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

Apart from the un-necessary (the band’s words, not mine) covers album, Between The Buried And Me has a blemish-free release record. From their humble beginnings in the North Carolina hardcore scene to their recent stints on the road with Opeth and Dream Theatre, BTBAM have been afforded the opportunities to hone their already impressive skills, something that is abundantly clear upon viewing the Colors Live DVD.

Upon its release in 2007, Colors was heralded as one of the most complex, diverse and intriguing records of the year, so to hear this collection of songs flawlessly-executed as one composition is absolutely mind-blowing. I have no doubt that many a band member has watched this DVD and hated themselves for having to rely on studio tricks to mask their musical short-comings. 

Right from the get-go you know you’re watching something special. The epic, piano-led introduction of “Foam Born (A) The Backtrack” blends perfectly into the savage blast beats that follow, Tommy’s (vocals/keys) clean singing passages made all the more impressive when you take into account the thrashing his throat must cop when the band kicks into top gear on “(B) The Decade Of Statues”.  

The middle-eastern overtones that permeate “Informal Gluttony” lose none of their feel in the live environment, in fact, it’s the less-aggressive tracks like this that provide the perfect launching pad for BTBAM to bash the listener/viewer around the head with the all-out shred fest that is “Sun Of Nothing”. For all you aspiring guitar virtuosos out there I suggest you watch “Ants Of The Sky” a few-thousand times, although witnessing these six-string wizards at work could make you want to give up altogether. 

One of my favourite tracks off the original Colors release was “Prequel To The Sequel”, and the live rendition only furthers my love affair with this song as the soaring chorus section sounds just as majestic as it did on record.  As it does on the original recording, the ethereal “Viridian” leads into the nearly fifteen-minute masterpiece that is “White Walls”, a track that showcases almost every musical element that Between The Buried And Me have to offer.   

Just hearing Colors in its entirety would have been enough, but the live component of this DVD also includes renditions of some of the band’s earlier works, including the now classic “Mordecai” and “Selkies, two tracks that have become a staple of the BTBAM show.

Maybe this review is a tad bias considering how much I worship Between The Buried And Me, but I had no choice but to give this release a perfect score. To write music this impressive is one thing, but to pull it off in front of a crowd is something else entirely. In a word, incredible.

CD:

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

DVD:

9. Foam Born (A) The Backtrack (DVD)

10. (B) The Decade Of Statues (DVD)

11. Informal Gluttony (DVD)

12. Sun Of Nothing (DVD)

13. Ants Of The Sky (DVD)

14. Prequel To The Sequel (DVD)

15. Viridian (DVD)

16. White Walls (DVD)

17. Mordecai (DVD)

18. Shevanel Cut A Flip (DVD)

19. Backwards Marathon (DVD)

20. Ad A Dglgmut (DVD)

21. Aspirations (DVD)

22. Selkies: The Endless Obsession (DVD)