365 Days of Metal: Rebecca Black Metal Friday vol. 12

This Friday, Rebecca gazes down at her shoes and explores the lighter, more serene side of black metal.

Day 116

Alcest - Les Voyages de l'Âme

Band Origin:  Bagnols-sur-Cèze, France
Genre: Black Metal / Shoegaze / Post-metal
Label: Prophecy Productions
Running Time: 50 minutes 
Release Date: January 6, 2012

Best Part: Probably some of the most elegant black metal inspired music there is out there.

Favorite Tracks: Là Où Naissent Les Couleurs Nouvelles, Faiseurs de Monde, Nous Sommes L'Emeraude, and Autre Temps

Grade: 4.5

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Les Voyages de l'Âme in way more than 20 words or less: 

Les Voyages de l'Âme is Neige's third full-length release under Alcest and continues to explore the fantasy world of his childhood experiences with sweeping, melodious soundscapes that exploit the black metal and post-rock to their finest potential.

The Band: 


Alcest is the solo project of musician Stéphane 'Neige' Paut formed originally in 2000 and was also at one point a three piece black metal band. Spawned from the childhood experiences of Neige and his contact with what he describes as the "Fairy Land", Alcest is the his own musical adaptation of those experiences, meant to transport the listener into the world built in his memories. Starting out as a purely black metal project, Alcest has grown to fit more into the shoegaze genre, with Neige implementing elements of post-rock/metal as well as black metal into his own unique creation.

Alcest's other releases include: Souvenirs d'un autre monde (2007), Écailles de Lune (2010) 

Jay's Take on Les Voyages de l'Âme: 

The entire ideal behind Alcest is to transport the listener into the mind, the childhood memories and experiences of Neige and his "Fairy Land". It's a journey filled with sweeping instrumental movements that cover ground between the slightly distorted guitar wailing of traditional black metal, and near-mesmerizing post-rock inspired swollen build-ups and drives. When listening to Alcest you have to be prepared to experience something that is not purely of one form or style. Les Voyages de l'Âme features moments of calm, soothing atmospheric tenderness as Neige explores the world of his childhood memories, narrated and sung in French - which is easily accessible for me, seeing as how it's my first language - but also transports you down more of a somewhat darker, harsher light in areas where the black metal influence of his music sets in. Les Voyages de l'Âme is not simply black metal, nor is it post-metal/rock, or shoegazing, or any other number of labels. It is a truly inspired piece of musical artistry that explores one of the brighter sides of musical creation - that being the ability to adapt ones inner most emotions, memories and thoughts into a form that can be shared and interpreted by others. It's hard to describe an optimal mood or setting to listen to Alcest, as the music itself is quite relaxing, soothing and elegant - something that is both a first time occurrence and most likely a rarity to be had on Black Metal Friday, but it is what it is.

Neige's earlier ventures should definitely not be ignored, as Les Voyages de l'Âme is easily the recording which strays furthest from the path of black metal in which Alcest began, but is a superb follow-up to 2010's Écailles de Lune.

Sample of the Day:



- J 

365 Days of Metal: The Carriers of the Plague

Day 115

Psycroptic - The Inherited Repression

Band Origin: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Running Time: 41 minutes 
Release Date: February 10, 2012

Best Part: Their twist on the technical death metal genre that features also features a fusion of thrash, hardcore and

Favorite Tracks: From Scribe to Ashes, Deprivation, The Throne of Kings, Carriers of the Plague, and Euphorinasia 

Grade: 4.5

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The Inherited Repression in way more than 20 words or less: 

Psycroptic's fifth full-length release is also their first release in four years since signing with Nuclear Blast and features the Aussies returning to their old tricks, with some technical 

The Band: 

Psycroptic is a four piece technical death metal band from Australia that was formed in 1999 by drummer Dave Haley and his brother, guitarist Joe Haley, as well as bassist Cameron Grant, who remain members to this day, along with current vocalist Jason Peppiatt. The band plays a high speed, technically proficient style of technical death metal that is heavy on the blast beats and features interesting vocal work from Peppiatt who utilizes cleaner, harsh screams, rather than the death growls so often associated with the genre.

Psycroptic's other releases include: The Isle of Disenchantment (2001), The Scepter of the Ancients (2003), Symbols of Failure (2006), and Ob(Servant) (2008) 

Jay's Take on The Inherited Repression: 

Psycroptic is an interesting entrant in the technical death metal genre because of the way they layout the signature elements of the genre, along with a smattering of elements from other genres to create a sound that is their own. It's something that becomes more and more evident as you delve deeper into Psycroptic's most recent release The Inherited Repression, as what you're being exposed to is not your average technical death metal. The Haley brothers each display their own levels of technical proficiency and musicianship, in between Joe's guitar flourishes and riffs, and Dave's nigh-relentless blast beats and percussion work, with Grant filling in that heavy, encompassing rumble. There are echoes of thrash that leak into the musicianship at different moments, apparent in some of the riffs and which are only slightly broken up by the shifts in tempo and movements up and down the scale. It's the vocal elements that really differentiates Psycroptic from most other technical death metal bands as Peppiatt's vocals are primarily much cleaner, harsh screams and do not travel very low into the register, and extremely rarely into anything deeply resembling a death growl. It's vocal work you would more often expect to find on a metalcore album, rather than something of this style. Nonetheless, it's something refreshing as many technical death metal bands find themselves either traveling down the route of low death growls, guttural churns or raspier shrieks. The Inherited Repression features a good staggering of pace heavy technical feats, and more slowed down emphatic drives - and manages to keep you on your toes.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: You Win This Round Agent Orange

Day 114

Sodom - Agent Orange

Band Origin: Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Genre: Thrash
Label: Steamhammer Records
Running Time: 37 minutes 
Release Date: June 1, 1989

Best Part: Pure, vintage thrash metal speed and riffs through and through.

Favorite Tracks: Ausgebombt, Magic Dragon, Agent Orange, Baptism of Fire, and Don't Walk Away

Grade: 4.5

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Agent Orange in way more than 20 words or less: 

While Persecution Mania was the album that would define Sodom's sound, Agent Orange was the follow-up breakthrough success that would mark them as a dominant force in the thrash metal movement during its peak years, and explores Tom Angelripper's fascination with the Vietnam War.

The Band: 

Sodom is a thrash metal trio from Germany formed originally in 1981 and spent their first five years as a black metal band before making the switch to thrash metal in 1986 with the release of their highly influential and sound defining record Persecution Mania. Sodom is credited as being one of the big three of the Teutonic thrash metal movement along with Kreator and Destruction whom share many similar traits. Sodom has experienced notable lineup changes over the years, with vocalist and bassist Tom Angelripper being the sole original member of the group. Between 1990 and 1998 the band also went through a number of changes in direction, leaning more to a punk influenced style of crossover thrash, which alienated many fans, but would end up returning to their roots. Angelripper has announced a new album is in the works, to be released later in 2012.

Sodom's other releases include: Obsessed by Cruelty (1986), Persecution Mania (1987), Agent Orange (1989), Better Off Dead (1990), Tapping the Vein (1992), Get What You Deserve(1994), Masquerade in Blood (1995), 'Til Death Do Us Unite (1997), Code Red (1999), M-16 (2001), Sodom (2006), The Final Sign of Evil (2007), and In War and Pieces (2010)

Jay's Take on Agent Orange: 

When seeking to delve deep into the roots of thrash metal one must not look any further than the original thrash metal scenes of the 1980's and earl 90's, particularly the Bay Area thrash scene which spawned bands including Metallica, Death Angel and Exodus among others, the Teutonic thrash metal scene which spawned dozens of groups primarily in Germany, and the Brazilian thrash scene, which eventually merged the sounds of early 80's thrash and the rise of death metal, fronted by bands such as Sepultura. As huge as the Big Four have become in the world of thrash metal, the Three Kings of Teutonic thrash are just as important in the evolution of the genre. Agent Orange was the record that pushed Sodom into commercial success following their entry into the thrash metal genre, all but abandoning their early work in what was the first wave of black metal in the early 80's. Persecution Mania really is the record to point to when wanting to define what Sodom was about, and what the rest of the primarily German thrash metal movement was about. But Agent Orange is just as interesting an entry because of its superb musicianship in the thrash metal vein, but also because of Tom's fascination with the Vietnam War, which was a focus for a number of tracks, including the title track and Magic Dragon. It is also a gateway album as it was from this point onward where lineup changes and shifts in direction would slowly drag Sodom away from the sound they had built in the late 80's - and would not return to until the late 90's. Despite these future facts, Agent Orange remains the highest selling German thrash metal album in the world, and defined Sodom as one of the iconic thrash metal bands of their time.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: A Band of Horses

Day 113

Horse the Band - Desperate Living

Band Origin: Lake Forest, California, USA
Genre: Nintendocore / Metalcore
Label: Vagrant Records
Running Time: 50 minutes 
Release Date: October 6, 2009

Best Part: It's another trippy trek into Winneke's psyche and a display of musical evolution for the inventers of the 8-bit inspired genre.

Favorite Tracks: Big Business, Between the Trees, Shapeshift, Horse the Song, and Golden Mummy Golden Bird 

Grade: 4.0

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Desperate Living in way more than 20 words or less: 

Desperate Living is Horse the Bands' fifth-full-length release and continues to explore the fractured psyche of frontman Nathan Winneke, while moving away from the Nintendo laced craziness and embracing musical and thematic evolution.

The Band: 

Horse the band is a five piece metalcore band from Lake Forest known as the progenitors of Nintendocore, coining the term originally as a gag. The bands sound is a fusion of the heavy use of synth effects emulating the 8-bit sound of old school Nintendo titles and metalcore. While many of the bands early records feature track titles referencing videogame characters and feature music that may seem absolutely ridiculous, much of the bands lyrical content is based off the psyche, anecdotes and experiences of vocalist Nathan Winneke - many of which explore troubled times and dark themes.

Horse the Bands' other releases include: Secret Rhythm of the Universe (2001), R. Borlax (2003), The Mechanical Hand (2005), and A Natural Death (2007)

Jay's Take on Desperate Living: 

Horse the band has always been a band rooted in absolute insanity, from the fusion of metalcore with the synth driven 8-bit sound of old school video games, references to videogame characters, abstract song titles and dark lyrical imagery. However, they have always been a band in constant evolution, breaking slowly away from the Nintendo driven themes of early releases and moving towards more socially and culturally relevant themes - even though it may not seem that way on first listen. The music created by Horse the Band is heavily influenced by the lyricism created by Winneke, who's psyche is without a doubt the central figure in the themes and experiences covered in each album and along with the bands evolution and experiences in the music industry, all of these elements came together to create something new. Desperate Living is a record that takes a musical leap forward from their earlier releases, channeling much less of the Nintendocore sound that they helped create and also presenting a richer focus on orchestration, programming and synth driven elements such as bass. It's a departure from their earlier recordings which had a heavier focus more driven by the metalcore aspect of their musical fusion. In a way, some fans may see this as a bit of a drawback, but the diminished tones in particular open the way for the more complex orchestrations that the band has come to put together, which feed in directly to the new themes that they are conveying, whether it's the pursuit of integrity within the music industry, some of the more dark aspects of Winneke's psyche, or stark social commentary. There is a lot hidden within Desperate Living, as there is with the rest of Horse the Band's catalog, as Winneke as stated: "No song is ever what it seems....the more silly it may come off the more troubled it probably is under the surface."
Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: The Great Sparrow Campaign

Apologies for the lapse over the weekend - it was slightly crazy but I still live.

I've also almost finished migrating old content over to the new 365 Days of Metal blog over on Tumblr. So go and give it a gander, because soon everything new on this blog will be over there.


Day 112

Red Sparowes - Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun

Band Origin: Los Angeles, California, USA

Genre: Post-metal / Post-rock
Label: Sargent House
Running Time: 62 minutes 
Release Date: September 19, 2006

Best Part: Concept is very richly rooted in the track titles and the musical evolution between each track on the record.

Favorite Tracks: "Like the Howling Glory of the Darkest Winds, This Voice Was Thunderous and the Words Holy, Tangling Their Way Around Our Hearts and Clutching Our Innocent Awe.", "Millions Starved and We Became Skinnier and Skinnier, While Our Leaders Became Fatter and Fatter.", and "The Great Leap Forward Poured Down Upon Us One Day Like a Mighty Storm, Suddenly and Furiously Blinding Our Senses."

Grade: 5

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Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun in way more than 20 words or less: 

Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun is the second full-length release by the Los Angeles instrumental post super-group, and is a concept album centered around the Great sparrow campaign carried out in China between 1958 and 1962.

The Band: 

Red Sparowes is a five piece post-metal/rock band from Los Angeles which was created in 2003 as a side project by former Isis guitarist Bryant Clifford-Meyer and guitarist/bassist Jeff Caxide, Halifax Pier bassist and pedal steel guitarist Greg Burns, guitarist and pianist Josh Graham of Neurosis and drummer Dana Berkowitz. Red Sparowes was built around the soundscapes of featured in Caxide and Clifford-Meyer's work with Isis but also with influences from other members' primary projects, and outside post driven influences such as Pelican, Sonic Youth and The Cure. The band has featured a number of member changes, primarily with Caxide and Berkowitz being forced to leave the group when they relocated from LA. The band continues to create purely instrumental arrangements which walk the line between post-rock and post-metal.

Red Sparowes' other releases include: At the Soundless Dawn (2005), and The Fear Is Excruciating, But Therein Lies the Answer (2010) 

Jay's Take on Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun: 

Red Sparowes is a band that has been comprised of a rich field of talent in the post-metal/rock genre since its original founding as a side project in 2003. Of the three releases that the band has made to date, Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun is by far their most interesting as it is a concept album which delves into an important moment in history and is conveyed solely through the music and the titles of each track. The story is built around China's Great Leap Forward which was essentially Chairman Mao Zedong's social and economic plan to raise China into the next modern communist society. One of the first and major actions in this strategy was the Four Pests Campaign, also known as The Great Sparrow Campaign which targeted sparrows in particular because of their habit of eating grain seeds, which the campaign claimed as being a robbery of the peoples hard labor. The resulting extermination of sparrows, their nests and eggs would result in a major ecological upset that would effect the region for years as no sparrows remained to eat locusts and other insects which feasted on crops. The Campaign is credited as being an unnecessary catalyst in the famine which would ravage China during those same years, causing nearly 40 million deaths.

History lesson aside, Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun tells this story in gradual stages, as can be deciphered from the very long and specific track titles. Each track follows the tradition post-metal/rock format with somewhat slow building and pulsing drives, building up to a louder, more prominent and vibrant crescendo. With the average track time ranging from seven to 10 minutes long, the feeling of the evolution between the more subdued and shallow drives is more than exacerbated up to the point where the music shifts into a higher tempo, and more powerful swing - and even down shifting to once again build up to a second, more resounding high point. Every Red Heart Shines Toward the Red Sun is a necessary listen if you are a fan of anything post, and more importantly are a fan of instrumental music in general.

Sample of the Day: 

 

- J

365 Days of Metal: Rebecca Black Metal Friday vol. 11

A very special black metal Friday in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Darkthrone's first black metal release. 

Day 111 

Darkthrone - A Blaze in the Northern Sky

Band Origin:  Kolbotn, Norway

Genre: Black Metal
Label: Peaceville
Running Time: 28 minutes 
Release Date: February 26, 1992

Best Part: The pure chill felt by the buzzing sonic force of the album's low production quality.

Favorite Tracks: In the Shadow of the Horns, Kathaarian Life Code, A Blaze in the Northern Sky, and The Pagan Winter

Grade: 4.5

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A Blaze in the Northern Sky in way more than 20 words or less: 

A Blaze in the Northern Sky was Darkthrone's second album and first in the black metal vein, having shifted from their death metal origin, and remains along with the rest of their 'Unholy Trinity' of albums, as an iconic album in black metal history.

The Band: 

Darkthrone was originally formed in 1988 as a death metal band to become one of the most influential and pioneering forces in the Norwegian black metal scene, just a few short years later. While the band was originally comprised of five members Darkthrone has consisted solely of Ted 'Nocturno Culto' Skjellum and Gylve 'Fenriz' Nagel since 1993. It was in 1991 that the band would shift their musical style from death metal to early black metal and would also begin to adopt the other elements associated with it, including corpse paint and their pseudonyms. With the help of fellow original guitarist Ivar 'Zephyrous' Enger and bassist Dag Nilsen, the band would record A Blaze in the Northern Sky, their first true black metal release in 1992. Nilsen departed the group and the trio of Nocturno Culto, Fenriz and Zephyrous would record a second album, 1993's Under a Funeral Moon, before Zephyrous would also leave the group. Nevertheless the duo would record and release Transilvanian Hunger in 1994. These three record would come to be known as the 'Unholy Trinity' and are regarded as a collective of some of the most influential early Norwegian black metal. Darkthrone would go on to record six more black metal records before changing their musical style once more in 2006 to a variant of crust punk, black metal and speed metal.

Darkthrone's other releases include: Soulside Journey (1991), Under a Funeral Moon (1993), Transilvanian Hunger (1994), Panzerfaust (1995), Total Death (1996), Ravishing Grimness (1999), Plaguewielder (2001), Hate Them (2003), Sardonic Wrath (2004), The Cult is Alive (2006), F.O.A.D. (2007), Dark Thrones and Black Flags (2008), and Circle the Wagons (2010) 

Jay's Take on A Blaze in the Northern Sky: 

When you take into consideration all of the artists involved in the founding years of the early Norwegian black metal scene, and the building blocks upon which the genre would come build itself upon, Darkthrone remain a name synonymous with many of the 'trends' and defacto elements of black metal, even to this day. They are one of the bands in early black metal to truly push the continued use of corpse paint within the genre, to focus on raw, low production quality on their records, and in between A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Transilvanian Hunger, truly pushed the satanic and misanthropic aspects behind the early black metal scene. A Blaze in the Northern Sky was not a perfect album, Fenriz has stated over the years that the album was ultimately rushed, and that elements of death metal are still present in the album, primarily in riffs which were played more to suit the new black metal style. Its rather its imperfections that make it out to be such an important piece of black metal history. Despite the low production quality of the recording, the instrumentation is still put together in way that makes it so that every base, every frequency of sound is still covered. The sonic force of Nocturno Culto and Zephyrous' guitars are obviously the driving force on the record, but the drum work is still very audible, clear and manages to sound big even amongst the wailing sonic crush of the guitars. The guitar work itself is what infuses so much of the ambiance into this and future Darkthrone records. The riffs buzz aloud, making the overall sound feel bleak and almost soul-chillingly cold. There is a necessary sense of repetition, something which is akin to Darkthrone in general, but there is still a balance of different riffs coursing throughout each track, as evidence on the 10 minute opening track Kathaarian Life Code. The vocal work is where the bleak darkness of the music comes together with the true evilness of the the record. The opening minute of the album begins with a nebulous series of satanic chants, opening into a vile, bile-etched scream, where Fenriz slowly begins to belt out the haunting, shrieking lyrics which are simply sinister and nihilistic. No, A Blaze in the Northern Sky may not have been perfect, but it set the tone for their future releases, including Transilvanian Hunger which would be regarded as their most influential album, and the point where Nocturno Culto and Fenriz would remain as a duo until this day.

Sample of the Day: 



- J

365 Days of Metal: The Sword is Mightier Than the Pen

Day 110

The Sword - Age of Winters

Band Origin: Austin, Texas, USA
Genre: Stoner Metal / Doom / Heavy Metal
Label: Kemado
Running Time: 48 minutes 
Release Date: February 14, 2006

Best Part: The fine balance of heavy power and speed, and purely instrumentally driven sections such as on The March of Lor.

Favorite Tracks: Winters Wolves, Freya, March of the Lor

Grade: 4.5

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Age of Winters in way more than 20 words or less: 

The debut album by The Sword is a record that demands to be listened to by anyone who considers themselves fans of vintage feeling doom and stoner metal and enjoys monstrously sludgy riffs of the fast and down-trodden varieties.

The Band: 

The Sword is four piece heavy metal band from Austin, Texas who's music has become a name synonymous with the retro style of early heavy metal and doom seen in bands like Black Sabbath. The Sword's debut album and second release were centered around both slow, heavy, sludgy riffs and fast, thrash inspired elements in order to create some of truly raw sounding, vintage feeling metal that appeals to a wide audience of metal fans. Their most recent release, Warp Riders saw a change in direction with the creation of a concept album built on a foundation of hard rock, or stoner rock, while still injecting elements central to their past success, and without at all letting go of their raw, vintage feeling sound.

The Swords other releases include: Gods of the Earth (2008), and Warp Riders (2010)

Jay's Take on Age of Winters: 

If you've never taken the time to sit down and listen to Age of Winters, do yourself a favor and do it. Not just because I'm writing about it right now. Not because it's their first album and should therefore be the starting point of your Sword listening. Just because it speaks for itself - and because it's fucking awesome. Whether you're a fan of the direction The Sword have gone in since the release of Warp Riders or not, chances are you were a fan of their music on Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth. From the opening moments on Age of Winters vocalist/guitarist John D. Cronise, guitarist Kyle Shutt, bassist Bryan Richie and former drummer Trivett Wingo blanket you with raw, heavy instrumentation that gives off echoes of that vintage early heavy metal vibe and then dips it into the slow, grimy power of stoner metal and sludge metal, and throws in some fast, thrashy influence for good measure. What you get is a fine balance of power, heaviness and speed that just gives you the wanton desire to headbang and tell your nearest disliked individual to promptly go fuck themselves. Cronise's use of stripped down, clean chanted vocals are another element that have earned The Sword comparisons in sound to bands such as Sabbath, who the band has cited as a major influence, along with bands such as the Melvins, which is no surprise with their down-trodden sludge inspired riffs. Cronise is responsible for much of the musical composition in the group, and was the primary source of material when the band recorded Age of Winters, taking much of his lyrical inspiration from literature and Norse mythology.

Sample of the Day: 

Today, a little instrumental track in March of the Lor and perennial favorite Freya.

 



- J

365 Days of Metal: Our Hearts Beat Not Within Thy Heart

I do usually have somewhat random titles, but today's is an excerpt from Russell's The Veils of Maya for people who may be confused to hell.

Day 109

Veil of Maya - Eclipse

Band Origin:  Chicago, Illinois, USA
Genre: Death Metal / Metalcore
Label: Sumerian Records
Running Time: 28 minutes 
Release Date: February 28, 2012

Best Part: All they have is just Bra-now bra-da-der-dow we-na-ner-na-ner-deedle!

Favorite Tracks: Punisher, The Glass Slide, Numerical Scheme, Vicious Circles, and With Passion and Power

Grade: 4.5

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Eclipse in way more than 20 words or less: 

Veil of Maya's fourth full-length album continues the tradition of trippy time-signatures, technicality and breakdowns but adds a secondary level of experimentation and musical expansion which is clearly a byproduct of their time spent with producer Misha Mansoor of Periphery.

The Band: 

Veil of Maya is a four piece death metal band from Chicago that blends together elements of death metal and metalcore into a tight, groovy and technical crushing sound. One of the bands signature elements is their focus on technicality and dynamic use of complex time signatures and polyrhythms in order to create intricate compositions. Head-manned primarily by guitarist Marc Okubo and drummer Sam Applebaum, as well as bassist Dan Hauser, Veil of Maya is responsible for some of the coolest breakdowns I've ever had the pleasure to mosh to - and are easily one of my favorite live bands. The bands name is taken from the George William Russell poem entitled The Veils of Maya and is also a track title from one of their musical influences, the band Cynic.

Jay's Take on Eclipse: 

When I first heard that Veil of Maya was going to have their newest record produced by Misha Mansoor, I got a bit excited and intrigued as to what kind of effects it would ultimately have on the sound they've cultivated over years - but ultimately I wanted to know how it would compared to [id]. Veil of Maya's albums have always been something easy to get into, considering their consistently short overall length - the music itself is not as easy to get into, depending on how you enjoy your metal. If technical riffing and the dynamic shifting of sometimes ridiculous time signatures is something you enjoy, you'll be at home here. My first listen through of Eclipse confirmed what I expected as far as production quality is concerned - which is that it is very high, as is standard with most records produced by Misha. My one 'fear' was that the higher production quality would strip away some of the power present on the bands earlier records. I've spoken before about how I feel about leaps forward in production quality by some bands, and how mainly in sludge metal it's a non-factor because that grimy, raw sound is something that is a staple of the genre. Eclipse does see some of the darker, more raw sound that was omni-present on [id] disappear, which is probably my one only gripe with Eclipse as the raw heaviness of their earlier works was something that really drew me into their music. There are definitely areas on the record where that sound is present and you can really feel the low crush from Okubo's riffing and Sam's drumming. You can definitely feel some of Misha's influence rubbed off on the band as they sat around bouncing ideas for riffs off each other. And Okubo's performance on Eclipse is once again phenomenal - he continues to improve his technical abilities with each record and is quickly becoming one of my favorite guitarists. Eclipse sees a wider sense of experimentation with the interjection of various small interludes, and also draws slightly away from the breakdown heavy format of their earlier records - even though the off-the wall technical beatdowns are still very much a presence throughout the album.  

Sample of the Day: 

Punisher contains one of the best rebuttals you can get in musical form. What happens when someone rips on your music? Take a soundbite from his rant where he talks about what you sound like and turn it into an actual riff. Instant Victory after the 2:00 mark.






- J

365 Days of Metal: Ejected From the Womb

Day 108

Aborted - Global Flatline

Band Origin: Beveren, East Flanders, Belgium
Genre: Death Metal / Deathgrind
Label: Century Media Records
Running Time: 43 minutes 
Release Date: January 23, 2012

Best Part: A perfect balance of technicality, brutality and musicianship.

Favorite Tracks: The Origin of Disease, Fecal Forgery, Nailed Through Her Cunt, Endstille, and Eructations of Carnal Artistry

Grade: 4.5

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Global Flatline in way more than 20 words or less: 

Global Flatline is Aborted's seventh full-length release and continues to push the levels of their status as one of the best deathgrind bands out there, with a record that is sure to compete for top nods this year from any death metal fan worthy of the title.

The Band: 

Aborted are a five piece deathgrind band from Belgium which was founded by Sven "Svencho" de Caluwé in 1995, and has remained its sole original member since their debut release. Over the course of their 15+ year career and seven full-length releases, Aborted have grown to become one of the biggest names and key influences in the deathgrind genre. Fusing the frenetic pace and intensity of grindcore with the technicality, and crushing force of brutal death metal. Svencho also has one of the more distinctive voices in death metal, pushing excellent harsh, raspy screams and bile drenched gutturals that drop just low enough without going too far into the deep-end, so to speak.

Jay's Take on Global Flatline: 

It was only 10 days ago when I covered Prostitute Disfigurement that I talked briefly about some of the drawbacks of the death metal genre, but more so the standard order formula found in most brutal death metal. Despite how much a band is able to hone and pull off their craft, when compared to other entrants in the genre it's a bit more rare to find that shiny diamond. Which is why death metal most benefits in fusion genres, with Global Flatline being a great example. Aborted have always pushed an intense pace with their fusion of grindcore and brutal death metal, creating some of the fastest, technical and crushing music from album to album, and this most recent release is no exception. Svencho has once again put together a strong lineup of musicians, including friend and guitarist Eran Segal and drummer Ken Bedene who have been working with him since 2009. Global Flatine features some superb technical guitar work, with a smattering of sweep-frenzy guitar solos throughout the record in between the high speed riffing and more foreboding, crushing moments. Svencho himself continues to lead Aborted with his signature vocal work with his array of screams, death growls, guttural churns and generally disturbing spoken word injections. Global Flatline is one of the most intense albums I've listened to recently and will probably hold intently onto its status as one of the best early death metal albums of 2012.

Sample of the Day:

The Origin of Disease probably has one of the sickest drops in death metal that I've heard in a long - long time.



- J

365 Days of Metal: The Helvetian

Today's group is actually in town tomorrow and will be playing at Maverick's, with yours truly joyously attending. 

Day 107

Eluveitie - Helvetios

Band Origin: Zurich, Switzerland
Genre: Folk / Melodic Death Metal
Label: Nuclear Blast
Running Time: 59 minutes 
Release Date: February 10, 2012

Best Part: I explain in more detail below, but Luxtos brought me back to my childhood - and that's just too good not to mention.

Favorite Tracks: Luxtos, Helvetios, The Siege, A Rose for Epona, Havoc, and Alesia

Grade: 5.0

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Helvetios in way more than 20 words or less: 

The fifth full-length release from eight piece Swiss folk metal band Eluveitie has them returning to their past success, as their Celtic folk metal and Gothenburg style melo-death influences merge together to create perhaps their finest recording to date.

The Band: 

Eluveitie is an eight piece folk metal band from Switzerland that merge together Gothenburg style melodice death metal and traditional Celtic folk metal to create short yet sweeping epics. The band was originally formed in 2002 by Christian "Chrigel" Glanzmann who sought to create a studio project but eventually changed his mind recruiting nine other members to create Eluveitie's initial ten member lineup including vocalist and violinist Meri Tadic who remains the only other original member of the initial group of ten. Eluveitie would sign with Nuclear Blast in 2007 and go on to record their second full length album Slania, where there were once again a few lineup changes resulting in the bands current and final eight member lineup. Eluveitie have release five full-length records to date and are working on a sixth, the follow-up to their third release Evocation I: The Arcane Dominion which was entirely acoustic. Chrigel has announced that Evocation II will also be entirely acoustic. 

Jay's Take on Helvetios: 

From the moment you put on Helvetios and are met with the eerie spoken word prologue over the sound of what sounds like wind howling through the trees, or waves in the distance, you know that you are in for something special - and the opening track for which the album is named serves as a perfect introduction to Eluveitie's work, whether you are just now discovering them, or are intimately familiar with them. Eluveitie, while still being classified as a Swiss folk metal band owe much of their influence to traditional Celtic folk music, which is evident in the composition style of the group but also in the use of traditional instruments, including: bagpipes, tin whistles and flutes, the hurdy gurdy, the bohdrán and the fiddle. The other side of the coin is a more Gothenburg style influence with melodic lead and rhythm guitar passages, solos and the blend of vocals between clean harmonies from Meri Tadic and the harsh screams and death growls by Chrigel. Helvetios is rich album, which featured a total of 17 tracks, all of which average between two and a half to five minutes in length. Despite the shorter compositions, Eluveitie know how to string together something epic in breadth in just a few short moments, as you get a true sens that you're experiencing a series of epic folk tales. There are no significant points of slowing down throughout the entire 60 minutes of music that the band has put together as you are introduced to varying rhythms and levels of energy from beginning to end.

It's also always fun when a track on a record catches your attention for one reason or another, and that would be the track Luxtos. After researching it a bit I found out I was right, as the song is a reprisal of the traditional Breton song La Jument de Michao which has been interpreted by a number of folk centric artists in France over the years. One version in particular instantly jumped into mind, which was by the Celtic inspired French rap group Manau - bizarre I know, but it's a song from my childhood so the first time I heard this track and made the link it opened a real torrent of memories for me.

Sample of the Day:

The title track and as mentioned above the track Luxtos and a little love for Manau.







- J

365 Days of Metal: Phoenix Down

Day 106

The Unguided - Hell Frost

Band Origin:  Falkenberg, Sweden
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Despotz Records
Running Time: 45 minutes 
Release Date: November 30, 2011

Best Part: Phoenix Down. It's a great track and also packs an ironic value for fans of Final Fantasy, as this is definitely the resurrection of Sonic Syndicate.

Favorite Tracks: Phoenix Down, Inherit the Earth, Serenade of Guilt, Where the Frost Rose Withers, and

Grade: 4.5

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Hell Frost in way more than 20 words or less: 

Richard left Sonic Syndicate because he wanted to continue making the music he planned for the group, the end result of that goal is an album that both meets that goal and sounds amazing from beginning to end.

The Band: 

The Unguided are a five piece melodic death metal band from Sweden formed around the departure of vocalist Richard Sjunnesson's departure from the band Sonic Syndicate in 2010. Richard originally left Sonic Syndicate because of a shift in musical direction imposed in part by the bands record label Nuclear Blast. Wishing to continue to create the music he intended with his former band, he recruited fellow Sonic Syndicate vocalist Roland Johansson and guitarist Roger Sjunnesson to create The Unguided based on that very ideal. The band would eventually add in fellow Sonic Syndicate drummer John Bengtsson, and bassist Henric Carlsson in order to create the bands first full line-up, releasing their debut album in late 2011.

Jay's Take on Hell Frost: 

If I didn't know any better when listening to this album, I would think I was listening to the new Sonic Syndicate album - which I suppose is exactly the entire purpose of Hell Frost and Richard's decision to leave the band to make up The Unguided. From a musical standpoint you have a group of musicians who are all very familiar with each other, having all worked together in Sonic Syndicate for years, minus a couple of members of course, so its natural to feel a sense of unison and familiarity out of the music. The Unguided is once again built around the same merits that built their former group. Richard and Roland play off of each others vocals in equal balance, with Richard's harsh screams and Roland's clean vocals pushing the musical and emotional intensity of each passage in their own significant way. While dual lead guitars often dominate melodic death metal, Hell Frost is heavily driven by the synth and keyboard work of Roger, in unison with the heavy riffs and swift melodies that he and Roland put out on guitar. Hell Frost is an upbeat and energetic record, but with its own sense of gloom behind the lyrics and emotional direction of the tracks on the record, giving it a vibrantly melancholic vibe.

Sample of the Day:



- J 

365 Days of Metal: A Trojan Horse

Day 105

The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger

Band Origin:  Mukilteo, Washington, USA
Genre: Mathcore / Post-Hardcore / Progressive
Label: Equal Vision
Running Time: 44 minutes 
Release Date: August 16, 2005

Best Part: The closing track Macaulay McCulkin is a good rounding of this record and has a great instrumental exit.

Favorite Tracks: Mouths Like Sidewinder Missiles, I Just Got This Symphony Goin', F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X., We Better Learn How to Hotwire a Uterus, Macaulay McCulkin, and the Hol[]y Tape

Grade: 4.0

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Doppelgänger in way more than 20 words or less: 

The second full-length album by the three man Washington crew got a popularity boost in thanks to tracks being featured in popular mediums, but their blend of trippy, discordant mathcore instrumentation and highly inflected vocals are worthy enough of a listen.

The Band: 

The Fall of Troy is a three piece band from Washington that over the course of their evolution have dabbled in a sound structure that mixes together elements of punk rock, mathcore, post-hardcore and progressive rock. Their music is often akin to shifting from a cleaner, almost pop oriented vibe due in part to the clean vocals of guitarist and vocalist Thomas Erak, to one of discordant guitar flourishes, hardcore screams and down-turned beats. The band has continued to evolve their musical style over the years, never settling for one specific style or structure and have release four full-length albums each of a varying nature.

The Fall of Troy's other releases include: The Fall of Troy (2003), Manipulator (2007), and In the Unlikely Event (2009)

Jay's Take on Doppelgänger: 

I'm not afraid to admit that the main reason I even thought of putting up The Fall of Troy today is because someone asked me a question akin to a certain song that appeared on an old version of the sometimes loved, sometimes hated Guitar Hero and a scuffle may have occured. The track in question someone was asking me about was F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X. which appeared as a bonus track on GH2. That fact aside after the seed had been planted in my brain I went digging through my iTunes playlist to find the two albums by the band that I actually did have, as I was curious to see what else the band had to offer a long time ago. One of the main reasons that drew me into The Fall of Troy was their odd blend of discordant, technical instrumentation and the vocal work of Erak who gives me the urge to listen to The Mars Volta because he makes me think of Cedric Bixler-Zavala. His high, clean passages are frequent and the cornerstone of the group and album, but in moments of heavy discord morph into high-pitched piercing screams that fit the more insane moments of the album, together with the deeper backing vocals of former bassist Tim Ward. The instrumentation on Doppelgänger is always dynamic and flows well according to the particular 'mood' of the current moment, whether it's a more melodic and clean passage, a noisy flourish of high-pitched guitar wailing or a heavy rush to finish off a track. 

Sample of the Day: 

 



- J

365 Days of Metal: Getting Down and Dirty in the Sludge

I know what you're thinking: It's Friday, where's Rebecca?! 

Well folks, she's still recovering from last Friday. After all, kickin' it in both the front and back seats can really take it out of you. So how's about we get down and dirty this Friday instead?

Day 104

Black Tusk - Set the Dial

Band Origin:  Savannah, Georgia, USA
Genre: Sludge Metal
Label: Relapse Records
Running Time: 34 minutes 
Release Date: October 25, 2011

Best Part: It's simple, grungy, unpretentious southern metal.

Favorite Tracks: Resistor, Ender of All, Set the Dial to Your Doom, Growing Horns, Crossroad and Thunder, and Carved In Stone

Grade: 4.5

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Set the Dial in way more than 20 words or less: 

The 'swamp metal' trio from Savannah return with their third full-length album and continue to produce that sweet murky sludge metal sound that I sure as shit know and love.

The Band: 

Black Tusk is a sludge metal power trio from Savannah, Georgia that was formed in 2005 by guitarist Andrew Fidler, bassist Jonathan Athon and drummer James May. The trio have always referred to themselves as 'swamp metal' emphasizing their murky, and downright dirty sludge metal sound that incorporates elements of thrash, hardcore punk and stoner metal. They're most often associated with fellow 'Savannah Sludge' icons Baroness and Kylesa for whom their 'swamp metal' monicker is in rather direct reference to, with their raw, dirty sludge metal sound. Baroness guitarist John Dyer Baizley, who is also one badass artist also provides the album artwork for the bands releases.
Jay's Take on Set the Dial: 

It was back on Day 93 where I mentioned my slight love affair with sludge metal, and more importantly about how it is one of my go to genres in a large number of situations, with a stable of talented groups that I can always rely on. One of the groups I named was Black Tusk, and for good reason. I've always loved bands that fall within the 'power-trio' archetype, that is to say guitar, bass and drums. Without the support of a second rhythm guitarist, the onus of the sound falls on the shoulders of the two stringsmen equally, and the bassist gets pushed into the forefront of the sound. For a genre such as sludge metal, and specifically for Black Tusk, you can't really ask for better. It's that extra push from the bass in line with the lead guitar that makes for the down right dirty riffs, that permeate this album through and through. It's a simple formula that the band knows how to execute well as they mix in elements from thrash and stoner metal into their obvious roots in punk rock to create tracks that are at the same time, energetic, catchy and powerful. Some people love the sound of a crisp, tight production, something you often see in bands later releases, where they lose some of that more raw, seemingly lower production quality of a debut album or earlier set of records. Myself, I love a little grime. I like my riffs dirty. I like that raw sound. Which is just another reason why I love sludge metal because its a base component of the sound and one that makes bands like Black Tusk, Kylesa, Baroness, Mastodon and others so much fun to listen to. It's straight to the point unpretentious metal.

Sample of the Day:





- J

365 Days of Metal: Say Hello to My Little Friend

Day 103

Upon a Burning Body - The World is Ours

Band Origin:  San Antonio, Texas, USA
Genre: Deathcore
Label: Sumerian Records
Running Time: 33 minutes 
Release Date: April 6, 2010

Best Part: CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG! CHUG!

Favorite Tracks: Intermission, Scarface, Carlito's Way, City Hall and Heat

Grade: 4.0

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The World is Ours in way more than 20 words or less: 

Upon a Burning Body's debut album is the first gangster inspired, dedication to the film career of Al Pacino put into ground crushing audio format, and it's damned fine dedication.

The Band: 

Upon a Burning Body is a five member deathcore band from San Antonio who have a flair for the gangster life, which permeates both their music and their image. Often sporting high class attire during their live performances as 'The Family', whether it be dress pants, dress shirts and black suspenders, or tuxedo vests the band carry themselves with a necessary amount of swagger. And their debut album which is almost a dedication to Al Pacino as each track carries the names of and are lyrically inspired by films straight from his credit reel. The band was signed to Sumerian Records after spending a number of years shaking the foundation of the San Antonio underground and are in the process of working on their second album.

Jay's Take on The World is Ours: 

Deathcore often gets relegated to being identified as the red headed step child among metal subgenres, as its primarily seen as following a format involving near incomprehensible guttural vocals, death metal style pace, massive down tuning and chugg-a-lug-chug-chug-chugga-lugness. And while that description may be a bit exaggerated or fair, depending on your stance, Upon a Burning Body have managed to change certain narrow focused perspectives on the genre. A first look at the band themselves and then the theme of their album and music may open the mindset that these guys are just another group of tryhards with a gimmick but that thought falls flat once you get down to the brass tacks: the music. The World is Ours is a deathcore album that moves outside of the established mold, which is to say the lack of a mold, as deathcore albums often follow no relevant type of structure. This album on the other hand is comprised of all the necessities that a deathcore album should bring to the table and carries along the kitchen sink. Beyond the trademark earth shaking breakdowns you get treated some really great technical guitar work and solos, superb percussion work tethering the instrumental pieces of the set together, and some well placed gang shouts such as all throughout Intermission which makes me want to call it Partycore - but I won't. The album is only 33 minutes long, with tracks ranging in the neighborhood of 3 minutes, except for the closing track City Hall which is kind of the odd man out on this record, but not in a negative way. It's definitely the cleanest and more interesting track on the record.

Sample of the Day:





- J 

365 Days of Metal: Midnight in the Forest of Doom

Day 102

Swallow the Sun - Emerald Forest and the Blackbird

Band Origin:  Jyväskylä, Finland
Genre: Death Doom
Label: Spinefarm
Running Time: 67 minutes 
Release Date: February 1, 2012

Best Part: The Horror series of tracks which began on The Morning Never Came continues.

Favorite Tracks: Labyrinth of London (Horror pt. IV), Of Death and Corruption, Hate, Lead the Way!, April 14th, Emerald Forest and the Blackbird

Grade: 5.0

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Emerald Forest and the Blackbird in way more than 20 words or less: 

Swallow the Sun's fifth full-length record continues a tradition of creating some of the best doom metal you can wrap your head around, and with this iteration cover a great many fields of depth, style and artistry that have it as an early forerunner for record of the year. 

The Band: 

Swallow the Sun is a six member death doom band from Finland which was founded by guitarist Juha Raivio in 2000. Raivio was soon joined by former bandmate and drummer Pasi Pasanen and began recording early demo work before being joined by vocalist Mikko Kotamäki, guitarist Markus Jämsen, keyboardist Aleksi Munter and bassist Matti Honkonen in 2001. Together the six original members would go on to record four full-length record together between 2003 and and 2009, before Pasanen would leave the group to be replaced by Kai Hahto. Since the release of their 2003 debut, Swallow the Sun has become one of Finland's premier metal acts with their blend of melodic death metal and doom, and have classified themselves as one of the best doom metal acts on the globe, with a catalog of critically acclaimed records.

Swallow the Sun's previous releases include: The Morning Never Came (2003), Ghosts of Loss (2005). Hope (2007), and New Moon (2009) 

Jay's Take on Emerald Forest and the Blackbird: 

Swallow the Sun have always had a firm grasp on artistry and composition when creating their previous four records, and Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is no different. Each track is carefully laid out from its opening moments to its closing breaths, and the progressions and stylistic shifts are intricate but also slightly unpredictable. Swallow the Sun knows how to keep you on your toes as it lulls you with its slow paced, gloomy, dark atmosphere and throws you for a twist as they throw in a great melodic hook, or all out shift into death metal territory. Kotamäki's ability to move in between soothing, yet dread filled vocals, cryptic monotony and the harsh death growls is always one of the fascinating parts of listening to Swallow the Sun, as he knows how to carry across each in convincing fashion. Emerald Forest and the Blackbird also has moments where the musical shifts go beyond the melodeath but also tread into black metal territory with shrieking vocals and fast distorted guitar work. It's the collection of all the little intricacies that make this record so interesting to listen to as it pulls you through a number of musical styles and instrumental tirades. Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is an album that grows on you even more with each passing spin, and is easily one of the most convincing arrangements with the ability to create a rich amount of atmosphere and to still make doom metal seem 'energized'. It already occupies many top spots on metal ranking websites and user polls, with scores on some sites even having it paced .5 to 1 point ahead of its nearest competitor. The year is obviously still young, and there is a slew of great work yet to come, but Emerald Forest and the Blackbird is sure to find its way on a number of top album lists in 2012 and is easily their best release since their ridiculously good debut The Morning Never Came. 

Sample of the Day: 





- J

365 Days of Metal: Straight to the Core

Day 101

Liferuiner - Sons of Straight Edge (EP)

Band Origin: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre: Straight-Edge Hardcore / Metalcore
Label: Unsigned
Running Time: 15 minutes 
Release Date: December 15, 2011

Best Part: Jonny OC is back in truly convincing fashion, leading Liferuiner with his charged vocal screams and emotional conviction.

Favorite Tracks: 1990, Kids Wanna Rock, and S.O.S.E

Grade: 4.5

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Sons of Straight Edge in way more than 20 words or less:

Jonny OC is back and so is the Liferuiner that everyone once knew and loved, and this taste of what's to come gives well enough reason to love them even more than you did years ago.

The Band: 

Liferuiner is four piece Canadian hardcore band from Toronto that was formed in 2004. The bands history is a complicated one with two incarnations of the group floating around in between its creation and today. The original group, led by Jonathan 'Jonny OC' O'Callaghan would record two albums under different record labels and begin rigorous touring. During touring, Jonny was forced to leave and was not able to return, being replaced by a number of fill-in vocalists, the record label and tour manager would eventually take over the direction of the band. The remaining original Canadian members would eventually be removed and replaced with a new American lineup playing under their original name xLIFERUINERx, despite the fact this new lineup had nothing to do with the original group. In 2011, Jonny along with three new band mates announced their return and recorded the first true Liferuiner recording in three years, a five track EP, and announced that the recording of their next full-length album would begin in March 2012.

Liferuiner's other releases include: No Saints (2007), and Taking Back The Night Life (2008) 

Jay's Take on Sons of Straight Edge: 

To be honest if you would have told me that Liferuiner, fronted by Jonathan O'Callaghan would be making a comeback a few months ago, I probably would have looked you in the eye and laughed. And then I saw the video for 1990, what would be the closing track on Liferuiner's newest EP, and would have been prepared to be in turn mocked for believing otherwise. The Sons of Straight Edge EP is meant to be a preview of things to come from Liferuiner as Jonny and crew have returned and begin the recording process of the true follow up to 2008's Taking Back the Night Life. The excitement behind this prospect is the fact that while the Liferuiner of old weren't necessary a groundbreaking group in the hardcore scene, they had their own 'panache' and built an image as a group that tried to take a shine on more mainstream straight-edge groups of the time. The Liferuiner present on Sons of Straight Edge is both a more matured group, but a more matured sound that features some great song structure and rhythm, along with that same up front attitude, and chuggariffic display of power that they were known for originally. It also has a hardcore rendition of the Beatles' track Revolution which is always awesome. Sons of Straight Edge may only be 15 minutes in length, but it more than makes up for it in the anticipation of forthcoming material, and the musical and emotional charge of the tracks that the group performs, and Jonny pushes forward through his strong and deliberate screams. And the message at the beginning of the video below is a testament to the maturation of both Jonny and the group as a whole.

Sample of the Day:



- J