Artist: Soilent Green
Label: Relapse Records
Release Date: 7/19/05
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Title: Confrontation Artist: Soilent Green Label: Relapse Records Release Date: 7/19/05 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
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5 | ||
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Abyss's Review:
Wow, I haven't heard these guys since 2001 after the release of their last album...Where the hell have these guys been!!???!! Oh yeah, dealing with unspeakable tragedy...my bad. It's hard to go into this review with an open mind considering the trials this band has gone through in the past five years or so, and the fact that they're here with a new album at all is a testament to their fortitude. These guys are quite possibly the Def Leppard of the extreme music scene, but lucky for us fans, Confrontation is one hell of a better album than Adrenalize.
"One word review: Solid." This album is nothing if not weighty, but I must admit that I find myself a little disappointed with their direction. This album is definitely more straightforward than their last two, leaning more toward traditional death/sludge than the experimental whimsy seen on their older material. This is disappointing, not because what we have here is all that bad, it just seems to be missing a major characteristic of their sound. Don't get me wrong, they haven't purged their schizo leanings completely, but when they do shown up they appear half-hearted and aimless...much like simple window-dressing.
The album also takes a little time to find itself, ending more interestingly than it begins. "A Scream Trapped Under Water" is the first song that really stood out to me, and that doesn't mosey along until track three. "Theory of Pride in Tragedy" is another killer song that obviously has a personal resonance with the band.
If it appears that I don't like this album much, that's not really this case. This is nothing if not a solid album that fans of this band should embrace. However, no matter how unfair it may seem, this record simply doesn't live up to their past catalogue in the way I hoped it would. That being said, these guys still find themselves near the top of the pile, and I'm rooting for them to succeed. One word review: Solid.
Death's Review:
Soilent Green are people! Er . . . sorry. I mean, Soilent Green are back! Having been through a lot to make this record, it's nice to see the band kicking out the new studio jams once again. The album is well-produced and the songs are pretty cool. The expected heaviness and brutality is there too, and the killer "downshifted" riffing that has always made Soilent so unique (and makes you remember they are from New Orleans) (by the way, I hope everyone in the extended Soilent family is OK!) is too. Unfortunately, this is no Sewn Mouth Secrets, and so some of that albums' cathartic bliss born of the slow, downtuned brutal groove parts seem to fall by the wayside. Those riffs are there, you just have to work a little harder for them than I would have liked to. The flip side of course is that this is a heavy, punishing record, which is of course a good thing. Confrontation is both simultaneously unrelenting and yet completely listenable. In the grand Soilent Green tradition, Confrontation has a cool album cover. The production from Hate Eternal's Erik Rutan does the music justice for sure. In short, this is a high-quality comeback album from an important veteran act who has been through a lot and deserves a breakthrough record. In the end, I'm not sure this is the one, but has gotten a decent amount of airtime in my CD player throughout the summer of 2005, and I'm psyched for their upcoming tour with Hypocrisy and others. Not sure if there are any plans for a video, but that would be cool too.
"In short, this is a high-quality comeback album from an important veteran act who has been through a lot and deserves a breakthrough record."
Hel's Review:
Soilent Green blasted their way into my heart in the late 90s and despite their long absence they have retained their status as one of my favorites. This band has had a run of bad luck the likes of which the world has rarely seen. But they have proven their resiliency again and again, and have resurfaced with a new album at long last.
"I am absolutely thrilled to have new music from Soilent Green at long last." I am absolutely thrilled to have new music from Soilent Green at long last. I have to confess that I was a little disappointed in the production, as it is grittier than I had hoped for, but despite the slight imperfection, the album packs an impressive punch. The band displays the multiple facets of their personality throughout the disc, and they strive to impress at every turn. I think the musicianship exhibited is outstanding, and long to experience then band live.
Circumstances conspired to keep me away when they played LA recently, but I am hopeful they will follow up this headlining tour with another tour later this year, and if they do, I will not be kept away. I recommend to those of you who still have the opportunity to check them out: jump at the chance to do so. But whether or not you choose to partake of the live experience, you should be certain to check out Confrontation.
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