When
Richard Patrick asked
the DeLeo Brothers of
Stone Temple Pilots fame to guest on
Filter's fourth album, he never expected where it would lead. But so satisfying was their collaboration, "A Better Place," that the trio decided to continue it, leading, upon the enlistment of drummer
Ray Luzier, to the birth of
Army of Anyone. The taster for their eponymous debut album, "Goodbye" has already been welcomed by fans of both bands and then some, lighting up radio coast to coast. That electrifying song certainly sets the stage for the full-length set, which is filled with sharply written numbers filled with dynamics, musical nuances, and a big sound courtesy of producer
Bob Ezrin. Delicate moments are also found within, as on the sweeping "A Better Place," awash in muted atmospheres and glorious guitars. "Disappear" features sumptuous strumming guitars, but here the aura swirls toward psychedelia, while "Stop, Look and Listen" is painted in gentle pastels. The set's finale, "This Wasn't Supposed to Happen," is so rich in ambience, you could almost cut it with a knife, a moody ballad that shimmers in dappled sunshine. The set opener, "It Doesn't Seem to Matter," is its polar opposite, a big rock number with storming, searing guitars and a pulled-back, chiming chorus. Other sonic assaults follow -- "Generation" with its phenomenal dynamic shifts; the bluesy "Ain't Enough"; and the churning, metal-riven "Father Figure." It's a sumptuous set, with a density of sound and atmosphere that almost echoes of
the Verve, but so solid and potent is the rhythm section that the comparison is far from satisfactory. With its mixtures of moods, subtle use of genre-shifting, and powerhouse guitars,
Army of Anyone breaks down the rock barriers, and fans should be joining up by the droves.