Watchtower’s Energetic Disassembly (1985): The Birth of Progressive Metal

Album: Energetic Disassembly (1985)

Lineup:
Jason McMaster - vocals
Billy White - guitars
Doug Keyser - bass
Rick Colaluca - drums
Label release: (Originally by) Zombo Records Matrix

The tracks
1. Violent Change 03:22
2. Asylum 03:48
3. Tyrants In Distress 05:59
4. Social Fears 04:41
5. Energetic Disassembly 04:39
6. Argonne Forest 04:38
7. Cimmerian Shadows 06:35
8. Meltdown 03:59

There is no doubt in the mind of the modern progressive metal listener that Watchtower's Energetic Disassembly birthed technically proficient classic metal into the progressive metal as we know today, in its most elemental form. During the days of Watchtower, there were no bands that demonstrated such artistic tyranny as did the band when they released the album Energetic Disassembly in 1985. From Violent Change to the title song, hefty – almost arrogant artistry – did Billy White and Rick Colaluca, Jason McMaster and Dough Keyser demonstrated. By any standard of classic 1985, Watchtower’s debut album was a pointer to the revolution that was to come a decade later – not that anyone cared a hoot when Watchtower released it!
Tyrants in Distress, Social Fears, Cimmerian Shadows and on and one and on – Watchtower was truly laying down a groundbreaking style so incongruous to the poppy, melody, 1-2-3-1-2-3 pattern which the great-hair bands were playing during the colorful 80s.

Energetic Disassembly claims of all the signature ingredients that would later reverberate in modern day Spiral Architect to Spastic Ink, Dream Theater to Cynic. The energetic and random but compositional complexity metal style which Watchtower’s second album Control and Resistance (1989) showed would reverberate through a generation of progressive-minded musicians. And the Demonstration in Chaos (2002) album was only a reminder to the latter Prog heads about who started the thing. The progressive or “technical metal” (Ugh. I really abhor this term) style as we know today can be traced to Energetic Disassembly – the fantastic high pitched, clear and keening singing of Jason McMaster even Geoff Tate would ascribe to, the random time signatures and technical finesse of Billy White and the almost maniacal, varied and arrogant base-work of bassman Doug Keyser and drummer Rick Colaluca; the rapid (almost what I personally call the “guesswork-like” energetic style) that set Watchtower apart from the other hair-spray-lot during that early era. Every thing about the album was new. And dazzlingly brilliant.

The Progressive ‘qualities’

Another important aspect of Energetic Assembly to be considered is that the album lays down the foundation for the understanding of how progressive metal evolved – the compositional complexity of instrumentation, skilled musicianship translated into palpable expression, the technical finesse and delivery and the top-notch personal artistry to make the genre what it is today. What more can you say? Incredibly brilliant.

Today, when one listens to Watchtower’s albums and make comparative assessments on the technicality bands like, say, Dream Theater or Spiral Architect create, Watchtower was more progressive than technical, more metal than progressive. I have no doubt at all that Energetic Disassembly is the era-defining classic that remains unchallenged on its progressive metal pedestal to this day.

WatchTower: Control & Resistance (1989)

If you’ve never heard of WatchTower, you probably must be a baby to progressive metal (welcome!) and you are looking for info on this totally awesome band you heard about, from somewhere a dime-beer store. Or, if you please, you’re monumentally sick of all those shitty progressive metal albums European bands are churning out that you’re looking for fresher inspiration. Either way, to WatchTower.

But the irony is on me – I learned of WatchTower only about 6 years ago, when I was shopping for records specifically for Superior, the ‘pioneers’ of German Progressive Power Metal. Although I had WatchTower’s debut in my library for a good long time I rarely came across ‘Control and Resistance’ amongst the 500 or so metal albums in my CPU stock – the notion that I was in possession of one of the most priceless of rock albums in the progressive metal universe, didn’t strike me. And 6 years ago, about 2004, I “discovered” the album. ‘Control and Resistance’ remains the big daddy in my all-time top slot.

The album

The problem with ‘genr-erational’ icons – for instance Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Metallic or Dream Theater – is that you have no reference or index to measure them with. The same with WatchTower. Everything is said and done. No disputes. Only one, unto itself – the only thing you can do is watch grow longer the long string of icons listing them as influence. And for reviewers like me – cut, spliced, salted and dried crisp – stuff about WatchTower can be as exciting as paying your parking ticket. Not so for their music though.

So this is what I envisage from the review on WatchTower’s Control & Resistance, the biggest ‘début’ of albums: If you’re new to Prog stuff, I hope to give you an idea what the ado is all about. But if you are a battle-wearied, nasty piece of progressive metal honcho, don’t waste your time here – return to your unkempt nest at Prog Archives.

Album Control &  Resistance: The Tracks

1. Instruments Of Random Murder
2. The Eldritch
3. Mayday In Kiev
4. The Fall Of Reason
5. Control And Resistance
6. Hidden Instincts
7. Life Cycles
8. Dangerous Toy

I’ll give you just 5 words to describe WatchTower’s album in its entire luminosity and sublimity: Oh My Freaking Awesome Whatwasthat. Their first album, Energetic Assembly, hinted the monumental skills the band possessed. But it was only with Control and Resistance that the dam broke through. Basically, many consider Control and Resistance to be the band’s ‘debut’ gauging the impact it still has on progressive rock genres.

From the iconic ‘Instruments of Random Murder’ to the frighteningly magnificent ‘Hidden Instinct,’ you have never listened to an album as overwhelming as Control and Resistance. Of course, “younger listeners” may cleverly quote Spiral Architect’s ‘Skeptic’s Universe’ to be the one prog album that comes closest to the sublimity of WatchTower’s C&R. But only just about. And it is sacrilegious to compare influences with the source.

Awesome, sublimely intricate arrangements, numbing salvos of compositional diversity that converge into a single heady smash that rearranges your head; insufferably convoluted tempo rephrasing; frighteningly overwhelming guitar passages not even John Petrucchi has got around to figuring out (Did someone just whisper Metropolis Medley? Get out, you Lady Gaga lover!). Just one thing, if you’re a melody freak, sorry go find Threshold or Spastic Ink. Alan Tecchio isn’t even singing! But that’s just it.

In brief, I confess, I just don’t have the right babble to describe what WatchTower’s debut is all about – you have to listen to it to get a sense of why the album is the point of reference for generations of progressive metal musicians and well, fans.

Few albums in the history of rock music have captured the tyranny of skill, sophistication and the beauty of musical artistry as did WatchTower’s Control and Resistance. Control and Resistance is to WatchTower what Images and Words is to Dream Theater, Stairway to Heaven is to Led Zeppelin, Black is to Metallica…what the darned heck, foggit it.
WatchTower’s already the first, remember.

Watchtower: The Prog Metal Daddys

Name any metal dedicated to the Progressive Metal genre (including its offshoot Power, Symphonic Progressive, Folk Death, Death, Melodic Death, Avantgarde and Ambience genres).

Name any of them lot. Opeth. Or Sieges Even. Or Iced Earth. Or Platitude to Dark Water, Spiral Architect to Aztec Jade. Or Neal Morse to Adagio. Or Pain of Salvation to Riverside. Or Lacuna Coil and those sell-out traitors called Evanescence. Or The Incurable Tragedy guys.

Or even big granpadaddy Dream Theater.

They all owe allegiance to a bunch of four hilarious, prank-loaded wardogs from the hair-raising, spandex-splitting 1980s; name any progressive metal band that has this almost customary reference to this special ‘rock’ band, as influence. Yer dang right on the money – yes, Watchtower.

And their era-defining works  

In 1988, Metallica's drummer Lars Ulrich was spied wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with ‘Watchtower’ the Progressive/Technical Metal band during the release of the Thrash Metal pioneers’ ...And Justice for All album. What more justification does one need to be called a pioneer when you are a trailblazer called Watchtower?

PS: Before continuing, I assume you are new to the progressive metal genre if you are reading this ‘review.’ No offense meant.

I completely abhor the term “Technical Metal” tagged on Watchtower. Gosh. When the rockers released Energetic Disassembly in 1985 the term “Technical Metal” wasn’t even around. Besides, as if not sounding lamer enough than corny popcorn commercials, the term doesn’t even fit modern musical denotations – leave alone the virtuosity of the spandex-raising 1980s! ‘Progressive Metal’ has a far more elemental connotation to the nature of music Watchtower plays. To be convinced of the point (and not from personal points of argument and debate), you will have to listen to Watchtower’s era-defining album ‘Control and Resistance’ (1989). And you’ll suddenly realize that the “Technical Metal” tag is cornier than calling mainstream music, Pop. 

When the fist onslaught of the spirited mow-through ‘Instruments of Random Murder’ exploded through the speakers, I simply had no words. It was around 2004. Watchtower was “new” creatures of “new” metal (be reminded here that in 2004, I was already a hardcore follower of the likes of Cynic, Aztec Jade, Spiral Architect and of course, Dream Theater!). The only reason for the late initiation into the pioneer’s music was that I had failed to locate Control and Resistance amongst my music albums.

Guitar World hoisted Watchtower’s Control and Resistance as one of the music magazine’s ‘Top 10 Shred Albums of the 80’s.’ Here is what the feature stated about the album: “Sounding like the twisted scion of Metallica and the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Watchtower was the most brilliant weird band of its time. Guitarist Ron Jarzombek, with his complex harmony solos, strange scales and furious staccato lead bursts, performs tricks on his guitar that will leave you more than sufficiently breathless.”

Now that I have introduced you to Watchtower meet the giants' Control and Resistance (1989) album review.