WKNC 88.1 FM - North Carolina State University Student Radio
In this episode of The Saw’s Electric Chair, The Saw did a phone call interview with Andreas Kisser, the guitarist for Sepultura! They talked about Andreas’ upbringing in metal, learning how to play the guitar, past and future tours, and the band’s new record, Quadra, which will be released on Feb. 7.
The fourth studio album from Metallica; recorded January – May at One on One Recording Studios in Las Angeles, California, and released on August 25, 1988 …And Justice for All (Elektra) amounted to the end of Thrash Metal as it was known at the time. Helping to mold the genre, Metallica, with this record, effectively brought it to its logical conclusion.
Not only was the album a natural progression of the band’s sound – starting with Kill ‘Em All (1983), through Ride the Lightening (1984) and Master of Puppets (1986) – …And Justice for All was progressive metal (before there was such a thing). When Cliff Burton unexpectedly died in 1986, Metallica was searching for an outlet of sorts, I think, and with this record came an unleashing of rage and torment. It features staggering complexity, fast tempos, multiple time changes per track, eight or more riffs per track, and lyrics concerned with politics, the environment, legal injustice, censorship, and war. Jason Newsted was tapped for the bass position, though the final mix of the record nearly filtered him completely out. Blame for this fact flies all around, but I think it’s a sign of the struggle on behalf of Hetfield and Ulrich (and to some degree, Hammett) to cope.
Though the lyrical content of …Justice covered new ground, this record is all about the instruments! Specifically, nasty riffs, percussion, and double bass. Speaking of double bass, Lars’ double kicks on this album, have been dubbed, double “paper bass.” I love how they sound! The song “One” was the first music video for Metallica and was seen as an anti-war rant. The track “To Live is to Die” is a bass medley of unused recordings by Burton. Newsted played the medley that Burton wrote on the album. All lyrics on the record were written by James Hetfield, except the Spoken Word on “To Live is to die,” posthumously credited to Cliff Burton. All other music is credited to Hetfield Ulrich, and Hammett (Newsted gets co-credit on Blackened).
…Justice reached Gold in Norway; Platinum in Argentina, Finland, New Zeland, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom; 2X Platinum in Australia and Germany; 3X Platinum in Canada; and 8X Platinum, selling 8 million copies in the United States.
Favorite Songs: Blackened; …And Justice for All; Harvester of Sorrow
Rating: 10/10!! And quite possibly my favorite Metallica album!
Stay Metal,
THE SAW
Ahh, Slipknot, one of the bands that got many people into metal for the first time. When talking to my friends and interviewing members of local bands, almost all of them said that the band that got them interested into metal was, in fact, Slipknot. I found this really interesting and I am trying to figure out why this band has influenced so many people and others did not.
I believe that one of the reasons that Slipknot was the first band that got a lot of people into metal is because they are VERY different. I haven’t seen or heard a band that sounds like Slipknot or that looks like Slipknot. I think this is what attracts people to them because it is like they are characters of a show. They set themselves apart from all the other bands in this realm of music and it refreshing to see. I have seen Slipknot twice: once at the Carolina Rebellion and on their tour with Marilyn Manson and Of Mice & Men.
Slipknot is from Des Moines, Iowa and was founded in 1995. After several lineup changes, the band settled on nine members: Shawn Crahan, Joey Jordison, Paul Gray, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Sid Wilson, Chris Fehn, and Jim Root. Paul Gray died on May 24, 2010 and was replaced by Donnie Steele (2010-2014).
Slipknot is known for their attention-grabbing image, aggressive style of music, and high intensity stage performance. They rose to fame with the release of their debut album, Slipknot, in 1999. Their 2001 follow up album, Iowa, made the band even more popular. Their stage show is what also contributed to their success.
Slipknot is considered a Nu Metal band but their sound distances them from other Nu Metal bands, such as Korn. They describe their sound as “metal metal” and link the connection to Nu Metal as a coincidence since they emerged when that wave of metal was also emerging.
The members perform wearing unique, individual facemasks and matching uniforms. Each member is typically assigned and referred to by a number based on their role in the band (#0 through #8), although this practice has not been used since the death of Paul Gray. The concept of wearing masks on stage derived from Shawn Crahan. Corey Taylor stated that it’s their way of becoming more intimate with the music. It is a way for the band to escape their normal and everyday lives. The uniforms and masks change when they release a new album.
Slipknot has 6 full length albums: Slipknot (1999), Iowa (2001), Vol. 3 Subliminal Verses (2004), All Hope is Gone (2008), .5: The Gray Chapter (2014), and We Are Not Your Kind (2019).
Have you seen Slipknot? What is your favorite Slipknot song?
Stay Metal,
THE SAW
BEST TRACKS: Quiet Light, Hey Rosey, Hairpin Turns, Rylan
FCC clean
I Am Easy to Find scored a 7.6 on Pitchfork and was ranked as the #1 album of 2019 on Sophie’s Floorboard, edging out PUP’s Morbid Stuff for first place, so I just had to check it out. At 64 hours, this album is The National’s longest yet. I admire that this album takes its time. At no point do I feel like the album was hurried or short-changed.
This album is all about subtlety, featuring soft piano, whispering strings, and humble percussion. The emphasis is placed on the vocals and lyrics. Front man Matt Berninger’s baritone voice intertwined with multiple female vocalists, including Gail Ann Dorsey, David Bowie’s backup singer, brings this album in a certain divine direction. Despite all the outside voices, this album sounds undeniably like a National’s album. All monologuing takes place elegantly and compliments the music, rather than stealing away the spotlight.
I Am Easy to Find sounds like a slow drive through the snowy hills of the countryside. This album expertly captures the quiet weightlessness of being alone and the vulnerability of the human condition. I Am Easy to Find would fit perfectly as the soundtrack to a movie about struggling lovers and fates that never line up. In fact, The National released an artful, black and white short film that shares the name of the album, directed by Mike Mill (20th Century Women), and starring Alicia Vikander (Ex-Machina).
In my heart of hearts, Morbid Stuff is still the #1 album of the year and that will never change. However, I Am Easy to Find is seriously amazing too, but in a different way, for a different audience, and I can certainly see why it receives all of the praise that it does. I recommend this album if you are in the process of finding self-love.
-Safia
WKNC’s Underground genre is looking for new music to be added to the regular rotation! Send songs or playlists with your fav underground rap music and I’ll review it and (possibly) add!
—cellar door xx
Artist Record Label
1 HOLLOW PROPHET “Disembodied Phenomena” [Single] Self-Released
2 DETACHMENT Gaslight Self-Released
3 BURY TOMORROW “The Grey (VIXI)” [Single] For Nations
4 KROSIS “Battles Are Won Within” [Single] Unique Leader
5 AS I LAY DYING Shaped By Fire Nuclear Blast
6 COUNTERPARTS Nothing Left To Love Pure Noise
7 VOYAGER Colours In The Sun Season Of Mist
8 INFANT ANNIHILATOR The Battle of Yaldabaoth Self-Released
9 DOMINANT FORCE Cosmic Denial [EP] Triple B
10 SILVERTOMB Edge Of Existence Long Branch
BEST TRACKS: bedroom community, cold weather, yoshi’s island
FCC Violations: cold weather, glass beach, yoshi’s island
Recommended if you like: OK Go, Weezer, The Flaming Lips, the Undertale soundtrack
Los Angeles based band glass beach has debuted with their first album, aptly named, the first glass beach album. Art rock, bedroom pop, garage punk, call it what you will, but this album is definitely not your average, drearily air-headed indie record. I was mind blown that this band’s first ever album could be so phenomenal, but then I realized that glass beach’s lead singer and front man is J McClendon, the artistic genius behind Casio Dad. Then it all made sense.
At first glance, the first glass beach album exudes simple joy, and playful energy, yet the album is also refined and mature. Every element of every song is obviously very intentional. What makes this album so unique is its flawless blend of multiple genres. From the high school marching-band-esque horns and drums to the groovy video game electronic twinge to captivating keyboard melodies to the garage punk fuzz, this album by all means shouldn’t work, but it does. It’s unexpected yet magical, like a pickle dipped in peanut butter (don’t knock it till you try it).
I do think this album could stand to lose a few minutes. Most of the slow, instrumental-heavy tracks like planetarium and (forever?????????) don’t add any value to this otherwise stellar album, but rather are a speed bump to the album’s energy flow.
Regardless, this entire album is a 60 minute daydream you had when you fell asleep in the flowers under a huge oak tree. It feels like collapsing onto a twin bed piled up with cute Japanese plushies in a light pink bedroom. This album is sure to bring out your inner child and leave you with a huge smile on your face. If you love roller skating, the taste of peaches, or ever watched the anime Tsuritama and loved it, then this album was made for you.
-Safia
There has been a lot of debates and conversations about whether or not metal music makes people violent, and/or makes individuals angry or sad. Now, I have been in the metal scene for about 6 years now and have been going to multiple shows every month and from my personal experience, people do not seem to be angry or violent.
Now, do some people tend to get angry? Yes, it is a part of human nature to get angry and I have seen it happen at shows (actual fist fights have broken out) but not because of the music. There were other factors involve such as alcohol and miscommunication. Mosh pits (and especially at hardcore shows) look like the people in the pit are fighting one another, but that is part of the culture and moshing etiquette.
There has been statistical data and research that has been done to prove that metal music doesn’t make people violent but, in fact, the exact opposite; happy. I wrote a research paper on this topic for my English class but I won’t go into much detail about the statistical data. The outcomes, however, showed that listening to metal and going to metal shows help individuals cope with things going on in their lives and is used as a stress reliever or decompressor.
Although the shows appear to be nothing but chaos, the feelings and emotions one feels is serenity. Listening to extreme music releases hormones in the brain which make that individual feel good. I know this from personal experience. The music does not make me angry, but it helps calm me down and relax. I think this can go for any type of music that you like because it is something that you can identify with.
For me, and the majority of my friends, metal is what we identify with and it speaks to us in a way that gives us the sense that we are not alone. The shows are welcoming and, for the most part, the people are friendly. There are exceptions, of course, but the community as a whole gives us the feeling of solidarity.
Stay Metal,
THE SAW
Suicide Silence is a band that has gone through a lot of changes throughout the years: mainly, Mitch Lucker passing. But before we get into that, let’s look back at the history of Suicide Silence.
Suicide Silence is an American Deathcore band from Riverside, California. The band formed in 2002 and has released 5 albums and 1 EP in their discography: The Cleansing (2008), No Time To Bleed (2009), The Black Crown (2011), You Can’t Stop Me (2014), Sacred Words (2015), and Suicide Silence (2017). They have recently released a few singles in 2019: Feel Alive, Love Me To Death, and Meltdown. In 2009, they were awarded Revolver’s Golden God award for “Best New Talent.”
During the time the band was formed in 2002, it was a side project made up of musicians from other bands. After their demo, Death Awaits, they recorded a self-titled EP, and a few other songs. While on Century Media Records, in 2006, they recorded their first full-length album, The Cleansing. It was the bestselling debut albums in Century Media history. They then played at the Mayhem Festival and also went on tour with Parkway Drive, A Day to Remember, and The Acacia Strain.
The band then started to record No Time To Bleed and in April, they won Revolver’s Golden God award for “Most Innovative Band.” In 2011, the band started to record The Black Crown which was released July 12, 2011. This was the last record with Mitch Lucker on vocals.
Mitch Lucker passed away on November 1, 2012 due to a motorcycle crash. His passing was a huge shock to the metal community. That December, the band performed a memorial show in honor of Lucker and the money from the show went into an account for Lucker’s daughter, Kennedy, so she can use the money to go to school. At the memorial show, the friends of the band who were vocalists of other heavy bands, performed one song alongside the rest of the band. The show can be viewed on YouTube and the audio is out on Suicide Silence’s Spotify page. I thought this show was a cool way to honor Lucker because it was in a way that I believe he would enjoy; people jamming and moshing to his songs. It was great to see the metal community come together during this time.
Suicide Silence then brought Hernan “Eddie” Hermida into the band as vocalist and a lot of people were skeptic. Will the band sound the same? No. Like any other band, they too, must adapt and evolve. A lot of people were not a fan of the band’s new sound and they did voice their opinion about it when the band released their self-titled album in 2017. Since then, the band has not created another album, but has dropped live versions of songs and covers. In late 2019, they did release a few singles and stated that a new album is coming soon.
Did you get the chance to see Suicide Silence with Mitch Lucker?
Stay Metal,
THE SAW
Artist Record Label
1 ERIS DREW See You In Snow Needs
2 COWGIRL CLUE Icebreaker Vada Vada
3 DEATON CHRIS ANTHONY BO Y Self-Released
4 CHANNEL TRES Black Moses [EP] Godmode
5 LAURENCE GUY Making Music Is Bad For Your Self Esteeem [EP] Studio Barnhus
6 18 CARAT AFFAIR Spent Passions 2 Self-Released
7 YEULE Serotonin II Bayonet
8 GRACE IVES 2nd Dots Per Inch
9 FLOATING POINTS LesAlpx/Coorabell [EP] Ninja Tune
10 JACQUES GREENE Dawn Chorus Lucky Me