Music – Page 9 – Disaesthetic

The Inhuman Condition

Somewhere in Russia

Uniform opened for Deafheaven last Friday at Brick by Brick. I stood alone with my Perfect World shirt among all the Sunbathers anxious to see the cataclysm again.

Over the next 45 minutes Uniform won over the audience with hammering power riffs showered in dissonant preamp corruption. By the end, crossed arms turned to pumped fists, headbanging, and even nodding from the scene queens. For the uninitiated imagine Big Black but with Greg Ginn on guitar or Black Flag discovering Lightening Bolt.

Uniform proudly announced their third album was released that day. The Long Walk salutes Stephen King’s book of the same title and theme. Singer Michael Beldan contemplates his religion and place in society’s world order and examines his guilt in refusing to confirm with pursuing the corporate game, which I’ve struggled to reconcile myself lately. “The Walk” renounces Catholicism in exodus punishing theological rule while revealing guitarist Ben Greenberg’s approach for the rest of the album.

Slower in pace compared to Wake in Fright‘s frenzied pummeling attitude, Greenberg added more weight and noise to his rig, compressing the bedlam between the listeners ears.

Recorded and mixed extremely dry sonically, the album reminds one of My War side two. Intentionally overwhelming in tone from guitar to bass drum. Uniform recruited drummer Greg Fox (Liturgy) who establish his place in the mix and on stage.

Uniform repeatedly circle back to guitar patterns like Black Flag’s “Three Nights” to centralize around societies desultory disarray. “Transubstantiation” utilizes this concept best when Greenberg compact crushes cars with his Ampeg Dan Armstrong clear Lucite at the onset and again after the fanatic interlude. The same motif reprises on “Headless Eyes” with Fox drubbing his kit.

The final minute has an incredible double bass barrage which got the audience banging our heads and fists in unison.

The Long Walk also reflects on the journey back to the forces we refused. Beldan ruminates the social order we all must arbitrate, whether it’s our professional careers, personal relationships, or participation in the financial markets.

It’s a long meditation to just compose your desires, what you really want, and then deciphering if it can fit within society’s frame. What must we compromise of ourselves to flourish? Can we justify the trade offs? These artists ask this of themselves and in turn their audience.

Mutual compromise offers value however the line between happiness and resentment hazes with more convolution with each generation.

Uniform looks bleakly at humanity while growing more topical with each record. There’s a cultural neurosis for many entering their early adult years this decade. This is a soundtrack for defining your place in this mess.

EDITED BY JAKE BARNES

Halfway 2018

I’m sad to say since starting my new job I don’t think about music as much as last year. At least not in the same way. I had more time on my hands before. Since transitioning to my new employer I spend most of my time working and the remaining hours planning how to use the rest of my time effectively.

Listing a top 10 right now would be difficult. I could rustle up a great list of singles. Beyonce and Jay Z’s “APESHIT” will remind me of this summer forever, reveling in my life accomplishments. Drake’s Scorpion had several memorable singles, most of which came out before its release. Nas and Kanye made a banger out of “Cop Shot The Kid” despite its timely subject.

Code Orange’s singles have feed off Forever’s continued success. Incredibly clever to give fans little bites of new music while they’re having their moment. They’ll face tall expectations on their follow-up.

Hundredth did the same thing with Ultrarare, a dark new wave remix album. I could get away with playing tracks off of it at Blonde Bar (SD reference). Oso Oso’s new single fits nicely on my summer playlist. I’d kind of forgotten about them, but a good single can serve as a great reminder.

Most of the albums I held expectations for entering this year I never got to or were just disappointing. Dance Gavin Dance’s Artificial Selection didn’t grab me like Mothership. I realize they have a style, constant throughout their discography, but this one didn’t stand part enough. Perhaps with time it’ll catch my fancy.

Parkway Drive’s Reverence alienates me further from the band. They still look incredibly energetic live and the audience still responds emphatically, but I feel nothing for their latest project. I could say the same for The Plot in You’s DISPOSE and Kurt Travis’s new band Royal Coda.

Still haven’t heard new albums from oOoOO, Turnstile, or Turbonegro, yet. Frankly I haven’t been in the mood to listen to those records.

Electrum Photography

I’m more excited for what’s to come this fall. Uniform’s third LP The Long Walk drops August 17th. “The Walk” smashes atoms like nuclear fission. Wake in Fright made my top ten last year and I expect similar quality this year. There’s more material for them to attack with everything that’s gone on in America. Gun violence is soooo last year.

In September, Fit for a King and Revocation embark on headlining tours to support their new albums.

Two years ago Deathgrip nearly topped my annual list. “The Price of Agony” and “Tower of Pain” singles offer both blackening brutality and uncompromising radio metal. These are the best elements FFAK offer: savage pit inspiring breakdowns and moments of festival level callbacks. I’m looking forward to working out when Dark Skies comes out September 14th.

In back to back years Revocation had two of the best albums of those years. David Davidson’s reputation as a generational guitarist keeps building with each release. For me, he’s emerging into James Hetfield/Dimebag level kick ass riffs.

I didn’t enjoy their last outing as much but my intuition says The Outer Ones contends for a spot on my list this year, which drops on September 27th.

Perhaps the release I’m anticipating most is Fiends’ debut album Me Time. I reached out to the band but there’s no set date yet. They’re probably waiting for their unannounced label. Check out their singles “Keep Me in The Dark” and “700 Club” on YouTube.

Metalsucks perfectly described Fiends as a Lamb of God and Tool hybrid. Bassist/singer James Hyde sings a bit like Maynard James Keenan and screamer Garrett Moore reminisces of Randy Blythe; however, in bridges and outros the band stylistically shifts to Rise Records post-hardcore. Those singles have a great mix of “pop” heavy music and universally accepted metal.

As I acclimate to my new job my mood should shift back into exploring new albums. I look forward to the rest of this year and hope you’ll enjoy some of these releases.

Music Wire #7

This past weekend was insanely hot. I roasted from heat inside or outside my apartment. I should go in the middle of the day like my roommate but I’m terrible at finding things to do. Truth be told I don’t know what I want do with my time, most of the time. Clearly, as I write this, I’m good with scribing away on a beautiful June Sunday (publishing on a Monday night). I wish I could go to a pool with beautiful people and write this with a crisp golden beer and a harmless cigarette (as if that existed).

Blogging and listening to music never fails to attract my attention. I spent a lot of time recently studying for a work training program. Podcasts and music kept me company during these long periods of silence and voluntary isolation. For some reason I had a hankering to listen to The Red Chord’s entire discography and have zero regrets.

Clients through Fed Through the Teeth Machine interlace grind, tech, deathcore, and death metal better than anyone else I know of. These records sound more distinct now despite being more than ten years old. They had a reputation for trolling fellow bands and fans but it’s been lost how detailed their songs were. I never felt cheapened. It’s rare to hear straight chugging from them. There aren’t “breakdowns” like peers of their time Suicide Silence, Job for a Cowboy, and Whitechapel.

If you strictly listen to the music it’s difficult to imagine they aren’t the most serious people in the world. Watch the video above and you’d think they’re The Lonely Island of metal. Admittedly I don’t listen to metal as much since exiting playing in a heavy band; however, I come back to albums loved back when. The Red Chord influenced my bandmates musically more than me yet I’ve listened to them more lately than The Devil Wears Prada, Attack Attack!, Lamb of God, I can keep going.

These records have more musical substance than most of the “heavy” bands I liked seven to nine years go. The Red Chord never had massive popularity or a big song but their music holds up. I also imagine new bands have plagiarized their style without remorse.

I’ve heard Between The Buried and Me copied but never replicated. If anyone can duplicate Parallax II, tip of the cap to you. When you put it on you’re in for a trip through time and space for an hour and twelve minutes.

The opening mounting “Astral Body” melody energizes you. It prepares the audience for an adventure and it better if I’m going to spend an hour, even though I’m studying, going on a journey with you. “Extremophile Elite” throws so many catchy proggy guitar riffs at you. That one song is a EP for most bands. Same can be said for “Telos” and others on the album. Point is I stayed focused on reviewing my work materials thanks to some ambiance from BTBAM.

There’s also plenty of new songs and albums to help along my days. Fit for a King has a new single “Tower of Pain” which I wrote about here. Father John Misty and Ghost both have new albums I haven’t gotten to yet but surely will. Kanye West put out Ye last week which has no cogent general public opinion. Pitchfork called it a low point despite giving it a 7.1, go fucking figure. All seven songs sit atop the Spotify and Apple Music charts.

Personally I enjoyed its sparseness. I’ll take seven good songs versus fourteen where there’s one single and the rest fills a stat sheet like Russell Westbrook. I subscribe to the idea of Kanye refocusing on an artist vision and just concentrating on his craft again.

Production-wise his sabbatical in Wyoming influenced the sound and tone of Ye. Unlike most of his albums there’s room to breath. Sometimes there isn’t even a constant beat, pulse, or even bass in the background keeping whatever’s going on steady. It’s not club music which at least seems like a departure for Kanye. There’s a directive to sculpt a real piece of art. Maybe it’s not one of his better albums but he’s getting back to what made him great in the first place: song crafting.

For once this isn’t for the club or the ego. This is a performance. There aren’t “hits” here and I’m more inclined to take the full experience rather than hearing the one banger. I’m more convinced this is the real Kanye, not the public one we see on social media. Also that Tristan Thompson line fucking kills.

John Mayer’s “New Light” single has surprised me more than other song recently. I’ve always respected him artistically but I don’t keep up with his projects. At a younger age his music didn’t speak to my current experiences. This song and video hit me at the right time. For me to fall into the rabbit hole with a song, album, and/or artist they need to find me at the right time in life.

“New Light” indulges in self-pity yet visually coats itself in a Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim silliness. Peter Bretter would definitely put this on his playlist. The verses really highlight the song with playful funny lyrics. I can relate to Mayer’s shortcomings and self deprecation. “Pushing 40 in the friend zone” is probably my favorite line. I’m not forty but sometimes I’m embarrassed I still struggle meeting women, at my age.