Lanterns, the full-length debut from Atlanta 3 piece A Very Loud Death opens with “Consumer” an atmospheric stage-setter for a lucid journey into a darkness that could be the background music to any Edgar Allen Poe story. Don’t question the production of a simple 3 piece band, somehow they pull off full spectrum sound that you would expect of a 5 piece. Chris Edge’s vocals are heartful and poignant, while the slow to medium paced music confirms the emotive romanticism of nurturing a heart you yourself inflicted damage upon.
The album overall has segments of dreary alternative rock, emo but not whiny, and some metal dynamics. With a vast audience opportunity, A Very Loud Death would appeal to fans of Chevelle, HIM, Mars Volta, and artists that have that hint of saddened macabre. Animated and heartfelt A Very Loud Death offers heart on sleeve honesty that you can feel with every musical change and vocal melody. “Lanterns” has a System of a down like guitar riff that takes an entirely new meaning once the chorus kicks in and tones become more epic and the vocals more desperately dyer. Applying instrument and vocal effects that expand the tonal dreariness yet cast a spooky shadow that is as perfectly subtle as a thin cloud coverage.
The vocals return with a soothing embrace on “The Ease of Absurdity”. Lightly brushed tom rolls accommodate a strong bass line that really takes the wheel and directs this track. The build-ups ad an unexpected turn that isn’t overpowering and breaks up the predictability that typically bores listeners. “The Wild” is the album’s most fast-paced song and pulls between the low dark overtone and a slight anger that cradles the ears yet instills that same uneasy feeling you get when someone shoots you an uncertain grin that you cant tell is sincere or wicked. With music that is melodic and driven to fulfill the albums intense theme, the lyrics have an offbeat obscurity that follows a rhyming pattern that kind of hints that a progressive rock influence had been tossed into the blender of sound that A Very Loud Death has inside their already genre-bending core.
In closing, the best way to describe A Very Loud Death’s latest offering is that there is enough dramatic loudness to wake up empathy in a stone-cold psychopath.
I had the opportunity to chat with Matt from Violent Revolution, a metal band based out of Phoenix, Arizona. While I am a little biased having liked a band he was in locally around 2001, I find it more inspiring to be able to pick the brain of a musician I respect. Matt is well known in this area. A scene veteran if you will. With Violent Revolution he has teamed up with some other tight players and together they have unleashed a brand of metal that not only has listeners asking “how did they do that” but keeps the mosh pit rotating like a ceiling fan.
Your name and role in the band?
Matt Ward, Lead Guitar and Vocals
What motivated you to play/create music?
Honestly, a big part of it was growing up kinda poor. My friends and I never had money to do pretty much anything so in my juvenile brain I thought shooting for the occupation of “Rock Star” would bring some cash and travel into my life… oops. Not quite the case. But also there are allot of musicians in my family and it seems to just be genetic. My Grandad was a guitar player who worked in Vaudeville and taught guitar and even worked with Les Paul for a time. Sadly he died before I could meet him so I’ve always kinda wanted to pay tribute to his memory. That and Jimmy Page.
Who are your influences?
That answer changes every few years it seems. Early days it was Zeppelin, AC/DC, Iron Maiden… Twisted Sister was actually my first favorite rock band and they brought me into the whole cosmos of metal. Over the years I have been influenced by so many things a competent list would be all but impossible. But lately I am very into Meshuggah, Aesop Rock, Opeth, Maximum the Hormone, Belphegor… and of course… a constant stream of Tom Waits flowing! He’s my god!
Describe the sound of Violent Revolution for a new listener.
That would depend on whether you hear the new stuff or the old stuff. Our Debut disc “State of Unrest” is pretty straight up Thrash/Punk kind of stuff. There has been some line up changes since then and nowadays we are quite a bit more adventurous. Imagine Nuclear Assault meets Lamb of God and The Haunted… maybe… this question I always suck at haha.
What sets Violent Revolution apart?
Another hard question to answer. I guess that may ride in the hands of the listener. It’s hard to be objective about that answer from the inside. I don’t wanna sound braggadocious or off base.
What is the story behind the name Violent Revolution?
It’s from a Kreator song. That’s really the whole story haha. Nothing too deep behind it. Just fit music that is fast and angry and somewhat politically charged.
What is the most rewarding aspect of being in Violent Revolution?
I think as of now the most rewarding thing is the new line up. We are just in a good groove with each other and the writing is flying. We all get along and we all keep each other on our toes but most importantly we all agree on pretty much everything. No bitching and moaning at each other EVER! If anyone complains it’s always me but never about them haha. It’s just actually fun playing in this band. I have been in plenty that were very far from fun.
What’s next for Violent Revolution?
We are shooting for finishing up all the new writing that is underway and then getting an EP together so we can get this stuff out to everyone. I don’t think enough people have had a chance to check out the new direction. Plus we have a ton of merch to make! It’s gonna be a busy spring for us. But we will be coming out swinging by summer. It seems as though we are on track for a really good year! Let’s hope that is the case.
Ciaran Lavery makes me glad I’m a writer for fear that I would pronounce his name like a 1st grader attempting to read Shakespeare. You can tell by his name that he isn’t from the U.S. and with his track “To Chicago” all of you American men could learn a thing or two. With Valentine’s Day approaching my best advice is this, if you want to get some warm and tender loving, put “To Chicago” on for your girl and it’s a sure win. It’s an upbeat, simple, toe-tapping love song that is a million miles away from what has been the top 10 industry standard.
The acoustic guitar isn’t always just for those depressing cry your eyes out ballads. The guitar line in “To Chicago” is fun, and like love, it’s unconditional and without a deceptive hidden agenda.
Reminiscent of a song you would hear playing over the speaker system of your local drug store and while the line is long the ladies are sure to daydream away of a concert where they are the only audience member and Ciaran is singing solely to them.This is the kind of song that yields hope in thinking love like that does exist. It’s not generically sappy or holding hands skipping in the perfect meadow. It’s realistic. It’s a spontaneous road trip, sharing laughs when the map flies out of the window and there is no cell signal, opening a can of soda and it fizzing over and your lover giggling as she pats the couple of droplets from your shirt. All the pop song elements are there, but the lyrics are creative and uniquely written.
Overall this is a very refreshing love song that is sure to pull at the heartstrings, and possibly make a slew of listeners flock to Ireland ready to marry Mr. Lavery.
“To Chicago” is out today and the album it appears on, Sweet Decay, will be released April 13th. Keep up with Ciaran Lavery here.
PrimalRite comes from San Francisco, an area that is known for cranking out metal (and any sub-genre of it) awesomeness. This crossover (metal with punk attributes) 6 piece began in 2016 and have released 3 singles and an E.P. throughout 2017. There can’t be a better way to bring in 2018 than by releasing their debut full-length album Dirge Of Escapism set to release on January 26th via Revelation.
The album begins with “Chapter Zero” a wind swirling intro that lands upon a beat fit to send the troops into battle. The introductory guitar riff induces a metal trance that will find you thrusting your upper torso back and forth. With a rawness similar to that of Sepultura’s Schizophrenia album there is no shortage of leads that squeal like an air raid siren.There are metal grooves with dynamics that offer each transition a welcome pass to slide on in.
“Interference” possesses a classic thrash/speed metal feel that is sure to gain the respect of any true metal head, “Sensory Link to Pain” shows some serious in the pocket groove and stomp that will have you pumping your fists to the sky. You can hear an influence that is a conglomeration of classic 80’s bay area thrashers with a hint of East Coast punk/hardcore.
If there is anything you need to know before you head over to their Bandcamp and pre-order your copy of “Dirge of Escapism” it’s this, it’s heavy, it’s brutal, it’s reminiscent of a sweaty nightclub of clashing moshpitters and hardcore dancers. The album as a whole captures the energy of what a live show would be like. As a bonus, if you pre-order Dirge of Escapism, you get 3 tracks now (streaming via the free Bandcamp app and also available as a high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more), plus the complete album the moment it’s released.
I almost forgot to mention, those guttural vocals, no it’s not Martin Van Drunen from Asphyx, it’s Lucy. That’s right a female. Don’t even think there is a moment of weak, pretty, “hand me my skirt” moments. This chick has raised the bar and proven when it comes to metal, it’s not just boys that can lay it down. Horns up to PrimalRite.
This track is a moody, sexy, seductive almost darkly romantic song that belongs on The Lost Boys soundtrack, but in today’s day and age, I’d say the goth kids from South Park would do there face left, face right, hair flop dance to this. DATAROCK has taken those old 80’s synth sounds and brought them back. The lyrics have a Jim Morrison style in the way that it is written like a poem by some kind of a beautiful madman. This late-night candlelit anthem may even prove successful in a club with slow dancers silhouettes bleeding slowly through the sheets as the white light grows more intense then fades away.
However, if you were a little too intoxicated, you may get creeped out by the haunting perfectly panned sounds that are placed softly in the background on the remix version. Enough so that you may end up asking your friend “Did you hear that?” in a paranoid looking over your shoulder kind of way.
While “Laugh in the face of Darkness” goes down as smooth as that perfectly blended latte, don’t mistake the synth POP labeled genre for another bubble gum radio tune about a nasty break up. This is for all of you old school 80’s goths that know there is more to the genre than Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.” DATAROCK isn’t just another one hit wonder label produced poser group. These guys have recreated and mastered the sounds of your glory days and did it justice.
I kicked back and plugged the phones into my ears and suddenly felt the urge to go to roller skating at Skateland. Welcome to WASI‘s “Stranger California.” This self-proclaimed “riot pop” duo from California offers what I would classify as synth pop with ska guitar riffs and a solid beat. The lyric writing is well thought out and can seem like the perspective of an unseen observer on the outside looking in. With descriptors capturing the stereotype, “dirty beaches and hair that’s bleached out,” there is still a humble sense of being a part of the community in the line, “I can still appreciate the neighborhood thrift store.” You don’t have to live in California to rock this song. Just close your eyes and next thing you know imagination will take control allowing you to cruise the shoreline with the convertible top down as WASI provides the soundtrack.
Don’t let the title fool you “Stranger California” is a very fun, uplifting and carefree song. It would fit in well with a game of beer pong just the same as it would playing in the background with a group full of friends laughing as they cram themselves elbow to elbow on an old ratty couch.
This is the kind of originality that should be dominating the radio. While yes, “Stranger California” does remind me of MIA’s “Paper planes” there is a reason that song took off. And given the right audience, WASI could too. Be sure to keep an eye out as they will be on the SXSW bill and touring this spring as a supporting act to Caroline Rose.
Frigs. A dirty, grungy, punk sounding band from Toronto Canada that has applied the perfect amount of monotone “don’t care” attitude with catchy choral melodies. The music itself is a little hard to define or pigeonhole into a specific genre. So those of you who when asked, “What kind of music do you listen to?” and refrain from spewing out genre after sub-genre after made-up genre, and respond by saying, “everything”, this is for you.
The subtle amount of heated amplifier tubes follows suit with my description of sounding dirty and grungy, however, there is a subtle aspect of experimental musicianship that demands respect. I doubt it’s accidental talent that there are overtones applied to this track that isn’t taught in music theory but should be. Leonard Bernstein stated that a single pitch contains an infinite number of pitches. Within those pitches lay a hidden key that allows music to convey emotion.
Frigs has hit that key allowing them to not only capture a distinct sound but create an atmosphere for the listener. “Talking pictures” starts dark and dreary yet the chorus has that steady hi-hat tapping that you will find your head bobbing in sync with.
For those of us who were waiting for Courtney Love to learn how to sing (still waiting), we can now give up and turn our focus to Bria. She goes right where Love fell flat. The best part is when you think this girl just sings, you get a guttural scream, “Do you see it?” It doesn’t make this track heavy, it is what is, a boldly stated question. Here Frigshas laid out a soundscape and painted a mental picture. I saw it. “Do you see it?”
Side Note – According to their website Frigs will be on tour starting March 2018 in Canada and some states in the U.S. My only complaint is this, there is no stop in Phoenix, Arizona.
However their album Basic Behaviour comes out Feb 23, 2018. Keep up with Frigs here.
Mankind Is Obsolete, often referred to as “MKIO,” is a female-fronted electro-rock band based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2002 by drummer Jon Siren and vocalist Natasha Cox. Our focus is on the track “On fire again” from the bands’ 5th release titled Mobius Loop. “On Fire Again” begins with music that could be the perfect theme song for those who have ever felt beaten down by life, love, or any other element, and have reached that point where the light begins to shine through the crack in the wall and you feel strength return to every muscle in your body. The chorus acts as the first verse and with good reason. With such a powerful start, it’s amazing that the song stays just as strong when the verse begins and the only sound is provided by the bass and drums. Natasha’s voice comes through and it seems as though the words and intent would still be the same even if she were humming along. You not only hear the words and comprehend their meaning, you feel it in the way she is singing.
The song as a whole will give you that motivating feeling of wanting the excitable exhilaration you get when your crush becomes love, or when you take your favorite drive and there is no other obstacle stopping you from just punching the gas. “On Fire Again” is definitely a driving force that needs to be added to your playlist.
