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Downfall of Gaia – Ethic of Radical Finitude (Review)
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Band: Downfall of Gaia
Album: Ethic of Radical Finitude
Genre: Post-Black Metal
Release date: 8th of February 2019
Released via Metal Blade Records
A right understanding that death is nothing to us
makes the mortality of life enjoyable.
– Epicurus – Letter to Meneuce
In ancient Greece, philosopher Epicurus [341 – 270 BC] dealt with the question about what happiness actually is. In one of his most famous writings, the Letter to Meneuce, he stated that one major aspect to experience happiness is the mortality, the finitude of life. Later on, it was Heidegger who highlighted the fact that, in order to academically discuss ethics, the finitude of Being has to be taken into consideration. People are mislead by the idea of an infinite life. However – as long as we follow this idea, we will never be able to effectively find a solution about ethics for us as human beings. Thus, the eventual existential decision we need to render in morally questionable situations can never be fully tackled when assuming that the ethical set we derive our decisions from neglects the finitude of life. The necessity of accepting this fact as one crucial aspect of our life is also what explains the title of the latest release by Post-Black Metal pioneers Downfall of Gaia. Within the span of one entire album, the combination of members from Berlin, Hamburg and New York City sonically analzye this crucial question.
Downfall of Gaia is an international quartet from Germany and the USA that was deeply rooted in the sound of D-beat and Crust Punk when they began playing music in 2008. Their first album Epos was released in 2009 via several independent labels, which was still characterized by Crust Punk influences mixed with Black Metal elements. Steven said that what was most striking to him about Downfall of Gaia was the fact that this was the first Post-Black Metal band he got to know that stripped off the sometimes difficult ideology of Black Metal and began playing with that sound on their own. Of course – there had been several other bands that had done this before, but both of us got to know this possibility of playing with Black Metal via Downfall of Gaia. Hence, the band also had a major influence on the progression of our musical taste.
The album Ethic of Radical Finitude was released on the 8th of February, 2019 and marked their fifth studio album. On its predecessors Aeons Unveil the Thrones of Decay from 2014 and Atrophy from 2016, the band began playing with more direct and obvious Black Metal elements – especially when regarding vocals, drums and production. However, between these two albums – both of which still very strong – it seemed as if the sound was stagnating to a certain extent. Personally, I fell in love with both of those records, but objectively, the sound could be transferred from one to another. With their latest release, Ethic of Radical Finitude, the band eventually ceased the initiative and lunged out of their former sound.
When listening to this monolith of an album for the first time, the listener is primarily striked by the well-written contrasts that build the foundation of its dynamics. Beginning with the intro track “Seduced by…“, we already feel that we are about to witness a sonical journey. Afterwards, on tracks such as “The Grotesque Illusion of Being” and “We Persue the Serpent of Time,” Downfall of Gaia consistently switch between furious Black Metal riffs and downtempo sections played with clean guitars, sometimes even sounding a little gazey. Especially Michael Kadnar shines on the drums when easily jumping between several changes in speed. It almost feels as if the band takes their work to a halt at some points in order to allow the listener to contemplate on what he or she has just experienced. Throughout those slow and clean phases, we actually get our time to begin enjoying the beauty of the storm that just sonically shook our world. And this is also one element that distinguishes Ethic of Radical Finitude from its predecessors. The transitions between these different sections – that are also present on the former releases – are so awfully smooth that we get the impression of one interconnected, coherent composition.
The instrumentation on this album added several new sounds to what we know from Downfall of Gaia. The first and most obvious element we can hear is the piano (which could also be heard on Atrophy) at the end of “We Pursue the Serpent of Time”. After having been overwhelmed by this 9-minute journey, the track finishes off with a slow piano part. Without listening to this track, it is difficult to even try to convey the impact this eventual break has on the audience. The entire track easily plays with the emotions of you as a listener and when it eventually takes a halt and lets you glance back at what you heard with that piano underlining – it almost feels sublime. The clean vocals that can also be spotted on this album clearly add up to the sections of contemplation. All in all, the instrumentation slightly transcends what we know from Downfall of Gaia – but everything fits in with the sound of the entire album.
It is difficult to discuss the strucure or impact singular tracks have on this album, since it only functions in its entirety. However, several elements are striking about the tracks. Especially the opening track after the decent intro “The Grotesque Illusion of Being” already serves as a framework for all the elements that are about to come on this 40-minutes journey. We already get acquainted with the interplay between thrashing, thunderous Black Metal riffs and warm, gazey acoustic sections. Apart from that, it can be highlighted that “As Our Bones Break to the Dance” is the only frontal Black Metal track that could possibly be detached from the rest of the album. Grading by its ferocity, this track could also serve as one climax apart from the several ones that can be heard throughout the different tracks. The sixth track “Of Withering Violet Leaves” eventually merges all the elements, initiating the end of our journey.
Having experienced this journey several times in order to be able to write this review, I have to admit that I totally fell in love with this record. Due to the dynamic progression between thunderous Black Metal and slow, welcoming sounds, the album sets you on a wonderful odyssey. This is not about listening to the album so many times that you know every song by heart – it is about willingly being ready to restart the journey of the entire album over and over again.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
9 / 10
What did you think about the album? Were you happy with the progression you could hear from Atrophy and Aeons to this album? Did you prefer the rawer vocals on the older album? Let us know in the comments!
Millencolin – SOS (Review)
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Artist: Millencolin
Album: SOS
Genre: Punk Rock
Release date: 15th of February
Country: Sweden
Released via Epitaph Record
In general, I probably would not have written about this album, because I read some reviews before I started writing myself. Usually, I do not read anything when I decide to write about an album. However – I was not satisfied with what I was able to read since some reviews presented this album as “not as good as expected” or “just not good”, which is why I eventually decided to write a full review. Until having started with the review for SOS, I had actually never really listened to the music by Millencolin. Not because I did not like those boys from Sweden, but only because their music never happened to find its way into my record player (I have no idea why). I am very happy about the fact that, in the end, I got to know their music (also their older albums) in order to write this review.
Millencolin is a 4-member outfit from Sweden that was formed in 1992 and still consists of the three original members (Nicola Sarcevic, Mathias Färm, Erik Ohlsson) plus their current drummer Fredrik Larzon who joined the band in 1993. The band released 8 studio albums so far with SOS marking their 9th album after their last release True Brew in 2015. Having talked to some of my friends who are more acquainted with this band, it seems as if a major share of the fanbase consistently tries to compare their releases with several of their first and most popular albums ( Life on a Plate – Pennybridge Pioneers ). I can see that several reviews also picked up this point and eventually turned out to be disappointed with what they heard. Sometimes, though, the music should be enjoyed without instantly connecting it to the style a band played before. Thus, it was quite helpful that I was not yet too familiar with Millencolin, since I first heard SOS.and listened to the older albums afterwards. Färm and Sarcevic both were included in the production process of the album. It definitely needs to be highlighted when the band itself is included in producing their music. This should be the case way more often than it actually is.
Musically speaking, this is a very strong album due to several points. First of all and most importantly it needs to be emphasized how strong and on-point Sarcevics lyrics are on the entire album. SOS kicks off with its title track in which the beginning is marked by a children’s choir, which already builds up tension for something big. This first track already presents Sarcevic as a gifted vocalist, who is able to strike the right note on a wide range. Apart from that, every single song on this album (literally every single song) has an impressively distinctive chorus that will get stuck in your mind after having listened to it just for once. This is also a majorly positive aspect on the album, combined with the catchy guitar melodies played by Ohlsson and Färm. All in all, at some points I felt back in time when listening to the album. Although this does not sound like 90s Millencolin, it nevertheless is reminiscent of 90s Pop Punk music.
It could be said that one downside on this album is that most of the songs follow a similar structure, a similar sound and might tend to be received as monotonous over time (an illness many albums suffer from). On the one hand, this is actually correct since the structure and the sound of the songs recur many times, which lets you feel as if you “heard that song already”. However, it is necessary to understand that this album does not only focus on the music (which is, by the way, very strong so why not stick to it). We also have an important focus on lyrics on this album.
With topics such as the population’s interaction with politics or their environment, the album picks up ever-contemporary aspects many bands point at. However – the way in which Millencolin contextualizes these topics shows how strongly embedded the songs are in our current situation. There is a lot of sarcasm going on, such as the shout-out not to change anything at all on “Let It Be” or just to get accustomed to the bad times on “Sour Days”. Millencolin wants to point at the fact that many people just take their spot in their comfortable safe space and live on within their bubble. Apart from that we have lyrics that then play with different understandings of the complex term “reality”, such as “Yanny and Laurel”. The title is an an allusion to an internet meme in which it was not possible to distinguish whether the speaker pronounced “Yanny” or “Laurel”. Thus, for people it is often difficult to construct reality from what they experience. There are two sides that feel the same but are different – you feel comfortable with what you have (and do nothing) or you want to fight for good things to come or stay (because of what you like).
Millencolin wants to point at the fact that people tend to remain passive and condemn other people who get politically involved – although the people who get involve actually want to reach the same thing as those who want do nothing. As an addition, “Dramatic Planet” eventually points out where those passive people actually get involved and become active. Yes – of course – only when gossip is in. Then it – is – on and people initiate processes.
Another aspect that was highlighted to be “negative” is something I want to highlight as the most positive point on this album. This thing is politically charged – as – hell. We have clear statements on so many topics. For example, the band shoots at state presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin on “Trumpets and Poutine” by stating that they are only able to remain in their roles because of the many followers they have (the ones that are also adressed on the album). I really love when we have clear political statements in music – especially nowadays when it can’t be more important to have a clear cut.
To sum this up – SOS is a strong album that follows the classic structure of Punk Rock music by adding spicy and contemporary lyrics. The album is presented in a very neat production – although at some point or another it might sound a little too neat (if you wanna listen to the rougher edge of Punk). The song structures are a little repetitive, whereas the lyrics add a distinctive element to every song. If you are about to turn 30 (as I am) and wanna feel young again – listen to this album.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (!) ☆ ☆ ☆
strong 7 / 10
How about you long-term Millencolin and Pop Punk fans – did you like this album or were you not okay with what the band presented on this work? What about other people who got to know the band from this album – did you like it? Tell us in the comments (on whatever platform you want to)
Deserted Fear – Drowned By Humanity (Review)
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Band: Deserted Fear
Album: Drowned by Humanity
Genre: Death Metal
Country: Germany
Release date: 8th of February
Released via Century Media
Recently I browsed through a group on Facebook about international Death Metal and someone asked for any “good” German Death Metal bands. The replies ranged from “there are none” to “Debauchery” – which means from bad to worse. These guys seemingly have never heard of bands such as Morgoth, who already marked the spot of German Death Metal in a worldwide community years ago. Additionally, younger bands like Deathrite drastically represent German Death Metal on an international basis, especially with their latest release When Nightmares Reign (boy – that Soulside Journey sound was lit). Speaking of the fact that this experience was a few weeks ago – these guys have certainly also never heard of the boys from Deserted Fear, who currently bulldoze through German music media with their latest release Drowned by Humanity. Steven told me to check these guys out and write a review and oh man was he right. This album serves as the youngest example to mark Germany’s spot on the map of Death Metal.
Deserted Fear is a band from Thuringia in East Germany, consisting of three members (four on stage with their bass player). The band released their first album My Empire in 2012. Their now latest and fourth release Drowned by Humanity was released on the 8th of February, two years after their last release Dead Shores Rising in 2017. The album, consisting of 11 tracks and spinning for 47 minutes, was produced and mastered by Deserted Fear‘s guitarist Fabian Hildebrandt and Henrik Udd, who is well-known for producing bands like Dimmu Borgir, Bring Me The Horizon or Architects. I am pretty much in love with the fact that members from the band itself also engage in the act of producing their music – or even initiate the process in the first place. Thus, the artist can make sure that what is produced also strictly fits the band’s demands.
The first track on this album is an intro track that is the one and only song on this album I just cannot understand – even after having heard it for a thousand times. In my opinion, the opening track is one of the most important songs on the entire album and this track seems to not connect to the album at all. If it at least faded out in the end in order to serve as a transition for the first track on the album or similar, I would have understood. But – this does also not happen. Never mind – because this track only lasts for about a minute and then – oh boy – hell breaks loose.
The first actual track on this album “All Will Fall” is a massive banger that only takes a few seconds to let you know where you are. The melody on this track is insane and Manuel Glatter kicks out straightforward lyrics that remain so damn on-point throughout the entire album. This track remains within the range of a mid-tempo that lets your head bang so hard that you will probably not be able to say yes to your coffee in the morning on the day after having heard their music. Jokes aside – the melody combined with the slower tempo on this track immediately portrays the style that is to come on this album. The production is very clear-cut and lets you enjoy every bit of that song.
With the elements of this track it is also possible to explain some of the many upsides on the album that range throughout the entire work. Every single track has a distinctive melody, which is smoothly produced and goes so well with the rawer sound of the rhythm guitar and thrasing drums. Deserted Fear also succeed to construct a melody theme that follows you through the entire track – we start off with a decent melody and while listening we are always able to recognise that melody in altered versions. The second track “An Everlasting Dawn” also follows this pattern while accelerating the speed a little.
On this second track it becomes also evident again how well Glatter’s lyrics distinguish between verse and chorus – because he always switches into a high-pitched voice when the chorus begins and – it – is – so – damn – good. We can detect this way to deal with a chorus on the next track “The Final Chapter” as well. During the chorus that often goes with another distinguishing melody, we can also clearly spot the obvious influence of Swedish Death Metal on this band. If you listen to Dismember, you should also listen to Deserted Fear. This aspect combined with the soft production of the melodies on the album and thrashing rhythm guitars lets you know why it is necessary to give this band a listen.
Another feature that came to my mind while listening to the album for the third or fourth time was that I was not able to detect any solo. Some Death Metal hardliners will now go like – what?! this ain’t no Metal, where is the goddamn solo. To me, however, as a boy who comes from the more Hardcore-ish side of faster music, this aspect is quite enjoyable. Remembering that just some time ago there was a huge hype of Death Metal-infused hardcore within the scene, some decent hardcore features in actual Death Metal go down nice and clean. Apart from that no-solo aspect, which opens up the possibility to focus on the speed of the track, we can also hear a breakdown part on “Reflect the Storm” that made my heart jump high just for a second. Don’t get me wrong – this ain’t no hardcore – it is straightforward Death Metal. When having experienced that Death Metal phase in the hardcore scene however – some features are just too evident to evade.
The final track “Scars of Wisdom” eventually again builds up high tension and develops a more epic sound. The song structure changes, thus highlighting this track, and the melodies build up a more anthem-ish sound that clearly marks this track as the final song of the album. Many bands disregard the fact that it is also quite necessary to focus on the end of an album – Deserted Fear are not part of that canon. This last track lets you hear that you are at the end of something big and marks the end of the album, which is a great thing.
Having heard the many upsides of the album, we can however also spot some downsides on this work. The first one that came to my mind is the fact that the song structure – which is a banger in the beginning – does not change too much throughout the album. This eventually leads to the fact that some of the tracks feel no different from other ones. When the first few tracks kicked you off your feet – you get acquainted with that sound and it gradually loses its feeling after having reached track 8 or 9 to a certain extent. Additionally, the tempo remains quite the same throughout the tracks. We can get a decent banger sound from this slower tempo – but I would have expected at least one or two faster tracks that speed up your listening experience and afterwards we can jump right back into that mid-tempo. Without tracks like these, we feel a little bit monotonous after 11 tracks of bangers.
All in all, this album is a massive banger and a must-listen for every Death Metal fan – especially if you are interested in your regional music scene. We feel at home with distinctive sounds that also lyrically discuss crucial aspects such as the way in which humanity interacts with their environment. Having built up a solid ground with this album, the band might also try to deal with some new and faster (or slower) sound on their next album, which would give the band the option to show how versatile they actually are. I am very keen on listening more from these guys.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
7 / 10
As usual, the two favorite tracks of the album will be included in the Transcended Review Playlist where you can listen to the songs we liked the most on every album we reviewed. What about the rest? Are you in love with this album? Have you even heard of this band so far? If not – check them out! Tell us anything you agree or disagree with in the comments!
Backstreet Boys – DNA (Review)
Band: Backstreet Boys
Album: DNA
Genre: Pop
Country: USA
Release date: 25th of January, 2019
Released via RCA Records
When I first began considering to start a blog, the initial idea was to listen to one album per day and write short posts about these albums in the evening. Thus, I would have been able to receive a huge amount of musical input. Eventually, as you can see, I dropped this idea. This happened predominantly due to the fact that the recipe listen-think-write-repeat would first of all drastically cut the “think” part and secondly just serve as another turbo-capitalist way to consume music. The next idea that came up was to start writing about music or music genres I did not know about in order to broaden my musical taste (the idea that TRANSCEND is now following). That point was somewhen in November ’18 and, as a matter of fact, the release date of DNA by the Backstreet Boys was already publicized. Hence, it was very clear that, when this album comes out, I will definitely write about it as ultimate sign of dedication. And here we are! Although I am a kid of the 90s, I did not have a lot contact with the Backstreet Boys. Having experienced music TV channels in Germany, though, I surely knew their singles that were broadcasted. The major contact I had was the awareness of my sister once driving to one of their concerts with my cousin (who later on deliberately forgot this event).
The Backstreet Boys are a quintet from Orlando, Florida and is probably well-known by almost every reader that is older than 25. The vocal group is one of the most famous groups worldwide and is the most successful boyband of all time. Their latest and ninth album DNA, spinning for 12 tracks and 39:18 minutes is the follow-up of their 2013 release In A World Like This, thus also marking the longest period between two albums with six years. Sorry to say – but there are so many producers involved on this album that it was difficult to point out the most important ones. It was already in 2015 when the band began mentioning that they were working on new music. It took some more time when eventually in May 2017 the first lead single “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” preceded the album, simultaneously stating that there was new music about to come.
This track also serves as the opener for he album and if you did not notice by the cover of their release or by the fact that the video for this song shows an overdose of neon lights – we arrived back in the 80s. This first track begins just as you expect a Backstreet Boys album to begin – calm and smooth. However, it becomes evident that the production plays with a certain 80s sound combining nice drums with synthis on this track already. This sound stretches through the entire album and adds a new flavor to the boygroup’s music.
Another feature that is highlighted throughout the album is the use of a capella sections, finding its peak on the track “Breathe” that avoids instruments entirely. This track puts a huge emphasis on the voices of the band and is quite enjoyable, although the song structure is a little repetitive. In this track, however, it actually is quite tricky to distinguish between the different singers. At some point, my notes say “Does Nick sing the entire song?” because I cannot hear any clear differences. Of course, this is no solo act, but the mixing conveys the attempt to blend all the voices into one (this also happens at other points of the album).
With the following two tracks, we arrive at the potential selection of the best tracks on this album. “New Love” is the first faster and catchier track on the album. To a certain extent, this is reminiscent of the 90s Backstreet Boys and on the other hand we get a fresh new sound with a decent beat and a repetitive “aw yeah” sample that will stick on your mind for some time. The chorus is, similar to all of the tracks on the album, extremely catchy and highlights the voices of the band. The track “Passionate” contains another chorus that will haunt you for several days – again highlighting that a capella sound that is also very present on this album. Add some flavor with funky guitars and nice synthis and you get the recipe for this track. The combination of those two tracks with the decent sound of the preceding gets you quinte interested in what is gonna come next.
Unfortunately, the expectation of tracks like these is not fulfilled when proceeding further into the album. With tracks like “Is It Just Me?” or “Chances” we get a huge load of similar sounding words. Don’t get me wrong, most of them are quite ok and you can clearly listen through the album – but after having heard tracks like “Passionate”, we expect some more than that. With “Chateau” we are glad to get another 90s-ish sounding BSB track that is (probably) something for the older audience. I am not going further into detail with the extremely weird lyrics of “Just Like You Like It”, but the final track “OK” can be added to those two significant tracks mentioned above. Right from the start it sounds as if this track was taken from The Lion King and differs a lot from the rest on this album and what we know from the Backstreet Boys. It is a very decent track, though, that is worth a try.
The new sound that was created by adding 80s drums and synthis to the voices of the Backstreet Boys really supports the production of a fresh new album. The sounds surely follow the raise-sales-recipe we all have in mind when thinking about major label distribution in the size of a Backstreet Boys album. However – we need to remember that Pop music is the conservative politics of the music business. Unfortunately, we have a larger amount of tracks that sound extremely similar, which slightly takes the wind out of the sails of this album. The producers of course take a look around before going into the production of an album for a group like BSB. Nevertheless – even though I have never been a Backstreet Boys fan at all – I am pretty sure that old BSB and pop fans will be happy with what they can get from this album.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
6/10
What about you? Were you even interested in this album? Without my blog I would have never written about that and I probably would have never listened to the album, either. However – I’m quite happy that this blog does what it is supposed to. It surprises you as soon as you open up for the positive sides of music. If you think differently – tell me in the comments!
Papa Roach – Who Do You Trust? (Review)
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Band: Papa Roach
Album: Who Do You Trust?
Genre: Alternative – Metal – Rock – Something
Country: USA
Release date: 18th of January
Released via Eleven Seven Records
When I was young I had so many questions about everything. Finding answers at that time was probably close to impossible. However – I always knew – as every 6-year-old knows – that there was that one person I could always trust – my mum! Later on – of course – the questions became more difficult to be answered and my sources of knowledge began to gradually fade – and here I was, left alone with the question – who am I supposed to trust? The experienced quintet Papa Roach from Vacaville, California also wanted to face that big question on their latest and 10th release Who Do You Trust?
The latest release around vocalist Jacoby Shaddix was released on the 18th of January after their previous release Crooked Teeth from 2017. The major share of the audience is probably (or hopefully) acquainted with their first and groundbreaking release Infest. The last release I actively listened to was Getting Away With Murder from 2004. So as you can see – I haven’t heard from Papa for a while. So what can we say about that person we can actually trust? Let’s find out.
Papa Roach’s 10th release, just as their 9th release Crooked Teeth, was produced by Nicholas Furlong as executive producer. Some of you might know him from also producing bands such as Simple Plan or the mighty Basement (hell, I love that band). Beginning with the first track “The Ending” we can hear that Furlong is able to take care of a very clear production. On this track we can hear Papa Roach head off with a decent and straightforward sound, combining a catchy melody with a memorable chorus. All in all, this track opens up to get interested in some more.
The second track “Regenade Music” was, together with the title track “Who Do You Trust”, one of the lead singles released before the album. The sound again sticks to what we already heard in he first track. Apart from a lyrically weaker chorus, in which Shaddix repeatedly states that “this is renegade music,” the song itself also sticks to the catchy sound with which the album kicked off. The next track “Not The Only One,” though, introduces some kind of a new sound. In the beginning we are able to hear a nice clean guitar going along with Shaddix singing about bad situations in his life. This sounds very different from Papa Roach as I knew it – but it still sounds quite good. Reaching the chorus however – the eyes of the listener are opened about that ‘new sound’ the quintet wants to deal with.
When the chorus kicks in and we are faced with some fuzzy electronic-sounding guitars, which instantly sets you into a mid 2010s dubstep track and leaves you fully confused. Imagine me sitting on the train – actively listening – and then this part kicks in. People around me were probably busy dramatically figuring out what on earth I was listening to. The combination of the electronically-sounding drums with the awkward fx on the guitars is just terrible. Although the listener can definitely feel sympathy for the verse guitar – which is also blatantly poppy – the chorus kills the entire song. Additionally, after that chorus, we can also hear downtuned rapping vocals – where did that come from and… why?!
This awkward style of chorus can also be spotted on their fifth track “Elevate”, in which the electronic sound is emphasized even more while Shaddix repeatedly states that he wants to “elevate”. The choir at the beginning of that song is so damn decent – but the rest is an entire ruination. Furlong clearly over-produced the drum-sound on that track, which eventually only elevates the terrible sound of the song. At some points I felt as if the sound was quite close to The Chainsmokers. Don’t get me wrong, I actually like that band, but I don’t like that sound on Papa Roach. Later on we are again able to hear this weird sound on “Better Than Life”.
Apart from that weird rock-elecro I-don’t-know-how-to-name-it, the title track “Who Do You Trust” and “Top Of The World” show that the band tried to reconnect to their Nu Metal origin, when vocalist Shaddix begins rapping as if he wanted to imitate Rage Against The Machine. Lyrically speaking – with regards to the rhyme scheme – these parts are quite ok, but they sound as if they were dubbed into the track as some kind of a remix. The sound and the vocals just don’t harmonize. It feels somewhere in between trying to revive RATM and my dad rapping about going to bed early.
One glimmer of light on the album is the 7th track “Come Around”, in which the quintet eventually successfully embraces their poppy sound. The slow song clearly is the best one on the album. Here, it seems as if Papa Roach eventually found out how to deal with the sound they are messing with on the entire album. The electronic features of the album, though, are not present on this song. Another track that introduces a fresher sound of Papa Roach that goes along well is “Feel Like Home”. On this track, the drums are not recorded as if they were straight from a Roland 808. The chorus is also very catchy and all in all the song reminds of a later emo (the good emo) sound.
In between all of these songs there are also a few seconds of “Suffer Well”. On this track, Papa roach kicks off with a very thrashing and fast track that is also quite short. Although the sound is really nice and the listener instantly tries to connect to the energy on Infest, we eventually just feel left alone with that one track we didn’t know where it came from and can also find no more like that on the album. In the end and after having heard the lyrics of the entire album – we are yet again left alone and still don’t know who the fuck we are supposed to trust!
Progression is a major part for every band and it is necessary to find new sounds and new ways to play your music. Even clear cuts in your style are understandable – if we can feel that the band wants to connect to their new sound. On Who Do You Trust, however, it feels as if Papa Roach wanted to initiate a sound they were not actually able to deal with. All of those songs have positive parts, but there are features on almost every track that destroy the general impression. It might be possible that the quintet’s next release is able to embrace this sound more professionally – but this album feels like timidly dipping into several new sound aspects, which eventually produces an album that just doesn’t sound right.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
4 / 10
I am very interested in long-term Papa Roach fans and their opinions about the album. I already spotted gradings ranging from 3 to 8/9 stars, which depicts the difficulty to deal with this album. Do you see aspects I haven’t? Let me know in the comments!
Perkele – Leaders of Tomorrow (Review)
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Band: Perkele
Album: Leaders of Tomorrow
Genre: Oi! Punk – Punk Rock
Country: Sweden
Release date: 18th of January
Released via Spirit of the Street
Have you ever been absolutely furious about your politics? I have – consistently. During times when Donald Trump serves as president of the United States of America, there are many possibilities to show disapproval about your government. This is also why Slayer Perkele from Sweden postulate that there is a need for a new future parliament, which is why their latest album goes by the name of Leaders of Tomorrow. This marks their eighth studio album after A Way Out in 2013. The trio has remained the same for about 6 years now after having introduced their new drummer John Sandberg and released their newest album on the 18th of January.
This review could be said to not fit into the idea of “TRANSCEND”, since I have known the band for years already. The last time I heard Perkele, though, was on their release Perkele Forever in 2010. I’ve seen them live once on “The Ride” in Oberhausen and enjoyed their show. Their release from 2010, though, remained in mind a little too over-dramatical with the epic framework. The last release I fully enjoyed was their Confront from 2005. This was then to change this year, when the latest release came out.
The first track of the album, “Winner,” directly jumps into the regular Perkele sound we all know and love. Clear and crunchy guitars, decent drums and vocalist Ron Halinojas distinctive vocals that form every chorus into an anthem. It only takes a minute to recognize that Perkele are still able to play decent Punk Rock. Halfway through the song, however, we are faced with a major change. After a few minutes of again falling in love with ‘that’ Perkele sound, the guitar kicks in with a break that lets the heart of every 80s thrash metal fan jump high. Between the original punky sound of the band, a bold thrash riff is squeezed in to polish the entire song and briefly introduce Perkeles new love for thrash metal riffs. These thrash riffs continously pop up in every other recognizable song on the album. The next track “Negative to Positive” also includes a sweet thrash part that perfectly connects to the chord-based sound of the album. Perkele succeeds to introduce their fresh thrashy element into the album while not at all letting loose of their punk sound.
Additionally, tracks like “Break Out or Break Free” include a bluesy intro riff that later on also connects with a thrashy riff. Those connections will get your heart jump high – when that bluesy intro kicked in my heart skipped a beat [yes – the reference is intended]. The title track “Leaders of Tomorrow” eventually even kicks off with a thrash intro, showing you that Perkele is not just messing with short Slayer-esque episodes. The track “When You Realize” also plays with a guitar production that leaves the crunchy punk sound and reminds more of an 80s metal production – still holding a tight grip on their punk elements.
With their fifth track “Miss U”, Perkele broadens the scope of the entire album and also adds a more melancholic side to their music. Similar to their ninth track “Mistakes”, which also opens up a more nostalgic view on their music. Especially when listening to Ron recollecting stories of his past, one or another tear drops from your nostalgic eye. In combination with the acoustic guitar sound, these songs enrich the atmosphere of the entire album.
No matter if thrashy elements, cleaner guitar sounds or fast punk riffs, the entire album consistently feels like Perkele. Each song still has the distinguishing and easy-to-remember chorus that lets you sing along after having heard the song once already. The on-point production of guitar as well as drums that harmonize so well highlight the overall capability of playing at high level. Especially Ron shines drastically on his guitar when thrash riffs turn into fast solos and back into fast punk riffs, seeming to be no difficulty at all for him. All put together, there are old elements we love, new elements that add a fresh feeling and an overall pretty decent album.
★★★★★★★★(!)☆☆
strong 8 / 10
How about them hardline Oi-Punk fans? Are you d’accord with the spicy thrash elements Perkele now dived into ? Is there any element I have not seen / menioned in this review? Tell me in the comments!
Soilwork – Verkligheten (Review)
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Band: Soilwork
Album: Verkligheten
Genre: Death Metal – Melodic Death Metal – Rock
Country: Sweden
Release date: 11th of January
Released via Nuclear Blast
What is reality? Is there actually such a thing as reality or are there just shared moments that constitute mutual experiences? There definitely was an episode of reality when my ears got acquainted with Swedish Death Metal legend Soilwork’s latest and 11th release, which tries to discuss the question of reality thus going by the name of Verkligheten (reality). Verkligheten marks the 11th release of the Swedish Death Metal legend. The quintet releases their first album with new drummer Bastian Thusgaard, replacing their former member Dirk Verbeuren. The last time I heard about Soilwork I was about 15 years old, so it had been a long time since I listened to their songs. This having been during the mid-2000s, I vaguely remembered a decent Death Metal sound.
The album opens up gloomily with the title track, presenting a situation that urges the listener to expect something big. Surprise – you are not disappointed. Then, “Arrival” kicks off, which is the most massive banger on this release – if you were expecting straightforward Death Metal. This track instantly jumps into a fast blast beat with an epic melodic seasoning. When the song heads towards the refrain – however – we are shown the bigger picture of the record, since Strid’s vocals form the entire song into a bold anthem.
The album continues with massive Death Metal elements. These elements, though, are gradually omitted in an ongoing process throughout the first five tracks. When comparing to their former work The Ride Majestic, it becomes evident that the band wanted to plunge even deeper into their love for Rock ‘n’ Roll music. The riffs on “Full Moon Shoals” clearly show that the guitars are in love with 80s Rock. This song also strips off a big deal of Soilwork’s Death Metal elements and we can see the entire band shine in their ability to play decent rock – eventually turning this song into a Death Metal banger as well. This also marks one major positive point about the album. When first listening, I was a little shocked, since I expected their sound from the mid-2000s. Soilwork, however, succeeds in writing memorable Rock songs that never get rid of their Death Metal roots. Every downtuned Rock riff or additional growling throughout a Rock anthem shows – this band wants to embrace another style of playing while at no point stripping off their Death Metal. Hence, the entire album consistently feels like Soilwork, although the music we hear sounds differently. (It needs to be mentioned that I had to relisten major parts of their discography to get back into ‘that’ Soilwork sound)
After “Full Moon Shoals”, the tracks continuously armor up again with Death Metal elements, eventually arriving at “The Wolves Are Back In Town” that tries to reconnect with the Death Metal-esque feeling of the opener. The Death Metal elements always remain present throughout the entire album, no matter if more or less obvious. The intention to highlight the feeling of a Death Metal album, though, does not succeed all the time. At some points, especially the blast beats are so overly produced that – in connection with the Rock elements of the album – the combination does not convey the probably intended vigor. The general feeling that is constructed on this album sometimes eases out the more aggressive parts. Additionally, it is quite difficult to get used to this sound when the last thing you heard from Soilwork was an extreme Death Metal roundhouse kick. Don’t get me wrong – music groups progress, their music progresses and so does their playing style. This progress, though, added up with the production of the album sounds a little more rocky than Death Metal.
All in all it can be said that Verkligheten is a solid work that blatantly points at Soilwork’s ability to blend Rock and Death Metal and can thus get in line with their former releases. Those fans who are in love with Soilwork on their last releases can be guaranteed to enjoy Verkligheten.
★★★★★★(★)☆☆☆
light 7 / 10
What about you? Is there anything you disagree with or that needs to be added? If so – feel free to state your opinion in the comments.
What are we transcending, though ?
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Hello and welcome to my nice little site! This page is supposed to fulfill two purposes at the same time:
- First of all and most importantly of course this site is concerned with album reviews. There are no boundaries concerning genres, although I will try to follow a certain scheme for choosing what records are going to be reviewed. Depending on the genre, factors such as production / lyrics / instrumental writing / vocals / … are going to be considered in order to conclude an adequate grade. However, referring to point 2. – keep in mind that these reviews are going to be highly subjective. Although there will be a certain objectivity due to the factors that will be regarded for every album – this only takes place within my subjective framework.
- This blog is going to be a self-project. I have been listening to Hardcore / Metal and some Rap music for a long time. However, I want to expand my musical taste (transcend my present boundaries of taste) , which is why the idea of this blog came up in the first place. The selection of album reviews is deliberately going to contain artists or genre I am not yet familiar with so as to get in touch with new artists / productions / genres / whatsoever.
When you eventually combine those two aspects – this is where you come into play. Although I will spend a lot of time to get into the reviewed artists, there will always be aspects I did not see / know / hear. If this is the case – you are invited to start a conversation about aspects that were not mentioned / need to be mentioned in the review and why. Additionally – if you see me enjoying a record of a genre I am not familiar with at all – feel free to comment with recommendations for similar artists.
So much for now – enjoy!
Transcended Music Blog 