Animate Records announced plans to re-release Master Let’s Start a War on a six-panel digipak. Attempting to mix the Master “sound” with a greater heavy metal and sludge sensibility, some of which appeared on Faith is In Season, Let’s start a War might best seen as a transition record for a band trying to find its voice but also portended what would become the later and tighter manifestation of Master.
The label released the following statement:
Four years ago we released the vinyl and tape version of Master’s 2002 album Let’s Start A War. This time we re-release the CD version as a six-panel DigiPak including the tracks from the Follow Your Savior EP (2001). Different artwork, all lyrics and liner notes by Paul Speckmann. Let’s Start A War is pure fucking 80ies retro-thrash paired with some death metal. Follow your Master and let’s start a war against oppression of mankind! Release date will be announced soon.
Tags: death metal, master
This is very cool. Master is great. Let’s Start a War is one of their better albums along with Spirit of the West and Four More Years of Terror. But did they have to rip-off Knarrenheinz?
You must be joking, right? I agree with the reviewer regarding the transitional nature of the album. It is interesting in order to understand the overall evolution of the band, but not a very good record per se, at least comparing with earlier and later efforts.
It’s no joke. “Not a very good album per se” how is it not a good a album? Because it’s not as extreme as On the Seventh Day? Because it has more melody than what the band usually offers? You ought to listen to something more than a few times and let it grow on you before deciding it’s crap or whatever.
Note that I didn’t say it is crap, I said it is not a very good album. There’s nothing outstanding about it, both in terms of composition and sound. The attempt to bring in more conventional heavy metal influences does clearly not pay off, and it undermines the overall impression.
In my opinion it is one of the weakest efforts from the usually brilliant Mr. Speckmann. One can almost hear how he found himself in an artistic cul-de-sac after his classic period, and it’s no coincidence that shortly thereafter he moved to Czechia and reformed the band with renewed vigour, as seen in later albums, specially from Slaves to Society onwards.
It pays off for me! The sound itself is actually perfect. It’s crisp without losing power or heaviness. Unlike something such as Reign In Blood where the sound is too crisp and bare. Paul’s vocals are more intelligible than ever. I personally prefer Let’s Start a War over any Master release! Six years ago I’d blast this very record (CD) in my Pontiac Grand Prix after coming home from work. I’ve never grew bored or tired of it. Indeed, it’s a very ‘blastable’ album geared for the road!