RUSH — 2112 (review)

RUSH — 2112 album cover Album · 1976 · Hard Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
5/5 ·
Unitron
Rush - 2112

"2112" is the fourth studio album from hard rock/progressive rock band Rush. Rush's previous album, "Caress of Steel", was released to much negative reception. Because of this, Rush's record label had wanted them to start making more radio-friendly two-three-minute songs instead of the lengthy epics that the band had started to create. So, instead of bowing to the record company, Rush decided to create a 20-minute long suite as one gigantic middle finger. This would end up being Rush's real major breakthrough.

What can be said about this masterpiece that hasn't already been said? Adding some space-rock sounds to the mix fits in well with the lyrics of the suite. From the sounds of space from 'Overture' to the aggressive guitar and Lee's screams on 'The Temples of Syrinx', The calm melodies of 'Discovery' to the guitar solo of 'Presentation', and The dramatic heaviness of 'Oracle: The Dream' to the suspense of 'Soliloquy' when Lee screams his last in the suite, shows how varied this suite is. The grand finale when a robotic voice repeats 'We Have Assumed Control' signals that Rush has indeed assumed control.

As far as side two goes, the remaining five songs are all much shorter all being under four minutes long. The first two of these, 'A Passages to Bangkok' and 'The Twilight Zone', both have a dark and brooding sound to them fitting perfectly in with the side one suite. The latter I find to be a really underrated song, as it's such a chilling ominous track. The guitar solo at the end is also pretty foreboding. The final song, 'Something for Nothing' is another favorite and is another great dark heavy rocker with some of Rush's best lyrics.

My only issue with the album is how out of place the song 'Lessons' is. I used to hate the ballad 'Tears', but I've since grown to enjoy it and I think it fits in with the rest of the album. 'Lessons' on the other hand, despite being a great rocking song, feels really out of place with the spacey/dark sound of the rest of the album. I think it would've fit better on an album like "Fly By Night", as it's in the vein of the rocking songs on that release.

Overall, despite having a song that interrupts the mood, "2112" is still a killer album and an essential album for any hard rock/metal collection if only for the grandiose title track. While "Caress of Steel" and "2112" showed Rush move into an epic direction, the following albums see that fully take form. Hope you found this review helpful.

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