ROOT (The Book) CD
And it goes on with I Hate Records' announced re-release of ROOT's back catalogue. This time, it's their fifth album, which was originally released in 1999 through Red Black, and impossible to find over the past years. Here again, additional bonus tracks and a new improved layout ensure an extra consumer appeal. For me, 'The Book' is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, I really like most of the arrangements and riffs. Even if I prefer the old stuff, I appreciate ROOT's further development. 'The Book' is on a high technical level and unites elements of progressive rock, doom metal and power metal with a dark, occult atmosphere. Some songs always remind me a bit of mid-period Bathory because of their epic proportions. The technical skills are beyond reproach and the band is a well-functioning unit.
Things could be so beautiful, but on the other hand there are the vocals of Big Boss. I have a serious problem with operatic, dramatically delivered vocals, and Big Boss will show no mercy to me. Sometimes he sounds like hundred drunken russians on a sailing boat, at other times it seems as if he wants to invoke some unemployed demons. I am really sorry, but that's too much for me. For some people, it's high art, but I'm not sure whether to laugh or to cry. There are only a very few moments when he's pulling himself together, but otherwise he puts the pedal to the metal. Quite apart from my general criticism of such performance, there will be enough ROOT fans, which do not have these problems. For those of you, 'The Book' is an essential re-release.
(KK)