Metal Monday #10

I seem to be spending more time apologising these days than actually writing anything. Once again, I have to say sorry for not updating the blog as regularly as I should have in recent times. Unfortunately my auntie died in the early hours of the morning somewhat unexpectedly a week or so ago so I haven't had the time or the inclination to write anything up. Given the fact that she was undoubtedly my favourite aunt, as you can understand it came as a bit of a blow. The whole family has been in mourning so between family visits, immediate family consolation and the organization and attendance of the funeral I've been very busy. Anyway, R.I.P Máire, you will be missed. On top of this, while I can't speak for anyone else, I've been having some serious computer issues over the last while. After accidently spilling water on my keyboard and mouse (rookie mistake, I know) I have been hereby resigned to using my laptop which is also on death's door at present. To make matters even worse, my internet has been cutting off randomly every couple of minutes or hours for the past month or so. This makes even the most simple tasks take a lifetime and while people say patience is a virtue, I'm finding it hard to stay patient. If you're a believer in karma then I must have done something truly terrible to deserve such unnecessary frustration.

First on the chopping block is Killswitch Engage's My Last Serenade. Although I will admit I was never much of a fan of this track when it came out originally, due in large part to the soppy chorus, in recent times I've started to really appreciate it. This is most likely because I much prefer their original singer over Howard Jones, primarily because, as I've no doubt stated before, I find Howard's almost operatic style to be catering too much towards the mainstream; not that I have some sort of anti-mainstream persona, I actually despise those who consider themselves to be above such distinctions. I just feel that if you're going to play ferocious, unmerciful metal then you might as well go the whole way rather than going the route which sells you the most records. Either way, aside from the chorus, My Last Serenade is a showcase of brutality. The opening 1:38 in particular conveys a sense of uncompromising dedication to their craft. It had a resounding effect on audiences then and I'm pleased to admit that it hasn't lost any of its primitive yet in some ways charismatic appeal. Even the chorus, which admittedly isn't really my thing, if listened to in the right way begins to make sense within the context of the overall structure of the song. It's just a shame Killswitch Engage couldn't work things out with original vocalist Jesse Leach as although he is undoubtedly technically the inferior singer, he adds a much-needed stylistic trait that Howard Jones fails to replicate on a thematic or representational level.

Killswitch Engage - My Last Serenade

The next track is by a band who split metal fans right down the middle. Some adore them, some feel animosity for them. I enjoy their output. If you're wondering who I'm talking about, it is of course As I Lay Dying. The track I've decided to go with today is An Ocean Between Us, the reason behind my choice being that I believe it is one of the few songs that are able to summarise the band within four minutes. Although there is a lot of screaming in this one, it is countered by a juxtaposition in more 'normal' vocal outbursts. Unlike approximately 90% of other metal bands, As I Lay Dying get this parallel in vocal shifts down perfectly. Of course, the grinding rhythmic riff and rolling drum patterns help cement the two different vocal approaches but credit where credit is due, they really knock it out of the park. Whilst some could claim that they're not really bringing all that much originality to the table, aside from a handful of bands, metal doesn't really focus on innovating music on the whole, it focuses upon expressing itself often in the most brutal and impossibly uncompromising way possible. In this respect, An Ocean Between Us delivers almost unanimously.

As I Lay Dying - An Ocean Between Us

In between the rest of the songs I've decided to go with a track that is in a genre I would consider myself somewhat of a specialist in, Progressive Metal. Interestingly though, the band, Blotted Science, are also considered to be a cross between death metal and extreme speed metal. Don't panic, their music is all instrumental. They are distinctive in particular, however, because they are to some extent a supergroup in what they do though. Each member is from notable bands within their field of expertise and to give an example of just how varied the line-up is, we have members ranging from Cannibal Corpse to Watchtower to Behold... The Arctopus. Enough said. The song I'm going with today is arguably the definition of what they're all about, Activation Synthesis Theory and what a tune it is. In some respects, the band serve as a glorification of instrumental music because without the need for a vocalist, they are able to use irregular timing, momentous breakdowns and considerable departures and emergences in presentation to deliver fast and melodic music for a very niche audience. This song serves as exemplification of such characteristics.

Blotted Science - Activation Synthesis Theory

Fourthly I'm going to go with a band I don't talk about too often, DevilDriver. The song I've decided to showcase is a track I opened a mix with a year or two ago, I Dreamed I Died. DevilDriver are unique in a lot of ways because they are one of the few metal bands that almost always work perfectly when mixing with dance music. Of course, it has something to do with BPM, but their borderline industrial technique and flowing yet musically harmonious vocal style just works. I Dreamed I Died isn't necessarily their best, most well known or most distinct song but it is a good introduction to the band if you haven't heard them before and like those old Ronseal ads, it does exactly what it says on the tin. It is frankly astonishing that the vocalist from DevilDriver is the same guy from nu-metal one-timers Coal Chamber but more power to him for branching out and doing what he wanted to do. The opening riff of this track alone demonstrates just how much metal has changed in the last ten years.

DevilDriver - I Dreamed I Died

The final track for today is The Truth Of A Liar by August Burns Red, a band who are the personification of the phrase 'appearances can be deceiving'. To look at these guys, you would in no way think they made the music that they did. By extension, they're also Christians but although their music has been described as 'Christian metalcore', they take the right approach in stating that "Christianity is a religion, not a style of music." This makes me like them even more. The Truth Of A Liar is not for the weak willed or the easily upset. It is, as the midget out of Accept once said, balls to the wall metal. I know relentless is a term that has been overused with regards to metal music, but it really is relentless in spirit and execution. If Killswitch Engage were on one end of the spectrum, August Burns Red would be on the other. Thankfully despite their vocals being strikingly idiosyncratic, the instrumental aspects are augmented perfectly. Not only does each instrument fit in a glove-like fashion but in terms of structuring, while the different instruments don't necessarily adhere to any specific requirements, the band is accomplished enough to adapt, develop and most importantly flourish by approaching the song in their own individual ways.

August Burns Red - The Truth Of A Liar

Metal Monday #4

I have to apologize for the late post, if you were here earlier you will have read that we were having technical difficulties which prevented us from posting earlier (and also gained insight to what's coming up).

As you can probably tell by now, we LOVE our metal, it's something that has stuck with us from an early age and will almost definitely be blasted out of speakers as or coffins are being lowered into the earth (I'm not even joking here, I have songs planned out). This blog was primarily created to showcase our work as DJ's and our love for dance and electro music, but we feel it is vitally important to not only remain true to ourselves and talk about what we actually live, love and breath but to also explain why. It's been a very progressive journey to get where our musical tastes now lie and we believe that you guys should see and understand that journey as its one of the biggest parts of who we are today.
It's likely that many people who come to this blog will come here for different reasons, maybe only coming for certain days, but we encourage people to come on all days as our goal here is a lot more than mere self-promotion, it's also one of enlightenment. I believe that most people (not all mind you) won't like certain types of music due to the clique's they associate with and the stipulations these groups of people apply to certain types of music and the ways they feel they should act. Let me teach you something, this is all bullshit. Music is an extremely subjective art form (aren't they all?), therefore its completely ludicrous to say something such as "if you like metal you can't like dance" or "if you dress like this, then you must listen to this", this is where things such as cutting your hair "isn't metal" comes from. If you believe these things, then you are very misguided and need to let go of these prejudices. Liking music comes from how you listen to it, two people may like a song for two completely different reasons because of how they decode the song, some people will follow the bass line, some will enjoy the lyrics, some will like the song because it was played when they first kissed a girl and some (most) will love a song because of how it comes together as a whole.
When I first started listening to electro I wasn't really sure why I liked it and it's only in the past year or two that I've realized that it was because there is a very, very fine line between dance and metal, they have the same basic timings and a lot of them have the same basic tempo's and all the good stuff has the brilliance that is distortion. The beauty of the internet is that it is a very personal vehicle, you can go and discover whatever you want, you can listen to who and what you want and you can watch whatever you want. When you're on your computer you are usually doing so by yourself, so don't be afraid to try new things, that’s why you have headphones .
If you are a die hard metal fan and come here only on Mondays (I know many come for more than Mondays) then I implore you to try new things and challenge you to give something new a chance. Sometime this week I'll be posting my latest mix, which was made in honor of metal and highlights the similarities between the genres it will have a metal theme progressing throughout it; maybe listening to this will change how you listen to the music and you a new understanding of it. I have a metal heart, this is why electro flows through me so easily.

Now that all that’s out of the way, the first band I want to talk about is a band I have a lot of time for and one which i one had a chance to see but never did (before the promoter fucked it up and ran out of funds, something which haunts me to this day), they are the Swedish prog metal Andromeda. In 1999 Johan Reinholdz produced a demo that would eventually go on to become the beginning of Andromeda. By autumn of that year the band had formed its Extension of the Wish line-up and were in rehearsals for the recording of the album, which would be their debut and an unforgettable moment for the band. At the time they hadn't found a full term vocalist so they hired Lawrence Mackrory as a session vocalist to sing on the first album, this was later ratified when the album was re-recorded in 2000 and finally released in 2004 with the tag line "Final Extension". The first Album was completed by spring of 2000 but didn't hit the shelves until February of 2001, by which time they had recruited David Fremberg as a vocalist and had even began re-recording the album. There is debate within the prog circles about which version of the album is better. Mackrory offered softer and higher pitched vocals were as Fremberg pleased a lot of fans with his heavier and gruffer approach. I personally am on the fence on this one, the first one I heard was Mackrorys, but the copy I had was Frembergs so they both have a a place for me. It’s a great way of studying how important vocals are to a song, as even though they have the exact same instrumental tracks, the vocals really set them apart, making them strikingly different. At some points during Mackrorys version of the album he tends to go slightly monotone and can sound like a dalek, however this isn't necessarily a bad thing as it adds a nice touch to the tracks that fits in really well with a lot of the ideologies of the prog genre. Martin Hedin definitely deserves a mention here, his key work constantly dominate the album, standing out , not drowning out, over the other instruments on the album. This is one of the reasons I picked the track Starshooter Supreme as my track of choice for this album, it is instrumentally one of my favorite tracks on the album, from what I have already said about the two versions you can derive what I feel about it vocally, the track I listen to depends on what mood I'm in at the time. Due to the history of the album I will be posting both versions of the track up and let you decide what you feel about it, I'm doing this as I have found it changes between person to person. Consider Frembergs version a bonus track, a first for Metal Mondays and perfect way to start things off on this more than metal Monday.

Andromeda - Starshooter Supreme (Lawrence Mackrory on Vocals)
BONUS TRACK: Andromeda - Starshooter Supreme (David Fremberg on Vocals) 


To continue on with the prog them I'm going to talk about a band and album that more than defines the genre. The reason for this is that the goal this band was trying to achieve was highly experimental, I am talking about Arjen Lucassen's project, Star One. Arjen Anthony Lucassen is more widely known for his other prog metal project Ayreon, who can best be described as an extremely progressive metal supergroup collecting the who's who of the progressive scene. Ayreon's concept is to tell a story within each of the albums, these stories are all connected and characters reappear in and out of each of the albums telling one big story; I won't get into this story here, nor on Ayreon, as that’s a whole other post for another day (hint hint).
Star One is Arjen's attempt at creating and establishing a sub-genre of prog metal called "Space Metal", which seems to be a modern day reinterpretation of the space rock genre from the prog rock of the 1970's+. Space Metal, also the albums name, has many links and homage's to sci-fi movies, television and novels such as: Star Wars (Master of Darkness), Alien (Perfect Survivor), Dune (Sandrider), 2001: A Space Odyssey (Starchild), Stargate (They Eye Of Ra ), etc. The album is an interesting concept that is very well executed and definitely one, like most of Arjen's albums, to listen to multiple times all the way through and then try and decipher some sort of meaning to. Unlike the Ayreon project, the songs aren’t really linked together as such, other than the sci-fi connection, so it gives the songs more individual meanings, however it should also be mentioned that the album flows perfectly and the songs have been designed to be listened to one after the other (so make sure you let iTunes gather that gapless playback info when updating your iPod). Also being a supergroup of sorts has some interesting and exiting names taking part, such as Symphony X's Russell Allen, Jens Johansson of Stratovarius, Dave Brock of Hawkwind (a band who had a huge influence on the project) and Gary Wehrkamp of Shadow Gallery to name just a small few.
I found it VERY hard to pick out a song from this album to tell you about, I very nearly picked the song Set Your Controls because it is the song that kicks the album off (despite it being the second track, the first being an intro) and does so in such a way that not many other bands could ever achieve. I have decided, however, to talk about Master of Darkness, which is a massive homage to Star Wars and specifically, my favorite film of all time, The Empire Strikes Back. This is a series of films that pretty much changed the face of film forever and created the era of modern cinema (it may also have ironically been its downfall in more ways than one, but that’s a different discussion for a different blog). If you don't know the story of star wars, then kill yourself, if you do and enjoyed it (who doesn't?) then this song might just pull at your heart strings in the ways it did mine. It is essentially talking from Luke's point of view, but sometimes switches to other characters and goes over many famous scenes from the film, it does this in typical Arjen Lucassen fashion by switching between vocalists and beautifully so, with different vocalists playing different characters. I won't discuss the plot too much as you should really already know it, and it's all explained beautifully in the song., but it essentially sum's up Luke's quest to be a Jedi.
As usual with Arjen's projects, he plays the majority of the instruments on the album, but less so than usual. Master Of Darkness is dominated throughout by a distorted guitar riff that perfectly sums up the word "metal" to me, it's that level of distortion of power chords that we've all come to know and love, this is perfectly harmonized with keys in just the right parts of the song, however I do feel they could have made more of an appearance, the vocals speak for themselves (this is the bit fo the song you should really be concentrating on), the guitar riffage and then solo just after the half way point are a testament to the project and is intertwined with lyrics that justify the passion of the solos and riffage at the times in which they appear. I really hope you enjoy this one as much as I did and still do and I seriously urge people to hunt down a copy of this terrific album and give it a listen, you might be very pleasantly surprised at what you find.

Star One - Master of Darkness (Link Fixed!!)


The next track I'm going to talk about cold be considered fairly proggy, which is why I'm posting it here as it marks a nice transition between the prog posted above, and the heavier stuff that will be posted below, it gets heavier as it goes down (nice touch ain't it?). The track I'm talking about is by a man known as Mattias IA Eklundh who is probably best known for his work with Freak Kitchen, a Heavy/Progressive Metal band. He has also done a small number of solo albums, which I personally prefer to his work with Freak Kitchen, this is mainly because the vocals of freak kitchen don't do it for me, they do have one or two songs that are quite interesting to listen to, one such being A Regular Guy. I don't want to talk too much about Mattias as his history is very long and varied as he has worked with a lot of people and there just isn't enough space here to do the man justice. On top of this I have a feeling that The Last JUNKER will almost definitely do a piece on him in the future and it's good to not repeat material; so be ready for that one. The song I chose for this particular post was Lisa's Passion for Heavy Metal from Mattias's first solo album (under his own name), Freak Guitar. It has a traditional metal riff throughout and Mattias's signature guitar work and sound (Mattias is one of the few artists who's guitar is instantly recognizable as being his within the first note or two).

Mattias IA Endunkle - Lisa's Passion for Heavy Metal.


The next band that I want to talk about is from a group who frequently find themselves roaring their wait into a lot of my dj sets, they are a group whose name seems to be a perfect analogy of the sound that they make. They are DevilDriver. DevilDriver began when Coal Chamber's front man Dez Fafara decided he didn't like were the band was going musically and killed the band, after meeting up with artists with matching musical goals and tastes Devildriver was born. It all essentially boiled down to Dez's desire to be involved in a heavier genre of music that would more readily compliment his distinctive vocal style. After the formation of the band, they were quickly in the studio and formed their first album, which was suitably called "DevilDriver" and it's where the song I have chosen comes from. What Does It Take (To Be a Man) comes in as the 8th track on the album and was probably placed so late in the album to hold the listeners interest in what is an unusually long metal album at 12 tracks long. The track is typical of DevilDriver from the get go featuring truly relentless guitar work which is suitably harmonized with the truly relentless vocals of Fafara. A solo features just after the half way point which I personally feel is quite underwhelming, however this doesn't take away from the song, and is something that the group would work upon and evolve in their later albums.

DevilDriver - What Does It Take (To Be A Man)


The last song I have decided to write about is possibly the heaviest, though it could be debated and it depends on what your view of heavy is (we would actually like to hear your comments on this one, so feel free to discuss and state you opinions in the comments for this post). The song I have decided to post is Death's cover of the infamous Judas Priest song Painkiller and was the last song on Death's final album. Death are one of the biggest keystones to the Death Metal scene, which can be attributed to their late songwriter, rhythm guitarist, lead guitarist and vocalist, Chuck Schuldiner's unmatched vocals and songwriting techniques. Schuldiner vocals differed from what went before, his voice hit higher scales and he screamed the lyrics to the songs creating a dark atmosphere that many, many vocalists afterward would emulate. Apart from this being one of my top listened to metal songs, one of the main reasons I picked this song to appear in today's post is because of Schuldiner and what I said earlier in my intro. Schuldiner was one of the few metal artists who openly spoke against the prejudices that metal carried with it, he was not a man who wished evil upon people, he was not a Satanist or the antichrist. He states that he wrote the songs much in the same way that a horror director will make a horror movie or fantasy director a fantasy movie implying that you obviously don't believe in everything that you write (I doubt Tolkien believed in elves and orcs), and to him it was all a bit of fun. He was very much a humanist and didn't want to put religious beliefs in his music, he wrote what he enjoyed listening to rather than writing some sort of nutcase manifesto, which many at the time believed metal bands were doing. This is another reason for this song being chosen; it is a cover of a Judas Priest song, who were famously tried for the suicide of two boys (one of which survived a shotgun blast to the face and later killed himself) as people actually believe the band put subliminal messages in their music telling people to kill themselves. The case was dismissed. It doesn’t have to be said that Chuck's death was a blow to the music industry and he definitely had much more work left in him, he will be sorely missed. I'm not going to say much about painkiller as the song speaks for itself and I don't want to ruin the song to much with my opinions, I will however say to look out for the unbelievable solo contained roghly halfway though and the completely astounding death metal (verging on being power metal) scream that opens the song, it's beautiful and brings a smile to my face and warmth in my heart every time i hear it. Enjoy.

Death - Painkiller