''Mutiny Within'' is the debut studio album by New Jersey
heavy metal band,
Mutiny Within
Mutiny Within is an American heavy metal band from Edison, New Jersey. The band was formed in 2002 by bassist Andrew Jacobs.
Background Formation, Signing to Roadrunner and debut album (2009–2010)
They would go through a number of lineup ...
, released on February 23, 2010 in the US, and on April 26, 2010 in the UK, both through
Roadrunner Records. The album was recorded at ''Bieler Bros. Studios'' in
Pompano Beach, Florida, produced by
Jason Bieler
Jason Bieler (also often known simply as "Jason") is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most famous for playing with metal band Saigon Kick.
He has also played in other bands, including an early touring version of Talisman and Super Tran ...
, and mixed by Martyn "Ginge" Ford and Jeff Rose at ''Not-In-Pill Studios'',
Newport, Wales.
This album was released in two different versions: the standard edition, which was released as a CD and included eleven tracks and a small illustrated booklet with lyrics; and the special edition, which was
digitally released and included the eleven album tracks plus four bonus tracks (one non-album track and three live tracks). The self-titled debut album sold around 900 copies in the US in its first week of release, landing at position No. 41 on the "Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers)" chart.
This is the only full-length record Mutiny Within had with Roadrunner Records and former drummer Bill Fore; he parted ways from the band months after the album release, on July 7, 2010. Wishing him the best of luck on moving forward, he was temporarily replaced with 25-year-old Chad Anthony, who is also from New Jersey.
They were searching for a permanent drummer for a few months, and to do so, they cancelled their touring with
Nevermore
Nevermore was an American heavy metal band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1991. The band has been inactive since 2011, due to personal issues between the band members. In April 2015, lead singer Warrel Dane confirmed that Nevermore had n ...
to take the time to properly audition and rehearse.
The band first decided to break up in late 2011, amidst the production of their self-produced second studio album. However, in early 2012, founding member, bassist and main songwriter Andrew Jacobs and singer Chris Clancy decided to finish their album as their last work together and as a gift to the fans, which was finished on late 2012, and released digitally on January 12, 2013 under the name of ''Mutiny Within II: Synchronicity''. After the positive response of their work, they decided to continue making music together.
Writing and recording
Mutiny Within started to record their self-titled debut album in December 2008 and was finished in September 2009.
The whole album was recorded at various places within different dates: at ''Big Shot Studios'',
Altamonte Springs, FL, where the drums were recorded (Dec 2008); at ''Audiohammer Studios'',
Sanford, FL
Sanford is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Seminole County. As of the 2020 census, its population was 61,051.
Known as the "Historic Waterfront Gateway City", Sanford sits on the southern shore ...
, the guitars (Dec 2008 – Feb 2009); and at ''Bieler Bros. Studios'', Pompano Beach, FL, the vocals, keyboards, bass and additional guitars were recorded (Apr–May 2009). Then, it was mixed by Martyn "Ginge" Ford and Jeff Rose at ''Not-In-Pill Studios'', Newport, Wales in Jul–Sept 2009 and mastered by
Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
T ...
at ''Sterling Sound'', New York City in September 2009. The same is explained in the following table.
Basically, the initial sessions in ''Audiohammer Studios'', with producer
Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof (born April 3, 1980) is an American record producer, audio engineer and guitarist best known for his work with heavy metal bands such as Trivium, Battlecross, Death Angel, All That Remains, Bury Your Dead, The Black Dahlia Murder ...
, most of the music was recorded and arranged. When the band left "Audiohammer Studios" it was only keyboard, solos and vocals left un-recorded. It was on ''Bieler Bros. Studios'', with Jason Bieler as the producer, where they finished every detail of their songs.
In the same sessions, they recorded their song "The End", which was part of the
compilation
Compilation may refer to:
*In computer programming, the translation of source code into object code by a compiler
**Compilation error
**Compilation unit
*Product bundling, a marketing strategy used to sell multiple products
*Compilation thesis
M ...
EP ''
God of War: Blood & Metal'' (2010), featuring other bands from Roadrunner, such as
Dream Theater,
Trivium
The trivium is the lower division of the seven liberal arts and comprises grammar, logic, and rhetoric.
The trivium is implicit in ''De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii'' ("On the Marriage of Philology and Mercury") by Martianus Capella, but t ...
and
Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, formed in 1999 after the disbanding of Overcast and Aftershock. Killswitch Engage's current lineup consists of vocalist Jesse Leach, guitarists Joel Stroetzel an ...
.
Release and promotion
To promote their new album, Mutiny Within offered their debut album for just $5, and for $10 more a t-shirt, for a limited time at Roadrunner Records official website, for the US only; and for the UK, the pre-order at
Play.com
Rakuten.co.uk is a website owned by Rakuten, that operates as an online marketplace. The website does not sell any products directly, but instead allows third party sellers to sell their products. The website replaced Play.com, which was origin ...
included an instant download of a live version of the song "Year of Affliction".
The
lead single
A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date.
Release s ...
of the album, "
Awake
Wakefulness is a daily recurring brain state and state of consciousness in which an individual is conscious and engages in coherent cognitive and behavioral responses to the external world.
Being awake is the opposite of being asleep, in which ...
", was digitally released on November 16, 2009, and was offered as a free download on November 2 for only 24 hours at Roadrunner Records official website to promote their new album. A music video was released for "Awake" on January 7, 2010 and was directed by Patrick Kendall.
The second single, "Lethean", was released with a
live music video the band posted via YouTube on July 14, 2010, which was directed by Tommy Jones and filmed during their North American tour with
Soilwork,
Death Angel
Death Angel is an American thrash metal band from Daly City, California, initially active from 1982 to 1991 and again since 2001. Death Angel has released nine studio albums, two demo tapes, one box set and three live albums. The band has ...
,
Augury and
Swashbuckle.
Reception
Mutiny Within's skillful
eponym
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
ous debut album has received positive reviews from numerous sources. Phil Freeman, of
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
, states that "
..the element Mutiny Within has on their side is actual songwriting. These tracks have dynamics, constantly shifting the mood and keeping things interesting" and described that this album "
..is an assured, skillful debut that demonstrates a lot of promise for the future."
Chris Colgan of
PopMatters
''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...
favorably described the band: "
..Blending the intricate technical aspects of Dream Theater and
Into Eternity, the soaring vocal styles of
Kamelot
Kamelot is an American power metal band from Tampa, Florida, formed by Thomas Youngblood, in 1987. The Norwegian vocalist Roy Khan joined for the album '' Siége Perilous'', and shared songwriting credit with Youngblood until his departure in A ...
and
Firewind
Firewind is a Greek power metal band formed in Thessaloniki in 1998. The group is currently signed to Century Media Records and was originally a small project created by guitarist Gus G. to showcase his demo, ''Nocturnal Symphony'', in 1998. ...
, and the straightforward thrash brutality of
Children of Bodom
Children of Bodom was a Finnish melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed, the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho (lead guitar, lead vocals), Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Sepp ...
and
Unearth
Unearth is an American metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1998, the group has released seven studio albums.
History Early career (1998–2002)
Unearth was formed by Trevor Phipps, Buz McGrath, Ken Susi, Mike Rudberg, an ...
, Mutiny Within have established a completely unique sound that gives them a huge level of appeal", and described the album as "
..a solid, powerful piece that will surely attract metal fans from all over the spectrum".
One of the things that are most recognized from this album is "not the technically sound, aggressive, and chunky guitars" says ''The New Review'' writer, Adam Schultz, but "the voice of lead man Chris
lancy
Lancy is a municipality of the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.
History
Lancy is first mentioned in 1097 as ''Lanciaco'' meaning "fearless".
Geography
Lancy has an area, , of . Of this area, or 5.2% is used for agricultural purposes, while or ...
. Explaining how he never heard "such amazing vocals" in his career in heavy metal, he explained how "Chris can delve low and
growl
Growling is a low, guttural vocalization produced by predatory animals; producing ''growls''.
Growling or growl may also refer to:
Sounds
* Death growl, the dominant singing style in death metal music
* Stomach growl, or borborygmus, noise prod ...
with the best of them, and then a millisecond later, take his voice high enough to give any soul diva a run for her money. We're not talking ''80's metal annoyingly high'' clean vocals, either. We're talking ''this could destroy any American Idol's career'' caliber singing." He also compared the whole band with other metal bands: "
..This is Killswitch Engage with harder aggression. This is Trivium with better technical chops. This is
All That Remains with more atmosphere. Mutiny Within is beating them at their own game.
heirsolos are in the
DragonForce
DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, England. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced ...
vein, just not as wacky and long, which serves to enhance the sheer technical magnitude of what's being played. These guitarists know their fretboards well and it's obvious every time they decide to go into overdrive."
Progressive metal
Progressive metal (sometimes shortened to prog metal) is a broad fusion music genre melding heavy metal and progressive rock, combining the loud "aggression" and amplified guitar-driven sound of the former with the more experimental, cerebral ...
band, Dream Theater, also gave the album a positive review. Guitarist
John Petrucci
John Peter Petrucci (born July 12, 1967) is an American guitarist, best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. He produced or co-produced (often with former member Mike Portnoy before he departed the band in 201 ...
stated: "I love the melodic content. Makes it really enjoyable to listen to while the technicality of the music totally contributes to the song power and makes it more interesting to me than typical metal. They should be huge!" Ex-drummer
Mike Portnoy
Michael Stephen Portnoy (born April 20, 1967) is an American musician who is primarily known as the former drummer, backing vocalist, and co-founder of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. In September 2010, Portnoy announced his departure ...
added: "These guys are real good! They would go over amazingly well with our audience..."
Heavy Metal band Trivium's bassist
Paolo Gregoletto
Paolo Francesco Gregoletto (born September 14, 1985) is an American musician and songwriter who is best known as the bassist of the heavy metal band Trivium.
Music career Trivium
Gregoletto joined Trivium on September 5, 2004 when Matt Heafy, ...
, commented favorably about the band: "Mutiny Within are probably one of the best new bands out at the moment, being able to mix their technical prowess with soaring melodic vocals like a band that has been at this for quite a while. Having had the chance to hear some of the initial tracking of the album, I was very impressed with how strong of
debut they had made upon its release. This album is laced with hooks and big riffs – definite Top 10 of 2009 for sure!"
As of April 2012, the album has sold approximately 7,500 copies.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Chris Clancy. All music composed by Andrew Jacobs, except where noted.
;Standard edition
# "
Awake
Wakefulness is a daily recurring brain state and state of consciousness in which an individual is conscious and engages in coherent cognitive and behavioral responses to the external world.
Being awake is the opposite of being asleep, in which ...
" – 3:45
# "Images" – 3:27
#*
Music: Andrew Jacobs, Daniel Bage and Brandon Jacobs.
# "Falling Forever" – 3:51
# "Year of Affliction" – 3:45
# "Forsaken" – 3:40
#*
Music: Daniel Bage, Drew Stavola, Brandon Jacobs, Andrew Jacobs and Chris Clancy.
# "Lethean" – 3:34
# "Oblivion" – 3:44
# "Undone" – 3:18
#*
Music: Brandon Jacobs, Andrew Jacobs, Drew Stavola and Chris Clancy.
# "Hours" – 2:59
# "Suffocate" – 4:37
#*
Music: Andrew Jacobs and Brandon Jacobs.
# "Reflections" – 3:45
#*
Music: Andrew Jacobs and Drew Stavola.
Personnel
;Mutiny Within
* Chris Clancy – vocals
* Daniel Bage – guitars, guitar solos (tracks 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10)
* Brandon Jacobs – guitars, guitar solos (tracks 1–4, 6–8, 10 and 11)
* Andrew Jacobs – bass guitar
* Drew Stavola – keyboards, keyboard solos (tracks 1–3 and 7)
* Bill Fore – drums
;Additional musicians in "Oblivion"
*
Justin Hill – guest vocals
*
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
– speech excerpts
* Jordan Maxwell – speech excerpts
*
George H. W. Bush – speech excerpts
*
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in Tony B ...
– speech excerpts
;Production
*
Jason Bieler
Jason Bieler (also often known simply as "Jason") is a singer, guitarist and songwriter who is most famous for playing with metal band Saigon Kick.
He has also played in other bands, including an early touring version of Talisman and Super Tran ...
–
producer
* Matt LaPlant –
engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
, digital editing
*
Jason Suecof
Jason Suecof (born April 3, 1980) is an American record producer, audio engineer and guitarist best known for his work with heavy metal bands such as Trivium, Battlecross, Death Angel, All That Remains, Bury Your Dead, The Black Dahlia Murder ...
– additional production, digital editing, additional engineering
*
Mark Lewis – additional engineering, additional digital editing
* Michael Leslie – additional engineering, additional digital editing
* Chris Clancy – additional digital editing, art direction
* Martyn "Ginge" Ford –
mixer
* Jeff Rose – mixer
*
Ted Jensen
Ted Jensen (born September 19, 1954) is an American mastering engineer, known for having mastered many recordings, including the Eagles' ''Hotel California'', Green Day's '' American Idiot'' and Norah Jones' ''Come Away with Me''.
Biography
T ...
–
mastering
* Viktor Koen – art direction, design, illustration
* Bill Fore – art direction
* Pieter M. Van Hattem – photography
* Madelyn Scarpulla – art supervision
* Gail Marowitz – creative direction
Chart positions
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutiny Within (Album)
2010 debut albums
Roadrunner Records albums
Mutiny Within albums