Review: Parkway Drive - Horizons

Artist: Parkway Drive
Album: Horizons
Label: Resist / Epitaph
Released: 10/9/2007



BSTscore: 80

Horizons is the 2^nd full length from Australia’s Parkway Drive. Picking up where Killing with a Smile left off, the band continues to pound out metalcore without any strings attached.

The guitar work on this album, much like the band’s previous album, will instantly catch the listener. Luke Kilpatrick and Jeff Ling provide melodic solos to balance blistering tempos and breakdowns. The more you listen, the more you will appreciate what the pair brings to the music.

I am disappointed in the mixing on the album because it masks the rhythm section on quite a few songs. Bassist Jia O’Connor is almost inaudible and drummer Ben Gordon is often drowned out by the guitars. The snare is about the only thing audible throughout (especially during the thrash sections) and only when the guitars are quiet can you hear anything else.

Although not everyone will connect with the lyrics on this album, I was impressed in the depth of the songs. There are no verse, chorus, verse, chorus patterns on Horizons. Very rarely is anything repeated on this album which tells me that some serious time was devoted to the lyrics. The songs are both dark and emotional, showing passion behind the words.

Lead vocalist Winston McCall has a very straight forward delivery and his crisp screams are an excellent fit with the music. My only complaints are that with the fast pace, some of the words are incoherent and occasionally he flirts with death metal growling which doesn’t fit very well.

I really like the band’s ability to mix melody with the fast tempos and breakdowns. Sure, it has been done before, but Parkway Drive pulls it off well. I don’t think this album flows as well as Killing with a Smile, but that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with this one.

I think the best word to describe this album, and Parkway Drive, is refreshing. The band has done enough to make sure you know who you are listening to without trying to distance themselves from an established sound. The album is a good listen from start to finish, but I’m more partial to Killing with a Smile. Being from Australia won’t help the band much in the States, but I think more and more people will continue to notice this band.

Musicianship: 80
Vocals: 80
Creativity: 75
Impact: 85

Favorite Song: "The Siren's Song"

Listen to Parkway Drive

Review: Himsa - Summon in Thunder

Artist: Himsa
Album: Summon in Thunder
Label: Century Media
Released: 9/18/2007



BSTscore: 69

This is the band’s first release with Century Media. With yet another member change, this effort combines the songwriting of Sammi Curr and Kirby Johnson, who have each written past albums individually for the band. The combined work of Curr and Johnson is both blistering and complex. Numerous solos coexist with heavy, fast-paced rhythm from bassist Derek Harn. The drums are thundering throughout as Chad Davis delivers punishing double bass giving the album a very heavy feel.

I have reasons to like the lyrics on this album, and I have reasons to hate them. I appreciate the wide vocabulary used in the songs as you won’t find any catchy pop clichés. On the other hand, I’m struggling to find a point to the songs. The lyrics are dark and have that “metal” cliché feel to them. I’d be interested to known the inspiration behind them because they are either really deep or really generic.

You are either a fan of Johnny Pettibone or you’re not. His guttural voice lacks range, but certainly not power. I have always been a fan of crisp delivery on past Himsa releases and little has changed on Summon in Thunder.

I think that Curr rejoining the band benefited the songwriting. It’s not that Johnson did anything wrong with Hair Horror, but Curr gives the songs added depth. Himsa is one of the few “thrash” metal bands that I can tolerate and the songs on Summon in Thunder have consistent flow from start to finish.

The band hasn’t knocked down any walls with this release, but they have established their sound as their own. I can tell a Himsa song almost immediately when it comes on and that can’t be said for every band. I think the album is a good listen, but it’s not something I can listen to on a frequent basis. I almost have to be in a “Himsa mood” and that isn’t enough to make my typical rotation.

The band has definitely gotten more exposure in the last 2 or 3 years and I think that will continue with this release. This isn’t music for everyone, but metal fans will love it.

Musicianship: 75
Vocals: 70
Creativity: 70
Impact: 60

Favorite Song: "Skinwalkers"

Listen to Himsa

Review: Across Five Aprils - Life Underwater

Artist: Across Five Aprils
Album: Life Underwater
Label: Victory Records
Released: 2/19/2008



BSTscore: 76

This is the 3^rd full length from Tennessee’s Across Five Aprils, but their Victory Records debut. Their previous releases came on Indianola Records.

Life Underwater is much more driving and raw sounding than the group’s prior release, Collapse. The guitar work is strong, with a nice mix and thundering riffs and melodic interludes. The rhythm section is solid and provides a good backbone for the songs. The band has certainly grown since their 1^st release, but little has changed since Collapse. The band has found a niche somewhere between metalcore and post hardcore.

I can say that there may have been some ambiguity in vocalist Brandon Mullins’ previous lyrics (if you weren’t listening close enough), but all that is out the door now. Tackling religion and politics without restraint, these are by far the most direct lyrics from the band (think Remembering Never or Underminded). As I have mentioned before, I am a big fan of using a negative approach (almost spiteful) to convey a positive message or different outlook.

I’m a little on the fence on the vocals. I felt the band’s last release was a big leap forward in the vocal department, but may have been watered down by too many clean vocals. That’s not the case on this album. The clean singing is still there, but it tends to blend with the songs a little better. Mullins has expanded his vocal range, but at times the screams take on the Mike Ski of Brother’s Keeper tone. It worked for Brother’s Keeper, but I’m not sold that it fits this band. I like that there isn’t fear of evolving or changing things up a bit, but this may not be the best direction.

Life Underwater as a whole may not as melodic as the band’s previous material (sans a couple of songs), but the album is tight and has a good flow from beginning to end. The arrangements are diverse, but not erratic. This is still a hardcore album, but you won’t find out of place breakdowns. Since the vocals didn’t sit with me at all times, I do wonder if the songs would have changed had the band stuck with the deeper screaming.

Across Five Aprils has a unique sound and isn’t afraid to try new things. I appreciate the willingness to change song structures and vocal tones without sacrificing the band’s overall sound and approach. I hope that the band continues with this direction and perhaps the next release will be even better.

Although this is a solid album and a good listen, it’s not one of those albums that pushed out everything else in my collection. It does grow on you the more you listen to it, but it probably won’t make your regular rotation. Now that the band is backed by Victory, I’m sure they will reap the benefits that other bands have. I don’t think you’ll hear this on the radio, but this album won’t hurt the band’s popularity.

Musicianship: 75
Vocals: 75
Creativity: 80
Impact: 75

Favorite Song: "Dreamer's Disease"

Listen to Across Five Aprils

Review: Protest the Hero - Fortress

Artist: Protest the Hero
Album: Fortress
Label: Vagrant Records
Released: 1/29/2008



BSTscore: 90

Fortress is the 2^nd full length on Vagrant for Canada’s Protest the Hero. While the band’s first release, Kezia, was more of a concept album, this album is a little more open to interpretation.

Hands down, this is one of the most talented bands I’ve heard in a long time. The band’s ability with odd time signatures and tempos is matched by few. Each member is very skilled and the songs showcase this nicely. Their ability to play metal one minute and something completely different the next is a testament to their musical ability.

Bassist/lyricist Arif Mirabdolbaghi is one of the more unique lyricists to say the least. The band is self-professed readers and it shows heavily in their lyrics. Topics are a bit strange at times, with a focus on medieval folklore on Fortress. I’m impressed by the complexity, but I know that other listeners may find the lyrics hard to digest.

Lead vocalist Rody Walker has a diverse range and clear delivery that is complimented nicely by the backing vocals of guitarist Tim Millar, Luke Hoskin, and bassist Mirabdolbaghi. At times all four use gang vocals to give the songs a largely than life feel, while at others, their expanded range contrast clean vocals with heavy screaming.

At times the songs can seem erratic, with blistering solos or heavy breakdowns, but overall, they fit together nicely. Normally I prefer melody more than chaotic nature of some of the songs, but Protest the Hero pulls it off well. While it may be hard to digest for some, I think that the intricacy of the songs will win over most listeners.

This band is very refreshing for the metal/hardcore scene. While Fortress doesn’t stray too far from where Kezia left off, this is a very unique and diverse album. There are no cookie-cutter song structures or catchy sing-alongs on this album. This band stands way out from the crowd.

The only negative to the band’s sound is that it’s hard to listen to over and over again. This is definitely in my rotation, but not at the top. The best part is that I find something new with every listen. The music is very deep and complex.

I’ve seen these guys live a couple times now and I’ve seen that you either love this band or hate them. I’m guessing that with Vagrant behind them and playing this year’s Warped Tour, they should win over a lot more people. Their talent is undeniable.

Musicianship: 90
Vocals: 85
Creativity: 95
Impact: 90

Favorite Song: "Spoils"

Listen to Protest the Hero

Review: Underminded - Eleven Eleven

Artist: Underminded
Album: Eleven Eleven
Label: Uprising Records
Released: 8/7/2007



BSTscore: 80

Three years have passed since the release of the band’s Hail Unamerican! Since it was one of the more refreshing releases I had heard in quite some time, I anxiously awaited the release of the San Diego based band’s follow-up release.

The band is more than talented enough to create good music, but they won’t overwhelm anyone with elaborate solos or anything. They know their limitations and don’t push past them.

One of the biggest reasons I liked their first album is lead singer Nick Martin’s straight forward lyrics. He does a great job at conveying a positive message through angry, and at times, negative lyrics. It’s a great contrast, which I really enjoy. It may not be for everyone, but Nick does not back away from topics such as war, religion, and prostitution. There is room to improve (it’s not poetic), but it is mature and powerful.

Nick’s screaming has one of the more distinguishable voices in hardcore (I easily picked up his guest spot on the Chiodos album). The only negative aspect is that the band uses a lot of gang vocals for choruses. At times, it’s a great approach, while at others it seems a bit out of place.

The songs on Eleven Eleven are more cohesive than their prior releases. “The Chancellor”, “Lords and Wolves”, and “The Great American Sob Story” are stand out songs that have strong melody and yet maintain fast and aggressive tempos. Breakdowns are there, but they are no longer included just to have a breakdown. The songs flow very well.

The unfortunate thing for Underminded is that while Hail Unamerican! stood out from the pack, the pack became much larger and more congested in the three years up to this release. While I think that this is still better than most of the releases that have come out lately, it didn’t quite do enough to distance the band from others in their genre. I’m glad they didn’t re-invent the wheel and they certainly have matured, but there is still room for improvement.

This easily found my rotation. It’s an intelligent release with great lyrics and strong flow. As much as I really like this band, they don’t seem to generate the buzz that they deserve. Having seen them numerous times live, they have an amazing set and with time I hope they get their due.

Musicianship: 75
Vocals: 90
Creativity: 75
Impact: 80

Favorite Song: "The Great American Sob Story"

Listen to Underminded

Review Format

For those of you who missed the update on the old version of the site, we have changed our review format. Rather than making you go back to the old site to figure out how albums are rated, I copied the post below. In addition to the post below, we will be breaking down reviews alphabetically into 4 groups (A-F, G-L, M-R, and S-Z) so that you can find your favorite bands with ease. Over time, we may expand this method, but for now, it will suffice.

In the past there has been little explanation of what our reviews are based upon and our scale was based on the traditional 90% or higher - A, 80-89% - B, 70-79% - C, 60-69% - D, 59% or less - F. Any reviews that have a % out 100% are past reviews using the old format.

The new format, described below, will give more explanation of how albums are critiqued and expose the strengths and weaknesses of each band. The new system will result in much lower scores in general, but will allow the truly special albums to set themselves apart from the average release.

As a bit of a twist, we have included a category in which we predict the band’s future. In the past 5 years we have spotlighted some bands that have had huge success and others that have flamed out. This is where you will get our personal opinion of each band’s future.

7 categories totaling 100 points:

• Musicianship - 15 points
• Lyrics - 15 points
• Vocals - 15 points
• Songwriting/Flow - 15 points
• Impact/Creativity - 15 points
• “Now” Factor - 15 points
• Future/Prediction - 10 points

Definitions and scale explanation:

• Musicianship – the band’s talent/technical ability.
  
• 15 – All members are experienced musicians and talent is unmatched.
• 12.5 – Members have above average talent.
• 10 – Members have average talent.
• 7.5 – Most members have average talent.
• 5 – Below average talent.
• 2.5 – Hobby? Garage Band?


• Lyrics – songwriter’s ability to convey the band’s message/express feelings.
  
• 15 – Unique, meaningful, and unmatched.
• 12.5 – Strong, meaningful.
• 10 – Mainstream, somewhat impersonal.
• 7.5 – Generic.
• 5 – Pointless, erratic.
• 2.5 – Jokes?


• Vocals – ability to deliver lyrics with clarity, range, and key
  
• 15 – Unique, flawless, crisp, and clear.
• 12.5 – Strong, powerful.
• 10 – Good all-around.
• 7.5 – Adequate, some flaws.
• 5 – Off-key or muffled.
• 2.5 – Incomprehensible


• Songwriting/Flow – the melody of the songs. Does everything fit together?
  
• 15 – Songs are perfect. Could not be composed better.
• 12.5 – Arrangements are strong and tight.
• 10 – Most of the album consistent.
• 7.5 – Middle of road. Some songs are good, some are bad.
• 5 – Songs could use work.
• 2.5 – Album should be re-written.


• Impact/Creativity – Where is this album compared to everything else and past releases?
  
• 15 – Genre defining, groundbreaking.
• 12.5 – Unique and strong.
• 10 – Stands out from the pack, but nothing extraordinary.
• 7.5 – Similar to other bands.
• 5 – Carbon copy. Same “equation.”
• 2.5 – Regression.


• “Now” Factor – How will this affect your music collection?
  
• 15 – Top of the list. Instant classic.
• 12.5 – Regular rotation.
• 10 – Great for road trips.
• 7.5 – It’s easy to find.
• 5 – Once in a while.
• 2.5 – Put in on the shelf and forget about it.


• Future/Prediction – Where is this band heading?
  
• 10 – Huge success. Arena tour? TRL?
• 8 – Expanding fan base. Radio play.
• 6 – Headlining tour.
• 4 – Generating buzz.
• 2 – Will continue to fly under the radar.
• 1 – Break-up imminent.

Spotlight - March 5, 2008

Following Eddy's lead, here's some stuff I've been listening to lately. New, old, and everywhere in between.

A new window will open when you click on a song. Look for the title on the playlist, and come back here.

It's purely coincidence that 4 out of 6 start with "D". Funny how things work out like that...

Rob's Spotlight for March 5, 2008:

• Dead Hearts—Fall
  • Melodic hardcore. Very similar to Hope Conspiracy. This whole album is excellent.
• Defiance, Ohio-The Condition
  • Hard to describe this one. Has some similarities to Rumbleseat or maybe Against Me! Acoustic, random instruments, a good change of pace. FYI, you can download every song this band has from their website.
• The Draft—Devil in the Shade
  • Actually, listen to all of the songs, not just one. 3/4's of Hot Water Music. Chris' vocals go down a little easier than Chuck's, which makes their sound a little more melodic than HWM. If HWM never put out another record (they recently released a B-sides in case you don't know), I'd still die happy if these guys are.
• Drop Dead, Gorgeous—It Sounded Like an Accident
  • Local band. All of the songs are a good listen. They aren't re-inventing the wheel or anything, but their songs have decent melody and don't overdue the singing or screaming.
• Lifetime—Airport Monday Morning
  • Who's Lifetime? Get out from under your rock, go buy everything this band has released and get back to me. The new stuff might not be as amazing as Hello Bastards or Jersey's Best Dancers, but it's still catchy and melodic.
• Memphis May Fire-Cowbell's Making a Comeback
  • Alright, it's Trustkill, it's cliche, but it's not that bad. Okay, maybe it is and it's certainly not groundbreaking, but I've heard a lot worse lately. Granted I can see these guys being the next Atreyu or Hawthorne Heights, it might be worth your listen. Too bad it sounds like it was recorded inside the closet, of a basement, next to a highway...

Keep rockin'.

Spotlight—March 2, 2008

Those of you may remember the spotlight mp3s on the old site. Well, this is the new version, entitled Spotlight. The concept's not much different this time around. It's just a little more fleshed out. We're still sharing our favorite music. And with our new format, we can spotlight mp3s, videos, and other media. We'll structure our Spotlight posts however we see fit.

So on with the show.

We have to go with links, since we can't embed the music in this situation. A new window will open when you click on a song. Look for the title on the playlist, and come back here. Play while you peruse.

Eddy Mo's Spotlight for March 2, 2008:

• Above this Fire—Everything at Once
  • Great driving hardcore. If only the singer wasn't so monotone. Still, definitely worth a listen.
• August Burns Red—Composure
  • Amazing technical metalcore. Impressive musicianship and unexpected nuances throughout.
• Damiera—M(US)IC
  • I love this kind of sound. Spine tingling guitars and catchy melodies. An apropos break from the heaviness.
• Mikoto—Tired of Me
  • Featuring ex-Taken frontman Ray Harkins, his latest project doesn't even come close. But hey, it's still good. Listen for the devastating breakdown at the end.
• Secondsmile—Aspen Fears
  • Still can't get over the fact these guys mellowed out. Their talent, however, is unquestionable.
• Shai Hulud—Bear the Brunt of Many Blades
  • New Shai Hulud. Well, sort of (this is a 2006 demo). Apparently, this song will be on the new album. Enough talk, it's Shai Hulud. Go listen.

Here's to good music.

Doing More with Less

Two weeks since my last post. I'm getting better. Hey, I'm a workaholic. That usually gets in the way.

I thought it would be cool to share the new Minus the Bear video with those of you who haven't seen it yet. It's for the song Knights off the Planet of Ice album. I'm sure the video itself cost a measly sum to make, yet it's engaging and cool. Basically, a mirror effect was placed on footage of the band jamming. The effect is similar to the one I can get in Photo Booth on my Macbook.

The song's not bad either. Take a look, and listen, for yourself.



Minus the Bear—Knights