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Between The Buried And Me: The great misdirect
11/01/10 || Euthanatos
This album is really interesting. It takes a while to get into it, but when you do, it shows just how much Between the Buried and Me have evolved, if that was even possible after “Colors”. We all know the band, right? Another of the “deathcore” bands that was actually more prog death than anything, started out with “The Silent Circus”, which everyone loved, and I thought was absolute shit, then went on to “Alaska”, which everyone hated, and I thought was brilliant, and finally released “Colors”, which seemed to be their peak.
At first, I thought “The Great Misdirect” was a terrible album, but then I listened intently, and realized no title could be more appropriate. Like a good magician, Between the Buried and Me fool you into thinking they’ve lost their balls and sense, but then they get you with some wicked melodies and gut wrenching progressive elements.
It really fascinates me how the aggressive side and melodic side are blended in this disc. It’s far from subtle, it’s actually quite easy to break down both sides and some may find that unappealing, I actually found it stimulating.
Vocals-wise, this is certainly my favourite moment from the band. Tommy Rogers may have delivered his best. The clean vocals, which at times aren’t really all that clean, and sometimes are full-on gay, are a great supplement to the typical harsher vocals. Granted, Tommy’s usual rasp isn’t ideal, but it’s good enough, at least on record. This isn’t a live review, so fuck off if you have problems with it in a concert. Not my business. Tommy does some great work on the keyboards also. Talented man.
Most songs are an epic in themselves, “Obfuscation”, “Disease, Injury, Madness” (stars out just like Cynic, goes into 70s prog and ends in total insanity. I love it), “Fossil Genera – A Feed from Cloud Mountain” and the giganormous “Swim to the Moon” are truly a sight to behold. Or something to really listen to, if that makes more sense.
Naturally, to play this kind of music, everyone on the band has to be fucking fantastic on their instruments, but I’d like to particularly highlight Dan Briggs, a bass player in the truest form of the term, and a worthy follower in the ways of Sean Malone. Fuck yeah, son.
I don’t know if “The Great Misdirect” is as mind-blowing as “Colors” or as revolutionary as “Alaska”, but it’s definitely a grower and one hell of an album. Apparently there are no limits to the creativity of Between the Buried and Me. Thank Satan for that.
The cover: Google Earth!
- Information
- Released: 2009
- Label: Victory
- Website: www.betweentheburiedandme.com
- Band
- Tommy Rogers: vocals, keyboards
- Paul Waggoner: guitars, vocals
- Dan Briggs: bass
- Dustie Waring: guitars
- Blake Richardson: drums, percussion
- Tracklist
- 01. Mirrors
- 02. Obfuscation
- 03. Disease, Injury, Madness
- 04. Fossil Genera – A Feed from Cloud Mountain
- 05. Desert of Song
- 06. Swim to the Moon
