Spotlight: The Hope Conspiracy

bst spotlight band. The Hope Conspiracy is five piece hardcore outfit that took the hardcore world by storm when it formed in late 1999. They released a 7” in early 2000 and have taken off since then. Their first full length, Code Blue, was released on Equal Vision Records in October of 2000. The band states that they were “still finding their style” at the time of this recording. About a year later, they released a six song EP called File 03, and began to define their style. Which leads us to today… their second full length, Endnote, is one of the most anticipated releases of the year. Code Blue was a new direction for hardcore, with amazing guitar work, crisp vocals. After hearing the EP, and if anyone has ever seen this band live, you would understand why in less than two years, The Hope Conspiracy has become one of hardcore’s biggest names. They fill the stage with energy that doesn’t stop from start to finish and they entertain the crowd better than half the bands that exist today. For those that haven’t heard this band, you are missing out on a new perspective on hardcore. Check out the band's website and Equal Vision Records for more information and some mp3’s. the hope conspiracy official website

Review: Dillinger Escape Plan - Irony is a Dead Scene

artist: the dillinger escape plan album: irony is a dead scene label: epitaph records released: 8/27/02 by: eduardo moutinho Okay, when I heard about this combination of Dillinger Escape Plan (DEP) and Mike Patton (Faith No More, Mr. Bungle, and Fantomas), I was incredibly intrigued. I think DEP is one of the only grindcore-oriented bands that I actually can find some liking to. They're a crazy band indeed, as many of you know. DEP is notorious for their shows filled with fire and chaos. In fact, many believe they're the best ticket anyone can find. Musically, they are just as crazy, with sporadic musicality, insane tempos and time signatures, and pure spontaneity in song structure. Patton has been in his own little world with Mr. Bungle and Fantomas over the past few years. Mr. Bungle, in particular, is as unique as DEP, with its mellower music and various inspirations. Their albums have generated a loyal, cult-like, following, along with critical acclaim. Fantomas is probably the closest thing to DEP that Patton has associated himself with, and that is a loose statement to make. While Fatntomas has little inklings of grindcore, it's more comparable to Melt-Banana than Dillinger Escape Plan. This is why Patton's involvement on this record intrigues me. I guess this is the pattern that Patton is choosing to go by, one that is similar to DEP's music in its spontaneity. Nevertheless, the hype has been generated, the EP is here, and it is indeed quite an interesting piece of work... The record consists of four songs. All of them quite insane. I'll be blatantly honest here, Patton's vocals do not work with DEP's music. This isn't a case of "two completely unique elements combining to create something masterful" at all. On the first track, "Hollywood Squares," Patton chooses to wail over the incredibly fast past of the song, which unfortunately makes for a strange combination that doesn't hit the ear right. On the next track, he opts to sing in small and quick little bursts for a good portion of the song, sounding almost like he's speaking in tongues. The style of singing he displays reminds me of Jonathan Davis singing "Twist" from Korn's Life is Peachy album. I don't think many people here like Korn, so I'm not sure how many will perceive what Patton is trying to do. The third song on the EP, "When Good Dogs Do Bad Things," should be noted for its percussion and overall instrumentation. This is pure DEP here. In fact, the whole record demonstrates DEP's method to their mayhem. The band consists of good musicians, that know what they're doing. Those who like the DEP sound will be able to easily recognize that this is indeed the band they have grown to love. The guitars are there, the drums are there, the time signatures too. But again, this EP just sounds strange because of what the band is trying to do with Patton. Again, I believe it's commendable. They're trying to experiment with something different, but it doesn't work. Nevertheless, I'd like to praise the band for their attempt to cover the classic electronica song "Come to Daddy" by Aphex Twin as the last song on the EP. It's a really great song that is definitely worthy of a cover. All in all, I did not enjoy this EP. I assume that many people will like, and many will love, what DEP has done with Patton and vice versa. I think that DEP is a better band with their own vocalist doing all the work, and I think Patton is a better vocalist doing his own thing. This is a fascinating work though, that people should listen to. It can be best described as an interesting idea that just didn't work, like Pepsi Blue or Nintendo's Virtual Boy. favorite song: "come to daddy" rating: 70%/100% listen to the dillinger escape plan

Review: Grade - Headfirst Straight to Hell

artist: grade album: headfirst straight into hell label: victory records released: 8/2001 by: eduardo moutinho This album has been out for a while, I am very aware about that. I am also aware that Grade is pretty much done, at least for the time being. Nevertheless, this album is worth reviewing, and for those who have never heard it or are interested in reading about it, this will be of some value. Headfirst Straight into Hell is Canada’s own Grade’s latest and possibly last release. The band is best known for their popular releases Separate the Magnets, The Embarassing Beginning, and Under the Radar. Grade’s sound is hard to describe, and definitely unique. They manage to blend together elements of emo, punk, and hardcore into an amalgam they call their own. The vocals are even more difficult to explain, since they sound like a mix of singing and screaming. Their sound is thoroughly respected in many circles, and a countless number of bands have tried to emulate it or incorporate many of its elements into their music. First off, the production value of the album is quite low. For some reason, this album does not sound as crisp and vibrant as it should. Under the Radar sounds much better. That is quite strange, since it was recorded beforehand and the band probably had a smaller budget to work with at that time. It seems that the treble is too high, which makes the guitars sound tinnier than they should, and takes away some of the body from the music. These problems cannot really be remedied by a good equalizer either. It’s not something that makes the album difficult to listen to. It sounds fine, but for a band with Grade’s connections, a more sharply produced album is expected. Anyway, onto the actual music, while Under the Radar showed Grade’s pop-oriented side, Headfirst Straight into Hell is definitely a step towards the harder and grittier sonic end. This can be attributed to the fact that the band went through some member changes before the album was actually recorded. In actuality, I think the harder sound is a welcome change. It’s more aggressive, and the songs seem to have more bite to them. There is heavier emphasis on the guitar work for this record. There are more catchy lead parts being played, and the layering is quite good. The vocals are excellent. Kyle Bishop’s singing really helps round out the band’s sound. As I mentioned earlier, his voice is sort of a scream/sing hybrid. It can almost be described as an excessively raspy singing voice, yet I think that gives a bad impression. It works really well, and manages to flow incredibly with the actual screaming. The transitions between singing and screaming are flawless. The vocals blend with the music, even more so on this album because of the aggressive style. Highlights on this album include the excellent opening piece “Termites Hollow,” fast paced “Becoming Not Being,” catchy “Overthrowing Creation Itself,” and the hypnotic “Twenty Moons.” There’s a lot of variety in the album. “Termites Hollow” and “Becoming Not Being” are fast and aggressive pieces showing the direction the band was heading in at the time of the recording, yet songs like “Overthrowing Creating Itself,” “In the Wake of Poseidon," and “Will Bending” sound like the Grade of Under the Radar and Triumph & Tragedy. Then, songs like “Twenty Moons” are slow and more epic-sounding. It’s a very interesting mix, and I enjoy it quite a bit. In the end, I think this is a solid album. If this is indeed the swan song for Grade, that would be an absolute shame. I think the band is incredibly talented, and they have become an institution in our scene. No matter what, they definitely have left with a bang. favorite song: "termites hollow" rating: 90%/100% listen to grade

Review: Unearth - The Stings of Conscience

artist: unearth album: the stings of conscience label: eulogy recordings released: 1/16/01 by: eduardo moutinho Let me be blunt here, I don’t like metal. I don’t like cheesy solos. I don’t like whammy bars, and I sure as hell don’t like Yngwie Malmsteen. I’m not into new school metal either. You won’t find me at a Meshuggah or Children of Bodom show. It’s pretty cut and dry with me. Kind of… When I first heard of Unearth, and what they’re all about, I was really turned off. I heard about their amazing guitarists and ridiculous talent, and thought that I would absolutely hate them. I held this mentality until I went to a show last December, the self-dubbed “Cancelfest 2002.” At this show, Unearth became the headliner by default because A Static Lullaby, Hope Conspiracy, and From Autumn to Ashes didn’t make the show due to the weather. I was left there, angry and irritated. I didn’t want to sit through a show like that in my wildest imaginations. Amazingly, after watching the mass of hair, sweat, and technical prowess known as Unearth, I was converted into a fan. Unearth manages to do the impossible. They bridge the gap between those who love metal, and those who love hardcore. They take a little bit from hardcore, like the non-guttural screaming vocals and devastating breakdowns, and combine it with a few hints of metal, like blistering leads and power ballad verses. It’s a relatively simple concept that is difficult to explain. In layman’s terms, they take the good stuff from hardcore and metal and put it together into something nice. While this music takes incredible musicianship to play, there are no odd times or experiments going on here. This music is pretty straightforward. It’s the kind of music you want to listen to while beating on something. This is as “Headbanger’s Ball” as hardcore gets. In actuality, this is the definition of metalcore. Anyway, this review goes over Unearth’s latest full-length, The Stings of Conscience. This is a relatively old release, yet I think it’s an important album to review. Each song on the album can be described as a jumble of heavy segments, lead segments, interludes, and breakdowns. While this is somewhat general, you won’t be seeing spontaneous moments of brilliance by the band here. A pattern is being followed, and it works, for what the band is trying to accomplish. Songs like “Only the People,” “One Step Away,” and "Fuel the Fire” start out violently and stay the course. The hard intros lead into complicated string bridges, where a scale is being dexterously executed by one of the band’s guitar players. It’s ridiculous. On many occasions I found myself with my mouth wide open, imagining how difficult it is to play some of these parts. Other impressive guitar feats, such as finger tapping, are evident as well. The two guitarists in this band are incredibly talented. The title track of the album serves as a résumé for these two individuals. A good 75% of the song is all lead. It’s pure insanity. What’s even more impressive is that the songs are faithfully reproduced on stage, and in some cases, one of the players has his guitar behind his head. Unbelievable. You might be wondering, “I remember you saying that you hate lead parts, what gives?” Good question. I believe my previous statement of Unearth’s music being a good mix of hardcore and metal answers this question. While these crazy lead parts are going on, the vocals and drumming are keeping it from sounding like Exodus. The vocals are well done and the drumming is quite proficient. Unearth sounds hardcore, to be quite honest. They manage to do it. Plus, the lead parts are balanced out by nasty breakdowns. This band delivers some of the hardest breakdowns I have ever heard. I mean, this is the kind of hard that can render someone into a Cro-Magnon man. I’ve seen it happen before. In addition to all the heaviness, some songs actually have hints of power ballad-like interludes. Songs like “My Desire” and “Monition,” while very heavy in their own right, have instances of slow and tinny interludes, which would make Whitesnake proud. There is no singing, at all. But these interludes are there, and almost out of place. Sometimes, in the case of “Monition,” they act as transitions to blistering heaviness. There’s not much more I can say about this album, outside of it being a good escape from reality, if you’re angry or in the mood to get your heart racing a little bit. It won’t challenge your brain, unless you play guitar and wish you were as good as the individuals in this band. favorite song: "stings of conscience" rating: 83%/100% listen to unearth