This is the 14th studio album by the 35-year-old band from Arizona, and the first with new bassist Bill Bodily who replaces Michael Spencer after his 6-year second stint in the band.
Opening with the title track, “Blood in the Water”, they don’t waste any time at all getting the track up to speed and swimming along. A common trait on the album, which I must admit to having an affinity for, is the way Eric “AK” Knutson seems to sing at his own pace completely ignoring the frenetic pace that Ken Mary is raging behind his kit with guitar duo Steve Conley and Michael Gilbert giving him the slower melody he’s able to follow when they so desire.
As the drums gallop on, forcing the guitars to sprint through their choppy rhythm to keep up, AK hits some spectacular notes on “Burn the Sky”, as does the lead solo.
The driving guitars are punctuated by the rapid kick drum triplets, while the vocals are fast and powerful on “Brace for Impact”, which was the first single for the album and rather well chosen to show they aren’t releasing music without purpose.
“A Place to Die” begins with a wall of drums and guitars that slows slightly to allow for melodic guitars and vocals to come to the fore before taking off again and having the lead soar uncaring of whatever else is taking place while it rages on.
Feeling far more sedate and straight forward, “Walls” powers on with a great vocal delivery as the steady drum patterns play around the guitar riffs and give them plenty of room to breathe.
The haunting slow start to “Cry for the Dead”, is the pace they drop back to after each higher paced chorus, where you can hear the emotion needing to be held in check.
The tremoloed guitar riff races to the “Wicked Hour” as the faster vocals hurry to keep up, before becoming unhurried once more and use some vibrato as they aim for higher octaves.
An interesting sentiment rather well delivered on “Too Many Lives”, but it’s the slowing down for the lead that is the standout moment of the song.
Immediately hitting the high tempo and not taking a breather throughout “Grey Dragon”, Ken’s footwork is exemplary and maintained on “Reaggression” where the guitars have a more mid-paced feel allowing for AK hold the last words of each line for longer.
The guitars have a groovier tone and funkier feel to them on “Undone”, rather than the thrashier fare used everywhere else.
They end the album with the fast but still melodic “Seven Seconds ‘Til The End Of The World”, which does end rather abruptly and at just under an hour, it’s hard to believe so much time has passed from the start, as it never relents and is constantly leaving you wanting to listen to some more.
(8/10 Marco Gaminara)
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