| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: Bride |
| Record Label: Retroactive | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2006 | Artist Website: Bride |
| Tracks: 14 | Rating: 90% |
| Running Time: 54:12 |
Bride has been around the block musically throughout its three decades of existence. The band got its start with the goth-like heavy metal of its 1986 debut Show No Mercy before releasing the power metal and thrash influenced sounds of its follow up efforts Live To Die (1988) and Silence Is Madness (1989). The early nineties, however, saw Bride move in a bluesy hard rock direction with Kinetic Faith (1991), Snakes In The Playground (1992) and Scarecrow Messiah (1994), an era in which fans and critics alike agree that the band reached its creative and artistic pinnacle. The underrated acoustic laced Drop followed in 1995 before Bride recorded the more modern flavorings of The Jesus Experience (1997) and Oddities (1998). Bride even went so far as to experiment with rap core on Fist Full Of Bees (2001) only to return to its straightforward hard rock roots with the gritty This Is It (2003).
Skin For Skin, the latest endeavor from Bride, finds the band moving in the same hard rocking direction of This Is It but heavier and with more attitude and all out raw energy. What we end up with is Bride’s most guitar driven effort in literally years, a work in which the band successfully captures much of the power and pure dynamism it exhibited on Snakes In The Playground. The album, for example, is built upon a foundation of catchy and groove laden hard rockers such as “Hard To Kick”, “Fuel & Fire”, “Bang Goodbye”, “Rise Above” and “Super Ego Star” that would not sound out of place on any of the bands early nineties releases. But when you go beneath the surface, however, you will find Bride drawing upon its sound from the eighties as well, reflected in the power metal lacings of “Skin For Skin” and “Inside Ourselves”, the only tracks here to feature double bass, in addition to the thrash feel that “Take The Medication” brings to the table. In the end, Skin For Skin can best be described as an effort which is directly influenced by just about every era in the bands career.
Founding Bride members vocalist Dale Thompson and guitarist Troy Thompson continue to be a force to be reckoned with. Dale highlights the project with his trademark impassioned and raspy vocal style, adding an element of grit and gravel to his delivery on several tracks, most notably “End Of Days”, “Inside Ourselves” and “The Government”. Troy contributes the needed crunch on rhythm guitar in addition to showcasing his bluesy and at times soulful work on lead guitar. A special guest appearance is made by Steve Osborne on lead guitar – the bands former guitarist that contributed the monster lead work to its earlier efforts Show No Mercy and Live To Die – who does not disappoint, best adorning “Inside Ourselves” with his technical style of playing. Long term Bride bassist Lawrence Bishop anchors the albums low end with drummers Jason Lewis and Mark Gray.
As for the albums production values? Well, all the necessary ingredients are here: The drums are pulsating, the rhythm guitar crashing and the lead guitar work fluid and clean.
“The Calm” is a brief (:55) instrumental carried by a swirling blend of guitar and drums that fades in and out of the mix.
“Skin For Skin” immediately kicks in to a double bass driven riff, storming ahead with an abundance of fury and fire before culminating for a catchy chorus delivered in perfect sublime fashion. A furious blend of rhythm and lead guitar reinforces an extended instrumental section. The albums title track can best be described as one of its more raucous and up-tempo numbers.
A more modern feel is showcased on “End Of Days”, a heavy duty composition that moves forward to a bouncing guitar riff that almost brings to mind Marilyn Manson. A nice contrast is put in place, nevertheless, as a driving chorus in which Dale cuts loose with some coarse growling is followed by a slowly moving passage highlighted by light and airy backing vocals. A mind number assault of piercing riffs and cascading drums holds sway over a frenetic instrumental section.
The thrash influenced “Take The Medication” invites a comparison to “Out For Blood” and “Fire And Brimstone”, two of the heavier tracks from Live To Die. The song begins ominously to an instrumental section shouldered by a driving and near doom-like guitar riff. Picking up in pace prior to reaching its first verse, “Take The Medication” gradually chops its way forward only to decelerate for a passage giving rise to a softer and gentler touch. This represents a literal calm before the storm, however, as the song regains its initiative for the hard hitting and forceful sounding chorus that follows. Troy shows off his abilities with a radiant display of lead guitar work.
“Inside Ourselves” represents one of the albums finest moments. Introduced to a riff that comes across as tight as stink, the song moves through its first verse to an upfront mix of bass guitar before the rhythm guitar returns with an abundance of angst laden impetus. “Inside Ourselves” proceeds to forge ahead at an anthem-like mid-tempo pace, not coming to a head until reaching an energy-laden chorus with a huge, catchy hook. And in case you missed it, Osborne makes his presence felt with his skillfully done work on lead guitar.
A churning blend of rhythm guitar and drums drives “Hard To Kick” forward from the start. Tapering off to a pronounced bass line upon reaching its first verse, momentum is gained as a muscular rhythm guitar kicks in and drives the song to a deep and resounding groove flavored chorus. I like how this one combines a near foreboding feel with a good, catchy hook.
After “Fuel And Fire” jumps out of the gate at a romping upbeat tempo, a bristling wall of rhythm guitar that bounces in and out of the mix compels the song through its verse portions strong and steady. Picking up further in pace, an electrified setting is put in place as “Fuel And Fire” transitions to a vibrant chorus delivered with an abundance of hook-laden ambition. The tempo slowly decelerates throughout an instrumental section carried by a bluesy guitar solo.
The catchy “Breathless” moves the album in a commercial hard rock direction. The song opens slowly to a few seconds of open air rhythm guitar, evening out to a smooth sounding mid-tempo pace for its first verse prior to gaining force for a chorus with one of those infectious hooks that will refuse to leave your head. The melody here is quite pronounced and has that “play me on the radio and I’m guaranteed to dominate” feel.
“Prodigious Savant” is a short (:33) piano based instrumental.
A crunchy rhythm guitar highlighted by a throaty growl from Dale gets the driving hard rocker “Bang Goodbye” underway. Moving through its verse portions with just the right amount of choppy impetus, the song escalates in intensity until breaking out in a spirited manner for a catchy chorus carried at an enticing upbeat tempo. Tapering off, “Bang Goodbye” reaches a slowly moving passage fortified by a trace of keyboards before regaining its momentum for a brief instrumental section buttressed by a rumbling rhythm guitar.
The open air rhythm guitar at the start of “Rise Above” is soon joined by a blend of hammering drums and pulsating bass lines. Slowly driven through its verse portions by a grinding guitar riff, impetus is gained as the song moves ahead to a hard hitting chorus accentuated by a trace of swirling vocal harmonies. A very well done blues based guitar solo helps put the song over the top.
“The Government” is jump started to a snappy guitar riff before Dale takes over on lead vocals. Buzzing ahead at a chugging mid-tempo pace, a time change is made as the song acquires a slowly moving and almost laid back chorus in which spoken word delivery bounces between the left and right channel. After “The Government” briefly breaks out in heavy duty, thrash flavored fashion, it moves on to an instrumental section sustained by a plodding rhythm guitar.
The album moves back to a more up-tempo direction with “Super Ego Star”. Embarking to a quick drum solo, a crisp rhythm guitar carries the song forward in an energetic manner until it secures a non-stop and hook driven chorus with an overriding groove-laden feel. Troy adorns the scene with his blues laced work on lead guitar. Give Bride a great deal of credit for the abundance of sass and gritty attitude delivered here.
“Hang On” is a soulful, blues heavy rocker that brings to mind “Sweet Louise” (off Kinetic Faith) and “I Miss The Rain” (from Snakes In The Playground). Advancing from the start to a graceful blend of acoustic guitar and piano, the song makes an even transition to an emotionally charged chorus shored up by just the right amount of lush backing vocals.
Review by: Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “The Calm” (:55) “Skin For Skin” (3:35), “End Of Days” (4:07), “Take The Medication” (5:23), “Inside Ourselves” (4:19), “Hard To Kick” (3:34), “Fuel And Fire” (4:48), “Breathless” (4:08), “Prodigious Savant” (:33), “Bang Goodbye” (5:32), “Rise Above” (5:34), “The Government” (3:49), “Super Ego Star” (3:41), “Hang On” (4:13)
Musicians
Dale Thompson – Lead Vocals
Troy Thompson – Guitars
Lawrence Bishop – Bass
Guest Musicians
Steve Osborne – Lead Guitar
Jason Lewis & Mark Gray - Drums
Also Reviewed: Bride – Show No Mercy, Bride – Live To Die, Bride - Silence Is Madness, Bride - Kinetic Faith, Bride - Snakes In The Playground, Bride – This Is It
