posted 02/03/2009 (Tue) @ 06:30 pm
>>> Music Reviews
Opus Dai - Touch The Sun [EP] (2008)
Hard Rock / Alt-Metal / Alternative
The spirit of Hendrix compels you!
Sandcastles- Sinking Ship
- The Day The World Stopped Turning
- Cry Of Architeuthis
- Touch The Sun
Opus Däi’s Tierra Tragame LP was a nice pick-me-up in 2006. As if sensing the need for a record to tide us over in-between albums from dredg or Fair to Midland, these Angelino alt-metalheads “Rain”-ed down old school crunchy guitars and gripped throats/sacks with slow, epic arias like “Bella Christa.” If it were the ’70s, the vocal touchstone would be Robert Plant. Since it’s the ’00s (for now), the go-to faux-castrato is now Matt Bellamy. Yeah… kinda. But with a touch more balls (read: no pianos allowed).
So, of course, now Opus Däi have been forced to replace their vocalist for Touch the Sun. It’s not entirely a bad decision—worse would have been to call it quits altogether—but Opus newcomer Tim Neighbors, while completely competent (shit, can you sing that high?), is a new flavor of aggressive, and slightly more on the shrieky side at times.
Don’t worry, nothing tinnitus-inspiring. But his performances sometimes lack the oomph Chris-Paul Basso brought to the table. Take 1:41 of “Sinking Ship”… double-yew tee eff, mate? Was there a CD manufacturing error? How did I end up with part of a My Chemical Romance tune in here?
Such gaffs, though, are exceedingly rare. Nothing foul can be said about guitarist and consummate badass Atsushi Miyamoto’s continued parade of nailgun-to-the-head axework. His parts tie the band together with a singularly Hendrixian vim. High energy tunes like “Sandcastles” or “Sinking Ship” peg the headbang-o-meter into the red without deteriorating into sludge like every other hard rock band on the gravy train/radio. Instead, Miyamoto opts for propulsive riffage, stabs of staccato chordwork and long, out-of-nowhere slides, front and center. Like Jimi, he’s capable of exercising restraint, too. The title track is a hushed, finger-plucked affair, and “Cry Of Architeuthis,” while still electric, is downright Spartan in construction.
The jury’s still out on their new pipes, but Opus Däi in general are something any good Guitar Hero would enjoy. If they make another full length, you’ll see Zeppelin fans dancing in the aisles with glee. Let’s hope they keep on pluckin’. Cross your fingers.
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Tags: alt-metal, alternative, hard rock, hendrix, led zeppelin, opus dai, touch the sun
