WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Radio
Artist Record Label
1 LAMB OF GOD “Checkmate” [Single] Epic
2 TESTAMENT “Night Of The Witch” [Single] Nuclear Blast
3 SEPULTURA Quadra Nuclear Blast
4 SUICIDE SILENCE Become The Hunter Nuclear Blast
5 VARIALS In Darkness Fearless
6 MAGNITUDE To Whatever Faithful End Triple B
7 HANGMAN One By One FlatSpot
8 THE AMITY AFFLICTION Everyone Loves You… Once You Leave Them Pure Noise
9 WHITECHAPEL The Valley Metal Blade
10 SEEYOUSPACECOWBOY The Correlation Between Entrance And Exit Wounds Pure Noise
Video games have a great cultural impact for people across the world. Their importance to different cultures has increased as more game technology has developed throughout the years. One piece that is crucial to the success and longevity of games is the soundtrack that is paired with them. Today, I’ll be discussing some of my favorite game soundtracks and why I enjoy them so much.
Legend of Zelda Franchise
Legend of Zelda is a game franchise of Nintendo which has produced some of the most beautiful soundtracks of any video game. Legend of Zelda OSTs consistently include intricate melodies, calming songs, and ones with an adventurous spirit. The most recent addition to the franchise is Breath of the Wild, which has beautifully evolved from the original more simplistic tunes to having a more orchestral base.
Undertale
When Toby Fox created Undertale, it became one of the most popular indie games ever made. One reason Undertale gained so much popularity was the complex soundtrack Toby Fox designed which perfectly pairs with each area of the game. For example, in the area called Snowville, Toby Fox created a bright and soft melody that perfectly represents falling snow. The soundtrack for Undertale is so beautiful and musically interesting that I often play it in my car during long drives.
Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is a farm simulator and adventure game published by Chucklefish in 2016 and developed by Eric Barone. Barone (also known as ConcernedApe) created the Stardew Valley Original Soundtrack. The soundtrack is incredibly relaxing – just the first few notes of the opening theme give me a wash of nostalgia. I’ve also found that the soundtrack is excellent for studying or doing homework to.
Year Walk
Developed in 2013, Year Walk is a Swedish mobile horror game. Although the game is nearly a decade old, music from the soundtrack still occupies spots on my playlists. Daniel Olsén, the composer, most recently created the soundtrack for Sayona Wild Hearts in 2019. Since Year Walk is a horror game, many of the songs are eerie and they are completely perfect for Fall or Halloween. Would recommend both playing Year Walk and enjoying its soundtrack with headphones for a truly immersive, spooky experience.
Thank you for reading!
– Miranda
My favorites: Savannah, Something You Needed, Poppies
Listen if you like: Fleet Foxes, Leland Blue, The Alabama Shakes
Something You Needed, an EP by flipturn was released earlier this month. flipturn is an indie/alternative band that has slowly increased in popularity throughout the years.
The EP is short but very complete. I absolutely love this EP and can’t sing its praises enough. The vocals remind me of something between Neil Young and the Fleet Foxes. The lyrics are emotional, filling the listener with a deep sense of nostalgia. I swear, listening to the first two tracks on the album knocked loose memories I’d buried deeply, in such a beautiful way. There is an unshakeable raw emotion to each song on the EP. Just read the lyrics from Glistening: “Sweet thing, if I’m losing you/Know my silver linings typically hit me in the afternoon.” This emotional song reminds me of some of the metaphors of Fleetwood Mac. The whole EP also shares the same kind of simple type of pretty melody, infused with plucked guitar strings and soft piano notes.
The melancholic tone of Did I Love You (Like I Promised) most reminds me of my favorite Fleet Foxes songs. Absolutely love this type of indie band, especially because it pairs so well with the transition from winter to spring. Soft, sad notes paired with happy lyrics, and vice versa. The contradiction always reminds me of the changing seasons; the EP couldn’t have been released at a better time for the association I have with it.
Definitely recommend that anyone reading this listen to this album ASAP, and let me know what you think. I personally can’t get enough, and have already added some of the best songs to my playlists. In addition, flipturn is coming to The Pour House in Raleigh April 22nd. You can check out this event and more here.
– Miranda
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
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
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
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
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
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
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