So much of electronica is oversaturated by the likes of DJ Sammy melodic trance. Instead, if you are new to electronica, check out the following site. It is a good way to come up to speed with great sound clips.
Ishkur’s Guide to Electronic Music.
Fantastic resource. You’ll want to bookmark this.
Artist :: Dream Theater
Album :: Systematic Chaos
Label :: Roadrunner Records
Play this cut first :: Constant Motion (video below)
In a word :: Edgier
I’ll admit it, I’m a bit biased. As a guitar player, and one with a music theory degree, the orchestrated brand of progressive metal that Dream Theater delivers has been a favorite of mine for more than 15 years. And while much of their stuff has been almost a like a rehashing of the previous album, Systematic Chaos is certainly different.
For starters, these cuts tend to be heavier across the board. While they’ve had a penchant for dropping in these little acoustic bits with bad sax solos in the past, they skip that for the most part. The only real exception is the 15-minute snoozer “The Ministry of Lost Souls”. But that’s what skip buttons are for.
This time, they get heavier and put more focus on traditional song structures, but in a way that is so much better than they tried on Falling Into Infinity. It’s almost as if they decided to try writing more conventional songs than having someone else suggest they do it. There’s a little more heart in it this time around. A cut like “Forsaken” could easily get some radio spins and not seem like a sellout at all.
Don’t get me wrong, though, there is a ton of powerhouse riffage and musical pyrotechnics. I mean, come on, it’s Dream Theater. A cut like “Constant Motion” (video included) is pretty representative of the overall aggression levels on Systematic Chaos.
I’m not sure if the move to Roadrunner Records, a metal powerhouse label, was a bit of a kick in the ass, but these guys seemed like they were out to prove something for the first time since, well probably the first time ever.
One good move was keep singer James Labrie in check. The guy can sing, sure. But his range is in a register that drives a lot of people crazy and is usually more of an obstacle to those who have never heard Dream Theater before than the complex song arrangements are. With this added level of aggression, holding him back a little is one of those instances when less is more. In some cases, they put his voice through a lot of distortion, which also helps.
They also experiment in a few places. For instance, “Repentance” harkens back to “This Dying Soul” from the Train of Thought album. It is another song in this sort of unspoken Alcoholics Anonymous suite that has been weaving itself through albums since Awake. They do some interesting things with guitar processing and extended chord progressions, much like Pink Floyd, with spoken word voice-overs. And the way the final track “In the Presence of Enemies Part II” blows up does my heart good.
It’s actually pretty cool to hear them stretch out a little and push the(ir) envelope in a way that just doesn’t involve playing faster.
Best cuts on the album :: Constant Motion, The Dark Eternal Night, In the Presence of Enemies Part I.
The bottom line :: With the level of musicianship in this band, they could’ve gone in any direction and probably pulled it off. Going heavier, however, play to a strength. Their albums have always had some great heavy moments, but putting this album in that realm as a whole was a brilliant move. It doesn’t sound forced at all. And this might be the album that wins them some new fans without alienating the old ones.
VictoryRecords artists, Nodes of Ranvier, have stellar new disc out called Defined by Struggle. Guitarist, Jon Parker, took a few minutes to talk with BRB about the album, dream tours, digital music, and more. Enjoy.
And if you haven’t picked up Defined By Struggle yet, I can’t encourage it enough.
BRB: Defined by Struggle shows a pretty significant degree of maturity versus past efforts. How much of that is the natural evolution of the band, and how much was a conscious decision to stretch out on this album?
NOR: A lot of what you are hearing as maturity may be coming from the fact that three of the members have changed since the last album. We wrote this album from a completely musical standpoint without regard for vocals. It was a very step-by-step process, and I think that laid way to a much more concise sound this time around. We may not have as much diversity of sound as we have in the past but the songs are much more technical in their speed and material. We set out to write a weighty record and something that we felt had a common feel from song to song, without becoming monotonous. We are very happy with what we came up with especially under the weight of time constraints and member changes.
BRB: If you could put yourself on tour with three other bands of your choice, who would you pick?
NOR: The Black Dahlia Murder, Burnt by the Sun, MASTODON.
BRB: Who are some of your non-rock-based favorite artists? What is it about those artists that gets them on your favorites list?
NOR: First off would be Atmosphere. For not being the biggest fan of hip hop, I must say there is something inspiring about Slug’s material. I’ve been able to see the group once in my hometown and it was pretty much the most fun I could have had around a bunch of frat boys and ICP fans. Haha!
Secondly would be Sigur Ros. I guess some would consider them a rock-based band, but because I cant find a way to classify them I’m adding them to the list. Their music does something to my spine that I cannot explain, and it literally gives me a hopeful feeling just in listening. This band is a gift.
Thirdly, I’m a big DJ Shadow fan. The Private Press is a record that I can listen to in almost any mood and especially when I need my mind to be doing two or more things at once. I appreciate the blending of elements that I myself would never have thought to put together.
BRB: Do you have any themes or sources that consistently provide lyrical inspiration?
NOR: The ins and outs of life have always played a particularly large part in the lyrical content of this band. A lot of songs are stories about problems we’ve faced and struggles we’ve bore. We want to put a positive spin on a sometimes grim world. It’s something that gives us reason and purpose to do what we do and play music that moves us personally. In a way, we live through the things that this band has brought about for us. It’s bigger than its members. It’s a message and a way of life.
BRB: How have social media sites like MySpace or PureVolume benefited Nodes of Ranvier?
NOR: Free access to press is always a good thing. Many people would have never heard of us if it wasn’t for these sites. Now, more than ever, it seems that the world of music is more about listening than buying. With so much to choose from, bands need all the help they can get to stay alive. We have appreciated the ability to run these sites by ourselves and stay in better contact with the people who would consider themselves fans. It’s a great tool for us to keep our music in the listeners’ ears.
BRB: Do you think the increasing popularity of iPods and digital downloads will eventually render CDs obsolete? How do you think this will affect a band like yours?
NOR: It’s hard to say. Books are very prevalent. I’m still buying vinyl. While I’m sure the digital world will continue to decrease hard copy record sales, I think that the music industry will never die. It may not be pretty, but something will have to take place to make some order out of all this. The attention that iPods have brought to the individual enjoyment of music has given people the ability to branch out their own musical tastes. For an off color band like ourselves, I’m sure this has been helpful.
There you have it, folks. Big thanks to Jon for taking the time to go into such depth and detail. The album, again, is called Defined By Struggle and it’s in stores now.
Artist :: Sons of Azrael
Album :: The Conjuration of Vengeance
Label :: Metal Blade
Play this cut first :: The Wrath
In a word :: Bombastic
I’ve got to admit, right out of the gates, I didn’t hold much hope for this disc. The sheer blast of speed and cacophonic vocal shrieks have been done to death. I understand wanting to kick things off with a high energy track, but the opener, “Trail of Flesh” is pretty much a toss away. Same for the second track, “Scent of a Dead Whore”.
Then, from nowhere comes “The Wrath”. The twin leads a la Iron Maiden are interspersed with wicked syncopated riffs and a flow into traditional thrash metal riffage. The guitars are in lock step with the double kick rolls. And just like that, Sons of Azrael went from some wash of sonic blastcore to a very well-honed metalpiece.
The next two cuts, “Mortal Human Form” and “Sweet Blasphemy” follow suit, relying more on the progression of harmonic riffing and half-time drum breaks than speed alone. As a result, the speed sounds faster because of the dynamic comparison. The half time riffs are saturated in potential energy. And the sense of momentum in each cut just snowballs. And that’s good, because the vocals are well, not so good.
Now I’m not new to the genre. I’m just tired of shrieks and growls. It really works against the trained precision of what the rest of the band is pulling off. And the lyrics are even more sophomoric. These sly devil lyrics have been spit over and over again. “End of the Rope” are vocals at their worst. I’ll stop before I get too far. Vocalist, Joe Siracuse is in good with The Dark Lord (gives him a shout out in the liner notes, even.) Even the newest of the godmetal brigade see the power in a little bit if subtlety to convey a message. Still, extreme metal has never been the place for subtlety, so why start now?
So I guess I’ve got mixed reactions with The Conjuration of Vengeance. At times, I want to throw my fist up and scream “Oh, Dark Lord come take my now!” Other times, I simply shake my head and think, “Oh, lord….” So do yourself a favor and check out the Sons of Azrael myspace page for some previews. Judge for yourself. Be warned: it’s gonna be loud. And I kind of like that.
Best cuts on the album :: “The Wrath”, “Sweet Blasphemy”, and “Mortal Human Form”
The bottom line :: This album is really dripping with the energy that keeps extreme metal alive. The riffage is powerful and ambitious. The cuts that don’t vary from the pure speed too much could have been omitted and the album may have been better for it because, when it’s good , it’s really good. And when it’s bad, it’s pretty easily forgettable.
Artist :: >Death Before Dishonor
Album :: Count Me In
Label :: Bridge Nine
Play this cut first :: Break Through It All (See Video Below)
In a word :: hard f’n’ core
In a day when open access to all forms of media and music from all over the world are breeding an environment of musical crossovers that still haven’t worked out most of the suck (cough, cough, Linkin Park, cough, Gym Class Heroes, cough), it is rare to find a band that is very true to genre roots.
Enter Boston’s own Death Before Dishonor. If some young hipster ever asks you what hardcore is, stick Count Me In in his face; all he needs to know is right here.
While Boston and New York are cities with longstanding rivalries in many aspects, they have always found a great common ground in building East Coast hardcore for close to 30 years now. And if you could take the best elements from NYHC legends like The Crumbsuckers, Leeway, Madball, ProPain, Sick Of It All, and early Biohazard, and bring them all into one band, you’d land in Boston with Death Before Dishonor.
What’s more is that while Count Me In stays true to hardcore roots with great riffs, lyrics of frustration and defiance, gang vocals, tom roll rhythms, and more, the whole presence of the album is very contemporary. In many ways it feels like and album that should’ve come out years ago as the logical progression of hardcore before it started to splinter into so many sub-genres.
What could be the most remarkable element of Count Me In is that while each song sounds very similar to the last, every time a new track starts, it kicks your ass all over again. It’s aural equivalent of brass knuckles. And I can’t tell you the last time getting my ass kicked like this felt so good.
If you are tired of weenie rock bands who care more about what they look like for the photo shoot than how hard they can get riffs to pound and how many kids they can give a voice to, then you should just buy this album right now.
Best cuts on the album :: All of them.
The bottom line :: The underground still means something because bands like Death Before Dishonor still believe that music and words with integrity still have the power to change the world, one clenched fist at a time. One listen to Count Me In and you’ll believe it, too.
Artist :: June
Album :: Make It Blur
Label :: Victory
Play this cut first :: A Taste
In a word :: Underwhelming
I have to admit, I was a sucker for the sugary sweet melodies and crunchy pop-tinged progression that laced June’s debut album, If You Speak Any Faster. It wasn’t as tough as most of the other stuff I was listening to, but good songwriting is just good songwriting, whether you are Elvis Costello, Peter Gabriel, or Faith No More. And, If You Speak Any Faster was loaded with great songwriting.
Perhaps it’s the dreaded sophomore slump. Maybe it was being rushed in the songwriting process, but Make It Blur just doesn’t hit me in the same spot, though it feels like it wants to. Producer, Mark McClusky, did a great job of twiddling knobs. The production is squeaky clean. And June sounds like they made an effort to really stretch out their sound. The thing is I would’ve liked to hear them go a little deeper rather than a little wider, if you know what I mean.
That’s not to say that Make It Blur is bad; it’s not. Is it good?
Well…
Have you ever gotten a recipe and put all of the right ingredients together, but had the dish still not turn out right? It’s kind of like that. The guitars are nice and crisp. There are slick bits of electronic ear candy in there. Some big hooks, too. More often than not, however, these things are happening in isolation, rather than all together. It’s an ambitious aim, but it falls short.
Make It Blur does pick up a little a little bit of steam toward the end. “A Taste” is a great track. In fact, it’s the track that I was hoping the whole album would be. In the end, however, June comes out this time sound tougher than Maroon 5, but not as abrasive as Fall Out Boy.
Best cuts on the album :: Closer, Machine and the Line, A Taste
The Bottom Line :: This album seems like a young band going through some growing pains. I love the ambition, but perhaps it was a little too much too soon. If they can muster the edge they had on If You Speak Any Faster and combine it with the range approached on Make It Blur, they’ll be well on their way.
Artist :: The Fire the Flood
Album :: Truth Seekers
Label :: No Sleep Records
Play this track first :: Combines
In a word :: Godcore
There were a couple of bands in the heyday of thrash metal that had really obvious hardcore influences and proudly proclaimed that fact. Slayer and Sepultura are the first two that come to mind. And what I loved about those bands was their ability to balance that pure hardcore aggression with the syncopated grooveability that thrash metal used to revive riff-based rock. The Fire The Flood comes from that same musical headspace.
From lightning fast blasts of hardcore aggression, to quirky guitar squibbles, some minor-second and major-seventh harmonics, to all out power riffs that come from the Pantera camp, the songs change up so fast that it’s the equivalent of ADD for your ears. And I like that, because the transitions make sense. Since most songs are 1-2 minutes long, the come in, get the job done, and get on to the next one.
Lyrically, these guys should also get some serious props. Their songs are laced with religious themes, but in a cryptic way that is not heavy handed. That’s what the Godrockers do these days. But they also step into the grotesque at times, forcing a listener to put all of the pieces together. If hardcore of yore challenged your political agenda, The Fire The Flood puts that same charge to you in a spiritual sense. And they do it in a way that is moshalicious.
There is such a raw energy here that I was imagining the intensity of the live show as I listened. It made me want to be in a band again, because The Fear The Flood seems to be a metal band that is doing everything right. And few in the younger guard can say that these days.
Best Cuts :: “Combines”, “Therapy”, “…And It Grows Like Weeds”
Bottom Line :: These guys have a sense of urgency and purpose in their music that is lacking in 99% of the new bands I hear. Call it passion. Call it fire. Whatever it is, you can hear it from the very first note. And you should reward that type of passion with your dollars.
Catch them on the road:
August
17 Crossville, TN @ The Train Depot
18 Lawrenceville, GA @ The Treehouse
31 Charlotte, NC @ Tremont Music Hall
September
11 Lawrenceville, GA @ The Treehouse
12 Louisville, KY @ Bulldog Café
13 Riverview, MI @ Rack N Roll
14 Chicago, IL @ Memories Bar
Artist :: Velvet Revolver
Album :: Libertad
Label :: RCA
Play this track first :: Spay
In a word :: Oh, Hellsyeah!
After listening the Libertad a few times, I had mixed reactions. I mean this album friggin’ smokes. It really kicks the ass of just about anything else you are going to hear on commercial radio. Yes folks, rock and roll is still alive. It’s wearing snakeskin boots and walking up your porch steps, getting ready to kick down your front door and raid your liquor cabinet. Libertad is just that kind of album. And for that,s I am so gloriously happy.
What makes me sad, however, is that takes group of 40-something to really rock commercial radio. What happened to this being a young man’s game. Why are all the younger bands on the VH1 countdown playing piano’s on a beach while Velvet Revolver is kickin’ asses from coast to coast? There is a serious problem in rock, and these guys are out to fix it.
It’s hard not to compare these guys to Guns N Roses because three of them were in GnR. What Libertad shows is that, while Axl Rose was trying to be the next Paul McCartney, Slash, Duff, and Matt were perfectly content being the next Sex Pistols. It was this tug of war that made the Use Your Illusions discs so bipolar. (Seriously, did we really need two versions of “Don’t Cry”. One seemed like more than enough to me).
Scott Weiland also recorded this album totally sober, which was apparently a first for him. While I can’t attest to his frame of mind, I can tell you his vocals haven’t sounded this good since Purple. He carries a sense of urgency in here that is catalytic.
While only time will make an album like Appetite for Destruction a classic, Libertad has all of the same elements that made AFD so appreciated. The sexy swagger of blues-based riffing. The punk-fukkin-rock chords that are equal parts slop and sensational. The big difference on here, though is Scott Weiland. Contraband hinted at it, but Libertad makes it clear. He is 10 times the rock star that Axl will ever be. He has a confidence that transcends the music. He has mastered the art of cockiness, whereas Axl is just …well… sort of a cock.
Dave Kushner really needs a mention as well. His rhythm work is bullet proof. He is Malcolm to Slash’s Angus. Alongside Duff and Matt, you’d be hard-pressed to find a tighter rock rhythm section anywhere. That stuff doesn’t happen by accident.
To be fair, not every song on Libertad is a home run. “American Man” man is a little too gospel-revival for me. And “Gravedancer” tends to drag on a little. But when you consider they are up against the swaggering riffage of “For A Brother”, the relentless pounding of “Mary, Mary”, and the suckerpunch attack of “Spay” and it doesn’t really matter. Hell, let ‘em come along for the ride. It’s a party and VR is buying!
Best Cuts :: “Spay”, “For a Brother”, “Just Sixteen”, and “She Mine”
Bottom line :: Just go get it. Seriously. You won’t regret it.
Artist :: >DJ Kenneth A>
Album :: Saint Elmo and The Osprey
Label :: DI f’n Y, baby!
Play this cut first :: Snowfall
In a word :: An anomaly
I’ve followed DJ Kenneth A for about five years, and the thing that keeps me coming back to this DJ from Baltimore is the eclectic nature of his approach. Much more so than many other electronic artists, his music is a direct look at his personality.
The songs on Saint Elmo and The Osprey illustrate this perfectly. From the somber and involved “Snowfall”, to the mixtape-ready “KS” to the light hearted and, dare I say whimsical, “Summer is Near,” DJ Kenneth A confidently flexes his range.
If it had to put into a genre, trance would be most appropriate. But DJ Kenneth A’s sense of composition, drenched in lots of juicy delay, brings back what most contemporary trance music lacks: the hypnotic approach that earned it the name “trance” in the first place.
Further, there is a human element on Saint Elmo and The Osprey that distinctly separates this album from much other trance music. It should be obvious to even the most casual listener that he’s really playing this and not programming it all. Sometimes it manifests itself in coming into a note just behind the beat, but more often than not, its that sense of fluid motion, that sense of a artist creating across time, that soul, that a machine just can’t capture.
When it’s mellow, it in reminiscent of VNV Nation’s more melodic moments. When it turns loose, there is a hint of Fatboy Slim. Still these are touches of artists that drop in over the more obvious influences of Moby, Hybrid, and early BT.
If you have been unimpressed by trance music in the past, DJ Kenneth A could be the artist who helps you turn that corner. Why? Because after the first listen, you know that Saint Elmo and The Osprey is not just written for the dance floor; it’s written for the mind and heart as well.
Best cuts on the album are :: “Snowfall”, “KS”, and “The Nothing”.
The Bottom Line :: This isn’t your older sister’s trance music. Saint Elmo and The Osprey is a perfect example of why a DIY musician can make it as technology continues to level the playing field between independent artists and mainstream entertainers.
August 26th, 2007 
