THE STORM PICTURESQUE hours

amazingly epic progressive metalcore! 2009.

ABSCISE discography

this is an unoffical collection of known recordings from abscise, louisville's finest ever metal/hardcore band. they incorporated elements from swedish metal, hardcore, punk, etc to create what i consider to be the finest music ever in the straight-up metalcore genre. i knew at least a dozen people who lived and died with this band. the music is so passionate, with pretty acoustic moments in the forefront and heartfelt screams in the backdrop. they use awesome breakdowns, wicked song structures, and some seriously excellent multi-vocal parts (sometimes also using gang vocals). this is so good, and i love this band...i wish they still made music. i saw their last show and videotaped it (i think the cheese metal band 3 Inches Of Blood opened, actually), and it was one of my favorite concerts moments ever. this collection includes 5 songs from their first demo (some seriously epic shit, all multi-part songs with some fantastic metal chops while never sacrificing the overall aesthetic and totally great songwriting) and 4 songs from their next demo (not as epic, shorter songs, more focus on breakdowns, still kicks tons of ass). RECOMMENDED FOR METAL FANS. this band's music should not disappear just because they did! i must spread this around...must be heard...must not fade.

(members of the band went on to be in breather resist, a semi-well-known hardcore band.) 2001-2002.

ANDREW HILL black fire

Exceedingly catchy and tricky at the same time. Especially Roy Haynes' and Andrew's polyrhyrhmic interplay satisfies my sophisticated needs to the fullest, while Joe Henderson adds some smoothe beauty which keeps me melting into the sofa.

not too avantgarde yet and clearly structured, but very ingenious and varied inside that moving structure as well. And Roy Haynes' drumming is not of this world, honestly.

1964.

VIRUS the black flux

music from the future. the label describes this album as a mix of tortoise, slayer, and the residents. you must be sold, right? 2008.

THE EVPATORIA REPORT maar

much like godspeed's yanqui u.x.o, maar feels a bit underwhelming at first. it doesn't have those huge, epic climaxes. it seems more stripped-down. to an untrained ear, it might almost sound like a lazy record. but it's not. like the aforementioned GYBE album, maar still packs all the emotional power of the bands' previous works, only now they are stretched-out and maybe a bit hazier--lots of hills, fewer mountains to climb. all 4 tracks are very lengthy, but all flow together extremely well (even the in-song transitions are stellar and unnoticeable) to create one of those few albums that really must be listened to as its own entity in able to get the satisfaction that the artists intended. don't put this album away after one quick listen. it needs time to expand into what it really is - a full, lush record with copious amounts of emotional weight. a borderline masterpiece. 2008.