Sunday, October 30, 2022

Lyric Of The Week 35: Second Sun

"So stay and count the ghosts with me, 'cause they might haunt, but they won't bleed."

Silent Planet - Second Sun, from the album Iridescent

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Song: Currents - Better Days [The Way It Ends, 2020]

Currents was one of those bands where I heard their name every now and then in the metalcore scene, and it sounded like they were a good band but not a big name in the way Architects or Bring Me The Horizon are. One fine day where I was bored enough, I decided to spin their most recent record, The Way It Ends, and I found it quite interesting. The last track, however, took me by surprise and it has become one of my favourite songs of 2020 now.

It's not a big surprise that the main reason this song is so good is because of that insane riff in the verse. I haven't seen a riff this well-crafted in a long while, and it falls into one of my favourite modern metal guitar tropes of "riffs with extremely low chugs and really high notes next to each other". I love the bends, the quick little shred in the middle of it, it's just one of those rare perfect riffs.

The rest of the song is solid too, it's not just the one crazy good guitar riff. The chorus has a great hook, and is one of the better ones of that record. The pre-chorus unclean section is really cool, I love the way the lines are delivered, it has a really unique pattern and rhythm to it. I love the way they have a lot of guitar ambience underlying the whole song throughout, it reminds me a lot of thall and Vildhjarta. The breakdown is also super reminiscent of thall too.

I love how near the end of the song, they overlay the clean chorus and the unclean pre-chorus together, on top of the main riff. The two parts sound really cool together and it makes for a really nice ending, especially when both vocalists sing/scream the last line together. The lyrical content is intriguing too, it seems to be about wasting time waiting for something to happen, which is not a usual theme. It's definitely a powerful sentiment hidden behind those lines, but I don't know if I feel it as much because I don't relate to it.

It's a great track overall, built around a really cool guitar riff but doesn't solely depend on it to be great. I haven't really found myself liking any other song on that record but this song is a standout for sure, both of the band and metalcore in general.

Rating: 4.5/5

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Album: Architects - the classic symptoms of a broken spirit [2022]

British metalcore band Architects just put out their tenth album last week, and it is quite a ride. the classic symptoms of a broken spirit is a very different sound for them, and unsurprisingly, it's been quite controversial for the metal community. It's mostly the people who only like heavy stuff hating them for "becoming softer", and I think it's a bit shortsighted to say that.

For a band that has literally made hundreds of songs spanning ten albums, going from pure mathcore into metalcore and now this brand of hard rock, not only do I think it's inevitable, but I think it's great too. As a band, they've written so many tracks with a focus on technicality and intensity, and it'd be kind of bland to keep on doing so. Some simplicity every now and then should be welcome, provided it's done right. Also, I think it doesn't need to be said that bands need to evolve, their sound can't stay the same over a period of 16 years. For Architects, they've managed to develop their sound over the years so that every record delivers something different, and the classic symptoms of a broken spirit does exactly that. I'm more excited for this record than if it was a carbon copy of All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us.

I enjoy the classic symptoms of a broken spirit, I'll say it right now. It's a solid hard rock album, it has its moments and is overall a great listen. You're going to be disappointed if you expect a Holy Hell or Lost Forever // Lost Together sound, because it simply isn't. They did a great job putting together a fun, unique and angry sound in this new record, and I especially appreciate that it is so distinct in that way.

Architects went for a simpler route in technicality, the riffs aren't complex, the drums aren't either. Sure, it may not be as exciting to play, but I think it was necessary. With simpler riffs and drumming, it opened up the musical space for them to do more with electronics and production, which, whether you like it or not, is at the core of this record. They painted their soundscape with a completely different set of tools, one which is arguably more intricate, and I found it really cool.

They are still as angry as they have been, but it feels like they found the space in this record to explore a lot of other sounds. They tried out quite a few new sounds, like in burn down my house, a new moral low ground and be very afraid. It's cool to see them experimenting and making really cool and interesting soundscapes, songs that would never even come close to being written from their metalcore era.

Of course, every record comes with its flaws. I'm not trying to glorify this record, I just hate that a portion of their fanbase is hating on them so ruthlessly just because they aren't making heavy metalcore with breakdowns all the time. There are some lyrics on this album that, even with accepting that they're going for a simpler route, feel too cheap. I've always loved Architects in part because of their lyrical capacity and meaningful writing, but there are some moments where it feels like they were just filling up the time. There's also one really minor gripe with the vocal melodies, the chorus of spit the bone and burn down my house sound kind of similar. It was a bit weird hearing it for the first time.

There are some really catchy verses and choruses on this record. Some of my personal favourites are doomscrolling, when we were young and all the love in the world. They also have some great standout moments, like the solo in a new moral low ground (can you believe it, an Architects guitar solo?), the breakdown on born again pessimist, and the filthy lows on be very afraid.

All in all, it's a super refreshing and, dare I say, fun record from Architects. It's not a surprising direction for them to head towards coming off of For Those That Wish To Exist, and it's a well written record from a great band. I have no doubt with Architects that they take great pride in the music they create and wouldn't put out anything that's subpar or unimpressive to them, and this album is neither of those things.

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist:
1. deep fake
2. tear gas
3. spit the bone
4. burn down my house
5. living is killing us
6. when we were young
7. doomscrolling
8. born again pessimist
9. a new moral low ground
10. all the love in the world
11. be very afraid

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Song: Wage War - Death Roll [Manic, 2021]

Wage War decided they wanted to make a song so ridiculously heavy you would laugh while headbanging. This is how Death Roll came about. True story.

Jokes aside, this song is so stupid heavy and it's kind of hilarious. I think they had a lot of fun making this one, without caring too much about whether it was too weird or not.

The main riff says it all. Chugs and bending pinch harmonics which is simultaneously the most ridiculous riff ever and probably also quite technically demanding.

It's a small thing, but I love the triplet pattern they used for the chorus. It's pretty simple but it sounds great and balances out the insanity in the rest of the song.

I love the breakdown. It's one of those variety riffs and it's done really well, throwing in everything from chugs and dissonant chords to pick scrapes and Gojira scrapes. I always love how chaotic yet rhythmic breakdowns like these are, and they are always super high energy.

They throw a solo on just because they can, and then they breakdown again with pure zeroes. It's metalcore's favourite trope in action, and there's nothing not to love about it.

Death Roll is just a fun song, front to back. It's not the most sentimental or passionate song out there, but it's heavy heavy and I love heavy.

Rating: 3/5

Lyric Of The Week 34: Reverie on the Onyx

"I take in the breathing undead sky."

Archspire - Reverie on the Onyx, from the album Bleed the Future

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Album: Wage War - Manic [2021]

Wage War is one of the biggest names when it comes to great generic metalcore. Their brand of modern metal music is almost akin to pop, and despite what people may say, there's really nothing wrong with it if you do it well, and they absolutely can.

Both of their vocalists are outstanding in their own right. Cody's cleans dominate every metalcore chorus they have to offer and Briton's uncleans are super robust. They can never write a bad hook, it seems, and they definitely have a good amount of heavy stuff and breakdowns.

I've yet to listen to the rest of their discography, but it seems they had some fun experimenting on this record. Two standouts are Manic and Death Roll. The title track sees them try a trap-based metalcore song with raspy rap vocals, and Death Roll is so ridiculous it's downright comedic. There's also the token soft song, Never Said Goodbye, which is a trope most metalcore records have. Nothing bad about it but it doesn't stand out much.

It's quite solid for a generic metalcore album, and it is definitely Wage War. There's a lot of easy listens and a few fun songs on Manic and it's a strong effort from them, although I'd hesitate to say it's their best record yet.

Rating: 6/10

Tracklist:
1. Relapse
2. Teeth
3. Manic
4. High Horse
5. Circle The Drain
6. Godspeed
8. Slow Burn
9. Never Said Goodbye
10. True Colors
11. If Tomorrow Never Comes

Monday, October 17, 2022

Song: Make Them Suffer - Doomswitch [2022]

Make Them Suffer is back! I was super excited for this one. It's the first song since Contraband, they announced a new female clean vocalist, and they were hyping up the song release a lot, so I had high hopes.

The most noticeable thing about Doomswitch is, straight away, you can tell it is quite electronically infused. Whether it's the ambience or synths, there's no denying how many layers there are, and how much they add to the song. It seems like it'll be an integral part of their sound from now on, and I'm all here for it.

The riffs definitely sound like Nick's work. This time there's a lot of super bouncy and groovy ones, as well as a lot of chunky zeros. The guitar solo in the middle is super fun as well, calling back to one of their best riffs ever, the one from Contraband.

Sean's screams are as brutal as ever, with some great lows and consistently amazing mids. You can even catch him going for a goblin-like scream in the ending breakdown.

Alex is maybe the best thing to happen to the band. Not only did she bring a brilliant set of cleans to the table, she brought along some amazing screams and a diverse range of electronics as well. She even plays a keytar live, what more can you ask for?

The chorus is amazing, the clean lines are catchy and divine, the underlaying riff is super fun, the way they drag out Alex's line for Sean to scream over is so well put together, and the low "Doomswitch" at the end ties it all together.

There's so much fun stuff going on everywhere in the song, it's basically metalcore paradise. Lo-fi riffs at the start, weird effects on the vocals on the second verse, crazy chug patterns in the bridge, and an insane breakdown to end it all. The electronics are literally flying everywhere, the breakdown riff is wild and the screams are perfect. It's basically the perfect amount of sonic over-stimulation.

I'm super stoked to see what's next for the band. Doomswitch is hopefully just a taste of what's coming up, and at this rate I'm thinking they'll be able to easily top How To Survive A Funeral and Contraband, which is definitely exciting. Make Them Suffer has brought upon a new era with this song.

Rating: 4.5/5

Sunday, October 16, 2022

Lyric Of The Week 33: Just Pretend

"Heaven knows I ain't getting over you."

Bad Omens - Just Pretend, from the album THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND

Friday, October 14, 2022

Album: Pierce The Veil - Collide With The Sky [2012]

Pierce The Veil came back in 2022 with Pass The Nirvana, so I figured it's about time I get to talking about them. Their brand of post-hardcore emo was at the core of scene music in the 2010s, with Collide With The Sky as their magnum opus. It also happens to be this album's ten year anniversary, which is one more great reason to talk about it.

I remember when I was just starting to get into rock and metal music, I stumbled across the music video for King For A Day. It was wild to me at the time, when the heaviest song I knew was Bring Me The Horizon's Happy Song. It took me a few months before I finally decided to listen to the album it was on, and the rest is history.

I love the intro track being a prelude that transitions into the second track. Connected tracks is a musical trope that I think is underrated if done well. Of course, Hell Above on its own is a banger of a track, especially with that breakdown.

Many of Pierce The Veil's songs on this record are super high-energy and stay that way. Vic's screams have a very unique texture to it, and coupled with his cleans, makes for a very well-rounded sound. The whole album has a very teen angst vibe to it, seasoned with heartbreak and riot overtones.

There's a good variety of sounds in this record. Fast paced heavy songs like The First Punch and A Match Into Water, slower calmer songs like I'm Low On Gas And You Need A Jacket and Stained Glass Eyes And Colorful Tears, and even a beautiful ballad at the end. I was quite amazed at the range they had, honestly.

I love that they introduced a lot of interesting elements into the record. The acoustic guitar section on Bulls In The Bronx, the intros on I'm Low On Gas And You Need A Jacket and Stained Glass Eyes And Colorful Tears, they shake things up a bit and give the record so much more colour.

It's undeniable how emotional this record is. Rage manifested in songs like King For A Day and A Match Into Water, grief and sadness weaved into songs like Bulls In The Bronx and Hold On Till May, it is a powerful catharsis and musical experience. Singing and screaming along to this record evokes a special feeling many other records can't.

This album is undoubtedly iconic, and very special to a lot of people. The emotion and the sentiment this record holds is immense, and I will always love putting it on when I'm feeling down. It's a beautiful record from start to finish, full of genuine, raw emotion and brilliant songwriting.

Rating: 10/10

Tracklist:
1. May These Noises Startle You In Your Sleep Tonight
2. Hell Above
3. A Match Into Water
4. King For A Day (feat. Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens)
5. Bulls In The Bronx
6. Props & Mayhem
7. Tangled In The Great Escape (feat. Jason Butler of letlive.)
8. I'm Low On Gas And You Need A Jacket
9. The First Punch
10. One Hundred Sleepless Nights
11. Stained Glass Eyes And Colorful Tears
12. Hold On Till May (feat. Lindsey Stamey)

Tuesday, October 11, 2022

Song: Dance Gavin Dance - Evaporate [Artificial Selection, 2018]

Evaporate is a very special song in Dance Gavin Dance's discography, and for many of their fans as well (me included). I'd like to think that they made this song to commemorate how far their band has come, and to celebrate all that they have made and done.

The first part of the song isn't anything out of the blue, it's what you'd expect from Dance Gavin Dance. Jon Mess doing his screams and weird lyrics, Tilian doing his angelic highs. Something noticeable is that there's a subtle lack of swancore riffage, which quickly gets explained with the secret guest spot.

I love that they had Andrew Wells as a surprise on this track. Andrew Wells has been their touring guitarist and backup vocalist for a long time, and from what I've heard fans grew fond of him (so did I, eventually). It seems he was quite essential to their live sound, and for many fans, he was considered a defacto member of the band. Giving him a unique verse on this song was awesome musically, but also terrific fan-service. He has a distinctly different vocal texture that diversifies their sound greatly, and adds so much versatility to the sound that they can deliver.

From the moment Andrew comes in, the iconic Dance Gavin Dance swancore sound comes in fully, with Will's lead lines and a guitar solo that I can only assume is Andrew's. The chorus is hooky, the riffs are scrumptious and the energy is high. The dropout calm section that builds up to the final section of the song is equal parts elegant and exciting.

Let's talk about the grand finale, because it's undeniably the best part of the song. They put together a medley of their own songs from all throughout their discography, stretching all the way back to Downtown Battle Mountain. I even saw someone say that the riff going on in the back is a callback to Burning Down the Nicotine Armoire, but it seems more like coincidence than an intentional choice. Regardless, it's such a touching and sentimental section to have, especially for those who have followed the band since it started. Even for me, a person who didn't really listen to anything before Instant Gratification at the time, could pick out lines from We Own The Night and Me And Zoloft Get Along Just Fine. It's so well put together too, and makes for one of the best album closers in history.

I go back every now and then to listen to this song, mostly just for the ending. Even without the medley sentiment, it's a impressively monumental-sounding section. Having listened to more of their discography now, I can appreciate most of what this small section represents for the band. This mashup of iconic songs is a rare thing to find, the only other example I know of being What A Catch, Donnie by Fall Out Boy. It also reminds me a lot of Pop Danthology in essence, which was something I loved when I was younger.

Evaporate is definitely a milestone for them in many ways. Marking the end of their 8th album, 12 years of being a band, many songs to their name and even more fans. It showcased the best of their work over the past few years and, in a way, was a retrospective view of how their sound has changed over the years. Numerous line-up changes, changes in style and genres, and seeing them become better musicians in writing and in production quality. It's a musical masterpiece.

Rating: 5/5

Sunday, October 9, 2022

Lyric Of The Week 32: Missing Limbs

"I'd give anything to balance your convictions with certainty, to fall asleep without you lying next to me."

Sleep Token - Missing Limbs, from the album This Place Will Become Your Tomb

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Album: Knocked Loose - A Different Shade of Blue [2019]

After experiencing A Tear in the Fabric of Life, I knew I had to listen to more of Knocked Loose. Their hardcore sound is definitively violent and absolutely unique, and A Different Shade of Blue is no different.

It's actually quite cool to hear how their sound developed from A Different Shade of Blue to A Tear in the Fabric of Life. The EP was so conceptually tight and concise, and the direction was so distinct that it gave their hardcore sound such a unique grief-laden edge to it. With this full-length record, I got to hear a variety of their sound with the space for exploration an EP usually can't accomodate.

This album is raw and, in a good way, occasionally barebones. The riffs are chunky and indisputably hardcore. Chunky riffs, low-tuned chugs and dissonant chords form the musical essence of the entire record. It's also cool that we hear the bass more. The drums do its job well, keeping the intensity and accentuating the vocals and guitars.

The way they balance intensity and manage the dynamics in this record is commendable. I almost never notice, but they include smartly placed drop outs, interims and buildups that don't lose the energy completely but keeps the listener from being oversaturated by heaviness. It's invigorating, to put it simply, the way they weave their hardcore sound around lows and highs, impactful moments and calmer breaks.

I love Bryan Garris' vocals, don't get me wrong, but Isaac Hale's lows add so much vocal diversity to their sound, and I'm glad it appears more often in this record. It's just the sheer contrast of their vocals that in turn makes both of their screams hit that much harder.

The guest vocals were great picks, even if I didn't know any at the time. Emma Boster took me by surprise, mostly because I wasn't expecting female screams, but also because it is crazy brutal and absolutely matches Bryan's screams perfectly. Keith Buckley is a great guest spot too, now knowing his contribution to the metal world via Every Time I Die, but also on its own as a nicely contrasting unclean vocal texture to have on the album.

For a genre that has a tendency to all sound the same, they have their moments that make them stand out quite well. Their use of dissonant panic chords is eye-catching and sometimes downright cheeky. The final breakdown of In The Walls is a brilliant example of their simple yet impactful use of those. Two other facets of their music that go hand in hand in making them stand out are their dramatically aggressive lyrics and, unsurprisingly, Bryan's vocals. Their lyrics may end up being pretentious or overkill for some people, but it's definitely the right kind of thing to match the rageful energy of their sound. Bryan's vocals also does that exact thing, embodying a pure and unrestrained rage. The contrast of the violently angry screams on this album compared to the regretful and grieving screams on the EP is very intriguing to me, and shows his range as an unclean vocalist.

It's a subtle thing, but their storytelling in this record is noteworthy. Little additions of sound snippets at the end of In The Walls and at the start of Road 23 paint parts of the story musically, and the lyrical progression alongside the titles spell out the rest.

It took me time to get into, I'll have to admit, but it was still one of my first tastes of hardcore in general. I've come to like A Different Shade of Blue for its outright relentless hardcore sound and everything that I love about Knocked Loose. Angry music, that's for sure.

Rating: 8/10

Tracklist:
1. Belleville
2. Trapped in the Grasp of a Memory
3. A Serpent's Touch (feat. Emma Boster of Dying Wish)
4. By the Grave
5. In the Walls
6. Guided by the Moon
7. Mistakes Like Fractures
8. Forget Your Name (feat. Keith Buckley of Every Time I Die)
9. Road 23
10. ...And Still I Wander South
11. Denied by Fate
12. Misguided Son

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

Song: Sleep Token - The Love You Want [This Place Will Become Your Tomb, 2021]

Oh my, how I love this song. The Love You Want by Sleep Token is probably their best song to date, which is a hard to say considering how many great songs they have. With how perfectly emotional and love-fueled this song is though, and the unbelievable soundscape this song has, I think it may as well be.

Like any Sleep Token song, a good portion of the reason why the song is so good boils down to the sheer emotiveness of Vessel's vocals. From the very start until the end, through solo lines and harmonies, through verses and choruses and even the monumental last chorus, his voice leads the charge. I think it's safe to say he really felt the heartbreak that he writes about, because this song was weaved in genuine emotion.

Sleep Token's soundscapes are always remarkable, but this one is expansive and immensely entrancing. Their mix of guitar, keyboard, drums and electronic synths have always been creative but it feels like they've ascended with this one. Every section and every moment feels intentful and in turn has a very strong resultant experience. Even near the end, when there's so much going on you can barely discern one thing from the other, the overall sound still feels so powerful and emotive.

The chorus is extremely powerful, no doubt. Even the first iteration already sets the tone, despite being relatively the calmest. Of course, I have to talk about the climatic and monumental final chorus. It's divine, it's euphoric, it's ecstatic, it's a million things all at once and it is so beautiful. The drums, the guitars, the electronics, every part of the band is giving it their all in this section. I could legitimately cry over this, and even if I don't, you can bet your ass I'll be singing my heart out to it.

Sleep Token became my favourite band very quickly and this is one of the main reasons why. Few songs reach such a level of emotional quality and musical perfection, but Sleep Token have proven themselves to be masters of their craft with this song. A definite gem off of This Place Will Become Your Tomb, and a favourite of 2021.

Rating: 5/5

Sunday, October 2, 2022

Album: Jeremy Zucker - love is not dying [2020]


 A good friend of mine introduced me to Jeremy Zucker in 2021, specifically with the album love is not dying. At the time, I was so out of touch with pop music I barely heard any of the big artists in that year. I was in the midst of my modern metal obsession, so my ears were so extremely geared towards that sound that I didn't really take in this record properly, but this year my listening palate has defocused and I found myself liking the record quite a bit.

I vaguely remember encountering always, i'll care at some point in 2020, but at the time it just seemed to me like a generic pop song. After I got into this record, I better understood the sound that he had, and I actually grew to like it a lot. His songs have a mix of soft and energetic sounds, and to some extent reminds me of older EDEN.

I've found that on this record, the tracks that were more intense and high energy, I enjoyed a lot more. I guess that's always been a preference of mine, but tracks like somebody loves you, lakehouse and full stop really do manage to hit that emotional spot that calmer songs fail to do. Despite that, there are great tracks on the softer side of the album too.

not ur friend, julia and always, i'll care are some great highlights of his ability to write great soft pop hooks. The instrumentation sounds simple but is effective, and so is the writing. I particularly commend his sound design, there's a lot of minute and subtle sample choices and little melodies throughout the record that give it a lot of texture. His fluency in electronic sound design is very reminiscent of EDEN too, but dialed down a bit.

It's a very calming and vibey album for me, and it's a great breath of fresh air when my ears get tired of heavy music. I don't play it too often but I'd chalk that up more to my current tastes rather than the quality of the record. I do love a lot of what Jeremy Zucker does, and this album is home to quite a number of those.

Rating: 7/10

Tracklist:
1. still
2. we're fucked, it's fine
3. somebody loves you
4. orchid
5. lakehouse
6. good for her
7. not ur friend
8. full stop
9. julia
10. hell or flying
11. always, i'll care
12. brooks
13. oh, mexico

Lyric Of The Week 31: forever//over

"There are no ends, just grays and half-lives."

EDEN - forever//over, from the album vertigo