A Review - Europe - Bag of Bones.

Way back in 2009, Europe released their comeback album 'Last Look At Eden' to much success. Not only did the band show they 'still had it', but they had progressed massively as musicians, blending modern era music with Joey Tempest's new, lower, vocal range and releasing an album with charisma, punch, and some intensely catchy hooks. With a perfect blend of the old, big haired era of Europe, and an added modern twist sprinkled in for good measure, 'Last Look At Eden'  was the much needed resurrection for Europe's career.

However, on first listen of their new album, 'Bag of Bones', one can't help but wonder if they've moved that one step too far into the new modern direction, abandoning their roots just that little bit too much.

Although 'Not Supposed to Sing the Blues' is a continuation of the softer side of 'Last Look at Eden', songs such as 'Riches to Rags', at the very beginning of the album, show little to no passion, with much of the unique Europe sound lost. It's not so much that it is a bad song, so much as there is no real kick to it, no bite. The title track and 'Firebox' (which carries the unmistakable stink of an Oasis rip-off through and through), both suffer the same problem, with lack lustre, even boring, guitar solos, repeating the same chorus line over and over until the lyrics just stop making any sense.

'Demon Head'  links back to the sound of the album's predecessor, but with a more cheesy 80's keyboard solo (think 'Final Countdown' era Europe), heralding back to the bands early years. However, the issue is that the song does not hold up by itself, and just sounds like it was written as a B side for the previous album, but found itself scrapped and then reused on 'Bag of Bones' when they didn't have enough songs for the new album, and had ran out of ideas. There is nothing new about this song, nothing you couldn't guess and, what's more, there is no drama or atmosphere, nothing which pulls you in and makes you fall in love with it instantly.

'Drink and Smile'  is the album ballad, with a semi-acoustic guitar used throughout, and effects layered to high heaven on top of Joey Tempest's voice, to give the song a more Western feel to it, almost like an old cowboy film of sorts. I half expected to turn around from my laptop and find myself sat in an old saloon amongst the cowboys, flapper girls and tumble-weeds. Even after hearing the last album many, many times, if told that this song was Europe, I wouldn't believe it. And nor would I want to.

'Doghouse' has more bark than bite (I apologise for the pun, but hey, it's still better than the line 'No matter what I do, I'm always stuck in the doghouse'), but has more of the 80's stadium rock sound of old. The riff is catchy, but generic, and, much like many songs on this album, repeats the chorus just that little bit too much. Regardless, the guitar solos in this song (and generally throughout the album) are pretty good, nothing particularly spectacular, like a cheap imitation of an Eddie Van Halen solo (except far more generic and more simplified) , but it does begin to feel after two or three songs like they're all the same solo, just slotted into different places on different songs.

'Mercy You Mercy Me', although it beginning abnormally quiet (not sure whether it's a technical problem left over from mixing, or just a really bad introduction), this song is overall, excellent. Darker, grittier and showing off the band's musicianship, as well as a full range of Joey's vocal prowess, it is by far the best song on the album. It stands out, it is catchy, but it also grabs you by the balls, drags you screaming into the action; forces you to actually pay attention to it.

Album closer 'Bring it all Home' is a retrospective ballad, looking back on the band's career over the years, the ups, the downs and the support of the fans throughout. Its soft, melodic approach is beautiful, however the lyrics just do not sit comfortably. Partially as they're repeated a good few times, and partially as the way they're worded, 'we've had some laughs along the way' just seem submissive and more than a little defeatist.

This is a band that, a few short years ago, were on the come back with anthems such as 'The Beast' and 'Last Look at Eden', showing exuberance, boasting of their triumphant return. Now they just seem to have given up. What happened? They're a good band technically, still kick ass live and have a passionate fan-base. So where has their drive gone? There is no song on this new album that shows a clear cut passion, a desire to make nay-sayers choke on thoughts of the band's doom.

Maybe the passion got caught in the line of fire of the mixing and editing of the album. Joey can sing, he doesn't need the extra layers added to husk up his voice. They can all play their instruments, they don't need it all cleared up and changed by some bloke in the studio.

Overall, I don't think I could be any more disappointed with this album. So much potential, passion and determination, all abandoned for the technology's sake. A band like Europe don't need to succumb to such whims, and in giving in to temptation, they have given up on what could've been a sterling album.

[4/10]

A Review - Savage Messiah - Plague of Conscience

Like RTR, I've already briefly mentioned these chaps in a previous article. When I saw them supporting Evile, I thought they were just another support band, nothing particularly special. By the end of their set though, I found myself clapping, cheering and singing along, even though I'd not heard of them previously. They were staggeringly good.


Which leads us to their new album, 'Plague of Conscience'. I have to say, it's a bit of a puzzler. Title track and album opener 'Plague of Conscience' is powerful, punchy, and has a catchy chorus. The heavy thrash influences of 80s style Metallica are very evident, but they aren't over powering. And Dave Silver's opening Rob Halford style falsetto scream is just to die for.


However, something which nags at me a little bit is the synchronised falsetto with the clean vocals. The falsetto is just plain amazing, and the singing isn't bad by any means (in fact, it's pretty darn good), but the thing is - both of these voices are Dave's, and they mask one anothers good qualities when put together. Also, when playing songs live, he has to choose between one or the other. Either way, live, as one isn't covered up by the other, it somehow sounds an awful lot better, which begs the question - why put it on an album?


The guitarmanship is also sublime, with some sensational riffs and dynamic, technical guitar solos throughout. Not to mention the fact that drummer Mauricio Chamucero is one hell of a drummer, without a single fault. Not even one. Lets see Lars do that with his little biscuit barrel drum kit and vast army of cymbals, magnets and tables.

Although some of the verses seem to have some slight mashing of vocals/music, the chorus of 'Six feet Under the Gun' is brilliant, probably my favourite from the album due to how dynamic, melodic, yet simple it is. It also has some excellent guitar solos, from a harmonised dual guitar solo to blistering sweep passages.


Although I really like the chorus, I can't help but feel like something is lacking from 'Carnival of Souls'. Whatever it is, it certainly isn't falsetto, or guitar solos. Although some of the song is really interesting and fun to listen to, it feels a bit like there is more solo than song, and that some of it was just a little bit of filler. Don't get me wrong, none of it sounds bad, but it just feels like the song is just one big solo session. It's almost like Joff Bailey and Dave Silver were having a solo off, and didn't even realise that they were still being recorded

'In Thought Alone' has a very nice acoustic style introduction which nicely compliments Dave's voice, and the harmonic back-up singing is also quite nice. A bit less thrashy than the songs beforehand, and a bit more modern, this song has a very distinctive, also Maiden style, chug to it, which you can't help but handbang along to. The quick tempo changes and general energetic feel of this song both add up to an excellent sound all round, as well as some interesting, thought provoking lyrics. The chorus may not be the catchiest thing in the world, but the overall riffs and outro to this song more than make up for it.

 'All Seeing I' and 'Architects of Fear' both have almighty thrash style intro licks (such as the thundering drum riff which leads into 'Architects of Fear') that even the most cynical of thrash fans have to approve of, but the choruses both seem way too try hard. Although he proves on other songs just what he is capable of, Dave sounds like he has to force his voice. These odd little blips are overshadowed though by those riffs (especially so on 'All Seeing I', that is a tremendous riff, regardless of the rest of the song). The solos aren't anywhere as good either, but the ratio of song to guitar solos are far more balanced in both. The bridging section in 'Architects of Fear' is also brilliant, an odd moment in the song where the vocals are actually really good and back on track.

In heavy contrast to this is 'Beyond a Shadow of a Doubt' with it's incredibly powerful chorus, but it does still have a pitfall, in that the song itself feels a little bit same-ish. It feels a little bit like they were running out of ideas for guitar riffs and solos by this point (considering the vast number of solos this album has, I wouldbn't be too surprised if they did), so they stuck what remained together, as backing for a vocal line they had already written. It's not exactly a bad song, but it's far from the best, and isn't particularly noticeable compared to the rest of the album, bar the singing. But hey, at least they didn't use breakdowns.


They kick it back up a notch for 'The Accuser' which again much faster and heavier, but again with that odd Judas Priest style falsetto thrown in (throughout the album the falsetto is just mindblowingly good, and they definitely deserve a pat on the back for that). It has a very 80s style gallop to it almost in parts, before turning back to thrash style shredding, and then, as to be expected, guitar solos a plenty.  It is a very technical song, and like a few songs on the album, the melody seems to be ignored, in an all out guitar solo war.


'Shadowbound' has 'Painkiller' style falsetto throughout, and musically sounds nigh on identical to Megadeth. As in, it sounds a lot like a replica of a Megadeth song, but with a different vocal line added over the top. I'd probably find that annoying, except I actually think it is a vast improvement, due to my hatred of Mustaine's distinctive inability to sing (with each album he sounds more and more like there is something growing in his throat, trying to stop him singing. I hope, for the sake of everyone involved, that it completes its mission soon). There is no escaping the fact that this approach is far from original, but it has to be said, it doesn't exactly sound bad either. 

Rounding off the album is 'The Mask of Anarchy', and with its acoustic introduction, plus Dave's emotive singing style, it sounds beautiful, with some sweet little acoustic elements to it, before kicking into an energetic, booming verse. This is, beyond a doubt, the best song, vocally. The vocals and music go together perfectly, with subtle guitar licks here and there, it is perhaps the first time on the album where the vocals seem truly dominant. A much slower tempo than the rest of the album, but it works far better. Personally I have to say, I think this song is the best proof of this band's skill overall. It isn't overly technical, or too try hard, and there isn't too many guitar solos. It is, overall, a superb song. The sudden changes in tempo, leading into a much heavier, although melodic, outro, is pulled off perfectly. I can't really find any fault with this song. 

Overall, this is an odd little album. It's not the best in the world, but it is still fun to listen to, and bar some Megadeth riffs, this album has a very unique sound to it. Sure, it does need some polishing, but it is a diamond in the rough. If they focus a bit more on melody, and less on guitar solos and over technical passages, Savage Messiah have a very real chance of working their way up to the top. Just so long as they quit it with the guitar battles, that is.


[6/10]

A Review - Rise to Remain - City of Vultures.

In my previous post, I briefly mentioned my respect for this band. Of the material I'd heard at the time from the band's 'Bridges Will Burn' EP, and from their mind-blowing performance on the Defenders of the Faith III tour (which I will again mention that, if you missed it, you missed a right treat), I could tell that they were a band with a shining talent. Now that I've got a copy of the band's first album 'City of Vultures', I can confirm that I certainly wasn't wrong. I didn't quite realise though, just how talented these young British lads are.


Right from the word go, and album opener 'The Serpent', you can hear that this band is just a little bit different and, boy, are they on a mission. Although it is by far the most aggressive track on the album, 'The Serpent' is still technical, with some energetic shredding and some intricate sweep passages that blow the proverbial mind, plus some superb screaming on Austin's part (some of which I'd describe as nearly Rob Flynn-ish in style). In addition to this the album as a whole holds some spectacular musicianship.


This is particularly prominent on songs such as title track 'City of Vultures' and 'Illusions', with some awe-inspiring technical, and yet also somehow still melodic, guitar solos and sensational riffage from lead guitarist Ben Tovey throughout. I don't know how he's done it, but I'm going to assume through witchcraft. 

Even though they've re-released 'Bridges Will Burn' and 'Nothing Left', both songs have remained fun to listen to, and although I may not be as keen on them as the much more raw originals, both songs are both bewilderingly good, with some new little flourishes even added here and there, as well as a much cleaner production sound.


Austin's voice (albeit, even I will admit, was a bit auto-tuned - a slight dampener on an otherwise sterling album) is excellent throughout, with some dominant, powerful screaming, (which you can actually understand, and actually sounds good, both at the same time - a thing many bands within this style seem to struggle with a lot), and catchy, cohesive clean vocals, with a very noticeable style which can be identified as his own. In other words, his voice is distinctive; he doesn't sound like every other singer in the style (Of Mice and Men and Attack! Attack! could learn a thing or two here). All of this adds up to a very nice change which can't help but put a big grin on your face.


What's more, the lyrics for the songs aren't exactly your average, cliched and obvious lyrics. No, the band actually have used intellectual lyrics - a rare trait for young metalcore bands to have these days. Songs such as 'God Can Bleed' and 'Power Through Fear' both reflect a genuine look into the behaviours of both religion and humanity respectively, and, what's more, do so in an intelligent manner, with lyrics such as 'I'm the Devil turning glass into sand', which invoke actual cognitive thoughts about their underlying meanings, and will have involved genuine thought being put into them, not just some arrogant half wit attempting a cheap metaphor for sex.


'Roads' and 'Talking in Whispers' are both catchy and well written, again with some philosophical lyrics thrown into the mix. 'Roads' is probably the lightest song on the album, but it is still hardly a 'ballad' with an excellent little sweep passage and a couple of quite soulful solos to boot, in addition to an almighty chorus which is both dramatic and emotive, as well as catchy, and a very climatic, emotional ending. It is also probably the song which fits the metalcore style the most, but not in a way that makes you want to tear your own ears out from exasperation and frustration, because it does still have unique qualities to it.

That's what I don't understand about this band - how have they managed to achieve such thorough success from lyrics that are so sophisticated, and yet managed to keep it catchy? Normally you have to sacrifice one for the other, but the band have managed to pull it off with aplomb. Additionally, each song sounds unique on the entire album, although all are distinctly metalcore, they all have tell tale elements of other genres and bands, such as Lamb of God, as well as perhaps old school Slayer, Evile and elements of even Trivium and BFMV (y'know, before they turned to wimpy one-trick ponies with the creative force of as a child owning a pet rock and then dubbing said rock, 'Mr. Rock'). 


As for the music in of itself, it is definitely metalcore, but with one crucial difference; there is only one breakdown on the entire album (on 'The Serpent'). That's it. They have instead used guitar solos and techniques which require effort and skill to fill in non-vocal passages, and I have to say, with no shadow of a doubt, that it is a welcome change. In a world where metalcore relies far too heavily on breakdowns, and songs are slowly becoming more and more breakdown, and less and less actual songs, RTR are a breath of fresh, breakdown-free air. 

Breakdowns are, in essence, dull, monotonous and as predictable as a blonde believing that toasters toast actual toast. Or that penguins can fly. They serve as a replacement for any technique in the history of music which need a single ounce of talent. Gallops, soulful solos, technical solos, shredding, the list goes on and on for techniques metalcore bands are too lazy to even attempt, instead opting to fill our heads with their pitiful droning for about 5 minutes, or at least until they've worked out something else they can put in afterwards. Usually to be followed by yet another, longer breakdown.

Furthermore RTR's use of actual, real solos and such, rather than conventional breakdowns, signals to me a band that wants to evolve, and doesn't want to just be 'another metalcore band'. They want success, they want to be different, they want to be remembered.They stand out, just from learning to play their instruments properly, and from hard work actually being put into the songs themselves.


If they continue the way they've started, I can see some big things happening in this little British band's future. Unlike many bands within the scene, who will fade away as soon as the next scene fires up, Rise to Remain will continue to be relevant, and will propel themselves to much loftier heights. I couldn't care any less that Austin is Bruce Dickinson's son, he, as well as the rest of the band, have all done this on their own, through sheer talent and the ability to write interesting, yet catchy and melodic songs, which will leave you singing for many days to come. Although, I have to say, if I was Bruce, I couldn't be any more proud.


[8/10]

10 Bands I Dislike - And the Reasons Why (Part II)

Welcome back ladies and gentleman, to the second half of my rant. Brace yourself; there are some bands on here that are a bit on the controversial side (although it should probably be me bracing myself, come to think of it. So... yeah. Ignore that last comment.) so this should get interesting.

Ghost.

First up in my firing zone is the band Ghost. I saw these guys recently whilst on the 'Defenders of the Faith III' tour. (For those of you that missed it, you really did miss out.) I went into that gig with an open mind, with no knowledge about the band, except that the way they dress looks hilarious, and that they apparently were a Satanic, theatrical band. 

Were. They. Shite.

I was on the front row for that gig, and so could see behind the curtain, to the back stage type bit on the side.So when the operatic music hit, and the room filled with the stench of dry ice, all I could see in the dark was a Pope hat bobbing up and down behind all the amps, a pretty funny sight to behold. What made it even funnier was how fake and tacky the 'Ghoul' costumes were, with little slits for mouths and eyes and the bling necklaces they wore. I know they need to breathe and things, as they obviously weren't real ghouls, (duh), but it still looked incredibly funny.

Now, if a band claims to be atmospheric, Satanic, and theatrical, what type of genre would you assume them to be? Doom? Industrial? Black Metal? Something heavy and foreboding, to be sure. Well you would all be completely wrong. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63K8k-5mV7M

After intro music which is in fact very heavy and atmospheric, you would certainly expect more of the same. But no. The lead singer I think sounds like a weaker version of Matt Bellamy, and the music is just plain bizarre, and incredibly boring, with one dreary sound after another that could lull an insomniac to sleep. Ghost's definition of 'theatre' and 'theatrics' is apparently standing completely still, with some lights flashing here and there. Now that, to most people, isn't even a definition of 'remotely interesting' or 'entertaining'.

Don't get me wrong, there are support bands I've seen which are worse, (but none which have made me laugh so much for all the wrong reasons) and bands out there which are worse musically, to be sure. But they, like Greenday in the previous post, are claiming to be something they're quite clearly not. The music and the image just don't add up, and nor do they compliment one another either.

I wasn't the only one thinking this either, as they didn't exactly go down too well. They were booed the entire way through the set, chants of 'Paedo!' shouted at the singer (if he dresses like the Pope, what did he honestly expect?) and were so uncohesive as a band that when the keyboards stopped working for the final song, it didn't make a blind bit of difference to the sound.

Plus the combination of both incense (a cloying, heady smell which is disgusting in its own terms) and dry-ice is possibly one of THE most vulgar, cough inducing odours I've ever known. And I live in a place which is more often than not on fire.

Opeth.

This is the one which I was nervous about. I should probably guard my front door with my Granda's shotgun right now, or make preparations to get out the country very quickly after saying this. So I'll take a deep breath, and put it out there: I hate Opeth. 

Everyone ok still? No one coming to my door wielding pitchforks, fiery torches and sharp, pointy objects? Good, then I can continue whilst only mildly terrified.

All my friends, everyone I know, adores this band. My boyfriend, my friends, some of my family, they all love Opeth. And I just don't get it. 

When I saw them in November, with my ecstatic boyfriend and friends, they all adored it, and had an amazing time. To give them credit, Opeth are excellent live; they are completely flawless, so I can't criticise them in any way for that either. Mikael Akerfeldt is one of the best frontman for a band I've witnessed to date, and the light show was superb, but even then after all that, for me, there is something lacking.

There is nothing when I sit and listen to them that I enjoy. Musically, I should technically like it. But I don't. Same with the clean vocals. Again, technically, I should like his voice. I just can't though. It's a perplexing one.

Maybe it's something to do with my strange disliking for people introducing me to bands. I like to find bands by myself, so when people show me a band, I won't listen until I want to. Perhaps a bit unusual and selfish, but I've always been the same. And yet... It was through my boyfriend I learnt of Nevermore. I listened when he showed me, and I liked them. 'Born' still has one of my favourite choruses, and 'This Godless Endeavor' is just plain gorgeous. So why isn't it the same story with Opeth?

Whenever I hear them, time just seems to go in ultraslow motion. I recently resat my AS English Language exam. A full 2 hours of picking out declaratives, exclamatives and many other lexical devices ending in -tives and THAT felt like it was going quicker. I respect them, they are an innovative, creative force to be sure, but the fact of the matter is this - I still cannot stand them.

Sorry.

Bring Me The Horizon.

Right, I'm going to say this immediately - I couldn't give less of a shit how this band look. That isn't what I'm going to moan about (much). I don't like how they look, personally, but that doesn't affect their music in any way, and it isn't a reason for my including them in this list, nor is it a reason why I dislike them in the first place.

No, the reason I dislike them is because, frankly, I detest their music. More specifically, I hate Oli Sykes attempts at screaming. They're rubbish on album, and even worse live. I don't know if he just doesn't understand the technique to scream without sounding like a cat yowling at the moon, or how to scream in a way where the lyrics are actually decipherable, but either way, he can't do it. The latter part of that is something many a screamer struggles with, so it seems, and so it isn't just something I loathe in BMTH. In their case it is, however, incredibly noticeable.

Some bands can get away with it due to the clean passages being impressive, or at least monotonous enough to sound like every other post-metalcore band that is popular this week. Oli Sykes isn't one of them. The only conceivable reason I can think of for their success is that they were one of the first to sound like they do.

By that I of course mean sounding like one big breakdown. Which brings me neatly onto my next point: 

WHY DO YOU NEED SO MANY BREAKDOWNS?!! Seriously? Just why?

                                                                                       You can't really tell, but even now they are midway through a breakdown.

It's something which I just cannot comprehend. I don't see the need to fill a song with something so meaningless and dull. A small breakdown section, sure, I can understand. It can be emotive, atmospheric, dynamic. But if there is a higher ratio of breakdown to actual song, it seems stupid to me. Why not use a guitar solo? An opening lick, to entice the listener? A great chugging riff? No?

I understand there is a certain audience demographic with bands like this, and I'm perhaps not part of that demographic. I won't pretend to understand everything (or anything near everything) when it comes to music, but even then, surely they must see that enough is enough?

Will it reach a point where the there isn't anything in a song which isn't a breakdown? If that happens, I don't think I want to live on this planet anymore. 

Guns 'n' Roses.

Guns 'n' Roses are a band which I have always thought to be highly overrated. There are riffs, and a song or two, which I do like, but overall, I wouldn't call myself a fan. The problem isn't the music, by any means, in fact, I really like the music. The problem for me is Axl Rose. I hate his singing. It sounds like a pig being slaughtered slowly whilst being strung up. Harsh (on the pig that is) as it may be, his voice is one which I cannot abide. I will throw my hands up in the air and say that I am very picky about vocalists, and many people don't get how irratic and random I am about which vocalists I do and don't like.

That isn't my main problem with Axl, or GnR though. Lets not forget that GnR are a different band now (or as I call them 'Axl Rose and Pals') and that they still produce music. When he finally regurgitated 'Chinese Democracy' after however many years, even if it had been made of pure gold and embellished with diamonds and unicorns, after so long, there was no way feedback would be positive. It had been too long, and there was too much hype about it for it to even stand a chance.

Even then, I think everyone was expecting a lot more than what we actually got. Riddled with all sorts of shit, 'Chinese Democracy' was possibly better left as a myth until the end all time, the 'What If?' album as it were. The musicians that work with Rose, such as Buckethead, aren't to blame, don't get me wrong. I've nothing against them. No, the blame lands squarely on Axl's shoulders. Maybe his short shorts were too tight (most probably) and somehow stopped oxygen getting to his brain, and so he just wrote whatever he could as fast as he could.

My other main problem with Axl is how he treats his fans these days. A few years ago, with BFMV supporting, Axl and co toured the UK. Being massive GnR fans, my mother, as well as a few other people I am acquaintenced/friends with went to see him. On this particular night, he refused to get off the plane until he got his Sunday dinner, so they didn't start until 10 p.m and even then apparently someone threw a penny at him, and so he stormed off stage mid-song, and refused to come back on again for an encore. They didn't even play 'Paradise City', one of the most well known and loved Roses songs.

Chances are that he dropped the penny himself, but that is against the point. The point is that those people had paid a lot of money to go to see this little temper tantrum. What's more, a lot of people are still going to Roses gigs, and it has become a common occurance, often with gigs not starting until about midnight. How can he think that behaving like that is acceptable? I know 2 year olds that have grasped the concept of manners and social decorum better than Mr. Rose. Being an A list rock star doesn't entitle you to slaughter your legacy every night, butcher your own songs brutally with every note you miss (which is all of them) and treat your fans, the people that have stood by you all this time, and have waited for you whilst you threw a hissy fit, and then treat them worse than the ground you walk on. Nothing entitles anyone to do that. Ever.

Do you know who I feel worst for though? The rest of the band who put up with this behaviour. The manager, the road crew, the people that have to work with him on a day to day basis. They might get paid a lot to put up with this shit, but imagine how humiliating it must still be. Night in, night out, gig after gig having the same embarressing outcome. I know I couldn't be that patient, and I don't understand how they can be. They must have the patience of a saint and the most powerful stomachs known to man, considering how, even now, Axl won't drop the short shorts.

                                                                                                          Imagine working with this, everyday.

I feel bad for those that still pay to see this circus, this relic of a band which were once so great. It's such a shame.

Black Veil Brides.  

Anyone who knows me at all will have known this was coming. There is nothing about this band that I like. Not their looks, not their music, not their attitude. What I especially hate is their blatant attempt to be Motley Crue. From quoting them and claiming it to be something they've said themselves ('Just because we wear makeup, doesn't mean we can't still kick your ass'), to copying their fucking t-shirt designs, they've imitated it all.

 

                                                                                                  Motley Crue t-shirt of the Crue during the 'Shout At the Devil' era.

                                                                              Black Veil Brides. Look familiar? If this is a coincidence, my name is Nikki Sixx.

It pisses me off that some band think they can copy from one of the best bands there have ever been, and then pretend like it's their own idea. Ok, the makeup hasn't been stolen from the Crue, that's been stolen from KISS instead, but the surname originally used by lead singer Andy Biersack, originally Andy Sixx, is as obvious as you can get without shouting the words 'I wanna be like Nikki Sixx!' (That priviledge instead goes to Zakk Sandler, of Black Tide). It's like they don't even care that they are trampling all over two of the biggest and best bands there are.

I listened to the entire album diplomatically when I went to review it, ignoring all preconceptions I had of the band, their image and their ridiculous music video for Fallen Angels, and even then I couldn't find a single thing I liked. One song was a watered down, bad imitation of Avenged Sevenfold. They're like one of those gimmick bands for Sex Pistols or Iron Maiden. Except they're far more musically challenged and less creative.

A lot of their material fades into nothingness, behind all the imagery and makeup, there is just nothing there. They're like a porcelain vase; attractive to some, repulsive to others, and beyond that just completely empty. They lack musicianship, skill and the general traits that make a band actually good. There is a difference between success and popularity. A band like Muse (even if I'm not a fan) are successful, and so can sell out stadiums anywhere they like. Bands like BVB and Asking Alexandria, BMTH and Of Mice and Men are popular. That is to say, they're here today, and gone tomorrow. They're just another musical fad, lacking the substance and strength to keep going, even when that style isn't popular.

The singers can't sing, screamers lack the ability to scream properly, and there is breakdown after breakdown after breakdown. Followed swiftly by another breakdown. It's just... tiring.

After all that though, I feel like I should say that I don't think that all modern bands are like that. I think there is a light at the end of the tunnel, in the not too distant future. I talk of bands such as Rise to Remain, whom do use breakdowns, but not to the same extent. They also understand musicianship, are exhilirating to watch live, and their material is catchy, good to sing along to and there are some tremendous guitar solos in there. Yes, I said solos. Not just breakdowns. 

                                          A band that care about more than just 15 minutes of fame. And can actually play their instruments.

It gives me hope that there are still bands out there like this. Yes they can relate to the same audience demographic, but they also have the ability to pull away from post-hardcore, and don't sound like the same old shit as everything else out there at the moment.

There are bands like Savage Messiah too, revitilising and revising the old thrash era, much like Evile are becoming known for doing. 

I've seen all three of these bands in action, and it was a breath of fresh air. Bands that are in it for the longitudinal success, not the instant popularity. Bands who are in it for the music, the fans, the freedom, not just instant fame and fortune. Bands that aren't afraid to be just a little bit different to everyone else, to break the mould just that little bit.

So it's nice to know that, even with all these bands I dislike, there are plenty of bands out there, new and old, that I love, and that there are many more exciting young bands that I have yet to discover.

10 Bands I Dislike - And the Reasons Why (Part I).

For my first, non-introductory post, I was going to release some of my album reviews. I then, however realised that as my college work hasn't been marked, and so I might get done for plagiarism. Against myself.                                                      
-insert facepalm here- 
To avoid such a stupid and humiliating situation, I've decided to write about some of the bands I really despise, and exactly why they get under my skin.

I'm going to say this now though - everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I band I might hate, for whatever reason, you may love. And hey, I'm ok with that. If you're one of the few who actually like or hate a specific band for reasons other than it being 'cool' or being a 'non-conformist', then kudos to you. So if what I say ruffles your feathers, just take one of the following steps:

1. Stop reading the article, and look at something else online, and get on with your life. It's not hard, as much as some of the trolls out there seem to believe it is.

2. Just skip that particular band. You don't have to read everything, just skip the bit that bothers you, like a normal human being.

3. Read it, accept the differing opinions and move on. Everyone is different, like I said before, so no need to make a big deal out of it.

4. Be a complete troll and pitiful keyboard warrior, and express your rage through a series of non-verbal gutteral utterances which hold no sematic value whatsoever, whilst everyone else just sits and laughs.

Now we've got that out the way, we can get on to the main topic at hand. The fact of the matter is, I love a lot of bands. I own well over 200 albums, and find new songs and bands I like the sounds of regularly. There are, however, a few bands out there which I cannot abide. The reasons for this can be as simple as the fact I think they're a complete pile of shit, or they can be something wildly different. 

Aerosmith.

This might take a few people out there by surprise, considering I love a lot of 80s rock, but I loathe Aerosmith with a passion. 'Why?' I hear you cry, or at least non-chalantly wonder. Well, there are many reasons. First off, like Green Day (who will be making an appearance later in this post, just to warn you now) I associate them with a bad time in my life, and to people whom I never want to see again. That might sound silly to some, but I know I'm not the only one that does this.

Music is an important, intrigated part of my life, and so certain parts of my life, and certain people in my life, get associated with specific bands. Once something becomes tainted like that, I tend to avoid it like the plague. It isn't the only reason I don't like them, mind you. The other reason is a bit more logical: I just don't like them. The songs don't draw me in on a personal level, and Steven Tyler's singing just doesn't interest me.'Love in an Elevator' and 'Crazy' feel like they drag on for an age whenever I hear them.

'Dude Looks Like a Lady' has a nice chorus, and I don't mind 'Walk this Way' (so long as it's the version featuring Run DMC, not the original, which I personally find a bit bland and listless). Bar these two songs though, I'm really not a fan. Out of all the 70s and 80s bands there are out there, Aerosmith are probably my least favourite of them all.

I do, however, respect these guys (ignoring the whole being a judge on American Idol thing). If it weren't for them, there might not be a Motley Crue, for a start. Due to their crass Nazi jokes at his interview, Michael Schenker decided against joining them and instead formed MSG, one of the bands I do really like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX0h6nQKgb4

So yeah, Nazi jokes can somehow, sometimes, have a good outcome. Who'd have thought it?

Green Day.

I said they would be in the post, so I thought I should mention them early on. Green Day are one of those bands which I have never 'got'. The thing which mainly annoys me though, is the fact they are classed as punk. Now, as far as I'm concerned, Sex Pistols were punk. The Clash were punk. Even Gallows (yet another band to grace this list) are arguably new age punk.

Punk music was a form of anarchism, a rebellion against the government at the time, where lots of angry kids stood together and shouted 'Fuck you!' to anyone who happened to get in their way. The government, their parents, the neighbour's dog, whatever was there, they rebelled against it. They might not have been able to even play their instruments (Sid Vicious being well known for not even being able to play bass when he joined Sex Pistols, but was initiated into the band because of how he looked), but the music reflected the world, especially the UK, at the time. I doubt it would've had the same hard-hitting effect with overproduced, non-offensive songs like 'American Idiot' , 'Holiday' and the irritatingly repetitive 'Do You Know the Enemy?' After hearing that song even once over, I concluded that Billie Joe Armstrong got stuck like an old vinyl LP, but they decided to just run with it because, hey, they were out of ideas, and those darned kids will listen to anything these days.

Unfortunately, in that last respect, they appear to be dangerously close to the mark.

Coupled with the main reason for my disliking of Aerosmith, Green Day just aren't for me. They're a band who are claiming to be part of a genre for the downtrodden, angry youths of the world, but in a reality are a mainstream (a word I don't use lightly), sellout pop-rock band with their heads in the clouds and a physical inability to cohesively string together more than 3 chords per song.

Gallows.

You may have already have guessed that I'm not a fan of punk music, or those that claim to be punk. You'd be right - while I have respect and understanding for the movement, I'm not a fan of the music. However, that isn't why I hold a grudge against the notoriously aggravating Gallows. No, the reason I hate these so much is far more simple than that: Frank Carter is a dick.

                                                                       A face sculpted by 3 year olds, using dog turds and a shovel.

I've witnessed Gallows twice, whilst they supported bands I actually had an interest in seeing. The first time, I can't really complain. It was before anyone really knew of them, and they just got on with it. They weren't my cup of tea, but they didn't really do a bad job. The second time I saw them, however, things had changed. 

Frank's ego had swollen to many times the size of the venue, and even though they were the second lowest band on the bill out of five bands, he seemed to think everyone was there for them. One girl near the front, who was there for one of the main bands, expressed her disgust in him spitting on her face, a pretty standard reaction for people to have to such repugnant behaviour. Frank, however, took this as a personal insult, and for the remainder of the set made it his personal mission in life to publicly humiliate and destroy this girl. (Such as screaming a her 'You're so fucking ugly you should wear a paper bag over your face for the rest of your life. You're so fucking hideous I can't stand the sight of you!' As far as I'm concerned, this is surely a prime example of the pot calling the kettle black.)

It got so bad that their own fans turned against him. One tank of an ex-fan next to me, with muscles the size of small mountains and the face of someone who thinks dying is for the weak snarled 'I'm going to wait for him round the back and smash his fucking ginger face in'. He had the look of a man who could beat up titans for fun if he so wished, and if Death ever dared come for him, he would just spit in his face and make Death his little bitch, so, to be perfectly honest, I wouldn't have put it past him.

How Frank escaped this gig unscathed still eludes me, but what I do know is that this wasn't a one off occurrence. At other gigs on that tour, he was often heard to make snide remarks at anyone who wasn't there to see him, followed by fleeing like an antelope from a pride of ravenous lions. Personally, I think such behaviour is repulsive. I know that Frank isn't with Gallows anymore, but it's still put me off them, completely. What right does he think he has to act like that towards people who have paid to go see bands, other than him?

It's infuriating, but either way, at least the rest of us don't have to go through the rest of our lives covered in some really shitty tattoos that look like they were made with by a young child with an etch-a-sketch and with really shaky hands, or the memory that somewhere in the UK there is an bald, angry Geordie Terminator waiting to beat the living daylights out of us.

Brokencyde/Design the Skyline.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViSZI6UJEUQ

I try to keep fairly open minded about different genres of rock and metal, but these two bands, as well as the entire screamo-crunk movement, are a step too far into the ridiculous. If you haven't heard them, I dare you to click on the link above.

If you got all the way through that, I salute you. I can't get my head around this whole 'br00tal' thing to save my life. Just... why? Some of this doesn't even fit together, a lot of it isn't anything other than noise, and some of it is post-metalcore (sort of). The 'vocals' for these 'songs' (both of those which I use in the loosest possible terms) are dire squawking noises that you expect a parrot being strangled to maybe make. Nails on a blackboard don't give justice to how terrible the 'vocals' are. In years to come, is that what we want people to remember us for? Really?

Words escape me when I attempt to describe this. How has this even come into fruition? Did they kidnap the head of some record company, and hold them to ransom, in order to gain a record deal and a music video? Did they do unspeakable things for the record company to gain a deal, or have some relative at the company? Was it a sick joke like a 'Find the worst band you can' day at work that has spiralled out of control?

I don't think we'll ever find out the answer to that question, but to the people in on the joke - thanks. Thanks a whole fucking lot.

Deftones.

Deftones are a band that I really, well and truly loathe. I cannot understand how a band has got big whilst being a conglomerate vacuum for sucking so much joy out of the world. The song 'Minerva' is my least favourite song, ever. I've set it as a challenge to friends to try and listen to it the entire way through, and so far none of them have managed it. And considering there are bands like Brokencyde and Design the Skyline out there, that really does say a lot. At least not a lot of people know those two bands. No, this band are considered quite big. Somehow.

The vocals for this band are beyond a joke. They consist of whining slurred utterances that cannot seriously be taken as words. Wayne Rooney understands and can formulate words better (all 6 of the ones that he knows). I do not understand the fascination with them, or how they continue to sell albums in such vast quantities. It hasn't been an overnight success either - this has been something they've managed to get from many years of being a vacuum for joy. If you gave a young child this album for a present, they would start crying and ask what they've done to you to make you hate them so much.

It's not like I've only heard the one song either. I've heard a few, and none of them get much better. They are monotonous, dull, and unexhilirating. There is nothing about them that doesn't annoy me, musically. To accompany the slur of -cough- 'vocals' that go with this band, the band seem to be having a competition amongst themselves to see which of them can play their instruments in the most unimaginative and boring way, whilst simulataneously trying to play their instruments the worst they can. My 10 year old brother can compose more cohesive and structured songs than Deftones can, and I can guarantee they'll be better to boot.

I would never wish death on someone; that would just be wrong. But I do wish that someone would sever the vocal cords, and hands, of every member of Deftones, so no one has to suffer listening to them ever again.

Well, that's the first half of my ramblings over and done with. I'll probably write Part II tomorrow, so, if you're still interested, then tune in.

And so it begins...

Here we go. I've finally decided to do it: I've created a blog. Why you may ask? (Or I'm talking to myself, more than likely). Well, it's like this - I feel a sudden urge for the faceless public of the Internet to hear my ramblings.

One day, I hope to be a music journalist. To be able to sway people in their decision to listen to a certain album, to introduce people to new awesome bands, and maybe help them enter the public's conscious, or to generally rain on someone's parade as I explain to them exactly why Brokencyde and Design the Skyline suck, and always will suck. Via a blog, such as this, or in a music magazine. Either way, it's my primary goal in life. So I thought to myself, why not have a go at blogging now to, y'know, get the ball rolling? I'll learn to deal with nonsensical trolling, to attempt to entertain the masses (with 'attempt' of course being the operative word in that sentence), and to perhaps delve into the darkest recesses of my mind and work out why I hate Black Veil Brides so goddamn much.

For my media coursework this year, I made my own metal mag, and although it was incredibly fun, I realised that it was also incredibly tricky. Especially if there isn't much space in a column for me to express how I feel towards a certain album. With this Blogger page, that isn't the case. I can rant and rave until the cows come home, and still have plenty of space to continue if I so wish. People might not be entertained by that but hey, it'll probably help me find the exact expression to sum up why 'Minerva' by Deftones makes me want to destroy everyone and everything in my path (and also my ears).

I won't exclusively be doing album reviews though, oh no. This blog will also be home to gig reviews (if I can get to any this year, of course) and to some of my general rants and ramblings about music today and the music industry. And if I get the chance, it may also home some interviews with musicians, etc. I manged to interview Evile whilst making the aforementioned mag, and although one of THE most nerveracking experiences of my life, it was also one of the most fantastic.

If I can persuade just one person out there to give the awesome-ness (I made up a new word - deal with it)that is Taking Dawn a listen, or Savage Messiah, or one of the lesser known, but equally epic, bands out there, I'll be happy. There is a lot of unexposed musical talent out there, just begging for people to pay attention to, rather than whatever post metalcore band is popular at the moment.

Overall then, I'm just another bored teenager looking for a way to dwindle away the hours, rather than doing my exam revision, or going back to my crippling addiction to Skyrim. Hopefully along the way I'll entertain a few of you too.

You never know.