NEW MODEL ARMY
Between Wine and Blood
Record Label: ATTACK ATTACK | Genre/Style: Alternative Rock | Release Date: September 2014 | Country: UK | Virus G Rating: 4/5
30 years have elapsed since the release of New Model Army's debut album "Vengeance", yet this unrivalled band from Bradford seems definitely embarked on its second youth. In 2013, "Between Dog and Wolf" already marked a before and after in New Model Army's career, having drawn both popular and critical acclaim to the point of being the band's best-selling album in decades, as well as reaching high positions in the main European charts. However New Model Army is an insatiable live beast and, as such, its resurgence was ratified by the fired-up audiences attending the band's major Between Dog and Wolf European tour late last year. I know what I am talking about, because I've been an eye witness to one of those memorable rituals. Nearly in parallel with the long-awaited documentary film about the band's history, New Model Army has launched its latest musical output in September. Entitled "Between Wine and Blood", the new release comprises of a 6-track studio mini album and an 11-track live album recorded on the aforementioned tour.
The new songs on "Between Wine and Blood" give continuity to the preceding ones, embodying the band's wholly owned stirring rawness in duly retrofit sounds that still retain the fierce, frankness and passion which have made New Model Army a legend. Once more, the renown producer Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age... the list would be endless) has been in charge of the album's mixing, making every instrumental line shine with its own natural light, adding his peerless analogue sonic touch and taking care of the arrangements to the finest detail. The alchemy between both New Model Army and Barresi works so well that, in the words of Justin Sullivan himself, "... beginning to feel very much as if Joe's part of the NMA family". One easily perceives it when listening to the band's two last recorded offerings. What, moreover, is to be said about Joolz Denby's evocative artworks, somehow a redolent of cave paintings, which have become an inseparable complement for NMA's music. On this occasion, some devilish figures in black have been set in a raging contrast against completely red and splattered backgrounds, weaving in clues about the slight sound darkening of this album in comparison to the previous one. Again, a human dilemma arises from the title - dog or wolf, wine or blood - what, together with all of the above, connects this release with its predecessor while giving it a sort of murky B-side character.
Making the unveiling honours is "According To You", driven by churning bass chords and fleeting acoustic swirls that convey an acid social criticism: "... / According to you / There isn't anything left to believe in / Because you never could see / That there is everything that we are receiving / ...". While its 70's flavored, spiritual chants, cadenced rhythms and hooky melodies reinforce Justin's shamanic call for hope: "... / Come back to us all /...". It has such enrapturing vibe that it's impossible to take your ears off of it. "Angry Planet" comes next, releasing all its anthemic power through the trademark driving: choral grind of rattling drum thuds, roaring riffs and that typical low paired chords sounding like a ticking clock. Over the song's third minute, voltage momentarily drops off and all vanishes into a weirdly stringed, noisey passage which hints at Earth's irritation. Seconds after the track recovers its electrifying pace, leading to a thrilling last part. Then, some stringed percussion lines and classical arrangements are added to the mix providing an exotic, flawless finish to this piece which, at times, sounds as if it were a living being. "... / As the pressure moves the mountains, seven billion now and counting / As the monkey tribes advance across the ruined land / Sown with seed of mono-culture, war and rain and revolution coming / But I know it isn't personal - I just live on an angry planet". With modern-day vitality but also recalling the band's storied past, "Guessing" enters exultant and feisty like a rocking cry for freedom. Rolling bass grooves, ringing twangs, pounding drums, rattles near collapsing and the medicine man making us sharers in his heartfelt, foreboding chants. It's a rush of organic energy that brings together several key points to understanding New Model Army's musical singularity. Following "Happy To Be Here" suggests a haunting fascination towards dark and lonesome realms. Built in a bleak three time, this track seems to emerge from an other-worldly plane. Founded on clean guitars, sea waves simulations, shuffling drums and eloquently sorrowful vocals, music mirrors the title's irony in a ghostly, stark style which is quite reminiscent of Johnny Cash. Still stuck in that unnerving environment, the tribal drums on "Devil's Bargain" conjure up a dreamy whirlwind of violin, dulcimer and distant-sounding wails of guitar that ends up swallowing Justin's dismayed singing. Its mournful, ethnic musicality puts the listener's sensitivity to the test. This tune treasures a masterly work which, together with that on "Angry Planet", is the highlight of the mini-album in my opinion. "People are like trees, they sway and they bend / But you stand like a rock nad face into the wind / They call this faith, they call it a Devil's bargain...". In many ways connected with the opening track, "Sunrise" puts a serene, mellow closing parenthesis, throughout which Sullivan thrusts us into an intimate place where his affected vocals and acoustic pickings take on a particularly radiant, genuine sheen.
What you are ultimately left with is an album swelling with purely totemic rock; thrilling and authentic such as horseback riding without a saddle into the distance.
(Available as a limited edition double CD hardback book pack, a double vinyl gatefold album and digitally)
Review by Billyphobia
- NMA's official website
- NMA's official facebook page
- NMA's official Twitter
- Purchase links:
- Amazon
- Sun Records
- Streaming links:
- Deezer
- Spotify
NEW MODEL ARMY
Between Wine and Blood
Sello discográfico: ATTACK ATTACK | Género/Estilo: Alternative Rock | Fecha de publicación: Septiembre 2014 | Procedencia: UK | Valoración de Virus G: 4/5
Han transcurrido treinta años desde la publicación del álbum debut de New Model Army, "Vengeance", y aún así la mítica formación de Bradford vive una segunda juventud. En 2013, "Between Dog and Wolf" marcó un antes y un después en la carrera del grupo, siendo aclamado por la crítica y por el público hasta el punto de convertirse en su disco más vendido de las últimas décadas y de posicionarse en los primeros puestos de las principales listas de éxitos alemanas y británicas. Sea como fuere, New Model Army es un leviatán de la música en directo y, como tal, refrendó su renacimiento sobre los escenarios, conquistando Europa durante la gira promocional de "Between Dog and Wolf", a finales del año pasado. Casi en paralelo con la esperada película-documental de su historia, New Model Army ha publicado disco nuevo en Septiembre. Titulado "Between Wine and Blood", consta de un mini álbum de 6 temas de estudio y de un álbum de 11 canciones grabadas en directo durante el mencionado tour.
El material nuevo que ofrece "Between Wine and Blood" da continuidad al álbum predecesor, presentando el rock descarnado y emocional de NMA, en un formato moderno que conserva intactas la fiereza, la pasión y la franqueza genomáticas del grupo. El renombrado productor Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age... la lista es interminable) repite como mezclador del álbum, dando lustre autónomo a cada línea instrumental, dejando su impronta analógica en los temas y cuidando de los arreglos hasta el mínimo detalle. La alquimia entre New Model Army y Barresi funciona tan bien que, en palabras del propio Justin Sullivan: "... comienzo a sentir que Joe forma parte de la familia NMA". Uno percibe esta sintonía cuando escucha las dos últimas grabaciones de la banda y, en perspectiva, la mejora en el sonido de NMA ha sido sustancial. Y lo mismo cabe decir de los diseños de Joolz Denby, evocadores como pinturas rupestres, complemento inseparable de la música de NMA. En esta ocasión, figuras negras, de aspecto salvaje, como demonios naturales, contrastan sobre fondos completamente rojos, con salpicaduras, anticipando el oscurecimiento sutil de este repertorio con respecto a su inmediato predecesor. Una vez más, en el título se plantea una disyuntiva existencial al humano actual - perro o lobo, vino o sangre - lo que conecta a este disco con su predecesor, como una cara B turbia e inquietante.
Hace los honores "According To You", impulsada por acordes batientes de bajo y electro-acústica. La voces ásperas y dolientes de Justin dan empaque a la mordacidad de la letra: "... / According to you / There isn't anything left to believe in / Because you never could see / That there is everything that we are receiving / ...". Cánticos espirituales, con aroma a 70s, y melodías adictivas de cuerda dan lustre chamánico a esta plegaria por la fe perdida: "... / Come back to us all /...". Engancha en los coros y se almacena irremisiblemente en la caché. A continuación, "Angry Planet" libera toda su energía himnótica en una conducción marca de la casa, con vapuleo coral de tambores, riffs electrizantes y acordes graves sincronizados como manecillas para marcar su distintivo tic-tac rítmico. En torno al minuto tres la pista funde a onírico, y la irritación de la Tierra se puede sentir a través del ruido sintético y las distorsiones de guitarra. La percusión exótica de cuerda y los arreglos clásicos rematan este tema vigoroso y emocionante que parece tener vida propia por momentos. "... / As the pressure moves the mountains, seven billion now and counting / As the monkey tribes advance across the ruined land / Sown with seed of mono-culture, war and rain and revolution coming / But I know it isn't personal - I just live on an angry planet". Con vitalidad moderna, pero imbuída del pasado glorioso de la banda, "Guessing" entra en escena exultante y aguerrida, con pulsaciones de bajo atronador, twangs timbrados y afilados en la pedalera de efectos, percusión incisiva y sonajas a punto de desarmarse, mientras el hombre-medicina nos hace partícipes de su canto oracular desesperado. En apenas tres minutos, esta descarga de rock orgánico nos acerca a la singularidad de New Model Army. Es difícil no empatizar con una propuesta tan auténtico. Fantasmagórica y fascinante al mismo tiempo, "Happy To Be Here" se desliza en tres tiempos, con guitarras limpias, oleaje procesado, percusión de arrastre y voces profundas, amargas, reflejando la ironía del título. Sin abandonar ese páramo ficticio, ritmos tribales y lamentos distantes de guitarra nos sumergen gradualmente en la melancolía confortable de "Devil's Bargain". La voz de Justin, hermosa y lúgubre, las líneas plañideras de violín, y el martilleo emotivo de los dulcémeles ponen la sensibilidad del oyente a prueba. "People are like trees, they sway and they bend / But you stand like a rock and face into the wind / They call this faith, they call it a Devil's bargain...". Es el momento culminante del mini-álbum. Vinculada al tema de apertura, "Sunrise" cierra el paréntesis armónica y serena, con Justin conjurando nuestra espiritualidad a través de su voz y de su guitarra acústica, conduciéndonos a un lugar íntimo, genuino y radiante.
Rock totémico, emocionante y auténtico, como montar a pelo un caballo salvaje y perderse en la distancia
(Disponible la edición limitada en libro CD doble de tapa dura, en vinilo doble con libreto desplegable y en formato digital).
Reseña por Billyphobia
- Sitio oficial de New Model Army
- Facebook oficial de New Model Army
- Twitter oficial de New Model Army
- Links de compra:
- Amazon
- Sun Records
- Links de streaming:
- Deezer
- Spotify