And Here Is That First Post.......

Tracklist:


01. Actualize
02. Contraband
03. Currency
04. Altered Perspective One
05. Altered Perspective Two
06. Vertigo
07. The Decline
08. Degenerate
09. Looking West
10. A Climate For Change 


ALONE is the debut album by Evan Brewer (bassist of The Faceless), the concept of which is astounding, and not to mention incredibly ambitious.

The entire album is comprised entirely of bass – no guitars, no drums, just plain ol’ bass.


Now, in no way is this man un-talented.

Anyone who has listened to The Faceless, and has a working pair of ears can back me up on that, but listeners beware, if you go into this album expecting to hear lots of tech-death riffs played on repeat for half an hour, you’ll be sorely disappointed, because what you will hear from this is a wide range of styles and influences, mainly taken from Jazz and Funk.


I know what you’re all probably thinking:
“Jazz and Funk? But where’s my technicality?”

The answer to that question is that it’s still all there, but it appears in a different way.


The first two tracks, “Actualize” and “Contraband” showcase some intense slap-bass skills, which would impress anyone who knows anything about the instrument itself.

The next three tracks, “Currency” and the “Altered Perspective” parts delve into more of a relaxed and chilled style.


People who have paid attention to Evan’s YouTube account would recognize the first and third track as videos that he posted a couple of months back, titled “Slap Bass Evan Brewer” and “Evan Brewer Two Basses” respectively, both of which were clips posted from these songs and used as teasers for his upcoming album.


But I digress, the fifth track, “Vertigo” combines the chilled out atmosphere of the last three tracks with the intensity of the first two, and manages to transition the two ideas seamlessly into one song.


“The Decline” serves as an interlude (filled with some faded in slapping) into the next track “Degenerate”, which once again demonstrates this man’s love for slap-bass perfectly.
The last two tracks on the album, “Looking West” and “A Climate For Change” derive their influences heavily from Jazz music, which becomes more evident on the latter track.


I’m going to end this review with a segment where I’m going to ask myself a question and say:

“Who would have ever thought that the bassist of a technical death metal band could come up with an easy-listening album?”

The answer to that question being “Evan. Fucking. Brewer.”


This man is a genius on this album, and I hope that The Faceless start to use more technicalities in their bass guitar instead of that one opening sweep on The Ancient Covenant.


Evan Brewer’s debut album Alone receives 5 simultaneous bass lines, out of 5.