M. Drew<\/em><\/p>\nBy and large, anyone who has listened to a guitar album knows that there\u2019s a certain acceptance bound into the very act of listening; that the \u2018songs\u2019 on the record will not be so much songs in the traditional sense, but rather long stretches of creative fretwork and mixing that makes something resembling a high-class tech demonstration crossed with an introspective poetry reading.<\/p>\n
Into that ethos we see another solo entry from John 5, the representative guitarist for Rob Zombie and erstwhile axe man for Marilyn Manson. His new record \u201cCareful With That Axe\u201d endeavors to do what few solo guitar records have done before \u2013 break the cycle of masturbatory guitar exhibition in favor of giving fans something they can glom on to.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s get right to it \u2013 \u201cCareful With That Axe\u201d is a smashing success in terms of crafting an aura and a sound that avoids the pitfalls of so many other virtuoso records. Yes, his solos (solos within the solos, more precisely,) are of high fidelity and creative caliber. Yet, it\u2019s not his flair that draws a listener into the package so much as it the meat on the bone. This record flings songs that sound like actual songs, which sounds like a small thing but is an exceptionally difficult feat in a medium with no words or choruses. The moment to moment payoff of real opener \u201cThis is My Rifle\u201d tells the story in no uncertain terms \u2013 \u201cCareful With That Axe\u201d will possess myriad impressive guitar theatrics, but it will be paced by the proper cadence and pounding rhythms that John 5 lays down for everything else to stand on. It\u2019s an ambitious statement given the virtuoso records from others we\u2019ve heard before, but this new effort lives up to the billing with aplomb.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, John 5 keeps the pace moving by making sure that his record doesn\u2019t drag a point too far. There are nine songs proper on this record, and they collectively weigh in around twenty-nine or thirty minutes total, which means, you can do the math, he\u2019s slamming through pieces in three minutes and change. The effect on the album\u2019s pacing is immediate \u2013 sure, he could have dragged out the space-y, funky bass idea of \u201cVillisca\u201d for another couple minutes, but why? The song is a complete idea as it is, equipped with intriguing melody and a trick that sounds just a little like Buckethead-style use of a kill switch. (Sidebar: the album occasionally lets other instruments shine, which is a great touch.) Each track gives you its central idea, imprints the point on your ear drum and them moves on from strength to strength before your mind can tire of any single theme. Nevermind the fact that John 5 uses layering and open space in his riffs to create a palpable sense of crescendo and drama. The re-listenability here (word I\u2019m pretty sure I just made up,) is staggering.<\/p>\n
For that matter, John 5 gives his songs a theme; intentional or not, they all sound like something. A battle, an alien invasion, a tango, a sitcom theme song, a party, the aftermath of a Charlie Daniels song, whatever. Heck, \u201cFlight of the Vulcan Kelly\u201d is a not so subtle play on the ubiquitous \u201cFlight of the Bumblebee,\u201d with an appropriately buzzy guitar tone to match. Some of the hints are more subtle but still present, as it\u2019s not entirely a stretch to suggest that the country tinged \u201cJerry\u2019s Breakdown\u201d is a nod to John 5\u2019s idol Jerry Reed.<\/p>\n
The country aspect is going to get overlooked in metal circles, but don\u2019t allow yourself to fall into that trap. The country roots of John 5 are somewhat well known, and his blending of those songs into the mix of \u201cCareful With That Axe,\u201d such as the easy going stroll of \u201cJiffy Jam,\u201d lend the album a sense of comfort and belonging. They tie you into the album by giving you a pleasant melody that soothes the soul and welcomes you home just after hammering your senses flat with the chugging war and whiplash pacing of \u201cPortrait of Sidney Sloan.\u201d<\/p>\n
This space could be used at great length to talk about John 5\u2019s compelling use of chromatic phrasing and all other high-end guitar jargon, but that would be above our pay grade and isn\u2019t really important to the album\u2019s central thrust. These are songs, plain and perhaps not so simple, meant to function as songs and infect the listener with hooks that he or she will tap on a desk later. The virtuosity and versatility of John 5 is the subtext of the record and the decision to put melody first is a great one. \u201cCareful With That Axe\u201d is a guitar album, yes, but a highly enjoyable one and an easy recommendation for fans of just about anything.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Bloody Good Horror reviews Careful With That Axe<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[459,533,13,621,531],"class_list":["post-4385","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-review","tag-bloody-good-horror","tag-careful-with-that-axe","tag-john-5","tag-review","tag-solo-album","tw-post-no-content"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1qFj4-18J","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4406,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/08\/14\/about-com-calls-careful-with-that-axe-one-of-the-enjoyable-instrumental-albums-of-2014\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":0},"title":"About.com calls ‘Careful With That Axe’ one of the “enjoyable” instrumental albums of 2014","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"August 14, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"HeavyMetal.About.com have released this mini-review of the brand new John 5 album, 'Careful With That Axe'.","rel":"","context":"In "Review"","block_context":{"text":"Review","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/review\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"careful-axe-preorder-story","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4274,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/06\/13\/john-5-reveals-complete-details-on-his-new-studio-album-careful-with-that-axe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":1},"title":"JOHN 5 REVEALS COMPLETE DETAILS ON HIS NEW STUDIO ALBUM \u2018CAREFUL WITH THAT AXE\u2019","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"June 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"From the darkest corners of the twisted mind and imagination of guitarist John 5, comes his new masterpiece Careful With That Axe, the follow-up to 2012\u2019s critically acclaimed God Told Me To. Released digitally on August 12, 2014, through 60 Cycle Hum, Careful With That Axe is John 5\u2019s eighth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Careful with that Axe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4147,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/03\/22\/john-5-begins-tracking-his-new-solo-album-careful-with-that-axe\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":2},"title":"John 5 begins tracking his new solo album ‘Careful With That Axe ‘","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"March 22, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 begins tracking the new album 'Careful with that Axe'","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"John 5 Careful with that Axe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/john-5-new-album.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/john-5-new-album.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/john-5-new-album.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4364,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/07\/28\/john-5-contemplates-his-axe-with-examiner-com\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":3},"title":"John 5 contemplates his axe with examiner.com","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"July 28, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"2014 has been a busy year for John 5. With Rob Zombie, he has been on tour in the US and Europe for the summer festival circuit - and he is due out on the road again in September. In between that the axe man has been working on his\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"John 5, Jonny Coffin, Careful With that Axe","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/John5_studio_JonnyCoffin.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/John5_studio_JonnyCoffin.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/05\/John5_studio_JonnyCoffin.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4376,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/08\/03\/john-5-takes-us-through-careful-with-that-axe-track-by-track\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":4},"title":"J5 takes us through ‘Careful With That Axe’ track-by-track","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"August 3, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 sat down with Music Radar recently to take them through a track by track discussion of his new album 'Careful With That Axe' out August 12.","rel":"","context":"In "Interview"","block_context":{"text":"Interview","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/interview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"careful-axe-preorder-story","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4284,"url":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/2014\/06\/15\/pre-order-careful-with-that-axe-the-new-album-from-john-5-out-august-12\/","url_meta":{"origin":4385,"position":5},"title":"Pre-Order Careful With That Axe – the new album from John 5, out August 12","author":"Dillon - Team John 5","date":"June 15, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"John 5 fans, you can now pre-order the eighth John 5 album, 'Careful With That Axe' from Amazon. Out on August 16 from 60 Cycle Hum records, it features a 10 new tracks from the shred master himself.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"careful-axe-preorder-story","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe-preorder-story.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4385","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4385"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4385\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4385"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4385"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4385"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"Careful](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/john-5.com\/main\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/careful-axe.jpg?resize=550%2C307\")
<\/p>\n