Michael MERCURY

Absurdly good band that I wish would get back together to make follow up (even another EP) to this gem of an EP. Picture It In Ruins manages to blend outstanding technical proficiency (without showboating) with smart songwriting containing a good deal of grooves & with hooks that sink into your brain long after the closing track "Mass Affect" ends. Lyrical content has substance & depth, vocally delivered with aggression but remains understandable & a bit better than average. The guitar solos are astonishing. Clearly, the guitarists Ed Kopfman & Chris Chambers know how to burn fretboards, but the solos are far from being just mindless shredding: they are well written & progress the song. Truly, the guitar work on this album is absolutely top-notch, with moments that will leave you speechless. The drumming is also varied, technical & has perfectly placed fills & rolls that accentuate moods, making the music that much more enjoyable. Favorite tracks are 'Recession' & 'Time Vampire'. Finally, I'll end my review with this: I had Time Vampire played at my wedding as the music for our sand ceremony. I had timed it perfectly so the pouring of the sand happened started around the 3:00 mark of the song until the song ended. My wife loves the part at 4:40 & so did everyone in attendance...