Tomorrow We Die Alive, by Born of Osiris
Suggested by Dylan Smyth
Born of Osiris contains two of the Standard Growly Voices from The Big Book of Heavy Metal.
The first is Growl #1: Snapped History Teacher. This growl is pitched high in the throat, all catarrh and itchy cotton. It’s almost a buzzing, angry and summery, hints of pepper and rasps and . When written down, it goes like this: GRAAAEEEAA AKAKAKAAAA GAAA.
The second is Growl #2: Distended Bullock. It’s pitched low, from the chest, full of wind and fluster. It’s a harrumph, a demon, a metalworked tuba. It devours, a fantasy beast, a broken foghorn that you giggle at. When written down, it goes like this: BRUUUUUAAAAAA DRRRRRROOOOOOO.
Born of Osiris also contain Guitarist #14 in the Big Book of Heavy Metal: The Twiddly Angle-Grinder. The Twiddly Angle-Grinder has two modes.
Mode #1 is the Angle Grind. This involves chords at discordant distances, played sharp and with a stabbing tone. They chug, but not like a kegger. Like a robot gone berserk. When written down, they go like this: DUN-dah-REE-dah-SKEE-dah-ROO-dah.
Mode #2 is the Twiddle. It’s frenetic, and talented, and irritating like a wasp or cold caller. The notes chase each other, and themselves, caroming round the playground like fifty toddlers on a Sugar Puff high. When written down, it goes like this: WIDIWIDIWIDIWIDIwidiwidiWIDIwidiWIDIWIDI.
Born of Osiris are home to Drummer #6 from the Big Book of Heavy Metal: The Driller Killer. He’s all bass and in your face, knees up and bouncing like Mother Brown on crack. The sound is steady, a hum, a trill, a whispering punch. It surrounds pauses like a buzzing bee, like a rattling fridge, like a untethered and wandering tumble dryer. When written down, it goes like this: BRRRRRRRRRR (pause) BRRRRRR (pause) BRR (pau-) BRRRRRRRR (-se) BRRRRR.
There’s more to add. For a start, there are strings, Gothic and pendulous. There’s other synth underpinning too, sounscaping the unforgiving train of capital letters I’ve shared with you above. It’s progressive metal with a deep melodic core, which is attractive, but once again it’s growled into oblivion by a the classic Grover / Fozzie soundalike meat-mallet vocals, tenderising the listener’s ears without the courtesy of seasoning them first.
The strongest track on the album is likely Machine, but a lot of that strength comes from the melodic intro that I heard when not knowing what else to expect. I was quite enjoying it, until the GRAAAEEEEAAA kicked in and made me sigh deeply.
I’ll go for a generous 5/10 for this album, largely due to the music beneath the metal. However, if you like your music to go GRAAAEEEAA BRRRRRR (pause) BRR BRUUUUUAAAAAA REE-dah-SKEE-dah-ROO-dah BRRR (pause) BRRRRR WIDIWIDIwidiwidiWIDIwidiWIDIWIDI, then Born of Osiris are the band for you.