City of Evil | The Perfect End

So yeah, not 10 months at least this time.

I'm sure everyone knows the story. COE is the album that made A7X a household name, it definitely introduced a lot of people to the band, and to the fanbase outside of this sub, it may as well be their first album. But in retrospect, can it live up to the two gems that came before it? Let's see.

Analysis:

The Rev's drums are without a doubt at their best on this album. The unrelenting chaos of STST has returned, only now even faster and more energetic. This is the album that convinced a lot of people of just how much talent that he had, and it remains his crowning achievement. The same can't be said for the bass guitar, because once again, you can't hear it. It's still great, though not as complex as on WTF.

In terms of guitars, remember all that restraint and precision from WTF. Throw that out the window, because they really let Zacky and Brian off their leashes. If STST and WTF were riff albums, this is a lead album. Though, unlike everything after, there are still great riffs backing everything up. They're not even that different from WTF, still blending SoCal punk, Thrash, and Melodeath influences, with a few exceptions. But the leads are where the differences between WTF and COE are most apparent. COE goes full Helloween with the guitars and never lets up. There is some truly masterful guitarwork on this album, and it's without a doubt the greatest strength here.

Matt's vocals are also different. He rarely screams here (Much to my dismay) and the aggressive yet clean style of singing from WTF is gone. Over the course of the album he goes from a grating nasaly whine to a pretty good snarl, which admittedly gives the album a sense of progression over its run. Finally, there's the production, which is pretty much exactly the same as on WTF, including still being brickwalled and not having any volume given to the bass guitar.

Track-by-track:

Ready to lose all objectivity? BECA- coughs profusely- what was I saying?

The album opens with Beast and the Harlot, and while I like this song, I've never gotten why it's considered one of their best. I like the leads throughout and the lyrics are pretty cool, but Matt's vocals are annoying on this track and the riff isn't all that recognizable. As an open, it definitely falls short of Unholy Confessions and maybe even Turn the Other Way. Luckily, the album picks up pace with Burn It Down. This is just a fun song, punchy riff, good leads, Matt's voice not being that bad, and overall a catchy song. Better than Chapter Four IMO, though not quite Darkness Surrounding. Where this album really gets going though is Blinded in Chains. I love this song to pieces. Some of the best drums in any A7X song, Matt's voice really starting to reach the potential of his snarls here, a memorable riff, and amazing solos abound. One of the peaks of the album by far. Ending off side A is Bat Country, and, eh. It's a great song and all, I'm just kind of numb to it, and similar to Unholy Confessions I feel it doesn't quite deserve the attentions it gets considering what else is on the album.

That's immediately followed with the adrenaline rush known as Trashed and Scattered. The song plays like an inverted Blinded in Chains, and fulfills the purpose of ending off the first half of the album perfectly. The only thing I can criticize is that I don't like the GnR-esque "Huh!" in the pre-chorus. The interlude of the album Seize the Day then takes over, and, ugh. You wanna know where my disdain for A7X ballads started? Look no further than this song. Matt's voice here doesn't fit with the melodic tone of this song at all and on the whole the song is far more boring than something like IWSYT. 

Luckily, that's when the second half of the album begins, and man, this is what I call music. The first half of the album is perfectly fine and all, especially Blinded in Chains and Trashed and Scattered, but I just can't get very enthusiastic about it. It's more rock than metal honestly. But the second half, my God the second half. This is the album that killed The Stage for me honestly, because the second half is so proggy, so complex, that The Stage is St Anger by comparison. We open with Sidewinder, and man, they need to play this song live more. The riff is one of the best Zacky has ever made, the chorus is catchy, Matt's vocals suddenly got amazing here, and that Español ending is something I can gush about. And we're just getting started.

There's a reason I named this review after The Wicked End, it's the best song on the album. The riff is heavy and punchy, the pace is intense, the drums fantastic, the vocals are great, and the bridge is one of my favorite sections in any A7X song. I can't put into words how amazing this song is. That's followed up with Strength of the World, a 9 minute epic with fantastic lyrics, great orchestral elements, and a recognizeable riff backing it up (More than I can say for anything on The Stage, zing). 

And then that's followed up with Betrayed, one of the most underrated A7X songs. The lyrics are about Dimebag Darrel, which as a Pantera fan, hits hard I'm not gonna lie. But it's also just a legitimately great song with an amazing chorus. Finally, the album ends with MIA, and the tradition of fantastic closers continues. Absolutely outstanding lyrics, great vocal delivery, a kickass riff, some of Syn's best leads, and of course fantastic drumming. I can't praise this song enough.

1. The Wicked End.
2. MIA.
3. Sidewinder.
4. Betrayed.
5. Blinded in Chains.
6. Strength of the World.
7. Trashed and Scattered.
8. Burn it Down.
9. Bat Country.
10. Beast and the Harlot.
11. Seize the Day.

Conclusion:

You know, if the whole album sounded like the second half, I think I would like this album better than Waking the Fallen. But on that note, the more I listen to this album, the more it sounds like a fusion of STST and WTF. It's got the drumming and bass style of the former, the riffs and production of the latter, and new vocal and lead styles over it. And on the whole, it does come out better than STST for as much as I love that album. But compared to WTF? That's hard. I'd say the top 3 from this album are better than anything on WTF besides Desecrate Through Reverence (Which is perfection), but I'd rather listen to anything on WTF over Seize the Day and anything on WTF besides Chapter Four over Beast, Bat Country, and even Burn it Down. All the best songs on COE in some ways feel like bizarro versions of WTF. WTF was dark and atmospheric, COE is lighthearted and fun. WTF was sophisticated and restrained, COE is youthful and wild. If WTF is a sophisticated 30 year old acclaimed writer, COE is the younger, brash brother who everyone loves to be around.

But that comes at a price, and anyone who has been through a wild 20s phase can probably see where I'm going. COE misses the mark sometimes, especially in the earlier years, hitting struggles with finding who he is, only beginning to hold onto that in the later years where he starts to take after his mature sibling. I mentioned early that COE had a progression, well this is what I'm talking about. And if that was the point, bravo, flying colors. But at the same time, the album still has it's awkward college days (Beast and the Harlot), attempts to be popular (Bat Country), and emotional breakdowns (Seize the Day). And because of those songs not being particular great to listen to, no matter any potential intent (Though I'm sure I'm just reading way too far into this), I can't say the album is perfect. I give it a 9.5/10.

And yet, as I say that, it's bittersweet. This is where my unfiltered enthusiasm and general positivity ends folks. Not that the albums following are necessarily terrible, but they don't click nearly as much with me as the first three. As it stands, COE is the perfect end to a perfect trilogy of defining 2000s metal albums, and after this is where things fall apart...