LP REVIEW

A LIFE ONCE LOST
"A GREAT ARTIST"
(Deathwish - DW23.0)

1. SURREAL ATROCITIES
2. CAVIL
3. THE CHANGE CAME SUDDENLY
4. NEVERMORE WILL THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING...
5. ...IN ANYTHING DONE UNDER THE SUN
6. MAUDLIN
7. PIOUS
8. THE WICKED WILL ROT
9. OVERWHELMING

Length:  33:56 (min:secs)
Available from 17th June, 2003

A LIFE ONCE LOST "A Great Artist" LP

www.alifeoncelost.com

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Continuing to build on a commendable reputation, Pennsylvania's A Life Once Lost release their follow-up to 2002’s “The Fourth Plague Flies” EP and this time they go for nine tracks that define a huge and exciting development in their style.

Right from the offset the mood is set to intense with an onslaught of storming metal, a barrage of dominating drums that to almost every action has and equal and opposite reaction of heavy chugging guitars. It’s a ruthless chopping and changing of discordantly played riffs in violent succession, technically complex songs, intricate cord progressions and plenty of precise fret board wandering. Into that blast furnace of sounds they add vocals so incredibly strong and powerful, shouting, gargling razorblades, sometimes slipping into deep demonic death growls, but at all times destructively powerful.

It’s very difficult to pick standout songs as each and every one contains riffs so heavy they could fell buildings. However, with the evil deathly growl at the beginning of “Nevermore Will They Have An Understanding” you could be forgiven for thinking Dom Lawson was back (vocalist with the late and legendary Matter - you could almost smell the sweaty armpits!). The whole album maintains a merciless torrent of intense fury, a melting pot of technical metal projecting bizarre, detached and disjointed guitar solos along with throat tearing vocals.

There is an unavoidable comparison with Meshuggah as they do share a very similar style, but as they are the only two bands that sound anything like this and both do it extremely well; it’s hard to see this as a real issue. To experience “A Great Artist” is like plunging your head into a bees nest taking it out only to smear it in honey before sticking it back in again. And of course, the more you do it, the bigger the BUZzzzz…  Highly recommended.

12345678910 - Rigsby  (7th November, 2003)
www.iwillbeheard.co.uk