REVIEWS - Tourniquet – Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm (Metal Blade)
Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. There’s probably no way to create a metal album more extreme: on one hand you’ll find soft acoustic guitar and organ parts, on the other incomprehensible fast grind sections, in between those poles they celebrate nearly everything heavy metal generated during history: Simple mid-tempo parts, leads for two in the style of Maiden, galloping thrash guitars, doomy seventies-axes or groovy modern riffs. You could go on for hours. Musically this band climbs the highest peaks where the atmosphere becomes thin. Though the team performance is equal, one has to emphasize the drumming of mastermind Ted Kirkpatrick. The breaks this man fires out of his feet and hands would drive a good amount of established drummers completely mad. The call and response singing of Luke’s melancholy rough voice and axeman Aaron, who sometimes reminds one a bit of Tom Araya, fit perfect to this extreme mixture. By the way, the hard job of creating the right sound for this piece of art was mastered by Bill Metoyer in an absolutely satisfying way by providing them with an awesome dry berserk sound. Ok, this disk isn’t metal easy listening because the songs are far too complex. Tourniquet puts more riffs into one song than other bands use during their whole career and through loads of uncommon beats make it hard to snap your fingers constantly during the piece, yet the compositions are never distracting, rather walking successfully the fine line between genius and madness. As mentioned at the beginning: Unbelievable, simply unbelievable. Metal Hammer - March 2000
For the past decade Tourniquet has been cranking out uniquely flavoured metal music, gaining the appreciation of Christian (and even non-Christian) hard music lovers everywhere.
They have undergone several band member changes, but through it all, the band has only gotten stronger. I believe right now they have the most incredible lineup yet and this album totally proves that assumption.
The music found on this CD is unlike anything any other band is putting out or has put out before. Boiled down into a couple of words, this is metal with classical influences, a style that only Tourniquet can pull off and sound great with. I have heard this album compared to the band’s earlier works such as Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance, a comparison that I can agree with. The album is certainly closer to that than the last full-length release Crawl To China.
From the first
guitar part on the opening track “Besprinkled In Scarlet Horror”, the band
leaves no doubt that they are back and making the metal of old. But do not think
that this is cheesy ‘80s metal. No sir, it is a far cry from that! This is
quite possibly the most skilled band on the face of the earth.
The drumming of
band leader Ted Kirkpatrick has earned him the “drummer of the year” award
in the HM Magazine reader’s poll for the last ten years. The guitar parts of
Aaron Guerra on this album are simply phenomenal. There's a perfect mix of fast,
intricate lead, thoughtful guitar balladry, and phat distorted rhythm.
The
vocals of Luke Easter are always firm and convincing, ranging from shouting to
growl-talk to rhythmic singing to the kind of singing you wouldn’t be
surprised to hear in a Baptist church.
The
band provides more than guitar, bass, and drums however. You also here a bit of
organ (“Besprinkled In Scarlet Horror”), strings (“Tomb Of Gilgamesh”
and “Skeezix Part II”), flute (“Immunity Vector”), and whistling
(“Drinking From The Poisoned Well”). In the musical world of Tourniquet, no
instrument is out of bounds. In all honesty, there is not a bad song on the
album. Choosing a favorite is hard, but I think I have narrowed it down to
three, at least. “Drinking From The Poisoned Well” is a heavy,
well-thought-out ballad about the ill effects of anger. “Tomb Of Gilgamesh”
emphasizes the importance of spiritual things and the fact that nobody will live
forever in this world (not even Gilgamesh). “Skeezix Part II” is the sequel
to the first “Skeezix” song of yesteryear. The song lasts nearly ten minutes
and is divided into three parts: the suffering, the battle, and the victory. The
music in each part helps to accentuate the part of the song. Subsequent listens
will reveal that this is an incredible metal ballad on spiritual warfare. Other
extra-strong tracks include the title track “Microscopic View Of A Telescopic
Realm” and the ultra-talented-sounding instrumental “Immunity Vector”.
Start to finish, Tourniquet’s new album is nothing short of incredible and it
goes down in my book as their best effort yet.
Music:
5 stars out of 5
Message: 5 stars out of 5
Total Rating: 10 stars out of 10 AMP
REVIEWER: TRAE CADENHEAD
After 10 years as a recording
band, Tourniquet's seventh studio project demonstrates just why the band have
such a loyal following. Produced once again by Bill Metoyer (Slayer),
'Microscopic...' reveals a richer depth in terms of classical dynamics; where
Kirkpatrick's love of classical music has been brought right to the fore. Deftly
arranged, and precisely delivered as only Tourniquet know how, such bombastic
compositions as the epic "The Skeezix Dilemma Part 2", fuses both
classical and modern musical phrasing to blistering effect. Who else would dare
incorporate a flute solo within a speed metal instrumental ("Immunity
Vector")? This time around, Tourniquet have exceeded anything they have
done in the past; 'Microscopic...' being a far more complex and dynamic affair
then 'Crawl To China' ('97), and demonstrating a more mature edge than that
found on any of their first three albums. Sonically well rounded, and with
rhythmic grooves a plenty, 'Microscopic...' is destined to be yet another
classic album from one of Christendom's leading progressive metal bands. Alex
Figgis - Cross Rhythms Magazine
With Microscopic View of a Telescopic
Realm, Tourniquet is back on several levels. They’re back to speed metal,
back to electric guitars, back to horrific CD covers, back to everything that
fans have loved about the band for ten years. They’ve also come back on a
secular label, Metal Blade, which has been releasing Christian favorites
King’s X and Galactic Cowboys for many years.
Ted Kirkpatrick is
one of the world’s best drummers, and on this record he has come alive and let
loose, to awesome pounding results. Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm features some of the most manic guitar and drum work ever put down on a
Tourniquet CD. Guitarist Aaron Guerra can play any style, and this being a
Tourniquet record, he does. Guerra goes from shredding electric steel strings to
caressing nylon strings in a classical style, sometimes all in the same song. A
case in point being the first cut on the record, “Besprinkled in Scarlet
Horror,” where the music passes through several movements including the
opening strains of a Bach-like fugue, into a metal monster, ending with a praise
song complete with lilting flute. The song lyrics cover a lot of ground too.
Kirkpatrick responds to the band’s critics who say that Tourniquet music is
not sacred, but evokes demons, and that the past album covers are violent and
gross. “Besprinkled . . .” fades out with a soft praise tune, a music
style the band’s critics would embrace, yet the song, still referencing the
complaint of gross album covers and lyrics, goes:
If you arrived at the site
Of Calvary’s scarlet fright,
Would fears have made your feet take flight
And turn away from our Lord’s plight.
Speaking of album covers, this one is
scary. A large green toothy demon holds the earth in one gnarled hand and the
other dark green hand is imprinted with a bar code. In the foreground there is a
magnifying glass enlarging a lovely green and black butterfly about to be sucked
into a swirling downward vortex. The liner notes go into detail explaining the
cover is a picture of ourselves when we can’t focus past out own little
microscopic, selfish worldview. The only way to reveal and change the monster we
become is to see that there is a big, lost, hurting world. To look out and
realize that there is a telescopic realm out there, “ready to give our life a
deeper meaning…” The explanation goes a long way towards making these visual
grotesqueries palatable.
Singer/screamer Luke
Easter has been with Tourniquet for about half of their time as a band, and
I’m of the camp that likes his vocals. He reaches into many styles and does
each well with style and grit. A good example is cut two, “Drinking from the
Poisoned Well.” On this song he growls, sneers and screams, bringing alive the
deep feelings that a song needs as it deals with how anger hurts and poisons the
one angry more than the one who hurt them. Easter also has wonderful diction
throughout the album. Whether he’s singing, screaming, or yelling/rapping, I
can hear every word. With some lame metal records I’ve heard, being able to
understand the words may be a problem, but not with Tourniquet. The thoughts are
important and I want to hear every verse.
This tenth Tourniquet
record is almost 70 minutes of high points. Tourniquet mixes classical
influences with their great metal senses, bringing the listener along for the
exciting, provocative ride. The music rocks and the lyrics are deep and
thoughtful. Tourniquet has not pulled any punches for their new mainstream
label, or any of their aforementioned critics. The band attacks topics like
creation, getting right with God before death, how some people manipulate others
with their sad life instead of moving on and getting through it. Other topics
are the struggle of the Christian life, and how God’s grace is sufficient,
repentance, or the lack there of, betrayal, and victory in Christ. Strong
and deep subjects, all dealt with from a strong and deep Christian perspective.
The last lyric of the record is:
We call him Jehovah who’s always near
And you can win the battle when you pray without fear
The weak are victorious when the strong reaches down
And the ones who bring sadness will bow to the Crown
The trio of Kirkpatrick, Guerra and
Easter have delivered one of their best efforts ever to Metal Blade records.
Will the record sell? Will the band get the backing from the label that they
deserve? Will you look at the world through a microscope or a telescope? Who
knows. I’m only here to tell you, the music fans interested in this genre of
metal that the new Tourniquet record shreds!
Phantom Tollbooth - May 2000 Pick of the Month - Tony
LaFianza 4/9/2000
Now, I'm tired of seeing this band get bashed left and right due to their religious beliefs!! So what if they're Christians, their music can kick the snot out of most bands out there today!! Yes, the lyrics express certain spiritual beliefs, but the unique thing about Tourniquet is that their lyrics possess a duality, in which the subject matter relates to everyday life as well as their spiritual views, so no offense should be taken by anyone! Musically, the album is a return, of sorts, to the heavy abrasiveness of 1992's Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance, with a 90s sophistication, of course. Tourniquet is definitely looking to the future with technological themes throughout the album art, certain vocal melodies and song-writing style. Yes, Ted Kirkpatrick, the sole original member is still pumping out melodic Heavy Metal that would make Phil Anselmo cry with bitter envy. The chops are vibrant, the breakdowns are humbling, and there are more Prog-like time changes than you can shake a DREAM THEATER at. The true triumph of this disc is that it is aurally stimulating (those Classical signatures get me every time!), emotionally nerve-wracking (one minute you're banging your fist, and the next you're reaching for the box of tissues), and mentally challenging, for you are not merely getting your booty kicked by mad riffage, you're brain is working in overdrive (provided you read the lyrics). Overall, it is a great album to re-introduce Tourniquet to the Metal public, and I thank Metal Blade for finally having the b#@$ to give them another chance!! Mark Morton, editor Promethean Crusade Metal magazine
In a few decades "busts" will be sold of
TOURNIQUET's main songwriter Ted Kirkpatrick! Like a real genius, he is uniting
the most diverse musical directions within a metal corpus, which many would even
call alone multi-stylistic. "The Tomb Of Gilgamesh" sounds like the
Beach Boys, Tom Araya, Pro-Pain and Trouble are "trapped"
simultaneously into a Bach fugue. "Besprinkled In Scarlet Horror",
"Drinking From The Poisoned Well" and "The Skeezix Dilemma Part
II" are independent suites, which show how easily heavy metal can cope with
long-form songs. Classical music isn´t strange to the unbelievable three-piece
- the same goes for traditional and contemporary jazz, Eagles-like
romanticism, sophisticated Slayer-riffing, down-to-earth Whatever-Core and most
progressive virtuosity. Even if other bands have tried to do a similar musical
crossover of this kind, nobody could do it with the natural musicianship of this
hyper-intensive three-piece. Together with the music goes an intellectual
concept of lyrics, which is succeeding Believer with its modern kind of
Christianity, which also touches on social topics. If there will be no absolute
classic of reunited Iron Maiden, then "Microscopic View Of A Telescopic
Realm" is already album of the year!!!!
9.5 out of 10
Robert Poepperl / Rock Hard Magazine, Germany
This is the best album form Tourniquet in a long time. They've found the way back to their melodic thrash roots. This is not a microscopic album as far as creativity and musical ideas go. The music is full of power and fantasy and the inspirations from classical music are nicely implemented in the
heavy and very melodic songs. This is just a great album. End of story.5 pts. (Reviewed in SCREAM # 51 by; AJ. Blisten)
Movement I: The Music Who would have
guessed that Tourniquet would have composed an album such as this nearly 8 years
after Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance? Musically, this is the most ferocious
album the band has recorded since that landmark release in late ‘92. After a
few albums that traded in overly technical masterpieces for more simplistic
groove metal, Tourniquet has returned to form. There’s a sense of the new
songs being a mix of the technical side of Pathogenic... with the
straight-forwardness of Crawl To China. It's a great mix of styles.
While the entire album is not all-out technical proficiency, the
drums play such an integral part in the technicality of the songs, knowing when
to step up and when to sit back. Drummer and chief songwriter Ted Kirkpatrick
has mastered the best of both worlds. Some of the guitar parts are similar in
their straight-forwardness to Crawl..., yet Aaron Guerra has certainly
come into his own after living in the shadow of Tourniquet guitarists past. He
even has vocal duties on many songs, often times trading lines with lead
vocalist Luke Easter. Aaron‘s voice is rougher and scream-like; Luke‘s
vocals are more melodic. Although, Luke’s voice does vary, from the
angst-ridden (“Drinking From the Poisoned Well”) to the serene (ending of
“Besprinkled in Scarlet Horror” / beginning of “The Tomb of Gilgamesh”).
While eight of the eleven songs are penned by Kirkpatrick, which
showcase technical expertise, the remaining three songs were written by Guerra
and Easter, music and lyrics respectively. Definitely a step up from their
contributions on Crawl..., Aaron and Luke have found their niche within
the band‘s songwriting. “Martyr’s Pose” and “Servant of the Bones” indicate both modern music awareness as well as past musical influences. Other
musical highlights: flute solos, cello parts, a whistling solo by Ted, and a
weird Japanese toy called Ampan Man. All this to say that it's a great mix of
technicality, melody, simplicity, classical arrangements, and heavy as stink
metal for the new millennium.
Movement II: The Message Lyrically, the songs deal with many
subject areas. “Besprinkled...” addresses the problem people have with gory,
disturbing subject matter, when in fact the Bible itself is full of stories of
murder and the grotesque. The title track references Matthew 16:26, with guest
vocalist Steve Rowe from Mortification proclaiming, “What good will it be for
a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?” “Martyr’s
Pose” speaks of people who often times turn the tables on others, never taking
any responsibility for their own shortcomings. Anger is a popular theme on
several songs. On “Drinking From the Poisoned Well,” Kirkpatrick writes,
“Now that you’ve come to realize / That chronic anger has a steep price /
Taking more than you can afford to give / Stealing the joy that you need to
live.” Luke’s lyrics to the song “Caixa de Raiva” translates into
English as “Box of Anger.” There has been much speculation as of late on a
Tourniquet message board as to the inspiration for the song. The lyrics seem to
speak for themselves: “This tiny little box echoes with your rage...Six years
and counting why don’t you let go of your rage.” It may be simply saying,
“Don’t hold grudges.”
The disc closes with “The Skeezix Dilemma Part II (The Improbable
Testimony of the Pipsisewah),” the sequel to the last track on Pathogenic... Part I dealt with the horrors of child abuse in an allegoric way, likening the
subject to the childhood game, “Uncle Wiggily.” “...Part II” borrows
from the same concept. In the end the child is told that “...you can win the
battle when you pray without fear...And the ones who bring sadness will bow to
the Crown.” Both are songs of struggle and pain, but with a message of hope.
If there’s a theme to the album, this is it. God can set us free from the
struggles we face in this life.
Movement III: The Evaluation This is one of the best albums
by Tourniquet to date, arguably the best. If you loved the band's first three
albums, this one's a "must buy." And, if you've never heard Tourniquet
but enjoy heavy, technically proficient music, do yourself a favor and get this
CD. Disappointment won't be an option. [The Heavy Metal
Machine] Chad Olson
Whoa that's some name for an album. Along with the crazy cover makes me expect something really unorthodox from this record. And my expectations are completely justified - because anyone who's heard Mr. Kirkpatrick & Co's music knows to expect literally anything from a TOURNIQUET album. If the guys happen to release even a slightly predictable one (very unlikely), it would be their worst. So their new CD with a somewhat longish title is no exception. A song might start with a tender violin, change to thrash devastation and end with something along Psychotic Waltz lines with a flute. Might start with thrash wickedness and after half a song suddenly turn into a typical power-metal number or vice versa. Might start, again, with chainsaw sounds and for 6 or 7 minutes never change into anything no matter how much you'd expect it to! Sounds appetizing? So there's a mighty one. Not for the fainthearted though. Total Metal Online
The band TOURNIQUET have been around for a long time and had several releases out already. Especially in the White Metal Scene they spread their name over years and are one of the most successful bands. Now the boys succeeded once again in putting a new CD out. Like in earlier years the material is very complex and knows how to amaze the listener with it's technical brilliancy. The style could be compared to a mixture of WATCHTOWER (during the "Control And Resistance" days) and SLAYER. This even means the lead vocals, which are absolutely complex. Gone are the times when a castrate-voice singer got on the listener's nerves with the tricky rhythms of the band. More than ever the vocals fit the songs perfectly. The smart variety of the band is not only proven musically, but also lyric-wise. Examples? "Caixa De Raiva", "The Skeezix Dilemma Part II" or "Erractic Palpitations Of The Human Spirit" should be evidence enough. The band's problem seems to be the wide range and the variety of the material, and it won't be easy to come to a common conclusion. But in this case everyone should make up his own mind. Here's a lot to dive into! Oliver Weinsheimer for Nuclear Blast Germany
This is something different. Ha, what a band and what an album!! I'm sorry, but I'd never heard from this band, although they've released a lot in the past 10 years. Tourniquet was formed in Los Angeles in 1990. Six full-length albums, two EP's, one 'Best Of' and five full-length videos later, the members of this band remain committed to making very original music without bowing to the current musical trend of the moment. Their sound spans the realms of many musical forms and within these forms, two things stand out: melody and originality. I really love this album, it's so different from what I normally hear. Cool! You might get scared the first few times you listen to it, but please don't give up. Keep on playing this record and you'll discover the original way of writing songs that Tourniquet has. Combining thrash metal riffs with whistle blowing or a telephone ringing…why not? Drummer and main songwriter Ted Kirkpatrick puts it this way: "The belief that melodic music can't be heavy is something I never subscribed to. Bach proved this about 300 years ago with his melodic yet ultra heavy organ fugues. I think this album contains some of the most hectic guitar and drum parts Tourniquet has done to date combined with lyrical influences spanning a wide range, everything from biblical parables to medical allegories to Edgar Allan Poe type descriptive horror." This review would become way too long if I wanted to try and fully explain to you what songs like "Besprinkled In Scarlet Horror", "Erratic Palpitations Of The Human Spirit" or "Caixa De Raiva" (what a great guitar riff!!) are all about. Just go to your local record shop and give it a try if you want to hear something completely different! Score: 9/10 (Johan Godschalk) Rock-E-Zine (Holland)
With their sixth studio album those twisted Californians want to challenge their heroes from King´s X - most probably in case of the title. Musically seen this trio around drummer Ted Kirkpatrick is much more twisted and much more heavy than Doug & companions - with songs like "Besprinkled In Scarlet Horror" one just have to ask how much of some drugs they threw into play such hectic parts. Luke Easter is a singer who accomplished the feat to sound like a tough Hardcore bas#*@# out of the Bronx in one moment, right in the next second to power forward with magnificent clear voice and to sound extremely sensitive even in the slow and quiet parts - all in one song! From unbelievable twisted shred to Simon and Garfunkel parts with flutes the mad-driven boys pack everything in their music and won’t give boredom any chance. Plus their lyrics are very profound. The activists against cruelty to animals got other concerns than just a simple clumsy "God-loves-you" message and prove those kind of "Thinking mans Metal bands" didn’t die out. Totally twisted and ingenious! Martin Römp (11 points)
The Los Angeles trio Tourniquet is really two very different bands. Its music is packed with thrashing rhythms, long convoluted heavy metal riffs, thundering drum kicks, blister-popping leads from guitarist Aaron Guerra and growled vocals by Luke Easter. While the melodies on the band's seventh album are intricate and reveal some studious classicism (the instrumental "Immunity Vector" might well be cribbed from Beethoven), taken superficially, the rage projected by tracks like "Besprinkled in Scarlet Horror" and "Servant of the Bones" might be mistaken for that of a death-metal band. Closer inspection, however, reveals far greater depth to Tourniquet's music and Easter's singing (see "Erratic Palpitations of the Human Spirit") and lyrics. The use of flute and strings and the counterpoint of acoustic guitar against thrashing rhythms on "Indulgence by Proxy" provide both melodic embellishment and emotional release. The lyrics, prefaced by quotes from the Scriptures provide thought-provoking, Christian-based assessments of everything from those death-metal bands to Darwinism. Brought together impressively on "The Tomb of Gilgamesh," the combination of heavy sounds and subject matter provides a powerful double punch. Buzz Morison – www.guitar.com
This new release of the American band is their sixth CD. After many lives albums and EPs, Tourniquet evolves always in a heavy-metal music mix with speed-metal and originals instruments like flute... Produced by Bill Metoyer (Slayer), the sound is really great. A great production for Tourniquet, the fans will be very happy and for the others, you can discover this band if you don't know them... http://www.multimania.com/darkwave Darkwave Zine
When you start this disc you might think you're listening to a funeral service. You hear a slowly murmuring church organ. But then, after ten seconds, this is brutally interrupted by an aggressive outburst of Tourniquet. And on this new album Tourniquet stands for Metal with the capital M as they go back to the sounds and ideas as captured on the Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance album. Not only because they recorded a Skeezix Part II. Like Pathogenic had part I. You experience it too in some aggressive Slayeristic riffing (in Erratic Palpitations Of The Human Spirit) as well as riffs influenced by classical music (in the instrumental Immunity Vector). This time they didn't leave out the guitar leads and there are no ballads. But there are acoustic parts and mellow moments. As usual there's variety. Take for example Luke Easter's singing. One moment he sings tenderly and the other moment he screams along the heavy riffing of Aaron Guerra. It just depends on what fits the music. There was a possibility of Ronnie James Dio doing some guest vocals but you can hear Steve Rowe (Mortification) in the titletrack instead. I wonder why Tourniquet has gone back to their early works but whatever the answer, I like this move! Microscopic View Of A Telescopic Realm has eleven songs that fill seventy minutes. So, if you've ever liked Tourniquet you just got to pick up this album. I think it's one of their best. Art for the Ears
Oh
yeah! The intro to this album (Besprinkled in Scarlet Horror) ends all the
speculation. Tourniquet is not experimenting with a new sound anymore . . .
they're blowing your head off with blazing heavy metal. Fans of Tourniquet's
first three albums will feel like they're getting the follow-up to Pathogenic
Ocular Dissonance with its biting and rising guitar scales. There's a organ
break and even a flute solo near the end, bringing the listener down after the
rocket ride of the first 6 minutes. After just one song, both J.S. Bach and
Randy Rhoads will be rolling over in their graves with a smile and a thumbs up.
The first sign that we haven't traveled back in time are the Vanishing
Lessons-era vocals by Luke Easter, which become prominent in the second track,
Drinking From the Poisoned Well. There's times (like the end of Besprinkled...
and the intro to The Tomb of Gilgamesh) where Luke doesn’t sound like a rock
star, but more like any guy from my high school singing in a Christmas play. I'd
rather hear him sound tough than gentle. For example, the lines in Erratic
Palpitations of the Human Spirit, much like the classic Acid Head, sound like
Luke is picking a fight, not serenading a lady. Many other tunes here, like
Indulgence by Proxy, feature the signature call/response vocals between Luke and
Aaron. They sound good yelling at each other (they must be in a band together!).
The drumming is very busy and intricate, giving the listener something to study
and pick out, kinda like the instruments in a symphony. It would be interesting
to get the metronome out and note the differences in timing of each song. The
guitar work throughout is what shines most brightly here. There's leads and
solos, and the spotlight riffing has that treble bite that marks the difference
between classic metal and grunge. This is the kind of album that might inspire
more Jackson and BC Rich new guitar sales than kids buying used and beat up
Fenders. There's a little bit of the odd guitar noises a la Korn or Rage, but
overall the impression will be one that dukes it out in the thrash metal field.
I love the Skeezix flavored guitars that start Martyrs Pose, which marry
classical guitar picking with the electric guitar. The riff that takes over is
monstrous, like the huge walls of sound on the Metallica black album. And
speaking of Skeezix, we get Part 2 of the classic tune here just shy of 10
minutes long. Another highlight has to be the complex instrumental, Immunity
Vector, which conjures images of Psycho Surgery with its precise and fast
riffing, and the energy of a Ted Kirkpatrick drum solo a la K517. Since these
songs are so imaginative, and the field is now more narrow, this is probably
better than any of its mainstream peers (Carcass, Death, Slayer, etc.). I think
this album is a good example of an artist listening to its fans, and giving them
what they want without sounding contrived. I'd give the boys an A.
DV - Doug Van Pelt - Editor - HM Magazine
"(When) we close ourselves in, we have created a monster, and the monster is us, revealed only when we are willing to take a broader look at the entire realm. A realm waiting there ready to give our life deeper meaning." Ted Kirkpatrick. Explaining the title of Tourniquet’s latest release. Here’s one of those CD’s where one has to listen to a few times to even arrive at an opinion of it. The opening track "Besprinkled in Scarlet Horror" opens with Bambi meets Godzilla. Keyboards set a dire trite setting, then one is awash in heavy death style guitar work. The song revs along for another 6 minutes and ends with a softly spoken hymn. "Drinking From the Poisoned Well…," and title track "Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm," rock along Chuck Schuldineresque in their mastery of Death inspired riffs. "The Tomb of Gilgamesh" opens hymn like, before the band picks up the dirge like vocal line. Follow this with guitar accompanied by cello, and then by the full on band again. Arrangement is as interesting as it is heavy. Tourniquet’s incorporation of classic themes in their music isn’t new, but it’s done well. Strengths are the smooth transitions of styles from pure technical death to a Stuck Mojo heavy "Pig walk" style groove on "Servant of the Bones." "Erratic Palpitations of the Human Spirit" has me seeing the brutalized bodies coming out of future inspired mosh pits. It ends with a grand anthem, and progressive style guitar riff. "Immunity Victor" (instrumental) shows off what the band can do sonically when not having to factor vocals. Tourniquet has a lot to say, both lyrically and sonically. – HS (4) TRANCENDENCE MAGAZINE www.trancendencemag.com
Seek
not your life
From any other,
His power alone is sufficient for you
His love and His grace they will see you through
The poisonous well has been purified
The Scars on your heart have been sanctified
The Father of love has been glorified
When it seems life is a miserable place to be
Remember the words that He gave you and me
Believe in your heart and you will be set free!
There is POWER in this song. When you get (not if
you get but WHEN you get) your copy of this album I urge you to pray and talk to
to God then listen to this song LOUD, and praise your heavenly Father. You will
feel his presence, and you will know his loving embrace! In other songs they;
Defend Christian metal, talke the subject of accountability in society that is
eager to place your blame somewhere else, chronic anger/hatred, the frailty of
human "intelligence," and above all praising God. Being true to
Tourniquet there are some quirky parts such as the whistling piece. This annoyed
me at first but now I find I just whistle right along with them. Then you have
to respect a band that incorporates a line from Alice In Wonderland in their
song. Right in the middle of a verse they bust out with "The time has come
to speak of many things. No shoes and ships and ceiling wax, not cabbages and
kings" which comes from the story of the Walrus and the Carpenter" in
Alice In Wonderland...pretty darn cool guys. The only reason this album didn't
get a 10 from me is because of one other their little quirky parts. This one
song has this electronic toy that speaks spanish. Twice in the middle of a
killer riff they stop the music COMPLETELY to let this toy say it's line.
Honestly, it's stupid, and it ruins the song. I've listened to so many times,
and each time it's a sore spot. That is the ONLY flaw I've found, and it's
hardly worth mentioning really. Could have been
left out but they did it, they liked it, and I still say BUY THIS ALBUM! Dead
E-Zine 9.5/10