Devin Townsend/Other Bands

Children of Bodom/Devin Townsend Project/Obscura/Septic Flesh
June 24th, 2011
House of Blues, Hollywood



So, I went to my first metal show of the year this past Friday. Hard to believe that it took so long but it's not as if the months between weren't filled with the goods. I actually see this gap as a testament to how my tastes have broadened and evolved. I also see it as me taking advantage of what's free. After all, what's not to love about that?

The last time I was at the House of Blues was to see Tarja way back in 2009 I believe. I can't say I missed the venue. It's solid but not anything special enough for me to consider it a favorite place to see a show. But the venue has the potential to take second fiddle as long as the bands deliver. Septic Flesh turned out to be the first of the opening acts, which I was rather upset by. Along with Devin Townsend, they were one of my reasons I wanted to come to this event to begin with. Not only did this mean that their set would be uber short, but it also meant that I'd have to get there early. P.S. This didn't happen. By the time I got through the long line (which they decided to take in as slowly as possible), Septic Flesh had already burned through their songs and I managed to catch only their last two. I saw them live once before and they converted me on the spot. Since then they've remained one of the few death metal bands I care about. Needless to say, a major disappointment having to miss them.

Next up was Obscura. I have a mild interest in them and was curious to see how they'd sound in a live setting. Their technical brand of death metal translated quite well and was executed pitch perfect from what I could tell. It's not the type of metal that I can enjoy all the time, but their performance did reassure my enthusiasm for them.

My excitement was peaked with getting to see Devin Townsend and his cronies (aka Devin Townsend Project). Although the overall set could not be matched by his headlining show last year at The Key Club, Devin made the most of his time and proved to me once more that he's one of the best live performers/front men around. His off-beat humor, his commanding stage presence, and of course his pummeling brand of metal all make up his arsenal of cool. He began the set by stating that "we are the oddballs of the night". That really couldn't have been more complimentary. He was absolutely the highlight of the evening. His vocals really are as amazing live as they are on record, a feat that is always admired by yours truly. I really don't have much to add that isn't more layers of praise. My respect and appreciation of Devin Townsend and his music is in the utmost tier of greatness, and I can honestly say that I'll go to every venue he decides to play in southern California. I suggest you do the same.

The headliners, Children of Bodom, would have been had me giddy with glee about five years ago. They remained a favorite of mine for many years and were partly responsible for my path into the realm of metal. But through a combination of wavering taste and the steady decline of the quality in their music, I stepped off their train. Perhaps it's their somewhat immature attitude too (with Alexi Laiho feeling the need to say "fuck" every five words). He also comes off as a bit too haughty for me. He's a good guitarist but not great. A little modesty never hurt anyone. But for all of this fallout business, I still watched a good chunk of their set. It was quite nostalgic to hear some of their older material played. Even the song "Children of Bodom" from Hatebreeder was in their set. But again, due to the passage of time, my enjoyment of the band is simply not there. They are not bad live, at all, just not my forte.

As an aside, I would like to say that Children of Bodom has some of the most annoying fans I've ever been around. It didn't help that there were quite a lot of 15-17 year old fans in attendance. I heard way too many "OMG I'm horny" shouts than I'd ever wish to hear in one night. This happened whenever the House of Blues would advertise upcoming shows on a big screen between bands. A lot of "I lost my boner" comments too. I can't help but long for 18+ shows in the future.

Also, a complaint about the House of Blues: There's absolutely no signal inside. This means that calling, texting, updating Facebook, etc., is out of the question. This bothers me because I like to post pictures I take during the actual show. Maybe it is a minor complaint but what if you need to get a hold of the person(s) you're with? Perhaps you lose them in the crowd? What then, House of Blues, hm? I digress.

Until next time...

Townsend: "Are you ready, hippies?"

Ulcerate- Everything Is Fire

Artist: Ulcerate
Album: Everything Is Fire
Genre: Death Metal
Year: 2009

Ulcerate. Back at the end of 2009, this second release of theirs was getting a good amount of underground buzz about the way it turns contemporary death metal on its head, not to mention its inclusion on many best of 2009 lists. I'll admit to that the artwork was intriguing enough for me, and to hear about a band actually making death metal interesting again peeked my curiosity. Death metal was an exciting genre at first, but slowly but surely, either by the staleness of the sound or because I wasn't spending my time in the right places, it was starting to become a minimal presence in my music library, at best. So, I was anxious to see if Ulcerate were up to the task of rekindling that death metal flame.

Since that time, my experience with Everything is Fire has been a roller-coaster of a journey. Straightaway, I noticed that this band sounds much different than the vast majority of garden variety death metal that exists today. It's a palpable difference, and yet it's not. A lot of this has to do with the tone they present. It's got a "holy shit, this world is fucked" vibe going on, which is what death metal should evoke, at least partly.

Ulcerate is also technical. Very technical. There's so much going on within each song, that it feels like if you stray for even 5 or 10 seconds, you feel like you've missed a lot. In fact, you feel tempted to just restart the song so that you can fully soak in, or at least try to, all of the riffs being thrown and tossed around your ears. Believe me, they fly around on a near constant basis, like bees around those bushes in spring. Your ears get as much of a work out listening as the musicians clearly get with playing. So far, I've had a difficult time deciding if this challenge is something I'm fond of, or if it's plain annoying. But I think it all comes down to what mood I'm in.

As I touched on already, a big plus with this album is its atmosphere. It's absolutely crushing and uncompromisingly bleak. In fact, the title is appropriate, considering that this band could easily be the soundtrack to watching the world be consumed by flames. The band delivers with a ferocity that you simply don't get from a lot of death metal these days. I feel the production is a big credit to this success. It doesn't have that processed, triggered feeling that is so prevalent these days. The sound of Ulcerate feels natural and human. This is an attribute that I'd love to become a more prominent aspect in not just death metal, but metal in general. Not every metal band warrants this "human" feel, since it would depend on what the band is trying to accomplish with their music to begin with. Nevertheless, it needs to be played up on more. But I digress.

When all is said and done, Everything is Fire can either be one of the best death metal experiences you can have, or the most frustrating. Ulcerate (and I) both dare you to find out. I personally can't wait to dig into their newest album, Destroyers of All, as soon as I can.

Blut Aus Nord- Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars

Artist: Blut Aus Nord
Album: Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With the Stars
Genre: Black Metal
Year: 2009

The best release from the band that I've heard, and I've heard them all (except for Memoria Vetusta I and Odinist). This is pretty far removed from the industrial infused sound that I've normally associated with Blut Aus Nord's style, and I have to say I enjoy this a lot more. There are guitar leads that are out of this world scattered all over the album, and they really are one of the shining characteristics MVII has going for it. But there's also the occasional and complementary acoustic sections that nicely break up the audible whirlwind of metal this guy performs, allowing the listener to catch their breath. The riffing too, which has that undeniable Blut Aus Nord tone, is varied, more melodic, and delightful. It's the equivalent of eating my favorite dessert, but with my ears. I don't really care if that makes zero sense.

Lastly, I have to mention the extremely appropriate use of synths. It's not always present, but when they are it's used to accentuate the already grandiose nature of the guitar melodies/riffs. There are times when it even becomes the focal moment in the song, if only briefly. Prominent examples of this can be found in "The Formless Sphere (Beyond Reason" and "Antithesis of the Flesh (...and Then Arises a New Essence)", especially in the latter, where I could listen to that choir-synth part on repeat for eternity.

All in all, Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue with the Stars is one of the strongest black metal releases of the last decade, easily. Not only is it a strong album in terms of its textured song structures, its deep replay value, and its originality, but it's also a great place to start if you've yet to take the plunge into Blut Aus Nord's fascinating world.

Nucleus Torn- Andromeda Awaiting

Artist: Nucleus Torn
Album: Andromeda Awaiting
Genre: Avantgarde neo-folk w/ classical influences(?)
Year: 2010

First off...I'm back! It's a strange business, writing reviews. I tell myself all the time, especially lately, that I need to plan out times where I just write and write, and yet time and time again I've proved to myself that whenever I do write reviews, or anything like them, it's a spontaneous occurrence. This is exactly the case with this particular review. It just goes to show that inspiration is fleeting. Utilize it while you can!

Anyway, this album is the last of a trilogy of albums for Nucleus Torn. They're quite unknown though I've been following them for a few years now and am familiar with their two full lengths. Musically, Andromeda Awaiting continues in a similar vein as its predecessors: progressive/avant-garde music that incorporates neo-folk, classical, even medieval, touches. As far as originality goes, this band has got it down. They have a sound all their own, calling to mind the voice and music of time traveling bards that channel different styles at various points. One thing I noticed immediately is that Andromeda Awaiting is a lot less intense than Knell and Nihil, and drops the metal elements completely that were once present. I actually think this was a smart move and it not only feels natural for the band's progression, but it would have potentially made this album a little too familiar. If Nihil was the start of something stirring, Knell presented the band at their darkest and most dramatic, while Andromeda Awaiting appears to give resolution to a musical and lyrical story by way of its gentler style.

As far as the structure goes, it keeps Knell's formula of using Roman numerals instead of song titles. The album is also book-ended by two epic 15 minutes tracks, and in between there are a couple shorter songs, as well as a couple interlude-type tracks for good measure. They all help to make the album flow together and sound very tight and cohesive as a whole. You wouldn't want to listen to individual tracks, or at least you wouldn't get the same effect of completeness that way. This has always been a strength for the band.

It's really tough for me to find specific flaws, and yet they are there. I guess the real issue for me lies in the fact that so far, in my first handful of listens, the material isn't quite affecting me as emotionally as Knell did, or even Nihil did, which wasn't as strong as Knell in my opinion but had moments of sublimity to anchor it. I'll even say there are times when songs go on a little too long, i.e. in the last 2 minutes or so of the first song. There's one particular flute melody played which is otherworldly in its beauty, but it's ruined with those last two minutes which aren't engaging at all for me. Also, IV might be the weakest song on the album. It ejects me from the great medieval vibe of the rest of the material.

That being said, I think there is strong material here, even if it's not readily accessible for the taking. It's likely that this music will continue to unveil more of its beautiful layers to me the more I keep with it. For all of Nucleus Torn's shortcomings, they have this sophisticated aura about them that I find irresistibly charming, and keeps me coming back. They're not for everyone, but I think if you give them a chance and get hooked, you'll be extremely gratified.

Benn Jordan- Pale Blue Dot

Artist: Benn Jordan
Album: Pale Blue Dot
Genre: Ambient
Year: 2008

Very spacey ambient influenced by the work of Carl Sagan, the famous astronomer and astrophysicist. You may have noticed that I some times pay a lot of attention to an album cover because it can often set up a good visual for what you may be imagining as you listen to the music within. The same can be said about 'Pale Blue Dot'. Nebula pictures in particular have always fascinated me, probably more so than any other type of photograph of any kind, be it on earth or in space. The amount of beauty in them is astonishing, as they propel the imagination to realms of thought that we'll never be able to comprehend in our lifetime. In essence, the music by Benn Jordan is very close to that same sentiment. The blissful and tranquil movement of the sounds that run throughout the album put me in a dream-like state, where my mind takes me up close to places that can only be seen in photographs such as the one that graces this album. It's not without its faults sadly as all but three of the first nine tracks on the album I've discarded since they just don't strike a chord with me or keep the celestial beauty found within the majority of the album that I do enjoy. But fortunately this album's strengths and high points far outweigh its shortcomings. Just this week I've listened to it three or four times right around the time I'm preparing for bed and not only does it calm me but it fills my mind with pleasant thoughts and images. So I heartily recommend checking out this very professional and loving tribute to the late Carl Sagan and the inspiration he instilled in millions of stargazers to come like me. Even if you're not an ambient fan, I find it hard to believe you won't like it on some level.

Favorite Music of 2010

EDIT: Made on 1/21/11

First, some honorable mentions that are not that great, but still worth a listen. All of them yield some goods songs but overall they were lacking substance and memorability:
Salem- King Night
The Art Museums- Rough Frame
Nachtmystium- Addicts: Black Meddle Pt.2

Next, here are albums I heard once or maybe twice but still have no idea what to rate them, though I am intrigued enough to them try again. Perhaps you should check them out too?
An Autumn for Crippled Children- Lost
I Shalt Become- Poison
She & Him- Volume Two
Sigh- Scenes from Hell
1349- Demonoir
Negură Bunget- Vîrstele pămîntului
LCD Soundsystem- This Is Happening

Lastly, we've got the shoddy releases that I was exposed to that either disappointed and/or failed to impress me whatsoever:
Imperium Dekadenz - Procella Vadens
Dimmu Borgir- Abrahadabra
Burzum- Belus
Dark Tranquillity- We Are the Void
Eluveitie- Everything Remains (As It Never Was)

And with those out of the way, here's the list.

21. MGMT- Congratulations


20. Delorean- Subiza


19. oOoOO- oOoOO (EP)


18. Caribou- Swim


17. Clair Cassis- Clair Cassis


This band came out of nowhere. I had no idea that Velvet Cacoon had even split up but this pretty much just picks up the pieces under a different moniker. The fuzz is still here. The atmosphere is still hazy. Images of a dark ocean in the wee hours of morning or a late late evening grace the artwork and it's an accurate imagining of the music for me. The nautical influence was apparent in Velvet Cacoon and it's just as apparent here. Not the best thing released by this duo but still satisfying.

16. The Knife- Tomorrow, in a Year


I'll keep this nice and simple. The first disc, the "electro-opera" Darwin inspired music, is extremely experimental and quite frankly very uninteresting to me. It's worth a listen to see what you think but it doesn't draw me back in personally. The second disc though is filled with pretty great material. Some of the songs rank up with The Knife's best material, chief among them "Colouring of Pigeons" which is one of the year's best songs beyond a doubt. I hesitate to recommend a purchase since it is a double album and costs a bit more. It might be better to just download the second disc and save yourself some money.

15. Best Coast- Crazy For You


If ever the need for the perfect summer soundtrack was called upon, Best Coast appear to have accomplished that task in spades. Catchy, beachy, lo-fi, uptempo, and all in the context of a girl who's very very into some guy. No, seriously, he's the topic (assuming it's the same person throughout) on every single song. You might think that could get annoying, and it probably will irk some, but it doesn't bother me. The songwriting more than makes up for it anyway. All of the songs can tend to sound the same but that's also the mass appeal since they're all consistently good. Not a bad egg to be found. "Boyfriend" and "Crazy for You" are the two mandatory tracks on here though. One word review: Fun.

14. School of Seven Bells- Disconnect from Desire


Initially I was a little disappointed by this. 'Alpinisms' I was/am still very fond of for its interesting mixture of genres and the wonderful vocal work and harmonies. This carries along in more or less the same manner but seems heavier on some of the electro influence and is also a bit more in line with dream pop/shoegaze from the 90s, which is a very good thing. The band also does sound maybe slightly more streamlined this time around and that serves to make the songs a bit more direct. The material still has plenty of hooks to grab you even if not all the songs are great. But overall this is a strong sophomore effort and fans of their first album should definitely pick this one up. I think they'll also attract a lot of new fans as well so if you haven't heard them this is not a bad place to start at all.

13. Twin Sister- Color Your Life


Twin Sister is one of my favorite finds this year. An indie pop band that writes great songs and features a singer with a really interesting voice. I'm not sure I know of anyone to compare her too. It's a little bit in a lower register and slightly deeper. Maybe a bit nasally? I'm so bad with describing sometimes. The songs are catchy though and have this alluring/charm factor that keeps me coming back for more. Some of their music is actually available for free (the legal kind of free) so definitely check them out.

12. Fear Factory- Mechanize


The hardest hitting and most brutal Fear Factory album since the one and only 'Demanufacture'. Pretty solid songwriting all around and absolutely no fucking around on this one. Probably the one flaw is that while all the songs are good there isn't much memorable material on board but then again the pure aggression should satisfy your fix for something heavy. And if you're like me and you love the aforementioned classic 90's album then you should dig this just fine.

11. Negură Bunget- Măiestrit


So this is a remake of an older album done by the classic lineup responsible for 'Om' and at least half of it is spectacular. The other half (the first batch of songs actually) I was having trouble enjoying fully but the last listen with this album proved to be extremely successful and I think it finally "clicked". This success caused me to drive up my previous score and while I don't find it as good as 'Om' or ''N crugu Bradului' it is better than the disappointing 'Vîrstele pămîntului', which was the new album put forth by the almost entirely new line-up. So if you found that one lacking I'd recommend picking this one up for your fix.

10. Phantogram- Eyelid Movies


A really solid output of trip-hop with an indie rock flavor. Most of the songs are very good but sometimes (and this could just be my mood) there is a dip into mediocre-ville. I really like the vocal work by both Joshua and Sarah, but mostly Sarah who's voice has a kind of sultry and hypnotic quality to it, especially on "As Far as I Can See" where I can't help but believe and sympathize with every word she says. Joshua sounds almost soulful on "You Are the Ocean" and the effects he uses on "Running from the Cops", along with that infectious groove that's repeated all throughout the song, result in one of my favorites on the album. Best of all, Phantogram's music comes off as fresh and has an energy infused within that will help carry me into many repeated listens.

9. Local Natives- Gorilla Manor


Thanks to FYF I was fortunate enough to become acquainted with this excitingly fresh sounding band. They didn't sound like anyone else I heard that day and the same can mostly be said about 'Gorilla Manor'. "Fresh" is the keyword for the band as they sound like they're genuinely having a great time making music. The chemistry between the members is apparent in the smooth vocal harmonies scattered all over the place and the songwriting is consistent and strong from start to finish. "Sun Hands" is an obvious single and a standout track, but I'm also keen on the opening track "Wide Eyes" as well as "Airplanes". I really have to stress the quality of this album. I also see this band having a wide appeal because talent like this is just too good to be ignored.

8. Enslaved- Axioma Ethica Odini


Black metal and Pink Floyd's lovechild has return with an album that has a lot more heft than you've become used to based on the past couple releases. It's actually closer to their 'Below the Lights' record in terms of production and the aggression apparent through, and the songs are all super strong. They've matured yet again but have also kept that core Enslaved sound in tact. I've actually only given this one a couple spins so far but I knew pretty quickly that this was a winner. Like the Agalloch album my opinion has the potential to grow tremendously with this one.

7. Lantlôs- .neon


When I learned that Neige would be joining the band I have to admit I was slightly worried. I love Neige but I was afraid of being overexposed to his style and vocals, not to mention Lantlôs already had such a distinct sound on their debut self-titled album. But my worries were quickly laid to rest after spending some quality time with '.neon'. Lantlôs still sounds like Lantlôs and Neige (oh wow) sounds incredible. I'm not sure what was lacking for him on the Amesoeurs album but he sounds like he's back to his old self again, maybe even better than before. Lantlôs have incoporated more of a post-rock vibe this time but don't sound like any of the other black metal bands that are influenced by post-rock. Again, they've carved out a niche style for themselves. A must for fans of (post)black metal.

6. Deerhunter- Halcyon Digest


Despite the rather off-putting cover, Bradford Cox and company have struck gold once again. Coming off the immaculate Microcastle/Weird Era Cont. double album a mere two years ago, there was a certain amount of pressure for Deerhunter to match that success. It turns out that the best way to do so is by stripping down your sound more to help not only create focus but a well laid out dish of tasty songs to sink our teeth into. It starts off strong with "Earthquake" (my personal favorite on the album) and continues along a path of finely crafted songs that both reflect sounds from rock's past but also give said sounds a modern face lift, all the while allowing the band to retain an identity. And that's no easy feat, my friends.

5. Agalloch- Marrow of the Spirit


Okay, so here's the deal, because I know you're thinking "Brandon! How is this NOT your number one?!?1!!11! No question that this is a really good album. Agalloch couldn't make anything less than good if they tried. But thus far this hasn't hit me like their past works have, at least not yet. And I emphasize "not yet". I'm almost certain my rating will increase but I can't pretend to love this if I don't yet love it. Other than this important note, I have to say I fully embrace the black metal elements showing up since they have been kind of dormant on previous albums, though always just below the surface, since it does bring a nice sense of evolution for the band and definitely adds some freshness to their sound. The aggression in particular has been upped considerably because of said styles being used. I think in the end it's going to be a grower like everything else I've come to know from the band and as of now it's still a top 5 entry. Not bad at all.

4. Beach House- Teen Dream


I seriously love this band if you didn't already know. 'Devotion' was my first foray into their music and even though that in itself was enough for me proclaim my undying love, 'Teen Dream' simply solidifies that pledge. The thing that really stands out about Beach House is their knack for writing melancholy dreamy pop songs that not only strike an emotional chord but carve out songs that will stick with you. It's fairly simplistic songwriting at its heart but in the best kind of way. 'Teen Dream' might even be their most consistent and best overall. I honestly can't decide between the two albums. Nevertheless, this is one of my absolute favorites this year. Pick it up at all costs.

3. Les Discrets- Septembre et ses dernières pensées

From the moment I saw the artwork my heart grew all fluttery with hopes that it would sound just as amazing. Good news...it does! Atmospheric metal is about the only term that really applies to this band. There's a ton of post-rock influence but it doesn't come off sounding like all the other metal bands that flirt with that style. If anything it's closer to Alcest but not a copycat. The vocals are all clean and Fursy has a spectacular sounding voice, so smooth. I thought I'd have more to say about this but what can I say...I'm speechless. Definitely one of my top favorites of the year.

2. Crystal Castles- Crystal Castles II


I am super impressed with this second album from Crystal Castles. I fell in love with their debut rather quickly and still hold it extremely high on my favorite albums in recent memory. When I heard about a follow-up I was very excited. I can safely say it lives up to practically any expectations I could have had before its release. On the whole it comes really close to being almost as good as the first album and songs like "Year of Silence", "Suffocation", "Pap Smear" and "Celestica" make me infinitely happy. CC have trounced the dreaded "sophomore slump" and appear to currently have momentum on their side. With material like what's presented here they will keep pleasing me for a long time to come.

1. Alcest- Écailles de lune


Not the sheer masterpiece that was Alcest's debut from a few years back but this still is a striking and bold new direction for the band that doesn't try to repeat a formula thankfully. It sounds fresh and incorporates more of the band's old black metal influence, and sounds dreamier than ever before. The title track (broken up into two parts) is stunning to say the least and probably worth the purchase of the album on its own. But the rest of the songs are damn good too in their shoegaze/metal/post-rock glory. A must have for people interested in music that's taking chances and succeeding with flying colors.

Agalloch's Glorious Return

Yes, the wait is finally coming to an end, my friends. Well, that is if you're one of the people that hasn't already downloaded the leaked copy of 'Marrow of the Spirit' by now. Four years is a long time to be patient for new material so I suppose I can't blame those of you who have. But anyway the physical real life version of Agalloch's fourth full-length release is November 23rd, which is only seven away for those of you who like math! Chances are you've been tempted to give in and just download the album already but it appears your patience has paid off. NPR is currently streaming the entire album on their website up until its official release. Now, don't you feel glad you waited a bit longer? I'm currently listening to it as we speak. It's a dense and stunning piece of work to take in as the final minutes wind down. I can hardly wait to spend even more time with this in the coming months since Agalloch albums always get better and better the more you hear them...but enough rambling. Enjoy, folks!

http://www.npr.org/2010/11/09/131192147/first-listen-agalloch-marrow-of-the-spirit