Joe Bailey’s 2022 album Devil in the White City was one of the year’s best. Splinters, available now via Bandcamp, doesn’t retread the same themes.
Instead, theis new LP’s nine songs offer a variety of hard-charging, powerfully constructed prog-metal. Bailey, a dynamic one-man band, combines topical issues, personal observations and irresistible hooks to propel his storytelling.
The orchestrated keyboard passages of the lead-off song “Full Frontal Eulogy” set a captivating scene. Bailey then combines his dynamic bass and guitar playing with a drum frenzy to support his darkly powerful lyrics. He also pulls out the stops with the vocal arrangements, utilizing harmonies to support the dramatic synth and rhythm parts.
“Matricide” at more than eight minutes, matches the intensity of “Full Frontal Eulogy” yet adds a new element. Bailey’s use of soundscapes is modern yet harkens back to early Linkin Park. Bailey doesn’t hold back with his view of our abuse of the planet, yet he never forgets the hook, drawing the listener in with dynamic guitars to match the intensity of the lyrics and melody. The guitar solos are among my favorite on a Joe Bailey album.
“I, Myself and Me” demonstrates a shift in Bailey’s vocal approach and thematic focus . Bailey spits out these deeply personal lyrics over a frenzied rhythm backing. Bailey’s rhythm guitar playing provides a solid backdrop to the introspective and intense lyrics.
Bailey’s 11 minute epic, “The Long Haul” is a dark and sober look into one’s soul. Building in intensity, the song’s dynamic changes and equally effective guitar sections fly by. The keyboard passages fight the guitars for dominance. Bailey, a stellar arranger and wordsmith, pulls out all the stops in this masterpiece yet the eleven minutes flies by leaving the listener wanting more.
“SLUG” is a different kind of beast. Special guest Charlotte Bailey provides additional color on trumpet while Joe Bailey provides and electro-metal backing. Bailey’s vocal approach/rap is daring yet successful, proving he’s indeed a risk taker. When he sings, “I’ve got no bones, but that doesn’t mean I’ve got no backbone,” you can’t help but feel it.
“Time Is Killing Me” follows a more conventional path with slashing guitar leads, punchy bass and seven minutes of raw, naked lyrics. “Salt In Our Wounds,” the penultimate song Splinters, combines piano passages, swirling synth passages and equally effective clean guitar leads which morph into metal heavy fills.
Indeed, the music is so effective it’s almost easy to overlook the lyrics. That would be a mistake as Bailey paints and desperate and daring picture. It’s one that you can’t ignore. If you’re hoping for societies redemption in the final song, “No Man’s Land,” think again. Joe Bailey doesn’t pull any punches but he does tell compelling, vivid stories.
Combined with his daring brand of prog-metal, and stunning musicianship, Splinters is a must own.
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