Band Review (Animals as Leaders)

Animals as Leaders

Animals as Leaders (From L to R) Tosin Abasi, Javier Reyes, Matt Garstka

 Animals as Leaders are a progressive djent infused metal band from Washington D.C. Together, Animals as Leaders has been making music since 2007. Animals as Leaders are praised for their technical and complex riffs. Their music is truly awe inspiring.

 Animals as Leaders don't feature vocals on their tracks (this adds another level to their music believe me) but guitar are played by Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes and the drums by Matt Garstka.

 The members of Animals as Leaders are experienced with music and this fact shines through their material's technicality and complexity. Since their formation in '07; Animals as Leaders have produced three studio albums with the most recent released in the March of 2014. Each album was met with exceptional reviews.

 Animals as Leaders have toured quite a bit and can be seen quite easily. Animals as Leaders have a tour planned for the end of the year as support for progressive djent metal band TesseracT (should be going to that so watch this space for a review). For more about their tour dates check here. 

 Its the 21st century so big surprise that these guys are on the net, here's where to find them. Facebook is here, Twitter here.

 To finish, here is the music video for Animals as Leaders' track CAFO from their self titled debut (linked here for mobile users)

 

Album Review (White Devil Armory - Overkill)

Album Review (White Devil Armory - Overkill)

 White Devil Armory is the seventeenth studio album from 80s american thrash outfit Overkill. Overkill were formed in 1980 in New Jersey and are credited as one of the early figures in the thrash genre. Thirty-four years on and the music still flows with the same sound and ferocity from 1980. 

Notable Tracks

 Armorist - Armorist opens up the record after the intro track XDM with pure speed. The speed of the track leaves little room for groove but overall does not effect the quality. A catchy hook and speedy drums make for a worthy first track. 

 Bitter Pill - Bitter Pill is a very well written track. The song progresses while still retaining a central tone. Instrumentals and vocals are well balanced allowing for both meaty bridges and catchy vocal hooks. Most band's have their songwriting skill peak by their second album (I'm looking at you Limp Bizkit) but this could be the best Overkill track yet.

 March of The Rat Bastards - March of The Rat Bastards features close to the end of the track listing but refuses to disappoint. Opening with a bass fueled intro which builds to the speed that Overkill are famed for. MOTRB also has one of the best guitar bridges on the record supported by some low backing chanting  

 It's All Yours - It's All Yours is the penultimate track on the record but still holds its own. It's All Yours features the most memorable riff on the album and alongside that fact it also features the fastest build (near the three minute mark) too.  

 To sum it all up, White Devil Armory is a good album and a definite pick up for Overkill fans and thrash monkeys alike. My only problem with this album is that it isn't as adventurous as I would like. Some artists evolve for better or for worse (Still looking at you Limp Bizkit), but Overkill have managed to stay relatively the same even after lineup changes and thirty-four years of change. Pick this album up if you enjoy the OG style of thrash metal.

To finish here is the latest video from the album, Bitter Pill (linked here for mobile users)

Classic Album Retrospect (Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin)

Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin

 

 If the original Led Zeppelin Record is not a classic I don't know what is. Released originally in 1969 but more recently remastered and reissued in 2014. Led Zeppelin was the self titled debut album from the British rock superstars of the same name. Although when released it only peaked at 6 on the UK album charts and its single peaking at 80 on the billboard hot 100. When released it received generally poor reviews from critics; since then the album has gone on to become rated gold or above in ten countries (8 times platinum rated in the US) and is widely regarded as an album to hear before you die. Originally, Led Zeppelin was released through Atlantic Records.

 That was forty-five years ago, does it still hold its own today? Lets find out.

Notable Tracks

 Good Times, Bad Times - Good Times Bad Times was the first track on the album and also acted as the first single. Starting with a simple chord and drum intro which builds to the bluesy rock track that made the world aware of Led Zeppelin. To add even more flair to the track, the solo at around 1:40 mark showcases Led Zeppelin's musical talent.

 You Shook Me - Opening with a slow and low intro builds to an awesome sounding whammy bar battlefield. Lasting for around six minutes, You Shook Me has plenty of time to showcase the talent of the guitarists in the form of solo after solo.

 Dazed and Confused - Starting with a simple guitar intro. Dazed and Confused focuses more on the vocals but still has the kindness to not damper the caliber of the instruments. Dazed and Confused in a very minimalistic track but still packs a punch with its vocal and instrumentals combined.

 Communication Breakdown - Communication Breakdown is one of a list of tracks where everyone knows the tune but not the artist. Communication Breakdown is the shortest track on the album at on 2:30 but is still worth mentioning. On the 2014 reissue a live version of this track and Good Times Bad Times was released as a single.  

 I Can't Quit You Baby - With a vocal intro, ICQYB is the most storytelling track on the album. The track is slow and very bluesy but still finds time to add in the prominent guitars for their solos. 

 After a few playthroughs, I can say that, Led Zeppelin 45 years on still has some fight left in it. Although not the band's most well known material (that title goes to the untitled album) the material can still hold its own. With the emergence of bands like Wolfmother; Led Zeppelin still remains on its high throne without relying on the fact that its a classic. I am surprised with this finding but respect it. I think that if I had reviewed the vinyl; it would have had an even better review but CD will have to do for now.

 To finish, here is a nostalgic video of Dazed and Confused being played live on the supershow in 1969. Its a good one (and its linked here for mobile users)

   

Band Review (Wounds)

Wounds

Wounds (From L to R) James, Aaron, Aidan, Craig

 Wounds are a hardcore four piece hailing from Dublin. Wounds have been together since 2010 but have achieved instant respect by critics and fellow artists with the release of their debut EP Dead Dead Fucking Dead. Wounds put their heart into their live shows making for a high energy experience that is sure to impress.

 Aidan Coogan provides the deep vocals alongside his brother James on guitar. The bass is helmed by Aaron McGrath and the all important drums are from Craig McCann.

 Wounds are quite a young band but have definitely achieved their fair share of accolades and respect. Wounds have shown that they can pull off an intense high energy show without the music suffering which is hard to master. Currently, Wounds have an EP and a full length album named Die Young (Pretty awesome, you should check it out) to their name which were both met with rave reviews.

 Wounds have played enough gigs to know how it works and have even appeared at 2013's Download festival. Currently, Wounds have gigs dates planned for September in Canada but none so far for the UK. You can find out more about Wounds tour dates here plus an awesome friends parody photo that will not fail to disappoint

 Its the 21st century and music is all over the Internet but here are the addresses you will need to find Wounds. Facebook is here, Twitter here; but must importantly Wounds have an official website that links to all of them which can be found here

 To finish off here is the video to my personal favourite from Wounds, Dead Road. For more of their music videos check out their youtube page here (video linked here for mobile users) 

Album Review (Bled White - Novembers Doom)

Album Review (Bled White - Novembers Doom)

 Bled White is studio album number nine from American Doom metal band Novembers Doom. Novembers Doom formed in 1989 under the name Laceration but ultimately changed their name because their music style had changed from thrash metal to a slower doom metal. Novembers Doom's brand of Doom metal has influences from gothic and death metal; together creating a eerie and ominous sound. 

Notable Tracks

 Bled White - Bled White starts the album off in incredible fashion. Mixing deep and powerful growls and complimented perfectly by clean and extremely melodic and gothic vocals. Bled White plays for just under seven minutes but still manages to surprise the listener with its progression. Near perfect vocals and awe inspiring drums make Bled White a track to be reckoned with.

 Heartfelt - Heartfelt follows Bled White on the track listing and builds upon it. Heartfelt shows off vocals deeper than in the previous track. The mixing on this track give the clean vocals a choir sound; adding to the gothic feel of the album as a whole. In addition, Heartfelt makes way for some sweet guitar work that keeps the listener hooked.

 Unrest - Unrest sits halfway down the track listing but is hard to forget. Unrest is a more classic Novembers Doom sound with low baritone growls. Unrest is slightly shorter than most tracks on the album but still manages to squeeze in a guitar bridge that is irresistible.  

 Clear - Clear begins to a simple guitar melody but is added to quickly to set the pace. Clear is one of the faster tracks from the album but the mixing allows the vocals to rise above the instrumentals. Clear is a refreshing track and has an almost rock sound to it (sounds like a Godsmack track for a while but that might be just me). 

 Overall, Bled White is a powerful album that would be welcome in any metalhead's library. Novembers Doom's brand of Doom is accessible to most and should not be underestimated. Bled White is another must buy album this year.

The Decline of the Hidden Track

The Decline of the Hidden Track

 Hidden tracks are tracks that are hidden from,the track list of an album (usually by adding a silence after the final track). Recently the hidden track has all but disappeared from existence. Why have they disappeared? Here are some theories and stories.

 The most likely reason for their disappearance is the explosion of digital music. iTunes, and more recently Spotify, has a hardon for neat and easy to use interfaces which show each track by its name using as little data as possible (even if this means leaving areas of playable silence inside an albums track listing) usually results in the loss of the hidden track.

 A second theory that also stems from the Internet is the issue of recognition. Hidden tracks had their hayday before music from the Internet was popular. In a time were music can be downloaded legally, and illegally, in seconds; many musical artists need material to be recognised and attributed to them so hiding tracks in amongst silence is not efficient any more. 

 If the previous two theories didn't sell it, one could say that hidden tracks faded out of existence slowly as a result of "musical evolution". This aside, what did hidden tracks actually add to the music scene.

 The track I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts was originally a hidden track on the first printings of their album LP, you may know that the track went on to be the theme song to American sitcom Friends.
 Another noteworthy hidden track is Slipknot's audio snippet after the track Scissors from their self titled album. The snippet is of the band reaction to a dirty porno, the snippet them leads into the hidden track Eeyore.
   

Band Review (Hacktivist)

Hacktivist

Hacktivist (From L to R) Richard Hawkins, J Hurley, Ben Marvin, Josh Gurner, Timfy James

 Hacktivist are a genre mashing quintet from Milton Keynes formed in 2011. Hacktivist pride themselves on having a sound that does not conform to the norm. Hacktivist one-ups the rap metal breakthroughs of earlier generations and adds the djent sound into the equation for a truly heavy and powerful sound. Alongside Hacktivist's heavy sound; the vocals focus on social and political issues making the band truly insightful.

 Hacktivist's vocals are provided by both J Hurley and Ben Marvin with some melodic backing by guitarist Timfy James. Richard Hawkins destroying the drums and Josh Gurner on the Bass.

 Hacktivist are a relatively young band but despite this they are gaining popularity and recognition fast. Hacktivist only have an EP to show but an album will follow soon. Currently Hacktivist are signed to the label Wake To Reality.

 Despite the lack of material, Hacktivist have secured supporting and headline spots on tours worldwide as well as a main stage slot for Reading and Leeds festival this year. As well as this they have announced a UK tour with support from Dead Harts and The One Hundred (more info linked here).

 Hacktivist can be found on most social media on the Internet so here are some important links. Facebook is here, Twitter here and Youtube here. Hacktivist also have an official website here. Be sure to check them out.

 To wrap up, here is Hacktivist video for Elevate which in addition to being an awesome meaningful track, its available for a free download from their website here. (video linked here for mobile users).

Album Review (From Parts Unknown - Every Time I Die)

Album Review (From Parts Unknown - Every Time I Die)

 From Parts Unknown is the seventh studio album from New York metalcore band Every Time I Die. Every Time I Die formed in 1998 and have gained overall acclaim for their intense live shows and high energy on stage. Every Time I Die's sound is heavily influenced by hardcore while still retaining some elements of complicated mathcore. From Parts Unknown was released through Epitaph Records.

Notable Tracks

 The Great Secret - Opening with a misleading distorted guitar piece, The Great Secret unleashes its secret and soon turns into a fast paced destruction anthem. The Great Secret is the first track on the album and sets the tone for the first half of the album.

 Decayin With My Boys - Decayin With My Boys I the first single from the album and with good reason. Decayin With My Boys takes a step back from the speed aspect and focuses on a more party-suitable angle. Decayin With My Boys is by far the most catchy song on the record without being too generic and out of place.  

 Moor - Moor is the halfway point in the album where the diversity really hits home. Moor opens with a dark and somber simple piano tune, the dark theme carries on throughout the track while the simple piano tune evolves into a slow and heavy guitar riff that is guaranteed to scare and amaze at the same time.

 Old Light - Old Light showcases a more melodic vocal style from Keith Buckley which is quite refreshing. Old Light is the ninth track from the album but would be quite welcome further up the track listing. Old Light is more of a hard rock track than a metalcore track but fits in well on the album.  

 To sum up, From Parts Unknown is possibly the best Every Time I Die record released to date. The album offers enough power and speed to keep the brand that has become Every Time I Die alive, while still having the time to add some different and more diverse tracks to showcase other skills. If you have the funds, definitely buy this album if not, buy it anyway.

 As a sneak peak, here is the video to the first single from the album, Decayin With My Boys (linked here for mobile users)  

Classic Album Retrospect (Slipknot - Slipknot)

Slipknot - Slipknot

Slipknot - Slipknot

 The year was 1999 and Slipknot were making heads turn towards the noise they where making in Iowa. Slipknot had been making music for a while and sparked some attention with Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat. (now that's an obscure reference) but Slipknot's self titled album sparked the most attention and ultimately lead to them being signed with Roadrunner Records. Slipknot was met with rave reviews with most critics complimenting the emotion instilled on the record and the natural, almost live sound to the album. 

 Slipknot was released in '99, making it 15 years old, has the album stood the test of time or is it dated and stale? 

Notable Tracks

 742617000027 - 742617000027 is the intro to the self titled album and is the shipping code for Slipknot's debut, Mate, Feed, Kill, Repeat. 742617000027 features dialogue taken from a Charles Manson documentary. The actual dialogue is "The Whole thing, I think, is sick" distorted and repeated to create a eerie and dark sound - a worthy intro to the destruction that is to follow.

 (sic) - "Here comes the pain" sums it up quite nicely. (sic) features the awesome drums from Joey Jordision throughout and the scary quite lyrics from Corey Taylor. In summary, (sic) is a valid representation of the rest of the album and I personally don't think it gets enough credit for that. The powerful lyrics "You can't kill me cuz I'm already inside you" finish the track with a final flurry of the turntables from Sid Wilson.

 Wait and Bleed - Wait and Bleed showcases Corey's more melodic vocal style without compromising on the brutality of the rest of the band. Wait and Bleed was the first single released from the album and subsequently had two music videos made for it; the first a live action live performance video and the second being completely stop motion animated.

 Surfacing - Surfacing is one hell of a track, so good it could be the new international anthem (now that's a reference). Building intros where every instrument is added separately is always effective but especially on this track. Surfacing combines (sic) with Wait and Bleed to create equal amounts of melody and destruction. Surfacing was released as the third single from the album.

 Spit it Out - Spit it Out was the second single from the album and features a video very reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. Spit it Out is one fast track and has an almost rap influence. Spit it Out played live is infamous as the band get the audience to crouch together and then "jump the fuck up" together which is always duplicated by other bands.

 After an intense playthrough, I conclude that Slipknot, fifteen years on, is still as intense and brutal as it was when it was first released. I can't say I am surprised by my findings since Slipknot's self titled won the best debut album in the last 25 years award from Metal Hammer Magazine in 2011 and is statically the best selling Slipknot album to date. This trend can be found in most bands from the 90s but Slipknot have managed to stand the test of time and are still prominent figures in the metal industry.

 For those who do not own the album, here is a peek at what you are missing. First released in 1999, Wait and Bleed has remained a popular track among fans and has two videos to accompany it but here is the first version, the live version. (linked here for mobile users) Enjoy

         

   

Band Review (Alestorm)

Alestorm

Alestorm (From L to R) Peter Alcorn, Elliot Vernon, Gareth Murdock, Christopher Bowes, Dani Evans

    Alestorm (Formerly Battleheart and definitely not Halestorm) are a "True Scottish Pirate" metal 5 piece band. Formed in 2004, have built a reputation for drinking and general shenanigans on stage and off. Alestorm play music heavily themed on pirates with smart use of keyboards which leads to a refreshing sound that is truly distinct in world of generic viking/pagan metal bands.

 Christopher Bowes provides vocals as well as keyboards alongside Elliot Vernon. Dani Evans and Gareth Murdock offer the awesome guitars with Peter Alcorn on drums. 

 Alestorm have been musically active since 04 and definitely have some experience and it shows. With three studio albums under their belts along with a live album filmed in Australia, Alestorm (like pirates) have conquered most places. Alestorm are currently signed to Napalm Records.

 Alestorm (again, like pirates) have been everywhere and are constantly on the road touring with other awesome bands or writing new material. Although Alestorm have been extensively touring Australia recently, Alestorm have announced a string of dates around Europe for the run up to the release of their fourth studio album, Sunset on the Golden Age. For details on the newly announced tours check their website linked here.

 Alestorm (need i say it) get around on the web and can be found on Facebook here, Twitter here and an official website to top it all off here.

 Alestorm's comedic values are portrayed well in their music videos but still nothing beats seeing the band live (I strongly recommend you do this year). As a sneak peek at the upcoming album here is the video for Drink, the first single from Sunset on the Golden Age (Linked here for mobile users) 

Sonisphere Festival @ Knebworth 5/7/14

Sonisphere Festival @ Knebworth 5/7/14

 After an expensive year of planned gigs and little work to feed the habit; the closest I could come to the festival experience was with a day ticket but for which festival. After some deliberation and research, Sonisphere's second day lineup looked most promising so I bought a ticket. The one drawback with a day ticket is the leaving earlier in the morning compared to a camping ticket nevertheless I arrived more or less on time. The journey from the entrance to the actual arena seemed to stretch for hours and at the end a steward ripped my ticket in half (which i was not happy about). I arrived in the arena just as Alestorm were coming out on the Saturn Stage at 11:30.

 I have seen Alestorm twice in the past and own every CD they have ever produced but they haven't played in the UK for some time so (although they have announced a UK tour for October) seeing them again was a great start to the day. With their new album to be released on the 1st August, the single Drink was played as well as the classics from previous albums. Alestorm very rarely put on a bad show and this was no exception, although only on for half an hour they made the most of it and showcased their personality well. After Alestorm is was off to the Apollo Stage to see the so called "Internet Sensation" that is Babymetal.

 Apollo Stage is opposite the Saturn stage and also acts as the headline stage. Sonisphere works in a way that allows festival-goers to see bands play at both stages without missing one, this is because when there is music at one stage there is nothing at the other; this idea sounds good in theory but in practice means that you will always end up at the back and out of the action (I learned this quickly). Babymetal opened their set with a comedic video in the same style as the intro to Star Wars. Starting promisingly but for the first song the vocalists (to which I assume the internet sensation label applies) were dead silent. After this bizarre occurrence the band and vocalists produced sound at the same time and well... it was Babymetal. Sonisphere was Babymetal's European festival debut and it seems that they were well received. As a consequence of seeing Alestorm's set to its entirety I had to miss out on the Babymetal mosh which looked surprisingly deadly. After Babymetal it was back over to the Saturn Stage to see the legends that are Chas & Dave.

 Being at the back for Chas & Dave's set is hardly a bad thing as it was quite a passive half hour set but it confused me how they managed to be billed higher than Alestorm but that aside they gave a good set playing their classics and the single from their latest album. Solid set, enough said.

 At the end of Chas & Dave's set it was beer time and in true festival style; there was a queue. After a 10 minute wait in an orderly fashioned queue and five quid, I left with my beer and took a retreated look at Ghost's set on the Apollo Stage.

 Ghost never really took off in my books (don't get me wrong, I don't dislike them) but I can appreciate their set. They offer a very distinguishable sound that blends metal with a somewhat orchestral feel. After their set at Sonisphere i will definitely give them another spin.

 Picking up on what I learned earlier I grabbed some food and pushed through the crowd leaving from Ghost so i could be part of the chaos for Anthrax and boy am I glad i did. Its hard to dislike Anthrax on the fact that they are Thrash Royalty. Anthrax played through their album Among the Living on the previous day but their Saturday set was still as energetic with a constant circle pit down the front. I always push myself to the limit at gigs but never get any injuries but this was my first. During Anthrax's song Indians I dislocated my thumb in the pit but didn't realise until the end of their awesome set. Regardless of the length of time that Anthrax have been active they still refuse to disappoint.

 After Anthrax I took a wonder around the arena and visited the other activities being offered. The comedy tent looked rather boring probably because everyone was sitting down inside surrounded by stewards with "Tent Full" signs. Further one i saw the renowned act that is Blaas of Glory. A jolly ye olde style band that play metal hits acoustically are well suited to the Sonisphere atmosphere. After some roaming, I filled up on booze and grub and got down to the front for Deftones.

 I had only been introduced to Deftones recently and did not get a chance to do some research into their live shows (which i should have done). While waiting for Deftones to start, Bruce Dickinson's WW1 inspired dogfight began which was good but too far from the crowd to be considered exciting, maximum respect to all the vets that took part alongside Bruce. Deftones appeared, not long after the dogfight finished, to a scream from a hoard of fan girls from down the front. Said fan girls complained when the moshing started which generally lessened my Deftones experience so much so I left early in preparation for Slayer's set.

 Getting as close to the front as humanly possible for Slayer was both a brave and foolish choice. As soon as the band surfaced on stage; the violence that sets Slayer mosh pits aside from everyone else's was shown in full force. Slayer played all their fan favourites creating a flawless set list. A prolonged period in the pit gave way for a second dislocation of the same thumb but was quickly popped into place by a fellow mosh monkey (it still bloody hurt though). Unlike at the Deftones pits previous, there were no fan girls complaining about the violence which restored my faith in Sonisphere. Slayer ended with a final salute to deceased guitarist Jeff Hanneman. As Slayer's set ended so did the festivities at the Saturn Stage and all focus was on Iron Maiden on the Apollo Stage.

 I had seen Iron Maiden live once before at Download 2013 but had left half way through due to their sound. I was willing to give Maiden a second chance so I got as far forward as possible (which ended up being next to the sound stage). Iron Maiden arrived on stage and played their set list that focused on the bands releases from the '80s. Towards the end of their set they announced that this performance was there last in the Maiden England tour (the tour that only had 4 UK tour dates in 2 years) and was the last concert they had planned for the foreseeable future as well. Iron Maiden's set was aided by amazing pyrotechnics and a large Eddie that appeared on stage to various songs.

 To sum up my experience at Sonisphere in one word I would have to use "Dislocated". Dislocated in honour of my thumb but more importantly the arrangement of acts; Chas & Dave seemed out of place and I can see how people could argue the same for Babymetal. These points aside Sonisphere was definitely worth the money and I cant wait to see next year's lineup for another short novel of a post about it. Thanks for reading.

 

Band Review (Baby Godzilla)

Baby Godzilla

Baby Godzilla (From L to R)Tom, Paul, Johnny, Matt
Photo by Carla Mundy

 Baby Godzilla are a "General extreme noise" thrash metal band formed in Nottingham. Baby Godzilla have been around since 2009 and have earned themselves a reputation for their chaotic live shows that never fail to get the crowd violent. Baby Godzilla mix heavy riffs with just pure frantic speed and it is an experience to see live. 

 Matt Reynolds and Johnny Hall both supply the outrageous guitar riffs supported by Paul Shelley on Bass and Tom Marsh not so much on drums but standing, jumping etc. Vocals are mainly delivered by Matt but all band members contribute at times.

 Baby Godzilla have been making music since 2009 but definitely have not matured, which is a good thing, Baby Godzilla are still as violent and destructive as they were on day one. Currently, Baby Godzilla have released two EPs, NPAG in 2010 and Knockout Machine in 2013. Alongside this, they have also released a 7 track mini-album called Oche in 2012. Baby Godzilla released their mini-album through I'm Not From London, a Nottingham based group that promote gigs.

 Baby Godzilla get around and have played headline shows, festivals like this years Reading and Leeds among others and even supported larger acts like Enter Shikari and Limp Bizkit. So far this year, Baby Godzilla have announced dates three solo dates as well as a tour with Feed the Rhino and Night Verses (Watch this space for a live review on that).

 Baby Godzilla can be found in multiple places on the web but here are the important locations you need to know. Facebook is here, Twitter here, their Youtube channel here and their Bandcamp page is also here 

 To round off, Baby Godzilla's videos may look crazy but are not a scratch on the real thing but due to technological shortcomings I can like a live show so here is the video for Powerboat Disaster (Linked here for mobile users)