Reverberate Top Albums of 2012 (that I didn’t review)

"Man, this music is hot! ...Oh god!"

Today’s entry is about some albums that I have been enjoying over the year that I never got around to reviewing. Maybe I’ll get there in the future, but for now I’ll have to settle with a small summary for each. I really recommend giving every one of these CDs a listen. They are all fantastic in their own way, and while they might have a couple minor issues here and there they are really enjoyable. It should be noted that these records may not have come out in 2012; they’re just albums that I have been thoroughly enjoying throughout the year. But enough introduction; let’s get to the music!

Born Of Osiris, anyone?

1. Fallujah: “The Harvest Wombs”

Death metal at its finest, with a mildly unnerving title to boot. This album is a stomping good time with unrelenting double kick and all the chuggy-chug guitar that you could ask for. But what separates this album from other death metal albums is that there are signs of intelligence behind the sonic barrage. That may sound mean, but let’s be honest—sometimes bands can get a little too far on the “br00talz” side and sacrifice good songwriting for the sake of sounding heavy and extreme. Fallujah manages to bridge the gap nicely: their sound is still delightfully heavy, but they also do interesting things with their songs to break the monotonous chugging. Take the second song on the album for example; partway through the band utilizes a phaser effect on the entire track, making it sweep around between speakers before going back to normal. It’s the little things, you know? The album might be a little assaulting for people not used to the style, but it’s truly a work of death metal art.

That History channel dude would
be proud.

2. The Haarp Machine: “Disclosure”

Let’s get the bad out of the way here first. This band’s main lyricist/songwriter is a huge conspiracy theorist, and therefore all of the songs talk about pretty crazy stuff. There are lines about aliens and choruses about government-created viruses for population control. However, it’s not too obnoxious most of the time, and the good stuff greatly outweighs this problem. What makes this album great is how it grooves throughout all the songs. Disclosure has been called technical death metal, but it’s not really like The Faceless or similar bands. It really has its own style, aided by the surprisingly complementary addition of a sitar that carries its own melodies behind all the metal. This, along with the variation of vocals, fantastic guitar work, and overall heavy groove feel, really wrap up the album into a fantastic package. And let’s face it: the song “Pleiadian Keys” is a classic.

Why hello there, ladies... You, uh,
come to the duck pond often?

3. Baroness: “Yellow”

Moving to more of a rock-style album, Baroness have delivered probably their best record yet with this CD. It comes with the Green record as well in a two-disc package, but in my opinion that one falls short of the genius that Yellow exhibits. After the gentle opener, the groove starts and doesn’t stop until eight tracks later when the album ends. The best part is that the album flows so well, almost telling a story with the way the songs work together. Some of my favorite songs this year are on this album, including “Take My Bones Away” and “Back Where I Belong”; this whole album just simply rocks. I guarantee a wider audience will enjoy this, more so than the other two I mentioned earlier on in this entry, and it really is something that everyone can get into. There is a possibility that the consistently harmonized vocals and their “yodeling” style (seriously, that’s the best way I can describe it) could turn some people off, but I personally think that it works well with the fuzzy guitars and rock style. Plus, look at that album art! *whistles*… Just, uh… just kidding…

SOMEBODY didn't get the memo
about the 1930s Dust Bowl...

4. Godspeed You! Black Emperor: “Allelujah! Don’t Bend! Ascend!”

Shifting gears to a far away point in the spectrum, we have GY!BE’s latest release. This album is less of an actual “album” as much as it is an experience; think Explosions In The Sky, but more abstract. I am struggling in how to actually describe what this album is or how it sounds, but it is really enjoyable. One will notice right away the sheer scale of the tracks on this album, and this fact definitely contributes to the “experience” feeling of the album by allowing the user to sink deep into the atmosphere of the songs without being jarred back into reality by a new song beginning. It’s amazing how this album can mess with you: I found myself wanting to skip ahead in “Their Helicopters’ Sing” due to the unnerving dissonance that pervades most of the song. But it’s all part of the overwhelming experience, and I would recommend letting your imagination go wild while listening to see what your mind can come up with for imagery.

Bungee jumping, anyone?

5. Cloudkicker: “Musicistight” (compilation)

It’s free. It’s 32 songs. It’s alternative rock stuff (for the most part). It’s Cloudkicker. What else can be said? Mr. Ben Sharp put his old music that was first released on MySpace up on his Bandcamp page for everyone to enjoy, and it’s amazing to hear that sheer talent that this guy contains. Most of the songs on here are just as good as his true LP releases, and some of the ideas are even better. There are definitely spots here and there where you can tell that these are rougher tracks, but it doesn’t matter because they’re still fantastic. This is probably the most approachable out of all the records that I have talked about today; with 32 different tracks to choose from, there is definitely something for everyone in there. Some of the more notable songs include “Bonhomie”, “Neoteric”, “Imbroglio”, and “Salmagundi” (at least, those are some of MY favorites). While you’re at it, check out his other stuff too. I honestly can’t promote this guy enough—he’s such a great artist in his music and such a great guy outside of the music as well. If anything, how can you turn down free music?

Well, there you have it. All of these are really enjoyable entries that I sort of wish I had gotten around to reviewing. Maybe I will in the future, but for now, get out there and listen!

Sentimental Sound--Cloudkicker: "Fade"

I thought I'd try a new format of post with this edition of "Reverberate." Basically, this post will speak less from an objective point of view and dive into a more personal experience. The reason I thought I would bring this kind of thing about is because of how music can move is in ways we never thought possible, reaching deep into our very souls and moving us. The concept of music in and of itself is fascinating; how simple audible waves can cause transcendental experiences is something that I cannot explain. But what I can explain is how certain music has affected me. There are some works of music out there that are brilliantly unique and have changed me in some way, shape, or form. I would love to share these experiences and compositions with you, the reader, that you may enjoy them as well and maybe have an experience of your own.

From now on, any episode of "Reverberate" that has the "Sentimental Sound" tag on its name will be of this format rather than the usual objective review. There will be no rating (although I'm sure you can glean a rating from the way the post reads), and I highly encourage you to go listen to the album I've selected. I hope that this is worth your time and as much fun to read as it was to write.

*           *           *

Selected tracks for listening: "Seattle", "L.A. After Rain"

Oh, how the ripples have traveled...

As you all have probably seen before, I did a review of another Cloudkicker album a few months back, and as you also probably know from that review I absolutely enamor this artist. The sheer magnitude of the soundscapes he creates with his music is breathtaking, and his latest album "Fade" is no exception. While the CD came out a few months back (August), it has taken me a while to truly soak in the genius of this newest work. At first, I was surprised to hear a sheer lack of any metal; I had always considered the previous album "Let Yourself Be Huge" to be a sidestep and that Mr. Sharp would come back to the stream of polyrhythmic brutality. But he also has a tendency to keep his fans on their toes. The grungy rock sound found in "Fade" is a sidestep, but definitely a step in the right direction.

Newcomers to Cloudkicker will probably not understand a good portion of that last paragraph, and for that I am sorry. You are truly missing out and will need to catch up on all of Ben Sharp's work to really get what I am trying to say. However, "Fade" is definitely one of if not the absolute best place for people to start enjoying Cloudkicker. The rock and polyrhythms are still there to give it a distinct flavor, yet the toned-down distortion and aggression will welcome new listeners with wider arms than other albums. But why would I select this particular piece of art as my first subject for a story of an emotional journey?

Long story short, "Fade" changed the way I think about music.

A bold claim, yes, but it's true: ever since I first heard this album, I have thought of music in a completely different way. There are some specifics I will tell you about, but really they all combine to encompass my musical psyche. I feel as though a list would do us well here to really explain what happened to me.

1. "Fade" changed the way I listen to music.

It's true. I was so excited when this CD was released that I started a new habit when I finally get an anticipated album. This process involves laying down on my bed (usually a bit before I go to sleep), shutting off all the lights, donning my headphones, closing my eyes, and listening to the album straight through. Trust me on this one, it is an amazing experience and can happen with more or less any album you desire. Simply put, this causes all brain power to focus on listening to the album; not just hearing it, and not jamming out and becoming all excited. This is where the analyzing can begin, the true listening and understanding of the auditory info that is entering your ears. It is like savoring every bite of a perfectly cooked steak or standing on a high point and seeing the surrounding landscape for miles. It is an experience. Before I did this, I had no idea of what "listening to music" was supposed to mean. Now I can't go back: every new CD that I know is going to be journey gets the same treatment. I appreciate the music more. I enjoy it all so much more. And "Fade" was the one who introduced me to this new method of experience.

2. "Fade" changed the way I think about bass guitar.

Limited edition orange vinyl and CD.
How could I not get one?

Anyone who has heard me play bass before knows that I have a tendency to play a lot of notes somewhat quickly in almost every piece. I add a ton of octaves and fifths to create more body in the sound; it does what it's supposed to but can make the bass sound frantic and rushed. I also make up a lot of stuff on the spot, leading to cool innovations but also bringing on errors as well if I happen to jump outside my skill level. One of the first things I noticed on "Fade" was the bass, both in tone and style. The former was a tinny, grungy distorted sound that was more than addicting. I scrambled to figure out how it was made; I became so obsessed that I eventually emailed Ben Sharp himself, asking how he created the tone. After reading his advice, I still desperately searched for how to accomplish it, trying hoards of different pedals in all kinds of crazy combinations. Finally, I chose a certain pedal and tied up new strings on my bass. The first few strums required some adjustment but I eventually found the sound I had sought after so hard. I had never worked so hard to find a sound before, with exception to one other tone (that of Justin Chancellor from Tool). It was amazing to look back and see myself working so hard to get that divine bass sound. The other notable thing about the bass on "Fade" is its style; summed up into one word, one can only describe it as groovy. No, not in the '60s hippies sense. In the sense that it knew exactly what it was doing in each song and knew exactly how to complement everything in each song. Every bass line is purposeful throughout the album; every moment of pause in the bass lines makes you want to hold your breath until it comes back in, leaving you hanging on edge until it puts its foundation back underneath your feet. There is not a single moment where I have thought of something different that would work as well as these grooves do. It is more or less perfect. Hearing such a pinnacle of purposeful bass playing has changed the way I play. I love making those hanging pauses. I love finding my niche now, as "boring" as it may be, and listening to it glue together the rest of the song. I love finding purpose in my playing; it really is a feeling I cannot describe. And it's all because of this album.

3. "Fade" changed the way I write music.

I love writing music. It is a hobby I have enjoyed since high school, and while I wouldn't claim greatness in it I would go as far as to say that I enjoy a lot of the stuff I write. As I listened to more and more metal, I realized that I could probably write stuff like that, so I began to delve in the world of polyrhythmic mayhem and near-impossible melody. A lot of my earlier writings are ridiculous in the sense that they punish the musician, all for the sake of some weird time signature groove. They're messy, and while they might sound good, the're amateur. Listening to "Fade" opened my eyes to a different style of composing: the simple layering effect. What this means is writing a simple line and then adding another simple layer, and then repeating the process in some way until you have a stack of relatively simple lines that create a song together. This method is clearly heard in older Cloudkicker music and consequently my older compositions, but the pseudo-complexity that "Fade" exhibits is a whole new level of brilliance. Writing simple lines not only makes it easier on the musician but also makes it much easier to play around with melodies. This also shined a ray of hope on my own project that aims to show the diversity of a 6-string bass; if I can write simple lines and put them all together, then I will create more diverse sounds while avoiding the muddiness that usually comes with more complex bass. With all the complex, insane stuff I listen to, however, a step towards the simple would have never been possible without "Fade."

You can even get it on cassette! How classy is that!

It's probably easy to see now why this album means so much to me. Those aspects that I mentioned are some of the things that I enjoy most in life, and even they fail to fully summarize the ways that this album has changed me. This was truly a revolutionary CD for me personally in many ways.

The whole reason I wrote all of this is from sheer excitement over how good this album truly is. Every time I listen to "Fade" it somehow reaches out to me over and over again. I can't honestly say that there has ever been an album that has done this to me before. Granted, some of my more favorite artists have albums that consistently bring me back to them, such as Between The Buried And Me and The Safety Fire. But even those long-time favorites cannot take hold of me in the same way as "Fade" does almost every time. There's something beyond the music here, something deeply rooted in emotions and beyond that has yet to be matched by another work. Something that makes me want to close my eyes and shut out the world every time so it can be just me and the music. I wish I could explain it further, but I cannot, although it stands to reason that some of you know what I am talking about.

After reading this, I implore you: go pick this album up. It's free, and I'll even provide the URL below. Cloudkicker's "Fade" is not an experience that you want to miss. I cannot guarantee that it will take hold of you as it has of me, but I can assure you that the music, and the emotion behind it, are worth every minute spent listening.

Download it here: http://cloudkicker.bandcamp.com/album/fade

Thanks for reading.

Torrent: "The Winged Sun"

Editors's Note: Sorry for the lack of pictures of the band. They are not well know at all, unfortunately. So I put in pictures of other stuff that's cool like them!

An oasis in the vast deserts of metal.

Selected tracks for listening: Pick a song! (Torrent's Myspace album stream)

The Torrent we're actually
talking about!

Metal bands are truly “a dime, a dozen” now days; every year something new is cranked out by some new band hoping to become another solid brick in the repertoire wall that contains the best and the famous. Someone searching for a new band to enjoy might have to wade through a significant amount of garbage to find a worthwhile band. It is this fact that sadly causes some gems to slip away unnoticed, only to be found be those that search hard enough in the right place. Torrent happens to be one of these bands, but hopefully not for much longer.

Bringing their version of melodic death metal to the scene, Torrent sets high standards for themselves with their debut album “The Winged Sun.” The product of a couple people collaborating across the country, the band has somehow remained under the radar for a few years now, quietly creating music and releasing it to the masses. With their release of “The Winged Sun,” however, it is obvious that they deserve far more recognition than they deserve: the album is truly great in almost every way.

This probably could cause torrents of
wind and rain!

Simply put, the production quality of this album is superb. Maintaining a crisp, clear entourage of instruments, “The Winged Sun” gives the listener leeway to listen to every part in the mix and then put it all together again. This combined individuality in the mix is a fine line to traverse: too much and everything would feel disjointed; too little and everything would collapse together into one muddy sound. However, the engineering work done in this album makes it sound delightfully clear without spreading everything too thin. There is one thing that does take away from the immersion, though: the not-so-subtle changes in instrument tone between songs. The most blatant example comes along in “Fallen Cities” in which the bass has a completely different feel and sound. While this does allow it to stick out a bit more in the song, it’s almost too much and fails to support the low end of the song as well as it did in other tracks. It should be noted that this is by far the worst offender; other tone changes are far more subtle. Overall, Torrent manages to give their debut a fantastic mix, and it is obvious that much time and effort went into making sure they got the sound they wanted.

This is the wrong kind of torrent!

“The Winged Sun” embodies its creator’s name, in a way: from the very beginning, the listener is assaulted by wave after wave of heavy riffs with only small spaces of tranquility in between. It is this multitude of small oasis in a vast desert that allows the album to breathe and bring in a sense of variety. Another attribute worth noting is the grandness of scale that Torrent achieves in each and every song. No matter the tone or feel, each song has an impressive body of sound and creates its own sort of small world within the realm of the entire work.

An argument could be made that the songs do sound much the same, and there is definitely enough evidence to support such a claim. Heavy use of harmonic (“Middle East”-sounding) scales and chord progressions can run together a bit, especially in the massive outro, “Leviathan.” When the more unique portions of the tracks are added in, however, it brings back enough freshness into each track to stave off a high level of repetitiveness. Another complaint could be that the songs drag on far too long for their own good; indeed, each part of the album has an average running time of about six minutes, minus the shorter intro and the gargantuan final track. There are times where this may be true: some of the solos can feel tagged on and a bit on the unnecessary side. Whether or not this is a significant problem will come down to each listener. Some will be enthused by the flashy runs of notes; others will probably find them more annoying than anything else.

Look at this dog for no reason!

Where listeners will probably find themselves most divided, however, is in the subject of the vocals. The best comparison is probably found in the band Periphery; Torrent’s vocalist has a similar array of soaring, nasal tenors but utilizes far less screams. There are times where he fits very well with the instrumentation, and there are places where one might wish that he would disappear. It is a very polarizing performance, to say the least, and unfortunately it may be the make-or-break point for some people.

The fact of the matter, though, is that most of these complaints will come down to a personal bias. The vocals may be enjoyable or completely rub the listener the wrong way. The solos may thrill one person and bore the next. It’s inevitable that these focal points will be the deciding factors for many. Despite these particularly polarizing attributes, “The Winged Sun” is still an excellent album at its core. Catchy grooves, tasteful use of breakdowns, and skilled writing all combine together to make Torrent’s first album one to stand tall in the metal music realm. With any luck, the band and their work will soon receive the recognition they truly deserve. Torrent’s “The Winged Sun” shines its way into a:

6 levels of epic-ness out of 7.

Brown Shoe: "The Gift Horse"

The gift that keeps on giving... sometimes.

Selected songs for listening: "Late Nights" 

(Only one I could find; I don't condone the video.)

Someone didn't get the memo...

Alternative rock can be a hard genre for a band to be noticed in; saturation with consistent mediocrity and the generic has a tendency to smother some of the best bands that just can’t seem to become popular on a large scale. Add in the fact that many well-known heavyweights top the charts year after year and a grim outlook forms on the horizon for anyone trying to make it in this particular genre. With their recent release of “The Gift Horse”, California-borne Brown Shoe seems to be trying their best to rise above the forgettable by letting their music speak for itself. Unfortunately, what they dish out just doesn’t appear to be speaking loud enough despite its catchy, easy-going sound.

Being their most recent release, “The Gift Horse” embodies Brown Shoe’s sound in its purest form and, despite having no large-name producer, exhibits a delightfully high production value. All of the pieces in each song are usually present with the occasional moment where the bass slides under the mix to the point of being barely audible. Given the sound and style of the music, however, this fact isn’t all that surprising and never really detracts from the overall sonic value. The most notable part of the mix comes in the form of the copious reverb that bathes each track, giving each song a deep, echoing style that is rather unique and enjoyable. There is even a song that includes a well-placed toy accordion, showing the careful effort spent in instrumentation. It is obvious that Brown Shoe worked hard for crispness and clarity, the latter being especially difficult when so much reverb is included.

3/5 members of Brown Shoe do indeed wear
brown shoes.

There are problems that manifest from their signature reverb, however, most often taking the form of a subtle repetitiveness that never gets shaken off throughout the entire album. While the depth of sound achieved is definitely appreciated, the consistency of the reverb has a tendency to make things run together. This is not helped by the fact that many of the songs choose similar keys, causing some songs to sound altogether similar to the rest of the album. There are exceptions, of course, but pushing some of the tracks into a different key would have given “The Gift Horse” a more diverse feel. This is again compounded by the vocals that, while relatively unique and always well executed, contain the same foundation in every song, bogging down the songs even more into a similar mold. While they have created some very catchy material, Brown Shoe ties itself up in creating that same material many times over, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

A saving grace from all this is the relatively diverse structuring that gives a defining characteristic to each of the songs. The band manages to steer away from falling into a 4/4 rut too often and gives most songs their own rhythmic feel. Slow builds in some songs like “The Run” (which is arguably the best on the album) to faster beats on songs such as “Pauper” bring freshening variety to the whole album, saving the listener from becoming too bored with what sounds similar throughout.

"Oh god, I'm touching a bass guitar! Get it off, get it off!"

The most glaring flaw of this album is certainly the bipolar lyrics, ranging from deeply meaningful to downright confusing to laughably bad. While the focus of the album is obviously relationships and encounters with lovers, Brown Shoe manages to shine in some places and trip over its own feet in others. “C.F.” and “The Run” are surprisingly heavy in lyrical nature and show the band’s potential for solid writing; others such as “All Your Ghosts” and “Sick Man” are so tragically terrible to the point of distraction. It’s a crying shame, really: there is a large opportunity for musical brilliance by combining skilled writing with enjoyable music, but the chance has been squandered. Instead, the listener is left with a raised eyebrow and a reason not to give them a chance.

Despite these complaints, the album is still enjoyable. At heart, Brown Shoe really is just an alternative rock band: a far less known American answer to Coldplay, in a way. “The Gift Horse” feels like an album that one might listen to while driving down the road on an overcast day or while watching the rain drip down the window during a storm. It’s upbeat and yet surprisingly gloomy, but it never really shakes an unfortunate vice of sounding a bit bland. Were it not also for the appalling writing, this album and its creator would have far more potential to be a widely known act. Brown Shoe’s “The Gift Horse” manages to bring home a:

4 questionable verses out of 7.

Between The Buried And Me: "The Parallax II: Future Sequence"

*A note to the reader:

 This is a conceptual review, so it will read more obtusely than my others. However, I still think it gets the point across very nicely. Please give me some feedback if you'd like; this is my first attempt at something this abstract. Enjoy and thanks for reading!

Track List:
1. Goodbye To Everything

2. Astral Body
3. Lay Your Ghosts To Rest
4. Autumn
5. Extremophile Elite
6. Parallax
7. The Black Box
8. Telos
9. Bloom
10. Melting City
11. Silent Flight Parliament
12. Goodbye To Everything Reprise

*          *          *

Morning came early. The sun had not crept its way over the hills quite yet, and the birds had barely begun their songs. Sam’s morning had already started as he sipped hot coffee and stuffed his hiking backpack full of needed gear. Foodstuffs, check. Rain jacket, check. Medical gear, tent, cooking supplies: check, check, check. It was all there, packed and ready to go for the two day trip. He cinched up the pack as tight as the straps would let him and loaded a bloated water bladder into another pocket. As he drained the last of the black coffee in his mug, he slung the heavy bag over a shoulder and headed for the door, taking one last glance back to make sure he was prepared for today’s journey. Despite being a somewhat seasoned mountaineer, excitement and anxiousness overtook his mind. Each trip is different; each mountain is unique.

“Goodbye To Everything,” he laughed, knowing full well that he’d be back later to see it all again. Satisfied and sure that he had everything he needed, Sam stepped into his car and drove away.

As the vehicle rumbled down the gravel road towards the trailhead the tall peak loomed far in the distance, still barely lit by the waxing sunrise. Sam pulled into the parking lot, opened the door, and firmly planted his boot in the rocks as he stepped out into the fresh atmosphere. Taking in a large breath of the unfamiliar, almost Astral Body of air, he smiled with rejuvenation as the crisp intake filled his lungs. It had been a while since he made this kind of trip to get away from it all, and with the usual load of tedious responsibilities that bogged him down during the week he needed the vacation. This was completely worth skipping his classes for the day—especially his notoriously difficult greek studies class—and worth not spending time with his friends for the weekend. The time for homework and chores had ended; the time for relaxation and enjoyment was now. The mouth of the gully gaped wide before him as he pulled his backpack out of the trunk of the car, beckoning him to enter and begin the journey. Pulling the shoulder straps tight and taking in another refreshing breath, Sam set foot on the path and began walking down the trail.

This mountain was infamous for him: he had attempted it a year ago, but too early in the spring. This made the trip nearly impossible without snowshoes and poles since the peak was blanketed in waist-deep snow at nine thousand feet and beyond. Having neither, Sam’s first climb was a destined failure, and he only made it so far before exhaustion and frozen extremities made him turn back. Not today.

“You’ll make it up this time,” Sam vowed to himself as he passed the one mile mark on the dirt trail, taking the glorious scenery and freshening ambiance. “This time you will Lay Your Ghosts To Rest. This time you will make it all the way to the top.”

As he progressed, he noted that the hike was much easier now that he had decided to embark in the Autumn instead of the spring, though it was a little odd since the air was much colder and nature had started regressing into hibernation. Despite the differences, he trudged on down the path, enjoying every moment of the trek and eventually coming to a natural lake nearly halfway up. The lake was full of algae and sheets of biofilm, creating intriguing strata under the glassy surface. He wrinkled his brow at the surprising beauty of the microbial life. The cooling temperatures would have killed off most of the normal growth by now, leaving behind only some form of Extremophile Elite to overtake the water with colonies of its own. Sam stopped and gazed into the lake, overtaken by the peculiar beauty in the murky waters. He smiled as he wondered to himself how many other travelers had simply passed this sight by on their way to the apex. Suddenly he noticed how far the sun had crossed in the sky and hurried down the path, hoping to reach his planned campsite before it got too late.

As the sun set behind the western wall of the basin, Sam closed in on his place of rest. He was far more spent than he had originally thought, and the exhaustion had caused a Parallax that slightly bent his vision, making concentration on setting up camp for the night all the more difficult but reminding him of how hard he had worked to get there. He quickly erected his tent and opened The Black Box that contained his lightweight campstove, anxious to cook dinner and finally relax. Sam gathered some small branches and started a fire to keep warm while he cooked and ate a well-deserved meal, taking time to notice the overwhelming tranquility of the deep alpine woods. The sun had faded away, leaving millions of stars and a faint band of a distant galaxy to dominate the skies. He crawled into his tent and wrapped himself tightly into his sleeping bag, quickly falling deep into a restful sleep.

The next morning came later than the last as the sun poked its rays over the ridgeline and into Sam’s tent. He stirred awake and exited the tent, squinting as his eyes adjusted to the harsh light. Rapidly stuffing his gear back into the heavy bag, he tightened the pack to his back and headed off down the trail again with newfound energy, knowing that he had conquered nearly three-quarters of the journey. As he approached a clearing at the base of the summit, he stopped and admired his foe. The peak stood tall and straight, trying to intimidate the lowly hiker at its feet. Sam took a deep breath and began walking again, making his way toward the looming apex—his goal, his Telos. Strange alpine flowers grew tall along the path; the fact that they still had petals was intriguing enough, and the odd figures that they created added to their mystery. Sam figured that they probably couldn’t be seen anywhere else outside of these high mountain places, and this conclusion made him smile as he guessed that few others would be able to appreciate this year’s Bloom. But he knew he could not be distracted; he had to keep moving. 

Sam made his way up several taxing switchbacks and eventually came upon the ridge’s saddle, pausing to catch his breath. He looked around at the panorama, slowly taking in the vivid colors of the surrounding mountains and their majestic coats of trees that contrasted the bright blue sky. Eventually his gaze came upon his home town far off in the distance, but the haze from this summer’s forest fires distorted its figure, giving it softer, murkier appearance. It still held its grandeur, however, and the Melting City caught Sam’s eye for an extended time before he remembered his final goal. He glanced up the hillside towards the peak and locked his eyes on his prize, never looking away as he took step after labored step up the harsh incline.

After what felt like hours, the incline gradually eased and made way to a flat area with a lonely flag. Sam stopped and sat down, his heavy breathing the only sound beyond the chilly breeze. He had made it.

Sam removed his backpack and let it fall to the ground with a thud. He slowly made his way over to the flag where a small metal box lay next to the short, makeshift flagpole. “NFS Official Geosurvey” read imprinted letters on the box. Sam unscrewed the heavy bolt used as a makeshift lock and opened a cache of various notebooks filled with the names of other mountaineers that had also made the ascent. With overwhelming feelings of achievement and excitement, he produced a pencil and carefully signed his initials into the newest notebook. “S.F.P.—2012,” it read. He lowered the notebook and stared at his name, joining hundreds of other hikers in spirit, and reveled in the satisfaction of the journey. How anyone could not enjoy such a revitalizing sojourn was beyond him, yet at the same time he understood that this sort of thing wasn’t for anyone. They were truly missing out.

After resting on the summit for a while, Sam once again hefted his backpack and tightened the straps. Taking one last look at the panoramic horizon, he started to walk back down the steep mountainside.

“Goodbye to everything,” he quietly said, as he began the descent back down the mountain.

7 wonderful soundscapes out of 7.

Animal Collective: "Merriweather Post Pavilion"

It hurts.

Suggested songs for listening: None. This really sucks.

Yay. Leaves in space. Makes perfect
sense when you're ON ACID.

*Sigh*… Well, here we go…

You might be wondering why I chose this album as the piece of work to return to after a short hiatus from writing my reviews. I happened to spot that Animal Collective had released a new album recently and remembered my first experience with them once day while watching music videos. The song “For My Girls” somehow made it onto the screen and I watched that acid-induced horror from start to finish, never to be the same again. Here I am, years later, wondering if I can give them a second shot. I tried to be open-minded, I really did. But Animal Collective has collectively made me want to hit myself in the head with a bat.

Look, I’m going to give it away early this time: I hate this album. I hate Animal Collective. I’d love to throw them and their stupid keyboards off a cliff into the sea to end the pain-inducing synth-wank that is every single one of their songs. But I guess I should probably give an explanation or something, so here we go.

Apparently, “Merriweather Post Pavilion” is one of Animal Collective’s more acclaimed albums from their surprisingly large repertoire. However, I have an issue with it from the very beginning: it is ridiculously over-produced. Maybe this is to be expected from a group of dudes jamming around with MIDI and experimenting with sounds from nature, but it’s too much. There comes a time when cramming every sound possible into a song is a BAD idea. Layering is fantastic when done correctly; addiction of more instrument variety (i.e. orchestral parts) can fill a song with welcomed sonic body. Taking ambient noises and stuffing them into an already MIDI-filled nightmare is not going to have a pretty result. Animal Collective failed to receive that memo and figured out the most grating trebles I’ve ever heard to smash onto the top of each song. The product is a bloated, overwhelming song with everything going wrong.

Man, it even hurts him to hear his own music...

Let’s point out some great examples. What in the world is that stupid synth riff doing in “Daily Routine”? Why did they have to use the most annoying twang sound in “Lion In A Coma”? Why are the first two songs laden with high, scratchy treble garbage that covers everything over? Why do they suddenly tone everything down in the boring loop called “No More Runnin’”?

How high were these guys when they wrote this crap?

Speaking of treble, it should be noted that the EQ on this entire album is basically stuck in the 1000+ Hertz range with nothing below for support. There are heavily mixed drum beats here and there, but for the most part I was gritting my teeth at each crescendo when the higher notes shredded my ear drums. This leads to the problem that every song feels like a large balloon you desperately have to hold onto, assuring that it doesn’t just float away. Rarely does there come a point where you feel the beat and want to jam out; most of the songs are atmospheric and painfully thin. Even when a decent beat comes around, it is suffocated by a cluster of whiny vocals and strange synthetic sound, or it becomes so estranged to the song itself that it simply doesn’t sound like it fits.

The next issue lies within song structure itself. All the songs in “Merriweather Post Pavilion” are repetitive as hell. Animal Collective seems most content to sink into a loop for far too long, creating a dulling sensation in the brain. This music is not for listening; it is for numbing. After hearing the singers croon the same incoherent line for a minute straight, my brain shuts off. To make it more interesting you could try to listen to each part, but it probably won’t fit with whatever else is happening. You can try to hear what the vocals are saying, but the reverb and dissonance usually cuts the words into garbled fragments. It is truly a mess.

..... Just.... no.....

One might argue that bands like Between The Buried And Me do the same thing as Animal Collective: throw random riffs and sounds at a wall until something barely sticks, then lump it all together with fine tuning. A careful listener will easily hear the rhyme and reason in songs written by BTBAM and other bands like them; no such thing is found in Animal Collective’s music. This is randomness at its finest. This is LSD garage jams recorded on a cell phone and halfway recreated in a studio somehow. This is not good writing. This is not good music.

I’m having trouble making this review any longer because the music pisses me off so much. The treble shrieks hurt my ears, my brain is confused in the worst way possible, and yet I am so very bored. The burning questions are not only why people actually love this crap but also why such a pretentious piece of trash is regarded as one of their best albums. Listening to this album is one of the least enjoyable experiences I’ve had in a long time. I don’t care how calculated this “music” may sound in any way—it’s not. It’s not good. It’s not even mediocre. This is crap. Animal Collective’s “Merriweather Post Pavilion” sticks itself a:

1 thought of suicide out of 7.

Project 86: "Wait For The Siren"

Worth the wait. Definitely worth the wait.

Suggested songs for listening: "SOTS", "Blood Moon"

Laser planes FTW!

Sometimes when a band reaches a certain point in their long career, the question arises as to whether they have run out of steam and should just call it a day. As Project 86 releases their ninth full-length album after a jarring change of pace in their last two, this question is ever present in the minds of faithful fans. Will there be another “Rival Factions” with its shrill scream style, or another “Picket Fence Cartel”-esque album with odd melodies abundant? Project 86 smashes through all expectations with yet another change in style in “Wait For The Siren”, but this time around they are rearing their heads with their heaviest work to date. And such a change shows that they have aged very well indeed.

Anyone looking for familiarity here should leave it at the door; the old Project 86 is gone (quite literally, in fact). The only original member that remains is lead singer Andrew Schwab, and everyone else is fresh meat in the hardcore band’s lineup. Shuffling the crew can be a good thing at times, however, and it is heard here as a hard rush of fresh air into the sixteen-year-old band. For anyone who is an avid listener of Project 86, this redefinition of sound is not all that surprising; they are notorious for changing styles from CD to CD. But for anyone experiencing them for the first time, now is a great time to jump on board.

Flight suits? Check. Let's do this.

From the very beginning, a new heaviness is heard and felt that lasts through most of the album. There is more aggression here than in other albums and this lends even more to the low-tuned guitars and growly bass. Quite honestly, Project 86 is pushing the bounds of metal in a way: there are more full-on screams this time around as opposed to Schwab’s usual “yelling” style, and the riffs for some of the songs are frantic in a way that resembles Lamb Of God. The sonic punch that emanates from this album is a far cry from anything they’ve put out before. Even more surprising are the slower ballads, something not heard since the band’s fifth album, “…And The Rest Will Follow”. It’s almost like they have morphed into a completely different band in all aspects.

An enjoyable characteristic of “Wait For The Siren” is the clarity of all the instruments in the mix. The elusive bass guitar actually takes the spotlight for many of the songs with growled dominance. Honestly, this is some of the best sounding rock-style bass guitar out there; the tone is fantastic without being too gritty or plain. The bass grooves nicely throughout the entire album and lays down a fantastic foundation for everything else. Guitars are thoughtfully layered and complement each other well as they weave upper melodies and chug with the bass in the heavy sections. While it is obvious that Randy Torres and his unique guitar voicing are no longer here, the newer, simpler guitar work fits the new style well. There are parts that pay homage to Torres’ work and a keen listener who has heard other Project 86 albums will recognize the tributes. The drums are delightfully full and build on the heaviness that the album claims as its own. Add in Schwab’s unique vocals, which now include softer singing and rending screams, and the whole puzzle comes together in all its glory.

We don't need no stinking guest vocals!
... But come on in, guys. You can sing somewhere.

Speaking of vocal work, Project 86 has done something rather unusual on this album by bringing in quite a few guest vocalists, which include former Korn guitarist Brian Welch and Bruce Fitzhugh from Living Sacrifice. While this was certainly a welcomed addition to the record, a problem arises: there was not a part in the album that debuted any of the guests by putting them in the spotlight. Surely they add to the sound as a whole, but overall it seems almost insignificant due to everyone besides Schwab being nearly inaudible. The idea of bringing guests in is to showcase them along with the band’s music, is it not? Questions as to why such vocalists were even asked to perform arise when they are blended in so deep that they become nothing more than another sound in the mix. Careful, repeated listening will probably reveal them, but for the most part they take a secondary place and never truly shine.

Obviously the new heavy sound is the point of interest for this album, but this recalculated style does come with a price. Seasoned Project 86 fans will notice that many of the songs do indeed sound very similar, a stark contrast to albums of the past, and even new listeners will probably hear this problem throughout “Wait For The Siren”. But such a complaint begs the question: can there be too much of a good thing? All of the crushing riffs and heaviness may slightly run together, but it just sounds too good to be a huge problem. It will probably come down to personal preference whether or not the album sounds repetitive.

“Wait For The Siren” signals a new chapter for Project 86, and this is definitely a step in the right direction. The achieved heaviness that saturates this release is refreshing in every way possible, yet there is still an obvious feeling that this is a Project 86 album. While it would have been nice to hear the guest vocalists shine through, they still add to the sound that rages forth. Any repetitiveness aside, this is definitely an album for anyone trying to find a groovy, heavy, hardcore sound. Project 86's "Wait For The Siren" drives home a:

6 steps tuned down out of 7.

Brand New: "The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me"

Despite song placement issues, Brand New issues forth a very enjoyable experience with catchy singles for everyone to savor.

 Selected Songs for Listening: "Millstone", "Jesus"

Those magazine salesmen are
getting serious...

 Buying a random CD from the local shop with no previous intent is always a gamble. The album may become a favorite diversion or a suicide inducer, and the lasting result is never known until that first listen. And while I cannot completely say that about Brand New’s “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” due to hearing a song or two beforehand, it was in all reality a risk. However, it seems that after listening to this album I somehow randomly chose a brand new favorite.

…Anyone? Oh forget it.

Six years late and all lame puns aside, Brand New’s “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” (or “TDAGARIM”, as lovingly abbreviated later on) carries a bold and pleasing sound in all aspects upon the first few listens. Simplicity takes a spotlight in the best way possible: there’s never too much going on to overwhelm the senses, just enough to satiate the mind with supple harmonies and surprise roughness. There is layering to be found here—just not in the way you might hear it elsewhere in busier albums.  A dichotomy of a sense of simplicity still intrigues the mind, and as the album progresses, things get busier without being overwhelming. Songs became more complex without really advancing anywhere. It’s a most curious occurrence that isn’t found many other places, and this new paradox is most welcomed.

"Oh crap... I forgot: 'No Hats'...."

Backtracking a little here, the production speaks for itself through a good set of speakers or headphones with crisp instruments and balanced drums. From the regular mix of the normal instruments (i.e. the guitars, bass, drums, vocals) to all the obscured, peculiar synthesizers in the background, everything is heard when it needs to be heard and takes a backseat when it isn’t called upon as much. A special mention of exceptionally present bass guitar must be made here, especially with its ever-interesting lines woven among the melodies being churned out from the guitars. It is interesting to hear just how much “bigger” a band sounds when the bass is turned up, and Brand New doesn’t skimp on big bass throughout “TDAGARIM”. This concept helps give everything body and volume, and it’s definitely heard in most every song jamming clearly with the rest.

Lyrically speaking, Brand New does what they’re known for: depressing lines crying out from brokenness of soul and lost relationships. The contrast between these scripts and the often upbeat music is different in all the right ways, and sometimes all the hurt written in is easily forgotten—with exception to tracks such as “Handcuffs”. The band certainly earns their association with the emo culture, but it’s so much better that they could easily shrug it off. The overall feel is less whiny and pathetic and more parallels a stoic seriousness from internal calluses, making it far more enjoyable to the emotionally stable.

Brand New: great alternative rock band
with side jobs as pyromancers.

There is a problem with the “TDAGARIM”, though: it seems to run out of gas composition-wise in the latter half. The first four songs are powerful, catchy, and instant classics to most anyone with strong, raw choruses and groovy riffs. “Sowing Season” heads everything off with surprise intensity and intrigue; “Millstone” continues with what can only be a classic chorus deserving of the Repeat button. “Jesus” allows a catch of breath with mellow arpeggios woven into a heart-tugging ballad, and “Degausser” cranks everything back up with some of the catchiest and grooviest writing out there. As everything progresses, however, it feels like an early sprint left everything out of breath for the rest of the marathon. While the CD manages to keep a reasonable pace from there on out, it slows down to a half-hearted run after a while that never seems to compare to what came first. Yes, the rest of the songs are good. Yes, there are still fast, energetic parts later on. None the less, none of it can grab the spotlight from the first section of the album, and as a whole it feels very front-heavy. A better balance would have been nice, but this is a minor flaw; moreover, bands usually seem to have a reason for the order of their songs on an album and sometimes the listener just never understands.

What else is there to say here? Most everyone knows just how good this album is and many consider it to be their best work of all time. Arriving six years later with a fresh first listen still proves its hard-earned praise; it definitely stands the tests of time in the seas of thousands of other artists. This will certainly be an album that will be enjoyed for a long time by most everyone. With its rawness, intensity, and catchy sound, Brand New’s “The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me” takes home a:

5 out of 7.