Progressive Metal Review: Native Construct-Quiet World

Release Date: 21^st April 2015

Label: Metal Blade Records

Website

This is another release by a band that this reviewer hadn’t heard of, and consequently would not have come across. The band is called Native Construct and the title of their debut album is Quiet World.

The band is a collaboration between students started in 2011 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where I’m informed, a certain Dream Theater, also originated. The album, Quiet World, is a concept album dealing with the tale of Archon and The Silence, the inhabitants of the Quiet World. The style of the band hints at Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Queen, Between The Buried and Me, and should suggest what is to be found on Quiet World. There is a musical amalgamation of classical with musical theater via prog metal.

Native Construct is made up of three members, Myles Yang (guitar, programming), Robert Edens (vocals) and Max Harchik (bass).

The album, Quiet World, clocks in at around 48 minutes, with 7 tracks in total. The longest track on offer is the final track, track 7, “Chromatic Aberration” which plays for 12:28 minutes with the previous track, track 6, “Chromatic Lights,” the shortest at only 2:14 minutes.

The opening track on Quiet World, “Mute” (6:34); I have listened to many times because of the range of styles present in such a short time. Starting atmospherically, it soon explodes into action with a full band blast, including a vocal that just about holds its own against the instrumentation. A twist soon sees the track head into jazz territory before 2 minutes have elapsed, with some very nice harmonies and a little show of guitar work from Myles. A further shift around 3 minutes brings in a sublime little passage of gentle instrumentation and harmonized singing. This is then a cue for the “strings” to enter the fray and add a symphonic tinge with some very subtle piano away in the background. This is an excellent little section which slowly builds, but then jumps into growled vocals and metronomic drumming, which unfortunately happen to be two of my pet dislikes, but also features some amazing guitar. Despite several listens, the music loses me at the, and lets not pull any punches, death metal growls. Call it by any other name, extreme metal, whatever, but I find that growling vocals are a total turn-off. This opening track encompasses, for me, the highs and lows of what Native Construct have to offer.

There is a very jazzy start to “The Spark of Archon” (9:09) which edges into the metal style very quickly with some great guitar. The vocals are more like a narrative to start but become “normal” by the 2 minute mark. There are several tempo changes early on, which serve to impede the flow of the track, as it seems to veer from place to place. The jazzy moments are very good, but at around 3:30 minutes, there is a switch to full on metronomic drumming and I start to drift. A moment or two later and we have entered a superb atmospheric melodic passage. Just after 6 minutes we again hit the metal guitar with “double pedal” drumming then the track dives back into the realms of jazz again. There is some superb guitar from the 7:30ish minute which drives the track along, with some low, and fairly indistinct, vocals. The track moves to a finale with simple instrumentation and a crystal clear vocal.

“Passage” (8:23), has atmospheric passages, superb “string” themes, variable time changes, great saxophone, and then the growling starts, this time in front of some superb symphonic sounds.

The final, and longest, track, “Chromatic Aberration” (12:54), has some scintillating guitar work at the outset with excellent vocals and it isn’t long before the time changes start to appear and the vocals shift towards the growl, leaving the track desperately searching for a direction to go in. Instruments vie for attention and the overall effect is, unfortunately, disappointing. As the track continues to veer from one passage to another, it simply starts to blur the track. Around the 4:30 minute mark, there is an oasis of calm, with very atmospheric music and superb vocals, giving a majestic snapshot of what Native Conflict can achieve. The track then moves off in another direction but maintains the listeners’ interest. The mid part of this track is by far the most amazing passage contained within the album. The staccato style which heralds the tracks’ exit seems to jar and the growls also reappear around 12 minutes. 

This listener is certainly not leaping up to put the album on again. Quiet World is a very complex album to get into as it is seems to be trying to be all things to all people, sampling jazz, rock, metal, prog, folk, classical and more. Whereas there are great examples of skilled musicianship on show throughout this album, I found the speed at which shifts from style to style happen, didn’t work and although some passages were superb, the album seems to lack coherence and seemed unfocused.

I will stress again, however, that this is a very personal opinion on Native Construct and admit freely that the sound of growled vocals do absolutely nothing for me, apart from reach for the off button.

Having made that comment however, I will be very interested to see (or should it be hear) the direction that the band take with any follow-up release. I enjoyed many passages on this album, Quiet World, but the chasm between extremes was simply too great.

3.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Mute, Spark of Archon, Passage

Tracks: 
Mute
The Spark Of Archon
Passage
Your Familiar Face
Come Hell or High Water
Chromatic Lights
Chromatic Aberration
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 23, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: Native Construct-Quiet World

Release Date: 21^st April 2015

Label: Metal Blade Records

Website

This is another release by a band that this reviewer hadn’t heard of, and consequently would not have come across. The band is called Native Construct and the title of their debut album is Quiet World.

The band is a collaboration between students started in 2011 at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where I’m informed, a certain Dream Theater, also originated. The album, Quiet World, is a concept album dealing with the tale of Archon and The Silence, the inhabitants of the Quiet World. The style of the band hints at Dream Theater, Pain of Salvation, Queen, Between The Buried and Me, and should suggest what is to be found on Quiet World. There is a musical amalgamation of classical with musical theater via prog metal.

Native Construct is made up of three members, Myles Yang (guitar, programming), Robert Edens (vocals) and Max Harchik (bass).

The album, Quiet World, clocks in at around 48 minutes, with 7 tracks in total. The longest track on offer is the final track, track 7, “Chromatic Aberration” which plays for 12:28 minutes with the previous track, track 6, “Chromatic Lights,” the shortest at only 2:14 minutes.

The opening track on Quiet World, “Mute” (6:34); I have listened to many times because of the range of styles present in such a short time. Starting atmospherically, it soon explodes into action with a full band blast, including a vocal that just about holds its own against the instrumentation. A twist soon sees the track head into jazz territory before 2 minutes have elapsed, with some very nice harmonies and a little show of guitar work from Myles. A further shift around 3 minutes brings in a sublime little passage of gentle instrumentation and harmonized singing. This is then a cue for the “strings” to enter the fray and add a symphonic tinge with some very subtle piano away in the background. This is an excellent little section which slowly builds, but then jumps into growled vocals and metronomic drumming, which unfortunately happen to be two of my pet dislikes, but also features some amazing guitar. Despite several listens, the music loses me at the, and lets not pull any punches, death metal growls. Call it by any other name, extreme metal, whatever, but I find that growling vocals are a total turn-off. This opening track encompasses, for me, the highs and lows of what Native Construct have to offer.

There is a very jazzy start to “The Spark of Archon” (9:09) which edges into the metal style very quickly with some great guitar. The vocals are more like a narrative to start but become “normal” by the 2 minute mark. There are several tempo changes early on, which serve to impede the flow of the track, as it seems to veer from place to place. The jazzy moments are very good, but at around 3:30 minutes, there is a switch to full on metronomic drumming and I start to drift. A moment or two later and we have entered a superb atmospheric melodic passage. Just after 6 minutes we again hit the metal guitar with “double pedal” drumming then the track dives back into the realms of jazz again. There is some superb guitar from the 7:30ish minute which drives the track along, with some low, and fairly indistinct, vocals. The track moves to a finale with simple instrumentation and a crystal clear vocal.

“Passage” (8:23), has atmospheric passages, superb “string” themes, variable time changes, great saxophone, and then the growling starts, this time in front of some superb symphonic sounds.

The final, and longest, track, “Chromatic Aberration” (12:54), has some scintillating guitar work at the outset with excellent vocals and it isn’t long before the time changes start to appear and the vocals shift towards the growl, leaving the track desperately searching for a direction to go in. Instruments vie for attention and the overall effect is, unfortunately, disappointing. As the track continues to veer from one passage to another, it simply starts to blur the track. Around the 4:30 minute mark, there is an oasis of calm, with very atmospheric music and superb vocals, giving a majestic snapshot of what Native Conflict can achieve. The track then moves off in another direction but maintains the listeners’ interest. The mid part of this track is by far the most amazing passage contained within the album. The staccato style which heralds the tracks’ exit seems to jar and the growls also reappear around 12 minutes. 

This listener is certainly not leaping up to put the album on again. Quiet World is a very complex album to get into as it is seems to be trying to be all things to all people, sampling jazz, rock, metal, prog, folk, classical and more. Whereas there are great examples of skilled musicianship on show throughout this album, I found the speed at which shifts from style to style happen, didn’t work and although some passages were superb, the album seems to lack coherence and seemed unfocused.

I will stress again, however, that this is a very personal opinion on Native Construct and admit freely that the sound of growled vocals do absolutely nothing for me, apart from reach for the off button.

Having made that comment however, I will be very interested to see (or should it be hear) the direction that the band take with any follow-up release. I enjoyed many passages on this album, Quiet World, but the chasm between extremes was simply too great.

3.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Mute, Spark of Archon, Passage

Tracks: 
Mute
The Spark Of Archon
Passage
Your Familiar Face
Come Hell or High Water
Chromatic Lights
Chromatic Aberration
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 23, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: At War With Self-Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Release Date: 11^thMarch 2015

Label:  Digital release

Website

At War With Self is a project led/conceived by Glenn Snelwar, a multi-instrumentalist, best known, although not by this reviewer, as one of the guitarists on the Giordian Knot debut which featured members of King Crimson, Cynic, Watchtower and Dream Theater.

At War With Self has previously released three albums, Torn Between Dimensions (2005), Acts of God (2007) and A Familiar Path (2009), and now, album No 4 has landed on The Ancient Ones’ desk for review. The title of the newest release is Circadian Rhythm Disorder.

To quote the press release that accompanies this album release, “Circadian Rhythm Disorderis the culmination of four years of writing, recording, re-writing, analysis, re-analysis, discarding, rebuilding, e-evaluation and final culmination of compositions based on the framework of a 51 minute drum solo performed in a single take by Marco Minneman (drummer, composer, multi-instrumentalist with Steven Wilson Band and Joe Satriani Band).”

I will admit at the outset of this review that the thought of a 51 minute drum solo filled me full of foreboding, but I was interested to hear how Glenn built Circadian Rhythm Disorder around this base point.

The musicians involved on this release are Glenn, who plays guitars, fretless bass, mandolin and keyboards, with Marco Minneman, providing the drumming and percussion.

Circadian Rhythm Disorder is a 24 track album with a total paying time of around 51 minutes. Fifteen of the tracks last for under the 2 minute mark, with “Slate Wiper Pt 2,” the shortest at only 53 seconds and the longest track on offer on Circadian Rhythm Disorderis “Seeds Of Doubt” which plays for 4:19 minutes.

The opening track on Circadian Rhythm Disorder, “Slate Wiper” (3:26) is an interesting piece of music based on the first section of the drum track. There is a fair amount of metal guitar riffing, interspersed with mandolin which draws the listener in, although the sudden change from acoustic to metal guitar can be a little jarring. This is a positive start to the album with a track that certainly hangs together very well.

“Seeds Of Doubt” (4:19) has a very atmospheric build-up to around the 2 minute point before the metal guitar appears in the background and takes over with bursts of machine gun like riffing, which unfortunately isn’t a style that keeps the interest of this listener.

“Seeds Of Love” (3:47) changes tack with piano and acoustic guitar setting the scene before the keyboards fill in the background. A good track, and indeed, I think the best of these early tracks without a doubt.

“Shards Pt 1” (3:21), “Shards Pt 2” (2:17) and “Shards Pt 3” (0:55) are based around the less metallic side of the music, with “Pt 1” using acoustic guitar and keyboards to provide a gentle, almost laid back, flowing piece of music, which does have a few tempo changes, but it is always satisfying. “Pt 2” has a superb piano to start and is again, in the gentler of the musical styles across this release. There are some excellent acoustic guitar themes on offer over the length of this track. “Pt 3” again highlights the piano, but at under a minute in length, is too soon gone.

Having listened to this album several times over the last few weeks, I am still not convinced that I like or dislike it. Overall I’m very happy with the gentler, more atmospheric tracks, but a little put off by the harsh metal thrashing. This is an album I may well dip into from time to time, but only some of the tracks.

As usual, this is a very personal view of Circadian Rhythm Disorder, and I would always advocate that people have a few listens before making their mind up.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Slate Wiper, Seeds of Love, Shards Pt 1-3

Tracks:
Slate Wiper
Seeds of Doubt
Seeds of Love
The Mirror
Mirage
Stumbling To Sleep
Daydream
This Is Not My Reflection
Smash The Mirror
Shards Pt 1
Shards Pt 2
Shards Pt 3
Nightmare
Running From The Dream
N.D.E.
Tunnel Of Light
Re-Birth
First Breath
New Life Pt 1
New Life Pt 2
Slate Wiper Pt 2
A Day’s Death
Completion Of The Cycle
One And All
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 21, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Progressive Metal Review: At War With Self-Circadian Rhythm Disorder

Release Date: 11^thMarch 2015

Label:  Digital release

Website

At War With Self is a project led/conceived by Glenn Snelwar, a multi-instrumentalist, best known, although not by this reviewer, as one of the guitarists on the Giordian Knot debut which featured members of King Crimson, Cynic, Watchtower and Dream Theater.

At War With Self has previously released three albums, Torn Between Dimensions (2005), Acts of God (2007) and A Familiar Path (2009), and now, album No 4 has landed on The Ancient Ones’ desk for review. The title of the newest release is Circadian Rhythm Disorder.

To quote the press release that accompanies this album release, “Circadian Rhythm Disorderis the culmination of four years of writing, recording, re-writing, analysis, re-analysis, discarding, rebuilding, e-evaluation and final culmination of compositions based on the framework of a 51 minute drum solo performed in a single take by Marco Minneman (drummer, composer, multi-instrumentalist with Steven Wilson Band and Joe Satriani Band).”

I will admit at the outset of this review that the thought of a 51 minute drum solo filled me full of foreboding, but I was interested to hear how Glenn built Circadian Rhythm Disorder around this base point.

The musicians involved on this release are Glenn, who plays guitars, fretless bass, mandolin and keyboards, with Marco Minneman, providing the drumming and percussion.

Circadian Rhythm Disorder is a 24 track album with a total paying time of around 51 minutes. Fifteen of the tracks last for under the 2 minute mark, with “Slate Wiper Pt 2,” the shortest at only 53 seconds and the longest track on offer on Circadian Rhythm Disorderis “Seeds Of Doubt” which plays for 4:19 minutes.

The opening track on Circadian Rhythm Disorder, “Slate Wiper” (3:26) is an interesting piece of music based on the first section of the drum track. There is a fair amount of metal guitar riffing, interspersed with mandolin which draws the listener in, although the sudden change from acoustic to metal guitar can be a little jarring. This is a positive start to the album with a track that certainly hangs together very well.

“Seeds Of Doubt” (4:19) has a very atmospheric build-up to around the 2 minute point before the metal guitar appears in the background and takes over with bursts of machine gun like riffing, which unfortunately isn’t a style that keeps the interest of this listener.

“Seeds Of Love” (3:47) changes tack with piano and acoustic guitar setting the scene before the keyboards fill in the background. A good track, and indeed, I think the best of these early tracks without a doubt.

“Shards Pt 1” (3:21), “Shards Pt 2” (2:17) and “Shards Pt 3” (0:55) are based around the less metallic side of the music, with “Pt 1” using acoustic guitar and keyboards to provide a gentle, almost laid back, flowing piece of music, which does have a few tempo changes, but it is always satisfying. “Pt 2” has a superb piano to start and is again, in the gentler of the musical styles across this release. There are some excellent acoustic guitar themes on offer over the length of this track. “Pt 3” again highlights the piano, but at under a minute in length, is too soon gone.

Having listened to this album several times over the last few weeks, I am still not convinced that I like or dislike it. Overall I’m very happy with the gentler, more atmospheric tracks, but a little put off by the harsh metal thrashing. This is an album I may well dip into from time to time, but only some of the tracks.

As usual, this is a very personal view of Circadian Rhythm Disorder, and I would always advocate that people have a few listens before making their mind up.

4/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Slate Wiper, Seeds of Love, Shards Pt 1-3

Tracks:
Slate Wiper
Seeds of Doubt
Seeds of Love
The Mirror
Mirage
Stumbling To Sleep
Daydream
This Is Not My Reflection
Smash The Mirror
Shards Pt 1
Shards Pt 2
Shards Pt 3
Nightmare
Running From The Dream
N.D.E.
Tunnel Of Light
Re-Birth
First Breath
New Life Pt 1
New Life Pt 2
Slate Wiper Pt 2
A Day’s Death
Completion Of The Cycle
One And All
 

Jim “The Ancient One” Lawson-Sr. Reviewer Prog Rock Music Talk

May 21, 2015

Review Provided By Prog Rock Music Talk

Lucifer - Izrael (OFFICIAL PROMO) 2015

May 19, 2015-by Lars Gotrich • When one demon's light dims, another is illuminated. A collective "well, dammit," was heard throughout Rifflandia (not a real place, but stick with me) when The Oath called it quits, as the band's white-hot debut album barely cooled. Thankfully, vocalist Johanna Sadonis wasted no time assembling a crew rooted in the sounds of Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. Enter Lucifer. With songwriting and studio input from Cathedral and Death Penalty guitarist Garry Jennings, Lucifer follows the line drawn by The Oath into something leaner and more propulsive. Sadonis writes that "Izrael" is "a song about the angel of death that appeared to me in a dream." It plays with clean guitar tones struck hard, heightening the riff drama as Sadonis tames her own delivery until her wailing occult soul hits the chorus, at which point she cries out, "Ahhhh, Izrael." In the "Izrael" video, director Chris Koll has members of Lucifer drive a stylish Buick hearse through autumnal forests, wear sweet rainbow-logo Lucifer jackets in churchyards, and sport ritualistic metal masks. Basically, it looks cool as hell. Lucifer I comes out June 16 on Rise Above.

Symphonic/Power Metal Review: Kamelot-Haven

Genre: Symphonic/Power Metal

Release Date: May 4, 2015

Label: Napalm Records

Website

Dark, heavy, powerful, and emotional are just some of the words that can be used to describe the music of Kamelot.  They are power metal with plenty of symphonic and progressive elements fused into their sound.  Formed in the early 90s, Kamelot has almost twenty-five years as band under their belts.  Their current line-up consists of Tommy Karevik (vocals), Thomas Youngblood (guitars), Sean Tibbetts (bass), Oliver Palotai (keyboards), and Casey Grillo (drums).  Alissa White-Gluz (vocals), Troy Donockley (tin whistle), and Charlotte Wessels (vocals) are also featured on their latest release, Haven.

According to Youngblood, Haven “Has an undertone of a world gone insane. There is a grey cloud that is forming over our world. We are here to find the silver lining with an album that is both dark and melancholy yet uplifting and giving the listener a Haven in a world gone mad.” Haven is their eleventh album and we find them in stellar form on it. This album is all you need to let your dark dreams come to light. 

The opening of “Fallen Star” is pure beauty that is touched with a quiet lyrical sadness.  This quiet does not last long before a brutal and crushing sound take overs.  It is a fantastic display of talent and musicianship.  “Insomnia” is the type of song that grabs your attention right away with its catchy and melodic sound.  It will not take more than a listen or two for the chorus to get stuck in your head.  A real gem of the album, the opening of “Citizen Zero” create a dark and haunting atmosphere.  The following heavy and aggressive sound helps to further enrich the song with a gothic presence.  There is a lot of power and emotion that exudes from this song that makes it really standout.   

“Veil of Elysium” comes out hot with a catchy and melodic power metal sound that soars.  Featuring Charlotte Wessels of Delain and Troy Donockley of Nightwish, “Under Grey Skies” is a departure from the heavy sound of the album so far, but do not let that put you off from this song, because it is full of beauty and emotion. It is just a fantastic song all round, but the soft and lovely vocals of Charlotte Wessels are a true prize. In a similar vein as “Veil of Elysium,” “My Therapy” is a catchy and melodic song that still manages to pack a hard hit with a dark edge. The short interlude “Ecclesia” leads into “End of Innocence,” another rich and dark song with a heavy and melodic sound that is done so well on this album.

“Beautiful Apocalypse” is a heavy and metallic song that is soften by its melodic chorus.  A sweet guitar solo in the second half shakes things up.  Featuring Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy, “Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)” is one of the heavier songs on album with a brutal and crushing sound.  It is fast and unrelenting with a touch of menace.  “Here’s to the Fall” is perfectly fine ballad, but does not leave much of a lasting impression on me and is my least favorite song. Now, “Revolution” is the type of song that leaves an impression.  It is easily the heaviest song on the album that is almost overwhelming with its crushing power.  Alissa White-Gluz returns to provide some killer growls.  “Haven” is a pretty serene outro.

Kamelot’s Haven is a brilliant piece of work.  It is the type of captivating music that once it gets its hooks into you, it does not let go.  Not that you would want it to, of course.  It is a phenomenal ride from start to finish and a great way to spend an hour.  If you are looking for something that is dark, heavy, and melancholic, then Kamelot’s Haven is what you need.

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Fallen Star, Citizen Zero, Beautiful Apocalypse, Liar Lair (Wasteland Monarchy)

Tracks: 
01.Fallen Star
02.Insomnia
03.Citizen Zero
04.Veil of Elysium
05.Under Grey Skies
06.My Therapy
07.Ecclesia
08.End of Innocence
09.Beautiful Apocalypse
10.Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)
11.Here’s to the Fall
12.Revolution
13.Haven

Brian McKinnon - Write A Music Review Sr. Staff

May 11, 2015

Review Provided By Write A Music Review

Heavy Metal Review: Judas Priest-Defenders of the Faith 30th Anniversary Deluxe

Release Date: March 10, 2015

Label: Sony Legacy

Website

Defenders of the Faith is a Judas Priest classic metal album that is celebrating 30 years since its initial release. The 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition offers the original album remastered with two additional discs of live material. All the live recordings are from a show at The Long Beach Arena on May 5, 1984. The set comes in a cardboard fold out case with a slip cover the goes over the top of the demon on the cover. A booklet with some accounts of the band is included with several pictures of the time period. It is a quality package that music fans and collectors will appreciate.

The live material shows a band at height of their powers and in full command of their live set with the ability to energize a crowd, not to mention the Metal God had a full head of hair. The sound quality is excellent. I have heard some of these live tracks on previous reissues however this is the entire show all packaged together for this special release.

After going through their entire catalog over the years and having the opportunity review their box set three years ago, and then seeing how this album stood up against the rest I felt it was a good album but not great. Well I think after hearing it once again coupled with the two live discs I have a different viewpoint (of course that is ever changing and evolving with each passing year).

Defenders of the Faith does stand up there as one of their best and certainly they have several great albums that have been released in their long illustrious career, Screaming for Vengeance, British Steel and Nostradamus come to mind quickly. Having had the pleasure of seeing them three times now on a stage I can attest to their appeal to metal fans worldwide. I saw them on the British Steel 30^th Anniversary Tour and it was amazing. I don’t know if it’s in the cards to do the same thing with the Defenders of the Faith album but it would fun.

Of the ten tracks presented on the album most hold up well to this day. “Jawbreaker” still holds you spellbound with electricity and power while “The Sentinel” (albeit with some melodic guitar lines to kick it off) has always been a favorite and of course the tribute to the blood lusting vampire “Love Bites,” still can grab your attention and bring visions of horror and evil. “Heavy Duty” is just that, heavy metal at its very best. It has the perfect title and the term “heavy” is easily assimilated and envisioned through the music.

This is a strong album but not a 5 star affair as some of the aforementioned releases, however it is still very strong and given further recognition with this special anniversary edition that includes an excellent portrayal of the band in the 80’s. It is classic Judas Priest, what more can one say, it is without a doubt a must have for fans of heavy metal and a testament to their undying popularity and relevance in the metal community. The front cover should be adorned with the sticker “Gotta Have It!”

4.5/5 Stars

Key Tracks: Jawbreaker, Love Bites, The Sentinel

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Write A Music Review Founder

April 7, 2015

Review Provided By Write A Music Review

Music News: Black Note Graffiti Perform At 2015 SXSW

Ann Arbor, MI-March 9, 2015-Michigan’s own hard rock band Black Note Graffiti will perform two shows right in the middle of 2015 SXSW at the RedGorilla Music Festival in Austin TX. The shows will be on Thursday March 19th 6pm at The Blind Pig and March 20th 6pm at the Dizzy Rooster  in Austin, TX. They will be performing songs from their highly anticipated upcoming sophomore release Volume II.

Black Note Graffiti played festivals last year at the Ann Arbor Summerfest and headlined at the Annual Hash Bash event in their hometown of Ann Arbor. The band has found success by charting on CMJ and landing media deals to air on ESPN, NASCAR, MTV, and DISCOVERY.

The multi-talented leader of the band Kris Keller will also be in the audience representing Noteborn Music Company and will be scouting for new bands at the festival to sign and license material to TV and Movies. There is a lot of excitement for the band right now and to be able to help other indie bands is a driving force behind what they stand for and represent.

Black Note Graffiti is anxious to give their fans great live performances on one of the world’s biggest stages for indie music. The electricity and energy of introducing some of the new material that will be on the upcoming release is already creating a buzz and there could not be a better showcase to do that in than SXSW.

Keller and the band look forward to seeing some familiar faces, meeting some new ones and creating some more fans along the way. If Volume II picks up where Volume II left off it then it is a guaranteed rollercoaster ride of heavy and eclectic sounds.

Company:Noteborn Music Company

Contact:Kris Keller

Address:P.O. Box 8171 Ann Arbor, MI 48107 USA

Email: info@blacknotegraffiti.com

Website: http://www.redgorillamusic.com/schedule/#/lineup/11

Music News: Black Note Graffiti Perform At 2015 SXSW

Ann Arbor, MI-March 9, 2015-Michigan’s own hard rock band Black Note Graffiti will perform two shows right in the middle of 2015 SXSW at the RedGorilla Music Festival in Austin TX. The shows will be on Thursday March 19th 6pm at The Blind Pig and March 20th 6pm at the Dizzy Rooster  in Austin, TX. They will be performing songs from their highly anticipated upcoming sophomore release Volume II.

Black Note Graffiti played festivals last year at the Ann Arbor Summerfest and headlined at the Annual Hash Bash event in their hometown of Ann Arbor. The band has found success by charting on CMJ and landing media deals to air on ESPN, NASCAR, MTV, and DISCOVERY.

The multi-talented leader of the band Kris Keller will also be in the audience representing Noteborn Music Company and will be scouting for new bands at the festival to sign and license material to TV and Movies. There is a lot of excitement for the band right now and to be able to help other indie bands is a driving force behind what they stand for and represent.

Black Note Graffiti is anxious to give their fans great live performances on one of the world’s biggest stages for indie music. The electricity and energy of introducing some of the new material that will be on the upcoming release is already creating a buzz and there could not be a better showcase to do that in than SXSW.

Keller and the band look forward to seeing some familiar faces, meeting some new ones and creating some more fans along the way. If Volume II picks up where Volume II left off it then it is a guaranteed rollercoaster ride of heavy and eclectic sounds.

Company:Noteborn Music Company

Contact:Kris Keller

Address:P.O. Box 8171 Ann Arbor, MI 48107 USA

Email: info@blacknotegraffiti.com

Website: http://www.redgorillamusic.com/schedule/#/lineup/11

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court To Release Eagerly Awaited Fifth Album 'Turtles All The Way Down'

Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, HIM, Iron Maiden, and Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's eagerly awaited 5th album Turtles All the Way Down will hit the streets on March 3, 2015. After releasing four diverse albums on ProgRock Records internationally, Odin’s Court will release their latest album independently through their own label D2C Studios.

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the latest album: “On Turtles All the Way Down, our sound is refined with a balance of modern and classic vibes, while still retaining the signature 'Odin's Court' sound. We also have the 'missing piece' that completes us – a new vocalist that can bring the emotion and technicality to the music that it deserves. Dimetrius LaFavors' vocals, combined with the more mature song writing and production, have taken us to the next level.” The artwork was done by French painter J.P. Fournier.

As with all of the Odin's Court full length releases, the newest is a concept album. This album deals with ideas and questions relating to the entire universe – how did it start, where is it going, what makes it tick, what is its purpose, etc. – from the point of view of the individual's mind. It deals with mankind's quest for knowledge, and how that knowledge changes. New discoveries often change humanity's understanding or turn perceptions upside down, sometimes making long held beliefs immaterial. The title refers to the idiom that references “infinite recursion” or in layman's terms, “what came first: the chicken or the egg?”

Brookins commented on the concept: “In a nutshell, Turtles All the Way Down is about the quest for knowledge, and how the human race learns more through experiments, observation, and discoveries over time. New findings may challenge long held beliefs, which in turn may cause deep thoughts in one's mind for how these findings impact personal or social beliefs. While the songs are much more accessible, the music still has serious intricacies for the technical music lover. The melodies and harmonies with the vocals are catchier than our past work, but thematically this album deals with pretty heavy subject matter. For the prog lover, the concept and lyrics are definitely an order of magnitude above 'Nerd Rock' since it is largely inspired by physics. Of course, the other important inspiration is human emotion, as no matter what science may observe, individuals' experiences always have an intangible factor to them that cannot be truly expressed or understood in textbook terms – they have to be learned through life.”

Check out the video to the first single from the album “…But What’s the Question?”: http://youtu.be/hxkk4gavGnE

Brookins explained the meaning behind the song, “The first single from Turtles All the Way Down is ‘…But What’s the Question?’ The song speaks to humanity’s need to question everything, and while asking questions is important towards obtaining knowledge, we may not always be asking the right questions. Environment and genetics contribution towards individuals and social conditioning, which in turn may result in programming people’s perspectives. Perspectives can warp and shadow the way we approach problems or questions, and thus cause people to often ask the wrong questions - which means getting the wrong answers.”

Odin's Court is a Maryland, USA based band that was formed by Matt Brookins in 2001. The band is best described as progressive metal & rock, fusing classic and modern sounds that transcend several genres. In 2013, the band picked up lead vocalist Dimetrius LaFavors; with a voice reminiscent of classic vocalists in the rock, metal, and progressive genres, he added the “final piece” needed to polish off the band's sound, while still maintaining a unique voice. Rick Pierpont, an infectious presence on stage, provides excellent and exciting leads that soar through the music. Brookins provides additional vocals and performs on various instruments as needed, doubling as band producer. The current line up started gigging in 2013, and has been winning over new fans with each show performed.

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins - Vocalist, Guitarist, Keyboardist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont - Guitarist, Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

Odin's Court has been known to perform energetic live shows in the United States, primarily gigging on the east coast doing festivals, short tours, and one-off performances. The band has shared the stage with many classic and modern greats, including (but not limited too) Symphony X, Spock’s Beard, King’s X, Kamelot, Steve Whiteman (Kix, Funny Money), Sonata Arctica, Helloween, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Zero Hour, Crimson Glory, Circle II Circle, Devin Townsend, Circa, Enchant, and more.

Here's what the press have raved about Odin's Court:

“You just want to sit back and let the music wash over you.” - Hardrock Haven

“The very core of songwriting...is very good so there is plenty to sink your teeth into.” - Metal Revolution

“Odin's Court delivers...heavy riffs, melodic vocals, lush keyboards, and interesting instrumental runs.” - Prog Archives

“A truly impressive effort, with solid songwriting and outstanding musicianship. Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“4.5 out of 5: Turtles All the Way Down is an exceptional album of classic melodic progressive rock and metal…Easily recommended.” – Danger Dog

“Odin's Court mixes metal and hard rock to a tasty menu that you can enjoy anytime.” – Proggies.ch

In closing Matt Brookins has this to impart, “The main message is that life is a beautiful journey and as far as we can observe with empirical results, only happens one. So stop and smell the roses. Question things. Seek knowledge. Learn. Gain experience. Don't believe everything you're told without your own research. Don't be a slave to old ideals or institutions if you have reason to believe new discoveries tell you something else. Form relationships and work to sustain them.”

To purchase Odin's Court Turtles All the Way Down CD:
http://www.OdinsCourtBand.Com/store.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R82X2QC/
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id951784646

Catch Odin’s Court Live:
February 28 – Crossroads – Glen Burnie, MD (Baltimore, MD) – CD Release Party
March 14 – Memories – Waldorf, MD (Washington DC) – CD Release Party
May 5 – NJ Proghouse – Dunellen, NJ – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 6 – Fish Head Cantina –Baltimore, MD – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 7 – Empire – Springfield, VA (Washington DC) – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 8 – 120 Tavern – Atlanta, GA – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 9 – TBD – TBD –Raleigh / Durham, NC

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Prog Metal Band Odin's Court To Release Eagerly Awaited Fifth Album 'Turtles All The Way Down'

Progressive Metal for fans of Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Devin Townsend, Porcupine Tree, HIM, Iron Maiden, and Queen

Baltimore, MD - USA based progressive rock and metal band Odin's Court's eagerly awaited 5th album Turtles All the Way Down will hit the streets on March 3, 2015. After releasing four diverse albums on ProgRock Records internationally, Odin’s Court will release their latest album independently through their own label D2C Studios.

Band leader Matt Brookins commented on the latest album: “On Turtles All the Way Down, our sound is refined with a balance of modern and classic vibes, while still retaining the signature 'Odin's Court' sound. We also have the 'missing piece' that completes us – a new vocalist that can bring the emotion and technicality to the music that it deserves. Dimetrius LaFavors' vocals, combined with the more mature song writing and production, have taken us to the next level.” The artwork was done by French painter J.P. Fournier.

As with all of the Odin's Court full length releases, the newest is a concept album. This album deals with ideas and questions relating to the entire universe – how did it start, where is it going, what makes it tick, what is its purpose, etc. – from the point of view of the individual's mind. It deals with mankind's quest for knowledge, and how that knowledge changes. New discoveries often change humanity's understanding or turn perceptions upside down, sometimes making long held beliefs immaterial. The title refers to the idiom that references “infinite recursion” or in layman's terms, “what came first: the chicken or the egg?”

Brookins commented on the concept: “In a nutshell, Turtles All the Way Down is about the quest for knowledge, and how the human race learns more through experiments, observation, and discoveries over time. New findings may challenge long held beliefs, which in turn may cause deep thoughts in one's mind for how these findings impact personal or social beliefs. While the songs are much more accessible, the music still has serious intricacies for the technical music lover. The melodies and harmonies with the vocals are catchier than our past work, but thematically this album deals with pretty heavy subject matter. For the prog lover, the concept and lyrics are definitely an order of magnitude above 'Nerd Rock' since it is largely inspired by physics. Of course, the other important inspiration is human emotion, as no matter what science may observe, individuals' experiences always have an intangible factor to them that cannot be truly expressed or understood in textbook terms – they have to be learned through life.”

Check out the video to the first single from the album “…But What’s the Question?”: 

Brookins explained the meaning behind the song, “The first single from Turtles All the Way Down is ‘…But What’s the Question?’ The song speaks to humanity’s need to question everything, and while asking questions is important towards obtaining knowledge, we may not always be asking the right questions. Environment and genetics contribution towards individuals and social conditioning, which in turn may result in programming people’s perspectives. Perspectives can warp and shadow the way we approach problems or questions, and thus cause people to often ask the wrong questions - which means getting the wrong answers.”

Odin's Court is a Maryland, USA based band that was formed by Matt Brookins in 2001. The band is best described as progressive metal & rock, fusing classic and modern sounds that transcend several genres. In 2013, the band picked up lead vocalist Dimetrius LaFavors; with a voice reminiscent of classic vocalists in the rock, metal, and progressive genres, he added the “final piece” needed to polish off the band's sound, while still maintaining a unique voice. Rick Pierpont, an infectious presence on stage, provides excellent and exciting leads that soar through the music. Brookins provides additional vocals and performs on various instruments as needed, doubling as band producer. The current line up started gigging in 2013, and has been winning over new fans with each show performed.

Odin's Court:
Matt Brookins - Vocalist, Guitarist, Keyboardist, and multi-instrumentalist
Rick Pierpont - Guitarist, Backing Vocalist
Dimetrius LaFavors – Vocalist
Gary Raub – Drummer, Percussionist, and Backing Vocalist
Jason Pierpont – Bassist

Odin's Court has been known to perform energetic live shows in the United States, primarily gigging on the east coast doing festivals, short tours, and one-off performances. The band has shared the stage with many classic and modern greats, including (but not limited too) Symphony X, Spock’s Beard, King’s X, Kamelot, Steve Whiteman (Kix, Funny Money), Sonata Arctica, Helloween, Jon Oliva’s Pain, Zero Hour, Crimson Glory, Circle II Circle, Devin Townsend, Circa, Enchant, and more.

Here's what the press have raved about Odin's Court:

“You just want to sit back and let the music wash over you.” - Hardrock Haven

“The very core of songwriting...is very good so there is plenty to sink your teeth into.” - Metal Revolution

“Odin's Court delivers...heavy riffs, melodic vocals, lush keyboards, and interesting instrumental runs.” - Prog Archives

“A truly impressive effort, with solid songwriting and outstanding musicianship. Terrific melodic prog/metal that gets better with every listen!” – USA Progressive Music

“4.5 out of 5: Turtles All the Way Down is an exceptional album of classic melodic progressive rock and metal…Easily recommended.” – Danger Dog

“Odin's Court mixes metal and hard rock to a tasty menu that you can enjoy anytime.” – Proggies.ch

In closing Matt Brookins has this to impart, “The main message is that life is a beautiful journey and as far as we can observe with empirical results, only happens one. So stop and smell the roses. Question things. Seek knowledge. Learn. Gain experience. Don't believe everything you're told without your own research. Don't be a slave to old ideals or institutions if you have reason to believe new discoveries tell you something else. Form relationships and work to sustain them.”

To purchase Odin's Court Turtles All the Way Down CD:
http://www.OdinsCourtBand.Com/store.html
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00R82X2QC/
http://itunes.apple.com/album/id951784646

Catch Odin’s Court Live:
February 28 – Crossroads – Glen Burnie, MD (Baltimore, MD) – CD Release Party
March 14 – Memories – Waldorf, MD (Washington DC) – CD Release Party
May 5 – NJ Proghouse – Dunellen, NJ – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 6 – Fish Head Cantina –Baltimore, MD – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 7 – Empire – Springfield, VA (Washington DC) – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 8 – 120 Tavern – Atlanta, GA – With Inside Out Recording Artist Enchant
May 9 – TBD – TBD –Raleigh / Durham, NC

CONTACT:
Email: band@odinscourtband.com

OFFICIAL SITES:
Band: www.OdinsCourtBand.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/odinscourtband
YouTube: www.youtube.com/odinscourt

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com