Speak of the Dead

DISCLAIMER - The Smolski era of Rage features my favorite albums of all time, however objectivity and honesty are my primary objective with those reviews.

2006's "Speak of the Dead" is Rage's fourth and final record by the Peavy-Smolski-Terrana lineup, coming in after 2 and a half years after it's critically acclaimed predecessor "Soundchaser". Considering the two precious records Rage released with this lineup, "Unity" and "Soundchaser" (and to a lesser extent, "Welcome to the Other Side"), expectations were sky high for "Speak of the Dead". Lo and behold, the band delivered hard: "Speak of the Dead" is this lineup's magnum opus and is an extremely high point in their career.

Right out of the gate, "Speak of the Dead" starts with it's center piece, the "Suite Lingua Mortis", an 8-part suite metal and classical odyssey featuring an orchestra and, at times, electronic elements along with the main band. "Suite Lingua Mortis" comprises 3 intro/interludes and 2 instrumental tracks that serve as transitions between the 3 "main" songs of the suite, and while those 3 main songs ("Innocent", "No Regrets" & "Beauty") can definitely be enjoyed as standalone songs, the interludes and instrumental tracks are integral part of the nearly 22 minutes masterpiece offered by the band. As is often the case in classical symphonies, there is a lot of recurring themes, patterns and melodies throughout the suite that helps making the whole thing cohesive and part of a whole instead of being divided in seperate sections that have little in common. I have to point out however, while it doesn't bother me very much, "Innocent" features a riff that is almost a copy-paste of Metallica's "Master of Puppet"'s verse riff and it's a big turn-off to a lot of newcommers to the band, making it look like Peavy and co tried to imitate Metallica's own stint with a symphonic orchestra even though Rage pulled it off years before Metallica. Other than that, I'm not a huge fan of the electronic elements in "No Regrets" but if that riff is the low point of the suite, it speaks to it's greatness. It truly is a magnificent piece of music.

The production on "Speak of the Dead" is immaculate: for once, the bass is actually audible fairly often and sounds great, the guitar tones are spectacular and while Terrana would disagree and ultimately help his decision in leaving the band after this record, the drums sound huge and powerful (though augmented or partially replaced with samples, according to Terrana). Once again mixed by Charlie Bauerfeind, everything sounds crystal clear and tight. The orchestra and the band don't drown out each other, instead working together as a whole and as an extension to the other part. Massive props to Smolski as well, as he composed the entirety of the music and arrangements by himself for the "Suite Lingua Mortis", though Peavy and Terrana do add their personal touch that makes the whole thing sound like Rage. On this record, the band sounds energetic and at the top of their game, and Peavy's vocals are among his best he's ever recorded on this one.

The second half of the record fetaures a 31 minutes onslaught of more traditionnal songs as found on "Unity" and "Soundchaser", and while most of the focus may be on "Suite Lingua Mortis" when people think of "Speak of the Dead", the remaining 7 songs are in no way of lesser quality. I would personally argue that songs like "Soul Survivor", "Full Moon" and "Kill Your Gods" are on par or even better than the best songs of the previous two records with grandiose riffing and hooks for days. "No Fear" and the title track bring on the thrashy speed metal you would expect of a Rage record while the remaining songs offer a bit more variety with softer, acoustic-driven moments ("Full Moon, "Turn My World Around") or crushingly heavy parts ("Kill Your Gods", "Soul Survivor"). The only song I think is a bit weaker on this record is "Be With Me or Be Gone" as I am not a fan of the recurring opening riff of the song but even then, I never end up skipping it when listening to the full record because the rest of the song is so catchy and fun.

"Speak of the Dead" leaves me wanting more when I'm finished with the record which is a pretty rare feat with Rage considering how often they offer too many songs for their own good, as seen with "Black in Mind", "End of All Days" or "Welcome to the Other Side". Smolski's expertly delivered rhythms and face-melting leads are always a treat, the melodies throughout are memorable and delivered with aplomb by Peavy, and Terrana's masterful drumming brings the whole thing together. It's a shame Terrana would end up leaving the band after this record, but Rage would live on for a while longer with both Peavy and Smolski.

Highlights:
Suite Lingua Mortis
Soul Survivor
Full Moon
Kill Your Gods
Turn My World Around

Least favorite but still great:
Be With Me or Be Gone

Speak of the Dead, Mike Terrana's final studio full-length within the ranks of Rage, is an album that comes with the up-front hurdle that is the "Suite Lingua Mortis", an 8-track metal orchestra. The trio once again explores those symphonic elements it has adopted through its 'Lingua Mortis' phase, which they would eventually spin off into its own project to return this core band back to the metals. Obviously a love for classical music, shared between Wagner and Smolski, was a huge part of why this had been welded onto the steel framework of the band's speed/power metal foundations, but I can't help but wonder if some bands were ultimately trying to emulate a little of the success that a group like the Trans-Siberian Orchestra achieved with its covers of Christmas carols, etc, after the dwindling returns of Savatage (who, for my money, in their 1983-1989 prime, were vastly superior to anything TSO has done).

At any rate, while the "Suite Lingua Mortis" is expertly produced, dramatic and well-scripted in terms of how it shifts between its classical moments and the harder metal bite, there was a very generic feel to it that ultimately turned me off a little and had me craving the more routinely metal content that occupies the latter half of this disc. I have no idea if Peavy is descended from THE Wagner, THAT Wagner, but a lot of the orchestral maneuvers remind me quite a lot of the old Valkyrie rider, if a bit more timid in their scope. Don't get me wrong, the conductor does a great job fusing it together, and in particular I laud the level-headedness of the production which reminds me of the Scorpion's great symphonic album Moment of Glory, but apart from a few cool Peavy vocal lines and guitar licks, this first 25-ish minutes of Speak of the Dead is just not that memorable unless I'm specifically in the mood for that sort of thing. Even Victor, for whom this style is bread and butter, sounds a little too constrained by what's going on with the strings, horns, and so forth, and thus his rhythms and chord selections are a bit dry, and the leads predictable and bland alongside the rest of the instrumentation.

Once we get to "No Fear", we get more into the Rage I wanna hear, and it just keeps getting better after that, with a couple of dirt-digging, heavier punching cuts that are still laden with the melodic affectations we had already heard through the earlier tunes. That's not to say this last batch of cuts are exemplary in their canon at large, but something like "Full Moon" or the title track finale is for me the highlight of the album rather than the classical suite. Terrana is a living storm on a number of these tracks, but even then it seems like they're holding him back a bit. Victor starts to flex his chops a lot more on this latter portion of the record, but he's not always coming up with the catchiest little bits as he does on some of the other albums during his tenure. Peavy still has a little range and he really thrives in the mid-highs but non-screaming zone, especially when he's got some decent backing vocals. All told, Speak of the Dead is an effort I remember liking a lot more when it arrived, but the years haven't been drawing me back to it other than a couple of the heavier tunes. It's solid, fairly ambitious, and I certainly wouldn't ask someone to shut it off if we were listening to it on a drive, but just doesn't offer me a lot of what Rage hadn't and hasn't done better elsewhere.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

While popular opinion concerning Smolski's tenure with Rage is habitually positive, the first two records featuring his stupefying chops don't quite gel with the anticipation likely built within most minds. This isn't to downplay the potency of Welcome to the Other Side and Unity, but for a virtuoso lauded for his ability to conjoin classical arrangements with the burlier periphery of rock riffage, they are certainly exercises in the more intrinsic and elementary. Thankfully, this is one facet in which Rage thrives as a cohesive act, and despite hints of what was to come on tracks like "Unity," it wasn't until Speak of the Dead several years later we found Smolski and the band as a whole drawing a sizable accretion of influence from their most polarizing, yet sensational characteristics.

Most striking right away is yet another Lingua Mortis collaboration, this time via an eponymous series of movements that makes up just shy of half of the album. What we essentially get here are a few standard Rage numbers bookended by orchestral volleys that finally let Smolski swarm the listener with his prodigious arrangements, all augmented by the orchestra at their most cogently-utilized. From the triumphant, horn-raising final throes of "No Regrets" to the diatonic-flavored clean tones that dominate the majority of "Beauty," what we have here is an album's worth of prime material that lands closer to the enigmatic XIII than anything else Wagner and co. have put out to date, and this is only at the halfway point. Coming after the rather straightforward fisticuff-laced grappling that signified the universally well-received Soundchaser, Speak of the Dead opens in an entirely different manner, and has naturally earned a fair share of dissenters in the process.

Some of the expected complaints revolve around the fact that once "Suite Lingua Mortis" wraps up, the remaining standard Rage tracks are underwhelming and mediocre in comparison. I personally have to disagree here, as most of these cuts can hang with the best of Soundchaser any day of the week. Take "Soul Survivor" for instance, which boasts a chorus that rips through the space-time continuum and is perhaps the most memorable Rage tune in this regard since "Who Dares." The diesel-slurping Wagner led crunchers are hardly anything to scoff at either, as "Turn My World Around" and especially "Kill Your Gods" rollick through the verses and boast payoff choruses that maintain consistency all-around sealed in Teutonic grit. The latter reminds me of "War of Worlds," which is quite an honour especially coming from a supposed paltry followup to Soundchaser. Despite featuring a whopping fifteen tracks (still rather expected by Rage standards), Speak of the Dead feels anything but overlong, perhaps a benefit granted by the half-and-half paradigm unique to itself.

I would call this a bittersweet swansong for Mike Terrana, but the sad fact is that Rage underutilized one of the greatest comprehensive percussionists in the scene today, and his voluntary departure is hard to argue against. He complained that Wagner and the production team quantized his drumming to the point of being unrecognizable, and indeed he is rather washed over here. Wagner's bass is upfront and scooped in favor of the higher end as normal, and once the sonic enormity of the orchestrations and Smolski's piece of the pie are taken into account, there frankly isn't much room left to work with. A true shame on a personal level, but hardly a breaking point when one is enjoying the exultant allure of Speak of the Dead in the moment. I really find very few flaws with this one otherwise, and at this juncture enjoy this more than any other post-Ghosts effort to date. A smashing Rage classic that draws from all of the eclectic avenues that make this act such a uniform delight, and not one to be missed.

Speak Of The Dead has a tendency to make the most recent Rage albums look somewhat dull in comparison, with its “Suite Lingua Mortis” dominating the first half of the record. Why the band hasn’t delved as deeply into symphonic works since this point is a mystery to me, but this album is split evenly in two, and is almost difficult to review as a whole. Tallying up to an impressive 16 tracks (Rage has never been a band to disappoint with an album too brief), This means two completely separate musical journeys, and so I will treat it as such.

The “Suite Lingua Mortis” almost features two introductory tracks. The first, “Morituri Te Salutant”, is more or less a brief fanfare which sounds excellent, but doesn’t in any way indicate the gravity of the offering to come. In this way, “Prelude Of Souls” is really a much better lead-in to the dark atmosphere of the suite as a whole. The sound and atmosphere of Smolski’s guitar work and the keyboards are surprisingly prog-tinged, and I’m reminded occasionally of works like Dream Theater’s symphonic efforts when listening to this track. “Innocent” introduces the characters, both the young girl and the nameless man who hijacks her dreams. After the brief melancholy interlude, “No Regrets” bursts onto the scene with a slow, heavy stomp, supported by electronic elements and symphonic melodies that will remind Rage fans of the later “Empty Hollow” suite. Peavy’s delivery in this song is powerful and impeccable, the best example being the threatening “You always thought your first man would marry you. Now, as it seems, he just comes to bury you!” Just when all is dark and hopeless, Smolski delivers a beautiful guitar solo, followed by some prog and even jazz-tinged instrumental madness in “Confusion”. “Black” simply exists to provide space, and “Beauty” provides a serene ending to the best symphonic composition that the band has put together to date.

The second half of Speak Of The Dead, on the other hand, is a pretty standard Rage-styled tide of melodic heavy metal, which is a recipe for whiplash in and of itself. Opinions seems to be spread as to the general effectiveness of the second half of this album, but I find it to be quite strong. “No Fear” and “Kill Your Gods” provide heaviness and aggression, while “Turn My World Around” and the title track itself offer some good old-fashioned rocking. The strongest tracks, however, are “Full Moon” (with its gentle introduction, face-ripping verses, and incredible vocal work), “Sole Survivor” (That chorus!), and “Be With Me Or Be Gone” (featuring a great jammy intro and sharp, crisp verses). Overall, the concentration of symphonic excellence and relentless energy makes this my favorite Rage record of the mid/late 2000′s. The songwriting is a bit more solid and consistent, the riffs more plentiful, and the melodies more abundant and well-conceived than those found on Carved In Stone and Strings To A Web.

I won’t conjecture as to how the band changed with Mike Terrana’s departure after this album, but I sure miss the glory days with him behind the drum kit. Regardless, with Speak Of The Dead, Rage has properly evolved into a band that not only handles its core sound well, but can excel with new sounds. It’s definitely got a dual personality, but it’s also one of the several high points in the band’s career. Highly recommended for nearly any fan of melodic metal, or if you’ve liked anything that Rage has ever done.

Original review written for Black Wind Metal

The epic vibes of "Mortituri Te Salutant" kick off the 25 minute opus "The Suite Lingua Mortis" and RAGE's unprecedented 18th (Including the 1 as Avenger) studio-album, 'Speak of the Dead', a heavy and dark, yet energetic masterpiece complete with a strong sense of melody and utter beauty. The entire cd, a work primarily composed by the virtuosic musicians Victor Smolski and Peavy Wagner, makes a bold statement in both the Symphonic metal genre and the Power/Thrash metal genre. While the first half is a stunning display of technical prowess and unmatchable composing, the second shows the bands aggression and experimental abilities as it is deep, heavy with heaps of meaningful riffs and guitar solos. It at times even harks back to some RAGE classics such as 'Refuge'.

So what about the Suite? Is it as good as RAGE's initial symphonic effort 'Lingua Mortis'? Yes. Is it even better? Probably. The fact is, the original effort was more or less an experiment for RAGE, the suite contained on this disc is an almost compilation of all the blood and sweat RAGE has produced over the symphonic years. It is a piece that has been perfected time and time again, and the presence of Smolski, whose father is also a famous Russian composer, is also a major plus.

From the first note of "Mortituri Te Salutant" the epic grand-scale of this piece is shown. "Prelude of Souls" is a rather mildly entertaining track, but it does introduce some key elements in to the suite, and to the entire cd for that matter. The main thing it introduces is the sheer brilliance of Smolski's avant-garde, prog-minded guitar solos which combine not only classical and metal, but also the likes of jazz, blues, and electronic. I just think there were just too many effects on the guitars for this segment; it comes off sounding just a bit cheesy. As "Prelude" ends, “Innocent” begins. Largely regarded as the "fan-favorite" the album, it’s a unique blend of symphonic metal and the occasional thrash riff. The solo, as advertised is astounding and Victor showcases the 1,000s of techniques to playing the electric guitar. "Depression" just as you guessed, is a short, and sad sounding orchestra-only piece that acts as an intro to "No Regrets". "No Regrets" introduces choirs into the mix. The first part of the song is odd and very heavy, I’m not such a fan of it, but as the first chorus chimes in, the song gets way better. The chorus is one of RAGE's best ever and the choir is absolutely beautiful. The entire rest of the song as opposed to the dark beginning carries on with beautiful, upbeat melodies. "Confusion" ,again, as the name states, is a very confusing piece. It’s mostly composed of a heavy guitar riff, breaking for a sort-of jazz/fusion mini drum solo done by the highly capable, and highly respected Mike Terrana. "Black" is a rather tame piece, its dark and provides the intro to the final song in the suite, the epic ballad "Beauty". A dark, and almost tribal, yet bluesy vibe starts "Beauty". It is a slow, melodic ballad that has very nice qualities and an extremely bluesy solo with a rather triumphant ending.

Now that the suite is over is there really anything left? OF COURSE! The remainder of this disc will pummel you with astounding riffs and solos all around. Its starts off with all guns blazing as the video track "No Fear" with its destructive guitar solo and insanely heavy riffs, blows your brain by getting you to headbang violently and pull the dusty 'ol air guitar out of the closet. "Sole Survivor" quite possibly could be my favorite track on this cd, it bears a huge similarity to RAGE's 1993 masterpiece 'The Missing Link' yet with modern RAGE characteristics. The chorus and verses are both sharp and the solo is another good one. The next track "Full Moon" starts off acoustically and gives you the impression it will be another ballad. Not surprisingly for this album, it turns into a heavy, melodic trademark RAGE masterpiece. "Kill You Gods" is by far the heaviest and fastest track on here. The lyrics, which are very provoking, are about global religious conflicts and how they ultimately lead to wars. "Turn my World Around" would have fit nicely on both 'Unity' and 'Soundchaser' but it also sounds great on here. It’s mostly mid-paced and overall a solid track. "Be With me or be Gone" is another gem off of this cd, that has almost a Crossover vibe at the beginning which quickly turns into a blazing power/thrash metal anthem. Another good solo in this one on behalf of Victor. The title track "Speak of the Dead" brings an end to it all. It’s a strong song with some rather interesting riffs and a great solo. It, as in "Kill Your Gods" has very strong lyrics.

I have a couple different versions of this disc and I must say the bonus versions of "Full Moon", especially the Spanish and Japanese versions, are actually better than the original.

Overall, this release, as with every other RAGE release to date, is one of the "must-have's" of the year, and to anybody who’s a fan of Thrash, Symphonic, Power, Shred, Avant-Garde, or Progressive metal this is an essential. To Nuclear Blast: Put all your support behind these guys because they sure as hell deserve it.

(Originally Written for: http://www.wimetal.com)