It's been a little bit since I've posted a slice of shredding from Reading, so it's probably about time for your latest dose of Sylosis. I swear to Jeebus I'll make converts of all of you yet!
"Kingdom of Solitude", from 2011's Edge of the Earth, demonstrates for like the baziollionth time that Sylosis can defly navigate tempo shifts, stylistic shifts, you name it. This one goes from raging thrasher to crushing herald of doom on a dime, and does it with fluid aplomb -- as if you'd expect anything less from these veterans. Here's your latest chance: if you don't know how great Sylosis can be, hop on board right the fuck now!
Showing posts with label Sylosis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sylosis. Show all posts
Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Sunday: Sylosis - Servitude
I'm going to let alliteration be my guide as I try and dig out from the figurative snow that's built up here at Loud Noises as the holidays have sidelined me over the last couple of days -- figurative because much of eastern Canada is in for a very green (or greenish-brown), very mild Christmas. First up is a Sunday post from an old favourite's newest record, and conveniently it's doubly alliterative.
"Servitude" is a spooky, doomy, mostly down-tempo number from this year's Dormant Heart by British band Sylosis that shifts gears in the middle for a thrashy solo section. Regular readers should by now be well aware of both my love for Sylosis and the justifiability of that love in the face of Sylosis' general awesomeness, but any of you who might be new to the Loud Noises party need to get on board, especially if you're not familiar with Sylosis yet. And hey, a Sylosis record would make a sure-fire last-minute Christmas gift for the metalhead on your list.
"Servitude" is a spooky, doomy, mostly down-tempo number from this year's Dormant Heart by British band Sylosis that shifts gears in the middle for a thrashy solo section. Regular readers should by now be well aware of both my love for Sylosis and the justifiability of that love in the face of Sylosis' general awesomeness, but any of you who might be new to the Loud Noises party need to get on board, especially if you're not familiar with Sylosis yet. And hey, a Sylosis record would make a sure-fire last-minute Christmas gift for the metalhead on your list.
Monday, 2 November 2015
Friday: Chronologist - Bazooka
Besides Sylosis (look at this segue, would you?) another thing you guys should know I'm into by now is proggy instrumental stuff. I say this now to any budding young musicians out there: if you're in a band that's writing some cool stuff, but you don't have a vocalist, and you're looking for something that fits your sound, consider that maybe your sound might be best without vocals entirely.
Case in point: Boston's Chronologist manage to craft killer grooves and sprinkle them with such buttery smooth lead work that no words are necessary to draw the listener in. Even the biggest fan of soaring Bruce Dickinson-esque metal vocals or Corpsegrinder-style gutturals should find enough tasty riffage here to make them forgive the lack of vocals.
To this end (ie: converting more of you to the wordless dark side that is instrumental) I'm suggesting you start with Chronologist's "Bazooka" from their four-track demo/EP from the summer of 2014. Why this particular track? Straight up groove for days, that's why.
Case in point: Boston's Chronologist manage to craft killer grooves and sprinkle them with such buttery smooth lead work that no words are necessary to draw the listener in. Even the biggest fan of soaring Bruce Dickinson-esque metal vocals or Corpsegrinder-style gutturals should find enough tasty riffage here to make them forgive the lack of vocals.
To this end (ie: converting more of you to the wordless dark side that is instrumental) I'm suggesting you start with Chronologist's "Bazooka" from their four-track demo/EP from the summer of 2014. Why this particular track? Straight up groove for days, that's why.
Thursday: Sylosis - Turbulence
If you guys aren't aware by this point that I love British neo-thrash band Sylosis, you haven't been paying attention. Last time I did a Sylosis Throwback Thursday, I was demonstrating that they had some chops as early as their first EP back in 2006. Your belated Throwback from last week could be considered exhibit B in my ongoing "Sylosis is awesome" proof.
"Turbulence" is taken from the 2008 Sylosis EP The Supreme Oppressor, the band's second EP and its second crack at a vocalist. But even with the lineup instability on the first couple of Sylosis releases, the core badassery is there: tight riffing, a hefty dose of melody, and some nice shreddy leads. Did someone say leads? I defy anyone to keep their horns out of the air when the solo in "Turbulence" kicks up a notch about halfway through. Tasty.
"Turbulence" is taken from the 2008 Sylosis EP The Supreme Oppressor, the band's second EP and its second crack at a vocalist. But even with the lineup instability on the first couple of Sylosis releases, the core badassery is there: tight riffing, a hefty dose of melody, and some nice shreddy leads. Did someone say leads? I defy anyone to keep their horns out of the air when the solo in "Turbulence" kicks up a notch about halfway through. Tasty.
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Sylosis - Casting Shadows
I'm throwing it back for your on this Thursday evening, but only about a decade or so. Think you can handle the quick hop in the Wayback Machine?
Regular readers will know how much I dig the Brits in Sylosis, and it's kinda shocking to think that, at 2 EPs and 4 LPs in, Josh and Company have a career that I can actually throw back to. Sure, there have been some lineup changes, the most noticeable of course being the rotation position of lead vocalist, now permanently occupied by Mr. Middleton himself.
But even back in the days of the band's first couple of vocalists, Sylosis was slaying listeners left, right, and center. As a demonstration, I present to you your Thursday song, the title track "Casting Shadows" from Sylosis' 2006 EP Casting Shadows. Like lots of older Sylosis, this one has aged pretty well.
Regular readers will know how much I dig the Brits in Sylosis, and it's kinda shocking to think that, at 2 EPs and 4 LPs in, Josh and Company have a career that I can actually throw back to. Sure, there have been some lineup changes, the most noticeable of course being the rotation position of lead vocalist, now permanently occupied by Mr. Middleton himself.
But even back in the days of the band's first couple of vocalists, Sylosis was slaying listeners left, right, and center. As a demonstration, I present to you your Thursday song, the title track "Casting Shadows" from Sylosis' 2006 EP Casting Shadows. Like lots of older Sylosis, this one has aged pretty well.
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
Saturday: Sylosis - Altered States of Consciousness
It's been a bit since I've featured a song from one of my favourite modern metal acts of any style or subgenre, so let's fix that with a little Sylosis Saturday.
I've talked before about how Sylosis' catalogue can be somewhat hit or miss for me. I like all their stuff, but some of it stands well above the rest. I'd call the 2011 disc Edge of the Earth "above average", but man are there some killer cuts on there, like your belated Saturday Sylosis song.
"Altered States of Consciousness" is a great big five-and-a-half minute slice of what makes Sylosis great: kick-ass, thrashy riffing; strong melodic sensibilities with a menacing, evil-sounding undercurrent; big doomy parts; tasty leads; even a good ol' fashioned gallop into the sunset at the end, with a slightly off-kilter rhythmic twist. In summary: badass, from start to finish. If you need a track to turn your friends on to Sylosis with, this one's a pretty good start.
I've talked before about how Sylosis' catalogue can be somewhat hit or miss for me. I like all their stuff, but some of it stands well above the rest. I'd call the 2011 disc Edge of the Earth "above average", but man are there some killer cuts on there, like your belated Saturday Sylosis song.
"Altered States of Consciousness" is a great big five-and-a-half minute slice of what makes Sylosis great: kick-ass, thrashy riffing; strong melodic sensibilities with a menacing, evil-sounding undercurrent; big doomy parts; tasty leads; even a good ol' fashioned gallop into the sunset at the end, with a slightly off-kilter rhythmic twist. In summary: badass, from start to finish. If you need a track to turn your friends on to Sylosis with, this one's a pretty good start.
Thursday, 15 January 2015
Sylosis - To Build a Tomb
Dormant Heart, the latest from British thrash veterans Sylosis, has been out a couple of days now, so it's about time I featured another of their tracks. And as is often the case around album release time, the guys have given me the perfect choice.
How? By doing an in-studio performance video for "To Build a Tomb" and slaying it, that's how. From a performance perspective, everything is bang on and album-tight. From a song or composition perspective, "To Build a Tomb" is all Sylosis: it starts off big and crushing, and ends up thrashy and shreddy, just like it should. Check it out.
How? By doing an in-studio performance video for "To Build a Tomb" and slaying it, that's how. From a performance perspective, everything is bang on and album-tight. From a song or composition perspective, "To Build a Tomb" is all Sylosis: it starts off big and crushing, and ends up thrashy and shreddy, just like it should. Check it out.
Monday, 24 November 2014
Sylosis - Leech
We're going to start the week off right tonight, with a badass video for a sweet new song. Metal Monday lives again!
You should all know by now that I'm a pretty big Sylosis fan. For that reason, the news a while back that the band's got a new record, Dormant Heart, due out in January tickled my fancy very much. The guys have already released one single, "Mercy", but not content to rest on their laurels, Sylosis are being kind enough not to let us just drift in the wind until the new year. A second single is upon us, and it comes complete with an animated video.
The first comparison that many people will make upon seeing "Leech" is to A-ha's rotoscoped video for "Take On Me", and I guess I get that, but to me this one's more reminiscent of Bakshi's Lord of the Rings or even animated sc-fi classic Heavy Metal. It's not really SFW, but don't let that deter you, as it's not too over the top.
But what about the song itself? It's not as fast and thrashy as some Sylosis stuff, instead leaning towards the big and doomy side of the band's skillset. Fear not, though, it's still recognizably the Sylosis you know and love, right down to the tasty little solo. If you're looking for the exact same Sylosis sound as albums past, you might not find it in the first couple of tracks we've heard so far off of Dormant Heart. But I for one am definitely still looking forward to this one. January is shaping up to be a bit of a beast.
You should all know by now that I'm a pretty big Sylosis fan. For that reason, the news a while back that the band's got a new record, Dormant Heart, due out in January tickled my fancy very much. The guys have already released one single, "Mercy", but not content to rest on their laurels, Sylosis are being kind enough not to let us just drift in the wind until the new year. A second single is upon us, and it comes complete with an animated video.
The first comparison that many people will make upon seeing "Leech" is to A-ha's rotoscoped video for "Take On Me", and I guess I get that, but to me this one's more reminiscent of Bakshi's Lord of the Rings or even animated sc-fi classic Heavy Metal. It's not really SFW, but don't let that deter you, as it's not too over the top.
But what about the song itself? It's not as fast and thrashy as some Sylosis stuff, instead leaning towards the big and doomy side of the band's skillset. Fear not, though, it's still recognizably the Sylosis you know and love, right down to the tasty little solo. If you're looking for the exact same Sylosis sound as albums past, you might not find it in the first couple of tracks we've heard so far off of Dormant Heart. But I for one am definitely still looking forward to this one. January is shaping up to be a bit of a beast.
Wednesday, 15 October 2014
Skyharbor - Patience
As I've said before, there are days when it takes me a while to find a song that hooks me enough that I feel I need to share it with all of you. And then there are days when a perfect song more or less falls into my lap -- or, more accurately, our collective internet laps. The latest track from Sylosis, which I featured over the weekend, is one good example. Today's song is another.
Those regular readers I'm so often addressing should know by now that I'm a big fan of both Skyharbor and their vocalist Dan Tompkins. I threw some money at the crowdfunding campaign for their sophomore album Guiding Lights and have been awaiting the record's release ever since, with only lead single "Evolution" to tide me over. And while "Evolution" is completely badass, I'm impatient and don't want to wait for the album's November release date to roll around before I get to hear some more new Skyharbor.
Thankfully the guys have got me (and you!) covered. Today they publicly unveiled the video for second single "Patience" after giving it a limited release yesterday to their pledge campaign supporters. Musically the song's a bit of a ballad, meaning it's not necessarily as heavy as "Evolution" or some of their older material. But throw in the cool paper cutout puppet-style animated video, and fugedaboudit, you've got something pretty sweet on your hands. If Guiding Lights isn't a top ten of the year candidate, I'll eat my beard.
Those regular readers I'm so often addressing should know by now that I'm a big fan of both Skyharbor and their vocalist Dan Tompkins. I threw some money at the crowdfunding campaign for their sophomore album Guiding Lights and have been awaiting the record's release ever since, with only lead single "Evolution" to tide me over. And while "Evolution" is completely badass, I'm impatient and don't want to wait for the album's November release date to roll around before I get to hear some more new Skyharbor.
Thankfully the guys have got me (and you!) covered. Today they publicly unveiled the video for second single "Patience" after giving it a limited release yesterday to their pledge campaign supporters. Musically the song's a bit of a ballad, meaning it's not necessarily as heavy as "Evolution" or some of their older material. But throw in the cool paper cutout puppet-style animated video, and fugedaboudit, you've got something pretty sweet on your hands. If Guiding Lights isn't a top ten of the year candidate, I'll eat my beard.
Sunday, 12 October 2014
Sylosis - Mercy
Today's song was an easy choice. A very easy choice. As soon as today's band announced the existence of, and release date for, their latest record Dormant Heart, and subsequently started teasing the release of this song, I knew it would be Song of the Day pretty much as soon as it dropped.
Yesterday's interview with Eidola deserved an accompanying song (and you should go check out both the song and the interview, because Eidola are a rad bunch of dudes making some rad post-hardcore), which is why I didn't join everybody else in posting about the latest from badass Brits Sylosis when it made the rounds over the last day or two.
But today is a new day and we've all got a new Sylosis song to jam, so let's get to it. "Mercy" is the first song to be released from the based forthcoming fourth LP Dormant Heart, due out in January, and while it perhaps isn't quite as shreddy or quite as blisteringly fast as some of my favourite Sylosis material, it is still new Sylosis, which means it does still have healthy doses of both.
Now I just have to decide whether the tease that is "Mercy" will make waiting for January easier or harder.
Yesterday's interview with Eidola deserved an accompanying song (and you should go check out both the song and the interview, because Eidola are a rad bunch of dudes making some rad post-hardcore), which is why I didn't join everybody else in posting about the latest from badass Brits Sylosis when it made the rounds over the last day or two.
But today is a new day and we've all got a new Sylosis song to jam, so let's get to it. "Mercy" is the first song to be released from the based forthcoming fourth LP Dormant Heart, due out in January, and while it perhaps isn't quite as shreddy or quite as blisteringly fast as some of my favourite Sylosis material, it is still new Sylosis, which means it does still have healthy doses of both.
Now I just have to decide whether the tease that is "Mercy" will make waiting for January easier or harder.
Sunday, 20 July 2014
Saturday: Vale of Pnath - Sightless
I've got a little catching up to do this evening, and I'm going to start doing it with some razor sharp, thrash-tinged tech death.
If I had to pick a genre for them, Denver's Vale of Pnath are solidly tech death, but they've got veins of other minerals running through their seam of tech death ore. Take your Saturday song as an example: "Sightless" has all the speed and ferocity needed for technical death metal, but some of the riffs and chord progressions would sound equally at home in a Sylosis or Revocation track.
It's nothing new, but if you're into this kind of thing it sure is tasty. And if you're not into this kind of thing, it's time you got into it. So check out "Sightless" and Vale of Pnath tonight and get in to It.
If I had to pick a genre for them, Denver's Vale of Pnath are solidly tech death, but they've got veins of other minerals running through their seam of tech death ore. Take your Saturday song as an example: "Sightless" has all the speed and ferocity needed for technical death metal, but some of the riffs and chord progressions would sound equally at home in a Sylosis or Revocation track.
It's nothing new, but if you're into this kind of thing it sure is tasty. And if you're not into this kind of thing, it's time you got into it. So check out "Sightless" and Vale of Pnath tonight and get in to It.
Monday, 26 May 2014
Album of the Week: Sylosis - Conclusion of an Age
Alt-rock not doing it for you, Monday-wise? I know Cake might not be enough to help you get over the demise of the weekend, so I've decided to get back to this blog's roots with this week's album. Hopefully some 'shredding from Readin' will be just what the doctor ordered to set your week up right.
Long-time readers will by now be pretty familiar with my love for British thrash titans Sylosis, but just in case you're late to the party, let me try and sum things up as succinctly as I can. Think Metallica if they never lost their edge. Think Revocation from across the pond. Basically, think classic thrash mentality meets modern metal technicality.
OK, that might not be the most succinct description, or the most descriptive, but maybe it's giving you just enough of an urge to check these guys out (assuming you don't already dig 'em). Their entire catalogue is good, but this week I'm recommending their debut LP Conclusion of an Age. They've upped the ante on every one of the their recordings, but for my money they've yet to come up with something that's better start to finish, end to end, than Conclusion of an Age. So have a listen (or five) and then come back and tell me what you think.
Long-time readers will by now be pretty familiar with my love for British thrash titans Sylosis, but just in case you're late to the party, let me try and sum things up as succinctly as I can. Think Metallica if they never lost their edge. Think Revocation from across the pond. Basically, think classic thrash mentality meets modern metal technicality.
OK, that might not be the most succinct description, or the most descriptive, but maybe it's giving you just enough of an urge to check these guys out (assuming you don't already dig 'em). Their entire catalogue is good, but this week I'm recommending their debut LP Conclusion of an Age. They've upped the ante on every one of the their recordings, but for my money they've yet to come up with something that's better start to finish, end to end, than Conclusion of an Age. So have a listen (or five) and then come back and tell me what you think.
Monday, 10 February 2014
Monday: Sylosis - From the Edge of the Earth
I've said before, and I'll say again, that Sylosis ought to be considered the modern Metallica. Today, I'm going with one of the best Metallica songs Metallica never wrote.
Your song this evening is "From the Edge of the Earth", the closing track from 2011's Edge of the Earth. I'm really hoping that the downtime caused by last year's unfortunate bus crash gives the boys in Sylosis some time to write some new material, but for now we'll have to be content with epic riffing and shredding from the band's back catalogue. Sigh.
Your song this evening is "From the Edge of the Earth", the closing track from 2011's Edge of the Earth. I'm really hoping that the downtime caused by last year's unfortunate bus crash gives the boys in Sylosis some time to write some new material, but for now we'll have to be content with epic riffing and shredding from the band's back catalogue. Sigh.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
Revocation - Reprogrammed
I mentioned today's band in my Ten Best of 2013 post, and I've featured their stuff as Songs of the Day before too. Seriously, if you don't know Revocation by now, you really, really should.
"Reprogrammed" is the closing track from Revocation's third LP Chaos of Forms, and the band couldn't have picked a better way to cap off such a great record. The song thunders in with a typically intricate riff and doesn't really let up much until it fades out four minutes later. There's even some of David Davidson's always tasty lead work, a cherry on the metal sundae, if you will.
OK, maybe I'm fondly remembering the ice cream I had earlier, but the fact remains the Revocation are FUCKING AWESOME. Pick up an album or a concert ticket today and prepare to be blown away. Djenty-proggy-jazzy-type metal is certainly strong right now, but between these guys in the US and Sylosis in Britain straight up thrash is alive and well too.
"Reprogrammed" is the closing track from Revocation's third LP Chaos of Forms, and the band couldn't have picked a better way to cap off such a great record. The song thunders in with a typically intricate riff and doesn't really let up much until it fades out four minutes later. There's even some of David Davidson's always tasty lead work, a cherry on the metal sundae, if you will.
OK, maybe I'm fondly remembering the ice cream I had earlier, but the fact remains the Revocation are FUCKING AWESOME. Pick up an album or a concert ticket today and prepare to be blown away. Djenty-proggy-jazzy-type metal is certainly strong right now, but between these guys in the US and Sylosis in Britain straight up thrash is alive and well too.
Friday, 11 October 2013
Sylosis - The Bereaved
This is likely old news to many of you (spoiler, new readers: I'm not running a music/metal news blog here) but just in case you haven't heard, British metal masters Sylosis were involved in a bus crash here in Canada last month.
Thankfully everyone in the band is fine, although the band's RV was totaled and they had to bow out of their opening slot on the current Trivium/Devil Driver North American tour. The latter point is a particular shame because, as those of you who aren't new readers may know, I think Sylosis is definitely a band more people need to know about.
Every time they put out new material, my reaction upon finishing that first listen-through is "Gods, I can't wait for more!" And lest you think this reaction means I'm at all dissatisfied with said material, know that I'm always looking forward to the next album because I think to myself "if this is what they're doing, I can only imagine what kind of fresh slaying they'll get up to with another year (or whatever) of being awesome under their collective belts."
So while it might well be a while before those of us on this side of the pond get the chance to become better acquainted with the purveyors of shredding from Reading in person, we can all revel in some killer metal right this very minute. More specifically, let's all climb into the wayback machine to check out a song I recommended you check out way back in June of last year when I first recommended Sylosis to all of you in the early days of Loud Noises.
Your song today is therefore "The Bereaved" from the band's 2006 debut EP Casting Shadows, a track that is still one of my favourite Sylosis songs. Fast, shreddy, melodic, heavy -- "The Bereaved" has it all, foreshadowing very early on the kick-assitude in store for Sylosis. Do me a personal favour and turn this one up loud.
Thankfully everyone in the band is fine, although the band's RV was totaled and they had to bow out of their opening slot on the current Trivium/Devil Driver North American tour. The latter point is a particular shame because, as those of you who aren't new readers may know, I think Sylosis is definitely a band more people need to know about.
Every time they put out new material, my reaction upon finishing that first listen-through is "Gods, I can't wait for more!" And lest you think this reaction means I'm at all dissatisfied with said material, know that I'm always looking forward to the next album because I think to myself "if this is what they're doing, I can only imagine what kind of fresh slaying they'll get up to with another year (or whatever) of being awesome under their collective belts."
So while it might well be a while before those of us on this side of the pond get the chance to become better acquainted with the purveyors of shredding from Reading in person, we can all revel in some killer metal right this very minute. More specifically, let's all climb into the wayback machine to check out a song I recommended you check out way back in June of last year when I first recommended Sylosis to all of you in the early days of Loud Noises.
Your song today is therefore "The Bereaved" from the band's 2006 debut EP Casting Shadows, a track that is still one of my favourite Sylosis songs. Fast, shreddy, melodic, heavy -- "The Bereaved" has it all, foreshadowing very early on the kick-assitude in store for Sylosis. Do me a personal favour and turn this one up loud.
Thursday, 22 August 2013
Song of the Day: Revocation - Archfiend
If, as I've often said before, Sylosis has inherited the thrash crown laid down by bands like Metallica et al., then they've done so as Britain's representative only. Boston's Revocation is most definitely current American champion of releasing records that contain 110% of the daily recommended dose of riffs in each and every song.
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Song of the Day: Sylosis - Oath of Silence
It's been a while since I've advocated this particular engine of thrashy destruction, so it's about time your Song of the Day came once again from the Brits in Sylosis.
Sunday, 7 July 2013
Song of the Day: Ramming Speed - Grinding Dissent
Re-thrash... Neo-thrash... The thrash revival... Whatever name you prefer (or despise), the fact remains that thrash is back. Or it never went away. Either.
Monday, 8 April 2013
Song of the Day: Shadows Fall - In Effigy
I've said before (and I'll no doubt say again) that British band Sylosis have taken up the modern thrash banner dropped years ago by Metallica. But it occurred to me today as I was listening to Shadows Fall's Fallout From the War that thrash hasn't just jumped from Metallica to Sylosis with no intermediary steps.
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Song of the Day: Sylosis - Conclusion of an Age
Hey everybody, just a quick one today before I'm off to bed, something to send you off to dreamland...
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