Tourniquet - Where Moth And Rust Destroy
2003 - Metal Blade Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Tourniquet website.
I think I'm probably going to be lynched for writing this review. So, in my defence, let me first put forward the disclaimer that music journalism is an inherently subjective business. Personal opinions differ, and if your opinion differs from that of mine, then this is a perfectly normal and healthy thing and makes neither of us right or wrong. Clear? Good. The reason I point this out is that it seems, from my preliminary (and customary) background check on this band, that Tourniquet are possibly one of the most critically acclaimed and respected bands in the metal underground. Their members make semi-regular appearances in dedicated musician's magazines, they have gained an amazing amount of awards (including HM Magazine's 'Band Of The Decade' acclamation) and, generally, have had each of their albums, EPs, compilations and their unplugged LP enthusiastically - nay, rabidly received by the underground press and their not inconsiderable fanbase alike.
So, I'm very disappointed (and, in fact, more than a little apprehensive_ to reveal the fact that Tourniquet's latest release does very little for me at all. I'm sorry, but the sprawling mesh of power-thrash-prog-classical-heavy metal elements into long, epic movements of mid-tempo heaviness just don't seem to sit well with me at all. Sure, the production is crisp, crunchy and admirably clear. Certainly, the instrumental performances are faultless (Ted Kirkpatrick's drumming in particular is impressive, as are the lead guitar turns by Marty Friedman of Megadeth/Cacophony and Bruce Franklin of Trouble). And yes, the ambition displayed in trying to tie together the threads of pretty much every style of metal under the sun into lengthy, complex compositions is applaudable in itself.
Despite all this, however, I still don't like it. It seems directionless, needlessly convoluted, and generally anti-climactic. Despite all the songs taking in a variety of styles and feels, the general pace of the album is a mid-tempo chug, with things only speeding up significantly during the near-black metal pace of the outro of Convoluted Absolutes (telling title, that) and a few other thrashier points in the album. The vocals are almost as diverse as the music, with Luke Easter touching Megadeth-esque snarls, spoken word sections, Anthrax-like shouts, more power-metal style falsettos, and occasional lower-register snarls. And again, this all seems like so much pointless, mellifluous flippery.
In heartily embracing so many styles and trying to bring them all together under one general sound, Tourniquet have produced an album that is intrinsically unsatisfying to fans of any one sound. It's too heavy for power metal fans, too slow for thrash metallers, too progressive for straight heavy metallers and too conservative for fans of widdly prog. I can't quite see how the band have managed to raise the acclaim that they have done, unless everyone who has listened to them thus far has an especially inflated sense of compromise, or perhaps they feel as though they should like them because everyone else seems to.
As for me, I'm filing this one under 'no thanks', and would be quite pleased never to come across the band again.
4/10
2003 - Metal Blade Records
By Philip Whitehouse
Go to the Tourniquet website.
I think I'm probably going to be lynched for writing this review. So, in my defence, let me first put forward the disclaimer that music journalism is an inherently subjective business. Personal opinions differ, and if your opinion differs from that of mine, then this is a perfectly normal and healthy thing and makes neither of us right or wrong. Clear? Good. The reason I point this out is that it seems, from my preliminary (and customary) background check on this band, that Tourniquet are possibly one of the most critically acclaimed and respected bands in the metal underground. Their members make semi-regular appearances in dedicated musician's magazines, they have gained an amazing amount of awards (including HM Magazine's 'Band Of The Decade' acclamation) and, generally, have had each of their albums, EPs, compilations and their unplugged LP enthusiastically - nay, rabidly received by the underground press and their not inconsiderable fanbase alike.
So, I'm very disappointed (and, in fact, more than a little apprehensive_ to reveal the fact that Tourniquet's latest release does very little for me at all. I'm sorry, but the sprawling mesh of power-thrash-prog-classical-heavy metal elements into long, epic movements of mid-tempo heaviness just don't seem to sit well with me at all. Sure, the production is crisp, crunchy and admirably clear. Certainly, the instrumental performances are faultless (Ted Kirkpatrick's drumming in particular is impressive, as are the lead guitar turns by Marty Friedman of Megadeth/Cacophony and Bruce Franklin of Trouble). And yes, the ambition displayed in trying to tie together the threads of pretty much every style of metal under the sun into lengthy, complex compositions is applaudable in itself.
Despite all this, however, I still don't like it. It seems directionless, needlessly convoluted, and generally anti-climactic. Despite all the songs taking in a variety of styles and feels, the general pace of the album is a mid-tempo chug, with things only speeding up significantly during the near-black metal pace of the outro of Convoluted Absolutes (telling title, that) and a few other thrashier points in the album. The vocals are almost as diverse as the music, with Luke Easter touching Megadeth-esque snarls, spoken word sections, Anthrax-like shouts, more power-metal style falsettos, and occasional lower-register snarls. And again, this all seems like so much pointless, mellifluous flippery.
In heartily embracing so many styles and trying to bring them all together under one general sound, Tourniquet have produced an album that is intrinsically unsatisfying to fans of any one sound. It's too heavy for power metal fans, too slow for thrash metallers, too progressive for straight heavy metallers and too conservative for fans of widdly prog. I can't quite see how the band have managed to raise the acclaim that they have done, unless everyone who has listened to them thus far has an especially inflated sense of compromise, or perhaps they feel as though they should like them because everyone else seems to.
As for me, I'm filing this one under 'no thanks', and would be quite pleased never to come across the band again.
4/10
