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: : REVIEW : :
You know, saying that a band gets better with their evolution from record to record
can be kind of a hypothetical statement, I mean is that supposed to mean that a band
in questions earlier stuff sucks? Well not certainly on the case of Enchant, they
have evolved into one of prog-rock’s most respected bands with anticipation for
every release, and keeps getting better with every new album.
With all the recent releases such as Break, Juggling 9 or Dropping 10, as well as
last years Blink of an Eye, enchant seemed to move away from the all out progressive
styling and jam oriented material of their first two Magna Carta albums (Wounded
Heart and Blueprint for the World) moving more towards a deeper metallic feel,
putting more “song” structure (simplistic, yet complicated), while keeping the
balance between that and the overall playing. With “Tug of War,” Enchant sounds as
if they have been brought back to their originated highly progressive sound balanced
between the stature of their recent albums, hence the title may say it all.
While “Tug of War” has less of a heavy aesthetic than last
year’s “Blink of an Eye” does, the songwriting seems to lean toward a more
simplistic pop/rock style, blended in with the virtuoso musicianship, giving the
progressive element to Enchant’s sound that has become their standard. While the
album opens with “Sinking Sand,” which is not as driving as their opening cuts from
their recent albums like “Break” (from Break) or “Under Fire” (from Blink of an
Eye), “Tug of War” starts out on the same track as Juggling 9 or dropping 10 did. It
is the second song, the title cut which is much more heavier and more guitar riff
oriented driving. Now as you know, there is a fifth member (Bill Jenkins) bringing
the full time keyboard edition to this record, making this record more keyboard
oriented, without overdoing it; with their last record all the keyboard duties were
handled by nimble fingered guitarist Douglas Ott, now there is another member adding
influence to the sound.
Ted Leonard’s vocal strength is still as clear as a bell, with his alto range being
somewhat of a cross between a recent, but less grainy Steve Walsh (Kansas) and Tony
Harnell (TNT), while bassist Ed Platt stands out playing punchy slap lines
complimenting the lead melody while holding the backdrop of Sean Flanegan’s busy,
technical drumming (Oh yeah, the comparisons to Portnoy and Zonder are there),
making for a tight band.
For the songworthy, its cuts like “Holding the Wind,” which sounds like an Perfect
Symmetry era Fates Warning (less dark, of course), the Queensryche reminiscent
“Living in a Movie,” and the Spock’s Bear tinged “Long Way Down” that keep the
record on the upbeat path. While it’s slower paced, neo-ballads like “Beautiful” and
“Comatose” which gives Tug of War the Emotional vibe. They left a lot of room here
for improvisational soloing, but again, they don’t go overboard.
Fans of Enchant won’t be disappointed, in fact there will only be praise for this
record, this by some might be considered their best work, and if you are a newcomer
to this group, this is a great starting point. To sum it up for beginners they mix
in Falling Into Infinity-era Dream Theater, with some of Spock’s Beard’s more
simplistic material, along with Test For Echo/Counterparts-era Rush, What’s next
guys, I’m waiting for a double live album.
Reviewer: Tommy Hash
Rating: 8.5 stars out of 10
: : Visit the artist website : :
Enchant -
http://theoasis.cc/
: : Discography : :
Tug of War 2003 (Inside Out)
Blink of an Eye 2002 (Inside Out)
Juggling 9 or Dropping 10 2000 (Inside Out)
Break 1998 (Inside Out)
Time Lost 1997 (Inside Out)
Wounded Heart 1997 (Inside Out Europe/Magna Carta in the U.S.)
Blueprint of the World 1995 (Inside Out Europe/Magna Carta in the U.S.)
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