Shaolin Temple of BooM - 'Duel'

With the fourth official release by songwriter David Alvarez, we are yet again blessed with an album which has taken the [at times unfortunate - ED.] stigma associated with independent music, and transformed it into an impeccable specimen of musical brilliance.

The newest album Duel carries on where The Equinox left off, with yet another admirable development of a sound which has been feeding our ears and minds for over half a decade.

'Duel' kicks off with a very Bowie-esque intro to the opening track 'Passenger', before flowing into a heavy guitar driven track that has been the backbone of Shaolin Temple of BooM's success. Combining the classic hard rock style, with David's unique vocals and the orchestral synthesizers which were introduced into the band's sound in 'Deus Ex Machina' back in 2006, 'Passenger' gets the blood flowing and the head moving with the kind of passion that only Shaolin Temple of BooM can instill.

Next we are forced into a time warp with the newly redone Shaolin Temple of BooM classic, 'Into Nothing' from the Projektor EP. The new version of 'Into Nothing' keeps the home recorded feel of the track which blasted the band into the airwaves, while at the same time introducing new aspects to the song, including faster drum beats and a tighter electronic underplays. Finally we have a version of 'Into Nothing', which takes the standards of such a quality track to the level which it should have been at from the beginning.

'Mansions of Thought' is an electronic intermission to Duel, which is portrayed in typical Shaolin Temple of BooM fashion. This song rumbles through your mind like a depressing freight train of feelings and emotions put into audio form, carried out with David's love of orchestra tinged synthesizers and keyboards.

Title tracks always have a lot of pressure on them to stand out on a record, and while in previous releases by this band the title tracks have been somewhat overshadowed, 'Duel' is exactly what you would expect from such a fundamental part of the album. 'Duel' incorporates all aspects of Shaolin Temple of BooM's fluctuating styles of music, with slow and quietly spoken verses to classic heavy rock choruses. The screams and growls evident throughout 'Duel' add a new intensity to the album, and are a welcome addition to the band's catalogue of music.

The second last song on the record yet again takes us back to the birth of the band. 'Evil's heavy grunge rock guitars and industrial vocals are the perfect example of what I have come to love about this band, yet what makes this track stand out is the ever present use of keys throughout even the heavier part of the song.

The record comes to an end with 'Transference', which is the type of slow, soulful industrial rock which we have come to expect from Shaolin Temple of BooM. The heartfelt lyrics and slow drum beats, mixed with a constant fuzz of orchestral ambience give the album a lighter, yet somewhat depressing edge. With acoustic guitars thrown in for good measure, 'Transference' draws the album out to a very discrete, yet somewhat premature conclusion.

With albums like Duel forging their own path in independent music, the future is looking bright for the grass roots level of an industry which is quickly becoming an unbreakable fortress for new talent, trying to force entry and earn the chance to stand up and be recognised by their peers.

Duel is available from  www.shaolintempleofboom.com

Album: Duel
Year: 2010
 
Tracklist:
1. Passenger
2. Into Nothing
3. Mansions Of Thought
4. Duel
5. Evil
6. Transference