Review: Hacktivist

12/12/13 - Camden Underworld presents Hacktivist on their first UK headline tour

Supporting act The Algorithm took to the stage accompanied by groove master Mike Malyan from Monuments. Progressive electronic music is a great showcase of the potential of sound manipulation as it stands as a style. No stranger to the experimental and creative ways of the sound, we were invited on a warped tour of his own forged soundscape, presenting new noises for our minds to define. The presense of a live drummer and passages of typical and tame electronic music kept you grounded in reality throughout, as a means of stopping your mind from being taken away completely.

Hacktivist ran on stage and immediately ignited the crowd. Huge energy from beginning to end, half fueled by the possessed crowd and half by the proficient rhythm section. The mix of conscious rap and heavy 'djent' style instrumentation really worked well in captivating and involving the crowd. 'Unlike Us' and their famous cover of 'Niggas In Paris' were definitely the highlights of their set. The relationship between the two vocalists was fantastic in the way that one would mime and act out what the other was saying, combined with creative phrasing, lyrical content and message resulted in their music being very relatable and engaging.

Job well done chaps. Awesome live performance and very much looking forward to the album release in the new year!

Xchange: Northlane

Fancied giving these guys a little spotlight seeing as they are a new favourite band of mine and so happy they were announced supporting Architects with Stray From The Path!

I feel I have a growing obsession for Australian bands and Northlane are definitely one of the highlighted groups in that tasty list. I have always awed over their technicality and originality of rhythms and instrumentation as well as the dynamics of the vocals. The low growls to the high screams are just a perfect combination within this style of music.

Their song Dispossession stuck out to me because of the intro. The clean guitar riff before the drop is just so chunky. I can never help but scream along to 'Exposing my weakness the world will see, the world will see, what I ever, what I ever, what I ever f**king wanted' gets me going every time, very punchy and memorable. They give me everything I look for in a heavy band and being a songwriter myself I can appreciate all this as well as the lyrical content.

Three album releases so far, being 'Discoveries', 'Hollow Existence' and 'Singularity', their latest album. I have these on shuffle most days because each album is so brilliantly crafted, craving to see them perform live, s'gunna be brutal!

 www.facebook.com/Northlane

 @Northlane

Xchange: Papafish

Ska tripped over rock and face planted into reggae - So claim my latest find, Papafish.

Heading to The Slidebar in Fullerton with my earlier discovery, The Two Tone Boners, the sounds of Papafish caught my attention and have been firmly stuck in my head ever since.

With their unique blend of styles topped by the incredible voice of Nancy Rae, you can’t help but move and sing along to these tracks.

Papafish deliver a high energy and memorable live performance for a fresh and fun show. This is a talented group of musicians with a creative melting pot of influences finding its way seamlessly into their songs. Their lyrics are original, catchy, and packed full of attitude.  

This summer they headed to Jamaica to record with Stephen Marley, after winning the first ever Marley’s Music Uprising contest. Their debut EP ‘The Lab’ is available now while you await their next offering. 

www.facebook.com/papafishband

@Papafishband

Replay: Billy Talent

Billy Talent have released a 10th Anniversary edition of Billy Talent which includes the original disc, plus a second disc of demos, live recordings and special, in-studio performances.

The debut studio album was released in September 2003 and was certified three times platinum in Canada in 2007. It spurred the successful release of singles 'Try Honesty', 'The Ex', 'River Below' and 'Nothing to Lose'.

BT1 paved the way for an impressive punk-rock career, followed by the second and third Billy Talent albums and their most recent release Dead Silence (2012).

Following the progression through a variety of tracks this is an album that will never get old. With exciting instrumentals, catchy melodies, and passionate vocals, this is an outstanding replay.

Billy Talent 

Benjamin Kowalewicz - Vocals

Ian D'Sa - Guitar/Backing Vocals

Jon Gallant - Bass/Backing Vocals

Aaron Solowoniuk - Drums

Review: Karnivool

Koko presents: +Karnivool  and Tesseract. 

Nov, 21. 2013

Starting off the double bill was the British sensation that is Tesseract. A group of musical sculptures specialising in progressive, groove goodness. Quoted as, "One of the bands to pioneer the 'djent' movement in progressive metal,". What was given to us was an exemplary performance on how well-crafted music should sound. 

Captivating and ambient instrumentals from their latest release Altered State, including the crowd pleasing 'Nocturne' single, as well as some gems from their 'One' album initiating fits of moshing and head-banging. Pitch perfect Ashe O'Hara, newest edition to Tesseract (joining in 2012), explains during an interview their style which perfectly sums up their performance: "Groovy and euphoric progressive soundscapes that we’re known for," and that's exactly what they gave. 

Second on the bill were Karnivool, a progressive band from down under. Evoking a spiritual, stand-in-awe feeling with songs from their latest release Aysmmetry and then igniting mosh pits songs such as 'The Refusal' which is definitely one of Aysemmtry's heavier songs with scream vocals from Jon Stockman on bass, 'Set Fire To The Hive', 'Themata' and 'Simple Boy'. 

Ending with 'New Day' for a climatic encore end to the night, the spine-tingling sensation of the entire crowd singing along reinforced the whole atmosphere created by the more thoughtful songs which left everyone on a high as we left the venue in a calm stroll.

Tesseract official website
Karnivool official website

Xchange: Speaking The King's

+SpeakingTheKings are a rock / post-hardcore band formed in Orange County, CA, during 2011. 

In a short amount of time they already have some impressive achievements under their belt. They have recorded with A Day To Remember producer, songwriter and former guitarist Tom Denney, released a music video and EP 'Here To Stay' via Nuclear Blast Records and toured throughout Southern California, Las Vegas and Arizona, alongside acts such as Of Mice & Men, We Came As Romans, Bleeding Through and Blessthefall.

www.facebook.com/speakingthekings

They most recently played The House of Blues in Anaheim with Dayseeker for their CD release show which was an impressive live set. Have a listen for the breakdowns and screams you would expect from a hardcore metal band, alongside a pop-punk feel.

Review: Senses Fail

+Senses Fail at the Troubadour, West Hollywood. Nov, 10. 2013

With For The Fallen Dreams, Expire & Being As An Ocean 

Post-hardcore veterans Senses Fail have an impressive and extensive backlog, cataloguing several albums since their birth onto the music scene in 2002. Their latest album ‘Renacer’ captures a redefining chapter, arguably delivering their heaviest and most adventurous sound.

My own journey with Senses Fail started in May this year at The Underworld in London where they were supported by a personal favourite, Marmozets. I was struck by their energy and devoted following, and it was a pleasure to find myself coming full circle for the end of their state-side tour.

Opening the night was Californian melodic hardcore band Being As An Ocean. They break through with some original aspects, such as their spoken word interludes, to avoid the dangerous air of monotony that many bands of this genre can find themselves in. A lasting impression comes from the moment their guitarist climbs upwards into the Troubadour loft, continuing to play in a bat-like stance, hooked upside down from the balustrades.

Shining through for me was Expire, a hardcore band from Milwaukee. They delivered a stand out performance, with high energy seemingly driven from pure aggression. Their 2012 album ‘Pendulum Swings’ has a catchy nature with crowd pleasing breakdowns. The fast, short tracks are filled with power and diversity, their furious display matched only by the spin kicking intensity taking off in the pit.

Next up was For The Fallen Dreams, who’s history and reception seems to contrast their live performance. Formed in 2003 they have released four full length albums, with a glance at their extensive back log of past members suggesting they have struggled to find their sound. But in spite of the criticisms that circle this band, this wasn’t to be seen from the Troubadour stage.

For The Fallen Dreams have settled on a winning combination, striking the balance between metal and melody. This was a thoroughly enjoyable live set driving the crowd wild, building the anticipation and energy for our headliners.

With so much to offer Senses Fail are wildly unpredictable, maintaining your devoted attention and energy throughout their set. From weighty guitars, drums pounding out a crowd moving rhythm, pulses of energy unleashing from the stage, primal screams and classic melodic sounds, every aspect is thrown bare before your eyes. But this is certainly not all about the music; a deeper look reveals lyrics which are both an inward therapy for the band, and an outward form of communication for their listeners. Taking you from the mantra of ‘let it go’ (Closure/Rebirth) through a series of thought provoking moments, while still maintaining their hardcore mosh-pit inducing sound.

Senses Fail isn’t just a band that shows up and plays. They connect with the crowd and show a true appreciation for their fans and the journey they have taken. It’s an interesting moment to take a step back from the insanity of the pits and all our stage diving antics to reflect with a room full of strangers on the reason we’re all here and what’s brought us together. That’s before another breakdown throws you back into the riot…

From this brave new incarnation you truly can expect the unexpected. This was an outstanding close to what must have been an impressive tour and one that I will hold on to for a long time. 

Replay: Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park

Following the headline announcement from Download Festival 2014 many people have returned to an old favourite, Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory album.

Their debut album was released in 2000 reaching global success, and it has remained a favourite over a decade later.

Hybrid Theory produced four hit singles for Linkin Park - One Step Closer, Crawling, Papercut, and In The End.

This a lyrically and musically impressive album fuelled with angst and emotion. Their unique nu-metal sound paved the way for a successful career, yet most fans still hold strong to the Linkin Park origins.

Xchange: Struckout

Struckout are a Long Beach band making a lot of noise with their punk essence.

I caught them performing live at a CSULB Underground Music Society show in September and have been listening to their album I'd Hate Me Too (2013). 

While not perfect and a little rough around the edges, there's some interesting progressive tones in there and a wide variety between the tracks. They're giving it their all, especially in the enticing bass lines and exasperated vocals, and the potential for something bigger shines through. 

Review: Circles

London-based Exist Immortal were the first on the bill. Tight and well orchestrated melodic metal is what was given to us. I was particularly impressed with their front man, consistent, powerful and controlled cleans, screams and falsetto lead vocals throughout the set definitely proved their worth and promise in the coming future.

As Exist Immortal set the pins up, Bovine came in and knocked them down with a mad, energetic performance of the likes I have never seen before. The Birmingham rock/hardcore band built on the momentum even more as the set progressed increasing the anticipation of Circles. Strings breaking, drum sticks snapping, chaos struck The Garage tonight in the form of Bovine

Circles brought to the floor yet another showcase, I have witnessed in awe, of what the Aussies can do. Featuring songs from their newly released 'Infinitas' album and ending on a cherry picked selection of songs from 'The Compass' made their set diverse and engaging. Front man of Circles executed flawless, melodically dynamic cleans throughout the set as expected. That combined with syncopated, grooves we are used to resulted in a potent spectrum of sound satisfying the eardrums. Even amongst the crowd were Monuments members Olly Steele and Chris Barretto headbanging away, I think that's all the recommendation needed!

Circles - A group who meet and excel beyond high expectations.

16/10/2013 - The Garage - Highbury & Islington

Exist Immortal - Bandcamp

Bovine - Bandcamp

Circles - Official website

Xchange: Marmozets

For this Xchange I'm heading back to my London roots, with a band I've seen many times at The Underworld in Camden.

Marmozets are a British bred band, fronted by Becca Macintyre. They are fast paced and exciting, with intense vocals and ear splitting screams.

My most recent Marmozets experience was in May, where they supported Senses Fail. The gig was one that I'll never forget, as the band couldn't be contained and broke free from the stage, with even the drummer and entire drum kit being lifted into the pit. 

The eager crowd were given a taste of the new single, "Move Shake Hide", which has been announced for release on November 18th via Roadrunner Records. 

Marmozets have now released the video for "Move Shake Hide" which is an exciting depiction of their style. You feel drawn into the performance, which captures Becca's unique stage presence and a sense of fun complete with UV face paint.

While the music is serious this is a band that won't take the fatal fall into taking themselves too seriously. 

I guarantee you'll be screaming along with the captivating cries of "I'm alive" and spend the rest of the day singing - "Move shake, move shake and hide!"

Review: Twelve Foot Ninja

SO, I went to see a Twelve Foot Ninja gig in the Barfly, Camden and damn was I greeted with some pleasant and unexpected surprises.

Up first were Shattered Skies: a four piece progressive metal group. I had only heard rough studio recordings of their stuff so I wasn't expecting a miracle, but what I heard was not far off. Energetic and tightly executed songs with impressively consistent clean vocals. Intricate bass lines and melodic riffs and solos from the guitarist definitely had the crowd 100% engaged throughout their set.

Next up were Hypno5e. Now, I had never heard what the French could do with their metal but damn was I in for a treat. I had honestly never heard such beautiful dissonant breakdowns with delicate clean interludes like I have with these lot. The synergy from section to section was creative and unique, an inspiring style of songwriting. Consistent flurry of emotive and captivating harmonies between the guitar parts was a definite highlight to their performance for me. Tied with a well equipped lead vocalist with soft, falsetto cleans and whipping out the brutal and sharp screams for the breakdowns, I was very impressed with my first encounter of Hypno5e.

Now onto the Twelve Foot Ninjas, the group from Down Under. The crowd seemed to flock from the woodworks as soon as they went on stage. Their second song, Mother Sky, promised them a crowd at their complete mercy. We were putty in their hands, moulding us from a wave of head-bobbers with their funky, jazzy, reggae-y verses, to a mosh-pit with their heavy breakdowns and choruses. The floor literally warped as the collective reception shook the foundations of the building. It being their first gig ever in Europe the group were flabbergasted as I quote, "we were not expecting this kind of reception," and neither was I, despite my admiration for such a pioneering band. Also, interestingly enough, they hold a record $52,000 raised in 28 days solely by fans in funding their next music video and production of their upcoming album!!

Overall, we have an eclectic collection of three bands bringing to the table, melodic groove metal with epic vocals, the French's impressive showcase of their creativity harmonies and dynamic vocals, with clean interludes contrasting with heavy, brutal passages and lastly, the icing on the cake - Twelve Foot Ninja.

Twelve Foot Ninja - Bandcamp
Hypno5e - Bandcamp
Shattered Skies - Bandcamp

Xchange: The Two Tone Boners

Ska has never been a genre that I've really been a part of, but recently my feelings have changed with this new addition to my playlist.

Last week The Two Tone Boners played the Underground Music Society's first event of the semester at The Nugget, on campus at CSULB.

This local band is bringing ska to the area with full force and I'm off to LA next week for another gig. Its hard to ignore their full frontal sound and they certainly left an impact with me.

Have a listen for something a bit different and a lot of fun!



Read the UMS event review: http://csulbstudyabroad.blogspot.com/2013/09/csulb-underground-music-society.html

About Us

With a passion for sharing great music we bring you The Music Xchange

Living over 5,000 miles apart won't stop us from collaborating our musical experiences. Studying abroad in Long Beach for a year Kealie offers the best that California has to offer, while Coran delivers the latest talents to take to London. We will be contributing music recommendations, live reviews and more, for our own indulgence and the expansion of your musical minds.

If you would like to send any music our way or recommend local gigs please get in touch. Enjoy!

Kealie Mardell

www.kealiemardell.co.uk

+Kealie Mardell 

Twitter: @KealieMardell

Coran Clohessy 

www.coranclohessy.blogspot.com

+Coran Clohessy 

Twitter: @CoranC