The first thing you'll notice about Warblade is that, while having a similar sound throughout the album, none of the tracks sound the same. Being a highly experimental band that dabbles in many subgenres of metal, and employs members of many different musical backgrounds, this can be daunting to some people. Having thrash drumming, atmospheric keyboards, black metal vocals and Gothenburg leads can easily throw some listeners off track, but the progressivve attitude behind this moshpit of sounds will reward the ears of the steady and careful listener.
A Crisis in the Grey Space was Warblade's first release, let loose in 2003 from Oak Knoll records. I had never heard of this label before, and with a little research determined that it is a very small company that focuses on Experimental and Extreme metal bands, and is located in the New England area. The small size and repetoir of the company could account for the slightly shaky production on this album, but the overall quality is good for a band this little-known.
Members:
Mark Welden - Vocals
Jesse Carson - Guitars
Mike Welden - Guitars
Adam Zyla - Bass
Shaun Farley - Drums
(Keyboardist not mentioned)
Now, a quick track by track review:
1) The End Unleashed At Dawn - An extremely good intro to this album, and probably one of the better tracks on the entire album. It begins with an eery, symphonic keyboard, which quickly dissolves behind one of Mark's screams and a torrent of blast-beating mayhem. The band is constantly switching off riffs in this one, which can be exciting to some and confusing to others. Overall, an excellent introductory track, and a strong point for the album. 4.5/5
2) Deadly Nightshade - Another good song, although it sounds somewhat incomplete, taking into account that it has no audible intro. The song just starts off screaming ruthlessly, which definitely caught me off guard the first time listening to it. I do enjoy this track, although at times the song can seem schizphrenic in its sound and definitely needed some type of intro. 3.5/5
3) The Wasteland Burials - Arguably one of the best songs on the album; the guitar sounds extremely epic, throughout, and the slightly more emotional vocals add to this effect. This is definitely my favorite song off this release, and I can find no visible flaws in it whatsoever. Whereas many other Warblade songs may sound jumbled and confusing, this one blends perfectly. 5/5
4) The Wasteland Burials II - A poorly named extension to the above track. This one is just mediocre, and is really just a clone of the first Wasteland Burials. It has less catchy riffs, does not flow as smoothly, and does not progress at all. 2.5/5
5) Probably the low point of the album. This song takes a simple, even somewhat annoying riff and beats it to death as an intro. It climbs somewhat uphill from there, but just cannot seem to be rid of that awful piece. They should've cut this track, in my opinion. 1.5/5
6) Thank God this track came next, or else I might've gone into a long state of depression due to a band destroying itself. This is the 100% epic track on the album, clocking in at nearly ten minutes and using it all wonderfully. The guitar melodies and piano intro all scream POWER METAL EPIC! However, Warblade keeps this track sounding very Warblade, exactly as they should. Another high point on the album here, although it gets a bit repetitive at times. 4.5/5
7) The Scowl - This is probably the song that would compete with The Wasteland Burials for best track on the album. The opening riff sounds very sinister, and the band picks up on this mood and implements its feeling well throughout the entire track. This song is extremely fast and sounds like a throwback to Slayer at times, and just when the action is most furious, a deep operatic voice cuts in and the intensity is cut off in a buildup. After the interlude, it picks up again, just as heavy. 5/5
8) Dreawork and Memory - Warblade's attempt at a very Power Metal song. Along with one of the weakest drum intros I have ever heard, it just doesn't sound like authentic Warblade, even with the Black Metal vocals present. By no means a bad song, but just something that really needed to be refined (although some of the many riffs here are absolutely addicting!) 3/5
9) Epimistic Purification - This twelve minute long track kicks off with the signature ADD Warblade riffing, but soon takes a weird, unexpected turn. As the BPMs begin to increase, the guitar work is joined by a very confused-sounding chorus, adding to the chaos of the track. This threw me completely off my head, only to have my peace of mind restored when a clean guitar invaded the scene and purged me of a very awkward confusion. The action picked up shortly in true Warblade style, only to be crushed again by a pounding, disorienting riff. Truly a progressive song, with many different elements to it. Not for the feint of heart, and not to be compared with The Wasteland Burials or The Scowl. This track is in a category all its own. 5/5
Warblade is truly a band for those wanting something new and different from anything they've heard before, without really straying into the extremely hardcore progressive metal bands out there today. They still are able to blend many different sounds together, and can make song structure so odd it is near the point of collapse, but still keep musical theory and stability behind it all. A Crisis in the Grey Space, minus a few unneeded tracks, is a very worthy freshman effort by the band Warblade. This should be in every Experimental and Extreme metal fanatic's collection, and is never a bad choice for introducing blooming metalheads into the more Progressive and Experimental sects of metal.
Is there any way to change that, Shadow?
