[Update 2 - Audio Samples] The Chariot's 'One Wing' is going to be siiiiiick

I just realized that half of my posts were about new albums I'm excited about. Well, here's my newest crush: One Wing. Cover art, track listing, studio recording and me over-analyzing minor details lie within. [2 Updates] -- Totally forgot to mention WHO released the album, and I also found some 30-second samples of every song.

Cover art for 'One Wing'

On August 28 (only four weeks away now!) The Chariot will unchain their latest beast One Wing. And all early glimpses point to this album being awesome.

First, the track listing.

Each song title is only one word, but when read as a whole it's a little poem: Forget not your first love, speak in tongues and cheek.

The Chariot have a long standing history of using their track listing to reveal some sort of message when read as a whole.

Their last album, Long Live, alternated between five people's names (allegedly five people who won some contest -- haven't been able to verify that one) and five statements that seem to zoom out from a live performance to God: The Audience, The City, The Earth, The Heavens and The King. On The Fiancée, the track listing was some old poem whose title I cannnot recall. Anyways, it went like this: Back to back they faced each other, they drew their swards and shot each other, the deaf policemen heard this noise, then came to kill the two dead boys.

It's cool to see The Chariot continuing this tradition. Having a track listing like this adds another dimension to the overall experience of listening to their albums; and it's one dimension that I find particularly intriguing.

Something else to take note of is the cover art (seen above). Their previous albums featured a very dark and gloomy tone. One Wing, while not entirely being friendly and happy, at least shows a little more color and life to it.

I'm hoping this indicates a more robust-sounding album with a lot more experimentation. But, maybe my prayers have already been answered...

Apparently, when asked about the band's direction on the album, vocalist Josh Scogin simply replied that, when in the studio, the mindset was "Let's get weird."

If you've been following along, Scogin, the only remaining original member, started The Chariot in the wake of his departure of Norma Jean. The group's debut album Everything Is Alive, Everything Is Breathing, Nothing Is Dead, and Nothing Is Bleeding didn't seem too different from what he was doing in Norma Jean on their album Bless the Martyr and Kiss the Child. Which really begged the question: If you really wanted to leave NJ so bad, why would you then create the exact same style of music under a different name?

It really wasn't until Wars and Rumors of Wars that The Chariot really started to distinguish itself from your garden variety "metalcore," or whatever kids are calling it these days. A year later, they returned with Long Live, which in my opinion, was one of the most intelligent and artist albums born from that scene.

If One Wing continues on this trend of taking massive leaps between album cycles, then I'm not sure the world is ready to hear this album. Unlike the Atreyus or the Unearths of the genre, The Chariot have truly distinguished themselves as genuine artists, and not just a group of guys trying to out-heavy the competition with utter noise and sheer disregard for the proper craft and excitement of music

So far, all we have is a studio recording of the song "Speak," which I've admittedly listened to about 30 times so far. I don't think I've ever heard screaming over just piano before, but the result is excellent. 

"Speak," at least the raw studio version, is an incredibly beautiful and moving song. I can only hope the rest of the album is of this caliber.

[UPDATE 1] -- I completely forgot to mention WHO is release the album. One Wing will be co-released by Good Fight, who released Long Live and was established two years ago by the same guys who made Ferret Music, and eOne, a major label whose other relatively recent signings include: The Human Abstract, Darkest Hour, Hatebreed, High on Fire and Smile Empty Soul.

All of these bands have released solid releases through eOne. I am still jamming the The Human Abstract's Digital Veil like it was released yesterday.

[UPDATE 2] -- I am really beating the media to the punch with everything involving this album. I found the album artwork like a week before it was officially announced (a couple hours ago) using my internet sleuthing  (read:stalking) abilities.

Anyways, today I discovered 30-second audio samples of every song via the UK's Amazon. Click [here] and tell me what you think about it below! I'm liking what I'm hearing, but a little curious with what's going on with "Your".