Showing posts with label liveadebate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label liveadebate. Show all posts
Tuesday, 26 May 2015
[REVIEW] Heathen Beast - The Carnage of Godhra
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| Heathen Beast - "The Carnage of Godhra" |
3 years after the release of "The Drowning of the Elephant God", Heathen Beast are back with "The Carnage of Godhra". Based on the well-documented and even well ignored massacre at Godhra, Gujrat; where countless innocents lost their lives due to the riots, the EP deals with the conspiracy theories attached with the sad events and the ultimate negligence from those in power.
The EP starts off with the title track "The Carnage of Godhra", just like it did in "The Drowning of the Elephant God". Sticking to their signature narration intro and blending traditional Indian percussion instruments with distorted guitars and razor sharp vocals, Heathen Beast have come out as a better band since their last release. The production quality has improved a lot and the improvising in the fillers have been good too! As we jog through the three tracks, there's a feeling of predictability. At times, you can just predict what comes next. But that doesn't rule out the fact that this is a very strong release. Blast beats and tempo changes in the tracks make it a not so boring affair, while the lyrical content stands out from the crowd. A pure, in your face approach to the lyrics actually leaves behind the riffs everything that goes behind. One good example and probably the part which struck me the most would be:
"Jafri was dragged into the street and forced to parade nakedRefusing to say "Jai Shri Ram" they beheaded and burnt his remains"- Ab Ki Baar Atyachar
The release is very mature in terms of the quality of music as well as the thought process behind it. A very bold step, but surely deserves a praise for the effort being put into the whole EP. You don't see a fusion of classical Indian instruments alongside some raw distortion everyday, neither do you get to see someone standing out and speaking against those in control.
Democracy is flawed, but this EP isn't. I'll sign off with these two lines:
Democracy is flawed, but this EP isn't. I'll sign off with these two lines:
"How can anyone even live a normal life after hearing those helpless cries?Will you still find a reason to live after everyone you love has died?"- Gaurav Yatra
Listen to The Carnage of Godhra here:
Saturday, 14 March 2015
Shepherd "Stereolithic Riffalocalypse" - Live: A Debate
After a long hiatus, as a result of some cheapass corporate stuff we do, Live: A Gig is back with another review. This time we slow things down, and take up Bangalore based Shepherd’s upcoming offering - Stereolithic Riffalocalypse. Apart from the cool name of the album, we have something cooler (nope, we still can’t afford an air conditioner). For this one, Sairaj Kamath from Centuries of Sin joins our pothead maniac, to discuss about the album. Off to Live: A Sin!Abhiraj: Hello, is there anybody in there?
Sairaj: Affirmative, Mandolin Man. Thanks for having me on Live: A Gig!
Abhiraj: No problem, kiddo! Now getting down to business before my high goes off. Stereolithic Riffalocalypse! What a cool name for an album!
Sairaj: Definitely, man. With titles like “Spite Pit” and “Bog Slime”, Shepherd have totally got this word duology thing down pat. Until now, the only two-fer phrases I loved were “School’s Out” and “Beef Kebab”.
Abhiraj: Beef Kabab! Now seriously getting down to business. Starting off with the album, there has been a lot of changes to the band since the last time I saw them live. Never seen them with the current lineup and of course, with all three members laying their vocals for their songs. The only two times I had the opportunity to catch them live were during the early days of the band, where they were still looking for that signature sound. I didn’t know what to expect from the album, but it is surprising to see that they have become totally a powerpack-ed outfit in the span of around 2 years, if my mathematics skills are still working.
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| Copyright - Danz Photography and Echoes From Beneath |
Sairaj: Keeping that scourge of primary school aside for now, I feel that this album actually merges Doom-y Sabbath sensibilities with the Stoner sound and dirty sense of humour that you could only get from the 90s and early 2000s. Why, even the vocals actually reminded me a bit of those of Alice In Chains; that kind of yarling/wailing that made both Layne Staley and William Duvall so distinctive among rock and metal singers. Other than those, Shepherd have also managed to accelerate the whole riff-eroony package with blistering solos as well.
Abhiraj: I’m surprised they got through the censor board without any cuts in their lyrics.
Moving on, yes, there is a nice feel of a crossover Rock-to-Metal evolution sound going on with the band. The solos, well, I’m more of a different kind of a guitar solo lover, so they didn’t quite do the trick
for me. The vocals, at times I thought they were a bit low on volume, but then, with subsequent listens, the volume and tone just seemed perfect for me. Must have been the long disconnect from the whole Metal scene for me.
Another thing I did like in the album is the use of atmospheric elements, stereo panning, etc. That gives it a nice drone-y edge. And, when a stoner listens to that, it’s always “Dude! I’m floating in the riverbed of Pluto”. Really nice on the record, but, the ultimate question is - can they produce the exact sound live? You, having seen them live more recently than me, would be the right person to ask this question to.
Sairaj: Well, I’d have to say that Shepherd do a good job on the live front as well. The stoner sound, especially its guitar tone, is relatively easier to pull off in a live setting than that “polished” one that other bands strive for. Although, I can’t exactly remember if they managed to reproduce those atmospheric elements that you spoke of. Jager with Whiskey somehow does that to a person.
Abhiraj: Ah, you drunk kids these days. Anyways, another thing that I would like to point out is the amount of diversity we get to hear on the record. You have tracks like “Black Cock of Armageddon”, giving you the distinctive Black Sabbath feel, and then you have a track like “Turdspeak”, which I found pretty similar to a Black Label Society song, minus the millions of pinch harmonics. And maybe, a testosterone pumped Zakk Wylde. But, yes, the diversity impresses me. This factor may very well be the biggest talking point of the album in days to come.
Sairaj: I think the perfect test case for that diversity is “Bog Slime”. You have the slow doom-y riffs, the spacey atmospheres, a nice tempo change later on in the song that totally pumps things up, etc. One funny moment for me in the song was that break in the middle, which damn near convinced me that either that song was over, or my VLC Player was acting up.
Another thing which I feel like bringing up is the vocals in “Wretch Salad”. It almost sounds to me like the vocalists went straight up Ozzy in tha hizz-aus! It’s like the man himself had the munchies, broke into their studio searching for Bat kebabs, and decided to contribute some nasally nonsense to the vocals in that track.
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| Copyright - Danz Photography and Echoes From Beneath |
Sairaj: And we’re sliding into the negatives. The most delicious part of the review. *rubs hands like an evil Mother-in-law*
Well, this is not so much a negative, as an unfortunate thing that might work against the album’s favour. The tempos in all the tracks do get monotonous, so much so that you might not be able to distinguish between them. I know that Stoner-Doom has that universal “slow sound” which is of course awesome in its own way, but at the same time, it’s difficult to cherry-pick or even recognise a track from the others if you’re listening to them live or without seeing the playlist. Basically, the “uniqueness” factor is kind of hard to come by for any one track in the album.
Abhiraj: The thing about Doom is that the tracks are slow, and heavy. There are songs that may not need any advanced knowledge of guitar playing to play them, but having said that, there isn’t much you can do to change the sound of the whole album per se. In a time when the whole scene is saturated with thousands of bands, finding that signature sound is hard. Shepherd did a great job in that part, in my opinion, with the way they have composed and arranged the songs; in the album, as well as the basic riff structures. Yes, it is predictable at times and it does get monotonous, but that comes with the package, and nothing can be done. Just like you would expect some considerable amount of breakdowns from modern metal bands, or a definite harmonica solo from a country song, there will be something or the other that you can predict from a Doom band. But, the way they take advantage of the negative part is what sets the good bands from the greats. In this case, Shepherd is certainly on the right track.
Sairaj: I guess that perspective has some merit. It’s just that, from my perspective in my city, I’ve noticed this thing called the “Bangalore Doom Syndicate”. Basically, it’s this collective of bands like Dying Embrace and Bevar Sea that set up gigs in the city for themselves and other bands, and there’s a high endorsement of Stoner, Sludge and Doom metal in those things. If I remember right, I saw Shepherd jamming in one of those gigs itself. Fitting right into a scene or sound is one thing, but there’s also the option of turning that sound right onto its head in a good bit of experimentation. Maybe Shepherd can pull a “High On Fire” trick sometime and make their sound more aggressive? That would be a DAMN COOL route to take the Stoner-Doom sound through.
Abhiraj: Well, at one point of time, you will have to experiment to stand out. To be seen or heard by people. Or, just to get an album contract with a label. With the lineup and experience of the individual members of Shepherd, I’m sure they can pull that hurdle off and set for bigger gains in the future. But, for the time being, if Stereolithic Riffocalypse is to be judged as a base for their journey, I would say, Shepherd may actually be India’s answer to a long lost Stoner Doom band that can get the crowd engaged. My personal views, I didn’t get paid to write that.
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| Copyright - Danz Photography and Echoes From Beneath |
Sairaj: Dude, this is the INDIAN metal scene we’re talking about here. They would probably only be able to pay you with half a blunt and a cup of Mishti Doi.
Getting to the album, I agree, it’s a fine base for Shepherd. One cannot afford to get too high-handed with a debut album (unless they’re Opeth or something). It’s just meant to introduce listeners to the starting or definitive sound of a band. In this case, ‘Stereolithic Riffalocalypse’ has the heavy riffs to be taken seriously by metalheads, and the total cock-rock vibe in its lyrics and vocals to keep the Stoners and alt-rock fans satisfied.
Abhiraj: The most I got paid for reviewing metal album(s) was a McChicken burger. Without fries. Or, Coke.
Anyway, yes, the conclusion can be drawn and we can surely settle on the fact that this very album has the potential to change the Indian metal scene; sooner, or later.
Moving on from the album. In the coming days, I’d like to see something like a Stoner Goregrind or some shit. That would be good! And, controversial too. Or, maybe a Pop Black Metal band from India. That would be the real shit!
Sairaj: Stoner Doom Pornogrind? “Cheech and Chong Fucked With a Knife”? “Entrails Ripped from Seth Rogen’s Cunt”?
Abhiraj: Before the censor board catches on to us; goodbye, cruel world.
P.S. - We didn’t use the word “Bombay”. Don’t censor us please :’(
Sairaj: I’M TOO PRETTY TO GO TO JAIL :’( :’(
See ya.
Varun: Hello, anyone here? Am I too late? Fuck this corporate shit.
Listen to Stereolithic Riffalocalypse here:
Tuesday, 14 October 2014
Until We Last "Earthgazing" - Live: A Debate
So, even after seeing the low hit count on their last article, the gone case duo of Live: A Gig are back to debate on another latest release. This time they chose Bangalore based Until We Last’s latest offering - Earthgazing. Now kids, if you want to be loved by people, do not try copying these idiots at home. Off to the maniacs:
Abhiraj: So, it seems some people don’t like it when an album is scrutinized of all good and bad aspects. Ahh, it was fun reviewing The Demon King anyway. Moving on, Until We Last! Have watched them perform live a few times when I was in Bangalore and I was really hoping they would come out with a release sooner or later.
First impression - This is the best $2 I have spent to buy an album in recent times, I could have got it for free, but listening to the tracks on their Bandcamp page, I just couldn’t. It’s pretty hard to compile an instrumental album to start off with; but, these guys have hit the sweet spot with it. If I were a random pothead kid, I would say - “Smoke up and listen to them, bro! They’ll get you to Pluto and back!” But really, this is some good stuff here!
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| Until We Last - Earthgazing |
Varun: Well, there's no doubt about that! The album is an absolute stunner. I know only a handful of post-rock bands in India and I've even managed to catch a couple of them live this year; but you know, these guys are the best. I tried to buy the album when it came out a couple of months back; but I couldn't. Something to do with the RBI policies of using the PayPal gateway it seems. I guess I'll have to grab a physical copy whenever I hit Bangalore. Hope the stock lasts!
Anyways, being the post-rock enthusiast that I am, I can say that these guys have not only put out a brilliant release but also something very innovative. Majority of post-rock music out there is either a depiction of urban life or one's emotions or life experiences. These guys made it about the nature for a change. Here’s a little story...
In the daily race of making a connection with my surroundings, I listen to a lot of post-rock (predominantly urban), especially while travelling in the city, and I sort of feel the atmosphere around me. On a fine day (to die :P), I put on this album anticipating a similar connection, but instead I was lost. I didn't feel like I was travelling in the metro with people surrounding me. I felt as if I was in another space, which is what I guess the band is trying to achieve: to connect the listeners to our mother Earth, aurally. The interesting part of the story is when the album ended, my iPod started playing Amesoeurs’ 'Gas In Veins'. The song, with strong urban aesthetics, made me realize where I was, and I was nowhere near a natural ecosystem. Such is the power of music!
Abhiraj: Thankfully, I had a 6 year old PayPal account which enabled me to buy the album. Sadly, only INR 2 was what I ever got transferred to my bank account till date from that account, and that was the security deposit they send when you open an account. Sigh.
I agree with you on the quality of post-rock bands in the country. Well, if you would ask me, Until We Last is currently as close as it gets to the international standards. In a country where the quantity of bands coming up these days is skyrocketing, it’s good to see a band which actually shows some quality among that quantity!
I was really impressed with the flow of the arrangements and the consecutive songs. A very well thought out plan and that’s exactly what plays with your emotions. Post-rock is not anyone’s cup of tea, and playing the genre is certainly not anyone’s cup, leave out the tea. I really loved the track “Earthgazing”. The track showcases a nice use of synths and the guitars with a very impressive setup of the panning. Whenever I listen to the track, I feel like sitting on top of my terrace in the evening with the cool winds blowing into my face. Right now though, I’m sitting under a fan in my living room, and it still gives me the same feeling! The way the music manipulates the mind is credible!
Varun: Exactly my point! The music does become a means of escaping from where we are and the flow of the album, like you said, does play an important role in doing that. The focus on texture gradually increases as we move towards the end of the album, making it more ambient and pulling you further away from reality. We notice that the band has used a lot of electronics in the last track, 'Water', unlike the first four tracks which are mostly guitar-based. Those sounds/noises, along with the melodies themselves, nicely represent the aesthetics of a marine habitat.
Another thing I liked was how calm overall the album is. There are no pacey tracks, no intense build-ups and consists of clean guitars throughout. The album's mood remains more or less steady with those beautiful and dynamic clean guitar harmonies and yet you feel it getting more intense. That's not something I exclusively appreciate, but since it has been done quite nicely, I couldn't help but mention.
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| EP back cover credits |
Abhiraj: True, very true! The last two tracks actually, including the bonus track - “Trails” have a heavy electronica sound associated with them. And, I’m not complaining. The whole idea of various layers of sounds amalgamating into a song is beautifully implemented.
Now, coming to some technicalities. Both of us know how difficult it is to portray the exact sound as heard on the album, while playing live. Given the current scene and lack of well acoustic-ated venues to play in, how do you think they will cope up with this very serious problem?
Varun: Well yes, that’s always a challenge. But I believe that that's something they have already achieved. I haven't seen them live but saw a performance clip online and was highly impressed by their stage presence; some really stunning visuals there. Check it out if you can.
The sound seemed alright in that video, but again I would make a better judgement if I actually see them live, which I haven't. But yes, they opened for Tides From Nebula a couple of weeks back and my friend who was there told me that they were "indeed magical". Even you mentioned earlier that you have seen them live, didn't you? How did you find them? Did they play a different set that day?
On another note, there's just one thing I felt the band could have missed in the album. The album tells us with its calm nature how beautiful and pleasant our planet is, but what about the chaotic parts? I mean for a beautiful stream of river in the hills, there's also a lava river from an erupting volcano; for all the green forests, there are also the hot and stormy deserts; for all the creation, there's also destruction. Maybe these guys didn't want to focus on the negative parts, that's why they decided to leave that out. But that's something I would have loved to listen on the album, because nature is not always beautiful, just like the cities are not always grievous and depressing.
Abhiraj: I had seen them live prior to releasing the EP and they seemed really good! But, now that I have heard their studio recordings, it will be really intriguing if they can match up to that sound and stereo effect placement. I would surely be looking forward to that the next time I catch them live.
The chaotic scenery may be a plan for a sequel to this EP, or a full length some time in the near future? Besides we did have our dose of good over evil in our last debate, this is surely refreshing after that :P
I may actually listen to this EP and The Demon King back-to-back, now that you gave me that good vs. evil lecture :P
Varun: Ohh no! I'm done with the good vs. evil fight! Social dynamics is not my thing anymore. I was actually talking about the ecological dynamics, which play an important role in so many album concepts. But you clearly seem in mood for some bacon bombs. So let's end this discussion here and go have some meat now!
Abhiraj: I’m on a diet. I’ll stick to my green veggies. I love greens.
Check out Until We Last - Earthgazing here -
Wednesday, 1 October 2014
Demonic Resurrection "The Demon King" - Live: A Debate
And Live: A Gig presents you the great battle of modern Gladiator times! On one hand we have an ageing wannabe hippie is most likely to end up doing antacids in a few years rather than acids. On the other hand we have a model for shampoo companies, who drinks rum and likes pork. In this battle of the mighty pen (which neither of them use to write this article), get ready to witness a debate as these two bozos try to present their views on Demonic Resurrection’s latest release from this year - The Demon King.
Abhiraj: Okay, I’ll be honest - this album didn’t impress me too much on the first listen. But with consecutive listens, it did grow on me. The melody in the arrangement is pretty impressive. The guitar shreds have nice, clean and distinguishable notes, another thumbs up from my side. Daniel’s technical knowledge gets a nice exposure with the solos. Nishith has huge shoes to fill in, but having watched him perform live, I’m sure he’s up for it! I did feel the clean vocals have to be improved a bit, it lacked a definite emotion that I was hoping for. But, the clean vocals are surely better than their previous album. Coming to the quality of mix - it’s the closest thing to flawless. That’s a big advantage when you’re mixing and mastering your own tracks I guess. You know how it should sound and you won’t rest until you get that sound that is circling around in your head.
I love the way every instrument gets a good exposure on the final mix. Each musician given proper space and respect to do their thing and that serves up to its purpose when you give the album a spin.
Varun: Yes, I hear you when you say that the album's production is good. In fact I would go ahead and say that 'The Demon King' does sound massive and for listeners who constantly look for something heavy and melodic, this is one of the good new albums. Well, Demonic Resurrection has been in the scene for quite some time, working hard and improving with each record. And now we are seeing them making it really big with all the recent performances at Wacken, Sonisphere and Bloodstock, along with their highly successful (so it appears on social media) UK tour. They've all got immense amount of talent and are few of the best metal musicians there are in the country. Yes, I'm not a big fan of Sahil's vocals either but his work on guitars is quite decent. Some of the riffs on 'Trail Of Devastation' and 'Death, Desolation and Despair' really left me in awe.
But all that being said, one thing I always feel is missing in a new DR record is a tad bit innovation in their sound. This record is more death metal than black metal, unlike previous releases, but besides that it's more or less what we heard on 'A Darkness Descends', 'The Return To Darkness' or even on Reptilian Death's 'The Dawn of Consummation and Emergence' for that matter. Sahil has seemingly gotten very comfortable with this particular style of melodies and riffage and they're just being done over and over again. As soon as the first notes of 'Death, Desolation and Despair' (the first promo single) hit my ears, I couldn't help but go "Ohh man! Not again". No, there's nothing wrong with the song, in fact it's pretty driving, but you get my point, right?
Abhiraj: I get your point. Frankly, I am a fan of deeper growls, but not everyone will have the same vocal texture to pull it off. But one thing they can do is have vocal layerings to make the vocals sound more intense. The layering concept has been used to a good effect in the tracks. But, would have loved if something was done for the clean vocals too. A little notice must be given to the vocal sections which have a more Industrial Metal touch than Black or Death, notably at the end of ‘Facing The Faceless’ and the intro of the title track - ‘The Demon King’. Would have loved if they experimented with a layer of growl over that. Some copy-book fry vocals would do the trick!
Let’s talk about the other instruments for a bit. I found the orchestration on the album pretty imposing! My favourite being the intro of ‘Death, Desolation and Despair’. It gives the tracks a nice symphonic feel, as well as contributes a good part in the darkness quotient of the album in general. The drums, Virendra is a beast incarnate behind the drumkit. There is a reason why every band needs to record their drums live for their album, at least, and this guy shows exactly why. If the drums were programmed, I don’t think it would have had the same emotions if it was programmed, like 95% of the albums we get to listen to these days. The intensive hit of the bass drums and snares may be duplicated on the drum machine, but it will always have that fabricated feel to it. And anyways, why the hell would you program drums when your drummer can play better than the software you are using?
Varun: Haha! Well the answer's simple. Cost. Not every band can invest the kind of money which live drum tracking requires. But again, if you're really serious about your work and you are seeking recognition, then that's something you would not want to compromise on besides all the real effort which is required. A lot of Indian bands have been coming up with new stuff but very few of them actually spend time jamming and working on their sound… and yet they feel entitled to people’s support. But coming back to Virendra, he is indeed quite impressive. His drumming adds a lot dynamics to the tracks, which I felt most in the tracks, 'Trail Of Devastation', 'Even Gods To Fall' and 'The Promise Of Never'. I even remember seeing him live a couple of times last year and being simply amazed by his flamboyance and flair. So, there's no doubt that he is an excellent drummer and I even look forward to listening his work on Scribe's new album, 'Hail Mogambo'.
Speaking of orchestration, there were a few places where I wasn't very happy with the tone of keyboards and a few places where I felt it overpowered the guitars. Frankly, I'm more fond of the work on guitars on the album. 'The Promise Of Never' exhibits that great work and is definitely the highlight for me as well. The guitar melodies on the song are quite captivating and it does stand out from the rest of the tracks in terms of sound. So you could say I found the "tad bit of innovation" I was looking for in that song.
Abhiraj: And folks, here is a rare case where Varun and I actually have a common opinion about a song. ‘The Promise Of Never’ agreeing to each other is broken for at least this album :P
I agree with the cost of actually recording live drums and given the current scenario, not everyone is rich enough to do that. And the non-paid gig scene adds to the misery.
Coming back to the album again, let’s talk about the concept. The concept revolves around the age old policy of without any good, there won’t be any bad! The story starts with the assassination son of God, who was also the King and rules from the land of man. But, during this time, the Demon King is awakened for some reason and he start creating havoc in the land we call Earth and upsetting the balance of the universe, in short - making bacon bombs out of everything he saw in front of him. In order to restore the balance and harmony, the God, who was until then a silent spectator, descended down to kill the Demon King. But it seems all these silent years had taken a toll on God’s fitness level and he gets slaughtered by the Demon, classic Mortal Kombat style. That’s how the story goes, except the unnecessary jokes I added. A very well thought out plan taking a slight dig at basic human psychology of judgement and normality.
The songs, hence, are chapters of the story as it unfolds. Looking at the lyrics, though they get a bit monotonous at times, maintain the fluidity and spontaneity of the story, without being too dramatic. Your views on that?
Varun: Well, the concept sure does sound interesting and I guess the "Mortal Kombat" you speak of, is depicted in the cover art, which is quite good I must say. I spent a good amount of time yesterday staring at the high resolution image of the cover art and appreciating the details and the vicious and kinda indiscernible face of The Demon King. I think that's what makes him even so frightening and dangerous - his incomprehensible features. The good guy had to lose!
The lyrics seem alright to me. I don't generally put much stress on the lyrics because I have my love for the instruments and at least in metal, I really believe that the pen is not quite mightier than the sword (or axe or guitar or whatever instrument you play). Yes, of course over the years we have seen bands like Ayreon, Wintersun, Dio and King Diamond whose lyrics are as good as poems and that only adds to people's listening experience. And then I come across bands like jesu, who barely write 4-5 lines in the song, but the atmosphere of the music lands you in a chronically depressive state and you simply lie on your couch eating ice cream directly from the box. That reminds me, have you tried the new flavour of chocolate at Baskin Robbins?
Abhiraj: I prefer Gelato over Ice Cream. Baskin Robbins never impressed me, just like Shah Rukh Khan’s movies don’t. Coming back from the dessert-ed talks, final verdict on the album? If I was good in mathematics, I would have rated the album. But, I’m dyslexic, so, I can’t rate :’(
Varun: I'm still thinking about the ice cream!
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