Explosions In The Sky - The Rescue

Album: The Rescue
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2005
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1. Day One
2. Day Two
3. Day Three
4. Day Four
5. Day Five
6. Day Six
7. Day Seven
8. Day Eight

This is their fourth album, and I love it because it runs like a musical story. I've always loved Explosions In The Sky for the fact that they have no vocalist at all, but simply speak through their beautiful melodies and compositions. If you're going to get one of their albums, you might as well get them all, because they're all good.

Explosions In The Sky - How Strange, Innocence

Album: How Strange, Innocence
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2000
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1. A Song For Our Fathers
2. Snow And Lights
3. Magic Hours
4. Look Into The Air
5. Glittering Blackness
6. Time Stops
7. Remember Me As A Time Of Day

This is Explosions In The Sky's first release and it's as beautiful, relaxing, and talented as all of the albums they have released afterward. My favourite song is probably the opening track, A Song For Our Fathers... the first guitar melody that fades in is beyond soothing and will put you to sleep like a baby.

Explosions In The Sky - Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever

Album: Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Die, Those Who Tell The Truth Shall Live Forever
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2001
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1. Greet Death
2. Yasmin The Light
3. The Moon Is Down
4. Have You Passed Through This Night?
5. A Poor Man's Memory
6. With Tired Eyes, Tired Minds, Tired Souls, We Slept

Their second release, and an amazing one at that. Yasmin The Light is such an awesome song. Like all of their albums, this is very relaxing. If you're new to Explosions In The Sky, this is actually a great album to start with.

(For all those who had trouble downloading this, I apologize. I have fixed it now.)

Explosions In The Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place

Album: The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2003
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1. First Breath After Coma
2. The Only Moment We Were Alone
3. Six Days At The Bottom Of The Ocean
4. Memorial
5. Your Hand In Mine

Explosions In The Sky's third album. It's as good as all the others and highly recommended for anyone looking to chill out.

Explosions In The Sky - All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone

Album: All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2007
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1. The Birth And Death Of The Day
2. Welcome, Ghosts
3. It's Natural To Be Afraid
4. What Do You Go Home To?
5. Catastrophe And The Cure
6. So Long, Lonesome

This is the first album I heard from this band, and immediately I was hooked on them. This is actually their most recent release, but it's my favourite. This band has a style of writing that is quite unique in its simplicity, and the music is very beautiful, moving, and relaxing. Perfect to get really stoned to or to put on before bed. I recommend this to anyone who wants something very calm to chill out to.

Circa Survive - Juturna

Album: Juturna
Genre: Indie Rock/Progressive Rock/Experimental
Year: 2005
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1. Holding Someone's Hair Back

2. Act Appalled

3. Wish Resign

4. The Glorious Nosebleed

5. In Fear And Faith

6. The Great Golden Baby

7. Stop The Car

8. We're All Thieves

9. Oh, Hello

10. Always Getting What You Want

11. Meet Me In Montauk

Circa Survive... there's so much to say about a band with this much potential. To be honest, at first listen, I wasn't too crazy about this album, but after a while, it grew on me and now I absolutely love it. Anthony Green's voice is very original and beautiful in it's own way. I have to give credit to the other musicians in band too, because I very much enjoy the way in which they compose their music. I recommend this, their first album, to anyone who's looking for something new with high pitched (not bitchy or whiny, but simply beautiful) vocals.

Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV Air & Earth

Album: The Alchemy Index Vols. III & IV Air & Earth
Genre: Alternative Rock/Experimental
Year: 2008
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Disk 1: Air

1. Broken Lungs
2. The Sky Is Falling
3. A Song For Milly Michaelson
4. Daedalus
5. As The Crow Flies
6. Silver Wings

Disk 2: Earth

1. Moving Mountains
2. Digging My Own Grave
3. The Earth Isn't Humming
4. The Lion And The Wolf
5. Come All You Weary
6. Child Of Dust

As I said before, I love how much Thrice has progressed since their earlier releases and I think the entire Alchemy Index series of EP's is a must have. Each disk is individual and seems to portray the very elements they are named after. The Air Album is calm, soothing, and emotional. It is very atmospheric and just like the wind: sometimes the breeze is subtle and light, other times it's roaring and powerful, lifting up things and sweeping them away. The sound effects and wind chimes definitely add to the "air" feeling of this release. As for the Earth Album, Thrice went in a very interesting direction with this one. The music is heavily influenced by folk and country (similar to Dustin Kenrue's solo stuff) and the recordings are raw, which is an excellent musical portrayal of the earth... very practical and old-fashioned. All four disks of the Alchemy Index are amazing and diverse and I recommend them to all "open minded" music listeners. I even suggest actually buying them--just the album booklet layout and artwork itself is worth buying it for.

Opeth - Watershed

Album: Watershed
Genre: Progressive Metal
Year: 2008
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1. Coil
2. Heir Apparent
3. The Lotus Eater
4. Burden
5. Porcelain Heart
6. Hessian Peel
7. Hex Omega

This is Opeth's most recent release, Watershed. I have heard and read mixed views of this album... some praising it, some bashing it. I personally like this album a lot and think it is an excellent release and have no problem with how the band has progressed. The entire thing reminded me of a story--right from the soft introduction song, Coil, I felt like a movie or a play was about to begin. Then when it descends into the next song, Heir Apparent, I could already tell that this album was going to be fucking cool. Mikael Åkerfeldt's deep growls, raspy screams, and clean singing sound as good as ever. I am a big fan of Martin Lopez and greatly miss his membership in the band, but new drummer, Martin Axenrot, did a great job. Although his style is slightly different than Lopez's (I wasn't expecting it to sound the same anyway) it is still impressive and skilled and suits Opeth very well. An all-around good listen; I recommend this to fans of good progressive music.

Opeth - My Arms, Your Hearse

Album: My Arms, Your Hearse
Genre: Progressive Metal
Year: 1998
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1. Prologue
2. April Ethereal
3. When
4. Madrigal
5. The Amen Corner
6. Demon Of The Fall
7. Credence
8. Karma
9. Epilogue

This is an excellent album! Right from the introduction you can already tell that this album is going to kick ass. Mikael Åkerfeldt's vocals really sound amazing on this for the year that it was released, especially the absolutely wretched and sinister growls on Demon Of The Fall, with the potential to strike fear into the heart of an angel. This (along with Orchid and Morningrise) I personally consider one of the classics of progressive metal and even old-school death metal.

Opeth - Delivarance

Album: Deliverance
Genre: Progressive Metal
Year: 2002
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1. Wreath
2. Deliverance
3. A Fair Judgement
4. For Absent Friends
5. Master's Apprentices
6. By The Pain I See In Others

The Yang of the Yin (Damnation). This album is deliciously evil... it emits a very dark, sinister, and hateful radiance. It is a dark ride from first song to last. The title song Deliverance is probably my favourite, it's very catchy and you'll probably find yourself humming the riffs and patterns in your head. Gathering all of their heavy and dark material into one album, and all of their calm and relaxing material into the other, I think recording Deliverance and Damnation back to back was a brilliant idea.

Opeth - Damnation

Album: Damnation
Genre: Progressive Metal
Year: 2003
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1. Windowpane
2. In Time Of Need
3. Death Whispered A Lullaby
4. Closure
5. Hope Leaves
6. To Rid The Disease
7. Ending Credits (Instrumental)
8. Weakness

The Yin of the Yang that is Deliverance. Damnation is an amazing listen... I absolutely love the direction that Opeth took with this release. It is very relaxing and Martin Lopez really displays his diversity in drumming, which is my favourite part of the album (being I'm a drummer myself). I do, for course, have to give credit where credit is due, and the riffs and bass-lines on this album are outstanding. Death Whispered A Lullaby is probably my favourite song; Mikael's voice is that of a fallen angel. The entire musical composition conveys a bleak, soothing, comforting, forboding, depressing, and sorrowful atmosphere, all bunched up in one. I highly recommend this.

Thrice - The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II Fire & Water

Album: The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II Fire & Water
Genre: Alternative Rock/Experimental
Year: 2007
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Disk 1: Fire

1. Firebreather
2. The Messenger
3. Backdraft
4. The Arsonist
5. Burn the Fleet
6. The Flame Deluge

Disk 2: Water

1. Digital Sea
2. Open Water
3. Lost Continent
4. Night Diving
5. The Whaler
6. Kings Upon the Main

I love how much Thrice has progressed since their earlier releases. The entire Alchemy Index series of EP's is a must have. Each disk is individual and seems to portray the very elements they are named after. The Fire Album has a louder and more rebellious sound, and almost seems to burn like flames. This is the heaviest album in the Alchemy Index and Firebreather is one of the greatest introduction songs I've ever heard... it just screams "Open your eyes and stand up!" The Water Album is very uncanny and foreboding and as soothing as the ocean--at times the water is still and relaxing, and at others, you can feel the waves rising up and crashing on every shore. They incorporated a more industrial/electronic sound on this album, but it is excellent for portraying the element of water. If you want to kick back and relax, then put on Night Diving and close your eyes (smoke a J while your at it, too).

Thrice - The Artist In The Ambulance

Album: The Artist In The Ambulance
Genre: Alternative Rock
Year: 2003
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1. Cold Cash, Colder Hearts
2. Under A Killing Moon
3. All That's Left
4. Silhouette
5. Stare At The Sun
6. Paper Tigers
7. Hoods On Peregrine
8. Melting Point Of Wax
9. Blood Clots And Black Holes
10. The Artist In The Ambulance
11. The Abolition Of Man
12. Don't Tell And We Won't Ask

You can see that Thrice had started to be a bit more creative with their music writing by this album. Although it is still quite punky and alternative, it is definitely less-so than the others and way more interesting. The lyrics on this album are very deep, personal, inspiring, and simply well-written, which is no surprise to me, being most of Thrice's lyrics are awesome. My favourite songs are Silhouette, Stare At The Sun, and Hoods On Peregrine. Personally, I like all of their following albums better, but I still enjoy listening to this album as well.

Elysia - Lion Of Judas

Album: Lion Of Judas
Genre: Hardcore
Year: 2008
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1. Lack Of Culture
2. Flood Of Kings
3. Box Of Need(les)
4. Crown Of Thorns
5. Plague Of Insects
6. Pride Of Lions
7. Curse Of God (Pt. 1)
8. Fountain Of Life (Pt. 2)
9. Lion Of Judas

First of all, to anyone who hates this album and thinks Elysia should return to their older, more generic sound... you're probably a closed minded scene kid who won't give an album a chance unless the breakdowns sound like every other bands'. Don't get me wrong, I loved Masochist, but I completely respect the direction Zak Vargas and the other members decided to go with this album (now that they are signed). One of my best friends and I have been fans of these guys long before that, though. We've seen them in a tiny bar in Treton, New Jersey over a year ago (and another time in a venue after that) and have smoked with them twice, and even got driven home by them. Although Zak is very anti-social and quiet, I can't help but relate to him and his views on the world and what is currently going on in it (and has been going on for a long time, in fact). These guys took it to a whole different level with Lion Of Judas. I call this album "The Soundtrack to the End of the World," because that's what I think of when I hear it... the ultimate upturning of society. I hear rebellion, destruction, warfare, suppression, oppression, and a personal anger of it all, perfectly expressed into the composition of sounds. The breakdowns aren't completely lost, but were simply replaced with more interesting and less typical ones, that go better with the atmosphere of the music. The riffs go up and down and are actually a bit progressive and pretty experimental. This album makes me want to blow up shit and, to quote The Joker, "upset the established order." I applaud you, Elysia.

Biology - Making Movies

Album: Making Movies
Genre: Indie Rock
Year: 2005
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1. Programming the Populous
2. Sophisdecay
3. The Measure of My Worth
4. Opinions Are Like Addictions
5. Public Art
6. Arbitrary Stimulation
7. New English
8. Born Again Virgins
9. Employment
10. When Future History Became Current History
11. Damaged Goods

Although I was never big on From Autumn To Ashes, I loved Francis Mark's side project, Biology. It's a shame that this is their only album, and that it'll always be that way, being that Francis has announced that he will no longer be writing for Biology, that From Autumn To Ashes broke up, and that he is now working on a new project. Making Movies is a great album and Francis Mark's voice and lyrics are very impacting and real. It's a shame I'll never get to hear this band progress, who knows how the next album could have been.

Whitechapel - This Is Exile

Album: This Is Exile
Genre: Brutal Deathcore
Year: 2008
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1. Father Of Lies
2. This Is Exile
3. Possession
4. To All That Are Dead
5. Exalt
6. Somatically Incorrect
7. Death Becomes Him
8. Daemon (The Procreated)
9. Eternal Refuge
10. Of Legions
11. Messiahbolical

I have mixed feelings about Whitechapel's new album, This Is Exile. Part of me misses the slightly different and more deathcore-ish sound on The Somatic Defilement (as well as the more sadistic, serial killer lyrics) but then again... part of me loves and appreciates the more brutal and death metal-ish sound they went for on this album. They didn't loose the breakdowns (they dimmed them down a bit, that's all) but I'm an open minded guy and I love breakdowns anyway, even if a lot of them do sound the same. This is a really good and heavy album and I do recommend it. I also recommend you go see these guys live if they come around you, because they put on one hell of a show.

After The Burial - Rareform

Album: Rareform
Genre: Progressive/Metalcore/Deathcore
Year: 2008
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01. Berzerker
02. Drifts
03. Cursing Akenaten
04. Rareform
05. Aspiration
06. The Fractal Effect
07. Ometh
08. A Vicious Reforming Of Features

I was actually pretty excited about this album, and when I heard it... I wasn't letdown. This album kicks ass, plain and simple. Compared to their earlier material, this is a big step in the right direction for After The Burial. The guitar riffs are insane, the vocals are awesome, and the breakdowns are out of this world (being they actually use original, odd-timed patterns that will make you question whether you should fight invisible ninjas or simply listen to see if you can even memorize the pattern). This album surely stands out amongst all of the other generic releases in metalcore/deathcore and it most definitely deserves that Progressive tag you see there. Highly recommended!

Tunturia - Maps

Album: Maps
Genre: Post-Rock/Ambient/Indie
Year: 2007
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1. Panic Attack
2. Echoes Of The Unmoved Mover
3. Silence Is Consent
4. Cast Shadows On Clouds
5. October 4, 1957 (Prologue)
6. Satellites
7. Tunturia
8. These are the Words
9. Robots Building Robots Building a Nation
10. Lost In The Hidden Forest

Maps is currently the only album released by Tunturia, but damn is it a good first release. The songs on this album are of utmost serenity. I usually like to put this on when I'm reading, smoking, or drinking tea (or a combination of the three). My favourite song is actually the first track, Panic Attack (although there isn't much portrayal of panic in this song as there is of calmness).

God Is An Astronaut - Far From Refuge

Album: Far From Refuge
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2007
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1. Radau
2. Far From Refuge
3. Sunrise In Aries
4. Grace Descending
5. New Years End
6. Darkfall
7. Tempus Horizon
8. Lateral Noise
9. Beyond The Dying Light

Far From Refuge is God Is An Astronaut's fourth release (third full length) and is a very serene album. As expected from this band, this album will calm you and really make you appreciate music and its beauty. These guys have no bad songs and no bad albums if you are into this style of music... everything is masterfully composed and mixed.

God Is An Astronaut - A Moment Of Stillness [EP]

Album: A Moment Of Stillness [EP]
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2005
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1. Frozen Twilight
2. A Moment of Stillness
3. Forever Lost (Reprise)
4. Elysian Fields
5. Crystal Canyon

A Moment Of Stillness is a very assuasive EP by Ireland's ambient, post-rock band, God Is An Astronaut. An all-around calming and pleasant listen, this EP will surely sedate you.

God Is An Astronaut - All Is Violent, All Is Bright

Album: All Is Violent, All Is Bright
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2005
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1. Fragile
2. All Is Violent, All Is Bright
3. Forever Lost
4. Fire Flies And Empty Skies
5. A Deafening Distance
6. Infinite Horizons
7. Suicide By Star
8. Remembrance Day
9. Dust And Echoes
10. When Everything Dies

God Is An Astronaut's second album, All Is Violent, All Is Bright, is probably my favourite release from them. This album will take you places, especially if you smoke some Cannabis and just close your eyes and listen to it. All I can really say is... beautiful album... absolutely beautiful.

God Is An Astronaut - The End Of The Beginning

Album: The End Of The Beginning
Genre: Instrumental/Ambient/Post-Rock
Year: 2003
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1. The End of the Beginning
2. From Dust to the Beyond
3. Ascend to Oblivion
4. Coda
5. Remembrance
6. Point Pleasant
7. Fall from the Star
8. Twilight
9. Coma
10. Route 666
11. Lost Symphony

The End Of The Beginning is God Is An Astronaut's first album. In my opinion, these guys are one of the best bands out of Ireland. Their style of music is so soothing and beautiful... it sort of speaks to you without words (being they have no vocalist). This is a good, chill, relaxing album.