vanwarp's Full Review: Where Moth and Rust Destroy * by Tourniquet
Tourniquet is first and foremost a band with a message and I respect them for not attempting to shove anything down my throat. Uh? No preaching here folks, just looking at current issues from a different angle. The lyrics make you think and thats all, you make up your own mind and conclusions.
In a nutshell, the band plays melodic-technical thrash. The many influences Tourniquet manages to pour into their music is phenomenal. The use of a violin enhances the atmosphere and adds a nice touch on the album. Theres nothing like Tourniquet on the market right now as they play a style of music that is familiar but somewhat different from everything else out there.
Track Listing:
01. Where Moth and Rust Destroy
02. Restoring the Locust Years
03. Drawn and Quartered
04. A Ghost at the Wheel
05. Architeuthis
06. Melting the Golden Calf
07. Convoluted Absolutes
08. Healing Waters of the Tigris
09. In Death We Rise
The Band:
Ted Kirkpatrick - drums, rhythm guitar, dulcimer, 8-string bazuki
Luke Easter - vocals
Steve Andino - bass
Invited guest musicians:
Marty Friedman - lead guitar (Megadeth, Cacophony)
Bruce Franklin - lead guitar (Trouble, Supershine)
Artist: Tourniquet
Album Title: Where Moth and Rust Destroy
Genre: Progressive Thrash Metal
Label: Metal Blade
Playing time: 59m19s
Official Home Page URL: http://www.tourniquet.net/
Similar to: Metallica, Anthrax, Megadeth, Watchtower, Iron Maiden, Shadows Fall, The Haunted, Candlemass.
What to expect?
Multi-instrumentalist Ted Kirkpatrick is the only remaining founding member of the band. Guest musician Marty Friedman plays all lead guitars with the exception of two funky style solos provided by Bruce Franklin.
To further describe Tourniquets music, the following band bio quote hits the nail on the head: Beethoven meets Frankenstein. Can you imagine that?
Where Moth and Rust Destroy is thrashy, classically influenced, progressive, and contains superb technical prowess and a wonderful array of vocal styles to come out of just one vocalist. All songs are full of ideas and are filled with exciting twists and unexpected breaks. The album contains a lot of variation, ranging from fast-paced thrash metal with mid-paced melodic sections to soft acoustic passages.
Some highlights worthy of mention:
Drawn And Quartered begins with a wonderful guitar/violin harmony. At the two minute mark the song takes an unexpected twist and turns into a head-banging-thrash-fest. Bachs fugues and Beethovens symphonies are some of the influences touched upon here.
The 9m30s jaw-dropping Healing Waters Of The Tigris begins with an acoustic intro before moving into melodic-progressive-thrash-fest territory! The hypnotic instrumental passages and killer guitar riffs make this track one of the most memorable on the album.
Other influences:
Melting The Golden Calf is yet another stellar moment which reminded me so much of Megadeth.
A Ghost At The Wheel reminds one of Metallica's For Whom The Bell Tolls.
The doomy In Death We Rise with its mournful violin work could pass for something that Candlemass would have written, displaying another interesting side of the band.
Architheuthis reminds one of early Anthrax.
To Conclude:
There is a lot to take in on this disc, requiring more than just a few spins to digest everything. I got this CD from a friend, we exchanged music and we both enjoyed being introduced to a new band. I introduced him to Green CarnationsLight of Day, Day of Darkness and I got hooked on TourniquetsWhere Moth and Rust Destroy. I was very surprised to discover that this band had released six full length albums, two EPs, an acoustic album, a best-of compilation, five home videos and through it all I had never heard of them. Even though I believed that I was open minded, I think that the fact that Tourniquet was labeled as a Christian band may have turned me away from their music in the past. Now, Where Moth and Rust Destroy has changed all of that! :)
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