11 songs / 70 minutes
Metal Blade
- 10 -
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I can't remember when was the last time that I wrote a review with the Bible next to me. Mmmh,
I think this might even be the first such review. In fact Tourniquet are one of those bands that
have a huge reputation in Christian movements, but have not yet found access to neutral people.
They must have released already a whole bunch of CDs (ok, I admit, I lost the info sheet) in the
ten years of their existence, but as far as I know, 'MVOATR' is their first release on Metal
Blade, a label that releases as well Satanic (Mercyful Fate) as Christian (Galactic Cowboys)
records. Funnily enough, the label doesn't tell the audience that Tourniquet are a Christian band,
and why should they, as it's the music that matters. After years of no real innovations in
metal music, Tourniquet are a breeze of freshness. Not that they reinvent music, but they are
crossovering many different style in such a homogenic way, that it is somehow very original.
The main ingredient is progressive thrash metal, but there are also a lot of melodic, rock and
even hardcore elements, and above all the latter come so naturally that an ex-prog band like Hades
could well learn a lesson or two. It's astonishing how Tourniquet play a fast Slayer chord to
lead it into a Biohazard-like chorus, just to switch the next moment to a Psychotic Walth ballad
part, until they find back their own style. It's hard, even impossible to describe accurately,
you really have to listen to the CD to understand what it is about, musically. The songs are
generally very long, but never boring, and even Steve Rowe from the Christian death metal band
Mortification is singing on one of the songs. There are furthermore some cello and flute parts
that transform songs like the opener 'Besprinkled By Scarlet Horror' or the epic closing track
'The Skeezix Dilemma Part II' into true jewels.
On to the lyrics now: every song is introduced by a Bible verse (Mortification did this already
years ago), and I even cared to look them up. Tourniquet seem to be very engaged Christians, and
their lyrics are mostly about spiritual issues. I can't say that I always share their opinion,
but that's just normal, me being an Atheist, so the least I can say is that these boys know what
they sing about, and deserve the same respect as Satanists who are really into their own cult.
I won't let my rating be influenced by different beliefs, and therefore give this record the
maximum rating and suggest that every lyrically tolerant metal or rock fan shouldn't hesitate to
listen to this highly original output.
More about Tourniquet can be found on their
homepage.
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