REVIEW: Shadows Of Our Souls - Sea Of Gold EP (2012)

A truly fantastic New Jersey reggae-rock project between two musically inclined brothers (Jeffrey and Jeremy King respectively), Shadows Of Our Souls put out this little gem of an EP, Sea Of Gold, on Soundcloud last year for any intrepid listener to experience. And if its of any indication, they're going to be a force to be reckoned with before a whole lot more time passes!

To elaborate, this set of tunes numbers seven, and even in that short space of music, its hard not to get taken in by their unique, laid back fusionized take on relaxation -- acoustic guitar idyllically riveting around some hip-hop texturing and the dazed, summery hip-hoppish banter and singing of the brothers themselves. 'The Crashing Tide' even featuring some nice, stoned out harmonizing that rises above some busy drum work and homegrown production. Incredibly promising stuff really, and yet another indication that some of the best stuff floating around there isn't being paraded around on Facebook giveaways or slick websites -- its the stuff being recorded by chill bros and thrown onto Soundcloud independently that the guys at the top need to be wary of...cause one day it'll rise up!

All that being said, anyone with a taste for something snazzy to smoke your next joint to would be wise to let Shadow Of Our Souls pay your browser (and your mind) a visit. Hell, you might even get hooked....you just never know!

Check It Out Here!!!

Attention Bands, Artists and Singer/Songwriters: Want Free Advertising and Money?

Sorry I haven't been updating as much as I used to, everyone. Life keeps me busy even when I'm not having fun, lol. Do not worry though: The Widening Eye remains watchful, and more content shall be added as time goes on. :)

That being said, I'm now in a position to offer a rather intriguing opportunity for all of you readers who are in a band, going solo, whatever. Basically, I'm currently interning with a company who is building this really interesting website that's going to launch in early June. This company is co-owned by some prominent celebrities, and its going to be reaching thousands upon thousands of people across the world....and these guys need a Music section for promising bands and artists to contribute to!

Basically, this site is going to have a Music section where you, (the band, the artist, etc.) can advertise your stuff for free. All you need to do is upload a song you want others to listen to/download. As more and more people listen to your song, it rises in rank in the Music section. Once it hits the #1 spot on page one, you'll get paid 99 cents a download (like ITunes). Here's the cool part though: if your song stays in that top spot for 5-7 days...you win $10,000 in cash to use any way you want, no strings attached. And this is a weekly thing, so there's always another chance to win.

That being said, it doesn't cost any money or resources on your part to participate: all you need is a song to show off your talent. And even if you don't win, your getting free exposure and advertising to thousands of people who wouldn't know about you otherwise....so its definitely worth it either way.

I don't care what genre or style you consider yourself to be. If you are interested in participating and taking advantage of this opportunity to further your own musical careers...please email me at houlgrave0(at)gmail(dot)com. Be sure to include the contact information you prefer to be contacted through and whatever band name/artist name, etc. you want to be doing this as.

I'm not a musician myself, but this is part of me giving back to all of you for doing what you guys do best: playing your asses off and making great tunes in the process. Thanks for reading, and don't be afraid to drop me a line!

~DrakeSinister

REVIEW: Riverside - Shrine Of New Generation Slaves (2013)

Progressive Rock: a genus of rock n' roll which embodies instrumental, lyrical, compositional....progress through complexity I suppose. Bombastic suites, time changes, jazz and classical progressions: this is how we've boxed in many a great band since the style's heyday of the early-to-mid 70's. And yet this definition has been changing ever since the 80's: more kids today have been introduced to the "proggier" side of alternative musical styles by bands like Porcupine Tree, Muse and The Mars Volta since Y2K as opposed to Yes or Van Der Graaf Generator. These newer bands are simply better at incorporating other contemporary styles into the classic prog. rock architecture, and that's what moves merchandise. Overall result? The 2000's and beyond have been kinder to the genre than any other decade since the golden era, if not downright affluent.

And yet, we are living in a musical era where the old becomes new and vice versa, a trend never more prevalent or clear to see than in Poland's top progressive rock export, the magnificent and ever prodigious Riverside. Their Reality Dream Trilogy of albums (Out Of Myself, Second Life Syndrome and the particularly fantastic Rapid Eye Movement) are considered to be contemporary classics in the early 2000's 'nu-prog' canon, with each album being a vehicle for the gorgeous vocals of Mariusz Duda and his psychedelic blend of alternative rock atmospherics with a certain edge more akin to modern metal groups like Tool or Deftones.

So here we are in 2013 with long awaited opus Shrine Of New Generation Slaves (or S.O.N.G.S.), an absolutely gorgeous LP sitting somewhere between a condemnation and a concept record, a way station for sounds and ideas heading towards the modern world from an antiquated small town somewhere far behind where people still sing about fairies and jam on Hammond organs. And boy when it works.....you can hear the Earth's crust shifting beneath your speakers.

The past is inescapable, and its hard to deny that Pink Floyd is all over these wicked songs by accident, design and perhaps well-meaning coincidence. Less drugged out spaciness, more snow blind melancholia and the sort of luscious guitar contemplations that paint a sky grey, but I digress. The title track is bluesy, repetitive, and even fires up a bit about midway through. The blood really starts flowing when we come to 'The Depth Of Self Delusion' and 'Celebrity Touch' though: the former is chill yet armed to the teeth with a bassline that could crack concrete and the latter is a woodland headbanger with a killer chorus and some beautiful bridges to burn. What's not to like?

By the time we get to album anthem 'Feel Like Falling' and very dreamy 'Deprived (Irretrievably Lost Imagination)', I'm goddamn elated. Mariusz goes into falsetto of all things on 'Falling', and they bring in some glorious saxophone on the last couple of minutes on the latter of these two tracks....and I'm just wondering why the whole world can't be celebrating this album as much as I want to when these fantastic songs sweep over my room.

We close off S.O.N.G.S with a suite-de-grace in the form of 'Escalator Shrine' (which is what you're seeing on that thar album cover if I'm not mistaken). It's the penultimate statement of the record, a 12 minute promenade of lip-smackin' guitar solos, spacey Hammond mediation and enough jam to soak your toast from crust to crumble. Whew!

I could have asked for a better album to start 2013 off with nor a more splendid collection to introduce other people to the musical institution that is Riverside. Go buy the damn thing: they deserve every penny for something of this caliber.

Buy It Here!

REVIEW: KingBathmat - Truth Button (2013)

From the ominous looking logo to the gorgeous, yet heavy psychedelia that characterizes their core sound, KingBathmat are as good a heir to the early 70's heavy metal throne as any contemporary group I've had the pleasure of knowing in the past: think Black Sabbath colliding with the pop sensibilities of a group like Jellyfish or ELO with the force of a cannon fired, tabasco-studded enchilada. The result is delicious, messy and glorious all at once. 'Dives And Pauper' zips along its Eastern scaled riffage and rolling drum work, beating to the ticking of a clock and some nifty synthwork throughout, whilst opening number 'Behind The Wall' might be the best lead off epic I've heard in years.

Technophobia may be the thematic order of the day here within Truth Button and the tunes that comprise it, but these boys certainly know no fear in studio: the album sounds beautiful, and the mixing is a thing of wonder as well. Furthermore, the songs are mindbendingly magnificent, melodic without an ounce of compromise on weight or intensity: such characteristics almost seem like an endangered species at times, even in today's oft crowded world of modern progressive rock.

2013 is already looking up in many a genre, but this release sits right up there with the best of it. Go get it!

TRY IT/BUY IT HERE

Cαndlemαss - Psαlms For The Deαd (2012)

With one weathered hand full of graveyard soil, you squeeze your nails into it's palm til' blood starts dripping down your arm. This record is such a rite in and of itself, full of ravenous tunes that bring glorious little blisters to eardrums aplenty. It is also a corpse ridden-boat being cast off into the great river of closure, a farewell to arms for the band that exemplified the golden age of 80's doom metal. The very least you can do is salute as your speakers spew some glorious riffage from the boys who did it best of all.

Try It
Buy It

Tεn - Thε Namε Of Thε Rosε (1996)

Perhaps the best AOR band to come out of the U.K. in the 1990's, Ten is something of a supergroup led by powerhouse singer/songwriter Gary Hughes, a thinking man's Whitesnake if you will.

Layered and unusually sonically diverse for an 80's styled melodic rock record, 1996 sophomore release Thε Namε Of Thε Rosε is considered to be the band's creative apex in a number of ways: Hughes's soaring tenor is put to marvelously good use from start to finish, and the songs vary from insanely catchy mid-tempo and single ready material ('Wait For You', the glammy 'Wildest Dreams') to full-blown epics straight out of the AOR/Progressive Rock crossover sphere ('Through The Fire', 'Goodnight Saigon'), complete with celestial synthesizers and odes to mankind's various follies.

Something like a distant cousin to prog-tinged AOR projects such as the 1990 self-titled by Blue Murder and Out Of The Silence by Dare, this record's got more punch than a party bowl can hold, so come 'n get it!

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Buy It

Stεfαn Guииαrsson - S/T (2010)

One of those incredibly elusive post-Y2K debuts that endeavors mighty hard to bring back the age of smooth L.A. pop, Stefan is no stranger to his Scandinavian homeground: he's been featured on T.V. as a musical prodigy at a variety of instruments...and he's got a fine set of pipes to match.

The songwriting he employs is rather classy too: like Stevie Wonder trying to cross over the soul-inflected poppiness of early 90's Go West with a band like Airplay or perhaps Boz Scaggs. Several songs in particular, such as 'Words Are Not Enough' and 'Gotta Find It', feature old school Clavinet soloing, and those horns sound right out of the arrangement modus operandi of David Foster and his ilk. Smooooooove.

Catchy and expertly produced while still hearkening back some to days long past, this is a great modern Westcoast record for the nostalgic among ye...so get to listening!

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Buy It