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Sweet wrath of fire, what an ignominiously terrible first foot forward by this Massachusetts ensemble, which purports to be some amalgam of prog-rock and prog-metal but comes about as close to either as Argentina does to Kamchatka. What to make of this disaster? First of all, the core sound is basically groove metal meets post-grunge and alt-metal, like an emaciated Lamb of God bum-fighting Silverchair in the parking lot of some vile flea market. “Angel With a Thorn” is reminiscent of Godsmack’s worst, supplanted with vocals that bring to mind Randy Blythe’s barking crossed with Lee Dorrian’s (Cathedral) slurred enunciation. “Silent Spring” reminds me of Mikael Stanne fronting Deftones, a mental image every bit as noxious as it ultimately sounds. An ostensible change of pace, the moody, bluesy, grungy “Composure” is undone by bellowing vocals straight out of Rollins Band (or is it E-Town Concrete?). On and on, the grievances mount: the Doors-meets-goth-lite of “Midnight Beauty,” the pre-choral stop-starts of “Fire in the Sky” that aim for dynamics but achieve only disjointedness, and the bets-hedging concession to trad-metal that is “Billism,” its bargain-basement Maidenisms only trumped in sheer hilarity by a guitar solo with half-time drum rhythms dominated by ride cymbals. Power, majesty, grandeur? Not on your fuckin’ life. The sum total of this band’s efforts might be eclectic – albeit in a stilted, skimming-the-surface kinda way – but it sure ain’t progressive, nor any good. Major breakthroughs are needed in all facets: writing, singing, performance, presentation. If you actually bother listening to this record and can think of any others, let me know.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Ghostgod |
| 2. Angel With a Thorn |
| 3. Silent Spring |
| 4. Composure |
| 5. In the Tunnel |
| 6. Midnight Beauty |
| 7. Fire in the Sky |
| 8. Edge |
| 9. Billism |
| 10. Burning in Hell |
: 44:00
| Buy other 16 Stitches albums |
