Photo/Video by Steve Banning. A bunch of great albums dropped this week. Some I’ve been waiting on all year. Some that came as a complete, beautiful, surprise. I shouldn’t be surprised by the volume since the end of the year draws near. It’s also sound business strategy to release an album in the fourth quarter of a year to tour the following fiscal year. The bands I’m going to write about likely had this in mind which I don’t mind. I get to hopefully see them live.
Clairvoyant by The Contortionist finally came out. I’ve felt disappointed in the first few singles. It feels like everyone but me digs it. I plan on giving it a full shot but expectations are low. Veil of Maya’s False Idols however hasn’t yet disappointed me. It’s perfect for pillaging the gym! “Fracture” breaks out as a great show opener. “Doublespeak” continues Matriarch‘s wonderful formula of methed out grooves and sweet clean choruses. “Pool Spray” has cavalcade of flavors. Meshuggahish slow hammering Nothing era grooves perfectly transitioning to an Acacia Strain hardcore two-step into Periphery choruses. I need to hear the album a few more times but presently False Idols delivered satisfaction. Let’s see how it holds up at the gym next week.
I’m adding The Black Dahlia Murder’s Nightbringers to the gym mix next week. I had very little interest in their last record but this one sounds like Everblack. I’ve tried getting into August Burns Red’s Phantom Anthem with no success. To me they haven’t had the same ferocity musically since Constellations. That’s almost a decade ago. Their prime seems well behind them. I include Trivium in that camp. I sample a bit of The Sin and the Sentence and wonder who it’s for. They fell off to me after In Waves. They lost some kind of element in their music I know many would like to have back. Maybe I’ll try it in full at the gym next week along with TBDM and We Came As Romans’ Cold Like War.
Yeah I know, WCAR, why would I even bother with washed up metalcore right? They pretty much lost me after Understanding What We’ve Grown to Be when they tried abandoning what made them a great live act: energy. These guys aren’t the most talented musicians ever but that’s not what their point. WCAR has timely breakdowns, fast riffs, all which lead into super catchy and dramatic choruses. They’re still prime for my gym workouts and getting up for a show. Cold Like War embraces a foundation their fans always approved of. I look forward to getting fully in depth next week.
Photo by Ed Magdziak. As I mentioned earlier, a few albums came as a total surprise. Primarily Hodera’s sophomore album First Things First, an all assault on my top ten list. I found them through “Baltimore” instantly buying into their sound. The level of refined song writing and fully formed musicianship is uncanny. First Things First isn’t just an album of songs like most those these days. It’s a full experience, as I’ve blogged many times this year, that’s a rare and fortunate occurrence. “The Saddest Sentence” might as well be about me. Go read these lyrics for yourself. Easily one of my favorite songs of the past couple of years and there’s more to please everyone else.
Hodera made an opus in “Just for Today” perfect for show stopping anthemic moments in their performances. “Holding Pattern” may never get live play but it’ll give you the feels. Ambient post-rock build up with spoken word anecdotes makes for a emotive finisher. It’s weird. The album gets progressively better. Normally all the best songs on an album are front loaded these days. The first half of Hodera’s album alone sets them apart from those “normal” albums but from “Baltimore” on they separate themselves all the saturated noise. It’s rare to find complete albums these days. Only Hodera along with Kendrick Lamar and a few others can take pride in offering a full production.
Young Dolph and Tracy Bryant both released albums I didn’t know were imminent. Apple Music has banners in both new music and hip hop pages pushing promotion for Dolph. Thinking Out Loud has his most refined verses and tightest production. I expect him to continue raising fast. I found Bryant and his band Corners at the legendary Roomrunner show back in 2012. Not sure if they still play together but at least there’s solo material. A Place For Nothing And Everything In Its Place steps up production quality, no more four-tracks, moving the acid trip towards pop focus. I’ll always have fondness for Bryant and Corner’s desperado rock but enjoy this maturation, rather than going deeper into Wonderland.
Disaesthetic 