The Meltdown 2.65

The Best of 2014! Music from my 30 favorite records of 2014.

Strengthen What Remains Kick Off 2015 With Ultimhate Tour

STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS have announced that they will kick-off their 2015 with a tour alongside Ultimhate from France. You can check out a full list of dates below and also at www.bloodandinkrecords.com.

STRENGTHEN WHAT REMAINS W/ ULTIMHATE

02/08 - Orlando, FL - Uncle Lou's 02/09 - Tallahassee, FL - Atmosphere 02/10 - Panama City, FL - A&M Theatre 02/11 - Albany, GA - Knights of Columbus 02/12 - Birmingham, AL - The Forge 02/13 - Chattanooga, TN - Cloud Springs Deli 02/14 - Mansfield, OH - Belchers House of Rock 02/15 - Grand Rapids, MI - Take Hold Church 02/16 - Toronto, ON - Smiling Buddha 02/18 - Albany, NY - Bogies 02/19 - Montclair, NJ - The Meatlocker 02/21 - Brooklyn, NY - Coco 66

Top 30 of 2014

Honorable mentions:

Revivalist - Brother EP
Project 86 - Knives To The Future
Flyleaf - Between the Stars
Copeland - Ixora
Jars of Clay - 20
No Punk Influence - Fight Within
House of Heroes - Smoke EP
Jason Barrows - Island Of My Soul
Lexi  Elisha - Rope EP


                                                          30. Bethan - Time Gone By

Bethan's Time Gone By is everything I love about Velvet Blue Music. It's a reminder of what made me fall in love with the label and indie music in the first place. Slightly quirky, offbeat, and interesting simple songs with unexpected melodies.


                                                 29. With Increase - Death Is Inevitable

I like hardcore. And I like old school, raw, gritty, dirty hardcore. And that's what With Increase delivers.


                                                   28. Brooke Fraser - Brutal Romantic

Brutal Romantic is pop music for adults or sophisticated teens. It's not hooky, bubble gum pop. It's complicated and well crafted. Each note meticulously placed, creating an album for the casual music fan and music snobs a like.


                                                     27. Demon Hunter - Extremist

After, what I considered, a disappointing outing in True Defiance, Demon Hunter delivers Extremists!  Heavy, fast, melodic. Everything Demon Hunter has done well in the past, all the while continuing to grow and try new things.


                                                           26. Wovenwar - Woverwar

It took a whole for Wovenwar to grow on me. But it finally did. Post As I Lay Dying, the former members have created a metal masterpiece that doesn't reflect their former self in any way. And that's probably for the better. Solos galore, great melodies, and a record that breaks the mold of your standard metal fair.


                                                              25. Lakes - Fire Ahead

I've never paid Lakes much attention. I wasn't a Watashi Wa fan, so I wasn't sure I'd enjoy the indie rock version of that. I was wrong. Fire Ahead has some nice alt-country moments, but it's mostly, week crafted rock songs. Seth Roberts can craft a tune!


                                             24. Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil - Goliath

 Cue nostalgia and memories of my childhood and my dad. Which is fine by me. I love Steve Taylor and Goliath feels like a throwback rock and roll record! The perfect follow-up to Squint.


                                                         23. Owl City - Ultraviolet

Adam Young just knows how to make great music! There's not much that Owl City releases that I don't love and Ultraviolet is no exception.


                                22. Mike Mains & The Branches - Calm Down, Everything Is Fine

Fun, upbeat rock and roll that at times reminds me of Sunny Day Real Estate. That's what Mike Mains delivered on his band's sophomore record.


                                                    21. MxPx - The Acoustic Collection

Acoustic versions of songs from my favorite punk band. I think even my wife would enjoy this! It's on the lost for Doing Time alone. But new takes on songs like Punk Rawk Show, Buildings Tumble, and For Always make this a must have for MxPx fans.


                                                                20. Gideon - Calloused

Gideon has gotten better on every record and Calloused is by far the band's best record yet. Heavy with great hooks, Calloused is another progression forward and Gideon is fast becoming one of my favorite bands on Facedown.


                                                      19. Propaganda - Crimson Cord

I wasn't a huge fan of Excellent, but Propaganda hit back hard with Crimson Cord. The album feels looser and more natural. Props lyrics still hit hard and pick at social issues that sometimes hurt, but ultimately are what him such a great artists.


                                                    18. The Overseer - Rest and Let Go

What Underoath was trying to accomplish on Disambiguation, The Overseer has smashed and perfected over two albums. Beautiful melodies and introspective moments, broken by sheer terror and heavy riffs that create a beautiful soundtrack. Heavy music without boarders!


                                                         17. Living Fire - Dead To Sin

I'm not sure I've heard a new punk band that I've liked this much in a while. Fast, intense, clean, biting. Everything a good punk record should be. Thumper Punk's best release yet!


                                                         16. Comrades - Safekeeper

Some had accused Comrades of suffering from Russian Circles syndrome. Well the band addressed that on their first official Blood and Ink full-length. The band has incorporated these quiet moments that create this drama and tension when the band explodes. It's post rock done well but it's also post rock done differently.


                                                       15. Household - With or Without

Household is a hardcore band that I'd label emo. Not as melodic or feels like the band intentionally created these "emo" moments as The Frailty of Words, but just as affective in conveying a sense pain and emotion. A great album!


                                                          14. Lights - Little Machines

Little Machines doesn't have the instantaneous charm of Siberia, but it is still a great pop record. There's a lot of growth. Lyrically, musically, and production wise, Little Machines is a huge step forward! And the only reason it's not higher on the list is because, well, I expected it to be this good.


                                                              13. Lecrae - Anomaly

2014 was Lecrae's year! Anomaly was the number 1 album on the billboard charts in it's first week and Lecrae got to sit in with The Roots on the Tonight Show. And I loved Anomaly. But I just liked Gravity more.


                                                      12. Wolves At The Gate - VxV

A new vocalist, no problem. It might not always seem "innovative" but Wolves At The Gate always delivers quality melodic metalcore.


                                                                   11. Trip Lee - Rise

Trip Lee gave us his best outing with Rise. Great songs with a maturity that sets Lee up to take the next step. This is the first of many big things in store for Trip Lee.


                                                 10. Islander - Violence and Destruction

Is nu-metal back? Probably not. But if it is, Islander would be leading the charge. Great hooks over riffs you've probably heard before, but that nostalgia creates a feel good vibe.


                                                         9. Beartooth - Disgusting

Beartooth is the best new metal/metalcore/hardcore/heavy band out there! Their Sick ep last year was nuts and Disgusting takes that intensity and multiplies it. The band also added some great melodic tracks and created the best heavy record of the year!


                                                          8. Kye Kye - Fantasize

It took a while for me t fully embraced Kye Kye's second LP, but one day it just dawned on me. Fantasize is great! Hook heavy, 80's inspired synth goodness. It's not a step back, but a huge step forward and sideways.


                                                           7. SPZRKT - Bonefire

SPZRKT is an artist to keep an eye on. His self-released full-length Bonfire is a downtempo/R&B masterpiece. Great songs and a great new voice! A label needs to pick this man up!


                                                       6. Alert 312 - Singular Vision

Alert 312's ep was too short in my book. Each track was full of originality and artistry, that only four was not enough! I kept this record on repeat often! Hip-hop and creativity at it's finest!


                                                         5. Tedashii - Below Paradise

Sometimes great pain produces great art. And that's what we got from Tedashii. He turned tragedy into one of hip-hops best records this year! The songs are on fire. Filled with pain, questions, and ultimately love. Below Paradise is not a record to skip!


                                           4. Kings Kaleidoscope - Becoming Who We Are

Kings Kaleidoscope have turned worship music on it's head! There's nothing stale about Becoming Who We Are. Jazzy, marching band, indie rock in church. It's amazing music on it's own, but as worship music, it's revolutionary. Not that it will ever be played at your church on Sundays.


                                                        3. Twin Forks - Twin Forks

I love Chris Carrabba. What more can I say. It doesn't matter if it's Further Seems Forever, Dashboard Confessional, or now, Twin Forks. Carrabba's new folk act is great! Each track just as catchy as the one before. The hooks get stuck in your head and you want them there! It's what a pop record should be!


                                                     2. Jackie Hill Perry - The Art of Joy

Welcome to the hip-hop world! Spoken word artist turned emcee, Jackie Hill Perry's debut is perfect! Hard hitting lyrics, songs of brokenness and hope, great production, interesting features that compliment what Perry is doing perfectly. In a year full of strong hip-hop albums, Perry's was tops in my book.


                                             1. Number One Gun - This Is All We Know

I was blown away when I heard This Is All We Know at the beginning of the year and I thought it was the start to a great year in music. I expected that this would be a top contender but that something would come along and knock it off the top spot. But nothing did. Every song on This Is All We Know is perfect. I have no complaints. If it took the band breaking up and spending some time apart to create this album, then I'm glad they did! Rock and roll at its finest!

A Merry Meltdown Christmas Week 3

A Merry Meltdown Christmas Week 2

Review Wrap Up 6

The return of Copeland. It seems more like an ideal than something to be actually excited about. Copeland's first two records are fantastic and the memory a lot of people have with the band. I always felt like the band got a little lost in itself after In Motion. Too many studio tricks and vocals effects, masking beauty. Which makes the band's reunion and new album an interesting concept. It's been six years since You Are My Sunshine. Marsh has been working as an engineer and producer. The other members have been releasing really rest records with States. So what would Copeland's return look like? The band that myself and many other feel in love with is no more. Which is fine. Everyone gets older and grows and matures. So has Copeland. Which isn't to say anything disparaging about Ixora. In fact I think it's some of the band's best work since In Motion. Yet it's very different. There's a nice post rock vibe in the music. From the swing to the instrumentation and guitar tones/riffs, Ixor has a real soundtrack feel to it. Ixora is a beautiful record and one that I truly enjoy listening to. I imagine that on vinyl the record just shines. Ixora's problem is that nothing stands out. There aren't songs where I go "goodness, that's great." It's a nice record and one that I imagine listening to often and enjoying. But there's nothing the "stands out." 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

I think I've mentioned before that I root for Solid State Records. It's the hardcore label I grew up invested in. I loved their bands! And I want them to have more great bands. Of course the good old days are just that, old. Young kids don't sound like or listen to the bands that I liked or listened to when I was there age. And so what I want and hope for doesn't exist or get signed. Silent Planet is the labels newest signing. And the band isn't bad. The Night God Slept is a nice little metalcore record. The shades of bands like The Devil Wears Prada, For Today, Becoming The Archetype cover the record. It's another heavy band playing heavy music well, wearing their influences on their sleeves. I like it a lot. At times I hear things that really impress me, or at least connect with me from other bands that I love. As I've said about countless other records, I enjoy them and as a fan of heavy music they're records and bands that I will add to my collection and possibly enjoy in the future. But there's nothing that stands out and makes me say, watch out for this band. 4 out of 5 Stars.

I respect Project 86. They always find new ways to reinvent themselves without ever losing what makes them Project 86. But reinvention isn't always good and doesn't always work. And Project 86 has had some missteps in their catalog. The reworked version of the band released an excellent record with Wait For the Sirens. Knives To The Future is a bit up and down. There are some songs that I think are classic Project 86 hits. And others where I kind of shrug and don't get it. The addition of Darren King from The Overseer as studio guitarist on this album really shines on those moments when King does what he does best. I've seen people say that at times Project 86 sounds more The Overseer, Underoath (Disambiguation era) and the Deftones. I'd say... Sort of. It's still Schwab on vocals and his unique vocal stylings make it Project 86. But the songs that have that ambient hardcore vibe are some of my favorite's on the record (Ambigram, Genosha). But I honestly think that Knives To The Future is the record Truthless Heroes was supposed to be. It's a little punk, a little more "pop", but still heavy and innovative. It's what I think the band would've like to do following Drawing Black Lines but got lost in trying to please a new label and make it big. The title track is a new classic Project 86 anthem, a song with that hook that crowds will go nuts for. Captive Bolt Pistol might be the best song Project 86 has EVER released! Pale Rider is the best example of a Truthless Heroes do over. I think if you put that song randomly into the Truthless Heroes track list, you'd hear it. The gang vocal chorus interplaying with Schwab is perfect! While I think Wait For the Sirens was a better record, there's more on Knives To The Future that the band can take on the road and play in front of an audience and get an immediate response from. 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

There has been a lot of great hip-hop released this year. But I'm just going to say it, Jackie Hill Perry's Humble Beast debut, The Art of Joy, is the best of year! I know that's a lofty statement in a year that saw Lecrae blow up bigger than ever. But The Art of Joy is special. It's not flashy and at times very understated, but that's when Perry shines. The production from Courtland Urbano and the Beautiful Eulogy crew creates the perfect score to Perry's hard hitting and honest lyrics. In the same way that Beautiful Eulogy's debut had that special quality, so does The Art of Joy. Natalie Lauren's almost painful hook on Better highlights the want and need of something better than what the world is offering. As a woman Perry brings a different perspective to justice issues that shine on tracks like Miss Fearful. The guest appearances from Eshon Burgundy and JGivens showcase the new breed of the Humble Beast crew and the future is bright! Ode To Lauryn is great song for Lauryn Hill. It's an appreciation for the great things Lauryn did, as well a concern for her spiritual well being and life. As a spoken word artist, Suffering Servant showcases where Perry came from. There's an undercurrent of hurt and want throughout the album, so when the upbeat piano on the title track kicks in, you're instantly uplifted. It's the light at the end of the tunnel and ending the record on an upbeat note is perfect! You exhale a sigh of joy! Jackie Hill Perry rhyming style is different and that comes from her  spoken word past. It's a fresh voice in hip-hop and you don't find many women in hip-hop and even less in the christian side of the genre. The Art of Joy is worth your time! 5 out of 5 Stars!

There must've been a concept behind the new Tourniquet record that I missed when they kickstarted the record. It's really a solo record, but Ted's always written and recorded the music for the band anyway. And Luke and Aaron still appear on the album, so it's not like "they're out." So... It's Tourniquet... With guests. Which is a great concept. Write and record a great metal record and invite all my friends to come sing and play guitar solos on the record. The only combination that I thought didn't work as well as I had hoped was on the album opener and title trac. Onward to Freedom (the song) features both Mattie Montgomery from For Today and Michael Sweet from Stryper. I love Sweet's vocals and it matches with the song beautifully. But Mattie Montgomery's part just feel like an add on to a different song. Luckily Montgomery gets a second chance and nails it on The Slave Ring. Some of the vocal and vocal combinations seem weird, and probably just different for a "Tourniquet" record. But musically, it's what you'd expect. The guitar solos are all amazing! Some of the band's best guitar solos ever! A lot of people aren't happy about it being a themed record, with each song being about animal rights, but that's always been a passion of Tourniquet's and it's not surprise that the band choose to focus an entire an album on the subject. Musically it's top notch. A lot of instrumental and weird moments that keep this record from being perfect, but it's very good! 4 out of 5 Stars.

An acoustic record from P.O.D. Honestly, I was looking forward to the SoCal Sessions. It's exactly what it sounds like. Acoustic renditions of P.O.D. songs. Some hits, some nice deeper cuts that make good acoustic songs. Maybe more hits would've been nicer, but there's nothing wrong with the songs the band chose. The new version of Youth of The Nation is great and actually makes me like the song again! Alive is always great! And going back to The Fundamental Elements of Southtown,  the band closes the record with Set Your Eyes To Zion. Panic and Run was an interesting choice, but it's a nice reggae take on the song. Lost In Forever and Higher are both nice but don't really give you anything new to the track. Strength Of My Life might be the best new rendition of any song on the album. I mean, it's hard to really say much about the album because it's P.O.D. doing acoustic versions of their songs. If you like P.O.D. you'll probably enjoy this album. 4 out of 5 Stars.

I've listened to a handful of Brooke Fraser's solo work but never really given it much thought. So I'm not sure compelled me to check out Brutal Romantic. It seems cheap to call what Fraser is doing pop music. But there's also no better term for it. Pop in the same way Lorde or Florence and the Machine are pop. But more electronic. There are the super catchy, radio friendly pop tunes you might want or expect from a pop record (although Kings & Queens has been working it's way into my brain the last couple of days). But what you get is a very intelligent and smart pop record that more sophisticated listeners can enjoy without having to dive into another genre. There's an art to the complexities of Fraser's music that's Radiohead esque (a high compliment). Using drum machines to change dynamics, keeping instrumentation simple to highlight it's point and need when it arrives and leaves. Using melodies, harmonies, and choirs to bring attention to the importance of the vocal. Of course there are more "commercial" numbers on the album. Songs like Kings and Queens, Start A War, Bloodrush, and Magical Machine offer a little more depth of sound and a hook that gives the album it's "accessibility" but even in their arrangement, the songs would still put Taylor Swift's most artsy moments to shame. This is pop music fro adults! 4.5 out of 5 Stars.

The reason I love christian music is much has a lot to do with my dad. Steve Taylor always sticks out in my head as the artist my dad really introduced me to. Goliath is Taylor's first record since 1993's Squint. Talk about waiting for a follow-up! I love Squint! It would probably rank as one of my top 20 favorite albums of all-time. Possibly top 10. So yes, I was excited for Goliath! Goliath is a rock and roll record that sounds like it's the follow-up to Squint. It's almost classic in sound. Which is another way of just saying it's a simple rock and roll record. Mixed with Taylor's fun loving but never without meaning and purpose lyrics and demeanor, Goliath is a great record. It might be nostalgia, but I love this record! 5 out of 5 Stars!

A Merry Meltdown Christmas Week 1

Christmas Music to put you in the Holiday mood!