If, like me, you grew up listening to any form of blank-core (ie: metalcore, deathcore, emocore, what have you...) there's a decent chance you still like to put some of that kind of thing on from time to time. Maybe you always go back to the same old stuff you love, but maybe, like me, you also enjoy discovering new acts doing some aspect of the genre/subgenre well.
We've been over this idea before (ie: new takes on old core sounds) but it's a concept I like to revisit anytime I come across something that fits just right, like Kentucky's Left to the Wolves. The latest release from Left to the Wolves, In the Absence of Humanity, combines deathcore riffing and drumming with some melodic groove and some blackened feel and atmosphere -- think Gojira if the fanatical Frenchmen were less into groove and feel and more into crushing core brutality.
Your Sunday song "Slave: Mother Earth" probably isn't going to blow you away with its extreme technicality or progressiveness, but if you want something with a good amount of meaty heaviness to it, Left to the Wolves might be right up your alley. Check them out.
Friday, 6 November 2015
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Saturday: Sound Struggle - Strongth
Microtheme time, so pile in the car and let's all head to Beantown. Remember how the Cradle of Liberty was also the birthplace of yesterday's "Friday" band, instrumental outfit Chronologist? Well your Saturday song was also born in Boston, so settle in for a sample of the diverse and technically proficient prog of Sound Struggle.
The guys in Sound Struggle got together at Boston's famed Berklee College of Music, so you know there's some technical ability in the room. But on their latest LP Rise, these six dudes have managed not only to show their chops but also to demonstrate that they can craft a mean mess of proggy jazz fusion -- complete with synths and sax -- that's still capable of being heavy as fuck.
I really don't know where to start you on this one, so you're going to start at the start. Logical right? That makes your official Saturday song for last week Sound Struggle's "Strongth", but buckle up kids, because this time around the link's for a while album stream. So enjoy "Strongth" and then brace yourself for the rest of the madness and badness that is Rise.
The guys in Sound Struggle got together at Boston's famed Berklee College of Music, so you know there's some technical ability in the room. But on their latest LP Rise, these six dudes have managed not only to show their chops but also to demonstrate that they can craft a mean mess of proggy jazz fusion -- complete with synths and sax -- that's still capable of being heavy as fuck.
I really don't know where to start you on this one, so you're going to start at the start. Logical right? That makes your official Saturday song for last week Sound Struggle's "Strongth", but buckle up kids, because this time around the link's for a while album stream. So enjoy "Strongth" and then brace yourself for the rest of the madness and badness that is Rise.
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.
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Wednesday: Cloudkicker - Emfargo
Everyone's favourite American one-man instrumental prog outfit Cloudkicker is back with a new record (I say American so you don't get your hopes up about new Chimp Spanner...). If you know what's good for you, you should check out Woum in its entirety, front to back, at least a couple of times. It's an album that's meant be immersed in -- headphones are a must.
But just in case you're in a rush, I'll take up the difficult task of directing you towards an interesting individual track for your consideration. And while there's a couple of choices that stuck out to me on my first few listens to Woum, I feel pretty confident in pointing you towards "Emfargo", an intricate little experiment in echoes, loops, and layers. Get caught up in this one.
But just in case you're in a rush, I'll take up the difficult task of directing you towards an interesting individual track for your consideration. And while there's a couple of choices that stuck out to me on my first few listens to Woum, I feel pretty confident in pointing you towards "Emfargo", an intricate little experiment in echoes, loops, and layers. Get caught up in this one.
Saturday, 31 October 2015
Tuesday: Enter Shikari - Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour
I haven't done a Techno Tuesday in a while, so let this much belated post be one of those electronic affairs. And yes, before you electro-junkies jump on me, I'm aware that every time I use this band for this type of post, I'm stretching to use the word Techno, but alliteration, right?
Regular readers will know that I often go to the Enter Shikari well when I want something sorta heavy with a dash of electronic content, and devoted readers might recall the trivia tidbit that my favourite Shikari record is still 2007's Take to the Skies. That means another cut from Skies for your Techno Tuesday track, and this time out it's "Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour". So put this one on and then cross your fingers about that title...
Regular readers will know that I often go to the Enter Shikari well when I want something sorta heavy with a dash of electronic content, and devoted readers might recall the trivia tidbit that my favourite Shikari record is still 2007's Take to the Skies. That means another cut from Skies for your Techno Tuesday track, and this time out it's "Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour". So put this one on and then cross your fingers about that title...
Monday: Twelve Foot Ninja - One Hand Killing
It's been a while since we've much of anything from djenty Australian groove-prog outfit Twelve Foot Ninja, but that's apparently been because, in addition to doing mucho touring, they've been working on some new material. Joy!
Much of that new material has yet to be put to tape (er, hard drive?), with Twelve Foot Ninja currently running a crowdfunding campaign to fund recording in the hopes of a 2016 release. But in an effort to drum up some support for said sophomore record and its funding process, the guys have just released weird and wacky single "One Hand Killing" as a taste of the new stuff. To these ears it definitely sounds evolutionary in the best possible ways -- more groovy riffage, more interesting instrumentation (dose keyboards at the end...), more musical variety... just more tasty. This new record could be one next year's best, so have a listen to the future today!
Much of that new material has yet to be put to tape (er, hard drive?), with Twelve Foot Ninja currently running a crowdfunding campaign to fund recording in the hopes of a 2016 release. But in an effort to drum up some support for said sophomore record and its funding process, the guys have just released weird and wacky single "One Hand Killing" as a taste of the new stuff. To these ears it definitely sounds evolutionary in the best possible ways -- more groovy riffage, more interesting instrumentation (dose keyboards at the end...), more musical variety... just more tasty. This new record could be one next year's best, so have a listen to the future today!
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