MANIC IMPRESSIONS

A big step for progressive thrash metal, a giant leap for Anacrusis!

INTRODUCTION
In my review on Anacrusis' second album "Reason" I concluded that the band surely did have a lot of potential but that the band hadn't yet found the "sound" they were striving for. "Manic Impressions" was the album next in line. Was this the improvement they were looking for?

TRACK by TRACK
1) Paint A Picture [8/10]
2) I Love The World [New Model Army cover] [7/10]
3) Something Real [7/10]
4) Dream Again [6/10]
5) Explained Away [6/10]
6) Still Black [7/10]
7) What You Became [6/10]
8) Our Reunion [7/10] 9) Idle Hours [8/10] 10) Far Too Long [7/10]

CONCLUSION
Well, on their third album Anacrusis surpassed themselfes. Lise (Hibou) did write the biography on Anacrusis' PA band page. There she states that "Nearly every song on "Manic Impressions" has at least one memorable vocal melody to go along with a killer riff.". Well, I couldn't agree more. This album is indeed loaded with killer riffs. One of the biggest improvements on this album is however the production. While their preceeding album did have a very poor ("suffocating"?) production (that almost "killed" the already present musicianship), the production on "Manic Impressions" is much more open and clear. Finally I have to make Kenn Nardi a big compliment for his vocals. He sure did make a lot of progression compared to his vocals on "Reason", which weren't up to par because of his limited vocal range (I think Kenn Nardi is the first one to agree on that as can be read on the band's official web pages).
The highlight for me is the song "Idle Hours". It starts of as a quiet song with a clean guitar piece but than quickly turns into a break and riff heaven. I recommand this album to each adventurous prog (metal) fan and consider it an excellent addition to any prog music collection.

Album rating: 65% = 4 stars

Anacrusis this techno trash band from USA did a great job here. From the beggining you find killer riffs, stunning solos, an avalanche of drums and a powerful bass. Every musicians take the skills to the limit and the result is a 3.5 album rounded to 4, one of the best albums in metal. My fav piece is Explained Away, the rest are also good. All in all a compact album that fits every prog metal fans. This band needs more than 4 ratings here on PA, because they are among the best in metal.

Far too long

"Manic impressions" was released in 1991, just a year after "Reasons", but it represents a major development in the history of the band. Drummer Mike Owen left after "Reasons", to be replaced by friend of the band Chad Smith. A deal was done with Metal Blade records for the release of the album, which should have meant the avoidance of the circumstances which led to the hurried nature of recordings for the first two albums. That at least was the theory. In the end, there was the by now customary panic to finish the recording and mixing in the time available.

With "Manic impressions", Anacrusis find their true identity. The songs are noticeably more complex, with strong riffs and thrash metal roots. The naivety and raw nature of the first two albums is replaced by significantly better production and recording techniques.

This is all very well, but does it make for a better album? Well, sadly for me it does not. Here, the vocals are far less melodic, at times almost grunted, while the guitar thrashing is repetitive and uninteresting. I find that it was in fact the naïve and unfocused nature of the first two albums which made them alluring. Here, there is no question that a focus has been found, but it simply captures a style and sound I find decidedly unappealing. There are some decent passages, such as the switch on "Paint a picture" or "Far too long" to a softer, acoustically based section but all too soon the yapping vocals return.

Even the fine guitar playing which adorned the previous albums seems suppressed here, replaced by pounding riffs instead. There is the occasional surprise to be had. The cover of New model Army's "I love the world" has a very pop orientated chorus, quite out of context with the rest of the album and indeed the track.

In all, an album only for those who know what to expect. This will appeal only to those with a strong appetite for concentrated thrash metal. In prog terms, I can find little here of real value.

"Manic Impressions" is the third full-length studio album by US, Missouri based thrash metal act Anacrusis. The album was released through Metal Blade Records in May 1991. It´s the successor to "Realm" from February 1990. There´s been one lineup change since the predecessor as drummer Mike Owen has been replaced by Chad Smith. Being signed to Metal Blade Records finally meant some stability for Anacrusis on the label front, and Metal Blade Records even purchased the rights to the band´s first two albums and reissued them. Two promotional videos where shot for the tracks "I Love the World" (cover of New Model Army) and "Something Real", suggesting that Metal Blade Records genuinely believed in Anacrusis.

Stylistically "Manic Impressions" continues the development which Anacrusis started on "Reason", moving from their traditional thrash/speed metal roots towards a more technical and progressive thrash metal style. Featuring a more well balanced and professional sounding production "Manic Impressions" is a sharper and more detailed version of the style initiated on "Reason" with a few new added progressive songwriting ideas. Lead vocalist/guitarist Kenn Nardi switches between raw snarling thrash metal vocals, spoken word parts, and atmospheric clean vocal parts. The latter sometimes remind me of 80s UK pop/rock/electronic music act vocals but also 80s shoegaze vocals. He is definitely not a power/progressive metal vocalist like you´re used to hearing them (high pitched and theatrical in delivery). He is not the most skilled or distinct sounding clean vocalist, but there´s still something compelling about his clean vocals that I can´t quite put my finger on, but they generally work with the instrumental part of the music.

The songwriting is unconventional, adventurous, and at time even daring. Anacrusis obviously have an ambitious vision of what their music should sound like, and they follow that vision for better or worse. It´s as non-mainstream as you can get. In that respect they remind me of Voivod, although they are relatively far from the Canadians in terms of the actual music. But the overall vision isn´t that different. A 3.5 star (70%) rating is deserved.

(Originally posted on Metal Music Archives).

The Anacrusis albums has been gathering dust in my collection until I found out about their inclusion in ProgArchives. Something that came as a big surprise to me. So my disdain of their albums has been wrong all the way, then. (???)

Nope. Anacrusis does a blend of technical thrash, hardcore and emo metal on this album. The songs here are nothing special. The charm factor is not particular great either. The vocals are a bit special and gives Anacrusis their own identity. The rest of the band is also a tight unit.

The songs on this album seems a bit more worked through and matured than the songs from their first two albums. This album is certainly pretty mellow. The quality though is not particular good and I do not rate this album. Which at the end of the day may be down to personal preferences. This is not an album for me.

2.5 stars