The Badger Herald: ArtsEtc.: Lyrics ‘Buried’ under grunts, groans

Updated Tuesday, December 8, 2009, at 1:07 a.m.

Madison, Wis.:
Mostly Cloudy and 16.0° F

ArtsEtc.

Lyrics ‘Buried’ under grunts, groans

Unsigned local metal band offers intelligent, ambitious lyrics for the alternative listener

Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.

Also by Natalie Sandy:

'Gamer' Over: Violent film huge loser (September 9, 2009)

By Natalie Sandy
Monday, February 23, 2009 9:06 p.m.

3 Vote 0 Votes

Inspired by bands with names such as Decapitated, Nevermore, Napalm Death and Destruction, it’s no wonder Madison-based band Buried Future describes their sound as “the music you hear when you die in a fire.” That’s heavy.

But Buried Future is not your typical metal band, where the screaming pitches of rage override sick guitar riffs and never-ending drum solos. While this band does carry these heavy metal traits, what distinguishes them from other “trash bands” are the lyrical themes that dare to delve into heavy topics such as medical ethics and the philosophy of science.

As a senior majoring in English, it’s no wonder that lead vocalist and songwriter Dave Labetz’s lyrics are compelling and command attention. In the particularly powerful “Identity Crisis,” Labetz comments on war and the “empty nationality” of the soldier’s identity, grunting over the sound of the band, “Faces tan and bleach/ Changing each to each/ Falling under flags/ Wrapped around body bags.”

In the haunting and brutally honest “Ad Nauseum,” drummer Phil Harrelson and lead guitarist Bobby de la O carry the opening riff with impressive ferocity, leading into another set of Labetz’s forceful lyrics, “There is but one question/ And that is suicide/ You always have the power/ To choose if you will die/ This is fundamental/ To our philosophy.”

Whether this is the music that would play as you burn alive in a firey death is debatable. But one thing is certain: Buried Future is not for the faint of heart.

While the lyrics are ambitious and every instrument works together with a dominating force, the meaning behind Dave Labetz’s powerful lyrics drowns underneath the low grunting and growling of his singing. On their latest album, Symphony of Unnecessary Surgery, each song sounds consistently similar to the last, going on four to five minutes too long and losing the crowd’s attention due to the lengthy time signatures and lack of variation. The verses tediously blend into the chorus, and the drummer and guitarists seem to serve as background noise the minute the lead singer enters with his vocals, further taking attention away from the band’s powerful lyrics.

An unsigned but ambitious band, Buried Future is off to a running start with their inquisitive and almost intrusive lyrics. Still, the vocals aren’t much more than grunting at a flat tone, lacking any true melody. It is apparent that each musician in this band has extreme talent, however when they come together, the talent of these five men fall short in their collaboration, sounding more like loud, angry noise rather than an actual tune.

Buried Future’s album will be available at Earwax Records on West Gilman and The Exclusive Co. on State Street for those of you who wish to get a taste of the controversial and thought-inducing lyrics of this heavy metal group. They will also be playing live for their CD release show February 27th at 6:30 pm at the Electric Earth Café on Washington Avenue. And for the sake of those powerful lyrics and ambitious young men, let’s hope that there are no pyros lurking around Washington Avenue that night to make this band’s self-description come true.

3 Comments | Leave a comment

Skuba Steve | February 24, 2009 6:20 PM | Reply
IP hash: 64696f0f

Upon reading this I just laughed, this article is very visibly written by someone who does not understand metal music. Which begs the question, why is she writing a metal review? Such statements as, “each song sounds consistently similar to the last” and “grunting at a flat tone, lacking any true melody” are just plain ridiculous. Show me a melodic grunt and I will show you first prize at the State Fair. And as far as the songs sounding the same - they all use distortion, yes. That does not make them the same song. I have listened to this band many times and I am nothing less than impressed every time. The technique involved, the baroque stylized guitar solos, the slap bass. All of this was over-looked in this review. I would like to ask that the article be re-written after a full listen to the album, but I know any metal head will already know that this is a CD worth picking up.

Anonymous | February 24, 2009 11:09 PM | Reply
IP hash: 4a25fe52

What is up with these horribly shallow reviews of metal bands? Obviously the author has never listened to any metal music. Never ending drum solos? I can’t think of any metal band that is based around the drums. Lengthy time signatures? That phrase doesn’t even make sense and shows a lack of understanding of basic music theory that five year olds understand upon taking their first violin lessons.

Which begs the question: why is the author reviewing any music at all if she thinks 4/4 time sounds “lengthy”?