Review Summary: Time marches on, and everything slowly changes
After a conceptual
A Dying Machine Mark Tremonti decided to take a breather, and on the new album of his eponymous project he returned to simpler and more traditional structure. Once again each of the tracks on
Marching in Time is a thing in itself, without any attempt to weave some kind of narrative.
Those familiar with Tremonti’s output know that Mark prefers systematic and incremental progress on every LP to abrupt jumps. And
Marching in Time is another example of that philosophy. Signature elements that serve as a backbone of the band’s sound are still there. We hear clean and melodic vocals, sweeping and emotional choruses, and heavy, aggressive riffs that evoke thrash and speed metal.
All of these we get from the first seconds of the opening
A World Away. A dark riff in the beginning is followed by a different one, this one’s quicker and resembling the sound of
Metallica, leading us to a typical Tremonti cut, as if from the
Cauterize/Dust era.
However, on
Now and Forever we begin to sense slight changes and shifts in accents and sound. The main riff seems a bit simpler, replacing melody with a pulsation more typical for groove and nu metal. And this refreshes the overall feel. What’s more interesting it seems like at the end of the song the riff is taking over the obligatory solo, drawing all attention and leading the track to closure.
And this groove, which goes hand in hand with some dissonance we also see on
Thrown Further and
Under the Sun. The latter also demonstrates some interesting dynamics. The penultimate track
Would You Kill can be a part of the group, with its opening riff reminding Tremonti’s debut
All I Was, but then it takes a slight left turn and switches to a riff full of groove and some unexpected nervousness. And
Bleak feels like something rawer, bringing to mind comparisons with the dirty sound of
Nirvana’s
In Utero.
The Last One of Us is also worth mentioning. On the one hand it is a typical Tremonti ballad, but its arrangement gives off a sense of something more minimalistic, and the closing solo creates the impression of careless improvisation. Compared to the precision that we usually hear on the Tremonti albums it does surprise.
And it is difficult to miss the eponymous track, which closes the record. Before Mark flirted a couple of times with a more progressive sound, with monumental and epic
Fortress from the
Alter Bridge’s 2013 release immediately coming to mind. Also notable is
A Dying Machine from the eponymous Tremonti album. And now
Marching in Time stands there among his best. It is an impressive musical canvas that unfolds over 7 minutes, grabbing the listener from its first seconds and not letting go until the last notes. Bravo, quite an achievement, Mark!
Summing up, it can be said Mark Tremonti continues to please his fans.
Marching in Time, while continuing to employ many of the staple elements, mixes in some new touches that provide a sense of freshness. It should also be noted that the album demonstrate maturation of Tremonti as a songwriter and vocalist. And even though
Marching in Time is not going be viewed as eye-opening in any way, its other achievements allow to just enjoy what presents in spades.
