Never being afraid of change, Richard Patrick takes a turn away from the guitar heavy hard rock of “The Sun Comes Out Tonight” and plunges back into hard driving industrial with Filter’s newest record “Crazy Eyes.” The new studio album drops April 8th via Wind-Up Records and is an adrenaline filled ride with twelve outstanding tracks.
This time out Richard has brought along an entirely new lineup of players featuring Oumi Kapila on guitar, Ashley Dzerigian on bass, Chris Reeve on drums, and Bobby Miller on keyboards. All are outstanding musicians in their own right but together as a group they have solidified into a cohesive unit that runs like a well oiled industrial machine. Kicking things off is “Mother E” with the whispers of Richard Patrick singing “I’ve got my reasons and my reasons are sound” getting louder and louder as the intensity builds until, bam, it hits you right in the gut and continues on through the punishing “Pride Flag” and “City of Blinding Riots.” The first single “Take Me To Heaven” is a heavy but danceable song with a driving beat. The lyrics and mood are dark and heavy with the exception of the more upbeat feel of “Kid Blue From the Short Bus, Drunk Bus.” After a raucous and tumultous journey, the album closes with the softer acoustics of “(Can’t She See) Head of Fire, Part 2.”
This new release is raw and edgy with some of the best songs Filter has ever done. With its hypnotic rhythms and passionate performances, “Crazy Eyes” deserves a top spot on everyone’s industrial rock playlist.
