If the music industry wouldn’t killed me with the dumping and overdose of mediocre products last year, more aggressively then ever, “Feel You’re Different”, the debut album of this NY based trio, definitively would made it to the list of my favorite albums of 2011. Unfortunately I didn’t have the chance last year to listen it, fortunately I have it now. Indaba and (probably) the band offered their track “With the Pieces” to be remixed. The first thing which stroked me was the excellent sound. Produced/engineered/mixed by Mike Sapone and mastered by Emily Lazar & Joe LaPorta, the track – and the album – sounds awesome! Intense and clean, groovy and cutting, really-really rocks! The song is also great, have some killer verses, pounding drums, a murderous bass-line and huge vocals. Honestly and… actually I did not felt like it need to be remixed at all. But! Read more With the Pieces – Lights Resolve Remix Contest
Demon Hunter – True Defiance (2012)
Riding or not the fence of being Christians it’s still an issue to discuss for many, but the facts are facts, Demon Hunter sold over half a million albums, while their previous album, “The World Is a Thorn” debuted at No. 39 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 14,000.
Honestly, the remix contest for their new song, “Someone To Hate” on Indaba was my very first collision with this new Metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2000 by brothers Don Clark and Ryan Clark. My take on “Someone To Hate” merge classic string arrangement with Drum’N’Bass like synths and crushing Metal riffs, pounding drums, keeping the original spirit of the song alive and breathing. Worth to listen, deserves your VOTE. I guess. 🙂 Read more Demon Hunter – True Defiance (2012)
Neosis – Neosis (2012)
Scientism is a belief in the universal applicability of the scientific method and approach, and the view that empirical science constitutes the most authoritative worldview or most valuable part of human learning to the exclusion of other viewpoints. The term frequently implies a critique of the more extreme expressions of logical positivism and has been used by social scientists such as Friedrich Hayek, philosophers of science such as Karl Popper, and philosophers such as Hilary Putnam to describe the dogmatic endorsement of scientific methodology and the reduction of all knowledge to only that which is measurable. Scientism may refer to science applied “in excess” and the term is often used in pejorative senses.
Neosis is an acronym which literally means New Evolution Of Society Influenced by Scientism. It’s a conceptualized vision of a futuristic society in which humanity is scientifically organized. A society within which scientific methods take the place of social sciences and humanities, going as far as becoming the substitute for philosophy in order to solve ethical or moral issues. In this civilization, science holds the key to all the ills that mankind suffers from, whether they are economical, political or social.
After several musical events linked to the international scene and media, Greg (guitars/samples/production), Did (bass/samples), Tom (vocals) and Anthony (drums) formed the band called Neosis. Read more Neosis – Neosis (2012)
Rufus Wainwright – Bitter Tears and… Glitter Fears
Not a fan of Rufus, actually this remix contest is the first collision of mine with his music. Indaba Music and Rufus wanted a remix of “Bitter Tears”, one of the new songs featuring on the upcoming seventh studio album, “Out of the Game”, scheduled for release in the United Kingdom and Canada in April 2012 and in the United States in May 2012 through Decca Records/Polydor Records. I find the song interesting, but pretty dense and when I almost gave up on this one, I had a last moment inspiration and twist this song into my own. Well, while they stated that “put your personal spin on this captivating tune” this might actually work. I kept the things pretty simple and straight, knocked my self out having fun with some naughty delays and build-up a noisy, contorted kind of chorus, so this song is actually another song.
Please listen, have fun and VOTE if you really love what you’ll gonna hear. Read more Rufus Wainwright – Bitter Tears and… Glitter Fears
Anathema – Weather Systems (2012)
I never was an Anathema fan, not back in 1990 when they started as a Death/Doom Metal band, not later when they slowly transitioned to Progressive Rock. But I admit, even if I did not follow them closely, I like some of their creation, they managed to deliver something of their own, music filtered through their personal touch. “Weather Systems” their upcoming ninth studio album have the same Pink Floyd after-taste as many of their previous creations since their 1996’s “Eternity” merged with atmospheric, dark, sometimes classic orchestral elements.
Describing their new album Daniel Cavanagh stated: “This is not background music for parties. The music is written to deeply move the listener, to uplift or take the listener to the coldest depths of the soul”. Definitively not. Parties – far as I know – are happy and energy full events, while Anathema always delivered more music suitable for burials and “Weather Systems” makes no difference, even if the lights seems to get through, in its depth this is quite dark and sad music. Read more Anathema – Weather Systems (2012)
Brad Mehldau Trio – Ode (2012)
As I previously said not only once, I’m not an expert in Jazz, but honestly, I’m so-so-so-so bored in most of the Rock/Metal, eventually so-called Rock/Metal (mandatory “core”) bands, that Jazz sometimes offers me the only reliable refugee.
Born Bradford Alexander Mehldau in 1970 in Jacksonville, Florida, Mehldau is an American jazz pianist. He attended William H. Hall High School in West Hartford and participated in Hall’s prestigious jazz program. While a sophomore in high school, he won Berklee College’s Best All-Around Musician Award. Mehldau moved to New York in 1988 to study jazz at The New School, studying under Fred Hersch, Junior Mance and Kenny Werner. He played as sideman with a variety of musicians, most importantly with the Joshua Redman quartet, before forming his own trio in 1994, with bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jorge Rossy, and later Jeff Ballard, who succeeded Rossy in 2005. In addition to his trio work, Mehldau collaborated with guitarist Pat Metheny, releasing two albums with him and embarking on a worldwide tour along with Grenadier and Ballard. Read more Brad Mehldau Trio – Ode (2012)
Nihil Quest – Splendid Isolation (2011)
Quality Metal – for FREE. Reminds me mainly of Annihilator crashed into Alice In Chains, Nihil Quest delivered their debut full-length album with 11 groovy, but classic Metal tracks.
Nihil Quest was formed in the summer of 2006. The main idea was to play music inspired in first place by hard rock and metal classics (such as Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Slayer), but also they merging different influences and sounds from Blues to Industrial Rock.
Their first release was a three song EP entitled “0.9” and it was issued in late 2009. Two years later, a full-length, 11-tracks record was released. It was titled “1.1 Splendid Isolation” (released on 11.11.2011).
The band was not interested in cooperation with any record labels, as this would mean restrictions to the way the material is being distributed. The album was published via iTunes, Amazon MP3 store and other digital outlets. However it was also made available for free on Jamendo under Creative Commons license. This kind of licensing allows for playing the music without any fees and for non-commercial use in movies, computer games etc. Read more Nihil Quest – Splendid Isolation (2011)
Exilia – Decode (2012)
Merging the sound and approach of bands such as Guano Apes and Skunk Anansie, Exilia incorporated more Industrial elements and Nu Metal grooves and delivered a strong fifth full-length album.
Formed in 1993 in the classic city of fashion, Milan, (Italy) when singer Masha met guitarist Elio Alien, Exilia debuted with the album “Rightside Up” in 2000 and their following “Unleashed” which much heavier and more aggressive sound, released in May 2004, made to the Top 40 in the German charts.
The band’s biggest hit so far has been “Can’t Break me Down” released as CD single in 2005. They have played gigs with Oomph!, Guano Apes, H-Blockx, Clawfinger, HIM, Therapy?, In Extremo, Rammstein, God Forbid, Sanctorum and Ill Niño and singed to GUN Records, division of Sony BMG. Read more Exilia – Decode (2012)
Twin Atlantic – Free/False [RMX]
Twin Atlantic formed in February 2007, in Glasgow, Scotland, by Sam McTrusty (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Barry McKenna (lead guitar, cello, backing vocals), Ross McNae (bass guitar, piano, backing vocals) and Craig Kneale (drums, percussion, backing vocals). After recording their debut EP A Guidance From Colour at Long Wave Studio in Cardiff with producer Romesh Dodangoda (Funeral For A Friend, Kids In Glass Houses, The Blackout), and building upon the support from Kerrang!, the band’s profile was boosted enough for them to land support slots with Biffy Clyro and Smashing Pumpkins. They also supported American acts The Matches, Blink-182, Finch and Say Anything on their respective UK tours.
Singed to Red Bull Records, released their debut mini-album “Vivarium” in March 2009. The band toured extensively in 2009 and 2010, having played Download Festival, Guilfest, T in the Park, Sonisphere and Belladrum over the summer of 2009, including supporting Taking Back Sunday on a tour of UK and Ireland in July 2009. This continued into a full tour of the UK in September and then the United States with The Fall of Troy and Envy On The Coast in March and April 2010. In June 2010, Twin Atlantic supported The Gaslight Anthem on their British mini-tour and on 7 August 2010 they played at the Hevy Music Festival. They also supported My Chemical Romance on their tour.
“Free” was released on April 29, in Ireland and May 2, 2011 in the UK. In its first week of release, the album peaked at #37 in the UK Album Chart. This success led to them being part of the T In The Park 2011 lineup. In the summer of 2012, the band will be on the Vans Warped Tour. Part of their US promotion, Red Bull Records and Indaba challenged remixers with the contest of remixing their single “Free”. Read more Twin Atlantic – Free/False [RMX]
Oovation – Mirage EP (2012)
The ovation (Latin: ovatio) was a lower form of the Roman triumph. Ovations were granted, when war was not declared between enemies on the level of states, when an enemy was considered basely inferior – slaves for instannce – or when the general conflict was resolved with little to no bloodshed or danger to the army itself.
Ovation is also the name of a famous guitar company founded by Charles Kaman.
And then there is Peter Bonaventura, better known as Oovation, a 21 years old producer and artist from Germany. He discovered music at the age of 13 years when he started playing the guitar. Later at the age of 18 he discovered with some friends the electronic music trough festivals like Time Warp, Nature One, I love Techno to name a few of them. He started to produce his own tracks at 19 and one year later he signed his first EP with Unusual Sound, and a few months later with Inlab recordings. Read more Oovation – Mirage EP (2012)
