3
| The End Is Begun
Metalblade
Records | by M.R. Smith
Woodstock
favorite sons 3 have been working it: signed to Metalblade Records
(also home of GWAR, King’s X, and Cannibal Corpse, as well
as many others,) they released the acclaimed Wake Pig, toured with
Coheed and Cambria and Porcupine Tree, and still found time to write
and record their 5th release, The End Is Begun, which drops in late
July. Clearly, this is a band on a mission.
Led
by songwriting machine/monster guitarist/singer Joey Eppard, 3 serves
up an energetically diverse CD of what could be described as pre-apocalyptic
melodic metal music. Self-produced and recorded locally at Jerry
Marotta’s Jersville Studio with studio wizar d Roman Klun,
The End delivers equal portions of punch and sparkle, while the
ve that are 3 display their considerable musical chops without
too much dazzle and ash. The album starts with neo-amenco acoustic
guitar triplets, developing into a sinister gypsy-style melody over
rapid- re strumming and drumming. “The Word Born In Flame”
segues thus into “The End Is Begun,” and the general
instrumental tone is set: strong riff-oriented guitar and bass work
(Eppard, guitarist Billy Riker, bassist Daniel Grimsland,) with
appropriately aggressive drumming and percussion from Chris Gartmann
(AKA Gartdrumm) and Joe Stote (also on keys) respectively. The tracks
crackle with insistent rhythmic energy, while shifting between acoustic
and electric dynamics, superbly captured by Klun.
Song
highlights include “Battle Cry,” which starts like a
Zeppelin tune in 6/4 (muso aside: 3 uses a lot of grouping of 3
in its rhythms,) and progresses into a tribal drum workout, then
closes out with something that, I swear, sounds like the Allman
Brothers playing a Rush song....CONTINUE...
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