Wow, it actually feels as if more time has passed since Giant Squid last graced us with a proper LP…but maybe that’s just because 2009′s The Ichthyologist was so massive in scope and layered in execution, that we’re still discovering new aspects within its winding grooves to this very day.
At any rate, Cenotes follows things up quite well overall, presenting us with perhaps what is a quieter, more introspective Giant Squid, as opposed to the band who unleashed the schizophrenic mania of The Ichthyologist. While the guitars of vocalist Aaron Gregory are still busy-bee and progressive in nature, the grandiose cello playing of Jackie Perez-Gratz have taken on an even more dynamic role within the songwriting, trading off with Gregory to great effect on a track like “Snakehead.”
There are actually only five lengthy tracks with which to indulge here on Cenotes, yet each undergoes so many twists and turns that the album feels like a proper journey by the time it’s done spinning. The System of a Down comparisons, while not as prevalent here on Cenotes, still follow around Gregory as a singer, but this isn’t exactly a bad thing, as both Gregory and Gratz meld quite well together vocally, giving each song a dreamlike quality which seems to be Giant Squid’s underwater bread ‘n butter here, for sure.
Anyway you slice it, Cenotes shouldn’t disappoint fans of the band, although newcomers might actually want to begin their journey with The Ichthyologist and it’s crazy carnival ride.
Thanks to Metal Army Soldier “ZackyVengeanceIsAGayName” for submitting this awesome mash-up of SYSTEM OF A DOWN and COLDPLAY. The song is titled “Toxic Fix” and features Serj’s vocals from “Toxicity” and the instrumentation of “Fix You” by Coldplay. Haunting and strangely fitting, this actually came together very well so major props are due Daniel Allen, the fan who mashed the songs together.
Take a little body paint, or some left over Nu-Metal fashion add a splash of KORN, FAITH NO MORE, SYSTEM OF A DOWN, MUSHROOM HEAD, MUDVAYNE, and SLIPKNOT, and you have Mexico’s FEEL THE PAIN. Their self titled album sounds like a cacophony of the these bands, you’ll hear hints of them here and there with their delivery. Especially their bass player Alfred who is an obvious disciple of MUDVAYNE’s Ryan Martinie’s playing. This is sort of evident throughout.
They state on their MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/feelthepainnet) that their music is inspired from hatred and anger, and they honestly don’t stray from that at all. Which is cool, but most of the bands mentioned above also give you a side of them where they’re trying to provide/instill hope, or inspiration/fuel to get out of the crappy situation you might currently be in. Based on this band’s lyrics your life sucks and it will continue to do so, and will only ever suck!
Maybe it’s just me, I remember hearing LIFE OF AGONY’s River Runs Red when it first came out, and thought it was an inspiring album, certain aspects of the lyrics made me connect with Keith Caputo and the rest of the band. At the same time, a friend that was slightly older, hated the album because he only heard the darker aspects (thoughts of suicide, etc.).
Perhaps I have now filled his shoes, and happen to only see this with FEEL THE PAIN? Maybe I’m just not connecting due to my current station in life? Or maybe it’s just that I’m looking for something else at this point in time. Or maybe it’s just lack of originality, obsession with the word fuck that has sort of turned me off to the band. I have no issues with profanity, and use this word quite frequently, but you’re using it to just fill in the gaps, well it gets kind of old! I also don’t have issues with lyrics or themes being dark. Life is a constant roller coaster and you need (in my opinion) the ups and downs to balance things out.
Songs are done in Spanish and in English, if I haven’t made this abundantly clear I am physically located in Spain, but grew up in New Jersey. Which means I have no problem understanding any of their lyrics. However a big issue that “bilingual” bands have is that they think they have a better grasp of the language then they actually do, and subsequently butcher it to death. FEEL THE PAIN is coherent for the most part, it’s just that they rely too much on (as alluded to above) the word fuck to fill in all of the blanks. The only song I remotely connected with is “Reject”, again put all of the bands listed above in a blender and well that’s what the song sounds like. Except you’ll hear the line “Fuck you Fucking Life” about a million time in the song. Again, get’s sort of old real quick.
The music sounds cool throughout, but the lyrics for their lack of substance just don’t convince me. The album shows they have talent, but they need to find themselves and put something together that at least to me is more convincing of who they are, not what they grew up listening to.
SCARS ON BROADWAY: chance to receive a free single.
SCARS ON BROADWAY — the collaboration between SYSTEM OF A DOWN guitarist/vocalist Daron Malakian and drummer John Dolmayan — will perform at Avalon in Los Angeles, California on Friday, August 20 (Tomorrow). The first 500 people in line for this show will receive a free, limited-edition seven-inch vinyl record of the band’s new song “Fucking”. Of those 500, the first 20 in line will get an autographed version.
This song was never released until recently when it was made available for free at ArmageddonComeAlive.com.
The limited vinyl printing is the only hard copy version in existence, featuring rare cover art by Vartan Malakian.
SCARS ON BROADWAY returned to the live stage on May 2 after a 17-month absence to play a headlining show at The Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. The band debuted a new song, reportedly entitled “Talkin’ Shit”, and was joined for two tracks — “Cute Machines” and “They Say” — by SYSTEM OF A DOWN bassist Shavo Odadjian on third guitar.
Video footage of the performance can be viewed below.
In October 2008, Malakian announced via SCARS ON BROADWAY’s web site that the band’s headlining tour — which included an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” — was being cancelled, with no plans of rescheduling. Malakian cited his lack of enthusiasm and “his heart not being into touring” as the chief reasons behind the decision to call off the trek. “The music of SCARS will live on, but now is a time when aspects of my life need to be tended to,” he said in a statement.
SCARS ON BROADWAY sold just under 24,000 copies of its self-titled debut album in the United States during its first week of release to debut at position No. 17 on The Billboard 200 chart. This number represented roughly 36 percent of the 66,000 opening tally registered by “Elect the Dead”, the debut solo effort from SYSTEM OF A DOWN lead singer Serj Tankian, which came out in the fall of 2007 through the Warner Music Group.
Scars On Broadway has shifted around 85,000 copies in the United States since its July 29, 2008 release, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
