After a rather disappointing Summer and Autumn, it warms the heart to finally be hearing some excellent albums coming out. At the top of the pile is definitely this debut from the Bay Area’s Re:Ignition. Unlike other highly anticipated albums of the year, Empty Heart, Loaded Gun surpasses all expectations.Featuring two former members of Skinlab (Steve Esquivel on guitars and Snake on bass), the band is treading a different path from their former project. While Skinlab was adding more accessible elements to their music (check out 2002's ReVolting Room for some introduction of gruff melodies), Re:Ignition are a whole different, more melodic beast.
From the opening bars of “Short Memory” (a sure-fire hit if it was released as a single) to the final notes of the title track, which closes the album, your ears are not violated by a single bad note. Every single song on this album displays a passion, groove and overall song-writing skill that has been lacking in the rock/metal genre for some time. More than a fistful of these songs could easily be singles ("Head On" a particular favourite, sounding like a song Sevendust wish they wrote), and it would be a shame if the band weren’t given every opportunity to shine and reach as many people as possible.
Vocalist Dave Moore is, for me, the star of this album. Deep, melodic and groove-infused, his singing throughout this album is superb. From his more gruff moments (the doomy "Take What You Want") to the excellent, sweeping melodies of “Lies And Money” and the excellent “Spinning In Circles” (sublime pieces of music from every angle), there’s not a single bum note or bad choice of style. Think of a more passionate, less depressed grunge singer, and you’re getting close.
A difficult band to describe, as their sound is truly their own, Re:Ignition are a critic’s conundrum. Evoking the groove and atmosphere of Sevendust or Stereomud at their most soulful, while not sacrificing any of the muscle behind the songs, Re:Ignition have created the most accomplished metal record of the year. There are hints of a Soundgarden influence, but also a nod towards the Bay Area thrash scene that spawned them. Perhaps the greatest achievement of this album, though, is that Empty Heart Loaded Gun also has that rare quality that makes it an album for any occasion. As a result, it has been the only album I’ve listened to since I first got it one week ago.
My final opinion? This is the album of the year.
