Five Eight
The Good Nurse


5.0
classic

Review

by VaxXi USER (35 Reviews)
August 28th, 2014 | 11 replies


Release Date: 2000 | Tracklist

Review Summary: I hope you can still hear what's underneath...

It was when Mike Mantione’s mental instabilities and illnesses reached the breaking point that he was driven to write The Good Nurse. In the peak of his insanity spawned a concept album full of darkness, yet a lot of heart. A story of a dying man and the guardian angel who holds his hand as he painfully struggles with sickness and insanity in the confines of a hospital. It’s concept and themes are close to heart with Mike Mantione as it’s writings are a reflection of his mind during his down time for his years out of commission. Deep and poetic lyrics cut deep in these thirteen tracks and root themselves onto the foundations of the album in the endless sea of raw power. The heartbreaking vocal work clashing alongside beautiful instrumental work emulates the feelings Mike Mantione felt in ways that words simply cannot. You can hear every bit of pain and suffering that Mike went through in his time of suffering.

What makes The Good Nurse a perfect album is how deep it connects with listeners. As the listener descends into a sea of madness when the journey progresses every little word becomes personal. We begin to find ourselves looking into a mirror and begin to find ourselves in the track’s metaphors. Feelings of loneliness, anger, sadness, optimism, pain, sickness, and heartbreak. It’s living in every track, and as every blissful drum beat and every note of a note of a guitar begin to bring these feelings to life we begin to find ourselves lost inside a world we never once knew existed. The heartbreak being painted onto the canvases before us are reflected within the lyrics and melodies crafted with each other hit close to him in more ways than one.The relation between the main character and the nurse brings out words and themes that The bonds formed between the two characters and the listener grow strong with each passing line only to have it destroyed when the album takes a turn unexpected by the listener.

The album begins with a quick strum of the guitar before the sweep of trumpets flood out of the gates and begin to drag the track down into a depressive atmosphere where then begins Mike’s epic. His poetry presented behind a mask of vocal strains and flaws capture the feelings presented throughout this record. His flaws and his qualities, it’s the raw drive that makes The Good Nurse feel human and give it it’s own life. Perfect blends of ominous, energetic, and brash guitar melodies. Sweeping and haunting jazz sections breathing mellow life into each track. Frantic drum beats and patterns dancing through each track in technical perfection. Every instrumental booms in each track demanding your attention in mighty roars. As the album concludes down the road with a heartfelt closer as the concept ends itself on a most optimistically depressing note. Through every crescendo, every descent and ascent into new levels of insanity, and every last punch from Mike’s hurting vocals you’re taken on a journey through the very heart and soul of a story worth every last bit of your attention. Five Eight takes it’s concept and themes to heart to some painfully genuine levels and drives them through the walls with breathtaking presentation. Five Eight have very well composed the perfect album and one of the most criminally overlooked albums in the world of music.



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user ratings (7)
3.6
great


Comments:Add a Comment 
VaxXi
August 28th 2014


4418 Comments


Stream/Download free here: http://deepelmdigital.com/album/the-good-nurse

Probably one of my all time favorite albums. Needs more attention for sure.

Jots
Emeritus
August 28th 2014


7584 Comments


Never heard of these guys :/ will check

bakkermaarten007
August 28th 2014


5285 Comments


This looks interesting for sure.

VaxXi
August 28th 2014


4418 Comments


To be fair I don't think anyone has.

ExplosiveOranges
August 28th 2014


4408 Comments


Nice rev, man. I think I oughta give this a shot.

VaxXi
August 28th 2014


4418 Comments


So for you peeps who checked it out what did you think?

Iamthe Nightstars
August 28th 2014


2986 Comments


I listened to half of this and didn't really like it.

djunior
September 9th 2014


882 Comments


damn, strong emotional connect with this one. yay depression and good timing

LotusFlower
April 21st 2016


12000 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Wombat i am going to strangle you for that rating.

LotusFlower
April 21st 2016


12000 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

i feel like the only person who will ever like this album *sigh*

TheGreatQ
June 2nd 2017


3013 Comments

Album Rating: 4.0

Just found this on my laptop, guess I downloaded a couple years ago but never listened. Almost stopped listening because of the vocals in "She's Sleeping" but pushing through that this is an amazing album. A few too many songs are held back too much by the vocals to go higher than a 4 for me but it's quite the album regardless.



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