The hard-rock approach done by The Blackfire Revelation really seems to portend well for the band before the band starts off their true approach, which is essentially screaming over whatever the rest of the band mates decided what would sound good (did I mention that these bandmates had no idea what their other halves were doing). What really hinders The Blackfire Revelation are the extremely long times that they allow…
Incorporating the best parts of Samhain, Tiger Army, Nekromantix and Death By Wednesday, Black Cat Rebellion simultaneously works in two different periods; first off, in the earliest days of Goth music, alongside bands like 45 Grave, and in the later punk/rockabilly revival. “Burn†comes through with an infectious beat, aided by the intricate bass of Creepy Rob and a sultry-sang set of vocals laid down by Brad. Each track spins…
The style of metal that Bible of the Devil play is not what would seem to be probably when one looks at the front cover of the CD. Bible of the Devil starts the disc strong, by including two tracks that added together are well less than six minutes. This has the effect of giving listeners a good idea of the range of styles that Bible of the Devil can…
The funky beat that drives â€Black Diamonds and Pearls†is only furthered by the inclusion of a number of different harmonies. This means that Blackalicious exists on a number of different eras and general sounds, providing the largest possible fanbase with music that is completely digable. “Ego Sonic Wardrums†might be the most fitting title of a song ever; the brooding backing beat add a sound that threatens to consume…
Where an act like Goldfrapp comes forth with a minor amount of trip-hop influence, Bittersweet takes that sound to its logical extreme with the beginning of this disc. There are hints during “The Mating Game†of acts as diverse as The Propellerheads and Bjork, while the sound of the band is something that sounds as if it was pulled lock stock and barrel from the mid nineties. Something that seems…
The first track of this album is something that immediately grabs hold of listeners and does not let them go for the entirety of the track. Of particular note are the rapidly escalating guitars that dot the track, something that will bring in listeners by the barrelful.
Pieces of Sheryl Crow and Sarah McLaughlin make their way to the front of “Cut A Man’s Heart Outâ€, as Bishop does a strong, vocal-led pop assault (pop as in the tradition of Suzanne Vega, not as in the case of Ms. Spears. The light country-influence placed on the top of “Metaphor for your Life†really allows Bishop to really work with a broad range of sound in what traditionally…
The Biltmores play a very contemplative brand of indie rock that individuals will first encounter during “Buried Undergroundâ€. The beginning of the track is nothing to write home about, but the band does well in adding additional layers to the track, under there is a Primus meets Rise Against funk. This groove is something impressive, provides individuals something to dance to, and is fundamentally different from anything else that anyone…
Billy Talent is one of my favorite emo bands just because the band has a certain distinct sound that no other band can even come close to approximate. I first heard about the band when I picked up a copy of their “Lies†(the song, not trying to say it was a single or anything). The song was just so catchy and it knocked off another then-high band, Wakefield. We…
Black Kids are back and not only are they invading the US with a string of dates stage side their indie comrades, Mates of States, but they’ll also be giving YOU a chance to win an intimate performance at your next house party!!
Opening up “Samsara’s Grip†with one of the most far-reaching and impressive alternative rock songs, Bill Madden inserts bits and pieces of R.E.M., New Radicals, and the like to make a compelling and ingratiating song. Moving more into the Dave Matthews-brand of vocalization, some form of drive forces “Masterpiece†in a realm that is not usually traversed by the former’s music.
Pixieish rock that has as a vocalist a woman who tries her hardest as an Enya imitator, but really falls into the rut of having a lot of her acoustic guitar lines sound similar. As a result, the amazing singing that is done on the disc is really obscured by the repetitive guitars.
Hey, I was really wondering where Treble Charger went, and in Big Collapse, the punk/rock mix really works to the degree that the aforementioned band had. A super-group consisting of members from bands I’ve never heard before (Shift, Burn, Absolution, Die 116), Big Collapse creates their own brand of punk-influenced rock that is incredibly easy to bop around to. “Deliver Me†is the perfect example of what should be on…
Wow, “Sink†is intense in all of the right ways. Big City Rock are not big at this point of time, but they will be big in just a short period of time. Do you remember Vertical Horizon? Big City Rock mixes that band with The Killers to come up with a bouncy yet compelling brand of rock that all can find commonalities in. “All of the Above†is another…
“Honesty†starts off with “I’m Your Density…I Mean Your Destinyâ€, a track that will elicit emotions left and right. This is not the bold step forward that a number of emo bands tend to start off their discs with, but rather a much more sedate and nuanced style that will ease individuals into the sound that is Big City Dreams.
Benzos starts out their “Morning Stanzas†with a very Radiohead-influenced track in “All The King’s Menâ€. The style of music that Benzos plays shifts throughout the entirety of “Morning Stanzasâ€, with the shuffling beat of “It’s Amiable†being the most clear example of this. The sweeping guitars present on the track, coupled with a non-lyric set of vocals creates a haunting and yet oddly compelling ending to the track. The…
Imagine you pissed off an industrial kid off, and instead of turning into Trent Reznor they decided to create the hardest music they could with the instruments that they had. The Berzerker really seems to have one of those kids in their band. Instead of just being an aberration or something put in for shock value, tracks like “Follow Me†really have eir influences tied into the band at large.…
The Berserker – super-unintelligible CD from Earache Records, which is pretty much the prevailing style there. Tons of screaming, 160 bps drums, and very little melody of which to speak. Clips from an unknown movie are contained on the CD. I personally want to watch this movie, as it talks about raping a headless body. “Burnt” begins as a track heavily skipping, which is relatively interesting, but it moves into…
Bernard starts their “A View Beyond The Cave†with something nothing more special than a piano,m only adding a set of vocals to the mix when the opening section has run its course. This is not the vocal stylings of Ben Folds or Shayne Ward, but rather, the vocals move into more of an instrumental sound than anything. There is the same sort of cold electronic sound that crowds the…
The power which Berman starts off “Send Me To The End†is something that has not been heard since the days that Slash and Slayer ruled the earth. Of course, I had to pick two acts that are still present in the music scene, but it is true that there was a period in which they were the unquestioned rulers of their domain. Berman starts off their disc hard and…