I Breathe the Underground

Precious Blasphemous Metal: Lamb of God Loosens "Wrath" on the World

There is something so intricately formulaic in Lamb of God's sound, defined almost exclusively by contemporary metal's most creative guitarist, LOG's Mark Morton. Every formula must contain supporting factors; blisteringly fast and distinct drums, growl/scream vocal dynamic, and tight, raw recording quality are all crucial supporting cast members in the Lamb of God show.

The unreleased CD fairy has graced my home yet again with the early arrival of Lamb of God's sixth full-length studio album, Wrath. By now, these guys are seasoned veterans of the scene and fully solidified as the torch-carriers to the Pantera throne.

It's hard to believe LOG started as a strictly-instrumental outfit when you hear how well vocalist Randy Blythe's screams lead each track. With Wrath, LOG maintains the same raw, heavy-hitting and serious themes of the group's earlier work while setting the bar even higher, capturing an almost indefinable songwriting evolution that wasn't always noticeable on 2006's Sacrament.

Yet Wrath is simultaneously a step forward and a step backward. Yes, the evolution is there. But what really sets Wrath off is the band's departure from Sacrament and revisit to older work in the songwriting space. Sitting here desperately trying to put my finger on specific differences, all I can say for sure is that the differentiators are technically minute but emotionally palpable.

"Grace" is my favorite track on Wrath, laden with metal grooves, some of the coolest drum fills I've ever heard, and, of course, a classic metal breakdown. I'm also partial to the final track, "Reclamation," which is reminiscent of and as big as a Pantera ballad.

Wrath is exactly what you would expect from major metal players like LOG: simply another example of why this band is on top of the genre. Pick it up February 24. Until then, rock to some oldies but goodies.

Download 01-lamb_of_god-ruin

Download 06 Descending

"There's a bad storm blowing in / and most of us won't make it / the wreckage of your past / means nothing now, forsake it."

- Lamb of God, "Broken Hands"

The Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts Pt. 1

Today I came across Amazon.com's 100 Greatest Debut Albums of All Time. Sure, the post was meant to pander to the consumer. Some marketing stiff at Amazon likely saw an opportunity to highlight some great albums, conveniently linked to Amazon's store. The list wasn't a total waste, though, highlighting some spectacular albums and some I found to be duds. No accounting for taste, I guess.

A few of the highlights from Amazon's list: U2 - Boy, Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures, Metallica - Kill Em All, Bob Marley - Catch a Fire, The Clash - The Clash, Kanye West - The College Dropout, Sex Pistols - Nevermind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols, The Smashing Pumpkins - Gish, Weezer - Weezer, Sonic Youth - Confusion is Sex, Morrissey - Viva Hate, The Shins - Oh, Inverted World.

(No, I will not link these albums to Amazon. Go support your local DIY store for chrissake.)

A few of the duds: Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill (cmon guys, you started off in hardcore punk then decided semi-intelligent hip-hop babble was your niche?), Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (simply because I hate Tom Petty and I do not understand the appeal), The Postal Service - Give Up (I love this album, but it's the only one! Let them release another before you hand them industry cred!), 50 Cent - Get Rich or Die Trying (can't Fitty get rich AND die trying??).

Anyway, the point is that the Amazon list inspired me to create a list of my own, incomplete though it may be. This is part one of a four part series. Without further ado, I give you the Top 20 Greatest Underground Debuts.

20. The Weakerthans - Fallow - Shortly after John Sampson left Propagandhi, he formed the ambitious and callous Weakerthans. Given Sampson's disposition with the Weakerthans, it was probably better he hung his punk shoes up. Fallow defined an awkward new sound in indie that brought another spectacular Canadian band into the limelight of the scene. Track from Left and Leaving.

Download 03 Watermark

19. Panic! At the Disco - A Fever You Can't Sweat Out - Before they dropped the !, Panic! debuted with a sound that borrowed from recently outed Fall Out Boy, mixing heavily with dance-pop beats and tons of hooks. Too bad Panic! decided to quit the sound they were so instrumental in bringing to the masses. Then again, if a bunch of shitty rip-off bands followed immediately in my footsteps, I'd probably make a change as well.

Download 03-panic_at_the_disco-london_beckoned_songs_about_money_written_by_machines-jrp

18. Protest the Hero - Kezia - Protest the Hero showed up just in time to save metal from the clutches of metalcore. Crafted from incredibly tight, heavy beats, wandering bass, insane guitars, and flawless vocals, Protest the Hero took something like ten years to tweak Kezia to perfection. Was it worth it? This humble blogger thinks so.

Download 07 She Who Mars The Skin Of Gods

17. From First to Last - Dear Diary, My Teen Angst Has a Body Count - Before Sonny Moore left From First to Last, the band was a complete unit, blending elements of modern emo and metalcore into abrasive, emotional anthems. The follow-up didn't quite satisfy, but DDMTAHABC will remain a consistent spin on my playlist.

Download 03 - From First to Last - Note to Self

16. The Get Up Kids - Four Minute Mile - There's no doubt in any emo kid's mind that the Get Up Kids are still kings of their genre. Following on the heels of 90s emo success like Texas is the Reason and Sunny Day Real Estate, the Get Up Kids were a defining moment for the emo scene. Unfortunately, a bunch of shitty pop-core bands followed, molding the term "emo" for their own use. Do you see a trend forming here? Track from Something to Write Home About.

Download 01. Holiday

Hardcore Kids Against Maternal Love?

Norma Jean is back with a vengeance. Out for blood, the Georgia quintet recently released The Anti Mother, a characteristic raging masterpiece that screams for the scene respect that this band deserves and usually gets.

Since Josh Scogin left the band to form the Chariot, a lot of unfounded talk bustled across the scene that Norma Jean wasn't up to 2002's Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child level, that O God, the Aftermath (2005) wasn't quite on par with the band's previous work. Still, some people were impressed with the offering. Personally, I wasn't exactly impressed, but it wasn't a terrible album. It never really made a significant spot in my rotation, but it was good for a stray listen every so often.

Cory Brandan, Scogin's successor, powered the band back to hardcore splendor with 2006's Redeemer, which ironically enough seemed to redeem the band's status as scene pioneers. It was pretty clear to me at the time that if you weren't ready to move on with the band away from its roots, then there was always the Chariot, which essentially picked up where BTMAKTC left off.

To me, Redeemer had a sonic quality that could be felt more than heard; the band's typical dissonant style was still there, but poppy hooks bled through the noise and formulated strong tunes, supported by an evenly unpredictable drum pattern that wasn't too "out there," as much I cannot say for the previous recording. (Pop in OGTA and you'll see what I'm talking about.) I like experimental music, but I felt like OGTA wasn't really working for them. I think the band felt that too, as Redeemer is such a drastic countermeasure (and was released only a year after the previous recording).

Stepping in the dominant footprints of Redeemer, The Anti Mother is a tantalizing and catchy journey through the evolution of the band that loses no edge or momentum from earlier work, capturing a raw earnestness that pumps through unfamiliar riffs laced with surprisingly strong hooks, bolstered by the characteristic heaviness and dissonance that only Norma Jean can seem to capture.

Norma Jean appears to have finally found a niche in the realm of melodic metalcore, solidifying their position as pioneers of the scene. If you're not happy with it, then go listen to the Chariot. I can't offer refunds -- only peace of mind.

"I guess a liar's heart is still true even if her lips are not."
- Cory Brandan, "Birth of the Anti Mother"

Get Lost in the Sound of Separation

I've been waiting in dire anticipation at least a year for this, so it is with great pleasure that I present you Underoath's fourth full-length studio recording, Lost in the Sound of Separation.

Christianity and brutality have never quite melded the way this sextet from Tampa, Florida has demonstrated over the past ten years. Blurring the lines between art and chaos, music and dissonance, and elevated spirituality and earthly frustration, each song Underoath has recorded is like a raging, insistent battle between good and evil. Aaron Gillespie's honest vocals seem eternally pitted against Spencer Chamberlain's explosive growls in an epic struggle for dominance, like two sides of the same coin tumbling down a bottomless well.

Underoath's latest offering plays deeper into that same dynamic, building up something beautiful and destroying it in a whirlwind of crunching guitars and wailing vocals. Fans of the band might remember Define the Great Line's (2006) face-melting intro, "In Regards to Myself" -- that is, until they pop this baby in and let "Breathing in a New Mentality" spin. The urgency of the record doesn't push its own limits as it drifts purposefully from song to song, drilling the band's staple catchy melodies into your head and leaving a hole in the back of your skull so the music can come and go as it pleases.

Although I'm a firm subscriber to the notion that production can be a record's biggest downfall, the quality difference between DTGL and LITSOS is most tangible in the drums, facilitating a self-sustaining product that feeds on a dominant beat, with layered guitars and the usual vocal meandering. Another production upgrade is apparent in Gillespie's vocals; nearly flawless, the recording captures the emotion and power that stands independent of Chamberlain's screams, while simultaneously working with them to present the contrast that solidfies Underoath as a unique ship in a sea of metalcore bouys.

Clearly, this is not a detour from previous records, but the evolution that Underoath fans could have only been dreaming about waiting for the album to drop.

"Oh, God! It's racing through my veins / I'm afraid there must be some kind of mistake."

- Underoath, "Breathing in a New Mentality"

SPECIAL: Warped 2K8 - I Laughed, I Cried, I Moshed

You walk into the pounding sun and take it all in, the jagged rocks littering the hot concrete and the wall of sound hitting you from every side. Each tune that caresses or bombards your ears is unique. It's a land out of storybook lore; it's a legendary collection of all the most influential punk/pop-punk/hardcore bands of the last ten years; it's that time of year, time for the Vans Warped Tour, and it makes me feel like I'm in high school all over again.

This year's Warped Tour lineup was disappointing at first glance. The Chicago lineup boasted only a few bands with experience and industry cred; punk legends like Pennywise, Agent Orange, the Bouncing Souls, Fear, GBH, and the Germs were on other legs of the tour. Faced with a dismal reality, I was considering not attending this year for fear the tour had turned a big commercialized corner.

I decided to go anyway and cut ties for good if I'd been dragged into a big waste of time.

Boy, was I surprised.

I didn't get to the all-day festival until around 2 PM (being Saturday morning and all, I had to watch my cartoons). The schedule worked perfectly for the bands I wanted to see; unfortunately, a couple of notables that had been listed on the website were missing from the gigantic board: Protest the Hero and Forever the Sickest Kids.

The following is an attempt to recreate my day at the 2008 Vans Warped Tour.

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2:30 PM: Entered the gates. Proceeded directly to the beer line and ordered a drink. Received massive bucket of beer. Wandered to the big schedule board and planned the afternoon.

2:45 PM: Found the Hurley Stage, where Chicago suburban locals Dr. Manhattan were rocking the early afternoon heat. The guitarist was definitely wearing a pair of over-sized tighty-whities on top of his shorts. Listened to a couple of recognizable songs from their Victory Records debut.
Overall: 3 out of 5 stars.

3:00 PM: Made our way to one of the main stages, where Norma Jean had just begun a sonic onslaught of the still energetic throngs of eager hardcore kids. (Two bands later, the hardcore kids were skulking about, drenched in sweat and calling their parents for a ride home. (Just kidding.)). Norma Jean dominated the crowd for half an hour, delivering their own quirky brand of hardcore goodness with the momentum of their coming release, Anti Mother. I am no longer a Norma Jean virgin, and I'm happy to say that it was a pleasant experience for both of us.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

3:30 PM: On our way to the Smartpunk Stage to check out Four Year Strong, a familiar ditty hit my eardrums hard. We proceeded to the closest stage, where Protest the Hero was half-way through rocking album-quality renditions from their most recent offering, Fortress, and informing the crowd of the recent beheading in Canada. For all the musical talent on the tiny stage, the energy just wasn't there on that scorching Saturday afternoon. Maybe it was due to the shock of playing on such a small stage or the fact that the sun's rays had a direct avenue to the band.
Either way, a disappointing: 3 out of 5 stars.

3:45 PM: We arrived at the Smartpunk Stage, where a riot had apparently broken out. Happy hardcore newcomers Four Year Strong were melting faces everywhere, causing an uproar in the crowd. Between the unparalleled energy the band was exuding on stage, the melodic vocals that were surprisingly flawless, and the ridiculous movement of the crowd, hardcore dancing and moshing their little faces off, the experience was simply incredible.
For that, they get: 5 out of 5 stars.

4:00 PM: Stood in line for another beer. Walked back to the Smartpunk Stage and watched a little bit of Evergreen Terrace on the stage next door. I was unimpressed, but I was only half paying attention, so I won't give them an official star rating.

4:30 PM: Set Your Goals took the Smartpunk Stage. The band did not disappoint. Although their partners in happy hardcore had taken the crowd to another level, SYG competed like champions, stirring the crowd to an even boil and bursting the bubbles at all the right places. A whirlwind of speed, melody, and positive thinking, SYG earned their keep.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars.

5:00 PM: We had planned on checking out From First to Last, but ever since they lost Sonny, I've kinda lost interest. Walked by the main stage briefly and confirmed my suspicions. Checked out the tents and saw Norma Jean signing autographs. Got another beer.

6:00 PM: The sun was still shining and the beer was flowing and Gym Class Heroes, the quirkiest pick for Warped Tour (honest, they run in music circles that are far outside of their style), had just taken one of the main stages. Patrick Stump's pre-recorded vocals blasted forth beneath the unique lyrical stylings of GCH's Travis McCoy. They made me want to dance on a day dedicated to moshing. GCH don't disappoint, even after seeing them five times.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

6:30 PM: There's something comforting about Reel Big Fish's refusal to quit amidst speculation that ska truly is dead. They're probably the reason I even started listening to underground music -- and it was all because they "sold out." I'm of course referring to the band's hit radio single, "Sell Out," because RBF is a band that has done anything but sell out. They've always played the same music, and they've always done it with a strict refusal to change. Between their hilarious, almost scripted, banter, they blasted out ska anthem after ska anthem, leaving this punk with a gracious smile on his face. Oh, they also inspired me to get another beer.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars.

7:00 PM: I had the unfortunate and distinct pleasure of visiting the other main stage for the Angels and Airwaves set. Tom DeLonge's post-Blink attempt at creating something beautiful has fallen horribly, horribly flat amidst the hyped fanfare. There's just something depressing about a 32 year old man shouting "Poo poo!" and "Pee pee!" to an audience of recycled Blink 182 fans, most of whom are pushing 30 themselves, in between some of the most contrived and pretentious songs I've ever heard. Shame on you, Tom DeLonge. Take up a hobby that doesn't require human contact, like crocheting.
Overall: 1 and a half out of 5 stars.

7:40 PM: It was finally time for the band I'd been waiting all day to see, the band that has sprouted from the ashes of the pop-punk of olden days, the one, the only, Say Anything. We approached the main stage with the last of our energy and got ready to rock. But as soon as Max Bemis walked briskly out on stage on his own, I knew something was wrong. His scratchy voice explained that he was sick and unable to perform. I was about ready to pack up and head out disappointed, but he informed the crowd that other Warped Tour performing artists would be singing in his stead.

Each song of the set was sung by a different vocalist. It was pretty cool to see, although I would have rather had Max himself. Still, the concept was cool, and what really blew me away was how these singers knew the lyrics without referring to a lyric sheet. It was like watching legends pay tribute to the new bad boy in town.
The show still rocked, so: 4 and a half out of 5 stars.

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Just a last point before I end. Although Warped Tour has managed to block out most of the bands that were instrumental in forming it in the first place, they still make the shows, the bands, and the experience as accessible to the fans as it used to be (even if a sign at the Angels and Airwaves tent warned "DO NOT ask if the band is signing autographs today. They aren't and we don't know why.").

Bands I missed that I wanted to see: Cobra Starship, Forever the Sickest Kids, All That Remains, Street Dogs, The Academy Is..., Katy Perry (just kidding about that one, even though she was actually somehow on the tour, probably kissing every girl she saw). Oh, and we also saw MC Chris, aka MC Peepants from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. It was weird.

Summer rock. Word.

DISCLAIMER: This is the day how I remember it. Performance times are only as close to accurate as my memory is. Which is not very.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up / This is not a test."
- Underoath, "In Regards to Myself"