Long time member of Shinedown, Eric Bass, has broken away from the sound for which is he is most famous, and has composed his very own opus. Emotional, magnificent, grand, desperately sad and at times remarkable, new release I Had A Name takes us on an arduous, but so very enjoyable, introspective trek through Bass’s psyche.
Opening with A World Unseen, a beautiful, positive introduction to this chronicle, I Had A Name provides Bass with a moment to recognise how far he has come, breaking us in gently, lulling us into a false sense of security, that this epic is going to be easy listening. Until, The New Gods Of War follows and is like a sledgehammer to the heart, the pain of confusion, the confusion of pain, wrapped around a balls to the wall track that is as badass as it is autobiographical.
Brutally combining the tale of psychiatric medication, incarceration and frustration with Dickens’ Oliver and Annie, We Cant Go Home is an aural onslaught of greatness. Disturbing, fun, energetic, melancholy and resigned but delightful in its ‘in your face’ metal sensibilities.
Goodnight, Goodnight, Mind Control, New Graves, offer their own revelations, peeling back the layers to more and more vulnerability through Bass’s use of words. Every line wrapped around aggressive, high octane melodies, with the contrast of beautiful harmonies and a powerful heartbeat of bass and drums throughout.
There is no possible way to describe each track present here, and discuss the symbolism, meaning and interpretation, in a manner that respects and honours this body of work. At first listen I Had A Name is a collection of truly great music, but, as you become familiar with the characterisations, history, the open wounds of raw, visceral emotion, the experience of hearing the album as a whole becomes a much more meaningful one.
I Had A Name is thought provoking, stimulating, visceral, extremely hooky, memorable and, magnificent. Absolutely unforgettable in sound and content, in simplest terms, this is a masterpiece.
Review by Viki Ridley
