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.