Deftones - Koi No Yokan

The 2012 offering from Deftones continues in the direction that Chino Moreno has been driving their music since their self-titled release in 2003. Fans of the vocal style of Chino Moreno in early albums like Adrenaline and Around the Fur will only see glimpses of it here. But not to fear! There are tracks on this one that rival the best riffs from the early material. The guitars are layered beautifully and will demand multiple listens to fully sink in. There's so much going on. The first 6 tracks feel almost like a single track with things taking a surprising turn on the 7th track "Tempest", with the band venturing into their most doom/space/shoegaze territory yet, all layered on top of Chino's painfully honest screaming, the most intense vocal display I've heard of his. Can't wait to listen to the album "Gore", that they released last month.

On a side note, I hope Chino and Zach Hill do collaborate once more and give us another Team Sleep release! Also, could please Deftones and James Maynard Keenan get together to create another track like Passenger?!

Metal EPs

My favourite EPs in no order of preference.

• Mastodon - Lifesblood - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifesblood
• This EP introduces the world to Brann Dailor's drumming in all its glory. While his collaborations with Today is the Day and some other acts were good, he takes it to the next level on this EP. I wish Mastodon releases something inspired by this in the future just for fans of their early material.

• The Dillinger Escape Plan - Under the Running Board - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Under_the_Running_Board
• A ground breaking album, packs an enormous punch - and it's 7 mins long

• The Dillinger Escape Plan - Irony is a Dead Scene - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irony_Is_a_Dead_Scene
• One of the most versatile musicians of past 3 decades, Mike Patton, is the front man on this EP. Enough said!

• Opiate - Tool - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opiate_(EP)
• Diverse influences are visible on this EP. Great tracks, also sort of feels like a practice pad for the band before they perfected their sound

• Slayer - Haunting the Chapel - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haunting_the_Chapel
• Slayer coming off of the madness that Show No Mercy was, takes a tangential direction on this EP. Very interesting stuff

• Meshuggah - I - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_(Meshuggah_EP)
• Thomas Haake says about this release, "That whole track was written and recorded just on random". Thank you very much!

• Mercyful Fate - Mercyful Fate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercyful_Fate_(EP)
• What a flawless album for a first release! I would even go so far as to say that it competes with the best material they've later put out

• Entombed - Hollowman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollowman
• A radical departure from their previous work, the precursor to their genre defining album Wolverine Blues

The Dust Brothers

I've been listening to the movie score of Fight Club for more than a decade now. It's one of the finest pieces of electronic music ever composed. A few months ago, I stumbled upon Paul's Boutique, the album The Dust Brothers produced for The Beastie Boys in 1989. It features some of the most creative sampling work ever. They've also produced the album Odelay by the almighty Beck!

Color Haze

I can't remember if I wrote about Color Haze here. Their 2008 release All  in my opinion is one of the most refreshing modern takes on what used to be called Stoner Rock in the 90s. Elements of psychedelic, jam, stoner are brought together perfectly, on top of an almost Indian-Classical like underlying rhythm. Enjoy the journey on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tz_trYy_Fgo

Music

It's been forever since I've posted on here. A list of albums I find myself coming back to always, in no order (since around 2005 when I discovered most of these. I've only picked one album per band except in the case of the band Death).

• Leviathan by Mastodon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_(album) 
• The Fragile by Nine Inch Nails - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fragile_(Nine_Inch_Nails_album)
• Symbolic, Individual Thought Patterns by Death - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_(Death_album) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_Thought_Patterns
• Unquestionable Presence by Atheist - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unquestionable_Presence
• Crimson by Edge of Sanity - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimson_(Edge_of_Sanity_album)
• I by Meshuggah - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_(Meshuggah_EP)
• Ænima by Tool - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86nima
• The Process of Self Development by Candiria - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Process_of_Self-Development
• Welcome to the Sky Valley by Kyuss - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Sky_Valley
• The Remedy Lane by Pain of Salvation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remedy_Lane
• Before These Crowded Street by Dave Matthews Band - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Before_These_Crowded_Streets
• Deliverance by Opeth - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deliverance_(Opeth_album)
• Viva Emptiness by Katatonia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viva_Emptiness
• Sea Change by Beck - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Change_(album)
• Four by Blues Traveler - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_(Blues_Traveler_album)
• Conqueror by Jesu - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conqueror_(Jesu_album)
• Lightbulb Sun by Porcupine Tree - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightbulb_Sun
• Rift by Phish - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rift_(album)
• Cowboys from Hell by Pantera - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys_from_Hell
• Terria by Devin Townsend - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terria_(Devin_Townsend_album)
• Synergy by Extol - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergy_(Extol_album) 
• Rust In Peace by Megadeth - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rust_in_Peace
• Sol Niger Within by Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol_Niger_Within
• Fight Club Movie Score by The Dust Brothers
• White Pony by Deftones - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Pony
• Ten by Pearl Jam - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_(Pearl_Jam_album)
• Core by Stone Temple Pilots - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Core_(Stone_Temple_Pilots_album)
• Alice In Chains Unplugged - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unplugged_(Alice_in_Chains_album)
• Nevermind by Nirvana - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevermind
• Down On The Upside by Soundgarden - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_on_the_Upside
• Santana by Santana - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santana_(1969_album)
• Animals by Pink Floyd - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_(Pink_Floyd_album)
• Creedence - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicle,_Vol._1, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chronicle,_Vol._2
• Experience Hendrix - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experience_Hendrix:_The_Best_of_Jimi_Hendrix
• Outlandos d'Amour by The Police - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outlandos_d%27Amour
• Kid A by Radiohead - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_A
• The Thirteenth Step by A Perfect Circle - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteenth_Step
• Bug by Dinosaur Jr. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bug_(Dinosaur_Jr._album)
• Sailing the seas of Cheese by Primus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailing_the_Seas_of_Cheese
• Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory by Dream Theater - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_Pt._2:_Scenes_from_a_Memory
• Fashion Nugget by Cake - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashion_Nugget
• In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Court_of_the_Crimson_King
• Houses of the Holy by Led Zeppelin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houses_of_the_Holy
• One Hot Minute by Red Hot Chili Peppers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Hot_Minute
• Elvenefris by Lykathea Aflame - https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lykathea_Aflame
• Nespithe by Demilich - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nespithe
• A Show of Hands by Victor Wooten - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Show_of_Hands_(Victor_Wooten_album)
• Extraction by Victor Wooten-Greg Howe-Dennis Chambers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraction_(Greg_Howe_album)
• Reign In Blood by Slayer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_in_Blood
• Extreme Aggression by Kreator - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extreme_Aggression
• Abandoned Language by dälek - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abandoned_Language
• Tumuli Shroomaroom by Acrimony - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumuli_Shroomaroom
• Entroducing by DJ Shadow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endtroducing.....
• Close To The Edge by Yes - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Close_to_the_Edge_(Yes_album)
• A Vision Of Misery by Sadus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Vision_of_Misery
• Prowler in the Yard by Pig Destroyer - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prowler_in_the_Yard
• Rage Against the Machine by Rage Against the Machine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rage_Against_the_Machine_(album)
• DJ Krush - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DJ_Krush
• Petitioning the Empty Sky by Converge - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petitioning_the_Empty_Sky
• Bill Laswell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Laswell
• Wonderful Rainbow by Lightning Bolt - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderful_Rainbow
• Hold Your Horse Is by Hella - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hold_Your_Horse_Is
• Don Caballero 2 by Don Caballero - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Caballero_2
• Moving Pictures by Rush - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_Pictures_(Rush_album)
• Under The Running Board/Irony Is a Dead Scene by The Dillinger Escape Plan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dillinger_Escape_Plan
• The Director's Cut by Fantômas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Director%27s_Cut
• Rhythms from a Cosmic Sky by Earthless - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthless#Discography
• Peace, Love, Death Metal by The Eagles of Death Metal - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace,_Love,_Death_Metal
• Testimony of the Ancients by Pestilence - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Testimony_of_the_Ancients
• Grand Opening and Closing by Sleepytime Gorilla Museum - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleepytime_Gorilla_Museum
• The Complex by The Blue Man Group - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Complex_(album)
• Probot - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probot
• The Dropper by Medeski, Martin & Wood - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dropper
• Drawing Circles by Textures - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_Circles
• Birds Of Fire by Mahavishnu Orchestra - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birds_of_Fire
• Gordian Knot by Gordian Knot - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordian_Knot_(album)
• Operation Mindcrime by Queensrÿche - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation:_Mindcrime
• Melissa by Merciful Fate - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_(Mercyful_Fate_album)
• Outbound by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outbound_(B%C3%A9la_Fleck_and_the_Flecktones_album)
• All by Color Haze - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colour_Haze
• π by Clint Mansell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_(film)#Soundtrack

Some more recent discoveries (since around 2010), which have been up for regular repeat listenings:

• Meantime by Helmet - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meantime_(album)
• Wolverine Blues by Entombed - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolverine_Blues
• Souvlaki by Slowdive https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souvlaki_(album)
• Isn't Anything by My Bloody Valentine - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isn%27t_Anything
• Music Has the Right to Children by Boards of Canada - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Has_the_Right_to_Children
• Twisted by Hallucinogen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_(Hallucinogen_album)
• The Gathering by Infected Mushroom - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gathering_(Infected_Mushroom_album)
• Nujabes - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nujabes
• Steely Dan - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steely_Dan
• Aphex Twin - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphex_Twin
• Peaceblaster by STS9 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sound_Tribe_Sector_9#Discography
• Art Metal by Jonas Hellborg Band - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Metal_(band)
• Freak Kitchen - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_Kitchen
• Mats/Morgan Band - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mats/Morgan_Band
• Band on the Run by Paul McCartney and Wings - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney_and_Wings
• Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pet_Sounds
• The Cold Vein by Cannibal Ox - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cold_Vein
• Random Access Memories by Daft Punk - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Random_Access_Memories

Slacksuite

I've started composing some music. The first song is kind of ready. Its called Curious and can be found at slacksuite. Thanks to my good friend Vikas for writing the drum track for the song.

Leaving Home - The Life and Music of Indian Ocean

I finally got the movie. Don't ask how! The movie is everything that I expected it to be and much more. Indian Ocean is a band that has been through a long and arduous journey before they found mainstream credit. The movie takes us through the memory lane of the band right from their childhood, to the early 80s when the band was conceived through to the present day.
It's interesting to see the band members and their family members talk about their backgrounds and the process of discovering their sound. We also get to see ex-band members whose words leave no doubt in the viewer's mind that Sushmit Sen (guitars) and the late Asheem Chakravarty (vocals, percussion) always believed in their music, although the band was never taken seriously until much later in their career. It wasn't until they met Rahul Ram (vocals, bass) and Amit Kilam (drums, keyboards) that they became a formidable musical unit that was able to fuse traditional Indian folk music with improvisational tendencies of jam bands in a manner that has never been done before. The band draws its inspiration from sources as diverse as the tribes of Narmada valley, the folk music of Rajasthan, Kashmir, Bihar, Assam and interprets the music in a manner that is uniquely Indian Ocean.
The movie not only talks about the band but also indirectly brings to focus the things that are wrong with the music scene in the country. It is almost painful to see the band talk about them getting rejected by every record label that they approached, because a record executive felt their music was not a product that'd make millions through mass sales. Sushmit narrates an incident when he went to the UK in hope of finding takers for their music. There too he was rejected because they weren't an authentic "Indian" band - in the sense that they use guitars and bass instead of more traditional Indian instruments. That was when the band had decided to release the album on their own. It is also interesting to know that Desert Rain, the first album of the band, is also the first and probably the only live album release of an Indian band until now. Sadly the movie didn't do much to widen the audience of their music, but it has set a trend for things to follow. Hopefully more such movies see the light of day!

Brave New World

Aldous Huxley has been on the to-read list for a long time but not until recently - I saw a copy of Brave New World and picked it up finally. I love 1984, but I like Brave New World better. Huxley approaches things in a very scientific manner, laying the basis for the story upon a set of basic axioms he believes will help create a completely mind controlled future. I also picked up this other book written by him called The Devils of Loudun. Its a non-fiction novel set in 17th century France amidst all the Catholic hysteria surrounding people who practice the "old" religion i.e., witchcraft. It's a brilliantly researched upon book. Huxley provides numerous references to books that have been written on related subjects, for anyone who cares about it. There are also a lot of Latin passages and quotes sprinkled all over the place - this is where I kind of do not completely get what he is talking about - but they do not take anything away from the superb description of the prevailing beliefs and situations. I right in the middle of the book, I'm reading it kind of slowly, but I'm sure will finish it in a few days.
   There is also a movie based on the book, called The Devils. The director is interestingly Ken Russell, the director of Altered States, one of the weirdest and coolest sci-fi movies I've seen.

VALIS

I recently finished reading VALIS, a highly acclaimed work of Philip K. Dick. I have been a huge fan of Philip K. Dick since I first saw Waking Life and later A Scanner Dartkly. Richard Linklater, the director of the two movies happens to be a big fan too and frequently uses ideas of Philip K. Dick. I had read a few of Dick's books in the past - A Scanner Darkly, Counter-Clock World, Our Friends from Frolix 8, Time Out of Joint. While I thoroughly enjoyed each one of those reads, it wasn't until I read VALIS that I had discovered the true genius in Dick's writings. Highly enjoyable!

Mirror

Mirror is the fourth Andrei Tarkovsky movie I've seen. The first two being Stalker and Solaris, arguably two of the best sci-fi movies ever made. The third one is actually a short called The Steamroller and the Violin. Mirror wasn't a sci-fi movie, but what beauty! It's full of stunning imagery. Tarkovsky's movies helped me redefine my notion of the movie medium - that the image is more important than anything else. The story, the plotline, the background music are all secondary. If hollywood isn't your cup of tea, please do yourself a favor by watching Tarkovsky's movies.

David Cronenberg

I saw A History of Violence in college. It wasn't such a special movie. After that I luckily chanced upon a few of his other movies on the TV and wow, is he crazy or what. He is known for developing this genre called body horror, most of his themes deal with horrors of bodily transformations and infections etc. You have to watch his movies to really understand what I'm saying. Definitely some of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen. Recommended :
  The Fly
  eXistenZ
  Naked Lunch
  Dead Ringers
  Eastern Promises
Eastern Promises wasn't in the sci-fi genre but it was still pretty good.
Each one of these movies left me with a feeling of uneasiness which I haven't experienced too many times in life.

Remember this rockumentary?

.. called Leaving Home? Too bad, it played only one show in Hyderabad city at 11:00 AM on 3rd April, in only one theater. I didn't get to watch it too.
And.. that's the kind of fan following we have in India for the band Indian Ocean. I remember seeing the ticker on a news channel saying Leaving Home: The Life and Music of Indian Ocean was releasing nationwide on 2nd April. My joy new no bounds. Indian Ocean is one of the most understated bands of our time. I've been an ardent follower of the band ever since I first heard them in 2003, listening to all of their albums regularly even now. It always beat me why these guys were so obscure. Obscure is not exactly the word, thanks to Bandeh and Kandisa. The lack of an ecosystem in India for independent music is disheartening. The movie Leaving Home has proved it. I'm hoping there will be a DVD release of this movie. You can read more about this movie at Director Jaideep Varma's blog.

Candiria - The Process of Self Development

I can't believe this band has existed for 17 years. The band calls their style Urban Fusion. post-rock-mathprog-electro-pop-grind-rap-core-ambient-dnb-jazz-metal. you are free to insert as many genres in the - in the previous sentence. Thats a pretty accurate description of their genre. These guys switch from heavy groove metal to latin jazz and along the way throw in a hip-hop interlude or noodling space rock riffs. Now, this may not be everyone's idea of music, but if you like listening to crazy stuff and you don't care to label your music as this or that, you'll love Candiria. I have listened to all their previous albums and just downloaded their 2008 release "Kiss the lie". Get The Process of Self Development now!

Mastodon - Leviathan

Beware! Collosal metal grooves will crush you. Brann dailor is a drumming monster gone berzerk. His heavy drum rolls swirl in and out of the tune, completely swallowing it at times. This kind of metal drumming very rarely comes by, if ever. This is one of the few modern metal bands that actually lend the term modern any meaning. The angry screams of Troy Sanders are so apt for the music. The vocals are quite varied on the album and get pretty innovative in tracks like Seabeast. The guitarist lays down the perfect riffage which sometimes gets amazingly bluesy for the high powered rhythms that Dailor plays. Oddly, it feels as though it is the drummer's heavy fill based drumming that's driving the album unlike the more conventional guitar based structure. Finally, the track Hearts Alive - the longest in the album, clocking 13 mins is one of my favourite tracks by Mastodon. It starts off as a sober piece and takes the listener through a sonic journey which only a band of this caliber can create - not to mention the amazing guitar solo towards the end of the track. This album features some of the best heavy metal chops displayed in the recent years. This one is not for kids or the light hearted. Be ready to get destroyed

Agalloch - The Mantle

Agalloch is a band from the US. The Mantle can be described using any number of tags like folk, black, doom, stoner, psychedelic or even post-rock, as the wikipedia page suggests. This is a rare piece of work - a dark primeval sound created using atmospheric effects and amazing acoustic guitar melodies. The guitar work is quite minimalist and that makes the album sound beautifully space rock-ish, at the same time creating a desolate but strangely peaceful mood. If you are into any of the genres I mentioned above, get this.

Unquestionable Presence

I've listened to Unquestionable Presence by Atheist a few times recently after a gap of about 2 years. And I rediscovered what a delight it is. This is aggressive, death-thrash-jazz-funk stuff with tons of jaw-dropping riffs. The album opener Mother Man is sheer genius. The song immediately makes clear what to expect from the album. The drumming is mind-numbingly precise and lays down the perfect basis for the ensuing madness. The bass keeps switching between maniacal gallops and crazed funk slap. Kelly Shaefer's vocal work is spot on. This is one heck of an album, one of metal's greatest.

My bass

I bought these yesterday!

RATM becomes Melt-Banana

The cassette player in my car stopped working a few weeks back. It plays songs at about 4 times their original speed. I've listened to Renegades of Funk (RATM), almost always while driving. So the tape player getting screwed didn't stop me from listening to it. I still play it everyday, side a and side b. The extra revolutions make RATM sound like a groovy Melt-Banana. You should try this at home. On a side note, I listened to The Bedlam in Goliath by The Mars Volta just now, twice back to back. Wow! Great prog music. Downloading Amputechture ...

Desmond Morris

The Human Zoo by Desmond Morris is a brilliant attempt to explain the evolution of man, in a sense. It is a very interesting commentary on how man fails to grasp that he is just one more species on the surface of the planet. Man surely has achieved a hell of a lot of more things that our animal counterparts haven't even got the ability to begin understanding. But the biggest drawback of our evolutionary process seems to be that our biological system has failed to evolve on equal terms with the immense evolution of the human brain. Biologically we aren't much different from the monkey - as a result, at some fundamental level, the big urban societies we have built for ourselves suffer from essentially the same problems that animals in captivity have to face. The book takes us through a brilliant analysis of the human zoo.

Gonzo

I read The New Journalism by Tom Wolfe not so long ago. It had some of the most entertaining short stories in the first person narrative. They aren't exactly short stories, as one could call them essays or journals or articles or even, poems, sometimes. I need to get into more gonzo journalism.