Niki N. Phaser

From all the other arts, music could best be compared to painting. A painter is able to communicate emotions through the images he creates. Sometimes, these are very complex, filled with all sorts of details, shades and colours and sometimes, they are very simple, just a few lines and yet they are still as strong, if not even more. In this respect, songs are very similar to paintings. Some are multilayered, with all sorts of sounds an instruments filling the sonic space, while others are very minimal, played on one instrument or composed of one melodic episode. The music of Vangelis is a good way of exemplifying this theory. He has plenty of tracks that use dozens of sounds and create an universe which offers something new to discover at every listen, but he also has very simple compositions which are very effective in creating moods.

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Grunge major players Alice In Chains have finally completed a reunion project, recording a new album with singer William DuVall, who is replacing Layne Staley, dead of an OD back in 2002. The album is called Black Gives Way to Blue and will come out in September. They also have several gigs lined up, including a slot at the Epicenter show alongside Linkin Park and Street Sweeper Social Club. A few dates in Germany will mark their return to Europe, where they played last in 2006. The first single and video, A Looking in View is available at their official website. Judging from this song, this is the real thing. These guys are not just surfing the 90′s nostalgia wave, they still have some heavy riffs left in them. On the other hand, they probably know they woun’t get the spotlights of their younger years that’s why they selected a seven minutes PG-18 video to announce the comeback. Both the song and the video worth your attention.

If you are a bit familiar with the history of Linkin Park, you would know that their 2007 album, Minutes to Midnight, was a crucial moment in the band’s evolution. A big difference from previous albums was that they got more in touch with their inner pop child and the result was several softer songs like Leave Out All The Rest, Valentine’s Day or In Pieces. This is a song where Chester Benington really exhibits his pop voice. There is no nu-metal screaming, just a lot of vulnerability and that “wounded soul’s power”, displayed in some of Linkin Park’s best songs. In fact, the whole track, lyrically speaking, sounds like a love song, but in LP style, which means plenty of imputations and emotional accusations like “There’s truth in your lies, Doubt in your faith, What you build you lay to waste”.

Musically, In Pieces represents a fortunate combination of numerous elements from distinct genres. The song is built on what sounds like a celesta riff. There are hip-hop synth beats and atmospherics effects courtesy of Mr. Hahn, but you also get real rockin’ drumming, both intense and complex. The vocals, as I said, are soft and quite balladesque. The second verse is punctuated by some Clashy guitar hits and speaking of guitars, Brad Delson’s solo really takes you back to some 80′s hard rock, something like AC/DC or Motorhead even. It’s a shame that Linkin Park didn’t saw a single in this one, but they certainly haven’t ignored it live.

LISTEN TO THE SONG HERE