THRAK | Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, ...

THRAK | Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, ... | Entrance of King Crimson in the 21st Century

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THRAK

	THRAK Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, ... Discipline Us, 2006 average customer review:based on 5 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Midlife Crisis?

The first thing I noticed about King Crimson's eleventh studio LP s is how surprisingly brutal, heavy and most of all inventive these rock granddads sound. It's astonishing to think how old these guys were when they came together for "Thrak"...you've got Robert Fripp - 49, Adrian Belew - 46, Tony Levin - 49, Trey Gunn - 35, Bill Bruford - 46 and Pat Mastelotto - 40. Supremely old in relation to the 90s rock scene - yet they sound more inspired, more fresh and inventive than 99% of the material being churned out at this time.

While "Thrak" is not considered a metal album, it is undoubtedly brutal and retains a "heavy" feel without ever cranking the guitar distortion. This is partly down to the "double trio" line-up consisting of two drummers (Bruford and Mastelotto), two bassists (Levin and Gunn) and two guitarists (Fripp and Belew). The resulting sound is immense. Just one listen to the bewildering "Vrooom" gives a sense of what "Thrak" is all about. Classic Fripp guitar melodies and riffs, complex, jazzy and intertwining drum patterns and thundering baselines. As I mentioned "Thrak" is not a metal album, but to me this sounds as (if not more) brooding, intense and relevant when compared to the majority of metal acts around today. Then there's "B'boom" and the title track, the former being a drummers heaven with a duet solo that builds to a bewildering, syncopated groove. This gives way to the scary onslaught of the title track - evolved around blasts of intense guitars and difficult rhythms, the song sounds more like modern metal gods Meshuggah than anything King Crimson has ever put out.

Amidst this mayhem, "Thrak" also showcases King Crimson at their classic rock best. "Dinosaur" sounds like 70s prog rock given a twisted revamp. The verse flows and eases, giving way to a booming chorus in which Belew croons "I'm a dinosaur, somebody's digging my bones". The song shows how KC fear being overtaken in the music world, and this would certainly explain the inventive and heavy sound elsewhere. "People" and "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" are both funky rock numbers, fully equipped with off-beat grooves and catchy choruses. Both songs also continue a theme of social satire, of cynically stepping back and viewing the world, with "People" attacking our single-minded visions and lack of wider appreciation, and "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" focusing on the mundane and pointless. "Walking on Air" and "One Time" showcase KC at their delicate best, two superb ballads that would fit right in with their classic 60s and 70s material.

"Thrak" sees a band of old-timers, of rock granddads, pushing their sound to incredible and unexpected new places. At times harsh and chaotic, sometimes downright heavy and brutal, "Thrak" is the band's most adventurous album. Of course, they always come back to their classic rock roots, and this really sets off "Thrak" as a wonderfully eclectic yet balanced album. Highly recommended.

(This is the 2006 remastered version which I would very much recommend over the old version.)

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Entrance of King Crimson in the 21st Century

King Crimson began the 21st Century in 1995, when they put out this outstanding record. From ballads to heavy metal with a progressive classic edge: essential stuff.

The emergence of the Double Trio

With the album Thrak, we see King Crimson enter another stage in its evolution. To the quartet of Robert Fripp, Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and Bill Bruford, they add stick specialist Trey Gunn, and another drummer, Pat Mastelotto. With the addition of these two new members the band develops a broader artistic expression and musical presence, further refining the King Crimson sound in a way very interesting to the listener.

I find the album Thrak takes the listener in a slightly more introspective direction, than, say Discipline. With songs like Walking On Air, and One Time, along with Inner Garden I&II, and RadioI&II, you get a more somber feel. Contrast these with the brilliant instrumentals, particularly the growling title track Thrak, and you get an earful of progressive rock goodness. Highly recommended to all King Crimson fans.

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Awesome!

If you like Crimson and after listening to this in HDCD you'll love Crimson. A great exercise in audio and musicianship!! Highly recommend!

I'm a dinosaur, someone's digging my bones