One Hour of Metal is where I either put my iTunes on shuffle or tune into a metal internet radio station and for one hour I document what I hear. The good, the bad and the downright awful are always represented with honesty in this segment. Some hours are better than others as you will see in this series.
This time around it’s ALL RUSH! That’s right. I’ve recently found myself rekindling my love for these iconic prog masters so I figured why the hell not just do a full on Rush challenge! There were some great surprises in there for me and this is just a taste of something bigger to come in the upcoming week or so! Enjoy this challenge and geek out y’all!
Finding My Way – Rush
What a monster song! If this would’ve been the first I had ever heard of Rush I would’ve never believed that this was the same band doing songs like “Distant Early Warning” and “Subdivisions.” This song is pretty much the greatest Led Zeppelin song never made. This has me really looking forward to diving into this album a little deeper.
Chemistry – Signals
This isn’t a bad song at all but this one really doesn’t do too much for me. It just feels kind of blah. There’s not a lot of excitement to this track and there’s really not a whole lot going on here. It just feels like a song. It’s not bad but it’s nothing spectacular. It just is what it is.
Stick it Out – Counterparts
This is a pretty killer fucking jam. When Rush had their “keyboard” phase they were still a great band but man, guitar driven Rush is what it’s all about. Rush is one of those bands that continues to reinvent themselves as they get older yet I find them to be a better band the older they get. Not a lot of bands can claim to that and this song is one of those cases in point. Great riffs, great vocals, sonically spot on perfect. Great song.
Madrigal – A Farewell to Kings
Medieval Rush! This song is absolutely gorgeous and it’s only like 2.5 minutes. Wuhhhht? I know right. I love this song and never even knew I did.
Bastile Day – Caress of Steal
The difference between this song and say “Finding My Way” is like night and day. It still has that kick ass riffage going on and that groove but THIS sounds like Rush. Maybe it as a lot to do with the fact that Neil Peart was behind the pen at this point. I don’t know but this song just kicks all kinds of ass! Geddy’s voice really isn’t nearly as annoying as I remember thinking it was or that people claim it is. Actually I think his voice kicks a lot of ass. What a range.
Dog Years – Test for Echo
Much like with “Stick it Out”, this is a great song and a testament to the fact that Rush just keeps getting better. They may not always knock it out of the park but they sure do nail it a lot and this song is proof of that. Great vocals from Geddy and I love the chorus/hook in this one. What I wouldn’t give to spend an hour inside of Neil Peart’s head just to see how the fuck this stuff all formulates.
Fly by Night – Fly By Night
How can you not love this fucking song. That double neck Gibson and that infections chorus just grabs me every time. Let’s not forget Geddy’s fantastic bass playing. This band does more with just three people than most do with 4 or 5. Alex’s guitar playing is so soulful and there’s so much feeling to it which a lot of times is a huge miss in bands of the progressive nature. Just an all out fantastic song.
The Body Electric – Grace Under Pressure
Every time I see this song title I think I’m going to hate the song but then I hear the song and it blows my mind. A fine mix of the keyboard Rush and guitar based Rush which I a lot of times I love as much as the guitar heavy Rush. This song has some really great layers and some amazing bass playing and vocals. Man, does Geddy Lee ever suck on a Rush song? I’m thinking probably not.
Natural Science – Permanent Waves
is just another example of how Rush can never be trapped in a box. These guys are always working outside of the box and this song is just so bad ass. I could totally hear this song being covered by a thrash metal band. Hell, I could totally hear a death metal band doing a ripping version of this one. Just another example of the mass appeal that Rush has and the versatility of their craftsmanship.
Roll the Bones – Roll the Bones
This song never gets old. I feel like Rush became a whole new band starting with Presto that kidn of put them back into the forefront of the game and really appealing to the hard rock crowd. They did so without sounding fake or trying to hard but did so but channeling themselves into maintaining a modern sound without sounding like old dudes trying to be young. This track never ceases to make me smile and I always break it down like a money makin’ playa when that rap part kicks in. This song always rules.
Earthshine – Vapor Trails
Goddamn what an epic song. It always blows my mind that Rush can sound like such a modernly relevant band without ever coming across as contrived. If you played this song for someone that had never heard of Rush, I guarantee you they’d freak out to learn that this band has been around for over 40 years. This song has another outstanding hook/chorus that makes the hairs on my arm stand up. What an amazing track and a great way to close out this One Hour of Metal: Rush Edition.
About The Author
