Category: Blog

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Cryptopsy

The first time I saw Cryptopsy was a few years ago at Ziggy’s in Wilmington when they played with Cannibal Corpse and Obituary on Valentine’s Day! What a great bloody Valentine! They sound so good live and the crowd loved them. I kept laughing during their set because when the singer would growl into the mic, I could see his tongue wiggling around and I have never seen that style of vocals before. I have been listening to Cryptopsy for years, all thanks to my dad! The OG metalhead knows what’s good within death metal.

Cryptopsy is a Canadian technical death metal band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, that formed in 1988. At first, the band was named Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and was created by drummer Mike Atkin, guitarist Steve Thibault, and vocalist Dan Greening. The band released several demos, but when Atkin left to continue his musical career in speed/thrash metal, the band changed their name to Cryptopsy.

In 1993, they released their debut demo, Ungentle Exhumation and it caught the attention of a local label, Gore Records. With the release of their debut demo, Cryptopsy gained attention in the Canadian death metal underground scene and also received attention from Invasion Records, a German label. After several lineup changes, the band signed to Invasion Records, but due to financial problems (thanks to the label), Cryptopsy was soon left without a label to support their tour. But have no fear!!! Their album gained attention of Dutch label, Displeased Records and were picked up!

They released one of their most popular albums, None So Vile, on Swedish label Wrong Again Records, and this album became a staple piece of brutal death metal. This is not surprising because if you have ever heard this record, then you know it is a absolute MASTERPIECE!!! The album cover is sick, too. 10/10 album cover.

Cryptopsy has had SO MANY lineup changes throughout the years, but the current lineup is:

Flo Mounier (drums)

Christian Donaldson (guitar)

Matt McCachy (vocals)

Oliver Pinard (bass)


Discography:

Blasphemy Made Flesh (1994)

None So Vile (1996)

Whisper Supremacy (1998)

And Then You’ll Beg (2000)

Once Was Not (2005)

The Unspoken King (2008)

Cryptopsy (2012)


Favorite Songs:

Sire of Sin, Graves of the Fathers, Crown of Thorns, and Dead and Dripping

What are some of your favorite songs? Have you seen Cryptopsy live?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
Playlists

Moon Music

Music, similar to the reverence we hold for our glowing nighttime goddess, is ancient to humanity. It is natural that they should cross paths. From classics like Frank Sinatra’s “Blue Moon” to more modern works like “Moon Song” by Phoebe Bridgers, the moon has proven itself to be a popular theme in music. Whether by mentioning la lune herself or simply emitting the type of cool, soft beauty that our moon represents, here are some of my favorite songs that do just that:

1. Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Released in 1992 on Young’s “Harvest Moon” album, it is probably my favorite song of all time. In agricultural and historical terms, a Harvest Moon is the moon closest to the autumnal equinox and represents a time for sowing the fruits of the year.

2. Ne Me Quitte Pas (Don’t Leave Me) – Orion Sun
Orion Sun is a newer artist to the R&B scene. She released her first album “Hold Space for Me” in March 2020. Her ethereal voice and warm rhythms make hearing the lyrics “You’ll be in my dream like I’m f—— haunted/ But it’s beautiful you move me, like a moonbeam/ Change the water flow” an out-of-body experience.

3. Moon River – Frank Ocean 
Written originally by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for Audrey Hepburn’s role in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Moon River” is covered beautifully by Frank Ocean in his 2018 single.

4. Moonlight Shawty – Fatboibari, Shiloh
Rapper Fatboibari released this single in 2018 with R&B artist Shiloh. The grainy, slow beat is made heavenly by Shiloh’s soft falsetto. This is a fantastic song for anyone interested in the more tranquil side of rap.

5. Midnight Snack – HOMESHAKE
“Midnight Snack” is a cozy, lovely listen. Even the album cover reminds me of the classic children’s book “Goodnight Moon.” I like to see the lyric, “Feelin’ like I’m falling asleep/ Not ready to visit my dreams/ Nothing in the world let me feel/ Alone, while she’s here next to me” as a reference to the moon herself.

6. Moondance – Van Morrison
“Moondance” is another great and lively classic. Released as part of the “Moondance” album in 1970, the song is a romantic mixture of jazz and folk.

Stay tuned in!

– DJ butter

(Photo taken by me)

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Top Choice: Japanese Artists

As I’ve entered my senior year at NC State and am taking my final Japanese class of college, I am reflective on all that I’ve gotten to do and learn so far during my college experience, especially getting to take courses in Japanese language and history that has led me to appreciate the culture more deeply. I have always been a fan of non-Western artists and wanted to share some of my favorite Japanese musicians. Hopefully you can be led to some cool new music. 

Awich

An Okinawa native who married a New Yorker, Awich weaves together Japanese and English language to create her own unique style of music. She seamlessly switches between genres throughout her discography between rap and pop, and any other genre she wants to explore. Most recently she created her own Tokyo Drift freestyle which you can find on 88Rising’s YouTube. 

Hikaru Utada

Hikaru Utada is an extremely popular Japanese artist, loved by a wide variety of fans including my Japanese professors at NC State and my 30-year-old uncle. I first fell in love with Utada’s voice in her track “traveling” – which is still to this day one of my favorite Japanese songs. 

Moka Sato

Found on music streaming platforms as “satomoka”, Sato generally creates bubbly, sweet JPOP that is perfect for a relaxing listen. With vocal talent and a melodious background, I especially recommend giving her a chance if you enjoy dreamy pop. Aside from her music, Sato generally has an impeccable Instagram aesthetic and is delightful to follow there. 

CHAI

A badass Japanese girl group – what more could you ask for? CHAI self-describes their band as “redefining kawaii” and promoting women empowerment with their lyrics. Their songs are musically complex and vocals maintain your interest. I especially love their utilization of the electric guitar, which gives their soft voices a harder edge. 

I hope you enjoyed my list. Keep on the lookout for more of my top choices in music. 

– Miranda

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites 8/14/20

Happy Friday Everyone! As many of us are adjusting to a new schedule, whether it be classes, work or both, I hope you all are finding time to do things you enjoy. For me, that means music! This is a playlist  of songs I’ve had in heavy rotation recently that I think others will enjoy too. What follows is a short rundown of the tracks in the playlist:

  1. “PB Jam” by Tkay Maidza: one of my favorites off of her new release, Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2. I love the mood the funk bass and g-funk whistle create on this track. If you like this song, check out my review of the album!

  2. “Agüita” by Gabriel Garzón Montano: GGM is a man who wears many hats. However, “Agüita” is his first time wearing the hat known as hip-hop. With a relentless flow, this one is catchy even if you don’t speak Spanish. Check out my review of his 2014 release, Bishouné: Alma del Huila!

  3. “The City” by Jockstrap: This is one that you really have to experience for yourself. It begins as a heartfelt ballad backed by only a piano. Halfway into the song, however, things get… should I say… chaotic. Stuart Holmes on Youtube aptly describes it as “Regina Spektor meets Aphex Twin.”

  4. “Rollin’ (feat. Society of Soul)” by Dungeon Family: I would be hard pressed to recall the last time I heard a funk/hip hop song in 6/8 time. If one of the vocalists on this track sounds familiar, it’s because of Dungeon’s Family’s ties to Outkast.

  5. “Oh Shit!” by Black Haus: Greensboro’s Black Haus describe themselves as “Four unapologetic black men making music together in a time when bands are dead.” This attitude is on full display on “Oh Shit!”, which is a two-minute flash of blistering punk fury.

  6. “Green and Gold” by Takuya Kuroda: Ya like jazz? On this track, Japanese trumpeter Takuya Kuroda builds a solid foundation on a simple motif. From there, he lets his instrument do the talking.

  7. “Mirage” by Chris Keys, Quelle Chris, Earl Sweatshirt, Denmark Vessey, Merrill Garbus and Big Sen: This one is a posse cut for the abstract hip hop fan, complete with a lofi piano loop and emotional group vocals. If bittersweet is your thing, you’ll love this one.

  8. “Really Love – Live from Spotify NYC” by D’Angelo and the Vanguard: This is a live extended version of one of my favorite songs on Black Messiah. It features extra soloing on the Spanish guitar, check it out!

  9. “walking in the snow” by Run the Jewels: Killer Mike and El-P team up for some scathing commentary on the state of America in 2020, touching on topics of police brutality and the school to prison pipeline.

– DJ Mango

Categories
Music News and Interviews

JEOPARDY: But Make it Metal

What’s going on Butcher Crew? It’s ya girl, The Saw, and I have a very fun game for us to play! I never liked Jeopardy because I could never get the questions right for the answer that was given. But, this one I WILL be successful at, not only because I am formulating the questions and answers, but because it is about metal!!

Let me first explain how the game will be played:

·      First, I will make a statement and your response will be something along the lines of “Who is _______?”  

·      Second, the correct answers will not be listed below (because I know y’all will be looking for an answer key. The Saw knows all of your moves, because I am, in fact, The Master Butcher. Hehehe). Next week, I will give out the answers to the questions in another blog post.

Let the games begin!!

1.    This band, is originally from Buffalo, New York, but moved to Tampa, Florida to be enveloped in the emerging Death Metal scene.

2.    This band (could it be said) is the RUSH of death metal? (Hint: RUSH is a three-man band).

3.    This band influenced The Saw’s DJ name. (This is easy, if you get this wrong… well… I am disappointed).

4.    This Canadian Death Metal band won a Juno (equivalent to the U.S. Grammy) for best album of the year in the “heavy metal” category in 2015.

5.    This legendary guitarist lost the tips of two fingers in a factory accident.

6.    This band, played one of their final shows at the Carolina Rebellion in 2017.

7.     This band, told you to “Steal This Album!”

8.    This band, created a publicity stunt for their upcoming record back in 2014, where they made it appear that their lead singer was kidnapped and held hostage.

9.    After the death of their original singer, this band got a new singer and released a self-titled album which was not popular amongst fans.

10. This band’s original name was Naked Toddler before they changed it to the name that they currently have now.

How do you think you did on these questions? Would you want more Jeopardy questions?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
New Album Review

Album Review: Goodbye, Nowhere! by Double Grave

Goodbye, Nowhere! album art

This week in WKNC we received a new album by Double Grave called Goodbye, Nowhere! As their first full album since 2017, you can really tell how their time away has allowed for the band to grow into themselves and find the perfect melodies to emulate the feeling that this album gives. Starting off with the first song, Out Here sets the scene for the album as it leads us in with a background of soft wind chimes and sparse guitar riffs. It paints a picture that matches the album art, giving the listener the feeling of being stuck in a place called nowhere. 

Following the intro, The Farm starts a momentum that carries a pretty steady pace through the first half of the album. The flow is broken only momentarily by the song Actor. However, it is made up for by the emotion in Jeremy Warden’s voice when he reminisces on his past life choices and how, as the song progresses, he realizes everything would still be the same in the end. The second half of Goodbye, Nowhere! takes a more introspective turn when Warden says that if you can’t run from your problems, cover them up, or make them disappear, then “learn how to love.” 

My only criticism of this album is that Double Grave is still in that middle ground of finding their own, unique sound. However, Goodbye, Nowhere! is a progression of Double Grave finding their feet, slowly making their way out of that grave of ubiquitous, empty feeling, almost-emo rock. 

As a whole, the album gives a mixed feeling of leaving things behind yet continuing to love after you leave. As Warden said on the song The Farm, you can “walk a thousand miles,” but “take care of the ones you love.” 

Favorite Songs: 
The Farm 
NNN
Slime

Thanks for tuning in,
Much love, 
Chippypants 

Categories
New Album Review

Review: Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2 by Tkay Maidza

Tkay Maidza is a Zimbabwean-Austrialian artist who is no stranger to the underground scene. Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2, her third studio release, is an enticing smorgasbord of distinct flavors. In just 8 tracks, Tkay flexes her range as not only a singer but rapper as well, covering trunk-knocking hardcore hip-hop, silky alternative RnB and everything in between. With 26 minutes of runtime, the project plays more like an EP than an album; however, this works to Tkay’s benefit because LYWW2 is all killer, no filler.

My first experience with her was through her track “Awake”. Though it was released as a single in 2019, it fits into the tracklist of LYWW2 like a glove. Originally, I tuned in for JPEGMAFIA’s solid feature, but I stayed for Tkay’s commanding presence on the microphone. With its eerie synth lead, distorted bass, and confrontational lyrics, “Awake” is a banger to be sure.

Tkay reaches into pop rap’s bag of tricks in “You Sad”, which is accompanied by a quirky music video. The result, with its cheery guitar loop and vocal harmonies, is an earworm of a song about boys who simply won’t stop calling. To the ears, this track is diametrically opposed to “Awake”, and the fact that they are found on the same album is a testament to Tkay’s versatility as an artist.

Overall, Tkay Maidza has proven herself a force to be reckoned with on Last Year Was Weird, Vol. 2, A collection of tracks that are all refreshing in their own right. I would recommend this project to fans of Princess Nokia, Kari Faux, and Leikeli47. Listen to the album.

Favorite tracks: 24k, Shook, Awake, PB Jam

– DJ Mango

Categories
Music News and Interviews

Black Contributions to Music: Blues

In continuing my Black Contributions to Music series, which explores the many ways Black individuals globally have contributed to different genres of music, I wanted to cover one of the most iconic Black-created genres, blues music. 

Blues first originated in the American Deep South. The genre began with influence from African musical traditions, Black work songs, and spirituals. Blues uses a specific scale and chord progressions and is characterized by the call-and-response pattern. Call-and-response in music can be traced back to African music styles, and blues itself is closely related to spirituals, the religious music of Black Americans. Many early blues songs reflected a narrative on some topic and as blues singer Charlotte Forten is famously quoted, “can’t be sung without a full heart and a troubled spirit.” The genre is diverse and dynamic, able to be appreciated and played by all people of any socio-economic status. Blues is especially important within African-American history because it’s associated with the end of slavery in the United States, the genre is thus bred out of a “celebration of freedom.” The dynamic nature of the genre allowed former slaves to chisel out their own corner of American culture while celebrating their African ancestry. 

The blues genre has evolved to encompass more sound influence and has mixed with other genres to create new styles such as electric blues and blues rock. The genre has continued to influence modern music in America and throughout the world. Blues had a significant impact on early country music and country pop, whose genre’s artists often borrowed the blues scale and tones for their work. The format of most blues music including call-and-response and the blues scale is utilized by and influences jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll genres. Many prominent modern musicians like Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan  have performed in blues style. 

If you want to learn more about the contributions Black musicians have made to music, please check out the tags below for more posts in the series. 

– Miranda

Sources: I, II

Categories
Classic Album Review

Retro(ish) Review: Palo Alto Movie Score – Devonte Hynes

English singer-songwriter Devonte Hynes, also known as the artist behind Blood Orange, has risen in fame over the past decade. His earlier albums, “Coastal Grooves” and “Cupid Deluxe” are marked by their mixture of R&B and hazy electronica. From 2016 to 2019, he released three more albums (“Freetown Sound”, “Negro Swan” and “Angel’s Pulse”), all of which explore the Hynes’ thoughts on sexuality, race, and spiritual callings.

His score for “Palo Alto” (2014), written by Gia Coppola and James Franco, is a beautiful compilation that reflects the tone of the film perfectly. Based on Franco’s book, “Palo Alto” tells the story of a group of California teens navigating relationships and what it feels like to grow up too fast. Although the movie is no longer to my taste for a variety of reasons, I appreciate Hynes’ musical contributions. The soundtrack is almost entirely instrumental, made up of soft synths and light tones. Overall, it is a melancholy and sentimental score that is meant to echo the lives of the main characters and how they cope with raging hormones, peer pressure, and their own inner selves.

Here are some of my favorite highlights from it:

1. April’s Daydream
2. Palo Alto
3. Teddy & April
4. Soccer Field
5. Teddy Rides Home

Stay tuned in!

– DJ butter

Categories
Weekly Charts

Daytime Charts 8/11

Artist Record Label
1 JUNIOR MESA “All Or Nothing” [Single] Self-Released
2 JUNIOR MESA “Losing My Grip” [Single] Nice Life
3 NYALLAH Reflections [EP] Self-Released
4 BABA ALI This House [EP] 30th Century
5 JAUNTAll In One Self-Released
6 EX NORWEGIAN Hue Spotting Beyond Before
7 EVE OWEN Don’t Let The Ink Dry 37d03d
8 LANI ROSE Permanent Beta [EP] Terrible
9 MELODY Teacher’s Pet [EP] Self-Released
10 CIRCULATORY SYSTEM Circulatory System Elephant 6
11 IGGY T AND THE CRAZYMAKERS Just Can’t Get Enough Underground Sun
12 DAKOTA THEIM Somewhere Under The Sun Self-Released
13 ARLO PARKS “Black Dog” b/w “Eugene” [Single] Transgressive/PIAS
14 BECCA MANCARI The Greatest Part Captured Tracks
15 ARLIE Wait [EP] Atlantic
16 MONOPHONICS It’s Only Us Colemine
17 FAKE SHARK House Of Mirrors Light Organ
18 VARSITY Fine Forever Run For Cover
19 NATION OF LANGUAGE Introduction, Presence Self-Released
20 RELIANT TOM Play & Rewind Diversion
21 DEAD TONGUES, THE Transmigration Blues Psychic Hotline
22 TWIN PEAKS Side A [EP] Grand Jury
23 I’M GLAD IT’S YOU Every Sun, Every Moon 6131
24 DISCOVERY ZONE Remote Control Mansions And Millions
25 HALF DREAM “Strange Lover” [Single] Self-Released
26 BART “Used To Be” [Single ]Idee Fixe
27 DIET CIG Do You Wonder About Me? Frenchkiss
28 PIKES Camp Self-Released
29 ZELMA STONE Dreamland [EP] Self-Released
30 DONNY BENET Mr. Experience Dot Dash

TOP ADDS 

1 BETHS, THE Jump Rope Gazers Carpark
2 MADELINE KENNEY Sucker’s Lunch Carpark
3 LAND OF TALK Indistinct Conversations Saddle Creek
4 BEABADOOBEE “Care” [Single] Dirty Hit
5 DREAM NAILS “Vagina Police” [Single] Dine Alone
6 KATE BOLLINGER A word becomes a sound [Advance Tracks] Self-Released
7 FONTAINES DC A Hero’s Death Partisan
8 LOMELDA “Wonder” [Single] Double Double Whammy
9 IDLES Ultra Mono [Advance Tracks] Partisan
10 PROTOMARTYR Ultimate Success Today Domino