The merging of metalcore and dubstep was kind of predictable and unavoidable evolution of the scene. Low frequency oscillations, the wobble bass and some crushing riffs and screaming vocals make a quite destructive pair and definitively fits the taste of the new generation. But there’s at least one question left. Those kids who are willing to set the city on fire only to steal a pair of sneakers and eventually a flat screen TV, are gonna pay for all that music the industry kindly delivering, or they gonna download – steal – it? And honestly, most of this music deserves nothing than to be downloaded.
Although I have my (musical) roots back in hardcore, but I also appreciate the quality dubstep too, so, I think this musical collision could bring to the surface quite exciting results, I still did not heard some outstanding results. America had his best shot by Korn, but not even the almighty Skrillex and a whole army of appreciated nowadays producers could save the lack of inspiration from “The Path Of Totality” and hide it under the massive sound. So, let’s see what the Brits managed to delivered on their third album… Read more Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood Of Colour (2012)
metalcore
Crown The Empire – Limitless, EP (2011)
As I suspected, new trend rising at the horizon, resulting from the mixture of emocore leftovers and the hursh electro/dubstep. Asking Alexandria get few steps ahead, but already there were a few quite interesting followers such as Given The Day or Crossfaith, not to mention the fresh Korn album which probably will considerably influence a bunch of other bands.
But Crown The Empire delivered an absolutely exciting debut EP consist of 7 intense metal butcheries filled with contorted electronic flavors, but staying metal and brutal.
And Crown The Empire is giving away “Breaking Point” for free by post their message on your Twitter – HERE – which, by the way is one of their great songs.
And no matter how reserved I’m regarding new trends, Crown The Empire kicks ass, but also know to write quality songs, merge musicality, quite singable elements with extreme, death metal like brutality. They future sounds quite promisful, trust me! Read more Crown The Empire – Limitless, EP (2011)
Machine Head – Unto The Locust (2011)
Robb Flynn is back. Although “The Blackening”, their previous album, was released in 2007, it seems it was a lifetime ago. Acclaimed by fans and critics, “The Blackening” definitively raise high expectations. But the million points question is: the media can make a new metal god out of Machine Head? Generally speaking, probably yes, not only of Flynn’s band, but out of any band they picking it up. Particularly, Machine Head are a goddamn hell of a band, I still believe, their debut album, “Burn My Eyes”, back in 1994 was one of the strongest and most expressive metal album ever delivered. Meantime Machine Head aimed too much to be popular, to be on the right trend, eventually become “the next Metallica”. Shifting from one subgenre to another, Machine Head miss the essence: they always remains one step behind the trends instead to settle one. And metal is not a popularity contest. Don’t miss understand me, they are a killer band, but eventually too… audience-friendly. And lately media-friendly. Because yes, without media don’t matter who you are, you are nothing. Read more Machine Head – Unto The Locust (2011)
Mediocracy – Asoma (2011)
“Humanity may be closing in on it’s end but for now we are still here and we resist as much as possible…and Mediocracy is only at the beginning!” – they said one year ago and the guys from Mediocracy are strikes again. Their second installment, “Asoma” it’s been released today, lucky 13 😀 , 13th September, 2011, and it’s available for free download just like their previous effort at Asiluum.com , the web site which promote most of the uprising Romanian artists.
“Mediocracy is a situation in the society in which mediocre people prevail. The society is subordinated to a quasi-egalitarian ideology in which words and ideas are redefined to be convenient for the average people. Other symptoms include dumbing, jargonism, infantilisation, vacuity, phoney democratisation and authoritarianism.”
Read more Mediocracy – Asoma (2011)
Gravity – Syndrome (2011)
With roots back to classic and symphonic Heavy Metal, merging Death Metal with Groove and Nu Metal, Gravity are the latest promise of Montpellier Metal’s stage. Singed to M&O label last year, they released their debut full-length album entitled “Syndrom” in 2011. Emilie (vocals), Alex and Mathieu (guitars), Tim (bass) and Hugo (drums) delivered a quite unique blending of Metal sub-genres. Emilie covers a large range of singing styles from classic, clean singing to deadly howling and bloody screaming, sometimes evoking opera styles, other times – mainly – being extremely brutal and combine Death and Hardcore styles. The music is also colorful, while I’m getting bored by too many so-called whatever-core released lately, Gravity delivering quality modern Metal without repeating the trendy cliches and patterns. Read more Gravity – Syndrome (2011)
Eskeype – Legacy of Truth (2010)
Delivering classy Thrash and Death grindings and butcheries, juggling between Progressive Metal and Metalcore, Eskeype’s full-length album seems to be a promise kept, the perfect follow-up of their debut 2008’s EP “First Process”.
Melodic and Progressive Metal elements are merged with powerful and brutal Metalcore, technical and aggressive themes are merged into their dark, dynamic, but colorful Metal.
Nico M – Vocals & Violin, Djoule and Valentin – Guitars, Nico C – Bass and Dario – Drums & Samples managed to combine classy and modern Metal, brutalities and harmonies into their own taste-like music.
Read more Eskeype – Legacy of Truth (2010)
The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Rocksound call them “The saviours of UK alternative metal!” while Kerrang!! consider them “An explosive mangle of Manson stage craft and middle finger metal!”. When the media praise an artist unanimously, I’ve become suspicious and precocious.
Good to know: “We are not some American band who will write a love song just to appeal to teenagers” said vocalist Stitch D, and listen to their songs, this 5-piece London based metal band delivering some kind of aggressive, wicked metal, something which might be described as the collision of Murderdolls with Static-X, a deadly mixture of Nu and Groove Metal. Brit-Metal or not, they sounds more American-like than similar to Iron Maiden or Bullet for My Valentine and find a loud, powerful way to put their riffs and noises in the right place and afterward punch them right in your face.
So, kicking all my skepticism and prejudices considering everything labeled “metalcore” lately away, The Defiled – almost surprisingly – are absolutely worth to listen. Probably if Pantera would form today they might sound pretty close to what The Defiled deliver. Also Slipknot fans might find this album highly inflammable!!! Read more The Defiled – Grave Times (2011)
Eyes Set To Kill – White Lotus (2011)
Not a goddamn day without (at least) one (thousand) new metalcore release. Today’s review winner is Eyes Set to Kill from Tempe, Arizona.
Formed in 2003 by the Rodriguez sisters – Alexia (clean vocals, lead guitar, piano) and Anissa (bass, backing vocals), Eyes Set To Kill became one of MySpace.com’s top unsigned screamo bands in 2006. The group signed with BreakSilence/Suburban Noize Records the following year and release three critically acclaimed studio efforts – 2008’s “Reach”, 2009’s “The World Outside” and 2010’s “Broken Frames”. Frustrated with the label politics, and pressure to withhold their identity, Eyes Set To Kill decided to break away and release independently “White Lotus”, their fifth studio album through a joint venture between their own imprint Forsee Records and Maphia Entertainment. Read more Eyes Set To Kill – White Lotus (2011)
Trivium – In Waves (2011)
Fans of In Flames can give a try on this fifth studio album by Orlando, Florida’s Trivium. Formed in 1999, the band came out under the influence of Metallica to make it to the nowadays so-called metalcore which incorporated clean and screamo vocals, progressive and melodious heavy themes and death-like grindings. Boil in the proper proportion Metallica, In Flames, Machine Head and Iron Maiden in a music blender and the result should come pretty close to what’s on “In Waves”.
This merging of classic heavy constructions, thrash rawness, few death brutalities and powerful, clean vocals against screams and howls is still quite dynamic and Trivium managed to deliver a few extremely good themes and moments, still, this patters and schemes becomes so predictable that nothing can save it from itself. Read more Trivium – In Waves (2011)
Bury Your Dead – Mosh N Roll (2011)
Stripped to the core, this is hardfuckingcore with heavy riffs, high-level fury and explosive, unleashed energy. Pantera/Machine Head like groove metal collide with Biohazard/Sick Of It All hardcore and the result is quite convincing. This is nothing, but “mosh’n’roll”, pure, pumping metalcore without any useless ornament, senseless sophism, just kick ass themes, cutting riffs and raw vocals.
Formed in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, in 2001, as a side project of the band Hamartia featuring Brendan “Slim†MacDonald – guitar and Mark Castillo – drums and recorded and released their debut album titled “You Had Me At Hello” in March 2002. After several tours, the band break up for a few month, but bass player Rich Casey re-unite Slim, Mark and they bring to the microphone Mat Bruso.
Since, the band been through several line-up changes, Bruso left the band in 2007, he was replaced by Michael Crafter for a short period, then by Myke Terry till January 2011 when Bruso came back and Terry was fired. Read more Bury Your Dead – Mosh N Roll (2011)
