Sunday, January 24, 2021

Vessel of Light - Last Ride

I've never quite understood Dan Lorenzo's trajectory after The Downside and Damnation. While the last Hades albums' progression made sense to me, and were in many ways good records, his solo material always seemed to lack a certain... seriousness? Edge? There was always an unpleasant tang of gimmick jumbled in with the inside joke tracks and I will never understand the decision to include three other band's songs with a hype up track on Cassius King. Lorenzo's audacious ambivalence for convention is in every way a NJ attribute. That is for sure. So, I do not expect another Resisting Success - how could I? - but I've always hoped. Dan Lorenzo's collaboration with Nathan Opposition in Vessel of Light is a recent project, but the material presented, at least on this years Last Ride, explains a lot of what I've not understood about Lorenzo's progression in other projects. The doomier setting, somewhere between Sahg and Alice In Chains, gives insight into the thrashless tone of his solo records. There is, of course, the formative influence of Sabbath present, as well as stoner bastions like Down. Vessel of Light is not as gritty as any of the Down material, but a shared architecture can be found nonetheless. Perhaps the best comparison would be locals King's Destroy - particularly their 2013 album, A Time Of Hunting

Long time followers of Lorenzo's storied and illustrious career will recognize the entourage. Bassist Jimmy Schulman, Lorenzo's long-time wingman, has followed him into the project. Lorenzo just drags him wherever he goes, it seems, but Schulman is a naturally gifted bassist and effortlessly suits the material. Drummer Ron Lipnicki, another Lorenzo henchman, also has moved into one of the project's bedrooms, kicking N. Opposition out of the percussion role, leaving him to handle the vocal element singularly. Though I'm not familiar with previous records from Vessel of Light, Last Ride is a very professional sounding affair. The guitars carry the jagged resonance of seasoned tweaking. Lorenzo does not spend much time, unfortunately, gracing us with guitar solos or leads on this album and his position is mostly of a rhythmic affair. A few good wailings and unadulterated shredding, which he is capable of, would have provided highlights in some songs. Schulman's bass, though, is a highlight for me, as it adds depth and subtlety to each track and I spent at least two listens only listening for his bass lines. Lipnicki's drumming is interesting and varied throughout, especially in a track like "Carving Station". I do wish there was more punch to his kick drum during the slower beats on the album.

If there was a major complaint, it would reside in the song structures. Throughout, on almost every song, the movement and pacing is essentially the same, with a short musical refrain followed with N. Opposition following shortly with opening verses. While there may be shifting of the location of bridges, and some short instrumental spaces, the patterning could become irksome for someone actively listening for deeper musical elements. I felt some tracks, like "Torture King" were wordy. Structurally, this became an issue for me and it carried into my enjoyment of the thematic elements. Initially I was not sold on the lyrical content, unable to poke my finger through the architectural issues. In fact, I still am not entirely invested into the predominance of serial killer and sadist themed songs but objectively I really can't find much to be sour about. Each song's lyrical content fits well with the tone of the track. A song like "Disappearing Pact," one of my picks for best track on the album, with it's quicker tempo and lighter mood plays well with the narrator's expectation of finding hope in suicide. 

Similarly, a track like "Carving Station" is notably darker and heavier, like it is dragging a weight behind it. As Opposition somberly describes his character's motive operandi, the big thick chugging rumbles on. The track also marks the spot in the album where I felt Lipnicki really started to shine. The songs throughout are generally well matched with the lyrical content and with the persona which Opposition takes on as well. While on most songs and choruses, he channels Layne Staley, there are times when he shuns the emotionally distanced demeanor in favor of something darker and deadlier. I think the vocal style may unfortunately hinder fans of more epic doom or traditional doom from truly welcoming this record though, as both of these underlying vocal styles is unlikely to sit well with elitists. "Awaken in Dreams" is one of the more unique tracks on the record, sporting a quiet mellowed section that breaks up the B-sides. Closing track, "The Death of Innocence" closes the record appropriately for me. I get the feeling of the ending credits rolling, the theater emptying, until only one person remains, their killer having already disappeared into the night. 

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