New Music Report – August 7, 2020
This week was actually a pretty big week for music, or at least for this post. I fully got carried away this time, but there were some very interesting releases out this past week so bear with me. But it’s always genuinely very exciting to get such a deep, diverse roster to listen to in a single week, so I don’t mind rambling a bit.
Crystal Lake – Ok, so technically this isn’t a NEW album. This is mostly a collection of recorded or remastered songs that Crystal Lake have written, dating all the way back to 2003. Here in 2020, Crystal Lake are one of the best metalcore bands in the game, but the United States are just finally getting hip these Japanese heavyweights. Many people are now familiar with their last album, Helix, or vocalist Ryo’s collaborations with bands like Fit For a King, but not many people are aware of their extensive back catalog of releases spanning nearly two decades, including myself, to be honest. This album is an EXCELLENT anthology of their past work, and a nostalgic look back at some of the thematic cornerstones of different eras of metalcore (it’s got solid hints of classic Parkway or Killswitch), viewed through a fresh lens of a band developing a stellar career, unbeknownst to most of the world, and presenting these songs as a history lesson to new fans everywhere. If you are unfamiliar with Crystal Lake, or are new to them, definitely check this album out.
Misery Signals – I was kind of worried this album would just be an attempt at pandering to the crowd looking for a nostalgic dose of metalcore that’s been largely outdated and out paced by modern examples for over a decade now. And for what it’s worth, it sort of is, but man is it good; I’ve got zero gripes with this one. So, either I feel directly into their trap, or they managed to rekindle that old flame and put out a modern interpretation of the sound that cemented themselves as legends of metalcore with Of Malice… more than 15 years ago. Honestly though, 2013’s Absent Light is a magnificent album with incredibly progressive songwriting and composition, but it was clear Misery Signals were going for a throwback on this one. And while that doesn’t always work – generally these attempts to recreate an old style from the band’s past fall flat and lack any real substance – this was brilliantly done. My only complaint is that nine songs isn’t nearly enough.
Slaves – We can add another one to the list of bands that are doing a-ok in a post-Jonny Craig world. Following yet another falling out from Jonny, Slaves recruited Matt McAndrew from the TV show, The Voice, to fill in Craig’s sizeable yet incredibly controversial shoes. And man, this dude has some pipes. I’m sure it comes as no surprise that I was unfamiliar with this guy prior to this, but I think he’s a really wonderful fit for the style of music Slaves has always been working towards. This feels like this most substantial step forward yet towards becoming a pop rock-focused, R&B styled, formerly-post-hardcore band, led by an incredibly strong vocalist. This feels like the most significant realization of the style that contemporaries like Emarosa and Hands Like Houses have been going for in recent years. I will say, this is a bit on the poppy side for me; when I say Emarosa and Hands Like Houses, I mean Versus and Dissonants, not full on pop they play now, but definitely not Relativity and Ground Dweller. But in reality, this is one of the ultimate goals for a lot of post-hardcore bands, and despite such a controversial shakeup, they executed brilliantly. And despite being so poppy, I’ve had it on solid repeat for days.
Year of the Knife – This album is NUTS. It’s a quick rip of a hardcore album with 13 tracks clocking in at just half an hour long. These guys are another one of the bands riding the wave of hardcore with some melodic themes and hints of inspiration borrowed from the death metal scene. But man, are they brutal about their execution. And I don’t know what it is about these hardcore/death metal albums where they all have just absolutely brilliantly done production, but this album sounds incredible. Actually, this one is because it was recorded by Kurt Ballou, but it still lives up to the standards set by their contemporaries very well. Aside from that though, there isn’t really anything terribly revolutionary about this album, it’s just a solid ripper of an album fueled by just straight violence. I love it.
The Fall of Troy – Well, this was weird. I honestly had no idea this was even coming out until about a week ago, and it’s just… so strange. I know The Fall of Troy has always been strange, but this is extra strange. I guess it makes sense though, it’s mostly re-recordings of older material, but it’s a very interesting but very odd experience. It’s definitely got some classic FoT vibes about it, but some of the vocals just don’t quite fit right. Thomas Erak always had a very interesting vocal approach, with an intentionally improper technique to utilize the harshness as a musical tool, kind of like what Geoff Rickley, (former bandmate) Craig Owens, and other post hardcore legends did, but this almost feels too forced, like he’s trying to use proper technique, but it isn’t quite coming naturally. And as a result, it doesn’t quite hit the same as the REAL classic FoT songs. I’m glad we’re getting more music from these guys, and I hope the trend continues, cause this was a fun release, it just took me a minute to warm up to it.