Entrance is the alter-ego of Guy Blakeslee and from the sounds of things: a '70s rock god that has been hibernating in Blakeslee's skull. This album is loud, sweaty and gritty in the most electric way possible. It is a perfect example of rock and roll played with a passion and a purity that is not often found.
Tee Pee
"Grim Reaper Blues" sets the agenda for the entire album with its funked up thunderous roar. The guitar playing is like a mutant Jimmy Page but with less bombastic tendencies. The use of effects is a slight tweak of a knob on the right side of tasteful: not many guitarists can use the clichéd effects like wah in such a way and get away without sounding ridiculously boring. The lyrics on this song (and the rest of the album) are again almost a stereotype but the way they are sung give them the power they need. While Blakeslee's vocals are not the most impressive I have heard, many times he sounds flat but he delivers tonnes of feeling which more than makes up for his lack of "professional" vocal talent. There is a heavy emphasis on the dejected feelings that make the blues what they are.
One note of caution about Prayer of Death; the mix throughout the entire album is a touch unbalanced. Blakeslee's vocals sometimes overpower the music instead nestling in beside the instruments. It is only noticeable sometimes (although more often on smaller stereo systems or crappy headphones) but when it does happen the songs sound thinner than they should which shatters the strutting, pouting rock god image. It probably does not help that that the violin is one of the dominant instruments on the album; both the violin and Blakeslee’s voice occupy similar frequency ranges so they tend to bleed into each other.
Speaking of the violin, Paz Lenchantin’s playing is beautiful as usual. Her strings add an elegant sheen to any of the songs she plays on. "Silence on a Crowded Train" sees her hit precise and stabbing notes that work exceptionally well with the other components of the song. Her playing on "Valium Blues" and "Pretty Baby" is especially exciting. On the former, the eastern European influence of her playing and the song’s rhythm carry a lot of clout whereas the latter's swinging blues stomp is energetic and wonderfully psychedelic. Combined with a fantastic performance by Blakeslee both vocally and on a number of instruments "Pretty Baby" is one of those perfect rock songs. It is not a step forwards in rock history but a minor step back. However, it has got enough soul to make it stand out as an excellent example of blissed out rocking.
Overall Prayer of Death is an enjoyable album. It rocks out where it needs to rock and holds back when it needs to. The problem with the mix is only slight, it does not hamper my enjoyment but I did notice it so felt obliged to point it out. Aside from that, this is a refreshingly old fashioned but vital sounding album. It is not a shameless, flaccid cash-in like most bands rehashing what once was; Blakeslee is a good enough performer not to make Prayer of Death sound like a carbon copy of any other artist. The songs are played with great fervour, the music is honest sounding and visceral and really there is not much more that can be asked from an album like this.
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