Album Review: Thomas Giles-Pulse

Tommy Rodgers, vocalist for progressive metal band Between The Buried and Me is one of the most talented musicians on the planet. On Pulse, his 2nd solo album (1st under the pseudonym Thomas Giles), he plays every instrument on the whole album and shows off his diverse musical influences.

Pulse, is a varied and fascinating release. Rodgers pull out just about every genre in the book from ambient, electronic madness ("Hamilton Anxiety Scale", "Mr.Bird") to acoustic, country-esque ballads("Scared"). This record will take you on a journey. Rodgers has such a wide vocal range and it suites literally every style on here. That takes a special kind of talent to pull off and Rodgers makes it look easy. Just like his work with Between The Buried and Me, he does everything from falsetto to screaming vocals. The vocals on here are mostly clean, which is fine by me, Rodgers has an amazing singing voice, but from time to time there is some brilliantly placed screaming to enhance the tracks and add another layer of complexity to each song.

Pulse is one hell of a ride. It's not for everyone, it's a highly experimental, odd records, but I think it's worth checking out. Tommy Rodgers is one of the most creative and talented people in the music industry right now. His craftsmanship, creative drive, precision on every instrument and vast range of influences makes Pulse a highly enjoyable roller-coaster ride of an album. He shows his talents aren't exclusive to metal and his solo albums branches out all over the place. This is pretty different than Between The Buried and Me's material, it's an experimental rock record that you can't really classify as just one genre, there is such an impressive range of styles on display here. It's great in a whole different way and it shows just how ambitious Rodgers is with his music. Pulse is another original and great effort from Tommy Rodgers.
4/5 Stars
Standout Tracks
1.Reverb Island
2.Medic
3.Hamilton Anxiety Scale