I never usually comment on album artwork, as I feel it’s irrelevant. Target Earth’s artwork has prompted me to make an exception, however. It’s astounding that an album brimming with musical excellence should have a cover so awful.
Guitarist and songwriter Piggy passed away in 2005, leaving a big void to fill. New guitarist Chewy has done a great job playing Piggy's parts, and he does a great job on Target Earth as well. The title track contains a great reverb-filled solo which is evocative of the song's outer space theme. On the thrash-oriented Kluskop O'Kom, the memorable solo is fuzzy. Mechanical Mind is filled with catchy grooves and beautiful guitar harmonies. The riffs drone in Defiance, the final track. Chewy is a diverse player who moves easily between thrash, progressive passages and avant-garde, effects-laden interludes. He creates many memorable riffs and solos. I repeated a few tracks before moving to the next track, which is something I rarely do when reviewing an album.
The bass parts are engaging and command attention. They are well-placed in the mix; not so low as to be nearly inaudible, and not so high as to overwhelm other instruments. Away provides some interesting drum fills, and plays in a range of time signatures. His parts add to the atmosphere of the music.
Target Earth is a very engaging album, and I struggled to find fault with it. I don't really have any complaints about the music or the production. The band has changed its sound from being primarily thrash to progressive metal over the years; I've always had respect for a band that follows its own creative path instead of pandering to a style they've become known for.
Personnel: Snake - vocals
Chewy - guitar
Away - drums
Blacky - bass
Piggy (RIP) - guitar
Jasonic - bass
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