Bobaflex – Eloquent Demons

Bobaflex

Eloquent Demons

August 25^th, 2017

The age of the demon is upon us. Bobaflex is back with a new album. With Eloquent Demons, Bobaflex delivers what may be there tightest platter of metal they’ve offered since Charlatan’s Web. I won’t lie. I worried this may be a rushed record. Considering walking out of my front door I find myself at 2.5 Bobaflex concerts per year. When a band tours as much as they do you wonder when they have time to do things like, write songs and record.

But optimism returned upon hearing the lead single “Long Time Coming” And as much as I liked that track, it pales to most of the other songs on Eloquent Demons. With each listen I find it hard to not make it an early nominee for album of the year. The record opens with a Demon rally where we learn that Democrats, Republicans and, well, all of us are puppets to the Demon’s plans. Turns out were all fucked. Fear not. You will have forgotten that before the end of the first chorus of the opening track. “I Am A Nightmare” will make your nuts will tingle. Anytime you open with what I believe is a four part harmony singing:

Just before World War III

Those bastards came to ruin me

You just know you’re in for a song the will push the blood towards your crotch. It only gets better with each listen. From there it goes to the previously mentioned lead single “Long Time Coming” before punching you in the face with “Say What You Will”. You may want to fit yourself with some restraints as I ended up with two black eyes by mid-verse. No idea how. Must be the demons. 4 tracks and 3 songs in this record sounds nothing like what Bobaflex has done before while still sounding like Bobaflex. The next track “Lights Out” has what could be my favorite lyric:

I’m a I’m a

Day drinker

Here’s a middle finger

Roll’s (best guess) on the bottom

Coz’ I’m a lead singer.

One of the more classic tracks lyrically speaking is “Off With Your Head”. A ballad as only Bobaflex can do. An ode to Henry the VIII way of dealing with a soured relationship. Bobaflex is for sure a heavy as fuck metal band that attacks you track after track. But don’t let the assault your ears are receiving blind you from the brilliant melodies and non stop harmonies. These guys are no joke. How many metal bands offer Queen like harmonies?

Included is the amazing cover of “Hey You”. Which seemed like a reaction to Disturbed taking the castrating clippers to “The Sound of Silence”, the Simon and Garfunkel track Bobaflex perfected. So while the fan favorite cover was crushed under the foot of David Draiman and his homogenized metal band, fans of Bobaflex did get this great cover out of it. More of a straight up rendition than “Silence”, listening to them play “Hey You” reminded me of my teenage years and how much those lyrics resonated with the adolescent me. Coincidentally I found myself sitting on the floor of my bedroom with only candles for light with a buddy talking about how one of us may the “you” they are singing about as we exchanged bong hits. Listen with caution.

The album ends with the sound of Shaun McCoy’s daughter asking “Why do you keep killing yourself”. “Reckless”. What a perfect way to end Eloquent Demons. The album may come to an end too quick for some. But each time I listen, I can’t wait to play it again. It’s 41 minutes of aural orgasms. And “Reckless” has some lyrics that almost seem to state what we all love about music. The way it pulls us through tough times.

I know you’re in trouble man

But you don’t need to cry

Cause I’m gonna be

The friend you need

In the darkness of night

Eloquent Demons sounds like a band getting stronger. If so I think we may need to consider the additions of Dave Tibble and Jymmy Tolland a few years back as having an impact. Anyone who has seen the band in the last three years knows how good these guys fit in the band. It seems they have had a big impact on the music as well. And the bass seems more upfront on this record than previous records. If you’ve read my reviews before you know I typically end with a buy or don’t buy recommendation. It should be obvious I think you should buy. And I like to take a moment to step upon my soapbox.

The demise of radio continues to get trumpeted daily. But it hasn’t happened yet and it doesn’t seem it will anytime soon. The fact that the Bobaflex song “Bury Me With My Guns On” isn’t a hard rock and metal staple shows what a rigged game radio is. Die hard fans of the band will undoubtedly have their own favorites but the people who still play their radio in the car, at work or wherever. People who know 5-10 Godsmack songs they like but own none of their records. They should also know that song. It has everything those stations regurgitating those songs need. Except some corporate entity saying “Play this song.” Rock music should be for the fans and driven by the fans. Not some hard drive in an iHeartRadio office. “Guns” should be one of those overplayed tracks guys like me are sick of hearing.

Rant over. Buy this record.