Guidelines - Guidelines EP

One of the homies from Daido Loori posted this in the CMHWAK forums a few days ago, on the day of the EP's internet release I think. My first thought from listening to the EP in its entirety for the first time was that the band definitely had the same qualities that made me love the Drago Miette. This band does not have the synthesizers or electronics that the Drago Miette possessed, but they do have a similar full sound where every instrument and shout adds to some wall of sound feel that resonates throughout the whole EP. Which makes it very easy to get a little lost in the songs. This isn't a bad thing though. A dream-like undercurrent envelops within the songs as you listen to really awesome musicianship and abrasive vocals. Like the Drago Miette, the band makes the noise and production a big integral part of the EP, and ultimately makes the songs fairly beautiful. I don't know how else to describe it. I also get reminded of metalcore tinged screamo bands, stuff like xvpopdmx and Dispensing of False Halos, more the latter than the former especially in terms of the way both the vocalists sound. Actually, thinking about it now, the band sounds like a mash between the production values and sound aesthetics of the Drago Miette mixed in with the musicianship and vocals of Dispensing of False Halos. Again, I'm sorry if the band gets mad at me for comparing them with other bands. I, for some reason, cannot help it today. The worst thing I could do is compare bands to one another. Oh well. This is good stuff.

Guidelines - Guidelines EP
http://guidelines.bandcamp.com/album/s-t-ep

Baklavaa - Hairmoans

The only other band I have listened to that includes a zillion little tiny nearly (both) melodic and chaotic bits in their songs in Mass Movement of the Moth. I think there are a ton of similarities, both have synths and stuff, or I don't know what those are, swirling noises that remind you that post hardcore is also very experimental; the over amounting aggression of not playing overly aggressive sounding songs; and the shouty, not shouty, and the sometimes kind of sung vocals. With bands like these, you have to try to wrap your mind around what other influences they have other than the experimental side of post-hardcore, or even of music. Mass Movement of the Moth was one of those bands that proudly wore their influences and turned them into their own ideas, I feel that Baklavaa does the same. I think it'd be hard to kind of go ahead and tell you what this band digs, but the revolving door of band members inserts a revolving door of influences. The album starts out very modern post-hardcore, like the stuff that's been rolling the deep end of blogspot, tumblrs, and bandcamps for the past two years or so, but it quickly flips the table a minute in, adding a synthy sound without the fear of the musicianship nearly collapsing. It isn't even in a very bland 2012 emotional hardcore type of way either. Then again, it quickly shifts back to where it started with. I think that kind of alternate balance with sound is important nowadays. Bands all too quickly indulge in trying to find out what their fan base will eat up (even underground DIY bands) and play the same song over and over. Baklavaa starts off sounding like a modernized version of Commander Venus (again, with this band today) in "I Don't Understand Anything," then again the song collapses near the end, then picks itself back up with a very natural progression. Somehow the album just keeps building up in this way all the meanwhile as it touches with different styles or influences of post hardcore, until Marijuana Abuse closes out righteously. I think I've already written a good amount.

Baklavaa - Hairmoans
http://baklavaa.bandcamp.com/album/hairmoans

Atlas At Last - Ceviche

This band went through a big change last year. I suppose they were two different bands (according to the info on Sailboats bandcamp page - not the band that died in a tragic, tragic accident RIP) or something, but now go by Atlas At Last. Regardless of the name, the songs are pretty neat. First off on "Fish" there's a weird kind of emo feel to it, with a little more melodic rhythm to it. I suppose I feel it's a mix of Commander Venus with some Shroomunion (they always had weird guitar progressions that this song seems to flow with) caked on top of it, with the versatility and "vibe" of The Convocation Of...; I feel that the song doesn't sound like any of these bands, really, unless they were all strung together. It isn't until the 2 minute mark where the band seems to find its own voice, kind of sounding similar to other post-hardcore bands, but with some "pirate-like" agitation. I don't know, it seems that was done super purposefully given the lyrics and song title. The rest of the songs are fairly similar, not in the way that some bands write the same song over and over, but how you can tell that this is Atlas At Last. "Raindrops Keep Eating One Another" has some Weezer-esque chord progression, I think, at least it sounds like that to me. It sounds even more like Commander Venus than the song before it, with the vocalist tending to shout out words like the homeboy from Cursive. Very Omaha/indie-rock or something. The closer "In The Company Of" is still pretty almost indie rock emo, with some aggression, definitely like Cursive. I hope this band doesn't hate me for describing their sound using other band names.


Atlas At Last - Ceviche
http://atlasatlast.bandcamp.com/

Elad Love Affair - A Woman Gives Birth To A Gun And It Stabs Her

I'm crying. I was listening to my shitty ripped copy of this EP earlier this morning and finally got sick and tired of the skips that came with the burned CD so I searched for members of this band on google trying to ask them for mp3s or something, I dunno, and I stumble on to their bandcamp. I don't know what to say about this band. 2002 was such a weird fucking time for me as I totally was into koRn and at the same time went to backyard gigs set up by the local "non racist" hispanic skin heads where I got my first taste of DIY. It was my first year of high school or maybe my last year of middle school. I can only remember reading about this band in Skratch magazine and they were given a pretty good rating for a "post-hardcore" band. I always wanted to know what that sounded like. Anyways I find a way to get someone to mail me a super shitty burned CDr that has track 5 (When You've Run Out of Words...) twice on it and I figured it was just supposed to be that way. So great to finally hear the elusive track two (which builds up to an amazing finish). God I love this band. You don't have to, if I remember correctly not a lot of people did, at least those I talked to. It's alright, my little secret. Whatever.

Elad Love Affair - A Woman Gives Birth To A Gun And It Stabs Her
http://eladloveaffair.bandcamp.com/album/a-woman-gives-birth-to-a-gun-and-it-stabs-her

Chinesedream. - Chinesedream.

Finally it's here. This is the fucking leak you have been waiting for. The very emo-y Chinesedream. have finished their new recordings and let me in on them. They deliver two reworked tracks with a fuller and more complete sound, as well as three newer songs that are totally fucking wrecked. For some reason this totally comes off as hxcmp3 2002-2005 type of screamo stuff that skramz the fuck out of peoples heads, with a little more oomph though. The recording is way better sounding than their Demo.

Chucks vocals are just to fucking die for. Honestly they come off bratty when not full on screamed, which is amazing, it's totally mimicking the snottiness and brattyness of punk bands. The rest of the time Chuck is screaming painfully or kind of whimpering, and even then the rest of the band adds (I think, unless it's all just Chuck, and if so, congrats on having varied vocal styles) their own singing vocals and grunts which creates a more urgent kind of band than what was heard on their demo. Often times it leaves us with gorgeous shout bouts with the electronic noises zapping around (just like at the very end of frustration, a reworked song with a shorter title that was on their demo) done by drummer Sonny, that sounds like something ripped out of Burn, Piano Island Burn or Hypermagic Mountain, whose drums are full on in these recordings. Totally full on, sound wise and playing wise, I have no other way to describe it. Lance plays amazing too, sometimes the guitars are blackened in a way in that each chord just blends on top of one another that it's kind of discernible in a constant discordant fashion. New member Dave adds to the mix with his own flavor by way of the Bass, grooving to the rest of the bands discordant sound, distributing a more fuller sound that, once again, sounds a bit sad and moody (even when following Lance) as the rest of the band feels like it's on the verge of exploding, awesome.

We open with a reworked version of an introduction to discomfort which would sort of clue you in on what you are in for. What you end up getting is something louder and way more intense sounding. The end of the song is different due to Sonny's addition of electronic sounds which he has managed to incorporate instead of using a hi-hat, and it worked out! So there you go screamos, experimentation works! The next track, eternity, chaos, is more of an intro to the next jam, harmony korine's glasses, and is 4 minutes of sound clips ripped straight from Korine's often disturbing movies. As such, I can guess a ton of people will definitely be annoyed with that, but hey, fuck you. harmony korine's glasses starts off with some noise, and Chuck stating that life is too short, eventually his vocals collapse and he gets a little snotty. Pure awesome. The screaming whelp 44 seconds in reminds me why this band has something I totally dig. Chuck switches it up with a grunt that is sort of like a build up of the moaning snottiness earlier in the song. my fingertips, your fingertips, ours is the Chinesedream. song that is kind of reminiscent of the demo (even more than the two reworked songs), but Lance's guitar playing is so fucking good on this, especially when he plays in a groovy way, that it's like the band has matured no matter how much they still sound like their old selves (which isn't a bad thing). Maybe even the incorporation of Dave's bass playing is what does this. Up next is the anthem of our generation, basically, the fucked up chicken violence (minor note: haha, I came up with that term on last.fm so I could hear bands of a certain style on the chicken violence radio thing that last.fm does, and I was kind of embarrassed for myself when the band knew that). Immediately we descend into the reworked frustration ( which was titled a dramatic display of frustration and questions that wield no answers on their demo). The song is nearly the same as the demo, yet has that wonderful electronic pulse that Sonny adds to the songs. It ends with the same screamy chant (This is where I begin, this is where you end!), yet it sounds cleaner, it sounds fuller. Also, Chuck's spoken word is cut short, and sounds more tired and beat up, er frustrated I suppose. Serious, what a fucking awesome release.

Chinesedream. - Chinesedream.
http://chinesedreamperiod.bandcamp.com/album/chinesedream

LONG POST, so there's bound to be typos. Oh well.

Daido Loori - Laika

Really mindblowing! Not that they exist, because they do, but because they sound the way they do. Someone built a goddamn time machine. Channeling the chaotic and emotive fury of Iowa/South D. (In Loving Memory/SOV/etc), Daido Loori plays this kind of music the way it's supposed to be played. Honestly thought bands stopped doing this sound (aside from certain ones that start up and break up instantly) in exchange for a more boorish B9 hardcore sound. Hopefully Daido Loori keeps a longer life than other bands, because they're pretty fucking awesome. Hopefully this is another preview of shit to come from the screamo scene, it was pretty dull and overproduced for a while (or incredibly lo fi; the two extremes made for bad mix cd's).

Daido Loori - Laika
http://daidoloorinj.bandcamp.com/

Worn Out - Demo 2011

So... this is not a free release, it's $2, but really I'm posting this here to not forget to buy one of their tapes, that I hope they still have. It sounds really amazing. Angry and sometimes frightening grindcore. Those vocals are really killer. I'd definitely like to get to know more about this band, and get one of 'em tapes (soon). You should check them out, literally listening to this is more important than reading this, so go listen, stop reading!

Reading sucks!

Worn Out - Demo 2011
http://wornxout.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2011

Lord Snow - Sovngarde

Just a few minutes ago Lord Snow, on their facebook, announced that they had put up their new EP for download through bandcamp which was a pretty awesome move by them. I suppose they realized that it was going to end up on the internet regardless, and now you can nab it free (or with donation) with a (kind of) clean conscience. Are download blogs killing music? Who can tell? I know I'll do my part to kill just about anything. If you haven't heard Lord Snow before think of modern day screamo stuff with high pitched vocals. This really shouldn't matter, but they have a female singer who also sings for another pretty well known band. Actually, another thing that shouldn't matter, but the band is made up of other fairly well known and well liked bands: Raw Nerve, Suffix, Lautrec, and others. It's some pretty good kitten violence, hehehe, a little bit noisy as well, and not really in that Japanese way, but the guitars are always distorted regardless. It's pretty good, very emo. They also announced that they have new shirts, cds, and tapes, so hit them up on their facebook (link below).

Lord Snow - Sovngarde
http://lordsnow.net/album/sovngarde

ULTRA//NEGATIVE - Finally, I'm At Peace

Stumbled upon this band on bandcamp again, because it's spring break I have time to do this shit. I dunno what to say. I suppose I can start with comparisons and then break away from there. Firstly this sounds like In/Humanity, Luke Skawalker, The End of the Century Party, and other 90's stuff with similar powerviolence music that had those screechy/shouty/oddly weird vocals. I like this a ton. It's a modern day emoviolence thing, but I'm sure the band would hate being called that, so let's just say it's straight up evil Power Violence. I mean, if you know what I mean then you don't have to read the rest of this post. Think of someone screaming high pitched, but to where they've done it so much they couldn't scream as high pitched any longer, so instead of screaming they did this weird shouty thing, kind of the same high pitched sound, but not as high pitched, more crushed, or something, with instruments that address fast paced hardcore music, sloppy and urgent. I don't know.

ULTRA//NEGATIVE - Finally, I'm At Peace
http://ultranegative.bandcamp.com/album/finally-im-at-peace

Various Artists - Dialogues: A Benefit For Chenoa Manor Animal Sanctuary CS

It's always groovy to see a community get together and do something really nice, especially when the community is often misunderstood as being pointlessly angry and very scary. We're all creeps in this world, but some of us still have our hearts in the right place. Each band has a distinct sound, but overall are all punk or whatever. I don't like some of the bands really (more like just one of them, and believe me it isn't Troubled Sleep, they rule), but oh well, and boo hoo. Great work!

DIALOGUES: A Benefit For Chenoa Manor Animal Sanctuary

Cassette / Digital download on Hydrogen Man Records (HMR004)

"Dialogues: A Benefit For Chenoa Manor Animal Sanctuary" is a compilation of songs by bands who promote, encourage, and/or live by a vegan diet. The comp features 13 bands from around the United States that are active in the DIY punk/hardcore community and advocate for animal rights. All proceeds of this release will be donated directly to Chenoa Manor, a non-profit animal sanctuary outside of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This compilation is available now as a donation-based download.

Various Artists - Dialogues: A Benefit For Chenoa Manor Animal Sanctuary CS
http://listen.hydrogenmanrecords.com/album/dialogues-a-benefit-for-chenoa-manor-animal-sanctuary-cs

Host - There's Nothing Up There But Heavy Clouds

Host are a really good band, pretty groovy, or not. I don't know what to say anymore, I think I've run out of things to say and should let the music speak for itself, but hey, who cares? Darkened and blackened and all that other cool stuff I've been saying about bands for the past couple of years since I heard Teen Cthulhu. This is kind of like the great Teen Cthulhu (but I feel a lot more chaotic), a little bit at least, crusty and mad as all heck hardcore punk, metallic hardcore, or I don't know - I feel there are a billion ways to describe this kind of unfocused non-kind of melodic, super pissed off emotional hardcore stuff. I don't know anything. I suppose if you want to know something you'd hit up their faceook, and if you wanna buy a neato 7" with these four songs then don't be scared to hit up Cricket Cemetery (particularly here). You can also peep their demo here.

Host - There's Nothing Up There But Heavy Clouds
http://cricketcemetery.bandcamp.com/album/theres-nothing-up-there-but-heavy-clouds

Viduus - Fearfully Awaiting The End

Viduus have successfully made some darkened hardcore songs. Really angry, and uber nihilistic. Formed from members of other bands, and thrown into the blender of hardcore punk that spits out metallic stuff like His Hero is Gone and Tragedy, you know what I mean. Surprisingly, this stuff isn't as relentless, but it is just as good, at least I think so. Properly done and properly angry. The lyrics have some big words in them, so I had to bring out a dictionary to understand some of them, and realized that Naught But Perversion was basically a big fuck you to me and my generation. Well, we deserve it. I'm pretty much anticipating what the band does next. I also ran into a mediafire link with more stuff (essentially the artwork to be thrown on a tape for your listening/viewing pleasure), but you'll have to look that out on your own, or simply message the band/ask nicely on facebook.

Viduus - Fearfully Awaiting The End
http://viduus.bandcamp.com/