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Dance Gavin Dance (ST) is possibly the most diverse Post-hardcore album I have ever heard.
It begins with the explosive track, Alex English. A rocking song drifting between Screamo, Post-Hardcore and Alternate Melodic-Rock, Alex English ushers in a new sound for Dance Gavin Dance. One of the first things I noticed was the change in screams.
Recently I’ve been listening to a lot of Screamo and Emo Violence, both of which employ vastly different screams to Post-Hardcore and Hardcore. So when I heard the initial screams of the new DGD album I was a little taken aback as I expected a more refined version of what could be heard on Downtown Battle Mountain. the more I listen, the more I love the chaotic approach to throaty screams, gutted and strained, mixed with the high pitches, piercing clean vocals of Kurt Travis.
Gone are the generic screams so often found n Post-Hardcore, replaced with a sound similar to that by Screamo bands such as Circle Takes The Square and Saetia.
The band went through some line up changes between releasing Downtown Battle Mountain and Dance Gavin Dance. The first of which being, lead vocalist, Jonny Craig leaving to join Emarosa in late 2007, (I did wondered why Emarosa sounded so fucking awesome on their July 2008 release, Relativity) replaced by Kurt Travis who I must say, does a brilliant job of retaining the piercing clean vocal styl set by Craig, while adding his own flair and diversity to each song.
The one song that grabbed me and reminded me of the old Dance Gavin Dance was The Robot With Human Hair Pt. 3, the same musical style, the coordination of clean vocals and screams working together, taking turns throughout the verse and combining during the chorus. I just love it. What I love more comes latter on in the album when they begin to experiment with their sound, dipping their toes into the territory of melodic Emo-violence; slower, droning but chaotic. Hot Water On Wool (pt1 / 2) demonstrates this new found diversity perfectly and is followed up superbly by Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most (feat. Nic Newsham). A slower song that builds in presence with chanting voices and ambient guitars, Uneasy Hearts builds to a crescendo before dropping off in time to usher in the following song, Caviar which features the melodic, droning vocals of Chino Moreno.
The following three songs after Uneasy Hearts act as a bridge between the chaotic start and the hard, fast and chaotic conclusion. The album culminates in a final three songs, exemplifying all the elements experimented in through the album, from the raw power of hardcore to the melodic drone of Emo Violence and the chaos of Screamo.
The composition of this album is simply brilliant. Each song runs seamlessly into the next and does not feel complete unless it is heard, directly after the preceding track.
I am in complete aw of this band, able to bring us songs like And I Told Them I Invented Times New Roman and Surprise! I'm from Cuba, Everyone has One Brain, and on the following album, break out of the previous mould set and incorporate all new elements creating songs like Uneasy Hearts Weigh The Most.
In a previous post, I made the claim that Bring Me The Horizon’s Suicide Season was the greatest album of the year, yet I find myself wondering if , for all its gloss and glamour, Suicide Season matches up with the musical genius of Dance Gavin Dance’s self titled album.
Lately I’ve really been enjoying the raw sound of DIY Screamo bands such as Bravo Fucking Bravo, Daniel Striped Tiger, Don Martin Three, Orchid, Shikari, pg.99, Circle Takes The Square, The Saddest Landscape and Saetia.
What distinguishes them to me as DIY Screamo as opposed to the more mainstream is the experimental nature and unpolished sound. Its that truly raw energy, mixed with poor sound production that just hits the spot with me. Not because i enjoy poor sound production, but it makes the band seem…more….human and genuine rather than electronic and produced.
Each band differs in approach, Shikari and Orchid in particular, take a more brutal and fast paced approach to Screamo, getting each song over and done with in often under two minutes in most commonly inaudible vocals. The lyrics take a backseat when listening to both these bands as the vocals are used in a similar way as a second or third guitar would be, carries the melody and harmonizes with fellow instruments, without worrying about having to pronounce words correctly (or incorrectly) in order to convey a message.
I stumbled across Shikari when searching the net for a discography of Enter Shikari (a British Trancecore/post hardcore band). At first i was…perplexed by how these guys ever got a record deal, but the more I listened the more i began to look past the violent vocals and really feel the music for just how awesome it is.
Shikari Live
For anyone interested there is two compilations floating around, hard to find unless you know what your looking for, titled Death To Fake Screamo vol.1 and 2.
Really Long Link Artists/Death to Fake Screamo
A Fantastic selection of underground Screamo as well as some of the more well known Screamo bands. Personally i found it brilliant, there was some bands on there that just blew me away. Like Hot Cross for instance, who are one of the more well known artists along with Shikari and Circle Takes The Square.
Circles Takes The Square Live
Circle Takes The Square are one of the most popular bands within this genre with their most recent album As The Roots Undo, varying into the subgenre of Experimental Emo Violence, yet still retaining the power and energy found in Screamo. Bloody good album i must say.
if you haven’t already, i strongly suggest you give a few of these bands a go because you might be surprised as i was and…well enjoy them…a lot… you may even, dare i say it, love them..
Ok so I’m a little bias in favour of Bring Me The Horizon. Ill say it, I think they are frikin awesome. They have taken all the best qualities of Screamo, hardcore, Emo-Violence and Deathcore, completely reinventing the Deathcore Genre. I know. I know. Every true Metal or Deathcore fan is probably up in arms “these muppets care more about their appearance, nail polish and haircuts than the music”. So…maybe that’s true…doesn’t change the fact that this band have struck a chord with music lovers no matter their preferred genre.
I LOVED!! Count Your Blessings. Honestly I thought it was one of the best most innovative albums id ever heard. Not because they were the hardest outfit around. Not because they used vox screams and the occasional pig squeal, or even constant blast beats. No, I loved it for its ability to grow on me, the listener each time I heard it. The blend of Screamo and Deathcore was simply glorious. Its become one of my most played albums….and that’s saying something considering its in competition with albums like Ascendency by Trivium and One By One by Foo Fighters (yes I love the Fooies, went through a big phase years ago, and still love the One By One album).
Count Your Blessings aside, Suicide Season has been one of my most anticipated albums for the year. Its been out for almost two weeks and the reason its taken me so long to write about it is….its so friggin awesome I couldn’t turn it off long enough to write up a comprehensive review without filling it with illegible babble bout wanting to have Oli Sykes babies.
The unique style of BMTH has taken a turn, while still retaining the angst filled screams and distorted growls the music itself has changed dramatically. One thing I did miss was the really, really trendy guitar work in songs like I Used To Make Out With (Medusa) and Braille (For Steve Wonders Eyes Only). Something about the gorgeous, grinding licks accompanied by break downs and high pitches squeals just made those songs so appealing. The guitars in Suicide Season resemble a much more generic Hardcore sound, somewhat similar to that produced by Parkway Drive and IKTPQ. I find the new guitar sound refreshing but also I dearly miss the old sound of Count Your Blessings….but hey, if I want that, I can just go back and listen to Count Your Blessings.
The first three Tracks are utterly irresistible. I find myself playing them over and over again, neglecting those coming latter, which isn’t good, because each and every song on this album kicks some serious arse and should be appreciated in its own right.
One track that made me giggle was “No need for introductions, I've read about you on the back of toilet doors”, which took a direct approach to Oli’s feelings over the charges pressed against him in Nottingham where he was accused of urinating of a female fan after she rejected his sexual advances.
”For people like your, there is no such thing as an early grave.
Your wanted to gut my dreams til I was empty, and show everyone my remains.
And after everything you put me through, I should of fucking pissed on you”
Short, sweet and to the point. Just how I like it.
My favourite track on the album is Football Season Is Over. Riot of a track. Lots of drinking, dancing and not giving a fuck. Oh and it features vocal contributions by JJ Peters, drummer of IKTPQ and the man behind Deez Nuts (I strongly suggest u check out Deez Nuts coz….well their just awesome).
All in all, a truly wonderful album and I will be enjoying it for many months to come and I think anyone who enjoys any form of good music should go and get this album coz I assure you, it will give you more pleasure than that 30 dollar lap-dance u would otherwise spend you hard earned on.
Opeth have been for a long time, one of my favourite metal bands. It’s not their heavy songs which are my favourite, however. It’s the acoustic songs, the instrumentals or simply slow progressive rock pieces which are scattered through their nine studio albums. I realise I’m just a few years late on the uptake here, but when I found out that their 2003 release, Damnation, was purely a progressive rock sound I was really excited to say the least. It’s a fantastic album and I love every song as much as I love some of their heavier, more death metal orientated songs such as; The Grand Conjuration, The Baying Of The Hounds and Masters Apprentices.
Why this album captures me is because of the positively gorgeous guitar work, the symphonic flowing synth and most of all Mikeal’s beautiful vocals which are displayed brilliantly in the flowing, melodic yet captivating style which is Damnation
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Okay, so let’s talk about some true METAL! *rawring and manliness continues* Right, so, now to the important bit: how incredibly wanky some of these metal bands are. I know they all say, “We don’t take ourselves seriously.” Right, sure…you can say that; doesn’t change the fact that you’re still a bellend.
So, here we’ve got Ten to One most wanky bands
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A Silent Fiction were the first support act for Escape The Fate when they played at the Roundhouse and well...yeh i was jus WOW"d...they completely blew me away with just how incredibly powerful, catchy and energetic they were.
For a while there i was feeling sorry for Escape, having to come on and outdo this incredible performance
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Ive been listening to a few bands who just...rock my lil socks right off. All of them have a similar sound...but its a sound i cannot put into a genre. im totaly stumped.
its electronica.....its inspired by the look and appearance of Scene, Emo and Hardcore....but their vocal style doesn't fit any of those.
the first time i ever heard anything of the sort was The Medic Droid's Fer Sure which was simply hilarious. i thought it was a once off....a novelty song done for a joke. thank god i was wrong
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lulz....I Kissed A Girl is just funny. its really catchy too....i feel Soooo ashamed to enjoy it...but......but i do and i shall keep on enjoying it. What i enjoy even more, is Attack Attack's cover of it.
Attack Attack r a screamo/hardcore band from Ohio, have been one of my favourite finds of late. after hearing Enter Shikari i was jus...WOW'd at how well you can mix Trance-Synths and Hardcore. Attack Attack take the synth element one step further, incorporating it into a sound described by some as Trancecore. i know i described Enter Shikari as Trancecore in my review of Take To The Skies, but compared to Attack Attack, their use of Trance synths is very minimal
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So I got my hands on the first release of Slipknots new song All Hope Is Gone. It was free for download on the Roadrunner records site. If you go check it out, it may still be up on the homepage, if not archived somewhere. Anyways, I thought it was a good song, just not what I had hoped for. I was really hoping for them to return to the sound that captivated me on their first self titled album. I think its mostly in the drums. Their first album really utilised the three drummers perfectly, creating this wall of sound, this tribal rhythm which just blew you away. Don’t get me wrong, All Hope Is Gone is a great song, it just wasn’t what I had hoped for. They drums were very generic of extreme metal, blast beats and constant double kicks, one guitar playing a chugging low riff in rhythm to the drums, the other pulling neat licks over the top. the chorus was good however, breaking away from the mold set in the verse. Until the chorus came in and the musical style changed, i was really disappointing with the song. Spose it just takes some getting used to......the more i listen to it, the more i like it, so here it is:
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Almost everyone I know hates Norma Jean….i cant follow why. Granted their Bless The Martyr & Kiss The Child album could be a lil hard on the common ear…but any album with a song like Memphis Will Be Laid To Waste on it is just pure gold all ova.
Ok….jus so we straight…..I WOULD MAKE SWEET LOVE TO THIS BAND!!
So lets get to the really exciting bit….their new album
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