The Ocean - "Jurassic | Cretaceous"

Photo credit: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/BPMrwSwl8is/hqdefault.jpg

        The Ocean has returned to the scene with a gripping track from their forthcoming album Phanerozoic II: Mesozoic | Cenozoic due to be released via Metal Blade Records September 25th, 2020. I don't think it's too far to say that The Ocean is the Snarky Puppy of the Heavy Metal scene as they've identified as a collective of ever-changing members and collaborators helmed by Robin Stap (much like Snarky Puppy's Michael League) until 2008 when the name transitioned from The Ocean Collective to simply The Ocean. 

        Even with the name change, there have been people added and removed from the mixture with the newest members dating back to 2018. In total, if you include active members of the collective, inactive members of the collective, touring members, and session members, there have been over 70 individuals involved in one way or another. If you'd like an in-depth bio Metal Blade features one here that's excellent.

        I got on the train with The Ocean on a previous album titled Pelagial which dropped in 2013. I was pretty blown away with the sound, and look forward to doing a deep dive into their catalog. However, it's hard to escape the influence and renown of this group's skills, music, and live shows. If you haven't yet checked them out, you should do yourself the favor. Today's track is the newly released "Jurassic | Cretaceous", which dropped July 1st, 2020. It features guest vocalist Jonas Renkse from Katatonia. 

        

        The song starts with a crunchy off and on syncopation rhythm that's quite fun to listen to. Synths and other instruments are slowly added into the mix as it continues. A second guitar is added in and layers some melody over the rhythm, which creates a very cool moment. Just as it starts to hook you the music drops out to this washed-out guitar riff with drumstick percussion. Vocals join in to create this tense and hypnotic moment. This moment is interspersed with some great chugging riffs. The vocals are excellent, they're not quite clean, but they're not quite growls either. Fear not, there are the occasional growls later in the track. They fit the sound of this performance perfectly. 

        Perhaps it's the animation but this track takes my imagination to a pit of primordial ooze, or to an early galaxy with masses of matter crashing together to create protoplanets. Roughly four minutes in, the music brings us to this quiet moment with a clean guitar riff with a nice layer of delay. Drums join in, and then vocals creating this excellent moment before returning to what seems to be the chorus.

        What is working really well in this track is that these moments are woven in and out of each other while still feeling fresh, and new. The transitions are seamless. About halfway through there is a melodic break from the vocals that feature the intro riff again, but in a new context. The song switches to a dark moment with a somber piano sound with some synths in the background. It's very slightly reminiscent of the Stranger Things intro, but only just so. This section features a great bass solo/riff and the synths match the vibe of this track perfectly. At ~7:29 vocals come back into the song with this great harmony moment that's quite magical.

        The music jumps to a new section around the 7:53 mark that is possibly my favorite part of the track. Musically it feels really strong, and the vocals are excellent. This transitions to another spacey interlude with clean vocals before swinging into this wall-of-sound moment at ~8:59 that's captivating. Around the 9:25 mark, the song starts building to its climax with this ripping riff. The mix is excellent and it's like being caught in a hurricane.

    It transitions to a new section that is very close to a breakdown. Again, this song weaves in and out of its pieces and movements with ease. The songwriting is excellent. The chorus comes back, still feeling fresh before it segues to a melodic movement, which builds into this amazing Black Metal-esque movement that carries the album to it's crushing end. It's magnificent stuff.

        This song is 13 and a half minutes of some excellent music developed and written by some extremely skilled musicians. I couldn't encourage you enough to check it out. We have a long wait to get to September, but it should definitely be worth it. In the meantime, you can catch up on all of their previous releases here on their Bandcamp. 

Photo Credit: https://www.facebook.com/pg/theoceancollective/photos/?ref=page_internal

        This current iteration of The Ocean features Robin Staps on guitar, programming, and backing vocals, Loïc Rossetti on lead vocals, Paul Seidel on drums, Mattias Hägerstrand on bass, David Ramis Åhfeldt on guitar, and Peter Voigtmann on synths. You can pre-order their new album here via Metal Blade Records. Enjoy! 

The Jazz Project - Album 95: Wynton Marsalis - "Black Codes (From The Underground)"

        To further my understanding of Jazz, I'm listening through Jazzwise Magazine's "The 100 Jazz Albums That Shook The World". Each album is presented with my stream-of-consciousness thoughts for each track, my general thoughts of the album as a whole, and any relevant information I can capture about the album. Also included is my drink of choice while taking the album in. Thank you for joining me on my journey to [partial] Jazz enlightenment.

Album 95

Wynton Marsalis - Black Codes (From The Underground)

Drinking: Water

Photo credit: https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71AjE-4yGVL._SL1500_.jpg

1. "Black Codes": I love that intro, each instrument sounds like a voice in a marketplace of sound ebbing and flowing in discourse. ~0:54 features a nice change of pace from the intro. We ride the music until there's a piercing solo at ~1:24 that is tasty. I think it sounds like Miles but with some extra sizzle folded into the mix. This piece very conversational, like a community buzzing on a beautiful day. Honestly, I like the saxophone solo more than the trumpet work, but I also prefer that instrument anyways. As the song draws to a close I get a free jazz vibe from the performance, which I enjoyed. This whole piece is mixed very well. 
   
   
2. "For Wee Folks": I wonder if this song is named after Pee Wee Marquette, or at least in memory of. Regardless, I love the somber tone of the intro, it's a very cool sound. It reminds me of a soft rainstorm on a quiet day. The saxophone playing sounds like someone singing scat, very enjoyable. Perhaps this song is trying to embody the joys and frustrations of kids having to stay indoors on a rainy day instead of playing outside. This makes sense as each  riff, each moment comes into focus just as quickly as it goes, just staying long enough to say we enjoyed it.
   
   
3. "Delfeayo's Dilemma": This is a hot track that's chopping at the bit to get going. The drums keep the heat on, like a racing mind trying to make a decision. Delfeayo is Wynton's brother and a trombone player. I wonder what story this song stems from because it must be a doozy. I like this track a lot and it captures how my mind often feels when I'm lost in my thoughts. Each instrument is a new possibility trying to vie for center stage. At ~5:46 it sounds like outside voices or new thoughts trying to break into the fray, breaking the rhythm of the thought as the other parts struggle to bring it back into line. 
   
   
4. "Phyrzzinian Man": The beginning of this song features a tasty chord. Featuring an excellent interplay of instruments, I love the pacing that the tempo brings. Just as you're starting to groove to the rhythm they pull the rug just enough to keep you off your footing, but not falling. I'm not sure what it's trying to lay out thematically, but I like the tune. The piano riff as it fades out is lovely. 
   
   
5. "Aural Oasis": There is a delicate opening to this song. I feel like I'm traveling in the moonlight, wandering, and wondering where the journey is taking you. Or perhaps reflecting on your history. A very touching track. Listening to the drums is like watching a painter work on his canvas, some brushwork over here, and a little more over there. A very talented performance. Hilariously enough, Wynton has said he doesn't like his performance on this particular recording, that he couldn't really play on it. Hindsight is a funny thing like that. 
   
   
6. "Chambers Of Tain": Tain is a reference to the drummer in this band Jeff "Tain" Watts. This has a fun rhythm to it, I can't quite my footing in it. To me, it sounds like a busy subway station with people coming and going with different walking gaits, attitudes, different everything. The piano is hammering out the arrival alarms and the announcements over the PA. At ~2:00 the song segues into a different part and slowly fades out to this sizzling sax solo of this vibrant rhythm section, complete with a walking bass line of such speed it could be the Roadrunner's soundtrack. this is a hot track! The drum solo at ~5:45 is monstrous. I love how Tain plays with the dynamic range of his instrument during the solo. ~6:55 brings us back to the subway platform panic in a sudden and beautiful way. 
   
   
7. "Blues": This is the shortest track on the album. It features a quiet blues intro and features an intriguing change of pace from the sound of the previous tracks. The bass/trumpet duet is absolutely lovely. Talk about going back to your roots. This and "Chambers Of Tain" are my two favorite tracks on this album. 

Photo credit: https://www.jazz.org/userfiles/cms_images/media_library_cache/WyntonMarsalis_byMaryleneMeyandWhitLane_1024x768_crop_726_409_242_242_242_85___2743.jpg

Overall Thoughts: I get a heavy Miles Davis vibe from Wynton's playing, and I sincerely enjoy it. Some songs weren't a hit for me, but the overall strength of this album really blew me away. I'll be searching for this album to add to my collection. 

Info: This album was released on the Colombia label June 9th, 1985, and was produced by Steven Epstein and George Butler. It features Wynton Marsalis on trumpet, Branford Marsalis on tenor and soprano saxophone, Kenny Kirkland on drums, Charnett Moffett on double bass, and Jeff "Tain" Watts on drums. Fun fact, Wynton Marsalis is the director of the Jazz Studies program at Juilliard. 

Fresh Tracks! Judicator - "Let There Be Nothing"

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        I'm stepping a little out of my comfort zone for today's edition of Fresh Tracks with some Power Metal coming out of Tucson, Arizona via Prosthetic Records. Judicator dropped a lyric video on Prosthetic's YouTube channel on June 25th, 2020 for the title track of their fifth album "Let There Be Nothing". While I don't normally dabble in Power Metal all that often, I find that Judicator's story is humble and, in the words of the band themselves, serendipitous; the founding members of this band met at a Blind Guardian concert, became friends and started a band. They certainly hold to their interests and their beginnings with this new track. 

        Like many Power Metal tracks, the track has an overall epic feeling to it. The guitars, vocals, and bass all sound great, however, the drums I found were lacking in the beginning. I wanted some more punch from the snare, more presence in the mix. There's also a period where it feels like the bass drum is a hair of beat at ~0:54 and it slowly lags more and more offbeat, additionally it doesn't feel mixed well with the other percussion. 

        The intro starts strong with some chugging guitars backed by some clean guitar chords ringing out periodically. The tension grows and grows until the main riff is introduced. It's pretty excellent. As the quiet portions of the verse weave in and out you gain an appreciation for the band's control of their dynamic range. The chorus is excellent with the final line "Let there be light! Let there be nothing!" Fun fact, there are a few funny typos in the lyric video about halfway through. 

        The solo is excellent with dual guitar lead intro before switching to a fun Iron Maiden flavored section at ~5:11 that is quite enjoyable. At ~5:41 the solo kicks into gear with a classic Power Metal shred fest for about 20 seconds. We return to the verse, but it carries with it the frenetic energy from the solo, which is a welcome change to the song. The bass drum mix seems to have improved post solo as well. The song ends with a catchy call and response section I foresee working really well at live concerts if those ever happen again. 

        For me, the most enjoyable part of this band is that the lyrical content has substance. A quote from their Facebook page describes it as being "steeped in historical references and tales of the past. However, the blood pumping through the veins of the music is -as ever- rich with human emotion and rooted in universal experience, regardless of what era your fortune has dictated you dwell within." This album's narrative is centered around a Byzantine general named Belisarius and his quest to "reconquer former Roman territories". Their other albums are also historically inclined (per Wikipedia) as their debut album, "King Of Rome" follows the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, and their second album follows Prussian history and Frederick the Great.

Photo credit: Kevin Eisenlord Photography - https://www.facebook.com/KevinEsienlordPhotography/?__tn__=%2CdK*F-R&eid=ARDU5tPlUYPWLvxSpjhCNR8XgIG9dW0POy6-2uiDiJtOF89VqzPINvqNbfLJ9ZVQpCqL9sIrNK6yhn5b

        Judicator is John Yellend on vocals, Tony Codisco on rhythm/lead guitar, Jordan Elcess on bass guitar, Balmore Lemus on lead guitars, and Ulises Hernandez on drums. If you're into Power Metal or are a budding history buff with Heavy Metal tendencies, check this track out. You might be like me and find yourself pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy the last 9 minutes of music. Judicator's new album "Let There Be Nothing" drops July 24th, 2020, and you can order it here. In the meantime, you can listen to the track here on YouTube. If you discover your love what Judicator has to offer, check out their Bandcamp here.

Massive Wagons - "House Of Noise"

Photo credit: https://www.massivewagons.com/house-of-noise

        Another fun discovery from a random walk down Internet Way comes a new single from Earache Records titled "House Of Noise" by UK Band Massive Wagons. Hailing from Lancaster, England, this Rock band got their start in 2009. This is a little lighter fare than the usual offerings from Mainly Tuning Out, but it makes for some fun listening. It's refreshing to hear some straight-up Rock in this world of sub and microgenres. "House Of Noise" is the title track from their upcoming album.

        I get a blend of Mike McColgan, David Lee Roth, and Bon Scott when I hear this vocalist sing, less in tone and more in attitude which is enjoyable and scratches that nostalgia itch. However, I wouldn't say this music feels nostalgic. It feels like what a Rock band would sound like in the 2020s. A slight Ska Punk feel minus the skank and the brass, the punchy tone of Hard Rock without the edgy moody vibe, the crisp rock sounds of ACDC without the weight of tradition. I'm surprised they haven't hit radio airplay in my area because I think they'd do well. 

        The song starts with a crisp overdriven guitar riff that climbs up and up, and on the repeat, the vocals and drums join in. It keeps adding layers before it punches through to a bouncy and fun chorus: "I'm just smashing my face into another tomorrow, closing today go over yesterday's audio, killing some time till I'm flushed out or told to go. I'm only killing some time inside my house of noise, killed by the climb, killed by the lows and the highs, killing some time till I go deaf in my house of noise." It also features a pretty classic-sounding solo that, I feel, doesn't disappoint. It flows really well, and feels very well crafted in its sound.

Photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/MassiveWagons/photos/a.10152035444688050/10157991532208050/?type=3&theater

        It shouldn't be a surprise to discover that several publications list their influences as being bands like Rainbow, Slade, and UFO. They've got four albums and an EP under their belt with their fifth album "House Of Noise" dropping July 17th, 2020 via Earache Records. If you're looking for something fun to listen to and you're a fan of "wild, ballsy and LOUD old school rock n’ roll" than this should the trick your looking and then some. And if you dig this track you should definitely check out "Bangin In Your Stereo". Should you enjoy what you hear then check out the link below to pre-order this album.

Listen to "House Of Noise" here

Listen to "Bangin In Your Stereo" here

Pre-order "House Of Noise here

Fresh Tracks! - Skeleton & Lamb of God

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        We're skipping Jazz day for this week as two tracks caught my attention that I wanted to share. First up is a new-to-me band that has an album up for pre-order on 20 Buck Spin called Skeleton. After digging around the internet I found a bio of Skeleton placing them in the Austin Texas scene forming in 2014 and contains Victor Ziolkowsky on drums and vocals, David Ziolkowsky on guitar, and Alex Recide on bass. The song is called "The Sword" and it's this funky blend of punk, a hint of hardcore, and a healthy dose of Black 'n' Roll, which is a blend of Black Metal and Rock 'n' Roll made popular by bands like Kvelertak and Midnight. 

        "The Sword" starts with a high distortion tone with a slow and ominous intro lasting ~28 seconds. From here on in it's this Thrash/Black Metal/Rock experience with a vocalist who sounds like Tim Armstrong of Rancid if he joined Darkthrone, which oddly isn't a bad thing. It spends the rest of two minutes bouncing back and forth from the pummeling Rock verses and the evil Black Metal choruses. Lasting two minutes and 27 seconds in total it's hard not to want to play this track a few more times and just rock out. Check it out the track here on YouTube. If you like what you're hearing you can pre-order the LP here at 20 Buck Spin. It will be shipping out on July 10th, 2020. 

Photo credit: https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p960x960/104728223_10158924063321435_7232339423367470144_o.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=v2sm2fnBYmIAX8MXOkm&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=0b28504e6ef0b2dbba68f24dca8e39b1&oe=5F173FD8 

        Next up is a track off the new self-titled Lamb Of God (LOG) album that was released June 19th, 2020 titled "Gears". LOG has been putting out music since 1994, and this album marks their tenth studio album (if you include the two releases under the name Burn The Priest). It seems to be getting solid reviews, and I look forward to taking in the whole album this weekend. 

        While I don't know LOG's discography as a whole, this track was excellent! The riffs are gripping, the tone is tight, and Randy Blythe's vocals still sound great. It really gets the headbanging going, and that chorus riff might be one of my favorites they've ever offered. Lyrically you're getting some pretty typical offerings including critiques of consumerism and man-made annihilation, but it fits in the music perfectly and is well written compared to many other metal tracks (here's looking at you LoBodomy! Sorry Children Of Bodom, they can't all be winners). 

Photo credit: https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/p960x960/90005721_10158570770076435_2311899802159284224_o.jpg?_nc_cat=102&_nc_sid=8024bb&_nc_ohc=4Xcd7L07PQcAX9BIvTc&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&_nc_tp=6&oh=6322482c8248f4bbe99a5337ecd2e639&oe=5F175062

        It's great to see such an established band continue to put out some quality music. There aren't many metal bands that can continue for 26 years and still sound fresh. Where I to guess, I'd say it definitely helped that they went on two hiatuses as breaks are important. You can listen to "Gears" here on YouTube, and you can pick up the album here at their store.

Have a great week everyone! 

Spirit Adrift - "Angel & Abyss Redux EP"

Photo credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqLDyOreqPY

        Heavy Metal/Doom Metal outfit Spirit Adrift dropped an EP titled "Angel & Abyss Redux EP" on June 18, 2020 to support one of Bandcamp's donation campaigns. The release is supporting the June 19th, 2020, NAACP Legal Defense Fund campaign, and further, they've decided that "100% of proceeds from this EP will be donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, in perpetuity." It's been refreshing to see so many bands setting things up to contribute to so many causes these days.

        The first track is the title track "Angel and Abyss Redux". Seeing redux in the title I realized this had some older material it was referencing. According to guitar and vocalist Nate Garrett, it is performed with an "unplugged" vibe to it, featuring clean tone guitars and a hint of reverb/delay to give it that unplugged experience. The original was released in 2019 on Spirit Adrift's album "Divided By Darkness". I scrubbed through the original and honestly, I like this version a lot better. It feels like a much more cohesive product with some excellent musical moments. The dual guitar riffs really shine in this version. My favorite though is this punchy riff that takes over at ~4:30. It feels like this weirdly great blend of Doom and Prog, like a Jethro Tull with attitude. This was the strongest track on the EP.

        Track two is "I Think Of Demons" and it's a cover of Roky Erickson & The Aliens. It's a fun acoustic psych-pop track that holds true to the original pretty closely. The leads sound great, and the overall track is pretty fun to listen to. However, this is a strange turn for an EP from a Heavy Metal group. Were someone to send me this track and only this track, I'd never guess they were a Metal band. Still, it's worth a listen.

        Track three is a cover of the Jimi Hendrix Experience's track "The Wind Cried Mary". This is arguably my favorite Hendrix track, and this cover had a high bar to clear. Garrett claimed "The Wind Cries Mary" was "one of the first songs I ever learned to play, and Hendrix is the reason I picked up a guitar in the first place. Another obvious choice." Unfortunately, this was, for me, the weakest track on this EP. It was an interesting choice, but the guitars are so washed out in the mix that those nuances in the riffs are almost lost, and the solo really suffers due to the reverb wash as well. It does provide a sense of being otherworldly, which might be the only saving grace of the mixing choice. The vocal performance is great, and on the final "The Wind Cries Mary" there is a great vocal harmony that spiced things up. I wish they had explored the vocal harmonies more, as it may have added something back into the mix that was lost with the guitars.

        With a run time of 12 minutes and 11 seconds, this EP is a quick and dirty listen that is worth checking out. Buying it supports a good cause, and it's a pretty fresh take the tracks featured. Favorite track was the title track, but that Erickson track is absolutely worth checking out as well. This EP was released on the 20 Buck Spin label and features Nate Garrett on guitars, vocals, and handclaps, Marcus Bryant on bongos and shakers, Leon Del Muerte on synths, and Mystical handclaps by Hosianna Mantra.



Buy this EP here
Listen to this EP here

This Will Destroy You - "Vespertine"

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        I came across this odd release while poking around some news sites and the newsletters I get from various labels. A Post Rock release from Los Angeles, California based band This Will Destroy You offers the listener 58 minutes of some calming ambient music that is reminiscent of Explosions In The Sky and some moments of Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Based on my initial research it appeared this was released June 9th, 2020. 

        However, this is not the case. The background behind this album is not your typical story. Vespertine was crafted to function as the score to the identically titled restaurant opened in Culver City, California in 2017, but the release was offered for public consumption this year. The band walks you through what each piece is attempting to accomplish for the restaurant experience on their bandcamp, found here. 

Photo credit: https://www.theworlds50best.com/discovery/filestore/jpg/Vespertine-LosAngeles-USA-03.jpg

        On face value, it does seem ridiculous, but I started reflecting on the fact that movies are scored, television is scored, etc. Why is it so crazy that a high-end restaurant experience would be scored? Most restaurants have music playing in the background, and I don't think it's too big a step to have custom made music specific to your venue if you can afford it.  

        Musically this is definitely an instrumental Post-Rock album. It has the typical swells and echoing dynamics that create these ambient moments that hang in the air. These moments are quite calming but don't grip my attention. I suppose this is the point of an ambient piece of music, but were I not watching the screen, I couldn't tell you where one track stopped and another started. 

Photo credit: https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14991814_1167806229940994_4781094669867672405_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_sid=2d5d41&_nc_ohc=Wjs52XLMnx4AX-TDy_f&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=6c7d29bed5b8673480ce595fcd293f91&oe=5F0F5D84

        While researching this record I found quite a few highly positive reviews, even one was a 10/10. This is not a 10/10 album for me, but I also don't normally gravitate to this genre, so I don't feel comfortable panning it as a release. From my perspective, it's perfectly okay, and I believe it serves its purpose for the restaurant Vespertine. If you love Explosions In The Sky or previous releases of This Will Destroy You, I highly encourage you to check this out, because I truly believe it would be right in your wheelhouse. 

Buy the album here

Listen to it here