hi-point ep / off kilter enhancement / lo-def(inition) discord / live reviews
anti-hitlist, canadian alternative top 10 (no.7!) ~ this british five-piece creates such a huge racket, you'll feel like that leather-jacketed guy in front of the speakers in that old memorex ad. the combination of the walloping instrumentation and a surprisingly melodic chorus is reminiscent of nirvana -- but exponentially noisier.
kerrang ~ kkkk ~ further proof that brit-metal is increasingly providing a real alternative to US nu-metal which is fast becoming the LA hair metal of the '90s. the 'tones lastest EP is a thing of great beauty and brutality, occupying the hitherto undiscovered territory between faith no more's 'king for a day... fool for a lifetime' album and deftones' 'adrenaline'. unpredictable, inventive and very, very cool, this is metal which dares to be different and deserves to be heard as much as possible. a carrer high point indeed.
yaz zine ~ march 2000 ~ so what can i say? you know me, you know by now that i rate this band. in a way this is a strange or tricky release for me given the hard time i give other bands, so what can i say? what am i even on about? well, you'll need to read on to find out.
i found a tape by the door one day, popped it in (the tape player, not the door, that would've been stupid cos nothing would've happened) and listened. there were no markings, no indication of who, but it was instantly recognisable, and about 4 minutes later, as tat twam asi finished, i had to crawl and get something to scrape my jaw up off the floor. take the elements that i love best about their music, meld them altogether, improve, add a touch of seasoning and then plonk in their biggest chorus ever and out pops the delicacy that is the tat twam asi. i mean, you can't describe music when it's like this. you just jump up and down, gawping and going waaaaaaaaaawaaawaaaaa as you gesticulate wildly in a way that you know makes sense even if everyone else just looks at you and thinks "prick". which roughly translates into "stop reading this, listening to me, get yer legs walking down to the shop, buy this and listen to the sheer genius of it for yourself". it strikes you in that, "there's no way you can dislike this and there is no argument" kind of way. which of course means someone will argue but hey, you're wrong. face it, this is awesome.
musically it starts off in that gentle manner that they sometimes do, strumming, melody and a twisty drum pattern. it builds to a harsher middle section and then there's a drum roll that on first listen is just too long, but when you realise the chorus it's leading into makes you think "yeah, damn right you should build this one up a bit". it's hard to explain, it's one of those moments that is just so there, so great. the chorus is melodic but with an overdubbed shout going on in the background as well, the two vocal styles blending perfectly. you know that time when you want to sing two things at once, because both are great - it's one of those moments.
as the melody is sung, "as we move to consciousness as we move through consciousness, as we move to consciousness, driven by need for transecendence", there's the barking of what sounds like "consciousness" in the background. magic stuff. listen to it, you'll understand what i mean i'm sure. the music is rolling at this stage, just a rolling driving riff gathering momentum - not like but similar in a way to there's that rolling riff in the chorus of nin's we're in this together now - it's just so correct so right. and then it breaks down again and the song mirrors itself -strum, aggression, build the anticipation - blam chorus. it's one of their most meldoic moments, definitely a step onwards, yet one of their heaviest. a total contradiction that works so well. and there's another of those great anti-solos in there. if this is a sign of the direction for the new album, then it's going to blow all the competition out of the water. best song of the year this far easily. don't believe me, get over to the website, cos you can download the track there and listen to it.
in comparison alpha hi pales a little, but not much, not in the longer run. it's kind of more of a slow burner, much like the e9 material of old. heavily driven by the rhythm section provide a strong, driving pounding basis upon which they're also playing with the old wah wah pedal a bit, but in a more adventurous manner than say kirk hammet has really done in the past. here it's not to stand out and say "hey, it's the wah moment", it's done to blend, to help create the music itself. there's more of that kind of tribal feel a bit more, the whole vocal feels more like it's a choral chant almost than any kind of lyric, yet it works so well, building such an atmospheric meldoic chorus. it's sounding more spiritual, perhaps bearing out some of the feeling that the lyrcis to tat twam asi seem to indicate - tribal, ethnic, spiritual? it sounds familiar, that nagging thing that when something is good it always sounds familiar. the melody, the feel. i'm pretty sure it's a tool moment i'm thinking, but it's becoming an increasingly common reference that there's a resistance to use it again. but in the same way that they're special, this evokes the same feeling. and yet in amongst it all there's even time for some johnny morrow stylised yaaaaaayying from karl. the two new songs indicate perhaps more melody in their approach, and i'm sure some hard nut somewhere will say therefore that they're "selling out". nothing of the sort, they're just putting together beautiful music that has more than one style to it, more than one basic structure. and if that's ever defined as selling out, then i hope every bad in existence sells out, cos it would make music a damn site more pleasurable than it is even now.
then we get on to the "strange" half of the ep.
i'm getting pissed off with covers, everyone does a cover these days. earthtone9 have done a cover, which means i should be pissed off. am i? well, the difference here is this. for a start, i've never listened to the band they've covered, shihad, so effectively it's a new song to me. it's not a "oh how funny we are, tickle me riblets and grab me giblets" kind of thing, y'know, what "wacky" song can we do, and finally, it's not the lead off track. it's not the one that the band or label are pinning their hopes on cracking the charts with because they've got so little confidence in either their own music or the record buying public. which makes this more acceptable. like in those good old days of "previously unreleased" tracks on a 12" single. so anyway, what about the song. a good cover? well like i said, never listened to the original so couldn't say, but it sounds incredibly familiar, a slower doomier kind of riff to the normal e9 thing, but they manage to turn it into their own song simply by their own sound. if i didn't know it was a cover, then it would be a decent e9 song in it's own right - not their best mind you, ooh no, but a decent song.
then there's the next puzzler. a reworking / rerecording of vitriolic hsf from the debut. not sure why? i mean, you can hear some differences, but for me not being a musician its primarily in the production - i guess you'll get a different sound each time you go in the studio, especially 3 years or so apart and with a number of different musicians playing on it, but apart from that i don't really understand the reason it was done or its inclusion on here. but for musicians, there may be some blindingly obvious differences and reasons for doing it. but i'm just ignorant, and selfish. obviously i'd have liked to have heard something new, because well it's always good to hear something new isn't it. so yeah, it's there, it sounds more powerful, karl has definitely improved the aggressive vocals, there's more control in there, but overall i don't really see why it's been done. but that's me, i'm selfish, i want more new stuff, new new new, more more more, me me me all the time. and it's because those 2 new songs are so amazing. did i say that already? well they are.
i keep wondering why it is this band seems to me to be set apart from so many others. maybe it's that for just four tracks they get me writing this much whereas others just inspire a ~yeah, it's ok~ or a "this is crap". some music just excites but you can't explain. not properly. not fully. not rationally. and listening to this i stil can't really explain why, it's just there. there's more dimensions, more feel, more than one tempo, more than one boring drum fill. there's melody and aggression combined, and at the end of the day, there's good songwriting. some people may have found it hard to identify the songs previously or live, due to the harder stuff being shoved in their faces (ooer), but the songs are there, you have to just immerse yourself. here though, those songs are more immediate than they've ever been before from the band. i mean, i still can't describe music, but look, it's a 4 track ep, and it's getting this much out of me, this much reaction. why? because it's just sooooooooo good - it's truly that simple.
so it's a little weird. the new stuff is amazing, and for that matter alone this is an essential purchase, and the mouth should be salivating at the propsect of album #3 - though make sure you clean your teeth, cos it would get a bit smelly and disgusting otherwise. still not sure about a cover though and re-working an old track. but effectively it's 3 out of 4 new songs, and what songs! oh what songs! roll on the tour and album #3. they're on the march again. so exactly how many times can i play this one tape in a day! let's try in the morning when i get up, then take it to the car, play on the way to work, on the way home, remove from car and play in flat during evening. this, is good.
off kilter enhancement reviews
rocksound ~ sept 99 ~ 5/5 ~ if there’s any justice in the world then et9 will soon be headlining every metal festival this side of dynamo. this album rocks so hard it is impossible to determine why they’re still playing the toilets of the uk.
imagine all the best bits of sepultura, tool and machine head as well as homegrown heroes such as pulkas and fudge tunnel and you’re halfway to listening to one of the best albums this year.
switching from ballad like musings to savage hardcore metal in a heartbeat, et9 have a vocalist that comes a close second to mike patton in versatility, whilst a side order of downtuned guitars keeps the pace fast and furious. songs such as grind and click, serpentine placement and simon says well and truly fuck shit up.
buy this immediately.
kerrang ~ july 17 ~ kkkk ~ every so often, these shores throw up a band who deserve far more than the toilet venues they are forced to play. earthtone9 are one such band.
their first album, ‘lo-def(inition) discord’ exhibited enough promise in its harsh, abrasive noise blitz to set the ball rolling. but this will be the record to catapault them into the brit metal limelight.
the nottingham five-piece have taken all the wide-eyed fury of their debut and channelled it more directly into bruising and ferocious riffing, terrifying bellows from clearly homicidal frontman karl middleton and thunderous drumming you could support a house with.
style-wise, they’re an amalgam of seething hardcore and sphincter-loosening metal, with just enough melodic suss to break up the onslaught and keep things interesting.
‘i nagual eye’ is a truly primal kick to the face, while ‘0..0..0..’ sounds like alice in chains at their most laid back and spiritual (until its thrashing finale that is). opener ‘grind and click’ kicks off like a runaway locomotive before surging into a melodic chorus which instantly brings to mind machine head. and ‘nameless (the 10th and the 4th)’ is a slow-burning monster of a song.
this is a juggernaut of a record. you won’t believe they’re british.
organ zine ~ dec 99 ~ second album from england's earthtone 9 and we're pretty much still clinging on to the same jagged pieces wilhaven flavoured sound that kept the first album on the rails. ten more blistering cuts that have the ability to drag you right to the edge and when you think you know where earthtone 9 are taking you they land that unexpected punch or that well disguised kick..... album number two is album number one with more of everything: more aggression, more intensity, more harmony, more bottled-up rage. once again recorded in no more than one week - that's the way real bands do it one of the finest forward looking metal bands in the UK..
metal hammer ~ august 1999 ~ 8/10 ~ last year earthtone9 achieved the seemingly impossible by appearing from nowhere to release a debut album that received almost unanimous praise from the press. there was nothing unique in that, of course, except that the band hailed from nottingham and that the album – curiously titles ‘lo-def(inition) discord’ – was recorded for a small independent label for a mere £500, with the help of production hotshot andy sneap.
so when critics such as our own sammy jones suggested it was "tighter than dino carzares crammed into a suit made for chris robinson" they weren’t buying into some hyped-up record company dream, just recognising true talent in its rawest form.
like fellow british great white hopes pulkas, earthtone9 stand out from the crowd. their brand of bass-swamped post-hardcore is abrasive to the ear, yet curiously enticing. last time out they were often likened to machine head, sepultura and tool, and those comparisons are perfectly justifiable on heads down blasters like ‘off kilter’ and ‘moe-ra (t-talk)’, yet karl middleton’s anguished howl during ‘grind and click’ adds an extra weapon to their armoury, coming on more like chino moreno from the deftones.
meanwhile, with the eastern flavoured duo of ‘0..0..0..’ and ‘zechariah rush (uru shalom har miggidon)’ earthtone9 prove that they have far more to offer than mere suburban drudgery.
ok, the occasional track such as ‘i nagual eye’ might go through the motions a little, but when the five-piece follow it up with something as poignant and intelligently arranged as their six minute epic ‘604800 inertia’, nobody has the right to complain.
so now we know, ‘lo-def(inition) discord’ was no fluke.
terrorizer ~ sept 1999 ~ 7.5/10 ~ don’t call them the uk’s own machine head. they won’t like it. neither will i. just call ‘em the uk’s best metalcore band. nuff said.
i suppose you want to know why. okay. let’s take opening track for starters – ‘grind and click’. no album should be allowed to kick in with the sheer boot in the face power of this screamer. only japan’s green machine got away with it on d.a.m.n but that’s cool because snatches of et9 are comparable to those eastern gods of grind.
at least it sets the right tone for what’s to follow, though expect the band to intelligently litter the devastation with the occasional low key bars and versatile rhythms. these bits may sound a little contrived but their whole point is to balance violence with refelctive melancholia in as dramatic a way as possible.
in extreme music, if you aint melodramatic, you aint gonna connect. pathos you see.
okay, there is a self importance to et9’s impatient leap to snare attention, with every trick in the book being employed but they are, most importantly, a band in control of their ideas, and that, my friends is what will keep them top of the heap. brutal.
hard roxx ~dec 1999 ~ 9/10 ~ earthtone 9 must be sitting rather pretty right now with some seriously smug grins on their boats because not only does 'off kilter enhancement' prove that their awesome debut was no fluke but it also confirms that they are with out doubt the uk's finest purveyors of new age noise.
demonstrating a marked progression in angst fuelled aggression as well as widespread diversity 'off kilter enhancement' creates an almost perfect balance by morphing raging intensity together with sonic melodies to form an invigorating display of abrasive metal-core. comparisons to machine head and the deftones are well founded yet earthtone 9 add so much more to their song structures with some delightful offbeat textures, so while the likes of opener 'grind and click' and 'i nagual eye' are savage body blows a more spiritual and melancholy mood is transmitted through 'nameless (the 10th and the 4th)' and the lazy alice in chains vibe of '0...0...0..'.
earthtone 9 have taken their american counterparts on at their own game and look like giving them a resounding hiding into the bargain, damn well essential.
yaz zine #11 ~ september 1999 ~ well, coal chamber’s press release may have said that chamber music was eagerly anticipated, but that had nothing on the anticipation of this album as far as i’m concerned. you see, the debut album from earthtone9 was such a revelation, some people had difficulty believing something so good came from a british band. i don’t know why there was such a case of amazement at the fact, but whatever, it was a bit special. i’d also been lucky enough to hear the new album once just after it was recorded but before it was mastered. but once is not enough. it whets the appetite, gets the old juices going, but you need the real thing clutched in your mits and spinning in the old player before you can truly appreciate what’s going on here. and so i knew it was good, but this good? i still wasn’t really prepared for the next 45 minutes onslaught.
i could go on for ages about this album, and probably will in a few lines time. but probably the best thing i can think to say at the moment is that this is the album that establishes the band. previously they were "good stuff, sounds kind of like will haven, mixed with a touch of tool and just a dab of neurosis." and although this album doesn't really stray that far from the path, their words were that they embellished the sound, it now sounds like earthtone9 and that's it. you don't now need the references. they're a great band who have truly arrived in their own right.
the opening track grind & click signals e9s intentions right from the off. the riff sounds slightly discordant, the drums crash in, the groove that exists is established and soon karl opens his mouth and lets rip. the one thing that truly hasn't changed, is that i still can't make out what the hell it is he's on about it, which means that you just end up making the sounds for yourself that seem to fit. it's a testament to the strength of what they're doing, that you can do this. normally you need a definite vocal line to be able to help remember the melody, but here, the sounds are enough. there's also a bit more use of back vocals, or doubletracking or whatever the term is, and it really benefits the sound, especially on zechariah rush (uru shalom har meggidon).
ah yes. zechariah rush you've probably heard on the metal hammer cd a couple of issues back. it's glorious. you think you have it nailed, as they pummel and karl hollers, and then there's that almost like a chorus bit. almost, cos e9 don't deal in choruses. it's a mishmash of eastern tinges and layered vocals that is so effective. and it's a suss of these sorts of dynamics and changes that helps the band stand above so many others.
it may be because drummer simon is firmly ensconced within the camp now, but the drums sound more focussed yet adventurous to the debut, which featured the talents of iron monkey drummer justin on at least some of the tracks. the whole sound is more focussed. the guitars on off kilter itself are buzzing. they've got that dynamics thing sorted. knowing when to just throw in a little something to trip up the listener.
they've been described as well as hardcore. much as i like that form of music (yeah i know you may not believe that sometimes the way i rag on at it, that's only 'cos i do like it), it's much to restrictive a term, as the actual hardcore music is too restrictive. this has more dimensions to it.
inertia 65800 is the first of the more mellow moments, which of course tend to be a favourite of mine. and it's outstanding. totally hypnotic, those drums are a highlight again, a tight repetitive pattern, but never boring. and i can actually make out what karl is singing sometimes. still doesn't entirely make sense, but that's a different matter. i'm so pleased they've continued to explore this direction. it really does help them to stand apart, from say the will haven comparison that has been tagged on them. this band has more than that to offer. god this is a hypnotic track. another six minutes of near perfection from the band. near perfection, cos they really didn't need that final final guitar blast. and i reckon they know that. and i reckon that's exactly why it's on there! it's to mess with the heads of sensitive people like me. they're trying to corrupt us you know. oh yeah.
i negula eye starts off drenched in feedback. as a track it probably suffers coming straight after 65800, though there's a nice weird little guitar sound in there about a minute into the song. ok sorry, trainspotter mode is being switched off. and there's some wahwah sounding stuff in there.
o-o-o starts out mellow as well. very familiar sounding. where's that from? god. i know that bit. it soon opens up, and again, it's another branch to e9. where 65800 maintained it's feel all that way through, this goes through phases, the slow dynamic build up towards an apocalyptic climax, before dragging it right back down again. and i've just remembered where that opening riff is from. it's one that i wrote about 5 years ago. honest guv. where's me royalties? haha, nah, it's just one of those things that sounds so right that you think it must be from somewhere else. and singing oooooooo-oooooooooooooooooo-oooooooooo actually sounds ok coming from karl. it shouldn't, it really shouldn't. but it does, and that's where that thing from earlier about sounds rather than necessarily needing to understand the actual lyrics comes into play again. i'm going to throw something else in here, just to annoy people. there's a part of the instrumental that reminds me of part of maiden's 7th son of a 7th son track. not the sound, not the riff. it's the dynamics of it, the way the whole sound comes together. that may not be a compliment to you, but from me given how important and influential maiden were to me at that stage, it's a huge compliment. sometimes my logic may not make sense, but at least i know what i'm on about.
moe-ra (t-talk) is a gentle instrumental, but even within that, they still manage to switch moods, as half way through it suddenly gets all darker and mysterious. still that title is too close to morat of kerrang! fame for comfort. even if he did take the cover pictures for the album.
serpentine placement lifts the pace again, flicking between a more upbeat verse section, and the grind of the chorus. the chorus is a phrase repeated and switched round, that i'm pretty sure of. and there's another of those semi-dischordant guitar solos in there. luckily they tend to avoid guitar solos for the most part. as it would be said in kerrang!, "this is a good thing, the lack of fast finger / guitar neck interfacing."
nameless (the 10th and the 4th) and simon says finish the album. they maybe pale a little compared to what's gone before. the former is another 6 minute plus journey, while simon says is maybe the hardest thing they've done yet. and those drums are punishing everything again, it's as aggressive they get. and is karl really saying what i think he is? you'll just have to figure out what it is i think he's saying. haha. that's this issues competition. there is no prize. it all ends with the guitars chopping and feeding back, challenging to the end.
but why do these tracks pale a little? maybe it's because this is such a bruising engaging experience. you kind of go through the entire journey, through the lighter moments, into the dark, the harsh bits that bounce off you and into you. it kind of leaves you drained. but drained in that manner which is good. you've been engaged. you've been challenged. music is often a background thing for me. i nearly always have music going on. like in work, which is where i'm typing this review. i have music on. and often it's there because i need music, and it drifts over you. this doesn't. it stops me working because of its engagement. you know you've been through a battle with this one. a truly excellent album that even manages to surpass the debut.
chronicles of chaos ~ (9.5/10) ~ in a day and age where metal music has been run through the ringer so many times and nothing seems fresh or innovative anymore, it's nice to see bands like nottingham, england's earthtone9 surface into the picture. i raved about the last record _lo-def(inition) discord_ [coc#35], and i'm gonna rave about this one too.
these guys fuckin' rule. there is no question in my mind that this band has got to be one of the most eccentric and hard sounding ones out there. with shades of coalesce, vod and cave-in bringing up the hardcore front, the waves of adrenaline that earthtone9 disperse to the listener are no doubt inspired by such versatile acts as neurosis and tool, but they manage to add their own flavour and groove to the mix.
the result? one happening cocktail mix, my dear metal friend. it's an incredible ride to take upon yourself with each listen, as the music of earthtone9 really seems to radiate an ethereal vibe at times, allowing you, the listener, to cautiously sit back and take in the music content of this band, taking into account their breathtaking deliverance and tight musicianship.
get hooked on tracks like "i nagual eye" and the stunning work on "simon says" and "grind and click". i know, i know... i'm babbling on about this band, but this stuff is the shit. this comes highly recommended and easily in my top ten of 1999.
death to dead things zine ~ off kilter enhancement review ~ sept 99 ~ (9/10) ~ i intended to start this review with a list of reasons that i like et9; british, eclectic etc., but it all comes down to one reason and one reason only. it’s not trend, t-shirt design, image, record sales or even the hype machine, but songs.
after their debut i expected something really good from et9, but they’ve surpassed even that. they draw from the giant melting pot of metal, with "grind and click" being a perfect opener, smacking you to the floor, whilst the likes of "off kilter" and "nameless (the 4th and the 10th)" could almost be stoner rock songs. "0… 0… 0…" and "enertia 65800" are slow in an alice in chains / soundgarden fashion, but have eastern influenced melody lines. all of the songs here though have one thing in common and that is they are lean, not a single ounce of flab to be found, nothing grates, at no point does the strangeness fail to fit perfectly with what has gone before. et9 have delivered. be warned.
lo-def(inition) discord reviews
kerrang ~ 29/8/98 ~ KKKKK ~ it’s a sad reflection of the music scene that we habitually look across the atlantic for anything fresh and innovative when we’re in need of dark, twisted and psychotically heavy sounds.
they’ve got neurosis, tool, korn, will haven and the rest, while all too often we’ve just got second-rate copies.
until now. for just £500 nottingham’s earthtone9 have recorded an album that competes with any of our yank chums and gives you the feeling that for a little more cash, they could have blown the buggers out of the water.
‘lo-def(inition)...’ is a fierce and brooding opus that allows for both subtelty and rage, and knows exactly when to use them.
bleakly hypnotic and unnervingly savage, this debut will see earthtone9 shaking the world.
metal hammer ~ august 1998 ~ (8/10) ~ anyone clever enough to have discovered earthtone9 at the demo stage will already have some of these tracks, but if you’ve not previously succumbed, this trip will be all the more pleasurable. as the quintet’s debut, lo-def(inition) discord, encompasses the best of the heavy, alternative scene, with a scrabble of reference points to seek out – everything from tool to machine head dabblings crop up.
but it’s all neatly allocated and far from sounding cramped and stifling, makes for an insane, intense amalgam. from the mechanical and absolute they slide quickly to the demure. ‘sand’ for instance, may kick off with a well-groovy stoner rock intro, but soon after it’s grinding like a good ‘un.
if earthtone9 were an american outfit they’d be huge – no question. strong musicianship, more than competent vocals, and a product ready to eclipse any competitors.
experimental angst colliding with the sweet, et9 are lacking in adidas attire, pale faces and big mouths, but are up there with the best of em when it comes to sheer genius arrangements. care for a taste?
terrorizer ~ oct 1998 ~ (7/10) ~ this nottingham quintet’s debut cd, which is actually four new songs combined with seven remastered tracks from their two demos, shows that you can accomplish much even without much of a budget.
£500 over three sessions is all it took, and producer andy sneap’s fee more than likely ate up a good chunk of that. good work.
but the music on offer here is quite impressive as well. start with a healthy dose of tool’s pacing and stylings, add in some chino moreno-type vocals on the loud parts, and top it off with some of greg ginn’s more offbeat guitar work and you’re part of the way there.
earthtone9 also demonstrate a strong desire and ability to mix things up constantly, but without a trace of the ‘look how well we can play!’ narcissism that is sometimes present in more complex music.
‘lo-def(inition) discord’ is a confident flowing stream, but there could well be tidal waves in the future.
noise level critical zine ~ 9/11 ~ ok, so this sat on my shelf for about three weeks before i got around to listening to it. it didn't look like anything special from the cover and all that. ok, so i was wrong...
so i finally get around to listening to it, and the first track "withered" kicks in. not bad, i say to myself. above average melodic hardcore with a kind of cool rhythm going on, reminiscent of band like korn. thus far i'm thinking earthtone9 are ok, but nothing outstanding. but the more i listen, the more i like, and i suddenly start to realise that this is one of the best things i've heard this year. sure, it's not fear factory or anything, but it's arguably the best thing of its style i've heard.
the thing is that eathtone9 aren't really a hardcore band at all. sure, when they get angry they scream in a hardcore shouty fashion, but for some of the tracks they're just about the mellowest thing i've heard. i'm not going to say the 'g' word, but lets just say that some of the their material measures up well in the angst stakes against bands like nirvana and alice in chains. a particular fave of mine is "ever you say" which is really trippy and mellow. what makes it stand out even more is that the preceding track "leadfoot" is one of the heaviest on the album.
the sleeve notes are pretty sparse, so i'm not sure who does what, but whoever the vocalist is he's damn talented. there's not a lot of people that can go from an emotional whine to a full-on hardcore growl and sound convincing, but this guy can. he's backed up by great musicians too. the rhythm section creates some great sounds which are beefed up nicely with some heavy riffs and feedback-induced squeals.
so there you have it. virtually from out of nowhere, one of the best albums of the year in my book, and a british band that might actually be able to make a few waves elsewhere. well done to copro records for snapping them up before they were absorbed into some major label, and best of luck to the band. they deserve it.
stormbringer online magazine ~ i don't know about you, but the british music industry as a whole never ceases to amaze me, while the americans go out of their way to promote to the world everything from korn to marilyn manson, all we seem to go on is the fact we still haven't found the new iron maiden yet, which i find plain doff considering we have produced some of the most original and influencal bands of the last decade or so. has everyone forgotten about such bands as paradise lost or my dying bride.
so without further ado let me introduce to you another one of britains best kept secrets nottingham based 5 piece outfit earthtone 9. lo-def(inition) discord is the bands first full length album and is basically a collection of songs recorded over an 18 month period at a cost of just £500.00. that's right £500.00, less than kiss spend on make up in a week no doubt.
lo-def(inition) discord is a fine post hardcore album, sure it's not hard to spot elements of machine head, korn and the deftones, but where earthtone 9 really kicks yer butt is in the creativity department.
lo-def(inition) discord thunders to life with 'withered' a song that hits the listener smack in the gob a bit like listening to machine head's 'davidian'(burn my eyes) for the first time and if you can't take the band seriously after that then your listening to the wrong type of music.
'sand' shows earthtone 9 once more in aggressive mode, short stabbing riffs with a hard as nails rhythm set the pulse racing. but it's really later on as the album unfolds that earthtone 9's creative experimental edge begins to show.
'ever you say' has a wonderful haunting vocal, add to this some simple but very effective drum and bass and some fine atmospheric guitar and you begin to understand that earthtone 9 are a cut above the rest.
throughout the remaining tracks of lo-def(inition) discord , earthtone 9 continue to experiment between the brutal and the beautiful mixing aggression and power with great rhythms and melody to create a stubborn unyielding aerial assault of barely contained power. it's amazing what you can do with £500.00!!
guilt by ignorance ~ july 1998 ~ (10/10) ~ jesus, this is amazing. this, et9’s debut album is a late 90’s classic. these boys rule. but they’re bloody hard to review, they are so damn innovative and original. i guess you could lump ‘em in the alt-metalcategory, but that’s unfair and misleading, as et9 have so much more going on besides late 90’s metal.
they hark back to pink floyd style 70’s sound-scaping, throw in post h/c and emo-influences. there are bits of alternative rock, groove rock, ambience, hell maybe even a tiny hint of jazz.
for a band comparison the closest i can think of are to tool and fugazi. et9 have a stunning balance between harsh, discordant thrash outs and slower, melodic groove parts.
vocally, karl has a very impressive range, which veers with ease from aggressive screaming to melodic singing. shit, i cannot praise this cd enough, it is a classic. buy!
blindspot zine ~ sept 99 ~ i’d heard so many superlatives laid onto this band that this was an album i had to get, and it hasn’t disappointed me one bit.
earthtone9 are from nottingham and their sound heavily brings to mind tool, although to be compared to them is such a compliment!
that’s not to say that et9 are mere plagiarists, however, as they have a more savage approach than maynard and the boys, and vocalist karl has a distinctive voice, that can switch from will haven-esque barks to softer, more melodic singing.
the whole album has a tendency to suck you in headfirst like a whirlpool, before battering you round the head with its savage intensity.
when a band can write seven minute songs without boring the arse off you, then that is a hell of a good sign. tracks like ever you say and 3rd ripple in (wove) mix left-field, trancey space-rock passages with disturbingly heavy, yet strikingly melodic sections, before disappearing off into a different, although entirely listenable tangent.
then you get the visceral headrush of opener withered and the lead-heavy, title track, lo-def(inition) discord.
the quality is just top class all the way through, and there’s enough variety to make sure you can return to it again and again.
this is a fucking stunner of a debut, and well, yeah, we know, another top uk band, blah blah blah, etc. you should get the picture by now.
organ zine ~ 1998 ~ hang on again...first tape this month that i really need to go and play at people...yes! there's a whole mix of things going down here, deliciously heavy scathing gut ripping things, hang on though, they're doing things in their own way... like as if mr. bungle were a nasty death metal band, or if prong got dangerous and ripped it up with primus and napalm in a psychotic cement mixer
... actually the heavier bits sound like pulkas at their most intense.... stop the bus, i just found our favourite band for this and the next couple of issues of organ...that's right, we've handed you pulkas and dream city film club, now we're going to have to start bugging you until you can't ignore us about earthtone9.
they're from nottingham and right now they sound like a slightly psychedelic black sun ensemble, maybe a hint of monster magnet, but they do it in such an intense manner...yeah, i have to find out more, got to catch a train to nottingham..
just as you're kind of mellowing that vocalist kicks in like some pissed off demon with a splitting headache.. yeah, i love this, i got to go out and tell everybody...
hang on, i'm gonna have to check the tape again just in case i was hallucinating or something... right, i'm back, very last day before we go to the printers.
i was right, these mean heavy, get out the way korn, here come earthtone9... do it!
pit magazine ~ jan 99 ~ most new bands have trouble incorporating another bands sound and keeping originality within their own sound at the same time. earthtone9 has taken an approach to this by incorporating a machine head meets tool sound, and still having mass originality. adding heavy bass lines and impressive drum fills, groovecore fanatics will undeniably agree that the progressive furry this five piece from england unleashed on their debut cd, lo definition discord is worthy of being influential to the groovecore community. with songs like "intonegrate attached" they managed to add to the heavy riffing some funk which makes it even more likable. earthtone9 has to be the most impressive cd to come my way in a long time!
chronicles of chaos, online zine, sept 98 ~ managing to mix the aggression of a hardcore/metal act (such as earth crisis, coalesce or vision of disorder) and the ultra cool vibes of bands like tool or acid bath is no easy task, but the quintet calling themselves earthtone9 have done so -- and quite well, may i add. strong bass lines, some nifty guitar work and searing vocals package a smooth romp into the wonderful world of aggressive metal here. you see, as similar sounding to the above mentioned bands as they may be, earthtone9 manage to add their own flavor to the fold -- a wicked mix of eccentric vocal styles and some out of this world grooves. i am really starting to appreciate more and more bands that set the musical style they play on the edge, balancing between common musical directions and then occasionally dabbling into some uncharted territory. tool are a good example of that and that's the primary reason why they are high up on both gino's and my own fave band list. not a bad moment on this record from what I can hear. caring to open up a bit more to the music you digest? then get this.
wicked land zine ~ 10/10 ~ along with pulkas, these guys are responsible for a resurgence in the british music scene- and i can only recommend that you americans do whatever you can to check them out. quite simply, this band is amazing.
taking the best of the alternative metal scene, mixing it with some tool-esque experimentation, and then topping it all off with solid chunks of sheer death metal style brutality, this album will leave you speechless.
the song " two minutes" encapsulates all that is good about them. it starts off slow and grooving, before breaking off for a sinister bass driven section, and finally climaxing in the sort of infernal rage that makes you think the armageddon has arrived. buy!
trotters rock zine ~ 5/5 ~ when you are listening to as many albums as i am these days it is very easy to just play many and hear much of the same and in particular one band springs to mind as being a major influence on many new acts ,korn. now far from being anti korn i do , however , finds myself disliking many of the newer korn clones doing the rounds at the moment , and there are many i assure you !
imagine then a totally new british band who don't sound like korn ,release a debut cd on a small independent label and , apparently , all for £500.00 ($750.00) ! welcome to nottingham's earthtone9
the great new hope for young up and coming british alternative metal .
now apart from the non korn influences it is virtually impossible not to look for comparisons in et9 's music and i think it's fair to say the nearest you'd find is tool's more industrial sound but the truth is et9 have dutifully set out to create their own identity and for that they should be commended !
lo d/d does have many interesting variations too , not one grinder after another here ! from the fantastic "sand" to the more atmospheric "ever you say" there's something for all in here . i have to say that i put this up with the kill ii this - deviate album as the best british release of 1998 and if these guys were americans they would be totally huge !
unfortunately, for them ,they are not so they have to endure the prejudices of the brit market which ,although loyal, won't make them rich . i think the usa and ,maybe, a bigger record company beckons , i certainly hope so , and then , with bigger backing , we will all be shouting from the rooftops about earthtone9. a definite buy or die.
yaz zine ~ august 98 ~ life can sometimes throw up some weird coincidences. ever noticed that? anyway, this for me was one. there i was, having a look through some old organs, when i noticed a review of earthtone9. they're from nottingham, and i'd missed it. sitting on the doorstep, and i was blind to it. we all make these mistakes. the organ was quite old, so i thought there'd be no chance of getting a demo to hear. and then, about a week later, a tape plopped through the door, though it was a very nice plop. and when i looked, it was an advance tape of the earthtone9 album. which was a nice coincidence i thought. they'd stumbled on a yaz, and as a result, i was rewarded with this little beauty. see, doing a zine pays off. big time in this instance.
and what was even nicer were the sounds that emerged from the hi-fi when i inserted the tape. ah, nice. a more hardcore tool is how i'm currently thinking of it. hardcore in that there are a bunch of shouted vocals. there's a touch of the will haven there. but to be honest, this album truly comes into it's own when they are replaced by the more melodic aspects. it's like the sort of thing that would make say soulfly interesting instead of the boring one-dimension that it is. and it's why i'll be reaching for this a damn sight more often than soulfly.
the music here, it's wonderful. just put on the dream that is ever you say. adventurous, grooves along, heavy, melodic. exciting. it's only fault is it ends too soon. and that's for a 7 minute song. really, there are times when i get carried away on that toollike ride. and that's always a good thing. there's your reference point. don't cling to it, use it. actually, fuck it. if like me you're still waiting for the new tool, go and grab this. it's not a substitute, it's from that lineage. if you're mindset is in that particular field of music, then you're going to enjoy this one.
the album opens up with the full bloodedness of withered moving from a slow intro, to the full blooded will haven onslaught, but it's the track 2:00:00 which for my mind starts to showcase the true talent on show here. things get slowed down, the music starts to hypnotise and you're drawn in. when you eventually resurface, you get the time to think, who is this. it's that little something you need to separate the play it once from the whereiss that bloody e9 tape. that point which stands out in the mind. 3rd ripple in continues the adventure, a sparse arrangement that is so effective before the frantic climax complete with the sound of the microphone being hurled to the floor.
now most will not remember them, but there was a band called mind over four back at the turn of the decade who released some great albums, and cracked hand, dry face sees karls vocals take on the same tone as spike xavier. it highlights the versatility. you've gone from the guttural roar, to the soaring hights, and the plaintive cry of "jesus forgive me". the the title tracks, sees that vocal switch again. i've complained in the past that will haven should mix it up more. if they did, maybe they'd be as good as this.
really, i mean this year has been such a revelation for uk music as far as i'm concerned. milque, noisegate, medulla nocte, monkey boy, pulkas, sack trick, varicus, consumed and more. now add the name earthone9. whatever your particular posion, there's something out there that is as good as anything thrown at us from the states. and as the states is throwing some pretty good stuff over here, then that's good news for live music. the one thing that is now required, is peoples support.
i've yet to see them live, but the next time they're around that will be remedied. who knows, maybe an interview could be done. prepare yourselves.
don't make the mistake i did initially and miss out on these. it's time to climb aboard now. they've won me anyway. as long as they can do it live. an album that if yaz has a "albums of the year" feature this year, is likely to feature very highly.
available now on copro records. come on, the uk is fighting back. it's all square now.
tkmyl issue 5 ~ earthtone 9 recorded their debut-album lo-def(inition) discord for just 600 pounds. the sound of this english band (they're from nottingham) is like an unique blend of tool and deftones. calm, emotional parts are alternated with heavy, aggressive metal riffs. one time singer karl reminds me of tool, the other time he screams all his anger out of his soul.
climaxes of this album are "withered" (the first song of lo-def(inition) discord), "3rd ripple in" and "2:00:00". andy sneap (machine head, stuck mojo) and dave chang were responsible for the production of this very cool debut-album. their next album is planned to be released in late july 1999, and will be titled "off kilter enhancement".
rocktribe ~ live review from the lost weekend ~ the immediate impression earthtone 9 make on entrance to the stage is entirely due to the terrifying spectacle that is their frontman. a gentleman of considerable stature, he sports a full beard, a bald noggin, a massive and intricate tattoo on his back and a nice line in cling film underwear. i should point out here that i'm not making this up. it should come as no surprise then, that this nottingham five piece are probably the most brutally heavy thing on ten legs at the moment, a true collision of inner catharsis, potent talent and a subtlety which is anything but obvious, yet accelerates their noise way from the rest of the ultraheavy hordes. wanna redecorate your pit? bollocks to larry lewellies-bowen. invite earthtone around for an impromptu gig and save yourself the job of stripping paint from the walls. like a hand grenade in a fireworks factory, they are immensely noisy, phenomenally powerful and a pleasure to watch.
kerrang ~ nov 1999 ~ (4/5) ~ earthtone9 are a queer bunch, not least because singer karl middleton looks as if he’d sooner snap your neck than light your cigarette. it’s hard to tell whether he’s mad or just pissed off, but either way it makes for a fine show.
ejaculating a rapid fire burst of songs from their two independently-released albums, et9 are, perhaps by accident, the true sound of pre-millennium tension. and they clearly operate in a world of bleak emotions, with each song reading like a suicide note.
on the likes of zechariah rush (uru shalom har meggidon) and serpentine placement, nameless (the 4th and the 10th) – try saying that drunk – et9 are making refreshingly astute and powerful metal that sounds neither particularly british or american. the just sound like earthtone9.
well okay, they do possess the same dark dynamics as tool and the brutal delivery of machine head, but the rarity of seeing a brit band who sound like potential world beaters does not go unnoticed.
think korn being given a kicking by some really pissed-off men, and then go buy the record.
kerrang ~ live review ~ nottingham rock city (supporting megadeth) ~ sept 9 1999 ~ kkkk ~ nothing against mullets, but there are people here who look like they’ve not been to a gig since 1988. they’re here for ‘peace sells…’ and ‘holy wars’ and to punch the air as marty friedman wanks his fretboard with an expression that suggests he might explode at any moment.
consequently as earthtone9 unleash their apocalyptic avalanche of hardcore power and metallic crunch, there are elements of the crowd that just look alarmed. the nottingham crew’s skewed aggression is as far removed from trad metal posturing as the thrash scene pioneered by megadeth and metallica was from the lumbering rock it replaced.
‘they sounded the same all the way through,’ reckons steve jarvis from rotherham. ‘they just don’t have any songs.’
ah, but they do, young jarvis. the subtleties might be cleverly camouflaged beneath a near-solid wall of spittle and spite, but there’s a twisted cleverness at play below the surface roar.
along with pulkas, they’re one of the finest exponents of noisecore this country can boast and you can’t argue with a band that psyche themselves up for a home-town gig by shaving their heads.
kerrang ~ july 17 1999 ~ kkkk ~ … confident enough to headline with a set full of stuff that most people won’t know, it is only a matter of time before earthtone9 are huge.
barefoot frontman karl middleton has the perfect mournful wail and rabid bark for their tool-meets-will haven by way of faith no more’s grind. the fact that he barely speaks between songs merely adds to the intensity.
the beauty of having such ludicrous song titles as zechariah rush (uru shalom har meggidon) from the magnificent new opus ‘off kilter enhancement’ is that no-one will ever shout for a favourite.
earthtone9 have managed to break this down to pure music and nothing else. no rockstar bullshit and no compromises. genius never sounded so good.
kerrang ~ april 24 1999 ~ kkkk ~ …even though earthtone9 have three teetotal vegetarians in their ranks, there is nothing straight about their music. as soon as the five musicians crowd themselves onto the stage, they unleash a brutal genre-skipping noise that even has the bar dwellers edging closer to the stage to see what all the fuss is about.
after all, earthtone9 are a pretty hard band to ignore: the sight of spectaculed frontman karl middleton taking a head full of anger out on his mike and drummer simon hutchby pounding his kit through a series of potentially dangerous off-beat grooves is breathtaking, to say the least.
like helmet and tool, earthtone9 take solid, air-shifting riffs and mercilessly shove them in your face. excellent!
kerrang ~ feb 27 1999 ~ kkkk ~ only one song into earthtone9’s fourth-on-the-bill set, it becomes clear why the electric ballroom is so conspicuously full so early on in the evening.
these people are not here by chance, but eager with anticipation as the buzz rapidly spreads about one of the uk’s finest new bands in years. no wonder rap-metallers one minute silence hand-picked them to open the show. if you want a crowd warming up, then you should at least invite someone with some matches – and earthtone9 positively torch the place.
but if this nottingam-based five-piece are pleased with themselves for turning half the venue into a pit within minutes, they certainly don’t show it. indeed, they don’t show much this evening beyond rage and a great deal of talent, tempered with a vague air of malevolence between songs.
there is no slick image. there’s hardly an image at all, in fact, and nothing said between songs. this is a band who rely purely on their music and, as such, they can’t go far wrong.
it soon becomes apparent that their abrasive blend of will haven-style slashing, snapcase rumblings and tool-esque grooves just isn’t being done as well as this by anyone on this side of the atlantic – or the other side for that matter.
and so, as the disparately pummelling ‘leadfoot’ slides effortlessly into the truly fearsome ‘withered’ with intense frontman karl middleton nearing the temperature for spontaneous human combustion, earthtone9 polish off a short but nonetheless magnificent set. it’s fair to say they’ve probably doubled the number of fans in one fell swoop. mission well and truly accomplished.
now, has anyone in the place got a fire extinquisher?
kerrang ~ oct 24 1998 ~ 5/5 ~ the line-up may read like some bizarre football result, but there is nothing sporting whatsoever about what nottingham’s earthtone9 inflict on the audience.
tighter than the bars on the windows of whatever asylum they stole their songs from, this fearsome five-piece howl and grind a tortured path through much of their debut album ‘lo-def(inition) discord’ and frankly impress the hell out of everyone in the process with their will haven-infused madness.
frontman karl middleton has a voice midway between a hell-bound howl and a rabid bark, and whatever the hell he’s on about sounds like it has really pissed him off. absolutely magnificent.
kerrang ~ mar 15 1997 ~ kkkk ~ now here’s a band that are never going to write a lullaby, unduly trouble ‘top’ of the pops’, or have one of their tunes filched to flog mars bars on the telly. they might however give slow old blighty a stake in this noisy, angsty, twisted, new-age metal game that up until now the septics have had all sown up.
they certainly look the part: pigtails and goatees and a singer called karl who flaps his elbows like an ever more unhinged jonathan davies whenever he gets agitated. the sound is all there too, sufficiently fulsome to satisfy event he smattering of indecipherable death metal shirts in attendance.
there’s an adventurous spirit in their material that sets earthtone 9 apart from all of their yank counterparts. and as cracked hands, dry face ebbs and flows, a disturbing mental picture of machine head jamming their way through pink floyd’s ‘wish you were here’ becomes impossible to shake off.
it’s a remarkable display of invention and barely contained power, made all the more so by the fact that this is the nottingham outfits first ever gig. by the time they reach your town they should be fearsome indeed. take aspirin along.
metal hammer ~ sept 99 ~ 8/10 ~ after a sweltering day of sunshine the temperature inside jb’s should have been past boilig point, with one of britains greatest white hopes in aeons playing. but in reality we are talking about dudley on a sunday night. so unfortunately the atmosphere rarely gets beyond sweaty armpit temperature.
but let’s not dwell on that, after all the healthy gathering of people in the venue have come to witness the ever-growing phenomenon that is earthtone9. after recently releasing the rather impressive second album off kilter enhancement, this lot are once again letting rip on the live front. and it’s a major experience.
epic, brooding, tuneful and downright heavy, earthtone9, nottinghams finest, are inspiring. the future is looking rather bright for these hate mongers. and it’s easy to see why.
the quintets secret ingredient doesn’t just solely lie in the voice behind the glasses and goatee that is karl middleton, but also in their albility to write some cool tracks. check out i nagual eye, serpentine placement… indeed, the whole set – it oozed greatness.
pleasantly unique in both musical and fashion styles (they’ve all completely shaved their heads), earthtone9 let the music do the talking with interludes kept to a minimum. that’s fine, because they’re music’s superb.
metal hammer ~ august 1999 ~ …as well as making nylon catalogue-style shirts cool, nottingham titans earthtone9 really are prime candidates to show that britain can still rock. while drummer simon hutchby plays like an epileptic (iron) monkey, vocalist karl middleton commands the stage with conviction and their tool-on-crack sounds beg to be lapped up…
metal hammer ~ july 1997 ~ (8/10) ~ quite why earthtone 9 have their singer doing this gig barefoot is a mystery. perhaps they are hoping for sponsorship from converse, or maybe he just remembers sandie shaw with a degree of fondness!
prospective footwear deals aside, the band are a dream to hear with their spot on hefty metal charges. for loose references, see machine head, korn or the entombed, except that et9’s sound is far more involved than korn’s excessive babbling, giving our boys the upper hand.
it’s a select audience in the house, but those present are highly encouraging towards the nottingham based quintet, who in turn bounce along with hearty enthusiasm. tighter than dino carares crammed into a suit made for chris robinson, earthtone 9 are blinding, their wealth of material gagging for exposure, ‘jesus forgive me’, ‘two minutes’, and ‘withered’ being only three of the best.
the uk is currently buzzing with the new breed of bands and when we are good we are brilliant. sponsorship deals and record contracts should be plentiful.
metal hammer ~ june 1999 ~ (8/10) ~ ... earthtone9 are getting very close to carving their own niche. the furiously unique spin on downtuned sludge is slowly reaping rewards. and they are clearly on the verge of something truly special...
yaz zine ~ live review ~ derby vic ~ september 10 1999 ~ earthtone9. well what can i say. what a letdown, and this was even better. letdown in terms of the pretty pisspoor turnout. even better in that they were nearly twice as good as at that megadeth annihilation, because they played for nearly twice as long.
this is my third time seeing them in the last 6 days. i can repeat myself again if you like, about the sheer power of the music they're producing and the performance. 2:00:00 was a particular highlight i thought tonight, but whereever you look from the opening of serpentine placement to the closing simon says, it's just an awesome experience. the backing vocals of jo really have added to the sound, sharing some duties with karl as well. another pointer to the future maybe. it's simple things. simple things are all that's needed to stand out. simple things like certain guitarists totally fucking up the guitar scrape in i-nagual-eye. and then claiming it's on purpose!
the sad thing in a way, is what makes them soooooo good is possibly what's holding them back at the moment. classed as a "hardcore" band by many, they are in possession of so many more ace cards. there's variety to what they do, that essential commodity that i complain is lacking in so many bands. subtlety. their musical experiences extend beyond the blinkers that are worn by many. and it's exactly these reasons that i think means that the "real" hardcore fans seem to be staying away at the moment. they're not american and on revelation or victory. and though they're uk, they're not on household name and they have a chance. like some people have this misguided belief that you can't or shouldn't be able to make a living out of this sort of thing. of course you should.
look, if this had been will haven playing tonight, people would've been hanging from the rafters and they'd still turn people away. in fact any american hardcore band with half the good reviews that they've received would've rammed the place solid. but they're british. they're awesome. you can believe the likes of the editor of the nme if you like, or you can get out there, seek, find and support what is a priceless band and a wonderful scene of music throughout the uk. not just hardcore. the whole "rock" thing. or you can watch live music in this country wither and die. it's up to you really.
i'm going to stop there cos already i'm off into what i want to write seperately. what can i say though, if you claim to be a fan, stop sitting on your trend obsessed "it's only good if it's american" arse and listen to music for what it is. music. you might just learn something.
yaz zine ~ live review ~ nottingham rock city (supporting megadeth) ~ september 8 1999 ~ hey, how you doing. or hey, how ya doing. or hey, wassup. depending on which part of the world you're from. or pretending to be from.
strap yerselves on. no sorry, i didn't mean that, it's way tooooo suspect. strap yerselves in, this one is going to be a biggie. trust me, i just hope i can remember everything i want to write.
first up is a mini rant. i dunno, is it just me, or when ever you've gone into a club have you ever seen a sign the following sign. not the "the management reserves the right to refuse admission." or, "licensed to serve alcohol". i'm on about the one that says, "the management reserves the right to up the price of alcohol and rip off the punters in a right royal manner by charging 3 quid for a bottle of newcastle brown instead of the usual 2quid when a big name band is playing." not that i would suggest that rock city are in it for themselves as opposed to the rock. oooo no, not me. i value my legs.
and as chromedome 5 take the stage, i start to reminisce. i think it was after the gig earthtone9 played downstairs at the disco ii last year. i sat on the step towards the back of the main dancehall upstairs talking to vocalist karl. conversation turned towards the main stage in front of us. i think i was on one of my familiar "uk bands should be playing there" rants. "what would you do if you played there?" i asked. "shit myself" he replied. and for a man who therefore is shitting himself, he's doing it bloody impressively at the moment. or maybe not. maybe the new haircuts are a cover.
inspite of the fact that karl looks like the singer from psycore (not a good thing), simon the drummer is a dead ringer for scott ian from anthrax, oz looks like someone from a charlie chan film, graeme finally doesn't look like derek smalls from spinal tap, and jo i'm still working on. earthtone 9 are fucking immense. they were built for this. and more.
i think one of the magazines in a review of their current album said something along the lines of "if there's any justice in this world, earthtone9 will soon be headlining every festival this side of dynamo". damn right. as they take the stage, karl utters the words "what do you mean i don't believe in god, i talk to him every day". damn right. because god has seen sense and decreed that earthtone 9 are on the main stage in rock city. get used to it. unless they sell out to the states, it's got to be a regular thing in the future. they then tear into serpentine intestine from the new album. despite the fact that they are lined up in front of the arsenal of megadeth equipment, they seize the chance by the scruff of the neck. some support bands are just that. support. they look timid. they look scared. place them in front of "legends" and you can see the piss and shit running down their legs. not earthtone 9. tonight they own the place. they’re up for it. it’s a simple performance. but full of envegy, conviction, spirit. ultimately, it turns out to be everything megadeth aren’t. sand is up, it crushes. i'm down the front, an unusual thing for me, but special occcasions warrant special deeds. well apart from haircuts.
for the next 20 minutes they power through a selection from the two albums. i negual eye features a fucked up guitar scrape from the oz. ya git. he knows. withered crushes. "the security are feeling overworked, please take a step back" says the psycore singer. i take a look around. tonight is utterly hypnotising. i hope this is what the rest of the crowd are feeling, otherwise you should hang your heads in shame at the sheer lack of response. then just hang youself. they're attacking. they're uniform in their appearance. tonight it's earth against the world. the world never stood a fucking chance. if you like what the likes of will haven are doing, then you owe it to yourself to find out about earthtone 9. tonight they are quite possibly the finest hardcore metal crossover band in the world. and tool had better watch out if they don't put something out soon. in some ways it's like megadeth all those years back. the music takes some work for your senses to adjust to it. they're pushing the edge with it all at the moment. and many people are finding it hard to adjust to and accept the new variations. much like many "classic" metal fans found it hard to adjust and accept thrash. and now look at them.
but for all that, it's not perfect. no, i'll tell you why. you see, for it to become perfect, earthtone9 need to be headlining places like this. already they have the swagger about them. i've sat and tried to figure out what it is that sets a band apart, at least in my own mind. and i still don't know. it's just one of those "something" things. but already i can see in my mind the band playing hour long sets. being able to mix into the set those more melodic epics that don't currently get played such o...o...o... and ever you say, just setting an ebb and flow to everything. the music does the talking. i tend to like bands that show energy on stage by means of physical movement, talk to the crowd. to pull off a captivating performance in my eyes without the need to hurl yourself everywhere takes something special. earthtone9 have it. some bands obviously lend themselves to props, mechanical monsters and the likes. some to the stage diving and crowd participation through that means. others adopt the "don't take your eyes of the floor" tact. earthtone9, well when i close my eyes i see an exotic lighting rig, projections. it's an accompaniment to the music, creating something that attacks all the senses. well, maybe apart from smell. it's just an hypnotic sound and performance that they create. it's what they are made for. you can tell. just take a look at the minimalist presentation of the cds. you know that they could create something truly spellbinding. you may not have any idea what i'm on about, but i do, and trust me, it's one of the best shows i've ever seen.
it seemed to go over most peoples heads. but i remain confident. pitchshifter had to work their way up. me, i was fucking worried tonight as they walked on. and what right have i got to be? none. but i was also proud. and as each song pounded their way out, i was smiling a huge fuck off grin. well huge grin for me at least. earthtone 9 for me have the potential to be the most successful of the current "extreme" bands. remember, megadeth used to be extreme.
tonight e9 took the crown and posed that mustaine sneer right back in his face.
oh yeah, and megadeth were here.
now i know most people were here for them. hell you can tell that by the audience response. whereas for earthtone9 it was flat, for megadeth it's exuberant. but how much is justified? well, that depends on you doesn't it. they start up with prince of darkness. i don't know it cos i've not listened to the band since countdown .... but in kerrang! they explain that they will start with it and play one more song from the new album. oh yeah baby, cutting edge. it has the riff. it also has a taped intro and a techno style middle section. hmmm. it exists. from there on in, it's basically a selection of choice hits. holy wars is up next. cool. technical metal. that riff. and they do the middle bit. you know. the acousticy middle east section. marty, who is looking very kirk hammett with his new haircut, does the break. the hand raises to the air. is it adulation seeking or relief at having pulled off the break? doesn't matter does it? it's still stupid. it's arena. it's what megadeth are after. but in the uk at least, they ain't going to get there. not now. darkest hour sees the new drummer (sorry, don't know the name, just know that he was in y&t) showing off. when it was released it was a "head's down and fuck you". now it's "wassup up and lick our ass". that's the whole thing that surrounds the performance. i mean, how many people 10 years ago expected to see mustaine with an acoustic guitar on stage? sure, it's "evolution". yeah right. it would be evolution if it wasn't for the fact they did 4 albums without this "evolution". then metal died. and suddenly all these bands "evolve". bollocks. smells dodgy? yeah. smells like teen spirit.
but i can't fault it. they are great songs. there's no doubt about it. the like of peace sells just crushes. symphony of destruction has a mass singalong. sweating bullets is cool, well, without the "please scream for me" sort of thing. but it's the songs. not the performance. the songs stand the test of time. bands degrade. there are times, like in a toute le monde where i think maiden. i wonder if mustaine will do "sing for me" in french tomorrow?
see, 10 years ago, when megadeth were apparently being a shite support band at hammersmith odeon, maiden were who they were trying to eradicate. never forget, that for whatever mustaine says about tonight, it's ultimately only a warm up. tomorrow they start the european support slot with maiden in france. a band who should frankly wipe the floor with them. and just about most bands around today. and i wonder if megadeth will have agreed to a 25 minute support slot like earthtone9 were given today? hmmm. one rule for one, one for another methinks. if megadeth can play a longer support slot with a band that plays longer headline sets than they do, then why can't megadeths support bands get a decent length set?
they end with peace sells. they return. "i was really impressed with your singing earlier" says mustaine. anarchy in the uk starts. he repeats the statement as they break into the track. well sorry, but "anarchy in the uk" is not, and has never been about a mass singalong. it's a great song yes. but its not about this. it's a gripe i've had with the band for a few tours now. see, there was a time i looked forward to seeing them with a sense of excitement. trepadation. tonight, earthone9 rendered that useless for once and for all. they were good, but earhtone9, to borrow a title from the other new megadeth song, "crushed em". they return to finish things up with paranoid. a great song. a good band. but that's not enough.
you see tonight it was like this, planet earth crushed planet mustaine out of sight.
and if you all ask kindly enough, i may, just may, let you in on what happened at rock city and the sort of treatment they maybe afford support bands. but that's down to you.
yaz zine ~ live review ~ dudey jbs ~ september 5 1999 ~ before the gig starts i find myself in the dressing room with both bands. just let me warn you, if you're ever alone with eathtone9, be afraid, be very afraid. they are one sick band :-) fortunately the gig is about to start, and safety is within reach....
unfounded have had a pretty rough deal the last couple of weeks at the hands of the press. too derivative. lacking imagination. that sort of thing basically. which is a tad unfair. i mean, ok, they're not inspirational at the moment, but not a lot is. and not a lot of what gets creamed over in the press is inspirational at the moment. but them's the breaks you get being british.
besides, it must be pretty hard after driving for 5 hours to get to a place to be confronted by a line of tables and chairs at which everyone sits or stands behind. yes, including me. it's like the maginot line. though shalt not cross. undeterred they go through a 6 song set. the guitars feel a little too far back in the mix to get the full effect, but for lovers of high speed thrash style shenanigans, there's something to take a look at here.
there's also something to see in the drum setup. using a strange looking kit, there are no bass drums. i guess its triggered into pads. but it's fun, cos as those high speed double bass runs kick in during the likes of cold, dry and four, you can see the drummers little legs pelting away for all they're worth. as on record, i prefer it when they just slow down a little, open out the melody, and start developing their own thing. they're not great yet, but they're not as bad as the press are making out. actually, maybe it's not the bands that are shite, maybe it's the press and audiences off which they have to feed.
the maginot line gets crossed though as earthtone9 take the stage. no, not by me. by people braver than me. but i have this thing about idiots at the moment, and luckily someone is here to continue the thread. every time i've seen them play thus far, they open up with some feedback. and so, as the first strains emerge from the speakers, i figure it's time for the earplugs (cos trust me, it's the feedback that will kill you if you suffer tinitus). but anyway, it starts up. and so dj plays rage against the bloody machine. and then zakk wylde. nice one mate. band - on stage. you reckon there's any link between those two? just planting a thought for you. the band sit down.
eventually as the music fades, they rise. feedback emerges and then we're straight into the powerhouse of serpentine placement from the new album. and it's absolutely stunning. the next forty minutes are. original guitarist jo is back in the ranks, and also providing back up vocals, proving that there is someone other than karl who actually knows some of the words. well, unless he's making them up as he goes along like the rest of us.
the set draws heavily from the new album, as well it should. playing so much new material is a risk normally, but this is so powerful it's untrue. i negula eye is up, with that weird sounding halfway through being a pick scrape from oz, but even that sounds unconventional put up against everyone else that does so. simon is sinking lower and lower into the ground behind those drums. it can only be a matter of time before he's under the stage and reaching up to hit them. it's a strange sight, but that sums up the band, and together with grahame, who seems to be attacking the bass more and more each gig, they make a fine rhythm section holding everything together.
sand remains from the debut, and its testament that as the opening strains of withered emerge from the speakers, more people run to join the brave soles at the front. they know if from having been on the magazine cds, and as great a song as it is, it's still not their finest moment. though it would be for most other bands.
towards the end, there's a signal. there's 5 minutes left. there's a quick conversation amongst the band. zechariah rush is dropped due to lack of time, and simon says closes things. in my album review i said it somewhat paled against the rest of the material. live i might have to rethink that judgement. it ends in feedback, the band leave one by one walking through the crowd. each and every one of them is gulping in the air. our idiot returns. "give it up for earthtone9 if you want them to come back .... more than that ..... apparently you're not good enough so they're not coming back.....". of course by now they're probably half way across the cavernous upstairs venue on their way to the dressing room. they don't know about this. so why, mr i, did you delay the start of the set and curtail the end of it if they were to be allowed more time. they drop 2 songs from the set. excellent. the world is full of idiots.
al’s metal page ~ live review ~ sept 1999 ~ earthtone 9 hit the stage running and launch into serpentine placement (i am still getting the hang of the album so apologies for any mistakes in the song titles). i groan in exasperation as i see the band have all had skinhead haircuts - i saw some of them wandering about earlier and didn't recognise them - i would have said "hi"). i know i made an aside about "red hair" in my last review but i was only having a laugh!
they are in top form and are so professional alongside the support acts. some of these chelmsford punters clearly do not know the band and are looking somewhat bemused at the spectacle of 5 hungry and intense looking blokes with no hair blasting away on stage and shouting at them. karl's new haircut gives him an unfeasible resemblence to the psycore guy.
i think they do lot of the stuff from the first album (which i am not so familiar with) but i recognise zechariah (one of my favourites) and enertia 65800. despite the colossal storm on stage some of the kiddies are actually leaving - they definitely came to see their school-chums in the local support and were told to be home before 11 o'clock. the blistering (and very short!!) set finishes up with an amazing grind and click and simon says. i even manage to shake hands with owen as the band leave the stage.
verdict: this is a top class act which i'm afraid was completely wasted in chelmsford (this is night-club territory). still, a couple of those school-kids had a night they won't forget in a hurry and i saw a couple of happily stunned expressions heading for the door. the album off kilter enhancement is as good as any of the over-blown us stuff we are hearing at the moment. see you next time in london, guys.
al’s metal page ~ live review ~ sept 99 ~ the next band is the one i am most interested in. the singer from earthtone9 is a big bloke with nhs specs, red hair (the kiss of death) in a pony tail and a goatee beard. he looks like a barman and is consuming vast quantities of water. the band launch into their set and a minute later i am standing with big stupid grin on my face. this is what it's all about. the band are fucking great! the barman cavorts violently around the tiny stage of the borderline, screaming out robb flynn anger followed by burton bell melodies then does a passable jay brandt impersonation. i don't mind bands that have obvious influences, but isn't it refreshing when they are influenced by more than one band?
a band that works has a certain look and feel about it, something about the way they pulsate, completely in tune with each other. earthtone9 have that feeling, aggressive but totally together. they came on looking like geeks and left looking really cool. i like them a whole lot and managed to buy both their albums at the gig.
mick admits that they "give it some stick".
verdict: grungey metal at its best!