“Of Whispers” are a brand new band based in Melbourne, Australia. Together less than a year, they have done an incredible amount of work, including a 3 song demo (which sounds better than most bands Debut EPs), a music video and a full tour of Australia! With that said, they plan to record and release new songs in the coming months, and begin a new tour with “City Escape”.

Following the Misery Signals/Counterparts Melodic Hardcore structure, original is not something most would call this band, but what they would call them, is Damn Good. Their level of musicality in relation to their age (or any age really) is incredible. They’re young, skilled and full of inspiration. Like most good bands of the genre, they have a great drummer, that was obviously influenced by the works of “Branden Morgan” (Misery Signals), examples of this can be heard in “If Sheep Had Sharks Teeth”. Though let it be known that every member of the band brings their own piece to the table, as the guitar work and vocals are equally great with their melodies.

I can see a lot of good music coming from them in the future, they only need to define a unique sound that they can call their own, but for the time being, they’re writing some fine, time tested, music that most Hardcore fans can really dig their teeth into.

This band is perfect for fans of “Misery Signals”, “Counterparts”, and “Strangers”.

2.13 – Philadelphia, PA @ Polaris
2.14 – Worcester, MA @ The Palladium
2.16 – New York, NY @ Gramercy Theatre
2.17 – Buffalo, NY @ Xtreme Wheelz
2.18 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls
2.19 – Cleveland, OH @ Peabody’s DownUnder
2.20 – Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot
2.21 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
2.22 – St. Paul, MN @ Station 4
2.24 – St. Louis, MO @ The Firebird
2.26 – Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre
2.27 – Murray, UT @ Murray Theater
2.28 – Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory Concert House
3.01 – Spokane, WA @ The Boulevard
3.02 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
3.03 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
3.05 – Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
3.06 – Orangevale, CA @ The Boardwalk
3.07 – San Diego, CA @ Soma
3.08 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
3.10 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
3.11 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
3.14 – Frisco, TX @ Dr Pepper Arena
3.15 – Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock
3.17 – Mission, TX @ Las Palmas Race Park
3.19 – Houston, TX @ Meridian
3.20 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
3.23 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
3.24 – Orlando, FL @ Club at Firestone
4.13 – Leeds, UK @ Cockpit
4.14 – Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
4.16 – London, UK @ Islington Academy
4.17 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy 2
4.18 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
4.19 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tut’s
4.20 – Liverpool, UK @ The Masque
4.21 – Colchester, UK @ Arts Centre
4.22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg
4.23 – Meerhout, Belgium @ Groezrock Festival
4.25 – Bochem, DE @ Matrix
4.27 – Zurich, CH @ Abart
4.29 – Barcelona, SP @ Razzamatazz2
4.30 – Madrid, SP @ Sala Live
5.01 – Villareble, SP @ Vina Rock
5.04 – Rome, IT @ Circolo Degli Artistili
5.05 – Milan, IT @ Magazzini Generali
5.07 – Munich, DE @ Backstage
5.08 – Wien, AT @ Flex
5.09 – Pragie, CZ @ Futurum
5.12  - Berlin, DE @ Magnet
5.13 – Hamburg, DE @ Knust
5.14 – Cologne, DE @ Essigfabriek
5.15  - Stuttgart, DE @ Universum
5.16  - Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof

Taste of Chaos with Killswitch Engage, In Flames, Every Time I Die & Maylene and the Sons of Disaster: 3^rd Dec 2009, Hammersmith Apollo

I am personally not a huge fan of metal. Nor am I fan of large venues, particularly the Hammersmith Apollo. I am, however, very much into the Southern hick sounds of Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, and Every Time I Die have been my favourite live and recorded band for the past 5 years. This review is going to cover these two bands as I feel they are the most relevant to the scene this site covers. I’m sure some of you will agree with me when I say Killswitch Engage are ironically great whilst being hugely samey. Meanwhile In Flames fans at the Apollo on this particular night put me into an utterly shameful “I only like hardcore” frame of mind. Call me prejudice, but long hair on dudes and studded bracelets aren’t my deal.

It’s obvious however that it’s not only me that senses this divide between the two halves of this tour. As MATSOD take to the sake it is evident that appreciation in the metal scene consists of arms folded and a monotonous nodding head. MATSOD’s fans up front try to counter act this with hoots, hollers and dancing hard. It’s not hard to get into the vibe of MATSOD’s set as well as new vocalist Schuylar Croom (of He Is Legend) pulls some moves I’d expect I’d expect to come straight from the swaying swinging sixties and seventies. Croom definitely looks the part for this band, but MATSOD’s only problem is the lack of original line up. Some of the filling members clash with Croom and guitarist Jake Duncan’s bohemian image to a point that it just doesn’t look like the all the members are playing the same gritty Southern sound. As a MATSOD fan though I enjoyed the set, but would prefer to see them in a smaller venue with a more appreciative audience.

Next up is Every Time I Die. Following the release of New Junk Aesthetic earlier this year I’ve been desperate to see some of this truely epic record performed live. And oh boy they do not disappoint. Perhaps it’s the new material, perhaps it’s the addition of new drummer Ryan Leger, maybe it’s both, but ETID seem to have a whole new lust for life in this performance. The audience they draw is a testament to their increasing popularity at the recognition of their 10 year history. Despite pulling a significantly larger audience than MATSOD, the metal heads are largely unresponsive, but all the ETID fans in the venue attempt to make up for that and the announcement of a headline show at the Borderline on December 21^st sends a flurry of excitement through the venue as people start frantically texting friends that might be anywhere remotely near a computer.

As they wrap up their set with some old favourites such as “Floater” and “The New Black”, as well as the new tracks as well, I feel as though the night’s ended for me after ETID. Despite catching a few songs here and there of In Flames and Killswitch Engage (the latter of which I have seen on TOC several times before), they don’t seem to match up musically with ETID and MATSOD, though the improvement in the audience’s reception and energy is evident and impressive.

Perhaps it goes to show that booking agents are acknowledging that music fans have varying tastes and that tours consisting of similar sounding bands can end up just being a drag, but this combination of two metal and two hardcore/rock bands just doesn’t seem to fit too well. Perhaps that’s just me getting more stuck in my ways the older I get, but I feel that Taste of Chaos has lost some of the originality that created such excitement around the tour in its early years. This tour just feels like a metal show, but with fantastic support.

That said, I am psyched out of my mind for Every Time I Die’s headline date at the Borderline (now announced with support from Maylene and the Sons of Disaster). Hopefully this club show will allow Maylene to put on the live show I had hoped to see, and cement ETID’s reputation as an amazing live band into the public psyche.

We Are The Ocean with support from All Forgotten, The Amity Affliction and Flood of Red; Brighton Concorde 2, 30th November 2009

Its a damp, windy, possibly sub zero Monday night and the angry cowboy of Concorde 2 is shouting at everyone again. This isn’t the ideal start to my night at We Are The Ocean’s headline show, and as the audience begins to filter in this mood seems to be common place in the crowd.

All Forgotten take to the stage first tonight to the weather worn audience. Their set manages to get a few of the kids up front excited, and the audience show signs of appreciation by moving forward when asked to, but otherwise the effort is wasted. The band put on a good show, but lack that something that makes them memorable. Perhaps it’s the audience’s disinterest, but these guys just don’t grab me.

Next up is Australia’s The Amity Affliction. If you’ve read my review of their album “Severed Ties” then you’ll know I love their sound and expect them to be the next big thing. Their set tonight doesn’t disappoint and they convince some of the largely underage audience to move their feet. Their performance is tight and it’s obviously this band are frequenters of the live circuit back home, but the jet lag and English weather is obviously getting them down. As a fan of theirs, I wish their set had been longer and hopefully they can return next year on a tour further up the bill so they can turn an audience in their favour and get into their stride.

Scotland’s Flood Of Red take to the stage and turn out to be an electronic dance band with a slightly samey, but interesting sound. Occasionally their songs will strike me as something great, but they never seem to come to a conclusion. At some points I get vibes of Taking Back Sunday but other than the keyboard player drinking bottles of wine and the great vocal abilities of their singer, I’m once again not really taken by this band. I would like to see them again though, perhaps to a home town crowd or on a headline show, where I reckon they could grab my attention more successfully.

We Are The Ocean have caused quite a buzz in this last year and this excitement filters into the Concorde 2 as they start up. They manage to mix their old songs with the new from their eagerly anticipated debut album “Cutting Our Teeth” (out in January next year) and keep old and new fans alike pleased. With some songs being performed by screamer Dan Brown from inside the pit, and vocalist Liam Cromby showing off some exquisite abilities even I manage to sing along to some of tracks I’ve never heard before and find myself eagerly anticipating what’s coming next, despite not being that familiar with them. The entire band’s participation and interaction with the audience keeps everyone alive and kicking for the entirety of their set and it’s evident they’ve perfected riling up an audience in their previous tours. These guys will hopefully return to a bigger crowd, in better weather once their album is released and they begin to gain the credit they deserve.

Falling Forward
This is Death Valley
Amber in Redding
Of Soldiers and Saints
Cedardale
The Memphis West
Structures
If you missed the event, here’s some photos from it!

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Alison A: Your music seems really technical. Have you guys been self taught or have you had professional training?

Frank E: I was self taught

Andrew F: I took drum lessons for a few years but that didn’t help me much. It was like jazz and how to read music and with this band we don’t play jazz or read music. Rick Stenzlen [apologies Rick, if this isn’t your surname, but congrats on teaching a great drummer] was my drum teacher.

AA: When did you start writing music? Were you pretty young when you just though “hey, I’m going to try writing music”?

FE: About 15 and a half, I started with a little riffage.

AF: Yeah I was probably about the same.

FE: It was about the time I was in my first band.

AA: Where are your favourite places to play? Do you like shows at home?

FE: Even though it’s hectic I like LA and the Hollywood area, that’s fun. Chicago. I’d love to play New York City.

AF: Yeah, I like Austin.

FE: I like Austin too.

AF: I like over here a lot too, it’s always a lot of fun. Like Germany…

FE: I’ve never played in Germany, but like festivals.

AA: Have you managed to sort out the Europe dates after this?

AF: We’ll probably be back in about 4 months.

AA: You were calling it “The Weak Tour” on the website, come on, it’s short but sweet right?

AF: Yeah, my passport was all messed up so it’s all my fault. But we shall be back, promise!

AA: As you started writing so young has your inspiration changed? Or the things you write about?

FE: Oh man, when I write stuff I’m always like “okay dude, it should sound like this” and it never sounds like you want it to and it’s like, okay, I’m stuck with this.

AF: I mean there not always, I mean there’s never an inspiration when I’m writing drum parts. I just want to make the song as good as possible.

FE: When you started writing your parts did you ever steal other elements?

AF: Oh yeah dude! I totally ripped off a part from Sparta!

FE: Really?

AF: *demonstrates* But I changed it a little bit! It was a little cut and paste at first!

AA: I read that you guys don’t have set lists. Who decides what comes next?

AF: It could be anyone. Sometimes it’s Tom, he just knows what he wants to play, or some nights he’ll be like what shall we play? Or maybe some kid in the crowd shouts out so we’ll do that.

FE: Since I’ve joined the band it seems like every tour we’ll have a block of songs that we’ll play, we might change it up.

AF: Yeah we have like 15 or 16 songs that we’ll pick from on each tour. It just depends on the tour.

AA: And you can do your whole catalogue? I mean you’ve got a lot of albums.

AF: Yeah, we try to get something off of every album.

FE: I’m still trying to get them all. I’ve got four more songs and then I’ll be all caught up. I’ll be ready next tour.

AF: You’ve got a couple of long ones, loooong ones to go.

FE: Yeah, god, ball busters!

AA: Overall what would you want to achieve as a band? Like what would you want to say to your grandkids about it?

AF: Uuuuh, I played in a band for my whole life, I built my family on this band, it has sustained me forever

FE: My mum’s taken care of

AF: Yeah, my parents are taken care of, my family’s taken care of. That’s about it. I don’t need to be famous or rich, I just need to have everyone taken care of and be happy.

AA: That’s a good way to go into it

FE: And obviously to make the fans feel good!

AF: Oh yeah! But I think if you’re taken care of then that’s a result. So like the overall goal for me would be that everybody’s happy and I don’t have to work a 9 to 5!

AA: So I’ve just got into your music, shamefully, I just reviewed your album last week and was like “oh man, I’m really into this”, so are there any other bands you recommend I listen to that are more that kind of experimental style?

AF: Have you heard Minus The Bear?

AA: That one I have, any others?

FE: Yo La Tengo

AF: I knew you were going to say that one! Have you heard that one?

AA: No!

AF: Yo La Tengo, TV on the Radio, we don’t listen to a lot of it…

FE: Do you mean experimental rock?

AA: Yeah

AF: Tera Melos

FE: That’s a great band

AF: And a great band name

FE: I would say a band called Law Dispute, they’re from Grand Rapids. They’re experimental

AF: Would you say Touche Amores is experimental?

FE: Nah

AF: Yeah they’re pretty straight forward like, rock LA punk band. Law Dispute for sure though. If you haven’t heard them, they’re a band from over here that aren’t a band anymore and they’re called Second Smile. They’re probably one of my favourite bands.

AA: Was it right you started recording the first album when you were 17?

AF: Well he [Frank] didn’t

AA: Yeah cause you joined later, but you did, was there loads of pressure when you were 17?

AF: I was so excited, I was like “sweet, I get to record now?”. Spring break! So I wasn’t too nervous.

AA: Do you reckon you would’ve gone to university?

FE: He was at university

AF: I was at the university of Washington

AA: How’d your parents take that?

AF: Me dropping out?

AA: Yeah

AF: Not well… uh they were a little cooler after they saw us play to 3000 people in Seattle. They were kind of nervous at first, but they have since realised that this is what I love doing and I can always go back to school.

AA: You should’ve pulled that card on your parents, the “why don’t you have faith in me?”

FE: Aaaw naaah!

AF: They always had faith in me, they just didn’t think it was the best decision

FE: They’re parents

AA: Yeah

AF: They wanted me to go the 9 to 5 route and I just don’t want to do that at all. I love my parents and they’ve supported me without question. They were just a little bit… “I don’t know if that’s the best choice, but if it’s your choice it’s your choice”.

AA: Aaaaaw

AF: They get it now, they understand, it’s all good!

AA: Were you going to go to school Frank?

AF: He was bored at school. He just wants to be doing music

FE: Yeah, I just want to be playing

AA: Fair enough!

AF: Music’s the best! It’s my favourite thing on earth.

FE: I’m kind of too stubborn for back up plans. That may irritate me later

AF: Oh I definitely have plans. You don’t have the escape pod?

FE: No

AF: Oh man I do. I have it all planned out. I’m good to go!

FE: Can you let me know? Can you tell me?

AF: Well, it’s a secret. It’s not anything crazy, it’s like take it real back down low, go to school, get a job. I have like the technical details down.

FE: That’s good

AA: You know like the school you’ll go to…

AF: Oh yeah, what bus routes I’ll take. The escape pod is fully stocked but I’m hoping it never comes to that.

AA: Okay, do you guys ever get writers block, it seems like you’ve been constantly writing?

AF: There are long periods where we just don’t write anything. I guess they’re only like two or three months but they seem like a long time to me.

FE: What like two or three months not writing?

AF: Yeah, usually we can write pretty quick, like a good three or four in a good session. You’ve just got to harness that thing.

AA: Do you usually write on the road?

AF: Not usually, we save it

AA: Which of the albums is your favourite?

FE: What me personally?

AA: Yeah

AF: For me it’s the last two

FE: I can’t say the record I’m on

AF & AA: Yeah you can!

AF: I played on all of them! You’re going to have to get over that buddy!

AA: It’s a good record, be proud of it!

FE: Oh yeah, I’m very proud of it!

AF: But for you, you were like a fan of it before.

FE: Yeah

AF: So which one Frank, come on, answer the question!

FE: I’m sorry! My brain’s gone dry. I like Ghostship and Phantom on the Horizon, the original stuff, and this new record is obviously awesome, but that old stuff’s nice.

AA: So you worked with Terry Date on this record?

AF: Yeah

AA: Was he the one take guy?

AF: No, I mean with drums we’d do like 7 or 8 takes at least and we’d pick the best from that. I mean there’s no way you’re going to get it in the first take.

FE: I mean tracking my bass and vocals we’d do it and he’d be like “Frank I think we got it” but I’d be like “let’s go again”

AF: Yeah, he knows when it’s right, but he indulges you to see if you can do it better.

AA: Yeah, that’s a good producer. So, are there any big bands that you haven’t toured with yet that you would like to tour with?

FE: I’ve always wanted to tour with like, Incubus or something.

AF: I’d love that. All my favourite bands are too big or dead. I mean, we’re not going to tour with Radiohead, Pink Floyd, The Beatles. I respect a lot of bands. I mean Muse would be fun. Muse would be great. Uh Rise Against?

FE: Yeah?

AF: Yeah I’ve toured with them before. I wish we did the Eastpak tour with Alexisonfire and Anti Flag, that would’ve been fun. Any of those, I mean I’m not sure about you, but as far as bigger bands go I think they all have the credibility.

FE: Yeah.

AA: I think it’d be good for you guys to do something like that, I mean so often you go to shows and you hear basically the same sounding stuff.

AF: Yeah, we try to do that a lot of times, but sometimes…

AA: You just have to…

AF: Yeah it’s just the bands you’re booked with.

AA: Is there anything you couldn’t survive without on tour?

AF: Cigarettes. In America, Taco Bell. Here…

AA: Do you hate the food here? Most American bands tend to.

AF: Here? You have great stuff and you have horrible stuff.

FE: It’s just easier to get greasy bad stuff in America.

AF: I mean, I know where to go in America and over here I’m not quite so knowledgeable.

FE: I mean it’s the same if you went over there. But if you went to Jack O Box you would know it’s great.

AF: Yeah you would know you get jalapenos poppers, some cheesy macaroni bites.

FE: When you’re from a place you just figure out what’s better.

AF: I know where the best teriyaki place in Seattle is.

Part 2: Dissertation Questions

AA: Right, you can talk about shows you’ve been to or your owns shows, anything. How would you describe a pit at a hardcore show?

AF: It depends what kind of hardcore show you’re going to.

FE: Yeah, cause I don’t want to say anything bad

AF: Well, thrasy hardcore is just people bumping into each other and pushing each other, but then when you get into hardcore with breakdowns it’s more like a bunch of ninjas training on the same floor, but not together at all. It’s just them doing their own exercises, like swinging their arms in windmills, or picking up chain off the ground.

AA: I was pulling both those at Bring Me The Horizon on Thursday.

FE: I would describe it as me standing behind the pit thinking “dear god, what is wrong with these people?”

AF: Yeah but she’s asking about the actual pit.

FE: Yeah but I’m saying what I do…

AF: But she’s not asking about the dude outside the pit she’s asking what goes on inside. If you’re in the pit…

FE: You’ve been in a pit before?!

AF: Frank, come on dude, I’ve done everything.

FE: You were in there pulling that?

AF: Nah I did this *demonstrates across the room* Well it was for fun. I never thought till we started touring…

FE: Oh man, like when you guys were touring with Hates The Day(?)

AF: Ooooh, yeah, but I was on stage, so I wasn’t in there. I’ve been to their shows, it was pretty funny.

FE: But you like got in there?

AF: Yeah, like, as a joke!

FE: But you moshed with people?

AF: Oh yeah, like Warped Tour. But that wasn’t a pit at a hardcore show, that’s at Warped Tour, it’s a festival.

FE: Yeah you could go to a gospel show and they’d still mosh.

AF: Yeah, like Christian rock.

AA: Would you say that that behaviour is distinctive of the scene?

AF: Yes. I don’t know how much these days, I haven’t seen a lot of hardcore dancing lately but…

FE: Well when we get to somewhere like Colorado or something like that they do it.

AF: Do they? See I’m always just looking at my drums so I don’t see. But it’s definitely like, you’re not going to see that at the Red Wine concert. You’ll probably see a little moshing.

FE: I think I saw a dude doing that at the Purple Turtle last night.

AF: I saw a few people!

AA: At Purple Turtle? Definitely.

FE: There wasn’t even a band playing.

AA: Oh no, they just go there to do it.

FE: Why would you do that?

AF: Hey dude, it’s chugga chugga man.

FE: Chugga chugga!

AA: Would you say that the quality of the show is proportionate to the size or intensity of the pit? So, is it a better show if there are more people going nuts?

FE: Well it looks pretty crazy.

AF: I would say the size of the show doesn’t matter so much as how crazy at the show are. I mean we’ve played shows to like 400 people but they don’t move much.

AA: Arms crossed?

AF: Not really arms crossed, just more like they’re paying attention, and it’s hard to play for a bunch of people that aren’t moving because you don’t know if they like you or not. Like why should I go all out? At least it’s like that for me. I mean I try to, but it’s an inevitable thing if people are bumming me out a little bit you can’t give it your all. I mean it’s like, I put my heart out there and you guys don’t really care. Which is not always true, but sometimes it feels that way.

FE: I mean for me, if people don’t leave that’s good, it means we’re doing really really well. I mean I’m amazed.

AF: But I mean like, it’s hard when you can’t see a physical reaction.

FE: Oh yeah

AF: It’s like you don’t know, they’re just judging you so hard.

FE: It’s like, “mum did I do good?”

AF: Yeah, if you’re mum’s standing there like “yeah, you did fine, I had a good time” or if she’s like hugging you and all “you did great!!!!” there’s a difference. I would say it matters, yes.

AA: At what point would you say a pit or an audience becomes out of control?

FE: When people get hurt.

AF: Yeah. We had a guy that did a stage dive in Knoxville, Tennessee like 3 weeks ago and he landed straight on his head.

FE: And arm.

AF: And he was just out, a little drunk too

FE: It was the Bay area

AF: But basically the show had to end. Whenever the show has to end because someone in the crowd took it too far, that’s when it’s out of control.

AA: Would you say there are younger of older people in your audience?

AF & FE: Younger

AA: Would you say they are more male or female?

AF & FE: Male

AA: If you do see girls in the pit do you reckon that affects the behaviour and makes them more conscious?

FE: I don’t know. I don’t think so.

AF: Well most of the pits, dudes you’d think they’d look out a bit more which is kind of weird, but in a pit you should be looking out for everyone anyway. I don’t know, if I see people in a pit I take care of them.

FE:  At the same time I guess a girl going into that, knowing it could be dangerous

AF: Yeah, it’s not like she’s going in oblivious to the fact that it’s not the most safe environment. Unless she’s wasted and just wandered in there. But then she’s not throwing her arms around, so you can be like “hey get out of here or you’ll get hurt!”

FE: Yeah, it’s like going in a shark tank, you don’t know that that shark’s not going to touch you.

AA: Yeah with me on Thursday at BMTH, it was like me and 50 dudes and they just did not give a shit. But I’d rather that.

FE: Yeah, you know what you’re getting into. I’d never do that.

AF:  I mean I used to go in there when I was 16 and didn’t care but after getting hit in the face a few times I was like “dude, I’ll just watch from the back”. I don’t want to get pushed around, I want to listen to the music.

AA:  Yeah literally I came out and was like “I’m not 17 anymore, I can’t do this now”. Okay, what would you say the unspoken rules of a pit are?

FE: Don’t punch anyone.

AF: Yeah, don’t hurt anyone and if someone does go down help them up

FE: That’s a golden rule

AF: Yeah some people know but don’t care though. I mean basically, don’t hit anyone on purpose and if someone goes down pick them up. It’s called courtesy. I mean we’re all here to enjoy the show, and if your way of enjoying it is by flailing your arms around then by all means do it, but try not to hit anybody, and once again if anyone goes down, pick them up.

FE: Pick them up.

AF: We’re all here together so we might as well get along.

AA: Do you have any examples or experiences that you would like to share. Say something really epic or something you’ve seen?

AF: I mean it’s always just the same.

FE: Yeah, one, I saw Gallows play

AA: Oh yeah, they make a pyramid?

FE: They do a wall of death, but it was way more epic because it was Gallows. I was like “this is pretty cool”.

AF: That’s not really pit though.

AA: My example I give is Gallows built an 8 person high pyramid in the pit when I saw them.

AF: Did anyone get hit?

AA: No

FE: Wall of death isn’t a pit?

AA: I would say it is.

AF: Ok, I would say it’s like a war

*laughter*

FE: But what do the sides represent?

AA: Nothing usually

AF: What are we getting rhetorical here? What do each side represent? Good and bad? I don’t know! Everyone’s right on some level!

Album: In The Unlikely Event

Artist: The Fall Of Troy

Release: 26^th October 2009

Label: Equal Vision

Producer: Terry Date (Deftones, Slipknot, Smashing Pumpkins)

The Fall of Troy is one of those bands I’ve heard talked about so much, but that mental note to listen to their stuff never makes it back home to the laptop. Having the chance to review their new album has finally given me the opportunity to see what the hype is about, with their new album “In The Unlikely Event”.

Opening track “Panic Attack!” is immediately catchy and memorable and my personal favourite from the album. As a fan of bands such as The Blood Brothers, the heavier experimental style of The Fall Of Troy is right up my street. By joining Tom Erak’s great vocals (screaming, melodic, piercing, there’s nothing he can’t do) with raw sound of guitars, switching between metal, punk and then prog rock, the band have made a sound that’s heavy enough to keep me interested throughout and makes me think I’ve found a whole new genre, or at least a band to support.

Each track on the album takes you through several different genres and sounds, but each has got that individual feel rather than just sounding like one long mishmash of riffs which experimental can be so prone to. One track that’s a great example of drastic changes in mood and style is “Nobody’s Perfect”. Starting with something a bit light, a bit more vocal based, I’m reminded of Coheed and Cambria. About half way through the track takes a complete turn, bringing old school horror organs into the mix only to then change again in a final break down. This is intriguing to listen to; experimental prog at its best.

Another song worth noting is hands down the best track name “Empty the Clip, The King is Slain, Long Live the Queen!”. This is another of my preferred tracks on the album thanks to its great sing along chorus which also has a great bohemian feel behind it. Mix this with intensive guitar parts behind it and this is definitely a track to remember.

How albums end is always a big deal. Opening track are obviously there to get you into it, but closing tracks need to make you want to put it on repeat and hear it all again. Well “Nature vs. Nurture” makes the cut. It’s pretty mellowed out, but then changes tack into a short sharp sound that gets your foot tapping. Erak then talks at the end, leading to a nice “woaaaah” melodic break down to wrap it up.

One thing about experimental music of any kind is how easily it can go so wrong. By being too experimental you can risk producing music that’s too disjointed to be listened comfortably. The Fall Of Troy have managed to be experimental and totally listenable, everything flows and even dramatic changes in the songs just feel right. Luckily for me I’ll get to see some of this album performed live soon so keep your eyes peeled for a review next week.

1. Split the Sky
2. The Biltmore Hotel
3. Pyramids
4. Catharsis
5. Telegraphic Static
6. Atlantis
7. La Sarena

Kingdoms have finally made their way into stores, with their new album Daughters of Atlas which can be found at HMV for only 9.99!

This picture was taken this morning by the bands vocalist, Hutton Wierzbicki

This album is 27 minutes and 55 seconds of melodies, harmonies, singing, screaming and just plain old pure musicality. First of all, if you haven`t heard of these guys, that is probably because they have only been around for about a year now. They recently just signed to Underground Operations (Protest the Hero, Lights, These Silhouettes)

The artwork on the album is incredible, designed by Sons of Nero who also have done designs for bands such as Dead and Divine, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Every Time I Die, Misery Signals and more. The CD case is one of the carboard ones, with the plastic disc holder on the inside (when you pick up a copy.. yes pick it up) you will understand what I mean. On the left are the lyrics, which are by no means simple. Huttons complex and witty way with words are stuck in your head for hours after hearing them. My two favourite songs are Pyramids and La Sarena.

Adressing the actual songs themselves;
Split the sky is a totally new recording, and at this point has up until the CD release only been heard on 88.3 Anger Management (check them out on stickam thursdays 10-12 http://stickam.com/883angermanagement). The Biltmore Hotel can also be heard on their myspace. The other 5 songs however  (Pyramids, Catharsis, Telegraphic Static, Atlantis, La Serena) are also available on their first EP (Atlantis) available for free download online . My guess is they most likely have taken it down by now!

Their sound? Its hard to explain, all I can really say is that it is good. They remind me of a slightly more melodic misery signals, with vocals that are less low screams, and more pitching and singing involved.

This album is definately something worth putting on your iPod, and being some of the top played songs in your iTunes. Head over to myspace, add these dudes, and check out their tour dates to see when they are hitting up a town near you!

http://www.myspace.com/kingdoms

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