First things first: listen to Emanations at Bandcamp.
I suppose it's still a common complaint that a band has changed "too much" or "not enough" for any individual at any given time.
The new album from Serpentine Path finds itself on the side of "not enough", an unfortunate development given the amount of talent present.
For my part, I guess I was expecting a bit more refinement. The band added guitarist Stephen Flam and I thought this would lead to more complex or winding guitar parts. Instead, we have basically the same thing as the 2012 S/T: a bunch of doom tracks that are based on simplistic rhythms with sparse leads. Granted, there's still the vicious vocal approach of Ryan Lipynsky, and the rhythm section of Darren Verni and Jay Newman is reliable.
There's a severe dearth of energy and memorability in the songwriting, though. The album as a whole comes off as a rehash of the first LP, except for the fact that it sounds a lot more boring. There isn't a track like "Aphelion" to invigorate the senses, however briefly.
I'm sure others will refer to this album as a "crushing monolith" of doom, or something to that effect. And maybe under other circumstances I would agree. But as it stands now, Emanations is not something I care to return to.
Showing posts with label Relapse. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relapse. Show all posts
June 30, 2014
October 10, 2013
Burnt by the Sun - The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good (2003)
First things first: listen to The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good on Bandcamp.
Some albums change the way the listener looks at and hears music.
Ten years ago, Burnt by the Sun released The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good to...some acclaim? Obviously, it's been a while and my memory is less than perfect. I also wasn't nearly as connected to the underground as I am now (still, I'm not on the cutting edge or even within shouting distance of it).
For example, take the release date. Relapse gives it as 9-23-2003, but I remember the album being released two weeks later, 10-7-2003. I was in college at the time in Boston and actually got on the T to go to Newbury Comics (on Newbury Street, no less) so that I could get the record on release day. It might have been the 23rd of September. Who knows? If I were better organized, I would have kept the damn receipt, because this was an important album to me.
Looking back, 2003 wasn't that bad of a year. It was hardly a year with the most numerous albums that made it into my collection, but the quality was there, for the most part. It was a hell of a lot better than what I've seen in 2013.
Anyway, prior to listening to this one, I was deeply ingrained in the long-form version of songwriting. To me, any song that went eight minutes or more was the most viable way of going about it. There was more territory to explore and as such the riffs could really develop and turn into arrangements more unusual than those you'd see in shorter songs.
So as you'd expect, BbtS really turned that thought process upside down.
The Metal Archives describes their sound as "metalcore with grindcore influences". It's not the most likely combination and a weird way to describe a band. Then again, when you've got the caliber of musicianship that you see in BbtS, it's not too much of a surprise. But the music does take some weird turns. I attribute most of that to the six-string bass (get a better sound system or pair of headphones to really feel it) and John Adubato's Rickenbacker.
Ask anyone familiar with guitars about Rickenbacker. Specifically, ask them which bands are most notorious for using that brand. You'll likely get three answers: the Beatles, R.E.M., and the Byrds. The phrase "polar opposite" is just barely applicable in describing the difference between them and Burnt by the Sun. But it's to Adubato's credit that he was able to use that instrument in a context that was almost completely foreign to it. I'm no metal historian, but the instances of Rickenbackers being used in metal can't be more than five bands other than BbtS (he says, waiting to be proven wrong).
At any rate, none of this nonsense would matter in the slightest if the record wasn't filled with great songs. And this is one of those rare records. That said, it's not a "perfect" record. "Patient 957" (a reworking of a riff from the split EP with Luddite Clone) is not a good track. It doesn't really go anywhere and the riff, while interesting, doesn't quite stack up to the rest. And "2012" has a hell of an intro, but the rest of the track doesn't pop in response. Other than those two, you've got a group of tracks filled with acerbic wit and crushing riffs. Dave Witte's drumming, as expected, carries a massive weight and machine-like precision. Vocalist Mike Olender is clearly on top of his game in all aspects. He has one of the more unique shouts in metal, one that never really gets old or loses an iota of impact. Even ten years on, the key lines in "180 Proof" or "Pentagons and Pentagrams" remain charged with anger and are unforgettable.
The band was also doing some experimentation with samples that results in an intro track and a couple interludes throughout which provide some breathing room from the intense aggression. There's also the last track, a 40-minute emergency broadcast system ringing.
Sadly, the band imploded shortly after the release of the album. Thankfully, they got it back together to record Heart of Darkness, which I've already reviewed here on NHC. Those two albums by themselves create a fitting legacy for a band that pushed limits and explored previously trodden territory with a fresh twist and exuberance to spare.
Some albums change the way the listener looks at and hears music.
Ten years ago, Burnt by the Sun released The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good to...some acclaim? Obviously, it's been a while and my memory is less than perfect. I also wasn't nearly as connected to the underground as I am now (still, I'm not on the cutting edge or even within shouting distance of it).
For example, take the release date. Relapse gives it as 9-23-2003, but I remember the album being released two weeks later, 10-7-2003. I was in college at the time in Boston and actually got on the T to go to Newbury Comics (on Newbury Street, no less) so that I could get the record on release day. It might have been the 23rd of September. Who knows? If I were better organized, I would have kept the damn receipt, because this was an important album to me.
Looking back, 2003 wasn't that bad of a year. It was hardly a year with the most numerous albums that made it into my collection, but the quality was there, for the most part. It was a hell of a lot better than what I've seen in 2013.
Anyway, prior to listening to this one, I was deeply ingrained in the long-form version of songwriting. To me, any song that went eight minutes or more was the most viable way of going about it. There was more territory to explore and as such the riffs could really develop and turn into arrangements more unusual than those you'd see in shorter songs.
So as you'd expect, BbtS really turned that thought process upside down.
The Metal Archives describes their sound as "metalcore with grindcore influences". It's not the most likely combination and a weird way to describe a band. Then again, when you've got the caliber of musicianship that you see in BbtS, it's not too much of a surprise. But the music does take some weird turns. I attribute most of that to the six-string bass (get a better sound system or pair of headphones to really feel it) and John Adubato's Rickenbacker.
Ask anyone familiar with guitars about Rickenbacker. Specifically, ask them which bands are most notorious for using that brand. You'll likely get three answers: the Beatles, R.E.M., and the Byrds. The phrase "polar opposite" is just barely applicable in describing the difference between them and Burnt by the Sun. But it's to Adubato's credit that he was able to use that instrument in a context that was almost completely foreign to it. I'm no metal historian, but the instances of Rickenbackers being used in metal can't be more than five bands other than BbtS (he says, waiting to be proven wrong).
At any rate, none of this nonsense would matter in the slightest if the record wasn't filled with great songs. And this is one of those rare records. That said, it's not a "perfect" record. "Patient 957" (a reworking of a riff from the split EP with Luddite Clone) is not a good track. It doesn't really go anywhere and the riff, while interesting, doesn't quite stack up to the rest. And "2012" has a hell of an intro, but the rest of the track doesn't pop in response. Other than those two, you've got a group of tracks filled with acerbic wit and crushing riffs. Dave Witte's drumming, as expected, carries a massive weight and machine-like precision. Vocalist Mike Olender is clearly on top of his game in all aspects. He has one of the more unique shouts in metal, one that never really gets old or loses an iota of impact. Even ten years on, the key lines in "180 Proof" or "Pentagons and Pentagrams" remain charged with anger and are unforgettable.
The band was also doing some experimentation with samples that results in an intro track and a couple interludes throughout which provide some breathing room from the intense aggression. There's also the last track, a 40-minute emergency broadcast system ringing.
Sadly, the band imploded shortly after the release of the album. Thankfully, they got it back together to record Heart of Darkness, which I've already reviewed here on NHC. Those two albums by themselves create a fitting legacy for a band that pushed limits and explored previously trodden territory with a fresh twist and exuberance to spare.
August 23, 2013
Burnt by the Sun - Heart of Darkness (2009)
First things first: listen to Heart of Darkness on Bandcamp.
Six years passed before Heart of Darkness was released. It was the long-awaited follow-up to Burnt by the Sun's creative breakthrough (I'm not sure about how it sold, though I imagine it did well, relatively) The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good. That's a mouthful of a title. Heart of Darkness scales it back somewhat; a musical attack predicated on violence and guitar riffs galore was presented in a less ornamented way. Gone are the samples and interludes. What we have here are ten ass-kicking tracks.
True, there are a couple of them that are less focused. "A Party to the Unsound Method" doesn't quite ring the same bells of truth and awesomeness that standouts like the opener, "F-Unit", or "There Will Be Blood" smack the listener in the face with. Still, from beginning to end, there were few albums released in 2009 that provided so much bang for the buck. As it stands today, as I'm writing this very blog entry, I've listened to Heart of Darkness over 400 times. At least half of those listens were within a year of buying the album. I got the deluxe edition with bonus DVD and an awesome T-shirt.
For those who are unfamiliar with Burnt by the Sun's awesomeness: the Metal Archives approximates the genre they inhabit as "metalcore with grindcore influences". Really, that's a fine way of putting it. I certainly can't think of a better one. Even though they do approximate a metalcore sound, there are things that are defiantly un-metal and un-hardcore, like the Rickenbacker guitars John Adubato used. To my knowledge, those guitars were made for writing jangly pop songs like the Byrds or R.E.M., not to play ass-kicking metal. I still think it's quite impressive. And that's part of the reason Burnt by the Sun doesn't really sound like other metal bands, even the metalcore genre they were lumped into. I'd even go so far as to say that no one who has come along since 2009 has really tapped into the same aesthetic.
A typical Burnt by the Sun song has a group of guitar riffs making a dog pile until the conclusion. Another interesting element is that when the lyrics are over, so is the song, usually. Abrupt endings are a specialty of the band. So is jackhammer drumming, courtesy of Dave Witte, veteran of...a bunch of bands, notably Municipal Waste and Birds of Prey.
My favorite track is the closer, "The Wolves Are Running". Structurally and sonically, it is similar to "Rev 101" from the previous album. As you can hear from clicking the link above, it is awesome. It takes the best riffs and pounds them into the listener's face, while vocalist Mike Olender dispenses his rhetoric. Instead of "fight or run for your lives", this time it's "fight till the death". It's an interesting change; despite what happened in 2008, the implication is that we've got fewer options.
Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Burnt by the Sun was and is one of my favorite bands. If Rush and Tool taught me that writing lengthy tracks is the best way to express yourself musically, BBTS showed me that economy is also just as potent, if not more so. Though I'm still a bit upset that I won't hear new music from them as a unit, I think their decision to break up when they did has been vindicated in light of some recent releases by other bands I love who have not been quite so lucky.
Six years passed before Heart of Darkness was released. It was the long-awaited follow-up to Burnt by the Sun's creative breakthrough (I'm not sure about how it sold, though I imagine it did well, relatively) The Perfect Is the Enemy of the Good. That's a mouthful of a title. Heart of Darkness scales it back somewhat; a musical attack predicated on violence and guitar riffs galore was presented in a less ornamented way. Gone are the samples and interludes. What we have here are ten ass-kicking tracks.
True, there are a couple of them that are less focused. "A Party to the Unsound Method" doesn't quite ring the same bells of truth and awesomeness that standouts like the opener, "F-Unit", or "There Will Be Blood" smack the listener in the face with. Still, from beginning to end, there were few albums released in 2009 that provided so much bang for the buck. As it stands today, as I'm writing this very blog entry, I've listened to Heart of Darkness over 400 times. At least half of those listens were within a year of buying the album. I got the deluxe edition with bonus DVD and an awesome T-shirt.
For those who are unfamiliar with Burnt by the Sun's awesomeness: the Metal Archives approximates the genre they inhabit as "metalcore with grindcore influences". Really, that's a fine way of putting it. I certainly can't think of a better one. Even though they do approximate a metalcore sound, there are things that are defiantly un-metal and un-hardcore, like the Rickenbacker guitars John Adubato used. To my knowledge, those guitars were made for writing jangly pop songs like the Byrds or R.E.M., not to play ass-kicking metal. I still think it's quite impressive. And that's part of the reason Burnt by the Sun doesn't really sound like other metal bands, even the metalcore genre they were lumped into. I'd even go so far as to say that no one who has come along since 2009 has really tapped into the same aesthetic.
A typical Burnt by the Sun song has a group of guitar riffs making a dog pile until the conclusion. Another interesting element is that when the lyrics are over, so is the song, usually. Abrupt endings are a specialty of the band. So is jackhammer drumming, courtesy of Dave Witte, veteran of...a bunch of bands, notably Municipal Waste and Birds of Prey.
My favorite track is the closer, "The Wolves Are Running". Structurally and sonically, it is similar to "Rev 101" from the previous album. As you can hear from clicking the link above, it is awesome. It takes the best riffs and pounds them into the listener's face, while vocalist Mike Olender dispenses his rhetoric. Instead of "fight or run for your lives", this time it's "fight till the death". It's an interesting change; despite what happened in 2008, the implication is that we've got fewer options.
Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.
Burnt by the Sun was and is one of my favorite bands. If Rush and Tool taught me that writing lengthy tracks is the best way to express yourself musically, BBTS showed me that economy is also just as potent, if not more so. Though I'm still a bit upset that I won't hear new music from them as a unit, I think their decision to break up when they did has been vindicated in light of some recent releases by other bands I love who have not been quite so lucky.
August 2, 2013
Christian Mistress - Possession (2012)
First things first: listen to Possession on Bandcamp.
Among the various sub-genres of metal, the traditional and power varieties are two that I listen to rather infrequently. I usually find the emphasis on vocals annoying. And there seems to be a disturbing lack of low end that I usually associate with metal as a whole. In addition, I was not especially impressed with Agony & Opium, Christian Mistress' previous release.
Obviously, Possession blew my doors off.
In hindsight, of course, it's not that much of a surprise. The rhythm section lays down the foundation, the guitarists explore genuinely intriguing interplay through the riffs and numerous leads, and vocalist Christine Davis sits above it all with her husky voice and understated singing style. She's not using vibrato on every note she sings, nor does she sound like she's trying to out-do every other metal singer. In short, she keeps the vocals listenable, and the album benefits greatly as a result.
The album's structure in interesting. The best tracks are closer to the end of the album rather than at the beginning. The first four tracks are generally shorter and to-the-point. The title track separates these from the back four, which are generally more epic and more contemplative.
Speaking of the title track, I was surprised to find that it is a cover. After hearing Christian Mistress' version...I really can't imagine what the original sounds like.
"Haunted Hunted" remains my favorite track. It has the best riffs. Not only that, but it's genuinely fun to listen to. Not everything I listen to has that sense of fun. Normally, it'd be a lot heavier, too.
I tabbed Possession as the best metal album of 2012. Why the best? For one, there isn't a weak track on it. A number of albums that I heard throughout 2011 and 2012 had at least one weak track on it. This one doesn't. Not only that, but they pull off the neat trick of making a comparatively old style sound new and refreshing. It's not an easy thing to do, as evidenced by all the thrash, death, and black metal bands who are so intent on rehashing the past while adding nothing new to it.
Among the various sub-genres of metal, the traditional and power varieties are two that I listen to rather infrequently. I usually find the emphasis on vocals annoying. And there seems to be a disturbing lack of low end that I usually associate with metal as a whole. In addition, I was not especially impressed with Agony & Opium, Christian Mistress' previous release.
Obviously, Possession blew my doors off.
In hindsight, of course, it's not that much of a surprise. The rhythm section lays down the foundation, the guitarists explore genuinely intriguing interplay through the riffs and numerous leads, and vocalist Christine Davis sits above it all with her husky voice and understated singing style. She's not using vibrato on every note she sings, nor does she sound like she's trying to out-do every other metal singer. In short, she keeps the vocals listenable, and the album benefits greatly as a result.
The album's structure in interesting. The best tracks are closer to the end of the album rather than at the beginning. The first four tracks are generally shorter and to-the-point. The title track separates these from the back four, which are generally more epic and more contemplative.
Speaking of the title track, I was surprised to find that it is a cover. After hearing Christian Mistress' version...I really can't imagine what the original sounds like.
"Haunted Hunted" remains my favorite track. It has the best riffs. Not only that, but it's genuinely fun to listen to. Not everything I listen to has that sense of fun. Normally, it'd be a lot heavier, too.
I tabbed Possession as the best metal album of 2012. Why the best? For one, there isn't a weak track on it. A number of albums that I heard throughout 2011 and 2012 had at least one weak track on it. This one doesn't. Not only that, but they pull off the neat trick of making a comparatively old style sound new and refreshing. It's not an easy thing to do, as evidenced by all the thrash, death, and black metal bands who are so intent on rehashing the past while adding nothing new to it.
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