TOC: Loss Angeles

Continuing in the tradition of the eclectic Pervertigo outing, TOC (formerly Throne Of Chaos) returns with a solid effort that comes close to pushing the band to the brink of wider acclaim. The Finnish collective hits head-on with the opening rocker "The Window," its follow-up the balladish "Mary Lou Is Dead" and the arena-ready "Acid Highway." Then there's the dark Queensryche-cum-King Crimson moment of "Gothamburg" (this writer's pick as the album's best track) and the almighty "Blue Lady," which opens with a guitar riff that'd make a young Eddie Van Halen sit up and take notice. So where does the album go south? Hard to say, though the At The Gates-ish racer "Break-A-Neck" seems a likely candidate. It's not that the band doesn't do that kind of, well, breakneck thrash up real good, it's that the track departs from the album's complex atmosphere at a seemingly inappropriate moment. Between that, a completely unnecessary and totally sophomoric take on "Smoke On The Water" and soggy-bottomed bonus track "Night Crawler," the album slides from great to really, really good. Stay tuned to these guys, though, they're onto something.

Track Listing:
1. The Window (4: 52)
2. Mary Lou Is Dead (5:23)
3. Acid Highway (5:11)
4. Gothamburg (6:03)
5. Blue Lady (5: 18)
6. Wait (3:49)
7. The Blue Lady Suite (1:24)
8. Break-A-Neck (2:58)
9. Bite The Bullet (6:42)
10. Smoke On The Water (2:35)
11. Night Crawler (5:40)
Total Time: 50:10

Added: June 7th 2004
Reviewer: Jedd Beaudoin
Score:
Related Link: More Information
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Language: english

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