The Siren is Wailing… Nytrate Album Review
The Siren is Wailing…
Nytrate Album Review
By Boris Lee
Once upon a time, in Arlington Texas, a little band known as Nytrate decided to break the mold.
The opening track to the album, “Regret” kicks things off with a drumbeat that pays homage to classic metal anthem fashion songs, yet when Zev joins in on the bass, the beat takes on a modern stroke. Nytrate guitarist, Jimmy Adcock’s, Vivian Campbell fashioned “Riffology,” joins the melodic fray, setting the stage for “The Siren” to cast her vocal spell upon the listener’s ears.
The second track, “Know It All,” may be the true mentality of the band, as far as song placement on the album is concerned. The pace of the song is slower than that of its predecessor and the rhythm heavier, bringing about a statement of the band’s diversity.
“Insane.” This song bares feeling within the lyrics and translates into Alli’s vocal performance, almost as though the song is an emotional venting for The Siren. Actual emotional content in lyrics today is rare in music, not just in the metal music community. “Insane,” is a refreshing release from the standard metal music track, and I find it the perfect song to keep the listeners appetites moist and wanting, and help build up to the first of the three highlights of the album.
“Your Time to Die.” Nytrate played their cards right, in releasing this song as essentially the first single off the album. The heightened pace of the song, the brutal rhythmic pulse created by bass and drums working in proper unison, is the perfect foundation for Jimmy to lay his amazing guitar licks over. Alli Clay displays a Magical vocal range within just this song alone, which shows her ability to balance intensity with finesse. If there ever was a time when the vocalist styling of the legendary band, Heart, procreated with Rob Zombie, this song by Nytrate would be the Spawn of that copulation.
“G.F.Y.” is the next track on the album, and has a commercial feel that does not lose its ability to stay original, and send a message of love and caring sentiment to those whom have scorned one in life.
“Death in the Family,” the sixth track on the album, is intense and wild. A bit of a smash up brutality and “Balladic” composure that takes one back to when music presented things such as tempo change and song structure.
Track seven is the second highlight of the album and arguably the strongest song on the entire album. “Back to The Grind” opens with a tutorial in metal music making, with a perfectly balanced piece between Jimmy’s guitar work and the entire rhythm section. Zev beats the bass like Geezer Butler and the “Hair God,” lays down drum tracks perfect in beat and tonality, reminding me of Scott Travis. When Alli comes in with her vocals, there is no doubt left why she is known as, “The Siren.” Powerful vocals that are point in key and pitch and in unison with her band mates, not over shadowing them, yet complimenting them. This is a future classic metal song.
The closing track by Nytrate on their debut release presents an encore craving power in, “Judgment Day.” This song is arguably the strongest offering on the album, closing the record out with another clinic in metal music creation. From start to finish, the song is equal parts beast in energy and serenity in musical execution. If I was to turn a new fan onto Nytrate, this is the song I would play for them first. ie
Too many times, bands today write music, take what seems an eternity in doing so, and once they release said music, they leave the listener to say, “This took you guys that long to put together?” Bands release an album, and that album ends up in a glove box of a car, discarded and unmemorable. Nytrate has done the opposite. The time they took in creating their debut release shows their passion for putting out music that will outlive the ink used to make the album cover.
Nytrate has done an excellent job in not becoming just another bar band with a record. They did this album right, doing themselves justice, showing the heart they put into their music in the final product. Metal music has long missed this from new bands or even veteran bands. Just check out releases by Judas Priest, Slayer, and Anthrax over the past ten years to hear my point. Nytrate did something that I have only seen in one other band in the past ten years, and that band called themselves, “Heaven and Hell” for their final collaborative before we lost the late great Dio.
Nytrate’s debut album has the power and displays of talent, that Black Sabbath put forth on their first outing with Dio at the helm, the classic, “Heaven and Hell.” Nytrate’s debut release is a showcase of the band’s ability to shine as individuals and a unit. The band has a similar chemistry working for them that the Dio fronted era of Sabbath did. From beginning to end, Nytrate’s debut album will keep you, the “Metalhead,” enthralled.
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