Category: Blog

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Pantera

Ahhh yes, Pantera, the band that opened the door for many bands that we listen to today. When Pantera first hit the scene, there was nobody like them. No band had the riffs and grooves like Pantera did. Now, when listening to bands, you can hear the influence that Dimebag Darrell (RIP) had on their music. He invented a whole new way to play and it would seem that his mind continuously thought of killer, crushing riffs. Phil brought a hardcore edge and sense of vocal rage to these riffs. Darrell’s brother, Vinnie, played some of the cleanest drums I have ever heard, writing most songs with his brother. And Rex masterfully thumped with anything and everything that developed. If I had to name one single thing that made Pantera special it would be the fact that this is a band where everyone was equally talented so no one outshined the other. Each seemed larger than life.

Pantera was an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas that formed in 1981. Their best known lineup is Vinnie Paul (drummer) (RIP), “Dimebag” Darrell Paul (guitarist) (RIP), Rex Brown (bass), and Phil Anselmo (vocalist). They are credited for being part of the second wave of thrash metal. But they became much more than a thrash metal band, they offered metal the fury and force that propelled it into the powerhouse genre that it became. Pantera gets the credit for forming a metal formula which would inspire hundreds of bands to follow.

Before becoming the heavy hitters that we know and love now, they started as a glam metal band and released three albums in the mid 1980s with founding member Terry Glaze as vocalist. When looking for a new and heavier sound, Pantera replaced Glaze with Anselmo in late 1986. They went on hiatus in 2001 and were disband by the Abbott brothers in 2003. The brothers went on to form Damageplan, while Anselmo continued several side projects. On December 8, 2004, Dimebag Darrell was shot and killed on stage by a fan. Vinnie Paul went on to form Hellyeah after his brother’s death. Vinnie Paul died of heart failure in 2018.  

Pantera has 5 full-length albums: Cowboys from Hell (1990), Vulgar Display of Power (1992), Far Beyond Driven (1994), The Great Southern Trendkill (1996), and Reinventing the Steel (2000).

Favorite songs: This Love, 5 Minutes Alone, Walk, Cemetery Gates, and Cowboys from Hell.

What are your favorite Pantera songs? Did you have a chance to see them live?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
New Album Review

Album Review: Sepultura – Quadra

Quadra (Nuclear Blast), the 15th studio album from Brazil’s own Sepultura, dropped on February 7, 2020. And the offering proves to be a solid record! The diehard Max (vocals/guitar)/Igor (drums) Cavalara era Sepultura fans, looking for a continuous remake of Arise (1991), Chaos A.D. (1993), or Roots (arguably the band’s best record; 1996), will find some familiar ground on which to stand, here. But, for the most part, the band has left that phase of its evolution long ago. This record is simply their best since those early days.

As the title suggests, the album is intentionally divided into four distinct parts, of which old school Sepultura is a part. The other ¾ of the record, however, is a survey of sorts of the band’s musical journey since those days; looking into the future. Andreas Kisser (guitars) is, as usual, incredible as the substance that holds the band in consistency. Paulo Jr (bass) is the other long-standing member, present for decades, that concretizes the sound. Eloy Casagrande (drums) is exceptional as the tribal, driving, time-keeper. And Derrick Green (vocals) is quite a force, both with his powerful chops, but also is giant presence.

Some tracks that are interesting, both in their representation of their respective sections (the Quadra), but also in their own right are: “Isolation,” and what an opening song! Old school thrash, post-modern twist, with crushing death vocals. “Ali” and “Raging Void” mark the next section, and they are groovy and heavy. Very nice. “Guardians of Earth” begins section three, and is an atmospheric track that expresses the talent of the individual pieces of the whole band. “The Pentagram” is an instrumental in the middle of section three. Sepultura has very talented instrumentalists. And this section shows the band moving away from the past and into the future. “Agony of Defeat” gives evidence of Green’s range, with clean vocals, screams, and gutterals. Beautiful! “Fear, Pain, Chaos, Suffering” is the last track on the album. It gives us an idea of the direction Sepultura is going with their sound and style. The song features Emmily Barreto (Far From Alaska) with Green harmonizing (often in gutterals), and superb riffs.

Favorite Songs: Isolation; Ali; Raging Void; Guardians of Earth

Rating: 8.5/10

*Bonus: For more info on the concept of Quadra and Sepultura, listen to my podcast interview with Andreas Kisser, only on The Saw’s Electric Chair, in The Saw’s Butcher Shop on WKNC.

Stay Metal,

THE SAW 

Categories
DJ Highlights

Top Choice: Alt Hip-Hop Artists

Since February is Black History Month, it is important that as music lovers we celebrate black artists and acknowledge the significant contributions and influence of African-Americans throughout musical history. This week, I’m giving attention to some of my all-time favorite alternative hip-hop artists. 

tobi lou

My favorites: I Was Sad Last Night I’m OK Now, Darlin’, Troop, Txt Me 

Listen if you like: Potsu, Doja Cat, BØjet, KYLE 

Tobi Lou is a triple threat of rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Many of his music videos feature vibrant animation and his album covers display bright cartoon characters. Lou has produced three critically acclaimed EPs. Tobi Lou creates sounds reminiscent to me of Anime Beats, and he utilizes different adlibs and funky beats to create music unlike most other hip-hop artists. 

Berhana 

My favorites: California, Grey Luh, Lucky Strike
Listen if you like: Frank Ocean, Mac Ayres

Amain Berhane, stage name Berhana, released his first album HAN in 2019, three years after the release of his EP Berhana which first gave him traction in the R&B/alternative scene. HAN is a beautiful continuation of the dreamy, melodic music he previously put out. Most Berhana songs follow an in-depth narrative, sung soulfully, paired with subtle electronic influence that reminds me of Frank Ocean’s channel ORANGE. 

Tierra Whack 

My favorites: Only Child, Pet Cemetery, Waze

Listen if you like: Noname, BROCKHAMPTON

The most notable thing about Tierra Whack is her voice and output of creative and unique tracks. Her sound is unlike most other female rappers/singers and there is an underlying sense of humor and fun found in most of her songs. Her album Whack World reflects this with tracks like Dr. Suess and Hungry Hippo. I definitely recommend listening to her music. 

Kari Faux 

My favorites: Lowkey, No Small Talk, IN THE AIR

Listen if you like: Princess Nokia, Noname, Justine Skye  

I first found Kari Faux in 2016 after she was remixed on No Small Talk with Childish Gambino. This led me to finding her 2014 mixtape, Laugh Now, Die Later. Her solo version of No Small Talk was recently featured on HBO’s Insecure. As an artist, she has exhibited continuous growth, but is most known for her sultry, nearly-monotone rapping and vocal harmonies. Her latest release is a feature on Amindi’s new single, Love Em Leave Em. Her iconic vocals and always-fantastic wordplay are truly stunning, definitely give it a listen. 

– Miranda 

Categories
New Album Review

ALBUM REVIEW: Destroyer – Have We Met

BEST TRACKS: The Raven, Crimson Tide

FCC Violations: Crimson Tide, The Television Music Supervisor, Cue Synthesizer, Foolssong

If you follow Dan Bejar, you probably know that he is a cherished member of indie pop band The New Pornographers, but what you might not know is that Dan Bejar is also the centerpiece of a much moodier rock project, Destroyer. Destroyer recently released an album Have We Met, which earned a whopping 8.5 on Pitchfork, so I was intrigued. When listening to music, I try not to take the album art into consideration but please bear with me as I comment on album art just this one time. I am a very visual person, and am often drawn to albums based solely on enticing album art. I hate when album covers are just a closeup, artsy picture of the artist. It’s just so average and seems very self-absorbed to me. After seeing Have We Met’s boring album cover, I almost didn’t listen to the album but I’m glad I did.

Bejar’s singing style, especially on the 5th track ‘The Raven’, sometimes morphs into a very intimate talking-singing-mumble akin to Jeffrey Lewis’ on the album A Turn in the Dream Songs. The instruments on this album are fairly minimal and simple, emphasizing mostly guitar and electronic keyboard, but the music is far from basic. The solemn, sometimes scattered notes create an exquisitely spooky, chilling atmosphere. Have We Met is dark, eerie, and weird. In fact, Bejar has said that he was influenced by the Twilight Zone and Edgar Allen Poe during the creation of this album. When I listen to this album, I immediately imagine it as the soundtrack to an art gallery exhibit in the MOMA filled with weird, abstract, smooth and spiky black sculptures. Listen to this album if you ever went through a phase where you were obsessed with misty graveyards, the Victorian era, and the supernatural.

-Safia

Categories
Weekly Charts

Daytime Charts 2/18

Artist Record Label
1 MARINARA I Feel Like Dog Self-Released
2 LOVING If I Am Only My Thoughts Last Gang
3 CAVEBOY Night In The Park, Kiss In The Dark Self-Released
4 KOKO NEETZ I.T.T.I.P. Admirable Traits
5 PAPOOZ Night Sketches Half Awake
6 BAD SOUNDS Escaping From A Violent Time, Vol. 1 [EP] Theory
7 SURF CURSE Heaven Surrounds You Danger Collective
8 CHRISTINE RENNER “Tonight” [EP] Self-Released
9 DAYGLOW Fuzzybrain Self-Released
10 ROYAL CANOE Waver Paper Bag
11 GENGAHR Sanctuary Liberator
12 COMMON HOLLY When I Say To You Black Lightning Barsuk/Solitaire
13 TURNOVER Altogether Run For Cover
14 BASEMENT REVOLVER Wax And Digital [EP] Sonic Unyon
15 GREEN BUZZARD Amidst The Clutter And Mess I Oh You
16 ALEXANDRIA MAILLOT Benevolence Self-Released
17 ALEXANDRA SAVIOR The Archer 30th Century
18 SNAIL MAIL Habit [EP] Matador
19 BODYWASH Comforter Luminelle
20 OMNI Networker Sub Pop
21 (SANDY) ALEX G House Of Sugar Domino
22 PEACH PYRAMID Bright Blue Oscar St
23 WILCO Ode To Joy dBpm
24 COLD BEAT Mother DFA
25 HOVVDY Heavy Lifter Double Double Whammy
26 FYOHNA Radio Sampler [EP] Self-Released
27 SLOTFACE Sorry For The Late Reply Nettwerk
28 GIRLPOOL What Chaos Is Imaginary Anti-
29 PUZZLE X Hail Burger
30 JAY SOM Anak Ko Polyvinyl

TOP ADDS 

1 HELLO FOREVER Whatever It Is Self-Released
2 WILSEN Ruiner Secret City
3 BOX OF MOXIE Submission Admission Self-Released
4 CLIFFFS Panic Attack State Fair/We Know Better
5 WYNNM “” [Single] Self-Released
6 SQUIRREL FLOWER I Was Born Swimming Polyvinyl
7 DUNE RATS Hurry Up And Wait Rise/BMG
8 SON LITTLE aloha Anti-
9 BLASE “Limes” [Single] DK
10 GLASS BEACH The First Glass Beach Album Run For Cover

Categories
Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 2/18

Artist Record Label
1 DABRYE Lil Mufukuz (ft. DOOM) Ghostlly International
2 SANGO, XAVIER OMAR “Sweet Holy Honey” [Single] Last Gang
3 LADY MOON AND THE ECLIPSE “Global Warning” [Single] Geza X
4 IDK 24 Clue No Clue
5 VINCE STAPLES No Bleedin Def Jam
6 LANCEY FOUX “India” [Single] PSYKE
7 DOMINOES SLIME Pain BORN CTZN
8 YBN CORDAE Wintertime Atlantic
9 MIKE Smoke 10k
10 ZACK COKAS “Notorious” [Single] Young Cack

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 1/18

Artist Record Label
1 SUICIDE SILENCE Become The Hunter Nuclear Blast
2 SEPULTURA Quadra Nuclear Blast
3 VARIALS In Darkness Fearless
4 THE AMITY AFFLICTION"Catatonia" [Single] Pure Noise
5 LAMB OF GOD"Checkmate" [Single] Epic
6 GREAT AMERICAN GHOST Power Through Terror eOne
7 SILENT PLANET “Trilogy” [Single] UNFD
8 ASKING ALEXANDRIA “They Don’t Want What We Want (And They Don’t Care” [Single] Sumerian
9 CODE ORANGE “Swallowing the Rabbit Whole” [Single] Roadrunner
10 LORNA SHORE Immortal Century Media

Categories
New Album Review

Album Review: Somewhere at The Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair – La Dispute

Best Songs: Such Small Hands, Andria, Nobody Not Even the Rain 

La Dispute is a fascinatingly talented band. I’ve never heard anything quite like them before. They incorporate a mix of indie rock, punk, blues, hardcore, progressive rock, and soft acoustics. These musical elements are incorporated with intense vocals that range from spoken word, screaming, singing, and shouting, making the listening experience all the more emotional as it fluctuates with the progressing story of the song. The vocals sound like a confession, a reflection, or a personal journal. Jordan Dreyer, vocalist and primary lyricist, comments on their eclectic variety of genres apparent in their music and vocals, saying “I think boxing art into categories only serves as a way to exclude people from exploring different variations of the same thing. I think the only real definition between artists exists in their intentions for creating art.” He approaches lyrical writing in a story-telling manner by creating different stories and characters, drawing influence from writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Hemingway, Joan Didion, and Kurt Vonnegut. I saw them live for the first time after being a major fan for many years, and the band members seemed as genuine and honest as their music. Jordan awkwardly two-stepped and spun in circles around the stage while singing, somehow not getting tangled in the mic chord, and gave heart-warming speeches between songs on togetherness, personal struggles, and finding hope in yourself and others. They poured their heart and souls into the stage and the crowd, as they do in every recorded song, and was easily one of the most intimate live performances I’ve witnessed.

Their first album, Somewhere at the Bottom of the River Between Vega and Altair, is a testament to their profound musical talent, stylistic range, and lyrical capability. Each album follows a story that progresses from start to finish. Somewhere at the Bottom of the River seems to focus on a long-term marriage that falls victim to infidelity, hatred, guilt, and neglected vows as they reflect on their sworn love and the life they built together. The album opens with Such Small Hands, introducing the unbridled anger and darkness caused by lost love and the subsequent demons that once lay dormant, a common theme throughout the album. Damaged Goods, Bury Your Flame, and Said the King to the River capture feverish hysteria with upbeat drums and guitar paired with quickly sung vocals that change. These songs portray the immense frenzy of convoluted emotions as his world and relationship quickly spirals out of control. One of the most popular songs off the album, Andria, details the story of the beginning of their love and the chaos that soon followed. My personal favorite song off the album Last Lost Continent, is a twelve-minute story of removing the blame from either partner and recognizing infidelity as the monster it is as it invades and disrupts families, love, and lives. The protagonist seems to find forgiveness, admitting to his selfishness and the undying love he holds for his partner, family, and friends. The lyrics for this song are breathtaking, beautiful, and complex, and perfectly showcase the emotional process of life and love. They played this song when I saw them live in November 2019 during their Panorama U.S tour and it was everything I dreamed it would be. I may or may not have cried. The emotionally chaotic album ends with the gentle song Nobody, Not Even the Rain. The protagonist reflects on the sacred, treasured details of their love despite the pain they have suffered. This is one of my top five albums of all time, and I believe La Dispute offers something for everyone. 

-Sarah

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Whitechapel

Are you guys surprised that Whitechapel is my band of the week? Because I’m not. Whitechapel’s song, The Saw Is The Law, influenced my DJ name, The Saw. During my senior year of high school, “where we come from, the saw is the law” was my senior quote and I wrote it in the sand at the beach for the whole world to know that the saw is the law. I even have a saw blade tattooed on my shoulder blade, so you can say that I am a pretty big Whitechapel fan. This is because Whitechapel was one of the first deathcore bands that I got into. My brother used to play them when I was younger, and when I started to get into the music myself, they were one of the first bands I went back and listened to. I love their overall sound and how the music and vocals blend beautifully together. I also love their evolution, musically. They have tried different things on their most recent album, The Valley, and even though it is different from their previous records, they keep their theme of brutality.

I have seen Whitechapel four times, and every time they impress me. They always put on a great show and Bozeman’s voice is so powerful and strong and I don’t know how he can do his gutturals live. The entire band is in the crowd’s face throughout the whole show and it makes the crowd rowdier and more exciting. I got to meet Whitechapel and it was great to finally meet one of my favorite bands. They were so nice and they were all smiles when I told them that mg DJ name was influenced by them. When I said that I go to NC State, Bozeman said “go Wolfpack” and it honestly made my day.

Whitechapel is an American deathcore band from Knoxville, Tennessee and was founded in 2006. They got their name after the Whitechapel district in East London, England, referring to the series of murders committed by Jack the Ripper. They are signed to Metal Blade Records and have released seven albums: The Somatic Defilement (2007), This Is Exile (2008), A New Era of Corruption (2010), Whitechapel (2012), Our Endless War (2014),  Mark of the Blade (2016), and The Valley (2019).

Whitechapel has stated that they are influenced by a wide range of bands. A few are Cannibal Corpse, Meshuggah, Slipknot, Dying Fetus, Pantera, Slayer, Despised Icon, Nile, Behemoth, Amon Amarth, Morbid Angel, and Cattle Decapitation. You can hear these variety of influences within their music. Phil Bozeman (vocalist) stated in an interview that him and Ben Savage (lead guitarist) are more into death metal, Zach Householder (guitarist) is more into epic black metal, and Alex Wade (rhythm guitar) is more into hardcore. Within the guitars, you can hear the different riffs that represent their taste in music.

Current members: Phil Bozeman (vocals), Ben Savage (lead guitar), Alex Wade (rhythm guitar), Gabe Crisp (bass), Zach Householder (third guitar), and their touring drummer, Alex Rüdinger.

Favorite songs: The Saw Is The Law, The Somatic Defilement, Mark of the Blade, Elitist Ones, Brimstone, and Black Bear.

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

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
New Album Review

Hot New Indie: “If I Am Only My Thoughts” (Loving)

FCC Clean

Loving may be characterized as a “folk-pop” band, but the genre title does not do their new LP’s idyllic nature justice. To be clear though, this album is for particular types of listeners. For those listeners, however, Loving is sure to be a mainstay in the artists they can’t get out of their head. 

Loving nails the “nostalgic” feeling, an effect that is embellished by the fact that the band recorded straight to tape. Flowing guitar leads, pastel piano chords, and silky-smooth vocals bring the listener into the band’s personal wonderland. Anyone who’s the type for daydreaming will certainly be right at home in this headspace. 

The vocalist in particular deserves praise. While he does not show off a large range, his silken tone is precisely what brings the album together. The music is designed for his voice to premier directly in the center. The lackadaisical nature of his lyrics portrays something of the way in which you may stare out the window in contemplation on an overcast day.

Favorites: “If I Am Only My Thoughts”, “Nihilist Kite Flyer”, “Write A River”

-Decent Icon