WARREL DANE: Praises to the War Machine

Produced by Warrel Dane
Released: 2008

Few songwriters in any genre write about the misery of the human condition like Warrel Dane. His first solo venture understandably allows him to be even more personal than before, and so it is that this is also the darkest thing he has done. That's bleak indeed when you consider that this is the man who wrote "Believe in Nothing" and "Evolution 169".

Musically, Praises to the War Machine is rather like a stripped-back Nevermore, melodic and thrashy but without the progressiveness. It is also somewhat less successful, particularly the heavier tracks. Dane's bandmates for this outing include Peter Wichers and Dirk Verbeuren from Soilwork so it isn't through lack of talent that the songs aren't always what they could be. None of them are bad by any means, but for the most part they lack that extra oomph that Nevermore usually delivers. With that said, this is not a Nevermore album in spite of the obvious presence of Dane's inimitable vocals and overlapping themes. "When We Pray" is a strong opener and only the lack of one of Jeff Loomis' spectacular guitar solos really differentiates it from a song by Dane's regular band.

"Messenger" (on which Loomis does actually play) isn't quite as strong although "Obey" is also a good tune. The spiteful and vindictive "Brother" and "Equilibrium" later in the piece are also stand-outs, but it's on the balladic tracks where Praises to the War Machine really shines and where Dane's power as a lyricist are truly displayed. Whatever the occasional weaknesses may be in the music department, the real power and beauty of this album lays in its lyrics. The themes he explores are his usual dark fare: the futility of religion, betrayals, human frailities. As previously mentioned, Warrel Dane's talent for evoking tales of pure humanity is remarkable and on "August" and "This Old Man" he surpasses himself, particularly on the latter, a tale about a lonely neighbour from the singer's youth.

Praises to the War Machine may not quite stand up next to Dane's other work with Nevermore on a musical level, but this is without doubt his most personal and darkest achievement.

1. When We Pray
2. Messenger
3. Obey
4. Lucretia My Reflection
5. Let You Down
6. August
7. Your Chosen Misery
8. The Day the Rats Went to War
9. Brother
10. Patterns
11. This Old Man
12. Equilibrium

Rating: 85%