Artist: Pissing Razors
Label: Noise Records
Release Date: 8/22/00
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Title: Fields of Disbelief Artist: Pissing Razors Label: Noise Records Release Date: 8/22/00 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
This is actually the first Pissing Razors material I've heard on disc. The only contact I've had with this band is seeing them live at the 1999 New England Metal and Hardcore Festival. I was basically dragged by my friend. I thought they had a stupid name and had never heard of them, but since there wasn't really any other stuff on, I consented. I am so glad I did. These guys shredded the stage and reminded me you can't judge a book by its title.
"Many bands didn't have the chops or heart to bring something new to the table. Pissing Razors does." Their new album delivers just what I remember from them. Heavy fuckin' metal that can be compared to older Machine Head, Killing Culture, and Skinlab, but stands on its own. Many bands have followed this style, but didn't have the chops or heart to bring something new to the table. Pissing Razors does. I'm not saying I haven't heard this type of stuff before, but it's rare that you hear it done this well. The riffs are of the type to make your head bang even when you're not in the mood to. For instance, when I sat down to do this review, I was in a bad mood, and didn't really feel like doing anything but getting drunk. However, within minutes of putting the disc on and turning on my computer, my mood changed (well, maybe not about getting drunk). Now I got an evil little grin on my face, and my head's bobbing.
My early favorite on the album is "Regret", its riffs are nice and choppy and although it's not the most intricate or ambitious song on the album, it grinds the vocal cadence into your spine. "The Fields of Disbelief" takes the trademark screaming down just enough to deliver a catchy, rousing chorus that could actually be considered marketable if heavy music continues to gain momentum on the airwaves.
"This stuff is nothing new, but is also anything but stagnant." Bottom line is that this stuff is nothing new, but is also anything but stagnant. Pissing Razors have put their own spin on metal and it deserves your attention. Longtime fans shouldn't be disappointed.
Death's Review:
I like this record. It is riffy, aggro-metal, to be sure, but it is played with precision and integrity. If the world of heavy metal were a political spectrum, Pissing Razors would be the extreme moderate - right in the freakin' center. Well, perhaps they would pander ever-so-slightly to the nu-metal party on the right, but only to soak up a few extra votes.
The Razors do shred, and we should all support the cause. However, a few overall criticisms are in order, if for nothing else than to give you the complete picture. What solos there are on the record are either exceptionally short or do little to move beyond the nu-metal wah/bend variety (e.g., the brief outburst on the title track). The other major criticism? The riffing is often similar sounding, so much so that most of the songs come off as sounding the same. So if you don't like the first couple you hear, I betcha you just don't like the Razors. It's that simple: what you hear is what you get.
"The Razors do shred, and we should all support the cause." Now to the good stuff. I like thrash, and I like riffs. It's no secret. There's a lot of cool thrashy riffing on Fields of Disbelief. Classic Pantera-style short loop-pattern riffing appears throughout, often with the Pantera-type halftime then full time drum changes that is a trademark of that band. And while the riffs themselves often sound similar, they are usually very cool, using the strange sound technique often displayed by Dimebag Darrell. Overall, the record is very headbangy and very well-produced. That right there goes a long way in my book.
"Between Heaven and Hell" is a nice, thrashy little ditty, sounding a bit like Sepultura, Skinlab, Pantera and others mixed with good drumming, a bright, expressive rock-ride cymbal tone and a cool double-bass on the "between the good and bad" part. "Fork Tounge" is VERY Pantera (sorry guys for all the Pantera references, you do have your own sound but this is often the best descriptive comparison to make) sounding Dimebag bends and razor-sharp riffing. This right here is the remnants of that mid-nineties "aggro" thrash movement; think Machine Head, Fear Factory, Pantera, etc., but heavier and more aggressive, with more extreme-sounding vocals than these bands generally employ.
"Ruin" has some serious double-bass and a some creative guitar riffing. ("Anger - my trust - my hate!" ... awesome!) This is one of the album's better tracks. "You'll Never Know" has Chuck Shuldiner style vocals up against a VERY Fear Factory -sounding series of riffs. "Selfish" is a cool, mid-tempo stomper, while the title track is a little more commercial but, surprisingly not as catchy as I would have liked a more commercial effort from these guys to be. The cool, Dream Theater-ish short riff which bursts out with a flurry of 16th notes is my favorite part.
"Every song has cool riffing, very talented drumming, extreme vocals." I could go on. "Three" sounds Sepultura-esque, at least with respect to the riffs. "Out of Control" starts out with a very cool riff, and... you get the picture. Every song has cool riffing, very talented drumming, extreme vocals (although I love the almost power metal feel to the vocals on "I (the other side)," reminds me of "Cemetary Gates") and a total Machine Head/Fear Factory/Pantera feel. If you like this stuff, you'll like Pissing Razors. I do.
Before I wrap up, I have to praise tracks 69 (!) and 70 on my CD player, the bonuses. 69 is a spoken thank you list. 70 is a series of funny shout-outs that drunk folk spit into a microphone at the March Metal Meltdown in NJ. Many well-known metal folk chime in. Check them out, they're fun.
Hel's Review:
You know how sometimes there's a band that you decide you just don't like, and you never bother re-visiting the issue, you just say, "I don't like them" from then on? Pissing Razors is this band for me. A couple of years ago, I decided that, but I was forced to re-visit the issue this week.
Since I initially formed that opinion, I have encountered this band at a few festivals. I've stopped by to watch, and I remember thinking they were better than I had decided, but I retained my stance anyway. So you have to realize, it was kind of hard for me to let that go.
"There are definitely qualities about it that I don't hate, perhaps even enjoy." But let it go, I try. Listening to this album, it is impossible to deny it has value on some level. There are definitely qualities about it that I don't hate, perhaps even enjoy. I appreciated the heavy riffs and the death style vocals. The best part by far is the hidden track where various people had been recorded giving messages to the band - these are extremely funny and well worth stumbling across. The band's recorded thank you list, the other hidden track, is also highly entertaining.
Am I now a Pissing Razors fan? Nah, but I have a newfound appreciation for their music. Considering the elements to their music that I do not enjoy, particularly the "new" metal parts, I think this is the best that can be expected given the short amount of time I had available to "live" with the album. If you're a huge Pissing Razors fan, I bet you will enjoy it immensely.
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