CONTROL AND RESISTANCE

Three stars but add another star if you are a metal-prog fan because this is a major release from a historical point of view, Watchtower being one of the founding bands of the metal-prog movement in the mid-eighties, along with Queensryche and Fates Warning.

When it was recorded, "Control and resistance" was labeled as "techno-thrash", the term thrash applying to the music here mainly because of the fast pace and Allan Tecchio's screamings. Let's focus now on the use of the term "techno" (or technical if you prefer) : if you listen carefully to this album, you will notice a high level of virtuosity in Jarzombek's guitar playing (influences include Steve Vai, Allan Holdsworth, Steve Morse and Yngwie Malmsteen) and numerous odd-time signatures (Rick Colaluca plays mainly acoustic drums but he also uses electronic drums to create an effect similar to what Bill Bruford did in "Three of a perfect pair" or Chad Wackerman when the latter toured with Zappa at the time "Does humour belong in music" was released). This is only once the metal-prog term was firmly settled after Dream Theater recorded "Images and Words", that "Control and resistance" felt into this musical subgenre.

This record is not very original but if you like dynamic structures and top-notch technicity and virtuosity (don't expect lyricism or emotion in their music), this is for you. Moreover if you are a die-hard metal-prog fan, this album is a must-have. It foreshadowed better things to come : Ron Jarzombek founded in the mid-nineties a trio called Spastic Ink whose first release became also a landmark, as it was one of the very first band to blend jazz- fusion and metal-prog (Cynic doesn't fall in this category as it features vocals), LTE and Planet X later followed this path.