Album Review

Hellacious vocals and Southern bluesy grooves mixed with chaotic beauty and utter nonsense all in one package. After continuous listening sessions of the newest studio album from Soilent Green, that pretty much sums it up for me. I've heard many different brands of metal ranging from the cheesiest Power Metal to the sickest Black Metal today's market has to offer. I have absolutely no idea what genre of metal this band fits into, so I have no choice but to go with what I've stated here at the beginning of this dissection. Simply put, there is just too much going on here involving all genres of metal, but one thing is for sure. This is extreme metal at it's finest.

This album starts out as unruly as I've heard any album start out since I've been listening to metal. I try to picture a band sitting in a room trying to write music like this and I shake my head in disbelief. There is this section in track #3, entitled Swallowhole, that goes from a menacing guitar laden attack involving intense blast beats then gradually slows down into an almost Sabbathy type progression. At other times these songs contain hard-core grooves that eventually turn into Doom Metal/Stoner Rock type grinds, then the song will flow right back into complete chaos. It definitely takes a few (or ten) listens before it all comes together, but when it does the result is truly fascinating.

In my opinion the vocals are quite possibly the strongest individual effort this band has to offer. Not to take anything away from any of the other members involved in this unique project, but the vocal performance really stands out in the forefront of this music. The vocals are spewed out so quickly at times that I had trouble reading along with the lyrics, and the growls that are forced out come from deep down and the result is impressive. Although the lyrics are not fully to my liking, I can totally appreciate the art to create such utter nonsense with words. No, it's not all gibberish, but for the most part I was lost the first run through.

This is a release that is well worth checking out and it will definitely come in handy after a hard day at the office. As I am fairly new to Soilent Green, I was looking forward to checking the band out on the "Extreme Music For Extreme People Tour". Due to the accident the boys were in while on their trek across the U.S. it doesn't look like that will happen. Even though I feel some disappointment about not being able to check them out for the first time, I am grateful no one was seriously injured. I wish them all a full and quick recovery so they can come back and destroy this state as was originally planned.

Favorite Track: Swallowhole

First off it is always a pleasure to review an album of Modern American Metal. While American Metal is taking a backseat to the onslaught of Swedish and Norwegian metal, we do however have a few artists that do push the ever-evolving envelope that is Millennium Metal.

Soilent Green falls right into the category of shredding the envelope. They combine an almost southern blues sound into a forthright modern metal attack. Creative song structures engrossed with speed and groove, the excellent time changes bring metal harmony and determination. The overall feel is definitely southern. A Down/Pantera feel comes to mind. Combine the two though and you still don't have the heavy that is Soilent Green. They have taken this sound to new heights. Louis Falgoust's vocals ripp through like the confederate flag would at a million man march. Abrasive, obtrusive, and hostile, but still, a fact of life.

Tommy Buckley's performance is completely complimentary to Soilent's sound. Killer crush beats broken down to groove and then back to ultimate speed. Tactful accents, intuitive fills create overall drumming precession. A necessity indeed if you intend to be a contender in the modern metal race. Ben Stout and Brian Patton produce soulful melodies at times and then bring the speed, which in turn only amplifies the heavy. Varied guitar inlays create twisted progressions of ultimate crushers. Track four, Afterthoughts of a Genius proving this observation in deep detail.

Tomorrow (December 7, 2001) the prophets are off to see "The Extreme Music for Extreme People Tour". Where Soilent Green was on the bill, but I have learned today they were in a car accident in Washington. Brian Patton and Scott Williams suffered broken feakin bones. So they are off the bill for the rest of 2001 for sure. I was looking forward to seeing them crush on stage. In fact it was guaranteed it would be nothing less. The ultimate drag indeed for Soilent. This was a great opportunity for some worthwhile exposure. I am sure they are disappointed but foked up shit comes out of blue and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. They will be missed at tomorrow's show.

Bottom Line: Soilent Green have created a southern showcase of extreme metal. Punishing speed with ample groove. Proving without a doubt this disc should be in your collection.