Month: March 2018

Album Review: The Sword- Used Future

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Back in 2006 a band from Austin, Texas called The Sword, unleashed their Sabbath drenched, stoner rock epic debut Age Of Winters. I remember the first time I heard it and was immediately lost in the smoke of how dank it was. The Sword had made a statement that they were here with that debut. Their follow up Gods Of The Earth continued on that path. It wasn’t until their third album Warp Riders, that The Sword really found their own sound (also with the help of producer/engineer Matt Bayles). Fast forward a few albums till now and The Sword are about to release a new opus called Used Future on us all.

Instead of harking back to their early days, The Sword has evolved their sound from album to album to create a lush wealth of rock on this new album. Used Future is an album that could have come out in the 1970’s. It has this really sweet mix of Thin Lizzy meets The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Used Future is an album that has ways to expand your mind based solely on the music. Some songs like “Nocturne,” “Come and Gone,” and “Brown Mountain,” have an almost cinematic effect, drawing you in slowly until the climax of the song. There are still elements of where the band first drew influence from on tracks like  “Twilight Sunrise” and “Deadly Nightshade.” My absolute favorite song on the album is “Sea Of Green.” This song is quite different and a welcome entry from the heavy stoner rock band that I dug many years back. It’s a mid tempo jam that really shows the bands growth as songwriters but might also be one of the best songs they have ever written.

With Used Future, The Sword have created an album that steps outside the box. Their last album High Country was ambitious and very experimental. This new album is experimental as well but it fully encapsulates what the band was and has become. The Sword are here to stay, and as long as they keep making “albums” (yes albums. The kind that you put on and let play), they will continue to have a lasting effect on their fans and those who listen.

 

The Sword- Twilight Sunrise:

 

The Sword- Deadly Nightshade:

Ultimate Set List: Nine Inch Nails

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This is probably the most difficult Ultimate Set List I’ve made yet. I think I’ve made about 15 different versions of this set list. I usually give myself only 25 songs to make these Ultimate Set Lists but, for this one I had to go to 30 songs. It was seriously impossible to make it 25 songs. I actually could have made it longer too (I have one version that is 50 songs). Picking the songs wasn’t just the hardest part either, because there have been so many great players in Trent’s live band, picking those individuals was rather difficult too. Anyhow, here is my Ultimate Set List for Nine Inch Nails. What would be on yours?

Rule 1: What line up of the band would it be

Rule 2: Where would you want to see the show

Rule 3: maximum 25 songs (In order of how the set should go)

 

Lineup: Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner, Jerome Dillon, Charlie Clouser, Robin Finck, (Yes I picked The Fragile era lineup)
Venue: The Fonda Theater (Saw NIN there during their Wave Goodbye tour and it was amazing)

Set List:
01) Head Like A Hole
02) Mr. Self Destruct
03) Getting Smaller
04) Into The Void
05) Head Down
06) The Day The World Went Away
07) The Idea Of You
08) You Know What You Are
09) The Frail
10) The Wretched
11) Eraser
12) Last
13) Survivalism
14) Copy Of A
15) Less Than
16) Various Methods Of Escape
17) And All That Could Have Been
18 ) A Warm Place
19) We’re In This Together
20) Burning Bright (Field On Fire)
21) March Of The Pigs
22) The Hand That Feeds
23) Gave Up
24) The Perfect Drug
25) Reptile
26) Sin
27) Just Like You Imagined
28) Somewhat Damaged
29) The Fragile
30) In This Twilight

Band Of The Week: The Atlas Moth

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There is something really cool about discovering a band that has been around for a while. As a listener you’ve more than likely discovered the bands latest album and become enthralled by them that you are compelled to go back and check out their other releases. Recently, I heard about a band called The Atlas Moth and when I heard their song “Coma Noir” and I was immediately drawn in. The Atlas Moth released a new album this year entitled Coma Noir and it’s down right epic. The band sites groups like Deftones, Neurosis, Cave In, The Cure and The Flaming Lips among their influences and while listening to the entire album you can hear how all these bands have helped to shape the bands sound. The sheer intensity they emit is very reminiscent of Neurosis,  and Cave In (especially their albums Until Your Heart Stops and Jupiter). The band takes chances too and experiments with different moods and textures just as Deftones, The Flaming Lips and The Cure do. It all comes together to make for a psychedelic metal experience. Songs like “Galactic Brain,” “The Last Transmission From the Late, Great Planet Earth,” “Actual Human Blood,” “Smiling Knife,” “Coma Noir,” and “The Streets of Bombay” will have an effect on you and leave you lost in a bit of a trance. The entire album as a whole will almost hypnotize you. After listening to all The Atlas Moth albums, you can definitely hear the bands evolution into an absolute heavy force to be reckoned with. Do yourself a favor and take some time to get lost in The Atlas Moth.

 

The Atlas Moth- Coma Noir:

 

Coma Noir-Video:

 

 

B-Sides: Stone Temple Pilots

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I woke up this morning with Stone Temple Pilots in my head. Specifically the song “Atlanta.” So naturally I did what I always do and put that song on and then just let Number 4 start from the beginning. While listening to STP it got me thinking about their B-sides. Check out their B-sides over the years and songs that were previously unreleased.

 

Only Dying (from Core- Originally intended to be on The Crow Soundtrack):

 

All In The Suit That You Wear (from Thank You- Originally intended for the Spiderman Soundtrack):

 

About A Fool:

 

You Can’t Drive Me Away:

 

Learning To Drive:

 

Heed The Water Whispers:

 

Samba Nova:

 

Live Review: Cane Hill and Valor & Vengeance at The Viper Room

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One thing that I truly enjoy is getting to see a band in a club atmosphere. There is something really special about the intimacy of it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a big band or an up and coming band, club shows will always be some of the best shows a band will play. Last night I ventured out to the Viper Room to check out two bands that I’ve been wanting to see, Cane Hill and Valor & Vengeance and they both didn’t disappoint.

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Valor and Vengeance took the stage before Cane Hill and delivered a very mood setting performance. Their intensity and prowess on stage really draws the audience in and definitely gets the head banging. The bands frontman Adam Ryan is a beast, not only does he have that intimidating yet really nice guy factor, the guy can down right sing and scream with the best of them. The dual guitar attack of Tyler Morgan and Mike Muenzer shines when the heavy kicks in along with the more melodic nature of the songs. Bassist Paul Perry and drummer Josh Fresia are beyond locked in and deliver a pummeling rhythm live. Songs like “Devil’s Highway” and “Sinking Further” really stood out during their set. In a previous post about the band I said “I like to think of Valor and Vengeance as sounding like Avenged Sevenfold if the latter had balls and didn’t suck.” I stand by that  description but I’d like to add that they are definitely way better than Avenged. Check out Valor and Vengeance when they are playing at a town near you!

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The other reason I was out last night was to check out Cane Hill. I’ll admit I wasn’t too familiar with them until about a week ago but, when I heard their new album Too Far Gone, I knew I had to go see them. Their sound and style is reminiscent of early Slipknot (first 2 albums) with a bit of a metalcore and industrial vibe. This 4 piece from New Orleans really laid it out for all the fans in attendance. You can tell that these guys believe in their music and are in it for the love of music. The entire band are beyond tight and know how to deliver a show. Singer Elijah Witt has one hell of a set of pipes. I wasn’t sure how he’d be able to pull off certain songs live but he did and I genuinely think his voice sounded better live. Especially on songs like “It Follows,” “Erased,” “10 Cents,” and “Ugly Model Mannequin.” Guitarist James Barnett has one hell of a tone and is resonated extremely well inside the Viper Room. Bassist Ryan Henriquez and drummer Devin Clark are blistering as a rhythm section. Cane Hill is one of the best newer bands I’ve heard in a long time. Their album Too Far Gone is one of my favorites of 2018 and it’s only March. Do yourself a favor and check them out and go see them live, you won’t be disappointed.

 

Cane Hill- Too Far Gone:

 

Valor and Vengeance- Devil’s Highway:

 

Valor and Vengeance- Sinking Further:

 

 

Review and Photos (granted they are kinda crappy) by: Brian Lacy

Soundtrack Only Songs: Rage Against The Machine- Darkness

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As I’ve written about it many times before, the soundtrack for The Crow is one the best soundtracks of all time. There isn’t one song on it that doesn’t fit or make you want to watch the film. I’ll never forget way back when, the first time I heard the Rage Against The Machine song “Darkness.” I was completely floored by it. I had been a fan of the band for a while at that time and didn’t hear it on their debut. The song was originally written in 1991 and titled “Darkness Of Greed.” They re-recorded the song specifically for the soundtrack. “Darkness” never appeared on an album until the anniversary edition of their debut album. It did appear however as a b-side on the “Killin In The Name” single. Either way the only way to get this song for a long time was via The Crow soundtrack.

 

Rage Against The Machine- Darkness:

Cover Song: Prong (Neil Young)- Cortez The Killer

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In case you didn’t know, Neil Young is one of my all time favorites. I have both my mom and dad to thank for getting me into his music. While I was looking up some songs for an upcoming episode of Audioeclectica Radio (Yes, it is coming back!), I totally remembered this really cool cover Prong (the very underrated Prong, I must say) did of the Neil Young classic “Cortez The Killer.” Check it out and enjoy!!!

 

Prong- Cortez The Killer:

 

Neil Young- Cortez The Killer:

Top Ten Bands A to Z: V

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The A to Z list continues to find the top ten bands/artists in the alphabet. V is upon us and needs help to complete the list.

As usual your suggestions are wanted in completing this list.

These are in no particular order as well.

01) The Velvet Underground
02) The Verve
03) Van Halen
04) Vision Of Disorder
05) Vast
06) The Ventures
07) Vanilla Fudge
08) Violent Femmes
09) The Vandals
10) Vexes (one of the best new V bands)

Band Of The Week: Knaaves

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One of my favorite things about writing and running Audioeclectica is when I get an email from a band that is personalized and asking me to check out their band. Recently I got a message from a band called Knaaves. I was immediately impressed with the message that was sent that I stopped what I was doing to check them out. What I heard was a blistering heavy band that was full of dark riffs and an attitude that compliments the music superbly. Knaaves, based out of Milwauke, is a four piece band featuring Andy Parmann (Vocals), Amanda Daniels (Bass), Jamie Kerwin (Guitar), and Antonio Ninham (Drums) that mixes metal, hardcore, and bits of melody to create a hard charging, groove filled sound. Knaaves isn’t a “metal-core” band, instead they take bits of post hardcore and add it to their already heavy groove. Their 2 song EP JANUARY, featuring the songs “January” and “Nine Lives Lost” will have you banging your head and possibly erupting into a one person mosh pit (which is totally possible). Do yourself a favor and check out Knaaves and let the power of heaviness guide you on your way to where you are headed.

Knaaves- January EP:

On The Rise: Fire From The Gods

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Every now and then a band comes along and reignites a genre that hasn’t been relevant in a while. Depending on what time you grew up, you just might have a connection to that specific genre. The mixing of rock/metal and hip hop has been around for almost 30 years now. Some bands were able to do it extremely well like Rage Against The Machine, and some more underground bands like Downiest and Hed PE (their first album). Recently a band has come out that has brought back that sound but have done it in a way that isn’t cheesy like Limp Bizkit. I’m speaking of the band Fire From The Gods. Based out of Austin Texas, Fire From The Gods have incorporated hip hop into their music along with with a generous helping of melody, hardcore, and metal. I’d like to note that not all their songs feature the rap-rock sound, only a handful of the songs have rapping in them, like the song “Excuse Me.” Instead the band focuses on melody and hooks to gain your attention. The band, fronted by the very charismatic AJ Channer, is definitely a band that you need to look out for. I like to think of them as a more melodic Sevendust, only a bit more socially conscious. Their album Narrative is one hell of an album. It’s full of all the above I mentioned but also a very uplifting feeling. Musically the band is tight and churn out some tasty riffs and rhythms. From their videos I’ve seen, their live shows are full of energy and heaviness.  It’s no wonder why Fire From The Gods are a band to watch out for.

 

Fire From The Gods- Narrative (Retold):

 

By: Brian Lacy