Less of a progression and more of a lateral shift, The Catastrophist is as pleasing as it is inoffensive. Though less experimental than their previous album, Beacons of Ancestorship, the album’s titular opener immediately serves up welcoming synths, giving way to a bass-heavy groove that’s distinctly Tortoise’s. With the exception of an unfathomable cover of David Essex’s “Rock On,” The Catastrophist doesn’t do much wrong, rolling along predictably while painting an admirably colorful canvas. While those yearning for Tortoise’s more minimalist years will predictably sound the alarm in outrage, this is a latter-day Tortoise album through and through, for better or worse.
Violently smashing wonky sounds and endearingly ironic ‘00s dance pop with hyperactive panache, Product is simply too little too late. While most of idiosyncratic art collective PC Music’s output has been too thematically subversive, SOPHIE’s first compilation assembles the producer’s most popular cuts. Plasticity plays a huge role, with each song polished to a ludicrously bouncy and maddening sheen. Though alien in sound, many of SOPHIE’s songs lack functionality, their rabid bass thumps feeling like exercises in challenging current norms. Though a cohesive album may help matters, Product is mostly a reminder that PC Music swept the world way back in 2013.
Distinctly jazzy and experimental, this genre’s influence is still felt today
Though rock music has its roots firmly planted in blues, many of the genre’s most interesting derivatives aim to further themselves from these tropes.
With the arrival of the ‘70s came newfound technology for musicians to play with and in some cases, the results were quite revolutionary. Meeting somewhere between early progressive rock and psychedelic rock, krautrock has become one of Germany’s most influential and revelatory exports, shaping the sounds of yesterday and tomorrow.
So what makes German progressive rock so incredibly different from its Western counterpart? Well, quite a few things actually. For one, krautrock serves as a more accessible bridge to European experimental and tape music, often incorporating analogue sound loops and synths to its rhythmic brand of prog rock in atmospheric ways. Studying the pioneering works of experimental German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen, many of the genre’s bands combine elements of avant-garde jazz and electroacoustic music, stripping away the limitations of American rock’s R&B roots while adhering to many of its other hallmarks, namely a standard, steady 4/4 beat and raucous electric guitars.
While many bands originally disowned and distanced themselves from the term due in part to its derogatory prefix, the name has since been re-popularized by its homeland following the emergence and success of many of its artists. With their blend of early synthpop and trance-inducing repetition, Kraftwerk are still the most internationally renowned band to emerge from the genre, their later output charting on North American charts. Though their later output pioneered synthpop and was steeped in progression, 1974’s Autobahn proved a perfect balance between old and new was possible. With its A-side comprised entirely of a single self-titled song, the album blends experimental sounds and gorgeous ambient passages within a distinctly krautrock structure to stunning effect. The album also catapulted the German quartet to international stardom.
While Kraftwerk climbed the charts worldwide with their off-beat brand of electronic music, Michael Karoli, Irmin Schmidt, Holger Czukay and Jaki Liebezeit pioneered something more overwhelming and chaotic in the form of Can. Following a few soundtrack appearances and an excellent debut in the form of 1969’s Monster Movie, the German band enlisted eccentric Japanese singer Damo Suzuki to front the band. What followed was a transformative trilogy of albums punctuated by funky rhythms, impressively robotic drumming and deafening sonic collages. Future Days, the band’s final album with Suzuki, serves as a pleasantly soothing and jaunty tropically-tinged final chapter, eschewing the band’s more cathartic experiments in favor of crafting a rich, beautifully coloured atmosphere like no other.
One of krautrock’s most defining traits is its transformative quality, stripping rock of its soul and replacing it with a seemingly mechanical rhythm section. Though most bands in the genre couple these elements with rich psychedelia, NEU!’s 1972 self-titled debut sticks extremely closely to the genre’s foundations. Comprised of energetic grooves and forays into experimental harsh noise, NEU!’s more traditionalist approach isn’t for everyone. With bands like New York’s DIIV and England’s Radiohead showcasing deep admiration for many artists in the genre, the influence of krautrock is simply undeniable.
In the years since SikTh left the music scene, their signature brand of groove-based technicality has taken the metal world by storm; bands like Periphery and even TesseracT owe much to the manic six-piece. Opacities, their first release in nearly 10 years, delivers exactly what fans have come to expect with few frills. Dual vocalists Mikee Goodman and Justin Hill pass shrieks and gutturals like a ball as the band’s rhythm section pummels forth through bass-heavy breakdowns and intricate fretboard gymnastics. If it doesn’t feel as enlightening as their wacky 2003 debut or its follow-up, Opacities nonetheless serves as a welcome return for one of metalcore’s more adventurous voices.
LSD and the Search for God – Heaven Is a Place (Deep Space, 2016)
If shoegaze often feels like a genre hamstrung by rigid requirements, the slew of My Bloody Valentine knock-offs surely don’t help it. Though LSD and the Search for God fall squarely in this camp—with shrieking, reverb-drenched tones reminiscent of Kevin Shields’ signature stamp—their knack for catchy songwriting has elevated them slightly. Following up on a sole nine-year-old EP, Heaven Is a Place is as expected as it is inoffensive, its shimmering psychedelia mostly obscuring its mindless lyrics. While closer “Without You” recalls early The Verve at their most jam-based, LSD are ultimately beset by the genre’s most tried and true basics.
All signs regarding David Bowie’s well-being are present in Blackstar and yet no one could predict his premature passing. In keeping his illness a secret from the public, he transforms his last hurrah into a solemn performance, his death serving as the final puzzle piece. In this regard, Blackstar is both eerie and poignant, many of its cryptic lyrics finding confirmation. “Lazarus” serves as a draining message from the afterlife, whereas the album’s last three tracks run the gamut of emotions in the face of certain death. Though difficult and haunting, Blackstar is a masterful exit by one of music’s most transgressive voices.
On Jan. 10, 2016, musical icon and pioneer David Bowie passed away after a long battle with cancer. Though he may be gone, this legend’s body of work truly speaks for itself; filled to the brim with wild sonic experiments and an equally wild aesthetic, it’s a truly rich discography dictated predominantly by mood, with each new era showcasing a new side of the singer/songwriter. In honour of Bowie’s contributions to the medium, let’s take a trip down memory lane and rediscover each of his transformative phases.
You don’t need a medicinal prescription to enjoy these thick, crushing tunes
Whether a casual smoker, a daily toker or a straight-edge lifer, almost everyone can agree on one thing; stoner culture is pretty damn toxic. From the excessive commoditization of Bob Marley flags and wear to the almost childlike opposition of the status quo and its rules, it’s all fairly insufferable.
Graphic by Samuel Provost-Walker.
Well, almost. Though the subject matter may not appeal to all, stoner rock and stoner metal were undeniably instrumental to the development of many popular genres, namely heavy metal and rock as we know them today. With genre pioneers Sleep stopping by Montreal’s Telus Theatre on Jan. 24, there’s no better time to look back at its origins.
While the genre’s foundations are in early traditional doom metal, stoner metal’s roots stem from a very specific scenario: a few years before the seminal Master of Reality, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi had the tips of two fingers severed in a factory incident. Not ready to give up his other gig as a musician, Iommi downtuned his guitar from E standard to C# in order to relieve string tension and put less strain on his injuries.
To say the results were astounding may sound crass, yet songs such as “Children of the Grave” became essential in establishing the downtuned, bass-heavy tones associated with stoner rock and metal. Starting in the late ‘80s, tons of bands, many hailing from the Californian heat, emerged pushing forth a chunkier, slower and more intensely psychedelic riff on Sabbath’s winning formula.
Of these bands was none other than Sleep; though originally a quartet, Sleep quickly reformatted to the winning three-piece behemoth that thrived on their three studio albums. While Sleep’s Holy Mountain—the band’s second full-length album—pushed the Sabbath formula into heavier, foggier territory, their follow-up was a Herculean accomplishment and a landmark album in its own right. Entitled Dopesmoker, the album consists of a solitary 63 minute-long recording, glacial in pace and elephantine in scale, all engulfed in thick billowing smoke. Made up of only a handful of riffs yet played at a snail’s pace and laden in atmosphere and marijuana-laced imagery, Sleep take the formula to its illogical extreme, delivering something of a masterstroke. This is stoner metal in its most literal and extreme form.
Of course, not all stoner metal is as unwieldy and ambitious as Dopesmoker. Take England’s Electric Wizard for instance: marrying the stoned, crushing riffs of Sleep with ferocious guitars down-tuned to an absolutely guttural A# standard (among other tunings) and themes of religion, fantasy and the leaf, Jus Oborn’s brainchild is as mammoth-sized as it is straightforward. Come My Fanatics opener “Return Trip” is a stunning example of efficiency over acrobatic fretboard excess, its buzzing guitars sounding like an atom bomb, while Dopethrone staple “Funeralopolis” is an instantly iconic, doom-infused spin on the classic Sabbath formula. Reliable and consistent, you just can’t go wrong with Electric Wizard.
Not all stoner metal is as deeply indebted to Black Sabbath as these two however. Take genre-benders Boris for example; based in Japan, this powerhouse trio has a veritable laundry-list of releases spanning virtually every genre you can think of (yes, even J-Pop). Though the quality and consistency of their output is somewhat debatable, a surefire entry point to it is their 2005 release Pink. Combining the noisy sonic theatrics of Boredoms with the aggressiveness of hardcore punk and the crunch of sludge metal, Pink is Boris distilled down to its purest form. Whether hammering out some head-bobbing stoner rock on “Woman on the Screen” or embracing wall upon wall of buzzing, ear-shattering feedback on the exhaustive finale “Just Abandoned Myself,” Boris are as fun and innocent as they are artful and boundary-pushing.
Though stoner metal often isn’t complete without a handful of oblique references to the plant that spawned it, one shouldn’t mistake it for the culture it’s unfortunately attached to. As with almost all forms of music, lyrics are but a facet of the entire package. Don’t let the fumes dissuade you; inside lies an onslaught of tasty riffs, colossal percussion and some endearingly corny lyrics.
To cap the year off in fashion, this week’s playlist covers both this month’s new releases as well as the year’s best according to the staff! From Kendrick Lamar and Kamasi Washington to Freddie Gibbs and Rustie, we got you covered!
Burdened by lackluster vocal spots and dull compositions, Rustie’s Green Language was a befuddled misfire. EVENIFUDONTBELIEVE, a wholly instrumental collection of neon-tinted wonky jams, seems to exist in response. Hyperactive and lavish, the album finds the Glasgow producer harkening back to the sounds that defined his seminal debut; “First Mythz,” the album’s first single, perfectly encapsulates what makes Rustie so endearing, a dolphin call signalling the song’s impending drops. Though the manic energy is back in full force, the album’s tracklist is largely bereft of variation. While the results are largely homogeneous, EVENIFUDONTBELIEVE certainly isn’t lacking in frenzied charm.
If last year’s Madlib collaboration Piñata was a test for Freddie Gibbs, then Shadow of a Doubt represents a return to tradition, albeit with a changed perspective. Backed by moody trap rap beats, Gibbs covers his usual set of cocaine-slanging topics. The lush “Fuckin’ Up the Count” details Gibbs’ side gig in a tragic light whereas “Packages” is pure infectious braggadocio. Gibbs also tries his hand at singing with mixed results; though “Basketball Wives” is an auto-tuned nightmare, he fares better on more personal tracks like “Insecurities,” reflecting on the birth of his daughter. It’s these brief moments of introspection that make Shadow of a Doubt stand out, even if Gibbs can’t always escape the generic.
The band just recently independently released their debut full-length, Iron Sun, on various online platforms.
With the release of Iron Sun, this Montreal metalcore band is here to stay
“Growing up, I never knew how to sing,” said Cody Dodds, “But I definitely knew I wanted to sing.”
Janitor by day at the Notman House, a burgeoning startup hub, Dodds moonlights as the lead vocalist in Montreal-based metalcore outfit Red Skies. The band recently celebrated the release of their debut full-length with an album launch at Piranha Bar on Oct. 29. The album, entitled Iron Sun, was released independently through various streaming services and online platforms.
The band just recently independently released their debut full-length, Iron Sun, on various online platforms.
Like most, Dodds wasn’t initially into heavier music. “I didn’t know shit about music. I was just always listening to the radio because my mom always had the radio on,” he said lightheartedly. His introduction to heavy metal and punk came at the age of 12. “My brother was always really into punk rock music. He was always listening to a lot of music that was heavy on power chords, which really made me want to learn them. I eventually got a guitar but never really got good at it,” he said with a laugh.
Though he got his start trying his hand at the electric guitar, Dodds soon found an interest in vocals, specifically screaming. It all started with an interest in the screamo bands of the mid ‘00s, screaming along to From First to Last and Underoath songs in a basement in the company of friends, but Dodds would soon learn to hone his voice. “I never did any exercises until I met this jazz guitarist when I was 17,” Dodds said. “He taught me a lot about musicality and technique. I started comprehending vocals more as an instrument and learned how to do breathing exercises. With screaming, you run out of breath really quickly.”
Dodds quickly made the rounds across the Montreal metal scene, fronting numerous bands over the next few years including Four Feet & Fur, Veridian Cityscape and Kid Icarus, recording an EP with the latter. “We recorded with Kevin Jardine of Slaves on Dope,” said Dodds of his experience. “That was the first time I was ever in a real studio. It was really fancy and had its own little vocal booth.”
The bands didn’t work out unfortunately, splitting due to personal differences. “There were too many little differences between the members. We’re all still friends though.”
Having spent most of his teenage years in bands performing shows and playing music, Dodds suddenly found himself without a band, sending him into a more troubling place. “I’ve always been in bands. It’s very therapeutic,” he said. “I suddenly hadn’t been in a band for a long time and I found myself partying all the time, doing a lot of drugs and not really being in school. Just having a really bad direction in life.” That’s when his friend Justin Furtado, lead guitarist in Red Skies, reached out to him, effectively ending Dodds’ hiatus from the music scene. “Justin hit me up and asked me, ‘Do you wanna be in Red Skies?’ and I just said ‘Fuck yes. I need this right now.’”
Dodds has been with the band ever since, with every subsequent show topping the last both in terms of turnout and precision. “Ever since the En Route to Heavy MTL showcase we did in May 2014, we’ve had a lot more attention and exposure.” The band also recently released their debut full length record entitled Iron Sun, recorded, mixed and mastered by Antoine Lussier of mathcore band Ion Dissonance. In the two years he’s fronted the band, Dodds has noticed incredible progress, refueling his passion for music but also helping him feel validated in his pursuit of the musician’s dream. “I remember I was in Bangkok sitting on the roof of our hostel with [bassist] Tevan Crooks and we received the first post-prod track from our album,” Dodds said excitedly. “It was finally coming to life. All these lyrics I wrote back in university, not paying attention in class, finally became a thing. Ever since then, we all knew this is what we wanted to do!”
Of course, the musician’s life isn’t as easy as it may seem. Though each member of Red Skies is as wholly dedicated to the band as can be, there’s always gear and equipment to buy. “We’re all working jobs on the side of course,” Dodds said. “Most of our money goes to Red Skies though. I essentially pay a rent’s worth to the band almost every month.” Dodds and his bandmates are very aware of the differences between the idealistic and the realistic, always budgeting things accordingly to ensure no nasty surprises. “Everybody’s on the same page. Now, we’re looking into getting a van so yeah, it’s pretty obvious this is something we really believe in.”
While metalcore as a genre isn’t anything new, it’s become quite the crowded space in the last decade; numerous bands have come and gone riding on heavy breakdowns alone only to disappear into the sea. Though Red Skies exist under the metalcore umbrella, Dodds isn’t particularly concerned; “All the bands that we look up to essentially pioneered the genre. We know they’re metalcore but they each bring their own different flavour, which is what we tried to do with Iron Sun.” Dodds also carefully explained how making a solid, consistent record was more important to him and the band than trying to fit a certain label. “It’s more about getting a lot of people into the music and making them hear that ‘Hey! We’re musicians! We can make any kind of music we want.’ We mostly just want people to pick us up and hear us and be like ‘This. This is Red Skies.’”
Though the band isn’t currently signed, Red Skies have operated successfully on a purely independent model. “We’ve had a label come up to us and ask us if we wanted to be signed and have our album paid for,” Dodds said. “We were already almost done the album so we kindly refused. We just didn’t see a need for it.” Rather than jump at the bit at the chance of a record contract, Dodds and his band know full well the risks and rewards attached to being in this industry. In the end, the music is all that matters to Red Skies. “We’re not after the money at all. If we were in it for the money, we would’ve stopped doing this this three years ago.” Catch Red Skies opening for The Acacia Strain and Counterparts on Dec. 9 at Foufounes Électriques. Tickets are $20.
