Sunday: Enter Shikari - Enter Shikari

     How's that electronic-y aftertaste from Numbers treating your earballs? Let's keep that kind of flavour lingering on your tongue a little bit longer, shall we, with a cut from my favourite record by British techno-metalcore band Enter Shikari.

     The guys in Enter Shikari have come a long ways and several albums since 2007's Take to the Skies, but Enter Shikari's debut LP is still the one I revisit the most. It's at that perfect nostalgic intersection between the right collection of music and the right time in one's life to discover said collection of music. My interest in these guys has dropped off significantly since, but like I said, Take to the Skies gets more frequent replays than anything else in their catalogue.

     Which is why this synthy Sunday song is the eponymous first full track from Take to the Skies, the super-catchy, super high energy "Enter Shikari". Glow sticks aren't necessary, just get in your car, rolls the windows down, and crank this one (and then the rest of the album) for instant party.

Saturday: Numbers - The Winds at Bay

     The deities that govern the releasing of new music (I really should start naming some of these small gods at this point...) continue to smile upon me and provide material for your Saturday song. The only hitch? The material in question isn't quite new, per se.

     Let me lay it out for you: Seattle-based "electrometal jazzcore" band (their words) Numbers have just released a new single in the form of the rocking "The Winds at Bay", except said single was apparently actually recorded during the sessions for Numbers' debut LP Three. So, it's more of a case of "new to you" than "brand new", but the end result is more Numbers, so who cares?

     Given that "The Winds at Bay" came out of the writing of Three, it's no surprise that things sound suitably Three-ish -- a healthy dose of metalcore grooves, a soupcon of synths and electronica, and, of course, Kyle's cutting vocals. It's a cocktail that remains as tasty now as it was when Three came out. I'd like to order another though, so album number two please guys? Thanks.

Dirty Loops - Hit Me

     I talk a lot about how there's good, interesting music in every genre, not just metal, and I've decided to put my money where my mouth is tonight. Chances are you've seen the name Dirty Loops floating around the interwebs the last couple of days, but now I'm going to tell you why you should go listen to these guys right now.

     Yes, that's right: I, the metalhead, am imploring you to check out this jazzy-poppy-funky power trio from Sweden. And I'm not alone -- I've seen this band recommended by both Numbers and Scale the Summit recently. Why are we all so stoked? Let me paint you a picture. Imagine if Stevie Wonder had been born in a different era... and in Sweden. Now team him up with a super-tight funk-jazz rhythm section, and let him loose to craft some infectious little ditties that will get you moving.

     That Stevie-out-of-time is Jonah Nilsson, that insane rhythm section is Henrik Linder and Aron Mellergard, and that purveyor of tasty power pop is Dirty Loops. This kind of thing really isn't normally my cup of tea, but good songs and good musicianship will win me over, and these guys have both in spades.

     Yesterday I was talking about Cake as being a band that should be much more mainstream. Well Dirty Loops could be much more mainstream, and more than likely will. I'd be flabbergasted if they didn't get at least kinda big. So get in on the ground floor and check out "Hit Me", the infectious opening track from their recently released debut Loopified.

Saturday: Numbers - Frames

     In addition to The Joy of Motion, I've also been listening to a fair amount of Numbers' new disc Three over the past couple of days, and while Numbers aren't reinventing their wheel with their first LP, they are working on the best damn Numbers-shaped wheel they can muster.

     As an example, take "Frames": its combination of energetic core riffing and some bloopy, glitchy electronic elements sums up Numbers' sound, and Kyle's versatile vocal performance is likewise par for the course. The bad news with the new record, if you can call it that, is that Numbers haven't strayed too far from the sound that made their self-titled EP stick out, preferring to refine and hone their current direction. The good news, of course, is that Numbers haven't strayed too far from the sound that made their self-titled EP stick out, preferring to refine and hone their current direction.

     I know I've sung the praises of this band before, but that's only because they're so good at what they do. If rock solid metalcore appeals to you, and the idea of techno added to that metalcore sounds even better, then you need to know about Numbers. Full stop.

Numbers - Empty Eyes

     It's been a while in coming, but a release date of March 25th has finally been set for the long-awaited (by me, anyways) debut LP from Seattle's electro-metallers Numbers. Even better, at least for those of you who might not already be Numbers enthusiasts, the band has released a new song to quench the thirst left after "Legal Lee Speaking" a couple of months ago.

     "Empty Eyes" is another great encapsulation of what Numbers is all about: high energy songs loaded with catchy melodies, chunky guitar riffing, and some keyboards and electronic elements just for good measure. They're not necessarily everyone's cup of tea -- although they probably should be -- but they're definitely worth a listen if you're looking for something that's heavy but still catchy enough to get your toe tapping and your head bobbing. Check it out below.

Friday's Song: Numbers - Legal Lee Speaking

     Want to know what happens when you spend a week getting up for a 4:15 am start time at work instead of your usual leisurely 5 o'clock? You fall asleep around 7 in the evening, after you've chosen the song of the day but before you've even written the post!

     The worst part is, yesterday's song stoked me right up when it was released the other day. Why, you ask? Well, I've been looking forward to the finally-complete-work-in-progress debut LP from my boys in Numbers for some time now, and on Thursday the band did all of its fans the solid of releasing the video for the album's first single "Legal Lee Speaking".

     There's no word yet on the expected release date for Three, but at least "Legal Lee Speaking" is chock full of the tasty goodness that made me like Numbers in the first place: gnarly keyboards, badass riffing, blippy electronic bits, and Kyle's powerful vocal work, a little more refined and matured on this release if "Legal Lee Speaking" is any indication. Plus there's both guitar and keyboard solos! You couldn't really ask for anything else. Well, you could. But you shouldn't. Check it.

Song of the Day: Underoath - It's Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door

     While we're revisiting songs I forgot I dug, let's throw in a little something that's bound to raise the ire of metalheads.

Song of the Day: Numbers - Bravery

     By this point in the Loud Noises saga, you should be at least somewhat familiar with Numbers, an electronic and post-hardcore influenced metal band from Washington state.

Song of the Day: The Ongoing Concept - Cover Girl

     Today's song is another one courtesy of Kyle from Numbers. Thanks Kyle!

Twenty Questions: Kyle Bishop from Numbers

     Hey there everybody. It's been a little bit since the last installment of Twenty Questions, and I've decided it's time to rectify the situation.

Song of the Day: Numbers - Ice On Fire

     Dilemma: I don't know whether you should go read the latest Loud Noises Twenty Questions post first today, featuring Kyle Bishop of "electrometal-jazzcore" band Numbers (labels are fun, right?), or whether you should stay right here and listen to the accompanying Song of the Day first and then check out the Q&A afterwards. Hmmm...

Today's Song: Refused - Refused Are Fuckin' Dead

     For today's (quick) song, we're going to visit a band not dissimilar from yesterday's band Numbers, in that they're both a little hard to pin down, genre-wise, and also in that I've written about both before.

Yesterday's Song: Numbers - Oh Teh Monies

     I know this is getting a little old, but it is what it is. Old habits die hard, so what can we say about the longevity of bad habits? Hopefully that it's short-lived. All I can promise I'll try to get the Song of the Day train back on track. That said, let's get to yesterday's song.

Song of the Day: High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine

     Today's band put out a new record earlier this year, and while I haven't heard anything from it yet, they're definitely one of those metal bands that I'd like to listen to more of than I do and be more into than I am. I do however have a copy of their previous album, and just in case you don't know them I'm taking a track from that one for today's song.

Song of the Day: Numbers - Figured You Forgot

     I've got some tasty new stuff for you today. I was just reading some reviews the other day over on good ol' Heavy Blog... Is Heavy, and I came across a pretty positive one for a self-titled debut EP from an act called Numbers out of Seattle. Now, much of what I listen to sometimes blurs genre lines and defies easy description, and Numbers is no exception. Heavy and aggressive, melodic, technical, catchy, infused with elements of electronica and metal and... well, I really shouldn't even try to get into it, as Tentaclesworth over at Heavy Blog does a better job than I could (check his review of the EP here). Suffice to say, it's pretty crazy, pretty cool, and definitely pretty fucking interesting.

     Today's song is "Figured You Forgot" by Numbers. Listen with an open mind and you might just fall in love. And yes, the song is a little late today, but no, I didn't forget, no matter what you figured...