Post by jptheprofessor on Sept 17, 2007 15:47:21 GMT -5
X-TERRA – X-NIHILO (no label) First formed in 1985, the Wilkes Barre-based band X-Terra have brought their brand of positive message heavy rock to stages in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey; and have recorded four self-produced albums. Their latest set, X-Nihilo, continues to define X-Terra’s musical terrain as classic 70’s- and 80’s-styled heavy metal and arena rock, tempered with an occasional acoustic folk conscience. Singer/guitarist/keyboardist Bill Hunt, bassist/backing singer Anne Kachline and drummer/backing singer Bob Kachline perform dynamic, often lengthier compositions; driven forth with booming rhythms and chunky guitar riffs, and topped with cavernous reverb. These backdrops set the stage for positive, often Christian-themed lyrics that address everyday issues and societal ills. The anthemic “I Will Survive” and “Don’t Knock the Rock” are both about standing up for one’s faith and convictions; while X-Terra offers common-sense life advice on “Who You Step On.” The patriotic-themed “Purchased in Blood” offers a metal/acoustic-flavored tribute to the sacrifices made for liberty and freedom; while the thunderous “Feather Tank” champions the underdog. The group offers some commentary on our troubled world on the blues-flavored “This World” and “Hello;” and presents hard-luck stories on “The Runaway” and “Don’t Give Up.” In the folksier vein, both “You Are the Reason” and “Dear Lord” are acoustic-geared songs of praise. The performances are sharp and consistent throughout, with the Kachline rhythm section delivering the rigid, bonecrunching backdrops for Hunt’s piercing vocal wail and scorching guitar work. Recorded and mixed by Hunt and produced by the band, X-Nihilo sounds clear and deep throughout; successfully giving each component of X-Terra’s sound its own bare-bones voice without overdoing the gloss and reverb. A few songs tend to ramble on a little longer than they need to, making the album’s 73-minute duration challenging to get through. But overall, X-Terra does what they do well on X-Nihilo, an interesting and often thought-provoking album that fans of classic-styled metal and arena rock should savor. (The CD can be obtained through www.cdbaby.com).