Review Summary: "The universe is always changing / yet we need time to experience the differences"
"
War is hell. The earth has now become a living wasteland, one that bakes in its own danger, fear, insanity, hostility, and uncertainty. War has torn apart the planet, creating national hazards and breakdowns in civilization. A catalyst of cascading, secret operations was formed secretly in a bill passed through the U.S. Congress, for illegal selling of nuclear weaponry between terrorists and invaders.
However, one man would make it his goal to restore the world. His name was Jack.
Over the months, Jack's attempts to build a nation of purists and fighters from ignored civilizations and neglected war companies was denied, violently and verbally. After what seems like lost hope, that all changes when he is accepted by the government to lead a group of 1000 men, women, and children. Over one brutal, ruthless, and hectic year, Jack and his followers are able to restore the war-torn world. However, there would be other civilizations that would disagree with Jack's actions. He is then neglected and wanted worldwide, suspected of terrorism. Jack attempts to hide underground, and his actions reward him with a life away from attack. And yet, this is not enough. As he grabs the one sharp object he may find, he slowly writes in the dirt underground, for whoever to find it: "We're all fighting just one big war. - Jackson".
However, it is later revealed too late, in a twist of events, that Jack is in part the reason for the worldwide disasters and, ironically, the cause for the apocalypse. The followers were multiple personalities, a mind broken into fragments, all of them full personalities, that overtook the bodies of 1000 human beings, and eventually Jack confined himself within the thoughts of his own mind, turned into actions.
Nearly twenty thousand years later, one girl finds Jack's writing underground. And she gives a knowing smile."
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And thus accurately describes one of the single most haunting concept albums ever. The Arizona Killers, before this album, had already gained underground popularity with their "big three" attempts,
Arizona Killers, Ghost of the Damned, and EMP. Magazines such as Hit Parader, RevelationZ, and The Sentry had called them brilliant. With a heavy sound, emotional lyrical topics, and a hint of post-rock, Arizona Killers soon became popular in the underground genre. And now, nearly 7-8 years later, comes Elemental War, a dark concept album that accurately describes insanity siphoning away humanity.
The brilliant storyline is also one of the most confusing. The term "Elemental War" here, both in the track and album, describes Jack becoming, due to chaos ripping away his personality, sanity, and any sense of right and wrong away, a horrid force of nature. The term can also be used to describe Jack creating some of the most hellistic atmospheric conditions during his year-long, personality-split rampage (as described here: "
Lightning strikes catch fire, bodies thrown on the funeral pyre. As we have begun to reshape the world, it is time to bring forth the wind and this elemental catastrophe". It can also describe a force of nature at war with himself, which, in a way, is what the album is.
Musically,
Elemental War is fantastic. While not discerning itself to be heavy metal, the pure darkness of the entire album could make it more of a mix between hard rock, progressive, and black metal.
Axl Long is the main guitarist for the album. Think of Axl Long as a mix between Tony Iommi and Paul Masvidal. The progressions of the seven songs here are long and varied, the standout in the title track. It starts out with a fire burning, slowly sizzling into embers. We hear, what we assume is Jack crunch his boots in what could be snow. The steps then stop, and we hear wind begin to fly. We then hear corrosive acid burning into the ground, lightning crashing into the ground, and loud explosions. Once the second lightning strike is heard, Long then plays the eight-note riff:
waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh-dundundun-duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun-wahdunbwaaaaa. Pure chaos. The progressions and solos in the song are so heavy it's ferocious.
The bass is the second highlight of the album. The first time it becomes apparent is right at the beginning and end of the album: it begins and ends with a bass solo, using one sound effect: a book slowly being turned, the whispery scrapes easily heard. Simon Priest thumps along at a great speed, keeping up with the rhythm of each song.
Gregg Travis has always been a terrific vocalist, and his vocals are at his best since their self-titled second release. His wailing will send chills through your spine, and his explosive voice proves to be an enjoyable one. Using a synthesizer, however, rhythm guitarist
Roland Coles provides electronic vocals. In a more melodic approach, the metallic vocals are bitter and cynical, for every lyric chosen, like the chorus of
The Revelations (
And even in the afterlife, I'll still be fighting for my nation..... You don't know who you are, this is your last revelation...). His rhythm guitar work is eerily quiet compared to most, a more straightforward approach. Such as the generic riffs on
The Elemental War and You'll Know It When It Happens.
And the booming drums. As if the atmospheric nature of the album wasn't intense enough, the crashing, roaring drum beats in the background only add to it. From the uproarious beat in
The Revelations, the deep pounding in
Elemental War,
Michael Priest does a great job on drums. The pace of the drums matches perfectly with the bass, and the progressions match with the guitar. It mixes itself in with the music, an absolute work of genius.
The emotional level of this album is still really high, nearly five years later. You'd be hard pressed to find one album like this. It's tragic, inspiring, thought-provoking, bitter, harsh, painful, and definitely not easy to listen to, considering its horrible plot twist and likable protagonist. The sheer atmosphere of it all, however, makes it one of the most entertaining releases this year. It's seven tracks over thirty-two minutes of their more experimental sounds (their latest album, though, is supposed to be a concept album). And while it is far from perfect, it is a redemption quest, after their stream of bad albums. And victory is so sweet.
