CS is that rarest of American musical sounds. They actually have something to say that’s worth listening to. Now I know there are others out there who have a message, but CS uses a more attractive vocal than Rage Against the Machine, although I would hesitate to say anything negative about that band on any account. Evanescence has their moments, in a Gothic related kind of way and there are clearly others as we have reported on this site. But those are the exceptions to the rule. And very few have a politically charged message after the fashion of CS, unfortunate as that reality may seem to some of us. Their previous release, Of Patriots and Tyrants, introduced a number of themes, Global Warming, Wars of Choice and others. The music was more than a little entertaining and, for a freshman effort, it was better than good. The present release expands on that previous offering in every respect. The music is superior both in terms of the instrumental work and the vocal abilities of Jericho who may not have the years of training in that art form that some Europeans can point to but she sure is closing any existing gaps as far as performance. Her soprano is first rate, as good as anything out there today. And the addition of Tonon’s crunching guitar adds a component that vastly expands the overall feel of the metal.

We’ll focus a lot on the message in this review, it’s not often we get an opportunity to explore topics like these in a music commentary. However, one could be led astray thinking that CS is a serious, politically correct bunch all the time. A previous interview and several personal conversations expose them for what they truly are, a bunch of jokesters who provide a fun ride at live performances while addressing serious topics in a serious way with strong lyrics set to some beautiful, yet solid metal. Jericho comments that fans are sometimes broadsided by the lyrics months after being hooked on a song. Maybe that’s a measure of just how good the music is, I know I spent time just focused on the music without paying attention to the themes, but not for long.

Satire X has a historical basis. It comes from the first century commentator Juvenal who uses the phrase 'panem et circenses' meaning 'bread and circuses' or 'bread and games.' Jericho suggests he was using it to describe the political practice of gaining approval by meeting the shallow, immediate requirements of a people rather than by governing well. The band argues that this is a pretty good metaphor for American culture, one where gadgets and entertainment trump substance every time. And that’s the lyrical theme of the CD, one that is addressed through a number of sub themes.

No More Peace Forever begins our journey. Again, there are literary and theological components attached to the song. We begin with a spoken word, "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." This, of course, is the famous statement from Oppenheimer following the development of nuclear warfare, a quote taken directly from the Bhagavad-Gita. The title also comes from a historical reference, this one from James Louis Petigru of Charleston who voiced the statement at the beginning of the America Civil War. Musically, Jericho reflects that this is the bands attempt at a bigger sound, an almost symphonic direction reflecting the larger scope of the lyrics. And that sound is thundering. Jericho hits the high notes here, the guitars drive the music forward, the Zen drum pounds. There’s some tight mixing here, we get some focused metal that sets up the vocals, some of the best you’re likely to encounter. And those lyrics don’t disappoint:

Several of the songs deal with the Tarot. These include The Priestess, The Magus and The Fool. Each ties the concepts related to the card to contemporary society. The Priestess is a card that describes using one's insight and intuition rather than relying on cold, hard reality. Jericho ties this to the popular media, a wholly owned subsidiary of the controlling interests in this country. It’s nothing more than info-tainment, with little or no substance and driven by a political viewpoint. Is there a recourse? Jericho suggests:

Best solution to Faux News I ever heard.

CS can do beautiful too. The Iron Cross starts out with a touching melodic tone, both vocally and in terms of the music. But even this moves to the thundering as the message begins to get serious. The reference here is to Eisenhower from his Cross of Iron speech: "Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children...it is humanity hanging from a cross of iron." Never heard a Republican voice it better, too bad they forgot the message. Again, the music captures the sense of the message, Jericho belts out the high notes, and the band comes along for the ride. There’s almost an Eastern component to the music here, and Jericho has a vocal that can deliver it.

It’s a tough call to come up with a favorite, there’s no weak links here. You can go with the message, you can go with the vocals, you can appreciate the pounding metal. Six of one, a half dozen of the later. But I find myself returning to Shackles. It begins with a nursery rhyme, hauntingly presented. It evolves into a song of desperation. And, it’s here that we get the gist of the CD, the final message, sung with a vocal hard to forget, over a metal framework hard to duplicate:

Well, I know this may be sacrilege and anti American to some. To others it’s called reality. But any way you cut it, it’s damn fine music. Search as I may, I find it impossible to find fault. Book it Dan’el, it’s a 10.

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