Band Web Site: http://www.shiftallaccess.com

There have been many amazing heavy metal acts that pounded the pavement and busted the eardrums of the masses in and around the Baltimore Beltway. Always a hotspot for live rock music, Charm City has experienced a metal renaissance of sorts thanks to the tireless dedication of regional heavy hitters like Images Of Eden, Division and Odin’s Court, and the entrance of new and hungry young lions like Concrete Prophet and Wisteria make the scene all the more satisfying for the discriminating metal fan. As far as progressive metal is concerned, one band that laid the foundation for the new generation to add the bricks and mortar to is Mystic Force. Two of the members of the veteran prog/power metal band, Rich Davis (guitars) and Chris Lembach (drums), began their partnership almost two decades ago in the mighty Force, but decided to move on to different pastures so they could unleash their own brand of sonic annihilation. Vocalist Jeff Caudle was recruited from the band Cypher, and later guitarist Doug Guthrie and bassist Steve Shaffer were added to the mix.

These five incredible musicians are collectively known as Shift, and their debut offering is entitled Creating a Monster. The bio on the band’s web site describes themselves and their music as follows:

“SHIFT is dedicated to perfecting their idea of what great music can and should be. Aggressive, melodic, and dark are the words that best describe SHIFT's musical style. The band plays with an intensity and ferocity that draws the listener into the dark landscapes painted by the lyrics. There is substance, passion, true emotion and social relevancy to every SHIFT song. The music is heavy while still melodic, intricate yet driving, and socially enraged.”

Quite well put, indeed. I think after one listen to this album you will agree that Dr. Shift has assembled all the necessary parts, thrown the switch, and have brought the monster to life. Now it’s on the loose, and I don’t think all the armies of the world can stop it!

If you go to find this album on the racks at your local record store (and thanks to Nightmare Records you most likely will), you may find it under the category of progressive metal. Pick it up, go to the dude at the cash register and plunk down whatever it costs. Get in your car, tear off the wrapper, and stick the disc in the CD player. Once the music starts, you may expect typical progressive metal…but it so isn’t!

Beginning with the first track “Welcome Change,” you get the feeling that the sound on this album cannot be contained within a normal set of speakers because you just want to crank it up so loud! It is just jam packed with mechanized guitars, steam hammer drumming and the aggressive yet melodic vocals of Jeff Caudle.

More of the same brutal melodic assault on the next track “Escape the Machine,” but you do get moments of silence punctuated by a Morse code-like keyboard riff. The chugging riffing by Davis and Guthrie is backed perfectly by the steamroller assault of the rhythm section of Shaffer and Lembach. Why would you want to escape this machine? You’d be safer inside of it!

The band matches the brutality with some awesome progressive time changes in “Devil Beside”. I absolutely love the vocal performance on this track! The guitars churn out some surgically precise riffs and the drums are a flawless tap dance across the gnarled sonic landscape. The change in the middle section is more precise than a Marine Corps drill team. Awesome!

Another amazing highlight on this album is “Sins,” as the Alice In Chains-esque vocal harmonies enthrall you while the razor sharp riffs and pummeling percussion cut you to pieces and smash up the remains! A simply incredible piece of progressive dexterity and sledgehammer power!

“Blood” throws you a curveball with its dinosaur stomp riffing and its odd chord progression, but progressive bands are supposed to throw you curveballs! You must not be a fan if you don’t understand! This is another great track with some very emotional vocals by Caudle.

“Gone Wrong” features more odd time changes and the return of the sweet vocal harmonies from Caudle. My God, the brutality on this album walks a fine razor wire line with the melodic side throughout! I am glad that this is an album and not a human being we are reviewing here, because you just get the feeling that if it was a person, it would be one that liked to go down to the bar, get drunk, kick you in the face and start a brawl with half the paying customers!

The dark love song “To Have You” has some awesome stop-start guitar riffing and a haunting feel throughout courtesy of the devilish delivery of Caudle. The riffing during the verses sounds a bit like psychedelic country and western played in the devil’s car stereo, and the effect is just awesome. This band knows how to write some really sweet riffs! I am dying for you all to listen to this song because I know you will love it!

Military drum rolls and an awesome solo riff punctuates the beginning of “Taking Lives” as vocalist Caudle spins another dark tale over the brutally beautiful musical background provided by the assault of guitarists Davis and Guthrie, and the artillery fire drumming of Lembach and the groovy bass licks of Shaffer. The guitar solo is truly bad ass, as is this song…as is this album!

“Choir of the Damned” is an instrumental accented by tribal percussion and some screechy guitar shredding…a short repose that leads into…”Rise Up,” which has some sludge monster chugging on the axes and a meaty bass lick. The energy and passion which fuels the aggression on this album seems to be almost limitless! I’m running clean out of adjectives to describe it all!

Last track. “Without a Soul”. It rocks. It kicks ass…I don’t need to say anymore.

I’m done typing…besides, in the time that it has taken me to write the review for this album, you could have went out to your local record store and bought this album. You don’t need my help in this matter. Well, OK, maybe you do! We want people to continue visiting this web site, of course! To sum it all up, the band Shift has truly created a monster which will destroy your speakers, destroy your senses and own your soul. Once it has your soul…it will never give it up! What a masterpiece of aggression and beauty and sheer genius! I love this album…there is no other way to say it!

Review written by: Matt B.        
Date: December 19, 2008            
Rating: 5 stars out of 5