Blog Archives

The Awful Truth by Meridian- Album Preview

8/26/2014

The Awful Truth
by Meridian

"Meridian provides outcast anthems, songs for those who refuse to conform to the ways of the world. With a metal meets pop-punk feel, this will have fans off their feet."
Substream Magazine

"Ballsy US hardcore backed up by pop sensibilities that'll keep you bouncing off the walls all summer."
Metal Hammer (UK)

Poughkeepsie, New York, based band Meridian refuses to fit into just one genre, and encompasses everything from pop-punk to metalcore. Meridian self-released their first album Reformation in 2013, and within months was gaining popularity. A few short tours of the East Coast, and they became a band known for their emotional lyrics that are not afraid to discuss touchy topics such as depression and child-neglect. All members of the band are under twenty-one, all extremely accomplished for their age. Now, with the help of Victory Records, Meridian will be releasing their second full-length The Awful Truth, another hard-hitting, across-the-genres record that satisfies any hardcore fan’s hunger for true musicianship.

Meridian is comprised of lead vocalist David Mitchell, lead guitarist Juan Espinosa, rhythm guitarist Chris Evanko, bassist Chris Titer, and drummer Ronnie Scocozza. Every single one of the five young members is talented at their instruments and at working together to become a tight, precise unit. Mitchell’s vocals range from intense, loud screaming to melodic singing much like the sound of Vic Fuentes’ voice (from Pierce the Veil).

I’m going to take a look into Meridian’s two contrasting sounds. One caters to a much smaller audience than the other, but both are popular genres in the counterculture. First would be the death metal mixed with punk drumming, a sound relatively similar to metalcore. This is best represented in their song “Slither,” a hateful song charged with raging energy. Meridian’s second sound would be flat out pop-punk, a genre rising in popularity. “Wait For Me,” arguably the best song on the record, features upbeat drum beats, soaring vocals, a light bass line, and punk driven guitar parts with a splash of pop.

Every band has an outlier song that stands far away from the rest of the songs put out by the band. This outlier tends to be defined by its slower tempo, melancholy guitar parts, and heart-wrenching vocals and lyrics. For Memphis May Fire, it’s “Miles Away” featuring Kellin Quinn (from Sleeping with Sirens). For Pierce the Veil, it’s “Hold On Till May” featuring Lindsey Stamey (from Oh No Fiasco!). For Meridian, it’s “Clarity,” and it’s not featuring anyone except the amazing artists already in the band.

Like any band, there are the good and the bad parts, but Meridian has so much great stuff in their music, that it’s difficult to notice the bad parts. I wouldn’t recommend Meridian to the average listener; their music requires a taste for hardcore and an appreciation for musicality. However, if you fit that target market, believe me you need to hear Meridian’s awesome new album The Awful Truth, coming out on September 2nd.

Zoe Adler is a music journalist from Long Beach, California. Besides her website, which is her pride and joy, she works with the GRAMMY Foundation and the Long Beach Independent. Additionally, Ms. Adler is a musician, spending half of her time playing the flute, piccolo, trombone, and marching baritone. She has been with TeenView Music since the very start and hopes to make something of it in the future.

0 Comments

Pardon My French by Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! Album Review

8/19/2014

0 Comments

Pardon My French
by Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!

French pop-metal band Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! released their second full-length album Pardon My French under the Fearless Record label on April 30th, 2013. I know, I know, I’m really late on hearing about this band, but thank goodness I finally did! They have become my new addiction.

Pardon My French exhibits C!NCC!’s ability to mix together the opposing genres of pop and metalcore in a way that appeals to both genres’ audiences. Head banging yet upbeat, songs like “Restart,” “Haters Gonna Hate,” and “Taking Chances”—just to name a few—compel the listener to sing along.

It is difficult to compare the remarkable vocals of Bertrand Poncet to that of any other singer. He has singing skills all along the spectrum ranging from a deep growl to a higher-pitched, clear-voiced singing. His voice is practically designed for the genre he plays, and is comparable only to Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire.

To explain C!NCC!’s unique sound, I’m going to take a look at the first song on the record, called “Restart.” After a couple seconds of static, the band launches into this really hard-hitting guitar riff that has the catchiness of pop but the deep, edginess of metalcore. At first, when Poncet sings it’s a half-scream/half-spoken vocal that accelerates into a deep-throated scream. In half a second Poncet switches from angry metalcore singer to peppy pop singer, using his high, pretty voice. It’s almost like C!NCC! has two personalities and switches between the two.

Arguably the best song on the album, “Haters Gonna Hate” displays C!NCC!’s remarkable ability to write funny lyrics despite the fact that English is not their first language. For example, Poncet sings in the memorable chorus:

Get up, open your eyes,
You’re just like everyone.
You waste all your time faking your smile.
Take a look at your life, you don’t need to f*@k mine.
Here is my advice: GET THE F*@K OUT!

Many different songs on the album start with the heavy metal/metal core guitar riffs, like “Bipolar Mind,” “The Progression of Regression,” and “Between Your Lines.” Whenever any of those songs play on my stereo I become one of those people you see when you’re driving who are air-guitaring and head banging at every traffic light.

Pardon My French is an extremely good album, but is not consistent. By song nine or ten, attention tends to drift; the album fails to keep the listener captivated. However, the first eight songs are some of the best songs written in the metalcore genre. The first eight songs are as follows:

Restart
Taking Chances
Bipolar Mind
Haters Gonna Hate
The Progression of Regression
Pardon My French
Between Your Lines
I Am Nothing Like You

C!NCC! also has a fantastic collection of music videos on their YouTube channel. All of them are entertaining and clearly were even more fun to film than they are to watch. I suggest watching the videos for “Haters Gonna Hate” and “In Friends We Trust.” It’s quite evident from these videos that the members of C!NCC! are humorous guys.

I first heard about C!NCC! when I was reading through the Van’s Warped Tour lineup. My dad talked my ear off about the lead singer’s vocal range on the drive up to the festival. I attended Warped Tour on two separate days, and on the first day, I didn’t have the chance to see C!NCC!, but my dad did. He swore that they put on a mind-blowing show, so it was my priority the next day to make sure I saw them. Not only was my dad right, but what he said was an understatement! C!NCC!—all of their members—are born performers, truly meant to spend their life on the stage. Their concert was downright FUN.

I absolutely love this band, and I suggest you check out the awesome album Pardon My French!

0 Comments

Written In Blood by Darkness Divided- Album Preview

8/17/2014

0 Comments

Written In Blood
by Darkness Divided

"Darkness Divided has the most unique instrumental sections, from a sick drum beat to the most technical guitar riffs. This record will keep heavy music fans wanting more."
Substream Magazine

"Darkness Divided displays a technical prowess far beyond their years. More metal than core, they keep it heavy and brutal. If you're looking for the next big thing in Christian metal, look no further."
New Noise Magazine

San Antonio Christian metalcore quartet truly carries soul and faith through their Victory Records debut Written In Blood. Darkness Divided presses the confines of their genre by intermixing melodic orchestral sounds with the traditional rock ‘n’ roll instruments. DD is not only bound by spirituality, but by brotherhood; siblings Gerard, Christopher, and Joseph Mora are joined by Israel Hernandez to create the unique, hardcore band.

Written In Blood, a testament to both their faith and their metal roots, will be released on August 19th.

Darkness Divided has a wide mix of sounds on their album. Ranging from instrumental preludes (“Severance” and “Interlude”) to thrashing, emotional anthems (“The Hands That Bled” and “The Will of Man”), their musicianship is showcased. Hidden between passionately growled verses and emotively shouted choruses, you’ll catch the occasionally sung vocal (by both the lead singer Gerard Mora, and the back-up singer), and his voice instantly sucks you in. Hypnotic and clear, the vocals leave one wishing he would sing more.

My personal favorites on the album are undoubtedly the single “The Hands That Bled,” and the fantastic “The Will of Man.” I favor these songs for their exceptional guitar intros and evident skill. I’m a sucker for a hard and rhythmic, metalcore drumbeat, and I am definitely not disappointed by what Darkness Divided has to offer.

Experimenting with electronica sounds is really what sets the album apart from the average metalcore record. Usually, one can find bands like Crown the Empire or Linkin Park, which utilize electronic sound to extensive lengths, or bands like Three Days Grace or Nickelback that don’t use it at all. Darkness Divided is the perfect in-between, using industrial sound conservatively to create the largest impact possible.

Intelligently put together and expertly recorded, Written In Blood has the fuel and fire for a metalcore fan. It is obvious to me just by listening to the album that their live shows are electric with energy and absolute loads of fun. For fans of Christian metal, this is a must-have.

0 Comments

Law of Time- EP by Blackmore

8/12/2014

3 Comments

Law of Time- EP
by Blackmore

Observe the phenomenal album art by Lead singer Adrian Barrios

Armenian-Filipino heavy metal quintet Blackmore recently released their debut EP featuring five fantastic songs. Blackmore is comprised of guitarists Shaunt Sulahian and Vahan Aslanyan, bassist David Dadoyan, drummer Vinny Mezian, and vocalist Adrian Barrios. Each member is a top-notch musician and an expert at their instrument.

The very first time my dad saw Blackmore was when they were opening for VIZA at the El Rey Theater in 2013. As a promotional measure, Blackmore had pre-recorded a two-song mini-EP with “Beautiful Hurricane” and “Battlefield.” I can tell you, the recording quality difference between that EP and this one is immense. Law of Time is professionally recorded and the music sounds like it written by a band that is selling out arenas.

Law of Time showcases Sulahian and Aslanyan’s phenomenal guitar skills most in “Animalistic” and “Backdraft.” The complex, metal riffs are deeply laced with Armenian influence and complement Barrios’ vocals perfectly.

The vocals in Law of Time are excellent, but surprisingly are not Barrios’ best work. His voice is much better represented live, which is actually quite a complement.

An aspect of Blackmore’s music that I particularly like is the fact that the guitarists work off each other and their previous rhythms. This causes the guitar riffs to become increasingly intriguing as the song progresses.

I haven’t really touched upon drums or bass, and that’s because they aren’t loud and in your face, like they might be in some metalcore bands. However, I don’t want you getting the wrong idea. The bass and drums are an essential piece to Blackmore’s sound.

It may take a few rounds of listening to Law of Time before you begin to really get hooked on the music, but once you do, you simply can’t stop. A wise woman once told me that if it takes awhile before you start loving an album, you’ll never get sick of it and the album will undoubtedly end up being one of your favorites. Along with Law of Time, this has proven true for me with The Black Market by Rise Against and The Campaign by Affiance.

Repetition plays an important role in Blackmore’s music, but not in a negative way. They strategically repeat variations on the main melodic lines, which definitely keeps the music interesting. This is especially evident in “Battlefield.”

My favorite riffs on the album come from the beginnings of “Animalistic” and “Beautiful Hurricane.” I end up with those guitar lines stuck in my head every time I listen to the album.

“Downfall,” the final song on the EP, has a deceptively calm start for the first forty-five seconds. Stick around, and you’ll witness some hardcore rocking lead by Barrios’ powerhouse vocals and Sulahian and Aslanyan’s guitars. In fact, the bass line takes on a metalcore feel for a minute or so in the middle, which Blackmore pulls off perfectly. “Downfall” is definitely the perfect way to end The Law of Time.

Elaborating on that, the order of the EP is well though out and sequences ideally.
Every aspect of this album is masterful and—not to be repetitive—perfect. Much like Nothing More’s self-titled full-length, the music is addictive and fun both live and on CD. Nothing More and Blackmore will actually be playing a show together at the Troubadour on September 3rd.

Be sure to head over to the iTunes store and purchase this album…I promise you won’t regret it.

3 Comments

Slow Me Down by 3PM Album Preview

8/8/2014

0 Comments

3PM's new mp3 Slow Me Down- music you don't want to miss

Up-and-coming pop punk three-piece 3PM features upbeat choruses and catchy guitar riffs on their sophomore album Slow Me Down. The much-anticipated record will be in stores (physical and online) starting August 15th, and their title track and hit single “Slow Me Down” was released on August 4th.

3PM had the privilege of recording Slow Me Down with producer Paul Leavitt who also produces big-name artists All Time Low, Senses Fail, and The Dangerous Summer. They have been growing their fan base ever since they formed in 2012 in Baltimore, Maryland, and this year caught the attention of many with their appearance at Van’s Warped Tour.

Currently, 3PM is preparing to tour off Slow Me Down, and is scheduled to perform at the Gettysburg Rocks festival on August 9th in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Slow Me Down includes eleven songs that showcase vocalist and bassist Brennan Stark’s clean vocals, Brandon Millman’s skillful drumming, and Scott Montgomery’s phenomenal guitar-work. Listen to any song from the upbeat opening track “Something New” to the ballad-esque penultimate track “Who We Are,” and Montgomery’s ability to open a song with intriguing (and expert) guitar is evident.

Elaborating on “Something New,” the beginning is a pure pop punk guitar riff that, after every four bars, adds a new element: first very reserved drumming layers itself on top, and then morphs itself into a bouncy, fun beat.

The second track, “Missed Call,” starts with simplistic, punk-style strumming on just one chord and continues as such for eight or so measures with quiet chord changes by the bass in the background before being joined by a peppy drumbeat. At this point, the guitar begins to reach around and find solid ground on a catchy riff based off the original chord. This groove is continued for sometime until Stark begins singing and the guitar drops out for a while.

“Moving Day,” the third track, features an amazingly catchy riff at the beginning and after about four bars launches into some excellent vocal work. Along with “Moving Day,” my favorite riffs come from “Something New” (track one) and “All Caught Up” (track nine). Starting a majority of their songs with catchy guitar really makes the music inviting and encourages listeners to continue jamming. The riffs shine light on their influence from Blink-182 and Green Day while still showing their creativity and unique sound.

The sixth track, “Lazer Tag,” starts not with guitar, but with a short drum feature, which is equally interesting and musical. Even the songs that start immediately with vocals, which include the single “Slow Me Down,” are excellent.

Get ready for Slow Me Down to hit the stores because, believe me, you need to hear this band. 3PM will be the new big band of pop punk, you just wait and see. Be sure to buy their album when it comes out on August 15th!

0 Comments

The Awful Truth by Meridian- Album Preview

The Awful Truthby Meridian

Pardon My French by Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! Album Review

Pardon My Frenchby Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!

Written In Blood by Darkness Divided- Album Preview

Written In Bloodby Darkness Divided

Law of Time- EP by Blackmore

Law of Time- EPby Blackmore

Slow Me Down by 3PM Album Preview

3PM's new mp3 Slow Me Down- music you don't want to miss

Archives

The Awful Truth
by Meridian

Pardon My French
by Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!

Written In Blood
by Darkness Divided

Law of Time- EP
by Blackmore