Merging the so-called Post-Hardcore with electronic layers and build-ups with influences from Trance and House seems to be the most fashionable recipe lately for a new generation of headbangers growing up on bands such as Linkin Park. I’m not a huge fan of this new trends, but definitively there are a few excellent bands. And I See Stars are definitively much better then 8 out of 10 of these bands.
“Digital Renegade” (stylized as [digital_renegade]) is the third studio album by the band formed in 2006, in Warren, Michigan. Their debut album entitled “3-D”, released in 2009 and featured a guest appearance from Bizzy Bone of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, has peaked at #176 on the Billboard 200. It was followed by “The End of the World Party” released in 2011.
“Digital Renegade” was released on March 13, 2012 and this time the boys take their music on a much aggressive, abrasive way, the grinding Metal rooted elements are overwhelming the electronic-melodic moments. Read more I See Stars – Digital Renegade (2012)
metalcore
M.T. – Rock Remix Collection (2012)
Remixers are widely under-rated and almost marginalized, kind of feeders of the Music Industry. Most of the remix contests are about promoting the artist and the remixes are generally only secondary sub-products of this process. This is not quite fair, but well, music became lately only a secondary sub-product of the Music Industry/Business, so, it’s not quite surprising.
M.T. (Mihai Tivadar) is a Romanian musician and producer with a constant activity on the national rock scene. He made his name as a keyboard player, guitarist and main songwriter of the rock band Dirty Shirt. Additionally, he has played in and wrote music for several other bands, most notably Rhetorica, Arca, Eclipse and Neverland. He actively took part in the organization of festivals such as East West Fest, Dirty Fest, and RockFest Seini as well as a number of successful tours such as Dirty Tour (Romania, Hungary and Germany), Metal Orient Express (Romania), Tripod Tour (Romania and Hungary), Allied Forces Tour (Romania and Hungary), From East to West Tour (France and Belgium), etc. Read more M.T. – Rock Remix Collection (2012)
Kehlvin – The Orchard of Forking Paths (2012)
I watched the video – Kehlvin new Blockbuster 😆 – only to see if the dude at the end smash off his guitars to the rocks. He didn’t and honestly I was quite disappointed. 😆 😆 😆 Fun, but talking seriously, not such a great way to promote a new band nowadays if you want to be taken seriously by fans and the industry.
Formed back in early 1999 by five friends in La Chaux-de- Fonds, Switzerland, Kehlvin is delivering a slow grinding and Doom inspired, contorted and gloomy Metalcore with blending of both post-Hardcore and post-Rock/Metal elements. After the release of their first acclaimed album, “The Mountain Daylight Time” on Division Records and some shows across Europe with the likes of Burst, Will Haven, Mono, Red Sparowes, Knut and Unsane, the members of Kehlvin have collaborated with their friends from Rorcal in order to record a split album called “Ascension.” Read more Kehlvin – The Orchard of Forking Paths (2012)
Silent Descent – Mind Games (2012)
In 2008 Metal Hammer proclaimed them “the trance metal juggernaught the world has been waiting for.” Well, I’m not so sure that the electronic and club addicted persons will actually appreciate the howling voices and the grinding guitar riffs, as well as the metal heads probably will hate all the trance and electronic s*its incorporated in the disturbed Metal by some of the trend rider youngster. But the British media really praised Silent Descent as one of the best new Metal acts, the band won the Kerrang!/MCN Unsigned Live competition, they performed at the Bloodstock Open Air music festival in August 2008, sold out the Camden Underworld along with Alestorm in 2009, headlined Thursday night’s Boardie Takeover at Download festival both in 2009 and 2010.
Following the trends, along the Trance perfumed electronics, the band on their newly released second album inserted some contorted Dubstep noises as well. Surprisingly or not quite, this sounds bloody right! Read more Silent Descent – Mind Games (2012)
Hypno5e – Acid Mist Tomorrow (2012)
In our times of deep turbulence and dissonances, the French Hypno5e re-paint with sounds this shattered world and pushing the musical borders further. This is Metal beyond Metal, fans of Cynic definitively will be delighted by the furious, but technical Death Metal moments, although the whole complex construction is further tripper, sometimes even abstract, quiet, meditative moments are twisted out by raging hurricanes, acrobatic riffs and pounding rhythmic, or the furious moments are break down by schizophrenic, echoing passages of slow, cinematic, but disturbed music.
Blending all Metal genres and adding ambiental and Jazz elements, Hypno5e build up their own and unique style of (future) Metal. Further, their mixing the music with video concept, the genius within HYPNO5E shows an all around approach to the arts, musically and visually. Read more Hypno5e – Acid Mist Tomorrow (2012)
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)
VALVE – Self-titled EP (2012) free download
Contorted ant tumultuous, VALVE delivered a noisy and grinding debut EP which can be bought (name your price) from their Bandcamp page or downloaded for free from the link they offer on Mediafire.
The Parisian band delivering a very heavy and consistent modern Metal merging from Doom to Groove Metal and from Sludge to (post-modern) Metalcore all kind of different Metal sub-genres, but the result is very intense and intriguingly compact, crushing, cutting-edge Metal. In the nowadays over-dumping offering of so-called Metalcore products, VALVE almost miraculously find their own voice, path and sound and succeed to deliver a mature and quality product. “Siren” is my favorite track, although all the five tracks are equally and extremely intense and experimental, temerarious songs.
Definitively a nice surprise and a very promise full debut. Don’t hesitate, go and grab it!!! Read more VALVE – Self-titled EP (2012) free download
Voice Of Ruin – New Video and Free Download
Randy Schaller – voice, Nils Horngacher and Marc Chevalley – guitars, Erwin Bertschi – bass and Olivier Sutter – drums delivered a perfect picture of nowadays metalcore patterns and cliches, actually they do a pretty good job, but they didn’t managed to bring into it something from their own spirit. They delivering an instant burst of adrenalin, playing fast, pumping high-energy and rage in their songs and well, for some youngsters and a debut material, this is quite alright. Read the full album review HERE.
Watch Voice Of Ruin’s new video, “Dépendances” and grab their debut album for free here: MEDIAFIRE link. Read more Voice Of Ruin – New Video and Free Download
YOG – Half the Sky (2011)
Brutally grinding, virulent and sometimes chaotic, YOG managed to merged different sounds and approaches of extreme metal into their own slaughter.
Formed back in early 2000, in Neuchâtel (Switzerland), YOG taken off in the early days from the influence of bands like Sick of it All, Disrupt and Napalm Death only to reach into the more intense, twisted and sick sound of bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan, Botch, Pig Destroyer, Converge and other extreme combos of the modern hardcore scene.
After the release of their debut album entitled “Years of Nowhere”, they take by assault the stages across Europe with bands like Today is the Day, Genghis Tron, Gojira, Knut, Burnt By the Sun, etc. Read more YOG – Half the Sky (2011)
Craving – Fucked Up Beyond Repair, EP (2011)
Released in May 2011 as free download on Reverbnation, the self-produced debut EP by the French metalcore outfit Craving it’s a brutally honest massacre, a loud as hell blending of classic thrash and the nowadays raging post-hardcore/metal sounds. Some of their riffs, constructions reminds me of Testament and Sepultura, eventually Kreator. The title track definitively could became a huge headbanging anthem back in the 80s, beginning of the 90s. And – why not – it is possible to be a metal anthem nowadays too, true metalers never die!
We’ve got 6 furious and rapid tracks, the perfect soundtrack for a good time banging, so go and grab it! Read more Craving – Fucked Up Beyond Repair, EP (2011)
