[Review] Protest The Hero - Volition

Canadian progressive-mathcore-metal band Protest The Hero are back with their crowdfunded follow up to 2011's "Scurrilous", with Chris Adler of Lamb of God replacing Moe Carlson on drums and a number of guests on vocals (including long time contributor Jadea Kelly), their new album "Volition" takes them on yet another new direction. Whereas "Scurrilous" was dark, sad and instrumentally spacey at times, "Volition" is compressed, fast and agressive. While it feels than none of the songs in "Volition" are as epic in scale or exhilarating as "Blindfolds Aside", "Sequoia Throne" or "Hair Trigger" the album is enjoyable at all levels from beginning to end.

The album is both lyrically and instrumentally diverse, adressing discrimination and misogyny at one moment and stepping on the toes of dishonest musicians the next and the unending "Star Wars vs Star Trek" debate. It also features what is probably the most agressive song Protest The Hero has released: "A Life Embossed", with "Animal Bones" a close second.

The album sees the return of PtH's (post)hardcore roots in many of it's songs, with the closer "Skies" being the perfect example (specially in the second half). The constant jump between unhindered aggression and attractive choruses keeps the album fresh at all times and vocalist Rody Walker's range is one of the main attractions. In short, PtH has managed once again to keep things fresh in a genre often bloated with carbon-copy bands, while mantaing a high standard of quality in the whole album. it may take as long as 10 listens before the album really sinks in, because of everything it throws at you at the same time, but once it does it's immensely rewarding.

9/10

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Mastodon Announce "Live at Brixton", a Digital Only Live "DVD"

Mastodon have announced the release of a live "digital video album" of their Feb 11th 2012 performance at London's O2 Academy. The release will feature 23 songs and will be released in December 10th. So far hard copy editions or audio only releases haven't been announced.

[Review] Pez - Nueva Era, Viejas Mañas

Free download from the band's website: http://www.pezapesta.com.ar/bajadas/Nuevaeraviejasmanias.rar

Pez is an argentinian rock band formed in the first half of the 90's in Buenos Aires and known for reinventing themselves album after album, as well as being notably prolific (they've been releasing albums at an average of 18 months from each other). Througout their nearly 20 year long career, Pez has included elements from genres as diverse as punk, progressive rock, jazz fusion and metal.

"Nueva Era, Viejas Mañas", which translates to "New Era, Old Knacks" is the return of the band to their old roots in punk and hard rock, though undoubtedly showing what they have learned in all these years, specially in the songwriting department. The line up is mostly the same as it was 20 years ago, Ariel Minimal on guitar and vocals, Franco Salvador (who entered the band in 1996) on drums and backing vocals and "Fosforo" García (who had contributed backing vocals on their debut album in 1994) on bass and backing vocals.

The album features distorted guitar riffs, pounding drums, groovy bass lines and an equilibrium between clean and raw vocals; the band has reduced their scope after their expansive and epic album "Volviendo a las Cavernas" from 2011. Their new formation doesn't include "Pepo" Limeres on keyboards and piano anymore, an element that was present in almost all of Pez' albums since 1998. As a result of this and the fact that the album is mostly comprised of heavy hard rock/punk songs, "Nueva Era" feels a little unidimensional compared to their previous offerings, and though I wouldn't put it very high in their album ranking it's still a pretty solid record and a fresh start for the band.

If you've been reading this blog for some time and feel identified with most of the music I review, I'd recommend leaving this album for a later date and starting with "Los Orfebres" or "Volviendo a las Cavernas" instead (you can also download them at http://www.pezapesta.com.ar/audios.html).

The lyrics have returning themes in all of Pez' albums, mainly discussing social conflicts, ideologies and existencialism.

Overall, it features everything that you could expect from a Pez album, but narrows down their sound to something more specific an simple.

8/10

A Perfect Circle Announce "Greatest Hits" Album

A Perfect Circle has announced the release of a greatest hits compilation on November 19th. The album is available for pre-order via Amazon in standard and deluxe editions. "Three Sixty" will include a studio version of the song "By And Down", which the band performed several times during their last tour.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Plan B-Side Album For Black Friday

Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced the release of a b-side album for Black Friday this November 29th. The 17-track collection, cleverly titled "I'm Beside You" features all the singles from their I'm With You Sessions releases and will be out via Record Store Day.

[Review] Coheed & Cambria - The Afterman: Descension

Last year Coheed and Cambria released "The Afterman: Ascension", a prequel of sorts to their 2009 album "Year Of The Black Rainbow" and the first part in the double album release "The Afterman", which takes place in the same universe as YOTBR but acts as an alternative reality in the "Amory Wars" storyline.

Mythology aside, "Descension" sounds a lot like it's predecessor, but towards the second half it gets mellow and almost calm. The album opens with "Pretelethal", continuing with the sound of "Ascension" and acting as an introduction, but after "Sentry The Defiant" and the hard rock anthem "The Hard Sell" things start to get more mellow and melacholic. Starting with "Number City", a funky and equally sad and cheery tune, and following with songs like "Away We Go" and "Iron Fist", the album gets considerably lighter on the ears than "Ascension" and concludes the double release with a happier tone, despite some of it's darker lyrics (And I was wrong to let you go/ I accept my mistake, but you will never know/ This is my love into a ten ton truck/ Baby, please remember the better me).

As with their previous album, "Descension" sounds thick and saturated when it gets heavy and meticulously arranged in the quieter parts, where some electronic elements are also present and add a lot to the partially futuristic feeling of the album. The production is pretty good, though drums may sound a little compressed for some, but each instrument can be individually picked apart even in the heaviest sections and as with every C&C album (unless you have become used to it) it might be a little while before you take a liking to vocalist/guitarist Claudio Sanchez' vocals.

Overall "Descension" is a more than solid follow up and another worthy addition to Coheed and Cambria's ever expanding universe of albums, novels and comics.

8.5/10

Protest The Hero Reveal Artwork And New Song Ahead Of Their Second Single

Protest The Hero have revealed the full cover of their upcoming album "Volition" out on October 29th. The band had initially released another image which they revelead was "just a taste" of the real artwork, which was painted by Jeff Jordan.

A new song titled "Drumhead Trial" was also uploaded by the band on Youtube and you can listen to it here.