Estimated reading time: 4 minute(s)
I was frankly surprised by your reactions to the new album. I loved it on first listen, and that feeling hasn’t really changed after repeated listenings. I don’t care much for the ballad, but otherwise, the introduction of death and black metal elements seems to have reinvigorated their sound, even though the album becomes a little more thrashy in some parts. I just love the manic energy and freshness of it. I really wasn’t expecting this kind of evolution from a bunch of guys in their late fifties and early sixties! And the only young guy, Chris Dovas, is a monster drummer—what a kick in the ass he is!
I guess I really enjoy hearing Eric’s songwriting, Chuck’s vocals, and Alex’s soloing occupy this new musical space and make it work. It’s a bit like watching your favorite soccer team play basketball—and be good at it! Going back over recent albums also reminded me how consistently good they have been at creating a modernized version of their original sound. I really hadn’t appreciated those albums as much as I should have. So, I get why you might not like the new album if you were hoping for a continuation of the style they’ve been doing so well with on recent releases. I hadn’t gotten into those albums as much as I should have, so my expectations for Para Bellum were lower. Does that make sense?
Anyway, I recommend giving it a second chance—but this time, give some extra credit for a bunch of old dogs doing new tricks! I like to hope we can all continue to grow and evolve, even as we approach our golden years.
