RE-ANIMATE - 2014 Album Reviews:

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RE-ANIMATE - Album Reviews:

"Best yet, a serious album with 11 great songs. I don't write great reviews, but being a fan of Mr Davies for quite some time now, I couldn't help but write one regarding this album. Since buying it I have listened to it almost non-stop ever since. Heavier guitars, better sounding tracks... and I was a fan before. This album is just over and above anything I could have ever expected. Fans were teased that this would be the best yet and I have to bet that not one is disappointed. The guitar parts are well put together and now have a more prominent role in the music. Something that works well for me being a novice player myself and always feeling that they deserved a larger role.

 

Keith writes great parts and maybe they were a bit overshadowed by the lyrics in the past... maybe I am speaking with some bias here... If you've listened to any of his instrumentals you'll know what I mean. That being said the lyrics are still just as well done as before and really are probably better. Being a layman to the equipment required for quality recording I can only say that the entire album has a much more professional feel to it. All in all very solid. My favourite of the year, hands down." 

(review by Matthew Cramer, MI, USA. taken from Google Music Store)

 

 

"Creating any sort of fresh buzz for a compilation album is often a difficult task for any band or artist, no matter how great the music was when it was first released. Re-mastering original tracks has now become more popular to try to breathe life into older songs. Sometimes it works, sometimes it leaves you wishing that the artist would have just left well enough alone. So, as a long time follower of Keith Davies' music, I was somewhat skeptical when I heard that his new album Re-Animate would mostly be composed of songs from his previous masterpiece albums Symbolic Hemispheres, Seeds And Leeches, Dark Matter and Hybrid Clockwork. However I soon found out that there was an awful lot more work here than just the copy/pasting of old tracks into a new order! In fact, Re-Animate just might be his finest album yet!

Turns out that Keith hooked up with producer Dylan Price (a/k/a McDylbot) in mid 2014, and together, they actually re-recorded the best of Keith's older hits. And I mean re-recorded. Like Keith re-singing his vocal tracks with a hot, new, crisp and fresh sound, as well as re-playing many of the guitar tracks and totally punching up the drums and bass as well. With the help of Dylan, they have taken the best of the best from Keith's hit tracks and taken them all to the next level. Thus creating a totally updated sound that raises Re-Animate to a whole new level of hard hitting vocals, catchy in-your-face guitar riffs, and infectious chorus's.

The "new" version of Seeds And Leeches, possibly the best track on the album, is like Sid Vicious meets Slayer meets Rush. The chorus is one of the rare pieces of music that gets into your head and stays with you - and leaves you wanting to hear it again and again. White Conduit is very cool and melodic, with Keith also invoking a Geddy Lee style that makes the track great. The Disconnecting Signal is also a great piece, and keeps the album moving along. Terra Nova has extremely hot guitar riffs and a totally catchy chorus. Originally appearing on Symbolic Hemispheres, the new mixing and recording of the new 2014 version puts it in the "should be a hit song" category. The mellow and melodic NewClear has a great arena-anthem quality to it. Also would put this track into the "should be a hit song" category as well.

Stabbing Daggers starts off with a dream-like slow intro, until it comes up and hits you in the balls with quite possibly the single best guitar riff on the album. You will find heavy metal at its' best in this track for sure. Massacre Of The Mind, originally from Hybrid Clockwork is also laced with great recording and mastering, punchy guitar riffs and again, just a perfect sprinkling of Rush-like qualities.

Stolen (Welcome To Paradise) is a slower, more melodic tune from Symbolic Hemispheres. Keith's emotional vocal performance on this track truly gives you a window into his abilities as a musician and singer, who can handle the hardest of metal, as well as the intensity and emotions of his own insightful lyrics.

 

Toxic Coma from Dark Matter has a great mellow beginning, but quickly turns into a hard hitting tune. Keith's vocals are very strong and moving in this one, and the bass riff is hard to beat as well.

 

Seismic Horizons, also from Dark Matter, has a crisp new feel to it, very well produced, and exploring a lot of new sounds.

The Field Where She Lays has an exceptionally great guitar sound and Keith's trademark vocals. A bit of a more mellow track, The Field has wonderful introspective lyrics and spot-on recording quality. It has a classic sound, complete with violins and a masterful ethereal quality to it, The Field has that "epic sound" that makes it shine.

 

The bonus track Stigma, with music written by Dylan and lyrics by Keith is also a great mellow track, with first rate vocals and superior recording qualities.

The artwork contained with the CD package is amazing itself. Keith has always taken great pride in the entire production of each of his albums, including the CD art, which is often a lost element in much of the music of today. The CD comes with art from each of his previous albums, plus an insert with the all words to each song (which is a nice touch). Looking at the whole package, and hearing the music as a complete piece of work, it is almost unbelievable that Keith has actually done most of this on his own.

From concept to lyrics, to art design, Re-Animate does not disappoint at any level. Plus with the help of Dylan, Keith's music has been "Re-Animated" into a whole new, professional level. The fact that this guy is not signed with a major label at this point is quite unbelievable. After this new compilation CD, I am sure he will be soon."

(review by Daniel Harrison, CEO Pool And Spa, Las Vegas, NV, USA)