Threat Signal – Threat Signal

A band from Canada is most likely sooner or later to find its way into my liking. In most cases, I get obsessed with bands from this country, as they seem to have to offer something different in their own way and in the end, they have nothing to envy from their neighbors on the United States Of America. Such was the case with Threat Signal also in the year of 2006, when they released their phenomenal debut album ”Under Reprisal”. A mass of cyber functional machine aiming straigh through your brain and managing to leave you unable to do or say anything, was what came out as an outcome and not unfairly, they were characterized as one of the new hopes for the so-called groove metal, having a lot in common with bands like early Fear Factory on their sound. Everything seemed to be in order for the quintet and the world was ready to welcome a new force.

It was 2009 with their second album ”Vigilance” that fans started getting worried. Not only it had nothing to do with ”Under Reprisal”, but also showed the band in a very difficult situation. Having changed three out of five members on their line-up, the remained stable basis of Jon Howard and Pat Kavanagh, (having already offered a controversial album called ”Years In The Darkness” under the name of Arkaea, alongside Christian Olde Wolbers and Raymond Herrera, both recently departed from Fear Factory) seemed to lose the element that once made them special: Nerve! It was such a disappointment for most of their fans, as ”Vigilance” without being that bad, was sounding rather distant from their potential, showing like it was made to gain some more publicity and fans, sounding a lot more commercial and pointless in terms, so that many people (including me) believed that there would be no turning back in the days of inspiration.

The crucial third album entitled with the band’s name was long awaited and guess what…It’s a large success! I surely didn’t expect such a comeback and the band sounding so fresh and willing to close the mouth of those that dared disputing their worth (including me once again). This time, with guitarist Travis Montgomery more experienced in his second effort with the band, they change members again, but it seems that the departure of Alex Rudinger on drumss and Chris Feener on guitars, helped them in such a way that we can already consider this is the second birth of the band and a good basis to build their future career around the sceptics of this album. I don’t know if giving their name on this album is a statement that they imagined such a sound and performance from the beginning, like telling us ”this is who we are”, but I can surely tell you that this album is one of the best that were released in the year of 2011 (and we had many great releases to choose from).

From the first seconds of ”Uncensored”, it is clear that the groove delivers pain and sweat and the clean production gives more space for the band to express themselves as direct as they want. Tracks like ”Comatose” or ”Fallen Disciples” will definitely make you stare for some seconds somewhere else, losing your attention from the quality and intensity of the Canadians and a big smile will return to your face, just like when you were listening to ”Under Reprisal” in 2006. If you are a newcomer on the Threat Signal sound, sit back and relax to enjoy an album lasting 45 minutes that will offer you more than you can imagine. The rhythm section acts as the perfect vehicle to transport the gigantic guitar work made on this album, right at the most sensitive areas of your brain and your heart too, and easily without hesitation, starting to move along the rhythms that take over the whole album is what will follow and you’re surely gonna love it.

The ending of the album with tracks like ”Disposition” and the ending duo of ”Death Before Dishonor” and ”Buried Alive” will make things even better for you and listening to it again will be the next thing you will do. Of course, we have to point out some parts that once they get studied well and get fixed in the future, we’ll have to deal with the best album that the band will ever release. Howard’s harsh vocals are really great but he will surely have to work his clean sounding voice, as it sometimes pulls back the aggression produced by his rest four bandmates. Also, there has to be some more different approach in songwriting, as some of them sound like two or three songs are combined in a larger one. It’s something they can do in order to become even better. The point is that they recognized their mistake with their previous album at first. Things have taken their course for much better material, and once they don’t spoil it again, they will get their share in what they deserve. Check out the limited edition’s bonus track ”Resistance” and you will surely understand what I mean. U-turn was made successfully without any crash. That needed guts for sure…