Review: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
“North and South of Nothing”
(Action Driver)

You know what, people?  I’m a very busy man.  I don’t have time for you or your concept albums.  I mean, I get up, I go to work, I come home, I get something to eat, call up a few buddies, maybe watch a little TV, go to bed and that’s about it.  Where am I finding the time to listen to your little sixty-five minute, wandering, warbling, homage to whateveritis?

“North and South” is supposed to be a six-part tragedy but I think the tragedy is the lost hour of my life.
The first two tracks both clock in around ten minutes and supposedly set the tone for the story to come, but I think we’d benefit from a little more action early on, seeing as how those twenty minutes pass at a pace that makes “Slingblade” look like “Die Hard”.

Finally, by the time we get to “The Journey and Ensettlement” there are some hardcore guitars and mottled screams that replace the mumbled lyrics and atmospheric whooshes that abided earlier.  From there the album goes south again (even though it was already south of nothing), delving into some of the more operatic hardcore you’re likely to encounter, which is either a good thing or a bad thing but probably a bad thing.  I haven’t had time to make up my mind because, like I said, I’m a very busy man.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to take a shit.