365 Days of Metal: Staying in Form

Day 17

Revocation - Chaos of Forms

Band Origin: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Genre: Thrash / Technical Death Metal
Label: Relapse Records
Running Time: 47 minutes
Release Date: August 16, 2011

Best Part: You know that one David Davidson solo? No? Well, all of them.

Favorite Tracks: No Funeral, Cradle Robber, and Reprogrammed

Grade: 5

Bonus: Metal as fuck album artwork.

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Chaos of Forms in 20 words or less:

The best aspects thrash and death metal, mixed in with some jazz inspired groove and topped off with flying guitar solos.

The Band:

A band out of Boston playing their own fusion of thrash, technical death metal and extreme metal, one of the more interesting points about Revocation is that they are only a trio. Comprised of vocalist and lead guitarist David Davidson, drummer Phil Dubois-Coyne, and bassist Anthony Buda, Revocation provides plenty of speed, attitude, technical prowess and shredding ability. While the trio in unison create masterful work, the center piece to Revocation's flair is without a doubt Davidson's guitar playing. Davidson's natural talent on the strings is only aided by the technical skills he improved on and learned while taking a particular focus on jazz while attending the Berklee College of Music. Davidson was recently ranked #1 on Metal Sucks list of Top 25 Modern Metal Guitarists. Arguments can be made for positioning and omissions on the list, but Davidson's position is well earned. Capable of concocting dynamic, interesting and often long winded guitar solos, Davidson becomes the focal point of the band whenever he begins to shred; add his vocals to the mix, which fit the bill just right for the bands sound, and you have a prototypical frontman that any band would be proud to have.

Revocation's previous releases include: Empire of the Obscene (2008), and Existence Is Futile (2009) 

Jay's Take on Chaos of Forms:

Custom Davidson pick, souvenir from MTL

Chaos of Forms is Revocations third full-length record, and was one of my more anticipated records for the end of this summer season. Revocation takes up from where they've left off in the past and turns it up to 11 on nearly every scale. Chaos of Forms has less of a technical death metal feel than their previous work, notwithstanding the fact that it is present on the album. The trio from Boston are at their best, intertwining their combined prowess to make some outstanding tracks that continue to promote their heavy thrash influence, while also exploring more down the jazz fusion stretch of their collective expertise - creating a much groovier record than many expected. It goes without saying that my anticipation for this record was directed primarily on Davidson and his fretwork on his badass red Jackson WR1 Warrior guitar. Even more so after having caught them live last year in Montreal, when I had only recently discovered them previously. Needless to say Davidson continues to shine, with his mixed bag of aggressive shredding, soft melodies and dynamic solos, without overshadowing his band mates, who encompass his eruptions seamlessly. Chaos of Forms is easily on my shortlist for my favorite record of the year.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: Southern Belle, Headed South

Day 16

Norma Jean - Meridional

Band Origin: Douglasville, Georgia, USA
Genre: Metalcore / Mathcore
Label: Razor & Tie
Running Time: 67 minutes
Release Date: July 12, 2010

Best Part: Deftones inspiration adds flair to a solid sound. And aside from the music, Norma Jean's album art has always been spectacular.

Favorite Tracks: A Media Friendly Turn For The Worse, Everlasting Tapeworm, Falling From The Sky: Day Seven, and Deathbed Atheist

Grade: 4.0

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Meridional in 20 words or less:

A heavy, harmonious, yet dissonant record with heartfelt tracks and a distinct musical evolution provided by its practitioners.

The Band:

Norma Jean has seen members come and go since their arrival on the scene in 1997, with lead guitarist Chris Day being the face of the group, being it's only original member. Despite the somewhat revolving door feeling that this band carries along with it, Norma Jean, inspired by the real name of immortal bombshell Marilyn Monroe, continues to press along and released five full length albums, all showcasing a distinct evolution. Known more in the beginning for their angst, agression and pounding style, Norma Jean has evolved their sound to also incorporate more melody and style that capture both the heaviness and subtlety of their approach.

Norma Jean's other releases include: Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child (2002), O God, the Aftermath (2005), Redeemer (2006), and Norma Jean vs. The Anti Mother (2008)

Jay's Take on Meridional:

Norma Jean's last three records have all worked from different angles, incorporating minor stylistic changes or new approaches  to their heavy, and angry baseline. Meridional takes flight by taking some of the best elements from their previous work and taking a grass roots approach individually to this record - looking to inject it with a sound that according to the band, is a tribute to how Norma Jean came to life. Their previous record, Norma Jean vs. The Anti-Mother, included the first major point of inspiration for much of the stylistic changes seen in Meridional. Having worked closely with one of my favorite artists, Chino Moreno of Deftones, Norma Jean added a more melodius aspect to their sound, which blended with their heavy base created an album that truly is distinct in comparison to the rest of their discography. Meridional was a real surprise for me when it released last year, and it represents the largest leap forward that Norma Jean has made as a group - a record that is bright and calm in its harmony, and dark and foreboding in its aggressiveness.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: Sleep Now, In Agony

Day 15


The Agonist - Lullabies For The Dormant Mind

Band Origin: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Genre: Melodic Death Metal
Label: Century Media
Running Time: 44 minutes
Release Date: March 10, 2009

Best Part: Tchaikovsky, A Capella - 'nuff said.

Favorite Tracks: The Tempest (The Siren's Song; The Banshee's Cry), Globus Hystericus, and Chlorpromazine

Grade: 4.0

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Lullabies For The Dormant Mind in 20 words or less:

A little vocal vitriol laced with southern groove that will surely make your parents disapprove. (Rhyme was unintentional)

The Band:

Alissa White-Gluz (Vocals)

The Agonist are a quintet playing out of Canada's Metal Capital, Montreal. Known for their use of a wide range of melodies in constant motion, The Agonist features technical guitar work by Danny Marino that is constantly scaling the octaves. This fused with the harsh metal growls and eloquent clean vocals of the beautiful and talented Alissa White-Gluz, The Agonist have a sound that can be described as equally melodic and harmonius, as it is fast and aggressive. Slated to release their third full length some time in 2012, they have also just released a two track EP entitled The Escape on September 3rd.

The Agonist's other release was their debut LP Once Only Imagined (2007).

Jay's Take on Lullabies For The Dormant Mind:

Lullabies For The Dormant Mind showcases the technical improvement of the Agonist in almost all of the bands aspects. The guitar work of Marino and Pascal Jobin displays both technical skill and the ability to intertwine intricately laid out melodies together with fast paced and even brutal sections. Alissa White-Gluz's vocals, which are in top form as she provides excellent range with her clean vocals, as well as harsh screams and growls that fit well in all the right places. Add these two elements to some truly fantastic percussion work and you have a great sophomore outing from another talent Canadian ensemble.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: Live Edition, Transmitting the Infection

Anyone who's perused my blog before knows I'm a fan of live performances, so having a recurring dedication to live albums just seemed like a no brainer. 365 Days of Metal: Live Edition will show off some of my favorite live albums that I've comes across.

Day Fourteen

Chimaira - Coming Alive

Band Origin: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Genre: Groove Metal / Metalcore
Label: eOne Music
Running Time: 79 minutes
Release Date: July 20, 2010

Best Part: The intro explosion on The Venom Inside opens the way and sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Favorite Tracks: Six, Secrets of the Dead, The Venom Inside, Severed, and Resurrection

Grade: 4.0

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Coming Alive in 20 words or less:

A crisp live recording of Chimaira playing their newest and oldest, louder and heavier than your standard recording.

The Band:

Chimaira is a six member band out of Cleveland that has a long history of playing dark, groovy licks, and merciless beats - not to forget some Nu Metal feel in their earlier work, adding further to their groovy feel. Chimaira has a thick, heavy sound thanks to their trio of stringsmen, headmanned by band Rob Arnold on lead and Matt DeVries on rhythm. Their sound is also intensified by their timely use of keys, samples, a strong presence behind the kit and the commanding vocals of Mark Hunter.

Chimaira has released six full length records, including their latest The Age of Hell, just a couple short weeks ago on August 16, keeping the tradition alive with some new blood in the lineup and guest vocals from the likes of Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel and Emil Werstler of Daath who also filled in on bass and second rhythm guitar.

Chimaira's releases include: Pass Out of Existence (2001), The Impossibility of Reason (2003), Chimaira (2005), Resurrection (2007), The Infection (2009), and The Age of Hell (2011)

Jay's Take on Coming Alive:

Coming Alive is a DVD album including a documentary of the making of and touring of The Infection. The third disc includes the entire live set of their annual Christmas performance, held in their hometown of Cleveland. Being a live performance, what you can expect is collection of Chimaira's best work, with tracks not only from The Infection, but covering their entire catalogue. The audio quality of the shoot is top notch, and that fine amount of grain makes the groove of their recordings come to life - it sounds heavier and even makes you feel dirty listening to some songs, especially when Mark Hunter straps on a third guitar while also doing vocals such as on the track Six. If you're a fan of live recordings, this is definitely one to check out.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: Kicking into a Talespin

So I rehashed one of my most popular one liners from a post nearly a year ago to the day - Sue me!

Day 13

Cloudkicker - Beacons

Artist Origin: Columbus, Ohio, USA
Genre: Instrumental Progressive / Post Metal
Label: Independent
Running Time: 44 minutes
Release Date: September 16, 2010

Best Part: Simple: The whole record.

Favorite Tracks: We're Going In. We're Going Down, Amy I Love You, and Oh God

Grade: 4.5

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Beacons in 20 words or less:

One man. One guitar. One laptop. One amazing independent instrumental artist and inspiration.

The Artist:

Cloudkicker is the one man project brought to life by Ben Sharp. Sharp's repertoire includes everything from slow evocative melodies, to powerful progressive metal overtones, djent and post metal non-chalance. The one thing that stands out above all else is the quality of his productions. Sharp produces all of his material by himself with basic home equipment and a laptop - recording all guitar and bass tracks himself and using technical wizardry to fill out drums any other necessary rhythms. Best of all his work is all free - or pay what you please. Sharp is one of those rare individuals who truly makes music purely out of a love and enjoyment for it, and it shows.

Cloudkicker's other releases include: The Discovery (2008), The Map Is Not The Territory (2009), Portmanteau (2009), and ]]][[[ (2010)

Sharp also remastered ]]][[[ in November of 2010, under the title A New Heavenly Body, with an improved sound quality that displayed how the songs were really meant to sound.

Jay's Take on Beacons:

Within the span of two years Cloudkicker released four LP's and one EP, with every one of them being slightly different from the last, and featuring unique and original material. The way you appreciate Beacons will be slightly different based on whether you prefer Sharp's musings on The Discovery, or the direction he shifted towards on his ]]][[[ EP, which fused his interludes and technical song structures together. Beacons overall is a different beast from both, incorporating musical shifts between heavy prog and mellow ambient. Beacons is a record that you can put on and jam out to, or even just relax and drift off into dream land with. It kicks into high gear from the beginning, without being too overpowering, then proceeds through a slow, evocative central section, and coming out on the other side with tracks that blend the best of both worlds. While Sharp seems to be leaning more towards a post metal or even rock sound with his recent one track releases, it's safe to say he continues to leave an indelible mark as an independent artist.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: This is Grindchord

Day 12

The Red Chord - Prey For Eyes

Band Origin: Revere, Massachusetts, USA
Genre: Grindcore / Death Metal (or Deathgrind!)
Label: Metal Blade Records
Running Time: 46 minutes
Release Date: July 24, 2007

Best Part: Bizarrely placed 70's style keyboard.

Favorite Tracks: Dread Prevailed, Responsibles, and Tread On the Necks of Kings

Grade: 4.0

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Prey for Eyes in 20 words or less:

It's grindcore with a variety of stylistic shifts, and an alien abduction halfway through.

The Band:

The Red Chord is (currently) a three member outfit playing high paced, energetic grindcore out of New England. Fusing elements of hardcore, grind, death and experimental metal together, The Red Chord's sound fluctuates slightly from track to track, but still maintains an overall grindcore base throughout. Vocally the band is led by Guy Kozowyk who at his harshest is still quite decipherable, even for the unaccustomed ear, making the Red Chord a great gateway into the realm of deathgrind - for those interested in the lyrics of course.

The Red Chord's other releases include: Fused Together in Revolving Doors (2002), Clients (2005), and Fed Through the Teeth Machine (2009)

Jay's Take on Prey for Eyes:

Clients was a great step forward for The Red Chord when it was initially released, leaving many fans of the genre with high expectations for their next record. Prey for Eyes features a distinct evolution from Clients and showcases some proficient, technical guitar work by Mike McKenzie, and down low attitude from Greg Weeks on bass. Guy's vocals are also on point as always, with lyrics that are nothing short of insane. Clients was a truly ballistic record, from track to track, Prey for Eyes on the other hand is more coherent focusing more on the stylistic shifts that the Red Chord infuses into their music. A good example of this is the instrumental track It Came From Over There, which is completely set apart from the rest of the record.

Sample of the Day:

It's dual sample day again - random instrumentals in the middle of grindcore albums tend to do that.





- J

365 Days of Metal: There's No Time to Repent

Day 11

Lamb of God - Sacrament

Band Origin: Richmond, Virginia, USA
Genre: Groove Metal
Label: Epic
Running Time: 46 minutes
Release Date: August 22, 2006

Best Part: Blacken the Cursed Sun - Live, preferably.

Favorite Tracks: Redneck, Blacken the Cursed Sun, and Beating On Deaths Door

Grade: 3.5

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Sacrament in 20 words or less:

A little vocal vitriol laced with southern groove that will surely make your parents disapprove. (Rhyme was unintentional)

The Band:

Lamb of God is a five man metal outfit which has been around since the mid 90's, pumping out groovy riffs and lyrical themes often exploring some of the darker sides of humanity, politics and religion. One of the more mainstream successes of the recent decade, Lamb of God has continued to put forth powerful, relentless records without compromising any aspects of their sound. Each record contains a certain echo to Pantera in it's grooviness, and Lamb of God extends its boundaries with each new release, while still staying true to its core elements and evolutions seen in past releases.

Lamb of God's other releases include: Burn the Priest (1999), New American Gospel (2000), As the Palaces Burn (2003), Ashes of the Wake (2004), and Wrath (2009)

Jay's Take on Sacrament:

Sacrament is Lamb of God's fifth album, and the follow up to their breakthrough success Ashes of the Wake, which arguably set the bar for their future releases. Sacrament takes off from where their previous record left off, including their patented groovy riffs, injected with more latitude in the form of more frequent guitar solos. Randy Blythe's vocals are again in great form, but with varied extensions and delivery which play a greater role in the lasting effect of their tracks - especially when performed live in front of thousands of chanting metalheads. Lamb of God is notorious for filler free records, which is equally the case on Sacrament and their most recent release, Wrath. While this record provided some great lasting tracks, and consistent grooviness, Lamb of God fans surely are still looking for that next best thing since sliced bread, which in this case is Ashes of the Wake. Nonetheless, this a band that refuses to disappoint.

Sample of the Day:



- J

365 Days of Metal: WTF Wednesdays, the Worst Day of the Week

Day 10

Abandon All Ships - Abandon All Ships

Band Origin: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genre: Bad - is Bad a genre? It is now.
Label: Universal Music
Running Time: 17 painful minutes
Release Date: July 17, 2009

Best Worst Part: I've had to endure this, live.

Favorite Tracks: /facepalm

Grade: 0

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Abandon All Ships in 20 words or less:

Auto-tune core - if that's not enough, then you're SOL.

The Band:

Abandon All Ships is a five member group who seriously make me feel bad for being Canadian. Their bread and butter is a fusion of trance, electronica and hardcore which is just plain gaudy. To make things worse, they use auto-tune on their vocals and are the first band I have ever classified as being a Musical Abortion.

Abandon All Ships also actually released a full length entitled Geeving in 2010, which I can't fathom ever listening to - ever.

Jay's Take on Abandon All Ships:

To be honest I couldn't even get through the first track on this record when I decided to actually give it a chance. I was unfortunate enough to have to see these guys open for an actual good lineup of bands in Ottawa once, and felt like my ears got assaulted. I mean even the breakdown at the end of the sample below is god awful and about as generic as you can get.

This is by far the worst thing that will ever show up on 365 Days of Metal.

Sample of the Day:

I cannot be held accountable for the suckage before. I would advise you not to listen to this - ever.



- J