Album Review: Backtrack -Lost In Life

Album Rating: A- 

Backtrack is quickly becoming one of the leading names in current hardcore music. With their furious debut, Darker Half, becoming a modern classic, they are taking no prisoners in their barreling spiral forward. With a touring schedule that rivals no other and a new album, their first on Bridge 9 Records, Backtrack is on path to take 2014 by storm. Lost In Life may only be their second full-length album, but it has the strength and stability of a band that has firmly rooted themselves in what they try to be.

Artist of the Day: The Sheds

The Sheds are a band based out of California, whose style of music can best be described as being ska-core. This isn't the most well known of genre combinations, but it's one that works shockingly well where The Sheds are concerned. They put out an EP entitled Self/Doubt earlier this year, and I have to say, it might be the most refreshing release I've ever come across. The punk hardcore aspect of The Sheds is of the same caliber as bands like Balance and Composure, with heavy-hitting chord progressions/breakdown and vocals alike. But it's with the healthy dose of ska influence that really makes them stand out because there just isn't anything else quite like it. Every song on Self/Doubt, from start to finish, is intense, catchy, and infinitely listenable, which should mean a lot coming from someone who's avoided anything ska-related like it's the plague. And better yet, the EP is still up for free download, courtesy of Alternative Press. So, if by some chance you're still looking for something new to listen to, in spite of the obscene amount of music being released lately, I couldn't recommend these guys more. They're both working hard and succeeding at creating passionate and original music, and should be at the top of the list of bands to keep your eyes on in the future.

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Artist of the Day: Troubled Coast

In my humble opinion, any band that is capable of completely re-inventing themselves with each release is deserving of praise. Lately, it seems the bulk of these kinds of bands are receiving the recognition they deserve, such as Between the Buried and Me and Converge. Both reviewers and listeners seem to have acknowledged the progression they've gone through since the start of their careers. So why hasn't anyone done the same for Troubled Coast? Like BTBAM and Converge, they're a band that has consistently changed their sound, and their latest release, Awake and Empty, is simply a beast of an album.

Artist Spotlight: Placeholder

There are countless ways an album or EP can make an impact. Vocals, lyrics and musicianship all play a part in how you react the first time you hear something; it just all depends on the band as to which aspect has the biggest effect. Listening to Placeholder's new 7", Thought I Would Have Been Somebody By Now, I was struck by all of these traits, but it's the influences I hear in their music that really hit me. For the past few years, we've heard bands putting out material that draws inspiration from groups like The Impossibles, Saves the Day, Gatsby's American Dream, etc., but I can't think of anyone that seems to have molded their sound in the same vein as 90's grunge/rock band, Far. They're arguably one of the best groups from that era of music, which I'm sure anyone who is a fan would agree on. Now, Placeholder has captured the essence of what made their genre so great, and molded into a sound that is completely their own.

Album Review: I Am Carpenter - My God Clara

Album Rating: A

If this year has shown us anything, it's that music, in all of its different forms, just keeps getting better and better.  Everywhere you look, bands and labels alike keep putting out phenomenal albums, and thanks to the internet, the bulk of them are receiving a fair amount of recognition.  However, there's still a small amount of bands that come out of nowhere with an incredible album, and aren't being mentioned nearly enough.  Such is the case with I Am Carpenter's debut full length, My God Clara, a genre-bending album that somehow incorporates everything that's great in bands like Balance & Composure, O'Brother, and Manchester Orchestra, while still capturing a sound that is completely their own.

Album Review: Solace - Call & Response

Rating: A-

The disbanding of Misery Signals took a huge toll on the hardcore scene and fans alike.  With the release of Mirrors, they raised the bar of what should be expected in a quality hardcore album, and then exceeded those expectations with Controler.  Every chord progression, melodic interlude and breakdown were meticulously placed, and well deserving of all of the appreciation they received during their time together.  Fortunately though, vocalist Karl Schubach hasn't thrown in the towel yet.  With Misery Signals no longer together, he's taken it upon himself to write and record a solo album under the name Solace, which is just as amazing as his former band, if not better.

Artist of the Day: My Fictions

Nowadays, most of us rely heavily on the Internet in order to discover new music.  I often dream about smashing my computer to bits to compensate for the countless hours of my life that have been wasted perusing message boards, Blogspots, and review websites, but immediately think of the disconnect that would be created between myself and the online world of music.  Still, an overwhelming part of me wishes that I lived in a time when face-to-face, real life connection was valued above all else, because nothing quite compares to discovering your new favorite band upon hearing them for the first time at a show.  That was exactly what happened when I saw My Fictions play in Providence this past February with Connecticut’s Heavy Breath, as well as Rhode Island acts Convulsions and Breaker, where the Lowell, Mass. melodic hardcore act floored me with their lightning fast drum beats, manic dual vocal approach, and powerful use of dynamics.

Only a few months later, it was announced that My Fictions had signed with Topshelf Records.  Undoubtedly, the band’s desperate sound meshes perfectly with other Topshelf acts yet still adds breadth to the primarily emo-constituted record label.  The band’s 2011 EP, I Want Nothing, is a dark, introspective five-song journey that features gigantic riffs and a slew of tempo changes.  Clean instrumental sections often serve as a template for Bryan Carifio’s desperate screams and bring acts such as Touché Amoré to mind, yet shatter the emotional threshold implemented by other similar sounding bands.  Currently out on tour with Xerxes and MountainMan (a tour that I unfortunately and regrettably missed in my state last night) and with a 7” coming out through Topshelf this summer, My Fictions have plenty in the works for what has already been an exciting year for them.  

Check them out on Facebook and Bandcamp (name your own price on the EP!)

Artist of the Day: Gatherer

It was a strange moment this year when I turned 19.  I realized that I was just as old as, if not older than, some of my favorite bands when they were releasing genre-defining albums.  Now the same age as Milo Aukerman when he went to college and introduced hardcore to juvenility, I can no longer relate to Jesse Lacey as he croons, “I want to stay 18 forever.”  Point being, people my age are more than capable of making good music, as demonstrated by Gatherer, a friend of a friend’s band hailing from New Jersey.  Though the band members are only a few years older than I am, Gatherer’s debut EP, Postcards, is as professional and tactful as any melodic hardcore release that you will hear nowadays. 

Artist of the Day: Convulsions

The Human Convulipede

Few things in this life are more exciting than heavy music, and even fewer are more exciting than heavy music in a live setting.  This past weekend I attended a house show in Rhode Island featuring several local hardcore bands including Convulsions, a sludgy straight edge hardcore act that absolutely blew me away.  Despite playing without a bassist, their set was one of the most crushing live performances I have witnessed all year (coming from someone who had the pleasure of seeing Converge, Loma Prieta, Full of Hell, Code Orange Kids and Birds in Row all in the span of one week).  Nate Almeida’s intense vocal delivery paired with demonic, Converge-like guitar riffs made for an unforgettable set that had me smiling from ear to ear the whole time, despite not being familiar with any of the band’s material prior to the show.

Album Review: Iselia - Life From Dead Limbs

Just as the post-hardcore/emo/post-rock hybrid has just about run its course, the fresh faced young lads from Iselia come and turn heads. Releasing a brief but lovely EP back in 2010, the band has since garnered a respectable amount of praise. It's not often a band seemingly comes out of nowhere, demanding attention, but that's exactly what Iselia have done. Thus, the praise and attention have culminated in clamoring for a full-length debut. Well Iselia have released their anxiously awaited debut, and the result is everything a fan or newcomer could want.

To be quite honest, on Life From Dead Limbs, Iselia don't do anything new. They just do it better than anyone else. Their large range of influences allow them to have many peers, mainly Pianos Become the Teeth, Touche Amore, and even Envy. The product matches the exceptional pedigree, as Life From Dead Limbs is a beautiful, heavy, and emotional amalgamation of emo, post-hardcore, and post-rock sensibilities. The latter influence mainly deals with the more melodic passages and climaxes, as the average length songs are void of any egregious and overblown buildups. The use is effective and balances the harder influences nicely.

Album Review: Love American/Harbours - Love American/Harbours Split

Two very promising up and coming acts in the post-harcore/emo scene create a wholly enjoyable and wonderfully satisfying split. Need I say more? Well, unless you aren’t convinced, both Love American and Harbours have spent the better part of the year releasing enticing EP’s, albums, and demos, each being better than the last. Each new recording sees a growth--a maturation of sorts--as both bands discover themselves and what their sound truly is. The Love American/Harbours Split is indicative of this, as the record displays some of either acts best material, as well as giving a glimpse of what’s to come.