Of Hearts and Shadows is the latest in a long line of screamo acts looking to make a dent in the scene. However, to simply call them screamo would be oversimplifying the music they create. Or, I could just be looking for some way to justify my enjoyment of the music. If you have made a habit of reading my reviews, you probably know that screamo bands have a harder job of winning me over. You see, I am more of a metal guy and the screamo scene often times escapes me. I just wanted that up front, it is not that I am not open to it, but like any new style that comes up and makes it big there are bound to be a lot of sound alike bands that try to get caught in the wake of the frontrunners. That being the case, I have found fewer screamo bands that I actually like. Of Hearts and Shadows is one of those bands that showcases a high level of talent and make moves to expand on the borders of the music the play.Touching Base with a Chainsaw is not a perfect album, not by a longshot, but there is certainly a lot to sink your teeth into. The screamo label is an easy fit for them, although there is a lot of metalcore in their sound. It is almost like a metalcore band brought in a screamo style vocalist and the result is some sort of mutant emocore. I like that, emocore. The vocals have that alternating clean and raw throated scream mix that is a signature of screamo, but the music has a lot of technical precision in their timing with their lead harmonies and hardcore-esque breakdowns.
Honestly, this album was a surprise. I did not expect much from it, which was likely a mistake on my part, but I am tough enough to admit it. I was caught offguard, the music is crisp, heavy, very easy to bang your head to. Not to mention the strong grooves that they develop, lots of breakdowns and melodic phrasing mixed in that demonstrate some nicely developing songwriting skills.
The weakest part of the band would have to be the vocals, more specifically the clean style employed by Scott Bixby. His scream is quite good, loud, in your face, and carries some emotion. The clean style, however, comes across as a bit flat, not bad most of the time, exposed primarily in the final track, "Aldernaun." The song is considerably softer than the rest of the album, spiced with some acoustic guitars, and while musically it has a nice flow to it, a nice counterpoint to the rest of the album, the vocals don't really work for me. Not terrible, just a little weaker than on the heavier tracks.For the most part, Touching Base with a Chainsaw delivers the goods. Pay particular attention to tracks "Pretty for Nostalgia," "Arbitrary," "Pull the Trigger," and their near eight minute epic "The Airport Symphonies." Them, as the album begins to wind down, they offer up a solo piano instrumental called "Two Years," it is a soft, contemplative piece which works well as chill down from the rage that has preceded it.
Musically, the band is led by the twin guitars of co-founder Ricky Vazquez and Ian Archer, as they team for some great melodies and very heavy power driven sections. Behind them are bassist Isaih Herevia, and drummer Matt Williams. They are young, and all show the skills to take Of Hearts and Shadows to the next level.
Touching Base with a Chainsaw is a strong debut for the emocore (I'll make it work) act out of San Diego, CA. I will say, I am not a big fan of the band name, sounds a little too, uh, screamo for me. Also, if I may comment on the album cover, the band's name is a little too hard to make out, it doesn't pop enough. I'd recommend a different font, or at least a different color, so I am not left starring at it trying to figure out who it is.
Bottomline. Definitely worth your time. This is an good album, no doubt about it. It is a band that does not seem content to follow what has been done, but tries to bring a little more to the table. It will be interesting to see how the develop over their next couple of albums. Of Hearts and Shadows is definitely a band to keep an eye on.
Recommended.
The science fiction films of 1980 fit a variety of needs. For those looking for an existential experience there was Ken Russell's Altered States; for the sequel lovers in all of us, there was The Empire Strikes Back and Superman II (two of the best); for a more real world feel you could turn to The Final Countdown for your fix. There was one title that stood apart from all of those, it wasn't an original outing nor was it a sequel, it was anything but a serious movie. Flash Gordon exploded onto the screen in a blast of candy colored campiness in December of 1980. Now, nearly 27 years later, Flash Gordon has gotten a DVD release worthy of its technicolor insanity.
Korn is one of those bands that I will forever be an unapologetic fan of. They will never have the respect of metal fans, and nu-metal has pretty much run its course. where does that leave the boys in Korn? In a position to do some experimentation, the opportunity to continue tinkering with their sound and expand their horizons. Anyway, Their last album was last year's See You on the Other Side, which offered up some good cuts, but paled next to their earlier output. That was also the first release following the departure of guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. It also found the band experimenting with some more industrial-like touches. This latest release finds the band short yet another member, and taking deeper excursions into industrial and atmospheric mid-tempo numbers. The result is an album which is their best release in years.
Anyway, Untitled, as I have seen it listed, presumably to avoid confusion with their eponymous debut album, is a strong release that held my attention from start to finish. It continues the evolution that was hinted at on See You On the Other Side. There is a fusion of Korn's standard sensibilities with those of Nine Inch Nails. It is still distinctly Korn, but there is something more, something different, and something interesting. Jonathan Davis and company move further into the atmospheric side of music, keyboards, slowed tempos, and an overall darker feel. Add that NIN feel, mix in a little bit of Type O Negative's dark dirge sound, and you get this new look Korn. It is a sound that doesn't sound quite as mainstream as it has in the past, though it does still come complete with a couple of single ready tracks.
Chris Rock's I Think I Love My Wife is a movie that has good intentions, but is saddled with a script and performances that never quite mesh. It is a pseudo-remake of Eric Rohmer's Chloe in the Afternoon. The thing about the remake is that it took the central concept of that 1972 film, and merged it with the essence of Chris Rock's stand up. The end result is a film that takes a stab at serious relationship issues, but is dogged by a high vulgarity count which only lessens the impact of the heart. Still, it is a film that is not awful, it just feels like a missed opportunity.
Chris Rock stars as Richard, a successful businessman, married to Brenda (Gina Torres) with two adorably young children. Richard is happy, but there is something missing from his life, sex. This is putting a strain on the relationship, but the marriage seems solid, still Richard's eyes are wandering. That is until Nikki (Kerry Washington) enters his life. She is an old friend who injects herself back into Richard's life, and the two are soon meeting for lunches and running errands together. It is not long before Richard's resolve begins to waver, will he remain true, or will he succumb to the gorgeous Nikki?
It is an interesting, if frustrating mix of realism and staginess. While the issues and the relationships seem real, a lot of the dialogue feels like a play with a dash of stand up. It does not ring true. I felt as if I was being kept at arms length, I could not become fully invested in the plight of the characters because of this dialogue issue. The pervasive vulgarity was a strike against the script as well. I have no problem with bad language, but it is all over the place in this movie, and it robbed the strength of the relationships. It was as if they felt the need to pepper it into the script without any regard for whether it fit the moment or not. Then there is the climax with characters breaking into song, what was that all about?
Problems aside, the heart is in the right place. This is a marriage where communication has broken down. Richard and Brenda are not talking to each other, and when they do it is the mundane things like what they are having for dinner, until the moment that they snap and those little talks become arguments. Those arguments over inconsequential things lead to bigger problems as we end up with situations like what develop in this movie. The characters are in the midst of taking stock of their lives, and they have all reached a turning point at the same time.
This week's pick is none other than the latest incarnation of everyone's heroes on the half shell, TMNT. It wins out based partially on childhood nostalgia, but mostly because it is actually a quality film filled with good action, nice animation, and is all around an exciting slice of cinema.
"Spoon!"
It has been some time since the Satellite of Love has been lost to deep space, or crashed to Earth, or whatever happened to it. In the years since the end of Mystery Science Theater 3000, Mike Nelson has sought other avenues to deliver his comedically scathing commentaries of films that deserve a good skewering. One avenue has been his 
The first target that has landed within their sights is a little known 1968 release (made in 1961)mash of heist caper and sexploitation called Hollywood After Dark (originally released under the Walk the Angry Beach moniker). It stars a younger Rue McClanahan as a would be starlet with dreams of silver screen success, though she is stuck working a seedy burlesque show with a couple of thieves for bosses. While the stripper Rue brings the retrospect star power, her story is really the secondary plot. The stripper story plays second fiddle to the focusing on Tony (Jack Vorno, whose sole other credit is another sexploitation flick called Help Wanted, Female). Tony, a former undersea demolitions expert currently runs a junkyard. However, two goofy gentleman that cross the fence line are not interested in a dented muffler, rather they are seeking to employ Tony's past experience in an armored car robbery.
Our comedic trio have plenty to make fun of in this uncooked turkey. From the wacky use of music, to the horrendous burlesque dancing that goes on fo way to long, to the goofy beach dates, to the extended robbery sequence that is performed in mime (not really, but there is no dialogue), concluding with the nonsensical climax. Sure, some of the film is cut out to accomadate the Film Crew skits, but it would take a lot of footage to make this a watchable movie. In this new format, we do not get the silhouettes in the corner of the screen, nor do we get the sci-fi vignettes, but that is the price we pay for new tracks!