Click Here for Martin's HardRadio HardReviews Archives
Fresh Metal
Styx - Cyclorama
(Sanctuary)
The unmistakable cover art of surrealist Storm Thorgerson signals the fact
that Styx has raised the stakes since the gaudy wrapping 'round Brave New
World. And indeed, every part of the game has been elevated in the last few
years. Lawrence Gowan has lit a match, live and on record, and the band has
responded in kind, taking a flamethrower to a once-luke institution. The
result is a record that is not prog, pop, or hair metal, but a kind of
glassy-eyed, sublime pomp rock for seriously crafty musicians, somewhat akin
to Bon Jovi, Billy Sheehan, Ty Tabor, Paul Gilbert, Brian May, Saga, Spock's
Beard, Marillion... a complicated, slightly Beatle-esque, Zeppelin-esque
lighter-foisting sound with volume. Tommy is simply awesome as a vocalist, a
godly balance between vulnerability and bluesy soul. Gowan twangs with
preposterous glam flair, Glen like a shifty punk, JY like the anchor to the
'70s. And the cathedral of harmonies when they all unite, makes Cyclorama a
fierce, plush vocal showcase, a joy to behold. Unfortunately, there isn't
much rocking out, and the scraps that contain power chords (i.e. Captain
America), blow. But the deep, deep wells of acoustic guitars, of vocals for
miles, of lively drums, of arrangements that cost a pretty penny, make up
for the paucity of riffs. The result is a gorgeous, gorgeous record of
subtle sounds stacked expertly by science-minded veterans that haven't lost
an ounce of their prodigious pop passion.
Rating 8
Anthrax - We've Come For You All
(Sanctuary)
Lively, novel but somehow modest, small, spare, and unsettlingly
unnecessary, We've Come For You All is a collection of Anthrax tracks that
sound like all of the less controversial songs from the band's last album,
Volume 8, mixed with the more immediate material from Stomp or White Noise,
more so Stomp. In other words, the material is rhythmic, catchy, easy to
digest, enjoyable but never grand, powerful or epic. There's an old school
hardcore vibe with none of those charging touchstones, one point of
reference being perhaps the album's bare bones street vibe, its dry guitar
sound, lack of bass and way too many drums. But there is no speed to speak
of, no ferocity. And vocally, what you get is John Bush, a great voice unto
his own, possibly the band's biggest stamp of individuality, but a bit of a
one trick harangue with his complaining tone. It's amazing how many of these
songs would fit on a nu-metal album - damn, I feel like I'm just saying all
this negative stuff without actually wanting to rip on the thing - but
seriously, try it track by track, the realization coming that
grunge-influenced metal albums are what must have caused nu-metal. So the
songs fit that bill, but none of the genre's idiotic production ideas are
found here, Anthrax indeed not producing We've Come For You all much at all,
the thing coming off like jagged, smacking but not pounding, punk rock made
out of grinding, happy-go-angry Anthrax riffs from the band's post-Nirvana
proposals.
Rating 7.5