No Idols and Engineer…

No Idols - Low (Swing the Pyramid Hands)Having been totally floored by their 7", I'd been really looking forward to the debut "full-length" (barely, it's only 23 minutes long, and a little over two of those minutes are made up by the overloaded drones that bookend the album) from No Idols, and indeed the Syracuse outfit blows through 11 killer tracks on "Low (Swing the Pyramid Hands)", coming from the fine folks at Hex Records. I find it really interesting how this band manages to somehow defy general categorization. I'm hearing a little more of a rhythmically surging post-hardcore influence on these tracks thanks to a really full and natural sounding recording that lets the dissonance ring out with maximum efficiency, but they certainly don't sound like any of the bands that the term "post-hardcore" brings to mind. It's also wholly heavy and hard-hitting, but there's nothing that sounds like a metal influence whatsoever. And while hardcore at heart, aside from the fierce vocals there's nary a traditional hardcore reference to be found. That's not to say that it sounds like some groundbreaking redefinition of hardcore as we know it, I wouldn't say that at all, but there's definitely something unique about it. It's not easy to take these types of frantic riffs and discordant textures and craft powerful, memorable songs out of 'em, but these guys nail it. Weird layout, too. And I really dig the flow of the lyrics as well. This is just great shit. Very much recommended.

No Idols "Belief"
No Idols "Stencil City"

You have no excuse not to make the grab if you dig it, and you damn well should, so go for it:

Hex Records
Very Distribution

Engineer - ReproachAlso from Syracuse, also from Hex Records, and also a debut full-length, Engineer's "Reproach" unloads nine tracks and about 35 minutes of pummeling metalcore (for lack of a better term) with badass low vocal shouts over everything from Botch-esque pull-off runs and winding dissonance (not to mention some angular textures reminiscent of the above No Idols disc) to crushing walls of dense power chords and occasional little rocked out runs. The density of the recording combined with the general beefiness of the riffs tends to create a darker atmosphere on this one—sort of like Deadguy making out with His Hero is Gone—but I wouldn't tie Engineer all that closely to any of the bands that I've named off thus far, these are just reference points. There's definitely a serious sense of massiveness going on in terms of just building up the layers and plowing through without looking back—they're not fucking around here. This one's also got a slick looking visual aesthetic and concise lyrics that fit the tone of the music very well. Another keeper from the Hex camp.

Engineer "In the Grit"
Engineer "Shiner"

I'm not seeing this one around at distros yet, so unless you feel like waiting for it to hit your normal sources, just grab it straight from the label for $10 (their site refers to it as a pre-order, but it's officially out now):

@ Hex Records

Comments

  1. No Idols is probably my new favorite band. Sooo good.

    2.7.2006 | By Tyrone

  2. Shit, I didn’t even know the new Engineer cd was out. Thanks for the heads up. “In The Grit” is awesome, sounds a bit rocked out compared to the Engineer of yore. Good stuff.

    2.7.2006 | By The Redeemer

  3. dude, MARATHON

    marathon.cjb.net

    2.7.2006 | By Anonymous

  4. Hey Andrew, have you heard this new Syracuse band called Unholy??? pretty good shit bro!!

    2.8.2006 | By xbenx

  5. Thanks for this. Not heard these before but am now on the lookout for more

    3.7.2006 | By Traps

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