|
PEACE MINUS ONE
SONG REVIEWED: "Shocking"
EVER NEED A GOOD REASON TO KICK SOMEONE'S TEETH DOWN THEIR THROAT? IF SO, YOU NEED THIS DISC. I HAVE NEVER FELT SUCH BRUTALITY COURSE THROUGH MY VEINS AS WHEN I TRACK THROUGH PEACE MINUS ONE BY RORSCHACH TEST.
HEAVY ON DIRTY GUITARS AND PROGRAMMED BEATS, RORSCHACH TEST WRITES THE KIND OF MUSIC THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO GO PICK A FIGHT... AND YOU MIGHT JUST WIN... WELL, MAYBE. THE INFLUENCES OF SKINNY PUPPY AND MINISTRY ARE EVER-PRESENT IN "SHOCKING", AS IT BEGINS WITH AN ERIE SYNTH INTRO, FOLLOWED BY PROGRAMMED BEATS, AND AT ABOUT :35, KICKS INTO THE MAIN GUITAR RIFF, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE IT COULD HAVE SHOWN UP ON RAMMSTEIN'S LATEST DISC...HOWEVER ONCE JAMES BAKER'S VOCALS KICK IN, YOU'RE FREE AND CLEAR OF IMITATION.
IF YOU HAVE READ UP ON THIS BAND, YOU'LL KNOW THAT JAMES BAKER HAS A HISTORY OF GOING TO SEMINARY, AND ULTIMATELY BEING BOOTED FROM FOR QUESTIONING SOME OF THE CHURCH'S PHILOSOPHY... IT MAY OR MAY NOT SHOCK YOU TO FIND SOMEWHAT RELIGIOUS REFERENCES IN HIS LYRICS. "SHOCKING" DESCRIBES A CAR WRECK IN WHICH NO ONE SURVIVES, AND AS AN ANGEL APPROACHES ONE OF THE VICTIMS, HIS FAITH IS QUESTIONED. DOES HE FOLLOW HER TO HEAVEN OR SURRENDER TO A DARKER SIDE... CHEERFUL, HUH?
I LIKE THE FACT THAT JAMES' VOCALS AREN'T BURIED IN A HEAP OF EFFECTS; WHICH IS ONE THING THAT KEPT ME AT ARMS LENGTH FROM EMBRACING MINISTRY AS MUCH AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED. HIS VOCAL STYLE IS VERY ABRASIVE; AT TIMES GRINDING HIS THROAT DOWN TO A NUB...BUT IT'S FAIRLY CLEAN, AND NOT HIDDEN IN A PILE OF DISTORTION.
THE SONG ENDS AROUND FOUR MINUTES BY RETURNING TO THE ANGELIC SYTH INTRO, WHICH IF YOU REALLY WANTED TO PROBE DEEP INTO THE SONG, WOULD MAKE YOU THINK THE VICTIM ULTIMATELY WAS LEAD TO HEAVEN... THAT MIGHT BE ANALYZING A BIT TOO MUCH.
RORSCHACH TEST IS HEADING UP THE BUSH AND GORE TOUR RIGHT NOW, SO GET OUT AND SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION BY JUMPING INTO A PIT AND KICKING SOME POOR SHMUCK IN THE HEAD.
|
