Album Review Double Feature: Kylesa & Dillinger Escape Plan

Kylesa - Ultraviolet

Kylesa are a heavy metal quintet from Savannah, Georgia and they specialize in dense and elaborate metal that overwhelms the senses. The new album Ultraviolet, just like every one of their albums before it, is a headbanger's dream. Long hair and resilient neck muscles were made for much such as this. While their previous record, Spiral Shadow, embraced prog and psychedelic rock Ultraviolet is far more streamlined and aims to accomplish more rocking out in a smaller time frame.

The call and response of opening track 'Exhale' owes a debt to, of all things, the Beastie Boys, and reminds us that both bands started out in their respective hardcore scenes. Kylesa's hardcore roots shine through again later on the enraged chorus of 'We're Taking This'. Not everything is speaker-breakingly loud but always heavy. Sometimes the heaviness is abrupt and in your face and at other times it takes the form of a powerful stoned haze as on closing track 'Drifting'. Every successive Kylesa album adds some new hues to their colour palette. 'Unspoken' dips its toes into turgid industrial gothic-ness, like Depeche Mode shaking pale hands with Neurosis.

Via singers Phillip Cope and Laura Pleasants, the voice of Kylesa is multifaceted and androgynous. All instruments lurch and writhe in unison, all dancing to the same demented muse. Most metal acts try to achieve that pummeling, shock-to-the-system sound in post-production and the results are uniformly lacking. Kylesa have made their sonic pyrotechnics more organic by employing two drummers and they both can pound the hell out of a kit. Ultraviolet is yet another throat-gripping opus from one of sludge's finest.

Rating: B+

Recommended tracks: Unspoken, Quicksand

The Dillinger Escape Plan – One of Us is the Killer

You can never accuse Dillinger Escape Plan of 'taking it easy'. Under the supervision of current singer Greg Puciato they have been firing out an album every three years like clockwork and touring the world relentlessly. The band's origins in math rock and experimental punk are well known but most of that remains firmly in the past. DEP are all about forwards momentum – brutal, punishing forwards momentum. That momentum has led them to creating One of Us is the Killer, eleven songs of unyielding intensity designed to test your ears and tolerance for mayhem. This album is possibly their sharpest and most immediate to date. No holds are barred and no quarter is given.

From the very first chords until the tortured screams of 'The Threat Posed By Nuclear Weapons' you are in for one hell of a ride. These songs fire away chaotically, leaving little to no breathing room in between. They demand you pay attention. There are quiet moments that simmer and seethe away but they only serve make the inevitable swing back into heaviness all the more shocking.

It's not hard to see why Dillinger have left a host of former band member sin their wake. It must be hard work to keep up with this barreling freight train and those that stand a chance have to be at the top of their game. They are unfortunately fated to live in the shadow of their earlier albums – Calculating Infinity and Irony is a Dead Scene are practically cult classics nowadays – but it is never for a lack of trying to outdo themselves.

Rating: B

Recommended tracks: Nothing's Funny, One of Us is the Killer

Album review: Queens of the Stone Age - ... Like Clockwork

Has it really been six years since Queens of the Stone Age last graced us with their presence? Think back to music world of 2007 and it is apparent how much things have changed in that time. Today's chart toppers - like Justin Beiber, and Adele, for example - were non-entities. Amy Winehouse was still alive and well, tearing up the world with Back To Black. The Black Keys were stuck in the limbo of constantly being compared to The White Stripes. Dubstep was not a thing yet, let alone a best-selling buzzword. Oh, how the times have changed. In that regard Queens of the Stone Age are a refreshing constant in a land ruled by delirious progress. This is in spite of their revolving door line-up. Drummer Joey Castillo is out and has been replaced by Jon Theodore (ex-Mars Volta), and touring members Micheal Shuman and Dean Fertita are fully integrated into the family. When Queens deign to release a new record you know more or less what to expect: agitated, groovy rock music with a cruel undercurrent. It represents both the best and worst of humanity simultaneously and many jaded rock fans have come to rely upon their workhorse attitude. Their new album Like Clockwork is, ironically, anything but the result of a mechanical process. It was wrought from the blood, sweat, and tears of the people responsible for it. Beneath the layer of muck and sleaze lies another layer of intoxicating mystery. If you journey even deeper you can find the beating, bruised heart of the animal within. This is a dark, twisted voyage into the very soul of a band. Everything has been laid bare, the very anatomy exposed for all the see.

'Keep Your Eyes Peeled' opens the album and should leave you in no doubt as to the tone of the piece. Maybe its the guitars that scythe over the gut bucket bass rumble. Maybe its the stark contrast between Homme's papery falsetto and the violent undercurrent of the song. Maybe its the fact that the voice of chief Scissor Sister Jake Shears is buried somewhere in all the murk. It was made to overwhelm the senses and it succeeds in doing so and then some. The more “traditional” rockers are present as well and manage to have a good time, even if that good time stands in bleak contrast to the roiling gloom found elsewhere. 'If I Had A Tail' has the potential to drown in its half-baked motifs of animal dominance. In the hands of Homme and friends it has the strut and razor hooks it requires while retaining the viciousness behind the sentiment. You also get a rather entertaining diversion into robo-funk on 'Smooth Sailing'. The kicking groove sounds like Beck meets Talking Heads on a bender, complete with seasick outro. It also contains such knowingly daft statements as “I blow my load over the status quo”. Josh Homme is in full, balls swinging, don't-give-a-fuck mode on this one. It makes for carnal party rock of the highest order but leaves you entirely unprepared for what comes next.

In its final pair of songs Like Clockwork finally opens up to show you the cogs that tick tirelessly away from prying eyes. First is the album's rotten core and centerpiece, the foreboding 'I Appear Missing'. It tugs at the heart as it sickens the mind and putrifies the flesh. A song that can boast such evil barbs as “its only falling in love because you hit the ground” was designed to get under your skin and leaves you scratching. And then there is the heart breaking closing title track that wraps up the album in style. After a full 40 minutes of raging libidos and unsheathed imaginations you arrive, at last, upon the slow burning epitaph. More startling is that it shows a degree of vulnerability in Queens that we have never seen before. The beast has shown the battered face that lies under the mask. The lyrics are poignant and cut right through all the bravado and machismo we have come to expect. “Most of what you see my dear is purely for show / because not everything that goes around comes back around, you know” may prove to be a profound statement of the band's future, but only time will tell. The air has been let out of the bag. The fun machine has, finally, taken a shit and died.

The list of guest artists on hand for this albums seems daunting at first glance. Mark Lanegan, Nick Oliveri, Dave Grohl, Trent Reznor, Elton John, Jake Shears, Arctic Monkey's Alex Turner, and UNKLE's James Lavelle. That is an impressive roster! Fortunately the way that the band handles these extra sets of hands (and voices) in the kitchen doesn't spoil the broth but add to the extreme surreality. Many guest appearances will barely register to the drive-by listener. If you party with Queens you play by their damned rules! Nine Inch Nails demagogue Trent Reznor manages to fair better than most here. You are actually able to discern him among the crowd as he adds an extra level of madness to the unruly 'Kalopsia'. Queens of the Stone Age have managed to now make six albums and while they share much in common in terms of message and style no two of them are exactly the same. Like Clockwork seems to cherry pick the most harrowing elements from its predecessors while still forging brazenly ahead. It is excellent from start to finish but will probably never overthrow Songs For The Deaf's commercial appeal. Lead single 'My God is the Sun' is perfectly functional in the role but don't expect it to usurp 'No One Knows' on your local radio station any time soon. Do not dare mistake that as a bad thing; the challenging nature of the music speaks fondly of the artistic minds who forged it. Ultimately this is an album for someone who wants to go on an odyssey and doesn't mind getting their hands a little dirty along the way.

Rating: A

Recommended tracks: If I Had A Tail, I Appear Missing, Like Clockwork

Album review: Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood - Black Pudding

Mark Lanegan is one of grunge's great survivors. He survived the dissolution of his band Screaming Trees without running out the clock on the divisive reunion circuit (not yet, anyways). In that band he dutifully played the role of under-appreciated frontman for fifteen years. As a solo artist he has survived artistically. Since 1990 he has released no less than 10 albums and has worked extensively with the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Isobel Campbell, Soulsavers, and Gutter Twins. On top of all of that he has survived mortally where many of his contemporaries – regrettably - have not. So where does this stoic resilience leave a cult icon like Lanegan? His name has become synonymous with a particular brand of feverish 21^st century blues, a style driven largely by his formidable voice and imposing gravitas.

In 2012 Lanegan released Blues Funeral, a record he described as being “self pleasing” and a reflection on his music tastes at the time. Those tastes included early glam, dark electro, and original goth and managed to alienate many people who only knew him as “that guy in the No One Knows video”. In a similar vein to Blues Funeral, Black Pudding is another vanity project for Lanegan. On this album he is collaborating with English multi-instrumentalist Duke Garwood. Garwood has worked alongside The Orb, Wire, and Seasick Steve among others but has yet to really be widely recognised for his own work. In a statement via Ipecac Records Lanegan describes Garwood as “one of [my] all time favourite artists”. This is a labour of love for one of rock music's most remarkable outsiders.

With a voice and reputation such as his, Mark Lanegan was inevitably going to headline Black Pudding. Much in the way that Nick Cave and Tom Waits have become wilder, woolier, and harder to classify as their careers have continued so is Lanegan steadily making an argument for his own genre tag. But the label on the package says Mark Lanegan & Duke Garwood and the latter half of that equation more than holds his own. Garwood bookends the album with two acoustic instrumentals – the title track at the start and the nimble 'Manchester Special' at the end – as an act of staking his claim to the co-headliner slot. These pieces are every bit as moving as the soul-aching ballads from Mark. They might stand out at first but echoes of their threadbare charm are woven directly into these songs. The gently plucked refrain of 'Mescalito' and the emotive strums of 'War Memorial' bear their insignia.

If you are looking to find any hard rocking numbers to rise triumphantly out of the dusky gloom, lingering reminders of a history in grunge and desert rock, then you might be disappointed. Black Pudding is notably more folk than rock and nothing as fallible as pop music exposure can lure it from its chosen path. It may not move your body physically but the sublime concoction of guitars, keyboards, drum machines, and that whiskeyed voice might well move you to tears. This is a record to make you feel, not make you mosh.

Rating: B+

Recommended tracks: Mescalito, Manchester Special

A Professor's preview of June 2013: Prepare thine self!

While it is very easy to be cynical bastard when reviewing albums (really, really easy at times) the truth of the matter is that, as a music fan, the future always looks bright. Popular trends and tastes might change but when there is as much music out in the great wide world as there is today you can always find something to look forward to. Case in point: June 2013. This month has only just begun but next month is already chock full of fantastic releases. So pull up a comfortable chair, grab a coffee/beer, and join me on this wee venture as I showcase five upcoming records that will make you smile. - Professor Ricardo.

Queens of the Stone Age - …Like Clockwork (June 4th)

It has been six years since Era Vulgaris dropped and us fans have been left wondering “Well, what now?”. Rumours of a new album have been abundant for years and the wait was made even harder by the presence of Them Crooked Vultures and their shit-kicking self-titled record in 2009. Just when you thought it might never happen along comes news of …Like Clockwork and the first song leaked, 'My God is the Sun'. Even more tantalising is the idea that over the album's ten songs you will find contributions from Dave Grohl, Mark Lanegan, Trent Reznor, Alex Turner (Arctic Monkeys), Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters), James Lavelle (UNKLE), and Sir Elton John.

Black Sabbath – 13 (June 10^th)

Black Sabbath has, arguably, not been “Black Sabbath” for a long time now. Most fans agree that their prime ended in about 1976. Since then they have been subjected to a revolving door line up and a squandering of their legacy. On 13 the band are attempting to set the record straight. Original members Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi and joined by drummer Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave) and are trying to relive their glory days. In preparation for the recording producer Rick Rubin sat the band down and force-fed them those legendary first three albums. The result? Their old sound tempered by the power and weight of modern production. I was invited to listen to 13 recently and trust me when I say it will tickle your Sabbath fancies just right.

(Try to ignore the radio stings in the video. It's the only one I could find - Prof. Ric)

Janelle Monae – The Electric Lady (June ?)

It is so damned hard not to love Janelle Monae. Her debut album, The ArchAndroid, was the most brilliantly challenging and eclectic pop record since Gorillaz. She swung effortlessly from future shock R&B, to pop fancy, to big band musical score, to psychotropic meditations, to frazzled rockabilly and back again. In short: she fucking rocks. This may have set the bar high for Ms Monae's new album, The Electric Lady, but if anyone can pull it off it's her. Details are scarce but its very existence has launched it into my “Must See” category. Check out the album's first single 'Q.U.E.E.N' (featuring the incomparable Erykah Badu) and try tell me you aren't excited.

Palms – Palms (June 25^th)

Palms is a band who have been taking their sweet time about things. The band was formed in 2011 by Jeff Caxide, Aaron Harris, Bryan Clifford Meyer (all ex-Isis), and Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno. This is an inspired fusion of worlds. For years now Moreno has been working on broadening his musical portfolio with Team Sleep and Crosses projects. Since the disbanding of the metal-gaze titans Isis I have been keeping an eye out for any new music from their extended family of contributors. There are so many unanswered questions in terms of sound and style. Some of these questions have recently been answered with the arrival of their first official song, 'Patagonia'. From this one track alone the potential for this group has been blown wide open. Bring on the June 25!

Bosnian Rainbows – Bosnian Rainbows (June 25^th)

January 2013 brought Mars Volta fans a “Good News-Bad News” scenario: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez had a brand new band (Bosnian Rainbows) but Mars Volta were on indefinite hiatus. Drat. In this new band Omar is joined by one-time Volta drummer Deantoni Parks, Le Butcherettes' Teri Gender Bender, and Nicci Casper. The intention behind this band was to explore completely different territory to the Volta and if their live shows and leaked songs are anything to go by, mission accomplished! The music is a lot more (dare I say) conventional (?) than any of Omar's previous work. That however seems to be the point as Bosnian Rainbows is a proper collaboration between these four musicians rather than an Omar-driven dictatorship.