2012 was a year of staggering highs and painful lows for Baroness. The likable American metal quartet had released their critically acclaimed third album, Yellow & Green, and were living the high life on tour in the UK. On August 15 the band's tour bus left the road and dropped 30 feet off a viaduct. Fortunately all involved in the crash survived but this certainly put a dampener on their year. That line-up of the band never toured again, with Allen Blickle (drums) and Matt Maggioni (bass guitar) leaving the group in March 2013. The accident put what should have been a triumphant world tour on permanent hiatus.
The material from the Live at Maida
Vale EP was made mere weeks before the crash. These four songs,
all from the Yellow & Green album, were recorded at the
legendary BBC studio and represent Baroness at their best. Those out
there that decided to complain about Yellow & Green cited a lack
of ferocity in the material, as if their guitar slinging metal icons
had somehow gone soft. This was far from the truth, naturally, and
the album allowed an established act to show off a new facet to their
personality. Well, Live at Maida Vale realigns that ethos once
again to that of a hungry live band. Each and every one of these
tracks, given the professionally recorded live-in-studio treatment,
had an added layer of punch and rumble that the original cuts
arguably lacked.
This proceed with the one-two combo of
Yellow's 'Take My Bones Away' and 'March to the Sea'. John
Baizley's viking howl is nearly entirely swallowed up by the
shameless amplifier worship of him and his band. These songs are
freaking loud and kick like a mule. While those two tracks were
always designed to shatter ear drums, the devious 'Cocainium' was
made to seduce the listener. Some may not have bought into it
initially but wait until they hear this punishing, bass-heavy
rendition. The set closes out with 'The Line Between' and it roars
with rock and roll thunder. Just check out the monstrous guitar solo
from Peter Adams if you should find yourself doubting their
credentials. Simply put these four men rock hard and don't give a
crap who knows about it.
Live at Maida Vale turns four
excellent Baroness tracks into bite-sized heavy metal thrillers. The
EP is a window into a band playing around with and actively
re-tooling their arsenal to suit their environs. If it weren't for
the interruption inflicted upon them by the unfortunate bus accident
in Bath this energy could easily have segued into album four. As it
stands we will just have to patiently wait to see what happens next.
Rating: A-
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