James LaBrie Static Impulse
by Derric Miller
Staff Writer
From the opening vocals on “One More Time”—the lead track on James Labrie’s new album Static Impulse — you figure out quickly you need to expect the unexpected. Because the first voice you hear is not LaBrie’s, but instead, it’s the guttural death/hardcore shrieks of Peter Wildoer. Much of the songs along the way on Static Impulse are built that way, with LaBrie providing his impeccable clean, Progressive vocals coupled with Wildoer’s grating and violent delivery. Make no mistake — Static Impulse is the heaviest thing you have ever heard from LaBrie, both musically and vocally.
“One More Time” introduces to the chemistry of Wildoer and LaBrie, but it’s more effective on the second track, “Jekyll or Hyde.” The rhythms, while brutal and manic, still allow LaBrie to carry the song with his industry-leading singing. There’s really no one “better” than LaBrie today, but there are a few just as talented … maybe. Many bands toy with this clean/hardcore style, but “Jekyll Or Hyde” is really the way it should be done. Co-songwriter Matt Guillory’s keyboards and the melodically bracing riffs and leads from guitarist Marco Sfogli somehow make an incredibly caustic composition also radio-friendly.
By the time you hit track 3, notoriously the place for the “hit” song, LaBrie and company don’t hold back from the onslaught. “Mislead” carries this theme onwards, with the barking madness of Wildoer singing behind LaBrie’s soaring choral vocals. This is one of those songs that sound closer to what you’d expect from a Dream Theater alum, but again … just suffocatingly heavy. Sfogli’s solo is one of the standout moments on both the song and the entire album.
“Euphoric” is the first time on Static Impulse your pulse is allowed to slow down, just a few BPM. Instead of pummeling you with a manic number of notes, “Euphoric” is a song built to breathe, and to build. While not even slow enough to be called mid-tempo, it certainly is one of the kinds of songs you’d expect from a LaBrie solo effort, perhaps more so than the earlier tracks.
One of the most complete compositions on Static Impulse is “I Tried.” Fusing some of that anger and menace from the earlier songs and softening the blow with Guillory’s keyboards and one of the most embracing melody lines and honest lyrics on the album, this works in every single facet. “If there’s one thing you remember … remember, I tried,” is sometimes all that can be said, and its poignant delivery won’t be lost on anyone.
The only true balled is the last track, “Coming Home.” Playing this song next to one like “This is War” is somewhat surprising — how can these both be from the same artist? As stated, expect the unexpected. Haunting, and again, honest, you’ll hear LaBrie at his most open as he sings, “Now that I won’t be coming home, far away from where I belong. Tell my wife, my best friend, both my children, I love them, know that I won’t be coming home …” It’s beautifully chilling and sad …
Static Impulse is a chance LaBrie took. In Metal today, listeners either accept those harsh vocals, or they don’t. Very few listeners offer an “I don’t mind” opinion on these types of vocals. Basically, it’s either “they kick ass!” or “I can’t listen to it.” LaBrie is betting that his fans are more open-minded than most, and he is probably right. If you want to hear Dream Theater, well, for the most part, this isn’t it. But if you want to hear LaBrie express himself with music in a way you haven’t heard before, Static Impulse certainly succeeds in that arena.
Band:
James LaBrie – Vocals (Dream Theater)
Marco Sfogli – Guitars (John Macaluso & Union Radio)
Ray Riendeau – Bass (Halford)
Peter Wildoer – Drums, Screams (Arch Enemy, Pestilence, Darkane)
Matt Guillory – Keyboards, Backing Vocals (Dali’s Dilemma, Zero Hour)
Online: www.jameslabrie.com
Track listing:
1. One More Time
2. Jekyll Or Hyde
3. Mislead
4. Euphoric
5. Over The Edge
6. I Need You
7. Who You Think I Am
8. I Tried
9. Just Watch Me
10.This Is War
11.Superstar
12.Coming Home
Genre: Metal
Label: InsideOut Music
Hardrock Haven rating: 7.6/10