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Undertow

Milgram

Written by: PP on 03/04/2006 17:16:35

Germany's Undertow likes to take long periods of time off in recording their albums, which has resulted in two more than three year breaks and one critically acclaimed album, "34CE". Now, the band is back after another three years with "Milgram", and they are looking as strong as ever.

The album tracks are surrounded by two minute "In" and and "Out" tracks, giving the band an advantage of slowly leading the listener into the first blistering, thrashy riffs of "Stomping Out Ignorance", the highlight track on the album, and allowing the listener to comprehend what he has just heard on the entire album after the super swift album finisher "D-Mood". In between these two songs the band has fitted seven slower - sometimes painfully slow - tracks, which hints of a well thought out structure to the album. "Homemade Funeral", the seven minute long beauty, works as the antonym to the speed of "Stomping Out Ignorance", while "Buried In Snow" is a mid-paced, straight forward piece, showcasing how the band can write simple songs without losing their relevance.

Their vocals could be straight off of an old Metallica album, and the riffs bring legendary Crowbar in the mind straight away. Somewhere along the course of the album, one gets the idea that Undertow is failing to get out of the shadow of these two bands, and makes one think of them just as the 'accident' child of them.

And essentially, that's what "Milgram" features: an effective mixture of epic progressive songs, swift and thrashy highlights á la early Metallica, and straight forward metal suitable for a fan of any metal subgenres. However, had the band included more of "Stomping Out Ignorance" and less of "Always Have Always Will" and the acoustic anthem "This Is The Worst Day...Since Yesterday" (why would you ever include an acoustic song on a metal album?), they'd score a lot higher on my review. But still, "Milgram" is worth checking out.

Download: Stomping Out Ignorance, D-Mood
For the fans of: Crowbar, Cataract
Listen: MP3 on official website

Release date 24.03.2006
Silverdust Records
Provided by Target ApS