Atreyu "Lead Sails Paper Anchor" Review

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 27th, 2007.

Back in 2002, “metalcore” was still fairly undiscovered by the masses. It blended the massive, soaring choruses of traditional metal with the guttural screams and breakdowns of hardcore.

One of the leader’s of the movement was Orange County band Atreyu. Their debut “Suicide Notes and Butterfly Kisses” helped define the genre. Now, in 2007, “metalcore” is essentially a joke. It’s oversaturated, and thanks to Hot Topic, totally trendy. And with “Lead Sails Paper Anchor,” Atreyu is still defining the genre.

To see just how much Atreyu has changed in the past five years, look no further than the bands they are touring with. In 2002, they toured with bands such as Darkest Hour and God Forbid, now they are touring with Evanescence and Korn.

“Lead Sails Paper Anchor” is Atreyu’s first album on a major label, and it shows. They followed the “sell out and get rich” form of record making almost exactly. The album begins with “Doomsday” and “Honor,” which aren’t really bad, but certainly aren’t good either. They are simply bland metal songs.

Then comes “Falling Down,” which features an over-abundance of gang-vocals, boring solos, and horns (!), not even to mention the comically bad lyrics. The fourth track is the lead single “Becoming the Bull” which is currently all over mainstream rock radio. This song really showcases how much Atreyu have changed their sound. The screams are nearly non-existent and it sounds like any number of modern rock bands currently on the radio. Throughout the rest of the album, Atreyu fulfill nearly all the rock radio clichés, including the infamous power ballad.

The second half of the record is obviously just filler, and the only song that stands out at all is “Blow,” which seems heavily influenced by late-80’s hair metal, and is a direct shot at critics and the many negative reviews the band gets (like this one). The song is over-the-top and ridiculous, but in a good way. If the band had focused more on this element of their sound instead trying to be a more metal Three Days Grace, they might have had something.

These songs are just heavy enough to let the 14 year old think he is edgy and underground, but catchy and poppy enough to get that 14 year old into them in the first place. In other words, it’s going to sell a ton of copies.

HORSE the band & Tera Melos

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 23rd, 2007.

Sometimes Oklahomans are lucky if a band plays a show here once every few years, while other bands seem to play here all the time. HORSE the band falls into the latter category. They played here last fall with Dragonforce, will be opening for Between The Buried and Me this October and are playing with The Fall of Troy and Tera Melos tonight at the Bricktown Ballroom.

“Sometimes it’s great playing the same town over and over because with each show more people show up,” HORSE the band keyboardist Erik Engstrom said. “But other times it sucks because some people just decide to catch you next time you are in town.”

HORSE the band is mostly known for their blending of Nintendo-style 8-bit sounds into hardcore and metal music, and have often been called “Nintendo-core.” But the band is growing tired of hearing about that element of their music.

“The video game stuff isn’t really what we are about,” Engstrom said. “It helped us get noticed, which was great, but at this point I kind of wish we could just drop it.”

The band’s new album, “A Natural Death,” hits stores this Tuesday, Aug. 28, despite being finished quite some time ago.

“It was originally supposed to come out last June, but we forgot to turn in the artwork on time, “ Engstrom said. “Our record company gave us the option to either use really crappy artwork or delay the record. The worst part was that the press copies of the record were sent out before the delay so the record leaked months ago.”

HORSE the band doesn’t really fit into any one genre, so they tour with a very diverse group of bands. They have shared the stage with bands as varied as Gatsby’s American Dream, Dillinger Escape Plan, and GWAR.

“The Dillinger Escape Plan tour was probably the best tour we have ever been on. They are great dudes and their fans get us,” Engstrom said. “Dragonforce was probably the worse tour we have done. Even though we were playing huge venues, I don’t think it helped us at all. It’s still hard for us to get tours, so when we get offers like that, we have to take them even if we don’t think it’s going to be that great. A lot of bands think we are a joke, which we totally aren’t.”

Also playing tonight is San Diego band Tera Melos. The band has a long history with headliners The Fall of Troy.

“We met Fall of Troy at a show in San Francisco about 3 years ago,” Tera Melos bassist Nathan Latona said. “The promoter didn't show up, so we had the idea to steal power from the venue and do a parking lot show. We ran the power across train tracks and trains kept going by during our set, so we'd have to pull the plug every ten minutes. We instantly became good pals with Fall of Troy and have since toured a whole bunch with them.”

Despite being the least known band in the lineup, Tera Melos is still finding a lot of success on this tour.

“We're finding that there are a lot of kids coming to these shows to see us, which is really cool,” Latona said. “As for the people that have never heard us, the reaction is generally really positive. Most of the crowd comes for Fall of Troy, so by default, these kids are already interested in progressive, forward thinking music. We are a pretty extreme example of prog-rock or whatever and sometimes there are people that have no idea this kind of stuff existed, which lends to their excitement for finding something new and interesting.”

Though this will be Tera Melos’ second time to play Oklahoma City, this will be the first in an actual venue.

“We played a rad record store in OKC a couple of years ago,” said Latona. “There were probably 8 or 9 people there, but I'm pretty sure we still brought the thrash.”

Evangelicals

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 22nd, 2007.

Despite only having been around for a couple of years, the Evangelicals are arguably one of Norman’s most successful bands.

Not only have they found success locally, but have toured all over the nation in support of their debut record, “So Gone.” They have shared the stage with such bands as Serena Maneesh, Annuals, Get Him Eat Him and, most notably, The Flaming Lips. They have also achieved critical acclaim from the incredibly-hard-to-please folks at Pitchfork Media.

“Evangelicals don’t have beards, but sound like they should.” Stuart Berman said in his review of “So Gone” for Pitchfork Media. “On their scruffy surface, they’re a trio of cosmic cowboys following a path laid down by Grandaddy and currently trod-upon by Band of Horses — artists making music that evokes open skies and horizons stretching for moonlit miles. What sets Evangelicals apart is a refreshing lack of preciousness. Singer and guitarist Josh Jones may possess a fidgety, helium-high quiver endemic to sensitive guys in indie rock bands, but the tone of his voice has more to do with agility than fragility.”

The band has just finished its sophomore record “The Evening Descends.” In the past, the writing had all been done by Josh Jones, but this record was more of a collaboration.

“Josh is still the principle songwriter, but this is truly an Evangelicals record,” said bassist Kyle Davis, “We all had our way.”

The new album will be released on the recently formed Dead Oceans Records, which is a division of Secretly Canadian. The band didn’t ever formally go into the studio for this record, but instead recorded it at numerous places around Norman and Oklahoma City.

“It was basically recorded in the different places I was living, in different apartments.” Jones explained. “And Trent Bell and Chad Copeland at Bell Labs were nice enough to let me go in and use their equipment after hours. It was really made possible by the generosity of our friends and family. ”

The band is fresh off a performance at this year’s D-fest in Tulsa, where the band’s set didn’t go quite as planned. During the first song Jones broke a guitar string, then the band’s smoke machine set off the venue’s fire alarm. Because of these incidents, the venue wanted to cut the band’s set short, but the Evangelicals wouldn’t have it. They kept playing even after their power was cut. Despite all of these problems, Jones said the show turned out to be a massive success for the band.

“Sometimes the worst situations give you this punk-rock Zen that makes for the best shows,” Jones said. “You could never plan for that kind of thing, but it’s great when it happens.”

Despite living in Norman, the band isn’t sure where it fits in with the rest of the local music scene, but are still huge supporters of it.

“I don’t even feel like we are part of it, because we just don’t play that many shows here,” Davis said. “Though I really love a lot of the bands here. Bands like Student Film, Ghosts of Monkshood, and Neon Signs Like The World Is Great are some of my favorite bands, local or not.”

“I really hope a lot of the band’s here are able to do something outside of the local scene,” Jones said. “Some of the bands are definitely deserving of getting signed and things like that.”

Minus The Bear "Planet of Ice" Review

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 22nd, 2007.

Is the bear named minus, or is a bear being subtracted from something? We may never know. But regardless of meaningless name origins, these Seattle natives have made the best record of their career, and possibly the year.

Simply put, “Planet of Ice” is epic. Monstrously epic. Even the album’s title and album cover are indicative of this. Full of angular guitar riffs, low-key vocals, constantly changing time signatures and 70’s style synthesizers, Minus The Bear has taken what made their previous records so great, improved upon it, and then multiplied it by 10.

Not only does this record have a much larger scale than previous releases, but it’s also far more mature. Gone are the ridiculous song titles and awkward sound effects that littered previous releases.

Each of the band members are Seattle-scene veterans. Guitarist Dave Knudson played with metal-core legends Botch, vocalist Jake Snyder held the mic for Sharks Keep Moving and drummer Erin Tate played for Kill Sadie. Though impressive, their past accomplishments are a bit irrelevant because at this point, Minus The Bear is obviously it’s own unique thing.

This is the band’s first album without keyboardist Matt Bayles (Bayles still produces the disc), though his absence is hardly noticed. Bayles left the band last year to focus full time on producing. Bayles’s replacement, Alex Rose, brings in more of a focus on synthesizers that blend perfectly with Knudson’s guitar taps. Rose’s presence is most noticeable on the monstrous “Lotus.”

While the vocals aren’t exactly at the forefront on this record, they certainly aren’t in the background either. Snyder sings about everything from one of his (seemingly) numerous sexual encounters (”Throwin’ Shapes”) to his reluctance to join the corporate world (”Dr. L’lling”) all in his usual laid back style.

The songs on “Planet of Ice” run together to form one long journey, yet still manage to have their own unique identities. The driving opener “Burying Luck” serves as a perfect introduction and gives the listener a good idea of what’s in store with the rest of the album. “Ice Monster” starts off slow, but eventually builds up to a hand-clap breakdown as Snyder sings “It’s come to this,” over and over that’s almost impossible to not clap and sing along with. The 7-minute “Dr. L’lling” serves as the record’s centerpiece and is where guitarist Knudson really shines. This song features more riffage than any other Minus The Bear song to date, and would be killer on Guitar Hero. And finally, the closer “Lotus” features a nearly 9-minute running time and crosses into 70’s prog territory yet never gets too indulgent . While not catchy in the traditional pop sense, these songs will almost undoubtedly get stuck in your head.

Flaming Lips "UFO's at the Zoo" Screening Recap

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 21st, 2007.

Last night was not a normal night at Guestroom Records. Not only were nearly 150 people packed into the store, but a rock star known the world over was in attendance. Wayne Coyne was there to show off The Flaming Lips’ new live DVD “U.F.O.s at the Zoo,” which was filmed in Oklahoma City at the Zoo Amphitheatre last September.

Instead of using a plain projection screen and the store’s stereo system to screen the DVD, Coyne brought in the gear that the band actually uses on stage.

To start the night, Coyne prefaced the screening with his thoughts on the show, and how it was really a magical concert for not only the band, but the audience as well. He explained how it was really the perfect show for them to film. He then played a special 25-minute cut of the show. It included the songs “Race for the Prize,” “The Wand,” and “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.” Between songs were interviews with the crazy crowd, and Coyne interacting with the animals at the Zoo.

After the film was over, Coyne held a small Q&A with the fans. He answered questions about everything from when Christmas on Mars will be out (hopefully by SXSW next year) to the “Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots” broadway musical (currently in production).

After the Q&A was over, Coyne stayed outside for hours signing autographs and talking to his fans. Coyne took the time to not only sign anything his fans wanted, but also to talk in depth to everyfan and even recorded a few voicemail messages.

Flaming Lips "UFO's at the Zoo" Preview

Originally in The Oklahoma Daily on August 17th, 2007.

The Flaming Lips aren’t exactly a band that gets their projects out to the public in a timely manner. After all, band leader Wayne Coyne’s movie “Christmas on Mars” has been in production limbo for over five years. Recently, the band’s concert film “UFOs at the Zoo” has been delayed numerous times, but is now set to come out this Tuesday, Aug. 21. The delays were apparently caused by The Lips desire to give the fans more material.

“The Lips wanted to include some additional footage which caused the delay in production,” explains the Warner Bros Records website.

“U.F.O.s at the Zoo” was filmed last September at Oklahoma City’s Zoo Amphitheater. Nearly 10,000 enthusiastic fans, many of whom were dressed in elaborate costumes, packed into the venue to see their hometown heroes debut their new UFO stage show. The band played songs spanning their lengthy career, but drew mostly from their most recent release “At War with the Mystics.” The night was filled with confetti, balloons, fake blood, and furries.

“Steve Drozd, Michael Ivins, and surrogate drummer Kliph Scurlock descend from underneath the UFO, and Wayne Coyne appears in a giant bubble, which he takes into the crowd for a tremendous feat of crowd-surfing,” explained Pitchfork Media’s Stephen M. Deusner in his review of the DVD. “What follows is half-party, half-rave, half-freak-out — which is one too many halves but speaks to the maximalism of the show. There’s the by-now traditional nun puppet, the mechanical bird that Coyne flies around stage like he’s a child making airplane noises, a megaphone that spews dense smoke, and a mic-mounted camera that gets you a little too close to his beard.”

The DVD is set to be released in Warner Brother’s new MVI format, which may have been the cause of delays. The MVI version of Rush’s “Snakes and Arrows” was delayed, while other MVI releases have been put on hold indefinitely.

“MVI is a DVD-based product that’s loaded with a full album’s worth of music, compelling video content, plus a variety of exciting interactive features that you can activate with your computer. It plays in all DVD players, computers, and video game consoles with DVD drives,” the Warner Bros Web site said.

Offering much more than a standard live music DVD, “U.F.O.s at the Zoo” is said to contain the entire concert, backstage footage, digital artwork and even a ringtone application.

There have been rumors of another delay, but Guestroom Record’s Travis Searle is confident it will be released Tuesday.

“It’s definitely coming out this time,” said Searle. “I ordered them Wednesday and they are on the truck today.”

Guestroom Records had planned to screen the film right before a midnight sale, with the Lips making a surprise appearance, but now it’s looking to just be a midnight sale.

“We were relying on The Lips for their projection equipment, but now they aren’t going to be in town,” explained Searle.

“UFOs at the Zoo” will be in stores everywhere Tuesday. Fans can obtain a copy early at the Oklahoma City location of Guestroom Records this Tuesday at midnight.