Black Map

Audioeclectica Radio Episode 2

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Audioeclectica Radio Episode 2 is here and what an “eclectic” show it is. I’ve got some really great bands and songs to play for you all. Be prepared to experience something intriguing,

Remember this show is totally interactive. I’m interested to know what bands/songs you dig and don’t. I’m also taking requests be it bands/songs you want to hear, topics you’d like me to discuss, and anything else you might find interesting.

All this is done because I love music and love being able to tell others about great music that is out there.

Tell your friends about Audioeclectica and the show! Share it with everyone!

Enjoy the show!

-Brian

Audioeclectica Radio Episode 2:

Album Review: Black Map- In Droves

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Rock music is alive and well. Armed with inspiration, influences and artistry, Black Map has officially cemented their place in rock with their new album In Droves. Consisting of 15 songs, well technically 12 if you don’t count the three interludes, In Droves breathes a much needed breath of fresh air to the rock world. Ben Flanagan (Bass/Vocals), Mark Engles (Guitar) and Chris Robyn (Drums) play off each other tremendously. They have the ability to be heavy without compromising melody.

Starting off the album is “Run Rabbit Run” this is a great start to the record. It’s rifftastic, heavy hitting and thumping with soaring vocals. From there the album takes a turn towards the melancholy with “Foxglove” then back to the rock with the melodically heavy “Ruin.” As the album continues with songs like “Heavy Waves,” Dead Ringer, “Octavia,” and “No Color” you can tell that Black Map has really dialed in their sound. By the time “Indoor Kid” kicks in, you can tell you that you’ve been experiencing an “ALBUM.” “White Fence” is drenched in atmosphere. While “Just My Luck” is a solid rocker. ” Cash For The Fears” is a solemn track that is full of depth and emotion. Closing out the album is the epic “Coma Phase,” which is a great summation of the album.

Black Map is a band for the times. Their sound is full of 90’s rock without being a copy. If I were asked to describe what Black Map sounds like I’d say Failure mixed with Helmet. The vocals and lyrics of Ben Flanagan are full of melody and deep. Mark Engles guitar work is showcased brilliantly. Bringing some of the ambience and atmosphere from Dredg, really helps to make the heavy riffs, their own. Chris Robyn is one of the most underrated drummers. His work in FAR alone deserves that nod, and his playing on this album is just as good. Black Map are the “X marks the spot” type of band if you are looking for the next great rock band.

Overall Rating: 9/10

Run Rabbit Run:

Ruin:

Just My Luck:

Heavy Waves:

No Color:

Anticipated Albums of 2017

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2016 was a great year for music. So many great albums were released. I’ve mentioned this before, but I really think that in ten years, 2016 will be looked back on as a great year for music.

So as 2017 is right around the corner, here are my most anticipated albums for the new year.
With Our Arms To The Sun- Orenda
AFI- AFI (The Blood Album)
Black Map- In Droves
Code Orange- Forever
Marilyn Manson- Say10
Mastodon
Wear Your Wounds
Stone Sour
The Black Queen?
Alice In Chains?
Soundgarden
Corrosion Of Conformity
A Perfect Circle?
Tool?
Royal Thunder
Royal Blood
The Cure?
Brand New?
Nothing More
Wild Throne
Incubus
Cold
L.A. Guns with Phil Lewis and Tracii Guns
Will Haven
Less Art
Cult Leader
Killer Be Killed?
He Whose Ox Is Gored
Spirit In The Room
Depeche Mode
Rammstein
Here Lies The Hero

Anticipated Albums: Black Map-In Droves

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2016 was a great year for new music, and it looks like 2017 is shaping up to be pretty solid too. One of the new albums I am really looking forward to is the new one from Black Map. If you aren’t familiar with Black Map, you really should get acquainted. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live a couple times and interviewing them. They are one of the best new bands to come on the scene in a very long time.

Their new album In Droves, comes out March 10th through EOne Music. The first song released “Run Rabbit Run” is quite the hard charging and rocking track. Singer/bassist Ben Flanagan (of The Trophy Fire) along with guitarist Mark Engles (of Dredg) and drummer Chris Robyn (of Far), are quite the impactful power trio. Check out their new tracks and their debut album below.

 

Black Map- Ruin:

 

Black Map- Run Rabbit Run:

 

Debut Album

Black Map- And We Explode:

 

List: Best Three Piece Bands

I’ve always been intrigued by bands that have 3 or less members. Sure some of them when they play live add members to fill out their sound, but the core remains those three people. So with that in mind here is a list of the best three piece bands. Note This list is in NO PARTICULAR ORDER.

Beastie Boys
Cream
Thin Lizzy
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Chevelle
Depeche Mode
Green Day
Black Map
Rush
Jimi Hendrix Experience
Failure
ZZ Top
Motorhead
Nirvana
Silverchair
Wild Throne
High On Fire
Placebo
Primus
Dinosaur Jr
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Muse
The Melvins
Sigur Ros
The Police (Even though Sting is a douche)

Most Anticipated Albums of 2016

After the year we just had in 2015 with new music releases, 2016 is shaping up to be one hell of a year for new music. Here are the bands with the most anticipated albums coming out in 2016.

Deftones
Tool
Metallica
Radiohead
Alice In Chains
Karnivool
With Our Arms To The Sun
Thrice
Brand New
Night Verses
Letlive
Norma Jean
The Black Queen
Superjoint
Killswitch Engage
The Last Internationale
The Cult
Corrosion Of Conformity
Ignite
Royal Blood
Gojira
Black Map
Amen
Korn
Stone Sour
The Cure
Moving Structures
Here Lies The Hero
Vagus Nerve
Hundred Suns
Ancillary Theorem
Ghost Idols
Aeges
Filter

And The Winners Are…

What a great first year for my little site. Thank you all for taking the time to check out Audioeclectica. I hope you’ve enjoyed what you’ve read so far. There will be plenty more in the new year with some new features as well. The winners were picked based on fan votes and my personal opinion. And now the results of the first annual Audioeclectica Awards.

Best Guitar Duo:

1. Mastodon- Brent Hinds and Bill Kellher
2. With Our Arms To The Sun- Josh Breckinridge and Joseph Leary
3. And We Are Them- Chris Matalone and Nick Bradford
4. Aeges- Kemble Walters and Cory Clark
5. New Cathedral- Ricky Stevens and Scott Perez
6. Slipknot- Jim Root and Mick Thompson
7. Wovenwar- Nick Hipa and Phil Sgrosso
8. Sevendust- Clint Lowery and John Connolly
9. Every Time I Die- Jordan Buckley and Andy Williams
10. At The Gates- Andres Bjorler and Martin Larsson

And The Winner Is: Josh Breckinridge and Joseph Leary of With Our Arms To The Sun

Best Album Cover:

1. With Our Arms To The Sun: A Far Away Wonder (Justin Slattum)
2. Mastodon: Once More Round The Sun (Skinner)
3. And We Are Them- City Of Ghosts (Chris Matalone)
4. Every Time I Die- From Parts Unknown (Joby Ford)
5. Obliterations- Poison Everything (Derrick Snodgrass)
6. Wild Throne- Blood Maker (Orion Landau)

And The Winner Is: With Our Arms To The Sun: A Far Away Wonder (Justin Slattum) and Mastodon: Once More Round The Sun (Skinner)

Best Bassist:

1. Joseph Breckinridge- With Our Arms To The Sun
2. Ben Flanagan- Black Map
3. Austin Barber- Obliterations
4. Jeff Johnson- Wild Throne
5. Tony Baumeister- Aeges
6. Michael Kerr- Royal Blood

And The Winner Is: Ben Flanagan of Black Map

Best Drummer:

1. Chris Robyn- Black Map
2. Mike Land- Aeges
3. Brian Hollenbeck- And We Are Them
4. Ben Thatcher- Royal Blood
5. Noah Burns- Wild Throne
6. John O’Connell- He Whose Ox Is Gored
7. Morgan Rose- Sevendust

And The Winner Is: Chris Robyn of Black Map

Best Guitarist:

1. Mark Engles- Black Map
2. Pete Loeffler- Chevelle
3. Paul Balmer- Machines Learning
4. Joshua Holland- Wild Throne
5. Shaun Morgan- Seether
6. Shaun Lopez- Crosses

And The Winner Is: Mark Engles of Black Map

Best Vocalist:

1. Ben Flanagan- Black Map
2. Pete Loeffler- Chevelle
3. Brann Dailor- Mastodon
4, Troy Sanders- Mastodon
5, Kemble Walters- Aeges
6. Chino Moreno- Crosses
7. Corey Taylor- Slipknot
8. Gavin Rossdale- Bush
9. Lajon Witherspoon- Sevendust

And The Winner Is: Ben Flanagan of Black Map and Chino Moreno of Crosses

Song Of The Year:

1. Failure- Come Crashing
2. Failure- The Focus
3. Dekades- Red Trolley
4. Black Map- I’m Just The Driver
5. With Our Arms To The Sun- Tessellation
6. Aeges- Fault
7. Wild Throne- The Wrecking Ball Unchained
8. Crosses- Bitches Brew
9. Royal Blood- Out Of The Black
10. And We Are Them- So It Goes
11. Sidewave (Air)- Playground Love
12. Mastodon- Ember City

And The Winner Is: Failure- Come Crashing and With Our Arms To The Sun- Tessellation

Album Of The Year:

1. Mastodon- Once More Round The Sun
2. With Our Arms To The Sun- A Far Away Wonder
3. Royal Blood- Royal Blood
4. Crosses- Crosses
5. Black Map- And We Explode
6. Bush- Man On The Run
7. Slipknot- .5 The Gray Chapter
8. Chevelle- La Gargola
9. Aeges- Above and Down Below
10. Down- Down IV Part II

Honorable Mention:

11. The Last Internationale- We Will Reign
12. Sevendust- Time Travelers and Bonfires
13. Obliterations- Poison Everything
14. Every Time I Die- From Parts Unknown
15. And We Are Them- City Of Ghosts

And The Winner Is: Mastodon- Once More Round The Sun and With Our Arms To The Sun- A Far Away Wonder

End Of The Year List: Best Shows I’ve Attended In 2014

This is not part of the 1st annual Audioeclectica Awards. This is just a list of the top 10 concerts I’ve attended this year.

1. Nine Inch Nails @ Hollywood Bowl
2. Failure @ El Rey and Fonda
3. Abloom and With Our Arms To The Sun @ Velvet Jones
4. Corrections House and Author & Punisher @ Echoplex
5. Mastodon @ Club Nokia
6. Royal Blood and The Last Internationale @ Roxy
7. Chevelle and Black Map @ Wiltern
8. Palms @ Troubadour
9. Down @ Wiltern
10. Placebo @ Club Nokia

 

 

Album Review: Black Map- …And We Explode

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I’ve talked a lot about Black Map. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing them live a handful of times, and even interviewed them. So it comes with great pride that I review their debut album …And We Explode. This album is full of heavy riffs, pounding drums, pulsating bass, and vocals that soar above the rest of their peers. The use of melody and structures really plays a big hand in making this a great album. It’s really not every day that you can put on an album from start to finish and truly grasp each note, and word. Ben Flanagan’s crystal clear melodic voice really takes the songs to another level while Mark Engles guitar breaks through with sonic heaviness, not to mention the fiery drum performances from Chris Robyn. My favorite songs from the album so far are “Chinasaki,” “I’m Just The Driver,” “And We Explode (part 1).” “Melee,” “Gemini,” “Ropes,” Black Map are the perfect band to help usher back rock music to the masses. I can’t wait to see where they go next. This album is worth a purchase as is a ticket to their shows. So do yourself a favor and check it out!

Scale of 1-10: 9

Black Map- …And We Explode

http://www.blackmapmusic.com/

https://www.facebook.com/blackmapmusic

By: Brian Lacy

Playlist 09.15.14

This weeks top 10 songs to enjoy

 

1. Abloom- After That Quiet (from Abloom Demos)

 

2. Chevelle- An Island (from La Gargola)

 

3. Failure- Daylight (from Fantastic Planet)

 

4. Mastodon- Ember City (from Once More Round The Sun)

 

5. Black Map- I’m Just The Driver (from Driver EP)

 

6. Placebo- Meds (from Meds)

 

7. Wovenwar- All Rise (from Wovenwar)

 

8. Godsmack- Something Different (from 1000 hp)

 

9. Incubus- The Warmth (from Make Yourself)

 

10. Down- Nothing In Return (from Down III: Over The Under)

 

By: Brian Lacy