Label(s): Arkan Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #10.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
VIVRE SA VIE, this particular band at least, is from Stockholm Sweden and NOT the Philly/USA band. This VIVRE SA VIE sent me their material to be reviewed and as I first jammed that opening song I saw a plethora of posts with their music video online so perhaps you are already aware of these four people who write a fair amount about living life outside of binary gender roles.
"Together, Always" is by far the best track so it's no wonder that this is the first track. The jangly and dissonant guitar intertwines with the screaming, steady bass and fill-happy drums and bring older Loma Prieta. Shizune and Youth Novel. The second track "War" is building song that gets fucking nutso from about a minute onward and sounds like Amygdala to me, which means its harsh, fast and amazing. The rest of the EP dips in between the melodic screamo of the first track to the violent emo-violence of the second.
Definitely check out this great demo and follow their future releases, I know I will.
Label(s): Self Released / Coldbringer Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #9.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
I don't even remember how I heard about AN ARROW IN FLIGHT and even now I can't find out where they were from in the US, but I recall having their 'Filling the Sky' discography cd circa 2004-2005 and liking it. I was much more into Bright Calm Blue back then and felt this paled in comparison. Fast forward a decade and Tony from Congratulations was over and we were talking about bands like September and Bright Calm Blue when I remembered about AN ARROW IN FLIGHT and showed them to him. He was mightily impressed and I went back and jammed both albums (instead of just the two tracks in my massive favourites folder) and was astounded at how similar this band was to Bright Calm Blue, Ecorche, Indian Summer and Four Hundred Years. So here we are, review.
Wait, didn't I just finish? I guess I could say a bit more. The early EP 'Various Methods and Movements' was self released by the band in 2002 and given away for free. These six tracks are very impressive for a debut and the song "An Aero and its Speed" is pretty much flawless in my books. This thing goes full force 43 seconds in and screams mid to late 90s midwestern emo. There's no way by the end of this song that you won't be singing along to, "All we have is movements expressed in disobedience," which permeates the last half of this stellar early work by the band. "Theory and Practice of Seizing Days", "Humyn Political Constructs" and "Potential" are also excellent emo/screamy hardcore songs.
In 2004 the band released 'Filling the Night Sky', a seven song record that was housed on a cd that included both EPs together. The band apparently went through a myriad of lineup changes but on this recording they sound just like the last recording, except tighter and with a few more reaches into uncharted territory for the band, such as the chill, jammy midsection of the closer "Logical Conclusion" or the talking/singing in "I Am the Sun and the Air". The best song on here has to be "One Bold Stroke From Right to Left" which is the song I used for the mp3 mix last month. This thing is silly good. Catching the listener's attention right from the get-go, the transition from a lecture audio clip (perhaps from a movie) to the song is booming and eclipses any kind of quiet at 57 seconds when they go straight to Four Hundred Years and Bright Calm Blue mode. By the halfway point the influence of Twelve Hour Turn also becomes apparent and its a beautiful thing. The unrelenting screamy vocals and driving guitars really make this extra sweet. Goddamn, what a song.
If you've never heard this band, definitely check them out. If you end up liking it be sure to go back and look through the reviews of the For fans of section, like...y'know, Bright Calm Blue.
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DISCOGRAPHY Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in wma form.
2002 - Various Methods and Movements cdrEP
2004 - Filling the Night Sky cdLP (includes both EPs as an LP)
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(2004) AN ARROW IN FLIGHT - "One Bold Stroke From Right to Left" (from 'Filling the Night Sky')
(2004) AN ARROW IN FLIGHT - "Adaptation" (from 'Filling the Night Sky')
(2004) AN ARROW IN FLIGHT - "Scalpel Versus Stethoscope" (from 'Filling the Night Sky')
(2002) AN ARROW IN FLIGHT - "An Aero and its Speed" (from 'Various Methods and Movements')
(2002) AN ARROW IN FLIGHT - "Theory and Practice of Seizing Days" (from 'Various Methods and Movements')
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AN ARROW IN FLIGHT out of print wma discography download / additional links
Label(s): Self Released / Crucificados Pelo Sistema / Flowerviolence Records / Vendetta Records / Adagio830 / Teenage Disco Bloodbath Records / Trująca Fala This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #4.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
PERTH EXPRESS released a slew of stuff from 2004 until 2008, were from Germany, and were absolutely pulverizing. Their mixture of down-tuned and unrelenting hardcore, crust and Botch influence evolved from a simpler version of hardcore to just that, a myriad of related genres and styles that were melted down and perfected as a single, new blade of aggressive music. If Light Bearer or Fall Of Efrafa sped things up to the speed of Zann, Lentic Waters and Converge they'd probably sound a lot like PERTH EXPRESS. The screams and yells of a medieval giant take over on vocals and can be loosely compared to The Ocean's deep but not quite growly nature, and for this reviewer is the lowest point of the band because I generally like my screaming a weeeee bit higher pitched or with more variety - that being said, the vocals are still good, it's just that everything else is reeeeally good.
Their 'Self Titled 10"' released in 2004 shows great progress, as "Richtungsfolge Folgerichtig", "Unterkante Oberlippe" and "Roadtrip to Paradise" are all heavy hitters. The closer "U-Turn" is the winner here, with a pummeling assault of hardcore mixed with some post-metal slowdowns that are no less powerful and bring to mind Rosetta, Cult Of Luna, Light Bearer and Fall Of Efrafa.
By 2006 PERTH EXPRESS had fleshed out his vocal chords to a sound that is much more pleasing to my ears, and ends up sounding more like Trainwreck and Alex CF than the inhuman creature from 2004. Their self titled 'Perth Express 12"' LP is a big step in the right direction. Levying the vocals with tighter and sharpened instrumentals makes this record the first of which that tickled my fancy to the point of repeat listens, as songs such as "Less Than a Second" (an amazing opener and catchy as fuck riffs), "1001" (awesome Botchy guitars), "Heidepark Soltau" (a building, epic, post-hardcore/post-metal gem) and "Neverending Einbahnstrasse" (the fitting and chaotic closer that winds down with more post-metal) are well worth a few jams, if not a ton more.
The band's final output was the 'Harrow and Wealdstone' LP which collected the two tracks from their 'Four Way Split' and added them to the other seven new songs which end up being as awesome as their 2006 LP. "Phil Connor is Me", "Kreuzfahrt Ins Glück", "Prolog Im Himmel", "Construction Time Again" and the prodigious 10+ minute "A Light So Dim" are all fantastic tracks, as are the two from the 4-way, "Klassenbester auf der Milchmædche" and "The Bends". If you're just getting into PERTH EXPRESS I'd recommend starting here and moving backwards because you'll get the best stuff first.
Although the band isn't necessarily one of my all-time favourites, fans of heavy, crusty, down-tuned hardcore will likely eat this up. Dinner is served, my friends.
P.S. If you need more, current stuff like this go check out Lentic Waters who are also from Germany and fucking riiiiiiip.
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DISCOGRAPHY Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3 form.
Label(s): Dingleberry Records / Fake Crab Records / Krimskramz / Is Something Wrong? Records / Suspended Soul Tapes And Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #1.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
EYELET has been around since early 2014 with a few member changes and two very impressive releases. The band is going on tour in September throughout the mid-Eastern USA and Canada and will be releasing a one-sided 10" at that time called 'Error(s)'. Let's look over what's already been released, shall we?
The 2014 demo EP titled 'Eyelet' is a screamy affair with a strong leaning towards bands such as O'God The White Whale and Welcome The Plague Year on the thick and foggy "Frail" which is absolutely pulverizing. "Nike" begins with clean guitars and a jammy intro before dual vocals tear the listener apart. "Blush" is reminiscent of Guidelines and OsoLuna with male and female screams coupled with a balanced juxtaposition of ambient post-hardcore and frantic screamo. The final cut from the EP is titled "Pizza Cop" and has a lightning quick opening first half followed by a pulsating and driving tail end.
EYELET's 2015 effort, a 12"/tape/cd titled 'Nervewracker', has so many good songs that I can't spend my vacation out East describing each one, so I'll touch upon a few favourites of mine. The opener "Browbeaten" is an absolute banger with, again, the combo screaming (albeit with one new vocalist) mixed with breakdowns and noodly beauts. "Solely" rolls in much like one members' previous outfit (The Usual) and is a groovin', spacey/twinkly affair until 1:25 when the track moves from relatively chill to relatively amazing, and includes a nice wind down to close. The title track "Nervewracker" is what I consider to be a new generation of EYELET that has evolved and includes some fantastic post-hardcore action that'll have your head bobbing along in no time. "For Pity's Sake" has enough atmosphere and epicness as well as similarly screamed vocals that it can be likened to new Old Soul material. There's also some D'Amore going on right before the part that gets me singing along every time with, "Did you think we would forget?". "Limerence" has a dreamy start with little-to-no vocals that ends up crossing a few swords with Envy and Apollo 18. I traded my good friend Tim from Dingleberry for some copies so I have a few in the distro here.
EYELET will be premiering their upcoming 'Error(s)' one-sided 10"EP on this blog in the next month or so, but you can jam "Pit of Despair" on the Fake Crab Records bandcamp here (it's fucking awesome), while the physical copies should be available later this summer on Fake Crab Records. The band will also be hitting up a summer tour which you can check out on facebook here and you can also peruse the dates below as well as contact the band to help them with a show!
Label(s): L'Oeil Du Tigre / A Mountain Far / Desordre Ordonne / Boslevan Records / Let Your Fingers Do The Walking / Aspirations Of A Mad Man Records / Win Htein Records / Utarid Tapes / Anteduvia This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #2.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
I first heard POLINA when I grabbed some copies of their 4-way split 12" from Em of Foxmoulder and A Mountain Far fame. I'd never heard the band and was way too pumped to jam those Kaddish tracks so they slipped off my radar for a good year before I realized the amazingness of "Sexposiyouth" and then nabbed the remaining discography from the POLINA bandcamp page. The mathy noodling, stop/start chaos and gravelly screaming really define this short-lived and highly underappreciated band. It should also be noted that their drummer also played on the first few Foxmoulder records.
I would highly recommend all of their releases because they are all excellent and also relatively similar, as they did evolve, their style remained pretty much the same. The noodliness of songs such as "Ghostvids", "Secret Rooms" and "Mathnxiety" are all extremely mathy and engaging for any fan of Matsuri, Hot Cross or the new fellas in town Sleeper Wave and Dowager. My favourite tracks are the absolutely stellar "Sexposiyouth" and the noodly as fuck "You're Dreamy Like Lynch". "Sexposiyouth" begins with an awesome light emo intro that wouldn't fall from a Human Hands record before it begins to pick up around 40 seconds. At 1:23 shit starts to get real and by 1:40 the slowdown leads to an unreal back and forth with the guitarist and other instrumentalists which hearkens Funeral Diner and Coma Regalia. That isn't all, because at 2:43 this song gets fucking stupid good as the noodles come out in full effect and carry the song out. Godfuckingdamn. I think this song is enough to entice anyone who may enjoy POLINA, but I'll quickly discuss "You're Dreamy Like Lynch" cuz it's also stellar. This song busts right outta the gates and it pretty darn heavy. At one minute the songs hits the epicness at full speed with dueling guitar solos and a prodigious close.
If you've never checked this band you'd be doing yourself a disservice considering you just read this review. Get on it.
OLD SOUL is invading Europe for the second time in three years. Jimmy, a guitarist for the band and a dear friend of mine, stayed over for a night before his flight out of Toronto. After a relaxing afternoon of chilling with my son, buying some drinks and tossin' some frisbee, we sat down in my sunroom for a podcast. This three-part, almost 50-minute interview/discussion/pow wow covers a ton of stuff, including the following bands:
The Great Redneck Hope
pepi rössler
Apollo 18
Materic
Corea
Anathallo
Guidelines
It's available to stream in full or download for free right heeeeeeeeeeya. Hope you enjoy it, and make sure you go see OLD SOUL on tour (event page) if you're in the following places:
Label(s): Debello Records / Goodfellow Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #3.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
DESTROYER DESTROYER is very aptly named, as the band does exactly that. Very similar to The End in both style and band name as a descriptor, they pretty easily could have called themselves Armageddon or Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland or some other destructive and violent name. The mixture of metallic hardcore and grindy math/death metal with shrieky banshee screams and low-end bellow growls are all balanced in a way most bands aren't capable of doing, with a few complimentary exceptions such as Enkephalin, Me And Him Call It Us and From A Second Story Window.
Their 2006 EP 'Dead Weight as Far as the Eye Can See' is a violent and rowdy affair, but their 2007 LP 'Littered With Arrows' is the audio equivalent of watching a lightning-fast clip-show of brutal murders. This is about as heavy as I can take my music, and the band really pushes the envelope and keeps the music engaging and brutal without making me feel like I'm dead. A notable exception to the terror the band induces is "Error", which brings in some subdued instrumentals and the slowed pace makes it one of the band's most progressive songs.
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DISCOGRAPHY Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3/wma form.
2005 - The Spiderbear Tales (split w/Vessels Cast From Crippled Hands) cdEP (does anyone have this? please post it!)
2006 - The Dead Sleep Like Us For a Reason cdEP
2007 - Littered With Arrows cdLP
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(2007) DESTROYER DESTROYER - "Dead Weight" (from 'Littered With Arrows')
(2007) DESTROYER DESTROYER - "Never Been Had V2" (from 'Littered With Arrows')
(2007) DESTROYER DESTROYER - "Error" (from 'Littered With Arrows')
(2006) DESTROYER DESTROYER - "Dead Weight as Far as the Eye Can See" (from 'The Dead Sleep Like Us For a Reason')
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DESTROYER DESTROYER out of print mp3/wma discography download / additional links
CYRUS GOLD was kind enough to let OMSB premiere their new song "Drinking the Blood" from their new 10" split with T-Tops. Take a gander for yourself, but I can definitely say that:
1 - it's amazing, raw post-punk/post-hardcore from Pittsburgh
2 - it sounds kinda like Clouds, Rye Coalition and Bear Vs. Shark
3 - it's the best song they've ever released
4 - it's pulsating, driving and precise
5 - it's 5:26, which is pretty long
Here are some additional links worth checking out:
Label(s): Dim Mak Records / Rogue Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #7.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
The 2-piece outfit NEON BLONDE was Johnny Whitney and Mark Gajadhar's initial side project from The Blood Brothers. Used primarily as an outlet for Johnny's experimental, electronic and pop side, in retrospect the band came off sounding like Johnny's solo album written between 'Crimes' and 'Young Machetes'. The sassy and much more rock oriented screamy post-punk sound in NEON BLONDE was the first of a few bands to come round after The Blood Brothers started gaining some much deserved attention. Whitney was already also doing The Vogue aka Soiled Doves, but when that act closed its book NEON BLONDE was started and for the most part continued that vibe with a few extreme changes. Johnny's patented lyrical content continues to impress as he spewed out line after line of dark, biting and uncomfortable imagery.
"Black Cactus Killers" is the opener, heaviest and best song on the band's only full length record titled 'Chandeliers in the Savannah'. The screamy and pompous track has some rollicking good guitar and ends up sounding a lot like The Blood Brothers' 'Crimes' days mixed with Soiled Doves' songs "Black Cactus Choir" and "Fuck This Nest". After "Black Cactus Killers" the second track "Cyrstal Beaches Never Turned Me On" sheds all screaming and most of the traditional rock instrumentation and fully infuses the keyboard and some eerie and wackadoo sounds. If there was a single I would have thought it would have been "Chandeliers and Vines" as Johnny hits some truly beautiful notes, take 2:40-2:50 for example, as he hits notes that most women would have trouble with. The rest of the 4:07 is littered with keyboard, piano and catchy lounge rock and is the second best song on the record. "Princess Skullface Sings" is a lo-fi garage rock ordeal with screaming while "New Detroit" is a swingin' good time and leads nicely into the piano/lounge driven "Headlines" that ends with some trumpets and also has a music video linked here that's pretty darn cool. NEON BLONDE also released a 12"EP with alternative/remix versions by the same name, 'Headlines' which I've heard but never bothered tracking down. "Love Hounds" is another lo-fi romp through dancey, twisted indie rock and "Dead Mellotron" sounds like The Blood Brothers on acid. "Cherries in Slow Motion" is one of the most melodic and accessible songs on the record along with the subsequent "The Future is a Mesh Stallion" which is nearly identical to the foray of experimental lounge pop that Johnny Whitney fleshed out with the final Jaguar Love record 'Hologram Jams'. The closer "Wings Made Out of Noise" begins much like a standard post-punk/rock affair, save for that infernal beeping that permeates throughout the track and is certainly an song.
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DISCOGRAPHY Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in wma form.
2005 - Chandeliers in the Savannah cd/12"LP
2005 - Headlines 12"cd/12"EP
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(2005) NEON BLONDE - "Black Cactus Killers" (from 'Chandeliers in the Savannah')
(2005) NEON BLONDE - "Chandeliers and Vines" (from 'Chandeliers in the Savannah')
(2005) NEON BLONDE - "Dead Mellotron" (from 'Chandeliers in the Savannah')
(2005) NEON BLONDE - "Headlines" (from 'Chandeliers in the Savannah') official music video
On May 26th 2016 Zegema Beach Records put on its first show at The Baltimore House in Hamilton. The first thing I'll say is that The Baltimore House is amazing. The staff were awesome and the sound person did a great job, and they also gave me a door person! Oh massive luxuries. Ah...on with the show.
HUGE COSMIC
The eclectic blend of punk, rock, indie, garage, grunge, hardcore and even rap. The vocal interplay between Dean and Jacob is seamless and now with addition of Adrian from Terry Green taking on bass duties instead of vocals it really helps bring this band's sound together. They released a split on Zegema Beach Records earlier this year with Terry Green which you can grab here.
As always, WORST GIFT played a super tight set. They also played two new songs, the first of which blew me away, especially those drums! The stoner grunge mixed with post-hardcore is infectious, grooving and polished yet raw. I helped release their 12" 'Shitty Loser Riffs' (grab one here) last year and it rocks. Check the "Extra live video" below for the second new song which has some great dual vocals by Suze and Tim.
LUME travelled all the way from Chicago for this show and did not disappoint. Having already passed through Hamilton, quite a few locals came out specifically to see this band and their thick, pretty, ambient and melodic space rock. The 3-piece jammed out for almost half an hour and any fan of Hum should be all over this so basically magine Hum meets some Pelican influence on the guitars and you're pretty much there.
GET OFF THE COP is definitely getting a following here in Hamilton. The dirty, raw and screamy edge of the 3-piece is palpable as they shot through about 22 minutes worth of material in support of their new 7" which you can jam here. It's a very interesting mix of straight forward punk rock, a heavily whacked guitar with eerie cackling and venomous screaming. Unfortunately my camera began to trip out and was constantly out of focus, as can be witnessed at the end of the 2nd video posted below.
Label(s): Deep Elm Records This post's artist is from the June 2016 Mix. This is track #6.
You can download: the June Mix#6 right hereor get the new July 2016 Mix#7 here.
I don't really have all that much to say about RIDE YOUR BIKE. I first heard a song called "The Connection" on a Deep Elm cd compilation and the similarities to Anthony Green's newer solo material are quite noticeable. Combining a beautiful falsetto false with your standard rock instrumentals and a violin, "The Connection" is a song that still resounds with me all these years later. A few years later, maybe 2010 or so, I was able to nab a copy of their debut LP on Ebay. 'Bad News from the Bar' is alright. The songs "We Couldn't Walk With Such Noise" and "So If We" are very good alternative/punk songs akin to Circa Survive and Park, which are all led by fantastic, soaring vocals.
So the review was supposed to end there, but lo and behold whilst researching for this I came upon a sophomore release from 2010 obviously centered around my favourite track that first got me into the band, 'The Connection'. Having only listened to the songs a few times I have made the following notes:
- the vocals are even warmer, more inviting and poppier, especially in track 2's "Spark"
- by track 3, "Coat Rack", I get a whiff of some The All-American Rejects but the band returns to form before I can verbalize anything coherent about it
- tracks, 4, 5 and 6 are all pretty poppy and just don't grab me the way "The Connection" did
- meh after the first round
- okay tracks 2 and 3 are definitely decent songs with only a few cheesy moments
- "Firefly" has a primary riff that is isn't my thing, as it sounds too...forced? Simple Plan? I don't know
- I don't really like "Firefly"
- "Bus" is okay
- "The Time We Took Those Chances" begins acoustically and builds a pretty decent alternative/pop-punk song and is one of the better songs on here
- "Album Preview: The Connection" is just strange as its exactly what the title states
- it's okay, but like the first album is very hit or miss for this particular listener
If you love your falsetto poppy punk/rock/emo this will be a very pleasant surprise. Should you care to purchase my only copy of the first cdLP, click here.
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DISCOGRAPHY Click )==>here<==( to download the band's complete discography in mp3/wma form.
2007 - Bad News from the Bar cdLP
2010 - The Connection digitalLP
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(2010) RIDE YOUR BIKE - "The Connection" (from 'The Connection')
(2010) RIDE YOUR BIKE - "Spark" (from 'The Connection')
(2010) RIDE YOUR BIKE - "The Time We Took Those Chances" (from 'The Connection')
(2007) RIDE YOUR BIKE - "We Couldn't Walk with Such Noise" (from 'Bad News from the Bar')
(2007) RIDE YOUR BIKE - "So If We" (from 'Bad News from the Bar')
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RIDE YOUR BIKE out of print mp3/wma discography download
