Levi/Werstler - Avalanche of Worms

April 24, 2010

Reviewer: Kesh

Anything that is out of the ordinary for any given type of music will always grab my attention. In metal, the field is for the most part oversaturated with bands that have the standard equation of vocalists, guitarist(s), drummer and occasional keyboards. Though, in a great deal of those cases, many of the bands benefit from having a vocalist, another large group of these bands would benefit if they booted out that pesky guy screaming like a dying pig and went instrumental. So it is a breath of fresh air when a band comprised of guys from other well known bands get together to form an instrumental act in the spirit of their preferred genre.

Such is the case with Levi/Werstler, side project of Emil Werstler (Chimaira/Dååth) and Eyal Levi (also of Dååth). Love or hate those bands, you have to give Levi/Werstler a chance just on the sheer uniqueness of the project. The closest thing that I can think of off the top of my head is a local band here in Tampa called Alpha Decay who is caught-up in the quandary of searching for a vocalist, despite the fact that many of their fans in the scene insist they don't. The problem is that I think any one who would potentially be interested in being the voice of the band is intimidated by how good the band is as they are now.

Levi/Werstler are incredibly talented musicians, and thankfully, they released this album to prove to the world that they are surprisingly excellent musicians that have been eclipsed by Chimaira's success. Not that I mind Chimaira personally, but I do know several people who hate them with a passion and unfairly group them with bands like Slipknot and Diecast. This project brings them out of that shadow, and sets hem apart from the rest. I’m unfortunately ignorant of what Dååth sounds like at the current time because it’s just never been something that has appealed to me for whatever reason.

It's very hard to pick specific tracks off the album that is all exceptional, but I really do like the Spanish guitars of "Trepidation and Bliss" reminding me a lot of Megadeth front man Dave Mustaine's playing style, or even Carlos Santana’s. Other times, I’m reminded of stuff along he lines of Dream Theater or possibly even Queen.

This album was not written; it was composed. Like musical suites from Bach or Mozart, Levi/Werstler is set to become classic, and I hope that it opens up the gates for more instrumental projects to break in.

Release Date: April 20th, 2010
Label: Magna Carta Records /
Century Media

TRACK LISTING

1.  Noxious Vermin, My Friend
2.  Dura Matter
3.  Obsidian Fissure
4.  Plague House
5.  In Amethyst, Through Moldavite
6.  Trellis of Thorns
7.  Hollow Thorax of the Gilded Eye
8.  Loathsome Little Fiend
9.  Architectural Necrosis
10.  Casting the Molten Sea
11.  Chrysalis Wound

Total playing time:  41:20

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