Trouble
Trouble
Reviewed by Steve Schmutzer
By all respectable accounts, Trouble's first commercial release was 1984's album, titled Trouble, on Enigma/Metal Blade Records. Though the music was fast, dark, and very heavy, the accompanying lyrics were introspective, probing, and shot through with spiritual overtones...prompting some secular reviewers to dub Trouble "the white knights of metal", a title many other bands probably deserved more. Now, a full six years later, Trouble has released their fourth album - another self-titled product - on Def American Recordings (distributed by Geffen). Connoisseurs of no-holds-barred, bone-crunching, anthemic, dark, and allegorical metal, will find this recent release most delectable. Trouble as a whole shows some significant growth from their previous release - Run to the Light. Eric Wagner's vocals display their usual raw, gritty, and soulful character, but also show maturity of tone and range. Musically, this band continues to conform to all previous descriptions, but some serious and effective attempts at stretching their musical boundaries are made with the inclusion of some ethereal acoustical numbers. Stylistically, the songs on this release are more complicated, and various interludes and refrains punctuate their numbers with competent displays of everything from subtle acoustic to thrash. Lyrically, this band is more open about their spiritual awareness and insight now than ever before. Standout songs like "The Wolf", poetic-like in its approach, describe the fear and darkness surrounding the forces of evil. "The Misery Shows (Act II)" very openly reveals God as the answer to man's needs (this one song alone makes more honest references to the Lord than an entire Amy Grant album - that should please all skeptics). Songs like "Heaven on My Mind", and "All Is Forgiven" encourage believers to look/adhere to the only true source of help and comfort - the Lord. If you want to broaden your musical horizons, but focus your spiritual perspectives, Trouble's new and worthy release is for you. Get it! (editor's note: Since talking to Trouble last, they did not claim to be a "ministry band".)