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Metal & Hardcore Bands to watch for in 2014
Collin Smith | Janurary 27, 2014
2013 was a great year for music... that is if you exclude the plethora of terribly trendy garbage that has always plague the MTV airwaves. I'm sure that we all can agree that the world could do with a little less [or without] Drake, Miley, or Bieber. But despite the overbearing pressure to become more hip, the realm of rock-n-roll stood firm and refused to bow to social convention. And as always, metal and hardcore placed themselves on the front-line as acting champions. Listed below (in no particular order) are a few bands that emerged in 2013 as literal vanguards of their respected genres. Be sure to keep in an eye on them as we progress through the new year.
A super group consisting of frontman Jerry Roush (Of Mice & Man, Sky Eats Airplane) and 8-string master Joshua Travis (Tony Danza's Tapdance Extravaganza), alongside Chad Hasty and Travis Sykes on drums and bass. These guys flew under the radar for much of 2012 after the release of their debut album, The Royal Thousand, and it wasn't until their 2013 that they started to gain momentum with their EP, Pefect War Forever. The album is a non-stop infusion of musical adrenaline that will have you banging your head to the relentless technical breaks and mixture of visceral and throat ripping vocals.
Have you ever been so mad and so consumed with rage that you just snap? And, in that moment, you begin to devise the most sadistic ways to exact your retribution? Don't lie to yourself! We all have. We all find different was to quell those emotions, too. For one group of 5 guys from Dayton, Ohio, the only way to prevent themselves from pulling the trigger on the entire world was to start a band. And, In their 2013 debut, Dynasties, Hail to the King unleashed all their angst and anger upon the music world which left no stone unscorched.
The Swedes have always been known to be pioneers of the metal genre and Stockholm's Vildhjarta is no exception. Since their inception in 2005, they remained relative unknowns until the release of their 2013 EP, Thousands of Evils, which also aided in the re-emergence of their 2011 album, Masstaden. Vildhjarta presents a unique mixture and evolution for metal by combining techincal guitar riffs with djent rythyms, ambient folk melodies, and dual hi/low pitched vocals to create a sound that is both entrancing and stimulating. After listening to one song, you can instantly tell these guys are descendants of the metal gods of Scandinavia.
With the release of what is arguably one of the best metalcore album ever, ERRA solidified themselves as paragons of the genre with Impulse in late 2011. Moving into 2012-13, the band hoped to build upon their success with their follow up album, Augment. However, as any band honored with the title of "best" can tell you, producing an album that proceeds your previous accomplishments is no easy task. As a consequence of exploration and the maturity of their sound, Augment, did not receive the acclaim the group sought. Still, ERRA sits at the pinnacle of the metal community and with a some proper refinement, will remain there for quite some time.
An intercontinental progressive metal trio with residents in three countries (England, Sweeden, and Australia) that is true a hidden gem with an illustrious reputation. A bit of a paradox, in that regard. Nonetheless, these guys are a genuine "jack-of-all;" pairing traditional metal chords with haunting orchestral melodies and vocals that transition from angelic harmonies to demonic screams. With two full albums already under their belt (The Man With No Face, Other Slices), the group hopes to have a third out sometime in 2014.
On top of pocket knives, wrist watches, and chocolate, add metalcore to the list of exports for Switzerland. The band is a huge proponents of DIY production, which would explains the two year lapse between their three EP's (The Last Sunset, 2009; Mirros, 2011; Perceptions, 2013). Coincendentally, it also explains the top-notch sound quality and seemless transitions in every recording which is a good character to have for a band that seems to go 100mph, 100% of the time.
In June, 2012, the metal community was devasted by the un-timely passing of Suicide Silence frontman, Mitch Lucker. In the wake of this tragedy, the success and recognition for the band grew tremendously, while at the same, efforts to move forward slowed down temporarily
while the remaining members searched for a new vocalist. Thankly, they were able to find a more than worthy replacement in Eddie Hermida, former frontman for All Shall Perish, in Octomber, 2013. Since then, the band has been touring in efforts to acclimate their fanbase to the new singer as well as preparing for a new evil symphony to unlease upon the world. And the world awaits, anxiously!
Fans of Shadow of the Colossus who are coincedentally fans of the video game which inspired the band (in more than name alone) will likely attest the equal epicness of both. What originally started as a DIY pet project for a group of artists in Sacremento transformed into a colossal cult following and in 2010, their first self titled album came out of field of the Forbidden Lands and was praised as pure [evil] genius. Sadly, this is another band whose softer sophmore album, End Game, didn't live up to the hype of its predecessor. But despite the short-comings of their second release, Shadow of the Colossus is still used as an example for what death metal should be. (Personally, I hope that these guys learn from their mistakes and return to what made them great in the first album for their next release.)
In 2012, Ovid's Withering gave us a small taste of their awesome potential with the release of their EP, Cloud Gatherer. Fast forward more than a year and they continue to amaze us with their first full-length album entitled Scryers of Ibis. A shining example of metal, in so many forms. In it, they manage to combine bits of death, folk, and black metal into a seemingly infinte arsenal of sound that is as varied and enthralling as the stars in sky. As you listen to the album, you will notice that the same chords are never played more than a few times, then seemlessly and beautifully transition to the next, like the changing of scenery in a movie or play; perfect for their brand of musical story-telling.
Like the giant of Greek mythology, Aegaeon stands towering above the rest, raining down beautiful destruction upon the gods and commoners, alike. Their mixture of deep growling vocals over constant drum beats aptly timed to low downtempor guitar rhythms, at times, can seem about sluggish. But, the relentless pace and intensity of every musical element never diminishes. Even during the instances of abient and ominous guitar chords and composed tracks, which have a very celestial quality. The band has few albums to their credit, the last one being their 2012 EP Beings, but more recently, the band produced their single, "Neural Union," which is expected to appear on their next full-length, sometime in 2014.
Hardcore music has evolved greatly from its punk roots in the 70's and 80's. Now-a-days, most hardcore music is relatively fast pace with varied and repeating guitar chords that have some semblance of rhythm and harmony which sets the listener in motion. But for the 5-man hardcore band, Villains, from Chi-town (the capital of corruption), they seem to prefer complete dissonance over everything else. They are a cacophony of harsh vocals laced over awkwardly timed breaks and crushing low-toned guitars which force the listner to move vigorusly to whatever pace they choice. Currently the band is set to tour throughout March in order to promote their recent release, 10 Code, but be sure to watch for pieces of new material in between.
...the list goes on. And, even if I thought there would be enough room on this page, I wouldn't even attempt to name every band that has made headwaves in the past year. The metal and hardcore genres are teeming with so much talent and potential as it is and I'm sure that we will be introduced to a few new prospects before the years end. If you know of a band that you think we need to keep our eye on, be sure to leave a comment and let us and the rest of your fellow metal-heads know about it.
Here's to another great year in metal!
Forming in 2012 and releasing their first EP, Song of the Cripple Bull, in mid 2013, Black Crown Initiate re-introduced its listners to a style of music reminiscent of death metal icons, Opeth, but with a bit of modern flare that would made it a treat for any metal enthusiast, regardless of what genre or sub-genre they prescribed to. Furthermore, within weeks of the release, the album was already being listed by some critics as a contender for album of the year (justly deserved), which is an amazing honor for a first time production. At the momment, the band is preparing for a few big performance events, but afterwards, look for a full-length album later in the year.
