The sound of clarity

Ah Music... you have been my obsession since that tender, innocent age of 15. Over the years, we've had a healthy relationship that has mostly revolved around me gaining insurmountable pleasure from you. If only I could return to that time where I was so excited about every single cd I bought. Where listening to KILO resulted in me hearing some cool new band. When Mudvayne were a "new" band. I can still remember going to Best Buy to buy L.D. 50 and seeing the odd, pharmacy meets humanity cover. Seeing the faces of the four band members painted, looking demonic and alien and just too damn cool.

Tonight I have been brought to a night wherein I should be catching up on all my homework (I have several papers to start and/or finish) and while I've done some of that (while also registering) I find myself wanting to do nothing more than sit in my room, draped in my wornwaytoomuchandheldontotoolong hoodie and engage in an act of intimacy with the auditory equivalent of perfection. Some thoughts at the moment; Mudvayne were at one point an incredible band. Since the release of L.D. 50 back in 2000 the band have regressed into an above average radio metal band. However, the band at one point tackled complex topics such as the idea of drugs and hallucinogens and how they have impacted human evolution. Nothing that complex anymore. Now we have "Are you feeling happy?" I suppose it's the natural consequence of being in the music business and achieving a slight bit of success. There is a need to repeat that, or fall by the wayside. Same story. Band X gets obscure radio hit despite being uncharacteristic of radio music, label gets greedy, band likes more support from label, pressure to repeat success, band does not, gets dropped, repeat add nausea. I still feel somewhat cheated. Like I've lost something. Something that was so exciting and fresh and new and now... not.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some bands utterly surprise me with their renewed level of awareness and dedication to creating art. Machine Head have long been one of my favorite bands and their new album, "The Blackening," shows just what can happen when a band loses its head to the pressures of potential radio success only to come back, fully in love with the idea of creating music for music's sake. It's an album that flows, is aggressive, beautiful, haunting and challenging from a musical standpoint. After my first spin of the album, I felt that same excitement from when I first discovering the world of metal and music. It lit a fire under my ass and made pick up my guitar and start to write riffs. Same thing when I discovered the Psalters over the summer. Moments of Zen. Moments that I crave. Moments that motivates me to go and play that next show. Moments I would love someday to give back to others.

For now, I'll continue to engulf myself in the Zen that is sonic violence. Music, music, I hear music. Music over my... head...