Save Us From The Archon - Thereafter

A long overdue post, Save Us From The Archon dropped their 2nd full-length back in April. FFO: CHON, Polyphia, guitar-wizardry.

CHON - Audiotree Live Set

CHON, possibly my favorite underground band of the last few years, recently did a live set over @ Audiotree. The band's sound has certainly evolved since their demos, achieving new levels of focus with their song writing, and adopting a more "chill" vibe. Embedded above is the playlist in it's entirety.

Save Us from the Archon - Some Things We Carry, Always

I love Save Us from the Archon. Their guitar driven, instrumental prog-metal/post-hardcore sound has a certain whimsy, and I'm always left feeling sentimental and nostalgic for some reason.  At any rate, what I'm getting at is that this band writes great music, and if you like bands such as CHON (see last post), you're doing yourself a disservice by not giving them a listen.

CHON - Newborn Sun

I know, I'm about 3 months late on this one, but it cannot be ignored. If you're into guitar porn, then this album is most certainly for you. These guys shred so hard, and this release has a new, more focused approach to the song writing. You can also nab their earlier stuff here.

Arbus / Bilo'u - Yellow Scale (The Twist of 2187 x 1000)

Artist: Arbus / Bilo'u

Origin: Japan

Genre: Mathcore / Progressive Metal / Metalcore

Album: Yellow Scale (The Twist of 2187 x 1000)

Release date: 2012

Tracklisting:
Arbus:

01. Snails

02. Double Dealer

03. Break One's Back (Bilo'u cover)

Bilo'u:
04. 1887

05. Shimmer

06. Earplug (Arbus cover)

Format: 320kbps, mp3

Download: Mediafire

Website: Facebook

Arbus have returned with a release that had flown completely underneath my radar, and they've brought along their friends, Bilo'u (Below), who sound something like Arbus, but tend to favor a more of Dysphoria type sound.

You can also nab Arbus' previous 2 releases here.

Save Us From the Archon - Fall Demo

Save Us From the Archon has just released another track of instrumental technical metal, which can nabbed on their bandcamp for just a buck, or downloaded here.

Save Us From the Archon - How terrible, the undergrowth's jaws that tangle

If you enjoy stuff like CHON and Scale the Summit, you'll probably like Save Us From the Archon almost immediately. The Pittsburgh quintet plays an blend of guitar-driven progressive metal and post-hardcore that is both catchy and technical, without any obnoxious clean vox. 

Posted above is a dual play through from the third track of their debut full-length, which can be purchased for only $2 on their bandcamp, or downloaded free here.

Between the Buried and Me - Telos

New BTBAM, 'nuff said.

The Parallax II: Future Sequence drops October 9th.

Behold...the Arctopus - Disintegore

After 5 years, the supreme masters of instrumental tech metal have returned. "Skullgrid" was a deeply intelligent masterpiece, so this is truly exciting. Behold...the Arctopus are planning on releasing their new album, "Horrorscension", sometime this year. Oh yeah, the artwork is excellent too. 

Here's Behold... performing Canada live, my personal favorite and probably one of their best tunes.

Terrorhorse - Unrequited and Unscathed

Artist: Terrorhorse

Origin: London, Ontario

Genre: Technical Death Metal / Mathcore

Album: Unrequited and Unscathed

Release date: 2010

Tracklisting:

01. Modern Mathematics

02. Feral

03. City Sleepers

04. Magnolia

05. Prelude

06. Human Geography

07. Cinema

08. This Much Is True

Format: 200~ kbps, mp3

Download: Mediafire

Website: Myspace

Canada does extreme music right. Featuring members of Mulletcorpse.

Mr. Painful Memory - Encyclopedia Galactica

Mr. Painful Memory, from Brisbane. Couldn't find much on this band, but their album is name your price / free.

Journal - Unlorja

I seriously cannot say enough positive things about "Unlorja". I've said more than once that it's the best thing since "Calculating Infinity," mainly because the amount of technical musicianship is simply staggering, and the material here took a substantial amount of time to even memorize. It's an 80 minute masterpiece accompanied with an epic story not unlike Final Fantasy, which is an apparent influence, and gamers will be pleased at the Easter Egg riffs peppered throughout the album. Interestingly enough, three vocalists were used to record the album, including Drew Winter of Conducting From the Grave / Fate / Shadow of the Colossus, and Jesse Alford of Embrace the End. This is arguably one of the most important recent releases in mathcore and technical / progressive metal, and definitely a personal favorite.

Zelophilia - Lust, Loathing, and Love

My friend and former bassist of Antarctica, Mr. Tom Noyd, just released his new band's full-length, and it is an eclectic and operatic metal masterpiece. With influences ranging from Meshuggah and Dillinger, to Daughters and Mike Patton, there is something for everyone here...truly diverse and interesting stuff that is generally entertaining. You can download the full-length (with bonus tracks) here, and if your interest is not yet piqued, watch this commercial: 

Dionaea - Still

A New Jersey trio displaying stunning musicianship, Dionaea plays an eclectic blend consisting of instrumental ambience and progressive/technical metal, accentuated by brief grind passages. Their debut full-length is definitely something that can be enjoyed both passively and actively. "1986 (End of Good Dreams)" from their first EP, Grounds, appears on Mecha Organa Volume 4.

CHON - O.G.

CHON has just released yet another track of jaw-dropping technical guitar work. If you haven't checked out these lads yet, do so and immediately begin to hate your life, because their musical prowess is stunning.

Arbus - A Recess In the Wall

Artist: Arbus

Origin: Kyoto, Japan

Genre: Mathcore / Progressive Metal / Experimental

Album: A Recess In the Wall

Release date: 2010

Tracklisting:

01. Only I'm Happy

02. Gypsum Covering My Idol

03. Earplug

04. Especially For You

05. The Montage of the Quintuplets

06. Birdcages

Format: 320 kbps, mp3

Download: Mediafire

Website: Myspace

These guys are great. Read the summary of the last post, and listen to "Gypsum Covering My Idol" and "Birdcages," and you will see exactly what I mean.

Arbus - With Your Perfection

Artist: Arbus

Origin: Kyoto, Japan

Genre: Mathcore / Progressive Metal / Experimental

Album: With Your Perfection 

Release date: 2009

Tracklisting:

01. Like the Pure Ghost

02. Earplug

03. The Thrill Has Gone

04. Breaking the Flag

Format: 320 kbps, mp3

Download: Mediafire

Website: Myspace

Not since FACT has a Japanese band gotten under my skin so much. Playing a blend of mathcore similar to the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan, longer progressive riffs akin to Between the Buried and Me, and infused with some more melodic, even Latin sounding passages similar to The Mars Volta, Arbus demonstrates some true potential.

I Speak In Calculus - The Past

Artist: I Speak In Calculus

Origin: Clinton Township, MI (USA)

Genre: Mathcore / Techgrind / Progressive metal

Album: The Past

Release date: 2008-2010

Tracklisting:

01. Eels & Escalators

02. Angry Volcano

03. Purple Thunder

04. Blueprints

05.  Purple Thunder (original)

06. Slithery Dee

Format: 320 kbps, mp3\

Download: Mediafire

Website: Facebook

"This is any and all of our recorded material from 2008-2010. The album starts with 2 songs we never got around to finishing and releasing and goes to our very first song we recorded when we were just a 4 piece in early 2008. We love all of you." - ISIC

I Speak In Calculus was featured on the mathcore / tech metal compilation, Mecha Organa 3. If you consider yourself a fan of the aforementioned genres, then do yourself a service and download all 5 volumes. ISIC is currently a 2 piece, and working on "a full-length concept album for Winter 2011."

Journal - Casualties of War

Artist: Journal

Origin: Sacramento, California (USA)

Genre: Technical Metal / Mathcore  

Album: Casualties of War

Release date: 2007

Tracklisting:

01. Intro  

02. The Relationship Between Two Guitar Parts 

03. Hey Ryan, Quit Acting Like Borat 

04. Casualties of War  

05. Blue Eyed Sexy Baby 

06. It's Not My Fault, It's the San Andreas Fault

07. Sick than the Joseph's of the Earth

Format: 160 kbps, mp3

(download removed by request): Big Cartel

Website: Facebook

CHON - Demo

Artist: CHON

Origin: San Diego, California (USA)

Genre: Progressive Metal / Instrumental / Mathrock

Album: Demo

Release date: 2008/2010

Tracklisting:

01. Across the Spectrum

02. Mountains of Creation  

03. Temporarily Destabilized

04. Elliptical Illuminations

+

05. Breathe

06. The Perfect Pillow  

Format: 128 kbps, mp3

Download: Mediafire

Website: Facebook