Meshuggah - obZen (Reivew: MattJ)

This has been coming for a while now, and I was very glad to see this album come up as Roshan's return album. I've only ever heard Bleed by Meshuggah and liked their very different riffs and the heaviness of the song in general, but I was worried whether they would fall in to the same trap that countless metal bands have in the past, especially technical metal bands - that almost all of their songs are the same and they become one long boring monotonus song of people wanking over their instruments. What I means is that so many of these metal bands completely lack any emotion or feeling in their music, one man armed with just an acoustic guitar can create much deeper and meaningful feelings in a listener that Cannbial Corpse ever could.

Now the question is: does Meshuggah fall in to this emotionless trap? I found the answer to be yes, but not as bad as it could have been. I feel like Meshuggah are very much showing off their technical ability, which is immense. But I don't think that Meshuggah are really trying to say anything else with their music apart from a display of the hardest-to-do vocals, with the hardest-to-do guitar, etc. I don't really have a problem with Meshuggah doing all of this instrumental masturbating though, as they clearly have a right to. The more I think about it the more I realise that this is music made by fans of technical metal for the technical metal audience and while I don't like it I can hardly slate them for not being arty or emotional enough.

I feel like I'm writing off a whole band just because of one album, when it could be that their other albums incorporate completely different styles and sounds. But seeing as this album is all I have to go with I can only compare them with other bands people label 'technical', like Tool, Gojira and Opeth. Compared to such bands, in terms of ability, I'd say they're one of the best I've ever heard but I'm not going to change how I listen to music for this band, because I don't want to rate them on their ability to play instruments.

I'm going to give them 2.5/5 because I genuinely enjoyed about half of the album, but on second listen I have to say I was not finding anything new and becoming a little bit bored.

Portishead - Dummy (Review: Dan)

I don't know what I want to say about this album. I was intrigued to listen just because I wanted to put the music to this scene Alex described. After hearing this, I can agree that watching that must have been a strange experience.

I like Dummy. I was really taken aback when I listened to it for the first time on Spotify. I was blown away by it. Beth Gibbons vocals are mesmerising, and I found myself in what was like some sort of trance when I first listened. The actual beats and music to each song is also very good, and has this strange way of captivating my entire attention. Even now, listening to it while I write, I'm finding it hard to concentrate on anything but the music. That's what I enjoy about hip-hop - the music. When I listened to CunninLynguists' Strange Journey, I liked the music but I just couldn't tolerate the rapping. So by ditching the rapping and replacing it with a very good vocalist is almost perfect for me.

There are negative sides to this album, though. There are parts in the album which become a little intolerable, and I don't think I could listen to the album for long stretches of time. Not without wanting to kill myself. I think Beth Gibbon's singing is what does it. In songs like Biscuit especially, the beat is sort of slow, while Beth drags out words in a wail that is so...well, just...wail-y. I feel so depressed when I listen to it. Which isn't good.
I'd also like to point out that whoever is singing on Glory Box can't be the same as before. Certainly not in the first and last few lines. It sounds more like Macy Gray.

It's hard to draw a conclusion on this album. I think it's technically brilliant - near perfect. But I feel that unless I spent the rest of my days as a crack addict, I won't be able to enjoy this too much.

I think all in all it seems a little bit too intense for me to handle. I appreciate its brilliance, and I really like it, but I'm going to give it a 3/5, for the album as a whole.

Favourite Tracks:
[1]Mysterons
[2]Sour Times
[4]It Could Be Sweet
[8]Roads

Dan

Meshuggah - ObZen (2008)

Well, for weeks of uploading this has alway, from the very beginning been on my "to upload" list. I first discovered this band wading through a guitar forum, trying to find new bands above the mass of 4chan overflow and 13 year old sexual health talk. It was tough but I stumbled across a topic dedicated to 7/8 string electric guitars (its relevance will become apparent the moment you press play) inside were whispers of a band said to have created some of the heaviest songs alive without succuming to the ultra-slow pace of drone metal.

After some time researching I eventually gathered the courage to listen to one of the most critically acclaimed metal songs this decade. "Bleed". It changed the way I thought about music and what could actually be achieved technically. No amount of watching a man "shred his axe" on youtube could match the sheer machine like precision of this album.

Please, enjoy.

Combustion
Electric Red
Bleed
Lethargica
obZen
This Spiteful Snake
Pineal Gland Optics
Pravus
Dancers to a Discordant System

New Release Monday: Old Crows / Young Cardinals (Review: Dan)

I've been listening to this album all day now, and feel like I'm in a good position to review it accurately.

This album is very different to previous albums from Alexisonfire. As their 4th studio release, you can see the progression they've made from album to album, and it's actually fairly impressive. As far as talent goes, they've progressed a lot.

The album starts with the first of two title tracks 'Old Crows'. From the opening few notes it sounds like a far more mature band than what we hear from album 'Alexisonfire'. George Pettit has developed a new vocal style, which sounds a bit unusual. It's quite gravelly, and I'm not too sure I like it as much as the screaming he puts down on tracks like 'Accidents' from the album 'Watch Out!'. Vocals from Dallas Green are on top form, and they are very good throughout the album.

It's no coincidence that my favourite tracks on the album are the ones where Dallas provides more vocal input. Songs like 'No Rest' don't feature much of his singing, and is one of my least favourite on the record.

Musically, I think OC/YC is very good. The drumming from Jordan Hastings is very good, and compliments the guitar of Wade MacNeil really well. All of the guitar parts are really impressive on the album, and I think that due to the enormous increase in quality that OC/YC brings compared to their last album Crisis could see the band finding a lot of mainstream success.

I think that there is also a notable difference in Dallas' vocal contribution, as his style of singing appears to have changed. After releasing 'Bring me your love' for his solo side project City & Colour he appears to be singing in a far more 'folk' style. This is especially noticable in the song Born and Raised, which I'm fairly certain must be a song he wrote for a new City & Colour album.

All in all I think the album is good, but let down by George Pettit's unusual new vocal style. The Northern is good, as George shows that he hasn't forgotten how he used to 'sing'. But then around halfway through there is a switch and he returns to his new methods, if only briefly. Old Crows/Young Cardinals showcases massive progression from past releases, and as far as their ability goes I think they've produced an outstanding album.

I think there is a lot of promise from Alexisonfire to continue developing as musicians, and they remain the pioneering band of their respective genre.

4/5

Personal Highlights:
[3]Sons of Priviledge
[4]Born and Raised
[6]The Northern
[11]Burial

Dan

Funeral For a Friend - Hours (2005)

Funeral For a Friend are a band who I feel were definitely at their best in their early days. Recently they've toned down their sound and seem to be writing more media-friendly songs but the raw, heavier sound present on 'Hours' is definitely where their talents lie. This album has some outstanding riffs and some altogether hard-hitting songs with some decent vocals from Matt Davies.

Like Dan, this is by no means my favourite album ever but one which I think people may enjoy hence its inclusion on AlbumSwap this week.

1. All the Rage

2. Streetcar

3. Roses for the Dead

4. Hospitality

5. Drive

6. Monsters

7. History

8. Recovery

9. The End of Nothing

10. Alvarez

11. Sonny

Personal Highlights:

Streetcar

Roses for the Dead

Monsters

Sonny

Portishead - Dummy (1994)

The first time I heard this band was on a Dom Joly sketch. Two men, dressed as dogs battered the crap out of each other in a café, while unsuspecting people, innocently drinking their coffee tried to get to grips with the bizare scene which was unfolding around them. The film came from a black and white CCTV camera, and all the while Glory Box was playing in the background, filling the surreal silence. It was a fantastically odd thing to be watching, and I feel it sufficiently sums up the mood of this album. They call this Trip-Hop, and as much as I dislike the recent neccesity to put every band into its own little sub-genre, you can kind of understand why. It literally is like Hip-hop meets LSD fuled wailing. I suppose I should point out that there are elements of this album that even I find too odd to commit to liking. But all of the surreal sounds are worth it for the times when this album is truly beautiful.

Track list:
1. Mysterons
2. Sour Times
3. Strangers
4. It Could Be Sweet
5. Wandering Star
6. Numb
7. Roads
8. Pedestal
9. Biscuit
10. Glory Box

Personal Favourites:
Numb
Roads
Glory Box

Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979)

I first bought this album nearly 2 years ago but not until recently have I fully appreciated how good it is. This is a very dark, slow and sad album and therefore I don't know if it'll be to everyone's taste, but I think everyone should listen to a Joy Division album at least once. A year after this release the lead singer Ian Curtis hanged himself after a struggle with depression, epilepsy and a tough marraige. Joy Division then reformed as the much more famous New Order.
What I like most about this album is the emotion found in Curtis' voice and lyrics and how well they fit in with the music, also note the drumming that sounds like a drum machine but is infact the band's human drummer Stephen Morris.

Choice Tracks:
Disorder
New Dawn Fades
She's Lost Control
Insight

New Release Monday: Alexisonfire - Old Crows / Young Cardinals

This is the 4th release from Canadian post-hardcore band Alexisonfire. From what I've heard of it, it seems like the band are heading into a new direction, and it sounds nothing like some of their older songs.
Hopefully it will be a good start to the New Release Monday albums. It's out today in HMV if you want to buy it, or I'm sure you can find it on Spotify or download it from rapidshare...

Track Listing:
[1]Old Crows
[2]Young Cardinals
[3]Sons of Priviledge
[4]Born and Raised
[5]No Rest
[6]The Northern
[7]Midnight Regulations
[8]Emerald Street
[9]Heading For The Sun
[10]Accept Crime
[11]Burial

Dan

Album Swap Return

Album Swap is now back from its short hiatus. Today, albums can be posted from Matt, Alex, Ben, Dan and Roshan. Today will also be the first time an album is posted from the 'New Release Monday' collection.
Albums will not be assigned to two other members, instead, anyone can review whichever album they choose. By next Monday, we will put new albums forward so long as each album has been reviewed at least once.

Dan