Saint Blasphemer is a great metal and
hard rock band from the sunny climes of Southern California without a hint of
sunshine I their music and songwriting. Instead, this four piece treats their
art with the utmost seriousness and attempts to make a substantive musical and
lyrical statement on the perils of drug addiction and what it has personally
cost them. The guitar is the album’s prime mover instrumentally, but bassist
Steve Shell and drummer Steve Ybarra distinguish themselves numerous times over
the course of Simon Templar’s five songs. Everything grand about this band
musically flows from the rhythm section’s work and they show remarkable
flexibility that prevents the hard rock posturing from ever sounding too leaden
or overwrought. Monroe's singing encompasses a number of vocal moves and he
sounds credible throughout each track.
The excellent opener “Nullify” keeps
listeners close and seldom allows them to breathe. There’s power a plenty here
in the music, but even a cursory listen reveals the smaller elements that go
into making this music work. Steve Ybarra’s talents on the drum kit are
hard-hitting but naturally favor a wide swing that keeps a lively pulse going
on amidst all of the Sturm and Drang generated from guitarist John Castellon.
The title song comes together a little more slowly and deliberately than the
first track and this theatrical choice offers a dramatic contrast to the
opener. “Simon Templar” pays more attention to narrative virtues in its lyric
and Thomas Monroe's vocal takes on that attitude as well. He carefully
enunciates everything and shows how important it is to capture the imagery in
the lyrics and convey its meaning with his voice.
More Sturm and Drang returns with the
ferocious “Scarecrow”. This is end stage drug addict, the body ravaged by the
vicious cycle of getting high and coming down, and Monroe's lyrics stare the
reality of this in the face without ever blinking. The drumming is particularly
inventive here and bassist Steve Shell gives Ybarra a fat bass line to build
his patterns with and around. “A Perfect Rose” has a much more pensive side
wholly appropriate for a track about the pain of watching someone you love
murdering themselves slowly before your very eyes. Atmospherics are more the
order of the day with this song and, much like they do with briefer and earlier
opportunities, Saint Blasphemer succeeds wildly. The final song “Breaking Just
to Bend” has unimpeachable credentials from the first note onward and some
excellent songwriting, particularly a witty title, but there’s darkness forever
gnawing at the edge of the songwriting. It never quite succumbs to it
completely and the mix of despair and hope, along with the past pace, makes it
an ideal closer. Simon Templar has the impressive completeness of a full length
album boiled down its essence and packing an enormous punch both lyrically and
instrumentally. It will impress anyone who loves great rock and roll music.
9 out of 10 stars
Charles Hatton
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