I’ve heard some people say doom and/or sludge is an acquired taste. If that’s true then why is it that I like this stuff less each time I hear it? It’s not that I don’t understand it or “get” it. It’s just that I don’t like it and am way above it’s abject. It’s like the lowest common denominator of the metal/stoner rock scene. It’s like the indie snob mentality that makes my blood boil. They think they are as cutting edge as the typical PIXIES fans think they are. Many doom musicians (and their fans) are every bit as pretentious as well as being hacks that can hardly play their instruments. It’s not that they are too cool for guitar solos (as they would like you to believe), many simply cannot play them. As a higher intermediately skilled bassist with virtuosity almost always beyond my grasp, I can play this crap half asleep and not miss a note. Yada, yada.

Alright, it’s high time to deal with this band. Starting off “Stainless” is the tune “Skull and Bones”. This is a shameless SABBATH rip-off, although it’s not bad. Vocalist Shane Reneaux alternates between tough guy hardcore vocals and Ozzy-like crooning. Derivative or not, at least he delivers his part with some strength. “Locust Dreams In Potters Field” is not a bad attempt at a ballad if only the guitarists could keep their friggin’ guitars in tune. The song has a good grasp of dynamics and some of the bass guitar’s interplay with the drums is quite nice. It’s quite possible that it’s the best track here. I could never see the horrendous CROWBAR attempt something like this. “Threads of Wisdom” is about the only other thing here that really generates any kind of musicality otherwise. The closing number “Pacifier” is not a bad attempt at death metal, but it hardly saves this disc from its mind-numbingly monochromatic mediocrity. I think the comparisons to ST VITUS in their bio are a little off-base. Even more off is there supposed similarity to CELTIC FROST.

It appears the individual with the most talent to spare in PARABELLUM is bassist Todd the Viking. Most of the musical weight here is carried on his shoulders. The drumming is ok, but the bass drum could have been less padded. Muffling a ’24 or 26’ inch bass drum as much as they did is hardly a good idea and this recording is proof. The drums lack power overall and I think it may be more the engineer than the drummer. Sometimes they are almost completely buried by the guitars. Speaking of guitars, the two in this band spend so way too much time with unison riffs. Most of these riffs are quite pedestrian I might add (As a bass player I could do much better on guitar than both these guys put together and I bet you could to). I listen to this often wondering why there are two guitarists in this band instead of one. These bar-chord billys have very little creative sensibility (no effects but distortion – not even a wah pedal, shame on you guys), skill, and lack passion. I can’t say I dig this too much. Mediocre to the T.

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/parabellum

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