CHRIST 0

Christ 0 is one of the finest releases of 2006. It is a concept album where a muderer (title charcter) is pursued by Inspector X. The band never lets up from the heaviness, and Andy Kuntz is a rising star amongst metal vocalists. The guitars and drums are nothing short of crushing, making Dream Theater's heaviest movements look tame. The concept is held together well but even ignoring the concept you get strong indiviudal songs. Standout tracks are the opener, the riff-heavy Somewhere Alone in the Dark, and Postcard to God, but every track is killer. The bonus track, a reworking of the Jesus Christ Superstar song Gethsemane, is very interesting, with a metallic revision. Kuntz's vocals can't compare with Ian Gillan's original performance, but he does give one of his best performances on this excellent cover.

Though everything is well-executed, this isn't quite a masterpiece, though this band has already made some great music, and if Christ 0 is any indicator of future output, Vanden Plas will be at the top of the prog metal heap very soon. Highly recommended.

Grade: B+