minor update..

If anyone has been paying attention, they may have noticed the lack of activity on here for the past month. The first slew of reviews was a sort of test run to see what kinds of submissions I'd get, and how much I could get out. I am very happy with the amount and quality of the music I've been receiving, and will jump back into more consistent reviews staring in late December/early January. Thanks for checking back, and hopefully I'll see you again in a few weeks!

Rammstein, "Liebe ist für alle da"

The German industrial metal outfit Rammstein has always been known for pushing the envelope. For a band that's nearly 15 years old, one would have thought that nothing's shocking anymore. Yet once again, they've managed to turn heads their way with their latest album, Liebe ist für alle da.

After being somewhat under the radar for the past four years, they released a music video for their lead single "Pussy," which put their name right back into the spotlight. Blurring the line between music video and straight up porno, this video was definitely the right selection for a single since it got people talking and spreading it around. In a recent interview one of the band members said that there had been 12 million views in just two weeks! The song however, is also arguably the worst on the album. This isn't to say that it is a bad song by any means, it is just clearly a fun party song, whereas the rest of the album has a much more intricate and dark sound to it.

"Rammlied," the album's opener, really sets the mood by building slowly from what sounds like a religious sermon into the unforgiving, heavy riffage that is trademark Rammstein. Having been off the radar for four years, this song is their triumphant announcement that they have returned. "The ones who wait with prudence/ will be rewarded at the right time/now the waiting has ended/lend your ear to a legend/Rammstein!" (Translation from German by Affenknecht.com).

They don't let their guard down for a second as they power through the album's next two tracks, "Ich tu dir weh" and "Waidmann's Heil." Next up is "Haifisch" which has a large, stomping beat and a catchy chorus which will no doubt get your head bopping. This is the kind of song you would go running to, or drive to, and feel like a total badass.

Besides the riffs, the other most recognizable Rammstein trait is the voice of Till Lindemann, the band's singer. He really gives us a lot of range on this album, from his commanding chants to his terryfing screams, and even some peaceful singing. "Frülung in Paris" is a slower ballad which has a chorus that reminds me of a sequel to "Seemann" from their first album.

The only song I can't really seem to get into on this album is "Mehr." To me, it feels like too much of the same without bringing anything new or necessarily interesting to the table. It is still distinctly Rammstein, but it is the only track which I felt like didn't have that extra "UMPH" that makes the rest of this album so great.

The album maintains its pace throughout, until the final track, "Rotersand." A massive departure and new direction for the band, this is the perfect closer for the album. It features a little whistled tune in the beginning that shows up throughout the song which gives it a sort of Wild West atmosphere. Dropping the heavy beats and crushing guitars for a couple soft riffs and light orchestration, the track is dark and beautiful.

Things don't stop there. For those who still haven't picked up this album, I strongly recommend grabbing the two disk deluxe version. It features five extra songs, and each one is great. I would have liked to hear the tracks "Führe Mich" and "Donaukinder" on the real album, perhaps in place of "Mehr" and "Fruhling in Paris." The bonus disk also features two "alternate versions" of "Rotersand," the first with alternate instrumentation and the second with the same alternate instrumentation, but this time complete with entirely new lyrics. Seeing as "Rotersand" is one of my favorite tracks on the album, I was really happy to have so many versions of it so that I wouldn't have to ruin just one by playing it over and over again too much.

Overall, this album is great. Believe the hype. Give it a listen. Nobody does heavy like Rammstein. They have created their own world with this album, and I urge you to go and visit.

Recommended Tracks: "Rammlied", "Haifisch", "Rotersand", "Donaukinder"(from bonus disk), "Liebe Liese" (from bonus disk)

Dark Soul

Dark Soul sounds like what would have happened if one were to have given Kurt Cobain a drum machine and a synthesizer in his early days of making music. Their debut EP, Blood=Sock evokes the raw grungey feel of Bleach while adding whole new layers of electronic influence to the mix.

The ambient opener, "IN00" brings up imagery of waiting at a train station, late at night. This song seems to imply that the listener is about to be taken on a dark and mysterious trip, a view which becomes solidified when the next track, "Burning Flight" kicks in. Starting with a tired synth riff and mumbling lyrics, we are snapped to chaos when heavy distorted guitars kick in, accompanied by programmed drums and the blood curdling screams of Kurt- er... Saxy Dorian, the band's lead guitarist/singer.

This style carries pretty consistently up until track 6, "Heavy Snow." Dropping the drums, and replacing it with what sounds like an old music box this track brings you down the back alleys of a rundown carnival with Dorian's wailing vocals moaning vehemently in the background.

The album ends on a very creepy note with the Residents-esque closer, "Virus Blast Fast." A distorted tonal riff repeats throughout the entirety of the four minute song, with low grumblings of white noise and distant vocals. A fitting choice for a closer.

Overall, Blood=Sock is a very creative album which brings up the early 90's lo-fi grunge nostalgia while still managing to throw in some fresh sounding electronics. While I would have liked to have seen the synthesizers featured a little more throughout the actual songs instead of just as segues, they added a nice touch.

Be sure to download the album for FREE, right here

Zombieland (film review)

Zombieland takes us to an alternate America which has been overrun by a viral infection, turning most US citizens into zombies. The film places us in the shoes of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), a Texas college student who is trying to make his way home to Columbus, Ohio to try and find his parents. He explains early on that while he's never been close to his parents- or anyone for that matter- he would feel good just being able to see their faces again. To see any face again, that's not dripping blood from its mouth. He also explains various rules he has created to increase his survival, which we are reminded of throughout the film by smartly-placed blocks of text which appear when a rule is followed.

Throughout his journey he encounters Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). These are not the characters' real names, but indications of where they are originally from. This decision is made based on the idea that they should not get too close to each other, as it would be much harder to deal with if one of them were then to be bitten or killed by the zombies.

At it's heart, this film is a comedy, much like Superbad in that it deals with an awkward virgin college who just wants to get laid. This differs this from other "horror comedy" films like Shaun of the Dead, whose jokes were more about taking familiar themes from zombie films and putting a comedic twist on them. Here, the zombies are just an inconvenience, standing between Columbus, and, well, anybody else.

This is not to say that the zombies or the violence is pushed to the back however. Zombieland is full of creative ways to kill the zombie attackers. It even becomes a competition of one upping as Columbus and Tallahassee strive to outdo each other to earn the "Zombie Kill of the Week." This film has blood and gore galore and never starts to feel repetitive or uninspired in the ways of killing the zombies. Zombieland drops Zombies like Inglourious Basterds drops Nazis: Hard.

The character development in the film is done through flashbacks and dialogue throughout the film. By the end you really have a sense of who the main characters are, and what drives them.

Jesse Eisenberg does a great job as the awkward, quirky, paranoid main character. Woody Harrelson's character also brings a lot to the table: from his care-free badass persona to repressed emotions which are revealed in pieces throughout the film, Harrelson never stops entertaining.

Emma Stone as a queen of deception does very well acting like someone who is just acting most of the time, which give her moments of honesty an even more raw and realistic feeling. I would also like to point out that, throughout most of the film, she very much resembles Alison Mosshart from the Kills and The Dead Weather, especially in their recent video for "Treat Me Like Your Mother." Finally, Abigail Breslin has come a long way from Little Miss Sunshine. All four of the film's stars pulls of convincing roles, making it a truly enjoyable experience to watch their relationships with one another grow from start to finish.

Zombieland is a coming-of-age tale of friendship, in a world where there is absolutely nothing else one could hope for. The mood is light, but the sentiment is sincere. Mixing comedy with over the top violence, this is a film which can be enjoyed by fans of Freaks and Geeks to fans of Saw, and anywhere in between. Plus there's a really funny, unexpected cameo in there as well which many people will get a kick out of.

Zombieland is rated R for horror violence/gore and language. Playing now in theaters everywhere. Check it out!

Diduct

Looking for something to listen to while Nine Inch Nails is on its indefinite break? Check out Diduct. This guy brings all the things we love about NIN together, while putting his own spin on the style, creating lush atmospheres of sound that stand alone as great music.

So far, he has released 5 songs from his "Trinity" project, all of which explore different areas of the industrial genre. From the bluesy-industrial "Soul" to the heavy, moody atmosphere of "BigArmBigStar" Diduct is no one-trick horse. We are then brought to "Messfit," a big-stomping self-reflective jam which takes elements from the first three tracks but mixes them all together with a more confident and polished sound.

Finally we have reached "CoatedInDecay," which features a Rammstein-esque beat with Trent Reznor-inspired vocal intonations. This song is massive. This song is violent. Near the halfway point, things really start to heat up when all the noises come together, creating a loud thumping effect which cuts straight into your head and pounds on your brain before dropping suddenly to a quiet, whispering fog. A distorted moan brings the beat back, before ramping up the brutal thumping to all new extremes. The song is an aural powerhouse, meant to be heard through very loud speakers.

With these initial tracks, Diduct is attempting to find his place in this new music era, figuring out the best mediums to deliver his music to the world.

Along with being available for free on his website, they are also available through all the major digital distributors like iTunes, Amazon MP3 and so on.

To check out Diduct, head on over to www.diduct.com now!

Recommended tracks: "BigArmBigStar", "CoatedInDecay"

Albums To Look Forward To- October Edition

October 6th


Air, Love 2


Powerman 5000, Somewhere on the Other Side of Nowhere


Daniel Johnston, Is and Always Was

October 20th


Rammstein, Liebe ist für alle da

Late October


The first track from Smashing Pumpkins' Teargarden by Kaleidyscope

Hemy/Rowell

What Lies Below, the debut album by ambient/drone duo Hemy/Rowell, takes the listener on a sonic journey into the darkness.

We begin our descent with "Burning Ghost" the album's opener. It begins with a quiet guitar riff before exploding with sound. Slow, distorted guitars, high pitched beeps, and many other subtle noises set the tone of the album. This flows right into "Dead Setting." As the title suggests, the song evokes images of a vacant area of some sort. A low hum sits throughout the track, while some guitar floats above in a slow, dreamlike manner. This is one of the more ambient songs on the album, less about variety and more about setting a mood, which it does well.

This is followed by the 12 minute epic, "Addiction." A gong-like noise is heard in the background, repeating slowly. Above this are some unsettling scratching noises, which grow more intense as the song rolls on. My mind floats to a man sitting at his boring office job, growing more and more impatient as he waits for a chance to get his fix. The scratching, gnawing sensation continues to grow before finally he is compensated for his waiting. At this point the song kicks into a low, growling doom-metal breakdown. Frantic, but calming. All the layers have been stripped away, and the listener can melt away into bliss.

The low hum of the guitar is quickly contrasted by the following track, "Shimmer," in which all bass is removed in exchange with high pitched glass-like sounds backed by a drawling guitar solo. "What Lies Below," the album's title track, brings us back to the beeps and boops of "Burning Ghost," this time going deeper into the ghostly ocean of sound. The closing track, "Ghostly Fire" features a light guitar riff that carries the song along, being interrupted throughout by a growl of distortion. The two sounds begin to morph together as the song progresses, before cancelling eachother out and leaving us with some broken circuit-esque sounds which fade out into silence, waking us up from the dream world that Hemy/Rowell has painted over our eyes.

Overall, this is a very solid album. Hemy/Rowell seamlessly mixes styles from drone, to ambient, to electronic, and doom metal. The world they create is a dark one, but one that you will find yourself going back to again and again in order to discover What Lies Below.

Download the album for FREE here: http://www.mrsveerecordings.co.uk/audvee18/register.php

Recommended Tracks: "Burning Ghost", "Addiction"