Category Archives: Verdicts 8-10

02/23/2012

[MUSIC REVIEW] Spawn of Possession – Incurso

By lmpmagazine

SPAWN OF POSSESION
Incurso
[Relapse Records]
Verdict: 9.5/10
RIYL: Quality technical/progressive death metal

Tech-death is a really hit-or-miss genre, but it’s easy to tell those who are the masters and who are still the apprentices. Sweden’s own SPAWN OF POSSESSION have perfected their craft and with album number three, the third time is a charm. The album is the perfect antidote to what’s wrong with the genre. Instead of focusing on the intricacy of the riffs, it’s the songwriting that is so impressive. Employing progressive tendencies is the specialty of the album and what elevates this album way above the standard tech death fare. The band change time signatures like a pop star changes outfits on stage, and they have a secret weapon that is very underutlitzed: dynamics. Yes, you read that correctly. The album features moments of calm amidst the storm, which help make those furious outbursts that much more meaningful. It also helps that, while they don’t always go full-throttle, they are as technically proficient as anyone. The riffs come fast and furious, without the bad acting, and each instrument gets its own opportunity to shine. While most of the album finds the drums and guitar on full-display, “Servitude of Souls” allows the bass to have its moment in the sun, which is always appreciated. The other weapon the band’s arsenal (it’s unfair how much artillery the band really has) is its use of melody. While no one will confuse this with a DREAM THEATER album, there is ample melody to allow each song to have a unique presence. I think I have the first album that I can guarantee will be in my top 20 of the year. I want to find major faults with the album, but those attempts are in vain. This is a shining example of a band at the top of its genre. – by Nicholas Senior

Recommended Listening: “Where Angels Go Demons Follow” and “The Evangelist”
Release Date: March 13th, 2012
In Conclusion: Incurso is a shining example of a band on top of its genre. Fans of well done progressive/tech death will be in Heaven (or Hell, to be realistic) with the album.

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02/23/2012

[MUSIC REVEW] Beak – Eyrie

By lmpmagazine

BEAK
Eyrie
[Someoddpilot]
Verdict: 8.5/10
RIYL: Cult of Luna, Neurosis, Isis

Post-metal is a tough genre to “get”. It features the song structures of post-rock with the occasional outbursts of progressive metal, and it’s not usually full of sing-a-long choruses. What draws listeners to the genre is often different for each individual, but most often post-metal songs marry the beauty of post-rock with the brutality of metal. The songs are often moving and captivating. Chicago’s own BEAK is ready to lay their claim as the next great post-metal band. While there aren’t a ton of “new” or “ground-breaking” ideas on this, their debut EP, the product BEAK has released will easily serve as a testament to the talent and songwriting prowess the band has. Each song is carefully crafted to maximize the highs and the lows, and the listener is appreciative of that fact. And while there are no clean vocals, there is enough melody to differentiate each song from the other. At only five songs and twenty-five minutes, the short duration is the biggest complaint about the album. The beautiful cover art and the quality songwriting are heavily in the band’s favor. For those that like the genre that was created by bands like CULT OF LUNA, NEUROSIS, and ISIS, there will be a lot to love about this EP. If the band is able to carry this momentum to their next release, it is possible that BEAK may be mentioned with new post-metal legends ROSETTA as a group that is carrying on the sound. – by Nicholas Senior

Recommended Listening: “Hands Collide” and “Men at Arms”
Release Date: April 3rd, 2012
In Conclusion: Fans of thought-provoking metal will find a lot to enjoy about this debut EP by post-metal band BEAK.

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02/17/2012

[MUSIC REVIEW] The Menzingers – On the Impossible Past

By lmpmagazine

THE MENZINGERS
On The Impossible Past
[Epitaph Records]
Release Date: February 21, 2012
Verdict: 8.5 out of 10
Review written by: Steve Parsons

The first time I heard the name “The Menzingers” was in June 2011 at Charm City Art Space in Baltimore. I was there to see Touche Amore play with Title Fight, and I saw a friend of mine there. I asked who he was there to see, to which he replied “oh, definitely The Menzingers, they’re so good live”. I watched their set and was more than impressed. The vocals of Greg Barnett and Tom May had the perfect combination of strained shouts and melodic singing, with a punk edge and a great stage show to go along with it. I told myself to remember that band, but I let the memory drift along until I saw news of their upcoming album to be released on Epitaph in 2012. I then kept my ear to the ground, until I heard the advance that I’m playing for close to the tenth time as I write this review. And I’ll tell you right now – this is one hell of a record.

Starting off with “Good Times”, the record begins with the words “I’ve been having a horrible time, pulling myself together. I’ve been closing my eyes to find old familiar failures”. The song has a boisterous, punk feeling to it with the chorus “I’ve been closing my eyes to find, why all good things should fall apart”. The song is loud, meaningful, and passionate – which are a solid three words to sum up this record. The record continues to be full of great songs, going right into “Burn After Writing”, my favorite song on the album. It’s a mid-tempo anthem full of harmonies and passionate vocals – which I’m a sucker for.

The album cools off with tracks like the title track “On The Impossible Past”, with some of the more cheerless lyrics on the album: “I held the wheel while you drank and drove, our plans were miserable. And we crashed your car…into a ditch on Sawmill Road…we always dreamt of having nice things”

The songwriting on On The Impossible Past is fairly straightforward. Many songs have the traditional “intro verse chorus verse bridge chorus” formula, but boy do The Menzingers nail it. The hooks are catchy, the lyrics meaningful, the verses are chunky, grooving riffs you just want to rock out loud to with the windows down, and the drums come in and out at just the right times.

Each song on On The Impossible Past is worth listening to, with a story to tell in each. It’s loud, fun, meaningful, and passionate album. What more could you want from a punk record?

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02/06/2012

[MUSIC REVIEW] Silverstein – Short Songs

By lmpmagazine

SILVERSTEIN
Short Songs
[Hopeless Records]
Verdict: 8.5 out of 10

Having been a fan of Silverstein for a good many years now (I became obsessed during the release of their first record back on Victory Records), I thought it was a cool idea for the band to record a collection of songs all under the two minute marker. Silverstein had shown influences from punk and hardcore in previous albums, so it wasn’t a stretch for them to go “full on” with this idea. The first eleven tracks of Short Songs are the band’s own originals. Some might be surprised by this, but the Silverstein originals are actually the best part of this release. These fast tracks may feel like samples of full songs hidden elsewhere (which is a bit of a downer in the beginning), but they quickly grow on you. Silverstein are naturals with this style of music. The second set of tracks are covers of Dead Kennedys, Gorilla Biscuits, The Descendants, and more. All of them sound good, but I still much prefer what the band wrote on their own. Short Songs comes in just seconds below twenty minutes in length (with 22 tracks total), so you can replay this one again and again during car drives. It’s easy to get into, fun to repeat, and easy to learn the parts. Silverstein have succeeded with this experiment! — By Nathaniel Lay

>> Recommended Tracks: “Sin and Redemption”, “SOS”, “Sleep Around” (from the Silverstein originals) / “Short Songs (Originally by Dead Kennedys)”, “xOn Our Kneesx (Originally by The Swarm)”, “It’s My Job To Keep Punk Rock Elite (Originally by NOFX)” (from the Silverstein covers)
>> Release Date: February 7, 2012
>> In Conclusion: Silverstein thought outside of the box and wrote an album of songs all under two minutes to show their love of punk and hardcore. The best part of this? The band killed it.

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02/06/2012

[MUSIC REVIEW] Kiros – Lay Your Weapons Down

By lmpmagazine

KIROS
Lay Your Weapons Down
[ANGR / Century Media Records]
Verdict: 8/10
RIYL: Abandon Kansas, The Wedding, House of Heroes
Christian rock often has its detractors, and their complaints aren’t about the religious message. The genre has a history of merely sounding like copycats of their mainstream counterparts. For example, I was introduced to RELIENT K by someone describing them as a “Christian BLINK 182”. Whether that is a valid comparison, it’s an issue that Christian music is still trying to shake. Bands like HOUSE OF HEROES, SWITCHFOOT, among others have garnered great fan bases based on creating their own unique takes on alternative rock while maintaining a positive message. The question then becomes clear: Does KIROS have their own sound, or are they just another “sound alike” band? The answer is a bit of both. Taking sonic cues from the best of Christian alt/rock (ABANDON KANSAS, The Wedding, and HOUSE OF HEROES), KIROS manages to sound like all those bands while crafting a bit of their own sound. Many of the songs on the album share similarities with those aforementioned bands, but there is never any time where a copycat status is achieved. Lead vocalist Barry MacKichan is a big part of the band’s success. His unique croon helps ease the melodies into your head, where they will happily lodge and come out at random times. Overall, the end result of Lay Your Weapons Down is a fun and uplifting listen. “Outlaws and Prodigals” is a certain highlight, featuring solid guitar work and an uplifting chorus. Fans of Christian or music to boost your soul will find a lot to enjoy about KIROS’ newest album. – by Nicholas Senior

>> Recommended Listening: “Outlaws and Prodigals” and “Found Me”
>> Release Date: February 7th, 2012
>> Production Notes: Produced by Mark Lee Townsend (Relient K, The Wedding)
>> In Conclusion: While it is often reminiscent of the best of Christian alt/rock, KIROS seem to find their voice with Lay Your Weapons Down. It’s a sound steeped in being catchy and inspirational, and it should garner the band many new fans.

SECOND OPINION REVIEW:
Verdict: 9 out of 10
Kiros first got my attention with their 2011 EP, which featured “Outlaws And Prodigals”, “Desperation Calls”, and an acoustic version of “Outlaws and Prodigals”. The three track sampler may not have featured some kind of “new” and exciting sound, but it blew me away with how polished and great the rock was that fueled it. It had both raw and smooth power behind it, which was interesting, and the songs were damn memorable. Now the band has returned with their full length, and it also has won me over with ease. Basically, every song is winner in some way. The only issue here is that two of the tracks are, of course, old to those who got the 2011 EP. Other than this minor complaint, Lay Your Weapons Down is an excellent piece of work that should appeal to a wide audience. Kiros have skills, whether you note the vocals, instrumentals, writing, maturity, or the band’s ability to rock out and be catchy like it’s nothing. – by Nathaniel Lay

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