ALBUM REVIEW; TEMPER TEMPER by Bullet For My Valentine

Bullet For My Valentine
Temper Temper
2/10

Disappointingly generic, uninspired and frankly dull in places, Bullet's 4th LP falls completely flat. 

Way back when, when BFMV were relative newbies, in the era traversing first two albums The Poison and Scream, Aim, Fire, they were hailed as the future of British metal. And this expectation was not unreasonable, with tracks like Tears Don't Fall, that to this day endures as a brilliant embodiment of emotive metal, Scream, Aim, Fire and Waking The Demon. Yet 3rd album Fever made no impression on me after a few listens, and therefore many hopes were held for album #4. Oh, how those hopes have been dashed. Sorry chaps, it's awful. Once the future of British metal, they're now almost a parody of the genre.

The word 'uninspired' works as a theme for this album, for veins of un-inspiration run throughout it. Before the opening bars of track 1 start, a quizzical and skeptical eyebrow must be raised at the track names. I have to wonder if there's an 'Angsty Pre-Teen Metalhead Song Name Handbook' - if such a thing existed, it would explain such heard-it-all-before titles such as Truth Hurts, Dead To The World, Dirty Little Secret and Livin' Life (On The Edge Of A Knife) (and yes, that's Livin', not Living). 

It doesn't get much better on the lyrical front lines either. I physically facepalmed during the first line of Leech, at the sentence "Hey, leech! No longer will you suck my blood", then again during Dead To The World at "hope is now lost; lost without hope". Just 2 examples of the frustratingly obvious 'lyricism' present in Temper Temper. And another irritating recurrence is Matt Tuck's constant re-use of the same lines within songs. I'm not saying repeating is a bad thing, otherwise I'd like 0% of music, but here it feels like filler because they couldn't be arsed to think of a different rhyme. Oh, and stop repeating the song title followed by "whooah-ohhhh-whoaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh". Once again, over-done. Done to death. The album's lowlight Riot combines these factors, and is in fact a microcosm of why the album is so bad. The chorus is "RIOT! Whoah-ohhh-oohhhhh". That's it. Then there are lines like "here come the sirens, here comes the law; run from the sirens, run from the law", of course punctuated by some whoah-ing. 

The other side of Riot, completing the microcosm, is the musical side of it. Underlined by a boring repetitive open-C chug with some infrequent twiddling, all of which is loyally followed by sheep-like drum/bass lines that do nothing more than replicate the basic rhythms. Which is a pattern across the whole album. There are one or two attempts to do something new, most notably from the ever-so-slightly djent-influenced Truth Hurts, yet even that fails by being too off-beat for it's own good and becoming simply clumsy. The only other bit that remains for me to pick up on is the physical vocals. Unfortunately, they are also awful. There's a pretty even 3-way mix of vocal stylings; screams, singing, and weird semi-talky stuff. The screams, to their credit, are ok, but they've been far superior; the singing is dire through being off-key and weak; and the weird semi-talky stuff tries to be moody but...it's just weird semi-talky stuff at the end of the day. And I actually laughed during Truth Hurts at Matt Tuck's attempt at a falsetto. Was someone squeezing his vegetables in the studio?

The only redeeming qualities in Temper Temper are the solos. Guitarist Padge is the only source of interesting material in the album, yet it almost seems that his 4-5 solos are a desperate attempt to keep a bit of real metal in what is otherwise a mass-produced instant-ready-meal of a metal record. And recycling Tears Don't Fall is the final nail in this album's coffin. There is a staggering lack of imagination present here, and I have to ask; Have you forgotten what metal is, Bullet? Because this ain't it. You seriously need to spend some time revisiting your roots.

ALBUM REVIEW; OPPOSITES by Biffy Clyro

Biffy Clyro
Opposites
9/10

Mon the Biff! A magnificent collection of distinctive stadium rock anthems. 

The first thing that's worth mentioning is that this album took the number 1 spot in the UK Album Chart for it's first week (week ending February 3rd), and is also the fastest-selling album this year so far. And boy does it more than deserve that. Opposites, the 6th studio effort by the Scots trio, is lyrically intricate, rocky, tender, beautiful, downright odd and overall, glorious. n.b. Biffy released 2 versions of the album, a 14-track single album, and a 20-track double album (the full version) - this review covers the double.

Over time, Biffy have been developing the kind of sound that suits festival headline spots and stadiums down to a T, and Opposites is very much the pinnacle of this progression. There are some truly huge anthems to be had across both discs, such as single Black Chandelier, Biblical and Stingin' Belle, that are custom-made to get huge crowds deafeningly chanting the choruses or jumping within the first 3 notes of a riff. The latter of those 3 is particularly rousing, breaking into a ludicrously uplifting score of what else but bagpipes at its close. As if you ever wondered where they were from. But the use of bagpipes only breaks the surface of how far Biffy push their own boundaries in terms of sound.

Never ones to be pigeonholed, there is such a huge variety of alternative styles within Opposites, one of the things that sets Biffy apart. The Fog, for example, employs a spooky, almost baroque organ sound with electronic undertones, with a stunning dark crescendo at the end that will send shivers down you; Sounds Like Balloons, underlined by a quirky, stuttering riff, sees harps creep in; and one of the highlights of both albums, Spanish Radio, actually uses a mariachi band in conjunction with the guitars and drums. Mad and brilliant. 

The Sand At The Core Of Our Bones (disc 1) and The Land At The End Of Our Toes (disc 2) are very different in style; The Sand... takes on a much darker, more menacing tone than the uplifting sense behind The Land... - indeed, it's where the name Opposites comes from, with each disc acting as the antithesis of the other. But, together, it's brilliant. Rather than feeling too long, it's perfectly balanced, and at its' core, it's pure Biffy - off-beat riffs, oft-nonsensical yet beautifully flowing and clever lyricism, and personally deep to each band member but with a grand sound that brings them to the high point they were destined for. An amazing record. 

ALBUM REVIEW; CONDUIT by Funeral For A Friend

Funeral For A Friend
Conduit
8/10

No messing about here - an energetic and awesome half hour divulging in FFAF's hardcore punk side.

Welcome back FFAF. Almost 2 years since previous album Welcome Home Armageddon, the Welsh rockers return with an album overflowing in glorious punk rock that mixes in the tried, tested and approved melodic side they're well known for. And with only two songs over 3 minutes, there's no FFAF faff, just undiluted headband opportunities.

There are all sorts of different notable influences on Conduit, such as metalcore-esque riffs on tracks such as Grey, Best Friends and Hospital Beds and ___, the obvious driving punk influence and even heavy metal touches - Sun-Less's primary riff is a perfect example of this. But, being the band they are, the is emotive melody a-plenty. Thankfully, this doesn't detract from or dilute the tone that the album carries, far from it. In classic Funeral style, it merely adds to it, and in doing so strikes up a wonderful balance that has always marked the band. 

Conduit stays generally away from the screamed side of vocals that they've explored in the past, propping instead for gritty, rough tones that coexist with the aforementioned melody. Special mention must also be given to new drummer Pat Lundy, formerly of metalcore outfit Rise To Remain - his touch on the album is noticeable, with the drums prominent, rapid fire and giving an undertone very much of the metal variety. Guitar work is top notch too, with obviously good work having been put in to make the riffs heavy and the choruses epic. 

This is a fucking great album, that should go down an absolute treat live. It's no-nonsense hardcore punk that will punch you in the face and leave you smiling afterwards. 

ALBUM REVIEW; ATLAS by Parkway Drive

ATLAS by Parkway Drive
9/10
Serious stuff from Oz' finest metal export - deep, thoughtful, developed, and of course, brutal as f*ck.

You only have to look at the themes of PWD's releases over the years to see how they've matured as a band - from the early days of Killing With A Smile that hated things, through existence and monsters in Horizons and exploring the concept of feeling lost in Deep Blue, we arrive at the end of the world in Atlas. Yet through all this they've grown into and maintained a status as maybe the best metalcore act in the world, and this new release continues that upward trajectory - as a group, they have really pushed the boat (surfboard? They are beach bums at heart...) out and created something special.

A stand-out aspect of Atlas is the ambition, in terms of both content and musicality. The message of the album is clear; we've got a screwed-up planet that needs fixing; "there will be no future if we don't learn from our mistakes" (Dark Days). It's a big message, and this underlying theme stays strong throughout the 48 minutes of top-quality metal, but never overrides the music. But that music...

The voice is as much of an instrument as anything else, and vocalist Winston McCall has the most powerful voice I've ever heard in metalcore - watch live videos of PWD if you don't believe me - and it's a voice on form here, ripping out deep growls and strong highs without difficulty, but also exploring the more mellow semi-spoken side of vocals when the music takes that turn. McCall also delivers the lyrical content of Atlas with fantastic force - it's a dream combo of anthemic, memorable and overall memorable lyricism sung with emotion and belief in the content. 

As hinted at, we are treated to Parkway's more melodic side amongst the classic riff brutality that they're so good at. It is, in fact, one of the main ways that this album is so ambitious. The opening track to an album has to be killer and set the tone for the rest, and Sparks delivers with a quiet intro that builds into a grand, epic strings-fest that puts the whole album on a huge scale. Tracks such as The River and Atlas explore a more semi-acoustic vein, and darker, moodier riffs come to light on The Slow Surrender. But there is still the crushing heaviness that we know so well throughout, most evident on lead single Dark Days and album highlights Snake Oil & Holy Water and Blue & The Grey, the two tracks that see out the album, and these are as brutal as ever. 

In Atlas, Parkway Drive have produced a record that I would go as far as calling a metalcore classic. It has power in abundance, anthemic songs as far as the eye can see, some truly epic goosebump-inducing moody moments (intro to Dark Days. Trust me) and explores a more thought-provoking side without diluting what the band fundamentally are. A triumph.

ALBUM REVIEW - 'ONE WING' by The Chariot

THE CHARIOT; ONE WING

10/10

Loud, brutal, frenetic, experimental and brilliantly downright odd - The Chariot, ladies and gents.

One of the things I love about memes is their ability to express that which words cannot; a picture is worth a thousand words etc (this is all relevant, honest). 

Recent press photo of The Chariot

This meme beneath embodies The Chariot. Many bands can claim to be experimental, but One Wing is an example of true non-conformity and experimentation in genre and sound. Remember Art Attack, and Neil Buchanan making large scale pictures out of powder? At first it's like 'huh?', then it zooms out and suddenly it's a masterpiece - that's this album. 

Opener Forget starts things at a frenetic pace, the unmistakeable screams of vocalist Josh Scogin bursting in and relentlessly continuing until the man himself is out of breath amidst a cacophony of riff and noise. This frantic energy continues until suddenly everything drops off into the short, beautiful Your (featuring guest vocalist Angela Plake), before picking back up into pure loud. And that's the album's style, the experimental side that meshes together perfectly. Later, a spaghetti-western segment is added to the equation in First, complete with trumpets, twanging guitar and even a whiplash (it's all very Knights of Cydonia), but maintaining the screamed vocals, making for one of the most distinctively superb outros in The Chariot's repertoire (at the very least). A pseudo-piano ballad also enters the mix, laying raw, emotion-laden vocals over a dark, disjointed tinkling of the ivories, creating in itself an incredibly intense track. It is, all told, a highly unusual combination of styles, and each one is a master stroke in its own manner.

This is an album equally bursting to the seams with genuine meaning , emotion and poer. Initially it might just seem like a conglomeration of several different kinds of chaos, and you'd be right to think such a thing, but there's so much more - each segment has a justified place and meaning. There's meaning hidden in the song titles too; in sequence, 'Forget Not Your First Love. Speak In Tongues And Cheek.' and the manner that the final track closes out is a thought-provoking and sombre yet powerful one.

and that is what sets this album apart from other metalcore/hardcore/etc bands. It also does that which their previous albums have come so close to doing; capturing the breathless, chaotic, intense and insane energy of their live show.  I cannot recommend highly enough that you listen to this; One Wing is a masterpiece by a band that have been at the top of their game for so long, and finally pushed even further - a 30-minute maelstrom of excellence.

Listen here!

ALBUM REVIEW; MUSE - THE 2ND LAW

MUSE; THE 2ND LAW

10/10

Bombastic fantastic. Diverse perfection from the Devonshire gods.

The 2^nd Law is Muse's 6^th studio album, and shows just how far they have come since their first album Showbiz, more than a decade ago, from angsty teenagers to a band that have played a huge part in the evolution of modern prog rock. 

The most striking thing about The 2^nd Law is the way it merges together different styles of music, with a distinctive Muse spin, through the distinctive vocals (in particular the falsettos) of Matt Bellamy and the strength of the guitar, bass and drums in differing combinations. For example, opener Supremacy wouldn't be out of place in a Bond film with a healthy dose of dramatic strings alongside a huge riff, while next track Madness takes a sexy electronic detour with a naughty-bits-a-quiver synth bassline and wonderfully emotion-filled vocals. Candidate for best song on the album is Panic Station, the main port in Funk City – there a awful lot of groove going on here. (Non-disco) slappa-da-bass, trumpets, crazy guitar and a generally punchy rhythm that asks you to shake dat ass. Then there's the bombastic brilliance of Survival, a suitably rousing and over-the-top Olympic theme song, before diving into a Nero-produced beautiful maelstrom of swirling synths and bass drops (no dubstep here) in Follow Me, which feels like the most personal track on T2L – it contains a sample of the foetal heartbeat of Bellamy's son Bing as a base rhythm.

Animals is a concoction of melody with a fairly large riff; it remains almost haunting for a lot of the song, before picking up at the end, yet without becoming...raucous (I feel like a grumpy old man, writing the word 'raucous'), while Explorers is a quite beautiful piano-led quasi-ballad and Big Freeze is almost pop like in it's upbeat echoing guitar and bouncy drums. Then, the most interesting part of the album unfolds; the two tracks in which bassist and backing vocalist Chris Wolstenholme takes over on lead vocals for the first time on a studio album. Chronicling Wolstenholme's long, yet ultimately successful, battle with alcoholism, Save Me is deeply personal and rather lovely, showcasing a truly beautiful voice with matching, twinkling guitar work. Liquid State is also very personal, but by contrast is awarded Best Riff – the opening bass is classic Muse, and it is a different style of song to Save Me insomuch as it's much heavier - but both do Wolstenholme proud.

And then, to finish, we have the almost-instrumental almost-dubstep of Unsustainable, though done entirely on guitars. Backed by a driving strings rhythm, it's a fantastic moment when the 'drop' comes in, and the middle section, with squeaky guitar, powerful bass/drums and the strings once again, makes for one of the band's best compositions ever. Then, the very final track Isolated System carries a haunting guitar/piano harmony through subtle electronic beats to bring a close to an incredibly diverse and overall excellent album.

It really is a remarkable feat, what Muse have achieved. Several years in the making, musically perfect throughout and so well balanced; it is superb. It's not decided yet, but given how this has surpassed my expectations, will be in the running for the best album of 2012.

ALBUM REVIEW - BARONESS; 'YELLOW AND GREEN'

BARONESS; YELLOW & GREEN

★★★★★

Stunningly perfect progressive metal from Georgia's finest. 

n.b. I actually wrote this a month ago, when the album came out.  Yet for some reason, it has sat, with several others, as a draft for that month, unpublished, gathering internet dust. Until now...mwuhahaha. Ahem. On with the review, with those other half-finished ones on their way in coming days, including The Gaslight Anthem,'s Handwritten and Frank Ocean's Channel Orange. I don't just do rock.

The latest offering from heavy rock/metal quartet Baroness - or rather, offerings, as it is a double album - is a quite simply beautiful slice of music. Combining swirling melodies, stellar riffage from the more sludgy side of metal with psychedelic effects-laden oddity and strong vocals married to great lyricism, Yellow & Green  rhythmically flows from stonking song to stonking song. As it's a double album, I'll review Yellow and Green as two different entities. 

Yellow
Tonally darker in comparison to Green, we're led into this first disc amid echoing tones into the riff-heavy lead single Take My Bones Away - a good, proper rocky song, with its anthemic chorus, fuzzed up solo and riffage ahoy. That in turn flows into the more sombre sound of March To The Sea, which in many ways is a pattern that Yellow follows - sombre melodies into  more classic-sounding rocky affairs, all with a dark undercurrent running through it.  And underlying all of that is a style that Baroness have made their own, a uniqueness in their sound. From usage of unusual and varying time signatures that contribute to the changing flow of the record, echoing guitars, punchy and prominent bass - each element of the music is given its own time to shine. The song Twinkler, my favourite from Yellow, is carried by a brooding acoustic melody and what sounds like a baroque-esque flute - case and point of the distinctive sound Baroness possess.  

Green
Like Yellow, we begin with an instrumental intro track, but the Green Theme works on a different wavelength. It still has the echoing guitar, but bursts into a triumphant cacophony of an almost Queen-like solo, ebbs a little, then bursts back into life once again. It sets the tone for Green, with less of the inherent brood of the first disc and more lilting harmonies - not to say there aren't hints of that, but the overall tone compared with disc 1 is brighter - these hints come in the forms of things like darker lyricism to a more upbeat song (always a trickier combination, but it works well)  in tracks like Psalms Alive and Collapse, but songs like Board Up The House and Mtns. (The Crown & Anchor)  have the greater sense of positivity. There's more riffage, the best in the album, from The Line Inbetween, and instrumental tracks to be had in Green as well; Stretchmarker and closing track If I Forget Thee, Lowcountry provide echoey, resonating semi-acousticness that are quite lovely. The latter in particular is a frankly beautiful close, bringing the tempo right down, with just the faintest suggestion of Yellow to tie the two together as it finishes. 

All in all, I think this is a perfect album. It's incredibly well-formed - rather than just a collection of songs, each song carries on from its predecessor. I hate to repeat myself, but it really does flow. There are some excellent songs there; Back Where I Belong, Eula and Psalms Alive are just 3 but in reality they're all superb. Don't be put off by the tag of metal, because this transcends a lot of genres in establishing Baroness as a brilliant band with a sound that is distinctly them. It's too early to say now, but this may be my album of the year.

Tom Castle, Copyright THE NOISE August 2012

ALBUM REVIEW - WHILE SHE SLEEPS; 'THIS IS THE SIX'

WHILE SHE SLEEPS; THIS IS THE SIX

★★★★★ 
Superb, powerful debut full-length album from Britain's best new metallers.

Just...wow. Sheffield has a knack for producing good metal and all things inbetween - look no further than the likes of Bring Me The Horizon and Rolo Tomassi among others - and While She Sleeps, the latest export, have made a frankly stonking first album. Brutal, at times unrelenting and shot through with occasional moments of moody clarity that just give you enough time to take a breath before it smacks you in the face again.

This is a record and a band that knows how to do metal right. There's the proper quality crushing guitar work -  heavy without the overkill, melodic without being weedy - the driving machine-gun drumming, and of course bloody good vocals. Mic-wielder Loz Taylor is breathlessly raw throughout, but avoids getting all Cookie Monster on us. The vox are powerful and carry the emotion behind the lyrics (which are also superb) and are one of the most distinctively strong aspects of the album. But all of this is balanced by the quieter, generally piano-led, moments. Far from being a deliberately soft and slightly meh tinkling of the ivories, it's another strong component that stops the album just being a noise and lends it real depth - those bits capture the mood of the album and are rightfully there.

Honestly, there's not a bad track to be had on TITS (snigger. I couldn't resist). From the heavy-as-fuck opener Dead Behind The Eyes, through the singles Seven Hills and This Is The Six, to the beautifully sombre instrumental interlude The Chapel and out the other side again to the brutality of tracks like Be(lie)ve and (personal favourite) The Plague Of A New Age, there are metal anthems galore. 

All in all, bloody brilliant. Play it loud. Too much more where this came from and these lads will find themselves on the road to becoming legends of British metal One of the best metal records I've heard in the last couple of years, and certainly one of this year's best. Own it, and help them invade the charts.