((Catch Up))

The Christmas laziness seems to have struck many of my friends and family so I turn to music to entertain me. I have been listening to alot of new stuff over the past week or so and below is a short round up the band that caught my ear....If that makes any sense.

Tonight, We Dance!

Dont confuse these guys with the same named band minus the ! as these guy are far better. They play a mix of hardcore, electronica and indie rock. They could be likened to Rolo Tomassi but with less synth and more guitar. They arent signed yet but just released an album entitled "Everything happen in my life scared me"... Im not if because they are italian they may have translated the title wrong or its meant to be that way but Its a sweet album.

Ladytron

These gusy have been around a while but I only just heard about them. The album I grabbed was the most recent release called "Velocifero" and although starting of with a brilliant opening track and a few good ones after it drops in quality about half way through. But that intro song is damn good.

Cloudkicker

I have been searching for an instrumental metal band for sometime and although I have come across a few they werent any good. This guy is very good though. Its a one man band all done in his bedroom but the quality is amazing. With elements of math rock  in there its not one to get bored of. There are no images of this genius so I have included some of the artwork from his release "The map is not the territory".

((A Gift From Me To You))

So there we have it folks. Christmas is gone and new years beckons, Im frightened of what the new years brings people and what its leaving behind... An array of truly great albums. This here is a list of the ones that were damn good but didn't make top ten. I recommend you at least listen to these bands if not buy the albums.

John 5 - Requiem

Lightspeed Champion - Falling Off The Lavender Bridge

Paul Gilbert - Silence Followed By A Deafening Roar

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forvever Ago

Does It Offend You Yeah? - YHNIWYAGYIT

Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles

Children Of Bodom - Bloodrunk

Annotations Of An Autopsy - Before The Throne Of Infection

Joe Satriani - Proffesor Satch

36 Crazyfists - The Tide & Its Takers.

Meshuggah - ObZen

Heaven Shall Burn - Iconoclast

Fuck Buttons - Street Horrrsing

Exit Ten - Remember The Day

Ed Banger Records Volume Three

Friendly Fires - Friendly Fires

Black Tide - Light From Above

Dead Swans - Southern Blue

Maybeshewill - Not For Want Of Trying

Avenged Sevenfold - Self Titled

SebastiAn - Remixes

Slipknot - All Hope Is Gone

Glasvegas - Glasvegas

Ratatat - LP3

Don Cabellero - Punkgasm

Destroy The Runner - I, Lucifer

Seasick Steve - I Started Out With Nothing

Producers With Computers - Volume 1.

Mr.Oizo - Lambs Anger

Mogwai - Hawk Is Howling

Out of the above list I specifically recommend Ratatat, Fuck Buttons, SebastiAn, Mr.Oizo & Maybeshewill. All of these i have enjoyed at some point in the year and although not top ten material still carried enough musical stylings to please me.

The 10 0f 2008 Part.2

Ok. Its here. The second installment of the top 10 albums of the year. It was very hard to choose these and order them as every one was first place quality. There is still some doubt but I think this is my final decision.

5.Metallica - Death Magnetic

 This album was my most anticipated of the year as it is the first album Metallica have released since the frankly awful St.Anger. The hype was incredible, rumor had it that they had reverted to there former glory and brought the classic Metallica sound back with a vengeance. They had.

Nothing surprised more than loving this album, With tracks like Cyanide & All nightmare long reminding us what Metallica are all about and pounding riff after relentless riff into your skull this album was the savour the band needed. It felt almost like a re-debut... An apology for not being on top form recently and what an apology it is. 

4.Haunts - Haunts

 I only got into this band a few months ago and the album in question was only released a month or so ago. All of this aside this is one of the most amazing albums I have ever heard. The debut from this band astounded me and for a while I wasn't sure what to make of it. Was it good? Was it typical? No, it was amazing and worthy of a place on this list. Songs like Black Eyed girl & Breaking up are beautifully harrowing and with the noir side of this band mixed with modern sounds and brilliant lyrics this album had to come in my top 5 of 2008.

3.Late Of The Pier - Fantasy Black Channel 

 This album can do no bad in my eyes. Late of the pier are a band I have liked for a wile now and their debut was highly anticipated. So much so me and a friend arranged to meet up and listen together.It has been that album that I turn to when in need of a boost ad every song oozes happiness and fun. In particular the song "Focker" has given me the most... Those closest will understand. The synthy electro rock sound this band have sewn there signature on is amazingly unique and no matter what happens I will always love this album. Thank you Fantasy black channel.

2.Bullet For My Valentine - Scream ,Aim, Fire

 This was my hardest to place album on the list it battled for first constantly but just missed out. Bullet awed me with their first album and kept fans waiting a long time for the second. Well worth the wait though. The band had changed there sound and matured a great deal. I bought the album on the day of release and saw the band the next day, I didn't get time to listen properly but after seeing them live I knew this was an album to remember. Some of the songs are tearjerkers and some fill you with rage but all will give you something unique. Metal is suffering at the moment and Bullet, In my eyes could be the saviors. Check out songs Hearts burst into fire and Say goodnight.

                                                 

                  1.Bring Me The Horizon - Suicide Season

So here it is. The number one album of 2008. No other album gives me a feeling like this one. It fills me with passion for whatever is sung. This album wouldn't be the same if Oli Sykes wasn't the singer. He puts so much passion and anger into his vocals that its hard not to be swayed to follow every word he says. I was first hooked on this when I head the song Chelsea Smile and it blew me away. The raw energy in the song mixd with the brilliant guitar tones and drums  was unlike anything I had ever heard before. The albums couldn't come quick enough and when It did I was left gasping for air. Songs like Diamonds Arent Forever & No Need for introductions leave the mind, body and soul exhausted. I saw this band live not long ago and the live experience tops most others I have ever seen. The crowd chants and general atmosphere was so intense and I was left addicted to shouting about sleep and weak people. This album isn't for the light hearted its more for people who maybe used to be light hearted then something happened that changed that. Be warned this album isn't going to give in without a fight.

The 10 0f 2008 Part.1

Right, This is it. My top ten of 2008 Part 1. It hasn't been easy but its been done and you are about to view half of the final result, Be gentle.

10. Metronomy - Nights Out

 This album was a weird entry for me, It caught me by surprise as I had only previously listened to one or two Metronomy songs before. I downloaded this and was blown away by the avant garde electronic sound produced by just three men. The albums brilliantly epic intro and outro mixed with such classics as Radio Ladio and Heartbreaker make this one of the best electronic albums of 2008.

9. Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip - Angles

 I wasn't really into hip hop before I fell in love with these guys. There clever and witty essex tinged rap is simply brilliant. I went to see them live when I had only heard 2 or 3 songs but there live show was amazing, I was counting down the time until the album. It is one of the best debuts I have heard in a while and defiantly one of the most controversial. Highlights are Fixed, Waiting for the beat to kick in and Thou shalt always kill.

8.Rolo Tomassi - Hysterics

 Rolo Tomassi crept on to the scene with a few Ep's that gained recognition from a range of magazines from NME to Metal Hammer, Clearly these guys were ones to watch. Described as not indie enough for indie kids and not metal enough for metal kids they filled a gap that needed to be bridged. Debut album Hysterics filled it perfectly with energy filled songs like Abraxas and Scabs that are filled with 8 bit synth sounds, hardcore guitar rhythms and a women's guttural demonic screams no one was sure what to make of them, All i made of them was that Hysterics was a damn good album.

7. Bloc Party - Intimacy 

  Being one of the few people who really adored Bloc Party's second album I was in high hopes for Intimacy. It was released very abruptly by Bloc Party and you were able to but it on download way before it was released, I couldn't wait and grabbed it as soon as I could. I knew I was in for something special when the first song "Ares" kicked in and Kele's voice sent shivers up my spine. This album has such a unique sound that i found it very hard to place I wasn't sure wether to place it first or last. Tracks that get me going are Talons, Trojan Horse & Mercury.

6. You Slut! - Critical Meat

 After a friend showed me thestrangely titled song "Mybloodyjesusexploreronfire" by this brilliantly named group I knew I was on to something special. I heard they had released an album a few months before and did my very best to purchase it.As they were unknown it was harder than expected but I managed and wow what an album. Entirely instrumental Critical Meat is way ahead of the game with plenty in the songs to justify not having lyrics. The whole album flows into one brilliantly crafted masterpiece with riff after relentless riff pounding into you. Highlights are On the count of 13 & Mybloodyjesusexploreronfire. I await more from this band.

Well thats it, Now all thats left is my top 5 of 2008. I am eager to get writing on them but I will take a break and think long and hard about my choices.

((Worship))

Credit for this post goes to Electrorash & Disco Dust.

Worship is an Electro artist from Switzerland whose obvious main influence is Kavinsky. Very unknown at this point in time Worship creates epic 80' synth anthems that could easily soundtrack a movie. I mean just look at that artwork!

He recently released  a set of three songs in a similar form of Justice's Planisphere as in there are 3 parts to this set. They are brilliant pieces of electro genius that make you want to get into the dolorian from back to the future and find the nearest hoverboard. 

I hope Worship gets the credit he deserves as few artist's creating this sort of music are any good, But Worship is defiantly one of them.

Worship - Ritual Action (The Dome Part2).mp3

Check out Worship's other stuff at:http://www.myspace.com/worshipyourself

//Behold//

I seem to attract odd bands at the moment and the one I'm about to introduce is no exception.

Insert Disc are very unknown two piece from Texas who by the looks and sound of things don't take themselves seriously at all. They have mixed insane electro synth arpeggios and melody's with the drumming from what sounds like cubase mixed with Slayer.

I know, I know this sound stupid and in theory it probably is but the music isn't that bad. The drums need sorting out but all in all its pretty good stuff.

I understand where the creators are coming from. I enjoy both heavy heavy metal and electro so its nice to see some sort of decent combination.

Note: The caption to the above picture was "Zomg cliched metal logo where you cant read WTF the band name is..... But at least its the color of Kirby LOLOL"

Insert Disc - Kupwn.mp3