Artist: Broken

Artist: Broken

Link: https://www.facebook.com/BROKENROCKS

The bands that have had success and been around awhile -- Paradise Lost, Neurosis and Saint Vitus come to mind -- at some point decided to let their fans in on the secret. Broken's Eddy Black is no different. Black evidently decided there's no need to bury beneath guttural growls his quality lyricism dealing in metal touchstones like blame, fear, pain and, of course (on Darkness Falls), darkness. Black even subtly introduces spoken word, recalling the successful amalgam of Boss-de-Nage's recent, III.

Broken largely eschews the chord-based rock of Anhedonist, opting instead for riff-laden metal -- a wise decision given its Inverloch-caliber guitarist, Michael J. (check out the early-and-often shredding on "Scapegoat"). Broken's Boomer is a considerable talent on bass; and recalling the better Horseback records, the bass lines are not only prominent in the mix but integral to the song (bass opens the album). And as with Panopticon's percussion, Broken's drummer, Lee, has mastered all the drums in the kit -- not just the double-bass (though he's got that too). All told, we get some Early Graves-like speed; but fortunately for us, the songs last longer (contrast this with minute-long speed freaks, Liberteer).

Broken's hard rock melds with metal precision. They are Chicago's answer to Seattle's Black Breath.

*** The author of this review, Donald White, plays the arobapa for the following band: http://youtu.be/tMS73-1kCr8