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Battlefields

Stained with the Blood of an Empire
2006
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Battlefields - Stained with the Blood of an Empire (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Anchors
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Battlefields @ MySpace (link)

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Published on March 6th 2007

Even when quiet, there is rage.

Building, festering, slowly approaching the inevitable crescendo which will cause everything to come crashing down. Those more reserved moments aren’t so much a reprieve as an opportunity to brace yourself for the coming onslaught; pounding drums and riffs so heavy they could bring down a building are never very far behind.

The loud/soft dynamic done so well by bands like Buried Inside, Angel Eyes, and the Minor Times is what helps elevate Stained with the Blood of an Empire to a much more revered status, as the flow that these four tracks ride on is one defined by unexpected action. The songs course through such a path that anticipation is impossible, leaving tracks like “Tides Up the Crescent City” in a place that requires attention to each drum pattern, each riff, each bass bridge.

There’s no telling when this four-piece will combust into a cathartic musical explosion, and often there’s instances where it seems for a few minutes that they’re on the cusp, only to have the chord progressions peak and louden just a little bit more. That tactic is worked to perfection in the aforementioned track, as the first five minutes is spent in a tense pattern of increasing the volume as much as possible without hitting the edge, until finally the Circle Takes the Square-esque screams enter the fray and create a storm of passion only quelled by the crashing cymbals behind it. Singer and guitarist Andrew Wallin is able to build off his bandmates and adjust his vocal patterns to whatever is being played; no matter how loud or soft, no matter how fast or slow, he matches and intensifies the rhythm to create an even more chaotic situation than was present before.

“A Lifeless Polar Desert” begins in somewhat of an uncharacteristic fashion, as the vocals and instrumentation begin at the very same time, both slowly brooding, until the vocals cut out and the riffing intensifies, becoming louder but more melodic at the same time, until Wallin again unleashes some chilling screams -- and the song is only a third of a the way over. A plethora of ups, downs, twists and turns follow, with vocals cascading in and out, guitars squalling and crushing, drums and bass keeping it all in check.

While maybe not as epic as some of their counterparts, Battlefields maintain, if nothing else, a sense of dynamics. They know when to turn it up, when to turn it down, and maybe more importantly, when to just keep everyone guessing.

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 14, 2007 at 1:19 AM (EDT)

BATTLEFIELDS TOUR DATES
3/27/07 Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium w/ These Arms are Snakes
3/30/07 Fargo, ND @ Red Raven w/ Hoest, In the Face of War
3/31/07 Sioux Falls, SD @ Renner Legion “INIT FEST”
4/1/07 Denver, CO @ Three Kings w/ High on Fire, Cephalic Carnage, Planes Mistaken for Stars

***Tour with Across Tundras***
4/2/07 Los Cruces, NM @ The Bean w/Across Tundras
4/3/07 Tempe, AZ @ The Space w/Across Tundras, Arc of the Aurora
4/4/07 Tuscan, AZ @ The Living Room w/Across Tundras, Alarm
4/5/07 San Diego, CA @ Scolaris Office w/Across Tundras, Zsa Zsa Gabor
4/6/07 Santa Barbara, CA @ Casa de la Raza w/Across Tundras
4/7/07 San Francisco, CA @ Thee Parkside w/Across Tundras, Totimoshi
4/8/07 Portland, OR @ Ground Kontrol w/Across Tundras, Superbad
4/9/07 Seattle, WA @ The Funhouse w/Across Tundras, The Abodox, The Hedonist

Posted by SilentStorms on 2007-03-10 00:48:53
My Score:

The Minor Times!?!?!?!?! Buried Inside!?!?!???! Init Records!!!?!?!?!??!??! OMG this has to be amazing! I'll pick this up without even listening to it! Seriously!!! P.S. if you like The Minor Times/Botch/Norma Jean/Engineer I would pick up anything by Llynch (they have a split with the Minor Times). Great review Anchors! Score's for the review as I haven't heard the band yet ... obvi.

Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, March 8, 2007 at 8:42 AM (EST)

north dakota! nice.

Posted by dugan on 2007-03-07 16:58:16

this band is sick.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at 4:48 PM (EST)

you can't cash in on "scene cred" points if you poast anonymously like me, but still, nice.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 at 10:24 AM (EST)

i filled in a bunch and was really good friends with dispensing of false halos.

MASSIVE CRED POINTS, I KNOW.

but yes, this is very good. nice to see rusty doing music again.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 10:14 PM (EST)

...of false halos was better.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 5:41 PM (EST)

"I think I will avoid this, considering that, for perhaps only the first or second time, I have no idea what this sounds like. I haven't heard ANY of the comparison bands, and I think I'll keep it that way.
-feeeding5000"

Speak for yourself, but your'e missing out on some pretty interesting stuff. Both this band and their influences are pretty amazing.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 3:51 PM (EST)
My Score:

agreed.
great review, great album.

i'm glad to see some north dakota pub on this site.

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 1:34 PM (EST)

I think I will avoid this, considering that, for perhaps only the first or second time, I have no idea what this sounds like. I haven't heard ANY of the comparison bands, and I think I'll keep it that way.
-feeeding5000

Posted by BenAndThieves on 2007-03-06 10:12:19

Also, the proper link to their Myspace page is www.myspace.com/battlefieldsdoom. The link up there right now goes to some girls page from Canada.

Posted by BenAndThieves on 2007-03-06 01:25:32

Those chilling screams come mainly from vocalist Rusty Steele. Andy Wallin does the backing vocals.

Just thought I'd clarify that. Awesome review, awesome band.

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