(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): STANDSTILL

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

STANDSTILL

This post's artist is from the September 2013 Mix. This is track #3 and #19.
You can download the September 2013 Mix right here.

Band: STANDSTILL
Genres: Punk / Rock / Post-Hardcore / Screamo
Related artists: Refraining and Unabomber.
Country: Barcelona, SPAIN
Years Active: 1995-present
Songs: "Ride Down the Slope / Two Minutes Song"
Albums: "Memories Collector / The Ionic Spell"
Years: 2002 / 2001
For fans of: La Parade, Sed Non Satiata, Amanda Woodward, Daitro, La Quiete, Raein, Glassjaw, Storm The Bastille, Saetia, Neil Perry, Yage, Orchid, and Secret Arms aka PROPER Screamo.

That's right - I put 2 STANDSTILL songs on that mix, and they deserve a hell of a lot more spots. Included was a heavy song "Two Minutes Song" and a rock song "Ride Down the Slope" in an attempt to showcase the 2 very different styles of the band.

STANDSTILL was gaining popularity when I was getting into screamo back in about 2002. At that time the band was young and had realized that they were talented enough to incorporate not just Refused-influenced aggressive hardcore, but also beautiful melodies and lush soundscapes. A transition took place from 2003-2005 that stripped the band of any aggressiveness, and left us with the refined STANDSTILL that exists to this day. Let's disco that shit:

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'The Tide' has the band starting out as a Refused worship band. That's it. It's pretty good, for what it is.
*best tracks = "The Tide", "Circle" and "Living Hell"
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'The Ionic Spell' showed the band's aggressive progression but incorporated twinkly post-hardcore/screamo passages that (at the time) lumped the band in with the likes of Saetia, La Quiete, Neil Perry, Orchid and Yage.
*best tracks = "Supreme", "Words", "Angelica", "Survive", "Two Minutes Song", "Let Them Burn", "Naked Monkey" and "Sunrise People in Sunset Days"
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Following 'The Ionic Spell', STANDSTILL shed the screaming and created what Orchid tried to do with Panthers , but with a lot more songwriting skills and softer tracks. They were able to pull off a miraculous and infectious rock/screamo record that currently goes down as the best of all-time, in my book. Perhaps the vocals are an acquired taste. But once I acquired them, I became goddamn addicted.
*best tracks = "Ride Down the Slope", "Always Late", "Two Poems", "Skies and a Mouse", "Not the Place" and "Airplane"
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After 'Memories Collector', the band slowed down, or should I say screeched to a halt, in regards to pursuing heavy music. "La Vieja Gibellina" and "Poema nº3" from the band's 'Self-Titled' album are the closest thing you'll find to the heavier rock found on 'Memories Collector'. The band also started incorporating drama/plays/poetry into concerts, which you can find online. STANDSTILL also dropped their English lyrics, which I commend.
*best tracks = "Le Vieja Gibellina" and "Poema n3"
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'Vivalaguerra' continued on the path that the band had started down a few years prior, with the music becoming softer and more vocal-oriented, right up to and including 2010's 'Adelante Bonaparte (una fabula circular) and 2013's 'Dentro de la Luz' . "Si, Quiero" is a beautiful meander through a simple yet lush guitar and crooning vocal track. "Morireis Todos los Jovenes" is another slow track. This one is epic in feel and has hooks from the very beginning with the piano, keyboard and vocal overlap. At the 4-minute mark the band brings everything together masterfully - albeit perhaps a little too long. In all honesty, I can dig a few songs, but find the latter albums to only have a few engaging tracks.
*best tracks on those 3 albums = "Si, Quiero" and "Morireis Todos los Jovenes" and I'm still listening to the new 'Dentro de la Luz', so I'll post my thoughts afterwards
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So if you are like me and love STANDSTILL's old material and mildly enjoy the new stuff, I would strongly recommend checking out La Parade, who are the only band that has come close to recreating this sound. I've heard the new LP and it's a mix of STANDSTILL and Sed Non Satiata. Grab the demo here.

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DISCOGRAPHY

Click )==>here<==( to download the (1998-2004) band's complete discography in mp3 form.

1997 - Progress Self-Destruction cassette

1998 - The Tide cdEP

2001 - The Ionic Spell cd/12"LP
2001 - Engrave Split 7"

2002 - Memories Collector cd/12"LP

2003 - The Latest Kiss cd/12"(one-sided)LP

2004 - Standstill cd/12"LP

2006 - Vivalaguerra cd/12"LP

2008 - Diez Anos Y Una Zanahoria DVD

2010 - Adelante Bonaparte (una fabula circular) 3xcd/3x10"EP

2013 - Dentro de la Luz cd/2x12"LP

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(1998) STANDSTILL - "" (from 'The Tide' cd) AUDIO