Love And Death - Between Here And Lost

I wasn't a huge fan of Brian "Head" Welch's debut record. Save Me From Myself was decent but it didn't connect with me. I've found more to like about it over the years but it's still a nu-metal record that doesn't get a ton of play in my house. On the flip side, I loved Love and Death's debut ep, Chemicals. I was excited for the band's full-legnth. I was looking forward to record of the year material.

And Between Here and Lost is a good record. There's a lot to like. But something is lacking.

It starts when you press play. I think I would like The Abandoning, the album's lead single, if maybe it occupied a different spot on the record. Normally I like tracks that just throw you right into the deep end but something about Welch's vocals kicking in at the top doesn't work for me.

But then Whip It hits. I've gushed over how amazing Love and Death's cover of the Devo classic is, but man... The only way to describe the song is brilliant!!! Just an amazing cover!

Watching The Bottom Fall, By The Way, and Meltdown all have a similar vibe. Heavy ballads that in there own ways remind me of Demon Hunter. It's not a bad comparison and the songs are nice but back to back to back, it feels like you've been listening to the same song on repeat. And they all sound very different... So that's not a great thing.

I W8 4 U (So poorly titled and I have so much I hate about this) is an epic song. The intro reminds me of Welch's great work with Korn but the song is super heavy. Having Mattie Montgomery from For Today scream on the song helps kick it to another level. Best song on the record.

My Disaster and Fading Away remind of Korn. Plan and simple, they sound like Korn b-sides. Paralyzed and Chemicals we've all heard, and I like both of them. I wish they hadn't been placed back to back at the end of record because they are two of the better tracks on Between here and Lost.

Between Here and Lost isn't the album of year candidate I was hoping for. But it is a pretty killer heavy record. Nu-metal at it's finest (is that a thing?).

The Meltdown 103

New music from Spoken, Joy Electric, Soul Embraced, Overcome, and more.

Overcome - No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets.

Well it didn't take long for us to get the first great album of 2013.

The return of Overcome divided heavy music fans and based on people's reaction, I think you could gage the age of the listener pretty easily. The Great Campaign of Sabotage was raw and brutal. It sounded like Overcome picked right back up where they left off in 1998. And I think that took a lot of people by surprise. Not polished, sampled drums. Not super compressed and gated guitars. Not wide varying, pig squealed vocals. It was old school metalcore. And I loved every bit of it!

No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets picks up right where The Great Campaign of Sabotage left off and ratchets up the brutality.

Verum smacks you right in the face, and it's obvious that the band's status as underground legends is firmly intact. Overcome might not get the same recognition as Zao or Living Sacrifice, but they deserve it. Spirit and Flesh is a circle pit inducing hardcore song. The breakdown in the song is beautiful classic. Not the overdone breakdown you hear in every heavy song these days but a "simple" breakaway from the fast moving pace of the rest of the song. Travail and Indwelling both have great death metal elements to them (Indwelling possbeing a tribute to Stinson's short-lived death metal outfit of the same name).

The best part about No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets, is that it sounds like Overcome. The same Overcome that released The Great Campaign of Sabotage and more importantly, the same Overcome that released Blessed Are The Persecuted. Sure, Stinson's no longer on vocals and the recording technology is obviously upgraded, but Overcome brings a ferocity and packs a punch that metalcore has been missing for a long time!

The return of Overcome has been everything old school SFHC fans could've hope for and more. Hopefully No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets, will finally bring the band the acclaim they've deserved for a long time.

Everything In Slow Motion - Red 7"

After releasing their masterpiece, Give Me Rest, Hands decided to hang it up. It was a sad day but it was almost instantly followed up with the mysterious announcement of Everything In Slow Motion. The announcements just said the "band" was in studio working on something awesome. And I'm not sure anything could've prepared me for the band's debut 7" single, Red.

Everything In Slow Motion is the solo project of former Hand's front-man, Shane Ochsner, and his debut 7 inch picks up right where Give Me Rest left off.

The lead single and title track, Red, starts off with some atmospheric vocals before the driving bass line punches in. Ochsner's yell kicks in and his heartfelt cry hits home instantly as Ochsner screams "It is a broken world." As the song builds and crescendo's, I'm further drawn in and amazed at Ochsner's ability as a songwriter. Red is the perfect follow-up to the Give Me Rest.

Exosphere also starts with some great atmospherics before slamming in full. It's a slower, more ballady track and moves nicely between Ochsner's mournful screaming and singing. The balance is great and is more of an evolution to what we heard on Hand's swan song. It's a beautiful 6 minute journey.

Red is just a taste of what's to come as Shane has promised a full-legnth in 2013. Everything In Slow Motion is the next evolution of Hands and anyone who is having Hands withdraws needs to pick this record up stat!

The Meltdown 102: The Top 30 of 2012

The Top 30 of 2012

Top 30 of 2012

There was a lot of great music in 2012. There were 38 records that I gave a 5 star review and 50 more that got 4 out of 5 stars. Winners this year?

Tooth and Nail. Tooth and Nail had a great year of releases and one of the labels best in a long time! Yeah, they had a couple records I wasn't completely into but their overall output in 2012 was solid.

The other big winner this year is Kickstarter. The OC Supertones, Project 86, Starflyer 59, and Joy Electric are just some of the bands that released records that were fully funded by their fans via Kickstarter. 2012 really was the beginning of a new era for music.


Honorable Mentions:
Tongue & Pen - The Likeness EP
The Modern Post - Grace Alone EP
Converge - All We Loved We Leave Behind
Sigur Ros - Valtari
Wolves At The Gate - Captors
Altars - Conclusions 
Children 18:3 - On The Run
The Chariot - One Wing

And now... The Top 30!

                                                       30. Starflyer 59 - IAMACEO

Starflyer 59's thirteenth LP is indie rock perfection. The record fits in nicely and compliments the band's discography nicely!


                                          29. Sixpence None The Richer - Lost In Transition

It had been ten years since Sixpence's last full-length (although only four since their ep and Christmas albums) but the band hasn't lost a step.


                                                28. The Burial - Lights And Perfection

The Burial full-legnth follow-up to their stellar debut ep is a huge step forward. Tech metal goodness.


                                              27. Sent By Ravens - Mean What You Say

Sent By Ravens second full-legnth and ultimately their swan song was a killer post-hardcore record. If you're going to go out, go out on a high note. And that's what Sent By Ravens did.


                                                 26. Letter To The Exiles - Make Amends

After a pretty unimpressive debut, Letters To the Exiles returned with an excellent melodic hardcore album.


                                                      25. Michael Know - Live This Love

Michael Knox's debut is an album full of heart-felt, well crafted pop songs. The best record you haven't heard yet!


                                    24. To Speak Of Wolves - Find Your Worth, Come Home

With a new vocalist in tow, To Speak of Wolves ditched the post-hardcore stylings of their debut to deliver a brutal record! Heavy heavy stuff!


                                                 23. The Overseer - We Search, We Dig

The Overseer's Solid State debut was a raw, powerful record.


                                               22. Owl City - The Midsummer Station

The Midsummer Station is Owl City's finest work to date. Adam Young adds some more diversity to his band's sound, creating more pop goodness.


                                                   21. Becoming The Archetype - I Am

Becoming The Archetype bounces back from their disappointing last album, Celestial Completion. With a new singer in tow, The Archetype boys delived a new brand of death metal with I Am.


                                                   20. Project 86 - Wait For The Siren

Wait For The Siren was a breathe of fresh air for Project 86. With a new band in tow,  vocalist Andrew Schwab seems to have found a new passion, and it comes through on Wait For The Siren.


                                                     19. mewithoutYou - Ten Stories

Time heals all wounds. Including mewithoutYou's last album. Ten Stories takes the folk elements of It's All Crazy and adds some of their signature post-hardcore stylings, creating a great indie soundtrack.


                                                     18. As I Lay Dying - Awakened

Awakened is just a fantastic metal record! As I Lay Dying do what they do well.


                                                17. Abandoned Pools - Sublime Currency 

Sublime Currency is a delightful electro/indie pop record. Catchy melodies and great hooks. A top to bottom killer record.


                                                      16. Your Memorial - Redirect

Your Memorial's follow-up to Atonement builds off what the band did so well on their Facedown debut and makes it better! A melodic hardcore masterpiece. Great hooks, killer riffs, strong melodies.


                                                            15. Eisley - Deep Space

Eisley's Deep Space ep is more intimate musically than last year's stellar The Valley. The songs are rich and lush, providing a soundscape we haven't heard from Eisley until now.


                                                    14. The Wedding - No Direction

No Direction is straight up rock &roll! Turns out rock isn't dead after all.


                                                     13. MxPx - Plans Within Plan

The punk legends just don't make bad music! Plans Within Plans is another great pop punk record.


                                                         12. Lovedrug - Wild Blood

Instantly catchy. The riffs on Wild Blood are super infectious.


                                                  11. House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want

The great moments on Cold Hard Want are absolutely great. Catchy songs that feel more heartfelt than House of Heroes past albums.


                                                                10. Lecrae - Gravity

Gravity is special. There's something for all types of hip-hop fans. The songs are catchy, but more importantly, Lecrae has something to say and his lyrics hit hard.


                                              9. Further Seems Forever - Penny Black

The return of Chris Carrabba to Further Seems Forever was everything I hoped for! Catchy, slightly off-tempoed emo/rock songs! It's the follow-up to The Moon Is Down that all FSF fans wanted.


                                                   8. Beautiful Eulogy - Satellite Kite

Hip-hop for the indie music fan. Some off kilter beats, some spoken word, some great melodies, and lyrics with a message. Satellite Kite isn't just for hip-hop fans.


                                                          7. States - Room To Run

Room To Run was actually released last year but Tooth and Nail gave it new life and re-released it this year. A great mix of Blondie and Denali. Female-fronted indie rock and it's best!


                                                        6. P.O.D. - Murdered Love

Murdered Love feels like the rebirth of P.O.D. A great blend of heavy rapcore, catchy radio songs, punk tracks, and ballads. Murdered Love hits hard from the time to press play to the time I Am finishes.


                                                             5. Britt Nicole - Gold

When I reviewed Gold, I said it was everything I didn't like about christian music but it was exactly what christian pop music needed. I didn't expect to completely fall in love with the album. A great pop record with a strong message. Not your everyday CCM record but a true modern pop record.


                                                                   4. Sins - Sink Away

This album was literally just released but I've been waiting for this album for 2 years now. Sins is the punk rock side project of Anberlin guitarist Joseph Milligan. Sink Away is super catchy, hard hitting punk rock in the vain of Face to Face! Great record!!!


                                                     3. Hammock - Departure Songs

Hammock makes the most beautiful music in the world! Departure Songs is a double record full of great ambient pieces, a handful of post-rock songs and killer shoegazer tracks. Music to meditate on and to. 


                                                    2. Gideon Grove - Wildfires

Ok, Wildfires by Gideon Grove is the best record of the year that you haven't heard! Haunting melodies, wide, lush soundscapes create something special and unique. 


                                                      1. Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Up until I heard Wildfires, Koi No Yokan was the only record that made me stop what I was doing and take time to truly listen. I knew the Deftones had delivered not only the record of the year, but the record of their career!

Starflyer 59 - IAMACEO

Ever since I started listening to Christian music in 1996, Starflyer 59 has been around. I've been a fan since 97's Americana and the band has been one of my favorites since 01's Leave Here A Stranger. While members have come and gone, front-man Jason Martin has forged ahead and continued to make indie rock goodness.

As the band heads into their 20th year of existence, IAMACEO marks a new chapter for Starflyer 59. It's the band's first non Tooth and Nail released album. There's no cd version of this record. Fully funded via Kickstarter, Martin and company choose to release the album on mp3 and vinyl.

IAMACEO is similar musically to the band's previous two outings (Dial M and The Changing Of the Guard) and like those albums, Martin continues to write deeper and more meaningful lyrics.

The title track kicks off this album, almost as a declaration of band's new freedom from Tooth and Nail. A great upbeat rock song with a classic vibe, but the lyrics hit hard ("You can build it on your own, but you're still not in control"). Is the song about leaving Tooth and Nail? Is the song about, no matter how much freedom you have, there's always someone over you, even if you're the CEO? Is it a veiled reference about God? It's one of the great thing's about Martin's lyrics, sometimes there's a mystery that's left for the listener to just take from it what they want.

Bicycle Rider is a slightly 80's tinged pop song. As always, you know a Martin riff when you hear it. Always catchy in it's almost simplistic nature. Is This All There Is just asks the question the title suggest. The harmonica, which Martin has used in the past, creates a subtle alt-country vibe. Open Hands is a dirty rock song. The guitar tone on Martin's lead is one I don't think I've heard on a Starflyer song since The Birthrite. The piano and harmonica driven Father John feels familiar. It has a swanky feel like the songs on Talking Voice vs Singing Voice did.

I Feel Black is one of my favorite moments on the record. A fun surfy riff that opens up the song, a punchy bass riff moving through the verse but the chorus is dark sounding. The juxtaposition between the verse and chorus creates a beautifully complex moment on the record.

IAMACEO is a fantastic record. Hopefully it's not Martin's last because with each album it feels like Starflyer 59 has more to give.