Chain Reaction - Vicious Circle - review
Chain Reaction - Vicious Circle - review
Tracklist
01. Intro02. Everlasting Fear
03. Worlds Of War
04. Values
05. Inner Struggle
06. Slave
07. Disbelief
08. Phantom Life
09. Stark Reality
10. Freedom
11. Strong Words
A review by
jupitreas March 27, 2009
Chain Reaction is a groove thrash band, drawing comparisons with Pantera, Machine Head, Skinlab and Pro-Pain. All of the basic elements are here - thick production, mid-tempo palm muted riffs and bellowed vocals. The band is also quite good at building a progression from slower riffing to faster material with quick kick drumming and a sense of old-school thrash dynamics. Now, if only Chain Reaction could stick to these basic elements and just keep on bludgeoning the listener with them, all would be good. Unfortunately, although melody is not really the band's strong suit, they do their darnedest to pursue it. Ambitious perhaps, but not productive and about as appropriate as the Hulk picking flowers. Like in most groove-thrash, the melodic parts are delivered in a low register roar of a voice and as we all know, few bands are able to pull this kind of thing off without sounding constipated. I'm happy that Barton got around to testing the plumbing but it's not necessarily something I wanted to hear, and certainly not in almost every track. Take "Slave" for example - while the verses and breakdowns are properly meaty and groovy, the chorus just doesn't work. Luckily, certain songs, such as "Everlasting Fear" and "Freedom" simply contain enough quality riffing for the above criticism to be moot. "Stark Reality" even contains a far more agreeable approach to melody with better vocals, a template the band would better keep in mind for future releases.
"Vicious Circle" is like driving a Ford Mustang while having diarrhea. As fun as the ride might be, one can only wish it wasn't constantly interrupted by shit.
Comments
Comments:
1
Visited by
60 users
 Posts: 8902 |
Posts: 8902
Hands down the best line all week. ""Vicious Circle" is like driving a Ford Mustang while having diarrhea. As fun as the ride might be, one can only wish it wasn't constantly interrupted by shit." I wish we still had the old rating system, 'cause I'd give you a +1 for the rest of the year for that statement.
---- (space for rent)
Loading...
|
Hits total: 5388 | This month: 6