10,000 Years - All Quiet On The Final Frontier (Ripple Music) [Rich Piva]
I have been a fan of the Swedish trio 10,000 Years for a while now, but now that they have created their best work yet, their new record All Quiet On The Final Frontier, my fandom has been taken to the next level, just like what the band has done with the eight songs that make up their third full length. These songs are not just a step up, but a full flight of stairs to the top, as the band has incorporated some additional elements into their already awesome heavy fuzz to bring us a serious contender for my album of the year list.
So, what are these new elements? First, the band has incorporated more melody into the new songs, making the material more accessible to a wider audience. In no way is 10,000 Years moving towards the catchy pop metal of their countrymates Ghost, but there is a noticeable melodic element that has been purposely brought to All Quiet.
Speaking to vocalist/bassist Alex Risberg on an episode of the Rich And Turbo Heavy Half Hour (find it where you get all of your podcasts, cheap plug), Alex Risberg is a huge Kiss fan as well of a fan of the aforementioned Ghost, so it was only a matter of time that the hooks and the catchiness caught on in his music even more. This is evident on the title track, that has a catchy as hell “chorus” to go along with some killer fuzzy riffs, as well as on the groove of Death Valley Ritual.
Or how about when they go all arena rock on us at about the four minute mark of Ablaze In The Now? Don’t worry though, you still get the serious High On Fire vibes that you came for with High Noon In Sword City and the closer, Down The Heavy Path. Second, the band has a new drummer, Alex’s brother, Alvin Risberg, who is a complete monster and makes a huge difference on the record. Just check out the opening to Ablaze In The Now and the closing of Death Valley Ritual.
Third, the production of this record has been optimized to what I think is the band’s true sound. I was amazed to find out that nothing has changed with the recording process from their other material, but this time everything came together and that sweet spot has been achieved. Just listen to what the guitar sounds like on Weight Of A feather and The Experiment, which just kicks all kinds of ass, as does all of the work of Erik Palm, who himself takes his performance to that next level on All Quiet. I need to call out Palm’s work on High Noon In Sword City here too.
Finally, hooking up with the best label in heavy rock, Ripple Music, can’t hurt either. Combine that with the quality of All Quiet and 10,000 Years can say they have moved up side by side with the best bands bringing the heavy today and should grow their fanbase exponentially.
All Quiet On The Final Frontier is 10,000 Years masterpiece. Everything has come together for the band: The right lineup, the right knobs twisted and buttons pushed, the right amount of melody, and the perfect label match. This formula has produced what is to me an album of the year candidate and one of the biggest steps up from album to album that I have witnessed in a long time. There is nothing quiet on 10,000 Years frontier, and that is just how I like it. 10/10
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