Who would have ever predicted that America would be in the state that it’s in now? With police brutality on the up and up, rapists seemingly getting off scot free and a blonde haired buffoon (not you Boris) is in charge of the entire country. Rewind ten years and the American Dream was a polar opposite. Without the feeding of xenophobic behaviour the country’s turmoil was very much to do with itself. The poor remaining poor and the rich getting, well you know how the story ends. Having been one of the decade’s most important albums, skyrocketing the band and having the record made into a major broadway picture American Idiot was an iconoclast.
Album Review : Meshuggah – The Violent Sleep Of Reason
“Because you’re worth it”, “Maybe it’s Maybeline” and of course the infamous “Beach Body Ready”. Living in the mass consumerist culture of the modern day people are intent on the idea of perfection. Shoehorning people into this dystopian ideal of perfection the theory creeps its way into the musical ideology. Aided and abetted by technology, music, particularly that of Metal has since devolved since the discovery of clinical machinery – ensuring this idea of perfection remains. Harbringers of this technological revolution, Meshuggah are pioneers of a sound exclusively married to perfection. Resolving to once again change the archetype Meshuggah return this year with The Violent Sleep Of Reason. Representing a paradigm shift in the genre the record was recorded entirely live. Bringing the idea of reality to their ideology of perfection, The Violent Sleep of Reason sees a band of perfect nature become imperfect for the first time.
Album Review : Alter Bridge – The Last Hero
Spider-Man, Batman even Superman known throughout cultures to be the flag bearers of justice and civil upstanding. Glorifying acts of kindness and examples of selflessness. Juxtapose this to the life of a firefighter, the underdog of heroism. Or perhaps the one lad that stands up for someone at school? The donor who was able to keep a person alive owing to his kindness. These are the true definition of the word hero. Taking note from past experience and current day Alter Bridge have rallied thirteen pertinent war cry’s representing these understated people to ensure that will never be The Last Hero.
Album Review: Sonata Arctica – The Ninth Hour
Sonata Arctica musically have had an interesting career over the last 10 years. The Finnish quintet made a sudden decision to take their music in a new direction, and have been struggling to find consistency since. The Sonata fan is just not quite sure what they’re going to get anymore, and we see what ‘The Ninth Hour‘ offers.
Album Review : Asphyx – Incoming Death
Album Review : Opeth – Sorceress
Portrayed in a multitude of characterisations the idea of the woman is that of finesse, fidelity and grace. A compassionate, caring and truly delicate symbol of fertility, culturally shown in a plethora of examples. One of the most prominent being that of the orchid a strong, sensual flower that is both beautiful yet can retain air of deception. Bottling this mystique Opeth return after severing their umbilical cord to the Death Metal accolade they have nurtured. Rebellions against the constraints of genre classification Opeth deliver their blossoming ode to fidelity in Sorceress.
Album Review: Epica – The Holographic Principle
The release of a new Epica album has been commonly been referred to as a celebratory time in symphonic metal. Every offering the band has conjured in the past has surpassed it’s predecessor in every way, always leaving something to look forward to with the successor. We look to see if the flying Dutchmen can continue their trend of exponential brilliance with the latest opus, ‘The Holographic Principle‘.
Album Review : Insomnium – Winter’s Gate
Innovation is something that often goes hand in hand with the more progressive of bands. Returning with their brand new album Winter’s Gate, Insomnium have decided to tackle the idea of the concept. With a blueprint laid out by the band’s vocalist Niilo Sevanen, from the man’s own book of the same name the band opted to transform words into music with the conceptual arc of Winter’s Gate.