Album Review: Sunbather (Deafheaven)

Image from: http://www.stereogum.com/1359131/stream-deafheaven-sunbather/album-stream/

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Deafheaven’s Sunbather (Deathwish Inc.) is a few weeks old now, but I have received a number of recommendations concerning the album, so I figured I would give it a review.  Deafheaven is a San Francisco-based group that has grown from a two-piece outfit to a band of five since its inception in 2010.  As the band’s sophomore release, Sunbather takes a more experimental route than its predecessor.  In doing so, it lives up to the positive reports I’ve heard.  That said, the album is not without its controversy.  I have seen much debate and discussion online dealing with the categorization of this album.  Is it black metal?  Is it glorified shoegazing?  Does it deserve to be called either?  I’ll briefly give my take on this issue, if only to give a sense of what the album has in store for the listener.  With its screamed vocals, blast beats, and fast, distorted guitar work, Sunbather certainly resembles black metal, but it departs from the traditional form of the genre by dropping its sinister tone (for the most part).  In addition, Sunbather often produces the wall-of-sound effect that shoegazing is known for, but its approach is more intense than that of traditional shoegazing.  Ultimately, the classification of the album depends on perspective.  If you view genre as a static entity that assumes a rigid set of rules and standards upon its creation, then this album likely won’t fit your definition of black metal (or shoegazing).  But if you view genre as an organic entity that can change and develop over time, then you could view this album as a branch of black metal or shoegazing (or a fusion of both).  Either way you look at it, Sunbather is an amazing album that rocks from start to finish.

            Now let’s discuss the album proper.  Sunbather is an artistically ambitious release.  For starters, the album is emotionally complex.  Distorted passages with an uplifting tone are juxtaposed alongside clean-plucked segments that carry a heavier, sullen mood.  Through deft manipulations of melody, the band at once invokes feelings of alienation and triumph, melancholy and resolve, desperation and ascension.  The songs also seem to follow a certain pattern.  The odd numbered tracks consist primarily of muffled, high-pitched wails, dense, distorted strumming and tremulous blast beats.  However, they also include clean segments that help to build tension and emphasize the brutal passages through contrast.  Alternatively, the even numbered tracks defy conventional song structure and seem to focus more on sonic themes.  They contain elements such as clean, layered guitar work, ominous bass sounds, piano highlights and spoken word samples.  These even numbered tracks seem to provide space for reflection, allowing the listener to process the emotions unleashed in the odd numbered tracks.  They offer the listener an emotional denouement of sorts.  The conclusion of “Irresistible” even lends the listener about 20 seconds of minimal sound for quiet contemplation. 

            The album is also highly atmospheric and evocative.  For me, the song “Vertigo” is the highlight of the release, and it serves as a good example of Sunbather’s atmospheric suggestions.  Opening with creepy, dissonant plucking and heavy bass, the track feels like a slow plummet into a deep, dark cistern.  As the song starts in earnest, the dance of the lead guitar over thick rhythm work evokes the racing mind of a body descending into cold waters.  In time, the vocals surface as a desperate cry, dragging the listener irrevocably into the artist’s world.  On the whole, the album evokes a noble struggle in the face of a debilitating, disenchanting reality.  This suggestion is reflected in everything from the distressed vocals to the brutal guitar and drum work to the somber tone of the melodies.  Beneath these emotions, however, the album also weaves hope and faith in reconciliation, with reality and oneself.  In my opinion, this is an album about the resolution of emotions.  Surely, most music touches on this to some degree.  Sunbather, however, is not only a vehicle for emotional release, but also an artistic embodiment of the process. 

            Perhaps you find all that interpretation a little overindulgent.  That’s fine.  But musically, Sunbather’s sonic experimentation makes it an album that pushes the limits and asks questions.  Questions like, what is heavy? what does metal sound like? what do anger, sadness, affirmation, and contentedness sound like?  Ultimately, the answers to those questions are up to you.  But for Sunbather’s part, its bold, genre-breaking approach has earned it a high mark in my book.  Earlier, I said that the album is artistically ambitious.  I think the artists have succeeded in their ambitions.

Score: 10/10

 

Tour Update: Melvins 30th Anniversary

Image from: http://consequenceofsound.net/2013/04/melvins-tour/

It has just come to my attention that the Melvins 30th Anniversary Tour will be commencing in mid-July.  From July 12 till August 27, the living legends will be taking their talents across the U.S.  Those familiar with the group know that this is a show not to be missed.  If you don't know the Melvins, that's understandable; the band has a tendency to fly under the radar.  But trust me, this is a band worth checking out.  They've been kicking it since the '80s and have influenced countless acts along the way, including Japanese three-piece Boris, who derive their name from a Melvins song (frontman Buzz Osborne was even a high school friend of Kurt Kobain).  They're widely considered a grunge band, but they have strong doom/sludge/stoner metal leanings.  In reality, they are a group that is hard to categorize due to their open and experimental approach.  Of their releases, I'm partial to the albums Houdini and Bullhead.  Give them a listen if you want to get a feel for their sound.

You can learn more about their tour at their website: http://themelvins.net/

and you can check tour dates and locations on this list: http://www.themelvins.net/wiki/index.php?title=Melvins_Tour_Dates_2013

Image from: http://www.factmag.com/2013/04/23/influential-weirdos-the-melvins-embark-on-30th-anniversary-tour/

Metal Mondays: My Top 5 Black Metal Vocalists

I've been digging in the crates for black metal a lot recently.  Cloaked equally in stylistic innovation and grisly controversy, it is an intriguing genre.  Of all metal genres, I think it has the most consistent and richly developed visual aesthetic accompanying its musical one.  This is part of what makes it so interesting, along with its pagan and nihilistic philosophies.  In honor of this genre, I'm starting a series of personal black metal "Top 5's," focusing mainly on the Norwegian second wave (apologies to all the Venom and Bathory fans out there; the second wave is the movement I'm most familiar with, though I am a big Quorthon fan).  As of now, I plan to make this the first arc in a larger series of metal rankings under the title Metal Mondays.

 So to kick it off, here are my top 5 black metal vocalists:

5. Satyr of Satyricon
A great rasping snarl.  Check out Satyricon's albums from Dark Medieval Times through Nemesis Divina.

4. Ihsahn of Emperor
His shrieks resound with howling torment.  In the Nightside Eclipse and Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk are classics.

3. Grutle Kjellson of Enslaved
His guttural rasps light up every Enslaved album.  The protracted groan at the start of Frost's "Svarte Vidder" always gets me going.

2. Hat of Gorgoroth
High-pitched and hateful, just the way I like it.  He was Gorgoroth's first vocalist and deserves more recognition, as he is little-known.  Check out their first album Pentagram; it's a hidden gem.

1. Varg Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnackh) of Burzum
Varg certainly has his worshipers and his haters, and he really deserves neither.  However, I think he is a great artist who does deserve musical praise.  The screams on his early recordings (I'm thinking of his first album through Hvis lyset tar oss) are the epitome of nihilistic despair.  Good stuff.


Now, I'm sure you all have furious contentions and disagreements, so let me know what you think of this list and who you would put in your top 5.

Album Review: Skull (Evile)

Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Evile-Skull_abum_cover.jpg 

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For a while I’ve been hearing rumors that thrash is back.  I’ve caught wind of murmurs echoing from metal strongholds across the Internet, claiming that the decline of the ‘90s was merely a speed bump.  Looking into these allegations, I’ve found them to be nothing but true, and English thrash outfit Evile stands among the vanguard of this reinvigoration.  Evile’s latest release, Skull (Century Media/Earache Records), presents the listener with a hearty nod to thrash tradition, complete with relentlessly aggressive riffs, clean-plucked intros and interludes, and a healthy dose of harmonized lead guitar work.

            As a thrash album that borrows extensively from the sound of the original wave, Skull must stand trial by its pioneering predecessors.  While it doesn’t contain much that sets it apart, opting to replicate rather than innovate, it does compare well alongside the greats of the ‘80s and early ‘90s.  For one, Skull skillfully combines the chaotic sprint of early Slayer albums with the tight precision found in Metallica’s original thrash efforts.  The influence of these two groups doesn’t stop there.  Evile’s vocals bear a sound similar to that of James Hetfield with a delivery that at times resembles that of Tom Araya.  The album even begins with foreboding crypt noises; reminiscent of the intro to Exumer’s Possessed by Fire.  Though these ‘80s innovators have already secured their place in thrash legend, Evile’s Skull carves out its own right to a mention in thrash history with its deft musicianship.  Like a good thrash album should, this recording pulses with complex and dynamic riff sequences.  Lightning fast rhythms fire off like machine gun rounds and then change tempo to deliver slower, crunching blows.  Paying due reverence to the breadth of thrash styles, Skull shifts from clear, meticulous riff-work to messy, cymbal-crashing fury as the album storms on. 

Overall, Evile’s Skull is an adrenaline-filled release.  Lively drum work coerces the listener to bob his or her head to its bouncing trots and later knocks his or her skull with thumping bass pedal beats.  In addition, energetic, mosh-worthy riffage gyrates throughout the album, invigorating the listener.  Furthermore, many of the album’s rhythms channel the danceable groove that Sepultura displayed even in their early thrash releases.  The album also demonstrates a mastery of building and releasing tension.  Every time I was tempted to think that a track was falling flat, in came a change of tempo, a cranium crushing riff, or a tone-altering breakdown that kept me interested and sucked me back into the fray.  From the outset of the recording, Evile controls and commands the listener’s musical experience.  The only shortcoming that I could sense was the soloing.  For me, the guitar solos were certainly emotive, but not breathtaking in terms of technicality.  However, I can see how one could make an argument in the other direction, especially on “Words of the Dead,” so I’m not going to hold this impression too heavily against the album.

I thought the core of the album shined.  The fourth track, “Head of the Demon,” starts out energetic and enticing and then proceeds to hit the listener with dark chord progressions that cascade into thudding palm-muted chops.  The fifth track, “Tomb,” begins with poignantly plucked melodies, woven with increasing intricacy, and then builds into an ascending thrash charge.  At 7 minutes and 26 seconds, it serves as a strong, epic centerpiece and will certainly please fans of Metallica’s “Fade to Black” and “One.”

In the end, I would sum up this album as a brilliantly executed trip down a path that has been tread many times before.  However, this path has become overgrown over the years and could use a good bushwhacking.  In light of the ‘90s decline, as a thrash fan, I wholeheartedly welcome this return to the old-school sound.  It’s a very, VERY good return.

For this album, I’m going to give a qualified scoring.

If you’re a thrash fan raised on the ‘80s sound, you’ll love the album:

Score: 9/10

But if you’re not particularly into thrash and are just looking for new developments in metal, there’s not much here that hasn’t been done before:

Score: 7/10

The Lords of Lake Bodom

Finnish powerhouse Children of Bodom recently released their 8th studio album, Halo of Blood, on Nuclear Blast Records (reviewed here).  As a cool bonus for those who purchse the CD, the album pamphlet folds out into a killer CoB poster.  Click the image to check it out.

Album Review: Halo of Blood (Children of Bodom)

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Continuing my tour of Europe, I decided to stop by Espoo, Finland, to listen in on Children of Bodom’s latest album, Halo of Blood (Nuclear Blast Records).  Arguably the most popular metal group in Finland, Children of Bodom have seen each of their previous seven albums achieve Gold certification in their home country.  In light of such long-running success, the group has had me wondering when it would hit a creative wall.  The stories of groups like Metallica have left me convinced that most bands simply can’t keep it up forever, that they either run out of ideas as they age or allow their artistic egos to lead them astray.  Well, apparently Childrem of Bodom is not one of those bands.  Their recent effort is stunning.  With Halo of Blood, Bodom adds ten more scrumptious items to their long menu of metallic delectables.

            In their signature style, which both draws on and transcends multiple metal traditions, the Finnish giants deliver an album of technical virtuosity and diverse approaches that is sure to have something for every metal fan.  From the first track onward, guitar-maestro Alexi Laiho drops lead flourishes like tasty morsels, baiting listeners along until he snares them with his sophisticated solos.  Standing at the emotional core of the album, the rhythm section showcases its skill by commanding slow trudges and blistering gallops with equal drama.  And, as always, Janne Wirman’s keyboard work is a highlight of the recording.  It truly sets Children of Bodom apart from other acts.  His dazzling solo digressions buzz with an intergalactic flair, and his star shines even brighter when he plays in tandem with his fellow musicians.  For me, the Bodom sound is at its pinnacle when Laiho and Wirman harmonize on their respective instruments.

            The strength of Halo of Blood lies in its variety.  The tone of the album ranges everywhere from blissfully bleak to tantalizingly triumphant.  Not afraid to change pace, the Bodomites offer the slow, thundering ballad that is “Dead Man’s Hand on You” alongside the speed-driven assault of "Damaged Beyond Repair."  The track, “Halo of Blood,” presents black metal stylings reminiscent of Satyricon, with ominous tremolo picking and shuddering blast beats.  On the other end of the spectrum, the coupled rhythmic barrage of guitar and bass pedal work on “Transference” reminds this reviewer of death metal innovators, Death.  To top it all off, the band tags interesting spoken word samples on the ends of “Waste of Skin,” “Scream for Silence,” and “All Twisted.”  These samples add a fresh flavor to the album and help to create thematic continuity.

            The only thing I take issue with on this album is the lyrical content.  Many of the lines, such as “Promise that one day / All of you are going down” and “Bottoms up, let’s drown my sorrow,” struck me as unimaginative.  I felt that Children of Bodom offered nothing new lyrically, providing the same angst ridden laments you can find on their previous albums.  That said, the vibrant and technically proficient instrumentals made this a non-issue; I wasn’t paying attention to the lyrics anyway.  Overall, a strong album.

Score: 8/10

Mayhem Festival!!!

I want to take a moment to put in a plug for this year's Mayhem Festival sponsored by Rockstar Energy Drink.  The 2013 show looks to be a good romp, with a promisingly brutal line-up.  Headliners include Mastodon, Amon Amarth, Five Finger Death Punch, Machine Head, Children of Bodom, and Rob Zombie!  The tour has already begun but continues into August at great venues across the nation.  I encourage you to check out the show and look for the location nearest you.

I'll be attending the Massachusetts show at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA, which will include an appearance by Polish heavy-weight, Behemoth.  I implore all my Commonwealth brethren to join me.  Hope to see you there.

I'm especially amped-up for the performances of Children of Bodom and newcomers Huntress, who released a stellar first effort in 2012 called Spell Eater (Napalm Records).  If you haven't heard of them, I highly recommend the album.

Anyway, tickets are on sale at Live Nation, and you can check out the full band list and dates on the tour's website: http://rockstarmayhemfest.com/

Feel free to comment if you're going and share other shows you are excited about this summer.

Image from: www.metalsucks.net

Metal Fan Spotlight: Tuukka Rask

Can't hide my Boston pride.

FUN FACT: Finland is the nation with the highest number of metal acts per capita.  So, I have to give a shout out to my favorite Finnish netminder, Tuukka Rask.

Hours ago, the Boston Bruins beat the Chicago Blackhawks in Beantown to take a 2-1 game lead in this year's Stanley Cup Final.  Rask was instrumental in this victory, earning himself a 2-0 shutout.

Hailing from Savonlinna, Finland, Tuukka shares the metal enthusiasm of his fellow countrymen.  He lists Metallica as his favorite group and enjoys playing the drums in his spare time, in heavy metal style of course.

Congrats on the W, Tuukka, and good luck in the rest of the series.  Go Bruins! 


Image from: http://walpaper-hd2013.blogspot.com/2013/02/tuukka-rask-boston-bruins-wallpaper.html

Album Review: Old Mornings Dawn (Summoning)

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The Austrian epic black metal duo, Summoning, recently released their first full-length effort since 2006 with Old Mornings Dawn (Napalm Records).  The wait was certainly worth it.  I never would have guessed that a band could devote so many tracks to the mythos of Middle Earth, but seven albums deep in their sonic tribute to Tolkien, Protector and Silenius show no signs of stopping.  And while Old Mornings Dawn may not achieve the revered status of Minas Morgul (1995) or Dol Guldur (1996), one can hardly say that the quality has dropped since the mid ‘90s.  As soon as the intro track, “Evernight,” begins, whispers from an enchanted realm whisk the listener away to a land of pure fantasy.  The steady, building instrumentals that ensue solidify this musical escape.  Unlike intro pieces that seem only to serve as filler (here’s looking at you Cradle of Filth), “Evernight” sets the stage for the album’s soundscapes, dragging the listener into an epic journey.  Not even the most reluctant Bilbo Baggins could resist!

            Now, let’s get into the meat of the recording.  After the first two tracks, not a single song runs under 8 minutes in length.  This provides space for dynamic movements within each song that enhance the epic quality of the album.  That said, all tracks stay below the 10-minute mark, ensuring that the songs don’t become stale and bore the listener.  The true strength of these tracks and the album as a whole is the pacing.  The percussion conveys a Celtic flair, spiriting the listener to distant times.  The rhythms and melodies possess a medieval tone that bestows an aura of chivalric high adventure.  Keeping the album on course, distorted guitar rhythms carry and propel the pace of this fantastic journey.  When listening to Old Mornings Dawn, you don’t simply bob your head to the heavy riffage; you undulate your entire body as if riding a steed into glorious battle.  In addition, Summoning displays a great instinct for transition.  Heavy rhythmic progressions flow naturally into haunting melodic interludes, and complex tapestries of instrumentation seamlessly unravel to emphasize singular elements.

            Overall, the album is majestic in the truest sense of the word.  Plucked melodies and rolling synthetic soundscapes combine to forge an atmosphere of grim austerity.  The vocals are strong as well.  Drenched in reverb, they evoke dusky caverns of longing, employing a deft compromise between a shriek and a growl.  Also, spoken word vocals enhance the narrative quality of the recording.  Highlights include the titular track, with the somber nobility of its synthetic organs, and “Caradhras,” with the layered ascent of its introductory passage.  The album does lose steam with the last three tracks, but this is likely due to the high quality of the first slew of songs more than to overt shortcomings in the concluding pieces.  Nevertheless, it would have been nice to see the same level of epic grandeur maintained.  I honestly don’t have many criticisms for this album, but I’ll offer a few cautions.  This is metal of the slower variety and may not be appealing to fans of rapid-fire beats.  Also, the sound is highly synthetic and likely won’t please those who prefer to listen to ‘real’ instruments.  Finally, Summoning crafts a fantasy atmosphere, and thus their style may not interest those who like their content grounded in reality.

Score: 8/10