Protest the Hero’s ‘Volition’ is brutally awesome

Blisteringly fast-paced notes buzz through a soundscape of thick rhythm distortion, all topped up with odd-timed drum patterns. Get ready to finger tap that fret board into oblivion.

Protest The Hero, a progressive metal band from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, released its fourth LP record, Volition, on Razor & Tie Records on Oct. 29.

This record grabs your collars with “Clarity,” a mammoth of an opening track. No time is wasted on creating an atmosphere or introducing some heavy conceptual gimmick of a tune. It’s sheer speed, bone-crunching drums and high-pitched melodic singing.

“Drumhead Trial” is a special track, as it features guest recording by guitar wizard Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Blotted Science). The number of notes per bar on this track will leave you amused and amazed. The drumming and singing is flawless as usual, but the dual guitar solos take the cake.

“Without Prejudice” starts of with a sample out from a 1950s movie, which quickly shifts into a guitar-chugging wall of sheer musical joy. The tempo remains high on this track, as you headbang your way to glory.

By far, the most brutal track on the record, “A Life Embossed” is not all mean, though, as it has its moments of melodic serenity. The super-frenzied guitar shredding continues. This track stands on its sheer complexity as time signatures change often.

The record closes with “Skies,” which sounds like a calm, cozy ballad. Rody sings his heart out, and you feel warm and fuzzy. When you think it’s going to mellow down, Protest The Hero stops you midway and takes you back on the roller coaster ride that Volition is.

A point to note is that the drums on this long play have been performed by Chris Adler of Lamb of God, which should tell you enough about the signature double bass patterns. This is a very strong record and one of the most prominent releases of 2013.

Protest The Hero

• Rody Walker – lead vocals(2001–present)
• Luke Hoskin – lead guitar, piano, backing vocals(2001–present)
• Tim Millar – rhythm guitar, piano, backing vocals (2001–present)
• Arif Mirabdolbaghi – bass, backing vocals (2001–present)
• Mike Ieradi – drums(2013–present)

• Label : Razor & Tie

Genre : Progressive Metal / Mathcore / Post-Hardcore

Latest Record : Volition (released Tuesday)

Lyrics : http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/protestthehero/volition.html

Website : https://www.facebook.com/protestthehero

@shreyas_gune

shreyas.gune@mavs.uta.edu

Monster Magnet’s Space Adventure!

Monster Magnet is a stoner rock band from New Jersey, United States.

They have just released their tenth studio long play record on Napalm Records called “Last Patrol”

The album artwork is quite detailed. A mean looking Minotaur poised across a whirlpool of space. The themes that the album deals with are quite prominent on the artwork. Yes it is largely about space and metaphysical elements.

The opening track ‘Live Behind the Cloud‘ certainly has a great ring to it although it starts out quite mellow.

Three Kingfishers is one of the stand out tracks for me just because there is a lot of arabic and persian influence. I could hear a lot of Black Sabbath like crunchy guitar work on this one. The tempo is quite comfortable and the transitions are smooth. There is also a trippy reverse section in the song that builds into a tasty blues influenced guitar solo.

The entire album in theme is all about Space-Noir, tales of cosmic revenge, alienation and epic strangeness. It is a journey through a dark retro-future that will make you chuckle and provoke thought equally.

 

 

More Information

Monster Magnet are

• Dave Wyndorf – Lead vocals, guitar (1989–present)
• Phil Caivano – Rhythm guitar (1999–present)
• Bob Pantella – Drums (2004–present)
• Garrett Sweeny – Lead guitar (2010-present)
• Chris Kosnick – Bass (2013-present)

Label : Napalm Records

Genre : Stoner Rock

Latest Record : Last Patrol (released October 15)

Website : http://www.zodiaclung.com/

@shreyas_gune

shreyas.gune@mavs.uta.edu

 

A good effort by Monster Magnet.

 

In Solitude’s ‘Sister’ is a dark journey !

In Solitude (CQD : Flier)is a hard rock/metal band from Uppasala , Sweden.

Sister is their third long play record released on Metal Blade Records.

If you like elements of magic and occult this is the band for you. If you have heard of ‘GhostB.C’ , I am sure this band will not disappoint you.

The album artwork is downright ghastly. Most of it is just dark black with a sickening face popping into partial illumination. That alone should tell you this album is going to give you nightmares. Although , it also gives me the first impression of this one being a black-metal record which it really is not.

Don’t judge a book by its cover but if it looks scary , it is going to be – scary!

Like most scandinavian black-metal or doom sounding metal , the production on this record is intentionally down played. You will not hear super slick high gain sound on this LP (long play). But you will understand the raw and gritty nature of the sound , the scary mood that engrosses you into itself.

The record opens with a neo-folky tune He Comes.

From there on though , its a scare-fest. The haunting guitar melodies and harmonization will remind you of what its like to go out trick-or-treating on halloween.

The title track Sister takes no prisoners. Imagine Black Sabbath , Mercyful Fate and Blue Oyster Cult got together and made a song. This song would be it. The tempo is neither too fast nor too slow. It’s just the right amount to get your heart racing. The most interesting aspect of this song is the mood shift that takes you from a feeling of being chased by a demon to a hopeful morning sunshine to one of impending doom.

The vocal delivery of impressive as it does not work too hard at establishing its intent. It will captivate you and scare you. Another prominent aspect of this record are the guitar solos – signature Gothenburg sound.

I like this record and I would recommend that people give it multiple listens because this sound can be easy to dismiss in haste.

 

In Solitude  are

• Gottfrid Åhman Bass
• Henrik Palm Guitars
• Pelle Åhman Vocals (lead)
• Niklas Lindström Guitars
• Uno Bruniusson Drums, Percussion

• Label : Metal Blade

Genre : Hard Rock / Doom Rock / Metal

Latest Record : Sister (released October 1)

Lyrics : http://www.darklyrics.com/lyrics/insolitude/sister.html#1

Website : https://www.facebook.com/insolitudeofficial

@shreyas_gune

shreyas.gune@mavs.uta.edu

 

DevilDriver’s ‘Winter Kills’ is satisfying , empowering!

DevilDriver is a heavy metal band from Santa Barbara, California, and Winter Kills is their sixth record released on Napalm Records.

If you are a fan of groove metal and melodic death metal, you are going to love Winter Kills, because DevilDriver doesn’t shy away from getting its message across.

The artwork is quite clear and in-your-face. Yes, this is a metal record. Yes, it has dark themes. Yes, it will be unrelenting.

The record opener “Oath of the Abyss” does exactly what a good metal album should do—punch you in the face. The fills on the drums break in while a wall of groovy guitar hits you. The song does repeat itself on certain parts but, as a record opener, it does its job well.

The title track “Winter Kills” has a good up-down palm-muted guitar chug intro to it. The drummer shines on this one, playing with odd placement of its snare accents throughout. The rest of the song is bit of a letdown, however, only because you end up feeling like you have heard it before.

“Sail,” the song that closes this record, has enough melodic elements and phrasing to make this entire listen a satisfying metal treat. This is the stand-out track from this record.

DevilDriver is stepping up their game to keep hope alive in the most bone-powdering, ear-shattering, neck-snapping way possible. The overall theme of the album is quite positive regardless of the dark imagery on the album sleeve. It’s about freedom, self-affirmation, empowerment and creating your own meaningful universe.

@shreyas_gune

shreyas.gune@mavs.uta.edu

 

DevilDriver

• Dez Fafara – lead vocals
  
• Jeff Kendrick – guitar
  
• John Boecklin – drums
  
• Mike Spreitzer – guitar
• Chris Towning – bass

Label: Napalm Records

Genre: Groove metal/heavy metal

Latest Record: Winter Kills (released Aug. 27)

Website: http://www.devildriver.com/