NYS Music 20​14

Tag: New Album

  • Unearth Brings Metal Mastery with ‘Watchers of Rule’

    Unearth has remained present in the metal landscape for over fifteen years. This has everything to do with their work ethic, constant touring, and producing quality albums for that entire time. Their newest record, Watchers of Rule, is another incredible heavy masterpiece from this band that has consistently kept metalcore music heavy as ever.

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    The forty-second intro works as a bridge, dragging the listener to the top of the mountain to prepare them for the first single from the album, “The Swarm”. This track launches itself from high above the already lofty expectations from such a talented band. Incredible double guitar attacks revel in their technical prowess, but never get lost; the beautiful chaos bleeds seamlessly into crushing breakdowns with unwavering double bass drum beats. Metal at it’s best keeps the listener entertained, and Unearth does that to perfection on this record.

    There are also more straightforward genre songs. “Lifetime in Ruins” is a great example of a well-worn groove with an unshakeable rhythm section, but it delivers exactly what it sets out to achieve. The nice thing about a record like this, is that you go into it believing you will get a specific type of heavy metal, and Unearth never deviates from that plan. They sing about the oncoming assault of Hell with dragons and demons laying waste to kings and their kingdoms, heavy with metaphors on life and personal experience. Their music reflects those sentiments as well, never falling away from the metalcore ethos they have carved out throughout their career. This record is a culmination of everything they have achieved thus far, and where they plan to go.

    With Mark Lewis at the helm, producing and engineering this project, it has the polished feel of a well crafted record. He has worked with DevilDriver, Whitechapel, Deicide and many more, most recently producing Cannibal Corpse’s new record, A Skeletal Domain. (check out our review of that record here.) The vocals, done by up to three other members with Trevor Phipps taking lead, sit perfectly in the middle of the audio onslaught. Heavy music of this calibre is so vital in the metal scene because poorly produced metal albums lose so much of what was put into them. This record shines through and gives the listener a true representation of everything that happens between the five musicians. It will be interesting to see these songs performed live as the band prepares to embark on their next tour.

    unearth
    Tour starts October 13.

    “Guards of Contagion” is a track that allows the whole band to bring all their tricks to the table, with unstoppable guitars blending into a heavy, sludge-riddled low-end, and vocals that eat at your core. The title track is the bookend to a record that doesn’t pull punches, and remains true to its core from the first song to the last. Just when you think you are sufficiently destroyed by all this record has to offer, “Watchers of Rule” brings everything even higher.

    “They aim to save the world” the song explains, and Unearth just might achieve that with such a generous offering of brutally infectious metal. The intense precision permeates each song, but many tracks are rooted in heavy groove metal, making it impossible to keep still while listening. This record should come with a disclaimer: Listen at your own risk, for your body will not be able to stop moving. You will sing along, you will bang your head, and if you listen to this in your car, you will speed.

    Key tracks: The Swarm, Guards of Contagion, Burial Lines, Never Cease

    Watchers of Rule will be available from eOne Music on Oct. 27. You can pre-order the album and special merchandise here.

    If you’re in the Upstate area and looking to catch these guys live, the band will be playing a show at Montage Music Hall in Rochester on Friday, Oct. 17. Opening the night will be Darkest Hour, Carnifex, Origin, I, The Breather, Black Crown Initiate, and local support from Order of the Dead. Tickets can be purchased here for $22 and the show starts at 7pm.

  • Hearing Aide: Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey ‘Worker’

    Worker, the new album from Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and the twenty-sixth in the band’s twentieth year features a return to a trio lineup that explores new material in the band’s original format. Guitarist Chris Combs reflects on the revised lineup, saying “Much of the first large-level success the band saw was as a trio, and for the 20th anniversary of the band, we worked up a set of older material to celebrate that anniversary – a lot of which was from that trio era.” On Worker, many tracks have one sub-layer keeping a beat – and to keep things fresh, it’s not always talented drummer Josh Raymer – that the other instruments build off of, giving a base-level for listeners to jump in at, rather than being overwhelmed by the not-for-amateurs deconstructed jazz that plays over the top of this layer.

    Founding member Brian Haas shares that the music on Worker, “It’s influenced by jazz, but it’s not jazz”, a fitting description as identifying this album as jazz would be like nailing jello to a wall and expecting it to stick.

    Opening with “New Bird”, video game blips appear inside a floating frame, a gentle easing into the album. “Appropriation Song” could serve as the soundtrack to a Contra video game, where as the song progresses you can picture a shift into the jungle, meeting the level boss and the hero dying in a hail of 8-bit bullets. “Betamax”, a highlight of the album, features a slow uphill climb with some underlying funk, followed by “Hey Hey NSA”, with an appropriately creepy intro that is at first trancey then gets weird.

    Big Gigantic meets Marco Benevento in “Say Nothing”, a flair of acid jazz where the trio shines brightest, locked in step. “Bounce” could double as a horror-film score amid Combs’ superb guitar work. “Let Yourself Out” brings things down a notch with placid jazz for the first half of the song, then as Haas slowly turns things up on synth for a redirection of the composition, a curveball sends things into ludicrous speed, only brought back to earth by “Mesa”, a wind chimes interlude.  “Better Living Through Competitive Spirituality” uniquely features a Schoenhut toy piano that takes center stage while Haas’ synth keeps a steady melody over Josh Raymer’s drumming.

    JFJO has quite a gem with Worker, an accessible jazz-influenced album from the reformed trio. Just don’t call it a jazz album.

    Key Tracks: Betamax, Say Nothing, Bounce

    Upcoming shows in the Northeast include Nov. 13 at The Lily Pad in Cambridge, MA – tickets/info, Nov. 14 at The Zinc Bar in NYC (w/Jamie Saft’s New Zion Trio) – tickets/info, and Nov. 15 at Radio Bean in Burlington, VT – tickets/info.

    JFJO Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

    Order the LP & CD or download Digitally

  • Hearing Aide: Rings of Saturn ‘Lugal Ki En’

    lugalkienAhead of release, California death metal band Rings of Saturn are streaming their third full length album via YouTube, Lugal Ki En. Which translates in Ancient Sumerian Cuneiform to “King of the Earthlings, Lord of the Cosmic World,” according to guitarist and founding member Lucas Mann. The album does not sound much different from their last effort, Dingr, in most cases. However, this time around, there have been multiple claims surfacing of “unrealistic editing” — that is, the band, and mostly guitarist Lucas Mann have been accused of altering their parts in the studio if they cannot be played, such as speeding up tracks, over-triggering drums, and so forth.

    Whether these claims are true or not is basically pointless. The most important aspects of this album are its writing and how it sounds, not whether it can be repeated live. Overall, it is at best a fun listen, but nothing about it is truly unique. The guitar work is fast, as are the drums, and the vocals are brutal. Fans of death metal band Thy Art is Murder or Suicide Silence (the last track on Lugal En Ki is a cover of Suicide Silence’s “No Pity for a Coward”) will enjoy the rhythm while Jeff Loomis fans may enjoy the style of leads that the band pulls: extremely fast runs with no holding back. Overall, Lugal Ki En is a semi-solid effort, but it’s nothing more than a rehashing of many other deathcore albums. It’s part of the modern trend, aside from a few unique moments.

    Looking at the musical aspects alone, we see an album that is composed of the same thing every other deathcore band pulls: low, cutting triplets, with the same note played over and over. Guitar leads possibly reach a level of annoying. Guitarists Lucas Mann and Joel Omans have actually gone beyond the call of duty to play as many possible notes within one measure without giving any regard to what they are actually playing.

    The two exceptions to this rule are the third track, “Lalassu Xul,” which features dissonance, unique chord changes, and new ideas on the face of deathcore. Rather than swarming the listener with “breakdowns” the band has elected to write a strange song which features multiple changes, acoustic guitars, and quite the ambiance. If more songs on the album contained this level of experimentation, Lugal Ki En would be more than just a shallow idea, and certainly listenable more than just three or four times.

    Also fitting this profile, we see the eleventh track, “The Heavens Have Fallen”. The instrumental features the same level of experimentation and includes heavy use of piano, samples, and keeps the listener the whole way through.

    Unfortunately, these are the high points of the album. Aside from the fact that Rings of Saturn’s lineup has changed twice almost every album, if not more, the current musicians display a lack of interest in their work. Most of it is simply mediocre. For more reference, we’ll look at the vocals of the album. Vocalist Ian Bearer sounds just like many other deathcore vocalists, especially Mitch Lucker (deceased vocalist of Suicide Silence). Further, his words are unintelligible and those which can be understood, or read from a lyric booklet, are written weakly and display a general lack of character. The vocals amount to sludge and the lyrics amount to cartoon violence.

    Rings of Saturn would be wise to think about keeping the same lineup for more than one album, and try putting some effort in. If Rings of Saturn were trying to make a joke, they hit the nail on the head. If not, they’ve made another mediocre album with just enough catchy riffs to slide by with a C minus. Regardless, we give this one a failing grade.

    Key Tracks: Lalassu Xul, Godless Times, Senseless Massacre

    The album can be ordered on iTunes and the band’s official merch store.

  • Hearing Aide: Better By Morning ‘You Say’

    YouSayArtBetter By Morning is the creation of Jake Brooks (vocals, guitar, bass, keys) and Johnny Gravitt (Lead and rhythm guitar), they’ve released their first EP You Say. It’s aptly titled as many listeners will have much to say after hearing this.

    Joining them on this EP are Roy Stein on drums of, My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries and Johnny Cummings, organ on tracks 1 & 3, also a member of My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries, their live performances feature Bradley Paquet (bass) and Kyle Squires (drums). Stein and Cummings come to the band through Nazareth College where Brooks is a student and Stein a Professor and Director of the Music/Business program, quite the interesting combination. Stein was enlisted to help finish the EP after their previous drummer departed and the multitalented Cummings was introduced to the equation by Stein. Together they’ve created a frankly stunning first release, bolstered by the nimble ears and fingers of Cody Niver at CGI Studios in Ontario, N.Y. and Tim Lynch at The Recording Company, Albany, N.Y. Track 2 was mastered by Joe LaPorta at Sterling Sound and the balance by Cody Niver at CGI Studio. Deftly talented artists’ each, the end result is even, yet dynamic with an underlying impulse for a number 11 on the volume knob.

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    If you have any knowledge (and you should) of Stein and Cumming’s work in their bands My Plastic Sun and Jet Black Berries, you’ll know these are two of the most remarkably talented individuals working from the Rochester area. To have them participate and speak as highly of Brooks as they do says volumes of what is in store from Better By Morning. Like Cummings, Brooks is a multi-instrumental talent, his voice is both commanding and sensitive, its depth belies his age. The band hails from lovely Saratoga Springs, N.Y., so having surroundings that inspire are certainly falling in their favor. The strength of his musical partnership with Gravitt is clearly evident and they’ve set a high bar for themselves. The hallmark of great pop and rock are big guitars, Gravitt provides the needed licks to accentuate and power the sweet melodies. Better By Morning has implied that planning for another EP is already in the works, but that’s for later, let’s get right to their current offering.

    While they’ve chosen “alternative” as the box to click genre wise, the songwriting duo of Brooks/Gravitt prove it’s much more than that with their lyrical and musical flexibility that conjures the energy of an early U2 with Coldplay intellect and diversity. The opener “Bird Won’t Fly” really lays it out there with a solid hook, soaring vocals and a driving rhythm, immediately listenable and repeatable. “Sell” has a Franz Ferdinand feel, the syncopated guitar and layered harmonies rise and fall into the breathy verses.

    “Hearts” is pure melodic power-pop in spades, it hits on every cylinder from the call and respond vocal to the rich instrumentation. The mix is so even that the bass pushes the melody line while the drums pacing is bright and on top of it, swelling with the guitar and urging the emotive delivery from Brooks. Very dynamic and well-engineered. “Pages” sounds like the built-in single, the catchy guitar riff, the easily assessable lyric, it pushes, bounces and urges motion within the listener. Trademark stuff for well-hewn power-pop.

    The closer, “Change Your Mind” gives Gravitt a chance to really cut it loose and get outside of the box a little. While his subtlety throughout the earlier songs is within the formula and fitting, there’s always space and frankly need, for that signature riff. I’d like to hear more of it. The restraint demonstrated by each player throughout is admirable, they obviously have the chops to run-over each other trying to grab the limelight. It shows a great deal of maturity and thoughtfulness to avoid that trap and work as a cohesive unit.

    Key Tracks: Sell, Pages, Change Your Mind

    I believe there is a ton of room for growth with Better By Morning, I also believe that there is another personality they take on when they play live. They’ve just announced an opportunity to see just that at Bug Jar in Rochester on November 11. Details on the show and their EP are available at their many social media and internet outlets, their website, facebook, twitter

    Buy their EP at itunes and cdbaby

  • Hearing Aide: Sixx A.M. ‘Modern Vintage’

    sixxammodernvintagecdnewSixx A.M. released their third full-length album Modern Vintage on October 7 and has struck lightening once again.  What makes this Eleven Seven Music released album even more intriguing than the previous two releases, is that this marks the first time that Nikki Sixx, James Michael, and D.J. Ashba have written an album without using a Nikki Sixx novel as source material.

    Opening track “Stars” has brilliant guitar work while “Gotta Get It Right” song sounds like something Queen would write.  This album fully shows off the kind of music that influenced them. The songs seem a lot shorter than songs off their previous releases. It’s definitely a step in a different direction. The material isn’t as heavy as the other two releases, but by no means lacks energy in the songs.

    “Get Ya Some” is a nice change of pace with the acoustic guitar, then “Let’s Go” cranks things real loud really showcasing the band’s depth. James Michael’s vocals throughout the album are absolute gold. He has such an Elton John flavor with a touch of 90’s alternative to his voice that really makes this band really stand out among other hard rock bands. Sixx A.M. is not just riding high because of the name. The band has real talent.

    It was recently revealed current Black Label Society drummer Jeff Fab laid down the drums for this album and will be playing behind the kit for the live shows.

    Midway through the album, Sixx A.M. goes into a power ballad with “Drive” before going into the Motley Crue like “Give Me A Love” which is also a catchy tune. Going into the end of the album, “Miracle” is clearly a nod to the eighties, while closing track “Before It’s Over” ends the album on a rather strange note.

    Overall, a solid release from Sixx A.M. A departure from the previous two releases, however, Sixx A.M. is here to stay. I would expect after Motley Crue wraps up their farewell tour, Nikki Sixx will make Sixx A.M. his full-time gig, And I would imagine D.J. Ashba will have plenty time off with Guns N’ Roses to be a part of it.

    You can purchase the album here.

    Key Tracks: Stars, Get Ya Some, Let’s Go

  • Punk Legend Billy Idol Announces Album, Tour and Autobiography

    Punk rock legend Billy Idol has released January and February dates for the latest leg of his world tour supporting “Kings & Queens Of The Underground” that begins in Europe next month. Tickets for these tour dates in Canada and The U.S.  go on sale Friday, October 10 on the heels of the release of his self-penned autobiography, Dancing With Myself on October 7.

    Billy Idol tour

    Idol’s new album, his first in nearly ten years, hits the shelves on October 21 and is garnering pre-release raves for the single, “Can”t Break Me Down”, including from USA Today: “With its punkish drive, sneering vocals and roaring Steve Stevens guitar, ‘Can’t Break Me Down’ could have made a great follow-up to latter-day Idol hits.” Produced by Trevor Horn (with two tracks co-written and produced by multiple Grammy nominee Greg Kurstin) the anthemic lead single can be heard below.

    Idol will appear on NBC-TV’s Today Show on October 7 and the Howard Stern Show on Wednesday, October 8. The following day, Thursday, October 9, Idol will be interviewed live on stage as the keynote event of the 2014 CBGB Music and Film Festival in New York City.

    BItunnel

    Welcome back Billy, get out there and bust some balls!

    Billy Idol Winter 2015 U.S. Tour dates:
    January 21: House Of Blues, New Orleans, LA
    January 22, The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
    January 24: Tower Theatre, Upper Darby, PA
    January 25: Lincoln Theatre, Washington, DC
    January 28: Beacon Theatre, New York, NY
    January 31: Orpheum Theatre, Boston, MA
    February 3: Metropolis, Montreal, QC
    February 4: Massey Hall, Toronto, ON
    February 7: Riviera Theatre, Chicago, IL
    February 9: Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
    February 12: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver, BC
    February 13: Paramount Theatre, Seattle, WA
    February 15: The Fox Theatre, Oakland, CA
    February 18: The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA

  • Hearing Aide: Ocupanther’s Third Album, ‘Data Stretching’

    ocupanther-data-stretchingTo mark the first day of autumn, Ocupanther released their third album, Data Stretching, showing a conscious evolution from last year’s release, Progressor, while continuing to hammer down a focused sound. Overall the record might fit into generalized categories like “dance”, “progressive” or “fusion”. But really, the excellence of Data Stretching comes in the details – the careful blending of seemingly unrelated influences, and a perfect balance of organic vs electronic – resulting in a danceable, intelligent record from start to finish.

    Data Stretching‘s opening track, “Obtuse Snoot”, is perhaps the perfect calling for the album; patently danceable, featuring disco-staccato guitars drifting to washed out wah-funk, hold steady bass and tight-pocket drumming. The changes are inconspicuous but occur frequently, offering good variation without stopping the groove. This notion carries into albums second track, “III E III”, which is more subdued but equally as locomotive. The bass is swampy and warm, with guitar parts piercing through the darkness. For an album with such a big, full sound (arguably the fullest Ocupanther sound to date), Data Stretching does an exceptional job varying between minimalist components. This sentiment is exemplified on “III E III” as well as later on the album with “Yerkrewrun”, a meditative, calming song balanced equally with blues guitars licks. “Treat Me Like A Telescope” is another great example of such a balance, with strong electronic undertones and masterful weaving guitar lines that scream classic rock-n-roll.

    All descriptors and classifications aside, what really defines an albums success is listenability and feel – two categories where Data Stretching scores an “A”. This record would be just as good alone in your car as it would at a house party. The variations in mood throughout the record are enough to keep the listener engaged without forcing feel-good vibes or lingering too long in the dark. This balance, along with the balance of genres and styles, appears to be the recipe for success. Fans of the New Deal to LCD Soundsystem to Maserati and everything in between will surely lock into this album, as will anyone who has traveled long highways for music. Ocupanther cut their teeth on the road, after all, and much of the album serves a perfect soundtrack for a roadtrip to and from a show with a carful of friends.

    Ocupanther will be supporting Data Stretching in the Upstate area over the next two months, playing alongside notable acts such as Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The New Mastersounds, and super-group Electron. A complete list of tour dates and additional information can be found at: Ocupanther.com or on Facebook.

    Key Tracks: III E III, Treat Me Like A Telescope, The Great Oxygenation

  • Hearing Aide: Marco Benevento ‘Swift’

    swift-coverAdding another instrument to a band is always a hard choice, but when it works out so well, the band and its’ fans embrace it forever. On his new album Swift, Marco Benevento has done just this, except the instrument he added is his own voice. Not one known for singing, Benevento sprinkled his voice all over Swift and it works great. Opening track “At The Show” has been played live for about a year and it is finally nice to hear the studio version. His voice adds character to a song that was already a great one from the wizard of the keyboards. Benevento explains. “I’m surprised it took me this long to sing, but growing older, getting into music by The Band and James Booker and the Grateful Dead, the singing door has opened. It’s a new instrument.” 

    Andy Borger and Dave Dreiwitz, on drums and bass respectively, are not hidden by the new instrument on the scene either. They are an integral part of what makes Marco’s music so special. Borger’s drums are heavy throughout the record, constantly driving each song forward while Dreiwitz’s bass dances right along with Benevento’s keys and lyrics, keeping them honest. “Eye to Eye” is a slowed down hazy dream that you get lost in immediately and feels longer than the four minutes that it is listed as. For fans of jamming, “Coyote Hearing” is a blissful jam, creeping closer to craziness the longer the track goes. This song is sure to thrive in a live setting with the beautiful work on the keys from Benevento, the thumping bass from Dreiwitz, and Borger’s impeccable drum work.

    On “The Saint” an evil bass line pushes everyone else to go down the path of full on rock and roll and should be another one that thrives in the live setting. Album closer “Free Us All” is one that will be one of the tracks you find yourself listening to and clapping along with it. The song is sure to get stuck in your head. The vocals shine on this one with Marco belting out “Why don’t you free us all?”, over and over. Swift is new territory for the band and it should come as no surprise that these great musicians thrive on it. The band is going to be touring the country behind the album and make a stop in New York early in the tour with album release parties in New York City on Sept. 16 and 17, and a stop at Kingston’s BSP on Sept. 26. Grab the album before going the show though so you can learn the words and sing along with Marco; I’m sure he’d love it.

    Key Tracks: At The Show, Coyote Hearing, The Saint, Free Us All

  • Hearing Aide: Mary Fahl ‘Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House’

    Mary Fahl has released a two cd live performance, Mary Fahl Live at The Mauch Chunk Opera House. Recorded at The Mauch Chunk Opera House in Jim Thorpe, Pa., as a follow-up to her 2013 cd Love & Gravity and a precursor to several upcoming live dates including a performance at Syracuse’s Red House on Oct. 4. Her concert at The Mauch Chunk Opera House was filmed for PBS and is scheduled to air this fall nationwide. Fahl’s musical history is highlighted as a founding member of October Project and her critically acclaimed solo career is growing exponentially through live performances.

    mary fahlThis concert features CNY’s premier multi-instrumentalist, music director, arranger and producer, Mark Doyle (acoustic + electric guitars, grand piano, vocals), along with Edgar Pagan (bass), Bill DiCosimo (keyboards), Joshua Dekaney (percussion) of Syracuse’s “Grupo Pagan” and John Lissauer (piano) accompanying Fahl (acoustic guitar, vocals). Recorded by Andrew Roberts of Purple Audio on Sept. 7, 2013, engineered and mixed by Leonard Hospidor, this 24 track offering includes Fahl originals, October Project material, a taste of her re-imaging of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of The Moon” she self-released in 2011 as “From The Dark Side Of The Moon”, along with some extremely well-chosen covers.

    Of note is how the Fahl/Doyle collaboration happened. In 2005, David Werner, longtime friend and former band mate of Doyle, approached him about re-doing a classic album in its entirety with Fahl in mind. Werner would produce, Doyle would co-produce, engineer, as well as play most of the instruments with Fahl vocalizing the rest.

    After meeting Fahl, they agreed to try one song, then decide on the completion of the project. They recorded “Us and Them” in October ’05 at Doyle’s studio in Syracuse, the same starting point Pink Floyd had. A similar magic happened, culminating in the full recording happening, during the summer of ’06. Having to prove the recording could be re-produced live to receive their contract, Fahl and Doyle presented the project in concert to V2 Records. V2 signed them, gave a budget, the recording was finished and sent to legendary mixologist Bob Clearmountain. The label promptly folded a week before the project’s release and it was shelved until Fahl self-released it in 2011. This cd is absolutely worthy of a listen by anyone affected by the themes, history and magnitude of Pink Floyd’s masterwork. It is indeed a re-imaging. This was the beginning of an amazing musical relationship between artists Fahl and Doyle, which continues today.

    mary fahlNow, on with this most current release.

    At first breath it may seem easy to pigeon-hole Fahl’s voice, she’s another Joni, Joan, Judy or Sarah, but there’s something more there. From the first song, “Deep As You Go”, when she sings, “Don’t save me – Don’t lose me – Don’t wake me now – You let me – You release me – Let me drown – Take me down – Take me down” you know she’s coming from a place very deep in her soul. This, being an early ’90s October Project song, should also bring knowledge of how long her road has been to this point in her career.

    While firmly planted in the singer/songwriter category, her voice, whether performing originals or songs written for her, is magnified fronting a full band. Especially when that band is under direction from someone whose skills are so deft and subtle as Doyle’s. They’re so perfectly complimentary that her stories rise and fall emotionally without contrast from the accompaniment. Instead, they’re enhanced and taken to another level. Not the simplest task or for the faint of heart, even Doyle’s backing vocals provide depth, counterpoint and richness as if he was in fact the protagonist without taking that spotlight.

    Fahl’s ability and range give her the flexibility to take on a wide range of expression not available to most singers. One of the most dramatic examples is the three-song medley from Dark Side as she voices instruments and verbalizes with a breath of Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention or Clannad. At moments the Celtic feel echoes a little Sinead O’Connor to me, but that may well be the depth of emotion she carries in her instrument and that alone speaks volumes for Ms. Fahl’s talent.

    “Coming Home” opens the second disc and was used in the Civil War movie “Gods and Generals”, it’s appropriately deep and fitting for a movie of this context. I would be remiss not to mention the skills of Julie Flanders and Emil Adler, the credited songwriters from October Project who had an uncanny ability to write with Fahl’s voice in mind. They consistently nailed it. “Bury My Lovely” is another great example of this. Her reading of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” is close enough to the box to be a homage and drifts far enough to accentuate the difference. Her rich contralto ranges freely from dark to light, breathy and rich, railing against category into individuality.

    Fahl’s own compositions fall directly from her heart and the subject matter is reflective of this. I suppose this could be construed as ordinary from a singer/songwriter, but the difference comes through in the depth of her emotion and her ability to express them without over-personalization or false dramatization. She flexes her writing with “Exiles”, the theme song for Anne Rice’s audiobook “The Wolves of Midwinter”, released last fall. Though she admonishes the previous “goddess of Goth” moniker, bestowed on her by the vampire movement in the October Project days, perhaps it paid-off a little. She surely can adapt to the darkness of the role, but does it as just another page in her novel of artistry through this song and does it well.

    Fahl’s emotional take on the traditional Irish tune “The Dawning of The Day” is her lyrical tribute to the fallen firefighters from 9-11 that was performed by Ronan Tynan at the re-dedication of the Seven World Trade Center in NY. It’s riveting and is followed artfully by “Meant To Be” with pianist John Lissauer sitting in. “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” may well be the poppiest song of the night with Doyle on call and response backing vocals, all hands on deck doing oohs and aahs, while Mary jumps into a bit of Flo and Eddie for good measure.

    “Be My Hero” is a fantastic closer that allows not only Fahl’s world-class voice to shine, but the band has space to cut loose with each individual finding a little place to rave-up the ending, especially Doyle ripping his signature Stratocaster to finish.

    The combination of musicianship, arrangement and delivery are far beyond anything I’ve heard recently. If only more musicians were this thorough in their preparation and execution, the life of rock and roll would surely be extended. This is the kind of release that can send an artist to world-wide exposure, something akin to “Frampton Comes Alive” in the sense that the audience knows the songs as the live album is being toured. This work and the people associated with it all deserve just that kind of acclaim. It’s my sincere hope they attain just that. Kudos!

    Key Tracks: Deep As You Go, Ben Aindi Habibi, Take Me As I Am

    Mary has a very nice series of solo and full band dates available on her website including a date at The Lestat Coronation Ball in New Orleans on October 31st. There she’ll highlight her work with Anne Rice, her song “Exiles: The Wolves Of Midwinter” was written for Ms. Rice’s audiobook, “The Wolves Of Midwinter” (check here for details).  Full band shows include a supremely intimate concert at Syracuse’s Red House on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at The Red House online, do not sleep on this 100 seat venue, it will sell-out quickly! Then at The Cutting Room in NYC on Nov. 15 and at “Concert For Epilepsy Awareness” at Trinity United Methodist Church in Ewing, NJ on Feb. 7, 2015.

    Follow her rise on Twitter and on FaceBook she’s a great follow!

  • Hearing Aide: The Contortionist ‘Language’

    Indianapolis based progressive metallers The Contortionist show with the third record, Language that when modern prog metal works, it’s great, but when it starts to falter, it can be cringe inducing. The band does a lot right on this album, but they fall into traps that many bands in their genre find themselves stuck in. Language has some incredible moments where melodies mix into beautiful arrangements but also has moments where the band sounds like they’re trying way too hard.

    The Contortionist LanguageThe introductory track on Language, “The Course,” shows off new singer Michael Lessard’s impressive vocal range with runs up and down the scale. But as the album wears on, I couldn’t stop but wonder if what I’m listening to would be better off without any vocals at all. The Contortionist do mix the very melodic clean style of Lessard’s voice with harsh screams of death metal singers which comes as a bit of a jarring experience when you first hear them (especially if you weren’t aware it was part of their sound). The problem is, despite the weird mix of elegant sounds being produced by guitarists Robby Baca and Cameron Maynard, bassist Jordan Eberhardt, keyboardist Eric Guenther, and drummer Joey Baca, it’s the harsh vocals that fit the best. The clean singing comes across as very over dramatic and at times takes away from the fantastic instrumentation.

    I don’t mean to keep harping on the vocals but I will say that the lyrics here absolutely distract from the band. They come off very pretentious like they were written in a fever after reading introductory philosophical texts. The Contortionist peers The Kindred also end up in this category but they know when to pull back on the reigns. The best example I can give of this is the fact that The Contortionist sing the phrase “ebb and flow” on four separate songs including one titled “Ebb and Flow”.

    The musical chops here are first-rate. These guys know how to play their instruments and are at the top of the heap when it comes to technical playing in progressive metal. The album from a musical standpoint is very well thought out and everything flows nicely into each other which is something I look for when listening to music like this. The counter of the atmospheric like melodies and very heavy distorted chugging by the guitars works well and plays off each other. They have the star/stop jittery time signature riffs that prog metal fans love. However, there is one big musical blunder on the record, the song “Integration” has a synth line that does not fit at all. So much so it’s like they put the wrong track in the mix when working on the album. It really takes you out of the listening experience.

    The Contortionist are a band still trying to figure out what they want to do. They have promise, that’s for sure. But it may take them another record or two to finally figure out what they need to do to push forward to the front of their genre. They have the talent to do it, but we’ll see if they can put it all together and create something truly special.

    Buy the album here