The Memorials are at least 200 times more listenable than Mars Volta
Since rock music’s inception, genre, subgenres, and sub-subgenres have fornicated with each other so many times that their mangled offspring no longer look like their cousin-kissing creators. Inbred three-armed, no-necks are screaming, whining, butchering, and blubbering their way to the top. Sometimes though, a band will find it’s way out of the messed-up gene pool to play some pure hard rock.
Ex-Mars Volta drummer Thomas Pridgen is doing just that with his new band, the Memorials. The Rage Against the Machine–inspired guitar work of Nick Brewer and the soul-shattering voice of Viveca Hawkins suggest Bad Brains updated for the iPod nation. The band even does a cover of “Black Hole Sun” that managed to push that silly Soundgarden reunion out of our grunge-loving brains.
The “Memorials’ first video release is for the song “We Go to War” off the band’s upcoming self-titled debut, which comes out on January 18, 2010. Unfortunately the clip looks like a documentary on the Suicide Girls by Hallmark if it were shot by a teenager on a Handycam. Take our advice, listen but don’t look. Unless that is you are also checking out their take on "Black Hole Sun".
Comments
26 Comments
Mr Love
Dec 8, 2010 at 3:18pm
Not much interest in the cover of Black Hole sun. Seems rather copy cat.
ryans
Dec 8, 2010 at 3:38pm
I think we can all agree that 1. the chick in the fist video has a nice ass and 2. At The Drive-In need to re-unite.
Facepalm...
Dec 8, 2010 at 7:33pm
That has to be the dumbest and most unprofessional title I've ever read, but you know what's funny? if Thomas saw it he'd probably think you're a d*ck, there's a lot in this band taken from TMV, but they're nowhere near as good.
Second, get over ATDI, they've have grown up, you should too.
Daniel 221
Dec 8, 2010 at 7:38pm
Article title fail
Jeremy A.
Dec 8, 2010 at 7:39pm
Of course they're 200 times more listenable, they are a dumbed down version of TMV...
Derek
Dec 8, 2010 at 7:42pm
haha. As if you can compare this band to something as beautiful as The Mars Volta. They're not even on the same level. The Volta pushes music. These guys copy it. And they copy it bad.
Lenore
Dec 8, 2010 at 7:55pm
So they're letting people with no musical taste be music critics nowadays? What is the world coming to?
Don't get me wrong -- Thomas Pridgen is a god, but The Memorials can't really be compared with the Mars Volta in a way that is favorable to them.
musiclover
Dec 9, 2010 at 1:31pm
Love the title think The Memorials are doing it and doing it right on! that chick singer is cutting edge herself. I mean do you hear her !!!! HELLO people.... this band isn't about Thomas its about the music and the collaboration of three brilliant musicians! holy hell i cant wait to see this shit live!
Chiggidy Winks
Dec 9, 2010 at 1:47pm
Facepalm... According to Facebook, Thomas approves.
Mr. Duke
Dec 9, 2010 at 2:08pm
This review is as crap as The Memorials themselves. Its 200 times more accessible as there's only one pretty standard riff the whole way through the song..boring as hell.