UMUR "In Waves" is the 5th full-length studio album by US metalcore act Trivium. The album was released through Roadrunner Records in August 2011. Trivium are one of the most commercially successful metalcore act in the last 10 years and "In Waves" again prove why that is.

Trivium play a combination of metalcore, thrash and more traditional heavy metal loaded with catchy hooks and chorus lines. The tracks are in general structurally simple and easily accessible. Matt Heafy´s vocals are the focal point in the music and he masters quite an arsenal of different vocal styles from clean singing, more raw thrashy singing (still clean) and shouting/screaming metalcore type singing. The instrumental part of the music is very well played but at times the riffs work more as backing to the vocals than as a punchy and memorable part of the music. The music also feature quite a bit of melodic lead work. Either as themes under the vocal parts or as solos. "In Waves" is produced by Colin Richardson (Fear Factory, Carcass...among others) and it´s powerful and clear.

While I feel that "In Waves" could have prospered from a bit more grit and edgy songwriting, it´s a great album for what it is. Fans of the metalcore genre are pretty sure to find this one a greatly enjoyable album and a 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is fully deserved.

Wilytank A dialogue exchange regarding Black Veil Brides' 'Set the World on Fire' and the general mallcore scene:

Metal Music Connoisseur: "Hey, music store clerk. My copies of Fleshgod Apocalypse's 'Agony' and Origin's 'Entity' both got worn out from being overplayed. Got any copies that I could replace them with?"

Music Store Clerk: "'fraid not, son."

MMC: "God fucking dammit. Okay, got anything new in stock for me to check out?"

SC: "Well, the new Black Veil Brides album 'Set the World on Fire' just came in a few days ago."

MMC: "Never heard of them."

SC: "Here, check them out." *hands Connoisseur a copy of the album*

MMC: "Um...is this what the band really looks like? Because they seem rather...flamboyant."

SC: "Quit being so closed minded, buddy. Give them a listen. All the kids today seem to like them."

MMC: "You know what? I'm going to give them a listen tonight at home on Grooveshark. If I like them, I'll come back and buy a copy." *hands the Clerk back the CD and leaves*

-The Next Day-

MMC: "Hey, you remember that Black Veil Brides album that you recommended to me yesterday?"

SC: "Yeah. Did you listen to them? "Pretty good shit, right?"

MMC: "Um, no. They're pretty fucking lame."

SC: "Aw, what didn't you like about them?"

MMC: "Well, they sound like one of those shitty glam rock revival bands mixed with Avenged Sevenfold. Meaning, you've got a try-hard hard rock band that tries to make themselves sound impressive by having double kick drums and fast paced guitar solos, but all the while they still sound generic as hell."

SC: "And what the hell is wrong with double kick drums and fast paced guitar solos? Metalheads usually like them."

MMC: "Dude, I came in here yesterday asking for Fleshgod Apocalypse and Origin. These people in Black Veil Brides have nothing on Paul Ryan, John Longstreth, or Francesco Paoli. There is nothing new or impressive about the musicianship in Black Veil Brides."

SC: "But you gotta admit that the vocalist has some talent."

MMC: "Yeah, he sounds like every other modern mallcore hard rock singer, meaning he's got that whiny tone that people like me fucking hate. Then, screamo type screaming gets mixed in."

SC: "Look, buddy. Maybe you need to open your mind up to new things every once in a while."

MMC: "Look, dude. Maybe you need to understand that not everyone likes this type of shit."

SC: "Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean you can go around saying that."

MMC: "What the hell are you talking about? You and I are the only two characters in this dialogue, and you even asked for my opinion. But I am prepared to share my wisdom and tell everyone who hasn't heard of Black Veil Brides to stay away from them." *leaves*

That night, the Metal Music Connoisseur discovered Amazon.com where he could find CDs for cheaper prices than the Music Store and with a far better selection. He lived happier ever after.

'Set the World on Fire' was not enjoyable to listen to. I advise everyone to not listen to it, especially if you hate Avenged Sevenfold.

Kingcrimsonprog Shadows Fall have been very consistent over the years, and like Hatebreed it could be argued (exaggeratedly) that if you've heard one album then you've heard them all, although possibly excluding their debut with Phil Labonte on vocals instead of Brian Fair. If you've heard any previous Brain Fair era Shadows Fall album then you know what to expect, the only major changes over the years have been production value and the ratio of clean to heavy moments.

If you've never heard Shadows Fall before, they sit on the Thrash Influenced but very melodic end of the Metalcore spectrum, like Rise To Remain and Trivium, as opposed to the heavier and more groove orientated end like Devildriver or Lamb Of God. If you don't like any Metalcore whatsoever, Shadows Fall aren't likely to change your mind, but if you do you'll likely find them a worthy addition to your collection.

The production job (by Killswitch Engage's Adam Dutkiewicz) is almost faultless and the entire band's performance is precise and confident as always. Jason Bittner's critically acclaimed drumming is excellent with pounding double-kicks and occasional blasts. Brain Fair's, Matt Bachand's & Jonathan Donais' three-tiered vocal approach is as good as it has always been, with an extra focus on background death-vocals this time around. The guitar work is peppered full of Thrash riffs, Shredding Solos and Melodic leads amid the usual Metalcore style, there are waves and waves of excellent guitar solos on this album that are great even by the band's own standards.

I would argue that the album starts off very well, and leads with some of its strongest material. When listening to these first few songs, even if you've liked the band all along, you get the feeling that Shadows Fall have become energized and have stepped up their game somewhat, tracks like `Nothing Remains' for example just have an extra spark of enthusiasm in them and would work amazingly well in a live environment.

Highlights include the pre-released Title Track, the closer `The Wasteland' and `Weight Of The World' which are three of the heaviest tracks and are all a bit more technical and death-influenced than recent records have been.

Another highlight is the bouncy `Walk The Edge' which is reminiscent of the band's bigger singles like `Redemption' and `The Light That Blinds' in its mixture of upbeat melodic moments, gang backing vocals and intermittent heavy sections, it bridges the gap rather well between this album and previous ones.

Overall, Fire From The Sky is not that dramatic a departure from the existing Shadows Fall style, so if you are sick of that or never liked it in the first place then this isn't something you'll fall in love with. There is a slight refocusing on the heavier side though, so it isn't just a carbon copy of their last album either. If you are up for more of what you already like, with a little twist, then the album will prove a superb addition to your existing collection. Comment

Wilytank Although people have told me it's healthier to not have an elitist sense of metal superiority, it's hard not to give the middle finger to many of the designated "mallcore" acts out there. Make Me Famous is the latest iteration of fresh new mallcore material to satiate the mallcore fans who believe that it isn't trendy enough to like Asking Alexandria or A Day to Remember anymore, or rather Attack Attack! since Make Me Famous wants to work off the trancecore angle Attack Attack! were using.

As most of you know now, the term "mallcore" is used mainly as a derogatory term. Unfortunately, Make Me Famous makes absolutely no effort shed the cliches that defined the derogatory term. They've got a stupid band name; stupid song titles like "Blind Date 101", "This Song Is Blacker Than Black Metal" (your fellow countrymen Nokturnal Mortum and Drudkh would like a word with you), "Once You Killed A Cow, You Gotta Make A Burger", "ifyuocnaraedtihsmkaemeasnadwich"; and that stereotypical look the band members have: straightened hair, revealing shirts, and skinny jeans.

Actually, if I didn't notice the different band name, I'd say 'It's Now or Never' is actually Attack Attack!'s newest album, failing to realize that Attack Attack! released an album in 2012 as well. So much got carried over that the only real distinction that Make Me Famous has is that the lyrics in 'It's Now or Never' are WORSE than Attack Attack!'s lyrics ever were. They still read like angst-ridden love letters, but Attack Attack! looks incredibly mellow in comparison to Make Me Famous' approach: every song's lyrics here is basically the same message as "You made me feel bad! Now I kill you, bitch!" If there's something I hate as much as angst-ridden lyrics, it's pseudo tough guy lyrics; and combining the two does not make either of them more bearable. As for the delivery, there's nothing that makes Make Me Famous special here. The vocalist mixes guttural harsh vocals with clean vocals that sound like he tried to audition for High School Musical. Musically, there's no outstanding qualities here. Lots of repeated chugging on one note, faster (mostly mid-paced) sections that aren't any more impressing, and overuse of that damn keyboard!

And the worst thing about having these electronic influences it that they almost fucking work! I've been impressed by a good amount of the material that Japanese melodic trance death metal act Blood Stain Child has put out as well as the Russian industrial metal/electronic/ambient project Senmuth's EBM material. But even in the metalcore setting, there's also Born of Osiris, who have put a decent amount of attention in the guitar work to make the keyboard use seem acceptable; having them not sound like a rave party also helps. The keyboards should be used as a booster for the music's atmosphere, not an accessory to wave around like your "swag".

At the end of the day, we have a very big mess of an album here. 'It's Now or Never' is not worth a damn to check out, and the only reason why I'm not putting it in the bottom tier of my ranking system is that it almost worked. But there's just way too many things wrong with it to justify giving it any proper praise.

Time Signature It's nothing but a waste of time...

Genre: bubblegumcore

Make Me Famous is a Ukrainian modern metalcore band and It's Now or Never is their debut. Heralded as an amazing album, It's Now Or Never features a musical style that takes deathcore and metalcore as its starting point, utilizing the grooves and breakdowns typical of that stylistic universe. But metalcore is essentially only 50% of the style. The other half is basically imported from the universe of Euro-dance electro-pop.

While I can live with the metalcore and deathcore elements (hell, a lot of the riffs, breakdowns and technical runs up and down the fretboard every now and then actually sound pretty cool), the electro-pop elements just do not appeal to me at all. My problem is that the pop-aspect of this album is imported from a branch of pop music that I and, I reckon, most metalheads and rock fans of my generation absolutely despise. The album is simply, to my ears, melodic metalcore smeared with a smattering of plastic pop effects and synths along with the pop choruses and overcooked vocal harmonies.

As mentioned, I do like some of the metallic elements and metalcore elements on the album. However, I must also say that I think that Make Me Famous overuse these, and thus also the metalcore side the album strikes me as being a bit of a mess with a bucketful of different extreme metal vocal types popping up side by side with the clean pop melodies. Also many of the breakdowns and riffs are so metalcore it hurts, plus the band take all the other cliches of metalcore and basically whip them to death through overuse.

Let it be known that, as musicians, Make Me Famous are obviously very skilled and they know their ways around their instruments, and they know how to write music which is melodic and catchy. The music they make simply does not appeal at all to me. I can imagine how it would appeal to fans of Sonic Syndicate, Dead By April, The Browning, Anime Fire and the like. If you are into that type of music, I recommend that you check out Make Me Famous' It's Now or Never and judge for yourself and you will probably find that you like it, but if you're an old grumpy asshole like me, you're better off listening to an old Slayer album or something like that.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

Time Signature Against them all...

Genre: metal(hard)core

I hope I will be forgiven for, having glanced the the cover art before listening to the music itself, mistakenly expecting this album to be an all out dirty hardcore crust punk onslaught and not the polished-but-aggressive metalcore songs that Diamond actually contains.

In all fairness, Stick To Your Guns strike me as being among the more potent metalcore-bands, and their style definitely belongs to the more hardcore-oriented end of the metalcore, featuring riot-vocals and a lot of steret attitude, which is especially prevalent in 'Empty Heads' and 'Life in a Box' as well as 'Bringing You Down'. However, Stick To Your Guns also feature several elements from the more melodic type of metalcore, such as clean vocals and even some almost poppy ooh-ooh-whoah-aahs in a tracks like 'Against Them All' , 'We Still Believe', and 'Bringing You Down'. Stick To Your Guns do not overdo this, however, and I think it works pretty well most of the time. The obligatory metalcore breakdowns are also there, and, again, unlike many other metalcore artists – especially deathcore ones – Stick To Your Guns do not overdo things, and many of the breakdowns are groovy have a very moshing-friendly quality to them. In addition to the many hardcore elements, Stick To You Gun also make use of thrash metal aesthetics every now and then, giving some of the tracks an almost crossover feel to them.

The production is, as mentioned, quite polished, but it does not hinder the aggression and heaviness in the music itself, and, actually, the album has an overall quite metallic ring to it. Also, this of course allows one to hear what is actually going on and to enjoy the rhythmic details that the band use to make their breakdowns sound interesting.

Diamond is a quite good metalcore album, and I especially like how Stick To Your Guns remind us, by retaining a lot of hardcore elements, that metalcore did, after all, develop from hardcore. My personal preferences are the more hardcore-oriented tracks like 'Empty Heads' and 'Life in a Box' as well as 'Bringing You Down' and 'Build Upon the Sand', but this is definitely an album I can easily listen to in its entirety. Fans of modern hardcore and more edgy metalcore should definitely check it out.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

UMUR "A Calculated Use of Sound" is an EP released by American hardcore/metalcore act Protest the Hero. The EP was released in 2003 through Underground Operations. "A Calculated Use of Sound" was re-issued in 2004 with the bonus track "Soft Targets Dig Softer Graves".

The music is hardcore/metalcore. The pace is generally very high and the music is very energetic as a result of that. There is much focus on the vocals from singer Rody Walker who has...how should I put this?...a very distinct voice. Somewhat comparable to emo rock/metal vocalists but a bit more aggressive. It´s definitely an aquired taste if you´ll be able to enjoy Rody Walker´s high pitched and nasale vocal style. There are lots of harmony vocals on the EP too and most members actually contribute with vocals on the songs.

The band is well playing and the sloppy and untight playing that they treated us with on their debut EP "Search for the Truth (2002)" is fortunately a thing of the past. The band has matured greatly since that EP. Rody Walker has also learned to control his voice better on "A Calculated Use of Sound" than was the case on the messy predecessor.

The sound production is decent and suits the music well.

Protest the Hero have really improved on "A Calculated Use of Sound" compared to "Search for the Truth" and I´m starting to hear promises in the music. Overall I still have a slight issue with the vocal style though and the music isn´t the most exciting thing either. Therefore I´d say a 2 - 2.5 star (45%) rating isn´t all wrong. I really like the energy in the music and that saves much.

UMUR "Search for the Truth" is the debut release by Canadian metalcore/hardcore act Protest The Hero. It´s a 7-inch vinyl record and was the first release on the Underground Operations label. The band had shortly before the release changed their name from Happy Go Lucky to Protest The Hero.

There are two tracks on the single and it features a playing time of 10:06 minutes so you don´t get much quantity for your money. The music is melodic hardcore punk. Very simple and not very original. Frontman Rody Walker has got one of the most distinct "Love him or hate him" sounding voices that I´ve heard in a while. High pitched and nasale. He seems like he has some trouble controlling his voice on this release and he certainly doesn´t make it easy to digest his vocal style.

The musicianship is not very strong and I get the feeling that these guys play sloppy on purpose. Sometimes that approach can be used to great effect but in this case it just sounds like the band can´t play or haven´t rehearsed enough. Drummer Moe Carlson is the worst sinner here. He sounds like he can´t remember the breaks in the songs. It all sounds very amaturish and very untight.

The production is below standard. Muddy and without punch.

All of the above amounts to a 1 star (20%) rating. I´m not even sure the fans of the band will enjoy this one, but of course I might be wrong. I don´t enjoy giving out low ratings, but in this case it´s warranted.

Time Signature Praedator...

Genre: alternative metalcore

Eths' third album is one of those releases that are difficult to place in one single genre-box, as the French band use elements from a lot of different subgenres within the world of metal. Thus, there is a bit of thrash metal, a bit of melodic death metal, a bit of sludge metal, a bit of gothic metal, and even some symphonic elements every now and then (as in the outro of 'Anatemnein').

However, I think it is safe to say that the cores style is a blend of metalcore and alternative metal, as Eths make extensive use of metalcore styled grooves and the introspective shoegazing feel of much alternative metal. Some tracks, like 'Voragine', lean more towards metalcore, while others, like 'Gravis Venter', lean more towards alternative metal. I am well aware that metalcore and alternative metal are much hated among metal purists, but they can just fuck off, because Eths have really struck a nice balanced between the two genres, and it works brilliantly.

The vocals combine clean soft, almost inward-looking, female singing, delivered by Candice, with harsh growls, primarily also delivered by Candice, although some male backing growls appear every now and then. In addition to singing and growling, Candice also makes use of whispers and spoken word, most of which is delivered in French. The vocals are thus pretty interesting, and the overall musicianship is also quite impressive, and all tracks are performed with precision and tightness.

"III" is definitely an interesting release, combining metalcore and alternative metal very efficiently, and including elements from many other genres, and fans of modern metal should definitely check it out. I was going to give this 3.5 stars, but the fact that Eths include so many French-language lyrics earns them an extra 0.5 star.

Time Signature Murderer...

Genre: deathcore

A Christian deathcore act, Impending Doom happens to fall into a category the generally does not appeal to me. It is not that I do not like deathcore per se (I do like a couple of deathcore acts), but it just so happens that most of the bands whose music is categorized as deathcore tends to not appeal to me. Unfortunately (for me, ultimately), Impending Doom's Baptized in Filth did not make it into the admittedly very small group of deathcore releases that rock my world.

There is definitely some good stuff on the album and even I can tell that there is a lot of stuff that definitely will appeal to fans of deathcore and more generally of metalcore. The riffs evolve around tight grooves, and there are bursts of melody every now and then, while the obligatory metalcore breakdown also rears its head. The vocals are harsh and, overall, the music is characterized by a sense of wrath that rivals even that of the Old Testament version of the Christian God. There is nothing wrong with the musicianship as such, and one can only admire the tightness that characterizes the band, and their flair for inserting little bursts of various things to spice up and add some color to their music is also a quite positive feature of Baptized in Filth.

So, looking objectively at the music – insofar as that is even possible – there is nothing as such wrong with this album, and I think that metalcore fans, while probably agreeing that it is not the most innovative deathcore release around, will evaluate it very positively. To my ears, this release tends to become a bit monotonous in the repetition of riff upon riff following the same style of groove, and, if you feel like me, you will probably benefit from listening to the album a couple of songs at the time.

A fairly typical deathcore album to my ears, Baptized in Filth is a solid effort and features many of the elements that define that genre. As it happens, they do not appeal to me, but if you are into that style of music, do not hesitate to give the album a listen yourself – I bet you will like it.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

Time Signature False prophet...

Genre: metalcore

It's an undeniable fact that metalcore is a much hated genre in the metal kingdom for various reasons, such as its appeal to teeenagers and its prominent use of breakdowns as well as the use of commercial and even poppy elements by many artists affiliated with the genre. I can sort of follow this, but I, while considering myself a metalhead of the old school, do not belong to the groups of people who reject metalcore releases per se, as I think that there are indeed a number of positive qualities to metalcore music, and I have come across more than a bunch of metalcore bands that I enjoy.

And so I welcomed the opportunity to check out the latest release by American metalcore act I The Breather – namely, their 2012-release Truth and Purpose.

The music on Truth and Purpose strike me as being pretty typical metalcore, observing all the stylistic features of the metalcore genre – for better and for worse. Thus, most of the tracks are built around breakdown-style groovy riffs in the verses (with the vocals being aggressively yelled), while the choruses are mostly melodic or memorable in some other way. I think that a lot of the verse riffage is pretty cool and definitely very tightly delivered, and I can imagine that metalcore-lovers will find this to be a very positive feature. Personally, I think that, while I admire and enjoy this sort of riffage, I think there is too much of it on the album, and Truth and Purpose is probably going to be one of those albums that I listen to a track at the time. One interesting thing, however, is that I The Breather make use of more atmospheric or melodic guitars overlaid on top of the metalcore grooves, which definitely creates a more voluminous and interesting texture than had they not done that. The parts that I appreciate the most are those that are taken in a more thrashy direction (as in 'Meaning', 'Knights Pawns', and 'Judgement') as well as those that are taken in a more progressive direction. There are a couple of bursts of technicality every now and then, which are a welcome addition to all the metalcorishly groovy riffage, and I also like the more djenty instrumental 'Lunar'.

On the whole, I think that Truth and Purpose is a quite enjoyable album, but it does not strike me as being terribly innovative nor terribly compelling, and to my ears, it does end up being a bit monotonous. Still, I can imagine that those who really love the aesthetics of metalcore, will totally love the way that they are put to use on this album. So, fans of the genre should definitely check it out. Other listeners might want to give it a listen a couple of tracks at the time, because there is too much quality stuff on the album to be ignored simply because it is a metalcore release.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

Conor Fynes 'Not One Word Has Been Omitted' - From A Second Story Window (4/10)

The genre of mathcore has never been something I've been much enthused by, and From A Second Story Window is no exception. Here is a band who brand themselves as 'music for attention-deficit people', and if nothing else, they live up to their name. Although their debut EP 'Not One Word Has Been Omitted' is broken up into five tracks, From A Second Story Window takes the handful of musical ideas they have and tosses them into a disjointed mess. Barring the cringeworthy vocals and tendency to lean towards the breakdown-reminiscent guitar chugging, the EP could have been great, but some serious problems hold this talented act back.

Although they play a style of music I am usually averse to, FASSW are certainly skilled musicians. Even when it comes to the chug-chug guitar lines, the music is played tightly. There are even sparse sections throughout the EP where the band gets quite technical. However, these moments of grace are made few and far between, instead giving it to a fairly consistent sound that falls somewhere between deathcore, grind, and math rock. The tempo is not quite slow enough to be called a 'breakdown', but that's the impression I get from many of the band's rhythms. The distorted adolescent scream of Sean Vandegrift does not help things either; in fact, the vocals here are one of the chief elements that can make the EP difficult to listen to, at times. They are garbled to the point where they would not sound out of place in a cybergrind project, but still maintain the soulless wisp of 'core' vocals that I dislike so much.

Thankfully, there are aspects that indicate to me that From A Second Story Window are a pretty talented group, regardless of shortcomings. As I've said, the music is performed quite well, and when it comes to their math rock sounds, FASSW incorporate dissonance moderately enough into their sound to make it work. 'No Word Has Been Omitted' is not an entirely hopeless effort, but there are enough negatives to have me think twice before returning to it.

adg211288 13 is the debut studio album from Russian act Vismut. The band plays a style of metalcore that is at times progressive or symphonic but also draws on electronic elements on occasion. While I don’t think either of these plays a major part in Vismut’s sound, they do help to flavour the band’s metalcore sound a bit beyond the norms of the genre without becoming overly dominating, something I feel is a turn-off for fans of extreme music in the case of the electronic stuff, although I do think these elements are used tastefully on 13.

Now before I begin I want to say that I don’t make a secret that I think metalcore is one style of metal that quickly got stale, at least among the bigger names in the genre. I find it difficult to encounter bands with much of an identity of their own. Most of the time if you stuck a metalcore band on and didn’t tell me who it was I probably couldn’t tell you even if it was one of the really known names. They may as well be the same band playing the same song for the amount of similar screaming vocals and guitar breakdowns I hear. In Vismut’s case they could easily fall into this category as well, since they have these elements in abundance as much as any other, but they at least go a bit further with some occasional progressive twists and electronic elements to keep their music from falling to that level of boredom.

That said I do find Vismut’s debut to be a bit of a mixed bag. On one hand they’ve produced some interesting enough music, with some real surprises within the tracks, especially the ballad Не нужно ничего, but it also contains several issues within the overall sound. The most prominent of these is the tendency to every so often make it sound as if the music is skipping, which is just plain annoying, no way to put it nicely. I’m also not fond of the clean vocals used within the album. While not a bad case of singing at all I’ve ultimately got to consider that these vocals are being used in a metal context, and they just don’t fit in Vismut’s music. One minute there’s some much more than above average harsh vocals and then the clean vocals start and time after time it kills Vismut’s music dead in the water. The same sadly can be said of other bands within the style, so Vismut is hardly alone in this sense. These are the sort of vocals I’d expect to hear more in pop punk or mainstream indie rock acts than in any kind of metal. To be honest it’s usually the vocals that make me dislike most metalcore. What can I say, I want my clean vocals in metal to be well...metal, if you know what I mean. I’m not going to hold this choice against Vismut, they seem to be following what is expected of their style and that’s fair enough, however their music proves time and time again that this is a band that generally has something going for them, and I’d like to hear it taken to the next level.

There are more positive things than negative ones about 13 though. Clean vocals aside the band is a tight unit, and although I’m not the biggest metalcore fan in the world 13 was a very listenable experience. There are great riffs present in the album and there are some songs I’d saying are pushing towards the high grade, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t a have a fair way to go before I’d be really impressed with what Vismut is doing. I can’t however deny that unlike most metalcore I didn’t feel the need to switch this album off after a couple of tracks. The issues I outlined above are a major hindrance to my overall enjoyment of 13 though so I can’t justify giving it higher than an above average score at best. Without the irritating skipping sounds I may have bumped my score up a notch despite my issues with the clean vocals. But for now Vismut is producing a good sound, just one with some bugs to be ironed out. I’d recommend metalcore fans to check them out definitely, since a metalcore fan will likely have more appreciation for the clean vocals than I did. Outside of the genre’s fanbase 13 may have a bit more appeal than most, but ultimately I don’t see this converting many non-metalcore fans to the style. Prog fans may find something to like though.

6.3/10

(Originally written for Heavy Metal Haven (http://metaltube.freeforums.org))

Kingcrimsonprog Ruin is the second studio album by the British band Architects. It was released in 2007 and was the first album to feature bassist Alex Dean and singer Sam Carter, who replaced Tim Lucas and Matt Johnson respectively.

The musical direction on Ruin is a lot harder, noisier, more angular and generally more extreme than the albums which would follow it, while at the same time not just as extreme and complicated as what preceded it, in part due to Sam Carter’s UK Hardcore Scene influenced vocal style and use of clean vocals.

There are moments of melody, moments of aggression, a reasonable amount of blast beats and a lot of interlocking rhythmic patterns forming the basis of songs. The songs in question all fit together well and although some tracks can feel a little similar at times the album is a decent length, so doesn’t begin to drag or overstay its welcome. The musical consistency, lack of filler and respectable production make Ruin a pretty stand up album all around.

Album highlights include the single ‘Buried At Sea,’ the interesting album closer ‘Save Me,’ and the enjoyable ‘Heartless’ which is mixes crushing rhythmic metal with a soulful Post Hardcore sounding lead that almost foreshadows the direction that the band would later take on The Here And Now in part, while still staying fairly true to their Botch, Sikth and Dillinger Escape Plan influenced past.

Overall, Ruin is a good album and if you like Architects you really ought to get yourself a copy. If The Here And Now is the only album that you’ve heard by them then it may take a bit of getting used to as it is a lot, lot heavier, but the level of musicianship is still high and you should become accustomed after a few listens.

Kingcrimsonprog Biohazard are a long running and classic band among fans of a certain generation, who came out in the early nineties with a sound that mixed together NY-Hardcore, Thrash Metal and Rap Music, resulting in a then innovative and distinct sound. They released eight studio albums until they temporarily disbanded after 2005's magnificent but critically panned Means To An End album.

After a seven-year gap between studio albums; the band got back together, this time with the `Classic Line-Up' for the first time on record since 1994's State Of The World Address album, to release 2012's Reborn In Defiance.

While you may expect the Classic Line-Up to put out an album that mostly sounds like the band's first three records, the end result is actually closer to a mixture of everything they've been doing since then, and all the separate styles that they've incorporated into their sound along the way.

Stylistically half the album, including the pre-released tracks `Skullcrusher' and `Vengeance Is Mine,' is very much in the same mould as their previous album Means To An End, in terms of straight forward crushing and enjoyable, grooving Hardcore Metal, in a sort of post-Hatebreed reinterpretation of their signature sound. The other half of the album is a lot more melodic and slightly experimental in a similar vein to the lighter moments from their Uncivilization and New World Disorder albums.

If you are just a casual Biohazard fan then unfortunately this album probably won't radically change your opinion of the band, it isn't an absolute Tour De Force that will go down in history as an undoubted classic. If you are a fairly strong Biohazard fan however then this is a nice addition to the catalogue that will keep you happy, a welcome collection of some more Biohazard songs that ties together somewhat the different styles of the previous few albums and brings the various experimentations therein to a logical conclusion.

Overall; Reborn In Defiance is a good album, it isn't out and out the best thing that the band have ever done and it isn't likely to win over anyone who already dislikes Biohazard, but is certainly worth checking out if you already follow the band and is nowhere near a disappointment.

Time Signature Tormentor...

Genre: post-metal-noise-core-something

"Iscariot" is the debut EP from the experimental metal act British Cult Cinema's, and listening to it has been a bit of an uneven ride for me.

Stylistically, the band draws on metalcore, sludge metal, hardcore, thrash metal and black metal and noise rock, so they definitely cover a lot of ground on the EP and deserve credit for their eclecticism - still, the album does not strike me as being very varied. Cult Cinema make diligent use of dissonance and tense chords which often appear side by side with more defined and riffage, while the drumming is actually quite varied and the main attraction for my money. This creates as a somewhat organic atmosphere, which is certainly a positive feature. But it is also this very fluid sound that might make the EP - despite the variation that is undeniably present - appear quite monotonous to some listeners (including me, sadly).

"Iscariot" is characterized by experimentation, and there certainly are plenty of positive moments to be heard, but there is one aspect that simply does not sit well with me, and that is, I must say, Ivan Ferreria's screaming vocals, which simply annoy me like hell and totally disturbs my listening experience. As it happens there are a lot of instrumental passages to even things out a bit - but do not let this discourage you, you might like the vocals.

"Iscariot" is certainly not the worst debut release, and, if you like metalcore, noise rock, sludge- and post-metal, and do not mind screaming vocals, then you certainly should check this EP out.

arcane-beautiful Now I’ve been a fan of Cave In for a whilst, but when they disappeared…and then came back, I wasn’t even aware of their reunion. So in their return, I decided to give this album a go, due to the fact it’s a bit of a return to form and…it’s a new Cave In album basically…and I’m a little debated…

The sound these guys make on this album is a bit different to their previous efforts, and is a very dramatic step away from my favourite album of theirs, “Antenna.” There is a very noisy atmosphere to this album, which hasn’t really been heard on their previous albums in this amount of detail. Yes, they are known for using their instruments at times in very interesting ways, but there is a very noisy texture behind all these songs.

I did enjoy this album a good bit, but to be honest, it’s not Cave In’s strongest in my opinion, and I know Cave In fans will slit my throat for this, but I do prefer these guys as a very interesting melodic rock band rather than just a common post hardcore noisy metalcore band. Antenna really had to be one of the most interesting rock albums of the last decade, because the songs where really well put together…but there was something else behind it. This album, has been done before, and it’s been done better.

This album to me is very similar to The Flaming Lips most recent album Embryonic. A big step in the next direction, incorporating a massive experimental side to the band, and bringing noise rock and other influences into the mould, and really experimenting with sound. Now I didn’t get the album when I first album when I first heard it, but now it’s grown on me (maybe this is what this album will do to me).

This album has the exact same formula. There is seeds of their own sound, but now there is a very noisy wall around it. The production is done in a very odd way, where sometimes the noise element can overshadow the songs themselves. Now in The Flaming Lips Embryonic it was interesting to hear this because the noise was rather beautiful at times. But in this album, the noise can at times can be almost overpowering (not too Merzbow, but enough to take away from the actual songs). I also feel that the album seems to get weaker as you listen to it.

Now I’m not going to lampoon this album completely. I did really like it, and would say it’s a great release from the band, and there are some real amazing moments on this album. But I’m afraid that this band that I once loved might end up becoming some obscure hipster feeding machine, where all songwriting ability has been lost in order to entertain the hipsters with beeps and noises rather than actual songs. At times I did feel like I was listening to some pish Pitchfork recommended generic indie band. I do respect this album a lot, because it does have a real album feel to it. The songs run into each other very well and do have grea atmospheres at times. The fact that it’s just over half an hour is a bonus as well.

1. White Silence – I love how this song is almost anthemic in its’ approach. A very odd way to start an album, but great nonetheless. 9/10

2. Serpents – Great riff in this song. Love the hardcore punk feel to it. Great vocals in the song. Best song on the album in my opinion 9/10

3. Sing My Loves – Pretty cool noisy intro. I love the Mastodon feel of the song, reminds me of the song Seabeast. I love the build ups throughout. The only problem I have with this song is that I can barely make out the clean vocals. It’s not that the vocals aren’t there; it’s just that I can’t really make out what Stephen is saying. The song also is a bit too long I feel. I love Calebs vocals in the song though. The noise rock elements are really interesting too. 8/10

4. Vicious Circles – This song does have a pretty killer chorus. The crazy guitar noises in this song are the real marvel to behold in this song. 7/10

5. Centered – The instrumentation and timing of this song is pretty killer. Great vocals and a killer chorus. I also love how the song ends and fades into the next track. 7/10

6. Summit Fever – There is a pretty killer groove in this song. Nice use of vocals. The production really does add to the gigantic sound of the song. 7/10

7. Heartbreaks, Earthquakes – Sounds a bit like a Beatles song on acid and ketamine. The song is pretty trippy, but it does sound like a nightmare of a trip. The only flaw I have with this song is that it does at time sound a bit like a “hipster” indie band trying to be all arty and noisy…but if you consider that it sounds like Panic At The Disco played by Lightning Bolt is a positive thing, then you may enjoy this song just a little more. 7/10

8. Iron Decibels – I do like how minimalistic this song is. Some of the instrumental sections are pretty interesting in the song, but the vocals let it down a bet to be honest. 6/10

9. Reanimation – One of the best songs on the album. I love the nice acoustic sound throughout. I hate how the song (and the album itself) ends with no real warning or care. 8/10

CONCLUSION: All in all, this is a great album. I’m really torn with it at times, and giving the score I’m giving is a bit of a push forward, but to be honest, I do fear these guys might end up embracing a style which really doesn’t belong to them. I love experimentation in music, but that doesn’t mean that your songwriting ability has to suffer due to it. These guys can still write songs, but there are moments on this album which do sound lie

6.9/10

Time Signature Tall tales of a prophecy...

Genre: melodic metalcore

Like melody? Well, here's Beneath for ya.

Falling somewhere between melodic death/thrash and melodic metalcore, Beneath's sponymous EP belongs to that branch of modern metal that I quite enjoy because of the combination of thrashy aggression, metalcore breakdowns and the melodic classic metal-inspired elements of melodeath.

The four tracks on this EP are very strong, and all of them are characterized by both a strong sense of melody and an appealing drive. I especially enjoy extensive use of imbedded melody in the guitar riffs, as wells as the use of melodic guitar harmonies - which is something the Beneath excel at. These melodic elements go well together with the more aggressive elements from thrash metal and metalcore, resulting in some fairly well balanced songs. Strength of the EP is the use of more rock and old school metal oriented riffage, which Beneath have managed to blend seamlessly in with the metalcore and thrash elements.

The production is crisp and very professional and manages to bring all the interesting musical details out into the open, thus showcasing the admirable musicianship of the band.

Fans of the likes of Killswitch Engage and Nothing Divine should check out this fine melodic metalcore release.

Time Signature Asphalt...

Genre: modern metal

Kells are normally categorized as a symphonic metal band, and perhaps their earlier releases are symphonic (I dont know because this is the first Kells album I've heard), but this one is not symhponic at at all. The style on "Anachromie" falls somewhere between alternative metalb and metalcore with groove and melody being the key components.

And, I think it is a quite good release, fronted by Virginie Goncalves' powerful and expressive vocals, ranging from soft singing over rock belting to harsh screaming - I especially like it when she goes off into oriental territory as in the introduction of 'Illusion D'Une Aire'. The sound is slightly minimalist at times, and also quite unpolished, which I actually think is a plus.

As mentioned above, there is a lot of emphasis on groove, and these guys are very good at coming up with groovy and hard rocking riffs - which go well together with Goncalves vocal lines; the choruses are typically quite melodic, so there is some potential for commercial appeal, too. I also quite like the way that the rhythm section works in terms of groove and dynamics (there really is a tight chemistry between the drums and the bass).

There's lots of groove on this album, and fans of both groovy metal and melodic metal should check it out.

UMUR "Halo in a Haystack" is the debut full-length studio album by US post-hardcore act Converge. The album was released in 1994 in a limited number of vinyl copies by Earthmaker Records and is now out of print. However 8 out of the 10 tracks on the 34:00 minutes long album also appear on the "Caring and Killing (1995)" compilation. The compilation is easier to find as it was released on slightly more prolific labels in Lost And Found Records in Europe and Hydra Head Records in the US.

Converge are widely considered a pioneering act in post-hardcore and right off the bat it´s audible why when listening to "Halo in a Haystack". The band play a very unconventional hardcore style where they combine fast-paced and aggressive hardcore punk sections, with heavier groovy sections and atmospheric clean guitar sections. The band obviously aim at twisting conventions and that goes for song structures too. I´d actually go as far as to call some of the tracks on "Halo in a Haystack" progressively structured. Very intriguing indeed. The vocals are even more unconventional though and they are pretty sure to be an aquired taste. High pitched, whiny, distorted, aggressive and melancholic are some of the words I´d use to describe the vocals by Jacob Bannon. His vocal style can be a bit much at times but it´s certainly original.

Besides a few production flaws, "Halo in a Haystack" is a very impressive debut album by Converge. High level musicianship and a songwriting approach that´s adventurous to say the least. They would go on to release more mature albums later on in their career but still a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating is deserved.

J-Man Though deathcore is admittedly not one of my favorite genres, American flag-bearers Born of Osiris have been one of my favorite discoveries this year. Their progressive and technical take on this now-tired mix of death metal and metalcore is refreshing, and their gifted capabilities as songwriters and musicians makes them even more noteworthy in my book. Looking back on The New Reign (their first EP under the band name Born of Osiris) from today's lenses shows that they didn't start out as an eye-opening act, however - while the band's distinct sound is somewhat in place, it's much more immature and disjointed than any of their future efforts. The New Reign is a fairly mediocre effort that relies far too heavily on conventional deathcore techniques for my liking, and when it does deviate from this well-trodden formula, the results are hit and miss.

The music you'll find on The New Reign is best described as deathcore with quite a few technical and melodic twists. There are lots of technical nuances in the compositions, especially in the guitar department, and the synthesizer flavorings give Born of Osiris a few unique assets aside from your standard 'chug-chug-breakdown' deathcore album. While this is definitely a positive in my book, Born of Osiris was still far from perfecting their sound on this EP - the synthesizer tones sound cheap and fake, and they tend to awkwardly dance above the rest of the tech-metal madness with no rhyme or reason. To further add to this, the songs themselves often jump from one section to another without any warning; in short, this is an extremely incoherent and jagged release from a compositional standpoint. The musicianship is undoubtedly excellent, with the lightning-fast guitar leads and complex drum patterns often leaving me in amazement, but the songs are just so disjointed that it's difficult to get too excited about The New Reign.

It's also worth noting that the production is not quite up to par either, with the dry and rather muddy sound often detracting from my overall enjoyment. All in all, The New Reign is not an EP I enjoy very much, but there are still plenty of ambitious ideas throughout its duration to save it from being considered a poor effort. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone except those who can't get enough of Born of Osiris, so I guess 2.5 is a pretty fair score. Time would prove that these lads would improve immensely over this disjointed debut within the next few years.

Time Signature The martyr's song...

Genre: djent

The Empire Shall Fall is normally categorized on the Internet and other places as a metalcore band, and they may indeed be a metalcore band (I don't know, as this EP constitutes my first encounter with this band) but, apart from a couple of metalcore breakdowns in 'Narrow, The Path I walk Part II' and the occasional use of typical metalcore screams, the dominant feature on this album is the djent sound.

So rather than djent-infused metalcore, I'd say that this is metalcore-infused djent (if you believe in djent as a genre), and it has all the elements that make djent progressive, such as the mind-boggling rhythmic patterns (well, compared to much other djent-based music, the grooves on this release are "only" mildly mind-boggling) and the technically advanced playing, but there is more progressivity to this release than just the djent-elements.

For example, a track like 'Narrow, The Path I Walk II' contains a middle section with references to psychedelic 70s rock, including organs and bluesy guitar-solos with 'oohs' and 'whoahs' on top, while 'As The City Sleeps' features a semi-jazzy passage and also some smooth midnight saxophone. The kinda epic 7-minutes 'The Martyr's Song' has more of a sludgy groove to it and features twin guitars as well as mellow intermezzos every now and then, and its overall drive is reminiscent to that of many The Damned Things tracks.

While metalcorish at times, the vocals also feature many clean passages, often sung in a way that might be associated with sludge metal and alternative metal. The musicianship is top notch, and the music is definitely complex - yet it is kept accessible enough that most listeners should be able to follow it. Oh, and the album is jam packed with tasty guitar licks.

Volume I: Solar Plexus is the first installment in a series of EPs, and if this fine work of djent metal is any indicator of what the rest of the EPs will sound like, then I am definitely going to check them out, too.

(review originally posted at seaoftranquility.org)

Sheavy "Everythings a novelty..."

This is the first whole album I have listened to from BTBAM, the only other contact I have had with this band is the song Alaska and More Of Myself To Kill.

With this being said I will know procede to blabber about this album like a good new fanboy would. This is very far from your average Metalcore band like As The Blood Runs Black or similar, BTBAM manage to pack an absolute ton of musical ideas into this release without it ever losing focus. All of the transitions into other styles of music are also done extremely expertly and smoothly. I still have no clue how BTBAM manages to make all the transitions so natural sounding, because they never ever sound out of place.

The muscianship is above top notch, everything from blast-beating to soft jazz is played with amazing precision and expertise.

I will refrain from saying anything much about the music specifically so as not to ruin your musical adventure contained within this album. Hopefully you will be as amazed with this album (and band) as I was.

Conor Fynes 'Dichotomy' - Becoming The Archetype (6/10)

Becoming The Archetype is a band that I have seen glimmers of brilliance in, but they have never managed to really grab my imagination and run with it. 'Terminate Damnation' showed this Atlanta-based metalcore act coming onto the scene full of potential, but their following records have never really lived up to that debut. 'Dichotomy' comes close, and being the second best album from the band, it manages to spark some interest in me even after listening to it. For all of the talent, brilliant ideas and it being produced by one of the most creative minds in metal however, this album only manages to give a decent, rather than an excellent experience.

'Mountain Of Souls' shows the band at their best, going heavy on the riffs, but making sure to include ambiance and detail in the sounds. This may be in no small part due to the production talents of one Devin Townsend, best known for his fronting of Strapping Young Lad, and a keen solo career. He has a line or two of singing in 'Mountain Of Souls', and it really helps to tie Becoming The Archetype in with an artist who I really love, although on their own merits, the band does a great job here as well. It really impresses me that within the course of a single song, the band is able to span from metal to Indian raga music, to a jazzy instrumental break. Unfortunately, this sort of quality pops up only intermittently throughout the rest of this album.

A point of controversy that arises from this band is their Christian leanings and religiously- inclined lyrics. While this does not necessarily mean that the music will be bad (I have a good deal of respect for prog songster Neal Morse, who touches upon his beliefs quite a bit), the Christian overtones in 'Dichotomy' are very poorly disguised, to the point that they are somewhat tasteless. Hearing a grimy breakdown with guttural vocals screaming 'Hallelujah' is laughable at best, and while others in the metal scene may have an even bigger bone to pick with the Christian references, its clear to me that if the band wants to cover such a controversial religious stance in a genre that generally refutes it, they are going to have to be alot more clever about it.

The musicianship here is very good, and I find myself impressed by what Becoming The Archetype has to offer in parts. However, 'Dichotomy' does not give the listener a consistent dose of their greatness, being bogged down by some fairly poignant weaknesses.

Conor Fynes 'Scurrilous' - Protest The Hero (5/10)

In the past, I have often used this band as an example of the flash-over-substance mentality that quite a bit of progressive metal has. Admittedly, I briefly liked what the band had to offer when I was first introduced to them, but it was not too long before I realized that they had a 'twinkie' mentality to their music; being that it looked it on the outside, but as soon as I dug a little deeper, it was clear that there wasn't all too much to hold my interest. I would never deny that the band are very skilled musicians, and with their third offering 'Scurrilous', they are still dragged down by some issues that have been stinging since their inception.

'Scurrilous' essentially picks up where the band's second album 'Fortress' left off and offers some more of the same, with few developments to speak of. For the most part, this is an improvement over Protest's generally sporadic and irritating sophomore, and while there are none of the same standout tracks that 'Fortress' was only partially redeemed by, 'Scurrilous' is a much more consistent record, and somewhat emphasizes what I liked about them beforehand. In terms of what I like about Protest The Hero, the list begins and ends with the guitars. Tim Miller and Luke Hoskin are phenomenal musicians, and 'Scurrilous' is a virtually unrelenting showcase of their skills, delivering riff upon impressive riff of distinct arpeggios and progginess aplenty. While I may not be nearly as enthusiastic about any other quality of the band, the guitars are essential enough to the sound of 'Scurrilous' that it becomes something of a decent listen, and could have even been a brilliant one, were it not for some painfully unpleasant aspects in their sound.

The lesser of the two main concerns I have with the sound of Protest The Hero is the songwriting. While there are plenty of awesome riffs and technically sound moments for listeners to be dazzled by, the way things are structured doesn't give any sense of drama or tension, or even a slight sense of build up. While the unrelenting technicality and speed of the album is not necessarily a bad thing in of itself, the is little dynamic here, and even within the context of a song itself, the ideas rarely compliment each other. The songwriting always feels rhapsodic and without direction. The songwriting is far from the worst aspect of Protest The Hero's sound however.

The thing that really kills Protest The Hero for me are the vocals of Rody Walker, whose adolescent howl has put me off virtually from square one. Although gifted with an admittedly impressive vocal range, the sound of his voice doesn't pass me as being much more than an angry whine, and his voice has an irritating sense of vibrato to it that I can only interpret as the vocal equivalent of television static. Walker's voice exemplifies why I cannot like this band; he warbles every note to the point of overindulgence, and when it comes to the actual sound of his voice, it is fairly shallow, despite his obvious ability to go wherever he wants with his delivery. Not to mention that the vocals are paired with some equally irritating lyrics; while Protest The Hero's lyrics here are somewhat better than they were with 'Fortress' and are at times even witty, it is ironic that the times when Rody enunciates the words most clearly are the times when he decides that swearing is the only way to express his youthful angst. Of course, like anything, so-called 'bad language' can be used appropriately and powerfully, but here, it almost feels like they are trying to force the words in, in order to get some sort of badass credibility they would otherwise be lacking. The result is fairly laughable.

As one can likely tell within one paragraph of this review, I do not like Protest The Hero. While they are all skilled and flashy, the technical wankery does not tend to work in their favour when they don't have much else to back it up with. Luckily however, 'Scurrilous' earns points for me, even if only because it is a great step up from 'Fortress'. There is also some brilliant guitar work here, and I could easily see 'Scurrilous' being a surefire winner for me if it were kept a purely instrumental album. As it stands though, the good elements here are only somewhat worth bearing with the negative.

Conor Fynes 'Invade' - Within The Ruins (5/10)

Throughout the career of this band, Within The Ruins have continued to impress me more and more with their technical chops, but despite all of the flashy skills on guitar, they seem to always lack in the songwriting department, where it really counts. 'Creature' showed the band developing into a more solid tech metal act rather than the deathcore of yesteryear, and for the most part, I have supported this moderate shift. However, although Within The Ruins have certainly polished up the sound they are working with here on their sophomore full length 'Invade', I cannot say that the musical experience itself has actually been improved upon, and in the end, that's all that matters.

Within The Ruins seems to be another one of those would-be metalcore bands that likely got tired of the widespread conventions of the genre, and instead got trapped in the conventions and formula of prog metalcore, a style shared by other more established acts such as Between The Buried And Me, and Becoming The Archetype. Compared to their earlier stuff 'I would say that 'Invade' takes a slightly more experimental edge, although as is evidenced by the campy aesthetic of the album cover, they still have that deathcore sound in their music. For some, that may not necessarily be a bad thing, but I'll have to say that- putting it diplomatically- I prefer Within The Ruins when they are doing their technical thing, rather than plodding along with their chug-chug antics.

The instrumentation and musicianship has been sharpened since their previous outing, and I'm even hearing some stranger sounding ideas where they are dabbling around with out-of-tune leads and such. The drummer's unrelenting style still somewhat annoys me, but even that's been improved upon. Really, the only thing about Within The Ruins which doesn't seem to be open to much change are the vocals, and they are also one of the less glorious elements in the band/ Although they are standard for the style, they are flat and dry and while getting that sense of primal anger and 'oomph' across, I don't find them enjoyable on a musical level.

Within The Ruin's greatest weakness always has been, and remains the dry songwriting, which never builds up to anything. The songs enter fast and angry, and they leave fast and angry. The static trend of the compositions really takes away much of the shock while listening to the technical riffs, because after hearing nothing but heaviness after a while, the ears of the listener begin to adjust, and soon it just gets monotonous. I really hope Within The Ruins works that out at some point, because from a technical standpoint, they are good to go. There just needs to be that one big push in the direction of good songwriting to get me liking what this band is doing.

Conor Fynes 'Centralia' - Car Bomb (6/10)

Often, my judgement of whether a piece of avant-garde, or experimental music is good or not relies largely on the implication of intention. In shorter words, that basically means that even if the music sounds random or jarring at first, if there is a code to crack, or at least that the things I am hearing weren't left up to chance. With that being said, may I introduce Car Bomb, a mathcore act from New York that builds their sound around random, jerky song structures. Running back to my first point, their album 'Centralia' is a work that could well have been one of brilliance, but their use of ideas passes me more as being thrown together, rather than something that was properly thought out and organized.

I acknowledge full well that mathcore is 'not by thing', and that this review is coming from someone who is more of an outsider to this sound than anything. Regardless, Car Bomb is a band that seems intent to throw as many different ideas and sounds into their relatively short album length as possible. Much of these ideas revolve to schizophrenic guitars, and harsh, throaty vocals buzzing around. Comparing them to more well-known acts, this is much like what a band like Psyopus or The Dillinger Escape Plan does, though Car Bomb's sound is arguably more eclectic. Although I cannot enjoy the dissonant, 'harsh' moments of this band too much- they sound jarring and thin to my ears- there are experiments done with the guitar that make them at the very least interesting. Guitarist Greg Kubacki is the star of this band, getting adventurous with distortion feedback, and making a host of strange sounds with his instrument by the time the album is done. Car Bomb also throws some mellow passages at the listener to break up the chaos. However brief they might be, the diversity by itself is interesting.

It is the eclectic, sporadic nature of the band that keeps the band most interesting. However, their strength is also their greatest weakness. While I enjoy the constant flow of ideas that Car Bomb keep assaulting the listener with, the actual way these ideas are structured is frankly underwhelming. A perfect example is with the few ambient post-rock moments that are scattered throughout the album. The chaos stops, and the listener is treated to some graceful atmosphere and quiet work that sounds like it is building up into something dramatic until- the same chaos again. Car Bomb almost seems too dedicated to the neverending madness that they forget to properly use a great idea when they get one. Instead of jabbing at the listener from as many angles as possible from start to finish, it would have been much more effective if 'Centralia' had featured even a few sections where they let a couple of these ideas flourish and be fully developed. Instead, what we are left with is a flurry of short, rhapsodic ideas that touch at excellence, but it never feels like any of this is organized properly.

Conor Fynes 'Level 2' - Last Chance To Reason (8/10)

Disregarding the fact that it seems like every other melodic metal band with keyboards out there today is calling themselves 'progressive', the modern face of prog metal has been passed down to bands like Animals As Leaders, Periphery, and more recently, Last Chance To Reason. Here is a band that has only released their first major-label effort this year, and already shows plenty of promise for the years to come. Merging the sounds of a few progressive metal legends, Last Chance To Reason forms a sound that almost exclusively draws its influences from within the prog metal umbrella, and seeks to create something of an ultimate experience of the genre. As one might expect from this formula, there is little truly new that the band offers, but they do rather incredible things with what they have.

Seeing Last Chance To Reason live opening for Obscura demonstrated to me that this was a band who amazed on every front when it came to musical virtuosity. Apart from having one of the best mixed sounds I have ever heard in the live setting, each member brought something exciting and technical to the table. Last Chance To Reason's frontman Bob Delaney even proudly exclaims at the beginning of their set that they are 'progressive metal'. Sure enough, both the live performance and recording of this band tend to indicate that Delaney was making no understatement. It must be some feat in itself, but Last Chance To Reason manages to touch on virtually every cliche and convention of prog metal, save for a twenty minute epic. While I might be inclined to hate a band like this, the way in which the band executes it is far too well done for me to dismiss.

Musically, the primary influence I am hearing is Cynic, particularly their new, more song- based incarnation. The music is melodic, yet viciously technical, with time signatures being tossed around like pizza crust. The biggest similarity to Cynic are actually Bob Delaney's vocals, which are often clean and sound filtered through that Paul Masvidal vocorder thing that makes Cynic somewhat controversial among metal fans. The clean vocals work very well with the instrumentation; they bring melody to the table, but rarely get intense enough to distract. There are also growls here, but they don't work so well. Maybe the biggest conflict I have with the music of this band are their lyrics and concept. The body of the band's work revolves around video games, and apparently coincides with a larger project where this music is set to a video game. While it does not impede the technical proficiency of these players, the lyrics come off as cheesy and often reverting to technobabble, as opposed to poetic metaphors, and the sort of lyrics I most appreciate.

'Level 2' is a pretty amazing album in many regards, and while the band's influences are very clear even from the first listen, Last Chance To Reason's bombastic approach makes them recognizable and impressive. The drawbacks are few, but noticeable enough. All the same, I have no trouble believing that Last Chance To Reason's 'Level 3' (or whatever they will call their next album) will be a real hit, even moreso than this one. LC2R are a band to look out for.

McMuffin999 Dagger...

Masstaden is the first album of Swedish Progressive metal band Vildhjarta. They have not relaeased any official material until now but they have made some impact in the Extraordinary League of Extraordinary Djentlemen as well as on the net.

The Djent movement has gotten increasingly popular these days, in which most bands just sound similar or exactly like Meshuggah, the band who inspired such movement in the first place. I am pleased to report that although Vildhjarta does take some of their influence with the odd time signatures and growled vocals, their take on djent is extremely original, in the sense that they use their heavy grooves, their intense pace and even avant-garde elements to create an atmosphere unique to the djent scene. They are sort of the combination of Volumes, Periphery and Uneven Structure, with a little Textures.

Now when it comes to the music itself, it is very good. Their musicianship is top notch, the production quality is much higher than their previous material, and the technicality is on another level here. Overall, its definately one of the best releases Djent has seen in a while and fans of this subgenre (or the sub-subgenre ambidjent, as some have come to call it) should not pass this album overlooked. 4 stars well deserved and i am expecting to see more from this awesome band. Long live THALL

Xaxaar Jane Doe really took me by surprise. As someone who's opinion of "core" has been contaminated by bands such as Bring Me The Horizon and Emmure, this album was sort of "Well, let's give the best of this genre a shot and see if it can redeem itself." And it has. Jane Doe is a whirlwind of emotion and technicality that never ceases and makes you longing for more when it does finally fade out. Every song is a cohesive experience, you're not going to "get it" by just listening to Homewrecker or Concubine by itself; it needs the context of the album to fully appreciate. Every song is absolutely essential, feeling like a mad house until the last track fills you with some sense of closure, but still longing for more.

The lyrics have no real structure to them and instead every song feels like a poem, but with hXe screams. Most people are put-off from the vocal style, but I think if you can get over that fact you can find some really meaningful stuff. Jane Doe's lyrics were written from Jacob Bannon's heart and I really do think it blends very well. He takes you on a journey where you feel everything from: shock, to denial, to depression, to hatred, defeat, self-loathing, loneliness, and hope. When all our roads have been travelled and all have come to a most bitter end: Today I thaw.

And of course there are the instruments. There are nothing short of being some of the most creative I've heard in a while. There is no question that this is also a masterpiece regarding technicality. Right away within the first 30 seconds of the album, it throws you into odd time signatures, crazy riffing, blast beats, and screaming. Concubine sure kicks off the album with haste. And it really doesn't slow down with Fault and Fracture, continuing on with Concubine's crazy theme. But what I like about this song so much is the outro. The drums crashing in and then speeding up the song is just great. After that is Distance and Meaning which actually utilizes clean vocals. And yes, I have to say it has calmed down a bit here, although that riff in the beginning still sounds pretty clustered. Now, Hell to Pay is when it really calms down. No doubt the calmest song on the album, and it has a very climatic song structure. It also has some great lyrics and how they're presented are great:

"That night, I think he cried himself to sleep Just maybe, he felt more than we could ever know And I think he pulled that trigger to empty that memory I think he cut the weight to end the floods of you Let him soar, let him ride as budding gravestones do Just sleep, girl, just dream well"

Then it goes into Homewrecker, which is kind of a 'rocking' song, believe it or not...at least I think so. It's still mathcore, don't get me wrong, but it has a certain drive to it that kinda makes it feel like that. Maybe it's the cowbell. Then there's The Broken Vow which is a pleasant little 2 minute'r. Starts off sounding like hardcore punk, but then quickly switches to a more mellow song until it finally hits you with the outro. And then it hits you with an even shorter song. This one just has a very punk-y tone through-out, I think. Heaven In Her Arms is when the album starts to take a turn. It's pretty fast the first half, but then it quickly goes into a more heavy sounding riff and then slows down until it fades off into Phoenix in Flight. Phoenix in Flight is like any other song on here, as it's just kinda slow and has an epic (forgive me for using that word) feel to it. It just sort of builds on itself instrumentally and then brings it home with a driving outro. And then there Phoenix in Flames which is just nuts. Just screaming and drums and the production turns kinda shotty. It serves as an excellent transition to Thaw, which is one of my favorites. It just never gets dull; it starts off with an awesome riff, and then just erupts with, yes you guessed it, an awesome outro. I know I kinda used that phrase a lot, but it's true: a lot of these songs' finishes are just golden. And I have to say, the best outro, and reward for the best song on the album, goes to Jane Doe: the epic to end it all. This song practically makes the album. I don't like to throw around the word 'perfect' a lot, but this song may just be. It's not as chaotic as you would think, but the song is driven by such emotion that it can be easily forgiven and in fact you wouldn't want it either way.

Jane Doe has went far beyond my expectations and deserves a 5 star for how much it enlightened me on other genres. It gives me hope for all of those other genres I disregarded. Maybe they will have a Jane Doe of their own.

Run on girl, run on.

J-Man Creature is the debut full-length album from Within the Ruins, and it's also their first release for major extreme metal label Victory Records. Their first two EP's didn't do much to impress me, but nonetheless I gave Creature a few spins just to see if they'd made some improvements since their rough beginning. While a slight improvement over their previous two releases, Creature is still plagued by the lifeless compositions and generic stylistic traits that restrain my enthusiasm for this band in general. Within the Ruins certainly know how to handle their instruments, but I fail to find anything on Creature that strikes me as a worthwhile musical experience.

The music on Creature lies somewhere between deathcore, technical death metal, and melodic death metal. While Within the Ruins fails at sounding too different from the hordes of deathcore outfits on the scene today, their tech-metal edge does keep things more interesting than one might expect. The tech-metal portions are pretty dry and unmemorable, but I'd take them any day over the torturous one-note breakdowns and gang-styled vocals that Creature relies upon far too heavily. As a standalone technical death metal album, Creature may have been pretty interesting - those jagged transitions between sections and dreadful breakdowns really drag down my enjoyment, though. This album is honestly a mess from a compositional standpoint, and the entire lack of memorability and coherence is ultimately Creature's greatest downfall.

Though a flawed album in many regards, this debut isn't entirely without its assets. Within the Ruins are a group of impeccable musicians (especially in the guitar department), and Creature's blinding solos and furious start-stop dynamics show within minutes that these guys have quite a bit of experience at their respective instruments. The production is also pretty good, even though the drums sound too triggered for my liking.

Overall, Creature is more or less what I expected from a Within the Ruins album at this point - fantastic musicianship and quality production, unfortunately matched with lifeless compositions and unmemorable riffs. Hardly a rewarding musical experience in any sense of the word, the most I can give Creature is 2 stars. If Within the Ruins honed in on their tech-death metal side and ditched the sterile songwriting, they may have a lot to offer - until that happens, you can easily put them in the overwhelmingly large category of deathcore bands that simply fail to deliver.

J-Man In 2008, American technical deathcore act Within the Ruins followed up their rather weak debut EP with Empires. Also released on Innerstrength Records, this EP showed the band with a few slight improvements to their core sound introduced on Driven by Fear. Empires has a few more interesting tech-metal moments than their first effort, and even though the overall atmosphere is still pretty generic and sterile, Within the Ruins had made a step forward with this outing. I really wish the band would've done without the boring one-note breakdowns this time around, but there's still enough mildly interesting moments to keep Empires from being completely disposable.

At its core, Empires is virtually the same style we heard on Driven by Fear. That means you should expect fairly by-the-books deathcore with an additional technical edge. Fortunately, the tech-metal edge has been expanded upon slightly this time around, and it replaces a few of the previous EP's more horrific aspects. The wretched clean vocals are hardly found on Empires, and even though there are still far too many uninspired breakdowns here, they are less frequent than they were on the debut. The tech-metal aspect still isn't very remarkable, but at least it holds my interest more than boring deathcore breakdowns. The production has also been improved on Empires, and this sounds much more like a professional release than Driven by Fear.

Empires is a pretty substantial improvement over Driven by Fear, but it still isn't enough to really blow me away. Within the Ruins simply don't possess memorable songwriting tools, and their frequent 'default to breakdown'-styled compositions fail to come across as more than a mere gimmick. The musicianship and production are very strong, though, so 2 stars are pretty fair for Empires. Even though this isn't a particularly memorable effort, it may be worth a look from fans of Within the Ruins and deathcore in general.

J-Man Before being signed to Victory Records and becoming one of the world's most popular technical deathcore outfits, Within the Ruins released two EP's on Innerstrength Records. Driven by Fear is the first effort from this American five-piece, and it was released in 2006. Even this early in their career, Within the Ruins were a group of highly proficient musicians with a knack for creating very technical and demanding deathcore music. Even though they would improve their craft even more over the course of the next few years, Driven by Fear shows a talented young act that (unfortunately) comes across as rather generic and sterile in my eyes. Within the Ruins has never been a band to really impress me, and even though their sound is more technically demanding than your average deathcore act, it hardly differentiates from the lifeless sound that plagues the majority of the genre. For my money, Driven by Fear is an entirely disposable release that's only recommended to die-hard Within the Ruins fans.

The music here is a mix of deathcore, technical death metal, and few occasional touches of melodeath. I've said before that Within the Ruins is fairly standard "chug-chug-chug" breakdown-driven deathcore with a few wanky guitar sections for additional technicality, and even though that isn't entirely true, the music on Driven by Fear does come across as derivative and pretty uninteresting. There are a few decent riffs, but the songwriting just isn't that powerful or memorable. I find myself begging for this EP to end about halfway through; definitely a major issue when the product in question is under twenty five minutes. The production is also a lot less polished and professional than some later Within the Ruins efforts, and even though it's still competent, it sounds pretty dry and lifeless to these ears.

While not without its assets, Driven by Fear is a pretty unessential release in my opinion, even within the rather weak discography from Within the Ruins. Strong musicianship does not necessarily make strong music, and the lifeless compositions and generic deathcore approach exemplified on this effort are pretty good evidence of this. Maybe if the band ditched the sterile breakdowns they would impress me a bit more; whatever the cause for my distaste, I've yet to be impressed from this American outfit and this debut EP hasn't changed my mind. 1.5 stars are deserved for the quality musicianship alone, but this isn't one I'd easily recommend. The band's full-length albums are (slightly) better if you're still interested in checking these guys out.

Kingcrimsonprog Madness In Manilla is a live DVD/CD combo released in 2010 by the Massachusetts based American Metalcore band Shadows Fall, which was recorded live at Summerslam Festival in the Philippines back in 2009. The performance features a career spanning sixteen-track setlist that is balanced and which covers all the band’s most well known material as well as a few less expected numbers for variety.

This DVD is a proper full-length concert video of a single concert, as opposed to how either their previous DVD, The Art Of Touring or for example Down’s Diary Of A Mad Band were set out. Luckily for most concert fans, the set isn’t interspersed with home video footage or animations either, just the live performance from beginning to end.

The band play on a large outdoor festival stage along to an incredibly detailed light show, with all sorts of rotating, panning and altering lights, spots and colour changes, as well as lots of dry ice.

The camerawork features lots of movement, with all sorts of cranes and dollys employed along with the usual camera crew, the whole operation is a lot more complex and professional than any of the band’s previously available live videos from bonus discs and such things.

You get a lot of coverage of the instruments being played which is always a plus for viewers who are musicians and a good cover of the band’s famously proficient drummer Jason Bitner. What you also get to see a lot of is singer Brian Fair windmilling his knee-length dreadlocks, which is an interesting sight all things considered.

Whilst there are a lot of positives to be said about the visuals, there are some issues in the shot matching, occasional framing problems and the dry ice can effect the picture quality, it switches from incredibly high resolution shots on cranes and not so great images on handhelds. Furthermore the menus are cheap looking and basic so it isn’t as absolutely perfect as some bigger band’s festival DVDs or equally sized band’s indoor concert DVDs, but is still a strong release overall.

Standout tracks include the furious performance of early classic ‘Crushing Belial,’ which is opened with an enthusiastic yet expletive description of its epic status by Brian, which gives you a good idea of the energy and attitude that then goes into the ensuing performance. Other highlights include the Grammy nominated set closer ‘Redemption’ as well as the newer track ‘War’ which hammers away at a relentless pace.

Additionally; there are bonus features, which include four more live videos for ‘The Light That Blind,’ ‘Redemption,’ ‘Venous’ and ‘Thoughts Without Words,’ from Japan, The Philippines and Korea respectively, although the quality obviously isn’t as high as the main feature.

The sound and mix are great, so judging the product overall; the only real problems with the DVD apart from the previous mentioned visuals are subjective problems with Shadows Fall in general. If for example, you think their material is samey then sixteen tracks in a row may be a bit much for you, and similarly if you are used to their super-polished studio sound, then the live backing vocals or clean sections may well sound odd or strangely out of place.

Otherwise however, Madness In Manilla is a very good release from Shadows Fall that I would definitely recommend to fans. Due to its high sound quality and expansive setlist, it would make a fine introduction to the band for newcomers as well.

Sheavy This album could almost pass as a straight up death metal album, because the riffs are much more doomy than most metalcore.

There are many good moments here on Demon Hunter's third album, my personnal favorite being the cover song Snap your Fingers, Snap your Neck. It has a absolutely amazing bass line, and is a pretty doomy and slow song, with no really virtuoso playing, nor is there any throughout the entire album actually. There are quite a few clean vocal moments, but vocalist Ryan Clark is a very good singer, and does not subtract in any way from the music here.

Also of not is the ballad-sy ending song The Tide began To Rise. This is a hauntingly beautiful song, with nice piano, acoustic guitar, and very good lyrics. this song metalheads probably won't like, but anyone with a love for music will definently like this song.

One of the better metalcore bands out there today, if this cd is anything to go by.

Sheavy Third album from Metalcore band As I Lay Dying, and it is pretty much more of the same from this band, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.

None of the songs really come near to being really memorable, the first song Meaning In Tragedy, being the most memorable (except Repeating Yesterday), and it is only really memorable because it is the first song. Good muscianship all around, even if I cannot really hear the bass, I assume it is on par with the rest of the talent this group has. The vocals are the run of the mill sound, with occasional clean parts.

Now, for the best song. That honor goes to Repeating Yesterday, which starts off really mellow with some nice drums and a spoken word segment from Stephen Hawking. This part builds up in intensity thanks to the drums, and when it breaks over with some growled vocals and guitar, it really shows the untapped potential this band has.

A good enough album that should appeal to fans of metalcoe, and possibly some metalheads.

Sheavy As I Lay Dying is a christian metalcore band that plays pretty generic, albeit good metalcore. I'm going to come out here and say that I like metalcore. I don't think it is the best thing since TV dinners (that would be grindcore), but there are some definately good and bad bands in the genre.

As I Lay Dying falls into the better of the bands. The music is not breakdown upon breakdown like some metalcore bands seem to love so much, though there is plenty of them. The muscians themselves are very competent, and can create some very good moments that stand out. The drummer is very good and can kill on the double bass, and the dual guitar approach this band takes can also lead to some very cool moments.

The opener 94 Hours is without a doubt the strongest of all the songs here, and features a very captivating double bass moment. Another song that I like here is the rather short, but good, Undefined.

This might appeal to some tr00 metalheads, because there is some death and thrash influence to their sound, but I can't gurantee you will like it, because it is a rather average offering, but still enjoyable.

Sheavy (Original review from ProgArchives.com)

Welcome to insanity. With a band name like Car Bomb, you already get the hint that you are about to have quite a listening experience. Well, what an experience this band is. The music here is very technical and precise, with lots of choppy, stuttering like playing. It is not a very easy listening, and if it were any longer it would start to turn into more of a muddle of noise than seperate songs, which is fine for me as long as it is done right. Thankfully ( for most of you out there ) this is not the case and this album is kept pretty short, coming in at about 30 minutes.

There is also some outside influences from other styles of music such as Jazz, and Electronic, but mainly, this is hyper-active, super technical grindcore like songs. The only other band I can realy say that really makes music that is relatively similar is Psyopus.

The songs themselves are not songs that really stand out by themselves ( they are not bad, just good by themselves ), but when taken as a whole they really are put to good use.

A excellent album for anyone looking for some Prog that is out in the abyss, and for Tech/Extreme metal lovers.

Kingcrimsonprog Fear Will Drag You Down is a compilation album by the Massachusetts based metalcore band Shadows Fall which collects together their ten track Of One Blood album and Deadworld EP, which featured two studio tracks and three live tracks recorded in America in 2000.

The material was remixed and tidied up by famed metal/hardcore producer Chris “Zeuss” Harris, who has worked with the band before, as well as other acts like Hatebreed, Chimaira, Throwdown, All That Remains etc.

Of One Blood was the band’s second full-length studio album and found the band in a transitional period, as it was both the first album to feature iconic singer Brain Fair on vocals and the last album to feature David Germain on the drums.

Additionally, the sound is slightly different to the releases which would follow, using less melody and commercial radio choruses, and using elements of melodeath/Gothenburg sound in with their 1980s thrash influenced, guitar solo filled brand of metalcore. Furthermore, vocally the album is a lot harsher and heavier than their later work, and concentrated more on death growls and hardcore shouts than on clean melodic singing.

The versions of “Fleshold,” “Revel In My Loss” and “To Ashes” found on Of One Blood are updated versions of tracks found on their debut album, reportedly still featuring some of the original vocals from Phil Labonte.

Although the album is certainly better produced than their muddy sounding debut, the production on the album is still perhaps a little too flat and songs don’t feel as three dimensional as you can tell they ought to be, but other elements such as the lyrics and guitar solos are up to a high standard by this stage in the band’s career and overall this is still a worthwhile album to check out if you enjoy the band.

Album highlights include the surprisingly catchy ‘First Noble Truth,’ as well as the aforementioned ‘Fleshold’ and the six and a half minute long ‘Root Bound Appolo.’

The two additional studio tracks ‘Deadworld,’ and an early version of ‘Stepping Outside The Circle,’ are very good and the live material is an enjoyable if not deal-breaking extra.

In summary; If you like Shadows Fall and haven’t yet gotten their early material then this is a worthy purchase, although I wouldn’t recommend that you pick it up if you haven’t heard some of the band’s more famous albums first.

Sheavy (original review from ProgArchives.com)

A very good offering by Ex-Extol members. I actually prefer the songs here more than the last extol release as this is much, much more interesting, with some strings, here and there, and some electronic flourishes. This album also has a nice mix of hardcore screamed vocals, and pleasant clean vocals. The songwriting is much improved in my opinion than anything extol ever released, and a ton more immersing. The guitar work is very good, with many styles being incorporated, from some post rock influences on the guitar, like the opener, The Asylum, and some more traditional heavy approach. The drums are also very good and precise.

The standouts for me on here are without a doubt Spear Of Heaven, which has a beautiful, operatic middle portion of the track, with string arrangements and some heavy riffing over this. Thius then fades into some almost chaotic like noise, with some feedback, and some electronic synth washings going on around all the rumblings. This then starts to fade until the song ends.

Highly recommended for people who like many genres put into a nice package, and for fans of Extol.

Sheavy (Original review from ProgArchives.com)

If you are looking to get into this band do not start here. It is a average offering and not on par with their first two albums at all. There is just way to much boring, mediocre, deathcore/metalcore like moments and not enough more interesting parts that show better songwriting ability. They have talent, but it does not shine through as much in this album as with previous ones. The riffs for the most part, are pretty generic, and the drums are not as exciting as they could be. They are some very good moments however. The Requiem Aeternam trilogy are some of the better songs on here, as is the opener, even if it is nothing new to a lot metal that have a orchestral or symphonic side. Invisible Creature is also a really cool interlude type piece, that does surprise a bit, but does not sound awkward, which is hard to do for some bands that use instruments from other cultures and genres. Good, but not the best. Average.

arcane-beautiful This album I have always wanted to review, because it is a real look back into the past for me.

I admit it. I really did like Cave In when this album was released. Their was 2 singles from it which I absolutely loved and had great music videos. But this album received a very mixture of reactions from people when it was released. And I mean a lot of mixed reactions.

Now this album marks a step forward in the Cave In sound, where the band adopted a more mature, contemporary and softer sound. To be honest I prefer this to their earlier sound, but there’s not a very over the top dramatic difference, especially not one to go completely OTT over. But fans did.

Oddly enough this album did really well. Critics praised for a successful transformation and to be honest, the passion was still their…but of course, metal purists aren’t happy unless there’s some stupid screaming vocals in their (Opeth is a prime example). Now I like early Cave In…and new Cave In, but this period is probably my preferred era, because I believe their song writing skills had really been discovered.

Now the sound of the album does still have qualities of their older material, e.g. the post metal sounding atmospheric moments, long songs with massive trip out sections and having songs with quite odd arrangements at times. If anything this sounds like rock with no boundaries really. When listening to this album, I hear a very strong Smashing Pumpkins vibe. I’m not saying that this may be a very strong influence of the band, but there’s a definite musical freedom that both bands share similarities with (especially in some of the guitar riffs and arrangements).

All the vocals in the album are cleans, mainly due to the fact bassist Caleb does no vocals. Stephens approach to vocals this time around is a lot more melodically driven too. And lyrically, its nonsensical, but there is a certain poetic flow to the lyrics, and I think there may be some meaning to some of these songs.

1. Stained Silver – What an intro to the album. Epic chorus, great riffs and some pretty cool lyrics. Probably one of my all-time favourite Cave In songs. 10/10

2. Inspire – I remember when the video for this song came out, I really loved it. And even today I still love it. An amazing simple groovy dark riff with contrasts the poppy side to the song. Cave In are the masters at mixing dark and light. I also love the hidden psychedelics too. 10/10

3. Joy Opposites – I was kind of forgetting this song before listening to it again, and I'm ashamed of even thinking of trying to forget this song. One of their best and most beautiful choruses. Some of the lyrics are a bit iffy, but overall the song is pretty amazing. 9/10

4. Anchor – Probably one of the most darkest pop songs their ever has been. Such a great song, with one catchy as hell chorus and a pretty cool arrangement. There is also a music video for this song, which I highly recommend watching. There is also some great lyrics in this song. 10/10

5. Beautiful Son – It's funny. This reminds me of a Drake Bell song (with the added minor chords added in now and then). The chorus ruins this song I think though. The rest is cool though. In fact theirs moments of this song I really like. 6/10

6. Seafrost – The intro reminds me of a post rock instrumental, mixed with some od Animal Collective beauty. Then an evil bass riff comes in. Out of all the songs on the album, this song is the most reminiscent of their older stuff (basically long and trippy). Ok maybe this song is a bit too long and maybe a bit too trippy for some, but I like it. I especially love the noisy ending (which reminds me of something from The Mars Volta’s Frances The Mute). The vocals in the song are really nice too. 8/10

7. Rubber & Glue – One of the oddest pop songs I have ever heard. With a really catchy verse, and a pretty cool groovy guitar riff, the chorus is quite an odd eclectic and slightly dark take on the song…but it still all fits together incredibly well. The only negative part about the song is the middle 8, which I’m not the biggest fan of. 9/10

8. Youth Overided – Probably the most consistent and poppy song on the album. Flawless in my opinion. Definitely one of the strongest songs, yet its very underlooked, which is a shame, cause it’s an amazing song. I also love the lyrics of this song. Great vocals in the song too. Beautiful arrangement throughout. 10/10

9. Breath Of Water – This is another one of the touch and go moments on the album. I’m really not the biggest fan of this song, but I have to admit, some moments are pretty cool. There is a really cool epic feel to the song, but it’s let down slightly at times. The verses are also miles better than the chorus, and to be honest, the chorus lets the song down a bit (a similar formula to that of Beautiful Son). Although listening to the song again, I’m starting to get used to the chorus. 8/10

10. Lost In The Air – Ok, I was wrong. This is the poppiest song on the album. What a catchy chorus. I love the cool Tom Morello esque guitar noises in the verse. I just love this song so much. 10/10

11. Penny Racer – Another short pop moment on the album. And to be honest, it’s these songs that are the strongest on the album. Such a great chorus, with some interesting lyrics. It’s funny, this song sounds like a rock ‘n roll parody, played by Hawkwind. Great spaciness in the song. Oh and the guitar solo is as cheesy as ever. 10/10

12. Woodwork – Some pretty cool lyrics in this song (I have to admit, they can use words great at times). Great chorus, with a nice message in it. A more experimental song. Still contemporary, but a bit more free in its structure and interpretation. Great ending to the album. 9/10

CONCLUSION: Some moments aren’t the best, and some let the album down a bit, although I d admit, their isn’t really a forgettable song on the album. But overall, this album will always have a special place in my heart. Not a masterpiece, but pretty damn close.

8.3/10

UMUR "Prey On Life" is the 3rd full-length studio album by Swedish progressive post hardcore act Burst. The album was released in September 2003 by Relapse Records. Burst showed great progress and will to experiment with their sound on the preceeding "In Coveting Ways (2002)" EP but "Prey On Life" show Burst when they are at the top of their game. I was introduced to Burst through their 4th full-length studio album "Origo (2005)" which absolutely blew me away and purchasing "Prey On Life" was just a matter of course after the positive experience of listening to "Origo".

The music on "Prey On Life" is intriguing on many levels. First of all it´s a pretty extreme album. The vocals by Linus Jägerskog are especially extreme. I struggle to come up with a vocalist with a more caustic and aggressive delivery. This one is a blood cougher. Just the way I like my extreme metal vocals. Don´t get the wrong impression here and assume that the vocals are growls though. They are raw hardcore shouting/ yelling. The clean vocals which Burst would start using more on later releases are only featured shortly in the track "Crystal Asunder". The music itself is very energetic and while rooted in hardcore, Burst take that style and twists it completely into something of their own. References to acts such as The Ocean, Converge and the post hardcore pioneers in Breach are valid enough but Burst stand out from the crowd as something special IMO. As mentioned above the music is very aggressive but at the same time it´s also very melodic. The two guitarists compliment each other very well and it´s seldom they play the same notes. The bass and the drums are technically well played and adventurous.

Besides the high level of musicianship it´s the songwriting that needs to be praised the most. Innovative and adventurous are two words that come to mind when trying to describe the music on "Prey On Life". The album is a kind of loose musical concept with a recurrent theme in the intro track "Undoing ( Prey on Life)", the intermezzo track "Fourth Sun" that divides the album in two and the outro track "Epidemic". Picking favorites is hard for me because I adore the album as a whole but the first three songs (excluding the intro) "Iris", "Sculpt the Lives" and "Rain" are simply outstanding aggressive and technical/ progressive post hardcore tracks. Especially the latter mentioned is pure genious in my book. "Monument" and "Visionary" also need special mentions.

The production is powerful and while it´s clean enough to be able to differenciate what the instruments do at any given time it´s also raw and hits like a hammer.

From the first time I listened to "Prey On Life" I knew this album was something special. To me it´s a magical album that´s able to move my body (my head bangs and my body moves in spastic jerks) and challenge my mind at the same time. What´s even more fantastic about the album is that it keeps getting better and better each time I listen to it. I seem to discover new things every time. "Prey On Life" is an outstanding album in my book and if you need an introduction to post hardcore, I´d strongly recommend that you make "Prey On Life" one of your first purchases. Burst have developed and refined their sound on subsequent albums but the raw power of "Prey On Life" is something I dare say they will never achieve again. This album is a pure masterpiece IMO. High quality musicianship, a powerful production and outstanding and innovative compositions. A 5 star rating couldn´t be more deserved. And hell yeah you can call me a fanboy and I´ll stand proud.

UMUR "In Coveting Ways & Conquest: Writhe" is a boxset by Swedish post hardcore act Burst which includes their 2nd full-length studio album from "Conquest: Writhe (2000)" and their "In Coveting Ways (2002)" EP and a single from 1998 called "Forsaken Not Forgotten". This is a great way to be introduced to the early music by Burst instead of purchasing the releases seperately. The boxset was released in 2003 which was the same year that Burst 3rd full-length studio album "Prey on Life" was released and it was probably as a consequence of the succes of that album that it was decided to release this boxset.

CD1 features the tracks from "In Coveting Ways" and "Forsaken Not Forgotten". The four tracks from "In Coveting Ways" are excellent material while the two tracks from "Forsaken Not Forgotten" should probably be considered as bonus material as they don´t have the same standard as the rest of the material on this boxset.

CD2 features all tracks from Burst 2nd full-length studio album "Conquest: Writhe". It´s a pretty strong post hardcore album with a slight progressive edge but the material is not as strong as the material on CD1 from the "In Coveting Ways" EP.

All in all this is an interesting boxset and a very worthy purchase. A 3.5 star rating is certainly warranted. Compared to other more questionable boxsets this one is really worth your time and money. This of course only counts if you haven´t already got the original releases.

Time Signature This is what I am dying for...

Genre: crossover-thrash / melodic metalcore

The style on Dead By Wednesday's "The Last Parade" is a type of modern crossover metal which combines hardcore, metalcore and thrash metal, and this blend is sprinkled with elements from other types of metal music such as melodeath, speed metal and more traditional heavy metal.

People who consider themselves true metalheads may be please to know that the metalcore elements are not dominant on this release, being delimited to harsh typical metalcore vocals and breakdowns - and there are not too many of those either plus Dead By Wednesday's breakdowns in this release are more creative and innovative than what many metalheads associate with metalcore.

The hardcore and thrash, or crossover-thrash really, aspect of this album is much more prominent. From hardcore, the album inherits loads of street attitude, song length and riot backing vocals - as well as certain riff-styles. The rest is all out thrash metal, drawing on different types of thrash metal ranging from modern groove thrash over technical thrash and mid-tempo thrash to old school speed metal (the track "Rat" is an interesting combination of speed metal and hardcore punk). Regardless of which thrash metal style the band draw on, one thing is for certain: the riffs are always solid and quite awesome.

The musicianship is quite high, and Dead By Wednesday allow a lot of melody onto the release, too, and there are even a couple of pretty impressive guitar solos.

"The Last Parade" should appeal to fans of crossover and more regular thrash metal, and any fan of thrash-oriented metal and metalcore should definitely check it out.

J-Man Trivium's arguably most appealing factor has always lied in their ability to create modern metalcore/thrash metal that appeals to both traditional metalheads and younger audiences alike, and with In Waves that still holds just as true. Expect plenty of tasty riffs, aggressive vocals, and fierce solos contained within this rather lengthy album, and even a few (surprisingly impressive) breakdowns added for good measure. The overall level of polish - both in the production and the music alike - may immediately turn off more conservative thrashers, but that doesn't take away from the fact that Trivium know how to create music that is always professional and well-composed, even if a tad overdone. Fans of Trivium will definitely want to check this out, and people who have a moderate interest in metalcore should also further investigate - In Waves is one of the year's most impressive metalcore albums for sure.

People familiar with Trivium shouldn't be in for much of a surprise with In Waves - expect a mix of metalcore and neo-thrash metal in a polished concoction that seldom deviates from conventional songwriting standards. The songs are enjoyable as ever, and some of these riffs are among the best Trivium has ever crafted, but certainly don't expect anything too experimental or original on In Waves. The vocals alternate between Matt Heafy's metalcore-styled shouts and his gruff clean vocal singing. I'm not a fan of all his styles, but there's no doubt that he's a very skillful vocalist. Heafy's vocals are usually the focal point of the compositions, yet the other musicians do all manage to incorporate their own impressive quirks into all of the tracks. The musicianship is simply excellent across the board; it's very rare to come across bands this well-rounded and professional in the metalcore world. The melodic leads, complex drumming, and rock-solid riffs are all a sentiment to Trivium's versatility and craftsmanship as fine-tuned musicians.

The production from famed heavy metal producer Colin Richardson (Fear Factory, Cannibal Corpse, Bullet For My Valentine, Napalm Death, Carcass, etc.) is obviously excellent and well-done. I do find it a bit too over-produced for my liking, but there's no denying the objective quality of the sound. Everything is carefully mixed to a point of perfection, and this sleek sound suits Trivium's modern style like a glove.

If you're going to purchase In Waves, I think it's worth mentioning the differences between the "standard" version and the "special edition". The special edition includes five bonus tracks, including a cover of Sepultura's "Slave New World", and clocks in at over 67 minutes. Without these additional fifteen minutes or so, you're really missing out on the full album that Trivium intended the listener to experience - it is rather disappointing to see a growing trend of albums with two distinct versions, but I would definitely be sure to pick up the special edition given the options.

Even though In Waves does feel a bit generic and "safe" by the genre's standards, there's no doubt that this is a well-made and impressive product from some of the most competent musicians in the biz. 3.5 stars seems very fair in this case. Trivium may not bring anything new to the table here, but I don't think anybody really expected them to. If you're in search of some high-quality, technically outstanding, and just plain fun thrash metal/metalcore, it's difficult to go wrong with In Waves.

Double-D Rise To Remain are most famous for being the band of Austin Dickinson son of legendary Bruce Dickinson. Unfortunately this is the most interesting thing about them. Sure the can play well their instruments, sometimes they have good ideas and some catchy songs but the problem is that they lack originality. City Of Vultures is their full length debut and consists of standard melodic metalcore with some influences of traditional metal. Austin is not the best vocalist but he shows his potential especially in death metal growls. If you ignore all these metalcore cliches City Of Vultures is more than good but I expected more. So 3 stars is deserved and I hope next time Rise To Remain will make more original record.

UMUR "In Coveting Ways" is an EP by Swedish post hardcore act Burst released between the releases of their 2nd full-length studio album "Conquest: Writhe (2000)" and the band´s 3rd full-length studio album "Prey on Life (2003)". The EP was released in 2002 by Chrome Saint Magnus. All tracks on "In Coveting Ways" were re-released as part of the "In Coveting Ways & Conquest: Writhe" compilation album in 2003. On "Conquest: Writhe" Burst showed lots of progress from their melodic post hardcore style but on "In Coveting Ways" they are close to perfecting their style and the four tracks on this EP could easily have been a part of the more progressive "Prey on Life".

The music on the EP is melodic post hardcore. But even though the roots of Burst music are in hardcore the four tracks on the EP features experimental twists and turns. The two longest tracks "Scavenger" and "Paradise Regained" feature multible sections while the two shorter tracks "Black But Shining" and "Ars Diavoli" are more energetic and direct but still sophisticated. For example take a listen to the fast riff in "Black But Shining" that is doubled by an acoustic guitar. That´s a great adventurous idea IMO. The vocals are raw hardcore screaming/shouting and Linus Jägerskog delivers his vocals with conviction and power. Somehow he is able to sound bit really aggressive and melancholic at the same time. I was a bit overwhelmed by the aggressive "core" edge vocal approach when I initially started listening to Burst but I´ve grown to really appreciate his aggressive vocal style.

The musicianship is excellent. On this EP Burst show what they are capable of and it´s quite a bit actually. Fast intricate riffing and a dynamic rythm section are in addition to the strong vocals some of the assets on "In Coveting Ways".

The sound production is well sounding and professional. A bit darker than the sound on "Prey on Life" but really enjoyable.

"In Coveting Ways" is a very worthy purchase for people into challenging melodic post hardcore with an extreme vocal approach. The music has many similarities to the music by artists like The Ocean, Converge, and Breach but Burst ultimately have their own unique style. "In Coveting Ways" is easily worth a 4 star rating.

UMUR "Conquest: Writhe" is the 2nd album from Swedish experimental post hardcore act Burst. The album was released in 2000 by PFC / Prank Records. The tracks on "Conquest: Writhe" were re-released as part of the "In Coveting Ways & Conquest: Writhe" compilation album in 2003.

I was introduced to Burst through their 4th full-length studio album "Origo (2005)" which is an album that literally knocked me off my feet. A brilliant releases that one. I then purchased "Prey on Life (2003)" which is the 3rd full-length studio album by Burst which is another stunning album by the band. It´s only recently that I´ve had the opportunity to listen to the first two albums by Burst and while I´ve been pleasantly surprised by both of them they are not exactly as unique as neither "Prey on Life" nor "Origo". Burst debut full-length studio album titled "Two Faced (1998)" was a pretty simple and effective hardcore album with melodic leanings that displayed the direction that Burst would take later on in their career, but only in glimpses. With "Conquest: Writhe" Burst take another step towards the more experimental sound they would perfect on "Prey on Life".

The music is melodic post hardcore with a few experimental elements here and there. An example would be the screaming (almost growling vocals) over an acoustic part in "Juxtaposed" or the choise of notes which makes this album quite different from other hardcore albums. I would go as far as to call "Conquest: Writhe" a sophisticated hardcore album. I wouldn´t go as far as to call the music progressive though. I think all songs are solid but there are few truly standout moments on the album and it does get a bit too same sounding along the way. There are not enough fixpoints/hooks in the songs to distinguess them from each other. Don´t get the wrong idea though this is good music if you like melodic post hardcore with a pretty angry sounding frontman.

The musicianship is strong on "Conquest: Writhe" and I really enjoy the melodic chords progressions and the tight rythm section. Linus Jägerskog has a pretty extreme voice and it´s probably an aquired taste but I really enjoy his brutal approach and fiercely aggressive vocal style.

The production is professional and well sounding.

"Conquest: Writhe" is what I´d call a good transition album and I´m sure that fans of "Prey on Life" and "Origo" will find listening pleasure in this one. Just don´t expect it to be quite on par with those albums. A 3 - 3.5 star rating is warranted.

Wilytank So this here "mathcore" stuff is supposed to be somewhat weird right? It kinda is. From what I've heard from Converge so far is some punkish/crossover sounding metal with some grindcore appeal.

So what makes 'Jane Doe' stand out by critics and fans alike? Well, the way I see it, their genre of music is executed. 'Halo in a Haystack' seemed like the band was drifting between punk and metal sound not knowing which one to play. 'Petition the Empty Sky' was the first album to feature the mathcore approach and some cool tracks were featured such as "The Saddest Day", but it wasn't totally interesting. 'When Forever Comes Crashing' came next and was much more mundane. With 'Jane Doe' though, Converge manages to at least not make the music sound overly pretentious or boring. Unlike the previous three albums, I didn't feel any need to stop the album prematurely and pass my judgement. And the production makes it sound like Mastodon's 'Leviathan' (which came out three years later).

I feel like saying something about at least one of the individual songs here, so I think I'll talk about the 11 minute title track "Jane Doe". It's a slower song and the only song on the album that features any clean vocals. It provides a nice ending and a break from the mathcore chaos. Of course, I'm a sucker for long songs; and it builds up to a notable climax beginning at the nine and a half minute mark.

I'm quite pleased with this album. Though my listening experience with Converge got off to a rocky start, this album helped change my attitude. I only hope that the rest of their albums are at least somewhat as good as this one.