When I got the news that new music from Ben Averch was coming soon, I was pretty excited. I have been following his excellent music since his "Washington State" album (an album that i still hold in pretty high regards). I didn't know how long I would have to wait for the very first Midnight Lands album, "Destroy the World", but I was pretty happy just to know that new music was forthcoming. So it was with complete shock that the day after learning about the coming of the album, I was treated with the entire album. To thank Ben for the gift of his wonderful music, I thought I would do an "Initial Reaction" post for the album.
The album kicks off with "Catch And Release", and right away you can still hear the Rush influence, but he takes that sound, and with each album molds it into more his own. It's such a breath of fresh air to hear those vocals once again. With fantastic vocal harmonies, a killer guitar solo that would make Alex Lifeson proud, and a chorus with a melody that I can promise will be stuck in my heard for days, this song is a prime example why this man needs to be blowing up the charts. Such a great choice for an album opener.
The second track starts with some drums before jumping into the tune. "Love To Give", right off the bat, has some excellent lyrics. Such a great message on this one. The music, though once again reminding me of Rush (this tune has a very "Signals" era sound to my ears), takes up a very cool vibe through the guitars, and drums. Coupled with Ben's usual vocal delivery makes this another great song!
"Sea Break" takes on sort of a sluggish, plodding sound from the open. It's definitely a slower song, but I wouldn't call it a ballad. Though it is quieter, I think that there's just enough rock here to keep it from taking that ballad title. There is some really cool guitar work here, and a guitar solo that is just dripping with passion. I really enjoy the vocal melody on the chorus of this one. Ben has always had a great way of picking out a vocal melody for the music that he writes, and that is especially evident on this track. The outro music on this song is just amazing. I got goosebumps listening to this jam!
"Lost In Time" starts with an understated bass line that I just love. It really punches with the drums, and the vocals definitely help drive that rhythm home. I love it when a song can really get it's vibe from the bass guitar. It's such an underrated instrument, and I think that it's always good when it can get its moment in the sun. There is also some really great acoustic guitar work here. This track is an early standout for me. This one is definitely going to need repeated plays.
The next track, "New Dream Now" is another medium paced rocker. I love the guitar in the verses here, they work very well with the vocals. Once again, the chorus is just phenomenal. I just love the vocal melody here. This song is another vocal highlight so far, for me. The guitar solo on this one, while fairly brief, is another one of those Lifeson-esque moments, and that's a fact that is always a good one in my book.
The title track comes next, and is a bit of a darker song. Once again, the rhythm section really shines here, with the vocals and the guitar propelling the song forward, taking us all for quite a ride. I can see this one getting stuck in my head. So far, these are my favorite lyrics on the album. The last minute or so may be some of the most interesting, and fresh music that I have heard in a long time.I can definitely see why this track was chosen for the title track.
"Blood From A Stone" is the first real breather on the album, taking its spot as the first real ballad tune on the album. Kicking off with some acoustic and electric guitar, just drenched in emotion. In fine Rush-like fashion, even the ballads have to have their rocking moments, and this tune is a fine example of that. The lyrics are delivered with so much beauty in the vocals, that it would be hard to not see this one as a favorite on the album for me. I've always been a sucker for the quieter ones. This is such a beautiful song.
"Take Flight" is another slower paced song, but again, not exactly a ballad. There is some really cool electric guitar work here. In a perfect world, I could see this song performed live, with a full orchestra backing the band. With the vocals taking the forefront of the track, I think it would work really well with some strings. This one is a really cool song that I had to listen to twice just to fully get the beauty of the tune for this quick blurb about it. The instrumental section may be my favorite moment on the album up to this point. A definite contender for song of the year, in my opinion.
I don't now if all of the Rush comparisons are necessarily fair, as Midnight Lands have a sound that is really all its own, but "Slow Motion Disaster" sounds like something the band could have written in the 90's, but with a more modern flair. I can almost picture this being written on the acoustic guitar, and then it morphed into the rocker that it ends up being. Vocally, I believe that Ben hit it out of the park once again. Musically, I find myself really enjoying this tune. There is so much going on here, beneath the surface, that it will definitely take multiple listens to hear all of the beauty, and experimentation. Another great track!
"What Is Left To Prove" is a fun, hard rocker. This time it's the guitars that really propel this song forward. I really like the change of pace in the chorus of this tune. It takes the tune in a completely different direction than you would think. It works really well, with its dirty guitar sound, and Ben's fantastic vocals. The guitar solo on this one is another scorcher, and a definite high point of the album for me. It may be a bit brief, but a really cool look into the instrumental abilities of this phenomenal musician.
"Caught Outside" starts with some acoustic guitar, and vocals that I can only describe as a bit creepy. I just love the vibe that the intro to this song sets up. This track is unlike anything else on the album, and I really like it for that. It's a very simple song, but it's really quite beautiful. The vocals really get their time to shine, as the song never really picks up volume, choosing instead to rely on the absolute beauty of the acoustic guitar. This is a very nice ballad like track.
The album closes with a full on ballad. Once again, "Standing Above" really stands on its own with vocals, acoustic guitar, and some very tasteful background instrumentation. This tune is another absolutely beautiful track. And, cliché though it may be, I really find that the best was saved for the last. The song, and album, close with a beautiful solo on electric guitar, that you kind of don't want to see end so. But like all good things, the ending does come, and it brings with it goosebumps.
After just one listen to "Destroy the World", I'm taken aback by its beauty, and its masterfully written instrumentation. And of course, with all things Ben Averch, I am supremely impressed by the vocals. Ben has a unique voice, and I think that with the music that he writes, it really compliments the music well. And though I'm not sure that this album will take the place of "Washington State" as my favorite album from BA, I can say that my ears are better off for having heard it. This is a wonderful set of songs, and one that must be heard to be believed. So if you are a fan of good, well written prog rock, I recommend picking this one up at Ben's bandcamp page. It is well worth your money, and of course, your time!
Midnight Lands: Destroy the World
Comments
Post a Comment