First off can I just say how sick I am of albums billed as a “full-length LP” featuring less than 10 songs? Unless your name is Isis, Neurosis, or Pelican (To name a few, obviously) and the average length of one of your songs is 6-12 minutes then a measly eight songs ain’t cuttin’ it (Phil’s not the only one, mind you, just the most recent example).
End tirade.
Superjoint Ritual, Arson Anthem, Down, Pantera….it’s all led to this, hasn’t it? Phil Anselmo is going at it alone and Walk Through Exits Only is the end game. It’s short, it’s sweet, it’s uninspired drivel is what it ultimately is. What you end up with after eight tracks is a messy glob of sounds that definitely does not have a solid voice overall. At times Anselmo is trying to be Eyehategod and then there’s this Dimebag-style shredding all over the place that comes off as tacky mostly…like a Pantera cover band. It’s embarrassing actually.
If you’re still sticking around after the mad metal march of “Music Media Is My Whore” and the Trendkill-inspired wailings of “Battalion of Zero” then kudos to you! What comes next is more of the same: Lots of screaming and gruff vox, erratic time changes, and sanctimonious guitar noodlings. Seriously kids, this is not good.
“Irrelevant Walls And Computer Screens” is pretty interesting especially the instrumental aftermath and is probably the only saving grace of Walk… but the track is also over twelve minutes long and has everything AND the kitchen sink in there. I guess it does follow the mantra of “save the best for last” but there’s also this one: “too little too late”. Stick with Down, Phil, and let Pepper Keenan come out with a “solo” album instead. Please?
Walk Through Exits Only is out through Housecore Records on July 16th. You can get yer very own copy over here.
Grade: F