Tower of Snakes
Encyclopedia
"Tower of Snakes" was Eighteen Visions
second single
from the album Obsession
, and is often regarded as one of their most popular songs.
One of the very few songs that were finished by the time they went to studio to track down the record, it was written by then-drummer Ken Floyd while he was still playing in metal
band Throwdown. Described during the release of the album by members of the band as the "most punishing song" they ever wrote, it is most notable for its mid-song palm-muted open B breakdown punctuated by minor 2nd horror chords, a technique commonly used in modern hardcore, which stood out from the rest of the otherwise Post-grunge
/Emo
vibe of the record.
The rest of the song minus the double bass breaks features mixolydian single-note downtempo riffs played on the low string, and an Eb/E power chord progression that adds a major 12th on the first chord that does not move on the second one, which is reminiscent of Around the Fur
-era Deftones
.
"Tower of Snakes" was usually the live show closer from 2004 to 2007, and it was common for the band to play the breakdown once again after the song was finished.
The music video
was directed by Christopher Sims.
Eighteen Visions
Eighteen Visions was an American metalcore band from Orange County, California, United States. Formed in October of 1995, the group was one of the first practitioners involved in the metalcore genre...
second single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
from the album Obsession
Obsession (Eighteen Visions album)
Obsession is an album by Eighteen Visions. The album was their most commercial to date, and featured three music videos. Some editions of this album come with a DVD that features a 'making of' the album. The album has sold 200,000+ copies in the U.S.The album peaked at #4 on the top Heatseekers...
, and is often regarded as one of their most popular songs.
One of the very few songs that were finished by the time they went to studio to track down the record, it was written by then-drummer Ken Floyd while he was still playing in metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Throwdown. Described during the release of the album by members of the band as the "most punishing song" they ever wrote, it is most notable for its mid-song palm-muted open B breakdown punctuated by minor 2nd horror chords, a technique commonly used in modern hardcore, which stood out from the rest of the otherwise Post-grunge
Post-grunge
Post-grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged in the mid-1990s as a derivative of grunge, using the sounds and aesthetic of grunge, but with a more commercially acceptable tone...
/Emo
Emo (music)
Emo is a style of rock music characterized by melodic musicianship and expressive, often confessional lyrics. It originated in the mid-1980s hardcore punk movement of Washington, D.C., where it was known as "emotional hardcore" or "emocore" and pioneered by bands such as Rites of Spring and Embrace...
vibe of the record.
The rest of the song minus the double bass breaks features mixolydian single-note downtempo riffs played on the low string, and an Eb/E power chord progression that adds a major 12th on the first chord that does not move on the second one, which is reminiscent of Around the Fur
Around the Fur
-Band members:*Stephen Carpenter – guitar*Chi Cheng – bass guitar, backing vocals*Abe Cunningham – drums*Chino Moreno – vocals-Additional personnel:...
-era Deftones
Deftones
Deftones are an American alternative metal band from Sacramento, California, founded in 1988. The band consists of Chino Moreno , Stephen Carpenter , Chi Cheng , Frank Delgado , and Abe Cunningham . Currently Sergio Vega is standing in on bass while Cheng recovers from a car accident...
.
"Tower of Snakes" was usually the live show closer from 2004 to 2007, and it was common for the band to play the breakdown once again after the song was finished.
The music video
Video
Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion.- History :...
was directed by Christopher Sims.