Modern Day Babylon - The Ocean Atlas [EP Review]

The Ocean Atlas is a tremendous EP that stands out from the crowd. From the 3 piece titled Modern Day Babylon, it is an EP filled with musicality and pleasant surprises that make it feel exceptionally fresh and polished in a quite overcrowded scene nowadays. Even sometimes blending in electronics, Modern Day Babylon has quite the little treasure on their hands and I'm here to help it get the recognition that it deserves.

The EP is a total of 6 songs (including a remix of the first track) all with their own pros and cons. Overall however, this is definitely going to contain more pros than cons as these guys have some beautifully written songs that can convey emotions exceptionally through their writing. And... that's without any lyrics. Also the fact that they are a 3 piece is quite impressive as some songs contain sections that sound like they were pieced together by much larger ensembles. Also, while this is metal, the band manages to write in keys that are very uplifting and airy with lots of melodic possibilities that they definitely emphasize on.

Track Rundown:

Wings

The first track of the EP is definitely one of it's best. Wings is an onslaught of melodic beauty from beginning to end. It features a simple and catchy electronic intro that leads right into a gorgeous riff to start off the EP. Rhythmic complexity is aplenty throughout this track and there are plenty of sections changes and bridges which keep the song driving forward and prevent it from becoming stale. I also have to say that these guys have some sexy tones across the board. Guitar and bass sounds great throughout all ranges and the drums cut through when they need to without being overbearing. This is definitely one of my top tracks from the EP and it provides a great example of what listeners can expect throughout the rest of the songs. = A-


Water Drops

Holy shit do I love this song. From the opening chords I knew this was gonna be a great one. Yet another masterfully crafted riff that is paired with a groovy bass line and a solid beat on the kit. This song actually progresses a great deal from beginning to end and it does so with plenty of style. Some sections feature more ambiance and backing electronics, we are greeted with a gorgeous guitar solo about halfway through, and the last third of the song drives forward while still managing to introduce new sonic ideas and melodic lines. The very end even shows us the down-tuned-heavy-hitting side of Modern Day Babylon with a kickass breakdown accompanied by some mesmerizing floating guitar lines. = A+

Through The Worlds

As the last track on the EP, I was hoping this would make a solid finisher that I would remember even after I had hit the pause button. I was right. This song builds on a very strong melodic motif all the way to the finish and it demonstrates (again) a great piece of progressive metal which transforms over the course of 5 minutes. Right from the opening drum fill I could tell that this song was going to hit just a little bit harder and it does so in all the right places. We are greeted with lines of arpeggios as well as some syncopated cymbal and kick work that all mix great to transition into new sections and make the song feel like a journey through multiple sonic styles. However, there is the constant theme provided by the melodic motif which makes the song feel very coherent and polished. = B+

The Verdict

I will end by saying that this EP is beautiful. Instrumental groove metal accompanied by gorgeous melodic lines and equally pleasing guitar solos, bass lines, and beats on the kit. Sounds pretty damn great to me. However, there's so much more to this release and I have to recommend that you check it out for yourself!

The Ocean Atlas = 9/10

Check out the EP stream below!

UPDATE TIME!

Hey guys! I know content has been quite bare bones but I've been working on plenty of stuff behind the scenes and can't wait to get it all up here. This is a simple update letting you know that I'm still planning on posting content here on a weekly basis once school starts up again! 

In the mean time, I figured I'd leave some new material for you guys to check out! Black Tongue has released yet another new song, this time complete with a bone-chilling video. In the Wake ov the Wolf is the title of the new song and I still think that these guys are the best downtempo group around. While it may not appeal to as many people as L'appel du Vide, (previous single) Black Tongue is definitely proving that they are on the come up and I can't wait for their upcoming album. 

Also, my metalcore favorites, The Devil Wears Prada, just released their new Space EP. Featuring 6 tracks the EP tells the story of a lone astronaut who ends up being the sole survivor of the human race. It is an exceptional EP with plenty of emotions flowing through the lyrics and some of the best metalcore instrumentals I've heard in a while. I will be posting a review of Space later this week.

In the mean time, check out the new Black Tongue single and my favorite track off of the Space EP!

Cheers!

Aidan

The Devil Wears Prada - Alien [NEW SINGLE]

Wow. The Space EP is almost here and TDWP have given us a second track from their upcoming release. I'll start by saying this, Alien is my favorite track that these guys have put out in years. I'm more of a Zombie, Roots, and Plagues fan, rather than Dead Throne and 8:18. This upcoming EP seems to have a concept similar to their first EP, Zombie. As for the song, this shit rips. Daniel is rippin' on the kit from the first note and doesn't let up after that. The mix sounds nice a crisp and Mike's vocals are used in new and unique ways while still maintaining his signature sound. I'd say my only complaint with this song is that it isn't longer due to how much I've been enjoying it. I'm actually glad they decided not to implement a more typical chorus, as we saw that on the last single, Supernova.

The Space EP is due out August 21st on Rise Records. 

Be sure to check out the official stream of Alien from Rise below!

Thy Art Is Murder - Holy War [NEW ALBUM Stream]

Well here it is! The highly anticipated new album from the guys in Thy Art Is Murder. We've definitely had a handful of deathcore releases this year so we'll have to see if this can stand apart from the pack and show some growth since Hate. These guys haven't always been my favorite deathcore act, but I can't deny that they sure do have some tasty jams. Definitely gonna be listening to this in the coming weeks and will probably be posting a review after my review of Psalms (new Lorna Shore).

ENJOY MY FELLOW METALHEADS!

Black Tongue - L'appel du Vide [New Single]

I'm gonna call Black Tongue down-tempo, but this new track would be contradicting me. Okay yes, the heavy is here, obviously if you're listening to Black Tongue you're expecting the drop tuning and plenty of slams. But this new track adds a LOT to their sound. The opening with blasts feels like something straight out of a black metal album with the ambiance the guitars create. This is starting to become somewhat of a trend among bands under the deathcore label, but when done right (like this) it sounds pretty damn amazing. Definitely give this one a listen if you haven't had your daily headbang yet! Also, keep a lookout for their new album due out September this year, titled, The Unconquerable Dark.

Upcoming Northlane Album and New Single!

Well yesterday the world was given a new Northlane song. I'd say that is a pretty damn good day. Even with the addition of new vocalist Marcus Bridge, Northlane is on their A game and I can say I'm definitely looking forward to their new album, Node, due out July 24th. The new single, Obelisk, is really demonstrating somewhat of a new direction in which there is plenty of atmosphere. The guitars swell in the background while drums slice right through and it's a really welcome sound is this almost overpopulated world of modern metal. If Rot and Obelisk are signs of what is to come, Node looks to be an excellent release from a more than excellent band.

Check out the official video for Obelisk and the tracklist for Node below. 

Tracklist for Node:

1. Soma

2. Obelisk

3. Node

4. Ohm

5. Nameless

6. Rot

7. Leech

8. Impulse

9. Weightless

10. Ra

11. Animate

The Coma Machine - Between the Buried and Me [New Single]

Ah, so nice to finally see the return of Between the Buried and Me. These guys are masters of metal and are one of the most intuitive and musically intelligent bands around today. I was a huge fan of their previous albums, Colors and The Parallax II: Future Sequence. Some of my favorite metal songs of all time reside on those albums so I was definitely expecting big things for their new material. The band released the first single from their upcoming album back in April, and let me tell you, it was great. However, this right here... is really something special. This song and video demonstrate how truly talented and artistic these guys are. The song s a masterpiece and flows perfectly from beginning to end featuring a multitude of styles and sounds along the way.

With how The Coma Machine is sounding, I really think we should be getting excited for this new album. Coma Ecliptic is due out July 10th on Metal Blade Records. Definitely be looking to check this one out!