Review Summary: A more progressive/jazzy approach turns out to be quite a success for this popular Australian band.
Hailing from Brisbane, Australia, The Butterfly Effect has become more and more popular amongst other countries since their successful album debut (Begins Here) was released in 2003. The Butterfly Effect is a hard rock/ alternative metal band that has been known for their singles such as "Crave", "Take it Away", and "Reach". Since their debut, they have released an EP and two full length albums and have gained a lot of recognition for being on tour. Now, they have released their third full length album, “Final Conversation of Kings”, and have taken on a new approach into their music.
The first two albums by the band were more along the lines of hard rock and were best known for the emotional vocal performances by lead singer, Clint Boge. This record is different because it takes on more of a progressive/jazzy feel to it, which makes it an original piece of work and a good way for the band to explore different genres. The opening song, "Worlds on Fire", is a prime example of their musical exploration, using a blend of a saxophone, piano, and outstanding guitar work from Kurt Goedhart. Out of all the opening tracks I have ever listened to from any band, this song has to be the most striking that I have ever heard. The slow build up of the soft melodic guitar and the hauntingly emotional lyrics trap the listener throughout. The ending sequence of the song where Boge shouts, “I didn’t ask for this at all…” sends chills down my spine with every time I listen to it. Clocking in for about seven minutes in length, it is easily the best track on the album, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop listening since there are more great songs to be heard.
"Room Without a View" has one of the best choruses on the album. “Staring back in front of me/ Where were you hiding?/ I was blind but now I see/ Where were you hiding?” The title track, "Final Conversation", is about the struggle of staying in a relationship, and the consistent clean-toned guitar work mixed with soft vocals make it a great listen.
"The Way" and "…And the Promise of the Truth" go back to the jazzy feel that is present in the opening track, which includes a trumpet, but the guitar is heavier at times.
The first single off the album "Window and the Watcher" goes back to The Butterfly Effect’s roots, leaning more towards songs that they had released from previous records, but is still able to pull off a sense of originality.
A lot of the lyrics on the album are about the struggle of relationships, as mentioned in "Final Conversation", and songs such as "7 Days" take on the same approach. “Break me, you’re breaking me so slow/ Don’t make me, don’t make me let you go.” Some of these songs may seem somewhat depressing at times, but the more energetic "Rain" changes the pace a bit and features a phenomenal guitar solo. Not so much can be said from the closing track, "Sum of 1", which becomes the most depressing song of the album. “How do we stop this again? The first cut, sharp and stinging/ How do we stop this happening? Lines drawn and so it begins.” The ending chorus is strong and a great way to end the album.
Although this may be the best and most original work from the band, it does have some flaws to it. The length of the album may be somewhat of a problem to people. With "Worlds on Fire" opening up at a little over seven minutes in length, some might expect it to be a little longer than 42 minutes. Another flaw would have to be the overshadowing of the drums. Boge’s vocal style and the dominance of the guitars mixed with spot on bass lines might be the reason for this.
Overall, this new approach for The Butterfly Effect has turned out to be a great success. It is nice to see a band trying to expand on their ideas and explore into new genres by adding a little jazz to it. No one wants to hear the same songs from a band written over and over again, such as Stand, because having the same tune can become very repetitive and very boring. The Butterfly Effect has taken a big step forward and I look forward to seeing them expand even more in the near future.
1. Worlds on Fire- 5/5
2. Room Without a View- 4.5/5
3. Final Conversation of Kings- 4.5/5
4. The Way- 4.5/5
5. Window and the Watcher- 4/5
6. …And the Promise of Truth- 4/5
7. In These Hands- 4.5/5
8. 7 Days- 4/5
9. Rain- 5/5
10. Sum of 1- 4/5
