Monte Pittman

Monte Pittman

Inverted Grasp of Balance

Metal Blade Records

Release: 23 September 2016

I will not be recommending this album to anyone.

The album has an upbeat energy, a good sound quality and it is undoubtedly a professional recording. The melodic singing--kind of a 90s U.S. rock style--is ok, not bad.

The problem is the songs. There is a satisfaction with basic riffs, play-on riffs, supposedly because that's enough for metal music and enough for heavy music. Nevertheless, there is no getting around the matter that these are basic riffs. These riffs seems to come from 90s U.S. rock, and alternative-rock-era Metallica, and the usual Creed/Pantera low-intelligence, low-effort riffs that try to get by on loudness or crunch alone. This will not do. It provides nothing interesting for metal listeners who want to rock out to guitar playing offers more imagination, power, skill and headbanging energy.

For your information, here is a bit of official information: "To assert that Pittman has had a storied career is something of an understatement. His resumé includes an ongoing and fruitful collaboration with multi-platinum selling artist Madonna, having recorded and toured with her extensively over a period of more than fifteen years. Then there's his first band, Myra Mains, his stint in the metallic behemoth that is Prong, and collaborations with a broad spectrum of international artists. If his time with Prong did not fully communicate just how much metal flowed through his veins, with 2014's Flemming Rasmussen-produced The Power Of Three - his first release with Metal Blade Records - he compellingly blended killer riffs, blistering leads and gigantic hooks to deliver an album that was equal parts anthemic grandeur and in-your-face attitude, making metalheads around the world sit up and take note."

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review by MMB