BRICK BATH – I Won’t Live The Lie

“Find my inner peace…” or the inner noise, that is what one can expect out of Brick Bath’s second release, I Won’t Live The Lie. This American group which was formed in 1996 by Dark Angel’s guitarist, Eric Meyer, who formed the band after Dark Angel disbanded, were from San Diego and came out to fight with huge amounts of power and anger by unleashing the modern way of Thrash Metal mixed with a whole lot of grooves.

Their style is very similar to bands like Machine Head, the new age Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies. In their first year , under the name Epitaph, they released their debut, under the label Chainsaw Records, Scarred. I Won’t Live The Lie is the first album under Pavement, later Pavement / Crash Music and under their current name.
When discussing production, which was crafted in the band’s lair – Brick Bath studios, one can notice how amazing it is. The band succeeded in reaching the highest forms of power, in regards to sound, that channeled their anger with perfection. However, the band’s sound is not so original. It sounds much like a mixture of Machine Head and the late Pantera that are also two angry bands. So a mixture of anger brings out a much angrier and powerful group. The best example on the album of the mixture is the song “Simple Life”.

The band’s material is rather good yet not that special. The songs, regarding their music, go with the same direct line of crush, burn; split your face and break the chains, like depicted on the cover art of this release, themes along with some heavy and destructive rhythms, grooves and kick downs. For example songs like: the opener, “Inner Peace”, “Oppression Kills”, “Crucified” and “So Wrong”. The old veins of Thrash Metal, like speed and roughness, are still there but they have undergone a mutation phase to become something a bit stronger and louder but certainly not in Dark Angel’s way or any other old school Thrash Metal act. The band’s lyrics are in accordance with the music with themes of real life problems and issues, and like the self titled song, pursuing the truth. In addition, it can be noticed that Metalcore and Punk are no strangers to the band’s music and there are a lot of elements that are common, from these genres, with the band’s way.

Eric Meyer’s efforts in this album are very good and he succeeded in creating a powerful act that has a huge potential in the Metal world. As a guitar player, he explodes on the scene with various heavy riffs and, what is purely lacking to his way, great guitar solos , partly performed with Wah-wah effects, that can be noticed in songs like: “Inner Peace” , “So Wrong” and “Crucified”. The vocalist, Joey McCaw, who was replaced after this release, displayed a great ability in his versatile singing while doing it Hardcore or screaming or the old way of Thrash Metal. His voice very much resembles Rob Flynn of Machine Head and Phil Anselmo of Pantera. In some areas of the album he sounds like Paul Di’Anno’s trail in sounding Hard Core-ish back in 1996 on Killer’s album, Menace To Society.

The drummer, Scott Babbel, drives through the album with excellent drumming in accordance to the sub-genre. The bass player, back then, Pete Stone, from the band Teabag, is not doing anything that special. Most of the time is spot on with the rhythm powering the guitar.
In many ways the songs in I Won’t Live The Lie aren’t that different of each other and there are many similarities between the songs. For example between “Need” and “Legacy” which are also one after another in the album’s playlist. These two tracks are based on the same structure and they sound as a single song just with different lyrics in its verses.
However there are some good songs in this release that will get their recognition. “Inner Peace” is a great song, still abiding by old school Thrash veins; it ignites the fires to an angry world with crushing riffs and a blowing away solo by Meyer.

“Oppression Kill” is a one heavy tanker with great riffs and a whole lot of power and a pounding kick down. “Simple Life” can be considered a mixture of anger and infused with hate. This song is much similar to Pantera’s latest evolution. “Crucified” and “So Wrong” are solid songs with the influence of Punk and Metalcore.

Brick Bath and Eric Meyer are going towards a way that keeps them away from the old roots of Thrash Metal to a place that not all traditional Metalheads would have liked. One can say its not a surprise that a person like Meyer will take a different route. He did his thing in the old school and now he wants to go modern. But still Meyer’s work with Dark Angel won’t be ever forgotten and now in Brick Bath he is fulfilling his path.

After this release Brick Bath released 2 more albums and they are currently alive and well.