* Release date and component specifications are subject to change due to manufacturing reasons.
* All products are non-refundable/exchangeable/returnable after opening.
* In the case of product defects and missing components, reshipment/return/refund is possible only if there is a recorded video from the time of opening the parcel box to the time of checking the components after opening the packaging.
* Please note that defects or missing components will not be acknowledged without a recording video.
* Exterior damage caused during the delivery process is non-refundable/exchangeable/returnable if the product's vinyl has been opened or removed.
* Minor scratches, blemishes, discoloration, etc. may occur on the exterior during product packaging/delivery, and this cannot be a reason for exchange.
* Random components included in this album are composed with the same probability.
■ Product Introduction
From the moment The Who smashed their instruments on stage, rock music became a symbol of resistance against the system, breaking norms and crossing boundaries as the most radical form of self-assertion. That radical assertion has constantly evolved in more stimulating and shocking directions. Just as Pink Floyd gave birth to Dream Theater, R.E.M gave birth to Radiohead, Black Sabbath gave birth to Soundgarden, Motorhead gave birth to Metallica, and Slayer gave birth to Cannibal Corpse, each achieved evolution in their own way, faster, heavier, and darker. The revival craze that swept in with the emergence of post-punk bands such as Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, and The Strokes in the 21st century was perhaps an acknowledgment that the genre evolution of rock music was virtually complete. Marilyn Manson's declaration that "Rock is dead" was read as a provocative statement by a provocative rocker back in '98, but in retrospect, it seems like a truly timely analysis.
Looking at metal music, there has been a clear tendency to confine itself within a strangely closed structure since the mid-to-late 90s. Perhaps due to the aversion to the excessive commercialization of so-called 'nu-metal' music like Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park, listeners expressed distrust and dislike for new attempts such as incorporating hip-hop and popular melodies without filtering, and bands began to be obsessed with strictly adhering to the genre norms of metal. Due to the obsession with norms, the guitar tones and drum kick sounds that producers such as Colin Richardson and Andy Sneap presented through albums by Machine head, Fear Factory, and Carcass became virtually the standard for metal music. Seeing Metallica's attempt at tin can drum sounds in St.Anger being ridiculed and slandered by numerous listeners, many metal bands had no choice but to give up on new attempts. As metal moved away from the mainstream, this tendency became more pronounced, and metal bands and listeners became an exclusive community that prioritized upholding musical authenticity over breaking boundaries or innovation.
In the late 2010s, cracks began to appear in the solid orthodoxy. Starting with Babymetal, who led the metalization of underground idols (??), the emergence of Defheaven and Loathe, who actively introduced shoegazing sounds, and Sleep Token, who actively utilized R&B and pop elements, shows that metal is no longer an attempt to reproduce orthodoxy, but is evolving in a direction that does not insist on only one value: 'heaviness'. However, there are still bands that have led the innovation of metal while adhering to the orthodoxy of 'heaviness'. Meshuggah, who introduced 7-string and 8-string guitars and presented extremely low-pitched guitar riffs and tight yet bizarre rhythms, and the bands baptized by them, are adding a new sense of weight to the metal genre by forming another faction called Djent.
CASUALLY CONNECTED, formed in Incheon, delivers post-hardcore with plenty of Djent elements. The precise rhythm part of Park Kyu-sun (drums) and Yoo Tae-min (bass), who are from the math-rock band cotoba, and the breakdown created by Park Hyun-kyu's (guitar) heavy guitar provide a very dense sense of impact. Unlike other Djent bands, it is not unnecessarily flashy or complicated, and it does not unnecessarily raise the tempo to distract the listener. While Vassline and Abyss have tried to recreate breakdowns faithful to the existing grammar of Djent in their recent albums, CASUALLY CONNECTED shows traces of 고민 to transplant more modern and popular elements.
CASUALLY CONNECTED's EP [Away from] contains the will to recognize the world more objectively and clearly from the perspective of others, not from my own. The days of delusion like a daydream continue, where right and wrong are blurred (Right and wrong blurs - 30) and I can no longer be sure what to believe (Find myself unsure what to believe anymore - 30) (Daydream transcend delusion everytime - Morpheus). Disappointed that you couldn't wake up in a while (Disappointed that you couldn't wake up in a while - Morpheus), I resolve not to close my eyes and turn away from reality due to the dazzling glare in my dreams anymore (no more dreaming glare - Tunnel vision).
As can be seen in "Morpheus" and "30", which are relatively faithful to the grammar of Djent, "Primacy effect", which has an impressive intro and guitar riff reminiscent of nu-metal bands of that era, and "Tunnel vision", which features an emotional mood and melody delivered with an extremely low-pitched guitar riff, Kim Jong-ho's (vocals) emotions are not disturbed, and the music is clearly emptied when it needs to be, and the melody is pushed when it needs to be. This skillful control of dynamics is definitely a differentiating factor that sets them apart from other bands. Kim Jong-ho's vocals, which alternate between growling and clean tones, may be somewhat typical, but they are more than adequate to show a dramatic narrative that matches the excellent control of dynamics of the instruments.
It is unknown whether CASUALLY CONNECTED's future direction will be to reproduce the orthodoxy of Djent or to open up some unexpected innovation. However, I am confident that they will continue to deliver high-quality music in either case.
Rock N Roll Radio Kim Nae-hyun
[Credit]
CASUALLY CONNECTED
Vocal. Kim Jong-ho
Guitar. Park Hyun-kyu
Bass. euPhemia
Drums. Marker
All Tracks Composed & Lyrics by Park Hyun-kyu & Kim Jong-ho
Arranged by CASUALLY CONNECTED
Fx & Programming by Park Hyun-kyu
Guitar featured by JungMato (Track 3)
Recorded & Mixed by Incheon Music Creation Center
Production & Support by Incheon Music Creation Center
Mastered by Kwon Nam-woo @821 Sound
Album Artwork by e_chock
