IT IS ALSO CLEARLY LIMITING TO THE SKILLS OF THESE GUYS TO NOT PAINT THE PICTURE MORE FULLY. GIBSON PLAYS BASS BUT HIS SEPARATION OF LOW AND HIGH MEANS HE IS LIKE A BASSIST AND GUITARIST IN ONE. CHIPPENDALE DRUMS BUT HIS VOCALS ARE F/XED AND MIXED SO THEY SOUND ALTERNATELY LIKE VOCALS, SAMPLES, KEYBOARDS, OR ANOTHER GUITAR. VOILA! A "FULL" BAND.
THE WAYS THAT THIS IS A LEAP FORWARD FROM RIDE THE SKIES IS ALMOST IMPERCEPTIBLE. IT IS THE SAME APPROXIMATE FORMULA BUT JUST EXECUTED BETTER. THERE'S DYNAMIC VARIANCE AND A DARTING BETWEEN A MAXIMALIST FURY OF SHREDDING OVER GABBER DRUMS TO A MORE MINIMAL TECHNO OR PSYCH APPROACH. THE RECORDING OF THIS IS PRETTY MUCH PERFECT FOR THIS BAND. HEAVY BUT NOT POLISHED. LO TO MID-FI BUT WITH CLARITY AND SEPARATION. IT SLAMS TOGETHER.
SIDE A IS A FAIRLY UNTOUCHABLE BATCH OF HORSE-HEAVY THRILLERS. ASSASSINS IS LIKE BEING HIT ON THE HANDS WITH ONE OF THOSE BIG MALLETS THEY USE AT A FAIRGROUND. DRACULA MOUNTAIN TAKES A BIG EASTERN SCALE AND TURNS IT INTO A MOSH RIFF FOR THE AGES. TWO TOWERS IS A TWO NOTE TECTONIC FREAKOUT WITH EVER-CHANGING DRUMS SOUNDING THE CHANGES. AND ON FIRE MAY BE THEIR BIGGEST TUNE TO DATE, VEERING CLOSE TO PROG-METAL BUT NEVER ONCE GIVING IN TO THE INDULGENCE THAT IMPLIES.
SIDE B GIVES US A BIT MORE LEVITY. CROWN OF STORMS MIXES SHREDDING WITH A ONE NOTE BOUNCE. THE TITLE TRACK IS A LOVELY BASS PIECE WITH GENTLE TAPPING AND EFFECTS BEFORE 30000 MONKIES BAFFLES AND AMAZES LIKE AN ALIEN CIRCUS OF GROTESQUES AND SPACE BEINGS. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY WITH LONGSTOCKINGS - A WEIRDLY NORMAL SONG - AND CLOSING JAM DUEL IN THE DEEP, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE THE BAND ARE TRYING TO PULL A TRAWLER WITH THEIR INSTRUMENTS. I LIKE THE LATTER A LOT AS IT GOES THOUGH IT IS DETERMINEDLY LESS MELODIC AND MORE TEXTURAL THAN ANYTHING BEFORE.
FOR SOME THIS IS AS GOOD AS LIGHTNING BOLT GET WHICH IS TO SAY IT IS VERY GOOD INDEED.
CERTIFIED: GOOD
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