Manipulator

The Fall of Troy

Many Fall of Troy fans, I believe, would say that Doppelgänger is the band's best record. It features their most iconic songs, a nice balance of sour and sweet, and the adventurous nature of the band's songs are spellbinding rather than feeling like a self-serving, hedonistic endeavour. With exception to the iconic song status, I think their 2007 follow-up, Manipulator, slightly improves on all those qualities making it, controversially, my clear favourite. The melodies are sweeter and appear more frequently, offering more solace in between the bands harsher, mathcore moments. Take the The Dark Trial for example, whose chorus features a smooth bassline underneath these really cool guitar runs that bridge between chord punches. The arpeggios that ring out towards the end of the phrases here are also quite heavenly. Then there's the much needed detour in the funhouse of terror that is Seattlantis. The series of virtuosic guitar passages, and sweeping basslines transport you to a completely different place; one I can only describe as colourfully floral. Lastly, we have one of my favourite Fall of Troy tracks, Oh! The Casino!; a supremely catchy and melodic pop-rock tune that is elevated to the band's progressive standards with an oddly-timed rhythm in the chorus.

I also think the band incorporates even more styles and influences seamlessly into their already eclectic sound. Quarter Past and Caught Up have a bit of a blues rock influence thanks to the vibrant chord structures and Thomas Erak's attempts at sultry singing. Despite being the album's shortest track, Problem!? covers some serious musical territory with its southern hardcore riffs and Erak's crazy shred chops. The surprise comes later though when the song flips to a latin rhythm with syncopated guitar strums and some spicy shaker. If I can circle back to Erak's vocals, it is clear that he really tried to push himself on this record. His voice dances around the album's opener with a great deal of swagger, and there are moments where his screams sound uncharacteristically beefy; like at the beginning of The Dark Trail for example. His high-pitched shriek also comes in more flavours, creating so many memorable moments throughout the record. They come off particularly sassy again on The Dark Trail, manic and terrifying on the curious Shhh!!! If You're Quiet, I'll Show You a Dinosaur, and oddly powerful during the most soaring moments of A Man. A Plan. A Canal. Panama. Really, the only time it doesn't really go over well is at the end of the second verse on Quarter Past, where an attempt at a Janis Joplin styled vocal freakout falls a tad flat.

The beauty of Manipulator though really lies in the production. The Fall of Troy, if you didn't already know, is a total musician's band. Every moment has virtuosic guitar playing, busy and intricate drum work, and buttery smooth basslines all working together to create some of the most impressive displays of musicianship and chemistry you will ever hear in a punk or hardcore context. Manipulator was their first record to have a crisp and clean sound that allowed every single guitar move, drum hit, and bass part of interest to be clearly heard. This is true especially in regards to the blistering chaos of Seattlantis and the absolutely insane opening moments of A Man. A Plan. A Canal. Panama.

In my eyes, Manipulator is a near perfect album; the total package. The band has a unique, recognizable sound that rarely allows for a dull moment. It demonstrates that they can write both incredibly straightforward pop-rock tunes, and adventurously winding suites that feature one impressive section after another. There's evidence to show that the band made an effort to expand their sound and the production finally compliments their intricate and flashy playing. On a personal note, this record has been incredibly influential on my playing and has also greatly expanded my taste in music. There would be no appreciation for experimental, noise, jazz, post-rock, ambient, and electronic music if I never came across this record; that I'm most definitely sure of. I really owe a lot to this band and this record specifically. If you decide to listen to it, I hope that it is as eye-opening as it was for me.