I didn't really have nice things to say about Rocky Loves Emily's debut ep American Dream. Well... I actually didn't say much about the ep itself. I took my time to rant about Tooth and Nail and the state of music and how kids these days listen to music that I think is garbage. You know... General old guy bitterness.
The band's new full-legnth starts off pretty good actually. I Don't Like You You is a solid rock and roll track and starts the album off on a high note. Lyrically Drivin' Me Crazy is immature and a little silly but the hook is great and I thought maybe my thoughts on Rocky Loves Emily were going to change.
But the title track and Oil& Water lose me. Both bring the energy down. Secrets Don't Make Friends is a ukulele away from being a high school hipsters favorite new song. Oil & Water has a weird country twang to it that I can't get in to. Be Mine Tonight punches it back up with an almost 80's synth lead line but by this point, I'm done. Nightmare sounds like they changed the opening chord progression from Smells Like Teen Spirit to make it a happy, poppy song.
Again, young music fans will probably love this record and Tooth and Nail likely has another hit record on their hands. But this old guy just isn't digging it.
I had no knowledge of 7 Horns 7 Eyes before downloading Throes of Absolution. The promises of a brutal metal record were really enough for me to check it out.
Throes of Absolution is fantastic. 7 Horns 7 Eyes sounds like a great European death metal band so finding out their from Seattle was a little bit of a shock. The songs are heavy, have great solos, and like all quality European death metal records, there's a really nice layer of synth ambience. It's just a fantastic metal record.
But it's not mind blowing. I've spun this record a dozen times and I like it a lot. But there's nothing super special that makes me sit up and take notice or that begs me to hit the repeat button. It's just great metal. No more, no less.
My review of War of Age's last record, Eternal, wasn't very favorable. With the exception of the title track, the record at the time of my review just wasn't clicking for me. But some time after I wrote my review of Eternal the album clicked with me. And for that matter, so did War of Ages. Eternal became my workout record of choice. Finally seeing the band live at Scream the Prayer really won me over. Their set was solid and there was no denying how good WOA is.
Return to Life works instantly for me. It's a return to the grittier sounding WOA. Where Eternal sounded slick and Tim Lambesis' fingerprints were all over that record, Return to Life has a edge to it. Return to Life is almost a return to War of Ages' roots. The album blends the great metal elements that Eternal had with the more straight forward hardcore that the earlier records had.
Immortal kicks the record off on a high note. Best opening WOA's song since All Consuming Fire. Redeemer starts off with a great gang vocal chant between the clean vocals. It's one of my favorite songs WOA has written. Fallen Idol and Silent Night both have a killer opening riffs. Return to Life has more gang vocal sing-a-longs as well as more clean vocals. But what sticks out most to me are Leroy's lyrics. While he's always been a strong lyricist, there's something different about Return to Life. War of Ages has never been a band that's been shy about their faith but it seems... More outspoken on Return to Life. There's less of the warrior mentality. It's less about standing strong and more about resting in God.
Return to Life is War of Ages best record yet. It's raw and driving but has great melodic moments. It's a combo of everything that has previously made WOA such a great band. War of Ages fan will not be disappointed.
Waves was one of my favorite albums last year. It came out of nowhere. I'm not even sure how I got a hold of that record or where the knowledge of Moving Mountains came from but once I heard the record I was glad I did. It blew me away. So of course I was stoked for a new ep.
New Light is an acoustic ep featuring two tracks from Waves and two from Pneuma. What makes Moving Mountains such a great band is the atmosphere they create, so stripping that away gives the songs a new life. Alleviate was the "heaviest" track on Waves and it makes sense that it kicks off New Light. The screaming is gone and the song has a serene quality about it that isn't on the original. You can really hear the Appleseed Cast influence on Ode We Will Bury Ourselves. Stripping it back and making this epic eight minute song a track that clocks in at under five minutes really changes the dynamic. Where Two Bodies Lie is one of my favorite tracks on Waves and hearing the acoustic version is really nice. 8105 brings back in some of the ambience that Moving Mountains does really well.
The songs aren't new but they feel like new life has been breathed into them. New Light is just more great music from Moving Mountains.
Love and Death is the band I think everyone wishes Korn would have become. Love and Death is the new band from Brian Head Welch. It's the band he's been touring with for the past couple of years and the name change brings a fresh start for Head. Chemicals is a nice way to give fans a glimpse at what the band is going to sound like on their full-length (due out later this year).
Like I said, Love and Death is what I, and I think most people, wish Korn still sounded like. Or ever sounded like. For Head, Chemicals is a step up from Save Me From Myself. Having seen Head live, his live show was always more brutal and the songs from Save Me From Myself worked way better live than they did on the record.
Chemicals on the other hand is stellar. The songs are heavy, driving, and all around well done. My issue is the songs are so good that I want more. A lot more. I know this ep is just a taste but the taste makes me want more. And that's the point of the ep right?
5 songs. 2 originals, 1 cover, and 2 remixes.
Paralyzed kicks the ep off. The intro reminds me of the great tracks on Korn's first three records. Great atmosphere before the intro riff kicks in. And then the song explodes. The hook is catchy but the song is straight up brutal. When the bridge drops and the track crescendos... Just wow. Turn your speakers up and get ready to bang your head. Then comes the cover of Whip It. Yes, the Devo song. It might be one of the best covers I've ever heard. If you heard this song on the radio, you would have no clue that this is the Devo track. Even when the chorus comes in you have to double take and ask yourself is this really Whip It? Next up this the title track. Chemicals is a little more hook based. Again, the intro riff is stellar and heavy but the track has a little more atmosphere and electronics that creates great layer on top of great layer.
Both Paralyzed and Chemicals have remixes. Both are well done and give just enough of a twist to the originals that make them fun listens without completely changing up the track.
Love and Death is great and these 5 tracks are enough to make Chemicals one of my favorite albums I've heard this year. It puts Love and Death's up-coming full-length to the top of my most anticipated albums list.
Take the World But Give Me Jesus, Ascend the Hill's Hymns record was the album that sold me on Come and Live Records. It's a modern take on a bunch of great Hymns and it's one of my favorite worship records ever released. I was excited for the band's follow up.
One of my favorite moments from Take the World is the track None Compare, a spontaneous worship track that plays off of Hallelujah! What A Savior. It's a moving piece where the band just flows and plays. It's what worship is all about. O Ransomed Son is full of tracks that extend and have the band just playing in the moment. Tracks like Inheritance, Whom Have I, You Have My Heart, Song of the Redeemed, and Heaven Come Down, all clock in at over 7 minutes and all just take time at the end to flow.
It's a great record. Ascend the Hill is passionate worship music that is palpable. You can't help but be drawn in to the music and hear their genuine heart.
You can download O Ransomed Son for fee at http://comeandlive.com/downloads/
I've never given Thousand Foot Krutch a fair chance. Their debut single Puppet struck me as a terrible christian version of Linkin Park and it was all downhill from there. I've heard tracks from the band I've enjoyed but never enough to give them a listen.
The End Is Where We Begin is one of those albums that makes me want to go back into the band's discography and see what I've been missing.
TFK's latest offering is full of killer grooves and great melodies. It's hip-rock perfection. Trevor McNevan's guitar stylings are really great. There's a great mixture of solid heavy riffs with intricate harmonics and a great sense of melody. The songs have great pocket presence. The drums find the groove and just sit in the pocket. The album has a great flow and movement.
After a pretty clever intro, We Are the Ones blasts in with a killer riff and a strong anthemic hook. Light Up the Sky is another huge track and if you aren't moving and bobbing your head to this track, you're dead. The harmonic picking the kicks off the title track, while short, is a nice touch before the song picks up. It's more of a ballad than the first two tracks but the song still has great movement. Let the Sparks Fly and I Get Wicked kick things back into high gear as McNevan switches back and forth between rhyming, singing, and yelling.
From top to bottom The End is Where We Begin is full of strong hooks and catchy choruses. It's a great album that will get you moving and have you singing along. TFK has delivered a killer record and as someone who has never given this band a shot, I highly recommend picking this album up.
While Hillsong, Gungor, Jesus Culture, and David Crowder top the worship charts and are the writers of the songs sung in thousands of churches every weekend, there is a great crop of young, new, original worship acts releasing great music every week.
Chris Douglas hails from Springfield, Virginia and his debut ep, Through the Veil, was released in early December. Through the Veil is a great introduction and showcase of Douglas' potential. Jesus Saves is a great anthem and declaration to kick the album off. On Fire is a stellar song and a great choice for the album's lead single. The tracks opening guitar riff is fantastic and the hook catchy. It's easily the album's brightest moment.
Reconciliation closes the ep out with a false. It's such a compelling moment that it actually made me really mad when the track just ended. I was so drawn in and interested that I wanted more and I felt a little cheated when the track just ended.
Through the Veil does it's job. It's an introduction to a new young artist and it leaves you wanting more. Douglas' worship is honest and heartfelt. Some of his passion and energy gets a little lost because the production of the album is so slick and tight that Chris Douglas' energy and passion doesn't always translate as well as it might in a live setting or church service.
Nevertheless, Through the Veil is a great ep and I look forward to more music Chris Douglas.
Sometimes it only takes one song to get you hooked on an album. Normally that track isn't one of the last cuts on an album. But for Trip Lee's The Good Life that was the case.
I was listening to The Good Life and I was honestly enjoying really enjoying the record. Solid hip-hop that is just as good if not better than anything on the radio. The Good Life has a place among any of Trip Lee's secular contemporaries. But the instant that For My Good (featuring Jai) started playing I stopped what I was doing to see what track it was. When it finished, I hit repeat. While The Good Life is full of great tracks, For My Good is the first track that stood out as fun. The beat is upbeat and the hook, which Jai sings, is super clever and catchy. It's hip-pop goodness from start to finish. A radio single that is destined to be a hit.
There are tons of great tracks on The Good Life outside of For My Good. The title track features J.R. and Sho Baraka and kicks the album off on a really strong note. I'm Good featuring Lecare, iLove, Take Me There featuring Jimmy Needham, and Good Thing featuring Leah Smith are all killer tracks.
The Good Life is a solid hip-hop record and really pushes Trip Lee into territory where big things good be on the horizon for him. A stellar record all around.
Demon Hunter is a band that gets better with age... Or with member changes. The writing combo of Ryan Clark and Patrick Judge helped to push the band to a new height on The World Is a Thorn. The band has gotten better with each record and my expectations after The World Is A Thorn were high.
And True Defiance doesn't disappoint. The album kicks off with Crucifix. I'd argue it's the best album opener Demon Hunter has had yet and the band has had some killer album opening tracks. Right from the start you can hear Patrick Judge really stepping up his game in the guitar department. Well Ethan Luck brought guitar solos to the band, Judge is a pure metal guitarist and his solos on True Defiance are solid and tasty.
God Forsaken is a track that I think fans who weren't thrilled about The World Is A Thorn will really connect with. The ballad side of Demon Hunter is back in full force on True Defiance and God Forsaken shows that great melody that Ryan Clark has always been able to deliver with DH. Unlike The World Is A Thorn, it's the ballads that really standout on True Defiance. Tomorrow Never Comes is a beautiful song. Judge's solo the leads the track off is amazing and the song is just haunting enough to give it that something special that past DH songs like Carry Me Down had. Dead Flowers is an absolutely amazing track that closes True Defiance perfectly.
The trash elements from The World Is A Thorn are still on this album and there's an element of modern metal that Demon Hunter hasn't explored before this record. It's another stellar record in a great discography. Demon Hunter continues to expand and craft metal in new ways without losing what makes them such a great band.
I remember the first time I heard Mxpx. In junior high I would tape G-Rock and watch it Sunday mornings before heading to church. I remember seeing the video for Punk Rawk Show. Punk rock was introduced into my life and MxPx would become a staple in my musical life.
It's a little hard for me to be biased on a review of an Mxpx record. The band has been one of my favorites for over 15 years. While some records in the bands discography I enjoy less than others, there's not an album Mxpx have released that I don't like and enjoy.
The bad's last full-length, Secret Weapon, felt like Mxpx was re-energized and rejuvenated. The band's last ep, Left Coast Punk, was the best music the band had released since Slowly Going the Way of the Buffalo. Plans Within Plans is far better than both of those records and sounds like Mxpx is in their prime again.
Aces Up kicks the record off strong with what I'd call a typical Mxpx pop punk classic. Screw Loose is a short fast punk song that jumps right into Nothing Left. The Times has a great bass intro. Best of Times and Lucky Guy are the best hooks on the record. Far Away, the album's first single, is just a killer, punch you in the face punk song. Nothing's Gonna Change reminds me a lot tracks from The Ever Passing Moment.
13 tracks clocking in at just over 35 minutes. Each song just as good as the last. There's no filler on Plans Within Plans. Mxpx have delivered a stellar record and their best record since Slowly Going The Way of the Buffalo. Ever track is a hit and this record is enjoyable from start to finish. After one listen the songs sound familiar and I found myself singing along.
I was a huge fan of The Burial's debut ep The Winepress. With a change in vocalist though I wasn't really sure if I would enjoy Lights and Perfections. And honestly, my first listen through wasn't too impressed.
Maybe I wasn't listening closely enough the first time through because Lights and Perfections is a metal masterpiece. The Burial bring a brand of technical death metal that rivals any of their peers. The guitar work is flawless. Well it might not be new ground musically, it's done right!
It's tracks like Pearls; The Frailty of the Matter, Wisdom; The Gateway of Liberty, and Shackles and Embers that make this such a great record. The provide just enough melodic diversity in the guitar work that keeps Lights and Perfections from getting stale. The Burial know how to craft great metal tunes that are interesting. Elisha Mullins vocals are strong and any one worried about the vocalist change shouldn't be.
Lights and Perfections is a brutal metal record with just enough melodic undertones in the guitar riffs to keep it interesting. The best metal record of 2012 for sure.
I've said numerous times that I'm a fan of melodic hardcore and any band that sounds like Misery Signals is ok in my book. Insert Leaders, the newest addition to the Facedown Family.
While Leaders has elements of melodic hardcore in their music, it's not really fair to throw them into that category. Now We Are Free feels much more like a straight hardcore record than anything else. The Intro (Overture) and songs like Instance and Te Necesito are great melodic hardcore tracks. But Leaders is a hardcore band true and true.
No We Are Free is heavy all around. The guitars smack you in the face on each and every track. Leaders is another solid addition to the Facedown Family and hardcore fans will love Now We Are Free.
My issue with the album is that while it's a good hardcore record and a solid listen, there's nothing super special about it. There are no sing-a-longs, or catchy hooks. And yes, the record is heavy, but there's a lack of diversity. The melodic elements are nice but few and far between.
It's a good debut from Leaders and a solid hardcore record but the album just doesn't have that special something that makes it a great record.
