Keep Metal!

Intro

This people, is an awesome band. There are millions of death metal bands out there, all trying their own formula. Some work, some don't. But these guys have no formula because what they sound like, is like playing till your fingers bleed and then wiping the blood off before getting back to it...

History

Okay, Invidiosus was formed in 2006 and have since gone through 23 members. That's insane, but that can only mean one thing. The guys are perfectionists. And the result is not at all bad. The proof, they just released an EP named "The Heterotrophic Harvest", which sounds so good.

Why so good?

Because the first song off the EP starts like any other metal song. And it puts you in the mood straightaway. The riffs kind of reminds me of early Machine Head.

But when the second song kicks in, you know its a no bullshit death metal band. And you're in for a wicked ride. The songs are fast when they need to be, and slow when they need to be. The vocals are really a work of art. Shrieks, growls, low growls, lower growls, raspy it's all there.

Really, this band is one fine piece of metal. For a 3 year old band, they really kick some serious butt.



How they sound live?
Surreal. That's one word and that is that. That band has shared the stage with a million bands. They have gathered so much experience.

Worth the buck?

You guessed it, yeah they are. These guys are doing gigs all the time. And right now, they are on tour selling tickets at $5. Save 2 Big Macs and you got an amazing life-changing metal concert ticket.

What now?

Since I don't have any of their mercs to sell you, I'd really encourage you to head over to the Invidiosus myspace page. The page has got all the resources concerning the band. You may also listen to their latest songs for free (ICYDN).

Before I begin with this review, I should give you a brief intro on the band. The Way Out Is Through (TWOIT) is a new band. They are young, they are fresh and so is their music. They are from Worcester (Massachussetts) and they just released their LP, which goes by the name of "Bandages". The guys are by no means huge rock stars, but their music is true and honest.

The first song off the album is called Endorphin. And it starts aggressively, with distorted guitars and thumping bass. But then, it all stops. And the verse kicks in. The guitars get all melodic and calm. The singer, Hudson Eakin, is almost whispering at this point. I really like how this part sounds dreamy. The melodic tone set in here is amazing. There is also a very nice transition when this calm verse transforms into a distorted chorus with Hudson screaming at the top of his lungs. This song sets the tone of the album which is not straight metal or straight mellow. It's a combination of both. And the song ends nicely... With an outro solo. Man, I love outro solos.

Second song, Source of strength, starts off with a bluesy guitar riff. Hudson abandons the clear voice for a more raspy voice here. Change welcomed, sir. This song has got some nice musical parts. The drums (Sean Corbett, Esteban Garcia) get along well with the guitars (Zach Shaw and Andy Renard) while the bass (Dan Gilbert) delivers an awesome tone.

On to the next, Necronomicon. This song reminds me of early Suicidal Tendencies. It's amazing how TWOIT manages to play so many different styles. This song has some wicked screams coming in at 01:55. Nicely done. The chorus on that song is actually pretty catchy.


Ain't that good lyrics? Anyway we move on to the next song. It's called Don't care and it reminds me of early rap metal. It's actually more metal than rap. And I think its better this way. Hudson delivers some very nice vocal performance on this track.

My best shot, fifth song, starts calm. When you hear this song start, it feels so right. You know this song is going to be a hit. And I think it will. Why? Because there's some nice singing on the verse and some nice screaming on the chorus. Yeah baby, that's how we roll. It's even got a nice ending. This song is very strong. To me it's their best shot.

Sixth song, 1900, starts melodic. With Hudson's creepy cool voice over it. The voice reminds me of David Gilmour on that track. The song is very calm, but at halfway through, the drums and guitars go berserk, but the voice goes only a little bit faster. This delivers a special feel which makes the song different.

Surprise, there's a bonus track. The song has some kind of instrumental music which rap vocals. TWOIT once again nails it here. Their rap reminds me of Machine Head's rap metal period. It's the only kind of rap I can listen to.


So to end this here, I must say that this is a strong album from TWOIT. This band has got talent. They have a nice base to build up on. They are young and if they continue progressing, they'll make it far. Very far.

You can read more on the band on their official blog (free copy of the album to be had there). You can also head to their myspace page to listen to their songs online. And lastly you can scroll down and buy their albums from Amazon.

Buy The Way Out Is Through (TWOIT) - Bandages material

Recently, I headed over to the Roadrunner Record website to satisfy my thirst of pure brutal metal. And surprise, surprise, I stumble upon a very different kind band. And I like it. The band was formed in 2004 according to Wikipedia. They are from New Jearsey and they do a kind of music that was thought to be dead in the past years... Rock.

Before, I go all technical over their style, let me just introduce the band. They are called The Parlor Mob and they just released an album called And you were a crow. Actually the album has been released digitally only.


Old pic, isn't it? No it's not. You see these guys bring you back to the 80s rock era. The Guns and Roses and Jane's Addiction era. If you liked those bands, you will love The Parlor Mob. They sound very much like the 80s rock bands. Very retro, but they manage to not sound shit. I mean they do not sound like they are playing old songs on a modern amp. The quality of the record is up to par with modern albums, and yet they manage to sound "vintage". Believe me, that's not an easy task.

Musically, And you were a crow is a great album. The riffs sound like they come from the past, but never cliche. The vocals are sung high, but never annoying. The guitars sound great. And the guitar solos are damn fine. In fact , you can tell the guitarists are completely at ease with what they are playing. The drums merge well with the songs. Its not Machine Head drumming, but it still kicks some serious ass. Strong album we have here. I like it.

I haven't youtubed those guys yet. But I heard they are awesome live. They are compeltely in the 80s era. Abusing instruments, head tossing (head banging is for metal. haha) and running around the stage. This what rock is about. Yeah baby!

Okay now for the review. The album starts with the song Hard times. The song really sets the mood. We are in the early 80s. The song is perfect for an intro to such an album. The riffs are awesome. And Mark Melicia really shows his vocal talents here. There are almost spoken passages, sung ones, screamt ones. The guy is good.

The next, Dead Wrong song begins with a galloping riff. This is very common in thrash metal. But early rock had it too. Again the song is beautifully built. Never boring. I love transitions in songs. Not as in progressive metal, just simple transitions. I love the guitar part at 2.15.

Third song, Everything You're Breathing For is a masterpiece. Its almost like an 80s song. Actually, the song is so popular that the guys have recorded an acoustic version of it. The song is kind of slow with verses sung over a picking riff. But at the chorus, the guitars are unleashed. There's even a "stacato" part. Like in Freebird by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I'm sure you know what I am talking about. Anyway I really like the way the song is sung. Reminds me of K-DST radio on GTA San Andreas.

The Kids is the next song. I love the way Mark Melicia yells "the kids ain't all right". At least this is what I heard, can't verify cause there's no full the parlor mob lyrics to be found on the net yet.

The next song, When I Was An Orphan, is also slow. With an acoustic guitar playing behind. The vocals are simply amazing. You can feel the elasticity of the singers vocal cords. Its is beautifully sung. Take this James Blunt.

On to the next. Angry Young Girl is another calm song. This album has a lot of calm songs. But they are nicely built. Most slow, calm songs tend to be boring because they are just made up under the shower. This one ain't.

Seventh track of the album is Carnival of Crows. Here the album is back on the fast track. Yes this a fast one. The song building is top notch again. The riffs are faster than in most other songs and a solo kicks in at 2.05.

Real Hard Headed comes next. "Cause I'm rude, real hard headed" says singer. The song is rather calm during the verses, but it rocks hard during the choruses, almost epic at times. There's a harmonica part which melds nicely with the rest of the song. 2.45, a solo kicks in. Its long, with vocals sung over it at times. Almost like Pearl Jam solos.

Next song is Tide of Tears. And the song starts with a rather creepy sounding arpreggio, building up to a chorus, but then getting back to the creepy part just when you would want it to break loose. The guys have got great song writing skills. It can't be denied. There are various nice licks and solos throughout the song. The song is 8 minutes long but never you feel bored, thanks to that. The solos are an albsolute must to listen to. Nice trade-offs.

My Favorite Heart To Break is the 10th song on the album. The song has some nice musically challenging passages. The lyrics ain't bad too. "My favorite heart to break". We all have one, don't we?

On to the next, Bullet is a good song. The lyrics are really screamt. And the guitars are aggressive. I love the way the song is aggresive, but has some very melodic licks played over. I can't say it enough, this is so 80 era rock. I really like how the interlude seems to be from a completely different song. You should really listen to understand that.

Last song, Can't Keep No Good Boy Down. The song starts with an acoustic guitar. You can hear people talking and beers chugging. And when the lyrics go "there's no turning back", everyone sings it. It kind of reminds me of country songs. It's even got people clapping in the background. Typical of country songs. The song is a great way to end an album.

Now that the review is done, I'd like to share something I read about the band.
The Aquarian Weekly, a New Jersey based newspaper, said "Basically, now is the time to go see them and say later on, 'Yea, you know, I saw them back before they took over the world,' because that's the way things are heading.".

This is funny but it might be true. I think it is. The album is just out and there are a lot of cover versions all around the net. I've even saw tabs of their songs. So people, I leave you now, but do listen to the previews of the album from Amazon.com (see top of post).

Buy The parlor mob - And you were a crow material

In times of peace, we must prepare for war. In times of war, we must prepare for peace...

This is the opening lines of Declaration, the first song on Machine Head's 4th album.. Supercharger. The song has weird noises in the background and at first listening you're like what the hell happened to my Discman (cause that's what was totally in at that time). But then the second track kicks in. And when it does, you're gonna think that this time the Discman is really gone because the intro to that song is like cacophony..

But worry not, its just the intro to Bulldozer. The song gives out a real positive vibe. Its not the most trashy stuff I've ever put my ears to, but I'm sure there's been loads of injuries in the moshpit of that song. The verse is very calm and Robb's voice is very soothing. And the chorus is angry, real angry. Good build up and good climax.

Next song, White-Knuckle Blackout!. I really like this song. Sounds melodic to me. And the part where Robb goes "Focusing closer, releasing the feeaaaaaarr" is awesome. This song's got very nice pieces of lyrics.
Witty, huh?? You also hear a kind of drill in the back. You just got to hear that..

Crashing Around You comes next. Machine Head made a video for that song. I think its the only song to have a video on that album. Its a great song. Its not very fast and trashy, but its got its own kind of thing to it. At 3.12 the song gives way to another great song on that album. Its called Kick You When You're Down and its description comes right up...


The song has a unique structure. Its verse has got fast drumming, berserk riffs and rapping vocals. Unique right? But the best part is the chorus. Where Robb sings, no wait he's more like whispering "Cause they will always kick you when you're down". Each time he adds a new line to the chorus. And the riff on the chorus is a lick with some effects (including wah and flanger).

Track no. 6 is Only The Names. And this song gives me creeps.. The song is about addiction. When I listened to this song the first time, I was like "I'll never take drugs". Okay, maybe I was young and naive, but the song sends a chill down my spine. Its a slow song, but its beautifully done. There is a guitar solo at the end. Its not epic its apocalyptic... :S


Supercharger is a great album. Its got all types of songs. And the way the songs are arranged is great. Some people say that this is Machine Head's worse album, but to me it isn't. Its near nu-metal. Its got all the characteristics of a great nu-metal album, but it isn't. Because when you hear these guys, you know that they are not the common boys band singing metal. You know that these guys are worth more complex guitar and drumming.

Next up is All In Your Head, which rebuilds up the speed. Its very rappy and the chorus has the Machine Head trademark harmonics. Great vibe on that song. The riffs are simple, but the song still manages to impress. I know people that liked this song best on the whole album. This used to be my favorite song on that album, during High School. The message from that song is also very bright.

"You can't see the things that make your happiness go away, well I can. It's all in your head"

I'll let you digest.

Next up is American High. This song is the story of the typical American kid getting drunk and being a loser because his home is messed up. The kid compensates by starting a band. The song has got a lot of rapping. And, maybe you wouldn't believe, its got lots of humor.

Buy Machine head - Supercharger material