For fifteen years, the Rodler brothers have been on a quest to find the ultimate vehicle to express themselves musically : it is obvious now that Razor Wire Shrine is that vehicle. Their debut CD "Going Deaf for a Living" was a very potent technical hard rock statement and was an excellent introduction to the instrumental powerhouse. But now the duo are back taking their unique brand of technical metal to new heights. "The Power of Negative Thinking" is much heavier, faster, darker and even more over-the-top than than their first offering. With the explosive guitar soloing of Mike Ohm, the new album burns from start to finish and is destined to become required listening for fans of hyper-technical instru-metal.
The evolution of the band's sound is certainly no accident. That was the plan as the brothers began writing for their sophomore release - to create an even more ferocious and frenetic sound than before. Razor Wire Shrine has chosen to move beyond the "Rush-on-steroids" sound of the first CD in exchange for a much more modern, complex and metallic soundscape. You can clearly hear the influence of old-school thrash and modern tech-metal that help shape many of the albums seven songs but what might surprise the listener most is the tendency for R.W.S. to experiment with more traditional musical styles. The jazzy bits in the title track, the weird funk intro of "Klusterphunk" or the two-step nonsense in "Skull Shatter Stomp" all suggest that the power-duo is not content to just hammer away all the time!
Razor Wire Shrine's music can be polarizing for fans of progressive rock and metal but one element of the band that has been universally praised is the sound quality. Every effort has been made to make this CD the best sounding recording the Rodler Brothers have ever released. Veteran engineer Ed Tomecko was chosen to record and mix the new music due in large part to the impressive sound he had achieved for the band's first CD. Mastering guru John Trevethan who has worked with Queensryche, October Project and Echolyn, was brought in to add the final touches to the stereo mixes. This team has managed to somehow combine brutal heavy metal production with unsurpassed clarity. "The Power of Negative Thinking" has all the punch, power and detail of any major label release.
In 2007, after a 15 year absence from live performance, the Rodler brothers finally made it back to the stage taking the music of Razor Wire Shrine out to the clubs in the North East USA. After repeated attempts to recruit like-minded players failed the band now perform as a "power duo". The positive response has been overwhelming and enthusiastic audiences have nicknamed the Rodlers "the insane brothers" referring to their virtuosic on-stage displays of instrumental prowess. Sharing the stage with bands like Unexpect, Echoes of Eternity and After Forever in 2008 helped introduce R.W.S. to large crowds of the prog-metal faithful and gave the band the proverbial "shot-in-the-arm" they needed. More shows have been added for 2009.
In the years to come Razor Wire Shrine intend to tirelessly work to further establish their reputation as a top notch recording and performing ensemble striving for success alongside some of the most beloved bands of the genre. It's a long road to get there but after fifteen years of writing and recording challenging music Chris and Brett Rodler remain completely committed to their goals. "The Power of Negative Thinking" is a remarkable musical statement that represents the best the brothers have to offer.