As the Weird Travel On

Open wounds the open gash let it all begin
Disease it dances on the grave and celebrates the end, the end!

Aspiration and innovation are potent traits that resonate deep within the depths of art of all kinds. Whether one might wield the pen as a poet, crash the cymbal as a musician, or even perform a structural survey as an architect, aspiration and innovation are dominant motivations that can potentially manifest into magnificent works of art. In this particular case, Deceased’s fifth full-length release, As the Weird Travel On (2005) stands on its own as a hallmark of modern, yet inspiring heavy metal. Carefully assorting influences pertinent to death, thrash, and traditional metal, Deceased constructs a monolith of contemporary heavy metal, while still retaining the traits that are desired of the countless architects of dissonance, to capture the “old school” sound of yesteryear’s glory. Thus said, one can wholeheartedly compare As the Weird Travel On to the architectural monument, Fallingwater (1934), which was diligently designed by the extravagant American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright.

In the year of 1934, Wright gave birth to one of the most memorable and aspiring designs of modern, American architecture, which is currently known as Fallingwater. At the time, Fallingwater was praised for its groundbreaking dynamics involving the integration of the nearby environment’s marvelous natural assets into the construction of a retreat that penetrated exterior and interior spaces to signify man’s harmony with nature. In fact, Wright designed Fallingwater so that it would hold ground on the active, ever-flowing waterfall which smoothly ran underneath the building. Therefore in comparison, the musical elements that are found throughout As the Weird Travel On, are very much similar to the elements that Wright introduced within Fallingwater. The plethora of guitar leads and harmonies act very much as the stream by which Fallingwater was built upon. At first, the listener is in awe at the sheer precision and melody that is inherent within Mike Smith’s and Mark Adam’s guitar techniques--just as the ever-curious spectator is marveled at the gracious sliver of water that flows underneath and about Wright’s architectural wonder. In addition, the leads and melodies that are heard, are comparable to the galloping stallions and prideful pounces that many classic outfits incorporated into their sound; such as Angel Witch, Iron Maiden, and even Satan (all of which being classified under the identifier of the “New Wave of British Heavy Metal” that was prominent throughout the late 1970s and well into the 1980s).

However, inspiring leads and motivating rhythms are not all that make-up Deceased’s guitar-work. Just as Fallingwater incorporates many of its domestic refinements with the nearby abundance of stone and granite, traits that are recognizable within the late 1980s death metal explosion are here and thriving. Guitar riffs that crush, mangle, and order the listener into stillborn obedience, and bass-lines that pounce in stealth as to how an infamous British killer stalked his victims are showcased among a varied surplus that never cease to leave the listener’s attention. Yet, despite the sheer myriad of aggression and assertion that many of these rhythms command, there are a few minor details that contribute to the depth of this musical endeavor--just as how Wright installed pristine glass windows and ornate granite decorations throughout the interior of Fallingwater to instill a traditional vibe within a very modern estate. Such a minor yet significant detail is that the guitar riffs and rhythms are executed in a style that was pioneered by the early-to-mid 1980s thrash metal outfits, such as Anthrax and Overkill. Therefore, the various guitar riffs, lines, and leads that are incorporated amongst Deceased’s As the Weird Travel On, captures the pride and power that numerous British bands became renowned for, while also conjuring forth the stygian blaze that several death metal outfits still strive for today.

Surprisingly so, the bass-lines that are inherent in this effort are well-pronounced and audible. The instrumentation of the bass guitar is quickly recognized and appreciated on its own, rather then being coupled together with the swarm of leads and lines of the guitar. The tone that the bass guitar emits compliments the obscure and malignant vibe of the music quite well. Imagine the tense, almost deafening fright that pedestrians held as they strode along the streets of Whitechapel, London during the weary hours of the night. Those few individuals were desperately clinging onto the purifying cloak of life, while the infamous “Jack the Ripper” stalked and trailed his unsuspecting victims, who were so certain that they would meet their ill-bred fate in a moment’s time. The vision that many folks held of “Jack the Ripper” during that fateful era is appropriately personified to the sound and style of Les Snyder’s playing of the bass guitar. Terrifying yet suspenseful are two adjectives that accurately illustrate Snyder’s approach to the bass guitar, and they are most definitely memorable identifiers. Henceforth, the techniques that introduce the bass-playing to the listener manage to embellish the already-established chills of corruption that this musical effort sends, which continues to contribute to the depth of detail that Deceased cleverly concealed in their efforts.

Alongside the haunting bass-lines and the menacing guitar rhythms, the bass-drum tauntingly trudges along, as well as the screeching, blistering howls of the cymbals. While the guitar and bass-notes that Deceased composed are of all excellent quality, the drumming techniques fail to keep up with the aforementioned excellence. Such can be compared to the structural problems that Wright encountered throughout the design and construction of Fallingwater. Such hindrances were a pronounced sagging of the concrete cantilevers, as well as an impatient rush throughout the construction process. These then-faults of Fallingwater are arguably similar mistakes that David Castillo left behind while drumming in the studio. For instance, while tone of the drum manages to compliment the spectral and spooky atmosphere that the record summons forth, the style that Castillo takes with him to the drum-kit is ailed with occasional moments of boredom, and an overall bland style of playing. However, these few faults do not hinder the listening experience as a whole. Rather, they simply keep Castillo from playing at the quality that his fellow band-mates grace the studio with. Castillo’s sub-par performance does not reduce the quality of the listening experience, instead it simply beckons the listener to take proper notice of the mistake, and to acknowledge it as a simple human error that many people unknowingly leave from to time to time. Yet, just as Fallingwater continues to receive constant conservational awareness pertaining to its internal stability and support, the general aura that Deceased emits throughout As the Weird Travel On continues to travel on towards excellence, even while carrying a few straggling comrades who were unfortunately left behind.

Just as one may quickly become discontent with bad weather on their once-in-a-lifetime excursion to the Fallingwater landmark, the sun soon begins to shine and all hope becomes restored. Kingsley “King” Fowley’s unique style of singing acts as the rising sun over a desolate land of dread. Fowley’s voice instantaneously commands the listener’s now-diverging attention, and then hurls them into a realm of fright, horror, and ever-shrouded mystery. That’s right, the lyrical content here deals with tales of torture, terror, and horror and Fowley certainly encapsulates the genuine strands of fright that these encounters would hold in the real world. Technique-wise, Fowley’s voice holds respect to the roars and rasps that categorized death metal as an individual sub-genre of heavy metal. Fowley is comparable to a leather-lunged lion roaring at an estranged passersby who found themselves trespassing upon his territory. Commanding and controlling is his tone, and Fowley emulates the lion’s roar in a near flawless fashion that potentially shocks the uneducated lot, while gracing the patient ears of the growing elect. Moreover, Fowley shrieks and screams in a select few tracks, which are reminiscent of the devastation that one may feel as the Plutonian airs roam about before one meets their untimely, but certain demise. Torturous shrieks and blood-curling feats are cognizant of Kingsley Fowley’s vocal approach amongst As the Weird Travel On, and in addition to strangling the listener with ghastly melodies and tumulus tales, Deceased’s fifth studio effort manages to bless the willing individual into receiving a listening experience that they will be able to recall ages later--similar to the aftermath of the previous family’s planned visit to Fallingwater; being noted as a trip that the family will remember with glee, and for the decades to come. Fowley’s vocal style, as well as the entire collective effort of Deceased allow this impact to be possible, and perhaps if there was an abundance or a shortage of any select musical trait then the entire composition might fall apart and wither away. The same can be said about Wright’s image of Fallingwater. If any particular material was implemented in a surplus or scarcity, then the entire structure would collapse into the underlying water and drift away into the merciless sea.

Therefore, Deceased’s As the Weird Travel On is a superb musical endeavor that will impress and challenge anyone who considers themselves enthusiasts of “old-school”, traditional heavy metal, while also catering to the ones who happen to enjoy the modern offerings that many bands are composing within the twenty-first century. Hence, Wright designed Fallingwater so that it would stand as an architectural monument that balanced a traditional, intimate sense of architectural style with a daring and ingenious approach to architecture that was unprecedented at the time. Simply said, Wright reached a reasonable compromise between traditionalism and modernism with the unveiling of Fallingwater, and Deceased have certainly constructed a musical hallmark that also calls forth a compromise between the classic, traditional, and certainly “old school” sound of yore, and the recent, modern, and polarized sound that many musicians take-up today. As the Weird Travel On stands on its own as a relatively modern, yet classic release of heavy metal that will be sure to transcend time and space, while marking its place as a heavy metal classic that will be praised and honored for the years to come.

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Upon me now it's happened the terror clings to me
It's taken hold not letting go
Clinging always to my mind, living always in my mind
The road is there before me I'm heading into fear