Album Review: Motivik - Renouncement
Reviewed by Matthew Williams
A strange yet somewhat dramatic beginning heralds the opening to the second album from Motivik as the instrumental “Palace of Ashes” begins with a single piano working alongside a guitar solo, giving that old school feel, and I begin to wonder which dark, mysterious path this was taking me on. Then, the jagged guitar and pulsating drums of late 80’s inspired “Dethroned” show me exactly which path I’m on, and it’s one full of stunning melodies, technically dextrous playing and more twists and turns than an Olympic gymnast.
Motivik are a formidable duo from Atlanta, Georgia, consisting of multi-instrumentalist Ryan Roebuck and vocalist Courtney Simmons, who blend classic thrash metal with progressive melodies to create something both fresh and imaginative. Title track “Renouncement” has that heavier, grittier finish to it, building up rapid pace from the solo and “Break the Walls” continues the innovative approach to their songs, a bit slower initially but the song feels more textured, with a smoother production and a simple, less complex guitar rhythm that carries the song and a cracking bass halfway through before the aggressive twist kicks in, albeit momentarily.
“Septicemia” has a slow acoustic build up with a soothing melody that leads into a decent guitar solo, before the tempo increases and the vocal kicks in. The riff carries the song well, as it floats about all over the place, but never forgetting it’s thrash roots and is followed by “This Man I Am” with it’s a creepy, haunting intro that leads to a cracking riff and solo. It has such an old school sensation to this one, nicely structured, with the keyboards adding more depth and emotion to the song. It’s one of the highlights of the album for me but could have been a minute or two shorter in length, although I really like the riff about two thirds in, changing the direction of the song once more.
They have enlisted session drummer Alex Emidio and some of his work is sublime. On “Harbinger of Demise” it hits you hard, like a 100-tonne sledgehammer smashing your jaw, and with lots of other guest appearances, they all add something different to the album. “Lord of Death” showcases another style from the band, as it feels angrier with a bit more grit from the snarling vocal and yet they go off on another tangent with loads of layers from the bass, guitar and keys, it’s confusing at times, but also enjoyable.
The album swerves towards the end with the heartfelt piano opening to “Once Again”, accompanied by the emotional vocal which fits perfectly, before the instruments are fired up again and join the battle for one last time and produce probably for me, the best track of the album. It doesn’t feel like 6 and a half minutes long, as it’s an engrossing song where everything
