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August 10, 2004 - Alter Bridge and One Day Remains

Three weeks after my last release a new band joins my library when Alter Bridge released their debut album "One Day Remains" on August 10, 2004. But who is Alter Bridge? They are a four-piece alternative rock/metal band from Orlando, Florida and they are 3/4 of Creed! Creed recently broke up as singer Scott Stapp battled addiction and the relationship between him and the rest of the band deteriorated. The rest of Creed (guitarist Mark Tremonti, bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips) formed a new band called Alter Bridge with new lead singer Myles Kennedy. Alter Bridge plays a similar style of rock as Creed, but they are definitely a bit heavier with some songs balancing the line between rock and metal. Let's see what Alter Bridge is all about! The album kicks off with "Find The Real" and they dive right into a pretty heavy and cool main riff with Tremonti leading the way with some pretty sweet heavy guitar. We hear Kennedy for the first time and he h...
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July 20, 2004 - Miss Machine

A week after my last release and a very long five years since their debut "Calculating Infinity", The Dillinger Escape Plan finally released their second album "Miss Machine" on July 20, 2004. On their debut lead guitarist Ben Weinman also played the bass, but Dillinger expand to a five-piece on this album with Liam Wilson joining as their new bassist. There's also a big change as lead singer Dimitri Minakakis is no longer with the band and he is replaced by Greg Puciato. This album is much more varied in style and more experimental than their straight mathcore first album and with Puciato in the fold there is also singing now mixed in with the screaming we've come to expect. This is a lot of change for Dillinger that results in an album that almost sounds like a completely different band! Let's check it out! The album kicks off with "Panasonic Youth" and we hear Puciato right away as he screams sharply overtop some typically erratic and offbea...
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July 13, 2004 - I

On the same day as my last release and two years since their last album "Nothing", Meshuggah released an EP titled "I" on July 13, 2004. This EP is just one song, and it's exactly 21 minutes long! It's in the same organized chaotic style that Meshuggah are known for, but they've never recorded a song this long before. Let's see how prog-y Meshuggah can be! The only song on the EP is the 21 minute title track "I" and they dive right into a super speedy, almost thrash-y riff with Tomas Haake playing some sweet fast drums and Fredrik Thordendal and Marten Hagstrom syncing up for some slightly offbeat guitar that is pretty impressive that the two of them can stay synchronized in this odd time signature. Jens Kidman eventually comes in with one hell of a long, high scream that sounds super impressive! Then they snap into a "typical" Meshuggah main riff with Kidman yelling overtop of some hard-hitting and heavy guitars. They shift smoot...
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July 13, 2004 - 3750

Two weeks after my last release and two years since their debut "...And Life Is Very Long", The Acacia Strain released their second album "3750" on July 13, 2004. Bassist Karrie Whitfield is no longer with the band and he is not replaced as lead guitarist Daniel Laskiewicz also plays bass on this record and they reduce to a five-piece. The Acacia Strain are still playing the same super heavy style of metal as their debut, let's check out the latest! The album begins with a short song called "Carbomb" and after some indistinct chatter they slam very heavily into a pretty brutal breakdown that hits HARD! Laskiewicz's guitar sounds super heavy and awesome and Vincent Bennett's screams sound even clearer and heavier than last album! This song is only 1:17 long, but it's a fantastic way to kick things off! Up next is "Brown Noise" and it's got another super heavy, but this time pretty simple, main riff driving things and Bennett co...
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June 29, 2004 - Feedback

It's a triple release day! Two years since their last album "Vapor Trails" Rush released an EP titled "Feedback" on June 29, 2004. This is Rush's first EP and it's entirely covers of songs that inspired Rush from the 1960s. Let's listen to some Rush covers! The EP kicks off with "Summertime Blues", a Blue Cheer cover, and after a short intro they settle into a nice rock-and-roll main riff with Alex Lifeson leading the way with the catchy guitar and Neil Peart playing some pretty solid drums in the background. Geddy Lee still sounds solid singing the catchy verse overtop and he also gets a little chance to show off in the second round with some sweet bass! Lifeson delivers a decent little guitar solo and they end things as they began with the slower riff that they break down nicely into a classic rock and roll flourish ending. Pretty good way to kick things off I'd say! Up next is the first of two Yardbirds covers called "Heart Full...
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June 29, 2004 - We Are Not Alone

It's a double release day! Two years after their debut album "Saturate", Breaking Benjamin released their second album "We Are Not Alone" on June 29, 2004. This was their big breakthrough with a few succesful singles and it propelled Breaking Benjamin and their post-grunge/alternative metal style into the mainstream. Let's check out the latest! The album kicks off with it's lead single "So Cold" and Benjamin Burnley plays a slow but decently epic rhythm guitar riff, Aaron Fink adds some nice light lead guitar and once Mark Klepaski and Jeremy Hummel come in with the heavy rhythm section Fink switches to some pretty cool and heavy lead guitar. They quiet things back down for the start of the verse and Burnley sounds super epic and solid singing softly for the most part but mixing in some nice yells as well. Things get heavy again as they shift to the chorus and Burnley sings a catchy and solid chorus overtop. This seems to be the perfect blend o...
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June 29, 2004 - Atreyu and The Curse

A week after my last release a new band joins my library when Atreyu released their second album "The Curse" on June 29, 2004. But who is Atreyu? They are a five-piece metalcore band from Yorba Linda, California consisting of lead singer Alex Varkatzas, guitarists Dan Jacobs and Travis Miguel, bassist Marc McKnight and drummer/clean vocalist Brandon Saller. Atreyu are definitely metalcore with plenty of heaviness and Varkatzas doing screaming vocals, but they also have a bit of an emo side to them and Saller does lots of singing as well. Let's see what Atreyu is all about! The album starts with "Blood Children (An Introduction)" and it has screaming and singing, but everything sounds like it's way in the background. This only lasts just over a minute until things come in fully for "Bleeding Mascara" with Varkatzas holding a long, low heavy scream and some pretty sweet shredding guitar right from the get-go! The rhythm section is plenty heavy and ha...
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