Thomas Giles - Pulse

Thomas Giles is the solo project for Between The Buried And Me frontman Tommy Rogers. On February 1, 2011, he released his debut album entitled Pulse on Metal Blade Records. Oddly enough, this is not the type of album that one would usually hear from Metal Blade Records and it definitely doesn't sound like something the frontman of the brutal, progressive metal act Between The Buried And Me would release. However, Tommy Rogers has always been very innovative in his musical ventures and this is shown in much of Between The Buried And Me's work. Rogers branches out from ordinary metal and applies many different styles to his music. Some people have even referred to him as the Thom Yorke of metal. So although the release of Pulse may seem out of the ordinary to metal fans, it is definitely not out of the ordinary for Rogers himself.

Prior to listening to Pulse, I was not sure what to expect and upon first listen, I was not sure what to think. Pulse is a very unique and deeply thought out album, and is definitely the type of album that takes some time to sit and reflect on. This is an album devoted to individuality, with each of the tracks sounding different than the others. Pulse is one of those albums that you wish artists would release more often, because the difference in personality and style on each track makes it one of a kind. Pulse is one of those albums that is very hard to give an accurate description of. It covers so many boundaries and styles that there is no true, set genre to put the music under. If anything, the music on Pulse has a very strong Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails) and Thom Yorke (Radiohead) influence in it. These influences are noted because Reznor and Yorke have always released diverse albums with such musically individualistic tracks. This is the approach that Tommy Rogers sets forth in Pulse. From start to finish, Pulse shows off Rogers' versatility and explores various musical areas that will be a shock to most fans of the heavier side of his work with Between The Buried And Me, but this will be a good sort of shock. Pulse is by no means a metal album, but it takes some influences from the metal genre and numerous other genres including indie, acoustic, folk, progressive, jazz, industrial, and electronic.

Thomas Giles' Pulse begins with the track "Sleep Shake", which starts off with an ambient guitar riff that is very reminiscent of early, classic space-rock (David Bowie, Pink Floyd, King Crimson). The chorus then comes in with distorted electronics, guitars, and thunderous, pummeling drums. This track is definitely a memorable experience and a great way to begin the album. Although "Sleep Shake" is spacey sounding with its electronics and keyboards present, it stays more along the lines of apocalyptic, crescendo-driven rock. The more spaced-out sound is present on the next track "Reverb Island". This track is jam-packed with acoustic guitars, electronics, keyboards, and even a bridge section where Roger's repeats the words "can't stop" over and over again, while a trance-inducing dance beat is layered underneath of these vocals. This track could be described as Pink Floyd performing an acoustic song at a rave, dance party. "Mr. Bird" is mainly a piano-driven track, with a little lead acoustic guitar work thrown into the mix. This is a dark and eerie sounding track and shows how unique and different each of the tracks are on the album, especially because of the track right after it. This fourth track, entitled "Catch And Release" is, without a doubt, the album's wildest track by far. This is the most industrial, metal-driven track on the album and is somewhere along the lines of Chicago industrial noise and Radiohead's "Fitter, Happier" programmed vocal style or Skinny Puppy-esque screams. "Catch And Release" is a very noisy track and is pure genius, in my honest opinion.

The fifth track, "Hamilton Anxiety Scale", is one of my favorite tracks on the album and is a very melodic and progressive rock track that starts off acoustically and then leads into a full-blown distorted rock masterpiece. This track also has sparse elements of funk and space rock undertones throughout its four minutes and nine seconds. "Scared" is a beautiful, heartfelt, soulful acoustic folk song about hope and being there for someone, but also being sad and scared about what the outcome of a certain situation might be. Some people have compared this track to The Beatles at their heaviest. "Reject Falicon" is the second strangest track on the album (the first being "Catch And Release") and is a spooky, futuristic sounding, electronica track, complete with distorted synth beats and dark piano melodies. This track would fit perfectly in a sci-fi film and is without a doubt of the most unique sounding songs written by any artist in many years.

"Medic" is the heaviest and most metal-driven track on Pulse. If there was a track on Pulse that could be compared to Between The Buried And Me, "Medic" would have to be it, "Suspend The Death Watch" is a genius track and reminds me of Pink Floyd at their most spaced-out. Towards the middle of the track there is an atmospheric effect anda voice recording of a man talking about time machines. If anything, this piece sounds like it would be the perfect soundtrack for time travel. "Armchair Travel" is another folky, acoustic track that is very similar to "Scared". The final track, "Hypoxia", is a very slow song complete with harps, strings, woodwinds, keys, and guitars. This track slowly builds throughout and harmonizes beautifully until the epic crescendo sends you into another dimension.

Overall, Thomas Giles' Pulse is a true masterpiece of an album. The album combines a perfect blend of space-rock, industrial, folk, electronic, metal, and progressive, and is a truly entertaining and legendary album. The most incredible part about Pulse is that it was completely written by Tommy Rogers himself and this shows true talent and skill. Even though each track is completely different, they all seem to work together perfectly and flow into one another smoothly. This album makes for one epic adventure and is sure to be a rewarding experience for whoever chooses to listen. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Thomas Giles' Pulse, you will not be disappointed with the outcome.

Check out the music video for the track "Sleep Shake" off of Thomas Giles' Pulse:



Check out the track "Medic" off of Thomas Giles' Pulse:

The Shaking Sensations - East Of Youth (2011)

Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, instrumental five-piece The Shaking Sensations formed in 2005 and have been getting a lot of praise for their newest album East Of Youth. I can relate to this praise because I happen to like the album a whole lot. The Shaking Sensations create well-crafted instrumentals that could restart the legacy of great post-rock, similar to what pioneering acts Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky did. They are very faithful to the post-rock genre and put a great amount of heart and effort into their material. The song structures on East Of Youth consist of precise build-ups that eventually lead into beautiful, melodic crescendos. This is the traditional post-rock structuring and The Shaking Sensations have easily mastered this technique. This Danish five-piece could easily go down as the next addition of current post-rock bands to keep the legacy of this genre alive, along with the likes of pioneers such as Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, and Godspeed You Black Emperor.

The Shaking Sensations debut album, East Of Youth, brings to the table everything that is worthwhile in a genre that has become not so worthwhile. Tracks like "All That Ever Lives Will Live Forever" and "Our Hearts Were Young And Gay" are composed of heartfelt, melodic guitar riffs that collectively build up into an array of emotions. Album closer "Homage To Boyhood" take a different approach than the previously mentioned tracks and introduces the bands heavier side. This track also shows off the collective blend of the bands two drummers and perfectly showcases how the two drummers bring an immense rhythm section and epic wall of sound.

Overall, The Shaking Sensations East Of Youth is a musically transcending debut album and the music on this album is so extraordinary that the band helps to continue the legacy of post-rock excellence. There is a significant contrast in The Shaking Sensations music, and this contrast is between the calm and fragile moments and the fiercly energetic moments. Moments like these help to describe the true nature of post-rock and instrumental music as a whole. The Shaking Sensations are sure to go down in the post-rock hall of fame, alongside of acts like Mogwai, Explosions In The Sky, and Godspeed You Black Emperor. Fans of these bands will definitely find something worthwhile on The Shaking Sensations East Of Youth and are very likely to hear the heart put into this album. East Of Youth is one of the best post-rock releases in recent years, but I could even go as far as saying that it is one of the best post-rock releases since the inception of the genre many years ago. All in all, The Shaking Sensations are definitely masterminds of their genre and prove this on their debut album East Of Youth. I was very pleased with what I heard on this album and the album continues to get better with each listen. This album is not only one that fans of post-rock will enjoy, but also one that music fans in general will find entertaining and beautiful. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of The Shaking Sensations East Of Youth. This is real music at its very finest.

                                                                                                                      

 Check out the track "The Obsidian Sea" off of The Shaking Sensations East Of Youth:

Yes, Inferno - Yes, Inferno

San Antonio progressive, instrumental rock band Yes, Inferno was born in early 2009 out of the ashes of drummer Ernst Bredvad's garage. The four-piece consists of Ernst Bredvad on drums, Christen Saenz on bass, Cisco Garcia on guitar, and Richard Garcia on guitar. Though Yes, Inferno bring nothing groundbreaking to the genre, their music is definitely unique and blends many elements from numerous genres including progressive rock, post-punk, math rock, jazz, and metal. On June 7, 2011, Yes, Inferno released their self-titled EP with the help of Texas Is Funny Records. Aside from genres and styles, their music could be described as staccato hard rock, which is a form of hard rock that is composed of notes of shortened duration that are separated from notes that may follow by silence.

The EP opens with the track "Ellen Page", which is a hard hitter from start to finish, and ends with great placement without dragging on. This track brings to mind the earlier math rock sounds of Minus The Bear and only lasts for one-minute and forty-six seconds. Next up is the track "Midnight Murder Highway", which has a heavy focus on Bredvad's drum work and Saenz's bass skills. Many have quoted this song as "bringing voodoo funk to math rock", and the drum and bass work live up to this description. "Something Along The Skyline" starts off slow, but then builds into a heavy and melancholy soundtrack of epic proportions. The standout track and most melodic point on the album is the fourth track "Tunnels In London". Yes, Inferno chose a masterpiece of a guitar riff for this track, and as the song builds, the guitar work continues to progress for the better. The EP ends with "Ghost XO", which begins with a depressing sounding guitar riff, eventually leading into a full-blown, epic structure of drum and bass work. Swirling riffs play throughout the track until it ends at three-minutes and twenty-five seconds with the same riff that began the track.

Yes, Inferno have certainly put their skills to the test with their self-titled debut EP. Their music may not be groundbreaking, but it is definitely unique in sound structure and approach, and music that I enjoy very much. They have covered many boundaries in just five songs, so I know that they are capable of much more in the future. Fans of progressive rock, math rock, post-punk, jazz, and even metal, are sure to find something worthwhile on Yes, Inferno's debut EP. Do yourself a favor and go pick up a copy of Yes, Inferno's self-titled debut, I highly doubt you will be disappointed.

Click the link below to listen to Yes, Inferno's self-titled debut EP in its entirety:

http://texasisfunnyrecords.bandcamp.com/album/yes-inferno

We Made God - As We Sleep

It is very intriguing to hear of a band described as a mix between Sigur Ros and Deftones, and even more intriguing to hear their music. This band is the atmospheric metal four-piece We Made God. Hailing from Iceland, We Made God are a promising post-metal band that is made up of four members that are all in their early twenties. The band consists of Arnor on guitars, Maggi on guitars and vocals, Stuni on bass, and Biggi on drums. Fans of Sigur Ros, Deftones (especially White Pony), and *Shels, are sure to find something worthwhile on We Made God's debut album As We Sleep.

As We Sleep begins with the album opener "Gizmo", which follows a gentle to brutal pattern and is something that the aforementioned bands are most notable at doing. The track keeps its focus on examining the gentle aspects while also having that epic post-metal touch. The second track, entitled "Bathwater", is filled with sonic guitar riffs reminiscent of Stephen Carpenter from Deftones and vicious screams that almost sound identical to those of Chino Moreno from Deftones. "Bathwater" is easily my favorite track on the album, especially since it resembles Deftones to a tee and Deftones have always been one of my biggest inspirations musically. "Sub Rosa" is the most bass-filled track in my opinion and the double bass drum work is outstanding. The fourth and fifth tracks "Deir Yassin" and "Theory Of Progress" follow the same techniques as the first three tracks and are very good tracks, but nowhere near as developed as the previous material on the album. Lastly, comes the sixteen minute epic "The Color". This track follows an entirely different approach than the rest of the album and the true beauty of the track comes in at nine minutes and thirty seconds. The heaviness and beauty swirl about from this time on and the ending is very promising.

Overall, We Made God's As We Sleep is an epic adventure throughout. For such a young four-piece just beginning their career, they sure know how to pack a punch however, the band is not at the top of their peak quite yet. My favorite thing about We Made God is that they are probably the closest musical act coming from Iceland that resembles Deftones. I was very pleased with their debut album As We Sleep and highly recommend it to fans of the aforementioned bands or to fans of that raw, post-metal flavor.

Check out the track "Bathwater" off of We Made God's debut album As We Sleep:





The Ansion - That Is The Way Of Things, A Day Late And A Dollar Short, A Third Of Four Rooms, B-Sides And Rarities

The Ansion is a humble and meek 28 year old hailing from Kilmarnock, Scotland that makes ambient and electronic music using his laptop, numerous keyboards, guitars, and loop pedals. His music is a mixture of programmed beats and live electronic instrumentation, and could be compared to acts like The Album Leaf, The American Dollar, and The Abbasi Brothers. The initial inception of The Ansion was in 2006 and his debut album entitled That Is The Way Of Things was released in 2007 on Ohio's Skean Dhu Recordings. In 2008, That Is The Way Of Things was released by Say Hello To Never Recordings, a Japanese based label. The music on That Is The Way Of Things combines elements of dance-oriented percussion and contemplative atmospheric sounds, which could appeal to fans of all types of music. The album comes with an extra digital download album entitled A Day Late And A Dollar Short, which is composed of outtakes from the That Is The Way Of Things  recording sessions.

To add to the aspect of D.I.Y., The Ansion is a home-based musician and producer, and since his inception as an artist he has recorded in four different rooms in three different houses. This is the concept behind the name of his 2011 EP, entitled A Third Of Four Rooms. The four original songs and a remix by ::thinkstandard:: were recorded in the third of these four rooms, hence the name A Third Of Four Rooms. The songs on A Third Of Four Rooms were recorded throughout 2009 and 2010, and were initially intended to be on a full-length album that is just now starting to come together. The Ansion, however, came to the conclusion that since the tracks intended to be on  the full-length had a completely different sound than the other recordings, he would release the tracks on an EP, which came to be A Third Of Four Rooms. The Ansion was working (and still is) on a full-length album that consisted of binaural guitar loop recordings while recording the tracks that make up A Third Of Four Rooms. The major sound difference in the two is that the tracks on A Third Of Four Rooms rely heavily on ambiance, and less on guitar. The only track on A Third Of Four Rooms that may resemble something up-and-coming from The Ansion is "Will You Shut Up And Get Off The Damn Ground", which relies heavily on guitar loops and is my personal favorite off of the EP.

Aside from these releases, The Ansion has also released individual tracks throughout the years that don't apply to one set album. Overall, The Ansion does a phenomenal job at creating music in this particular genre or style. One will hear elements of dance music, hip-hop, electronic, post-rock, industrial, and ambient music throughout each track, and The Ansion is so skilled at his craft that the mixture of all of these elements works out just right and never wrong. Anyone who enjoys ambient music with a danceable, electronic twist is sure to find something in The Ansion. I have been pleased with everything that he has released to this day and I am looking forward to what he develops next on the up-and-coming full-length album.

Check out the track "The Problem With Destiny" off of The Ansion's A Third Of Four Rooms:



The American Dollar - Atlas

For more than a year now I have been wanting to write a review for one of my all time favorite albums in the history of music, and that album is The American Dollar's Atlas. Hailing from Queens, New York, The American Dollar is an instrumental duo that consists of John Emanuele and Richard Cupolo. Emanuele and Cupolo became close friends in high school and shared a love for post-rock and ambient music. Fast forward to 2005 and The American Dollar was born. The American Dollar create beautiful, heartfelt instrumental music that some may refer to as post-rock, but most people classify music without vocals as post-rock. The American Dollar, however, are not post-rock. There may be elements of post-rock in their music, but there is no real genre classification for the music that The American Dollar creates. There are elements of post-rock, shoegaze, electronica, hip-hop, industrial, and classical in the music that The American Dollar puts out, but if I had to put them into a particular genre, it would be known as heartfelt instrumental music.

The American Dollar create instrumental music that is so fine, that it captures what nature or a city-like environment would sound like if these environments were to compose music. That explanation may be hard for some to comprehend, but just imagine what oceans, mountains, forests, or even a skyline view of New York City would sound like if these scenic landscapes were creating music. To me, The American Dollar's music sounds like what these environments would sound like. In short, their music has a natural beauty of its own. Environments aside however, The American Dollar's music also brings a sense of euphoria, where you and the music are one combined feeling. The music on Atlas, The American Dollar's fourth studio album, completely envelops the listener and allows them to transcend all daily concerns except for the music itself. The album begins with the track "A Few Words", which is completely packed with looping piano melodies, reverb filled guitar, and beautiful atmospheric synth effects. The second track "Age Of Wonder" has a similar vibe to "A Few Words", complete with dreamy, atmospheric tones that leave the listener wondering what's next, hence the name. Actually, every song on Atlas leaves the listener wondering what's next. The atmospheres and melodies are so intricate and unique, that you never know what is going to be around the next corner.

Tracks like "Fade In Out" and "Equinox" bring out the circling atmospheric tones reminiscent of bands like The Album Leaf and Arms And Sleepers. "Oil And Water" is probably one of my favorite track off of Atlas. This track begins with delay and reverb driven guitar work that leads into a soft piano melody that loops throughout the entire track. There is a hip-hop-esque beat backing the entire track which eventually leads into a full-fledged guitar-driven crescendo, which is one of the heaviest sections of the album and the album's highlight, in my opinion. "Second Sight" begins with a looped piano melody overtop of glitchy electronics, which are a popular aspect of this genre. The song then pauses for a moment until breaking down into a beautiful overload of ambient rock bliss. This track was the first single for the album and it also has a music video that is one of the best music videos that I have seen in sometime. The video was created by Yan Goldshmidt and Garth Superville, who are the founders of http://www.brokengrid.com, a graphic design company that specializes in music videos and other graphic design oriented projects. The rest of the album follows similar guidelines to these songs, complete with atmospheric melodies, reverb/delay driven guitar work, and dreamy synths.

Overall, The American Dollar's Atlas is at the peak of its genre. While there are only two people on the entire album, they sure know how to bring a big sound for such a little musical act. Although most of the music on Atlas is dreamy, calm, and serene, this relaxing mood packs a big punch. The American Dollar prove once again, on Atlas, that they know how to take such a minimalist style of music and turn it into something epic and breathtaking. Fans of dreamy, atmospheric, synth/guitar driven, ambient music will definitely find something meaningful in The American Dollar's Atlas.

Check out the music video for "Second Sight" off of The American Dollar's Atlas:

 

Animals As Leaders - Weightless

Regardless of style or genre, all types of albums have made listeners feel something in one way or another at some point in time. This is usually a feeling of some sort of emotion, be it joy, happiness, sadness, anger, peacefulness, or a feeling of being melancholy. However, not all albums allow listeners to feel different emotions. If a listener is able to focus hard enough on the music and get lost in the soundscapes, sometimes this listener can feel a physical reaction to the music. After all, music is medicine, in my opinion, and can be used for healing purposes in many different ways. Instrumental three-piece Animals As Leaders just released their sophomore effort entitled Weightless on November 8, 2011 through Prosthetic Records, and this album definitely gives off a physical reaction. While listening to this album and focusing deeply on the soundscapes, I felt the same reaction as the album name itself, weightless. One may ask, how can music make you feel weightless? Well, in the case of Animals As Leaders' Weightless, the music is so empowering over the physical body itself and has a spiritual aspect in the sense of tones, so it is very easy to get lost in the sounds of the album and feel "weightless".

Ever since 2009, Animals As Leaders have been turning heads with their complex and innovative style of progressive metal. Animals As Leaders released their self-titled debut in 2009 and the album was mainly recognized and praised due to virtuoso Tosin Abasi's technical form of 8-string guitar playing. Abasi recorded all of the guitar and bass for the self-titled album while Misha Mansoor (Periphery) helped with drums, electronics, and engineering. During this time, Abasi rounded out his line-up with the addition of guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Navene Koperweis. Abasi, Reyes, and Koperweis are the three masterminds that currently make up Animals As Leaders. Animals As Leaders' Weightless is the band's second album and the first album as a three-piece. In just two years, Animals As Leaders have gone from a solo, self-recorded act, to an extensive three-piece of legendary musicianship. Weightless was recorded and produced in Koperweis's home studio, and the quality of the recording is much more crafted than the self-titled. On the self-titled album, Misha Mansoor handled production and the work that Mansoor put in on the album was very amateur sounding compared to the mixing done by Reyes on Weightless. One major difference with the two albums is that on the self-titled, Mansoor used digital drums that were way too processed and did not feel real. On Weightless however, there is  real drumming by Koperweis and it sounds much more natural. There is no comparison between the drum work on each album, Weightless takes the cake.

While the self-titles album focused on more of a djent sound, filled with chugging guitar sections, Weightless focuses more on the mellower jazz side of Animals As Leaders, as well as a heavy focus on electronic elements. Weightless is definitely a technical album, but there is more focus on painting a picture of feelings than on the monstrous shredding riffs that were so present on the self-titled debut. However, even though there is less focus on the shredding elements, there are still strong elements of solos, intricate guitar riffs, and thunderous sound. An example of this thunderous sound is noticed right away in the opening track "An Infinite Regression". On the self-titled album, the djent sound was present and the guitar work was mainly composed of low, chugging riffs. On Weightless, Abasi and Reyes compose riffs that are all across the fretboard, without just focusing on one section. Tracks like "Earth Departure" and "To Lead You To An Overwhelming Question" do, however, have that low, chugging sound present, but it is more of a natural chugging sound than a technical djent sound. These techniques that I have noted above show how Animals As Leaders have improved on their songwriting abilities with the release of Weightless.

"Odessa" was the first track to be released prior to the release of Weightless, and is a very jazz-oriented metal track that relies heavily on electronic glitch effects. Tracks such as "New Eden", "Espera", and "David" are all under three minutes and are some of the better tracks on the album. The only disappointing thing about these tracks is that they have the potential to be longer, and they should be, because they are just that good. "Somnarium" is another track that relies heavily on jazz and classical riffs, which leads into a full-fledged rock track while maintaining its jazz elements. The title track "Weightless" reminds me a lot of "Song Of Solomon" from the self-titled debut. This track is composed of solo riffs that go up and down the entire fretboard, and there are also elements of thunderous, chugging riffs present in this track.

Overall, Weightless is Animals As Leaders best work to date. The quality and production on the album is a lot more natural than the self-titled album, and the songwriting is much more developed. The band do a great job of blending progressive metal and jazz elements in their songs and this is very evident on Weightless. The overall feel of Weightless, from the production to the songwriting, makes it easily one of the best releases this year, regardless of genre.

Check out the track "Odessa" off of Animals As Leaders' Weightless:

Arms And Sleepers - The Organ Hearts

The Organ Hearts is Arms And Sleepers third full-length album and is easily their best-to-date. The album was written and recorded by Mirza Ramic and Max Lewis during 2010 and the first part of 2011. The duo hooked up with Ben Shepard (Uzi & Ari) and Philip Jamieson (Caspian) for the writing and recording of The Organ Hearts, which isn't the first time that the two have helped with collaboration. The Organ Hearts is pure gold and the writing and production on the album is some of the best that Arms And Sleepers has put out since their inception in 2006.

One thing to note when first listening to The Organ Hearts is that there is less guitar work than there is on other Arms And Sleepers releases. The album focuses more on ambiance, electronics, and drums more than anything. Where previous albums had acoustic guitars, melodicas, and glockenspiels, The Organ Hearts has more electronics, digital beats, and keyboards. This change in instrumentation however, does not change the overall feeling and sound of the music. The Organ Hearts still has that signature Arms And Sleepers eerie, melancholic, trip-hop, pop vibe to it. If you have heard Arms And Sleepers, it is very easy to distinguish their sound because there is nothing quite like their sound. Arms And Sleepers have a sound that is completely their own, and I mean this in the most positive way possible. Similar to previous releases, The Organ Hearts is a very intricate album, filled with dream-like textures and layers upon layers of ambient bliss. Arms And Sleepers continue to mature with each release, and this can be heard throughout The Organ Hearts. To pinpoint Arms And Sleepers into any one genre would be wrong on all accounts, because their music covers an array of genres.

The Organ Hearts is Arms And Sleepers fifteenth official release and their third full-length release. The album was released on May 13, 2011 through Expect Candy Records. The Organ Hearts follows a similar album arrangement to their first full-length Black Paris 86 and is divided into three parts. The album's main focus is on feelings and emotions that are present in all of us. Each of the three sections are like film scores for the human mind and the changes that our minds go through every day. The twelve tracks focus on the soft and delicate parts of human life, but also display a sense of hope throughout. The Organ Hearts is definitely a trip-hop album, but is not considered your typical trip-hop. There are elements of jazz throughout the majority of the album, minimalist and atmospheric song arrangements, and beautiful electronic percussion, which is something that is very common in this particular genre of music.

The Organ Hearts serves as an album packed with relief-filled compositions. This is an album that helps to bring relief or peace in a world full of stress and painful burdens. The album will bring you joy and happiness when these emotions are obsolete, while also allowing you to nod your head and tap your feet at the same time. The Organ Hearts by Arms And Sleepers is not only an album filled with beautiful music, but it also serves as a creative outlet to peace and transcendence. Fans of trip-hop, jazz, post-rock, and ambient music need to give The Organ Hearts by Arms And Sleepers a listen. This album is full of peaceful vibes and stress-relieving sounds. What's not to like about that?

Check out the track 'Tusk' off of The Organ Hearts by Arms And Sleepers:



Russian Circles - Empros

Chicago, Illinois post-metallers Russian Circles have gained the classification of post-metal due to their low to heavy approach when writing music. However, even though they have the typical post-metal elements present in their music, they offer something special to the genre. Their sound is much more than just typical post-metal. Russian Circles take classically trained music and turn it into a fresh, new metal sound. First came the album Enter, then Station, then Geneva, and now Empros. Empros is the type of album that makes you feel something emotionally, be it happiness, sadness, or a feeling of melancholy. Yes, one's ears know what they are hearing, but the music is still trying to make the listener feel something.

One thing to note about Russian Circles is that their songs are very lengthy, but this is a good thing because each track paints a picture or tells a story. Empros begins with the track '309', which starts off with a thunderous bang. A very heavy groove begins the track and continues until about the three-minute mark. The track then takes a turn and sounds like a completely different song, until going back to the original groove, and then finally slows down to end out the track. Next up is the track 'Mladek', which is a very heartfelt sounding track, compiled of monstrous guitar riffs and very syncopated bass and drums. The track slows down at the halfway mark and focuses its attention on the drums (mainly the hi-hat). This track is filled with many textures but never seems to lose its initial focus. The third track 'Schipol' goes a completely different route than the first two tracks. This track could be classified as classical music with an electronic twist. The production on 'Schipol' is very natural and I can even hear some natural sounds thrown in the mix. 'Schipol' could easily be music's equivalent to nature, if there was such a thing.

Only three songs in on Empros, Russian Circles have covered the map. These three musical masterminds have covered so many boundaries in the matter of three songs, that the listener wonders what's left to be covered. Russian Circles however, have some tricks up their sleeves and have a whole lot more to cover in the remaining three tracks. The fourth track 'Atackla' is a very eerie sounding track, in my honest opinion, and serves as sort of an interlude for the album. The track is not much different than the others, in a sense of song structure, but it is a lot slower and calmer than the others. 'Batu' is the longest track on the album, clocking in at a little over ten minutes, while 'Praise Be Man' closes the album and is something very new for Russian Circles. 'Praise Be Man' has to be one of Russian Circles best closing tracks and could be classified as an atmospheric, gospel, eerie, country track. This is the first Russian Circles track to ever contain vocals, but the vocals serve as more of an instrument than anything else and blend nicely with the other instruments.

Russian Circles have proven themselves to be true, understanding musicians with the release of Empros. Each member contributes to the album equally, and Empros is the first Russian Circles album to fully showcase each instruments potential and character. Empros is a very entertaining record and could go down as album of the year, in my book. Fans of post-rock, post-metal, and classical music should pick up a copy of Russian Circles' Empros. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Check out the track 'Mladek' off of Russian Circles' Empros:



Collapse Under The Empire - Shoulders & Giants

Hamburg, Germany's post-rock geniuses Collapse Under The Empire have returned with their latest full-length effort Shoulders & Giants and it is, without a doubt, one of the best post-rock albums that I have heard in quite some time. It is well known that Collapse Under The Empire are one of the best post-rock bands currently in the genre, and Shoulders & Giants proves this true. The music on Shoulders & Giants does not have the same post-rock sound that fans of the genre are used to. Collapse Under The Empire has taken a different approach with this album than on their previous releases. The sounds revealed on Shoulders & Giants are filled with epic guitar tones and many more electronic elements than any other Collapse Under The Empire release.

Although a lot of the album has a sad and melancholic feel to it, the careful blending of the instruments also gives it sections of happiness and light. While Collapse Under The Empire create beautiful rhythms and melodies, this is not their main focus. Instead, the genius duo focus on telling stories through their music and intend on the listener to drift off into a beautiful journey of sound.

One very important thing to note about Collapse Under The Empire is that with each release, the band progresses and matures for the better. After hearing previous releases, I always say to myself "this is Collapse Under The Empire at their very best", and the same thing goes for Shoulders & Giants. This album is easily the band at their best, but then there is the album after this, which will most likely top it, just as every new release from the duo has topped the previous one. Shoulders & Giants opens with the track 'Shoulders', which is a mixture of dark guitar work and clean electronic drum beats that would fit perfectly in a dubstep or industrial type track. The song progresses into a full blown guitar track, packed with intricate drumming (muted and non-muted) and unique electronic blips. 'Shoulders' is a great opener which sets the tone for the rest of the album. The next track 'Giants', begins with very developed electronic drumming that sounds similar to rolling or marching drum work. Throughout the track, the drumming is accompanied by guitar and keys and fully develops into a hard-hitting track, while still maintaining a sense of calm. The first true melancholic sounding track on the album is 'There's No Sky', which clocks in at six minutes and twenty-three seconds. The track is very relaxing and begins with a dense combination of keys, guitars, and electronic sounds. As the song progresses, the drums kick in at full speed while the keys and guitars still manage to keep that relaxed feel. 'The Last Reminder' follows in the same footsteps as 'There's No Sky', beginning with calm keys and guitars, which then leads into some very developed percussion. The track eventually changes its tempo, creating a faster track, and it is easily the fastest track on the entire album.

'The Sky Is The Limit' is the longest track on the entire album, clocking in at six minutes and fifty-six seconds. Although the track is very long in duration, it manages to keep the listeners' attention throughout. The guitar work changes rapidly throughout the track and leaves the listener wondering what's next. The drums also hold somewhat of a consistent rhythm the whole way through, which is different from the other tracks. Track six, 'Disclosure', begins with looped pianos followed by very distorted, electronically driven drums. The tracks brings to mind hip-hop instrumentals reminiscent of DJ Shadow or Massive Attack and could be enjoyed by fans of both hip-hop and rock alike. This is a very dark and mysterious track, and would have to go down as one of my favorites on the entire album. 'After The Thaw' and 'Incident' are very upbeat tracks, both filled with intricate drumming patterns and melodic guitar work. 'Days Of Freezing' is the album's most relaxed track, which serves as sort of an interlude between the heavier tracks that come before and after it. The final track, 'A Riot Of Emotion', follows a similar technique to the majority of the tracks, with unique electronics, clean guitar work, and very complex drumming, and is a great way to end the album.

Overall, Collapse Under The Empire have out done themselves again with the release of Shoulders & Giants. This album is not only an incredible musical journey, but the entire thing was created by a duo. This takes a great amount of skill, creativity, and focus. The great thing about Shoulders & Giants is that it is Collapse Under The Empire's most stripped down and mature album to date, and contains some of music's most basic elements. These elements include guitars, drums, and electronics thrown in to add texture and flow. All in all, Collapse Under The Empire keep progressing and proving, with each release, that they are some of the best musicians in the post-rock genre. I highly recommend this album to post-rock fans, but more importantly to fans of music in general. Shoulders & Giants is a keeper and will easily go down in the books as one of my favorite albums of the decade.

Check out the music video for the track 'Disclosure' off of Collapse Under The Empire's Shoulders & Giants:

Check out the track 'Incident' off of Collapse Under The Empire's Shoulders & Giants: