Casey McGrath – Schism
Release Date: August 27, 2022
Label: Independent
Format: Single | Digital
Duration: 06:46
Genre: Prog Metal / Alternative Metal
Screw Apocalyptica, this is turbo speed Casey!
The moving force behind Fiddlerock, Casey McGrath is a charming entertainer who occupies the specific niche of neoclassical invasion to the world of rock’n’roll.
As Vanessa May watered down the bombast of Vivaldi for it to fit the car stereo of an average cab, Casey does something different.
Her cover versions don’t go all the way to completely change the song and morph it into a thing of its own, rather than injecting the original version with that squeaky agile violin. Master of fiddles has already built up an impressive portfolio of covers: Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‚Freebird‘, Radiohead’s ‚Creep‘, and now ‚Schism‘ by Tool. This track is the first one of Tool covers series, with ’46&2′ and ‚Sober‘ planned to be released this fall.
As you see, Casey doesn’t take risks and chooses 100% established classics. This is the approach known for bigger bands who grew their scale immensely (remember how Ghost did Metallica’s ‚Enter Sandman‘?). What she does is show off her skill where she knows she’s the best. Though it seems like a hell of ambition – she replaces the vocals of Maynard Keenan, which takes some serious balls on its own.
It sounds pretty organic after all. The instrumental part remains mostly untouched, and the fiddling sounds fit in the mix. It’s a question of taste how you like the tone that Casey chose, but it undoubtedly adds up to the harmony of original ‚Schism‘.
This might be a good entry point into the world of heavy metal for every kid in the art school or your parents. So, kudos to Casey for plowing the fields of angsty alternative rock world with the same intensity, as she plows the fields of epic dead (mostly) composers.
Text by Dmitriy Churilov
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