Hammers of Misfortune - The August Engine

[jimbobhickville]

August Engine is excellent; I should check out their other stuff.

I can understand labels wanting to sign generic metalcore bands because they sell better than the truly interesting stuff like Hammers of Misfortune. It's unfortunate that business inhibits art so often.

 

[NAD]

Bump because this is the best CD I've heard since Mithras sodomized me late last year. I love the bassist!

This is ridiculously good. How does The Bastard compare?

The Bastard is slightly different to The August Engine in that it's a concept album set in medieval times, and so there's an obvious nod to folk melody with a mixture of instrument styles, clean vox, death vox, female chants, and TONNES OF GROOVE. Also, every song just pushes forward - nothing stagnant here with the typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus bullshit song structure that's been done to death.

Nevermind.

 

[JayKeeley]

Man, I'm working round the clock on this new work assignment, but as soon as I get a spare moment, I'll write the review for The Bastard. I've already been getting a bunch of mails from the label and the band thanking me for "actually listening and appreciating", heh. Just wait until you hear The Bastard...holy goat.

 

[JayKeeley]

Bump because this is the best CD I've heard since Mithras sodomized me late last year. I love the bassist!

So tell me more about what you think of The August Engine! Favorite tracks? Do you think my review description was apt, or would you interpret it differently? I'm always keen to hear other ideas.

That bass player by the way has unfortunately left the band. It's a shame because Janis Tanaka has such a cool set of vocal pipes too. She's now been replaced by another female bass player, Jamie Myers, and they also have another female in the band, Sigrid Sheie, on the hammond organ and piano. Can you imagine them playing this material live with that line up?! Here's a pic:

This is ridiculously good.

It makes me sick as to how good they are. Honestly, I actually vomit each time I listen to them. Better than the Atkins Diet any day.

How does The Bastard compare?

Yeah, well I've mentioned how good it is 3 million times already, and of course you can wait for my review, but honestly if you love The August Engine, you will love The Bastard - no doubt whatsoever. It's a total off the wall fantasy concept album told in three acts smothered in celtic interludes and evil vokills.

 

[NAD]

Well, I ordered the Bastard yesterday already anyhow, so I'll soon find out!

It's a toss up between the August Engine Part I, II, and Doomed Parade for favorite track, but honestly it is very hard to tell, and since the album really requires an all or none listening, I don't really want to say which is my absolute favorite.

My take on the 70s aspect is a bit different from the general consensus. I don't think they sound quite as retro as everyone else, but the influence is certainly there.

It’s essentially a natural progression of the ‘heavy metal’ genre with the focus now aimed again at the importance of solid song-writing as opposed to salvaging riffs thrown together in an OPETH-driven blender.

This is EXACTLY what the album is about. The reprise of the main riff throughout the album gives a great sense of cohesion, which can be sorely lacking with groups that try so many different sounds.


If the new bassist is anything like the old one, I'm happy. Find out this June when I see them in concert hopefully.

 

[JayKeeley]

Well, I ordered the Bastard yesterday already anyhow, so I'll soon find out!

Oh yeah? That's cool - where did you order it from? The re-release just came out a week or so ago I think.

It's a toss up between the August Engine Part I, II, and Doomed Parade for favorite track, but honestly it is very hard to tell, and since the album really requires an all or none listening, I don't really want to say which is my absolute favorite.

Chikkin. I know what you mean though. The Bastard is even more so of an "all or none listening" experience, especially if you follow along with the lyrics/story.

If the new bassist is anything like the old one, I'm happy. Find out this June when I see them in concert hopefully.

If they come to the East Coast, it better be at a convenient time. In fact, I'm just going to send them the baby due dates now so they can schedule around the delivery date.

 

[NAD]

Got the Bastard from the band, as well as a kickass beanie.

Alright fine, I nut my pants and hiccup not once, not twice, but thrice every time the transition between the first two tracks comes on. Best part of the whole damn album.

If they come to the East Coast, it better be at a convenient time. In fact, I'm just going to send them the baby due dates now so they can schedule around the delivery date.

S'not a bad idea mate!

 

[JayKeeley]

My take on the 70s aspect is a bit different from the general consensus. I don't think they sound quite as retro as everyone else, but the influence is certainly there.

Right, although it might be a production thing that makes some think of that era. For example, the sound is not polished whatsoever and most 'traditional' metal past 1985 has typically sounded immaculate. I like the fact that they kept some mistakes in here or there, it just sounds a bit more honest that way perhaps.

 

[NAD]

Oh yeah, very natural sounding. I like how they don't doubletrack all the guitars either, or if they do I can't hear it.

 

[JayKeeley]

I don't think they do either. When you hear the two guitars playing single string harmonies together, it seems like that's all you hear other than the bass and drums. I'm not entirely sure though, but I can imagine the music working well in a live environment either way. And now they have a Hammond Organ player in the mix, heh. That's going to rule.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh yeah, very natural sounding. I like how they don't doubletrack all the guitars either, or if they do I can't hear it.

Oh by the way, The Bastard was recorded on 8-track analog. You'll be floored with what they accomplished.

 

[NAD]

From the band's message board:

[The August Engine] reminds me a lot of In The Court of the Crimson King, and I think it will have just as much staying power as that album.

SOLD! Oh wait, I already have it.

 

[General Zod]

OK Jay, I just ordered it. It better be good.

Zod

 

[JayKeeley]

OK Jay, I just ordered it. It better be good.

Zod

That's excellent. It will be good (read: extraordinary), just trust me implicitly on this one. What did you base your decision on out of interest?

 

[JayKeeley]

@NAD - How does In the Court of the Crimson King compare to The Power to Believe?

 

[Demonspell]

Jay: They are the work of two completely different bands with the same name, and thus should not be compared.

 

[NAD]

@NAD - How does In the Court of the Crimson King compare to The Power to Believe?

Kinda how Nattens Madrigal and Perdition City do.

Honestly though, the only similarities are that they are both progressive works in the truest sense of the word: not "let's put a 12 minute instrumental that nobody will figure out here" progressive, rather trying to get beyond current definitions of rock. I don't really know if you'd like it or not (especially since you never gave the yay or nay to The Power to Believe you bastid ), but it is an extremely important album in the grand scheme of things, easily on par with Sgt. Pepper's and Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

If I had to describe it in simple terms I would call it hippy acid jazz, but that is not doing it justice. I can see comparisons to The August Engine, mostly in their mastery of the use of dynamics.

 

[Black Winter Day]

ItCotCK is of the... how do you english-speaker say? of the pure ownage.

 

[NAD]

Then there is BWD's succinct description, which fits perfectly. :Spin:

 

[Demonspell]

<<not "let's put a 12 minute instrumental that nobody will figure out here" progressive>>

I have the patience to sit through Moonchild! Seriously, NAD did a good job of describing its historical importance, often cited as the first fully realized progressive rock album. And it has Epitaph, one of the most epic sounding songs ever written.