[review]
Hard-hitting, industrial metal/rock with savage, poetic lyrics and a relentless rhythm are what you get with the latest single from The Unravelling, a Canadian duo. Steve Moore handles the vocals and lyrics and Gustavo de Beauville the music and production.
Following all-round praise for their debut full-length release, “13 Arcane Hymns”, life dealt a heavy blow with a cancer diagnosis for Steve Moore. Fortunately, he recovered, and recording was eventually resumed, with a single called “Revolt” (see review). Now, we have the latest instalment with “Master Drone” (released 8th July, 2015). As with “Revolt”, this single is accompanied by intriguing artwork from Shaun Friesen (www.freezendesign.ca), which makes an important contribution to the overall project.
Moore and de Beauville have taken the rawness of their life experiences and shaped them into a twisted version of the future, not flinching from the darkness. Menace abounds: “Sorry my son but you’re not blessed. A fool in your last life…a rat in the next”. Danger lurks: “Snake coiled around the lamb”.
Best left in the words of Steve Moore himself, he says, “the Master Drone is certain of his reality, and therefore living through an artefact. He is opinionated, and likely a respectable, ambitious member of society. He could be a motivational speaker, an atheist, a religious leader, a ‘life coach’ or a serial entrepreneur. He thrives within identity and strives for new identities as he grows old. He’s in all of us. He represents our human programming”.
I don’t find it as likeable as “Revolt” but like it I do, and the lyrics are strong enough to stand alone. The ideas from the duo are interesting and thought-provoking, appealing to the head-banging nerd. I can’t help thinking that movie and game soundtracks would suit their oeuvre – something Terminator-ish perhaps.
If you like your music epic, dramatic and on the heavy side and you’re not afraid of your own shadow, play it at full blast.
