He Is Legend Premier New Single "Sand"

Wow, this band never disappoints.

North Carolina post hardcore/rock outfit He Is Legend have just released the first single from their upcoming LP, few. He Is Legend have been one of my favorite bands ever since I first heard them when I was 15 or 16. Their blend of dark, smokey southern riffage, viscous psychedelic melodies, and ethereal singing have always brought me back to them again and again. Their newest offering, Sand, is no exception. This song is mostly driven by chunky guitars and soaring vocals, and is a great example of the wonderful black magic this band consistently uses to create some of my favorite rock songs of all time.

The album was co-produced by Adam "Nolly" Getgood of Periphery and it absolutely shows in this track. The heavy, start-stop riffs sound crisp and clear without the robotic overproduction that many modern guitar parts end up having. The vocals are perfectly placed in the mix, giving the guitars room to breathe while just high enough to evenly fill all registers. My only complaint is the lack of bass as a prominent instrument in this track. In the past, He Is Legend have always utilized bass as a significant part of the band's melody and groove. In this track, the bass is barely audible and adds very little. Hopefully the rest of the album has the bass more front and center. Regardless, this is an excellent track and I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

Do yourself a favor and listen here.

Album Review: Erra - Drift

Erra are a five piece progressive metalcore band from Birmingham, Alabama. The band blend bright, atmospheric melodies with heavy, syncopated rhythms. While the band has always been relatively generic in theory, Erra have managed to be one of the most memorable bands in the new wave of metalcore.

I first heard Erra back in 2011 after the release of their debut full length album, Pulse. I immediately fell in love with the album - it was everything I loved in music: Dramatic, technical, emotive, and beautiful. Drift includes all of the attributes that initially made me an Erra fan, but their execution has matured significantly.

One of the first things I noticed when listening to Drift was how cohesive each song feels. On previous releases, songs felt a little bit like different ideas stitched together. The atmospheric and emotive moments are more delicately woven in with the rest of the songs. The same can be said for each instrument’s role - gone are the over the top vocals, all members are playing within their means. Drift’s songs are coherent and sound like one piece of musical thought.

Perhaps my favorite thing about Drift is it makes you forget Erra is a metal band. Almost all of the songs have a naive sweetness to them, an innocence and honesty that shows that makes the numerous emotional moments on this album very relatable. Songs like Skyline, Orchid, and Safehaven are incredibly bright, pretty, and catchy. However, when band delves into heavier territory, things get crushing. The juxtaposition between glistening leads and discordant breakdowns really makes both elements pop.

Drift has a lot going for it, but is not without some minor blemishes. A few of the songs add nothing to the album, such as the repetitive title track and generic Hourglass. I feel like if the album cut a bit of the filler it could have been a perfect EP rather than a great LP. The ultra-clean production may also not be everyone’s cup of tea - this is a very tight, clear, and saccharine sounding album.

One of the things that separates Erra apart from other metalcore bands is their genuinity. They’re not angry, they’re not wannabe NASA scientists, they’re not political activists. They’re a group of guys that want to create emotive music that carries you from beautiful peaks to dark valleys without falling into into the cliches most multi-faceted metalcore music does. Erra are a very self aware group, and unlike many progressive metal bands, they’ve grown and matured without becoming a parody of themselves. Drift has become one of my favorite metalcore albums of 2016, and I hope the band continue down the path this release has set them on.

Rating: 8.5/10

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Readme.txt

Hey there. My name is Austin. I live in Denver, Colorado and have a passion for music and a desire to write. I've always talked about starting a music review/discussion blog, and I figure now is as good of a time as ever to jump in.

Musically I'm the most familiar with metal, punk, and pop. I dig some hiphop and jazz here and there, but expect reviews on the heavier end of the music spectrum.

Let me know if you have any album review requests or discussion ideas.

Happy listening.