Veil of Maya - Eclipse (2012)

Album: Eclipse

Band: Veil of Maya

Year: 2012

Label: Sumerian Records

Genre: Progressive Deathcore / Techincal Deathcore

Country: USA

01. 20-200

02. Divide Paths

03. Punisher

04. Winter Is Coming Soon

05. The Glass Slide

06. Enter My Dreams

07. Numerical Scheme

08. Vicious Circles

09. Eclipse

10. With Passion and Power

Review

Veil of Maya is a special band. In fact it's one of my favourites.

It's a kind of a confusing technical and progressive deathcore at "first sight" but it is a sound that that grows in you as you listen to it several times. And this new record is no exception.

"Eclipse" is definately the consecration of Marc Okubo as one of the best guitarrist in the metal scene (if there was some doubts left on the previous records).

The guitar work is incredible and irreproachable, which is becoming a trademark of Veil of Maya. It seems that the guitar is constantly talking to you and establishes a connection/communication with the listener during this 28 minutes along with the powerful growls of Brandon Butler. And this is another new in this record: it is a shorter album, however is a heavier one, making it less boring (if you can even say that about VoM) than their 2010's (id).

The production had the contribution of Misha Mansoor (from Periphery) which results in that heavier/djenty sound.

The bass line is also incredible and well worked, which sounds pretty pleasant along with the guitar riffs and chords.

You can also hear some Born of Osiris influences, mainly in the synths interludes. So, if you're a fan of BoO, you should check this guys out.

The Chicago quartet don't really show an evolution in their music from the previous albuns, which isn't such a big deal, since they have this unique sound.

Veil of Maya fans won't be disappointed. At all!

T.R.A.M - Lingua Franca (2012)

Album: Lingua Franca

Band: T.R.A.M

Year: 2012

Label: Sumerian Records

Genre: Progressive Rock / Experimental

Country: USA / Mexico

01. Seven Ways Till Sunday
02. Consider Yourself Judged
03. Endeavor
04. HAAS Kicker
05. Hollywood Swinging
06. Inverted Ballad

Review

What would one expect from a band formed by Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes (Animals as Leaders), Adrian Terrazas (ex-The Mars Volta) and Eric Moore (Suicidal Tendencies)? A lot of down-tuned noise with an hardcore drumming? A group of amazing technical musicians that suit to each other? That’s it, and that’s so more than it!

Its, in few words, the fusion between heavy music and jazz. You’ll have a flute swing singing above a polyrhythmic deep, entangled layer of the distorted 8-string guitar and a tidal drumming; a jazz electronic organ behind a tom-filled pattern and a cow-bell, a womanly choir that goes voluptuous in the music; a calm frenetic non-word story!

It’s an album to listen at night, when the reveries come, to make you walk in your thoughts and to make you lost in the music again: you’ll find spirited combinations at the beginning and, as it goes on, s progressively calmer sax and worried, darkened melodies.

I loved it and I would recommend it to anyone who likes music in every aspect, despite genres or formulas. Please chill-out attentively!

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While She Sleeps - The North Stands For Nothing (2010)

Album: The North Stands For Nothing

Band: While She Sleeps

Year: 2010

Label: Small Town Records

Genre: Hardcore / Metalcore

Country: England

01. The North Stands For Nothing

02. Trophies

03. Crows

04. My Conscience, Your Freedom

05. Lost Above the Arches

06. Proud of the Demon in Me

07. The Truth

08. Hearts Aside Our Horses

Review

Strenght and Passion. These two words can describe everything about this band and their music. While She Sleeps is a band from Sheffield,UK and they already shaking the world with their 2010 first debut "The North Stands For Nothing".

It is an energetic record made by this energetic young boys, which are bringing the UK hardcore scene back on track.

The anger shouted by Lawrence's voice cleary shows the roughness of their music and lyrics, as rough as the sky in "The Steel City" might be in a cloudy autumn evening.

In fact, everything about this record is about their roots, their homeland and their origins. They point everything that's wrong in their world, in their "North", never forgetting how much that place means to them, as they tell us on "The Truth".

Musically, it is a solid record. They were able to make an intelligent combination between the power of the hardcore an the melody from metal riffs. It is also a compact album, either filled with awesome breakdows such as in "Crows" or with piano interludes like in their second track "Trophies".

In the other hand, the record's equalization shows a bit of immaturity by this young kids, which is reasonable since this is the beginning of something that is growing.

The expectations are high and their full lenght will definately bring WSS to the next level. 

The future looks bright for the Sheffield guys if they continue to put the same passion on their live shows and if they came with a mature and better mastered album.

2012 will be their year!

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For The Glory - Some Kids Have No Face (2011)

Album: Some Kids Have No Face

Band: For The Glory

Year: 2011

Label: Raging Planet

Genre: Hardcore / 2-step

Country: Portugal

01. Armor Of Steel
02. All The Same
03. No Faith
04. Some Kids Have No Face
05. One Amongst Many
06. Routine Equals Hell
07. Behind My Back
08. Egotrip
09. Where Is Justice
10. The Pack  [feat Pedro Batista (Wise Up), Luís Branco (Day of the Dead), Tiago (Overcome) e André Tavares (Death Will Come)]

Review

There's nothing better than the sensation of starting something new; plus, we can start it talking about an amazing band from our cozy tiny portuguese hardcore underground (underground that's definitely getting off the ground, but still underground). For that purpose, we bring here the nationally loved For The Glory with their last album, Some Kids Have No Face.

They're from Lisbon and from Porto, the two major cities of Portugal, hinting their work on reuniting a loyal and music-loving crew behind them. They've been on the street for many many years (2003) for doing so, playing wonderful, powerful shows where everyone must dance and shout, showing the people their love for the portuguese hardcore scene. And, believe me, would they be an american band and they'd be known across continents, with their NYHC raw music. But that so much sweat for their little recognition overseas is also their joker: it is reflected in their straight attitude.

Talking about the album, it catched me on the first seconds of "Armor of Steel", dancing in a drowsy drumming along with the guitar's feedback and harmonics. And then it's heavy. You'll find a raw, sharp guitar sound, supporting a rough, scratching voice, a crispy bass a and high-pitched drums. You'll not find the all-the-same production of very modern drumming sounds, limpid and covered by triggers, every cymbal sounding the same at every album moment. I find it home-made, absolutely heavy, a sincere screamed manifest.

You may also find simple, straight lyrics. Taking the example of "Some kids have no face", where Congas screams about the "bar-code" world we're constructing, where people are just mere statistic and their life part of a corporation and how we must refuse to life in that concrete world. He says: "Is the future of humanity / A darker place to be / Our beloved ones / Will struggle to succeed / It's dog eat dog / And only money reigns". This is the main theme of the album: money, interests, war, conflicts have a big ugly face. Kids don't.

The album grows similarly; in "Routine Equals Hell" you can hear a fast jumping rhythm; in "Egotrip" you will be presented with some happy melody and then, again, without warning, the two-step break-down.

The last track "The Pack" is all about the (portuguese) underground scene, where "It's north it's sound it's underground / A community help each other out / Love and respect - positive mind / One scene, one love... Our time!". It has the voices from Pedro Batista (Wise Up), Luís Branco (Day of the Dead), Tiago (Overcome) and André Tavarés (Death Will Come)

Like hardcore or not, it's worth a listen. It's sincerity.

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