Suggested Listening — Week of March 3rd, 2017

INTERVALS — The Shape of Colour

So I've been on a serious instrumental progressive metal binge lately. Stuff like Scale the Summit, Polyphia, Modern Day Babylon, Chimp Spanner, and easily the most impressive out of all of them, Intervals. Oh my god, I seriously can't stop listening to The Shape of Colour. I've played it in the store like five times since I discovered it last week. This is seriously some of the best, most impressive, coolest sounding guitar work I've ever heard. I just wish there was more of this album. I'm eagerly awaiting word on a new album from Intervals, and anticipating the restock of the CD on their District Lines. The entire album is available to stream on their YouTube. Go listen to it. Show Aaron as much support as possible. Buy a t-shirt. Buy the digital download. Talk to him on Twitter. Tell your friends.

As always,

     -Zach

Change of Rules, One Last Time

So I'm gonna do Suggested Listening a little differently from now on (yeah, I know I'm changing it up again, I'm sorry), from now on, it's only gonna be one album, and it could be any genre.

Senses Fail: In Your Absence [2017] — EP Review

Buddy Nielsen: Lead Vocals
Zack Roach: Lead Guitar
Matt Smith: Rhythm Guitar
Gavin Caswell: Bass
Chris Hornbrook: Drums

Produced by Senses Fail

Tracklist:

1. Jets to Peru – 3:52
2. In Your Absence – 3:20
3. Death Bed – 4:32
4. Family Tradition – 3:26
5. Lost and Found – 3:51
Total Runtime: 19:01

So, gee, it's been a while, hasn't it, guys? Well, whatever—time to get back to reviewing. Senses Fail just released their new acoustic EP today, and I just listened to it on my drive back from the store. It's pretty darn good. And it's certainly a step up from 2015's Pull the Thorns from Your Heart and has me pumped for the album they're teasing for later this year.

Suggested Listening: Week of September 22nd

This week I'm gonna change it up a bit—I'm just gonna call out some albums instead of picking one for each genre. So here's some stuff I think you should check out this week.

Saves the Day: 1984 EP [2010] — EP Review

Chris Conley: Vocals, Guitar

Vocal Era: Daybreak

Arun Bali: Guitar

Rodrigo Palma: Bass

Spencer Peterson: Drums

Tracklist:

1. 1984 – 3:08

2. Let it All Go [Acoustic] – 2:50

3. Driving in the Dark [Acoustic] – 3:09

4. Hold [Electric] – 2:38

5. Stay [Electric] – 3:37

Total Runtime: 15:22

1984 EP came out during a very strange time in Saves the Day's career. After the departure of longtime guitarist Dave Soloway after Under the Boards, as well as new drummer Durijah Lang and Glassjaw bandmate, bassist Manuel Carrero, Conley was left looking for a whole new band.

The Return of Tape Deck — New Rules

Hey everyone! I know I haven't done much in a while, and I'm going to start back up soon, but first I just wanted to lay down some new rules.

Album Reviews' Bonus Points section will now be called Modifiers, and some new modifiers will be added, such as Good/Bad Opener and Good/Bad Closer.

The body of the review will not always contain remarks on every song anymore, but each song will still be rated individually for the final tally like before.

Finally, until I get back on track, there won't be a set schedule. I'll just post a review when I finish it. I'll try not to do too many EPs or albums in a row, I'll try to mix it up a bit.

Well, that's all for now, see you in the next review!

     —Zach

Suggested Listening: Week of May 25th

This week I got back into some bands, ones I just happened to forget how awesome they were. Let's get into those.