the fact that my tastes, while pretty diverse, tend towards the proggier end of the spectrum. But I do so loves me some death metal, especially when it's fast and techy, which is why Killitorous' Party, Grind hit such a sweet spot for me. I crowdfunded this one on a whim and the strength of one single, and boy was I gratified when my copy came in the mail and fucking killed. Party, Grind is fast and ferocious from start to finish, with enough trem picking, arpeggio sweeping, and blast beating to satisfy any tech-death aficionado. That Killitorous are Canadian is just gravy. A sophomore disc from these guys will be something to watch out for.
- Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails
Going into 2014, it was a pretty safe bet that big things were in store for San Francisco's Fallujah. They weren't exactly newcomers to the scene, but they were getting a newcomer kind of buzz for their 2013 EP Nomadic. Then when The Flesh Prevails dropped, the johnny-come-latelies like me all learned that the buzz was well deserved. In The Flesh Prevails Fallujah served up a major slab of dense and atmospheric progressive post-death metal. They managed to take what is clearly some incredible musicianship and make a record that translates all of it into intensity and none of it into showy excess. There's a lot here to digest, but the dedicated listener is most definitely rewarded with a modern classic.
- Closure in Moscow - Pink Lemonade
As much as I got into Pink Lemonade in 2014 (which was a lot), it's definitely a grower and not a shower, if you take my meaning. Fans of Closure in Moscow expecting the band's next disc to sound more or less like First Temple kicked up a notch or two are likely to have been a little turned off by the spaced-out prog rock that is Pink Lemonade, at least initially. The open-minded listener, however, was rewarded with a Mars Voltian jazz funk adventure that spans a whole fistful of genres. Post-hardcore, post-rock -- Pink Lemonade is post-whatever you can think of. Metal purists should think twice before they look down their nose at this one.
- Raiju - Haunt
I've posted about songs from this album a couple of times in the last little bit, so you should already have an idea why these guys have a spot on this list. Just in case you don't: take the punk-metal-influenced shreddy riffing of Protest the Hero, mix in the proggy, groovy low end of Periphery, add a dash of slick pop-prog from somebody like Coheed and Cambria, and you've got yourself a rough sketch of Raiju. Comparisons between Raiju and bands like those I just mentioned are especially appropriate given vocalist Scott Wagner's impressive vocal range. Raiju is another one of those bands whose sophomore should be absolutely epic if their freshman effort is any indication.
- Wake - Hail the Sun
When I was younger, we might well have called Wake and their debut LP Hail the Sun emo or screamo or something like that, earnestly at first and then perhaps derogatorily a little later on once we'd grown into our more metal listening habits. These days the catch-all term "post-hardcore" might be employed in polite company (although screamo is probably still the denigrating term of choice among genre naysayers). Whatever way you want to slice things, label-wise, Hail the Sun is an energetic, varied, vaguely poppy, vaguely techy record in the vein of bands like Dance Gavin Dance. More than that, though, I'd call it one of the best examples of "screamo" to come out in years (Dance Gavin Dance included).
- Opeth - Pale Communion
The last couple of Opeth records have been pretty polarizing for longtime fans of the band. Some have embraced the band's shift away from its death metal roots, while others have wholeheartedly rejected it. Luckily for me, I've been in the former camp since the electric/acoustic yin-yang of the Deliverance/Damnation double album, and I've listened to each new Opeth record fully expecting and accepting that we're not getting another Blackwater Park -- and that that's perfectly OK. If you're willing to concede that point and go into Pale Communion with that in mind, you'll discover a straight-up rock-solid prog record. Watershed is still my favourite of Opeth's less-metal offerings, but Pale Communion is definitely the strongest of their last couple.
- Archspire - The Lucid Collective
Technical death metal is in a good place at the opening of 2015, and there were a number of really solid albums in this genre last year that could arguably warrant a spot on my list of favourite albums from 2014. I've already mentioned one of them in Killitorous' killer debut LP Party, Grind and awesomely enough my next selection is also an act from the Great White North. Vancouver's Archspire adorn their merch with the slogan "Stay Tech", and a listen or two to their 2014 disc The Lucid Collective should demonstrate that they've got the chops to back it up. Machine gun-quick vocals, fretboard acrobatics, and light-speed drumming all line up just right on this one. Fans of the genre would be greatly remiss if they didn't check this one out.
- Beyond Creation - Earthborn Evolution
Last bust most certainly not least, I'm rounding out my list of 2014 favourites with another phenomenal album of technically proficient, compositionally progressive death metal from yet another badass Canadian band. I might, of course, be just a little bit biased, but I don't think you need to be to recognize the towering mountain of proggy death metal that Montreal's Beyond Creation have crafted for us in Earthborn Evolution. Dominic Lapointe's absolutely ridiculous bass work is worth the price of admission all by itself, to say nothing of the laser-precise performances of all involved. There's maybe a shade less sheer speed here than, say, Archspire or Killitorous, but the musicianship is so top-notch that it's hard to be anything but bewildered by this one.
And there you have it: another year, another ten kickass albums. As usual, narrowing the crowded field of good records from last year down to ten of my favourites wasn't easy, but I hope my making the tough calls means that, when deciding what to put on next, you won't have to.
I've got another couple of 2014 Round-Up posts planned, which hopefully won't take until spring to finish up, so stay tuned.
- Job for a Cowboy - Sun Eater
This one not only warrants a spot on this list of ten great albums from 2014, it's also a front-runner for Biggest Surprise of the Year. You see, I never used to think much of Job for a Cowboy. I don't know what it was about their first couple of albums, but I wasn't really a fan and more or less wrote the band off in my head. I really only checked out Sun Eater on the strength of the first couple of tracks Job for a Cowboy released from it, but I've been pleasantly and thoroughly surprised to discover that Job for a Cowboy has become a pretty badass death metal band with just the right amount of technicality and even some proggy highlights applied here and there. Sun Eater slays, and it should be enough to convince anyone sitting on the Job for a Cowboy fence which side they should come down on.
- Destrage - Are You Kidding Me? No.
Given metal's traditional, even stereotypical, popularity in places like Scandinavia and northern Europe, I guess I shouldn't be surprised in 2015 that there are so many kickass bands doing their thing in so many different places around the world. Maybe someday the novelty of learning metal isn't a strictly North American phenomenon will wear off, but for the time being I still find myself perhaps unduly excited every time I learn about a band somewhere else doing something just as awesome as what's going on right here at home. Case in point: Italy's Destrage, an incredibly talented band that doesn't let its high energy, frenetic riffing get in the way of its songwriting. Think a somewhat more metal Protest the Hero with the vein of spastic madness turned up to levels closer to Dillinger Escape Plan and you'll be approaching the right track. Are You Kidding Me? No. is a masterpiece, and I can't wait to hear whatever's next from Destrage.
- Killitorous - Party, Grind
If you've been following along for any length of time now, you've likely picked up on the fact that my tastes, while pretty diverse, tend towards the proggier end of the spectrum. But I do so loves me some death metal, especially when it's fast and techy, which is why Killitorous' Party, Grind hit such a sweet spot for me. I crowdfunded this one on a whim and the strength of one single, and boy was I gratified when my copy came in the mail and fucking killed. Party, Grind is fast and ferocious from start to finish, with enough trem picking, arpeggio sweeping, and blast beating to satisfy any tech-death aficionado. That Killitorous are Canadian is just gravy. A sophomore disc from these guys will be something to watch out for.
- Fallujah - The Flesh Prevails
Going into 2014, it was a pretty safe bet that big things were in store for San Francisco's Fallujah. They weren't exactly newcomers to the scene, but they were getting a newcomer kind of buzz for their 2013 EP Nomadic. Then when The Flesh Prevails dropped, the johnny-come-latelies like me all learned that the buzz was well deserved. In The Flesh Prevails Fallujah served up a major slab of dense and atmospheric progressive post-death metal. They managed to take what is clearly some incredible musicianship and make a record that translates all of it into intensity and none of it into showy excess. There's a lot here to digest, but the dedicated listener is most definitely rewarded with a modern classic.
- Closure in Moscow - Pink Lemonade
As much as I got into Pink Lemonade in 2014 (which was a lot), it's definitely a grower and not a shower, if you take my meaning. Fans of Closure in Moscow expecting the band's next disc to sound more or less like First Temple kicked up a notch or two are likely to have been a little turned off by the spaced-out prog rock that is Pink Lemonade, at least initially. The open-minded listener, however, was rewarded with a Mars Voltian jazz funk adventure that spans a whole fistful of genres. Post-hardcore, post-rock -- Pink Lemonade is post-whatever you can think of. Metal purists should think twice before they look down their nose at this one.
- Raiju - Haunt
I've posted about songs from this album a couple of times in the last little bit, so you should already have an idea why these guys have a spot on this list. Just in case you don't: take the punk-metal-influenced shreddy riffing of Protest the Hero, mix in the proggy, groovy low end of Periphery, add a dash of slick pop-prog from somebody like Coheed and Cambria, and you've got yourself a rough sketch of Raiju. Comparisons between Raiju and bands like those I just mentioned are especially appropriate given vocalist Scott Wagner's impressive vocal range. Raiju is another one of those bands whose sophomore should be absolutely epic if their freshman effort is any indication.
- Wake - Hail the Sun
When I was younger, we might well have called Wake and their debut LP Hail the Sun emo or screamo or something like that, earnestly at first and then perhaps derogatorily a little later on once we'd grown into our more metal listening habits. These days the catch-all term "post-hardcore" might be employed in polite company (although screamo is probably still the denigrating term of choice among genre naysayers). Whatever way you want to slice things, label-wise, Hail the Sun is an energetic, varied, vaguely poppy, vaguely techy record in the vein of bands like Dance Gavin Dance. More than that, though, I'd call it one of the best examples of "screamo" to come out in years (Dance Gavin Dance included).
- Opeth - Pale Communion
The last couple of Opeth records have been pretty polarizing for longtime fans of the band. Some have embraced the band's shift away from its death metal roots, while others have wholeheartedly rejected it. Luckily for me, I've been in the former camp since the electric/acoustic yin-yang of the Deliverance/Damnation double album, and I've listened to each new Opeth record fully expecting and accepting that we're not getting another Blackwater Park -- and that that's perfectly OK. If you're willing to concede that point and go into Pale Communion with that in mind, you'll discover a straight-up rock-solid prog record. Watershed is still my favourite of Opeth's less-metal offerings, but Pale Communion is definitely the strongest of their last couple.
- Archspire - The Lucid Collective
Technical death metal is in a good place at the opening of 2015, and there were a number of really solid albums in this genre last year that could arguably warrant a spot on my list of favourite albums from 2014. I've already mentioned one of them in Killitorous' killer debut LP Party, Grind and awesomely enough my next selection is also an act from the Great White North. Vancouver's Archspire adorn their merch with the slogan "Stay Tech", and a listen or two to their 2014 disc The Lucid Collective should demonstrate that they've got the chops to back it up. Machine gun-quick vocals, fretboard acrobatics, and light-speed drumming all line up just right on this one. Fans of the genre would be greatly remiss if they didn't check this one out.
- Beyond Creation - Earthborn Evolution
Last bust most certainly not least, I'm rounding out my list of 2014 favourites with another phenomenal album of technically proficient, compositionally progressive death metal from yet another badass Canadian band. I might, of course, be just a little bit biased, but I don't think you need to be to recognize the towering mountain of proggy death metal that Montreal's Beyond Creation have crafted for us in Earthborn Evolution. Dominic Lapointe's absolutely ridiculous bass work is worth the price of admission all by itself, to say nothing of the laser-precise performances of all involved. There's maybe a shade less sheer speed here than, say, Archspire or Killitorous, but the musicianship is so top-notch that it's hard to be anything but bewildered by this one.
And there you have it: another year, another ten kickass albums. As usual, narrowing the crowded field of good records from last year down to ten of my favourites wasn't easy, but I hope my making the tough calls means that, when deciding what to put on next, you won't have to.
I've got another couple of 2014 Round-Up posts planned, which hopefully won't take until spring to finish up, so stay tuned.
Saturday, 11 October 2014
Twenty Questions with Andrew from Eidola
Hey everybody, happy Friday! It's been a while since the last Loud
Noises interview, and it's time once again to rectify this unfortunate
situation. As always, I try to keep things interesting around here, and
to that end I've gone with a band that's somewhat less "metal" this time
out, but no less awesome for it.
So: who, or what, is Eidola? Why don't you read on to find out?
- LN: Why don’t we start by getting your name, what you play, and who you play it for.
Andrew: My name is Andrew Wells, I sing and play guitar for a band called Eidola from Salt Lake City, Utah.
- LN: Band nomenclature is a constant fascination to me, so I’m going to subject you to the same question I ask everybody: where did your name come from? You’ve got some stuff on your Facebook relating to the Greek word “eidolon”, but I’m wondering how you came to this as the source of your name?
Andrew: We went through hundreds of names when we started. We wanted something short and simple, but with some contextual weight to what we wanted to do as a project. Originally I wanted to name the band Jagannatha after a Hindu deity. One of the first songs we wrote together was entitled Eidola from the core semblance of multiple ideals being grouped together as an amalgamate. After a week of playing together and writing lyrics to that song we decided to swap the names. It just felt better that way and the lyrics ended up fitting much better under Jagannatha.
- LN: How did Eidola first come together?
Andrew: Eidola first started after my previous band Follow The Earth broke up, of which Brandon and James were both a part of. After a few weeks of writing by myself I met up with my old high school nemesis Matt Dommer and it was magic. Eventually we recruited James Johnson and Harold Riding to start mapping out songs and developing live show aesthetics. We recruited Zac Bryant (My Fair Fiend) and recorded a home demo 4-song EP. When Zac bounced to play in Sea Swallowed Us Whole we recruited Matt Hansen and fell in love. I had known that dude for years from multiple local bands and always admired his playing, so I asked him if he wanted to join up with us. Brandon and I are brothers, so we kept in contact for about a year after FTE broke up. When we signed to Blue Swan and started writing Degeneraterra I wanted to take the band to new heights and recruited him on guitar. The guy is insanely talented and we could not be more stoked to spend sweaty nights in the van with him.
- LN: Your music isn’t exactly overly technical, but it isn’t exactly simple either. Do any of you have any musical training, or are you all essentially self-taught?
Andrew: The definition of technicality is always funny to me because it's incredibly subjective! I think the reason we didn't do a lot of crazy shredding on The Great Glass Elephant was because we were really focused on creating a conceptual atmosphere and concentrated more on the dynamic elements than the mixed meter structures and polyrhythms. The new album's concept certainly called for much more technically inclined parts matching the dynamic elements and we're really excited to release it. A few of us are self-taught, and a couple of us have some formal training, so it creates an interesting balance.
- LN: You guys are from Utah, which is not necessarily somewhere those of us out here on the internet might think of as a hotbed of interesting music, heavy or otherwise. Prove us ignorant and narrow-minded and tell me about anybody cool I should know about from your neck of the woods.
Andrew: Hahaha that is the best way I've ever heard that phrased! Utah is surprisingly rich with talent. Whether you're looking for metal, indie-folk, pop, electro-hippie-jam-stank band music; Utah has got you covered. Cool bands I would recommend checking out? Visitors, Wearing Thin, Captives, Grass, I Am Designer and My Fair Fiend are all incredible bands that I would highly recommend looking into.
- LN: Like I said, I dig names, so I’m curious about the name of your latest record, Degeneterra. The meaning, so to speak, of that title might seem somewhat obvious, in an etymological sort of way, but I’m curious about what it means to you guys.
Andrew: So DegeneRAterra was a title we came up with when observing the scope of the album. We wanted to offer up something that really captured a conceptual piece that James and I had been refining for like six years. The original idea for the name came from the physics term for the third stage of the entropic cycle of the universe, The Degenerate Era. After a few weeks of kicking that name around I think it was Matt that suggested we bring the words together and add the extra "r" to add real world relevance to the term in an attempt to create something we hadn't really seen or heard before. Degeneraterra was the result, and we could not be more satisfied with that decision.
- LN: From what I can tell online, it looks like Degenterra is your second full-length album. How has the writing and recording of Degeneterra differed from that of The Great Glass Elephant?
Andrew: It was completely different! Without going into too many details the differences were stark. Writing for TGGE was pretty scattered and laid back, over the course of many months. Degeneraterra was a much more consolidated writing process with a very detailed conceptual basis in mind. I quit my job for six months and locked myself in my house to write, refine, re-write and demo out Degeneraterra. The Great Glass Elephant was recorded over the span of like seven months in various shady locations. It was done pretty much DIY with the help of a guy named Randy in Provo, UT. Degeneraterra was recorded at the incredible Pus Cavern in Sacramento with Josh and Will, so the experience was completely different. Will and Josh were hands on producers too, which we really liked, and the outcome is vastly different than anything we've done to this point.
- LN: How did you guys get hooked up with Will and Blue Swan Records?
Andrew: We got hooked up with Will through Sergio Medina of Stolas. We opened for Stolas on the "Living Creatures" tour and we just hit it off. I ended up giving them a copy of TGGE, word got back to Will and we had some lengthy talks. After a while of pre-pro demos being sent back and forth we worked out a deal, drove to Sac, and made an album.
- LN: You’re about to release Degeneterra this fall – what’s next? Maybe some touring?
Andrew: We are indeed! The wait has been arduous for a lot of people that have been with us from the start, but all good things come with time. We are working with Josh and Will to ensure this is the best release it can possibly be before we put it out. Once it's out there we want to tour as much as humanly possible. 400 shows a year? Yes please!
- LN: Speaking of touring, any plans to come north of the 49th? Canada – specifically eastern Ontario – would love to have you...
Andrew: I would absolutely love to come to Canada! If we can swing it, we'll be there in 2015 ;)
- LN: How about a few quick ones, like: Dance Gavin Dance or Secret Band?
Andrew: DGD fasho. Love me some Tilian and Tim. And now Aric from HTS has been killing it with them, so yeah. DGD.
- LN: Favourite Blue Swan labelmate?
Andrew: Stolas. We wouldn't be where we are without them. Plus, Sergio and I are pretty damn close. I would do anything for that guy.
- LN: Band you wish were a Blue Swan labelmate? (Hint hint, Will...)
Andrew: That's a tough one! If we're offering hints to Will, I would probably have to say my boys Visitors from SLC.
- LN: Favourite city or venue to play?
Andrew: SACRAMENTO! Hands down. We opened for Birds and HTS on a tour last summer and it was amazing. The crowd was insanely receptive and we loved every minute of it. Eidola has never played there, but Houston slays pretty hard. We would love to get out there and show Crimson Arrow and Mosaic Dream some love.
- LN: Worst tour or show story?
Andrew: Oh Jesus. . . There are a few. The worst tour story I have is way too long. Basically, we got stranded in Los Banos, CA on our way to Los Angeles. We took our van into the shop and the mechanics gave us some bull shit story and said it would be a week to get it fixed. We ended up renting a u-haul and towing the van, trailer, and gear to Vegas only to find out the fucking mechanics cut our breaks and fried our engine computer.
- LN: Now for a few of my standards: If you could make everyone stop what they’re doing and listen to one song right this minute, what song would it be?
Andrew: "Something" by Snarky Puppy. Lalah is one of the most talented singers I have ever heard. Her voice is mind blowing.
- LN: Dream Tour: who would you guys open for, or who would open for you?
Andrew: Dream tour for me would be: Deftones, Circa Survive, From Indian Lakes, Eidola. Hands down.
- LN: Almost done. What have you been listening to lately?
Andrew: Personally, I've been listening to a lot of Snarky Puppy, but I've always got a slew of artists on repeat. The new From Indian Lakes jams are incredible, Hail The Sun's new album "Wake" is one of the best records I've ever heard, and I'm extremely excited for the new Stolas jams.
- LN: Last one! What’s your favourite metal album of all time?
Andrew: Favorite metal album?! Too many to choose from! Probably Panopticon by ISIS or Paranoid by Black Sabbath. Both of those albums were what got me into heavy music in the first place and will always remain sacred in my heart.
As usual, my Jerry Springer-esque Final Thoughts before I wrap this one up:
- I know Eidola isn't a heavy-as-shit metal band, but Hindu deities = heavy-as-shit, metal band name-wise. Just saying.
- I don't know what I was expecting when I asked about Eidola's worst tour story, but somehow I'm not at all surprised to find that it involves the band's van. If I ever win a shitload of money in the lottery or something, I'm going to buy some bands some better vans.
- I'd see that tour, Andrew. Make it happen. ;-)
- Hail the Sun's new album Wake *is* pretty awesome. Methinks those guys have some more Songs of the Day in their future...
- Excellent choice of metal albums. Panopticon's where it's at in terms of Isis, and obviously Paranoid is a piece of heavy metal history.
And there you have it. Another day, another round of questions. Got a suggestion for who I should grill next? Leave a comment, and then stay tuned!
So: who, or what, is Eidola? Why don't you read on to find out?
- LN: Why don’t we start by getting your name, what you play, and who you play it for.
Andrew: My name is Andrew Wells, I sing and play guitar for a band called Eidola from Salt Lake City, Utah.
- LN: Band nomenclature is a constant fascination to me, so I’m going to subject you to the same question I ask everybody: where did your name come from? You’ve got some stuff on your Facebook relating to the Greek word “eidolon”, but I’m wondering how you came to this as the source of your name?
Andrew: We went through hundreds of names when we started. We wanted something short and simple, but with some contextual weight to what we wanted to do as a project. Originally I wanted to name the band Jagannatha after a Hindu deity. One of the first songs we wrote together was entitled Eidola from the core semblance of multiple ideals being grouped together as an amalgamate. After a week of playing together and writing lyrics to that song we decided to swap the names. It just felt better that way and the lyrics ended up fitting much better under Jagannatha.
- LN: How did Eidola first come together?
Andrew: Eidola first started after my previous band Follow The Earth broke up, of which Brandon and James were both a part of. After a few weeks of writing by myself I met up with my old high school nemesis Matt Dommer and it was magic. Eventually we recruited James Johnson and Harold Riding to start mapping out songs and developing live show aesthetics. We recruited Zac Bryant (My Fair Fiend) and recorded a home demo 4-song EP. When Zac bounced to play in Sea Swallowed Us Whole we recruited Matt Hansen and fell in love. I had known that dude for years from multiple local bands and always admired his playing, so I asked him if he wanted to join up with us. Brandon and I are brothers, so we kept in contact for about a year after FTE broke up. When we signed to Blue Swan and started writing Degeneraterra I wanted to take the band to new heights and recruited him on guitar. The guy is insanely talented and we could not be more stoked to spend sweaty nights in the van with him.
- LN: Your music isn’t exactly overly technical, but it isn’t exactly simple either. Do any of you have any musical training, or are you all essentially self-taught?
Andrew: The definition of technicality is always funny to me because it's incredibly subjective! I think the reason we didn't do a lot of crazy shredding on The Great Glass Elephant was because we were really focused on creating a conceptual atmosphere and concentrated more on the dynamic elements than the mixed meter structures and polyrhythms. The new album's concept certainly called for much more technically inclined parts matching the dynamic elements and we're really excited to release it. A few of us are self-taught, and a couple of us have some formal training, so it creates an interesting balance.
- LN: You guys are from Utah, which is not necessarily somewhere those of us out here on the internet might think of as a hotbed of interesting music, heavy or otherwise. Prove us ignorant and narrow-minded and tell me about anybody cool I should know about from your neck of the woods.
Andrew: Hahaha that is the best way I've ever heard that phrased! Utah is surprisingly rich with talent. Whether you're looking for metal, indie-folk, pop, electro-hippie-jam-stank band music; Utah has got you covered. Cool bands I would recommend checking out? Visitors, Wearing Thin, Captives, Grass, I Am Designer and My Fair Fiend are all incredible bands that I would highly recommend looking into.
- LN: Like I said, I dig names, so I’m curious about the name of your latest record, Degeneterra. The meaning, so to speak, of that title might seem somewhat obvious, in an etymological sort of way, but I’m curious about what it means to you guys.
Andrew: So DegeneRAterra was a title we came up with when observing the scope of the album. We wanted to offer up something that really captured a conceptual piece that James and I had been refining for like six years. The original idea for the name came from the physics term for the third stage of the entropic cycle of the universe, The Degenerate Era. After a few weeks of kicking that name around I think it was Matt that suggested we bring the words together and add the extra "r" to add real world relevance to the term in an attempt to create something we hadn't really seen or heard before. Degeneraterra was the result, and we could not be more satisfied with that decision.
- LN: From what I can tell online, it looks like Degenterra is your second full-length album. How has the writing and recording of Degeneterra differed from that of The Great Glass Elephant?
Andrew: It was completely different! Without going into too many details the differences were stark. Writing for TGGE was pretty scattered and laid back, over the course of many months. Degeneraterra was a much more consolidated writing process with a very detailed conceptual basis in mind. I quit my job for six months and locked myself in my house to write, refine, re-write and demo out Degeneraterra. The Great Glass Elephant was recorded over the span of like seven months in various shady locations. It was done pretty much DIY with the help of a guy named Randy in Provo, UT. Degeneraterra was recorded at the incredible Pus Cavern in Sacramento with Josh and Will, so the experience was completely different. Will and Josh were hands on producers too, which we really liked, and the outcome is vastly different than anything we've done to this point.
- LN: How did you guys get hooked up with Will and Blue Swan Records?
Andrew: We got hooked up with Will through Sergio Medina of Stolas. We opened for Stolas on the "Living Creatures" tour and we just hit it off. I ended up giving them a copy of TGGE, word got back to Will and we had some lengthy talks. After a while of pre-pro demos being sent back and forth we worked out a deal, drove to Sac, and made an album.
- LN: You’re about to release Degeneterra this fall – what’s next? Maybe some touring?
Andrew: We are indeed! The wait has been arduous for a lot of people that have been with us from the start, but all good things come with time. We are working with Josh and Will to ensure this is the best release it can possibly be before we put it out. Once it's out there we want to tour as much as humanly possible. 400 shows a year? Yes please!
- LN: Speaking of touring, any plans to come north of the 49th? Canada – specifically eastern Ontario – would love to have you...
Andrew: I would absolutely love to come to Canada! If we can swing it, we'll be there in 2015 ;)
- LN: How about a few quick ones, like: Dance Gavin Dance or Secret Band?
Andrew: DGD fasho. Love me some Tilian and Tim. And now Aric from HTS has been killing it with them, so yeah. DGD.
- LN: Favourite Blue Swan labelmate?
Andrew: Stolas. We wouldn't be where we are without them. Plus, Sergio and I are pretty damn close. I would do anything for that guy.
- LN: Band you wish were a Blue Swan labelmate? (Hint hint, Will...)
Andrew: That's a tough one! If we're offering hints to Will, I would probably have to say my boys Visitors from SLC.
- LN: Favourite city or venue to play?
Andrew: SACRAMENTO! Hands down. We opened for Birds and HTS on a tour last summer and it was amazing. The crowd was insanely receptive and we loved every minute of it. Eidola has never played there, but Houston slays pretty hard. We would love to get out there and show Crimson Arrow and Mosaic Dream some love.
- LN: Worst tour or show story?
Andrew: Oh Jesus. . . There are a few. The worst tour story I have is way too long. Basically, we got stranded in Los Banos, CA on our way to Los Angeles. We took our van into the shop and the mechanics gave us some bull shit story and said it would be a week to get it fixed. We ended up renting a u-haul and towing the van, trailer, and gear to Vegas only to find out the fucking mechanics cut our breaks and fried our engine computer.
- LN: Now for a few of my standards: If you could make everyone stop what they’re doing and listen to one song right this minute, what song would it be?
Andrew: "Something" by Snarky Puppy. Lalah is one of the most talented singers I have ever heard. Her voice is mind blowing.
- LN: Dream Tour: who would you guys open for, or who would open for you?
Andrew: Dream tour for me would be: Deftones, Circa Survive, From Indian Lakes, Eidola. Hands down.
- LN: Almost done. What have you been listening to lately?
Andrew: Personally, I've been listening to a lot of Snarky Puppy, but I've always got a slew of artists on repeat. The new From Indian Lakes jams are incredible, Hail The Sun's new album "Wake" is one of the best records I've ever heard, and I'm extremely excited for the new Stolas jams.
- LN: Last one! What’s your favourite metal album of all time?
Andrew: Favorite metal album?! Too many to choose from! Probably Panopticon by ISIS or Paranoid by Black Sabbath. Both of those albums were what got me into heavy music in the first place and will always remain sacred in my heart.
As usual, my Jerry Springer-esque Final Thoughts before I wrap this one up:
- I know Eidola isn't a heavy-as-shit metal band, but Hindu deities = heavy-as-shit, metal band name-wise. Just saying.
- I don't know what I was expecting when I asked about Eidola's worst tour story, but somehow I'm not at all surprised to find that it involves the band's van. If I ever win a shitload of money in the lottery or something, I'm going to buy some bands some better vans.
- I'd see that tour, Andrew. Make it happen. ;-)
- Hail the Sun's new album Wake *is* pretty awesome. Methinks those guys have some more Songs of the Day in their future...
- Excellent choice of metal albums. Panopticon's where it's at in terms of Isis, and obviously Paranoid is a piece of heavy metal history.
And there you have it. Another day, another round of questions. Got a suggestion for who I should grill next? Leave a comment, and then stay tuned!
Sunday, 24 August 2014
Stolas - Solunar
I've written about post-hardcore band Stolas before, but they've got a new record coming out (on none other than Blue Swan) so it's high time they got another day in the spotlight.
"Solunar", the first song to be released from the forthcoming Allomaternal, is a bit of a step up from material off the band's previous record Living Creatures. It's not worlds different, but it's tighter, more energetic, fleeter-fingered. More of the same, but done better.
Of course, this means that if you didn't dig their style of post-hardcore before, you probably still won't be interested. But it also means that if you're a fan of old Stolas, or Hail the Sun from the other day, or even a little Dance Gavin Dance really, then you should find a lot to like in what we've heard so far of the new Stolas material. Go see which camp you're in right now.
"Solunar", the first song to be released from the forthcoming Allomaternal, is a bit of a step up from material off the band's previous record Living Creatures. It's not worlds different, but it's tighter, more energetic, fleeter-fingered. More of the same, but done better.
Of course, this means that if you didn't dig their style of post-hardcore before, you probably still won't be interested. But it also means that if you're a fan of old Stolas, or Hail the Sun from the other day, or even a little Dance Gavin Dance really, then you should find a lot to like in what we've heard so far of the new Stolas material. Go see which camp you're in right now.
Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Hail the Sun - Human Target Practice
Everybody should know by now that I dig Dance Gavin Dance, whose guitarist Will Swan runs a little record label called Blue Swan Records.
What does this have to do with today's song, "Human Target Practice", from California post-hardcore band Hail the Sun? The band's forthcoming debut LP Wake is due to be released in September on Blue Swan, that's what! There's a bit of sonic similarity here too, if you ask me: Hail the Sun sounds a little like the energy and riffiness of Dance Gavin Dance fronted by the vocal range and style of, say, Anthony Green from Circa Survive and The Sound of Animals Fighting.
Sound like a tasty combination? It is, at least for this bearded cat. I for one will most definitely be paying attention to this one when it drops.
What does this have to do with today's song, "Human Target Practice", from California post-hardcore band Hail the Sun? The band's forthcoming debut LP Wake is due to be released in September on Blue Swan, that's what! There's a bit of sonic similarity here too, if you ask me: Hail the Sun sounds a little like the energy and riffiness of Dance Gavin Dance fronted by the vocal range and style of, say, Anthony Green from Circa Survive and The Sound of Animals Fighting.
Sound like a tasty combination? It is, at least for this bearded cat. I for one will most definitely be paying attention to this one when it drops.
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