What's this? A Monday post almost on a Monday? You know it. A "Metal" Monday post even. But why the quotation marks, you ask? I'll tell you, I said.
I used to be a pretty decent Trivium fan. Ascendancy in particular came out at the perfect time, just when I was getting into heavier and heavier stuff. That album and Shogun are definitely my favourites, and I'll still revisit them periodically. But everything since Shogun has been a little hit or miss, even if you're still into Trivium, which I know a lot of tr00 metalheads aren't.
I would, however, point out that even that hit-or-miss newer material does occasionally hit, providing songs that, for whatever reason, hook me in just the right way. Your "Metal" Monday song, "Forsake Not the Dream" from 2011's In Waves, is just such a track. I don't know why its radio-friendly, melody-heavy riffs and chord progressions tickle me the way they do, but it's a very Goldilocks-just-right mix of elements. Have a listen, and then commence your scoffing, O tr00est of metalheads.
Tuesday, 14 April 2015
Monday, 13 April 2015
Sunday: Solipsist - End This Day
I told you I'd get you back into metal territory soon enough, and lo, I am a keeper of promises. Enjoy your Sunday song kids.
Cleveland's Solipsist is an interesting beast. Their vocalist has a bit of a Randy Blythe thing going on sometimes, but their sound is definitely more death metal than Lamb of God's. So think Lamb of God with the deal metal quotient turned up a bunch, and you'll at least have a starting point for Solipsist.
The band's latest album, last month's The Burning Mass, offers a number of tasty tracks that I could have chosen as your belated Sunday song, but I've decided to go with the melo-deathy "End This Day" simply for its driving energy. There's almost a bit of a Black Dahlia Murder feel to this one. Give it a listen, and then check out the rest of The Burning Mass. It's not anything mindblowing, but there's some rock solid riffage to be had. Have at 'er!
Cleveland's Solipsist is an interesting beast. Their vocalist has a bit of a Randy Blythe thing going on sometimes, but their sound is definitely more death metal than Lamb of God's. So think Lamb of God with the deal metal quotient turned up a bunch, and you'll at least have a starting point for Solipsist.
The band's latest album, last month's The Burning Mass, offers a number of tasty tracks that I could have chosen as your belated Sunday song, but I've decided to go with the melo-deathy "End This Day" simply for its driving energy. There's almost a bit of a Black Dahlia Murder feel to this one. Give it a listen, and then check out the rest of The Burning Mass. It's not anything mindblowing, but there's some rock solid riffage to be had. Have at 'er!
Saturday: Klone - Immersion
After more than a week off the rails, it's time to get things back on track, starting with something for Saturday. Let's do it!
After our recent time in jazz land, we'll ease back into heavier things by way of post-whatever town. Post-rock, post-metal, whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter, just set your phasers to France and have a listen to "Immersion" from the latest Here Comes the Sun by Klone. It's got some big riffing going on, hence the easing back into heavier things, but it's also got a laid back kind of vibe that even goes so far as to feature a horn solo.
So, one foot still in vaguely jazzy territory still? Maybe. Not really. But why don't you be the judge of that. Check out "Immersion" Klone and see if you get the same old school vibe from them that I do.
After our recent time in jazz land, we'll ease back into heavier things by way of post-whatever town. Post-rock, post-metal, whatever you want to call it, it doesn't matter, just set your phasers to France and have a listen to "Immersion" from the latest Here Comes the Sun by Klone. It's got some big riffing going on, hence the easing back into heavier things, but it's also got a laid back kind of vibe that even goes so far as to feature a horn solo.
So, one foot still in vaguely jazzy territory still? Maybe. Not really. But why don't you be the judge of that. Check out "Immersion" Klone and see if you get the same old school vibe from them that I do.
Sunday, 12 April 2015
Friday: Monobody - Lifeguard of a Helpless Body
I'm going to stick with the vaguely jazzy pseudo-theme that's been running through the last week (or more) in choosing something a little more chill for your belated Friday song. Don't worry though, I'm not surreptitiously morphing this into an instrumental jazz blog, and we'll be back in more metal territory before you know it. And hey, your Thursday song was some old-school-meets-new-school death metal from Italy's Human Improvement Process, so quit complaining!
Quit complaining and check out Chicago's Monobody, an instrumental electro-jazz quintet with the interesting quirk of having two bassists on much of their material. But don't look at it as something gimmicky; instead just get into one of the many cool grooves that either Al Costis or Steve Marek (or both!) lay down with drummer Nnamdi Ogbonnaya.
There's a lot of fun stuff going on on Monbody's self-titled debut LP, making it a "must check out" for anybody who's into this kind of thing. And anybody who's not into this kind of thing should have a listen to album opener "Lifeguard of a Helpless Body" and get into this kind of thing, OK?
Quit complaining and check out Chicago's Monobody, an instrumental electro-jazz quintet with the interesting quirk of having two bassists on much of their material. But don't look at it as something gimmicky; instead just get into one of the many cool grooves that either Al Costis or Steve Marek (or both!) lay down with drummer Nnamdi Ogbonnaya.
There's a lot of fun stuff going on on Monbody's self-titled debut LP, making it a "must check out" for anybody who's into this kind of thing. And anybody who's not into this kind of thing should have a listen to album opener "Lifeguard of a Helpless Body" and get into this kind of thing, OK?
Saturday, 11 April 2015
Thursday: Human Improvement Process - Tortured Hands of Reason
Once again, the track I've picked for your belated Thursday song isn't Throwback per se, but it does have a bit of old school flavour -- old school death metal flavour, to be precise. But this tasty death metal flavour is actually brand new school, and international to boot.
Human Improvement Process might hail from Italy, but their brand of death metal would sound at home coming from just about anywhere that death metal gets done. Take "Tortured Hands of Reason", from the band's EP Enemies of the Sun, for an example. It's just got all the elements it needs to slay: riffs, grooves, blast beats, even a little leadwork. If this kind of thing is your bag, you will dig these guys, so check 'em out.
Human Improvement Process might hail from Italy, but their brand of death metal would sound at home coming from just about anywhere that death metal gets done. Take "Tortured Hands of Reason", from the band's EP Enemies of the Sun, for an example. It's just got all the elements it needs to slay: riffs, grooves, blast beats, even a little leadwork. If this kind of thing is your bag, you will dig these guys, so check 'em out.
Friday, 10 April 2015
Wednesday: Arcturus - The Arcturian Sign
I don't think the Wednesday song I've got picked out for you is quite weird enough to justify calling it a full-on Weird Wednesday, but it's also a pretty decent ways removed from what I've been pointing you towards over the last little bit. So call it a weirdish Wednesday if you like.
Your weirdish Wednesday band is Norwegian outfit Arcturus, back from a lengthy slumber with a new disc Arcturian due out in May. Your weirdish Wednesday song is the somewhat unsurprisingly named "The Arcturian Sign", a black metal monolith layered with synths and strings that immediately brings to mind words like "grandiose" and "majestic".
To be perfectly honest, stuff like that (ie: grandiose and majestic symphonic-glazed black metal) isn't usually my cup of tea. But Arcturus have me rethinking that stance, at least when it comes to stuff that inhabits this weirdish little corner of the black metal world. Let them change your mind too.
Your weirdish Wednesday band is Norwegian outfit Arcturus, back from a lengthy slumber with a new disc Arcturian due out in May. Your weirdish Wednesday song is the somewhat unsurprisingly named "The Arcturian Sign", a black metal monolith layered with synths and strings that immediately brings to mind words like "grandiose" and "majestic".
To be perfectly honest, stuff like that (ie: grandiose and majestic symphonic-glazed black metal) isn't usually my cup of tea. But Arcturus have me rethinking that stance, at least when it comes to stuff that inhabits this weirdish little corner of the black metal world. Let them change your mind too.
Thursday, 9 April 2015
Tuesday: Nicholas Llerandi - Cracked
I've got a kinda sorta Tech Tuesday track for your belated Tuesday song, coming from someone whose work you just might already know.
Are you familiar with Ever Forthright? What about Stimpy Lockjaw? If you dig either of these acts, it just might be the common denominating flavour of guitarist Nicholas Llerandi that you're into. Well now Nick has a solo record on the way, and surprise surprise, it's progaliciously jazztastic.
Have a listen to "Cracked" for a taste of what I mean. And then hit repeat and have a watch of drummer Zach Marks shuffling and ghosting his way through a playthrough video replete with groove. Replete I say!
Are you familiar with Ever Forthright? What about Stimpy Lockjaw? If you dig either of these acts, it just might be the common denominating flavour of guitarist Nicholas Llerandi that you're into. Well now Nick has a solo record on the way, and surprise surprise, it's progaliciously jazztastic.
Have a listen to "Cracked" for a taste of what I mean. And then hit repeat and have a watch of drummer Zach Marks shuffling and ghosting his way through a playthrough video replete with groove. Replete I say!
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