When you start this disc you might think you're listening to a funeral service. You hear a slowly murmuring church organ. But then, after ten seconds, this is brutally interrupted by an aggressive outburst of Tourniquet. And on this new album Tourniquet stands for Metal with the capital M as they go back to the sounds and ideas as captured on the Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance album. Not only because they recorded a Skeezix Part II. Like Pathogenic had part I. You experience it too in some aggressive Slayeristic riffing (in Erratic Palpitations Of The Human Spirit) as well as riffs influenced by classical music (in the instrumental Immunity Vector). This time they didn't leave out the guitar leads and there are no ballads. But there are acoustic parts and mellow moments. As usual there's variety. Take for example Luke Easter's singing. One moment he sings tenderly and the other moment he screams along the heavy riffing of Aaron Guerra. It just depends on what fits the music. There was a possibility of Ronnie James Dio doing some guest vocals but you can hear Steve Rowe (Mortification) in the titletrack instead. I wonder why Tourniquet has gone back to their early works but whatever the answer, I like this move! Microscopic View Of A Telescopic Realm has eleven songs that fill seventy minutes. So, if you've ever liked Tourniquet you just got to pick up this album. I think it's one of their best.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 2001Reviewed by Scotty TeemsWhen was the last time you were bludgeoned by music? That seems to be one of the very few phrases I can find to accurately describe the sheer volume and mass of Tourniquet's latest disc, Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm. This collection of eleven bruising and brooding numbers takes the speed metal Tourniquet fans are so familiar with and, well, leaves it alone. How refreshing it is to hear…7ball #31Reviewed by David MuttilloEarly in Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm, Tourniquet quotes Bach's humble description of his great music: "They're simply notes put together in bars." Much like that great classical composer of old, the sum of this trio's output is much greater than just so many creatively arranged notes from a scale. It's easy to fall for such an assumption, though, since nobody can cram as many notes…HM Magazine #82Reviewed by Doug Van PeltOh yeah! The intro to this album ("Besprinkled in Scarlet Horror") ends all the speculation - Tourniquet is not experimenting with a new sound anymore . . . they're blowing your head off with blazing heavy metal. Fans of Tourniquet's first three albums will feel like they're getting the follow-up to Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance with its biting and rising guitar scales. There's a harpsichord break…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Tony LaFianzaWith Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm, Tourniquet is back on several levels. They're back to speed metal, back to electric guitars, back to horrific CD covers, back to everything that fans have loved about the band for ten years. They've also come back on a secular label, Metal Blade, which has been releasing Christian favorites King's X and Galactic Cowboys for many years. Ted Kirkpatrick…The Phantom Tollbooth 2000Reviewed by Josh SpencerTourniquet has finally returned to the progressive speed/thrash metal form fans have wished for ever since the band left it in 1993 after Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance. The dozens of buzzing and clean guitar tones, time and tempo changes, sick leads, mad drumming, and added flute and cello are all back with whirlwind vengeance. It's not the brute force assault of most extreme metal, but rather, a…Similar sounding releases
2001Stretch Arm StrongA Revolution Transmission
1993Jesus FreaksSocially Unacceptable
2001MortificationThe Silver Cord Is Severed
1991The CrucifiedPillars of Humanity
1998OpethMy Arms, Your Hearse
1999The BlamedForeverMore from Tourniquet
1991Psycho Surgery
1992Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance
1992Video Biopsy (Video)
1990Stop the Bleeding
1993Intense Live Series, Vol. 2
1995Pushin' Broom (Video)
