Vangough | Kingdom Of Ruin
by Joe Mis
Staff Writer —
Vangough’s brand of metal music is as impressionistic as the art of the master painter who inspired their name. The Oklahoma City based quartet blends elements of progressive metal and straight up guitar rock with touches of gothic metal to come up with a rather unique and energetic sound. Influences from bands as diverse as Dream Theater, 3, Linken Park and even Genesis can be heard throughout their latest release entitled Kingdom Of Ruin, but this not a copy or sound alike band. Vangough blazes their own trail.
Big on hooks and melody, Vangough is led by vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Clay Withrow. He has a solid voice and delivers the lyrics with passion and energy whether singing softly or dropping to an almost death metal growl. His range is decent, and he pushes his vocal envelope at select times when needed for dramatic effect. His passion and intensity easily overcome any vocal weaknesses, and his energy seems boundless. Withrow is also a good guitarist, equally comfortable with sweeping acoustic passages or heavy chugging rhythm lines. The band behind Withrow is equally talented – drummer Brandon Lopez, keyboardist Corey Mast and bassist Jeren Martin can match Withrow note for note and handle the divergent musical styles on Kingdom Of Ruin with missing a proverbial beat. As a unit, Vangough seems comfortable at all paces and tempos and they deliver polished sound with a bit of an old school tone and warmth.
Kingdom Of Ruin (the band’s third release) is a true concept album, telling a complete story loosely based on the old Alice in Wonderland tales, or perhaps The Secret of NIMH or Watership Down. Whatever the mythological source, Kingdom Of Ruin is the story of a man who has crossed from the human world into The Rabbit Kingdom where he is heir to the throne. The metaphorical lyrics lead the listener through his thoughts as he makes his choice whether to remain or return to his human existence, and of his roles in both worlds.
Without giving away the ending, here are some musical highlights: The dual nature of the whole album, with the first half being darker and heavier, and the back half lighter and more upbeat; the sweeping riffs, manic drum line and overall theatrical feel of “Disloyal;” the many musical moods and great vocals of “Choke Faint Drown;” the cool Linken Park feel and sweet guitar solo of “Abandon Me;” the heavy Gothic mood, complex layering and superb performances by the entire band on “Kingdom Of Ruin;” the upbeat progressive rock stylings and long instrumental passages of “The Rabbit Kingdom;” the fine guitar and keyboard work on the lighthearted “Sounds of Wonder” – the listener may pick up a touch of Queen influence here; the beautiful and melodic piano / synth work and tearjerker lyrics of “A Father’s Love” and “Alice” the awesome in-your-face bass line of “Requiem For A Fallen King;” and the entire epic closing track – “The Garden That Time Forgot.”
Overall, Vangough’s Kingdom Of Ruin is a very good listen. The musicianship is excellent, the story well-presented, creative and thought provoking, and the performance enthusiastic. The recording and mixing is solid, creating a crisp and clean modern sound while allowing a natural warmth to shine through rather than sounding cold or sterile. Despite a few moments when some of the tracks seem to drag on a bit longer than they should, Vangough’s latest can stand as a benchmark in the progressive rock arena. It should appeal to most Prog fans. One word of warning – you must be prepared to listen to the album as a whole since it does tell a complete story. Taking the complex tracks out of sequence or listening to them as single songs will leave the listener wondering about the meaning of the lyrics.
Highly recommended!
Genre: Progressive Rock
Band:
Clay Withrow (vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards)
Brandon Lopez (drums)
Corey Mast (keyboards)
Jeren Martin (bass)
Guest Musician: Ken Wood (Irish whistle, piano)
Track Listing:
1. Disloyal
2. Choke Faint Drown
3. Abandon Me
4. Drained
5. Kingdom Of Ruin
6. Frailty
7. The Transformation
8. The Rabbit Kingdom
9. Stay
10. Sounds Of Wonder
11. A Father’s Love
12. Requiem For A Fallen King
13. An Empire Shattered
14. Alice
15. The Garden Time Forgot
Label: Nightmare Records
Website: http://www.officialvangough.com/band.html
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10