Review by UnklehP for Psychopath - Making the Transition (1991)

Psychopath's Making The Transition (1991 C&C/Major Records International), is quite the wonderful, strange, uncut gem. Apparently, like some others, I feel they're deserving of a review, but an even more extensive one. From St. Louis, Missouri, USA, this prog/death/thrash trio somehow managed to create their own individual sound way back in 1990 when recording this LP, only months after their demo, The Soul Personification (1990). I do agree it's ahead of its time by incorporating jazz/fusion (mainly drums) and avant-garde elements (vocals, guitar, synthesisers) into their mostly brutal soundscape. To truly grasp this though, and this must be stressed, this is an album that should be heard through headphones with the volume up! Without this, you'll miss the subtle, tiny details and atmospheric intricacies, not only in the stringed instruments, but in the drums too. When I first started to listen to Transition, I wasn't all the way yet hearing what I had been reading about. I was thinking maybe it's one of those Voivod-like "um, I don't get what everyone else is getting" things, but then starting having moments of realisation. As each song was passing it started to sink in.

The chief strength of Making The Transition is its audacious and unconventional songwriting, driven home by the still-raw (on this recording) talents of its three musicians. After reading many reviews on the band, album, and other recordings, I made the deepest dive possible on all of Psychopath's available music and lyrics as well. I come away clear that vocalist and guitarist William Lynn is a creative force of nature, similar to Chuck Schuldiner of Death in terms of his commitment to his art. But instead, Lynn's walking his own path by completely rejecting mandatory shredder-focused solos and mathematical song structures, instead taking what sounds like an almost improvisational route on his solos, which are on only 4 of the 12 songs. It's with headphones that his unique approach becomes more apparent. Certain rhythmic riffs will appear that are unlike anything you would've heard then, filled with a wonderfully weird sensibility that's easy to miss on your normal audio setups. Headphones also expose several odd (and sometimes ugly) guitar volume cut-outs, suggesting either faulty equipment or who knows what. Gear breaking down? Who cares - keep playing! If that's the case, this is the most punk rock prog/death/thrash recording ever made as it happens several times throughout the recording! Vocally, his menacing death metal growl possesses a unique ability to drop into his normal speaking voice. This adds more expression (with a touch of an unstable mind) to his lyrics, some of which seem so simple on the surface, but are just a ruse if you pay very close attention. More about this below when discussing the album's ending.

Benjamin Trost's bass does its job by laying in pieces of technical and very simple foundational parts for Psychopath's song structures. His bass lines also provided counter-melodies during the quieter, more atmospheric passages. This shows on the album's greatest and most dynamic track, "Metro-Shock," where Trost potentially used a fretless bass to produce some cello-like moments. I do detect he has moments of disappearing in the mix, but not sure of the reason.

Drummer Douglas McIntosh was a standout in the early '90s extreme metal scene. On the surface his playing sounds like fast-charging, siege-like death/thrash, but he also applies an incredibly complex and nuanced approach, incorporating jazz-fusion elements and intricate cymbal work. Yet listening closely does reveal a confounding duality to his performance. At times he displays an advanced technique reminiscent of legends like Mahavishnu Orchestra (Cobham era) or Return to Forever (Lenny White era), while at others he seems to erratically push the tempo in ways that has to make things incredibly difficult for his mates in the band. Whether this tempo fluctuation was intentional or not remains a puzzling part of the album's charm, alongside his absolutely bizarre and unique bass drum style that demands a listen to be believed. Anyway, the performance from McIntosh is a bit wild and crazy to say the least, but in its own way, brilliant indeed. It's vitally important for you to hear the follow up recording I mention later. You will hear not only McIntosh remedy this, but the entire band does in a triumphant way that is actually pretty shocking.

The journey into Making The Transition was not without its rough patches. Indeed, I've absolutely never heard a metal album like this that is so raw in its approach, openly displaying all of its shortcomings and mistakes for the whole world to see, while also managing to reach such complex levels of musicianship and songwriting. And this isn't even to mention that it's clearly a concept album of some kind that I don't wish to ruin my mind trying to figure out, as I have enough to worry about already. It may need an additional review at another time. The production (August 1990), which predates its October 1991 release on Germany's C&C, is cursed by a tragically flat, lo-fi production that gives the album a quality so unworthy of Psychopath's performance. Some instrumental nuances are lost in the murk, and the occasional volume dip adds to the raw, unpolished feel. The drums are mixed so loudly and with so much reverb at times that it momentarily drowns out the rest of the band. Such a no-no, as the say! Guitar = metal! The one metal rule that absolutely shan't be broken!

Though as ambitious as it gets, Making the Transition was just a taste of the band's true potential. For a real dive into the artistic mind of creative architect William Lynn, and to hear the stunning execution laid out by he and his mates, the recently discovered songs from the Worst Case Scenario (5-Song Advance) recording are mandatory. Seek, you'll find. Those tracks completely mow down Transition, showcasing a massive improvement in all areas. The improved production quality also allows the listener to fully appreciate the intricacies of the band's playing, and the songwriting demonstrates a further, and more accomplished, plunge into their unique creative vision. Wish I could review it here, but folks, that ain't happening until Worst Case Scenario is brought from the dead and gets a proper release as an official EP.

Now, to conclude my review of Transition with the final track, "Crystal Clear". Vocally, it's as if there is a personality change taking place, which accelerates that view during the coda and its slightly unnerving fadeout. When the 50 minute runtime is over, it really started to hit me that the whole Making The Transition experience was intended to be one big "transitional" mind freak.