With the release of their eighth LP The North Corridor, Chevelle have cemented their discography as one of the greatest available among modern alternative metal acts. With most of the genre fading or exploring crossover options, it is truly a blessing to have a quality group like this to rely on for carrying the torch once in a few years. The fact that they seem to get better with each release these days is almost too good to be true, and their latest release continues the trend.
The North Corridor is absolutely off the wall from start to finish. Chevelle become more creative than they have ever dared. The rhythms are diverse, droning, and hypnotic; whilst the melodies feature precision riffage, topped with crisp production. Lead single, “Joyride (Omen)” is absolutely crunchy through its crystal clear guitars and Bernardini’s unbelievably groovy main bass lick.
In reality though, “Joyride” could be the worst song on this record, and that is becoming a trend with Chevelle. Their mainstream-accessible singles are starting to sound a bit bland, but only by design. They sound so slick with everything new that they try on this release that it nearly overshadows the moments where they deliver their raw trademark sound. The heavier cuts “Enemies” and closer “Shot from a Cannon,” both explore underlying areas of tension and simultaneously pummel you with bludgeoning heavy metal grooves. Elsewhere, they generate true beauty with unlikely sonic pairings, namely on the bridges of centerpiece tracks “Young Wicked,” and “Warhol’s Showbiz;” the latter of which is easily one of the greatest pieces of Chevelle’s repertoire.
They continue the practice started with their previous record La Gargola in excluding the one or two softer acoustic cuts that would make nearly every Chevelle record’s track list since the debut. This time things get as soft as “Punchline” which is about as heavy/soft as La Gargola’s closer “Twinge.” Contraster "Rivers" applies the fake out technique, initially appearing in its intro as the records acoustic cut, but quickly erupts into a metal behemoth.
Ultimately however, the best of times come from the mid-tempo grinders “Door to Door Cannibals” and “Last Days.” These tracks highlight the strong sense of professionalism Chevelle has incorporated into their present style. They don’t necessarily rely on angry or unsettling melodies (as with much of their earlier work) but rather there are feelings of dominance and confidence prevalent on these tracks that complement Chevelle’s identity perfectly. It sounds uplifting, yet tough as hell.
Such a very small margin of The North Corridor would fall below the ‘Fantastic’ benchmark. Chevelle has managed to retain the wealth of their great decisions over the years, and continue to make new ones on this latest release. With only improvements present, it is difficult to refuse holding this record in some sort of higher regard. It is uncommon for artists (especially bands in this genre) to release their best album at 8 releases into their career, but who is to complain? Chevelle have beaten the odds and are withstanding the test of time like gods. As listeners, we are very lucky that we can be sure their next album will be as great if not better.
