Most definitely a back-to-form release from the legendary doomsters.
Formed in 1979, Trouble may be one of the longest running cult bands on the circuit. Their first album was released in 1984, and the band quickly built up a strong following through endless touring. By the time of their 'Plastic Green Head Release' in 1995, they were on the verge of bigger things, but unfortunately line-up changes brought this to a crashing end, and the band never regained the ground they lost. Original singer Eric Wagner left and was replaced by Kory Clarke of Warrior Soul, who stayed with the band until 2012. Now with singer Kyle Thomas and the new album 'The Distortion Field', it's time to put the Trouble name back on the doom metal map.
'When The Sky Came Down' affirms a new role for singer Thomas, with a complex and deep vocal delivery. The song comes alive and sits comfortably in among the fat riffs. Taking an influence from Black Sabbath's 'Paranoia Conspiracy' it bounces along with no-nonsense heavy boogie. The more commercial offering 'Sink Or Swim' is a welcome change in pace, but not at the cost of losing any attitude. Peeling back the layers, 'One life' is a song that grows with each listen. Its slow pounding keeps the signature sound, but the more melancholy moments just add a new depth to the Trouble approach, and any reservations about new singer Kyle Thomas should now be put to rest.
I especially liked the southern rock flavour of 'Have I Told You', a beautiful song of unrelenting love, with its delivery at times quiet poetic, but then we head off into familiar territory with 'Hunters Of Doom', as an army of guitars grind the song into your head. This is old-school Trouble reassuringly covering all the bases.
The band has assembled a huge range of ideas here, from the gothic tones of 'Butterflies' to the psychedelic metal bite of 'The Greying Chill Of Autumn', and is most definitely a back-to-form release from the legendary doomsters.
Ray Paul
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