Hey there! Welcome to episode four of The Summer Jam 3: Electric Boogaloo! I can’t think of any clever twist on the opening sequence for this week’s article, so let’s just jump right into it, shall we? This week’s guest is Nick Padovani, guitarist of tech-death bands Equipoise and Virulent Depravity, who was approached about participating in this feature by my wonderful colleague, It Djents Editor-in-Chief Landon. Thanks for your help pal! Anyhow, you can hheck out Nick’s picks for his favorite summer albums below!
Nick Padovani
‘Hi all, I would like to thank Landon for reaching out to me about doing this. It was really cool for him to ask, and I love doing music lists, so I’m happy to have the opportunity. I will also preface this by saying that I’m not one to typically listen to music according to the seasons, so my apologies if the music isn’t all that summery, haha.‘
Inferi – Revenant
I had discovered Inferi back in 2014 with The Path of Apotheosis and had instantly fell in love. Fast forward to today, and I have the privilege of being labelmates with these fellas. Not only do I respect who they are as people, but their talent is rivaled by few. Revenant is a monolithic output that unveils some of the greatest melodies you may ever have the joy of hearing.
Sutrah – Dunes
Dunes came out near the end of 2017, and it has consistently blown me away to this day. Sutrah reminds me heavily of one of my all-time favorite bands, the now defunct Martyr, so I’m very happy to hear their music live on.
Sithu Aye – Set Course for Andromeda
Although I’ve been hearing about Sithu Aye for ages, it wasn’t until recently that my friend decided to make me check him out; I must say, I fell in love quite instantly. These days, I tend to listen to a lot more technical death metal than anything, so it’s nice to change it up with some feel-good virtuosity.
Al Di Meola – Elegant Gypsy
Few are as synonymous with guitar prowess as Al Di Meola. An early innovator of the jazz fusion/rock genre, he has always continued to be two steps ahead of his peers. This album not only makes me feel immense joy upon hearing these masterpieces within, but immense sadness knowing his level of skill as a guitarist is simply untouchable. Songs like “Mediterranean Sundance” will make you year for warm and bright summer days.
Singularity – Singularity
Alongside Inferi’s The Path of Apotheosis, I had the pleasure of discovering Singularity’s self-titled efforts back in 2014, and it instantly made its way to the top of my list for me. Their unique blend of black metal and technical death metal have been executed by few, and even fewer have done so with such a level of competency. I had the pleasure of contributing a guest solo on their new album, which should be due out later in 2018 or early 2019.
First Fragment – Dasein
Many people have been chasing after the second coming of Necrophagist, and I continue to believe that with 2016’s Dasein, we have finally found it in First Fragment. This album is everything you could ask for in technical death metal. Want some summer vibes? Turn on “L’entite'” and enjoy.
Brand New – Deja Entendu
I believe every metal musician out there has their guilty pleasure album that would otherwise get their ‘kvlt card’ revoked. Deja Entendu is that album for me. I have a fond nostalgia for this album, pondering upon my days in high school when I would drive around with the windows open and enjoy the summer breeze while jamming this album at obscene volumes. It may not get as many spins from me as it used to, but I still like to throw it on when I’m looking to reflect upon simpler times in life.
(Author’s note: we here at EIN are aware of the controversies surrounding Brand New frontman Jesse Lacy, and while we certainly don’t codone any of his illicit and deeply unethical behavior, we acknowledge the right of every individual to decide for themselves whether or not to keep supporting the band in question. In Nick’s defense, he did not know about the allegations against Lacy.)
Mare Cognitum – Luminiferous Aether
If I want to cool off from the summer heat, I’ll jam some frosty and mesmerizing black metal in the form of Mare Cognitum. I tend to not dig the more atmospheric brand of black metal too much, but Mare Cognitum really hits it out of the park with this album. I would recommend simply turning on the album and listening from front to back, you can’t go wrong with any one track, truthfully.
Dark Matter Secret – Perfect World Creation
Here we have another label mate band, Dark Matter Secret. While I tend to avoid instrumental metal because I find it to drone on, Dark Matter Secret has nailed the formula in my opinion. If you’re looking for a captivating and thoughtful listen this summer, then look no further.
Allan Holdsworth – Wardenclyffe Tower
While few are as synonymous with guitar prowess as Al Di Meola is, you better believe Allan Holdsworth is right there alongside of him. Known for his mind blowing legato and insane stretches, this man was the undisputed king of jazz fusion (‘was’ due to his unfortunate passing in 2017). Grab a seat in the sun, kick back, and enjoy this fusion opus.
And we’re done for this week. Thanks for your excellent list, Nick! You can (read: should) keep an eye on his bands, Equipoise and Virulent Depravity, if you consider yourself a fan of the technical death metal genre. Come again next week when it’s time for another round of The Summer Jam 3: Electric Boogaloo!
