Album of the Week: Misery Signals - Controller

     Recently Heavyblogisheavy had a post discussing the best of progressive metalcore, and I was gratified to see that one of my favourite albums not only of that genre but of any genre made their list. The band in question isn't exactly underground, but they're not mainstream either, and this album is most definitely one that rewards multiple listenings, so I see no reason why Controller by Misery Signals shouldn't be this week's Album of the Week.

     I've been a Misery Signals fan since Of Malice and the Magnum Heart, having discovered their song "The Year Summer Ended in June" on a sampler disc that came with something else (Atreyu's The Curse, I think, but don't hold me to that). I really dig all of their work, but for me, the best selection from their catalogue BY FAR is 2008's Controller.

     I guess I'd call Controller metalcore, or even progressive metalcore as Heavyblogisheavy does, but to me it's got so much more meat than that. It's aggressive without that being the only emotional state conveyed. It's technical, but under the surface rather that in a showy or flashy way. It's dense, as I've said many times before, but it's not extreme, fringe-genre stuff by any means.

     All of Misery Signals' stuff has these qualities, but Controller represents the band firing on all cylinders. Musically, vocally, even production-wise (Devin Townsend produced this one.. yeah, that Devin Townsend) this album is spot-on, and it deserves a little of your listening time this week. Give it a couple of spins and I'm confident it'll hook you like it hooked me.

Callisto - Stasis

     I've just been reading about Callisto on Heavyblogisheavy, and I'm intrigued enough by their suggestion of the song "Stasis" that I'm going to pass that recommendation along to you. Read on if you're post-metal fan.

     "Stasis", and the album Providence from which it comes, reminds me a little of The Ocean, or even Baroness, in terms of the qualities of its heaviness: large doses of melody, often a little melancholy, with veins of sludgy rough edges sewn throughout. It's a balance that makes the seven-and-a-half minutes of a song like "Stasis" fly by in short order. I haven't yet gone back through Callisto's catalogue as Eden over at Heavyblog encourages, but I've definitely got something new to chew on. Why don't you chew too?

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.

CHON - Knot

     I've considered featuring today's band before, but for whatever reason I've never gotten around to giving them their day of song. Tonight I intend to rectify this glaring oversight.

     Jazzy tech band CHON come recommended from varied corners of the interwebs, from Heavyblogisheavy to Plini himself. Everybody seems to dig this proggy outfit from San Diego, and with good reason: their stuff is intricate and complex while still being replete with laid-back grooves.

     What better time to finally make good on my intentions to let you know about CHON than now, given the upcoming release of the band's EP Woohoo early in February? That's why tonight's song is "Knot" the first song released off of Woohoo. It's a quick, jazzy look at the kind of thing CHON is all about.

Monday Afternoon Double Feature

     Sure, I missed doing a song yesterday, but you know I've always got your back. Eventually. So this afternoon we've got another double header. Two new songs, no reloading. You're welcome.

     First up are the tech-metal nerds in Dissonance in Design. You make feel like I'm flogging a dead horse, since I've been saying this a bunch lately, but I'm nevertheless going to make the point again: sometimes iteration beats innovation.The word"progressive" gets thrown around a lot these days, and often the bands to which this label is applied aren't exactly pushing too many musical boundaries -- and that's completely OK. Sometimes you want to hear something outrageously avant garde, and sometimes you just want something to kick your ass.

     That's where Dissonance in Design comes in. I don't know if I agree with Heavyblogisheavy's assessment of Dissonance in Design's Sentient as being super progressive and genre-boundary-pushing, but I certainly do agree that the musicianship and technicality is top notch. But rather than split hairs overmuch I'll just step aside and let you be the judge of all things progressive. Have a listen to "Entwined in Aether" and see what you think.

     And speaking of progressive, your second song today (call it your Monday pick-me-up) is the latest from jazz fusion outfit Exivious. "Deeply Woven" is yet another example of why the forthcoming Liminal is shaping up to be a tasty treat that's right up my alley: proggy, jazzy instrumental metal (aka instrumetal) that's got a little heavy and a little mellow, and in this case a healthy helping of sax solo to boot. Yum!

     For my money, Exivious is the more genuinely progressive of the two, but maybe that's just my personal jazzy tastes talking. That's the beauty of the Interwebz though: YOU get to choose which you like better! We live in an age of wonders, no?

Song of the Day: Haken - Cockroach King

     Most of the time, when I pick the daily song, the choice is based on the music first. It's either a song I know to be awesome, or one I've been told is awesome by someone else that I have subsequently confirmed is awesome.

Song of the Day: I, Of Helix - XXIX

Well, the inevitability of Monday has once again caught up with us and it's off to work we go. This week brings me the additional unpleasantness of some overnight shifts, including a twelve hour whopper this evening, which means that today more than on your average Monday I require some heavy sustinence.

Thankfully Heavblogisheavy has provided just the ticket. California's I, Of Helix brew up some techy proggy metalcore that'll kick my lamentably shitty evening off right. Check out your song for today, "XXIX" from their 2012 EP Isolations, and wish me luck.

Song of the Day: Existem - Slay the Giant

     Regular readers might remember that I frequent a couple of other metal blogs (namely MetalSucks and Heavyblogisheavy) and that with their aid I sometimes come across some really cool stuff. You have Heavyblogisheavy and their pretty positive review of Existem's debut album to thank for today's song.

Song of the Day: Wintergatan - Sommarfagel

     So I'm over on Heavyblogisheavy earlier (gotta give credit where credit is due, right?) and one of the posts for today implores readers to check out an eclectic Swedish band called Wintergatan for their cool melodies and interesting rhythms. I did, and now I'm joining Heavyblogisheavy in recommending this somewhat unusual band to you.

Song of the Day: Thank You Scientist - My famed disappearing act

     I read reviews on sites like Heavyblogisheavy and MetalSucks, and if somebody I don't know sounds particularly interesting I'll go and check them out. I'm sure you do much the same thing when you're looking for new stuff. That's how I discovered today's band.