Air (Astronoid album) explained

Air
Type:studio
Artist:Astronoid
Cover:Air astronoid.jpg
Genre:
Label:Blood Music
Producer:
  • Brett Boland
  • Daniel Schwartz
Prev Title:Stargazer
Prev Year:2012
Next Title:Astronoid
Next Year:2019

Air is the debut album by post-metal band Astronoid, released in 2016 by Blood Music.

Background

After releasing an EP Stargazer in 2013, vocalist Brett Boland and bassist Daniel Schwartz recruited guitarists Casey Aylward and Mike DeMelia and drummer Matt St. Jean to create a full band lineup.[2] [3] After forming the full band, the group was signed to Blood Music.[4]

The band was inspired by Devin Townsend, Ihsahn, and Emperor during this time.[5]

The band released the songs "Air" and "Up and Atom" to promote the album before its release.[6] [7]

Style

The band's label described their sound as "Dream Thrash".[8] Noisey described the album as "a buoyant mix of metal, thrash, punk, prog-rock and shoegaze.".[9]

Allmusic described the album's sound, stating "The terms "dream thrash" and "blackgaze" could be thrown around—and it really is an exhilarating mish-mash of everything from black metal to shoegaze to thrash and even to pop-punk." The A.V. Club described it as "a soaring sound, which marries heavenly clean vocals to a warm but still blistering blur of guitar that's like black metal on a sugar rush".[10]

Critical reception and sales

Air received nearly universal critical acclaim upon release. Writing for AllMusic, Neil Z. Yeung gave the album 4 and a out of 5 stars, stating "overwhelmingly powerful and cathartic, Air is an album to get lost in, a single-listen journey over emotional peaks and through sonic valleys. There is so much happening at once that descriptions make it sound like a confused exercise."

Metal Sucks described the album as "an instant classic".[11] Angry Metal Guy gave the album a positive review, stating "Air is the kind of destined-to-be-classic that conjures a world of timeless innocence and youthful wonder. This is the soundtrack to walking on the beach alone on the first day of summer... This is the sound of being old enough to know how incredible the world can be, but young enough not to have been tainted by its negativity."[12] It Djents called the album one of the best debuts in recent memory and one of the best records of 2016. San Diego City Beat called the album one of the best of 2016 in any genre.[13]

In its first week, the album sold 250 physical copies.[14] 24 hours after release, it was ranked #2 on the Bandcamp metal charts.[15] Shortly afterwards, it climbed to #1 on the metal charts and #10 on the site overall.[16]

Accolades

Stereogum placed the album 31st on their half-way through the year rankings of the best albums of any genres through June 2016.[17] Consequence of Sound named the album 10th on its ranking of Top 10 Metal albums of 2016.[18] Air was placed on the "Best of 2016" as well as "Favorite Metal Album" year end lists by Allmusic.[19] [20] Metal Insider named it one of the top 5 metal albums of the year so far in a June column,[21] they later ranked it third on their Top Metal Albums of 2016 list.[22] Metal Storm named it the best debut album of 2016.[23]

PublicationAccoladeRank
Stereogum50 Best Albums of 2016 So Far (June 2016)
Consequence of SoundTop 10 Metal Albums of 2016
Metal InsiderTop Metal Albums of 2016
Metal StormBest Debut Albums of 2016
Stereogum40 Best Metal Albums of 2016
LA WeeklyThe Best Metal Albums of 2016
LoudwireGraham Hartmann's Top 5 Rock + Metal albums of 2016
Free Williamsburg11 Best Metal Albums of 2016
Invisible OrangesTop Albums of 2016
No Clean SingingTop 10 Albums of 2016
Toilet Ov HellJoaquin Stick's Top 10 Albums of 2016
Ghost Cult Mag50 Best Albums of 2016
MetalholicTop 50 Hard Rock & Metal albums

Personnel

Astronoid
Production

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.stereogum.com/1880105/band-to-watch-astronoid/franchises/band-to-watch/ stereogum
  2. Web site: Astronoid - Biography & History - AllMusic. AllMusic. June 12, 2018.
  3. Web site: Astronoid Interview: Brett Boland on the Band's Intoxicating 'Air'. June 22, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  4. Web site: Astronoid and the power of 'Air'. February 23, 2017. June 12, 2018.
  5. Web site: Nelson. Michael. Band To Watch: Astronoid. Stereogum. February 6, 2018. June 1, 2016.
  6. Web site: Lighten Up with AstronoidMetal Insider. April 20, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  7. Web site: Astronoid unveil "Up and Atom"Metal Insider. May 17, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  8. Web site: A chat with Astronoid. May 21, 2017. June 12, 2018.
  9. Web site: Relly. Emily. Astronoid's 'Air' Is the Happiest Dream Thrash Record You'll Ever Hear. Noisey. Vice.com. February 6, 2018. June 10, 2016.
  10. Web site: A year-by-year music mix, video game art, and a heavenly metal album. A.A.. Dowd. May 6, 2017 . June 12, 2018.
  11. Web site: Holy Shit Alert: Astronoid's Air - MetalSucks. June 15, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  12. Web site: Astronoid - Air [Things You Might Have Missed 2016] - Angry Metal Guy]. December 21, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  13. Web site: Astronoid's perfectionism leads to an unlikely metal sound. Ben. Salmon. April 18, 2017. June 12, 2018.
  14. Web site: Metal By Numbers 6/23: The charts are anything but hollowMetal Insider. June 23, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  15. Web site: Blood Music. www.facebook.com. June 12, 2018.
  16. Web site: Blood Music. www.facebook.com. June 12, 2018.
  17. Web site: The 50 Best Albums Of 2016 So Far. June 15, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  18. Web site: The Top 10 Metal Albums of 2016. November 30, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  19. Web site: AllMusic Best of 2016 - AllMusic 2016 in Review. AllMusic.
  20. Web site: Favorite Metal Albums - AllMusic 2016 in Review. AllMusic.
  21. Web site: Metal Insider's Top 5: The best albums of 2016 (so far)Metal Insider. June 24, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  22. Web site: Metal Insider editor Bram Teitelman's Top 10 of 2016Metal Insider. December 15, 2016. June 12, 2018.
  23. Web site: Metal Storm Awards 2016 - Metal Storm. www.metalstorm.net. June 12, 2018.