Straight from the Alexisonfire Facebook approximately one hour ago:

“As promised in 2010 – we’re back for a Farewell Tour. We know that this tour doesn’t reach all of you, and this list is sure to cause some disappointment, but know that we have done our best to fit what we can into this window of time. December 2012 is the only time that all 5 of us aren’t committed to something in our personal or professional lives. An entire month!!!!

We couldn’t be more excited to get on the road and travel and hit the stage one last time – most importantly we wanted to keep our promise to you guys. We’re going to be playing till the venues try to kick us off the stage. We’re talking 20+ songs a night.

A priori, Latin meaning “from the former” is a philosophical term denoting a type of knowledge that is independent of experience. However, for one night at Rancho Relaxo, Toronto’s fine Mexican Dining restaurant/music venue, it meant something completely different.

Tonight, A Priori, meant leaving behind your preconceptions and approaching the next few hours of live music as an empty slate. It required taking the music for what it is, sitting back and allowing the arguments to flow past me regardless of my agreement with. I must say a clever use of the philosophical concept by promoter/performer Khaleel (K-rule) Seivwright. So, I did what the event required. I sat back with a good friend and a few beers listening to the music as it entered my ears. The culmination of that night led to the following, this experience-based, subjective account of the night and its events.

Rancho Relaxo, a small intimate venue just a hop and a skip from College & Spadina with a casual atmosphere where I prepared myself to wade through a night of local bands in an independent scene in order to write about my experience. As the venue filled I slowly noticed that though there were a lot of people in the venue but it didn’t interrupt the calm mood until the first few bands took the stage. The night became a flurry of sound and energy as bands flooded the stage with music ranging desert and punk rock to what I can only describe as some sort of tribal/blues/jazz/funk.

Invivo

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/invivorockband

Punk influenced alt-rock. The one thing I remember most about this band is the energy of their lead vocalist running around the stage and singing at the crowd. He had a powerful voice which boomed over the music. He seemed to have an old school metal influence in his range. Another standout was the guitarist who carried the band with his proficiency. Though the band had an interesting sound their energy seemed to lessen as they ended their set. However, It was a great kickoff to the evening.

Shit Disturbers

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shit-Disturbers/128708797229993

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheShtDstrbrs?feature=watch

Loud in your face punk rock. Fronting a female vocalist, the band took the stage with truculent force. The five piece was strong and energetic through their whole set even creating a bit of a mosh pit, in which, one crowd surfer hit head on a ceiling fan. The bands cover of Seven Nation Army and Sexy and I know it had the audience bouncing up and down on the Relaxo floor. Even through broken strings and bruises the band continued on and left the audience fulfilled and as they the stage they left the crowd with a message. “Don’t be a bitch! Be a shit disturber!”

Mother Leads

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MotherLeads

Album Download: Mother Leads http://motherleads.bandcamp.com/

Experimental garage rock. This three piece who shares a drum with the next band was impressive. The band let the instruments speak for themselves allowing the bass player to shine alongside the sleazy guitar workings of the lead vocalist. Mother Leads were really able to get the crowd pumped and remained in control at all times. The clear stand-out of the night as a well-practiced and extremely tight band. The two elements that made this particular band standout was the use of noise rock elements into their set and the vocalist’s voice that sounded like a lower toned Matthew Good with a bit of grit.

Womb

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WombOfficial

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WombOfficial?feature=watch

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

Album Download: Basement Filth http://wombofficial.bandcamp.com/album/basement-filth

Desert rock with a fearless edge and a twist of blues. This small three piece, took me from a small Mexican restaurant to the Mexican deserts imagining myself tired and beaten, walking down an endless road toward the sun. Womb is no stranger to dynamics and works flawlessly between tempos to create the appropriate mood for their musical stylings. Although the singer had some technical issues with his vocal processor his voice ripped through rounds of drums, sleazy guitar riffs and a fuzzy bass to provide the audience with a solid performance.

Nikki Fierce

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/LenaCullen002

All-girl indie alt-rock. This even smaller two-piece band really surprised me with their writing style. The band evades regular song format and opts to change around the atmosphere of songs halfway through but not abruptly as to confuse the listener but rather to pull you back in. Their music seemed in constant defiance of usual song structure but had varying dynamics to compliment the interesting changes made throughout the songs. Though they were missing a band member and timing was a bit off it was a performance worth seeing for a second time with the full band.

Slaves to the Groove

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Slaves.to.the.Groove?ref=ts

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/KhaleelKrule?feature=watch

Twitter: @SttGSlaves

There is no accurate description of this group so I will simply give you my notes on them. Be prepared. Elements of blues and jazz among fuzzy guitars and bass adding to bongo drums and analog pianos reciting poetic ramblings and singing two feet off the floor accompanied by tribal dancing dressed in Mexican wrestling masks. And don’t forget the addition of some reggae and ska elements. The band was like an interesting art project that you know was worth millions but you did not quite understand why. An entertaining experience worth trying for yourself.

If you’d like to hear more tune in to the Dr. Taylor North Show @6pm on Tuesdays.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drtshow

Do it Yourself. Do it Together.

Joseph Ianni

Post Post Hardcore

Have you ever tried Drugs in Japan? Well I have and I must say they are quite good.

The band based here in Toronto is a consistent punk powerhouse building classically inspired heavy garage-punk music for fans in today’s music scene. The trio, consisting of PO (drums/lead vocals), Aaron (guitar/vocals) and Tobias (bass) formed in the summer of 2010 as many bands do, through friends and good times. While Aaron said he didn’t specifically remember the meeting of minds Tobias disagreed with PO’s “through friends” tale saying “We met at a party and you guys were on shrooms.” I had to admit that it was the better of the two stories.

When I sat down with the band at their rehearsal space I had to ask one question for certain. Were there drugs done in Japan? Drummer, PO, explained that the name originated from a list of band names he kept and that Drugs in Japan specifically came from a conversation with some friends who were going to teach in Japan. They were hoping to do some drugs while in the country and PO responded to the idea by simply saying “You don’t wanna try drugs in japan”. So once he formed the band with Aaron and Tobias the name just seemed fitting.

While the band kids about being influenced by simply what’s easiest to play and 90’s dance music they are definitely influenced by punk bands like MC5, Dead Kennedys and the Stooges. However, they add something unique to the formula left to them by classic punk rock. The band has a particular danceability to their music as well as consistency that makes their music diverse without sounding like a bunch of completely different bands in one. Their music is definitely something you could hear spinning at local venues such as Tattoo Rock Parlour and Dance Cave.  DIJ’s music has a legitimacy about it and when you sit down to talk to the band you can hear in their music, as well as speech, that they have a wealth of experience guiding their music.

When talking about the band’s sound I mentioned that even though they were older they still had a lot of angst mixed into their music. The band explained that at first they experimented but, naturally gravitated to the heavier side of the music spectrum. “It just felt natural,” said PO. The band admits jokingly that even though they are in their 30s they are “immature”. Before beginning the band, PO was on his way to being a session percussionist and was trained as a jazz percussionist. His experience in that realm of the music industry had an impact on him. It allowed him to develop and maintain the angst-driven mentality necessary to create punk music. This attitude was in response to many artists who he had to work with who he felt made emotionally dry singer/songwriter music. There are bands in the scene whose anger seems contrived in their music but specifically for Drugs in Japan the anger remains visceral.

During the interview the band and I discussed the Toronto music scene. Being in the industry for a while the band had a flurry of information for me that surprised my preconceptions. They explained how the scene in Toronto seems to rotate around electronica and electropop. They motioned that this trend may come out of the accessibility of playing a synthesizer rather than a drum kit or conventional instruments. For more traditional bands, DIJ feels it may be harder to build a career in Toronto. DIJ believes that the problem lies in the cost of being a band in a big city. The band explains that it is harder to foster a scene in Toronto because it is expensive to practice, record and buy equipment so playing music quickly turns into a job.

The band continued saying there is a need to foster a scene specifically in Toronto but a lot of the good music that comes out seems to be from the outlying cities. The band admits that sometimes playing in Toronto can have you being glossed over by the media. It’s easier to get recognized in some of the outlying cities rather than the mecca Toronto. This, to DIJ, is because the fan base gets diluted by how many events are going on in a single weekend. There’s a lot of music but you can’t go to every show. So for bands in Toronto, and in general, it is simply hard to get people out to your show specifically.

The punk scene, in specific, is hard to come by in Toronto said the band. “We need all-ages shows” Aaron says. The band expresses a need for young kids to be able to expose themselves to music making them able to explore and experiment with the music going on specifically in Toronto. I agree with the band that Toronto has lost a lot of good venues and that the all ages shows among independent music are few and far between.

While the band does not have “rockstar dreams” they have high hopes for the future. With a spot at NXNE (The Detour Bar Saturday July 16^th @2am) on the horizon the band is looking to play more shows outside of Toronto and is working on new songs for an upcoming EP. However, the band is in no hurry to rush a release. PO explains “There are three types of bands; bands that spend more money than they make, bands that make a little bit of money and bands that make a shit load of money.” Currently, for DIJ, it’s just about getting from tier one to tier two. The band even let me listen to some of their new tunes and there is some great things coming from this local Toronto band. So while you may not be doing drugs in Japan you can listen to Drugs in Japan.

Do it Yourself. Do it Together.

Joseph Ianni

Drugs in Japan Suggest: No breakup, The oooh Baby gimme mores, Most people, Jean is Dead, Sky of Sound, Coppleganger, Still Authors, Group_Inou

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drugsinjapan

Now I’ve told people over and over that they are mistaken when they talk about emo. The genre is mostly discredited and partly due to the sub-culture it created. However, Tell-tale Hearts is part of a strong emo revival movement that seems to be taking place in today’s music scene.

A little history lesson to begin, Emo originally was an offshoot of the hardcore punk movement, believe it or not. Although the music has been quite watered down over the years it has, in the past, utilized harder punk rock elements while dealing with more emotional and personal topics. This was mainly focussed in the lyrical content. When softer elements were added to the genre there began a divergence between emo and a new genre titled screamo. Emo then became a far softer genre whereas screamo maintained the soft and loud ambivalence of the original movement. For Tell-Tale Hearts specifically, no distinction is necessary although there might be one. The band uses emotionally driven lyrics while using rough screaming vocals atop of melodic and clean guitars.

With a strong influence from the original Midwest Emo movement Tell-Tale Hearts wishes to capture something nostalgic about what emo originally was while tweaking what is conventionally expected from a band of that sort. The band, comprised of Egin Kongoli, Guitar/Vox, Mark Wilson, Guitar, Darren Scarfo, Bass and Chris Lehman, Drums incorporates elements of screamo and post-rock into their music looking to separate themselves from what people typically expect. The band has influence from a metal and progressive rock background but for this specific project Kongoli mentioned names such as Merchant ships, Midwest Pen Pals, Snowing and High Tide Hotel as inspiration.  Another method the band employs is the lack of distortion in their music. They decided to write songs without distortion and instead be very heavy on the vocals. That being something they feel hasn’t been explored by the genre.

The inspiration for the band’s first album actually comes from an extremely personal place for lead vocalist Egin Kongoli. During our interview he explained that what sparked the writing of the band’s music was a friend’s death from Crohn’s disease. In November, after attending the funeral he was re-inspired to write more music which brought together friends and led to the formation of Tell-Tale Hearts. A sad story that has, thus far, had a great outcome.

When we discussed the Toronto music scene the band agreed that there are not many places for them to play in Toronto and that it’s almost impossible for kids to come out to shows because of age restrictions. The band spoke briefly about a kid named Dan who always tries to get into shows but is constantly denied because of age limitations. “He just wants to listen to music,” says Scarfo “he’s not there to drink or cause trouble.” Even Wilson admitted that he couldn’t see bands he liked when he was fourteen until he turned about twenty. This is yet another reason why the band supports DIY venues such as Toronto’s ARE Gallery and Soybomb Hq. On the other hand, Kongoli said he was moved by the indie scene when he was younger but as high school ended he became jaded and still feels that way. Nevertheless, he insists on trying to create a community even though “in Toronto it’s become about being cool”.

When I spoke to the band we spoke extensively on their commitment not only to DIY in their own respect but also in respect to venues. Wilson said “When you play on a regular stage you’re just so disconnected from the people listening to your music.” In this way the band agrees that DIY is what is slowly creating a community and a scene for bands like themselves. For Kongoli DIY was “necessary for survival” as an artist who has to struggle with things like paying rent and schooling.

We also spoke briefly on school as Kongoli and Wilson attend the University of Toronto. For Kongoli school and music are two separate things and that it is unfortunate that they didn’t somehow connect but for Wilson, who studied Media Studies he found a bit of connection between his school and extracurricular activities. However, the band agreed that doing both is no easy task especially when you have rent to worry about.

What does the future hold for Tell-Tale Hearts? The band is looking to do a quick tour of the US this summer through some useful connection as well as a split to get their name out to the public. The band is also working on recording some new music as well to follow their latest release.

The album is happy and sad at the same time and you can only really understand that once listening to it. The album brings together the sadness of losing a friend together with the joy of being with friends. The band admits they are jokers and even though the music may be emotional they make time to come up with song titles like Donald Glover(karaoke has much lower stakes) and Justin Bieber(in it for the hits) based off inside jokes between the band members.

If you’d like to hear more then check out the links below and if you’d like to hear more than that then check out Tell-Tale Hearts live June 3^rd at Magpie in Kensington.

Do it Yourself. Do it Together.

-Joseph Ianni

Tell-Tale Hearts Suggests: Fox Moulder, Delo Truda, Bulletproof Tiger, Peace be Still, Animal Faces

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tell-Tale-Hearts/257033381031297

Album Download: Tell-Tale Hearts Demo 2012: http://tell-talehearts.bandcamp.com/album/demo-2012

Silversun Pickups – Neck of the Woods

Record Label:  Dangerbird Records

Release Date: May 8^th 2012

Third album from Los Angeles’ own Silversun Pickups, Neck of the Woods, is quite an interesting follow-up to 2009’s release Swoon. The band hasn’t travelled far from their biggest hit Lazy Eye to their latest single Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings) but a change is definitely evident in the music. Though the band has stayed quite cemented to their shoegaze shoes, they added some electronic elements to their repertoire for their latest album. Also a slight change in the vocals catches the attention to any avid fan of this particular band.

This album seems to draw inspiration from past bands like Depeche Mode and follows in the foot trails of contemporary works such as atmospheric rockers M83. The electronic build-up beside Monninger’s vocals on Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings) brings to mind the electronic workings of M83’s latest release while the synthesizers used in The Pit and Dots and Dashes (Enough Already) definitely sound like they were a Depeche Mode brain child. This follows a rising trend of an 80s and 90s revival in music recently.

The band also drew inspiration from film, saying that this latest release was inspired by horror movies. This is quite obvious from some of the song-titles on the album like Bloody Mary (Nerve Endings), Skin Graph and Mean Spirits. However, once I gave the album a listen it took some time to catch their interpretation of the horror movie theme. The album from my perspective focussed on the eerie ambiance just before a fright and the chase scenes of horror films. The album has a quality that makes it seem like you are really searching through a dark house and about to find something just around the corner. I’m not sure if the album was meant to be conceptual but it definitely has the legs to try starting with a cut like Skin Graph and ending exhausted and Out of Breath.

What I am most impressed to see on this album was the use of vocals. I was glad to see a glimpse of Monninger’s vocal potential and I hope that future projects might see a further utilization of her vocals in the forefront something that lacked on this particular release. Another change, noted in this album, is in Aubert’s vocal range to a higher register. Aubert’s androgynous vocals and strange lyrical workings have always been an integral piece of the band’s foundation but this higher vocal performance added that bit of eeriness that complemented the instrument tracks they had laid down.

My only critique of the album is that it is lengthy. This may prove to be a hard listen for most casual listeners as the rough median of song run-time is five minutes per song. However, that is the nature of shoegaze. It looks to create an atmosphere through droning guitars and synthesizers so what you gain in time you also gain in atmosphere. Unfortunate, because the band has such an interesting sound and continues to experiment without falling too far from the apple tree.

Although the album is not a huge step away from their previous work fans will find solace in another quality album from the Silversun Pickups. Hopefully the next work we hear from the band will show us further experimentation. For those who were looking for a completely new sound from the band, I believe this album will be a letdown. However, if a solid Silversun Pickups album is what you are looking to get than this is it.

If you’re looking to see the band live then make your way to Downsview Park July 14^th where they’ll be performing at Edgefest alongside acts like Death from Above 1979 and U.S.S.

-Joseph Ianni

Silversun Pickups – Neck of the Woods: 3.3/5

Across from Nathan Philips Square at a Tim Horton’s I sat down with Ajax, Ontario’s Womb for an intimate interview just after a performance at a Battle of the Bands for local charity the Toronto Trek for Teens. I first got word of this band from their audition for this particular event where a friend of mine had been a judge and simply said, “You gotta hear these guys.”

The band, a group of three, consisting of Chris Woozle, Guitar/Vox, Joey Slegtenhorst, Bass, and Ray Cara, Drums, have been together for just about a year. Originally a four-piece coming together in high school the loss of a band member slightly derailed the band’s progression. However, while pursuing other options, they kept playing together which led to an eventual reformation of the band’s remaining three members and birth of Womb.

The band’s small, three song, EP entitled Basement Filth was recorded lofi by Woozle in his basement. Heavily influenced by the Southern California desert rock scene the band tells me that their influences include bands like Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age. However, the band does seem to elude a specific genre incorporating elements that reminded me of some grunge bands and Rage Against the Machine as well as blues elements.  Chris went on to say that a fan described the music as “Your music is like when you’re stupid fucked up and you’re trying to get home and you’re trying to get to your bed and you just want to get to your bed and you can’t get to your bed.” We all shared a laugh over that one. The music mixes straight-forward drumming with some noisy guitar and bass with what I’d explain as blues and grunge inspired elements. Nevertheless, whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing the band seems to believe that their unique sound is helpful is standing out in an oversaturated music market.

When touching on the subject of social networking in respect to promotion with the band they said they take a grassroots approach to expanding their networks. The band admits that they tend to make more fans playing live shows than they do trying to make a dent on the internet. The band went on to explain the internet seems to have too much information for them to be notice amongst the masses. Cara commented “There’s a lot of shit out there but you know the best of it rises to the top.”

Although the band is from Ajax Ontario they tend to play a lot of their shows in Toronto. So I asked the band what they thought about the Toronto music scene from an outsider’s view. The band agreed that while there is good music in Toronto the scene seems “scattered” and that there is no tangible scene. The band strongly feels that to bolster progression and success in this musical climate it’s necessary to facilitate a community or a scene. This creates a market for them while at the same time being able to put together shows where they can benefit from other bands both in fans and musicianship. Slegtenhorst said when playing in a scene “I’m excited to be there and I get to play”. He admits that even if he wasn’t in a band he would be hanging out at the shows the band currently plays.

When we sat down we also discussed the DIY ethic which is common to a lot of local bands. Womb seemed to be supporters of the ethic explaining that it seems to make sense for them as it allows them to have more control over the process. They explained how they’ve seen many bands go the route of trying to find a manager and promoter to help spread the word but the band feels they haven’t reached a point where they couldn’t do that work themselves.

Future goals for the band are quite ambitious. Firstly, the band is looking to record some of their new work together. Second, the band hopes to tour outside of Toronto and possibly outside of Canada and if that wasn’t enough there last goal expressed by Slegtenhorst is to have “Bob Dylan open for us”.

If Womb sounds interesting enough to you make sure to take my recommendation to check out their music online and if that tantalizes your ears just enough you may want to check them out live for $5 at Rancho Relaxo here in Toronto.  (information and links below)

Do it Yourself. Do it Together.

-Joseph Ianni

Womb Suggests: Mother Leads and Slaves to the Groove

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WombOfficial

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

Album Download: Basement Filth http://wombofficial.bandcamp.com/album/basement-filth

Marilyn Manson.

Yes this devilishly good-looking fellow has returned with his eighth album and in my own opinion, with quite some energy. The album, Born Villain, has its moments with uncontrolled riffs, fuzzy guitars and processed beats but what saves this album is its underlying use of dynamics.

Born Villain brought together by the same team used for Manson’s last endeavour The High End of Low consisted of former members of Nine Inch Nails, Jeordie White and Chris Vrenna, who I think were major proponents of the interesting industrial/electronic beats produced on this record. Those moments contrasted with the sleazy guitar noise at times made for some of the most compelling moments in this album.

The album’s best moments though, come in the oppositions created throughout the album. I have already mentioned the synthesizers and guitars but another opposition that keeps tantalizing the listeners ears is Manson’s use of dynamics diving low and slow to build a brooding moodiness and then rising in a flurry of fast guitar noise to portray the anger and fear he has come to be known for.

It’s always interesting to see how tracks flow together on an album and how the artist formats it to make it seem seamless or disjointed depending on their preferences. Even more interesting is when an artist places sounds or lyrics between songs to link them. Manson’s use of noise and lyrics did a lot in adding to the tone of the album as a whole. A scary noise-ridden hole is what I believe to be the intended goal.

While Manson was said to have called this his “comeback record” I feel it falls just a bit short of the proclaimed shock-rocker’s best. While Manson’s attitude and content is unyielding and the album is particularly scary and eerie at some points with its use of synthesizers it seems to lull in the middle and leaves a bit more for the listener to desire. As if a crucial piece is missing from the puzzle.

However, this is the kind of album that I believe will have lasting power through a few tracks that may become influential to a younger generation stifled by censorship. As well, the album conjoined with Manson’s last project does show a progression and I expect that we’ll be hearing more from him in the near future seeing as he has started his own label Hell Etc.

The album is what I expected from Manson and shows progression which is something to look forward to but even if it doesn’t turn out to be a favourite after your first listen, give it a second shot and it is a definite keepsake on your playlist as a source of inspiration.

If nothing at all, at the end of the album, Manson includes a cover of Carly Simon’s ‘You’re So Vain’ with Johnny Depp on guitar and the video for the single Born Villain was directed by Shia LaBeouf (Yes, Even Stevens). Is that not enough for you conformists? He continues to make freaks out of us all and I believe will continue to be a source of influence for young hard rock enthusiasts.

-Joseph Ianni

Marilyn Manson – Born Villain 3/5

Cancer Bats – Dead Set on Living

Record Label: Metal Blade

Release Date: April 16, 2012

With their most recent effort being put forth but a few weeks ago, it would seem that the Cancer Bats have become dead set on mediocrity.  DSOL delivers the raw, punk sound that any head-banger could indulge in, but lacks in all other aspects.  The Toronto natives seem to have found their creative niche, unfortunately for them, it was lying at the bottom of a road-side puddle and all they could salvage was sludge. Creatively speaking, DSOL should not be on a listener’s list of places to look, but if your 6-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon is lacking a companion, look no further as the album does so much as to provide listeners with 40 minutes of chugging drone. The Canadian foursome have definitely built a name for themselves, one that rings throughout the hardcore, southern rock and punk scenes throughout, and that, in turn, has become their saving grace.  Pulse-raising tracks such as “Sorceress” and “Snake Mountain” have become echoes of the past and mere reminders of what could have been delivered. As a huge fan of the Cancer Bats’ previous endeavours, I can only hold my breath and hope that the Cancer Bats have hit a bump in the road from which they will swiftly recover and revert to their old ways.

DSOL begins with the track, “Rats”, that serves as a tip of the cap to the band’s southern roots. One can’t help but head-bang along to the tune of southern riffs and nasty hooks in the anticipation of what is to come on the remainder of the album. Instantly after the first track, the album seemingly begins to lose speed. “Bricks and Mortars”, the second track on the album, is one that listeners soon forget as it is lost in between the album’s strong start and single, “Road Sick”. Following the single, falls another heartless track that acts as a buffering period prior to the album’s title track, “Dead Set on Living” which keeps that last, shimmering piece of hope alive for the listener as the Cancer Bats choose to remind us of the abrasive mania that became so proverbial in previous years. Following the title track is a collage of chugging riffs that consequently become the makeup of the rest of the album leaving the audience feeling disappointed.

As can be expected, Liam Cormier delivers a strong performance on the album with lyrical content ranging over a myriad of topics. However, the often zealous front-man’s performance could not salvage, from the wreckage, a half decent product. Cancer Bats have begun their drift from the classic hardcore sound with tracks that lack the energy and raw aggression which was so vivid in past releases. The noticeably slower album marks the dawn of a new Cancer Bats sound and has left me missing the band that had initially introduced me to the hardcore scene.

Overall, the new direction is not what is so disappointing about the album, but rather the manner in which it was done. Perhaps the Toronto-natives will mature and grow alongside their new sound, unlocking new ideas along the way which will knock fans right back on their asses, but until then, Dead Set on Living is a release that I will soon forget.

-Lukas Wojcicki

Cancer Bats – Dead Set on Living : 3.5/5

-You can catch Cancer Bats in Toronto @ Downsview Park on Aug. 11.2012 as a part of the two day metal festival, “Heavy TO”.

If you have never heard of Refused then you are far behind on your Hardcore history and you need to brush up. To say Refused had an impact on Hardcore does not show them enough credit. Refused formed almost twenty-one years ago and remains a gigantic contributor to the Swedish hardcore scene and worldwide. The band consisting of vocalist Dennis Lyxzén, guitarist Jon Brännström, guitarist/bassist Kristofer Steen, and drummer David Sandström hail from Umeå, Sweden and were known for their anti-establishment lyrical content and experiments with the hardcore form. Within the span of seven years the band released three full length albums including their definitive standout album The Shape of Punk to Come which placed #13 on Kerrang! magazine’s 50 Most Influential Albums of All Time list in 2003 showing their continued respect in today’s music industry.

The band experienced a quick rise and fall between 1991 and 1998. The original formation was constantly shuffled throughout the years and the band’s last tour experienced major turbulence as a result of, what people believe to be, a classic case of burnout and creative differences. Notwithstanding, their album The Shape of Punk to Come had already carved out Refused’s name on the plaque of Hardcore heavyweights for years to come. This had fans of Hardcore worldwide hoping for a comeback.

In the interim, members of the band experimented and continued with new projects. Most recently Lyxzen collaborated with experimental Electronica/Dance collective The Bloody Beetroots to produce some incredible tracks, New Noise and Church of Noise, which even allowed Lyxzén to get back on stage. In retrospect this seemed to be in preparation for the news that Refused was reuniting and embarking on a major festival tour. A long awaited answer to a call from fans made almost fifteen years prior.

Although the band hasn’t made any announcements about releasing any new music it is still worth the money to travel out to one of these festivals and check out one of the most influential bands when it comes to exactly what this site is about, Post-hardcore.

Refused simply refuses to be just a part of Hardcore history and demands to be remembered and recognized. If you don’t know Refused The Shape of Punk to Come is a shining jewel to add to your collection. If you are hoping for new music, so am I. If you need something to bide you over in the meantime and are too poor to afford concert tickets either bust out your old Refused albums or check out Lyxzén’s interesting work with the Bloody Beetroots.

Do it yourself. Do it together.

Joseph Ianni

Post Post Hardcore

This fusion is very current in the post-hardcore scene with many bands attempting to bring elements of Electronica into heavier music in order to reinvent their sound as well as give a new platform for the genre to stand on outside of the club sphere. However, the band has come under fire for their attempt to fuse together the two genres. The Hard Rock scene is notorious for its exclusive stance towards stepping too far outside of the box. The phrases many use are that “it’s not true to the craft” or “it goes against the DIY (do it yourself) ethic,” that ethic having its roots in both punk and hardcore. Some Hard Rock puritans claim that the sequencing and prior programming to back live tracks is against this ethic and that the fusion takes away genre rather than adding to it. Nevertheless, there is a steady increase in the use of electronic elements in the Hard Rock scene both in North America and the UK. This genre clash has its beginnings in the same place as that of the punk scene so this transformation may simply be an evolution in the culture of youth and their particular stance in relation to the UK’s political climate.

Though the music has gone through tremendous experimentation and continues to do so Enter Shikari has remained ever dedicated to creating socially conscious music. The band is adamant in creating music that deals specifically with economic, political and social change and awareness. The band also looks to promote community through their music and does so artistically by using a specific element based in punk music, the gang vocal. This is recording trick of layering multiple vocals to create the sound of a large crowd. It is typically used to accent a specific statement in the song, usually one that promotes a sense of community.

A Flash Flood of Colour proves to be Enter Shikari’s most experimental and eclectic work to date. At this point one might want to call the band Avant-Garde for the many genres that they seem to bring together in this melting pot of an album. They stretch out their talents even further touching upon the current British indie rock scene with quick catchy riffs such as in the chorus of Arguing with Thermometers. They also graze upon Hip Hop with Rou’s rhyming vocals on top of a furious Drum and Bass track in the introductory verse of Sssnakepit. The album has a definite up and down flow to it, not only in volume but in style. It ranges from the explosive nature of Meltdown, which features a pairing of double-bass and distorted guitar along with a destructive wobble bass, to the softer nature of songs like Stalemate with falls slightly back on their roots in Trance. Though it is something they have done on each album to some capacity, the album employs an interesting recording technique in comparing and contrasting live recordings with synthesized sound. This may be an artistic endeavour on the band’s part to parallel the struggle between individual and community in politics and economics.

Enter Shikari looks to bring together the explosive capabilities of different musical genres and exploit the impact they create once colliding. This type of band blurs the line between genres and, in doing so, opens the listener up to interest in different genres of music. But, at the same time reveals the similarities between musical genres. As polarizing as Electronica and Hardcore may be, they both utilize the power of a strong bass as well as a crescendo to reinforce the climax of the song (that climax being the “breakdown” in Hardcore and the “drop” in Electronica). Bands that break down these barriers between genres are a musical gateway drug, exposing lovers of Electronica to Hardcore and vice versa.

I suggest this band and album to you, the reader, in hopes that the elements of Hardcore speak to the punk in you or that the elements of Electronica speaks to your inner clubbing child.