OUTGUNNED
"Volume
I: Answering the Ceaseless Need" (Meant to Be Broken Records; 2007)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
Outgunned's "Volume I: Answering the Ceaseless Need" is a progressive rock album in the vein of Tool, Porcupine Tree and King's X. It's not as hard and heavy as those bands can be, but it comes close at times. It's nearly as complex, however, and fans of those bands will appreciate the intricacies of the band's songwriting and musicianship. The band themselves calls their style "hard art prog rock" and that's as fitting a description as any.
The band also says they do whatever they can to avoid doing what the audience expects next. For example, although this is clearly a progressive rock'n'roll record, there are no keyboards present throughout. Although not entirely successful in that goal, "Volume I" does offer a surprise here and there but this can also a detriment, sometimes making it too much of a challenge for the audience to easily go along for the ride.
"Volume I" is a little too avant-garde for my taste, with vocalist Andrew Saunders' almost ethereal voice and most tracks' haunting pace. Still, there's much to be admired here and fans of progressive rock will admire the band's efforts.
For more information, check out http://www.outgunnedonline.com.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2007 by R. Scott Bolton. All
rights reserved.
Revised: 18 Mar 2024 11:32:26 -0500
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