Last week Slipknot released a new song from their upcoming new album, which is due out in 2019. Naturally, I went on a kick of listening to them for a few days. While having my own personal listening party, I started to think about all the b-sides they have from their albums. Well now, here they are.
From Slipknot:
Get This:
Snap:
Despise:
Interloper:
Me Inside:
Purity:
From Volume 3- The Subliminal Verses:
Don’t Get Close:
Losing a band member is never an easy thing. Especially when it’s the main songwriter in the group. Things at that point can either fall off the tracks or the band comes together and pushes forward. A couple years back Architects guitarist and main songwriter Tom Searle passed away from cancer. This led many to think that the band was over and or going to take a break for a while. Through all the pain and sorrow, the band pulled through and hit the road to celebrate the life of their fallen brother. It was during this time too that Architects released the song “Doomsday,” a song that was one of the final things Tom was working on but was unable to finish. When the song was released they song they mentioned that there was a future for the band and that they were looking forward to working on new music.
Now in 2018, a couple years later, Architects have written one hell of an album. Not only does their new record, Holy Hell, pay tribute to Tom but also explores many different themes of pain, loss, suffering and mourning. Musically all the members contributed to create a unified front and it sounds like it. Holy Hell at times sticks to what the band has done best for years but, at the same time takes on a more melodic approach. This being their 8th album, they have found their “sound” and they are running with it. The first three songs released “Hereafter,” “Royal Beggars,” and “Modern Misery” highlight the style that the band has, while other songs like “Mortal After All,” “Damnation,” “Holy Hell” and “A Wasted Hymn” show that the band isn’t done evolving and incorporating different styles and elements into the fold.
I will admit, it has been a while since I last really listened to Architects. When I heard “Doomsday” after it was released, I started to get really intrigued by the band again. Architects have created an album that will cement their names in heavy music. They have also brought the prog djent sound to the forefront. Holy Hell is exactly the album that the band needed to make. The only thing I can nit pick at is the polished production. At times it seems a bit too clean and compressed but, that doesn’t change how powerful the songs are. Architects have a lot to say about what they are dealing with and you know that when the time comes to start playing shows, those performances are going to set the venues on fire.
The A to Z list continues to find the top ten bands/artists in the alphabet. Y is upon us and needs help to complete the list. Note, I decided to skip X due to there being only 3 or 4 bands worth mentioning.
As usual your suggestions are wanted in completing this list.
These are in no particular order as well.
01) Neil Young
02) Year Of The Rabbit
03) Thom Yorke
04) The Youngbloods
05) Yes
06) Y & T
07) Yaz
08) Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
09)
10)
For a long time now, over 20 years actually, I’ve been a fan of Korn. Their early albums were some of the albums that shaped my teenage years. The lyrics of Jonathan Davis have always stood out. The guy bares his soul for the world and people to feel like they aren’t alone. Since Korn hit the scene, Jonathan has been one of the best frontmen in rock. The delivery of the songs each and every night while on stage is almost like a purge of demons from inside. During the height of Korn, Jonathan was asked to work on the soundtrack for the film Queen Of The Damned. The movie was pretty bad but, the soundtrack was excellent. There were 5 original songs written for the film by Jonathan though, label interference got in the way of releasing the songs on the soundtrack with Jonathan singing on them. Either way, at this point, I started to wonder what a solo Jonathan Davis album might sound like.
Fast forward many years till now, 2018, and we now have the first solo album, Black Labyrinth by Jonathan Davis. This album has been in the works for over 10 year and is pretty much a departure from what Korn is. Everything from the instrumentation, production, musical styles, and some of the lyrical content is different. There are moments on the album that hark back to the new wave/ new romantic era of the 80’s, along with some interesting goth vibes. There is even a bit of an early 90’s alternative sound, more in the realm of a band like Porno For Pyros. Something else that makes Black Labryinth interesting and different are the explorations of different styles from all over the world. The use of certain flutes, percussion, and other instruments, give this album a trippy almost psychedelic sense. The exploration of genres on this record is really cool. As well as the genres I mentioned above, there is a bit of an industrial/electronic vibe going on. Different guests appeared on the album like Wes Borland, Ray Luzier, Miles Mosley and more. There are so many songs that really stand out like “Final Days, “Everyone,” “Basic Needs (which is my favorite song on the record),” Your God,” “The Secret,” “Please Tell Me,” “What You Believe,” and “What It Is.” The entire album is an experience from start to finish. Those songs mentioned are just the ones that have really hit home a bit more for me
Black Labyrinth showcases how talented Davis is as a songwriter. His knack for writing powerful songs both musically and lyrically is astounding. The fact that he’s remained relevant for over 20 years shows the power music has, as well as a loyal fanbase. Never mind the fact that most of these songs were written about 10 years ago, they still hold meaning and fit perfectly today. The last Korn record, The Serenity Of Suffering was a resurgence of creativity in the right path for the band, and by releasing this solo album, it’s allowed Jonathan the chance to really explore all the things he’s wanted to do. I’m very interested to hear both the next Korn album and Jonathan’s solo record. Give Black Labyrinth a chance and I bet you’ll be rather surprised by what you hear.
We are a ways out from a new Slipknot album but, they seem to have been keeping busy. Today, they released a new song called “All Out Life” which is supposed to appear on their upcoming album. Enjoy!
It’s never easy for a band to come back from a lengthy hiatus and pick up where they left off. There are a few anomalies over the years where that has happened, Failure, Alice In Chains, and Death From Above 1979 are just a couple that come to mind. You can now add Daughters to that list. Releasing their first album in over 8 years, You Won’t Get What You Want is an album that continues the legacy of what Daughters created at first but now, takes it a bit further and almost reinvents what the band once was.
You Won’t Get What You Want is not accessible or mainstream by any means. Instead you get a visceral album that stretches and pushes the boundaries of art rock, post punk, a bit of industrial and rock. From the well crafted songs to the production, the final product is every bit a Daughters album and then some. There are songs that border on the chaotic like “Long Road No Turns,” “Satan In The Wait,” and “Less Sex.” Then there are others that expand upon different elements of atmosphere and aggression like “The Flammable Man,” “The Lords Song,” “The Reason They Hate Me,” and “Ocean Song. The opening and closing songs “City Song” and “Guest House” have a way about them that not only set and end a mood but, they also hit you like a ton of bricks.
Daughters are a band that aren’t easily describable. Sure you can throw around different genres to see if they stick but, in the end, the experimental nature of the band and what they create is in itself art. You Won’t Get What You Want is an album that is much needed in this day an age. It will make you think, as well as take you places you and your mind might not have gone before. Daughters are back and have delivered an album worthy of their past as well as what the future holds for them. What an album. Every time I listen, I hear something else that makes me dig this album even more. This record is most certainly in my top 10 of the year.
There’s something in the water over in the UK. Over the past decade there has been a new explosion of bands coming out of the United Kingdom and leaving a mark on the heavy music scene. Bands like Architects, Sylosis and Bring Me The Horizon are leading the new UK scene. There is another band that deserves to be mentioned along with those above, and that band is Monuments. Formed by Fellsilent’s Josh Browne and The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza’s John Travis, Monuments released their debut album Gnosis in 2012 (via Century Media Records). Their follow up album, The Amanuensis, really saw the band hit their stride in terms of songwriting and style. Their proggy djent sound along with groove driven elements, started to make Monuments more of a household name. The band would go on to tour with groups like Born of Osiris, After The Burial and Jeff Loomis. Not long after, lineup changes occurred and new members were brought in. Now in 2018, Monuments have released their third album Phronesis. The album was recorded in various studios in different countries. Interestingly, the vocals were recorded with Ill Nino singer Christian Machado. The album itself is Monuments doing what they do best, delivering groovy djent with a bit of prog. This album sees the band exploring differnet territories and not going down the “play it safe” route. They seem to understand that evolution is necessary in order to prolong the longevity. Sure, some fans of the band might not dig on certain tracks, but the core essence of the band is still there.
The 90’s sound has influenced and inspired so many bands. That distinct guitar sound or the was the bass rumbles to the way the drums punch, there is no denying that “that” sound changed the world. There is a band hailing from Florida, that has captured the essence of the 90’s sound and expanded on it in a very cool experimental and noisy sort of way. The band is called WRONG and they are badass. Made up of members of Torche and Kylesa, WRONG has taken inspiration from 90’s stalwarts Helmet and Unsane and made bombastic heavy rock. Their new album entitled Feel Great, is rifftastic and full of groove that will get your head banging and your feet moving. Wrong is unrelenting and aggressive yet they understand the dynamics of their craft.
So I just found out about this rad cover Will Haven did of Pink Floyd’s classic “Brain Damage/Eclipse.” This is a b-side from their new album, Muerte, which came out earlier this year. What a cool cover!
On the bonus track edition of the new 10 Years album, (How To Live) As Ghosts, they did a cover of Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box.” It’s quite a cool cover with a very moody approach. It’s one of those covers that when you hear it, you’ll enjoy it. They did the song justice and put their own spin on it. The vibe of this song would be great in a movie trailer.
