Better clear out some of your schedule for this one folks, because your Wednesday post is pretty meaty. Don't worry though, it's worth every bit of it.
And why is that? Because Colorado quartet Dreadnought are really very good at genre-jumping musical journeys of the proggiest order. My evidence of this? The title track from their very-nearly-released latest album Bridging Realms. "Bridging Realms" starts off pretty mellow, but give it a few minutes and things get considerably heavier.
This particular track doesn't really quite make it into "metal" territory (although you might debate me on that one) but then again, some of my favourite metal doesn't really fall within the old genre boundaries anyways. If you like adventurous prog from a very talented group of composers and instrumentalists, give Bridging Realms and Dreadnought a shot.
Thursday, 6 August 2015
Tuesday: In Hearts Wake - Intrepid (feat. Marcus Bridge of Northlane)
No Tech Tuesday post this week, belated or otherwise. In fact, the Tuesday song I've chosen is in some ways the very opposite of what you might expect from a Tech Tuesday tune. It is, however, headbangy fun. Should I have saved this for a Sunday Funday or something? Maybe. Why don't you be the judge?
Australia's In Hearts Wake might not be reinventing the djent wheel at all, but they sure have a knack for groovesmanship. Take as an example "Intrepid", from the band's latest release Skydancer, which is more than the sum of its riffs. I found myself nodding along at multiple points, and hitting repeat a time or two as well. Like I said, there's no rocket science here, but then, does there always have to be?
Australia's In Hearts Wake might not be reinventing the djent wheel at all, but they sure have a knack for groovesmanship. Take as an example "Intrepid", from the band's latest release Skydancer, which is more than the sum of its riffs. I found myself nodding along at multiple points, and hitting repeat a time or two as well. Like I said, there's no rocket science here, but then, does there always have to be?
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Monday: Tesseract - Messenger
You all know I like to alliterate with the Metal Monday, but another start-of-the-week thing I sometimes do (though not in a long while, I don't think) is a New Music Monday. And wouldn't you know it, the heavens have opened again and dropped a tasty morsel into my lap. Thanks heavens!
Another thing you should all know is that I like (as in, really like) both Tesseract and Dan Tompkins, so hearing Dan was back with the band was great, and hearing they had a new album ready for a fall release was even better. But now I've got the icing on the cake pumping from my speakers right this minute in the form of the first single from Polaris.
And what a single! My only complaint? At less than four minutes, "Messenger" is perhaps a little short. But while it doesn't overstay it's welcome, it does bring the funky groove that's the Tesseract version of heavy, and that's exactly what I was looking for more of on this album. More, please!
There are some mix and production issues, especially with the vocals, that people are getting butt-hurt about to varying degrees, but I think if you take "Messenger" as just a representative taste of Polaris and don't get too bent out of shape about every little thing, you'll be just fine. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a fanboy? Whatever, just check out "Messenger" already.
Another thing you should all know is that I like (as in, really like) both Tesseract and Dan Tompkins, so hearing Dan was back with the band was great, and hearing they had a new album ready for a fall release was even better. But now I've got the icing on the cake pumping from my speakers right this minute in the form of the first single from Polaris.
And what a single! My only complaint? At less than four minutes, "Messenger" is perhaps a little short. But while it doesn't overstay it's welcome, it does bring the funky groove that's the Tesseract version of heavy, and that's exactly what I was looking for more of on this album. More, please!
There are some mix and production issues, especially with the vocals, that people are getting butt-hurt about to varying degrees, but I think if you take "Messenger" as just a representative taste of Polaris and don't get too bent out of shape about every little thing, you'll be just fine. Or maybe I'm just a bit of a fanboy? Whatever, just check out "Messenger" already.
Sunday: Buckethead - Nottingham Lace
Time for another Sunday Funday kids, and for inspiration this week I'm going back to one of the biggest sources of musical fun for metalheads and guitar fans everywhere: fretboard wankery. Yes, even while we loathe a band like, say, Dragonforce for being too technically minded, we stand in awe of their chops in the same sentence.
For my money, though, I like a little more musicality mixed in with my chops, and at least a smidge more metal credibility. Enter... the Chicken. (See what I did there?) Yes, if I'm looking for modern guitar wank that I can actually get into, one of my go-to stops is Buckethead, and pretty much my favourite Buckethead album is the somewhat-all-star Enter the Chicken from 2005.
So without further long-winded ado, I give you your Sunday Funday wanky guitar song, "Nottingham Lace". Unlike some of the tracks on Enter the Chicken that feature one or another of a variety of guest vocalists, album closer "Nottingham Lace" is wall-to-wall Buckethead doing what he do for six-and-a-half funky, shreddy minutes. Now, if you're familiar with Buckethead already, you probably already know the deal with the gimmick and everything, and you know your stand on his work. But if you're unfamiliar with him, or even just this track and album, check either, both, and all of it out, because the guy's a genius. A batshit bonkers genius.
For my money, though, I like a little more musicality mixed in with my chops, and at least a smidge more metal credibility. Enter... the Chicken. (See what I did there?) Yes, if I'm looking for modern guitar wank that I can actually get into, one of my go-to stops is Buckethead, and pretty much my favourite Buckethead album is the somewhat-all-star Enter the Chicken from 2005.
So without further long-winded ado, I give you your Sunday Funday wanky guitar song, "Nottingham Lace". Unlike some of the tracks on Enter the Chicken that feature one or another of a variety of guest vocalists, album closer "Nottingham Lace" is wall-to-wall Buckethead doing what he do for six-and-a-half funky, shreddy minutes. Now, if you're familiar with Buckethead already, you probably already know the deal with the gimmick and everything, and you know your stand on his work. But if you're unfamiliar with him, or even just this track and album, check either, both, and all of it out, because the guy's a genius. A batshit bonkers genius.
Monday, 3 August 2015
Saturday: Funeral for a Friend - This Year's Most Open Heartbreak
OK, let's do this, bing bang boom, starting with something that might not be every metalhead's cup of tea: emo. I know, I know, the term these days is usually "post-hardcore", but you know you still call something "emo" when you want to deride it as the snotty, whiny purview of little Hot Topic bitches. You are, of course, correct to malign said little bitches, but let me once again try and show you that not everything that falls under the genre umbrella is created equal, or equally bad.
In fact, I used to dig these guys so much that I almost can't believe I've yet to feature something by them here at Loud Noises, so your Saturday song comes courtesy of British band Funeral for a Friend. More specifically, it's from Funeral's 2003 EP Seven Ways to Scream Your Name, which is one of those records from back in the day that I still listen to out of both nostalgia and genuine appreciation.
Some of Funeral's stuff, especially the early stuff like that off of Seven, is heavier than others, but it's all got lots of singable melodies and infectious energy. That said, I've decided to go with a little something that does actually have some heavy to it, at least as far as its verses are concerned. To that end, your Saturday song is "This Year's Most Open Heartbreak". Ignore the somewhat emo-sounding title, and dig this one right this minute.
In fact, I used to dig these guys so much that I almost can't believe I've yet to feature something by them here at Loud Noises, so your Saturday song comes courtesy of British band Funeral for a Friend. More specifically, it's from Funeral's 2003 EP Seven Ways to Scream Your Name, which is one of those records from back in the day that I still listen to out of both nostalgia and genuine appreciation.
Some of Funeral's stuff, especially the early stuff like that off of Seven, is heavier than others, but it's all got lots of singable melodies and infectious energy. That said, I've decided to go with a little something that does actually have some heavy to it, at least as far as its verses are concerned. To that end, your Saturday song is "This Year's Most Open Heartbreak". Ignore the somewhat emo-sounding title, and dig this one right this minute.
Saturday, 1 August 2015
Friday: Soulfy - Sodomites
Regardless of your thoughts on the material we've heard so far from the upcoming Soulfly record Archangel, I think we can all agree that that cover art is worthy of some awards -- "Most Metal Cover of the Year", maybe, but certainly "Best Renaissance Painting Cover".
The music that'll accompany that cover, however, has been hit and miss, and unfortunately I think I'd say the same about the latest single "Sodomites". On the pro side, it's fucking heavy, with verses that just stomp all over you. On the con side, those choruses magically take all the air out of the rest of the song's sails.
Hopefully this won't be Archangel in microcosm: flashes of badassery mired in a general stew of mediocrity. I've got my favourites, but I've never been the hugest Soulfly fan, and so far this one doesn't seem set to change that. How about you?
The music that'll accompany that cover, however, has been hit and miss, and unfortunately I think I'd say the same about the latest single "Sodomites". On the pro side, it's fucking heavy, with verses that just stomp all over you. On the con side, those choruses magically take all the air out of the rest of the song's sails.
Hopefully this won't be Archangel in microcosm: flashes of badassery mired in a general stew of mediocrity. I've got my favourites, but I've never been the hugest Soulfly fan, and so far this one doesn't seem set to change that. How about you?
Thursday: The Mars Volta - Cavalettas
Longtime readers will hopefully be aware of my love of The Mars Volta, but they'll also hopefully remember how often I've talked about the fine line between jammed-out space prog and unfocused meandering mess. Your Throwback Thursday song this week rides that line nicely.
To get at said song, we've got to throw it back to 2008's The Bedlam in Goliath, an album that rides that same line a little bit. Previous album Amputechture had a tendency to step over that line, but tempered this with more moments of instrumental brilliance. Follow-up Octahedron was a little too loose and free-form, with too much space for live work and not enough goodness on the record itself.
But Bedlam strikes a better balance, with tracks like "Cavalettas" leading the charge. Conventional song structures and instrumental choices aren't exactly de rigeur, but neither are some of the indulgent, extraneous passages that really weigh down a lot of later Mars Volta stuff. Agree with me? Disagree? Thoughts of any kind? Comment upon it, son!
To get at said song, we've got to throw it back to 2008's The Bedlam in Goliath, an album that rides that same line a little bit. Previous album Amputechture had a tendency to step over that line, but tempered this with more moments of instrumental brilliance. Follow-up Octahedron was a little too loose and free-form, with too much space for live work and not enough goodness on the record itself.
But Bedlam strikes a better balance, with tracks like "Cavalettas" leading the charge. Conventional song structures and instrumental choices aren't exactly de rigeur, but neither are some of the indulgent, extraneous passages that really weigh down a lot of later Mars Volta stuff. Agree with me? Disagree? Thoughts of any kind? Comment upon it, son!
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