Music for the Minority

Hadouken! - For the Masses

So, if you haven't heard of Hadouken! I don't blame you. I heard them for the first time in a dingy little club called the Red Room - but even there, off/on my face on tequila, I thought "Hey! This is something I could really dance to! Grgrosdv dvnvnfd grllglg..."

What got me was this kinda hard, 80s, apocalypse wave of sound over which some trashy Brit yelled at me. It was like being bounced to death by hoodied limey youths on a Jumping Castle phonics. Boo. Yah. Try not to bounce your head to this: That Boy That Girl. Plus, the video is fucking awesome...

Obviously I got excited when someone pointed me to their new album the other day. Excited... and nervous. It's fairly common for a bunch of guys to find a sound, raise at, and then smother it with a pillow before its prime. I wasn't expecting much.

Despite the rather leading title, Depeche Mode they aren't. But maybe this is what Martin Gore's wayward children would sound like, had they been raised outside grocery stores.

What we have now is a band who have decided to take what they do seriously, without taking themselves the same way. The production is better. The writing is better. Ah, fuck it - it's just fucking power. I always find think it's a sign of for electronic music if you start directing Chris Cunningham-esque videos in your mind.

As far as consistency goes, it still sound a little like they can't decide which genre they want to party with. If we looked down at the dance floor that is the musical world of Hadouken!, we'd see Goldie grinding in the back with Liam Howlett. The boys from Pendulum would be throwing out tequila shots. Daft Punk would be doing coke off each others' helmets. And, every now and then, you'd see Robert Miles (that cunt who gave us the 1000 synth nightmares of 'Children' bopping his giant centipede eyebrows in the middle of the girl-only groups, hoping someone rubs against his penis.

But, what a party! I challenge anyone to not put their necks out of joint and their cars through a wall at 140km/h listening to 'Mic Check' at illegal levels. Or to try not do the 'Ooohoohohoohoh' bit at the top of their lungs at the start of 'Rebirth' before shrinking their ears into their shoulders and trying to rap the rather aggressive singy bits.

Where they've gained depth musically, they've lost some verbally. The lyrics are fairly repetitive - more like football chants than actual songs - and cover topics that wouldn't stimulate the synapses of anyone other than a gang of liquored little thugs, huddled around a PacMan machine, waiting for their mums, and giving the finger to housewives.

One word of warning - their is a little bit of autotune. Which is inexcusable for anyone. I don't give a fuck of you're Blue 52 or Kanye West. If you use that fucking voice box shit, you're a mean and nasty human being, and your talent is now in question.

But don't let that turn you off. It's only on the last track, and it's not great anyway.

Overall, I doubt there's anything better to listen to on the way out to a good party. The only downside is the disappointment when you realise the DJ isn't playing it. All night. On repeat. I suggest you make him. Yeeeeeee, boi!

Lamb of God - Sacrament

Lamb of God's new album is, in short, fantastic.

I, personally, don't have much of a penchant for Southern metal, but these boys get it right; dirty, but with enough refinement to make you add a few blocks of ice to your bourbon when you listen to it. You know, class it up a little. They manage to take audio-aggression and good solid riffage to one step higher, making them the logical choice as Slayer's successors (especially considering their last album... yeesh). This is neck-snapping, knee-pumping, fist clenching modern, yet good ol', metal at it's best. In fact, I can't drive responsibly to this album at all.

The previous albums, to me, always sounded a tad raw and under-produced, which almost became part of their sound. On 'The Sacrament' they have managed to process their sound enough to live up to the behemothic professional standards that earlier releases always promised they would, without sounding at all electronic or over-produced. This is their 'The Wall'.

All in all, the mix is just right. Darker. Heavier. Yet catchier. My metal album of '06.

Tracks to check out:
Walk With Me in Hell
Pathetic
Beating on Death's Door

Propagandhi - Potemkin City Limits

I haven't enjoyed Propagandhi since 'Less Talk, More Rock', so I must say how incredibly happy I am that their new album, 'Potemkin City Limits' is so good. And it is.

It's a lot more mature, and a lot less punk-orientated. Very listenable, too. There are frequent iambic and melodic changes, making it constantly interesting, and yet it still retains that fist-in-the-air vibe that makes you want to watch every governmental structure burn.

Rock on.

Pet Shop Boys are at it again

Shit.

The guys who ruined our lives with tracks like 'Absolutely Fabulous' are back in studio, sending more dreadful synth pop-ditties in to the already synth-pop ditty cluttered world.

Interestingly, or maybe not, they're going to be doing some collaborative work with DJ David Morales, among others.

Still, my stomach is churning. The only thing I've ever liked by the PSB is the track "Hallo Spaceboy", and only then because it was with Bowie.

Thanks for the warning Arjan.

God Forbid - Gone Forever

Don't be swayed by the gloomy cover of the new God Forbid, for there is much, much more to it then depressing My Dying Bride type melancholy. There're also great riffs, tight production, brutal energy and if not incredibly ground-beaking, fairly catchy melodies. The 2nd release on giants Century Media, this album has definitely being doing a lot of hand switching lately. As most dedicated metal-heads are far beyond paying for discs.

And fair enough. These guys have obviously put a fair amount of effort into what is a really suprising release. There's an influx of this sort of music at the moment. The 'melodic death' (forgive me) we learned to love with In Flames and At The Gates has been creeping into more contempory music of late (Atreyu, Thrice, Killswitch Engage). I know it's going to grow taxing after a while, but if the standard is kept at this level, I have a feeling it's going to be a long while.

Produced by Colin Richardson (Chimaira, Fear Factory, as if you care) there is a nice variation of sound, texture, tempo and vocal emissions, tastefully mixing brutal almost Slayeresque speed and aggression to a more sedate, art style, ala Mushroomhead. The vocals compliment the feel, chopping between the gutteral Crowbar death-rattle of lead Byron Davis and smooth yet vivacious larynxes of the Coyle Brothers, adding moments of sing-alongy anthemic spirit to the more standard vein-popping anger.

When I first stuck the album on my iPod I wasn't blown away. But, while I've been working, driving and typing this dreck, I've been listening to the album on repeat. Just in case I missed anything, or there was a suitably clever comparison I could draw. And maybe that's all Gone Forever needs. This is definitely growing on me. You can actually feel the more than sufficient energy being pushed though your speaker grid, like a baby through a fence.

The only two downsides as far as I can see are:
- This is not exactly revolutionary stuff here. They're a treading a well laid carpet.
- It's a little short at just over 40 minutes. Oh, well. Rather that than filler tracks, I guess.

So give it a whirl. If you enjoy any of the bands I've made reference to above, there's something for you. As for me, I'm very glad this is in my collection. But, what do I know. Check out Better Days and Antihero for yourself (yes, for free).

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Rammstein march on

I'm dying to hear the new Rammstein track, Amerika. It appears I am the only idiot who hasn't.

It's obviously because I have such a negative view of pirated/downloaded music, and not the fact that the only track I could find on Limewire was corrupt, and spat out 11 minutes of static. Obviously.

While looking for alternates, I found a strange note in a piece on the 'Number one source for Rammstein', Herzeleid.com,

"For those of you who do have it, see if you can rewind past the beginning of "Reise, Reise" (into negative time). You might be surprised!"

Interesting. That makes me want the new album less... True?

If anyone in Europe (the album's already released there) has a heart, send a copy to little ol' me. Please?

Found it. Had to steal it off a streaming site, but it's done. Thanks to Loudside (again) and my Apple.

Dog Fashion Disco - Anarchists of Good Taste

I first heard Dog Fashion Disco a few years ago while I still worked in the purgatory of corporate retail CD stores. I saw the album 'Anarchists of Good Taste' nestled in my alternative browser, it looked interesting so I picked it up and gave it a spin. It didn't strike a chord so I tried again. Still nothing. And again.

My take-away feeling from my brief, yet persistent brush with DFD was that they were an interesting concept band. But they didn't hit home. To me they sounded like they were trying too hard to be the next interesting artist in alternative/metal/hardcore, and were just looking like that annoying kid in school, who did bizarre things to be liked, and just ended up making you dislike him even more.

Well, I eventually got hold of the album again, pretty much because I wanted one song, '9 to 5 at the Morgue', which always stuck like a splinter in my brain. But it got me listening to the entire album again.

And I have reversed my decision. Completely.

Dog Fashion Disco are a fantastic band. Where as I once saw them being pretentious and contrived, I now see as just plain interesting music. I will recommend them to anyone who needs a little variety in their music. A little off the wall like System of a Down (in fact, Serj Tankian does guest vocals on the track 'Mushroom Cult'), a little crazy-trip-to-the-carnival, like Insane Clown Posse (you've got all the nutty calliope, roller-coaster up and down tempo mix strange instrument thing) and heavy in a Nothingface, we-will-remove-you-violently-from-this-mortal-coil vibe. I don't know why I found them wanky the first time around, whether it was my musical preference at the time or whether they just need to be adjusted to. Either way, I'm embarrassed. But now I've seen the light, and it hurts...

They change timings and song structure in the same way Tool and Floyd did, but without seeming like try-hards. They are also heavy enough to make you really twist the volume to the level where you can't hear the neighbours calling to complain. They're like circus-nazi's, stomping along to their own maniacal beat, casting beady, suspicious eyes over hunched-backs and bloody clothing. the production isn't anything to run around naked about, but it's pretty damn good. Anyone who mixes these guys, and makes them sound normal, has a job in my company.

Someone put these suckers on the net for download, so if you want to try it out before you scuttle off to your local to buy it, go have a listen. It's mostly tracks off an earlier album, and it's not their best work, but it's something.

Final words: If you're as tired as I am of what 'Nu-Metal' has dissolved into, this is something will add some hope. You can proudly play to your mates; not all of them are going to like it, but fuck 'em. It might take a while to get in to, as it did with me, but it's worth it. They have just released a brand new album, 'Committed to a Bright Future', much to their fans' delight. Personally? I can't wait.

Songs to check out:
Headless
9 to 5 at the Morgue
Cartoon Autopsy

Overall rating: 9/10 worms in a dog's heart