Fight - War Of Words // A Small Deadly Space (90's Era)

Fight War Of Words 1993 & A Small Deadly Space 1995

Members: Rob Halford Vocalist, Jay Jay bassist, Brian Tilse Guitarist/Keyboards, Mark Chaussee Guitarist(A Small Deadly Space), Russ Parrish(War Of Words) Guitars, and Scott Travis Drummer

When these were released in the early to mid 90's, my music tastes had evolved. I had moved into heavier sounds, still having connections to crossover, punk, early alternative, and industrial. Because I was not raised in particular interest of Judas Priest, not because of how much stature the group built up, but because I never really connected with what they did.

Because of this, I had a fresh perspective and openness to Fight without having any real connection to what came before. Through time I've tempered my assessment of Judas Priest, yet I will always connect to Rob Halford's solo work more because I grew into them.

I've followed Rob Halford's work throughout the 90's, the aforementioned Fight, his jaunt with 2wo, and closing out the decade with his return to his Priest 'like' sound with Halford. Each of these iterations, I believe he tried to break from what he was 'known' for. Unfortunately, for an artist this can challenge perception and this often will elicit either rash judgement and demand being pigeonholed rather be accepted doing something different.  I feel as though Mr. Halford tried to evolve his brand, sometimes with good effect other times falling short.

Fight is very much a 90's metal band covering both alternative and metal mantles. Comparisons to Pantera with contextual sound are aptly close, yet I think Rob gave his own spin to 90's metal style. Since that time, I've come to understand it was a lot tougher breaking into a market where copious interest leaned into alternative, and this couldn't have been more apparent with other groups of that decade shoplifting their identities for 'popularity' in a short attention market. I wouldn't disagree, because selling style is a business, as in this case Rob went for it, as he didn't want to sound overtly dated.

Enter Fight's first record War Of Words. Words employs a strict guttural bass/guitar tone while the drums quickly set pace of speed and groove. Its sprinkled with force, punch, ferocity, and passion. It sounds fresh, contemporary, but also keeping the boundaries consistent, while blowing apart an assumed industry's ignorance of its intended audience. 

War of Words initiates a dialog of truth, as it is self aware, while giving voice to the young and disenfranchised. With all of that distortion (at that time) of social concerns, age, polarizing politics, I think Words message resided in how far institutions would go in shaping narratives around blissful ignorance rather than having to deal with anything of real substance or value anything meaningful. What is curious is how the same themes continue today with regards to our public discourse. Though War Of Words does make poignant statements about injustices, the caveat here is in its frankness, and calling total bullshit without coming across as snide or cranky

Whereas Fight's second release A Small Deadly Space is speckled with force, punch and power. A Small Deadly Space takes a different approach by containing the ferocity, and giving a real deep emotional construction. There still is the guttural tone, and super crunch, yet the feel of the record is organic.

A Small Deadly Space goes internal rather than the concentrated angst of Words. Where Small pushes introspection on a personal level, thematically its a deeper, aware of resonate of harsh realities, self-doubt, terse abuse, and emotional uncertainty. Sure I was expecting Words Deux, yet what I heard tricked me. A Small Deadly Space has a weathered feel, as experience and age are given value rather than the always on extreme. While pushing boundaries are for the more confrontational, whereas this record focuses more on the players, and their abilities. The obvious feel of the record is heavy on the blues style.

In my opinion these records are bookends to each other. Without one the other does not exist. I feel this shows because of the polished production of War, whereas the stripped down raw sound of Small. Two different records spinning complexities in the time they were created.

I've swing between both because they are genuine, and outwardly. To me they are reclusive, asking personal questions, while evoking a melancholy of sorts. Both employ core ideas in the dark recesses somewhat, but each shine something of beauty and hope. What was with War Of Words in its bravado, and in your face attitude, A Small Deadly Space was the polar opposite, eliciting a more mellower, and bluesy attitude. I like both albums in their in own way, I will either lean on one or the other depending on how I am feeling.

Thanks for reading.

B.

Gruntruck - PUSH (90's Era)

Gruntruck Tribe 1992

Gruntruck, a band that was largely its own entity, borne out of the ashes of Skinyard, and a member from The Accüsed, is not what was expected from the Northwest United States. PUSH has melody, accessiblity, yet where it differentiates from the other more prominent groups is it's punch to the mouth sound.

Guitar/Vocalist Ben McMillan, Guitarist Tom Niemeyer, Bassist Tim Paul, and Drummer Scott McCullum round out PUSH. This was a shock to my awakening into adulthood. This album has groove, its loud, cranky, and a lot of bite.

The album's platform merged both metal and alternative in the locality it was residing from (Seattle). PUSH  I think elicited a great deal of flair, substance, and uniqueness that was drowned out by their contemporaries.

What is really difficult is Ben McMillan is no longer with us, and I felt that he had so much more to give with his music. Though there still is Inside Yours, PUSH, and GET YOURS(EP), and Skinyard I am at least thankful I can still remember this forgotten band. Thanks for reading.

B.

Devolved - Reprisal Review

Devolved - Reprisal - (November 20th, 2012)



Devolved is a mixture of Fear Factory, Meshuggah, Sybreed, and Strapping Young Lad. Reprisal is insanely heavy, and very brutal. A refreshing comportment that has been tired, and in dire need of fresh ideas, new paths to blaze forth. I noticed very acutely the hallmarks to the classics yet also morphs a different spin to the contemporary. Its a lot to take in because of my switch in musical taste. What sells it is the harmonic guitar, it is a mixture of different styles, speeds, and technicality.

I am not all that sold with the vocals, as they (to these ears) sound like white noise. Moving from hardcore, to death metal growl, to a scream is disorientating. The vox lean into hardcore/metalcore aesthetics, but the musicianship creates the variation.

Reprisal is mixed very astutely, and accurately.  The drums are crazy. I don't think I've heard this before, and its using the faster than humanly possible technique. Reprisal revels in being in the camp of industrial, but there is something more going on. For me it is weaving a lot of undercurrent in the atmosphere. A very capable record that has a lot of angst going for it.

The thing I like about this record is how there is variation. Its hard, its crunchy, and takes the listener into new areas. Definitely approve. Its amazing. Check it out. Thanks for reading.

B.

Argyle Park - Misguided (90's Era)

Argyle Park Misguided 1995

Released in 1995, Arygle Park's Misguided is a dark album comprised of different viewpoints about faith, enveloped with a twinge of attitude, and steep confrontation. I propose that Misguided attempts to answer some of the questions with a very poignant charge that often is lost in the transitioning of the song shapes. It's narrative somewhat contradicts the edict it wants the listener to care about, and that sometimes annoys rather than propels.

I think overall Misguided's strength would have worked if the songs weren't jumbled mish-mash of ideas trying to compete for attention. I think its an interesting album which tries, but falls down because of mix of production/themes its presenting. Just from what I've been able to garner within the details, this record feels like it was conceived with fists rather than harmoniously. I should add I do know about the(then) Christian music scene connection, but I didn't feel this was designed for that aesthetic.

The thing that is crucially important is this album marks a career shift for the players involved. Either they went on to have successful solo careers, or labored about in a ravine of obscurity.  Musicians like Tommy Victor of Prong, Klank Diolosa of Klank, Klayton(Scott Albert) of Circle Of Dust and Celldweller. Whereas members of Drown(Lauren Boquette, Marco Forcone), Mortal(Jyro Xhan), Foetus(Jim Thirlwell), and Stavesacre(Jeff Bellew) were unknown outside of of the underground scene, or the christian market. Mark Salomon whom would continue the Argyle Park brand for AP2 didn't quite work in the same manner that Misguided had. Tonally different, more Euro house style.

I would postulate that the Euro dance music had a decided impact on where the rhythms would go, and the embellished ambiance that wheedles rather than elicit anything profound still in my estimation is a curious affair that had been shunned when it was released.

I think ultimately this album did what it set out to accomplish, be an album that was hard to get, had little promotion, and when it was finally heard it was a very strange reaction it garnered. When I heard this it was very different, but after awhile it lost its allure because its ugliness would show. Its not a pretty record by any stretch, but I genuinely think they wanted to give it an interesting approach that somewhat fell in the streets without much interest or care that it existed. Thanks for reading.

B

Soundgarden - King Animal - Review

Soundgarden - King Animal 2012



I suppose my story with Soundgarden goes back to 1991, when Nirvana was hitting their stride with the song Smells Like Teen Spirit, while competing with Soundgarden's song Outshined off of Badmotorfinger released that same year, typifies the right mix of extreme tone, and melody with a nod and wink to the 70's rock anthem vocality.

The problem with the late 80's to early 90's alternative style was there was this constant shoving, and pushing to get ahead of the pack. It was in result of the underground scene coming out with a lot of great talent, whom were gaining foot hold in their respected locality, in this case Seattle Washington. When Nirvana came into the scene with such a blistering force with Nevermind, Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger was pushed behind for the latter. For me Badmotorfinger is their swansong of sorts before the change in 1994 with Superunknown. 

Two things I like about Soundgarden both involve Kim Thayil and Chris Cornell's guitars. There is great respect to both Kim, and Chris's achievements as guitarists,  because they accentuate each other. They play off of the comrade and elicit this with a friction of tone, and extreme contextualization to the songs they compose. How does King Animal stack up to the prior knowledge? Dubious at best. Due to the passage of time, and the fact Chris Cornell's is older, his vocals do sound exhausted, and tired. There is such a thing as long past prime.

Sure King Animal is a return to form, only that it is 16 years later after Down On The Upside dropped. I felt utterly depressed by that record, as it felt lost, unhappy, and unsure of its place. Fast forward and again I'm not a fan of this record either. It embraces cliche which plays on nostalgia, whereas evoking brand association in which sets up a expectation that falls completely short.

I'm not trying to bag on the whole record, its a pleasant mix of what they're known for, but underneath I felt kind of robbed of the truest essence of the pre-Superunknown era material. Which in itself brings back that whole nostalgia aspect. Therefor this reunion record definitely cheapens the experience, and I wished bands would stop doing this.

I think their transformation with Superunknown in 1994 put them in the big boy camp with pop inflection, and tonality. With King Animal this is as by the book with it's hooks, as it also employs all the trappings devoted Soundgarden fans want/need to hear. Nothing with this record is memorable for me in that it is rehashing a lot of that pop construct for the sake of melancholic response. Thanks for reading.

B.