MOTD - The Ciem Show: A Marriage Of Prog and Experimental

Mp3 Of The Day

Band/Artist: The Ciem Show
Song: Scene IV: Anamorphic Sleep
Album: Only to Exist in Dreams
Style: Dark Progressive Metal/Experimental Rock
country/location: New Egypt, New Jersey, US
release: 2009

Let's try this again!

Here's a project/band based out of New Egypt, New Jersey (which is coincidentally where two close friends of mine who got married recently are from! heh). This band/project is primarily by a dude known as Ciemnosc (hence the name) who is/was also in Abysmal Gates and Abazagorath (these were the bands I recognized at least). The Ciem Show is as the style/genre says, a dark styled progressive metal band with a little bit of an experimental angle. It's a smorgasbord of prog metal influences. You can hear the ambiance and atmosphere of Devin Townsend's solo work , the heavy and detuned styles of Meshuggah, and the operatic and bizarre qualities of the avant garde like Devil Doll and Frank Zappa. It's pretty good stuff though overwhelming at times. This song took a couple listens before it grew on me to the point that I really appreciated it. Parts of it stand out as memorable sections while others just kinda fly past without being noticed. There are some pretty awesome riffs and melodies used here. See what you think!

The Ciem Show - Scene IV: Anamorphic Sleep

MOTD - GRIND!!!!!

Mp3 Of The Day

Band/Artist: Enabler
Song: Fucking Wartorn
Album: Eden Sank to Grief
Style: Grindcore/Sludge/Hardcore/Death Metal
country/location: Milwaukee, WI
release: 2010

THAT'S RIGHT! IT'S A FAWKING POST!
Yep, another attempt to get back into a posting groove! Who knows if it will work haha.

I was drawn to post something by this incredible band, Enabler, who I got to see twice last week and was completely won over by them. Featuring members of Today Is The Day, Abaddon and Trap Them, this Milwaukee band is a smorgasbord of extreme sounds. Sludge-thick guitars are played at hardcore/grindcore intensity and crust punk rawness, with screams that savagely pierce ears. You can hear that they were just as influenced by early 80s d-beat/crust punk as they were early 90s Swedish death metal. Into that mix, the occasional atmospheric reverbed guitars are constructed in allowing for a brief touch of melody. They do this without loosing the grind as fuck feel that permeates this music. If you get the chance to see them live, please do for they are a great live band!

Enabler - Fucking Wartorn

MOTD - Evans Blue: Time To Get Radio Friendly Generic!

Mp3 Of The Day

Band/Artist: Evans Blue
Song: I Blame You
Album: Evans Blue
Style/s: Post-Grunge/Alternative Rock, Hard Rock
country/location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
release: 2009/10

A fellow metal/music blogger buddy of mine was asked to review this alternative rock band Evans Blue. Not exactly the most exciting thing to review for a metal person, but apparently he'll get more metal things. I decided to support my buddy and post something by this band even if it means my metal cred takes a nice clean dive, but then again my metal cred often takes dives (ie Attack Attack!).

So who exactly is Evans Blue? They're exactly what you might expect when I say they're a radio friendly, post-grunge/alternative hard rock band that sounds like every other radio friendly, post-grunge/alternative hard rock band ever to come out in the late 90s and early 00s. Think TRUSTcompany or Chevelle or 10 Years. They're far from the worst band out there, they do their thing well. Their new vocalist has a good voice for this style; powerful, clean and melodic with just a touch of angst (not too much), plus he can scream/shout when he needs to (again not too much). I'm a sucker for song intros with reverbed/effected guitars. The chorus is what you'd expect, a grand chorus that's meant to be sung along at shows and while you're driving along listening to your favorite alt. rock station. Again, it ain't awful, but they are generic as fuck and bland haha. Oh well. Anyways, take a listen for the fun of it!

Evans Blue - I Blame You

temporary change of download links

Until I can find a cheaper server or server like solution, I'm going to be posting mp3s via Mediafire (sorry if this bothers people). Not only is it free and relatively easy to upload the mp3s, it's free! My previous server/thinger turned really expensive and unhelpful, so mediafire it is! Not sure if there's any limits to the number of files or file space, but assume that after say 20 to 30 posts (ha, like I'll reach that any time soon), I'll start removing stuff. If anyone wants reups of anything, let me know, I'll be happy to send them!

(The last post is via Mediafire)

Scratch that! I'm using dropbox (huge thanks to Max Cantor for being totally metal and awesome and introducing me to this even before I was needing to change!) and there'll be regular old links. I have a 2.26 GB limit so I'll occasionally clean it out, but for now I got a lot of space! The last post is not Mediafire!

MOTD - Outraged that I haven't posted in ages, but it's time to get back to the Metal!

Mp3 Of The Day

So obscure the album cover is missing!

Band/Artist: Outrage
Song: Too Hot To Touch
Album: Prophecy (demo)
Style: Heavy Metal
country/location: Perth, Western Australia
release: 1991

So I'm going to give a shot to getting back to this! No guarantees, but at 2AM on a Thursday morning, I have this strange urge to get something posted. Well here it goes...

The past month has been pretty frickin hot around New England. One time I came home, turned on the cold water faucet and out came hot water. Essentially the perfect weather for some good ol' fashioned, cheesy fun, classic rock inspired, heavy metal! This band Outrage hailed at one point from Perth, Australia, releasing one 11 song demo and that's about as much info anyone has about them. Can't say I'm surprised they never got far for they're nothing special, but they're a fun rockin heavy metal listen. The riffs on this song are pretty simple though effective and enjoyable. The singer's delivery is cheesy with a little extra power in parts (he can hit the high notes when he wants). Like all heavy metal songs, there's a solo! It's actually a nicely done solo, reminiscent of classic rock with the organ providing a backing. Again, nothing fancy here, but it's a good slab of plain traditional fun heavy metal. The type of music you'd blast while driving a hot rod or motorcycle down the highway! Check it out!

Outrage - Too Hot To Touch

MOTD - Spinal Tap Proves Why They Are Experts On The Sun

Mp3 Of The Day

Band/Artist: Spinal Tap
Song: The Sun Never Sweats
Album: Break Like The Wind
Style: Heavy Metal
country/location: Squatney, UK
release: 1992

This weekend I saw a documentary about the most influential rock band in history, Spinal Tap. Through this breathtaking film, I discovered so much about this band that I had known before. Through their wild adventures, their attention to detail and their punctuality I learned so much more about a band that shaped the very foundation of heavy metal and rock n roll. In honor of this greatest of greats, I present to you one of my favorite tracks. A little lesser known then their groundbreaking hits like "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight" or "Stonehenge", it is still a fantastic piece of heavy metal art. With an excellent opening guitar riff that grabs you by the nuts and drags you through a galloping rhythm, "The Sun Never Sweats" is a bluesy hard rockin masterpiece from Spinal Tap's 1992 album Break Like The Wind (also a masterpiece). Chugging guitars follow David St. Hubbins as he provides us with rockin' vocals that sings the tales of pirates, angels and elephants, explaining to us that the sun never sweats (which is quite true, though as my friend Alyse points out, the sun showers). And what great heavy metal song is without solos? This one certainly isn't! Bluesy heartfelt solos and licks can be found through the song, including a great homage to the classic Christmas song "What Child Is This?" (or is it Greensleeves? not that it matters). In any event, it's a shame that this song isn't played on the radios more often, for this song is a tribute to the greatness of Spinal Tap!

(In all seriousness, this song rules! hehe)

Spinal Tap - The Sun Never Sweats

Also, I want to use this legendary opportunity to give a shout out to my buddy and fellow metal blogger Jordan who is slightly less metal than Spinal Tap (which is high praise)! Also a shout out to Alyse for providing an amazing insight to the minds of Spinal Tap!

MOTD - Yob: Gorgeously Crushing Doom

Mp3 Of The Day

Band/Artist: Yob
Song: The Great Cessation
Album: The Great Cessation
Style: Stoner/Doom Metal
country/location: Eugene, Oregon
release: 2009



Man, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. I've been busy and honestly haven't been feelin' it! Now I'm ready to post some stuff again. For some reason, this song seems like a great way to get back in the groove.

The irony is that I wanted to post this one back in June and July haha. If there is one song that I'll associate with 2009, it is this one. I must've listened to this song about 10 times a day and each time I discovered something new about it. Yob is a band that produces incredibly heavy and powerful stoner/doom. Music that just pounds you into submission, but does it with such a sorrowful grace that you feel out of breath both from the shear beauty and the crushing heaviness. This song is no exception, with wall of sound heavily distorted guitars fitting like a glove around epic haunting vocal melodies that are grand, vast and full of such passion that you get goosebumps when they reach their peaks (specifically at around 8:50 and 9:20. At least I get them). This transitions perfectly into a long drawn out slab of phenomenally condemning music that crushes you with heavy heavy meaty distortion until you feel flattened by the weight. The twenty minute length may be intimidating, but this song flows so well that it doesn't feel lengthy. Every time the last blasts of noise faded into oblivion, I'd be amazed that such an amazing amount of time had passed. It's an impressive piece of heavy music.

Yob - The Great Cessation