The Crusade - Trivium

Guys, sincere apologies for letting another week go by between posts. It seems my brain has been rather preoccupied of late, as it has been littered with questions. Now those questions are answered, and I can finally share with all of you. But before I do, consider the following:

-What if Metallica learned how to sing harmonies?

-What if Metallica had a drummer that didn't suck?

-What if Trans-Siberian Orchestra's album artwork was drawn by Frank Frazetta?
(For those of you who are about to Google search Frank Frazetta, let me save you the time - he was the artist that did all the Molly Hatchet album covers. Free history lesson, courtesy of Synic Spins.)

-What if James Hetfield was Asian?

Maybe that last one wasn't entirely necessary, but ladies and gentlemen have no fear, for your hero Synic has the answer.

Trivium.

These guys are an established and well-known band who have been around for over 20 years now, if you can believe that. And one of their biggest fans, someone near and dear to my own heart, asked me to review one of their albums. And after getting 3 songs into their record Ascendancy, she said "WAIT! Do The Crusade instead! But also review this one song from Ascendancy!"
Well... ok, why not.

2 minutes into "Ignition," the first track on the record, I texted the girl that requested this album saying "These guys are like if Metallica did a duet with Mushroomhead." I also found myself thinking that if the SAW movie franchise was a song, it would be this. And now that I've heard the whole album, my thoughts have not changed. (Whether that statement is good or bad is dependent on your opinion of the SAW movies, I suppose.) Though this album is drastically different from the 3 tracks of Ascendancy that I heard, so maybe they were still finding themselves at this point? I don't know, that's something you'd have to ask the girl that requested this album, or another fan of the band.

She specifically requested I sink my teeth into "Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr" from Ascendancy, so here we go. It's really a good thing this blog doesn't give me a character limit in these posts, cause God dammit that song title is really a novel to write. Anyway, the song itself is as I expected. a badass riff, screamed lyrics, and a chorus featuring actual singing, and even some harmonies. That said, the chorus was my favorite part of the whole song. It took me back to a long time ago when she showed me that song for the first time. It was strange to me then, but vaguely familiar to me now.

Me and speed metal, or thrash, whichever you prefer to call it (I'm not big on semantics), we are not friends. You can name countless speed metal bands and I will turn my nose up at all of them. So keeping that in mind, I will be as objective as possible here.

Lyrically, these guys are more than brilliant. Some of their song titles and use of SAT-words remind me of a metal Bad Religion. Which, in black and white sounds pretty awesome, doesn't it? Building off that - their song "The Rising" was punk as hell. Watch the music video for it if you don't believe me. The sound isn't punk, but the spirit is there.

Musically, they are more than solid. Each track has another killer riff that is more than enough to melt your face off. Their solos are a little technical for my taste, but with today's metal formula where every track needs its own solo, I guess it's just the nature of the beast. So I won't fault them too much for that.

So at the end of the day, will I ever listen to this whole record again? No. Probably not. (Sorry, Kim)
However, did I hate every second of listening to it? No. No I didn't. In fact, I promised Kim long ago that if Trivium ever toured with a band I liked, I would go see them with her. And after actually listening to some of this band's material, I stand by that promise. I don't think I'll hate it.

My closing thoughts are that the album's finale and title-track, the 8+ minute long instrumental, sounds like what you would hear in the elevator down to Hell.

The Crusade - Trivium

10 - 10 - 2006

1. Ignition

2. Detonation

3. Entrance of the Conflagration

4. Anthem (We Are the Fire)

5. Unrepentant

6. And Sadness Will Sear

7. Becoming the Dragon

8. To The Rats

9. This World Can't Tear Us Apart

10. Tread The Floods

11. Contempt Breeds Contamination

12. The Rising

13. The Crusade

Favorite Track: The Rising

Least Favorite Track: Ignition

Rating: 7.2

Synic's Top Ten: An Ever-changing List

All over social media in the past few weeks, aside from the end of the world conspiracies, racism, and general political bullshit, people have been challenging their friends to post their top ten albums that inspired their musical tastes. While these posts are typically limited to one album a day, I thought I might put my current top ten into a single post, as my favorite albums are constantly changing. Sure, the top 3-5 are pretty much always locked, but albums 7-10 change depending on whatever my current obsession may be. So maybe I'll do a post like this once a year, maybe I won't. Stay tuned. It's also worth noting that after #5 these albums are in no specific order. Enjoy.

Anyway, here we go:

1. Poodle Hat - "Weird Al" Yankovic

While this may not be my favorite record "Weird Al" has come out with, (second favorite, if you were curious) this album belongs as the first on the list because it is the first concert I ever attended. And you never forget your first. My life was forever changed that night, as I am a concert fiend now and go to as many as I can every year. Al has been the keystone in forming who I am musically ever since I was young, and for that I am eternally grateful.

See also: Running With Scissors, Mandatory Fun

2. Powerage - AC/DC

Followers of my Twitter account may have probably guessed this gem would be next. AC/DC has been my all-time favorite band for a long time now, as many of my family and friends could easily attest. Many listeners of classic-rock radio may or may not be fans of AC/DC because they claim "all their songs sound the same." well to some extent that may be true of their records produced since the late 80's, people who make this claim have certainly never heard Powerage in it's entirety. In fact, many casual fans of the band (and certainly most haters) probably wouldn't recognize a single track on this album, with it's most-known song being "Sin City." Did you know it without Googling it first? This record was the second to last to come from beloved frontman Bon Scott, and it is the record of choice for many hardcore fans because it is the most underplayed and diverse record of their entire discography. This is one you need in your collection.

See Also: Let There Be Rock, Highway To Hell, Back In Black, For Those About To Rock, Flick Of The Switch, Black Ice, Rock Or Bust

Actually, fuck it. Just listen to all of their albums, okay?

3. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge - Van Halen

F.U.C.K. was the third record Van Halen released with Sammy Hagar on the mic. It was also the first "Van Hagar" record to feature a return to their classic guitar-heavy sound, and they took a step away from the keyboard-driven love songs. Every track on this album is a rocker, with the exception of instrumental "316." Eight of the songs on this album would easily go on my "Van Halen Favorites" playlist if I ever made one.

See also: Van Halen, Fair Warning, Balance, Van Halen III

4. Conspiracy Of One - The Offspring

This album is the one I blame (or rather thank) for my love of punk music. While post-1994 Offspring may have become too-pop-to-be-punk but too-rock-to-be-pop, this is the album that started it all for me. There is not one skippable song on this record. In fact, the first favorite song I ever had (that wasn't a Weird Al song) was "Original Prankster," track 3 on this masterpiece. I could go on forever about this record, but I still have 6 more to go.

See also: Ignition, Americana, Splinter

5. Ten Thousand Fists - Disturbed

One of those bands that people either love or hate. Frankly, I will never understand the hate this band gets. Musically, they kick ass. This band is the reason I became a fan of metal in the first place. They have a tremendous rhythm section in drummer Mike Wengren and bassist John Moyer. Then comes one of the best riff-masters in the business, Dan Donegan. To cap it off is one of my favorite male vocalists of all time, David Draiman. He's also one of my favorite lyricists of all time. If I ever got the opportunity to meet these men, I would probably gush until my heart stopped and I threw up all over their shoes. So why this record of their entire catalogue? Listen to personal favorites "Overburdened" and "Sons of Plunder" and maybe you'll get it. I also must mention that I still favor their version of "Land of Confusion" over their "Sound of Silence" cover.

See also: The Lost Children, Evolution

6. The Strange Case Of... - Halestorm

For many bands the sophomore record far underperforms the debut record. This is a widely-feared phenomenon in the music industry. However, Halestorm dodged that bullet with Strange Case by winning their first grammy for opening track "Love Bites (So Do I)." The radio hit "I Miss The Misery" also went platinum just last summer, which is a truly impressive feat when you consider how many streams you have to get to equal a sale. Seriously, check out the numbers sometime. It might make you reconsider how you consume your music. It's also worth mentioning that the track "Mz. Hyde" was the Halestorm song that won me over as a fan in the first place, not that that is anywhere near impressive as a Grammy or a platinum single.

See also: Halestorm, Into The Wild Life, Vicious

7. In Step - Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

The last record SRV would release during his lifetime, and in my opinion, his best. The strong opener "The House is Rockin'" is immediately followed by my two favorite SRV tracks "Crossfire" and "Tightrope," and the killer tracks do not stop there. This is another record that I can sit through in its entirety without the temptation of skipping even a single track. In fact, I nearly cry when I listen to it because I know I will never have the opportunity to see this man perform live, nor ever hear any new material from him and his band. His sudden early death was a true tragedy to his family, music, and the world.

See also: Texas Flood, Couldn't Stand The Weather

8. Screaming For Vengeance - Judas Priest

I feel this album needs no introduction or justification. I love metal, and Priest has another one of my favorite male vocalists of all time, Rob Halford. The man is often referred to as the Metal God, so need I say more?

See also: Rocka Rolla, British Steel, Nostradamus, Firepower

9. Slave To The Grind - Skid Row

Skid Row is another band that dodged the sophomore-record-flop curse. In fact, I believe their smash-hit debut record (featuring all their radio hits) was actually them creating a name for themselves before finding their true sound. This album was, and is, their heaviest and angriest record to date, and in my opinion, their best. Sebastian Bach cemented himself on this album as one of the great voices in hair metal. Opening tracks "Monkey Business" and "Slave To The Grind" are like a one-two punch that just tells you right away "I Remember You" was pussy shit compared to what you're about to hear.

See also: Skid Row, B-Side Ourselves

10. F8 - Five Finger Death Punch

This album is very special to me, as it was the first record reviewed on this blog. It was the album that made me want to review music in the first place. I said in that review that it damn well might be my pick for metal record of the year, and with COVID delaying anything and everything, the competition hasn't exactly been all that stiff. I don't know what to say about this album that I didn't already say, so I'll leave it here. I fuckin love you, Ivan Moody.

See also: War Is The Answer, The Wrong Side Of Heaven And The Righteous Side Of Hell

Honorable Mentions & Current Obsessions:

Enter: The Conquering Chicken - The Gits

Sinner - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Scatter The Rats - L7

The Interrupters - The Interrupters

Scarecrow - John Cougar Mellencamp

Hold Your Fire - Firehouse

Ritual - In This Moment

Night Songs - Cinderella

Rub My Mind - Barb Wire Dolls

Light Me Up - The Pretty Reckless

Synic's Spotlight: Fight The Good Fight - The Interrupters

Has it really been a week since my last post? Man, where does the time go? Really? The past week flew by for me. Partially because I've been horribly busy with things less important to me than music and this blog, and partially because a friend introduced me to a new band that I have been listening to nonstop since their first note resonated through my eardrums. The Interrupters. For fans of punk, rock, ska, jazz, pop, look no further. These guys (and girl) have it all.

This group only has three albums to date, and what a great trilogy those albums make. Their sound does not waiver from record to record in the slightest, with the newer record sounding just like a continuation of its predecessor. That's why it was hard for me to decide which of the three I wanted to discuss. While I do love debut records, I figured I should try to keep things as relevant as possible and look at their newest effort: Fight The Good Fight. Released in 2018, this record has everything fans new and old loved about the previous two records. Fun riffs, jazzy horns, popping percussion, and catchy lyrics with anthemic choruses. (I also learned while writing this that the record will be celebrating it's second birthday in a couple weeks.)

While listening to the album as I write this, I find myself thinking that it will be difficult to pick a favorite and least favorite track. In many ways, keeping your sound consistent is very much appreciated by fans, in that if you like one song, you like them all. (I.E. me and AC/DC.) However, it works great until it doesn't work, for those of you out there with questionable music taste that DON'T like AC/DC, the fact that all of their songs sound the same may be annoying or even agitating. And I get that. To some degree, that can be said here for The Interrupters. However, since their debut record only came into the world 4 years prior to their 3rd studio effort, maybe it's simply too early in their career to say they will never change. I think we have a lot yet to hear from The Interrupters, and whether they evolve or stay the same, I'm excited to come along for the ride.

As for my decision of my favorite and least favorite tracks, it will come down to simply which riff makes me feel like dancing the most. (And I hate dancing unless I drink first.) That, combined with which has the most unique lyrics of the rest and which repeats the chorus the most. To me, repeating a chorus over and over again with very short or no verses, is just lazy songwriting. It's either filler, or simply written to be a drunk karaoke bar hit. Either way, this decision will be tough for me this time, as the whole record, hell, the band's entire discography, is just fuckin' fun. When the world reopens and concerts exist again, find me in the audience at one of their shows.

EDIT: My "Favorite Track" decision ultimately boiled down to which song sounded most likely to be in a Tony Hawk game. Go ahead and listen to this album and tell me it DOESN'T make you wanna do a McTwist over a helicopter.

Fight The Good Fight - The Interrupters

6 - 29 - 2018

1. Title Holder

2. So Wrong

3. She's Kerosene

4. Leap of Faith

5. Got Each Other (feat. Rancid)

6. Broken World

7. Gave You Everything

8. Not Personal

9. Outrage

10. Rumors and Gossip

11. Be Gone

12. Room with a View

Favorite Track: She's Kerosene

Least Favorite Track: Leap of Faith

Synic's Spotlight: Volume II - September Mourning

This is something truly special. This is a record that I've been listening to like it's my goddamn job for months now, but it never occurred to me to write about it until now. This week, the spotlight shines brightly on Volume II, the confusingly-titled first full-length LP from pop-metal group September Mourning.

Let me say, that these guys are way too damn good for you to not know who they are. (Unless you do know who they are, in which case I wish you had told me about them a long time ago.) Their sound and stage presence reminds me a lot of In This Moment, but frontwoman September (by day known as Emily Lazar) brings something entirely different to the table. She quite literally transforms herself into the character of September on stage every night. And when I say character, I (again quite literally) mean character. For Emily Lazar also has her own comic out by the title of September Mourning, in which she herself is the main character. If this group ever finds big mainstream success like they deserve, with their genius marketing they could be as widespread and well-known as KISS. Though hopefully less greedy and generally awful.

Now when I say their sound is similar to that of ITM, what I mean is the heavy instrumentation and driving rhythm section. To some degree, September's vocal style is also similar to Maria Brink's, but with less variation in technique and range. Not that that is a bad thing, though, as not everyone likes screaming. So I guess what I would say is, September Mourning's brand of pop-metal is a more palatable metal for those of you out there who aren't really metal fans. And for those of you out there who still think that metal is "just angry" or "scary," grow up.

In short, September Mourning is definitely a group worth checking out if you're looking for something new to get into. And when you find the time, I highly recommend checking out their comic book and live videos of the group on stage. Then maybe you'll get bitten by the bug like I did.

Volume II - September Mourning

7 - 29 - 2016

1. The Collection

2. Angels To Dust

3. Eye Of The Storm

4. Before The Fall

5. Children Of Fate

6. Skin And Bones

7. 20 Below

8. Heart Can Hold

9. Superhuman

10. Live Like You're Alive

11. Stand By Me

12. 'Til You See Heaven

Favorite Track: Superhuman

Least Favorite Track: Stand By Me

Synic Selects Vol. III - Black Artists Matter

Hey guys. I'm sorry I've been on a bit of a hiatus lately, I've been preoccupied with other things. But the good news is, I'm back up and running. I wanted to use this grand return to the blogosphere in order to shed some light on the centuries-old issue that has been sweeping our country lately. I thought, or was hoping, that we as a species would have grown past violence and racism, but sadly, here we are. So I am here tonight to tell you, that wherever you stand on the Black Lives Matter movement, we are all the same underneath the skin.

Colors aside, another thing we all have in common is music. Whatever genre is your go-to, there is no denying that it wouldn't be what it was today if not for rock n roll. And rock n roll, (here's a free history lesson for you guys) is the lovechild of R&B, blues, and a sprinkling of rockabilly. And who were the pioneers of these genres, you ask? Slaves. And later on came the freemen offspring of those slaves. Eventually, a ways down the road, the blues got a little edgier, and gained a new attitude and affliction with sex and drugs.

Truth be told, I had a different plan in mind for Synic Selects Vol. III but in light of recent events, I decided Vol. III should come early this month and I came up with an all new track list for it. So the new theme of Synic Selects Vol. III is now Black Artists Matter, and we will be celebrating some of the heavy hitters of black rock artists. Granted this is not an all-inclusive list, as there are many others out there that may not be represented here. So feel free to add your own to the mix. This isn't MY mix, it's everyone's.

Synic Selects Vol. III - Black Artists Matter

1. Star Spangled Banner - Jimi Hendrix

2. Roll Over Beethoven - Chuck Berry

3. Tutti Frutti - Little Richard

4. Proud Mary - Tina Turner

5. Purple Rain - Prince

6. Soul Man - Sam & Dave

7. Are You Gonna Go My Way - Lenny Kravitz

8. Dancing in the Moonlight - Thin Lizzy

9. Hold My Hand - Hootie & The Blowfish

10. Let It Whip - Dazz Band

11. Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant

12. Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye

13. Pick A Bale Of Cotton - Leadbelly

14. A Change Is Gonna Come - Aretha Franklin

15. Ebony & Ivory - Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney

16. War - Edwin Starr

17. Cult Of Personality - Living Colour

BONUS: Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses

*(Slash is half African-American)