Posts tagged "metal"

Mammal - The Majority

http://www.myspace.com/mammaltheband

Mammal are a very political, funky, heavy-rock band from Melbourne.  Sounds like Rage against the machine?  It’s not.  While frontman Ezekiel Ox raps many of the lyrics over an incredibly tight 3 piece band, there is little resemblance to Rage in their overall sound.  Zeke’s one of the most interesting front-men I’ve seen in a rock band in a long time, and comes across totally genuine.

Mammal have made their name as a hard working live band doing constant touring on the back of numerous EP’s and Live Albums, but ‘The Majority’ is their first full studio album.  Showing their range, from the heavy crunch of the single “The Majority”, to the 70’s funk vibes of “Mr Devil”, Mammal show they are a band that can deliver on all fronts.

“We ain’t no hit machine. We’re just here to please your souls” - Mammal, The Aural Underground

If you get the chance to see them live (they are touring at the moment, and about to record another live album), a live show is really the only way to 100% appreciate what Mammal is all about.

Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet

http://www.myspace.com/porcupinetree

Porcupine Tree are a progressive rock band with influences ranging from Pink Floyd, Rush, and King Crimson, to Opeth style death metal, to beach-boys style vocal harmonies.

Fear of a blank planet was released in 2007 and is a concept album focussing on the ever increasing apathy of younger generations, brought on by virtual experiences instead of real ones, reliance on mind numbing prescription drugs, etc…

Not an entirely original concept, but it does set the foundation for a bleak look into the mindset of todays youth (or what Steven Wilson percieves it to be).

“Sullen and bored the kids stay, and in this way, wish away, each day”

The album centers around the utterly epic “Anesthetize”, a nearly 18 minute song that encompasses the range of styles that Porcupine Tree have defined as their sound.  The song features a haunting solo by Rush Guitarist, Alex Lifeson.

If you’re in the mood for something dark and moody, this is the album to listen to.

Twelve Foot Ninja - New Dawn EP

http://www.myspace.com/twelvefootninja

Twelve Foot Ninja are everything I love about music.  Equal parts heavy, catchy, melodic, and a little bit weird.

New Dawn is their first 6 track EP, and it plays like some of the best bits of Mike Patton’s extensive musical catalogue.  The only unfortunate thing about TFN (not tax file number), is the Patton comparisons that are inevitable when your singer sounds almost identical.  But I’ve manged to ignore that, and encourage you to do the same and enjoy it for what it is.  Damn good music.

The EP seamlessly flows from reggae/dub, to meshuggah style math-metal, to ‘yacht rock’, funk, and eastern influenced rock, reminiscent of the fantastic “Tea Party”.  Its easily worth the money, and its my prediction that if these guys keep it up, they have the potential to be huge in the alternative music scene.

I had the pleasure and luck to be front and centre at their first ever headlining gig in Melbourne earlier this year and these songs sound absolutely mind-blowing live.  If you get a chance to check them out live, don’t miss it.

Karnivool - Themata

http://www.myspace.com/karnivool

I found out about Karnivool in early 2008, totally out of left field and they blew me away, and made me discover the exploding Aussie modern rock scene.

Themata is a brilliantly put together album that will remind people mostly of Tool, with little sprinkles of meshuggah style technical metal, muse’s epic melodies and smooth vocals, but all in a package of surprisingly digestable 4 min songs.

I’ve given this album a frankly ridiculous number of plays over the last year (2000 song plays) and I still listen to the album the whole way through without skipping songs.  Highlights for me are the first single and title track Themata (how often is the single actually one of the best songs on an album?!) which features some of the more epic parts of the album, and has fantastically complex guitar parts through the chorus.  Roquefort, Synops, and Mauseum are other favourite tracks of mine.

Something that appeals to me is that the album sounds immaculate, and was made entirely indepentendly by the band.  Drew Goddard has since become one of my idols, contributing all guitar recordings, most of the drum tracks (he considers himself more of a drummer than a guitarist aparently*), and of course a good portion of the songwriting duties.

Do independent music a favour and buy this album, or catch them live if you’re in Australia.