Tag Archives: suicide silence

06.17.12
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[MUSIC REVIEW] Whitechapel – Whitechapel

WHITECHAPEL
Whitechapel
[Metal Blade]
Verdict: 7.5/10
RIYL: SUICIDE SILENCE, BORN OF OSIRIS & IMPENDING DOOM

With each consecutive release WHITECHAPEL add new elements to their already impressive formula. With their 4th full length, they a achieve a higher level of musicianship by slowing things down a bit and adding more atmosphere. Fans were already treated to a taste of this with the Recorrupted EP and it’s first track ‘Section 8′ and then later with the ‘Hate Creation’ single. Both tracks we’re perfect representations of the direction WHITECHAPEL were and are headed. Still unmistakably heavy and groovy, but with a more confident self awareness that writing the same tired riffs and drum patterns album after album gets you no where unless you’re AC/DC. Starting off the self titled is a killer mood enhancing piano intro that mistakingly lulls the listener into thinking this isn’t WHITECHAPEL. At :36seconds in it becomes painfully obvious what’s happening. ‘Make It Bleed’ is sure to have floors littered with injured fans for years to come. It isn’t until tracks 3 & 4 that they hit full stride and the unmerciful beat downs begin. WHITECHAPEL have found their groove with their self titled and show no signs of slowing down.          -by Jon Hole

Recommended listening: ‘I, Dementia’, ‘Faces’ & ‘The Night Remains’
Production credits: Produced, Engineered and Mixed by Mark Lewis
Release date: June 19, 2012
In conclusion…WHITECHAPEL have moved beyond an almost stagnant genre and made a more diverse and mature record with their self titled.

03.12.12
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[MUSIC] Mychildren Mybride – Mychildren Mybride [REVIEW]

MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE
Mychildren Mybride
[Solid State Records]
Verdict: 7.5/10
RIYL: AUGUST BURNS RED, SUICIDE SILENCE and EMMURE

Since the release of their Unbreakable record in 2008, MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE have been on an unstoppable path of musical greatness. They have toured heavily and garnered the attention and respect of fans and peers alike. Faltering only slightly with 2010′s Lost Boy, the boys in MCMB continued along doing what they do best: Spreading their brand of religious and positive fueled metalcore. With the release of their self titled record, MCMB have managed to reinvent themselves without alienating older fans and without a doubt, this new, more focused direction, will bring them new fans as well. Starting off this crushing new record is the intro, ‘intro(Morpheus)’. It’s brutality will have kids at their live shows salivating for more. (Having recently seen them recently with FOR TODAY and STICK TO YOUR GUNS, I am here to tell you, they KILLED it. Best I’ve seen ‘em in years. – JH) Following that beatdown of an intro is a track that has had some doubting the bands validity. Writing a “Part 2″ to any bands more popular song usually signifies a lack of creativity, this is not the case with ‘On Wings of Integrity Pt. II’ as it actually has a life of it’s own, separate from the 2008 rager, only sharing the song title. The band, while on the road, picked up a few tricks musically and aren’t afraid to show them off here. Experimenting more with programming and samples, MCMB have created a haunting but memorable mood throughout the albums 11 tracks. While these tricks work well for the most part, there are a few exceptions that seem a little to familiar. ‘God Of Nothing’ is a prime example as it starts off sounding eerily similar to SUICIDE SILENCE’s ‘You Only Live Once’. It quickly puts that comparison to rest though. Other tricks are the little guitar squeeks and squeels that litter the musical soundscape reminding the listener of EMMURE. Not to say this is necessarily a bad thing mind you, as MCMB infused an over-all new heaviness similar to the now defunct SOVEREIGN STRENGTH. Even vocalist Matthew Hasting’s vocals have found a new realm of sonic intensity. Some will criticize and possibly chastise this newer vocal style as it displays more clarity and passion, but along with the new sound, it is beyond a perfect fit. From start to finish, MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE have unleashed a record of immense proportions that should easily further their popularity among the legions of followers searching for something a little more real than radio rock. -by Jon Hole

Recommended listening: ‘intro(Morpheous)’, ‘Anathema’ & ‘Black Cloud’
Production credits: Produced by Zeuss @ Planet Z studios in Hadley, MA
Release date: March 13, 2012
In conclusion…With their third album, MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE have put to rest any doubters they may have had by releasing their deepest and most emotional record to date. Fans of MCMB, old and new, should rejoice.

01.31.12
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[MUSIC] The Devastated – Devil’s Messenger [REVIEW]

THE DEVASTATED
Devil’s Messenger
[Century Media Records]
Verdict: 7/10
RIYL: IMPENDING DOOM, WHITECHAPEL & YEARS SPENT COLD

Throwing caution to the wind and writing what they wanted to hear, the members of Riverside, California’s THE DEVASTATED wrote, played and recorded Devil’s Messenger with one goal in mind. Fuck Em. Former IMPENDING DOOM and OBLIGE members started THE DEVASTATED in hopes of ‘un-watering down’ the over populated and diluted deathcore/death metal scene. Songs like ‘ Psuedo Smile Campaign’ grind and chug as vocalist Greg Wilburn vomits his grimy vocals into the listeners psychy. As a whole, Devil’s Messenger isn’t anything new or ultra-special, but what it is, is a destructively brutal record sure to keep the death metal heads happy and those looking for pit worthy, mosh inducing rhythms happily dancing. THE DEVASTATED are able to easily mix the crushing blows dealt by some of deathcore’s biggest and most brutal with the disgusting, yet somehow appealing, spirit of pure death metal. What THE DEVASTATED have accomplished with Devil’s Messenger is what too many young bands wish to achieve but never measure up. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty with these guys.               -by Jon Hole

Recommended listening: ‘Spit Vitriol’ & ‘Zombies’
Guest appearances: Mitch Lucker of Suicide Silence on ‘Spit Vitriol’
Production credits: Produced by The Devastated, Chris Eck and co-production/mix by Daniel Castleman.
Release date: February 14, 2012
In conclusion…Tired of deathcore bands pretending to be heavy? Bored with straight up old school death metal? The Devastated are the nastiest cure around. Devil’s Messenger is the grimy relief you need. While you’re at it, look for them to destroy your town as they hit the road with ‘Party Grim merchants DR. ACULA and a sub par DESIGN THE SKYLINE.

01.28.12
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[MUSIC] Caliban – I Am Nemesis [REVIEW]

CALIBAN
I Am Nemesis
[Century Media]
Verdict: 9/10
RIYL: Good Metal Core

It’s a never ending shock knowing that there are so many amazing bands in the world that so many people aren’t aware of. Germany’s CALIBAN, who have been doing this thing for 15 years now, are a prime example. No release has ever been sub par. In fact, it’s been the opposite, this is one of those bands that has done nothing but get better and better with each release. They have never bent backwards and wrote a ‘radio friendly’ song. They have never done anything but write hands down the best metalcore around. Nothing about CALIBAN screams ‘sell out’. I Am Nemesis takes a formula, that they themselves have helped create, and make it even more monstrous than before. Opening track ‘We Are The Many’ sets the tone for the rest of the record as the words “You Gotta Be Fucking Kidding Me?” start the song before it kicks off into overdrive. The dual vocals have always been a shining moment in the CALIBAN sound, reminding one of EVERGREEN TERRACE, as Andy Dörne’s aggressive vocals tear up the heavier parts and Denis Schmidt’s bluesy clean vocals sparkle. It’s in his vocal delivery that they lead the pack in this genre as his cleans aren’t nasally or forced. CALIBAN have always managed to mix ethereal orchestral parts into their music without it being obnoxious or overdone like on ‘Edge Of Black’, it’s smooth intro quickly bleeds into the destructively beautiful aural assault that awaits the listener. Every track on I Am Nemesis has the unique ability to make the listener simultaneously want to destroy a room and sing passionately along. CALIBAN, alongside fellow German’s and label mates HEAVEN SHALL BURN, have always worn their hearts on their sleeves and have unwittingly lead the pack in their distinctive, individual genres. They also aren’t a band that just writes songs about random topics, they tackle socio-critical topics and point out things that go wrong in the world, at least through their eyes, like how easily the media manipulates the public at large (‘Broadcast To Damnation’) and how the internet really is as disrespecting to people as a slap in the face (‘Modern Warfare’). Last year CALIBAN dropped the Coverfield EP, which paid tribute to a few of the bands that made them what they are. With the special edition of I Am Nemesis they add a handful more, but aside from that gem their many influences can be heard throughout the course of the 12 tracks presented here. It’s also interesting to hear the bands out there that claim having no knowledge of these metalcore pioneers that blatantly ‘borrow’ their sound. After the release of I Am Nemesis, American fans (me especially! – JH) are eagerly awaiting a proper US tour. Hopefully the rest of the world will finally catch on to what they have been sorely missing. Here’s to another destructive 15 years guys!          -by Jon Hole

Recommended listening: ‘The Bogeyman’, ‘Deadly Dream’, ‘Broadcast Damnation’ & ‘Modern Warfare’
Guest appearances: Marcel Neumann of We Butter The Bread With Butter keyboards and guitars on ‘the Bogeyman’ & ‘Dein R3Ich’. Guest vocals and gang vocals (to be determined soon) by Mitch Lucker of Suicide Silence, Marcus Bischoff of Heaven Shall Burn and all As Blood Runs Black.
Production credits: Produced by Benny Richter & Marc Görtz. Mixed by Klaus Scheuermann in the B.B. Serious Studio in Berlin. Mastered by J. Oliver Wiebe in Hamburg¡’s Nullzweistudios.
Release date: February 28, 2012
In conclusion…If brutal and chaotic metalcore without being over the top is what your soul craves, why not try Caliban‘s I Am Nemesis (or ANYTHING from their 8 album catalog for that matter!) on for size? You’ll be very happy you did. I swear.

12.27.11
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The Best Music of 2011 – As Chosen by LMP Founder, Nathaniel Lay

BEST OF 2011 LIST

[Check out three other lists by our writers for BEST OF 2011 here --->http://lmpmagazine.com/2011/12/21/music-best-of-2011-list-time/]

Making these lists can be pretty fun. Going back through all our reviews and reminding ourselves of the year’s best releases is like an adventure. Frequently, thoughts like “oh, I forgot about this one!” come. 2011 was a pretty good year for releases. There were a lot of awesome albums, some of which were from unknown and new bands. My list is not arranged numerically (such #1, #2…), so instead I just alphabetized this list by band name. Anything here was well worth my time this year. Oh, and of course I realize that I didn’t narrow this down as much as the other writers did. This is a long list…

ACE AUGUSTINE – The Absolute
When this album was sent over, I did not expect much. Generally, bands from Strike First feel lacking in power for me, but that was not the case with The Absolute. Ace Augustine had great energy, frantic vocals, and surprisingly diverse instrumental work. In a year full of so many releases to be tended to, this was one of albums I actually stuck with for some time before writing anything up.

AGAINST ME! – Total Clarity
Sure, it was just a collection of b-sides mostly, but Total Clarity offered up some great tracks any long time fan of AM would enjoy. Right from the kick off with “Miami”, this fifteen track album reminded us why this band keeps such a strong fan base at all times.

AIDEN – Disguises / Some Kind of Hate
Aiden has come a long way over the years. Their last few releases have developed a darker blend of metal and rock that is hard to deny. While their transformation has been impressive, what was best was that the band put out two records in 2011! Not only that, both Disguises and Some Kind of Hate were composed of some awesome tracks. Now that’s work ethic!

ANDREW JACKSON JIHAD – Knife Man
Knife Man was the first AJJ album I had heard, and it surprised the hell out of me. This band has such a quirky sound that is catchy and often ridiculous. Of course, it’s the lyrics that are most humorous and entertaining, but the band’s blend of folk and punk is great as well.

THE ATARIS – 7”
Who cares that it was only two tracks? The Ataris returned this year with this 7”, and it was brilliant. Both “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” and “All Souls Day” were worth keeping on replay throughout the day. I spun this 7” probably more than any other this year. Now if we could just get the full length album released already…it’s been completed for like a year.

AUTOMATIC STATIC – Friends & Lovers
I remember when this album was sent over, I thought Automatic Static was some cute, pop group judging by the album artwork. Hell, I was wrong. Instead, the band play a great rock sound akin to the older days of Fuel. Friends & Lovers was both a great EP and an excellent surprise. It was like rewinding time to the days of 90′s rock. Fuck yeah.

BANQUETS – Top Button, Bottom Shelf
This year had a lot of great punk releases, and of course Banquets had to make an appearance. Their new LP, Top Button, Bottom Shelf, was not a surprise since I already knew they would not disappoint. These guys are up there with Junior Battles for me. They just have this sound that flows with ease, and keeps you thoroughly interested and entertained.

BAYSIDE – Killing Time
For me, Bayside was at its best during their self titled record years ago. However, Killing Time brought them back into the style of that album, making this one an excellent addition to their impressive discography. While it wasn’t as instrumentally diverse as The Walking Wounded, it had a more adult sensibility to it. It was as if Bayside woke up and said “this is the sound we work best with” and went ahead with it. Killing Time is awesome.

THE BLED – Heat Fetish
For their final record, The Bled signed onto Rise Records for the release of Heat Fetish. Part of what made this so special for fans was that the band returned to the more raw sound of Pass the Flask. This album is gritty, crazed, and angry. Any fan of The Bled probably fell in love with this one, no matter which record of their discography was their favorite. Though, Pass the Flask enthusiasts still probably creamed the most to this final Bled release.

BLINK-182 – Neighborhoods
Yes, Blink-182 sounded heavily of Angels & Airwaves influences on this record. However, there was still a decent blend of classic Blink in the mix to even out things. It most certainly is not on par with the old school records from this band that made them famous, but given the chance, Neighborhoods impresses and reels you in eventually. It is definitely the “mature” Blink-182 we never expected to hear, but stranger things have happened.

BOYS NO GOOD – Never Felt Better
This year, Indianola Records returned to force and with several artist signings we did not expect. Boys No Good is by no means a screamo act like those that launched this label back in the day. Instead, these guys play a catchy pop punk/hardcore blend that is very memorable and easy to love. [I may do publicity for Indianola Records, but that is not why this release was picked for my list. I genuinely loved this album and wasn't working for the label at the time of its release.]

CAMISADO – Pulse
Camisado were one of the unsigned bands that took me by surprise this year. After watching them play a set during Fans4Bands Community Collisions Fest, I immediately bought both their EP releases. The most recent was Pulse, and it was five tracks of great energy, fury, and even melody. It shouldn’t be long before you see these guys’ name in lights.

CAR PARTY – High & Low Places
Once again, this is not a bias choice because of my history with the band. Car Party write genius music, and their latest EP was no exception. High & Low Places was practically perfection. The band worked with Ace Enders on this one, so we’re all hoping they tour with The Early November in 2012. Maybe the two bands will do a split vinyl release at some point? Fans of alternative rock need to look these guys up asap.

THE CHARIOT – Long Live
The Chariot really blew me away with Long Live. This release was damn chaotic and noisy as hell, but I loved it. Composed of many breakdowns, distortions, vocal spazz outs, and more, The Chariot really brought the heat with this record.

CROWN THE EMPIRE – Limitless
There’s a lot of buzz around this unsigned group, and for good reason. Their new album, Limitless, is highly impressive and expansive. With a diverse style in every department basically, Crown the Empire are not just another screamo/metalcore act. Instrumentally, they constantly keep things fresh, energy, and somehow both melodic and heavy. Vocally, the singing is smooth and non-girly, while the screaming is often deep and determined.

DANCE GAVIN DANCE – Downtown Battle Mountain II
Anyone who knows me well is aware of my love for DGD. Even though my favorite album of their discography always surprises people (it’s the self titled record that does not feature Jonny Craig), I’m a fan of every member that has come and go with this band. The only time the vocals were not doing it for me was when Swan was doing deep screams on Happiness. Anyway, Downtown Battle Mountain II brings back the awesome duo of Jonny Craig and Jon Mess at vocals. The record is both melodic and crazed, impressive and expansive, odd and sensible. Well done, DGD.

A DAY TO REMEMBER – What Separates Me From You
ADTR have always been a good band, but this is the first time they absolutely got me hooked. What Separates Me From You was on replay for weeks with me. I was probably listening to it three times every day. I recently started blasting it again and it still gets me super pumped. This record has some awesome heavy parts and very melodic anthems. Basically, it’s well rounded and can get you hyped easily.

DEFEATER – Empty Days & Sleepless Nights
When it comes to progressive hardcore, it’s hard to find anything better than Defeater. Continuing their pattern of 1-upping themselves with every passing release, Empty Days & Sleepless Nights came out as a great record with plenty of well written lyrics and chaotic abuses of the voice. Even better was the vinyl version of this record. The band and label went all out on this release, and it shows.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA – Dead Throne
The last TDWP record was the first to really catch my interest. It’s not that I didn’t know of this band for years, but I just never cared for their sound. However, With Roots managed to get my attention enough that I looked forward to the release of Dead Throne. It turns out it was for good reason. This album was diverse, energetic, and fairly large in sound. Any time things began to grow slightly stale, TDWP changed it up. Dead Throne was a winner from nearly all angles.

ELEVATE: I AM – The Ghost Eclipse Sessions
Being a fan of A Static Lullaby, I jumped at the chance to hear this album prior to its release. Not too surprisingly, Elevate: I Am do sound quite similar to ASL, but that’s fine by me (the release of Rattlesnake seems like forever ago). The Ghost Eclipse Sessions is actually better than any ASL release, which is hard to say because I love several of their releases. What this record really did right was blend the crazy nature of Rattlesnake with some surprising melody, instrumental exploration, and duel vocalists. Hopefully, this isn’t the only E:IA record to come.

ENDWELL – Punishment
Previously, I did not care for this band. But the recent Emmure release got me into this style more. As a result, Punishment appealed to me with its furious energy and pissed off formula. Granted, this album is pretty similar throughout, but if you’re in the mood for something crazy and angry, Punishment is a great fix.

EVANS BLUE – Evans/Blue
The latest EB record was the debut for the band’s new vocalist. While he is not nearly as good as the original, he still does have a good voice for this music. This album may not have hit as hard as the band’s previous records, especially their first, but after a few spins it really did start to stick in my memory. At first, I thought it was only decent, but then I found myself wanting to play it again and again until I learned the songs. Fans of hard rock and older Evans Blue should definitely look this one up and give it a chance.

FALLING IN REVERSE – The Drug In Me Is You
Ronnie Radke is famous for his time in Escape the Fate, and the band has not been the same since his departure to jail. Now that he’s free, his new band, Falling In Reverse, made its debut this year. The Drug In Me completely took me by surprise. I was hoping to like it, but did not expect to love it. Despite some poor lyrics, the album turned out to be very addictive and memorable. Welcome back, Ronnie!

FIREWORKS – Gospel
I haven’t listened to this one nearly as much as I would have liked. Fireworks blew me away with their last album, and Gospel was just as much of a surprise. The main reason for this being that the band took their punk rock formula and expanded it into some more indie rock territory. Everything about this record was more mature and better written. These guys are great at what they do, so look them up.

GLASSJAW – Our Color Green / Coloring Book
Released in a series of 7 inches and digital collections, 2011 saw the return continuation of Glassjaw. If you somehow don’t already know these crazy bastards, then these new songs are just as good as any to start with. Glassjaw always produce fuckin’ gold with their music, and these tracks are no exception. On a side note, if you have any of these vinyls, you should definitely send me them.

THE GREENERY – Spit And Argue
I think it was during an interview with Vanna that I was told of The Greenery. So when I was approached with the band’s album for review, I grabbed it purely due to the recommendation. I’m glad I did, because Spit And Argue is a hardcore/punk wet dream of ferocity and energy.

GYM CLASS HEROES – The Papercut Chronicles II
To no surprise, Gym Class Heroes did it yet again. For me, this group has become more catchy with every release. The Quilt really won me over, and the second installment of The Papercut Chronicles is just as good (if not better). Travie McCoy is a lyrical genius, and the band is composed of great musicians. Fans of rap, hip hop, pop, and all that should definitely being playing this one loudly.

HANDS – Give Me Rest
This progressive hardcore act is known for its ability to easily blend heavy elements with the most tranquil and beautiful. Give Me Rest takes the band to a new level. The ability these guys have in writing and performance is extraordinary. Even if this isn’t the kind of album that calls you back for repeat listens immediately, you will still walk away from it thinking “Damn, that was good!”

I AM THE AVALANCHE – Avalanche United
Sadly, I have never fully listened to a IATA record before this one. That being said, I went into this one without a pretty open mind. I always enjoyed MovieLife, so I expected at least some good punk rock to hold me over a bit. I did not really anticipate that Avalanche United would become one of my favorite records of this year. These songs are damn memorable, and the lyrics are relateable. I think I Am the Avalanche are actually better than MovieLife.

JUNIOR BATTLES – Idle Ages
This band’s 7” in 2010 was one of my favorite records of that year. So, to no surprise, I was greatly anticipating Idle Ages prior to its release this year. Luckily, it lived up to my hype. This record is golden in so many ways. The tracks are well written, catchy, memorable, and hold their own. Junior Battles are one of those bands I’d call unique even if they aren’t necessarily doing a new sound. It’s just that they can stand above the rest of the genre with ease.

LIKE MOTHS TO FLAMES – When We Don’t Exist
While I definitely liked the Sweet Talker EP of last year, I did not expect the band’s debut LP to blow me away as much as it did. When We Don’t Exist is so addicting, brutal, energetic, and memorable. Not only did Like Moths To Flames make me a real fan, they definitely have become one of those bands I’m actually going to follow. I don’t do that for many groups, but these guys really did an excellent job on this full length.

A LOT LIKE BIRDS – Conversation Piece
This one actually got passed me at first. I kept hearing about it being an awesome album, but didn’t realize it was the new band from ex-DGD member, Kurt Travis. As soon as I realized this, I quickly picked up Conversation Piece and fell in love. This is another record from this year that I have not yet listened to very much due to all the music flooding my mail box, but I thoroughly enjoyed the few spins I’ve given it thus far. Any fan of Kurt’s work on DGD will fall for A Lot Like Birds easily, I’m sure.

MAN OVERBOARD – Man Overboard
For their Rise debut LP, Man Overboard came out with a self titled record composed of twelve great tracks. There were a few that took some time to grow on me, but the majority of these songs immediately became new favorites of mine for Man Overboard. This punk rock band has been climbing the ladder a lot these past two years, so if you don’t know them already, you should pick this one up quickly. Also, the band released a collection of their older material on vinyl, titled The Human Highlight Reel. This release is also extremely recommended.

OH, MANHATTAN – Spiritual Warfare
This is another release people may call me bias for including. Oh, Manhattan was my first publicity project for Indianola Records, and Spiritual Warfare was an awesome release to work on. I was pretty upset when the band lost Hance to Woe, Is Me, but I’m confident they’ll come back stronger than ever on their next record. As far as this one stands, Spiritual Warfare was a nice surprise because it took screamo to a new level more than once. The band frequently experiments with different sounds and styles, keeping this one fresh from start to finish.

OH, SLEEPER – Children of Fire
This was another one of those bands that I wasn’t very much into until this year. Children of Fire really caught me off guard. It has this really brutal nature to it, but also was able to mold melodic and soaring instrumental work into the mix with ease. It wasn’t terribly deep, but it was expansive and explosive enough to really get me interested.

SECRET BAND – Secret Band EP
Secret Band is basically DGD without Jonny Craig. This means no singing. Other than that, there’s not too much of a difference between the bands. These four tracks are all pretty crazed sounding and memorable, as to be expected by fans of DGD. It may have been a short little release, but I loved it. It definitely makes me want a full length in 2012.

SHINING THROUGH – White Flag
While other members were brought into the recording of this record, Shining Through is listed online as a solo project. White Flag is five tracks that immediately caught my attention and got me hooked. The soaring nature of the sound is instantly satisfying, and “San Diego Summer” easily become one of my most played tracks this year. I can’t wait to hear more from Shining Through.

SLEEPING WITH SIRENS – Let’s Cheer To This
While their debut LP felt too short to me (despite have around nine tracks), Lets Cheer To This had a much stronger length to it that worked beautifully. Coming out at forty minutes, the second album from Sleeping With Sirens felt more thought out and better written. Not only that, every member showed improvement at their craft. This album sounds great, and a good number of the tracks made my Most Played Songs list on iTunes throughout the year.

STRUCTURES – Divided By
This band came out of nowhere for me. I had never heard of them, and when Divided By was sent over for review, I almost just skipped it entirely. Luckily, I heard some of my friends talk well of the band, so I went ahead and checked it out. The introduction track didn’t do it for me, but then the band erupted in a crazy array of styles, catching my attention. From that point forth, Divided By kept me highly entertained. Structures have a great sound to them that is fairly unique for their genre, so I can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.

TEN AFTER TWO – Truth Is…
This band’s EP in 2010 got me interested, but their LP blew me away. Truth Is… was even better than I was expecting. Ten After Two took all the best elements of the EP and made them ten times stronger and more prominent in the formula. This record is immediately entertaining, explosive, and energetic. The three E’s. This was definitely an awesome release.

TRANSIT – Listen & Forgive
Transit’s last few releases have just gotten better and better. For their Rise debut, the band brought us the golden Listen & Forgive. This release was one of those albums several of us called “damn near perfect”. Every track is excellent, so you can bet your ass this is one of the most recommended releases of 2011 by more than just me.

YOU, ME & EVERYONE WE KNOW – Things Are Really Weird Right Now
It’s sad to see these guys go, but at least they went out on an extraordinary 7”. Things Are Really Weird Right Now is made up of four tracks that fans will instantly fall in love with. They’re simple, yet intricate. Sad and beautiful. Honest and memorable. Excellence.

This may have been a long list, but I actually left off a lot of records I thoroughly enjoyed. Some other highly recommended 2011 albums include those released by Suicide Silence, Thomas Giles, Madina Lake, Polar Bear Club, Sparks the Rescue, New Found Glory, Staind, Vanna, Into It Over It, Jacks Mannequin, Ahimsa Sunrise, Protest the Hero, Middle Class Rut, Mureau, La Dispute, Alesana, Thrice, Julian & the Lopez Dispensers, A Skylit Drive, The Story So Far, That’s Outrageous, This Time Next Year, Touche Amore, and I’m sure I’m forgetting even more. Check out the above list for sure, but don’t forget to hear these out as well. I hope 2012 is just as good as 2011 was for releases!

– By Nathaniel Lay

09.20.11
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[MUSIC] Darasuum [INTERVIEW]

Short ‘n’ Sweet
An Interview with: DARASUUM [Rite Of Passage/Mediaskare Records]
By Jon Hole

Thank you for taking the time to answer these few questions, first off, who am i ‘speaking’ with and what is your roll in the band?
I am Gabe and I handle the vocals.

When did DARASUUM come to be? And what has kept you together?
We started in early 2009. Daniel would send me songs and i would put vocals on them and send them back. We ended up liking what we had and decided to put a band together. I guess it would be my enthusiasm for the band that has kept us together. We’ve had a few line up changes but I refuse to let that stop DARASUUM from reaching its goals as a band.

I’m sure this question has been asked countless times, and I’m positive I wont be the last to ask but can you explain how the band name came about and how it actually stuck?
After our very first band practice, Daniel and I were discussing band name ideas and nothing sounded “new”. Everything we’d think of we’d be like “oh, there has to have been a band called that already somewhere”. We didn’t want to recycle a band name. So he pulls out this Star Wars book and says “pick a name out of here, these will sound rad”. He picked one name but it sounded super black metal and i found DARASUUM, We both agreed on that and it stuck. I’ve always hated when bands rehash other band names. Good examples of that are “Atlas” and “All or Nothing”. You can find each of those band names in every state it seems. But we didn’t want that and the only problem people seem to have with the name, is the way its pronounced.

How long has the material on ‘Bite Back‘ been finished and why the long wait to release it?
Aw man… we had those songs over a year. But we recorded them almost a year ago. I don’t know why it took so long to release, to be honest. I argued a lot about it. But in the end, I’m happy that’s its taken this long. We’ve had a chance to tour for our first EP and now we have tours coming up where we get to support “Bite Back“. But I fought a lot. We’re a DIY hardcore band, you know? I go to shows, leave fliers on cars with our info. Book our own shows. Fick and I just started booking our own tours…. I work hard to try to keep us relevant to our scene. We weren’t a touring band THEN, so we needed “Bite Back” released to keep us relevant with our music. But the wait is finally over and I’m excited to see where we head next.

Any guest vocals?
We had Matthew Hasting from MYCHILDREN MYBRIDE do guest vocals on “A Place Called Home”. We had Ken Sorceron from ABIGAIL WILLIAMS play a bowed guitar on “This Was Never Meant To Last”. We were supposed to have Mitch from SUICIDE SILENCE do a part on “Sleeping With Faith” but because he tours so much, he wanted to be with his daughter (when he was home). Which is super understandable. I’ve been good friends with all 3 dudes for a while, with the exception of Mitch, who i grew up with since we were 14/15. But that’s all we have on this album. Ken and Matt both killed it for us and I’m happy with what they both did on our CD.

What bands have had the greatest influence on the individual band members and as a whole?
For me vocally and lyrically,old THROWDOWN, STRIFE and WARZONE. Daniel listens to a lot: FIGURE FOUR, THE READY SET, and AFTERSHOCK. Chris [drummer] loves EARLY NOVEMBER. Fick [bass] likes ADAMANTIUM and STRIFE. Steven [guitar] likes a lot of that newer shit coming out like LEGEND and… i don’t know. He’s a younger member in the band so his musical influences are completely different than Daniel, Fick and Me. We have a new guitar player Ryan, but i have no idea what he listens to. He mentioned A LIFE ONCE LOST and 18 VISIONS on Facebook one time and that’s about all i know.

How did joining Rite Of Passage come about and have they been treating you good so far?
My boss Ryan Nelson was talking to me about Mediaskare owner Baron and i kind of just threw it out there like “tell Baron to release the new DARASUUM record”. A couple days later he tells me that Baron said “ok” and my jaw dropped and i was super excited, like kid status haha. Baron later told me he was starting Rite of Passage and that we were gonna be on that. I was stoked to be on something new, but I was stoked that he was just down to help us in general. But Baron had apparently listened to our demo we left on his car a few months earlier and he liked what he heard, so I guess that also helped with Ryan asking and him liking our demo anyway. Rite of Passage has been cool. I mean, its not like we’re breathing it in and out of our lungs. Its just a label and they’ve helped us release the record and advertise it and that’s all I care about. We’re responsible for doing everything else, like writing and touring. Baron rules though. He’s really in touch with his bands and i love that. He’s also one of the few dudes who releases records for the love of the music and not whats gonna make him a quick buck. He’s a passionate dude about music and for that i really applaud him.

Ok, if you could assemble a dream tour of currently active bands, who would be on it?
BRING ME THE HORIZON, ARCHITECTS UK, THE GHOST INSIDE, STICK TO YOUR GUNS, KINGMAKER and Us. I really love the new BMTH and ARCHITECTS just never disappoint. TGI and STYG are friends, so it’d be rad to tour with those guys and KINGMAKER is just a fucking great band from Illinois.

If anyone reading this come to see DARASUUM perform live, what should they expect and what can they bring you as a gift?
They can expect a short set. Our sets never pass the 15 minute mark unless there’s a fight or something. But i have a “get in, get out” approach. I want the music to speak for us. I hate talking on the mic, its really uncomfortable for me. But I love sushi. Bring that and I’ll love the fuck out of you.

Name the most important things you need to survive on the road…
Baby Wipes. Water. Rope. iPods/radio.

One last question, name your favorite energy drink, GO!
I don’t drink anything carbonated. But I believe everyone else drinks Rockstars or Monsters. One of the two for sure.

Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions! The material on the EP is amazing and I personally, am looking forward to a full length.
Thank YOU. I really appreciate YOU for taking the time to do this. Come hang out when we come near you!

You can count on it!

08.18.11
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[MUSIC] The Battle Within – Premonitions EP [UNSIGNED REVIEW]

THE BATTLE WITHIN
Premonitions EP
[Unsigned]
Verdict: 7.5/10

It’s funny how the “About” section on this band’s Facebook reads “METAL!!!”. Yes, THE BATTLE WITHIN are most certainly of that class. In their “Genre” section, they kindly use the label “melodic metal”, but Premonitions has nothing melodic about it. In fact, it’s so brutal and heavy that the recordings actually have a distortion to them. This could be just a matter of poor studio quality, but it seems like THE BATTLE WITHIN are just too loud for the speakers. If you haven’t figured this out yet, this is a band full of double bass, whirling guitar work, screeches, growls, and aggressive sound in general. At times, the band reminds me of older SUICIDE SILENCE, but then again, this is a brand of death metal that sounds pretty similar between bands falling into its category. To put it simply, this is nothing unique or special. However, Premonitions is thoroughly enjoyable and brutal. It’s got a lot of power and ferocity to it that fans of the genre will probably love. – by Nathaniel Lay

07.08.11
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[REVIEW] Suicide Silence – The Black Crown

SUICIDE SILENCE
The Black Crown
[Century Media]
Verdict: 7/10

What can be said about SUICIDE SILENCE that hasn’t already been said a thousand times over? Their brand of in your face ‘deathcore’ brutality and screeched vocals have long been the topic of discussion since the release of 2009′s genre changing No Time To Bleed. It started off friendly enough. Fans of extreme music loved it. Scene kids embraced them wholeheartedly. Venues and arenas ended up sold out and filled to capacity as the Riverside, CA boys layed waste to every tour they were involved with. It seems that as the band garnered more attention and acclaim, fans began shit talking and diehards defended them. With the release of The Black Crown, the stage is set for more backlash and trash talk hurled their way. Starting off the new disc with the blistering track “Slaves To Substance” is a perfect beginning to what is sure to be an aggressive record. The bands trademark ‘deathcore’ meets old school thrash and death metal sound is still firmly intact. Adding a few newer but no less aggressive sounds, such as a slower more old school solo in “You Only Live Once”. The same track also displays a more personal and *gasp* positive approach to Mitch Luckers typical lyrical style. It reverts back to the typical “Fuck the world” stance on the very next track, aptly titled “Fuck Everything”, sure to be the hottest selling slogan on a shirt this summer. The rest of the record drives along nicely, even featuring guest vocals from elder class-man Frank Mullen of death metal kings and legends SUFFOCATION on the nastier than thou track “Smashed”. The only downside to this record is the miserably disappointing track “Witness The Addiction”. The music is an exercise in brutality and groove, starting off with THE ACACIA STRAIN inspired intro riff, the song kills, until guest vocalist Jonathan Davis of KORN opens his mouth and gives us his usual whiny-woe-is-me vocal delivery. It will undoubtedly be a hot song umongst the hordes of Hot Topic metal legions. His guest appearance is no match for Chino Moreno of the deftones appearance on WHITECHAPEL’s 2010′s A New Era Of Corruption track “Reprogrammed To Hate”. Either way…the experimentation on the record further rears its head on “Cross Eyed Catastrophe” with the eerie, haunting female background vocals. Which actually works, and is a huge plus after the stumble caused by Mr Davis’s appearance. If hard work and success all while still managing to stay heavy and unrelentingly brutal mean you are a sell out, then by all means, SUICIDE SILENCE are major sell outs. To those of us that know better, these guys are only getting what they deserve. PANTERA did it without apology. SUICIDE SILENCE are unapologetic-ally following in metals greatest shadow. — by Jon Hole

12.21.10
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[Review] AMONGST GIANTS – Of Modes Of Pain And Pleasure

AMONGST GIANTS
Of Modes Of Plain And Pleasure
[Unsigned]
Score: 6
Stream: “Silencer”
RIYL: Suicide Silence, The Black Dahlia Murder, And Hell Followed With

One look at the acts this band has supported on stage should give you an idea of what to expect from Amongst Giants. Hailing from Michigan, this five piece act plays familiar death metal in the likes of Suicide Silence and Carnifex. The problem here is that the band does little to separate themselves in this crowded genre. Sure, they have all the screeches and growls down. The music is all very dark and heavy. However, it rarely feels explosive or fresh. When you listen to a heavy band, you want to think “wow, that was cool” or “that’s brutal”. When playing through Of Modes, a feeling of “heard this all before” is what you come out with most. These complaints aside, Amongst Giants still play quite solid death metal; it’s just not original or mind blowing. You can hear this sound elsewhere easily. Nonetheless, Amongst Giants could still make it. This is a genre that is supported by tons of people not worried about creativity. They sound like some big name national acts, and therefore could very well become one soon. ~ Nathaniel Lay