The Meltdown 1.9

All Out War - Into The Killing Fields

Into the Killing Fields is actually the first All Out War album I've ever picked up. Which kind of surprises me. I don't know why I've passed on the band over the last 10-15 years of listening to hardcore/metal but I have. And Into the Killing Fields isn't what I was expecting to hear.

Mike Score's vocals weren't what I was expecting at all. I was thinking All Out War was going to hit me with some nice old school hardcore stylings and although musically they deliver hardcore/thrash really well, vocally I was completely taken off my guard.

Musically I'm a huge fan of Into the Killing Fields. It's a great mix of old school hardcore and thrash metal. Unlike newer acts, All Out War delivers a straight forward metal album that just punches and attacks and doesn't fall into any bad metal cliches. My only problem with the album is on the production side. The vocals fall just on the quiet side of the mix and at times get lost. MOstly they work, but I wish they had been pushed up just slightly in the mix.

Every song is Into the Killing Fields is good. It's not the best hardcore record I've heard this year but it's another solid one.

Comeback Kid - Symptoms And Cures

You can't fault a band for trying something new and breaking out of their shell. Sometimes it's work and sometimes it's a travesty. The latest from Comeback Kid is a mixed bag. For a band that's been pretty straight forward in their sound, sticking with a clean straight edge hardcore punk sound, the subtle shifts on Symptoms And Cures don't always play as successful as I hoped. 3 straight great albums and Symptoms And Cures falls short of my expectations.

Right out of the gate Symptoms And Cures is far more aggressive then Comeback Kid's previous efforts. Vocally Andrew Neufeld is finding his voice in the band. It's less yelling and more straight forward screaming. There's a subtle reminder of Refused in his lyrics. But Do Yourself a Favor, the albums kick off track, doesn't feel like a Comeback Kid song. The aggression alone gives the song a distinct sound and the lack of a real gang vocal chant is an oddity for the band.

Crooked Floors seems more like CBK but the hook is more melodic and aggressive at the same time, it's a little weird. And it's a theme that carries through the record. You might the aggression is a carry over from Broadcasting, an album that lyrically was more in your face but Symptoms And Cures in sound, vocally and musically, carries the aggression to a whole new level. The fun that had been in CBK's music in gone.

Symptoms And Cures isn't a bad record. It's just hard for me to listen to a more aggressive CBK. As the record progresses, you hear more of the classic CBK sound. Because of All the Things You Say, The Concept Says, and Symptoms and Cures are great hardcore punk songs. But the overall feel of the album is different from previous CBK releases. Even the artwork seems odd to me. The closing track, Pull Back the Reigns has an almost tough guy feel to it.

It's aggressive hardcore which people will love but Symptoms And Cures isn't as fun as previous CBK records. And that hurts it in my book.

For Today - Breaker

Breaker almost instantly jumped to the top of the Album of the Year list. As soon as the album started I was in love.

The Breaker's Origin is a simple intro whose guitar riffs tears rights into Devastator. Breaker is heavy from the start. Each song is solid. The gang chants are nice and although I despise bass drops, on Breaker the songs are so solid that I find myself not noticing or not being bothered by them.

From start to finish, Breaker is heavy. It's For Today's finest record so far and the best album to come out of Facedown this year (which is a high compliment because Facedown has been killing it this year). The only exceptions that break the heaviness of the record are the Breaker interludes (The Breaker's Origin, Valley, Encounter, and Commission). They are nice respites that keep the story arc of the record in tact.

If you're not a fan of over spiritual lyrics then Breaker isn't the record for you. But if you're just looking for a killer hardcore record then Breaker is where it's at. Yes, the constant bass drops can get wearing (on Psalm of the Son especially), but the song writing is solid and the album doesn't get boring.

The closing track, The Breaker's Commission, is a nice combination of the low key, spoken word pieces that the Breaker tracks have been, but then it bust into a beautiful full choir singing over some great For Today metal.

Breaker could be looked on as hardcore classic in years to come. For the moment, it's just an outstanding record.

Signal Hill - Distance

It's no secret that I love post rock. A good post rock album goes a long way in my book. The latest from SIgnal Hill is a little hit and miss. WHile overall the album is enjoyable, it doesn't hit on anything special.

The opening track Freelance Forest is a little tedious and sounds so familiar to what Signal Hill has done in the past, that it just gets lost. It's beautiful but doesn't stand out. Paper Airplanes is a much better track. More upbeat and has a more interesting movement. Wintersea doesn't fully explode into a crescendo but it moves back and forth, teetering on the edge of coming unglued. Spirited From the Sea is a nice piece of music, alot like Freelance Forest, but it also doesn't go anywhere. And you need balance in post rock records and it's a great track honestly, but you're waiting for something to change, shift, or move, and it doesn't. California Is Too Long - Alternate is a new take on the last track from Signal Hill's self-titled debut ep. It's a better version of the song sonically, but like on their debut, it's not a strong closing piece.

Distance is a decent ep and it's a solid post rock offering. But it's nothing really special.

The National - High Violet

It took me a while to pick up The National's High Violet. Not because I didn't want to hear it, just because I didn't get around to picking it up. I wasn't a fan of Sad Songs For Dirty Lovers but I thought Box was an incredible record. High Violet falls somewhere in between. I'm not madly in love with High Violet.

High Violet feels sad but not in a good way. And honestly, I know it's supposed to be sad. The songs are sad lyrically and the movement of the record has a depressed undertone. But it's not sad in a compelling way, not to my ears anyway. It doesn't make me hate the album, but I don't love it.

Matt Berninger's vocals are a steady monotone, as they normally are, but he's so solid and so monotone that where pain and sadness would be conveyed, it gets lost. Musically, High Violet is very low key. It doesn't have the dramatic shifts that Boxer had. It's not as diverse or interesting. Sonically, it's very locked into a theme and makes it a much less compelling listening experience.

That is until late in the record. Conversation 16 is actually a really great song and it was the first time while listening to the record I stopped and just listened to the song. England, although similar to the rest of the album, instrumentally has some interesting moments going on. Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks, the albums closing track, is like the reverse of the albums opener Terrible Love. It's still low key and lo-fi, but it has an upbeat tinge to it, just enough of a shift in dynamics to be a good song.

High Violet will be making a lot of people's best of lists. But it just wasn't that interesting or compelling to me.

The Showdown - Blood In The Gears

The Showdown has been a band that's always escaped my realm of listening. I've heard songs here and there and was never moved to give the band a try. And I probably would've just ignored Blood In the Gears but Patrick Judge and Yogi Watts from Demon Hunter both played on the record and The World is A Thorn is such a good record that it got me to give Blood In the Gears a try. And I'm glad I did.

Blood In the Gears is a nice mix between straight forward metal and some southern spirit. A Man Named Hell kicks the record off with a motorcycle engine into a guitar riff, and with the briefest pause, the songs kicks in. It's an immediate picture of what the Showdown are bringing on this record. God solid metal on the verse, a hint of southern rock on the chorus and a killer guitar solo.

Heavy Lies The Crown is just a straight forward, bang your head metal song. Bring It Down is a really strong thrash songs. You can't help but think of Slayer listening to the track. Take Me Home is a slow, southern rock song and it's so nice. You won't be thinking Sweet Home Alabama, which is a good thing.

Blood In The Gears, Dogma Enthroned, No Escape, The Crooked Path, and Graveyard Of Empires are all great metal song. Just straight ahead, quality metal.The record ends with Diggin' My Own Grave, a real southern metal ballad. Starts of with acoustic guitar and vocals and then bust into some great southern metal.

There's no glitz or glam to Blood In The Gears. But it is a killer metal album. For those who just want to throw up their horns and headbang all night long, this album is for you. It's a great metal record and one of the best this year.

Sufjan Stevens - All The Delighted People EP

It's been 5 years since Sufjan Stevens released Illinois, 4 since Avalanche (a b-sides record), and last years BQE was an instrumental experimental piece. So it's been a while since Sufjan has released a proper album. And it came as a surprise to his fans when All Delighted People was suddenly available on bandcamp.

All Delighted Peopled starts with the title track, an epic 11 and half minute master piece with full blown orchestration. While it seems a little different from what Stevens has done in the past, it doesn't come across as weird or abnormal. It's an interesting track and a great way to kick off the ep.

Then we get into some classic Sufjan Stevens. Enchanting Ghost, Heirloom, and The Owl and the Tanager are simple acoustic guitar and banjo tracks. All really nice. From the Mouth Of Gabriel breaks things up slightly, trading guitar and banjo for crazy synthesizers and abstract sounds.

Then Sufjan gives us another take on All Delighted People, giving us an 8 minuet "classic rock" version. It's ok but it seems so unnecessary. It's a different interpretation of the song and some might like it more but it doesn't do anything for me. Arnika falls back into the guitar and banjo rhythm, a really relaxed and low key song.

The ep ends with Djohariah, a 17 minute funk jam, that's awesome. It's a weird track that as it ends, dies and moves in weird directions but it's fitting for an ep that's a little all over the place.

I'm excited to have new music from Sufjan Stevens and it's a good ep. I can't wait for a new full-length but this ep is a good way to tide me over until the next one comes out.

Classic Album: Zao - Self-titled

The great thing about doing a classic review is you have a little more perspective on the album in question and it's impact on the band and it's place in history. If you haven't seen Zao's The Lesser Lights of Heaven documentary, I highly recommend it. As a fan it gives you this immense insight into one of heavy musics most influential and tumultuous bands.

Having released back to back amazing metalcore classics, Zao was in disarray. Russ was coming and going from the band. Dan had started his career as a tattoo artist and would miss shows constantly to work. Jesse was having something of a faith overhaul and really hated that his band was in PA while he still lived in West VIrginia. Rob's status was unclear. The only constant seemed to be Scott. That future of the band was in doubt.

But "Zao" entered the studio to start their next album. It was a shell of Zao. Jesse and Scott entered the studio where the two of them got to do whatever they wanted. Jesse decided the best action to take was to do all his drum tracks on a Roland V drum, an electric kit. In the documentary Scott admits he hated the idea and would've spoken up but he was given freedom to do what he wanted. After the songs were done, Dan came in and laid down his vocals.

The good moments on Zao's self-titled record far outweigh the bad. It's not the disaster that Parade of Chaos was. But it's not consistent. The album starts of strong. Five Year Winter is such a killer song and a great opening track. The instrumental Alive is Dead is interesting and has really nice flow. A Tool To Scream is just a classic Zao song.

But then things go down hill. Witchunter is such an odd track. It's Jesse Smith in studio. It's not Zao. It's acoustic guitar and those bad V-drums and Jesse singing. Trash Can Hands just isn't a good song. It's not that interesting and lyrically the song is in bad taste. I believe Jesse Smith wrote the lyrics to this song and it's his personal attack on two kids on a message board. IT's really in poor taste.

The Race of the Standing Still is a great song. It's an underrated Zao song and I don't think it was ever played live, but it's a good song. FJL is more Jesse Smith studio masturbation. It's not Zao. The End of His World is an enjoyable song. The sung chorus... isn't my favorite of the song. It takes the song from being an A and makes it a B. The Dreams That Don't Come True is one of my favorite Zao songs. It's a very haunting and depressingly beautiful song. At Zero... an ok song. Not the best way to end the record but not the worst of songs.

Dan would never tour in support of the Self-titled record. Corey Darst would take over vocals on tour for this record and although Corey was an outstanding dude and just a cool guy to hang out, he wasn't Dan. The V drums really gave the Self-titled record a poor sound and the handful of bad tracks on this album, along with the Zao turmoil really hurt this album in the end. The songs that are good from this record are still played live and sound amazing.

The American Dollar - Atlas

The biggest flaw with The American Dollar is their consistency. Well tighten and perfecting their craft and sound, each album since their debut has been a solid instrumental listen. Atlas is no different. The flaw is, they're so consistent that if you own one record, you could really pass on the next.

While Atlas continues The American Dollar's exploration into using more guitars into their sound, it's still a real synth and piano driven work. Drums machines play tag with live drums as songs weave in and out of each other, a slow building intro into a nice crescendo and a simple piano riff that fades into the next track. It's hard to fault the band for sticking with what works because each album is it's own little masterpiece and the songs are so well crafted and the music is so relaxing and enjoyable that you can turn it on and just enjoy.

It's hard for me to find fault in The American Dollar for putting out the same record over and over when it's this good. Yes, I'm critical of Linkin Park for releasing the same song over and over but their song sucks...

Atlas is a great instrumental record and if you've never listened to The American Dollar it's as good a place as any to start.

The Meltdown 1.8

The Burial - The Winepress

I've spoken very highly of the Facedown Records family this year (Facedown, Strike First, and Dreamt Music). With minor exceptions, every album they've released this year has been awesome. But at what point do I grow tired of christian metal? Well it's not today and it's not with the Burial's Strike First records debut, The Winepress.

The Winepress is less death metal than I was expecting. Which is good because I wasn't ready to hear another deathcore record. My ears just couldn't take it. But The Winepress is a very solid metal album. Not as technical as some of their peers (As Hell Retreats) but it doesn't need to be. The Burial have concentrated on writing good songs and have delivered a strong debut.

The first track, Intercessor, has a nice hardcore feel to it, really old school. It kicks into Demons Never Sleep, a nice trash track. The WInepress overall has a real old school metalcore feel to it. Think along the lines of Symphony in Peril. There are breakdowns a plenty but they aren't overbearing and don't draw attention to themselves. The Winepress does fall into certain (bad) metal trends. The very middle of the record is your, standard, low key instrumental track. It draws you out of the flow of the record and Valley of Decision isn't an interesting song. It drags and is just a lull in the record that doesn't need to be there.

But the record ends strong. Delegation of the Seven Plagues is another really good song that has a nice old school hardcore/modern death metal feel (its odd, I know). Monolith and Death, Conquered are probably the best tracks on the record, giving it a great ending. I don't really like how Death, Conquered just fades to a close, making the impact less strong but it doesn't hurt the track.

Just more solid metal from Strike First records.

God is an Astronaut - Age of the Fifth Sun

I've always liked God Is an Astronaut. They've been a solid band in the post rock scene for the last 8 years. Their fifth full-length record, Age of the Fifth Sun, is a little bit of a mystery to me. All the while sounding a lot like God Is an Astronaut, Age of the Fifth Sun is heavy synth based. While it's not a bad move, it's odd to me.

Age of the Fifth Sun still feels like a God is an Astronaut album but the movement is different. It's more driving in spots, almost upbeat... but not quite. The opening track, Worlds in Collision, is a song with movement, meaning it feels like you're moving. It feels like a song you'd hear in a movie, or you can just imagine a music video for the song having the imagery or movement and growth. While the last minute and a half of the song comes down into a sparse piano. In the Distance Fading is very familiar and sounds like previous God is an Astronaut work, but guitars aren't the focus on the track, as pianos and synths are the driving force of the melody.

Although Age of the Fifth Sun is a little different then what we're used to hearing from God is an Astronaut, it's still a really strong record. It's the best post rock album I've heard this year (although I haven't heard too many). The movement between song is really nice and the songs themselves are all well composed. It's an enjoyable listen. Although some moments feel like you've heard them already things always change and move in a different direction to keep the album from getting stale.

My only really complaint is the album doesn't have a strong finish. The title track is a good song and has so much going for it that I wish it would been the closer to the record. But Paradise Remains, although a nice ambient piece, doesn't put a nice cap on this record. It's start strong but doesn't finish as nice as I hoped. Still, it's an overall good record.

The Prids - Chronosynclastic

I don't think it's a stretch by any means to say that for the last 10 years Velvet Blue Music has put out the best indie music in America. Map, LN, Kat Jones, Richard Swift, Pony Express, and a host of others have made Velvet Blue Music's catalog one of the best. The Prids', Chronosynclastic is the latest album on an already impressive discography.

Chronosynclastic is extremely charming. The Prids have crafted a very nice indie rock record. There are a handful of Shoegaze moments (the end of Break sounds almost exactly like My Bloody Valentine), but shoegaze isn't a word I would use to describe the Prids. Chronosynclastic seems like a throwback (although not really that far back ) to bands like Jupitar James, The Trouble with Sweeney, and Scientific. The record is full of really good pop songs. It's a solid debut. There's no bad song on Chronosynclastic. The Prids have crafted 10 really good indie pop songs. Fans of My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth, Serena Maneesh, and Arcade Fire will dig this record.

Doug Burr - O Ye Devastator

Doug Burr's third album on Velvet Blue Music is the first one I've really listened to. Doug Burr isn't as haunting as Gary Murray or Damien Jurado and he isn't on the whimsical side of Sufjan Stevens. You might put Doug Burr in the same category as J Tillman and Rocky Votolato.

O Ye Devastator is simple and understated. The album starts with A Black Wave is Comin', a simple acoustic guitar and cello song. It's a beautiful yet simple song. The instrumental diversity is what helps each song stand on it's own. At the Public Dance is synth and electric guitar driven, where Red Red is a country banjo ditty. I Got This Fever/O Ye Devastator is a more rocking upbeat song. All Our Lives is a simple guitar instrumental interlude that lulls you into comfort.

I'm looking forward to going back and listening to Doug Burr's back catalog. O Devastator is a nice listen and Doug Burr is a fantastic song writer.

Mantric - The Descent

Out of the ashes of Extol comes Mantric. Their 2010 debut The Descent is a wild ride. It doesn't seem right to call Mantric a metal band. I know part of the Descent was written for the next Extol record. Which explains why the record is a little all over the place.

The Descent moves from doom metal to prog and then into really melodic low key pieces. The intro to the record, The Asylum 2013, is a post metal piece that stops and then throws you right into Tower of Silence, a doom metal song in the vain of early Mastodon. Symptoms continues in this vain. It's a faster pace song and one can't help but be reminded of Mastodon. But then things change. Invasion is a weird moving song. Well it keeps up the pace that Symptoms had, melodically it's a little all over the place. It's controlled chaos. Spear of Heaven is a mix of Doom and prog. A very heavy, prodding piece but the synthesised take the song to a different level. Ailhorn sounds like something that Extol would've written for their next record.

There is so much happening on The Descent that it takes multiple listens to really hear everything. It's a pretty heavy record but the guitars have so many different riffs and changes per song and the prog influence is deep on the record that you never get bored listening to the album. It's a great record.

Starflyer 59 - The Changing of the Guard

I can't think of any band that's been more consistent then Starflyer 59. For the past 17 years they've put out great music and although some fans have not been as pleased with certain albums in the catalog, I've always loved every release the band has put out. The Changing of the Guard is no different.

The Changing of the Guard continues in the same vain as Dial M and really the last 3 albums. It's more fleshed out sonically then Dial M was. Like Dial M, Martin's vocals are more upfront in the mix as the lyrics have become a deeper part of Starflyer 59's songs. Although it seems like since Leave Here a Stranger the central theme of getting old has been ever constant. Only having a digital copy at the moment, I don't know who else contributed on this album with Jason Martin. The drums are simple and almost understated, fitting in the songs perfectly, as if only to keep time well the lush layers of Martin's guitars fill out the song, making me think that Trey Many is still handling the drum duties. The bass guitar isn't upfront in the mix, but if you listen closely you'll hear a steady rhythm and a couple of really nice bass riffs, so I'm guessing Stephen Dail played bass.

Musically it's just a good indie rock record. Quality pop songs. Shane, Time Machine, and The Morning Rise/Frightening Eyes are great songs. Cry Me a River and Kick the Can are straight up rock songs.

It's another 10 strong songs from Jason Martin and company. While it's a shame that he's not touring anymore it's good to see that Jason is still writing and releasing music as Starflyer 59 and good for Tooth and Nail for keeping him on the label for the last 17 years.

Arcade Fire - The Suburbs

Neon Bible was a disappointment for me. Funeral was such a solid debut and full of great catchy pop songs that Neon Bible didn't appeal to me as much. So I was a little skeptical about Arcade Fire's third full-length, The Suburbs.

The Suburbs has actually taken me by surprise. Musically and sonically The Suburbs is more diverse then Neon Bible but it's also much simpler in composition then Funeral was. This is truly indie rock. The Suburbs is a jangly piano driven song, that isn't really inspiring and I don't feel like it was the best song to kick off the album with. But then Ready to Start kicks in. It's a driving four on floor beat that almost reminds me of The Strokes. It's very different for the Arcade Fire.

Tracks like Modern Man, Empty Room, Children With No City, and Month of May are all really driven rock songs. It's a new direction for Arcade Fire that they pull off really well. While Rococo, Half Light, and Sprawl all have a classic Arcade Fire feel. Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) sounds like a song from Blondie. It's not cheesy. It's actually done really well. The album ends with reprise of the Suburbs, which doesn't give the album a nice definitive ending.

There are a lot of new sounds on The Suburbs. It's a new direction for a band that needed to do something. While I don't agree with a lot of sites that this is one of the best records of 2010, I do love the record and the new direction Arcade Fire has gone.

In the Midst of Lions - The Heart of a Man

I had passed on In the Midst of Lions' first record. I tried to give it a chance but deathcore bores me very quickly. The Heart of a Man has moments that are quite enjoyable to me. But overall, it's a tedious listen.

Musically, The Heart of a Man is put together well. The album has a constant flow which makes for an enjoyable listen. The problem is there's not enough dynamic change in the music to have it matter too much. While songs flow into each other and breaks are clean to distinguish something new, there aren't enough sonic changes. Which is to be expected in a death metal album but the great metal albums this year have offered something different.

Songs like Abandonment and Defiance are stand out tracks to me. The closer, Reborn, has a middle section that reminds me of Dethklok, which is awesome. But the constant over dramatic breakdowns are a flaw as the record drags on. Honestly, the more I listened to the record the more I did enjoy it. It's deathcore. Nothing special, and a little tedious, but there are moments of enjoyment.

House of Heroes - Suburba

House of Heroes hasn't always been a band on my radar. I've listening to their previous two records but haven't paid much attention to either of them. So I didn't know what to expect when I hit play on Suburba.

Suburba is a pretty kick ass rock record. Relentless is full of gusto and almost has an arena rock feel to it. A great opener for the album. Elevator and Love is For the Middle Class are just terrific, catchy songs. House of Heroes have mastered the art of writing catchy songs and great hooks that are easy to sing along to. SOngs like Independence Day For a Petty Thief, She Mighty Mighty, and Burn It Down are awesome rock songs, while So Far Away, Salt in the Sea, and Constant are slower songs. The record has a nice ebb and flow. Somebody Knows has a great gospel feel to it.

But the song that takes Suburba over the top is God Save the Foolish Kings. If the record wasn't any good, this song would still have the album make my best of 2010 list. It's a killer song, with a catchy hook and a great gospel choir backing up the second half of the song. God Save Us the Foolish Kings is an amazing song on a great record. It is the best song I've heard this year.

Suburba is the best straight forward rock record I've heard in years. There's no gimmicks, just good solid song writing. A top 5 record for sure.