IMPELLITTERI - Pedal To The Metal
April 4, 2005, 19 years ago
(Steamhammer/SPV)
Something about Pedal To The Metal feels unsatisfying, like a parody, like the work of a bunch of disparate styles and people coming together to blaze through some paces - and indeed, Chris has always, somewhat frustratingly, assembled bands saddled by this weird, disjointed vibe. All within 37 minutes, there is a joke tune, nu-metal (or the Jugulator equivalent thereof), neo-classical shred, Swedish thrash, Pantera-esque proto-metalcore, groove metal, NWOUSHM, a rip-off of Yngwie's 'I'll See The Light Tonight' riff,... it all feels like a case of "Look what we can do" and not like a band of long-suffering brothas with a mission built of their blood. New vocalist Curtis Skelton has some big boots to fill, following Graham Bonnet and Rob Rock, but he's got a lot of class, personality, versatility - but is that last one a further pox on the record's fragile purpose. And yeah, the funeral parlour called - they heard 'Judgement Day' and want their organ back... geez. And come to think of it, elsewhere, as with 'The Writing's On The Wall' and 'Propaganda Mind', they're sticking out COB-like as well. Man, like I say, this feels like a barely wound project.
