Trainwreck Architect-Traits Of The Sick

Self-Release

2013 

More metal from our friends up north? Well, you know I'm all for that! As they say, there's no such thing as too much of a good thing (or something like that!) and that's the case when applied to these Canadian rockers and their distinct style. It's Montreal, Quebec to be exact where these guys call home and in this case we have a band on our hands that A) looks more like a rock band as only one member appears as if he sports the long haired hippie look B) features artwork on "Traits Of The Sick" that would lead some to think that this is either a splatter-core album or a death metal one and C) sounds as if they draw their influences from acts as diverse Testament and Skid Row! Officially the group was assembled in the summer of  2009 and, after releasing a 3-track demo in 2010 called "Feed Them Bullets", have just now finished releasing this, their 10-track full-length debut album. Self-produced by the band members themselves, Trainwreck Architect's debut-album was mastered by the one and only Jeff Waters! Even better, Annihilator's main man also makes a guest appearance on the cut "As Killers Breathe". On the number Jeff shows off his signature style of playing with a blistering guitar solo! And yes, the saints be praised and all that jazz, as it is very sweet! That of course in no way is meant to imply that the rest of  "Traits Of The Sick" doesn't deliver. On this album the pair of  Renauld Baril and Raza Ali Khan (the two guitarists of  Trainwreck Architect) carry themselves in grand fashion and can and do stand on their own merits. Their playing is a cool mixture of speed metal/thrash and even heavy rock and it gels perfectly the classic metal approach of vocalist Simon Ouellet. Eric Latinas and Marc-Antoine Blackburn (bass and drums respectively) fill out this 5-piece Canadian band which seems to live by the old adage (and well-loved) "everything but the kitchen sink". The approach these guys take is to smash up thrash (Annihilator, Metallica, Anthrax, Testament), classic heavy metal (Dio and Iron Maiden) and then give it a rock and roll swirly fir good measure! Whatever the case and whatever you choose to call this 5-piece band it's all good in the end. With the versatile Simon Ouelletto highlighting this album with his skills on the mic and a set-list of songs that constantly shake things up this debut-release never gets boring and keeps you engaged until the very end. This is a damn-fine start for Trainwreck Architect and one album that I'm more than happy to put my stamp of approval on!