I Legion: An Interview With Frederic Riverin

So it seems I am making my rounds with a group of guys that work with each other projects.  After interviewing Tommy Vext and Chris Clancy, I was fumbling around sites when I stumbled upon another project in the works with main man Frederic Riverin and his work I LEGION.  Now this guy has managed to pull some amazing musicians into the fold for this debut album, and I personally couldn't be happier to see this music coming straight out of my home country Canada!

Well, that's if you consider Quebec a part of Canada (haha).  Just kidding folks, no need to go into a frenzy. Anyways, Frederic/I Legion hails from Chicoutimi, Quebec and as I stated before, had quite the amount of guest appearances for this album:

"I Legion is the musical work of Frederic Riverin, who shaped and wrote all the songs in fall 2011, at his home in Quebec. Helped by friend producer and vocalist Chris Clancy (ex-Mutiny Within), they both crafted these recordings into a melodic metal machine. Metal monsters Bjorn Strid (Soilwork), Jon Howard (Threat Signal) and Chris himself took the vocal duties and put their melodies and talent over the 12 songs of the album.

I Legion also features modern guitar heroes Andy James (Sacred Mother Tongue), Peter Wichers (Soilwork), Angel Vivaldi and Brandon Jacobs (Mutiny Within) on the lead guitars for tasteful and melodic solos.'

Now, let's dive into some album artwork and track listings for the album.  But after hearing the first track (as you continue the article) plus seeing that star studded line up, how can you not buy this album.  Seriously?!

(Artwork by Alexander Lean)

1. Hexagram
2. Signs from Above (feat. Björn Strid)
3. Night Calls (feat. Chris Clancy)
4. Escape As Deliverance (feat. Jon Howard)
5. Beyond Darkness (feat. Björn Strid)
6. Search for I (feat. Chris Clancy)
7. Deceive the Light (feat. Jon Howard)
8. A World So Black (feat. Chris Clancy)
9. Despite Your Grace (feat. Björn Strid)
10. We Will Fight (feat. Jon Howard)
11. Faithless (feat. Chris Clancy)
12. Love Is a Battlefield (feat. Björn Strid)
13. Dead Inside (feat. Chris Clancy)

And since I like to pry at new artists and albums making their way onto the music scene, I got in contact with Frederic and asked for a few minutes for an interview.  He was more than willing to accommodate and so AFGM brings you (straight from the creator's mouth) a one on one with Frederic Riverin!

- Bonjour Frederic! Thanks again for taking the time to do these questions for the blog. So, what are you up to today?

I’m at lunch time at work! I’m caught a cold and not feeling at the top of my game but it’s alright!

- So let's talk about your history with music. Where did it start?

I got my first classical guitar at 12 years old but it didn’t take long before I asked my parents to buy me an electric one! I wanted to play heavy songs, right at the start. So I follow private lessons for 5 years then learnt everything else by myself, playing along records and jamming around with friends. Other than that I always been a music lover, I love listening to music. I’m an huge fan of musicians too, I always wanted to meet the guys after shows, taking pictures and chat with them.

- When did you realize that music was the thing in life you wanted to persue? Was it an single moment of clarity or something that just snowballed?

I guess when I wrote my first songs around 14, friends were impressed by it. So from that moment I never stopped writing songs. Even when I took a break from music when I moved in an house with my girlfriend and got kids, I was writing music. I was simply piling them and saving the ideas for later.

Of course when I was younger I dreamed about having a music career, but it took so long before it actually worked that now it’s an hobby and a passion, and I don’t plan living from that. I have a good day job and a family which I love to be with.

- Did your childhood play a big role in you composing music? Did you have a lot of family/friends who were musicians as well?

My father used to be in a 60-70’s French tribute band, he was the singer. Other than that my family isn’t really into music. But yeah I got friends who played instruments so I spend a lot of my teenage years in a garage jamming Metallica and Iron Maiden songs with them!

- Influences. Can you name us a few and why?

I can’t hide my love for Iron Maiden, it shows in my songs chords progression, the dual leads and the solos. I love the sound they have! Adrian Smith is one of the best guitarist ever, even if he’s not a big shredder. Also I guess I’m influenced by the whole Gothenburg scene : In Flames, Soilwork…in my opinion they took the Maiden sound and made it heavier and beefier. Then I could name American punk band Strung Out, I love putting that punk touch on some of my songs.

When I wrote the songs for this album, I listened a lot to Trivium's In Waves' and Unearth's 'Darkness In The Light' albums. I believe you can hear their influence on my songs.

- What about the SBMM JP50 that makes you want to stick with it (other than endorsement)? Is it the weight, feel, tone or D: All The Above? Haha

Everything about it really. I had a Musicman JP7 since 2001 and I sold it to buy the JP50 and I don’t regret it. Some may think I dropped quality-wise, but I don’t think so. I upgraded the pickups just like those Petrucci have on his 2012 models. It sounds incredible. Those are really good guitars. Very underrated.

- Quebec is internationally known to have some of the best composed metal music on the planet. Is your hometown of Chicoutimi receive your kind of music well? Are there a fair amount of venues and/or fan base to perform there or do you have to outreach to cities such as Montreal and Ville de Quebec?

Here the scene is growing, there’s better bands now than 10 years ago. But also the region is so small that it’s always the same bands that are playing. So yeah you have to get out and visit Quebec City and Montreal if you want to reach more people. I don’t think my music is really noticed here though, it’s way too underground. Only a small bunch of people are aware of what I do and it’s ok for me.

- What's you rig looking like nowadays (guitars, amps, pedals, etc)?

Haha. I have the SMALLEST rig of the planet man! As I’m not performing on stage anymore, I have the minimum! My Sterling MM JP50, a Focusrite Scarlett interface for recording, a Boss Tuner. I also own a ESP LTD MH-1000, which I rarely use.

- OK, so let's talk about I Legion. How did it stem? Can you give us some history?

I wrote a lot of these songs during summer 2011.  I was with the band Angels Can Kill at that time. These were supposed to be on the second record of that band.  But I got sick of writing everything alone, having no answers from the guys when I submitted a new songs – having to deal with a whole band is hard when you’re the one pushing the most!  As I wanted to spend more time with my family too, I quit the band in January 2012.  This is where I LEGION started.  And wouldn’t it be cool to have my favorite metal artists aboard? I’m not a singer, and I’m not the best soloing neither. So the hunt and the project went from there.

- Why did you decide to put out a solo album rather than forming a band?

I didn’t want a band. I didn’t want to deal with rehearsals, schedules and everything which go with it. I wanted my songs to be released, nothing more. I didn’t even think about promotion. I made this record for myself first.

And of course having so much guests from everywhere in the world make the possibility of a real band near impossible now.

(Bjorn with Frederic...sporting some Mutiny Within swag!)

- OK, being that I know and have seen quite a bit of these musicians live (aka Soilwork, Threat Signal, Mutiny Within), how the hell did you land so many guest spots?

It all snowballed. Chris was supposed to mix the second ACK record (he mixed the first one) so he was already involved. Chris is one of the best singer since Freddy Mercury. He can pull off anything. His tone and his vocal range are wonderful. It’s a shame Mutiny Within adventure ended so quickly as this guy deserved to be known more. So yeah, Chris sang most of the songs on the album, but he couldn’t mix, produce and sing 12 songs. So I turned to Björn and Jon to help me out.

I didn’t know Björn personally, so I reached him thru Facebook, all on my own, with only 1 instrumental song to show him. I’m glad he accepted. This guy is a metal icon. He’s impressive in person, but also his musical background is as much impressive. And when he accepted to do the vocal arrangement and the lyrics for Despite Your Grace, I was the happiest guy on earth. His personal touch is on the album.

Then Chris suggested me Jon, as they toured together on the Dark Tranquility tour [I was at their show at the Opera House!  Such a great bill for that tour]. He nailed the songs so fast, he understood what I want right at the start. This guy is so easy to work with!

Andy is the last artist asked to join. The album was being mixed at the time. I had to record a whole new rhythm section for his solo spot in 'Signs From Above', as I wanted him to play a really long solo. Plus I have to credit him for co-writing the main riff of that song too. He saved me from being sued by another band – I won’t tell which one! haha

I wasn’t planning to get so much guests at first. But I tried to get in touch with a lot of musicians I liked and they almost all accepted. So from there I had no choice than having all these cool people and find them a song/spot. I can’t turn down any of them, I’m so proud of each guest appearance! I’m blessed to have these guys on this project. They made the difference actually.

- I take it you keep in touch with these guys on a regular basis then?

Chris is the person I keep in touch with the most. He’s a real friend for me and we can discuss of anything. I happen to talk to Jon and Björn from time to time. They have a busy schedule so I don’t want to annoy them too much neither. I talk to them when I have something to say or ask, not only to say a simple “hello”.

- What made you go with the album artwork featured on "Beyond Darkness". Did the artwork surround a theme for the album? I see there are two artwork piece for the album (one from Alexander Lean and one from Gustavo Sazes). Any reason for two?

Gustavo made the first artwork in March. This was supposed to be the official artwork but when I came across Alex drawing, my jaw dropped. It was EXACTLY the image I had in mind. It reflects the I Legion meaning so much. The guy is picture alone, with a devastated land in front of him. It’s a recurring them in the album. So I kept Gustavo logo, and placed it over Alex art.


(Artwork by Gustavo Sazes) [Alternate Cover]

- Chris informed me that you composed the lyrics. True?

It’s 90% true haha. Chris wrote the lyrics for Dead Inside and Björn wrote Despite Your Grace. Other than that what you read/hear are my lyrics, with some minor changes here and there by the singers in order to fit their vision of the melody/vocal pacing.

- What state of mind were you in when writing these lyrics? Do they stem from personal experiences, world issues, politics, emotions, etc?

Those are all about emotions and personal experiences. Some of them are about a specific event, and I wrote lyrics around it. Others are strictly emotions put into words.  I don’t write about world issues or politics, I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to this unfortunately.

- What software were you using for the creation of this album. I saw a post stating that the drum tracks were midi files. What plugins were you using to add them into the songs?

All guitars were recorded through my Focusrite Scarlett interface, straight and clean, with no effects at all. Amps and effects have been added by Chris. About drums I used EZ Drummer Drumkit From Hell. Then Chris transposed it with Steven Slate Drums software, and his own collections of drums samples.

- I'm going to turn the question on your that I saw on Facebook. "What's YOUR favorite song on the album and why?"

I think that the opener 'Signs From Above' is my favorite. It jumps to your throat right at the start and it features one of the best guitar solo ever, done by UK virtuoso Andy James. Plus Björn sings it…You can’t ask for more!


- Do you think I Legion will eventually hit the road and start playing live shows, or was this a strictly studio album?

I don’t think it will happen honestly. And it’s ok. But I’ll do try to hook up with the guys when they’ll be around with their specific bands and maybe try to film some acoustic footage or something.

- Other than I Legion, is there anything else you are currently working on?

No, I’m taking it easy and watch the fan base grow!

- Not to take anything away from the guest spots you currently have on the roster (cause they are f**king awesome), but is there anyone you would like to compose music with and sometime in the future?

John Petrucci, as he’s my favorite artist ever. But I know it’s almost impossible, so in a more realistic perspective, I’d say Christian Alvestam and Alissa White-Gluz. Would love to work with Mikael Akerfeltd too. In fact, the list could be very long!

(Frederic with the boys from Dream Theater)

- What is your favourite album of 2012? (sorry, no bias here. haha)

Chris just sent me the trailer for the new Mutiny Within album. This will probably be my album of the year, hands down.

But so far albums I loved in 2012 are the new ones by The Agonist, Night Flight Orchestra and Rise To Fall.

- And last but not least, since we are a site that promotes music and musicians everyday, can you offer some words of wisdom for the younger generation that wants to pick up that instrument and rock out?

Never give up. Even if you don’t end up being the best on your instrument, which is my case, you can do wonderful things, no matter where you come from or who you are.

- Merci. Bonne journée!

Merci Andrew!

***

OK, so you all got a pretty good idea that this guy simply isn't going anywhere.  He's got a great lineup on his album, the album itself just spews awesome riffs and great hooks, so what's stopping you from picking up a copy and showing some love to a fellow Canadian?  Here are a few of the links where you can purchase I Legion's "Beyond Darkness":


Bandcamp - ilegion.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-darkness
iTunes - itunes.apple.com/ca/album/beyond-darkness/id563201399
CD Baby - www.cdbaby.com/cd/ilegion2

Be sure to drop him a link on his official Facebook page and let him know your thoughts on the album.  Like most musicians, I'm sure he would welcome some words from fans (not an open invitation to troll. haha).

Audioworks: An Interview with Chris Clancy

OK folks, so time for another lovely edition of my interviews section.  I'm sure some of you have come across the band name MUTINY WITHIN (from New Jersey).  They got an ink deal to Roadrunner Records, composed a great debut album, toured the s**t out of it, only to fall short for a follow up (till recently).  Quietly but surely, former vocalist Chris Clancy was hard at work in his studio mixing and prepping for the upcoming Mutiny Within 2 album (F**K YEAH!) for your anticipatory ear drums.

(Photo courtesy of Alan Snodgrass/Digital Version.net)

While Chris is no longer an official member of the group, he is not willing to let go of all the previous material set aside for the MW2 album and basically a chance for him to tailor it the way he wants it to sound (Chris is also mixing/mastering the new album).

I was fortunate enough to get in contact with Chris and see what he has been up after his departure from Mutiny Within and what endeavours he has been up to.  So without further delay...

- Chris, much thanks for taking the time to do the Q&A with me.  So let's dive right into it.  What are you up to today?

Well this morning I'm just working on some mixes for 'Mutiny Within 2'. I'm a few tracks into final mixes now.  After that I have work at the gym until 2pm.



- "I play piano, guitar, bass, drums, sing and scream and am very interested to work with bands and artists as I feel I have a lot to offer them."

Do you offer any lessons for these?

I don't currently offer any lessons for anything. My strongest points are vocals and audio mixing/engineering. To be honest I feel there's better people out there to teach. The human voice is something that can be quite delicate. I leave it to professionals who have studied vocal teaching. It's a hard thing to teach, especially over the internet. I personally feel anybody paying for vocal lessons online with somebody who isn't actually a teacher such as Melissa Cross, is wasting their money. Melissa has spent years studying how to teach people. I just sing and tour.

- Fair enough.  I myself have not dove into the online lessons.  I will agree though that Melissa is a great teacher and I actually lend out my Zen of Screaming DVD's to fellow musicians quite often.



- Where did you get inspiration/jump start to pick up and learn these instruments and music in general?

My parents bought me a keyboard when I was around 10 years old and I just took to it really quickly. It soon became my focus in life. Everything has always revolved around music for me.

- How did you manage to get involved with I Legion? Were the lyrics your own or were they already taken care of by Frederic?

I was actually mixing Frederic's band at the time until he decided he wanted to do it on his own (it's not for me to list reasons) [Understandable].  He asked if I would sing on a few tracks and I said 'yes'. It kind of went from there really, he asked a few more people and eventually it ended up becoming a project for him. Frederic gave me lyrics, I just tweaked them to fit my melodies.

- Can you take us through an average day in the studio and/or a regular work day for Chris?

I work at a local gym around 24 hours a week. It gives me plenty of time to do music still so it works out really well. I generally get up, go to work and listen to mixes I'm working on while I walk. My headphones are my best friend when it comes to finishing mixes. I find I get a lot more perspective when I'm not sat in front of a screen. You listen with your ears, not your eyes.

When I get back from work, I generally work on music mixes/vocal recording until I start to lose interest. At this point it's best to either take a break or just pick up another day. I work quite intensely so I get more out of hammering a few hours out then leaving it.

- £100/track is a great deal for up and coming bands looking for that professional touch. Have you been keeping busy with the mixing and mastering part of your job?

I've not been a busy as I'd like to be honest. When I first left Mutiny Within, I wanted to do mixing as my main job. I worked hard at it, but I just didn't get the work I needed to survive on that alone. Recently it has picked up though and I'm starting to get more regular work which is fantastic. It enables me to spend more time working with music. I try to keep it cheap because I know bands are struggling as it is. Some people seem to charge insane amounts. You really don't need to pay that much these days to get a good sound.



- Mutiny Within 2. What's going on there? Are you doing vocals for the entire album? What is our role in this album? I have heard the track "In My Veins" as well as "Falls To Pieces" and your vocals are top notch as usual.

Thank you! It was great to finally get some tracks out. Those songs have been totally re-mixed now to fit the album. They were half thrown together just to get something out earlier in the year. I'm doing vocals on the entire album. It's essentially the old lineup but without Drew. We're just doing it in our spare time. They send me parts over and I put it together in Pro Tools. I just have a few more tracks to record vocals on, Brandon has a few solos to record and then we're done.

- Can you drop any information such as an approx release date, track listing, etc?

We're not sure on the track listing 100% yet. There's one song that I'm having a really hard time writing vocals for so we might lose a track.  It should still be 11/12 tracks though.  We want to get it out before the end of the year.



- Will MW tour the album? Will you be taking part in such or just sticking to the recording/mixing/mastering?

It'd be really great to tour, but it's just impossible now. It's mainly immigration issues. It'd cost me $5000 just to get a visa to tour with. Same with Dan. On top of that we had to sell our van to cover debts, and everybody has jobs or is in college now. Getting good tours without a label is near impossible too. Without tour support we'd never have gotten out of New Jersey as we lost thousands every tour due to fuel costs and lack of merch sales.

- "I try to see life from an 'outside the box' perspective and am interested in theories on life and existence. With this mindset, most issues seem insignificant when shadowed by a bigger picture."



Does this relate to any of your lyrics or music when writing?

Definitely. I try to keep a lot of my politics out of my writing, but I think if you re-read "Lethean" with the concept of humans being taken out of their natural environment and forgetting what we really are, it'll make a lot more sense. Lethean is a river in hell. When you drink from the water you forget. Imagine that river is society...

We live in a prison of our own making. A society where we police ourselves and being different isn't accepted. It's a sad state of affairs. The only real winners are big corporations and obviously the World Bank.

Like I said though, I try and keep things as uplifting as I can in my lyrics. There's no point adding to negativity to our lives.



- Do you see yourself (down the road) continuing the front man position or more comfortable working behind the scenes in the studio and such?

I'd love to do both. It's about the only way I could balance it all financially. I think Jon Howard (Threat Signal) has a good setup. Studio when he's not touring, then he gets on the road, kills it, and comes home to work.

- What are you doing in your free time away from music?

I spend a lot of time at the gym, I'm learning German and I moved in with my girlfriend a few months ago so we spend a lot of time together.

- You seem to be very much into various politics around the world, such as Arab Spring and 9/11. Would you consider yourself a conspiracy theorist or just thoroughly interested in politics?

I don't really like the term conspiracy theories as it rings the 'oh no, nut job' bell. But I guess I fall into that category. I don't see everything in the world as a conspiracy, but there's a lot of stories that don't add up.

If a story doesn't add up, it's generally not true. It's a shame some theories are shunned so much. If you take the official 9/11 story and think:

19 men armed with box cutters directed by a man on dialysis in a cave, using a satellite phone and a laptop orchestrated the most sophisticated penetration of the most heavily guarded airspace in the world.

Using 2 planes in New York, they managed to take out 3 building, and then crashed a plane into the Pentagon. The pilot of the later couldn't even handle a single engined plane, but managed to perform an 8000ft, 270degree descending corkscrew in a 757 to line up smack into the pentagon.... no footage was found... and it hit the offices around which they were trying to figure out where $2 trillion dollars has gone "missing"... then there was a passport found in New York of the hijackers... 2 buildings were pretty much vaporized... but a passport was found. It sounds like a fairy tale.

- OK, I get what you're saying and I can somewhat agree that not everything adds up, especially when questions are continuously being raised.  So, back to the music though, can you name an artist/band you would love to work with (either studio or live)?

I'm not really sure to be honest. I tried out for Killswitch Engage  when they were looking for a vocalist. That was definitely something I was interested in, but in hindsight, I think part of music is making it on your own. It makes it a far greater achievement.

- Any words of wisdom to inspiring music lovers who want to look for work in the industry?

If it's your passion then follow your gut. Just be prepared for a lot of hard work at little financial gain. Do what you enjoy in life though. You sell your lifetime for money. You sell an hour of your life for a wage. So sell it for something you want to do.

Last but not least, give us some online sources for people to reach you, check out your work, hear your music, etc.

- www.youtube.com/clancychris
- www.facebook.com/iamchrisclancy
- www.facebook.com/clancyaudioworks

OK everyone, so you got the 411 on Chris and what he's doing.  You all know now that the new Mutiny Within album will be released before the end of the year so be sure to keep up to date with Chris's pages and you'll get all the juicy details for when the album drops.  Make sure to also (*band take notice*) to get in contact with him and get him for mixing/mastering of your own band/song.  As you can see from the material presented above and the music he uploads to his pages, it is well worth the money.  Hell, I might even have to start outsourcing to him for assistance.  Thanks again Chris.

Now for the album teaser for the new Mutiny Within, which is scheduled for a January 12th, 2013 release!  Check out what Chris has recently uploaded for your listening pleasure...




1 – Embers
2 – In My Veins
3 – In A Moment
4 – Falls To Pieces
5 – Machines
6 – Never
7 – Become
8 – Lights
9 – Balance
10 – Life To Dust
11 – Signs
12 – The Unsaid

As for you readers, like always, keep the conversation going! :-)

TesseracT: Nocturne

“UK Progressive Metal band, TESSERACT, are excited to welcome Ashe O’Hara into the group as their new vocalist. Ashe‘s power, emotion, and diversity will help to continue the distinctive yet ever evolving TESSERACT sound.

Hailing from Northampton originally, Ashe spent his early years singing in many different groups, from choirs to musical theatre, and has more recently worked on a number of ambient/alternative metal projects as well as session work. Ashe currently resides in Hove, East Sussex and is eagerly awaiting the upcoming tour and working on the new album.

"I have always been an admirer of their work so it’s pretty awesome to be passed such a challenging flame. I am very aware of the anticipation and I am certainly feeling the weight of it; but I am equally excited for what shall be an amazing and shithot experience!" -Ashe

“We realize that the vocalist search seemed like it took a long time, but we wanted to make sure that we found someone who was a perfect fit both on stage and in the studio and Ashe is just that. We very much appreciate the patience and support our fans have shown us and look forward to the next TesseracT chapter.” -TesseracT

The first preview of that chapter [a teaser of the song], “Nocturne“, can be heard here:

“Nocturne” will be available as a free download and streaming everywhere on October 12th.

“‘Nocturne‘, is one of the most uplifting and exciting pieces of music we have created. It faithfully continues down the same vein of groovy and euphoric progressive soundscapes that we’re known for. Whilst at the same time allowing for the musical evolution that is essential for any band that has a lineup change.” -TesseracT

TESSERACT also recently picked up the ‘New Blood’ award voted for by readers of PROG magazine at last week’s first ever Progressive Music Awards in their native UK and are preparing to for a small run through the UK and Europe where you will have the chance to meet Ashe, too.”

And now, an audio rip of the the new single has landed online.  This was taken from a BBC 1 Rock show.  once again, this is the first single featuring new vocalist Ashe O'Hara.  The official stream will surface on October 12th, 2012:

“Let’s be straight up; the last year has pretty much sucked for TesseracT. We lost our singer from our debut album, much to the disappointment of fans, we parted ways with our US management, lost our US booking agent and stopped getting any gig offers in the UK / Europe.

One plus was that we got to work with the phenomenal vocalist Elliot Coleman, who joined the band to replace Dan Tompkins. But with him living in the US, the impracticalities of writing the second album were far greater than we envisaged, so we found ourselves down a singer once again in June.

Various people in the industry were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to come back from this, and told us that another singer change will lessen fan confidence even further. And just went we didn’t think stuff could get any worse, our one and only tour of the year (with Animals As Leaders, no less) was cancelled. With no singer, no gigs and a massive drop in industry confidence, it’s pretty safe to say that summer 2013 was a bit of a low point for us.

I remember when Metal Hammer contacted us about being nominated for Best UK band at the Golden Gods, and we were thinking “Really? Wow if only they knew WTF’s going on”. However being nominated was obviously a massive thing for us, and definitely helped us keep focused and fix the mess that we’d gotten into. Some people still seemed to believe in us!

New material was coming together and sounding pretty good, so all we had to do was sort our shit out, so we set out to find a new vocalist immediately. After auditioning what felt like hundreds of people, from known people in established bands to enthusiastic kids, the man for the job was under our nose the whole time. Acle (Kahney – TesseracT‘s other guitarist) had mixed Ashe O’hara‘s band Voices From The Fuselage a while back, and when he played them to us we were all like “he sounds awesome, let’s see if he’s interested!”

Everything from his studio and live performance, to his writing style fit perfectly. The new single Nocturne was actually his writing audition, and it turned out so great that pretty much all the ideas made it to the final version!…” -James Monteith (via Thrashhits.com)

Music Releases For September 25th, 2012

Well hello Tuesday!  What a great day (as always) for music and music lovers alike.  Bands get to released their highly anticipated albums and in turn we get to crank the s**t out them for all to hear (whether they want to hear it or not haha).  I think this is a good win-win for both parties.  Hell, even the record labels are happy.  Well, that's if you actually purchased the album (digital or physically).  If not, then you're just an asshole to them. haha

OK, so now that we got that rant out of the way, I highly encourage you all to read a lil bit of the reviews to get a feel for the albums being released.  And then actually making the move to buy them at your local record shop or an online retailer (Side note: RIP Sam 'The Record Man' Sniderman) .  I have gone through a couple of these albums (As I Lay Dying, Monuments, This Or The Apocalypse, Steve Harris, Car Bomb, Mumford & Sons, etc) and I can tell you now that you won't be disappointed with the releases.  There is some great material in these LP's and some of the album will just simply blow you away with production quality, song structure, album artwork and any other little detail your head can come up with.  Cheers!



AFGM: As I Lay Dying Gets Awakened & Cauterized!

"Jordan Mancino lays back on a big groove for 'Defender' that's perfectly countered by Josh Gilbert's bass. At the eye of this perfect storm, Lambesis ruminates on life with his inimitable clean croon and oppressively beautiful scream. Everything culminates on 'Tear Out My Eyes'. It clearly evinces the chops of each member with one of the band's biggest hooks ever at the center.

At the end of the day, As I Lay Dying’s Awakened blazes to life with brilliant melodies and bludgeoning grooves. Honing their patented sound into a tighter and more technical monster than before, the band have crafted their best album yet. It’s a high watermark for modern metal, and it’s going to wake up the entire genre.

The risk was well worth it." -Artist Direct



"And while there are other noteworthy mentions such as 'Frontline', 'Down To Nothing' and 'In Darkness', there are just as many songs, if not more, that feel void of any real interesting or enduring substance. Tracks like 'Cash King', 'One Good Thing', 'Blood Of Saints', 'Drama Queen' and 'Journey’s End' basically did nothing for me. Sure, they were all decent, but not a single one captured enough of my attention to warrant multiple spins. They all seem to be missing the necessary 'it' factor that a song MUST have in order to capture the very heart of any listener.

To me, what made their previous efforts so memorable (especially Threnody) was the fact that from beginning to end, not only was I drawn into the beautifully destructive nature of the music, but also Klavborn’s dark, insightful narrative. With this album, however, I just don’t have the same level of connection this time around. In my opinion, Blood Of Saints sounds like a grab bag of Threnody B-sides with a few haphazard ideas mixed in for good measure. That aggressive elegance infused with uber-catchiness found before just simply isn’t there.

What I found so disheartening about Blood Of Saints is that it just feels rushed. Very few songs really resonate and most leave you desperately wanting and needing more. While it’s not a bad album per se, it surely isn’t a good one either. Blood Of Saints is a slightly above average record that, instead taking the Engel name to new heights, will most likely leave the band trying to find their footing in a very crowded market once again." -The New Review



AFGM: GNOSIS -An Interview With Monuments

"At only nine tracks/40 minutes long, Gnosis never outstays its welcome. In fact, you’ll probably find yourself going back for a second listen very quickly. Take ‘Blue Sky Thinking’ for example; Rose commands your attention by alternating between cleans and screams through slightly off kilter vocal melodies that only add to the album’s intrigue. The result is one of the best songs to be released this year. Elsewhere, ‘Doxa’s pummelling drum fills do battle with Rose’s expansive vocal range for one of the more impressive moments on the album.

Fuelling comparisons with their American counterparts Periphery, Rose and Spencer Sotelo (Periphery vocalist) join forces on final track ‘Denial’ in a duel vocal assault, proving to be more than enough to make any djent fan boy wet their pants in excitement. Sotelo’s higher register provides a welcome contrast to Rose’s more gravelly voice, giving rise to a touch more melody compared to the previous eight tracks.

Despite the turmoil the band has been through, the result is completely and utterly worth it. Monuments have released what is an excellent debut and the perfect base to build on as they grow as a band. Yes, it's raw and somewhat straightforward in terms of songwriting, but that is a huge drawcard. Gnosis is sure to be one of the metal albums of 2012." -Sputnik Music



"Long time fans will not be disappointed by the record, as the glue that holds Pro-Pain’s sound together is omnipresent throughout, as demonstrated by 'Bitter Pill' and 'Judge.' The album’s punk/Oi/NWOBHM style closer 'Zugabe' is a peculiar finale to the record, yet tastefully done to show that the band does not have to adhere to limitations with their ode to the old school.

In many ways, it is fitting that the record closes with a power sing-a-long, perfect for allowing the repeat button to be pushed, with the stereo getting slightly louder the next time through.

Overall, Straight To The Dome is a fine and powerful record that allows the band to continue forward, while keeping long time fans satisfied. A tour through their back catalogue will affectionately demonstrate to any listener the reason why this record clearly stands as one of Pro-Pain’s best yet.

Number 13 proves that the band is not done. In what is probably the most honest record they have done since Act of God, Pro-Pain is a band that has brought out their arsenal with this outing. Straight To The Dome not only lives up to its name, but is also merits a spot in your music collection." -About.com



"I wish this album was flawless, as far as I'm concerned it comes really freakin' close, but a few wrong moves hold Dead Years back just a little bit. There were clean vocals on Haunt What's Left, and they worked quite well, Ricky is actually a solid singer. The problem is, he leaves the singing to several others on this album. According to the band, Ricky's performance here is much more demanding than it was previously, and he simply wouldn't have the energy to pull off these clean choruses live. It was a smart move in theory, but the singing provided by the others never fits the band's sound like Ricky's voice did. The other issue is that there's really no need for them to be there. Sometimes clean vocals enhance a chorus or a certain section, but here they just feel tacked on to add some diversity, which they didn't actually need to do. When you have a lead vocalist with as much range and emotion as Ricky displays here, there's really no need to add anyone else to the mix.

The other problem... Yeah, we're talking about Metalcore, it would have to be breakdowns wouldn't it? They aren't bad, but they certainly aren't great. They don't match the outstanding quality of the rest of the record. Like the cleans, they make brief appearances and only do a little bit of damage.

The immense amount of things this album does right pound it's few mistakes into the ground, when your finish your listen it shouldn't be the little flaws that stick in your head. They're easy to get over and easy to forgive.

On top of everything else, this album really has it's own identity, as I believe all records should. Many bands in this genre tend to stick with an established sound and change very little from record to record, but This Or The Apocalypse have successfully kept their identity and managed to make an album that can catch you off guard, having many differences from previous works.

Dead Years is an amazing album, and the best This Or The Apocalypse have put out yet. Nobody should pass on this one." -Sputnik Music



"For a relatively unknown band to be handpicked by Metallica to play at their Orion Music + More festival this past summer is, you know, just a slightly big deal. And while Thy Will Be Done’s inclusion in that fest has no doubt made some previously unaware fans take notice, their groove metal is solid enough to merit attention in its own right. The band’s third release, Temple, is a six-song EP that really lets the musical low end take the stage much as it does on God Forbid’s output. The most intriguing of these tracks is the single 'You, the Apathy Divine,' which is perhaps what got them on Metallica’s radar in the first place. But even though Temple is an engaging listen, it’s hard not to wonder what a full-length would have sounded like. As far as stop-gap releases go, this one is a bit of a cliffhanger that, for better or worse, leaves us wanting more." -Sammi Chichester (Revolver Magazine)



"Are there problems? Of course. So austerely earnest they make Mike Scott of the Waterboys seem like Kid Rock, their blazing sincerity can take on a certain sententious tonnage. Ghosts That We Know is so spare it hurts and opens up too late in its 5:40. It’s followed by Lover of the Light, and then Lover’s Eyes for three 5 minute-+ songs that sound like a suite that never gets out of the church pew. 'You’ll never see my bleeding heart,' he sings in the stark Reminder, and you want to say, friend … we see it. 'I will not speak of your sins,' they sing in Broken Crown. But the entire album does. They don’t crank it up again until Hopeless Wanderer’s powerstrum, and then only briefly. It is a sombre ending we find in Not With Haste.

Thing is, this is a Rebecca Black world. It’s a Fri-day Fri-day world. And it’s awful hard to dismiss the Sunday sermon elements here when they come wrapped in such conviction, from players whose aspirations are as artistic as they are arena." -Montreal Gazette



"The fact that in real life Armstrong is a 40-year-old family man doesn’t necessarily mean he can’t carry off a nasty one-night-stand song like 'Stay the Night.' But in this case, he fails to communicate the youthful dash of humor the song would need to move beyond its obvious expressions of desperation and contempt.

Only two songs reflect the perspective of the band’s actual age. 'Loss of Control' presents a guy who has discovered he has nothing in common with those he knew in his past. 'Rusty James' sketches a lost soul who clings too hard to a scene that long ago passed him by. Consider it Green Day’s answer to Billy Joel’s 'Angry Young Man,' a perspective suitable to middle-age.

For the most besotted fans, the songs’ form alone may please. They have a reliable energy, from the speedy beats of 'Let Yourself Go' to a Who-like windmill of chords in 'Angie Blue.'

A few tunes do stand out, like 'Sweet 16,' which boasts a Mercy Beat-like melody, or 'Kill the DJ,' whose itchy guitar recalls the Clash’s in 'Rock the Casbah.' But ultimately, 'Uno!'s attempt to reclaim Green Day’s early spirit just sounds like a reduction of it. Let’s hope the next two installments move the story forward." -NY Daily News



"Push And Shove leans more toward ’80s influenced LA pop than it does ska. Several of the tracks have reggae/dancehall influences laced in, but they don’t overwhelm. First single 'Settle Down' is perhaps the most classically 'No Doubt' song on the album. While it divided fans, it’s actually a ballsy return to the pop scene: A six minute single – who does that?! – with an imperial string prelude and a dubby breakdown so chill that you briefly think the song has ended.

Lyrically, the album is stacked with funny, baked phrases like 'I’m on a hit and run, a yummy yummy yum' on 'Easy' or the title track’s rap: 'We be on another level like we’re doing yoga!' But Gwen’s gained wisdom with age, delivering wry doses of reality like 'You’re… making me weak and that’s a comment, not a compliment' from 'Dreaming The Same Dream.'

'Undone' may be the saddest ballad No Doubt has ever recorded. Gwen delivers one of her purest, most plaintive vocals, with a lyric that’s tempting to read into: 'I’m in trouble, help me / No one needs you more than me.' She recently told Marie Claire that she and husband Gavin Rossdale are 'better…than ever.'

What a rare thrill to hear a band produce an album so strong 26 years into their career. Gwen, Tony, Tom and Adrian deliver eleven near-perfect songs adding up to what may be the most listenable, kick-ass pop record of 2012." -Idolator



"Now with this new album, Steve takes Richard, David, Grahame and Simon through their paces and on the whole they deliver an album that is good old fashioned metal, great to listen to and crunching in its final execution. Richard Taylor’s vocals will come under intense scrutiny and whilst they are not as domineering as Bruce Dickinson’s, they cope with the high musical demands set by Steve Harris.

Although the songs themselves may appear to be out of the ‘put to one side bin’ of Maiden’s career that shouldn’t detract the listener from the enjoyment that they will no doubt get from hearing them. On songs such as Karma Killer, Us Against The World and These Are The Hands, Richard Taylor’s voice matches the drive of Steve’s vision for this new band.

It may have been a long time coming but Steve Harris’ debut solo album was worth the wait, an interesting aside from the Maiden man and very enjoyable." -Liverpool Sudent Media



"There are scores of EDM specialists crafting new approaches these days, from Grammy-winning Skrillex to live beat-maker AraabMuzik to up-and-comers like HeRobust. Amid their inventive progressions, Deadmau5' latest album feels a tad old and dusty.

'Superliminal' is all buildup and very little payoff. You'll be left waiting minutes for the drop, and perhaps scanning forward to the next track in hopes of getting the pulse racing. Good luck.

'Fn Pig' is one of the few tracks on board with some sizzle. It's an eight-minute track that teases you for the first two before any semblance of a proper beat emerges. But once it gets going the bass line grabs you by the shoulders and refuses to let go. It's an addictive, repeat-worthy track.

But mostly, we find Deadmau5 longing for some sort of house music yesteryear. On 'Maths,' the corny digital samples feel extremely dated and required a much smarter approach than this." -Huffington Post



"Broken Bones will appeal to the old school Dokken fans That classic sound is here (though maybe slightly heavier) and it’s the perfect companion to Lightning Strikes Again. To be fair, some filler slips through such as 'Waterfall' and 'Blind' but I’ve always felt filler was pretty much a given when it comes to this band.

Don’t get me wrong, this IS a good album. 'Empire' is heavy and the best choice to open the album, 'Broken Bones' are 'Fade Away' are classic Dokken, 'Today' is a pleasantly different type of ballad I would not have a expected from this band, almost New Age sounding, 'Best of Me' sticks in your head and 'For The Last Time' also has a classic sound while adding some great melodic moments as well.

Another enjoyable effort from these guys. Dokken fans shouldn’t miss out and won’t be disappointed." -Metal Excess



"On his eighth studio album, guitarist Cook steps away from his flamenco default and offers 15 moody, easy-listening pieces, supposedly inspired by what he considered the spareness of Adele’s smash, 21. On the surface, the disc has an elevator-music smoothness that sends it receding into the background, but Cook’s relentless precision and perfect tonality on the nylon strings will not be denied. There’s an airy beauty to soft, atmospheric tracks like Diminished and Fields of Blue, with quiet blues (I Put a Spell on You), jazz (Miles Shorter) and bossa nova (Child’s Play) broadening the palette.  Add the stirring, delicate interplay between Cook’s instrument and Chris Church’s violin and this aural sketchbook becomes an excursion filled with modest pleasures." -Montreal Gazette

"In general, though, the band’s material is as well constructed and fully realized as ever, bridging country-western styles with punk- and chamber-rock sensibilities. From percussive and bass-anchored songs to others driven by piano and guitar riffs, Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon tells as much of a musical story as a lyrical one. And that’s no small feat, as singer Adam Turla maintains an Old West lyrical tone while ranging his vocals from a Johnny Cash baritone to a high croon and even a spiteful hiss. Befitting the album (and its new label), Turla’s words about loss, lies, and loneliness are delivered with a cinematic beauty that recalls moonlit nights and warm whiskey." -Alarm Magazine



"This violent, rhythmically intoxicating cut—which features guest growling from Gojira mainman Joseph Duplantier—is sure to incite some off-kilter headbanging. Oh, and just wait for the final breakdown, which sounds like a Mack truck downshifting down the side of a mountain." -Guitar World

***

Deftones - Koi No Yokan

So I'm sure the buzz has been out there for some time now about the upcoming Deftones album "Koi No Yokan", which is set to hit shelves on November 13th, 2012 via Reprise Records.



"Diamond Eyes" was such a huge success for these guys that I'm sure they'll have no problem recapturing that kind of energy on the latest album, along with all the fans they have accumulated the past 23+ years.  Moreno still has the sexy voice, Carpenter still brings lowers the tones and brings the beast of guitar tracks, Abe still rocking out as hard as he can on the kit and all your usual goodness from the Sacramento five piece.



"Everybody came in together and someone would start playing something and another person would join in and then another person, so the songs were really built with us together in the room at the same time.  I think it's a very honest record because it's not anything pre-conceived. We didn't come in thinking, 'It's gonna be like this' or 'It's gonna be like that.' It's just us hanging out as friends and playing, making something out of nothing." -Moreno

I kindly remind you all to come back again for updates on the album such as singles, artwork, interviews, etc.  For now, we can hook you up with some new album artwork and a track listing:

1. Swerve City
2. Romantic Dreams
3. Leathers
4. Poltergeist
5. Entombed
6. Graphic Nature
7. Tempest
8. Gauze
9. Rosemary
10. Goon Squad
11. What Happened To You?

Album artwork for the single "Leathers"?  Also a free download off their official site.



So what can we expect the new tunes to sound like?  Chino did his best to explain what you are going to hear from the new LP:

"...not a super fast or slow record. It's very dynamic.  Some of my favorite things about Deftones are the dynamics. Yes, we're a heavy band, but we're not just in-your-face aggro the whole time, punching you in the face. There's a lot of aggression in some of the music, but there's also this very soothing element where there's a lot of soundscapes rather than attack, attack, attack the whole time. I understand that's a big part of our sound, but I really feel like we reached a peak on our dynamics on this record with those two qualities — the beauty of something and just straight, ruthless aggression." -Chino Moreno

Wanna hear some of the new material?  It seems they have been keeping it mostly for live performances ("Rosemary" and "Roller Derby") so be sure to catch them on tour with Scars on Broadway (SOAD members):

Tue 10/9/12 Ventura Theatre – Ventura, CA
Wed 10/10/12 Warfield – San Francisco, CA
Fri 10/12/12 Roseland Ballroom – Portland, OR
Sat 10/13/12 Showbox, SODO – Seattle, WA
Sun 10/14/12 Commodore – Vancouver, BC
Tue 10/16/12 Knitting Factory – Boise, ID
Wed 10/17/12 In The Venue – Salt Lake City, UT
Fri 10/19/12 Fillmore Auditorium – Denver, CO
Sat 10/20/12 Harrah’s – Kansas City, MO
Sun 10/21/12 Blue Note – Columbia, MO
Wed 10/24/12 Royal Oak Music Theatre – Royal Oak, MI
Fri 10/26/12 Rams Head Live – Baltimore, MD
Sun 10/28/12 The Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
Mon 10/29/12 House of Blues – Boston, MA
Tue 10/30/12 Terminal 5 – New York, NY


(Photo courtesy of 13th Witness)

"We were coming out of a tough time, obviously, and our goal was to kind of rebuild what we created over all the years. I felt like we had to prove ourselves. We'd taken so much time between records, had some inner turmoil, and our records were starting to get pieced together versus really being created together, so for us it was a chance to get back to basics. We didn't have an idea of what sort of style we wanted. We just came in fired up and motivated to do something great. It was all very positive. We had more songs than ever, tons of ideas." -Moreno





And now another single has made it's way to the airwaves/online world.  Check out the new single "Tempest", along with an interview from Purevolume discussing the new single:

Universal Music Set To Buy EMI...

So looking at the news this morning, it seems that a big financial move happened between Universal Music and EMI.  Apparently, the sealed deal to buy out EMI (Europe, Australia, USA and more places) is now taking further steps, as they have received approval from the European Union.  All $1.9 billion of it!

Now I am not 100% sure what this will mean to artists (if anything), but it does bring into play the amazing roster that EMI will be giving up (Coldplay, David Guetta, Kylie Minogue, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Katy Perry and many, many more).  So from the articles I have gone through and educated myself as much as I can, here is what I found as an official statement from the European Commission:

"To remove the Commission’s concerns, Universal committed to divest significant assets.

These divestments include EMI Recording Limited, which holds the iconic Parlophone label (home to artists such as Coldplay, David Guetta, Lilly Allen, Tinie Tempah, Blur, Gorillaz, Kylie Minogue, Pink Floyd, Cliff Richard, David Bowie, Tina Turner and Duran Duran). The divestments also encompass EMI France (which holds the David Guetta catalogue), EMI’s classical music labels, Mute (home to The Ramones and Jethro Tull), Chrysalis (home to Depeche Mode, Moby and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds), various other labels and a large number of local EMI entities. The divestment package also includes Coop, a label licensing business selling artists such as Mumford and Sons, Garbage and Two Door Cinema Club.

In addition, Universal committed to selling EMI’s 50% stake in the popular Now! That’s What I Call Music compilation JV and to continue licensing its repertoire for that compilation in the next ten years.

Universal finally committed not to include Most Favoured Nation ('MFN') clauses in its favour in any new or renegotiated contract with digital customers in the EEA for ten years. MFN clauses oblige digital customers to extend any favourable term granted to Universal’s competitors to Universal. This commitment will allow Universal’s competitors to negotiate more freely with digital customers and further levels the playing field between these competitors and Universal.

The rights to be divested are worldwide and cover both digital and physical music. This will ensure a viable and competitive exploitation of the divested artists and catalogue by the purchaser of the assets.

In light of these commitments, the Commission concluded that competition on the digital music markets in the EEA will be adequately preserved and that the transaction will have no negative impact on consumers”. -European Commission

Commission Vice-President in charge of competition policy Joaquín Almunia said, 'Competition in the music business is crucial to preserve choice, cultural diversity and innovation. In this investigation, we have paid close attention to digital innovation, which is changing the way that people listen to music. The very significant commitments proposed by Universal will ensure that competition in the music industry is preserved and that European consumers continue to enjoy all its benefits.'



And since were always going to have difference of opinions, here are some of the re-buttles from advocacy groups and analysts:

“It’s good to see that the commission has seen this deal as such a threat to the market that it has demanded and received truly swinging commitments on divestments.  However, that should not conceal that fact that Universal’s arrogance has paid off for them, that they have destroyed a significant competitor, and that even with these divestments their ability to dominate and control the market has reached even more unacceptable levels.” -Martin Mills (Chairman of the independent Beggars Group)

"the F.T.C. is allowing UMG to acquire unprecedented market power and amass a dominant collection of copyright holdings. UMG can now use those holdings not just to raise prices for consumers, but also to create a new tax on innovation among digital music services.” -Jodie Griffin (staff attorney at Public Knowledge)

“In many ways, Universal and EMI must be reasonably happy.  They would probably prefer to buy the whole thing, but still they are much better of than they were yesterday.” -Claudio Aspesi (media analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Company in London)

There are many sources to follow up on this move happening.  Here are but a few of the articles I sifted through:

- New York Times

- Reuters

- Noise 11

Shows Over The Weekend (Sept 21st - 23rd, 2012)

Well, it's Friday!  The news feeds are boring, but thank goodness there are some great shows happening between tonight and Sunday.  Here are some of the shows you can grab tickets for this weekend:

Tech N9ne @ The Rockpile (Fri-Sat):

K.D. Lang @ The Phoenix Nightclub (Fri-Sun):

The Killers @ The Sound Academy (Saturday):

Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators @ The Sound Academy (Sunday):

The Heavy @ Lee's Palace (Sunday):

Hope you all get a chance to grab tickets for one of these shows and enjoy some great music!  Hope everyone has a great weekend and (as always) keep the convo going!