Music Discovery Monday – 9/26/16
Music Discovery Monday shines a light on artists that are not getting the radio attention that they deserve, while also showcasing new singles by established bands that are likely to get airplay in the future.
This week, in an exclusive interview with Hard Rock Daddy, NonHuman Era drummer Rick Dessi shares the meaning behind the band’s single, “A New Breed.”
In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlist below, all songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be listened to individually by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles above each review.
ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)
NONHUMAN ERA – “A New Breed”
What do you get when you mix the intensity of European power metal, the musical sensibilities of Dream Theater and the in-your-face, soaring, aggressive vocals of Rob Halford in his prime? The answer is…NonHuman Era, another in a long line of outstanding Canadian rockers that I’ve discovered over the past year or so. To be fair, I didn’t actually discover NonHuman Era in the traditional sense; they discovered Hard Rock Daddy and reached out to me.
NonHuman Era doesn’t take time to ease you into “A New Breed”…they hit you like a ton of bricks with blood pumping riffs and rhythm before Pierre St-Jean rips through you with vocals that will remind you of classic Judas Priest. Rick Dessi lays down intense (almost tribal) beats while Carlos Zappavigna shreds on guitar. All the while, the keyboards of Marek Krowicki subtly fill in the spaces and Jean-Francois Vicente holds it all together with his pulsating bass.
After an intense musical roller coaster ride, NonHuman Era lets you catch your breath as “A New Breed” fades to silence with soft keys and haunting chants.
In a Hard Rock Daddy exclusive interview, NonHuman Era drummer Rick Dessi shared the meaning behind “A New Breed”…
“The song is about what we can be if we change our view of who we are, and realize that we all matter equally. It represents hope of change. It touches on what we imagine humanity could be if we were to shed the constraints of greed, religious ideologies and discriminatory behavior. The next stage of human evolution of sorts…boundless and free.”
CRY OF DAWN – “Tell Me”
Italian record label Frontiers Music is the undisputed king of putting out ‘80s-influenced, melodic hard rock albums. In addition to releasing new material from artists that a generation of rock fans grew up on, they are also responsible for pairing talented musicians and songwriters for interesting projects. Cry Of Dawn is one of their latest melodic rock projects. This one features the vocals of Goran Edman, an incredible singer who may not be a household name, but whose resume includes a dizzying number of contributions.
“Tell Me” is pure, melodic ‘80s rock at its best. If you’re a fan of bands like Journey, Night Ranger and Bad English, this will be right in your wheelhouse.
ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout
CHARRED WALLS OF THE DAMNED – “The Soulless”
What do you get when you combine musicians from the band Death and Tim “Ripper” Owens? You get a thrash metal masterpiece with Judas Priest-like vocals from a band named Charred Walls of the Damned. This thrash/heavy metal band will remind you of classic ‘80s metal bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden, but with a modern thrash feel highlighted by the rhythm section of drummer Richard Christy (Iced Earth, Death) and bassist Steve DiGiorgio (Testament, Iced Earth, Death). “The Soulless” is the first single off the band’s third album, Creatures Watching Over the Dead. Looking forward to hearing the entire album when it is released.
MESHUGGAH – “Nostrum”
If progressive, complex death/djent metal is your thing, Meshuggah’s eighth studio album, The Violent Sleep of Reason, should be on your playlist. This Swedish metal band composes music in such complex time signatures and polyrhythms, that it is often difficult to follow along, but each piece of the song fits together perfectly. The guitars are heavy with low tuning, the drumming of Tomas Haake is precise and chaotic at the same time, and the vocals of Jens Kidman are guttural and menacing. Fans of technical death metal should give this a listen.
ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout
FRACTAL CYPHER – “Lost”
Fractal Cypher is a progressive metal band out of Canada. Their debut album, The Human Paradox, teems with complex compositions and stunning musicianship. On “Lost,” the band shifts effortlessly between speedy riffs and lingering vocals, always finding their way back to the melody.
SUMERLANDS – “The Guardian”
Sumerlands has just released their self-titled debut album, boasting some addictive riffs and a classic metal sound. This group of veteran musicians came together in 2014, released a demo, and, having now released their first album, will be making their debut live performance on October 1st in Brooklyn, NY.
CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH – HRD Music Scout
NARNIA – “Reaching For the Top”
“Reaching for the Top” breaks from the gate with excellent rhythms and terrific vocals, highlighting this inspirational new track from Narnia (named for the classic fantasy novels from C.S. Lewis). These Swedes disbanded in 2010, but reunited in 2014. This bright and driving track is from their latest, eponymous release.
OLLIE BERNSTEIN’S OUSIODES – “Arcadia”
Skillful classical piano sets the theme for “Arcadia,” a pure, symphonic, power metal anthem. The lyrics chronicle Samael Aun Weor’s tale of a demon who renounced evil. The album is named for his book – The Revolution of Beelzebub. This articulate and driving composition is the work of one man – Ollie Bernstein – who wrote and produced the song, in addition to providing the vocals and playing guitar / bass.
SUBMISSIONS
To be considered for Music Discovery Monday, please e-mail a link to the song being submitted on YouTube and an artist bio to – submissions@MusicDiscoveryMonday.com
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