Album Review: Between The Buried And Me - 'Colors'

Remember those quiet and reclusive

kids from high school? You know the ones who smoked a lot of weed and

loved metal? Do you know what they did? They grew up and formed “Between

The Buried And Me”, a band who is so gifted at their respective instruments

that they make the rest of us look like amateurs. Jealousy never got

anyone anywhere though, so you may as well kick back, put on a set of

headphones and immerse yourself in the best album of 2007. 

“Colors” is album number four

for BTBAM (not including the mish mash that was their covers record)

and as always the band has delivered a collection of songs which is

more progressive and more musically accomplished than their last offering.

While you may look at the cover and think that 8 tracks doesn’t constitute

a full length I urge you to reserve your judgment until you’ve listened

to the record from start to finish. There is no stand out song and there

sure as hell isn’t a hit single as “Colors” has been written for

music fans to listen to in its entirety. 

When “Foam Born (A) The Backtrack”

came out of my speakers I was positive I’d accidentally pressed play

on a Muse record. The piano and the softly sung vocals had Matt Belamy

written all over them, but lo and behold I was wrong. I think the biggest

surprise is the keyboards playing the same sweeping patterns that the

BTBAM guitarists usually tear through… very cool! Two minutes later

the track has somehow found its way to a blast beat and this seamlessly

introduces “(B) The Decade Of Statues”. On numerous occasions I’ve

made a point of I think breakdowns are a tired excuse for song writing

but the crushing riff at the 15 second mark of this song is simply brutal. 

As I mentioned, “Colors” isn’t

a record where you can choose a favourite song and press play… you

need to spend a lot of time with this record to full appreciate (and

understand) what’s going on. After 10 listens I’m still getting

my head around half the shit that’s on there so patience is a must

if plan on giving this disc a spin. 

All the standard BTBAM fare is

on display. Blast beats a plenty, schizophrenic guitar work and the

Mike Patton influenced vocals of main man Tommy but it’s the newest

additions to the band’s musical repertoire that make “Colors”

such an intriguing listen.  

I couldn’t possibly hope to

dissect a record of this magnitude but I will suggest that you

keep an ear out for a blues inspired section in “Ants Of The Sky”

as well as a genuine hill billie ho down which somehow turns into some

of the most epic and arena worthy metal I’ve heard in this lifetime.

If Queen grew up listening to Pantera this would be the end result! 

2007 has already been amazing

year for new music but “Between The Buried And Me” has taken out

top honours. Album of the year!

1. Foam Born (A) The Backtrack
2. (B) The Decade Of Statues
3. Informal Gluttony
4. Sun Of Nothing
5. Ants Of The Sky
6. Prequel To The Sequel
7. Viridian
8. White Walls