The Acacia Strain - Wormwood

Prior to a month ago, it had been quite some time since I had seen or heard The Acacia Strain. After seeing them twice live around the time they released The Dead Walk, my mind kind of forgot about them (and their album Continent) until I heard they had put out a new album back in July called Wormwood. Needless to say, I was curious to see where the band had gone since penning tracks like "Whoa! Shut It Down" and "Angry Mob Justice", and to be quite honest, not too much has changed for Vincent Bennett and company. The dissonant breakdowns, anger-filled lyricism and thundering rhythm section are all still intact, yet Wormwood is a lesson in blunt-force musical brutality that proves to be the band's most successful and most accessible offering yet. In its twelve tracks, Wormwood hits like a sledgehammer over and over, leaving a mark that is sure to be tough to get rid of.

From the scratchy opening monologue that leads us into "Beast", we can only assume something dark and heavy is coming. The lead track then bursts with a sludgy guitar riff backing Bennett's powerful barking of the first words 'We all come from broken homes / Broken hearts and broken bones'. Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta provides the first of a handful of guest appearances on this record, lending his voice to the slow, dissonant chorus that makes an unusual, yet worthy match for Jasta's growl. Throughout the album, Bennett's bark helps push thoughts of malice and nihilism to the max, touching on topics from ungratefulness ("Nightman") to religion ("The Hills Have Eyes") without sparing anyone or anything in the process. Lines like 'I won't be happy until everything dies' ("Nightman"), 'I hate everything you love' ("Jonestown") and 'Paris fucking Hilton wants you dead, enough said' ("The Hills Have Eyes") spit seemingly neverending venom. Simply put, this album is cathartic for anyone in need of some venting.

Musically, the band does a superb job of supplementing the lyrical rage with musical fury. From sludgy to shredding, guitarist DL Laskiewicz creates the perfect backdrops for TAS, proving you don't need to just palm mute on open for an entire record in this genre. "Jonestown" opens up with some impressive riffing behind the furious double-bass, as Laskiewicz weaves the melodic work in the background for some nice ear candy. What makes this record as sharp as it is lies within the band's dialed-in songwriting, as they cut away the fatty tangents in favor of a more straightforward, more relentless approach. The Acacia Strain has never been less apologetic about their songwriting, as they move from section to section with little or nothing to prepare you for the upcoming shift. The result is crystal clear – less bullshit musically equals stronger writing all the way around.

I feel like I could write on and on about this record, but I'd simply be reitterating the same point – Wormwood finds The Acacia Strain at the top of their game and atop the genre in what is one of the strongest heavy music releases of the year. Even on the best day of your life, Wormwood will leave you pissed off and looking for vengence.

The Acacia Strain
Wormwood
Prosthetic Records
A

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Review: A Breath Beyond Broken/Aviator Split

Nestled deep within the sweat-drenched floors of old VFW halls, lovable hole-in-the-wall bars, fraternity basements (believe me, I’ve seen it) and tiny all-ages clubs, there is a movement called “The Wave”. Now, you might ask what bands like La Dispute, Touche Amore and the rest of said collective might have to do with two bands from Massachusetts. In reviving what many had called a dead genre and what some still confuse with bands of the early ‘00s that sacrificed creativity for a spot on the t-shirt rack at Hot Topic, The Wave is ushering in a new era of bands creating slightly more accessible, but just as equally passionate, screamo. Enter A Breath Beyond Broken and Aviator. While still young in terms of writing and in many cases age, these are two bands who get the true ideals behind screamo and meld it with melodic hardcore without relying on the current underground trends of drop-b breakdowns or auto-tuned vocals.

A Breath Beyond Broken (affectionately referred to at AB3) brings ferocity beckoning Touche Amore while mixing in the trio of voices and often inventive drum work. The abrasive, yet uplifting fretwork on “Dreamt Myself an Architect Built Myself Some Walls” compliments the vocals well, bringing an aggressive sound full circle with the personal, yet relatable lyrics. “Kept Myself Awake” follows a similar path, yet shows the melodic ability of this band in the weaving guitar melodies heard near the beginning of the track. While the timbres don’t shift quite as much as say a band like Circle Takes the Square, AB3 don’t need constant changes to keep your attention – they pull you in with a solid vocal attack and impressive songwriting that hinges on solidarity.

On the flip side, Aviator bursts with melodic hardcore goodness with “I’m Sick of Standing in the Same Place”, again bringing to mind the sounds of The Wave. The title reflects the track’s characteristics through and through, as the buzzing guitars dance behind the sharp vocals and solid drumming. The track hinges back and forth between bombastic and subtle, not always relying on being loud to get the musical, and vocal, message across. Strong songwriting is the name of the game in “The Definition of a Dead End”, as the more straightforward track hits the nail straight through the board during the slower 3/4 section. Sure, they spice it up just as nice when they add in the little quirks throughout the song, but Aviator prove less is more with this track.

If you’re into any of the bands inhabiting The Wave, you’re going to want to check out this split. With these two bands writing this strongly already in their musical careers, it can only be imagined what they’ll think up next.

A Breath Beyond Broken/Aviator
Split EP
Self-released
B+

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Various Artists - Punk Goes Pop 3

The thought of having the phrase 'Punk Goes' and the word good anywhere near one another has beena much disputed occurrence since the series released the much maligned Punk Goes Pop 2, Punk Goes Crunk and Punk Goes Classic Rock. Now, I am not about to type that the tenth installment of the series is by any means mindblowing or game-changing, but I can easily say that for the first time in a few years, the Punk Goes... series may have actually put together a solid collection of cover songs for the third version of Punk Goes Pop (or should we maybe say Punk Goes Mainstream R&B?).

It really is a mindboggling thought to consider liking more than one or two of the tracks off of this collection when you first look at the tracklisting. And sure, after the sacred cow slashing done on Punk Goes Classic Rock, you have to think the general critical audience was pretty much ready to write Punk Goes Pop 3 off before even hearing it. But in all honesty, the current direction of rising music (which sadly lends itself more to electronica-mixed metalcore) seems to blend well with the nature of pop music. As much as I hate to admit it, being a huge Justin Timberlake fan and all, We Came As Romans' sound actually forms well into the slower, beat heavy melodies of "My Love". Same goes for Asking Alexandria's "Right Now (Na Na Na), which besides suffering from some unneeded guttural screaming actually holds up pretty well.

Other tracks hit the nail right on the head in terms of mimicing the sounds of the song's original writers. Family Force 5 do a pretty solid La Roux in their version of "Bulletproof", while Mayday Parade's normal pop-rock mediocrity makes a great bridge into the vocal-led "In My Head" by Jason Derulo. Sure, they don't offer much in terms of taking it to another world soundwise, but at least they make great fits for these bands.

As far as best cover of the bunch? My vote goes to the now Jerry Roush-led Of Mice & Men for their cover of Jamie Foxx and T-Pain's "Blame It". It has just the right amount of breakdowns, and just enough screaming, to not be completely overbearing and at the same time keep the energy of the original intact.

Now, I am not saying this is greatest thing ever released. But for the first time in a long time, you can actually listen to a decent amount of a Punk Goes... record without being completely confused or disgusted. You'll still have to skip the first track, but at least you won't be skipping all of them.

Punk Goes Pop 3
Fearless Records
C+

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Single Serving: "I'm Like" - Mixtapes

Crafting an addicting mix of solid punk-rock with boy versus girl vocalists, Ohio-based Mixtapes give us Michiganders another reason to actually enjoy the home state of the Buckeyes. The band has been busy with releases, including their upcoming 7" A Short Collection of Short Songs on Animal Style Records.

"I'm Like" boasts solid melodic work and smooth, by-the-book songwriting. Yet, the lyrical and vocal work draws you in, with quirky, yet personal lyricism on both sides of the microphone. For a young band with so many releases put in this year, you'd think you would see a drop off in terms of songwriting, but somehow Mixtapes just keep pushing it out without losing any steam.

You can either check out the song, along with the rest of the band's work, here or you can tweet it for a download link via Tweet for a Track here.

Look for a review of Mixtapes' Maps in the next few days!

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Energy - Walk Into the Fire EP

I was a little confused when I read something from Bridge Nine describing one of their bands as having “haunting keyboards”, mostly because I don’t quite associate Bridge Nine with anything but hardcore. Yet, Energy fit in like a niche to the B9 family, with a sound combining said keyboards with catchy as fuck melodies and rock solid songwriting. Though mostly straightforward, the three songs on Walk Into the Fire are written well enough to keep you humming them well after you’ve hit the stop button.

Mixing Tank's delicate vocals and driving guitars from Joe Freedman and Dan Mancini can be a difficult task, but Energy seem to pull it off without much friction between the two. Sure, the vocals sound a little flat at first, but after only a song or two, you’ll see how said voice fits into the darker timbre sought by a track like closer “Angels at My Grave” – a track that balances the dark, yet majestic keyboards and huge guitar sounds into a great ending to this EP. Jumping back to the beginning though, the title track opens the EP with a chunky guitar melody that haunts our ears (in a good way) throughout the track. If there is one thing that Energy truly do well on Walk Into the Fire, it is grabbing your attention with a whimsically dark concoction of punk-rock and somehow never letting go, and the title track is a sure bet to keep you hooked. It might be a little too straightforward and repetitive for some, but Energy add enough bits and pieces of melody and drum fills to keep the repetition fresh without simply repeating the same section a million times.

“Let’s Get Away” is sandwiched in as the middle track, and serves as a great bridge between the first and third songs. While it again teeters on the border of darker punk-rock and theatrical sounding pop-rock, we get an atmosphere created by the keyboards and guitars that creates a strange, yet effective backdrop for the soaring vocals and pulsing drums. We get flourishes of brilliance on the drums from drummer Justin Flaherty throughout this track, as interesting fills on the ride and crash cymbals keep this from being a monotonous drum beat. “Angels at My Grave” ends the EP on a high note, as the band ventures away from their usual punk-rock sound to throw in sections of drawn out drums and ringing keyboard melodies. The bridge near the end of the track is truly epic, balancing a wall of double-beat guitars against huge synth melodies and solid kitwork.

If you like your music a little on the dark side, Energy would certainly be worth picking up. You’ll have a hard time saying no to anything as catchy as this, and you'll be thankful you looked in an odd place for it.

Energy
Walk Into the Fire
Bridge Nine Records
B+

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Living Like Ghosts - Treading Water

Not really falling into one fully labeled category through the four songs contained on Treading Water, Living Like Ghosts keep an impressive amount of energy sustained through said tracks while gracefully moving from section to section without much of a snag. Sometimes they boast crunching, yet tight punk rock, while other times their buzzing guitars teeter on the edge of powerpop – all without sounding like a complete mess.

When opener "Disconnect" kicks into gear, it shows an uncharacteristic songwriting flaw, as the jagged rhythms punch a bit too awkwardly to really hit us in the jaw. However, the track picks up with pulsing guitars and solid kit work, all playing a great backdrop to the smooth vocal lines of the chorus. "Catacomb" follows this with a slow start that leads to the catchy, yet buzzing chord concoctions of the chorus, showing LLG's ability to stay flexible without sounding completely out of place. Think powerpop with more bite than bark, but minus the neon clothes and unneeded band members.

The relentless nature of "Lighthouse" is apparent from the moment we hear any vocals on this track. Keeping the pace with a fast backbeat on the drums, this song doesn't just hum along on a simple punk beat with grinding powerchords as we get plenty of well-placed twists and turns along the way. It mellows out for a moment near the end though, killing most of the built up energy in the process. Closing the collection is "Accolade", which features an approvable amount of chunky guitar work and some impressive vocal melodies throughout the track. It follows an on/off pattern in terms of how much instrumentation is used and how aggresive the guitars and drums are, which seems a bit out of place compared to the quirks placed throughout the other tracks. Still, it is a fitting closer to a quite pleasing EP.

Besides showing promise from a band still in their younger years, Treading Water is also absolutely free. So even if you are unsure about what you'll think about these tracks, you really don't have an excuse but to give it a try. If they can work out the kinks, I think you'll be seeing plenty more of Living Like Ghosts in the future – in Detroit and beyond.

Living Like Ghosts
Treading Water
Self-released
B

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Single Serving: A Day To Remember - "2nd Sucks"

I did a terrible thing today. I feel disgusting for doing it. I liked Victory Records on Facebook to hear the new A Day To Remember song. Then I found out it had been posted all over YouTube already. FAIL.

It might take some time for me to get over the initial guilt of clicking that stupid link, but anyone afraid of what this record is going to sound like after the first single was a bit too far on the poppy side can be rest assured there is at least ONE heavy song on What Separates Me From You. "2nd Sucks" opens with some feedback and a quick Mortal Kombat-like 'FIGHT!' before bursting into a delicious breakdown. Vocalist Jeremy McKinnon said on Twitter recently that this was the first ADTR song to not feature any singing, and besides being the truth, it makes the staccatoed blasts throughout this song even more impactful than if there was singing behind it. Not to mention McKinnon gets pretty snarky with his lyrics, presumably calling out to all of the bands they've spawned since starting ADTR.

In any case, this makes me even more pumped for this record and to (hopefully) see these guys alongside Underoath next month.

Rating: Fatality!

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Touche Amore/La Dispute - Searching For A Pulse/The Weight Of The World

It should be considered a pinnacle point for the screamo scene (yes, real screamo) for two bands considered to be at the forefront of their scene to end up on a split together. However, the split between Touche Amore and La Dispute is not just your run of the mill project between two bands wanting to share a release together. It is in fact a testament to the idea of the split that the members of both of these bands pulled out all of the stops to create a cohesive experience that blended the sounds, vocals and artwork of each half into one solid whole. In the four songs pressed into this seven inches of vinyl, Touche Amore and La Dispute stake their claims as not only two of the most passionate bands in music today, but as two of the strongest songwriting collectives in the re-emerging screamo scene.

Everything inside of this split has to do with continuity and weaving together two sets of ideas. Each band's vocalist guest spots on the other bands songs. Each band had a member contribute to the artwork of the split. Each band pushed themselves to write outside of their normal timbre of sound. This pursuit of oneness shines through each track, as the experience feels unfamiliar if not completed as a whole.

Touche Amore's two cuts ("I'll Get My Just Deserve","I'll Deserve Just That") move towards a somewhat unfamiliar understanding of flowing melodies without losing the grit that makes a usual TA track. The blasting drums are still there. The abrasive vocals still ring out with sincerity. Yet, "I'll Deserve Just That" is one of the softest Touche tracks you'll probably ever hear – and that isn't too say it sounds out of place. Still, these tracks are very much Touche Amore, including their short running time of less than two minutes a piece.

Likewise, La Dispute’s two tracks sound like a bridge between their two full-lengths, combining the overall abrasive nature of Vancouver with spurts of melodic passages as heard throughout Somewhere At The Bottom Of The River Between Vega And Altair. Both wrap themselves around a similar lyrical idea of the innermost feelings about life and what happens after, making Jordan’s usually passionate delivery hit even harder than usual. Both “How I Feel” and “Why It Scares Me” show the band at the top of their game both lyrically and musically. It is difficult to pick a “winner” for this split, but La Dispute might be my pick if only by a hair.

In this end, this is arguably the best split to come out in quite some time - not only for its musical contents but also for the way in which these two bands went about presenting their combined efforts. These two bands have shown us again why friendship between bands should not just be stopped at touring and partying together.

Touche Amore/La Dispute
Searching For A Pulse/The Weight Of The World
No Sleep Records
A

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Single Serving: Stay Ahead Of The Weather - "Get Old Or Die Tryin'"

If members of Into It. Over It., Castevet and Native formed a band, what would you think it would sound like? Some sort of mathy, poppy, abrasive goodness maybe? Well, I have come here to confess I had any preconceived notions about this band blown away after listening to the leadoff track for their upcoming EP We Better Get Goin' If We're Gonna.

Stay Ahead Of The Weather makes fucking amazing punk rock. Kind of poppy, incredibly catchy, infinitely awesome. Almost borderline pop-punk, if I dare say so myself. I'm almost so amazed by this song that I can't figure out how to describe it. This song instantly reminds me of driving around in the fall, with driving guitar melodies and soaring vocal lines back by a punching, sometimes quirky drum beat. It hooks so well that I have a feeling I'm going to be humming this for at least the rest of tonight.

Be sure to give it a few listens over at Alternative Press and let me know how you feel about it!
http://tiny.cc/i05ph0pvqr

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Single Serving: In Division - Underoath

With their new album dropping less than a month from now, Underoath decided to drop another song on us in the form of "In Division", which is the opening track to Ø (Disambiguation).

But before I get into my thoughts, just a small tangent on Underoath and their first album without former drummer Aaron Gillespie. I am not going to lie. I was glad to see Aaron move on to other things. Super nice dude, but Underoath was starting to use less and less of him anyways. His drumming was still there of course, but his singing was starting to sound more and more out of place in my opinion. The guy had other things on his plate, and regardless of what people say, being in more than one band is more difficult and stressful than musicians try to say it is/isn't. I certainly wouldn't want to be in a full-time band and have members off doing a bunch of other things that would prohibit the band from continuing on at full steam.

That being said, "In Division" slays. I find it balances nicely between a huge, yet brooding sound and the manic, drum-driven choruses. The clean vocals, whether it is Spencer or whoever, sound really nice and fit the vibe of this sound much nicer than Aaron's would have. New kit master Daniel Davidson (ex-Norma Jean) also makes his presence felt throughout the song, as most of us familiar with his work in Norma Jean would hope for. All in all, it is a nice progression from not only the last album, but from everything this band has done in the past, original members or not.

After hearing two tracks from this album, I can safely say November is going to be a stellar month for releases. I already know I'm not going to be disappointed by this release.

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Of Mice & Men - Of Mice & Men

Of Mice & Men
Of Mice & Men
Rise Records
C+





These days, Rise Records and post-hardcore bands still go hand and hand much like spaghetti and meatballs. Now I may be a vegetarian, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a bit of the breakdown littered fare of Of Mice & Men while eating noodles and marinara. Sure, we very well may see something completely different from this band if and when they decide to write another record after having almost the most member swaps this year (that award sadly goes to Dance Gavin Dance, sorry boys). But this self-titled, debut effort from (then) vocalist Austin Carlile and company is a guilty pleasure of breakdowns and somewhat memorable melodies that will more than satisfy your urge for post-hardcore.

Carlile wastes no time proving his worth as a vocalist, as “YDG” opens with a segue from a barrage of drums and guitars into Austin’s meaty screams. He might not stand out by much in this scene, but he is more than ample in his craft. Weaving this throughout the album with an occasional clean vocal line from guitarist/vocalist Shayley Bourget makes for a more palatable experience despite most of the shifts from scream to clean (or vice versa) are seen coming a mile away.

Musically, this band really isn’t doing anything to charter new territory. This is primarily a breakdown band, and you’ll hear it regardless of what track you listen to. However, you can’t deny that they are able to do it well enough and without much of a problem as they shift from breakdown to breakdown (and sometimes to another breakdown). Tracks like “Those In Glass Houses” and “They Don’t Call It The South For Nothing” showcase the ability for the band to somehow keep your interest even if they are over-recycling parts within songs. Toss in the occasional angular guitar lick, and it makes for enough to get by, even if it isn’t blowing your mind.

For what it's worth, even the fact this album doesn't jump right out at you won't stop it from being addicting. Carlile's punching vocals shine in spots where there isn't a whole lot going on musically, as many times the songwriting relies on him to keep the proceedings going. It also says something about simplicity in that the better breakdowns on this album (near the end of "They Don't Call It The South For Nothing" for example) are not overly rhythmic or complex, but just get the job done instead of trying to be fancy. These guys know what they are going for, and whether you want to admit it or not, it is just what people want to hear.

Of Mice & Men might just be another band in an oversaturated genre, but at the very least you can’t say they are doing something terrible to outright say they make terrible music. This is a band that proves ‘just well enough’ is something that is very provable when it comes to making music, and with the changes in band personnel we could very much see something totally different next time around. It could be worse though. They could be Attack Attack!

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The Great Explainer - The Way Things Swell

The Great Explainer
The Way Things Swell
Chunksaah Records
B+





Only four songs in length and produced by The Bouncing Souls’ Pete Steinkopf, The Way Things Swell is a doozy of an EP by punk rockers The Great Explainer. Anchored by ridiculously infectious melodies and raspy, yet demanding vocals, The Way Things Swell is a by-the-book reflection of bands like Hot Water Music and Small Brown Bike while keeping true to a sense of heightened realization in terms of how mature their sound already is when compared to the bands they are emulating throughout these four songs. This EP is a strong start with enough promise to almost guarantee this band has great things in their future.

Where many new bands, regardless of genre, seem to do their utmost to cater to the staples of their own genres in terms of structures and arrangements, The Great Explainer proves an ample ability to cater to a particular genre’s crowd without forcing things into place. This leaves us with plenty of smooth songwriting without losing the things that make punk rock of this nature great - huge sounds and great singalongs. “Quotas” features flowing fretwork underneath pleading vocals and a wall of sound created by the rest of the quartet, giving us plenty to fill our heads with even if the vocals are at a rest. The infectious buzzing during “I Finally Found My Dreamboat” makes a great foundation for the whirling melodies and driving drums, making it nearly impossible not to tap or toe or bob your head. Even the slower starting “Michael Jordan 666” doesn’t waiver in its use of melodies in the guitar tracks, as a solid, yet strong drum part helps drive this track forward.

The ying and yang effect of raspy and clean vocals between guitarists/vocalists Sean Bystrzycki and Matt Vaneekhoven creates a huge dynamic that will help distance this band from anyone else trying to drop themselves into the punk rock circuit. As “Quotas” shows us, Bystrzycki and Vaneekhoven can coexist on any passage this band can pen. And each sets the bar at an even level, eliminating the pesky problem of one vocalist in a set out-singing the other and leaving a weakness in the chain. You can really appreciate the balance of vocals between the two, as only having one of these vocalists in the mix would certainly cause a change in how this sound is carried out.

The Great Explainer certainly has a great start to their career with this release. It is hard to fathom that they have only this release under their belts, but believe me when I say I really think this band will be going upwards in the near future.

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Man Overboard - Real Talk

Man Overboard
Real Talk
Run For Cover Records
B





Defend pop-punk. This is the catchy, yet often argued mantra of New Jersey-based rockers Man Overboard. That mantra in mind, the band dropped their debut full-length Real Talk roughly a month earlier than expected due to some piracy woes, and having it playing through my headphones leaves me with some interesting questions. Is Man Overboard really defending pop-punk? Is Real Talk even a pop-punk record? Was does this all even mean to the pop-punk scene?

I will go as far as saying Man Overboard doesn’t quite embody the qualities of pop-punk in the ways bands like The Wonder Years or The Swellers. Sure, there are some great pop-punk tunes on this record, as the pogo-inducing “Al Sharpton”, the punching, yet gleeful “Parting Gift” or the lyrical heart-tugging titular opener prove. Yet, this album is more of a pop-rock (or dare I say powerpop?) gem than an album worth mentioning in the same breath as say The Upsides of Enemy Of The World.

Still, that doesn’t mean I’d be lying if I said Real Talk is a solid album. Between the infectious vocal melodies and solid boy versus girl lyricism, Man Overboard has a great foundation regardless of where on the genre sheet you’ll try to pin them. Whether it is guilty pleasure quality of “Fantasy Girl” or the outpouring words in “She’s Got Her Own Man Now”, you’ll have a hard time not wanting to learn the words to these tracks. Sure, it gets a bit whiny if your lyrical palate is above such topics, but this is a record about having honest fun while being honest about relationships, even if it gets a bit juvenile in the process. Not quite reinventing the wheel, but not necessarily burning it off the tread in the process.

Lying underneath said lyricism is a band aware of their pop tendencies as they meld into anything from crunching pop-punk to borderline Forever The Sickest Kids melodies. I feel guilty even listening to “Fantasy Girl” after hearing it compared to Cash Cash, but regardless of my internal guilt to enjoying a song so inherently powerpop, that song is ridiculously catchy.

There are a few bumps in the road though, as the occasional songwriting blips do sneak in during Real Talk. “She’s Got Her Own Man Now” waits about a verse or so too long to explode into anything more than muted guitars, repetitive lyrics and a simple drum beat. On top of that, the tunnel-vision focus on girl problems for most of the record might leave a bit of a sour taste in your mouth. Man Overboard isn’t always on the top of their game, but considering this is their first full-length, you can see where they can improve on their songwriting in the future.

So in a slightly cliched fashion, here’s some real talk for Real Talk. It’s good, but not quite up there considering where the bar has been set over the past year or so in the bands Man Overboard is starting to be associated with. Take note though, this is still a fun record worthy of spinning in any format, especially if you’ve got some pent up frustration towards an old girl/boy.

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The Felix Culpa - Sever Your Roots

The Felix Culpa
Sever Your Roots
Self-released
A





I personally think one of the most rewarding experiences as a music lover is to go to a show and hear a band for the first time and instantly fall in love with them. Thanks to a particular someone, I got my first taste of The Felix Culpa at this year’s Bled Fest, and I haven’t really looked back. Self-releasing Sever Your Roots early this year, it would be difficult to call it the best of the year back in January, but in August it still holds just as strong as the first time I heard it four months ago. With a bombastic chemistry of post-hardcore, progressive and indie-rock, The Felix Culpa gives a refreshingly brilliant performance that might form a need you can’t fix.

Whether it is the wandering melodies bleeding through the opening of “The Constant” or the gritty pulsing of “The First One To The Scene Of The Accident Always Gets Blood On Their Hands”, Sever Your Roots has a versatility within, and outside of, the indie-rock realm. Sometimes you’ll be caught up in the suspense of huge, wonderfully written movements backed by heart-tugging lyricism (“New Home Life”), where other times a focus on groove and suspense lead to mind-perplexing passages (“What You Call Thought Control, I Call Thought Control”, “The Constant”) where you can’t help but lend a toe to tap along.

On the flipside, The Felix Culpa display and flex an experimental muscle on par with perhaps Thrice or The Dear Hunter. It might be hard to pinpoint one song where this talent is best displayed, but even a journey through the six-minute long “Our Holy Ghosts” weaves us through a plethora of melodious fretwork, intense vocals and intricate, yet not overpowering drumming. That same drumming drives the up-and-down nature of “Escape To The Mountain, Lest Thou Be Consumed”, cozying up to time signatures of 5/4 and the like. It proves the intelligent nature of the music in that it challenges you to find a way to groove in ways other than bobbing your head on two and four.

It would be a shame to overlook an album this good, whether it was self-released or not. The Felix Culpa have set the bar high, not only for themselves, but for anyone in the indie-rock or progressive music realms. Do yourself, and this band, a huge favor and pick up what is one of the year’s best releases regardless of genre.

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Lil' Wayne - Rebirth

Lil’ Wayne
Rebirth
Cash Money Records
D+





I loved Tha Carter III. I may not be a hip-hop know-it-all, but in terms of where that record stands compared to some of the rap that is making it to radio these days, Lil’ Wayne cemented himself as a current pillar of the genre with that record. Problem with that statement is in what would be considered his followup, Rebirth, Wayne takes a huge gamble by mixing in heavy amounts of rock elements to his tracks and creates a record that is confusing as much as it is disappointing.

The story goes that Wayne wanted to create a ‘rock album’, and in the process had the album pushed back so many times (for whatever reason) that some thought it would never see the light of day. But for as much of a good intention he had in infusing rock into his arsenal, the poorly written arrangements leave for nothing to back Wayne’s uncharacteristically bland lyricism. Whether it be the flat opener “American Star” or the single “Prom Queen”, you’ll hear that the guitars and drums take a very laid back approach to create mostly minimal beats and melodies. This might work on straight rap records, but if you are going to use electric guitars and live drums to anchor your sound, you simply can’t have bare bones background sound.

That being said, when the melodies actually pick up in later tracks, Wayne just sounds out of place trying to rap on top of them. Just listen to “The Price Is Wrong”. Rebirth later channels pop-rock and even reggae-rock in the style of Sublime for the disturbingly unflattering tracks. It really is this simple - the tracks kill any chance for us to take Wayne’s rapping seriously, whether or not he is on par with his earlier releases. Throw in some unneeded use of auto-tune/vocoder throughout the record and an ambiguous channelling of the 1980s electropop in “On Fire”, and you’ll almost want to forget this album exists.

Strangely, the best track of the disc barely features any of the elements boasted on the tracks surrounding it. Wayne and Eminem team up for “Drop The World”, which harkens the feel of a more electronic-based melody, and absolutely kill it. This track gives an ample opportunity for both of them to deliver solid verses without the distraction of trying to fit into a genre not meant for good rappers. “Runnin’” delivers in a similar manner, showing us how this album could have worked if it weren’t so dependent on being a rock record.

After wrapping this album with the completely ludicrous sounding “The Price Is Wrong”, Lil’ Wayne will leave you with a tough pill to swallow. It is without a doubt the weakest release he has put out. Was the idea too ambitious? No. Was the idea approached the wrong way? Probably. Did focusing too much on the rock aspects leave the lyrical aspects weaker than they should have been? Also possible. If anything, Wayne has a lot to prove when I’m Not A Human Being drops later this month, and possibly even more to live up to whenever Tha Carter IV drops.

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Solar Bear - Captains of Industry EP

Solar Bear
Captains Of Industry EP
Self-released
B+





Colorado has always been a place that has lent its share of post-hardcore pathmakers to the underground music scene. Whether it was the bombastic sounds of Fear Before or Planes Mistaken For Stars, the Mile High City and its surrounding areas have been like a diamond in the rough for heavy, yet challenging musical projects. Hence, I am not surprised at all by the locale of Solar Bear, a band whose crunching guitars and ripping vocals are reminiscent of Fear Before in their younger days. Yet, they don’t completely live in the shadow of their predecessors, as Solar Bear pays fine tribute to their heritage by tying together thoughtful, yet accessible post-hardcore with flourishes of oftentimes otherworldly melodies.

What makes this EP impressive is Solar Bear’s capability to seamlessly evolve as their arrangements progress without needing to make it feel like it was forcefully pieced together. “Endless Choir” harkens a weaving attack backed by barking vocals and forward-thinking drums, all while swinging the tempo and timbre up and down throughout the song’s five-minute plus running time. This sounds like a challenge, but in reality, Solar Bear do these songwriting acrobatics without causing too much of a stir to the proceedings. Likewise, “Mr. Iconoclastic vs. The Captains Of Industry” flips a funky intro into a fret-noodling adventure that makes for a perfect backdrop to the buzzing vocals. The weird thing is that in many cases you’ll find yourself humming or singing along to a track anchored in scratchy vocals and quirky melodies – something you might have otherwise thought wasn’t possible.

However, not everything on this EP is built on shredding guitars and blasting drums. Closer “Good For Nothing Misfit Mothers” opens as a slow-motion journey in 3/4, hinging on a funky drum beat and minimal guitar melodies to start out. As it moves on, the track explodes into a wall of sound without losing out on the buildup of drums laced with moving guitar work. Solar Bear eventually leads itself back to the chunky post-hardcore they build their sound upon, but it is these brief tangents that make the usual passages of musical uncertainty even more rewarding.

Solar Bear is a band you’ll want to keep your ear (and eyes) on in the future. And given the immense amount of promise built from this EP, you’ll be sure to be seeing them soon if you aren’t.

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The Devil Wears Prada - Zombie EP

The Devil Wears Prada
Zombie EP
Ferret
A-





Concept albums are usually hit or miss. Sometimes they have an intricate storyline that beckons an intense following over the story (Coheed & Cambria), while other times the concept isn’t quite as firm, yet it expands across a common ground (Horse The Band). Zombie EP certainly falls into the latter, pushing The Devil Wears Prada into undeniably heavier territory than even their previous full-length With Roots Above And Branches Below without sacrificing any of their songwriting muscle in the process. In its short running time, this EP only continues to build the resume of one of the heaviest hitters in metalcore today.

From the opening fury of “Escape”, you’ll find this is not only a heavier sound for the band, but a faster one at that. The song peaks at a moment where crunching guitars, bellowing vocals and air-raid sirens make one of the more potent breakdowns of the disc. Lead single “Outnumbered” gets your juices flowing with an unrelenting rhythmic assault, matching the intensity across the board with fluid drumming and deep growls. The odd track of the bunch, closer “Survive” sludges in mid-tempo territory with more of a focus on atmosphere and tension, making it a wonderful closer. In any case, you truly feel like you are outrunning and decimating the undead while jamming this disc.

Lyrically, the songs pretty much follow their titles as it outlines the stages of the zombie apocalypse. While it might rub off as too straightforward in terms of telling us the story, it certainly gets the concept across without being overly cheesy. You can’t deny the band planned out the presentation of this EP thoroughly, as they add in interesting sound effect quirks (sirens, chainsaw, gunshots, emergency transmission) to aid in the flow from track to track. They even had a comic book to go along with the EP.

In all honesty, the only complaint you’ll hear from me on this album is in the length. Sure, it might have been difficult to push this into full-length territory, but an extra song or two wouldn’t have hurt. Even with toned down melodies and more of a focus on flat-out br00t4l breakdowns, this EP is sure to keep you on your toes – even if you aren’t outrunning zombies.

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Emarosa - Emarosa

Emarosa
Emarosa
Rise Records
D+





Don’t kid yourself. To even consider that Emarosa took some sort of step forward in their second full-length since adding scene king Jonny Craig is a joke. Everything about Relativity that you loved - the often progressive nature of the arrangements, the tactful and often delicate songwriting and yes, even Craig’s well-fitting croon - have somehow vanished, save for Craig’s voice. Instead of building on what made Relativity a great album, Emarosa toned down most of the musical wizardry and essentially stuck themselves on repeat for nearly every song. As much of a disappointment as it is a surprise, Emarosa simply just doesn’t cut it this time around.

I find it quite interesting that Emarosa would start off with a vocal solo, mostly due to the fact it seems like Jonny has taken over the direction of this band since the writing and releasing Relativity. I would be perfectly fine with his voice being the spotlight of this album if the music behind it was enticing enough to keep my interest when I get sick of Jonny’s Mariah Carey impersonations. But in pretty much every track, we get toned down guitar parts and less intricacy in the drums. All of those punching impact points in songs like “What’s A Clock Without The Batteries?” and “Set It Off Like Napalm” are really nowhere to be found on this album. The end result? Repetitive, droning arrangements that end up teetering on the edge of complete boredom. Not one track can measure up to what was put out on Relativity. I’d rather they just re-recorded This Is Your Way Out with Craig’s vocals.

As far as I’m concerned, this album might wrangle in some unsuspecting listeners with a more accessible sound, but any artistic worth Emarosa had built for themselves in the past two years is gone. Maybe now that Jonny Craig is back in Dance Gavin Dance, the guys will sense up and write some decent music in all the downtime they are going to have.

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3OH!3 - Streets of Gold

3OH!3
Streets of Gold
Photo Finish/Atlantic
C+




After Want being a guilty pleasure of mine for the past year or so, I had high hopes for whether or not 3OH!3 could somehow deliver on the hype created by the huge following Want had created for them. The verdict? While most of the tongue-in-cheek humor is still intact, the boys in 3OH!3 opted to go for a slower feel on this album as a whole, making it slightly less catchy and riddling it with uncharacteristically bad lyricism in the process.

Streets of Gold is in many ways the older brother to Want. While stylistically much of what made this duo appealable to the masses is still there, it really is just presented in a different way. Right off the bat, “I Can Do Anything” blends often juvenile humor with a dramatically slower and less busy background arrangement. This is the recipe seemingly followed by most of this record. And while stripping down your sound might work for other rappers, 3OH!3 just doesn’t pack the same punch with a simpler approach to beats, lyrics and hooks. Tracks like “House Party” and “We Are Young” prove to be prime examples of misses on this album. Sure, the boys weave in a bit of humorously catchy words to beckon the ears of those with a similar humor palate, but in many cases the words are just not there to keep us interested.

Oddly though, lead single “My First Kiss”, featuring Ke$ha, shines moments of indisputable infectiousness despite any dislike for said musical guest. And in many cases, the approach of opening things up in terms of sounds ends up paying off. A chill vibe actually enhances the impact of “I Can Do Anything” and the admittedly out-of-nowhere “Double Vision”. Streets of Gold isn’t a complete flub, as there are still moments of solid party-inducing pop-hop here.

The short version of my reaction to this record is that while it is certainly a letdown and arguably a side-step for 3OH!3, ending their ride of popularity in slow, drawn out style. Sometimes you evolve and it works out, but sometimes evolving just isn’t the right thing to do.

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Attack Attack! - Attack Attack!

Attack Attack!
Attack Attack!
Rise Records
June 8, 2010
C-




We know who they are. They can’t seem to get mentioned in a story without a mention of Austin Carlile or “Stick Stickly”, but they’re still going somehow. For better or worse, Attack Attack! is back with their second full-length, an appropriate self-titled one to be more specific. Yes, the mind-perplexing (for some) combination of metalcore and electronica into a mix of breakdowns and party moments has returned for a second helping on Rise Records. In many ways, things haven’t changed for the better, but at least the parts are starting to fall in place for better output in the future.

The biggest problem of Attack Attack! is the complete lack of direction throughout this album. One moment the band is tapping metalcore to the tune of drop-B for some very Emmure sounding breakdowns (“Renob, Nevada”, ”AC-130”), then the next track they are mimicking Cobra Starship (“Shut Your Mouth") or a guitar-heavy Brokencyde (“Fumbles ‘O Brian”). In reality, the electronica influences during certain parts of this album could work out to be a heavier version of Enter Shikari if the band had the writing chops and drive to be serious about their craft. Instead, we end up with an album chock full of mediocrity and a whole lot of woulda, coulda and shoulda.

There are a few decent things to cherish from this record. Keyboardist/vocalist Caleb Shomo has a goliath of a voice for a screamer, putting a nice cap on the heavier sections and breakdowns of the tracks. In a similar vein, the shying away from always doing breakdowns during said parts, as seen in small spurts of this album, will help this band harness the electronic sounds they seem so intent on including in their arrangements.

Sure, the guys in Attack Attack! have a ways to go before they can truly be something worthwhile in the realm of heavy music. If they can get their ducks in a row and solidify their electronic influences into a coherent experience, Attack Attack! might just be onto something legitimate. Until then guys, expect to just be known as the band that did “Stick Stickly”.

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