The Identity Matrix Domain

Tristan_Geoff · 12-23-2015, 09:49 PM

Even if Black Keys can't really make anything different, I still feel like the had a good formula going. And I felt Turn Blue was really different from their previous output too.

Probably not going to listen to this record either way though.

The Identity Matrix · 12-23-2015, 10:59 PM

Oh for sure they had a good formula that they follow. I am not criticizing the formula. Instead I am criticizing the fact that this formula is so consistently followed that they just leave no room for imagination. Turn Blue was ok. Nothing special especially when the majority of the sound, at least to me, felt uninspired and was feeding off of a sound that was basically a little psychedelia influenced blues mixed with their own formula. The music was good, just way too formulaic. I am just really pissed that it made its way into a band that had no business getting into that formula.

Tristan_Geoff · 12-23-2015, 11:22 PM

I never said I really liked Turn Blue, but at least it was a step in a different direction. I see what you're getting at though: CtE did have variety from release to release, and the Black Keys guy should've stayed out. But then again, that was the band's decision. They could've gone with however they wanted, hell, many bands produce their own albums nowadays. Maybe, they just wanted a more streamlined release. And obviously, it didn't turn out like they wanted, but that's the reason he was hired.

That's just my view on it, probably not accurate.

The Identity Matrix · 12-23-2015, 11:57 PM

Appreciate the viewpoint. It's just frustrating to see this happen. Probably just overreacting but I feel like this album could have been better. Oh well, I'll have more Coheed tomorrow. As well as a few other major posts.

The Identity Matrix · 01-04-2016, 09:32 PM

The Running Free - (2007)
Music Video/Single by Coheed and Cambria

Sorry for the delay on this one. I really can only attribute it to the holiday rush and other responsibilities taking precedence. New Years resolution: get back on track with reviews for this journal and my modern release/requests review thread. Anyway this was the first single off of the No World for Tomorrow record that split the fan base a little. I was on the side that felt it was missing quite a bit of the excellency that their past few records contained. I do like this song. Quite a bit actually. In fact it is probably one of the better Coheed singles for me (bar the stupid "You're in hell" line at the end of the chorus.) It has tons of energy, decent lyricism and some catchiness that will last a long time in ones head. But that's pretty much it. I don't really care for the musical style here when it comes in comparison to what I feel like a Coheed song should sound like, (in context with the album). It does what it needs to in the story but it doesn't push it in an interesting way. This song overall is a great single, but as a song/piece in the grand scheme of the Coheed discography, I am sorry but it's lacking in quite a few departments.

The music video is cool though. I really enjoyed this one. It opens with a lot of sci fi stylings for a laboratory experimentation type situation that leads into a troubled Claudio (who I believe represents Coheed in this situation) trying to escape from an incubator and eventually the lab. Combine this with a pretty cool performance of the song, and the flashbacks to a mysterious Kimono girl and you get a pretty cool music video. It gets close to an almost sinister/horror movie style with some of the flashbacks being old home videos or old baby dolls. The climax during the final chorus where she enters the lab is pretty intense due to the energy of the song. I am really digging what they did on this music video. Especially when one compares this one with previous ones. Hint: the Suffering. When Coheed can create a fun and interesting idea and combine it with a pretty good single then you get a great video. This is probably top 3 material in my book at least for a music video by them. Definitely check this one out.

The song gets a like and the video also gets a like. Not enough here to give it a meh or dislike in the form of cons.

Listen to it yourself and give me your opinions. Like it? Dislike it? Why?

Tristan_Geoff · 01-04-2016, 09:43 PM

Was missing this journal since last post, glad to see it back online!

The Identity Matrix · 01-08-2016, 10:53 AM

What a way to start 2016...

Blackstar by David Bowie

Year: 2016
Genre: Art Rock/Progressive Jazz
Nationality: English

The Review: I am a big Bowie fan. I just wanted to preface this review with that in case you want to take my review with a grain of salt or not. I try to be as unbiased as possible so bear with me on this one. From Aladdin Sane to Ziggy Stardust to the Next Day to now Blackstar I have hit up every before now and after work that Bowie has produced and released under his moniker. Each album has a little something new for me to enjoy. I am not going to say his discography is perfect, because it most certainly is not, but I will say I enjoy it immensely. Blackstar is something that I was not expecting. The sounds and lyricism and atmosphere on this record was something that blew me away. Obviously my first taste of the record was the title track's spacey jazz influenced experimental sound that I was hoping that it would represent the overall record. Well it did, but not in the way I was expecting it to. This album is driven by the progressive and free jazz instrumentation that dominates the tracks on this record. But the spacey atmosphere of Blackstar never leaves. From the haunting delivery of Girl Loves Me and the wondrous Lazarus I see a very cohesive style surrounding the album. Something that doesn't always happen with these kinds of records. There are some expletives on this record which can be sometimes a turn off for me. But only if they feel forced. On here it feels like these tracks are completed by them. I did get lost between the tracks Girl Loves Me and Dollar Days. On the first listen I couldn't actually differentiate between the two tracks. I do not like that when that happens as it makes the album at that point feel too cohesive. I need to be able to distinguish between each track. However that doesn't make either track weak in any way shape or form. I enjoy the single power of Sue (Or in the Season of Crime) and it might be my favorite song, at least for right now, off of the album. I cannot stop listening to this record, and I need to because of other reviews. Excellent instrumentation, thoughtful lyrics, beautiful atmosphere... You cannot go wrong with that combination.

Blackstar receives a 8.9/10

Standout Tracks: Blackstar, Lazarus, Sue (Or in the Season of Crime), I Can't Give Everything Away

Weaker Tracks: I guess Dollar Days would be the only track I don't see myself listening a ton too.

If this were too be the last Bowie record... what a send off... Thats all I can say...

The Identity Matrix · 01-11-2016, 09:10 PM

Your Time by Massdistraction

Year: 2016
Genre: Death/Thrash Metal
Nationality: Swedish

The Review: What a neat thing the internet and youtube can be. If anyone follows Coverkillernation on youtube, I do obviously, he is one of the bigger names out there for metal reviews. I try everything he recommends due to his wide range of knowledge for the genre. This album was not on my radar whatsoever until his review came out. He praised it quite a bit, and thus I thought I would give it a shot. Your Time is a solid album through and through. It never has any inherently bad tracks on it at all. The guitar work and vocals create a chilling and abrasive atmosphere that is very well done. The musicians on this record are very talented and that talent shows. The lyrics are negative yet never corny or anything weird, in fact I thought they were well thought out and fit the mood. The soloing on this record is top notch. Very melodic and very powerful riffs are used throughout the album combined with punishing drum patterns. However the album isn't varied enough in the sense that it really is just solid track after solid track. No standouts on here. Yet no track is really weak. So its a tough album to review in that case. Tracks such as Your Time and the Human Worth are probably the best on the album if I had to pick any specific tracks. The reason for this is that I like the vocal delivery on these tracks way more than the others. Its just the riffing and soloing isn't exactly standout. A good album yet not a fantastic one. Massdistraction are relatively new and thus I am excited to see what comes next after hearing such a strong effort.

Your Time receives a 7.8/10

Standout Tracks: Your Time, The Human Worth

Weaker Tracks: Raising the Dead

Lets see where this goes and maybe we will have a modern classic in the near future. Sorry for the shorter review. I really couldn't think of much else to say.

The Identity Matrix · 03-27-2017, 03:53 PM

Since I'm back on this site, I am thinking about reviving this journal. I'd like to finish up that C and C discography review. For those who used to read this journal I hope you enjoy what is coming up. I'm glad to be back, and hopefully will have a much longer stay this time around.

The Identity Matrix · 03-27-2017, 04:36 PM

Feathers - (2008)
Music Video/Single by Coheed and Cambria

I think I will start right where I left off in the discography of Coheed and Cambria. Last time I posted a part of this project we looked at the Running Free, lead single from the album No World for Tomorrow. Now we will look at the second single, Feathers. Peaking at number 6 on the billboard 200 Coheed’s popularity was reaching new heights. As a song, Feathers accomplishes two things. Firstly it provides a hook that could easily find its way onto the radio and secondly it takes what made more emo/pop singles (see A Favor House Atlantic or Blood Red Summer) and adds a more calming pretense to the song. The aforementioned tracks had what I like to call a panic mode in them. A bit of a sense of urgency. Something that drew the listener in and got there blood rushing a little bit. Feathers lacks that. Is that a bad thing though? Not really, it’s just a different take on this side of Coheed’s sound. The song itself isn’t that interesting however. Which sort of squanders a lot of potential as at this point Coheed’s popularity was hitting some peaks. The guitar tracks are not necessarily interesting or fresh, neither is the vocal melody. Par for the course is what I would call it. Generic verse/chorus/ structure just doesn’t do it for me in a Coheed song.

The video is f****** wierd as hell though. It opens up to a standard 50’s era nuclear family with the mother cooking breakfast for the father and two boys. The song fits the videos pacing so its not a detriment. The women ends up running out of meat and cannot provide enough for the family, thus they are all disappointed. So when the father and sons leave the house, the woman goes to get more meat. By grinding up the band members bodies into ribs, burger, and sausage. There is a lot of sexual imagery and undertones here. They’re funny I guess, not really my cup of tea though. Overall the video is just weird and not in a good way. It doesn’t effectively create the mood I think the band was going for. No real sense of urgency from the song when there is supposed to be one from the video.

Feathers the song gets a dislike while the video is a meh.

Listen to it yourself and give me your opinions. Like it? Dislike it? Why?