Rivers of Nihil – The Work (2021)

Rivers of Nihil were one of the American technical death metal bands that seemed to be a direct response to the tech death bands from before (the early 2000s to 2010) switching gears from more traditional death metal or metalcore to space themes and ambient moments, such as The Faceless and Obscura. Those bands in turn made their change in response to the originators of tech death changing to more philosophical themes such as Cynic and Atheist. And around this time, it wasn’t just death metal, but Prog as well, as Devin Townsend and Opeth finding their softer sides. So with this line of bands following each other footsteps, was it surprising that Rivers of Nihil would change from their tradition death metal to incorporating psychedelic elements on 2018’s Owls Know My Name?

The simple answer is no. By then, saxophone had well found it’s way into tech death, including on albums by The Faceless. But aside from what some might dismiss as a gimmick, the songwriting on that album was absolutely solid, and it was a joy of an album to explore. Their follow-up however, surprised even me, not only how good it was, but also how much ground they explore and territory they masterfully cover. Let’s dig in to 2021’s The Work.

Between the release of their of previous album, three major things (that I know of) happened for the band:

1. The release of Owls helped the band get to a point where they could tour for a living.

2. The success of Owls created a pressure for the band’s follow up, something they had not experienced at this kind of level before.

3. The COVID 19 Pandemic put all of that to a halt, much like it did for the rest of the world.

These newfound experiences put the idea of “work” into context for the band, something they explore thoroughly over the course of this 64+ minute record. Without going too much into the concept, it’s not just the actual work we go to in order to support ourselves and our families, but the work our body does everyday to keep us alive, the work we put into relationships, all the work that goes on in our world and in ourselves every second of every day. The band chooses to start this album on a theatrical note. The soft opening is not surprising, and it brings up memories of Autotheism by The Faceless. But what it lacks in memorability as opposed to that one, it makes up for setting the stage for this dramatic endeavor. The subtle change from major to minor key, the background vocals, and train like sound effects all help the song build up to a huge climax. The song comes back down, only to go straight into………

The huge and heavy riffs of “Dreaming Black Clockwork”. This song is equal parts djent from Meshuggah, industrial elements and vocals like Devin Townsend, and “black jazz” like the band Shining, thanks to the comping style of the saxophone. It has a soft and mysterious middle section that only returns to the heavy riffs. This is a great introductory track to the mechanical tones of this album in comparison to their previous ones. It also shows how the band break away from the saxophone as a soloing instrument, and instead as a flowing and continuous part of the ambiance of the album.

If the previous song reminded me of Devin Townsend at his heavier moments, “Wait” reminds me of some of his more tender moments. It is an odd follow up to have a softer song immediately after the previous one, but I think that jarring transition is exactly what the band was going for. After some screams in the middle and a classic rock climax with a bluesy solo, and transitions into the darker “Focus”. I love the dynamics in this song, from the bass heavy verse, to the middle eastern sounding guitar riff of the chorus.

“Clean” has some memorable heavy riffs and screamed vocal lines, but the star of the show is a psychedelic synth solo and bluesy guitar solo that comes perfectly in the middle of it all.“The Void From Which No Sound Comes” combines the industrial and ambient elements of “Focus” with a massive chorus and a perfectly executed saxophone solo. “MORE?” Is the most aggressive song on the album musically, lyrically, and vocally, and it interestingly transitions to a reprise of the intro track, appropriately named “Tower 2”.

“Episode” starts off like doom metal you’d expect from the band Swallow the Sun, and is greatly contrasted with its heavy parts that sound more like the band Behemoth. It has a few masterful guitar solos as well as an emotional climax with the repeated lyrics “Do the Work”. They close the album out with a pair of epic tracks. The first is the gorgeous 7 minutes ballad “Maybe One Day” which is simultaneously hopeful and questioning, climaxing with a slide guitar solo and the repeated lyrics “Is this the only way?”. The last song is the progressive metal masterpiece “Terrestria IV: Work” which weaves through so many twists and turns, finally culminating with our familiar lyric, “Do the work”.

Overall, some transitions from heavy songs to soft songs may be questionable, but they were definitely the intent of the band nonetheless. It with everything else on this album meticulously crafted, it would be hard to imagine that wasn’t the case. Still, it is a small gripe if I had to choose gripes. The album is an incredible experience from start to finish. Every song has merit and memorable sequences. I may have gotten around to this album late, but it has been one of my favorite recent experiences, and I would highly recommend it to any fan of metal, Prog, tech death, or even jazz, as it will surely be one of those albums that bridges the gap for listeners who are typically not into extreme metal, much like Cynic and Meshuggah have done.

Cynic – Ascension Codes (2021)

This album came out almost a year ago at the time of this review, but was very difficult to write about upon initial release. Prior to its release, Cynic, and in turn Cynic’s fan base we’re going through difficult times. From social media fights between singer/guitarist Paul Masvidal and drummer Sean Reinert, that ended with Sean leaving the band and Paul taking full control of the band, to the passing of not only Sean, but also long time bassist Sean Malone within a year of each other. The future of the band was uncertain to say the least, but Paul was determined to continue while mourning the loss of two friends.

After Sean Reinert left the band, Matt Lynch of Trioscapes fame (and currently Intronaut as well) replaced him in 2015. And for this album, Dave Mackay took over bass duties on synthesizers, as well as added a new element to Cynic with keyboard solos. Interestingly, the band has experimented with guitar synths in the past, so they’ve gone from having guitars sounding like keyboards to having keyboards sounding like bass. In addition to the trio are a plethora of guest musicians including Plini providing guitar solos and former Cynic alumni Max Phelps providing backup vocals.

The album is an 18 track endeavor clocking in at about 49 minutes. This is because of an intro, an outro, and an interlude between every main song. These are the “codes” referred to in the album’s title. But I must state that I am immediately biased against albums that do this format. I understand bands are trying to create a flow or a story with the use of so many interludes, but to me, it most often ruins the flow of an album that can do better with fewer, or the interludes integrated into the main songs somehow. So with these “codes”, that leaves 9 main songs, but really I struggle to call 1 one of them a main song (will explain in a bit), so it brings us to that magic number of 8, the number of tracks the last three Cynic albums have been.

After a 30 second intro, “The Winged Ones” comes in. This is a 5 minute instrumental that honestly could have worked anywhere on the album. It is a great introduction to the album, but it’s beauty and engaging nature could have worked as a closer or somewhere in the middle as well. It reminds me of bands who are heavily influenced by Cynic such as Fallujah, The Facless and The Contortionist, shows off Matt’s incredible drum work, and gives us our first taste of the keyboard/bass tones. The keyboard solos have an old school feel to them, sounding like they belong in the 80s rather than a Cynic album, but don’t sound out of place enough to hinder the enjoyment of the listener.

Rather then going straight into the next track, we can already start to see the hindrance of going into an interlude, loosing all that momentum. “Elements and Their Inhabitants” would have perfectly come after “The Winged Ones”. It picks up with that lost momentum sounding more like Cynic. The vocoder vocals come in as well as frantic guitar picking and drumming, which lays out for a beautiful Pat Metheny style guitar solo. Their are few vocals and they are hard to decipher. So by the time the next interlude comes to a close, you’ve had five tracks already, but nothing really to sing along with yet.

“Mythical Serpents” is a classic Cynic track. On par with anything from Traced in Air, my favorite album by the band, it has memorable melodies, tons of dynamics, and the right amount of ambience. It finally feels like the album was reaching what it was leading up to. Unfortunately, after a long fade-out, and another interlude, it is up to the next song to try and pick up the momentum. And while I feel “6th Dimensional Archetype” is an interesting track, it’s verse is the catchy hook with no chorus to tie it all together. It has potential, but ultimately fades away without reaching it.

This unfortunately leads to the most throwaway track of the album. “DNA Activation Template” on paper looks like one of the main tracks, but actually starts with 4 minutes of alien like sound effects. The last minute of the track is music that sounds similar to “The Winged Ones”. If it was just the music by itself it would have been fine. But that much silence, including another interlude right after it, in the middle of the album creates such a dip in the experience.

“Architects of Consiousness” is another great song that has memorable vocals lines like “Mythical Serpents” did, and sounds like classic Cynic if it wasn’t for an upfront and almost cheesy keyboard tone that doesn’t work as well as the time in “The Winged Ones”. “Aurora” on the other hand, might be the best song on the album. Sounding not only like Traced in Air, but also like Paul’s side project Aeon Spoke. The vocals are clear, the production is beautiful, and it doesn’t meander. It is possibly the most focused song.

“In a Multiverse Where Atoms Sing” is a frantic piece, combining drum and bass electronic rhythms, mathcore riffs, and all that you expect from Cynic in a 3 minute package. The major key and uplifting tones remind me of the best moments from the bands previous release, Kindly Bent to Free Us. Finally, “Diamond Light Body” is a perfect closer with its build up and repeated melody.

Upon first glance, the 18 song track list looks overwhelming, but a first full listen through might make you feel underwhelmed, as if you didn’t cover much ground at all. But with repeated listens, you see the strength of its core 8 tracks, and if I was just reviewing those songs, I would say it’s as strong an album as Kindly Bent to Free Us, maybe even better due to the moments that remind me of Traced in Air. But, the overall experience is more tedious than it needs to be, and kills the pacing it could have had. Plus some out of place keyboard tones take you out of the overall experience. But for a band that didn’t seem like they would have another album, the songwriting and musicianship is top notch, as you would expect from this legendary band. Even through all the changes it has been through, that much will always shine through with Paul at the helm.

Between the Buried and Me – Colors II

Between the Buried and Me (BTBAM) released Colors in 2007, an album that would change my life and the way I thought about music. It also changed a lot for the band, helping them away from the metalcore scene they were forged in, to opening slots in Amphitheaters with the likes of Dream Theater and Opeth. Those who were brave enough to get past their long name knew of their progressive tendencies, and on this album, it was on full force, like nothing before it, and in my mind since it.

My love for that albums lies in its balance. Balance between heavy and soft sections. Balance between knowing when to take itself seriously and knowing when to surprise its audience. Balance on knowing how long to stay on a riff or a grove. Balance in its transitions. Perfect balance in its 8 unique and equally important parts, that flow through as one. A balance, that I search for in all albums, but is very rare to find.

So when BTBAM announce a sequel to this album, I don’t take it lightly. This album has a lot of weight on its shoulders, and I don’t want a quick and easy cash grab.

The first single “Fix the Error” immediately left a bad taste in my mouth, aside from some Colors like arpeggios and some drum solos (that I did not yet know were 4 different drummers). It was quirky. It was punk like. And it had a vocal part that continues to grind at me after many listens.

Not at all what I think of when I think of Colors.

“Revolution in Limbo” was the next single, and this one blew me away. It sounded like old BTBAM. As if I could have been on the original Colors album. With brief moments that sounded like Alaska as well as ones that could have been on The Great Misdirect. The balance was back. Metalcore riffs, sweeping guitar licks, transitions that made sense, a confidence in its sense of melody, and a 9 minute runtime that just flew by.

Now I was confused. And the next single didn’t help me out either! A keyboard driven proggy/funky, technical death metal song that sounded more like the bands BTBAM inspired rather than themselves. Something that could have been done by The Contortionist or White Arms of Athena, while still fitting right at home on a Tommy (vocalist) solo record. Now I have three very different songs and no clue, how it all comes together.

On my first listen to the whole album, I’ll be honest. I didn’t think it did. It felt like a bunch of different eras of BTBAM all fighting for seniority. I knew there were good moments and songs, but was ready to write a review about how the balance and melodies were severally lacking.

And then I listened to it some more.

And this long overwhelming album started making sense. Not only that, but it was flying by. And just because it didn’t have the same kind of standout melodies that the first Colors had, didn’t mean it didn’t have flow.

Flow became the word of the album, because I hadn’t realized until that point how much the flow was lacking on Automata and Coma Ecliptic. I’m not saying BTBAM forgot how to write an album. They’re obviously masters of that. But it wasn’t just songs connected by lyrics anymore. Musically, this album was making sense.

From the soft intro of “Monochrome” that we know to expect from them (starting with “Foam Born (A)” from Colors, to the subtle hints and similarities of “The Double Helix of Extinction” to “Foam Born B”. This song snd “Revolution in Limbo” are a ferocious double punch with drumming and guitar chugging that feels like an old friend returning, even though they’ve made a career out of it. Soon you start hearing references to all kinds of BTBAM songs. Is the drumming a reference to “Ants of the Sky”? The vocals a reference to “Lay Your Ghosts to Rest”? The melodic lines a reference to “Informal Gluttony” or “Extremophile Elite”? You start to wonder if they were intended or not. Standouts of the song are the growls (curtesy of drummer Blake), and Ants of the Sky saloon reference.

In the context of the record, “Fix the Error” comes at a perfect spot. Now that they’ve reintroduced the modern life and isolation themes of the first album, the theme of upbringing and revolution makes more sense. It truly becomes a time to celebrate (though I still hate the “if you see the rainbow” part).

“Never Seen/Future Shock” is an 11 minute epic with “Telos” like riffs, melodies, random medical sounding sections, but it also demonstrates something on this album. Not only their confidence, but their sense of fun is really blending so well here. Maybe cause they could reference themselves so much, or maybe cause the songwriting came more naturally. But these long songs with twists and turns don’t feel like they’re dragging on. Even after a section with crazy timing, it pays off with about 4 minutes of beauty.

“Stare into the Abyss” is a keyboard driven electronic track that we’ve come to expect from them, but it provides necessary breathing room and has a post-rock climax. This before the chaos of “Prehistory”, with its video game/cartoon sounds. It follows in the footsteps of “Bloom”, “Voice of Trespass”, and “The Ectopic Stroll”, for the fun section of the album.

If the first half of the album showed they could still pull up their older and heavier style at will, this second half shows their arsenal of tricks aren’t just gimmicks, and the transitions are phenomenal. “Bad Habits” is one of the most interesting tracks in my opinion because it’s got a strong old school Prog vibe. Hints of King Crimson, Genesis, even Gentle Giant scattered throughout their aggressive delivery. From the keyboard tones, jazz, folk, and classical, it is definitely a Dan (bassist) song, it brings out the best in Tommy, especially with its emotional delivery of lyrics like the return of “sleep on, fly on” from “Ants of the Sky”.

Then comes the aforementioned “The Future is Behind Us” which sounds so fun and welcoming in comparison, before moving on to “Turbulent”, which actually doesn’t live up to its name. In actuality, it is another moment of simplistic electronic keyboard parts, continuing what the previous track started while making references to other songs, bringing different ideas together. It just lets you get to the music while building up for what is to come. But before they do that, they actually drop out for a bit with “Sfumato”.

Like “Viridian” before it, the band provides breathing room before the epic closing track. It introduces what will be a main theme on the keyboard while giving off serious David Gilmour vibes, which you can never have enough off. This just leaves…

“Human is Hell”, which acts as the “White Walls” of the album. Starts off similar with a driving riff they actually borrow from The Great Misdirect. It follows a similar trajectory as “White Walls” but not without its surprises! The title of the song is said in a part that reminds me of “Digging the Graves” by The Faceless. The first few minutes are almost punishing in how heavy it comes off, and then the melodic chorus comes out of nowhere, almost bittersweet.

It’s impossible to say everything that happens in the song, let alone all the references. Halfway through the melodic melody from “Sfumato” comes back and introduces an extended soft section with beautiful lyrics, melodies, and solos. Then a familiar chord progression leads to a keyboard build up, similar to build ups we’ve seen in their epics before. You can already imagine the audience getting pumped up at this part for the big finish.

After a “Swim to the Moon” nod, a “Prequel to the Sequel” like breakdown, and mini drum solo, we have a brief soft part, before the final chorus. Once this ends, we have the brief major key guitar solo like seen on “Goodby to Everything (Reprise) and “The Grid”. This gives it a classical finale ending, as opposed the sorrowful one of “White Walls”. This is one of my few gripes because it feels like band is relying on it too much, but it is a short gripe for such a triumphant album.

It is so hard to condense writing about this long album with all its references, all it twists and turns, all its technicality, and all its musical sensibility. I fear this review might already be as long as the album itself. But to try and summarize, for someone who was so worried about a sequel to something they loved so much, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Then again, how do you expect a sequel to something that was so unexpected in the first place. But the band passed the test with flying colors, finding a confident way to pick and choose the best parts of their career without completely redoing it.

BTBAM has always had the unique ability of sounding like everyone other band and yet only like themselves at the same time. There wasn’t much they needed to prove to their fans at this point, but their impressive talent to continue challenging themselves while playing some of the most challenging music out there is nothing short of inspiring.

Jordan Rudess at the Voodoo Lounge in San Diego (9/11/2021)

It’s been quite a while since my last concert review, but the right show will inspire you.

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Last night, accompanied by my girlfriend and my drummer, we made a last minute decision to travel down to San Diego from LA for a solo piano show from the famed keyboardist most commonly associated with his work in Dream Theater. It’s not often I have to make this journey for shows living in LA, and only have to when I can’t attend the one happening over here. Needless to say, a solo Rudess show in a small room is absolutely worth the 2+ hours, and tired legs, and we couldn’t be more happy with our decision.

I’m starting this review off differently then I normally do. I’m getting the fact that is was an absolutely incredible experience out of the way early, cause I just want to get right into how great and well put together this setlist was. It was my first time at the House of Blues in San Diego. The Voodoo Lounge is the smaller room of the venue, and it was packed with a mostly respectful crowd on a hot/muggy Saturday night. The room eventually cooled down once doors had been opened long enough, and the subtle lighting changes were simple but appropriate throughout the set.

Rudess came out at 8 o clock and started with a short improv, that he joked would be the last time anyone ever heard it again unless they recorded it, and sent it to him. This set the tone for a night of masterful piano playing, and a light atmosphere of storytelling and laughs. Having seen Rudess from afar at a half dozen Dream Theater shows, it was a privilege to be so close to his fingers, as the ease-fully made their way across the keys. Dependent on the piece, he was either focused on the transcriptions, or smiling at the chord, engaging them to enjoy it even more.

The first real song was a new ballad called “Twilight Rain”, which provided some beauty, before showing his classical chops with a Bach piece, complete with harpsichord tones. He then played “Biaxident”, one of my favorite Liquid Tension Experiment songs. By the time he did his first 70s Prog rock cover, the set had already gone through multiple styles, piano tones, and artists.

The classic Prog covers of the set was something otherworldly. Starting with a beautiful rendition of “Space Oddity” by David Bowie, he then moved on to mimick the 12 string guitars for his cover of “Entangled” by Genesis. He had a full choir behind him in his rendition of “The Court of the Crimson King”. He had the classic organ tone for brief cover of “And You And I” by Yes.

He also played an incredible rendition of “Key to the Imagination” off of the new Liquid Tension Experiment album, which is a technical piece as it is, let alone the face that he arranged it all on piano, playing parts done by guitarist John Petrucci on the album. This and “Interstices” off of his “Feeding the Wheel” album showcased his ability to move through rock, jazz, classical, metal, through dissonant lines, and Gershwin like melodies.

The middle of the set was taken up by him soloing on Geo Synth/Geo Shred app that he created. Playing on a tablet, he did synth solos, piano solos, and blues solos that made you think he was playing a real slide guitar. He even at one point played the solo using his nose, as if this show needed to get anymore ridiculous.

Towards the end, he finally gave the Dream Theater fans in the crowd a little something special with renditions if “Hollow Years” and “The Dance of Eternity”, not only showcasing his diversity, but the diversity of Dream Theater, going from a beautiful ballad to the technical aspects and ridiculous time signature changes.

And if all this wasn’t enough, he came back out for an encore of “Even Less”, a Porcupine Tree cover that he covered with Steven Wilson when opening for Blackfield many years ago. He then finished the show with a genre breaking rendition of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” that closed with the exclamation point of an ending that is the last part of “When the Water Breaks” by Liquid Tension Experiment. He emerged from his piano, with the crowd bursting into applause, and went to the merch booth for meet and greets, signing whatever the fans brought up to him.

Aside from his obvious chops on piano, the story telling aspect and balance of the setlist is what really made the show. From anecdotes of starting to learn piano, to playing for David Bowie, to his times at Juilliard, to getting Prog albums from friends, it was very intimate, very honest and very genuine. It was for fans of music, and for Jordan to have fun with his fans after all the world has been through in the past almost two years with COVID and politics. He payed tribute to the greats, dug out songs that haven’t been heard in a while, and did some fan favorites. In turn, it was very well received, and everyone looked like they had been musically cleansed by the end of the night.

This mini tour was greatly appreciated, and to Jordan and his wife who manned the merch booth, thank you so much for sharing your gift, and keeping great music alive.

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Setlist

1. Piano Improvisation
2. Twilight Rain
3. Partita No. 5 in G major (Bach)
4. Biaxident (Liquid Tension Experiment)
5. Space Oddity (David Bowie Cover)
6. Entangled (Genesis Cover)
7. Moonchild (King Crimson Cover)
8. The Court of the Crimson King (King Crimson Cover)
9. Key to the Imagination (Liquid Tension Experiment)
10. Geo Synthesizer and Piano Improvisation
11. GeoShred Blues Improvisation
12. And You and I (Yes Cover)
13. Soon (Yes Cover)
14. Interstices
15. Hollow Years (Dream Theater)
16. The Dance of Eternity (Dream Theater)
17. Even Less (Porcupine Tree Cover)
18. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

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Addition pictures taken by Fernando Guerrero.

Manchester Orchestra – The Million Masks of God (2021)

The newest album by Manchester Orchestra draws attention to its uniqueness with its album artwork. From the bright pink to the computer generated element, it continues the surrealistic element of its previous release’s artwork, bringing the black and white scheme to a more modern feel.

The music does that too.

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Manchester Orchestra has expanded their sound with every release, and have definitely matured as well. Their debut feels dated, from its Polaroid album cover, to its simple production. But the band has always been driven by singer/guitarist Andy Hull’s sense of melody and unique turn of phrase in his lyrics.

Mean Everything to Nothing continued this sound, Simple Math showed its improved production with a greater focus on layering, and Hope and Cope showed the two sides of the band, the hard rock (almost sludgy) interpretations and the stripped down acoustic interpretations of the same songs.

A Black Mile to the Surface was their most cohesive album, with a flow, a mindset, and a purpose. This took their live shows to the next level. Big production, expanded lighting, and some of the most powerful and clear mixes I had heard in years. They utilized this mentality, for their next release.

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This album feels like the most pop, produced, and mainstream sounding thing the band has ever done. This might be an instant turnoff for some people who will accuse the band of selling out. But with repeated listens, you realize, there is a lot to uncover.

The album was inspired by the death of a family member, and deals with acceptance, the transition of body and spirit, the afterlife, and hope. This may not be instantly apparent. Despite its more electronic focused sound, simple chord progressions and structures, and familiar techniques with vocals and keyboards, this album doesn’t immediately jump out at you in terms of catchy choruses. Andy’s usual unique lyricism isn’t as obvious either.

The band has expressed that like a movie, it is supposed to be listened to in one sitting. And because of its concept album tendencies, lyrics, themes, melodies, and ideas are repeated. That explains why it initially felt blurred together.

But their previous album had great flow and still had a strong sense of individualism for each song! So why wasn’t this jumping out at me yet?

I knew it sounded good, but after a listen, couldn’t remember any hooks.

This is because the band deliberately wanted to avoid the individualism of the songs. It truly is the opposite of its previous release. Only in understanding the flow of the album, do the themes and catchy melodies reveal themselves, and that is when the album is most enjoyable.

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Starting with the big opening of “Inaudible”, the church like vocals sound huge, especially when the rest of the band comes in. This feels more like the beginning of a play, rather than a movie, and transitions into the darker “Angel of Death” which starts with the kind of wordless vocals you’re use to on the radio these days. The driving rhythm hits a big chorus, and reminds me very much of one of my favorite bands, The Dear Hunter.

“Keel Timing” is the funkiest song the band has ever done, and let’s the infectious groove be its main focus. “Bed Head” builds off of its rhythm and melodies while returning to the darker tone of the “Angel of Death” verse. The industrial and electronic tones, high harmonies, and chorus have gotten stuck in my head over and over since first listen. Definitely a highlight of the album.

“Annie” follows with a simple delivery, and brings the album down for its gorgeous first ballad “Telepath”. A short acoustic driven piece, this might actually be the first melody that sticks in your head upon first listen.

“Let it Storm” starts as a ballad that while it doesn’t get heavy, has a profound full band hit in the chorus, while “Dinosaur” has an electronic vibe that reaches a hard-hitting climax towards the end. “Obstacle” follows suit of “Let it Storm” and it’s clear there’s a deliberate reason that the album starts heavier and darker and ends softer and more beautiful. It represents the transition of life, and the acceptance. It strays from the questioning, doubt, and fear, and has a nostalgic certainty. It’s absolutely beautiful.

“Way Back” continues this and lulls the listener, not to sleep, but more like through a trip in the clouds. And this all sets up the final “The Internet”, which reminds of their previous album closer “The Silence”. While it never reaches the same climax of that one, it see similarities in melodies and lyrics, as well as it’s airy and twangy guitar tone. It ends with an allusion to “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, something that has made appearances throughout the album.

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It’s a fickle album in who it will impress and who it won’t. People who like the band already will like it with repeated listens, and people who like pop music will like it, as it is their most accessible album to that group. But to certain fans of rock who have not gotten into them yet, this might not be the best choice of an introduction. The mainstream elements might be a turnoff, and they might do better to come back to it after they’ve experienced previous albums (Cope and A Black Mile to the Surface for the rock and metal fans, their first two and Hope for the acoustic or indie crowd).

That being said, there’s enough to digest here that it is a rewarding album with repeated listens. It is fun to connect the dotes in terms of shared lyrics and melodies between songs. There’s enough to appreciate in terms of beautiful melodies, production, and thought-provoking lyrics. And these songs are gonna feel huge in a live setting.

It may seem repetitive at first, but I implore you to give the album another try if it wasn’t for you on first listen. It might not be the catchiest album they’ve done, but it is an excellent step for the band in terms of pushing themselves and will reward them with acclaim and popularity in the long run.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor – G_d’s Pee AT STATE’s END (2021)

With the COVID 19 pandemic a few months in, and scattered great releases coming from Katatonia and The Ocean, I said to myself…

“Where is Godspeed”?

The post rock band has always been a perfect soundtrack for the end of the world, alongside the absolutely crushing and most devastating moments by Japanese outfit Mono. And despite their lack of lyrics, they have found a way for their music to convey strong political connotations, whether through soundclips, song names, artwork, linear notes, or even images projected behind them in a live setting.

And a global pandemic, plus political turmoil, racial tension, classist division, among everything else we experienced in the year 2020 seemed only too fitting for what Godspeed has been saying all along.

But Godspeed didn’t emerge to gloat, because…. when you’ve been right all along about devastation, it doesn’t make you feel any better. It doesn’t make the situation itself any better.

True, most of the music on this new album was actually written before the Pandemic was even a thought for the average citizen. In fact, the last time I saw them, they played what was then known to us as “Glaciers” and “Cliffs” (thanks to diehard fans online). And what I can remember of these songs that amazing night in Los Angeles was how melodic they were. They provided more introspective moments than the chaotic but brilliant songs that they played from Luciferian Towers with Patrick Shiroishi on saxophone. And it’s wonderful to finally hear them on album form.

This is the 4th album in a row by the band to feature a similar format: 2 long songs and two shorter songs (or 2 melodic songs and two drone tracks, since what’s short for them is still longer than anything most bands can release). This has been their track list of choice since returning from their hiatus. Depending on the mood of the album, the format can provide comfort to the listener like in the beautiful hypnotic repetitiveness of their previous release, or it can provide some bleak and powerful releases such as on the two before that one.

This time around, it doesn’t have the anger that the band is able to achieve in their most punk rock moments (as far as post rock goes). It reminds me of T.S. Eliot’s famous quote:

“This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but with a whimper”.

Fans of early Godspeed will be happy to notice two things right off the top:

1. Multipart song names (representing the different parts or “movements” to borrow the term usually used for classical music). Sure two songs on their previous release were multi-part. But for Godspeed fans, the longer a song’s name is, the more they like it.

2. The first song starts with the use of field recordings, something that has been lacking on the recent releases by the band.

After a few minutes of the soundclips, a distorted violin comes in, almost like a political march gone wrong. After fading out for a while the band comes in with what will surly be an iconic moment for them: “Job’s Lament”. The buildup of guitar and bass before the full band joins is nothing short of brilliant.

This jam session goes straight into “First of the Last Glaciers” which is heavy but extremely melodic. The band is really showing their hard rock skills, incorporating it amongst all the tones, effects, and droning. They even show off some odd time signatures in this section which is a great step for the band. More than just the ups and downs of normal post rock, the band continues to challenge themselves all these years later, while still paying tribute to the sliding guitars that were prevalent on their debut. The song ends with a minute of bird chirps and gun shots. When it’s all over, you can’t believe how fast 20 minutes can pass.

“Fire at Static Valley” in contrast is 6 minutes, and showcases the melancholic side of the band. Almost like the sad realization of your dreams dying or nightmares coming true, it is a swan dive into harsh realism when compared to the driving rhythms of the first song. Haunting, nostalgic, and similar to things we’d expect off of Lift Your Skinny Fists or Yanqui U.X.O, it shows that the short songs on this album are not gonna be easy endeavors, but that they are just as crucial as the longer ones.

The second long song also starts with a soundclip, this one of a voice and static. Similar to the first song, after about two minutes this is broken up by the bass, and then a distorted guitar and a violin. This haunting melody is repeated while the drums slowly build up like an orchestra getting in tune, or a rhythm finding its way.

Once it gets going, it continues the eerie vibes of the previous tune, giving off those old, classic Godspeed vibes. This goes on till the 11:22 minute mark, when the song goes from the “Government Came” section to the “Cliffs Gaze” section. The song briefly drops out before introducing its new melody, which is among the most positive sounding moments the band has ever created. Like a celebration amongst the darkness and the mourning, it emerges and completely changes the tone and pacing of the album.

It gives the album a full trajectory from its low points to its high points. The full experience of the human soul if you will. As Rod Serling would say, “between the pit of man’s fears, and the summit of his knowledge”. That’s where this album lies. Church bells bring the song to a close, almost around the 20 minute mark.

The album is closed with a 6 minute and 30 second piece called “Our Side Has to Win”. If the previous songs show their rock side, their melancholic side, and their uplifting side, this one shows their knack for classical music. Somewhere between an orchestral piece and a string quartet, it is the perfect closing music for a film (to quote Radiohead). After everything you’ve heard, it slowly fades away, and lulls the album to a perfect close.

While it might not be the most experimental album the band has released, I can definitely see it becoming a fan favorite. The melodic passages provide the band a wealth of material in a live setting, in a discography that is already hard enough to concise to a 2 hour setlist. From start to finish, it seems clear and focused. Every second has meaning, every section serves purpose, and every piece plays well with everything that came before it and came after it.

Some fans might want Godspeed to have emerged from the pandemic with the darkest album ever. Some fans would have wanted Godspeed to blatantly wave a flag that says “We Told You So”. But Godspeed is too classy for that. Instead, they come to provide a message of hope. They instead chose to say with this album:

“Yes, we see what’s going on. Yes we know that times are tough and things look bad. But yes there’s going to be the other side of this, and we will all see each other soon”.

And from a band who has always preached of the apocalypse, it couldn’t be more comforting to hear this message loud and clear. Especially since they just announced a world tour for 2022.

Things are indeed looking up.

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Photos courtesy of Constellation Records.

Lantlos – Melting Sun (2014)

I recently revisited one of my favorite albums of all time. Usually, when I give an album that unique title, it is an album I know everything about:

An album I know every lyric, melodic, guitar more, drum beat.

But as I re-listened to this one, I realized that I was far from being that way with this one. So how had I given it that title, when in comparison to other favorites, I knew so little about it? Was I just enamored with the idea of it? Or is there true beauty to be discovered in a listen from start to finish.

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Let’s break it down.

Lantlos is a project by Markus Seigenhort. It is most known for the involvement of Neige from Alcest on the albums .Neon and Agape. Even before those albums, Lantlos was already engrained in the blackgaze (black metal meets shoegaze) sound that we were hearing from Alcest, Les Discrets, Deafheaven, as well as others. But with Neige, those albums created an unusual mix.

Blending clean vocals, shrieks, and the closest thing to growls Neige has ever done, it combined elements of shoegaze, doom metal, black metal, and even jazz, with its gorgeous soft moments before crushingly heavy riffs and drums drowning in reverb. It was a magical match, which makes the dissolution of it all the more curious.

For the next album, Markus was inspired by Neige’s performances to handle the vocals all on his own. In probably the nicest breakup letter ever written, he thanked his friend, and told him his services would not be required for the style of music he was writing. A style of music that had more in common with Smashing Pumpkins than the doom and gloom of the previous releases.

Like Sunbather by Deafheaven, the album cover is a dead giveaway that we’re not in store for something malicious. The bright pink album cover has very little to do with metal, and it’s track listing “Melting Sun Parts I – VI” makes you think you’re holding a Prog album in your hands. Each song also relates to a color, except for the lone instrumental subtitled “Oneironaut”, which a simple Google search defined as “one with the ability to travel within a dream on a conscious basis”.

How fitting for an album that can only be described as “dreamlike”.

From to opening notes of “Part 1: Azure Chimes”, we are caught off-guard to the upcoming elation that hits us like a ton of bricks when the full band comes in. Heavy, but not dark. Intense, but still beautiful. Taking the best influence that bands like Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine have to offer, it builds at a mid-tempo pace that immediately gets the listener lost.

And that’s exactly where the album wants to keep you. This is why you might not be able to remember every note. You’re not thinking about the music. You’re not analyzing it. You’re simply enjoying it, and it might feel like a long time since an album has had that effect on you.

The vocals come in just shy of 2 minutes in, with a memorable vocal melody. The lyrics are simple, but it is the relationship between the vocals and instruments that captivates you. Heavy reverb, and a mix where the vocals are almost buried but appear just enough, it is calm and soothing, something so unique when distortion is in play.

The lyrics are short, and go by quick:

“I take the azure ladder into the sun colored haze”.

It’s chorus, repeated just two times, is just two words, and still somehow infectious:

“Numb Me”.

After a second verse and a second chorus, we have an extended outro with a heavy riffs that could have been on a djent album. Yet in the context, it is not out of place. It doesn’t sound cliche. It evokes headbanging, but works after all the previous build up.

The second song, “Cherry Quartz” is the longest on the album at 9 minutes and 41 seconds. It follows a similar formula. Quiet in the beginning, full band comes in, and jam on emotional shoegaze riffs. It hints at the quiet jazzy parts found on their precious two albums. The vocals finally come in 5 and a half minutes in. It is more nostalgic than the first song. A hint of sadness, a hint of longing, and an epic outro after the third verse.

“Aquamarine Towers” almost starts with a drone element, and when the band comes in, Markus sings two lines twice:

“I’ve seen you. I’ve been through the sun”.

The rest of the song is instrumental, and continues to lull you into a false sense of security. The drums and guitar play off each other and there’s an excellent bass groove where the drums feel very free on top of it. Moments like these are sprinkled throughout the album and take multiple listens for full appreciation of the musicianship as well as the composition.

“Jade Fields” is slightly deceptive, with its full blown upfront mix after the soft intro. But the vocals return to the harmonious melodies that we saw in the first song. He sings:

“Let me go, let me go. Don’t feel sorry”.

It fades out into a short instrumental interlude, which builds into the guitar notes of the final song, providing a brief rest while also contributing to the atmosphere of the album.

“Golden Mind” ends the album on a lush and gorgeous ballad, with soft drums, spacious chords, and a great vocal performance. It sends the listener off to an almost dreamlike place, after the highs and lows they have previously encountered.

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So is the album as good as I remember it?

The short answer, yes… yes it is.

This album is so filled with beauty. It is a delicate album that has so much power when it wants to. It is a full mix, where the soaked in reverb effect doesn’t drown it. You can still make out every note. And while the vocals are pushed too far back for some people’s tastes, I can’t complain about it.

The 6 song, 40 minute structure works to its advantage. It is compact, but it is also a unique mood. It is a one of a kind look and feel album. The artwork is so tied into it that it makes the music seem tangible, if that makes any sense.

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I also have to point out the similarities in my mind of an album released by his former band mate Neige. In 2010 (4 years earlier), Alcest released their second album Ecailles de Lune. While look, feel, and sound wise, those albums are almost night and day of each other, it is their structure that triggers something in my mind. 6 songs long, with Ecailles de Lune being exactly 50 seconds longer (40 minutes 39 seconds against 41 minutes and 29 seconds).

As opposed to Melting Sun’s 6 part format, only two songs on Ecailles de Lune are multi-part. The first two songs on the album make up the title track. They contrast greatly, as part 1 shows the beauty of the album, and part 2 shows the dark and heavy side with screams. And even though Melting Sun has no screams, “Azure Chimes” and “Cherry Quartz” work similarly for Lantlos, showing the albums beauty before taking a more questioning approach on its second track.

“Aquamarine Towers” is kind of the odd song on the album with its two lines of lyrics, and Neige took chances with his 3rd track as well, as “Percées de lumière” is one of the heavier and more riff based Alcest songs. both albums contain a short drone like instrumental (“Oneironaut” and “Abysses”), and both albums second to last actual song are the lightest, prettiest, and most uplifting songs on the album (“Jade Fields” and “Solar Song”), though I acknowledge that those roles are reversed on each release:

And finally, both albums end on the “ballad of the album”, the lush and gorgeous compositions that best showcase each singers ability to strip down and let their vocals take the spotlight for a change.

So while it’s not the most direct comparison, and I’m not accusing anyone of plagiarism or anything like that, I still find it interesting how Markus may have learned something from his old friend Neige on how to put an album together, so that it flows well and leaves a lasting and memorable impression.

Either way, these are both incredible albums. Ones you can listen to over and over again and continue to find new appreciation in the compositions, structure, and layering.