High Fives Died in the 80’s Release EP

High Fives Died in the 80’s Release EP

Heather Gioia

By now hopefully you have been lucky enough to see this unique group live. Hopefully you have been able to enjoy a choreographed show and their simply priceless rock and metal faces; undergoing everything sweaty and way too close to the person next to you.

If you haven’t, well don’t worry, you will still have an opportunity to.

But good news comes for all those fans looking for the High Fives Died in 80s experience without out the possibility of wearing the guy who hasn’t washed his hair in days sweat. Finally, you can rock out to High Fives without some crazed fan dry-humping the speaker next to you.

High Fives released their EP, “Beauty Through Destruction,” on April 2 at Qballs in Fredericksburg, Va.
So how did they do? We know that High Fives can rock the stage. We know that their music is unexpected and outrageous. But can they convey that same knock you off your feet sound on this small compact disc as they pack when playing live?

“Beauty Through Destruction” starts with a one minute introduction, complete with a massive buildup, snare-tapping and even a movie clip. Just when you think the intro is over (about 40 seconds in) you are wrong that is simply the bands way of saying “hello.” What is most impressive about the intro however, is the seamless transition from track one to two, “Capt. Sav-A-Ho.”

“Capt. Sav-A-Ho” begins with a metal march as the troops come in. Led by guitarist Brian Smith and Curtis Hazen alongside bassist Luke Jones and drummer Bobby Baumgartel, vocalist Matt Thompson is able to storm your speakers with his low ranged growls. But wait, is that really the song? High Fives keeps listeners on their feet. Not  only does it seem the demon was exorcised from within Thompson, but that there was also a complete change in the rhythm of the guitars. The drums hold the same brutal beat throughout as the demon finds its way in and out of Thompson while his voice varies from harsh and dark to comforting and warm.

“Pride Goes Before the Fall” (track three) steals the show on “Beauty Through Destruction” highlighting the essence of High Fives. Finally we can hear Haley “Hailstorm” Moss, who adds that special touch to the band on the keys. “Pride Goes Before the Fall” seems to tell the story of that one night you regret, complete with mixed signals, liquor, bad memories and sexual regrets.

“She has given me all the signs/ she thinks this can’t be wrong/ back stage, dark room/ back stage she screams.”

A little over two minutes into “Pride Goes Before the Fall” stuff starts to get crazy. If you did not know what High Fives was all about before, then you do now.  Individually, none of the parts anyone in High Fives plays sounds like it would create more than noise when paired with someone else. When you see them live (or even simply hear about them), you cannot help but wonder how a keyboard works with metal; but then the drums start, the guitars wail the bass begins to bounce, screams come in and the sound is rounded off with High Fives’extra touch—the keys. Somehow High Fives takes their difference, takes different genres and highlights them while blending them into their very own genre of sex rock. Their differences work together—just like ebony and ivory—and they make you want to get up to thrash and groove.

The show isn’t over just yet though. High Fives closes off the show with “Derelicts Dead” (track four), which brings it back to their metal roots.

The quality of “Beauty Through Destruction” is overwhelmingly impressive. The sound differs from the High Fives that we see on stage, but what band’s album doesn’t?

On stage you’ll see vocalist Thompson sweat and run out of breath while transitioning naturally from demonic screams to angelic singing. Baumgartel dripping in sweat attempting to keep the band on track when Moss plays an unexpected, yet harmonious, note.

“Beauty Through Destruction” lacks that raw, live feel. But if you don’t have to listen to High Fives covered in someone else’s sweat or deal with the crazed, dry-humping fan next to you, then why put up with the unanticipated sound of a live show?

From the looks of it, High Fives will be making noise, calling attention and simply rocking long into the future. However, one can only hope that as they grow and improve as a band that we get to hear more from Moss, on stage and compact disc.

“Beauty Through Destruction” will simply mark High Fives debuted onto MP3 players, car stereos and laptops all around Northern Virginia.

“Hold your breath and close your eyes,” High Fives has given you fair warning, “they’re closing in.”

**Editors Note: Since published, High Fives Died in the 80s has parted ways with Thomspon and has been excited to welcome original singer Jeremy Todd back to the band.**

30 Seconds to Mars rock the Patriot Center

Broadside, George Mason University

Heather Gioia

An elaborate stage set up alone — complete with eight flags, two skeletons, two TV screens and a giant white curtain —would make a 30 Seconds to Mars show memorable, but the band was willing to go beyond just putting on a good show
Frontman Jared Leto was sure to make the 30 Seconds show at the Patriot Center Wednesday evening something fans and spectators wouldn’t forget. 
“We’re finally home,” exclaimed Leto, who grew up in the area. “This is a special show.”
Special doesn’t even begin to describe the performance 30 Seconds gave; mind-blowing might be closer. Playing a mixture of old and new songs, 30 Seconds didn’t simply play a show — they made the show unforgettable.
“There [are] an awful lot of people sitting on their fat asses back there,” Leto addressed fans still sitting in the stands. “This is a 30 Seconds to Mars show!”
Spectators who paid extra to be on the floor closer to the band may have been irritated when Leto opened the floor to all fans, instructing security to step aside. However, frustations were cast aside as the lights dimmed and the band played again. The crowd peacefully lost control while Leto instructed everyone to “go fucking crazy.”
As if giant red balloons, a fallen white curtain and dousing the crowd in confetti weren’t enough, Leto climbed into the crowd while performing “The Kill” off their 2005 album “A Beautiful Lie.” Scaling rows of seats in the Patriot Center, Leto found himself surrounded by the ecstatic fans in section 130. Without missing a beat, Leto made his way to the floor where hundreds of fans were gathered, then took off to hang out with the fans in section 116.
By the time the band was concluding the show with “Kings and Queens,” over 50 fans had been called on stage.
30 Seconds to Mars created a memory. Whether you like the band or not, the show was worthwhile, and comical at times. Leto was a show in himself, instructing the crowd to chant, cheer, mosh and, of course, “bounce around pogo-style like its 1979.”

The music goes on, despite all the challenges

The music goes on, despite all the challenges
Heather Gioia

The rail separating the band on stage and the audience was packed like sardines in a can. The crowd went crazy; sweat dripped off faces and flew through the air before landing. The energy was so high everyone hardly noticed or even cared.

On stage was High Fives Died in the 80s, a local Woodbridge, Va. metal band. They were working the crowd like they always do—synchronized head banging, iconic faces and their “Sex Rock” self-proclaimed genre lights.  This was “the show,” the show to make up for yet another let down.

In March 2010 High Fives began to take transformation, and like any other project it would be a long ride complete with highs and lows. At the top of their game, High Fives was playing shows, gathering fans and preparing to drop their EP.

Six months later High Fives found themselves singer-less and faced with the first hurdle on their path to success. Since, High Fives has found a new singer and established a balance between the band, family and work while overcoming the struggles of being an unsigned band.

“It’s part of being a local band, you get shit on,” explained keyboardist Haley Moss.

At first glance you might think High Fives is a synonym for detrimental. The band is complete with ex-military members, parents and expecting parents, those with full-time jobs and oh yeah, that chick with the Mohawk on keyboard. Give them a chance and let them take you by surprise; it is almost better that way.

Taking in different genres and influences spanning from Frank Sinatra to Every Time I Die and including 311, High Fives finds their equilibrium—Sex Rock.

But like for all, success does not come easy nor has it been handed to High Fives. The struggle to be a successful band has meant getting their priorities straight and making their positions on issues clear.

“It is family first, jobs second, band third,” explained guitarist Curtis Hazen, who after leaving the military six years ago understands that playing shows now will not pay the bills, meaning his day job comes first.

“If we were on our way to play a show and I got the call that my daughter was sick, I would leave to go be with her,” explained guitarist Brian Smith passionately, as if giving the band a firm reminder that his six-year-old daughter comes before anything else in his life.

Lucky for the band, they have never had to drop their instruments and back out from a show due to a family emergency.  They have, however, had to battle poor contracts, the majority of which are verbal, and canceled shows when the headlining band just can’t seem to make it.

Time and time again High Fives have found themselves in a sensitive situation of having to be the bearer of bad news—curb stomping fans excitement. Most recently High Fives had to announce to fans that due to an illness in the headlining band, Straight Line Stich, the show was cancelled—the day of.

“We were disappointed, bummed out and angry,” said drummer and expecting father Bobby Baumgartel regarding the cancelled show. “We became full of resentment when they [Straight Line Stich] played the next night in North Carolina.”

As the story goes for most local bands, High Fives is just an opening act for a headliner simply stopping by, and when that band fails to show High Fives, like other local bands, are forced to clean up the mess.

As if the brutal gods of metal, or simply the managers at Victory Records, were testing High Fives to see if they met their self-proclaimed Sex Rock standards, the band soon came face-to-face with new hurdles.

“About three or four months ago we seemed to be having bad show luck,” said singer Matt Thompson, who is the newest edition to the band after Hazen would not have it any other way. “In a short period of time, the two shows we were booked with Victory Records bands were cancelled for different reasons.”

One show with A Hero A Fake was cancelled when the skies opened and blizzard mayhem took over the Northern Virginia region causing all events—and cars—to come to a sudden halt.

Another show with An Early Ending was cancelled when the ghastly roads were just too much to handle and An Early Ending found themselves involved in a car accident that prevented them from making the drive in time.

Lucky for High Fives in both those cases their souls were not signed away in wordy contracts and their fans had not handed over last weeks’ paychecks for tickets; but it still meant that they had no more money than they had the night before.

“We usually enter a verbal contract, where we agree to sell so many tickets to get a certain amount in return,” mentioned the quiet bassist Luke Jones.

“If we sell 50 tickets, we get like four bucks a ticket. If we sell less than 50 tickets, we get less than four bucks a ticket,” the expecting father, Baumgartel, explained. “If the show gets cancelled, we become responsible for providing all of the refunds.”

In a perfect world, High Fives would have the show go on, headlining band or not, making ticket refunds and less then binding contracts a problem of the past.

“Let’s just fucking do it—damn it,” expressed Hazen. “Every show must go on.”

So why not let it? Why not challenge local acts, like High Fives, every time that “too-good to play there” band drops out unexpectedly?

“You step up your game,” said Thompson, who has spent a fair amount of time onstage with High Fives and other local bands learning how to work the fans. “Bring everything a big headliner would—stage show, crowd hyping, musical content—you play a show.”

That’s just what High Fives does every time they take the stage, whether it’s for 45-minute set or a mere 13-minute set they get stuck with when the venue sound tech cannot seem to figure out how to mic the keyboard and laptop—which was the case at “the show.”

Outerloop Productions was able to provide an easy out for High Fives after the Straight Line Stich show was cancelled and lucky for the band, there was no curb stomping involved.

“It is probably the only good thing that came from the [Straight Line Stich] show,” said Jones. “We were super excited to play with The Human Abstract [at ‘the show’], everyone in the band respects and admires them.”

“It was the ‘golden lining’ to everything,” Smith explained after the “high caliber show” with The Human Abstract. “Not only was the band and our fans pumped to see The Human Abstract, but all the Straight Line tickets could be used to get in to the show.”

Making only maybe a couple hundred dollars a show, the band is forced to decide how to divvy up the small amount of money. Do they spend it all to make Thompsons’ brutal vocals bombard fans at shows at a higher velocity? Or towards replacing all those broken drum sticks Baumgartel has collected or maybe his drumheads that are covered in purple duct tape protecting the wounds—or is the money better spent on more High Fives merchandise or studio time?

Ironically enough, High Fives sold the most tickets to The Human Abstract show (cancelled Straight Line Stich Show) and had the shortest set and somehow misplaced the money they earned (which still has not been located). It didn’t matter though; as usual they brought their game and proclaimed their Sex Rock sound, leaving fans yearning for more—they achieved their goal.

 

**Editors Note: Since published, High Fives Died in the 80s has parted ways with Thomspon and has been excited to welcome original singer Jeremy Todd back to the band.**

An Artist at Heart: Greg Howell

A local tattoo artist speaks about his journey to become a professional.

Woodbridge-Va. Patch.com

Heather Gioia

His parents used to sit and watch him, this young blond haired, blue eyed boy who could take a piece of paper and a pencil and make magic. Now you stand and watch in awe as this blond haired, blue eyed man creates a masterpiece on your friend’s back. His once-blank arms now filled with colorful artwork and his once-innocent face now masked by his red beard — he sits focused as the music blares in the background.

Greg Howell, 30, has been drawing since he could pick up a pencil, according to his brother Jeff. At 26 Howell walked into a studio and meet BJ Sanchez when he found away to make his passion his career – tattooing. Howell began his career four years ago at Sanchez’s side.

“BJ did my first tattoo, I talked to him about my interest in becoming a tattooer and eventually he told me that I could come by when I had the time and watch him work,” said Howell. “To not seem too eager, I stopped by every other day after work, but that only lasted a week and soon I was there everyday helping out around the shop.”

Soon Howell began his apprenticeship under Sanchez, in which he did his first tattoo… on himself. The nerve-racking experience exposed Howell to exactly how his customers would soon feel.

“Tattooing is not the same as drawing on paper with a pen,” said Howell. “It is completely different to be placing the ink onto someone else’s body.”

Simplified imagery and bold lines, or American Traditional style tattooing, is what Howell calls his specialty. It is the Ed Hardy artistic, classic style that Howell enjoys about tattoos.

“As I began tattooing, the traditional designs and imagery really appealed to me,” said Howell. “To me, they just look the way a tattoo is supposed to look. They’re timeless, bold, age well and you can recognize them from across the room.”

A few shops and well over 300 tattoos later, Howell is now working full-time out of Jack Brown’s in Fredericksburg.

Now you sit watching Howell create an angel on your friends back, not an American Traditional piece, but still a breath taking piece of art. Your friend stands up; Howell cleans the fresh tattoo, shows your friend in the mirror and quietly asks the two of you what you think. At a lack for words to describe what you think you finally whisper, “It’s amazing.”

Arise and Ruin’s Night Storms Hailfire

Music-Reviewer.com

October 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Arise and Ruin’s Night Storms Hailfire

Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist: Arise and Ruin

Album: Nights Storm Hailfire

Label: Victory Records

Ratting: 5 of 10

With intense guitars and a strong sound, Arise and Ruin begins their album Night Storms Hailfire on a better note then the album ends. With a fast beat the track, Forever Damned (track one) has a fast moving pace and a dark and painful sound. Yet prepare yourself for just one of an album full of production and mixing mistakes. The vocals on the track contain very strong lyrics and evocative content, yet they sound as if you are listening to Ryan Bauchman, vocalist, scream from two rooms away. They are scratchy, gargled, and hard to make out; Bauchman sounds so far away that the best you can make out are grunts, moans and the hook, “Welcome back to hell.”

If you care to give them a second chance after that, you may actually consider listening to the rest of the album. Bring the Rain captures more of Bauchman’s vocal skills, while allowing guitarists Brent Munger and Sam Paterson to prove themselves as more than just background sounds. With a wailing guitar solo fallowed by brutal drums from Derek Prince-Cox leading to a dramatic ending, Bring the Rain convinces you to give the band a second chance.

Doom Sentence (track three) continues to show improvement, and contains what very well might be an extremely moving track. Something full of passion, pain and hate; complete with intense drums, guitar and bass – yet it sounds once again like you are listening to music from the next room over, causing what sounds like it has the ability to be a track capturing talent to become more annoying then enjoyable.

By the beginning of Thrashburn (track four) you are hoping that the mixing guys finally got their job down, and at first you thing they have. Opening with strong and crisp sounding interments, Thrashburn soon too becomes a mixture of splash, crash and what was that?

If you decide to give the album further try because you can hear some talent from these Canadian boys prepare yourself for a wait before track seven, The Aftermath. The Aftermath almost finally creates a success story capturing the talents of Munger, Paterson, Alexis and Prince-Cox; but it fails to start doing so until almost a minute and thirty seconds into the track. Although I do suppose that it is true, that patience is a virtues trait, and well, listeners must learn to wait.

Prepare yourself for mixing disaster after mixing disaster as Buchman continues to sounding distant, almost as if when recording he was screaming through a hole in the wall. The guitars, though, continue to contain a brutal sound as Munger and Paterson, lay down entertaining riffs. However, Alexis’ bass continues to sound overwhelming and to dominate from track to track attempting to match the drums of Prince-Cox.

If you make it to Thrashburn, the sound guys are starting to show improvement, as the guitars begin to match the bass, they have dominant riffs, and the drums become dominant, yet casual capturing beats.  Oh, and at the end do not worry your laptop, mp3 player, car stereo or musical player of choice did not suddenly die or stop creating sounds. Night Storms Hailfire contains a hidden track; secret is out, on track eleven, The Long Haul. And talk about a long haul; prepare to wait about four good minutes of silence before you finally find their hidden track.

Arise and Ruin sound like they could be a brutal band, amounting to violent mosh pits and blaring car stereos. It is highly recommended that for the next album attempt they stick with one recording studio opposed to using Chemical Sound to record drums, bass and guitar and then Highland Sound to record the vocals and additional guitars. The mixing of the two studios failed to mesh to become a pleasant sound. Timing on the tracks was not off by the artist, but intro silence to songs and exiting silence from songs as a fault of faulty mixing.

If these boys record with one recording studio, preferably not one of the two attempted on this album, they sound as if they will be a band worthy of new fans. Arise and Ruin’s underlying goal is to demand listener’s attention, and that demand for attention seemed to have been lost in studio problems; yet if you pick through the mess you can hear a band worthy of your attention.

Every Time I Die’s The New Junk Aesthetic

Music-Reviewer.com

March 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Every Time I Die’s The New Junk Aesthetic

Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist: Every Time I Die

Album: The New Junk Aesthetic

Label: Epitaph

Rating: 8 of 10

Still strutting their stuff, Every Time I Die’s newest album, New Junk Aesthetic, can simply be described as heavy, fast and eccentric.

These Boston boys got together in 1988 and debuted their LP Gutter Phenomenon in 2005, which they used to establish themselves as the new sound in both country and metal. Gutter Phenomenon was the first of many albums to take listeners on a journey in which they had not previously experienced.

New Junk Aesthetic has the same old Every Time I Die sound, the album lacks amounts of new creativity, yet highlights the bands talents. So may argue that Every Time I Die needs to adjust their sound to the “new metal listeners,” but why? They have established a strong sound that has drawn in numerous fans.

As the life of both the party and the funeral, Every Time I Die opens on a strong yet smooth note with Roman Holiday (track 1). Roman Holiday begins to set the mood for the rest of the album and fully captures attention. Using the unique combined sound of a car halting to a screeching stop and a pre show tuning to open and close the track, Every Time I Die allows you a moment to pause and embrace what is going to happen and what has just happened.

Missing the unrolling screams of vocalist Keith Buckley, don’t worry they are soon to come, along with a new surprise as K. Buckley tries his hand at melodic singing.

Prepare yourself, because the tracks to fallow Roman Holiday are rapid, violent, atrocious and powerful.

Who Invited The Russian Soldier? (track 3) is the first track on the album to fully embrace the bands brutality. Drummer, Ryan Leger, hits the pause right on beat and fulfills the silence with that hardly capture his talents. Mixed in with the vicious drums are dramatic guitars, as Jordan Buckley and Any Williams, just begin to showcase their talents.

Incase you forgot that Every Time I Die is not your typical band (as if that is possible), they remind you with Wanderlust (track 4).

While Buffalo may not scream southern blues,  K. Buckley makes this stereotype seem ridiculous. Prepare your ears to be dumbfounded as K. Buckley successfully mixes his unrolling screams with the sound of sweet southern blues to create a twangy brutal sound. Along with him, guitarist, J. Buckley and Williams, exeunt their talent changing tempos and using a mixture of unique sounds.

Continuing to show case their talents, Every Time I Die continues on their musical journey to For the Record (track 5). Their lyrical skills are more than exemplified on For the Record, as K. Buckley’s lyric-writing becomes choppy and poetic. While the lines are embellished in K. Buckley’s screams, take a moment to read the lyrics and truly enjoy the tale of a fugitive who finally got caught.

An attacking lyrical opening leads into a strong ranting and back to attacking, as Every Time I Die takes the call and response out of the interments and hands the responsibility over to K. Buckley. But, J. Buckley,  Williams, Leger and Josh Newton, bassist, do not take a back seat on this track (or any for that matter). Guitar, bass and drums all rage on with simple beats and rhythms that combined to capture their true talents, For the Record allows these boys to proclaim that they have mastered the back-to-basics and can spice it up with a touch of personality.

Every Time I Die continues to storm on track after track with a new attack and story.  Buffalo 666 (track 12) provides as a closing intensified metal track in which K. Buckley proves his mastered skill of screaming.

New Junk Aesthetic ends on a fun and unique sound. Goddamn Kids These Days (track 13) incorporates everything that you have heard on the pervious tracks to create an ending masterpiece. Amongst various tempo changes, you will find K. Buckley move from unrolling screams, at times with a blunt forcefulness to melodic singing which creates a sound that captures your ears and makes you wonder where the band is going to take their sound next. From fast to slow, unrolling to blunt, Goddamn Kids These Days is a powerful call out to all who have failed to listen to the mistakes of those who came before them.

Whether the sound is the same as the last album or not, Every Time I Die has done what they do best and made a commotion. New Junk Aesthetic is nothing to be looked over, but a simple step forward and sampler of what more Every Time I Die posses to offer in the future.

Within the Ruins’ Creature

Music-Reviewer.com

August 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Within the Ruin’s Creature

Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist: Within the Ruins

Album: Creature

Label: Victory Records

Rating: 8 of 10

Keep your ears tuned in and your body ready to move because this is a band on constant attack. Get ready to lose yourself in the arsenal attack of Within the Ruins.

Formed in 2001 out of Massachusetts, Within the Ruins have been on constant attack. Creature, their first album is a complement of musical-attack after musical-attack, creating a complete assault to the ears. If you have been looking for an album that will get your blood pumping, your feet moving and place your body in a constant state of musical convulsions — Within the Ruins’ Creature is it.

Creature is a strong album full of energy that combines a multitude of brutal musical elements. From breakdowns and riffs that leave you in awe to off-the-wall tempo changes and a dash of personality, Within the Ruins has created an epic listening experience.

The Book of Books, track one, begins the musical journey into the musical talents of Within the Ruins. Kevin “Drummer” McGill provides a constant attack on drums throughout he album. While Joe Cocchi and Kyle Marcoux’s fast moving and jaw dropping guitar riffs are matched by the booming sound of Madison Roseberry’s bass. Instrumental talents all of which underlay Jon Grande’s deep demonic voice exemplifying his lyrical lines. The Book of Books is only the first page in Within the Ruins’ story book of life and its encompassing pain.

On an even stronger attack, Arsenal (track two) begins with a dark fast tempo which sets the passe for the rest of the the track. McGill is on constant attack with his double bass, as shot-after-shot is fired with brutal intensity on each beat. Within the Ruins is ready to bring their attack on the world as Arsenal captures the talents of each member. With constant lyrical and instrumental strength and power, Arsenal is only one of the many chapters of musical success.

As if that was not already enough, Within the Ruins continues on their war path with Dig a Ditch (track three). With a smooth and relaxing guitar opening, Dig a Ditch soon finds a more brutal sound when matched with attacking lyrics. Get ready to go crazy with Grande, while his deep dark lyrics are matched with dominate drum beats, attacking cymbal fills and exciting guitar riffs to create a painful demonic dark sound.

And on goes Call Off the Wedding (track four) and Extinguish The (track five), until your listening experience arrives at track six, Jump Ship. Sit back, relax and enjoy the instrumental journey of tempo and rhythmic changes. Jump Ship is one of two instrumental tracks contained on Creature which capture that talents of Cocchi, Marcoux, McGill and Roseberry as they attack a multitude of musical elements to create two unique listening experiences.

Creature (track seven), Tractor Pull (track eight) and Holly Mess (track nine) all continue to allow Grande’s demonic voice to shin. Returning to the extreme sound full of energy, dark and painful.

Yet, do not go thinking that each track is a new version of the last. Each track on Creature obtains unique musical and lyrical elements creating, simply put a musical-attack. The intensity never falls and each songs beat is just as strong as the last. Get ready to pop in Creature, to be lost in the album for weeks. Between the instrumental talents, the vivid and emotional lyrics and the pleasant demonic sound of Grande’s voice, Within the Ruin’s Creature is a must own album.

Corpus Christi’s The Darker Shades of White Heather Gioia

Music-Reviewer.com

August 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Corpus Christi’s The Darker Shades of White

Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist: Corpus Christi

Title: The Darker Shades of White

Label: Victory Records

Rating: 8 of 10

Prepare to have headlines in local papers once again read, “Girl trampled at local religious concert,” followed by a sub-headline reading, “Corpus Christi headlines brutal concert.”

Let your demons out to the slightly demonic sound of Corpus Christi as they rock out with strong Christian lyrics and an attackingly brutal sound. Who ever thought that Christianity and metal were not to be mixed—oh they were wrong. Corpus Christi makes their mark on the Christian metal realm with their first album, The Darker Shades of White.

Starting off with a dark intense sound the Parade of Scars (track one) begins with Justin Evans’ intense drums, quickly followed by the demonic screams of Will Henry. The chorus is framed by soft guitars, carefully presenting their talents, as Henry attacks at your heart with a beautiful, unexpected, soft singing voice. Making sure you are hooked by the end of track one, Parade of Scars explores various tempos, build-ups and breakdowns, as well as various levels of screams and growls.

Opening on another strong note, It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn (track two) allows guitarist Jarrod Christman and Jon Pauly to set a strong beat. With powerful lyrics and the intense sound of Evans’ drums and Phil Smith’s bass, It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn is the second capturing note leading right into the third—Marilyn (track three). Using vicious drums that are responded to by brutal guitars, Marilyn is simply a capturing track. With enraged screaming and clean guitars which lead you into yet another brilliantly sung chorus, Marilyn uses unique musical elements to create an album favorite.

Seem to be over looking, or listening, all of the religious references and God in the lyrical lines of Corpus Christi? Well, just in case you missed the strong Christian lyrics about the struggle of life and the struggle to find God in it, Corpus Christi makes their point clear in Baptized in Fire (track four).

Capturing a different sound, Baptized in Fire tells a story about haven fallen to evil and searching for a way out.  With simple, yet strong instrumental lines, Henry’s levels of screaming fail to please ears, sounding more like a lost voice trying too hard, then the talented vocalist you heard on pervious tracks. Yet, the tempo slows down, the guitars become clean and pleasant, and before you know it, Baptized in Fire has an enjoyable and relaxing sound that washes away the burning memory of uncared for sounds.

Bring it back to fast beats and in-your-face openings, Until the Day (track five) builds up to an even more rapid instrumental tempo and experiments with drum and guitar call-and-response and distorted vocals to create yet another masterpiece. Strong lyrics and instruments lead into yet another glorious chorus with a slow tempo put to Henry’s angelic voice. While each track may follow a similar pattern, containing a softly sang chorus, Corpus Christi fails to find themselves falling victim to a bad case of repetition.

It’s Always Darkest Before the Dawn, Marilyn and I Will Never Forget (track ten) take the cake as dominating songs. With lyrics you lose yourself in, hooks you find yourself singing by the end of the song and instrumental fills that pump the blood through your veins and make your feet move, prepare to be lost in each song. All are a masterpiece of demonic sounds clashing with an angelic voice and strong lyrics that require being played at a higher volume, lyrics to be belted and movement to the intelligent and talented instruments.

The Darker Shades of White holds a strong beat and intense sound from track one to the end of track eleven, Prodigal. Whether you are a fan of Christian metal or not, if you enjoy a heavy beat, demonic screams and the opportunity to rock out to talent, Corpus Christi’s The Darker Shades of White is well worth a listen or two… or maybe even purchase.

Zelazowa’s Elephants on a Mousehunt

Music-Reviewer.com

July 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Zelazowa’s Elephants on a Mousehunt

Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist: Zelazowa

Album: Elephants on a Mousehunt

Label: Self Released

Rating: 5 of 10

Miss the post-punk sound, the twist off the sound of legendary punk bands such as the Sex Pistols, The Talking Heads and the Ramones crossed with a new indie twist? Well, Zelazowa, a bunch of boys from Philly have brought the simple rhythms and strong lyrics back to your stereo with their latest release Elephants on a Mousehunt.

Elephants on a Mousehunt is a fallow-up to Zelazowa’s EP released in 2005, Polymorph, and incorporates only everything that all of the guys have gone through in life and learned in music, to create a 52 minute musical adventure.

When you pop in Elephants on a Mousehunt be prepared to jump as Today is Tomorrow has a distinctive indoor beach party sound. It is quite the note to start the album on, opening with an upbeat and groovy sound matched with a rusty sounding vocals. Today is Tomorrow creates the urge to jump.

Skip forward to track three, You Say Love and sit back to enjoy love song rhythms placed to a twisted punk sound. With calm guitars, bass and drums you can sit back and take to heart the confused and unsure feelings about love we all feel. Be prepared to sit back and sway in your seat enjoying powerful, yet not overwhelming guitar riffs and drum beats. You Say Love is a love song for the masses, finally a song addressing the confused feelings love entails opposed to the head-over-heels in love feeling everyone else seems to focus on.

But do not get too relaxed, because Zelazowa picks the beat back up with another exciting yet relaxing track, Autumn which contains exciting guitar riffs capturing the talents of Bryan and Kyle Webber. Then be prepared to be lost in the catchy rhythmic opening of Boneyard Destination. Boneyard Destination has the back-to-basics bass sound dominated by Ian Sharkey beneath noticeable and notable guitar riffs.

Elephants on a Mousehunt has an upbeat punk-indie sound with harmonic and dominate guitar riffs, experimental drum beats and old school, back-to-basic bass lines. Until Serene, a distinctly different track and a personal favorite, guitars, bass and drums go from basic punk with an indie twist to a basic original metal sound. Prepare yourself for a brutal sound out of these sweet Philly boys, breath taking guitar solos highlighting talents the other tracks failed to. With piercing guitars and brutal bass and drum lines match with calm, yet angered vocals Serene poses as a successful experimental track as Zelazowa proves they can dominate back-to-basic sounds that are not prominently punk.

Triptaka’s Second War

Music-Reviewer.com

May 2009 Music-Reviewer.com

Triptaka’s Second War

By Heather Gioia
Intern

Artist Triptaka

Title Second War

Label Self Released

Rating 4 out of 10

Triptaka creates a 1970’s flash back, using an old school method of creating hybrid sounds. Triptaka combines of the sounds of metal, industrial and progressive rock in their first album release, Second War, creating a hit or miss mixture of sounds.

Second War opens with Suspended, a track that makes you want to get up and move. The electronic keyboard sound matches with the electric rhythmic guitar riffs to create a contagious rhythm. The chorus is a masterpiece of soft moving vocals and infectious rhythms.

Yet, the first four tracks all seem to fallow the same song layout and pattern leading each to fall victim to an infectious case of bad reputation. Lost and Leading experiments with a techno-industrial sound, while Second War tries-out and electronic-metal sound to nearly the same song.

Graeme Cornies, vocalist, has a soft, calm, monotone voice that matches best with the brutal sounds of Dave Kelly’s guitar riffs and James Chapple’s experimental keyboard rhythms. The synths provided by Chapple are rhythmically aggressive, yet when the unnatural sound of the drums makes it hard to truly enjoy the creative sound of Second War. Track four, Tamed, masters the relaxing, mind indulging sound of electronic rock. Which is followed by the soft calming beach sounds of Mother. With a smooth thick voice, Cornies relays painful vocals over the distorted yet real sounds of Chapple and the breath taking rhythmic passages.

Although the hybrid sound of Triptaka is not capturing through tracks one though five. Skip up to track six, Slowburn, because Triptaka finally embraces their true talents with and intense metal and industrial sound and attaching vocals radiating anger. Chapple finally proves to be an above average musician with a capturing solo as Kelly experiments with insane guitar riffs.

Picking up the pace after track six, Second War still falls short of an album that must be added to a collection. Triptaka seems to be attempting to find themselves and their sound in Second War (and achieved success with Slowburn). Give them a chance at a second album and conquering their sound and they may amount up to a band worthy of applause.