Chiodos - Bone Palace Ballet
If you're reading this across the pond from FemaleFirst HQ (in the USA) you will have probably owned Chiodos' album for a good 18 months now; but with it only just hitting the UK shelves, this is something for us Brits!
The album has already shifted 200, 000 albums stateside and it’s not difficult to see why; the boys seamlessly combine their delicious mix of prog rock, with some filthy emo aspects as well as grime-filled hardcore elements… and for some reason, they remind me of Panic! At The Disco on smack.
What’s most amazing to the listener is that this band manage to pull of each genre they batter as the career their way through ear splitting track after track. As a fellow review said, Craig Owens' angelic vocals ride the cusp between male and female, and child and adult; and I have to agree, his voice captures you the sound is mind-boggling yet strangely addictive.
After we open with the very theatrical Two Birds Stoned At Once which sees Craig sing, gowl and sort of wail his way into our ears with this latest offering from my new favourite band.
I love the title of second track Is It Progression If A Cannibal Uses A Fork? and it's just a teaser for the delights that are yet to come... Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered gets me dancing around the kitchen as I'm making my tea, much to my housemates annoyance who asks if we can have Radio 1 on instead...!
Anyway, with Jess out of the way watching Hollyoaks we continue with A Letter From Janelle which is possibly my favourite song on the record; its pretty emotionally heavy, but then again; we've got to satisfy the emo kids... right?
Despite I Didn’t Say I Was Powerful, I Said I Was A Wizard is a clear dig at the bands critics, it's still an amazing track - yes I am becoming aware that I'm saying that about every song I’ve come across so far... perhaps i don't want a song like this writing about me. oh who am I kidding? Of course I do!
When trying to get the lowdown of this band, I heard lots of gossip about the belly-grabbing goodness of If I Cut My Hair, Hawaii Will Sink which I was told is 'vintage' Chiodos. I do love it a little bit, particularly the gang sing-a-long as we bounce along the song like I’m in one of those rubber rings you sit in on a water slide... not very 'metal' i know!
Intensity In Ten Cities is the best title I’ve ever heard; I think they should be given brownie points just for creativity! The song is just as good too, a beautiful slow song that I’m envisioning brings out a room full of lighters at live shows; wow, I think I love them!
Then there's Smitten For The Mitten which I'm hoping is not some kind of Oedipus Complex going on…but is yet another lovely pop-punk sounding track, yes I know you're going to hate me for saying that, but what Craig can do with his voice is really, really amazing; albeit some folk might call him a bit gay.. but yeah, I'll be gay for him any day.
They might be one of those 'love them or hate them' bands, and i have to admit that at first listen, they bordered on hate them... but that was because they were distracting me from my new game for my DS! Yet, after a few rounds of iTunes i have gained a whole new love for them, and I’m pretty excited for seeing them in Manchester... and trying to hug them all. Woo!
I love the bizarre sounds like emerge from this CD, I mean ever before have I seen guitar breakdowns, hardcore-esque growling, pretty boy singing and bouncy pop, piano ballads coming from just one CD. Okay, maybe from the Kerrang! Greatest hits, but that’s beside the point!
Rating; 5/5 - After never hearing them until Monday I’m an (almost) instant fan. Skip To;If I Cut My Hair, Hawaii Will Sink
FemaleFirst - Ruth Harrison