Diversity and ambition is a rather worthy quality to have in music and while I will never rail against a band for attempting it, I do have problems with bands who try to make a wildly ambitious album without quite having the tools to make the music work out right. Case in point is Neck, whose album Should My Fist Eye is such a difficult, tedious listen that making it through the entire album in one sitting is a chore that is hardly worth undertaking. Mixing, but not melding, a variety of heavy styles from "nu-metal" to Voivodian dissonant guitar tricks to occasional mellower breaks, Neck tries very hard to create a "unique" style but in the end create a record that bogs down in its own cumbersome aspirations. Simply put, the band, in their attempt to throw too much into each song's broth, is unable to sustain even a slight thread, causing the listener much convulsions of annoyance. It is a tricky task to pull off such a thing and unfortunately Neck just doesn't quite have the ability. What is even more frustrating is that you can hear a lot of musical talent and proficiency on the album, which furthermore antagonizes the listener. You know that if this band would restrain themselves a little, remove too much of the excessive song breakdowns and hone their music, they could be very impressive. As it stands, Should My Fist Eye is nothing more than a tiresome burden to hear.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 05/2000

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