Oceans Eleven
The featured artists list on Mark Morton’s debut solo outing reads like the running order for the State Opening of Parliament, it has all the splendour, pomp and ceremony, so “Hats off, Stranger” as we high tail it through this intriguing and quite interesting mix.
Going straight for the heartstrings we begin with Chester Bennington(RIP – why is everything still so heavy?) on “Cross Off” as it speeds along and scoops up everything in its path. It’s sad how he saved many with his music, yet we couldn’t save him.
Jacoby Shaddix graces us with his company in the very Papa Roach style “Sworn Apart” with echoes of She Loves Me Not and Scars, you are right at home here.
“Lucifer within my larynx” from the dulcet vocal tones of Mark Lanegan in “Axis” as we are hypnotised by the intriguing, perplexing dark imagery that greets us as we remember Alice In Chains and we suffer “a sickness pouring down like rain” and our anxiety levels are thrown over the cliff with “will the moon come off its axis before I lose my mind?”
One of my favourites is up next, Chuck Billy of my metal thrashing heroes Testament, and he sings about “lies born of the never”.
Myles Kennedy pitches his tent at this flavourful festival and “Saves Defiance” and we stand up to be counted. What an epic, gargantuan offering this is; the gods will be pleased.
“Blur” is visited by Mark Morales, very Nine Inch Nails in its sound( Trent Reznor…oh my…) and is swiftly followed by Josh Todd and his rasping voice chases us down a dead-end street and you know we won’t be coming “Back From The Dead”.
An unexpected entrance here is Naeemah Maddox, a Brooklyn based singer/songwriter and she helps “Reveal” an insightful, intuitive and imaginative performance, open your hearts and minds my friends.
Mark takes the mic now and has a go at singing, and my what a warbler he is! I love the lyric in “Imaginary Days”
“Let me be the one that’s left behind” – strangely comforting methinks.
Lamb Of God singer Randy Blythe goes hand in hand with our Arch Enemy, Alissa White-Gluz in the season finale “The Truth Is Dead” and I really find this a hugely entertaining and commendable effort, rousing, raise the roof metal, can you imagine this performed live in its entirety?
Altogether now…
And did those feet in ancient time, walk upon England’s mountains green,
And was the holy lamb of God on England’s pleasant pastures seen and did the countenance divine shine forth upon our clouded hills…
please continue my friends, I’ll just have a lie down…
Mark Morton – Anesthetic out now on Spinefarm Records