#21: Plebeian Grandstand - 'False Highs, True Lows'
Go here and download their album for FREE! Plebeian Grandstand (link goes to their website) perhaps matched the true tone of 2016 more than any other band did in what was to be quite a rough year for the public eye. The election year was exceptionally brutal, with 2 candidates that the country absolutely hated and a third with a fiery "for the people" message that was in effect disallowed to run because, well, we now live in a plutocracy, or under oligarchy, because Glass-Stegall was repealed, because of the Patriot Act, and mostly because of Citizen's United, among other things. And of course the celebrity death toll was legendary, with Carrie Fisher, Leonard Cohen, David Bowie, (The Artist Formerly Known As) Prince, Merle Haggard, Debbie Reynolds, Gary Shandling, and so many more beloved entertainers passing on out of this realm. Then came Donald Trump, both a celebrity older than most of those more popular celebrities, and far, far more hated than the ones dying off. Order has began to crumble, it would seem. Or at the very least, things are far more unpredictable and have troubling undercurrents to them. Anyway, Donnie Tinyhands is the ultimate Pleb and is most definitely a Grandstander. This is about music damn it! 'False Highs and True Lows' was the soundtrack to 2016, so many expectations, so many let downs. So many heroes dying off. The relentless drumming of Plebeian Grandstand is what sticks out, and it has grown to dizzying heights on this release. But the maelstrom surrounding the beat is also nothing less than breathtaking. The drum performance by Ivo Kaltchev heard on this release is one of the most intense sounding and yet precise things I have ever listened to, right up there with Gigan's drummer Nate Cotton, which is nothing less than mindboggling (seen it live, guys). There are quiet times as well, when the guitars drone and make sad melodies while the drums sit and wait. It is all pretty formulaic and each song is a result of their methodology, but the overall effect is memorable in an abstract forceful way, of being overcome by some of the most overwhelming drumming and the most darkly entrancing guitars with at times recognizable screaming. It is also still pretty unpredictable despite its construction. There is nothing too deep or spiritually moving about this band, but they try at times. It gives a nice contrast to the extreme metal experience that they deliver with precise execution. Each moment feels plotted out and pre-meditated. It is not an easy listen but still captivating nonetheless, like much of new groundbreaking western music. It features much contrast between slowness vs hyperspeed, contemplative vs forceful kinetics, dull vs loud, but it is overall dark with not many rays of sunlight breaking through its obsidian density of sound. This is no pick-me-up listen, rather a get-me-through-some-shit experience. Like how driving on a day you don't want to be out and about needs a soundtrack, going to the gym, or plowing through a pile of work. It is a droning, hyperactive beast that needs moments to recharge its onslaught so that you can feel its weight. It also seems to get better and better as it goes, with perhaps its best track "Eros Culture" reserved for the finale. 'False Highs, True Lows' is a study in dissonance and rapidity, yet laser focused in cutting apart its own sound. The drums slice and dice the guitars into even smaller shapes while a nihilist wails over the insane dissection. As far as the band themselves, they are another 4 frenchmen making black metal-ish music. There is a super rad music scene in France hatching out many superb black metal and experimental rock bands for years now. This is Plebeian Grandstand's sophomore effort, which rather than slumping, perfected the band's sound and bested the prototype version. Now that they have reached the heights of their design, perhaps it is time for them to soar. Can't wait to hear what they do next.
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#22: Inquisition - 'Bloodshed Across The Empyrean Altar Beyond The Celestial Zenith'
Despite concocting one of the most ridiculous album titles of all time, being named after one of the worst things in human history, and vocals that utterly piss off the average human, Inquisition has created one hell of an album. After a sort of "meh" intro track, tracks 2 and 3 "From Chaos They Came" and "Wings of Anu" verily charge out of the gates, two of my favorite metal tracks of 2016. Just top notch rocking going on here. And it is very metal too. The production sounds very dark to match the music and creative vibe. This is the best sounding Inquisition album, and perhaps even the best release in their not-sparse discography. I have liked others of their's quite a bit in the past, but this one seems to take it to a new level. It is very encouraging to hear an artist progress and extend their creative vision with the benefit of experience and wisdom of one's craft. This is exactly that. Unlike most extreme metal, 'Bloodshed Across the Empyrean..." is not a constant high speed loudness no-dynamics-to-the-roof sonic assault recording. There is an art to their aggression, like just about every great metal band. Toward the middle of the album the tempo and energy slows down, allowing for the buzz of the guitars to shine through more over a slowish midpace throb. These dynamics are very important in music, but even moreso in heavy metal, to set up the heaviness and give contrast to the extreme moments. Rather than try to reinvent black metal like the 3rd wave of black metal bands mostly do, Inquisition improve upon the classic stylings of the past. I cannot think of an album better to introduce someone to black metal with, other than maybe a classic Emperor track. 'Bloodshed Across the Empyrean' has some very catchy moments, the production is dark but clear to the ear, and the songwriting has a classic sound to it, although I admit it is probably more ambitious than most old school black metal in that department. Being a latecomer to the black metal genre (I was always more into the more obvious genres of death metal, grindcore, and industrial), Inquisition has been one of the biggest reasons I have warmed up to the subgenre. Extreme metal has become a rather large umbrella genre over the years, and it is cool to know each of its offshoots. The heavy metal crowd in general is probably a little too much on the traditionalist side, so it is very good that a band like Inquisition can sort of unite so many styles, even if it is just two dudes and a drum machine from the Pacific northwest. Looking back upon 2016, this was actually one of my soundtracks to the summer (especially the aforementioned "Wings of Anu" and the title track!). It fit nicely in to where my life was at, my living situation, my job, etc. They are a light in their own oppressive darkness. A familiar concept for the frustrated, the darkly creative, the misanthropes and other misfits of the world that they are making music for, and themselves. Music is there to help get you by. #23: Adrian Belew - 'Flux'
The legendary musician continues his career path, this time not only unleashing a wonderful new solo album but also unveiling an innovative new music app for i-products. While unfortunately I cannot use the impressive new music app because I use androids and pc's, I find it very cool that he designed a powerful new app for live performance that utilizes computer processing. But let's talk about the album titled 'Flux'. The album itself is very fun and humanistic, as much of Belew's work is. It pushes the traditional songform as well as introduces sound design and music experiments on guitars and voice, etc. It all makes for a very nice variety of music. Some of the tracks here are only a few seconds long, others a few minutes, so everything keeps moving right along. There are no long dirges here. It has a very creative feel, as if the tools used to process the sounds were made with some of these songs in mind. At other times, it feels like the technology takes over. Again, some very nice variety here. And the production is nothing less than top notch. Get this if you like prog rock that has both a pop and experimental edge to it. It feels cool listening to it both at home and work, some nice every day music that doesn't get old with repeated listens. It is quirky, thought provoking, and brilliant music. If anything holds it back, it all feels a little scatterbrained and disjointed, save for a few of the more normal tracks. I mean, it isn't even a super long album but it is 44 tracks! But that is part of the charm of this release. It sounds really unique and unpredictable when on random or as part of a shuffle all situation. Pretty cool stuff from one of the older gentlemen of rock music survivors. By the way, I enjoyed this a hell of a lot more than the new KC lineup. I still think it was weird Belew was unceremoniously let got from a band he was a key part of for decades, but maybe it was for the best. Looking forward to what Belew does next just as much as what the Fripp behemoth conjures up on the horizon. #24: Instinct Control - 'Triplete'
Another colleague or fellow midwestern musician... this is mostly included because I bought the album at the live show after being sort of astounded. The live performance is where Instinct Control will totally explode your mind. A sound generated by a reel to reel making feedback loops, strapped around a guy's neck and tweaked out by knobbery. I bought this CD album at the show and have just recently started listening to it. If you like or accept atonal, non-musical extremely weird sounds, be sure to check it out... otherwise, avoid it like the plague, it is way off the beaten path. This is definitely abnormal material... but scientifically generated; demonstrating the interior workings of sound itself. When I saw it live it was at a wonderful noise and weird music fest in Rock Island, IL, called Weirdtown. My band Ampyre got to play it (check us out!) and Instinct Control was one of the later or even headliner acts. Very cool and intense stuff. The live performance made the room, speakers, mixer, everything, seem like it was melting. A palpable electrical smell was in the air, and maybe the mixer WAS actually melting a bit. The western IL venue Rozz Tox has not seem to have reported any mixer melting out of the usual, so I guess it is ok. If you like feedback and loop manipulation on an advanced scale, this is can't miss material. Exotic, even otherwordly sounds await... just on the other side of this dimension, through the electrical portal. find out more at their facepage #25: APED
http://www.apedtheband.com/new-album Some of you might say, hey, that's a friend of your's band, that's not very objective. Well, I might say, hey, i didn't get to hear all the music i would to like to have heard, and I heard this because it is free on bandcamp... 'Aped' by Aped the band from Chicago. But really, it's on here because it's just really damn good, catchy rock music that shows off some chops and mines some fertile territory while putting their own spin on it. Thrash has some classic heavy rock albums, but most of it is a little more firmly "within the genre". Which means, it doesn't really transcend its genre. Some albums though just have another level of being memorable. The guitar hooks and more than capable rhythm section drive home the message of some clear lyrical philosophies and themes. The vocals are guttural but clear, matching the music. There is plenty of play with dynamics and guitar sounds which enhances the depth of the heaviness. This collection of songs fits the classic vibe of the best of 80's Metallica, Megadeth, and even Slayer. If you are a fan of heavy metal both old and new, check this out! |
AuthorG.M. Bowles Archives
February 2017
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