THE ANATOMY OF...

THE ANATOMY OF... is one of those albums that really makes me wish that the ratings system allowed for half stars. I'm going to round up and give this covers album 4 stars for its progressiveness, and the high regard for BTBAM among reviewers. If "progressive music" is a definable term, it should describe groups that combine disparate elements in new and interesting ways. I don't know a lot of BTBAM's music, but they seem to fit the bill.

As the Allmusic review of this album suggests, these cover versions stick pretty close to the originals; I would have preferred more changes. The song choices result in a wide variety of styles throughout. The band clearly demonstrates that they can play it all skillfully. In particular, Tommy Giles Rogers should get his due. I'd argue that he's possibly the most versatile singer in the extreme metal world. Since I didn't know a lot of these songs before listening, I prefer unfamiliar tracks like "Territory" and "Malpractice" from the second half.

Incidentally, the CD includes interesting statements from the band members about why they chose these songs. BTBAM won't be one of my favorite extreme metal bands. Though I live for variety, their approach is too kitchen sink for my tastes. However, they are generally praised here at PA. That should matter in assigning a rating. If THE ANATOMY OF... leads listeners to seek out the original bands covered, that's a very good thing.