After intense evaluation I have come to the conclusion that the new album by
Poverty's No Crime is in fact as unique and special as I thought it was the first time I heard it, if anything then even more so now.
Not really knowing the bands music before I was extremely positively surprised and a good sign of quality is when a release gets better and better with time, like a fine bottle of Barolo (Italian red wine).
There exists a certain down to earth, jamming and thoughtful vibe on this album, sometimes hard rocking but also really heavy, atmospheric and weird in a cool way. This nice mixture has been given a spectacular production, extremely tight, high grooving and really getting under your skin.
Walk Into Nowhere is a fantastic and highly progressive opener. This one just got everything going for it, the guitar work is truly amazing and the drumming contains those cool refinements that make things even more interesting.
Every Kind Of Life sets in with a breathtaking structure and genius straight ahead melodic lines from both bass and lead guitar. Just listening to the ingenious keyboard work from Jörg Springub makes it hard to grasp all the other things going on. This is challenging music indeed, simple and complex at the same time.
A calm acoustic guitar/vocal section starts of
All Minds In One ; here the piano is used to create a great background mood but also as a leading rhythm. Thinking about it I would go as far to proclaim the keyboard/piano work on this release one of the most cunning and spell-binding I have heard. The strong vocal lines goes very well with the flow of the track too; it melts nicely into the stream.
A World Without Me is a slow and "build up around a central chorus" kind of song. This one is a bit simpler in style, which only fits in nicely even though the first part of the chorus could have gained by a more fascinating touch.
Terminal Trip invites the traveller on an instrumental, complex, interesting, technical and powerful journey. This is progressive Metal when it's best; I'm thinking a bit in the direction of
Dream Theater when I hear this stunning cut, but don't get me wrong, this is also highly original all the way.
Pact With The Past is a nearly 9-minute track that slowly builds up with fantastic grooving bass lines, symphonic curiosities, diverse rhythm guitar passages and the always tight and technical drums. The midsection is a weird happening of all kinds of hooks and breaks, it's rather hard to explain, it simply must be heard, totally mind-blowing if you ask me.
I have heard this album I don't remember how many times and still I get the feeling of not quite to have figured this song out, which in fact leaves a good feeling, I guess that's the intention with it, I surely hope so ;)
Left To Chance is the album's shortest song but the amount of details are plenty. The chorus is working pretty decently; a more catchy line would have made the song just a bit better though.
One of the strongest selling points in
Moving Target is the completely hypnotic piano break, other great aspects is the marvellous bass performance and the mellow guitar solo, this is a great song that could have ascended even higher if it had a more melodic structure.
Do What You Feel has a dark gloomy feeling to it; it is also one of the albums heaviest songs packed with fast parts and slow hard riffs. The innovative keyboard solo is both weird and cool at the same time, giving the song a broader image. The deep rhythm guitar and creeping keyboard atmosphere creates something really unique and this has grown into one of my favourites.
As a bonus track
Access Denied is performed in a spectacular unplugged version.
Most songs are mid-tempo in character, but that's pretty hard to say precisely due to the diverse path of the majority. The flow of this album appears extremely natural and smooth and I'm left with the impression that this album simply works just the way it should.
Singer Volker Walsemann handles all the lyrics and his flair for philosophical, spiritual and clever writings adds another layer of sophistication to the picture. When it comes to his vocal performance it only gets better with each listen, a really special sedative voice that nevertheless captures the emotional content in fine style, this said a more diverse vocal approach could have worked out quite successful in a few instances, I guess that's just me getting a bit too critical.
When it all comes down to it this has been one, if not the best Progressive release in 2003 if you ask me.
With all originality intact I would point to
Vanden Plas as the band I know of that comes closest this style of Progressive Metal, anyway my advice for all progressive interested individuals is to check this band out, they seriously know how to jam.
Written by
Tommy Friday, March 5, 2004
Show all reviews by TommyRatingsTommy: 8.5/10Members: No members have rated this album yet.
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