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Epitaph Records -- Story of the Year
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Epitaph Records -- Millencolin

Those of you familiar with the standard blend of metal and hardcore that Seventh Rule has been putting out for a few years now will not be disappointed by their latest release by Raise the Red Lantern. This shit's hotter than the stream of piss running down my pants leg right now because I cinched the piss cannon too early in the bathroom. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Smashing their way through ten tracks on their debut album, Raise the Red Lantern defy any standard notions of genre that could be slapped on them as a label. "Breathe Fire" and "Ol Ironside" open the album with mid-tempo riffs and tinges of melodic guitar work, layered on top of smashing drums and sick bass riffs and gritty as hell shouting/screaming/yelling vocals. "Daggers and Men's Smiles" opens with up-tempo drums pounding out a fast double-time with ripping melodic guitar lines behind it.

As the album progresses, their D-beat influence comes out stronger, especially in "Brethren We Built This." The first chorus of the song rings more like Coliseum than anything before it drops into an arpeggioed 3/4 with all three stringed instruments moving in perfect harmony.

Let's take a breather here to talk about how fucking awesome the cover art is.

What strikes me most about this album is how complex the melodies are, even though they take a backburner to the metal and hardcore. This band isn't really a group of musicians so much as four guys who took over an abandoned junkie house on the south side of Chicago and turned it into sort of a skater commune with indoor makeshift ramps. Then they started a band. And that band rips. There is also a shitton of maturity to this recording that seems to be hugely apparent given the fact that this is the band's debut full-length.

As the album progresses, the melodic aspect disperses. Each song seems to be more structured around basic mid-tempo, four-chord hardcore. "Swallow This Swell" is a good example of this as the song keeps up its D-beat tempo for the full three-and-a-half minutes without any half-time melodic breakdown for the first time on the album.

Ultimately, the songs build with "Snake Charmer" and "Shark Attack" to cap it all off with "We Put the Fuck Back in Memphis," which opens with a half-time melodic breakdown and transfers between the double-time and half-time as a representation of everything this band is capable of. If there is one song that sums up the album as a whole, I would say it was this one.

While at times snippets of songs garner comparisons to Coliseum and Converge, the end product to me seems to be what Planes Mistaken for Stars would sound like if they were actually good. For all you Planes Mistaken for Stars fans out there, Raise the Red Lantern is what you should be listening to. For all those who hate Planes Mistaken for Stars, don't worry, you'll probably like this album just as much.

In fact, anyone who likes metal, hardcore, or post-hardcore will probably love this release.



People who liked this also liked:
More Material - Snow Owls For A Better ChinaBlack Lips - We Did Not Know The Forest Spirit Made The Flowers GrowThe Icarus Line - Penance SoireeThe Velvet Underground - The Velvet UndergroundAnimal Collective - Sung TongsLords - SwordsBrian Costello - The Enchanters vs. Sprawlburg Springs [book]Akimbo - Forging Steel and Laying StoneThe Sword - Age of WintersMaritime - We, The Vehicles



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    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, February 16, 2006 at 1:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    ok, all i have to say is go here and tell me what they have to do with planes mistaken for stars...this band fucking owns, if you doubt raise, check this shit out, because i was floored when i saw it: http://www.bakulasaves.com/VIDEO/breathefire.mov

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 13, 2006 at 3:41 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Too bad plains mistaken is hippy emo nonsense, and Raise actually want to be metal...They cant help if the lead singers look the same...Becuase they are simply dopplegangers. Anyway, Raise is a band of very young, talented and excited individuals who are hard working and have already evolved a great deal. They will find thier own identity soon and will sweep shit out from underneath everyone if they pursue the musical journey created on the First track. I see a great ammount of potential for these young chicago monsters. I give it a 6 as is 666
    http://www.doomedmessiah.com

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at 2:11 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    are you in this band? Are you fucking serious? If you’ve ever been to Chicago, you would know that on the Jackson Blue Line stop, there is usually a street musician that people refer to as the Michael Jackson on Jackson. This dude knows all of the MJ songs and can dance just like him. Basically, that’s what these guys are doing except with Planes Mistaken for Stars instead of MJ. These guys sound like Planes Mistaken for Stars, they look almost exactly like Planes and when this band plays live, they try to act like Planes. 8 of 10? Come on! I suppose that these guys are tight, but they are fucking BORING! They need to move back to with their parents in the suburbs and work on their gig.

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 at 2:11 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    Sean, are you in this band? Are you fucking serious? If you’ve ever been to Chicago, you would know that on the Jackson Blue Line stop, there is usually a street musician that people refer to as the Michael Jackson on Jackson. This dude knows all of the MJ songs and can dance just like him. Basically, that’s what these guys are doing except with Planes Mistaken for Stars instead of MJ. These guys sound like Planes Mistaken for Stars, they look almost exactly like Planes and when this band plays live, they try to act like Planes. 8 of 10? Come on! I suppose that these guys are tight, but they are fucking BORING! They need to move back to with their parents in the suburbs and work on their gig.

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 at 11:05 AM (EST)

    Come on, you dorks that say they dont sound ANYTHING like Planes are in denial....Not that they Raise arent a good band, but cmon!.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, January 9, 2006 at 6:53 PM (EST)

    As one of their close friends they ARE NOT hippy punks at all. And give up the PMFS comparison, it's getting old and it's an insult. They are way dirtier, louder, and better than that band could ever hope to be, and they were never aspiring to be that band at all. Take these guys as their own original band cuz they are!

    Posted by Anonymous on Friday, December 30, 2005 at 7:42 PM (EST)

    this record owns!

    Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, December 27, 2005 at 12:00 PM (EST)

    just listened to raise the red lanterns myspace. weak. nope. the two songs dynamics on their page are completely diffferent and well organized. you can tell they arent trying to impress anyone with avant metal or hipster metal. it sounds like this band is in it for the long haul far beyond the bands you probably listen to. i believe someone would piss their pants over this record if it has the same momentum as those two songs on their page. i'll piss my pants then piss al over your c.d. collection. i'm buying this c.d.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 26, 2005 at 2:20 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    How anyone could piss there pants over something so blatantly unoriginal is beyond me; the songs on myspace are pretty fuckin weak.

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 2:02 PM (EST)

    planes mistaken for stars is a great band, raise the red lantern is a great band. everyone is taking this too personally. i really dont think raise the red lantern or planes have anything bad to say about each other. less internet shit and more rock..i saw raise the red lantern play in indianapolis,.the most intense and loudest show id seen in a while. i saw planes play in birmingham, equally as intense, not as loud.
    robbie

    Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, December 22, 2005 at 9:54 AM (EST)
    My Score:

    "this album rules, i dont think this band even knows who planes mistaken for stars is, or cares.-gwen"

    hmm, check the pics on their myspace.

    meh, the music itself is dull.

    -sam

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 9:41 PM (EST)

    Got this in the mail today and it really is super good. It doesnt remind me of PMFS at all, Its a beast of its own! Better recording then any Planes CD I have ever heard...

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 3:55 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    this album rules, i dont think this band even knows who planes mistaken for stars is, or cares.-gwen

    Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, December 21, 2005 at 3:39 PM (EST)

    "These dudes are shitty, cocky, assholes, and you're all one huge bummer." fuck that, those dudes are fucking sweet. they live in this house in chicago with a ramp in it and have basement shows like 5 days a week...theyve helped out a ton of bands, even helped book shows for tours for my band.. i havent even heard this album yet, but im sure its loud and they arent hippy punks.

    Posted by sickboi on 2005-12-19 20:40:47

    To be honest Will, my whole problem is how they seem to judge others, especially other bands and labels that don't adhere to their code of ethics.

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 19, 2005 at 5:34 PM (EST)

    Watch it, Sickboi, they might steal a hammer and bash your fuckin skull in at the next Defiance, OH show.

    Plan It X Beatdown: Vol. 1- The true, untold story of the wealthy suburban homeless kids scene.

    -Will

    Posted by sickboi on 2005-12-19 16:00:53

    I love when Will rants about hippy-punks...so funny, yet so true.

    Posted by cherrycolarain on 2005-12-19 14:25:55
    My Score:

    Thank you Jesse for finally clearing that up.

    Score is for Wikipedia, and helping me pass so many long and boring projects.

    Posted by Jesse on 2005-12-19 11:35:17

    Actaully, that's not what D-beat means at all:

    "D-beat is a drum beat, specifically a fast rock beat unique to Hardcore Punk, especially in its UK and European variants. Its name is derived from the British band Discharge, as the best-known use of this style can be attributed to their drummer Terry/Tezz."

    Ta-da! Thus, wikipedia comes through where you chumps can't. There, I said it. Chumps! The whole lot of ya!

    Posted by cherrycolarain on 2005-12-19 01:29:55

    Apologies for the misunderstanding of D. As for hippy punks, yeah they steal tools, but please tell me... Will you ever actually use half the tools in your tools box? will you? As for their acoustic shows, well... someone of them can strum guitars pretty rapidly

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 19, 2005 at 1:15 AM (EST)

    I was begging her to get me a Bob Dylan outfit and a bunch of Plan It X CD's so I could hang with the cool kids. Damn!

    -Will

    Posted by Enemy_Will on 2005-12-19 00:50:09

    Dear Will,

    You should be nicer around Christmas. I heard your mommy is going to put a really big interpunk gift certificate in your stocking. Then you could complete your Crass collection. Then you'd be the punkest guy on the block!

    Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 19, 2005 at 12:31 AM (EST)

    "Why trash hippy punks? Seriously, this is why we never find world peace."

    Yeah, if only I'd listen to the hippy punks. They just don't seem to have much of a plan beyond playing inclusive acoustic shows and stealing tools.

    -Will

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 11:57 PM (EST)

    D-beat = down beat, not D CHORD.

    They actually tune to drop C...

    Posted by cherrycolarain on 2005-12-18 23:50:31

    I agree, the PMFS bashing wasn't necessary. As for this record, I'll try it out, but you kept repeating that they go to D chord alot...doesn't that make this realase sort of repetitive. Just a thought. Why trash hippy punks? Seriously, this is why we never find world peace.

    Posted by Enemy_Will on 2005-12-18 23:43:45

    Dear Will,
    Hippy punks have sent me from the future to destroy you.
    Consider yourself warned.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 11:29 PM (EST)

    Yeah, I hate hippy punks.

    Worse than ravers.

    "Dude, that Food Not Bombs could totally go vegan!"

    -Will

    Posted by Jesse on 2005-12-18 15:17:50

    "These dudes are shitty, cocky, assholes, and you're all one huge bummer."

    Uh oh. I just harshed someone's mellow. Sorry, duuuuuuuude, didn't mean to mess your VIBES, duuuuuuuuude. Wow, yeah, I'm going to tooooooootally throw on the latest Dead bootleg...

    Posted by primeevil7 on 2005-12-18 14:40:34

    Eh. The song on the Seventh Rule website sounds like drawn out Planes Mistaken For Stars.

    They've got a myspace. http://www.myspace.com/raisetheredlantern
    More instrumentals and less rock than PMFS, and I prefer Gared's voice over this guy.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 2:38 PM (EST)

    I'm glad people are wasting their time listening to the same song 10 times in a row on the "sick" and "ripping" Raise The Red Lantern Album instead of listening to music. These dudes are shitty, cocky, assholes, and you're all one huge bummer.

    Posted by primeevil7 on 2005-12-18 14:31:11

    Alright, I'm going to listen. This could be good.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 2:23 PM (EST)
    My Score:

    PMFS kicks ass, end of story.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101640/ - I wonder where they got thier band name from.

    Posted by Russe11 on 2005-12-18 12:42:16

    Cause really, someone listen to the new version of "Thunder In The Night Forever" and tell me that song doesn't totally rip.

    Posted by Russe11 on 2005-12-18 12:41:33

    I was really enjoying this review till I came across the PMFS bashing; was that really neccessary? Surely you know that the purpose of your review is to get this band heard, and by making those remarks I'm sure you turned alot of kids off on hearing them.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 12:21 PM (EST)

    you know what goes well with a review ... a fucking link to some music. i dont give a fuck if its myspace or purevolume, but when it goes to some bunk ass site with no music, it defeats the purpose.

    MORE FUCKING MUSIC LINKS !

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 11:46 AM (EST)

    I hope your review is a good representation of what they sound like becuase I just dropped 10 bones on this cd

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 9:11 AM (EST)

    Someone hit up wikitionary before typing this.

    Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, December 18, 2005 at 8:58 AM (EST)

    I used to have a red lantern...I accidentally set a forest fire with it.

    and this band sucks.

    ---Trav.

    Posted by Lapse on 2005-12-18 02:51:47
    My Score:

    Yep, this rips

    whoever did the cover art should receive his share of props too.

    Posted by ElVaquero on 2005-12-18 02:41:58

    Damn that's lame baggin on PMFS. Yer fuckin nutz.