Between The Buried And Me
Alaska (Instrumental)

THE REVIEW

In all honesty, I don't understand why the excellent Between The Buried And Me wanted to reissue this album in an instrumental version. Maybe it's because the metalhead spirit within me is waning over time, and I no longer find myself nodding my head back and forth, scattering dandruff here and there whenever metal permeates the air (oh, in recent years I've eliminated the dandruff problem, thanks for asking), but after much pondering, I couldn't find a valid reason. 
"Croakies And Boatshoes", "Roboturner", and finally "Backwards Marathon" are missing, but most importantly, on the microphone, Tommy Giles Rogers Junior is missing, the crucial piece without which the album just echoes like a very drunk Dream Theater. Without his falsetto-growl-it's-unclear-where-it's-going-to-end-up all that's left is the pure technical display of the rest of the quintet. And - personally - if I want to hear four fools playing fast scales, I go down to the garage to applaud my fourteen-year-old neighbor's band. 
I can approve of the purchase of this album by a fanatical follower of the band or someone who enjoys making love to the rhythm of prog, but it's certainly not one of those must-haves for a teenage metal collection, relegated to maturity in the showcases of used record stores, ready to be snapped up by the new studded generation. 
Rather, in those showcases, I would prefer to find the "sung" version. Or maybe not. Keep it on your shelf, Christ.