Genre-binding musical

For all the flack that new-punk or “emo” gets, it has produced some of the most ambitious releases in recent years.

From full-blown concept albums (My Chemical Romance’s The Black Parade) to career-defining direction changes (Thrice’s Alchemy Index, Panic! At The Disco’s Pretty. Odd.), acts are obviously willing to branch out. So it’s not much of a surprise that Thomas Dutton and his band Forgive Durden, one of genre’s most underrated, have written and produced a legitimate musical.

Razia’s Shadow is certainly one of the most inspired albums of 2008 because it blurs the boundaries of what a record is supposed to include. Each song continues the story of Ahrima, an angel-like individual who feels undervalued and includes guest appearances on each track by the scene’s heaviest hitters: Max Bemis of Say Anything, Chris Conley of Saves The Day and Brandon Urie of Panic! At The Disco.

Although the story drives the album forward, the tracks sound great on their own as well. Like any musical, there are loads of bombastic strings, heightened percussion and fast-paced vocals, but Dutton and friends don’t allow things to get too overdramatic for the most part by switching pace almost every track.

“The Spider and the Lamps” stammers along at a frenzied state while Bemis spits viciously; “The Oracle” floats dreamily and features a stirringly high vocal performance from The Audition’s Danny Stevens; and The Matches’ Shawn Harris makes “Doctor Doctor” a completely awkward and insane affair.  

Yet the star here is The Hush Sound’s Greta Salpeter, who appears on three really great tracks. Her voice pairs with Dutton’s off-kilter croon the best, especially on the majestic and emotional “It’s True Love.” She and Urie also assist Dutton in the jazzy finale “The End and the Beginning,” which is as grandiose as you would expect in a musical climax.

Aside from some hokey lyrics (it’s a musical about love, after all), Razia’s Shadow fully works as a mini-musical. The various guests keep things ever-changing; the instrumentation is fully developed and the story is compelling. To those who see the genre as derivative and uncreative, listen to this.