I’ve got only and exclusively nice things to say (write) about this album. Erik Kogut and Amber Kogut – guitars, Matthew Tybor – The Bunny and Chris Hutka – The Bear – vocals, Derek Anthony – bass and Brian Dietz – drums are draws from many quite different genres of music including extremes such as electro-pop and death metal to deliver their own and quite unique blending of post-hardcore/metal.
It’s true, there some other bands as well tried to merge dance music with metalcore, but these guys from Buffalo, NY, managed to create a striking, fresh and catchy blending of these styles.
Read more The Bunny The Bear – If You Don’t Have Anything Nice To Say (2011)
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Gevolt – AlefBase (2011)
Yiddish Metal? Yes! Taste quite like Rammstein, still it has its own perfume and aroma, Gevolt on their second full-length album delivering a powerful blending of classic and modern metal with traditional Yiddish and Russian musical textures, strong riffs and hypnotizing violins. “AlefBase” it’s available as digital release at their official site for FREE DOWNLOAD. Still, you can donate some through PayPal or can buy the physical release for only 12.90 USD (shipping included).
After the international break-through of Orphaned Land, the Israeli heavy metal scene delivered another exciting progressive metal act.
Read more Gevolt – AlefBase (2011)
311 – Universal Pulse (2011)
Being around for 23 years; released ten studio albums, one live album, four compilation albums, four EPs and four DVDs; achieved triple platinum with their 1995 self-titled album, which reached #12 on the Billboard 200 and achieved platinum with one more album and gold with other two; and finally, but not at least, selling over 8 million records worldwide, 311 seems to be a quite successful recipe. Generally labeled as an alternative rock band, they are also classified as rap rock, rap metal, funk rock, funk metal, ska punk, pop punk, reggae and even jazz fusion. Their ten, and up to date shortest album – only 8 tracks -, “Universal Pulse”, will not clarify further their style and genre, it’s another colourful album, while some might even say, this is the same 311 album they’ve already heard it nine times before.
This is a summer album. Read more 311 – Universal Pulse (2011)
Jasta – Jasta (2011)
Jamey Jasta (born James Shanahan) best known as the lead vocalist of Hatebreed and Kingdom of Sorrow, owner of Stillborn Records, and also the “rock themed apparel” line called Hatewear, released his first solo album featuring guest appearances by Phil Labonte from All That Remains, D. Randall Blythe and Mark Morton from Lamb of God, Tim Lambesis from As I Lay Dying, Zakk Wylde and Mike Vallely, and the album will be released on July 26th, 2011 via eOne Music and Century Media.
And “Jasta” is a modern, colourful metal album with different aromas, but full of intense metal riffs and hardcore attitude. Read more Jasta – Jasta (2011)
Tess – St. Charles – DVD Data Discography (2011)
32 titles, 46 videos, 1375 photos – “St. Charles” is the collected retrospective of this French band formed in 2006 and by two new, previously unreleased songs, it’s also a looking into the future. After a first EP entitled “D’un battement d’ailes” (Of a beating of wings) released in April, 2006, it is in April, 2008 that the band delivers its first album, “La dame de Coeur” (The Queen of Hearts) recorded by Yann Klimezyk ( MyPollux). In summer, 2009, Tess records his second album, more aggressive than never, definitively more in a post-hardcore mood, “Les autres” (The Others).
The band will record in September, 2010 two new tracks – “My Very Own War” and “Le Menteur a Dit” – which complete the list of the tracks included on “St. Charles” released on 28 March, 2011. Read more Tess – St. Charles – DVD Data Discography (2011)
Sicfaist – Road Unknown (2011)
Bill Friese – vocals, Eric Britt – guitar, Ken Campbell – drums and Darren McClelland – bass bring to the surface pieces from a shattered universe, while their music have roots back to bands such as Deftones, Tool, System Of A Down and Korn. Actually, they name as their influences bands such as Mudvayne, Tool, Killswitch Engage, Incubus, Gojira, Deftones, Lamb of god, Sevendust, 40 Below Summer, Meshuggah, Rage Against the Machine and Red Hot Chili Peppers. Anyway, these American guys from St. Louis, Missouri, delivering some dark, contorted and sometimes quite strange, but sparkling and beautiful, still heavy enough, modern metal. Read more Sicfaist – Road Unknown (2011)
Vampires On Tomato Juice – VOTJ (2011)
Trevor Le Doux (Vocals, Creator), Ben Wolf (Vocals, Creator), Lucius McCoy (Guitars), Donovan Crane (Guitars), Lord Daryl Khedora (Drums, Background Vocals) and M.Art.S. Lucrezia di Bathory (Bass, Background Vocals) want to notice the world they are here, so this “VOTJ” is available for free download on their web site. What they sound like? Imagine System Of A Down playing Helloween songs from the 80s or vice verse, the 80’s Helloween playing System Of A Down compositions. It’s goddamn serious, but it’s pretty funny. 14 songs plus intro, seems to be hell of an effort, the SOAD parallel persist through the whole album, maybe it’s a little bit too obvious, too conscious this influence. And maybe 14 songs it’s too much. Less songs and more carefully selected themes might worked better. I would stick to 10 songs. Read more Vampires On Tomato Juice – VOTJ (2011)
Shadowcast – Space Age Revolution (2011)
Back in 1999 Clemens Mayr of black metal outfit Amortis decided to put together something different, the project originally entitled Project Judgement. Using some heavy riffs delivered by his band mates, guitarist Lukas Lindenberger and Simon Mayr and some electronic textures and layers, the style of the new band was set. The debut album, “Desperate Accuse Dimension” was released in 2002, featuring Roman Lindenberger – guitar and Lukas Lindenberger – drum programming. Mayr later considered this album too Gothic oriented and not enough experimental, so only one year later they released their second full-length album called “The Near Life Experience” which was much better produced and sound closer to the original ideas of Mayr. Read more Shadowcast – Space Age Revolution (2011)
Mindplotter – Coma (2011)
Mindplotter is a one-man project from Ukraine and “Come” is the second album after the 2010’s “La Beauté De La Solitude” exploring an electro-industrial, experimental area with noise and breakbeat textures, but also including colourful influences also from The Chemical Brothers, God Is Astronaut, DJ Shadow, Unkle and Massive Attack.
“Coma” sounds like a battle-ground for post-rock and ambiental music, it’s a collision between genres, matchcore and cinematic, smooth soundscapes are merged into one, glowing and colourful music.
Organic and mechanic, rock and electronic music blended together and the result is quite dynamic and exciting. Read more Mindplotter – Coma (2011)
Cold – Superfiction (2011)
Fred Durst noticed Cold on the local scene in their hometown Jacksonville. Fred invited the band to record a demo and pass the recording to producer Ross Robinson who take them over and get them a deal with A&M Records. At the bottom line, Cold had two gold-albums and has sold over one million records. They break up in 2006, but reunited two years later and “Superfiction” is their first new album since 2005’s “A Different Kind of Pain”.
12 tracks, kind of mediocre post-grunge/alternative rock mixture, they have a very few better moments, a couple of catchy riffs and some good choruses, but still, it’s thin for 2011 and not quite exciting generally speaking. Read more Cold – Superfiction (2011)
