Regretting The Past: Nickelback – Silver Side Up
Everyone’s favorite Canadian punching bags are legitimate chart topping millionaires…but HOW?!
https://vimeo.com/124002818
Photos: BALANCE AND COMPOSURE
My photos of Balance and Composure. The band is on tour with Circa Survive. All photos were taken at Underbelly on 3-17-15.
Welcome to Rockville Returns!
Welcome to Rockville Returns!
http://welcometorockvillefestival.com/
For the past several years the proclaimed world’s loudest month has started each April in Jacksonville, FL. And even after city noise ordinances and local complaints, Florida’s largest city once again brings forth one of the biggest hard rock and metal festivals in the country.
On April 25 and 26, Jacksonville will host the two day rock haven spearheaded by Slipknot and featuring Godsmack, Korn, Slash, Miles Kennedy, Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Breaking Benjamin, The Pretty Reckless, In This Moment and MANY more. The only thing more impressive than the lineup, is that each year Monster Energy and Welcome to Rockville continue to outdo themselves and improve the quality of each show.
My first experience with Rockville was in 2013. The bands alternated between four stages at Metropolitan Park in downtown Jax and there was never a quiet moment or a single time where there was nothing to do. These Monster festivals such as Rock on The Range, Carolina Rebellion and Welcome to Rockville are proving that rock isn’t dead, despite what Gene Simmons has to say.
If you are on the fence…go. If you don’t have anyone to go with…go anyway. You will meet more than enough people with obvious similar interests. And although I may be biased, but the rock fan demographic is highlighted in the best way possible at this Florida festival. It quite literally is the bikini and body builder beach party turned metal.
With dozens of merchandise vendors and more Meet and Greets than you can possibly imagine, Welcome to Rockville is something to make a vacation out of. As crazy as it sounds to want to vacation to Jacksonville, there is finally a reason. Florida’s largest city suffers from not having a real identity, but once a year there is a weekend where everyone comes together and proves how much we want attention.
Tickets are still available as well as hotel options. Traveling to the park downtown is not difficult if driving and with the lineup this year and the past experiences of Rockville I’ve had, I can’t say enough positive things regarding the quality of this festival.
In the meantime, you can see some of my past photos of Rockville performances and interviews here = http://rockedreviews.net/tag/welcome-to-rockville/
You can also connect with the Rockvillains, a great Facebook group community, by clicking here = https://www.facebook.com/groups/WTRRockVillains/916824778362164/?notif_t=like
Album Review: AWOLNATION – Run
The second full album from Aaron Bruno and company. How will AWOLNATION deliver on the high expectations set by Megalithic Symphony?
https://vimeo.com/122276789
Text Review:
Aaron Bruno has captivated millions and put a groove in even more. Back in 2011, Megalithic Symphony did something that many alternative albums cannot do by keeping a shelf life on the best sellers list and having several singles with Sail, Burn It Down, Not Your Fault and Kill Your Heroes all getting consistent radio play.
Awolnation is a band that is so refreshing and rare that it’s hard to keep it in a short description. When Megalithic Symphony came out, it was an instant hypnosis while listening and almost felt sacriligeous to take it out of your car stereo. For many people, it’s still in that album holder in their front seat. It was one of the most memorable, well mixed, and artistically impressive new album in the alternative scene that anyone could ask for.
Fast forward roughly four years later, and the fans won over by live performances and singing along to Sail now have something to get excited about all over again. Run, the second album, is finally here. The only potential problem would be the monumental task of living up to the expectations of even capturing half of what their debut contained.
In an interview with radio.com, Bruno talked about making Run, stating:
“Just making a sophomore follow-up to this kind of freak first record success story—that was the hardest part. The fear I put on myself, the expectations. But aside of that overwhelming feeling, everything else was cool. Everybody let me make the record. There were no other opinions involved other than myself, the engineer I was working with and my closest friends around me…I’ve got to say it was incredible that I got to make this record with no one hearing it. That’s a rare thing today.”
I can honestly say that when I was sent the album and upon the first minute of listening, I knew Aaron Bruno and Awolnation were going to capture the same momentum just by listening to the opening title track.
Just hearing the electronic distortion and then the strings added with what it is to be a human being instantly grabs your attention by the throat. It’s hard to even move or breathe the first time you listen because you are so drawn into what you are about to dive into. When you finally hear the word “Run” and the volume picks up there is no turning back.
Back in January, the first single and video was presented with Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf). I first heard the song in AltNation, but it wasn’t until a month later that I saw the video. Whether you just hear the song or you are watching Bruno’s performance, it’s hard not to appreciate what you are hearing.
The lyrics and Bruno’s unique vocals make this song addicting. It’s one of the times where you want to look up the lyrics so you know exactly what to sing along with. The drums and the electronic rhythm don’t overshadow or outbalance anything, and this song is perfect as the first highlight of a new album.
While Megalithic Symphony had many moments of high energy and rhythm, Run features quite a few peaceful moments where everything gets very intimate and harmonious. Songs like Dreamers, Windows and Woman Woman all get your pulse raised, while songs like Headrest For My Soul and Drinking Lightning calm you down better than any bottle of Zzzquil ever could. In my opinion though, it’s when the groove and rhythm are featured and you can hear the change in volume go up that AWOLNATION shines.
It’s hard not to move when you hear Windows. The rhythm and hearing Bruno’s vocals in the chorus, and then hear a stark contrast in other phrases with “I can’t Believe This is Happening” that proves just how much passion and commitment there is here.
It is very difficult to find a fault here, especially when you know that this album took time to make, is mixed masterfully, wasn’t rushed, and it all came out of the same mind. It wasn’t a corporate product where an artist is forced to sing a certain way. Red Bull Records should be proud of what their name is associated with.
Once in a while you can tell that a band or artist has something original and creative. Something no one else can really touch. I think many people have felt that way about AWOLNATION for a while. For me, this album cements that idea.
Overall, if you in any way have enjoyed AWOLNATIONS past works, love good electronic alternative, or just want something good to put your money towards, then you need Awolnation’s album Run in your life.
10/10
Album Review: Future Leaders of The World – Reveal
After years of anticipation, the Future Leaders of The World “Reveal” what they have to bring in 2015. This is not a political statement. I promise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmuAqA-BYrQ
https://vimeo.com/121963220
Text Review:
You have to appreciate tenacity and continuing to produce what you love. While there are many bands who stay on the big stage for life and others who are a flash in the pan, there are also bands who always seem to be right on the verge of something special but still somehow can’t get noticed by a dominant audience.
Future Leaders of the World, also known as FLOW, definitely fits that description. This band has toured with names like Shinedown, Alter Bridge, Chevelle, Seether and has also garnered praise from big names like Eddie Vedder and Chester Bennington. Eddie Vedder even went as far as comparing lead singer Phil Taylor’s vocal ability as “a modern day Kurt Cobain.”
My first experience was way back in 2004, when FLOW single Let Me Out was featured as iTunes free single of the week. For an up and coming rock band to get that much attention on a public music software service is proof alone that the band is worth spotlighting.
It has been over ten years since then though. And after lineup changes, label changes, and several EPs, it begs the questions what can we expect from a now matured Phil Taylor and company. The first single Intoxicate was publicized heavily as the bands lead single and confirm that FLOW is as ambitious as ever.
It’s hard to explain why, but I can definitely understand why Eddie Vedder sees the comparison with the sound of Kurt Cobain’s vocals. It’s the delivery and raw emotion put into that chorus that makes everything stand out. The symbols keep a great rhythm and the guitarwork is straight out of the 90’s.
Rock like this is a standard that is not going to evaporate anytime soon. While many bands are going for synthesizers and effect pedals, there is a band like FLOW and songs like Intoxicate that prove it’s possible to make something memorable and catchy without the audio special effects. Before the song is over you feel like you want to sing along, and that is a good sign.
Lyrically, Reveal has many tracks that are descriptive and creative, but somehow still reminiscent of the early grunge era. Sons like Intoxicate and Sink or Swim have loud sing along choruses like Nirvana, and others like Wherever The Wind Blows and Rain remind me of the acoustic masterpieces of Days of The New and Candlebox.
Rain gives a totally different dynamic than Intoxicate but still feels like it belongs in the same album. I LOVE the vocal expression in the verses and the acoustics are gorgeous. This song, just like others, feel like they belong together.
Even though not every song is completely memorable, you can’t deny the talent showcased throughout Reveal. There is a pacing in this tracklist that almost demands a certain level of respect. You can tell that there was serious effort and sweat poured into the recording of this album.
I sincerely wish that there were more bands with the tenacity like Future Leaders of the World. Even after a decade and many behind the scenes changes, the music can still come forward and come first. If more bands were able to do this, then the rock scene would once again be dominant.
Overeall, if you loved the sound of Intoxicated or miss the days of plaid wearing and headbanging to grunge, then you really need to give FLOW a chance. It’s the type of band that will always leave an impression, you just have to be willing to give it a chance.
Album Review: Cancer Bats – Searching For Zero
Canada’s Cancer Bats bring their fifth full album filled with volume and energy. Does all the volume pay off?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BexQnJ8Vgs
https://vimeo.com/121737946
Text Review:
There are unsung heroes in the rock scene that have been around for years but may never get the credit they deserve, simply because they haven’t been heard by all the right people. We all have favorite artists and albums that feel like hidden treasures because they aren’t played every hour on the radio.
The Cancer Bats may just be one of the most energetic and lively bands that you will love discovering. Since the band’s formation in 2004, there have been four full length albums not including theis year’s new release, two separate Juno award nominations, and some of the catchiest rhythms and song writing you will ever hear.
Their new album Searching for Zero is unique in that the recording process is something that usually isn’t done. The band made several Making of Searching for Zero episodes on YouTube describing the recording process and what all was involved, such as recording one track per day from start to finish, and how that got them so excited by the end of each day with the buzz about it, and also how the mixing of feedback and layers added so much more depth to the album.
After remaining silent for a while, the band posted on their website: For Those of you who didn’t know, the reason we’ve been gone for so long was to craft our 5th full length! We worked our tsss off making a serious banger that we should all party the ssss out of! We even went down to Venice Beach to record with Ross Robinson so it would sound extra dope……which it does!”
There have been several music videos released for tracks of Searching for Zero. Just watching the energy in their performance and hearing their sound will give you proof of their style and what to expect in this album
The drum track on this album is amazing. From the opening minute you can tell that Cancer Bats know how to make a rhythm and keep it at full speed. The vocals are raspy and loud and match perfectly with the music. The chorus is memorable and it’s the type of song you go back to as soon as you are done listening to it.
This is the type of rock and punk that makes you feel alive. The extra time spent with Ross Robinson and the long days of layering tracks has proven to work in songs like Satellites. Everything you hear in songs like this feels like the perfect equation of the right factors all summed together.
As you listen to the duration of this album you can tell these Canadians became a little experimental with their style. But by jumping in with both feet, they found a way to not only swim, but to also propel and thrive in new territory.
The guitars in True Zero give this instant memory of hearing opening bands at live shows pour their heart out for people. There is so much passion synced up with the music that it’s hard to forget. This is gritty and raw and there is a perfect atmosphere of being int he moment and hearing this live.
While going from beginning to end on Searching To Zero, I admit I did start to get a bit of a head rush while listening to so much volume. Hearing the same speed and intensity for thirty minutes can sometimes affect you oddly. That’s not to say that everyone will feel that way though. Because track by track, this is something that can easily be appreciated by any hardcore or punk fan.
Cancer Bats are the type of band people should root for. They are the passionate musicians who not only care about their material, but are willing to work themselves to the bone to produce something worth standing behind.
Overall, Searching For Zero is an album to look into if you want to feel alive and live loud. It’s the type of album you play in your car and completely forget about how long your drive is. This album is the perfect example of what passion and patience can produce.
Album Review: Imagine Dragons – Smoke + Mirrors
Nevada’s Imagine Dragons release their sophomore album with the help of Target, the Grammys, and a ton of publicity. How does Smoke + Mirrors stack up to the success of their debut Night Visions?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XlYTf3RBcw
https://vimeo.com/119611796
Text Review:
It’s hard to believe that with the wild success and popularity of Imagine Dragons that they have only had one full album up until this month. After 2012’s inescapable Night Visions you couldn’t watch a TV show trailer or go to any public event without hearing Radioactive or It’s Time. Having your debut alternative rock album go double platinum in today’s music market is nothing short of epic and it appears that the road is wide open for these Nevada boys.
Now two and a half years after Night Visions comes the band sophomore album Smoke + Mirrors. With it comes high expectations to match the buzz and live up to the success that they reached with their debut. The sophomore slump is a term in the music business and has been known to flat out kill music careers, however in the case of a band who has seen success out of doing the things the old fashioned way of recording, touring, and playing, Imagine Dragons have potential to survive.
While I loved the song Radioactive and do think Imagine Dragons have talent, it’s interesting to hear that the goal of Smoke + Mirrors is to be different than Night Visions. In an interview about the new album, Dan Reynolds said that the next album will be stripped back quite a bit…we embraced a lot of hip hop influences with Night Visions, but I think the next record will be more rock-driven…there is some weird stuff going on in these songs.
So after an enormous promotional deal with Target during the Superbowl and performing at the Grammys, it appears that the publicity machine for Imagine Dragons have held nothing back and put these four men in the perfect position to release a new album.
It was over a month ago that the song I Bet My Life was released on radio. This is the quintessential upbeat alternative song that could not possibly Identify Imagine Dragons any better and is destined for upcoming summer movie trailers.
Dan Reynolds’ vocals are smooth and the percussion is what carries this song. The chorus is the perfect radio and advertising sample that sounds like it was formulated by a team of research geniuses. The pacing in this song goes from loud to slow and whisper quiet with just the hint of acoustics. If anything, I Bet My Life is proof that Imagine Dragons can vary their style and talents in just one song.
What stands out to me the most is the format of this song. It was made for pop-rock exposure with it’s one line repetitive chorus. That is in no way a bad thing, but it does give the feeling that this song was made with label executives watching over the band as they wrote.
While I bet My Life may sound formulaic, there are plenty of other songs, all with different styles, that make up for the radio format that was presented earlier. The second single Shots feels much more like an original experience and gives a better definition of what this band is capable of delivering.
The keys and drums in Shots and the consistently mellow vocals all melt together beautifully in this song. It’s a great way to open an album that breathes this more upbeat alternative style and it gives a slight uplifting feeling when you hear it. It many ways I think this song will help carry Smoke + Mirrors much further than I Bet My Life.
In many ways, I feel split about the songs on this album. While there are some songs that don’t do much for me but I can tell have something, and some songs that I feel like I could go the rest of my life without ever hearing again, there are other songs that are Golden and stand out like a jewel for a band. At no way is this a bad album, but if every track was as memorable as Shots, Trouble, and the title track, then this album would be a total opus.
With the marketing and publicity boost that Imagine Dragons has received I have no doubt that Smoke + Mirrors will sell well and help the band continue their careers. Whether or not this album will stand up to Night Visions though will be left to decide by the consumer, especially of the won over fans that now swoon over this group.
Overall, Smoke + Mirrors may not be the most complete and perfect experience, but when this album gets a hit, it shatters your expectations. If you at all enjoyed Shots or have enjoyed the style of this group in the past, then you should be more than satisfied with this album. If you are new to Imagine Dragons, then you may want to check out some more of their material before diving into the smoke.
Album Review: Stick To Your Guns – Disobedient
Orange County’s Stick To Your Guns offer their 2015 dose of disobedience. How do the anthems of defiance sound in 2015 after their successful Diamond?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMdzBYI1Ip4
https://vimeo.com/119081469
Text Review:
Music can be a tool used to inspire and ignite your feelings. It doesn’t always have to be about shaking off haters and instructions on how to talk to a woman. There have been many times where music, especially in the rock scene, that music has been used as a tool to point out current social problems and acknowledge that people can have issues that are not being addressed.
Whether it’s the peaceful songs from Woodstock or the enraged anthems from Rage Against The Machine, music is one of the best tools for catharsis that is universally accepted and felt. The punk and hardcore scene have especially excelled in this field, and Stick To your Guns are a name known for being volatile and lively bands.
Disobedient, the bands fifth studio album definitely fits the image of standing up for yourselves and defying inner oppression. Just one look at the cover with the album title on the bottom is proof that this album is loud and stands for something. It’s not the typical “edge or a revolution” generic style that people may think has substance. Disobedient and Stick to your guns is something to scream along with and connect to.
Back in October of 2014 the music video for Nobody was released. Although the video chronicles the life of a faceless teen struggling to survive and find an identity, lyrically this song fits many more instances than adolescent angst. Being proud to be Nobody and being yourself at the same time is a lesson I think many people come to terms with at one point, even if it’s hard to explain.
Just from the beginning you can hear how strong the instruments come through. The bass is powerful and carries this song and the volume picks up at the perfect rhythm. Jesse Barnett’s vocals come out clear even when screamed and the chorus stands out as a banner for a message that Stick To Your Guns is best at delivering.
Songs like Nobody can define a sub genre and album. It’s the type of song when someone hears it they will immediately go buy or listen to the rest of the album to check it out. With every element on fire in a song like this it can stand as not only a concert staple but also a defining song that people will remember the group for.
While some tracks on the album range in theme from being faceless to revolution to motivation, the theme that underlies the tracklist is that of having to be disobedient. It never leaves your memory while listening to the album from beginning to end.
Like the song Nobody, many tracks like What Choice Did You Give Us and Nothing You Can Do To Me seem louder than life and have a pulse raising rhythm. It is very difficult to sit still while listening to them.
Hearing What Choice Did You Give us chanted before the closing guitars of the song feels like an advertisement of what Stick To Your Guns represents. It’s the type of anger and energy behind music that isn’t seen as much in mainstream/radio rock anymore. While the song clocks in at just under three minutes, it feels powerful enough to leave a lasting impression in a very short time.
If I had one complaint about the album it would be that the song and album length feel a bit short. With two tracks being under one and a half minutes it can make you want more. While some tracks also include motivational and historical speeches including the famous Charlie Chaplain machine’s speech, it should still be noted that even in the short tracks there is a never a feeling of poor quality or just filling space.
The image and presence of Stick To Your Guns may not be for everyone. The casual alternative and feel good rock fans may not be so amped when hearing songs about defiance and standing up for yourself. But to many people, these are the lyrics and music to motivate people for years.
Overall, if you have enjoyed anything from Stick To Your Guns in the past or are a diehard for the hardcore scene, then you should definitely listen to Disobedient. This album stands as another example that music can be used a form of expression in unity and self-realization.
Photos: TRIFORCE QUARTET
My photos of the Triforce Quartet from MAGFest13 at National Harbor, MD! This was the band that opened on Friday night and proved to everyone that classical music can be as creative and fun as you want it to be. At one point a man dressed as Link brought in a trumpet and played with them. There was a gorgeous medly of Zelda that people cheered and clapped along too, and I almost peed a little when they started playing the boss battle song from Final Fantasy VII. You can follow these guys online at @TriforceQuartet
