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Artillery > Penalty by Perception > 2016, CD, Metal Blade Records > Reviews
Artillery - Penalty by Perception

Penalized - 58%

GuntherTheUndying, May 30th, 2020

I am far from committing blasphemy by proclaiming Artillery is capable of hits late in the game. Old fogies they may be, but I enjoy most of what this long-running thrash trope has released, although "By Inheritance" remains the cream of the crop. “Penalty by Perception” puts a tough spin on this consistency, however; it shows a hint of struggle weaseling its way into the Artillery camp, although throwing it in the slammer for the rest of its days seems dramatic. It is almost a copy of “Legions," which I enjoyed quite a bit. “Legions,” however, had an extra dash of pizazz that “Penalty by Perception” lacks; the song structures, riffing textures, vocal lines, rhythm sections, and the overall flow feel drained of the fire that made Artillery's 2013 opus absorbing. I can't stress enough that this falls back on "Legions" almost to the point of dependency.

I don’t think riding “Penalty by Perception” for mirroring the preceding Artillery album is inappropriate, considering how the band puts such a profound spin on their brand of thrash. One can pick out song structures and pacing methods that are nearly copied from “Legions” and pasted here without so much of an afterthought. The animated, melodically-charged thrash riffs—a theme that is usually compelling—pull the same rabbit from “Legions” out of their hats for fifty minutes. Familiar motifs and tempos reemerge, although they fail to hook despite differing only in microscopic ways. The songwriting sounds as though they rubbed a piece of paper over "Legions" with charcoal and gave the thin result the stamp of approval. Riffs, pacing, song templates and such sound loosely mirrored over. Listen to both records and pinpoint the similarities.

The song quality reminds me more of “Anno Requiem” and “Dies Irae” from “Legions” than “Doctor Evil” or “Ethos of Wrath,” which I found to be the best tracks on "Legion." “Anno Requiem” and “Dies Irae” weren’t offensive, but they gave the impression that Artillery was beginning to go through the motions and run up the clock beyond what was necessary. "Penalty by Perception" sounds acceptable, yet lacks a "Doctor Evil" or an "Ethos of Wrath" to make things white-hot. This happens throughout “Penalty by Perception” because the songwriting is restrained; not a track shakes this standardization from an otherwise extraordinary group. A song like “Mercy of Ignorance” or “Live by the Scythe” does the trick, but not much else exists to help boost it up.

“Penalty by Perception” sounds fine, rocking the same modern production from “Legions.” The crunchy sound gives Artillery a hefty yet concise edge without sacrificing the crisp. Michael Bastholm Dahl enjoying what are now far beyond sloppy seconds of the vocalist role is also satisfactory given that his voice matches both the harsher themes and the more upbeat patterns the album has to offer, just like “Legions.” These similarities, compounded by lackluster songwriting, bog down what “Penalty by Perception” could have accomplished. It hides in the shadow of its predecessor despite its clinical, frenetic technicality and inherited arrangements. While"Legions" had a degree of heat, this sounds like Artillery trying to set damp wood ablaze.

When the scythe does its work - 86%

Felix 1666, April 24th, 2016
Written based on this version: 2016, CD, Metal Blade Records (Limited edition, Digipak, Enhanced)

Artillery do not belong to my most appreciated bands, because from my point of view, they have always been prone to ill-defined tracks. I admit that the talented band never lacked potential. But only in rare cases, the guys made full use of their opportunities. For example, if you ask me, the hyped "By Inheritance" shines with fantastic tracks, but it also offers a few lame, meaningless and pretty commercial numbers. (Hopefully, I did not offend your Holy Cow.) Therefore, I am interested in new albums of the Danish gang, but I don't have sleepless nights as soon as the band announces a new release. However, "Penalty by Perception" awakened my curiosity.

One thing is certain, the music of the Stützer brothers is much more lively than their faces. Their compositions don't need surgical procedures. The experienced veterans know the formula for songs that combine a fairly melodic approach with the adequate quantum of heaviness. As one might expect, "Penalty by Perception" is no mined territory and does not achieve the level of aggression that characterised their early works. (Don't forget your daily dose of "Terror Squad"!) Especially the contribution of Michael Bastholm Dahl makes the difference. With regard to the standards of thrash metal, he delivers melodic vocals that would be compatible with compositions of bands such as Candlemass. Don't misunderstand me; I like the usual thrash shouting, but this does not rule out my appreciation for Dahl's style of singing. (As a side note, my wife hates his performance. This is always a good omen.) He is able to deliver a personal touch and this is exactly what a lead vocalist should do. But his skilful performance is not the only trump that the Stützers have up their sleeves.

A salient feature of the album or at least of its best tracks are the catchy guitar lines. Without having an eye on any form of pop appeal, the guitarists provide thrilling parts with great ease. Already the opener welcomes the listener with an almost unforgettable melody and this is the way it should be. "In Defiance of Conformity" strikes the right tone. Despite its title, the song is not based on a non-conform pattern. Artillery are able to extract the maximum of the traditional structures, because they are not merely focused on the creation of excellent choruses. The agitating guitars at the beginning, the dramatic verses, the pinpoint "hey hey hey" part after the solo and last but not least the combative yet somehow bitter lyrics of the brilliant "Live by the Scythe" show that the band follows a holistic approach. One doesn't need to like this output, but everybody must agree that the formation doesn't do things by halves. The maturity of the material, in particular the smooth design and the vibrancy of the songs, deserves respect. This applies regardless of whether one likes each and every part of the songs. Here are professionals at work. Quite different yet always exciting pieces like the fast-paced title track, the energetic "Welcome to the Mindfactory" and the powerful, slightly oriental "Sin of Innocence" clarify the spectrum of the formation. Not to mention the more than acceptable power ballad with its piano prelude. "When the Magic Is Gone" emphasises the harmonic vocals without shocking the thrash maniacs with cheesy or pompous elements and that's the main thing. Moreover, it adds an interesting shade to the album and opens the second half which reaches almost the great quality of the first songs.

Artillery know how their music must sound and it is therefore no surprise that the here introduced work is graced with a full and dense production. Well balanced between modernity and tradition, "Penalty by Perception" does not suffer from a compressed sound that strangles the flair of the compositions. It was not their aim to create the most massive wall of sound, but a vigorous output - and there can be no doubt that they have reached their goal. The convincing technical implementation fits well with the equally convincing mentality of the formation. In view of the integrity of the band, I cannot find the smallest grain of falseness in the overall picture of their eighth album. Honestly, this is a value in itself, irrespective of a few number of less compelling tunes. Finally, I have to mention the fact that this album is a very Danish teamwork. It was recorded in Copenhagen by Søren Andersen and the guest appearances of Hank Sherman and Michael Denner lend the album the aura of a class reunion. Of course, it is the class of 1980, but that's no problem at all; quite the opposite. Only King Diamond is missing. I guess he couldn't leave the house because he is in intensive discussions with some enigmatic spirits from beyond. Is that you, Melissa? Be that as it may, no need to panic. It's just business as usual in the castle of the King and therefore I prefer to concentrate on "Penalty of Perception". I don't know whether it will stand the test of time, but right now, it comes as a very positive surprise.

Sparkless - 65%

autothrall, April 9th, 2016
Written based on this version: 2016, CD, Metal Blade Records

I was such a massive fan of Denmark's Artillery in their late 80s streak, leading up to the almost unparalleled By Inheritance, that it is impossible for me NOT to compare any of this 21st century reunion period to those first three seminal works. That's not to say I'm opposed to all the newer material; in fact I thought When Death Comes was an excellent comeback, despite the new vocals. But since that point, their material seems to have begun a downward spiral, which at best provides a tired doppelganger of the glory days, and at worst sounds like an entirely different band who just weren't on that same level as they once were. The last two records, while competent and well-produced, evoked a diminishing level of interest from me, and while Penalty by Perception doesn't exactly set a new low, I fear that it also doesn't offer much of a redeeming value if you're seeking either their technical power/thrash mastery, or their earlier, rough around the edges charm circa Terror Squad.

To be clear, Penalty by Perception is very much identifiable as an Artillery album. The brothers Stützer's distinct, uplifting riff style is present through the majority of the playtime. But since that has long been one of the two highlights of the band, it's also one of my disappointments. At its fastest and most frenetic, the guitar progressions here just feel like they're retreading By Inheritance or the prior post-reunion material, only with a lot less zest, and certainly less creativity. They can still sling an axe, of that there is no question, and yet the absolute over-the-top sense of melody and drive is lacking. The palm mutes are polished and chunky, especially in slower to mid-paced pieces like "Mercy of Ignorance", but the riffing level is at best a few steps below their prime, and lacks the raw and rugged appeal of a Fear of Tomorrow or Terror Squad. Tunes like "Rites of War" and "Live by the Scythe" sound like I've heard them before, only they've been paraphrased for less excitement, and at almost no point did a sequence of notes here stick out in my brain for more than a song's duration.

I'm also just not into Michael Bastholm Dahl's vocals in this band. He's a seasoned singer with a solid voice, largely mid-to-high range with a few flights north of that, but he just sounds too clean and tidy, even over these guitars here, which themselves lack some charm. What made the early albums work was their sense of aggression helmed by Fleming Ronsdorf's angry bark, and once By Inheritance arrived it was the contrast of frenetic melodic elegance with those same crude vocals. Here he just sounds like he could be singing over any other power/prog metal hybrid. That's not to say he entirely lacks an edge when he needs one, or that they don't complement him with some backing shouts and so forth to flesh out the variation ("Deity Machine"), but most of the time the performance just fell flat with me, too studied and restrained for the music to ever reach viral. Otherwise, the drums and bass are fine, the production is like a meatier modern take on the first couple albums, my disconnect really just comes down to the songwriting.

Penalty by Perception is still not a 'bad' album, per se, and they remain distinct among many of their younger, pizza thrashing peers, simply by virtue of them writing in this power/speed/thrash hybrid. I'd probably place this on the same level of its predecessor, Legions, a solid but unremarkable disc, one that I just didn't derive much enjoyment from due to the sterility compared to past brilliance.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

No penalty offered in my view - 93%

slayrrr666, April 4th, 2016
Written based on this version: 2016, CD, Metal Blade Records

The seventh full-length from Danish thrash veterans Artillery overall is as strong and effective as they were back in the heyday during their assaults in the late-80s. Continuing on the theme from their last album which introduced their new singer, this material is much in that same manner of utterly pummeling thrash rhythms and crushing drumming barreling along through engaging up-tempo work-outs that can maneuver through a strong variety of tempo change-ups due to the incredibly strong riff-work at the forefront of the record. Being able to drive through tracks with an intense speed-driven straightforward thrashers or more melodic mid-paced efforts that contain a fair amount of toughened churning riff-work alongside the power-metal accented flairs in place throughout the tracks, it gives this a rather intriguing amount of variety makes for a wholly engaging dynamic throughout here. It readily thrashes when necessary, eases off into the mid-tempo when appropriate and offers the kind of melodic tendencies that don’t diminish the full-scale blistering tempos featured. Surely, the ballad might not be for everyone’s personal tastes and it can seem to drone on a little too long at times but it still holds up well enough overall.

The first half here expertly plays off what’s going on here. Opener ‘In Defiance of Conformity’ uses an ambient forest-sound intro with simple guitars slowly build into pounding drumming, furious riff-work and a stylish up-tempo gallop as the melodic vocal croons rip through the charging rhythms with the harmonies melodies mixing along with the tight chugging thrash riffing into the solo section with the fine melodic riffing continuing into the final half for an exciting opener. ‘Live by the Scythe’ utilizes grandiose melodic riff-work turns into heavy-handed rhythms and surging riffing through a charging up-tempo pace loaded with melodic flurries charging through the intense riff-work with the soaring melodic solo section leading into the frantic, heavy-handed rhythms of the finale for another exciting highlight. The title track uses a slow-burn intro with a gradual turn into heavy mid-tempo chugging with scorching leads pounding along with the lively rhythms into the solo section and pounding through the chugging riffing of the final half for another heavy, enjoyable effort.‘Mercy of Ignorance’ uses furious tribal drumming and churning riffing into a stylish mid-tempo chug as the churning rhythms allow for a series of frantic, pounding patterns and frenzied paces through the solo section and carrying through into the blazing finale for a strong effort overall.‘Rites of War’ starts with rumbling riffing and pounding drumming into a steady up-tempo full of frenzied rhythms charging along to the dynamic pounding thrash rhythms into the mid-tempo churning solo section and continuing through the final half for a solid enough effort. ‘Sin of Innocence’ takes an extended series of tribal drumming and swirling riff-work into a strong series of churning rhythms full of blazing riff-work and toughened melodies touched off with the churning mid-tempo riffing carrying through the solo section into the finale for yet another powerhouse thrasher.

The second half is slightly weaker if still enjoyable. The ballad ‘When the Magic Is Gone’ takes a series of melodic riffing and softer rhythms offering plenty of romantic arrangements along the light, breezy pace while generating more traditional pounding spurts while dropping back into the lighter patterns for the solo section and carrying into the final half for a decent-if-unmemorable effort.‘Cosmic Brain’ takes blistering drumming and charging drumming along through a stylish up-tempo pace with stuttering rhythms and heavy chugging riff-work carrying through the dynamic patterns full of scorching riffing into the solo section and keeping it through the finale for a strong highlight effort. ‘Deity Machine’ takes steady mid-tempo rhythms and pounding drumming keeping the steady mid-tempo riffing swirling through a series of bland rhythms with the steady pace holding through into the solo section and keeping the rhythms intact through the final half for the first really bland effort overall. ‘Path of the Atheist’ features a steady, rumbling series of riffing with majestic pounding drumming taking a heavy, churning series of riffing along through the fine plodding mid-tempo sections with the crunchy riffing leading into the solo section and on through the finale for a rocking-if-unessential effort overall. Finally, ‘Welcome to the Mindfactory’ utilizes a solid series of rocking up-tempo riffing swirling with raucous thrashing patterns and pounding drumming leading through the swirling technical rhythms around the blazing solo section and carrying the energy through the final half for an exciting and wholly engrossing lasting impression/

Certainly well on-par with many of their more fruitful and explosive efforts of the past even if this one doesn’t overwhelm like their true knock-out efforts did, this is still prime-era thrash at it’s greatest done by an entity around at the birth of it all which makes this one welcome enough for any raging thrash aficionado or fans of classics old-school metal.