It’s little surprise that a band as off-color and chaotically inventive as Fair To Midland were initially championed by System Of A Down frontman Serj Tankian. While “Arrows And Anchors” marks their graduation from Tankian‘s Serjical Strike Records to new label home eOne Music; it remains no less as colorful and impulsive as their past works.
And yet despite an eclectic and earthy mixture of prog metal, alternative rock and the numerous influences and elements scattered in between, maturity has certainly begun to take hold here. In fact, these days Fair To Midland encompass so many genres that comparisons to dredg, System Of A Down and Coheed And Cambria would all somewhat fit. That being said, though the bands more raucous ways aren’t as vividly expressed, the aesthetics and structural ties of their cagey roots are rarely hard to spot.
Refreshingly nothing seems off limits for this outfit who adeptly tackle delicate synth driven melancholy as often as they erupt with crunchy propulsive art rock anthems. Whether it be the uncharacteristic country plucking meets recent Mudvayne-ish swagger of “Amarillo Sleeps On My Pillow“; or the chunky riff vs. interlocked prog momentum of “Whiskey And Ritalin“, there is something here for all.
This is both the bands proverbial blessing and curse. While a lot of ground is covered, there are many aspects that will appeal to select audiences and others that likely won’t. A song like “Musical Chairs” could easily captivate a Mutemath fan just as easily as the knuckle dragging weirdo metal of “Rikki Tikki Tavi” could repulse them. The group admirably don’t play favorites and this allows them to stay both hungry and unabashedly passionate, consequences be damned.
Sure some aspects of the album may feel borrowed (“Three Foolproof Ways To Buy The Farm” possesses more than a passing resemblance to Primus‘ “My Name Is Mud” for instance.) But with a melting pot this loaded with ingredients, it’d be foolish not to expect at least some spill over. Plus the end result more than makes up for the occasional mess encountered along the way.
