Between The Buried And Me - Colors (2007) WMA320

I first discovered this technically enthralling group shortly after the release of their previous LP, "Alaska." It was a vast and ambitious record, full of seven minute amorphous songs, deeply metaphorical lyrics and dexterously played brutal and melodic passages. The band was obviously gifted, all five members, and at first their songwriting seemed to be their only fault; their songs seemed to be nothing more than excuses to showcase how technically they can play. But with repeated listens and a deep study and reflection on the music, "Alaska" grew on me, and my prior thoughts regarding their lack of actual songwriting ability were reconsidered. "Alaska" was, in fact, a collection of expertly written songs, and any serious music listener who takes time to process and digest complex music should be inclined to agree. After "Alaska", I was even more impressed by their ability to sound like pretty much anyone they want to with the release of "The Anatomy Of." Though they didn't exactly rework any of the songs they chose to cover on that album, they executed them all nearly flawlessly, sounding like mirror images of the original artists (quite a feet when a band can sound exactly like Pink Floyd one track and then Earth Crisis the next). So why then did I wait so long to purchase this 2007 release? I mean, they've since released yet another followup and I'm just now catching up on this one! I'm not sure exactly why I took so long to purchase this album, but if its any indication what I'll think of "The Great Misdirect," I need to go out and get that right away. "Colors" is, like all of BTBAM's releases, not a very accessible recording. It's constantly changing, a collection of eight amorphous tracks that often begin with a metal tinge and then delve into other realms throughout their five to thirteen minute running time. The heavy parts live up the title heavy; at times, they're nearly unbearable, such as the (thankfully) short sections of tracks two and three where buzzsaw guitars and mercilessly beaten percussion accent a high pitched shrieking. I'm a fan of heavy music, but BTBAM takes it to vast extremes when they want to, and that's the only thing that truly irks me about the group. It's technical, yes, it's fast, yes, but it's also noisy. Unpleasantly so. Despite the occasional overbaringly grinding moments, BTBAM also displays the capability to play heavily but beautifully as well. Their two guitarists often exchange leads, harmonizing with one another beautifully, reminiscent of old Iron Maiden or the guitar interplay showcased by Scandanavian melodic death metal bands like In Flames and Dark Tranquillity. This band will no doubt be a pleasure for any young guitarist, particularly those with a love for metal, to listen to. Also, the bassist gets plenty of attention as well, something not common in most metal bands these days (something I'm somewhat ashamed of, being a bass player myself). This guy's good, sounding more like an accomplished jazz player than a typical metal bassist, even when he's playing underneath the blatantly metal parts of the album. The two guitarists and the bassist present the listener with an almost acrobatic fluidness, an obvious technical mastery of their respective instruments that even rivals that of prog-metal mainstays Dream Theater. Many progressive music fans attempt to get into BTBAM but simply can't because of the screamed vocals. It's true, vocalist Tommy Rogers does scream the majority of his vocal parts, and that's an understandable qualm for people not used to heavy music. But "Colors" is such a powerful, expertly played record, any serious musician or music fan should try to ignore that aspect and give it a listen. Even if one doesn't find it personally appealing he or she will be hard pressed to deny that these guys are accomplished, well-rounded musicians, who can easily go beyond the confines of metal to delve into soft rock, complex fusion jazz, or even (though only for brief seconds) bluegrass or polka. "Colors" is truly an amazing record made by an amazingly giften young band, but it cannot be recommended for everyone simply because of the complexity and occasional harshness of the material. But if you're a fan of heavy or complex music, you'd be denying yourself a great pleasure by never checking out this album. It definitely deserves a five out of five. by Nick Watkins "Nick Watkins" 01 - Foam Born (A) The Backtrack.wma 02 - (B) The Decade Of Statues.wma 03 - Informal Gluttony.wma 04 - Sun Of Nothing.wma 05 - Ants Of The Sky.wma 06 - Prequel To The Sequel.wma 07 - Viridian.wma 08 - White Walls.wma WMA 320Kbps 44100Hz STEREO Follow me On Facebook Pages: MarcelodrgzTPB

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