Hey guys! Just wanted to post this compiled list of albums I own/have owned. This is so you can get an idea of where my influences draw. That's all for now, thanks!
Album collection (Own/Owned)
Monday, September 19, 2016
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Upcoming reviews and Interviews.
Hey everyone, we got some things coming along in the near future, be sure to check it out. I have a tentative schedule which I will post for you directly below.
That's it for now. Exteezium will actually be releasing a split tape soon, info in a link at the bottom!
So yeah, so far thanks for checking us out. Gonna keep this shit up, ya'll.
Exteezium split tape
- September 23rd: I will be reviewing "Concrete" by Ibex
- September 27th: I'll have an interview with Chicago Noise artist, Exteezium
- September 30th: I will be reviewing "I don't like shit, I don't go outside" by Earl Sweatshirt
That's it for now. Exteezium will actually be releasing a split tape soon, info in a link at the bottom!
So yeah, so far thanks for checking us out. Gonna keep this shit up, ya'll.
Exteezium split tape
Friday, September 16, 2016
The Acacia Strain - Continent
Pretext: There is a good chance you have listened to this album if you were an angst-ridden teen in the mid-2000s.The internet was becoming more accessible, and extreme music was building a strong platform in cyberspace. This was also marking the beginning of widespread music pirating, so I imagine you all downloaded this album on Limewire or Ares (I preferred ares, but my many laptops did not).
I actually first bought this album in Winter of 2009. It was strategically placed in the Latino music section of Walmart, which to this day I don't understand why. It didn't matter. I had heard of The Acacia Strain, so I was ready for some br00talxdeathcores.
I was disappointed, so I gifted the album to my cousin. Two years later, I asked for it back, and he didn't mind returning the album. After that, I studied the album a bit more, and formed a more diverse opinion on the music. Let us get started!
Continent was released in 2008 under Prosthetic Records. Being the fourth release from the band, The Acacia Strain had a good start marking their territory in the scene. Despite the style being a mixture of hardcore and deathcore, the act has been cited to reject the tag deathcore. The album goes through motions of hardcore riffing and chugging breakdowns. A lot of the ideas explored on this album are interesting for their time, but the album falls into a routine with many songs being strikingly similar.
The intro track "Skynet" begins with a provoking syncopated breakdown that falls in tempo slowly. Afterwards, the hardcore begins. I'm sure we can all remember this riff just by thinking of it. The first half of the album is the strongest point, having the most differentiating tracks. A d-beat drumbeat even makes it's way onto the album in the song "Dr. Doom," further solidifying the hardcore sound.
Lyrically, the album is very hateful and apathetic. Some songs are also misogynistic, which was common for bands back then. The lyrical work is vague in meaning. This shows as a positive, making it easy to immerse into the no-holds-barred world The Acacia Strain creates. There is also story-telling, "Seaward" being a prime example. The lyrics paint a short story of a man in the middle of nowhere, brazenly taking advantage of a woman. I do find the lyrics a strong point, though they are a bit one-dimensional.
Though monotonous, the music very involved and emotionally aggressive. No blast beats appear on this album, but drumming is my primary interest. He is able to expand with fluidity on simple sections. He can also take the backseat in a song if need be. The breakdowns are extremely catchy, even somewhat technical like in "Seaward" or "Balboa Towers." The album shows exceptional musicianship, but it isn't apparent with only one or two listens.
The production is what you would expect from any deathcore act of this time, but flavored a bit differently. The guitar tone is very reserved, moving the drums and vocals to the frontlines. Even so, the drum production is not abrasive, but mellow. This allows the album to exploit the heavy sound in a varied way. The vocal mix weaves into the music. None of the instruments are battling each other, giving a smooth, although weighted sound.
The biggest problem is the monotony. The tracks begin to use riffing that is similar song from song. Consistency is always good, but not when the riffs sound almost exactly the same. "JFC" and "Balboa Towers" have intros so similar, I couldn't tell them apart on my first few listens in 2009. This is what initially turned me off from the album, and why I gave it away in the first place. The album only holds my attention for the first few tracks, then I'm only mindlessly listening.
I hold this album to a high degree personally. It was part of a movement of music I miss very dearly, and was very influential for my generation. This doesn't change the fact that the album falls on it's face in certain categories. You can only hear the complexity in the music after continuous listening. If you don't enjoy it right away, you'll probably sit it back on the shelf to collect dust. I would definitely suggest listening to the album multiple times, you will at least keep a few tracks on your playlist.
Production: 7/10
Musicianship: 7/10
Creativity: 6/10
Overall: 7.5
I actually first bought this album in Winter of 2009. It was strategically placed in the Latino music section of Walmart, which to this day I don't understand why. It didn't matter. I had heard of The Acacia Strain, so I was ready for some br00talxdeathcores.
I was disappointed, so I gifted the album to my cousin. Two years later, I asked for it back, and he didn't mind returning the album. After that, I studied the album a bit more, and formed a more diverse opinion on the music. Let us get started!
The intro track "Skynet" begins with a provoking syncopated breakdown that falls in tempo slowly. Afterwards, the hardcore begins. I'm sure we can all remember this riff just by thinking of it. The first half of the album is the strongest point, having the most differentiating tracks. A d-beat drumbeat even makes it's way onto the album in the song "Dr. Doom," further solidifying the hardcore sound.
Lyrically, the album is very hateful and apathetic. Some songs are also misogynistic, which was common for bands back then. The lyrical work is vague in meaning. This shows as a positive, making it easy to immerse into the no-holds-barred world The Acacia Strain creates. There is also story-telling, "Seaward" being a prime example. The lyrics paint a short story of a man in the middle of nowhere, brazenly taking advantage of a woman. I do find the lyrics a strong point, though they are a bit one-dimensional.
Though monotonous, the music very involved and emotionally aggressive. No blast beats appear on this album, but drumming is my primary interest. He is able to expand with fluidity on simple sections. He can also take the backseat in a song if need be. The breakdowns are extremely catchy, even somewhat technical like in "Seaward" or "Balboa Towers." The album shows exceptional musicianship, but it isn't apparent with only one or two listens.
The production is what you would expect from any deathcore act of this time, but flavored a bit differently. The guitar tone is very reserved, moving the drums and vocals to the frontlines. Even so, the drum production is not abrasive, but mellow. This allows the album to exploit the heavy sound in a varied way. The vocal mix weaves into the music. None of the instruments are battling each other, giving a smooth, although weighted sound.
The biggest problem is the monotony. The tracks begin to use riffing that is similar song from song. Consistency is always good, but not when the riffs sound almost exactly the same. "JFC" and "Balboa Towers" have intros so similar, I couldn't tell them apart on my first few listens in 2009. This is what initially turned me off from the album, and why I gave it away in the first place. The album only holds my attention for the first few tracks, then I'm only mindlessly listening.
I hold this album to a high degree personally. It was part of a movement of music I miss very dearly, and was very influential for my generation. This doesn't change the fact that the album falls on it's face in certain categories. You can only hear the complexity in the music after continuous listening. If you don't enjoy it right away, you'll probably sit it back on the shelf to collect dust. I would definitely suggest listening to the album multiple times, you will at least keep a few tracks on your playlist.
Production: 7/10
Musicianship: 7/10
Creativity: 6/10
Overall: 7.5
Sunday, September 11, 2016
Job for A Cowboy - Genesis
I'll be starting this blog with an album that I know relatively well, considering it was my first death metal/deathcore album. I received Genesis as a Christmas present in 2007, the year of it's release. Ironic, because the album is basically the Anti-Christ's journal.
The general feeling of this album is paradoxical. There is a strong blandness to the album, yet it has potential for replay value. The riff writing on Genesis is strong in theory, but the songs get lost in the dry, desert-like production. The strongest points of the album are the lyrics and the rhythms.
Lyrically, Genesis is a very focused concept album. The narrative follows the rise of the Anti-Christ in the new world. Jonny Davy touches many subjects taken directly from the book of Revelation, plus a lot of modern context. This was released during the V-chip scare, and the song "Embedded" touches the subject strongly. The lyrical content is very mature. It was definitely thought out and written carefully. Genesis is the first book of the Bible, but the word is defined as the origin of something, or a beginning. The use of the word on the album clearly means the beginning of the Anti-Christ. Very clever, Job for A Cowboy!
The riffing on this album is spot on in certain ways. The crossover deathcore/death metal sound is attractive, and the drumming on the album is entertaining as well, touching close to every extreme music technique. The tonality is what falls short. The sound of the instruments doesn't match the extremity of the music. Also, each song seems to go through a soldier-like motion, being very mechanical and precise. Precision playing is a very good trait, but it feels bland on Genesis.
The replay value of the album comes from the lyrical content, and the styles touched. Even if the production value feels like a saltine cracker, the music is interesting. Genesis is one of the first crossover efforts from a first wave deathcore band. If you liked deathcore and was a youngin' in the mid-2000s, you know the style was looked down upon by Metalheads. Job for A Cowboy was spit on especially. Here, we see an effort to break out of the deathcore genre. Death Metal influence reeks on this album, but it still comes off as deathcore. This is the pull of the album. The riffing makes you want to continue to listen to see what comes next.
The lyricism and early crossover values are the important aspects of this album. If you're partial to deathcore, this album is definitely good for studying. Even purist death metal fans can find a few songs to add to their playlist. These are the only exceptions though, otherwise ignore this release. I am partial to this album because it was my first death metal/deathcore CD, but I don't spin it often.
Production: 3/10
Musicianship: 7/10
Creativity: 8/10
Overall: 6.5/10
Hi, and Welcome!
Hi, my name is Tracy Andrew. I'm starting this blog out of pure boredom. It's going to be a way to get my thoughts down in a place I can go back to. I'll be doing album reviews mostly, but there will be a lot of other things on here. If something strikes you about this blog, keep reading after you find it!
Thanks,
Tracy
Thanks,
Tracy
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