The Top 10 Albums of 2012 - Part I

      With under three days left in the year, it's time to look back on music and see who brought their all this year. Having finished my complete year in review, it's time to start the countdown for the top ten albums of 2012! For this, I had a different idea - instead of a classic list, I created ten categories - three of which were (kinda) copouts - and we're going to fill each one.
       Part two will come out next week - sorry for the delay. The holidays are a difficult time to update.


      1. Best Debut
             Contestants: Hands Like Houses (Ground Dweller), Glass Cloud (The Royal Thousand), Art By Numbers (Reticence: The Musical), Obey the Brave (Young Blood), Skip the Foreplay (Nightlife)

              I made the list of contestants, and didn't even notice Issues wasn't in it until after I'd started writing. Well, in any case, this was a really hard choice to make - all of the bands on the list have put out some class A material this year, and, understandably, remain on the DL as far as popularity is concerned. But, in the long run, one artist has shone out among the pack - Glass Cloud's innovation and unabashed brutality, their willingness to experiment, the musical skill every band member has, and their frenetic live energy (chickenfight mosh pits, anyone?) cement them firmly ahead of the pack. I am eagerly awaiting what the band has for us in the coming years.
          That being said, as far as debuts go, I have to thank one of my favorite new bands Hands Like Houses for managing to make Risecore interesting again - the band is a beautiful reminder of how far you can get without screams and breakdowns.
         
             Winner: Glass Cloud (The Royal Thousand)

                           

             Runner-up: Hands Like Houses (Ground Dweller)            
 
      2. Best Continuation
             Contestants: As I Lay Dying (Awakened), The Chariot (One Wing), The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (Danza IIII), Converge (All We Love We Leave Behind), Passion Pit (Gossamer), Whitechapel (Whitechapel), Veil of Maya (Eclipse), Every Time I Die (Ex-Lives), Parkway Drive (Atlas)

             As is wont to happen, many other bands continued their careers with new releases this year, making this the largest category on the list so far. I want to be abundantly clear that I love each and every album on that list very much - every one has shaped my tastes and been played too many times on my iPod. That being said, which one had the best year musically?  After much deliberation, I have to side with everyone else saying the new Tony Danza is one of the best releases of the year - ironically enough, it's also a finale. However, giving Josh Travis two marks on this timeline is something I believe shouldn't happen, so instead, let's give Danza a conjoint spot with what I consider its tie - Converge's All We Love We Leave Behind. Both albums are as blisteringly technical as they are frantic - the latter fully embodies the spirit of a time long gone, and both are trailblazers unfettered by the boundaries of genres and other such nonsense. Two incredible albums, two incredible bands.

          Winner(s): The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza (Danza IIII: The Alpha/The Omega), Converge (All We Love We Leave Behind)

           
      3. Most Improved
               Contestants: Whitechapel (Whitechapel), Motionless in White (Infamous), The Word Alive (Life Cycles), Pierce the Veil (Collide with the Sky)  Woe Is Me (Genesi[s]), Lamb of God (Resolution), Emmure (Slave to the Game)

           Improvement is a hard thing to measure - one person's step forward is another person's step back. Thus, it's very likely people are going to disagree with me on this one, but I ask you to try and understand that I think each of these bands has stepped up their game. The real question then becomes which one has done so the most?
           Well, it took a while to grow on me, but I have to hand it to Pierce the Veil - Collide with the Sky is quite possibly the band's best album to date. To anyone who disagrees - listen to 'Stained Glass Eyes and Colorful Tears' and compare to 'the Boy Who Could Fly' (Selfish Machines' strongest suite). Literally everything has improved - the vocals, the drumwork, the lyrics, everything has become so much more legit and emotional that it's hard to believe.
            As far as a runner-up goes, I do believe Lamb of God deserves a medal for the willingness to experiment they brought to Resolution. Previous releases were repetitive at best and boring at worst - sometimes even using the same key the whole time. Resolution promptly threw that style out the window and pursued a new - and ultimately far more engaging - sound.

          Winner: Pierce the Veil (Collide with the Sky)

         Runner-up:  Lamb of God (Resolution)  



      4. Best Album: Deathcore
         Contestants: The Acacia Strain (Death is the Only Mortal), Whitechapel (Whitechapel), Emmure (Slave to the Game), Upon a Burning Body (Red. White. Green.), Veil of Maya (Eclipse)

          2012 was, without a doubt, a deathcore year - just as 2011 had releases from all of metalcore's big name bands, so did this year feature new records from my trifecta of deathcore awesomeness: Whitechapel, Emmure, and the Acacia Strain. It's truly interesting to think back to the start of the year, when I still couldn't stand deathcore and avoided Whitechapel like the plague. My, how the times change.
         But, even so, which album brought the brutal and had the most bone-crunching breakdowns of 2012? This is an easy one - the Acacia Strain have a habit for incredible albums that certainly didn't stop this year. Death is the Only Mortal is a beast of an album. From Vincent Bennett's piercing 'Behold the hydra!' on 'Doomblade' to the soul-melting crunch of 'House of Abandon', Death is the Only Mortal lives past its dubiously serious name and delivers a furious musical attack.
         Upon a Burning Body also deserve mentioning - by marrying two unlikely styles (Latin and metal), the crew from San Antonio also managed to create one hell of a listen - combine catchy riffs with lyrics that sound like a drinking song (yes, I'm thinking of 'Texas Blood Money') and you get some of the most fun I've had at a concert ever. Check these guys out - they won't disappoint.

      Winner: The Acacia Strain (Death is the Only Mortal)
        

 

          Runner-up: Upon a Burning Body (Red. White. Green.)

     
      5. Best Album: Metalcore
          Contestants:  Texas in July (Texas in July), As I Lay Dying (Awakened), Every Time I Die (Ex-Lives), Parkway Drive (Atlas), Attack Attack! (This Means War), The Word Alive (Life Cycles)

          Metalcore had a slower year in 2012, as all of the bigs in the scene had already released records last year - The Devil Wears Prada, We Came as Romans, and August Burns Red to name a few. Nevertheless, we still had a solid - if Risecore-studded - run in 2012. The trouble namely came from the fact that the homogenization of the genre continued notably this year - listen to Miss May I and Memphis May Fire and tell me they don't sound pretty similar. But, in any case, there was still plenty of great albums to those who looked a little farther. Namely, Parkway Drive returned to the forefront of the scene with their catchiest release yet. Atlas takes the sound of Deep Blue and plays with metal elements to create a spellbinding listen - chorus vocals on 'Wild Eyes' and a clean introduction on 'the River' spring to mind. I am unashamed to say that this album is what finally got me into metalcore's flagship band of Australians.
          A release from a similarly legendary band came in the form of Awakened, as As I Lay Dying honed the style they'd begun with The Powerless Rise. The result was a distinct album that nevertheless was comfortingly familiar. Far from unoriginal, Awakened runs the dearth of scathing solos, piercing cleans, and tight riffs that AILD always loves, but there was something truly fascinating about this album that I haven't heard yet in an AILD album.

       Winner: Parkway Drive (Atlas)

              
            Runner-up: As I Lay Dying (Awakened)

           That is all for right now - working with bus internet is getting too frustrating for me to make any headway. Have a great new year, and I'll see you guys next week.

Playlist of the Week - Week of 12/23: Goofiness

         I'm on the bus to Philadelphia right now, so my internet is spotty, but I will be attempting to do my top 10 as best I can. For now, here's a playlist. Have a great new year!

        1. Skip the Foreplay - Champagne Showers (LMFAO Cover)
        2. The Devil Wears Prada - Sassafras
        3. Every Time I Die - Partying is Such Sweet Sorrow
        4. Letlive - Homeless Jazz
        5. Enter Shikari - Solidarity
        6. Bring Me the Horizon - The Comedown
        7. Alexisonfire - Heading for the Sun

      As usual, you can find the playlist here. Happy listening!

Have a great Christmas!

       It's that time of year again! Spike your eggnog and blast some Sleddin' Hill!

           
         In all actuality, merry Christmas, and happy holidays (Chrismuhannukwanzikah) to all! It's been one hell of a year, y'all and here's to an even better 2013!
         I'm out until Friday. Go eat too much and open some presents!

Year in Review - The Releases of 2012 (September - December)

    And we're back. Finals are done, I'm heading home soon, and it's been snowing hard for a few days. Everything is perfect - let's round this countdown off! After Christmas, I'll compile my own list of the year's top 10 albums.



1. The Chariot - One Wing

      The Chariot represent a raw, organic side to metalcore that, at this point, has pretty much been completely forgotten - living on in the forms of Every Time I Die and Dillinger Escape Plan. Yet unlike either band, The Chariot have always maintained a mostly underground following, never quite achieving the (relatively) mainstream fame of their compatriots - even though frontman Josh Scogin was featured on the last Bring Me the Horizon record. But for better or for worse, the band released their "weirdest" album yet in the form of August's One Wing. The record continues the band's penchant for an abrasive music lacking in both melody and order, but kicks the disorder up a notch - the breakdown on 'Not' reminds me of Option Paralysis era Dillinger, mixing in Scogin's signature uncleans with cleans and a few seconds of spoken word. Then, followup song 'Your' begins with an organ (yes, an organ) and a lullably-esque melody. It's a highly arresting transition that's only temporary - the band returns to its former heaviness within thirty seconds. That being said, it's the fact that this chaos persists for the entire album that makes One Wing so unique. Every song is distinct if only because of how often the instrumentals switch up - and it's awesome every step of the way.

2. Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud

       I'm going to be very forward here: I love Devin Townsend. Not just because he fronted Strapping Young Lad, the band that got me into modern metal in the first place, but because the man consistently toes the line between the absurd and the interesting, keeping me on my feet with every new release. His fifteenth studio album Epicloud is no exception - beginning with what sounds like a Southern church choir on 'Effervescent!', the album, which Townsend himself described as having a more 'commercial' sound, simultaneously conjures up images of 80s hair and a heavier, rougher metal. This is prog that hasn't forgotten its roots - and while it's difficult to call the sound of 'Liberation' progressive, there's a certain charm Townsend brings to all of his songs that makes them so goddamn fun.

3. As I Lay Dying - Awakened

      As I Lay Dying are a thriving vestige of what metalcore used to be. In a time before chugs and breakdowns, before scenegirls ruled the world by throwing money at worthless bands, metalcore truly was the amalgamation of metal brutality and hardcore fury. As I Lay Dying's masterful fusion of the genres is once again apparent in their September release of Awakened. To be honest, this album took a while to grow on me - I couldn't quite get into the band's new style, which I continuously thought was a step down from 2010's The Powerless Rise, one of the albums that got me into metalcore in the first place. Nevertheless, multiple listens later, it became apparent to me that Awakened isn't Powerless - it's something even more impressive. From the opening scream on 'Cauterize' to the tight segue of 'My Own Home', Awakened is an audible tour de force that shows the band's continuing evolution - and the fact that As I Lay Dying continue to be one of the cornerstones of modern metalcore.

4. The Acacia Strain - Death is the Only Mortal

      Continuing Massachusetts' penchant for blistering, merciless hardcore, the Acacia Strain returned as kings of deathcore in October this year with Death is the Only Mortal. Maximizing the simplicity and sheer fury that they'd begun to experiment with on earlier albums, this record represents the band's first foray at displaying their misanthropy not with mindless violence, but with a philosophical look into why they're so pissed off. 'Victims of the Cave' laments the pointlessness of human existence ('There is no end/there is only pretend') by referencing Plato's Allegory of the Cave with a bone-crunching rhythm to complement, while 'Time and Death and God' is Vincent Bennett's attempt at ranting about the 'falseness of reality' - complete with an eerie, two-minute clean break. There's a lot of good ideas on this record - the lack of breakdowns and doom-influences are particularly delicious, and lyrically, this is the best Strain album yet. Check it out, this one is well worth your money.

5. Texas in July - Texas in July

           Genre evolutions are an interesting thing to watch. Obviously things change - there's a reason hardcore today sounds like Lionheart and not like Suicidal Tendencies or Earth Crisis. Bands integrate the sound of their influences with their own ideas - that is the natural progression of things. However, what makes Pennsylvania's Texas in July so unique is the fact that they're so directly influenced by August Burns Red - that a band as young as ABR can already be spawning a mini genre of imitators. But this is already happening - Asking Alexandria have already created a new generation of shitty metalcore in the form of Capture the Crown - and is a great indication of music's eternal evolution. Texas in July's self-titled album was released during a triple-feature day in October, with the Acacia Strain's Death is the Only Mortal and August Burns Red's holiday album Sleddin' Hill (see below), so it was perhaps destined to be sidelined. That being said, considering the complete mediocrity of their previous release One Reality, the self-titled album is a comeback of epic proportions - a return to a form of ABR-esque metalcore that, while derivative, is nevertheless distinct from the mighty Lancaster quintet. Instrumentals aren't quite as chaotic as ABR, but this album overall is a catchy, fun little metalcore romp with some interesting guest stars (David Stephens of We Came as Romans and Matt Greiner from ABR, to name a few). It's definitely an improvement, but there's still a ways to go.

6. August Burns Red - Sleddin' Hill: A Holiday Album 

        It's no secret that August Burns Red loves Christmas. Every year for a while now, they've been releasing holiday singles - their cover of 'Carol of the Bells', one of their first, went on to mainstream fame as a heavy Christmas song. This year, the band decided to go the extra mile and release a holiday album. While it's instrumental (you won't be hearing Jake Luhrs bellowing 'FROSTY THE SNOWMAN!'), Sleddin' Hill nevertheless manages to encapsulate the frenetic energy of an ABR show with a silly little twinge of classic Christmas songs - it's a fun ride from start to finish that I waited to listen to until December so that the mood could be perfect. The album also features some original compositions - and it's in here, particularly in 'Flurries', that the band's post-rock influences shine through. Like all ABR releases, this is a solid A+ work that will most certainly tide us over until they release their new album next year.

7. Three Days Grace - Transit of Venus

            To be completely honest, I didn't know this band was still around after Life Starts Now. I was a Three Days Grace fan through and through in high school, but pretty much dropped them after I discovered Avenged Sevenfold and entered into metal. In any case, the Canadian rock outfit released an album called Transit of Venus to commemorate the astronomical event earlier this year. Transit of Venus is definitely an evolution for the better - the cringe-worthy days of 'Never too Late' and other TDG songs are without a doubt over. While, instrumentally, the band is still incredibly simplistic, there's a definite pull towards the more experimental side of things. It doesn't completely succeed - parts of it sound like 30 Seconds to Mars in a not so good way, but TDG still revolves around the vocals of Adam Gontier, which are as solid as ever. Transit of Venus is a great album to blast when you're drunk at 2am and don't care who hears, but otherwise you might want to keep your headphones in - the lyrics are definitely an improvement, but are far from the best.

8. The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - Danza IIII : The Alpha/The Omega

       Bittersweet news came this fall from the extreme metal outfit The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - the insane duo would be parting ways to pursue different projects, as Josh Travis decided to fully commit to Glass Cloud. However, as a parting gift, the band left us one last ode to chaos in the form of Danza IIII (yes, IIII, not IV). To be completely honest, The Alpha/The Omega is as much of going out with a bang as anything I've ever seen - no punches are pulled, no quarter is given. Josh Travis' mastery of the 8-string and Jessie Freeland's dynamic range are unleashed to their full potential to give an album that, while more ordered than previous Danza albums, is still one of the most goddamn heavy things I've ever heard. In particular, the title track 'The Alpha/The Omega' features guest vocals from Phil Bozeman and Alex Erian - the former of which drops some of the most insane pig squeals I've ever seen. There's an almost symphonic quality to most of the songs on this album - and if the reverberating guitars and plethora of squealies don't get your heart racing, you might very well be dead.

9. Converge - All We Love We Leave Behind

           Seminal Massachusetts metalcore band Converge, the masterminds behind 2009's epic Axe to Fall, released their new record All We Love We Leave Behind this fall. Across the board, All We Love has accrued praise and acclaim from every review aggregate - Metalsucks, AP, Pitchfork...you name it, they loved it. Understandably, this is a monster of an album that goes above and beyond what we've come to expect from Metalcore as Converge continues to blaze their own trail, unfettered by the degradation of hardcore that goes on all around them. The title track 'Aimless Arrow' is as chaotic as it is melodic - the arrhythmic drums somehow manage to play off the tight twists and turns of the guitar. It's awe-inspiring until you realize you have forty five minutes left, and then it just becomes incredible. That's not to say the album doesn't have its moments of airiness - the title track 'All We Love We Leave Behind' begins with an intense riff before, as usual exploding into Converge's trademark frenzy. All We Love We Leave Behind is, understandably, one of the year's most praised albums. Pick this album up, it will not disappoint.

10. Various Artists - Punk Goes Pop 5

         While Fearless Records might be infamous for being a slightly more unknown form of Rise Records, they're also infamous for putting out their collection of metalcore-covered pop songs every year. This year was no exception - bands from Memphis May Fire to Breathe Carolina are featured this time around, and while most of the covers fall flat, a few are actually quite interesting. Surprisingly enough, has-beens Mayday Parade put out the record's strongest suite - a cover of 'Somebody That I Used To Know' (originally by Gotye). Considering how much I hated the original, the band's surprisingly original take on the song is anything but weak. But the cover that deserves perhaps the most attention is the Word Alive's cover of Kanye's 'Mercy'. Again, I hate Kanye as much as the next metalhead, but damned if the Word Alive didn't go hard as hell on this cover. 

11. Deftones - Koi No Yokan 

       Deftones, at this point, are one of those bands in metal everyone knows and loves seemingly despite the fact that their time should have come a long time ago. The band's style, which incorporates a healthy amount of nu-metal elements, should have by all means faded into obscurity with the rest of the movement. Yet, without a doubt, the band persists, even thrives. Koi No Yokan marks the band's second album without bassist Chi Cheng, who continues to recover from a terrible car accident in 2008. Even without Cheng, Koi No Yokan, serves up a healthy dash of variety in the form of fifty-minutes of original metal. Airy, yet intense 'Romantic Dreams' had me nodding my head the first time listening through. Deftones, for me, has always been killer ambient music, and the trend continues with this record.

12. Parkway Drive - Atlas 

        Parkway Drive are one of those big-name bands I could never quite get into. Every fan of metalcore out there seems to have a soft spot for these Australians, but try as I might I just couldn't make myself listen to much of what they'd done. Granted, I can appreciate the fact that their previous work is good, good stuff - 'Carrion' is one of the most perfect metalcore songs I can think of, but PWD remained off my ideal listening material for years. Then along came an album called Atlas - a record that, at first, seemed to be an environmental album - perhaps a throwback to the vegan hardcore of the 90s? Probably not - but that rapidly evolved into a form of PWD I could very easily get behind. Atlas, without a doubt, is the band's most incredible release so far - every breakdown is more intense, every riff is tighter, every clean break more emotional. From the mosh call of 'Swing, swing, motherfucker!' on the aptly titled 'Swing' to the introductory track 'Sparks'' melancholic melody, Atlas pulls no punches. I've been listening to this album for weeks, and can't quite get it out of my head.

13. Motionless in White - Infamous

       And now a late return to some Warped silliness. Pennsylvania corpse paint aficionados Motionless in White were one of the tour's headliners this past summer - a fact that probably fueled frontman Chris Motionless' ego to unfoundedly silly levels as he proceeded to compare himself to Jesus and release tank tops with his face on them. In any case, the band released an incredibly hyped up record in late November (pushed back from October probably to prevent competition with the Acacia Strain and Parkway Drive) entitled Infamous. In a word, this record is Marilyn Manson 2.0, but with even more preachiness and cheese (and this is Marilyn Manson we're comparing ourselves to). 'Hatefuck' (which is a hilarious title, by the way) is the band's take on 'SAINT', and cameos by Vampires Everywhere's vocalist on 'A-M-E-R-I-C-A' certainly don't help the image. That being said, Infamous has its moments - the introductory track 'Black Damask (The Fog)' continues the band's penchant for simultaneously piercingly personal and angry lyrics, but overall this record takes the band in a direction that is probably not going to help it. 

14. Woe, Is Me - Genesi[s]
         For those unfamiliar with the drama surrounding the next two bands on this list, I refer you to a post I made about a month ago. TL;DR Rise is trying to get as much money out of this 'rivalry' as possible by constantly pitting both bands against each other and making both new releases as inflammatory against the other as possible.

          But what about the music - is Genesi[s] an irreversible walk into Risecore from which we might never see Number[s]-type music again? Well...yes, and no. Woe, Is Me have always been one of the biggest proponents of electronic effects in metalcore - a trend that has pretty much only lead to derision and namecalling at this 'perversion' of hardcore. However, as their innovation turns mundane, WIM have nevertheless made a bit of a comeback. While breakdowns and dubstep effects remain part of the menu, they are a bit more subdued - it's not like listening to a synth with a screamer attached. Instead, the band has taken on a sound that's reminiscent of another Rise innovator - Like Moths to Flames. Djent elements might not be the most original thing on the scene, but it's certainly better than hip-hop (see below). All in all, give Genesi[s] a try. Even though most songs are attacks on Issues, it's easy to forget that and gloss over. It's Rise - you're not meant to take it seriously.
       

15. Issues - Black Diamonds EP 

         Fuck this band. Hip-hop and metal do not mix. Stop trying.







While I hate to leave on that note, Issues was one of the last releases of the year.  From Idiot in Remission to you, have a great holiday season - stay warm, stay safe, stay metal.

 \m/

Playlist of the Week - Week of 12/17: Home for the Holidays

    Welcome to another iteration of playlist of the week - sorry for the delay in getting this out. Finals took their toll on my sanity, and I barely had time to do my weekly countdown in addition to study. But, in any case, I'm back home with nary a care in the world for a few weeks. It is simultaneously blissful and gratingly boring.

                1. Chiodos - Hey Zeus! The Dungeon
                2. Trivium - Contempt Breeds Contamination
                3. Every Time I Die - Bored Stiff (Probably my favorite ETID one-liner ever)
                4. Pierce the Veil - Hold on 'Til May               
                5. The Black Dahlia Murder - Statutory Ape
                6. The Devil Wears Prada - My Questions
                7. Parkway Drive - Swing

      You can find the playlist, as usual, here. Happy listening!

The First Singles of 2013 Are In!

       Now that the end of the world has passed, in all of its 'not really' glory, what promises to be a big-name release year for numerous bands has officially begun. August Burns Red are, predictably, back in the studio, as are the Dillinger Escape Plan. Hatebreed and Asking Alexandria (God I never thought I'd say those two at the same time) both have releases slated for January. But this past week, we've had two big-name bands release singles - both are departures from previous styles, and both are awesome.

       Firstly, Florida's pop-punk A Day to Remember released their new single from the upcoming album Common Courtesy. The new single, 'Violence [Enough is Enough]' is a departure from the pop-studded fields of 2010's What Separates Me From You, and a return to the sick, pulse-pounding fury and energy of Homesick and For Those Who Have Heart - complete with a massive breakdown at the end and a catchy riff all throughout - this is ADTR as we'd hoped they'd change. All bets are out on whether or not this new style will persist for the rest of Common Courtesy, but I really do have to say that 'Violence' is one of their heaviest songs ever; yes, I'd put it up there with 'Mr. Highway' from Homesick. To summarize, 'Violence' is a ridiculous song. Listen to it here.

      Secondly, We Came as Romans released a new single entitled 'Let These Words Last Forever'. Interestingly enough, the band has kept quiet about a new album - this single fell out of the sky as far as anyone was concerned. Like 'Violence', this is without a doubt a scene song. The melodic instrumentals, the high-pitched vocals, everything screams scenefolk louder than Warped Tour. And, while I do like this song, I feel like 'Words' is a step down from 2011's Understanding What We've Grown to Be. Laudably, clean vocalist Kyle Pavone's voice has never sounded better - there's almost no autotune present during the song, making listening to it a new experience as the band is as organic as they've ever been. On the other hand, while the song features WCAR's penchant for uplifting lyrics, they're almost cliche in their positivity this time. Previous songs had some sort of motif - 'Words' is pure 'be happy'! And while I do like the instrumentals, the drop in lyrical quality isn't the nicest change I can see. You can listen to 'Let These Words Last Forever' here.

Year in Review - The Releases of 2012 (May-August) PART II

           I think I'm going to shift my original plan to look at the year in quarters to in thirds, because god-DAMN this summer had a lot of releases.  In any case, here is the second part of the summer musical repertoire. With Warped (mostly) behind us, the remainder of the summer was filled with a plethora of varied releases. The worst is done - Abandon All Ships' summer release Infamous was covered last week, so let's hop right on in.

10. The Contortionist - Intrinsic

          Bringing their own sound to progressive metal - one that, namely, isn't afraid to go 'soft' with nebulous guitar portions, Indiana's the Contortionist returned with their second studio album in July with Intrinsic - an almost chill, progg-y romp that, while it might be a lot more subdued than Veil of Maya, is nevertheless some of the BEST studying music I've ever heard. In a way, Intrinsic doesn't sound like metal - there is distortion here and there, but the entire album has a mythical, airy feel to it (and the xylophones on 'Feedback Loop' certainly add to it). But that's not to say it's all synths and clean guitars - 'Causality' is a rhythmic, distorted mosh pit of a song, but even that's temporary. Bottom line: Intrinsic is a great example that not all metal is the same, and as I've said before, putting it on in the library is a great way to focus.

11. Passion Pit - Gossamer

       Passion Pit as a band are actually from my neck of the woods - Cambridge, Mass. Huh.

       If it's not abundantly clear from this blog, I don't tend to deviate very far from my heavy roots - I was raised on Led Zep and the Clash, and frankly find most electronic or indie rock phenomenally boring. The exception to the rule is this summer's release of Gossamer from Passion Pit. Holy moley is this an interesting album. I originally heard the record when my girlfriend played 'Take a Walk' and damn if I'm not a sucker for drum&bass or electropop now and then. There's something simple and charming in this record that you just don't find in a hardcore or metal album. Maybe it's the way Michael Angelakos whimsically cries 'I get carried away!' on the eponymous track, or the upbeat feel and almost infectious happiness the instrumentals seem to carry. Whatever it is, this is one of the most fun releases of the year - one that plays like Foster the People without the latter's desperate attempt to sound indie.

12. Glass Cloud - The Royal Thousand 

       At first glance, Glass Cloud sounds like a bizarre idea - the ex-vocalist of Of Mice & Men and the unrestricted 8-string fury of the Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza? Yet, despite the end of the latter project, Glass Cloud has been a wildly successful idea. The band was cheered and extremely well-received at Scream It Like You Mean It this summer without even having their album, the Royal Thousand, released. Most genre fusions are a mixed bag - look at how well dubstep and metalcore wound up. Nevertheless, extreme metal and post-hardcore go well together, as evidenced by 'Ivy and Wine', the record's heaviest hitter - a blistering, epic song that molds the melodic with Josh Travis' signature rapid riffwork. 'If He Dies He Dies' yields to the softer side of things, but goes to show that 8-strings aren't just for metal. To conclude, the Royal Thousand is a great album, alternatively heavy and...less-heavy. 

12. Pierce the Veil - Collide with the Sky

        The first post I had on my blog was about this album, funnily enough. Time passes quickly...huh. Pierce the Veil's Collide with the Sky is an example of conscious effort applied to experimentation. It took me a while, but this is probably the band's best release so far. The post-hardcore troupe from Sacramento fell a little flat with Selfish Machines, which was criticized for its repetitive nature and cringe-worthy lyrics, but returned swinging with Collide in late July. At their core, PTV are still a relatively scene band, but that doesn't mean they have to be terrible. Collide is a great example of variety done right - there's only one terrible love song ('One Hundred Sleepless Nights'), and the record hits its stride in the later half. 'Hold on 'til May', 'The First Punch', and 'I'm Low on Gas and you Need a Jacket' are phenomenal songs. The emotion that pours out of Vic Fuentes' voice and the band's instrumentals is a rare thing indeed. Back in July, I called the single 'King for a Day' as the album's strongest suite, and cited the rest of the album as 'redundant'. Re-listening today, I can't help but see that as completely wrong.

13. The Word Alive - Life Cycles

         I can't find anything to say about this album. It's decent, the guitarwork is great and technical, but otherwise it failed to leave a lasting impression. This is the Word Alive's longest release yet - fifteen songs of electro-studded breakdowns, and while lyrically it covers a scope of topics - the armed forces, drug abuse, and the typical metalcore unrequited love ballad - some lines fall hilariously flat ("Finding out feeling isn't easy!" on 'Entirety' springs to mind). There isn't much in the way of experimentation on this - the terminal track 'Astral Plane' begins quietly and seems to be an acoustic song, but then jumps back on the bandwagon, even remembering a breakdown to boot. While Life Cycles doesn't quite beat the dead horse as much as other metalcore albums, it doesn't totally succeed in being very noteworthy either.

14. Sleeping with Sirens - If You Were a Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrack
         
            If you've been reading my blog, first of all, bless your soul, second of all, you know I have a special place in my heart for hating the idiotically cliche Florida band Sleeping with Sirens. It's no secret that the members besides frontman Kellin Quinn are just accessories - their band is named after him. Quinn is a countertenor - he can hit the high notes usually reserved for sopranos and female singers, an interesting talent that in the field of post-hardcore - a genre defined by high vocals - is utterly irrelevant. In any case, the band released their incredibly long-titled acoustic EP If You Were a Movie, This Would Be Your Soundtrack this summer during the midst of their fifteen minutes of fame on Warped Tour. As I've said before, this is actually a fairly soothing listen - Quinn's voice is much better suited to the quiet crooning it does on the EP than the juevenille shrieks we get to hear on record. But even a great voice couldn't save the Movie from the fact that it's every acoustic stereotype rolled into one - (1) douchey singer, (2) lamentably simple guitar, (3) sappy love ballad upon sappy love ballad. To conclude, if you don't listen to the words, Movie is a decent listen.

16. Xibalba - Hasta la Muerte

        Hardcore has become a hard beast to define. As the old stalwarts like Terror and Hatebreed putter on, and derivatives flood the musical consciousness, what 'true' hardcore is and isn't has been brought up to question. Obviously the days of Agnostic Front and Madball are behind us, and bands emulating those styles will find success more difficult. But straight out of California comes Xibalba, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that hardcore is not dead and this is what it is. With a bone-crunching, ruinous simplicity that gets your heart racing as fast as the drums on 'Soledad'. Hasta La Muerte is fury at its simplest and most animalistic. There's no space for bullshit and pizzazz - Xibalba's raw energy leaves no room for it.

17. Obey the Brave - Young Blood

          In 2010, Montreal deathcore titan Despised Icon disbanded, leaving behind a legacy in the genre as fans donned snapbacks and basketball shorts to emulate frontman Alex Erian. The resulting genre, which has been colloquially dubbed 'brocore', now includes large-scale bands like Emmure and Whitechapel. But, in any case, Erian teamed up with local Montreal band Blind Witness' bassist Miguel Lepage to form the metalcore outfit Obey the Brave. Without even a single song out, the project's Facebook page accrued thousands of likes, culminating in the release of their EP in May entitled Ups and Downs, a rough draft for August's Young Blood. The released product is a marvel of Despised Icon staples (blast beats and breakdowns), and strangely positive lyrics. That's not to say that it's smooth sailing - Young Blood's optimism, while groundbreaking for a metal band, gets grating just because of how happy it is - 'Unstoppable' in particular combines heavy guitars with upbeat lyrics about 'party time'. Aside from the lyrics, however, the album is an intense slog through what promises to be a ridiculous live band.

There is Now 50% Less Attack Attack! in the World

                      

            In the scope of about three hours, frontman Caleb Shomo and bassist John Holgado have formally and publicly left Attack Attack! Holgado issued a horribly spelled and incredibly confusing statement in which he confessed being clinically depressed, raised in a split family, and claimed he'd been struggling with his sexuality. While neither of these issues are to be taken lightly (in fact, they're very serious), Holgado's less-than-stellar prose ("a family I've been gracious to meet", "the first chapter is the first", among numerous spelling errors) and a strangely placed "stop cursing" PSA have only ignited derision. Below:

"To whom this may concern, this is John Holgado and I would like to officially announce my departure with Attack Attack!

To clear things up in a very cliche manner, Andrew Whiting, Andrew Wetzel, and Caleb Shomo have been and will always be some of my best friends. The reason I decided to leave had only been lingering in my head for the past 6 or so months. If only I had a way to state this reason but it simply is more than just a resolved answer because what is relevant with why I left, concerns the past 2 of the 5 years we have toured as a band. For those who've read this far, you now know I've left, and to the readers who would like to hear what has almost ended and could have taken any relationship I could ever imagined with my friends, family, and especially... my self .

(To lighten up the mood I have to announce I just lit up a cigarette for this next part. Also, smoking is bad)

Well those who have continued reading, I could not thank you enough to be open ears to what is to be my first ever attempt to voice what I have to say in the years I've been with AA!

These have been the best and the absolute worst past years of my life and I know that for a fact. Nothing will replace all of the memories I've made with the countless amounts of friends and or what I consider a part of my family that I've been gracious to meet. I, today, for once have reviewed my life in my head in a positive way. I really do mean that. I say that, because what I learned was wrong growing up as a kid, I slowly, so slowly over the years of touring began to think was right. I'm not intending to skew being in a band or touring or anything involving music. I am admitting, and fully embarrassing myself in front of you all because I hope one day, at least one of you will reconsider ever taking what your parents granted you the opportunity with, which is the ability to live.

I today, am admitting that I am was/were/have been/am clinically depressed. Why such a confusing statement? Because my book doesn't end at the first chapter. I would say the first chapter would be first and foremost, distancing myself from something everyone else has in common.. My blood related family and relatives.

My family meant the world to me, they raised me to what they thought was best, patient enough to deal with my flaws, and supported me every single bit of the way to success that I myself would try and reach. What went wrong though? The lack of communication, of myself and to others.
I hate to make this public but I come from a split family. My parents tried so hard even though they went through what had to happen to make my brother, sister, and myself happy. What took me away from this seems like touring, but again was myself. Please If you could take anything from this if you've made it this far, is to accept who you are, who you were, where you came from, and what you will be. I cannot reiterate enough how valuable your own identity is.

This is where I chose to embarrass myself.... I am fully aware that anyone could judge me or point fingers and laugh but hey, I'm enjoying my life as of now and nothing will ever bring me below where I've already hit.

I slowly without the guidance of my parents, was doing life on my own at the age of 16, dropped out of high school and hit the road. Your brain is such a valuable thing that everyone is born with, but not a single one would ever be like anyone else's... Unless you have the capability of repetitive negative thoughts. I am saying this because I hope that by reading this, you at least know what really DID happen to me, and how powerful your brain really is.

With these years of touring without a guiding light, I unintentionally trained my brain to accept that the fears in my head, are the fears in front of me.
I cannot even begin to tell you how many days have went by on and or off tour where I have legitimately, lied in bed the whole day looking at the ceiling. Seems so simple to fix right? Just get out of bed and do something why don't you? Well that's where my family again is relevant to this situation. I tell you, I absolutely did not listen to anyone or anything, and excuses became my most comfortable flaw... It literally, and LITERALLY, took me taking a chance at raising a 8 week old pup on my own. My god the first three days were hell. Over and over my anxiety and depression triggered my brain that this is a useless act of selfishness. The dog would seem to never listen. My impatience was already over my head... I did not have a positive chance in even thinking I could make a change for the better.

It suddenly clicked in my head..
I simply never listened. That moment was the first step in changing my life, and what felt so good about it, was unselfishly, it was for myself. A ease was off my shoulders but a boulder still remained... And it gets more embarrassing..

For months now I've thought that I was homosexual.

This is where my oh so creative conscience was capable of making me fear what I feared.. I am no way saying that being homosexual is a bad thing but to me, it felt like such an unaccepted way of life by my peers. Oh it killed me until this day that every moment I woke up, someone would publicly acclaim it, and I would... I really don't know. This is in the meantime in my conscience of me laying looking at the ceiling.
This is real stuff. I wouldn't have announced this if I didn't intend on bettering myself, or having the smallest chance of helping one of you.

Ill reiterate, train your brain to focus on what you know is right, and not what is and or has surrounded you. Not everyone is perfect so I'm not saying that the people who make it to this will be saved or meet my criteria but hey it's worth a shot because I suffered enough and so badly alone that I would never, ever want to hear what happened to a life I once cherished, to occur again.

The flaws above we're only some of the "identifying traits" that we're so skewed in my head.

Why were my views so skewed?
Because of the uncomfortable surroundings I became ever so comfortable in.
I'm not saying this to point fingers or hate or burn bridges but I have your attention and this is what I have to say.

Two things I hope you take my advice on with never choosing to disobey. Please....

You are what you are around.

You are, what you think.

I wish you could feel my heart beating right now... This is where I knew I confidentially could reveal all of this to you.. Saying everything above was the boulder I have been waiting to get off my shoulders for the past two years.... I've accepted my thoughts which were skewed by flaws, my actions that were unintentionally developed by who I was around.

Since you kept reading, and by now have your attention, I feel comfortable to tell you guys this,

Stop cursing.

Think about it, as simple as saying "f*ck that band" will skew the relevance of instead saying "eh, I don't really like them."

Or if you say dude that's gay,
You could just not say gay at all and grow up and say something much more positive... This list could go on...

Also... Please surround yourself with what your heart feels is right. If you can't sleep at night, consider your thoughts by the end of the week while your conscience is talking to you before you goto bed, and wake up to the next day intending on being comfortable in a comfortable supportive environment. Your family is what I recommend. If you claim no family then your legal guardian. There's a reason that those people are feeding you everyday... Because they want you to succeed.. Some things fear mongers will retreat from.

Do not be defeated, instead try what seems to hurt you in order to make what you know is right. Sacrifice....
Whether its friends... Items, imaginary people... And I really mean that, I'm not smiling after that last point... You are what you think.

All good things come to an end,

And now I can finally breathe.

End of chapter 1

You are what you think
You are what you think
You are what you think
You are what you think
You are what you think

also im not homosexual" (via Alter the Press!)
        
          Look, depression and concerns about your sexuality are very real problems that are very, very difficult to deal with. That much is clear, and it's completely understandable that, when at peace with those issues, it's very tempting to tell everyone. And, for what it's worth, Holgado is making a very good point. Horribly executed, but a very good point - it is important in life to surround yourself with what makes you happy, and life is what you make of it. That, and if you're still using 'that's gay' to mean 'that's stupid', get out of the 8th grade. Holgado's heart is in the right place here - smoking is definitely bad for you. 

          On the other hand, Shomo, who also suffers from depression, has kept silent on his decision to leave the band. The remaining members claim that there is already a replacement ready and that no touring dates will be affected. This marks the third vocalist the band will have.

This Warped lineup is probably fake, but it would be AMAZING

         There's been  a 'Warped lineup' that's been circulating the internet today, and a lot of speculation has gone down as to whether or not it's true:

         I'm personally in the 'fake' camp on this one: no way in hell would Hatebreed play Warped. They've got a new album out in January and, to be completely honest, are a wee bit too old to be playing a festival like Warped. Every Time I Die are young'uns compared to Hatebreed, and they're constantly called out as an "old" band by the Warped community.

        Secondly, while I'm sure Warped is a highly lucrative tour, I'm not sure they'd have enough money to book Chiodos, Hatebreed, August Burns Red, AND A Day to Remember. Those are some big, big names that can't be easy booking, and we can't forget this is the tour that charges $50 a ticket and $3 for water bottles.

         Thirdly, there's a bit TOO much variety. Warped generally revolves around a punk baseline - there's a bit of deviation here and there for hiphop or pop artists (Katy Perry played Warped once, before she kissed a girl and got famous), but you're going to see a lot of punk offshoots. While that's still the same here, would Hawthorne Heights, All American Rejects, Kreeayshawn, Lights, or Anamanaguchi play the same tour as La Dispute, Memphis May Fire, or Bring Me the Horizon? Unlikely.
        
        That being said, let's take a look at this lineup: A Day to Remember, August Burns Red, Bring Me the Horizon, Acacia Strain, Upon a Burning Body, Veil of Maya, We Came as Romans!? The mere thought of a tour like that gets my heart racing. That's saying nothing of Glass Cloud, Volumes, Silverstein, Letlive, As I Lay Dying, The Chariot, Hands Like Houses, and Enter Shikari.

>mfw 

       EDIT: No playlist this week: I have four finals in a little under five days. Sorry!

Year in Review - The Releases of 2012 (May - August) PART I

        Last time, we looked at the albums of the first quarter of 2012. It was a relatively dead time - winter is usually when bands are on tour, and as such had relatively few solid releases. But now that we move into the summer, albums are coming out of the woodwork. That being said, let's go!

1. Art By Numbers - Reticence: the Musical

       Fresno, California's Art By Numbers are a progressive outfit that very few people seem to have heard of. In all actuality, it's probably because the band has put out one LP in the past year and has precisely zero tour dates outside of California so far. Nevertheless, the band showcases one of the most spectacular fusions of genres I've ever seen - Reticence: the Musical features elements of jazz, metalcore, even goddamn rockabilly - molded so tastefully and intelligently it's astonishing. The piercingly high vocals of Anthony James are as versatile as it comes - whether he's screaming or doing cleans, it's an impressive range. And that's saying nothing of the phenomenal instrumentals on the album - while Art By Numbers don't play with rhythm as much as other progressive bands, the riffwork and drums is some of the best I've heard in a while.


2. Metric - Synthetica
   
           Metric is a unique flower in the sea of clones and faux-pretension art rock can sometimes have. The band doesn't busy itself with conveying an image or being too 'experimental', but rather works around their sound. The result is a surprisingly fun, chill little romp in the form of their June album Synthetica. While not as striking and energetic as Fantasies, Synthetica is overall a far more approachable album - lyrically and musically. The fun thing for me about Metric is that often in harder music good lyrics are eschewed in favor of 'brutality', but Metric brings the intensity along with a healthy dose of lyrics I can take seriously, and great variety - 'Dreams so Real' is a slow, moody, electronic groove, but the followup song 'Lost Kitten' is upbeat and as adorable as the song title. Bottom line - Synthetica is a fun album, one of the Canadian group's better ones so far.

3. Miss May I - At Heart

           And thus begins our slog through the Warped summer mediocrity. Straight out of Rise records comes the first - Miss May I's At Heart. If chug and repetition is your thing, this is your album. If typical angsty vocals and monotonous screams are your thing, plug it in. It is still beyond me how this band has accrued such a large fan base with the release of At Heart. While their previous albums Monument and Apologies are for the Weak were still fairly forgettable, they had their moments. At Heart upped two things - breakdowns and terrible lyrics. When you name a song 'Ballad of a Broken Man', you have officially stopped trying. Perhaps most annoyingly, the band continues to call itself 'metal'. Sorry, kids, but headlining Warped and being on the cover of AP makes you about as metal as Breathe Carolina.

4. Whitechapel - Whitechapel

              Everyone loves to hate Whitechapel. Whether it's frontman Phil Bozeman's douchey comportment, the plethora of blast beats every song seems to need, or the fans' stereotypical lack of intelligence, the band seems to invite mockery. In any case, the band released a self-titled album this summer and, well, it's actually pretty damn good. Lyrically, the band has become a more believable form of angry (furious, in fact) as Bozeman opens the album with "We have been somatically defiled, exiled, and now the new era has come to an end"! Different from previous Whitechapel releases, there are hints of technicality and an actual lyrical message. Overall, Whitechapel preaches utter pessimism, but ultimately believes that apathy is the only real way to survive - the world sucks, suck it up. In the instrumental department, there are actual riffs now and then, and occasionally a rare solo or clean (guitar) break. Bozeman breaks up the screaming with occasional spoken parts. Perhaps most eerily of all, the album begins and ends with a forlorn piano portion. If that isn't a departure from previous style, I don't know what is.
  
6. The Ghost Inside - Get What You Give

           Scott Vogel may hate their guts (then again, he hates everyone's), but the Ghost Inside have become a major contender in the modern melodic hardcore scene. Get What You Give marks their fourth album, and is one of their strongest yet. This year, they brought a certain amount of much-needed variety to the incredibly pop-punk lineup at Warped - a sonic reminder of the genre's roots, and were the tour's heaviest band besides After the Burial. While at times, modern hardcore shines through in all its questionable repetitiveness (There's pretty much a breakdown every song), The Ghost Inside compensate with their tasteful use of clean vocals - often as backing - and melodic riffs that are tinted with hardcore simplicity but modified with an atypical emotion.

7. Linkin Park - Living Things

         Linkin Park's evolution continued this year with Living Things - 2010's A Thousand Suns was an odyssey in electronic rock that took the tired nu-metal band in a completely different direction. Ultimately, it wasn't perfect, but was still a fun time. Living Things is their second try at perfecting their completely new sound, and, truth be told, it's quite the listen. The band's melodic sound persists, and while Living Things is definitely softer than ATS, it certainly supersedes the hackneyed Minutes to Midnight. Chester Bennington's vocals meld nicely with the synth, which is now at an all time high. Guitars play a minimal role at best - and while lyrically the band still has some ways to go, by sheer virtue of the fact that this is Linkin Park we're listening to, and that it's so different than anything before, that I can immediately forgive it. That being said, Mike Shinoda's rap remains to be completely out of place.

8. Chelsea Grin - Evolve EP 

      Perhaps best known for their explosive, blistering debut into deathcore, Utah's Chelsea Grin went precisely and inexplicably in the completely opposite direction this June when they released their EP Evolve. Comparisons to Blood on the Dance Floor's Evolution are inevitable, because everyone proceeded to rant and rave about how Evolve was an affront to the genre as a whole. Hilariously listing their new genre as 'progressive', Evolve features clean vocals (perhaps the biggest reason the band got crap), sweeps (meh, okay, I guess that's kinda progressive), and orchestral portions. It's a strange, strange mix of things, none of which sound like My Damnation. As far as experimental EPs go, this is it.

8. Memphis May Fire - Challenger 

     Part deux of Warped mediocrity reporting in!  Texas' Memphis May Fire rushed their second album in as many years in late June this year, this time featuring such great cameos as Kellin "scenegirl boner" Quinn and the infamous Danny Worsnop. Compared to 2011's The Hollow, which I'm going to go on record saying is a stellar album, Challenger isn't great. It's the quintessential Rise/Fearless record - preachy, hackneyed messages and terrible lyrics to convey it, breakdowns, and an overused synth. The part of Challenger that stuck out the most was, ironically enough, the instrumental track at the end 'Vessels', and even then, Sleepwalking and the Hollow will always be my choice if I want to play Memphis May Fire. That, and the title is goddamn stupid - implying your band is special because they had to work hard is like saying your family was unique because they suffered during the Great Depression.

9. Abandon All Ships - Infamous

    Egotistical, untalented Toronto Guidos Abandon All Ships are pretty much the band to despise this year. They don't merit more than a sentence, but this record is a wretched pile of shit. I tried to be realistic and approach it back in July, but that was being too nice, and my hatred of this band has only grown.






10. Skip the Foreplay - Nightlife

        While pretty much jumping on the crunkcore/dubstep experimentation bandwagon this year, Montreal's Skip the Foreplay released their debut album earlier this year to en masse praise. Nightlife is quite the record - out of many bands who played around with synths this year, Skip the Foreplay did it right - the dubstep wobbles and synth-y undertones pave the way for a metal attack that's quite unlike most other metalcore. There's a glaring lack of breakdowns, and the band tastefully incorporates dance elements in a way that stretches the genre and, while it is silly, makes for one hell of a listen.

Jesus...there's still more left. This is where I'll leave off for this week. See you fuckers next time.

Year in Review: The Releases of 2012 (January - April)

      As we near the end of another year, and the "end of the world" looms in front of us, we start to look back at everything we've done this past year and reflect. Or, if you're me, you start cramming for finals like it's nobody's business. The brief hiatus I've had is coming to an end, and it's time to buckle down once more before the holidays.
        That being said, we've had a slow year for music. The heavy hitters of metal and hardcore, for the most part, released their new records last year. August Burns Red's Leveler, The Devil Wears Prada's Dead Throne, Trivium's In Waves, We Came as Romans' Understanding What We've Grown To Be...all released last year. That's not to say we haven't had great releases in 2012, but for the most part, everyone's favorite metalcore bands have nothing new planned and are touring their hearts out in support of the new material.
         Conversely, big things are happening next year - Shai Hulud have announced their first album in four years due out in February - entitled Reach Beyond the Sun. August Burns Red, if their record is to be trusted, will have another album out next summer. A Day to Remember's Common Courtesy is slated for a winter 2013 release. But in any case, it's time to start looking back at the releases of the past year. I'll be handling a different quarter of 2012 every week, and after the entire year is covered, I'll make my own top 10 list for 2012 in time for the new year. With that said, let's get started!

1. Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood of Colour
          

          British experimental post-hardcore rockers returned to the scene with their third studio LP in early January. Flash Flood incorporates the most electronic effects of Shikari's discography so far - complete with dubstep bass drops and synth-y breakdowns done right. More critically acclaimed than the band's two previous releases primarily because of Shikari's masterful exploitation of the guitar-dubstep barrier and because of a well-rounded message beyond "screw banks and the government, PARTY!', Flash Flood is an epic, varied walk through what bands like Woe Is Me could be doing if they weren't singing about fellatio.
 
2.Attack Attack! - This Means War

          Straight out of Ohio come the inventors of crabcore themselves. Never to be pathfinders, Attack Attack!'s new release is a djent-y experience dotted with their trademark dance beats in a style that, while not as undoubtedly silly as their previous, self-titled release, is  on the decline - even the Devil Wears Prada have called it quits with regards to synth everywhere. In any case, the dollar and support of squealing fangirls is a wonderful thing, as the band headlined Scream it Like you Mean It! this year. This Means War is a decent album, but nothing special.

3. Lamb of God - Resolution

         
The legendary heavy metal band returned in late January this year. Most people know the band because of frontman Randy Blythe's manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic - a scandal that rocked the metal community this past summer. Nevertheless, Resolution marked the introduction of progressive elements to Lamb of God - the band, who was infamous for writing songs continuously in the same key, finally expanded their repertoire slightly.  Acoustic portions and tasty riffs abound, and despite Pitchfork's whining that Resolution did nothing new, it's still a fun romp through good old heavy metal.


4.Silverstein - Short Songs

           Following the release of Rescue last year, long-standing Canadian post-hardcore group released a plucky, interesting little EP in early February. Short Songs is a series of covers of everything from seminal screamo band Orchid to advertisement jingles from the 90s, and a series of songs all under 90 seconds. Suffice it to say, Short Songs is a very fast listen, but that makes it difficult to review. The band's versatility and talent is definitely on show...aaaaand it's gone.

5. Veil of Maya - Eclipse
    

          Chicago progressive deathcore group released their third album while on tour with Trivium and In Flames to universal approval and newfound popularity. The band's willingness to experiment, and their incredible talent for time signature variation and raw instrumental prowess propelled them to the forefront of the prog metal consciousness - the band was slated to headline a tour with the Contortionist and Intervals in Canada but was hastily called in to replace Whitechapel during August Burns Red's European tour, much to everyone north of the border's chagrin. In any case, Eclipse plays like a better Born of Osiris - with a downplayed synth, and a far more brutal and epic feel.

6. Every Time I Die - Ex-Lives
           
            As one of metalcore's longest-standing acts, the Buffalo four-piece has seen the rise and fall of many styles and sounds, while slowly and quietly refining their own. Ex-Lives is their seventh album out in almost twelve years, and is a complete transformation from 2009's New Junk Aesthetic. It's still a bitingly sarcastic commentary on music - "We made the scene, when we made a scene!" Keith Buckley screams in 'Underwater Bimbos from Outer Space' - and of the industry all around - "I'd rather beg your forgiveness, than solicit permission!" from 'I Suck [Blood]'. In any case, Ex-Lives ultimately sounded a little tired - it's still a solid release all around from a band with a ton of experience, but ETID's sound is starting to show its age. The relentless sound and pulse-pounding beat of New Junk Aesthetic and The Big Dirty are markedly more muted - the record has slowed down, and all bets are on for what happens next.

7. Hands Like Houses - Ground Dweller

             I've ranted about this band too many times. Bottom line: they're amazing. Amazing vocalist, amazing drummer, amazing lyrics, amazing everything. You can read my circlejerk here. Buy. This. Album.







8. Mychildren Mybride - Mychildren Mybride

            To be completely honest, I've never gotten into Mychildren Mybride. I understand that they're another of metalcore's longest standing acts, and probably one of the first Christian bands out there as well, but for the life of me I can't see what's so appealing. They're at best generic and at worst grating (but not as bad as Oh, Sleeper). Sadly, the tradition continues with their self-titled album. While it still sounds closer to classic metalcore - a breath of fresh air in times like these - the frequent breaks to preach and the deeply conservative lyrics left a bad taste in my mouth. My money is still on Hatebreed and Converge to deliver that metalcore sound we haven't heard since the late 90s and early 2000s.

9. I See Stars - Digital Renegade

          In a world where electrocore has become the newest hot thing, I See Stars continues to lead the charge. Sadly, despite the band's incredible contribution to the scene, their innovation has largely become commonplace - Crown the Empire's shitfest The Fallout is a perfect example. Digital Renegade is a step up from End of the World Party, which ISS released a little over a year earlier, but overall is a fairly mediocre release - Asking Alexandria are still kings of the electrocore stage, an unfortunate turn of events since they were undoubtedly influenced by I See Stars during their bastardization of too many genres - 'Alerion' and 'Gnars Attacks' sound way too similar to me.
But that's beside the point. Bottom line, Digital Renegade is a forgettable album if only because electronic effects have become too prevalent in metalcore overall. It has its moments - 'Filth Friends Unite' is catchy and fun, but synth-studded breakdowns have already been done to death.

10. Emmure - Slave to the Game

           New York's Emmure has become a giant in deathcore for reasons no one quite understands. In any case, the jury seems to be out on whether Emmure are a PR play or actually trying to be taken seriously. The funny thing is, when I say a band only plays breakdowns, I'm usually joking - there are breaks here and there for a riff or two. But when I talk about Emmure playing nothing but breakdowns, I'm completely serious. That's saying nothing of the constant negative reviews their material gets. But in any case, for better or for worse, the band released their newest album Slave to the Game in early April this year. This time with a video-game-ish vibe, the album is a surprising upturn for the band considering how their previous two releases - Speaker of the Dead and Felony flopped worse than Michelle Bachmann's campaign. It's still primarily breakdown upon breakdown, with stupid lyrics to top off the mindless mosh, but use of the frets past 3 make for an interesting listen (for Emmure). And the ending breakdown of 'A.I' is ridiculous.

 11. Upon a Burning Body - Red. White. Green. 

            From San Antonio, Texas, and damn proud of it, the Latin-tinged deathcore group released their second studio album in mid-April this year. Still featuring technical elements, chaotic rhythm, and mindless, drunk fun, Red. White. Green. is a great album, even if it falls flat after acoustic break El Mariachi. However, the first five tracks are triple-A, five-star fun - 'Once Upon a Time in Mexico' is probably the band's best song so far, and is way too overplayed on my iPod. 'Texas Blood Money' is a drunk redneck anthem celebrating Texas. Lyrically, the album is nothing special - going as eloquent as 'Life sucks, and then you die!' and 'Don't fuck with Texas!" but Danny Leal's midrange growl is as strong as ever and gives the band the energetic, metal-fueled rage that makes Upon a Burning Body so great.