From A Second Story Window - Conversations
Ahh yes, a new album from the beloved 'From A Second Story Window'. Anyone who didn't appreciate or like "Delenda" is pretty much a fool. Anyways, rumors speculated around at this years metalfest (New England) that when they didn't show they broke up (scary stuff). Although it looks good to go. Conversations was released on May 27th and should already be in everyones favorite pile for the year 2008.
This album is nothing shy of simply amazing. Lyrically beautiful, vocally terrifying, musically profound. Since Will Jackson took over in 2005, 'From A Second Story Window' have done nothing but progress. Not to say their EP was bad (I loved it), but "Delenda" raised the bar for metal bands in America, and guess what, the bar has been raised again. Straying from the grind elements of "Delenda", "Conversations" takes a true metal approach. This album is beautiful, brutal, angry, and just plain violent. Will is just pure brilliance, ranging from melodic singing to screams and shrieks to death growls, nothing short of amazing. Although the whole album portrays they mixup between songs vocally, 'Leaving the Earth', track 3, truely shows each direction the band has taken on the new album.
Nick Huffman, FASSW's drummer has already earned himself the WORLD KNOWN AND APPROVED Thrash Magazine Drummer of the Year. Well, maybe not "World Known", but ya, you get the point. Each beat, each thump is done ith perfection. This is Between The Buried And Me or better quality. Some of the double bass work in songs like 'A Swarm of Bees' is simply stunning. My favorite drum track is 'Monumental Treason', just because it switches up a lot. It might not be the most difficult, but is is my favorite. He has some sick rolls on this track as well.
The guitar work is handled by Paul Misko and Rob Hileman, while the bass is fronted by Joe Sudrovic. Paul, Rob and Joe don't just compliment Will and Nick, they complete the band. Guitar licks are again, nothing shy of amazing, while it is refreshing to hear a bassist with a MIND OF HIS OWN. From the gentle track 'Most Of Us Are Normal' to the heavy hitters like 'The Burning Bush' and 'A Swarm of Bees' Paul and Rob do a solid job making each song its own unique FASSW track.
For a true grasp of this band, you really need to just spend a few bucks and listen to each and every song they have ever produced. "Delenda" was an amazing technical/grind metal album, while "Conversations" ranges from metal to progressive to rock to death/grind. "Conversations" is as technical as any, yet beyond the years of many. This is not only an album for the year, this is a GROUND BREAKING release from a band I hope sticks together. This is some of the most sound music I have heard in a long time.
Rating System
Thrash Magazine's overall rating system is based on the following criteria. From A Second Story Window received a 9.6 because of the following:
Instrumental Rating (1-30): 29
Vocal Rating (1-30): 29
Lyrical Rating (1-25): 24
Presentation Rating (1-15): 14