Album Review: The Chariot's One Wing

During the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics I found myself saying that “Chariots of Fire” was the most epic composition ever made. Now I’m not even sure if it’s the most massive with the word “Chariot” in it. That title might now go to The Chariot’s new album, One Wing. With its gigantic production and a tracklisting that features a poem written out through the words of the tracklisting (“Forget Not Your First Love. Speak In Tongues and Cheek”,) One Wing may just beat out the classic 1981 film score.

The band sets the tone for this release right out of the gate, with “Forget”, a track which features a brutal crushing instrumental over vocalist Josh Scogin quick and brutal vocal delivery. “I cannot fit into your skin. I cannot fit into your skin. I cannot fit,” Scogin screams within the first 30 seconds, setting the scene for the anguish to be displayed ahead. The whole formula is not unlike that of Every Time I Die, whose most recent album we have already praised on this blog. The same occasional melodic elements appear especially on “Not” the second track, which features a few bars of clean vocals.

Third track “Your” functions as the eye of the storm, with soothing vocals provided by Angela Plake that lulls the listener into a false sense of security ater the first 2 tracks. But the second the track’s one minute, eight second run time end, Scogin yelps back into action with an “Oh” and the aural assault begins anew on “First”, a robust and raucous  number that never quite seems comfortable, which is probably for the best.

The second half of the album begins with the haunting “Speak”, a track that just features a simple piano line and Scogin’s strained vocals. “Lovers, beg your forgiveness right now. Fathers, speak to your kids, right now. To the prince, to the king, to the fathers of the free, beg for your workers, and pray to god for me,” he screams as the anguish comes front and center instead of being hidden behind a wall of sound. The song is one of the albums highlights. 

The Album closes with “Cheek”, a powerful track that features a long sample from the incredible speech in Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator”, while the band trots along behind it. But as the speech ends, the true power of the track explodes, with the band crescendoing to a few massive chords and Scogin closing out the album with a few screamed parting words “. My point is, salt is on the ground, the cast are on their way, and the audience is set. Now that we have painted faith, shout, "Victory is ours”. The closer is an impressive end to an already impressive album.

Bottom Line: If a riot was exemplified in a piece of music, One Wing would be the example. The album is more riotous than even Every Time I Die’s Ex-Lives, and the devastating wall of sounds that flares out from behind Scogin’s vocals provide one of the most jarring and powerful instrumental performances of the year.

Recommended if you Rock: Everytime I Die, Letlive, Converge