This 90-lb. wuss has put on some weight, and it looks (sounds) good on him. Jeff Suffering is joined by ten other diverse musicians--the Hideous Thieves.
The musical lineup could have been comprised from a group of kids that were good enough to be in the school marching band, but were too punk rock to try out. Violins, accordions, sax, and clarinet have been put to good use to make a very eccentric sounding rock album. There are long musical interludes and instrumental sections providing real surprises. While not something one would refer to as smooth or even melodic at times, this sound is unique--dark and complex.
Suffering's vocals are intense and painful (in a good way), honest and interpretive. "Babylon" is a very interesting interpretation of I Corinthians 13. He is very much in control of the vocal stylings. Strong lyrics combined with vocals that range from clean and clear to gutturally insane make for a most interesting CD.
Although there are a large number of instruments, and heavy vocals, each song retains a clean unmuddled sound. The producers and engineers should be commended.
4 tocks
Other coverage for this album
Decapolis August 2005Reviewed by Chaz MurphyWhen I was at The Cornerstone Festival this year, I saw only a small handful of bands. I really didn't have the urge to see anyone. The last band I got to see right before I left for home was Suffering And The Hideous Thieves. I was blown away by their stage presence. There was only a handful of people there so it was pretty intimate. I only have 10 bucks left to spend so I picked up one of their…Similar sounding releases
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