Copa Vance: needless heavy metal

It might be argued that, in this day and age, no one really needs heavy metal at all anymore. The genre seemed to have burnt itself out about the time Hair Metal became big. And yet, many of those Hair Metal bands are still touring. So i dunno.

Anyway, i typify Copa Vance as consisting of power chords with plodding drumming and lots of screaming. But metal screaming not hardcore screaming -- there is a fine line between these two types of throat charring vocalizations, and i can't really describe the difference. Copa Vance seem to fall more on the Sepultura/Biohazard side of things, as opposed to the TSOL/Black Flag side.

And they are LOUD. Not just the regular ear splitting volumes at The EARL (motto: So damned loud no conversation is possible inside the club, EVER!), but they seemed even louder than most bands do.

At any rate: ugh.

Rizzudo: improved screaming prog

I first saw Rizzudo play at some festival a year or so ago. At the time, their sound was a raw blend of prog rock and hardcore punk. There were complicated keyboard parts, odd staccato rhythms, and synchronized screaming from the two tall, baldish brothers that front the band. I was not too impressed that first time.

This is, i think, the fourth time i have seen them, and they have steadily gotten better. They have continually refined their sound, improving the quality of the vocals and balancing out the two seemingly disparate elements of their sound. Now, Rizzudo are a finely tuned energy machine, cranking out complex songs that move along at a speedy pace.

Definitely improved. In fact, they are now my second favorite band in the Atlanta Math Rock scene. Good for them.

Moreland Audio: missed guitar mastery

I had been looking forward to this show for a long time. Moreland Audio are the remains of The Purkinje Shift, whose jazz-inflected math rock spoke to me in a way that few bands ever have. I enjoy this band every time i see them, so tonight was long anticipated, as Moreland Audio release their debut full-length LP, Turbo Gold.

So how to describe Moreland Audio? Take two amazingly talented guitarists and a drummer who knows his stuff. Then give the drummer a laptop with some sequenced samples, and give one of the guitarists a slide guitar. Make sure that they have some knowledge of jazz rhythms, and then cut them loose.

Moreland Audio songs trade complex guitar lines between Gary Flom and Benjamin Davis. The have been working together for a long time now, and it shows. The songs have an improvised feel yet seem structured and not wandering. It is as if they are so comfortable with each other and their instruments that they can play and experiment on stage, turning each song into a fun-filled romp through what is possible with 2 guitars. Those two continue to impress me.

I highly urge anyone who is interested in math rock or jazz to give Moreland Audio a listen if you get the chance. They don't play out often, which is a shame, but when they do they certainly make it worth my while.

None available.