Trent Reznor promised new Nine Inch Nails before the end of 2016 and he delivered. Not The Actual Events, the new EP (and first EP since 1992’s Broken) finds Trent and now full time member Atticus Ross, delving deep into the industrial landscape with a bit of shoegaze, and erratic sensibilities. There are moments among the 5 songs that hark back to the Broken days along with bits of The Downward Spiral. I can say this about the EP, if you’ve been wanting Nine Inch Nails to go back to their heavier days, then you are going to really enjoy this.
Starting off with “Branches/Bones” you know that this is Nine Inch Nails. “Dear World” is a song that take a right turn, but doesn’t lose the identity of it being a part of this EP. “She’s Gone Away” is a song that takes you on a journey all on its own. There is a real epic feel to this song. I could really see this one becoming a fan favorite like “Reptile.” “The Idea Of You” is absolute classic Nine Inch Nails from the Broken era. The distorted guitars and thrashy drums (courtesy of Dave Grohl) really make this a true stand out. This song is the type of Nine Inch Nails song, the “old school” fans have been clamoring for. “Burning Bright (Field On Fire)” is dark, heavy and deeply poetic. The screaming guitars are plyed by Dave Navarro (This marks the first time he’s played on a NIN track since the Further Down The Spiral remix album) I could see why Trent decided to put this out first.
There is a real darkness to this collection, all the while providing a sense of life, hope and relief. Trent and Atticus aren’t afraid to reach back into what Nine Inch Nails has done before, but they do it in a way that makes it feel fresh and not rehashed. Not The Acutal Events is short and sweet but, it does leave you wanting more. Either way, there is new Nine Inch Nails out there, and that makes me happy.
Metallica is one of my top 3 favorite bands of all time, right behind Nine Inch Nails and Alice In Chains. I’ve been eagerly anticipating a new album from Metallica for a while now. And I can honestly say that the wait was well worth it. Metallica really delivers the goods on their new album Hardwired…To Self Destruct. This album has everything Metallica fans love about the band. It’s thrashy, riff driven with lots of groove, and harks back to their more raw intense days of say Kill Em All and Ride The Lightning, with bits of the Black album and dashes of Load era blues. Let me simplify that for you, this new album is as though Kill Em All and The Black Album fornicated and did a few lines of Load.
Now here is a track by track rundown of the album:
From the start of the album with “Hardwired,” you know you are in for a ride. The anger and intensity that comes from everyone in the band comes alive on this song. “Atlas, Rise,” is a borderline epic jam that has flashes of Ride The Lightning influence to it as well as an Iron Maiden feel.”Now That We’re Dead” is very groovy, and musically there is a tinge of Alice In Chains to this song. “Moth Into Flame” is one of the best songs Metallica has ever written. There is nothing about this song that isn’t awesome. The melody, the riff, the drums and rhythm, it simply rocks. “Dream No More” is a very “black album/Ride The Lightning” influenced song, with some more grunge rock melody, making for a very gritty track. There is even a mention of Ktulu, which is a nice little ode to the Ride The Lightning era. “Halo On Fire” is one of the more somber and mellow tracks on the album but, by no means does it lose the edge the rest of the album has. Kirk Hammett’s leads on this song add a sense of melancholy in a good way. “Confusion” keeps with the melodic and heavy riffs. “ManUNkind” is thrashy and heavy. This is one of those songs that really has the Kill Em All/Ride The Lightning feel to it. Plus the video for it is absolutely awesome. “Here Comes Revenge” is another heavy track but, this one has lots of dynamics to it, that separate it from the rest of the pack. “Am I Savage” starts off with a very epic drawl then transforms into a groovy track. “Murder One” is one of my favorite songs on the album. There is something really rocking and cool about this song, as it’s a tribute to the great Lemmy of Motorhead. Closing out the album is the heaviest track on the album “Spit Out The Bone.” This is the type of song many Metallica fans have been waiting for, for many years. This is a song is going to be one of those songs live that will leave you with whiplash from headbanging.
Metallica have delivered a truly great album. From the songwriting, production, artwork, and marketing, Hardwired…To Self Destruct is going to go down as a classic for the band. James Hetfield sounds great on this album. His lyrics are top notch and full of insight and imagery. Kirk Hammett’s solos are tasteful and full of melody. He even manages to lay off the wah-wah pedal enough to showcase his playing. Robert Trujillo provides a layer of thunder with the bass that hasn’t been heard since The Black Album. Lars, well Lars actually brings a speed and intensity that he has lacked in recent years. Sure he’s not playing like he did all those years ago but, he’s giving the songs what they need.
I for one am glad that Metallica took their time and didn’t rush to put out an album. Among their peers in the metal community, they have always done what they wanted and it pays off in the end, with the exception of St. Anger. That was just wretched but, necessary to get the band back to where they need to be, heavy and ruthless in their approach. Take a listen to the entire album and let this album encompass you and make you fall in love with Metallica all over again.
When I first heard about Vanishing Life, I already knew, without hearing a song, that this band was going to be something I’m going to enjoy. Having one of my all time favorite drummers in Jaime Miller from Snot behind the kit and Walter Schreifels of Quicksand singing, this was sure to be something special. Joining them on guitar and bass, are Zach Blair of Rise Against and Autry Fulbright of And You Will Know us by the Trail of Dead. The first 7″ they put out was two songs of pure energy and unrelenting aggression. Now on their first full length album Surveillance, Vanishing Life has put together a record that harks back to the days when music had something very important to say.
From the urgency of the first song “Realist,” you can tell that you are in for quite a ride. “Outlier,” has a really cool melodic tinge to it without losing the “vibe” of what the band is. “Painter” is the type of song you’d expect from Walter, which has a sort of Rival Schools feel to it. “Pretty Ruined” has a post-hardcore vibe. “Exile” is a great punk rock track. “Image” is a pretty poignant song lyrically. “Vanishing Life” is full of the energy you’d want from a band in this style. “Thinking Weightless” is a really cool song that has great dynamics. “People Running” was featured on their first 7″ and the first song I heard from Vanishing Life, and this song is raw and full of punk ferociousness. Closing song “Big Other” has an epic vibe to it. I could almost see this as a pre-cursor to what the band might evolve into.
There is something beautiful about the simplicity of these songs. These guys are all great musicians and can play the hell out of their instruments, but they understand the need to play according to the song. Everyone in Vanishing Life lives in different areas but, I really hope that doesn’t cause this to be a one off project. This debut album really shows promise of what the four of them can do together and I’d love to hear more.
After 3 years of non stop touring and writing, Red Fang have returned with their fourth studio album, Only Ghosts. Produced by Ross Robinson, this new album features some of the best performances Red Fang has ever recorded. There is a level of volume about Red Fang that is gripping and explosive, and on Only Ghosts, those elements are even more present. The hooks and riffs have a very strong impact throughout the 10 songs. One thing that I noticed on this new album is that the band have really become solid songwriters. There is a real sense of maturity to this album, and that really brings about something different for them. Tucked in the album are bursts of textures the band have never experimented with, along with ambiance and space to let the songs feel like a different beast. This is an “album” through and through. The mixing of the album is top notch, courtesy of Joe Barresi. Stand out songs include “Flies,” “Cut it Short,” “Shadows,” “The Smell of the Sound,” ” I Am a Ghost,” and “Living in Lye.”
Red Fang have always been a band that makes music they enjoy, and they really showcase that here. Working with Ross, seems to have really brought out something more from them all, with the results being superb. I love hearing a band grow like this and make an album that will stand up with their earlier material.
20 plus years as a band and now on your 12th album, where do you go from here? Well, Korn knew exactly what they wanted to do, and they succeeded. The Serenity of Suffering, Korn’s new album is a throwback of sorts to their heavy groove days, but on this album they added a more hooks, to really keep your attention. This album has the feel of Issues and Untouchables, but with a bit more hope. That’s right “hope,” a theme that was always a bit buried in their albums. The 11 songs on this album all fit and flow together, making this one of their most cohesive albums since Issues.
Starting off the album is “Insane,” a very classic sounding song with a great riff and a catchy chorus. This song is a great opener and introduction to the rest of the album. “Rotting In Vain,” is classic Korn at it’s finest, complete with Jonathan Davis bringing back his scat vocals. “Black Is The Soul,” is my favorite song on the album. This is a very Issues era sounding song, with lots of melody, and a bit of a different vocal approach from Jonathan. “The Hating” is a very moody song with a crunchy riff and a heavy breakdown. “A Different World” features Corey Taylor on guest vocals. This song is not bad, but it’s a little underwhelming. I personally expected more from this song. “Take Me” could have been on Untouchables. In fact the main riff seems to be directly ripped off from that album. “Everything Falls Apart” is another classic sounding song. “Die Yet Another Night” is a bit of a mediocre song. The riff is solid, but the song a whole isn’t quite up to par with the rest of the album. “Next In Line” is a great song on this album. It’s full of hooks and catchy, with solid verses and choruses. This is a big throwback song. Closing out the album is “Please Come For Me” a very Untouchables sounding song. The ending riff of this song is a great summation of this album.
The Serenity of Suffering is the album many Korn fans have been waiting for. The production by Nick Raskulinecz is top notch. It’s the best Korn has sounded since Issues. Nick was really able to capture the “Korn” sound. Drummer Ray Luzier finally sounds like he fits in the band. He’s a great drummer, but no other producer has been able to really get him to sound right, other than Nick. Fieldy’s bass actually comes through in a way that thumps like the first couple albums. Munky and Head haven’t sounded this good in a long time. And finally Jonathan Davis sounds great. He tries out new vocal techniques and it really pays off, especially on “Black Is The Soul.” All in all this is a really good album. I personally would like to see them incorporate more of these new songs into their set list, so the fans can really get the full effect.
Every once in a while I come across a band or album that has put out something that really grabs my attention. True Widow’s new album Avvolgere is something quite intriguing. The album has a feel of parts stoner/doom rock, 70’s psychedelic rock, and a bit of shoegaze, while still having a “metal” feel. Avvolgere is an “album” for sure. Each song on it from the opener “Back Shredder” to the closer “What Find’s Me,”fits in the spectrum of an album the way it should. Something else that I noticed about this album is the sense of calm that accompanies it. The production is stellar. The minimalist feel to it allows the instruments to shine in their natural state. The bright yet slightly doomy guitars glisten among the words and vocals. Each and every song on this gloomy gem is a stand out. The reverb drenched “To All That He Elong,” is a sonic triumph. “OOTPV” is one that brings the sludge in a great way.
True Widow is a band that deserves your attention. Avvolgere is an album that should be delved into. What really stands out to me is their desire to create music that has substance and rings true to their influences and inspiration.
Nearly two decades into their career, Every Time I Die shows no signs of slowing down. Never a band to shy away from being unrelenting and punishing, their new album Low Teens is just that, only this time it’s more personal. Inspired by the events of a huge ordeal singer Keith Buckley and his wife went through when she was pregnant with their daughter, the lyrics on Low Teens provide a lot of insight into the push and pull of life and death. Armed with all these thoughts and perspective, vocally, this is one of Keith’s strongest performances. The accompanying music the rest of the band wrote fits perfectly with the theme of the album.
There is something else on this album that really makes this one stand out among their last couple releases and that is the dynamics. On this album, Every Time I Die has really found a great niche into exploring melody while still staying true to their heavy and hardcore roots. The guitar playing of Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams is groovy and rocking. The tones they have blend so well that it seems like a huge wall of guitars. Bassist Steve Micciche’s knack for writing thumping bass lines that don’t over power the guitars or Daniel Davidson’s pummeling drums. Speaking of the drums, new drummer Daniel Davidson (formerly of Norma Jean) fits in Every Time I Die perfectly. It’s as though he’s been in the band for years the way he plays.
From opening song “Fear and Trembling” all the way through to closer “Map Change,” there is not one bit of filler on this album. Each song fits and is meant to be here. Even the order of songs is impeccable. Other songs like “C++ (Love Will Get You Killed),” “Glitches,” “Two Summers,” “Petal,” “The Coin Has A Say,” are stellar. Even the song “It Remembers” which features Brandon Urie of Panic At The Disco is an absolute great song. The production on this album is a great fit for them as well. Their previous album From Parts Unknown just didn’t have the feel of an Every Time I Die record. I always thought that Steve Evetts and Joe Baressi were the best people to capture what Every Time I Die is, but on this album Will Putney joins those two gentlemen in that category.
In all honesty this is one hell of an album. Every Time I Die has further cemented their legacy not just as a heavy band but as great songwriters. I highly suggest buying this album and seeing them live when they come to your town. You won’t be disappointed in your decision to do either.
I’m quite fond of the “Stoner Metal/Rock” genre. There is enough “heavy” in the music to go around, and there is the slowed down element as well that brings it all together. Bands like Black Sabbath and Down have it down to a science and their formula has been imitated for many years now. Some bands though bring out something more than just the sludgy slowed down metal. Interstelar, a band that has been a previous band of the week, just released a new album entitled Resin, that brings something more to the table. Their blend of Sabbath and Down branded rock is mixed very well with added inspiration from The Cult and Corrosion Of Conformity. Tracks like “siLO,” “Resin,” and “Behold,” really hone in on the stoner vibe. Then there is a song like “High Horse,” that adds soothing and sweet melody, along with a vibe that puts you at ease. Lyrically the songs are on a different plane all together. They range from the social climate of today to everyday things in life, and it’s done in a way thats not intrusive or off putting, that it takes away from the mood of the music. Interstelar know how to make this genre their own and expand upon it. I “highly” recommend you take a listen to this album and hear for yourself.
One of the bands that are carrying the torch for rock music today is Los Angeles’s Aeges. Their new album Weightless is chock full of riffs galore, pulsating rhythms, and great melodies that will leave you tapping your feet, and singing along. The thirteen songs on the album lead by first single “Another Wasteland,” are energetic, catchy, and full of passion. In a day and age where singles are more and more popular, Aeges have released an “Album” that deserves your attention. They have managed to combine influences of straight ahead rock, a bit of prog rock, and a dash of post-hardcore, to create this album. Songs like ” Weightless,” “Save Me,” “All Of Me,” “Another Wasteland,” “What If,” “Better,” and “Drying Out” are all stellar tracks that really drive home what I mentioned above. The production on the album as well allows each member and instrument to be heard.
Aeges have been at this for a while now. Weightless is their third full length album. With each release, they keep getting better and better. If Aeges is playing in or around where you live, I strongly suggest you go check them out and pick up this album when you are there.
When I first heard Night Verses, I thought that this is one of the bands that is much needed in today’s stale music climate. Their debut album Lift Your Existence was an album full of epic proportions that really left a mark on me. The album is still in constant rotation in my stereo. So when I heard that Night Verses were in the studio working on their follow up album with Ross Robinson, I became even more excited about this band. The end result of their collaboration together is an album that is full of passion, inspiration, diverse music that pushes genre boundaries and vocals that are raw and powerful.
Into The Vanishing Light is an album that will take you on a journey just as a full album should. The more you listen to it all, you pick up on different things and feelings. After my first listen the flow of the album seemed to be a little disjointed, but after a couple more listens, it all began to make sense. The first track “The Future As History: I Love You Dead,” is a mood setter alright, that is set against a bit of a schizophrenic vocal delivery, but done with so much passion. The next couple songs emit pulsating music all the while a moody etherial vibe. By the time “Dialogue In Cataplexy” hits you know you are in for a ride with the way it plays out as a song with complexity and seriousness. As the rest of the album moves along the path of the journey certain songs like “Panic and Pull Your Heart Out” and “Blue Shades Of The Sun” truly leave a lasting mark. The closing song “Phoenix III” is a great encapsulation of the album and what the band has evolved into.
Night Verses have created an album that emits true artistry and vision. Singer Douglas Robinson really goes all out to ensure the words and messages come across as real and true as possible. Musically drummer Aric Improta is an absolute inspiration behind the drums. His use of time signatures and percussion adds so much more to the music. Guitarist Nick DePirro’s riffs, structures and skill is brilliant. It’s all tied together by bassist Reilly Herrera’s thunderous yet gentle playing. Working with Ross Robinson really helped to push the band to realize their potential as a band. Into The Vanishing Light is an album that separates Night Verses from their peers in the genre. I’d even go as far as to say this album could be a blueprint for the genre just as the Refused’s The Shape of Punk To Come became. Night Verses are here and deserve your undivided attention.
