November 30, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [9/10]
There is a lot of controversy with this record but ill leave all of that out and keep this a strict review of the musical content. It seems over the past few years there has been a definite Only Living Witness influence, and that is still relevant with this record on songs like “Skeletons” and “Pallisade”. However there is more of a noise rock/grunge influence on a lot of the other songs such as the opening track “Our Apartment Is Always Empty”. This track can probably sums up what they were going for with this record and in my opinion it is the strongest song. You can tell that they put a lot of effort into the music and the production, and it shows. My only complaint is that I wish George (vocalist) put a little more time into his vocal style as much as he did his lyrics. At times they’re really suitable but at other times it seems to forced and unnatural. He has however written some of the most emotional lyrics I think a hardcore band has ever done, and I think that is one of the reasons why so many people freak out every time a new Blacklisted record comes out. As well as the change in the musical content, Blacklisted made some other changed as well. Most of the releases on Deathwish are recorded by Kurt Ballou (Godcity Studios) and that is sort of the “Deathwish” sound. However this release sounds much different than previous Blacklisted records because it was recorded in Philadelphia by Will Yip at Studio 4. If I'm not mistaken most of the productions that he has done have been more mainstream so I was surprised when I found out they were recording with him, but it came out sounding great and there is a noticeable difference between this record and “Heavier Than Heaven, Lonelier Than God”. Another thing I like about this release is the artwork. It’s a bit unusual and looks more like a Dinosaur Jr cover but it fits with the music. Its not just the art however that I like, most bands on Deathwish have their art done by J.Bannon and as well recognized and talented as he is its good to see a release that doesn't look the same. It seems like the past 10 or so records to come out on Deathwish have been done by him so its good to have a breath of fresh air from time to time. All in all this record I think is very important for Blacklisted and their fans. It shows a lot of growth and development and I’ve loved watching this band turn into the creative force that they are today. Their song structure is more unique than any other hardcore band out today and their lyrical content is just as emotional as any indie rock band from the 90′s. I think they have a great formula for what they want to do, however I don’t think they have quite yet perfected it yet. Needless to say Blacklisted has been one of the few bands I’ve enjoyed watching over the past few years and seeing how far they’ve grown as a band and as musicians, this is by far one of the most unique and interesting records of 2009.
October 27, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [7.5/10]
Belgium’s finest hardcore/metal act is back with their second full length to date and its taken them quite some time to get to this point. The wait was well worth it because this record smokes from start to finish. Heavy and evil are the two formulas that describe this record, plus it has an overall negative feel too it and I like that. These songs are a bit more on the melodic side and tend to be slower than their previous record “Into Oblivion”. You can tell that they spent a lot of time writing and in the studio because everything is neat and fits together. This is one of my favorite productions that Kurt at Godcity studios has done for deathwish. Unlike their previous effort, this record seems to me like it was mixed not to sound like the loudest record of the year, which is a good thing. Its mixed to a level where everything can be understood, which is good because there is a lot going on musically. “Harms Way”, “Built on Graves”, “A Present Tense”, “To The Bottom” and “In Circles” are my personal favorites off of this record, but that doesn't mean the rest are just as good. This new LP shows a lot of growth and maturity with the band and it reminds me a lot of later Cursed, very evil and the guitar tone is very distinct and similar to that Rotten Sound or Entombed. This record is by far Rise & Falls best work to date. They have matured as a band musically and this record is proof of their hard work. They have already toured the US on this record but I'm sure they will be back in 2010, this is definitely a band to watch for in the future.
October 2009 | Self Released [8/10]
Rochester, NY’s chaotic and aggressive hardcore/punk act Like Wolves is back with a new 7″ and in my opinion this is their best work yet. Before hearing this I wasn’t to sure about these guys, I liked what they were going for and live they were really awesome but I didn’t quite get into on record, but after “Paths” I was blown away. This four song 7″ is raw and intense from start to finish, but a little more comprehensible. There are a lot of hardcore punk bands that just sort of go off on a tangent and aren’t even playing music, this record has a sense of musicianship and is more organized than most punk bands. The guitars are also doing a lot of weird stuff that I don't hear most bands doing right now and I like that. This band has definitely crafted their own sound that is for sure. Nothing beats seeing this band live, I would go check them out in the Rochester area or when they are on tour. I know what your thinking, they will probably be really loud and you wont understand whats going on, well your right about one thing. They are a very loud band but they play their instruments well and as for being a chaotic band live, just watching the singer. Great record from a great local upstate new york band. I’m hoping to see these guys do some more records and the fact they are doing it on their own is a pretty cool thing. It seems like everyone you meet now in hardcore runs a label or has put out a record, so its cool to see a band take the initiative. The artwork is also a thing that I forget to mention, it came out really cool, and the inside is neat and simple, pick it up if you haven't already and check it out for yourselves.
October 13, 2009 | Relapse Records [8/10]
Savannah’s own Baroness is back with their most critically acclaimed album to date ,”Blue Record” is the bands second full length, following the well respected “Red Album”. Is this considered a continuation from their previous record? I’d say so but there are some different characteristics that they did on this record that adds to their already unique sound. Blending prog rock leads with their own unique “indie metal” sound as they call it, there is no doubt that this record is up for debate as their best record yet. There is so much going on in every song that I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I’ve been listening to this record on and off for weeks now and I still find new things that I didn’t even notice before. This is a record with many layers to it and you almost need to sit back and not do anything else but listen when you hit play. The production of this record is not as dirty as the “Red Album” however. This mix is a lot more pristine and clear, and you can tell a lot more work was put into this production. But like most bands, as they get a larger fan base their production and musicality becomes bigger as well. Like most reviews I usually talk about the music more in detail, but to be honest I’m feeling a tad bit lazy. However if you are reading this to see what songs I like the most I can name a few. “A Horse Called Golgotha”, “Jake Leg”, “Swollen and Halo”, and “The Sweetest Curse” are all great songs off of this LP but I suggest that you listen to this from beginning to end and soak it in entirely; after all that is what you should be doing. All in all there is a lot going on with this record and I like that. Baroness adds so many elements into their music its hard to just categorize them under one genre, so i guess the term “indie metal” sort of fits for them because it can be taken in so many ways and on so many levels. If you were really into the “Red Album” this will surely not disappoint you and if it does than your just saying that because you’re mad at how well these guys can play their instruments.
October 20, 2009 | Deathwish Inc. [10/10]
3499 The long overdue and highly anticipated Converge album is finally here, and I’m glad to be able to finally review it. With their most aggressive album to date, this 13 song record is a great follow up to their previous effort “No Heroes” which was release in 2005, proving that Converge still is one of the best and most creative bands in aggressive music today. You cant really start off a Converge record without it having ungodly fast drumming followed by intricate guitar picking and a huge bass sound, with that formula you get the song “Dark Horse”. Its the same as how every converge record starts, but there is a sense of more melody and and a lot more metal with this song and even the whole record for that matter. I might be wrong but I do remember reading somewhere that this record was not entirely produced by their guitar player Kurt Ballou (Godcity Studios). From what I read they had the help of a co-producer, and I think the outside influence shows with these songs. They are a lot more intact than previous records, and you can tell that they wanted to make it more adhesive to newer metal fans, and I think it worked. I’ve never heard an album that goes by as fast as this, it seems like when one song ends a new song emerges right after. I don’t think there is any filler space between any song and I like that a lot. It makes the album seem as though the band is playing it live and straight through with out any bullshit in the middle to lose your attention. One of the coolest tracks off “Axe To Fall” would have to be “Cruel Boom” which features a quest vocal spot from Neurosis’s Steve Von Till who has a fascination for sounding almost exactly like Tom Waits. Before doing research on the matter I was convinced that they did in fact get Tom Waits to record on one of their songs which would have been beyond awesome, but great job nonetheless. Other great tracks off this record include “Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast”, “Wishing Well”, “Cutter” (which sounds like a straight Motorhead influence), “Axe To Fall”, “Damages”, and “Wretched World”. As Converges popularity sores with this record, so does their musicianship. They can pull off almost anything from extremely fast songs to slow driving acoustic medley that replicates that of a Tom Wait song. The more and more I listen proves how much I like their later stuff more than their previous, after all I wouldn’t be that much intrigued if they just rewrote “Locust Rain” over and over.
