Artist: Fireball Ministry
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 10/7/03
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Title: The Second Great Awakening Artist: Fireball Ministry Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 10/7/03 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
This band has had a good amount of buzz on them for awhile now. They’ve been featured on MTV, and now the California foursome is set on taking advantage of the mainstream’s growing interest in the stoner scene, and building a national following. And from what I can gather, they deserve the attention they’ve received so far. The Second Great Awakening is their third release, and it is a well-crafted, dirge-laden platter that will inspire you to reach for the bong and open a bag of Doritos.
"The Second Great Awakening is their third release, and it is a well-crafted, dirge-laden platter that will inspire you to reach for the bong and open a bag of Doritos." The band is fronted by the Reverend James A. Rota II, who plays guitar as well as sings, and he employs the mandatory Ozzy drone that every stoner and doom band with the exception of Warhorse and Cathedral use (alright, slight exaggeration, but you get my point). His voice is actually pretty easy to listen to, helped in no small part by Nick Raskulinecz (say that three times fast!)’s production job. The production is crystal clear, which seems a bit out of place on a record like this. Clear and fuzz don’t normally go together well, but this band seems to have made it work (now let’s see what they can do about other oxymorons, like ‘jumbo shrimp’).
The make or break point for any stoner/doom band is in the grooves, and that is where this band shines. One listen to standout tracks like “King” and “Flatline” attest to this, and it’s easy to see why so many are predicting this band to break into the garage mainstream like Queens of the Stone Age and Monster Magnet. Aside from a good sense of groove the band hits easily accessible melodies and infectious choruses that the average MTV fan craves. The most impressive thing about all this is that Fireball Ministry are able to accomplish all of that while maintaining a modicum of integrity.
"The only problem I really have with this band is that I get bored of them really quickly." The only problem I really have with this band is that I get bored of them really quickly. They are a pleasure to listen to for about 15 minutes at a time, but then my mind inevitably wanders. So while they may soon become media darlings they still have some work to do. One word review: Solid.
Death's Review:
So Iann Robinson starts raving about Fireball Ministry on Headbanger’s Ball, making me curious I guess. Still, I don’t know the boundaries of Mr. Robinson’s taste, so I’m not sure if the band is for me. Mere days later, I’m told we’re reviewing this one for Metal Judgment.com. Then I pop it in the player. Within seconds, I think I have this one figured out: stoner rock. Well-produced stoner rock to be sure, but we’re talking post-Black Sabbath, post-Trouble, heavy, fuzz-laden rock and roll. The next though that came to mind before the vocals came in was, “I wonder how much the singer will sound like Ozzy?” Answer? He sounds a lot like Ozzy, at least right out of the box on the album’s opening track. In fact, the Rev. James A. Rota II’s singing on this album is actually one of its major strengths. His vocals are smooth and pleasing to the ear while still maintaining that Ozzy-like feel.
"The riffs 'rock out hard,' as some might say."
And overall, the band is pretty cool. The riffs “rock out hard,” as some might say. The songs are pretty well done. The production is very good. But the problem is that while there is nothing wrong with the album, it does get boring after a while. And wherever it doesn’t necessarily get boring, it is pretty much just good, not anything too fantastic. And so it goes with Fireball Ministry. There are certainly moments where I want to crank this up loud and drive fast. There are other moments when I’m looking for something more metal. Those moments are usually spaced about two or three tracks worth of listening time apart. Bottom line? This is polished stoner rock (is such a thing even possible?) that goes down pretty smooth. These guys are certainly more talented than many in the genre, but the songs do not provide enough dynamics or variation to rise too high on long-term playlist.
"These guys are certainly more talented than many in the genre, but the songs do not provide enough dynamics or variation to rise too high on long-term playlist."
Hel's Review:
Fireball Ministry is a band with a great deal of buzz right now. The Second Great Awakening marks their Nuclear Blast debut, and is my first encounter with the band. Their style is primarily stoner rock, with a heavy dose of Black Sabbath. The second track, “King” sets the album rolling, and could have been an early Sabbath tune, complete with Ozzy-esque vocals. Rarely have I heard such a close approximation of Ozzy’s unique style – it’s positively uncanny. The guitar tone maintains homage to Iommi throughout the entire album, completing the strong impression of Sabbath-worship.
"The songs are well written, and the production is a joy." After many listens, I find myself somewhat on the fence about this record. It is extremely catchy – for example, each time I turn the album on, the main guitar riff from “King” starts playing in my head before the title track finishes its needless mood setting. So I’ve been struggling to put my finger on the reason why my attention constantly wanders halfway through the disc. The production is startlingly clear, which is unusual for this brand of stoner rock. Songs like “The Sinner” are a more straightforward stoner style, and maybe it’s when they start breaking off in this direction that I lose it.
Certainly, the band possesses the necessary talent to produce excellent quality stoner rock. The songs are well written, and the production is a joy. So I think the true problem is that this is just not my kind of music. I can appreciate and even enjoy stoner rock, which is definitely the case with Fireball Ministry. But, I’ll always chose death metal over anything else, particularly the slower paced, groove-oriented types of music. I’m nutty like that. But for what it is, it’s truly outstanding. So, since I’m in a particularly generous frame of mind at the moment, I won’t hold my personal standards against them – at least not much.
"Rarely have I heard such a close approximation of Ozzy’s unique style – it’s positively uncanny."
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