September Reviews

My weeklong “drinkation” is over, and I’m back to the soul-crushing monotony of work.  Actually, after a week of binge-drinking and recovery, I’ve realized how a life of routine can be a lifesaver.  Though I’m overloaded at work (another reason people hardly take vacations anymore), it’s nice to be back on a workout schedule and not sweating booze/shaking all day.  Maybe next time I’ll take a real vacation (i.e. going somewhere OTHER than home and drinking like a wino).

I’ve also turned 28, and have no real changes to speak of: wife, house, cats, job.  Not exactly where I thought I’d be when I was 18, but no complaints here.  I was surprised, however, by the callousness of friends this year.  Not a single present/offering was received, which means Saint Alvis will be a vengeful lord for 2009.  It’s your own damn fault, fuckers.

The hardest routine to come back to is blogging, as taking week without having to come up with content was exceptionally nice.  I couldn’t deprive you guys, though, so here’s some shit to check out.  I’ve decided to keep all reviews under 100 words (which is a lot fucking harder than you would believe), so ultimately you’ll get more of the gist of the media reviewed and less of my bantering.  No, for that you’ll have to read non-review pieces.

Norma Jean – The Anti-Mother

LABEL: Solid State Records

WEBSITE: http://www.normajeannoise.com/

TRY IF YOU LIKE: Underoath, Jesus/God, Deftones

“Surrender Your Sons…”

Why do metalcore vocalists think they can sing?  Norma Jean have been on a steady “growth” from the incredible heaviness of 2001’s Bless The Martyr & Kiss The Child to the strained harmonies on Anti-Mother.  The riffs are still there, and they’re starting to lose the Botch-biting of a few years ago, but vocalist Corey Brandon’s shit singing completely ruins an already unstable record.  One highlight is Chino Moreno’s presence and co-writing on “Surrender Your Sons…” (it’s been too long since he’s written a classic Deftones song).  Too bad it (along with a Page Hamilton appearance) are wasted here.

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Zozobra – Bird Of Prey

LABEL: Hydrahead Records

WEBSITE: http://www.myspace.com/zozobra505

TRY IF YOU LIKE: old Cave In, Melvins, sludge metal

“Emanate”

2007’s Harmonic Tremors was a surprisingly enjoyable album, and this follow-up comes damn close.  Much like the debut, Bird Of Prey has a few instrumental passages that offer nothing more than to buffer the heavier songs.  Unfortunately, the guest vocalists that offered a reprieve from Caleb Scofield’s screams on Harmonic Tremors are missing from this album.  Instead we get non-stop sludge metal/growls, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the songs weren’t as repetitive as they are.  Definitely a project worth checking out if you dug the heavier side of Scofield’s work in his previous band Cave In.

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Withered – Folie Circulaire

LABEL: Prosthetic Records

WEBSITE: www.withered.net

TRY IF YOU LIKE: Crowbar, Mastodon, death/black metal, sludge

“Purification Of Ignorance”

I’d read about Withered for awhile, finally deciding to check out their brand of black/prog/death/groove/post-metal a few months ago.  I’m fucking glad I did, as this disc is simply brilliant from start to finish, melding from genre to genre seamlessly within each track.  If you’re not a huge fan of black metal vocals, give it a minute of instrumental bridging and you’re sure to find something in the next part that’s up your alley.  This fucker has been playing non-stop, and definitely has “Album Of The Year” potential.  A must-have for metalheads of all types.

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Transistor Transistor – Ruined Lives

LABEL: Level Plane Records

WEBSITE: www.transistortransistor.com

TRY IF YOU LIKE: Refused, punk, post-hardcore

“Celluloid Rats”

Another band I keep reading about is Transistor Transistor.  I consider myself a fair-weather post-hardcore fan, mostly due to the fact that (like all genres) post-hardcore covers a lot of ground.  TT falls under the punkier, screamier side of the genre, with an energy I haven’t heard in a long time.  There’s elements of older Fugazi, Refused, and Blood Brothers, and the songs are (for the most part) catchy as hell.  The high shrieking choruses mixed with the atonally low verses can get grating really fucking quickly, though, and I found myself losing interest about midway through the disc.

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A sci-fi third-person shooter with RPG elements, Mass Effect is probably the most engaging and satisfying game I’ve played in a long time (if not ever).  Exploring planets, shooting robots and aliens, interacting with characters across the galaxy (with each of your responses affecting the overall storyline and your status as a character), leveling up and unlocking new characteristics… there’s so much to do (even after 30 hours still haven’t unlocked everything!).  While I finally beat the fucker last night (with an satisfying ending), I wish the game would never end.  Deep, engrossing, and engaging on every level.

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