Published on Nov 6, 1998
It’s the best metal drumming I’ve heard since Rush and Metallica
and Dream Theater and Van Halen and Pantera and I know I’m
forgetting someone.
Oh yeah: Mick Brown in Dokken (NOT!!!!)
The next time I hear a disc that I can’t take out of my player,
like Substance D’s
Black, T.M. Burr will be added to this list. What a black
world this band seems to live in!
Substance D plays a White Zombie mixed with Pantera styled
aggressive brand of heavy metal. The White Zombie influence comes
in the vocal style of the early songs and the Pantera comes in the
drumming phenom of T.M. Burr. Burr gets credit for holding the band
together in the outrageously heavy “F.B.I.,” an abbreviation for
“Fucking Bad Intentions.”
What is it about Burr? On “Slit The Wrist,” his groove is
hypnotizing with a chug chugging feel. His toms are tuned perfectly
and his snare is deep and resounding. He means it with every
stroke. There is intensity in the way he smashes his cymbals.
Then there’s the best track, the outrageously heavy “F.B.I..”
Burr gets credit for holding the band together with maniac-styled
pounding on his snare in a country style shuffle.
And on “F.B.I.,” there’s a guest vocalist. Has to be. If I
didn’t know my 80s metal, I would have no idea who it is, but I’ve
studied my 80s metal and have concluded that there is a clone of
Sebastian Bach (Skid Row) alive. Either that or Burr or guitarist
Michael Parnin has a voice that sounds just like Bas. That’s not a
criticism, I think it sounds great!
Another strange track is “Strange 48” which starts with some
dialogue. The doorbell rings. “Did you bring the beer?” “No, I told
you to get some.” “Let’s play hockey and then get some.” “Let’s get
some now.”
Then the speakers leave.
There is a brief pause before lead vocalist Chaisson begins a
gut-wrenchingly slow despairing song about how “The past two nights
have been the same fucked up day/ A damn strange 48.” This song
sounds similar to Pantera’s “Suicide Note Part I” on
The Great Southern Trendkill. There are no drums and it the
song is played on an acoustic guitar. It provides the contrast the
band needs to remain interesting.
“Dark Gift” returns Burr to the sound with a slow (for Substance
D) track. His groove is locked in tight with bassist Chaisson.
The disc ends with a couple of ‘hidden tracks,’ the last of
which is a series of phone messages played over a heavy guitar
riff. Burr is phenomenal, as normal. The phone messages have to
deal with one of the band members (and I think it was Burr, I’m not
sure), who was put in jail. A girl keeps calling, telling “Todd”
‘to get up off your fucking goddamn pillow or blanket or whatever
and answer the goddamn fucking phone!” Her messages are peppered
with ‘fuck.’ The messages tell an amazing story about the person
having the keys to the car being in jail so the girl and ‘Michael’
are stuck in “Anafuckingheim.” (Substance D call Los Angeles their
home.)
The point is Substance D is the most excellent band I have heard
in a long time! Burr’s drumming is amazingly smart with his grooves
and fills. It is your duty, if you like heavy metal, to get out to
http://www.fadrecords.com
(or through the band at 3393 Bennet Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90068 )
and find out more about this band. Eventually, everyone will hear
about them, they’ll go alternative and then they’ll suck.
But today in November, 1998? Substance D is the best thing going
in the metal world.