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Readers' Choice

A LONG OVERDUE POST ABOUT JOURNAL

 Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010 at 3:30pm by

journal - unjorla

Meet Journal, a progressive mathgrind band from Sacramento.

Over the course of the past several months we’ve gotten more emails from multiple sources about this band than perhaps any other, a sure sign that a band is at least worth checking out and a probable sign that a band will jive with our tastes. Thankfully in this case it’s both; Journal sound like what Dillinger Escape Plan might’ve ended up sounding like if Weinman and co. had taken a few more bong tokes and listened to a few more Dream Theater albums. They play spastic grind like the best of ‘em, but they punctuate it with slices of keyboard and progressive passages that’ll sooth your inner nerd.

Listen to five full tracks from Journal’s second full-length, the anagram-tasticly titled Unjorla Unlorja at their Bandcamp page. While the aforementioned mix of metal genres might be the aural equivalent to some metalheads of piss in their Cheerios, I encourage those who like to think of themselves as foreward-thinking to open their minds a bit. Yeah, like that’ll happen.

-VN

Thanks: Suraj Patra, Dave Tremblay, Ryan Benjamin (x2) and anyone else who sent us links to this band.

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  • BC

    Sweet Geriatric Fucksticks! This is spectacular. The whole more Dream Theatre comment worried me as I have never been a huge DT fan (not that I don’t recognize the talent they just never did much for me) But these guys tear it up definitely a great band here and may steal a spot on my top ten albums of 2010 list from some of the other acts on there. Thanks for the tip guys.

  • John

    Band is awesome, and super nice dudes

  • Blogspots Yeah!!

    The MetalSchmucks at Metalsucks make the late train yet again!!! Been posting links to them for days now… at least the title of the post admits guilt. \m/

    • Perpetual Black Screen Name

      I know exactly how you feel dude. I’ve been trying to get ‘em to check out Fallujah forever. What does it take!? haha I’ve probably pissed ‘em off so much by now that by the time they do listen to ‘em, they’re gonna’ hate them just cos I’m so fucking annoying about it.

      • http://www.metalsucks.net Vince Neilstein

        I’ve listened to that band every time you (and others) have sent them, and I’m not impressed. They’re aight.

        -VN

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Suraj-Patra/100000178998329 Suraj Patra

          Glad you liked Journal, Mr. Neilstein! :D

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Suraj-Patra/100000178998329 Suraj Patra

          Also, the band is having a contest about 7 video game references that is hidden throughout the album; cool stuff.

  • Type-O-Positive

    Their selling platform is pretty awesome, I have never come across a band who will sell you both the instrumental as well as vocal only versions of the album. Now all they have to do is isolate all the instruments and sell them to their perspective fans. That’s cool… now to listen to them and see if they are worth it.

    • alliaphagist

      There have been a couple other bands. Recently Periphery did this.

      • http://www.myspace.com/sentinelmass SENTINEL

        Mastodon did it.

  • http://metalmykee.blogspot.com Metal Mykee

    the album is entitled “Unlorja” not “Unjorla”

    word.

  • alliaphagist

    yep great band, although I still haven’t gotten their latest.

  • Blogspots Yeah!!

    Hahaha way to ruin the album title Vince! Anagrams got you tripped up I guess…

  • DemonicLemming

    Progressive mathgrind? Really?

    I’ll check them out when I get off work (or, more accurately, when everyone leaves and I sit on my ass picking up comp time while some tests run themselves), but….seriously….progressive mathgrind?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Dan-Burton/784250631 Dan Burton

    There is something with the mix of this album that actually makes me feel nauseous, and not in a good way. I actually feel dizzy and sick.

  • AC

    Indeed, ’bout time! Thanks Vince… I’ve been a fan since hearing them on the Mecha-Organa (?) compilation from The Apparatus. Also, the instrumental version of Unlorja isn’t slow, boring, or missing a thing. Their compositions are that good.

  • Ørsaeth

    the DT semi-comparison alone is enough to make me listen to these guys. That said, Journal has now caught my attention. Excellent mind fuck prog math grind

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Suraj-Patra/100000178998329 Suraj Patra

      Glad you liked it, dude!
      SUPPORT :D
      They need to be known.

  • Utmu

    Progressive mathgrind? This is a combination of sub genres not even I have come up with! I must try this band!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Antonio-Tognotti/100001507726865 Antonio Tognotti

    Makes me proud to say I’m from Sacramento.

  • http://sodaandyoda@hotmail.com martin

    i know these dudes and they are awesome people and an awesome band.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBW1tO4WYkw

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Monte-Barnard/100000545468844 Monte Barnard

    Good buddies of mine. they’re drummer is going to fill in for my band. super nice humble doods that create some of the best music i’ve ever heard. they’re gonna bring back sacramento!

  • Perpetual Black Screen Name

    These guys are absolutely amazing and feature one of my favorite vocalists from one of the most underrated bands EVER, Embrace the End. What happened to those guys? I loved their last album ‘Ley Lines’ it was like an alligator fuck house of music mashed together. Good post though dude. Glad I know about these guys now.

  • Jonathan

    …brutal.

    • Loïc C

      Quite so…
      Me like

  • Claytos

    I concur, journal blows my effen mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Suraj-Patra/100000178998329 Suraj Patra

    Love everything about these guys.
    AWESOMENESS

    Also, they play everything perfectly live, just dead on.

  • HorizonsOfChaos

    Unlorja is easily one of my favorite albums from this year. Journal rules and this cd never gets old.

  • False Nate

    Drew Winter is in this? As in, ex-Conducting From the Grave Drew Winter?

    • http://sodaandyoda@hotmail.com martin

      yup, same dude.

    • Nick

      They actually have a song named after Conducting From the Grave

  • Gilbert

    Epic fucking win right here, i discovered these guys just now through this post. I like what i hear very very much.

  • cgrind

    Even if you don’t like the tunes, the 3D equalizer will have you tripping balls. Good jams anyway.

  • http://www.myspace.com/sentinelmass SENTINEL

    The Ninja Turtle on the cover is what sold me.

  • Nick

    Seen them live, and the vocalist they used (from another local Sacramento band) wasn’t great, but the band themselves were incredibly tight. I’d see them again, but I wish they’d do something about the vocal situation live

  • http://www.myspace.com/conductingfromthegrave Abernasty

    these dudes have been room mates at our practice spot with my band (Conducting From the Grave) for years. They are all awesome dudes and a fucking nuts ass band. Joe the guitarist and main writer is a genious, he not only composes all this shit but has an electrical engineering degree and works for a company that designs missile defense systems for the goverment. so nuts. I just play guitar and landscape lol.

  • J-Rod

    This is some tasty shit. Grindy Prog Mathemphetamines!

  • RebelPyro Management

    ‘Unlorja’ just got added to Relapse Records Distro!! Pick up a copy here: http://shop.relapse.com/store/product.aspx?ProductID=41569