36 Crazy Fists Collisions & Castaways Review by Gary Hill
I like this disc a lot. To fully understand the significance of that statement, you need to know that I usually won’t listen to music that features extreme metal vocals. This album is an exception. Sure, there are extreme metal screams, but there are also melodic vocals that serve as counterpoint. In addition, this just somehow works so well that it doesn’t bother me. Also, the main premise to the music here only changes so much from song to song, yet it always manages to stay fresh. That’s an accomplishment. If you like more modern extreme metal sounds you should check these guys out. If you like metal, but aren’t crazy about the extreme metal vocals, give this one a try. It might be the perfect gateway drug.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010 Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
In The Midnights
A mellow motif leads off here. As it rises up gradually, there is a bit of a progressive rock feeling to it. As the guitar sound becomes more pronounced on this intro section it resemble Sad Wings of Destiny era Judas Priest. From there, though, they scream out into an angry extreme metal jam. The vocals are mostly screamed, but there are sung, more melodic vocals alternating at times. There are some great riffs built into this killer jam.
Whitewater This is very mean and aggressive. It’s more purely extreme than the opener was. That said, the section with the melodic vocals feels almost like modern progressive rock to me.
Mercy And Grace The combination of screamed and sung vocals is also present here. In some ways this feels closer to a Motorhead type of raw hard rock, but there are also plenty of modern metal elements brought to the table, too.
Death Renames The Light They aren’t reinventing the wheel here, but this has a bit more of the modern metal approach. It’s more extreme in a lot of ways.
Anchors This one is extremely vicious. It’s very extreme, but also very cool.
Long Road To The Late Nights
There’s no big change here, but there are some definite Sabbath-like riffs here.
Trenches There are some rather Godsmack-like moments here. Otherwise, though, it’s a continuation of the basic musical elements we’ve heard throughout.
Reviver While this doesn’t vary the basic premise, it doesn’t feel old or stale, either.
Caving In Spirals Much of this piece is mellower and more melodic. It’s a cool track and a nice change of pace.
The Deserter This is the most extreme metal cut on the disc. It’s good, but really stretches the limits.
Waterhaul II The most unique track on show here, this alternates between mellower sounds and more extreme metal in a real dynamic romp.
