APRIL 2009 ONLINE EDITORIALS

20XIII - Just Take Two and Call Us in the Morning

By Tim Maddocks

Disclaimer: I have no business reviewing metal CD’s. I can’t judge this disc against, say, Powerman 5000 or Korn because I simply don’t listen to that type of music.

That said, I like this CD. The musicianship is solid, the compositions are clever. This band is very tight. And there’s a decent mix of mid-tempo songs to compliment the inevitable up-tempo thrashers. The driving rhythm section is unpredictable, a good thing. And it’s not like there’s a bunch of tempo changes. It’s just that 20XIII refrains from straight up four-to-the-floor; the guitar lines don’t overly dominate the rhythm of the compositions.

As for the guitar work – it’s excellent. Mike Shamrock, the guitarist, strays from the riffs to accentuate the emotion of the songs. It’s very tasteful. And the guitar solos – which in metal music can sometimes sound corny – are not overbearing. But I think the key for the guitar work is that it compliments Pete Harvey’s vocals. The vocals and guitars almost take turns – it’s like Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. They work as a team.

Which brings me to the vocals. I think that Pete Harvey’s voice might have been the most pleasant surprise on the whole disc. He’s got that deep growl. The guy can scream too. And it’s not too much. Nine songs of screaming and I’d probably turn it off. The thing is, that the guy can sing and he’s got range. He has an original cadence, but he also successfully pulls off some Zach de la Rocha-esque maneuvers. Then on the eighth song he sings in a higher pitch – and it’s all done well.