Burst - Lazarus Bird
Rating
RIYL
The OceanCult of Luna
Breach
Tracklist
1. I Hold Vertigo2. I Exterminate the I
3. We are Dust
4. Momentum
5. Cripple God
6. Nineteenhundred
7. (We Watched) the Silver Rain
8. City Cloaked
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Relapse Records has long been heralded as champions of unique, exciting, and creative extreme music. When the label signed little known Swedish metalcore outfit Burst, expectations were high for an, as of yet, unproven band. Fortunately for metal fans, Relapse struck sonic gold as Burst offered up two albums of exceptional quality, Prey on Life and Origo. Both records showcased an explosive combination of progressive metalcore and post-rock tendencies that left listeners and critics clamoring for more of the quintet’s heavy metal innovation. After 3 years and extensive touring in both Europe and the States, Burst has released yet another musical gem with 2008’s Lazarus Bird.
The steady rhythmic chugging that opens “I Hold Vertigo” does little to prepare the listener for the unexpected twists and turns the song soon takes. From this typical metalcore riff, the band builds into monstrous melodies and electronically tinged waves of sound. This structure is emblematic throughout the album, as seemingly conventional songwriting becomes the basis for experimentation and sonorous evolution. For instance, the frenetic strumming that charges to the forefront just over four minutes into “We are Dust” embodies the ‘6 Million Dollar Man’ approach (better, stronger faster) Burst seems to apply to song construction. For those of you wondering what I mean when I call Burst a “progressive metalcore” band, this song is it: their ability to defy convention by using the form itself as a springboard for new ideas is genius in its simplicity and inspiring in the potential future uses.
The often punishing guitar work of Jonas Rydberg and Robert Reinholdz is tempered by a soft side that is frequently explored throughout Lazarus Bird. With influences ranging from The Mars Volta’s experimental style of indie/prog-rock to the subtly despondent ambiance of later era Neurosis, the soundscapes created are at once beautiful and forceful. For instance, the introduction to “City Cloaked” elicits a powerful emotional connection with the solemn clean guitar passage, analogous to becoming emotionally invested in the characters of an award winning film. “Cripple God” is another great example of riffs that express a strong and meaningful attitude while superficially appearing to be unassuming filler. The skill and artistic development of Rydberg and Reinholdz is demonstrated in tunes such as “I Exterminate the I” with their clever juxtaposition of spacey guitar twinkling and tumultuous leads. Prey on Life showed that they could write both bone crunching guitar riffs and atmospheric interludes. Origo was an exercise in both technical precision and early flirtations with heartfelt songwriting and expressive musical ideas. These early experiments with the elements of their present sound produced some great music, but it is not until the advent of Lazarus Bird that Rydberg and Reinholdz’s talents were truly realized.
The vocals are one of the few aspects of Burst’s music that might turn the unfamiliar listener off to Lazarus Bird. Vocalist Linus Jägerskog has a one of a kind shout that can be difficult to appreciate upon the first listen, but with repeat attempts, his hardcore influenced bellow grows to be pleasing. His yell is also a crucial, irreplaceable component in Burst’s aural assault. In addition, Jägerskog and company contribute large sections of melodic singing and spoken passages into nearly all of the 8 songs on Lazarus Bird. “(We Watched) the Silver Rain” makes extensive use of clean vocals to set the track apart both thematically and musically. The chorus of, “We watched the silver rain, the tranquil silver rain,” combined with the repetitive, melancholic guitar motif is among the more powerful and beautiful sections of music I’ve ever heard.
The drummer and bassist bother perform adequately if not admirably, but considering the complexity and focus on the guitar work and vocals, both are outshined. Drummer Patrik Hultin takes advantage of the sporadic sections of extended calm to provide some interesting cymbal work, but other than the occasional fill or rhythmic build up (as in the beginning of “The Silver Rain”), his work mostly serves to compliment the primary rhythm rather than stand alone or act as a counterbalance. Interestingly enough, bassist Jesper Liveröd previously played the four-string for influential grindcore legends and fellow Swedes Nasum, although none of the blistering speed or political leftism of the aforementioned carried over with him.
My complaints with Lazarus Bird are minor and are probably trifling, but the slight criticisms are worth mentioning. At the end of “I Hold Vertigo” the stop/start outro riff continues for nearly 30 seconds after the rest of the band has stopped playing. This wouldn’t be a bad thing except that the riff itself is grating and piercing when removed from the rest of the instruments. Also, 30 seconds seems an arbitrary length of time to continue playing something so repetitive and obnoxious. There are a few other spots on the disc that contain phrases that repeat for a strange amount of measures followed by a sudden change to the next riff with no audible reason or musical rule behind it (such as the bass transition at 2:51 in “The Silver Rain”). Lazarus Bird is a progressive enough album without resorting to shallow attempts at keeping the listener on their toes as to what’s next. The production could also use some tweaking. I’m tired of producers who don’t incorporate the lower frequencies into the albums they mix and master. The whole album could have benefited from a thicker, deeper crunch. The added punch would have drastically improved the impact and muscle of the songs, but alas, there is only a mediocre bottom end to support the bevy of musical ideas floating on the surface. But, as I said, these complaints are trivial in the face of the overwhelming positive qualities Lazarus Bird possesses.
It’s hard to not have at least heard of Burst these days. The band has been a cover story for many metal music magazines as well as receiving a great deal of press and critical acclaim for 2005’s Origo. Even disregarding the previous reasons, the fact that they are signed to underground metal’s titanic Relapse Records generates the Swedish quintet a substantial amount of buzz by itself. But if for some reason you’ve never heard of them or never given the group a solid listen, consider yourself fortunate that Burst’s latest album is their most realized and complete work. The potential that was foreshadowed in their past efforts has finally coalesced after 3 long years, culminating in eight songs displaying masterful composition and musicianship. The ancient Greeks believed that those who created great works of art and beauty were rewarded with immortality after death. With Lazarus Bird, Burst has earned ever-lasting life, and they didn’t even have to die first.
--Ian Woods
Comments
East Lansing, MI
PA
Music Blog.
Depths blog. (my band)
Ann Arbor, MI
DETH ROK!!!!
Bayside,NY
Sacramento, CA
I'm not here to make things better; only to observe and pass judgement.
Claremont, CA
JMU
Also, I'm quite proud of this review and would like some feedback as to what you guys thought of the article itself (strengths, weaknesses, etc.). I'm trying to grow as a writer and figure that it couldn't hurt to get feedback, even if it's just on a review and not a serious essay. Thanks!
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JMU
I hate that I didn't catch that error earlier. Elicits... fucking elicits!
Minnesota
Wow, your editor must be terrible... wait...
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