Artist: The Quiet Room
Label: Metal Blade
Release Date: 4/25/00
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Title: Reconceive Artist: The Quiet Room Label: Metal Blade Release Date: 4/25/00 |
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Abyss's Review:
I don't really have a handle on this one yet. Throughout the times I spent listening to this record, my mind kept coming back to thinking about new Metallica. This seems to be best categorized as "new Metallica if they had remained metallic." Of course, that is way too constricting a statement to place on this band, because they are far from monotonous. They have captured a great deal of different sounds that all seem directly derived from other bands.
The vocals are the easiest example to pull out. They trade off between impersonations of James Hetfield, John Bush, and Jonathan Davis. The similarities are obvious to the point of distraction, and I had to continuously remind myself that this was not a new Anthrax, Metallica, or Korn album.
"This seems to be best categorized as 'new Metallica if they had remained metallic.' They have captured a great deal of different sounds that all seem directly derived from other bands." The music often takes the lead of the vocals, but all of the different styles are melded together so that they mesh. The Anthrax and Metallica parts are a little heavier than that of their inspirations, and the Korn parts are devoid of any Hip Hop influences, and take after the first album. Although the individual parts of songs are easily identifiable, this disc as a whole doesn't sound like a rip off. This band is doing interesting things, taking what could easily be mainstream songs, thickening them up a bit, and adding a prog feel. As the disc goes on this prog feel becomes more and more prevalent, which is probably the reason I like it less and less the more I listen to it.
While the ideas are interesting and (especially in the beginning of the disc) well presented, the songs are for the most part boring, with not enough hook to keep me interested. Progressive fans will most likely dig it though, so enter at your own risk.
Death's Review:
It's always disappointing when a promising act takes a step backward by progressing their sound in the wrong direction. With the addition of a new vocalist, Pete Jewell, since the release of their last record (Introspect), the band has injected a decidedly unfortunate "new metal" aspect to their progressive/power underpinnings. Thus, instead of ascending to new heights of progressive brilliance, The Quiet Room have "evolved" by downtuning the guitars and sounding like they adopted baggy pants and wallet chains. Not cool.
"The Quiet Room have "evolved" by downtuning the guitars and sounding like they adopted baggy pants and wallet chains. Not cool."
Still, The Quiet Room have so much god damn talent that no matter which direction they lean, precision musicianship, tight performance and sophisticated arrangements can't help but remain the order of the day. While songs like "Choke on Me" come off as Tool meets Korn meets Jane's Addiction (not necessarily a bad thing), others like "Suffercation" inject a piano-laden, progressive yet atmospheric Dream Theater meets Metallica or Faith No More vibe which work well. Vocalist Jewell does have a versatile voice, ranging from Hetfield to Davis to a soft-spoken LaBrie to god knows how many countless others, however it is not nearly interesting enough to merit this decided regression of an otherwise promising act.
"Me, I was just hoping for something different. Check that -- maybe I'd have preferred to have an updated version of more of the same." I wanted to like the new Quiet Room, and I do. Perhaps they should be applauded for finding a niche of their own, ultimately serving up an interesting combination of styles which could perhaps court the mainstream while continuing to satisfy the underground prog/power contingent. Me, I was just hoping for something different. Check that -- maybe I'd have preferred to have an updated version of more of the same.
Hel's Review:
Now, I’m not totally new to The Quiet Room. I saw them open for Iced Earth at The Bank in NYC, a year or so ago, and picked up that cd as a result. But it’s been awhile, and there was a lot of other music out at the time, so I didn’t really remember the specifics. I retain a sense of enjoying it, and having listened to it several times.
Nevertheless, when I was immediately struck by a feeling of familiarity at the vocals, I dismissed the notion of prior experience as cause. There was something else. After long hard listening, I came up with a rather crazy explanation. At times, he sounds like, Jon Oliva from Savatage, my example for this is "Reason for Change". Other times, he sounds kinda like Lajon Witherspoon from Sevendust (soulful - not rappin’ - voice), see "Controlling Nation" for a comparison. Certainly, I may be making the whole thing up, but at least that nagging feeling is gone.
"There are six people in the band, and not a slouch among them." So the vocalist is a talented guy, and the rest of the band is too. There are six people in the band, and not a slouch among them. Together, they cover a whole range of styles, with emphasis on metal. They are certainly heavy enough to qualify as metal. They’ve also got the groovy, funky thing going on a lot.
The end result of Reconceive is that, it’s all about what you like. This is not death metal, or black metal, or grindcore. This is "progressive" without question. There is hardly a discordant note anywhere on this disc. If you don’t like melody or groove, you better just keep your distance. This one is for the flexible metalhead.
"This one is for the flexible metalhead."
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