Album Review: TOOL Fear Inoculum (08/30)

Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles formed in 1990. The band despite complex and long progressive songs has enjoined incredible global commercial and critics' success. They have won three Grammy Awards, performed worldwide tours as stadium and festival headliners, and produced albums topping the charts in several countries. Lateralus, the third studio album, was named one of the best albums of 2001 by several publications. In the years following its release, Lateralus continued to receive several accolades being considered a masterpiece of prog/alt rock. The group's line-up includes drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. The only line-up change has been Justin Chancellor joining as band's bassist in 1995.

After thirteen years of memes and click-baits speculations, the day has finally arrived! To be honest, I'm not (yet) a Tool fan, so I didn't really care that it took thirteen years for the band to release a new album. There's no logical reason to why I am not a fan since Prog Rock is one of my favorite genres. I guess the whole hype around this band has always put me off. But due to their first release since 2006, I'm now giving it a chance.

Despite a long career, Fear Inoculum is Tool's fifth album. The new effort consists of seven tracks and clocks in at 79 minutes (the digital version features three additional segues). The album length is consistent with previous releases but the average song length that usually is around seven minutes is now increased significantly to 11 minutes. The instrumental sections are long and Tool "invite" listeners to pay attention to figure out what is going on.

The 10-min title track and first single opens the album and showcases what's to come in the first 5 songs. Long songs, mid-tempo, with very prominent drums including percussive sounds, cool bass lines, odd time signatures, tempo changes, beautiful melodies and crescendos that culminate with heavier guitar riffs. All the songs are very good, maybe "Invincible" stands out slightly from the others. The only short song on the album is track six "Chocolate Chip Trip" which is basically a drum solo of almost five minutes with some sample sounds around it. It is said that Danny recorded it in one take when the band was taking a break. This instrumental track leads us to the seventh and last song, the almost sixteen-minute behemoth "7empest". It's my favorite and heaviest song on the album. It's the only song with long guitar solos and where Maynard James Keenan puts some aggressive drive in his vocals. Needless to say that the musicianship is absolutely phenomenal. The guitar playing is minimalist and deceivingly appears "easy". But with few notes  Adam Jones is able to create memorable and catchy riffs. And most importantly fully fused with the bass lines and drums forming one cohesive musical experience. Danny Carey is a tireless monster behind the kit. The production is dynamic and very clean, we can hear all the instruments. It could be argued that the drums are a bit too loud in the mix though.

Tool delivered a uncompromising record, they are on that career stage in which they can do whatever they feel is right musically without worrying to please audiences. The band’s songwriting pushes and challenges listeners and it will take weeks or months to completely unpack this present. Initially I had a problem with Fear Inoculum because the first five songs run quite long and are very similar to each other. But I realized we can't take this album as a collection of singles because it's basically one long song. That's how Tool invite us to experience it. It will be interesting to see how the mainstream audience will react to this complex album where the only possible singles are over ten minutes long. While Fear Inoculum is a contender for my top 10 album of 2019, it didn't blew my mind (yet?). It's a very good album though. As always, the problem is that high expectation is the key to disappointment.

SCORE: 83/100
DR: 8
Genre: Alt Progressive Rock
Released by Napalm Records (EU) on August 30th, 2019

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Album Review: SACRED REICH Awakening (08/23)

Legendary thrash metallers from Phoenix, Arizona Sacred Reich was formed in 1985. The band is part of the second wave of thrash, along with Testament, Death Angel, and the like. In 1987 they put out their debut LP Ignorance. They followed it with  The American Way (1990), Independent (1993) and Heal (1996). The band split in 2000, but reunited in 2006 for touring and no new album has been released. Well, until now! Sacred Reich currently features original members guitarist Wiley Arnett and vocalist/bassist Phil Rind. But also see the return of Dave McClain (ex-Machine Head), who manned the drum throne from 1991 to 1997, and the addition of 22 year old Joey Radziwill playing guitar (fun fact that Phil pointed out in a concert I was this summer: Joey wasn't born when their previous album was released). Meaning, the new album Awakening is their first new music in twenty three years.

Awakening features 8 blistering thrash anthems in just over 30 minutes. It opens with the title track and first single. It was a good choice because the song does give us a flavor for the whole album: speedy thrash, groovy drumming and killer solos. The chorus is memorable and the melodic higher pitch bridge before the solo is a highlight. And so is the cool instrumental section to close the track. "Divide & Conquer" was another song that we could already hear live this summer. It's a monstrous thrash hand banger with a very simple chorus, but catchy as hell. But my favorite track is another single "Manifest Reality" with such a cool intro inspired by Slayer's "Hell Awaits", energetic verse and big catchy chorus. There are no bad songs here, but I do feel the album is slightly front loaded. "Death Valley", the longest track, is groovier and while I appreciate the different feel it has, it doesn't hold my attention like the other songs. "Something to Believe" is a bit corny but it's a fun track to close the album. And by the way features the coolest solo in the album and engaging bass lines.

Awakening is a thrash metal bonanza that feels to be straight out of the late 80's. I like the production values and specially what  Dave McClain delivers on the drums (that "Salvation" drum intro followed by the guitar riff is Sacred Reich's Painkiller). Mr. Rind voice apparently hasn't aged as he sings as well as back in the day. The album is straightforward and after just a couple of spins, I was singing along and fist pumping in the air. What else could I ask from a thrash record? An album that was highly anticipated is now highly recommended. 

SCORE: 83/100
DR: 8
Genre: Thrash Metal
Released by Metal Blade Records on August 23rd, 2019

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Album Review: KILLSWITCH ENGAGE Atonement (08/16)

Killswitch Engage was formed in Massachusetts in 1999. In the mid-2000's they became one of my favorite metal bands. Their 2002′s Alive Or Just Breathing, with singer Jesse Leach, is considered a genre defining record that basically gave life to metalcore. The band, led by Adam Dutkiewicz (lead guitar), pioneered a union of thrash metal guitar riffs and clean singing with East Coast hardcore attitude and screaming. The following album, The End of Heartache (2004) with singer Howard Jones, is another masterpiece. Since then the band has been successful both commercially and with critics. In 2012 Jesse returned to the band and recorded two albums (2013 and 2016).

Atonement is now their 8th album and third since Jesse's return. The cover illustration was created by Richey Beckett (Mastodon). It does remind me of the cover of Once More 'Round the Sun. The album opener couldn't be better. "Unleashed" starts doomy followed by a scream from Jesse Leach that from the get-go demonstrates the benefits of his vocal lessons post surgery. The track is actually mid-tempo but heavy and very emotional. The other single "I Am Broken Too" is another mid-tempo, melodic and emotional tune. At first I didn't think much of it, but soon enough I was hooked, damn you Adam, you catchiness wizard! "Take Control" follows the same lines, but doesn't achieve the same results. While Jesse's performance is probably his best on record, the album is elevated another notch by the two songs with guest singers: "The Signal Fire" (Featuring good old Howard Jones) and "The Crownless King" (Featuring Chuck Billy of Testament). Two amazing songs. "Know Your Enemy" is a monstrous track and features some of the sickest riffs I've heard this year, including a guitar duo certainly inspired by recently opening for Iron Maiden. "Us Against the World" is another song with some Maiden influences and some amazing drumming.  When you may think the album will lose steam during the last third, we are blessed with two tracks as good as any.

With 11 well-crafted, selected and sequenced songs in just 40 minutes, Atonement is a pure metal pleasure to listen to. The guitar work is superb and the vocals top notch. The bass and drums do a fantastic job holding it all together. The formula is not different from previous albums, great riffs, catchy melodies combined with hardcore heaviness and the balanced clean and screaming vocals. After three albums since Jesse's return, I just wonder, and kind of hope, if the next album will be a step up with some more risk taking and growth. But then again, why change a winning team? As far as enjoying 2019's Atonement, I really have no material complains and just can't help putting the album on repeat.

SCORE: 80/100
DR: 6
Genre: Metaclcore
Released by Metal Blade Records on August 16th, 2019

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Album Review: SLIPKNOT We Are Not Your Kind (08/09)

Founded in 1995 in Des Moines, Iowa, Slipknot needs no introduction. The band rapidly rose to success following the release of their self-titled debut album in 1999. Since then, Slipknot have sold 30 million records worldwide and it's one of the most important headliner acts in Metal today. Following 2014's .5: The Gray Chapter, We Are Not Your Kind is their sixth studio album. It is the band's first album since the firing of longtime member Chris Fehn. In fact, percussionist Shawn Crahan is the only founding member left.

My first impression of We Are Not Your Kind was that it's a Slipknot album. No, seriously, it's founded on their pillars and almost every song sounds familiar from the first listen. Some songs are heavy and direct and others are more experimental. But even the heavier songs are typically longer than the three to four minute range from the early records. The other thing is that it's a long album, 64 minutes and fourteen songs albeit three are short intro/transitions. 

After the intro song "Insert Coin", which reminds me of Meshuggah's "Future Breed Machine" intro, we get the first single "Unsainted". From the get-go, we see old school Slipknot meets new ideas. The intro with a choir is a statement, but soon Corey Taylor screams bring us back to the classic early 2000's punch combined with a sing along chorus. It's a cool song that's been working out well live. The other singles "Birth of the Cruel" and "Solway Firth" (probably my favorite because it's heavy but also different) exemplify the old-school songs in the album. "Nero Forte" is future live favorite with some of the best drumming in the album. "Critical Darling" gets the prize of catchiest chorus!

Then we have the curved balls. "A Liar's Funeral", "Spiders" (featuring the only guitar solo on the album), "My Pain" (a post-metal song sounding almost like early Pink Floyd) and "Not Long for This World" ( a future radio single?) are the most different, slow to mid-tempo songs that explore new territories. While I am not particularly excited about all of them, they are OK and well placed in the album so it still flows well and gives diversity.

Overall, I do like the drumming, the production, Corey's performance, the guitar riffs and the fact that the sampling and scratching sounds are really reduced to the minimal needed. It's a very tight, well-written record. I like the fact that they experimented and tried new things, but still a lot of the songs sound very similar to each other and to previous records. It's a thin line between their signature sound and repetition. Regardless of this small criticism, I believe We Are Not Your Kind will please old and new fans alike and critics. It's gonna be all over the top of the year-end lists for 2019.

SCORE: 80/100
DR: 5
Genre: Nu-Metal
Released by Roadrunner Records on August 9th, 2019

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Album Review: THE OFFERING Home (08/02)

The Offering is a heavy metal band based out of Boston. The quartet released their first self-titled EP with five tracks in 2017. The band has been set to blend modern heavy metal with traditional metal elements. From the start the Offering called people's attention and endorsement. So much so that their debut EP was already released via Century Media Records. Almost two years later they are bringing their full-length debut HOME which was produced by Nishad George and mixed by Fredrik Nordstrom.

After a few spins of these eight tracks in 52 minutes effort, I could not conclude what genre those guys fit. Since I actually don't care, I just refer to them as progressive modern metal. Their bio gives a bit more info: "the group is blending old school flavor with modern brutality to bring a new bold personality to the metal community". On the modern side, there's some Djent, Nu-Metal and Metalcore but somehow that's combined with power, traditional and thrash metal elements. And yes, progressive metal of course. Let me put like this, it's like Devin Townsend joined Slipknot and they decided to cover Exciter and Periphery. In theory it doesn't make sense, but they pulled it off amazingly well.

HOME opens with "Waste Away" featuring a Nu-Metal intro sound but it turns into a crushing thrash metal guitar riff and then verse. Throughout the song the Offering balance between the modern and old school. There’s a great melodic guitar solo at the end leading to some dissonant sounds to close it, very unusual way to finish a song these days. This closing blends into the fantastic track two and single "Lovesick". The song starts with a guitar riff that could be on a Symphony X album. It’s the most power/traditional metal song on the album but still heavily fused with Nu-Metal and Metalcore. "Ultraviolence" and "A Dance with Diana" are the most Slipknot meets Rob Zombie songs on the album. And "Failure (S.O.S)" is another highlight of aggressive speed metal. Singer Alex Richichi displays an impressive vocal range during the whole album, but specially in the epic closer and title track. This epic 14-min genre bending journey is Devin Townsend on steroids. The song while great brings up one of the only complains I have about the album, it shows that the Offering has even more potential than displayed on the previous seven tracks.

I love good modern metal bands like the Offering that sound nothing like older bands and yet use metal elements that I learned to love over the years. If I want to listen to Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden or Metallica, I have their albums. I don't need new bands refurbishing the classics. The Offering does genre gymnastics like very few bands can do it and yet were able to create a signature sound with brutality, sing along melodies, fist pumping guitar riffs, headbanging grooves and complex arrangements. From the thrash nu metal extravaganza opener “Waste Away” to the epic 14-minute title track, HOME is intelligent, vigorous, uncompromisingly fresh and addictive. So far the best debut album of 2019.

SCORE: 85/100
DR: 7
Genre: Progressive Modern Metal
Released by Century Media on August 2nd, 2019