Aeonic Impulse - A Night For The Troubled (2016)

Ever since people started to get into Rush, Tool, and Opeth, I've notice a lot of people forming a lot of Prog bands, and then bashing other bands for not being "Prog" or "being diverse".  If done right, Prog can totally be a musical journey where you can set your mind free.  But most Prog bands I hear try to be Rush or Opeth.  Or they throw a barrage of self-wankery.  With A Night For The Troubled by Aeonic Impulse, I do not get any of that.  You do hear a band with many influences trying to bring that all together, and make it as one.

On the first track, "View of the Sunset", you hear some Tool influence in the sound.  Seeing that we already have Socionic doing the whole Tool thing, wasn't sure if Aeonic Impulse was another Prog band doing the Tool thing.  But by "Part II: Regretful Insomnia", you start hearing some post-hardcore in the sound, which by then I started to get hook.  Of course my favorite will be the last track "Part VI: View of the Sunrise"  Mainly because you hear some Post-Rock/Post-Metal in that song.  The build-up was well done and executed.  And hearing Charlie Chaplin's speech from The Great Dictator was a nice touch as things were building up.

As the album goes from track-to-track, things start to change up without sounding like another band.  That's the one thing I can get behind Aeonic Impulse and still get into the album without losing interest.  Nothing feels force, which I also like because it makes the music flow nicely.  A Night For The Troubled is definitely a album that not only Prog fans can get into, but also fans of experimental music, and maybe your casual listeners.  You can totally rock out to this album and also let the sound just sink in.

A Night For The Troubled gets "5 Hitlers Punched In The Face" Approval.

You can purchase the CD on their Bandcamp page:

https://aeonicimpulse.bandcamp.com/album/a-night-for-the-troubled

Lights And The Windows - "Lights And The Windows e.p." (2015)

For a couple of years, I've been following Lights And The Windows bringing their ambient-driven Post Hardcore/Alternative sound to the SoCal scene.  You hardly hear bands in the LA/OC area playing the sound that LATW are doing.  And because of that, it really makes Lights And The Windows stand out.  Especially hearing them live, it is quite the sonic experience.  A while back, there was some issue with their rhythm section.  But despite the bullocks that was happening within the band, they were able to get into Fuel Music Studio with a new line-up, and record their first release.

The e.p. opens up with a rework of "New Days Sun".  This one took time to get use to, since I've heard the demo version many times, last year.  This one had a much bigger feel.  Of course that has to do with being in a professional studio.  And I also don't remember if the bass was up on the mix in the demo version.  But on the e.p. version, the bass sounded really tight.  The band has also included gang vocals on the tracks "Battle Cry" and "Underfoot".  Definitely a nice touch to their sound.  "Underfoot" has a nice alternative rock sound.  But I have to say that "Battle Cry" is the most progressive track on the e.p.  The song starts off with almost a NWOBHM/Prog Metal feel.  Maybe it's because of the way Stefan delivered his vocals, which were excellent on that song.  Then "Battle Cry" goes into metallic hardcore territory when the gang vocals come in.  "Fall Down" displays the post-rock sound that a lot people praise LATW for (or at least I do).  The ambiance in Devin's guitar tone is something to get yourself lost into.  If the band were to submit a song to Heidi & Frank's "Should I Stay, Should I Go" segment, "Blazing Heart" would be perfect.  It has a pretty sweet hook that I'm sure your average listener would fancy. And finally we end with "Myopia".  A song that I pretty much heard grow.  I remember Devin sending me a mp3 file called "pt. in E".  And years later, that intro would become what "Myopia" is now.  The track finishes up with a solo which is described as "instrumentals of awesomeness".

To appreciate a band like Lights and the Windows, you need to have a understanding of post-rock and progressive music.  The e.p. is catchy without sounding generic.  And it is also heavy without having to be heavy.  In an early interview with Dimebag Darrell, he mentions how being heavy doesn't have to pertain with sound.  If you want it to be heavy, you have to do it with feeling.  And to me, that's what Lights And The Windows have accomplished with their S/T ep.  Also if you want to have a great listening experience, I highly recommend listening to it on headphones.  With that, you can hear every detail that makes this e.p. so enjoyable.  So if you enjoyed this band live, then it's time to pick up this e.p and enjoy the tunes in the comfort of your own home.

You can purchase the "Lights and the Window e.p." at https://lightsandthewindows.bandcamp.com/album/lights-and-the-windows-ep

Rating: "Five Hitlers Punched In The Face"