I make some of my decisions to listen to some new music--artists whose work I am unfamiliar with-based on music reviews. That may sound like an incredibly shallow tactic, but consider first that literally countless pieces of new music and artists come out every day. I can't possibly listen to all of them. Now, my decisions are not just based on positive or favorable reviews. Sometimes reviews can come out that say next to nothing about the music the band in question plays. I read reviews about new music, putting a keen ear to description of the music. And then, if it sounds like I might like it, I listen to it. Many times I turn it off after only a minute or so, or even less. Other times, I keep listening to it all the way through.
Although I was skeptical of this band because of their run-on name, I enjoyed the sound their new disc offers. I think run-on band names are dumb. Iwrestledabearonce just sounds like a juvenile name. Forget about the fact that the aforementioned band plays a style of metal that I can't stand.
What really caught my attention was the album cover. The cover art was the first representation of this album that I saw. This is another aspect that can often lead me to listen to a new band. Sometimes cool album covers suggest cool music. The NewReview shows the album cover only as the initial link to their review. Some album covers I find unbearable to look at, and so I will skip the review.
Enough about my decision-making process. I'm sure that some of you find that as interesting as watching paint dry. What can I say, some people are just so impatient they cringe at the idea of pronouncing a band's full name.
What kind of music does Asidefromaday perform? What, it has taken me this long to get to that? So I ramble sometimes. So sue me. Many classify Frechmen Asidefromaday as either post-metal or post-hardcore. This is an opinion I do not share. While the band certainly flourishes some of the same musical styles of those sub genres, they counter that with some fantastic shredding. Most of the songs sound similar, but not similar enough to get repetitive and boring. Like post-rock, the music stretches with long, spaced-out atmospheric passages that suggest the imagery of still-glowing, but blackened coals draped over the moribund flames of aggressive metal. I enjoy this interplay with the more voracious metal tones immensely. The progression in the music is striking.
And then you get to the vocals. The vocals may sound like your average metalcore screaming more often than not, but they work well enough to not sound out of place or truly derivative. These extreme vocals continue throughout the album, which adds intensity to sheer emotion displayed within the swelling keyboard atmosphere and the crushing rhythms.
The best part about this disc is that it isn't challenging to listen to at all. Some of the tracks are long, but not so long that you think you'll be cashing in your social security by the time it ends. Listening to "Chasing Shadows" is a truly rewarding listening experience you cannot go wrong with. Check out the full album stream, courtesy of Asidefromaday's bandcamp page. Thanks for listening and enjoy..
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