I used to review CDs for hardcorewebsite.net from like 2001-2002. Possibly the only decent CDs I ever got were the Irate and Through The Discipline EPs and some random disc from a band called Clearing Autumn Skies. All I ever knew of the band were that they were from California and sounded like a west coast take on earlier Candiria material (minus the jazz). I haven't listened to this EP in a few years. I recently pulled it out and was equally blown away as the first time I heard it back in 2002.
This is the definition of a criminally underrated band. I have yet to meet a single person who was even remotely familiar with this group. They put out a follow-up full length and later turned into Apiary (minus the drummer) who did a full length for Iron Clad Records. (Apiary has since turned into the band Early Graves and has somehow lost every single original member in the process.) These are both solid releases, but neither of them have been able to match up to this EP for some reason. There's just something about the recording of the original EP that the follow-ups fail to re-create in my fucked up head. I'm sure its nothing more than a personal inclination towards the first thing I had heard from them, but who can reallyThe music flows back and forth between the dreary acoustic instrumentation that went hand-in-hand with their earlier metalcore counterparts and the off-time, down-tuned Meshuggah-esque chugging in which the metalcore bands of today are still trying to perfect. As previously stated the band constantly breaks into Candiria styled riffing and percussion work reminiscent of their Beyond Reasonable Doubt and Surrealistic Madness albums without lifting any of their actual material. The vocals remind me of something that I can't put my finger on. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
I initially uploaded the Apiary full length while it was unknowingly still in press. If you've downloaded it, I'm sure you loved it and should now go HERE to purchase it from Iron Clad Recordings.
Drummer John Lazarus has been playing with Stomacher since the end of Clearing Autumn Skies. Guitarist Mike McClatchey has three projects under the monikers Balcony, Lament Cityscape and The Conceal (which is possibly the heaviest thing I've heard in years). All of these projects are putting out some of the more interesting music I've heard in recent memory all across the musical spectrum
DOWNLOAD THE DISCOGRAPHY
4 comments:
what did you mean exactly about not being able to put your finger on it about the vocals?
what kind of insight are you looking for?
-the vocalist
(the other mike, not to confused with mak,or jay, who were the other two singers, one before me and one after me, funny, they both sang for apiary as well, but i am the one on the c.a.s. recordings.)
we should definitely hang some time. tellthetruthpdx@gmail.com
It's really funny that you say that...i came across Patent Distorted several years ago and checked it out because i really liked the name. since then you're probably the only other person i've met who knew who this band was.
...props for the followup info. i knew these guys had something to do with apiary, had no idea about Early Graves, who i don't particularly care for. not engaging enough, even with the black guy talking about racism angle, as a black guy, still not as good as Patent Distorted.
totally randomly found my way to your blog and then found this post. I'm from their home town area and they were probably one of the most under rated local bands. They put on an amazing show and were all amazing musicians. Still one of my favorite bands to listen to now and then from my younger years.
I just picked up a "unplug the blur" shirt from them. I collect vintage band tees + unheard of bands. Since nobody knows about them I assume it might be worth more than the $10 I payed for it. Does anyone know what "unplug the blur" is? I can only find one album by them and I don't know what happened to them or anything. Any ideas anyone?
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