For this here belated Throwback Thursday, we're only going back a couple of years, but I think you'll be cool with it when your hear the song in question. Any comments about how uncool with it you are can be left below.
"Unwelcome" isn't just the title track from the 2013 Arsis album, it's also the lead track, an big job for any song. I could go on all day with my thoughts about the importance of track orders and album pacing, particularly regarding opening tracks, but suffice it to say that first impressions are important if you want to make sure some listens to the rest of your record. Arsis made the right call putting "Unwelcome" at the top of the Unwelcome batting order, because it perfectly sets the tone for the deft, melodic technical death metal that follows. Arsis fan or not, I think you'll agree that "Unwelcome" makes a great opening salvo, so have a listen and see what you think.
Sunday, 31 January 2016
Saturday, 30 January 2016
Wednesday the 20th: Killswitch Engage - Hate By Design
I know, I know, if we're following the linear rules of conventional temporal mechanics, the new Killswitch single (which came out this week) doesn't make a whole lot of sense for a post from last week. But you know that flouting the laws of space-time is one of the things I'm all about, so happy Wednesday the 20th kids, it's "Hate By Design"!
Killswitch Engage's latest offering of tight metalcore Incarnate is due out in March, but "Hate By Design" is our first taste, and it's... decent. I don't think it's going to blow you away, but then I was never expecting that. It's a solid Killswitch song, but not an instant classic, and not even as instantly "in my brain" as "In Due Time" was last album cycle. The flip side of all this, however, is that if you dug Killswitch's "return to form" occasioned by the return of Jesse then you're probably going to remain on board for the ride that is "Hate By Design" and looks to be Incarnate. Check it out.
Killswitch Engage's latest offering of tight metalcore Incarnate is due out in March, but "Hate By Design" is our first taste, and it's... decent. I don't think it's going to blow you away, but then I was never expecting that. It's a solid Killswitch song, but not an instant classic, and not even as instantly "in my brain" as "In Due Time" was last album cycle. The flip side of all this, however, is that if you dug Killswitch's "return to form" occasioned by the return of Jesse then you're probably going to remain on board for the ride that is "Hate By Design" and looks to be Incarnate. Check it out.
Friday, 29 January 2016
Tuesday the 19th: Omnihility - Psychotic Annnihilation
Time to pretend it's Tuesday again, but don't worry, I've got a Tech Tuesday post for you that should make it easy to imagine it's only the second day of the workweek. Unless of course it blows your head off first. That's always a problem.
The latest track from Omnihility, "Psychotic Annihilation" from their forthcoming Dominion of Misery, is one of those tracks that inspires adjectives. 'Ferocious' comes to mind. 'Punishing' does too. 'Relentlessly brutal' would also work, if we're accepting adjectival phrases too. But rather than have me wrack my vocabulary for the perfect descriptor, why don't you just brace yourself, have a listen, and then come up with something on your own. Best one gets a cookie.
The latest track from Omnihility, "Psychotic Annihilation" from their forthcoming Dominion of Misery, is one of those tracks that inspires adjectives. 'Ferocious' comes to mind. 'Punishing' does too. 'Relentlessly brutal' would also work, if we're accepting adjectival phrases too. But rather than have me wrack my vocabulary for the perfect descriptor, why don't you just brace yourself, have a listen, and then come up with something on your own. Best one gets a cookie.
Thursday, 28 January 2016
Monday the 18th: Orpheus Omega - Practice Makes Pathetic
In the alternate timeline that is Loud Noises, it's just now Monday the 18th of January, so let's do a Metal Monday post like it's ten days go!
More specifically, let's do a Melodic Metal Monday post, with a little something slick n' crunchy from Australian (surprise!) melodeath band Orpheus Omega and their latest album Partum Vita Mortem. If you want a quick touchstone for tracks like today's song "Practice Makes Pathetic", the first one that springs to my mind is In Flames, but I've seen a comparison or two to Dark Tranquility that I wouldn't argue with either. But the bottom line is that a listen to these guys will reward with some meaty, decently heavy stuff that's got some catchy melodies and some good production values. If that's your jam, then make Orpheus Omega your jam too.
More specifically, let's do a Melodic Metal Monday post, with a little something slick n' crunchy from Australian (surprise!) melodeath band Orpheus Omega and their latest album Partum Vita Mortem. If you want a quick touchstone for tracks like today's song "Practice Makes Pathetic", the first one that springs to my mind is In Flames, but I've seen a comparison or two to Dark Tranquility that I wouldn't argue with either. But the bottom line is that a listen to these guys will reward with some meaty, decently heavy stuff that's got some catchy melodies and some good production values. If that's your jam, then make Orpheus Omega your jam too.
Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Sunday the 17th: Protest the Hero - Underbite
If you're a Protest the Hero fan, chances are you're already familiar with their recent Pacific Myth EP project being recorded and released one track per month over on Bandcamp. Maybe you're even a subscriber already. But if you're not necessarily a Protest fan, you might only have heard about this Pacific Myth thing from me (please, let me hold onto the delusion that I'm somehow your go-to for this kind of thing). And unfortunately, since Pacific Myth is a subscription-based project, I can really only recommend new songs to you when they come out, rather than linking you directly to the goods.
So today I'm going to be a nice guy. Rather than pointing you at the latest Pacific Myth track (called "Cataract", which you definitely should check out if you get the chance) I'm just going to hit you with a tasty tune from the band's last LP, 2013's Volition. "Underbite" is a characteristically high energy song with a characteristically acerbic and tongue-in-cheek take on rock stardom and the music industry. Would you expect anything less from Rody and the Gang?
So today I'm going to be a nice guy. Rather than pointing you at the latest Pacific Myth track (called "Cataract", which you definitely should check out if you get the chance) I'm just going to hit you with a tasty tune from the band's last LP, 2013's Volition. "Underbite" is a characteristically high energy song with a characteristically acerbic and tongue-in-cheek take on rock stardom and the music industry. Would you expect anything less from Rody and the Gang?
Saturday the 16th: Pillars in the Sky - 72 hours remain
Regular readers will know that I'm a fan of cool instrumental stuff, and they may also have picked up on the fact that, as a solo act myself here at Loud Noises (and in my former life working on The Icarus Project...ask me about it sometime...), I'm always interested to hear a solo artist that can grab me as much as a full band. Pillars in the Sky is exactly the kind of act I like to find out about.
The brainchild of a Brit named Bowe, Pillars in the Sky combines elements of modern prog, djent, tech, and ambient atmospherics. The kicker, however, especially where Pillars' latest What Became of the Kingdom is concerned, is the inclusion of some glitchy, chip-tuney, video game-inspired goodness. The end result can flow seamlessly from heavy to ethereal and back, but for your introduction to all things Pillars of the Sky, I've chosen something a little more towards the heavier end of things. Surprise!
Your song for Saturday the 16th is "72 hours remain", and yes, you guessed it, that's a video game reference of a title (spoiler: they all are on What Became of the Kingdom). Gold star for whoever correctly identifies the game first. Oh, and gold stars all around for anyone who jams the song -- you may collect at the end of your nine minutes of awesome.
The brainchild of a Brit named Bowe, Pillars in the Sky combines elements of modern prog, djent, tech, and ambient atmospherics. The kicker, however, especially where Pillars' latest What Became of the Kingdom is concerned, is the inclusion of some glitchy, chip-tuney, video game-inspired goodness. The end result can flow seamlessly from heavy to ethereal and back, but for your introduction to all things Pillars of the Sky, I've chosen something a little more towards the heavier end of things. Surprise!
Your song for Saturday the 16th is "72 hours remain", and yes, you guessed it, that's a video game reference of a title (spoiler: they all are on What Became of the Kingdom). Gold star for whoever correctly identifies the game first. Oh, and gold stars all around for anyone who jams the song -- you may collect at the end of your nine minutes of awesome.
Tuesday, 26 January 2016
Friday the 15th: 7 Horns 7 Eyes - Divine Amnesty
File this one under "Whatever happened to these guys?" Last time I checked in on 7 Horns 7 Eyes on Facebook, back in the summer, it seemed like writing for a new record might be underway. That was the last post from band, which one can only hope means they're too busy doing important stuff like writing and recording to bother with trivialities like social media.
Let's listen to "Divine Amnesty", the opening track from 2012's solid Throes of Absolution, in that spirit, as an offering to whatever gods govern mixing, mastering, and release dates. Like the rest of Throes, "Divine Amnesty" is a groovy piece of doom-laden death metal with some melodic, shreddy lead work that remains tastefully done throughout. The fact that these guys are a *gasp* Christian metal band (!) that actually rips is a heaping helping of icing on this heavy-ass cake. Bring on the next album already!
Let's listen to "Divine Amnesty", the opening track from 2012's solid Throes of Absolution, in that spirit, as an offering to whatever gods govern mixing, mastering, and release dates. Like the rest of Throes, "Divine Amnesty" is a groovy piece of doom-laden death metal with some melodic, shreddy lead work that remains tastefully done throughout. The fact that these guys are a *gasp* Christian metal band (!) that actually rips is a heaping helping of icing on this heavy-ass cake. Bring on the next album already!
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