This is Currents’ fifth release and second studio album, and all I can say is WOW! What a record! This style of metalcore has always been my favorite. This album has a great combination of growls and screams along with clean vocals. There are some songs on this album (A Flag to Wave and Poverty of Self) that are extremely heavy. The riffs in these songs are awesome. You also have songs like “Better Days” that has both screams and cleans in them. This song balances out both vocal techniques beautifully and the harmonies along with the music creates a beautiful song.
This album has more boasting lyrical content along with some beefy riffs. Currents style somewhat reminds me of Architects with their transitions. They have a very electric sound that they combined with technical progressive elements. The into track, “It Was Never There” builds incredible suspense. This was a great first taste of what the album has to offer. They then pick up the pace with “A Flag to Wave” and “Poverty of Self.” The choruses in their songs are really catchy and easily get you to bang your head. Tracks like “Monster” bring that crunchy heavy sound with bellowing vocals and screeching riffs. “Kill the Ache” is the poster child song for metalcore. It is a feel-good track that takes you on a journey. “Let Me Leave” is a more soft and melodic song that highlights Wile’s clean vocals. I love bands who have both a great growl and cleans.
You can easily see that Currents was having fun with this record and you can also tell that they put a lot of thought in their songs and how they would make the listener feel. I love albums like this because you can easily tell that the band has put in a lot of time, effort, and dedication for this record. Everything is 100% authentic and it helped create an amazing record.
Erika aka ‘The Saw’ is a DJ at WKNC and has also been the Chainsaw music director for over three years now. She’s worked multiple other positions including Content Creator and Content Manager. As NACC’s DJ of the month for June 2019, The Saw has also emceed the State Fair and introduced Between the Buried and in 2018. Also in 2019, she taught 2 workshops at the CBI convention! The Saw’s work is endless also including interviewing bands, writing blog posts for WKNC and a personal website, hosting ‘The Saw’s Electric Chair Heavy Metal Podcast’, and so much more.
In this episode, The Saw gives us insight into how she got into metal and how it set her on her current path. Both her parents are metalheads who met in a mosh pit, “it’s in my roots” she said. The DJ was also exposed to metal through her older brothers and cousins who were in local bands and was involved with the scene since she was 8. At age 14 she went to her first Carolina Rebellion. “This is where I’m supposed to be, this is where I belong,” she said she knew this as soon as the show started “it filled a void in my heart,” after this she said “metal was always there for me.”
As far as getting into working at WKNC the DJ says her father told her about the station and suggested she try out DJing Chainsaw. She said she had no idea before and when she checked she saw that no one was currently in the genre. This is where she decided to fill the gap and started her mission to share metal with more people and make sure people see how special the genre is.
This is where Erika’s mission comes in. “There’s a stigma that metalheads are mean and you can’t talk to them” she says. “The music might sound one way but the people are very kind.” Erika wants to show people the truth behind the genre and that there’s no need to stigmatize or judge based on how the music might sound. Since metal got her out of a rut, she wants to do anything she can to give back to the music. She says metal is an underground genre right now, so she wants to do all she can to shine some light on the genre and the bands in it, “I wouldn’t be here without the local bands.” This is why The Saw started ‘The Bone Cruncher,’ her local metal segment at WKNC. This helped ‘The Butcher Shop,’ gain another segment and that is when The Saw took off.
As I mentioned, The Saw has a website, attached below, this is where she showcases all of her work. She plans to use the site to continue her work after college, using it as a ground base. She soon realized “I can really do something with this website.” She considers all of these platforms a way to show off all the band’s hard work, and she enjoys her role in the community. Especially being able to support these bands. She said she loves “seeing the community come together” and that “the DIY scene in all genres, it’s all helping one another out.” She’s participated in many benefit shows (Crowdkill for Cancer and WKNC’s First Chainsaw Show where she emceed) and says seeing the people come together is really what makes it worth it and what keeps her going. She enjoys the friendship and commodity of the scene. “You can be happy, metal isn’t that sad to be honest.”
As The Saw says “I’ve been a metalhead my entire life, it’s a lifestyle for me,” “my blood type is type o-negative, (which is) a metal band… that’s not a coincidence.”
Led Zeppelin is one of those bands that everybody knows. They opened the door for many bands after them. Even though their music was released in the 1970s, their music sounds as if it was released in this day and age. There is something about Led Zeppelin’s music that moves me. It relates to me in a way that other bands do not. The rawness of their music and the talent that all the members had created an amazing band. My mom used to listen to Led Zeppelin all the time and played them when I was little. At a young age I was introduced to this band and 21 years later, I still listen to them on a daily basis. I would also argue that the style in which Led Zeppelin played influenced metal and opened the door for metal bands. I think this because when listening to Led Zeppelin, it’s dark. The music, the lyrics, and the overall vibe is dark, and this is where I believe it correlates to metal. Led Zeppelin’s music may not be as fast, heavy, and technical as today’s bands, but they all have that overall theme of darkness.
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of Robert Plant (vocalist), Jimmy Page (guitarist), John Paul Jones (bassist), and John Bonham (drums). With their heavy guitar driven sound, they are regularly cited as one of the pioneers of heavy metal, although their influences included a variety of blues and folk music. When looking at the members of Led Zeppelin, they had a super-group. By a super-group I mean that each member is the best at their instrument. You had four extremely talented musicians that formed a band and this was a force to be reckoned with. With so much talent also comes hardships and struggles. There are positive and negative factors when having such a talented band like Led Zeppelin.
After changing their name from New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records, although they were unpopular with critics, they achieved commercial success with eight studio albums. Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin’s music while Plant supplied the lyrics. The latter half of Led Zeppelin’s career saw a series of record-breaking tours and had fans all around the world.
Things were coming to an end during the late 1970s and the group disbanded following the death of their drummer John Bonham. There have been many successful reunion shows with Bonham’s son (Jason) on drums.
Led Zeppelin is known to be one of the most successful bands due to their sales success, fame, and talent. They influenced many hard rock and metal bands such as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Queen, Aerosmith, Megadeth, Tool, Dream Theater, the Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Sound Garden, and Pearl Jam.
When watching Breaking the Band on Reelz tv channel, they did a segment on Led Zeppelin which lead me to write a post about them. A fun fact that I learned was that Jimmy Page was interested in the occult and black magic. The symbols on their album release in 1971 have been argued to be black magic symbols. Some of the symbols are used to describe Egyptian Gods and Goddesses. Jimmy Page said that he believed Led Zeppelin’s success of their release, Led Zeppelin IV (1971) and the hit song off that album, Stairway to Heaven, was because of the use of these symbols and the magic behind them.
Discography:
Led Zeppelin (1969)
Led Zeppelin II (1969)
Led Zeppelin III (1970)
Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
House of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Presence (1976)
In Through the Out Door (1979)
Coda (1982)
Favorite Songs:
Kashmir
Stairway to Heaven
Black Dog
Ramble On
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You
When the Levee Breaks
What are some of your favorite Led Zeppelin songs?
Ahhh yes, one of my all-time favorite records by Miss May I. This band is the band that got me into heavier music when I first started listening to metal. My brothers and cousin used to play Miss May I all the time, and I thought that this band would be the perfect opening to get into heavier music, and I was right.
I remember when this album was released. I was leaving the beach with my dad and on our way back home, we played this album over and over again. To this day, I still go back and listen to this album. In my opinion, it is one of Miss May I’s most dynamic records. It is very technical in its overall sound. While listening to each song on this album, you can hear the different riffs being layered onto one another along with the drums. Deathless showcases that Miss May I is a force in the metal world to be reckoned with.
With this record, Miss May I went back to their traditional, old school sound that’s reminiscent of their 2010 single, “Relentless Chaos.” It appeared that on this album, the band returned to the roots and evolved their songwriting skills. Deathless is the most dynamic record the band has ever released, and the title track reflects the nature of the complexity put into the album. From thrash riffs to symptomatic “woahs,” Levi Benton (vocalist) and Ryan Neff (bassist and clean vocalist) play off one another to bring the best of both worlds.
There is no argument that Miss May I are talented musicians, however, the musicianship displayed on Deathless breaks new ground for Miss May I’s skill set. I would argue that Deathless is the best record Miss May I has released to date and will reach listeners far beyond the metalcore genre.
Favorite Songs:
Deathless
I.H.E.
Bastards Left Behind
Turn Back The Time
The Artificial
What is your favorite Miss May I record? What is your favorite song off of Deathless?
What’s going on butcher crew? I know my past few blog posts have not been about metal artists, but I wanted to highlight other artists that I like that are outside the realm of metal. We are throwing some flavor into the Butcher Shop!!!
I first started listening to Isaiah Rashad second semester of my sophomore year of college. I was hanging out with one of my friends and she was playing Wat’s Wrong and it caught my eye. I am a fan of songs that have a jazzy rap vibe with lo-fi beats. I don’t know if I describe that correctly but if you listen to that song you will understand what I mean, I promise.
I started listening to Rashad on my own and I loved his style. When I begin to really like an artist, I will listen to their entire discography. His overall style in my opinion is very calming and soothing. Rashad is very raw and blunt with his lyrics, it’s like reading someone’s diary and they are venting their deepest darkest secrets. He is very open about what he has dealt with and what he is currently dealing with. I like artist that are open within their music because they are being real. I can’t relate to mainstream rap that is played today, but artist like Rashad rap about issues that majority of people can relate to in one way or another.
I love and appreciate music that is raw and is open. This reminds me of bands like KoRn and Alice in Chains (two of my favorites). When listening to KoRn’s debut album, KoRn, Jonathan Davis is very open in his lyrics and you can feel the emotion of the song because of it. Likewise, Alice in Chains is the same. When listening to Layne Staley’s (RIP) voice, you can hear the pain behind it. I can hear this same style of raw emotions in Rashad’s music.
Rashad is a 29-year-old rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer from Chattanooga Tennessee. He began to seriously start rapping when he was in the tenth grade and him and his friends would record on their laptops. He then would record in local studios and his first breakout would be touring with rappers Juicy J, Joey Badass and Smoke DZA on the 2012 Smoker’s Club Tour.
In 2013, Rashad signed to Top Dawg Entertainment record label and in 2014 he released Cilvia Demo and then in 2016 he released The Sun’s Tirade (my favorite album).
Rashad’s music is characterized by its woozy, nostalgic tone and raw lyrics about depression, drug addiction, and family. There is a sense of vulnerability when listening to his songs. Although with this type of intensity, the beats are very smooth and give a good bounce and groove to the songs. Rashad also has some hype songs like my two personal favorites: Tity and Dolla and A Lot. Rashad is very open about his battle with depression and struggles with substance abuse. He wears his influences and emotions on his sleeve and shares it through the music he makes. Not only does his music help his listeners, but I believe it also helps himself.
Rashad’s last full-length, The Sun’s Tirade, was released in 2016. On April 22, 2020 he released the single Why Worry. I was very excited for the release because it has been almost 4 years since he has released anything. Some of Rashad’s fans have been desperately longing for new music and some of his fans have harassed him for a new album. I don’t understand this type of reaction because Rashad seems like the type of artist that wants his music to be true to him and not rushed. He will release music when he is ready. I would rather wait for Rashad to release an album or single when he is ready rather than the music being rushed and not being what Rashad wants.
So, Isaiah, you are doing great. You’re doing great sweetie, we will wait. Thank you for the single though.
Discography:
Cilvia Demo (2014)
Nelly (single) (2015)
Smile (single) (2016)
The Sun’s Tirade (album) (2016)
Why Worry (single) (2020)
Favorite Songs:
Wat’s Wrong
4r Da Squaw
Sikk da Shocka
Tity and Dolla
Have you listened to Isaiah Rashad? What is your favorite song?
It’s been 3 months without going to a live show and honestly… I don’t know how I am still sane. I am usually at a show twice a week so this new “normal” of no live shows for a while has not been a good time. I miss my friends and I miss seeing bands. I miss the energy a live show gives off and the atmosphere that a venue has when the crowd is as into the music as the bands are.
Not only is this a hard time for fans, but also for bands/artists, venues, and booking companies. Every show I had planned this summer is now cancelled and it is very discouraging to see. A lot of people make a living and have a career in music so this time is very difficult for them but also everyone else.
I believe that live music brings different people together because they all have a bond and a connection to the music. I have had some great social experiments and people watching at shows. I miss seeing a wide a variety of people and feeling the energy of the crowd during a breakdown.
Now bands are still releasing music which I am thankful for and some bands are doing virtual shows. I think this is very inventive and works during the time that we are in. But nothing will ever compare to actually being at a show. I have watched some virtual shows, but I tend to watch live sets on YouTube of my favorite bands. I will have dance parties alone in my room and I would just act like I am at a show. This is honestly one of my favorite things to do.
What’s going on Butcher Crew? It’s ya girl, your Master Butcher, The Saw and school is out so that means summer is in!! Summer brings some happy vibes for me and summer is a great time to listen to music with your car windows down and soaking up the sun!
This playlist will be something different. These are some of my favorite songs to listen to in the summertime! The majority of these songs will not be metal BUT that does not mean that they do not slap!! I like to listen to a wide variety of songs, and this is the playlist I use when hanging out with my friends by a bonfire during the summer. This playlist will give you a taste of the other sides of The Saw.
This playlist consists of rap, rock, and psychedelic music that always puts me in the summer mood. I hope this playlist provides you with some good times, good laughs, and fun during your summer break!
Summer Invasion Playlist (some of my favorite songs)
· Rockstar – Dababy
· Savage – Megan Thee Stallion
· Juicy – Doja Cat
· Special Affair – The Internet
· Diamonds & Gold – Mac Miller
· Versace – Migos
· South Beach – Ty Dolla $ign
· Distraction – Kehlani
· I’m Different – 2 Chainz
· Steamroller – Domo Genesis
· Act Up – City Girls
· My Type – Saweetie
· Bootsy Bellows – Wiz Khalifa
· Amphetamine – Smino
· Nights Like This – Kehlani
· Runnin’ Thru The 7th With My Woadies – $uicideBoy$
Megan Thee Stallion is on the rise as one of the hottest rappers right now with her hit singles, styles, and fierce attitude. The first time I heard of Megan Thee Stallion was a few years ago when she participated in the Houston Cypher freestyle. In my opinion, she stole the show with her freestyle. It had attitude, flow, and rhymes that no one could match! Her lyrics are provocative and I think the genre is missing this type of style from female rappers.
Megan Thee Stallion was born as Megan Jovon Ruth Pete on February 15, 1995 in Bexar County, Texas and raised in the South Park neighborhood in Houston. Her mother, Holly Thomas, rapped under the name “Holly-Wood” and brought Megan to the studio instead of putting her daughter in daycare. So at a young age, Megan was introduced to the music industry and to the rap genre.
Megan began writing her own raps at the age of 16. Her mother thought her lyrics were too suggestive for her age and suggested she pursue her rap career when she turns 21. She. Graduated from Pearland High School in 2013. Also, in 2013, a clip of Megan went viral when she participated in a rap battle (cypher) against male opponents when she was a student at Prairie View A&M University. The video ended up going viral and helped enlarge her social media presence. She curated more fans by posting her freestyles on her Instagram while in college. She adopted the name “Megan Thee Stallion” because she was referred to as a stallion during her adolescence due to her height (5’10”) and looks. After taking time off school, she resumed her studies at Texas Southern University in health administration and hopes to establish assisted-living facilities in her hometown of Houston. She is a third year student as of 2019.
Megan released her EP Tina Snow in June 2018 before signing g to 300 Entertainment in November of 2018, making her the first female rapper on the label. She is known for her confidence, sensuality, and vulgar lyrics. She presents her sexuality throughout her lyrics, videos, and live performances. In an interview, Megan stated that her songs are not just about being sexy, but being confident in her sexuality.
Megan has various alter egos that she has referred to. One of those alter egos is Tina Snow (also the name of her debut EP). It was influenced by Pimp c’s alias, Tony Snow, and has similar confidence and sexually dominant delivery. Hot Girl Meg is another alter ego that Megan embodies which is her college, party girl side. Megan is also accredited to last year’s “Hot Girl Summer” due to some of her tweets and the song of the same name that she released in 2019.
Even though she has been very successful within her rap career, she has had some struggles in her personal life. Her mother died in March 2019 from a longstanding battle with a cancerous brain tumor. Her grandmother died in the same month. I look up to Megan because of her grind. Even with personal hardships, she is pushing through and working hard. I find it very impressive and motivational to see Megan in college, making banging hits, and persevering through hard times. Megan is a role model not only for women, but for everyone.
On the heels of the breakthrough release of The Chronic (Death Row Records) by Dr. Dre (1992), Doggystyle (Death Row Records) by Snoop Doggy Dogg was released on November 23, 1993. Having contributed, to a large extent, on The Chronic, you know that Snoop had his own debut to drop! That “lazy drawl" – G-funk style of rap – reigns supreme, again, here; but, on a whole new level. If you’ve never heard Snoop Dogg, and his swaggering vocals, you are missing out!
Snoop explains that the hook to this record is its realism, which is based on his own personal experience. Dre would come up with kick ass beats, and Snoop would sit right there and write lyrics on the spot. The album is littered with skits, because the distributors were demanding a finished product (before it was finished). Dre finished the songs they had, inserted the skits (within 48 hours), and sent it off. Desiring not to stretch G-funk any further yet, Snoop and Dre decided to produce layers in the style beyond that of The Chronic. Doggystyle is less about heavy, slow beats and more about high-tempo, lean tracks.
The album artwork (obviously) refers to the sex position, and is also a play on Snoop’s name. Technically, the cover illustrates some lyrical quotes from George Clinton’s 1982 single, Atomic Dog. But the artwork also expresses the culture of the Gangsta ethos – self-indulgence; drugs, cars, sex, and money.
Doggystyle debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, selling 800,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, making it the fastest selling hip-hop album of all time. “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?” was the first single released from the album, and it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, and reached #1 on the Hot Rap Singles. It was certified Platinum in mid 1994. “Gin and Juice" was released as a single on January 15, 1994, reaching #8 and #1 like the previous single.
This record is pivotal for the hip-hop community, a classic “must have" album that Mark’s the evolution of the genre to a more melodious, synthesized, funk beat. Its controversial subject matter and lyrical content only help increase its appeal. Like The Chronic, Doggystyle is dangerous. And how wonderful that danger is!
Favorite Songs: Gin and Juice ; Lodi Dodi ; Murder Was the Case
Rating: 10/10!! Just a “must have" record!
What are some of your favorite songs off of Doggystyle?
