Tom Schultz COMM 3003 Album Review Research 11/22/13 1. Red Fang Whales and Leeches Review: t!

!s sa"e to sa# that there!s a he"t# amou$t o" %esert roc& a$% beer %re$che% blue collar metal 'lu$%ere% i$ Re% (a$)*s music. +$ou)h i$ "act that it!s $o sur'rise that the# have "ou$% a$ au%ie$ce i$ both sto$ers a$% alcoholics ali&e. To be e$tirel# ho$est, with a h#bri% o" catch# hoo&s a$% hea%# )rooves- the )rou's hesher "rie$%l# cra"t 'racticall# screams bei$) the sou$%trac& to crushe% beer ca$s a$% ashtra#s over"lowi$) with resi$. ca&e% roaches. /owever, while Re% (a$) remai$ astute stu%e$ts o" Sabbath a$% the li&e- there!s alwa#s bee$ a 'ersiste$t co$"lict betwee$ i$ebriate% sim'licit# a$% &$otte% burl# ri""i$) "ou$% withi$ their so$)writi$). This war co$ti$ues to be wa)e% o$ so$)s li&e 0O+12 where a ri''i$) solo comes shooti$) out o" the )$arle% mi%.ra$)e Masto%o$.li&e muc& the ba$% "re3ue$tl# embe% themselves i$. That the# "ollow u' that cut with a strai)ht "orwar% hoo&.la%e$ a""air li&e 4loo% 5i&e Cream6 'la#s u' their %ualit#. Sure there!s alwa#s bee$ trace amou$ts o" the above. me$tio$e% Atla$ta$ out"it!s 'e$cha$t "or 's#che%elic i$%ul)e$ce 'rese$t i$ Re% (a$)*s arse$al2hell, Crows $ Swi$e6 coul% be o$ a rece$t Masto%o$ album a$% "ew woul% be the wiser. 4ut o$ 7hales A$% 5eeches6 the )rou' let some other i$"lue$ces shi$e throu)h 8ust as much a$% the# emer)e a more rou$%e% out"it as a result. 0aw$ Risi$)6 sou$%s li&e a re"u)ee "rom the )ru$)e era as a Melvi$s meets Sou$%)ar%e$ %ir)e is 'ierce% b# a soari$) )uest vocal a''eara$ce "rom 9O4*s Mi&e Schei%t. t!s a )ri''i$) trac& that latches o$to some earl# :0;s $ostal)ia2thou)h it ma# $ot sit well with some "a$s %ue to its blata$t homa)e. Mea$while, the ele'ha$ti$e %ro$e "ou$% o$ (ailure6 %isti$ctl# recalls 1eurosis with its slow, hul&i$) crush. t!s these mome$ts that ca$ see Re% (a$) either si$& or swim. As 'ro"icie$t musicia$s the# are able to write a bev# o" catch# hoo&s a$% ri""s that sta$% o$ their ow$. 4ut the# ca$ also "l# a little too close to the su$ whe$ it comes to airi$) out their 'robable i$s'iratio$s. That sai%, whe$ the# %o "all victim to hero worshi' #ou ca$ tell that it comes "rom a 'lace o" res'ect rather tha$ 'osturi$). t is actuall# this u$"iltere% a%miratio$ that ma&es the )rou's ow$ zeal a$% e$er)# so a%%ictive. Their music is as )ritt# a$% wor&i$) class musicia$ as a 'iss."ille% water bottlewhich is 'robabl# wh# #ou ca$!t hel' but $o% #our hea% whe$ the# hit a stri%e. So$)s li&e these "eel li&e the# were ear$e% o$ the roa% rather tha$ birthe% i$ the stu%io a$% that )oes a lo$) wa# these %a#s.6 htt'<//www.the'r'.com/2013/10/2=/reviews/re%."a$).whales.a$%.leeches/ 2. Skeletonwitch Serpents Unleashed Review:
If a band could be graded from a consistency standpoint, Skeletonwitch would get high marks. Though their debut At One with the Shadows had a few highlights, they began to find their style

with the follow-up eyond the !ermafrost. Since that point, there hasn"t been much to complain about. Their thrash metal-meets black metal-meets traditional metal sound hasn"t grown stale thus far, thanks to its subtle melodic influences. Serpents #nleashed is far from e$perimental, but the band"s fifth album is a sturdy bundle of cutthroat tunes. The band %iciously flies through && songs in 'ust o%er () minutes, a common trait of their pre%ious albums. *ith their typical approach, going for speed and intensity o%er progression, the length is perfect. +hance ,arnette"s raspy yells are sharp, and though %ariety isn"t his strong suit, his %oice has become one of the defining characteristics of Skeletonwitch. The same goes for the harmonic guitar work, which makes its presence felt on the grandiose opening to -#nending, .%erli%ing.The guitars get in sync at times, but for the most part, they speed ahead with raucous blackened thrash riffs. If there"s something this band e$cels at, it"s writing songs to mosh to. The title track is an anthem in the %ein of -Submit to the Suffering,- and it goes by 'ust as /uick as that e$cellent opener from reathing the 0ire. The middle of the album is one stellar 'am after the ne$t, including the ominous pull of -0rom a +loudless Sky- and the e$plosi%e - urned from one.Though these songs rumble with little breathing room, there"s no filler to weigh the album down. .ach song has the right amount of punch, and the band adds in the occasional melodic lead break to keep the songs mo%ing. The leads aren"t 'ust designated to the guitar either, with bassist .%an 1inger launching a few noteworthy breaks of his own. -0rom a +loudless Sky,- - lade on the 0lesh, lood on 2y 3ands,- and -#nwept- allow 1inger the chance to go off on his own with a Ste%e 3arris-es/ue fury. In the wreckage that Skeletonwitch lea%es behind with each passing album, there is usually an instance of clarity that pro%ides momentary relief. -2ore +ruel Than *eak- fills this role with a stripped-down intro consisting of low-key guitar playing. It"s not an acoustic, campfire melody, but a stirring e$tended build-up towards the ine%itable massacre. Skeletonwitch disco%ered what works for them years ago, and ha%e spent the remaining time fine-tuning their songwriting. Serpents #nleashed is 'ust as great as their past albums, and what it lacks in inno%ation is made up for by audacious energy. It"s hard to stay seated when a Skeletonwitch song pops up, and Serpents #nleashed is full of songs that will get the same kind of reaction. Bottom Line: Serpents #nleashed is another great dose of blackened thrash with a hint of old-school metal energy from Skeletonwitch.4 http566lambgoat.com6albums6()786Skeletonwitch-Serpents-#nleashed (. Protest the Hero Volition Review:

(or as )oo% as 2011>s Scurrlious is, it ha% MASS ?+ "ootste's to "ollow a"ter the ba$%>s mo$ume$tal Fortress. t %i%$>t 3uite live u' to it sa%l#, a$% $ot "or a$# reaso$ i$ 'articular either. Fortress is, a$% alwa#s will be, to Protest The Hero what Colors is to Between The B ried and !e . t is the album so )oo% that ever#thi$) that "ollows will be com'are% to it as a sta$%ar%, a$% $o album will come close. Or so thou)ht@

Volition "eels li&e a$ album b# a ba$% tr#i$) to out%o themselves i$ ever# wa# a$% succee%i$). Ro%# 7al&er is all over the 'lace vocall# a$% is so )oo% at what he %oes. 5u&e /os&i$ a$% Tim Millar shi$e o$ their )uitars, as alwa#s. /ell, eve$ Ari" Mirab%olba)hi is blowi$) m# mi$% here ASee< B7ithout Cre8u%iceBD, a$% #ou %o$>t alwa#s )et to be sto&e% o$ bass wor& i$ a metal ba$%. (rom the seco$% Volition starts, Protest The Hero are "iri$) o$ all c#li$%ers. BClarit#B is ever#thi$) this ba$% re'rese$ts. Melo%ic memorable )uitar lic&s, soari$) vocals b# Ro%# 7al&er, a$% u$matche% musical tech$icalit#. The#>ve $ever bee$ a ba$% to ease #ou i$to a recor%, but the ba$% seems 'articularl# rea%# to &ic& the liste$ers ass here "rom the )et.)o. BA 5i"e +mbosse%B has the ba$% showi$) o"" a level o" i$te$sit# that has$>t bee$ %elivere% be"ore. There are mome$ts o" strai)ht u' %eath metal i$ this so$) miEe% i$to melo%ic 'assa)es o" the so$). This is the )reatest eEam'le o" the ever 'rese$t %ualit# o" the ba$%>s i%e$tit# as a melo%ic ba$% a$% a heav# ba$%. O$ the melo%ic si%e o" the coi$ is the seemi$) homa)e to 1ew"ou$%la$%, BMist.B This so$) ver# much remi$%s me o" "oheed and "a#$ria i$ ma$# o" the 'ro)ressio$s a$% i$ the the vocal melo%#. At o$e 'oi$t there is a )uitar lic& that bri$)s U%>s B7here The Streets /ave 1o 1ameB to mi$%. The so$)>s co$clusio$ has a ver# beauti"ul F a$% out o" character F 'ia$o.le% acoustic )uitar outro that wor&s reall# well. M# o$l# com'lai$t about this so$) is the "act that the album %i%$>t e$% with it. Protest The Hero are $ot a stra$)er to havi$) )uest musicia$s i$ the "ol% a$% o$ce a)ai$ have a ha$%"ul o" amazi$) musicia$s "eature% i$ this album. (irst a$% "oremost, the %rum wor& o" La#$ o& 'od>s Chris A%ler must be comme$%e%. La#$ o& 'od are &$ow$ "or havi$) "airl# com'leE rh#thms i$ their recor%s, but Protest t#'icall# have them beat "rom a tech$ical sta$%'oi$t. /owever, A%ler>s wor& o$ this recor% ma&es it sou$% li&e he>s barel# tr#i$) o$ Lo'>s Resolution a$% Wrath. /e certai$l# a%%s his tra%emar& a''roach to this recor%. M# "avorite )uest o$ the album is the Ca$a%ia$ "ol& si$)er Ga%ea Hell#. She has some "a$tastic tra%e.o"" mome$ts with 7al&er throu)hout the recor%, but es'eciall# %uri$) the e$% o" BClato>s Tri'artite.B The e$%i$) seems 'articularl# i$ Hell#>s wheelhouse as it bri$)s the ba$% The Head and The Heart to mi$%. I$"ortu$atel#, the ba$% is o$e o" those 'ro)ressive ba$%s that has such a$ u$mista&abl# u$i3ue sou$%s that the# 'i)eo$hole themselves i$to a cate)or# o" o$e. $ %oi$) this, the# coul% sou$% li&e ever# so$) is the same to a$ u$trai$e% ear. (rea# Theater also su""ers "rom this. (or eEam'le, BA$imal 4o$esB is a )oo% so$). t is a so$) that $o other ba$% coul% create or recreate o$ the same level. /owever, "or Protest The Hero, this so$) is o$l#@ alri)ht. +ver# other so$) o$ the recor% eEcels< it>s esse$tiall# 8ust Protest The Hero %oi$) what the# %o, but the# %o it amazi$)l#.

s this )oi$) to be the album that )ets them reco)$itio$ i$ certai$ metal commu$itiesJ 1o, 'robabl# $ot A >m loo&i$) at #ou, Metal ArchivesD. The ba$% has heav# eleme$ts, but the# are esse$tiall# a tech$ical, 'ro)ressive, eEtreme metal/'ost. har%core ba$%. 1o$e o" these labels are a ba% thi$), mi$% #ou. The# are 8ust labels thou)h, a$% these )u#s are better tha$ a$# label o$e coul% 'ut o$ them. "eel li&e the ba$% will have a hell o" a time to''i$) this o$e. )*+,
http://www.metalinjection.net/reviews/album-review-protest-the-hero-volition-with- ull-albumstream

A"ter rea%i$) a "ew %i""ere$t reviews o" heav# metal albums, which chose because will also be reviewi$) a metal album, $otice% a "ew thi$)s about how the# are structure%. (irst, all o" the reviews )ive a bit o" a bac&)rou$% about each ba$%. t is im'orta$t to let #our au%ie$ce &$ow about what #ou will be tal&i$) about. also $otice% that the# me$tio$e% s'eci"ic so$)s i$ each review. 1ow, because these reviews were writte$ "or the i$ter$et, the# are ver# i$.%e'th a$% lo$). The review that will be %oi$) will have to be shorter a$% to the 'oi$t. 7he$ reviewi$) a$ album believe #ou must tal& about the overall "eel o" the recor%. 0oes it %raw a$# emotio$s out o" #ouJ also thi$& that #ou have to tal& about at least a "ew o" the so$)s i$ 'articular. Cla#i$) a 3uic& sou$% bite o" the so$) mi)ht also be hel'"ul "or #our liste$i$) au%ie$ce. A$% lastl#, thi$& that #ou have to )ra%e the album. Ma#be )ive it a letter )ra%e or rate it o$ a scale o" 10, but #ou have to leave #our liste$ers &$owi$) eEactl# how much #ou li&e% or %isli&e% the recor%. thi$& that the more i$.%e'th a reviewer )oes i$to a$ album, the more i$teresti$) it becomes. li&e it i" the reviewer tal&s about each so$) o$ the recor% a$% what the# %o or %o $ot li&e about each o$e. also thi$& that usi$) terms that are relate% to music ma&es the reviewer sou$% more &$owle%)eable about the sub8ect matter, a$% am more li&el# to trust what the# are sa#i$).