Noise Rock

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: GUILTLESS- TEETH TO SKY

For a while now, I’ve been searching for the a certain type of band to come along and ease my pain of not having Neurosis nor Isis (the band) being active. I know that sounds silly considering there are plenty of bands out there that I’ve heard that could possibly do it but, I’ve been looking for that one band to take that style a bit in a different direction and I found it. Guiltless, a fitting name for a band that definitely has that Neurosis vibe (their album is released through Neurot Recordings and guitarist/vocalist Josh Graham did work with Neurosis creating visual components). Joining forces with Sacha Dunable, Billy Graves and Dan Hawkins, members of Intronaut and Generation Of Vipers, this devastating four piece has taken the good old fashioned doom sound and added some really fun twists, turns and dynamics to push beyond that sound.

The debut album, Teeth To Sky is quite the eruption. Throughout the 8 songs and over 40 minutes of the album, the way it becomes immersive is quite the listening experience. There’s a ton of little nuances found throughout the songs that give Teeth To Sky the charm it has. Mixing doom with post metal, noise rock, ambient undertones and the twist… optimism. The addition of optimism in this style of music is quite interesting and part of the reason why it took me a minute to write this. I’ve been listening to this album for the past few weeks, eating up all the things I was looking for. As I kept listening especially listening with my really awesome headphones on, that’s when I started to figure out this album. There’s a reoccurring theme found on the album of how “one must take advantage of life” and in the times we are in, it’s pretty epic to find that in this style of music.

To describe each song and get into that would take away from the effect you’d have from listening on your own. The bludgeoning aggressiveness that is found throughout propels the album but, Teeth To Sky is more than that. This album is one of those that will grow on you as it did with me. I look forward to hearing more from Guiltless and seeing how they develop and evolve. These songs need to be played live and I would bet that the decibel levels will be astounding. Definitely give Guiltless and this crushing debut album a ton of listens. And if/when they arrive in your town, I’d go see them too!

Overall Rating: 8.5/10

By: Brian Lacy

Guiltless- Teeth To Sky:

New Release: Tunic- Whispering

I was recently introduced to a band that really has me intrigued. They have a sound that is experimental while at the same time very hard charging. The “noise-rock” genre has been really exploding more and more lately and this band should be on your radar. Allow me to introduce you to Tunic. Hailing from Winnipeg, Canada, Tunic is armed with a sound that features an assault of pummeling drums, distorted bass, discordant guitar, and wild-eyed vocals. After listening to this band, I get a bit of an early Helmet vibe from the Strap It On era mixed with a little bit of Fugazi. So if you are into those two bands, this is right up your alley. The bands new single “Whispering” is chock full of bits of all the things that make this sub-genre what it is. The way they take experimental parts and add interesting melodies and thought provoking lyrics makes Tunic a must listen. Their new album Wrong Dream will be out on April 28 via Artoffact Records. I have to say, it’s really nice and refreshing to hear bands like Tunic try new things and get deeper into the sounds, inspirations and realness of what rock music is all about.

Tunic- Whispering:



PRE-ORDER THE ALBUM BELOW:

https://tunicband.bandcamp.com/album/wrong-dream

Band Of The Week: O Zorn

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There have been so many great three piece bands over the years and it never ceases to amaze me the power of what a three piece band can emit. Recently I came across a three piece band that is putting out some serious heavy grooves along with a pummeling sound and I couldn’t wait to share them with you all. Let me introduce you to O Zorn. Armed with a sound that is part stoner/doom, sludgey and noise rock, it comes as no shock that O Zorn is going to deliver a decimating sound. Their new album, Your Killer, was recorded at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606. That along with the riffs of both Bill Kielty and Bill Meyer and the unstoppable carnage that drummer Danny Walker brings to the rhythm, has made O Zorn a force to be reckoned with in the heavy music community. Your Killer is out March 20 (via Seeing Red Records). In the mean time, check out these two songs from this upcoming “killer” of an album.

O Zorn- Casket:

 

 

Band Of The Week: Super Thief

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When bands explore different genres and sub-genres the end result can be hit or miss. For those that it works for, the music created and the “art” of it has its way of standing out. I recently came across a band hailing from Texas called Super Thief that has been pushing the boundaries of the “noise rock” sub-genre. While exploring the influence and inspiration of bands like Sonic Youth, Shellac, and The Jesus Lizard, Super Thief as taken what they’ve learned and combined a bit of a punk tinge to make some pretty rockin tunes. Their new EP Eating Alone In My Car, is rocking chaos full of noise, grooves and riffs and rhythms that get you up and moving. Check out Super Thief. They’ve got something going on that is quite fun to listen to and full of a slew of energy.

 

Super Thief- Eating In My Car Alone:

 

Super Thief- Stuck:

Unsung Masterpieces: Will Haven- Carpe Diem
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If there is one thing that has always been mind blowing to me is that the bands that are huge influences on so many “Bigger” bands are often overlooked by the masses. The strange reality of all this justifies my thoughts that those in charge really don’t have a clue what is good and isn’t. There is a band from the Sacramento area that really left a huge mark on the bands like Deftones and Far. That band is Will Haven. In 2001, Will Haven unleashed what I consider to be an unsung masterpiece entitled Carpe Diem. Clocking in at just over 45 minutes, the ten songs on the album are honest, emotional and chaotic with dashes of atmosphere. There are so many things about this album that have rubbed off on other bands from the guitar tones, song structures, vocal delivery and style, and even lyrical content. Songs like “Bats,” “Carpe Diem,” “Dolph Lundgren,” “Dressed In Night Clothes,” “Finest Our,” and “Moving To Montana,” have been my absolute favorites on this album and still hold up over 15 years later.

If you are a fan of heavy music and you’ve never heard this band or album, I urge you to stop what you are doing for the next hour and listen to this. And if it’s been a while since you’ve listened to Carpe Diem, stop what you are doing and take a trip back to 2001 and rediscover a great album.

 

Will Haven- Carpe Diem:

Unsung Materpieces: Nine Inch Nails- Year Zero

Concept albums are very unique and at times take a long time to fully understand. Listening to select songs doesn’t give you the full effect. And a lot of the time the story that accompanies the album is very convoluted. Though there are many cases when the above statements don’t apply. Pink Floyd, The Who and more recently Mastodon and Nine Inch Nails  have been able to create epic concept albums that can stand on their own or as separate entities. In 2007, Nine Inch Nails released Year Zero.

“The Year Zero story takes place in the United States in the year 2022. The United States has suffered several major terrorist attacks, and in response the government has seized absolute control on the country and reverted to a Christian fundamentalist theocracy. The government maintains control of the populace through institutions such as the Bureau Of Morality as well as increased surveillance and the secret drugging of tap water with a mild sedative. In response to the increasing oppression of the government, several corporate, government, and subversive websites were transported back in time to the present by a group of scientists working clandestinely against the authoritarian government. The websites-from-the-future were sent to the year 2007 to warn the American people of the impending dystopian future and to prevent it from ever forming in the first place.”

So with that all mind one would think that this is just a mess, but in fact it’s the complete opposite. Trent never misses a step with creating this apocalyptic epic. This album was also the next step in Trent’s revitalized state of mind and musical odyssey. There are a lot of uses of noise, static, and strange yet amazing distortion. Certain songs stand out amongst the album as a whole such as “The Beginning Of The End,” “Survivalism,” “In This Twilight,” “The Great Destroyer,” and  “My Violent Heart.” Furthermore there was something else about this album, was that it opened up the visual aspect even more than before. Since Trent has described Year Zero as a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t even exist, it’s not hard to let your imagination take you off on quite a little trip.

Year Zero is not The Downward Spiral or The Fragile, but it is one of the most artistic and well thought out releases that Nine Inch Nails have ever released. One other strange thing about this album, was that touring for this album was not very prevalent. The people at Interscope records really dropped the ball on handling the marketing and promotion for this album, hence why it never got the due it deserved. So give yourself some time and delve back into Year Zero and see for yourself what you might have missed.

 Year Zero:

By: Brian Lacy