The World is Ending; A Local Band That Is Not Hardocore/Screamo

Well that is an exaggeration, because there are plenty of local bands that are not hardcore/screamo. However, they seem to appear everywhere, but that is a rant for another time. Now is the time to discuss a local South Jersey band, Shattered Sanctity. They are a metal band that is difficult to classify. Original started as a sort of power metal project that ended after three keyboardists, the band is now reminiscent of the great Iron Maiden mixed with various other influences.

An actual judgement of their music is currently difficult due to a lack of quality recordings. However, this is about to change soon, as they are currently in the studio recording their demo. From what I have heard thus far, the studio version of their song "Everlasting Hell" is nothing short of awesome. One of the main reasons for this is they no longer attempt to add keyboards where keyboards are not needed. This allows them to a somewhat more aggressive tone. Regrettably, I have yet to hear a vocal version of this song, so any comments on that aspect are quite impossible. They are also recording their song "Eyes of the Warrior," which by going to their previous show I can say is my favorite song of theirs. That will be interesting to see how it turns out, and I am awaiting its release.

Their lead guitarist, Mike Hunsicker lends some entertaining solos and leads to the song, which are sure to grab the attention of many people who otherwise would not pay attention to them. That is not to say rhythm and sometimes lead guitarist Jake Butcher just sits around for the ride. Without him the live shows would be nothing short of boring with only one guitarist. One of the best parts about the recording thusfar is that the bass, masterfully played by Mike "AZN" Atkinson, can actaully be heard, which is very cool. Drummer Chris Kitchen is a beast on the drums, and definitely shows off some of his skill on "Everlasting Hell."

Currently the band is looking into playing shows again, so definitely watch out for them if they come by your area. The demo should also be released shortly, or at least relatively shortly. Defintely any fan of old school or power metal should check these guys out.

To infinity and beyond... well not really... no... not at all actually...

Time to go to the Edge of Infinity with Lunatica. Just by playing the first song, which granted calling the first song "Introduction" is not overly original it works. Why does it work? Well, it is one of the most ridiculously dramatic intros that is not a set up for a concept album. The closest thing it can be compared to is the front half of EPCOT at Walt Disney World.

Then the pace changes, and it turns into a pretty cool symphonic/power metal album. Like any good power metal album the choruses are pretty much all catchy and memorable. Though, what is impressive is they manage to do this while having a fair share of ballad type songs on the album. The overall feel of each song is rather entrancing and will most likely keep the listener curious about what is to come next.

Surprisingly, the pure ballad, "Song For You" (another one of those original song titles) is the best song on the album. Sure, it may be a tad generic, but the contrast between the female and male vocals is quite good; mainly because each singer conveys a certain amount of emotion that sucks the listener into the music. It is one of those uplifting ballads about trust and unity, and the two singers definitely let that be known. Still, the music behind it cannot go without recognition.

Throughout the album the music is always good. Never does there seem to be a recycled part. No instrument really takes the forefront, which allows for each to have an equal part that mesh wonderfully with the other parts. Overall, this is an album worth checking out. The vocals are pretty good throughout as well as the music. Plus, it has a sort of sci-fi feel in parts mixed with modern lyrical themes, making it a very interesting blend of lyrical content. Even the typical power metal lyrics are pretty good. Basically, even if you do not like metal, at least check out the ballad, it is definitely worth it.

Piecing it Together

Well, thanks to the new modern marvel that is Youtube, people are able to upload essentially anything they want to; whether it is flagged as obscene is another story. Still, it is a wondeful source for music and such, especially concerts. Ignoring the legality or rather illegality (if that's a word) of the uploaded videos I stumbled across an interesting concert of Hayley Westenra. Some may be saying Hayley who, which is understandable considering her only American appearance has been on PBS. It truely is a shame, considering her magnificent voice, which she also uses for performing with Celtic Women, also on PBS.

The concert on Youtube comes from her Live in New Zealand DVD, after all she is from New Zealand, so it is only fitting that she performs there. Though it is difficult to actually watch the concert in proper order on the site, it is not difficult to see how vocally talented she is. Some of the songs she takes on include "Down to the River to Pray," "Wuthering Heights," and "I Dreamed a Dream." True, she does not sound like the original exactly for either of the songs, but she does put her own style into it. Surprisingly, the least impressive out of them all is "I Dreamed a Dream," but that may be because the other versions are sung by older women with a better understanding of how to convey the emotion of the song (and no, I am most definitely not referring to Susan Boyle, more like a reference to Ruthie Henshall).

For being only 17 in the concert, Hayley shows how much talent is yet to come from her. Though it is a different genre, she still makes many American pop artists look really bad, which makes it quite sad that she has very little popularity in America. Regardless, the concert is definitely worth checking out, and can be purchased on many websites (and yes, they are American ones).

Thinking of a Name Change

Seeing as the new theme here seems to be Doctor Who, I think a blog name change is in order. Rather than being Music and Stuff, Music and Doctor Who may be a more focused title. Regardless, here is my review for the first episode of Doctor Who with Matt Smith, titled "The Eleventh Hour." Like most first episodes, especially those in which the Doctor has a new regeneration, it is not quite as serious as the rest of the season. This is true with this episode, but it still is a rather good episode in its own right.

It starts off where the last one left off, that is with the Doctor flying away in space, but his TARDIS catches on fire, he then crash lands right on top of a shed. This is when he first meets Amelia Pond (later called Amy, but sometimes Amelia). He leaves, but tells her he'll be back in a few minutes, it ends up taking quite longer than that, for she goes from being a little girl to a girl around twenty. This leads for some quick banter between the two, and then the story eventually unfolds.

The story is not overly complicated. There is an escaped prisoner that fled to Earth, locked itself in a room hidden with a perception filter, and eventually the Doctor realizes this, tells Amy, then Amy finds the prisoner. Eventually the plot unfolds so that the prisoner is captured, and it is a happy ending. Though, it does solidify Matt Smith as the 11th Doctor.

The episode, while being silly at times, has its fair share of dramatic moments; such as when Amy puts the Doctors tie in between a car door and finds out it really is him from all those years ago. Considering it is the debut of Matt Smith as the Doctor and Steven Moffat as the head writer I give this episode a solid 8.5/10.

Let's Continue With Stuff, Shall We...

So, I am taking a break from the music reviews for now. Which is good, because it is time for another Doctor Who review. This time for the second episode in Season 5, "The Beast Below." After raving about the third episode I must say this one does not have the same praise. This does not mean it is a horrible episode by any means, but it is lacking, or maybe over filled.

The beginning of the episode starts off promising enough. What with Amy being in space for the first time and landing on the future colony of England on a spaceship. All very science fictiony and what not. This is all well and good, until the plot decides to go off into what feels like a million directions, when it could have been simplified, and convey the same point but far more organized.

Soon after arriving on the ship, the Doctor and Amy split up. Eventually Amy is captured, put into a sort of voting both, and shown how the ship is moving without having any actual engines to propel it. She is given the option to forget what she sees or protest. She opts to forget, and is set free. At the same time the Doctor encounters Liz Ten, who later we find out is Queen Elizabeth the Tenth.

The story ends up revealing that the humans are torturing a Star Whale (yes, a Star Whale, a Whale in space) held captive under the ship to make it move. Eventually Amy realizes that the Star Whale came to help them, and if they do not torture it it shall move faster and be more productive.

Overall it is not a horrible premise, but within a 45 minute time slot there are many small nuances such as the Smiler's, who do nothing but add some rather useless parts to the overall progression of the story. Essentially, it seems as if the episode was made to be two parts, but was cramed into one. Though, it does make it clear that Amy is officially the new companion of the series, and makes some social commentaries about humans enslaving those they believe they can exploit. The final verdict for the episode is a 7 (or 6.5 still undecided)/10.

Time for Some Stuff

As the title indicates, this is a blog for music and stuff. Therefore, I feel it is time to have some stuff. Which is why there shall be a review of the new Dalek episode in the long running British science fiction show, Doctor Who. The episode, "Victory of the Daleks" brings back the true essence of the Doctor's number one enemy.

Instead of having the Daleks be emotional as the previous seasons in the new series, these go back to the old days. They are completely void of emotion, and their main goal is to destroy all in their path. This is a relief, and actually makes an otherwise boring episode enjoyable. After all, seeing the same enemy every year gets old, especially when they somehow magically gain emotions; that just is not cool.

Matt Smith continues to prove himself as a worthy Doctor. He does not seem to force any of his lines or movements, which is always nice. Karen Gillan may portray one of the best assistants ever in the show as Amy Pond. Though, this role does not truely come out until the next episode in the season.

Thankfully I watched the next episode. For, every episode always shows the story arc of a crack in time. While it was interesting the first time, it just gets annoying constantly seeing it. However, the trailer for the 5th episode (the one reviewed here is the 3rd) shows a promising reasoning for this crack in time.

All in all I give this episode an 8/10. It did what has been lacking for quite some time in a Doctor Who episode; that is, it is a fun episode without distracting emotional parts. This is a good thing considering the next episode incorporates a sort of emotional bond between characters. Though, this episode definitely proves that the season is not over before it started.

Escapexstacy

Following the end of the band Sentenced, singer Ville Laihiala went on to form the gothic metal band Poisonblack. Though, on their debut he opted to only play guitar rather than sing. This may have been the best decision he could have made. For, the guest singer on the entire album is by far one of the greatest gothic metal singers of all time; Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto. JP, as he is often referred to as, is the singer for the Finnish gothic metal band, Charon. His voice set Poisonblack on the right track, which makes it a shame that Laihiala's voice on the following three albums just is not up to par with JP's.

Regardless, their debut album, Escapexstacy is really quite good. The music has a solid feel to it, with remarkable guitar tone that manages to be gone for their next three releases. One of the main attractions is the lack of flashy guitar parts. True, this is a common theme throughout gothic metal, but on their other albums the guitar work is more rock and less goth. Though, the solos and leads on this album are done tastefully, which makes them enjoyable. Essentially, with the addition of keyboards, the album is almost like a heavier version of HIM, but with less aim towards high school girls. Speaking of keyboards, there are songs such as "The State" that use piano and keyboards to add a wonderfully dark tone to the music.

Not enough can be said about JP's vocals. Every album from his band or song he guest appears on the listenere is guaranteed near excellent vocal delivery from him. The problem, well not really problem, but rather drawback is that every song essentially has the same lyrical theme concerning either sex or desire. Luckily it is not done nearly as tasteless as in the 80s, but it's still there. That's not to say none of the songs have good lyrics, and luckily they are serious enough to allow the listener to actually enjoy them, but it seems for a writer who has worked with Sentenced for quite some time that the lyrical realm would be a tad broader.

Basically, if you enjoy listening to a wonderful singer, well done music, and not great but still enjoyable lyrics then this is definitely an album to check out.

Back to the 90s, in a recording studio somewhere...

During 1991 the band Portishead was born. Three years later their debut album, "Dummy" was released. This is the topic of discussion today. An album that is difficult to categorize, but for the sake of categorization we shall call it experimental trip-hop. At the same time there will most likely be those who consider it to be drug music, which is understandable considering the spacy, atmospheric feel to the work as a whole. Alas, it can also be appreciated as a wonderfully creative work of art.

Upon pressing the play button on your cd player (or those new fangled mp3 player iPods) the listener is greeted by the first track, "Mysterons" with a calming wave of echoed keyboard notes. Then, within ten seconds a turntable comes in. Needless to say, this album is very interesting. The music throughout the disc is all very calm and soothing, which makes it a strong recommendation for night time listening. Even though there is this calmness, there are also quite a few catchy songs such as "Sour Times" and what may be their most popular song, "Roads."

Lyrically it isn't bad, but at the same time it's difficult to say how good they are. The vocal style of singer Beth Gibbons is guaranteed to enchant anybody listening to her. Because of this it is sometimes difficult to focus only on the lyrics rather than her soothing voice. This only adds to the wonderful, calm atmosphere of the album. This is truely a debut worthy of praise, and should be acknowledged by anyone interested in well written, relaxing music.

New Brides...

A relatively new, up and coming band is taking the stage in venues around the country. This band is no other than Black Veil Brides. After several years, this west coast band will soon be releasing their debut album this summer. One may wonder what this review is going to be about since the album is not out yet, but there are still a few songs that are out and and can be covered.

The band's single, "Knives and Pens" may be the best song to listen to for the direction of their sound. At least that's what may be thought until listening to their other songs. Each one has it's own sound, and it will be curious to see which direction the album ultimately takes. Regardless of the direction there is no doubt it will be an impressive debut. This is because each song, though somewhat different, is good. "Knives and Pens" takes a more traditional sound amongst other bands out at the moment, but songs such as "The Gunsling," "We Stitch These Wounds," and "Hello My Hate" all are unique. Ultiamately this will be good because it allows the band to be distinct from others that may have very similar sounds. There is no reason it should not be a highly anticipated album of 2010.

Well, since they have a unique sound in the studio, the question is whether or not it translates well to a live performance. The answer is most definitely yes. This past weeked I had the pleasure of experiencing them live first hand. Everything they did was spot on. They also played a few songs from their upcoming album which are not online yet, and they were quite impressive. Their singer knows how to be a proper frontman, but it was a tad hard to tell considering nearly the whole crowd in the front consisted of 15 year old girls. Still, this is a band that should not be ignored, especially because they have a sound that will most likely attract a large audience if and likely when given the chance.

The Trocadero (now home of one of the greatest concerts)

April 2, 2010, a night which will not soon be forgotten. The night set the stage for Glass Midnight, Powerglove, Mutiny Within, and Sonata Arctica. Every time a new band took stage the expectations grew. Though, that is not to say any one band was bad. Actually, the first two bands exceeded expectations.

Glass Midnight is a New Jersey based metal band. Their singer is a far above many bands signed to major labels. While listening to him it came to mind how poorly so many people sing. Asides from having good clean vocals, he also has an exceptional growl that surpasses many other singers who perform such vocal styles. Adding to this is the music, which did not fail to impress. Overall, this is a band that should not be missed, and their keyboardist dressed as a pirate, which was pretty great.

After them came on Powerglove. Now, I did not expect anything exceptional from them, but I was completely wrong. Upon coming onto the stage in incredible stage outfits reminiscent of classic videogames it was clear they came to please. The first song performed was the Tetris theme song, and from there it just got better. At one point the frontman/bassist took a gigantic bag of starburst and threw them into the audience. The set finished with the Power Rangers theme song. Never did I imagine that song could be quite so fun. From beginning to end the song was pure energy, which was essentially the running theme of their whole set. After seeing them live I am now a fan of this band.

Now to the two bands I initially went to see. Starting off is Mutiny Within. There are few words to describe how incredible their performance was. Chris Clancy proved that in the studio and live his voice is nothing short of amazing. While listening to their album it is easy to see how fantastic their guitar work is, but seeing them live allows one to appreciate their keyboardist. He may be considered an overlooked member of the band because he is often overshadowed by the other instruments, but by seeing him live it is easy to say that he is just as talented as the rest of the band, and together the band is the best metal band to come out in quite some time.


Alas, the headline band, Sonata Arctica. There are absolutely no words to explain how amazing this band is. Even before they came on stage they were amazing. This is becaue they started the show with a recording of their instrumental "Everything Fades to Gray." From there they set the new standard for what a show should be. Every song they performed was perfectly performed. Tony Kakko still shows that he is a great frontman, whether it is with talking between songs or what he does on stage during a song, he is always entertaining. Every member of the band demonstrated their skill as musicians, which is no surprise considering their extensive experience playing across the world. This band should never be missed by anybody, and when they come around again there is no doubt that I will see them again.



After the show I had the pleasure of meeting several band members. First was the drummer, keyboardist, and bassist of Mutiny Within, who all signed a cd and poster for me. Then were various members of Glass Midnight, who were all pretty cool. While waiting outside for Sonata Arctica I had the pleasure of meeting Chris Clancy. Also while waiting outside members from Powerglove were packing up their equipment and also giving out starburst. Then, after an hour and a half wait and standing outside in Philly at 1:30 AM Sonata Arctica came out. This will be one of the greatest momemts of my life, becuase they are rank highly amongst my musical idols. Pictures were taken with Tommy, the drummer, and Tony Kakko. April 2, 2010 is a night that will never be forgotten, and a show that will be hard to top.