Gazing at Medusa

Last updated
Gazing at Medusa
Tourniquet Gazing at Medusa.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 16, 2018 (2018-10-16)
RecordedBoca Raton, FL
Genre Christian metal, thrash metal, alternative metal
Label Pathogenic Records
Producer Ted Kirkpatrick
Tourniquet chronology
Onward to Freedom
(2014)
Gazing at Medusa
(2018)
The Epic Tracks
(2019)
Singles from Gazing at Medusa
  1. "Gazing at Medusa"
    Released: May 22, 2018 [1]
  2. "Sinister Scherzo"
    Released: September 19, 2018 [2]

Gazing at Medusa is the tenth studio album by Christian metal band Tourniquet, and is also their last album, with the death of bandleader Ted Kirkpatrick On August 19th, 2022 from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis ending the band. [3] It was produced by Kirkpatrick, and features guests Chris Poland (Megadeth), Tim "Ripper" Owens (Judas Priest, Iced Earth), and Deen Castronovo (Journey, Ozzy Osbourne). [4] [5]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
HM Magazine Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Metal Archives86% [7]
Metal Gods TV8/10 [8]

HM Magazine said of the album, "Gazing At Medusa should by all rights (looking at the cover and the song titles) be an absolutely scorching listen beginning to end. No doubt, things start out well with 'Sinister Scherzo'—trademark Tourniquet riffs, classical influence and biting lyrics. Similarly, the closing title track is quite spectacular, those Deen Castronovo vocals stellar. But solid bookends don’t necessarily make for a great read. Sadly, from a musical standpoint, this is one of the weakest of all of the Tourniquet releases. It’s hard to put words as to why these songs just don’t jump out of the speakers and capture my unrelenting attention." [6] Metal Archives said, "This opus shows the guys taking their art seriously once again by restoring the staple Tourniquet style, categorically winning the staring contest with the pernicious Medusa. There are more battles to be fought, that’s for sure, but there’s no fear...it’s really comforting to know that most of the stars on the metal show are always ready to lend you a hand/arm/voice if need arises." [7] Metal Gods said, "the guitar work on this album is superb. Plenty of NWOBHM inspired buzz sounding riffs, as well as the screeching and screaming you more associate with thrash, and of course the long passages synonymous with the progressive genre of metal—Overall, thrash, progressive, NWOBHM and traditional heavy metal all come together, delivering a fierce rage of furious metal." [8]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Ted Kirkpatrick; all music is composed by Ted Kirkpatrick

No.TitleLength
1."Sinister Scherzo"5:51
2."Longing for Gondwanaland"5:47
3."Memento Mori"4:22
4."All Good Things Died Here"4:52
5."The Crushing Weight of Eternity"6:17
6."The Peaceful Beauty of Brutal Justice"5:07
7."Can't Make Me Hate You"4:03
8."One Foot in Forever"5:00
9."Gazing at Medusa" (feat. Deen Castronovo)4:15
Total length:45:34

Personnel

Tourniquet
Additional Personnel

Related Research Articles

Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work.

Cacophony was an American heavy metal band formed in 1986 by guitarists Marty Friedman and Jason Becker, and signed to Shrapnel Records. They released two studio albums and remained active until 1989, after which both guitarists forged their own solo careers and joined other bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim "Ripper" Owens</span> American heavy metal singer

Timothy S. "Ripper" Owens is an American heavy metal singer who currently performs with KK's Priest, Spirits of Fire, the Three Tremors and A New Revenge. He first gained attention as the lead singer of Judas Priest and then Iced Earth. He took the nickname "Ripper" from the Judas Priest song "The Ripper" during his time in the tribute band British Steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Poland</span> American guitarist (born 1957)

Chris Poland is an American guitarist, best known as the former guitarist of the thrash metal band Megadeth. Since 2002, Poland has been the guitarist of the instrumental rock/jazz fusion bands OHM and OHMphrey, among others, and has appeared on several projects and albums from a variety of different genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GZR</span> American metal band

GZR was an American heavy metal band founded by and named after Black Sabbath bassist/lyricist Geezer Butler. The band has been marketed with three different names on different releases, g//z/r in 1995, geezer in 1997, and GZR in 2005. Most fans refer to the band as "geezer", although Butler himself refers to the band name as "gee-zed-R". This incarnation of the band is not to be confused with Butler's previous attempt in 1985 to form a solo band, then known as the Geezer Butler Band – the two outfits are largely unrelated.

<i>Sad Wings of Destiny</i> 1976 studio album by Judas Priest

Sad Wings of Destiny is the second studio album by English heavy metal band Judas Priest, released on 26 March 1976 by Gull Records. It is considered the album on which Judas Priest consolidated their sound and image, and songs from it such as "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper" have since become live standards. It was the band's only album to feature drummer Alan Moore.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hardline (band)</span> American rock band

Hardline is an American hard rock band. Originally formed in 1991 by brothers Johnny Gioeli and Joey Gioeli, the band consisted of five members, Johnny Gioeli, Joey Gioeli, Neal Schon, Todd Jensen and Deen Castronovo. The band's most recent album is Heart, Mind and Soul, which was released in 2021. Joey Gioeli has not appeared on a Hardline album since 2002's II after retiring from music to focus on the family business. Joey Gioeli has created an AI company that has had revenue since its inception in 1994 of over 165 million dollars. Johnny Gioeli remains the only original member of the band. To date (2024), the Band Hardline has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tourniquet (band)</span> American heavy metal band

Tourniquet was an American Christian metal band that formed in Los Angeles in 1990. It was founded by Ted Kirkpatrick, Guy Ritter, and Gary Lenaire. Tourniquet primarily played a mixture of thrash and progressive metal and was influenced by additional, non-rock forms of music such as classical and world music. The band earned six GMA Dove Award nominations and won multiple recognitions from the readers of HM Magazine, including "Favorite Band of the 1990s" and "Favorite Album of the 1990s" for Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance (1992). They released ten studio albums, two live albums, four compilation albums, one EP, and several video releases. The last Tourniquet lineup consisted of Ted Kirkpatrick (drums) and Aaron Guerra. The band disbanded after Kirkpatrick's death in 2022.

<i>Stop the Bleeding</i> (Tourniquet album) 1990 studio album by Tourniquet

Stop the Bleeding is the debut studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was originally released on Intense Records in 1990. A remastered version was released independently on Pathogenic Records in 2001, which was later re-released in 2011. Retroactive Records released a Collector's Edition remaster on June 26, 2020. The remasters include updated artwork, expanded album booklets, and bonus tracks.

<i>Psycho Surgery</i> 1991 studio album by Tourniquet

Psycho Surgery is the second studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was originally released on Intense Records and Metal Blade Records in 1991. A remastered version was released on Pathogenic Records in 2001 as Psychosurgery and includes revised artwork, an expanded album booklet, and bonus tracks that include live versions of songs featuring then-lead vocalist Luke Easter as well as demos; the title was changed since co-founder and drummer Ted Kirkpatrick always felt that it should have been just one. Retroactive Records released a Collector's Edition remaster on June 26, 2020, retaining the original album title and including an extended booklet as well as different bonus tracks. Considered by critics to be Tourniquet's most balanced of the band's first three albums, Heaven's Metal fanzine ranked Psycho Surgery Christian metal's second-best album of all time.

<i>Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance</i> 1992 studio album by Tourniquet

Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance is the third studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was originally released on Intense Records in 1992 to the Christian market and later released on Metal Blade Records in 1993 to the secular market. It is the last Tourniquet album to feature vocalist Guy Ritter, who left the band after the recording of the album. It was independently re-released on Pathogenic Records in 2001 with digital remastering, two bonus live tracks from the 2000 Dutch Flevo Festival featuring then-lead vocalist Luke Easter, and new cover art. Retroactive Records released a Collector's Edition remaster on June 26, 2020 with the original cover art, an expanded album booklet, and four different bonus tracks. Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance was voted as the "Favorite Album of the 1990s" by readers of HM Magazine. In 2010, HM Magazine ranked it #23 on the Top 100 Christian metal albums of all-time list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Lenaire</span> American musician (born 1967)

Gary Lenaire is an American musician who primarily performs thrash metal and speed metal. Lenaire is best known for his work in Tourniquet, though later he began to work for BOSS amps and interviewed musicians, including Steve Vai, Marty Friedman, John 5, and Rudy Sarzo. Lenaire was nominated for six GMA Awards, and received Heaven's Metal Magazine's "guitarist of the year" award between 1994 and 1996.

<i>Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm</i> 2000 studio album by Tourniquet

Microscopic View of a Telescopic Realm is the sixth studio album by the American Christian metal band Tourniquet. It was released on Metal Blade Records in 2000. The title track includes Steve Rowe of the Australian Christian metal band Mortification as a guest vocalist and the song "The Skeezix Dilemma Part II " is a sequel to "The Skeezix Dilemma" from Tourniquet's 1992 album Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance. This album marks the return to the band's neo-classical technical thrash style of metal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ted Kirkpatrick</span> American musician (1960–2022)

Ted Kirkpatrick was an American musician and songwriter, best known for his work with the Christian thrash metal band Tourniquet. Primarily a drummer, Kirkpatrick was the principal songwriter for the band and played other instruments as necessary.

"Ark of Suffering" is a song by the American thrash metal band Tourniquet. One of the band's best known songs from their early years, "Ark of Suffering" is the third track from Tourniquet's 1990 debut album Stop the Bleeding. It is widely known for its stance on animal abuse and the music video which contained graphic material on the subject. "Ark of Suffering" is still an almost constant part of the band's live set list, frequently as the opening or closing song.

<i>Cosmic Universal Fashion</i> 2008 studio album by Sammy Hagar

Cosmic Universal Fashion is the fifteenth studio album by Sammy Hagar, released on November 18, 2008 by Loud & Proud and Roadrunner Records. Shortly after its release, Hagar formed the supergroup Chickenfoot with his former Van Halen bandmate Michael Anthony.

<i>Antiseptic Bloodbath</i> 2012 studio album by Tourniquet

Antiseptic Bloodbath is the eighth full studio album released on July 19, 2012 by Tourniquet, a Christian metal band formed in 1989 in Los Angeles, California. It is the band's first release since 2003's Where Moth and Rust Destroy. It was long-time vocalist Luke Easter's last studio album before he was kicked out in 2015.

<i>Evolution</i> (Memorain album) 2012 studio album by Memorain

Evolution (2012) is the fifth studio album by Greek thrash metal band Memorain. It was released on 7 August 2012 by Metal Maple Records.

<i>Onward to Freedom</i> 2014 studio album by The Tourniquet Ark

Onward to Freedom is a solo album by Tourniquet drummer Ted Kirkpatrick. Originally announced as a side project to be released as The Tourniquet Ark, Kirkpatrick made the decision to release it under the Tourniquet name with himself listed as the primary artist. This has led to confusion in the fan community, and the erroneous classification of the album as an actual Tourniquet release. This has been exacerbated by Kirkpatrick choosing to refer to it as part of the Tourniquet catalog instead of as a part of his solo catalog. The album features many musicians, such as Marty Friedman and Chris Poland of Megadeth, Mattie Montgomery of For Today and Michael Sweet of Stryper. The album was released on November 11, 2014, via Tourniquet's own label, Pathogenic Records.

Guy Ritter is an American heavy metal musician. He is best known as a former vocalist of the Christian metal band Tourniquet.

References

  1. "TOURNIQUET'S 'Gazing at Medusa' Title Track Features Guest Appearances by Deen Castronovo and Chris Poland". 24 May 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. "TOURNIQUET: Lyric Video for 'Sinister Scherzo Feat. TIM 'RIPPER' OWENs, CHRIS POLAND". 25 September 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  3. https://blabbermouth.net/news/tourniquet-founder-ted-kirkpatrick-dead-at-62
  4. http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/t_2/tourniquet-gazing-at.htm
  5. https://heavensmetalmagazine.com/index.php/2018/12/20/tourniquet-gazing-at-medusa-d25
  6. 1 2 Swank, Jonathan. "TOURNIQUET: Gazing at Medusa - Heaven's Metal Magazine".
  7. 1 2 bayern. "Tourniquet - Gazing at Medusa - Reviews - Encyclopaedia Metallum: The Metal Archives".
  8. 1 2 Mathew, Iron. "TOURNIQUET Album Review: "Gazing at Medusa" - METAL GODS TV".