Tanith – Voyage Review

[Cover artwork by Luke Cantarella]

You are aware of the existence of Amoeba Records, yes? If not, just know they are one of this country’s finest purveyors of all things music-related—a Mecca of sorts for any and all freaks who keep an endless wishlist of albums they hope to find before the earth finally folds in on itself. In essence, no one who walks into Amoeba Records with the intention of finding something walks out of the store with nothing, and that is a wonderful and extraordinary thing.

You are aware of Amoeba Records’ ongoing What’s In My Bag series, yes? If not, just know it’s quite fun, and it documents all sorts of recent Amoeba purchases by many of our favorite underground (and occasionally somewhat overground) musicians. Not only does What’s In My Bag present a unique way to discover delightful surprises—like John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats’ affinity for all things King Diamond—it’s an excellent means for exploring previously uncharted territories, based purely on whatever happens to get yanked from the bins by artists we connect with over the years. More often than not, and highly germane to most any discussion involving a band such as Tanith, said artists taking part in WIMB make heavy use of a time machine when trolling those unending rows, very often citing early exposure to veiled classics as lynchpins for their own artistic endeavors. They honor and exalt the early innovators, the wild poets, the silvery sorcerers, and the heroes from their youth that first anointed their ears with those trailblazing records, all while imparting the crucial importance of the physical medium to deepen the affinity even further. This vital component of WIMB is, at its crux, yet another illustration of the certainty that no matter how great it feels to remain on top of or ahead of the curve with regard to discovering brand new releases, we should regularly endeavor to understand, assimilate and appreciate the roots which laid the foundation.

Forsooth and what-ho! With Tanith, one can indulge both faces of exploratory musical surgery, as they are a new(ish), modern band that additionally aspires to demonstrate to listeners how great the marbled realms of hard rock were 50 odd years ago.

“Oh, really, Copernicus? Just like the umpteen other bands in $200 designer flared bohemian breeches that howl for our attention each and every day,” remarked the scathing reader whilst offering camera 2 a perfectly snide half-grin.

Here’s the distinction, you saucy skeptics: Tanith is better at it, and I’m guessing their pants are reasonably priced. Boom: Sold. Finger sandwiches and Yoo-hoo in the lobby.

Release date: April 21, 2023. Label: Metal Blade.
As to the whys and hows related to the Tanith advantage, those happen to be rooted in two distinct edges. The first (and most crucial) is anchored in a deep experience most freely confirmed via guitarist / vocalist Russ Tippins’ long-standing exploits through Satan and that band’s brief venture as Blind Fury amidst the closing years of the NWOBHM. Albums such as Court in the Act (1983) and Out of Reach (1985) delivered a royal flush of hard rock taken to new and bold metal pinnacles, the former setting serious milestones for the impending speed metal scene, and the latter doing so with slightly taller hair and higher leg-kicks. Suffice to say, Tippins’ ostensible affinity for a full range of influential ‘70s belters—anything from BÖC, Rush, Deep Purple and Zep to the slightly more underground releases from Budgie, Atomic Rooster, Sir Lord Baltimore, Buffalo, et al.—fueled a hunger to take it to the next level with heavy metal, and now with Tanith he has an ideal avenue for paying an even more direct homage to the bands that inspired the NWOBHM. And his cohorts—vocalist / bassist Cindy Maynard and drummer Keith Robinson—clearly share a similar connection to that golden era, as their contributions in Tanith are just as cultivated and vital to the overall windfall.

The second justification for the Tanith advantage arises from their decision to opt for largely obsolete, anachronistic recording methods to further legitimize the whole ‘70s experience. Only vintage amps were utilized, and the production process involved “recording to 24-track analog 2-inch tape, mixing to 1/2-inch tape, and mastering straight to lacquer 2 hours away by train.” Moreover, a computer never touched a single aspect of the vinyl mix for Voyage, so it is very literally best suited for the sort of tenacious traditionalists who willfully and gleefully spend hours trawling the bins of joints such as Amoeba for overlooked gems that conjure golden eras long past.

Stylistically, much like it’s predecessor, 2019’s In Another Time, full-length number two focuses on a notably live and lively delivery that jumps right into the listener’s lap, as if the band is conjured directly into your living room the moment the needle touches wax. The edges are left delightfully raw, reinforcing the overall energy and giving the album’s more fiery rockers additional combustibility: the notably fiery “Adrasteia,” for example, or the opening “Snow Tiger” that gallops into the adventure with flaming sword in full swing.

Taken as a whole, Voyage sounds like an extremely logical step following the band’s superb debut, but it does offer up subtle differences, some intentional and others perhaps as a result of… unexpected circumstances. Second guitarist Charlie Newton abruptly and swiftly split, leaving Tippens, Maynard and Robinson high and dry just days before the band entered the studio, which, for a band whose intended design largely centers on the sort of dual melodic guitar back-and-forthing reminiscent of Thin Lizzy / Wishbone Ash / Judas Priest, this imparted a rather unwelcome obstacle right off the bat. As a result, one might worry that Voyage underscores that particular aspect a bit less. And maybe it does? Just a little? Then again, probably not. The record is still as melodic and lifting as Uli Roth enjoying a sunrise, but maybe the leads feel a tad more… heated this time around. The record is certainly not unduly lacking in melodic lead work, just know that, and a significant doff of the cap is due to friend and fortuitous New Yorker Andee Blacksugar (one-time Peter Murphy, current Blondie / KMFDM guitarist), who stepped in and very admirably bridged the gap here. Put simply, it’s a shame about Newton’s sudden absence, but Tanith still found a way to deliver one of the prettiest and most heartening solos of the year just after the 2:25 mark of the excellent “Olympus by Dawn.”

Voyage also takes the moderately radio-friendly face first initiated through In Another Time with “Under the Stars” and “Eleven Years” to the next level. Still not poppy in a Howard Jones “No One is to Blame” sort of way, but even more like Cheap Trick colliding with Styx for the soundtrack to 1979’s Over the Edge. (Please watch that movie before or after listening to this album.) So, radio friendly amidst the days when the radio still knew how to deliver triumphant anthems such as “Working Man.” It leaps out early and in the most surprising manner with “Falling Wizard,” a bright little jaunt that could just as easily serve as a Saturday morning adventure carton jingle centered on… I assume a plummeting wizard (Presto??), but it’s also flexed on the late hitting “Flame,” which is a bit softer and strummier without sacrificing an ounce of the bright infectiousness that governs the bulk of the record.

There is another not-at-all secret weapon that helps separate Tanith from the countless other contenders in the throwback hard rock realm amidst the modern age, and it’s something that likewise would have vaulted the band into a fairly unique echelon even back in the mid-to-late ‘70s: The dual vocals of Russ Tippins and Cindy Maynard. Sure, Fleetwood Mac would be an easy comparison, but it’s also a bit lazy, as there’s little resemblance beyond the counterpointing male / female vocals to lean on. A more apt vocal comparison might actually be a band like X, but Tanith clearly supplants the punk rock edge with adventurous hard rock. Still, similar to early X, the contrasting deliveries of both Maynard and Tippins are underscored on every song, and the formula works wonderfully within a melodic and exhilarating hard rock blueprint.

Again, there’s clearly no shortage of players in the throwback hard ’n’ heavy realm for any of us to enjoy at any given moment, but why not go all in if you’re interested in taking that particular dive? Russ Tippins, Cindy Maynard and Keith Robinson really, really want you to know what it was like to be a hard rock fan 50 odd years ago, and with Voyage you have the means of discovering just that in the most optimal way possible: by stumbling across the LP in a record bin, getting drawn in by that otherworldly artwork, and then ultimately becoming charmed by Tanith’s brand of unique chimerical hard rock fused to progenitors such as Rush, Styx and Wishbone Ash in the most pleasantly undigitized manner possible. What’s in my bag, you may ask? It’s Voyage, and I very much look forward to our repeated travels together.

Photo by Ryan Weibust; L to R: Robinson, Maynard, Tippins

Posted by Captain

Last Rites Co-Owner; Senior Editor; That was my skull!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.