#08 - A View From The Top Of The World (My Ranking: #05)
This album, has a lot going on with it, and also is among my top 5 DT albums.
Starting off the album with a Mangini drum-fill before going into a full band onslaught the band is best known for was the best way to begin this album. Showcasing the mix and production of the drum sound showed us listeners that they have heard the cries for Mangini's drums to have justice in the mixing. For myself, this album is the cumulative Mangini era album.
While The Alien doesn't have the best verses in the vocal department for me, JP's guitar solo's are what drew me into this song. The outro solo behind the bass and drum groove, in that progression, really made me think of those classic days. Being followed by Answering The Call, in the same vein how This Dying Soul followed As I Am, just adds more intensity to the energy of the album. I really hope they pull it out soon, it will slay live for sure.
One thing I will say is I enjoy the songwriting a lot for these songs. The chord progressions, and the grooves, are pretty intricate and seem to be what they focused on. Even on the title track, it's structure is related to the topic at hand, and I like how the music describes that feeling of being in that moment. Not only is it about being at the top of the world, but also being at the depths of the unknown sea, which is facing that fear and taunting death.
The theme of facing the fears, facing death, and that feeling humans get from it, being the central theme of the album is why I really enjoy this album. I also like how the outro of title track is the summarization of this theme lyrically, and the ending not being epic makes sense to me. It's like "Alright, I accomplished this...bring on the next challenge."
Favorite: Answering The Call
Least: Invisible Monster