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DtroitPunks “Rock or Crock – Music Reviews For Thinking People” “Children Of Chaos” by SOULIDIUM is a highly unusual and unusually accomplished piece of work. This bands sound is SO big that at first you think the singing is perhaps not suited to it. Singer/Songwriter Michael McKnight has an unusually rich and talented voice. The other four members of SOULIDIUM are all gifted musicians and take turns shining. One great thing about this bands sound is that it seems these guys have no ego. No one instrument drowns out the contributions of the others. I was also mildly shocked that there were NO guitar solos! As a guitarist who started playing wanting to be Randy Rhoads, this is akin to Blasphemy in my opinion. Somehow for this band, it works! To the songs DAMMIT! ALL of the songs on this album are exceedingly well crafted, with not a one that I wanted to skip past. The Standouts on “Children Of Chaos” in my sort of humble opinion are “Live Forever, Drama and Jaded Messiah”. “Trapped” has a hauntingly beautiful intro that has guitar harmonics that like to dress up and pretend they are notes played on a piano. “The Light” has a heavy groove and drum work that cuts right through the mix. With singing that vacillates between raw and refined while sounding good at both extremes. “Live Forever” is a just plain rockin (Sic) track! “Drama” has a techno sounding drone in the intro along with middle-eastern flavored instrumentals as an unexpected bonus. “Drama” is in my opinion the best song on this very good record. It has a nearly brilliant intro that really showcases the talents of drummer Danny Cayocca. “Drama” also gives us, perhaps, singer Michael McKnight’s best singing. There is a slight modulation on parts of the vocals that sounds almost as if you are listening to them over a long distance telephone line. “About You” is a lush ballad, complete with classical string accompaniment. “Easy Kind Of Girl” has unexpected Dylanesque singing. Jake Dylan, not Bob Dylan in case you were wondering. “Waiting” begins with some gorgeously smooth crooning and minimal instrumentation, which allows Michaels singing to carry the song for several moments. There is some nice heavy playing by the band after the sparse intro. This shift adds excitement to the song. “Jaded Messiah” has a chugging rhythm with restrained double bass work and some of the best high hat and cymbal work I have heard in QUITE awhile. This song sucks you in like a tiny funnel cloud with its swirling and even bombards you with guitars that sound like a helicopter swooping in for a landing near the end. “Big Time” starts with a sort of militaristic, marching band drummer sound, a chorus of catchy whoas and the wailing of a Muezzin calling the faithful to prayer. “Big Time” also teased me with guitar foreplay that had me aching for the payoff. Alas, twas not to be as the expected solo never materialized. “Slowly We Die” has a seething anger and danger beneath the surface that reminded me of Jaws. Upon first hearing SOULIDIUM, it is difficult not to make comparisons to Creed. After further listening THIS reviewer realizes that any comparisons to other bands are unfair, as this band has crafted a sound all their own. The latest waves of Metal have left us expecting bands to sound a certain way, especially in the vocal department. Michael McKnight has a vocal range so wide that you are sometimes surprised that it is the same singer from one track to another. This is no mean feat. Many singers today wouldn’t have the guts to mix it up this much. Of course, most vocalists aren’t this gifted either. Verdict? – ROCK (4 guitars) 5 will be my max rating in the future.
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