Listening to: Stone Sour - Come What(ever) May
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If you haven't already seen it, go check out my new photoblog, Take A Photograph. I've started it up so I can post random meaningless (or perhaps meaningful) images that I capture day to day. On my phone, with my cameras, I don't care.
Songs of 2006 (otherwise known as my turn to try and sound like a real music reviewer):
1. The Butterfly Effect - A Slow Descent
Rocking, pounding, soaring melodies and vocals from one of the best Australian bands going round. This, for me, is probably the best song they've written, at least from a rock & roll point of view. The film clip is also very well made and produced, using a pretty simple set-up but creating a cracker video.
2. The Mars Volta - Viscera Eyes
Long, complex and fascinating prog rock track from a group that I've heard mentioned as the System Of A Down who like to write songs longer than two minutes. It also seems they're out to make longer songs than Dream Theater - I never thought that would be possible. I'm new to these guys, but theirs is a sound that I'm still exploring and I'm liking what I find.
3. Tool - Vicarious
Five years later and their sound hasn't really changed, but this song is a triumphant return to the scene. Brooding, dark lyrics with trademark Tool sounds that seem to almost hide the fact it's a seven minute song. I just love the way it grows slowly, then recedes, only to return with a arse-kicking finish.
4. The Living end - Wake Up
A departure from their usual style, this song seemed to strike a chord with the radio audience across Australia. A political message mixed with haunting melodies and vocals. Chris Cheney might not have a voice as complex and Clint Boge from The Butterfly Effect or Ian Kenny from Karnivool, but he grabs your attention and doesn't let go till the very end. A true classic.
5. Eskimo Joe - London Bombs
I heard this song on TripleJ not long after Eskimo Joe released Black Fingernails, Red Wine and it stuck with me for months. When we picked up the album, it was the first song I went to. The title track had been played that much I could almost make out all of the lyrics. But London Bombs is such a beautiful, warm track I could listen to all day and night.
6. Trivium - Ignition
I've seen these guys cop some serious shit for sounding like Metallica. But to me, these guys make the music I wish Metallica had made, but they don't have the egos and arrogance to go with it. I'm really hoping I can grab a ticket to the Big Day Out, because Trivium are on the bill. Their sound is raucous, loud and almost unrelenting its pursuit for your eardrums. For me, I like to secretly pretend I'm listening to what Metallica could've been.
7. Stone Sour - Reborn
Corey Taylor from Slipknot has a softer side. Sort of. Stone Sour was his (and Slipknot guitarist James Root) band before Slipknot came along, and with the release of their second album, they are growing up and becoming a really solid hard rocking group. Reborn was the first track I heard from the album Come What(ever) May, and it's probably the toughtest song on the CD. Now to cross my fingers and hope they tour here soon.
I know there's only seven here, but that's I got right now.
As for 2007, here are some of the releases I'm crossing my legs to get hold of:
1. Cog
This one goes without saying really. The guys are about to head to the US to start recording the follow-up to The New Normal, their first full-length release that turned into a bit of a juggernaut. I'm a shameless Cog fan, so it shouldnt' be much of a surprise that it tops my list. They played some new tracks at their show late last year and they sound awesome. So as soon as I hear a release I'm setting up camp at the local CD shop. Good thing I know one the guys who works there. ;)
2. Sunk Loto
These boys have been fighting a tough fight to keep their heads above the water lately, with dodgy record labels, shitty deals and band members exiting stage left. But they toured late last year, with Cog and their own headline tour, and previewed new tracks from the album they're about to start recording (if they haven't already). They were brutal, loud, fast and heavy songs that my ears are already tingling to hear again.
3. Fear Factory
I'm quietly holding out hope that Fear Factory will get back in the studio and fix the mistakes they made on Transgression. I fucking love this band, and Archetype - their previous release - blew my head off with its power and strength. But then they release Transgression a year later, and it felt rushed, disconnected and pretty lame, with two covers and a bunch of bitsy tracks on it. Not to mention when toured Australia, they skipped Adelaide. Last time, they left Korn on the tour bus and took Static-X to the Heaven nightclub and tore it a new arsehole. So they've got some work to do in my eyes. Here's hoping they pull their fingers out.
4. Swayback
Ok, so this one's more obscure to those reading this who don't know me. I know the guys from Swayback, and have done some website design & photography work from them - my stuff even made it into their CD sleeve. They spent the latter half of last year touring pretty heavily to get themselves out there. This year I'm hoping they'll be getting into the studio to recored the follow up to The Quest For Rock & Roll, the album that saw them sign to Half A Cow Records. They're a great bunch of guys, and they know how to write a catchy, cool rockin' song or two. Keep an eye open for them.
5. Dream Theater
It's been a couple of years since the godfathers of prog rock (to me at least) churned out an album. Their last studio release, Octavarium, didn't grab me like their earlier works - at least not as a whole album. I know they've released a couple of live CDs in the last year or so, but I've already got three live CDs from them - I don't really need more versions of the same songs. So I'm hoping they're writing new stuff and are putting together another masterpiece like Six Degrees Of Inner Tubulence. While I'm talking DT, hurry up and tour Australia, god dammit!
6. Mudvayne
Their 2005 release, Lost And Found had a lot of self-created hype, but it was a pretty major let-down for me. Their second CD, The End Of All Things To Come was a brilliant listen, full of complex songs built on head-kicking rhythms and vicious vocals. But Lost And Found didn't come anywhere near the kind of progression I was waiting for. It was far too "more of the same" for me to enjoy. And it felt like all bar about one or two songs were written on the same day with the same inspirations. There's no real diversity or creativity here. So these boys, like Fear Factory, have some ground to make up with me.
Ok, I think I've had my music reviewer fix for now. If I come across stuff I like, I'll abuse your eyes with more of my ramblings.
---
If you haven't already seen it, go check out my new photoblog, Take A Photograph. I've started it up so I can post random meaningless (or perhaps meaningful) images that I capture day to day. On my phone, with my cameras, I don't care.
Songs of 2006 (otherwise known as my turn to try and sound like a real music reviewer):
1. The Butterfly Effect - A Slow Descent
Rocking, pounding, soaring melodies and vocals from one of the best Australian bands going round. This, for me, is probably the best song they've written, at least from a rock & roll point of view. The film clip is also very well made and produced, using a pretty simple set-up but creating a cracker video.
2. The Mars Volta - Viscera Eyes
Long, complex and fascinating prog rock track from a group that I've heard mentioned as the System Of A Down who like to write songs longer than two minutes. It also seems they're out to make longer songs than Dream Theater - I never thought that would be possible. I'm new to these guys, but theirs is a sound that I'm still exploring and I'm liking what I find.
3. Tool - Vicarious
Five years later and their sound hasn't really changed, but this song is a triumphant return to the scene. Brooding, dark lyrics with trademark Tool sounds that seem to almost hide the fact it's a seven minute song. I just love the way it grows slowly, then recedes, only to return with a arse-kicking finish.
4. The Living end - Wake Up
A departure from their usual style, this song seemed to strike a chord with the radio audience across Australia. A political message mixed with haunting melodies and vocals. Chris Cheney might not have a voice as complex and Clint Boge from The Butterfly Effect or Ian Kenny from Karnivool, but he grabs your attention and doesn't let go till the very end. A true classic.
5. Eskimo Joe - London Bombs
I heard this song on TripleJ not long after Eskimo Joe released Black Fingernails, Red Wine and it stuck with me for months. When we picked up the album, it was the first song I went to. The title track had been played that much I could almost make out all of the lyrics. But London Bombs is such a beautiful, warm track I could listen to all day and night.
6. Trivium - Ignition
I've seen these guys cop some serious shit for sounding like Metallica. But to me, these guys make the music I wish Metallica had made, but they don't have the egos and arrogance to go with it. I'm really hoping I can grab a ticket to the Big Day Out, because Trivium are on the bill. Their sound is raucous, loud and almost unrelenting its pursuit for your eardrums. For me, I like to secretly pretend I'm listening to what Metallica could've been.
7. Stone Sour - Reborn
Corey Taylor from Slipknot has a softer side. Sort of. Stone Sour was his (and Slipknot guitarist James Root) band before Slipknot came along, and with the release of their second album, they are growing up and becoming a really solid hard rocking group. Reborn was the first track I heard from the album Come What(ever) May, and it's probably the toughtest song on the CD. Now to cross my fingers and hope they tour here soon.
I know there's only seven here, but that's I got right now.
As for 2007, here are some of the releases I'm crossing my legs to get hold of:
1. Cog
This one goes without saying really. The guys are about to head to the US to start recording the follow-up to The New Normal, their first full-length release that turned into a bit of a juggernaut. I'm a shameless Cog fan, so it shouldnt' be much of a surprise that it tops my list. They played some new tracks at their show late last year and they sound awesome. So as soon as I hear a release I'm setting up camp at the local CD shop. Good thing I know one the guys who works there. ;)
2. Sunk Loto
These boys have been fighting a tough fight to keep their heads above the water lately, with dodgy record labels, shitty deals and band members exiting stage left. But they toured late last year, with Cog and their own headline tour, and previewed new tracks from the album they're about to start recording (if they haven't already). They were brutal, loud, fast and heavy songs that my ears are already tingling to hear again.
3. Fear Factory
I'm quietly holding out hope that Fear Factory will get back in the studio and fix the mistakes they made on Transgression. I fucking love this band, and Archetype - their previous release - blew my head off with its power and strength. But then they release Transgression a year later, and it felt rushed, disconnected and pretty lame, with two covers and a bunch of bitsy tracks on it. Not to mention when toured Australia, they skipped Adelaide. Last time, they left Korn on the tour bus and took Static-X to the Heaven nightclub and tore it a new arsehole. So they've got some work to do in my eyes. Here's hoping they pull their fingers out.
4. Swayback
Ok, so this one's more obscure to those reading this who don't know me. I know the guys from Swayback, and have done some website design & photography work from them - my stuff even made it into their CD sleeve. They spent the latter half of last year touring pretty heavily to get themselves out there. This year I'm hoping they'll be getting into the studio to recored the follow up to The Quest For Rock & Roll, the album that saw them sign to Half A Cow Records. They're a great bunch of guys, and they know how to write a catchy, cool rockin' song or two. Keep an eye open for them.
5. Dream Theater
It's been a couple of years since the godfathers of prog rock (to me at least) churned out an album. Their last studio release, Octavarium, didn't grab me like their earlier works - at least not as a whole album. I know they've released a couple of live CDs in the last year or so, but I've already got three live CDs from them - I don't really need more versions of the same songs. So I'm hoping they're writing new stuff and are putting together another masterpiece like Six Degrees Of Inner Tubulence. While I'm talking DT, hurry up and tour Australia, god dammit!
6. Mudvayne
Their 2005 release, Lost And Found had a lot of self-created hype, but it was a pretty major let-down for me. Their second CD, The End Of All Things To Come was a brilliant listen, full of complex songs built on head-kicking rhythms and vicious vocals. But Lost And Found didn't come anywhere near the kind of progression I was waiting for. It was far too "more of the same" for me to enjoy. And it felt like all bar about one or two songs were written on the same day with the same inspirations. There's no real diversity or creativity here. So these boys, like Fear Factory, have some ground to make up with me.
Ok, I think I've had my music reviewer fix for now. If I come across stuff I like, I'll abuse your eyes with more of my ramblings.
1 comment:
Being an old fart, I don't know even one of those artists.
I'll just take your word on it, m'friend. :)
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