9th on my best of 2006 list
Miss N. Thrope | Leftcoastfogland | 03/15/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"whoo! I could imagine a sticker on the outside wrap of this album stating "Banned In Crawford, TX."! But of course, that would mar the lovely art on the cover.
What is inside the package is quite a surprise. This band from Oakland, CA successfully blend traditional and progressive heavy metal with power metal plus a little Broadway show tune theatricality thrown into the mix for a bizarre gumbo.
If I were forced to have to describe this band I would call them socio-political power metal. They employ a lot of the power metal styles, just minus the lyrical themes of dragons, damsels and daring doo-doo.
The lyrics here are incredibly incisive social and political commentary, laced with splashy, dramatic melody. The opening and title track begins with chromatically descending theme, some pretty sweet riffage, and outrageously concise and intelligent lyrics condemning the hubris of the current administration and GOP playbook. Here, our current leaders are painted as propagandists and war profiteers as found in the up-tempo anthemlike third track "Trot Out the Dead". Set up as their own brand of religious jihadists in "Chastity Rides" and again "War Anthem" (which contains a very clever "drum line" percussion solo mid way supplied by drummer "Chewy").
Many of these songs are set against music that is up-tempo and full of melodic hooks. It would almost sound humorous if the lyrics were not so tragic and true. The music skirts other territories as well, borrowing from folk music "Famines Lamp" and doom, as in the gloomy "We Are the Widows", to great dramatic effect. The vocal work on this album is exceptional, with Sigrid Scalzi and Mike Sheie providing the respective male and female leads.
The instrumental seventh track "Election Day" lets the musicians display their abilities. The Hammond organ arpeggios supplied by keyboardist Sheie are particularly tasty and backed by a great gonzo guitar duet courtesy of John Cobbett and Scalzi. It is a total classic. The final track "Widow's Wall", which begins as a piano ballad and builds to a flourishing rock opera finale, ends things perfectly.
I have a hunch that this album has staying power, despite the fact it was written with current events in mind. I fear the lasting reverberations of our national folly will continue to keep "The Locust Years" relevant for a long time to come."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1