Colors 2

The power of three. Going to try to write this in the 20 minutes I have to spare today before the Metal Bros Zoom. I am predicting BTBAM Colors 2 will be in 1st place for 2021. The reason I say the power of three: last BTBAM album, Automata (2) was released on or near Deafheaven’s Ordinary Corrupt Human Love and Khemmis’ Desolation. I went with Khemmis for review #1. Obviously BTBAM is better, but I wasn’t thrilled with Automata. This album, Colors 2, was up against Deafheaven again with their Infinite Granite, and also a wild card with Alustrium’s new album, A Monument to Silence. All three are good, but BTBAM won this time by far. I love this album. I always have my criticisms of BTBAM albums because I hold them in my tier 1 of metal bands of all time. Colors 2 was no exception…at first. I remember telling one of the Metal Bros it was too quirky and I needed to get through 10 quirky parts for every one part I liked. But, as with many BTBAM albums, repeat listens are required. I’m talking upwards of 50-100. It was pretty much on repeat for 2 weeks while I was waiting to get placed for student teaching and had massive amounts of free time. No longer (I am finally placed at Ygnacio Valley High School). Colors 2 is much longer than Colors 1, 12 tracks versus 8. Colors 1 was a masterpiece in my mind. It started off really heavy and then turned up the creativity from Sun of Nothing to White Walls. That section of an album is one of my favorite sections of all time. Sun of Nothing, Ants of the Sky, Prequel to the Sequel, and White Walls. Four magnificent tracks. I am not going to say Colors 2 is better than Colors 1 just yet, although that may very well happen for me soon. This album really sank in once I started to read the lyrics.

“I’m not the writer, it’s you.”

“Between the Buried and Me!!! It’s up to reshape this course.”

“A maze created for productivity. For us, for them… We didn’t live. We only existed.”

“Fix the Error” is an absolute blast! That shit went off live in Sacramento.

“Never seen” has that BTBAM catchy heavy opening I always love on first listen. Good to have one of those.

“Life is love. Embrace these memories.”

“Over and over again!” Such a sick finish to Prehistory.

“Sleep on fly on.” One of the many Colors 1 callbacks, so clever BTBAM. New songs, subtle callbacks peppered in throughout the album. Well done.

“Sorry for the last month of bringing you down. My mind is to blame.” hey I can relate to that.

“Open the closed off circle” a reference to the finish of White Walls.

Sfumato callback segway track.

“Human is hell, love is heaven. God is sound and the sound still flows.”

Incredible album BTBAM. 99.99999999999% sure this is the one for album of the year in 2021.

Started student teaching, have a new girlfriend that I am really into. Started surfing more. Started jiu jitsu with Claire. Face a fear for roughly 100:1 benefit:cost. I only have ten minutes and I want to write about fear. Yes, fear sucks. Anxiety sucks. But, the feeling after facing a fear is one of the best feelings for me. If I face a fear for one hour (for example surfing, jiu jitsu, or teaching), and I would estimate that I get anywhere from 10 to 100 hours of peace. I’d love to see some social scientist quantify the cost benefit analysis of fear and confidence. Peace out thanks for reading. Go BTBAM still killing it after 21 years! Thank you!!!

Ok that’s it it is 9:44 and I gotta be in the classroom at 10:03. No time for edits.