It seems we’re in the mood for harder music this week as we bring you tunes ranging from Celtic punk to instrumental death metal, so check it out and let us know what you’ve been jamming to as well.
John’s Pick: “Rose Tattoo” – Dropkick Murphys
Of all the tracks on their new album Signed and Sealed in Blood, this one is by far my favourite. It has a terrific buildup that I could easily imagine being someone’s fight song. What I like best of all is that the song tells a story of being the tattoo, all the while displaying a diversity of sound that draws you right in. While I highly recommend this song, you should also check out the whole album – it’s fantastic.
Joe’s Pick: “Too Bright to See, Too Loud to Hear” – Underoath
As Underoath embark on their official farewell tour this month, I’ve been going back through their exceptional discography for the past week. Hailing from their sixth album Lost in the Sound of Separation, this song was the first to truly distinguish Spencer Chamberlain’s clean vocals, which we discovered sounded a lot like Cove Reber (ex-Saosin) – in other words, excellent. A slower-paced, religiously themed tune, “Too Bright to See” builds and builds as a call-to-arms for over three minutes before Chamberlain lets loose by screaming “How can we still get home?” as Aaron Gillespie’s voice soars at the same time. This song pick is simply a reminder: if you have the chance to see Underoath on their final tour, you shouldn’t hesitate to take it.
Drew’s Pick: “Hegira” – Abiotic
Abiotic managed to sneak into my end of the year list at the last second. My favorite track on the record, without a doubt, is the instrumental “Hegira.” There is this idea swarming around the metal community that vocalists are becoming irrelevant, and there is no better proof than this song. The record as a whole is great, but this song is leaps and bounds above the rest – and just happens to have no vocals. Great guitar work, groovy bass, and solid drumming; if this is the future of metal music that I’m totally on board. Jam it.
Jason’s Pick: “Limb from Limb” – Protest the Hero
The news of a new Protest the Hero record fueled by crowd-funding has me on a bit of a kick this week. This song in particular stands out for a few reasons. Ridiculous synth rips – which generally don’t exist in a Protest song – and a silly music video give this one a bit of novelty, but in reality, there’s an admirable amount of shifting going on in the musical side of things here. As Rody Walker screams out ‘Your fate has been revealed’ in the mid-point rhythmic burst of sorts, there’s just something about this song that gives me chills – much like the rest of the band’s discography.
Jacob’s Pick: “Wolves At The Door” – Senses Fail
For me, this week’s been all about Senses Fail. If you haven’t heard, their new album is heavy. Like, really heavy. To start the preparations for that, here’s one of the heavier cuts from 2008’s Life Is Not A Waiting Room. While it’s certainly different from the new record, this is classic heavy Senses Fail, from the driving drums and great riffage to Buddy Nielson’s punishing scream and bleak lyricism. Even when I haven’t listened to this track for months, lines like “sometimes I feel like I’m losing my soul, at least that means I still have a soul left to lose” get stuck in my head. Featuring both a great breakdown and a fantastic solo, this is without a doubt one of the best songs the band has ever written. If you’re like me and love songs in this vein, you should be very, very excited for Renacer.
