Odin's Court - ReDriven

Brookins has seen several different members share the studio and the stage with him since the band’s formation. He formed the band with bassist Scott Adley and drummer Troy Ribail in late 2001. Ribail parted ways soon after and was replaced by John Abella, who still occupies the beat seat. This lineup released their first demo in 2003. Keyboardist Craig Moran joined in 2003 and shortly after the band released their first full-length album Driven By Fate. The album saw much critical praise. In mid-2004, Moran decided to part company and the band soldiered on for a brief period as a three-piece. In 2005, the band finally found some stability and a much-needed shot in the arm with the addition of ex-Critical Path axe shredder Rick Pierpont and teenage keyboard phenom Savino Palumbo. Sadly, in mid-2005, founding bass slinger Adley had to leave the band due to career obligations. In his stead, the band hired bassist Craig Jackson, another young and talented musician. Several stage performances of this new lineup proved that the band was more sonically powerful than ever before, and to celebrate the band decided to completely rearrange and re-record a collection of original favorites from Driven By Fate and add some brand new acoustic tracks and unplugged rearrangements of some of the older songs in a brand new collection called ReDriven By Fate.

OK, I hear some of you who probably already own Driven By Fate groaning already. “Why didn’t they just record an album full of brand new tracks?” Well, didn’t you ever have a creative vision that was only partly realized? ReDriven By Fate is the concept of the previous album finally up to its full zenith. If you’re going to do something, do it right, I say! It’s only fair that Pierpont, Palumbo and Jackson get to put their own signature on these great songs.

1. Discretion Rising - The album opens with the soothing calm of this instrumental . The calming keyboard melody and the slight strumming of the guitars leads to a beautiful guitar solo/harmony that sounds like the lonely wail of a stray cat sitting on a fencepost at midnight. You are calm…at peace! Time to settle down for a nap, you think…right?

2. D2C - WRONG! The opening riff of this track begins and soon the gong sounds and you are tossed into the maelstrom of a sea of crunchy riffs and keyboard line that runs counter to the riff. The sea parts and Brookins’ surrealist lyrical talents come to the fold. His vocal delivery is much softer and more controlled than its DBF predecessor. Pierpont adds nice backing vocal harmonies throughout. The song rises and crashes like the sea upon the rocks. Plenty of stop/start riffing and awesome guitar soloing make this track a winner.

3. Shadow Dust - Beautiful piano melodies and the raw heaviness of the guitars do battle in the beginning, then guitars and piano unite to wage war on your senses with an awesome rhythm passage that ends in the manner of an old car trying to turn over on a cold winter morning. Matt’s vocals are also more gentle and restrained on this track as he takes you on a journey which is not of this world. From a world of glass souls and air-filled spines you are transported to a place where the riffs and keys collide once again to make you bang your head until it falls off your neck. From gentle to madness and back again…and some more killer solos to boot! Fall down! Spin Out!…for we all are drowned out in worship of this great track in the end!

4. Surreal Contemplations - Help! I’m trapped in another dimension! I don’t want to leave! Beautiful, hypnotic instrumental that features some awesome axe shredding by Mr. Brookins. I wonder if his fingers were bleeding after recording this one? Great dual harmony on this one too!

5. Utopian Rust - More straightforward than the previous tracks but by no means less complex! A great song for driving music! Brookins unleashes his most haunting vocal yet on this stellar track. Ambience is provided by simple but effective keyboard melody and more awesome riffs and solos.

6. Homecoming - “What did you say to me, to make me act the way I do?” Matt asks. Well, I say “What made you write this riff…that makes me want to inflict more harm on my neck?” This riff is just plain catchy! And heavier than a 1948 Buick! A great crowd pleaser with a sing-along opening and a great chorus. Did I mention that the riff is just plain cool? The band’s classic rock influences shine through like diamonds on this superb song - I would not be surprised if this track made radio. Time to call the DJ!

7. His Dark Materials - A riff that stops and starts again suddenly…like it is just waiting for the right time to explode and hook you in…and there it goes! We are now taken to the world of Lyra Belacqua and her adventures in the His Dark Materials book trilogy written by Phillip Pullman. The world of daemons, death, Dust and worlds beyond the imagination are described in a nutshell during this tour-de-force which is also easily a live favorite, and easily a favorite of yours truly. Several solos abound in this track and not just guitar solos - bassist Jackson lets his fingers fly for a brief interlude, then drummer Abella pounds the skins for your pleasure, and then Palumbo lets his fingers fly over the ivories and then unites with Pierpont for a really sweet harmony! If this track does not make you a fan, then you are wasting your time reading this! Just plain genius!

8. Paradise Lost: Chapter 1 - Odin’s Court puts their own spin on the epic story by John Milton on this amazing track with a riff so good it should be a felony. Another song that has plenty of potential for the airwaves. The only minus on this track is the vocal line; it’s a good vocal line, but I prefer the more aggressive delivery on the DBF version. The vocals on this song seem too mellow for the pace. Flaws aside, this is still a great song that will always hold a place in my heart as the song that got me into the band’s music.

9. Paradise Lost: Chapter 3 - Probably my least favorite song in the Odin’s Court catalog (along with “Holdin’ The Line”), but it is still great. It begins with a pretty piano and some nice orchestral affects before the guitar enters the fray. More laid back than Chapter 1, but it gets really intense in the middle with some great drumming and some really sweet solos and harmonies near the end. Very good song.

After the frantic prog metal fury of the first part of the album is all said and done, sit back and relax with your favorite beverage and let the acoustic stylings take you away! The acoustic arrangements of “Utopian Rust” and “Paradise Lost: Chapters 1 and 4” are a great way to look at these songs with a fresh perspective. I honestly did not think unplugged re-workings of these songs would work, but they do, oh they do! Very beautiful! New tracks “The Calling", “Dystopian Bliss” and “To Live A Dream” are all beautifully played and written. Very, very nice! The standout piece of the acoustic EP is “Thirteen” (aka “Savino”) which is an awesome keyboard piece by Mr. Palumbo. This song is also the song he uses as his live keyboard solo…and it is such a crowd pleaser! Don’t be surprised if you see him play Carnegie Hall someday!

Musically, all of the members of Odin’s Court are superbly skilled on their respective instruments. Axemen Brookins and Pierpont deliver crushing chords, finger-blistering soloing, sweet harmonies and mesmerizing interludes with equal precision. They make one hell of a duo. Drummer Abella is tight and workmanlike in his drumming. He is powerful, he keeps good time and does not overdo it with fills and patterns. He knows what to do and when to do it! Very underrated drummer. Jackson plays some groovy and meaty bass lines and he makes a perfect partner to Abella in the rhythm section. He also does not overplay and lets the licks explode at just the right moment. Keysman Palumbo plays with skill that makes one think of Kevin Moore or Jordan Rudess. At age 19, he is already an incredible talent, and the scary thing is he will only get better! But, like everyone else in the band he knows when to use his talent and how to do it. No “mindless wanking” by these gentlemen! I love complex interludes and 50,000 changes as much as the next person, but the most important thing is the SONG. Odin’s Court is all about writing for the benefit of the songs, not for the benefit of the individuals. I really respect that. Vocally, this album is a huge improvement over DBF and Brookins has improved by leaps and bounds thanks to his tireless dedication and the guiding hand of vocal teacher Steve Whiteman (Kix, Funny Money). Despite all of his improvements, I still think the vocals on the album pale in comparison to his vocal delivery on stage. However, Brookins continues to strive to improve and this will no doubt lead to better vocal work on future recordings. As I said before, the scary thing is he (and the rest of the band) will only get better! The desire to constantly improve separates the great musician from the average.

Now that you have read this review, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of ReDriven By Fate and find out why I call this band the best kept secret in prog metal! Also, be sure to check their show dates and get out there and see this band live! They deserve the support and you must see them live to appreciate all the talents they have. Until then, buy the album…or as guitarist Rick Pierpont says, “Buy it, dammit!”

Review written by: Matt B.         
Date: April 17, 2006             
Rating: 4 stars out of 5