Motorhemp
11-10-2006, 11:05 PM
Just thought I'd post this review of Liverpool band Metro Manila Aide. Anyone else seen them? Got opinions?
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Mersey Music Review
Metro Manila Aide - EP Review
Written by Mikey Brown
Wednesday, 08 November 2006
You can either like a band that just makes great CD's and can't pull it off on stage, or you can prefer a band that makes garbage CD's and can put on one hell of a show. Metro Manila Aide are a band that can do both with four great tracks currently playing on their MySpace page and one hell of a live show. To be fair I have only ever seen the band live once in a small jam session in their practice room, from that moment on, I was hooked on their music, I now even go to jam with them.
Ok enough about my claim to fame. I am here to talk about the CD side of Metro. I am hoping to give an account of the display of mercurial music that Metro provide the Liverpool music scene with. The whole play list that we are provided with by the band is something that I personally had not come across before in a Liverpool band. I list my favourite artists in the late 60's Blues/Psychedelic to the 70's Heavy ball crunching rock. Metro for me, combine all that and so much more too.
First off we have "Creation", a melodic ambient "Dark Side" era Floyd, with a bit more beef guitar wise. It has a slow last dance type of beat to it, especially with the chanting style singing. You will be sitting there maybe after a few beers, a couple of Hawaiian herbal cigars or even just getting to sleep, feeling the calmness and niceties of the riff. Then all of sudden near the end it explodes your mind, a build of aggressive drums, the guitar becoming more prominent again, and then an almighty roar is let out, then it fades back to normality. What a roller coaster ride through the first song! Surely more is to come? Each time I hear it I envisage this being part of a soundtrack to a war film. I don't know why, I just do.
Next up is "The Plague Pt2". This is where the originality of Metro starts to become apparent. This is where we start to hear the tight work that the band does so well to maintain. This song style reminds me of early 80's metal maybe even one of Megadeth, who Paul the lead vocalist (and best front man I have ever seen or heard of) shares the looks of Dave Mustaine, only with short hair. It is the lyrics, like all Metro tunes that have the impact with me, "At the end of the line, only ourselves decide" and "Exactly one year to this day, all laws will be abolished, all laws will cease to exist". That to me immediately screams protest song. Not solely just one particular gripe is Paul singing about here, but the crazy things going on in the world today. Ok we are not talking the lyrical genius of Bob Dylan here, but hey come on this is nothing to be laughed at. It is a breath of fresh air to hear a band not singing about how they hate their parents, and how far their fringe needs to go over their eyes. The meaty riff has you banging your head like your Dad might have to Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. Trust me it will.
"Destruction" is the ******* love child of "Creation". This is a tune of anger. The riff just oozes the stuff, however this is controlled anger. Imagine yourself to be in a situation where you want to just explode, but you play the sensible move and sit and listen and stay calm. This song is that feeling. This song to me gives another definition of the everlasting fight between good and evil. This would make a good fight scene soundtrack.
Finally we have the latest addition to the playlist, "The Tree of Material Manifestation" or "TTOM" for short. This is the icing on the cake. This is a track that shows the consistency that the band have demonstrated throughout. Out of the four tracks the guys have not dropped, since that very first note of "Creation". This manic tune blows your socks off, and leaves you wanting more when it suddenly ceases. I am certain that is what they were trying to achieve when recording the track. This is very much the most powerful song I have heard this year. I like it that much it has become my ring tone on my phone. Even the opening line gets you drawn in. "And thus we mortals achieve, Immortality" and then bang, the music kicks in. You feel like you are sharing Paul's anger, you start to find yourself willing him on to win whatever argument he putting up. You could be inclined to think that the song is about the crucifixion of Jesus, except from a place of agreement with what was happening. "Hammer the nails in, deep" and "That's the divine mercy and if you don't worship it you'll perish for all eternity!" not lyrics you hear on Radio 1 are they?
So my overall summary is that the 4 tracks I have listened to religiously for the past 2 weeks are a worth while experience. Metro are a band that have grabbed my attention. With their tight playing, the bone crunching riffs of "TTOM" and "Destruction" to the melodic lovely opening to "Creation", it is a journey for all music fans to have a ride on. After hearing this CD, you will want to see them live, and you will not be disappointed. Metro Manila Aide are a hard working band, they are doing for sheer love of music, and any band that demonstrates this, should be supported all the way. You will not walk away with the feeling that "That's half an hour of my life I will never get back" it will be a part you will want to keep forever.
================================================== =======
Mersey Music Review
Metro Manila Aide - EP Review
Written by Mikey Brown
Wednesday, 08 November 2006
You can either like a band that just makes great CD's and can't pull it off on stage, or you can prefer a band that makes garbage CD's and can put on one hell of a show. Metro Manila Aide are a band that can do both with four great tracks currently playing on their MySpace page and one hell of a live show. To be fair I have only ever seen the band live once in a small jam session in their practice room, from that moment on, I was hooked on their music, I now even go to jam with them.
Ok enough about my claim to fame. I am here to talk about the CD side of Metro. I am hoping to give an account of the display of mercurial music that Metro provide the Liverpool music scene with. The whole play list that we are provided with by the band is something that I personally had not come across before in a Liverpool band. I list my favourite artists in the late 60's Blues/Psychedelic to the 70's Heavy ball crunching rock. Metro for me, combine all that and so much more too.
First off we have "Creation", a melodic ambient "Dark Side" era Floyd, with a bit more beef guitar wise. It has a slow last dance type of beat to it, especially with the chanting style singing. You will be sitting there maybe after a few beers, a couple of Hawaiian herbal cigars or even just getting to sleep, feeling the calmness and niceties of the riff. Then all of sudden near the end it explodes your mind, a build of aggressive drums, the guitar becoming more prominent again, and then an almighty roar is let out, then it fades back to normality. What a roller coaster ride through the first song! Surely more is to come? Each time I hear it I envisage this being part of a soundtrack to a war film. I don't know why, I just do.
Next up is "The Plague Pt2". This is where the originality of Metro starts to become apparent. This is where we start to hear the tight work that the band does so well to maintain. This song style reminds me of early 80's metal maybe even one of Megadeth, who Paul the lead vocalist (and best front man I have ever seen or heard of) shares the looks of Dave Mustaine, only with short hair. It is the lyrics, like all Metro tunes that have the impact with me, "At the end of the line, only ourselves decide" and "Exactly one year to this day, all laws will be abolished, all laws will cease to exist". That to me immediately screams protest song. Not solely just one particular gripe is Paul singing about here, but the crazy things going on in the world today. Ok we are not talking the lyrical genius of Bob Dylan here, but hey come on this is nothing to be laughed at. It is a breath of fresh air to hear a band not singing about how they hate their parents, and how far their fringe needs to go over their eyes. The meaty riff has you banging your head like your Dad might have to Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin. Trust me it will.
"Destruction" is the ******* love child of "Creation". This is a tune of anger. The riff just oozes the stuff, however this is controlled anger. Imagine yourself to be in a situation where you want to just explode, but you play the sensible move and sit and listen and stay calm. This song is that feeling. This song to me gives another definition of the everlasting fight between good and evil. This would make a good fight scene soundtrack.
Finally we have the latest addition to the playlist, "The Tree of Material Manifestation" or "TTOM" for short. This is the icing on the cake. This is a track that shows the consistency that the band have demonstrated throughout. Out of the four tracks the guys have not dropped, since that very first note of "Creation". This manic tune blows your socks off, and leaves you wanting more when it suddenly ceases. I am certain that is what they were trying to achieve when recording the track. This is very much the most powerful song I have heard this year. I like it that much it has become my ring tone on my phone. Even the opening line gets you drawn in. "And thus we mortals achieve, Immortality" and then bang, the music kicks in. You feel like you are sharing Paul's anger, you start to find yourself willing him on to win whatever argument he putting up. You could be inclined to think that the song is about the crucifixion of Jesus, except from a place of agreement with what was happening. "Hammer the nails in, deep" and "That's the divine mercy and if you don't worship it you'll perish for all eternity!" not lyrics you hear on Radio 1 are they?
So my overall summary is that the 4 tracks I have listened to religiously for the past 2 weeks are a worth while experience. Metro are a band that have grabbed my attention. With their tight playing, the bone crunching riffs of "TTOM" and "Destruction" to the melodic lovely opening to "Creation", it is a journey for all music fans to have a ride on. After hearing this CD, you will want to see them live, and you will not be disappointed. Metro Manila Aide are a hard working band, they are doing for sheer love of music, and any band that demonstrates this, should be supported all the way. You will not walk away with the feeling that "That's half an hour of my life I will never get back" it will be a part you will want to keep forever.