SCREAMS AND WHISPERS

Screams and Whispers is the fourth full-length studio album from American progressive metal act Anacrusis. It´s safe to say that I have not been impressed with any of the previous efforts from the band even though their third album Manic Impressions (1991) did make a promise of better things to come. Screams and Whispers is finally an album from the band that I can appreciate. There´s been a lineup change since Manic Impressions (1991) as drummer Chad Smith has left to be replaced by Paul Miles.

The music is thrashy metal/ alternative rock with some progressive elements like occasional symphonic keyboard parts ( very few though). The vocals are both harsh ( not growls) and clean. The music is mostly mid-paced and the faster thrash metal riffing which dominated their previous albums are now almost gone. There are a few times during the albums 62:05 minute long playing time when Anacrusis speed the music up but it´s not very often.

The musicianship is tight and professional and even vocalist Kenn Nardi who I have been complaining about in my reviews of the first three albums now sounds confident enough to deserve his place behind the microphone.

Singer/ Guitarist Kenn Nardi acts as producer on the album and he has made a powerful and very clean metal sound. I really enjoy this production.

If you like albums like Coroner - Grin (1993), Alchemist - Austral Alien (2003), Killing Joke´s early nineties albums ( Extremities, Dirt & Various Repressed Emotions (1990), Pandemonium (1994) and Democracy (1996)) and Morgoth - Feel Sorry for the Fanatic (1996), there´s a chance that you´ll find Screams and Whispers exciting. Many of the elements that those bands have in their music can also be heard on Screams and Whispers. Screams and Whispers is ( for now) the final album from Anacrusis and you can chose to view the album in two ways. Maybe this was the first promising release from a band that had yet to unleash their full potential or maybe this was their best shot and it was for the best that they called it quits when they did. I´m afraid it was the latter and I for one do not mourn the loss of a potentionally excellent future album from the band. Screams and Whispers is a good album though and deserves a 3 star rating. I´m happy for Anacrusis that they at least released one respectable album in their career.