Smiles Everyone, Smiles

New Dillinger Escape Plan Song!

Top Twenty (One) Tooth & Nail Albums

So putting together the list of Top 10 Solid State Records got me thinking about Tooth and Nail. Which lead me to put together this list of my top 21 favorite albums released by The Nail. Admittedly T&N have become a little... trendy? I mean, they've always followed trends but their current roaster of artist it lacking.

* So any albums that made the Solid State list are not on this list. I've also taken into account the first 4/5 years of BEC recordings because the first couple of bands on the label were all T&N artist shoved over to Mr Ebel's new imprint. And lastly, this is my list. It's completely biased. So enjoy!

21. Pedro the Lion - Whole ep

Whole was a brief glimpse at the good things to come from Mr Bazan. It's the most overtly Christian album Pedro the Lion put out but it's not offensive or cheesy. 6 really good songs that seem like a distant memory to David Bazan's current outlook on life.

20. Starflyer 59 - Silver

Starflyer 59's debut is held in high regard by their fans. One of T&N earliest releases. It gets thrown around as a My Bloody Valentine sound alike but that's an easy and cheap description of the album. To this date it's probably the best Jason Martin's guitars have sounded. Hazel Would is a fan favorite.

19. Further Seems Forever - The Moon is Down

A little bit of emo for you. I was a senior in high school when this record came out and at the time of it's release I fell in love with Further Seems Forever. The Moon is Down is Chris Carrabba's (Dashboard Confessional) only album with the band. Sadly he left FSF before the release of the album and the songs never sounded right live with Jason on vocals.

18. MxPx - Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo

Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo is probably MxPx's most accessible record. It was the first record they put out that lyrically set them apart from their earlier releases. They moved away from songs about growing up and being a teen. It's probably not the fans favorite album but it ranks as one of their finest in my books.

17. Blenderhead - Figureheads on the Forefront of Pop Culture

Blenderhead's final release was a fun, mathy, pop punk album. Not really an album that had the DC sound but you could hear Fugazi's influence in Blenderhead's music. Another great and underrated band.

16. Klank - Still Suffering

Christian industrial music was always known for being too dark and too evil to actually be Christian. Klank was no different. I believe it was Klank who was at the center of controversy for playing Nine Inch Nails at his merch table during Cornerstone festival. The first time I heard Downside on the first Songs from the Penalty Box compilation I loved it.

15. Ghoti Hook - Two Years to Never

With Two Years to Never, Ghoti Hook stepped away from punk to create a rock record. And they were successful. Two Years to Never and the ep they put out on Velvet Blue Music were both super strong rock records and it was sad to see them break-up.

14. Plankeye - The Spark

There were a ton of Christian alternative bands in the mid-90's. Most were pretty good. With their second record, The Spark, Plankeye moved away from a Jane Addiction sounding punk style to something more straight forward. Open House and Wings to Fly are both top notch songs.

13. Starflyer 59 - The Fashion Focus

With the Fashion Focus, Starflyer 59 decided to stop playing rock music and make a pop record. The result is amazing and The Fashion Focus ushered in a new era for Starflyer 59. From the opener, I Drive Alot, to the closer, Days of Lamech, The Fashion Focus is a strong indie pop record from start to finish.

12. The Crucified - Nailed/Take Up Your Cross

T&N released the demos of the Crucified and introduced us to one the great bands christian punk/metal/hardcore has ever seen. Nailed/Take Up Your Cross is the hardcore/punk version of the Crucified. This was Minor Threat for Christians.

11. Frodus - Conglomerate International

I was always perplexed as to how Frodus ended up on T&N but that's besides the point. This is DC post-hardcore at it's finest. Their album rallying against corporate America still rings true 10 years later.

10. The OC Supertones - Supertones Strike Back

Yes, Ska. Yes, The Supertones! This record comes off as a tad cheesy when I listen to now but I still love ska and this record has a special place in my heart. It was the record that launched them in Christian rock stardom. It also revealed them to be minor assholes but hey, the music is still fun.

9. Squad Five-O - Bombs Over Broadway

If you've never heard Bombs Over Broadway I highly recommend picking this album up. It's glam punk. It's probably the best songs Squad Five-O ever wrote and live it was amazing. The most energy and most fun I've ever had a concert to date.

8. Roadside Monument - Eight Hours Away From Being a Man

If you look up Christian Indie Rock, Roadside Monument's picture will probably pop up. Their second album Eight Hours Away From Being a Man starts with utter chaos, Sperm Ridden Burden, and mellows out, always just tettering on the edge of breaking.

7. Project 86 - Drawing Black Lines

Drawing Black Lines is an album that explodes into your stereo and rips your ears apart. I'm pretty sure it's the loudest record I've ever heard. Although Project 86 has released a lot of good music since Drawing Black Lines nothing even compares to how great Drawking Black Lines is.

6. mewithoutYou - Brother Sister

I think most people will agree that mewithoutYou's Brother Sister is a perfect record. Musically, lyrically, sonically. There is nothing wrong with it.

5. Joy Electric - The White Songbook

I know I get made fun of for being a Joy Electric fan but this is something I've just come to accept. The White Songbook was Ronnie Martin throwing out the playbook and creating something new and fresh from scrap. The White Songbook was Joy Electric's masterpiece. It's song crafting at it's finest. Joy Electric is not just bleeps and bloops, it's some of the most intricate synth work you'll ever hear.

4. The Juliana Theory - Emotion is Dead

I love this album. Even after 10 years this record still sounds great. Emo didn't always suck. I'm super excited The Juliana Theory is getting back together to play this record again.

3. MxPx - Life in General

Life in General is the fan favorite record. This is a classic MxPx album. Chick Magnet launched MxPx into the spotlight. And even though they haven't had the success has many of the bands who have opened for them over the years, they've had a longer and better career. Life In General holds up.

2. Starflyer 59 - Old

When Frank Lenz and Richard Swift joined Starflyer 59, I don't think people expected Old to be as good as it was. A return to rock for Jason and SF59. Old is the most sonically interesting record Starflyer has put out. The addition of Lenz and Swift was a huge step in the progression of Starflyer and although both of those guys have moved on their impact is still felt.

1. Stavesacre - Speakeasy

Sometimes a subtle shift in sound is all it takes to go from being a good band to a great band. Although Friction and the Absolutes are awesome records, Speakeasy holds up as a classic.

A Dio Christmas

So I just heard this for the first time this morning. It made me sad that I didn't know about this until now. I mean... It's Ronnie James Dio!

Patton's Top 20 of 2009

And now we have the yearly round up of my favorite albums of the past year. This is the best I've kept track of what's come out this year. A couple of quick notes before I get into the list.

First, I'm a little disappointed by hip-hop this year. A handful of great songs but no records that blew me away. The closest was Jay, Stay, Paid by J Dilla.

Secondly, mewithoutYou's "It's all crazy, it's all false, it's all a dream, it's alright", is probably the biggest flop of an album this year. Although songs have grown on me and as an album it's pretty good, to go from something as amazing as Brother Sister to this... it's hard to over look that.

And now for the Top 20.

20. Gifts from Enola - From Fathoms

Mylene Sheath put out some of the best post rock albums this year. From Fathoms is Gifts from Enola's second album and it's light years better then Loyal Eyes Betrayed. A nice combination of chaos and great post rock hooks.

19. Neon Horse - Haunted Horse: Songs Of Love, Defiance, & Delusion

Sometimes you need just a good, fun rock record. And Mark Salomon and Jason Martin have created just that.

18. Steph Modder - Hopes Got Me

It's kind of a shame that more people haven't heard Steph Modder's Hopes Got Me. Just a nice album. One of the best new voices in music.

17. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster - III

So I have to revise my thoughts on southern rock a little. Maylene and The Sons of Disaster do southern metal right!.

16. Jeremy Enigk - Ok Bear

Ok Bear might not be as grand of Return of the Frog Queen but nothing will be. Very similar to his last 2 solo efforts. Jeremy Enigk is one great song writer and Ok Bear is just another great pop record. Great songs. Too bad it was over shadowed by the return of Sunny Day Real Estate (which was also awesome).

15. Thursday - Common Existence

Their most raw album since Full Collapse. Thursday hasn't broken any new ground but Common Existence finds Thursday back creating passionate, furious music.

14. The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of Wars

The Chariot have created another chaotic masterpiece. A good hardcore album start to finish.

13. Tumbledown - Tumbledown

Who knew Mike from MxPx could put out such a great country. Songs about drinking, gambling, and love. It's country music at it's purest and Mike has pulled it off wonderfully.

12. pg.Lost - In Never Out

In Never Out is post rock. Fans of Explosions in the Sky shouldn't pass by pg.Lost.

11. Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder

Featuring members of Neurosis, St Vitus, Sleep, and The Melvins, Shrinebuilder had a lot to live up to. And they pulled it off. Finally, a supergroup that worked. This is doom/sludge/stoner metal heaven.

10. David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

The best thing David has done since Pedro the Lion's Control. Some of the most beautiful and heart wrenching songs he's ever written. Getting back to writing about his spiritual life was a good call and although this is his "breakup with God" record, David Bazan has still managed to paint beautiful pictures with his lyrics.

9. Isis - Wavering Radiant

Wavering Radiant captured a nice balance of metal and post rock. This album has a perfect blend of being heavy and beautiful.

8. Cave In - Planets of Old

4 songs of some of the best music Cave In has ever written. A perfect mix of all things good Cave In, taking the best from Until Your Heart Stops, Jupiter, and Pitch Perfect Black. If all bands need to break up for a couple years to come back and make music this good then it should be so.

7. Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive

The side project of Converge's bassist Nate Newton, Doomriders is just a straight forward kick ass heavy rock and roll band. Darkness Comes Alive hits me perfectly.

6. Russian Circles - Geneva

The post rock genre seems to be in a slight transition to a heavier sound and leading the pack is Russian Circles. Again, they've outdone themselves and great a record with more groove then their previous 2 efforts. Geneva will get your bobbing.

5. Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down

I picked this album up on a whim and it was worth it. Gone is the goofy pop punk Relient K of old. In their place is a mature band whose ability to write great songs still takes me by surprise. Forget and Not Slow Down is the most consistent album of song writing I heard all year. There's no clunkers on this album. It's a solid listen and people who still think Relient K is still singing about Marilyn Manson eating girlfriends, you should give this album a spin. It will change your opinion of the band completely.

4. Mono - Hymn To The Immortal Wind

Hymn to the Immortal Wind took all of 10 second for me to fall in love. Mono has always put out great albums but the play with strings on Hymn makes this album top them all. 10 minute orchestral pieces. Great album

3. Thrice - Beggars

I feel bad for having never really given Thrice their due because Beggars is fantastic. Dustin Kensrue is just a fine lyricist and musically Thrice seems to moved away from their early screamo roots beautifully. I feel like Beggars got lost in the shuffle this year and it's a pity.

2. Saxon Shore - It Doesn't Matter

No band, and I mean no band, has been able to move the sound forward and keep progressing and still continue to write and record music that's better then whatever they released before as Saxon Shore has. It Doesn't Matter might be the most upbeat sounding and keyboard driven record Saxon has produced to date. They aren't your typical post rock band and they're a better band because of it.

1. Mastodon - Crack the Skye

This might be a popular and almost hipster choice for my favorite album of the year but I don't care. I'm not trying to impress anyone anyway. Crack the Skye might not be Leviathan but that's ok. Crack the Skye has Mastodon progressing their sound into something far more then metal. It's an epic journey and it's my favorite album of the year! Nothing was better then Crack the Skye, Nothing!



Honorable Mentions:
Frank Lenz - Strickly Background OST
Hatebreed - Hatebreed
Caspian - Tertia

2009 @ It's Finest - A Patton Mixtape

So as I've done for the last 9 years I bring you The Best of 09 mixtape. And for the second year straight I've put it online for all to enjoy. I had my stuff together this year and got it done early so enjoy.

* All songs taken from albums appearing in Patton's Top 20 albums of 09.

09 @ It's Finest

01. Let's Drink by Tumbledown
02. Forget and Not Slow Down by Relient K
03. Bar Clearing Good Time by Saxon Shore
04. Strange Town by Neon Horse
05. Teach by The Chariot
06. Step Up (I'm on It) by Maylene and the Sons of Disaster
07. Divinations by Mastodon
08. Malko by Russian Circles
09. 20 Minutes/40 Years by Isis
10. Retina Sees Rewind by Cave In
11. The Architect by Shrinebuilder
12. Heavy Lies the Crown by Doomriders
13. The Weight by Thrice
14. This All Leads to You by Steph Modder
15. Mind Idea by Jeremy Enigk
16. In Stitches by David Bazan
17. Ashes in the Snow by Mono

http://www.mediafire.com/?nxzwgkxmhl5

How Excited Am I For This?

I should've posted this yesterday.

THE JULIANA THEORY IS REUNITING TO PLAY EMOTION IS DEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is great news.

Top 10 Solid State Records

With my recent open letter about classic Solid State night @ Cornerstone and my recent rant on how terrible Christian hardcore/metal currently is I thought I'd give a list of (my) Top 10 Solid State* Records releases.

*Patton's note: I understand that some of these albums were released under the Tooth and Nail name but because they fall in the hardcore/metal genre they are on this list.

10. Focused – Bow

This is the 2nd album ever released on T&N( although wikipedia isn't as clear on that as I'd like). Nothing will ever beat the early hardcore days in Christian music. Nothing. The passion coming out of the scene and the bands were great. 94-97 were great years for Christian hardcore. Focused debut is solid. Straight forward old school hardcore. It's the sound that defined the spirit filled hxc scene. Bow is heavy and aggressive and a classic record.

9. Training for Utopia – Throwing a Wrench in the American Music Machine

In their swan song album Training for Utopia went industrial... kind of. Not so much in the vain of Klank or Circle of Dust, probably closer in sound to Pretty Hate Machine but I don't think of Throwing a Wrench... as an industrial record. It was too heavy, had far too many grooves to be industrial. It's a weird album and I understand why people didn't get it but I love it. Even , Everything Including the Stars in Falling Baby, an acoustic track that seems to be completely out of place. If for no other reason this album deserves a place on the list because New York City Is Overrated is far too good a song to be ignored.

8. Focal Point – Suffering of the Masses

Can a band make an impact with one album? Yes. And Focal Point did so. I have this album on red vinyl and it looks and sounds amazing. It's possibly the best artwork for any album Solid State has ever released. Ryan Clark would take what was started with Focal Point and continue with TFU but I don't think anything TFU ever did had the same passionate furry as Suffering the Masses.

7. Extol – Undeceived

Great record. Great F-ing record! I've never been a big death/black/norwegian metal fan. It just doesn't really appeal to my sensibilities. But Undeceived did when it came out and it does now. Probably nothing special in the genre but as far as christian music that was coming out, Undeceived was an instant classic in the scene. Heavy, melodic, technical. Just a great album.

6. Unashamed – Reflection

Unashamed second's album, it was so good that when they finished it they knew they couldn't release a better album and quit. That's how amazing this album is. Unashamed is worship music at it's heart. Hardcore in style, worship in context. The album ends with a great cover a the Rich Mullens classic, Awesome God. I would give anything to have seen Unashamed play the song live (as they will not be on their reunion).

5. Blindside – A Thought Crushed My Mind

Blindside had a solid debut that brought Swedish hardcore to the christian scene in america. A Thought Crushed My Mind blew their debut out of the water. A Thought Crushed My Mind was every bit as raw as their self-titled debut but it was more chaotic, heavier, had more melody, just more. It wasn't the polished post-hardcore Blindside has been out out since, this was raw rock at it's purest. They really don't make records like this anymore.

4. Strongarm – The Advent of a Miracle

Advent of a Miracle... I don't have words for how much I love this record. Strongarm and Shai Hulud were Florida hardcore in the mid-90's and you can hear the similarities shared between the two band. Strongarm had great melody that weaved in and out of their songs that really separated them from their peers. Advent of a Miracle is every bit as good today as it was in 97.

3. Zao – Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest

Zao is a huge influence on me. Dan Weyandt is one of my favorite lyricist of all time and he's without a doubt my favorite hardcore vocalist ever. Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest is monumental on hardcore, Christian and non, and a huge influence in my life. This album really cemented a love for hardcore in me. I don't know if any one band has had such an influence as Zao and Where Blood and Fire is where it all began.

2. Norma Jean – The Anti-Mother

Ok this is a newer record and I know there will be people who instantly cry wolf. Yes, I know there's a large majority of Norma Jean fans who believe their best work is Bless the Martyr, Kiss the Child. But it's not (at least not on my list). I will even concede that Memphis Will Be Laid to Waste is the best Norma Jean song. But this albums. First off, The last 2 Chariot, The Fiancee and Wars and Wars of War, are both better records then Bless the Martyr (so Josh's best work isn't even with Norma Jean). In an age where drums are over produced and and production seems to key to the genre, The Anti-Mother is a rough look at what quality song writing and melody can do for a band. The Anti-Mother is 10 songs long and 10 songs strong. Nothing to skip. Plus the album features Chino Moreno and Paige Hamilton. Norma Jean have been getting better. When I thought there was no way they'd ever top Redeemer, they released The Anti-Mother, which nearly 2 years later I still have a probably taking it out of my cd player.

1. Living Sacrifice – The Hammering Process

I wasn't a big fan of Reborn and even though that record has grown on me, The Hammering Process is my favorite record Living Sacrifice has released and Solid State has released. Where Reborn brought a new era, The Hammering Process firmly nailed LS as one of the great metal bands in christian music. Lance's drumming is top notch, the addition of Matt Putman on percussion added a new level to the music. Rocky Gray delivered great solos on this. I remember playing Hand of the Dead on a missions trip in high school and freaking everybody in the van out. It was accused of being devil music. The Hammering Process is a classic. Seriously.

An Open Letter to Cornerstone (and a handful of former Solid State Bands)

Dear Cornerstone Festival,

It's been a while since we last saw each other. It's no fault of yours. You've had some great moments and I've wanted to come and take part in your experience. But it's expensive and if you haven't noticed the economy isn't being to kind to a lot of us right now, making it harder to come and partake in your musical good times.

But you can fix that this year.

I'm sure you've noticed that 2009 has been the year of the reunion. And this trend looks like it could carry into 2010 nicely and Cornerstone 2010 needs to take full advantage of this.

Focused and Unashamed have both reunited for shows this year. The Crucified played your fantastic festival this past year. Living Sacrifice has a new record coming out in January.

THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASSIC SOLID STATE NIGHT AT CORNERSTONE 2010!!!

Seriously, if you haven't thought of this already, you need to have your brain examined. This is the perfect storm coming together to create the greatest musical night in the history of the world. There are a couple of minor details to hammer out.

Strongarm needs to reunite for this night. They played a show in 2000 at Furnace Festival and there's no reason why they can't come together and play at Cornerstone 2010. Overcome needs to be there too. It sounds like a lot of bands for one night but you can pull this off. Overcome was just as much a part of the early Solid State scene as Focused and Unashamed and it would be a crime not to include them.

So Strongarm and Overcome... what are you waiting for? Your peers are getting back together. So should you!

Cornerstone also needs to make right their mistake of the past couple of years. 2 years straight now you've not invited Zao to play. They've said they want to play.

LET ZAO PLAY!

It would be amazing if for this night Zao took the stage and played their classic "Where Blood and Fire Bring Rest" in it's entirety.

Think about it.

Classic Solid State Night @ Cornerstone 2010 featuring:
Focused
The Crucified
Unashamed
Strongarm
Overcome
Zao
and Living Sacrifice

There is no reason not to do this.

Bryan Patton

My Tribute to Mark Salomon

Stavesacre + The Crucified + Outer Circle + Neon Horse = Awesome

What Happened?

There hasn't been any new music to speak of for a couple weeks. Nothing with real interest and nothing really worth sharing. I've slowed on reviews and have spent my time going through records that have come out this year and putting together my Top 20 albums of 2009. Some good stuff.

I Need Your Clothes

If I don't post this, I fail.

MxPx - Left Coast Punk ep

So Mxpx just dropped a new ep... and surprise, I love it! Left Coast Punk is a cross between the Secret Weapon and Panic, both of which are good. 6 new songs from one of my favorite bands before the end of the year is fantastic. One Step Further, Desperate to Understand, and Shanghaied In Shanghai are in the vain of what Mxpx gave us with last year's Secret Weapon, a sound more in the vain of their earlier punk roots. Broken and Hopeless Case sound like they would've been right at home on Panic. Not as in your face but great songs none the less.

The last track End is a little weak. An acoustic track that's nice but doesn't carry the same feel as the rest of the ep.

All around a great record that I love. If you like Mxpx, this is for you.

Frank Lenz - Strictly Background OST

It's hard to say that Frank's best work is a soundtrack but it's also hard to argue that it's not. Having not seen the movie I have no idea how the songs fit into a film but as an album it is a pure joy to listen to. Taking and improving the elements that made Conquest Slaughter such a fantastic, the Strictly Background soundtrack is a nice mix of great Frank songs and a short musical vignettes that inspire both whimsy and calm.

Certain pieces remind me of something you might hear from a Jon Brion score, well others feel like something you'd hear on a Charlie Brown special or an old school 70's episode of Sesame Street. The songs where Frank is singing sound like tracks that could've fit right at home on Conquest Slaughter and they feel like songs Frank has been posting on myspace for the past couple of years.

Frank has lived in semi-obscurity for some time and I know there's a small indie scene that loves Frank Lenz and the work he's done and I hope this soundtrack will help further his career along. He's a fantastic songwriter and musician that deserves a whole hell of a lot more attention then he's got. Strictly Background is an absolutely great album.

Map - Speechless

I knew that Speechless was a mostly instrumental record when I bought it but listening to it was still a little sad. Josh Dooley and Map had been one of my favorite indie pop bands and had written a ton of great songs. And although the sound is in tack without Josh's lyrics of heartbreak, friendship, and love Map seems to be lacking a huge element.

Speechless is still full of great Map songs and is a wonderful soundtrack, without Dooley's vocals the album seems weaker then previous efforts. Songs like Issues and Subscriptions, All the Wrong Reasons, Killing People on the Television, and Souvenirs From a Dead Empire are all winners. The album ends with More to Life Then Money and is a tease into what this record could've been with Josh singing another great Map song. It's a good record but doesn't have the same feel as the Map of old.

The Other Truths

I haven't done anything here for a couple weeks and that's on me. It's not like we've had great albums coming out the past couple of weeks but MxPx did release a new ep and they have christmas album coming out sometime soon. There's been a couple of albums I've listened to and have been meaning to write reviews but my personal life became something of a mess and this site got ignored.

With a long weekend and no plans I'm hoping to post reviews for the latest albums from Frank Lenz, Map, pg.Lost, Pelican, MxPx, and Rise and Fall. I'm also going to post a couple of top 10 type of lists.

At the moment I'm going to give a short review of the new Do Make Say Think album, The Other Truths.


It's a decent. Very enjoyable and nice. There's nothing offensive and awful but nothing really stands out to me either. And I'll admit I'm more into straight forward post-rock sounding stuff and I love builds and and moving grooving songs. But Do Make Say Think has always has a nice blend of free jazz and math rock in their sound that I've always enjoyed them as a band. But for some reason The Other Truths reminds me of Foxhole. Maybe because I spend more time listening to Foxhole then Do Make Say Think and the fact that instrumental music with nice trumpet sections has been done and doesn't hit me in the way as when I first heard DMST. I do enjoy the album and it sounds exactly like what I thought it would sound like. But... I've heard a ton of other post rock albums that I've enjoyed so much more (Russian Circles, Saxon Shore, Mono). Good album, nothing new.

Dashboard Confessional - Alter the Ending

I remember when Dashboard Confessional was just the solo album by the lead singer from Further Seems Forever. I remember seeing Chris preform to 30 people in a small church in Mitchellville, Md. And then I remember MTV unplugged and the emo explosion that found Chris Carrabba as it's poster boy. When Dashboard ditched the acoustic guitar for a full band I tuned out. I enjoyed Swiss Army Romance and The Places You Have Come to Fear The Most had a special place in my heart but honestly Further Seems Forever's The Moon is Down was such a better record and held such a place in my heart that Dashboard Confessional would always be out matched. And though while I've heard songs and albums, nothing Dashboard Confessional has done has hit a chord with me.

So Alter the Ending was posted on myspace for our listening pleasure and I gave it a listen and sadly I was instantly hooked. Chris and the guys in Dashboard have created some of the best songs they've ever put together. And although the album falls short at places, Alter the Ending kept me listening and enjoy most of what I heard.

Get It Right is the most spiritual song Chris has ever written, even more so then anything with FSF. Get It Right, Until Morning, and Everybody Learns From Disaster are 3 great straight forward rock songs that keep Alter the Ending moving. The albums first single, Belle of the Boulevard, a very pretty song (that sounded terrible on the Tonight Show), sound very familiar to Dashboard's last single, Stolen. I love this song.

The album breaks down half way through with Blame it on the Changes and Even Now. Although I didn't think I'd get through the record without ballads and acoustic songs, Alter the Ending had been a high energy rock record and while Blame It On the Changes fits, Even Now seems slows and misplaced. The Motions is more high energy but the record really peters outs and didn't leave me really wanting more. And I like Hell on the Throat for a closing song, the way we get there isn't very impressive.

Alter the Ending is front loaded with great songs and is a highly enjoyable record. And if you buy the special edition you get an acoustic version of the album. It's a different take on the songs and is nice but isn't anything special.

Between the Buried and Me - The Great Misdirect

The Great Misdirect isn't the BTBAM you're used to. Colors serves as an ok transition from Alaska to The Great Misdirect but with their newest offering, BTBAM have gone into full prog-metal. Where Colors bored me, The Great Misdirect has grown and been an interesting listen every time through.

It feels less like a metal record to me and more an album about creating music and pushing musical boundaries and challenging themselves musically. And they've accomplished that.

The albums opens with Mirrors, a jazzy, slow song with a killer bass line that grooves you into Obfuscation which is the only track on the album that is most reminiscent of earlier era BTBAM. I really Alaska/Colors feel for the first half of the track. The breakdown is, again, really groovy and moving. The bass work on The Great Misdirect as a whole is fantastic. Disease, Injury, Madness has moments of Colors era BTBAM and yet moves away from that into more of the progressive style Mastodon has recently played with and into a realm completely different. Fossil Genera - A Feed From Cloud Mountain is their take on a crazy metal carnival that moves all over the place. Desert of Song is the ballad of the record, an acoustic track that might stand out, except that the whole record to this point has been all over the map and has defied genre that you just accept it as a good song. The albums closer. Swim to the Moon, is an epic 18 minute journey through everything BTBAM has brought you so far. It's hard to be mad with 6 songs when the songs average a length of 11 minutes and cover so much ground and is so interesting, far more interesting then anything else in metalcore.

The Great Misdirect is an epic masterpiece. It's on a different level, and although I love Alaska, The Great Misdirect might be my new favrotie Between the Buried and Me record.

New Music Tuesday 11.10

I've been pretty bad at getting reviews up and hopefully this week I'll get on that. I will be posting the BTBAM review later today. As far as new music... another limited and boring week.

Dashboard Confessional - Alter the Ending (Which I like a lot)

Flyleaf - Memento Mori

Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane

Alter the Ending

Sometimes I post news bits that interest me but I mostly leave that to one of the trillion sites that do it better but today I must post.

The new Dashboard Confessional record is streaming on their myspace page. And I kind of love it. Catchy pop songs always find a way into my heart and Alter the Ending is doing that. My on and off relationship relationship with Chris Carrabba is back on. Now if the rumors are true and he records another record with Further Seems Forever... oh my.

http://www.myspace.com/dashboardconfessional

New (Lack of) Music Tuesday

Uh... So the Joy Electric cover album is out today... and I don't have much to say other then it's covers of songs I don't like and that have been released within the last 4 years and have all had radio play.

The Almost have a new record out... but the Almost isn't a great musical endeavor and Aaron should stick to Underoath. But if the emo kiddies like it.

Some Nirvana reissues. This week gives me a chance to catch up on some previous weeks reviews.

Shrinebuilder - Shrinebuilder

There are moments when something sounds like a great idea and you have built in your head ideas of what could possibly be the greatest thing ever. Supergroups are like this. In theory the idea sounds great but I don't know if it ever fleshes out the way fans hope. Shrinebuilder is the doom/sludge/stoner metal super group featuring Members of Melvins, Sleep, Neurosis, and Saint Vitus. Sounds like a kickass band right? And you instantly have a sound in your head as to how epic and awesome this will be. Well never fear Shrinebuilder is as epic and awesome as hoped for and sounds exactly like you'd think.

Shrinebuilder is the band that features Wino, Scott Kelly, Dale Crover, and Al Cisneros. And their debut album, self-titled, is almost exactly what I thought it would sound like. Slow, heavy, brooding guitar lines, solid backbeat, and with Wino doing most of the vocals... the album is incredible. And my only complaint came before I heard the record and it still stands... ONLY 5 SONGS!!!!!! Now the songs do average 7 and a half minutes in length but still... 5 songs of pure doom metal goodness from the guys who have defined the genre... It's excellent, just not enough.

The albums feels like you're listening to a mash-up of the bands the each of Shrinebuilder's members are a part of. Pyramid Of The Moon sounds like it could've been a track off any Neurosis album or Saint Vitus' classic Born Too Late. It's 5 tracks of sludge metal heaven.

Russian Circles - Geneva

I'm a sucker for post rock. You give me a good post rock album and I'm probably going to fall in love and fawn all over it. I have no real explanation for my love for the instrumental rock genre but it's there and it doesn't seem to be going away. And there have been a couple of good records this year. Caspian, Gifts from Enola, Mono, Saxon Shore. And now Russian Circles have delivered one of my favorite this year. Instant love.

Geneva is excellent. The album starts with a weird pre-show orchestra string section/guitar feed back that is instantly appealing to my ears. Fathom is a driving almost doom metal type song with a killer bass riff that ends how it starts. That kicks into the title track, Geneva, which is more heavy goodness. I wouldn't say that Russian Circles is a metal band, post metal or whatever it's called, but they are definitely on the heavier side of the post rock genre. Think of Explosions in the Sky on steroids and mean. Melee is a slower moving song and more in line with what you come to expect from bands of the genre. Hexed All us a string/ambient piece that seems like an extended ending for Melee to move you into Malko, a song that starts with a fantasic guitar riff, that again seems in line with things I've heard from their peers in the genre but unlike the current generation of post rock acts, which some are very good, Russian Circles delivers with a harder edge and hits you in the face and to be honest is just better.

3 albums into their career and Russian Circles is farther ahead in quality then their peer group. When the Mountain Comes to Muhammad is a slow builder that only peaks at about medium spicey, similar to Caspian's latest. The albums closer and longest track, Philos, is a slow builder into a crescendo very typical of post rock but very well done and is a great close to the album.

People who don't get post rock might not care for Russian Circles as although they are better then most of what you'll find in a genre slowly becoming crowded, they are still a band in a genre and plays to that genre. That being said Geneva is awesome and Russian Circle fans will not despair.

New Music 10.27

I still have reviews from some albums last week to post (Russian Circles and Shrinebuilder) but I've spent the past couple of weeks working on playing and making music. As for this week.. a couple of good records.

Between The Buried And Me - The Great Misdirect

Gift of Gab - Escape 2 Mars

Pelican - What We All Come to Need

Rise and Fall - Our Circle Is Vicious

A bad time in christian metal/hardcore?

Maybe because I'm older, maybe because current trends grate on me, or maybe because I don't get it, but I find the state of heavy music in Christianity to be pretty sad.

Speaking of the two labels that stand out, Facedown and Solid State, their line-ups are really weak. The only new band on Facedown that leaves any interest is Hands and when I look at their artist list No Innocent Victim is the only other Facedown band I care about and their about as old school christian hardcore as they come. Facedown's upstart label Strike First has very little to be desired. A Hope for Home had a solid debut but I have a feeling they will be heading in a more emo direction.

Solid State has a little more. Advent and the Chariot are solid. Becoming the Archetype and Oh Sleeper aren't terrible. Demon Hunter is good but it's all senior members of the christian heavy music scene. Soul Embraced is a side project band that's up in the air. Trenches is a project that was great but looks to have been a one and done deal. Norma Jean is no longer on the label. The most exciting and anticipated Solid State release, and possibly the most exciting christian metal release, is the brand new Living Sacrifice album, which has been pushed back to January, and Living Sacrifice have been around forever.

Outside of the two big heavy music labels there are bands scattered. As I Lay Dying is huge in the general market metal scene and a good band. We can't forget Zao who continue to put out great music. Maylene and the Sons of Disaster is creating great southern metal. Comeback Kid is pretty good.

Most of my excitement has been for reunions and the possibility of reunions. Focused has played a reunion show and Unashamed has announced a reunion. Everdown has a new album. Stretch Armstrong has announced 2 shows in 2010 and Blindside has a new album in 2010 but where are the new bands?

Where are the bands that are making quality metal and hardcore, that aren't concerned with trends or fashion? Am I just old? Am I missing out or not getting the great things that the teens are seeing in the current state of heavy music? Am I just being nostalgic for the old ole days? Were things not better 10 years ago?

Maybe this is a problem with the scene in general, that we've moved past what is raw and heavy sounding and that the bands who are moving away from triggered, fake drums and are just trying to right good, heavy music, maybe those bands are not the norm and probably not the bands that we'll see more of. Both Hands and Advent have albums that remind me of the old scene hxc scene, which I love. And maybe that's my problem. Maybe I just haven't grown and changed and the bands I like now are the bands I used to like and that's the way it is. Maybe good christian metal bands that would appeal to me either don't exist or aren't signed and making any waves.

It's like there are entire sub genres of the heavy music scene which just don't exist in christian music. I don't know. I remember the early days of Facedown Records. Figure Four, Dodgin' Bullets, Point of Recognition, Anchor, Torn in Two. Facedown was a hardcore label with some great early releases and a lot of quality music. And the old Solid State roster. Overcome, Unashamed, Focused, Zao, Training for Utopia, Bloodshed, Embodyment, Extol, Focal Point, Strongarm, Warlord, Selfmindead. Solid State was Christian heavy music.

Takehold was an extremely promising label with great bands. Takehold was the label that signed Underoath. They had Narcissus, Few Left Standing, Chalice. They released Hopesfall's classic No Wings to Speak. Tooth and Nail bought out Takehold and with that some great music was lost.

I don't know what's wrong and maybe something isn't wrong. But it seems that the scene has invaded the music and trends and fashion dominate what's out there right now. I hope for good things to come in Christian metal but at the moment... I'm just not sure.

Converge - Axe to Fall

I don't know why some bands are extremely successful at constantly making good, solid records. But some are and some aren't. Converge is a band that I never seem disappointed with. With Converge I'm always sure that I will be getting a fast, heavy, angry sounding, metal record. And Axe to Fall delivers.

Their 7th full-length continues much in the same vain they've gone since Jane Doe. Fast and heavy. The record kicks right in with Dark Horse, a fast tempo circle pit inducing song. It's a great way to kick off the record. Axe to Fall moves with ease from track to track, never losing steam and never letting up. The first 4 tracks hit you with a fast paced energy very reminiscent of No Heroes. Worms Will Feed breaks the tempo and slows things down a bit for 5 minutes in what seems like Converge doing Neurosis. Wishing Well kicks the tempo back up. The albums is mostly an up tempo, fast moving, punch you in the face assault of some of the best songs Converge has cooked up.

The last 2 tracks of the album are a complete switch though. Cruel Bloom is almost a country sort of song. Like a Western bar song as sung by a metal band that gets real heavy at the end, sounding like a track from the latest Doomriders or Neurosis album. Wretched World is a slow moving rock song that seems in line with Cruel World and yet completely different. And as out of the blue as these two songs come they don't distract or take away from Axe to Fall one bit. Converge as tried something new and has pulled it off very successfully.

Converge knows how to make great music and Axe to Fall is another incredible notch on their belt.

10.20 New Music

A handful of releases today.

Converge - Axe to Fall

Do Make Say Think - Other Truths

Old Canes - Feral Harmonic

Russian Circles - Geneva

Sufjan Stevens - The BQE

Gwen Stacy's Solid State debut is also out today and though I don't like this band and am sure that will continue to be case I might have to give it a listen.

Also, Buzzgrinder says the Shrinebuilder debut is out today. I can't find any confirmation online that this is true. I will have to run to Best Buy and see if this is actually the case. This might very well be able to top the list for records in 09. Reviews coming soon (Converge and Russian Circles).

Baroness - Blue Record

I guess the progression from the First and Second Baroness eps to the Blue Record seems right but... it's hard for me to follow. I loved the trashyness of the first 2 eps. 6 songs of old school trash/hardcore. It was good. The Red Album came out and threw me for a loop. Not that bands need to be stuck in a loop but the Red Album was something different. And to be honest it wasn't my favorite album but it's grown on me and I've come to really like it.

Blue Record is lost on me. My enjoyment is lost. And although the record is slowly growing on me, it's still not an attention grabber. It almost feels like The Red Album light. The doom/stoner metal elements from the Red Album have been traded for a more psychedelic rock approach. And for that sound that seems to be what Baroness is going for, it seems a producer or engineer has let them down because they album doesn't sound nearly big enough. The drums don't capture your attention as maybe they should and and things just seem a little thin. But maybe I was just looking for the wrong thing. Maybe my hopes were that Blue Record would be a progression into more of the trippy metal that was on the Red Album.

The album is a rock album from start to finish and despite my lackluster thoughts and minor disappointment, Baroness has created a good record with few faults. The intro to the record, Bullhead's Psalm, is an indication that Blue Record is going to be different. The Sweetest Curse and Jake's Leg are two straight ahead rock tracks, Jake's Leg really seeming to sound like Red Album light. Steel That Sleeps the Eye is an acoustic track that really seems a little out of place. A short song that doesn't seem to find it's place with the rest of the album and maybe it's a track that should best been moved to later in the record. Swollen and Halo is the trippiest song on the album with a great guitar that probably hits you better when you're stoned. Blackpowder Orchard is a weird tribute to being from the south, I guess, that also seems to lose it's place on the album.

Blue Album is mostly a rock album from start to finish and a pretty good one. It's not what I was hoping for or what I thought it would sound like which kind of took the wind out it possibly being one of the best albums of 09 but it is a solid rock album.

10.13 New Music

I only see two things for today.

Baroness - Blue Record

Eisley - Fire Kites ep

Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down

I haven't listened to Relient K in six or seven years. The last time I had listened to them they were singing about Marilyn Manson eating girlfriends and sadie hawkins dances. Of course I've heard songs and snippets over the years but I've never been a fan. I gave Forget and Not a Slow Down a listen to for reason, Ethan Luck. That's right their new drummer (ex Dingees, Supertones, and Demon Hunter). Yes it's not a great reason but I've done it before (I bought the first Lovedrug cd because Matt Putman was in the band).

Forget and Slow Down is probably the biggest surprise album of 09. Not knowing what to hear I was surprised at the level of quality pop songs put out by Relient K. The thing that most jumps out is the fact the the first half of the record could pass as a Death Cab for Cutie record. It would be the most upbeat and poppy Death Cab record but that's what struck a chord with me (and my girlfriend). The record is strong from top to bottom.

Forget and Not Slow Down is a perfect pop rock album. The songs flow from one the to next with ease. It's an upbeat and enjoyable listening experience. I don't completely get have certain songs outros as their own track but it's not a gripe again the record.

The title track and album's opener (and lead single), Forget and Not Slow Down is an acoustic driven verse building to a rocking chorus the makes it a great opener and sets the tone for what to expect from the rest of the album. I Don't Need a Soul, Therapy, Over It, and This is the End are all piano lead songs that remind me of the better Relient K christmas songs (I Hate X-mas Parties and I Celebrate Day). While songs like Part of It and Sarah are straight forward rock songs. Over It is the point on Forget and Not Slow Down where the album shifts from sounding like Death Cab into more of what Relient K has (I guess) been doing.

Gone might be Relient K's pop punk past (This is the End is the most "punk" sounding song) but they've created a fantastic album that has surprised the hell of me and made a fan. This is a good album.

Doomriders - Darkness Comes Alive

It's hard for me to express in word why this record kicks so much ass.

Doomriders is the side project of Nate Newton of Converge. I admit I haven't listened to Black Thunder so I have no perspective on this album as it relates to the bands first record. All I know is Darkness Comes Alive is good. Really good. Like as soon as the album started I new this was going to be good. And it is. It's not quite doom metal although it's sound is rooted in thick guitar riffs and a basis in doom. But the album has it's fast moments.

I don't have words to talk about this album. It's good. It's metal.

Classic Metal Wednesday - Believer

So I spent most of my day today listening to Believer. I'd like to tell you I'm a huge fan and that I love Believer but I'm not and I don't. It mostly boils down to the fact the Kurt Bachman's vocals grate on me. That being said Believer is an extremely talented thrash band and musically they've solid. Gabriel, their 2009 release, is a strong album.

This is a live video of them playing Sanity Obscure, from the album of the same name. It's probably their strongest album.

New Music 10.6

A lot of new releases but I hate music and will only highlight a couple.

Air - Love 2 (Hopefully better then what they have recently put out)

Black Heart Procession - Six

Inhale Exhale - Bury Me Alive (Enjoyed their first record, couldn't listen to the second)

The Raveonettes - In and Out of Control

Relient K - Forget and Not Slow Down (Not expecting much but Ethan Luck is their new drummer)

Thank You - Pathetic Magic

The release I'm most looking forward to is actually Snow White on DVD.

Austrian Death Machine - Double Brutal

If anyone ever says metal has to be serious all the time or that metal is just a bunch of angry guys you should point them in Austrian Death Machine's direction. Austrian Death Machine is the side project of Tim Lambesis (As I Lay Dying), which combines two of Europe's best exports: Metal and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Total Brutal, the band's debut, was a great, fun album. Featuring skits of Arnold in all his metal awesomeness. It featured songs like Get to the Choppa, Come with Me If You Want to Live, Who Is Your Daddy, And What Does He Do, and of course It's Not a Tumor. Great stuff for us fans of metal and the Governor of California.

Double Brutal is the new two disk album and some things are better left as are. Total Brutal was funny and a great idea. It covered Arnold's greatest movie quotes. Double Brutal (which I'm sure Metal Blade pushed for) just doesn't live up to it's predecessor. The best quotes were already used and the joke is a little wearing. The skits are still funny and the songs are still well done but the album doesn't hold like the first one does.

The second disc is an album of covers that relate to Arnold movies. And it's good to hear Tim flex his chops at a couple of classic songs (Hell Bent for Leather, I Turned Into a Martian, Killing Is My Business... And Business Is Good ). Again good songs.

The album is a solid 3 out of 5 stars but it doesn't have the same charm that Total Brutal had.


From Total Brutal

Hatebreed - Hatebreed

I like the new Hatebreed album... Wait, I like the new Hatebreed album?

Not to stereotype Hatebreed fans or fans of hardcore (tough guy) in general but I don't wear camo shorts or h2o basketball jerseys. I've never really been that into the straight hardcore scene. I don't wear combat boots and I will not be kicking ass in the pit. Bands like Madball and Hatbreed always seemed to escape me. I like sing-a-longs and all but the whole tough guy hardcore scene was not my cup of tea (my room on the other hand could've been the poster boy for a Hatebreed fan).

Their latest album, self-titled, caught my attention with it's first single, In Ashes They Shall Reap. I can't say it's the best song I've heard all year but it might be the catchiest and it's probably one of the top 3 songs I've heard in 09. It got stuck in my head and I love the song. It's great. The song alone got me to pick up the album. Kudos to whomever decided that should be the lead single.

I guess this record is has more thrash metal influence then previous efforts. Being as I'm not a huge fan I don't have a real basis to compare this album to previous efforts. I don't care for older Hatebreed, I dig this record. Hatebreed has always struck me as an odd band anyway in that they managed to find their way into mainstream metal without changing their sound or style but maybe that was helped by frontman Jamey Jasta's gig on Headbangers Ball.

Two minor missteps in my opinion. On Every Last Scar Jasta takes his hand in singing on the track. It sounds a might awkward and I'm not a big fan. It's probably the weakest track on the album. I'm also not really a fan of the Undiminished, an instrumental ballad towards the end of the record. It's not a terrible track but it seems to just be on the record with no real purpose. Maybe it would've made for a nice hidden track but as an actual track it takes away from the ferocious assault that the rest of the album has created.

If you're looking for some positive hardcore, look elsewhere. This is tough guy, survival of the fittest, don't get in my way, and don't hold me back. Jamey Jasta and the boys in Hatebreed aren't going anywhere.

Hatebreed has made an album I enjoy and that's really all I ask for.

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Maturing as a band can be hard. Growth can be good, but it can also be a hindrance to what made you in the first place.

Riot was a secret pleasure record of mine. I love it. It is sugary pop music at it’s finest and I wasn’t sure if Brand New Eyes would be able to capture me in the same way. And it doesn’t. But it doesn’t turn me off of what Paramore is doing.

Fans who’ve heard Decode (the single from the Twilight soundtrack) won’t be completely surprised by a subtle shift in sound. And say subtle because Paramore has not completely managed to captured the pop energy that made songs like Misery Business and Crushcrushcrush such good songs and instead have created a record that sounds like a band that has come out of near collapse and survived and are better for it.

The albums lead single Ignorance is a song the most resembles Riot. It’s not like Paramore has abandoned their sound altogether. It’s still pop rock but it’s a more mature sound. A lot of growth comes from Hayley Williams’ lyrics. Gone are songs about high school loves, replaced with songs about growing up. The album grows and goes deeper the farther into it you listen. It’s not a record front loaded with singles and catchy pop songs to pull you in and back loaded with throw away b-sides. Brand New Eyes is a complete record and I think it gets better as it goes. The album’s closer, All I Wanted, is a beautiful song and leaves you wanting to hear more.

Brand New Eyes seems like a fresh start for Paramore. Not trying to distance themselves from their past but I have grown up and created something showcasing their maturation.

Kowloon Walled City

Kowloon Walled City is offering their latest album Gambling on the Richter Scale for free download. It's high quality too. Good stuff. if you're into noise metal check this album out (Fans of Bison BC, Kylesa, Baroness, etc...)

http://inthewalledcity.com/music/

9.29 New Music

Good week for new music. A lot of good stuff.

Alice In Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue

Austrian Death Machine - Double Brutal

Dethklok - Dethalbum II

Doomriders - Darkness Come Alive

Evergreen Terrace - Almost Home

Hatebreed - Hatebreed

Hope Sandoval - Through The Devil Softly

Melvins - Chicken Switch

OM - God Is Good

Paramore - Brand New Eyes

Reviews to come...

Lacking

Sorry for no posts this week. There was no album out Tuesday I felt worth mentioning.

Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic

New Junk Aesthetic is good. Every Time I Die has perfected their brand of hardcore, they own their sound. I don't hear too many bands with a sound similar to Every Time I Die and with New Junk Aesthetic they continue to make great music. My only issue is that because their so good at what they do and it's not that different or more mind blowing then previous releases that it's hard for me to put this near the top of my list of releases this year. Good record, great record in fact, it just doesn't impress on me more then other records I've heard this year.

From start to finish New Junk Aesthetic is a solid record. Roman Holiday is a slow jam. The Marvelous Slut, Who Invented the Russian Soldier, For the Record, Buffalo 666 are all standard ETID songs. Wanderlust (the albums first single) seems tailor made for radio play. The album is good. Classic ETID.

New Music Tuesday

A decent Tuesday for releases. Posted later then normal because I'm on vacation.

Every Time I Die - New Junk Aesthetic (which I've bought)

Living Colour - The Chair in the Doorway (which I've bought)

Megadeth - Endgame (which I might buy)

Thrice - Beggars (finally out on cd, which I've bought)

Tyondai Braxton - Central Market (which I will buy).


Man I spent a lot of money today. There are also reissues of the first 2 Sunny Day Real Estate records. And Muse has another Queen cover record out (which I might listen and right a review about how much I'd rather listen to Queen).

Advent - Naked and Cold

A little late getting this up but better late than never.

Naked and Cold is Advent's second album out on Solid State records and they stepped it up and brought their A-game on Naked and Cold. Remove the Earth was a small foreshadowing of what was to come. All the polish has been removed and we are left with a raw, heavy album. This might be the most raw sounding hardcore album I've heard in a while. Naked and Cold is a harkening back to the mid-nineties spiritual-filled hardcore scene. The album reminds me of bands like Focused, Unashamed, and Overcome, less in sound but more in presentation. The sound reminds me of the early days of Facedown records. Advent is hiding their faith and Christianity, instead they have brought it to the forefront and are unashamed in their beliefs and aren't stepping back. It's worship at it's heaviest.

From the Nothing, the albums opener, to the close of the record, Blackness of the Day, Naked and Cold will kick you in teeth and assault your hears. There's no singing, there's no ballads, there's nothing soft of melodic about Naked and Cold. Advent have delivered an follow up that's even better then the original. Good, raw, heavy music.

Friday

I'm going to post a review of Advent's Naked and Cold this weekend. Next week will be busy. New music from Every Time I Die, Living Colour, and Megadeth!

I don't know why I like the new Hatebreed song so much but I do.

Missed one

The new Advent record Naked and Cold is out today

New Music Tuesday

A couple of quality records this week.

Candiria - Toying With The Insanities Volume 1 and 2

J. Tillman - Year in the Kingdom

Polvo - In Prism

Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II

Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11

Sondre Lerche - Heartbeat Radio

Chevelle - Sci-Fi Crimes

When I first heard Chevelle's Point #1 I loved it. It clicked instantly. And so 10 years later they've released their 5th full length Sci-fi Crimes. It would be unfair to say that every record since Wonder What's Next has been the same but I don't think you'd be that far off target. If you buy a Chevelle record it's because you like Chevelle. If you didn't like the last record, you won't like the new one. It's a tough statement but it's true. A Chevelle record sounds like a Chevelle record. Of course there has been a less raw, approach and more melody but Chevelle has a sound and their records sound like you'd expect Chevelle to sound like. Yes it's mainstream radio hard rock but I still dig Chevelle and even though my listening has diminished over the last 10 years I don't hate them.

Chevelle might not be breaking any new ground on Sci-fi Crimes but they are continuing to make good, heavy music. There's a little more straight rock on this record, as the band had said there would be. The album contains the signature heavy riffs we've come to expect from Pete Loeffler (whose vocals sound as good as ever). The drums are solid, the bass adds enough, staying in the pocket and Chevelle sounds as good as they always have. The two openers, Sleep Apnea and Mexican Sun, are heavy Chevelle standards. The albums first single Jars is completely kick ass. Hearing that song got me interested in this record. Shameful Metaphors and Fell Into Your Shoes are much mellower then anything I remember Chevelle releasing. Interlewd reminds me of some throw away Smashing Pumpkins jam session. Roswell's Spell is the album's heaviest track. The album's closer, The Circus, reminds me of a Blindside track (think something from Silence or About a Fire). Not the strongest song for a closer but nothing to really gripe about.

If you like Chevelle, Sci-fi Crimes is for you.

David Bazan - Curse Your Branches

So only 2 records out today (that interest me) worth mentioning. The new Chevelle (which I'll review tomorrow) and the new David Bazan.

It's hard for me to talk about David's solo career without comparing it to Pedro the Lion(which was kind of his solo project anyway). And so with that in mind I have been listening to Curse Your Branches, and I love it. But I listened to Control this morning and clearly this album doesn't seem to hold the same weight as Pedro in it's prime.

By this point we all know David's story. Preacher's kid, turned questioning christian, turn rebel, turned agnostic. In all phases David has delivered great album after great album (minus the Headphones record which has some pretty weak tracks on it). Control moved away from spiritual themes and Achilles Heel mostly stayed away. And while Dave strayed from the spiritually honest lyrics and perfected his song writing skills, many fans hope for a return on David Bazan, the spiritual lyrical master. And Curse Your Branches is that album... although not for Christ.

Musically Curse Your Branches is much more refined then Fewer Moving Parts and it really doesn't sound like anything you'd hear on a Pedro the Lion record. Dave's voice has never sounded better. Between David's admittance that he no longer has a christian faith and is an agnostic, Curse Your Branches plays like a journal chronicling his journey, questions, alcoholism, and decision. It's devoid of the vulgarity that has been found on previous Bazan affiliated records. And it's a beautiful record. Between Dave's masterful wordplay and the right instrumentation to compliment each track Curse Your Branches is up near the top of my list for best records I've heard in 09.

The album's opener, Hard to Be (my favorite track), is a piano based track where David pronounces "There would be no going back". The album moves up and down, each song causing you to reach for the lyrics sheet and engage yourself completely in what David is saying and try to relate to or understand where he is coming from. It's a very smart album. David has always been one of my favorite lyricist and Cures Your Branches is right on par. Although this will probably alienate a lot of his christian fan base (if the songs of sex and swearing already didn't) but I imagine Dave is ok with that.

The albums closer, In Stitches, is a gorgeous song that is Bazan's break-up with God song. It's the prettiest song on the album and one heart wrenching piece of music.

Great album!

Oh Sleeper - Son of the Morning

Oh Sleeper – Son of the Morning

In hardcore nothing new seems to be a trend. Nothing new, nothing lost, nothing gained. If you’re a fan, you’re still a fan. If you’re not, no need to reapply. Oh Sleeper’s sophomore effort isn’t anything new to the band or the genre. If anything I find Son of the Morning less compelling than When I Am God.

Musically Son of the Morning is your standard metalcore record: Screamed verses, clean sung choruses, triggered replaced drums. This album represents a problem in hardcore. The album is so tight and on point perfect to the formula we’ve heard far too many times in the last 10 years that it doesn’t showcase, what is honestly, good songwriting and a good record. You could come up with a playlist of 24 metalcore bands hit random and you’d never be able to tell the difference. Every drum hit and sound is exactly the same on hardcore records across the board. (Maybe being a drummer and recording engineer I’m being too hard and judgmental on this)

As for an album in a scene filled with kids who wear girls pants and shop at Hot Topic, Oh Sleeper’s Son of the Morning should not disappoint their fan base. The album does lose some of the atmospheric sound that made me take note of When I Am God but that’s a minor note on what is our basic metalcore record.

The record feels very similar to Underoath’s Lost in the Sound of Separation, which is probably a pretty good jumping place for people who haven’t heard Oh Sleeper before. The clean vocals aren’t as nice as Underoath or Killswitch and the melody isn’t as strong but I don’t think that’s the point. The record is heavy. It’s not melodic hardcore or screamo, it’s a metalcore record from start to finish, and that’s fine.

I do like the record. Not as much as When I Am God but it’s good. I’d put it in my car while driving or in the cd player while running. There's no bad song on the album... There's just also nothing that jumps out at you. It’s heavy and I like heavy… it’s just nothing new or original.

On Son of the Morning the theme is If It’s Not Broke, Don’t Fix it.

New Music Tuesday

I'm not sure if anything note worth other then the new Oh Sleeper album is out today. Maybe the new Skillet?

Every Time I Die is releasing the video for their song Wanderlust today.

The Chariot - Wars and Rumors of War

I am going to attempt to review a handful of records that came out earlier in 2009 (mostly the ones I liked). So here we go.

The Chariot are awesome. They have done something very few bands have done, captured their pure raw energy on an album. And to be fair, on every album. Everything is Alive didn't strike with me but Kenny Gibler from the Unsung ep was enough for me to pick up The Fiancée, which is a great album. Wars and Rumors of Wars is incredible start to finish. It is loud, heavy, chaotic, and just plain rocking. The Chariot is upfront and unashamed that although their performance might not be perfect, you will witness something raw and real. The revolving door of members that has left only Josh Scogin (ex Norma Jean) as the only original member hasn't slowed the band down one bit and hasn't changed their sound or furry.

The albums artwork is hand stamped, numbered, and signed by the band, which in and of itself makes it worth every penny of the $7 I paid at Best Buy for the album. From the opening scream on Teach to the final feedback on Mrs. Montgomery Alabama III the album rocks. It's hard for me to describe how good this album is. Honestly the Chariot haven't varied in style much but refined what the do and they do it well. Wars and Rumors of Wars is another great chaotic record from the Chariot and I think their best to date.

Mutemath - Armistice

Mutemath is the band the arose out of the ashes of the great christian elctro funk rock band Earthsuit. I love Earthsuit. Great band. Great great band. Mutemath has not clicked in the same way. The debut ep had some very enjoyable songs and the self-titled full length was pretty strong. But the hype of their great live show (which they brought to national television on the Jimmy Kimmel show) never seemed to match the recorded version. (BTW, I've seen them live and they are incredible.)

From small club shows to stadiums and national tv, Mutemath has returned with their second full length Armistice. And honestly it's been hard for me to make it through the record start to finish. It's not that the album is bad or the songs don't seems to work, it's more that I'm bored. The energy that is Mutemath live is still yet to be captured on album. Put these boys in the studio together at the same and roll tape. The songs are good and move from one to another with ease but there isn't really anything on Armistice that we haven't heard from them before.

The albums opener, The Nerve, is my favorite. It's an up tempo, drum driven, funk rock track. Tracks like Backfire, Spotlight, Electrify, and Burden have the elements to be great rock tracks but the energy coming out of my cd player never seems fully realized. The production is tight and songs are well written, well performed, and good.

Maybe I'm not hipster enough to get it, maybe I'm not the target audience, maybe my love for Earthsuit clouds my judgement of Mutemath, I don't know. If you were a fan of Mutemath before this record, you'll enjoy this record and continue being a fan. If you weren't... there probably isn't too much hope of that changing. This album seems a little more streamed line the the self-titled but the songs sound like Mutemath and they haven't strayed very far from the path.