FREE MUSIC MONDAY - NEBERU

Hailing from Germany, Neberu is an upcoming djent-style band with some spark to them. This is evinced through their song "Extrinsic Lucidity" (featuring Jessie Freeland of what was The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza) and most recently their music video for the single "Decompressed". Both tracks are available for a free download from the band's Official Website.

The upcoming band has also been hard at work on their debut "Impulsions". Sounds like it will have your impulses exploding. Check the music below for a taste.

Links: Facebook // Official Website // Bandcamp

TOP ALBUMS OF 2012 - HONORABLE MENTIONS

Here are 5 amazing albums from this year that were just shy of making our top ten. They all deserve your full attention as the honorable mentions of 2012.

   1   
GOJIRA - L'ENFANT SAUVAGE

There's no doubt that Gojira's "L'enfant Sauvage" (French for "The Wild Child") is an amazing album. To put it simply, one of the best things about Gojira is that they always manage to sound like Gojira. This is a band which proves that musicians don't need to be complex to be musically efficient. Not to say there isn't depth and complexity here. Gojira pummels the listeners eardrums with blasting heaviness and musically creative force. There are so many awesome tracks on this record. The title track, "The Axe", "Explosia", and "Mouth of Kala" are just a few examples of the greatness you can expect from "L'enfant Sauvage". It's a wild ride.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   2   
THE OMEGA EXPERIMENT - SELF TITLED 

This is the kind of record that will catch you off guard. You go into it expecting one thing and experiencing something entirely different. The Omega Experiment's self-titled debut strikes as a powerful cross between Supertramp and The Devin Townsend Project with a pinch of Meshuggah... Yeah, go ahead and read that again. All of this while bringing a sound of their very own which is hard to describe. When you add it all up, it makes for a mind blowing, unique musical experience. Tracks such as "Stimulus", "Terminus", "Gift", and "Furor" are guaranteed to leave you wanting more goods from The Omega Experiment.

Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes 

   3   
VEIL OF MAYA - ECLIPSE

Veil of Maya's fourth full-length record really stood apart from the rest while simultaneously staying rooted. For example, the intro "20/200" sounds like a throwback to "Common Man's Collapse" while the title track is easily the most melodic, open song the band has ever written. "Eclipse" really opened up a whole new dimension of Veil of Maya with an increased focus on musicality. This may have been in part to Misha Mansoor's production and influence, but the fact is this record provides phenomenal music through and through. Stand outs include "Divide Paths", "The Glass Slide", "Vicious Circles", and "Punisher" among others. 

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   4   
THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA - DANZA IIII

Not only does The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza have the best band name ever, they always manage to produce devastating, awesome metal. The bands fourth and sadly final album, "Danza IIII: The Alpha - The Omega" is no exception. It's also too cool for Roman numerals. This is an earth-shattering venture into chaotic, technical heaviness. There are many greats on this record like "You Won't", "Canadian Bacon", "Paul Bunyan and the Blue Ox", "Rudy X3", and you can't forget the semi-title track, "The Alpha, The Omega". "Danza IIII" is a worthy end to this band's insane career. R.I.P. Tony Danza... talking about the band, not the actor.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

   5   
ELITIST - RESHAPE | REASON

Elitist have been emerging as one of the best Metalcore bands around. Actually, their debut full-length "Reshape | Reason" is easily the best Metalcore record released in 2012. Even with various key line-up changes over recent years, Julian Rodriguez's compositional ability has remained true, even improved in some ways. There is a progressive, creative take on how this band approaches the core, yielding amazing results. With a serious focus on driving melodies and musical execution, Elitist produced a monster of a debut record here. "Square And Compass", "Equinox", and "Unto The Sun" make an aural impact among others.

  Links: Facebook // Twitter // iTunes

THE TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA "DANZA IIII" ALBUM REVIEW

If this band's name isn't enough to grab your attention, I don't know what will. It's felt like a long time coming since Danza III and it's finally here... Danza IIII! (tally marks cause their too cool for roman numerals) The full album title being "Danza IIII The Alpha - The Omega". Sadly, this is the last record that will ever come from The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. The members are splitting on mutual terms to pursue new and different aspirations. But does this final record live up to the hype and is it a worthy end for the underground mathcore legends?

No.... this record won't disappoint you. Joshua Travis and crew have been hard at work raising the bar as usual. Every member of this band delivers in a big way. "Danza IIII" is everything you've come to expect from this band and some. Chaotic heaviness matched with jagged technicality, high level skill, creativity, and a raw sound keeping it all together. There's actually some huge atmospheric and melodic work to be found within the mix too, suggesting further growth among the band. But there is still a definite fury behind the music. The album has various themes ranging from back stabbing, shit friends in "Rudy x3" to a tribute dedicated to the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in "Hold The Line".

Every track on "Danza IIII" has something great going on, which is really good considering it's a 15 song record. Some stand out tracks are "Canadian Bacon", "This is Forever", "Paul Bunyan and the Blue Ox", "You Won't", and "The Alpha / The Omega" among others. You should definitely find some time to give this album a listen or four (see what I did there?). Shit is superb.

I think very highly of this album, but objectively others may not. Some people will probably find themselves lost and confused by the complexity of the mind fucks found on "Danza IIII". I honestly feel sorry for them but I know this record won't be everyone's cup of tea. They will hear a wall of loud noise where the trained ear hears an eclectic presentation of heavy, rhythmical goodness. Personally, I wouldn't say this album has any critical flaws, just minor blemishes that are barely worth mentioning. But even some of those feel like they were done on purpose. This is a band with a quirky personality and they don't hide it.

To wrap up the review, I would definitely recommend this to all Danza fans and any metal heads out there who love the technical side of things. Overall, this is a solid, beast of a release from The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. You can listen to a couple songs above if you haven't already. Your ears will thank you. And if you dig the Tapdance Extravaganza, grab the album right here. Stay metal my friends \m/

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Official Store // iTunes

TONY DANZA TAPDANCE EXTRAVAGANZA RETURNS!

If the band's name isn't enough to grab your attention, I don't know what will. It's felt like a long time coming since Danza III and it's finally almost here. Danza IIII! (cause their too cool for roman numerals) The full title being "Danza IIII The Alpha - The Omega". The band released a new song with their press release announcing the record. Sadly however, this will be the final record from the Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. October 25th marks the beginning of the end (alpha & omega). Pre-orders are officially up and ready to go. We have the song "You Won't" and a portion of the press release including a statement from lead guitarist Travis (now of Glass Cloud) down there.

________________

Press Release:

For the fourth and final album, Danza IIII (think tally marks, not Roman numerals), we find a stripped-down Danza, consisting solely of core members Jessie Freeland and Josh Travis. With Freeland manning the vocals as always, this time with even more vitriol than ever, the virtuoso Travis is responsible for all other instrumentation on the album. The result: the most musical and bloodlettingly honest work ever to bear the Danza name. With a decade-long legacy behind them, Freeland and Travis have delivered what will serve as an incredible last will and testament for their band.

Travis, now a full-time member of Glass Cloud with former Of Mice & Men frontman Jerry Roush, made this comment about Danza IIII:

“For this album, Jessie and I were looking to create more of a visceral vibe than a completely technical vibe. There’s parts that do still get a bit chaotic of course, but not nearly as much as the avid listener is used to. Everything about this record is way more to the point, with much more heart put into it rather than just seeing how many notes could be thrown into a part or seeking to create ‘the heaviest shit ever’ or any of that nonsense. The record being titled The Alpha – The Omega, to us symbolized the beginning and the end of Danza. Jessie and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed creating it for you all.”

Danza IIII contains guest vocal appearances by Whitechapel’s Phil Bozeman and Obey the Brave/Despised Icon‘s Alex Erian. The album was engineered and mixed by Nicholas Scott (Miss May I). The artwork was created by Michael J. Windsor, known for his work with The Red Chord and Pig Destroyer, and for his book covers for bestsellers like The Da Vinci Code and Darkly Dreaming Dexter.
________________

Links: Facebook // Twitter // Pre-orders