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Walk The Earth - Rampant Calamities
Wednesday, March 28th, 2007Walk the Earth Rampant Calamities
I first heard this EP whilst drinking at my best friend’s house. I remembered being excited about what I was hearing, losing myself in the newness of the music.
Upon a more sober listen, I was delighted to have the same feeling. Here was something that both intrigued and energized my musical sensibilities.
Walk the Earth is a composite, once-off band of experi-metal. Imagine the sound of the legendary Damaged as a stark, rusted, self-contained metal can. Then, imagine the guitarists from Superheist stabbing crowbars into that can, prying it open and letting the air into the soundscape; same brutal, unforgiving drum-guitar combo, but with the atmosphere and depth that chorus pedals and vibratos can lend.
Connoisseurs of metal will testify that there has been a disturbing trend of wide-open chorus vocals, following the success of Fear Factory and the ever-present formula of loud-quiet-loud verse to chorus progression, pioneered by Nirvana.
However, this is James Ludbrook we’re talking about. The man does not let up – there is no immediately perceivable difference between his verse and chorus style. Here and there he will touch the guitar line, take a leap across the rumbling rhythms, and maybe even venture a semi-harmonic scream; but his uncompromising, unintelligible style powers on right behind Matt ‘Skitz’ Sanders, beat for beat.
Walk The Earth were one of the main attractions at Metal For The Brain, also supporting Slipknot for the BDO, and supporting Mudvayne last year. Press releases describe the band as a ‘mixture of modern metal and hardcore’ but I prefer ‘explosive and expressive.’
Rampant Calamities has the best legacies from both of the best-selling Australian metal acts, who have managed over 100,000 album sales each, but as yet there is no word on whether the band will continue to produce material.
The EP is definitely a teaser – only six songs, but packed full of brilliant moments, though there are times I wish they’d just sit on a certain riff that little bit longer … however, I do not fault the style inherently.
The more expressive elements have been labeled in some reviews as ‘Nu Metal influences.’ I’d like to clarify that there is no such thing – Nu Metal is in itself a product of influence. Furthermore, elite metal listeners have bandied the term about whenever there is a choral, harmonic or expressive interlude in their usual barrage of sound.
I’d like to state for the record: commercial viability does not equal a commercial product. As I’ve extolled to Will and Gaz, there are certain sounds in metal music that have been ‘hijacked’ by these so-called Nu Metal bands. Thus, in our culture, the use of these sounds is now considered taboo, or passé. Yet, I still like the choral, harmonic and expressive sounds, and I regret this cultural syndrome against it has arisen.
Rampant Calamities is, for me, proof that one can still utilize these sounds without losing any edge, ferocity or integrity. Whilst Mnemic are more intricately experimental with these sounds, Walk The Earth is more like a bunch of hardcore dudes opening the blinds and windows and seeing what a bit of sunshine and fresh air can do to their moods, riffs and approach towards their old techniques.
That is called evolution.
Rampant Calamities is available from Faultline Records
This entry hereby entered into our archives by lansirlot at the hour of 1:42 pm on this very Wednesday, March 28th, our year of 2007. Duly filed under Pith Diaries, in accordance with standard practices. Interested parties may follow responses through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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