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Label: Victory Records - Rating:
The Great Misdirect. You'll know what's causing it. When you're turned inside out, flipped around and feel backwards. All the insanity from Alaska mixed with the complexity and depth of Colors. I feel like they made their last 2 records have sex and this is the offspring. Between the Buried and Me have outdone themselves in every way.
Just give in already! More great transitions, bridge work and disgusting heavies knock you down. This won't end until you just submit to it. You mind if the keyboard (organist) gets a few solo's? Told ya. You hear that killer, dual guitar soloing section? I know, the moon is far away, but it will be worth it. We're almost there.
There you go. "Slide in to the water. Become one with the sea. Life seems so much smaller. Swim to the moon." is chanted. The only thing we are missing is some sing along action. It hasn't been brutal in a while, let's throw that in there. Speed riffing next. A maraca and hand drums break here. A whistle signals a fastest drum solo contest at roughly the 5 minute mark. If you rest for a moment, you will drown. The starts and stops, style changes, keyboards, guitars.....EVERYTHING here is on 11. My takeoff is joined by a trippy intro filled with exotic percussion. In the time it takes for this next track (17:54) to end, I could "Swim to the Moon" and back. It feels as if it's a lost song. Good 'ol strumming carries this relaxed tune. Guitarist Paul Waggoner opens on guest vocals with a baritone that accompanies the lead well. Get down, country blues is a'comin your way partner.
An acoustic led, orchestral salute will send you along to find the "Desert of Song". I would be a proud BTBAM citizen. "Trust us and we will all be safe. We are the new government." It will not let up! It doesn't end! A pentadecainstrumental freak out happens to stir up some more heaviness. Amazing. Did I mention this track is 12:11 long and NONE of it is boring? I want to feed from Cloud Mountain if this is what's being served. I start to think "Sure, no prob..." ::CRUNCH::. "Stand back, relax, enjoy the ride" orders Tommy Rogers. Go buy it. The bass slides on the 5.1 audio are SICK. I've been beamed "Fossil Genera - A Feed from Cloud Mountain" and wonder if I'm in a old timey saloon, mixed with a bodega, decorated by a shaman.
But it won't just end on with a repeat. Extra flair accompanies and extends our opening stanza. This throwback, solo jam leads back superbly to the start of our 11:03 track. I need more cowbell. Is that cowbell? Did I just hear a horse neigh? What in the hell? Second only to Meshuggah in off time skills, they bring out a beaut here. Slumber and inventive dual vocals overtakes the beast only to abruptly wake him. Let's just say it left footprints when it did. "Control...and collapse...collide" ignites the way for another heavy to land. "Disease, Injury, Madness" overcomes you.
Who knows what's going to happen next? You're out of your comfort zone and it's great. A bass riff breakdown snaps a foot off in your ass and it's on for the rest of the track. "ALL-DOMINANT ... This is what we call a brain" is barked with disappointment towards the masses. "Obfuscation" can't be what's happening now, as the transition to the more violent side of BTBAM isn't clouded, but lurking. Dan Briggs work on the fretless bass is absolutely brilliant. A beautiful, haunting intro opens you up to your "Mirrors" reflection.
What's all the fuss about you say? I am officially putting this in my top 10 metal albums of the naughts. Imagine true 5.1! Every tiny detail of BTBAM's latest release is available here and I only have 2 speakers and a sub. A pity, as you'll miss out on the 5.1 Surround Sound edition that comes with the official version. It will lead to you
Did this review confuse you? Feeling 'Misdirected?' Try this review instead.
