Whilst moving from the playing the classical guitar to playing electric, certain songs and riffs are ingrained in my progression to becoming a metal and rock based guitarist, and this song is one of them.
The intro riff, as the drums start to fade in, and the bass intensifies warns you that this song is going to go off. A long, building intro is a feature of many SOAD songs, and in this, their most acclaimed, what comes afterwards is total mayhem.
A thumping, chugging guitar riff, backed my furious drumming leads into that signature shouted vocal.
The dynamics in this song make the heavy parts have so much impact. Serj Tankian can sing so beautifully, and in the metal world a lead singer of this caliber can propel a band to superstardom, which is certainly the case with SOAD.
The album this comes from, Toxicity, makes it onto countless "best metal albums of all time" lists, and if you give it a listen you'll understand why - it is epic!
Chop Suey!
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Daily Smooth: Ne-Yo - Because Of You
The title track of Ne-Yo's second album is one of his all-time best.
I love how the subtle piano backing plays off the heavy beat and the slapped bass.
There is a lot of layering going on here, we get strings and some subtly muted guitar as the song progresses.
Then we get Ne-Yo's wonderful voice holding the whole thing together as well some tasteful harmonies and backing vocals in the pre-chorus and chorus.
Ne-Yo is a top level songwriter - just look at his writing credits - and his skill comes through in this beautiful song.
Because Of You
I love how the subtle piano backing plays off the heavy beat and the slapped bass.
There is a lot of layering going on here, we get strings and some subtly muted guitar as the song progresses.
Then we get Ne-Yo's wonderful voice holding the whole thing together as well some tasteful harmonies and backing vocals in the pre-chorus and chorus.
Ne-Yo is a top level songwriter - just look at his writing credits - and his skill comes through in this beautiful song.
Because Of You
Monday, 25 February 2013
Daily Ghetto: Kanye West - Cold
This Kanye freestyle comes from his record label's compilation album, G.O.O.D. Music's Cruel Summer.
DJ Khaled features on this massive tune in which Kanye brags, disses and calls out Kris Humphries.
The beat is repetitive, but so damn catchy.
This is one of the many hits from Cruel Summer, which is one of the best compilation albums of the last 3 years or so.
Cold
DJ Khaled features on this massive tune in which Kanye brags, disses and calls out Kris Humphries.
The beat is repetitive, but so damn catchy.
This is one of the many hits from Cruel Summer, which is one of the best compilation albums of the last 3 years or so.
Cold
Sunday, 24 February 2013
Daily Heavy: HORSE the Band - Cutsman
A friend of mine and I chanced upon HORSE the Band whilst messing around on the internet during a jam session.
We actually could not believe our ears; this song manages to take elements from most punk, hardcore and metal subgenres, and fuse them all together in one song.
It sounds incoherent upon first listening to it, but give it a few more listens, and it somehow works.
I can't even put into words how odd this 80s and 90s era Nintendo-inspired band sounds, but Cutsman is a sonic explanation of their unique brand of music.
Enjoy this flurry of techno, hardcore, metal, avant-garde mayhem.
Cutsman
We actually could not believe our ears; this song manages to take elements from most punk, hardcore and metal subgenres, and fuse them all together in one song.
It sounds incoherent upon first listening to it, but give it a few more listens, and it somehow works.
I can't even put into words how odd this 80s and 90s era Nintendo-inspired band sounds, but Cutsman is a sonic explanation of their unique brand of music.
Enjoy this flurry of techno, hardcore, metal, avant-garde mayhem.
Cutsman
Friday, 22 February 2013
Daily Smooth: Mario Winans - I Don't Wanna Know
When this song dropped, back in 2004 it was one of the biggest R&B hits of the year.
Heavily sampling The Fugees classic, Ready or Not, this song changes the key and ups the tempo all while having a pulsating 808 style bassline in the mix.
Winans' silky voice tells of his woman betraying him and has so much emotion behind it. I especially enjoy the call and response section between Winans and Enya during the bridge.
Label-mate and collaborator of Winans, P.Diddy, drops a rapped verse towards the end which sits nicely and adds some punch to the song.
The album this comes from, Hurt No More, is excellent throughout. A great listen if you like more soulful R&B.
I Don't Wanna Know
Heavily sampling The Fugees classic, Ready or Not, this song changes the key and ups the tempo all while having a pulsating 808 style bassline in the mix.
Winans' silky voice tells of his woman betraying him and has so much emotion behind it. I especially enjoy the call and response section between Winans and Enya during the bridge.
Label-mate and collaborator of Winans, P.Diddy, drops a rapped verse towards the end which sits nicely and adds some punch to the song.
The album this comes from, Hurt No More, is excellent throughout. A great listen if you like more soulful R&B.
I Don't Wanna Know
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Daily Heavy: Despised Icon - Day of Mourning
Despised Icon, along with Whitechapel, are one of my favorite deathcore bands.
The guitar riffs they churn out are so malevolent sounding and the fact that they have two vocalists mean they put on a fantastic live show - I saw them on tour with Parkway Drive a few years ago, the pits were nuts.
This song comes from their final album of the same name and features high tempos, frantic drumming and of course two big nasty breakdowns that fits nicely into the middle and end without sounding out of place.
Day Of Mourning
The guitar riffs they churn out are so malevolent sounding and the fact that they have two vocalists mean they put on a fantastic live show - I saw them on tour with Parkway Drive a few years ago, the pits were nuts.
This song comes from their final album of the same name and features high tempos, frantic drumming and of course two big nasty breakdowns that fits nicely into the middle and end without sounding out of place.
Day Of Mourning
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Daily Smooth: Ginuwine - Pony
Oh man this beat is so juicy - I love how chopped up it sounds.
Ginuwine lays down some sumptuous, sexual-innuendo laced lines with the most soulful delivery.
This song comes from his debut album, Ginuwine...the Bachelor, which is an R&B classic.
This makes a nice change from the slow jamz that were released during the mid 90s.
Pony
Ginuwine lays down some sumptuous, sexual-innuendo laced lines with the most soulful delivery.
This song comes from his debut album, Ginuwine...the Bachelor, which is an R&B classic.
This makes a nice change from the slow jamz that were released during the mid 90s.
Pony
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