thedailygrind's Last.fm Journal

[Review] Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Fri, 9 Nov 2012 11:35:37 +0000

Deftones - Koi No Yokan

Let me start off with the fact that I was pretty disappointed with Diamond Eyes as a whole. The first single, Rocket Skates, was kind of a bad omen to me with its mediocrity and repetitiveness. The title track came out as the second single and changed that for the better by a couple of steps upwards, so there was hope. It remained one of the standout tracks on the album, besides 976-EVIL and the oh so mellow and beautiful Sextape. But the rest was only somewhere between solid, average and even plain boring sometimes. As a whole, Diamond Eyes didn't cut it for me and it really seemed to lack substance and depth. Feel free to look at my scrobbles and you'll see that I really gave it more than enough chances. Diamond Eyes is actually the Deftones album with the most scrobbles in my library, because I tried so hard to get into it. Without success. It seemed so uninspired to me, especially in terms of the very simple and repetitive guitar work, which actually even reminded me of Adrenaline from time to time, just tuned lower of course.

However, I'm a die hard Deftones fan, so I wouldn't give up on them because of a less than pleasing album. The standout tracks on Diamond Eyes showcased a band at its best abilities and after all it seemed like they finally figured out a good workflow, so the hopes for a follow-up that wouldn't take forever to get finished were high. And before you knew it, Koi No Yokan was announced.

And then came Leathers. It took me by storm and I couldn't stop blasting it. In the house, my girl's car, on my iPhone, you name it. I have listened to this track so many times and now that the album finally came out, I'm still not over it. Pretty shortly after, Tempest dropped. It's a more mellow, dark and drawn out song and it took a little longer for me to get into it, but I knew I'd dig it and was sure that it would make perfect sense in the context of the album. I'm still kind of surprised that they chose to put this out as the first actual single of Koi No Yokan, because Leathers would have been a much more accessible choice. However, with those two previous tracks, I felt like this album could turn out to be very special and maybe one of their best yet. Those two songs had much more substance to them than most of the material on Diamond Eyes, so I was getting a little bit excited about it all.

Let's go through Koi No Yokan, track by track:

01. Swerve City
Kind of not your typical Deftones album opening track. It's quite groovy, yet unique, features great verses/choruses and is generally full of hooklines to be remembered. The track has a nice drive to it as well, thanks to Abe's straight forward drumming, so it makes for a great opening track in the end.

02. Romantic Dreams
The first time I was listening to the album, I really didn't know what to make of that song, but it's a grower. The tempo change into the chorus is something you really have to get used to, but the vocal melodies perfectly make up for that with a somewhat 80s New Wave/Pop vibe and catchyness. Yes, the song seems a little pieced together and could flow better, but it will grow on you if you give it some time.

03. Leathers
That one is seriously one of their best songs to date and it's great to see them still being able to write such great and timeless hits after all these years. The song is a perfect combination of heavy verses and one hell of an epic chorus. I really think we got a future Deftones classic here.

04. Poltergeist
One of the heavier tracks of the album and while it didn't impress me that much when I listened to it for the first time, it's been growing on me, especially when listening to it on my headphones. It has a heavy, kind of uptempo type of groove to it and brings some serious low end from Steph's guitar in the verses. Speaking of which: While there was a lot of low tuned chugg chugg on Diamond Eyes, the low end is used much more subtle on this album. It's not all over the place anymore, which is a cool thing. The chorus is your typical Deftones chorus and that's a good thing, because it pretty much goes from hot to cold and back throughout.

05. Entombed
This one has a Sextape type of vibe, which means two thumbs up in my book. I love how Frank is adding keys to some of the chords and they sound a whole lot like M83's Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts to me. Which is interesting, because I remember how they used to play a track of that album as a live intro on their Saturday Night Wrist tour in Europe. I really think they like that album and so do I, so I love those influences in here. Oh yeah, and of course they had a M83 remix of Rocket Skates out and it was much better than the actual song. Every step into M83 territory has made for something good, and that perfectly applies to this song.

06. Graphic Nature
That song literally did nothing for me when I heard it for the first time and I never saw this one growing on me. Well, I guess I was wrong. It has this dark and kind of loathsome atmosphere in the chorus, if that makes sense. It doesn't break out at any point, it just kinda crawls along in its sleazy midtempo, so you could say it's a little monotonous. You just kinda have to get into its feel to dig it, I guess. I'm pretty sure it will be the skip track on Koi No Yokan for a lot of you, but I find myself liking it more and more, especially the chorus.

07. Tempest
One of the darkest and most experimental tracks on Koi No Yokan. The production really comes into play here, with the heavy and simply great sounding drums. Tempest really takes its time and is all about the atmosphere. The chorus is not only very memorable, it is plain great, and the lyrics come in handy here. Kind of a brave choice to put it out as a single - like I said - but I appreciate that attitude and it's an awesome song after all with a slight Change (In the House of Flies) vibe.

08. Gauze
The beginning riff really surprised me with its low end heavyness and slight atonality, but before you know it, it turns into pure sugar with a great verse and an epic and beautiful chorus, repeatedly interrupted by those heavy outbursts. Definitely the heaviest riff on Koi No Yokan. I have to say, that formula works like a charm and the track also benefits from Frank Delgado's samples, which give it all even more depth. I could have done without the outro riff of the song, but it's not bad or even too long by any means... all in all, Gauze is a great song with almost all the range the Deftones have to offer.

09. Rosemary
Besides Tempest, this is the most drawn out and gloomy track on the record. It actually reminds me of Beware The Water a lot, because it is structured quite similiarly. Especially when it finally builds up into that heavy riff at the end (never mind the clean guitar outro). The vocals are pretty catchy and that really makes the track more accessible, so it is in a quite similiar fashion to Tempest. It just seems even darker, a very moody track throughout, so it really adds to the feel of the album.

10. Goon Squad
So after all the praise, here it is: The most medicore song of the record, in my opinion. It's kind of similiar to Poltergeist, just less specatcular. The verse is actually not bad, quite heavy and with a very bouncing groove. The weak part is the chorus and the general repetitiveness of the song. So first of all, the chorus is pretty much the weakest on the album and seems more like a bridge, but then it never really turns into the epicness you're kind of waiting for. Second of all, there isn't much more to the song, than the verse and that chorus. It just seems to go back and forth forever. I can see it being a good live song, because it could really make you bounce when the sound is right, but apart from that potential, I'm really not that impressed with it.

11. What Happened to You?
Another more mellow track, but unfortunately not their strongest either. They are usually great at writing those beautiful and dreamy tracks, but this one is just a little average. I like the drum samples they used for the beat and I still hope the song will grow on me, but I have a feeling there isn't much room for that. We will see...

So those are my "first" impressions after listening to Koi No Yokan obsessively since I got my hands on it. I'm still waiting for my CD/shirt/poster preorder package to arrive and since its release is today, I hope for it all to show up anytime soon. This album is one of their best in my opinion, and I'm saying this as a long time fan. I discovered them in the late 90s/the Around the Fur era and have followed them ever since, so I guess I have a pretty good idea about their musical journey. They have always been a forward-thinking and unique band, willing to go above and beyond all genre conventions, but sometimes in the past the album material was a little hit or miss. Take their s/t record for example. It has about four or five great songs, but the rest is almost all filler. Saturday Night Wrist on the other hand was very experimental throughout and that seemed to make it hard for a lot of people to get into it. It took me forever as well, but then I loved it for its depth and sprawling character. The Deftones seem to have learned from the past and have focussed their songwriting to emphasize their strengths.

Koi No Yokan definitely takes the best out of their last two records and brings it to the next level. It has the depth of Saturday Night Wrist, but it is still as compact as the majority of the material on Diamond Eyes. It also delivers a couple of full blown hits and definite future Deftones classics. Leathers is only one great example for that. Even the tracks that didn't get me right away seem to be growing on me immensely and that is another strength of this album. I really think a lot of it has to do with the depth and substance of the material, which is something that its predecessor was missing. The vocal melodies/arrangements and Chino's voice are at their best here as well. The bottom line is, that the majority of the material on Koi No Yokan is somewhere between growers and hits with only about three mediocre/filler tracks. The last album was the other way around, just sayin'...

In conclusion, Koi No Yokan is up there with White Pony, believe it or not.

my vinyl collection / trade list

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:40:35 +0000

This is my small but mighty record collection. I'd trade or sell some of those records, if you've got something to offer, I'm after. If there's something you want to get or trade, just get in touch and message me! Make sure to check my discogs collection, wantlist and sales for more details.

A
Absu - Abzu LP (white) [photo]
All Out War - Condemned to Suffer LP (clear red)
All Pigs Must Die - s/t 12"
Amenra - Prayers 09+10 12"
Amenra / Vuur - Split 7"
Amenra - Mass II 12" (clear)
Amenra - Mass III 2xLP
Amenra / Hitch - Split 7"
Amenra - Mass IIII 2xLP (clear)
Amenra - Afterlife 10" (picture disc)
Amenra / Black Heart Rebellion - Split 12" (clear, etched b-side)
Amenra / Hive Destruction - Split 10" (clear)
Amenra / Oathbreaker - Split 7" (clear) [photo]
Animals as Leaders - s/t 2xLP (swirled green / orange) [photo]
Animals as Leaders - s/t 2xLP (glow in the dark)
Animals as Leaders - Weightless 2xLP (blue)
Animosity / Drumcorps - Altered Beast 10" (light green / white)
Aosoth - s/t LP
Aosoth - Ashes of Angels LP (white)
Aosoth - III LP (clear)
Aosoth - III LP (clear w/ white splatter) [photo]
Aosoth - Variations of Violence (III Instrumentals) LP
Aosoth - Our Crown of Sins 7" (pre-order)
Arkhon Infaustus - Annunciation 2x7"
Arkhon Infaustus - Orthodoxyn LP
Art of falling - Extending Behind this Shape 12"
Avery - Lie, Cheat and Steal LP
Avishai Cohen Trio - Gently Disturbed LP
Azarath - Holy Possession 7" (white)
Azarath – Blasphemers' Maledictions LP (yellow)

B
Beecher - This Elegy, his Autopsy 5x7" Box
Behold The Arctopus - Skullgrid LP (white w/ red and black splatter)
Belong - Same Places (Slow Version) 12" (aqua marble, etched b-side) [photo]
Beneath the Massacre - Dystopia LP
Beneath the Massacre - Maree Noire 7" (clear red)
Bereft - Leichenhaus LP
Between the Buried and Me - s/t LP (clear / black marble)
Between the Buried and Me - The Silent Circus LP (grey marble)
xBISHOPx - Drugs LP (green w/ black splatter)
xBISHOPx - Asylum 7"
Black Flag - Damaged LP
Black Sabbath - Paranoid LP
Blacklisted - Peace on Earth, War on Stage 7" (white / clear split)
Blacklisted - Heavier than Heaven, ... LP (EU, clear blue w/ black splatter)
Blacklisted - Heavier than Heaven, ... LP (US, clear light blue / black haze)
Blacklisted - No one Deserves... LP (swirled orange / green)
Blacklisted - Eccentrichine 7" (clear w/ red splatter)
Bloodlet - Husk 7"
Blut aus Nord - What Once was... Liber I 12"
Blut aus Nord - 777 - Sect(s) LP (gold) [photo]
Blut aus Nord - 777 - Desantification LP (gold)[photo]
Blut aus Nord - 777 - Cosmosophy LP (white)
Blut aus Nord - What Once was... Liber II 12" [photo]
Bone Dance - Bone Dance (clear purple)
Breach - Godbox 12" (clear)
Built On Trust - Save my Soul 7"
Buried Inside - Spoils of Failure 2xLP
Burnt By The Sun - s/t 7" (white) [photo]
Burnt By The Sun - Soundtrack to the Personal Revolution LP (white)
Burnt By The Sun / Car Bomb - Split 7" (orange)
Burnt By The Sun - Heart of Darkness LP

C
Caleya - These Waves Will Carry us Home LP
Capsule - No Ghost LP (grey)
Cattle Decapitation - Human Jerky LP (picture disc) [photo]
Cattle Decapitation / Caninus - Split 7" (brown w/ red splatter)
Cave In - White Silence LP (clear gold)
Celeste - Pessimiste(s) 12" (clear / blue haze)
Celeste - Pessimiste(s) 12" (swirled white / blue w/ blue splatter)
Celeste - Nihiliste(s) LP (clear)
Celeste - Nihiliste(s) LP (black / clear red marble) [photo]
Celeste - Misanthrope(s) 2xLP (clear / black haze) [photo]
Celeste - Misanthrope(s) 2xLP (cross on d-side)
Celeste - Misanthrope(s) 2xLP (clear gold w/ statue on d-side) [photo]
Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s) 2xLP (picture discs)
Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s) 2xLP (clear / black and brown haze)
Celtic Frost - Monotheist 2xLP
Cephalic Carnage - Xenosapien LP (clear blue)
Chris Isaak - s/t LP
XclamationX - !X 7"
Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire - S.O.I.H.A.D. LP (swirled bronze / white)
Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire - Visceral 10"
Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire / Nesseria - Split 12" (white)
Cleric - Cumberbund 12" (picture disc)
Coalesce - A Safe Place 7"
Coalesce - 012:2 LP (clear blue w/ grey splatter)
Coalesce - Salt and Passage 7" (clear orange w/ red and blue splatter)
Coalesce - XO EP 12" (clear)
Coliseum - Goddamage 12" (deluxe reissue) [photo]
Comeback Kid - Symptoms + Cures LP (blue)
Converge - You Fail Me LP (white)
Cower - Land Before Time LP
Craft - Void 2xLP
Criminal Element - Guilty as Charged LP
††† - EP † 10" Box (pink) [photo]
††† - Op†ion / †elepa†hy 7" [photo]
Crowbar - Lifesblood for the Downtrodden 2xLP
Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand LP (clear blue)
Crowpath / Drown In Frustration - Split 7" (clear orange)
Crowpath - I, the Arsonist 7"
Crowpath - Red on Chrome LP
Cult of Luna - The Beyond 2xLP (grey)
Curl Up and Die - Unfortunately we are Not Robots LP
Cursed - I LP (grey)
Cursed - II LP (unofficial reissue)
Cursed - Hell Comes Home 7"
Cursed - Blackout at Sunrise 7" (picture disc)
Cursed - III LP
Cut the Shit - Marked for Life 10"
Cynic - Traced in Air LP (grey) [photo]

D
D'Angelo - Voodoo 2xLP
Daft Punk - Tron Legacy O.S.T. 2xLP
Dead Flesh Fashion - Thorns LP (brown)
Dead Nation - Dead End LP
Deathspell Omega - Untitled 5xLP Box (5 picture discs)
Deathspell Omega - Si Monvmentvm... 2xLP
Deathspell Omega - Diabolus Abscondicus / Massgrave Aesthetics 12"
Deathspell Omega - Kénôse LP
Deathspell Omega - Fas - Ite, Maledicti, ... LP
Deathspell Omega / S.V.E.S.T. - Veritas Diaboli... split 12"
Deathspell Omega - Paracletus LP
Deathspell Omega - Drought 12"
Deathspell Omega - Untitled 7xLP Box (7 picture discs) [photo]
Decapitated - Carnival is Forever LP (green)
Deep Purple - Fireball LP
Defeater - Travels LP (brown)
Defeater - Lost Ground 2x7" (green marble)
Defeater - Dear Father 7" (grey marble)
Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights 2xLP (silver labels, etched d-side)
Deftones - 7 Words Promo 7" (clear blue)
Deftones - 7 Words Promo 7" (grey) [photo]
Deftones - Adrenaline Promo LP [photo]
Deftones - Adrenaline LP (picture disc) [photo]
Deftones - Adrenaline LP
Deftones - Adrenaline LP (hot pink)
Deftones - Around the fur LP
Deftones - Around the fur LP (orange)
Deftones - My own Summer (shove it) 7" (gold) [photo]
Deftones - Be Quite and Drive (Far Away) 7" (clear blue) [photo]
Deftones - White Pony Promo 2xLP (clear red)
Deftones - White Pony 2xLP
Deftones - s/t LP
Deftones - s/t LP (clear / black marble) [photo]
Deftones - s/t LP (reissue)
Deftones - Minerva 7"
Deftones - Hexagram 7"
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist 2xLP
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist LP
Deftones - Saturday Night Wrist LP (clear mint green) [photo]
Deftones - Rocket Skates 7" (white) [photo]
Deftones - Diamond Eyes LP (white)
Deftones - Covers LP
Deftones - Vinyl Collection 8xLP Box [photo]
Deftones - Koi No Yokan LP (foil-stamped) [photo]
Deftones - Koi No Yokan LP (clear) [photo]
Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses LP (clear blue)
Der Weg einer Freiheit - s/t 12" (white)
Der Weg einer Freiheit - Agonie 12" (red)
Despised Icon - The Healing Process LP
Die drei ??? - ...und der seltsame Wecker LP (picture disc)
Disembodied - If God Only Knew the Rest Were Dead 10" [photo]
Disrespect - Meriadan 7"
Dodecahedron - s/t 2xLP
Dragbody - Swallowing Razors 7"

E
Ed Gein - Judas Goats and Diesel Eaters LP (translucent white w/ red splatter) [photo]
Eighteen Visions - Until the Ink Runs Out LP
Elitist - Fear in a Handful of Dust LP
Embrace Today - We are the Enemy LP (pre-order cover)
Eyehategod - In the Name of Suffering LP
Eyehategod - Take as Needed for Pain 2xLP
Eyehategod - Dopesick 2xLP

F
Fall Silent - Superstructure LP
Fall Silent - Life: Beautiful, but Heartless 7"
Fear Before The March Of Flames - The Always Open Mouth 2xLP (clear red + opaque yellow)
Final Prayer - Right Here, Right Now LP
Final Prayer / Alcatraz - Split 7" (release show cover, grey marble)
Final Prayer - Filling the Void LP (mustard yellow)
Final Prayer - Berlin 7"
Final Prayer - I am not afraid LP (yellow)
Final Prayer - I am not afraid LP (white) [photo]
For The Love Of - In Consequence 10" (red)
Fuck the Facts - Stigmata High-Five LP (white)
Fuck the Facts / Leng Tch'e - Split 7" (clear)

G
Gadget - The Funeral March LP (clear red)
Gang Starr - Daily Operation LP
Gang Starr - Moment of Truth 3xLP
Gaza - He is never coming back LP (red marble)
Gaza - No Absolutes in Human Suffering LP (white)
Gehenna - The War... LP (beer splatter)
Genghis Tron - Board up the House 2xLP (etched d-side)
Genghis Tron - Board up the House 2xLP (clear w/ rainbow splatter, etched d-side) [photo]
Ghostlimb - s/t LP (etched b-side)
Ghostlimb - Bearing and Distance LP (opaque green)
Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute LP
Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute LP (white) [photo]
Goathwhore - Blood for the Master LP
Gojira - From Mars to Sirius 2xLP (white)
Gorgoroth - Twilight of the Idols LP
Gorgoroth - Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam LP
Gorguts - Obscura 2xLP
Graf Orlock / Greyskull - Split 12" (clear dark grey w/ brown splatter)
Graf Orlock - Destination Time: Tomorrow 10" (clear red) [photo]
Grave Maker - Bury me at Sea LP (picture disc) [photo]
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues LP (clear w/ green and white splatter)

H
Harm's Way - Reality Approaches LP
Harm's Way - No Gods, No Masters 7" (bronze w/ black splatter)
Harm's Way - No Gods, No Masters 7" (yellow w/ pink splatter)
Harm's Way - Isolation LP (swirled white / grey / black) [photo]
Hoods - The King is Dead LP (clear w/ pink splatter)

I
In Trenches - Sol Obscura 10" (bronze)
Indricothere - s/t 12" (blue)
Ion Dissonance - Solace LP (white w/ black and blue splatter)
Ion Dissonance - Minus the Herd LP (silver / black marble) [photo]
Iron Lung - Sexless//No Sex LP
Iron Monkey - s/t (piss yellow)
Iron Monkey - Our Problem 2xLP (weed green)

J
Japanische Kampfhörspiele / White Eyes - ...de Sodome split 7"
Jeru The Damaja - The Sun Rises in the East LP
Jesu - Lifeline 12" (black / gold split) [photo]
Jesu / Battle of Mice - Split 12" (translucent silver)
Jimmy Eat World - Futures 2xLP (etched d-side)
Job for a Cowboy - Genesis LP (picture disc)
Job for a Cowboy - Ruination 3x10" (clear green + clear orange = clear red)
Job for a Cowboy - Demonocracy 2xLP (sand)
Julith Krishun - s/t 7" (clear)
Julith Krishun - VV LP (clear purple w/ blue splatter)
Julith Krishun - VV LP (white w/ black and red splatter)

K
k-the-i??? - Broken Love Letter LP
Kayo Dot / Bloody Panda - Split 12" (grey w/ yellow splatter)
Kayo Dot - Gamma Knife 12"
Kayo Dot - Gamma Knife 12" (swirled red / black) [photo]
Kickback - No Surrender LP (white)
Kingdom of Sorrow - s/t LP (blue w/ black splatter)

L
Lantlôs - Agape LP
Lewd Acts - Black Eye Blues LP (bronze)
Life Long Tragedy / Final Fight - Split 7" (yellow)
Life Long Tragedy / Sabertooth Zombie - The Dungeon Sessions Split 7" (light green)
Life Long Tragedy - Runaways LP (cream w/ black splatter)

M
Make It Count - One Step Ahead / Everyday Life 7"
Make It Count - Leeway 12" (grey marble)
Marduk - Iron Dawn 12" (white) [photo]
Mare - s/t 12" (clear)
Mare - s/t 12" (clear blue w/ white splatter) [photo]
Martyr A.D. - The Human Condition in Twelve Fractions LP
Maruta - Forward Into Regression LP (die hard clear orange) [photo]
Meshuggah - Contradictions collapse & None 2xLP (yellow / red marble)
Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve 2xLP (clear w/ white and black splatter) [photo]
Meshuggah - Obzen 2xLP (grey)
Meshuggah - Koloss 2xLP (brown #008/150)
Meshuggah - Koloss 2xLP (clear #001/250)
Meshuggah - Koloss 2xLP (green #127/150)
Meshuggah - Koloss 2xLP (white #331/350) [photo]
Meshuggah - Koloss Tour Edition 2xLP (gold #289/500)
MF DOOM - Operation Doomsday 4xLP Box (Tin Box) [photo]
MF DOOM - Rhymes like Dimes 7" Dime Box (picture disc) [photo]
MF DOOM - Hoe Cakes 12"
Miles Away - Rewind, Repeat... LP (blue)
Mind Eraser - Glacial Reign LP (clear gold)
Minion - Out of the Carnage... LP (white)
Modern Life Is War - s/t 7" (white)
Modern Life Is War - My Love. My Way. LP (swirled black / gold)
Modern Life Is War / Kill Your Idols - Live on WLUW Split 7" (clear blue)
Modern Life Is War - Witness LP (clear purple)
Mount Logan - s/t LP (clear)

N
Naglfar - Téras 2xLP (red / black marble, etched d-side) [photo]
Nas - Illmatic LP
Neaera - Forging the Eclipse LP
Nesseria - s/t LP (blood red)
Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral 2xLP
Nine Inch Nails - Survivalism 9"
Nine Inch Nails - Capital G 9"
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero 2xLP (etched d-side)
Nirvana - Nevermind LP
Northless - Clandestine Abuse 2xLP (orange)
Northless - Valley of Lead 10" (green) [photo]

O
Oathbreaker - s/t 7" (clear w/ black splatter)
Orchid - Chaos is Me LP
Orgy - Blue Monday 12"
OSI - Fire Make Thunder LP (clear / black marble)
Oxbow - The Narcotic Story LP (translucent red) [photo]
Oxbow - Songs for the French 12"

P
Paint It Black - Paradise LP (clear green)
Paint It Black - New Lexicon LP (eu tour edition, clear blue)
Palehorse - Amongst the Flock LP (white w/ black splatter)
Pestilence - Doctrine LP
Pig Destroyer - Phantom Limb LP (translucent light blue)
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon LP
Pink Floyd - Wish you Were Here LP
Planes Mistaken For Stars - Mercy LP (black / white)
Portal - Seepia LP (picture disc)
Portal - Swarth 2xLP (etched d-side)
Portishead - Machine Gun 12" (etched b-side)
Poison the Well - The Opposite of December (blue) [photo]
Poison the Well - Ghostchant 10" (clear red)
Poison the Well - You Come Before You LP (clear light green)
Primitive Man - Scorn 12"
Primordial - To the Nameless Dead LP (picture disc)
Project X - Straight Edge Revenge 7" (clear)
Purgatory / Darkened Nocturn Slaughter Cult - The Legion of Chaos Split 12" (clear, etched b-side) [photo]

Q
Queens of the Stone Age - Rated R LP

R
Remembering Never - God Save Us LP (grey marble)
Risk It! - Who's Foolin' Who? LP (yellow)
Robotosaurus - Manhater 10" (clear neon yellow) [photo]
Ruination - s/t 10" (clear / usa-shaped)
Ruiner - The Lives we Fear... 7" (clear orange w/ black splatter)

S
Sabertooth Zombie - Midnight Sessions LP (white)
Sabertooth Zombie - And your Fathers... 2xLP
See You Next Tuesday - Parasite LP (clear w/ golden splatter)
See You Next Tuesday - Intervals LP (clear w/ rainbow splatter) [photo]
Seed of Pain - Thunder and Consolation 7"
Seed of Pain - Blindfolded and Doomed LP
Seed of Pain - Red Sun LP
Septic Flesh - The Great Mass LP
Sepultura - Chaos A.D. LP
Set it Straight - Live your Heart and Never Follow LP (white)
Slipknot - Iowa 2xLP
Snapcase - End Transmission LP (clear blue)
Sólstafir - Masterpiece of Bitterness 2xLP (clear)
Sólstafir - Svartir Sandar 2xLP
Soul Control - Involution LP (clear red)
Svalbard - s/t 7"
Swallowed - s/t 7"
Swans - Filth LP
Swarm of the Lotus - Torrential 7" (picture disc)
Swarm of the Lotus - The Sirens of Silence LP (swirled black / green)

T
Tear It Up - s/t 7"
Tear It Up - Just can't Stand It LP (clear blue)
Tear It Up - Nothing to Nothing LP
Tear It Up - Taking you down with me 12" (clear red) [photo]
Terra Tenebrosa - The Tunnels 2xLP (clear)
The Banner - Each Breath Haunted LP (picture disc)
The Banner - Frailty (black w/ silver splatter) [photo]
The Black Dahlia Murder - Ritual LP (green)
The Blackout Argument - Smile Like a Wolf Special Edition 7"
The Carrier - s/t 7" (white)
The Carrier - One Year Later LP (swirled yellow / red)
The Carrier - No Love can Save Me 7" (grey)
The Contortionist - Exoplanet LP (picture disc) [photo]
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Under the Running Board 7" (clear golden shower)
The Dillinger Escape Plan - s/t 12" (clear)
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works LP (clear red)
The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis LP
The End - Within Dividia LP
The End - Elementary LP (brown)
The End of Six Thousand Years - Isolation LP (clear light blue)
The Gaslight Anthem - Sink or Swim LP (clear blue)
The Gaslight Anthem - Senor and the Queen 10"
The Homefront - Sacrifice LP (clear red)
The Hope Conspiracy - Death Knows your Name LP (swirled gold / white)
The Hope Conspiracy - True Nihilist 7" (creme)
The Mongoloids - Time Trials LP (clear / clear red split)
The Swarm - Old Blue Eyes is Dead 7" (raspberry)
The Swarm - Parasitic Skies 10" (grey marble)
The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza - The Alpha - The Omega LP/7" (red marble / green marble)
Thrice - The Alchemy Index 4x10" book (clear red + clear blue + clear + brown) [photo]
Thrice - Major/Minor 2xLP (clear w/ blue splatter)
Title Fight - The Last Thing you Forget 7"
Today Is The Day - Willpower LP (clear)
Torch - Blauer Samt Re-Release 2xLP
Transit - Promise Nothing 7" (swirled clear / blue) [photo]
Trap Them - Cunt Heir to the Throne 7" (black / black and silver splatter split)
Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones 2xLP
Triptykon - Shatter 12" (white w/ black splatter)
Turmoil - The Process Of LP
Turn Away - To the Open Sea 10" (white w/ blue splatter)
Tyler, the Creator - Goblin 2xLP
Type O Negative - October Rust 2xLP

U
Under The Pledge Of Secrecy - The Convoluted Line 12" (white / pink marble)

V
Vallenfyre - A Fragile King LP (clear)
Viktor Vaughn - Vaudeville Villain 3xLP (black + black + gold)

W
War From a Harlots Mouth / Molotov Solution - Split 10" (test pressing)
War From a Harlots Mouth / Molotov Solution - Split 10" (pink)
War From a Harlots Mouth / Molotov Solution - Split 10"
War From a Harlots Mouth / The Anti Doctrine / Closed Casket Funeral / Starring Janet Leigh - 4424 Split 10"
War From a Harlots Mouth - Transmetropolitan Promo LP (clear green)
War From a Harlots Mouth - Transmetropolitan LP (grey splatter)
War From a Harlots Mouth - Transmetropolitan LP (white)
War From a Harlots Mouth - Transmetropolitan LP (pink)
War From a Harlots Mouth / Dead Flesh Fashion - Split 5" (clear, pre-order edition) [photo]
War From a Harlots Mouth - In Shoals Promo LP (EU, clear orange)
War From a Harlots Mouth - In Shoals LP (EU, white)
War From a Harlots Mouth - In Shoals / Transmetropolitan 2xLP (clear blue w/ red splatter)
War From a Harlots Mouth - In Shoals / Transmetropolitan 2xLP (clear w/ yellow and orange splatter)
War From a Harlots Mouth - In Shoals / Transmetropolitan 2xLP (swirled purple / green) [photo]
War From a Harlots Mouth / Burning Skies - Split 2x7" (white w/ blue splatter)
War From a Harlots Mouth / Burning Skies - Split 2x7" (clear green w/ red splatter)
War From a Harlots Mouth - MMX LP (test pressing)
War From a Harlots Mouth - MMX LP (clear red w/ white and black splatter) [photo]
War From a Harlots Mouth - Voyeur LP (clear)
Warbringer - Worlds Torn Asunder (gold)
Weekend Nachos - Unforgivable LP (clear red)
White Eyes - s/t 7" (clear violet marble)
Will Haven - El Diablo LP (clear red)
Will Haven - WHVN LP (white)
Will Haven - Carpe Diem LP (clear)
Will Haven - Voir Dire LP (clear yellow glitter) [photo]
Will Haven - Voir Dire LP (red / orange swirl) [photo]
Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 chambers) LP

(PRE)ORDERED / COMING SOON
Aosoth - IV: Arrow in Heart 2xLP (clear blue)
Aosoth - IV: Arrow in Heart 2xLP (blue haze)
Deftones - Live: Volume 1 - Selections From Adrenaline 12"
Deftones - Live: Volume 1 - Selections From Adrenaline 12" (180gr)
Intronaut - Void LP (silver)

MMXI

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:48:15 +0000

Top 20, or the stuff I felt like writing something about, not really in a full on particular order:

Clinging To The Trees of a Forest Fire - Visceral 10"

Pretty much the record of the year for me, if you care to know why, read my review here.

Vallenfyre - A Fragile King

Stumbled upon this by accident and it turned out to be one of my favourite records this year. Allstar project with Greg Macintosh (Paradise Lost) on the mic. Anyone who's into Death Metal, Doom, Sludge and even D-Beat and Crust will love this. There's a bunch of full blown hits on this one. It's still heavy and gloomy as fuck, yet catchy at the same time. Well done!

Northless - Clandestine Abuse

Certainly the heaviest record of the year, also the only full on Sludge album I really cared for. This genre isn't doing much to me anymore, but this record is angry and always seems to be on point, rather than focussing on drawn out parts and ambience. The vocals are fairly Hardcore-rooted, which added up to the overall pissed vibe. Something worth being checked out, more on the record here.

Transit - Promise Nothing 7"

Nice and catchy 7" with two great songs on it. Had high hopes for the following full length, but it wasn't that great. Reviewed this one, have a read here.

Will Haven - Voir Dire

Comeback of the year with Grady back on vocal duties, so it sounds as desperate and heavy as the classics. Here's my review.

Aosoth - III

Among, if not the best Black Metal album of the year. A huge step up for the band from a more tradiotional (but still awesome) type of Black Metal, into a way more experimental, twisted and chaotic direction. And yeah, I have written up a review for it: Click!

Septic Flesh - The Great Mass

Symphonic Death Metal at its best and one of the best Metal albums in 2011 in general. If you thought Dimmu Borgir is good at Symphonic Metal, wait until you've listened to this!!! My review.

††† – EP †

Chino of the Deftones has a new side project and I like it better than his last one, Team Sleep. There are two huuuge hits on this EP, and three more solid tunes. I've written an extensive review for the whole thing, though... you can have a read here.

Ulcerate - The Destroyers of All

I think we can all agree that this band is among the leading forces of extreme Metal and this is their strongest record to date. This New Zealand band managed to create a lot of ambience through mostly blasting away... the way to go!!! Read more...

Pyrrhon - An Excellent Servant But a Terrible Master

A positive surprise from the underground comes with this band and their debut full length. There's been a lot of Gorguts-worship in Death Metal this year and these guys pull it off better than most of the other bands out there. Insiders' tip of the year and here's my review!!!

Craft - Void

Pretty much my favourite more traditional inclined Black Metal band. This new record seems a bit more mature than its predecessor, but it comes along with the same great and fierce melodies I'm loving these guys for. They really know how to write a good and catchy Black Metal tune...

Cave In - White Silence

What feels like another comeback is mostly a clusterfuck of different recording sessions. I usually hate those type of records, but this one features a collection of great and accessible tracks, while still being quite experimental. How about a review?

Capsule - No Ghost

Modern Screamo. When I say that, I don't mean the bullshit people are calling Screamo nowadays, like We Came As Romans. Nah, this is still insipred by the real deal Screamo, but in a modern shape. Just a good record allaround, but since I don't listen to many of those bands anymore, I don't really know, who to recommend it to, haha...

Weekend Nachos - Worthless

To put it straight and simple, this is how I love Hardcore. Relentless, pissed and raging, heavy, crushing, and raw. These guys are blending Hardcore and Power Violence in the right way, that's for sure. I'm really tired of the whole Hardcore scene in general lately, but this album is the fuel that the fire is lacking. Check it out!

Nightbringer - Hierophany of the Open Grave

The only Black Metal band, that is capable of playing in the same league as the almighty Deathspell Omega at the moment. I liked their previous record better than this one, but this is still great. A bit more ambient, mabye. Well, guess what... I've written a review for it and you can check it out here.

Title Fight - Shed

This is a feeler, more than something that is musically ambitious. It offers raw, but catchy and melodic Punk Rock. I guess, fans of Hot Water Music or older The Gaslight Anthem might dig this, but what do I know?! It's definitely a record for the warm and sunshiny months of the year. I find it boring to listen to this album when I'm at home, but once I'm on my bicycle, this is heading up in the playlist.

Harm's Way - Isolation

Such a bleak and cold album, from one of the few Hardcore bands I am still following. These guys are heavy and they opened up to a greater range of influences, even Industrial. If you want to know more about it, check this and scroll down to the bottom.

Vengeful - Towards Obliteration / Leaping Through The Void

Didn't have this long enough to write something extensive about it, but this is one hell of a record. These guys are talented in writing desperate melodies and that really sets them apart from similiar bands. While most Tech Death Metal bands get boring fairly easy, I can't get enough of this record, even of the songs that are long as fuck, which I usually hate. Bottom line: The last record was real good, this one is heaps better. Get it!

Bitterness Exhumed - Doomridden EP

Just when I had given up all hope for the German scene, this band appears on the map. Chaotic and sludgy Hardcore for fans of Coalesce, but with a lot of breakdowns. For good... read the review.

Crowbar - Sever the Wicked Hand

One of my alltime favourite bands. This record delivers a couple of hits, but some of the material is a bit boring and repetitive at times. Still better than the album before and I also love the production on this one. It surely doesn't disappoint, but it's not their strongest record either.

More good stuff:

Baring Teeth - Atrophy (Review)
Thrice - Major/Minor
Graveyard - Hisingen Blues (Review)
Sólstafir - Svartir sandar
Blut aus Nord - 777 - Sect(s) (Review)
Defeater - Empty Days & Sleepless Nights
Concealment - Phenakism (Review)
Terra Tenebrosa - The Tunnels
Owl - Owl (Review)
Sonne Adam - Transformation
Pestilence - Doctrine (Review)
Swans - My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky
Hate Eternal - Phoenix Among the Ashes (Review)
Virus - The Agent that Shapes the Desert
The Answer - Revival
Amebix - Sonic Mass
Maruta - Forward Into Regression

On heavy rotation:

Gojira - From Mars to Sirius
The Smashing Pumpkins - Machina/The Machines of God
Deathspell Omega - Chaining the Katechon EP
Jimmy Eat World - Futures
Type O Negative - World Coming Down
Ion Dissonance - Solace
Paint It Black - Paradise
Celtic Frost - Monotheist
Lantlôs – .neon
Portal - Swarth
Mark Kozelek - Rock 'N' Roll Singer EP
Triptykon - Shatter EP
Grey Waters - Below the Ever Setting Sun EP
Nine Inch Nails - Year Zero
Zeke - Death Alley
Gorgoroth – Ad Majorem Satanhas Gloriam
Bernard Herrmann – Taxi Driver
Swans - Filth
Dead Nation - Painless 7"

Letdowns:

Decapitated - Carnival Is Forever
Their comeback album is pretty damn boring, unfortunately. I was hoping for something more, but this is repetitive and not very inspirational. Bummer!

Tyler, the Creator - Goblin
No, I didn't fall for the whole Odd Future hype at any time, but I thought Yonkers was a great and promising song and listened to it a lot. At the end of the day, the full length seemed like a huge jam with barely any structure, though. And it definitely lacks of substance. I guess that is what hypes are good for... a good track, a lot of buzz, but not much else.

Animals as Leaders - Weightless
This new album is still a showcase for over the top musicianship, but I'm missing the Fusion and Jazz elements in here. They're not entirely gone, but there are too few to make this album as diverse as the debut. Plus, it lacks those standout moments or even tracks you really need, when listening to music that is instrumental.

Hopefuls for the year 2012:

Chapters - The Imperial Skies
Young and unbelievably talented band from the UK. Imagine a mash up of Between the Buried and Me and modern Thrash Metal, not that retro shit. These guys have yet to be signed, but there is tons of potential in them. Two songs off of the record are up on YouTube, make sure to look them up.

This list might be supplemented, I'm sure I've forgotten something.

MMX

Sat, 1 Jan 2011 18:07:49 +0000

BEST RECORDS

Deathspell Omega - Paracletus
dso have been one of the most influential bands for me for the last year and i expected a lot from their new album. and it fulfilled what i was hoping for. it seems a little more accessible to me than the previous full length and the production reminds me of 'kenôse'. i'd prefer a sound similiar to the 'chaining the katechon' ep, which would still be my favourite dso-release, but it's still working well the way it has been done. most definitely a or most likely the highlight in 2010. alone for not failing my expectations at all.

Circa Survive - Blue Sky Noise
i still remember how these guys released their debut and how i liked it for a while and from one day to another, i couldn't listen to it at all anymore. the second full length didn't impress me at all, but now 'blue sky noise' is most definitely their strongest record to date. it is so catchy, yet progressive and somewhat experimental, musically. there is a lot of vibe and atmosphere in all of these songs, while the hooklines and vocals are literally out of this world. couldn't get most of them out of my head for weeks and still listen to it every now and then, only to find out it's still blowing me out of my socks.

Ion Dissonance - Cursed
a highly anticipated album and musically it doesn't disappoint at all. to me it seems like a much more logical progression to 'solace', than 'minus the herd' did. the production sounds great and the de-tuned 8-strings are doombringers, literally. i am quite disappointed about the lyrics, though. they can't keep up with the musical step up from the last record and seriously lack of the slightest substance. i know they aren't supposed to be serious, but what's the deal with that?! that doesn't really make it better in the end, i must say. anyhow...overall 'cursed' is still a very enjoyable record, as long as you don't listen to the lyrics all too much.

Celeste - Morte(s) Nee(s)
a post hardcore band that incorporates a lot of black metal influences, but they've always been doing that, which has been quite a few years now already. this record is very cold and harsh and makes you feel bad, it's as simple as that. there's not too much post-influence anyhow, it's pretty in-your-face for what it is and that's what i really like about this record. also, it's way better than their previous record, which has been really well received already. but i didn't like that one all too much, so i appreciate the step up on 'morte(s) nee(s)' a lot.

Castevet - Mounds of Ash
i'm usually not a huge fan of these hipster black metal bands, which sound much more like a post hardcore band, than anything else. anyhow, i'm not closed-minded enough to let a good band slip through, haha. and castevet's 'mounds of ash' is just a good listen in the end. it got a very coherent vibe to it and i love to spin it on my ipod, whenever i'm on a train ride or something alike. i generally dislike most of these bands, 'cause i'm mostly tired of the whole post rock, -core and whatever-pseudo-dreamy-guitartunes-thing, but this band manages to work out a good balance and that makes for a good record, even if they can't keep up with celeste in the end.

Cower - Land before time
someone on here recommended this band, i gave it a spin and instantly pre-ordered their debut full length from a very small label overseas. the 12" came with a silk-screened sleeve and with a hand-written note from the guy who put it out. he was "greatful about being able to connect with people all over the world through the hardcore scene and underground". i really appreciate the effort and attitude that went into this, because all in all this is something that became pretty damn rare in hardcore today. anyhow, cower offer a great hardcore / punk record with a lot of dry, southern-ish rock influence and surprise with great clean singing every now and then. support this!!!

Torch Runner - Locust Swarm
since i've been getting real tired of everything converge has been putting out since 'no heroes', i've been happy about similiar bands, which still provide what converge used to offer (or might still offer, but it just doesn't get at me anymore). after robotosaurus' debut full length 'manhater' in 2009, this record is another one on that list. it's super pissed, fast, straight to your face and one of the most angry things to come out this year.

Defeater - Lost Ground EP
one of the very few hardcore records that impressed me in 2010. i really dig the story-telling type of lyrics and the songs all sound very emotional and stirring. it doesn't do much for me anymore, i guess i just overplayed it a bit, but it's still a very good release.

All Pigs Must Die - All Pigs Must Die EP
nice little allstar project with its debut release and it's been so much of a grower. didn't impress me much when checking it our for the first few times, but then it got at me. good stuff for any deathwish- and kurt ballou production-worshipper.

All Out War - Into The Killing Fields
so this is metalcore how it should be. slayer riff-offs meeting mosh, pissed off attitude, basically just 90's-sounding hardcore with a lot of thrash metal-influence. this band doesn't really move forward or evolve, but i do appreciate that in their case. a great record to do any sort of endurance training while playing it, 'cause it's sooo repetitive. it used to be my running soundtrack until das uberwinter was coming for us.

Harm's Way - No Gods No Masters EP
apart from the fact that i'm pretty tired of the whole god free-hype among hardcore bands in 2010 (as much as this is something i'd agree with generally), this is one of the few releases that doesn't annoy with that. i mean, just look at that steroid edge frontman! his presence just screams violence, hate and disapproval, so...you want to sing about your religious disapproval? fair enough, dude! i don't wanna mess with you, i bet you're serious, haha! also, 'fantasy' is one of the best hardcore songs in 2010. sooo fucking heavy! makes me wanna beat the shit out of everyone.

DISAPPOINTMENTS

Deftones - Diamond Eyes
the deftones are one of the few bands i'm always super excited for, whenever they announce they're working on new material. so now that 'eros' has never seen the light of day, because they decided to record something entirely new, i was quite thrilled about what it would sound like. the first single 'rocket skates' was a huge disappointment then, because it was just too boring, repetitive and uninspired. the title track was the next tune to be released before the whole album finally leaked, and i liked it a lot. in the end it's one of a very few standout tracks besides 'sextape' and '976-EVIL', though. and i'd say it's the weakest deftones record besides 'adrenaline' overall. 'diamond eyes' reminds of the debut in its heavier moments anyways, especially the riffing - it's just tuned lower now. however, i hope 'eros' is gonna make it to the surface one day and i also hope the next record is gonna be better than this. the deftones are still one of my favourite bands of all time, but 'diamond eyes' disappoints on the long run. and you can't say i didn't try...it got a shitton of plays, but oh well...

Triptykon - Eparistera Daimones
well...not exactly a full blown disappointment, this is still a solid record! but after what 'monotheist' was doing to me with its unbelievable grim vibe, triptykon just weren't able to keep up with that. i really like some of the tracks on that record, such as the opening tune, but all in all i'm not feeling it.

The Dillinger Escape Plan - Option Paralysis
just like with 'ire works', dillinger don't manage to impress me anymore. well, there is something they are doing better than a lotta bands out there: they are awesome at writing catchy hooklines. so honestly, while the chaotic and techy shit just repeats what they've been doing better in the past, i'd hope for a record with nothing but catchy songs. imagine an album filled with tracks like 'black bubblegum', 'unretrofied' or 'milk lizard' and not a single shriek shriek shriek-riff that is trying to recapture the past. i'd love the hell out of it!

ON HEAVY ROTATION

Deathspell Omega - Chaining the Katechon EP / Fas - Ite, ...
Planes Mistaken For Stars - Mercy
Nine Inch Nails - With Teeth / Still
Gaza - He is Never Coming Back
k-the-i??? - Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
Arkhon Infaustus - Orthodoxyn
Paint It Black - Paradise
The End - Elementary / Within Dividia
Gorgoroth - Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam
Chris Isaak - Best Of
AUTOCUE - Epilogue EP
Jesu / Battle of Mice - Split
Starring Janet Leigh - spectrum
Ulcerate - Of Fracture and Failure
Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness
Portal - Swarth
Jimmy Eat World - Bleed American
D'Angelo - Voodoo
Type O Negative - World Coming Down
Seed of Pain - Blindfolded & Doomed
Genghis Tron - Board up The House
Brand New - The Devil and God are Raging Inside Me
Aosoth - Ashes of Angels
Misfits - Famous Monsters
Marilyn Manson - Mechanical Animals
Glorior Belli - Manifesting the Raging Beast
Turmoil - The Process of
Small Brown Bike - The River Bed

BEST SHOWS

Gaza - Sucks'n'Summer Open Air, Leisnig
Watain - Summer Breeze Open Air, Dinkelsbühl
Sabertooth Zombie - Cassiopeia, Berlin
The Hope Conspiracy - Cassiopeia, Berlin
Despised Icon - Summer Breeze Open Air, Dinkelsbühl
Ion Dissonance - K17, Berlin
Amenra - Friction Fest, Berlin
Heaven Shall Burn - With Full Force Festival, Löbnitz
Snapcase - Vainstream Beastfest, Wiesbaden
Bleeding Through - Posthalle, Würzburg