10 Years
Minus The Machine

THE REVIEW

I rarely take a look at the mainstream American rock scene, hoping to find something good that hasn't yet reached Europe, and especially Italy, or simply goes unnoticed. That's how a few years ago I stumbled upon 10 Years, a band heavily inspired by the alternative metal of Tool, and it's how I fell in love (and still am) with their little gem called "The Autumn Effect." Specifically, the band from Tennessee caught my attention with their penultimate album "Feeding the Wolves," a much more radio-friendly and pretentious album than the next ones, sometimes falling into anonymity, yet well-crafted. This new chapter from the protégés of the best Deftones continues along the same line as its predecessor, but in a decidedly better way, correcting everything that needed to be fixed.

As already mentioned, it follows the same path as "Feeding the Wolves," but, unlike that album, the songs have been crafted in a much more refined manner, especially the semi-acoustic and delicate ones. The most evident examples are "Forever Fields (Sowing Season)," where a sweet and also very inspired Jesse Hasek makes an appearance, accompanied by an equally melodious piano, and "Writing On The Walls." Both are beautiful pieces, among the best on the entire album, particularly the former, one of the most beautiful songs ever composed and written by the American quartet. However, the album doesn't lack energetic and engaging tracks, starting right from the first track, which coincidentally is the title track, providing a delightful first listen and encouraging the listener to continue, engaging with excellent moments like "Backlash," "Dancing With The Dead," and "Knives." The rest of the album fluctuates on medium-high levels, offering "ordinary" tracks that are easy and simple to listen to, even if they might seem like fillers.

In the end, the result is satisfying. A great album of fine craftsmanship, very easy to absorb and full of emotions, but only for those who can fully understand this band and their offering. Not quite similar to their best work, but we're almost at that level. A band too little recognized outside American soil, which, modestly, deserves more attention.

SCORE = 85 / 100