One-Way Mirror
One-Way Mirror
Metal Blade Records
4/10
Let’s start on a positive note. This album has solid art design. The layout is very minimal and works well. The packaging makes it pretty obvious what’s in store upon picking it up. Hats off to Alain Trehard at Maria Hell Studio, who has absolutely nothing to do with what we are really concerned with here – music.
On that note, lets move on to the tunes. There are two main things that bother me about this album. The first one I can sum up in two words: vocal effects. This album is so overloaded with terrible, unnecessary vocal effects it was almost unbearable. If you decide to pick this up and listen to it from beginning to end I’d suggest you buy a bottle of Jameson and take a shot every time there is a retarded vocal effect. You’ll get good and drunk, and it might make the experience more enjoyable.
The second thing is that it is sooo average. It’s clear that these guys are talented. The album is well produced; by the vocalist and lead guitarist no less. They play their instruments well, everything sounds good, and the distortion is clean and sharp. It’s just all so generic. There’s nothing special going on here at all.
There are a few stand-out tracks. The runner up goes to “21st Century.” It was well done with no funny stuff going on with the vocals, and a solid tune all around. If Guillaume had kept the vocal production clean like this track, the whole album would be improved. Track four, “Danger Calling,” is by far the best track on the album. The band probably doesn’t agree because it isn’t an overproduced piece of crap, but it’s the closest thing to straight metal on the album. The drumming on this one is pretty stellar and I was somewhat reminded of early Pantera by the vocals.
Overall, this is an Average album. Yes, that’s average with a capital ‘A.’ One-Way Mirror is good enough to be on Metal Blade, but they aren’t breaking any new ground.
-Luke Toney