Everything Is Better With Dragons
Book blogger, Autistic, Probably a Dragon
…But in the meantime here’s a video or two about their time in the studio making it.
I will probably be getting the album at some point. Hopefully it’ll be on Spotify so that I can listen to it/review it even if I can’t afford the album for a while. I’m really looking forward to hearing it, especially after hearing ‘God is Dead?’
Loving Ozzy’s snazzy bowler hat btw, even though I’m more of a top hat girl myself.
http://open.spotify.com/album/2P1mjsH61jGlUtdi7EJSks
I’ve finally managed to hear 30 Seconds to Mars’s new album, LLF+D. Several of my friends are
Echelon and have been raving about it.
Jared Leto has covered huge universal topics with this new album. We all have our love, lusts, faith and dreams.
This new album reminds me a lot of their first, self-titled, album, yet is clearly an evolution in their sound, with some of the anthemic sounds that can be heard on third album ‘This is War’. It also feels like I’m looking into Mr Leto’s soul, especially when listening to ‘City of Angels’.
A mix of upbeat and contemplative tracks, skilled song writing, passionate singing to match the lyrics, and a mix of electronic effects and musical talent from Shannon and Tomo, make this album a good addition to the band’s catalogue of work.
I found it an enjoyable, relaxing listen, although I had to listen to it a few times to really get to grips with the lyrics. My personal favourite is ‘Northern Lights’.
And now I’m going to listen to it again and go back to sleep.
Bye,
Rose
Yes, it’s another round up of the bands that follow my Twitter account. Aren’t you lucky devils?
So the first band on my list are Demise, a band from the West Midlands that formed in 2008. They describe themselves as a ‘heavy band’ and say they sound like Pantera, Down, Metallica, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Black Label Society.
Band Members:
They have several tracks available a:
I listened to ‘The Contender’.
Opinion
I’m not incredibly impressed, but as I’ve said multiple times I prefer clean vocals to shouting and screaming. I know other people like that sort of thing and if you do they might be to your taste. Either way, don’t let my personal preferences prevent you from at least giving them a listen.
Next on my list is an American band called Stellar Revival. I have somewhat limited internet access so it was about a week between them following me and me being able to get online and listen to their music. By the time I had a chance to they had unfollowed me. As a result I haven’t listened to their music, but if you want to, their website is:
Third on my list is another American band, or as they describe themselves an ‘industrial-metal/shock rock performance art act’ from Portland, Oregon.
Members
Their website is:
Their facebook page has a quite comprehensive ‘About’ page, but here’s a small sample just to give you an idea
‘Amerakin Overdose is an Industrial- Metal / Shock Rock performance art act from Portland, OR. Known for hypnotic dance beats and horror style theatrics, blended with heavy driven metal riffs, the band brings a very user friendly sound that promotes accidental cardio via involuntary movement of your head, feet and body. The combination of heavy dance music mixed with onstage antics are a freak show in action, a nonstop visual and auditory stimulate from the first note to the last. True to the band motto; they “Get Shit Done”.’
Apart from the bad grammar and slightly off spelling, I find their expression of intent slightly obnoxious.
I listened to three of their songs after downloading them from reverb nation.
Opinion
Er, no, just, no.
Seriously, that’s what I’ve got written in my notebook.
I see what they’re trying to do, it’s very much in the ‘Slipknot’ mould but it’s just not my thing.
Finally, because they’re the last in my notebook, a band whose music I actually liked, A New Tomorrow.
From London and formed in June 2009, they describe their music as modern rock.
Members
This quartet have a comprehensive website:
and their music is available on iTunes, Spotify etc. They also have a few tracks on sound cloud
Opinion
I listened to the tracks this band have on Spotify, their EP ‘Incandescent’ and the single ‘Believe’. On first listen I preferred ‘Love Utopia’ and ‘What they can’t steal from you’ because I found the lyrics of ‘Brighter than the sun’ and ‘Believe’ to be a little repetitive. On listening a second time I found that I actually quite liked all of them; the songs are enjoyable with a positive feeling about them.
Alesso Garavello’s singing is not necessarily to my taste, his voice is a little too high pitched at times, but still good. Occasionally (especially in ‘Love Utopia’) he sounds like someone has got his balls in a vice.
The guitars are not mind blowing, although they certainly seem competent enough, and Tim Hall is a steady and skilled drummer.
In other words, they’re okay, not quite as heavy as I usually like but still appealing. And they get extra points for spelling my name correctly when they answered a Tweet. I didn’t actually mean for them to answer it, I was just commenting on the music when I listened to it. But still, kudos for that.
And that’s the round up for this week.
Bye
Rose
At last! I’ve been album since I saw them live in mid-March. It does not disappoint.
Andy James’ guitar playing is amazing and Darrin South’s lyrics and vocals are so damn good. Josh Gurner (Bass) and Lee Newell (Drums) tie it all together nicely. And together it’s perfect: a heavy sound with well written, honest lyrics, and excellent musicianship. There really isn’t a track on this album that I don’t like and I can’t wait to see them play at Download Festival next month. They may just be my new favourite band.
I didn’t like BMTH’s earlier stuff, because as I’ve said before I prefer singers who actually sing rather than shout, and Ollie Sykes shouts far more than he sings. That’s unfortunate really because as ‘Deathbeds’, the final track on the ‘Deluxe’ version of Sempiternal, shows, Ollie Sykes can sing quite well. That isn’t the onbly track on the album that shows BMTH’s growth as a band, and as people. The raw pain in the lyrics of ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ contrasts with the anger of ‘The House of Wolves’. Just when you think you know what to expect they change the emotional tone of the songs, although the whole is tied together musically.
I had to listen to the album twice to really get in to it, but once I did I was willing to admit that while they will never be my favourite band this group of lads from Sheffield are okay. I can see why they are considered one of the best young British metal bands around.
YES!!!!!
You know I said I’d stop fangirling? Well, I lied. I’m back with another post.
I pre-ordered the fan pack as soon as it was available (if I’d waited I wouldn’t have had the money to pay for it). It arrived the on Monday, the official release date and came packaged in a sturdy cardboard container.
It contains
At £14.99 I’d say that was a bargain. Even if you take out the stuff that’s for pre-orders only that still leaves a thick magazine, an album, several bonus songs to download, and a very large double-sided poster. At a quick estimate, let’s say the album costs £10 on its own, the poster, 3 or 4 quid, the magazine is at least £4, plus the downloadable tracks? £2 or £3? So about £20 in total? If you could get any of the extras on their own, which I don’t think you can, that’s good value for money. Now the only decision is, do I hang the posters up, or keep them safe in the packaging?
So, purely from a monetary viewpoint, the fan-pack/collector’s pack is worth it. From a fan’s point of view, the insights into the band, the album and everything that goes with it, the magazine is a treasure house of information. So yes, definitely worth the money if you like HIM.
Bye,
Rose
Firstly let me declare my biases.
Now that’s out of the way I’ll get on with the actual review. Bearing in mind what I’ve just said, and my major fan-girling on Twitter on the morning I received my copy of ‘Tears on Tape’ (29/04/2013), it actually took me a while to get in to the album. It was only on my third listen that it started to grow on me; I really liked ‘Love without tears’ the first time through, and then ‘Into the night’ replaced it as my favourite song on the album. The opening riff on ‘Hearts at war’ is very reminiscent of ‘Love Metal’ era HIM.
Ville Valo’s voice has definitely changed in the last few years; it’s not as strong as it once was although he still manages to carry the songs well, and reprises of old hits ‘Buried alive by love’ and ‘Kiss of dawn’ – live from Finnvox, show that he can still sing their older material. Linde’s riffs are great, Mige’s bass sits quietly in the background holding things together, Burton is still a virtuoso on the keys and Gas is still hitting those drums way too hard. I really like the intro ‘Unleash the red’; it sets the tone for the whole album right from the start. More bands should have instrumental intro’s on their albums.
The more I listen to this album the more I love it. It definitely requires listening to several times to really get in to it and hear all the different aspects and, since the lyrics aren’t in the album, to understand precisely what is being sung, but it repays the time in the quality of the work and the pleasure I get from hearing these gents again. HIM have managed to produce another album of melodic, dark and heavy tracks that reference in their sound all their influences. I like the ‘dirty’ effect they’ve managed to get, like you would hear on a real cassette tape as it warps and changes with being played.
The album artwork, by Daniel P Carter, is rather gorgeously gothic; the new evolution in the
heartagram as a sigil, the skulls, bleeding hearts and
beautiful geometric work is so very representative of HIM, yet so different from their previous album sleeve artwork. I love the cover; it reminds me of the sea under storm clouds. It also reminds me of the afternoon just after the cover art was first released that I spent with my nephew trying to decipher the lyrics written in the world snake. We had fun, and managed to translate the writing (my nephew was very proud of himself). I’m a sentimental git, the music appeals to me, what can I say?
The thing that made me laugh most was the way the album credits were concluded with ‘Ta & Ta Ta’ – thank you and goodbye in Midland’s English (someone’s been hanging around in England for too long methinks).
Right, I’m going to stop verbally fan-girling now and try to sum up.
This album is HIM; it references so many of their influences and yet is different from all of them, it’s a bit heavier than some of their earlier stuff, being closer to Love Metal than Screamworks, and it needs a few listens to really get in to, but it grew on me. A great addition and evolution to the band’s body of work.
Yours, in sonic insanity,
Rose
It’s arrived!
I’m listening to it now; full review to follow when I finish fangirling.
Rose
Since bands keep following me on Twitter, and I really need to do some writing right now (I find it therapeutic), I have decided to give in and write about them instead of complaining about it. Two bands followed me today: Message to Venus, from Puerto Rico/Florida and Strip no Alter, from Brazil. This post will be about Message to Venus. Shall we get started?
Message to Venus
Formed in 2009 by Puerto Ricans
in Florida.
Contact Details:
Releases
Opinion?
I actually quite liked their EP; it sounds a lot like 30 Seconds to Mars’ s second album ‘A beautiful lie’. I would recommend it if you like them. Actually, it’s a good EP whether you like Mars or not. Go and have a listen.
Rose
…writing about the bands that follow my Twitter because now I have even more following me.
Three more so far this week, all within a day of each other. Here’s what my nosing around the web found.
Art of Dying
Twitter: @ArtOfDying
Jonny Hetherington – vocals
Greg Bradley – guiar
Tanis Stanley – guitar/vocals
Cale Gontier – bass/vocals
Jeff Brown – drums
This five-piece are from Canada and formed in 2004. They ‘made a conscious effort to be as sonically dynamic as their influences’, alternative rock bands, ‘but approach their songs with a greater sense of optimism.’
Honestly, from reading their comprehensive website, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I wasn’t impressed by what I read. I’m happy to say I was wrong. They have two albums available on Spotify, ‘Art of Dying’ and the acoustic ‘Let the fire burn’. They’re actually not as bad as I thought they would be. I’m not overfond of the acoustic album but I’ve no objections to it staying on my Spotify. Can’t say that I’d ever buy tickets to go see them but if they happened to be at a festival I was at or were supporting another band then I would probably make the effort to go and listen to them.
Gone2morrow
Twitter:@gone2morrowfans
http://reverbnation.com/gone2morrow
Facebook: gone2morrowband
YouTube: gone2morrowband
Formed in 2011 by Geo Garcia and Chris Mason, this band describe themselves in their Twitter bio as an ‘established Las Vegas hard rock band’ and list their influences as Sevendust, Avenged Sevenfold, Disturbed, Black Sabbath etc
Three tracks available on reverbnation – ‘Lies’, ‘Dead Now’, and ‘Maybe2morrow’.
I watched the video for ‘Dead Now’ on their YouTube channel. Hmm, well I suppose they’re not terrible but I’m not a fan. They’re not as good as their influences but I can definitely hear A7X in there. Meh, not too fussed by this band.
And finally…
Nightland
Twitter: @Nightland_Metal
Facebook: Nightland
YouTube: NightlandOfficial
Soundcloud: nightland (it’s useless – no tracks and no info about the band)
Ludovico Cioffi – vocals/guitar
Filippo Scrima – guitar
Andrea Sangervasi – bass
Francesco Ambrogiani – keyboards
Filippo Cicoria – drums
Their 2012 EP ‘In Solemn Rise’ is on Spotify
More Italian death metal; I thought I’d made it obvious that I’m not a fan of death metal? Oh well, I’m going to be nice and have a look at their stuff on YouTube and listen to the EP on Spotify anyway, just to be fair. Although it’s really not my thing and I can’t tell good death metal from terrible death metal.
Their Twitter bio is very succinct: ‘Epic death metal band from Italy’. Yep, that’s really helpful lads; it’s a good job I found your YouTube channel. The music is definitely epic, almost symphonic – a bit like Nightwish but with no violins and shouting instead of operatic singing. And it was definitely the vocals that I didn’t like, although there were bits that weren’t too bad, positively catchy in places. The video for ‘Diamond Siren’ was actually quite amusing; I have no idea what Mr Cioffi was singing about but random knights appearing and the keyboardist trying to eat his instrument made me giggle inappropriately – pretty certain the audience wasn’t meant to be laughing at that point. I listened to some of the EP; it was okay, I could listen to it for a bit. For the music if not the vocals.
And that’s that for this week.
Coming Soon
Review: Iron Man 3
Review: HIM ‘Tears on Tape’ + the Metal Hammer fanpack – was it worth the price?
Review: The Science of Discworld 4 (waiting for the library to get back to me on this one)
Everything Is Better With Dragons 