Fast forward to 2007. Believer reforms with original members Kurt Bachman on guitar and gutteral howls, and Joey Daub, drummer extraordinaire, adding new blood with Elton Nestler on bass, formerly of Suture Seven, Jeff King on keyboards, formerly of Sardonyx, and Kevin Leaman on guitar, formerly of Mayday Pulse. The band signs with Metal Blade imprint Cesspool and records the long overdue, Gabriel.

And now we get to the important things. What's it sound like? It's Believer and sounds as such, albeit an older and wiser group -- a band that has the technology at hand to actually realize the complex scope of their musical vision. It's loud and heavy and strange and beautiful and intelligent. Chugging riffs that sheer away into full blown sonic mayhem only to tightly revert back to the original path. Kurt's vocals are cleaner and less the raspy death growls he laid down in the past. The production is pristine... and I must interject that this is a "headphones" album. You WILL discover new things and sounds upon repeated listenings through earphones.

The album opens with "Medwton" which lulls one falsely into the sense this is old school Believer only to run around the listener and kick them in the balls from behind with the unexpected. "Redshift" is another rifftastic platter of chained anger and musical ferocity. Several tracks start soft but have a big stick in the other hand ready to pummel at a moment's notice. "Focused Lethality" could have been on their first disc as it sounds raw and fast and much like the late 80's Believer. "The Brave" features a duet of sorts between Kurt and Killswitch Engage frontman Howard Jones and would easily be the "single" from the disc, as it is fairly radio friendly with Jones's clean vocals and the blended screams of him and Kurt throughout.

Following that the album descends into madness with a series of odd instrumentalish tracks, heralded by "Nonsense Mediated Decay." Loud churning guitar... splinters of poetry, random noises, an interview with an alien abductee, a child's voice... the next unlisted tracks are more aural textural soundscape hijinks.

So is it good? Yes. It should make Believer fans of old happy as well as win the band new fans... if people can lay their hands on it. The CD has had a difficult time making its way into most chain stores. But if you can locate it, buy it... I doubt you will be disappointed.

written by John Boden

Playing time: 54:58