(A.K.A.: Parker Rambles About Five Albums He’s Been Listening to Recently)

I like to consider myself a sophisticated music lover. Yes, I have my favorite bands, but I’m also open to listening to new or outside the box artists that fit within the confines of what I enjoy.

I’ve also always been the type of person to share what I’m listening to, because if I can get people to enjoy something I enjoy, it’s a win-win for everyone.

So with that being said, here are five albums I’ve been blasting during the past few weeks (disclaimer: only one album per band if I listen to the band consistently).

#1:) You Fail Me (2004) by Converge:

Now yes, Converge is my favorite band, and they’ve been the subject of two Parker’s Profound Portfolio Probes, but I usually don’t find myself listening to their 2004 follow up to the magnificent Jane Doe.

You Fail Me has been a record that has always conflicted me. On one hand, the band experiments a ton on this record. The production is different compared to anything else they’ve done, there are different song structures and styles, and overall everyone in the band expands what they’re capable of.

However, the first half of the record has always bored me. Apart from the beautiful intro track, “First Light,” and the God tier, “Drop Out,” the first handful of tracks aren’t the greatest.

But oh dear, the second half is just perfection. Aside from the admittedly weak closing track, “Hanging Moon,” and ignoring the Redux and Japanese exclusive bonus track, “Wolves at My Door,” from the title track onward, it’s nothing but killer after killer.

From the slow moving title track, to the acoustic “In Her Shadow,” the blazing “Eagles Become Vultures,” the vicious “Death King,” and the sludgy “In Her Blood,” the music blends together perfectly in a cacophony of gnarly vocals and experimental sounds.

Highlight Track:
“Death King”

#2:) Errorzone (2018) by Vein.FM:

Moving from a band who helped pioneer a musical movement, to a band whose contributing to the redefinement of said movement, Vein.FM’s 2018 debut record, Errorzone, has been in my ears for a while now.

Being a part of what’s being dubbed the nu-core scene (nu-metal and metalcore), Vein.FM blends in-your-face adrenaline with emotional backbones that hit every time.

While Vein.FM did just release their sophomore album, This World is Going to Ruin You, this year, I still see the debut as a superior record.

Tight production, electronic elements, and thrashing vocals provide a fantastic listening experience that I’d recommend to anyone listening to metal today.

Highlight Track:
“Doomtech”

#3:) Trumpeting Ecstasy (2017) by Full of Hell:

From two heavy albums to another, grindcore aficionados Full of Hell’s 2017 record, Trumpeting Ecstasy, is exactly what it sounds like.

Although it is an intense form of metal, it’s all orchestrated in a symphony of melancholic adrenaline and roars of pure ecstasy (the title implies that, of course).

Taking elements from death and black metal, as well as slight industrial and cybergrind influences, this record bleeds darkness, as the lyrics reflect upon the otherwise bleak society we live in, as well as religious hypocrisy, the flaws of humanity, and how ugly we can truly be.

While not a record for everyone, Full of Hell proves why they’re one of the very best in metal today with this fantastic record.

Highlight Track:

“At the Cauldron’s Bottom”

#4:) Oxeneers or the Lion Sleeps When Its Antelope Go Home (2004) by These Arms are Snakes:

Finally, a softer, more quirky album.

These Arms are Snakes had a relatively short existence, but the impact they left upon the post-hardcore and emo communities is undeniable.

Taking the experimental tendencies of earlier mathcore and sasscore influences, and the soft, pungent nature of emo music, Oxeneers, as it’s referred to simply because of its rather long title, provides the listener with a tongue-in-cheek yet thought-provoking experience.

Plus, this is one of the only bands that’s gotten a positive response from someone every time I put them on. So safe to say, These Arms are Snakes are nothing to scoff at.

Yes, there are heavy moments in certain tracks like “Angela’s Secret,” but then you get more stripped down and clean tracks like “Your Pearly Whites”.

This might be the only record on this list where I’ll recommend it to anybody, because I do find that there’s a little something for everyone here.

Highlight Track:
“Darlings of New Midnight”

#5:) S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997) by Incubus:
I’ll end this list with another soft(ER) band, that particular group being Incubus.

The most popular band I’ll be discussing, Incubus is mainly known for their 1999 record, Make Yourself, and their acoustic hit, “Drive”.

But make no mistake, their 1997 sophomore record, S.C.I.E.N.C.E., is a whacky adventure. There’s really only one way to describe it, and that’s if Rage Against the Machine and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had a baby who took copious amounts of illegal substances.

In-your-face vocals, fast-moving surf rock-inspired guitars, funky bass, intricate drumming, and loads of electronics and samples, S.C.I.E.N.C.E. really doesn’t care about the sound it’s striving for, it’s just trying to have fun.

However, that is slightly the record’s biggest downside. At multiple points, there are just mind-numbing electronic segments that don’t provide much or come off as the same thing.

But when this record hits, it hits.

Highlight Track:
“A Certain Shade of Green”

And there you have it, five records I’ve been listening to ad nauseum lately. If you’re interested in these records at all, they’re available on any streaming service. If you aren’t interested, well thank you for reading and hopefully I didn’t waste your time. Peace and love, friends, goodbye now.