Category: Blog

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band of the Week: Slaughter to Prevail

Slaughter to Prevail (STP) has got to be one of the heaviest bands that I have ever listened to. I remember the first time I heard STP, I was with my friend, Nate, and he started to play them and I looked over at him and said, “who the hell is this?” I immediately loved what I heard. Their sound is heavy and brutal and don’t even get me started on the vocals, it is insane. If I had to guess what Satan sounds like, I would say he sounds like this vocalist. The power and intensity of his voice is absolutely crazy.

My friends went to see them a couple of months ago and said that the music is playing and STP’s singer let go of the mic and started yelling, you could still hear him over the music!! Homie has a strong and loud voice!! I have never seen STP but I have tried many, many times. The first three times I was planning to see them, something came up each time: either the band couldn’t get in the country because of their visas, their bus broke down, or the show got canceled. I could have seen them the most recent time they came through NC, but I had schoolwork, and that is a bigger priority for me (#nerd, I know).

Before forming Slaughter to Prevail, British guitarist Jack Simmons was a part of a deathcore band called Acrania, and Alex Terrible (a Russian vocalist) gained a huge following on YouTube for his cover videos. Terrible was originally a part of a Russian deathcore band We Are Obscurity, but the group fell apart trying to find a record label. Simmons recruited Terrible with Russian drummer Anton Poddyachy to form Slaughter to Prevail. When they released their EP Chapters of Misery (2015), and their videos had millions of hits on YouTube, they signed to Sumerian Records in 2016. Slaughter to Prevail released their first full-length album, Misery Sermon in 2017.Terrible stated that the album was inspired by the hate and misery seen in everyday life, especially since metal shows in Russia were often canceled due to religious reasons.

The band is noted for their heavy and dark themed songs with a deep focus on Terrible’s deep guttural vocals. They are known to be influenced by Suicide Silence, Bring Me the Horizon (old school BMTH), and Carnifex. The band is also known for wear full-face masks that are gnarly as hell. Most of the songs are in Russian but some do feature English lyrics.

Current members:

·      Aleksandr “Alex Terrible” Shikolai (vocals)

·      Mikhail “Mike” Petrov (bass)

·      Evgeny Novikov (drums)

·      Robert Brown (guitar)

Discography:

·      Chapters of Misery (EP) (2016)

·      Misery Sermon (album) (2017)

·      Agony (single) (2019)

Favorite song: Hell (this was the first song I have ever heard by them!!!)

Have you seen Slaughter to Prevail? What are some of your favorite songs?

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
Miscellaneous

A Listener’s Approach to Problematic Artists

Disclaimer: everything stated in this blog post reflects my personal opinion and does not necessarily reflect WKNC’s views. 

Often, I come across “problematic” artists. Today, the spread of news media is nearly instantaneous and thus as music listeners we have virtually unlimited access to information about our favorite artists. Because of this availability we are easily able to judge and analyze the actions of artists. There are so many “problematic” artists today, from misogynistic lyrics, artists who are known abusers, to musicians who are supportive of causes the general public is not, and more. 

My favorite example of an artist whose views I disagree with is Kanye West. After years of political activism I aligned with, he publicly announced his support of President Trump, who has done significant damage to the country and whose political stances I am personally opposed to. Despite the unwavering support through his other allegedly problematic actions (Taylor Swift incident, anyone?), this definitely soured my opinion of West and his music. To this day, I can’t enjoy it to the same degree as before. 

In addition, there are a ridiculous amount of artists I have completely abandoned all support of when I heard the physical or sexual assault allegations against them. Especially in my own local DIY scene, so many allegations have come out against band members that I no longer feel comfortable in those spaces. 

The reason I’m writing this blog is as a discussion of how we, as music listeners, approach this conundrum. Are we allowed to like music done by bad people? Am I okay with supporting an artist whose values are extremely skewed from my own? I have reflected on these questions for years, since I was old enough to do research about the musicians I listen to. For me, it boils down to my gut reaction. When the evidence seems sufficient and the action is unforgivable (to me, personally) I feel the need to completely let go of the artist and renounce any support I once had for them. When it’s a lesser issue, like a political difference or distasteful comment it is easier for me to separate the music from the person who created it, and thus I can still enjoy the music. 

Let me know if any of you feel similarly, or different. I am always interested in different perspectives. 

– Miranda 

Categories
New Album Review

New Music Review: Donna Blue

EP REVIEW: Donna Blue – Inbetween EP

BEST TRACKS: Desert Lake, Inbetween, Billy

FCC Clean

Danique van Kesteren and Bart van Dalen are a dutch couple that make up Donna Blue. So far, the band has only released singles and one EP, but even having just tasted a little bit of the music they are capable of producing, I can tell that Donna Blue is onto something and that we can expect a lot more in the coming days. The duo has latched onto a dying genre but they honor it exceptionally well. Listening to this EP, you will be transported to another time and world. You’ll go back to a hot, windy summer night in the desert, with tumbleweeds blowing and rattlesnakes shaking.

The Inbetween EP is best described as dark and sultry desert rock. Desert rock is one of my favorite genres but new albums in this genre are hard to find, as they are few and far between. Sometimes you just have to be lucky enough to stumble upon one, like how I was with this EP, and how you are as a result of reading this review. Desert rock is a smoother, slower, more lonesome-sounding version of Spaghetti Western soundtracks like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. This EP is trance-like and bordering psychedelic.

The first track, Desert Lake, opens with the trill of a guitar and a signature rattlesnake shake. When Kesteren’s somber voice comes in, saying “Something in the wind today reminds me of the night you ran away,” I feel elevated to a different realm. Then a whistle comes in, and I feel like I’m being witness to a Clint Eastwood showdown. The third track, Inbetween, is a dark and mysterious sleeping spell. Just when it almost lulls you softly into a trance, the song flourishes up like a bonfire from the ashes, and jolts you back awake.

Recommended If you like The Handsome Family, or Gene Clark.

-Safia 

Categories
DJ Highlights

Just Metal things to do while Self-Quarantining

What’s going on Butcher Crew?! It’s ya girl, your Master Butcher, The Saw and I hope you all are doing well during these times! I know most of us have cabin fever (and not like the movies, thankfully), and we want some fun things to do while being cooped up in the house! Well have no fear, because The Saw is here to give you some ideas as to what to do while being stuck at the crib. But you guys should be used to self-quarantine because there is no exit in the The Saw’s Butcher Shop. Remember?!

Here are some fun, but metal things to do while you are bored:

·      Metal musical chairs

This is a fun twist on the game musical chairs! This idea is self-explanatory, grab some chairs, get your family and play the well-known game, but with some metal! Bonus points if you head bang while walking around the chairs.

·      Try not to sing/dance/head bang

I really enjoy this game because it is so hard not to move to some metal songs!! They have some great YouTube videos of songs that you can try the challenge with and you can also create your own. What fun! I have done one of these over the air at the radio station and it was really hard not to move to the breakdown in Domination by Pantera. You can have some fun with this and segment the game into genres! I always lose to groovy death metal and hardcore. Some bands that I always lose to are Six Feet Under, Obituary, Kublai Khan, and Bent Life.

·      Practice your mosh moves

If you are like me, I don’t get in the pit often because I am not confident in my skills. But while locked in the house, you can stay in your room and practice your moves all night! I have gotten better at my 2 step and my crowdkilling moves. Y’all better watch out when shows start coming back, you’ll find me in the pit.

·      Have your own concert

Am I the only one that has shows and dance parties in my room? Don’t lie, I know y’all like to throw down in the comfort of your pjs. You can play some air instruments and jam out and even dance! And the best thing is that the bands sound the exact same and there is no one standing around to judge your dance moves or hit you in your own little mosh pit!

·      Have a Black Metal photoshoot

My house is surrounded by the woods, and that makes a great spot to get your black metal on! Put on some corpse paint, wear the blackest of black clothing that you own, and stand out in the woods and take some dark, gloomy, black metal photos! If you have people with you, remember to social distance! Hide behind some trees and see who can take the creepiest photo.

Remember to have fun and keep yourself entertained while in the house!

Stay Metal,

THE SAW

Categories
Playlists

Friday Favorites (4/3)

This week I’ve been listening to almost only electronic music, including some of my favorite alt-electronica tracks from the past few years. Hopefully you all enjoy this, and as a reminder you can listen every one of my Friday Favorites here. 

What We Drew – Yaeji

I try to listen to a variety of music, and that extends to songs sung in a variety of languages, like this one in Korean. I adore the simplistic drum beats paired with electro tones, and Yaeji’s voice is super pitchy and high, reminding me of one of my favorite artists, Grimes. Definitely listen to this if you want to hear something out of the box. 

let’s relate – of Montreal 

One of my favorite tracks of all time, hands down. This song has nostalgic value to me, but more than that, it’s just a well-produced song that has an amazing vibe. The tones just coalesce into a gorgeous melody that I never get tired of hearing. If you are a fan of electronic or alternative music at all, I highly recommend this track. 

Orange Shirt – Discovery 

The entire album LP by Discovery is a good one. I chose Orange Shirt particularly because it’s lesser known than some of Discovery’s other tracks, but I think it deserves a little attention. It’s such a catchy song with the best mixture of synth pop elements. It’s definitely been an earworm for me in the past, hope I can put someone else on to it! 

Are You Feeling Sad? (ft. Kali Uchis) – Little Dragon

Little Dragon has had a great impact on my life as a music lover, and she helped me really dig into the electronic scene. I also happen to be a big fan of Kali Uchis’s vocals, so I really appreciate the vocals in this song. Its melody is a bit chaotic and leans more toward the genre of pop than I usually like, but overall I think it’s such a cool song. 

As always, I’m so thankful to everyone who takes time to read my posts and listen to my recommendations. Wishing that everyone is keeping safe and healthy!

– Miranda 

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Band Highlight: While She Sleeps

While She Sleeps is one of the most underrated metalcore bands out there right now. Their carefully crafted melodies, pop hooks, and aggressive breakdowns give them a refreshing sound that perfectly combines styles from bands like Architects and Northlane. I saw these guys in February of this year and went into it without many expectations, and it turned out to be the best concert I had EVER been to. They entered the stage and immediately unleashed their aggression, excitement, and passion unlike anything I had ever seen with their new song FAKERS PLAGUE. The audience absorbed that energy and threw it right back, not hesitating to open the pit and sing along. People were hugging one another, sitting on shoulders, headbanging, screaming together, and becoming totally lost in the music. All of which is normal for a metalcore show, but the positive energy that flowed within the audience and between the audience and stage was undeniable. Each member of the band was smiling and laughing in the midst of the chaos the entire set. I followed the progression of their tour on social media and their shows just seemed to get more and more wild until the singer was hanging upside down from the rafters and the guitarist crowd surfed during his solos. 

While She Sleeps formed in Sheffield, England in 2006 and includes vocalist Lawrence “Loz” Taylor, guitarists Sean Long and Mat Welsh, bassist Aaran McKenzie, and drummer Adam Savage. Loz Taylor came into the band as the lead vocalist for their third EP that was recorded in a home studio. The band grew in popularity as they toured extensively across the UK and Europe and eventually won the Kerrang! Awards 2012. When asked the origin of their band name, Taylor explained it was inspired by a story of a woman murdering her husband while he slept and changed it to “she” instead of “he”. Taylor also indicated that “she” can be used as a reference to a sunken ship or vehicle, as they are often referred to with a feminine pronoun. While She Sleeps has shared the stage with bands like Bring Me the Horizon, Bleed from Within, Betraying the Martyrs, Asking Alexandria, Motionless in White, and Thy Art Is Murder. They’ve gone back to their punk-rock, DIY roots and started their own label called Sleep Brothers in order to regain total control over their process. Their newest album So What? is proof that these guys know exactly how to bring their music to the next level. I highly recommend checking them out and seeing them live if you get the chance. This band is explosive.

-Sarah 

Categories
New Album Review

Cavetown Sleepyhead Album Review

 

As a longtime fan of Cavetown I was incredibly excited to give this new record, Sleepyhead, a spin, especially because I have already fallen in love with the first two singles that were released late last year and earlier this year. I also nearly LOST it when I saw that chloe moriondo and Drew Monson were featured in the record. 

The first time I listened to this album I threw it on shuffle and had it on in the background while working, and when I heard ‘Wishing Well’ Ft. Drew Monson I loved it, but was kind of confused since it didn’t really sound like Cavetown. It was a pleasant surprise seeing as to why. This track is the beautiful blend I would expect in a collab between these two artists. It’s distorted vocals display Drew’s heavy input in the track and make it one I continue coming back to. The same can be said with the track ‘Snail’ Ft. Chloe Moriondo, it’s smooth Cavetown vibe with Chloe’s energy makes this track a perfect piece for the last portion of the record. Their vocals have the perfect contrast that make the track sound like a story being told back and forth, it’s almost fairytale like. The instrumentation choice also sets it apart from the rest of the works, there is a slight folk-like influence, but like much of this record it’s very string instrument centered.

While this record has an incredibly strong start, featuring the first two singles that were pre-released, the last half of this record ends it even stronger. Maybe I’m just overly emotional at songs about mum’s, but I absolutely adore the track ‘I Miss My Mum’. The lyrics in the track are incredibly strong, somehow making me deeply sad and happy at the same time, something Cavetown does best. In fact that’s sort of the theme I got from the whole record, it’s like a beautiful tragedy, seeing the beauty in things that might be painful as well.

After giving this record another few spins I have to say ‘For You’ has become one of my absolute favorite moments. The way it borrows from Sweet Tooth and emphasizes what was already one of my favorite hooks on the record really gets me hype, it’s also one of those tracks that makes the record feel like one solid unit. I can’t stop myself from singing alone every time I hear it. This new record was a heartwarming listen from start to finish. It’s authentic, raw, and stripped back. The perfect blend for its emotional impact. I give it five stars and definitely recommend it.

– DJ Psyched

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 3/31

Artist Record Label
1 AVERSIONS CROWN “The Soil” [Single] Nuclear Blast
2 AUGUST BURNS RED “Paramount” [Single] Fearless
3 AS I LAY DYING “Destruction or Strength” [Single] Nuclear Blast
4 CATTLE DECAPITATION Death Atlas Metal Blade
5 MAKE THEM SUFFER “Erase Me” [Single] Self-Released
6 KING DIAMOND “Masquerade Of Madness” [Single] Metal Blade
7 UPON A BURNING BODY “Built from War” [Single] Seek & Strike
8 IN HEARTS WAKE “Worldwide Suicide” [Single] UNFD
9 METAL CHURCH “For No Reason” [Single] Rat Park
10 AFTER THE BURIAL Evergreen Sumerian

Categories
Band/Artist Profile

Artist Spotlight: The Internet

My favorite tracks: Hold On, Special Affair, Dontcha, They Say 

Listen if you like: Phony Ppl, Steve Lacy, Noname 

The Internet is an L.A.-based group which blends together a mixture of R&B soul, hip-hop, electronica, and funk to create the most inspired music out there. It all began in late 2011 when some of the members of Odd Future decided to create a side-project under Odd Future Records. Thus the album Purple Naked Ladies was birthed. Together, the members of The Internet masterfully create a sound unlike any other in the modern R&B scene. Although the band was founded primarily by Syd, along with Christopher Smith, Matt Martians, and Patrick Paige, they were joined by Steve Lacy in 2015. The Internet has a total of four albums, Purple Naked Ladies (2011), Feel Good (2013), Ego Death (2015), and Hive Mind (2018). Ego Death was nominated for a Grammy in 2015 and the band has received clout throughout the alternative hip-hop circles and beyond. 

While I truly appreciate all of the albums The Internet has made, I especially adore Ego Death. I love Steve Lacy’s contributions to the production of the album and think highly of it, as one of the most smooth and well-made R&B-hip-hop albums of my lifetime. Syd’s vocals and the electronic-inspired melodies blend together perfectly. Ego Death is a unique experience of an album. Since high school, these songs have brought me comfort in times of struggle and have allowed me to embrace the weirdness and beauty of life. If you’re looking for some tracks to start out with, I highly recommend Just Sayin/I Tried and Palace/Curse, which are my go-tos to this day whenever I need a mood boost. All this said, I do enjoy the entirety of the band’s discography, which is extremely rare for me. Check the band out, and you’ll see why. I appreciate the emotional ties I have with each album and I continuously hope to see new projects from them soon. 

– Miranda 

Categories
Music Education

Let’s Get Psyched About Piano: Learning the Basics

 

So you’re spending a lot of time at home right now and you’re trying to find some way to spend the time productively, then you see that instrument in the corner and you have a brilliant idea, but you’re not sure how to start… You’re in luck! Cause my sister recently asked me to help her figure out the basics of piano (from this exact scenario) so I figure I can make a little post to get anyone in the same boat started.

 

First things first we have to learn the notes on the keyboard and how to read them.

I like to think of the notes as two clusters (separated by the black keys)

Cluster 1 is C D E, there are two black keys between these three white keys.

Cluster 2 is FGAB, there are three black keys between these four white keys.

This pattern repeats through the entire keyboard. The colors above match the pattern, so where the light blue C is, the following light blue is also a C but higher in octave. As we go to the right of the piano the octave gets higher (so the sound is higher). If we go to the left the octave lowers and the sound is deeper.

How to read the black keys:

This is where we get those sharp and flat notes. 

A sharp is notated with a (#) symbol and a flat is more like a lowercase B (b). 

A sharp is simply the black key to the right of a white key. So if we are at C and we go to the black key directly to its right we have C sharp. Right of D is D# and etc…

Flats work the opposite way. If we want to label a black key as flat we just have to take a white key and go to the black key on it’s left. So if we go from D to the black key on the left we have Db. 

This means that a black key can have two names, C# and Db are the same note. Music theory is a lot lol, you don’t really have to worry about it right now but basically it depends on the key you are in which name you would use. But key signatures come later, first let’s just get comfy with the notes.

 

The last thing worth noting here is that two white keys appear next to each other between ‘clusters’. EF and BC. In these cases sharps and flats still work the same way. Fb is the same as saying E and E# is the same as saying F.

The best way to learn any instrument is to learn some simple tunes, now that you know the notes you’re ready to take on some youtube tutorials with confidence 😀

Until next time,

DJ Psyched