Ultimatum

Item: The Mechanics Of Perilous Times
Author: D_Lister

The Mechanics Of Perilous Times

(2000)

Reviewed by D_Lister

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Label Rowe ProductionsDead Zine2000

death metal heavy metal speed metal thrash metal

I love to see a band get better and better in their style without doing any radical changes of their style. If you've heard their previous work Puppet of Destruction then you know exactly what to expect from Ultimatum and they deliver it...only this time it's BETTER!

Overall Ultimatum is still playing their very own brand of 90's thrash but on this new album they have certainly sped things up quite a bit. I love the music fast and crunchy, but for me I really need the heavy intensity to remain rooted in the music, and again the boys have not failed me. This music is without a doubt the heaviest they have recorded to date.

First thing I'd like to focus on is the vocal improvement. Now Scott still has his usual high pitched shriek ala old Exodus, and in the insert he calls it "Piercing siren howls" which does indeed fit nicely, but his delivery is so much crisper this time. I think he's sped up his vocals to match the increased speed of the music and it really does sound tons better. Not to mention many tracks have deep low ended growls thrown about to thicken it up. When I first put this CD into the player and the opening song 'Temple of the Spirit' began to pummel me I couldn't help but instantly think of Nyk from Possession as the vocals came ringing in. Not that he sounds JUST LIKE Nyk, but that first track did remind me of him. Definitely check out his heavy side of singing on the cover of Vengeance's 'Burn'....."BURN sATAN BURN!"

Shall we move right on to the drumming department? OK Well I've got to jump right to track 5 for this one as the song 'Crash Course' comes thundering in with savage double bass for about the first full minute of the song, along with great time keeping. Later in the song Sean fills his pieces with cymbals like he hasn't done in the past. I really like to see some high cymbal pieces used, and they are certainly nice on this album. This sort of dissertation could go on and on for each track as the drums on this album never dull. All in all a great delivery job here.

The guitars are certainly the strong point of this new CD. Crushing heaviness, blazing speed, and extreme technicality...it's all here! Hang on a second...ok, now that I've picked my jaw up off the floor AGAIN, let me continue. There really are no riffage styles missed it seems on this disc as Robert and Steve shred! Then there are the leads to talk about. Again the bases are covered from fast Impellitteri leads to simpler yet perfectly used for the song heavy leads to even a blues styled lead in the middle of 'The Purging.' Creativity and technicality are blended to near perfection (sorry guys, only Jesus was perfect!) The bass is handled by Ultimatum's new fifth member Tom. In past CDs Ultimatum was listed as a four piece and I just assumed someone picked up the bass and laid down some low end tracks. With the addition of Tom we get some real bass creativity, being as he's not willing to be out played by the rest of the musicians. The bass stands out time and time again through rhythm pieces, and then blends right into the low end during the leads so as not to give that cluttered sound you sometimes hear. That bass does go nuts on the last track 'Violence and Bloodshed' by the way...check it out!

What's really important on this CD is something else the guys in the band took care of...the lyrics. A nice blend of lyrics that are evangelical for the lost, and thought provoking lessons for the long time Christian audience as well. A nice touch that bands of old used to do is brought back to life with this CD as well. At the end of each song the band put a small blurb in there giving you some insight and some scripture reference for the songs.

An incredible instrumental appears on this CD and that's from a guy who's not big on instrumentals...at all! This one starts with some mellow jazz guitar briefly and then the song just breaks loose into a frenzied display of musicianship. It's no wonder these guys got signed to Metal Merchant Records (secular European label.) Being as they did, this CD is being offered here in the states as an independent release, and is limited edition. The band is charging $15.00 for it and if there is one CD out there that's worth it, this is it! The band nailed it when they dubbed this music "Unrestrained, fist clenching, neck snapping, head banging Heavy METAL!" It's been awhile since I've given out a rating of 10...I guess it just took an album of this magnitude to get it from me.

10/10