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Reader Weekly By Kristain Anderson
Nick Menza
Life After Deth
www.menza.com
Former drummer of a little band known as Megadeth, Nick Menza continues on by releasing Life After Deth. A project written, recorded, performed, and self-produced by Nick. More or less a internal project that started for own gratification eventually gathered a following and a demand by some to be released.
80's melodic influences seem to best sum up the disc. Vocal-wise is similar to Don Dokken of Dokken. Not so much the range, but what Nick sounds like. While on the topic of vocals, I noticed some of the melodies seemed out of sync or forced into their spots. Nick doesn't sing out of tune, but the melody placing is not always to smooth throughout the cd. Then you have to remember, he self-produced it and it's not like his intentions were to market it for radio. That's why most labels call in the big leaguers to bring out the hooks to sink listeners in.
What would a Menza album be without Menza drumming? Nick does a good job of not overshadowing the songs with maniac drum solos. He keeps his playing consistent and his percussion focused on the songs. The drums, however, are up on the mix and a lot of the guitar work levels are low. It has that Metallica Load and Re-Load syndrome. Which is a shame, because being a drummer, Nick does show he has great feel for the guitar. There is quite a few crushing riffs that are good enough if not better than some of Megadeth's works. Nick also does some guitar Olympics on the fret-board. The more I listened to the little solo ditties, the more they fell into place.
"Next To You" stands out amongst the rest. Maybe because it's in the middle, or it's just a down-right good song. "You Won't Forget Me" has a devilish riff, but during the verse Nick goes for some sort of tough-man singing vibe, which becomes a distraction. This happens during the majority of Life After Deth. The songs are an exploration through caves. Scattered about throughout the individual tunes are little pieces of gems. Some areas shine and some don't. In the end, I applaud Mr. Menza for his ability as an Octopus and handling all the duties. I'm glad to see Nick has found life after deth.
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