SNAKES & ARROWS

A perfect album? Definatly, fresh, new, and inspiring is what I would call this album. The music overall is much better than Vapor Trails and easier to get into because the mix overall is much better and the production is excellent, everything is well heard. We do get a special apperance on this album too, a mellotron makes its way into a song.

"Far Cry" is already a perfect track from the start. With its pounding riffs, beautiful basslines, perfect drumming, incredible lyrics and vocals it's really hard not to like this song. It's always got an upbeat tempo and such a progressive metal feeling to it when you listen. "Armor and Sword" another essential track. It's got some of the best lyrics ever on the album, and the bassline is to die for. The acoustic guitars are really fitting to the overall darkness of the song, and it makes it that much better. Geddy's vocals on this song are very good, beautiful when he is playing is strong bassline. Also longest track. "Working them Angels" is a very upbeat song, it's very happy sounding. It kind of scares you at the first note because of how quick it happens. The lyrics are very good on this track, and the musicianship of all the band members is to die for. "The Larger Bowl" is a favorite for some reason, but I still don't know why people don't like it. It has nice guitar, dark, haunting, and thought-provoking lyrics, isn't that what most Rush fans like these times? I guess not, but at least I do. The acoustic works well with the rhythm section here. "Spindrift" is another favorite from the album, beautiful and scary intro. The music itself is intense and it's a roller coaster that you will want to go on forever, with some of the best bass riffs ever. The vocals are a little high for Geddy, you can tell. The guitar is very nice on this track. "The Main Monkey Buissness" is our first instrumental, and one of the best ones that Rush has ever put out. Geddy is playing some awesome basslines on this track, and the acoustic guitar is very nice. Though this is not a bass-heavy track, there is another instrumental that will be, though shorter. The drum playing is superb for this kind of music. "The Way the Wind Blows" is alright, nice drumming and very good guitar solo at the beginning after the drum solo intro, but this song isn't the best ever because it lacks to catch on very well with me. "Hope" is the all acoustic track, 12-string acoustic guitar if I remember correctly. It's simply stunning from start to finish. It makes you rethink how good of a guitarist that Alex Lifeson really is. "Faithless" is an interesting track with some nice vocals and some really good guitar playing. The lyrics are alright and the bassline isn't my favorite ever, but its a good some. Nice drumming throughout. "Bravest Face" is a different song, it's a little scary sounding on the Rush standard. It's a very dark sound with some nice dark vocal harmonies. The bassline isn't really there, it's a little hard to heard at least. It's got some nice acoustic guitar on this song. "Good News First" has the mellotron on this track, though it's not my favorite ever. I don't find the lyrics very facinating, but I really do like the music overall, nice guitar riffs, and the mellotron makes the song one. "Malignant Narnissm" is amazing. The best bassline ever in my opinion, I could not beileve that Geddy could ever play such an amazing thing in my life! Neil, espeicially on a 4-piece drumset, is doing some amazing stuff there! Though Alex isn't doing too much, he is playing fairly well here. "We Hold On" is a forgetable track, to say the least. The lyrics are alright here, but the music overall is just okay, nothing very special for the track.

This album is near perfection, a barley flawed masterpiece. 5 stars for a flawed masterpiece, definatly.