Customer Reviews

Energetic Disassembly

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first album of this unique band from Texas,released back in 1985,was as shocking as incovenient.<>metal was born and at the same time was terminated.Like an electric labyrinth expressed in mathematic symbols.A <<disassembly>> of Metallica,Rush and Celtic Frost codes.Full of brilliant,unpredictable music.Hard to find it,but totally worth.

OK, so I have this on vinyl. I bought it in 1986 and listened to it to no end. These days I only spin once a year or so, but the CD will have its day and my wife will run in terror.

THis is by far one of the most important "techno-prog-metal" albums ever released. I found it to be far too thin in production and tone, but hey, it was the eighties, the advent of MIDI and the day of ultra-thin guitar tones. Perhaps the mastering on this CD will provide me with some unexpected surprises in that regard. I was very let down when the vocalist left for Dangerous Toyz. Did they spell that with a "z"?

Listening to this CD will give you a bridge, if you will, from classic 70's prog rock to the prog-techno-metal of today. WatchTower was way ahead of the game.

This is the most outrageous exaggeration of "prog" metal(as the media and the masses seem to enjoy using that label)to ever be released. On top of that Jason McMaster is horrendous on vocals at best. Alan Tecchio didn't fare much better in the follow-up either. I give this 2 stars for 2 reasons. Number one (1) it isn't pop metal which was rampant in the mid eighties and (2) it actually it quite unique in it's own strange way as they attempt...I repeat, attempt to display musicianship by combining current trend thrash metal with fusion. But anyway, you know the stuff ain't good when you can't even enjoy it after a tokin' a bowl.

These guys started whole genres of music with this album: technical thrash and technical death metal -it's a trip you gotta take if you like your metal with brains and talent!! If not, go back to Metallica or Motley Crue

To be fair, I'm not a fan of prog rock or highly technical "math" rock. Bands like early Rush, Dream Theatre & Atheist have never really been my thing. In fact, the only reason I picked up a couple of Watchtower cd's was because I'm a Jason McMaster (D. Toys & Broken Teeth) fan.

And this recording was a shock. No more cock rock. No more balls-to-the-walls AC/DC style bar rock. More like Rob Halford or Bruce Dickinson fronting Drem Theatre. The fact that McMaster & Co. were only in their teens or maybe early-twenties is even more amazing. Even not being much of a fan of this type of music does not detour me from being able to listen without prejudice and admiring the incredibly technical musicianship offered up on this album. Fans of McMaster will want to pick this up as a history lesson, while true prog/technical/math rock fans will have to have it. Because that genre, before there was a genre, started with Watchtower, deep in the heart of Central Texas.

I'm completely satisfied and impressed. Usually, when I order a product online I expect something to go wrong; either missing or damage goods or it would take forever for me to received my order. But here, I received my item in four days and in perfect condition. I was stoked