Lyric videos have become something that a lot of bands do these days. It's simply cheaper than doing a full blown video but at the same time is not as boring as a standing picture with sound in the backround would be.
But how about making the best of it and do something with a message that goes a bit over the obvious animated lyrics that come with every of these vids? At least there is room to show something off if you really want to.
The metallic-grunge band Final Coil have let this idea become reality. In collaboration with Andy Pilkington they created a lyric video that comes with a message and some visual expression of the lyrics as well as putting in the rawness of the music in wave-forms. You can not only hear but see the tension that the ripping guitars and tight drums create. It really leaves something behind once you've watched it.
"Daylight Fades" is taken from the band's current output "Closed to the light". You can download the whole EP for free from Bandcamp. It's also one of the releases that's worth some money and while I'm typing these lines a limited edition CD is still up for purchase for a fair price on Bandcamp.
Don't forget to follow the band on Facebook and check them out live at TBFM’s Christmas party at Duffy’s Bar in Leicester, England on Dec 3rd 2015. No entrance fee will be taken so it sounds like it could be a great chance to check them out along with two more bands on the billing.
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Showing posts with label Closed to the light. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Closed to the light. Show all posts
10/19/2015
CD Review: Final Coil - Closed To The Light
Band Introduction
Final Coil are a metallic grunge band located at Leicester, England. They've put out various EPs / albums on Bandcamp which all represent a own style the band is capable to play so if you listen to the various stuff you'll be surprised to hear how different they can sound like.
The "Somnambulant" record they've put out in 2014 saw the band going into a acoustic direction offering very sensible and deeply-emotional songs. In the time between "Failed Lights", a brand new and in my ears excellent acoustic song saw the light of day on YouTube, it's a recording of a web-broadcast the band did a while ago.
Only few details on the next record were spread through Facebook in the meantime. But this will end today....
Summary / Purchase-Link
Having heard the songs I've talked about above I was absolutely sure that the band would come around with another acoustic record. The new track sounded like a perfect fit, a bridge between the "Somnambulant" tunes and the beginning of a more progressive era of new longer acoustic tracks held in the typical Final Coil style.
The cool thing is: everything about this was totally wrong. :-) In fact what can be heard right here is the heaviest stuff the band has come up with today. I would call it the heaviest songs the band has put out up to this point. The guitars are absolutely sharp and ripping everything to pieces that stands in their way. Meanwhile the drums and bass guitar maintain a fine note of rhythm, giving in a hard, dry and deep punch into the sound. The vocals put a perfect layer over this, transporting much of the emotions of the tracks.
Everything is held in a very tight style, it's crushing heavyness coming from every corner of the sound. It doesn't even leave a single chance of easy sound on most of the tracks (the last song is a exception from that). If you like your music heavy and ultratight this EP will make you more than happy.
In fact I would call this a mixture of the first EP "Goodbye to all that" and their second effort "Live with doubt". Don't miss out this gem. The EP will be released on 2. November 2015. You'll be able to get a free listen / download for a first spin over at Bandcamp starting at that day. There will also be a limited edition CD available. Please buy one of the CDs so underground bands can keep making music and move on. It's worth listening to it numerous times, a EP mixing up all the various styles of the band and bringing them out in the most beautiful form. Progression and heavyness in all of it's beauty.
Player
The fine thing as of today is that Heavy Metal Underdogs can give you exclusively a first listen of one of the tracks of the brand new EP. I'm very proud that the band picked my blog for this song premiere. It's a honour for me. So without further ado enjoy the track "Daylight Fades" right here.
Track-by-track review
A short intro called "Close to the light" gives in some atmospheric touches with guitar effects and some vocal extracts before a sharp guitar cut comes rushing in quickly leading over to the first full track.
While the first track "Daylight Fades" starts with a simple rhythm it becomes quickly clear that the band had a hard sound in mind when writing this track. The repeating of the text is a kicker in my ears. Especially the second "can't" repeated several times makes this harking back to your mind. Some of the guitar sounds even remind me of good old Jimi Hendrix and his special sound effects. The bridge between the first refrain and the second refrain could easily be described as a sonic guitar bomb. I love this effect! The end of this first song offers a compressed part that only slightly let's room for variations but those played kick the number up even higher. it's like a glimpse of light falling out of a dark mass shaping a form into the darkness for just a few moments but long enough to keep you longing for more.
"Goodybe to all that" picks up where "Daylight Fades" left off, showing what the band is able to do with re-writting a classic track. This incarnation of the track features a much more compressed and heavy guitar sound compared to the original track. Besides that it leaves away most of the playing effects of the 2010 release giving a sharper focus on the main-theme of the song. It shows impressively that reduction can be a fine way of giving a track a new and much heavier interpretation. Nevertheless it doesn't mean the song works only with cutting away things. Moreover these elements were added back again but in a different and harder format. It's now all distorted, yet you will need some fine playing skills to get to replay this I'm sure.
The final track "Closed to the light" is a surprise to the listener. It stands out of the other material giving some redemption after the brutal heavyness that stormed through your ears before. The song starts out softly with some drums and few vocals. The volume is rising all the while as the music slowly starts to build up more. The tonality is set softer, more dreamingly at this point. Much room for the more progressive site of the band on this one. This touches softly the "Somnabulant" era but with more punch and drums before some slightly heavy guitars keep coming in. The vocals are very intense with much drum fills performed to the last silent corners of the song. The last third brings in some heavyness in the guitar section giving some thoughts to the legendary Pink Floyd. A epic masterpiece in my ears. After all I'm listening to the whole record on repeat. It's a big pleasure to have the chance to listen to such a talented band.
Final Coil are a metallic grunge band located at Leicester, England. They've put out various EPs / albums on Bandcamp which all represent a own style the band is capable to play so if you listen to the various stuff you'll be surprised to hear how different they can sound like.
The "Somnambulant" record they've put out in 2014 saw the band going into a acoustic direction offering very sensible and deeply-emotional songs. In the time between "Failed Lights", a brand new and in my ears excellent acoustic song saw the light of day on YouTube, it's a recording of a web-broadcast the band did a while ago.
Only few details on the next record were spread through Facebook in the meantime. But this will end today....
 |
| (c) by Final Coil, used with kind permission |
Summary / Purchase-Link
Having heard the songs I've talked about above I was absolutely sure that the band would come around with another acoustic record. The new track sounded like a perfect fit, a bridge between the "Somnambulant" tunes and the beginning of a more progressive era of new longer acoustic tracks held in the typical Final Coil style.
The cool thing is: everything about this was totally wrong. :-) In fact what can be heard right here is the heaviest stuff the band has come up with today. I would call it the heaviest songs the band has put out up to this point. The guitars are absolutely sharp and ripping everything to pieces that stands in their way. Meanwhile the drums and bass guitar maintain a fine note of rhythm, giving in a hard, dry and deep punch into the sound. The vocals put a perfect layer over this, transporting much of the emotions of the tracks.
Everything is held in a very tight style, it's crushing heavyness coming from every corner of the sound. It doesn't even leave a single chance of easy sound on most of the tracks (the last song is a exception from that). If you like your music heavy and ultratight this EP will make you more than happy.
In fact I would call this a mixture of the first EP "Goodbye to all that" and their second effort "Live with doubt". Don't miss out this gem. The EP will be released on 2. November 2015. You'll be able to get a free listen / download for a first spin over at Bandcamp starting at that day. There will also be a limited edition CD available. Please buy one of the CDs so underground bands can keep making music and move on. It's worth listening to it numerous times, a EP mixing up all the various styles of the band and bringing them out in the most beautiful form. Progression and heavyness in all of it's beauty.
Player
The fine thing as of today is that Heavy Metal Underdogs can give you exclusively a first listen of one of the tracks of the brand new EP. I'm very proud that the band picked my blog for this song premiere. It's a honour for me. So without further ado enjoy the track "Daylight Fades" right here.
Track-by-track review
A short intro called "Close to the light" gives in some atmospheric touches with guitar effects and some vocal extracts before a sharp guitar cut comes rushing in quickly leading over to the first full track.
While the first track "Daylight Fades" starts with a simple rhythm it becomes quickly clear that the band had a hard sound in mind when writing this track. The repeating of the text is a kicker in my ears. Especially the second "can't" repeated several times makes this harking back to your mind. Some of the guitar sounds even remind me of good old Jimi Hendrix and his special sound effects. The bridge between the first refrain and the second refrain could easily be described as a sonic guitar bomb. I love this effect! The end of this first song offers a compressed part that only slightly let's room for variations but those played kick the number up even higher. it's like a glimpse of light falling out of a dark mass shaping a form into the darkness for just a few moments but long enough to keep you longing for more.
"Goodybe to all that" picks up where "Daylight Fades" left off, showing what the band is able to do with re-writting a classic track. This incarnation of the track features a much more compressed and heavy guitar sound compared to the original track. Besides that it leaves away most of the playing effects of the 2010 release giving a sharper focus on the main-theme of the song. It shows impressively that reduction can be a fine way of giving a track a new and much heavier interpretation. Nevertheless it doesn't mean the song works only with cutting away things. Moreover these elements were added back again but in a different and harder format. It's now all distorted, yet you will need some fine playing skills to get to replay this I'm sure.
The final track "Closed to the light" is a surprise to the listener. It stands out of the other material giving some redemption after the brutal heavyness that stormed through your ears before. The song starts out softly with some drums and few vocals. The volume is rising all the while as the music slowly starts to build up more. The tonality is set softer, more dreamingly at this point. Much room for the more progressive site of the band on this one. This touches softly the "Somnabulant" era but with more punch and drums before some slightly heavy guitars keep coming in. The vocals are very intense with much drum fills performed to the last silent corners of the song. The last third brings in some heavyness in the guitar section giving some thoughts to the legendary Pink Floyd. A epic masterpiece in my ears. After all I'm listening to the whole record on repeat. It's a big pleasure to have the chance to listen to such a talented band.
5/01/2014
Review: Final Coil - Somnambulant
Note: If you have a own band or project that you think might fit in well here for a review or as a presentation / introduction please do drop me a line or two here in the comments section or please see my profile for my E-Mail adress. I do appreciate new suggestions very much!
Short introduction
The band describes themselves as "(...) an alt-rock band with increasingly progressive overtones Final Coil are the link between the harmonies of Alice in Chains and the rhythmic pulse of Tool. (...)". This description fits in very well for the band. They are already around since 2008 and this year they've decided to give us a acoustic album entiled "Somnambulant". I've already posted about them here before so might want to check out my previous post containing info and music about their heavier output "Live with doubt" that's still up for free download (and maybe a little donation afterwards...).
Short Summary / Player / Download Link
The album is a very melancholic piece of music. It's very organic and you can hear very well through all the emotions that the musicians might have gone through in the last couple of months. The band writes on his Bandcamp page about this album that it "(...) is the result of too many nights without sleep, too many days spent dreamily walking towards an unknown future. (...)". This sentence brings the things up for thought for me. It has all there trademarks plus some Pink Floyd feeling every here and there. I suggest you listen first but be warned: once heard the tracks won't leave your ears so fast. ;)
It's available for only 3 GBP on the Bandcamp page of Final Coil and it's well worth the money in my eyes. It comes as a mp3 download that you can choice from various formats along with the cover of the record. Also make sure to check out there Facebook and official website for additonell info on the band.
Track by Track Review
This Love (Part One)
Perfect start into the album. It has this typical feel that I love so much about this band. The melancholic vocals fit so much into the melody. Later on some reverb and electric guitars add to the song and give it a bit chaotic feeling. The song closes the way it startsa bit more calmly. The last notes already point over to the following track.
Myopic
A fast start into the song. Same feelings in this track but much faster rhythm. Very catchy chorus along with a follow up melody that remaind for quiet a long time on my mind. Some final notes again lead over to track three.
Three
A fast beginning at the start. Very catchy again, but also this track goes by quickly. The end leaves you with some reverb back with the feeling that something quickly came, shaked you through and leaves you a bit asking what that was behind. Strange but cool feeling. :-)
This Love (Part Two)
We return to where part one left off. Like that vibe in there. After some mixed emotions a much harder electric guitar part is mixed in adding a slightly heavier feeling to the easy note. The track takes over to a very different direction. Exspect a bit of Pink Floyd feeling here. Hard to take but the end gives back some relaxed melody again.
Demons
Starts with electric guitar melody. Then goes over to a soft guitar play and very soft vocals. Maybe a bit of suffering feeling in here. Heavier guitars keep rushing in after some time, some nervous feeling and reverb to the end of it.
Feeble Minds (Quiet)
Beginning with vocals only. A bit of guitars and percussion join in followed up by some keyboards. Vocals are the center of this track, the other instruments fade away again just to return after a short while. Like the slowly moving atmosphere in this one. Keyboards add to the sound and it fades away with a little acoustic melody in the end.
Lullaby
A very colourfull beginning of the song. Rhythm adds to the track, giving it a bit punchy feeling. A soft melody in the first part of the song is replaced by a much heavier distortion packed part in the second half of the track. It gives it a bit of heavyness but the acoustic sides remain in there. Lullyby ends with quiet a climatic ending that bursts out all of the energy that has been builded up before. A very remarkable track.
Closed to the light
The album ends in the same mood as it began. Also the guitars on this one are a bit harder and straighter forward. A fast change between softer parts and the harder played acoustic guitar riffs. Some soft notes leave you a bit of dreaming behind. Let's hope for a continue sometime in the future...
Short introduction
The band describes themselves as "(...) an alt-rock band with increasingly progressive overtones Final Coil are the link between the harmonies of Alice in Chains and the rhythmic pulse of Tool. (...)". This description fits in very well for the band. They are already around since 2008 and this year they've decided to give us a acoustic album entiled "Somnambulant". I've already posted about them here before so might want to check out my previous post containing info and music about their heavier output "Live with doubt" that's still up for free download (and maybe a little donation afterwards...).
Short Summary / Player / Download Link
The album is a very melancholic piece of music. It's very organic and you can hear very well through all the emotions that the musicians might have gone through in the last couple of months. The band writes on his Bandcamp page about this album that it "(...) is the result of too many nights without sleep, too many days spent dreamily walking towards an unknown future. (...)". This sentence brings the things up for thought for me. It has all there trademarks plus some Pink Floyd feeling every here and there. I suggest you listen first but be warned: once heard the tracks won't leave your ears so fast. ;)
It's available for only 3 GBP on the Bandcamp page of Final Coil and it's well worth the money in my eyes. It comes as a mp3 download that you can choice from various formats along with the cover of the record. Also make sure to check out there Facebook and official website for additonell info on the band.
Track by Track Review
This Love (Part One)
Perfect start into the album. It has this typical feel that I love so much about this band. The melancholic vocals fit so much into the melody. Later on some reverb and electric guitars add to the song and give it a bit chaotic feeling. The song closes the way it startsa bit more calmly. The last notes already point over to the following track.
Myopic
A fast start into the song. Same feelings in this track but much faster rhythm. Very catchy chorus along with a follow up melody that remaind for quiet a long time on my mind. Some final notes again lead over to track three.
Three
A fast beginning at the start. Very catchy again, but also this track goes by quickly. The end leaves you with some reverb back with the feeling that something quickly came, shaked you through and leaves you a bit asking what that was behind. Strange but cool feeling. :-)
This Love (Part Two)
We return to where part one left off. Like that vibe in there. After some mixed emotions a much harder electric guitar part is mixed in adding a slightly heavier feeling to the easy note. The track takes over to a very different direction. Exspect a bit of Pink Floyd feeling here. Hard to take but the end gives back some relaxed melody again.
Demons
Starts with electric guitar melody. Then goes over to a soft guitar play and very soft vocals. Maybe a bit of suffering feeling in here. Heavier guitars keep rushing in after some time, some nervous feeling and reverb to the end of it.
Feeble Minds (Quiet)
Beginning with vocals only. A bit of guitars and percussion join in followed up by some keyboards. Vocals are the center of this track, the other instruments fade away again just to return after a short while. Like the slowly moving atmosphere in this one. Keyboards add to the sound and it fades away with a little acoustic melody in the end.
Lullaby
A very colourfull beginning of the song. Rhythm adds to the track, giving it a bit punchy feeling. A soft melody in the first part of the song is replaced by a much heavier distortion packed part in the second half of the track. It gives it a bit of heavyness but the acoustic sides remain in there. Lullyby ends with quiet a climatic ending that bursts out all of the energy that has been builded up before. A very remarkable track.
Closed to the light
The album ends in the same mood as it began. Also the guitars on this one are a bit harder and straighter forward. A fast change between softer parts and the harder played acoustic guitar riffs. Some soft notes leave you a bit of dreaming behind. Let's hope for a continue sometime in the future...
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