Live Review: Leeds Festival 2011, Part 1 of 3

Reading may receive all the plaudits for being one of the UK’s premier music festivals, but it’s younger sibling Leeds is developing just as fine a reputation, if not more so. The two share identical lineups, and although all the media coverage comes from the south, Leeds has it’s own benefits including a better site and generally more active crowds. Since it’s inception in 1999, the festival has attracted some of music’s biggest names, and this year provided yet another stellar lineup, with a range of established faces alongside fresh acts looking to follow in their footsteps. It all promised for another fabulous weekend of music fit to round off anyones summer.


FRIDAY (26/08/2011)

Of course, it wouldn’t be a British summer without torrential rain, and right on cue the heavens opened as the first day commenced. This duly turned the entire site into a quagmire and caused most punters to head to the tents for shelter. No one seemed to choose the Lock Up Stage, though, where we got our festival off to a low-key start by watching up-and-coming punk band Fighting Fiction along with about 50 others. The Brighton quartet overcame the lack of an audience, though, to deliver a solid set of impassioned punk anthems which by and large went down well. Their debut album is out next month, and if the bulk of it can match up to the singles 'Rock And Roll Is Dead And It's Corpse Is For Sale' and 'We Will Not Forget,' then they could go far.

StumbleDrunk - Collusion

"I'm really, really proud of it...

And never imagined I'd be playing music like that."

This above quote is from Carter Francis, lead vocalist of StumbleDrunk, regarding their new EP Collusion. It's easy to understand where that quote was coming from, as Collusion is a brutal and harsh expression of his (and the rest of the band's) musical talents. The five song EP is just under ten minutes, with not one tranquil moment throughout the entire thing. "Still Wasted" opens the record with intense shouts from Francis, a far cry from his much more controlled main project Again, For The Win. "Sink Down" attempts a dark, bass led track, and succeeds as the calmest moment of record. Yet even as the calmest moment, the eeriness of the bass leads to almost a more intense feel than the vicious assaults of songs like the extremely punky "Sketchy People" or Francis' best expression of his powerful vocals in "Collusion". While the music that StumbleDrunk plays may not have been on their agenda, it's a perfect expression of the unpredictability of life.  Even the most hostile and dangerous of situations can lead to growth, just as StumbleDrunk takes their violent riffs and maneuvers them into one of the strongest punk EP's of the year.

Stream "Still Wasted" on MuzikDizcovery here
Stream "Collusion", and download the record for free on its release date of 9/9/11 here

Album Review: Cymbals Eat Guitars - Lenses Alien

Here's a little confession, I didn't see Cymbals Eat Guitars debut, Why There Are Mountains , as the indie-rock revolution that many found it to be. Was it a great album? Hell yes it was. Did it change everything? No, not really. However, what said album was was a reminder that with a little bit of passion and creativity, a band could create something marvelous, something to make people turn their heads. I wasn't convinced in Cymbals Eat Guitars greatness, or their ability to craft a truly exceptional record. Well, here I am today, both a believer and a skeptic, as Cymbals Eat Guitars has crafted an excellent sophomore record, yet they've still not quite lived up to their potential.

Album Review: Mogwai - Earth Division EP

As a few of you may have remembered from before, I posted some news about Mogwai's Earth Division EP, and how excited I was about it. When I finally got my hands on it, I popped it right in, and...it felt different. Very different. Good different. When Stuart Braithwaite and the rest of Mogwai say they want to escape their label of post-rock, they're able to achieve it with this EP. Much of Earth Division focuses a lot less on the whole soundscape and multi-layered construction of songs, and concentrates on the instrumentation and the music.

Album Review: Circle Takes the Square-Decompositions Vol. 1: Chapter 1. Rites of Initiation

You can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from longtime fans of Circle Takes the Square. After all, for years it seemed as though the band had disappeared, going the way of so many other groundbreaking emo bands that died before their time. Sure they've been sprinkling bits of information over the years, hinting at a follow-up to their modern classic, As the Roots Undo,but after a seven year dry spell hope for a sophomore effort dwindled. Well the drought has finally ended, as Circle Takes the Square has released their first material in almost a decade.

Artist Spotlight: Imagine Dragons

I could probably assign an appropriate genre to Imagine Dragons eventually, but it would look awful in print: something along the lines of indie/pop/rock-tronica--a bit unwieldy.  The Las Vegas act's first full-length 'It's Time' is full of a wide variety of sounds.  The titular first track sounds a lot like pop/rock veterans Sherwood, but later seem to channel more of a laid-back MGMT style.  Though there is a range of variation in style, the album is remarkably reliable when it comes to smooth guitar work, memorable and creative melodies, and a confidence that belies this band's potential.  They aren't afraid to switch up genres, vocal styles, try new things, and have fun.  In the hands of another band, these songs could merely inspire a "same old, same old" reaction from listeners, but instead, these songs, treated with Imagine Dragons' exuberance and talent, makes me want to forget anyone ever wrote a pop/rock/tronica song before this.  Check out "Look How Far We've Come" and other tracks here at their official website.

MuzikDizcovery Exclusive: StumbleDrunk "Still Wasted" Stream

StumbleDrunk may not be a familiar name for those on MuzikDizcovery, but one listen to new track "Still Wasted" and you may recognize the voice. StumbleDrunk vocalist Carter Francis also sings for Again, For The Win, a band that we at MuzikDizcovery have endlessly hyped since our first listen. StumbleDrunk shows Francis' punkier side, joining brother Tucker, Again, For The Win band mate Wayne Zingery, and friends Josh Massey and Derek Pope to make an aggressive, hard hitting band featuring vicious drumming, plenty of distorted guitar riffs and solos, and Francis' customary emotionally powerful vocals. "Still Wasted" is the first track off the band's upcoming EP Collusion, which you will be able to download for free on September 9th via Posters On Walls Records. You can stream "Still Wasted" below, and you can only hear it here at MuzikDizcovery! Stream the band's other releases, including the title track off the upcoming EP right here.


Still Wasted by muzikdizcovery

Album Review: Love American/Harbours - Love American/Harbours Split

Two very promising up and coming acts in the post-harcore/emo scene create a wholly enjoyable and wonderfully satisfying split. Need I say more? Well, unless you aren’t convinced, both Love American and Harbours have spent the better part of the year releasing enticing EP’s, albums, and demos, each being better than the last. Each new recording sees a growth--a maturation of sorts--as both bands discover themselves and what their sound truly is. The Love American/Harbours Split is indicative of this, as the record displays some of either acts best material, as well as giving a glimpse of what’s to come.

MuzikDizcovery Exclusives: The Offseason - "Forfeit" and New Album Announcement

Update (8/23, 9:03 PM): "Forfeit" has been taken down. Look forward to a new song streaming on The Offseason's page tomorrow!

Today, we are pleased to exclusively premier a bunch of exciting information about one of our favorites upcoming pop-punk acts, The Offseason. You may know them from Dizcovering Muzik: Volume One or from a feature we've done on them before. If you are a fan of the new wave of pop-punk, including Fireworks and The Swellers, then The Offseason will become a staple in your playlists. Below, you can stream their brand new song "Forfeit", which is off the band's upcoming full length Pride and Progress / Goin' For Broke, out October 11th via Barrett Records. This full length combines their previous EP Goin' For Broke with four all new songs, including "Forfeit". "Forfeit" shows a punkier side to The Offseason, as the band pummels through the track in 1:43, half as long as any other The Offseason track to date. Are the other three new songs going to follow this more aggressive feeling, or will the other songs go back to the band's poppier side? What do you think of "Forfeit"? "Forfeit" will be streaming here until 9 PM tomorrow night, when it will be put on to the band's official page. We will also be premiering a new song here on Wednesday.

Live Review: God is an Astronaut

Late Saturday night, on the concert scene of San Francisco, ex-Muzik Dizcovery writer Jeff Wilde and I headed down to Bottom of the Hill in order to check out the God is an Astronaut show. The night kept swinging back and forth in terms of fortune, so we didn't really know what to expect after having gotten there an hour and a half early.

The venue itself, though it didn't seem crowded at first, just kept filling and filling. We didn't know if Bottom of the Hill was going to sell out or explode with people, at first. The place was packed with folks that could fit into just about any stereotype, all simply there to listen to God is an Astronaut and have a really great time. When we were standing outside listening to the warm up, since we'd been there so early, it sounded fine, but once we got inside, the monitors sounded pretty bad, to be honest. It was compensated by both the opener and the band blasting through it, but I wasn't too impressed. That, and the total 3 square feet I had to myself at the beginning was shrinking rapidly, much to my dismay. The overall disposition of the crowd, though, was anticipation. It was as visible as it was audible, quiet smalltalk permeating throughout, simply awaiting the stars of the show.

Album Review: Balam Acab - Wander/Wonder

It seems as though for years electronic and I have been struggling, all with an insurmountable ferocity that I can almost admire. It isn’t because I expressly despise the genre, not in the least, but there’s something about the stark, cold inhumanity of it all that keeps me at arm’s length. The “bleeps” and “bloops” strike me as unnatural—sounds that are as intangible as they are impersonal. However, every so often an album comes along that disassembles these feelings, and ends up being wholly personal, passionate, and more importantly, beautiful.

Live Review: Frank Turner, O2 Academy Newcastle, 06/08/2011

This was supposed to be my write up of Newcastle's two day Ignition festival, but that event was pulled last minute due to residential complaints and incompetence on the part of the organisers. Never one to let down his fans, Frank Turner instead took it upon himself to organise this short notice show in the city, with those who had held festival tickets granted free entry. Now I know that it's little over a month since I covered his gig in Whitley Bay, so I may be at risk of repeating myself here but fuck it, Frank Turner rules, and if this persuades anyone to check him out live or on record then it'll have been worth my while.

Album Review: Banquets - Top Button, Bottom Shelf

Jersey City based Banquets is set to release their debut LP Top Button, Bottom Shelf on August 23rd. The group was lucky enough to record with Will Putney at the Machine Shop, and the investment shows. Crisp and modern with an old school attitude, Top Button is a solid debut sure to garner the attention that Banquets deserves.

Artist Spotlight: Basement

I think the photo to the left encapsulates Basement rather well. Hailing from Ipswich, U.K., a town that borders the cold, bleak, and often desolate North Sea, Basement is simply five dudes trying to find some warmth and comfort in the world, and doing so via hard-hitting, emotion-fueled jams. After showing an incredible amount of promise on their debut entitled Songs About the Weather, people took notice of the 5 young men behind all the noise and raw passion on the EP. This included the guys over at Run For Cover Records, who welcomed their first ever U.K. band as they recently signed Basement to their label and set them off on an August tour of America's East Coast. Run For Cover also helped in the release of their debut full length, I Wish I Could Stay Here, which dropped back in July. With two solid releases already under their belt, look out for big things to come from these boys in the future. The rest of their August tour with Daylight is as follows:

8/20: Brooklyn, NY @ The Archeron
8/21: Amityville, NY @ Broadway Bar
8/22: Albany, NY @ Bogies
8/23: Providence, RI @ TBA
8/24: New Britain, CT @ The Hall
8/25: Framingham, MA @ Chop Shop
8/26: Clinton, NY @ Aquifer
8/27: Altoona, PA @ Masonic Hall
8/28: Wilkes-Barre, PA @ Redwood Art Space
(someone give me a ride from Pittsburgh to the Altoona show and I'll buy you gas/cigarettes and be your friend forever!)

Stream their EP in its entirety on their Bandcamp, hear songs off the new record on their Facebook, or check out merch and other media goodies on their website.

Brighter Brightest

It shocks me how there are bands out there that play extremely similar music to a more mainstream band, yet they don't receive even a fraction of the credit and popularity. It's even more shocking when that underground band blows away that popular band in every aspect, particularly in vocals and songwriting skill. In this case, we're comparing The Maine to Brighter Brightest. Vocalist Derek Hoffman is definitely comparable to The Maine's lead vocalist John O'Callaghan, yet the former's vocal tone is much smoother and more accessible than the latter.  The Maine's latest effort Black and White contained two or three strong tracks, and seven or eight forgettable ones, while Brighter Brightest's Right For Me is chock full of catchy, memorable pop-rock tracks. Brighter Brightest is a better version of The Maine, so why do they have 570,000 fewer Facebook fans? It just makes no sense to me. You can listen to and purchase some of Brighter Brightest's tracks on their Facebook page here.

Album Review: Young Circles - Jungle Habits

It'd be fair to say that Young Circles have started off from a solid base. As well as displaying sound instrumental prowess and an admirable will to push the boundaries, this debut album also shows clear signs of impeccable taste, a factor that aids them as much as any other. The Radiohead influence is obvious, but there are also remnants of other highly regarded bands such as Animal Collective and Yeasayer which provide their sound with a strong foothold. But while there's nothing here that's guaranteed to pull in hipsters like "My Girls" or to move feet like "O.N.E.," you feel that Young Circles could well be onto something that overall is more worthwhile than what either of those peers muster.

Album Review: Jonathan Jones - Community Group

In the midst of our frenzy to find the new, fresh, and up and coming acts, it's always refreshing to come across an album like Jonathan Jones' second solo album Community Group. It would probably be generous to call Jonathan Jones any kind of musical legend, but he is comparatively a music industry veteran and it shows on Community Group. The most recent effort by the former Waking Ashland and We Shot the Moon frontman Jones' is a breath of fresh air—Jones lets go of any need to prove himself or cater to anyone but himself, making Community Group honest, unpretentious, and charming.  Community Group is a fresh faced album that seems to come directly out of Jones' simple desire just to make music. Jones leaves behind entirely the emo/rock sound of the now defunct Waking Ashland in favor of an effervescent pop sound. Simple singer songwriter alt/pop songs aren't really in vogue these days, but Community Group is a surprisingly endearing album that should appeal to anyone interested in good songwriting and catchy summer melodies.

Album Review: Cain Marko - At Sea EP

Cain Marko tell it exactly as it is. "The universe can go without another song about drinking!" rings out at the start of 'At Sea In St. Paul', track one from their self-released debut EP At Sea, and they're absolutely right about that. Bands have been singing ballads about drowning out sorrows in a bottle or partying with friends for about as long as they've been crooning about love and sex, and the members of Cain Marko immediately acknowledge their lack of originality in that regard. This forthcoming admittance of their shortcomings is comforting - for one, it grounds the band on a humble and relatable level and, in doing so, allows for an immediate rapport between them and their audience. More importantly, it puts that much more importance on ardent and honest songwriting and musicianship, an aspect of their music that these Michigan kids have most certainly followed through on.

Hubble - Hubble Drums

"Hubble's Hubble" actually serves as a soundtrack for images and video shot and filmed by the actual NASA Hubble Telescope. Fittingly, Hubble's music is a confounding mixture of spacy guitar and bizarre psychedelia. Entrancing and surprisingly challenging, Hubble makes music unlike anyone else, with his wild time signatures and tempos making the multiple guitar parts sound other worldly.

It can't be helped to think that this is exactly what Hubble intended to do, as such odd and complex music isn't simply stumbled upon. Oddly enough though, despite how calculated it all sounds, it seems so natural and so organic. It's a mish-mash of trance, guitar rock, and psychedelia, but it truly transcends that of a simple genre bending act. Hubble is seriously an artist that one needs to hear to believe.

Luckily, one can hear his mind-boggling guitar based music this November, when Hubble Drums drops on Northern Sky Records.

Show Review: The Dear Hunter Headliner Featuring O'Brother and Deas Vail

Seamless transitions dominated Jammin' Java on August 14th, 2011, as The Dear Hunter and friends took over the venue. As the band's first headlining tour after releasing the nine disk The Color Spectrum, the majority of songs came from this widely varied collection of music. While it seems almost impossible to move from one style to another to even another in the course of three songs, Casey Crescenzo and the rest of The Dear Hunter did so without missing a beat, hopping from one end of the spectrum to the other side without losing momentum in either the band or the crowd. O'Brother and Deas Vail supported The Dear Hunter perfectly, launching off magnificent sets on the road to the crown performance of the night.

Artist Spotlight: Pentimento

If you've heard anything about Buffalo, NY, it most likely has to do with chicken wings, a bad football team, or one of the harshest, coldest, and most uninviting winters around. You probably haven't heard about Pentimento, one of the Nickel City's up-and-coming pop-punk acts that's making quite a splash on the local scene. Taking musical influence from artists across the musical board, from Strike Anywhere to AFI to Saves the Day, Pentimento utilize infectious hooks and an irrefutable familiarity in their songwriting. The result cements these hometown heroes not only as one hell of a fun listen, but also an East Coast force to be reckoned with, likely in the near future.

So settle in next to your stereo with the peace of mind that comes with knowing you won't wake up to three feet of lake-effect snow in your driveway, and give Wrecked EP a spin - you can stream all the tracks from their debut on their Facebook, here.

Album Review: Deathmole - Fear of Black Horses

Deathmole is an interesting sound of post-metal, to say the least. It's actually a three-piece virtual metal band, not unlike Dethklok, but in the sense that members from the webcomic Questionable Content comprise the band. The music itself, however, is written by the artist of the webcomic, Jeph Jacques. The music that Deathmole creates is sometimes based around a theme, as can be seen with the debut album, Moletopopolis, and with the most recent album / EP, Fear of Black Horses. Much of the time, it's very melodic, progressive metal or post-metal, and always has minor key experimentation that sound more psychedelic than anything else, which is important, because it draws interest and makes the fact that the music is instrumental unimportant to say the least.

Circle Takes the Square-Decompositions

Experimental post-hardcore/emo kings Circle Takes the Square have quite a reputation. Odd, considering the band has only released one full-length album in their nearly ten year history. Really, that fact speaks volumes of how much their 2003 effort, As the Roots Undo effected the scene. It was a brash, unrefined, chaotic display youthful exuberance, all wrapped up in a package that seemed to have been created by a band 10 years their senior. Regardless, people still speak of As the Roots Undo with incredible fondness, citing it as one of last decades finest moments.

Seven years those people have been waiting. Circle Takes the Square have been off and on in respect to creating music, with a dry spell that's lasted the better part of a decade. However that spell will end this November, when the band releases their sophomore effort, Decompositions: Volume I. The album will be in a narrative format, detailing several stories as well as including the peaks and valleys of their debut. It's slated to be just as poetic and beautiful, with special attention once more to the lyrical content.

The wait won't be too long, as CTTS will release the album's first chapter, Rites of Initiation as a digital EP on August 23rd.

Dizcovering Muzik: Volume 1 Out Now

It's finally here. After weeks of hype, Dizcovering Muzik: Volume One has officially been released. This is my gift to all of you for helping the site continue growing. Please continue to come to the site, as there is much much more to come in the future. Be sure to fan us on Facebook, and tell us what your favorite tracks on the sampler are! You can download and stream the entire sampler totally free here, or right on this page.

Album Review: Sainthood Reps - Monoculture

There are plenty of methods of expressing angst and disapproval. Music is a common vessel for such an endeavor. Often these efforts result in the screaming of cliché symbolism and the relentless pounding of double bass, or minute long songs with hectic yelling of anti-establishment sentiments. While effective, these methods of expression feel overdone and rarely leave those responsible with any personality or identity. Sainthood Reps chooses a different path for their artistic expression. The Long Island natives choose to have their voice heard over a dark, grunge influenced indie rock soundscape. Signing to Tooth & Nail at the close of 2010, Sainthood Reps’ debut, Monoculture, is out August 9th with production by Mike Sapone (Brand New, Crime In Stereo).

Artist Spotlight: Kerretta

An interesting electro-experimental rock band from New Zealand, Kerretta has a way of taking simple things and making them genius. With their recently released single, "A Ways To Uprise", they take a classic 2-4 snare kick beat, throw on some ultrabass and some heavy distortion, add a bit of wah-wah synthesizer, and a hint of reverb, and they have a successful single. Not that this is the first time they've achieved such genius, as this is a single released after their four prior albums, and a hinting at what will be their sophomore full-length, after Vilayer, which was released in 2009. Hoping to hear a lot more from the band soon, because they hinted at some "big news" at the end of June, but we'll wait and see what happens with the new album.

You can check out the single for free on their Bandcamp, and you can also stream the entirety of Vilayer for free as well.

Album Review: Braid - Closer to Closed

Well isn't this completely out of left field? Yes, you read it right--Braid. The very same Braid that quietly helped shape the modern emo scene has returned. And "returned" shouldn't be taken lightly, as Braid's decade long absence has left a hole in the scene. With their last proper release over ten years behind them, Braid has arrived with four new songs in the form of an EP.

Artist Spotlight: Marina & The Diamonds

Make no mistake, Marina Diamandis is the real deal. She possesses the voice, persona and looks which characterise all the best pop stars, and crucially she also delivers the songs to boot. In truth, her debut album The Family Jewels was a slightly patchy affair, but when it hit the spot - with songs like "Hollywood" and "Mowgli's Road" - it hit hard. But while that album mainly comprised of quirky radio hits, this teaser music video for the as yet unannounced follow-up hints that her focus may have shifted somewhat.

The first thing that stands out is the concept. In the video, Marina undergoes a transformation from herself into an alter-ego, Electra Heart who, in her own words "epitomises and embodies the lies, illusions and death of American ideologies involved in the corruption of self." Pretentious? Undoubtedly, but ambition such as this is often what separates the best from the rest, and Marina has already shown in her short career that she has the potential to realise such daunting targets.

But what of the actual song? Entitled "Fear And Loathing," it's far darker than anything else she's come up with, and proves a stark contrast to much of The Family Jewels, which often bordered on silliness. Sparse, moody and beautiful, it arguably represents her best individual composition yet, and while the rest of the record may not follow suite, it's certainly doing it's job in raising excitement levels. In fact, if the whole album is this good, then a huge surge in popularity could be well within her reach.

Watch the video for "Fear And Loathing" here.

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Artist Spotlight: Fractures

You can't fault indie bands who try to do something different, but all too often they forget to add the key components to their songs - namely the hooks. Catchy choruses in particular form the bedrock of most successful bands careers, and even now the rousing effect of a good old singalong takes some beating. London quartet Fractures clearly understand this. Sure, they're hardly breaking new ground sound-wise, but even with only a few demos to their name they already sound like a band that could go places. Evidence of this is particularly strong on their song "Alone," a blissful blast of guitar pop with a chorus so good that any member of indie's elite would be proud to call it their own. In a way, it's a shame that it's only seeing the light of day now that summer is coming to an end, as it'd sound even better in the middle of a field backed by the collective voice of a festival crowd. Oh well, maybe next year...

You can listen to the band's demos here.

Announcements, Reflections, and Dizcovering Muzik: Volume 1 (Free Sampler)

Warning: Sappy anecdote on the way.

I started MuzikDizcovery back in June of 2009. I needed somewhere to place my suggestions of bands and songs that wasn't just via a Facebook status. At that point, the site was just for fun, and nothing that I expected to be too serious. Looking back on those posts, I can see my growth both in musical taste and writing style. To the change in taste, I can simply thank maturity, since as I grew older and more sophisticated (lolwut?), I desired more variety in music. The growth in writing almost never happened, as between the fall of 2009 and the spring of 2010, my posts were far and few in between. Even when I felt like I wanted to post more, I just never felt the motivation to follow through.

In the spring of 2010, I signed up for a class that allowed me to work on any project I wanted to with a mentor for credit. I decided I wanted to restart MuzikDizcovery and work on improving my writing with one of my former English teachers. That is where I can say MuzikDizcovery truly began. I continued to build up contacts, as my hits continued to surge. I then began hiring staff, as Jeff, Chelsea, and Kyle Minton joined my team. Interviews started flowing in, mostly as luck, when I received my first 10,000 hit month in January of 2011. Labels and press contacts started trusting me with promoting their bands, as Earshot Media and Decoder allowed me an early copy of their record. From there things kept building up, to where we are now.

Early this morning, I hit a milestone. One hundred thousand page views. This number begins in July of 2010, when I finally started taking MuzikDizcovery very seriously. This number also doesn't include any of my own page views, as the number would have been at least twice the current number without that restriction. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected to hit this number. And there's no one else to thank but the people who continue viewing the site and clicking on my link.

So with that, I am pleased to announce MuzikDizcovery's first free sampler, Dizcovering Muzik: Volume 1. The sampler will include the best bands we've covered here on MuzikDizcovery, both signed and unsigned. The full (unofficial) track list can be seen below, but some of the bands that will 100% be on the sampler are Hellogoodbye, Sister City, The Pattern Traced, and Again, For The Win, as well as exclusive new tracks from The Offseason and Meadower. These are only a few of the names that will be on the sampler, as plenty more names will be announced within the next week.

Dizcovering Muzik: Volume 1 is my way of giving back to all of you for helping the site grow bigger and bigger over these last two years. The whole sampler will be available on Bandcamp for free starting on Monday, August 15th, with the link to be announced soon. The current track listing for the sampler can be seen below, and will be updated as bands get added on the MuzikDizcovery Facebook page.

I start college in a couple weeks, but that does not mean the site is almost finished. I plan on expanding further and further, making the site more accessible to users and increasing the content at the same time. I'm still looking for new writers, and you should email me if you are interested. I'm also looking for people to help with design, and those interested should also email me. MuzikDizcovery is going to be a premier, well known music suggestion site, and I promise you that now.

Album Review: Huron - Mary Celeste

Normally, MuzikDizcovery doesn't cover metal releases. However, with the quickly rising, Plymouth-based band Huron, we were asked to take a look, and after listening to Mary Celeste, I was all too excited to write something. A smooth blend between the harsh 90's thrash metal scene and the older, rowdy rock 'n roll style, Huron is the definition of heavy metal, with powerful shout-style vocals and facemelting riffs even the pickiest of metalheads could enjoy.

Live Review: Iron Maiden, Metro Radio Arena Newcastle, 23/07/2011

Iron Maiden. Two words which should strike a chord with any metal fan the world over, and with good reason. Since they broke through in 1970 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement, the Londoner’s have become quite simply the biggest metal band that our nation has ever produced, influencing everyone from Metallica to Lady GaGa and boasting over 85 million in terms of record sales. All six members may be well into their fifties, yet they still hold a reputation as one of the greatest live acts on the planet, routinely selling out football stadiums in every corner of the civilised globe. With this in mind, this 11,000 capacity arena represented a relatively small venue for such big hitters, not that they made any effort to scale down.

The Moor - The Moor

The Moor is a rare band that's simply and blissfully easy to listen to. Utilizing dense, soulful tones, The Moor makes outright charming and lovely music that is neither too conventional, nor too "out there." Filled with synthesizers, guitars, and piano, the instrumental backbone of the band is rather excellent. However, it's the vocals, and their looming presence, that give the music it's dark, warm feeling.

The band, whose self-titled debut will be release August 23rd, has given out a little teaser in the form of a track entitled "Warm Winter." The title fits perfectly, as it's a very barren track, with the excellent production and enveloping aesthetic really making the piece very dense and deep. It displays a band with the confidence of an act who's been around much longer, a sentiment that is carried through their mature and self-assured sound.

"Warm Winter" is well worth checking out here. Also, be sure to check out The Moor when it drops later this month.

Album Review: Chemtrail - Youth Obsessed Death Culture

A very cool work of instrumental and post-rock, New Jersey project Chemtrail released a new album a month or three back, entitled Youth Obsessed Death Culture. The music was essentially a blend of all that's emotional and powerful and attainable to the common listener. With a five member setup and three guitarists (one alternating on keys), there's much more potential for additions to sound than there would be in any four-man setup, and Chemtrail takes full advantage of this, bringing out as much harmonizing as they can, to ultimately bring a fantastic record from beginning to end.

Artist Spotlight: Daytrader

Pop punk is a genre notorious for oversaturation. Simple, fun, and tolerable to the huge portion of the populous who only listen to Top 40, it is an ideal genre for young bands. Thus, countless cookie cutter pop punk bands with no talent have flooded the scene in recent years and done a good job at giving pop punk a bad name. However, one benefit of such a terrible scene is that those with talent truly shine. Brooklyn, NY natives Daytrader are one of the rare exceptions, and Run For Cover Records was quick to catch them on their way up.

Album Review: Viva Brother - Famous First Words

Although it may not have seemed so at the time, the implosion of Oasis in the summer of 2009 has turned out to be a watershed moment for British guitar music. No sooner had the Gallagher brothers come to blows than hordes of younger pretenders fought for their thrown and to fill the void they’d left in the britpop market. Results have been decidedly mixed; Some bands like Kasabian, for instance have significantly upped their game and are rightfully reaping the rewards, while a far larger group have found no such success, a just outcome based on the quality of their mundane music. Slough upstarts Viva Brother are sadly another name to add to the likes of General Fiasco and Twisted Wheel in the latter camp, not that they’d have you believe that, of course.

Album Review: Howler - Mud EP

Apparently, after some introspection and working through some decision making on their music, Zucchini Drive is through. However, they make their triumphant return as Howler, quipped to lead their musical style "down a grittier, richer indie-rock inspired road". Their debut release under their new name is the Mud EP, which is a pretty dark, electronic, somewhat abstract piece of experimentalism / trip hop / post-rock. With a good half of the emphasis on mixing and synthesized sounds and beats, and the other on instrumental and vocal harmonies syncing together, the EP stands to be one of the more quirky pieces of music released this year.

Album Review: Kashiwa Daisuke-88

I really make no secret about it—Kashiwa Daisuke’s 2007 masterpiece, Program Music I is one of, if not my favorite album of all time. Truly, I could write pages upon pages why the album means so much to me, how its endless complexities and extravagant melodies still appeal to me in the same way they did those years ago. I can even recount my very first experience with the album. Rarely does an album come along that convinces me that music can transcend an artistic medium, and become something greater, something effectual and tangible. Program Music I, in its short life span, has had this effect on more persons than just I. In fact, people all over sing Daisuke’s praises, despite some of his more questionable moves

Album Review: Wild Beasts - Smother

July and August are notoriously sparse when it comes to new music releases, so at this time of year I often find myself returning to the best that the year has thus far had to offer. Usually I spend this period deciding upon my favourites, but this year’s ritualistic jaunt brought no such problem, as there’s one album that stands out head and shoulders above the rest. Hailing from Cumbria, Wild Beasts have spent the past eight or so years playing their own unique and impassioned brand of indie rock. It’s a formula that’s yielded impressive results on the band’s first two critically acclaimed efforts, but even with that background Smother is a huge step up in every sense, and should see its creators recognised as one of the best bands that our island has to offer.

Album Review: Every Avenue - Bad Habits

Consistency is a trait that is sought after by bands, yet it can ultimately doom them. If a band sticks to their same classic sound, they know they won't alienate their fanbase. But even while the fans are asking for a familiar sound, they're still looking for something new. While Every Avenue is still very much the same band as they were when they released their excellent Fearless Records debut Shh...Just Go With It, they've expanded their sound just enough to refrain from boring listeners. The extremely poppy hooks remain, but the band often embraces a more aggressive sound on Bad Habits, varying enough from the band's previous works to remain fresh while sticking to their pop-rock roots.