Tsar Bomba

Bride has been one of my favorite bands since the first time I heard them. Like many people, my first introduction to the band was the seminal "Snakes in the Playground". I'm not going to glaze over the fact that I haven't liked a lot of what Bride has put out since "Scarecrow Messiah", but Snakes and Scarecrow were awesome enough to keep me faithfully listening to their new stuff and exploring their back catalog for many many years. Other than the off-the-reservation rapcore "Fist Full of Bees" (which I thought was totally awesome) most of Bride's releases in the last 12 years or so have only offered one or two tracks I could really get into. It might be shallow of me, but I've been hoping for another in the style of "Snakes" or "Scarecrow" since those albums were released. Tsar Bomba doesn't deliver on that hope, but it may actually go one better - if I could set my nostalgia aside, I might actually consider it a superior release.

I just got my copy of Tsar Bomba in the mail this evening and finished listening to it. It's nothing like Bride has ever done before, yet unmistakably Bride. What's more, it is one of, if not the, best albums they have ever produced.

As I listened to track after track of crunchy, sweet, gut-pounding delicousness I found myself comparing it to the slick production quality of a "Project Band". Magdalen, RedSea, Liars & Theives, and Neon Horse spring to mind when I try to search for an equal to Tsar Bomba in terms of quality. It really feels like about three times the work went into this one than any previous release, and TLC seems to ooze out of every note. Each track is my favorite one. The quality, originality, and pace are relentless. IMO, Troy's guitar work has never shined so brightly.

I can't really pick out any individual songs to review because I think the album has to be enjoyed as a whole. Unlike most other Bride releases, there's no unifying musical "theme" here (except maybe raw coolness). You won't find a lot of repetition or same-y style on this marathon record, just infectious, crunchy guitar hooks, energetic multi-layered solos, and vocals that are all over the map. Every little corner of the music is filled with sonic goodness.

Tsar Bomba can be best described as two best-of albums, but with songs no one has ever heard before, stacked on top of each other with smoky maple syrup poured on top. There's so much going on, it really is like listening to two albums at once. The riffs and solos are amazing, Dale's vocals haven't lost any of their luster, and there's no skimping on the quantity. Super awesome sauce.

Bride's message is, as it has always been, one of salvation through Jesus Christ and the struggles of life through the eyes of a Christian. Throughout their long career they have never waivered in that. For fans that have been following the band, this won't be a surprise.

Speculation has abounded since their 2003 release "This Is It" that Bride was going to call it quits, but there has been no speculation with Tsar Bomba. Members of Bride's mailing list started getting messages from Dale Thompson that Bride wanted to do "one last album" before retiring, and called on the fans to help. I'm not sure if this has ever been done before, but the band started taking donations from fans that wanted to see one last album from the band. Donate $20 and get a CD in a year when it is finished, plus the knowledge that you directly contributed before-the-fact to the creation of that album. The fans spoke and the album was made - that really says a lot for the kind of following that Bride has inspired. Maybe this isn't the end for Bride, but if it is, they couldn't wish for a better send off.