Review Summary: Superb, this could very well be the best of 09.
I will undoubtedly take flak for giving this a 5, but a review is in the end, an opinion. I will start by saying that this is by far the most solid album the band has put out. A solid album is one in which each track is not only listenable, but down right great, and from start to finish there is not one fluke on here.
The album opens with Sleep Apnea, a very groove oriented and heavy track whose chorus is absolutely huge. It hits hardest of all right before the close. The bass work has a notch up in volume here and the drumming is extremely tight for such an album. The band avoids pro-tools with great results here.
5/5
Mexican Sun has the best chorus of any track I've ever heard from any band. Pete's voice is undeniably one of the best in the industry as he delivers "like to be feeling the sand bring color back to both my arms, the sun". His range and precision is perfect and gives Maynard of Tool who he is so often compared to more than just a run for his money, he beats him outright here. Not to downplay Maynard, but I must respect a great singer when I hear one. Don't be hasty to deny it in defense of Tool's greatness, hear it for yourself.
5/5
Shameful Metaphors is a track that is beautiful and flowing. This is a great song, but in my seemingly singular opinion, not a stand out track. Most people seem to disagree with me and this looks to be the next single. It is good, make no mistake. I just don't think it is the best on the album. The slow tempo and great vocal work go well as the song evolves into a huge sounding breakdown to close.
4/5
The first single from the album was Jars. This song has great flow and another HUGE chorus that is downright infectious. The bass and drums drive the point home and the songwriting is near perfection. A great single and will undoubtedly garner much attention for the band. Not my favorite but not to shabby. I can't help but feel that I overplayed it in anticipation for the new album and took some of it's power from myself.
4.5/5
Fell Into Your Shoes is one of the oddities of the album. It took a while to really grow on me. The falsetto's in the beginning threw me off to begin with, and sounded somewhat gimmicky, but later on into the track they seem to work better and better. The odd structure adds to the songs flavor and durability. This one will grow on you quite well. It was one of my least favorites to start, but after a few weeks of listening it really works. The solo's are reminiscent of "Paint the Seconds" from Vena Sera.
4.5/5
The best culmination of the album as whole happens on "Letter From A Thief." This is a heavy, melodic, and catchy song. If you want to get the gist of the album, listen to this one. This is classic Chevelle, and should be a single. This is why they continue to gain fans and sell albums. A chorus that gets stuck in your head, tight drum work, and driving bass really brings the sound they went for home in this beautifully real sounding song.
5/5
Highland's Apparition seems to be a disappointment to many. I really don't see how. I mean sure one could say it belonged on Pete's anticipated solo effort, but what a great and powerful song. This truly shows that he is among the best singer/songwriters out there. The emotion can really be felt in the breakdown and final chorus as he demolishes prior notions of who's who among singers.
5/5
Roswell's Spell is a very dynamic, strange, heavy, and beautiful song. This is what keeps people who care to delve deeper than radio singles into the world of Chevelle customers for life. This one, just as "Feel Into Your Shoes" had to grow on me a bit, but after a handful of listens this became a standout. The structure starts heavy and driving and evolves into a perfect sounding breakdown and on towards closure with one Chevelle's trademark increasingly stronger choruses. This works so well because choruses loose their power the more they are repeated, and with increasing emotion and strength it truly nails down the emotion and brings you back for more.
5/5
Interlewd is just as the name states, an interlude track. It is strictly instrumental, but a lot of people seem to miss the point. If listened to as a whole it works so well with the rest of the album and is actually a very interesting and progressive sound.
4.5/5 (for what it is, beats the hell out of most interludes)
A New Momentum is a great song with a very heavy and memorable riff. This is another regulation Chevelle track, and that's certainly not a bad thing. The chorus is a little on the weaker end of Pete's spectrum, so a point is lost here.
4/5
This Circus is a progressive track that is new territory for the band. "I Get It" from Vena Sera was supposed to be a step outside for them, but it was nothing compared to this. The jumpy bass lines and almost techno sounding riffs give way to another solid chorus and cryptic lyrics complete the package. The end closes the album out quite well.
4.5/5
Sleep Apnea was also recorded acoustically, but something is different from most acoustic tracks. It sounds beefy, and haunting. This is an accoustic with the drumming and bass included, and a very different feel from the original version. It sounds like the chimes durring scenes in a horror movie that make you wonder what's around the corner. The chorus really shows Pete's dynamic vocal's bringing back thoughts of Billy Corgan.
4.5/5
The Gist is an extremely moshy and downright METAL ii/ sounding instrumental that wrecks most so called heavy bands. This is a part of Chevelle I wish would come to the surface more often. If you deny it's heavy, it is because you are stubborn.
5/5
Leto's Headache should have been on the standard album. Hell it should have been a single. Chevelle seems to leave out tracks that are some of the best I suppose for diversities sake. For some reason they are obsessed with 11 tracks, if they made it 12, this would be #12, and would be one of if not the best on the album. The vocal style is most notable here. It is very odd, and almost sounds like he is singing while inhaling at times. The song is simultaneously "beat you into the ground" heavy and an absolute masterpiece melodically.
5/5
This is going to most likely be the best rock album of 09. I seriously doubt anything else will come close. If you haven't given them much of a chance yet, give this a good listen. If you have yet to buy a Chevelle album, this should be the first. I have only given 5 albums 5 star ratings, and I've listened to thousands, and own hundreds. This is one of them.
