Billy Talent III

A contrasting band Billy Talent

If it is possible to characterize the Canadian team Billy Tallent’s creative work with only one word this word would probably be ‘contrast’. Mixture of various styles from rock and punk to rock music, constant change of mood, choosing different techniques, playing with volume – these are only some of all the hooks that Billy Talent adopt in its music always attracting the audience’s attention and conquering new fans. Each of the musicians never loses an opportunity to contribute to work on another creation so these guys have learnt to understand each other very quickly during many years of collaboration. Their new album Billy Talent III that has seen the light of the day this summer is not an exception, too. The record will undoubtedly surprise the band’s faithful fans, first of all, with obviously softer sounding in comparison with the previous work, 2006’s Billy Talent II. On the whole, however, this is an impressive collection of interesting, bright and mellow songs once again devoted to the themes that the members of Billy Talent are concerned about, such as search of one’s self as well as some deeper questions of life and death. Definitely one of the year’s best rock albums, Billy Talent III is sure to occupy a worthy position in this original collective’s discography.

Billy Talent III is similar to the other records only on the first several tracks

The album III is similar to Billy Talent’s other records only on the first several tracks and then it offers some calmer songs closer to ballads among which there are not so many killer numbers. The album opens with a powerful composition Devil On My Shoulder with a stunning bass line, splendid guitar riffs and roaring drums perfectly combining with Ben Kowalewicz’s even more powerful vocals. No less surprising is the track Rusted From The Rain with its memorable chorus, complicated text and rather emotional performance while the guys hold the listeners in tension throughout the whole composition Saint Veronika filled with despair, righteous anger and feeling of hopelessness. The topic of losing the one you love gains quite a vivid form on a more lyrical song White Sparrows, whereas Pocketful Of Dreams proves to be one of the album’s highlights: almost a danceable chorus, contagious guitars and the vocals that sound homophonic with them – all this makes the track a candidate to become a hit. The synthesizers create a dark atmosphere in the introduction on The Dead Can't Testify gradually growing into one of the most sullen tracks on Billy Talent III, and the first single Turn Your Back is rather worthy of all the collective’s previous works: the composition will sound best on a stadium and is sure to be appreciated by all those fond of a good quality punk rock. The track Sudden Movements at once throws amazing guitar riffs on us although it is more like a ballad yet not devoid of distorted guitars and raged vocals, while Definition Of Destiny offers some more pop elements still making the listeners pay attention to the interesting lyrics. It is the final track after which the band has placed three demos of the brightest moments Tears Into Wine, White Sparrows and Turn Your Back which cannot but please everyone interested in the Canadians’ creative work.

A band that has revived the best punk rock traditions

Whatever the evil tongues may say and whichever comparisons the critics make Billy Talent does manage to surprise with every following creation and always sticks to the ‘contrast’ formula. Yet if the guys started with combining practically all the styles they could as the time passed they found their own sounding in which their views on music combined with the influence of the bands with the similar stylistics. As for the new record Billy Talent III the most distinct here are the moments reminding of the works of Rage Against The Machine, Metallica and Refused, but the Billy Talent members themselves have never disguised their interest to these and some other well-known bands. Nevertheless, due to the fact that the musicians actively use the hooks mentioned above and some others, the critics have rightfully called them a band that has revived the best punk rock traditions. So each of their albums brings something new into the world music culture even if this new is simple well forgotten old. Billy Talent III, far from a sensational or shocking record, is a great continuation of the marvelous band’s creative path confidently leading it to the top of fame.