Written by: The Administrator
Alright folks. I'm going to politely ask you all to buckle the fuck up--our favorite hard rockin' beast is in the building. Today's premiere is the first in a while, and given the special occasion, we might as well make it a double. If you're A. an existing fan of Titanosaur and/or B. a fan of big riffs, get excited. We've got a full album premiere of the forthcoming Echoes alongside a premiere of the music video for standout track "The Ghosts Are Calling." That's two--count 'em--premieres for the low price of nothing at all. That, my friends, is what we call a damn good bargain. Enough chit-chat! Today is all about Titanosaur, so let's get to the good stuff. Fire up that album stream conveniently located below, and, as always, we'll meet ye on the other side.
If you know Titanosaur, you know what a batch of new Titanosaur songs sounds like--indeed, the fact that Echoes frequently displays the bombast and groove that you would expect from a new Titanosaur record is a forgone conclusion. This is the fourth time the band has made an appearance at the Village, and rather than reiterate, let me regurgitate. In a previous premiere, I said that "Titanosaur delivers crunchy riffs and gruff hooks with a no-nonsense air and a hard-edged bite, leaning into pounding riffage and thick application of cretaceous groove." The same remains true here, although Echoes does involve forays into goth rock territory. For a mellower vibe, see opener "Bring Down The Sun."
If I were in the mood to argue with myself, I would argue that "Bring Down The Sun." is one of my favorite herein. The intro builds into a powerful riff, and when the vocals kick in, the lullaby interpolation carries itself with a heartfelt weight. Later, the vocal layering in the chorus adds a depth that feels more emotive and less outwardly belligerent than the Titanosaur norm. It's a great track, and feels like an evolution. That's not to say the rest of the album doesn't live up to the opener, however--"Firestarter" and "The World Is On Fire" are, appropriately, both classically uproarious barn-barners, with heavy riffage and trademark bellows on full display. I'm a particular fan of the lyrical content of the latter, which acknowledges a current corrupted state of affairs, but feels hopeful about the process of burning it down and beginning anew. There's nothing like a phoenix from the ashes moment, and in my humble opinion Titanosaur hits the nail on the head with this track. And, of course, "The Ghosts Are Calling" deserves a special mention. The stomping distortion is off the charts, the reverse-echoed stuttered start to the verses is an effect that works quite well with Geoff's gruff vocals, and the solo serves as a nice injection in the midst of the track's mighty presence. This is true highlight material, and might be one of my favorite Titanosaur tracks to date. Give the video a gander! While Echoes is inherently quite invigorating by virtue of its kinetic and often burly instrumentation, the veritable bevy of fight songs thematically represents a personal call to arms, a rallying cry in tough circumstances. Titanosaur's Geoff awaits a heart transplant, and many of these tracks feel explicitly self-reflective about the process and experience of maintaining forward momentum via songwriting. One doesn't simply listen to track such as "I'm Still Here" without noting a certain aura of determination and perseverance. Geoff's position in not an enviable one, and I salute him for continuing to create killer tunes during a time when it must be far from easy to do so. Echoes is a rousing success, and I hope it proves to serve both the audience and the creator well. As always, it is an honor to have to opportunity to premiere music, particularly when it rocks this hard. Check out Echoes via the stream above, and if you find yourself enjoying those big ol' riffs, make sure to snag a copy over on bandcamp! Titanosaur - Echoes will be released Sept. 29th, 2023.
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