Sh*t That Comes Out Today: February 5, 2013
WOW this is soooo much easier!!! See, I typed up this week’s STCOT today at half speed and then used my computer to double its tempo afterwards! Piece of Cake! Can you imagine if this method were used by bands to record their music?! Genius!! Killer snare samples and processed shred below!
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Cortez (SWI)
Phoebus (Throatruiner)
On a playlist with: Ion Dissonance’s Solace, Mastodon’s Remission, The Secret
Listen Phoebus full stream (here)
Want to kick off this day with something sinister? This trio from Switzerland makes unsettling, intense noisecore with a black metal moodiness and post-metal density. And did I mention these guys are heavy? Like really heavy, and disturbingly dark, too. Nightmarish stuff. Check it out.
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Quadrivium
Methocha (Soulseller)
On a playlist with: Unexpect, Ihsahn, Arcturus
Listen “Methocha” (here) “Dead Syphon Focus” (here)
A weird and wild ride awaits listeners of Quadrivium’s second album, Methocha. It’s right in line with the work of Quadrivium’s similarly strange Scandinavian brethren of Ihsahn, Arcturus, and Leprous. That means vicious black metal rasps, theatrical ICS Vortex-style clean singing, haunted house keyboard melodies, and rhythmic switch-ups — all the odd stuff pegged under the dubious title “avant garde metal.” Genre confusion aside, Methoca delivers interesting stuff here, and Quadrivium never gets bogged down in experimentation at the cost of songcraft.
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The Bronx
The Bronx IV
On a playlist with: Alexisonfire, Clutch, Turbonegro
Listen The Bronx IV full stream (here)
Read Mad Sourman MetalSucks review (here)
The Bronx differ from The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza: For album titles, the former uses Roman numerals, the latter tally marks. Some other more relevant points of distinction include The Bronx’s balance of upbeat hardcore punk and dirty rock ‘n roll, and their feel-good vibes. Much of The Bronx IV‘s appeal can be traced to vocalist Matt Caughthran’s gritty hooks that flip at the drop of a hat from almost soulful refrains to wild animal howls, much like Dillinger Escape Plan singer Greg Pucciato’s. The entire record is catchy and high energy, but wants for diversity even across its brief 37 minutes.
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Riverside
Shrine Of New Generation Slaves (Inside Out)
On a playlist with: Rush, Spock’s Beard, Porcupine Tree
Listen “Celebrity Touch” (listen)
I remember the miserable summer when I discovered Riverside; the downtrodden, gloomy art rock of their first albums was the perfect remedy to my woes. Since their 2004 debut, the Polish prog veterans have split focus between atmospheres and subtlety (Porcupine Tree, Katatonia) and donning a Rush shirt and rocking out on hammond organ. The former works better than the latter, so dooming 2009’s polarizing Anno Domini High Definition; but for better or for worse, the latter is their direction, as attested by new single “Celebrity Touch” (above). Shrine Of New Generation Slaves isn’t at all bad — it just isn’t my cup of tea. But fans of retro-leaning prog can guzzle that brew.
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Hate
Solarflesh (Napalm)
On a playlist with: Decapitated, Behemoth, Vader
Listen Solarflesh full stream (here)
Like their bandname, Hate is direct and vicious. When it comes to traditional and relentless death metal with that Slavic spice, you will be hard pressed to do much better than this second band of Poland natives in today’s increasingly Polish STCOT. Solarflesh is back-to-basics brutality executed with style, killer musicianship, and enough groove and tunefulness to appeal to those unworthy of the elitist title.
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Coheed And Cambria
The Afterman: Descension (Fontana)
On a playlist with: Fair to Midland, The Receiving End Of Sirens, Protest The Hero
Listen The Afterman: Descension full stream (here)
I’ve been long overdue to reassess Coheed And Cambria. I don’t know why I’ve avoided them; maybe I still have their smash “A Favor House Atlantic” swirling around in my ears, or maybe I still associate the NY quartet with Jimmy Eat World and Unwritten Law, who came out around the same time; but in 2013 Coheed And Cambria is a totally different creature. And the second volume of Coheed’s dorky interstellar Aftermath odyssey is a punchy blend of post-hardcore and alt-metal with a prog sensibility and huge hooks. In what may be a nod to the group’s oft-denied heroes Rush, Descension (like 2012’s Ascension) is littered with goofy radio “transmissions” from “space” that annoy but do not ruin the experience of several expertly-written epics.
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OTHER SHIT THAT COMES OUT TODAY
8th Sin Cosmogenesis (Soulseller) listen
»Acrimonious Sunyata (Agonia) listen
»Alpha Tiger Beneath The Surface (Century Media) listen
Ancient VVisdom Deathlike (Prosthetic) listen read
Anger As Art Hubris Inc. (Old School Metal) listen
Archon Auroboros Collapsing (The Path Less Traveled) listen
Audrey Horne Youngblood (Napalm) listen
Black Rain Night Tales (Perris) listen
Bloody Hammers Bloody Hammers (Soulseller) listen
Combichrist No Redemption (Out Of Line) listen
Deep Purple Slaves And Masters deluxe (Friday) listen
Defeated Sanity Passages Into Deformity (Willowtip) listen
Destruction Spiritual Genocide (Nuclear Blast) listen
Dirty Passion In Wonderland (Perris) listen listen
Dreamtale Epsilon (Perris) listen
»Endezzma Erotik Nekrosis (Agonia) listen
Funeral For A Friend Conduit (The End) listen
Gloria Morti Lateral Constraint (Metal Blade) listen
God’s America Our Bones Will Bleach In The Sun 7″ (A389) listen
Hammerfall Gates Of Dalhalla 2CD/DVD (Nuclear Blast) watch
Hanging Garden At Every Door (Lifeforce) listen
Heart In Hand Almost There (Siege Of Amida) listen
Helen Money Arriving Angels (Profound Lore) listen listen
Hell Or Highwater Begin Again (Pavement) listen listen
Midnite Sun Anyone Like Us (Perris) listen
Morbid Carnage Merciless Conquest (MetalHit.com) listen
»Necrowretch Putrid Death Sorcery (Century Media) listen
»Primitive Man Scorn (Throatruiner) listen
The Prophecy Salvation (Code 666) listen
¤Rings Of Saturn Dingir (Unique Leader) listen
Set Your Anchor For The Hopeless (Negative Progression) listen listen
Sideburn IV Monument (Perris) listen
Slough Feg Down Among The Deadmen reissue (Metal Blade) listen
Slough Feg Traveller reissue (Metal Blade) listen
Slough Feg Twilight Of The Idols reissue (Metal Blade) listen
Sonic Reign Monument In Black (Apostasy) listen
Those Who Fear Unholy Anger (Facedown) listen listen
Tyrant Goatgaldrakona Horns In The Dark (MetalHit.com) listen
Weekend Nachos Watch You Suffer 7″ (A389) listen
Vex Memorious (Horror Pain Gore Death) listen
Zombified Carnage, Slaughter And Death (Metal Blade) listen
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