Is this a difficult or an easy release to write about? Presumably analysed with Argus' eyes by a fellow user as well as fellow reviewer over at the Metal Archives, matters lay different in this regard. Different indeed. My writing style may be known. Trolling or odd facets or nuances would be spotted immediately, and the overall standard and level of expectation is of a different level compared to a review about another band. Or to put it in another way: a challenge. A challenge indeed.
Let us head off with something rather unexpected: best band eva!!!!11111!.
Alright, alright... that was some cheap trolling, but I could not resist the temptation.
Firstly, and to set matters straight, Adder's Fork's “The Fatalist” is not my particular tea. This has not so much to do with the level of musicianship, but rather with the intention as well as intensity of the music at hand. While I can appreciate the occasional slowing down of tunes, the emphasis on calm and harmonious melodies, it is not a kind I see myself listening to on a constant basis. The “in between” is what bothers me. I can appreciate folk. I can appreciate extreme metal. Yet, exactly in those aforementioned moments, the well nuanced, properly crafted as well as skilfully arranged music is what makes it difficult for me to enjoy. To me there is something missing, and I therefore tend to forward review requests as well as CDs to other persons, something that had happened more than once to be utterly honest, who happen to be more familiar with the genre of the music. But why not take up this very challenge, then?
W0rst band eva. Catas4rophe. D1sast3r.
Yes, some additional cheap trolling. I need to fill some space. Sorry. Or not.
Balancing on the outskirts of the metal scene at times, this Austrian band, a one-man-project, combines influences from a variety of genres; just have a look at the tags. The sound and the style are anything but modern. It breathes the air of dating a bit back, especially as it lacks the characteristics of the dynamics of modern metal. In some respect, it is refreshing to hear this laid back approach, because this is not something that is common these days. Yet it would still be more intense or “heavier” than what can be found on the radio; which is also due to the guitar lead riffs and the solo elements. With an emphasis on catchy melodies and a certain amount of variation in terms of the arrangements, the four tracks offer a surprising breadth in this regard. While the opener meanders between Hard Rock and Heavy/Gothic Metal, with the emphasis to be more on the latter of these two, especially the longer the track takes, the second one is much more laid back in sound and character; hardly any heavier guitar parts can be found there. The third track reprises the metal background of the person behind this band, while the last track is much more nuanced and less intense again.
The charm of this release is the utter disregard for what is commonly and currently listened to. It is really odd to experience the music; especially so on the first spin. In terms of playfulness, emphasis of melodic structures and atmosphere, it deviates from mainstream approaches. With no endless battle of riffs and solos, the music is conservative and daring at the same time. Well produced and presented, it is at least accessible without much effort, yet one needs to have knack for it. Melodic, calm, and maybe even slightly reclusive songs are offered here.
Personally, I like to have guitar driven music with more bite. Something that has a certain intensity to it. As this aspect is nowhere to be found here, it is somewhat of a challenge to fully enjoy the performance of Adder's Fork. Yet I still have to acknowledge the amount of consideration and energy that had been put into crafting the music and putting it all together. This is some well done piece of music.