Review: Between the Buried and Me - Alaska

artist: between the buried and me album: alaska label: victory records released: 9/6/05 by: eduardo moutinho Between the Buried and Me has always been a band that I have really wanted to like. There's so much to admire about them. They believe in pushing the envelope by experimenting with various sub-genres of hardcore. Their songs contains no-nonsense grindcore, overly-technical Scandinavian metal, breakdown-laden metalcore, and tempo-breaking jazzy interludes. Of course, such an aural menagerie could not be accomplished without absolutely astounding musical aptitude. Between the Buried and Me can play, and I mean they can play. Yet, the pure chaos that is their music has always eluded my playlist. The overwhelming complexity of the music, for a long time, was just too difficult to enjoy. So I had my prejudices when listening to Alaska, Between the Buried and Me's latest offering on Victory Records. However, this time, I found myself getting into the music. Maybe I am starting to get it. The music on Alaska takes the risks that the band is known for. There are the aforementioned mixed sub-genres with synthesizers thrown in to season the sound a bit more. The first track lets the listener know that he or she is in for a challenging listen, "All Bodies," is heavy and contains guttural screams and even hair metal-esque singing. The title track, "Alaska," is technical and sounds like a song collaboration between Unearth and Candiria. There are complicated string parts and rubber band-like chunky breakdowns. I already mentioned it, but the band really is supremely talented. "The Primer," in particular, stands out as a demo for the technical prowess of the band. These guys can stand toe-to-toe with any guitar-driven band out there, without a doubt. The rest of Alaska is an exercise in randomness. It's common to listen to a song, expect something, and then be totally blindsided by the opposite. There are songs like "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" that contain synthesizers, "chugga chugga" grind, ghostly singing, and melodic hard rock interludes. There are songs like "Laser Speed" which can be considered as an homage to muzak. Yeah... Muzak. And, there are other instrumentals on the record. Honestly, Alaska is Pandora's Box. Overall, I really enjoyed this record, and I feel that its ambitious content has helped me grasp certain sounds that I previously tried to avoid. There's just enough good stuff in here to mesmerize me. At the same time, a lot of the good stuff wouldn't be as good without the crazier sections and the meticulously calculated transitions in between. I wholeheartedly recommend this effort, and I plan on listening to it frequently in the future. favorite song: "selkies: the endless obsession" rating: 90%/100% listen to between the buried and me

Review: As I Lay Dying - Shadows Are Security

artist: as i lay dying album: shadows are security label: metal blade records released: 2005 by: rob tatum I have always tried to evaluate each album I listen to with an open mind, but when bands release albums that show little or no progression or deviation from their previous releases, I have trouble staying objective. Don’t get me wrong, there isn’t anything wrong with Shadows are Security, aside from the obvious, but there’s nothing new here either. My opinion of As I Lay Dying hasn’t changed much since Frail Words Collapse and neither has their music. The musicianship on this release is just as superb and tight as their last album, but the band has little to advance their sound. The songs on Shadows are Security closely resemble Frail Words Collapse and could be considered a continuation of that album. The only noticeable change is that there aren’t quite as many breakdowns, but it’s easy to see that they have a song writing formula and they stick with it. The music is still heavy, fast-paced, and intense. The clean singing is still incorporated into some of the songs, but for the most part, vocalist Tim Lambesis bellows heavy, yet crisp screaming. The guitar work remains the strongest part of the band, and is matched by few. The same complaints I had from Frail Words Collapse remain on this album. I struggle with openly Christian bands, but I will still say that As I Lay Dying isn’t preachy. There are a couple songs that the lyrics bother me, but for the most part the lyrics don’t close the door on listeners and remain a little generic. I just wish this album had showed a little more progression, but it is still a decent metalcore album. favorite song: "repeating yesterday" rating: 86%/100% listen to as i lay dying

Review: Throwdown - Vendetta

artist: throwdown album: vendetta label: trustkill records released: 2005 by: rob tatum For a band that started as a joke and used to sing about straight edge all the time, Throwdown certainly has grown up. It’s hard to say if it’s for the better though. For fans that loved the unrelenting breakdowns and direct approach that was seen on the early releases, Vendetta, much like its predecessor, Haymaker, will leave a sour taste in your mouth. For everyone else, this album shows Throwdown trying to progress musically and mature as songwriters. The trouble with Vendetta is that the structures cripple the quality of the songs. Sure, the worn out verse, chorus, verse, breakdown, chorus repetition is long gone, but it hasn’t exactly been replaced by anything groundbreaking. I give them credit for straying from repetition. There are fewer breakdowns, and if anything, I would call them bridges now, because they don’t have the same effect as they once did. Vocalist Dave Peters has really expanded his vocal range, but unfortunately for Throwdown, it sounds like a bad Pantera impression. He has a strong voice, but the uncanny resemblance to Phil Anselmo hurts my ability to appreciate it properly. Musically, it’s still Throwdown. Maybe the loss of a guitarist hurt the punishing feel that was once felt when listening to this band, but I would almost call this hard rock rather than hardcore. The musicianship is nearly identical to Haymaker, but it is apparent that there was more effort and time put into the songwriting process. If Haymaker lit your fire, then Vendetta will impress the hell out of you. For the rest of us, it is a solid album and not a bad listen, but it really makes me miss the intensity of You Don’t Have to Blood to be Family. “Future of Metal?” Not quite. favorite song: "the world behind" rating: 84%/100% listen to throwdown

Interview: Boys Night Out

bst interviews boys night out by rob tatum Recently, bst had the chance to interview Brian, the new drummer for Boys Night out, when the band hit Denver as part of this year's Warped Tour. We asked Brian about the band's upcoming album, the current tour, as well as some other things. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to Boys Night Out, visit the band's official website, and Ferret Records. bst: Please state your name and instrument. Brian: I’m Brian and I play drums. bst: Tell us about the new album, Trainwreck. What should listeners expect from the new album? How would you compare it to your other releases? What kind of reactions do you expect from fans of your past releases? Brian: I think it is definitely a big step forward for the band, especially compared to what Make Yourself Sick was. There is definitely more Led Zeppelin rockish stuff going on in the songs. There was a lot more thought process put into the songs. It’s way more in depth. The whole album is a storyline, sort of a concept record. It was a pretty big undertaking for all of us to do it. We like how it came out and we people like it as well. bst: How would you describe working with Ferret? Brian: It’s amazing. They are the best guys. They help us out a lot. We really couldn’t ask for more. bst: Was there any different approach to songwriting on this album? What, if anything, was the main inspiration behind this album? Brian: I think we all inspired each other. We took a lot more time with each song, rather than throwing it all together and saying here’s another album. Everything progressed even more once we got in the studio with Machine, who produced the record. He helped a great deal and fine tuned everything to how we wanted it. bst: Do you think that bigger tours like Warped, Ozzfest, and Sounds of the Underground are beneficial to the music community by exposing more people to your music? Or do you think it keeps some of the fans away who don’t want to deal with the large crowds and outside venues? Brian: I think it goes both ways. It definitely helps expose bands to a lot of new people, but it keeps some people away with the heat and big crowds. Overall, I would say it’s a good thing; it’s a lot of bands for a reasonable cost. bst: What do you think is the best part of the music industry right now? What can be done to keep that going? What do you see as the biggest problem with the music industry right now? What do you think can be done to fix it? Brian: I don’t know if there is a best part. It seems to be going more and more downhill every year. The biggest problem is that people stopped caring. It seems like people realized that if you scream a little bit and sing during the chorus, you can make a lot of money… not that we weren’t guilty of that, but we are trying to break away and move forward. This album made us realize that we have to do something different because people aren’t passionate about what they are doing. I mean, if you are playing something totally typical, but you love it, then that’s great, but if you are doing just to sell records, something is wrong. bst: Any memorable moments on this year’s tour? Any horror stories? We always hear one or two. Brian: Our bus has broken down like a hundred times. We’re on our second bus and our second driver. Today, actually, we are getting our old bus and our old driver back. It’s been a fun tour. There are a lot of cool people to hang out, party, and drink, so I may not remember some of those memorable moments. bst: What are you thoughts on the internet and mp3’s? Do you see them as assets to the music business or exploitation? Brian: We all see it as assets. It depends on what level you are on. It may seem like a bad thing, but who cares. If you want to play music, you want people to hear your music, so if they download it, who cares. If they really like it, they will buy it to get the lyrics and what not. I mean, if you download it, at least you will hear it, hell; maybe you’ll burn it for your friends. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? R&R? Brian: After that we go on the Nintendo Fusion Tour. bst: Anything else you would like to add? Brian: Thanks. bst: Thanks so much for talking with us and answering the questions. boys night out official site

Review #2: Poison the Well - You Come Before You

artist: poison the well album: you come before you label: atlantic records released: 7/1/03 by: rob tatum The hardest thing for any band is to take what they have done in the past and improve upon it. Poison the Well’s Opposite of December was one of the most influential albums to ever hit hardcore, so it wasn’t any shock that Tear from the Red didn’t quite live up to their first full length. Now, with their third full length, and first major label release, Poison the Well unveils You Come Before You. This release takes strong points of both previous full lengths and sandwiches them into an all-out barrage on the senses. Within the first thirty seconds of the album, the song “Ghostchant” establishes that the band has not gone soft or strayed away from what most listeners have come to love. The album is once again filled with blistering and melodic guitars, amazing drum fills, and lead singer Jeff Moreira’s booming screams and harmonic singing. Any fan of Poison the Well knows that they focus on combining intense and energetic music into almost perfect melodies. You Come Before You hasn’t changed this basic platform, but the songs don’t necessarily follow any particular format or structure as appeared on Tear from the Red. There is a saying that you can never get too much of a good thing, which may hold true in some cases, but Poison the Well makes sure not to wear out listeners with repetition. In a few songs, there are noticeable similarities to past songs, such as the beginning of “Meeting Again for the First Time” has a striking resemblance to the intro of “Botchla” from Tear from the Red. Aside from those few parts, each song establishes itself as something different. The album does not run together in the way Tear from the Red did. One of the major things I noticed about this album is that the overall feeling is angrier than any of their previous releases. Jeff’s lyrics have transformed into much more mature pieces without compromising the emotional side that was established on Opposite of December. The music goes through the same sort of transformation and the album really does have some heavy hitting parts that will appease a number of hardcore fans. I really was worried that they may have averted from the intensity and gone for slower and softer melodies, but that is definitely not the case. Aside from the instrumental, “The Opinionated are so Opinionated” and an unnecessary sound bite, the album does actually come close to Opposite of December on many levels. The unfortunate thing is that the groundbreaking potential is no longer there, making it difficult to even compare the albums. Regardless of that, You Come Before You is still leagues ahead of a good majority of bands, and until there is another band that can perfect the intensity and melody infusion that Poison the Well has mastered over the years, it is going to be hard to knock them from the top of their genre. favorite song: “meeting again for the first time” rating: 94%/100% listen to poison the well

Review #1: Poison the Well - You Come Before You

artist: poison the well album: you come before you label: atlantic records released: 7/1/03 by: eduardo moutinho There is a disturbing trend going around our underground music scene. This trend concerns the actions of major record labels doing their best to come and pluck away some of the most well-known and popular bands from the rose that is our scene. Many bands have fallen under the spell of the money-grubbing majors, such as Thursday, Glassjaw, and the authors of the record that is being reviewed in this very text: Poison the Well. Fortunately, for the most part, the sound that made these bands famous is not being compromised. Glassjaw’s Warner Brothers debut, Worship and Tribute, was an absolute hurricane of greatness. And from the looks of it, Thursday’s next record will follow suit. And folks, I’m happy to say, that Poison the Well’s debut on Atlantic, You Come before You, is quite splendid. Poison the Well’s previous release, Tear from the Red, on Trustkill Records was met with mixed reviews. The group took its sound in a new direction, focusing more on heavy, crunchy, melodies and incorporating more singing into the music. Many were annoyed by this, instead wanting another The Opposite of December, the band’s most famous and influential record. I enjoyed Tear from the Red quite a bit but found myself always going back to Opposite of December, because of the epic nature of that record. In fact, I was fearful that the band would continue to change their sound, since they were releasing a debut record on a major. I was hoping that I would not have to prematurely start talking about the “good ol’ days when Poison the Well was a pioneer in melodic hardcore.” In the end, I didn’t want to hear You Come before You and hear a slightly edgy hard rock band. Thankfully, from hearing this record, I realized that the guys were given the freedom necessary to craft a record to their own specifications. You Come before You is in essence, a culmination of Poison the Well’s musical evolution. There’s a little Opposite of December here, and a little Tear from the Red there, even some Distance Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder hidden behind a couple of layers. This, in my opinion, is the most notable strength of this record. The chaos and rawness is back, yet the increased use of singing and melody remains. There are songs that are pure aggression and emotion, that have very few breaks, and then there are songs that have slow parts accompanied by heart-felt singing. And of course, there are songs that combine everything into a big ball of melodicore. I must say, that with the evolution of Poison the Well’s sound has come an evolution of musicianship by the band members. The guitars are great here, and I can already imagine Ryan Primack playing this stuff live with his facial expressions. I can’t wait. There are sweet little riffs here and there. Just listen to “Zombies are Good for your Health” to see what I mean. These guys still concentrate on the heavy rhythm, and they execute with great efficiency. Drums are always a highlight of Poison the Well’s music, and on this record, the high marks continue. Expect to see well-placed fills, great snare work, and overall goodness. And the vocals are the same, as Jeff Moreira is in my opinion, the best vocalist in hardcore. This guy has a spectacular screaming voice, and a singing voice that would get him far on American Idol. On this album, he changes his screaming style just a bit, which adds so much to the sound. He ends and starts screams, on many occasions, by transitioning from his regular voice to the scream, which sounds really crisp and hits my ear just right. Also, his screams aren’t as high-pitched as they used to be, which is also good. Definitely, Jeff’s vocals are fantastic here. Songs like “Loved Ones,” the aforementioned “Zombies are Good for your Health,” and the end track “Crystal Lake” (which sounds a bit too much like “Zombies…”) are frenzied and filled with speed and heat. “Loved Ones” in particular is spectacular, where fast-paced heavy verses are intertwined with moody, atmospheric interludes with singing. Then, there are songs like “Meeting Again for the First Time” and “The View from Here is a Brick Wall” that are reminiscent of Tear from the Red tracks, with slow introductions and roller coaster-like song structures. The guitarists in particular, really want to show that they are getting better and better, so many of the songs have a lot of atmosphere and complicated effect-driven clean parts thrown into them. The song “Sounds Like the End of the World” is the heaviest atmospheric song I have ever heard, and that makes it really interesting. I also like how the band chose to add more traditional-sounding songs, with lots of tempo, heaviness, and little to no singing in them, to keep the variety in good check. There are instances where the “hard part to slow singing part to hard part” structure wears a bit thin. Fortunately, this problem is remedied a bit by songs like “For a Bandaged Iris” and “The Realist” that sound like nothing that Poison the Well has done before. The songs have a lot of high trebly parts matched up with heavy accompaniments, and even more uncharacteristic song structures. And to be quite honest, I think these songs will hit the Poison the Well faithful in a more positive manner than the Tear from the Red ones. Overall, I’m really pleased with this record. It’s hard to say that this is my favorite Poison the Well release, but I can say that I find it to be a lot better than Tear from the Red and easily in the league of Opposite of December. There are all sorts of songs here, really hard ones, all-over-the-place tracks, and even experimental pieces. Thankfully, the suits didn’t intervene and force this band into becoming another Hatebreed or Shadows Fall. favorite song: “loved ones” rating: 93%/100% listen to poison the well

Review: As Cities Burn - Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest

artist: as cities burn album: son, i loved you at your darkest label: solid state records released: 6/21/05 by: eduardo moutinho I’ve always been taught and have always read that clichés are detrimental to good writing. While such a statement does make sense, I’m sorry, but I just have to use one in this situation. As Cities Burn’s latest release, Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest, is a tale of two albums. Damn, that cliché works so well for this release. Son, I Loved You at Your Darkest at times sounds like unbearable mainstream filth and at other times sounds like exceptional post-hardcore. It’s frustrating. I think it also appropriate to state that As Cities Burn is a Christian band. Hell, they’re on Solid State for God’s sakes (clichés and puns, wow). The band’s lyrics seem to be ambiguous enough, but we all know what their intentions are. I was able to wade through the album with little pain, and let it be known that I get easily irritated by overly-Christian people. So yeah, listen at your own risk. With all that out of the way, I can now address the music itself. Man, this band has talent. Unfortunately, As Cities Burn exhibits its talent in bursts on this record, not one consistent groovy flow. This results in the annoying “good song, bad song” phenomenon. The album begins with the raucous song “Thus from My Lips, by Yours, My Sin is Purged,” a choppy and frenetic fireball of post-hardcore bliss. The song elevated my spirits which were then immediately lowered by the next two lobotomycore songs and the damn-I-want-to-like-but-don’t-like number entitled “Bloodsucker Pt. II.” Yet, my morale improved when I heard the thunderous chords of “Terrible! How Terrible for this Great City!” The entire album follows this pattern. There are great songs here, yet you have to wade through a lot of muck. Other highlights include “Admission: Regret” and “One: Twentyseven.” At its best As Cities Burn is sporadic guitar-driven post-hardcore with interesting song structures and competent screaming vocals; at its worst, the band is sappy singing segments, silly emocore conventions, and blatant emulation of MTV emo. I don’t know what this band wants. I just don’t think that you can satisfy both the diehard post-hardcore people and the Hot Topic frequenters by meeting them halfway. Ultimately, the band seems to be facing an identity crisis. I liked this album and I hated it as well. Yet, it gets a somewhat positive score for the potential that I see. I just wonder where they will take said potential. favorite song: “one: twentyseven" rating: 85%/100% listen to as cities burn

Interview: Throwdown

bst interviews throwdown by rob tatum Recently, bst had the chance to interview Matt Mently, the guitarist of Orange County's Throwdown. We spent some time asking Matt about the band's new album, the resurgance of heavy music, and the Sounds of the Underground tour. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to Throwdown, visit the band's official website, and Trustkill Records. bst: Please state your names and instruments. Matt: I'm Mentley. I play guitar. Dom plays bass, Ben plays the drums, and Dave sings. bst: Tell us about the new album, Vendetta. What should listeners expect from the new album? How would you compare it to your other releases? Do you think that losing a guitarist has had any negative impact on your sound or the new record? Matt: What listeners can expect is a brutal and heavy record. We as a band also feel that this is our most solid and complete album that we have ever done. I think that fans of Haymaker will enjoy it. There is little more metal influence in there, but it's done tastefully and I think each song can stand on its own. As far as losing a guitarist, I don't think it hurt us. I think that it's just different. It's a different album, and it's got a different vibe to it, which is a good thing. bst: How would you describe working with Trustkill? Does it feel good to be on a label with some other bands from the Orange County scene? Matt: Working with Trustkill is like eating a freshly roasted corn on the cob right off the grill. Yeah it's cool because 18 Visions and Bleeding Through are all good friends of ours. We have known all those dudes forever. bst: You guys played Ozzfest last summer, what was that like? What kind of response did you get? Do you think that bigger tours like Warped, Ozzfest, and Sounds of the Underground are beneficial to the music community by exposing more people to your music? Or do you think it keeps some of the diehard fans away? Matt: Ozzfest was a great tour. I loved playing to that many people everyday. I personally thought that we got a solid response each time we played. As far as those package tours go, I personally feel that they help underground music get out to a lot more people then it normally would. I would hope that the so-called "diehard fans" would be supportive and come out and support the bands that they claim to love. bst: As the hardcore/metal genres continues to gain popularity through these larger tours, Headbanger’s Ball, and the larger labels signing more and more bands with few or no releases to their credit, do you see the quality of music suffering as a result? Why or why not? Matt: I don't think that the quality of music suffers because major labels take interest or bands get bigger. It only suffers when bands start sacrificing their integrity to try and fit in to something they are not. If we were on a major label, we would still sound the same. We would be the same dudes, with the same beliefs. That will never change no matter how big we might get or how much money may be thrown our way. bst: What do you think is the best part of the music industry right now? What can be done to keep that going? What do you see as the biggest problem with the music industry right now? What do you think can be done to fix it? Matt: I think that the best part of the music industry right now is how much the underground is thriving. It is starting to get noticed as something true and real. The only thing that can be done to keep that going is for all of us to keep doing what we are doing and stay true to who we are as bands and people. The underground music scene will be here even when the mainstream decides that they are no longer interested. I guess the biggest problem is how much fake watered down crap is still so prevalent on the radio and on TV. But that has always been the problem and it probably always will be. I just try not to worry about it and just keep doing what I love to do. bst: I read that Revolver called you guys “The Future of Metal,” how do you react to that? I also saw something about you guys being the next Pantera; those are some pretty big shoes to fill. Personally, I don’t think there will ever be another Pantera, but do you consider it an honor to even be mentioned in that sense? Matt: First of all, I agree that there will never be another Pantera. If former members of Pantera's new bands aren't it, then we sure as hell aren't either. Yes, it is a huge honor to even have that said about us. We all love that band to death and what they did for American Metal. We can only hope to ever come close to matching what they did. As far as us being the "The Future of Metal", that is just as much an honor and we are very excited to be considered as such. We would love to be the "future", but that isn't up to us, it's up to the fans. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? R&R? Matt: I think we have a week or so off, then we doing a headlining tour across the U.S. hitting a lot of the smaller cities that we don't usually play on a regular tour. Along with us will be, Sinai Beach, The Agony Scene, and Remembering Never. It should be a great tour. After that, I don't know yet, but I promise it will be non-stop touring for the next year. bst: Anything else you would like to add? Matt: THROWDOWN LOVES DENVER!!! bst: Thanks a ton for taking the time to answer the questions. We really appreciate it. See you guys in Denver. throwdown official site

Interview: All That Remains

bst interviews all that remains by rob tatum Recently, bst had the chance to interview Phil Labonte, the vocalist of Massachusetts outfit All That Remains. We spent some time asking Phil about the band's touring, the resurgance of heavy music, and more. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to All That Remains, visit the band's official website, and Prosthetic Records. bst: Please state your names and instruments. Phil: My name is Phil and I am the vocalist. bst: What is it that you think separates All That Remains from other bands? Music? Lyrics? Vocals? All of the above? Phil: I would say music mostly, vocals and lyrics just a bit. We try not to get into a mold with our stuff but still write songs that are songs. Above all we write what we want to hear. bst: What do you expect listeners to take from This Darkened Heart? What were the main inspirations behind the album? Phil: I don't expect people to take anything from the record, if they do find it personal and that it relates to them. That's great, if not I just hope they listen and think it's a good record with good songs. bst: As heavy music continues to gain in popularity, where do you see the band going as a result of this? Do you see any potential problems that may result from this popularity? Phil: I think we may be able to pay the bills someday. That's really all we hope to do, just be able to play music for a living. At the end of the day that's all that matters. bst: What are you thoughts about the bigger tours (Warped Tour, Ozzfest, Sounds of the Underground)? Do you enjoy playing for bigger, diverse crowds? Or do you feel at home with a smaller, more intimate setting? Phil: I like the idea of bigger tours, the summer festivals have done great things for heavy music. I like the idea of getting our music to as many people as possible. That's why we tour in the first place. At the same time intimate is probably a more fun show for us to play. I like to have crowd participation. bst: Speaking of touring and shows, what would be your dream show/tour? Why? Phil: Right now it would be either Carcass, us, and I don't give a fuck who else, just because I want to see Carcass. Or Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Unearth, us, and The Acacia Strain. We could call it Massholes Across America. bst: You guys hail from Massachusetts, which seems to be the Mecca of metalcore lately; do you think that makes things easier or harder on the band? Does the success of bands like Unearth and Diecast make you guys strive to push yourselves harder? Phil: I will say that I think we don't get a fair shot with some people on the one hand and it draws more attention to us at the same time. I guess it kind of evens out in the end. As for pushing us harder, no. We have never looked at making music a competition. bst: What has been the biggest obstacle that you have overcome as a band? What would you consider the band’s greatest achievement to this point? What goals do you have for the future? Phil: Surviving the summer after Behind Silence and Solitude came out. We kicked out our guitar player, our bass player quit, and our drummer broke his arm. As for goals like I just said earlier just to pay the bills and write good heavy metal. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? Recording? R&R? Phil: Touring, touring, a month off then more touring. We'll probably have a month off between now and Christmas. We go into the studio in January. So we have to write. bst: How do you guys feel about the internet and mp3’s? Do you feel that it is an asset to bands (specifically up-and-coming ones), or do you see it as a problem? Phil: I don't know, it's a double edged sword. We want to get our music out to as many people as we can. So I guess it's a good thing at the end of the day. bst: Thanks a ton for taking the time to answer the questions. We really appreciate it. See you guys in Denver. all that remains official site

Review: The Esoteric - With the Sureness of Sleepwalking

artist: the esoteric album: with the sureness of sleepwalking label: prosthetic records released: april 2005 by: rob tatum Pleasantly surprised. Those are the best words I can use to describe the new release from Lawrence, KS based band The Esoteric. I hadn’t heard the band for a couple of years (not since the split with Saved by Grace), and to be honest, they hadn’t left a lasting impression on me. Unfortunately for me, that means I missed some pretty solid music in the last couple of years. Forming from a plethora of bands and genres, the band’s sound, while heavy, is erratic at times. Normally this frustrates me with bands, but the song structures on With the Sureness of Sleepwalking manage to satisfy even the toughest critic. The band experiments with a variety of beats and sounds, but stops short of getting carried away with it. I really like the band’s ability to maintain solid melody while changing time signatures. You can tell from listening to this album that this band knows each other’s abilities really well and forms a very enjoyable sound. All aspects of the sound are very strong, with tremendous drumming and creative string work. Vocally, lead singer Cory White reminds me a lot of Adam from Twelve Tribes, but a little less guttural and stays away from the clean singing. This fits the band very well and seems to enhance the flow of their songs at times. I know that I regret not paying more attention to this band in the past, and this album will ensure that I will be paying plenty more attention to them in the future. favorite song: "mapping the fall" rating: 88%/100% listen to the esoteric

Review: Bury Your Dead - Cover Your Tracks

artist: bury your dead album: cover your tracks label: victory records released: by: rob tatum For all those rants I have given about how much I can’t stand the East Coast brand of hardcore, I apologize. Granted, Bury Your Dead is far from the majority of those bands that I tore apart. Hailing from Massachusetts, they bring so much energy and intensity to their music, you have to sing along or start moving around. This takes me back to the old days of Victory. I pity the kid that buys this album at Best Buy expecting it to sound like Taking Back Sunday or Hawthorne Heights. I’m sure that anyone who has read my reviews has become sick and tired of me tearing apart bands that play straight forward, in your face stuff. For the most part, it’s not my thing. Maybe with the exception of Throwdown, I don’t usually get into this kind of hardcore. Well, Bury Your Dead has done a good job of changing my perspective. From the second that I got this album, I can’t stop listening to it. I have hundreds of other albums to review and what not, but I just can’t stop. Vocalist Mat Bruso lays out some of the best hardcore vocals I have ever heard. His voice is heavy, yet crisp and clear and his lyrics are great when you want to take out some aggression by singing along. The range of topics that he covers in his songs (past mistakes, touring, love, etc.) gives a very diverse album that is bound to appeal to just about everyone. I loved the fact that every song on the album is named after a Tom Cruise movie. It was a nice way to add some humor to a very heavy and serious album. Musically, Bury Your Dead punishes your ears with thick breakdowns, well timed bridges, and solid song structures. It’s not revolutionary, but it doesn’t have to be. I’ve heard people call this band generic, but honestly, I don’t know how they can. I mean, there are a lot of bands out there that are just capitalizing on trends, but no one can say that about Bury Your Dead. I have to applaud Victory for this one. They are the label that everyone loves to hate, and trust me, I do my far share of ripping on them, but they got this one right. I still laugh when I see this album on Best Buy commercials, but hopefully this album will scare away all those cookie-cutter kids from the scene. Haha. If you like hardcore, you need this. Enough said. favorite song: "risky business" rating: 92%/100% listen to bury your dead

Spotlight: All That Remains

bst spotlight band. Looking for a band that makes your ears bleed but keeps you begging for more? How about Massachusetts' All That Remains? Vocalist Philip Labonte says "I think it is safe to say that All That Remains is a metalcore band." The band's diverse offering of metalcore is best exhibited on their latest album, This Darkened Heart. Blast beats, breakdowns, singing, you name it, it's all here. The band will be heading out over the summer as part of the Sounds of the Underground tour. For more info about the band, follow the links below. all that remains official website listen to all that remains prosthetic records

Interview: A Static Lullaby

bst interviews a static lullaby by rob tatum Recently, bst had the chance to interview Joe Brown, the vocalist of A Static Lullaby, when the band hit Denver as part of the Taste of Chaos tour. We asked Joe about the band's upcoming album, the current tour, as well as some other things. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to A Static Lullaby, visit the band's official website, and Columbia Records. bst: Please state your name and instrument. Joe: I’m Joe and I sing. bst: How has working with Columbia been? Joe: Amazing. We’ve been with them for over a year now. They let us do what we want. We can see their support for the new album and we’re really excited for the release. bst: It’s been quite a while between releases for you guys, do you think that has helped or hurt the overall perception of the band? Do you think it has created a high level of anticipation from listeners? What should listeners expect from the new album? Joe: A year or year and half between releases is pretty common for bands, so although we waited a little longer, we think it was worth it. We were touring a lot and waiting allowed us to record when we were ready as a band. It may have hurt us a little, but at the same time, it may have fueled anticipation. bst: What do you think is the biggest difference between And Don’t Forget to Breathe and Faso Latido? What do you attribute to this change? Joe: People can expect whatever they want, but they should expect to hear A Static Lullaby after two years of changing and maturing. The songs are full of emotion, there are some pissed off lyrics, but it’s still us just more mature. bst: How has the tour been? Do you like touring with a variety of bands? Or do you get a better reception at any particular types of shows? Do you think that diverse shows help or hurt the music community? Joe: This tour is great. It is a new experience for us. Before this we wouldn’t have really known what to say, but now we have an understanding of what a bigger tour is about. It’s kind of nice to see the same fifty faces a day instead of just ten or fifteen. We headlined for a year, so we got used to that, so it’s nice to see new faces and a new crowd. We have gotten a great response thus far, and we honestly don’t care who we play for as long there is someone out there who wants to see us. bst: With more and more bands signing to larger labels, the resurgence of Headbanger’s Ball, and the success of big tours like the Warped Tour, do you see the quality of music being sacrificed to get into the limelight? Joe: I really think music went downhill for a couple of years. There was a lot of cookie-cutter shit out there. The way that I see it though is that as long as you have something behind your music, I have to give you respect. The music industry really flooded the world with trash, but things are getting better. Bands like Unearth and those metal bands are doing great things with Headbanger’s Ball and what not. bst: I’m not sure how big of Pantera fans you are, but even just as musicians, what are you thoughts on the tragic death of Dimebag Darrell? Has it affected your comfort level playing on stage? Do you think it was just an isolated incident, or do you think larger measures need to be implemented to prevent it from happening to someone else? Joe: (Impersonates Phil Anselmo singing). I watch Pantera every time before I go on stage. I have all of their videos. The whole thing really fucks with my head. Dimebag was a great guy that loved to drink, shred, and make music. I feel I relate to that. It freaked me out. That band had so much integrity and for a fan to latch on to all of their greatness and then do something like that is crazy. I wish that he was still alive. I wish Pantera was still together. bst: What has been the biggest obstacle that you have overcome as a band? What would you consider the band’s greatest achievement to this point? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? Joe: When our drummer, Brett, left the band, it led to a lot of personal shit while we were touring. When he came back, it was a huge relief on us all. I’m the type of person that sets goals for myself, so three years ago when we played Hellfest, that was great. Then we released a record. Now I can go to any state and there are people that show to see us play. Those are all great things, but if I say that we’ve had our greatest achievement, then I think we’re done. I’d have to set down my mic and say it’s over. In five years… probably dead from cirrhosis of the liver… no really, I hope I’m sitting around with my friends having a good time, enjoying life. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? R&R? Joe: We get three weeks to rest before we go back out on tour. We are hitting the road with Sum 41. Then Europe with Funeral for a Friend. We are staying very busy. bst: How do you guys feel about the internet and mp3’s? Do you feel that it is an asset to bands (specifically up-and-coming ones), or do you see it as a problem? Joe: When our band began, word of mouth was the biggest thing that helped us and we can attribute some of that to the internet. I mean, I handed out demo CD’s when I went out on tour with Finch selling merch to try and get the word out, so anything like that really helps. Sure it can be bad when people download your album early, but as long as people have our music and come see us, there’s nothing more we can ask. bst: Anything else you would like to add? Joe: No man, thanks a lot, take care. bst: Thanks so much for sitting down with us and answering the questions. a static lullaby official site

Interview: Norma Jean

bst interviews norma jean by rob tatum On January 29th, we had the chance to talk with Cory Brandan , the new vocalist of Norma Jean. We spent some time talking about the band's new album, their upcoming tour, and the resurgance of heavy music. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to Norma Jean, visit the band's official website, and Solid State Records. *Note: As always, interview responses reflect the ideas and feelings of individual bands and their members. Responses do not represent anything regarding the bst staff. bst: Please state your name and instrument. Cory: Cory Brandan and I use the vocal chord instrument. bst: Tell us what listeners should expect from the new album. Cory: They should expect a diverse record; we went all the way and did whatever we wanted and with no expectations. We experimented musically and feel like we made a good record that we love. Can’t ask for much more. bst: It’s been quite a while between releases for you guys, do you think that has helped or hurt the overall perception of the band? Do you think it has created a high level of anticipation from listeners? Cory: I am the new guy, and from an outside looking in perspective, I think it’s definitely helped. The band as a whole has progressed musically, after touring on one record for such a long time, everyone has mastered their instruments a little more and their musical perception as well. The new record shows that. As far as anticipation goes... if Norma Jean has created anticipation… then that means we have good fans who look forward to hearing what we created. That is an incredible thing in our opinion. bst: I know you guys just shot a video recently. There are many that believe that hardcore/metal has become part of the mainstream with the resurgence of Headbanger’s Ball and the success of Ozzfest. Do you agree/disagree with this statement? Cory: I do think it is a lot more “mainstream”, but it’s pretty far from Brittney and Avril. I mean... it’s not that mainstream. This style of music may not be as trendy as mainstream radio but I think there will always have a group of people who breathe the music and live the life. bst: Has it affected you in any way? Do you think this popularity will dilute the quality of music that is being released? Cory: No, it hasn't affected us. Maybe it will dilute it, but only on Tuesdays... bst: I’m not sure how big of Pantera fans you are, but even just as musicians, what are you thoughts on the tragic death of Dimebag Darrell? Has it affected your comfort level playing on stage? Do you think it was just an isolated incident, or do you think larger measures need to implemented to prevent it from happening to someone else? Cory: Dang, I don’t know. I haven’t played on stage since that happened seeing as we’ve been in the studio and everything, but I unquestionably think it’s pretty scary and really sad. I am certainly a big Pantera fan and generally it really just pisses me off. There is no rational motive for that by any means. bst: Since I mentioned playing on stage, you guys are known for your entertaining stage presence and antics. What are the worst injuries you have suffered on stage? Cory: Minor cuts and bruises typically, I feel like we have the on stage animation down as far as “antics” go... but before the Solid State tour last year I hurt my ankle pretty bad and had to wear a brace the whole tour. So, I hurt my ankle even more numerous more times throughout that tour, just from jumping off too many high things. Man, that was a fun tour bst: I know there is a lot of anticipation for the record release, but are you excited about the upcoming tour? Do you prefer playing the larger tours at the larger venues, or do you feel more at home at a smaller clubs? Cory: We are always excited about tour! We like everywhere… it just depends on how you feel. Sometimes its fun being on a big stage and sometimes its cool to be in a smaller setting... Either way we are going to try and bring everyone closer to us musically and personally. Playing live means everything to us. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? Some R&R? Cory: We don’t neglect our breaks. In may we will spend time with our families and rest. I think if you are always touring then you may miss out on why you are touring. If I don’t get to see my family then I feel like there is no balance. That’s just me. If I get to rest it makes the next tour just as exciting as any and I feel like I have my energy back. bst: Anything else you would like to add? Cory: We like BBQ, Halo 2, and we believe in a real God who has done real great things for us. All glory is to Him. bst: Thanks a ton for taking the time to answer our questions. We really appreciate it. See you guys in Denver. Cory: Thank you… can’t wait to be there. norma jean official site

Interview: Unearth

bst interviews unearth by rob tatum Recently, bst had the chance to interview Trevor Phipps, the vocalist of the almighty Unearth. We spent some time asking Trevor about the band's upcoming tour, as well as hitting other topics such as Metal Blade Records, the resurgance of heavy music, and the tragedy of Dimebag Darrell. The following is a recap of the interview. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to Unearth, visit the band's official website, and Metal Blade Records. bst: Please state your name and role in the band. Trevor: Trevor Phipps - vocals bst: How was working with Metal Blade been? Trevor: The entire staff rules. They know what they are doing and have treated us like family. bst: What should listeners expect in the next album? Trevor: Who knows?!? We are pushing the fuck out of this album and will continue to do so. If I were to guess, our next record will be an extension of what we do now. Perhaps the use of more blast beats and slower more crushing southern fried break downs, ala Crowbar style. bst: Some have said that hardcore/metal has become part of the mainstream with the resurgence of Headbanger’s Ball and the success of Ozzfest. How has this affected you? Do you agree/disagree with this statement? Trevor: Music this heavy is too brash to ever be mainstream. I agree that people are paying more attention to this music than they have in the past 10 years, but metal was huge in the 80's and early 90's. I think the major labels and major entertainment mediums finally realized that people want to hear real, hard rocking, metal music and no more of the cookie cutter "rock" they have been feeding us for the past decade. bst: Along the same lines, as the hardcore/metal genres continue to gain popularity through those outlets and larger labels are signing more and more bands, do you the quality of music suffering as a result? Why or why not? Trevor: Hell no. The bands that are getting popular today are bands that have been around for years and fucking years. Bands like us, Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage, God Forbid, Bleeding Through, Every Time I Die, Shadows Fall, Throwdown, All That Remains, etc..., have been around and doing what we do for a long, long time. We all come from the underground and have hardcore roots. We won't ever sell out; this scene won't ever sell out. This music is real and we will not compromise our music for some bullshit producer or record company that thinks they can make a radio hit out of our sound. We are all getting recognition for not following the "sell-out" paths that bands like Metallica and Megadeth have taken before. We all grew up loving those bands and know how it felt when we heard their sell out records. We know how much it hurts to hear bands you admire play pop bullshit. Those bands and many others turned their backs on their roots. We never will. If anything we would love to follow the mold of bands like Pantera, Testament and Slayer. Those bands got as big as you can get without ever compromising their integrity. bst: I’m not sure how big of Pantera fans you are, but even just as musicians, what are you thoughts on the tragic death of Dimebag Darrell? Has it affected your comfort level playing on stage? Do you think it was just an isolated incident, or do you think larger measures need to implemented to prevent it from happening to someone else? Trevor: Dimebag was a friend of ours. He lit up our lives with his musicianship and friendship. We will forever miss both his music and simply hanging out with him. Pantera is and more than likely forever will be my #1 influence in metal. The world is worse off with the loss of Dimebag. As far as comfort on stage, I try not to think about it. I just hope clubs will understand that 99.999% of people are there for fun and to rock out, but every once in a while there is a weirdo lurking. Security needs to be tighter, on every entrance in the club. bst: Onto a less gloomy subject, are you excited about the upcoming tour? Do you prefer playing the larger tours at the larger venues, or do you feel more at home at a smaller show? Or does it even matter? Trevor: We are stoked to go back on the road. We always will prefer the intimacy of the smaller clubs. You can feel the energy of the crowd more. However, if a crowd at a bigger venue is pumped for the show, it can also be an amazing and different experience. bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? Recording? R&R? Trevor: We are headed to Japan and Australia for a tour with Atreyu and Norma Jean. After that more tours will follow, I just have no idea what they will be just yet. bst: Anything else you would like to add? Trevor: Go get our record and come see us on the road. bst: Thanks a ton for taking the time to answer the questions. We really appreciate it. unearth official site

Review: Maroon - Endorsed by Hate

artist: maroon album: endorsed by hate label: abacus recordings released: 2/2005 by: rob tatum Germany’s Maroon might not be a household name in the hardcore/metal world just yet, but trust me, those of you who enjoy the heavy breakdowns and powerful energy of Throwdown, Hatebreed, or Until the End, will fall in love with this band immediately. Endorsed by Hate is a brutal assault on your ears. Blast beats, breakdowns, metal riffs, and deep, raspy vocals (think along the lines of Throwdown with Keith) are all here to get you moving. As many of you have learned from reading my reviews, I prefer to hear technical, melodic bands, but somewhere lost in space is that dark side of me that can’t get enough of the in-your-face style of music that Maroon brings on this album. Sure the music isn’t super technical, and sure the vocals might take some getting used to (Andre’s voice is pretty deep), but the decent song structures and high energy are enough to appease my ears. For those of you who are straight edge, this band will suit you well lyrically as well. The songs on this album are full of passion and energy that is matched by few. Singer Andre Moraweck’s angry vocals fit the heavy, fast-paced songs perfectly. The guitar work is pretty impressive throughout, and the drumming is strong. Endorsed by Hate may not be my usual cup of tea, but I will certainly turn to it the next time I want something to get me moving. favorite song: "without a face" rating: 83%/100% listen to maroon

Review: Caliban - The Opposite From Within

artist: caliban album: the opposite from within label: abacus recordings released: 10/2004 by: rob tatum For anyone that has previously listened to Germany’s Caliban, The Opposite from Within may not please the ear on the first listen. The band is known for their unrelenting metal riffs and pure energy. They haven’t strayed from this formula entirely on this record, but they have incorporated much more melody and singing to their songs than on their previous releases. I happen to own all of Caliban’s previous releases and to be honest, I didn’t expect the transition, but after I few listens, I am very impressed by this album When I say that the band has added more melody and singing, don’t think that they have gone soft. This band is still just as powerful as ever, but think Killswitch Engage styled melodies. It took some getting used to, but the more that Caliban uses guitarist Denis Schmidt’s singing to compliment Andy Dorner’s raspy screams, the better the music flows. I’m sure that there are the skeptics out there saying they have gone soft or that they are just trying to sell records and all that bullshit, but I honestly think The Opposite from Within is the band’s most mature album. I had trouble listening to their previous albums (A Small Boy and a Grey Heaven, Vent, Shadow Hearts) on a regular basis, but I have found myself listening to this record quite frequently. Caliban’s biggest improvement on this record is definitely the songwriting. No longer do I skip to one particular song and ignore a chunk of the record. I genuinely enjoy every song on this album. Musically the band still carries Slayer-esque metal riffs and tempos, but the heavier emphasis on the hardcore and melody makes the music seem more complete than their previous releases. Lyrically things have remained largely the same with a little more focus on love hardships than before, but with the addition of the clean vocals, it seems to be fitting on this record. This is a very complete album and a must for any fan of metalcore or Caliban. favorite song: "goodbye" rating: 91%/100% listen to caliban