Written: January 2nd 2025
My first album review of 2025 already brings something a little different to the table. Am I In Trouble? is a new project from Steve Wiener (who handles almost every instrument on the album) of Negative Bliss and Ashenheart. To say that the journey through Spectrum is varied would be to trivialise the thoughtful approach that has been taken to the album’s concept. With each track named after a colour, Am I In Trouble? describe the material as, “A love-letter to the eclecticism and experimentation displayed in the early-to-mid 2000s avant-garde black metal explosion.”
After reading that description, the opening track – seventy second long instrumental Yellow - immediately presents itself as something unexpected. With a vibrant, cheerful outlook, the track begins with pastoral acoustic guitar – reminiscent of the more rustic moments of Mike Oldfield or Steve Hackett - that initially combines playful piano and optimistic flute (from Ember Belladona, who features on three of the album's seven tracks). A jovial, folk based motif then leads us as if on a May Day dance. Yellow bathes the listeners in warm tones, thus fulfilling Wiener’s wish for colours and emotions to be represented across the album.
At first, second track White picks up where Yellow left off, albeit it with a slight sense of anticipation of change. This arrives twenty-five seconds into the track as electric guitars from Wiener and powerful percussion are added by Chris Barber (who performs brilliantly across the album). This change (the first of many on Spectrum) means White temporarily has the feel of a quest / folk metal track with its sense of purpose and of expectation. The electric guitars then withdraw temporarily and as listeners, we are left wondering what might be heading our way. A short but beautiful section of acoustic guitar leads us onwards towards the first lyrics of the album. Empty shades of white / Nothing left, but the starkest of light / Life we hoped to see / Tried so hard, but it just can't be. White is a song full of stark imagery suggesting a blankness or void, emphasising the absence of colour, warmth and life. These first few lines reflect a bleak reality where efforts and hopes have resulted in nothing but a harsh, unyielding light, symbolising clarity that brings no comfort. This intangible disillusionment is then further illustrated by the arrival of unforgiving black metal riffs and growling vocals. I've been waiting all this time / For something I can't see / For something I can't hear / For something to believe. Setting no boundaries for his music, as the track continues Wiener then combines, intertwines and alternates between both of the sonic elements we have heard so far on the track, Ember Belladonna’s flute adding moments of hope. A fascinating song that continues to improve with each listen.
Pink (with lyrics by Ася Плавскина) starts with delicate, melancholic guitar which peaks our attention once more. This gentleness is short lived however, and Pink – which lyrically explores an intense and consuming love - quickly becomes a rapid, black metal influenced rampage that combines growling with clean, melodic backing vocals. However, Am I In Trouble? are not content to simply blast through the song without any diversions; three and a half minutes into the song, the percussion peals away and we are left with the gentle chords sitting behind aggressive riffs, each of which refuses to give way to the other. Twenty seconds from the end of the song, however, these fade leaving us to contemplate all that has gone before during a soft, sorrowful coda.
Red, as you might expect, is the most tension filled track on the album, expressed through the lyrics, vocal delivery and music. Joining Steve is Jonathan Hernandez of Negative Bliss who provides hardcore vocals. Wiener comments, “What good is being in multiple bands if you can't feature your bandmates as guests? Despite solo projects being wonderful in their own way, they are a firm reminder of the magic that only comes from being in a band with other people.” Red is perhaps the most avant-garde inspired metal track on Spectrum (shadows of Dødheimsgard certainly lurk within its DNA). Cycles / Twisting, spirals ending / Only to come back around / Repeating / Nothing matters / It’s all, going to end. The opening verse of Red evokes a sense of being trapped in perpetual motion, where events and experiences are destined to repeat without meaningful change. Despite the overall aggression of the track, there is melody, thoughtful rhythmic structure and a central quieter section that links the two parts of the song. The concluding, unnerving instrumental segments conjures images of walking through a cave with mysterious distant echoes and the drip of water from an unknown source. It is one of the most interesting moments on the album.
With another member of Negative Bliss – Paul Shryock – contributing a wonderful guitar solo, instrumental Blue is far more celebratory. Bringing to mind a drive across open land, it plays with tempo and melody, as we change direction and head for a more promising destination. Exploring the more progressive aspects of Am I Trouble?’s musical palette, it eventually morphs into a slower, questioning piece complete with glissando synths.
Penultimate track Black pulls us deep into a world of vacancy, examining the passage of time, underscored by a sense of despair. Beginning with almost ethereal vocals, Black invites us to drift through time and space, setting a tone for the exploration of an all-encompassing darkness. Nothing but black / Light penetrates through cracks in the edges of you / Reaching out to find a space / Emptiness now fills that place. Shattered by the harsh vocals of another of Wiener’s bandmates – Alex Loach of Ashenheart – Black then undulates between searing riffs, melodic embellishments and moments of dark introspection. On a strong album, it is difficult to pick a favourite track but with its multi-faceted personality and complete embrace of different genres, Black takes that accolade. A stunning track, experimental and avant-garde, it features impassioned vocals from Wiener during which he pours out every negative emotion he has ever experienced, the final cries of Black inside black over black threatening to overwhelm him.
Green closes the album with idyllic, bucolic elements brought to the forefront. Bookending the album and along with its sister song Yellow, Green lets us dare to believe that hope dwells within us all, even during the darker moments of our lives.
If Steve Wiener’s objective with Spectrum was to capture the experimentative oeuvre of the avant-garde black metal bands, then he has without a doubt achieved his goal. However, Spectrum is far more than a black metal album. It does contain moments of extreme metal but it also draws from a whole range of influences. Ranging from moments of acoustic tranquillity to progressive enhancements to dark theatrics, Spectrum is an extremely successful experiment. Each track brings its own unique character and with a running time a little over thirty minutes, there is no danger of any track becoming over indulgent. By removing restrictions on the blending of genres, ideas and themes, Steve Wiener has produced an album that will find many admirers. A wonderful way to start 2025.
Spectrum is released on 3rd January 2025
Am I In Trouble? online
LINKTREE: https://linktr.ee/amiintrouble
AMPWALL: https://amiintrouble.ampwall.com/
BANDCAMP: https://amiintrouble.bandcamp.com/
piques, not peaks