Achilles - The Dark Horse

So recently on the local syracuse music scene message board, there was some chatter about a re-release of Achilles' last album, Hospice, on vinyl. I was stoked. I fucking love that album & I just recently inherited a gnarly record player from my recently deceased grandma (RIP). But in all of the posts about praise was a remark that, though meant in a positive way, i viewed as extremely negative and unintelligent..."This record makes their older material look bad." Now, I love the guy that made this remark. But seriously, dumb. Maybe its just part of being an older guy that was there when things happened and followed a band as they progressed. Maybe its just the fact that "The Dark Horse" was such a personally important album to me. I don't really know. I will thank this young fellow though, because his remark got me to pull out my copy of this album and listen to it. Which just furthered in my head how wrong his statement is. Start to finish, amazing album. Granted, they changed more musically on Hospice. But I really don't know if it was enough to act as if it was a giant leap. I also think the changes made on that album made the band more accessible to people who otherwise wouldn't listen to them. Most people who know me wont be surprised when I say I am usually against musical changes that end with that result. Blah blah. This album is heavy as balls. It was recorded by the guitarist of Breather Resist. There is not much I can say except that I fucking love this band. I've loved everything they have put out and I will continue to follow them until they call it quits. With the members all over now, and Polar Bear Club on their way to being MTV's "next big thing", I don't know when they will find the time to play shows, let alone write and record another album. But I'll be waiting. If all you have heard by the band is Hospice, I highly recommend listening to The Dark Horse. Preferably over and over again. haha.

Download The Album Here

I cant stress enough, that if you enjoy this album, you need to buy a copy. I'm personal friends with the members of the band and with the record label that put out the album. Please support independent bands and labels.

Big Bear

This Mass band destroys my life. Weird mathy metal with girl singer. Screamer would be the better term. I love her voice actually. This probably will be a surprising pick to people who know me. Oh well. I have no clue who they sound like, but definitely listen to them if you like mathy screamy metal-ish stuff.

-matthew st.

Download Their Full Length Here

You can listen to newer songs at Big Bear's Myspace Page

They aren't as heavy and the girl yells more now.

She kind of sounds like the singer Uzeda now.

Eyes Averted - Self Titled EP

I love Eyes Averted. They are one of the best, most original acts the Syracuse, NY area has offered. Yep, I said it. I’ve known these guys for an incredibly long time and I’ve seen them progress and get better and better over the years. In my personal opinion, they have really peaked with the sound they established on their full length “Paralyzing Passion and Motion”, released in 2006. Having seen pretty much every incarnation of the band leading up to that album and hearing all the different sounds they produced up to that point, I can easily say that they hit their sweet spot. The power trio. Time tested, mother approved.

The “Eyes Averted” EP continues with their trade mark style, and they are still on top of their game. 4 songs, almost all of them under 3 mins long. But from the brief inhale of breathe at the beginning of “Epidemic Of Disaster” to the end of “Casting Shadows” this EP does not let you down for a second. The opening track immediately kicks in with EA’s high energy. Powerful screams, vocal harmonies, noodlely/riffy guitar parts, technical drumming and equally technical bass work. I mean, this is Eyes Averted’s bread and butter. If you’ve heard them before, none of this will be a surprise to you. This EP is a great follow up to “Paralyzing Passion and Motion.” Pretty much continuing, and expanding where they left off.

If you havent heard them, well, where the fuck have you been? A Disturbed concert? While so many bands out there, that I suppose could be considered contemporaries to EA, are trying to make Calculating Infinity: Part Deux, Eyes Averted plays there own kind of mathy metal that in no way sounds anything like that. Its spazzy. Its all over the place. Start/Stop dynamics. Overall, its refreshing.

How this band is not signed and the biggest thing around is beyond me. Honor Bright is on MTV with all their mediocrity and yet this band sleeps in obscurity? I’ll never understand why things are the way they are in music. Hopefully someday soon Eyes Averted will get the credit they deserve. The members of EA are all over the country now but expect them to keep releasing amazing music in the future. Please just do yourself a favor and check out this band!

On a personal note, I would just like to thank the band for allowing me to hear and review this EP before its even released. You can trust I've listened to it more times then I can count in the couple days I've had it. Haha.

-matthew st.

The EP I reviewed is going to be coming out in the near future. "For The Weary", one of the tracks off of the EP, is on Eye Averted's Myspace page. Go listen to that track and the other songs they have up there.

I also highly recommend purchasing their full length “Paralyzing Passion and Motion”

You can buy it online here.