Trouble

Like Watchtower, Trouble’s comeback album has been a long, long, long time coming. The last album these doom rock legends put out was 1995’s disappointing Plastic Green Head. To be fair, that album had a lot to live up to, following up the band’s insanely perfect duo of 1990’s Trouble and 1992’s Manic Frustration. But they deliver the goods here, cranking out with ease the album that should have followed Manic Frustration. The second track, "Mindbender,” is hands-down the tune of the year, with some of the best doom riffing ever laid to tape. Eric Wagner’s legendary voice still sounds majestic, except for a couple points where the wear and tear of life seems to show, which only adds to the band’s depressing vibe. It’s a success all around, from opener "Goin’ Home” through to classic mid-tempo doom rockers like "Seven” and "Pictures of Life” these are songs that only one band could write. "After the Rain” is a follow-up to Manic Frustration’s sobering "Rain.” I can’t believe they pulled it off but they did. Simple Mind Condition is grandiose, rockin’, tragic and epic all within its brief 45 minutes, with those riffs, voice and the damn near perfect song construction coming together once again. (Escapi)