Rise And Shine
If you frequented rock clubs around the late nineties, you will surely have heard a handful of One Minute Silence songs, even if you weren't aware of them. And if you weren't aware of them, you weren't doing it right. With their politically-charged lyrics and hugely intense live shows, OMS took the alternative metal world by storm. They were master songwriters and master performers. They tore venues apart (once quite literally, but let's not talk about that), and their live energy topped even the frantic dynamism of their studio recordings. After releasing three highly acclaimed albums they disbanded in order to pursue other projects, but their announced reformation in 2010 caused quite a stir. Finally in 2013, the ten year wait is over, and Fragmented Armageddon is upon us.
Yap, Massy and Glen remain from the original lineup, with new drummer Martin Davies entering the fray in place of Eddie Stratton. Fruit From The Lie opens with a six-and-a-half minute lesson in how to silence comeback critics, and the first three words that pop into my head are, "Tool with bollocks". Or, perhaps more accurately, "Tool without all the bollocks". Devoid of all pretentiousness, OMS deliver a song of complex structure, engaging atmosphere, and some damn fine, riff-caked alt. metal. Pandemic Schizophrenia is classic OMS; a monster made from limbs taken from all three previous albums. There's also a re-worked version of You So Much As Move which, although similar to the original, brings the song back to life with fresh production values.
The hard-hitting dubstep remix of Fruit From The Lie works well, and genuinely feels like a direction the band could comfortably take in 2013. They've always been a crossover band, so experimenting with modern sounds feels like a natural progression. The acoustic crooning of Early Morning is also something entirely new from the band, and again is a direction that sounds natural and unforced; Yap's singing voice matching its rapping counterpart with ease.
There will be people who will probably be expecting an EP of dated rap metal. I hope they'll be glad to be proven wrong. 2003's One Lie Fits All saw the band beginning to experiment with new directions and ideas, and with Fragmented Armageddon they've never sounded more fitting to the times. This is no has-been, cash-in reunion; OMS have once again created music that makes them as relevant in 2013 as they were in 1998.
Make no mistake: One Minute Silence are back, and they've lost nothing. Yap's beard might be slightly greyer than it was ten years ago, but the energy and conviction that can be felt throughout this EP makes thoughts of next year's album, and the consequent live shows, all the more exciting. Stand up and welcome them back into the fold, and recognise why, in these trying times, the need for One Minute Silence has never been greater.