Friday the 22nd: Resurrecting Id - Renewal

     There might currently be a wealth of djenty progressive instrumental bands with some jazzy flashes, but how many of them go full fusion with a lead saxophone? I can only think of one off the top of my head, and it's got enough saxy goodness to get Kenny G on board.

     How familiar are you with fusion three-piece Trioscapes? Because if you can imagine their serpentine songwriting shifted in a djentier direction and you'd at least have an approximation of what to expect from Resurrecting Id, the self-proclaimed "groundbreaking experiment in saxophone-fronted progressive metal". Not everybody likes jazzy guitar noodling in their metal, but if you happen to, why not hear what it's like when that's translated into the sweet language of sax. The whole of last year's self-titled EP is worth a listen or two, but if you've only got the time or stomach for one saxual experience today, make it Resurrecting Id's second track "Renewal" for a nice blend of big djenty groove and furious sax attacks.

Saturday: Trioscapes - From the Earth to the Moon

     I've spent a fair amount of time with Trioscapes' new record Digital Dream Sequence since it came out, and I've come to the conclusion that it's a grower, not a shower.

     Upon first listen, I thought, this is good, but not as good as Separate Realities. But after multiple listens, I've decided it's at least as good. It's grown on me with every listen, and today's song is a major reason why.

     "From the Earth to the Moon" might just be my favourite track on Digital Dream Sequence, thanks largely to the big fat groove that happens (for the first time) around 3:25 when all three instruments sync up for a passage that gets endlessly stuck in my head. Later, just shy of 6:00, when the guys touch on these ideas again with flute in place of saxophone, it's that much bigger because of it.

     The only problem? No upload of this song on Youtube, or anywhere else that I've found so far. So you're just going to have to get yourself a copy of Digital Dream Sequence to know what I'm talking about.

Trioscapes - Digital Dream Sequence

     So maybe my running theme over the last couple of Songs of the Day, somewhat niche subgenres, is wearing thin with you by this point. Regardless, I hope you like jazz fusion, because you're getting a Trioscapes tune today, and I've got a double whammy reason why.

     Whammy part the first: the band's sophomore album Digital Dream Sequence comes out today on Metal Blade, reason enough to rock a new Trioscapes track. But whammy part the second? The guys have put out another of their "live jam" videos for the title track "Digital Dream Sequence". Twice as many reasons why you should check out some new Trioscapes means zero reasons why you shouldn't, so do it up already.

Stimpy Lockjaw - Asteroids

     If we're going to go instrumental and jazzy (a la Trioscapes) then some of the guys in Ever Forthright have a side project that pretty much fits the bill. Don't let the somewhat bizarre name dissuade you -- Stimpy Lockjaw could be your new favourite band.

     The first track the guys in Stimpy Lockjaw have released from their upcoming self-titled debut clocks in at eleven minutes long, but you can trust me when I tell you that the time is well worth it. It does take a little time to really get started, but once it does ramp up that epic duration yields some jazzified drums and piano, some intricate guitar-driven prog, and some straight up shredding.

      "Asteroids" is a little off kilter, a little unsettling, and a little incredible. Eleven minutes sounds daunting, but by the end you'll be enthralled and wishing there was more. Soon, my pretties, soon...

(And yes, I know I said today's song was both instrumental and jazzy, and I know there's vocals at the start of "Asteroids", and then again towards the end, but not a whole lot of them. So it's almost instrumental...)

Trioscapes - Stab Wounds

     Some days I go out looking for a song to feature here, listening to a variety of stuff and picking something I dig enough to want to share. But then there are the other days, when the right song falls in my lap. Today is one of those song-in-lap days, and it's extra exciting because it's a new a song off the new album by a band you should know I'm really into.

     We've known that great jazzy equalizers Trioscapes have been working on their follow-up to 2012's Separate Realities for a while now, but in the last couple of days we've finally gotten a release date and, more importantly, a new song.

     Sophomore disc Digital Dream Sequence drops August 19th, but you should most definitely listen to the first single "Stab Wounds" right now. It's got a but of a heavier feel to it than previous Trioscapes material -- not necessarily more metal or anything, just a little bit... heavier -- but there's still all the groove that makes Trioscapes what it is. Oh, and all the yazz flute is still there too. Gods be praised.

Album of the Week: Trioscapes - Separate Realities

     The other day I featured the latest from Scale the Summit's Chris Letchford, and it got me thinking about instrumental music generally, and instrumental jazz in particular, and, for my money, any conversation about modern instrumental jazz has to include the titans in Trioscapes.

     Drums, bass, and saxophone might sound like a somewhat limited palette, but it's more than enough for the boys in Trioscapes (among whom is Dan Briggs, bassist from Between the Buried and Me, for those of you who need a metal connection to justify some jazz). Exemplifying the term "power trio", Trioscapes weave funky, labyrinthine grooves that can't help but appeal to the riff-oriented mind of this metalhead.

     I've said before, and will no doubt say again, that Trioscapes are a great equalizer. Put them on in a roomful of different musical tastes and watch as everyone miraculously becomes a jazz convert. OK, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but not much; I most definitely have put Trioscapes' debut Separate Realities on for friends of mine who don't normally share my musical tastes and discovered that lo, we have come ground after all. So why don't you spend some time with Separate Realities this week and see if you too have a little jazz in you.

Trioscapes - Curse of the Ninth

     We're going to shift gears ever so slightly for this last evening of Instrumental Week. If I've spent the last six days trying to convince you that music doesn't need vocals to be badass, then tonight you're going to learn that instrumental music doesn't need to be metal to be "metal".

     I've espoused the great unifying properties of Trioscapes before, but then I was talking about getting your non-jazz friends into something jazzy. Now I'm talking about getting your non-instrumental friends into something that doesn't have any words to it. Trioscapes is the band for the job, and since I've already featured a couple of their songs before, tonight "Curse of the Ninth" is the song for the job.

     In metal influencing terms, jazz is the new classical. Back in the day classical music had a heavy influence on some of the greats of the genre (like Metallica, just to name one example) but now jazz is where it's at (take Between the Buried and Me, to again cite but a single instance). Why not check out the very groovy intersection of the metal, jazz, and instrumental worlds that is Trioscapes? You'll be glad you did.

Song of the Day: Volto! - Tocino

     What would you get if you took Tool's master skinsman Danny Carey and transplanted him into an instrumental jazz band? Volto! that's what.

Song of the Day: Set and Setting - Spiraling Uncertainties

     Cool instrumental stuff seems, thankfully, to be in ready supply these days. Among the instrumental stuff I'm digging durrently: Scale the Summit, Pomegranate Tiger, Russian Circles, Blotted Science, Animals as Leaders, Mestis, Trioscapes, Zaius, Intervals...

Song of the Day: The Reign of Kindo - Thrill of the Fall

     This evening we've got another Facebook feed find, thanks to someone over in the Periphery camp, who've pointed me towards some cool stuff in the past. Tonight's band The Reign of Kindo is no exception.

     Your song tonight is "Thrill of the Fall", the opening track from Kindo's sophomore full length, 2010's This is What Happens. Jazzy, funky, vaguely latin, "Thrill of the Fall" boogies its way into your head from the opening piano riff. Metal it sure ain't, but if you as a metalhead can appreciate a band like, say, Trioscapes, or T.R.A.M, or the like, then it's a short hop to the smooth melodies of The Reign of Kindo. They're not all as high energy as "Thrill of the Fall", but they've got a few real corkers in their catalogue.

     Yes, I just used the phrase "real corkers". Just listen to some of The Reign of Kindo already.

2012 Round-up, Part 1: Loud Noises Ten Best of 2012

     If you follow any metal blogs at all (or any blogs or websites about anything, really) you know that this time of year is “Best of” season. Everybody and their mother’s dog is sounding off about their favourite albums of 2012, and dammit that bandwagon is looking a little empty without me. I've got opinions about how 2012 went down, and although I get the sense it'll be a bit like pissing into a hurricane, I'm nevertheless going to undertake the valiant effort of making those opinions known to you, dear reader. So having said all of that, it is my pleasure to present to you part one of the Loud Noises 2012 end of the year round up: the Loud Noises Ten Best of 2012!!

     Now, before we get started, there is one important thing to keep in mind: my tendency towards indecisiveness. You see, I often have trouble making firm and confident decisions. Deciding what to have for dinner can prove quite vexing some days. So as you might be able to imagine, the task of ranking my favourite albums of the year and culminating definitively with a choice that I think stands above all others is one that might very well unburden me of my sanity. In the interest of keeping me from coming completely unhinged, I've decided to just tell you about my ten favourite albums from the past year, in no particular order, just a list, here's ten great records you should check out, bam, done. In fact, just so you can't infer anything unintended from my choice of structure, I'm not even going to number this list of epicness. How do you like them apples?

- Skyharbor - Blinding White Noise: Illusion & Chaos
   Tremendously talented international bands spawned from bedroom and basement recording set-ups seem to be becoming increasingly common in the overlapping worlds of heavy and progressive music, but for my money India's Skyharbor comes out well ahead. Combine complex, melodic, and of course heavy guitar riffs with drums dripping groove and powerful vocals from my boy Dan Tompkins, and you've got an album I've listened to an absolute shit ton of this year, and an album that's so much more than mere djent. It's sometimes easy to forget that Blinding White Noise is Skyharbor's very first release. I for one will be very excited to hear where this group goes next, and I think if you heard them you would be too.

- The Contortionist - Intrinsic
   I could describe The Contortionist's album Intrinsic in one of two ways: I could wax loquaciously about how Intrinsic is a stellar sophomore effort that shows The Contortionist to be a band maturing very nicely. I could talk about how Intrinsic strikes a careful balance between being grand and expansive and being lean and focused. I could talk about how while I maybe don't think it deserved the sheer volume of hype it received online prior to its release, I do think it's a cool and diverse album from a young band that is definitely worthy of your attention. Or I could just use one word to sum up Intrinsic: keyboards! Either way, I was very glad I picked this one up, and very bummed when The Contortionist ended up not playing here on Hallowe'en due to Veil of Maya dropping out of a Canadian mini-tour. Come on back, guys!

- Periphery - Periphery II: This Time It's Personal
   Speaking of hype, we all knew Periphery's second full length was going to be a monster, if only because the interwebs told us so. A bigger, badder record with more of everything fans liked about the first one, and indeed more input from band members whose names aren't Misha Mansoor. My only complaint about this album is that every song is so chock full, so 110%, that it loses a bit of the impact it might have with a bit more ebb and flow, a bit more dynamics. Of course, I can't really fault Periphery too much for crafting an album that is monotonously good, can I? Periphery might need some new tricks when the time comes for Periphery III: Back to the Periphery, but for the time being Periphery has upped their game in every way for Periphery II.

- The Faceless - Autotheism
   The observant reader will by this point have noticed at least one trend in this best of 2012 list, namely that a number of these albums were highly anticipated and greatly hyped before their respective releases. The latest release from tech/death prodigies The Faceless was no exception. OK, maybe it was a bit of an exception, in the sense that it fully warranted both anticipation and hype. I jumped on the The Faceless bandwagon with Planetary Duality, which I really dug, so I was really excited to hear the follow-up, and I was really pleased with the result. Hell, the opening three track "Autotheism" suite alone is worth the price of admission, and there's six other tracks on the record! Some fans might not have been able to get into the proggier direction guitarist/songwriter/singer Michael Keene chose for his band (those who say saxophone has no place in metal, for example), but I for one think the step up from Planetary Duality to Autotheism bodes extremely well for the step from Autotheism to wherever The Faceless ends up next.

- Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage
   I could say a lot of things about Gojira's fantastic 2012 selection of doom and groove, L'Enfant Sauvage, most of which have probably already been said a dozen times on a dozen websites, but I think the most ringing endorsement of this album I can give anyone is to say that it made a Gojira fan out of me. Prior to hearing this album, I was a casual, lukewarm Gojira fan at best, really only knowing a few of their more "mainstream" songs. But L'Enfant Sauvage is all killer, no filler, with every song being solid and not at all skippable, which I find is something to be said for an album of any genre, let alone a genre as potentially pummeling as metal. If L'Enfant Sauvage can make a Gojira convert out of me, it can make a convert out of anyone.

- Trioscapes - Separate Realities
If I could say a lot of things about Gojira's L'Enfant Sauvage, then I can't say enough about the debut album from three-piece jazz fusion act Trioscapes. Among the many glowing statements I might make about Separate Realities: it'll make a jazz fan out of even the most staunch metalhead, especially when you consider that one full third of its membership (bass player Dan Briggs) does double duty in both Trioscapes and prog champs Between the Buried and Me; it'll also make jazz fans out of your friends and associates when played at gatherings and get-togethers (yeah, I've put Trioscapes on at parties, to largely positive reactions); Trioscapes'll even give metal-fan you and your non-metal-fan girlfriend something badass to share. Yes, with its deep, deep grooves and super funky riffs enough for days on end, Trioscapes' Separate Realities is the great jazzy equalizer.

- Deftones - Koi No Yokan
   2010's Diamond Eyes is widely hailed as a return to form for the Deftones, a rebottling of the lightning of the seminal White Pony, and if you accept this logic then 2012's Koi No Yokan is proof positive that Diamond Eyes wasn’t a fluke and Deftones are capable of making lightning strike the same spot again and again and again. It's too bad that original bassist Chi Cheng is still recovering from a very serious car accident more than four years ago, but at least Sergio Vega is continuing his terrific job of holding down the low end of things. As a result, a playthrough of Koi No Yokan doesn't leave one wondering "Aw, where's Chi?" but rather "Wow, Deftones can still write a captivating album, can't they?" They're not reinventing the wheel or their sound, but then why should they? With Deftones it's long been about the quality of their songs rather than doing something radically new with each record; as far back as White Pony, Deftones had found the rough formula for what works for them, and they've been playing around with that formula ever since. Sometimes the resulting collection of songs is more Diamond Eyes and sometimes it's more Saturday Night Wrist (which is a good record, don't get me wrong). Koi No Yokan is a rock solid collection of songs, which is a pretty lofty achievement in my book.

- Baroness - Yellow & Green
   2012 was a tumultuous year for Baroness to say the least: in July they released Yellow & Green, the much anticipated follow-up double album to killer sophomore effort Blue, to widespread acclaim, and then in August they were involved in a pretty serious bus crash while on tour in England. The band is recovering well from their various injuries (which included broken bones and fractured vertebrae) but it's still a major setback in a career, and a terrifying event for anyone to undergo. However, it seems like Baroness will rise again and forge ahead, so Baroness fans can take heart and, in the meantime, take pleasure in a double album that's as dark and melancholy as it is plaintive and beautiful. Listeners expecting a straight up increase in "heaviness" might be disappointed, but listeners looking for a deep and interesting listen will find it here in spades.

- Between the Buried and Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
   As we've already seen, 2012 was a year with some pretty big, pretty highly anticipated releases, and the latest prog-metal opus from Between the Buried and Me was no exception. The band's track record of producing works of technically magnificent madness dovetailed nicely with the introductory EP Hypersleep Dialogues they released in 2011 as a teaser for Future Sequence to create an atmosphere of rabid expectation. And then they delivered, blowing us all away with an audio roller coaster ride through the stars. I think I'm personally still a bigger fan of The Great Misdirect, because I just really like how that collection of songs hangs together as a piece of music, but there's no denying that Future Sequence is a slice of Between the Buried and Me at the top of their game. If you're at all a fan of technically progressive metal or Between the Buried and Me, and have somehow not heard this record yet, stop what you're doing and go get a copy right now. Then come back, put it on, and finish reading this. Or just finish this first. Either way, don't run away for good just yet, because we're not quite done yet...

- Sylosis - Monolith
   The latest slab of thrash from the purveyors of shredding from Reading may not have been a record widely anticipated by the metal world at large, but I've been a fan of Sylosis since their first EP so I was definitely looking forward to it. And if 2012 is any indication of what 2013 might be like for Sylosis, by the time they get around to recording the follow-up to Monolith I won't be the only one who's excited. For now we all have to be satisfied with Monolith, the third full length album from modern British thrash titans Sylosis, and it's a doozy. I fee like it might lack a little of the fire, a little of the magical spark, that connected me so well with some of their earlier work, but that's not to say Monolith isn't...well, monolithic. From one end to the other it's tasty metal goodness. Sure, there's some quieter bits, and some slower bits, but the sheer riffage-per-minute numbers on this one are off the charts. I always try to talk Sylosis up to my friends who like metal, so let this be (another) lesson to you: if you somehow don't know Sylosis by now, get to know them. Like I said, after releasing Monolith in 2012 and then snagging a tour spot opening for Lamb of God, Sylosis are poised for a 2013 that you'll want to be a part of.

Well, there you have it, ten records that I listened to a lot of in 2012 and that I think I liked more than anything else I heard released last year. No doubt you're already familiar with at least some of these, but hopefully there's at least one you don't know and can check out, because you know how I like turning you on to new stuff. Aww yeah you do. Anyways, until part 2 of the 2012 year end report is ready for your collective eye- and ear-holes, why don't you crank some of the above? You won't be sorry you did. Schuss!

Song of the Day: Trioscapes - Separate Realities

     Happy Sunday night, everybody. Since it was Kelsey's birthday yesterday and we spent the weekend at her parent's house, and of course because she is so awesome, I figure she deserves another song. But as much as I love her, I'm not writing this blog just for her, right? So the challenge then becomes picking a good song that she really digs but that the rest of you should find equally bad ass. Challenge accepted.

Song of the Day: Trioscapes - Blast Off

     I've got something a little different for you today, and something I can't believe I haven't posted about before. However, I warn you now, there be saxophone ahead. I know sax isn't everyone's favourite thing, and can in fact be quite divisive, so consider this your fair warning that today's song includes sax.* Intrigued? Read on.