The Dillinger Escape Plan.

If The Dillinger Escape Plan and Converge were to engage in a grudge match to prove their worth and possibly win a prize, The Dillinger Escape Plan would most likely win for their versatility and willingness to branch out their distinctive musical style.

That's probably a key element you'll find within the back catalogue of The Dillinger Escape Plan: versatility. Listen to their older albums then the latest, Ire Works, to get a fair idea of such a trait. It's very evident that this band is not afraid to add things to create a new feel in their music and still sound kickass. They include trumpets even!

First time I ever heard this band was like a swift kick in the face. The song was Panasonic Youth and I was attempting to expand my music collection to beyond fairly generic sounding hardcore/metal. I can tell you now, I thought it was a catastrophic attempt at music, until I actually listened to more songs.

Digging down into their back catalogue, you'll find the fantastic Setting Fire To Sleeping Giants. Just because bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic At The Disco exploded onto the scene with song titles that use wit and lengthiness, doesn't mean every band who does that is going to whinge about trivial issues. Plus that title alone could be a metaphor for a plethora of things if you actually bother to think it through...

Songs like Unretrofied would help prove their fearlessness when it comes to writing songs that aren't full of eardrum bursting drums and guitars. It's amazing. The video clip is even pretty cool, it fits the song, which is just great. A distinct lack of screaming could possibly even win over somebody who has an aversion to excess screams. Maybe, I won't guarantee anything.

And for those of you who like variety in their Dillinger Escape Plan, or just like variety in that entire genre, BUY IRE WORKS! I cannot stress that enough. If you're a trendoid fan who immediately dislikes any change a band puts into their music because it's the cool thing to do, close this window and go hump a chainsaw; now. Everybody else can pay attention.
Fix Your Face is the standard sounding DEP you'd expect that opens the cd, and just because you can tell it's DEP doesn't make it bad. It's not until the third track, Black Bubblegum when you notice a slower tempo and a bit of a change. It works, it really does. It has a great chorus, which is always a winner. It's funky in the best way possible, and even slightly sexy.

But it gets even better. Totally disregard the rest of the cd and listen to Milk Lizard first. Or don't, and play the cd from beginning to end so that you can be in awe when Milk Lizard starts playing. This is where you'll find the trumpets hiding, trumpets which suspiciously sound like music you'd find lurking within the theme songs for cheesy 70s superhero shows. It's wonderful! It, again, works really well, and makes for one ripping good song. Fuck the rest of the cd; Milk Lizard is really where it's at.

Fans of Converge should listen to them, but in saying that they probably already have. Kudos to you.

Ash - Meltdown

The song. All you need to do, is download it, and enjoy it.

I THINK MY BRAIN IS GONNA OVERLOAD!

That is all.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are one of those indie bands that almost everyone into indie music knows, or has at least heard of. Oh my.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs signature style of indie rock is pretty simplistic. The guitarwork is so simple that I'm pretty sure I could even learn it myself, and I'm an avid non-guitar player (although I can read guitar tabs... I taught my nephew how to)! But don't be frightened off by the lack of intricate face melting solos and riffs that would make Dragonforce blush, because they are, and should always be, great at what they do.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that their most well known songs are possibly Maps and Cheated Hearts. I assume that because most people I've spoken to associate those two songs with the band. Not that I'm complaining; Cheated Hearts is a brilliant song for starters!

Turn Into is a nice little slice of indie rock, with Karen O's signature vocals that are pretty well distinguishable. They really are. I can tell a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song just by her vocals. Oh bliss! It's a seriously cute song.

The guitarwork in Deja Vu is just awesome. I think it's the best song they've written, music wise, so far. Down Boy is probably another that would be associated with them, because Triple J have played it quite a bit in the past, which they rightfully should.

I could fully understand if the Yeah Yeah Yeahs aren't everybody's cup of tea. Some people might like a bit more depth in their indie rock, but for those who aren't fussed one itty bitty bit, then definitely go listen to this band, that is if you haven't already.

Opeth - Watershed [2008].

Who else has been excited at the prospect of the new Opeth album?!

Opeth very rarely make bad songs. It's a fact. They're just that sort of band that create the most beautiful music combined with heavy vocals and whatnot. I can just imagine Mikael Akerfeldt sitting in his chair now, steepling his fingers ala Mr. Burns and gloating over his success. Silently of course, I'd be upset if he was an arrogant rude type, so I'll let him be silently gloaty. Damn you Mr. Akerfeldt!

The starter is the lovely Coil. And by lovely I mean fucking gorgeous. I think my heart almost skipped a beat when I heard the female vocals in the song. They complement it so well. Where Coil possesses a delicate beauty, the next song, Heir Apparent, is pure Opeth. True to form, it dances between the two sides of the musical spectrum; heavy and.. er, not.

The Lotus Eater has a very funky break near abouts the six minute mark. Very funky indeed. It made me want to dance my little heart out. You can also hear the bass, which is also damn awesome. If you fear funky little breaks in Opeth songs, stay away! AWAYY! But no, listen to it, it's only about a minute long, and the song is just great.

Hessian Peel is the longest song on the album, coming in at 11:24. It's rather grandiose, and the big crescendo hits after about five minutes in the form of Mikael's harsh vocals. What better musical climax could there possibly be?! Don't answer that. I admire those of you with the patience to sit through a song this long, but that's what you get if you're a fan of progressive music (just for the record, I'm not saying my attention span is waning, I can sit through a song that's 11 minutes long with ease, but many people can't).

I read in a recent interview with Mikael that their new cd was very well received, and people close to him told him that it was their best effort to date. Perhaps in the eyes of some people it is, perhaps in others it isn't. I'm almost adamant that Opeth very rarely disappoint their fans, and this cd should be just as well received as all their others have been. Being an Opeth fan I can say that they haven't disappointed me yet, and I pray I have not just jinxed that.

Opeth have firmly cemented themselves as near gods in the progressive metal genre, and why not? If you've never had the pleasure to listen to them, then you're really missing out. They make beautiful music, and let's face it, who said heavy can't be beautiful?

For those of you who are unaware, Opeth are touring Australia in September. If you can make it to a concert, go. You know you want to.

Queens Of The Stone Age.

There is a reason that this band are so popular.

Whether it's Josh's vocals or the distortion on the guitars, to the catchiness of their songs or how awesome they'd sound when totally stoned, I don't know, but what I do know is that this band deserves every cent they make from cd sales.

This is another band that I used to never actually like. Their brand of rock didn't really appeal to me in any way whatsoever. Until I saw the video for Little Sister and fell in love with the woodblock. It was love at first sight; really it was - we eloped.

I then felt obliged to possibly listen to the band properly considering I only ever made my judgments on one song which I forget. My quest began! And promptly ended because I liked them pretty quickly.

Go With The Flow is probably their best song in my opinion. It's pretty well known but that doesn't mean it's not insanely bitchin'. Although it's quite possibly equal to the wonderful Song For The Deaf, which has such a cool opening. Truly cool. It's like the musical equivalent of a biker gang who helps abandoned kittens - yes, that cool.

Queens Of The Stone Age always have catchy guitar riffs laced between the crunching lead guitars that pretty much drive their music into awesomeness. That was my attempt at talking like a hardcore music reviewer. They're fond of adjectives like 'crunching'. But that's what QOTSA have; crunching guitars.

If you're like I was and haven't bothered to listen to them properly, or do not like them, then I must encourage you to go forth and invest in a cd of theirs! Possibly Songs For The Deaf, just because it has Go With The Flow on it. If you're anything like me, the catchiness of the song will have you imitating the guitar riff for days, maybe weeks, on end.

The end. [subliminal message; buyqotsacds.]

The Red Sun Band - Like An Arrow.

I've only just discovered The Red Sun Band due to this song.
I mean, sure I'd heard of them, but never actually listened to them, until the marvelous Triple J played this song and I almost had an orgasm because of it. Well, not literally, but I'm tired of drumming into people's heads how much I love music.

So I went and had a further look into this band from Sydney, Australia, and I think I like what I heard. In the meantime, let's focus merely on this song.

The vocals are soft but not so soft that you can hardly hear them or only resemble somebody breathing in rhythm to backing music. Very pleasant vocals indeed. Not forced or overly loud either like Amy Lee from Evanescence fame's, but then again these are two very different musical acts.

It's a simple song. Simple songs are pretty much awesome. Plus it's also nifty because then you can easily learn them on guitar and whatnot. The male backing vocals are lovely, they totally contrast the lead vocals. It's brilliant.

And the selling point of this song? It's damn catchy. Catchy songs can go one of two ways; the good catchy where you want to listen to the song over and over until you memorise the words or the bad catchy where you want to stick dynamite in your ears to blow up your brain. This is the former, thank god.

Let's see.. Who could I recommend this to.. Fans of artists like Sarah Blasko and Little Birdy. Hey let's see who last.fm compares them to.. It says Sarah Blasko and Little Birdy also. HA! SCORE!
Apparently, they're influenced by Cat Power, so Cat Power fans heed this blog and listen! THey toured with The Shins.. Hmm, I guess they could have a Shins-y feel to them. I think I summed that up nicely, don't you?