Well, guys, we have hit the Wednesday afternoon slump where both my attention span and motivation seem to be lacking. Normally, I would just try to take a little nap to repower but I just have too much music to check out so hopefully T-Rex Marathon’s 2020 album ‘Days Without Incident’ can give me that boost of energy that I so badly need right now.
The album gets started with the undeniable sense of power that is “All for Nothing”. An epic instrumental part and sinister growl instantly draws you in before the band hits you right in the gut with their distinct hard rock with a metal edge. There’s an epic breakdown right after the two-minute part which surprisingly breaks into something almost a little bit more acoustic. Although I would stray away from calling this opening track, or even T-Rex Marathon’s overall sound, straight-up metal, I love the way they mix truly heavy and metal elements with a more accessible hard rock vibe. Honestly, I was on my toes throughout this opening track and I can’t wait to hear what the other nine songs on this album bring to the table.
Although “No Words” doesn’t kick off with the same intense energy of “All for Nothing”, there’s an undeniable sense of power to the acoustic guitar and beautiful vocals that get this track started. Like the first track, I loved how I was kept on the edge of my seat throughout this track. The movement through genres and intensity is definitely not predictable and that made this almost five-minute track fly by and, before I knew it, “Faux News” had already replaced “No Words”. I adored how, although I was completely captivated by “No Words”, it was clear where that track ended and “Faux News” started. An instant favorite of mine, “Faux News” shows a flavor of pure intensity that, although hinted at in the previous tracks, really comes to fruition on this one. Even with that sense of intensity, there’s an undeniable feeling of passion and emotion that comes through loud and clear throughout this track.
The drum fill that starts “A Prison Just For Us” off is toned so beautifully. I know it’s such a small part of this epic track but it absolutely set the stage for, you guessed it, another amazing track from T-Rex Marathon. Although the beat of this track seems a bit more laidback than the previous songs, the vocals continue to remain a powerful force to be reckoned with as if steering this track clear of being called “a slow song”. For some reason, the comparison that kept on popping in my head throughout this track was old-school Silverstein. This isn’t a dead-on comparison but it’s the closest I can get with my current state of exhaustion and stress.
“Turnpike” continues to show the various sides of the overly talented band. With an almost 90s feeling guitar riff and powerful drums, the song seems to expand on the more sensitive nature hinted at throughout “A Prison Just for Us”. Although not my favorite track, its place on this album is intentional and absolutely perfect and I still found myself completely lost in the song before the album moved onto “Pick Your Poison” and continued to go down that more sensitive route in a way that only T-Rex Marathon could. Another powerful and anthemic track that is chock full of heart and passion, although I was loving this more subdued side of the band, I was ready for things to amp back up.
The beginning of “Misfits” had me a bit worried that it was going to be another more sensitive track but, after just a short time spent with the track, an infectiously catchy almost pop-punk based beat took over and catapulted this track back into the energy-level that I so badly needed. Although the instrumentation had a bit more of that energy laid out in the first few tracks, the vocals continued to keep things a bit calm which, although I didn’t think I was in the mood for, was absolutely perfect and hit me like a strike of energy. You continue to hear this intense instrumentation vs. calm vocal battle in “Sheltered” only this time it comes with a more stadium-ready anthemic mood. I honestly don’t know how else to explain it “Sheltered” is just one of those songs that has such a big and power sound that it is seriously ready for a stadium show.
Although I so wanted the last two tracks on this album to be intense and in your face as if sending me back off into the world of my never-ending emails with a burst of fire and flames, “Futures and Goodbyes” took over my speakers. Another slower and sensitive track, I realized that, although nine tracks in, I had yet to really focus in on the lyrics. That changed as this track played through my house. With a little poetry, a little angst, and a whole lot of brilliant word placement, T-Rex Marathon is clearly more than just a band with a great sound. They are a band with something to say and they are going to say it beautifully, intentionally, and with great emotion.
Although I’d be okay with listening to T-Rex Marathon for the rest of the day, all good things must come to a close and ‘Days Without Incident’ closes with the beautiful track that is “5 Centimeters Per Second”. A hauntingly beautiful track that truly shows all of the sides of this brilliant band in this one song, I honestly don’t think that the band could have picked a better track to cap off this amazing album. You get glimpses of the pure beauty that this band has along with wicked guitar parts and an undeniable sense of power and energy as you near the end of the track. I’m not one for long songs and, at just under six minutes in length, I would consider this track long but I honestly could have been okay with six more minutes of the pure bliss that is “5 Centimeters Per Second”.
My Favorite Track(s): “Faux News”
For Fans Of: Sheer Power; Intensity; Perfect Balance Of Emotion And Power
Mosh-ability: 7 out of 10
What My Cats Thought Of It: Both cats slept on the back of the couch
How Badly I Want To See This Performed Live: 7.5 out of 10
My Overall Rating: 8 out of 10
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