Tyranny Response Team

This review should be about the new Iced Earth album, but alas, my local CD haunt had not received any copies yet and thus I am left to wait. However, while checking around about the new Iced Earth, I read about Jon Schaffer's solo project Sons Of Liberty. So while I was left without the new Iced Earth, I did pick up the Sons Of Liberty 2010 release "Brush-Fires Of The Mind".

The reviews of this album were middling, but I have to say that I quite enjoyed it. What I find interesting is the albums lyrical subject. He delves into concepts of Corrupt World Leaders, The Federal Reserve System and Big Business. Listening to this now with all the global economic turmoil and rallies like Occupy Wall Street and such makes this album all the more poignant.

"Brush Fires Of The Mind" cries out for a return to the values that the United States was founded on. Liberty and Free Humanity. How does this message hold up in this medium? Pretty damn good. Jon has already expressed his interest in US History with Iced Earth's album "The Glorious Burden", but I find the Sons Of Liberty "Brush Fires of the Mind" a far more interesting and passionate album.

The album kicks off with the epic "Jekyll Island" which sets a serious and aggressive tone for the album chalked full of conviction. The music here is not unlike what you'd hear from Iced Earth. In fact, Jon Schaffer's vocals sound like a poor man's Matt Barlow. The music wouldn't work for Iced Earth and I'm glad Jon chose to release it as a side project instead.

The music is mostly mid-paced with flourishes of speed and a moderate amount of groove, most notably on "Tree Of Liberty". There are no real ballads, but there are softer moments like the first part of "Our Dying Republic". This is my favourite song here with its melodic vocals and hooky chorus and still manages to bring in some metal towards the end.

Overall, this is a solid album and I would recommend it to fans of Iced Earth. I wouldn't say it is of the same caliber, but when taken in the vein of its intent (a labour of love for Jon Schaffer) then it is an enjoyable and important listen.

In this case, the message is the medium.