Tourniquet - Gazing At Medusa drops Tuesday, October 16...

bodachi wrote:Voiceless..?

I remember Ted responding to that question somewhere (Facebook?) and he said they're eventually gonna release a voiceless version of the album.

As a fan from the beginning, here are some thoughts while I am still trying to wrap my head around this album. After a full two weeks of listening, the overall style and sound of the music remind me a lot of Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm, with a little WMARD, a little Antiseptic Bloodbath, and small hints of Psycho Surgery (opening riff of "One Foot in Forever") and a tad of Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance. 

Sinister Scherzo - No mellow, slow intro to start this album. This thing starts right out of the blocks with double-bass blast beats and a melodic death metal-like riff reminiscent of old In Flames and sets the tone for the rest of the album. The next riff has more of a familiar modern Tourniquet sound. Ripper handles most of the vocals on this one but is complimented quite nicely by Aaron in some parts. The slow breakdown in the middle of the song that leads of to Poland's solo is pretty awesome. The slow groovy riff underneath the solo combined with the solo sounds like it could have been on Pathogenic. Ripper's layered screams near the end are pretty haunting.

Longing for Gonwandaland - Maybe my least favorite song on the album. However, I really like the In Flames-like melodic death riff, as well as the Martin Luther King clip and underlying riff. I'm reminded of the M.L.K. speech in the middle of the song "America" by Haven (look it up on YouTube, great song) Aaron's vocals are good, but the lyrics just seem a little weird and don't flow well for me. I picture Aaron as a science or geography professor shouting a lesson to the class.


Momento Mori - Love the doom feel and slow rolling riffs. As many have said, Poland's solos on this album seem very thought out and fit the Tourniquet sound very well. Most of them remind me of a cross between Bruce Franklin's and Marty Friedman's styles if that makes sense. All of Aaron's solos on this album are great. While they are new, fit the music well, and compliment Poland's solos, they are still somewhat familiar and really let you now it is indeed a Tourniquet album. Some of Ripper's vocals remind me of Eric Wagner from Trouble, so combined with the solo style this song has a bit of a Trouble vibe to it.

All Good Things Died Here - The opening riff reminds me of Tomb of Gilgamesh. The next riff has an Opeth-like "Ghost Reveries" feel to it. The next main riff that starts right before the vocals and plays during the verse reminds me a lot of Trouble. Ripper's vocals in that opening verse sound a lot like Eric Wagner from Trouble with a little Axel Rose mixed in. I love a good mid-paced heavy song like this until it breaks out into the faster Gilgamesh-like riff again. The vocal interlude with the lyric "Pride will come before a fall..." may be my favorite vocal from Ripper on the album. The little outro riff reminds me of something that could have been on Pathogenic.

The Crushing Weight of Eternity - My favorite song on the album. It has a very Megadeth-like riff and vocal delivery. By "delivery", I mean the rhythm and cadence of the vocals, not that it sounds like Dave Mustaine's actual voice. Maybe Aaron's strongest vocals on the album. This song has the best flow and chemistry between all instruments and vocals on the album in my opinion. It has a straight-ahead hard rock song vibe to it.

The Peaceful Beauty of Brutal Justice - can't get into the dramatic slow vocals at the begining of this one. I know it sets the tone for the message of the song and sets up the faster riffs and verses to come, but it's just weird to me. Reminds me of a lot of old overly dramatic Iced Earth-type power metal ballad vocals. This is one of many parts where Luke's clean vocals would have sounded and fit much better. I do love Aaron's aggressive and passionate vocals in this one. There is a part in this song that I really love that I don't think I've ever heard in a Tourniquet song. The doomy proggy part with the keyboards at 2:25 sounds like it could have been lifted right out of an Opeth song. Was this an intentional nod to the one the greatest bands on earth, and was that a Mellotron? 

Can't Make Me Hate You - Again, I love the slow doomy opening riff and Poland's solo just fits perfectly. The dissonant riffs that follow the solo and lead up to the opening verse are very Skeezix / Crawl to China sounding. Ripper's lower vocals again remind me Eric Wagner from Trouble. With the exception of Aaron's vocals, the overall feel of the song reminds me of Judas Priest's epic song "Lochness".

One Foot In Forever - The opening riff is the closest and maybe only Psycho Surgery sounding piece from the band since that album was released. It is very reminiscent of the second riff at the beginning of "A Dog's Breakfast". The lyrics are pretty uplifting and inspiring. The lyrics and tone of the song remind me of the song "Microscopic View...". I can't help but imagine how it would sound with Luke's vocal style from Microscopic - "As the sunlight sets the clouds aflame...". Seems like the song was written and meant for that type of vocal style. This may be my least favorite vocal performance from Ripper on this song, with the exception of the lower range vocals (with higher range harmony) that lead up to Aaron's solo at the end. The closing riff reminds me of "Drinking from the Poisoned Well". 

Gazing at Medusa - I like that the album ended with this song, as the vocals are totally different from the rest of the album. I like Dean's vocals on this. They are a lot more "accessible" and give it a cool hard rock feel. I can actually picture and hear Les Carlsen singing Dean's parts live in concert. My biggest question about this song is "What is that sound at 1:53 after the chorus ends"? It sounds like someone hocking up a loogie. I'm guessing it was supposed to sound like Medusa hissing or something, but I just hear someone coughing up a pat of lung butter.

While I am still in the mourning and denial stages after the departure of Luke, it is really great to hear Aaron's familiar and perhaps best vocals to date all over this album as well as the unique riffs and music that made me love this band 28 years ago. It may be hard for some old die hards like myself to get into at first, but I imagine it will open up some doors for a different crowd to get in and start listening to some of the older material as well.

Hey Wigeon, nice reading your critique.  The part on The Peaceful Beauty of Brutal Justice at 3:25 you mentioned is actually a Poland solo.  I don't know what effect(s) Chris has on there, but I have heard him use that live quite a few times on solos and riffs......totally rules!!

Aaron Guerra wrote:Hey Wigeon, nice reading your critique.  The part on The Peaceful Beauty of Brutal Justice at 3:25 you mentioned is actually a Poland solo.  I don't know what effect(s) Chris has on there, but I have heard him use that live quite a few times on solos and riffs......totally rules!!

Thanks Aaron. Poland's solo at 3:25 is great, and the tone/effect is really cool. I mistakenly mentioned the part at "2:25". I mean the keyboard/mellotron part at 2:41. Reminds me a lot of Opeth. Was just curious if that was indeed a mellotron, or just a keyboard with a mellotron-like effect, and if it was indeed influenced by Opeth. Love your solos, riffs, and your vocals on the album!

Hey Wigeon - It is a mellotron type sound. I wrote that part kind of to sound like an old pirate "walk the plank" melody or something. Then of course the part repeats at a super slow tempo in a different key at the end of the song. I've never heard an Opeth song, although I see their name all the time and know from others how good they are. I am into tons of prog/fusion stuff though, starting at an early age - ELP, King Crimson, Jean Michel Jarre, Moody Blues, Yes, Jean Luc Ponty, Magma, Dixie Dregs, etc.

I totally read the time wrong on your post, ha ha…

Thanks for the kind words, I'll have to make a point to check out Opeth sometime.

I've got to give a shoutout to Can't Make Me Hate You.

Been listening to that song over and over again for the past hour or two.
By far my favorite Ripper Owens vocals on the album. Those high pitched screams give me some serious goosebumps. I could do without the weird part at the beginning of the song but the rest is golden. Would've loved to hear a third verse and chorus through. It kinda ends just when I'm craving it all go through once more, but I guess that's a good hook to get me spin it from the beginning again

I think I'm hearing the Orange amp "Ode to a Roadkill" tone on guitars especially at the intro.

This song really was something I maybe cared the least during the first couple of listens and it has gradually gotten better and better and now I'm thinking it might even be the best song in the album.

The damn song makes me super emotional.

This album is still growing on me as a whole, but my favorite song is the title track, undoubtedly.

Still haven't received my copy...

Sabbatharian wrote:Still haven't received my copy...

Nobody has received CDs yet.

Sir Shred A Lot wrote:

Sabbatharian wrote:Still haven't received my copy...

Nobody has received CDs yet.

...doh!

Sabbatharian wrote:Still haven't received my copy...

Ted told last week that they just received the CDs and because they are going to Netherlands to the concert they won't be able to start to send them out until the middle of next week. So Ted has probably put the first CDs on mail yesterday or today. First he'll be sending the CDs to Kickstarter backers. Then to those who preordered them and then to the rest. I don't know if he's going to send CDs for those who paid for the vinyl in the Kickstarter campaign though. Maybe he can do it for US citizens but I know I'm not expecting to get the CD until they have the vinyls ready to be mailed too (too much shipping costs for two deliveries as I live in Finland).

Arrived today.

My CD showed up as well. Hooray!

After a few spins I find it to be a solid release, but I see no advantage in having Tim on vox, nothing there that Luke could not have done just as well.