Raving about Tug of War

keeper of the flame

keeper of the flame

Member
Feb 15, 2003
403
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18
Holland
www.silentagreement.nl
It's only been out for a couple of days.

But I keep listening to it.

First of all the sound is excellent. Best so far!!!
They all seem to play and sound better with each album.
The guitartone is super and Dougs solos are endless and amazing,
The drums and bass are thumping and sparkling and the keys add a very transparant sound. Ted's voice is getting better with each album. I like the falcettos in Sinking Sand. Such a good place to put them. Makes me think of playing harmonics on a guitar.

The songs show a great diversity. It takes some time to grow into them but they represent the unique Enchant sound all the way.

The coverart is very beautiful. Good to read the liner notes and all the information on the members. I very much like the colors of the booklet.

Favourite songs:
Sinking Sand - very good lyrics and a great melodic and catchy song
Tug of War - Heavy driven with a Rush feel, good theme, great lyrics
Hold the Wind - very different, interesting song
See no evil - I like Ted's part in this. Great song.
Protology - Way to go Doug!!
Comatose - great song to conclude the album. Outstandingly beautiful


This album could be growing into my favourite album. This was Blink of an Eye up till now.
 
Thanks Keeper!

Very Much appreciated! Very much!

Hey your favorites are mine as well. And playing them live is amazing after hearing them on the disc for months now! Comatose will be hard though! That one gets to my soul!
 
Well, what can I say?

I received TOW yesterday and listened to it on my way to the rehearsal of my band. First impression: Excellent! I thought about missing my train intentionally to get more time to listen to the cd :Spin:... The sound is great. I don`t know why some persons (one person) have a complaint there. Doug mentioned the low budget he had... Listening to the cd it seems that he must have had a huge budget. Great job, Doug!
Apart from Sinking sand, Progtology, Comatose and Tug of war Living in the movie is (after listening the cd on my way back home for a second time) my absolute favourite. The mood that is created is so intense and especially the irony in the lyrics comes across so well. Listening to the song I kept wondering if the sound that is followed by the chorus is a keyboard sound or just vocals with an effect on... In the end I was surprised that it is NO keyboard sound...
Just a small note from a keyboarder`s perspective: Bill, I love the sounds you are using and I am so impressed by the influence you already have on Enchant`s music. I can`t wait to hearand see you and the band play here in Hamburg.
One last thing: @Doug: I got the opportunity to see our bass player`s face (Remember Thomas?)while listening to your "Solo appearance" on Progtology. He definitely looked paler after that!

All the best,

Guido

Ooops! The last paragraph is referring to your "solo appearance" on Progtology, ED! Sorry for that! (It is definitely too hot here in Germany to develop clear thoughts :hotjump:!
 
(Ed you can skip this one, LOL!
smile.gif
)

Finally....Tug in my hands! :) I popped it in - I confess I skipped Sinking Sand the first time, LOL, as I KNOW I already like that one....and I plowed headfirst into the rest of Tug of War --- woooo hooooo!

OK, I know I need another dozen (100? 1000?) listens of this CD, but I can safely say now this is the finest one you guys have put out. Lush melodies, rich harmonies, killer arrangements --- what's not to like??

Early impressions....

Overall, this is a 10/10! This CD manages to take each one of you guys and showcase you....Ted's vocals are amazing -- strongest he's ever been...Doug kicks ASS on that guitar....Bill's keys soar....Seans drums wail.....and Ed - you are really all over it! I love all the bass!

What songs hit me? Well other than Sinking Sand (which hit me weeks ago), there are three more on this disc that fly at me at 200 mph....the first is Tug of War --- love the big guitar sound, Doug....most awesome! Excellent vocal gymnastics by Ted, too - great lyrics....and a thrilling solo by Doug...love the bass, especially towards then end, at about 7:01....very cool stuff!

Next up in my hit parade off this CD is the incredible Progtology.... talk about a showcase!! This tracks kicks serious butt from beginning to end! It is a fabulous display of the talent and diversity within Enchant, and it is especially cool to hear all the smooth glides and the herky-jerky changes of Bill on the keys....Doug is all over the place, as is Sean - you go, Sean!!! - and again, the bass!! ...at 4:50 it just explodes -- way cool! And Doug and Bill lead the way to the close....and then....

...and then....

Track 10....

Comatose....it's hard to put it into words....this songs gets to me like none other....Ted's voice and Bill's piano are haunting.... mesmerizing....and then at about :45, Doug's guitar literally CRIES for a few seconds, that is amazing....gradually the vocals and the piano build and build....then at 3:01 the rest of the band joins in, in this plaintive, painful song....."we can't turn back time".....then Doug takes the forefront again, and again his guitar cries, pleads....melancholy doesn't say the half of it....it continues to build, everyone...till the cut back to piano at 5:40.....then Ted picks back up, the rest re-join at 6:00.....and this powerful song crashes forward to the denouement....till the breaking point at 7:54....back to the sad, sad piano and Ted's angst-filled voice.....This has got to be the best song Doug's ever penned....and God knows I love dozens of earlier tunes...I haven't been this moved by a song in years....YEARS.....what's written here barely scratches the surface of how it makes me feel!

OK....well now there are 6 (well, 7 actually!) other tracks.....

Holding the Wind.....coooool tune....the topic reminds me of one of my beloved Crack The Sky tunes - Skin Deep.....killer drum-led middle instrumental piece gives way to a bright keyboard solo that is sweet! Then Ed and Doug get in on the fun, and Sean bangs along....I loved this track immediately!

Beautiful.....is just that....the most mainstream cut on the disc....I'm a sucker for rock ballads, so I can't complain!!! Love had, love lost, can love be restored to beautiful yet again? Only if you're incredibly, magically lucky! Ted's a real crooner here!

Queen of the Informed.....another cool one, with another great instrumental 'intermission'...Ted's voice soars...the keys build, then the drums...then the thumping bass....really nice bass....then a wonderfully layered solo by Doug....sweeeeeet! A mature, developed, sophisticated take, slightly reminiscent of the Spin Doc's Little Miss Can't Be Wrong! :)!

Living in a Movie....someone on the board said this was a tear jerker? Not to me....this song rocks! Ted is all over the place - high-low, fast-slow, loud-quiet....and I dig the ahhhh-ahhhh-ahhhh harmonies....this is a totally fun romp, a tongue in cheek look at the kind of stuff everyday life can throw at you....this poor dude, though, he had a REALLY bad day!!! Did his dog run away too? I LOVE this track!!! :)

Long Way Down....again, niiiiice harmonies...... and great lyrics! "...the grass looks emerald green but believe me it's just the weeds..." "Next time you need advice, check the zodiac!" What great lines!! :) Nice controlled-scattered guitar work here again, Doug! :)

See No Evil....love the acoustic intro....this to me is the next most mainstream song....great interplay of acoustic/electric throughout....and there are Ed and Sean ...thump, thump, thump....love it! For some reason, though, I am not totally gripped by the vox this time....not sure why - it's a cool tune....maybe I need some more listens! Well of COURSE I need some more listens!!!!!!!

Finally -- Below Zero - from NEARFest '02! Coool!!! I just pulled off the whole NEARFest show onto a .wav file....no video, just audio....Nifty!!!!! Can't wait to see the real thing this fall!

WOW! This is one killer disc!!! Nice production, a good tight mix....GREAT JOB!!!!!!! Comparing this and Feel Euphoria....I think maybe the Beard should be opening for you guys this time!!! :)

Cheers, guys!!!!!
 
Guido thanks so much for the props as always, you too Demonspell and Disco Man We will expecting yours soon too! It really bites that the disc was delayed coming out but you will have it soon enough! I f we are ever up in Seatle my friend or you make the trip down your on any guest list! Really we appreciate your props too and feel bad you have to wait because you post here a lot and are a great supporter of ours!

Mare what can I say, your review is just awesome! thanks so much! Thrilled you like the disc so much!

We can not wait to play it live for you all!
 
If you guys have any shows with Spock's Beard in the US, you can bet your ass I'm gunna fly to see it, so keep us posted. =D

Even if you don't, I can't imagine my living a full life without getting to see you guys live. If I would weasel my way onto a guest list and get a chance to shake the band's hand, all the better! *hops around*

Speaking of which...the DT/QR/FW concert was a @*%($ing trip...and tonight I've got Porcupine Tree and Opeth. Damn, it's a good time to be a music lover!
 
Dustin your awesome brother, thanks for the post.

I checked out your site and some of your Low End work. Very Nice, keep thumpin! Nice cover for your new release too! Hope it does really well!

Hope you like Tug is a lot more bottom end as Ted put it. I bit more grit as well.

If you make it out this way again to check us out on Tour or here at home give a shout.
 
Hey Ed, my low end brotha!

Wow, thanks for the kind word!
We certainly hope the new K5 album does well... I'm sure you know how that goes :D

I'm "supposed" to get Tug of War today... Needless to say, it will be cranked to "11"! I'm sure you will agree, you can never go wrong with too much bottom end, unless it's flubbin' out your speakers! :tickled:

Me and the wife have been talking about getting out to the bay area one of these days if you guys happen to play out again, if we do, I'll definatly let you know! The last live show we saw 6 years ago was absolutly mind blowing and well worth the several hundred miles we covered to get there!

\m/
Dustin
 
Drove down to the local independent record store that I've been supporting for the past 18+ years and got Tug of War and the new Spock's Beard discs. Much to my surprise they were both the special additions !!!!

Very good, verrry good. Right now I've got the wow factor going. After several more spins, I'll go into the whoaaa factor.

My son (7 years old) was with me. As we drove home I noticed him staring out the window and kicking his feet to the beat of Sinking Sand while pretending to sing the words along with Ted. It was cool.

The most impressive thing (to me) about this album (old fart) is how well Ted sings, yet it seems his voice is a little different.

I'm sure I'll have more to say later.

Frank

P.S. I forgot to mention that I asked the guy that worked at the record store if he had sold many copies. He said that Enchant is just starting to "catch on" and he expects to sell 7 to 10 copies of Tug of War, which I go the impression was a good thing. Spock's Beard however, he said sell real well. I'm located in NE Ohio, about 25 miles east of Cleveland, if you're curious about demographics.

..Now if only I knew those other 6 to 9 people. We could all pitch in a few bucks and hire the band or something.
 
Got my official Special Edition disc yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a mind-blow! I have had promo disc for almost a month but the 'picture' is only now complete, when I have the lyrics and band's views on the songs.

Amazing disc, such a rich booklet, so much information.

Ted - all apologies for my previous post where I credited the guitar work on 'See No Evil' to Doug. I really didn't know it was all your work (except the last solo)!

:OMG:

And, btw, they are the most amazing guitar lines! Excellent, love em!

Also, the lyrics to 'Long Way Down' are so true.

Simply the best!
 
It's been a long time since I'd last posted on this board, but today I felt like sharing my opinions on this magnificent new work by Enchant with all of you.

I got ToW early this week, and I have to say that I am very pleasantly surprised by the result. In all, the sound is clearly better than on any of their previous albums, even though I sometimes I feel like the drums should be a bit higher. The performances are over the top. Doug delivers some of his best chops and note choices I've heard from him... Ted shines during the whole record (well, when hasn't he). Sean's playing is groovy, accurate and very "for the song"-oriented, with tons of details that are missed if you don't concentrate on his parts. Jim, the new guy, fits perfectly in the music, and I adore his playing with fusion-like patches. Finally, I gotta admit that I have always adored Ed's playing, but in this record he totallly outdoes himself...great groovy moments and bass fills all around, exceptional approaches as rythmic section, and overall a perfomance that made me have to pick my jaw from the floor several times during the whole album.
However, what surprises me the most is how different is this album from the previous ones, but still how clearly it is an "Enchant" album.... I don't know if I made myself understood.

Song by song, it is also the most balanced album since BoTW, as they all stand strong by themselves.
"Sinking Sand" is a great opener, though a bit atypical. Complex but really effective. The instrumental section after the bass tapping part is specially great.
"Tug of War" has all the numbers to become an Enchant classic piece. Great riffing and rythmic work.
"Holding the wind" has a bass driven interlude that is worth a whole discography. The verse section reminds me a lot of the J9D10 era.
"Beautiful" is beautiful :p. It may not reach the peak of geniousness of "What to say", but still it is a prove that Enchant has a very special talent to create great ballads.
"Queen of the informed" - well, isn't this the coolest Enchant riff ever or what?? Great song all along, but specially incredible during the verses (killer bass!!!!) and the last part of the instrumental section just before returning to the verse.
"Living in a movie" - great, great song which reminds me a lot of "Break"
"Long way down" and "See no Evil" are excellent songs with some catchy hooks that could work perfect for the general public.
"Progtology" kicks serious ass. Period. My favorite from the album.
"Comatose" is my second favorite. Why? Just read mgirishfan's comments, which I agree completely.

and well...."Below Zero" was, is and will be one of Enchant's bests songs, and their best album opener to date. It sounds terrific live, and I actually would love Enchant to put out a live album, because as far as I've seen from Nearfest, they sound great.... maybe a live recording on the upcoming tour with SB?

So, it's just left for me to congratulate the guys from Enchant for their great work (once more) and wish them luck for the upcoming tours and recordings!

Cheers!!!!
 
Sclemur

Thank you very much for your review and you support and positive feedback! And most of all for the kind words! We really appreciate this! very much! I personally thank you for the praise of the bass parts! This means a lot to me! We give 100% for all of you and do our very best to make a great disc.

Thanks to all of your very cool words of support! It just motivates us to make a better disc every time and give an even greater effort for all of you!

You are all mazing! Thanks so much!
 
Wow This album is awsom!! It has such a tight mix and total sonic
perfection!!!!! Ed, the bass is great, I am totally bolwn away. I got
this last week and it hasn't left my CD player yet.

PLEASE COME TO ATLANTA!!!!
 
Listening to a new album is sometimes like meeting someone new. You aren't sure what to think until you've been around them for a while...

Well, I've been around this new disc for a week or so and we've had some pretty good conversations. I really like this new friend.

As a matter of fact, I've been hanging around it for so much this past week, I'm afraid I'm gonna wear out my welcome.

And never did I think that a song like Beautiful would be one of my favorites on the new disc. And Tug Of War, that song raises my blood pressure every time. Seems as if someone is puttin' a hurtin' on a bass string.

I won't got through my thoughts of each song, it's ALL good.

Thanks to you and your families for lettin' this disc happen.

Frank - "They'll always be albums to me."


P.S. By the way, if you like Enchant, perhaps you will also like Jadis, which I just discovered. They been around longer than Enchant I think. They have similar styles and structue, but not the same sound (my opinion only). I really like their new album, Fanatic.
 
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