One of the most consistent accolades that I have read about The Chariots fantastic new album One Wing is something along the lines of "
For the first time in its nine years as a band, The Chariot has finally released an album that matches the chaotic nature of its live show ". That's the first line from Drew Beringner's review of the album on Absolutepunk.net. While for the most part I agree with his positive review of the album, his, and many others assertion that this album finally captures the chaos of their live shows is confusing to me. From my point of view, if you think any of the albums that the band has released since their debut hasn't matched the reckless, live intensity the band is so intricately linked to, then you haven't been paying attention.
The first time I saw The Chariot was September 13th 2005 at Alley Katz (now Kingdom) in Richmond, VA. They played with The Red Chord, High on Fire, and Every Time I Die (weird). I went with a buddy of mine who I was in college with who was excited to see Josh Scogin's post-Norma Jean project live. He'd let me burn a copy of "Every thing is alive...", an album that I still to this day haven't listened to very much.
It was only my second time seeing Every Time I Die (the first time being a little over a year before at the very same venue). I was still relatively new to heavy music, especially concerts at the point, but I remember having the same experience while watching The Chariot unleash their now trademark madness in the small venue. There was something that I wasn't getting. As I watched the band shuffle and swing like creatures attempting to escape their puny human flesh-sacks, I realized that there was something going on with this band that I currently did not have the capacity to appreciate. Flash forward...
Having seen The Chariot numerous times to date, I credit their abrasive and unrelenting sound with propelling me further down the rabbit hole of heavy music. Over the years I grew more and more fond of The Chariot for their recorded music, and not just for their live performances. Maybe it's because I saw them live before I ever really listened to their albums, but I've always been able to establish a very clear connection between the intentional chaos of their recorded music and their live shows.
Though One Wing certainly features more stylistic changes, the unassuming shifts in their albums have always mirrored the unapologetic, staccato bursts of passion and energy that make them so entertaining to watch live; not to mention, the shifts in "One Wing" often find the band employing fairly unexplored, and softer (though certainly not unwelcomed) sounds. Sure the "Atlanta" at the 1:40 mark in "and" takes you by surprise, but is it anymore surprising than the longer sample in "Calvin Makenzie" from Long Live? Does the sludgy groove of "Tongues" make you more afraid that Stephen Harrison is going explode through your speakers and play the riff from on top of your head than the swirling, and swelling, and ultimately exploding intro to The Fiance's opening track "Back to Back"? Not for me.
Lest it seem like I'm trying to downplay the quality of One Wing, I assure you that is far from my goal. It's probably my favorite of their albums. They've managed to create a rabid following by releasing albums that while good, are best seen in a live setting; a difficult task for any band in any style of music. One Wing holds the distinction among The Chariot records of being the most musically fleshed out, dare I say the most easily accessible and most easy to listen to. Is that a criticism? Absolutely not. Is it a condemnation? Hell no. If anything this just proves that Scogin and company have been holding back from us. Rewarding long time fans with an album that showcases the bands versatility, and creativity, while opening the door to an entirely new crowd of folks who have yet to experience (and it IS an experience) The Chariot.
When I last saw The Chariot live a couple of months ago, Scogin told the crowd mid-set "People call us The Chariot, we just call it freedom.", and with the release of One Wing that's certainly never been more true.
