New & Noteworthy, December 14th – Prequel to the Sequel

Posted by on December 14, 2010

This will be one of the last editions of New & Noteworthy of 2010, and a week with only three releases doesn’t need much of an introduction. I’ve pretty much said everything I can about the holidays and how they affect the music industry. So I will just say this today: Give the gift of music to someone you care for this year. But don’t do it for the artists, the industry, this website, or anyone that is a part of music’s creation and marketing. Do it because music is one of the most amazing expressions of creativity and one of the most powerful sources of inspiration that the human soul has capacity for. You never know what music can inspire in a person until you give it the chance to touch their lives.

Now that I’m done waxing poetic, here are your three options this week. Low selection means you can buy all three if you want!

The Damned Things, Ironiclast (Island)

Combining members of Anthrax, Every Time I Die, and Fall Out Boy into one musical venture may seem like a recipe for a train wreck, but The Damned Things is the exact opposite of that. Featuring a streamlined metal base embedded with extremely catchy hard rock vibes, Ironiclast is the kind of release every supergroup strives for and few actually achieve. Fans of all three bands will find things to like on this album, which is no easy feat by any means.

Cave In, Anomalies Vol. 1 (Hydra Head)

Cave In is exactly the kind of band that would put their B-sides and rarities onto a vinyl-only release. Hearing these songs in the best sound quality is the only way they will be heard, and considering how awesome the material on Planets of Old was, I’m inclined to agree with the reasoning behind this sentiment. The die-hard fan might already have a lot of these tracks, but for less extreme Cave In fans that still love the band, this vinyl is well worth the purchase.

Like Moths to Flames, Sweet Talker (Rise)

At the rate Chris Roetter hops from one band to another, he may just earn the nickname Kangaroo pretty soon. Roetter spent a year fronting Emarosa before jumping into Agraceful for two years, and then quit Agraceful to make Like Moths to Flames (which was originally a side project) into his full-time focus. Roetter is a powerful singer, as exhibited on Agraceful’s album The Great I Am, so this digital EP should feature him prominently.

Next Week: Only one release to catalog before we close the book on 2010 and new releases. And who knows – you might just get a look into what new music I enjoyed the most this year! Come back next week and help me finish up New & Noteworthy for the year in top form!

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