Chimaira
The Infection
(Ferret)
Listening to Chimaira records is like watching Ultimate Fighting
champions in the gym. They sweat blood, and they hoist around amazingly
heavy stuff. The Cleveland metal champs’ fifth album is a
heart-bursting workout — from Andols Herrick’s trigger-happy
percussion to Rob Arnold’s grip-and-rip solo on “On Broken Glass” and
Mark Hunter’s soul-rending howls on “The Venom Inside.” Compared to
previous records, Infection is half as slow, twice as heavy and
three times darker (in no small part thanks to programmer/keyboardist
Chris Spicuzza). Hunter’s larynx drops to his bowels for vocals that
hover in the death-metal range; the screeching destruction of “Coming
Alive” could have been called “Dethlok Tribute.” Chimaira mastered the
advanced metal playbook — but they’ve yet to contribute anything
to it. — D.X. Ferris
Below Jupiter
Step Into Home (Act II)
(self-released)
Josh Emmet has the keys to a time machine. Using his piano ivories,
Below Jupiter’s singer can seemingly transport classic rock history
into the band’s home studio. The trio’s second record, Step Into
Home (Act II), transmits ’70s-fueled rock from
the likes of David Bowie and Randy Newman. On “Shine On,” Emmet
channels Ziggy Stardust into his piano and sings through his
muttonchops like a wheezy John Lennon, backed by tambourines, drums and
space bass. Act II is focused more on piano ballads than 2007’s
Step Into Home (Act I), a ’60s homage EP you might
associate with retro rockers like the Apples in Stereo, but with bigger
percussion and guitar. All 12 of these new tunes retain the band’s
lo-fi production values, with the added benefit of Emmet creating
awesomely clever melodies all over his magical keys. — Keith
Gribbins
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2009.
