In 1973 an album was released that changed the world: not since Sgt Pepper's had an album had such originality and influence. The legacy of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon still reverberates over 40 years on and still sells 10,000 copies a week. and it's prism cover is as iconic as the music itself. It hardly seems possible that in the beat of a pulse 50 years since Floyd started releasing music have passed. Sword guitarist Kyle Shutt honours Floyd's golden anniversary with a heavy metal cover of their seminal work. Admittedly it's no easy task to take on such a defining album; some would consider it a sacrilege to even attempt it. Shutt, however, sees it as a 'celebration of one of the greatest bands' rather than 'messing with someone's legacy.' With this in mind, don't expect a note for note rehash, or even similar orchestration, Shutt's version is heavier but retains the spirit of the original.
With fellow Sword band-mates on the album it's very much The Sword does Pink Floyd: it's clean, precise, warm, with some excellent musicianship. On The Run is superbly delivered with Alex Murrero's vocals offering a hint of Gilmore for authenticity. Time is just as disorientating as the original. Us and Them gets a radical acoustic reworking. Eclipse/ Brain Damage does indeed sound as if the lunatics have escaped and we are hearing a sonic nightmare version of the track with altered vocals. Great Gig In the Sky boasts some haunting sax work by Jason Frey, but without the gut-wrenching cri de coeur from Clare Torry the track radically loses its power and is reduced to a tasteful, yet irrelevant piece. Money gets a raunchy makeover, minus the sound effects and stands up pretty well.
Part of the ingenuity on Floyd's version is working within the constraints to 1970s technology and working out ways to overcome the problems in order to execute the band's vision. When everything is done on computers that and can harness sounds, overdubs and create layers of tracks, some of the heart and magic is lost.
Doom Side of the Moon is a strong tribute to Pink Floyd's work. Drawing from the original and intertwining Shutt's personality. It's enjoyable to listen and has a place in their catalogue but considering the magnanimity of the original those who cherish the album may be left cold by the heavy metal leanings which can sometimes miss the subtleties of the songs' messages. It's not a bad album, but the dark side or reinventing the wheel is that it's not Pink Floyd.
Groupie Rating: 2/5
