Friday, April 28, 2006
Well, after a day in which I found some supercheap CDs (thank you, SSO), hit the metaphorical wall so hard that I couldn't lift a finger, and felt so tired while watching the hockey playoffs that I couldn't care less that the Oilers were getting royally hosed by the referees, I hope to be recharged enough to put something resembling a metal column together this weekend. And a Dresden Dolls review, too.
But more new reviews to mention. The one I did of the new Sing-Sing album quickly went up. I gave their likeable first album a listen for the first time in years, and found that it holds up quite nicely. The new one doesn't quite match the debut, but it has enough good moments to warrant a mild recommendation. Also up is my bit on the debut album by a modern rock outfit calling themselves Faktion. As the piece points out, it's easy to assume that these guys are just another Nickelback clone, but there are some songs that hint at some decent songwriting talent. Not enough to make for a good album, though, as repetition sets in.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Apologies for the lack of updates, but when I haven't been watching the NHL playoffs, I've been working doggedly on my writing assignments, and will be extremely busy for the next seven days. The last week of every month has become a massively brutal, high-pressure grind. But things have gone well so far, so that's good.
A new review's up today, that being my long-delayed piece about the brilliant new Katatonia album. I keep recommending this to those who like Tool, but can't really get into the heavier side of metal. Katatonia have always been very, very good at what they do, but on The Great Cold Distance, they've come as close as they ever have to perfecting their formula, which is tight, focused, often languid doom metal with strong emphasis on songwriting and vocal melodies. Singer Jonas renske started out as a regular death growler, but he had to quit the growling for medical reasons, and he started to focus on "clean" singing, and his voice is so unlike any other male metal singer...instead of operatic bombast or trying to sound like a fuzzy blue muppet, he sings in a very sedate, sometimes hushed voice, and the combination with the gloomy themes works brilliantly, especially on this album. For a good example of what this band is about, watch the video for "My Twin", another song that has a very good chance at making my 2006 singles list. The rest of the album is just as good, so be sure to check it out.
Therion's massive double album Lemuria/Sirius B was not only one of the better European metal albums of 2004, but it also was the album that really lit a fire under yours truly, convincing me I had to start covering metal for PopMatters more, and over the last 20 months or so, that decision has led to (slightly) bigger and better things. So I'm rather fond of that ambitious piece of symphonic power metal, and it was with great enthusiasm (not to mention bleary eyes and a scruffy unshaven face when the doorbell woke me up) that I got the HUGE new Therion DVD/CD set Celebrators of Becoming via courier yesterday. Actually, it's an advance burn of the entire set, but I'm not complaining...this thing is a treasure trove. It has an entire concert filmed in Mexico City (with the audio version on two CDs), a DVD of 2004/05 tour odds and sods, a 2001 live set from wacken and various promo videos on the third DVD, and yet another DVD crammed with more live performances from 1989 to 2005. And I have to have a review done by tomorrow!!! So I'll be spending my Tuesday and Wednesday up to my armpits in power metal riffs, operatic arias, and songs about mythology. I hope I still have my sanity in 24 hours!
Thursday, April 20, 2006
First of all, huge congratulations to the Moose Jaw Warriors, who are now venturing into uncharted playoff territory in the Western Hockey League. Not only is it a massive leap for a franchise notorious for their bad playoff luck, but their victory over Calgary was a huge boost for small market teams (Calgary: one million, Moose Jaw: 35,000). The conference final hits the Crushed Can...who'da thunk it?
Things had been going smoothly this week so far, I was churning out the writing, but yeasterday, the day I was supposed to spend writing my review of the new Young & Sexy album, I was hit by a barrage of distractions. More specifically, distractions of the musical variety.
But first, more new reviews to mention. My rave review of the new Edguy CD appeared on Tuesday at PopMatters. If you read this page, you're probably aware of how much I enjoy this disc...if you are as fond of pre-1986 melodic metal as I am, you will like Rocket Ride. Take my word for it. Also, at Static, I have two, erm, tardy reviews of the enjoyable folktronic fun of Minotaur Shock, and a cool CD that focuses on The 101ers, the pub rock band Joe Strummer fronted before joining The Clash. Both CDs are not the most essential music, but still good if you're either an electronic/laptop music fan, a Clash completist, or both.
Okay, on to the tunes that dominated my Wednesday. The new Tool album leaked, much to my great surprise (I thought they'd be able to keep it under wraps for two weeks longer), and about three seconds after contemplating just waiting until May 2nd to buy the CD, I caved, and gave the thing a listen. My initial impression: we waited five years for this? However, every Tool album is a grower, and you need to spend time with them before rushing to judgement, but as far as I can tell right now, there's very little different on 10,000 Days than what's on Lateralus, the same dark, dense arrangements that often venture toward the 8-10 minute mark, the same tribal drumming, the same downtuned bass. But what I'm really noticing here is a decided lack of good vocal melodies. Maynard james Keenan has always been the band's best asset, but aside from a handful of songs ("Vicarious", "Jambi", "The Pot") nothing quite compares to the flat-out hookiness of Lateralus songs like "The Grudge" and "Schism". That said, there are some very strong moments, such as the three aforementioned songs, as well as the excellent "Right in Two". Plus, we get the usual moody, pretentious interludes like "Lipan Conjuring", "Intension", and "Viginti Tres", which stretch the album out to a very drawn-out 76+ minutes. Again, I'm going to need a couple weeks, maybe longer, to form a better opinion of this album, but for now, I give it a trepidatious thumbs-up. If you never liked Tool before, this CD will not make you feel otherwise.
If you live in the US, several independent record stores are selling a version of A Blessing and a Curse that comes with a free four track bonus CD. While three songs are ones fans are already familiar with (the exuberant cover of "Like a Rolling Stone" from last year, two tracks from the Live at the 40 Watt DVD), Jason Isbell's "When the Well Runs Dry" is the one song people will be clamouring for. It's a great little song, more country-tinged than his two songs on the album, but it bears a similarity to Bob Dylan's "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" (from the first Traveling Wilburys album) that is so obvious, it's kind of distracting, and we can see why it didn't make the album.
I also got the enw CD by cabaret goth weirdos The Dresden Dolls yesterday, which made for quite the contrast from the rest of the day's music. At first listen, it's tempting to categorize this as just another piece of pretentious, artsy posing, what with the blatant Weimar cabaret homages and Amanda Palmer's theatrical singing (she sometimes sounds like Phoebe from Friends singing "Smelly Cat") and piano plinkyplunking, but the closer I listened, the more I realised just how strong a songwriter she is. I've always been quick to condemn the condescending, artsy, thea-tah pretentiousness of performers like Nellie McKay, and Palmer's and collaborator Brian Viglione's stage presence is mislabeled by some as novelty, but in Palmer's saucy and often explicit character sketches, there's real sincerity and compassion that transcends the duo's image. Early faves are "Backstabber", "Delilah", "Dirty Business", and "Shores of California", but the clear winner on the album is the gorgeous "Sing" (watch the video here), which should be a contender for my year-end singles list. I can only see this CD getting better as the next few weeks pass.
I'd better stop here, but if I can find the time tomorrow, I'll try to mention the new Killing Joke album and the revelatory moment I experienced four months after hearing the terrible leaked version), the supercool new Voivod song, and the brilliant collaboration between Pantera and David Allen Coe. For now, some rest, and hopefully a completed Young & Sexy review today!
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
After the holiday weekend (and a five day wait for mail delivery to resume...grrr), it's back to the grind, and the next seven days are going to be tense. Four potential Decibel pieces (I'm lacking the review CDs for three of them), and at least three PopMatters ones by Sunday. White knuckle time.
But the new writin' just keeps appearing, and yesterday, my seventh column went up at PopMatters. I take a detailed look at Cannibal Corpse, their excellent new album, as well as the solid new disc by Torture Killer, with former Corpse vocalist Chris Barnes. It was a fun one to do, but a bit of a Cannibal Corpse overload. The new CD is killer, but the weak Cannibal Corpse albums are weak, I tell you.
Tell me you're going to run out today and buy the great new albums by the Drive-By Truckers and The Gathering. You are, right? You'll be missing out on two of the year's best albums if you don't. AMG echoes my sentiments, which is nice to see.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Tons of new reviews to mention today! My piece on the mildly disappointing new Atreyu album is up...the CD has its moments, and I've always been the first to admit that this band can be good when they want to be, but this measly 32 minute CD (seriously guys, it took you two years for this?) coasts too much. I don't know if it's the producer's fault or the band's lack of songwriting skill (I think it's the former), but this album should have been better. A good step would have been to include "Her Portrait in Black", their good song from the recent Underworld: Evolution soundtrack. Why isn't it on the album? Ridiculous how bands never seem to give their fans their money's worth on record anymore.
In a span of just a couple hours yesterday, no fewer than five new writing pieces of mine appeared on the internet. Amazing. So here's a quick rundown of the lot:
First of all, there's my Taste of Chaos concert review over on Static. Pretty much the same thing I posted here early Sunday, but tidied up considerably, and with a bit more of what Mr. Kerouac called in San Francisco Blues, "flowery languidj."
The rest of the stuff comes from decibel, who updated the site yesterday. After my one review last issue, this month I have four pieces, and there's quite a variety. There's my review of The Gathering's new album, which is out next week, and which I adore. I wrote that review right at the last moment, as I had barely a full day to digest the album (not an easy task with a band as adventurous as The Gathering), but I think I did an alright job under the circumstances...I stand by the review, I think it's one of the best albums of the year. Same goes for my review of the new Sonata Arctica live album, which had the folks at Nuclear Blast bending over backwards to get to me at literally the very last minute. What a hectic couple days that was! Anyway, because they couldn't send me the DVD quick enough, I had to just review the CD (it's available both as a CD and a CD/DVD combo)...I did get the CD/DVD a few weeks ago, and the concert DVD is great fun, despite (as my review states) being a bit on the goofy side. I'll never get over keytars in metal. Also up is my review of the recent Eyes of Fire CD, which is a massive improvement of their 2004 album, one that I found rather stale and uninspired.
And what's this? That's right, your eyes do not deceive you...I actually did an interview. Well, an e-mail interview, as I'm gradually learning the process, which is a heckuvalot different than simply reviewing an album. Anyway, the piece is about Thomaso Skorupski, lead vocalist for New York hardcore band Ironbound NYC, who is a hardcore dude by night, and a doctor by day. He's a really fascinating guy, really passionate about his work and hardcore, and I hope I get that across well enough in the article. Plus, his band's album is pretty good.
The more I hear it, the more Katatonia's "My Twin" emerges as one of the very best singles of the year so far...
Oh, and back to Decibel for a sec...do yourself a favour and read the article about the history of "invisible oranges". Invisible oranges rule. Really. It's the perfect name for an all metal music blog, no?
Sunday, April 9, 2006
With ten hours of concert madness in 25 hours, I am beyond the point of exhausted. I can barely lift a finger to type, and when I do, I'm in a complete daze. It's been a while since I've been this tired! But I'll try to get some thoughts on Taste of Chaos down here...the body is down for the count, but the memory is still fresh. The memory wins. Take that, body.
I had zero expectations going into last night's TOC show in Saskatoon. It started when I got out of the car...it was like Emocore Parking Lot, wimpy looking males with bad emo haircuts standing around hatchbacks with open tailgates, car stereos blasting sappy, cookie cutter music, everyone singing along to whatever maudlin claptrap the band playing was caterwauling about. Twenty years of tailgating tradition, and it's withered down to this. What a sorry spectacle...can't help but miss the days of stoners blasting Priest and singing the praises of Dokken. I made my way to the will call window, and lo and behold, I was on the guest list (I always fret about this leading up to shows), so I got my ticket, and went in, only to be assaulted by the awful strains of Canadian emoboys Silverstein. It was early (5:15), but there was already massive pit action going on down on the floor, the majority of post-song applause coming from the female set. These kids were ready for the show from the start, which, despite the simpering goofs onstage, was very impressive. Silverstein played their little dinky hittyhit "Smile in Your Sleep" (even the title wants to make me vomit...or maybe it's the Rockstar Energy Drink™ doing that to me).
This turned out to be one of the most well-run concerts I've ever been to. Sounds of the Underground moved at a brisk pace, with five minute breaks between bands, but here, it was a constant, non-stop onslaught. Right next to the mainstage, on a small 15x15 square on the edge of stage right, was the MySpace™ stage, so while the big stage band was playing, the second stage was setting up, and the second the band stopped, the second stage band would begin immediately, the musicians comically trying to play their hearts out while confined to a space no bigger than a small bedroom. While that went on, the big stage set up, and the whole cycle went like that, with nary a hitch. Now that's an efficient crew, I tell you.
Silverstein gave way to Adair a largely forgettable band, who went on to be completely blown out of the water by metalcore stalwarts As I Lay Dying. It's easy to criticise AILD for their samey-soundingness, but the more their set went on, the more convinced I became that these guys are pretty fanfreaknigtastic. They do the NWOBHM dual guitars thing very well, and their good cop/bad cop vocals are effective. The highlight was "The Darkest Nights", their best song to date...they also played "Through Struggle", "94 Hours", "Distance is Darkness", and "Forever", plus a bunch of other songs I can't remember. NYC pop punks The Smashup were unintentionally hilarious on the little stage, playing music so wussy, it's an embarrassment to their city (and oh, was it priceless when the singer asked the crowd to "show their horns"...it was like Sarah Brightman requesting a circle pit).
Atreyu were a real kick, not to mention the biggest draw of the day. No surprise, since their new album is scorching hot with the kiddies these days. They're a band whose best songs I like a lot, but can never pull it all together for a solid album; in other words, perfectly suited for a 25 minute set, and they pulled out all the aces, as screamer Alex Varkatzas seemed quite personable (and less vomity in concert than on record), drummer/singer Brandon Saller doing the Grant Hart thing high atop a gigantic riser with a three kick-drum kit, and the very diminutive Dan Jacobs displaying the kind of pop metal lead guitar noodling we haven't seen in a while. Sure, they're dumb, but man, when they pulled out "Right Side of the Bed" (one of the best rock singles of 2004), the place went nuts, further proof that if you have the right hooks, your lack of originality becomes more tolerable. They also played "Bleeding Mascara", "The Crimson", new single "Ex's and Oh's", "Her Portrait in Black", "Creature", and "Lip Gloss and Black", and the crowd loved every second of their set.
Utah's Broke were a one-trick pony on the dinky stage, right down to their stage banter ("Hi, we're f@$kin' Broke") (har, har), and I tell you, dear reader, Thursday was even worse. What an awful, awful band. Their singer was suffering from the flu, and although his performance was gutsy, there was no way I could forgive the band for playing such flitty emo crap. I don't know the song titles, except for their laughably terrible new single "Counting 5-4-3-2-1", which is currently soiling my hard drive. Their set came at the right time, as I made a dash for a yummy cheeseburger and Dr. Pepper (worth every cent of its $6.40 price!), which I ate while watching the band from up behind the stage, where the horrible din was less damaging to my ears.
After that pathetically bad set, the real fun started, as Dredg took the piddly stage. I've had a love-apathy relationship with this band's music over the years (they are hugely talented, often blow me away, but like Atreyu, can't quite make a consistent record), and again, here was a band who made the most of their short set. It was the perfect respite from the emocore, as the band played their spacious, adventurous, yet accessible music (singing! Actual singing!) that owed as much to Radiohead as The Deftones. It was languid, the guitar squalls and screams of slide guitar reverberating, a real treat to hear, and I loved it. They played "Ode to the Sun", "Same ol' Road", "Bug Eyes", "Sangreal", "The Tanbark is Hot Lava", and obscurity "The Canyon Behind Her". One neat bit had them still playing as the crew dismantled the stage, taking away drums one at a time until the dummer was left playing keyboard. Far and away the best teenyweeny stage band of the night, and a reminder I have to put some Dredg on the iRiver.
A quick note again about that strange, fizzy, yellow brew called Rockstar™ Energy Drink...they're the big sponsor of the tour, and free samples flowed like weird fizzy yellow water. It tastes like bitter cream soda, and while it left me with a slight caffeine buzz 5 minutes later, it didn't provide much energy, nor did it make me feel like a rockstar.
Thrice was next, and were the kids ever ready for them. Merchandise was selling like crazy all during the show, and Teens With Money were lugging around shopping bags stuffed with t-shirts and CDs, and every time I was by the merch booths, the Thrice booth had the most people around it. And for good reason, as they were the evenings biggest revelation for yours truly. They're an incredibly versatile band, capable of huge post-hardcore rave-ups (case in point: the fiery "Image of the Invisible", which got the bigest reaction of the evening), more experimental moments ("Of Dust and Nations"), and gorgeous, introspective songs ("Red Sky"). They were simply on at all times, and so good were they, I dashed to buy their CD to beat the other onslaught of converts who were likely to do the same (and two listrens in, Vheissu is great). They also played "Music Box", "Atlantic" (I think), "Artist in the Ambulance", "Silhouette, and a couple others I can't remember.
The very silly Street Drum Corps was the last band on the inkydinky stage, their hippy-dippy emo-meets-stomp percussion bore-fest (it was unoriginal alt-rock rhythms performed on garbage cans!!!) affording me to grab another bite before the Deftones came on. And yikes, did the Deftones ever leave an impression on me. I finally get this band...they sound massive in concert. They're a bit of an odd choice to headline such a tour, their sombre, yet highly muscular sound a complete contrast from the majority of the bands on the bill, and they actually sounded great in the half full arena, those waves of guitars bouncing off the walls and ceiling until it sounded almost overwhelming. Singer Chino is an odd frontman, not one for chatter, not much of a singing voice, but he possesses one heckuva scream, which he utilized often. I forget all the songs, but they did play "Feiteceria", "My Own Summer", "Hexagram", "RX Queen", "Minerva", and "Change (In the House of Flies)". By the time their set ended, I was beat, and ready to leave. Which I did, to come here and spend an hour typing this for your entertainment. Hope you like. Now I'm going to crash.
I'm going to do a proper concert review for Static, with this piece as sort of a rough copy. I'll be sure to make it less bloggy and self-absorbed, I promise.
Saturday, April 8, 2006
Sure enough, Metric are officially a major band in Canada. Live it Out just went gold, they're starting to get regular radio and tv airplay, and yeah, they can now get away with charging 30 bucks for a concert ticket. Not that anyone who saw last night's show is complaining. And neither am I. Well, sort of.
I took my time (in other words, watched the end of the hockey game on TV) getting to the show (my third Metric show in eighteen months), got into the Odeon with no annoying wait outside, and wound up standing on the floor, leaning leaning against the wall during the opening bands. Panurge was first, and not surprisingly, it was 20 of the suckiest minutes ever, as they did that "we're an indie band so let's be all ironic and precious" shtick that I am SO SICK OF. They sang a song about monkeys. And I apologize for being incredibly uncool, but I didn't know until just a minute ago that The Elected are led by the guitarist from Rilo Kiley (I'm not a huge Rilo Kiley fan)...their opening set was a big surprise. At first I couldn't figure out if they were serious or not, doing that soulful roots rock thing (see what a lame, posturing indie hipster band can do to one's expectations of the following act?), but as the set wore on, the more I was drawn in. very nice, ballady, rocking languorously from time to time. I'm going to have to find their new album now.
So after The Elected finished, I turned to leave the floor area, only to find the place absolutely packed. Nowhere to move, it was nuts. After being off to the side, it was clear I had to find a new spot to hear Metric better, and after some careful maneuvering through the dense crowd, I found a spot beside the sound board, behind a gaggle of yacketyyacking girls who were shorter than me, affording me a rather decent view of the stage, despite the constant parade of people in front of me leaving the floor area and coming back (why so many people do this at concerts, I'll never know...listen to the freakin' music!!!). It was a little more chaotic than I'd wanted, but people were generally well-behaved...this is often the case when you're at a show where the girls outnumber the boys, though the big downsides are the proliferation of chirpy voices shrieking, cell phones glowing with text mssages and photos, and stupid high school children taking those insipid, ubiquitous digital BFF photos of each other. That's right, I'm a bit of a curmudgeon. Especially in crowded clubs.
But back to the show. As expected, Metric was flawless, very tight, James Shaw quite the whiz on guitar, and the white-clad Ms. Haines doing what she does best. it was a high-energy set that lasted nearly an hour and a half, with no time for chatting, just song after song atfer song, with no break, everything performed impeccably, the big crowd lapping it up. The thing is, though, it was efficient to the point of seeming mechanical, almost cold. Until the end of the final song of the night, there was no communication from Haines to the crowd, save for two, maybe three quiet "thank you"'s. It's as if the band feels they have nothing to prove, and are just there to reap the rewards for finally becoming successful after so many years toiling in obscurity. During the songs, Haines was as flamboyant as ever, but for the second show in a row here, that confrontational element that made me such a huge fan of hers was not there.
Also, the night's set was no longer than the one at the more intimate Louis' back in October, the only difference being last night's transformation of "Dead Disco" into a fifteen minute noodlefest, just to stretch the set closer to 90 minutes. I suppose the reason for the doubling in ticket price was the very elaborate light show, which I have to admit, was really cool (like a low-key version of what Coldplay did in 2003), but it would have been nice to hear either "The List" or "Empty" tacked on. Still, though, what they did play sounded excellent, the highlights for me being "Too Little Too Late" and "The Police and the Private", which I'd never seen them perform before. Staple songs like "Combat Baby" and "Hustle Rose" were fantastic ("Hustle Rose" especially takes on a new life in a live setting), but it's weird how "Monster Hospital" has become Metric's Big Song, as the crowd completely freaked when Emily did her little "bam shicka bam shicka boom boom boom" intro. Overall, a very good concert...outstanding production, decent setlist, so-so personality. The next time they come here, they're going to need a bigger venue. And I'll be there...they might not be big on the audience interaction anymore (as opposed to a band like Stars, who are utterly charning in concert), but they still blow me away when they play the music, so I guess that's what counts most, and that's what will always have me coming back. Anyway, here's the setlist:
Live it Out
Glass Ceiling
Wet Blanket
Too Little Too Late
Poster of a Girl
Patriarch on a Vespa
Ending Start
Monster Hospital
Handshakes
Police and the Private
On a Slow Night
Hustle Rose
Combat Baby
Encore:
Dead Disco
Love is a Place
If all goes as it should (knock on wood), I should be at the Taste of Chaos dealy tonight, and if I do go, I'll have a full recap late tonight/early tomorrow. Though something tells me this concert is going to be more goofy than good...
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Two big new reviews to mention today. First off, my review of the excellent new Drive-By Truckers album is up over at Static. I wrote it in about an hour and a half, which is a really furious pace for me, and I'm very happy with the outcome. I actually didn't think I'd review the album at all, but when asked, I couldn't pass it up, cos I love writing about this band as much as I do listening to them. Anyway, as you can tell by the piece (what, you haven't clicked on the link yet? What are you waiting for?), I like the album a lot. Definitely among the five best albums from the first quarter of 2006, a cool departure for the band, but still loyal to their distinctive sound. It's hard to decide how it stacks up against the rest of their albums (which are all great), but I have to say that unlike their last two discs, great as they were, there's no filler on the new CD whatsoever. So that's a very, very good thing.
On the PopMatters side, there's my review of the new Raising the Fawn CD. Seems I've had that for ages...and I guess I have, nearly three months now. I'm glad I had the time to become acclamated with that one, because it's a very odd record, not as many catchy touches as on The North Sea, no huge crashing epic waves of guitars, more of a rustic, intimate feel, yet still unafraid to amplify things. A lot of growth on this new disc, real, as they say, "mature," but not in a boring way. It's lovely stuff, and in the long run, I think I'll wind up liking it a lot more than The North Sea.
Remember when Uncut Magazine did that Dylan tribute disc last year, where they had different artists covering each song from Highway 61 Revisited? You know, the one with that killer version of "Like a Rolling Stone" by the Drive-By Truckers? No? Well, trust me, they did that, and it was a neat enough of an idea to inspire the folks at Kerrang! to do the same with Metallica's Master of Puppets, and as impossible it is to please metal fans, let alone by doing so reinterpreting one of the greatest albums of all time (really, it is), they did a pretty nice job. Trivium has by far the best performance, a tight, carbon copy version of "Master of Puppets". Machine Head ("Battery") and Mastodon ("Orion") are solid. Chimaira does a good job on "Disposable Heroes", but the vocals are lacking charisma, which is their achilles heel. We have a couple Welsh bands joining in on the fun, as Bullet For My Valentine add a little touch of kiddiecore on "Sanitarium", which isn't as bad as it sounds (it's one of the most angst-ridden songs Metallica's done), and Funeral For a Friend sound adequate on "Damage Inc." Mendeed ("Thing That Should Not Be") and Fightstar ("Leper Messiah") sound unspectacular. Overall, I think it's wortht he price of the magazine. Harmless fun.
I forgot to mention the new Celtic Frost album, Monotheist, which leaked back on Saturday. It's simply massive, huge, a mastadonion doom-fest that lurches and lumbers slowly, but so powerful its steps rattling your insides. Honestly, this is the heaviest thing I've heard all year. Plus, the vocals are strangely schizophrenic...Tom Warrior growls menacingly most of the time ("I de-ny my own mes-siah! Grrrr!"), but every so often he shifts into a bizarre goth voice that sounds equal parts Peters Murphy and Steele, and if that isn't enough, a beautiful female voice keeps making appearances, so we get that sumptuous beauty and the beast and the other beast gimmick I always fall for so easily. This thing is just huge, the mix cavernous, like this was recorded during a spelunking trip. It's a very bold record, too, which I like the most. I don't think anyone knew what to expect, and while some fans are already complaining, I've been won over. Definitely a top contender for comeback album of 2006.
Sounds of the Underground has been confirmed for Saskatoon, as I'd hoped. So that means In Flames, Cannibal Corpse, Trivium, and Behemoth, as well as metalcore kiddies As I Lay Dying (who are in town on Saturday) and Black Dahlia Murder. Plus GWAR, which would be the fourth time I'll have seen them in 20 months! Terror os the only band I don't really care for seeing again, but hey, you've got to throw the kung-fu kickin' hardcore children a bone, not to mention give old fogeys like yours truly a chance to rest. Anyway, it should be as fun as last year's was.
I'm getting throttled in the new Dylan Pool. And I thought I made some smart picks. Yeesh.
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
The Twelve Days of Madness are over, and I cross the finish line limping and wheezing, completely mentally drained. Haven't done this much crazed writing in ages. Actually, since December. But still. Whew.
Now, as I prepare for five more reviews this week (AAAAAGH), it's time to mention a couple new reviewy thingies that have appeared over the last few days. First, there's the excellent new album by Finland's Amorphis, a very nice surprise, as their new lead singer has seemed to awakened the rest of the band from their torpor. Nice balance of folk and power metal (unlike that mediocre Elvenking album I just reviewed for Decibel), with some very catchy tunes, led by the ace single "House of Sleep". Also appearing today is my review of the recently-released Megadeth DVD, which I wrote about here last week. If you're a fan, pick it up, it's worthwhile.
I'm too tired to rant about the joke the Juno Awards has become, but Sunday night I did manage to catch Broken Social Scene's performance, which was quite the spectacle. I don't know how many people they had onstage (fifteen?), but it was crazy, it was chaotic, it was triumphant, as they tore through "Ibi Dreams of Pavement". And what a moment at the end when Kevin Drew shouted, "Fight for good music, fight for good music!", a direct attack on the show's shameless promotion of embarrassing mainstream acts, and ignorance of the country's booming independent scene. I tell you, I cheered when that happened. My heart swelled. Fight the power, BSS.
Some concerts coming up this week...got Metric on Friday (currently on their national We Finally Made It Big And Can Finally Charge 30 Bucks For Tickets Tour), which should be good, and on Saturday, I should be tasting some chaos. Hopefully. If everything goes like it should. Not that I really want to be surrounded by a bunch of emocore crybabies for five hours, but I'd like to see the Deftones and As I Lay Dying. I wish Pelican was coming, but they're not playing the Canadian dates. Bah. I actually have the albums by Atreyu, Dredg, Thrice, and Silverstein lying around here, so I should give them a listen or two before the end of the week.
SLAYYYERRR. My ticket for the whatchamacallit tour (Unholy Alliance Tour, right) arrived yesterday, so that seals it, I'm seeing Slayer on July 11, after 22 years of waiting. With three other great bands (Mastodon, Lamb of God, Children of Bodom), and one decent metalcore band (Thine Eyes Bleed). It's at the Shaw, which is good, cos it's a spacious, comfy venue with general seating, so I can mill about for five or six hours, avoiding the kung fu hardcore dancing kids whenever I have to Should be great fun. SLAYYYERRR.
I meant to link to this weeks ago...are you sick of the Arctic Monkeys yet? This guy sure is, and he did something about it. Hilarious.
Because I just wrote a thousand words about how great Edguy is, I have Edguy constantly on the brain, and their new album is so good, you should too, so click here and watch the funny video for the insanely catchy "Superheroes", in which our intrepid German metal warriors go on the hunt for bunnies. Great song, cute, tongue-in-cheek video.
Friday, March 31, 2006
Hey! Do you like music? Do you like to write about music? Do you find yourself annoying everyone you know by trying to convince them all that you know what's best for them musically? Static is looking for dedicated new contributors, and if you're interested in getting a whole bunch of free CDs in exchange for turning out weekly album reviews, shoot Brett an e-mail for more details. It could lead to bigger things, you never know.
Well, the week has been as crazy busy as expected (actually, even more so), and I'm presently right in the middle of the high pressure, heavy duty writin' (not out of the woods until Wednesday now), but my sanity is still intact. Although an entire day spent listening to the Cannibal Corpse discography has turned my brain into mush. I have my reasons, trust me. And their new album is actually really good.
So while The Wretched Spawn spins in the background, I thought I might as well make use of my semi-idle time and update things here. Two new reviews popped up on Thursday...over at Static, my piece on the new Hawthorne Heights album is up. These emocore bands are all harmless, and are sometimes capable of decent music, but the blandness of this CD bugged me. Well, that and the extremely wimpy voice of their singer. The album might be selling well at the moment, but it'll be forgotten soon enough, supplanted by another band who sounds exactly the same.
Also up is my review of the latest album by Brazilian greats Sepultura. I thought 2003's Roorback had its moments, and indeed, Dante XXI is an improvement, a tight, very intense record. For all its good points, though, it's far from perfect, as the production is dopey and several songs revert to lazy hardcore. respectable, but still falls just short of being worth buying.
On Sunday I got a book I've been wanting for the past six months, Martin Popoff's Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal Vol. 2: The Eighties, and although I have yet to find the time to sit down and read it for a few hours, numerous flips through the book show that this sucker is every bit as great as I'd expected it to be. If you lived for metal in the 80s, you need this book, it's absolutely indispensible. Nobody knows as much about metal in the 70s and 80s as Popoff, and this book of album reviews is astonishingly thorough, passing every test I could think of...Widow: yes. Obscure Yugoslavian band Warriors: yes. Pet Hate: yes. Uli Jon Roth's little brother Zeno's solo debut: yes!!! Unbelievable! His opinion is as distinctly Popoffian as usual (his opinion of Celtic Frost's Cold Lake would make Tom Warrior's head explode), but his writing is always great fun, an odd combination of lucidity, smarts, and stream-of-consciousness nonsense that always seems to work. It's almost a shame he always includes numerical ratings, because like Greil Marcus, we're often left wondering, "So does he like the album, or not?", which I get a kick out of. The book comes with a terrific mix CD of old Metal Blade nuggets, featuring the likes of Slayer, Fates Warning, Lizzy Borden, Hallow's Eve, Nasty Savage, and Flotsam and Jetsam. A fantastic book.
And just because I'm a sadistic guy, here's the video for Celtic Frost's "Cherry Orchards", from the aforementioned Cold Lake. Must be seen to be believed, especially when compared to something like "Circle of the Tyrants" from just a couple years earlier.
Actually, the book inspired me to go and revisit a long-forgotten (by many) nugget from 1989, the debut album by Badlands. It's amazing how an album that set a record for most advance orders (or something to that effect) would go on to be an underrated, almost forgotten piece of work. The band was led by former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee, and featured the vocal talents of the gifted Ray Gillen, and took a decidedly more rootsy approach than the usual hair metal that was popular at the time. Revisiting it today for the first time since I sold my cassette in the early 90s (what was I thinking???), I'm struck by how well this album holds up. Not a lick of originality to the record whatsoever, but of all the late-80s Zeppelin imitators (Kingdom Come, The Cult, Blue Murder, Bonham, etc.), Badlands was the best..."Winter's Call" is all the proof you need, as it pulls off a Zeppelinesque (Zeppelinian?) shift from an acoustic intro to a wicked blues stomp. Lee distances himself from his Ozzy days (though dig that Ozzy riff in "Dreams in the Dark"), and the late Gillen (he died in 1993) fulfills the promise he showed from the previous five years as a hired hand singer (he was like a top sports prospect, loads of hype surrounding those pipes), not only pulling off a Plant/Coverdale imitation, but completely knocking those notes out of the park. A phenomenal debut.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
You know what's great? Watching the Montreal Canadiens crush the Toronto Maple Leafs 11-3 over two games, all but dashing Toronto's playoff hopes, and having the second game end in some viscerally rewarding donnybrooks. One of the most truly satisfying two-game stretches I've seen in years. Gotta love springtime hockey!
New review, right...better mention that before I forget. The Ocean is a band from Germany who, like every second indie rock band from Canada, calls itself a collective, and indeed, more than a dozen musicians (including seven lead vocalists) take part in Aeolian, a decidedly American sounding disc, drawing heavily from Neurosis, Mastodon, and Converge. The songs tend to meander at times, but it's an otherwise enjoyable record. Check it out if you have the chance.
Slayer's Unholy Alliance Tour is shaping up to be one of the best tours of the summer, with an incredible supporting cast opening for the legends: Lamb of God, Mastodon, Children of Bodom, and Thine Eyes Bleed. Jaw-droppingly good lineup, I tell you. The tour is hitting Canada, and while it's a crushing disappointment it's not coming to Saskatoon, it is heading to Edmonton on July 11, and yes, I intend to be there. Nearly 22 years I've been waiting for a chance to see Slayer, so this is something I simply cannot pass up. The fact that such great bands are opening is gravy, but it'll be fun to see Lamb of God again, not to mention Bodom and especially Mastodon. I'd been wondering about Thine Eyes Bleed, as the name didn't ring a bell, and it turns out I actually have their album, and I had completely forgotten! I got it as part of a massive delivery from The End back in December, when the year-end zaniness was at its peak, and I think I only managed to give it a brief flip-through before becoming distracted by something else. Anyway, it's a pretty good CD, solid metalcore from London, Ontario. Oh, and the band's bassist is Tom Araya's brother, which was news to me.
Without Feathers, the new album by Montreal's The Stills is not just bad, it's beyond bad. No sense of direction whatsoever, just a bunch of hookless songs, with zero of the charm of "Still in Love" and "Lola Stars and Stripes" (well, "Baby Blues", with Emily Haines guesting, is half decent). There have been some disappointing Canadian albums over the past twelve months (Hot Hot Heat, Constantines, controller.controller), but this one is by far the worst. Montreal, your musical bubble is bursting...
I'm just not feeling the new Streets album, either, but as I know from past experiences, I should never rush to judgment when it comes to new music by Mike Skinner. But for now, while there are plenty of strong lyrics, musically, the album sounds weak, and current single "When You Wasn't Famous" is far and away the best track of the bunch. More on this album once I get a better handle of the songs.
Want to see a great music video? "Feel the Machine", by Irish pop outfit The Chalets, has a fun concept, as the band is shown performing on a computer desktop, as the cursor arrow clicks and drags band members and instruments, basically wreaking havoc as the band is forced to play around all the distractions. Very cute idea, and they make it work very well. And not a bad song, either.
I got the new Megadeth DVD Arsenal of Megadeth the other day. It's a two-disc set that compiles most of the band's videos (save for the ones from The System Has Failed...obvious legal hassles) (and where's "Crush Em" and "99 ways to Die"?) from 1986 to 1999, as well as various TV appearances, including performances and interviews. It's all presented as a continually-running set (though individual clips are accessible, of course), and works like a video timeline of the band, and it's neat to see them evolve over the years, from Mustaine's druggy days to his more focused sober years, to his artistic decline in the late 90s, to his massive comeback in 2004-2005. The second disc ends with a couple performances from the 2005 Gigantour, but much to my annoyance, "Peace Sells" cuts out right before Dave says, "Can you put a price on peace?", and a "to be continued" title appears, an obvious teaser for the upcoming Gigantour DVD. A very frustrating tactic, but not bad enough to sour an otherwise very enjoyable 2 1/2 hour viewing experience.
For the first time in three years, I got a review copy of a Drive-By Truckers release before the release date, which is very nice (thanks, Brett). Hving the real deal in my DBT geeky paws only makes A Blessing and a Curse even better, as Wes Freed's artwork is as outstanding as always, with an illustration for nearly every song on the CD. The album is an exceptional piece of work, as good as anything the band has put out in the past (they've never put out a bad album), and a strong contender for my year-end list.
Speaking of album of the year contenders, Pink, the recent album by Japanese stoner/doom trio Boris, is right up there. I've had the MP3s since December, the album steadily growing on me for more than three months, and with the arrival of the North American version (out in late May on Southern Lord) I'm smitten. It's massive-sounding stuff, led by diminutive female guitarist Wata, who creates waves of distortion and feedback that is often monstrous in its force, but the noise is offset by bassist Takeshi's melodic vocals. The overall effect is not unlike My Bloody Valentine or Jesu, as we're treated to moments of beauty amidst the wall of noise. Enthralling stuff, I tell you.
A very, very busy week is on the horizon (what am I saying, I'm really busy as I type this), but hopefully I'll find the time to make the odd post over the next ten days...
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Why, oh why did I volunteer to review the new albums by Iron Fire and Elvenking? What have I gotten myself into? I don't know what's worse, listening to a third-rate Helloween rip-off over and over again, or listening to Renaissance Fair metal (complete with fiddle) over and over again...
Monday was a pretty good day, because the new Lacuna Coil album leaked. It's been nearly three years since Comalies, the little goth metal album that slowly became a minor worldwide hit, as Evanescence fans came to realize that not only does this Italian band do the goth thing much better, but they're decidedly darker, and classier (in an Ann Rice vampiry sort of way) than the saccharine pop that Amy Lee and her band so shrewdly put out. With Karmacode, many are expecting Lacuna Coil to make a real commercial breakthrough, and although the album gets a little samey right in the middle, for the most part, it's the sound of a band who is fully aware that their time is now. It's a very confident record, the band sticking to what it does best, combining simple yet stately goth (with a hint of nu) riffs, swaggering tempos, and sumptuous male-female lead vocals. Along with "Our Truth", which has grown on me tremendously over the past month, there are some great potential singles here, ("Closer" is so freakishly upbeat it might as well be Lullacry), Cristina Scabbia is indeed becoming the centrepiece (just listen to her powerhouse performance on ("To the Edge"), but Andrea Ferro does hold his own as The Sidekick, sounding quite robust vocally, instead of carrying on like a preening, tone-deaf buffoon, which he had a tendency to do in the past. The album had a cool little surprise at the end, concluding with a spirited cover of Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence". I'm a total sucker for pop songs sung by European goth bands, and this song is the best goth metal cover of a pop tune since Within Temptation's cover of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill". Good, solid, enjoyable album, one that doesn't disappoint one bit.
The Gathering is currently on a rare North American tour, and although it was a given that there was no chance they'd come out my way, it still pains me that I can't be in Toronto for the show out there this week. Yes, for once dear reader, I wish I was in freakin' Toronto. But all is not lost...the band recently played a showcase at South By Southwest, and there's some great video of them playing "Shortest Day", from their excellent new album. Just click here, then click on SXSW, then click on The Gathering to see the clip. It sounds good, it's nicely shot...oh, and Anneke is as captivating as ever.
And just for s'cuz, here's another recent Gathering clip, from Santiago Chile, two weeks ago, as they perform "Liberty bell" in front of an insanely enthusiastic bunch of South American kids. The band is huge down there. They have good taste in South America.
Another YouTube discovery: Giuffria - "Call to the Heart"
A long-lost pop rock nugget from 1984, it's a charmingly cheesy video for a song that was a minor hit at the time. The band was led by keyboard dude Greg Giuffria, and although they had a great young guitarist in Craig Goldy, the music was very keyboard dominated. Maybe a little too synthy, but listening to the song for the first time in, what, twenty years, it actually holds up quite well, despite the flagrant use of wind machines, Aqua Net, and spandex in the video. A good little song, and a fun video.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
New review time! My piece on the excellent new Nardwuar DVD popped up on Friday. Who's Nardwuar, you ask? Well, he's a lot of things (musician, radio DJ, promoter, journalist, the weirdest guy in Vancouver, the coolest guy in Vancouver), but he's best known for his interviews with famous musicians over the years. And believe me, nobody does an interview quite like the Nard. Just ask GWAR. Or Slayer. Or Gene Simmons. Or Kurt Cobain. I first heard of Nardwuar back around 1994, when he appeared on CBC FM's Nightlines with audio of the now-legendary Cobain interview, and over the years, his notoriety has grown, especially since being hired by Much Music (he's one of the only good things left to say about that joke of a channel). The DVD is massive, five and a half hours over two discs, with tons of footage, much of it of the hilarious variety. It is not to be missed.
Tell me, how can I accurately critique the production on a new album with a bad head cold? Impossible to do when your ears are popped all the time.
Friday, March 17, 2006
My sixth column appeared yesterday at PopMatters. It was another one that required a lot of work, as I take a detailed look at the career of Queensryche, trying to examine their quick rise, long decline, and improbable comeback with the shockingly good Operation: Mindcrime II, which continues to impress me.
Other than that, not much else to report. New music keeps arriving, but I haven't had time to listen to very much this week...
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
It's been in print already, but my debut review in Decibel is finally up here, in which I have a little fun with the recent reissue of The Autumn Offering's debut album. I'm the first to criticize my own writing, but I'm actually very happy with this piece. The strict 250 word format is an interesting change from the usual web criticism, which basically allows you to go as long as you have to when reviewing a CD. Teaches how to be economical with word choices...and it also has me revising my stuff like a madman. Anyway, a good start, I think.
Yesterday afternoon was surreal, as I bought a copy of the swanky, expensive Criterion edition of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas from a guy on the street for 25 bucks. It was actually a pre-arranged deal, as the kind dude selling it took me up on my offer on a message board, but the circumstances of the pick-up were strangely, and quite humourously clandestine. Still, walking up to a stranger on a bench and handing over cash seemed somehow apt, considering the movie in question. Anyway, thanks to the dude, it's great to finally have a DVD I've been craving for years. I'm a longtime fan of the book, had bought the very fun audio CD in 1996 after an internet buddy implored me to buy it after he listened to the disc while on some sort of illicit substance and completely freaked out (which I subsequently loved, without any chemical assistance), and went to the highly (no pun intended) anticipated movie the afternoon it opened in May of 1998. Strangely, after watching it again on pirated DirecTV pay per view later that year, I don't think I watched the movie since. When the Criterion Collection re-released the movie in 2003, I wanted to see that one, not the piddly little old DVDs in the video stores, which didn't have the Criterion version anyway (and in the case of Blockbuster, had banned the movie completely). I'm picky that way. Anyway, it was nice to watch it again (finally)...and it's aged rather well. Of course, it's not as great as the book (something younger people are failing to realise as the movie's cult following continues to grow), but Gilliam, Depp, and Del Toro do a pretty ace job honouring the Great Doctor, putting great emphasis on his written word, which is used as narration. It's funny how the movie garnered such polarizing reviews. I remember Gene Siskel, reviewing it from his hospital bed, loved it, while Roger Ebert despised it. Siskel appreciated the satire and cultural criticism, something many of the haters fail to notice about the movie.
Monday, March 13, 2006
Well, the new season of The Sopranos has gotten off to a blazing start, hasn't it? Wow. It was a really pleasant surprise to see Uncle Bill make an appearance early on, as William Burroughs' recitation from his 1987 novel The Western Lands was used during the episode's brilliant opening sequence. It's actually taken from the title track of Material's 1989 album Seven Souls, Bill Laswell's musical collaboration with Burroughs, in which he reads an excerpt from his book that centres on ancient Egyptian theology. As he described each of the seven souls, we saw different characters that seemed to correspond witht he kind of soul Burroughs was describing, which worked really well...I'd like to revisit the episode to examine more closely how each character relates toeach soul. Anyway, if you're not familiar with Burroughs, here's the part from The Western Lands that he was reading (from page 4 of the Penguin edition):
The ancient Egyptians postulated seven souls, Top soul, and the first to leave at the moment of death, is Ren, the Secret Name. This corresponds to my Director, He directs the film of your life from conception to death. The Secret Name is the title of your film. When you die, that's where Ren came in.
Second soul, and second one off the sinking ship, is Sekem: Energy, Power, Light The Director gives the orders, Sekem presses the right buttons.
Number three is Khu, the Guardian Angel. He, she, or it is third man out . . . depicted as flying away across a full moon, a bird with luminous wings and head of light. Sort of thing you might see on a screen in an Indian restaurant in Panama. The Khu is responsible for the subject and can be injured in his defense- but not permanently, since the first three souls are eternal. They go beck to Heaven for another vessel.
The four remaining souls must take their chances with the subject in the Land of the Dead. Number four is Ba, the heart, often treacherous. This is a hawk's body with your face on it, shrunk down to the size of a fist. Many a hero has been brought down, like Samson, by a perfidious Ba.
Number five is Ka, the Double, most closely associated with the subject. The Ka, which usually reaches adolescence at the time of bodily death, is the only reliable guide through the Land of the Dead to the western Lands.
Number six is Khaibit, the Shadow, Memory, your whole past conditioning from this and other lives.
Number seven is Sekhu, the Remains.
---
It's been a while since I've written about my beloved Beats, and as it happens, there's a new volume of previously unpublished work by Jack Kerouac coming out in early April, and it looks like a good one. Unlike his Book of Haikus and his published journals, Book of Sketches looks to be the best thing to come out of the massive Kerouac archives, perhaps ever, as we're treated to a whopping 496 pages of his old spontaneous notebook musings, an art he perfected back in the early 1950s in San Francisco. Kerouac scholar Dave Moore has very high praise for the book, saying, "This has to be one of the most important pieces of Kerouac's writing to have been released in several decades. As well as providing further examples of Kerouac's innovative sketch writing, it also fills some gaps in the Duluoz Legend." I can't wait for it. As busy as I am these days, I hardly have the time to revisit my favourite writers and poets as much as I'd like to, but whenever I return to their work, especially that of Kerouac's, it's as comfy as sinking into an old leather chair. Actually, it's high time I read Departed Angels, the collection of Kerouac's paintings and drawings, which I got for my birthday (gulp) four and a half months ago...
I haven't posted a YouTube link in a long time, so here's a good one:
Edguy - "Lavatory Love Machine"
Edguy are the biggest metal band in Germany right now (we should be so lucky), and their evolution has been interesting. They started out as a pretty straightforward "neo-classical" prog/power metal band, playing epic fantasy-oriented songs, but more and more over the last few years, they've begun to shift their focus to the more pop-oriented metal from the mid-80s...so well, in fact, that they do it better than many of the bands from the era. As someone who owned just as many pop metal tapes as Iron Maiden, Metallica, and Slayer tapes 20 years ago, I've always had a weakness for the really goofy, really catchy stuff, and these guys do so with such charisma, it's impossible for me to dislike it. This was the song that got me into them two years ago, actually. Metal tends to take itself far too seriously at times, and it's great to have a band like Edguy around to lighten the mood every once in a while.
Joey DiMaio, on the other hand, takes metal very, very seriously. He's willing to DIE for metal. Are you?
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Well, that was, erm...different. Not to mention another ridicuolously late night. I arrived at Amigos intentionally late for the Akron/Family show, about 11pm, only to find out the first band, a promising local band called Parades Against Parades, hadn't even hit the stage yet (I hate it when that happens whenever I go alone). I'd been very curious about the Brooklyn band's live show after reading many wildly positive reviews of the live A/F experience, but quite frankly, didn't know what to expect in this city, and I was betting there'd be no more than thirty people there. Well, imagine my surprise when I walked in to find the place teeming with people, who were obviously just as curious as I was. And five minutes into the band's set, which began at about 12:30, everyone soon realised that they were in for something unique. Something which didn't go over too well.
It was one of the most polarizing shows I've ever been to. The hippies were not happy with the noise, the noise tended to go too long for the indie kids, and a very full room dwindled to about fifty in front of the stage by two in the morning. The band were sick (they did a funny improvised rap tune about Canada giving them bird flu), tired from driving on snowy highways from Edmonton, and a bit ornery, as they had plenty of retorts for the hecklers in the crowd who were unwilling to warm up to the band's eccentric, but very welcoming sound.
Two things are for certain: for all the plush squeaky toys and kazoos and recorders, they can flat-out play, and for all the sitting down they do (intimate? indie rock gimmick? you decide), they are incredibly energetic. After a handful of songs that ranged from folky to flat-out roaring, they won me over when they went into an insane, deafeningly loud half hour jam that was part Can, part Sonic Youth, that just went on and on, the drummer holding the same rhythm throughout...very motorik-like. Several people left, but I found it rather enthralling. They also transformed "Raising the Sparks", their best song (at least the best I've heard off three of their CDs), from the ebullient, psychedelic rave-up to a patience-testing dronefest. I'm actually glad they didn't play any longer...I was dead on my feet by then. This show was even more exhausting than Opeth last night, but it was well worth the five dollar cover, not to mention enduring the idiots in the crowd.
Lots of people hate those "good cop/bad cop" bands, you know, those screamo/emocore/metalcore bands who alternate between screaming and singing, but for all the flak they've gotten, I've always kind of liked Atreyu. Their 2004 album The Curse was a pleasant surprise, a solid blend of good vocal hooks and ace riffage by a guitarist obviously more influenced by 80s metal than hardcore, as I found the single "Right Side of the Bed" to be one of the catchiest tunes I heard all that summer. I just got their new album A Death Grip on Yesterday, and it saddens me to say that it is a crushing disappointment, a really uninspired-sounding CD after such an energetic album two years ago. it was produced by the same guy who produced nu-metal bores Staind and Korn, and you can tell instantly, as the guitars have been completely dumbed down, with little to no signs of the flash their talented lead guitarist showed on The Curse (save for "My Fork in the Road" late in the proceedings). Plus, the vocal melodies lack any punch whatsoever. Lazy guitars, no catchy melodies, 32 minutes long...the whole thing smacks of a rush job, which is a real shame. They're more talented than this lowest-common-denominator stuff. Or maybe not...
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
It was a very long night, as I didn't get home until a whopping six hours after I'd originally left, but last night's Opeth show was spectacular. Near perfect, a testament to how exhilirating good metal music can be.
I was late getting to the Odeon, and was more than a little furious with myself when I wound up being about 150th in line to get in, but incredibly, I still got one of the best balcony seats in the entire place, allowing for a perfect, unfettered view of the bands. Not to mention, a fine vantage point from which to witness all the mayhem that would ensue down on the floor. I'm more than happy to let the kids clobber each other, as long as I'm far removed from it...I've outgrown that stuff, so while everyone was buying the tragically overpriced merch, a sauntered upstairs only to see maybe five people there in total. So I had a seat for the entire show (plus some kind folks who held it for me a couple times, an invaluable service for anyone who goes to club shows alone).
Dark Tranquillity was excellent, and played a tight, energetic, eight song set. Singer Mikael Stanne is very charismatic, and actually looked taken aback by the crowd's very positive reaction. Despite the usual muddy, opening act sound, it was still a highly enjoyable, albeit painfully brief set...no surprise, really, seeing as their one of the great classic Gothenburg bands from the mid-90s. Here's what they played:
The Wonder at Your Feet
Lost to Apathy
The Treason Wall
Damage Done
The New Build
Punish My Heaven
My Negation
Final Resistance
DevilDriver did their usual high energy shtick that shamelessly rips off Entombed, which the kids loved, but sounded boring after half an hour. I actually spent more time during DevilDriver's set watching the pit below. Circle pits are great fun to watch from above, I tell you. The only songs I recognized were "I Could Care Less" (which seems to be their most popular), and "Sin & Sacrifice".
Opeth was spot-on as usual. Mikael Akerfeldt sounded great (both his voice and his extremely dry sense of humour intact), his & Peter Lindgren's solos were note perfect, and drummer Martin Axenrot (drummer fro Witchery, but Martin Lopez's replacement) was flawless. Highlights included the labyrinthine "The Baying of the Hounds", "White Cluster", "The Grand Conjuration" (which is an absolute beast of a song live), and the stunningly gorgeous "The Drapery Falls", but the place went nuts when they skipped the usual encore of "Deliverance" and did "Demon of the Fall" instead. It probably had something to do with the girl who kept screaming for it when Mikael mentioned the My Arms, Your Hearse album before introducing "The Amen Corner". It was a crazy, unreal banshee scream that made him lose his train of thought, and he made her repeat her request, just to hear her do it again, upon which he replied, "Hmmm...maybe."
You could tell just how starved the kids are here for some good metal shows...the reaction to Dark Tranquillity was surprisingly ecstatic, the circle pits were going during DevilDriver, and the bodies were flying during Opeth's set, especially during "Hounds" and "Under the Weeping Moon". From the balcony, it was a sight to behold. Overall, an exhilirating, draining night, especially for the bruised and battered folks on the floor. Definitely one of the better metal shows I have ever seen. Here's Opeth's setlist:
Ghost of Perdition
White Cluster
The Amen Corner
The Baying of the Hounds
Closure
Under the Weeping Moon
The Grand Conjuration
The Drapery Falls
Encore:
Demon of the Fall
And there's still the Akron/Family show tonight! Gah, I need to get my energy back today...those Akron/Family boys can play for a long time, I hear.
Tuesday, March 7, 2006
My very positive (but hopefully not too hyperbolic) review of Neko Case's new album popped up yesterday, just in time for the CD's release. Neko's been topping herself with each solo release, and the trend continues with Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, which isn't as heavy on mood as Blacklisted was (side note: man, I like the review I wrote of that one), but still is as enigmatic as ever. Neko's singing is fantastic (as this and last year's New Pornographers disc prove, she keeps improving as each year goes by), and her songwriting skill gets top marks as well. As good as the entire CD is (and it is definitely an early top ten contender), my favourite tracks remain "Hold On, Hold On", "The Needle Has Landed", and the spectacular "Star Witness". So what are you waiting for, go buy this album immediately.
At last, the day of the much-anticipated (by myself, at least) Opeth concert has arrived. It's going to be a long, noisy night, with Dark Tranquillity and DevilDriver opening (very excited to see Dark Tranquillity, not so much for DevilDriver), but it's going to be a fun one, as prog metal fans from across the province are going to converge on the Odeon. As per usual, a full review will appear here a couple hours after the show.
Hoo boy, a new Junior Boys album is imminent. This should be good, considering how big a fan I was of their 2004 album (see the best of 04 over to the left).
You know what's a really good album? The new one by Band of Horses. You know what's a really disappointing album? The new one by Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
You've seen the brilliant live action Simpsons parody, right? And you've seen Natalie Portman do her ultra-profane gangsta rap, right? No? Then get clicking, silly.
Saturday, March 4, 2006
I've been waiting a few months to mention my big news here, and now I finally can. I am officially a staff writer at Decibel Magazine, the best metal magazine in North America. I was asked to join back in December, but aside from telling family and a few friends and colleagues, I kept it to myself until I actually say my name in print, and on Friday, I finally did, as my first ever album review (of the recent Autumn Offering reissue) is now on newsstands. April issue, page 102, to be specific. When it appears online later this month, I'll post the link in my 'writing' section over on the right, along with any future Decibel stuff I do. I have several more pieces set to appear next month, so things are already in full swing.
It's funny, when Decibel contacted me, I hadn't read the magazine...I'd heard a lot of good things about it (especially their impressive stable of writers), it was always hard to find out in my part of the world. But the website is one of the best magazine sites around, and I've been able to get my paws on a few issues now (plus, it's now available in my city...hooray), and I have to say it's a great read, thoughly well-written, and at times very, very funny (John Darnielle's columns, especially), so it's a massive honour to be a part of it, and I can only hope my own stuff holds up just as well.
I should reiterate there's no way I'll be leaving PopMatters...who in their right mind would? So my reviews and columns will still appear with regularity. The last few months have had me feeling my way around, trying to juggle everything from PopMatters to Decibel to Static, and I think I've been able to find a good comfort zone. So yeah, everything's going quite well, writing-wise.
So back to the reviews. My piece on the recent Sevendust compilation appeared yesterday. Interestingly, the band's former label released the best-of comp just a couple months after their rather mediocre Next album came out, just to spite the band and stall the new CD's sales. Deliciously vicious, I tell you. Anyway, despite the fact that it's a sloppily-assembled CD, and is far from a definitive overview, it has its share of good moments.
Thursday, March 2, 2006
Again, sorry about the lack of updates. If it's not one thing, it's another these days, whether it's extremely rushed record reviews, a rare mid-week PopMatters review I have to get done (oh Neko, why are your albums so durn hard to write about?), a gigantic column to finish by next Monday, the resumption of the NHL season, new albums leaking and arriving in the mail, freak snowstorms that leave me exhausted after shovelling. Bah, I'm just making excuses.
I've been meaning to talk about the new Queensryche album for a while now. When they first announced a year ago that they were going to record a sequel to their monumental 1988 album Operation: Mindcrime, I thought it would be a guaranteed recipe for disaster. After all, Queensryche have never been able to successfully follow up that record in the last 18 years; sure, Empire had its moments, but while a lot of people love that album because it was their introduction to the band, old schoolers like me ultimately felt a bit alienated by that overly commercial disc. Their 1994-2002 albums were absolutely horrific, nothing but tired-sounding, turgid exercises in repetition, the perfect example of a veteran band going "alternative" to stay cool, and failing miserably. Over the years, Mindcrime had to have been a real albatross for Queensryche, but it seems the boys have come to appreciate it more now, having performed the album on their recent tour, and while it totally smacks of pandering to the longtime fans and the ones they'd lost in the early-90s, I can't help but admire their courage for attempting such a risky stunt.
So imagine my shock when I found out that Operation: Mindcrime II is a very, very good album. In a cool idea, the story's protagonist Nikki emerges from prison 18 years after being set up for a murder he's convinced he didn't commit, and the whole album centers on his adjustment to modern-day America and his lingering anger toward Dr. X, the leader of Mindcrime who exploited Nikki's weakness for heroin to get him to commit political assassinations. He eventually seeks out Dr. X, confronts him, and, well...I won't divulge it, sorry.
What I will discuss, though, is the music. The band wanted to ('scuse the cheesy term) recapture the vibe of the original Mindcrime, and recorded the new CD using the same instruments, even playing in the same key (A440). Now, let me state outright that none of the songs are as powerful as the ones on the original. Not even close. Chris DeGarmo, the band's principal songwriter, retired a few years ago, and his absence is noticeable, but that said, the songs on the new album are contagious in a sneaky way. "I'm American", "One Foot in Hell", "Hostage", "Signs Say Go", and "Re-Arrange You" highlight a surprisingly heavy opening half (surprising, considering singer Geoff Tate's public criticism of metal music a few years ago), while "The Hands" is far and away the catchiest song they've written in years. The second half of the album gets a lot more theatrical, starting with the excellent "The Chase", a duet between Tate and Ronnie James Dio, who plays the role of Dr. X. "A Murderer?" is the Big Climax, and after a couple of expository tracks ("If I Could Change it All", "An International Confrontation"), it becomes much more introspective, with "Junkie's Blues" packing an emotional punch, and "All the Promises", a strong duet between Tate and Pamela Moore, serving as a sublime conclusion. The production is decidedly more raw (to be expected, compared to the major label-funded Mindcrime), so we get string synths instead of Michael Kamen-directed orchestras, a denser guitar tone, and crisp drum sound. Tate's vocals are buried a bit too much in the mix, but his singing is his most impassioned in many, many years (helped greatly by the fact that he's singing in character).
People have been quick to judge this album, but it's one that needs time to grow. After the first listen, I was going, "okayyy..." but a week later, I was struck at how the record had niggled its way into my head. It's no classic, that fact is indisputable, but Operation: Mindcrime II is a worthy follow-up to one of my most beloved albums. Considering it's been a good 16 years since they put out a half decent album, this one is a small triumph. Welcome back, guys. You done good.
