I was looking through all my music trying to figure out what to post next, and this one definitely stuck out even though there were tons that I wanted to include. Malakai were (and on special occasion, are) so fun to see live. They played downcast, dramatic mathcore, and when I say dramatic I mean they utilized drama for the album. The thing that made this album stick out in my search is that the lyrics are a script and the album tells a story of the struggle between an emperor, his son, and his court. This is still an extremely unique concept to me. I've heard of albums that tell a story, but the way this one was executed is stupendous to me. III & V are my favorite acts. If anyone is interested, I could transcribe the lyrics/lines.
"Bow your head, and still the drums. Make way, for The Emperor comes."
Antietam (later known as Days of Awe because of a previously Antietam-named band, and that's funny because these guys had a sister band called Butcher Jones which ended up being a taken name as well) were straight edge band that played sophisticated, melodic hardcore with intelligent lyrics. A few of the guys in this band started a new project called The Rule, The Law so keep an eye out for more from that. There seems to be a theme with this Locals Week thing ... "Sad to see them go."
"I'm so utterly misguided. I keep mistaking the streetlights in the morning for the moon."
NOTE: I compressed the files before scanning the CD insert for a good album artwork image, so if you like to have good album artwork, don't forget to copy and paste the image below.
I'm not so sure whether or not they've called it quits for good yet, but I hope not, because this is/was one of my favorite local bands. Another one that could bring me to a show just because they were playing. And I'm not sure why this didn't catch on, because it's just so damn catchy! Pop punk done well. Very well.
"From day one I never wanted me, and that works because neither did she."
1. The Other Side Of Garden State 2. Wagons East 3. Haircuts Don't Lie 4. Moving On Vs. You 5. Live Some, Learn Some
Like so many other times before, this is a band that really started to show some promise and then sunk. Throughout their developmental stage, they released a few demos leading up to what would be their first legitimate release, this self-titled full-length, but it seems they met their end at an unfortunate time: right in the process of releasing it. Though it never saw proper distribution, I was lucky enough to get it from a good friend from the band, and I wish things had worked out better in regards to the band in general because I really like these songs! They're soft. Some of the guys from this band started a post-MOM band called Juliet which you can listen to at juliet.bandcamp.com
"Everybody has your love. I'm just not the same."
1. New Romantic 2. Dallow 3. Spicer 4. For Summer 5. [untitled] 6. Pinkie 7. Violet 8. I'm All Tongue 9. Cubitt
Here's another band that I was sad to see pass. They played dark hardcore with a metal overtone. I never had anything but good to say about them, and I still listen to this demo all the time. Brings back memories of good times.
"With all the "cheer up kid!"s and the "remember when?"s, there are too many "I feel dead."s for just one pen."
1. The Ghost Takes Flight 2. This Is Not A Welcome 3. Dead Letter Office 4. Behold, The Arrows Of The Day
Easily my favorite local band. They're the only one I would actually try to go to every show for, strictly to see them. And I'd always be so bummed if I missed their sets. Their live shows usually consisted of a sparse crowd that just stood there, but the band was always full of energy and played really well no matter what. There was always this cool feeling about them because they were strictly a live band to me since they never released anything, and so I only ever got to hear them live and that made their songs seem new and impressive every time. Eventually after they kind of fell apart, their drummer gave out the recordings they'd done. Their discography is eleven songs from two different sessions. Chaotic, spazzy punk with heavy, noisey guitars over fill-filled drums and shrill screams; kind of Converge-esque, but it's hard to make truly accurate comparisons.
"We can't hold it in forever; with our hands in the air. But our inner selves wear the guilty faces. Let's build these monuments to the sky."
Enchantment Under The Sea (Demo) 1. So This Is It 2. The Wave Song 3. Black Knee 4. Imagine A Snake Singing This Song 5. Hearts Became Machines 6. Creepshow
No Movement 1. Intro 2. What The Kids Are Doing Now 3. Falling Deep 4. Hidden Tension 5. Monuments To The Sky
From what I've read, these are supposed to be alternate demo versions of the material for "God Loves, Man Kills" with Rob doing vocals, recorded in 2006. These are my favorite songs of their's. They really show their technical, fast-paced side.
So I was looking through Final Fantasy guides for ideas on names for a band I'm starting, and one of the ideas I wrote down was Rinoa (Final Fantasy VIII). After I'd written down anything eye-catching, I went ahead and checked to see which were already bands. Rinoa has been used as a name twice already, apparently. The Rinoa I'm talking about though, is the UK variation, from Essex. I decided to check out their stuff because the biography on last.fm sounded cool (said they're along the lines of Envy, Mono, and others). Listened to it, and thought you would like it! I suggest you listen to it.
"I'll wait for spring. Her throne will shine again."
1. Past Maidens 2. This Land Will Hold Their Wings 3. Sol Winds 4. Fires In The Distant North 5. An Empty Canvas 6. This Is Our View 7. Memory 8. The Gates
After posting Frodus, I listened to Stop It!! and thought there were some striking comparisons, particularly in the quality of their sounds. Stop It!! is a lot like Frodus; very methodical, heavy, and smooth all at once, except their song structures are a bit more compact than a lot of what's on "And So We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea." Unlike Frodus though, Stop It!! were a screamo band with a lot of groove, and a very prevalent sound with every part of the mix. This is one of my favorite records, and I'd say it's an essential for anyone who is even remotely into screamo or mathcore. Robotic Empire put this out in the earlier part of the new millenium.
"Some writers write all night; ten-thousand words of truth. Then they drink themselves to death upon finding it. Sometimes I write all night, ten-thousand critics come, and if they're telling the truth than that has to mean I'm lying to myself. But I'm not lying."
1. Maybe She's Born With It 2. Name + Number 3. Amen & Boys 4. A Clever Play On Words 5. Remove Your Teeth 6. S.S. Betrayal 7. Captain Roboto 8. Here's To New Shortcuts 9. Beethoven's Funeral
Frodus (Conglomorate International) A.K.A. F.C.I. were an amazing post-hardcore band from D.C. in the nineties. They toured with Refused in 1998, and are often compared with them even though they have very disparate sounds. Thrice covered their song "The Earth Isn't Humming" on their Alchemy Index release. You could basically call them mathcore. Their songs build on themselves, becoming very spacey and dynamic and they create such a unique sound that I imagine must've been far ahead of their time. I wasn't there. I don't know. Regardless, this is a perfect album in my opinion. It was their last, being released by Fueled By Ramen in 2001, and is without a doubt their best material. Especially as a whole; this album is best listened to from start to finish rather than just hearing individual songs. I think it's supposed to repressed on vinyl sometime this year by Lovitt Records. They reunited for SXSW 2009, playing at the Lovitt area, and I think they may have actually recorded a 7" last year... Not too sure about all the details, but it sounds like they're working on things again.
"The machines never died! We will be vindicated!"
1. Red Bull Of Juarez 2. The Earth Isn't Humming 3. There Will Be No More Scum 4. Out-Circuit The Ending 5. Chiriaco Summit 6. Belgian Congo 7. The Awesome Machine 8. 6/99 9. Hull Crush Depth 10. Year Of The Hex 11. And We Washed Our Weapons In The Sea
