What to Expect When You’re Expecting
This is where I normally write some witty crap about the episode. However, since it is getting to you so late, I am going to skip that and just let you listen.
Reviews:
Coal Chamber – Rivals (Napalm)
Veil of Maya – Matriarch (Sumerian)
Antigama – The Insolent (selfmadegod)
Eschaton – Sentinel Apocalypse (Unique Leader)
First Impressions:
Wilson – “Give ’em Hell” taken from Right to Rise due June 30, 2015 from Razor & Tie
Lamb of God – “Still Echoes” from VII: Sturm Und Drang due July 15, 2015 from Epic
Coal Chamber – Rivals
Veil of Maya – Matriarch
Antigama – The Insolent
Eschaton – Sentinel Apocalypse
The Sideshow Podcast 
I’m liking Matriarch by Veil of Maya. At first, I thought it sounded way too much like Periphery, but here’s the thing: I like Periphery (I wrote that before I heard Nick say the exact same thing). I don’t have a problem with Veil of Maya changing their sound or riding a trend. Not every band can break new ground and if any band can make good music in a style that isn’t original, it can still be enjoyable.
Nick makes a good point about Gruesome. Here’s something that I’ve noticed about criticism of bands whose sound isn’t new and who ape existing styles: if you sound like a trend that started 5 years ago and are not one of the original pioneering bands, then you are criticized. If you sound like a style that started 25 or more years ago, then you are praised. Djent was the new thing 5 years ago. Death metal started over 25 years ago, so if you release an album in that style you become a throwback.
I hadn’t realized Veil of Maya was on Sumerian until Nick mentioned it.
How did you not realize they were a Sumerian band?! lol
You make a valid point about trends and styles, even if it’s a broad generalization. I also think it depends on the trend and the band. It also depends on when a band starts that style – in the case of Veil of Maya, the problem wasn’t so much that they sounded like Periphery but that they sounded less like the Veil of Maya I had comet o enjoy TO sound that way. If they were a new band that came out sounding like that, I probably would have embraced it more.
I can see how your expectations of what Veil of Maya had previously sounded like can play a part in how you receive their latest album.
As a side note, I find it curious that Veil of Maya is receiving criticism for sounding like Periphery because when Periphery first came on to the scene they were criticized for sounding like Meshuggah.