Kurt Ballou

Live Review: Converge, Deaf Club, King Yosef & Entry at Echoplex

I have a list of bands that any time they come through Los Angeles I have to go see them. One of those bands is Converge. It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen them (I think this was number 9 or 10), I just am compelled to go see them live. Converge aren’t just one of the best live bands around they are downright legends. Their catalog is one of those that you’d be hard pressed to find an album that isn’t good. And like a fine wine or scotch, Converge seems to only get better with time. This West Coast run got started this past Friday night along with Entry, King Yosef and Deaf Club and what a show it was.

Getting the night going was Los Angeles’s own, Entry. I’ve been fond of this band for a bit and they came out swinging. They really got the crowd ready for the evening. Though their set was short, only about 20 mins, they made every second count. Entry was on fire throughout their set as they blazed through song after song. I can see why they are garnering the street cred they have. They are the real deal and I look forward to their evolution as a band.

Next up was King Yosef. What he brought to the evening was a bit of Industrial Hardcore. Thankfully it wasn’t just one guy up there with a laptop. The live band aspect of drums and guitar definitely helped bring the sound to reality. Thee set though short, was direct and to the point, just as hardcore should be. The industrial element to the songs gave them a bit more bite. His latest album, An Underlying Hum is quite good and live those songs really came to life. I would be interested to see King Yosef again.

Before Converge was the mighty, Deaf Club. They really came out guns blazing and got the crowd up in a bit of a frenzy. Deaf Club has a great mix of punk and hardcore in their sound with a bit of a grungy undertone to it a la Nirvana. Never one to be still, frontman/vocalist Justin Pearson immediately commanded the stage and with each song got the audience more and more involved. It was quite a fun thing to witness. One of the things tht I really like about Deaf Club is the added dynamics to their songs. While they are don’t lose their hold on their roots, their ability to add off time parts and some cool shoegazey moments makes them not only stand out amongst the other bands during the night but, it gives the audience more to listen to.

Now the main event of the night, Converge. I really don’t know what else there is to say about this band that I haven’t already said throughout the years. They still pack one hell of a punch and a ferociousness that is untouchable. Their set this night was one that I quickly found myself absolutely enthralled by. Converge played a good chunk of songs off my favorite album of theirs, Axe To Fall, along with other gems from Jane Doe, You Fail Me, All We Love We Leave Behind and The Dusk In Us, including a close personal favorite of mine “I Can Tell You About Pain.” When you watch Converge live, it’s like poetry in motion. Each member from Nate Newton, Ben Koller, Kurt Ballou and Jacob Bannon give their all each night and it shows. The precision that they play with combined with the explosive nature of the songs makes for one hell of a show. There are many things I love about going to see Converge live and one of them is watching the audience get so into the songs. At times throughout the set, I’m pretty sure the crowd was louder than the band. Converge are without a doubt pioneers and legends in heavy music. They prove time and time again that they are band that you just can’t mess with. I look forward to hearing what they have coming up in the near future as the world does need more Converge in it!

Converge Set List:

01) Eagles Become Vultures
02) Dark Horse
03) Under Duress
04) Axe To Fall
05) Heartless
06) You Fail Me
07) All We Love We Leave Behind
08) Predatory Glow
09) Hell To Pay
10) Bitter And Then Some
11) Eye Of The Quarrel
12) Reap What You Sow
13) Cutter
14) Worms Will Feed/Rats Will Feast

Encore:

15) I Can Tell You About Pain
16) Concubine

Axe To Fall= 5
Jane Doe= 3
The Dusk In Us= 3
You Fail Me= 3
All We Love We Leave Behind= 2

New Release: Mutoid Man- Demons

I’m already beyond stoked about the new Mutoid Man album, Mutants, coming out on July 28. One of the things I really enjoy about Mutoid Man is the fun aspect to what they do. Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a serious factor to what they do but, they really have this playful sensibility that gives you a little smirk as you listen. And live, it’s even better. The new song they have released “Demons” is a banger and then some. The roots of the song go all the way back to 2018 with singer/guitarist Stephen Brodsky commenting on it “We played PsychoVegas in 2018 and to celebrate the occasion, we thought it’d be fitting to open with a cover of ‘Psycho‘ by the Sonics. We learned the song about 20 minutes before our set, and had such a blast playing it that we decided to write our own little psycho jam. And with that, we present to you ‘Demons‘ — enjoy!” And Enjoy you shall!

Mutoid Man- Demons:



New Release: Converge (Blood Moon)- Coil

As they prepare for the release of their collaborative new album— featuring Chelsea Wolfe, Ben Chisholm and Stephen Brodsky, Converge have unveiled the second single from Bloodmoon: I, “Coil.” Speaking on the song, Jacob Bannon comments, “’Coil’ turned out to be one of my favorite songs I’ve ever been a part of. There is an infectious slow build that ends up becoming theatrical in tone. Lyrically it was a true collaboration, with all of us expanding on each other’s ideas as they came to be. I believe Chelsea’s vocal was the starting point in that for this one. Kurt really pushed vocal harmonies to a new level as well. Encouraging many of Steve’s ideas while we were in the studio tracking together. This one really has everyone of us firing on all cylinders creatively.” When you hear this song, you’ll get it. It’s such a tremendous track. I personally can’t wait for this album. Ever since they performed at Roadburn I’ve been waiting for this to finally come to fruition. Bloodmoon: I, out November 19th on CD/Digital and on Vinyl June 24th.


Converge- Coil:

Converge- Blood Moon:

Title Tracks: Converge- Jane Doe
Jane Doe | Converge

2021 marks the 20th anniversary of Converge’s astounding album, Jane Doe. This was the bands first album with bassist Nate Newton and drummer Ben Koller, as well as the bands first with guitarist Kurt Ballou behind the board. This album not only put Converge on the map it was a commercial breakthrough and received immediate acclaim, with critics praising its poetic lyrics, dynamics, ferocity and production. Through the years this album has gone on to inspire and influence countless bands. The intensity on this album is often copied but you can’t match the original. The title track on the album is quite interesting. Singer Jacob Bannon stated in an interview that many of the songs on Jane Doe came from the side project Supermachiner. That project was claimed to inspire Jane Doe‘s experimental side.The title track “Jane Doe” as well as “Phoenix in Flight” were initially intended for the Supermachiner album Rise of the Great Machine. I personally remember hearing this album for the first time. A friend recommended I check it out. At first I wasn’t too into it but, I opened up the booklet, put on some headphones listened again and read the lyrics as the album played and it all made sense. This album is an absolute modern masterpiece. The title track is epic and ahead of its time! Converge is a force to be reckoned with any day of the week.


Converge- Jane Doe:

Lyrics:

These floods of you are unforgiving
Pushing past me spilling through the banks
And I fall Faster than light and faster than time
That’s how memory works
At least in the dark where I’m searching for meaning
When I’m just searching for something I want out
Out of every awkward day
Out of every tongue tied loss I want out
Out of the burdening night sweats
Out of the rising seas of blood
Lost in you like Saturday nights
Searching the streets with bedroom eyes
Just dying to be saved
Run on girl
Run on

Anticipated Albums: Genghis Tron- Dream Weapon

It’s been over a decade since Genghis Tron has released a new album. Thankfully, on March 26th, the wait it over as the bands long awaited new album, Dream Weapon will be released (via Relapse Records). Dream Weapon sees Genghis Tron’s Hamilton Jordan and Michael Sochynsky now joined by two new collaborators: vocalist Tony Wolski and Sumac/Baptists drummer Nick Yacyshyn. This new lineup helps to compliment the mix of extreme rock and electronic music that Genghis Tron have pioneered during their career. The new album was recorded and produced alongside long-time collaborator Kurt Ballou at God City Studio in Salem, Massachusetts, with additional production and engineering by Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe), JJ Heath (Rain City Recorders), and Zach Weeks (God City Studio) and was mastered by Heba Kadry. Now, two weeks out from the release of Dream Weapon, Genghis Tron have dropped another song from the album. “Pyrocene” is one hell of a great song and was also the first song the group completed for the record. The accompanying video for “Pyrocene” is hypnotic and full of lush psychedelic imagery. In addition to “Pyrocene,” two other songs have been released, the title track “Dream Weapon” and ” Ritual Circle. You can pre-order the album HERE.


Pyrocene:


Dream Weapon:


Ritual Circle:

Against The Grain: Umbra Vitae

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As a musician and artist, when you have the chance to tap back into a genre that you’ve been away from for a long while, the end result is something that often times feels refreshing and reinvigorating. That being said, while in rehearsals for Wear Your Wounds, Jacob Bannon, Sean Martin and Mike McKenzie, began messing around with some heavy riffs. After realizing what they had, the three of them recruited Greg Weeks (The Red Chord, Labor Hex) and Jon Rice (Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats, Job For A Cowboy) for the rhythm section to back their aggressive riffs and thus Umbra Vitae was conceived.  Taking their name from a poem by Georg Heym, The music and and words are as haunting as it’s namesake. Their debut album, Shadow of Life (out May 1st via Deathwish Inc.), was recorded and mixed by Kurt Ballou. The album one that will pummel the listener with unrelenting force and unpredictability. As well as providing self affirming mantras to give it even more of an edge.

Vocalist Jacob Bannon has gone on to say about Umbra Vitae “After reading the piece from Heym, I immediately felt connected to it. Later, while working on the previous Wear Your Wounds album, my love for Death Metal was rekindled. This was likely a reaction to working on non-aggressive music for such a concentrated period. As these songs started to form, the ominous nature of that original poem came to mind.”  He continues, “In many ways it embodied the character of what we were all creating together. For me, Umbra Vitae is darkly confrontational and my own internal struggles are nested within each song. At this point in my life it is of the utmost importance to use this art and music as the vehicle for a healthy purge of emotion. By design, even in something this intense, there is righteous intent to be a better human through the process of creating it.” Umbra Vitae definitely is a band to look out for and hopefully will continue as time goes on.

 

Umbra Vitae is:
Jacob Bannon: Vocals, Lyrics (Converge, Wear Your Wounds, Blood From the Soul)
Mike McKenzie: Guitars, Vocals (The Red Chord, Wear Your Wounds, Stomach Earth)
Sean Martin: Guitars, Vocals (ex-Hatebreed, Wear Your Wounds, Twitching Tongues)
Greg Weeks: Bass (The Red Chord, Labor Hex, etc)
Jon Rice: Drums (ex-Job for a Cowboy, Uncle Acid, etc)

Umbra Vitae- Return To Zero:

 

 

 

Alternate Versions: Converge- Endless Arrow

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Alternate versions are quite fun to dive into. They give you a different experience from the original version. And sometimes, these versions turn out better than what you heard first. Converge have released a new version of their song “Aimless Arrow” entitled “Endless Arrow.” This version was created by the bands guitarist Kurt Ballou and is a 30 minute experimental/ambient version of the song. “Aimless Arrow” originally appeared on the bands 2012 album All We Love We Leave Behind. This new version was created “To keep people entertained in these challenging times.” It’s definitely a different take on the song. Personally, I’d be interested to hear them do this with a few other tracks of theirs and maybe even expand this into their Blood Moon project as well.

Converge- Endless Arrow:

 

Converge- Aimless Arrow:

 

 

Album Review: Cult Leader- A Patient Man

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Ever since I saw Cult Leader live, I’ve been impressed. The night I saw them, they were on tour with The Dillinger Escape Plan on their final US tour. The moment they took the stage, you could tell that there was more to this band than just being a heavy band. As they tore through their set that night, I was hypnotized by their magnitude of volume, precision, and pure passion for what they created. Needless to say, I was at their merch table right after their set to buy their album Lightless Walk. That album has been in constant rotation since I procured it over two years ago.

Cult Leader have returned with a new album entitled A Patient Man, and if you are a fan, you’ve been waiting patiently for the next chapter of the band. The wait for this album was immensely worth it. A Patient Man is not for the faint or weak of heart. This album is dark but there is an element of optimism to it. From the moment “I Am Healed” kicks off the album, you best buckle up because this album is going to take you on a ride. “Curse Of Satisfaction” keeps up with the pummeling nature of the album. “Isolation in the Land of Milk and Honey” is one of the most brutal and honest songs on the record. It’s a very introspective song with lyrics and parts that really strike a chord within. “To Achlys” might just be one of the most epic songs of 2018. It’s a welcome departure for the band. Though if you’ve been listening to Cult Leader for some time, you could tell that they were expanding and evolving into a differing style like this. “A World Of Joy” continues on the epic path and could quite possibly be one of if not the best song on the album. “Craft of Mourning” brings the album back to the heavy with a crushing attack. “Share My Pain” is one of those songs that shows the band incorporating a “groove” element to their repertoire. This song stands out not just because of the groove but because of the personal approach. “Aurum Reclusa” is as Cult Leader as it gets. This song harks back a bit to the Gaza days. The title track “A Patient Man” is another epic. This one, like “To Achlys” is deep and introspective only on this track there is a bit more “hope.” Closing out the album is “The Broken Right Hand of God.” This track is a great summation of what A Patient Man is. It’s brooding with heaviness, epic moments and full of heart.

Cult Leader have carved out a niche amongst their peers. They have evolved past the norm of just being a heavy band. Each member of the band has made significant contributions to make A Patient Man something special. Musically, Casey Hansen, Sam Richards and Mike Mason have created a sonic style that (as I’ve mentioned before) is hypnotic and heavy at the same time. Vocalist Anthony Lucero, really grew not only as a lyricist but as a vocalist. His sort of crooning on some of these songs really, gives off a personal touch. And Kurt Ballou’s production work is outstanding. He really helped to deliver the sound this album needed. The jump from Lightless Walk to A Patient Man is quite astounding. To be able to still maintain your roots and come away with a piece of work like this is something to really be proud of. I can just imagine the live set in a club being something I will and others in attendance will remember emphatically. Thank you Cult Leader for understanding and not being afraid to go after what moves you. Music is art and it’s a wonderful thing. When you can find the right members to balance the vision, great things like A Patient Man happen.

 

Overall Rating: 9/10
Cult Leader- A Patient Man:

Album Review: Baptists- Beacon Of Faith

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It’s been four years since Baptists have released a new album. Now in 2018, they have put out one of the best heavy albums of the year. The sheer intensity that is emitted from the 13 songs on Beacon Of Faith is astonishing. Chock full of gritty riffs and pummeling rhythms, Baptists have indeed developed their signature sound and left a permanent mark in hardcore/metal music.

The album doesn’t stray far from the bands metallic hardcore roots. What it does have though is more space and vibes as the songs go on. There is a real sense of warmth to this album even with the aggressive and uncompromising nature of the material. Songs like “Worse Than Hate,” “Beacon Of Faith,” “Gift Taker,” “Vicarious Trauma,” and “Bevel Down” showcase the grit and prowess that Baptists do oh so well. Then there are songs like “Indigo Child” and “Eulogy Template” that take what they do and expand it to almost epic proportions.

Beacon of Faith is an album that will cement Baptists as a force to be reckoned with. This album has the feel of a steel toed boot to the throat that won’t let go.

 

Baptists- Beacon Of Faith:

You Might Have Missed: The Armed

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Since the beginning of Audioeclectica, I’ve been able to share so many different bands with you all from all sorts of genres. And now I present to you The Armed. Based out of Detroit, The Armed have taken hardcore, punk, metal, ambience, and electronics to a whole other realm. The band have released 3 EP’s, 1 live album and 1 full length so far and are gearing up to release their second album Only Love on April 27. The new album was produced by Kurt Ballou and features Converge/Mutoid Man drummer extraordinaire Ben Koller. The first song released from Only Love, is called Witness and it will pummel your speakers and might cause an impromptu mosh pit. Check it out!

 

The Armed- Witness:

 

The Armed- Untitled (Debut Album):

 

The Armed- Spreading Joy EP:

 

The Armed- Young & Beautiful EP:

 

The Armed- Common Enemies EP: