--Ada Wofford
This is the first of a new series called, Metal Reviews by a Non-Metal Head. None of us at My Little Underground are particularly into metal but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t discuss it and support all of the musicians out there who make it. 9 Stitch Method approached me for a review and I almost turned them down, but I decided that would be kind of lame. And so, I came up with this new series. I think it will be interesting to analyze music belonging to a genre I don’t particularly enjoy. My goal here is to be fair and to appreciate the fact that just because I don’t like something doesn’t mean that there’s anything wrong with it. In fact, the reason I might not like metal is because I don’t fully understand it. I hope this proves as a learning experience for both myself and you, the reader.
9 Stitch Method are a unique metal duo out of Pittsburgh, PA. Their music is heavy, dark, and a bit scary. I’m a sensitive-little-indie-rocker so this album kind of freaked me out a bit because of how dark it is at times. I’ve been singing in bands for over a decade so, I know there is quite a bit of acting that goes into it, but I was still taken aback by how friendly and kind singer/songwriter, Patrick McElravy was to speak to (via Facebook Messenger), since he’s so scary sounding on his album. Listening to these tracks, you imagine some deranged and twisted soul screaming these vocals from the depths of some spooky warehouse, but it’s just a normal dude who likes making scary music.
The story behind this album is super cool. Here it is in Patrick’s words:
“Everything about 9SM is typically nonconventional (more in the manner of how we do things). We are a 2-piece metal band with a dash of hard rock and nu metal thrown in the mix. When we first started, we simply exchanged emails back and forth—Josh writing/recording guitars with beats and me writing lyrics and recording vocals. I'll be honest, it was a hot mess at the start. But over time we continued to learn from each other and grow as a band.
"Our last album made a little buzz—getting on a bunch of online radio stations and once on live radio, which was amazing considering it was recorded DIY and had no bass (we just didn't have the gear or we would have added some). Both of us live a little over an hour apart and I have a family, plus we both work crazy hours so, meeting up to practice and record is quite difficult.
"This time around we made it a point to meet up and work on the music together in person. We wrote the songs around the strengths of my vocals in a live setting so, we kept the record predominantly heavy, which in turn also added a more emotional spin to the lyrics. We are both very similar musically but different at the same time, which helped a lot in crafting this batch of tunes.
"As mentioned before, we don’t have any bass gear. I began working and collaborating with a YouTube musician by the name of Gus Wallner, who is down in Brazil. We formed a great professional relationship and friendship from working together and we brought him in with his bass and production skills. Josh and I would write our parts (vocally and guitar wise) and we would ship our tracks to him to program drums and write his bass parts. He would then mix and master them as well.
"So, while our friends were going to studios in the tri-state area to record, we were recording at home and shipping the songs to Brazil to be finished. In the end though, Gus did a great job with what we gave him and we got what we wanted—To work with someone who was just as excited for these songs as we were.
"I've always been a guitar player first and foremost and this was my first real venture in to vocals. With the project being a little over 2 years old, it goes without saying that I was very green at the start (I still am but have come a long way). The same can be said for Josh—Through playing with me (I’m more of a technical player), his guitar skills have come leaps and bounds. It’s been a growing experience for both of us.
I wanted this album to be more on the emotional side of things and I went for just that. I kept the takes that I felt had the most emotional impact. An example of this can be found on the track, 'Black Sheep.' I recorded all of the guttural screams during a panic attack. I set my mic up on the floor, hit record, and just screamed and balled my eyes out.
"The album was recorded using ESP 6-string guitars and GarageBand. Vocals were recorded in Cool Edit Pro 2.1 (old school!). Drums, bass, mixing and mastering were done by Gus in Logic.
"For our live shows, we run backing tracks with drums, bass, lead guitars, and vocal harmonies here and there. Lead vocals and rhythm guitars are performed live.”
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I love the attitude of this band. It’s just the two of them, both are extremely busy with work and family-life and yet, despite all odds, they manage to release a full-length album with the help of someone they never met in person and who lives thousands of miles away. I don’t care what type of music you’re making, that’s fucking cool!
Listening to this album, with the knowledge of how it was assembled, makes me think this Gus Wallner is something of a genius. The way he uses his drum parts to add depth and layers to the arrangements is absolutely incredible. So, to all of you studio engineers who insist that drums must always be recorded first, Wallner just gave you a giant middle finger. The production on Jaywalking Somnambulist is equally impressive. It’s very professional and modern—It’s just brilliantly executed.
9 Stitch Method seem to be at their best when they give the screaming and riffing a rest and allow themselves to get a bit melodic. Tracks like, “Jars,” “The Fear is What Keeps Us Here,” and even “Black Sheep,” possess more melodic passages that really stand out. In fact, “Black Sheep” is probably the album’s most impressive track. It opens up with schizophrenic dynamics, bouncing back and forth between slow-and-somber to fast-and-crazy and executed with lightning precision.
Overall, this is a very well executed album that fans of this type of music will certainly love. Will I ever listen to Jaywalking Somnambulist again? Probably not, but remember: I’m not a metal head. Personal taste aside though, it’s obvious that these musicians have put a lot of love and sweat into this album and for that, I respect the hell out of it.
Listen to “Sleep” below and purchase the album here.
And check them out live on the following dates:
October 5th-Devils Night in Coshocton, Ohio
October 9th w/ Divine Era at the Sub Alpine in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania
November 16th-Thanksgiving Creature Feature at Double Dealin in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania
December 7th-The Crucible Project at the Funhouse in Millvale, Pennsylvania
Album cover art work created by First Angel Media.
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