Damn, this is how you keep your career interesting!
Shift is not Majestic 2.0 nor is it Out of Reach 3.0. This album is a monster of its’ own making. Mature LizZard? Yeah, that’s a thing now. If you’re looking for “The Orbiter” Mach 2 or even “The Roots Within (Majestic)” V.3 then this is not the place for you but if you’ve stuck with these French prog-rawk ingenues through the long haul then album number three will surely leave you thoroughly satisfied.
“Seed” instrumentally and subtly starts off Shift as this meandering pile of dreamy riffs as this unsuspecting beast saunters in laying a foundation of what’s to come. “Singularity”, by comparison, is like a bomb going off as it explodes with riffin’ and beats which is, by contrast, almost jarring at times amidst a flurry of shreds as Mathieu Ricou’s voice brings a certain brevity by breaking through the solid wall of sound.
“Gemini” carries the prog torch and is the best example of the leaps and bounds that LizZard has progressed in terms of songwriting just from Majestic to here with these subtle passages that build towards epic resolutions. Speaking of songwriting prowess and evolution, look no further than “Bloom” which is equally serene and beautiful with this perfect symmetry between Katy Elwell’s subtle thumping, William Knox’s bass hum, and Ricou’s guitar flourishes.
Then there’s a euphoric sense of synchronicity when the title track just grooves and glows and flows as this instrumental splits the album and just sets the band loose with a calculated chaos. Almost like a perfect storm brewing with Elwell, Ricou, and Knox operating as a hive mind anticipating the next lick, fill, and riff with pristine precision.
“MinEd”, on the other hand, is the closest to capturing that Majestic feel once again without sounding like a retread spiraling out of the title track trance with a rolling Elwell thumping with Knox and Ricou lurching gradually into this monstrous conclusion and a delightful buzz.
“Leaving The Dream” is a triumphant slab of futuristic sonic noise built off of a hypnotic Ricou line and crunchy riffs with a grinding bite as the singer croons toward an epic breakdown which bristles with excitement and riffs as Elwell’s steady noise keeps it all together while simultaneously threatening to overwhelm the senses at any moment before settling back into a lush groove.
Then “Open View” ambles in and almost feels like a modern classic by The Police with Knox’s inspired fret work until “Passing By” closes it all up in a nice and tidy package, the bulk of which is a solitary Ricou crooner before once again bowing at the alter of the almighty riff.
Shift is out on February 23rd through Metalville. You can pre-order your very own by heading on over here or here. And for all your other LizZard needs, head here.