LEVI/WERSTLER – Avalanche Of Worms

Overview: Picture this scenario… you’re in a music store walking up and down the aisles hoping to spot something interesting, or better yet hoping that something jumps out and hits you in the face. Eventually you come across a CD that really stands out because of its cover. You pick it up to have a closer look and see Levi/Werstler as the group name and Avalanche of Worms as the title of the album. Now, unless you’re a fan of Industrial/Death Metal or are familiar with the band named Dääth, you would most likely put this CD back on the shelf just as quickly as you took it off to look at.

Why is Dääth being mentioned? It is because Eyan Levi and Emil Werstler are both guitarists in the band. To everyone else on the planet these two individuals have yet to be discovered or known. Not only are they two guitarists in legitimate bands past and present, they are both quite accomplished at their craft.

As hard as it is to admit, especially to someone who is not a fan of Industrial/Death Metal, it would be a mistake to ignore this CD or to show any lack of interest in the decision making process used to buy it. Having listened to Eyan and Emil’s latest pet project, minimally it is a pleasant surprise to say the least just as it is a shock to the system as to how good it really is.

Pros: Musically it is as technically sound as one would possibly expect from a pair of guitar wizards. The chemistry between the two guitarists propels itself as the CD progresses from the opening moment. One has doubts however for the first few moments until things get going, at which point there is no doubt that you are listening to some form of Metal. One of the many things that are so nice is how the progression from one song to the next is so smooth and effortless. The continuity is such that there are more times than not where one track ends and continues on to the next without anyone being the wiser.

While the bass and drums come through perfectly it is the two guitars that are the stars of the show. There is a perfect balance of all instruments with neither one nor the other overpowering the bunch. It’s obvious that while Levi and Werstler could and usually did go “all out” on their instruments while performing in Dӓӓth, with Avalanche of Worms, Levi’s writing and Werstler’s virtuosic abilities meld together so well that, opting for an Instrumental type album worked better than expected.

The nice thing is that even though “AOW” is considered to fall under the Industrial/Death Metal category, those afraid to listen to or buy this CD for that reason need not take such a road. Any Death Metal here seems to be all but non-existent (perhaps the lack of vocals can take the credit here) while the Industrial side comes through in short spurts and doesn’t stick around long enough in any song that it is the main focus of that track. There seems to be a good enough mixture of genres in the songs that this album will be liked by all types of music fans, especially those who have an inclination towards guitars.

Cons: This concept album that Levi and Werstler have produced has a certain progression to it. In order to fully appreciate the aesthetically balanced sound and journey that one is immersed in while listening to it, one must put aside forty-two minutes from their busy schedule so that it is listened to from beginning to end as intended by the two musicians responsible for it. Otherwise the album comes across as a very mixed-up and confused clusterfuck to put it bluntly. There is just no other way to say it-plain and simple and to the point.

Considering the category or genre that is attributed to this CD, purchasing it for that reason will almost certainly disappoint the purchaser. The Industrial or Death Metal part of the equation was touched upon earlier. The other problem that comes through while listening to the entire CD is that many of the songs sound the same even though they may not be in reality. The album has a certain tone or feel to it that is present throughout the whole album. There are so many changes musically speaking in just about every song that it is confusing after a while. At one point it sounds Classical, then changes to Metal, then to Industrial, then to Country, then back to Metal… and so forth and so on-you get the picture. It might be an issue for some discerning listeners.

Another strange thing is the song titles and their meaning. Where did they come up with these names for the songs on “AOW”? Perhaps if one can figure out what the titles mean then the album will make more sense.

Summary: Without going into detail about each song or which one is better than the other, this format was chosen because it is much easier to do so in this case. Some of the music will sound really good to some but too busy for others. Some will have a problem with the whole concept while others won’t. This is one of those times where you just have to say, if you like to hear good guitar playing without having a strong opinion one way or the other, then this album is for you. Otherwise see if a friend has it and give a listen to see what you think before you go out to buy it.