Albums Of The Day

Sharelist

2008-12-31T22:16:00.006-05:00

LOOK IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST
Anyone can leave comments, account or not.

It comes out like this, as of October 4th:

Songs: 21,514
Size: 92.84 GB
Time: 59+ days worth of music

The list will look shitty in a regular post and will clog up the Blog, so I'm posting it in a comment on this post. Read, browse, and make requests. Be reasonable, don't be an asshole if I'm not immediate, and be grateful.

Feedback

2008-12-30T11:39:00.002-05:00

This post is for all of your feedback. Anything you'd like to tell me, post it here. The shoutbox is good for temporary things or link exchanges, but you can only write so much. Feel free to tell me what you like/dislike about the blog, what I can do to make it better, why I'm awesome and why my taste in music is awesome, or even why it sucks. Recommend me some music! Anything, express yourself in the comments here.

Chiodos

2008-11-29T18:15:00.003-05:00

Artist: Chiodos

Country: USA
Genre: Post-Hardcore/Rock

Myspace: www.myspace.com/chiodos

Albums:

[2005] All's Well That Ends Well

[2007] Bone Palace Ballet

Brother Ali

2008-11-29T18:07:00.004-05:00

Artist: Brother Ali
Country: USA
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Myspace: www.myspace.com/brotherali

Albums:
[2000] Rites Of Passage
[2003] Shadows On The Sun
[2004] Champion EP
[2007] The Undisputed

Brother Ali is a chubby, clumsy, albino, legally blind Muslim. If that mix isn't enough to pique your interest, I don't really know what else to tell you. Well, he also identifies himself with the black community, as that is what he was brought up in. "The Undisputed Truth" is a great intro to his music. He raps of love for Allah, disses haters, love for his son, about being glad to get away from his ex-wife and gain custody of his son, and a great song about literal and mental slavery in America ("Uncle Sam Goddamn"). If you enjoy the other Rhymesayers artists like Atmosphere, he's right up your alley.

Stay Gold

2008-10-11T09:08:00.005-05:00

Artist: Stay Gold
Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore/Punk
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/xostaygoldxo

Albums:
[2001] Caught Up In The Moment EP
[2002] Pills And Advice

Stay Gold was one of the most overlooked, underappreciated Hardcore bands I know of. Not nearly enough recognition was given to them, they should be known as one of the staples of Straight Edge Hardcore along with Bane and Champion (though not quite as good as either of them). Great lyrics, fast and upbeat music, and vocals that are somewhere between singing and yelling, almost like Aaron Bedard of Bane. "Pills And Advice" shouldn't be passed up by fans of Hardcore, and scoop the EP up if you enjoy the full length.

Senses Fail

2008-10-05T15:56:00.005-05:00

Artist: Senses Fail

Country: USA
Genre: Pop-Punk/Post-Hardcore/Rock

Myspace: www.myspace.com/sensesfail

Albums:
[2003] From The Depths Of Dreams EP
[2004] Let It Enfold You

[2006] Still Searching

[2008] Life Is Not A Waiting Room

Senses Fail will always be one of my favorite bands, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Just great music for singing along to when you're doing stuff; mowing the lawn, driving in the car, jerking off - whatever. But seriously, every release here is worthy of repeated listens, and the new album seems to be no exception.

Paint It Black

2008-10-05T15:43:00.003-05:00

Artist: Paint It Black

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore/Punk

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/paintitblack

Albums:
[2003] CVA

[2005] Paradise

[2008] New Lexicon

Philly Hardcore champions Paint It Black provide some of the best Hardcore around. "New Lexicon" is a top Hardcore album of 2008, no question. Just all around awesome.

Winter Solstice

2008-10-05T12:59:00.003-05:00

Artist: Winter Solstice

Country: USA
Genre: Metalcore/Hardcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/wintersolstice

Albums:
[2004] The Pulse Is Overrated EP

[2005] The Fall Of Rome

Most Metalcore bands like this are bland and uninteresting, but Winter Solstice manages to keep your attention somehow. The band reminds me a bit of Underminded, another band that stands out in this oversaturated genre. "The Fall Of Rome" is an all-around solid disc, and the 2004 EP has three early versions of songs from TFOR plus another track not on it. If you dig TFOR, then pick up the EP.

Justice - Live And Learn 12" [2008]

2008-10-01T20:34:00.004-05:00

Artist: Justice

Country: Belgium

Genre: Hardcore/Punk

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/justicehc

Tracklist:

1. Lived And Learned - 2:55

2. A Quiet Pain - 2:58

3. Meaningless - 3:26

4. What We Have Become - 3:59

5. Down And Under - 4:43

Download

Great final release from an the much underappreciated Justice. They recently split up, so snatch this album up and get some closure.

Justice

2008-09-30T22:27:00.005-05:00

Artist: Justice

Country: Belgium

Genre: Hardcore/Punk

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/justicehc

Albums:

[2004] Look Alive

[2005] Elephant Skin

[2007] Escapades

"Escapades" is a slow-moving, monster of a Hardcore album. Mostly mid to slow-tempo'd songs with a more old-school vocal delivery. Not so much of a yell as it is him speaking/singing. He's got a very unique voice, with a deep pitch and strange delivery - but it's great. The other two albums, especially "Look Alive" are faster and a bit more aggressive than "Escapades", but I enjoy the latter the most. "Escapades" has three songs surpass the 4 minute mark (two past 5), while the other two albums don't have a single one that breaks 3 minutes - but all are solid.

Ben Folds Five

2008-09-30T22:00:00.004-05:00

Artist: Ben Folds Five
Country: USA
Genre: Alternative/Singer-Songwriter/Piano Rock
Myspace: eh, just go to Ben Folds' in the last post

Albums:
[1995] Ben Folds Five
[1997] Whatever And Ever Amen
[1999] The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner
[2005] Whatever And Ever Amen [Remastered] (with 7 great bonus tracks)

Just more awesomeness from Ben Folds, this time as part of his trio known as Ben Folds Five. Again, all are great.

Ben Folds

2008-09-30T21:09:00.004-05:00

Artist: Ben Folds

Country: USA
Genre: Alternative/Singer-Songwriter/Piano Rock

Myspace: www.myspace.com/benfolds

Albums:

[2001] Rockin' The Suburbs

[2005] Songs For Silverman

[2008] Way To Normal

Well, Ben Folds is the goddamn man. End of story. All of his albums here (his solo stuff), and with his band (Ben Folds Five), which will be posted along with this one, are great. It's fucking Ben Folds. That's all.

Twisted Into Form - Then Comes Affliction To Awaken The Dreamer [2006]

2008-09-12T22:23:00.003-05:00

Artist: Twisted Into Form
Country: Norway
Genre: Technical/Progressive Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/officialtwistedintoform

Tracklist:
1. Enter Nothingness - 03:32
2. Instinct Solitaire - 03:35
3. Torrents - 04:15
4. The Thin Layers Of Lust And Love - 07:04
5. Tear - 02:12
6. Manumit - 03:43
7. The Flutter Kings - 04:25
8. Erased - 02:51
9. House Of Nadir - 06:40
10. Coda - 06:04
Total playing time: 44:21

Download

Requested, enjoy!

Muse

2008-09-12T21:41:00.003-05:00

Artist: Muse

Country: England

Genre: Rock/Alternative/Progressive

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/Muse

Albums:
[1999] Showbiz

[2001] Origin Of Symmetry

[2003] Absolution

[2003] Absolution [Instrumental] (FULL)

[2006] Black Holes And Revelations

One of my favorites, again. I've been listening since "Absolution" came out, and it's still my favorite album of theirs, followed by "Origin Of Symmetry". All are great though, just as I say about many that I post here. Matt Bellamy has one of the best voices in music, hands down. Not only can he belt out powerful notes that tear at your heart, but he's got one of the best falsetto's around, and can come down to a near-whisper just as easily. He's also a phenomenal guitar player. Aside from the magnificent voice and the amazing guitar playing, Bellamy is also incredible on the piano. He's one of the musicians who inspired me to teach myself piano (going slowly but surely). The bassist Chris Wolstenholme gives some of the most thumping, fuzzy, groovy bass lines around, the man can play. The drums are perfect for the music, Dominic Howard keeps each song moving at whatever pace they want, and his playing varies nicely. Can't really recommend enough.

Watch Them Die - Watch Them Die [2003]

2008-09-04T23:55:00.005-05:00

Artist: Watch Them Die

Country: USA
Genre: Thrash/Hardcore
Myspace: www.myspace.com/watchthemdie

Tracklist:

1. Torn Pages - 5:40

2. Unleashed - 6:44

3. Fall From Grace - 5:38

4. The Struggle - 4:17
5. To See You Bleed - 7:42
6. Sadist Ways - 3:59
7. Resurrection - 8:37

Download

Request Thrash/Hardcore band. I really am not a fan of much/any Thrash, but this is some good stuff.

A Static Lullaby

2008-09-04T23:10:00.004-05:00

Artist: A Static Lullaby

Country: USA
Genre: Post-Hardcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/astaticlullaby

Albums:

[2003] ...And Don't Forget To Breathe

[2005] Faso Latido

[2006] A Static Lullaby

[2008] Rattlesnake!

I haven't listened to the 2008 album yet, but I never really got into the self-titled, though it is a good album. ...ADFTB is a classic Post-Hardcore album of course, but most people really hated Faso Latido. It's actually my favorite album of theirs. Sure, it's nothing new, but the last few tracks are especially great sing-a-longs, and it's just a fun album all-around in my opinion. Download and enjoy if you please.

Nocturnal Depression - Soundtrack For A Suicice - Opus II [2007]

2008-09-04T23:01:00.003-05:00

Artist: Nocturnal Depression
Country: France
Genre: Suicidal/Depressive Black Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/nocturnaldepression

Tracklist:
1. Anthem To Self-Destruction - 8:47
2. The Stars Lightening My Path - 12:49
3. Join Me With Suicide - 13:54
4. Hear My Voice...Kill Yourself - 20:19

Download

One of my favorite Depressive Black Metal bands. The vocals are some of my favorite in the genre, they don't fucking annihilate your ear from being so piercing, they're nearer to a growl than a typic BM shriek I suppose. The music is lovely - very somber, melodic intros and interludes with fuzzy, heavily distorted sections like typical DBM albums. Production is not godawful bad, nor is it clean. It's just right for this type of music. Very listenable as far as I'm concerned. Enjoy.

Hanging Garden - Inherit The Eden [2007]

2008-09-04T22:53:00.004-05:00

Artist: Hanging Garden
Country: Finland
Genre: Death/Doom/Gothic Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/findoom

Tracklist:
1. Sleep Of Ages
2. As The Circle Fades
3. Ethereal Passing
4. Shards Of Life
5. Paper Doves
6. Stillborn
7. The Mourners Plain
8. Fall Into Tehom

Download

Requested, solid Death/Doom type band. Never really got into them myself though. Enjoy!

Sigur Rós

2008-09-03T17:32:00.004-05:00

Artist: Sigur Rós
Country: Iceland
Genre: Post-Rock/Ambient/Indie
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sigurros

Albums:
[1997] Von
[1998] Von Brigði
[1999] Ágætis Byrjun
[2002] ()
[2004] Ba Ba Ti Ki Di Do EP
[2005] Takk...
[2007] Hvarf-Heim
[2008] Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust

Sigur Rós' 2008 album is another contender for the top albums of 2008. Another stellar release from an ever-consistent band. "Ágætis Byrjun" was my introduction to them, and is as good a place as any to start. Perhaps "Með Suð Í Eyrum Við Spilum Endalaust" is actually better to start with, as it's probably the "poppiest" of the albums. "Hvarf-Heim" is a great two-disc release - one disc being previously unreleased material, and the other an acoustic set of some of their classic songs. Definitely recommended for those interested in atmospheric, Post-Rock-like music that makes great use of dynamics with quiet moody spots matched with awesome crescendos. Check it out.

As Tall As Lions

2008-09-01T15:44:00.003-05:00

Artist: As Tall As Lions

Country: USA
Genre: Indie/Rock

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/astallaslions

Albums:

[2002] Blood And Aphorisms EP

[2004] Lafcadio

[2006] As Tall As Lions

"Lafcadio" was my introduction to ATAL and is still easily my favorite. Such a great, emotional album. Again, all are good.

Saosin - Translating The Name EP [2003]

2008-09-01T15:41:00.003-05:00

Artist: Saosin

Country: USA
Genre: Post-Hardcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/saosin

Tracklist:

1. "Seven Years" – 3:12
2. "Translating the Name" – 3:26
3. "3rd Measurement in C" – 2:38
4. "Lost Symphonies" – 2:55
5. "They Perch on Their Stilts, Pointing and Daring Me to Break Custom" – 2:51

Download

Great little EP from back in the day, never really listened to anything else from Saosin after Green left. "Seven Years" is a great song though.

Saetia - A Retrospective [2001]

2008-09-01T15:34:00.003-05:00

Artist: Saetia
Country: USA
Genre: Screamo
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/saetia

Tracklist:
1. "Notres Langues Nous Trompent"
2. "The Sweetness and the Light"
3. "An Open Letter"
4. "Woodwell"
5. "Corporeal"
6. "Ariadne's Thread"
7. "From the Firmament"
8. "Postlapsaria"
9. "Endymion"
10. "Roquentin"
11. "The Poet You Never Were"
12. "Some Natures Catch No Plagues"
13. "The Burden of Reflecting"
14. "Closed Hands"

Download

Wikipedia has 22 tracks for this album, with 3 normal ones and 5 live ones that aren't on the one I have. So if you want this, take it. It's still a good listen. Very influential Screamo band.

Kaki King

2008-09-01T13:57:00.004-05:00

Artist: Kaki King

Country: USA

Genre: Experimental/Instrumental/Guitar/beautiful

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kakiking

Albums:

[2003] Everybody Loves You

[2004] Legs To Make Us Longer

[2006] ...Until We Felt Red

[2008] Dreaming Of Revenge

Now this is a special one. I have an incredible intense crush on Kaki King. Aside from her being gorgeous, quirky, and funny, she's an incredible guitarist. She is the only female to be named a "Guitar God" by Rolling Stone. Even though Rolling Stone sucks, it's still true. Quiet, almost Post-Rock like songs are how her first albums felt. Her first album is entirely instrumental. The second has one song where she vocalizes sounds, not words. The third album has a few songs with words.

That brings us to the fourth and newest album, "Dreaming Of Revenge". Right now, this is the album of the year for me, above all else. She does all the guitar and drums, with occasional guest violins. She does all the vocals and lyrics. About half of the songs have vocals, and they are amazing. I can't stress enough how well she sings and plays. It needs to be heard to be believed.

Don't take my ranting about "Dreaming" to mean the other albums are bad, as they are all great on their own. I was a huge fan of hers before "Dreaming" even came out, so there is more than enough to love about each of them. But just watch the first two songs from "Dreaming", particularly the second, which is my favorite song of hers:

Kaki King - Bone Chaos In The Castle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVFsF1Qkkrg

Kaki King - Life Being What It Is (live in a park)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDv_3nsboa4

Enjoy, and please support her!

Portugal. The Man

2008-08-31T11:16:00.003-05:00

Artist: Portugal. The Man
Country: USA

Genre: Indie/Experimental/Blues/Progressive/awesome

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/portugaltheman

Albums:

[2006] Waiter: ''You Vultures!''

[2006] Devil Say I, I Say AIR EP

[2007] It's Complicated Being A Wizard EP

[2007] Church Mouth

[2008] Censored Colors (320 kbps bitrate)

I started listening to Portugal. The Man when "Waiter.." came out back in 2006, and haven't really stopped since. "Waiter" really is a great album, lots of different styles and tempos. Not much gives you a better feeling than the chorus of "Chicago" where they sing "Burn this burn this burn this fucker down down down, burn this motherfucker down." Lots of upbeat, strange music.

The "It's Complicated..." EP starts with track one being an epic 23 minute song, and tracks 2-10 are that same song divided amongst the tracks so you can listen to each part with ease. " The "Devil" EP contains one song from "Waiters", two songs that were released on their own 7", and a remix of the opening track of "Waiters". Worth it for the two songs released on the 7".

"Church Mouth" is just one catchy motherfucker. End of story. All songs are listenable and all songs are memorable. If "Waiter" is 8.5 out of 10, "Church Mouth" is anywhere from 8-9. Each album is unique and stands alone with its own style.

The recently leaked "Censored Colors" is making a push towards the top of my best of 2008 list, no question. Up there in good company with Kaki King, Sigur Rós and Protest The Hero's albums. A bit quieter than the previous two full lengths, but another entirely unique beast that stands alone.

Over the last few years, Portugal. The Man has been very pro-download. When Church Mouth leaked early, they said on their Myspace: "Go download it. Give yourself the tastes. Feel free." For the leak of this year's Censored Colors, they said "...we are excited to let you all feel welcome to the finding... Give it a listen and let us know what you think! Give it to other bands you love. Share it. Buy it if you can afford. Thank you ." This is what music is about. Of course they want to have people buy it, as they should, but they are in it for the music, even at their own expense. Buy the album when it comes out September 16th. If you don't want to, buy a shirt. If you don't want to, go to a show. Do all three. They deserve it. I usually don't write this much for a band, but they are what this blog is all about. I will be buying the cd, a shirt, and going to the next local show. Do your part.

Death Cab For Cutie

2008-08-29T11:35:00.004-05:00

Artist: Death Cab For Cutie

Country: USA

Genre: Rock/Alternative/Indie

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deathcabforcutie

Albums:

[1998] Something About Airplanes

[1998] Live At The Live Room 7-11-1998

[1999] Prove My Hypotheses 7"

[2000] Death Cab For Fiver 7"

[2000] The Forbidden Love EP

[2000] Live At The Crocodile Cafe

[2000] Sub Pop Singles Club 7"

[2000] We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes

[2001] The Photo Album

[2002] The Stability EP

[2002] We Laugh Indoors EP

[2002] You Can Play These Songs With Chords

[2003] Live In Toronto At The Opera House (10-16-2003)

[2003] Transatlanticism

[2004] Live On MTV.com

[2004] The New Year 7"

[2004] Title And Registration EP

[2005] The John Byrd EP

[2005] Marching Bands Of Manhattan EP

[2005] Plans

[2008] Narrow Stairs

An ugly group of dudes make some of the most beautiful pieces of music around. Like most, "Transatlanticism" was the album that forced me to fall in love with them. I cherish that shit.

Liferuiner

2008-08-29T11:28:00.003-05:00

Artist: Liferuiner
Country: Canada
Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/xlifexruinerx

Albums:
[2004] Are You Offended Yet? [Demo]
[2007] No Saints

Not really a fan, but some of you might like them. Posted by request.

Genghis Tron

2008-08-29T11:24:00.003-05:00

Artist: Genghis Tron

Country: USA

Genre: Experimental/Grindcore/Electronic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/genghistron

Albums:

[2005] Cloak Of Love EP

[2006] Dead Mountain Mouth

[2008] Board Up The House

Always a fun listen, you should be familiar with them. This is all I have now, but if I get around to acquiring the other EP's, I'll post them.

Harland Williams

2008-08-26T15:34:00.003-05:00

Comedian: Harland Williams

Albums:

[2005] Har-Larious

[2007] Crowd Control: Volume 2

Harland Williams is a master at crowd participation. He'll go on for a half hour talking to people in the audience and somehow keeps his conversations fresh and hilarious (or har-larious). Now that's all he does though, there are more than enough jokes on these discs to satisfy any fan of comedy. Enjoy!

Psyopus

2008-08-22T09:15:00.003-05:00

Artist: Psyopus
Country: USA
Genre: Technical/Metal/Hardcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/psyopus
Albums:
[2004] Ideas Of Reference
[2007] Our Puzzling Encounters Considered

I could never really get into the 2007 album, it just didn't seem as focused or something. But "Ideas Of Reference" is a tech classic.

Underoath - Lost In The Sound Of Separation [2008]

2008-08-22T01:17:00.006-05:00

Artist: Underoath

Country: USA

Genre: Post-Hardcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/underoath

Tracklist:

1. "Breathing In A New Mentality" – 2:37
2. "Anyone Can Dig A Hole But It Takes A Real Man To Call It Home" – 3:16
3. "A Fault Line, A Fault Of Mine" – 3:22
4. "Emergency Broadcast :: The End Is Near" – 5:44
5. "The Only Survivor Was Miraculously Unharmed" – 3:09
6. "We Are The Involuntary" – 4:10
7. "The Created Void" – 4:02
8. "Coming Down Is Calming Down" – 3:15
9. "Desperate Times, Desperate Measures" – 3:28
10. "Too Bright To See, Too Loud To Hear" – 4:31
11. "Desolate Earth :: The End Is Here" – 4:07

Download (LINK UPDATED)

New album from Underoath, just leaked. Sounds like an improvement from "Define The Great Line", check it out.

Gojira

2008-08-21T12:52:00.003-05:00

Artist: Gojira

Country: France

Genre: Progressive/Death/Thrash/Groove Metal

Myspace: http://myspace.com/gojira

Albums:

[2000] Terra Incognita

[2003] The Link

[2004] The Link Alive (one track live concert, not divided into songs)

[2005] From Mars To Sirius

Can't wait for their new album to come out in October, they only get better and better with each album, "From Mars To Sirius" is a masterpiece.

Aesop Rock

2008-08-17T23:27:00.003-05:00

Artist: Aesop Rock

Country: USA

Genre: Hip-Hop/Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/aesoprockwins

Albums:
[1997] Music For Earthworms

[2002] Live In Asheville, DC [Bootleg]

[2003] Bazooka Tooth

[2003] Bazooka Tooth [Bonus Disc]

[2003] Live In Vancouver 12/9/03 [Bootleg]

[2004] Build Your Own Bazooka Tooth (A Cappellas) [Incomplete, but best I could do]

[2005] Fast Cars, Danger, Fire And Knives EP

[2007] None Shall Pass

A little bonus for you guys:

Unreleased, Compilations, And Features

One of my favorite rappers, no question. "Labor Days", "Float", and "None Shall Pass" are absolute essentials. The EP's are great as well, and so is everything else, but start with those 3 if you're new.

Pig Destroyer

2008-08-17T23:21:00.003-05:00

Artist: Pig Destroyer

Country: USA

Genre: Grindcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/therealpigdestroyer

Albums:

[2004] Painter Of Dead Girls

[2004] Terrifyer

[2007] Phantom Limb

Another band whose discography is not complete in my library, but fuck you - find the rest yourself if you want it. :) Great band.

The Sound Of Animals Fighting

2008-08-17T23:14:00.003-05:00

Artist: The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Country: USA
Genre: Experimental/Progressive Rock/Post-Hardcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thesoundofanimalsfighting

Albums:
[2005] Tiger And The Duke
[2006] Lover, The Lord Has Left Us...
[2007] We Must Become The Change We Want To See [Live album]
[2008] The Ocean And The Sun

"Tiger And The Duke" is a phenomenal album, though there is only a short amount of non-interlude music. The rest of them, I really don't feel strongly about either way, but hey, a bunch of you guys might love them. Enjoy!

The Receiving End Of Sirens

2008-08-15T17:20:00.003-05:00

Artist: The Receiving End Of Sirens
Country: USA
Genre: Indie/Post-Hardcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/thereceivingendofsirens

Albums:
[2005] Between The Heart And The Synapse
[2007] The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi

Gotta have love for my Indie music. TREOS is no exception, just great all around music, simple as that. It's a shame they broke up.

The Ocean

2008-08-15T17:12:00.003-05:00

Artist: The Ocean

Country: Germany

Genre: Post-Metal/Sludge/Experimental/etc.

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theoceancollective

Albums:

[2004] Fluxion

[2005] Aeolian

[2007] Precambrian: Hadean/Archaean

[2007] Precambrian: Proterozoic

The 2007 album "Precambrian" was a two-disc set with different names, so I listed them seperately. Very good collective of a whole bunch of musicians to make some crushing music. They've had tons of guest musicians and vocalists, I believe every song on "Aeolian" has a different vocalist, but I'm not 100% sure. According to Wikipedia, the first disc of Precambrian, "Hadean/Archaen" has 11 different people play on it, and "Proterozoic" has fucking 22 different people playing or singing (including Caleb Scofield from Cave-In). They have more albums, but again I do not have all of them, deal with it. :)

Omar A. Rodríguez-López

2008-08-15T17:02:00.005-05:00

Artist: Omar A. Rodríguez-López
Country: USA
Genre: Progressive Rock/Experimental/Dub/Acid Jazz/Electronica/a whole shitload
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/omarrodriguezquintet

Albums:
[2004] A Manual Dexterity: Soundtrack, Vol. 1
[2007] Se Dice Bisonte, No Búfalo
[2007] Calibration (Is Pushing Luck And Key Too Far)

This is all I have from Omar's solo stuff, but there's a lot more. If I get around to getting more I'll definitely post it, it's very interesting, to say the least. If you think The Mars Volta is "out there", listen to Omar's solo, more experimental stuff. All kinds of different genres are touched on.

Old Man Gloom

2008-08-15T16:53:00.005-05:00

Artist: Old Man Gloom
Country: USA
Genre: Doom/Sludge/Noise/Ambient
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/oldmangloom

Albums:
[1999] Meditations In B
[2002] Seminar II: The Holy Rites Of Primitivism Regressionism
[2003] Seminar III: Zozobra
[2003] Christmas Eve I & II + 6
[2004] Christmas

Very interesting "supergroup" of sorts, featuring members of Isis, Cave-In, Converge, Agoraphobic Nosebleed, The Ocean and others. The music is nothing like any of those bands, however, so if you like all of them, you won't necessarily like Old Man Gloom. I happen to like all of them AND Old Man Gloom though, so don't be frightened away by me saying that.

Neurosis

2008-08-15T12:26:00.004-05:00

Artist: Neurosis
Country: USA
Genre: Post-Metal/Sludge
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/officialneurosis

Albums:
[1996] Through Silver In Blood
[1999] Times Of Grace
[2004] The Eye Of Every Storm
[2007] Given To The Rising

Sorry I don't have the full discography, this is all I've got. If you like Isis, you'll probably like these guys, and vica versa. Whatever, you should already be familiar with Neurosis and Isis.

maudlin of the Well

2008-08-15T12:21:00.005-05:00

Artist: maudlin of the Well

Country: USA

Genre: Avant-Garde/Progressive/Death Metal

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/maudlinofthewell

Albums:

[1999] My Fruit Psychobells...A Seed Combustible

[2001] Bath

[2001] Leaving Your Body Map

The genre-shattering work of Toby Driver and crew before he formed Kayo Dot. Must be heard to be believed, definitely recommended for Avant-Garde fans.

Mike Birbiglia

2008-08-15T12:16:00.003-05:00

Comedian: Mike Birbiglia

Albums:
[2003] Dog Years
[2006] Comedy Central Presents!
[2006] Two Drink Mike

"Two Drink Mike" is one of my favorite comedy albums, hands down. The second track is not the right track for the cd, but it's longer and has more jokes, so I never got around to changing it. If you can deal with it sounding different for a few minutes, it's really no big deal. Great comedian.

Lo-Ruhamah

2008-08-14T17:44:00.004-05:00

Artist: Lo-Ruhamah
Country: USA
Genre: Christian Black/Death Metal with Post-Rock influences
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/loruhamahofficial

Albums:
[2005] Lo-Ruhamah EP
[2007] The Glory Of God

Yes, yes, it's a Christian band. Get over it. This band will kick 99% of the rest of modern metal bands' asses, no questions. The first EP is great, but goddamn the 2007 LP is wonderful. Seven songs clocking in at over an hour (four in a row break ten minutes, only one song under 6:51). Trust me with this one, you have to hear it to believe it, have I ever steered you wrong? I listened to the samples on their myspace and ordered their cd's and a t-shirt, that almost never happens. Give it a try. Oh yeah, "The Glory Of God" I ripped at the highest quality possible, so don't fear the quality.

Scholomance

2008-08-14T17:33:00.004-05:00

Artist: Scholomance

Country: USA

Genre: Extreme Progressive Metal/Death Metal

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/scholomanceband

Albums:

[1998] A Treatise On Love

[2002] The Immortality Murder Disc 1 - Disc 2

Awesome, awesome music. "The Immortality Murder" was released as two discs, disc 1 being the regular album, and disc 2 with all of the songs from disc 1 without vocals and improvised piano interludes between each for the fans who don't enjoy the vocals. I personally enjoy both just fine, and the first piano track "Replacement..." is one that I can put on repeat for hours and enjoy it, beautiful. But going back to the rest of the music, lots of technical, time-shifting extreme metal basically. Great band.

Krallice - Krallice [2008]

2008-08-14T17:24:00.005-05:00

Artist: Krallice
Country: USA
Genre: Black Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/krallice

Tracklist:
1. Wretched Wisdom - 10:15
2. Cnestorial - 10:43
3. Molec Codices - 9:35
4. Timehusk - 6:06
5. Energy Chasms - 9:46
6. Forgiveness In Rot - 15:22
Total Playing Time: 1:01:42

Download

Far and away my favorite Black Metal album of the year, and one of my favorites overall. Members of Orthrelm and Behold...The Arctopus put their technicality into a less abstract musical style like Black Metal and it comes out great. Technical, long, droning songs with the occasional guitar solo will engulf you. Get it right away.

Sleep Terror - Probing Tranquility [2006]

2008-08-14T17:19:00.004-05:00

Artist: Sleep Terror
Country: USA
Genre: Progressive/Technical/Instrumental Death Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sleepterror

Tracklist:
1. Overture
2. Vague Sentiments Unveil
3. Amaxophobia
4. Somnambulist Pedophile
5. Probing Tranquility
6. Diurnal Enuresis
7. Ginsu Frenzy
8. Hypersomnia Rationale
9. Autoerotic Spy
10. Primordial Void
11. Androgynous Charade
12. Dysrhythmic Vexation
13. Tables Turned Crimson
14. Hypnogogic Qualm
15. Ascetic Meditation
Total playing time: 30:29

Download

Prayer For Cleansing

2008-08-14T17:14:00.003-05:00

Artist: Prayer For Cleansing
Country: USA
Genre: Deathcore/Metalcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/prayerforcleansing

Albums:
[2003] The Rain In Endless Fall
[2004] The Tragedy EP

Tommy Rogers (vocals for BTBAM) played guitar for this hidden gem, "The Rain In Endless Fall" is a great disc full of nasty vocals and ripping guitars. Definitely great stuff.

Necrophagist

2008-08-14T17:10:00.003-05:00

Artist: Necrophagist
Country: Germany
Genre: Technical Death Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/necrophagistde

Albums:
[1999] Onset Of Putrefaction
[2004] Epitaph

Great Technical Death Metal, not to be missed.

Maps & Atlases

2008-08-14T17:04:00.005-05:00

Artist: Maps & Atlases
Country: USA
Genre: Indie/Math Rock
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mapsandatlases

Albums:
[2006] Tree, Swallows, Houses
[2008] You Me And The Mountain EP

God this band is so catchy, I can't even stand it. "Tree, Swallows, Houses" is such a wonderful album, it's great. The vocalist is pretty terrible sounding at first listen, but it has a charm that sucks you in the more you listen to it, it's perfect for the music. The guitars and bass are absolutely awesome for a band like this, lots of tapping, basically half the album is tapping. Drums are perfect with the rest of the instruments, it's just a great album. The 2008 EP I haven't listened to much yet, but it doesn't sound quite as dynamic or entertaining in my opinion. Maybe more listens will help.

Glass Casket

2008-08-14T16:59:00.003-05:00

Artist: Glass Casket
Country: USA
Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/glasscasket

Albums:
[2004] We Are Gathered Here Today...
[2006] A Desperate Man's Diary

Enjoy! Fans of Between The Buried And Me will recognize Blake (drums) and Dusty (rhythym guitar) in the picture above, and should enjoy the band as well.

Behold...The Arctopus - Nano-Nucleonic Cyborg Summoning [2003]

2008-08-07T15:31:00.002-05:00

Artist: Behold...The Arctopus
Country: USA
Genre: Progressive Metal/Instrumental
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/beholdthearctopus

Tracklist:
1. Exospacial Psionic Aura - 07:31
2. Estrogen/Pathogen Exchange Program - 05:26
3. Sensory Amusia - 04:39
4. Alcholocaust - 02:50
5. You Will Be Reincarnated As An Imperial Attack Spaceturtle - 08:27

Download
Great technical metal with Marston on Warr Guitar. Gotta love the Warr Guitar.

Animosity

2008-08-07T15:17:00.003-05:00

Band: Animosity
Country: USA
Genre: Deathcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/animosity

Albums:
[2003] Shut It Down
[2005] Empires
[2007] Animal

Personally, I loved Empires and Shut It Down was good too. I really just don't like Animal at all though.

Aastyra - Aastral Projections [2007]

2008-08-07T15:12:00.004-05:00

Artist: Aastyra
Country: Canada
Genre: Experimental/Ambient Black Metal
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/aastyra

Tracklist:
1. Schism
2. Interstellar Death Race
3. Terra
4. Of Spirit and Captivity
5. Wanderers of the PostApocalypse
6. Xenopia
7. Adversary
8. The Mechanical Womb
9. Shadowmirror

Download

Interesting Experimental album from Fraustech of Wolven Ancestry.

A Tribe Called Quest

2008-07-21T21:05:00.005-05:00

Artist: A Tribe Called Quest
Country: USA
Genre: Rap/Hip-Hop/Jazz
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/atribecalledquest

Albums:
[1990] People's Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm
[1991] The Low End Theory
[1993] Midnight Marauders
[1996] Beats, Rhymes And Life
[1998] The Love Movement

Absolutely essential Hip-Hop. Some of the smoothest, Jazziest, all-around best Hip-Hop done. Q-Tip and Phife Dawg have flow like no others, and Ali produces some of the greatest Jazz-influenced beats I've heard. Start with "The Low End Theory", it can't be topped.

Jaga Jazzist - What We Must [2005]

2008-07-21T20:17:00.004-05:00

Artist: Jaga Jazzist
Country: Norway
Genre: Jazz/Experimental/Avant-Garde
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/jagajazzististhesound

Tracklist:
1. "All I Know Is Tonight" – 7:51
2. "Stardust Hotel" – 6:15
3. "For All You Happy People" – 3:58
4. "Oslo Skyline" – 5:32
5. "Swedenborgske Rom" – 8:47
6. "Mikado" – 6:05
7. "I Have A Ghost, Now What?" – 7:35

BONUS DISC Tracklist:
1. "Mikado (Spydeberg Demo)" - 4:20
2. "All I Know Is Tonight (Piethopraxis Rough Rough Mix)" - 6:27
3. "Stardust Hotel (Demo)" - 4:57
4. "Swedenborgske Rom (Spydeberg Demo)" - 7:06

Download (Disc 1)
Download (Bonus Disc)

By request. Just read the wikipedia description about them, that's all you need to know:

"The band features trumpets, trombone, electric guitar, bass, tuba, bass clarinets, Fender Rhodes, vibraphone and a rack of electronics, as well as strong melodies and rhythms. Talk Talk, Soft Machine, John Coltrane, Don Cherry, Aphex Twin, Stereolab, Squarepusher and Tortoise are frequently mentioned as sources of inspiration. Jaga Jazzist is widely considered to be one of the premier acts of the so-called nu-jazz movement of Scandinavia. Also, The Mars Volta cites Jaga Jazzist as one of their favourite bands" - Wikipedia

Great group.

Hacksaw To The Throat - Wastelands [2007]

2008-07-20T22:07:00.005-05:00

Artist: Hacksaw To The Throat
Country: USA
Genre: (old)Death/Grind (new)Prog-Tech-ish awesomeness
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/hacksawtothethroat

Tracklist:
1. Breaking Point 05:01
2. Wastelands 10:52
3. Divide By Zero 05:02
4. The Descent 06:05
5. Erebus 08:59
. Obsidian Sun 07:53
7. Cascading Down 09:20
8. Destroying The Vile Red Falcon 05:44
9. Whisper Perfect Lies 10:06

Total playing time 01:09:07

Download

Their first release "Tear My Eyes Out..." is just some generic Death/Grind/Core type stuff, and their name reflects that. However, "Wastelands" is something all you guys will enjoy. A stunning mix of Progressive, Melodic, Technical, and Death elements. Absolutely recommended to all. The vocals are not "core" at all, they are a Death rhaspy scream with mixed growls. The vocals are not overused, they don't try to overpower the music, which is the focus of the album. Try their myspace if you still doubt. Listen to "Destroying The Vile Red Falcon" or "Whisper Perfect Lies", preferrably the second, which is the epic 10-minute finale to the album.

Circle Takes The Square

2008-07-20T21:59:00.005-05:00

Artist: Circle Takes The Square
Country: USA
Genre: Screamo/Hardcore/Experimental
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/circletakesthesquare

Albums:
[2001] Circle Takes The Square
[2002] As The Roots Undo

Now this is "real" screamo, not the common term for any music with screaming in it sometimes. Long songs (some reaching 8-9 minutes), frantic yet technical musicianship, and ohhh the vocals. We've got Drew (male) donating his screams, whispers, chants, spoken-word and singing vocals, and we've got Kathy donating her yells and basically everything Drew does. Now sometimes they alternate lines, sometimes they do two different lines simultaneously, sometimes they have sections to themselves, and sometimes they're singing (screaming/yelling/whatever) in perfect harmony, and it's amazing. Listen to "Kill The Switch" or "A Crater To Cough In" on Youtube, they're the last and longest two tracks on As The Roots Undo, and are both my favorite. Must-have.

Circa Survive - On Letting Go [2007]

2008-07-20T21:44:00.004-05:00

Artist: Circa Survive
Country: USA
Genre: Rock/Alternative/Indie
Myspace: www.myspace.com/circasurvive

Tracklist:
1. "Living Together"
2. "In the Morning and Amazing..."
3. "The Greatest Lie"
4. "The Difference Between Medicine and Poison Is in the Dose"
5. "Mandala"
6. "Travel Hymn"
7. "Semi Constructive Criticism"
8. "Kicking Your Crosses Down"
9. "On Letting Go"
10. "Carry Us Away"
11. "Close Your Eyes to See"
12. "Your Friends Are Gone"

Download

A great release with the ever-busy Anthony Green giving us his signature vocals, definitely a good listen for those who can enjoy this style of music.

Carry On - A Life Less Plagued [2001]

2008-04-23T22:16:00.004-05:00

Artist: Carry On

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore/Punk/Straight Edge

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/carryonhxc

Tracklist:

1. The View

2. Waiting On Forever

3. Killing A Sound

4. Roll With The Punches

5. Mirrors And Needles

6. Is This All There Is?

7. A Life Less Plagued

8. X's Always Win

9. So Much Of You

10. Off My Chest

11. Broken Strings

12. Rethinking

Download

Absolutely essential Hardcore album, Carry On was around for a short time, but left a huge mark with this highly influential album. A must have.

Crustation - Bloom [1998]

2008-04-14T21:33:00.004-05:00

Artist: Crustation
Country: England
Genre: Trip-Hop/Down-Tempo (female fronted)
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/crustationbloom

Tracklist:
1. Hey
2. Purple
3. Close My Eyes
4. Face The Waves
5. Reverie
6. Down Down
7. Falling
8. Flame
9. Life As One
10. Ride On

Download

Absolutely gorgeous, dreamy Trip-Hop that will put you in a great mood. The band is no more, but you can listen to the track "Purple" on the Myspace link I gave, and it's one of my favorites from the album, but nothing can be skipped. Bronagh Slevin gives one of my favorite female vocal performances in music, just perfect. So relaxing.

Kayo Dot

2008-03-29T22:57:00.005-05:00

Artist: Kayo Dot

Country: USA
Genre: Progressive Rock/Experimental/Avant-Garde

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kayodot

Albums:
[2003] Choirs Of The Eye

[2006] Dowsing Anemone With Copper Tongue

Gorgeous Avant-Garde music with classical and jazz influence. Long, winding songs that will take you on journeys through various genres. Extension of the disbanded group Maudlin Of The Well, with mastermind Toby Driver spearheading this effort also.

Novembre

2008-03-28T10:36:00.001-05:00

Artist: Novembre

Country: Italy

Genre: Atmospheric Death Metal/Doom/Gothic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/novembre1

Albums:

[1994] Wish I Could Dream It Again...

[1996] Arte Novecento

[1999] Classica

[2001] Novembrine Waltz

[2002] Dreams D'Azur

[2006] Materia

[2007] The Blue

Some of the most gorgeous music you'll ever hear. Beautiful soundscapes and great musicianship with vocals ranging from harsh growls to amazing clean vocals. "Materia" and "Classica" are perfect places to start. I'm not a fan of music described as "gothic", it's usually cheesy as hell and just plain sucks. Don't be scared away by that label in the genre if you feel the same way.

Have Heart

2008-03-27T23:35:00.004-05:00

Artist: Have Heart

Country: USA

Genre: Straight Edge Hardcore

Myspace: www.myspace.com/haveheart

Albums:

[2004] What Counts

[2006] The Things We Carry

Easily some of the best Hardcore you'll hear. Amazing lyrics, perfect music, nothing could be done to make these guys any better. The upcoming album should be another Hardcore classic.

Champion

2008-03-25T16:09:00.002-05:00

Artist: Champion

Country: USA

Genre: Straight Edge Hardcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/champion

Albums:

[2000] Come Out Swinging

[2002] Count Our Numbers

[2004] Promises Kept

[2006] Split with Betrayed

[2007] Different Directions: The Last Show

My first and still my favorite Hardcore band, and the band that has had the most influence on my life. Incredibly positive, heartfelt lyrics. They promote the Straight Edge lifestyle without coming off as preaching, they don't think that nobody should drink/do drugs, just that they should have the choice to do what they think is right for them.

Fantômas

2008-03-21T19:48:00.005-05:00

Artist: Fantômas

Country: USA

Genre: Avant-Garde/Experimental/Noise

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/fantomasband

Albums: [1999] Fantômas

[2001] The Director's Cut

[2002] Millenium Monsterworks

- as "The Fantômas-Melvins Big Band"

[2004] Delìrium Còrdia

[2005] Suspended Animation

Another outlet for Patton's experimentation, a lot noisier than most others. Great albums.

The Dillinger Escape Plan

2008-03-21T19:38:00.005-05:00

Artist: The Dillinger Escape Plan

Country: USA
Genre: Hardcore/Experimental/Mathcore
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dillingerescapeplan

Albums:

[1998] Under The Running Board EP

[1999] Calculating Infinity

[2000] The Dillinger Escape Plan EP (Reissue)

[2002] Irony Is A Dead Scene EP

[2002] Live On The BBC (9-17-02)

[2003] Cursed, Unshaven And Misbehavin': Live Infinity EP

[2004] Miss Machine

[2005] Live In Gothenburg, Sweden (8-4-2005)

[2006] Plagiarism EP

[2007] Ire Works

Dillinger somehow gets better and better, even though they lost Pennie and Benoit. They keep releasing classic after classic.

The Mars Volta

2008-03-21T18:48:00.005-05:00

Artist: The Mars Volta

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive Rock/Experimental/Psychedelic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/themarsvolta

Albums:

[2002] Tremulant EP

[2003] De-Loused In The Comatorium

[2003] Live EP

[2005] Frances The Mute

[2005] A Missing Chromosome

[2005] Scab Dates

[2006] Amputechture

[2008] The Bedlam In Goliath

[2008] The Bedlam In Goliath (Bonus Tracks)

Easily one of the most progressively influential bands around. The Mars Volta don't have a single song that I don't enjoy. One of my favorite bands.

Rotting Christ

2008-03-21T09:35:00.005-05:00

Artist: Rotting Christ

Country: Greece

Genre: Melodic Black Metal/Gothic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/rottingchristabyss

Albums:

[1989] Satanus Tedeum [Demo]

[1991] Passage To Arcturo EP

[1993] Thy Mighty Contract

[1994] Non Serviam

[1996] Triarchy Of The Lost Lovers

[1997] A Dead Poem

[1999] Der Perfekte Traum

[1999] Sleep Of The Angels

[2000] Khronos

[2002] Genesis

[2004] Sanctus Diavolos

[2007] Theogonia

I never really got into them that much, but I think I will be able to one day.

Orphaned Land

2008-03-21T09:27:00.004-05:00

Artist: Orphaned Land

Country: Israel

Genre: Progressive/Death/Doom/Oriental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/orphanedmyspace

Albums:

[1993] The Beloved's Cry

[1996] El Norra Alila

[2002] Sahara

[2004] Mabool: The Story Of The Three Sons Of Seven

[2004] Mabool: The Story Of The Three Sons Of Seven (Bonus Disc)

Like a Death/Doom version of Melechesh, only better. Has a very oriental/folky feel to it in many of the content, extremely well done.

Devin Townsend

2008-03-21T09:16:00.005-05:00

Artist: Devin Townsend

Country: Canada

Genre: Progressive Metal/Thrash/Ambient (on a few later albums)

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/devintownsenddtb

Albums:

[1997] Ocean Machine: Biomech

[1998] Christeen EP

[1999] Infinity

[2000] Ass-Sordid Demos: 1990-1996

[2000] Official Bootleg

[2000] Physicist

[2001] Terria

[2004] Devlab (ambient project)

[2006] The Hummer (ambient project)

[2007] Ziltoid The Omniscient

Hevy Devy is a genius, one of the greatest minds in music today.

Dredg

2008-03-20T22:43:00.005-05:00

Artist: Dredg

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive/Art Rock/Alternative/Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/dredg

Albums:
[1996] Conscious EP
[1997] Orph EP
[1999] Instrumental Demos
[2001] Industry Demos
[2001] Leitmotif
[2002] Extended Play For The Eastern Hemisphere EP
[2002] El Cielo
[2002] El Cielo [B-Sides]
[2002] Live At Rasputin Records (Campbell, CA - 10/13/2002)
[2003] Crickets
[2004] Coquette Demo
[2005] Catch Without Arms
[2005] Catch Without Arms [B-Sides]
[2005] Sony Connect Acoustic (Live)
[2005] Waterborne OST
[2006] Live At The Fillmore

Miscellaneous Tracks:
1. Bottom Of The Hill
2. Jamais Vu
3. Jamais Vu (Rough Demo)
4. Of The Room (Acoustic)
5. Redrawing The Island Map
6. Same Ol' Road (Acoustic)
7. Sanzen (Acoustic)
8. Uplifting
DOWNLOAD

Dredg is another one of those band's I can't say enough about. That's why I own every track of theirs I can find (130 total so far). New album coming in 2008 will be top 3 of the year easily.

Cave-In

2008-03-20T22:31:00.008-05:00

Artist: Cave-In
Country: USA
Genre: Metalcore/Alternative/Space Rock
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/cavein

Albums:
[1997] Beyond Hypothermia
[1998] Until Your Heart Stops
[1999] Creative Eclipses
[2000] Jupiter
[2002] Epicenter EP
[2002] Tides Of Tomorrow EP
[2003] Antenna
[2003] Official Bootleg
[2005] Live Airwaves
[2005] Perfect Pitch Black

"Jupiter", "Antenna", "Perfect Pitch Black" and "Until Your Heart Stops" are absolutely essential. Doesn't matter what you listen to, you need them.

Buried Inside

2008-03-20T22:24:00.006-05:00

Artist: Buried Inside

Country: Canada

Genre: Grindcore/Metalcore (similar to Converge)

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/buriedinside

Albums:

[1999] In And Of The Self

[2001] Suspect Symmetry

[2005] Chronoclast: Selected Essays On Time-Reckoning And Auto-Cannibalism

"Chronoclast" is an absolute monster of a concept album, I have no idea why these guys are not more popular. They're like a more thoughtful Converge. And I love Converge.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor

2008-03-20T22:11:00.004-05:00

Artist: Godspeed You! Black Emperor

Country: Canada

Genre: Post-Rock/Classical/Ambient

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/godspeedyoublackemperor

Albums:

[1997] F#A#∞

[1999] Slow Riot For New Zerø Kanada EP

[2000] Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven

[2002] Yanqui U.X.O.

Easily some of the most gorgeous, frightening music you'll ever have the pleasure of listening to.

Moneen

2008-03-20T14:30:00.008-05:00

Artist: Moneen

Country: Canada

Genre: Rock/Indie

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/moneen

Albums:

[2001] The Theory Of Harmonial Value

[2003] Are We Really Happy With Who We Are Right Now?

[2005] The Switcheroo Series: Alexisonfire vs. Moneen (Split)

[2006] The Red Tree

[2006] Saying Something You Have Already Said Before: A Quiet Side Of Moneen

- Acoustic EP

"The Red Tree" was the best album of 2006, can't be missed.

Protest The Hero

2008-03-14T14:37:00.006-05:00

Artist: Protest The Hero

Country: Canada

Genre: (early) Punk/Hardcore; (recent) Progressive/Math/Metalcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/protestthehero

Albums:
[2002] Search For The Truth 7"
[2003] Notes From The Underground (Compilation)
- Just the track "Asperity Of Sin" that they contributed
[2004] A Calculated Use Of Sound (Reissue)
[2005] Kezia
[2008] Fortress

"Kezia" was the best album of 2005, and "Fortress" will be the best of 2008. PTH just keeps getting better. Extremely recommended.

!T.O.O.H.!

2008-03-14T14:34:00.002-05:00

Artist: !T.O.O.H.!

Country: Czech Republic

Genre: Death Metal/Deathgrind

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/theobliteration

Albums:
[2000] Z Vyšší Vůle
[2002] Pod Vládou Biče
[2005] Řád A Trest

Great Death Metal band, Řád A Trest is a must own for Death Metal fans.

Anaal Nathrakh

2008-03-14T13:51:00.005-05:00

Artist: Anaal Nathrakh

Country: England

Genre: Black Metal/Grindcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/anaalnathrakh

Albums:

[2001] The Codex Necro

[2002] Total Fucking Necro

[2003] When Fire Rains Down From The Sky, Mankind Will Reap As It Has Sown

[2004] Domine Non Es Dignus

[2006] Eschaton

[2007] Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here

Great Black Metal band with a touch of Grindcore, always a good listen. Highly recommended.

Killwhitneydead

2008-03-09T18:34:00.000-05:00

Artist: Killwhitneydead

Country: USA

Genre: Death Metal/Hardcore/Grindcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/kwdnewmusic

Albums:

[2002] Inhaling The Breath Of A Bullet EP
[2004] Never Good Enough For You
[2005] So Pretty, So Plastic
[2007] Hell To Pay
[2007] Nothing Less, Nothing More

Great band, always a fun listen. Perfect for bad moods.

All Shall Perish

2008-03-07T23:05:00.004-05:00

Artist: All Shall Perish

Country: USA

Genre: Deathcore/Technical

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/allshallperish

Albums:

[2003] Hate, Malice, Revenge

[2006] The Price Of Existence

"The Price Of Existence" is far superior to "Hate, Malice, Revenge" in my opinion. The new vocalist is so much better, and the band performs much better.

Good Clean Fun

2008-03-07T22:59:00.004-05:00

Artist: Good Clean Fun

Country: USA

Genre: Straight Edge Hardcore

Myspace: www.myspace.com/goodcleanfun

Albums:

[2002] Positively Positive: 1997-2002

[2006] Between Christian Rock And A Hard Place

[2006] Crouching Tiger, Moshing Panda

One of my favorite Hardcore bands. Putting the "ha" back in Hardcore, these guys keep it light, and don't take themselves or anyone too seriously.

Mr. Bungle

2008-03-07T22:47:00.004-05:00

Artist: Mr. Bungle

Country: USA

Genre: Avant-Garde/Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mrbungle

Albums:

[1985] Eureka High School Talent Show

- Live recording of the band at their HS talent show, extremely rare

[1986] The Raging Wrath Of The Easter Bunny (Demo)

[1987] Bowel Of Chiley (Demo)

- This is actually the CD re-release of this demo from 1997, just some more tracks.

[1988] Goddammit, I Love America! (Demo)

All of it is essential for the eclectic listener. Bungle is just one of many great Patton projects, possibly the best.

Alarum

2008-03-07T22:33:00.007-05:00

Artist: Alarum

Country: Australia

Genre: Technical/Progressive Metal/Thrash/Jazz Fusion

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/alarummusic

Albums:

[1999] Fluid Motion
[2004] Eventuality...

If you like Cynic or Atheist, there's no doubt you will love these guys. These guys are heavily influenced by them, and do a great job representing the Metal/Jazz fusion subgenre.

Ephel Duath

2008-03-07T01:02:00.003-05:00

Artist: Ephel Duath

Country: Italy

Genre: Progressive Post-Black Metal (old); Avant-Garde Metal/Jazz Fusion (recent)

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ephelduath

Albums:

[2000] Phormula

[2002] Rephormula

[2003] The Painter's Palette

[2005] Pain Necessary To Know

[2007] Pain Remixes The Known

"The Painter's Palette" is an Avant-Garde classic, you're missing out if you don't own at least that.

Death By Stereo

2008-03-07T00:35:00.003-05:00

Artist: Death By Stereo

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore/Punk/Metal

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/deathbystereo

Albums:

[1999] If Looks Could Kill, I'd Watch You Die

[2000] Day Of The Death

[2002] Into The Valley Of Death

[2005] Death For Life

[2007] Death Alive

Gotta love DBS. Extremely pissed off, extremely violent, perfect for when you're in a bad mood.

Between The Buried And Me

2008-03-07T00:15:00.004-05:00

Artist: Between The Buried And Me

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive Metalcore

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/betweentheburiedandmeband

Albums:

[2002] Between The Buried And Me

[2003] The Silent Circus

[2005] Alaska

[2006] The Anatomy Of

[2007] Colors

My personal favorite band, seen them live 3 times, better each time. Can't pass up on a band like this.

Amesoeurs

2008-03-07T00:08:00.002-05:00

Artist: Amesoeurs

Country: France

Genre: Post-Rock/Black Metal/Shoegaze

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/amesoeurs

Albums:

[2006] Ruines Humaines EP

Khanate

2008-03-05T22:39:00.003-05:00

Artist: Khanate

Country: USA Genre: Drone/Doom/Ambient

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/khanatefans

Albums:

[2001] Khanate

[2003] Things Viral

[2005] Capture & Release

Horrifyingly depressing Drone, 20+ minute epics. Sounds like the end of the world. Associated with Sunn O))), O'Malley was the guitarist for Khanate.

Mastodon

2008-03-05T22:27:00.004-05:00

Artist: Mastodon

Country: USA

Genre: Metal/Progressive/Psychedelic

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/mastodon

Albums:

[2002] Remission

[2004] Leviathan

[2006] Call Of The Mastodon

[2006] Blood Mountain

It's Mastodon, get it. Simple as that.

Underoath

2008-03-05T22:13:00.009-05:00

Artist: Underoath
Country: USA
Genre: Death Metal/Progressive/Experimental (early); Post-Hardcore (recent)
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/underoath

Albums:
[1999] Act Of Depression
[2000] Cries Of The Past
[2002] The Changing Of Times
[2004] They're Only Chasing Safety [Deluxe Edition]
[2006] Define The Great Line

I personally hate "Define The Great Line", and if you don't like any of their last two albums, get their first two. Absolutely nothing like the newer stuff, more Death Metal-oriented. Some of the best music I've heard.

Spastic Ink

2008-03-05T22:07:00.004-05:00

Artist: Spastic Ink

Country: USA

Genre: Progressive Metal/Experimental/Jazz Fusion

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/inkspastic

Albums:

[1997] Ink Complete

[2004] Ink Compatible

Ron Jarzombek is infinitely better at guitar than you will ever be. End of story. Pick these up now for some of the best guitar playing you'll hear.

Isis

2008-03-05T21:42:00.004-05:00

Artist: Isis

Country: USA

Genre: Sludge/Post-Metal/Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/sgnl05

Albums:

[1998] The Mosquito Control EP

[1999] The Red Sea EP

[2005] Oceanic: Remixes And Reinterpretations

[2005] We Reach: The Music Of The Melvins

- One track collaboration with Agoraphobic Nosebleed, from this tribute album.

[2006] In The Absence Of Truth

[2006] Live.04

[2006] In The Fishtank 14

- Collaboration with Aereogramme, three track EP.

It's Isis, what more do you want?

A Black Rose Burial

2008-03-05T21:35:00.003-05:00

Artist: A Black Rose Burial

Country: US

Genre: Deathcore/Experimental

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/ablackroseburial

Albums:

[2005] An Awakening Of Revenants

Solid album from a band with a promising future.

7 Angels 7 Plagues

2008-03-05T21:24:00.008-05:00

Artist: 7 Angels 7 Plagues

Country: USA

Genre: Hardcore/Metalcore/Progressive

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/7a7phxc

Albums:

[2001] Jhazmyne's Lullaby

[2003] Until The Day Breathes And The Shadows Flee EP

"Jhazmyne's Lullaby" is a Hardcore classic. Groundbreaking, influential, a must-own.

Guess what, bitches?

2008-03-05T20:43:00.005-05:00

I am restarting this blog! I deleted all the old posts (sorry), but I still have all the links saved, and I will be starting fresh. It's a new year, so I decided to make it a new blog. Make sure to save this one in your favorites, I hope to post much more than before.