Not To Be Taken is an uncomfortable trip through some of the darker recesses of the human mind, as well as being as confrontational as you might expect of someone who cites Dolly Parton and Slipknot as influences. This Barry-based artist has come up with something truly disturbing in the best sense of the word a song that does not allow you to turn away because of its unflinching look at the psychology of the matter.
The multiple layered vocal work is especially effective in this part where it creates echoes and reverberation of voices that reflect the intrusive thoughts that the song is addressing. It is disorients you purposefully, making you feel locked in the mental confusion of the narrator. The production decisions are bold-there is nothing glossy or secure about this way of doing things, and that grittiness fits the piece.
Musically, the guitar work has an early Slipknot and Lamb of God influence that gives the band a solid base that is aggressive and intricate. The chords move in random directions, keeping the listeners on the edge, and supporting the themes of mental entrapment in the song. The fact that everything is recorded in his small chaos room only adds to the claustrophobic feel of the room, you can almost feel the walls closing in.
The most interesting thing about Not To Be Taken is how The7thGatekeeper manages to make personal struggle something that everyone can relate to. The song examines those psychological struggles that many have but do not talk about. The deliberately messy production, which the artist himself mixed and Romesh Dodangoda mastered, is thick and immersive, but paranoid.
This is daring music-making-art that is produced out of a heartfelt necessity in lieu of a commercial one. Not To Be Taken is a strong piece of music on the theme of mental struggle, and with such artistic boldness that makes it a memorable work.
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