The internet has been a buzz about this band Soen for awhile now. Being a band made up of such luminaries as Steve DiGiorgio (Death, a billions other bands) and Martin Lopez (Opeth), they create some great, complex but easy to get into prog metal. It’s been described as very much in the vein of Tool, and I’d agree. There is something slightly different about them, and I think this expressed wonderfully in the song “Delenda.” While the video is a simple performance type, it’s not boring and feels very appropriate to the music. The song itself is killer and it’s great to hear a slower track that still has that epic feel to it. Much like Tool or even Opeth, who I can hear both of in this song.
As far as I know, there hasn’t been a North American release for the debut album, Cognitive, yet so I don’t own a copy (this feels like a band who I need to won a copy of). However, as soon as I get a chance to listen to it, I might do a review. Feels like a long time since that’s happened, huh? Check out the video below.
In a guest blog for Audio Ink Radio (which I’ve never heard of, but that doesn’t mean much), Demon Hunter front dude and aspiring biker Ryan Clark talks about the current state of metal. There are some gems in the post, like the quote in the title, that just need to be talked about. So, here we go!
there has been a disheartening trend in recent years. I’m speaking of course about “metal” created by people that clearly have no respect for the genre.
Now, he says this right after name dropping Gojira, Mastodon and Soilwork as examples of metal done right. I think I get what he’s saying here, but I’m not sure if what he is saying works. He seems to be drawing a line between “false” and “real” metal that, in my postmodern addled brain, doesn’t exist. Anyway, Clark continues,
Now I’m not one to set a bunch of rules here, but I’m pretty sure the feelings of true metal lovers are fairly unanimous.
Hmmmm… if the feelings of metal lovers are fairly unanimous then why do we all want to start blogs? If we just agreed with each other all the time, then I guess I wouldn’t be here writing this and Metalsucks would be out of business. But, I get it Ryan. “True” metal lovers always have this unspoken… love? appreciation? appetite? for the music at large. Or something. ANYWAY…
Secondly, incorporating unique musical elements can sweeten an otherwise drab tune, but let’s not get carried away.
Agreed. Let’s start by not writing another DH ballad that just feels half-assed. Sound good, Ryan?
No one wants to hear a Russian techno beat and auto-tuned vocals come blasting in halfway through your breakdown like a drunken, blathering, half-dressed, college party girl exploding through the church doors, mid-sermon on Sunday morning.
Must… resist… tendency… to critique… run-on sentence…
If this kind of ear assault is a welcome treat for anyone, then calmly walk into your bathroom, look into the mirror, and convince yourself that metal is not for you.
Harsh, dude. Seriously, wouldn’t it be far more gracious and inviting to acknowledge that sometimes the lame bands of our youth lead us into better stuff later on? I’m not spinning this anymore, but I understand it’s brief place in my exploration of the heavy stuff. And I’ve got a huge appreciation for the old-school metal bands these days.
Ryan also takes a stab (I guess) at Underoath, which I don’t really get either. Unless he just thinks they suck these days, but I bet they ran in the same circles back in his Training for Utopia days.* Oh, well.
Anyway, this rant is brought to you by the guy whose band wrote this song.
All that said, I’m still excited to hear the new album. I have huge respect for DH because, guess what, they were kind of a transition band for me. Fancy that, huh?
-Dan
*Back in the days before Christian metal exploded to samesies proportions (you know, the 90′s), Underoath were borderline death metal/hardcore (or deathcore you could say) and Training for Utopia were really chaotic and inventive. Kind of like the precursor to Norma Jean and The Chariot. And they were both signed to Solid State.
Not much to say here, except that if you want to hear one serious kick in the ass metal album, you now have the option too. I know other sites have carried this story recently, but from what I’ve listened to of this album, it might be one of the tops of the year. You can go listen to the full album, which is out today, at the band’s i-am-a-leak website.
I know it’s been quiet here for awhile, but I wanted to share a brief update. Last week, King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill was released from the hospital and is continuing his recovery at home. This is great news, of course! Now, he just needs to have a fast recovery so he can get to hitting the skins again. Glad to know you are well, Jerry!
I haven’t spoken on King’s X drummer Jerry Gaskill’s recent health problems, mostly because I didn’t know what to say. The drummer of my favorite band EVER had a heart attack on February 28th and has been in the Intensive Care Unit since. So, my thoughts and prayers are definitely with him. However, Molken Music, who are basically King’s X record label for everything but “official new material” has seen fit to release a digital live album from their “Faith, Hope and Love” tour. It’s called Burning Down Boston, and you get an immediate download of the album when you donate $20 to help with Jerry’s medical bills.
I think this is a great idea, and not just because I love the band. Musicians often lack medical insurance, and especially bands on King’s X level who have to tour to make a living (or only when they can conceivably do so). I’m sure Jerry is in that position. So, I plan to do this and I would encourage everyone to as well. I mean, $20 may seem steep, but that’s like three days of Starbucks, or two six packs of a micro-brew. You all can go without, right? I know I sure can. Check out the video below, and you can download it,here.
Personally, I adore Becoming the Archetype. Last year’s Celestial Completion, just missed my best of, too. If you haven’t had a chance to listen to it, you should and then dig into their back catalogue. It’s with that level of love that I came across thePrp’s articlethePrp’s article on BtA’s new happenings. Granted, it’s mostly about their impending remix album (which excites me about as much as a bowel movement does. Sorry guys), but the key nugget is when the band state that;
The focus of the next record is riffs that just blow you away with their heaviness and headbangability. Yes, I just made that word up.
If “headbangability” doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. All I can think of is a glorious mix of the mature songwriting of the BtA of now, and the balls-to-the-walls heaviness of Terminate Damnation. This is going to rule folks!
I wouldn’t expect anything this year (they haven’t even finished writing yet), but when it drops, I will be one giddy fan.
Emmure released a video for “Drug Dealer Friend” recently and it’s one of the most insipid things I’ve seen or heard. Ever. Now, they’ve released a new song off their new album From Slave to the Game. Which is probably the stupidest album title I’ve ever heard. Anyway, the song, “Protoman” is not as completely misogynistic as “Drug Dealer Friend,” but it’s just as painfully boring. Maybe even more so. Anyway, if you feel like taking a quick cat nap, you can watch it below. Just don’t get too wrapped up in trying to figure out why ol’ Thanatos himself has such huge glasses now.
Today’s subject; Jungle Rot. The question; do you enjoy them? Jungle Rot seem like a band that I should get behind. I love groovy death metal, and that’s pretty much what Jungle Rot play. Groovy death metal. I mean, I love Chaos A.D. era Sepultura and Pantera as much as the next human being with good taste, but something about Jungle Rot’s love of that kind of sound doesn’t do it for me. I don’t know, when your song is 3:45 and it feels a lot longer, I think you are not onto something. There’s nothing terribly offensive about their sound, it just leaves me with a big ol’ bag of “meh.” The video for “Blood Ties” kind of does the same. It’s not wholly original, not memorable, and certainly not anything I’d promote as good videography.
I’ll pose the question to you, dear readers. Do you like Jungle Rot? Am I missing some key fact of why this band is awesome? Or am I totally right? Somehow, I doubt you all will get as fired up about this as you do about my snide comments towards The Browning. Check out Jungle Rot’s “Blood Ties” below, and leave us some feedback!
Stepping outside my comfort zone for other genres was the most beneficial step I have taken at aiming to become a well-rounded musician. In school, playing french horn and bass allowed me to find the fundamentals in music. Everything from funk to Bach’s brilliant chorales made me realize that there is theory, but no rules. Music is one of the things that has an intense theoretical system, but also allows a person to use emotions to orchestrate what they wish to express. I had a teacher that gave a lecture on how one needs to listen to everything to be well rounded; even if they do not like it. Metal was a huge step out of my limited bubble of styles that I enjoyed. After exploring the deep metal world, I was hooked. Anyone who cannot call metal music is lacking an ear. Come on, at least appreciate it. It’s the new jazz, bro!
So, God Forbid are getting ready to release a new album called Equilibrium, and I’ve been anticipating the hell out of it! God Forbid have been one of those “consistently gets better with each release” bands, and while I was nervous about their output sans Dallas Coyle, I think my fears have been assuaged. See, this new track, “Don’t Tell Me What to Dream” is a pretty ripping track. It’s loaded with the heavy and is pretty forceful with it’s message. It does however confirm my suspicion that without the sweet crooning of one of the Coyle bros., this will probably be a less melodic affair. Which is totally cool. Or I could be proven wrong. Either way, we’ll find out on on March 26th when Equilibrium drops via Victory Records.
